Weekly Wrap-Up #5: Spend, spend, spend!

In the past week, have you spent more or less than usual? The same.
What was your biggest purchase? Probably the ticket to Disneyland for my youngest DS. The eighth grade goes as a class at the end of the year.
What made you decide to buy it? The obvious reason. It was $65 for the ticket and the bus transportation.
Do you typically mull over purchases or are you an impulse buyer? Both! That's bad, isn't it.
Did you enjoy the shopping you do or do you prefer to get in and out quickly? Depends on my mood and what I'm shopping for. I love to browse scrapbooking and craft shops, book stores.

Your turn:
In the past week, have you spent more or less than usual?
What was your biggest purchase?
What made you decide to buy it?
Do you typically mull over purchases or are you an impulse buyer?
Did you enjoy the shopping you do or do you prefer to get in and out quickly?

I've always liked Legos, so I thought this puzzle calendar was a neat item. However, the practicality of rearranging all the blocks every month...seems like one more thing to have to do. That's why I don't like those day planners where you have to write the days yourself. I like 'em pre-printed!

But if you have a little kid, it might be a fun way to teach him/her about the days of the week and calendars.

Your call!

Unnecessary Knitted Item

I saw this in my Real Simple magazine and couldn't believe it. It's a knitted coffee cup sleeve. Guess how much it retails for!

No, really, guess!

$18.00, no lie. I suppose there might be some eco-freaks out there who might drag this thing into Starbucks to use. (If you're one of them, I'll knit you one for only five bucks.)

This is the place where you can get the original if you want it. They also have slingshot pencils, hair clips that look like googly eyes, and tiny herb gardens whose pots are porcelain eggs. Those things are kind of cool.

Thursday 3: Going Green

Thursday 13 is the norm. I only do 3 because I'm lazy.

Here are three reasons why you should go to your nearest Kohl's store and invest in several of these reusuable grocery bags.

1. It's an easy way to be part of the green movement. Don't those plastic bags just pile up? We always used or recycled them, but now I don't have to do either. We aren't consumers of plastic grocery bags anymore. (And the way my family goes through groceries, this is a big thing.)

2. They are the most user-friendly bags I've found. The one I had from Whole Foods had a cardboard base, which was good. The ones from Vons were floppy, with no base. I didn't like the unorganized mess they made in my car. These, on the other hand, from Kohl's are absolute heaven!

These bags, like the Whole Foods bags, have bases, so when you fill it with packages of crackers, cereal or whatever, it has structure. Excellent. But, unilke the Whole Foods bags, THEY FOLD UP AND SNAP CLOSED into a neat, flat seven inch square. (You can see the little snap flap in the picture.) Oh, the ecstasy! The straps are also long enough so you can hook a couple bags on each shoulder, grab two in your hands and make it into the house with five heavy bags!
(I gave away my other substandard ones.)

3. Finally, they're only $2 a piece. I have six of these bags. That was an investment of $12. I look at it like a donation to Mother Earth.

Heaven for Your Nose

This is the Pumpkin Brulee candle. It smells AMAZING and makes me feel cuddly and warm and comforted when ever I light it.

You can get it at Kohl's. I love Kohl's.

T-Shirt Hilarity

I am becoming more disenchanted with the Bella and Edward world. I just watched the movie last weekend and was less impressed than I was with the book. I wanted to laugh several times (at non-funny parts), but thought that might ruin the experience for my family. (My 15 year old son liked the movie.)

So, an online writer friend sympathized with my disenchantment and told me about this t-shirt. Here's the blurby thing from the site where you can buy it.

Don't you think the vampires-are-people-too thing has gone a little too far? I mean, the whole point of a vampire is that they survive by sucking your blood. I don't care if his skin glows and twinkles and he smells like kittens and fabric softener, he's still just a glorified syringe. Remember the last time you had blood drawn? Yeah, me too, and it sucked! It's time we put an end to this nonsense: Edward, may I treat you to a stake dinner?

Now, I have never watched Buffy, but this still cracked me up. Kittens and fabric softener? LMAO!

Two Choices #4: Top or Front?

I was filling out a survey for Harris Polls Online (where I earn points for prizes) and it was asking me about my next washer purchase. Did I anticipate a front loading machine or a top loading machine? Luckily, one of the choices was "I don't know." I know nothing about front loading machines because I've only ever used top loaders. HOWEVER, now that I think about it, I always have trouble snatching the last few socks from the bottom of the well because I'm so short. So, next time I'll be getting a front loader.

What about you?

Pens I Want #8

I love pens. Always have. My friend Dana is also a pen freak. I think my sons have inherited my pen fetish because they're always stealing mine.

I so want this pen, and my birthday is in only eight months! Plus, this is too girly for the boys to want to use.

Here's where to get it. Go! Go now! Time's a wasting!

Thursday 3: Loving Gestures

Thursday 13 is too much. Here's my Thursday 3 instead.

I thought I'd blog about three things my loving husband did for me recently.

1. He took me to the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show! It was so much fun. I came home with two gorgeous plants that I hope won't die any time soon. I've managed to grow a flower stem on my one orchid, a feat here-to-fore never accomplished by me.

2. He brought me my warm fuzzy bathrobe yesterday morning when, still snuggled in bed, I mentioned that it was very cold in the bedroom.

3. He fixed the showerhead for me this morning when I said it had gone wonky on me.

What a guy! That's why I love him.

Thursday 3: $1000 Spree

The real meme is to do Thursday 13, a list of any 13 things you want. I only do three. Sue me.

If I had an extra thousand dollars to spend, here's what I'd get:

1. The Wii game system ($250)


2. The Wii Fit ($100)


3. The Kindle 2 ($400)





I'd even have $250 left over.


What would you buy?