there's a review coming!

i'm probably the only person on the face of the earth who has NOT made a purchase from csn stores.  

certainly, you've all heard about their website, right?  

yep, over 200 stores in one location {all online}.  

seriously, i die.  

csn stores offers just about everything.

really. 

 pet items, household goods, lcd tv stands, car seats...that's just the tip of the iceberg {so to speak}.

there is so much to see & so much to shop for online with csn stores.

i'm excited to let you all know that i will be doing a review for csn stores.  i haven't decided which item i want to "test" although i do have my eyes on a few of the lcd tv stands they offer.

whatever i choose, i know the item will be fabulous.  

keep your eyes peeled for my review & get ready because there may be a csn store giveaway in the very near future as well {hint, hint}.

the granite state.

first of all, i find it very intriguing to know that at this particular rest stop in new hampshire, you can buy booze {tax free!} & lotto tickets...after you pee, of course.

{taken through the van's window as we drove down the highway}

after three days in boston, we drove to new hampshire.  

my brother-in-law lives & works in andover {while my sissy finishes her fellowship in boston}.  my b.i.l. works for the prep school that he attended, proctor academy.  he's also a dorm parent so he lives in the bottom half of the boys dorm...so cool.*  

anything & everything our family does revolves around food.  food & shopping.  we met at famous dave's in manchester.  after some bbq, we went shopping.  first at the l.l. bean outlet, then to eastern mountain sports & finally to the tanger outlets in tilton.  the lady in the coach store tried to entice me with an extra 20% off clearance prices, but i resisted.  i do love my banana republic jeans, though {$30 for $90 jeans?? yes, please!}.

if there is anything to be said about life in rural new hampshire, it's that you have to drive {and i mean d-r-i-v-e} to civilization.  we learned that the hard way one night around 9pm when we needed children's tylenol for malia.  note to self:  next time, bring some...huge mommy fail on my part.

other than eating & shopping, the kids got to play in the snow and spend time with the dogs.  moxie, the bernese mountain dog, and bruin, the newfoundland, are two of the sweetest dogs on the planet.  they also both believe they are lap dogs.  bruin & aidan became fast friends.

we watched "how to train your dragon" & aidan and uncle james played a little lego harry potter on the wii.  we also did our christmas with monica & james.  it's so hard living so far away from family {they used to live in virginia}, but it was lovely being able to share a portion of the holidays with them.

on our last night in new hampshire, monica & james took us to dinner at lui lui.  oh. my. word.  the food was ridiculously delicious and the portions were ridiculously huge!  after dinner, we drove to see christmas lights at a shaker village {the name escapes me & i didn't have my camera on me}.  that very same night i also managed to pass up on a pair of uggs that were 20% off and tax-free.  i'm both proud & ashamed of myself!

we left new hampshire the morning of new year's eve.  after six full days together i think all of us were ready to get home & sleep in our own beds.  we walked through my front door at 11:15pm...just in time for me to get settled and see NKOTB rock out with BSB {priorities, priorities!}.

---

*my b.i.l., james, is a phenomenal lacrosse coach.  phenomenal.
don't believe me?  then read this.

beantown.

aidan: "mom, christmas day is jesus' birthday."

me: "sure is! do you know where he was born? 

i'll give you a hint...it starts with a b."

aidan: "boston."

{1st row: dim sum on day 1, boston as we drove in}
{2nd row: snowy chinatown, boston common}
{3rd row: the view of downtown boston from our hotel room, dim sum on day 2}
{4th row: malia & aidan with their new bogs boots, a random chinatown pic}

with an impending blizzard creeping up the east coast, we decided to go full-speed with our post-christmas vacation plans and visit my sister who lives in boston, massachusetts.  originally, we were going to leave on sunday, december 26th, but after hearing that boston was expecting up to two feet of snow we decided to get on the road.  the kids & i packed up and loaded up my parents' van.  the five of us were on the road by 8:30pm on christmas day.  adam & frisco stayed behind.

it was already starting to snow as we were leaving virginia {virginia beach got over a foot of snow while we were gone!}.  fortunately, there was no traffic...i mean, who would be road trippin' on christmas?  only us.  we stopped for the night somewhere in new jersey after driving on the jersey turnpike for a while.  we all needed sleep.  sleep & a yummy cracker barrel breakfast.

although the drive was fairly uneventful, the weather quickly deteriorated once we hit the new york-connecticut line on sunday.  as we approached the city limits of hartford, we knew the rest of our journey would be slow & pretty damn difficult {in a front wheel drive vehicle}.  there's nothing like having a two hour commute {the normal distance between hartford & boston} turn into a five hour fiasco that involved:
1. unplowed highways {the plows were out but they were barely keeping up with the snow!}
2. numerous stops to beat ice off of the windshield wipers
3. driving at the top speed of 30mph on a stretch of road that has a normal speed limit of 65mph
4. witnessing several cars on the side of the road with their front ends totaled because they thought they could go 65mph
5. answering the question "are we there yet?" about fifty gazillion times

but, we made it. and boston was so beautiful as we drove across the charles river.  the city was quiet.  there was no traffic.  just snow.  praise the lord there was a whole foods behind our hotel because we were starving!  my sister met us at our hotel on her way home from work {she is a pathologist at boston children's hospital*}.  and, so, our three day adventure in boston had begun!

we spent our time eating dim sum in chinatown, riding the t, walking in blizzard-like conditions, wearing dirty jeans thanks to slushy snow, shopping at copley place & prudential center, chillaxin' in my sister's apartment in fenway & just loving every minute of each other's company.

aidan told me that he wanted to move to boston.  he is in love with riding the t.  he also said he wants to be closer to his auntie monica.  bless his heart.

after three days in boston, we loaded my sister in the van and drove to andover, new hampshire to visit with her husband, do a little more shopping, eat more food & play in the snow.

{tomorrow's installment will be about our time in new hampshire...}

---

*remember how i mentioned that my sissy works at boston children's hospital?  well, a few days before christmas we were g-chattin' and she said, "i just heard joey mcintyre singing with the boston pops here at work!"

seriously.

check it:


{source}

no granny panties.

you know what is pretty sad?  how about the fact that my mother called me last week and said, "michelle, i'm putting $30 into your checkings account so you can go to victoria's secret and buy some new underwear."

{source}


ouch.  but, mother does know best!  and, considering that the contents of my 'unnawears' drawer were mostly purchased before i had children, well, it was time.


for what it's worth - i do not own any underbritches that look anything remotely like the pair pictured above.  never have, never will.

there's a baby in there?

a quick stop into target influenced my desire to write this post. at first, i wanted to write about how important i think it is to give people some s-p-a-c-e at the checkout counter. i mean, i don't want some joe schmoe all up in my bidnass while i'm paying for my purchase, ya know? just because i'm not standing rightnextto the person in front of me does NOT mean that you need to stand rightnextto me. no way, jose.

however, as i observed the woman in line behind me who was standing rightnextto me, i noticed something. buried underneath her bounty of tank tops, swim suit coverups, face wash & other target finds was a baby. a baby in one of those infant carrier/carseat combos.

oh, my word.

so, seeing as how i am an expert {a.k.a. know-it-all} experienced in the art of shopping with children i figured i would share some of my knowledge with y'all. besides, a lot of my friends are parents or are having children & this will probably cause some giggles & laughter with the parenting set.

first & foremost, if you are fortunate enough to shop alone, please do. do not pass up the opportunity to hand the kids off to someone while you run out for 15 minutes or for a couple of hours. who cares if you're just going to the grocery store or the corner mart?! trust me, shopping alone is so much easier & so much more enjoyable once if you have children. i mean, have you ever had to calm a screaming toddler while wrestling to get out of a super cute dress you found on the rack that is obviously three sizes too small for your post-baby body? yeah. i rest my case.

but, if you can't shop alone, take my advice*:

• if you can, enlist a 'helper.' it could be your hubby, your bff, your momma...whoever. like the saying goes, two heads are better than one.
• if you DO have a 'helper' with you, use two carts {that way you don't have to bury your child underneath layers of your new wardrobe, housewares & other miscellaneous crap}.
• if you are shopping sans helper & with children in tow, learn to use every bit of your shopping cart wisely. if that means hanging stuff on the handle or over the side, please do. or, if you do find yourself needed to put things in the cart, please be strategic about it. but, don't be ashamed. it's okay if your purchases are nearly falling out of the cart or hanging over the sides haphazardly. back in the day, i was THAT GIRL who needed a "wide load" sign as i was coming down the aisle {and it was not because my ass had not returned to it's pre-pregnancy size}.
• if you are not using a shopping cart, i hope you have a stroller. use it. even if it's to dash into the store. sure, it might take more time to wrestle that thing out of the trunk than it would to just zip in an buy milk, bread and eggs, but your sanity will thank you later.
  
• keep your kids corralled - in a cart, in a stroller, in a sling/carrier {but not on a leash...i have nothing nice to say about those kid leashes}. it's not fun having to chase after your child in a crowded store or a busy parking lot.
• stock up your purse - there is a reason why use women-folk have ridiculously ginormous handbags, fill 'em up with goodies that will keep your kid or kiddos happy, satisfied & occupied while you shop! to this day, you can still find candy, gum or a transformer in my purse {my youngest child is 6}. really.
  
• if you're not stocked up, there is no shame in taking a box of crackers or gummy snacks off the shelf & opening them. just remember to pay for them. the cashier will not look at you like you're crazy. trust me. i've also done this with tissues when little snotty noses need wiping and i have no tissue or extra mcd's napkins in my purse.
• if you feel silly about the whole "grab & open" thing, just make sure your cell phone is locked & you have insurance for the sucker. more often than not, my cell phone has provided hours {okay, minutes} of entertainment for my children.
• if you are with a baby or toddler who is stroller-bound, you will suddenly find just how much that sucker can carry...even those umbrella strollers. and, if your baby isn't in the stroller or even if your baby isn't with you, do not be afraid to use the stroller as your very own personal shopping cart. i have.
  
• definitely invest in a seat cover for shopping carts {they are also great for restaurant highchairs, too!}. they are a life-saver because you're protecting your kid from the icky unknown of the many hands {or butts} that have blessed that shopping cart. and, if you find yourself shopping with a drowsy child, the seat cover at least provides *some* comfort for a little head.
• it is okay to leave a store in a huff. go ahead & grab the screaming child by the wrist or power walk that stroller right out of wherever you are. after a while, you learn to ignore the points, whispers & stares. it's okay to leave a shopping cart full of groceries, too. i've done both. you can always come back later...preferably, alone.
• if you find yourself in a situation where your kid or kids are screaming and you are simply unable to let go of that pretty blouse that finally went on sale, don't fret. it becomes easy to ignore a screaming child, too. {this is usually the case after child #2, 3 or 19 {in the dugg@rs' case} comes along.} and, as for the points, whispers & stares, just take the blouse that's on sale & the screaming child and go stand rightnextto them.
• if you have an infant/young toddler, use a baby carrier. i had a baby bjorn that i used all. the. time. with aidan. i am not ashamed to admit that he went to the bathroom with me more than once while strapped to my chest. we also took many laps around the mall together that way. of course, just make sure that if you have the baby facing out that you pay attention to what he looks like {imagine my horror when i sat down to take him out of the carrier only to find that he had spit up all over himself, the front of the carrier and onto my pants...not cool}.

did i forget anything? i am sure i have. i mean, that whole sleep-deprived, pregnancy brain thing seems to stick with you well after your babies are born & semi-raised. and, as for my advice, well, i still heed it. my children are now 9 & 6 years old; however, i still find myself in a bind from time to time {a.k.a. temper tantrums are never fun}.

mommas out there - what else would you add to the list??

{the reason i am experienced - malia & aidan, june 2003}

*remember, these are just my opinions. not words to live by. this is all in fun & not meant to be offensive in any way.

small talk six - i hate grocery shopping.

really, i do.

i especially hate it because it seems like we're always at super walmart {sundays are the worst!}. i suppose i could shop somewhere else, but i honestly get the most bang for my buck at super walmart. but {and there's always a but} they reel you in & you almost always end up leaving with much more than the, oh...say, SIX items that were on your list.

so, for today's small talk six session over at momdot, name six items that are on your grocery/shopping list every week. are you ready for my list? don't get too excited. it's pretty damn boring if you ask me. {make sure you've had some coffee before reading this because it's guaranteed that you'll yawn...}

1. bread - i try to buy 'healthy' bread {like a honey wheat or 12-grain} but we recently fell in love with italian sammich bread. i honestly don't remember the brand of italian bread that we usually get, but imagine my surprise when i discovered that pepperidge farm makes an italian wheat loaf. it's very yummy. very, very yummy.
2. milk - milk consumption has decreased in our home, but we still go through about a gallon a week {it used to be nearly three a week when the kids were much younger}. once upon a time we had our milk delivered, but it just became more cost effective to buy it ourselves from the store. we almost always buy organic milk, too. too bad walmart doesn't sell organic milk by the gallon...yet.
3. eggs - i swear we just need to get a couple of chickens and keep them in our backyard. i buy eggs by the 18-pack. the 18-pack, people!
   
4. coca-cola - we love caffeine. 'nuff said. side story: my husband is notorious for leaving the empty case of cokes next to the fridge...and i always chuckle whenever he reaches into that {empty} box for a coke and is suddenly let down. ha ha ha.
5. coffee creamer - speaking of caffeine, we need something to pour into our cuppa every morning. we own a keurig & l♥ve it. adam goes through a ridiculous amount of creamer. he prefers international delights french vanilla or caramel brownie whatever or the dulce de leche or whatever other sweet concoction they have. i'm still not over the fact that i can no longer get coffeemate's peppermint mocha creamer anymore. i'm so sad.
6. lunch meat & cheese - so this is like a 'two for one' kind of thing. and, yes, i'm cramming one extra thing into a list of six. however, this goes with the bread...and lunch meat & cheese go hand in hand. all four of us pack a lunch. needless to say, we eat a lot of sammiches. sometimes, we buy our meat from the deli. other times, we just buy it off the shelf. we love roast beef & turkey. and, imagine my delight when my children declared that muenster cheese was their favorite {because i cannot stand american cheese}.

so, what's on your shopping list?

psst...remember me?

i feel like it's been an eternity since i last posted when it's only been a few days. i don't know about you, but this week seems to be dragging on...thank goodness tomorrow is thursday. that means the weekend is only a few days away.

a couple things have happened here at mi casa.

best news of all {if you follow me on twitter, you may already know}...

adam started a new job on tuesday. yay!

he struggled with the decision to accept. he was humbled by the pay cut. but, he's absolutely enjoying the stress-free environment and he's very happy doing what he loves. things are not 100% back to what i would consider 'normal' for us, but we're getting there. we still have a long, winding road ahead of us - due to the ridiculousness we're currently dealing with that i can't really talk about here {but some of you know} - but we're going to make it together, hand in hand.

and, just to drive that last point home a bit, adam cracked open a fortune cookie today {leftover from this weekend} and the fortune said:

the road to success is always under construction.

ain't that the truth.

as for me, my work situation changed ever so slightly because of adam's work schedule. i'm very, very, VERY fortunate to work for a family-oriented company. they are okay with the fact that i can no longer come in at the crack of dawn. instead, i arrive to work around 9am...and i just end up working a little bit later in the day. it's been a very, very, VERY long time since i've felt this respected, supported & appreciated at work. VERY LONG TIME. adam and i are truly thankful. and, i, for one, cannot wait to see what opportunities pop up for me along the way as i continue to find my niche with this company.

in unrelated employment news, we have a new addition to our family. however, i suppose it does relate to our employment news because, well, we had to pay for it somehow. we are the proud new owners of an hp touchsmart 300 {we're giving back our current desktop...those of you who know about that unmentionable situation will understand where i'm going with this}.

{source}

i am not ashamed to admit that i purchased this bad boy from qvc who not only participates with ebates {i got some cash back from my purchase!}, but also gave me the option of paying for this sucka in five installments {easy pay is so much easier & better than credit, y'all!}. we're enjoying the computer so far - the picture is gorgie, the touchscreen feature is very cool & i'm loving the fact that microsoft office home & student 2007 {the FULL version} and a 3-year 'script of mcafee antivirus came with the 'puter {among other things}. the computer also came with windows 7...boy, am i lost. but, i'll manage.

another feature we're anxiously awaiting to try out is the tv tuner/dvr feature. qvc offered the computer with the tv tuner feature {it's an upgrade on hp's website}. i cannot wait to see how it all works because i'm ready to call our cable company to tell them 'sayonara' to our stupid cable bill {say 'buh-bye' premium channels!} & dvr box.

hmmm...what else? what else?

that's really it, i suppose.

a new job. a new computer.

other than that, it's the same 'ole, same 'ole around here {oh, yeah...we are lovin' every. last. minute. of 'survivor: heroes vs. villians'}.

oh, and don't forget to enter my giveway. pleaseandthankyou.

Whew.

Thanksgiving came & went and now I'm reeling in the aftermath of leftovers, cleaning {again!} and bouts of laziness. I'll blame the laziness on the leftover turkey.

We had the most wonderful Thanksgiving. We celebrated with friends whom we consider family. This was the first year that Adam & I did not spend any time with our own families. Everyone was either out of town or working. It was nice to have friends {and even some family of friends} stop by for some food, fellowship & fun. Even better was the fact that our meal was sort of done "pot luck" style...we just split the responsibilities amongst ourselves. Everything turned out great. Naturally, we got stuck with the leftovers & Thanksgiving dinner {round 2} took place this evening. Fortunately, the hubs & I have built up a tolerance to the tryptophan and are still up & running {although, the hubs DID pass out - face first, I might add - in bed shortly after 7pm last night}.

Today was a long day. I was awake by 3am - much to my dismay. Between my son's coughing & the wind howling, I had a hard time falling back to sleep so I decided to bite the bullet and head out for some Black Friday fun. My goal was to zip into & out of Target. Zip in, I did...it just took a bit longer than I expected to zip out of Target. I managed to get the items I intended on buying {thank goodness for doorbuster deals!} and I scored a few more great finds. All in all, it was a very successful Black Friday trip for me especially considering this was the first time in a l-o-n-g time that I've ever gone out in the early morning hours the day after Thanksgiving.

I had to work today. The hubs did, too. But, our employer was gracious enough to allow the both of us {we work together, remember?} to only work a half day. That was a blessing in disguise considering I had two kids with me at the office! Fortunately, it was quiet and we left shortly after lunch. Adam took the kids home and I went....wait for it....back to Target. Yep. I am a glutton for punishment! I managed to get a couple more gift items & some things we needed around the house.

We've got a busy weekend in store. The Christmas tree & all of our holiday decorations came down from the attic this evening. The kids have matching holiday pajamas {thank you, Target, for the $5 deal!} and we will attempt to take our yearly "kids looking all cute & matchy-matchy in front of the Christmas tree" photo. I'm hoping to order our holiday cards this weekend, too. {Can you believe that I already received a Christmas card in the mail?? I'm impressed.} I am also hoping to wrap up our holiday shopping. I did some shopping online & I'm anxiously awaiting to see what Cyber Monday brings.

How was your Thanksgiving? Are you already over the leftovers?

black eye friday

i should still be in bed...all warm & cozy.

i should be dreamin' sweet dreams.

i should be a bit more sane than i am.

but, i'm not.

instead, i'm out. on friggin' black friday. at, of all places, target. good thing it's only five minutes from the house.

there's no rhyme or reason. i'm just there. to see what i can see. to score what i can score. &duck from a flying elbow if necessary.

after all, i do have to work today, so my day should start with a little excitement. thank goodness there is a starbucks at target, too. {because if not, i would be the one with flying elbows.}

Hobo Envy

{all pics are from QVC}

These are going on my Christmas wish list. Seriously, any of these B. Makowsky handbags would make me a very happy girl this holiday!

Product Review & Giveaway: Are YOU "Classically Casual?"

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED - THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING!

A few months ago, I participated in a summer swap & I received my very first Tucker Blair item ever. I know, I know...it's a shame that I just recently found out about the greatness that is Tucker Blair, but please forgive me.

My keys have never looked as stylish as they do now thanks to my Tucker Blair Sailing Needlepoint Key Fob {many thanks to Kate at Nautical by Nature, too!}:

{source}

What is Tucker Blair? Tucker Blair is a clothing accessories {a.k.a. fun!} company founded by Taylor Llewellyn who was growing tired of life in the corporate world. The company specializes in handmade needlepoint creations like belts, key fobs & flip flops!

Who is Tucker Blair? Taylor Llewellyn came up with the company's name by using two of his family's names...that's a pretty great tribute, huh?

Why Tucker Blair?

Are you classic? Are you casual? {the company's motto IS 'classically casual'} Do you have an inner prep that's waiting to come out? Do you like simple styles accented with pops of color, fun & whimsy? Are you all about quality & value? If so, this is why you should take a look some of the items Tucker Blair has to offer.

---

Not long ago, I was contacted by Tucker Blair's PR rep, Zach Weiss, and we chatted about the company & their products. He emphasized the fact that Tucker Blair is all about luxury & affordability...all the while offering customers a high quality product. They do not have a traditional "brick & mortar" store and rely upon referrals & word of mouth. Of course, their items are all so unique & fun that it's easy to spread the word about Tucker Blair! I think one of the things that I love the most about Tucker Blair is that they make themselves available to their customers. You can easily contact the company founder, Taylor Llewellyn, via email or give their customer service line a call. Clearly, Tucker Blair is not just about putting out a great product, but they are also very much in tune with their customers needs and wants. It's very rare that you find a company that values it's customers as much as Tucker Blair does.

Do you have a Tucker Blair wishlist? I do! I think one of the items I want the most are the Crab Needlepoint Flip Flops. I am hoping that size XXS means it will fit my size 6 feet! {those flops are SO going on my birthday wish list!}

{all pictures are from Tucker Blair, by the way}

Of course, there are a few other items on my wishlist, too...

The Starfish Needlepoint Key Fob {so preppylicious...is that even a word?!}:


The Crab & Beer Bottles Needlepoint Key Fob {this one is a no brainer...we love steaming crabs & drinking a cold one all summer long!}:


And, the Green Polka Dot Needlepoint Headband:

---

Do YOU want something from Tucker Blair? Of course you do!

So, what I am doing for all of my lovely readers is giving YOU the opportunity to win a $25 Tucker Blair gift certificate!

All you have to do is go to Tucker Blair's website & tell me which item is your favorite and you'll be entered into the giveaway.

You can receive extra entries if you blog about this, refer people to this giveaway, follow my blog, follow me on Twitter (@maliasma) or follow Tucker Blair on Twitter (@tuckerblair). Just let me know how many extra entries you should receive in one comment...thanks!

The giveaway is open until Thursday, September 10th at 11:59pm EST. The winner will be announced on Friday, September 11th.

Ideas, Projects & Wants - Not Necessarily In That Order

I should have never gone to Pottery Barn's website today. NEVER. Because now my bank account is in trouble I am doomed. I am doomed because now I must fight against the urges to order everything I am currently longing for from Pottery Barn. I'm telling you - it's a hard battle to fight. Trust me. I know this.

Here is what I need want:

Under the Sea Snack Bowls - Sadly, the sea urchin one is sold out. That's the one I really wanted. On a good note, I DID find something that - while it wasn't THE exact same thing as the clam shell above - is a good compromise and I bought it tonight. Michael's had a ceramic shell bowl on sale for $7.49...how could I pass that up?

Crab Place Card Holder - What in the heck do I need place card holders for? I don't know, but these are damn cute and so crabby...I love it!

Sea Urchin Salt & Pepper Shakers - I MUST have these...too bad they don't ship until mid-September. But, that gives me time to redo our kitchen table {more about that later} and these will look perfect on the table!

Under the Sea Salad Plates - Cute, cute and cute! These beachy themed salad plates are so me. I love that they are neutral - the color of sand.

Starfish Charger - Rattan with a hint of red...fabulous! I don't have any red in my kitchen {these would go on our kitchen table} but a pop of color would be nice {and would contrast nicely with my turquoise walls}.

Starfish Embroidered Pillow - I've been coveting these pillows for a while...and I just can't make myself pay for them especially considering I must have three of them. But, I have something in the works - something that I am very excited about - and I'll share that info with you soon. I promise.

On another note, I've been dreaming of a new computer desk. I currently have two desks, so it seems silly that I want a new one. But, the one I'm currently using has bad juju and the other just doesn't "go" with this room. It's cherry. Why I even got it in the first place and NOT the one I really wanted, I don't know. I suppose I COULD refinish the cherry computer armoire, but the task is daunting and I wouldn't know where to begin or even how to begin. I mean, tackling the outside is no problem...it's the inside of the armoire that scares me. There are a lot of nooks & crannies in there!

So, these are the two desks I'm dreaming about:

Both could work with the room I'm TRYING to refashion in order to make it more practical and not so much like a catch-all type of room. Both are armoires which I like. Both don't offer a lot of desk space, but that is fine. I need to end my pack rat ways anyhow. The black one is a bit smaller than the white one and probably wouldn't fit my 21" computer screen. But, the white one is considerably more expensive than the black one - at least on Wal-Mart's website. Perhaps if I sold both of my computer desks, I could justify the purchase of the white desk. Or, I could be a good girl and take on that nerve-wracking project of refinishing the cherry armoire. It scares me to even think about it.

And, speaking of refinishing...I have decided to spice up our kitchen table and lay mosaic tile across the top. We have just over one box of mosaic tile left over from doing our kitchen backsplash, so I've got some tiles to work with. Now, I just need to decide if I want to actually inlay a picture/design or just add some color with regular tile. I actually thought about doing a monogram of our initials at our "spot" at the dinner table - would that be too corny and too personal? I mean, I don't think it's a bad idea because we have matching initials in this family...the boys have "A" names and the girls have "M" names. I also thought about trying to put a mosaic starfish or sand dollar in the middle, but that is a task that I'm not sure I want to tackle just yet.

I suppose the possibilities are endless, huh? If only I had an unlimited budget and all the time in the world to get done what I have swirling inside of my head.

(Pictures in this post are from Pottery Barn & Wal-Mart, respectively.)

Please forgive me...

...for I have shopped.

Online.

Again.

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I am truly feeling sorry for myself because:

1. It's Monday.
2. I'm at home with a sick child.
3. It's Monday.

(This whole "shopping because I feel sorry for myself thing" really has to stop. Really.)

Therefore, I purchased {for myself} a Lilly Pulitzer handbag. *deep breath*

I need another handbag like I need another hole in my head.

This is exciting because it IS my very first Lilly purchase ever. Yes, EVER. I cannot wait to receive it. I got the Loose Lilly bag; however, I ordered it from a reputable seller on eBay. *gasp*

I know, I know...but I did get a great deal on an authentic Lilly bag and I got it in a print not offered online anymore - True Navy Shaken Up - there's just something about those silly monkeys!

And, the added bonus is that eBay is one of the sellers that participates with Ebates so I am getting 3% of my purchase price credited back to me. All of that change adds up, y'all (so click here to sign up and start earning while you spend)!

Cat Calls...

...at the grocery store.

Yeah, a man whistled at me as I walked out of the grocery store this evening. Granted, it was the "ethnic" grocery store, but still...while I'm flattered that you found me attractive (or was it the ribs I had in the bag?), I was a bit nervous. After all, I was alone, walking briskly towards my car at dusk and my arms were loaded with grocery bags.

OK, so it was only two bags, but I could have totally taken someone out with my Korean short ribs and Asian pears.

Trader Joe's

Watch out, Wal-Mart…as much as I love it when you roll back your prices, there’s a new guy in town who makes my grocery shopping experience all the more pleasant. True, I can’t use coupons, but the selection and variety of good-for-you foods is worth more to me than my savings at Harris Teeter during triple coupon days. It might not be convenient for me to just swing by the store on my way home, but I would much rather get my produce there than at the Farm Fresh just minutes from my house. And, while I love the gourmet feel of The Fresh Market, I can still get my gourmet on and NOT have to take out a small loan to replenish my bank account.

Trader Joe’s is open now in Virginia Beach. If any of you out there are familiar with this grocery store, you will know why I am head over heels in love. If you don’t know about Trader Joe’s, now is the time to start emailing the company to get one in your neighborhood. Seriously.

ANTICIPATION

Seriously, this has been, like, the week from hell. It wasn't a long week, but it was a trying week. I am certain that there are a few people out there (you know who you are) that will agree whole-heartedly with me when I say, "Thank goodness it's Friday!"

With the weekend upon me, I am looking forward to a few things:

• Spending time with my MOM - granted, the first part of our day will be consumed by my appointment with the genetic counselor, but still...it's time spent with my MOM.
• Getting my hair did - Mom and I are going to see my friend, Kristin, tomorrow after the counseling thing and we're both getting new 'dos!
• Trader Joe's opens tomorrow - woo hoo - so guess who's going grocery shopping?!
• The dress I want at Ann Taylor Loft goes on SALE tomorrow (they're doing a promo on all of their dresses for the next few days) -- it's going to be my Mother's Day present to myself.
• Mother's Day - all I want to do is sleep in and, knowing that dear hubs of mine, I'm fairly certain that's what I'll be doing (and, of course, I'll get up and fuss about how he let me sleep too late).

It's the weekend -- what are you looking forward to?