#FuelTheLove For Your Car With Pennzoil

By Meg Hodson

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. 
#FueltheLove #CollectiveBias

Note:  If you HATE taking time out of your day to do an oil change and sit aimlessly while you watch the History Channel in the waiting room of the shop, then read on.....

I have always owned my cars for the long haul. My father always taught me to do regular service on my cars and they will take you far. I still remember the day I drove my Volkswagen Cabriolet off the lot. It was my first car. I would have it for most of college, ultimately driving it for 12 years. I still miss that car! 

My current car, a Volkswagen Passat, has only been my second car ever! Like I said, I keep my cars and take care of them. My beloved and faithful Passat has been a great car. It has become a reliable, comfortable family car, with a big enough back seat to accommodate all three of my children. 

Three months ago, I made a career move and entered the workplace again. It was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. But the position calls for a 65 mile round trip commute each day. I have learned to embrace the commute, catching up on NPR and chatting with family and friends on the phone. But I was also concerned with making sure my car was well taken care of. My car was now at 135,000 miles.

When could I possibly find time to fit in an oil change on my high mileage vehicle? Enter the Tire and Lube Department at Wal-Mart. I am lucky enough to have a Wal-Mart about 10 minutes from my work, so I can easily go on my lunch break. 

I pulled up quickly to the Tire and Lube area toward the back of Wal-Mart. There were two lines easily marked: one for tires, one for oil changes. I drove right up and was immediately greeted by a Wal-Mart employee who took my information. She asked which service I would like: Pennzoil Conventional, High Mileage, or Platinum. Based on my vehicle's mileage, I went for the High Mileage service. Best part? They are on a price rollback at Wal-Mart! From June 10th - September 9th, Pennzoil oil changes will be on Rollback at Walmart ACC {Automotive Care Center} stores.

• High Mileage $35.88, compared to the regular Walmart price of $39.88. {Industry standard price is $46}
• Platinum Full Synthetic $45.88, compared to the regular Walmart price of $49.88. {Industry standard price $66}

I ran some shopping errands while my car was being serviced. When a busy Mom can knock out some errands while her oil is changed, that is a good thing! 

I came back to the waiting area and one of the Wal-Mart employees was nice enough to take my claim ticket and check on the status of my car. It wasn't ready quite yet, but it had barely been a half hour, 

When my car was ready a few moments later, a service tech thoroughly went through what service occurred on my car. He mentioned the benefits of Pennzoil High Mileage oil, including minimizing sludge and reducing oil burn that is common in high mileage vehicles. I was glad to hear that, as my car notoriously burns oil. I had my handy reminder sticker on my windshield for my next oil change and I on my way back to work in a timely manner.

Do you have a car that has been well-loved and taken care of for many years? How long have you driven your car?

A WAHM Becomes A WOHM

By Meg Hodson

My oldest child is 11. I have been at home with all three of my children for their entire existence. I have been at home for my entire existence AS A MOM. Not to say it hasn't been hard work or been easy. I have run my wedding business successfully for 10+ years now. I started my blog three years ago---with a lot of dedication, passion, and hard work, it's a flourishing side business as well. 

And all the while, I perfected my schedule to work seamlessly around school, soccer games, dance recitals, bike rides, and play dates. It was a well-oiled engine, humming along. 

As much as I love the flexibility and creativity that working from home allows, there is also that darker side that no one often talks about. If you have owned your own business, you know there are your "up times" and your "down times". When it's good, it's really good. But when it's the dry season, there is no water in sight. Don't get me wrong, being able to support my family with an at-home business has been a blessing. But it's been tough, too, and the roller coaster of an uneven pay schedule has been dizzying. Couple that with my husband's launch into his own business as a mortgage advisor and it becomes even more stressful. 

There is something to be said for a steady paycheck. But my decision to "get back out there" and find a job with a company was not solely based on wanting some stability in our family income. I had reached a pivotal point in my career at home that required me to decide which road to focus my efforts on. The road for me was definitely pointing toward writing and social media.

I dusted off my resume, ironed my favorite black dress, and had two interviews fairly quickly. That in and of itself was rewarding. I ended up taking one of those first positions I applied for and have officially been at a desk that is not in my home for nearly 2 months. I am enjoying my job, but it has not come without some challenges.

First, it was a big transition to be working out of the home and spending less time with my family. I was quickly missing walking my children to school and the familiar routine of being at home. But I was also enjoying a new adventure, feeling renewed energy to demonstrate my skill and passion. 

While it was a transition, I decided to not get too melancholy. I shifted my thinking. First, my husband was getting time with my kids that he has never gotten before. 

Secondly, I began to appreciate my children even more. Not that I didn't prior to working outside the home, but I began to make the most of my time with them. Weekends have become extra special for me. 

Lastly, I started to give myself a pat on the back. I am already getting some kudos at work for some of the work I am doing and that feels great. It's been 20 years since I have been in an office environment and I feel I am doing a darn good job. And I now know what it feels like to put that key in the front door, unlock it, and have the kids run to my open arms. That feeling is definitely priceless. 

If you like what you're reading, I invite you to follow my blog.  Cheers!

Reflecting On The Birth of My Two Children

By Meg Hodson

My oldest and middle child share the same birthday. My daughter recently turned 11 and my son turned 9. They LOVE sharing a birthday. Sometimes we have done group parties, sometimes we have done separate sleepovers and such. This year, we actually bought them separate birthday cakes.....you would think we told them we were taking them to Hawaii.....they loved it.

This year, for some reason, I am really focused on thinking of their lives and specific memories I have of them. Sure, every year my husband and say say the quintessential "you're getting too big" or "stop growing up". I love my kids being kids and sometimes I truly have that thought; please don't grow up.

So, I think that's why I've been reminiscing about their birth. It struck me that my memory of their birth is my memory alone; I own it. No one can recount it or remember it like I do. And this goes way beyond knowing what time they entered the world or if they cried right away (albeit those are important memories, too). 

After about 18 hours of labor with my daughter, the doctors recommended a C-section. I had gotten to 9 cm and was stalling. She was going to be a larger baby. I remember lying on my side, crying. I don't think I was crying because I couldn't give birth naturally; I was just emotional and told that I should have surgery to take my first born child out. We took time to decide what to do and opted for the C-section. 

I can remember every corner of that operating room. I remember feeling nauseous and having a very caring anesthesiologist. I remember the color of the blanket they wrapped her in; it was those recognizable hospital baby blankets, her's with blue and pink stripes. I remember thinking how crazy the amount of stainless steel was in that one room. I panicked ever so slightly when it took a little longer to get my bleeding under control. 

Fast forward 2 years later to my son being born. I was scheduled for a C-section the day after my daughter's birthday. Well, he had other ideas and decided Super Bowl Sunday would be a good time for Mom to go into labor. I followed all the What To Expect When You're Expecting tips....yeah, I had what seemed like labor pains, but I would walk around a bit and they would go away. I was fine. 

But at 2 am, I bolted awake and knew this was the real deal. We had recently moved further away from my doctor and the hospital we were at with my daughter, but we still wanted to be there for the birth of my son. We had about a 30 minute drive. All I know is that I can't believe I didn't pull off that handle that is above the window of the car door to brace yourself. My sweet daughter was a champ in the back seat as my husband feverishly woke my sister in the middle of the night to come and get her. 

I am sure there are tons of mothers that have similar stories. I smile as I can recall my story with exact detail. Makes me almost want to experience it again.....almost.

Do you have vivid memories of having your baby? What stands out to you? 

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Confession: Christmas Sucked This Year

By Meg Hodson

I am a positive person. I see the good in people, I weigh both sides, I look on the bright side. We live on the sunny side of the street. I don't like to get down. Life is good.

That's not to say life doesn't come with it's share of complications. And I accept that. 

But I've had a really tough time these past couple of weeks. I contemplated whether I wanted to write a post that was a "downer". But this blog is my online journal, my place to vent. So here goes.....

Christmas sucked this year. 

I don't use the term sucked lightly. I wanted to make sure I had the definition correct, so here is what Google had to say:

be very bad, disagreeable, or disgusting.

"I love your country, but the weather sucks"

synonyms:

be very bad, be awful, be terrible, be dreadful, be horrible; informalstink "the weather sucks"

Okay, good, got the definition spot on. 

Let me paint the picture leading up to Christmas vacation. My husband's family lives in Cleveland, Ohio. We usually try to visit 2 times/year, but we haven't been for a visit since August 2013. We haven't been able to afford it. But we pushed through and made it happen this year. Yay! Our tickets were booked for December 22nd.

My 2 sons got sick in early December. I would never want them to get sick, of course, but I sang a little happy song inside because I was like "Great, they won't be sick on Christmas!" I told my daughter if she was going to get sick, to do so at least a couple days before we left. Sure enough, she got sick on the 20th. It ruined some plans we had with family before we left, but dog gone it, she was going to be okay for the trip. Rejoice!

I started to get ill the day we were set to leave. We were taking a red eye, so I was dreading trying to sleep while being sick, but okay, I will push through. The flight was awful, I got no sleep. Once we arrived, I continued to get worse. I had the flu and was basically alternating shots of Tylenol and cold remedies. I won't go into specifics, but I have been sick nearly 2 weeks. My cough is finally better as I write this. 

Christmas Day was nice enough and it was wonderful being with family. But my son got sick that day with a fever. My youngest son, although never officially sick with a fever or vomiting, just didn't feel quite right for a few days, too. Then, it inevitably hit my husband and my father-in-law. My husband's brother and entire family got sick and we haven't seen them for a week while here.

Plans got derailed, activities were cancelled. 

But we still had snow to look forward to! We were in the Midwest after all; it always snows in Cleveland during Winter. It was the answer to my prayers. Even if I had to sit in a cozy chair drinking tea, I could look out the window and watch the peaceful snow.

Each day I would check the weather forecast, and each day that they had predicted snow, it never came. That quintessential snowflake on my phone's weather app would disappear. As I write this post on our last day here on vacation, they are predicting a 90% chance of snow at 6 pm. We leave at 4:30 am tomorrow morning. Here's hoping. But it's been a record-breaking December here and their lack of snow, so I am not banking on it.

I am looking for the silver lining. I am trying to decipher the message. It's hard. I know crap happens, but when it's a trip you have waited 16 months to take, it hurts a little. Okay, it hurts a lot. 

I can only assume that 2015 has something in store for my family that will be beyond our wildest dreams. That absolutely has to be the explanation, right? I'm looking forward to what that might be. I will keep you posted.

But I swear to the good Lord, if it rains while we are in Disneyland for Spring Break, I am not taking another vacation ever for a VERY long time.

If you like what you're reading, I invite you to follow my blog.  Cheers!

You Might Be A Blogger If......

By Meg Hodson

1.  You're awake and blogging at the same time your posts go live.  Yep, most of those posts do go live by bloggers in the wee hours of the morning. And it's true, us bloggers are working hard in those wee hours sometimes.

2. You take a lot of photos where people usually don't. When I whip out my phone to snap a photo at a grocery store or Costco, I am pretty sure I am the only one doing it. Sometimes said photo goes straight to Instagram, some are research for a blog post.

3. Everything needs a hashtag. Not a social media post goes by you without a hashtag. You may even be known for speaking out loud with hashtags. You always know what hashtag brands use. For you, #selfie is not only a hashtag, it's a way of life. 

4. Can I take pictures here? You are quick to ask if you are allowed to take photos in a given place.

5. You have an alarm set on your phone to 2:30 pm. Why? Because that natural, mid-day light is perfect for photographing food and other items for blog posts.

6. You know what the hashtag #HappyMailDay means. You love those days when your mailbox is overflowing with samples. 

7. You're not sure of the exact number of social media profiles you have. You have a pretty good idea, but the exact number.....nobody knows! I might have signed up for StumbleUpon? What is De.li.cious again?

8. Where's the wifi? Although a wifi connection is important for a lot of people these days, it's even more crucial for bloggers. I've got to publish that post! I must tweet! I need to edit a photo in PicMonkey!

9. You've been known to stand on counters. Or lean out windows a little too far. Or set up props in your front yard. All in the name of the perfect photo. 

10. You write.....a lot. Note taking is elevated to a whole new level. You scribble down quotes you hear on t.v.  Any topic that makes your eyes roll might become a blog post. You have a constant need to document.....and you wouldn't have it any other way.

 

I Swore.....So What?

By Meg Hodson

What exactly are we teaching our children when we tell them not to swear? This is a topic that seems to come up almost daily as I raise my kids, as well as a popular talking point among the blogging community I am in....and with parents in general.  Whether it's reviewing movies, deciding which t.v. shows to watch, interaction with other children, words they hear at school, or even what they read, swearing is a prevalent issue I deal with as a Mom.

I think a common moniker we add to swearing is that they are "bad words".  I disagree. While I may not want to inject slang, colorful words for "poop" or "jerk" into my everyday conversations, even the swear versions of these words aren't technically bad.  I am no expert on linguistics, so I can't say where along the line of our evolving language did someone say that "sh#*t" was a swear word and "poop" was not. While we as a culture shun upon using the former, it's not referring to anything inherently awful. 

I prefer the word impolite.  I also like the word proper.  I am a grammar nut (hey, I'm a writer, right?) Akin to wanting my children to avoid words like "ain't", it's in a similar vein that I teach them to avoid using swear words in the name of politeness, as well as good grammar.  

Of course, it's not just about good grammar.  Select words have a stigma attached to them. Like it or not, our society has attached a negative, crass meaning to certain words.  Are we simply going through the motions and doing what is expected of a good parent by telling our children to not use those words? While I am not about to open the flood gates and let them speak freely, I think we need to ease up, ever so slightly, on the stigma we attach to swearing.  You aren't a bad person if you swear.  Sometimes I let a swear word slide. So what? Am I less of a parent if I whisper an inappropriate word under my breath? Are kids marred for life because they heard a few choice words in a movie?

Try as we might, our children will be exposed to a lot of words (token swear ones or not) that will cause them to pause and ask us questions.  For me, the key is to be aware and be involved. We can't possibly control every negative word our kids will be exposed to; what we can control and monitor is our involvement when that does occur. The reality is many words that aren't swear words might even be harder to discuss with your kids:  prostitution, drugs, abortion, divorce, dieting, overweight, fat, skinny, drunk, addicted, cancer, pornography.  Doesn't sh#*t pale in comparison to some of these?

In my experience, children learn and behave better with organized guidelines, not strict rules. Some of you may disagree, that is fine. For me, it's a healthy balance of teaching and reality. As I finish this post, I can't help but think of one of my favorite scenes from Father of the Bride.  Steve Martin is struggling with the reality that his daughter is getting married.  He is humbled when her future father-in-law says a very important thing (watch at the 2:50 mark): "Sooner or later, you have to let your kids go and hope you brought them up right."