He's Gonna Take My Cards...

Today took a real turn for happy on my end.

While gripping about not having a pair of bluejeans that will actually stay on me, I got the news.....

My favorite of all times jean company is now shipping to the US. You'd never believe the drama I would go through to get these Canadian jeans shipped to me.......

But Dave is gonna take my cards, cause if I'm paying for international shipping, I might as well get a few shirts too......

Oh baby baby

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Summer's Here

And you know what that means?

Kids camps!

So in addition to all the crazy stuff we have to do each week to keep our schedules running smooth, we now throw in basketball camp, kids' camp (instead of daycare) with daily field trips and fun.

Tonight I gave Walmart almost 100 bucks just to get started on this project.

Lunch boxes and food and freezy things.

I made some changes this year. So tonight I'm staying up watching a movie while I pack a week's worth of lunches. Those little snack ziplocks are godsent!

Can you imagine how much I'd save by buying normal sized bags/boxes of foods then making my own individual portions? Well I did the math, cause I'm OCD and needed to prove it to myself before I went whole hog.

So by buying big cans of fruits instead of fruit cups, then making portions - big bags of crackers/chips and you guessed it making portions - frozen cans of juice to mix up and put into reusable lidded cups - this week alone I saved $29.55. Please keep in mind that this week is three days worth of food. Holy crap. That's not counting the stuff I already had in mind from my pantry! Woohoo....

Now I can totally justify the extra money spent on camps....well that and since I can't be with them during the summer days, they might as well have a blast!

Embrace your inner Scrooge!

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Well this has been the most relaxing weekend I've had in a while. I must say, it's all because of the a big ole conference here in town in which all my neighbors are either attending or glued to their tv screens watching. Not me.

I took great pleasure in waking up at the butt crack of dawn yesterday, cleaning my entire house. Cooking breakfast for the people before I mercifully bully-ed them into my car and off to the mall we went.

It's spring shopping time. Meaning, the snow has just able left completely and the thick fleecy clothes my family has lived in for the past six months are no longer applicable. So it called for a mall trip.

Now by now you know I'm very much a shopper, I bargain hunt with the best of you guys. I do alot of piece mail ordering off the internet for things I need/want but don't have the time to comparison shop for out in town. However, spring and fall, I get my butt in gear and make a mall trip. Otherwise I'm the smart arse giving the finger to the mall as I pass by it the long way on the way to my precious Barnes & Nobles.

I hate the music they play there, I hate the way my kids want to live the entire visit in the Sanrio store, Hello Kitty is evil. I hate the way The Man sticks his finger in his eye socket and prods his brain every five minutes. I hate that Duchess, my bathroom connoisseur, has to check out every bathroom in every store we visit. I hate the smell of too many people in one room and I HATE the utter presence of that many other people.

But we had a lovely time. Probably cause due to said conference, the entire Mall was empty. We got front row parking. We weren't in the doors two minutes before Duchess needed a potty. So The Man and I staked out the men's section in front of said potty in Dillards where we got him some awesome browning shirts. He was grinning like a kid.

Note to self: always buy him something first........sweetens the mood.........

Off it was to the Children's Place where I'm a card carrying member, who has already hit her premier status for the year and will now get 10% off everything for the rest of the year, in addition to my coupons. Woohoo! Then it was the cookie store, then Sanrio, then Penney's.

Penney's took the longest as Princess needed new undershirts for school and she's at that size where you have to try everything on to see what will fit. But man on man, I realized something new about that kid, she has a major shoe thing.........like her momma. The kid found some awesome ballet flats on sale in all these different colors, and when I say sale, I mean 3.49 each. She got five pairs. Oh yeah baby, let's bargain shop.

We managed to leave the mail after another visit to Sanrio where they spent most of their Easter money (thanks grandma/grandpa) and we headed to BN. Princess and I made a mad dash in, her to spend the rest of her money on a Geronimo Stilton book and me to stock up for the week (yeah, I'm that pathetic, it's my only hobby!) So The Man and Duchess were gonna wait in the car as it was getting nasty outside.

I finally got me some books and found Princess trying to decide between her books when opps, my phone rings. Not just any call, it's ringing that special ringtone that means, The Man is hunting you down.

"Um, hello hi, I know it's taking forever, but we're checking out right now......" all said in like two seconds....as I juggle books and motion for Princess to make a decision RIGHT NOW.

It got weird then cause it was very clear, but there was an echo when I heard him say, "No you're not"........

Opps busted, he was standing behind me. But luckily he was grinning. He knows how I am. Sigh, I never lie and when I do, I lie badly, so I guess I had that one coming.

Since Duchess had needed a run on the BN bathroom, he helped us schlep all the books to the counter and didn't say a word, just raised one eyebrow at my total.......hey, I was only .49 over budget.

The ride home was lovely because there was very few people on the freeways and I realized if this town was like this all the time, I could live here forever. Sigh......I hate the big city and I am kinda glad we don't live in the thick of it.

But I got home with bags upon bags of goodies. Spent an hour removing tags and peeling size strips off everything. Then washing it all. Now if I could get off my butt and move it from my loveseat up the stairs to the bedrooms, I'd be rocking. But I found a new series to read, oh yum......

So if you're wondering where I am or what I'm doing. I have the first four books and the other two are in the mail..........sigh......life is good.

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Forgive Me Father, For I Have Shopped

It's been a long week and it wasn't the wisest move on my part to go online for some retail therapy. I had been doing so well with the whole not spending thing. I'm saving for a house, which we WILL eventually decide to pull the trigger on (but our cold feet is yet another entry).



So it was with very little else to do at 3 a.m. the other morning that The Man and I were huddled up around my laptop "working" on the house. See, he has made several contributions lately: new truck parts, a new 80 gallon air compressor (did you know that those things are SOOOOO handy. I totally use it to clean my household fans, dust my fake plants and dry my car mats after a wash) and more than enough tools to open our own mechanic shop. But I love him and it's part of the package.



It doesn't hurt that he also has a line item in our budget for my Barnes & Nobles habit.



So we were toying with the idea of adding a few wanted pieces to the house when I hit upon the perfect sideboard/console table. It blends well with my livingroom, it has doors on the bottom to hide the junk that usually sits under my coffee table AND it's from IKEA. Hello bargain. So it took some twisting but he did go pick it up for me Friday and then put it together, right before he went to the doctor's. Cause I'm a slave driver like that.



We have started on the den too, it's pretty well situated as it's where we watch tv and hang out. But we've been meaning to add an art/craft area for the kids. So we got a big ole table and some stools. Now I need totes or bins for organizing their stuff. But we're getting there. Oh and the air hockey table addition doesn't count, cause it was given to us.



But the addition that makes my heart sing? Well you see, I have this thing about rugs. I have a beautiful area rug that I got a super deal on (cause have you noticed how expensive rugs are?) and it's lasted years, seriously. It started out in the dining room of one house, then moved to the livingroom of another, then it was in the office/dinette area of another, then finally here, it's in the large hardwood foyer. But I wanted a rug for my kitchen, I hate hardwood in the kitchen, it's a pain in my butt. Oh and I don't do small rugs, we're talking 5x8 or bigger, it's all about atmosphere and a rug can add so much to a room.



Well I found this beauty and The Man said yes and now I'm pacing back and forth in front of my door waiting on a delivery that will probably take two or more weeks to get here.



Internet shopping isn't so good for the whole instant gratification thing huh?

Now it's different from my usual taste, but I just love the whole bubble look. Plus the colors work great for my kitchen. I'm addicted, now I'm eye-balling a rug for my landing on the stairs.....hmmm

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Countdown Begins...

The countdown to the 4th of July has begun. I love the 4th! It's not just that I get a paid day off work, although that helps! It's not just because of the idea of freedom for our country! No, it's mainly because I love food.

There are so many ways to cook All-American food that I lose count. But my favorite is the hot dog. I don't want to know what's in it....I just love it.

I'm not a hot dog snob. I don't care if it's beef, chicken or turkey. I don't care if it's Chicago style (yeah baby!), Chilli-ed up, or even plain.

However, the 4th is the time of year to publically declare my love for the SAUCE DOG.

A small diner in my hometown served SAUCE DOGs when I was growing up.

The secret to the bbq-ey tasting sauce was so heavily guarded that the owner supposedly made it at home, brought it in and when that batch was gone, that was it people. I ate there often, smacking my way through sauce dogs left and right. Never thinking that there could be a world without sauce dogs. Until I left home. I even told The Man about them and on the first "Family Visit" trip back home, he got to taste the bliss that was a sauce dog. And didn't even question why I ordered six to go and then put them in my purse.

But after that fateful visit, the diner closed and withit, the recipe for SAUCE DOGs....closed with it. Sniff, sniff, the though makes me tear up still today.

Now, does the memory of the sauce dog taste better than the actual sauce itself? Has the sauce dog become the "one that got away"?

Stay tuned, I think I've found a recipe people and I'm gonna try it out....on the 4th....With my new hotdog grillers*....

*You know I would never buy anything so tasteless, so I'm gonna have my friend purchase them for me. The look upon The Man's face will be compensation enough....

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Come To Momma....

Meet the love of my life....okay one of them.

The Man has a horrible time with candles, perfumes and the such. Walking through Macy's perfume section is like making him walk butt-naked through hell, he's miserable. Soooo being a lover of anything that smells purty and looks purty, I said "I do" when I found these candles.


(Whisper) You can't let this get out.... Circle E Candles....

They are made in Texas, go figure, everything from Texas rocks! These bad boys are the Elvis of all candles. They last forever...case in point. I bought my fav...Bird of Paradise when we moved here in January. I got the 40 oz candle, it still has 1/8 left in the jar and people, I burn candles like I used to burn cigarettes, everyday!

I'm not much of a brand person but I encourage you to try one of these babies. You'll thank me. And Circle E if you're reading this....I deserve a discount!

So since The Man (see below post) agreed to purchasing somemore, I thought I'd get some samples of scents I haven't tried before....I usually get the same old same old. Very girlie....


So I'm trying:

Honeysuckle-bedrooms

Creme Brulee-kitchen

Musadine-livingroom

Tropical Rain-I'll think of somewhere

Leather-laundry room



Mind you I didn't get greedy (yeah yeah I did) but I just have to share!

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Around about way

There are several ways to do things...this is my favorite:

Me: Honey, I'm out of candles, the good ones....from Texas. Can I get some more?

The Man: Uh-huh

Me: Is that a yes?

The Man: Uh-huh

Me: Are you sure?

The Man: Yes


Several hours later, The Man comes to me and goes, you did it again didn't you? You got me to approve to shopping while I was asleep didn't you?

Who me?

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The Golden Ticket

We are blessed. Once again, we spent an evening in pure panic over the contract that has yet to arrive from The Man's new job. We should know better at this point. A friendly phone call came through, Mr. Fed Ex Man is delievering the "Golden Ticket" today. It's highly convenient since I have today off (and tomorrow, I had to burn some leave before I officially leave my job on the 29th). So instead of using my new gift card (thanks fellow employees, for the luncheon and the VISA card) I will be cleaning my house awaiting the precious sound of the doorbell. Yes! We are blessed.

Then I will wade out into traffic bound for the mall. I have to get a cold weather jacket. Said VISA will come in handy. However, having never been to this new state before, I have no idea what to get. Mr. Weatherman said it was in the 30's in our new hometown today. Oh and it'll drop to the single digits tonight, with freaking snow. I'm a notoriously cold person, I live along a coast with balmy tropical breezes and I'll be the one in a sweater. It's obviously going to be a problem keeping myself warm in new place. So, do I get a parka? Do I get fake fur lined, is that warmer? Do I get it a little big size wise so I have room for my three sweatsuits under it? I'm not sure how you go about shopping for a big arse coat!

Although I did find the boots I want.......I love shoes. These are featured in a serious sale. Do they look too warm? Can you get shoes that are too warm? I didn't think so. These babies are mine. 19.99 is a great deal. Said VISA and I are on a mission now, as soon as the "Golden Ticket" arrives.

Update: Well The Man hated the boots I wanted. Not insulated, blah blah blah, not appropriate for the weather, blah blah blah.... I'm pretty sure more was said, but before I know it he is on his outdoor man website and I'm the new owner of a tough, kick arse looking pair of winter boots. Are these bad boys tough looking or what? So with my new jacket, I'm gonna be a tough looking chick. Well, not too sure how I feel about that. I'm imagining myself HOT and instead I'm looking TOUGH. Surely there isn't anything bad about that, but I'm almost 30! I want to be HOT. I'm gonna have to paint my nails delicate pink for the entire winter!

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