My sister used to work at a medical spa, and I got used to having fabulous facials, massages, and other spa services on a regular basis. I also may have snuck in some Boxtox and had my eyeliner tattooed – which is just divine. Since both my sister and I have moved, I haven’t found a good place to get  Facials in Chicago, but I just heard about the Tiffani Kim Institute downtown and I’m dying to give it a try.

They offer medical and spa treatments from certified practitioners in a relaxing environment. The Tiffani  Kim Institute is located right inside the Park Hyatt on Michigan Avenue, so it’s a real treat to visit and relax for the day, and you come out looking and feeling refreshed – don’t forget you and can hit the Magnification Mile for some shopping, too.

I say we schedule some facials and massages while we’re all in town for Blogher – what do you say, ladies?

The anniversary video that I made for Mike was such a hit that I thought it only appropriate that I make one for my dad for Father’s Day. There’s some pretty funny pictures and I went to great lengths to pick a song that wouldn’t make any one cry, so try not to tear up, okay?

Be warned that my naked two-year-old self makes an appearance. You’ll have officially seen it all once you’ve watched the video.

I like to break out in spontaneous song and dance – Mike’s used to it, so I don’t get much of a reaction from him, though my Elevator Dance does get a smirk from time to time (think Ashley Simpson on SNL). He did recently note that I haven’t been singing the same campy songs that I used to, so I dusted off an old favorite that I thought my grandma made up but is really from Guys & Dolls.

For almost 30 years Grandma has been getting all the credit for being the lyrical genius behind A Bushel and a Peck, but apparently she’s just been stealing Frank Loesser‘s thunder.

Damn Grandma is a liar. Next you’re going to tell me she didn’t make up Lets All Sing Like The Birdies Sing, either!

When I heard that 9 out of 10 couples compromise on comfort in order to sleep together I wasn’t surprised. It seems that every couple I know complains about their significant other’s sleeping habits, including Mike and I, and that ads up to almost 300 hours of lost sleep a year!

Here’s just a few of our problems:

• Mike snores.
• I moan.
• Mike likes a firm mattress.
• I like a soft mattress.
• Mike like to be snug as a bug in a rug.
• I like to be chilly willy.
• Mike sleeps like a rock.
• I toss and turn.
• We each sleep with our own blanket because we both hog the blanket.
• The dog hogs the bed.

For the past 15 years, The Better Sleep Council has declared May Better Sleep Month, so I think it’s time we all got our beauty rest and took some tips to promote better sleep for couples from sleep expert, Pete Bils. Here are just a few tips to avoid some of the most common sleeping problems couples encounter:

• If your partner snores, try going to bed first so you can fall asleep peacefully (or just smother them with a pillow).
• If your partner tosses and turns, create a barrier with pillows to help minimize bed movement (or strap them down when they sleep).
• If you and your partner prefer different sleeping temperatures, try a dual weight comforter or electric blanket (or just open a window and tell them to deal).
• Vow to make the bedroom a restful place. No work, no laptop, no television (unless of course there’s a really good Disease-of-The-Week movie on).
• If you and your partner prefer different mattress firmness, invest in a bed that allows you to adjust the firmness (so you an be comfy, and they can stop whining).

To celebrate Better Sleep Month, Select Comfort has special deals on their fabulous Sleep Number Mattresses, a great way to get the quality sleep you deserve while still being close to your honey (and not having to smoother them with a pillow or strap them down like a psych ward). Just look at all the problems a bad mattress can cause…

Sleep is important, so take a little time to make your sleeping situation and your relationship as comfortable as possible!

I’ve never seen any of the Star Trek movies or a single episode, but Mike is taking me to go see the new movie on Friday at the IMAX at a time when I’d normally be rolling over in bed. I only agreed to go because I was promised popcorn and Snow Caps.

In fact, my only real knowledge of Star Trek is the Vulcan Salute, which lead to a truly mortifying situation in my 7th grade earth science class.

I sat at a table of four with Kristen, Chris, and Bobby. We had free time and were goofing off when someone flashed the Vulcan Salute. I, of course, flashed the intergalactic gang sign back. Wanting everyone to participate, I pestered Chris to throw the sign. He was unusually quite and declined, so I beleaguered him again. When I badgered him for the third time, he finally held up his hand, but the Vulcan Salute didn’t look quite right.

That’s because Chris had a birth defect and ONLY HAD FOUR FINGERS on each hand.

I immediately gasped, which made me feel even worse about harassing a four fingered kid about participating in something that clearly required all five digits. I still feel horrible about The Vulcan Salute Catastrophe of 1992, as it is now known, and it’s all Mike’s fault for stirring up all these feeling of guilt because he’s making me go see Star Trek.

I better get some Sour Patch Kids, too.