Shopping Day

With the kids.

Pray for me.

This is possibly the shortest post ever.

Maybe.

Obviously, I am Not a Woman of Mystery

Christmas was a big hit around here. We spent it at my folks for the first part of the day, then drove home to open the gifts in the evening.

When Eldest asked if I wanted my gifts wrapped, I knew it was going to be fun. Seems that *ahem* people forgot to wrap my gifts. No matter. I told her it was a waste of time and effort and to just put it in the bags they came in. Hubby had taken the kids to shop for me. I will never let him do that again, because apparently the kids did the choosing.

A hoodie to wear at football games, or whenever I please….

Don’t get me wrong. It’s very cool, and very warm! It was the Sithy gift.

And this was the wino gift.

Taste wine? What a novel idea…

The Wine Tasting Lolita™ glass! I didn’t have it, so that was a plus, because I hate, hate, HATE returning and/or exchanging anything. So I got Sithy and wine gifts for this Christmas. All in all, people know me well.

I may need to get a new hobby 😉

I Love a Good Bargain

I was at the outlet mall this afternoon, searching for that elusive perfect gift for my in-laws.

I did not find it.

Seriously, they are very difficult to shop for, mostly because they own everything that house can possibly hold they could possibly want. But on a lark, I decided to peruse the Williams-Sonoma™ section of the Pottery Barn™ outlet. And you know how sometimes salespeople find old stock in the backroom, and bring it out at a super reduced price, because it was discontinued a looooong time ago? Well, that happened, and I was there at the right time!!

That is a 1 quart Le Creuset™ Round French Oven. It retails for $105.00. Yes, you read that correctly. The original outlet price was $65.00. And the marked down price was $22.00.

And it was 30% off.

AND I got a 10% military discount.

AND I AM ONE HAPPY CAMPER!!!

I would have given it to my in-laws, but they only like the blue Le Creuset™. Pity, isn’t it?? 😉

Whew…I’m Back!

Wow, what a weekend. I had three– count them: THREE!!– Thanksgiving dinners. And yet, I still don’t think you could ever have too much roasted turkey. Sadly, there are no leftovers, since we travelled and couldn’t bring food back with us. Which means I will be making a roast in the near future.

This week will be a hectic one, as usual. But for different reasons. No, I will NOT be decorating yet. I wait until December 1st to do that. But I do have to get the crafting done before the cold sets in, and bring down the ornaments and lights and tree, and start packing up gifts to send off. Because if I don’t do that this week, it may be 2013 before anyone gets anything.

March of 2013.

Provided the Mayans were mistaken.

And ZOMG!!!! IT’S CYBER MONDAY!!!

I shall return in two hours a while maybe this afternoon later to comment.

If online shopping were a sport, I would have a medal and be on the cover of the Wheaties™ box 😉

By the Pricking of My Thumbs…

I have a confession to make: I have no idea how to use a sewing machine.

I can hear you gasping in shock all the way over here.

Before y’all condemn me, I know how to sew, but only by hand. And it’s not that I haven’t had the opportunity to learn on a machine. My mom sews, my sister sews, my daughter took it in what we used to call Home Economics before it went all politically correct. In retrospect, I should have taken Home Ec. It sure would have made my culinary path a bit easier, that’s for sure. I think the reason I never learned to use a sewing machine was fear: I was afraid of sewing my fingers, or making a huge mistake, or tangling all the bobbins, or having the machine come to life. I have an active imagination.

Lately though, I have been wanting to learn to use a sewing machine. Why? Because all of the tiny little projects I have been doing need some sewing, and my thumbs are about to go on strike.

Last night as I was making a cord cover for Eldest’s light fixture, I jammed the needle into the thumb cuticle. I bet that just made y’all flinch, didn’t it?? I know I sure did. I think that was my last straw. Perhaps getting a small, standard sewing machine isn’t a bad idea. Oh, nothing fancy that does embroidery or the dishes. Just something that will prevent me from inflicting multiple stab wounds on myself. I’ll make sure Santa Claus gets the memo. I know he’s always at a loss as to what to get me 😉

I May Need an Intervention

As y’all know, I’m still working on Eldest’s room. Furniture has been repositioned, shelves readied, and knick-knacks are done and ready to be displayed in the manner I know should be done. But there are some things still being worked on, and she has been slow to purge her childish things, so we are still moving at the speed of galoshes in quicksand.

Nevertheless, I have been busy being creative, as well. Boy, have I been having fun making new things out of random crap old stuff I find. I had this cheese dome, bought foolishly at a home party, just collecting dust in a kitchen cabinet and taking up precious space better served by my Lolita™ glasses. I’m making it into a bell jar for her room, complete with a skull.

Like this, just not as cute.

No one can say I am NOT a cool mom.

In the course of making last minute adjustments to her stuff, I have had to go in periodically to the local home improvement store. I was there last weekend, asking about a light kit. The young man who was helping me was interrupted by an older gentleman:

Gent: Can you tell me where to find a filter for a pitcher?

Salesguy: Hm…not sure, but I think you can find them in the kitchen supplies section, right next to the paint section.

Me: No, they are in the plumbing section, far back wall, right past the kitchen appliances and before the salt for water softeners.

Gent: (looking strangely at me)

Salesguy: (looking strangely at me)

Me: I’ve been in that section recently…

Salesguy #2 walking by: Hey, Ms. Aggie*. Haven’t seen you in a couple of days!

Me: (sighing)

Salesguy #1: You should work here.

I’m seriously thinking about it. But I get the feeling my paycheck would just revert to the store anyway 😉

Industriality

Well, since Eldest still hasn’t finished purging her room of the unwanted, I thought I would share an idea I got from the Lowe’s Creative Ideas site. It came out so cool, I will make another for Son’s room.

You’ll need:

• Amerimax Flex-a-Spout in white
• Utilitech 6′ Incandescent Rope Light
• Strong scissors to cut through plastic

The original link said to use a 12″ LED rope light, but guess what? Lowe’s no longer carries it. Also, in my opinion the 12″ would have been too short (shut it, people), as you will see.

First, take the Flex-a-Spout and cut off the square part. I chose to cut it off right where the flexing of the tube begins.

The directions at the link tell you to fold the light in half and place inside the tube, then bend the tube into the shape you wish. But I found it easier to bend the tube first, and then push the folded rope light through. Once done, you have this:

BEHOLD THE AWESOMENESS!!!!

The total cost for the light was less than $20. And Lowe’s gives the military a 10% discount, so it came out to less than $17.50 with tax. I think it goes well with the whole Steampunk vibe in her room, plus it gives her another source of lighting without breaking the bank, since the lamp I originally wanted was a whopping $90.

I love my kid, but there are limits.

Hopefully she will be done this evening, and the furniture moved and situated the way I want it where it needs to go. If not, I will treat y’all to a food hater’s recipe. Or bad Youtube videos. Whichever strikes my fancy and drowns out the gnashing of my teeth 😉

SQUEEEE!!!!

The Nomstress is here, and we get to have some girl time today!!

Hubby: So, what are the plans for today?

Me: I am taking the girls to the Trollbeads store.

Hubby: Uh…

Me: *cuts eyes over to him*

Hubby: That sounds like fun for you!!

It’s a long weekend, and I need to relax. THAT’S FINAL!!

Anyway, gotta jet for now. I have an appointment with the felt department at Hancock Fabrics after the Trollbeads store, and after that, I have an appointment with a glass of wine lemonade. Hope y’all have a good one 😉

Endtimes, or as It Is More Commonly Called, Back-to-School Shopping

Today finds me fortifying myself with plenty of caffeine. Why? Because aside the fact that it is too early (so I have been informed) to open a bottle of wine, I have to take the kids shopping for back-to-school stuff. Little One in particular is beside herself with the fact that this year she gets to have a locker and wants to decorate it.

Did you know you can buy wallpaper for your locker?? Neither did I.

Yes, my friends, you can actually purchase a chandelier for your locker. And carpeting!!! You know, when I went to school, our decorating was limited to school rules, as in, “NOTHING ALLOWED”. Sure, sometimes we skirted around that by using a few magnets to hold pictures or taping stuff we liked, but we had to operate on stealth mode, so it had to be small and very inconspicuous. I remember Mr. Profitt walking by one friend’s locker and bursting a blood vessel when he saw the wall-to-wall coverage of her love life. Good times, good times…

Anyway, the sooner I get this over with, the better off my eardrums will be, since I will no longer hear, “CAN WE GO SHOPPING FOR LOCKER STUFF, PLEASE, OH PLEASE, OH PLEASE!!!???”

Trust me, this will take a while. She’s not easy to please. I think she takes after my grandmother 😉

Wednesday Sithy, Because My Mom is in Town and I Have No Time

We are going to the outlet mall today. Pray for me, because I can’t be spending any money.

GAH!!!

Never, ever “friend” your boss on a social site!!

Have a great day!! 🙂