Tag: shopping

Categories
family fun

My Life Outside Of Memes and Blog Servers

I just want to write about my life for a few minutes. No memes or reviews or band wagoning or online videos. I love all of those things, but sometimes I feel like I forget the life outside of that too much and I really want to make sure my blog chronicles my life and not just my other interests. So let’s see. You all know that dh went on a business trip last week and that he’s finally back. Of course it seems like seconds before he returned from his trip to San Diego I came down with a cold which is still lingering in my system now. It’s not like the world’s worst cold or anything, but my nose has been a basket case of runniness and post nasal drip (yuck!) and my throat has just had it, you know? I took some Tylenol Daytime cold medicine and it’s been sweet relief ever since today. Although trying to determine what drugs were okay and what drugs weren’t was a process in a half! I bet there were more things I could have taken but I tried very hard to both stick to the list my doctor’s office gave me and find something that would actually HELP with the ailments I have. So far so good. But could this bug please actually be gone by Saturday (Valentine’s Day) because I’d superly appreciate it!

This past weekend our plans got canceled for Saturday at the last minute so we decided to get out of dodge and go to a big pretty mall nearbyish (like an hour away). We almost went to the Rainforest Cafe that PBS is always advertising but the pricing had me breaking out in imaginary hives and I still had just enough of a cold even with medicine that day that I didn’t really feel like dealing with the whole production of it all. We’ll do that another time though because MM was loving the idea of it. We did browse the gift shop which was cute and MM and dh spent a lot of time looking at one of those animatronic alligator things. I have no idea what I’m talking about – it was a moving alligator thing that wasn’t really an alligator, thank god.

Instead we ate at Brighams which apparently is a restaurant, too. They were decent – the ice cream was delicious, but overall it kind of seemed like a Poor Mans Friendly’s. I mean don’t get me wrong, we aren’t a far cry from poor, but we could do better than this. But the ice cream was delicious. We also went to Motherhood Maternity and dh bought me two cute nursing tank tops. I know I won’t be nursing for awhile, but we decided that we want to stock up on nicer clothes now, so that by the time the baby gets here I’ll have a decent collection and won’t fall into the rut I did with MM – i.e. wearing the same three camisoles every day to the point that they looked absolutely dingy and neither of can stand the sight of them. I really want to take care of myself this time even if it’s in silly things like clothes (it will be in awesome things like healthy diets, exercise and occasional human interaction, too!). I deserve that much – and giving ourselves months to plan ahead helps to spread the money around. So does already having a ton of the “baby stuff” that we’ll need this time around.

Last night we played around with my camera for a bit, trying to learn all the ins and outs of the features it has – or really just two – one the selective coloring and also the thing where you can swap colors. I pretty much dismally failed at making anything interesting looking, but dh actually got pretty good at it – being an engineering genius and all. Here are some of the cute pictures we came up with – some are artsy, some are blurry but silly, and some just cute:

Categories
memes & carnivals

Thursday 13: Imaginary Baby Shower

(T13 header courtesy of samulli.com)

Thursday Thirteen is back and I thought I’d join in on the fun and list thirteen things that I’d put on a baby shower list for BB Kumquat the Lime-Flavored Shrimp, if I were having a baby shower (I’m not planning to, I don’t think it’s necessary). Since this is all in my imagination, I’m pretty much giving myself free reign – why not, right?

Wow that was actually REALLY hard to compile and I kinda started copping out a few times, throwing in the new camera I want (to take pictures of the baby with!) or the Honda CR-V (we’ll need a bigger trunk if we want that double stroller – we are actually planning to buy one of these rather than a double stroller, but you know, this was my dream wish list, not the real one). Oh and my camera is on sale now by the way, so I’m kind of drooling over it and wishing I weren’t planning to wait like an entire year to buy it… stupid sensibilities.

Okay dream time is over kids – for more Thursday Thirteen paticipants, head over to the new Thursday Thirteen blog.

Categories
memes & carnivals

Aloha Friday: Help Momma Buy A New Camera

It’s time for another Aloha Friday, the day that you take it easy and look forward to the weekend, in Hawaii and blog land anyway. As you should know by now, over at An Island Life, Kailani decided that on Fridays she would take it easy on posting and ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.

If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link at An Island Life’s blog. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

So I might have mentioned that a certain camera has recently caught my eye. Truth be told, two certain cameras have caught my eye – and while the prettiness of one has me swooning, I still can’t quite decide – see there’s this cute little Canon PowerShot SD1100IS that makes the color brown look chic and sophisticated – it has 8 megapixels and a 3x optical zoom. I know the zoom is kind of like, “okay, whatever,” but it’s tiny and fits in your pocket so I can whip it out anywhere and grab that cute little moment. The shutter speed is like leaps and bounds better than my current point and shoot and the pictures are crisper and clearer. And as for the potentially weak zoom I say – we have a Nikon D40 – if we think we’ll need a 10x optical zoom or whatever we’re covered – this is for birthday parties and trips to the park, where lugging around a gigantic SLR looks kind of silly and weighs on you. I love that big bulky Nikon but we’ve missed a lot of photo ops because neither DH or I felt like lugging it around and being stuck behind the thing. That isn’t really an issue with a point and shoot – particularly a tiny 4.5 ounce one. And did I mention it’s pretty?

Enter the Canon Powershot SX110IS. My brother-in-law recently bought this camera and apparently it was so wow-worthy that his incessantly cool aunt went out and bought herself one, too. This little beauty has 9 megapixels with that coveted 10 optical zoom. And it’s only like $30 more. I know – how could this be a tough choice. Well for one – cute brownie up there has a tiny little view finder in addition to the LCD screen – that used to mean something – maybe it doesn’t now but there it is. Also brownie is smaller. BIL’s camera is twice as heavy at 8.6 ounces, which is granted nothing compared to the 1.6 pounds of our Nikon D40, but still – when we get this I’ll be lugging an infant and chasing after a three year old and not sleeping much. Every ounce counts I think. Or maybe not. For me the real thing is the size of the camera over the weight – Brownie is slim and compact and can probably fit anywhere with ease. BIL’s camera is a bit bigger but it’s also more shapely and will not fit in a pocket or my over-stuffed pocket book – at least not easily. I don’t want to be carrying around another thing – it has to fit in something we’re already carrying or I’m going to leave it at home. Anyway, so here’s BIL’s camera so you can see it to compare:

It’s kind of funny because this is a look that usually sits really well with me – it kind of has that real camera vibe that I usually admire. I’ve never been into the slim-line cameras, always wanted some meat to hold onto. But then again it wasn’t that long ago that carrying a camera around was hardly a big deal as I wasn’t likely to be carrying anything else. Those days are gone. And suddenly that slimline camera is looking down right sexy. But is it really practical? I think I need an outside opinion. So folks if you wouldn’t mind, could you answer one of the following questions:

  • If you own either of these cameras, please let me know what you think of it.
  • If you own a similar small camera that you are in love with – tell me all about it!
  • If neither applies, tell me, which camera would you pick in my situation? Brownie or BIL?
Categories
cooking & recipes memes & carnivals

Monthly Menu Plan: November

It’s time for another month of menu planning!

Rather than planning my family dinners night by night, or week by week, I’ve taken the habit of planning out one menu for an entire month. This makes my grocery shopping much easier since I’ve already decided what dinners I’ll be making, I only have to pick up the ingredients missing for that week and the very regular cast of breakfast and lunch foods.

And the looming nightly dinners are now much less intimidating. No longer having to stand in front of the refrigerator scratching my head, trying desperately to figure out something nutritious and delicious to make for dinner? Love that. And by doing this monthly rather than weekly, it leaves more time for life in the days in between. It isn’t rocket science, and thanks goes to Simple Mom who inspired me with this idea.

So here’s my menu for the month of November:

First the loose themes for each night, which make the planning process go much quicker:

Mondays: Freezer Foods: I am always at my most laziest on Mondays so I try to keep it simple

Tuesdays: Italian night: Pastas of various kinds usually with a salad or garlic bread

Wednesdays: All American Night: hot dogs and hamburgers and a few randoms thrown in

Thursdays: Grilled Cheese & Soups: I’ve thought about trying different sandwiches but our family seriously likes grilled cheese, so why fight it? The soup I try to switch up every week.

Fridays: Asian Night: So far I just rotate between Trader Joe’s orange chicken and BBQ Teriyaki (dh’s two favorite meals) but I’m always on the lookout for another easy option that we’ll all like.

Saturdays: Something we can opt to skip at the last minute: Usually dh’s homemade pizza or something from the ready to eat section of the grocery store – I don’t plan too much for Saturdays because we frequently bail on making dinner in favor of visiting people or running errands.

Sundays: Momma Has Fun In The Kitchen Night: I make some of my favorite dishes on Sundays – they aren’t always lengthy endeavors, but they are usually my favorite things to make & seem fun on Sundays when I’ve had two days to sleep in a bit and get refreshed for the coming week.

Week One

Monday: Chicken strips, mozzarella strips & jalapeño poppers
Tuesday: Pasta with red sauce, ground beef and side of Texas Toast garlic bread
Wednesday: Hot dogs, baked beans and macaroni & cheese
Thursday: Grilled cheese and pepperoni sandwiches & chicken noodle soup
Friday: Trader Joe’s Orange chicken, risotto & veggies
Saturday: Popcorn chicken, sweet potato fries & corn on the cob
Sunday: Enchilada style Mexican pizza

Week Two

Monday: Mrs. Budd’s Chicken Pot Pie
Tuesday: Spaghetti & meatballs w/ Caesar salad
Wednesday: Hamburgers w/ choose your own sides
Thursday: Grilled cheese and pepperoni sandwiches & Sausage Style Soup
Friday: BBQ style teriyaki chicken, risotto & veggies
Saturday: Spinach & feta pizza
Sunday: Swedish meatballs & egg noodles

Week Three

Monday: Beef toquitos w/ corn chips & salsa
Tuesday: Fettuccine Alfredo w/ broccoli & grilled chicken & Caesar salad
Wednesday: Steak & Cheese Sandwiches
Thursday: Grilled Cheese & Chili
Friday: DH’s BIRTHDAY orange chicken, basmati rice & veggies & homemade chocolate chip cookies
Saturday: Dan’s Birthday Dinner & A Movie
Sunday: Gnocci w/ spinach & Gorgonzola

Week Four

Monday: Potato skins, mozzarella strips & popcorn chicken
Tuesday: Spiral pasta w/ garlic, olive oil & side Caesar salad
Wednesday: Beer battered fish, mashed potatoes & carrots
Thursday: HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Friday: BBQ teriyaki chicken from Trader Joes, basmati rice & Veggies
Saturday: GAME NIGHT Pizza & Turkey Day Leftovers
Sunday: Baked Brie wrapped in philo dough w/ cherry preserves (serve with fruit and crackers)

That’s it for November! Remember, the most important part of this process is flexibility – make a plan, but  don’t get eaten up about it if you decide to switch things up – maybe your dinners for Wednesday and Thursday need to be switched for a week or you make plans at the last minute – that’s fine – this isn’t homework, so it shouldn’t feel like it – the whole goal is to make YOUR life easier! So have fun with it!

If you’re making a menu plan for the month of November be sure to leave a comment with a link to your post in the comments section below.

Categories
family fun

Look, Pretty!

So about a month or two ago I washed my towels (the white ones – yeah you know this is going to end badly, don’t you?) with my husband’s brand new jeans (the jeans look mad hot on him btw, I know you were wondering) which are a deep dark blue. I don’t think I have to spell this out for you. My white towels became this really ugly dingy tye dye blue color. Then there were some added brownish rust / blood stains – I really don’t want to know, but the point is, I couldn’t get them out and they looked nasty. My white towels were white no more.

What’s the point of washing your towels if they are going to look like the cat we don’t have dragged them through the I don’t know what? And whose idea was it to buy white towels anyway? Seriously? I won’t even wear white because I’m not stupid. So I told dh we needed to buy new towels. And he said no.

So the next week I told dh we needed to buy new towels. And he said no.

So the next week I told dh we needed to buy new towels. And he said no.

So the next week I told dh we needed to buy new towels. And he said no.

So the next week I told dh we needed to buy new towels. And he said, fine go and see if anything is on sale. So I drove to Bed Bath and Beyond and just didn’t like anything. What color was my shower curtain again? I realized I didn’t really know, but that it was crucially important. So I went home and took a picture with my camera phone. But never made it back to the store that weekend.

Since then every time I’ve gone to a store – you know like Target, Walmart, anywhere that sells towels basically, I’d check and every time they’d be hideous or expensive or perfect except they don’t have a complete set. And just when I was about to give up all hope ever…

This weekend I dragged dh to Linens’n’Things to look for a new drying rack for our dishes (which we didn’t get there, we found that at Target later) I found them. The perfect towels. On. Sale. Seriously. Like $3 for bath towels, $1 for the little ones, etc. They had a full set. I pulled up the picture on my camera phone – oh yes, they match. Check out my new lovelies:

See how well they match the shower curtain? It was meant to be.

They even match my pretty Method hand soap! I think we’ll keep them!

Categories
reviews

Taking Back The Night: A Mattress Story

Sunday afternoon we decided to stop by Sleepys to look at mattresses. We’ve been loathing our current mattress situation for two years now, my husband for six, as it was his mattress as a teenager and before we married. It was one of those BJs specials, where you get the entire bed, frame, mattress, box spring for like $100 or something. And it was crap for the two of us. I wasn’t sleeping. My back hurts like all the time. But we have expensive taste and we’d currently only looked at like the Temperpedic. We wanted to know what else was out there and how much we’d need to save to get a bed we could both like.

The guy at Sleepys was amazing – I know he was a salesman, but let’s just call him John The Best Salesman Ever. He first had us get a sleep profile with their Body Diagnostics System. It told us essentially what we already knew – that I’m the pickier of the two sleeprs, but that our body’s needs are a bit conflicting, go figure, me being 5’2″ with pain in the neck, middle back and lower back and him being 6’2″ with pain in the middle back only. But his middle back is like the size of my lower back, middle back and neck combined! So then the computer shot out three beds in a range or price and compatibility that should suit our needs. The first was  the Kingston Amazing $3,000 something or other. The last was a $600 decent mattress that put our current one to shame. John was totally hearing us when we said, “We want a new bed, but we’re poor.”

And we almost got that one, until he mentioned that a $1,600 mattress was currently on sale for $899. And did he mention the no interest 24 month payments we could make? No, he didn’t. For $48 a month we could own the mattress tomorrow. I’m sorry, $48? I was just telling my husband we should start putting aside $200 a week because we can. What’s 48 divided by 4? That’s right. We can afford that shit. We can start sleeping like champs tomorrow. Or make that yesterday, because we bought it and it was delivered at 7:15pm last night.

The delivery guys were really nice and efficient and did it way quicker than I could. They were one step ahead of me the whole time, which is probably normal since they do this for a living and it’s the first mattress I’ve ever bought (but not the first one I’ve ever moved. Ask me about moving mattresses. Go ahead, I dare you). They were in and out in ten minutes and we were able to make the bed, ohhh and ahhh and take picutres before Sarah Connor was even close to starting. If memory serves, we were done by 7:30 and watching the Simpsons, actually.

The bed? It’s amazing. It’s called the Miralux Splendor Plush aka Best Bed Ever. We also got these amazing pillows thrown in which cost us an extra dollar a month. Whatever. I’m sleeping like a champ. I know these no interest scams can be a bad deal, but that’s for the people who don’t pay their bills. We have no debt and will have no problem paying $48 – we’re planning to pay at least $100 every month and pay if off sooner. Christmas bonuses? That goes towards the mattress. We’re not fools. We weren’t sleeping. Now we are.

I think it was a wise investment. So let’s compare the before and after shall we?

Before:

before
I know it looks harmless, but let's remember- this mattress is the devil

After:

there is a god, and he invented miraluxe splendor
there is a god, and he invented the miralux splendor

Last night I slept like a baby in a bed of clouds. Okay, I’m exaggerating. I didn’t sleep much better than normal, but I was comfortable while I was not sleeping and my back already feels better. I wasn’t sleeping because I’m getting a cold. The mattress can’t help that. And look how pretty it is. I wouldn’t have put sheets on it at all, except I’m afraid of staining it since we still don’t technically own it persay.

So… I’m a little nervous because I’m not normally one to do things like this, but I know we can pay $50 a month. And since we’re planning to pay $100 or more as often as possible, I don’t see us getting into much shennanigans with this. And we have the advantage of no prior debt at all. That’s gotta count for something. And in the meantime, my bed is a little slice of heaven.

The End.

Categories
family fun

So, How Was YOUR Weekend?

This weekend was CRAZY busy. Saturday we took MM and SB back to our new favorite apple orchard to play in their playground (which is amazing, but the place was packed with much bigger kids which made both dh and I a bit nervous) and to go pumpkin picking!

Okay, fine, I really just wanted to take pictures of pumpkin picking, which is harder than you might imagine. Okay, so I guess, honestly if you imagine taking a two and three year old to a pumpkin patch and then try to get them to sit still, not run off, not man handle the poor pumpkins AND look at your camera and smile, you might get a good idea after all.

But we had fun and we got each boy a small pumpkin, which elated them to no end. And I did get some halfway decent pictures which I’m going to save for my Wordless Wednesday post this week, just to try and spread the love a bit.

YESTERDAY we embarked on a mission to get my wedding rings inspected, ask about having them welded together, buy a new dish drainer for the kitchen, and price out mattresses so we could start saving for a new one, because ours is terrible. I don’t think there are words to describe how much I loathe my mattress, but if you try to imagine how much I dislike Sarah Palin and then multiply that by a kagillion and you’ll be in the right ballpark at least.

So we managed to get the rings inspected and put in an order to get them welded, but first we have to get one of the rings worked on for a completely different issue, because when it’s not one thing, it’s another, am I right? So it’ll probably be two weeks before this is all finished and in the meantime my finger is all sorts of naked and single – I teased my husband at great length about this, to the point where I think he might have been afraid to leave the apartment this morning.

We also managed to get the dish drainer, a kazillion other things we didn’t need like finger paints (you know I’ll be doing a WW on that later), a water purifier thingy for the kitchen sink, gorgeous new towels (more on them later), and a mattress.

to be continued…

Categories
family fun

Thursday 13: Making My List, Checking It Twice

I won’t tell you if I’ve been naughty or nice, but I will tell you the thirteen things I wouldn’t kick out of my Christmas stocking this year…

  1. My reasons for wanting a DS are so eco-savvy that you really can’t judge – no, I don’t just want to play video games, I want to save unnecessary paper waste by only filling out Sudoku puzzles and crossword puzzles on my DS – I know I could use my computer, too, but a DS is portable! And I can play games on it! And the proceeds of this one go towards Breast Cancer research so I can feel all proud and charitable while I use it.
  2. I know it might seem like a bit much to be asking for a Wii and a DS, but I’m considering it a one or the other deal, and a Wii has the added advantage of being kind of like an at home gym. Of course I’ll be needing a Wii fit to go with this, but that’s kind of a given at this point, right? Plus, everyone I know at this point seems to have a Wii, and if I don’t get one soon, my grandmother will probably beat me to it. Seriously.
  3. But you know with all that video game playing, I think it will be important to not get too lost in the virtual world and a new great board game would help with that. Balderdash is a classic. My best friend has it, which always makes me insanely jealous and I think it would be the perfect addition to our board game collection. We can use it to teach my two year old to lie. It would get put to good use, I swear.
  4. Every night my husband and I play this game where we trick the other person into giving up the one comfortable seat in the apartment. It isn’t our couch. If you bought us this couch for Christmas, maybe we could sit together like those cute couples who cuddle instead of saying things like, “Honey, could you get me a glass of water…….. sucker!!!” You’d be doing a service to our marriage is what I’m saying.
  5. Did you know Jack Johnson has a new CD out? I mean I think it’s been out for awhile, but I don’t own it, which makes it awfully new, don’t you think? I just love the Jack Johnson CD that we do have, but it’s rotation is permanently engraved in my mind, and I’m thinking it’d be fun to hear some of his new songs before my son starts humming “Banana Pancakes” in his sleep.
  6. What? A new car isn’t on your wish list? I know that the odds of someone getting me a vehicle on here are slim, but you never know if someone from Honda is out there reading people’s blogs wondering, “Who can I give a free CRV to today?” Mr. Honda Guy, that would be me. My poor little Corolla needs a rest and my poor husband and I need a trunk and <—- that trunk, looks perfect.
  7. If you won’t get me a Wii, will you at least get me an ellipitical machine – this one by Schwinn is going for under $500 which probably makes it the deal of century, don’t you think? And it features 12 workout programs with 8 computer-controlled magnetic resistance levels – which makes it awesome. If I had this, I wouldn’t need to diet, because I could use it as a kitchen table and eat while using it. Revolutionary? I think so.
  8. I had to put at least one book on this list and I think that book really aught to be Julie Andrew’s new autobiography. I think I’ve mentioned it before? I bet Julie Andrews has had an amazing life and I’d much rather read about it here than in a tabloid magazine – feels less snoopy and invasive that way. Who is this woman who can be Mary Poppins and Mia Thermopalis’s grandmother?
  9. This Kitchen Aid Mixer is actually on sale right now, but unfortunately, even on sale I’m unlikely to get it any time soon. But I swear, if I had one, I’d make my husband his favorite chocolate chip cookies all the time, and other yummy baked goods, too. With a Kitchen Aid, I’m pretty sure nothing could stop me. What kitchen appliance would make your life easier?
  10. I’d love a beautiful, everything matches dinner wear set someday and this one from IKEA looks beautiful (has anybody else noticed yet that I have a small IKEA obsession?). Isn’t it pretty? I just got gorgeous new drinking glasses from BJs so I really just want some matching bowls, plates, etc. Those striped ones are a must!
  11. We have the electronic version of LIFE and we love it – along with the many changes to the gameplay, the electronic “credit card” banking system is wonderful. Whenever I play Monopoly I almost always end up playing the banker, but not because I like it. It’s because NOBODY likes being the banker (as far as I can tell). Doing it electronically would mean more fun for everyone – nobody would be forced to be the banker and we could all get back to doing what we do best – buying every property we can find, hoping to get Park Place before the next person does, and pretending we have a strategy.
  12. Now that I’ve  gotten used to my husband’s Nikon D40, I sometimes wish I had a gorgeous camera like that of my own, so we wouldn’t have to take turns. And at the end of the day, I’m a Canon kind of girl, so I think if I were going to pick out something comparable to his D40 it would probably be this Rebel. What aspiring photographer girl doesn’t want a Rebel, I ask you? And this one is purty. It kind of looks like if my own lower end Canon Power Shot grew up, it might be this Rebel someday… I could have a Canon collection. It would be awesome.
  13. I saw a commercial for the iPod touch yesterday for the first time – I mean, I’ve maybe seen it before, but I wasn’t paying attention. Anyway, yesterday I paid attention and my jaw dropped… and there might have been drool. It was love at first sight. At second sight, I saw the price, which is why it’s on this imaginary wish list and not in my Amazon wishlist instead. Isn’t it beautiful though?

That’s all folks. For more Thursday 13 participants just click here.

Categories
daybook

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today

Outside my Window… it’s cloudy and cool with a slight breeze. The trees still have leaves, the grass is lush and green. Fall may be here, changing colors on the trees in town but outside in our “quad” it is still green and beautiful.

I am thinking… of all the things I still aught to do like balance the checkbook, read, do some more dishes, and figure out dinner for tonight. I was going to exercise but I’ve been so active today I think I’ll save my workout DVD for tomorrow which should be a less active day, chore-wise.

From the learning rooms … My son is only two and not in school, but lately we’ve been continuing to work on letters and colors and learning some different animals like elephant, giraffe, etc. He picks all these things up quickly.

I am thankful for… a strong marriage, a loving family and group of friends, my husband’s wonderful job which lets me stay home with my son.

From the kitchen… We have apples from apple picking yesterday that we plan to make into a pie and a couple of baked stuffed apples.

I am wearing… my new jeans – I really love Walmart for clothes these days and these new jeans are wonderful – they are made by that Just My Size company owned by Hanes and they fit so well and provide plenty of room for movement, etc.

I am reading… Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer – I’m about 2/3rds through and loving every minute of it.

I am hoping… that I will come up with a marvelous idea for dinner tonight… the odds don’t seem to be in my favor though.

I am creating… change in my diet. Drinking more water, eating less snack food. If I can only add more exercise to this mix I just might lose some weight.

I am hearing… my son cooing in his bedroom, letting me know that nap time is over. 🙂

Around the house… I have some vacuuming and mopping to do soon… But the laundry is done and I took out some trash today that’s been cluttering up a few corners in the apartment.

One of my favorite things… is Amazon gift certificates – we have an Amazon visa that gives us gift certificates every 2,500 points. I just got one in today and tempting as it is to spend it, I’m thinking of saving them to use for some Christmas presents.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week… exercise more, finish Breaking Dawn and try to pick up Jane Eyre for the 5 Minutes For Books Classics Book Club

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you…

My son found this acorn on the ground in our parking lot as we were leaving to go apple picking. He didn’t let it out of his grasp the entire trip, all through the entire picking, walking through the fields, tasting different apples, he kept it grasped in his hand the whole time. 🙂