Things I Love Thursday: Imprint Mats

A few months ago, I was contacted by a company to try out their Imprint Comfort Mats. The company makes the following promises about their mats:

✓ Reduces overall fatigue and pain associated with standing on hard surfaces
✓ Beneficial to individuals with back, thigh and lower leg or foot discomfort
✓ Conforms to the shape of your feet and supports your arches resulting in soothing relief

I was VERY skeptical, but my cousin Tricia had already raved about the mats, which gave me some hope.  I am pregnant, have scoliosis, and often do long cooking sessions in the kitchen which usually kill my back. I have the hardest time with OAMC because of the constant leaning over, standing, and chopping. My back just does not like long times standing on hard surfaces. (I even quit a retail job after 6 weeks mainly because of this issue.)

I won't say that the Imprint Mat is a miracle-worker, but I have definitely had less back pain in the kitchen. When I did my mini-OAMC session in July, my only complaint was that I needed to move my mat back and forth from in front of the sink, the stove, and the counter where I chop!

It's like they read my mind, because soon after I received the longer (20"x72") runner mat in the mail. Hallelujah!! Now the mats line all my counters and I am happy as a clam. Seriously, these things are amazing.

They come in two sizes: the runner, as listed above; and standard, which is 20"x36".

I sure wish this were my kitchen. Don't you?

I only wish the price point were not quite so high. Being a cheapskate, I would have a difficult time paying $70 for a kitchen mat. It's almost silly, though, because $70 would have saved me SO much back pain and agony it would totally be worth it.

If you're also cheap, you're in luck, because you have the chance to WIN a standard Imprint Mat! To enter, go to their site and tell me what your favorite feature about the mat is.

For an additional entry, Tweet about this contest and leave me the link for your specific Tweet. Here's a Tweet you can use, if you like:

Win a super-comfy Anti-Fatigue Comfort Mat from @vanderbiltwife! http://bit.ly/8Y7WIi

Contest is open until 9/8. YOU MUST LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL OR HAVE IT CONNECTED TO YOUR BLOGGER ACCOUNT. I will not be hunting you down. Go to Blogger.com, click on "edit profile," and check the box that says "show my e-mail address." This will get you five stars and a sticker in my book.

Good luck!

Linked to Things I Love Thursday at The Diaper Diaries.

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Things I Love Thursday: Imprint Mats

Wordless Wednesday: Then and Now

 Libbie, 3 days old

Libbie, 22 months and 2 days old

For more Wordless Wednesday, visit 5 Minutes for Mom, Wordless Wednesday, or see mine here.

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Wordless Wednesday: Then and Now

Before You Hit Publish, Week 10: Me, My, and I

We have a serious problem.

In school, many of us have had "me" bashed out of our brains.

Teachers struggle with teaching young children to use "so-and-so and I" to replace "we." Which is correct, of course. But I think they stress it so much that many of us have grown up afraid to use the word me.

Every time I watch TV ... every time I see someone use the (NOT A REAL) word I's ... every time I see the phrase "between you and I," I have to cringe a little.

Here is my basic rule: if you were to take out the other person's name, would you use I or would you use me?

• Example: Today Caroline and I decided to go to the mall.

 Verdict: CORRECT. Because "Today I decided to go to the mall" is right.

• Example: Purple is Amanda and I's favorite color.

 Verdict: Just shoot me. NEVER EVER EVER use I's. Correction: Purple is Amanda's and my favorite color. Yes, I realize this sounds a little awkward. But take away the other subject and see how it works. "Purple is Amanda's favorite color." "Purple is my favorite color."

• Example: I think Susan is trying to attack Fred and I.

 Verdict: WRONG. If we were to take Fred out of the picture, you would know that the correct word there is me, right? [I think Susan is trying to attack me.] Correction: I think Susan is trying to attack Fred and me.


Grammar Girl does point out that following a linking verb, a verb describing a state of being such as is, one generally uses the subject pronoun (I, you, they, he, she) rather than the object pronoun (them, us, her, him). She also confides, though, that even grammarians give you slack on this rule. So don't worry about it too much. "It is I" or "It is me," not that big of a deal. Above rules: bigger deal.

Do you struggle with this? Or do you, like me, watch Big Brother and want to throw things at the TV?

Watching Like a Writer: OK, I know this is silly and perhaps just me. But watch some TV in the next week and come back and tell me one mistake you hear someone make. I know they're out there!!

Want to know one of my other pet peeves? When, in Project Runway, Heidi says the six contestants being judged "represent" the best and the worst scores. NO. They WERE the best and worst that night. I'm not sure she ... or the writers ... quite understand the word represent.


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Before You Hit Publish, Week 10: Me, My, and I

Menu Plan Monday

I'm going for a pretty basic menu this week, because we have several activities planned and my in-laws are coming to visit on Saturday (for a few days). My big tasks will be making bread, homemade tortillas, and maybe some of these whole wheat nilla wafers.


Breakfasts: Oatmeal with fruit, cereal, toast, cheese, scrambled eggs

Lunches: PBJ, grilled cheese, soup, leftovers

Dinners: Leftovers, Grilled Cheese on Honey Wheat Bread and Quick Creamy Tomato Soup, Popcorn Chicken with Corn on the Cob and edamame, Burritos, Football Feast, D-Hall Feta Pasta

What's cooking in your kitchen this week?

For hundreds more menu plans, visit I'm an Organizing Junkie.

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Menu Plan Monday

Saturday Linky Love

I think I Stumbled a million posts this week! (Especially food. Blame the baby!) Here are some of my favorites I ran across.

How to Fix Those Little Kitchen Accidents from A Southern Fairytale is very helpful! How many times have you had an oops in the kitchen--something too salty, or you forgot an ingredient at the store?

The Great Needle in a Haystack from Swonderland talks about relaxing with subsequent children. I will be the first to confess I am a pretty relaxed mom, but I know having two will require even more letting go!

Go to Church from Impress Your Kids needs to be said. Be consistent. It makes a difference!

And for some of those promised yummy recipes ... we have:

Banana Split Dessert from Amy's Finer Things
Greek Grilled Chicken Salad from Aggie's Kitchen
Delicious Honey Wheat Bread from Alicia's Homemaking

(And those are just the A blogs! No, just kidding. It was just funny they all started with A.)

For more Saturday Stumbles, visit It's Come 2 This.

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Saturday Linky Love