When my husband and I bought our house nearly 12 years ago, we did a complete renovation. Walls were torn down, floors were torn up and every single room got a fresh coat of paint…or three.

We were in a hurry to get things done because we hated living with the mess and about four months into the renovation, I got pregnant. That really caused us to speed up the process. As a matter of fact, the last bit of carpet was installed the day before my daughter was born.

Because we felt rushed, we made some mistakes along the way. I chose wallpaper because they had enough rolls in stock, not because I actually liked the pattern and I picked white grout for our kitchen and back entrance, because I didn’t consider how quickly a dog and future children would muddy it.

But, by far, the biggest mistake we made was in choosing our flooring. We made bad decisions on the color of carpet, we bought cheap vinyl for our bathrooms and we used contract installers from out of town. If I could rip up those floors and start from scratch I would.

This is one reason that I am so thrilled with the new carpeting in our mudroom. It looks good, it was installed perfectly and the color and texture are just what we needed. You know why? Because it was researched by a trusted Rite Rug employee who steered us in the right direction every step of the process. We also bought an area rug from Rite Rug years ago and it is the only other flooring purchase I’m truly happy with.

And now someone else has the chance for some flooring happy! Rite Rug has generously offered a $199.00 gift certificate to one of my lucky readers! You can use it for the purchase of an area rug, or new bathroom floor, or put it toward new wall-to-wall carpet. The choice is yours!

To enter, first make sure you live near a Rite Rug location. If your home is within the vicinity of a Rite Rug store, just leave a comment here before Friday, November 6th at noon EST. Please leave me a valid e-mail address so I can contact you if you’re the lucky winner!

Good luck, everyone!

**UPDATE**

Congratulations to Shelly…AGAIN! Last time, my daughter picked your name out of a hat and this time my son did.

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Way back when, before my husband and I started our family, we used to dine at fine restaurants. Restaurants with jumbo shrimp appetizers, wine lists and waiters with French accents.

After our daughter was born we took a break from those type of establishments until we felt she was old enough to behave, then we made an attempt to have her join us in the fine-dining arena. As it turns out, those places don’t even have high chairs! Nor, do the managers act kind when small children throw knives. Who knew?

Since that experience, and especially since the addition of our son, we have stuck with tried and true, family-friendly facilities. Places with booster seats, crayons and a kid’s menu. Bob Evans is our favorite. First of all, because it’s a place where we’re comfortable taking the kids. Secondly, sausage gravy and biscuits. Enough said.

Right now there’s a bonus for you Lancaster, Ohio readers too. Through October 14th, you can get a free kids meal with the purchase of an adult-sized entree at the Bob Evans located near River Valley Mall at 2157 Schorrway Drive. There are even some new additions to the kid’s menu and they can eat breakfast all day.

And, as if preparing and serving up Plenty-o’-Pancakes wasn’t enough, Bob Evans wants one lucky reader to have a $25 gift card!

Just leave a comment here, with a valid e-mail address, between now and Saturday, October 17th at noon EST and I’ll enter you in the drawing. Happy eating!

10/19/09 Update: Congratulations to RJRuff! Enjoy your pancakes!

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I would like to introduce you to the latest thing to make my heart go pitter-patter. My mudroom. One sure way to make a woman happy is to give her family a place to declutter before entering the house.

This room at the back of our home has gone through a few transformations. When we moved in almost 12 years ago, it held the debris from the complete home renovations we did. If these walls could talk they would probably say they heard a lot of cussing back then.

After that, it contained hand-me-down furniture from my mom. It was lovely, but way too over sized for our small porch. You could barely walk through the room let alone sit in it.

Last summer we decided to make a change and finally start using this space the way we’ve always intended. We bought a table and chairs off of Craigslist which makes a great place for the kids to sort through their backpacks after school. We also purchased a storage ottoman that not only holds our patio cushions, but is also where the kids can sit down to take off wet or muddy shoes.

Yet, we made those changes and the room still looked horrible. Why? Because the flooring was astroturf. There is nothing, and I mean NOTHING you can do to make a room look better when the floor is covered in astroturf.

Then like an angel swooping down with carpet-covered wings, I got an e-mail from Rite Rug asking if I would like to be part of their 75th anniversary celebration. They wanted to know if I had a mudroom that needed a makeover. Did I ever! I was thrilled with the idea of walking out the back door without feeling like I needed to suit up first!

Now there’s no more astroturf. In its place is this gorgeous, green carpet that was covered in mud the day it was installed. And, you know what? I never even knew. My husband waited for the mud to dry, then vacuumed it right up. It’s pretty carpet that cleans up nicely and you don’t even need cleats to walk on it!

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Roughly one month ago I pulled my favorite pair of Old Navy jeans from my closet. Faded, with frayed hems and long enough for my 5’10” frame, they were just the right color of blue and super comfortable. They were perfect jeans. Notice I said, “were”.

When I put them on that day, I noticed a big hole in the left, inner thigh. Years of friction will do that. And, I’m not little. There was a lot of friction.

I wanted to cry. Okay, I did cry. Don’t judge me.

A few days later, karma stepped in. As if my trip to Chicago hadn’t turned out to be great enough on its own, it turns out that while I was there, I met a representative from Brand About Town. They looked at me, my kids and my blog and thought I would make a good Old Navy enthusiast. (Little did they know, I already was one!)

They offered me an “Old Navy Experience”. I didn’t really know what that meant, but part of me was secretly hoping to replace those jeans. So, heck yes! Sign me up!

Yesterday morning, they sent us a car. Here are the kids in the back seat just before sucking down juice boxes which the driver had chilled for them.

When we got to Old Navy, the kids ran off to pet Barker while I was introduced to our stylist.

They quickly left the dog so they could start shopping.

…which were loaded, not just with clothes, but with organic cookies and lemonade for the kiddies!

They tried on TONS of Fall clothes.

And, because he needs to learn that he will someday spend a lot of time waiting on women, my son entertained himself in the clothing racks while his sister kept trying on outfits.

Finally, out the door we went with FOUR bags full of stuff.

Including tax, we spent $359.00 and we got 35 items. I’m no math major, but I AM a good shopper and I can tell you that is one incredible deal. We got quality clothing that averaged less than $10.27 a piece.

I bought the kids some school uniforms, jeans, sweat pants, shirts, jackets, pajamas…and I even got myself two long-sleeved t-shirts and a stainless steel water bottle.

Here is the longest receipt I have ever had.

The only problem? I forgot to get new jeans.

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