Feeling Lucky

It seems like I am on a lucky winning streak lately.  But, on the other hand, I guess you could say I pad my odds by entering just about every contest in the hopes of saving some money.  I am thrifty, what can I say?  Here are a few examples of "winning" lately:

1. I already posted about Jamberry, but that was such a sweet surprise it just totally made my day/week/month/year.  It has been fun to gift friends and family since I have an abundance of wraps.  Since then several friends have become consultants as well.

2. I joined another "Facebook party" for Thirty-One, and my name was drawn there too!  This time I wasn't the surprise hostess or anything, but I did win free personalization.  Now, to be honest, that isn't a huge deal to me (and I haven't personalized everything I've gotten), but it was fun to be picked again.  I ended up getting a bag I've had my eye on for some time after borrowing my Mom's when JJ & I took a quick trip to Philadelphia in December.

3. On MyPanera card, I got a special deal added for August: free coffee (black or iced) for the whole month of August!   I don't personally drink coffee, but JJ is thrilled.  :)

4. We bought a new van last week, which is a big deal for us.  I was a little overwhelmed because JJ was completely unavailable and had to do all the looking/negotiating by myself.  Oh wait, not by myself, with 2 1/2 kids.  He was pretty proud of the work I did and that made me feel great!  BUT, then I backed into a jeep in the Target parking lot.  BOO.  Why is this in a post about feeling lucky??  My talented hubby, along with his brother, a bat,  and a mallet, bumped the bump out in about 15 minutes.  YESSSSS!  Lucky me!
  
5.  I can't forget about a huge deal I got at Target.  So, last week Target had a deal on diapers where if you bought two boxes, you got a Target giftcard ($10 for Up & Up and $20 for Huggies & Pampers).  I combined that with the offer of order online, but pick up in the store and get $10 off a $40 order.  That could be done four different times.  So, I bought EIGHT boxes of diapers and saved over $100!

I couldn't help but enter a few contests on a favorite "give away" site... I am feeling lucky!  :)
 

Hey I do know some things!

A friend recently asked for some advice about how to find things to do around our town, which led to questions regarding such things as gymnastics, swimming lessons, and even deals.  And you know what?  I had some answers!  Isn't that exciting?!  It was for me!  I realized that I HAD learned some things in the two months we've been here.  I am getting to know my new city and also, I had picked up some tips and tricks along the way. 

I knew about "On the Minds of Moms" and "Area Women" for some pretty decent calendars of events.  I could tell her about our fantastic experience with swimming lessons at MSUM.  Then there were the awesome programs at the Library and Barnes & Noble.  We've signed up for dance and gymnastics.  We visited some really fun splash parks, wading pools, and regular parks.  Of course in conversations such as these, I ALWAYS have to include one of my all time favorite places to go in our town.  Teaberry has the best drinks I have ever had.  Anywhere.  Ever.      

Love me some lists!

I think I've written about this before... like a long time ago... but I really love lists.  They make me so happy to get my crazy to do's out of my head and down on paper.  I feel motivated crossing things off and excited to have a starting AND (maybe more importantly) ending point.

I have several lists currently going.  One is my cleaning list.  I got this idea from my sweet SIL, who uses an index card system of daily, monthly, semiannual and annual chores.  I just simplified mine into a 4 week system - I have some chores that repeat weekly, some that show up every other week and some that are once a month.  Again, love crossing things off, seeing what I have left for the week, etc.

Another list is fun things I'd like to do in the evenings, aka Mommy Time.  Some items currently on t that list include: sew M''s jammies, read the next book for Book Club, print off recipes from a stack of fun Taste of Home mags my SIL borrowed me and add them to my new recipe binder that was on my to-do list last week, and finish our family digital scrapbook from last year.  All fun things, but all things I'd like to get done.

So.  The reason for this post?  Several times while visiting the library I've admired this "100 Picture Books to Read in Kindergarten" poster (put out by www.pla.org) while my kids have played in the Wiggle Room.  One time I took a few pictures of the poster along with the website so that I could print my own list.  I wasn't able to find the list online.  Today my kiddos and I were at the library again and I mentioned this to a great librarian I've seen several times.  She said they used to have a similar list available for parents and went in the back to see if they had any more.  She came back and said that apparently people have to buy the list now.  BUT, she was able to find me some left over posters (identical to the one I had oogled over to begin this whole process!).  I got "100 Picture Books to Read in Kindergarten" (which sorts the books by genre like Animal Stories, Imagination, and Stories in Rhyme), "100 MORE Picture Books to Read in Kindergarten" and even "75 of the Best Books for Young Children".  Hip-hip-hooray!  I understand that I am a big geek, but I am superexcited about this!  Now I have to decide how we're going to tackle this list.  There are big circles next to each book, so I think I might have the kids put stickers next to the books we read.  Happy Reading!!  

Jamberry!

One of my sweet RAs (MW) from when I was an RHD in college became a Jamberry Consultant.  Not familiar with Jamberry?  It is a "home party" business I think similar to Thirty-One or Mary Kay, but this one is all about nails.  They have regular nail polish, but they also have fun wraps.

Anyways, MW hosted a "Mystery Hostess Party" via Facebook.  There were fun ways to earn free sheets of Jamberry nail wraps and also one person was drawn to be the "Mystery Hostess".  That person took away all of the hostess gifts earned from the party sales.  WELL... drumroll please... that mystery hostess was ME!  :)  I'm so superduper excited!  The party "totals" were outstanding and I can't believe the amount of stuff I got!

Here are a few of my favs that are on their way!!!

I even have some gifts on order, and MVJ got to pick out a favorite as well!  She chose this:

I think it is WAY too grown up!!  Ugh.... my baby is not a baby anymore!  I suppose if she's going to choose a sophisticated style, choosing one for her nails is the most "ok" with me!  :)

If you're interested in finding out more about these, check out MW's site or let me know and I'll get you in contact with her -- there's a Buy 3 Get 1 Free promotion!  (I think it's always on, but not sure about that part!)  Here's a plug from me, if I (!!) can put them on, anyone can!  And this last time I did four fingers with wraps and one finger with nail polish - my OPI stuff (so not super duper cheap polish!) and the jam wraps totally outlasted the polish.  In fact, I put mine on a week and a half ago (first time by myself!).  Today I trimmed them (and my nails) with just a regular nail trimmer and they look like a fresh application.  Yippee!

Just a few of my favorite things...

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...

Here are a few of MY favorite things:

*Game shows! I'm totally addicted! Right now I'm watching Wheel of Fortune. When we lived in JJ's hometown, we had GSN. It is probably a good thing we don't anymore! I love yelling out answers and feeling smart! My favorites are/have been: Family Feud, Hollywood Squares, and Jeopardy (I feel better when it's the college edition and I know answers!). Oh, I know I'm forgetting some, but the list could go on and on!

*Crafting! I've been on a slight kick lately. Thanks to friend SV, I bought two new stamping sets: Nursery Necessities (to start making some baby cards/thank you cards) and Short and Sweet (for everything!). I've been *trying* to use up my collection - not just make a ton of cards, but actually give people birthday cards and write out thank-you notes. I'm so, so excited for my bff TAF to come visit this next weekend. I think we have a full craft day in our near future!

*Checking things off my "to do" list. Oh, also - making to do lists! Lately I've been going through practically all of my old magazines and tearing out things I'll actually use. Then I've been recycling the rest. It feels. so. good.

There will be more to come! : )