Thank You Mrs. Claus

Well Mrs. Claus can finally rest, she managed to get Santa /and 8 reindeer/ out the door ON TIME with the CORRECT gifts to ONLY the best (ha ha) little boys and girls. I dont think we give Mrs. Claus enough credit /nor do we give her a first name/ we all know that it is Santas wifey who makes it all come together. While Santa wanders around the Toy Shop eating cookies, laughing at stupid elf jokes, trying out new video games, testing the TV's for clarity and making sure the sofas are comfy for naps, Mrs. C creates the spread-sheets, comes up with the budget, gives orders to elves, (even jumps in on the assembly line to make sure it gets done right), bakes the cookies, inspects the toys, worries about getting just the right thing, checks the weather report, presses the big fat red suit, shines the sleigh, feeds the reindeer /and the elves/, wraps it ALL up, gives Santa his final orders, cell phone and a sack lunch for the ride... OH and then cleans up the whole mess ready for him to arrive home from his long night...yeah he gets the props, the thanks and the sympathy for all his hard work but she was the one at home worrying all night long... So this year I will thank Mrs. Claus... now sit down, put your feet up, and order that fat man to get you a drink!

Mrs. Claus' first name might be Jessica or it could be Meredith I found both in Wikipedia, I am pretty sure this year it was Mom!

What makes you happy?

I dont know about everyone else but my brain has been pre-occupied by the holiday wish lists, between finding the deals and calculating the cost I have aged a few years in the past 3 weeks. That said I am done, not that the suffering is over but the list has been checked (twice) ho ho ho! In an attempt to rejeuvenate my tired old body I will try the mental approach...

5 Things that make me Happy...

1- Singing children... a week or so ago we went to Andres choir performance and yesterday was the elementary school program. I dont know what it is about the children singing but I always tear up and get the chills, I am not a very emotional person but this will do it everytime!

2- Sleeping children... I was looking through my files of OLD photos and I realized I really like to take pictures of my kids... ASLEEP, so peaceful so QUIET!!

3-My spouse who hoarded his lunch money for the past few weeks so I would'nt freak out about the /way more $$ than i would EVER spend/ coffee maker he wanted to get me for Christmas...

4-Clearance Racks... I wasnt going to mention shopping but clearance racks really do make me happy, mainly the ones at tj maxx where its clearance on clearance!!

5-Filling my tank with gas for 18.11, again didnt want to mention the dolla bill but how can the price of gas not make you HAPPY.

Tag you are it...

I ran into a blog the other day called "the non-consumer advocate" it stirred in me something I am passionate about enough to blog about... I call it "one mans trash." The economy being in the toilet has'nt changed my life all that much...we are fortunate to still have jobs in tact...other than that the price of cookies has gone up and NEVER go on sale... the price of gas has gone down, seems to even things out. We are always on a budget and I am always working to make the ends meet while making a happy home for my family. With this new business I see people who have so much "stuff", its that mentality that if I want to make shake-n-bake chicken I cannot use the stuff in the pantry because it has sat for 3 months so I will go buy more shake-n-bake but leave the old stuff in the pantry to go to waste, the "I cant find a paint brush" so I will go buy a new one when there are 5 in the garage but they are buried amoung the crap! It makes me a little crazy to find bags with brand new clothing in them and reciept from 07... why did you buy this? Why didnt you wear this? Now what are you going to do with the blouse that doesnt fit?

That said... I am thrifty, my spouse calls it "cheap", I dont disagree. I think its time to share some of the ways I save a buck or 2 and hopefully get some comments on how you do too.

I have spent a fair amount of time at the Thrift Town this holiday season...I have a daughter who loves clothes, I find name brands, gently used, really funky outfits for incredible prices. My deal for the holiday season is shown in the pics...5$ and an evening with scrapbook paper and modgepodge (thanks Libbi) and we have a polly house!!

Thats it for now...

answer to TV post

I had something more interesting to blog about but this is so much more fun and easier...
I think I have said this before... we are tv watchers. My cable bill is my entertainment budget and I guess I have become quite content with swapping "date nights" and "movies" for discovery, travel, foodtv, hgtv, tlc, court tv, cnn etc etc...
That said...the shows we watch nightly are all on the basic networks...?
My newer favorites...Big Bang theory, if you spend any time with nerdy people this is good fun.
The Mentalist, as if i needed one more crime solving show to watch, this one has caught me with its slightly different twist. 30Rock has to be one of the greatest sit-coms to hit the tv recently, if you havent watched it ...you should!!
We never miss the Office and while we still watch Earl it has gone a bit lame. On the dramatic side unfortunately i like all CSI's and Law and Order's as well as House, Bones and ER...
OK maybe I am a junkie...hmmm. I dont always get to watch every show, much of the time they sit on the DVR and I watch them at 5am on the weekends. And... I admit it, when i get home from work while i read my email and wait for the girls to get home I do put Days of Our Lives on...what the hell is Nicole thinking? he he it is always good for a laugh!

Christmas is coming!!

I am not sending out Christmas cards this year ... ok ok ... I have never really sent Christmas cards. I probably should, however I have a lot of excuses as to why I don't, the most valid being that I am lazy!! I do want to wish everyone a Very Happy Holiday season and I hope that everyone will post about their holiday happenings.

My only news for this week is that Andre auditioned for the Clayton musical, this year they are doing Peter Pan and got a lead role as Mr. Darling (yep the dad...). I am proud of him for making the extra effort over the past few weeks to prove that he deserved to audition and working hard to audition well.

As for the photo, my cat takes orders very well, i said "Bella sit in front of that tree and smile" and as usual she did exactly as told....

I elfed my kids Oh and Benji boo boo!!
Funny Funny Funny!!
http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/wicsngSFfyOFrSlY
You should all elf your kids and freinds and family !

Love

I am really not much for Love songs, well maybe I am and I just don't want to admit it... hmm that could be... anyhow Andre and I found this song, thanks to Greywhale advertising. The song is beautiful and the video... well, just watch it!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5rhhQbyYV0
p.s. especially love the mama belly and the old lady!