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Ahhh, it is Christmas time. Marathon shopping trips, days of baking in the kitchen and Olympic sport type cleaning sprees going on. We have company off and on many days throughout the holiday season and with 3 dogs we have to clean on a daily basis around here. I mean really, we are used to the dog hair, but guests, not so much. Because of that we typically have to buy a new vacuum cleaner once a year. All of the dog hair is hard on a vacuum and they tend to be a disposable commodity instead of a device that lasts for many years to come. Also, it is hard to find one that can hold up to the demands that we place on it and the ones that have enough suction power to do the job at hand are usually very expensive. Then, we found the Panasonic Jetforce Vacuum MC-UL427.

best vacuum I have found

It is sturdy yet lightweight. A very important feature to me. My back can’t hold out when using a heavy vacuum and will put me out of commission. The Panasonic Jetforce is light and efficient. It has great suction power for carpet, hardwoods and upholstery. Seriously, it does a fabulous job on all of our surfaces. We have to vacuum often, at least several times a week, sometimes daily. And a vacuum that can hold up to our home has to be reliable, easy to empty and bagless. Buying bags can get expensive when you have to replace them as often as we do…because of these guys:

dogs on furniture

Consider a constant flow of teenagers on top of the dogs…and well you get the idea. Then add a few OCD tendencies to that. I am no where near as bad as I used to be but I still like to have a clean home and am a little obsessive about it.

Panasonic Jetforce with retractable cord

One of my favorite features of the Panasonic Jetforce Vacuum is the retractable cord. YES, you heard me right. It is retractable!! No more winding cords, no more cords strung across the room because you have a teenager that is too lazy to coil it back up. No more dogs chewing on the cord and destroying the vacuum for you.My second favorite is the Pet Hair Air Turbine brush attachment. LOVE that it is easy to use and powerful enough to get all the dog hair off my couch.

Some other best features:

• JetForce technology separates the dust and air via centrifugal force and a unique hour glass shape dust container construction, allowing for no loss of suction
• Nine cylinders for multi-­‐cyclonic dirt separation and cleaner exhaust air
• HEPA filter to capture small particles such as allergens, irritants, and pollutants
• Stretch hose, wand, dusting brush and crevice tool for above-­‐floor cleaning
• Pet hair removal attachments – able to get pet hair/dust & dirt off the couch, curtains, table clothes, etc. with all the different attachments and tools for above-­‐floor cleaning.
• Automatic carpet height adjustment
• Under 15 lbs.

• 12-­‐amp motor for powerful cleaning performance
• On-­‐board attachment storage
• Agitator shut off switch and soft wheels for safe cleaning on hardwood and tile floors
• Easy-­‐to-­‐empty, bottom drop dirt cup for quick and easy dirt disposal
• 13’ wide nozzle allows for quicker cleaning of large areas
• 24’ automatic cord reel for easy and convenient storage

This is the best and most reliable vacuum we have come across, and trust me, we have tried a LOT of different ones. With a suggested retail price of $149 it is also affordable. And heck, I like the color of it too. For more information on the Panasonic Jetforce MC-UL427 or to check out some of their other great products visit the Panasonic Vacuum website!

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Panasonic. I received a product to facilitate my review.”

 

Sigh.

I took Chuka to a Spa Day at Petco today.

We went 6 weeks ago and he had the best time with a groomer name Jessie. She was fabulous with him and he came home looking and smelling great. It was his birthday when he went, and she pampered him like every pooch turning one should be pampered. And I guess we got spoiled by her. This is how he came home looking:

my Yorkie Chuka

He was so handsome. And he was so proud of how he looked.

Then today, we learned a big lesson the hard way. I had asked that Jessie cut him when I made the appointment for today. As we arrived she was there waiting on him…or so I thought. She checked him in, told me she would give me a call in a few hours when he was ready and wisked him away to the back for his day of pampering.

As I arrived back about 2 and a half hours later, there was Chuka in the grooming station being cut by someone else. I had high hopes that he would come out all handsome as before but when she was finally finished, this is what he looked like:

Chuka's bad haircut

I knew he didn’t really look right, but was having a hard time putting my finger on exactly why it was such a bad haircut. It is choppy for one thing.

Chuka's Bad Petco Haircut

Another is that part of it flops. It is just a REALLY bad haircut! So disappointed, especially for what we pay.

Chuka's bad Petco haircut

As I was talking to a friend of mine about it she said “OMG, why did they cut him like a Schnauzer?”

And well, that is it…he is a Yorkie with a Schnauzer haircut.

He looks like a little old man now.

And every time one of us looks at him he just hangs his head.

Even he knows he has a bad haircut.

So, the lesson for the day is this: MAKE SURE you ask around about groomers. Make sure that the person you pick to cut your dog is the one who actually does the job. And if you go to Petco, make sure to pop in to double check.

 I did call the manager, and he offered to let me bring Chuka back in about a week to see if it can be fixed but I don’t think it will grow out enough by then to help much. And if not, I can possibly get a refund. That makes yet ANOTHER trip to Dalton, 30 minutes away to see if we can get this dog looking normal again.

Just Sigh…

 

 

 

Oh my goodness, I have never heard such crying in my life. You would have thought we were KILLING him.

My little Chuka got his first haircut!

He looks like such a different dog now. This is Chuka before (he is the dark one on the left):

Chuka

Now, I know this isn’t a good picture but I just can’t get his to sit still. So, it is about the best I can do for now. Here is the after:

Chuka Haircut

He is such a funny boy. His personality is really coming through now and it is a daily adventure to see what he is going to get into next. He was thrilled to get his feet done so he doesn’t slide so much on laminate floors now. But we found out really quickly that he is scared of the clippers and is going to be hard to cut…but he sure is proud of his new do.

In other news…

The winner of the Kroger $25 gift card is Jennifer B.

A verification e-mail has been sent so check your e-mail Jennifer.

There will be some other great giveaways coming soon so be on the lookout!

 

Arm & Hammer Blog Tour_image


Did you know that you can stay fresh and beautiful the natural way with ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda!  I have long been a fan of brushing my teeth with baking soda for a fresh from the dentist feel but what I didn’t know is that you can also exfoliate your skin, jumpstart your home pedicure, rid your hair of chemical buildup along with  freshening your breath… all for under a dollar! ARM & HAMMER recently sent me a gift basket full of gifts and ideas to help with my every day and occasional beauty routine and I want to share some of the wonderful ideas with you!

arm & hammer

Facial Scrub and Body Exfoliant

For smooth, radiant skin, give yourself a gentle facial and body scrub with ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda.  Make a paste of 3 parts ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda to 1 part water.  Rub in a gentle circular motion to exfoliate skin and remove dead skin cells.  Rinse clean.  Gentle enough for daily use! My skin has never felt better! Soft and Smooth doesn’t even begin to cover it. After the harsh winter we have had here in Georgia this was just what my skin needed it. Now it not only feels healthier it looks healthy! Ohhh, and don’t forget to try it on your elbows ;-)

Hair Care

Get rid of product buildup by sprinkling a small amount (quarter-size) of ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda into your palm along with your favorite shampoo.  Shampoo as usual and rinse thoroughly.  The ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda helps remove the residue that styling products leave behind so your hair is cleaner and more manageable. With all of the products that we use on a daily basis it can dull your hair and make it feel heavy. Washing with ARM & HAMMER made mine shine! This is one of my favorite new tricks and I love the way my hair feels. Another little tip: I figured that since this worked so well for me, it might work on my dogs hair as well. Their fur has never smelled cleaner or felt softer!

Soothing Bath Soak

For a relaxing ending to a long day, add 1/2 cup of ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda to your bath to neutralize acids on the skin and help wash away oil and perspiration.  Your skin will feel silky smooth!

Home Pedicure Foot Soak

Start your home pedicure by dissolving 3 tablespoons of ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda in a basin of warm water and soak feet.  Gently scrub with a paste of ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda. Talk about ridding those tootsies of rough patches! Your feet will love you for this one!

Pearly Whites

For gleaming smiles, brush teeth with ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda. . Just sprinkle baking soda into your palm, dip a damp toothbrush into it, and brush*. For a refreshing mouthwash, use 1 teaspoon baking soda in ½ glass of water. Swish the solution through your teeth and rinse.

*ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda does not contain the anti-cavity ingredient fluoride. Use it where water is fluorinated or when non-fluoride toothpaste is desired for adult use or as directed by your dentist of physician.

Hand Cleanser

Soften skin with a paste of 3 parts ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda to 1 part water.  Forget the harsh soaps and gently scrub away ground-in dirt and neutralize odors on hands with 3 parts ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda to your liquid hand soap.  Then rinse clean. LOVE it! My hands feel great and are now so soft and smooth.

Clean Brushes and Combs

For lustrous hair with more shine, keep brushes and combs clean with ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda.  Remove natural oil build-up and hair product residue by soaking combs and brushes in a solution of 1 teaspoon of ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda in a small basin of warm water.  Rinse and allow to dry.

Natural Deodorant

Dust ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda under arms as needed to feel fresh all day.  The magic of ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda actually absorbs odors instead of just covering them up.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Arm & Hammer and received a beauty basket to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

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