Life would suck without these, dontcha think?

As I lay here in bed with my laptop, just 20 minutes away from ringing in the new year, I'm beginning for the first time to really reflect.  Not so much on what the last year brought us or what the new year may have in store, but I'm thinking about all the conveniences I have in my life and you have in yours that people didn't have 30 years ago.  Hell, 10 years ago.  I think the fact that I just spent the last hour laying here reading the news (latimes.com), catching up on my beloved pop culture (perezhilton.com), and shopping the post-holiday sales to see where I can spend my Christmas gift cards (potterybarn.com, landsend.com) has made me realize two things: 1)  this is why we're all a bunch of lazy fatasses and 2) we're extremely lucky to have such conveniences which allow us to be lazy and fat.

Here are some of the modern conveniences that help make my day easier.  I'm not talking about major inventions like the escalator or the internet.  Those were clearly sent directly from the heavens. I'm talking about things that John ThankYouGod invented to help make my life, and yours, too probably just a wee bit easier.

1.  The remote to open your car door.   Am I right?  I can't imagine holding a 9 month old, a venti mocha, a pocketbook that weighs 13 pounds, screaming at two toddlers AND have to actually put a key in a hole to open my car door.  I mean, really.  I am only one woman.  Love the car remote. 

2.  The video baby monitor.  I can't hear the kids from downstairs so a monitor is a must but the video monitor lets me peek without having to listen to that awful white noise static monitors just seem to have.  Punch a button, see the babe doing nothing, end of assessment.  Thanks, Ally!

3.  Wireless tv headset.  More often than not when we go to bed at night Chris watches tv and I either read or just go to sleep.  With these he can listen to the tv without me having to tolerate the noise.  Too bad they don't have those creepy virtual reality mask things for personal tv viewing 'cause honestly the light is more annoying than anything.  I go to bed, close my eyes, hear nothing, but can see a rave through my closed eyelids.

4.  The Dropstop.  www.buydropstop.com   Have you seen this?  You haven't?  Oh, my.  This is GENIUS.  And not just because my brother's great friend is one of the inventors.  For reals.  Bookmark this and buy your dad one for Father's Day.  It's a great gift.  

5.  The carriage cover.  I'm not psycho about germs but this thing is awesome.  The only downside to this is it kinda makes me resent Lauren because all I want to do is trade places with her.  I want her to stand and push the carriage and shop all while trying to manage two toddlers at Costco while I sit in a cozy, comfy little seat that contains all my little loveys.

6.  Cell phone camera.  'Cause really, what would I do without a .5 inch x .5 inch picture of William that I can't get onto my computer to save my freakin' life?  Oh, yes.  Thank God for that cell phone camera.

*No picture here because I can't figure out how to get them off my phone*

7.  Chemo.  Without it my mom and my aunt probably wouldn't be here.  Ok, so not a modern convenience for me but I needed to mention it.

8.  The timer on my coffee pot.  This benefits everyone.  Them: "Mommy, wake up!"  Me: "Is the coffee pot on yet?"  Them: "No."  Me: "Then it's not time to get up.  Go back to bed."

  

9.  The Disney Channel.  I hate to even admit that.  I limited television so much for the first 3 years of Drew's life and then... well, I'm not sure.  Now I'm all, "Hey, isn't there a show on or something?  I'll make you some popcorn and you can snuggle under the blanket.  It's a Hannah Montana marathon?  Awesome.  Let me know when it's over, we'll play or something!" 

10.  Skype.  When Chris is gone at the firehouse we can still check in.  And the kids love to make him do things like put his nostril up to the camera or open his mouth wide so they can see inside his mouth.  Oh, and they tell him about their day and say goodnight, too.  It's fun and comforting. 

 What are some of the modern conveniences you wouldn't want to live without? 

Oh, and Happy New Year.