Since I do a good portion of my Christmas shopping online (I hate crowded stores & shudder at the thought of venturing to the mall in mid-December), this one was a cinch! Only hard part was whittling the list down to ten!
1. Amazon.com ... pretty much a rule, if amazon doesn't have it, you probably don't need to buy it ;)
2. Lakesidecollection.com ... lots of inexpensive gift ideas!
3. Walmart.com/Target.com ... why go to the store when they will deliver it for cheap?
4. Duluthtradingcompany.com ... my favorite store to shop for my man.
5. eBay.com ... yup, I've been addicted pretty much since the beginning! Much harder to get an actual bargain now, though, you've got to be vigilant.
6. Bestbuy.com ... who doesn't love electronics delivered to their door?
7. Thingfling.com ... while it's quite hit-or-miss, I've found some cool bargains here!
8. Yarn.com ... I love to browse the yarns, just wish I could actually feel them :)
9. Knitpicks.com ... they have sooooo many good things!
10. Darngoodyarn.com ... this site sells recycled sari yarn, which is yarn spun by hand (mostly in Nepal) by women trying to earn money for their families. It's spun out of recycled sari silk ... when the factories cut out the material for saris, the material that is cut off is then recycled. I like that it's a unique yarn & I love that purchasing it helps empower women in the poorest parts of the world.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Ten on Tuesday - 10 Things I Love About Thanksgiving
1. Family - I love being with my family and Thanksgiving is the perfect day to do it.
2. Food - I think we've established that I love food, and Thanksgiving is a veritable smorgasbord of comfort food - mashed potatoes & gravy, butternut squash, green bean casserole, creamed onions, stuffing (I prefer mine with sausage, just so you know), rolls with butter, and of course, the roast turkey. I think I gained 5 pounds just talking about it all.
3. Pie - Isn't this separate from food? Well, it should be.
4. History - Kinda weird, I know, but Thanksgiving always makes me think back ... to the Pilgrims, and Plimoth (that's how they spelled it, ya know), the hardships they endured to ensure their freedoms. I'm always a bit reflective of all of our history, and it's strong here in the northeast.
5. Football - 'cause really, what would it be without football? Whether it's the old high school rivals duking it out in the freezing cold of Thanksgiving morning or the pros on TV, it's a great day for football.
6. Clean, crisp air - I love autumn, especially in New England. There's really nothing like feeling the crispness in the air, seeing your breath come out in plumes, and hearing the crunch of leaves under your feet.
7. Decorations - cornucopias, gourds, pumpkins, corn stalks, hay bales, etc. The girls have already brought home some cute ones - currently we have a scarecrow and a black cat on our back door :)
8. Black Friday - I'm not going to get up at 4 a.m. (or earlier, perish the thought) and actually go out with all the other loonies (no offense if you are one). I will, however, check out the online sales and shop from the comfort of my home office, in my PJ's, with a cup of steaming tea or coffee.
9. Laughter - might seem like a strange thing to have on my Thanksgiving list ... but when you mix great food and family, there's usually laughter in the air, and I love it.
10. Thanksgiving - I mean the true Giving of Thanks. I thank the Lord that I have my wonderful family, some great true friends, my health, and lots of great opportunities to add to my awesome memories.
2. Food - I think we've established that I love food, and Thanksgiving is a veritable smorgasbord of comfort food - mashed potatoes & gravy, butternut squash, green bean casserole, creamed onions, stuffing (I prefer mine with sausage, just so you know), rolls with butter, and of course, the roast turkey. I think I gained 5 pounds just talking about it all.
3. Pie - Isn't this separate from food? Well, it should be.
4. History - Kinda weird, I know, but Thanksgiving always makes me think back ... to the Pilgrims, and Plimoth (that's how they spelled it, ya know), the hardships they endured to ensure their freedoms. I'm always a bit reflective of all of our history, and it's strong here in the northeast.
5. Football - 'cause really, what would it be without football? Whether it's the old high school rivals duking it out in the freezing cold of Thanksgiving morning or the pros on TV, it's a great day for football.
6. Clean, crisp air - I love autumn, especially in New England. There's really nothing like feeling the crispness in the air, seeing your breath come out in plumes, and hearing the crunch of leaves under your feet.
7. Decorations - cornucopias, gourds, pumpkins, corn stalks, hay bales, etc. The girls have already brought home some cute ones - currently we have a scarecrow and a black cat on our back door :)
8. Black Friday - I'm not going to get up at 4 a.m. (or earlier, perish the thought) and actually go out with all the other loonies (no offense if you are one). I will, however, check out the online sales and shop from the comfort of my home office, in my PJ's, with a cup of steaming tea or coffee.
9. Laughter - might seem like a strange thing to have on my Thanksgiving list ... but when you mix great food and family, there's usually laughter in the air, and I love it.
10. Thanksgiving - I mean the true Giving of Thanks. I thank the Lord that I have my wonderful family, some great true friends, my health, and lots of great opportunities to add to my awesome memories.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Ten on Tuesday - 10 Movies I Want To See
Ok, so you should probably know that I rarely get to the movie theater. We have small children, that should be all the excuse I need! That said, there are some really great movies either out or coming out that I *really* want to see. Here is my list ...
1. Morning Glory - Um, yeah, Harrison Ford? Even old, he's good.
2. Megamind - This just looks funny!
3. Tangled - Can't wait to take the girls to see the latest Disney epic :)
4. Harry Potter - Can't get enough of Harry! I'm so so glad they split the final book into two movies, prolongs the goodness!
5. Hereafter - Mmmmmm, Matt Damon. Nuff said!
6. Life As We Know It - See #5 but substitute Josh Duhamel for Matt Damon.
7. The Next Three Days - love me a good action flick!
8. How Do You Know? - Anything with Owen Wilson & Reese Witherspoon has to be good, right?
9. Conviction - I hadn't heard of this one 'til I read Carole's list ... then I looked up the movie. This happened when I was a senior in high school right here in Massachusetts ... so why can't I remember it? Sounds pretty intriguing ... and I have brothers, whom I love dearly - I can't wait to see this movie!
10. Stone - I'm game for anything with the master, DeNiro, in the cast.
Now the question becomes ... will I actually get to see *any* of these in the movies, or will I have to wait 'til they're released on DVD or (worse yet) come out on TV??
1. Morning Glory - Um, yeah, Harrison Ford? Even old, he's good.
2. Megamind - This just looks funny!
3. Tangled - Can't wait to take the girls to see the latest Disney epic :)
4. Harry Potter - Can't get enough of Harry! I'm so so glad they split the final book into two movies, prolongs the goodness!
5. Hereafter - Mmmmmm, Matt Damon. Nuff said!
6. Life As We Know It - See #5 but substitute Josh Duhamel for Matt Damon.
7. The Next Three Days - love me a good action flick!
8. How Do You Know? - Anything with Owen Wilson & Reese Witherspoon has to be good, right?
9. Conviction - I hadn't heard of this one 'til I read Carole's list ... then I looked up the movie. This happened when I was a senior in high school right here in Massachusetts ... so why can't I remember it? Sounds pretty intriguing ... and I have brothers, whom I love dearly - I can't wait to see this movie!
10. Stone - I'm game for anything with the master, DeNiro, in the cast.
Now the question becomes ... will I actually get to see *any* of these in the movies, or will I have to wait 'til they're released on DVD or (worse yet) come out on TV??
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
Ten on Tuesday - 10 Dream Vacations
Only 10? I have an awful lot of places to go ... and unfortunately for me, not a lot of time or money to get there!! Anyway, here goes ...
1. Hawaii ... Shawn and I went to Hawaii for 2 weeks on our honeymoon, and I can't wait to go back. It's a beautiful locale, and it can be everything you dream about!
2. Australia ... this one is definitely on my bucket list!
3. Italy ... I've gone with my father and with my mother, and I'd love to go again. When we went we stuck to the popular locations, Rome, Florence, Venice ... this time I'd like to see Tuscany and the smaller villages.
4. Aruba ... I'm not sure I remember ever hearing anything bad about Aruba!
5. Bermuda ... always a favorite!
6. England ... I want to see all the favorite tourist spots, the tower, the castle, etc.
7. Scotland ... it looks so green and beautiful in the pictures, I'd love to see it in person!
8. Tahiti ... there's just something about a tropical island paradise, ya know?!
9. Disney ... DisneyWorld, DisneyLand, DisneyTokyo, you name it and I'd love to see it!
10. The rest of the USA ... I've been to 29 states & Washington D.C., whether it be on vacation, or just passing through. But I'd love to be able to say that I've seen a little bit of every state in this wonderful country. My big dream is to travel to all the major league baseball stadiums and watch the Red Sox play in them :)
1. Hawaii ... Shawn and I went to Hawaii for 2 weeks on our honeymoon, and I can't wait to go back. It's a beautiful locale, and it can be everything you dream about!
2. Australia ... this one is definitely on my bucket list!
3. Italy ... I've gone with my father and with my mother, and I'd love to go again. When we went we stuck to the popular locations, Rome, Florence, Venice ... this time I'd like to see Tuscany and the smaller villages.
4. Aruba ... I'm not sure I remember ever hearing anything bad about Aruba!
5. Bermuda ... always a favorite!
6. England ... I want to see all the favorite tourist spots, the tower, the castle, etc.
7. Scotland ... it looks so green and beautiful in the pictures, I'd love to see it in person!
8. Tahiti ... there's just something about a tropical island paradise, ya know?!
9. Disney ... DisneyWorld, DisneyLand, DisneyTokyo, you name it and I'd love to see it!
10. The rest of the USA ... I've been to 29 states & Washington D.C., whether it be on vacation, or just passing through. But I'd love to be able to say that I've seen a little bit of every state in this wonderful country. My big dream is to travel to all the major league baseball stadiums and watch the Red Sox play in them :)
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Ten on Tuesday - 10 Ways To Simplify Your Life
For today's 'Ten on Tuesday' the topic is '10 Ways To Simplify Your Life' ... hmmmmm. When I saw this week's topic, I thought, "Gee, that ought to be easy!" On further thought, not so much, LOL. Well, easy to spout out ways to do it ... not so much in the actual doing. Anyway, here goes ...
1. Learn to make a list ... and use it! Whether it's a 'to-do' list or a grocery list, putting it down on paper (or on your phone) means you are less likely to forget something.
2. Learn to say "NO!" If you have less obligations, you'll have more time for the important stuff.
3. Organize your space. I struggle with this one. I want to be organized, but have a hard time implementing the plan. If everything is where it belongs, it's easier (and faster) to get things done.
4. Plan meals ahead. To me not much is more frustrating than that 4:00 "What am I going to cook for dinner?" panic! I may not stick to my weekly menu plan, but I have a plan and it makes it much easier to know that I need to take the roast out of the freezer on Tuesday morning so it will defrost in time to put in the oven!
5. Avoid wasted trips. Group your errands together and save time. Why run to the post office now and then drive right by it in a few hours on your way to the bank?
6. Get rid of some preconceived notions that everything has to be perfect. My Mom used to make dinners that consisted of a meat, a starch, and two veggies (almost always different colors). Yeah, well sometimes I accomplish that ... but sometimes my kids get mac & cheese for dinner. With no veggies. Sue me.
7. Don't sweat the small stuff. Honestly, if you get this one down, everything else falls into place. Put your priorities in order and then give them top billing, always.
8. Build some 'me' time into each and every day. Take 5 minutes to file your nails. Read a couple chapters in the book on your nightstand. Flip through your new magazine and have a cup of tea. Knit a few rows on the sweater/shawl/scarf you're making. Whatever it is, make the time to enjoy it.
9. Institute a 'work-and-reward' system to make chores seem more fun. Whether you do it by time or task, it'll help. Yesterday I made myself wash windows (ugh) ... so I made it fun by giving myself a reward after each couple of windows! Wash two windows ... knit for fifteen minutes. Wash the picture window (inside & out) ... play Bejeweled for five games. I got my windows done & it didn't seem so bad :)
10. I'll borrow the last one from Fly Lady ... clean & shine your sink. A clean sink just makes life simpler, doesn't it?
1. Learn to make a list ... and use it! Whether it's a 'to-do' list or a grocery list, putting it down on paper (or on your phone) means you are less likely to forget something.
2. Learn to say "NO!" If you have less obligations, you'll have more time for the important stuff.
3. Organize your space. I struggle with this one. I want to be organized, but have a hard time implementing the plan. If everything is where it belongs, it's easier (and faster) to get things done.
4. Plan meals ahead. To me not much is more frustrating than that 4:00 "What am I going to cook for dinner?" panic! I may not stick to my weekly menu plan, but I have a plan and it makes it much easier to know that I need to take the roast out of the freezer on Tuesday morning so it will defrost in time to put in the oven!
5. Avoid wasted trips. Group your errands together and save time. Why run to the post office now and then drive right by it in a few hours on your way to the bank?
6. Get rid of some preconceived notions that everything has to be perfect. My Mom used to make dinners that consisted of a meat, a starch, and two veggies (almost always different colors). Yeah, well sometimes I accomplish that ... but sometimes my kids get mac & cheese for dinner. With no veggies. Sue me.
7. Don't sweat the small stuff. Honestly, if you get this one down, everything else falls into place. Put your priorities in order and then give them top billing, always.
8. Build some 'me' time into each and every day. Take 5 minutes to file your nails. Read a couple chapters in the book on your nightstand. Flip through your new magazine and have a cup of tea. Knit a few rows on the sweater/shawl/scarf you're making. Whatever it is, make the time to enjoy it.
9. Institute a 'work-and-reward' system to make chores seem more fun. Whether you do it by time or task, it'll help. Yesterday I made myself wash windows (ugh) ... so I made it fun by giving myself a reward after each couple of windows! Wash two windows ... knit for fifteen minutes. Wash the picture window (inside & out) ... play Bejeweled for five games. I got my windows done & it didn't seem so bad :)
10. I'll borrow the last one from Fly Lady ... clean & shine your sink. A clean sink just makes life simpler, doesn't it?
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