How will the Frigidaire affinity washer and dryer measure up?

Everyone has a lot of laundry, I know that.
But we have the dreaded ladybug.
The thing may look cute on the outside but it's a huge, bottomless pit of dirty, stinky, moldy, icky, bacteria-thriving laundry.

The ladybug is what we use for the girls' laundry and they fill it up 1-2 times a week. It measures 21 inches high by 17 inches wide. When filled it weighs about 25 lbs.

Here's a quick video showing how much laundry fits in the ladybug and how much of the ladybug fits into my current washing machine.

Please ignore my messy laundry room. I'd like to see yours!

I weighed and measured what was left after shooting the video and I measured another 10 inches (high) of laundry weighing approximately 12 lbs (I lost my helper so this is an approximation).

I can only say, I hope the Frigidaire affinity washer and dryer can hold more!
What do you think - how much more of the ladybug will the affinity hold?

Janine

Product will be provided by:
Mom Central and
Frigidaire

My WUSA 9 segment. How did I do?

I can only tell you that I was winging this from the minute I said 'yes'. I wasn't entirely sure of the topic other than I was there as a mom blogger. I wasn't sure what to wear. I ran into terrible traffic to the point that I thought I would miss the segment entirely. And I got lost, a little, on the way. Don't ask as it's a straight shot down Wisconsin Ave. but I drove right past it.

Anywhoo, here's the piece. Let me know how I did!

WUSA9 segment:




Thanks,
Janine

Related Posts:
Disney Surprise
Help! Disney World Questions
I'm a Frigidaire Test-Drive Mom
Frigidaire More Me-Time Guarantee

Twofer get surprised with Disney for their 6th Birthday!

Photo of Mouse Ears Credit: Megan Bellamy

I am known for throwing elaborate birthday parties for the Twofer. I do this somewhat unconsciously. I can't help it. It has something to do with the slight depression that comes over me around April. This depression stems from the fact that my dad passed away when El & Em were just 3 weeks old. Here's the math:

Twofer Birthday + Anniversary of Dad's dying = let's throw a party and keep our mind off of remembering!

Last year's party (over 40 kids) has cured me...I think I'm finally over it.

This year the birthday party will be in Florida at Disney World!

We decided to take advantage of the Free on Your Birthday promotion and plan a little trip to Disney World instead of a big party. Here is what the girls thought when we finally revealed the surprise this past weekend:



This will most definitely be a series of posts and I will provide a running tab and links so you get the whole story no matter where you pick it up.

Looking for my Mouse ears,
Janine

Related posts:
Help! Disney Questions

Share your Healthcare Story to Ensure Lawmakers Don’t Leave Our Children Out

I am going to 'Speak Now For Kids' to let Congress know they MUST include children as they consider health care reform!



I don’t know anyone that is thrilled with their insurance situation.

• There are families like us who are self-employed and pay an enormous amount of money each month.
• There are families who have children with special needs that must forgo important therapies because the out-of-pocket cost is simply too great.
• There are families who have suffered a job loss and are now faced with the decision of paying their mortgage or their health insurance.

Tell Congress to include children in the health care decision NOW
Congress has a VERY tight time-line for this legislation and we need to let them know NOW how we feel. Speak Now For Kids wants to give children a voice in the great health care debate and they need YOU (parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, care givers, teachers, physicians, etc.) to share your story. We need to let Congress know that they MUST consider the needs of children in the health care discussion.


HOW?
Instead of the ‘copy-and-paste-this-into-an-email-and-send-to-your-congressman…’ campaign Speak Now For Kids will be mapping out everyone’s story so they can generate a report that shows what people are saying in what state.

Please take a minute to share your story.
Go to www.SpeakNowForKids.org. Fill out a short survey and log your name and location (important to sho. Then Join the Facebook fan page and follow @SpeakNowForKids on Twitter.

Janine

Part 2 Backstage Experience at Yanni Voices in Baltimore

More on Yanni Voices....Did you check out the Concert review and videos?

The Mom Media Meet & Greet with Yanni Voices

After the concert we were lining up with about 70 other people for the Yanni Voices meet & greet. I, of course, did not have the right credentials because I never do, but does that stop me from getting in line? No.

Anyway, we're chatting and then we hear the lovely Krystal from YanniWake come walking down the line calling, "Who are the mommy bloggers? Mommy bloggers? Anyone here a mommy blogger?"

And then like a trouble maker I ask, "Can we be the Mom Media?"

Krystal, "Sure! Follow me!"

We jump out of line and she escorts us behind a curtain where all 4 vocalists come and chat with us. We all look at each other and say a little silent thank you to @BarbaraJones, @ToThink, and the whole team at One2One Network.

And then I turn on the Flip and hand it to my trusty friend Barb...

This was my backstage experience at Yanni Voices.

I am still recovering.
Next up - an interview with Leslie Mills...and Tango lessons with Ender (ok, that might not happen but I can dream).

Janine

Yanni Voices Show at Baltimore's 1st Mariner Arena

Ok really? You can bring a glass of wine into the shows at Baltimore's 1st Mariner Arena? The night was starting off great. And that wine might be what lead to this...

Dancing with the Stars: Ender and Me!

Photo Credit: Resourceful Mom

Whether you're a Yanni fan or not, a little wine, some good company (Barb, Amy & Jill) and the amazing musicians and vocalists of Yanni Voices in Concert will put a smile on your face, and, at times, a little shake to your booty.

Here's Why:
This Yanni show is not at all about Yanni. It seems to have been created to highlight all the other musicians and performers on the tour. Of course Yanni himself is a great host for the evening, but the real stars are the four new vocalists (Chloe, Leslie Mills, Ender Thomas, Nathan Pacheco) and the incredible musicians including the violinists, the percussion and drummer, the classical guitarist, and the harpist.

Here are the highlights from the Yanni Voices concert in Baltimore as I experienced them.

Ender Thomas came out in a hot pink shirt and tight pants and the Grandma sitting next to us whipped out her binoculars. No Joke. I can only imagine what she was focused on....can you?

Leslie Mills' satin vocals and fabulous wardrobe.

Dueling drums....honestly, amazing.

Chloe performed Change and I swear she was really crying.

A family of young girls (ages 12 to about 7) sitting right in front of us completely enjoying the concert!

Classic Baltimore moment...the mom of the girls comes shuffling through mid-song with nachos and a 20 oz beer (see - loving the 1st Mariner Arena!)

Dueling violins - insane



Crazy Brazilian harp thing....doubly insane!


Nathan Pacheco gets a standing ovation and we learned later on that his family was in the audience.

Next: My Backstage Experience at Yanni Voices



Janine

We've Lost a Tooth! (Warning: this post may not be suitable for all ages.)

Frankly, this post is not suitable for me! It has taken me 2 days to even watch the video and y'all know how much I love seeing myself on tv.

M's tooth was wiggling so much she was getting really whiny and complaining that it was annoying her so much she just wanted it out.

Mister tried first but couldn't get a good grip (blaming it on his pudgy finger...puhhlease) and brought out the pliers...seriously.

So of course she decided it could wait another day, and it did...lucky me.

It just so happened that our neighbor was over and was willing to hold my Flip while Mr. held the 'real' video camera and L sat back with neighbor kids and watched the torture.



(All I can say is there was a moment when I thought I had broken the tooth and some was still in there, but thankfully, I was just nervous and wrong. It was a clean break.)

Here's what it felt like when I pulled (read: yanked, tugged, snapped) her tooth:
1. the Inquisition
2. the 'snap' of a crisp green bean
3. the wave of nauseousness that came with morning sickness
4. the sweaty clamminess of what I imagine menopause will be like

Oh, you mean you want to know how M felt?
This is my show people. All she had to do was sit back and dab the bloody tissue. I did all the work!

For the record, she said it didn't hurt, it just was a little scary. And it stopped bleeding soon after.

Just getting my appetite back,
Janine (torture queen)

Subway and NIH say WE CAN! Prevent Childhood Obesity (Part 1)

This is the first post in a series that will highlight the WE CAN program. _____________________________________________________

Last week I was invited to attend a very special PEP Rally where kids learned they need to "Play more, Eat right, and Push away the screen" if they want to maintain a healthy weight.

To get the kids excited, renowned athletes Laila Ali and Olympic soccer player Tab Ramos teamed up with Jared Fogle (who has a blog) for a pep talk and to show the kids fun ways to get off the couch and keep moving.

This is all part of a partnership between Subway® and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to promote the WE CAN! Education Program that will bring families and communities together to fight childhood obesity.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Laila and Jared (Tab got away but I'll get him next time).







Coming up next...
More on WE CAN and what you can do to get your community involved!
Then more from Jared and how he likes blogging!

Janine

Twincident #147: A broken swing can be fun with a twin

Did they break the swing on purpose? I have no idea - but they did seem to be having a lot of fun.




Have your kids had more fun with something after it broke?
Do tell!
Janine

Before the CAbi Clothing Party is the Twofer Fashion Show

Twice a year I host a CAbi (Carol Anderson by Invitation) clothing party at my house and invite friends and neighbors over to shop.

It works much like a Silpada, or Pampered Chef party where the rep brings samples to your house, gives a little demonstration, and then people shop afterward. The items purchased are ordered and shipped to the hostess about a week after the party. The hostess then distributes the items to her friends.
The hostess does not mind because her friends' shopping enabled her to get 5 items at half price and even a few, in this case, CAbi dollars - which means at least one of her items was free!

This time the Twofer, having been through the drill before, knew there was a little show and they wanted to be a part of it. And so my CAbi rep (and now dear friend) Charlie indulged them about 30 minutes before the moms came and put them each in a few CAbi outfits and let them do their best spin on the catwalk. Here's what happend:


Watch out Tyra! These girls just might be American Next Top Twin Models!
Janine

I Don't Want to Miss a Concert with Brooke White!

As parents of young kids it's a no-brainer that I get them flu shots. But what about parents of teens? Last year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded its flu recommendations to include teenagers.

The "I Don't Want to Miss" campaign is a national contest that puts teens in the spotlight to talk about flu education and prevention.

The challenge?
Teenagers are invited to create a 45-60 second video PSA on cold and flu education and prevention and how it can help make sure they don't miss out on fun events like prom. Videos have to be uploaded to SchoolTube.com (subcategory under PE & Health) by Mar 11, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. EST

The Grand Prize
One first place winner will have singer/songwriter and former American Idol finalist, Brooke White, perform an acoustic concert at their school!

Visit http://www.idontwanttomiss.com for information for parents, teens, and teachers. Then let your teen borrow your video camera, and I bet they'll let you see Brooke White if they win! But hurry, video have to be up my March 11th!

I wish they had contests like this for moms but probably my video would be about how I don't want to miss out on dinner with my friends, or a good night's sleep. I guess this contest is better left to the teenagers.

Janine
This post sponsored by

Red Dress Collection Fashion Show 2009

My FIRST evah fashion show and it's the one with ALL the celebrities in it! Not to mention, a fashion show that reminds us all that heart disease is the number one killer of women.

The Red Dress Collection Fashion Show is a celebration of the red dress being the symbol of heart health for women. Red as a color alerts us to danger, and yet is also sexy, feminine, and fashionable.

I was given the chance to attend this event by the generosity of Twitter Moms and Olgivy PR and I was live tweeting with hashtag #hearttruth all day...which started at 5:45 am as I boarded my Amtrak train for NYC.

I was so excited walking up to The Tent at Bryant Park (and surprised that it really was a huge white party tent) that I barely noticed the numbing already starting in my toes - I never wear heels anymore.

After waiting outside, then inside, then watching the mannequin models with their Netbooks, then chatting with Bryn Taylor of SheFinds.com, the gates were finally opened and we streamed inside to where the party was.

Mannequin models

The first thing you see are the photographers, then the red catwalk. And while I was sooooo tempted to jump on there and do my best "I'm too sexy" move, I stuck with Bryn (a pro) and found my place at the very top of the seating. Actually, behind the seats...
where I stood...
in my heals...
that were already making my toes numb an hour earlier.

The view from my 'seat'

Then the show begins. And Tim Gunn {gasp, vigorous clap} from Project Runway came out and started talking about heart disease in women, and it got real quiet. We all realized that the celebrities, the designers, the glam of Fashion Week in New York, (and my now bleeding toes) mean nothing when compared to the battle women are fighting every day within their own bodies. Tim mentioned 4 things that women can do to lower their risk of heart disease:
1. eat right
2. be physically active
3. don't smoke and
4. maintain a healthy weight.

A Red Dress

So began the celebration in which 20 celebrities came strutting down the catwalk wearing creations by some of the greatest designers. Some of my favorites were:

Jennie Garth in Badgley Mischka (stunning)

Tori Spelling in Betsey Johnson (fun and flirty)

Vivica A. Fox in Jenny Packham (for her 'girl power' move)

Lynda Carter in Carolina Herrera (one of my personal favorite designers and Wonder Woman looked amazing)

Samantha Harris in David Meister (OK, I sort of hated her for how good she looked)

Susan Lucci in Gustavo Cadile (because she's Susan!) and

Katie Couric in Carmen Marc Valvo (because she looked a little uncomfortable and that made her real).


Before I show you the video, I have a little something I want you to do:
Go to The Heart Truth website and download a .pdf version of The Heart Truth for Women brochure.
Put it into a #10 envelope and write a little note that says, "Because I love you."
Then mail it to your mom, your aunt, your grandma, your sister, or your best friend.

Because that is what this day was really all about:


Before the Red Dress Collection Fashion Show from twincident on Vimeo.


The Red Dress Collection Fashion Show 2009 from twincident on Vimeo.

Take care of your heart!
Janine

For a closer look at the models and the dresses, check out The Heart Truth Flickr stream and the OlgivyPR video of the show.

Storytime Week 5- "T is for Twins" by Mary Bond

This week's Storytime with the Twofer is a little different. While I thoroughly enjoy exploiting my daughters and their ability to write and read (Hollywood, are you listening?) I thought I would expand the series to include books you can actually purchase and read to you own children.


Today I bring you T is for Twins by Mary Bond one of our family's favorite children's books that also happens to be great for twins.




Janine

Storytime with the Twofer Week 5- Little Snowman

L wrote this book before we actually had any snow this winter. But seeing as we just had a 2-day school week due to snow and ice, I thought this would be a good week to post this story.

Enjoy!
Janine

Storytime week 4- The Girl Who Loved Water and Rainbows

I'm a little late with last week's Storytime post so I've got a twofer to make up for it!
M continues with her series of The Girl Who Loved.... and the second one is short enough I figure I'd toss it in here.

Grab the kiddos and some popcorn and enjoy Storytime with the Twofer!
Janine

Storytime Week 3 "Little Red Fish"

Welcome to week 3 of Storytime with the Twofer. In this episode we meet Little Red fish who meets the dangers of the deep face-to-face. Watch it with your little ones and see what happens!




Go little Red!
Janine

Start the New Year off right - accessorize!

Got a Flip Video camera from Santa and I'm unstoppable. Thought I would show you how I'm going to start my day every day in 2009...and no, it's not exercise.


How are you starting off your new year ;)?

Janine

The Holidays are for Losing it!

While I am truly grateful to be able to spend Christmas and quality time with my family, so much time together can often mean losing it one way, or another.

Here's the short list:

Em losing it outside in the cold and refusing to go inside the last rest stop of our 8-hour trip up. "I....don't...have....to...pee!"

Me losing it Christmas Eve when the kids woke me up at 4:30am for the third time that night... "I'm just as excited as you that Santa came but...but...if you don't get to sleep you'll have a houseful of really cranky parents!!!"

Grammy losing it when she got an iPod for Christmas, "Oh no! Another thing I'm going to have to learn how to use!?!?"

The Twofer losing it in very silly way on the train to NYC after a few days with very little sleep.



And the entire family losing it after spending all day inside, and in our pajamas....



I was laughing so hard while filming this that tears were streaming down my face and my stomach hurt. I wonder if anyone else finds this funny or if it's just our family?

Have you lost it yet? If so, let me know in the comments (by 10:00am Eastern Time on 12/31/08). The best 'losing it' comment will be re-enacted using my family and my Flip. I'll email you the final product soon thereafter!

Happy Surviving the Holidays!
Janine

Vlog #2 How should I cut my hair?

A quick video so you can help me decide...should I cut my hair short or really short?

Please leave a comment with your vote!
About to take the scissors to my own head,
Janine (ScaryMom)

Make me a STAR Baby!

So I'm currently participating in 15 Days of Marketing over at JessicaKnows.com. Each day I'm learning more and more about branding ScaryMom and marketing this blog.

Today is Day 3 and our homework was to take a risk and try vlogging (video blogging) or write a "confessional" post so that my true personality can come shining through. Since I've already blasted people on this blog and thrown my family under the bus a few times, I figured I'd try a nice peppy video with lots of smiles.

So here goes. Watch, criticize, and learn something new. But take note: I wouldn't have to do this if y'all would just tell your friends to read my blog and click on the ads now and then.



Sharing the good with the bad,
ScaryMom