Elf on the Shelf

Last year we heard about Elf on a Shelf, I had no idea about this holiday tradition but everyone swore that is was awesome and that my kids would love it. I went to every Hallmark store in my area and finally found the kit…

What is Elf on the Shelf, well it is a book and a Elf. You read the book to child/children and then the Elf magically appears. Once the Elf appears for the first time, the family is to name it, my children named ours Sparkle.

The purpose, well the Elf on the Shelf helps Santa know if your children have been naughty or nice. Every night the Elf “magically” returns to the North Pole to provide Santa with a report of the day, and every morning he/she returns and is in a different spot in the house. The kids typically run around the house first thing in the morning looking for our Elf, he has appeared everywhere from appliances, to frames and window shelves…

Every family looks to start their own holiday tradition and I love this one..here is a link to Elf on the Shelf..I hope your children enjoy it as much as mine do..

Elf on the Shelf..

2008 -- A Look Back

Yes 2008 was a hard year for pretty much everyone but do we have things to be thankful for as we head into 2009. Some may argue that we don’t however I beg to differ..

Yes, the economy is in the “toilet” to put it lightly but there is more to the world than the economy. When I look at myself and my own life I think of a quote that has motivates me daily…”Constantly imagine the life you truly want.” I received that quote via a text message from The Secret web site..

When I received that quote I wrote it on a piece of paper and have it on my nightstand, I look at it every morning and every night before I close my eyes. I thought a lot about that quote since I first read it..and I do have the life I want..

I always wanted to be a mom and I am..not only am I a mom but my kids are amazing. Ashlee is my buddy, my six year old little girl that warms my heart every time she smiles and Jack, my three year old little guy who has an amazing imagination and lives with zero fear.

So, as 2008 comes to an end I ask everyone not to look back on the year with sadness but look ahead to what 2009 can bring for everyone. Also, take a hard look at your laugh and be grateful for the wonderful things that we all have and possibly take for granitite daily…

Want more good reads regarding the economy, check out Silicon Valley Moms a lot of great posts!

Twitter

Lets talk about Twitter for a bit, how many folks use it..raise your hands. How many know how to use it? How many enjoy it or see it as another PITA of a social networking tool?

About a year ago I sat in a lunch meeting with Guy Kawasaki and he talked about Twitter, and I thought he was nuts. Why the heck would I waste my time using Twitter, do I really care that someone walked into their kitchen for a glass of water. Do folks really care what I am doing during the day..

Anyway, since in PR the world is turning to online I decided to sign up for Twitter and barely used it for six months. Then about 3-4 months ago something clicked..I started following companies and not just people. Companies such as BestBuy, Walmart, Zappos (love him) and a few others ..in addition some of the people that I believe influence the world of social media and journalists that I read and pitch regularly.

What I started to love about Twitter is that I felt it brought me closer to the reporters, what do I mean, I started to understand them better. I started to know a little more about them what they were reading, what they wanted to hear about from their voice and not a printed article about a product.

Additionally, what I got from following companies, I learned more about these companies. I follow the CMO of BestBuy, he actually helps customers and the CEO of Zappos asks for opinions on shoes and other things that make the company more successful..

I also follow bloggers, mostly mom bloggers but a few others as well..this has helped me with my own blog and again, I felt like I learned about these individuals which I believe has helped me grown in social networking and in PR as well..

So..if you wonder about using Twitter..do it..but follow those that get it and use it right…

Thank Goodness for Health Insurance

Was on the Mom’s Rising Web site today, they were asking folks to submit stories of why health care is important to you. It really didn’t take me long to think of a story, Jack..having my Jack alive is my story…

On a day that should have been amazing, I thought my world was falling apart. It started out like a typical day expect my five week old son Jack could not sleep and was extremely fussy. Jeff got up early and hung out with him on the couch, during the day we noticed that something seemed off, Jack just wasn’t acting right. We took his temperature under his arm and it only registered to about 99.9 therefore we really didn’t panic, we decided to give him a tiny bit of Baby Tylenol and see how the day played out. Well, as the day went on Jack seemed to get sicker and sicker, finally around 5pm I called the after hour care for his pediatrician.

The nurse on the line had me take his temperature rectally and it registered more than 102. With that reading, the nurse had me take Jack to the emergency room..

The ER took Jack immediately, they took X-rays and at first that Jack had a bowel obstruction and that it had ruptured. The doctors decided to air-lift Jack to Children’s Oakland, to make it easier on my five week year old, Jack was placed into a voluntary coma. That way he could sleep while his body worked to fight the infection.

Jeff and I drove to the hospital not knowing what to expect, we were informed at the hospital prior to leaving that there was a chance my son would not make it. Imagine being told you baby, your five week old baby might not live, it is the worst information a parent can ever receive..

To make a long story short..we got to Children’s Oakland to find out no bowl obstruction, however he was very sick. Jack had caught a virus and would be in the ICU for a few days, I slept at his bedside that night. We were put into the family housing for the time he was in the hospital but I didn’t sleep or each much during that five days…

To help Jack fight the virus/infection he was given a blood transfusion to jump start his immune system. Once he got that and the medication Jack started to get better and after five days we took him home..

Without insurance the amount of money I would have needed to pay would have broken my family. About five months after that incident my oldest Ashlee fell on Jack and broke his arm, again needing to rush him to the hospital.

Without insurance the bills would have been our of control and beyond our financial means..