Style Lush

Cheating On My Dyson

Editor's note: For our last week at Style Lush, I've asked the writers to share both a favorite post by another writer, from over the last three years, and a favorite post of their own. You'll see these posts linked to at the top of their new post for the week. Enjoy a stroll down Lush memory lane!

 By Jessica

I kind of can't believe I am writing my final post for Style Lush right now, I've been here from the beginning, so selecting a favorite post of mine, or anyone else's, through all this time is proving too difficult for me in light of the reality of this being my final post. I have found so many wonderful products, artists, musicians and friends through this site (and Food Lush as well) thank you for allowing us the opportunity to be a part of your world.

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If A'Dell tells you that the chocolate cake at Costco is THE BEST and that you should go get some, you should probably believe her, because she's serious about that chocolate cake and she's right, of course. And if A'Dell gives good reviews on a Roomba? Well then maybe you should go get one because she's probably right about that too. At least, her review sure makes a convincing enough argument to maybe push two people already looking at a Roomba right over the edge into buying one. See, we are really committing to making changes (large, machine based changes) for my health needs this year and we thought maybe this might help tackle the never ending cycle of dust and debris the dogs love to track in from the yard. Now, we have a Dyson and it has served us admirably for years

but the lure of something that could be running while I was doing something else? Something that could run everyday (because let's face it, that is not happening with the heavy and cumbersome Dyson)? The lure is very strong indeed. 

A lure we were unable to avoid, thanks to Costco having a great price on a special version apparently only they offer which comes with extra filters and extra brushes, definitely a great deal. Obviously you can tell Mayday (the dog in the photos above) was much more concerned about this thing than she is the Dyson (and yes, it was running in that top photo while she was sleeping in the sun) and the Roomba "chased" Maddie (our other dog) around the kitchen for a bit, she was--unthrilled.

I, however, am THRILLED with this little thing. Yesterday I was able to swiffer, spray paint a piece of furniture, run a load of a laundry and take a shower WHILE my floors were being vaccumed. It was fantastic. So far we are keeping the Roomba for the main parts of the house and the Dyson for our bedroom because our spoiled princesses each have full-sized comforters on the floor on either side of our bed and I don't want to deal with picking that up each time but maybe someday they'll deign to have dog beds.

It's so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up*

 

*Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

Must-have for troublesome sleepers: The Dohm

By Manda

My son, who is now just over two years old, has always been what we call a "special needs sleeper." Even when he was a baby he had to have a perfectly dark and quiet room to get any quality sleep. Now let me tell you, as a parent who has an older (and LOUD) child, two unpredictable dogs, and wood floors all in a one-story home (and not to mention we have to walk past the kids' room to get to our bedroom) and you this was formula for disaster. Even as a tiny baby he only napped once a day and didn't make it through the night without waking to nurse or be cuddled for a year. It was CRAZY.

Over the years we've done many things to help our boy sleep better. We moved his crib into his sister's room so he would be trained to not wake with every single noise he heard at night. We added a large fan in the warmer months of the year and that really, really helped mask noise. The problem is, now that it's winter, we exchanged the fan for a space heater that only runs intermittently. My son is cutting his two-year molars and going through his 25-27 month sleep regression. To say that we've gotten little sleep the last few weeks would be an understatement. Even his sister - who is usually a very deep sleeper - has been a hot mess during the day. She dropped her nap long ago and she has been crawling into her bed when we put him down for nap and falling asleep (which pushes her bedtime until almost 10 o'clock some nights. NO BUENO).

So when the lovely Sara wrote about how much she loved her new white noise machine, I had to give it a shot. I was a little hesitant about the price (and my husband was - and is - A LOT hesitant about the price), but I was so tired. TOO TIRED TO CARE. And I had a 20% off coupon at Bed, Bath & Beyond, so there. Friends? Meet The Dohm-DS Dual Speed Sound Conditioner by Marpac.

 

A few nights ago I bought it and snuck it into the kids' room. When I plugged it in it sounded EXACTLY like a fan. The higher level was a little too loud, so I turned it to the lower level. Perfect. And you know what else? THEY SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT!

Although it's definitely a splurge at $55 (with a coupon at BB&B, but this is the Amazon price), I think it's worth every penny. And it's small enough that you can easily pack it on an overnight trip! I cannot wait to take this thing with me the next time we're at a hotel or visiting relatives. Life? CHANGED FOREVER. If you know someone with a baby on the way, a snorer for a bedfellow, or a noisy officemate I think this would be an AMAZING gift.

The writing of this particular blog entry is also brought to you by my new BFF, Mr. Dohm, as my son is on hour THREE of his afternoon nap. He slept through me giving his sister a shower after preschool, a viewing of How The Grinch Stole Christmas! and the baking of a batch of cookies.

(Photo from: Amazon.com)

Alarmed: The Best To-Do List App (I've Found)

By Jennie

You may remember that I'm always on the hunt for better ways to stay organized. See, as I get older, I've found I can't remember a thing. If I don't put it on my calendar, write a reminder, or add it to my to-do list, it will be immediately forgotten. I hate this! I used to have such a good memory, but I blame a combination of aging, parenthood, and all that tequila in college catching up with me.

Since I got my iPhone, I've been looking for a reminders app, something that would actually remind me of the things on my to-do list. I've tried a handful and they disappointed me each time. No push alerts, no distinctive reminder sound, no way to organize by date, no way to see completed tasks, no way to delay something by a few days.

Then I found Alarmed and I love it.

I set myself a reminder for EVERYTHING (and I do mean everything). If there's anything I need to do--from bring snacks to my son's school to filling out paperwork to a coffee date to my bills, it goes on here. I can set the time I want to be reminded, and I try to make those reminders at a time when I know I'll be able to immediately take care of something, but I can always snooze or re-edit the reminder if I need to.

What I really love is that if I do ignore or forget about a reminder, it stays on my list and I see it anytime I open up the app. So if I actually "forget" something, no problem! I can see it there time and again.

If you're looking for a similar app, I wholeheartedly recommend. Download! Use! Never forget again!

Still curious, what's your favorite to-do list app?

Update: Birthday Gifts: Practical or Indulgent?

by Hillary

My birthday gift was not indulgent. My birthday gift was practical and boring and I love it. 

After a close call involving a toddler and an external hard drive (well, not really a "close call" so much as a "total loss of seven years of original music") (but to be fair to the toddler the hard drive was left within his reach and had tempting multi-coloured blinking lights) my husband went out and bought me a 2-bay network storage share centre with four terabytes of storage. Oh yeah, talk nerdy to me, baby. 

My type-A personality is beyond pleased with my new backup capabilities. I had only one digital copy (and very few physical prints) of all the photos I've taken of my son, so this horribly practical birthday gift turned out to be perfect for me. 

{Photo credit: ncix.ca}

There's an app for that: How I budget for Starbucks

By Manda

Fall is here! For many, it means cooler temperatures, bringing out our favorite jeans, boots, and jackets, football, the return of our favorite television shows and of course ...

PUMPKIN SPICE LATTES! You guys? I'm an addict. I love Starbucks all year round, but things get crazy in the fall and during Christmas time. Usually I get a Starbucks drink at the store maybe once every two weeks for a treat. But now that October is here? My habit has been bumped up to at least once a week, maybe more.

The problem? It's killing my budget!

Enter the free Starbucks app:

There are MANY cool things about this app (it's available for iPhone AND Android!), but my favorite is that it encourages you to organize and use Starbucks gift cards with a rewards system. If you register your gift cards on the app, you can then SCAN YOUR PHONE at Starbucks and you don't have to worry about where you put them! You can reload your cards using Paypal right on your phone, or you can reload your card at Starbucks and it will automatically update your balance on your phone. You can also consolidate your gift cards on the phone so you don't have a bunch will small balances rolling around your purse (I have a messy purse and lose gift cards sometimes, so this is perfect for me!).

So, here's what I do: If I sell something on eBay (which I only do once in a great while) I just transfer $10 to my card via Paypal, which is instant. OR I make myself put $10 on a gift card and then the balance transfers to my phone account. I find that if I budget myself to $10 every week or two weeks, that I stick to it and it helps keep things under control. Now? I REFUSE to use my debit card at Starbucks. If I don't have enough in the account on my phone I either take the extra steps to reload it or - imagine this - cut myself off! It's very helpful. AND! It's fun to see your points add up! There are perks to using the rewards system: Free drink on your birthday, free flavor shots and refills, and also as your points add up you eventually get a free beverage here and there. Sweet, right?

The app is also a great way to give: You can send anyone a digital gift card to their email address. If they have the app it registers to their account on their phone (I think!). Very handy and what an easy way to surprise your favorite people!

How do you budget for your favorite indulgence?

And if you're a Pumpkin Spice Latte junkie like me? HIGH FIVE!

(Photos from: Someecards.com and Starbucks)

Reader help: An iPhone5 case for working out?

By Manda

Finally, FINALLY! The iPhone 5 has come! I don't know about you, but I've been waiting for this day for MONTHS! And it's not just because I'm an Apple nut (I am, don't get me wrong), it's also because the iPhone 4 I've had for 2+ years is on it's last legs. The top/lock button doesn't work, the front button is dicey and only works if I press it 5 times or in the exact perfect spot, when the keypad pops up it won't clear out until I open an application ... ETC. It's a mess! I've been holding my upgrade for months and months waiting for the new iPhones to come out and because I have the best husband ever, he pre-ordered it for me the day they came out. I'm expecting it the first week of October (BOO).

(screenshot via Apple.com)

My current phone is all messed up because I run with it (and ran a half and full marathon with it) and it's been dropped in shallow water once. I have little kids and a hectic life and it's near impossible to keep it out of moisture. And so I'm now looking for the perfect iPhone case to protect my new phone when it arrives, just in time for me to run with it in the Chicago Marathon. I've been considering underwater cases like the ones Natalie wrote about this summer, but I can't help but wonder if there's a more athlete-specific case. Have any of you had one/seen one around? I would love to get a "pretty" case like these, and my current case style (which was awesome for regular use) isn't going to cut the mustard this time around. My husband keeps trying to convince me to run with his Garmin or with my iPod nano and leave my phone at home, but I'm a Nike+ GPS app addict, listen to music while I run on the phone, and I'm not ready to go out without my phone handy in case of emergency.

Do you run with your phone? How do you keep it dry? Any case recommendations you have are much appreciated!

A Workout for T.V. Addicts

By Leah

I'm on the path to losing my baby weight, and it's about as fun as it sounds. Eating less, moving more, yadda yadda. Dieting while breastfeeding is haaaaard (consume all the things!), so my major plan of attack is to burn extra calories and build some muscle and mom-of-two-boys endurance by exercising. But oh. I am not a fan. 

Aside from the muscle fatigue and burning lungs and, ahem, leakage (solidarity fistbump to all the moms out there), my two biggest complaints about exercising are (a) it's boring and (b) the time spent gearing up for and gearing down from a workout can easily turn a 20-minute session into a 2-hour ordeal. Because, see, you can't just exercise for 20 minutes. You have to change your clothes, maybe drive to a park or gym, maybe assemble a jogging stroller, and then get home and shower afterward. I have a three-year-old and a newborn; I don't have time for that. And even if I did, it's still boring.

Enter the Wii Fit Plus.

I like it because I can work out at home. I like it because I can do it on demand, as soon as the baby goes down for a nap. I like it because I can do it in my p.j.s. I like it because I can work out while watching t.v. shows I have saved on the DVR (more on that below; it's the best part).

In addition to the basic Wii system and remotes and the Wii Fit Plus disc, you'll need the Wii Balance Board (you do workouts and play games on it, but it also acts as a scale that will record your weight), but otherwise, just make sure you have a pair of good tennis shoes and a little bit of space in front of your t.v. to move. The games are fun to play with others, but I'm really digging the more straightforward exercise options for when I'm home with the baby during the day. I do the 6-minute hula hoop routine for a warm-up, then a free run for 20 or 30 minutes while I watch some guilty-pleasure t.v. (because I feel less guilty if I watch it while jogging, obvs), and then I end with some yoga and strength moves if the baby's still asleep. I love that I can switch the t.v. set over to my recorded shows while the Wii remote keeps track of how long (time and distance) I'm jogging. The remote itself has a speaker in it, so I get updates on how much farther I have to go, plus a few little motivational quips here and there. If you're a fan of charts and graphs, you'll appreciate that the Wii Fit Plus tracks times, distances, your weight, and also calories burned. It also lets you set a daily calorie-burn goal, or weight and BMI goals over several weeks.  

Check out all the specs here. There's a lot of fun stuff going on in the system, but if you're looking for a hard, fast, do-at-home, non-boring cardio routine, I give two thumbs up for the running-while-you-watch-t.v. program. May I recommend catching an episode of America's Next Top Model for motivation? I want legs like that.

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Editor's note: Leah received a Wii Fit apart from her role at Style Lush, as part of the Nintendo Amabassador Program. She purchased all games and other Wii Fit equipment on her own and was never under any obligation to post about the console here or elsewhere. All the opinions in this post are exclusively hers!

A Classic Alarm Clock

By Sara

I know, I know. Most of us use our fancy smartphones as our alarm/clock in the bedroom. But if you're looking for something a little bit nicer to class up your nightstand look no further than L.L. Bean. Enter the Big Ben:

This lovely is just $39.95. It comes in nickel, ivory, blue and green. The best part is that it's battery operated so it's one less thing taking up a plug next to your nightstand. I want one for myself and think it would make a great housewarming gift for anyone. 

(Photo from: LL Bean)

Dodo Cases for Electronics

By Beth

I recently bought myself a (refurbished, super cheap) Kindle Fire, and then my husband surprised me with this Dodo case:

I love it.  The outside is leather and the inside has a bamboo frame to hold the Kindle.  It is lightweight and the front cover folds all the way back so you can easily hold your book in one hand.  They are made for various devices and designed to resemble hardcover books, supposedly to protect against theft, but I just think they look awesome.

 (Photo credit: amazon.com)

Cutting the (Cable) Cord

By Sara

I am going to admit something terrible to you all. It's hard to type these words. I feel a little nervous putting this out there. Ok, here goes: we canceled cable. We Cut The Cord. We ARE cord cutters. Whew. I feel better just saying it outloud. Look, I know people have lived without cable for YEARS, decades, even. For us, this was a really hard decision to make and it wasn't until we were driving on the highway one afternoon and simultaneously saw the billboard for the Roku box that my husband and I decided it was time. We had considered it for a while but hadn't made the big move...cutting off cable. We did it and we haven't looked back.

Once upon a time we were hardened people, the kind of people who lived and died by their DVR and it's (limited) storage capacity. We loved flipping the TV on and using it as background noise. Fast forward a few years and a few kids and we knew it was time to make over our viewing habits. Our older child was way too obsessed with Disney Junior and we were tired of the constant noise and siren call of the cable box. So we researched our options and realized we could watch most of what we wanted online through Hulu Plus, Netflix or Amazon. We promptly called up our cable provider, cancelled our service, and bought a little itty bitty Roku box (we already had a PS3 which is also able to stream video).

You guys, it has been awesome. For one, we're discovering shows we never would have if we only had cable (Friday Night Lights, anyone?). We're being more judicious with what we watch and what we purchase to watch. For example, I am obsessed with The Good Wife and wanted to watch the past seasons. Unfortunately CBS is a tightwad network and doesn't allow much free streaming. So I made the conscious decision to purchase the whole season from Amazon for $35. I rationalized that purchase because I was paying for something I would actually WATCH versus paying a large monthly cable bill for MANY MANY MANY shows I would never watch. 

Netflix has it's own separate kids section with tons of great programming and we love Hulu Plus for our usual comedies and dramas. We don't mind paying a monthly membership fee because we save so much in the long run. Our past monthly cable bill hovered around $120 whereas now our monthly bill is around $57 and that's only if I buy a full season of a show a month. So far I've only bought one season and we're already three months into going cable-free. That's HALF what we were paying before. 

Now, this might not work for you if you or your significant other is a big sports fan and needs the NFL/MLB/NHL/ABCDEFG networks. Luckily for me my husband isn't a huge sports guy and can happily catch the best plays of the game the next day online. One way around this is to buy a cheap antenna that grabs your local HD channels and you can view anything that's being broadcast on those channels. The antennas are super tiny and unobtrusive now.

We're really happy with our decision to "cut the cord" and free ourselves from the cable monster. The extra money in our pocket every month is pretty great, too. Have you cut the cord or are you contemplating it?

(all images from Google Images)