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It’s time for another edition of Tuesday Troubles. I’ve said it before, but this should be named “things i’m annoyed / confused / want to complain about”, however I couldn’t figure out how to make any of those into a snappy title, so Tuesday Troubles it is. And yes, I do realize that these aren’t true “troubles”. I know these for sure could be defined as first world problems!
~Okay, so if you’ve ever left a comment on here, you know that I respond by e-mail. 99% of the time, I’ll reply. Sometimes I end up deleting something on accident, e-mails gets bounced back to me, etc. so that’s the other 1%. I try to do it within 24 hours too or it just gets bananas. But anyway, I was wondering, people don’t comment and read through the comments, do they think I don’t respond and am just rude ;(? Because I’d hate that. However, there’s no way I can reply in both places (that’d be too hard), but I’d hate for them to think I ignore people you know? Then again, if I just replied in the comment string, I doubt anyone would know I replied to them because who goes back and checks for replies? I know I never do! So if you’ve never left a comment and wondered why I NEVER reply to comments on the blog, please please please, don’t think I ignore people! I do reply. I swear.
~OMG, so I a few weeks ago I sent out a bunch of samples of Spark. And I was wondering why on earth it took SO long for everyone to get their samples. I couldn’t figure it out. Like I sent one to someone who lives like 20 minutes from me and it took like a week to get there. WTF? Umm, yeah, I now know why. The dude at the gas station (they have a little USPS branch thing in there but they aren’t postal employees) took one package (which happened to be going to someone in Georgia), plugged in the zip code to get a price for the postage and then proceeded to create the other labels (there were dozens) based on that original zip code. I was in and out of there quite quickly which pleased me, but I felt like something wasn’t right. Sure wasn’t. When I was telling the lady this at the real Post Office (where I went to send the second batch of samples), she informed me ALL my packages went to that ONE zip code in Georgia (because mail is sorted by that bar code) and then when they realized that the bar code didn’t match the address on the package, they all had to be rerouted. OOPS gas station dude. OOPS.
~I think I’ve asked this before, but do you think I can find the answers? Nope. Sure can’t. But where does one go to find beach houses to rent? Is there like some super special secret website I don’t know about? Because when I GTS a hot mess of random houses show up. Someone help me! I just want to look at options for future vacations in the years to come. I’m thinking Florida panhandle. The Outer Banks. Hilton Head. Somewhere along those lines.
~For the past few months, I have developed this weird thing about not wanting my feet to get dirty. Like if I have flip-flops on and I realize my feet are dirty, I get all freaked out. I realize it’s not normal. Or is it? Hopefully someone else tells me they are all kinds of crazy as well. I can’t wait for winter so I can go back to wearing boots.
~I totally love my lululemon headbands, but with I’ve finally realized that certain ones are too tight and give me a headache. It’s taken me a while to link it, but I get this insane headache when I wear a certain lulu headband. It’s one of my favorite because it holds my crazy baby bangs so nicely, but it appears it’s also squeezing my brain way too hard. Ugh. Any recommendations for some thicker, but not too tight headbands? Please???? These bangs (*) touching my face are driving me crazy.
That’s it from here for now! What’s troubling you today?
I use vrbo.com for beach vacation rentals. Lots of pictures, reviews, prices, etc. Works awesome for me!
For vacation rentals try VRBO Caitlin and I used it to find the house we used to stay in in Colorado and we ended up going back like 7 maybe 8 times. Its all rented by the owner of the place I think. Hope it helps 🙂
Try the website http://www.VRBO.com ! I’ve used it many times when looking for vacation houses. Once you pick your location they give you MULTIPLE (somtimes hundreds, depending on location) houses for you to peruse! There’s also reviews on each house from the other people that have stayed there and you can find a great deal because you’re going through the owner, rather than going through some third party vendor. I’ve rented 3 times (different houses & locations) and never had a complaint!
We use VRBO for beach house rentals and it’s clear we are not alone!!! You can search with lots of filters to pull out just what’s right for you!
I also use vrbo.com. Visit Destin, FL!! I love that place. The beach, the food and the shopping are all great. It is not full of young crazy drunk kids like PCB, so it’s the perfect place to go with little ones. Just a thought =)
Haha I love that the gas station guy mailed them all to one zip code!! I always worry about comments on my blog too! I use to reply on my blog then thought I bet no one check, I never do, so I started replying by email instead and now think I look rude haha!
xoxo
Stacey
Everyone beat me to it, we’ve used vrbo.com before
VRBO!
I have heard that Brady bands are not too tight, but haven’t tried them yet.
We live in NC and go to Topsail Beach here, it’s beautiful and not too touristy and you can rent houses through a number of realtors. We are using Ward Realty this time. But, for any of the areas you are talking about you can probably just google search rental houses and they will pop up with the local realtors.
We also used VRBO in CO and when the rental home had some problems as we were about to arrive we were upgraded to an even better vacation home with a even more amazing view!
Try VRBO.com or vacationrentals.com or homeaway.com They have reviews and ratings and so on. I wishful-think vacation through those sites all the time.
Also, non-headache inducing headbands are a myth, I believe. If you find some, let us know because I can’t wear any headbands without getting a headache!
I really like how you respond to comments by email, as I rarely go back to check old posts on any of the blogs I read. I think the only people who wouldn’t get a response are those that don’t have their email address linked to their blog profile. I didn’t even know you could do that at first, until I friend gave me the heads up! Maybe put a note at the end of posts that you reply to comments via email?
I second Charlotte’s suggestion of VRBO.com, as we found a great place at a reasonable rate through them! You might have to dig a little, but I like that you can filter your search by what’s important to you (free internet!). It stands for Vacation Rentals By Owners, but the website does have standards for who can list. Good luck!
VRBO or AirBNB are great for vacation rentals. And try BicBands (http://www.bicbands.com/) for your headbands. They are seriously life changing and come in a bunch of different sizes and colors/designs (chevron!). And bonus, they really don’t slip if you want to wear them while doing your couch to 5k.
We always use Homeaway.com to book our rentals. It’s by owner as well.
If you are looking for a nice beach in NC, check out Oak Island. It’s small and quiet and not incredibly touristy. I (god knows why) moved to the midwest from there and miss it terribly. It’s a little piece of paradise and great for families. There isn’t a ton to do (besides the beach) but it is close enough to Myrtle Beach, that if you get bored and want to go somewhere touristy you can. Good luck!
I too love the response by email! I run a blog too and have started considering doing th at. Anyway as everyone already posted… Vrbo! I’ve used them 5 times and had amazing stays everytime!
Well as everyone else has said, VRBO or Home away . I use both and have good luck with all of them. Just read the reviews that people leave before you book. The owners can not change the reviews or refuse to post them the site does it so you know the reviews are real. Oh I keep want to ask you, have you tried the Treatsie box? I’m excited to get it but wanted to know if anyone else has tried it.
dam there was something else I wanted to ask but dammed if I remember what it is rofl
Oh ok now I remember , did you get the list of the flash sites I sent? I love them and like I said about a 100 times Joss and Main is my favorite lol
Yep ok that’s it ….
I know what you mean about the lululemon headbands. I love them to but most of them give me a headache.
Blueariel’s Beauty
Spot
I love that you email and I have tried to follow suit however some people have no replies on so I can’t for those I try to reply in my blog. But I by no means have as many comments as you. 🙂
If you come to NC I might totally have to stalk you. I’ve never been to the Outer Banks but I’m sure I could make it as a day trip. LOL I’ve never rented a beach house so no idea about what to use. My dad is using hotel points for a timeshare next week for us so we’ll be at North Myrtle, SC. I went to Hilton Head in Jan and stayed at the Disney Resort. They have suites and stuff there. The island is very pretty and doesn’t look too beachy either. M commented that if you were on the main strip you would never know you were at the beach unlike other beach towns.
I recommend vrbo.com. I’ve found some great places on that site. I used to be a travel agent. I don’t book hotels when we go to Hawaii anymore, I use vrbo instead.
For the dirty feet… even though my daughter is 7, we still keep unscented baby wipes around (at home, in the car, etc.). If my feet get dirty when I’m wearing sandals, I grab a baby wipe and in just a few seconds, my feet are clean again. It’s a nifty little trick and the wipes come in handy for many other things too. Writing this reminded me about something I wrote a few years ago on my now very neglected blog.
http://www.kristajaye.blogspot.com/2011/04/10-uses-for-baby-wipes.html
I felt like I should comment since I am usually just a lurker and you specifically mentioned comments. 🙂 First off…the Advocare sample was amazing. I was seriously considering not asking you for it since I didn’t want to take advantage of you sending free samples if I wasn’t going to buy, but figured that I would see what they are like and maybe buy one. I just had it a bit ago, so I am not sure about energy yet, but the taste of the watermelon was so good! Glad you included your card also since I was going to look at your Tupperware site. Now, can you start selling Mary Kay so I can order that through you also? 🙂
So…everyone and their mother have already told you about VRBO…
I did yhe reply by email–I never go back and check for replies on blogs.
Finally, I feel the dirty feet thing. Ugh…yesterday I was walkingbwith my 5 year old and she was kinda kicking while she walked and the dirt/gravel/dust was all between my feet and my flops. I couldn’t stand it!!
check out AIRBNB. heard good things about it for vacation home
You are very prompt in responding via email. I really appreciate that.
I do get curious how you respond to some comments but I figure if I really need to know I can just ask!
If you ever want to do a crazy vacation that wasn’t too much, we went to Costa Rica last year for my sisters wedding. We booked a house for about 800 per person which included a ched who prepared your dinner and breakfast and made service. The house was amazing and the scenery was beautiful. It was under escape villas at Manuel Antonio. I really would love to go back.
Jen, Try urbanhalo.com. I LOVE their headbands. No headaches, you can really fold them to be any width you want and they stay in place during my long crazy runs and my workouts at the gym. I wear few lulu’s too, but really, the urban halo’s are my favorite.
I gave you the incorrect website….it’s myurbanhalo.com.
Don’t worry, my baby bangs are growing back all crazy too. With it being hot and humid out they get all curly and crazy. Dustin told me one day that I looked like a lion because the bangs were sticking all over the place
As everyone else said, we’ve always rented in Seagrove Beach, FL (between Panama City and Destin) off VRBO. We’ve rented a condo a couple times and a beautiful house another time. Always had great experiences. Seagrove Beach is in the panhandle and is a really nice, low-key beach town without all of the HUGE crowds of a high-rise area. Then again, you can put a book in my hand and sit me next to the pool/ocean and I’m happy.
I kind of understand about the feet thing…. I really hate the bottoms of my feet feeling dirty. I live in Arizona and my entire house except the bedrooms are tile. Which I love but I HATE walking barefoot on them! Every little spec of dust can be felt walking barefoot on tile! So I never walk barefoot… I ALWAYS have flip flops or slippers or whatever on my feet! Always!
I really like VRBO. My sister has a place at the Carillon Beach, FL & they rent it through VBRO. It has been more successful through that than when they had it through an agency so I think that a lot more owners are using it & there is a great selection. I think that the beaches on the gulf coast are a lot prettier than the Atlantic. The sand is whiter & the water is usually clear. Check out the Scenic 30 A area of FL. Lots of great small beach communities. The Anna Maria/Sarasota area is great too.
hazelandolive.com has some great headbands if you like them thick, and they just got in some new ones last night that are absolutist adorable (I stalk there Facebook page because I love them so much) and I have had a lot of luck on Etsy with headbands to.
Hi Jen! We rent a house in the Outer Banks each year and just go right through the realtor, Sun Realty. I hope you find something good!
I really appreciate the e-mail replies. I never re-check my comments for a response.
My husband can vouch for me, I am extremely OCC about my feet being dirty. I cannot stand it, and actually don’t wear flip flops much anymore because of it. When I do the first thing I do when I get home is scrub my feet. I scrub them every night before bed and typically once or twice throughout the day just to make sure they are not dirty.
I think for the most part it emails the person to let them know when you replied to their comment as long as they have their email linked to their account. I alternate between responding via email and reply to the actual comments. I like to be able to read the replies to some peoples comments, but I know that takes a lot more time.
I’m OCD about my feet! When I have my flips on I’m constantly taking them off and wiping my feet off… It gives me a yucky feeling just thinking about it !
I am neurotic about keeping my feet clean, too! I have flip flop slipper-sandals for inside my house – I won’t walk around barefoot or even with just socks on (must have slippers). I now have a pair of slipper-sandals for the camper, too. Walking outside barefoot just kills me.
Glad to know I’m not alone in my “disorder” 🙂