When I was a college student in the not-so-distant past, I made a habit of picking up Yes (”Your Ultimate Valley Shopping Guide”) from the distribution racks that littered the campus. This weekly publication contained more advertising than substance, and what actual content it had was unexceptional (with the exception of Jaimee Rose’s editorial column back in the day, when she shared my affinity for black and white and “The OC”). However, it gave me something to read while riding the shuttle back to the parking lot; for that, I am grateful.

I still get a copy from the local library now and then, and was interested to see the headline, “Comfy flats and big bags for Black Friday survival”. You see, Black Friday shopping is a hallowed tradition for me, which started long before it occurred to the unwashed masses to camp outside of Best Buy overnight and trample innocent Walmart employees in pursuit of $100 off a plasma television. So I was curious to see what Yes would recommend to “keep [my] fashionista cred intact”…

Good thing these shoes are labeled “bargain”. I’ll need that savings to offset the cost of the $328 tote. Those fussy drawstings look like they could pose a problem when I’m digging for my wallet while precariously balancing a pile of goods… At least the irate people behind me in line will appreciate my fashion sense!

Gladiator sandals are the perfect footwear for waiting outside of a store at 3:30 AM. It’s 47 degrees at that hour, but practicality must be ignored when fashion is at stake. Who needs socks? They only serve to hide my pedicure, and Chanel Blue Satin nail polish ain’t cheap!

Seriously, what kind of vain women are buying into this rubbish? Probably the same women who would buy a $1200 holiday flower arrangement:

Whiskey-tango-foxtrot, people?!

Me? On Black Friday, I chose to forgo the advice of Yes while putting together the perfect outfit for storming Babies “R” Us at 5 AM. I was sporting a hoodie from Eddie Bauer (the poofy fleece material adds 10 pounds, but it’s warm) over a long-sleeve tee from the Gap, Old Navy jeans, and Nike sneakers that Pussycat used as a chew toy years ago. Oh, I can’t forget the handbag! It’s from the 75% off clearance rack at Target (while my Michael Kors and Juicy Couture bags languish in the closet due to a dearth of functional pockets).

We scored six boxes of diapers (756 diapers total) and six boxes of baby wipes (2,880 wipes total) for $97.24.  (For my readers sans children: that’s incredible. Trust me.) Not as good as last year, when there was no limit in place and my pregnant self (along with K.) cleared out every remaining box in the place, but I’m content with my Black Friday purchases. Ya’ll can keep your Blu-ray players and gladiator sandals.

{ 1 comment }

The entire family is sequestered while we try to complete the massive amount of stuff that needs to be done before we leave for our “Not Back To School Days” trip to Disneyland. The older boys proved incapable of doing schoolwork on our spontaneous trip to the Vegas last week, so that means dozens of lessons have to be finished in addition to their regular work. No one is very happy at the moment, least of all me.

Some things that are making me happy:

Mon.thly.Info - This site keeps track of your menstrual cycles and predicts when I will have my period (and ovulation, if I was into the idea more babies right now). It even e-mails a helpful reminder two days before the “event”, so I don’t have to make a rushed trip to The Store That Shall Not Be Named for tampons. Brilliant use of technology.

Ruche - This online boutique has a feeling that’s similar to Anthropologie, yet I don’t have to sell my first-born child to afford it. Also: some organic cotton items. I highly approve. I bought this Magenta Flowing Forest Scarf, this Wooden Branch Charm Necklace, and these Leafy Filigree Earrings. I wish I wasn’t too fussy to buy shoes online, because these Brown Lacey Lace Flats are calling me.

The local library added shopping baskets for use by patrons. As someone who wanders among the shelves while balancing a precarious stack of books, this addition is greatly appreciated. Now if only they could block MySpace on the public computers…Thirty-two computers, and every one is occupied by a preteen.

Twitter - Now that I have an iPhone, it is 10x more fun. I can twitter while doing interesting things, as opposed to every post being along the lines of: “Sitting at my desk. Working.” TwitPic is my friend. (Not so much: the Twitter application for Facebook. I gave it the boot after it filled up my profile page with status updates, making me look like a loser who hangs out on social networking sites all day long.)

Brady fell in love with a kiddie piano at FAO Schwarz and I hesistantly plunked down $50 to bring this one home (because a pink Baby Grand for $175? Not happening.) Would he continue to be enamored with it enough to justify the cost (as well as the hassle of dragging it through Caesars Palace)? Oh, yes. Brady thinks he’s Baby Elton John, tickling the ivories all day long (and sometimes teething on the piano lid, using it to pull himself to a semi-standing position, or falling over and hitting his head on the keys with a resounding “PLONK!”).

{ 0 comments }

I kicked off the day with a dentist appointment, and left with an aching mouth and an exhortation to floss (which I do, religiously).

School starts in less than a week, and we have yet to receive our books. I can’t get organized, and my sanity depends on organization.

I’ve got an inbox full of correspondence I’ve neglected.

My hip is acting up for no discernible reason (aside from scoliosis).

Brady was fussier than usual.

And my grandpa died this afternoon.

Yeah, it was a bad day.

At least I have this to cheer me:

Brady with the piece of tortilla he mooched at Chipotle, 8/3/08

{ 0 comments }

While trapped in the house due to chicken pox quarantine and blazing heat avoidance, I’ve been trying to accomplish things around the house. Most of these things don’t lend themself to blogging, unless you’re interested in:

• disposing of plastic food storage containers with no matching lids (or vice versa),
• recycling cardboard boxes strewn about the garage,
• putting books on the bookcase we moved upstairs,
• packing up old school books to send back to K12 to make room for the new books that will arrive any day now,
• posting our old microwave on Freecycle,
• or pulling the creeping weeds of evilness that invaded our yard.

One project is photogenic enough to warrant mention, though. Using this starched fabric decal tutorial, I added a giraffe to Brady’s room.

The recessed area above his bed was definitely lacking something. I wanted an easily removed, cheap bit of artwork since the Pottery Barn jungle animal motif will disappear when the baby outgrows his crib. Using this lamp for inspiration:

I bought two yards of white and yellow gingham fabric for $2 at our local Store-Which-Shall-Not-Be-Named, as well as a 52 cent scrap of orange. I made an enlarged paper pattern of the giraffe using Rapid Resizer, cut out the body, and stuck the fabric up there using the tutorial directions. I was concerned that the bumpy wall texture (prevalent in Arizona houses) would cause a heinous end result, but it worked out fine (although smooth walls = best results). I then cut some freehanded orange spots; in retrospect, I would have liked a lighter orange, but not enough to warrant a trip to another fabric store.

Kyle thinks that I should add a tree. And clouds. And a bird. (This project was easy, but not THAT easy.)

I vaguely recall that this was originally supposed to be a knitting blog. My knitting output has diminished greatly since the baby arrived. (Note: I was knitting prior to his arrival, but failed to document any of it. It involved booties and hats that were outgrown in the blink of an eye, because Brady is in the 90th percentile for height/weight.) But while we’re discussing crafty stuff, I’ll post this:

The second sleeve to my #@!* Hourglass Sweater, which had better fit this time around. I am so close to finishing it, but am so bored of endless stockinette stitch with Classic Elite Bam Boo (Bougainvilla) yarn that hurts my hands.

And this:

A Shadow Scarf in Knitpicks Shimmer (Bayou). I was working on one of these before my lace yarn met a tragic end and I frogged the whole thing. (Pussycat has only attacked the yarn for this scarf during the initial winding, resulting in minor damages. Knock on wood.) I like knitting lace. It appeals to my perfectionist side. This project is highly portable with an easily memorized pattern (about all I can hope for at the moment) and the resulting fabric is super soft and cuddly. Yay!

{ 0 comments }