My mom stopped by today with my protein powder and I was so happy! I’ve been trying to get enough protein to keep me full but I discovered I’d have to eat massive amounts of food to equal the protein I get from favorite shake mix.

I used to stop in and pick up my stuff at the local GNC but that was when I knew the woman who owned the franchise. I just loved her and the other women she had working for her. I have no idea why she left or sold out, but apparently no one wanted to buy the business so now it’s run by the corporate office. Just between us, I don’t like it nearly as much as I did when it was an individually owned store.

Anyway, even with the gold card, my protein powder is kind of pricey. The other day I got an email newsletter from an store where I’ve purchased vitamins. On a whim, I checked out their protein powders and they carry my favorite for $20 less than GNC! How cool is that? With shipping at just $7, it’s still a great buy.

I think I’ve found a new way to get my protein powder.

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I found something really unusual at the mall just before Christmas. Right next to the place where I get my nails done is a little jewelry store. That may not seem so special but it is.

I was waiting for my turn to get my nails done and wandered into the store to ask if they had any ring guards. My rings are a little too big and my last ring guard had broken. The lady told me she didn’t but that she’d be happy to resize my ring. I thanked her but explained that I didn’t want to send my rings away.

This woman told me that she would size my rings right there, while I wait! The really unusual thing is that she didn’t belong to a chain but was an independent jeweler. I couldn’t believe it. My dad’s friend was a jeweler and that’s the only place where my parents ever bought fine jewelry.

I looked around a little at the rings, pendants and a few pieces of men’s jewelry and was quite impressed. Seems they craft most of their own jewelry, which means you can actually work with this woman and her husband to create a unique piece that no one else will ever have. How cool is that?

I know there are many independent jewelers out there but in this area, the last one was my dad’s friend. When he retired and closed up shop there was no one else nearby. I think Pittsburgh was the closest.

So this is exciting. I can’t wait to get my nails done again so I can have my rings sized while I wait and talk baubles with store owner.

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Men are mysterious creatures. I know, they say women are a mystery but we’re not. We’re really easy to understand. I’ve been trying to understand my husband and sons for decades but I still walk away scratching my head.

My son went to a hardware store for a tool. That’s right, one tool. He bought that one tool. He walked around the hardware store for about an hour, that one tool in his hand. He came home with all kinds of new ideas about how he’s going to fix his apartment. Fair enough, I understand the concept of window shopping. The guys in my family do it with hardware and pickup truck accessories while I do it with makeup, clothes and tech toys.

What I don’t understand is why these same men rush me when I’m looking at things that I find interesting. In fact, why can’t they enjoy the shopping experience when I’m looking at a new dress or really interesting new shade of eyeshadow? I always seem to find things to interest me when I’m in the hardware store with them. Why are men unable to at least pretend to be interested in the things I enjoy?

Don’t answser that. If you’re a woman, you’ll understand what I’m saying. If you’re a man, you’ll offer an excuse that does not compute in my brain. Just another difference, I suppose.

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I do love shopping for Christmas gifts, anticipating the smiles and joy on my kids’ faces. I just don’t like heading out into the crowds at this time of year. As I’ve mentioned before, I do as much shopping online as possible. Only bicycles, that need to be assembled, get purchased locally. For everything else, I wear out my mouse button instead of my shoes as shop for the perfect gifts at the right prices.

I’ve mentioned other bargains and great shopping sites before and one thing I’ve noticed is the over abundance of sales and giveaways this year. For instance, did you see the All I want for Christmas Giveaway at Overstock.com? You didn’t? Oh, my! You have to get over there and check it out.

Overstock.com is giving away is giving away gifts valued at up to $1000 that you choose beginning today. Just register for the prize of your choice and enter the email addresses of 5 of your friends for a chance for all of you to win. Oh, and you can choose another prize every day! My friend Colleen added my name and I emailed my friends Alli, Suni, Ang., DonnaLeigh and Jenn so that they could all have a chance to win.

This is probably the best contest I’ve seen for quite some time. Now excuse me while I head over to Overstock.com to shop. Because you know, they have some of the best prices anywhere online!

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I’ve posted about this idea twice in the past week on various forums. I realized that I’d never blogged about it, though.

A couple decades ago I asked my husband what he wanted for Christmas. This was back when we had fewer kids and still bought each other gifts. He told me that he didn’t want anything for Christmas; he just wanted to work as much as he could and save money. So I thought I’d give him money but that just didn’t seem like a good gift. Then I thought about getting him a case of Budweiser, since he usually has a few beers after work, but that doesn’t last long. And that’s when I got the idea.

I did a little research and made some calls – remember, this was before we had the internet here – and purchased stock in Anheuser Busch. When I got the certificates, I framed them and wrapped them up. I’m sure my husband thought he was getting a picture of the kids or something. When he saw the stock certificate framed, he was so excited! His whole face lit up and he just kept looking at it and smiling. He showed everyone who came to the house that Christmas.

Now, not everyone will want stock in Anheuser Busch. But if you want to give someone a money-type gift that’s more personal than cash, then it’s really worth the effort to figure out what it is they enjoy and use that as a theme for the stock you purchase. With all the online resources today, you might even be able to find a few great investments at the same time.

We were lucky that Anheuser Busch was such a good stock to buy to begin with. We’ve reinvested the dividends and the stock has split a few times since then, too. Just imagine if I’d been able to do real research online!

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Since I’ve done a few reviews of really great Christmas gifts for kids of various ages, I thought I’d mention gifts for families. Sometimes it makes more sense to choose one gift for everyone rather than several smaller gifts. My own kids are spread out in age too much for that but I still face this issue with my parents and my mother-in-law. In these situations, “family gift” means that several families go in together to purchase one larger gift for those people who really don’t need anything small, You, people like your retired parents?

When my mother-in-law mentioned that she’d always wanted one of the beautiful Howard Miller grandfather clocks she had seen at a small shop downstate, we just knew that it would make a perfect gift for her. That was years ago and that clock has made 3 moves with her over those years and is still just as beautiful today as it was then.

Finding the perfect clock for my mother-in-law was a bit of a challenge. There were few stores in our area and we didn’t have the internet back then. Shopping for such a special gift is so much easier today! Really, we have the entire shopping world at our fingertips, don’t we?

Since I’ve been struggling to find a suitable gift for my own parents this year, I’ve been doing some shop-surfing and I just keep going back to the beautiful clocks by Howard Miller. Nothing else I find catches my eye like those do. Since I haven’t discussed this with my parents, though, and would rather not since it would be a gift, I’ve been reading about tips on buying the perfect clock as a gift. There’s so much to learn about clocks, home decor and how to make a smart purchase!

As much as I’d love to surprise my parents, I think I probably need to run this past my mom first. I hope she’s interested; I’ve already picked out three favorites!

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No matter how tempting the bargains are on Black Friday, I simply cannot bring myself to face the crowds on the Friday after Thanksgiving. I know there are people who make an event of this. They wake up early, sit in their cars in parking lots, waiting for stores and malls to open. Then they rush in, scooping up every bargain and hot deal in site. They break for breakfast and then head out again, hitting more stores, searching out more bargains.

I’ve never done it and never will.

My favorite Christmas shopping tradition is only about 6 years old: shopping online. Except for bikes, because I like the store to assemble them for me, I get just about everything online now. So many places have free shipping when you order a certain amount and as for deals and bargains, it doesn’t take much to find sites dedicated to helping you find the best prices and great online coupons. Myy newest favorite has everything from exclusive deals to coupons and rebates including dell coupons! Since 5 of our computers here are Dells, that’s really a great find.

One of the great things about techbargains.com is that they not only offer great deals on tech items but they also provide reviews to help you make your choices. Their database of products is comprehensive and allows for quick and easy comparison shopping. That’s so much easier than running from store to store and certainly more reliable than taking the advice of salespeople trying to make a sale.

When you head over there, be sure to sign up for their newsletter so you can get a weekly update on on the great deals and the newest rebates. In fact, since techbargains.com updates every day – including weekends and holidays – you might want to subscribe to their RSS feed, too. That way, you won’t miss a single deal.

Of course, if you really want to do the Black Friday shopping, techbargains.com has a link to all the online Black Friday deals, too. That’s right, you can get some really great bargains on the most famous shopping day of the year, right from your own living room. That’s exactly where I’ll be!

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When I first set my mind to losing all my “baby fat” back in 1999, I gave up all sugar. I even refused to consume artificial sweeteners. It wasn’t that I worried about the effect on my health; instead, I simply hated the taste of any of the artificial sweeteners available at the grocery store. Needless to say, I missed having a something sweet now and then. But I was strong and stuck to my eating plan.

I don’t remember exactly when I first heard the word “Splenda” but I do know I was excited and curious about this new artificial sweetener that supposedly left no aftertaste. Not finding it in my local stores, I ordered it online. Problem was, after getting it I wasn’t sure how best to use it. You see, I was never one to bake sweets and I’d never made candy. Next step, then, was to track down a recipe. Or several. In the end, I settled on a low-carb version of Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups that turned out to be absolutely scrumptious. To this day, they are still my favorite low-carb sweet snack. This is the recipe for one batch:

Low-Carb Peanut Butter Cups

• 1 Stick butter
• 1 Tablespoon Virgin Coconut Oil (optional)
• 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• 1/3 cup Splenda
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 Tablespoon heavy cream

Melt Butter and Virgin Coconut Oil (if used). Blend in chocolate until completely dissolved. Beat in Splenda, Peanut Butter and last, the heavy cream. Pour into cupcake papers in muffin tin and freeze. Lick the bowl. Ready to eat in 15 minutes.

The only problem with the recipe is that it doesn’t make enough for me and all my kids. Yes, my kids love them, too, and even though the kids don’t eat strictly low-carb, I do like to limit their sugar consumption. Making this recipe doubled or tripled is hard on my poor arm, though. You see, I have only a hand held mixer. Also, I’m just 4’11″ so in order to hold the mixer in the bowl, I have to hold my arm up in the air. I guess that’s why I’ve never really baked much. It’s just that this recipe keeps me on my low-carb lifestyle so I suffer through the preparation to satisfy my sweet tooth without the sugar.

Since my birthday is just around the corner, I’ve dropped several hints around here about possible presents. I’ve cut out and posted on my fridge a picture of an Eclectrics® Mixer that I think would look great in my kitchen. You see, my kitchen has light gray floors and a darker, slate gray countertop so I think the Licorice mixer would fantastic on my counter. Or should I go for more contrast with the Apple or Sterling?

My mom always had a Hamilton Beach® Mixer so I already know the company’s long history of quality products. And with 400 watts of power, I could easily quadruple my recipe and be done in a matter of minutes. In fact, with the extra attachments and 12 settings, there’s no telling what other recipes I’ll try! I may just discover a hidden talent for baking.

Luckily, my birthday is on Monday. That means that if no one in my family takes my hint, I still have plenty of time to order a Hamilton Beach® Stand Mixer online and take advantage of the free UPS shipping during the month of November. What a great month for a birthday!

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As anyone who has read my bio knows, I have six kids. My kids range in age from 11 to {gasp} 28. Yes, they’re spread out a little. And of course, we now have our dear Kendyll. Seems that God just keeps blessing us with these spectacular little people to love and nurture.

If you do this kid thing as long as I have, then you become really knowledgeable about toys. I can walk through Toys R Us and know instinctively which toys to absolutely avoid. I don’t care how much fun the kids on the box appear to be having, if there are 723,457,932 little pieces in that box, DO NOT buy it. Likewise, if the description says something to the tune of “made of rugged corrugated cardboard” I can guarantee that it isn’t rugged enough to withstand typical play. Of course, I had a kid who managed to tear apart a large Tonka truck, but still. No cardboard, corrugated or not, is rugged enough for any child other than the most docile, mild-mannered. I never had one of those kids.

So, what toys are the best for kids? Well, I’ve never met a kid yet who doesn’t like blocks. I prefer Lego or the Lego type blocks. The bigger ones are for the youngest kids but Legos are really forever. And all my kids loved Playhut tents and tunnels. We bought 4 cubes, three tunnels and a tent one year and the kids played with it all winter in the family room. Very durable and fun.

There is one toy that stands out from all the rest, though. It’s probably not one you would think of; not many people actually buy it for their kids but just about everyone’s kid has spent time playing with it while waiting on a doctor. It’s called the original Anatex Rollercoaster and the one Kendyll plays with was purchased for Christmas in 1991 for her father. That’s right. It was Nick’s. And then it was Boomer’s. Then Maggie’s and then Levi’s. And now Kendyll is playing with it. Oh, and even though they were older, both Chris and Jesse played it with while they were watching TV. It’s just that kind of toy.

When we moved from our house to the garage in 93 so we could remodel the house, Brian tried to throw it in the dumpster. I made him dig it out and put it in the attic of the garage. That was the (and is) the most durable and most enjoyed toy I ever bought. If you’re not sure exactly what it is, this is Kendyll enjoying it on Sunday. Most definitely a favorite!

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One of the things I love about the internet is being able to “meet” people who become dear friends. I can’t even begin to tell you all of the wonderful, caring people I’ve met online. My kids and husband don’t always understand the connections that are made and the emotional ties with people you know “only through the internet” but I can assure you that those friendships are just as real as any “real life” friendship. The internet has opened my world to people from so many different places, people that I never would have known otherwise. One of those people that I’ve been blessed to know is my friend DonnaLeigh who lives in Canada.

I’ve been thinking about DonnaLeigh lately and that it would be so nice to do something for her to make her feel special. You see, DonnaLeigh is single mother of two beautiful girls, having lost her husband, Pat, to cancer in 2003. Right now, she’s trying to keep being mommy while also working at getting healthy and losing weight (and she’s doing great at that!) and also trying to sell her house. Just being a single mom is a lot of work; trying to regain your health is a lot of work; selling your house is really a lot of work! I’d love to sweep DonnaLeigh away for relaxing weekend or even a night out. Of course, we live so far from each other that there isn’t much chance of that. At the very least, DonnaLeigh deserves flowers to brighten her day and bring some sunshine into her life.

I was looking over the Flora2000 website and was not only pleased to see that they deliver in Canada but that they also deliver flowers around the globe, in over 150 countries! Now, a dozen years ago that may not have mattered much to me, since I didn’t know anyone outside the US. But today, with the world getting smaller thanks to international flights, satellites shooting news stories everywhere and the internet bringing us all together, I know quite a few people in a number of different countries. I’ve also tried to ship items to another friend while she was living in England, only to discover very companies who would ship that particular item outside of the US. Finding Flora2000 and their worldwide delivery service is quite a discovery!

With such an easy online ordering tool I have a feeling I’ll be using Flora2000 quite a bit over the coming years. Oh, and if you visit DonnaLeigh, be sure to give her a few hugs to get her through the day.

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