Will We Be Dealing With Car Dealers Again?

We were driving home from running some errands today when Bob informed me that he is going to have to sink some money into the van to get it back to running right.  I asked him how much money, and he didn't commit to an actual number, which kind of freaks me out a bit.  I know it needs tires and plugs and wires and a bunch of other stuff, but I guess in the end it will be worth it.   I mean, we own it.  I don't want to have to deal with Car Dealers again while trying to find a new car, and I definitely don't want a car payment right now. 

Bob has become kind of addicted to online shopping, and I wouldn't put it past him to check out Net Car Dealers.  I mean, car shopping online has to be less stressful.   There are no pushy salespeople to deal with, and you can take your time while looking around.  The downside of online Car Dealers UK would be not being able to test drive the cars, but I guess when you find the right vehicle, you can always go and test drive it before making a final decision.  

For now, I guess I'll just have to let Bob spend the money to get our van running right.  It's got to be cheaper than investing in another vehicle.

It's Beginning To Feel Like Christmas

It is cold today!  Our high is only going to be 40 degrees.  I was thrilled this morning when Brandi woke up still not feeling well, because that meant I didn't have to go to the bus stop when it was twenty something degrees.  She has been fighting a cough for a while now, and it seems to be getting worse instead of better.  So, instead of school we are taking a trip to the doctors.  I'm hoping he'll be able to give her something to knock the cough out.

I have gotten used to the "not so cold" Christmas' we have here in South Carolina.  That doesn't stop the stores from decorating like we're living at the North Pole.  I love all the Santa villages and snowmen.  Whenever we go to a store or the mall, I always think to myself that it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here.  Now if I could just finish up my shopping, things would be perfect.  Kasi is the only one I have left to shop for, but whenever I try and find something for her, I find things I know Brandi would love. 

I found this adorable umbrella that I know Brandi would love.  I mean, it's a ladybug, and you all know about her ladybug obsessions.  She reminds me of myself with elephants.  Anyway, this is part of a Kidorable deal where they are offering this umbrella free with purchase until December 15.  I am hoping I can find something to buy for Kasi, so that I can get this free umbrella. 

If only I could find something for Kasi.  Who knew it would be so hard shopping for a 13 year old girl?

Save Money On Clothes

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Liz Claiborne New York Outlets. All opinions are 100% mine.
 It's Fall.  Or at least I think it is.  I am not sure that Mother Nature got the memo, because we still have temperatures in the 80's here in South Carolina.  I am really looking forward to it cooling down, though, because I want to start wearing my cold weather clothes.  I used to be a sweatpants and t-shirt kind of girl, but ever since my breast reduction and weight loss, I have been trying to dress nicer.  And you know what?  The nicer I dress, the better I feel about myself.  Who knew?

I wish I could afford to shop at those really expensive boutiques, but I am on a strict budget, and that budget doesn't always include money for new clothes.  When I find I do have some extra money, I need to make it stretch as much as possible.  I have heard great things about Liz Claiborne New York Outlets, and decided to check out their website. Turns out they have an outlet store about four hours away from where I live.  The store is in Myrtle Beach, and we are planning a trip there after the first of the year.  Unfortunately, the store will be closing soon.  That means I won't get to visit, but you should find a store near you so that you can take advantage of the awesome sales they are having.  Everything must go, so everything is marked down 50-80%.  They even have their Fall fashions marked down.  I may have to talk Junior into driving to the beach a little earlier than planned so I can get in on those good deals.  I found these camis on their website, and I really want some.

 I have small enough boobs now that I could get away with wearing these under my tops as bras.  Or I could sleep in them, which would be even better.  If it ever does cool off around here, Junior will turn the heat on, and I am always get hot no matter how low it is.  I really do hate electric heat.

I also want to check out their selection of sweaters.  I don't have very many long sleeved shirts, and I don't think I have any sweaters.  I was never comfortable in them when I was heavier.  Now that I am a little thinner, I think sweaters would look nice on me.

All I have to do now is convince Junior to drive the four hours to get to the outlet store. 

I Want To Love Wool

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Rambler's Way Farm. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am all about comfort these days.  It doesn't matter if I am hanging around the house or dining at a nice restaurant, I want what I am wearing to look nice and feel nice against my skin.  If I am uncomfortable in my clothes, I know for a fact that I will not have a good time.  That said, I knew when I heard about Rambler's Way i would have to try out their products.  The problem is, I can not decide what I want to get.

My first thought was this beautiful camisole.  I can envision myself wearing it not just under my shirts, but as alone to hang around the house or sleep in.  It is made from a thin and smooth wool that really does look soft and comfy.  It can be worn a few times before it needs to be washed, because the fabric naturally whisks away moisture, keeping it fresh.

The best part is that when you do need to wash it, it can be thrown into the washing machine.  This is important to me, because as a wife and mother of three, laundry is hard enough to keep up with without having to worry about hand washing.  I also love their underwear.  Of course, I wouldn't go days without washing them, even thought the website claims you can.  I am curious about how cool and dry they are, so these are something I would buy.

Another cool thing is that you can request a fabric sample so you can feel for yourself how soft their wool is before you place an order.  I requested one, and can't wait for it to arrive.  I want them to change my mind about wool.  I don't want to think of it as itchy and think anymore.  I want to fall in love with it, and I think I will.

Which Formula Is Better?

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of PBM Products. All opinions are 100% mine.

I went to the store the other day with my sister to buy formula for Lylah. She has been exclusively breastfeeding, but the doctor took her off dairy, so her back supply of milk was no longer good for the baby. This meant that she needed to have something to supplement her when she wasn't home at feeding time.

So we stood in front of the formulas, trying to decide which was best. I am not sure if any of you have had to buy formula recently, but there are a whole lot more varieties now than there were when my kids were infants. To be honest, I was a little overwhelmed. I was also shocked at the prices. I guess I only thought it was expensive eight years ago. The can my sister finally decided on was pretty small, and she paid over $20 for it. I tried talking her into buying the store brand, but she didn't think that was as good as the name brand. I believed it was, and this led me to do a little research.

Turns out, I was right. The store brand formulas are the same, nutritiously, as the name brands. They have to be because they all have to meet very strict FDA guidelines. In fact, PBM Products just won a lawsuit against Mead Johnson for false advertising. It seems Mead Johnson was claiming that their formulas were superior to the store brands, and the store brands fought back. This is a huge deal, I think, because it proves that you can save money by buying the store brands.

In my sister's case, the store brand was about $10 cheaper. If you add that up over the course of a year, it totals hundreds of dollars in savings. I can things of a lot of things I would rather do with my money. How about you?

Little Black Dress

Have you ever heard the saying that every woman should own a little black dress? It should be a dress that makes you feel good about yourself, and it should make you look your best. It's a dress that you can wear anywhere, not necessarily somewhere fancy.

I do not have one of those dresses, mostly because I have been very unhappy with the way I look for a very long time. The thought of looking for Sexy Dresses to try on would make me crazy.

But ever since my breast reduction, I have been dying to try on some nice dresses, now that I know they will actually fit me properly. Sure, I still have a lot of weight to lose, but I think a dress like this black and white one would be cute on me.

Maybe.

Shoes

Growing up, I always heard that the shoes make an outfit. You could have on the prettiest dress or the nicest pants, but if you wear the wrong shoes, you could ruin everything.

I had one pair or dress shoes, a pair of boots, and sneakers. I wore them with everything, and I lived. I was never one of those girls who has an obsession with shoes. My daughter, however, is already showing those tendencies at seven. It drives me crazy! Pretty soon she is going to be asking me to buy her custom shoes so that she can match from head to toe. To be honest, I had no idea that brands like Nike, Adidas, Converse, KSwiss, and RBK even offered custom shoes, but apparently they do.

Let's just not tell Brandi.

New Furniture

I have always wanted glass tables for my living room. For years I told myself that as soon as the kids were older, I would get some. Now that the kids are older, I am trying to find some that I absolutely love and have to have. While looking at Furniture online the other day I found this table.
I wasn't necessarily looking for glass tables, but when I found this one I fell in love. It's not too modern, but it still doesn't go with my couch. But to me, that just means I get to buy a new couch, too.

Do you think I can talk Junior into that?

Christmas Shopping

Are you thinking about Christmas shopping yet? I am not only thinking about it; I am starting to freak out about it. I have no idea where we are going to get the money this year, but I am sure we will figure out something. We always do.

If your kids want electronics, you can Click Here To Go Shopping With This $1000 Best Buy Gift Card! I don't want to mislead you, though. This is one of those "you must complete 13 sponsor offers" to get the gift card. If this is your thing, have at it. I'm sure $1000 can go a long way towards Christmas shopping.

Or, you could buy that new flat screen HD television you have been dreaming about.

Justina McCaffrey Wedding Gowns

What do you think of this wedding dress?

It's a Justina Inc. dress. I have never heard of this company before, but president and creative director Justina McCaffrey has some beautiful gowns. I love the flow of this dress, and how it screams of femininity. If there is one day in a girls life where she wants to be all girly, it's her wedding day. If I ever have a real wedding, I hope I am thin enough to wear something like this.

Get Campus Ready

This post was sponsored by Sears. All the opinions are mine.

As most of you know, I have been camping for the past few days. We are home now, and getting ready to get the kids back in school. I can not believe they only have ten days left until their first day back. Brandi will still be in the elementary school, and Ryan and Kasi will both be in the Junior High this year. I can not believe they are that old! In a few short years they will be going away to college, and I'm not too sure that I am ready for that. Graduates who are heading there this September can find all kinds of help with getting CampusReady at Sears. The neatest thing about the website, in my opinion, was the checklists they provide. Granted, some things on there are common sense items, but some things are things you may not think you need, or things you never would have thought to bring. Here is a sample of the "sleeping" checklist:They have all kinds of other lists, too. You can find lists for cleaning, eating, studying, and even a "getting dressed" list. I find it amusing that they suggest twenty one pairs of socks and underwear. I don't even own that many! I think it just goes to show that some college students can't find time to do their laundry. I never went away to school, so I can't offer my kids first hand knowledge about dorm life. Thankfully, Sears is here to help me with that.

Don't forget to check out CampusReady on Facebook.

How Do You Shop?

When you need to make a big purchase, what do you do? Let's say you need to buy a tent. Do you go to the first store you see and buy a tent, or do you shop around for the best deal? Do you do Comparison shopping to make sure you buy the tent that most fits your needs?

I am a planner. If I know we need something, I like to do a little research. I recently found a site called willyfogg.com, where they do the research for you. All you have to do is look up what you need, and they will show you that product, and then similar products so you can choose which one is best for you. I looked up camping equipment, and was quite impressed with the results that showed up. I now know exactly what I want, and where I can get it.

That's my kind of shopping.

Treat Me Nicely

Do you know where to get cheap police boots? Try CHIEF. This is a company that puts their customers first. Their staff has been in position since the company started, and you can deal with the same representative for all of your needs. There are many ways to order; by phone, by mail, by fax, or online. They get you the best deal possible, and they treat you like the a person, not a number. I can tell you from personal experience that when someone in customer service speaks to me like they really care about what I need, and not like they are "dealing with me", I am more likely to return to them with my business. To me, it's all about the way a company treats it's customers.

New Rugs

I have an area rug in my kitchen under my table. It is made up of little squares, with squiggly lines in each square. The squares are black and different shades of gray. It's kind of hard to explain the details, but I love this rug. It is more contemporary than your average oriental rug, and I am sad to say that I may need to replace it soon. The corners have started curling up, and I am constantly tripping over them.

I want to replace it with a rug that has a similar "feel". I don't want something too fussy, or too old fashioned. I like the one pictured. I need a rug that has a lot of black in it, because it is going in my kitchen, and my kitchen is accented in black. I love the squiggly lines.

I have an area rug in my living room too, but that one is more traditional. It has the look of a real oriental rug, with the diamonds and earthy colors. I probably wouldn't have chosen it if I had a choice, but it was a gift, so I use it. Besides, it covers the stains in the carpet really well.

Hidden Treasure

I was at Walmart the other day.

A different Walmart, and they had my soda.

I bought a few bottles, and made a mental note to go back there when Junior gets paid to get some more.

Remember that episode of Seinfeld where Elaine needs a "sponge", and she buys every case when she finally finds a store that sells them?

That's who I feel like!

New Living Room Furniture

Our love seat has a new home at the county dump. I am one step closer to the new furniture I want. You all know already that I really want a sectional sofa. But I got to thinking last night that if I got a new sofa, I would want a new entertainment center. The one we have now is old, and kind of out of style. I was looking at Legends Furniture and found some gorgeous units. We don't have an HD television yet, so we would have to get one to match all the new furniture. I loved the units that had shelving all around. I have a lot of books that I like to display. I was also looking at home office furniture, because my desk is in the living room. Right now I use a simple desk with three drawers, and I want something similar, because I don't have a lot of room. Right now nothing in this room matches, so I want the new stuff to all have the same look.

This has nothing to do with the new living room furniture I am dreaming about, but I also found storage beds. These are the beds that have drawers underneath, so you don't have to worry about having dressers. As cramped as we are in this apartment, these beds would be a space saving dream. If i can't talk Junior into the new living room furniture, I plan on talking him into the beds.

What Could Have Been

My fourteenth wedding anniversary is coming up in a couple of weeks. I can't believe it has been this long. It seems like it was only yesterday that we stood in the court house saying our "I do"'s. Sometimes I regret not having a big wedding, but Junior and I are planning to renew our vows for our twentieth anniversary in a few years, and I will have my "wedding" then. I am not one for being in the spotlight, but I know the kids will love being a part of the ceremony.

One of the things I missed the first time was picking out china patterns. I didn't have the fancy wedding, so I didn't get all the gifts that go with one. I saw no point in registering for the things I wanted, because no one was going to buy them for me. I missed getting to pick out the dinnerware and household items that would have fit perfectly with the decor of my first place. If I had picked out a china pattern, these Richard Ginori goblets would have matched that design perfectly. I am all about simplicity, and that is the vibe I get when I look at this goblet. It's just gorgeous, isn't it?

Shopping Online

I am not a big shopper. I would rather spend three hours in the library than in the mall. But, we all need to buy things sometimes, so I have discovered the joys of online shopping. I found this Batik store that sells the most beautiful things. The fabrics are gorgeous. I had no idea what Batik meant, so I looked it up. I found it explained quite nicely on the batik blog. It is basically the traditional wax-resist dye method used on cloth. I am not sure exactly what that means, but I know that the fabric turns out amazing.

They sell everything in this store from bedding to shoes. These shoes were handmade, and they are so cute. My mom would love them. I couldn't wear them because they have heals. I have a tendency to twist my ankle if I wear anything but flats. I did find a purple table set that I fell in love with. Oh, and I also found stationary. They had a little black notepad with flowers on it that I absolutely adore. I am thinking I might have to point Junior in this direction the next time he wants to buy me a present.

When you visit there store, make sure and use the code "crafty" when you check out. It will save you 10% on your purchases.

Drop Your Buff

Whenever I hear the word Buff, I think of Survivor, and hear Jeff saying, "drop your buffs". The contestants on the show wear them as so many different things. I have seen them used as a top and as a skirt on the really skinny women. The men and women both use them as headbands and wristbands. I have even seen them wrapped around their legs, and used as eye masks while they are sleeping. They really are pretty versatile.

I found this website where you can buy UV Buffs. My favorite is the purple paisley one in the picture over there. These buffs are made from Coolmax, a fabric that blocks 95% of Ultra Violet Rays and keeps the sweat away from your body by pulling it to the outer layer where it can evaporate faster. These UV Buffs would be perfect for the sports enthusiast, because they are designed to be odorless and breathable. They have no seam, so they are comfortable to wear. I would totally walk around wearing this as a headband, or using it in one of the other twelve ways it can be worn. These buffs are a definite must have for the summer heat.

Clothes For Us Big Girls

It is no secret that I am a big girl. I haven't always been like this. In fact, there was a time before having kids that I liked to get dressed up sometimes. I used to wear cute tops and skirts, but that was a long time ago. Now that I am on the bigger side, I find it hard to find clothes that are cute and that look good.

I did find a really great site called plussizefix.com. I found that shirt and skirt on their site, and I love them. I love the colors of the top. Black and Purple are my two favorite colors, as most of you know. I like the way the top looks paired with that cute little denim skirt. You can find them both if you click here. This site is easy to navigate, and I love that they only have plus sized clothes. I hate when I am on a site and I find something cute, only to find out it doesn't come in my size. It's great to know that anything I see here is available for me to fit in.

It's been a lot more fun to shop since my breast reduction, too. I can buy "normal" shirts that fit me right. I think that top in the picture will look great on me, even without the skirt. I may have to talk my husband into buying it for me.