only backgroundI'm a wife, mother and grandmother. I'm opinionated. I contradict myself frequently. Most of all, I love my kids. I believe in them. I fight for them. They're weird and wonderful. If you want to know more, here's a bunch of other stuff from my old site.
Archive for the ‘Shopping’ Category
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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I’m not going to pretend to be a chemistry genius. I won’t even tell you that I enjoyed Science in school. That’s because I didn’t. In fact, from 9th grade on, I did well enough in my science classes to not have to repeat any of the classes. That’s all that mattered.
Don’t misunderstand. I was an A student right through the 8th grade. Teachers encouraged me. I never felt like being a girl meant I couldn’t do math or science. My failure had nothing to do with stereotypes. Looking back, there were a few factors at play once I hit high school. First, I didn’t “get” the whole Lab notebook thing. The stuff we had to write in it seemed too simple to be correct. I didn’t understand why we had to write everything down when it was all so simple. If only the teacher had said, “I know this seems tedious but we’re learning the correct procedure.” I would have understood. I just kept thinking I was missing something. Second, the smell of formaldehyde in the science lab, thanks to the Juniors who were dissecting cats, gave me a headache. I was in pain and since I had no intention of every needing science, I just didn’t pay attention. After all, I wanted to be a writer. Or a guidance counselor. Or a lawyer. Or something other than a nurse, chemist, scientist.
Despite all of that, I am absolutely certain that there is one thing my teacher could have said to me to change my entire attitude about science. If one person had told me that by studying chemistry, I could create my very own soap, lotions, serums, shampoos, conditioner and other toiletries, I would have figured out the darn Lab notebook thing and invested in massive amounts of Excedrin, just so I could learn about chemistry.
That may seem shallow or stereotypical but it’s the truth. And today, I stand by the premise that if a girl is not interested in science, show her how to make a body lotion or shampoo or a heavenly scented bar of soap and she’ll be hooked on chemistry.
My own daughter is having trouble in science so I’ve been searching for a way to get her interested. That’s what brought me to www.scientificsonline.com and their fun chemistry kits. I was hoping to find something to pique my daughter’s interest; I never expected to find a complete soapmaking kit! While The Art Of Soapmaking doesn’t contain the lye needed to make soap (check your local hardware store for that) it does have everything else you need to make 15 beautifully scented bars of soap. The oils included - almond, olive, coconut and palm - should make a wonderful bar. I’ve worked with those oils and they’re perfect for a beginning soapmaker. The folks at Edmund Scientific really did their homework when they put this kit together!
Not only will this kit teach kids about the saponification process, it will also produce exfoliating bars made with the included oatmeal. Ahhh, so nice for the skin! I can’t imagine any girl who thinks science is just for guys, not being totally taken with this kit. The really great thing about the kit is that it comes with a reusable wooden mold. Once your child is successful with that first batch of soap, I know they’ll be wanting to make more. With such well written instructions, it will be a cinch to refill the kit and keep using it over and over.
Becoming a soapmaker spurred my interest in chemistry. I regret not learning about chemistry in high school, when my brain was young and able to retain so much more than it does now. With the science kits at Edmund Scientific, there is no reason that every child can’t be exposed to a side of science that fits with his or her needs. Sometimes that’s what it takes - for a parent or caring teacher to look a little deeper into a child to learn how to spur that interest. Science always plays a role in the things we love in life, whatever that may be. Just take a look around the site and you’ll find something that seems to be made for that child in your life. Go ahead, open the door to the world of science and watch the excitement and learning right before your eyes!
If you like this Thoof It!
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Seriously, I always wanted a lot of sons. And I’m not at all disappointed that I have 5 of them. Raising boys has been quite a learning experience and loads of fun. I wouldn’t change a thing, except maybe I’d have one or two more in between Jesse and Nick.
There are a few downsides to raising boys, though. I’ve mentioned many times that bathroom habits of males are mind boggling, especially to someone who never had brothers. It was culture shock and different, but I adapted. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll ever adapt to the high price of car insurance. Every since Chris got his driver’s license over a dozen years ago, we’ve dealt with the this ever increasing dollar amount.
Nick is covered on his own but Boomer is bugging me about getting his permit. He’s 16 and could have gotten it at age 15 but we delayed. And delayed. And delayed. The truth is, I didn’t want to insure him when we had full coverage on all three vehicles. Now that Brian’s truck and the Honda are paid off and we’ve given the Honda to Jesse, the cost shouldn’t be as bad. Well, at least I’m hoping.
I’ve been happy with my insurance company but I really want to find a better deal. With a 16 year old son about to drive, I really need cheap car insurance. There are a number of sites where you can compare prices but I like the GoCompare.com site because they are not insurance brokers, just a comparison site. There’s no charge to use their site, so that’s a plus, of course. Even better, they offer a 5-star rating scale so that you can see how well a policy meets your needs. Finding a great price is important but not if the policy doesn’t cover the things that are important to you.
GoCompare.com lets you compare coverage for all types of vehicles as well as travel insurance, pet insurance and now, even home insurance. The interface is clean and easy to navigate. Unfortunately for me, it’s also for UK drivers and residents while I’m in the US.
I’d love for GoCompare.com to open a US based website. I’d definitely insurance shop from that site rather than the ones currently available for US residents. I may just have to shoot off an email to tell them we need something like this on our side of the Atlantic, too.
If you’re reading this and live in the UK, do stop by GoCompare.com to compare insurance prices. I’d be interested to hear about any bargains you might find. And I suppose I’ll just keep comparing prices the old fashioned way, without really knowing how the different policies rate since I won’t be able to utilize the 5-star rating system.
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