My morning drive

This was my morning drive today.  Can we say yuck?  And "People turn on your headlights."

Also, since I will not have computer access....

I wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas!!!!

Check out CheapToday.com for deals at your favorite stores

If you want to know what your deals your favorite store has, check out CheapToday.com.  You can find a lot of stores there including JC Penney and Barnes and Noble, two of my favorite stores.  It also has Kohl's, Target, Walmart and Toys R Us. 

Some of the deals they have listed, Season One of Grey's Anatomy at Walmart for $15.00.  Wow!  Also at Walmart, Buy Two Wii Games for $30.00.  Or All cookbooks at Barnes and Noble are BOGO, (Buy one get one half off).  Wow again!

For more info, go check out CheapToday.com. 

We Have a Winner!!!

Scottsgal is the winner of the Carmex Lip Tints!!!  Yeah.  I have pm'ed you for your address. 

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme

TodaysMama and GameStop are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What is your holiday wish for your family? I wish for us to be able to have an enjoyable holiday even without the gifts (since as of this moment, I have no money to buy ANY gifts.)

2. What is your Christmas morning / Hanukkah Nightly tradition? Our Christmas morning tradition is to open our stockings and spend a while going through each item, then we have coffee/juice, open Santa’s presents and then wait for grandma to come over to open the rest.

3. If you could ask Santa for one, completely decadent wish for yourself, what would it be? Seriously, I think I would wish for a haircut.  Or a new pair of glasses.

4. How do you make the holidays special without spending any money? I knit items using yarn from my stash that I have gotten as gifts to make something handmade.    

5. What games did you play with your family growing up? Trivial Pursuit, Cribbage and Rummy.  My daughter and I still play those games.  

6. What holiday tradition have you carried on from your own childhood?  Stockings for everyone.  Hanging ceramic bells (that have the 12 days of Christmas on them).  My grant-aunt made them for all of us and I love to hang them every year.

7. Where would you go for a Christmas/Hanukkah-away-from-home trip? No where.  I like to be home for Christmas.  

8. Check out GameStop and tell us, what are the three top items on your GameStop Wish List this year? An Xbox 360, Black Ops, and Hasbro Family Game Night.  

The trials of being a single mom (a review and a giveaway too)

Last night, while sitting on the couch relaxing and watching a Hallmark Christmas movie, Princess Ivi sent me a text message (so as not to alert her boyfriend).  This covert text message stated “the toilet is clogged”.  Seriously?  Apparently, I am the only one who knows how to use that strange tool that resides beside the toilet called the Plunger.  Anyway, all is well again in the plumbing department after a lecture on not using the toilet if there is paper in it.  Meaning, start with an empty bowl.  Right?  

Apparently, I am also the only one who knows how to empty the litter box.  Which I distinctly remember using as a reason I did not want a cat.  When Princess Ivi came home with our kitten, I heard “Please can we keep her?  I promise to empty the litter box.”  Hmm? 

Enough with the complaining already....Have you all seen that the holiday shows are back on Hallmark and ABC Family?  I love that.  There is always something good to watch when all my regular shows are reruns.  Although, the cheese factor can be pretty high on Hallmark, they are still good pick-me up movies.   

Now for the good stuff...a review and a giveaway.  As a member of Carmex's Blog Squad, I recently received two (2) Carmex Moisture Plus Sheer Pink and Sheer Peach Tint Lip Balms to review.  The comments are my own opinions. 

 

Product Packaging: The product packaging is okay.  I do wish there was a little less paper though and these could be sold as individually wrapped tubes but I do recognize the need to alert buyers to the Carmex brand as well as providing all the written stuff on the back of the package.

Tint Color: At first, I only used the peach but then when I got this package, Princess Ivi took the peach and I took the pink.  I love both colors.  They are very natural looking and I think they both look good with my fair coloring.  

Length of Wear: Both last for a good amount of time.  I do think the peach lasted a little longer than the pink but that may have been for other reasons (drinking more, etc.)

Product Effectiveness: I think that this product is very effective.  It moisturized my lips which is important, and provided color which I love.  I am a fan of lip glosses but many do not moisturize.  However, this product did which is a plus in my book.  

I do want to mention taste here.  Many of us who use tinted lip balms or lip glosses often complain about taste and/or scent of a product.  The Carmex Moisture Plus Sheer Pink and Sheer Peach Tint Lip Balms smell good (like Carmex) and the taste is acceptable (not medicine tasting).  

Suggestions for future product extensions: I think I would like to see a Sheer Red for more of a dressy feel.  However, it would need to be a neutral red for all skin tones.  I would also like to see a Sheer Berry.  

Giveaway: Carmex has provided me with a set of Carmex Moisture Plus Sheer Pink and Sheer Peach Tint Lip Balms for you.  

To Enter: Leave a comment no later than noon EST on  December 8, 2010 answering the following question:

What is your favorite lip product?     

Also, be sure to follow me through Google Friend Connect or subscribe to my feed, if you do not already.

Good luck!

Illegals by Darrell Ankarlo

Before I give my review of this book, I want to make it clear that I normally do not read books like this but I wanted to see what this author’s thoughts were on this subject.  This is not a book I would recommend to anyone.  It is clear that the author believes in Armageddon but in his version, the United States is “overrun” by Mexican illegal immigrants who want to “take back“ the country.  The author often says he is not a racist.  However, given his condescending statements, it is not believable.  The author frequently makes it clear that he feels all Mexicans are just waiting for the opportunity to illegally sneak into the United States.  This clearly shows his racism.  The book is peppered with emotional scenes from both side of the “border”.  However, most scenes lack a true emotional connection and instead feel hollow, like the author is only trying to make you think he cares.  For instance, when the author describes the abject poverty that a family lives with, you cannot feel any true sympathy from the author.  The author also oversimplifies the immigration problem throughout the book.  He would like the reader to believe that the immigration problem is the cause of all of the United State’s problems.  I agree that the immigration issue is a problem but I do not believe the immigration issue is the cause of all of the country’s problems.  For instance, does the United State’s failure to control the Mexican border really have an impact on say, teenage pregnancies?  Or the collapsing economy?  Or the war in Afghanistan?  No.  I am sure immigration has an effect on this issues, but it is not the cause of these issues and it is naïve for the author to imply that if the United States controlled its southern border better, none of these problems would exist.  In short, I would not recommend this book to my friends who tend to think like I do on the subject.  But of course, if you want a differing opinion, feel free to take a look at it.    

To comply with regulations by the Federal Trade Commission, please note that the publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy through Booksneeze.

Excited!!!

I am super excited.  I received my Naturally Savvy sample to try and review.  I can’t wait to use all my products. 

I also received more Carmex goodies.  This time it is the Moisture Plus tints.  And this one has another giveaway!  Woo hoo! 

I will post my review of the lip tints and open the giveaway on Monday, November 22, 2010 so be sure to check it out.

Thanksgiving Menu

I finally decided on our Thanksgiving menu.  I am making:

Classic Fresh Sage Stuffing
Turkey With Pan Gravy
Classic Whipped Potato Casserole (tweaked to remove the nutmeg and almonds)
Green Bean & Shallot Saute
Some kind of carrot dish for Princess Ivi

I am very excited to have Thanksgiving at my house this year.  I don't think I have ever done Thanksgiving.  I have done Christmas but not Thanksgiving.

I am working on a checklist and timeline so I am super organized. 

We Have a Winner!!!

Okay folks, we have a winner for the Carmex Lotion Giveaway and the winner is....

Mommy Minded

Congratulations Megan!  I have sent an email to you for your mailing address.


Upcoming giveaway, Carmex Tinted Lip Moisturizer!!!  Look for sign ups next week. 


(Random List Picker used to choose winner.)

Adding to My Wishlist

I have added these adorable bookends to my wishlist.  They are so cute and so me.   Check them out at Knitcellaneous. 

Need to Winterize, New Favorite Show, My Teenage Obsession with Donnie Wahlberg, Cheesecake Factory Review, and Harry Potter Excitement.

Weekend update:

Friday I went to Beall’s Outlet to find something for my niece’s birthday.  I was unsuccessful.  She is 16 and very hard to shop for.  Instead of getting her something that I didn’t think she would like, I am going to get her something when she comes to my house for Thanksgiving weekend.  

After our unsuccessful shopping trip, we went home and watched Blue Bloods.  This is my new favorite show.  

I love Donnie Wahlberg.  (I mean big pink puffy hearts kind of love.)  I have since his New Kids on the Block days.  I used to know everything about his life because I had all of those biography books that listed all the info about the group like birthdays, favorite food and color, astrological sign, etc.  I was an expert when it came to Donnie Wahlberg.  I used to fantasize that he would come to my neck of the woods from Boston (which was about 65 miles east of Boston) and rescue me from my dismal junior high life.  It never happened though. 

Anyway, I really like him in Blue Bloods.  He plays a smart-ass cop which I like but you get to see his tender side when it comes to his wife, kids and family.  

I do worry that this show will be like so many other new shows I get interested in (like Invasion) and they will cancel it after the first season.  

Well, while we were watching TV, it kept getting colder and colder in our house.  This was expected because we have no heat.  I was able to tell that every window we have has drafts too.  I made a pretty extensive list of ideas on how to make it a little better.  I am going to buy the plastic for the windows that essentially shrink wrap the windows.  Then I will fill any drafts around the window frames by caulking them.  I am also going to plastic the back door.  I figure that if we have an emergency and need to get out, we can break through the plastic easily.  I am also going to get two of those tall heaters because they tend to have a more powerful fan and they can be left on longer because the change of fire is decreased.    

Needless to say though, until we get it winterized better, it will be chilly.   

On Saturday, it was so cold when we woke up (it dropped to the thirties), I made cinnamon rolls to warm up the kitchen.  Then I did the dishes while Princess Ivi hung up my clothes.  We had made a deal that she would do the dishes if I bought her a shirt but we renegotiated when she said she would clean my room.  She also picked out what I was going to wear to my niece’s party.  The way she did it was funny too.  She set out eight different outfits, including shoes, and made me try them all on.  

After our chores, we showered, did our hair and makeup and put on our dressy clothes.  We headed to my mom’s house, helped her pick out an outfit and then went to Jacksonville to meet everyone at The Cheesecake Factory for my niece’s 16th birthday party.  It was great to see her all dressed up.  However, I thought the food was really overrated and not as good as I expected it to be.  The vanilla bean cheesecake that I got was alright but I won’t be taking any special trips to go back there.  Another thing that put us off too was the fact that there was a hair in Princess Ivi’s cheesecake.  Yuk!!!

It was after 10:30 p.m. before we left the party and after midnight before we got to my mom’s house.  By the time we got home, it was about 1.  We headed straight inside, let the dog out quickly, put our extra warm pj’s on and went straight to bed.  

Sunday was interesting.  I woke up and when I looked at my clock, I almost had a heart attack because it said it was 2:30 p.m.  What?  Apparently, I “sprung the clock ahead” instead of “falling back”.  Once we got up and had breakfast, we separated clothes and then headed to mom’s to do laundry.  It took us all afternoon to finish our laundry.  It was okay though because we worked on this craft project that I have wanted to make for a while.  Once I have enough of them made, Princess Ivi and mom are going to go to the Farmers Market on Fridays and I will go on Saturdays to sell them.  I may even open an Etsy shop.  I can’t tell you what “them” are yet but I will once they can be revealed to the public.  

Now, I am at work thinking about my yard sale this weekend.  I can’t wait to get rid of the huge pile of stuff in my house.  It will open things up so much when it is gone.  I will also be able to move the dog’s crate further down the hallway which will be further away from the drafty back door.  I am also thinking I will be able to put one of those tall heater things in the hallway which will warm up that end of the house where the bathroom and bedrooms are.  

On a totally separate subject, I am ridiculously excited about the new Harry Potter movie.  I can’t wait.  Of course, I am not crazy enough to go on opening night but I will see it on that weekend.  I am curious to see where they leave off on part one.

Well, have a happy Monday everyone!!! 

The Best Pick-up Line Ever

I didn't get a chance to blog yesterday so I missed 10 on Tuesday's 10 Ways to Simplify Your Life.  We were being monitored by the organization that we get our funding from.  I didn't think it would be a good idea to blog because, knowing my luck, he would have walked up behind me. 

A funny thing happened to me when I checked my email yesterday.  A few months ago, on some strange whim, I set up a profile on OK Cupid for a couple of reasons.  (1. It is free and 2. I was apparently feeling rather lonely.)  Needless to say, I have not yet met the man of my dreams on this site.  I have had several messages though.  I have the one guy who repeatedly contacts me with messages referring to the size of my breasts.  he also visits my profile several times a week.  Yesterday though, I received the best message.  (This is a sarcastic comment which is hard to portray in a blog posting).  

Anyway, the line was "if you can have more kids, you are perfect.  Would love to talk."  

Seriously?  I did visit this gentleman's profile to learn that he is "going through some serious changes in his life".  I also learned that he is 6'5" and just finished CNA school and is hoping to go to RN school soon.  So this man thought that using the pick up line about having more kids with a man who has a crappy paying job (if he is even working as a CNA), who admits to throwing his PlayStation across the room, would make me jump at the opportunity to be with me.  

My response - Tempting, but....no.

My new job is going well, I think.  I work with some really great people.  So far, I don't have any complaints.  Except to say that working for legal aid, working with the most needy of our society, can really put your life in perspective but that is not a complaint just an observation.

As for knitting, I haven't been doing much this week.  Princess Ivi and I had a bit of a blow up on Saturday and since then, haven't really felt like knitting.

I am thinking about my niece's 16th birthday party which is Saturday at the Cheesecake Factory.  I have no idea what I am going to get her though.  I guess I should probably decide soon though.   

One More Day Closer to Friday

Princess Ivi is a great kid.  I have her picture posted on my wall at my new job.  It is attached to a slip of paper that says the following:

Promise Me You'll Always Remember:
You are Braver Than You Believe,
And Stronger Than You Seem,
And Smarter Than You Think.

This little note is a perfect example of how she can always say the best things to people and they get cheered up, motivated, etc.  Of course, the first time she gave me this note it said "Stranger Than You Seem."  She changed it because it is displayed at work but hey, stranger fits me too.  

Before lunch, I read an article from the National Psoriasis Foundation that said that women with psoriasis have a 62% chance of being diagnosed with diabetes.  Yikes.  Since I have had psoriasis since I was 13 and there is diabetes in my family history, it kind of makes me nervous.  I am so bad about taking care of myself.  Yesterday, for example, I did not drink anything except coffee until 7:30 p.m.  Umm,  that is not good.  I went to Big Lots for lunch and I bought the best Rubbermaid water bottle that I can keep at my desk so I can drink more water.  It is a 20 ounce bottle and it doesn't taste like plastic.  I also want to really get my act together and start moving a little bit more.  Although, I have to do a lot of walking at work, I know it is not enough.  

I just visited the Operation Christmas Child website and got the drop-off dates and the location.  We will definitely be putting some of these together this year and you should consider it too.  Princess Ivi and I don't have much but we know that we do have more than others so we try to do what we can.  The shoeboxes are a good idea because they don't cost much to fill and since we usually donate to the age group that Princess Ivi is, she gets to choose what she wants to go in the boxes based on what she likes.

I actually saw a sign for Christmas Trees on the way to work this morning.  It is hard to think about Christmas when it is 90 degrees today.  But it supposed to be 75 tomorrow which will be nice.  Princess Ivi has no school so she is going to hang at home until late in the afternoon and then my mom is going to take her to the main library which is huge and has a great selection of books.  Then I will pick her up when I get off work and we are going to the mall.  The mall is torture for me.  But we are running over there to get a new costume for Princess Ivi.  She is going to be Alice from Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.  She will look adorable.  

I have been knitting away on Princess Ivi's Clasica Coat.  I am slogging away on the back.  I have no idea if it is correct because I can't see the pattern in the magazine (one of the drawbacks of having such bad vision) but we think it still looks nice.   

Clasica Coat

Marquise Guantlets

I also started on the Marquise Gauntlets.  The are coming along nicely.   Of course, I should be knitting every spare second so I am ready for Christmas but it seems to not be happening.

My mind has been pretty stuck on Thanksgiving for a while.  I am doing Thanksgiving for the first time ever at my house.  Right now it looks like it will just be Princess Ivi and my mom and me but my brother and his kids might come down.  We'll see.  Anyway, I am brainstorming about what I want to cook for Thanksgiving so I can get nice and organized.  I will keep you posted. 

Have a happy Thursday!!!

10 Ways to Celebrate Halloween

1. Trick-or-treating, of course.
2. Haunted Houses
3. Jack O'lantern carving contest
4. Costume Halloween party. 
5. Halloween dance
6. Events at church (great for those who don't celebrate Halloween) -especially good if the church has a good youth group for teens
7. Pass out candy.  Especially fun to dress in costume while doing this so you can optimize the embarrassing effect on your children.
8. Hide in your house with your lights off because you didn't buy candy/forgot to buy candy. 
9. Go to your mom's house which is in the middle of the woods to avoid passing out candy. 
10. Make your fave snacky food and watch movies. 

Carmex® Healing Lotion and Carmex® Healing Cream- Review and Giveaway

I recently became a member of the Carmex® Blog Squad.  I was really excited by this opportunity because I love Carmex®.  I love the smell and the way it makes my lips feel.  But I learned something new.  Carmex® is now making lotion.  I was recently asked to review two products, the Carmex® Healing Lotion and Carmex® Cream. 

Carmex® Healing Lotion 

Carmex® Healing Lotion is made using a patent pending process that delivers healing and moisturizing without a greasy feel.  Use anywhere skin feels dry.  Daily use will help protect skin and keep dryness away.  Rich healing ingredients, including Aloe and Vitamin E, nourish and moisturize.  Absorbs fast for a non-greasy feel; has a light, pleasant scent. 

I was asked to address the following questions which I have done below. 

• Does it work?    Absolutely.  I have seriously dry skin on my hands due to yarn, washing dishes, and psoriasis, among other things.  This lotion worked so well to keep my hands soft.  I could feel it throughout the day without having to reapply it hundreds of times.  The little spot of psoriasis that I have on my knuckle which was normally bright red looks like normal skin now. 
• Scent of Product I love the scent.  I am sure some of you are now scared that the lotion smells like their lip products but it doesn't.  I think the scent is subtle and clean smelling.  Not medicine-y and definitely not too overpowering. 
• The quality & feel of the product  This is very high quality lotion in my opinion.  It is not too thin.  It may be a bit "slippery" feeling but I think it has to do with the way it works for your dry skin.  To me, I don't feels "greasy" but I can definitely tell that I have lotion on. 
• Thoughts on packaging  I think the packaging is nice.  It is very easy to tell from looking at it that it is a Carmex product and for those of us who love Carmex, it is great.  But it is also great for those people who may not "love" Carmex but are familiar with the brand.
• The cost  I was not asked to specifically address this point but I wanted to add it in here. As I have previously mentioned, I am a frugal shopper.  I tend to use coupons, shop sales and try to get the best deal.  The cost of the lotion is $5.99 for a 5.5 ounce tube.  Now that may seem high to some but the thing to keep in mind is that a little of this lotion goes a long way.  Both my daughter and I have been using the lotion and it hasn't even made a significant difference to how much is in the bottle.  So because this is a great lotion and it goes so far, I think it is a great bargain. 

The verdict:  I love this lotion.  I have already mentioned to a lot of people in passing that I have been using it and what a difference it makes.  I would definitely continue using it and recommend it to people. 

Carmex®  Healing Cream

Carmex® Healing Cream is made using a patent pending process that delivers concentrated healing and moisturization of your driest, roughest skin.  Use on your driest skin - especially hands, feet, elbows and knees.  9 healing ingredient penetrate and help repair your very dry, rough or cracked skin.  Concentrated - use a small amount.  Absorbs fast for a non-greasy feel; has a light, pleasant scent.

• Does it work?    Absolutely.  I have been using Carmex® Healing Cream on my hands and feet before bed and I can feel a huge difference.  I have also been making it a point of putting it on my elbows and knees which have large patches of psoriasis on them as well as a palm size patch which is on my forearm.  These patches of psoriasis were very dry, scaly, painful and itchy before I started putting Carmex® Healing Cream on them and now they are much softer, don't itch so bad and are not painful at all.  The redness has also decreased.  I know that Carmex® Healing Cream is not going to "heal" my psoriasis but it is nice to have found something strong enough to soften the scales from my psoriasis and something that makes my day more comfortable. 
• Scent of Product Carmex® Healing Cream smells just like the Healing Lotion.
• The quality & feel of the product  This is a very high quality product.  It works so well to help with severely dry skin.  It is the right consistency, not greasy feeling, and again, it is concentrated so a little of this goes a long way.
• Thoughts on packaging  Again, the package is very distinctive to the Carmex® brand which is great.
• The cost  The Healing Cream also costs $5.99 but for a 4 ounce tube this time.  However, since this product is concentrated and you only use it on your "driest" skin, I think it is a great bargain because one tube will likely last for a good amount of time.  

The verdict:  This is great stuff!!

As part of Carmex® Blog Squad, I received a wonderful kit filled with all of Carmex's line of product.  The total value of the kit is $52.32 and it contains:

    * Traveling case with two clear pouches.
    * Three lip balms in original, cherry and strawberry.
    * Three lip in original, cherry and strawberry.
    * Two pots of lip     in original and cherry.
    * Three tinted moisturizers in clear, peach and pink.
    * Two lotions, one full size and one travel size.
    * One healing cream.

The most amazing thing is that Carmex® also sent me an extra kit t give away!!!!  Woo-hoo!!

To enter the giveaway, you MUST  follow me through Google Friend Connect and leave a comment telling me you have done so no later than 12:00 p.m. (noon) EST on November 16, 2010.  If you already follow me, you are automatically entered.    

If you are not familiar with Google Friend Connect, to follow me, just click on the "Join this Site" button on the right sidebar.  

10 Things In Your Freezer Right Now

1. Frozen bananas.  I always freeze my bananas once they start turning brown so then I have them for banana bread or muffins.
2. Ice cream.  A staple in my house.  I think the flavors we have this time are vanilla and coffee.
3. Potato soup.  Homemade and really yummy.  These will be used for lunches or quick dinners.
4. Shrimp.  A necessity in my house for Princess Ivi.  I can buy these buy one, get one free for $8.99.
5. Blue Bunny Peanut Butter Ice Cream Bars.  These were disappointing but I can't bring myself to throw them away. 
6. Chicken soup. Homemade.  Tasty.
7. Homemade chicken stock
8. One frozen pizza, 5 months old.  Given how old this is, I probably shouldn't eat this. 
9. Waffles, chocolate chip and cinnamon sugar.  Great since we don't have a waffle iron. 
10. Broccoli.  Green giant with cheese sauce.  Yummy. 

Been Busy

I haven't posted lately because I have been busy because I started my new job!! 

I still work in the legal field but instead of working for a personal injury defense firm, I now work for legal aid.  I started on the 13th so I am still learning what I am supposed to be doing and stuff but I think it will be a very rewarding position. 

Non, je ne regrette rien or No, I regret nothing

We watched La Vie en Rose last night.  For those of you not familiar, it is a move based on the life of French singer, Edith Piaf. 

It was a good movie but it left out a lot of her life like when she was singing for the Germans in occupied France when she was allegedly working for The Resistance.  (I say allegedly because there is no proof as of yet.)  The line above is the title of a song which she sang. 

Edith Piaf was an avid knitter until she was physically incapable of doing so.  When asked what she did when not singing, she responded “I knit.”  Sounds like my kind of girl. 

I became interested in Edith Piaf when watching Saving Private Ryan when Upham is translating the words of Tu Es Partout while waiting for the Germans to come to the Bridge and fall into their trap.

I enjoyed watching La Vie en Rose except for the fact that due to having to read the subtitles, I was not able to knit. 

Our Netflix activity is starting to get pretty busy since our cable is disconnected.  Up next, December Boys with Daniel Radcliffe, followed by Downfall.  I like foreign films, obviously, and I like movies about World War II.

Are you geeking?

Just stumbled upon GeekMom.  Where they define geek as “a person so immersed in an interest that he or she is out of the mainstream.”  I like it. 

Movies and Weirdness

We watched Remember Me last night.  It was sad.  Both Princess Ivi and I wound up in tears at the end.  But it does make me wonder…what will I be remember for?

On a less serious note, Robert Pattinson is a weird actor in this movie (or maybe in all movies?).  In Remember Me, there was one scene where he looked like Cedric Diggory just walked into the room and then there is another scene where he is all serious and intense and he looks like Edward Cullen (Princess Ivi and I actually thought that he looked like he wanted to take a bite of the girl’s neck).  I wonder if he will ever be able to escape those two roles. 

10 Things To Love About Fall

• Oranges, browns and other fall colors.
• Being able to wear “real” shoes with dress socks.
• Turning off the a/c and opening windows.
• Cooler weather for after-work walks.
• Halloween
• Being able to wear long-sleeve shirts and sometimes, even a sweater.
• High school football games without heat and bugs.
• Homecoming.
• Leaves changing color.
• Pumpkins (although not to eat..blah)

New Job!!

I have a new job.  I am so excited.  I start on October 13 which is a Wednesday which seems like a strange day to start a new job but I digress.  I will still be working in the legal field but no longer in personal injury.  I think this will be good for me because I will be making a difference working for a non-profit agency.  I also think it will be good for me and Princess Ivi because I won’t be such a grump all the time.

I’m so excited and I just can’t fight it….Alright, I’ll get back to work now.   

You Were Made to Make A Difference by Max Lucado and Jenna Lucado Bishop

This is an excellent book for teens. This book is full of examples, inspirational stories, biblical examples and the best part is that it is all in modern language for teens.  Not only does it effectively illustrate the problems in the world (poverty, AIDS/HIV, orphans, lack of health drinking water, etc.) but it gives ideas on how teens can help with these problems to make a difference both globally and locally.  It also frankly discusses the benefits teens receive when they open their life up to God.  This book also provides biblical reasons to help others but, more than that, it shows teens how sharing love with the “unloved” can really make a difference to everyone, including the teen.  This book has great, inspiring stories from teens who have made a difference on large and small scales. Throughout the book there are exercises that teens can do to help them make a difference and brainstorm problems in the world and solutions.  There are also interesting little trivia tidbits throughout the book, as well as quotes, and other language to really inspire teens.  I would definitely recommend this book for my teenage daughter as well as any teenager looking for a deeper relationship with God through public service. 

*To comply with FCC regulations, please note: Booksneeze has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy.

Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado

This is an excellent book if you are searching for justification for doing good deeds.  The first few chapters are wonderful.  They talk about the huge problems in the world (poverty, illness, etc.)  Those first few chapters, psych you up to start thinking of helping in those areas.  But then the rest of the book is all the biblical reasons why you need to help other people.  “Jesus said this” or “Jesus did this” or “the Bible says this”.  There is no discussion about ways to help other people or ways to “outlive your life”.  The main content of the book are the reasons why you need to help.  I didn’t feel that this book was very helpful because many of us know why we need to do things to help others, otherwise, why would be reading a book like this?  Most of us, I feel, are looking for inspiration on how an ordinary person can make a difference in the world.  I had hoped this book would answer that question for me.  Sadly, it did not.  However, it was very well written (as most of the author’s books are) it just didn’t address what I had thought it would. 

To comply with FCC regulations, please note: Booksneeze has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy.

10 Things to Do Before the End of Summer

1. Go to the beach.
2. Get your feet wet.
3. Go to a yard sale or the flea market. 
4. Have a yard sale.
5. Have a cookout.
6. Eat a watermelon.
7. Drive with your windows down and the music playing.
8. Sleep outside.
9. Watch the stars.
10. Take a roadtrip.

Spread the Word to End the Word

ShopAtHome.com

As you can see, yesterday was my blogiversary and I forgot.  Oops.  If it wasn't for the fact that I could type the post early and set it to post yesterday, I would have not done anything.  Guess that is a sign of how busy my life is.

Things would probably be easier to remember if I could get online at home but no such luck.  I owe the phone/internet company money and they have turned off the internet for now.  I am still surprised they have not turned off the phone but it is only a matter of time now.   

Let's recap quickly...I love ShopAtHome.com.  I recently purchased some Proactive for Princess Ivi and paid $26 but I got $21 back from ShopAtHome.com.  Works for me.  If you are interested, you can follow the link and when you make a qualifying purchase withing 60 days, we will both get $5.  How cool is that? 

9th grade is going okay for Princess Ivi.  She is in English Honors and Algebra 2 Honors.  Such a smartie.  She is also taking ROTC which she really loves.

Blogiversary

Wow! Today is my 3 year blogiversary. I will have to think of something special to do.

Shopping, griping and saving

“The odds of going to the store for a loaf of bread and coming out with only a loaf of bread are three billion to one.” - Erma Bombeck

This quote sounds like me last night.  We went to the store for mozzarella cheese and came out with cheese, ice cream, kool-aid and sugar. 

We watched The Last Song last night.  I was disappointed because they left out some really important parts of the book that really showed why Ronnie was such a witch to her dad in the beginning.  I think those things were important because it evidences the whole forgiveness thing better.  I also had a hard time watching it because Myley Cyrus is such a horrible actress that she ruined the entire movie. (Especially when she opened her mouth-either singing or speaking.)  Actually, other than Kate Vernon who played Will’s mom (which made me think of Battlestar Galactica) and Greg Kinnear (who played Ronnie’s dad), the cast was filled with bad to mediocre actors.  Although, Bobby Coleman (who played Ronnie’s brother and also starred in Martian Child) did a good job. 

I hate it when they wreck a good book by making it into a movie.  Take Half Blood Prince.  They burnt down the burrow.  How can the final wedding take place at the burrow if they just burnt it down? 

Sorry this is obviously a pet peeve of mine.

Princess Ivi decided to try Proactiv.  We ordered it last night from ShopatHome (with 80% back and a $5 new account).  She is going to follow all the instructions and test it for a month and see how it does.  If it works, it will be great.

We also ordered a KleanKanteen for her lunch box.  I hope it comes soon but I doubt it will be here by Tuesday which is the first day of school.  I ordered the Kanteen itself from REI through ebates (with 3% back) but I ordered the loop caps from Klean Kanteen since the ones at REI only come with a sport cap which is not designed to prevent leaks.  I figure that would not be good for a lunch bag.  I ordered her bottle in Prevention Purple.  I also went ahead and ordered one for me (Active Pink) and am hopeful that will help me drink more water during the day. 

Tonight’s agenda consists of:

• Mowing the front lawn (the side of the fence near the mailbox) since both neighbors mowed their lawns and now mine looks silly. 
• Finish making my lists and organizing my coupons for specific stores for Saturday’s shopping.  (I am going to really track our spending and saving with my new coupon plan to see how we do.) 
• Hunt through the house to find an overdue library book since the library won’t let me pick up the book they are holding for me until I bring this one back.  I have no idea where it is so this could take a while.  I will succeed though because I want this new book (Turning Oppression into Opportunity). 

Oh, and did I mention that I am putting my yard sale off for two weeks?

Finding freebies

There are a ton of freebie sites out there. Too many to name. I would be so afraid to miss a good one. But if you are interested, one way to find them is to subscribe to the coupon blogs and keep an eye out for when they thank the contributors then go check out their site.

The one thing I want to see on freebie sites though...yarn. I guess that would be asking for too much for there to be free yarn but hey, a girl can dream. If anyone sees any, let me know. Okay?

I have a friend

I just logged on and realized I have a friend in my Google Friend Connect box. Wow!!!

Making money

I made some extra money this week. I sold Princess Ivi's Gameboy Advance, games, and paraphanalia and made $17.62. I sold it to SellVideoGames.com .

I also sold a box of old DVDs which she has outgrown to SecondSpin.com and made $21.87.

And I received $15 for my one day of jury duty. It is not much but every bit helps.

More Savings and Even Some Knitting

Princess Ivi and I did some more school shopping since it was Tax Free Weekend here in Florida. Here is our savings to add to our recent CVS trip:

JC Penney:

• Total saved after $10 off coupon = $70.03
• Total spent = $51.97

Winn Dixie:

• Total saved after coupons = $17.80
• Total spent = $31.77

Total saved (including CVS) was $96.83; Total spent was $107.47. So I saved 90%. (If I did the math right.) I think that is pretty good.

Freebies:

I got some free goodies in the mail today. I was sent Pilot’s new Frixion erasable pens (one pink, one purple and one black) and a package of three Frixion erasable highlighters (one each orange, pink and yellow) to test out. So far, I am really pleased with them. Princess Ivi took the highlighters for school and she will let me know how they work. She also took the purple pen, I got the pink and we will share the black one. Free stuff is so cool.

On Friday I got a sample of John Frieda’s Sheer Blonde too.

Knitting:

And look at this, it is actual knitting. I am making Sack Boy for Princess Ivi.

Crafty stuff:

I also finished my envelope wallet. To make it, I used Kelleigh Ratzlaff’s envelope template and made the envelopes. Then I stitched them onto some cardstock.

I then put them in this old checkbook cover that I haven’t used in a while.

I used assorted pretty papers. I can’t wait to start using it. Now that I am caught up on bills and done with school shopping mostly, I should be able to start using it around the beginning of September.

Oops:

One funny thing though was that I forgot to mow the lawn. Oops. Oh well, there is always tomorrow.

Great Trip to CVS

I took Princess Ivi to CVS after work and picked up the following:

Two (2) Cover Girl smoky eyes eyeshadow pencils $8.00 each =$16
One (1) Cover Girl foundation =$9.99
Oral B toothbrushes $4.99
Subtotal $32.73
-$3 in Cover Girl Coupons
-$1 EB from Green Tag
-$5 off $30 purchase
TOTAL spent $23.73

Plus I earned $9 in EB for a future visit!

Cool. I think that is a good start to our back to school shopping and saving.

Be where you are

“We’re so busy watching out for what’s just ahead of us that we don’t take time to enjoy where we are.” - Bill Watterson

Missing

Alece from Grit and Glory wrote this on her blog and it struck such a chord in me. Here is what she posted...

"But there are moments, days even, when I just wish there was someone to hold me. To tangle up with me on the couch as we watch a movie. To sit near to me so at least some part of us is touching. To hug me long and tight, for no reason at all."

This is me.

Thought for the Day

“We should all do what, in the long run, gives us joy, even if it is only picking grapes or sorting the laundry.” – E. B. White

10 Things to Bring on Vacation

I haven’t been on vacation in so long.  I could use one.  This topic obviously varies by season but the 10 things I absolutely have to bring with me on vacation are:

1. Camera. 
2. Yarn.
3. Knitting needles.
4. Easy projects.
5. Motion sickness medicine (especially if I am flying).
6. Book to read.
7. My daughter. 
8. Proposed itinerary.  I like to do all the research about where I am going and what stuff there is to do so I have a general budget for the trip.
9. Ipod.
10. Yarn money because I almost always go to a yarn shop. 

Hello World! It’s good to see you my long lost friend.

I have been taking a bunch of great pics to post on here but I lost my camera cord in the move.  Grr!!!  I was hoping to locate it this weekend but no luck.

My weekend was pretty busy.  Here is the wrap up:

Saturday

• Organized coupons.  I send expired coupons and coupons I don’t use to a woman who participates in Coupons for Troops.  I separated the coupons by month (May, June, July, August through current) and put them in labeled ziploc bags.  Then I put them in one big envelope to mail.   For current coupons I use, I put them in my coupon box.
• Cleaning house.  Putting the coupons away cleaned off my kitchen table and then I spent the rest of the day cleaning up.  My house finally has no more boxes in it.  My living room looks great.  Of course, my bedroom needs some attention but at least the rest of the house looks good.
• Hanging out with Princess Ivi.  While I was cleaning, she was on the computer or lounging on the couch reading my high school yearbook and of course, laughing at the hairstyles.
• Reading How to Knit a Love Song by Rachael Herron.  (This was a free book that I won through help4writers.com.)  I am not sure if I like this book.  I wasn’t a huge fan of the characters.  I didn’t like Cade (the male leading character).  I thought he was a jerk.  I did like the female character but I thought that she needed to stand up for herself more.  I thought the ending was too neat.  There was really no talking or explaining or apologizing done and I think it needed it, especially the apologizing.  Also, I couldn’t close my eyes and picture the people in the book or the town where it is supposed to take place which I like to be able to do.  However, I really liked the writing style and I liked how I could feel my chest getting tight in some of the emotional scenes (which is how I judge whether a book is good).  This was also a quick read for me and I was able to finish it in four (4) hours.     

Sunday

• Skipped church and went to Rum Island with Mom, Princess Ivi and her boyfriend instead.  We met my brother and his kids there which was nice because it gave the kids time to hang out and visit.  Even better, we missed the torrential rain that started about 15 minutes after we loaded the car up to head home.  (BTW, Rum Island is a really nice spring on the Santa Fe River in Fort White, Florida.)  [I was frustrated on the ride over though because I made a great mixed cd of some tunes for the ride and it wouldn’t play in mom’s car.  Grrr!!] 
• At home, took shower and lotioned the light sunburn.
• Watched Sweeney Todd (again).
• Cut out coupons from Sunday papers.  I even organized them while I was doing it too.  I bundled up the ones I am giving away, put the ones I am keeping in my box and made a special organizer for drug store items (soap/body wash, feminine products, deodorant, razors, shampoo, etc.) and included a tab for CVS and Walgreens.

Now it is Monday and I am back to work.  This week will be interesting because my boss is on vacation so it is pretty quiet.  I have a lot to do but I have to space it out well so it lasts all week.

Also, I am taking Friday off to go to the child support office and sit there for a while until someone can see me.  (Sounds like fun, huh?)

Do it now before you no longer have the opportunity!

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” - Anne Frank

Come on get happy…

“Happiness comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be needed.”  - Storm Jameson

Wicked cool giveaway!!!

Check out the giveaway at I am wicked cheap! for the Couponizer.

I really want one of these. I would be so organized and not have to carry three (3) coupon organizers with me. Wish me luck.

10 Things to Bring on a Camping Trip

1. Hotel Reservations!!!! (Ha-ha!!)
2. Well, if it were a real camping trip, I guess I would have to bring a tent but I wouldn’t be able to put it up.
3. Books.
4. Bug spray!!!!!!
5. Marshmallows.
6. Knitting.
7. Hot dogs!
8. If camping on the beach, fishing poles.
9. Potato chips (camping and chips reminds me of being a kid.
10. If sleeping on the ground, a foam mat so you can move in the morning is a necessity.

What did you do this weekend?

I did not start my car once after I got home on Friday. Why?

Because my mom drove me!!! Yup, my mom has a car. It is a Kia Sorrento and her bosses bought it for her. Lucky duck. They bought it for her because they want to do some RV traveling and they want her to have a vehicle to do what she needs to do. They are so great.

Anyway, I spent Saturday going through boxes of paperwork and sorted them into filing, recipes, craft project ideas, organizational/household stuff, and knitting patterns. Then, I sorted each into categories to be put away. I even made a pretty good pile of patterns that I will never knit so I am going to be giving some away in a swap.

Saturday evening, mom came over to show me her new car and we had hamburgers, oven fries and homemade remoulade sauce. Yum. Then, we went to the Dollar Store for dog food and peroxide and to Walmart to return a shirt that didn’t fit Princess Ivi.

Saturday night, after Mom went home, Princess Ivi and I watched A Sound of Thunder. This was really good. I expected it to be some cheesy, B movie but it was good.

Sunday morning, Mom picked us up and we went to church where she made a testimonial about how God has made a difference in her life and we all cried.

Sunday afternoon, we went to Gainesville to the library and I picked up some knitting books.

Sunday evening was spent putting paperwork away, eating a tomato sandwich and watching 2012 (which I thought was really good). I love John Cusack and for everyone else who loves him, here is a pic to start your Monday morning off right!!!

Thought for the Day

“Begin to see yourself as a soul with a body rather than a body with a soul.”
― Wayne Dyer

Wicked Cool Giveaway

Check out i am wicked cheap’s giveaway of an Easy Lunchboxes eco-friendly lunch box system.

 

I have seen this lunchbox mentioned on a couple of different sites and it looks awesome.  If I had one of these, I would actually eat lunch everyday.  

Be sure to check it out!

Funnies for your morning

My sister sent me a great email yesterday.  This was the opening pic.  

Isn’t it funny?

It also contained these bits of wisdom…

THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:

1) You believe in Santa Claus.
2) You don't believe in Santa Claus.
3) You are Santa Claus.
4) You look like Santa Claus.

SUCCESS:

At age 4 success is . . . . Not piddling in your pants.
At age 12 success is . . . Having friends.
At age 17 success is . . Having a driver's license
At age 35 success is .. . ... ...having money.
At age 50 success is . . . Having money....
At age 70 success is . .. . Having a drivers license.
At age 75 success is . ... . Having friends.
At age 80 success is . . .. Not piddling in your pants.

Funny huh?

Coolest clock…I want one

I saw this on Craftzine today. 

It’s a clock.  It knits one round on this scarf every 24 hours.  This is so cool.  I really want one but I think it is beyond me.  For more info on the clock check out the article on designboom. 

Casting on…

I actually started a knitting project last night.  I started the gauge swatch for Sackboy which I am making for Princess Ivi’s boyfriend.  He is going away to boot camp in the fall so hopefully, I will have it done by then but if not by then, definitely by Christmas.  Have I mentioned how much I hate doing gauge swatches?  I do.  They are boring and time consuming but I guess they are a necessary evil.

It feels strange to be knitting again.  Kind of like renewing a long lost friendship.

I made refrigerator pickles on Sunday.  I already sampled them because I couldn’t wait the two days the recipe called for.  They are good but a bit too salty.  I am hoping that the salt issue is just because it was the bottom of the brine pitcher and that the first container made is not so salty.  Of course, I will still eat them anyway. 

10 Things I Like About Where I Live

1. Sunny weather.
2. Mild winters.
3. Great produce for a long period of time due to a longer growing season.
4. My little house. 
5. Good schools.
6. My neighborhood which is great for walking.
7. Being close to so many state parks.
8. Being close to the beach.
9. Being far enough away from Disney and the other parks that it is not crazy.
10. Being able to work in Gainesville, Florida and watch the entire town get “Gator Fever”.

Life

“Life is all about timing...the unreachable becomes reachable, the unavailable become available, the unattainable...attainable.  Have the patience, wait it out.” - Stacey Charter

Thought for the Day

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
― Howard Thurman

10 Ways to Enjoy Summer

10 on Tuesday, a day late, of course.

1. Take your kids to the beach.
2. Tube down the river.
3. Go yard-saling, flea marketing, garage saling, etc.
4. Go to the farmer’s market.
5. Pick your own blueberries or blackberries.
6. Read a book.
7. Lounge in a hammock.
8. Have a bonfire.
9. Go camping (if you live in a cool enough climate).
10. Go fishing.

I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it….

So one of my favorite authors is Shannon K. Butcher.  I love her series, The Sentinels.  The books are great and the covers are very yummy.  Anyway, the other day (on the 30th), I was curious about something and went to her website to check it out and she had a monthly contest for a giveaway.  She was giving away Running Scared.  I entered, not expecting much since I have pretty bad luck and since it was the last day of the contest.  Well, guess who won an autographed copy of the book.  Yup, ME.  I am so excited to read this book.   Here is a pic of the cover.  Doesn’t he look yummy?  I think it is the tattoo.  Of course, the muscles don’t hurt things either. 

You can check out more about Shannon and her books at her website…  http://www.shannonkbutcher.com/

Perogies and Painting

Last night, I got home and Princess Ivi wanted to make dinner.  She was making perogies.  Yum.  She had pan problems though so I took over.  They were kind of bland so I made an impromptu cheese sauce for them.  For future reference, it is difficult to make a cheese sauce when you have no flour.  I actually used garlic powder to make the roué but I think they turned out okay.

After dinner, Princess Ivi pained her nightstand.  It is now purple with gray drawers and black drawer pulls.  It was yellow which is totally not Princess Ivi.  Now, it looks very Dr. Seuss-ish.

While she was painting, I browsed through my Google Reader and came across the sad news that my local yarn shop is closing their brick and mortar store.  Boo-hoo-hoo.  I am so sad.  I loved that store. 

Then we watched A Walk to Remember and I watched Princess Ivi cry while watching it which is a very rare thing for her.

 

This morning, I woke up a little bit earlier so I could drive over and pick up Princess Ivi’s boyfriend.  They went to see an 11:00 a.m. showing of Eclipse and now they are hanging at the mall.  I am going to pick them up after work.

Tonight for dinner, I am making barbecued chicken legs, potato salad and green salad.

Gotta get through tonight and tomorrow and then, I have a three day weekend. 

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

Mom, It’s your birthday today.  I am telling you this in case you have forgotten.  (No, of course that is not a crack about your age..hee, hee!!!) 

Hope you have a great day! I will be busy slacking at work while I make plans for your birthday celebration on Sunday. 

Love you!!!!

10 Books on My Summer Reading List

1. Stones to Schools
2. Every Mother Is a Daughter: The Neverending Quest for Success, Inner Peace, and a Really Clean Kitchen by Perri Klass
3. Demon from the Dark by Kresley Cole
4. Crossfire by Joann Ross
5. Magnolia Moon by Joann Ross
6. Living the Good Life:  How to Live Sanely & Simply in a Troubled World by Helen Nearing
7. Knitting Through It: Inspiring Stories for Times of Trouble by Lela Nargi
8. Knitting Heaven and Earth:  Healing the Heart with Craft
9. Running Scared by Shannon K. Butcher
10. ????

Settling In

We have spent the past week unpacking and moving stuff over to the new place from Mom’s house (yes still…although it is all the weird stuff like the big tubes of Christmas wrapping paper that don’t fit in the wrapping paper organizer).  After having my kitchen stuff in storage for the past two years, it has been a little like Christmas, oohing and aahing over all the neat things I forgot I owned.  It has also been a little like living in a clown car though with trying to find places for everything.  It doesn’t help that there is a lack of drawers and kitchen cabinets.  But with the baker’s rack and some plastic shoebox-size bins, it is coming together. 

We also have two huge boxes of stuff for a yard sale.  With the stuff that I have now and some clothes that are at my mom’s, we should be able to have a fairly good size yard sale.  I want to go through my craft bins and my closet before we have it though.

I am going to give myself a month to finish pulling stuff for it and then I am going to post on Craigslist and put some signs up and have a yard sale.  Hopefully, I will be able to part with some junk that I have been carting around forever. 

I also have one bin of stuff to go back to my mom’s storage shed and I need to buy at least one bookcase and then I should be able to get the house almost perfect.  

The neighborhood is nice and it has allowed Princess Ivi and I to start walking at night which is very good for us.  We have no TV yet and I know Princess Ivi is bored (partly because there is nothing to do and partly because money is extremely tight) but I think it will get better soon and I know she is happy to be out on our own again. 

Princess Ivi’s 8th Grade Graduation Picture

 

June 10, 2010

I think I need a nap

Princess Ivi and I have been super busy this week.  We are moving to our own place on Saturday (yeah!!!!) so we have been packing like crazy.  I have of course been going to work during the day as well.  Those two things in and of themselves aren’t too bad but what is really keeping us busy is the fact that we are both coaches at our church’s Vacation Bible School.  (We due Mega Sports Camp and I am coaching soccer and Princess Ivi is coaching t-ball.)  Neither one of us can clearly recall volunteering for this but here we are anyway. 

My day normally consists of getting up for work (which has been about 10 minutes later than normal this week), working all day, getting home at 6 to pick up Princess Ivi, going to church until 8:30, going home to pack, showering, and falling into bed by 1:00 a.m. to repeat the whole process all over again. 

To top it off, we both are sneezy and have runny noses.  I am hoping it is just allergies but given the fact that we are spending all this time with germy kids I am worried it might be more. 

As for packing though, we are almost done and, if all goes well, will be finished backing the stuff we have inside mom’s house and loading the light stuff that should not go in an open trailer into my car before Saturday when my brother comes to move us.  My mail is forwarded and my Directv is being set up on Sunday.  I have no idea when my phone is coming but it should be soon. 

We are excited about the move but also excited about sleeping late.  I definitely need more sleep because I am turning into a big grump. 

10 Favorite Children's Books

In no particular order:

1. The Poky Little Puppy – This was the first “gift” I received from a boy.  I got it from Richard in Kindergarten.
2. Bear Snores On – I bought this for my daughter when she was little because the pictures are adorable and so is the story.  I have since passed it on to my nephew.
3. All-of-a-Kind Family – This was my favorite book when I was a kid.  It made me want to have lots of siblings and to “visit” the city like they did.  It also made me curious to eat a roasted chestnut which I have and the book makes them sound so good but they really aren’t.
4. Seven Alone – Although this is more of a young reader’s book.
5. Any of the Value Tales books.
6. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish – Gotta love Dr. Seuss
7. Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? – This book is great to sign the animals to. 
8. The Greedy Python – Love this book.
9. Goodnight Moon
10. Encyclopedia Brown books – Again, more for young readers but a great series of books.

As Elton would say, “I’m moving out!!”

Princess Ivi and I have found a place to live.  Yeah!!!  After we went and looked at it and gave the money, we sketched out what it looked like and decided where we were putting our stuff.  We are really excited.

The timing of our move is up in the air right now.  I have to find out about the utilities and then the landlord is going to shampoo the carpets (which is great).  Once the carpets are done, we can move in.  It just depends on what they need for a deposit for the lights. 

But I expect we will move all of our heavy stuff (dressers, couch, etc.) in on the 19th or 20th.  Lights on 14th, shampooing on the 14th, keys on the 14th or 15th, boxes moving over nightly starting on the 15th and then big stuff on the 19th.  My brother has volunteered to come down and help move the big stuff.

By no means is this place a mansion but it affordable and will allow us to still have a life.  It has two bedrooms (one master and one tiny bedroom which will be Princess Ivi’s), a bathroom, kitchen/living/dining area and a washer and dryer hook-up.  It has a nice fenced in yard too.  And we are able to have the dog. 

I think that with the shampooed carpets and a good cleaning, some curtains and our furniture, it will be really cute and we can make it really homey.

The best part about it is that it is in a little subdivision that would be perfect to walk in.  Oh and there are two police officers who live on the same road as me, one two doors up and one five doors up.  So I am assuming it will be safe. 

Completed Knitting Project

Finally, a finished object… I made Princess Ivi a case for her phone.  It is purple and matches her ipod and camera cases.  Pics to follow. 

Technorati Tags: 2010FOs

Knitting quote

“I like hanging around people who knit. They are usually in a good mood. People who are staring into their iPhones *and* demanding your attention at the same time are not as much fun to be around.” from happiness interview with Mark Frauenfelder by Gretchen Rubin.  See more article here. 

Where the heck has the time gone?

It has been forever since I last posted here.  Shame on me.  I am a bad blogger.  I have a hard time getting on the computer at night to update this but hopefully that will change soon. 

First an update on Princess Ivi…

The shoulder pain that was believed to be an unhealed broken rib was actually a tumor.  Thankfully it is benign but it still causes pain and nerve problems.  Unfortunately, the surgery is pretty high-risk so we have decided to leave it for now and see how things progress. 

Her 8th grade graduation is June 10th then it is on to high school.  She has already registered.  She is going to be taking JROTC and Tennis as her electives this year.  Hopefully, the shoulder doesn’t cause too many problems.

Her graduation dress is all picked out and so are the shoes.  She is very excited.

She has an end-of-the-year trip to Islands of Adventure on June 1st.  She is looking forward to that as well.

There are no summer plans yet but hopefully, we will come up with something soon.

An update on me…

There is not much to report in my life.  I haven’t knitted in months (since March, I think) but I did start a new project on Sunday, a case for Princess Ivi’s phone.  I should be done tonight. 

I have been reading like a fiend lately and can’t seem to read and knit at the same time.  Imagine that!

Princess Ivi’s psychiatrist has told me that we need to move out of Mom’s house.  Preferably, within a month.  He thinks that will help a lot with making Princess Ivi feel settled.  Makes sense to me so I am starting to look for a place.

Sadly, it is not just blogging and knitting that I have been neglecting.  I have also been neglecting reading my email and Google reader items.  I have over 1000 unread knitting reader posts and over 600 unread knitting emails.  Oops.  I also haven’t been logging onto Ravelry lately either. 

Gotta change that…

10 Easter Traditions

1.    Sheep cake on coconut grass (green dyed coconut).

2.    Chocolate rabbits.  Mine usually including some kind of peanut butter.

3.    Easter egg hunts which include finding and re-hiding the eggs multiple times until either the children or the parents collapse in exhaustion.

4.    Church.

5.    Plastic eggs.

6.    Big family dinners.

7.    Being teased by my family members with the story of the time I insisted I had seen a 6 foot tall Easter Bunny wearing a straw hat with his ears sticking through and a purple vest and carrying a big Easter basket.  (If you must know, I was NINE at the time and of course, if asked now, I would still insist that I saw the Easter Bunny.)

8.    New Easter duds for church, or just whatever.

9.    Buying the first pair of flop-flops for the season.

10.  Driving to the beach.