Your Opinion, Please

I am saving up for a Dyson... my parents and a friend have them and WOW is all I can say! I love how it cleans up the dog hair from everything so easily! It is quite light... I have used it at my parents house during a "cleaning party" lol! 5 years of using it and my parents carpet still looks brand new... it gets all the dirt out fantastically! My parents had it recommended to them from Luna or Empire when they got their carpet to help it stay looking clean and new... it really works!

As for games.... we play the classics like Monopoly, Life, Trivia Pursuit etc... old but still fun! lol

Good luck and blessings to you!

I can't help with the vacuum, but as for family games--we absolutely LOVE Cranium! Not only do you answer questions, but you draw, act, sculpt, hum...tons of fun!!

I have several vacuums, but my Oreck is my favorite, it's also less expensive. I have the upright Hepa & the cannister.
We just had game night on Saturday. The guys played Wii bean bags & bowling. The girls played pictionary. We also like Imagine-if and Scattagories. LCR is also fun & quick moving, simple to learn. Also, we play Uno Attack, for money, & forgo the regular rules.

1. Dyson (all floors DC14)

2. Scattegories, Monopoly, Imaginiff, Scene It, Cranium.

We like Catch Phrase, that is a lot of fun. Also a new one we played at a party was Apples To Apples, it is also easy to learn. Cranium is another good one. Good luck!

Hi Doreon- we've recently purchased a Royal vaccuum and really love it. We were in the market for a well-made bagged model that was in the mid-price range and had great pick-up power. We love it. Our model is heavy compared to some but we had a lot of trouble going through cheaply made plastic machines that kept breaking on us- I was looking for something that felt sturdy.

A previous poster mentioned Sebo vaccuums- I also looked that these and want to add that they are beautifully designed and have great power.

Good luck!

Some games my family loves to play are; Tripoley (which is a combination of poker, hearts, etc); Balderdash; Pit; and Cranium

Don't know about vacuums but the game.....Apples to Apples is a really funny game. I'm not sure about the three y.o., but older kids and grown up love it. I know we do.

I like my Dyson All Floors DC18 I got it on sale at Kohl's for under $300 w/a 30% off coupon last April. the model may have changed, but I really like mine!

Not sure about the vacuum. But for FUN family games, try Apples to Apples. It is easy to play and everyone will get a lot of laughs!!!
Have fun!

catch phrase and cranium are fun games. have fun.

Any Dyson, amazing how much lint, fuzz and crumbs are in my area rugs. I went without it for a couple months when my old Dyson was underwater in the Sept flood, I borrowed a different brand, it did not perform as well. When I got a 30% coupon at Kohl's I ordered a new Dyson online, free shipping and less tax than if I bought at store, so I think it was around $350. WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!!!! You should have seen how fast the canister filled up, so much for that dirl devil I borrowed. Go for the Dyson!

I love my Oreck. Traps all contaminants, works on all surfaces and you can't beat their warrantee.

One: Dyson is just amazing. They are expensive, so I would only get it if you have a lot of carpeting. We have almost exclusively hardwood, so no Dyson for us =(

Two: Not sure how old your kids are, but we love scatergories.

My entire family loves catch phrase! It is maybe $20 electronic hand held game that you do in 2 teams the more people the better. Also another fun game is apples to apples. Hope you can use these suggestions and have fun @ your next family game night!

If you can afford it have a central vacuum system put in. It is the greatest vacuum you will ever have. It can be put in any house, it is just a little cheaper if you are building a house to have it put in from day one. I love my central vac. It works on any kind of floors, hardwood to carpet. The suction is unbelievable and all you need to do is hall around the hose and plug it into the wall. For carpets for course you have the beater brush attachment. There is a place in Crystal Lake that sells and installs the systems. You can just buy the system and do the rest yourself if you are handy enough to to do it. If you have a ranch house if is just a matter of running pipes in you basement and the plug in would be in the floor. For a 2 story home, pipes would have to run up your walls from the basement.
But you will love it.

Good Luck with your purchase,
God Bless,
S.

Spoons. You need a deck of playing cards and some spoons (1 less than the number of people playing. Here is a link on how to play.

http://www.wikihow.com/Play-Spoons-%28Card-Game%29

M.

i have a dyson its a little more than some vaccuums but its soo good, its picks up more thank any other

Doreon: I can't comment on vaccuums...I have some old timers that are still working great. Haven't been in the market for vaccuums in a long time. I hope I don't jinx myself.

Games: We've just gotten Apples to Apples Jr at Christmas. We love it. Can't wait to get the adult version. I like Scrabble too!

Dyson all the way! Vacuum with another vacuum and then vacuum with a Dyson and you will be amazed at how much you still pick up!

As far as the vacuum goes, I spent lots of money on a Miele and ended up giving it away after having it repaired 3 times in 6 years. Now I have a Kenmore Progressive vacuum which cost about $300 and it is great! I can't use the bagless vacuums because we have lots of allergies here, especially dust mites, and the bagless vacuums are not good for that.

We have lots of games - apples to apples is good, sorry, trouble, monopoly, blockus is really good, but only 4 player, my kids play dominos lots too.

one: we have a dyson (got it on sale and with a gift card, thankfully) and we aren't the biggest fans of it. the suction isn't that great. i know their big thing is that the suction never weakens on it....but it's not that great to begin with!:)

two:my family likes games, too. we like catch phrase, mad gab, apples to apples, uno, disney trivial pursuit. i know we've played others that we enjoy, but those are the ones we've played most often.

hope that helps!

there is a card game called sequence from 2 -12 plyers lots of fun toys r us

Re: Vaccuums: Over the last 10 years I have bought 3 vacuums. That's one almost EVERY three years (i.e. Sharp upright, Hoover Windtunnel and Hoover Windtunnel Bagless - the WORST OF THE THREE!!!)

I had it! A KIRBY rep called me, just for kicks I had them come over and they shampoo'd two of my rooms. I bought the vacuum, minus the shampooer (didn't need it - I have one.) and love my Kirby. It is soooo worth it to me. I spent more on the three vacuums than I did on the one Kirby. Yes, initial price was high. There is definitely bargaining room, especially if you don't want or need the shampooer. My neighbor has had hers for 9 years - she just brought it in for its first tune-up and she says it works as good as the first day she bought it.

Re. Games: Love Balderdash, Imagine If, and old favorites like Sorry and Life.

Catch phrase, mexican dominoes are some of my families favorites.

Bissell Velocity is what I have and it works awesome. I have never had a problem with it and I've had it for over a year. I would also look and see if Bed Bath and Beyond has the vacuum you are going to purchase. My old vacuum broke and I wheeled it back in a year after purchase with no receipt and they gave me a new one.

Oreck! Although they are more expensive than most, they last forever and when you buy one it comes with free yearly maintenance. I love mine!

You have to try Apples to Apples!!!!!

I went through a few Dirt Devils and Hoovers before I purchased my Kirby. Talk them down though, you can get a better price than they start at. The carpet cleaning attachment doesn't suck dirt out, so for high traffic areas it isn't amazing, I prefer my Bissell upholstry & carpet cleaner.

They are heavy, they have two motors, that's why they work so well. One motor to fun the vacuum, the other to cool.

Games for adults: Settlers of Catan, Catch Phrase, Scrabble

Games for kids: Sorry, Usborne "Snap" games, Uno.

I like having a variety of games because we can rotate. We played Candyland for months, then Memory (with my 3 year old), then Fairy Snap (Usborne), etc.

Good luck.

For games, check out a game called Quelf. It's like a very wacky version of Cranium. But it's great for 4-8 players and is tons of fun.

As far as vacuums go, I would have to recommend Miele. I thought my husband was nuts to pay what he did for it ($600) at the time, but we've had it now at least seven years and it does a fantastic job. I've slowly become a convert!

Games: I recommend Toss Up. It's a game with 10-dice, three colors, and we've played it with any number of people, ages three and up. Very easy to learn. It comes in a little container, approx 2x3 inches, so you can take it anywhere. Find it at Target--usually on one of the endcaps in the toy department (or amazon!)

For a cheaper vacuum I bought a dirt devil for pet owners about 60 dollars at Walmart and it works great. I don't know if you have pets but we have 2 cats,2 dogs and 2 boys and I am absolutely amazed at what this vacuum picks up. It also comes with lots of great attachments. We have had it for a year and it is still going strong.

Hi Doreon:

As for the vacuum...we have a Rainbow. They are pricey, but you can find good deals on ebay. They are great because they produce NO dust and have this built in hepa filter.

The games: my family too does game nights and a great one that even some of the younger kids enjoy is Bunco. A really fun one for adults is Balderdash! Good luck:)
J.

If you have carpeting, I recommend the Dyson. We have it and it's awesome. The carpeting has a totally different feel to it once I'm done cleaning with it.

As for the poster that didn't like the Dyson...I felt the same way, too at first. Then, I realized I didn't have the canister in all the way and it worked 500 times better. If you're still having problems with it, there may be something wrong.

What ever you do don't get a dyson. The best vacuum that I have ever used is a commercial vacuum. I have been married over 20 years and have owned 3 vacuums two commercial and one dyson animal which I had for 2 years and just through it away. When you buy a commercial vacuum make sure the roller is metal. It's more durable and will last the longest. Their cords also are at least 40-50 ft long which generally allows one plug in to cover the whole house. I prefer Panasonic and they run around $2-300.00.

1-I've been married 39 years and have gone through too many vacuums to count including the orek and the dyson. Last fall we bought a German model vacuum called Sebo. http://www.aevacuum.com They are located on Galena Blvd. in Aurora. This woman opened her shop because she couldn't find a good vacuum until she found the Sebo. She has a fantastic story.It's a little expensive but well worth it.She also repairs them and gives you some off if you take in your used vacuum.
2-Fill or Bust-it's a mindless card game that large groups can play or only two. You can talk and do it at the same time and even babies who can throw dice can play. Our family loves it.

My next vacuum is going to be an orek. I used my in-laws at their house, and it's so nice and light, easy to maneuver. If my vacuum ever DIES that is what I want.

I haven't played it, but my kids love Apples to Apples. You can get the party pack with lots of cards.

B.

Game suggestions
If your family is really into having fun and out of the box I would try cranium it is a lot of fun! Also depending on the number of people Monkeys on the moon is great! Dominoes is always fun too, or scene it can be great! And if you have an Xbox it is really really fun on there everyone gets their own buzzer.

On 2: Apples to Apples. It's a fantastic family get-together game.

I had a Kirby and is was too complicated and very heavy. I bought a Oreck a few years ago and it is great. Works very good, is very lightweight and uses Hypoallergenic bags. They have different models at different prices. The one I purchased was $800.00 but comes with a 21 year warranty and 21 years of free tunes ups. So I know it will at least last me 21 years. You can't beat that.

Unfortunately I haven't found a good vacuum cleaner yet, so I am looking forward to other responses. I can tell you that the Dirt Devil bagless upright (I think it's called the Featherlite?) is absolutely terrible. I have only had the vacuum for 1.5 years and have gone through 4 belts. It just burns through them. As far as games go: we like old school card games (rummy, spades, hearts, poker, etc.) and we like to play old board games from garage sales, we really like the games that no one has ever heard of. It makes it more fun. Good luck!

Hi Doreon...I have seen some post where some have mentioned some very expensive vacums, which are very good vacums. Dont get me wrong! But these days where money is tight in most households we are always looking to some a $1 here and there. I bought the Bissell Healthy Home about a year ago and love it. It has all the attachments you woud need.It has a hepa filter as well as another filter to catch all the allergens in your house. I have 4 pets 2 dogs and 2 cats so you can imagine the pet hair and it picks all that up on my carpet and furniture...Good Luck

I have a Dyson (the animal one) and I love. It is one of the best vacuums that I have owned.

Hello, I have a Dyson, yes they are costly, but are so worth it. I got mine at Sears and it was 0 interest for 12 months so I was able to pay it off at min. payments a month for a year.

The game we love to play with a bunch of people is Cranium!

Hi Doreon,

Sorry about your vacuum! We have a Dyson and I think it is great! I know they are a bit on the pricey side, but let's face it, nothing is pricier than buying a vacuum, having it break and needing to buy another one! Check them out - they are pretty cool.

Also, a great family game is Catch Phrase. Easy to learn and fast paced. You will laugh a lot and have the best time!

: ) Laura

We LOVE our Kirby. Have had it for 6 years & still great. They are expensive but you can get a great deal if you bargain with them or buy online.

Games we like are catch phrase, trivial pursuit, card games, taboo.

I am on only my second vacuum in 20 yrs. I received a Kenmore canister vacuum as a wedding gift, and I just recently replaced it with another Kenmore canister. My old one still works, but the hose got run over by the car( i left it in the garage after vacumming the car).

This vacuum works great, and does not cost alot of money.

In the first 4 years of our marriage, we had four vacuums because we brooke them all the time. About 5 years ago we got a Dyson and love it. I'm amazed by what it gets up! Our glass patio table broke last winter into thousands of tiny pieces embedded in the grass in our backyard. I took the dyson out and got them all up with the tools. I totally recommend it.

As for games, my family likes to play Catch Phrase, it's sort of like Taboo and Hot Potato.

Hi Doreon,
Wow-you really received alot of responses.Well-I love my Oreck and would never trade it for another brand.Suffered with Hoover for 20 years!Our family loves Charades.Great for all ages.

I got a Dyson (the one for allegeries and asthma) and LOVE IT. They are pricey but they are worth it. Every person I talk to who owns one loves them.

Board games. Apples to Apples is fun my 11 and 13 year old stepdaughters really like it. It is a quick and easy game and some of the rules can be modified to make the game shorter or longer. The girls also like Cranium.

For the younger kids, my stepdaughter was telling me about a game that has to do with Frogs (Jumping or leaping)that she really likes to play with the kids she babysits. My cousins kids really like Cadoodle (It is by the same people who make Cranium).

Hope this helps.

Our vote for vacuum goes to Kirby. It was expensive. We paid about $1600 for it. But it has lasted almost 20 years. We have had to replace the plug on it twice. But it is great. and very durable.

games: apples to apples is great and so is outburts, pictionary and scattergories. we love family games

We got a Dyson a few months back and I can't say enough good about it. I am really happy with it and the suction on the tool is incredible.

2. one of our family favorites is Mad Gab. REally a fun game

We love Apples to Apples at get-togethers. It's so easy to learn, a LOT of fun when you have a lot of people. We recently bought Apples to Apples junior so the younger kids can play too. Grownups can have just as much fun with Apples to Apples junior too!