My most amazing day...

Last Friday I went to Joshua House to drop off my Christmas presents & I couldn't believe how small the gift pile was. My little donation didn't make a dent and I was sad because I know Joshua House shelters kids who have it really bad. Kids who don't have anyone to take care of them. They have been neglected and abused by their parents and aren't safe at home anymore and have nowhere else to go. They come to the shelter with the clothes they are wearing and that’s it. No toothbrush or teddy bear to help them through the next days and weeks.

Anyway, I left and was really sad about the whole thing. There are 40 children currently at the shelter, mostly teenagers, but the gifts were towels and sheets. Weird. I don't ever remember putting that on my Christmas list when I was a teenager.... When I got home I sent an email to my husband’s company community relations manager (she's also an owner) to see if she could send an email to everyone at the company and maybe we could get some more presents for the kids together. That was Friday night...

Saturday I had dinner with my Meet Up group and was telling everyone about what had happened the day before when one of the girls said she would love to help too...It turns out she works for Macy's. :)

As luck would have it almost everyone at my husband’s company took this week off but when he got home Monday he had a check from the community relations manager to help buy gifts for the kids at Joshua House! Yeah!

I already had a plan to go to Macy's and get clothes for the kids. I had my Macy's card and the check. I had a list of all the sizes and I was ready for action!

My Meet Up friend had all the junior clearance items on racks for me to choose from and it went so quickly! Together we were able to purchase 1 outfit for each child at Joshua House. Yep, that’s 40 outfits for $212!

Then I raced over to Joshua House to drop off the bags and the volunteers were so excited! They had just started wrapping presents but the pile was still pretty bleak and I took some of the outfits out to show and there were ooo's and ah's....it was such fun! Thank goodness I remembered to get gift boxes. It was soo fun to be together and laugh and hear stories about the kids and how excited they would be. It really was the most amazing day.

TOYSRUS

Did anyone go to toys r us Saturday?

They had the most amazing sale.

Board games for 4.99-7.99

and then Hasbro has a rebate coupon

I got battleship, chutes & ladders, twister + 10 others

for 2.99 after rebate!

I'll get through tons of birthdays next year!

I love the holidays!

Have a great day!

OMG, I have to walk a mile :)

Hey Girls...so you probably noticed my ticker on the right and I thought I would share. Scooby and I will be walking at Bark in the Park for the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.

Now Scooby and I aren't the best walkers. He is very easily distracted and I, well, I'm a roundy. :)

But this is such a great cause we agreed to walk for Charity and a great time.

I'll be sharing our mishaps on facebook and hopefully raising money for the Humane Society. My facebook badge is on the right so you can follow along too.

So if you have a few extra dollars you can spare I would appreciate your support!

Have a great day!

Please tell me why

Why do men leave their socks on the floor all the time?

Why, now that I have tile floors, is there hair everywhere?

Why does the dryer ring at the same time the oven timer rings?

Today hasn't been one of my better days.....   

:)

The Gap

How cute are the Gap commercials this year?

The girls outfits are so adorable.

I wish they had them in my size.

Have a great day!

A little anxiety today....

Tomorrow is the first holiday party and I am a wee bit anxious because my schedule is pretty tight.

Set up for Mistletoe Market (8am)

Assist with Marketplace (to 4pm)

*Remind the hubs to get a haircut*

Shower prep

Salon: Hair and nails

Mac: Makeup

race back home

dress

Hopefully I'll be dressed and ready to go by 6:30pm but it's more likely to be 7:30....I guess I should do my own makeup....hum maybe I can leave the volunteer market a little early...

Tagged...I'm it!

I was tagged by Jilly! This one is great. Have a great day and remember every days a blessing...

1. Have you started your Christmas shopping? Yes, I shop all year. When I see something I love, I pick it up and it goes into the gift closet.

2. Tell me about one of your special traditions. Putting up the outside lights, the tree and wreaths Thanksgiving weekend. Packing all the gifts and getting them shipped off and wrapping my hostess gifts and putting them under the tree till the party. I just love having everything done and ready so I’m not rushing around. I usually finish the Christmas cards and ship them on Wed before Thanksgiving so they are received Dec 1st.

3. When do you put up your Tree? Thanksgiving weekend

4. Are you a Black Friday shopper? Oh yeah Baby! That’s one of my favorite days of the year. The day after Christmas is my next favorite day ;)

5. Do you travel at Christmas or stay home? The hubs and I usually stay home

6. What is your funniest Christmas memory? When I was little all my family gathered at my grans. She was an awesome cook! She had 8 children and tons of grandkids…we were all together one Christmas in her little apartment and as we kids were rallying for the front row nearest the gifts, gran came out to take her place next to the tree. She lost her balance and toppled over into the tree. It was so funny! She was laughing and everyone was trying to help her up. She sat down in her chair and she was covered with silver icicles. She clapped her hands and said let’s get this party started! Hahaha.

7. What is your favorite Christmas movie of all time? Wow, there are so many! White Christmas is a classic, Preachers Wife, Love Actually but A Christmas Story can’t be missed!

8. Do you do your own Christmas baking, what’s your favorite treat? No, that was my grans favorite thing. She made this awesome almond cookie with a giant chocolate kiss on top.

9. Fake or Real Tree? Fake, Live ones don’t last long in the Fla heat.

10. What day does the actual panic set in to get it all done? Never. I usually have everything done and ready Thanksgiving weekend.

11. Are you still wrapping presents on Christmas Eve? Nope

12. What is your favorite family fun time at Christmas? Uh, around the tree part, opening gifts, seeing everyone smiling….

13. What Christmas craft do you like the best? Making the wreaths

14. Christmas music? (Yes or No) If yes, what is your favorite song? Oh, yes absolutely. Michael Buble’ has some great ones..I can’t really decide.

15. When do you plan to finish all of your shopping? Already done :)

ASPCA International: Operation Baghdad Pups

I am not from a military family so I'm not familiar with the military lifestyle but I am familiar with loss. I have a girlfriend who, at 40, decided to accept civilian employment with the military in Egypt. She is a Librarian working 25 km from the border of Iraq. We haven't seen each other in at least 10 years but this is the amazing thing about facebook, you get to peek into their lives like you never left. :)
So my friend leaves everyone she knows and loves to start this very scary adventure. I have to preface this by saying she also took the position because librarians are low on the "schools must have" totem pole and they are not being rehired.
So she gets there, she's sick the first couple weeks but eventually gets acclimated. Then a group of soldiers return to base with a dehydrated/malnourished momma dog and her 6 puppies. There is no veterinary care available and no veterinary supplies. So the team gives them water and part of their rations and eventually they get stronger. My girlfriend decides to adopt one of the puppies jointly with the base Chaplin and we thought they would live happily ever after. NOPE. The military has a strict "no pets" policy. OMG
She talks about him on every post and has boded and formed an attachment and now they are going to kill it? Yes ladies that is what the military requires. They don't want soldiers in battle to be distracted so they don't allow pets and if you have one you have to find it a home or kill it. Needless to say in a country that looks on dogs as pests rather than pets finding a home was hopeless.
Fortunately there is a caveat. If a dog is a mascot of a regiment it is a member of the team and can stay plus it gets its own rations! Yipee! Fortunately the Kansas Reserves were happy to offer the puppy a new home. He will be joining the regiment December 2. But then what you may ask.....
This is where Operation Baghdad Pups comes in. They are a division of ASPCA International and they assist soldiers in their attempts to bring home their furry friends. It's really amazing when you think about it. They help with veterinary care in the home country, assist with travel and housing then customs, post vet care and temp housing. Amazing. Then the doggie or kitty goes on the road again to the final destination and a permanent home to await their military counterpart.
COOL
So, I’m thinking to myself what can I do to help soldiers and their pets? Hum, I can send care packages…maybe I could help raise money to bring pets from other parts of the world..I’m not sure. If you have suggestions I’d appreciate it. I’m a sucker when I hear these stories. I want to reach out and love and protect these poor little animals but the reality is I’m not very good at it. I’m good at getting people together and fundraising, so maybe something in that area……..
Have a great day!

OC Housewives

I finally saw the new episodes last night. Talk about a 180...yowzwers. Everyone but Vicki is broke? Gretchen went from really nice rich guy to sneaky Slade? Lynn is making enough selling her cuffs she is able to support her family....er, get a facelift for herself and a nose job for the daughter? And Tamera, she really is a mean girl, is losing her house? hum...it all sounds fishy....  I mean really Jeanna has a 9k sq ft house filled with stuff....Tamera has tons of jewelery.... sell it ladies. I realize it's hard to part with but come on.... not that Gretchens yard sale did very well but if she had put an OC Housewives ad in the paper she would have gotten a lot more than $4 for her sweaters! Dang, thats an Ebayers dream.

BUT then we meet the new girl. OH....MY....GOD   she sure is pretty. So as mean as Tamera has been to Gretchen she going to have to turn it up a notch :) hahahaha I almost died when Lynn asked her if she used a surrogate to have her twins. Do you think she did? She is really thin but did you hear her workout schedule? No wonder she has 2 Nannies.

Anywhooie, gotta get my hair done but that was delicious.

Have a great day!

Catered Thanksgiving...

I love the holidays! Love, Love Love

But cooking and cleanup

not so much

plus there are only 2 of us this year so.....

Thanksgiving will be catered by Mimi's Cafe

We had this spread last year at my in-laws and it was delish

the cranberry relish is fab

Can't wait...plus it gives me time to get ready for the

Midnight Madness sales at Prime Outlets

I missed the Lilly Sale this weekend. I had been planning forever

but some things came up then I got sick

Hopsy's posts have me green with envy

Did you see all the adorable dresses she picked up? Ugh

I finished shopping for my Christmas Tree Kids

So now I am totally done shopping and wrapping

I finished stamping my Christmas cards

So now I can relax and enjoy the parties!

Yeah!

Have a great day!

The Blindside

Has anyone been to see this yet? It looks fab! I have a fever/bug today but as soon as it's gone I'm going to Mellow Mushroom for a steak calzone and then off to the movies!

Have a great day!

Twilight

Hey Girls. OK, Who stayed up last night to see New Moon at Midnight? Not me  :)  but when I was a teenager I would have. I love this story and the movies are amazing but I haven't been able to get on the Twilight bandwagon.  Too bad cause I think Jacob has turned from friend to super hottie/boyfriend material. I mean if I had to choose between a Vampire and a Warewolf..I think I'd go with the wolf...but thats just me.

This is too funny!

Courtesy of bobbypinsboardwalk

Click on the photo to see

Does anyone know what this is?

I love this little puppy! But I don't know what breed it is. Do you?

FACEBOOK....

I am spending way to much time on facebook. Especially now. I found my cousins wall and she has 826 friends! Yowzers and she is only 22.... I should have accumulated more than 28 friends in 40 years. Hum. I do "ignore" some requests cause i look at the pictures and think "I have no idea who they are" but is the part of the allure to see who can accumulate the most friends or to actually interact socially with people you know? I'm not sure but I'm getting a little competative and that doesn't seem right. My brother has 183 friends and errr  I just gotta do it! 

Have a great day!

Real Housewives of Atlanta

Yeeha, Tonight is the reunion! This is gonna be good. Yowzers. I missed the wig pulling show but there is a rerun on Bravo now and I am laughing so hard I think I may have...oops.

Oh My....

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE

From WWD a piece from John Paul Gaultier’s Spring/Summer 2010
Hermès collection

I have never been a fan of JPG.

His designs are a little too edgy for my taste

But this little beauty is amazing.

Creep by Hiroshi Awai

if I could get my husband to wear this I would be a happy girl

word is Creep is availiable at Urban Outfitters

but I couldn't find anything on the UO website

SoCa Ponti Two-Tone Dress

Availiable Size: 0/2

come on designers......a 2, really?

Carolina Herrera Embroidered Tee

Ginny H Buckle Front Sweater &
Ginny H Hollywood Jeans

A girl can dream.....

Burberry Laser-Cut Check Pump

Michael Jackson: Is this it?

When I was a kid I loved MJ. My mom listened to the Jackson 5 and I collected all of MJ's CD's. WOW What an amazing talent. Do you remember the Thriller dance? The pictures of him together with Brooke Shields? Another of my all time favorites at the time was Tatum O'Neil. So preppy, together with MJ....

BUT THEN there were the allegations of child abuse. I was appalled. Granted, MJ was a little nutty but what great talent isn't. Look at Andy Warhol but child abuse.......I couldn't believe it but his weird behavior has always been well documented and although he was exonerated there was always that little part of me that wondered if it was true.

Still, the tour "This is It" could have been the most amazing comeback of this century and I would like to see the documentary of MJ's last days....maybe a glimpse into the life of Michael Jackson...the real Michael Jackson.

I realize there are a lot of people out there who are saying there are body doubles and he's not really singing but it is a movie after all and it is a tribute to his talent that AMG/Sony figured out a way to save their investment and bring the show to the world rather than 50 venues.

I never got to see Michael Jackson live but I have seen the tapes and that proves he had an amazing talent and for that, I will always listen...because it's human nature, right?

Target Visa: Broken Promise

Last month I made a little pact with myself that i would not buy any shoes until the Target Visa was paid off. Well, um.....  Eliza B was having this super fab sale and I could not resist. Oh, and at the outlet well Kate Spade was having a sale and i have wanted the firefly sandals for a really long time and they had my size. They never have my size. It seemed like Kizmet. So, promise broken.

On the upside I am thinking about going back to work. It's getting lonely at home by myself and I am tired of home improvements. Who knew that so many things needed to be done? I certainly never noticed that the door trim was looking drab until I retired or that the pot light surrounds in the ceiling looked grungy and I seem to be moving the furnature a lot.

So if anyone knows of an opening for a person in Florida with an MBA let me know.  :)

Have a great day!

Yeah Baby

It's Friday and although it has heated up again I am having good times in the garden today. Unfortunately the pump on the Koi pond gave out but hopefully it's just clogged..so I will prob be spending the weekend cleaning the pond and unclogging the pump. :)

Smiles all! Have a great day

McDonalds Monopoly Game

I'm not a gambler. When the hubs and I go to Vegas we go for the shows BUT I am addicted to this monopoly game. I'm not sure why. I don't play the Subway monopoly game but I love this game! So far I have won a breakfast meal, 2 small drinks & 25 coke points. I know, thats not so great..but when the online roll starts I'm like, 2 2 2 please 2.    :)

Have a great day!

Maytag Digital Washer

I have the Maytag digital washer and dryer and I love them BUT the new LG washer & dryer with the steam/wrinkle reducer looks so awsome and after spending 3 hours ironing today I wish I had them too.

Whoo Hoo it's 73 degrees!

I woke up yesterday morning and had this amazing burst of energy. When I went outside to visit with the Scoob it was 73 degrees! Yipee! No humidity and a beautiful morning so I rushed inside and woke the hubs to make a plan. I got dressed and ready in about 5 minutes flat and we went to Orlando outlet shopping! I couldn't believe he agreed to go. We stopped at McDons for fortification and 90 minutes later were in the land of OZ. Holy Moly, I thought we were in a recession. I had to park in spill over parking. I guess everyone else had the same idea. I ended up with some awsome deals. Ralph Lauren Chinos $110 for $10 so I hooked the hubs up with 3 and I got a Coach scarf and gloves for half off. SCORE. The only problem was I was in such a rush I forgot my sunscreen and now my face is pink. :)

Have a great day!

Yipee, It's FRIDAY!

Yeah, yeah, yeah...it's fri-day... but USF lost to Cincinatti last night super sad ...ok no more soda for me!

Have a great day!

NEW TAMPA WOMENS CLUB

Hi there, feels like 100 degrees and 90% humidity today & I had my first Womens Club Event (I'm a provisional member). It was called Trash to Treasure and the team got donations together from all the memebers and we participated in a giant yard sale at Hunters Green. My goodness it was hot. I'm pretty sure I wont be volunteering for anything outdoors anymore. hahaha

Have a great day!

Dave Attell: Comedy at it's best...

My husband and I are big comedy fans. In fact, we go to the Comedy Festival in Las Vegas every year. It's the best vacation we take. I usually like to see comedians like mikebrbiglea but my husband loves Dave Attell. He used to have this show that was pretty crazy so I wasn't too excited but it turned out to be super funny and we had a great time. BUT then....he walked outside! I couldn't believe it :) so I threw my camera to the hubs and asked if we could take a photo. He was so nice. I explained that my husband was his biggest fan so in the picture he's trying to wave the hubs over. We talked about the festival and he said he was doing NY instead but he would check it out. He ended up in Las Vegas last year after our little chat. Cool, eh?

My favorite Housewife

I was watching the Atlanta Housewives and I really like Kandi. The others are so show-offy. She has real accomplishments to be proud of. I look at all these women and I'm a little bit jealous. Who wouldn't want a Range Rover or a big shiny diamond or a giant donut...yeah I'd love a doughnut, which one is the right one. Who cares as long as there is dough. They prob don't eat doughnuts. OK, have a great day.

What I want for Christmas.....

Oh, my god! I got the Neiman Marcus Christmas Catalog today & I know what I want for Christmas now!

WOOOHOOO, look at this:

ICON A5


Who wouldn't want their own plane? The ICON A5 ($139,000; 2010) is a two-seat sport airplane aimed at the masses. Designed to be "predictable and easy-to-fly," the lightweight personal aircraft is amphibious with retractable landing gear for flying off land and water alike. The A5 features a carbon fiber airframe, a 100-hp/120-mph Rotax 912 ULS engine (that runs on both auto and aviation gas), and folding wings that allow it to be stored at home and towed on the highway with a trailer. If you don't think your weekend piloting skills are up to par, fear not — the A5 comes with a bevy of safety features. Included will be a propeller guard, wing angle of attack indicator (sounds important), and a huge, built-in parachute that helps the entire plane come down a little easier in an emergency.

Atlanta Housewives Ex Dead

http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/arrest-in-housewives-ex-153300.html

Pay it Forward: Psychological Assessment Resources

This week marked the end of the United Way Campaign for the hubbys company and today they had a big celebration. PAR has about 50 employees and this year the PAR team donated 90K+ to the United Way! Yipee, go TEAM!

The theme of the celebration this year was under the big top so they have had clowns come in and a magician, those cute bags of peanuts that they have at the circus, carnival games like ring toss and they had a giant group of balloons that each employee got to pick from for a super prize. One person won 40 hours of vacation time! Awesome. They also had a speaker whose life had been changed/saved due to the services offered by United Way. The hubs said everyone was choked up and had to take a little break after....

I must say I have never known a company that took such good care of its employees and the community that supports it. Way to go PAR on another year exceeding your United Way Donations Goal!

BUT....the best part is there were tons of leftovers from the party and the hubs, in his infinite wisdom, keeps a little stack of to go boxes in his office for just such an occasion! He arrived home with 2 salads and 6 slices of pizza! :) SCORE! No cooking for me tonight!

Have a great day!