Williams Sonoma

Today was the 'free' day that we were going to Williams Sonoma - had to spend that gift card! I couldn't wait; but OF COURSE it turned out to be a stormy, windy, tornado- watch day; we weren't going anywhere unless it cleared up. We finally got to go around 2:30 or 3.

As soon as we got there an employee directed us to a sale table, so even though we could not wait to see all of the store, we went there first. We saw these little ice cream sandwich molds that I had wanted for a long time, but they had been kind of expensive; since they were on sale for only $2.99, I was finally able to get them. I also got more chocolate shavings that makes the BEST hot chocolate, along with a little decorating kit that has sprinkles, gel food coloring, and writing pens (for decorating cookies and cakes).

Then I started looking at the baking pans and found the coolest one: it's a pan for making shortcake. Mom has always loved (strawberry) shortcake but doesn't like buying the packaged ones from the store because they are pretty much just a round Twinkie (seriously, read the ingredients on one of those things). Mom and I debated whether or not we should get it because we would not be making that much shortcake, and it was kind of expensive. We did some quick math (quit laughing, SuSu), I still had enough, and if you can't be extravagant with a gift card, when can you be? So we put it on the checkout counter and walked over to try some samples. Just then, the store's district manager - not usually there - happened to walk by and see that we were getting the pan. She said she LOVED hers and used it for everything. She told us we could bake just about anything in there. She's made brownies and then put cream cheese or ice cream in the little bowl top. She's also cooked blueberry muffins and filled the top with fresh fruit and yogurt. We felt so much better about buying it!

We also got some utensil holders that you clip on a pot/pan that the spoon can slip into so all the stuff on the spoon will just drip back into the pot.

Tonight I made ice cream sandwiches and they were delish! (Mom ate a cow AND a pig. . . )

I Love Williams-Sonoma!

AVON Give Away! Check it Out!

I'm joining this great bloggy giveaway hosted by rocksinmydryer .  (Click the picture above and find tons of things to win!) 

You can win free Avon - I'll compile a goody 'bag', but two for sure items are ANEW Advanced All-In-One MAX self-adjusting perfecting cream, and Skin So Soft wintersoft Rich Body Cream.

This is great stuff!  I'll include perfume samples and more.  I can only ship in the U.S.

I promise not to contact you about buying Avon, this is purely fun :)

To ENTER, just leave a comment (one per person), and make sure I have an email or url in order to contact you.  A winner will be randomly selected on Sunday, February 3rd.  

FUN!

Perfect POCKET Pets !

Before Christmas last year we went to the Carousel of Shoppes because one of mom's friends had a booth there.  The COOLEST things for sale there (to me) were SUGAR GLIDERS !!!!  I'd never heard of these little creatures before, much less seen one.Sugar Gliders are NOT of the rodent family;  they are marsupials.  They are called Sugar Gliders because they like to eat almost anything sweet, and they have a gliding membrane that allows them to glide (not fly) from tree to tree - or, as they did when I saw them, from person to person. The salesmen had them in their pockets and on their shoulders.  People were asking many questions about them and the handlers explained:

• The Sugar Gliders get along with cats and dogs
• They do not carry any known diseases and require NO shots
• They NEVER need bathing or grooming of any kind
• They are not destructive by nature(they do not chew on things)
• Feeding and caring is very simple

 They are very friendly; one even jumped on my head.  I am trying to save up for one, so if anyone needs some Avon order from me!  :)

Williams Sonoma

My friend Elana asked in a comment what kind of stuff I get at Williams Sonoma.  Since I have gotten so many things there I decided to make it a post.

I have gotten cookie cutters, a red rolling pin, snowflake spatula), cherry/olive pitter, red silicone baking mat (we use this ALL the time), aprons, knife with cover, olive oil dispenser, (dough) rolling mat, cupcake container, cooling rack,  batter dispenser, and likely more things that I just can't remember at the moment.

I've also bought baking supplies such as food coloring, chocolate shavings, extracts, etc.  I have two great cookbooks from WS that I refer to often.

Now for a few of the things I'd like to buy:  olive oil mister, salt box, microplane or citrus zester, more covered knives (this is so much safer and nicer for us - all our knives are "thrown" in a drawer in a jumble), and the BIGGIE:  a KitchenAid stand mixer.

Sarah's Visit

Today my friend Sarah came over. First I showed her my room, then we decided to make something with clay. She made a little box and I made a little "vase" with changeable flowers. Then while those were baking we played on the Wii. Sarah was very good at bowling for her first time. I am very glad she was able to come and we had a lot of fun. Next time she comes over, she'll have to stay longer!
(Jessica R - I cleaned my room and finally hung up the bulletin board you gave me for Christmas - it looks good and helps; I have lots of stuff on it already. I didn't really clean up for you because you're practically family.......)

January Christmas

We FINALLY got to see the Hadens last night to visit and exchange Christmas gifts. We went to Chili's to eat. While we where waiting for our food we started handing them their gifts. After they opened theirs we opened ours. Mom got a BIG pack of notepads and a little magnifying glass with a light (it is the shape and size of a credit card). Dad got one of those also and then they both got giftcards. Christopher and I both got candy, cash, and giftcards: his is to Target and mine is to Williams Sonoma. One thing that Julia did that was really cool is she put Christopher's and my gift in a paint can. We are so glad we FINALLY got to see them, and can't wait for the weather to warm up so we can go out to their house more.

The Thief

My friend Jessica Rye has created a blog of her own. She's a perfect candidate for one, because she loves to talk! (If you wish to see it you can look at the links I have (below my picture)).

But the reason for THIS post is the fact that she has STOLEN one of my previous posts! For her lack of originality she decided to completely COPY one of my posts!

I told her that I owned the copyright - and that I'd refuse to comment on her blog. . . . but I was just kidding her of course.

I'm happy that she likes my writing enough to borrow it!!!!!!!

PLEASE Comment

To ALL my readers. . . . please leave a comment to this post (or another) when you visit;  I'd really love to know who is reading my blog!  Tell me if there is any 'story' you'd like to hear more about, or pictures you'd like to see more of, etc.  

Thanks to my 'regulars';  and to newbie commenters:  just click on the word 'comment' after each post (story).  All you have to do to leave a comment is sign in with your google account username, but if you don't have one, it's easy to get.   Just sign up with your email address.  Takes a sec.  I like seeing what people thought of my post, but the only way I can know is if y'all will start leaving comments! 

Crab Play Date

Tiny (hiding), Turbo, Jumpy, and Pokey

Today Jessica came over for a short visit and brought Jumpy and Pokey with her.  I got Tiny and Turbo out (bad news - George bit the dust);  they played on the kitchen floor for a while and then had their pics made.  Tiny wouldn't come out for a face shot.  Mom always thinks a crab is dead if they don't move, but closer examination proved that he is in fact still alive.  Tiny got his name for obvious reasons and why Jessica named hers Pokey and Jumpy I have no idea.  Mom thought having four crabs was disgusting but I thought it was fun.

Three-legged, one-eyed dog needs home

Being in the hermit crab business has kept me going to Petco on a semi-regular business. .. which I don't mind at all! Today I went to get some salt-water solution (and we picked up some live catnip for the crazy kitties). The Fayette County animal rescue group was there with lots of cute puppies and dogs, but the one that caught Mom's attention was 'McFadden'. McFadden is a friendly beagle that has been shot twice and run over by a car. He has three legs and one eye; I hope someone nice adopts him.

On a lighter note; we saw a chinchilla in a rabbit cage. They have a long tail and small long ears. Mom had no idea what it was, but I thought it might be a chinchilla. When we got to the checkout the cashier confirmed what it was, and even that it was a girl.

Vernor's

If you've ever drank ginger ale but it wasn't Vernor's, then you still haven't tried ginger ale!! I love ginger ale. At first I just liked any brand, but one time I drank some of mom's Vernor's. After tasting that, I realized what ginger ale was supposed to taste like. Mom has been drinking Vernor's since she was a kid. When she was young and her family went to Paducah, Kentucky to visit her Aunt Sallie and Aunt Midgett (REAL NAME!: Midgett Brownie Roper), they would stock up on Vernor's ginger ale, because that was the only place they could find it to buy. We have only been able to find it at Kroger; Wal-mart, Target or Schnuck's hasn't had it. So, next time you are in the mood for some ginger ale, make sure you get Vernor's.

Bible in a Year

This year I am attempting to read the Bible cover to cover. I have one of those Bibles that is broken down into daily readings. Right now, I am reading a little bit of Genesis, Matthew, Psalms, and Proverbs. I have tried to just read Genesis then
Exodus and so on and so forth in my regular Bible, but when I got to Joshua and Judges it was IMPOSSIBLE. I could not get through those so this time I am using a Bible made just for reading it in a year. I have read a few days ahead; I'm currently on January 21st.

What Color Bands?

A few days ago I went to the orthodontist to get new bands for my braces. This is my second phase of braces. I should get these off sometime in March and then I will be able chew some GUM!! We really love our orthodontist - even though this happened one time: I was there getting a checkup and Dr. P (our orthodontist) was clipping the wire in the back of my tiny mouth. He pinched my cheek with the big pliers! It was bleeding and it hurt SO bad that I was crying (Dr. P felt really bad). Mom was looking shocked, but Christopher looked worse... he said he needed to go to the bathroom. The lady told him where it was and he walked towards the hall. He just kept looking both ways (later he said everything was getting blurry). Luckily the assistant walked over there to show him the way, because when she got there and he fainted (she caught him). So Mom started screaming and I started crying again. Mom was yelling to call 911, and I had no idea what was going on. The doctor finally calmed Mom down and assured her that Christopher was fine. I was the one bleeding, but I was FORGOTTEN while everybody tried to calm Mom down. After we left we went straight to the fire station Dad was working at - Mom wanted to make sure Christopher did not need to be looked at by paramedics... Dad acted like nothing was wrong so we never got out of the car. Of course Christopher was fine and my mouth was only a little sore. But apparently to Mom we were on the verge of death or something. We will always remember that appointment.

Breakfast for Lunch

Today after church we went to the Babb's house for lunch. They hadn't gone because Charlotte was sickly. We had breakfast for lunch; I made waffles and scrambled eggs while Jessica cooked the bacon, sausage, and biscuits. We were going to make donuts but they did not have baking powder, but the waffles and the bacon (or sausage) egg, and cheese biscuits were enough. After we ate, Danny and Dad left as we set up Scene It. It was Mom and Jessica against Matt (Christopher and I played but we don't really count). Jessica and Mom won. Then as we were about to leave Phoebe (the cat) attacked me. It did not hurt too much though, so I am okay. I haven't contacted my lawyer.

Nancy Drew Book Club

For those of you who don't know, I LOVE to read. I've read so many series and all of the books I already own, so I started looking for Nancy Drew books at the library. I like the early versions - I thought I knew how to pick those by looking for the ones by Carolyn Keene. Mom started thinking that Carolyn Keene must have been the most prolific writer EVER, so she googled 'her' and found out that she doesn't exist. That name is just a pseudonym for the many writers of the syndicate that wrote Nancy Drew and other series.
One Wednesday after bowling, my friend Sarah mentioned how much she liked Nancy Drew. When I told her I was also reading my way through them, she suggested that we form a club. Sarah, her cousin, and I are the only members right now. We "meet" (through e-mail) once a month. (The other girls just aren't as fast as me.....I can read a Nancy Drew book in a day..... that is something I have in common with Mom and Jessica. Mom says we 'devour' books). We take turns deciding on what book we will read, the n whoever picked the book sends out questions. So far we have read: The Hidden Staircase, The Mystery at Lilac Inn, and The Whispering Statue. It is a really great way to read the books because then you can discuss it with someone.

Sewing with Jessica

Today I signed up for a February homeschool sewing class (Sewing 101) at Serge N Sew. Jessica (Rye) is going to take it with me. It is only three lessons long, but we will make both a letter-shaped pillow and a small purse. I decided to make the letter "C" for Charlotte, because "M" sounded a little tricky to start out with.

Mom and I went to Hancock and picked up the patterns, notions and fabric. I am excited about learning to make things from patterns! If all goes well, I may sign up for the continuing classes and learn to make pajama pants and more.

This is the fabric I chose for my purse.

This is the fabric I chose for Charlotte's pillow. The colors didn't scan very true; it is more orange and yellow-y and BRIGHT than it looks on my monitor.

ROOMMATES

GEORGE

TURBO

Before FredEx passed away, I had been meaning to get him a friend because I'd read that they are actually social creatures (not hermits!). Fred left behind a nice beach home, so last night we went to Petco to find a lucky couple of crabs to inherit it. One thing Fred had lacked was the terrarium heater (that's why he was in his condo in the bathroom); we bought that and a bigger water dish.
I picked out George because both Mom and I felt sorry for him: he looked way too big for the shell he was in. I chose Turbo out of the pile of crabs for no special reason.
We had to go to Kroger on the way home and the guys went in with us because it was too cold for them to stay in the car. When we got home, Christopher and I set up the heater and other new things and put them in their paradise. I started reading about Hermit crabs to make sure I was doing everything I could for them.
Mom asked how they were doing, and said we should take a picture of them before they change shells. I went to get them while she went to get the camera: Turbo had already moved into Fred's old shell!!
These crabs are very different from Fred: they are busy busy busy; like to CLIMB, and Turbo came up with his name for obvious reasons. If you put him down on the floor, you'd better be ready to run!

Ohhhhh CHOCOLATE

We have Charlotte for the first time this year.

We are celebrating by eating my home-made, extra chocolate-y chip cookies.

She loves them as much as we do. . .

Devastating News

I went in to the bathroom today to tend to Fred.  We had put him in there to stay warm for the winter, in his small container on a heating pad.  I gave him some fresh water and then some food. But when I picked him up, he fell out of his shell. YUCK!!  I knew he was dead.  I had to go get Christopher because Mom was on the phone to Carolyn.  But when she saw Christopher and I staring at Fred she instantly said bye and came in there.  We are all sad.  We do not know why he is dead.  He was fun and funny and active;  but now he is no more. . . . 

New Year's Day

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!  

Welcome 2008!

  Today we went to Lenny's (my favorite place to eat) and Target.  Christopher and I went in together and got a new game for the Wii - Super Mario Galaxy.

For dinner we had blackeye peas and cornbread.  I soaked the beans all day and Mom cooked them; I made the cornbread.  Christopher did nothing.