Fiona, Kaisa & Nathan Judd

I know, I know…you are all so disappointed that this isn’t a post about Hawaii with lots of pictures…I will get there one of these days!

I’ve been meaning to blog about my new washing machine for a while now, so I’ll get this done first.  When we bought our townhome, we got a nice dryer but the previous owners took the washing machine with them.  We left our old washer/dryer for our buyer (who has since replaced them…haha) and we were super excited to pick out something brand new, just what we wanted.  We went back and forth between a front-loader/stackable and a particular top loader that we liked, and this is what we decided on:

This is a Fisher & Paykel 3.7 cu. ft. Intuitive Eco Washing Machine, and it’s amazing!  Fisher & Paykel Appliances was founded in New Zealand in 1934 and has been making appliances since then.  They put all of their money into researching ways to make their appliances more reliable and energy efficient.  The machine is designed to have as few moving parts as possible, making it last longer and reducing repair costs.  It comes with a two year warranty for defects, covering parts and labor.

This machine is like no other washing machine I’ve ever used.  It doesn’t even sound like a washing machine!  It’s very quiet, and it has no dials…just buttons that make little beeping sounds.  It has a technology in it that senses the exact water level needed for the amount of clothing in the load, so you never waste water.  It has several wash modes to select, and has a programmable “favorite” cycle for the one you use most often.

My clothes have come out clean and nearly dry every time.  The spin cycle works so well that I’ve never had to lengthen the time of my dryer cycle…they come out completely dry the first time (even jeans and towels!).  The machine will also automatically stop and beep if it gets off balance, or if there is too much or not enough detergent…etc.  This list goes on and on.  It’s just an amazing piece of technology.

The only thing I don’t like about it is that it has no hand wash cycle.  However, you can adjust the agitation on any load, and it also has a “soak only” mode, so I can get away with most hand washables ok.  Oh, and you also have to clean out the fabric softener dispenser after every load (or two) to keep it from getting all gunky (is that a word?).  Other than that, I have no other complaints so far.  The best part about this machine is that it’s affordable!  At under $500, it’s a steal compared to front loaders that cost $600-$1200!  And it’s still energy efficient!

Great Clips…SportClips? A haircut’s a haircut, right? I say yes. But there are some other factors that go into retaining my business. Maybe not just a haircut…

I just got my haircut at Great Clips, stepping out of my usual routine of going to SportClips, which I’ve got to probably 6 out of the last 7 times, not counting the times Shea cut my hair at OrangeSoda (Company subsidized haircuts baby!). I don’t go to SportClips because I’m a sporty guy. Those that know me will attest to this. I go there because I have a great experience, they reward me right for refering friends, and they have pretty darn good coupons. Oh! And the MVP is great! This time I needed something a little closer to the office — and Great Clips is just up the street.

I was pleased that no one was there in this no appointment franchise, which SportClips is too. That means I could use the rest of my lunch hour for this post. Since I’ve never been I jumped through the hoops of giving my information and they had a new hire, so the person helping me was running her through that as well.

We had a surprising discussion (because most companies won’t bother to ask) about why I was coming here. I told her that usually go to SportClips, since she knew I’d not been to Great Clips before. She jokingly laughed saying “They don’t know what their doing”, to which I just smiled knowingly. I let her know I almost didn’t come here because I really don’t like their TV commercials and that it was purely a matter of location. She acknowledged they were cheesy and as she’s saying this I’m noticing that their decor fits very much into their commercials, kind of cheesy…and generic. But with a name like “Great Clips”, how much more generic can you get?

I told her what I wanted: ‘2 on the bottom, 3 on the sides, 1 1/2″ on top, blended and textured.’ Jana at SportClips helped me with that one. We had a generic discussion about this and that and I’m not much of a chit-chatty person but participated as much as social decency demanded. The whole time I was looking at the decor — sailboat sails separating the stations, advertisments for PBS Kids Sprout, and an “updated 80’s” feel is the best overall vibe I can succintly explain. At the end there were people lined up waiting for a haircut and I felt like she may have rushed a bit. I pointed out just a couple places to fix (I really not that picky). Then she asked, “Have we converted you?”… While I was sizing up my experience during the cut I hadn’t necessarily thought about that, so it caught me off-guard. I just smiled and said “We’ll see.” It was just easier than explaining to this new employee, whom I discovered through the course of our conversation obviously loves Great Clips, that I’d be going to SportClips next time.

On my cold and windy scooter ride back to the office I thought about this some more. I would guess that the training of hair stylists (or barbers, or salonists, or hair school girls, or whatever you call them) is very similar. And while I’m not sure what kind of company training Great Clips or SportClips does with it’s employees to ensure a consistent experience I am fairly convinced therein lies the difference.

Why I like SportClips better:

• They will style my hair with a recommended product. I don’t use a lot on my hair because I don’t want to buy something and not like it, so this is appreciated
• Refer-a-Friend! Both you and your friend get a free MVP! Why don’t more places do that?
• Convenient locations, unless you’re at work… Fiona can shop and whatever because their usually in fairly populated strip mall/big box areas from what I can tell.
• Conditioner instead of water to wet the hair. Same result, but moisturizes hair and I don’t have to be sprayed in the face.
• TVs while you get your hair cut, what’s not to like about that?
• The MVP…sometimes it’s just worth the extra money…

Great Clips and SportClips are both quickly growing franchises. Great Clips has over 1000 locations (since 1982), SportClips has over 500 (since 1993).

Overall Great Clips Verdict:
How does it look? Pretty good/like a haircut.
How does it feel? Could be better.

So far, I’m doing great with this goal, and it’s been really fun to try different sugar alternatives and snacks. It has given shopping a whole new twist as I scan the ingredients of every box to see what might be inside!

On Monday I went to Walmart and discovered a new drink mix that tastes wonderful and doesn’t contain sugar or aspartame. It’s called Aqua Fusion and it comes in Cranberry (which I love!), Raspberry, Strawberry, Orange, and Lemon flavors. They actually taste just like Crystal Light! And the price is comparable to their On the Go packets. I wish they made this in those 2 quart 6-packs that Crystal Light has, though. We recently purchased a Reverse Osmosis water system and it’s so convenient to fill my water bottles with that and pour a packet in before I go to work out or when I need a sweet pick-me-up.

Another snack I have enjoyed is Mariani Dried Apricots (No Sugar Added) from Costco. A big bas was about $7.50, and let me tell you…these things are delicious! “Dried” is not really the right term, because these are so moist and delicious! I could eat them all day! I also enjoy sugar-free fruity yogurt for breakfast, lunch, or a snack. However, I found out that Yoplait Light is sweetened with Aspartame, so go with the generic Kroger brand at Smith’s. They use Splenda (sucralose).

Finally, I made myself some sugar-free oatmeal cookies yesterday! They are actually quite good! I used brown sugar and Altern (generic Splenda). Altern doesn’t melt like sugar does, so the cookies turned out a little dry and didn’t spread out like regular ones do, but the flavor was almost the same. Here are some pictures:

Above you can see the sweetener I used, along with the cookies before and after baking. The first batch turned out smaller and taller because I didn’t realize they wouldn’t melt and spread. I used a glass to flatten the following batches, and that made the shape more cookie-like.

Above you can see Anya (the girl I babysit) and Kaisa enjoying the cookies!

Today, on a whim, I bought a Jeep jogging stroller! Ok, it wasn’t entirely on a whim. My good friend Kim recommended Jeep’s jogging stroller to me since she just bought one online. I had been wanting a jogging stroller for some time. I felt that my regular stroller with the plastic wheels just wasn’t cutting it for the longer excursions and exercise, and I wanted something more suited to our urban terrain. I just hadn’t found the right stroller for the right price, and I was debating on whether to wait until #2 came along and get a double jogger.

Kim talked some sense into me! We have the whole spring and summer ahead of us, and I’m not even pregnant yet, so I think I will have plenty of time to enjoy a single jogger. Then, when #2 does come along, I’ll sell my single and get a double!

Here is what I was looking for in a jogging stroller:

• Parent tray to hold water bottle, keys, cell phone, ipod, etc.
• Child tray to hold snacks and sippy cup
• Swivel front wheel
• Nice, rubber inflatable wheels
• Folds up small enough to fit in my trunk

The Jeep Liberty Limited Urban Terrain Jogging Stroller gave me all of these features, plus more!

• Lots of extra storage pockets and a huge basket underneath
• Huge canopy with weather shield
• Music on the move plug-in for iPod, with speakers (just plug it in and go!)
• Toy steering wheel with lights and sounds for baby
• One-hand fold feature with padded handles
• Stain resistant seats
• 2 stage front footrest
• Reclining seat for baby

I have used the Jeep stroller for one jog so far, and after some difficulty putting air in the tires, went to a gas station and filled up with their free air pump. That worked great, and I am very happy with the stroller. It is easy to push (even for a tall person like me) and maneuvers well. Kaisa seems to be very comfortable in it. The parent tray is wonderful! The speakers don’t have the best quality sound, but I think my batteries were dying so I’ll change to new ones and see if that makes a difference.

The stroller seemed a bit wobbly to me, but I think that was because I went from being used to four wheels to only three, and I also didn’t lock the front tire. The advantage of a swivel wheel is that it is much more maneuverable, but I think you sacrifice some stability for that. Good news is, if it gets too annoying, you can always lock the front wheel!

Finally, this delight of a Jeep Liberty fits in my car, which is not a Jeep Liberty! This is a small miracle since it is rather large (and heavy) even folded, but I have a car with a hatch back so I get a lot more room when putting things in the trunk. My friend couldn’t fit it in the trunk of her sedan, but if she took the back wheels off she could fit it in the back seat. That’s an option for those with smaller vehicles who still really want this stroller.

I bought this stroller gently used for only $80, and you can get one brand new for $127 shipped at happymothers.com or different colors are available at ToysRUs and WalMart.  Just search for Jeep Liberty Urban Terrain Stroller.  I can’t wait for summer to get here so I can use it more!

Last night Nathan and I dropped Kaisa off with a sitter and went to see “Cloverfield” with some of our married friends. This movie had such an impact on me that I had to blog about it.

First let me say that this movie is not for people who easily get motion sickness. The entire movie is viewed through a single camcorder held by an amateur twenty-something, documentary style. If you are pregnant (the two other women with us were and both had to leave at some point) or just get dizzy easily, sit as far back in the theater as you can and be ready for some queasiness. But brave it if you can…this movie is great!

I don’t want to give anything away, but the plot is basically your traditional “monster” movie, like Godzilla or Jurassic Park. However, because the movie is shot from the perspective of those experiencing it, you feel as if you are going through it with them. I actually felt as if I were there. Without the use of mood-enhancing music and cool camera angles, the makers of this film were able to create a believable disaster film that had a perfect mix of humor and terror. The characters were perfectly designed…everyone knows someone like Rob, Hud, Beth, or Lily. The special effects were ingenious–you never once doubted the fact that what you were seeing was real.

For those who haven’t yet seen it–look in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen during the last scene–when Rob and Beth are in the ferris wheel together. (Wish someone would have told me this because I didn’t look and now I want to go again!) Also, after you watch it think about which character your would be in a disaster situation. I like to think I would be a Hud, providing the comic relief and optimistic attitude, or a Rob who saves the day. But…probably not.

Those with kids: I would suggest not taking younger kids. This will probably give them nightmares! There is some language and quite a bit of blood, and of course lots of scary moments!

Well…stop reading my post and go see the movie!!!

Finally, I am getting around to writing a post for our December contest.  Let’s just say…I’m going to be able to buy maybe one clearance book at Barnes & Noble when we go!  Oh well…hope Nathan enjoys what he gets.At any rate, Kaisa is sound asleep in the other room so I am going to take advantage of this moment.

On Saturday, I made my first (of many to come!) trip to Bahama Buck’s in Mesa, Arizona for some absolutely fabulous shaved ice.  Isn’t it great that I can eat shaved ice here in the middle of winter?  Temperatures are mild, and I can enjoy a little something cold without freezing my buns off.  Truth is, this is the best shaved ice I have ever had, by far.  I didn’t realize what a good thing it was until I moved to Utah.  Their little “roadside” shaved ice stands in the summer are fun, but let’s face it…I always end up eating chunks of ice and having wayyy to much flavoring at the bottom.Bahama Buck’s gets it just right.  They have a HUGE selection of flavors, and they shave the ice so fine that it’s almost like a smoothie. The flavoring is always evenly distributed so every bite is delicious from beginning to end.

However, the all time BEST thing about this place is the heavenly Bahama Rama Mama.  (Say that three times fast, it’s fun!) In their words, this is “a generous scoop of premium ice cream topped with flavord snow and finished off with a drizzle of Tropic Creme.” It costs about $1.50 extra, but trust me, it’s worth every penny!So next time you are in Mesa, Arizona, stop by and pick one up!  And let me know so I can send my punch card down with you! (Just kidding, you will probably want to get your own!)