Forgot Your CVS Card? No Problem!

You know what's really sad?  One of the things I look most forward to when travelling ... is emptying out my wallet.

I have way too many club cards.  Grocery cards, gas station cards, Staples, CVS, bulk stores, sporting goods stores, Hallmark; you name it, I've got their card.
And I've found that they not only add serious bulk to my wallet, but also make it HEAVY.  So when I travel, I empty it out.  Chances are I won't need my Staples card while I'm laying in the sun sipping a mai tai.

So, the other day I am in CVS at the checkout counter and I realize that I never put my beloved club cards  back into my wallet.  No problem, they'll look it up by phone number.  And the story could end there.

BUT, the employee saw me put my iPhone on the counter and said "Are you telling me you don't have the Cardstar App?"  And I'm all, No, tell me about it.  ( I love me a good app !)

Cardstar allows you to save every single club card in this app.  You can select by store or business; type in the number from your upc code and voila! no more carrying that stinky little card around.  It even accepts fitness club, library cards & my Marriott rewards card!  I've read the reviews and people are raving about this app.
And the best part?  It's FREE!!

I spent 30 minutes before bed last night typing all my cards into the Cardstar app on my iPhone. The weight has been lifted!

I can't wait to hit the grocery stores today.  I think being current with technology makes me feel just a little bit younger :)

God, I love technology.
TechnoMom

Ho Hum.

The weather is dreary and I need to finish cleaning out my closet.  I'm doing it right this time.  I took everything out, made piles everywhere in my room and did the same with my husband's clothes.  Every shelf was cleaned and every piece of clothing was sorted!  Now for all of the crap I had on the floor and shelves, things I never know what to do with.  Help!!

BTW - I am a hanger snob - no wire hangers in this house!

This is what I had! 

  

                 

This is what I'm shooting for!

    

All I wanna do is climb back into bed with my Kindle.

Enjoy your day,

NeuroticMom

Play Ball! Or Not!

High school sports - gotta love'um.

My son had a high school baseball game today.  My husband went to the game, I was on homework duty with two of the kids.

Well, these boys are becoming foul-tempered men.  One kid said something, another didn't like the way he said it, one throws a glove at the other and a face-to-face confrontation occurs - among friends on the same team.  Four kids get benched, lots of errors are made throughout the game, and so on.  Glad I didn't waste my time.

(BTW - my kid wasn't involved, but he did have an error.)

Here's to tomorrow's game,

NeuroticMom

Unacceptable, Unsafe, Unthinkable, Unbelievable!

Well, I have a story we can all learn from.  It's a real eye-opener and something we probably wouldn't talk to our children about. 

My fifteen year old cousin - that's right, my uncle is only twelve years older than me - was walking in broad daylight Saturday afternoon.  He was by himself going from point A to point B and he stopped to make a phone call in front of a church.  As he was standing there, a van pulled up, several men jumped out, said they were the police and told him he had to get in the van.  They were not in uniform and did not show their identification.  He said "no" and started backing away, they persisted, and he took off running.  When they caught him, they threw him to the ground - he started swinging, they held a gun to his head and handcuffed him.  He started screaming "help me".

Finally a uniformed policeman approached, after he was on the ground, handcuffed with a gun to his head.  What the hell is going on?!  One of the several undercover detectives realized this poor kid thinks he's being kidnapped.  "Hello - why wouldn't he think that, you haven't shown him any ID?"

My aunt and uncle got a phone call that their fifteen year old son is at the precinct and being held for assaulting a police officer.  Imagine that phone call.

Fastforward - the police apologized for the way they handled the situation.  There had been some recent vandalism in the area and they thought he looked suspicious.  Realizing that they did not properly identify themselves, they let him go.

What would you do?  I would do something.  He was traumatized.  Will he get over having a gun held to his head?- HE'S FIFTEEN, MAKING A PHONE CALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY IN A VERY NICE AREA!  What if that gun went off when he started swinging, thinking he was fighting for his life?  It could happen to anyone. 

We told our children, who do walk around town sometimes, - stay with someone and you do not have to go with anyone that says they're the police and haven't shown you ID.

Thankful and horrified,
NeuroticMom

Sick Again

My little guy has strep, again.  It's the second time in one month.  He's miserable, in bed, quarantined away from everyone until tomorrow.  Lysoled door knobs, light switches, etc.  I'm going to eat, make some chocolate chip cookies and watch the "Blind Side" with him.  The good news is - he usually feels perfect after one day of antibiotics.

To a better day tomorrow,

NeuroticMom

BLAH!

Have you ever been at one of your kids sports games and you're enjoying yourself, cheering for everyone and "BAM", Debbie Downer sits down right next to you?  I can't quite figure her out - there's one on every team, you can't get away from it.

Well yesterday it happened again.  I'm sitting with a lovely mom and we're enjoying the fresh air, cheering everyone on and then it was over.  Debbie Downer sat down, immediately started in on all of the little things:  kids are in the wrong positions, the coaches need to do this or that, etc.  I'm sorry but even if you think it, don't say it.  I find myself smiling, agreeing and  praying that she just shuts up.  What do you do?!

NeuroticMom

MASTERS 2010

The best man won!

No one was rooting for Phil Mickelson more than my family - well maybe millions of other fans!  What a great Masters.  I love it!

Go Phil,

NeuroticMom

Stolen.

Literally.  Stolen.

My dog's beds.  From the local laundromat.

2 old, stinky dog beds.    

I thought laundromat motto's were: wash, dry, fold.  Make that wash, dry, stole!                                            

I wonder what kind of person actually steals from a laundromat and what makes them choose the worn out dog beds over a dryer full of nice clean clothes?
Weird.

Puzzled in the 'burbs,
TechnoMom

Venting

Youth Sports.

It is so much fun to watch our children compete.  It is hard to watch them struggle with a loss.

Had I known my 10yo was going to only play a total of 4 minutes in his State Cup soccer game today I would have asked the coach to take him.  I missed my older sons lacrosse game for 4 minutes.

Had I known getting him to all the practices on time & prepared was going to lead to 4 minutes-- I might have said screw it.

Had I really listened to my son--I might have realized that his heart belongs to hockey and that he plays soccer to please us--I might not feel so resentful towards those 4 minutes (and towards myself).

Had my 10yo not had tears running down his face as he got to the car and spent the whole way home wiping away the tears wondering why he only played those freaking  4 minutes, and is questioning his own worthiness as a person and as a soccer player-- I might not feel like this:

I feel better now (too bad my 10yo feels like shit),

TechnoMom

p.s. Thank God he's only 10, after 30 minutes on the xbox he should be fine.

Sneezing, Itchy Eyes, Puffing Up...

That's right - it's allergy time.

My youngest is really suffering.  He gets hit hard this time of year.  My goal this year is to keep him off of Asmanex.  It works great, but it's a steroid that I'd prefer he not take.  So we started allergy meds earlier than usual and he was doing pretty well until Wednesday.  He was at school for 10 minutes, maybe, and I got a call to bring the eye drops.  The poor little guy was red and swollen with blood-shot eyes.  We've prevented the breathing issues, but we can't prevent the eyes and stuffy nose with his allergy meds.  Oh well - he'll suffer through it for a few more weeks.  I keep Benadryl in my pocketbook and hope we don't need to use it.

BTW - my same son suffers from being struck with poison ivy, oak or whatever everytime he goes in the woods - which is a shame because he loves nature and animals.  We were away for Easter and did an Easter egg hunt outside.  By Monday morning he had a rash on his arms and some spots on his legs.  I've tried many things over the years because he usually has to go on prednisone when it spreads to his face, which it always does.  Well, this time I used Zanfel!  It's a wonder cream.  Rub it on the area that is looking like poison something and voila (not sure how to make the little mark over the a).  It was gone after a shower and good night sleep.

NeuroticMom