Gift Card Stinginess

Have you ever been the recipient of a Gift Card and instantly become the most stingiest person on the planet.  That would be me right now. 

 

I have my hot little hands on a great gift card and I can't decide what to spend it on.  Moreover I'm trying to be creative with my book selection so I can get the most out of the card. 

For example, do you order a book with a future release date, which won't be available until February 2014 (ARGH!), or do you use it towards a book available now? But if you order a book that is now available, which do you choose, an older book that might not cost as much or treat yourself to a new release and say "Hell ya, you deserve it!"

I think examples are needed for assistance.....

Okay so this one is available for $6.99 and available now, but since its part of a set I'd have to get the others too, even though I was able to read them for free through the library, but you need the full set if you are going to buy the last in a series.  It just makes sense to have the full set, and you know there are many of you out there shaking your head and thinking, of course it does.

or should I try for this one...

 



Available February 25, 2014 for $15.99.  But it isn't available until FEBRUARY!!!! FEBURARY 2014 PEOPLE!!!!!

 

Yes, I know this is part of another series of books, but there are so many in the series that I would be able to collect them slowly.  Trust me since I've gone digital, something I never thought I would do, I've been able to amass a huge collection so this would fit in nicely on my NOOK with room to spare. 

 

Okay so here's another one...

 

All photos courtesy of BarnesandNoble.com

 

Its only $8.99 and it reminds me of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but yet again another series.  What's with me and series books!!!!! 

 

Or should I just pick any one of the 63 books I have marked to read on my GoodReads list?

 

Indecisive right, if only all of my decisions could end up like this, with something good for me no matter what I decide.   Who knows maybe I'll get another card for the holidays and I can buy all of these! 

 

What would you do?



 

Crayon Holder - Girly Style

A pretty little lady turned one this month and we were all invited to celebrate with her and her family.  I was going to go the traditional route and buy her a clothes when I spoke to her father and inspiration struck.  We had a funny chat about sizes and he said no, please no clothes, so it was back to the drawing board.  Then inspiration struck, I could create an artsy gift and make a girly version of the crayon holder I had made for VDub, get some finger paints and poster board for a huge baby creation/crafty gift!  Plus I would get to use some of my girly saved-up fabric stash too, including PINK!

I stumbled upon the perfect fabric in my collection.....Cupcakes!!!!

I think it turned out soo cute but guess what, I forgot to take a picture of it with the WASHABLE Crayons.  ARGH!!!  Next time.

After I assembled the gift, I headed into the kitchen to make 4 dozen Smores Cookies  since her mommy liked them.  As I was baking VDub and his daddy raced in and stole some cookies so I made an  additional batch while they both devoured their plunder. 

Parenting Tip - At the Supermarket

When your little one learns how to walk and refuses to walk right by your side and refuses even more so to sit in the cart, try this....

Just be sure they can reach the handles. 

It saved me some yelling time at the store and I was able to walk out with my milk, fruit, veggies and cereal.  All is right with the world.

Crayon Holder

VDub loves to color, so much so that we carry a box of crayons and a composition book with us everywhere in case he's in the mood to draw (or make us draw) Thomas or any of the other engines.  The box has definitely seen better days and is falling apart slowly but surely and when the top came off the last time I remembered a great craft to make for him, a crayon holder. 

 

Vdub even sat on my lap while I was sewing so you could say he made it himself, but after about a minute of sitting still he was done and off he went to play with his trains. 

This fabric was from my stash collection and proved to me its always good to pick up that fat quarter or remnant that's on sale because you never know who it will make happy.  This time it was Vdub and boy was he excited about the holder, well mostly the crayons but you get the idea.

The Makings of a Dunkin Donut Munchkin Lover

We started him early....

and even though it may not look like it from his munching face, he loves them, especially the chocolate munchkins!  

The Quilt That Did Me In.....

Six months plus, of selecting fabric, cutting the fabric, sizing up pieces, piecing the quilt, putting it down because I wanted to add more fabric, taking it apart because I didn't like, trying it again because I thought hey this can work, right, I mean it looks cute right....

so I took a good long look at it from this angle.....

and then from this angle........

and even thought about standing on my head to see if from that angle it would look cute when I realized I needed to throw in the towel with this one.  I clearly wasn't in love with it and I couldn't present it as a gift and expect someone to care for it if I didn't.

So all of this partially pieced quilt will be retiring indefinitely to the dustbin.... 

Lesson learned....contemplating standing on your head will not make a quilt look better, it will just give you a headache. 

Time away was well spent!

Its hard being a working mom.  I want to do everything at once, spend time with my family, give my all to my employer and find some me time to read, relax and just recharge so I let somethings go such as my attempts to blog and lived a little offline....

I took in the Jillian Michaels Maximize Your Life Tour and not only received some wonderful information but I got to spend a night out with a good friend. 

Mi esposo and I are reading to V-Dub who is soaking every little thing in.  Now we are trying, emphasis on the trying, to teach V-dub his numbers and letters.  So far my selections have been good but I fear V-Dub doesn't share my love of Jane Austen which I realized when I presented him with the below book to learn to count...

Yup, the excitement just isn't there.....

Mi esposo and I are voracious readers and are hoping our little Einstein turns into a lover of books too so the next logical step was to bring him to the Library and let him choose. 

It helped that the library has a play area not to mention trains, his greatest love so far, and books on trains to boot, which makes the Library an awesome place to visit.  

We headed over to the park, mostly to exhaust, our kid so that he could have a nap, but at times it reminded me of his birthing story, check out the below and I dare you not to cringe.... HA!

V-Dub had a ball, took a nap and everyone was happy.

We are learning to color using WASHABLE crayons.  The key here future moms out there is washable....you'll see why below.... 

He's getting the hang of it though.  I mean it looks like he was going to color in the lines right.

I spent some quality time with my sister and cousin and revisited my teenage years by watching NKOTB in concert.  "The Remix" is my new favorite song to put on when I'm busting my butt on the treadmill, plus I've gotten a couple other ladies to sing it along with me.  Definitely fun times!

  

 Encouraged more reading time for V-Dub.....

and all around got to spend time with my favorite boys...

Yup, my time was definitely well spent.  

Longwood Gardens

We trekked to Longwood Gardens for the first time with V-dub to see the Chrysanthemum  Festival back in the Fall of 2012 and had a fantastic time.  This trip definitely taught me a valuable Mommy lesson for the future.  

The Chrysanthemum displays were spectacular.  The talent and especially the patience it took to grow and nurture a plant to bloom 100 bulbs or more is astounding.  

Can you believe all of these beautiful flowers are from one plant!  

V-dub loved running around and the employees and volunteers of Longwood Garden's didn't mind one bit.  A couple of them even smiled at him and laughed along when he was cracking up as we told him the names of the plants. Apparently Plant talk is funny. Thank you Lord!  

Longwood Garden's has a children's garden both indoors and outside which was a pleasant surprise.  The indoor garden contained the most elaborate water features to V-dub's delight and he proceeded to soaked himself thoroughly while having a blast. Luckily I follow the advice of two great women, thanks mom and sis, and pack a second set of clothes for emergencies.  This was definitely an emergency.  STAT!!!  We had to dry him before he caught a chill so we could head outside to brave the elements to see the main reason for the trip, the train setup.  

Okay to be honest, we didn't go for the Chrysanthemum Festival, that was just a treat.  What we really went for was the Choo!  A train set featuring Thomas the Tank Engine was to be featured outside near the outdoor children's garden.  Notice I wrote "was to be featured," now here comes the lesson dear Reader...for the future to avoid any unpleasantries, CALL BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT TO THE LOCATION/EVENT TO CONFIRM A SPECIAL DISPLAY IS STILL UP!!!!

  

Remember when I said I wish I had the patience it must take to grow and nurture a plant to bloom 100 bulbs...luckily for me both my son and mi esposo have a lot of patience with me.  Unbeknownst to me, as I never called ahead, the train setup that was outside, (this  visit to Longwood Gardens occurred very soon after Stormy Sandy, yes that long ago), that unfortunately they hadn't re-set the trains, so in other words there was a bridge, a huge structure, but no trains, not a one!  

You can't put anything past V-dub so once he saw the inkling of a bridge, he knew without a doubt there should have been a choo and when that choo didn't surface everyone within a one mile radius must have heard his displeasure. "Oh no...where da choo go!"  

It isn't hard to see the look of disappointment on this cute face.

Again important parental lesson learned....ALWAYS CALL HEAD TO ENSURE THE CHOO IS OPERATING IF NOT AVOID THE CHOO SETUP! 

We did have a stroke of luck later as we wandered into the right place at the right time as V-dub was entertained by a water display and most likely forgave his mother for her infraction of the day. 

Knowing how lucky I was that my son was patient and didn't have a freak out because the choo wasn't setup nor did mi esposo hold it over my head, I vowed to take them back.  I know dramatic much, but I needed to rectify the situation.  

I planned our next trip thoughtfully.  Mi esposo and I decided to head back on a week day to avoid the crowds and I called ahead to be sure the Choo display with up. SUCCESS ALL AROUND!!!!  

V-dub couldn't believe it when not only Thomas pulled up in front of him but James too! 

I love the look of surprise on his face! Definitely priceless.

Here is Percy on his way with a Special Delivery.

But wait who is coming around the track....its Thomas!

Thomas was super fast heading around the track, and we kept telling V-dub, he has to be fast, remember there can't be any delay on Sir Topamhat's railway. Yes, we are into the show too.  So much so that mi esposo kept instructing other children on the proper name of the trains when said children were calling them by their incorrect name. HA!  

V-dub had a ball, evidenced by the fact that we stayed at the exhibit for about 20+ minutes in the cold.  He would have stayed longer but I was knocked down by this the child in the fireman's hat below. Even thought that kid hit me hard (what are his parents feeding him, I mean I was down on my butt when he knocked into me), I got up dusted myself off, trying to maintain my "put together mom appearance" and continued on because all that mattered was that V-dub was no longer disappointed and he had seen his beloved Choo!

Random Good Stuff - Kitchen Goodies

Should any of you readers out there spy any of these lovely items, please know they, each and definitely all, would receive an incredibly warm welcome at my home.

 

Aren't these two so cute!!!  I can already imagine getting my Lactaid Milk from the creamer and sugar or at least mi esposo getting it for me since he makes me my tea.

 

On a warm summer day, this gorgeous pitcher would serve the most delicious lemonade that mi esposo would make for me.  Kind of a theme I have going huh, all things blue and mi esposo making stuff for me.  Oh yeah! 

Now this set I'd use to prepare something for mi esposo so never fear dear Reader, he doesn't do all the cooking.  I know I do not need them but I would so want to get a new set like this gorgeous blue Belmont stoneware set from Mikasa.  A long, long time ago when I used to work for a tyrant, I happily discovered a silver lining in that horrible cloud of a line on my resume, as the tyrant's office was in close proximity to a Mikasa store.  I spent many a happy lunch hour perusing the aisles and oohing and ahhing over all of their gorgeous crystal, dishes and cups that I purchased either for myself or for family members.     

Okay back to work and no more dreaming of blue kitchen goodies.

Quilting continues....

There is so much going on with work duties, home duties and this so called farce of a work balance life that I find it so incredibly hard to set aside some time to just relax and focus on a project.  

Luckily I have a great cheering squad made of of my lovely family especially mi esposo and V-dub who are always ready to give me that extra pep to keep going.   

One of the projects I was able to create was a quilt for my niece, now this was back some time ago but I finally found time to post it.  Little victories right!!! 

I used the always wonderful Allison's CluckCluckSew Road Trip pattern which I credit with teaching me the patience and the beauty of making a quilt.  

I decided on a collection of prints that played with green tones which is a beautiful match for my niece's unique eye color.   Did you know green eyes are a rarity!  

Layout of the quilt...notice the tea and apples at the end....my power source....and now the finished quilt. 

I love it!!!!  The orange trim is a departure from my typical understated pairings and I'm incredibly happy with the turnout.  The orange beautifully compliments the green tones and makes the orange in the flower patterned fabric pop just like my niece's electric personality.   

Yes, I'm sure you are noticing the abundance of leaves on the ground and you might be thinking to yourself, wait a minute was this picture from last fall, absolutely but remember better late, incredibly late in this case, than never!