New carpet....new vacuum!

We are finally investing in new carpet.  We had planned on doing this much sooner, but then life happened and I was laid off (that was 2 years ago!).  It has been a struggle to say the least, but one that has brought us all closer.  I am so blessed to have the family that I do.

We have been in our home 6 1/2 years with carpet much older than that (yuck!) - the people before has had both cats and dogs along with a toddler roaming around.  Then we moved in with 2 dogs and though they are no longer with us, the carpet serves as a daily reminder that they were here....and not in a good way.  And of course, now we have a toddler roaming around and I hate to see her rolling around on that carpet.  We have tried time and again to have it professionally cleaned, but it is beyond help (we've actually been told that by the carpet cleaning people).


Having said all of that, we are so looking forward to new carpet, but that also means getting a new vacuum cleaner.  Most likely the $50 special at Target or Sears.  However, I happened upon this AMAZING Oreck Giveaway at the Village of Moms blog. And, oh my how I would love to win this for our family.  I know that having new carpet and this amazing vacuum would help with my sweet daughters eczema and allergies.  Additionally, it would save the rest of us a lot of sneezing.  So, check out the giveaway, it's a good one!


Here's hoping for a win!

Corolla for the win!

I was recently discussing with a group of friends our "dream car" choices.  While everyone else was choosing fancy schmancy vehicles, I chose my Toyota Corolla. Granted, I did say, I would like to have all the bells and whistles you can get (but that I couldn't afford when I made my purchase), but honestly, I love my Corolla.

Corollas are dependable, trustworthy, reliable.  You know what you're getting when you buy a Corolla.  Maybe someday way down the line I might opt for a Camry :)  But at this point in my life, my comfort lies with the Corolla.  I have every intention of driving that car until I can no longer drive it, and if it keeps going the way it is, that is going to be a really long time from now...and that makes me smile.

I have two good friends who drive Camrys and have for a while and 2 others that have Corollas.  All four echo my sentiments, but with various stories attached.  None of the four have kids, but do lead very active lifestyles that require them to travel a lot.  Their Toyota's have gotten them there and back safely for years, with no problems.  It's nice to share that commonality with friends :)

FULL DISCLOSURE:

I'm participating in a Toyota/TwitterMoms campaign, which inspired this post. My opinions, thoughts and feelings are my own. As a TwitterMom, I'm eligible for a courtesy gift of $50. 

I adore my Corolla....

I remember the first time that I saw my Corolla sitting there in the parking lot. It was nearly love at first site. From the time I sat in the driver's seat more than 5 years ago, I haven't second guessed my purchase. I am not really a "car" person per se, but I really do love this car. I feel so at ease driving around town or on the interstate and it is a comfy ride. We've taken the car on many long-distance road trips and have really enjoyed them.

In 2008, when I had my daughter, I was comfortable toting her around in my Toyota Corolla and now as a toddler, she has a blast sitting in her now forward-facing car seat and enjoying the view of the world out of the back window. Might I also mentioned that my beloved car has on more than one occasion assisted in helping my daughter drift off to sleep. Some days there is just no getting her to nap, so out for a drive we go and it works. Every.single.time.

Oh, and I MUST mention, the gas mileage - depending on where I'm driving that week, gas mileage ranges anywhere from 30-38 mpg. Which is a big bonus for me. I also love that the car is so spacious even with being compact. Also, as I mentioned we've taken this baby out for many a road trip and everything fit nicely in the trunk....it's huge!

I can without a doubt say that once our 2005 Corolla has gone to the junkyard in the sky (which it's not even close to doing, aside from your regular oil change and tire rotation, it has never been in the shop), I will be purchasing another Toyota. Perhaps next time the Camry will be my car of choice, although I am pretty loyal to the Corolla.

Only time will tell :)

FULL DISCLOSURE: I'm participating in a Toyota/TwitterMoms campaign, which inspired this post. My opinions, thoughts and feelings are my own. As a TwitterMom, I'm eligible for a courtesy gift of $50.