It always amazes me when I visit these beautiful beaches, no matter how hard you try, you just can't go for a walk...something will catch your eye, and then you are bending and stooping and picking up the latest treasure. It could be the perfect lightning whelk, even though you thought you found the perfect one yesterday, this one is better. It could be the perfect little delicate hull of a sea urchin. The fun is in the searching...and everyday, there is a fresh find out there waiting to be stooped over.
Usually when we go on a trip, I give the kids a set amount of money that they can spend. I don't care if they buy the dumbest plastic good for nothing toy, it's their money, to spend how they choose. We are taking that a step further this year by introducing the idea of banking!
In order to help them understand the lifelong question of "where did all of my money go?", I have made them each a checkbook (thanks to Stan and Jan Berenstain..Dollars and Sense). I will give them the same set amount of money, but then they have to write a check to the bank of Mom, then do the math to figure out how much they have left. ( Just like the real world).
There are a few sites that I check daily when I jump on the computer for a few minutes...you know: e-mail, friend's blogs, etc. One I always check is www.woot.com. This site somehow means "one day, one deal". Everyday, they offer one item (usually electronic in nature) at a great deal. Several of my Christmas gifts last year were from woot. I got my brother an (apparently awesome) MP3 player that should have exceeded the gift budget, but I found it here. I had to explain to my brother that I got caught up in the Woot! The people at woot are apparently way too hip for me, or maybe just plain whacko, so save yourself some time and skip the banter about the product and scroll down to product specifications for the real info. on the item.
Today is a Woot OFF! Any time there are flashing lights (the K-mart kind, only yellow) on the screen, it's a woot-off. Which means that as soon as the deal is sold out, they move on to the next deal. Keep refreshing your screen all day for the latest. Usually at the end of the woot-off is a brown bag for $5. Called a bag of crap....if you can get one, do so! I've read that people have gotten some awesome things in their bags of crap. This is usually when their servers crash too, so good luck!
I just wanted to tell you all about a cool site that I had found recently. www.blurb.com This site allows you to create your own books with photos and text. I had created some father's day gifts on Shutterfly recently, and that was very fun, but this site looks a lot more flexible. One thing that really caught my eye was an idea to create your own cookbook with recipies and your own pictures! I know all of my foodie friends would like that!
I had the absolute best day yesterday! A group of my crafty, creative friends got together, thanks to the great idea of one and the generosity of hosting by another. We made the best tote bags. I swear that I have been planning for this and anticipating it for a week! One friend got out of the car, equally excited, and asked if this was Christmas Eve! So All of the kids are slip-n-sliding, jumping on the trampoline, in and out of the house, generally running amok (with supervision). All of the Moms are elbow to elbow lined up at the patio table with an apple pin holder on the left, the sewing machine and the beer to the right! What fun! All of the girls brought different fabrics and we all made a great bag by the end of the day. Thanks to M who shouted the directions over the hum of the machines! I am thankful to have such fun friends, the absolute best part of the day was that we were all equally excited about it! We even talked about how many people we knew that even owned a sewing machine (besides us) NONE! I am forever grateful to be around such like minded souls! You are the best..Truely.
I do tend to get a little obsessed with things...I actually made a bag for my Mom yesterday, and I made the one (pictured) for myself today! I added a fun pocket to the outside for my cell phone and keys (which are always lost on the bottom of my bag). I may need to make some for gifts...Look out if you have an upcoming birthday!
This is what sits above my kitchen sink....a daily reminder to Seek Happiness. This life is too fleeting and short to spend it all rushing around to nowhere and accomplishing nothing. We've all had those days....but I try to limit them. The sign reminds me to enjoy every moment...even if it's just enjoying the warmth of the sudsy water while I'm washing the dishes. My talented friend paints them.. www.hopestudios.etsy.com . Have her paint your mantra, your motto or your daily reminder.
"Think again about sustainability, reconsider the possibilities. From small to big, the choices are all around us. It isn't long before you see that every choice can become a considered one, and they all add up to something bigger. They add up to constant renewal and reinvention, to a world where you think twice about sustainability. " I read this on a box of shoes that I had recently gotten for my son. It really hits home. I find that everyday, more and more, I am trying to be a more earth-friendly person/family. I am buying more based on recycleability. I get mad when products are over-packaged. I realize I have a LONG way to go, but it's on my mind. I want to do my part to leave a fresh and clean world for my kids.
