Ink Refills - Failed Experiement

One of the things I miss the most about not working is the access to office equipment. I predicted it would be true, and it is.  I loved my copier. I loved scanning things with ease, including long documents or cards for digital scrapbooking. I miss printing. I miss the endless supply of toner/ink/post it notes that arrived to fill my every whim.

Paying for ink blows. I think we all agree, it's a big  expense  that gets put off until you end up in an emergency and you have no choice.

I thought I'd be a little proactive and try out ink refills now that Costco is offering them through their 1 hour photo. I had done some research online and found a few people that had trouble with their printer recognizing the refilled cartridges, but decided  it was worth the gamble.

WRONG DECISION.

I really wish I had only refilled one cartridge to try it out, but no, I refilled an XL black and all 3 color cartridges at once. The color ones were out out out, so I loaded them right back up and was pleased that there was no recognition problem. I printed a poster just fine and did a little celebratory dance at my success.

And then I tried to print another poster. And the colored ink got fainter, and fainter, and eventually stopped.

They don't work. 

Dammit.

I have yet to try the black ink, but for sure the colored ones were not worth the gamble. Even if they had worked it was only a few dollars savings per cartridge over new, definitely not worth the hassle. The black was a bigger savings, but I am doubtful it will work any better - though I'll try to remember to update when I try it out.

The Cupcake meets Santa

We never made it to Santa last year, I had good intentions but froze up whenever I saw the price list for photos, or didn't like the outfit she was wearing, or the mood she was in, or just in general thought I could do better and so I ended up with nothing. This year could have very well been the same, but we took advantage of several happy coincidences and ended up with a sweet snapshot:

 

 

I'm not very happy with the low resolution (we bought the file, for $35 or whatever ridiculous amount I paid I should get a good resolution file) but the pics are cute and made for some adorable holiday cards (cropped a bit). We didn't intend to see Santa that day, we were just wandering the mall and admiring the lights when we came across his cottage with no line. And then we realized The Cupcake was wearing a red plaid tunic, and I had the weekend off to work on Xmas cards if we could get it together, and really wouldn't it just be the perfect opportunity...

 

And then she freaked out when we tried to send her to the big guy, ugly crying and all.

 

So maybe not...

 

We took a detour to the food court, ate some fried rice, and I combed her hair with a fork (where my Little Mermaid fans at? Dinglehopper FTW?) and bought a couple quick hair ties and some bows at a Claires.

 

And with the help of Santa's special bribes (stuffed animals, cookies, patience) we got a few good memories.

 

And I ordered my Xmas cards that night.

 

Mom wins. Claim them when you can.

 

I am clearly not "Juicy"

I was just perusing the Mall of America website for details of their Halloween event tonight, when this advertisement caught my eye:

 

 

Does anyone really walk like this? Has she just been hit by a car and thus her awkward head flip/hair flying/twisted up skirt? Or is she walking along Miami in a hurricane? Perhaps she skipping wildly and braying like a horse?

WTF people?
Who approves these things?

And why would this make me want to shop in Minnesota in the fall?

 

That is all.

Still more schwag...

There are a couple Christmas ornament stands at the Minnesota State Fair, and I just couldn't pass up this little treasure when I saw it:

 

 

A cupcake coach photo frame ornament?!?!? YES! I love personalized ornaments and I have a whole set of sweets-themed ornaments and garland, so this is a PERFECT addition!

Charming

Yes, this is more State Fair loot - a fun find from The International Bazaar, where there is a little stand each year that sells shiny whimsical stuffed animals and fantasy creatures. We have a few mermaids, a seahorse, and a crab, and the husband was really tempted by the dragons this year until I saw this big fella:

 

 

Ssssspectacular! And he's huge! I think he might be too heavy for The Cupcake to drag around much just yet (he's filled with birdseed or something) but I'm in love with the bright green shiny scales, fuzzy felt underbelly, and that little forked tongue. Could ths be the beginning of a baby Britney Spears costume? Toddlers & Tiaras, here we come!

 

 

TC seemed tickled to wrestle with him in her stroller, and she makes an adorable "hissing" noise, but through her nose instead of her mouth, which is hilarious.

 

 

Sssssssstate Fair Fun!

 

 

Tuesday.

Today we had TC's 18 month appointment. No shots, which was a pleasant surprise, and yes, she continues to be Amazonian in stature (35.25 inches, roughly the size of an average 3 year old).

I look down on you from my towering stature.

This is a very dour face for someone with such absurd hair.

After that adventure we shared a McDonald's Big Breakfast, and for the first time in 2 weeks TC willingly ate a meal and then some, it was quite exciting. We had PlayPlace all to ourselves, and though I find them disgusting and vomit a little in my mouth if I look too closely at anything, I tried to pretend they had just bleached it all last night and we were the first people to set foot in there so there were no germs. We all need something to believe in. So with that fairytale in mind, I let TC toddle up and down a few levels until she got too bold and I was afraid I'd have to climb up through the tubes to rescue her (or just to get her to leave) and I'm mildly claustrophobic, so we were on to another destination, which on the spur of the moment I decided would be IKEA! TC is not quite big enough to explore smaland (3/4" to go, though you also have to be potty trained - so my guess is they are looking for a much older crowd than my little giant), so we just strolled the aisles and picked up a few little goodies, then headed home for naptime.

Minor problem: watching a lot of HGTV + perusing IKEA makes you want to formulate ludicrous plans for your home. Luckily I have terrible follow through and no funding, so I'm not in any real danger.

Favorite Places to Shop - Toddle Along Tuesday

I thought I was really on top of things, starting to write this post ahead of time, and then yesterday got so busy I didn't get it posted & linked...oops :( Guess I'm toddling pretty slow this week!

Long before we took the poverty plunge (deciding to stay at home with TC) I was a Goodwill devotee. I love Goodwill. I buy all of my jeans there, for $6.99 or less, and end up getting way nicer brands than I could ever afford retail. It takes a bit of work to sort through the racks and find my size, and then try on a big stack, but it's also really cool to try a bunch of different brands all at once and decide what works for me and what doesn't. For instance, I cannot handle low rise jeans (I actually have short legs and most of my height is in my waist/body). In some brands I can wear a regular length, but mostly I need a "short" or I'm gonna drag/cuff the ends. Old Navy runs large, Gap runs a little short, and Lee always feels really thick & heavy.

Goodwill was a GREAT resource for maternity pants too - again, $6.99 for most pairs and in my area they seemed barely worn. If I ever have a need for more maternity pants, I'm definitely going Goodwill - and I will spoil myself with 6 pair for the price of one new. I like to have options :)

Part of our busy day yesterday involved scouring a couple of Goodwill stores for outfits for the Run For Your Lives Zombie 5K this weekend, and I SCORED BIG TIME! It was "green tag day" so $1.49 for all green tag items, and I scored a pair of really nice jeans, and 9 costume components (no spoilers! but I picked up 5 shirts, 3 pr of shorts, and some brand new knee socks still in the packaging) all with green tags.

Goodwill, I salute you.

For shoes I've recently come around to the idea of "you get what you pay for" and started splurging on fewer pairs but better quality. I pretty much wear the same shoes every day, and my feet never hurt. Right now it's my new Clarks - still loving them, and worth every penny! Before that it was some patent mary janes from B.O.C., and for several years prior I was in love with Merrell slip ons. I like Marshalls for big discounts on all these brands, but with my last pair I just bit the bullet and bought straight from Clarks :)

For The Cupcake, I'm in love with Hannah Andersson, Baby Gap, and Children's Place, but of course I couldn't afford (or justify) those prices even when I was working. Luckily, the Just Between Friends sales have been AMAZING. This summer I bought TC a GIGANTIC wardrobe of 18 & 24 month summer clothes - awesome basics that we can mix and match like t-shirts, stretchy pants, tunics, and zip front sweaters. I have posted about my bargains a few times before - for the price of a few outfits (literally the retail cost of maybe 3 of these outfits) I got dozens of pieces. Not to mention shoes and toys too.The Cupcake's Easter outfit was one such find - a Baby Gap tiered skirt with attached leggings, matching ruffle sleeve shirt, and strawberry embroidered sweater (I think Gymboree?). She also has on a pair of WeeSqueaks shoes that were $7, so I believe this whole special occasion outfit was under $25

Tootsies

I got NEW SHOES!
(Clarks Unstructured Un.Knot in black)

Are they too expensive? Yes. Do I love them? YES!

I was trying to replace these which are wickedly comfortable and amazing, but no longer exist. I'm kind of bummed they only lasted about 5 months and then the shiny coating started to flake off wherever they creased or got scuffed - I assume that is why they are no longer made or even available on ebay or close outs. That shouldn't happen with these leather (and more spendy) ones, and hopefully I can still wear them interchangably with dresses/dress pants/jeans. They're not shiny and sparkly, which is a little let down, but they are definitely comfortable. I'm taking a couple long trips this summer with limited luggage capabilities, and versatile shoes would really help (shoes take up so much room!) since I'll have dress up and casual obligations.

Spring in my step...

HAPPY FRIDAY! HAPPY 3 WEEKS LEFT IN THE WORKING WORLD!
(potentially that much closer to poverty, but what the hell - it's been really fun so far).

I'm having a good week.

Yesterday I spent the morning in a class about starting nonprofits, then had a really positive meeting for my coaching job, and finally I swung by another JBF sale and got some great deals on a few more shirts to match all the pants we got at the last sale, and I happened to stumble on one of these guys:


$30, looks like they are around $90 retail, and it's in great shape! So far TC likes to bite him on the ears and stuff the saddle full of toys more than bounce or rock, but if nothing else it's a little variation for ME, I needed some new scenery.

The Cupcake isn't so picky. She seemed to like the plastic hangers best out of all of her "toys" lately, and the biggest thrill yesterday was the discovery of an old pocketbook bound for the trash - but don't tell her that, it had to be pried from her fingers at bedtime.

Isn't that a beautiful metaphor for how we're enjoying the simple things lately, taking pleasure in the objects that are already around us instead of clamoring for new, reusing and recycling and hugging the world, and overall making the most of this stay at home mom stuff?

Okay, fine, it's not that deep. And I forgot what we were even talking about. Mostly because this made me laugh out loud until I cried mascara down my cheeks and couldn't breathe to read it to my husband, and an hour later I'm still giggling about it. I would like to add "receive cross dressing Lego men in the mail" to my bucket list, but stuff like that just doesn't happen to me and it would just be a constant reminder my life could be that much cooler. But I feel better knowing it happened somewhere in the world. And "mustachioed" is a great word. And I'm still having a GREAT week.

Angry Transvestite Armies for Everyone!

Five Lessons learned today:

-Not all JBF sales are equal. This was the FIRST day of the Andover sale, and it was ridiculously lame compared to the Coon Rapids one. If you can believe it, I didn't buy ANYTHING!

-Thursdays are 1/2 off kid stuff day at Goodwill - scored 2 nice zip front sweaters for P (she wears sweaters ALL THE TIME right now over short sleeve outfits) for just $0.99 each! Bonus: Even dad can get them on her without too much trouble.

-Wendy's has 2 kinds of lemonade. The new "All-Natural" (sure) one is fantastic (and comes in a fancy cup), but if you don't specify "NEW ALL NATURAL" then they give you the minute maid crap from the soda fountain. Not fantastic.

-I will never buy jeans at full price again! I just got 4 nice pairs for $6.99 each at the Goodwill, less than one pair of jeans retail, and they're fun brands like Gap, New York & Co., etc.

-I really can't stand low rise jeans. My muffin top does not need to be encouraged.

To ponder: I'm putting weight back on (boo) lately, though I'm still under my pre-pregnancy weight. Will staying home help, in that I won't sit at my desk and eat all day or be tempted to go out to lunch (since we'll be broke), and I'll be chasing TC around, or will it be worse because I'll be within such close proximity to my refrigerator, my couch, and my jeans?

Hmmm, time will tell...

Shoe Shopping

I had a very brief shoe obsession during what I now lovingly refer to as my "spice girl days" (when we talk about skeletons in the closet, all mine are actually in my closet - crimes against fashion and possibly humanity. Ahhh, the ignorance and wonderful audacity of youth).

But lately, I could care less about my own shoes (as long as they are comfortable), it seems I'm much more attracted to little girls's shoes! Such as:



Aren't these adorable? Another one of my bargains from the JBF sale. I paid $7. They retail for $35, though they have some on clearance for $15. These had just tiny scuffs on the toes, which TC would have done in her first wear anyways, and they didn't have their squeakers in them (they squeak with each step, which encourages the kid to put their heel down and not walk on their toes, which is their first impulse). I emailed the company and they sent me new squeakers FREE, so I got these half price for just their tiny toe scuffs! And I love them :)

The Cupcake wore them out to eat last week and the hubby let her walk out of the restaurant holding his hand - boy did she make a stir! The squeaks aren't loud enough to be annoying (at least not for short periods of time) but they sure got a reaction. I stayed behind to hokey up the floor (many goldfish crackers had met their death that dinner) and cracked up hearing all the exclaimations "Oh goodness!" "Isn't that cute!" "She has those squeaky shoes!" "I've never seen those!" And let me tell you, the little miss enjoyed EVERY BIT of her attention :) They're a hit!

A few more of my mega bargains...

I mentioned I went overboard at the JBF sale, so justifying my purchases helps me feel better about my moments of impulse overload. So I'm doing it again today. Here are a few more of my amazing deals I'm quite proud of:


A few of the things I google I can't really believe the prices on, but I'll let you decide. For example, I got this little Elmo Mailbox Shape Sorter for $2




On Amazon its listed at $24.99-$65!!! Um, no. Something weird there, probably because it's not made anymore. I'd guess it was in the $20 range new?

And this Fisher Price Story & Learning Chair, one of the reviews said they paid $40, but it is now listed at a bizarre $199! It's a little fancier than my version, I don't think we have the crayons, but it's close:



I paid $10. The sticker on the chair seat is really faded and doesn't look new, but everything works, and it's cute and has been entertaining so far. Mostly my little monkey wants to STAND on it, which is a battle, but it was well worth $10. Saved $30-190 I guess :)

Since you (or The Cupcake) never can have enough Elmo, I also got one of these:

Again, Amazon is weird, showing it as $35-99, but no matter - I paid 4.00 :)

And the final toy item I picked up - I had the marble version of this when I was little, and it's awesome, so when I saw this version for smaller kids (bigger ball size so they don't choke) I was immediately drawn to it. It was marked at $15, so I waivered and waffled for a long time, but finally picked it up and I did get a good deal:
Castle Marble Works from Discovery Toys, WITH ALL 3 ORIGINAL CHIME BALLS, $40 new. Saved $25. This is one I'm saving for a rainy day (though Grammy REALLY wants to play with it) so I haven't even showed TC yet.

So far I'm restraining myself, but the Coon Rapids Sale is in it's last day today, with most items (anything without a star on the label) going for 1/2 price. I'm doing pretty well on selling too, with about half of what I brought in gone already in the regular price sale days, and I set almost EVERYTHING else to go half off today!

Bountiful Bargains (and some Bragging)

I'm a huge fan of the JBF consignment sales. It took a while, the first one I participated in was lackluster, but the Coon Rapids/Maple Grove sale has a HUGE following and I am hooked. Probably tooooooo hooked, as I went a bit overboard on clothes especially, but I couldn't resist the wonderful deals!

For example,
Nice big set of Fisher Price Peek-A-Boo Blocks, circus theme. I paid $5. Came home and wiped them down with disinfecting wipes, and they were good as new. The Cupcake is in LOVE with them, as she is very into examining tiny details lately. Compare to the current "alphabet" themed set, on Fisher-Price's website for $27



$22 savings!

2nd score: Fisher Price Elmo's World Guitar, complete with batteries (they require everything at the sale to have batteries and work, so you can try it all out).



We don't watch much TV, but I think this kid came out of the womb knowing and loving Elmo (and Dorothy). I paid $6, it's on Amazon right now for $37.99 and there's not even a scratch on it. Kid is in love. The sounds are mildly annoying for long periods of time, but when you hit the whammy bar Elmo says "WHAMMMMMMMMY!" and it cracks me up every time.

Saved $36 + batteries

I'm in love with Hanna Andersson, a Swedish kids brand that is way too expensive for me, but TC has gotten a few gifts from her Grandmother that got me hooked, and luckily lately I've been able to snag a few things at amazing deals, for example I got this quilted MERMAID jacket:



PLUS the matching capri pants AND a matching mermaid onesie for $15. Compare this to new to jackets from HA currently priced in the $48 range, Capri pants are $28, and printed onesies $22, a similar new outfit would be $98.

Whoa. $83 savings. And SO FREAKING ADORABLE, you knew I couldn't pass up that jacket...

If you're keeping track, that's $167 worth of goodies for $26, and everything looks nearly new. I AM A CHAMPION SHOPPER!

This is just a fraction of my booty (a very small fraction). I admit I went overboard, but so far the toys are all BIG hits (and I'm only breaking them out slowly, might keep a few in the wings for crabby days), and I have an entire summer wardrobe ready for TC's current (18mo) size and 24 months. It's mostly great brands I covet but could/would never fork out the money for new (Children's place stretchy pants are AMAZING, but I'm not paying $15-30 for kid pants, I don't even spend that for MY pants!).


The Coon Rapids JBF Sale is still on today & tomorrow, with lots of good deals (go buy the rest of my stuff!). Grandparents get 25% off most items today, and everyone gets 1/2 off most stuff tomorrow. Details here. I'm also consigning, and that's a great way to stretch your dollars too - I've *almost* made enough in selling her old stuff to pay for the new stuff.

In the Closet

I haven't been able to do much on my bucket list since I checked off "#2: Have a child," but I am working on one item little by little. It's number 156: Love all the clothes in my closet. And it's a pretty big deal. I mentioned before that I've drastically changed sizes over the past year and a half, and I'm currently finding myself down to a size 10 for the first time in more than a decade, and while I've never been too focused on my weight, wow is this making shopping a LOT more fun! Now, if only I had some MONEY to shop with :)

But as much as buying new clothes is important, the other and perhaps larger task in this project is getting RID of things. My closet is more or less full, I own clothing...I just don't love it. I don't even like it all. And I don't want to be bogged down by it anymore.

I'm sick of throwing on clothes in a rush, and then being uncomfortable the rest of the day as they don't fit or flatter. I'm sick of getting all bent out of shape before I go somewhere because I "have nothing to wear." My life is very full. I barely have time for the things and people that I DO love, I'm done wasting it on things I don't. So I have some prioritizing to do.

Here are some of the rules I'm going by:

1. Always try it on. I've never been a catalog or online shopper, and I'm terrible at knowing how something will look on me or feel. So even if The Cupcake is throwing a fit, no buying and returning later - that's just double the work. Try it before you buy it.

2. If I don't immediately love it when I try it on, I don't buy it. Don't even consider it. There are so many beautiful things in the world these days, there is no need to settle or talk myself into something - I don't have $$$ to waste on things I don't love. In the past if something was a really great deal it has sort of elevated my opinion of it - but no more. No instant love = no sale.

3. If it is inconvenient, it goes away. If it needs to be hemmed or taken in or otherwise repaired - even if it's a great deal - no sale. I just don't have time to get to those things right now, and I know it.

4. Consider the ladies. This means if I can't wear a bra, or would have to buy some sort of special bra, or if my straps would hang out and annoy the crap out of me all day, no sale. When I got my mermaid I went out and bought a bunch of backless shirts...but stick on bras suck. I end up cupping myself all day, and that's just not a good look. Perhaps in some really specific situations this might be allowed (formal wear?) but for daily outfits - no go.

5. It all goes in the wash. I hate to iron, and I definitely don't have time in my day for it. I'll never hand wash garments either. And I can't really afford to dry clean. Everything in my life has to tolerate puke, poop, and pureed carrots (which stain like a b!@#$). I don't have time right now for high maintenance clothes.

6. If it's too big, it goes away. I know, I know, this might not be permanent weight loss, and maybe I'll have to buy a whole new wardrobe if I gain it back or keep shrinking - but I don't have room to keep multiple separate wardrobes, and I'm sick of grabbing clothes that seem okay in the morning, and are falling off my hips halfway through the day. If I wear something, and it proves to be annoyingly large - it's going in the GET RID OF bins, the same way I am constantly rotating TC's wardrobe.

(GET RID OF method is yet to be determined. I'd love to have a yard sale, or put everything on ebay, take it to a consignment shop, or otherwise profit from it - but that takes SO MUCH TIME. For now, it's all getting piled in boxes in the attic).

7. The Norm rule. This has been in effect for...oh, 11 years now. Norm is mostly white, and constantly freaked out, which means my house is COVERED in tiny white hairs that stick to everything. Especially black clothes. Or navy. Or anything fleece. I haven't seen hubby in a black t-shirt forever. When I was working full time I occasionally had "work only" black clothes that I rarely wore around the house, but now that I'm home more than away, it really doesn't make sense to invest in things I can almost never wear. Nina Garcia would not survive in my house :)

I'm trying to pay more attention to clothes that can work together, though I've never been able to limit myself in terms of colors. I have an odd attachment to tie dye, I know, but I'm okay with that. I'm trying to ease up on the sparkles - if only because they often complicate rule #5, but also glitter and studs are a baby hazard (gasp!) so I'm toning it down a little...at least until I can wear jewelry again :) (TC has a mean grip and lightning speed, she WILL rip that crap right off of you). While my life is pretty messy right now, I don't need to keep "paint clothes" or things "I might wear in the mud" - keeping clothes BECAUSE they are ruined already is silly, that's what aprons and bleach are for.

I've hauled 3 giant laundry baskets out of my bedroom so far, and since I had TC I believe I've purchased 3 pairs of pants and 12 tops - plus a bunch of jeans from the goodwill. Half of those jeans ended up violating my "rules" above and got the axe - mostly because I found myself hiking them up all day long, I'm just NOT made for low rise jeans, and there are better options for me. Hoping to finish this project by the end of the year, get some photos up of what I'm keeping and ditching, and slowly build my closet back up while keeping to the rules above.

Material Girl

We went to a bridal shower last weekend, which was a perfect excuse to wear a party dress:



I <3 this outfit! And it was SUCH a steal - a few weeks ago I heard a rumor that Ella's organic baby food was on sale half price at Babies R Us, so I ventured in and stumbled on a gigantic clearance sale. All of their clothing on the clearance racks (which were all over the store, there must have been over 20 circular racks) was $5 or less. That meant we got this $29 dress for just $5!!!



She was in a great mood, but had no intentions of posing for me - she's ALWAYS on the move right now!



The leggings she already had, and the hair clip I bought for her newborn photos but never used - I was worried she'd rip it out, but she left it alone all day! (the other baby at the party tried to jack it several times, however).




We even had a matching bib and shrug to accessorize with later on!



Replace the necklace she is holding with a phone (the old corded style), change auntie Laura's lap to some shag carpet or a Lisa Frank comforter, and she's a child of the 80's just like myself:



I decided not to curl her bangs though :)

The light at the end of the aisle...

How cool is this?



It's The Cupcake's new nightlight! I fell in love the first day we were at the fair and had to scoop it up (new booth in the grandstand this year!) I had gotten this one at IKEA and was really excited, but it actually puts out too much light, and she stays awake trying to do things, but this one was a softer glow and really fits the watery theme of her mermaids & pirates nursery so well. I haven't decided where to hang it for sure yet, but it makes me super happy:

19 - Who says you can't buy happiness?

Yeeeeee Hawwww!

I definitely had a fun day today! On Fridays I work just 1/2 day (that's not even the fun part) and TC was at Grammy's house (usually she comes to us, but she had some tasks to accomplish at home), so I got to run a few errands after work on my way to pick her up. Since I had actually FINISHED my to-do list for this weekend's wedding shower (with a day to spare?!?! WOW!)I decided to use that time to go SHOPPING!!! The husband, apparently fed up with my whining about the sad state of my wardrobe*, and possibly in celebration of the end of pumping, had given me a big old giftcard to waste all on myself, and boy did I do a good job! I had 2 $10 off coupons in my purse, and found another in the dressing room - and they let me use all 3! I may be en route to completing bucket list #156, Love all the Clothes in my Closet, so stay tuned!

----
*I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I actually LOST weight after having TC, and so far it is staying off. I'm not shy about my weight, so here's the story: I'm 5'7", and pre-pregnancy I was a pretty solid size 14, weighing in around 173. I n my first trimester of pregnancy, I lost 11 lbs. I was pretty nauseous, had a hard time keeping food down, and at the same time switched my eating habits pretty significantly, including giving up caffeine and moving from soda to milk. In the second trimester I started having ridiculous heartburn, so my normal diet of pizza and frozen pasta meals was out...in fact, by the end of 3rd trimester the heartburn was so extreme that I was pretty much living on oatmeal, toast, and a half gallon of milk a day. On the week that The Cupcake was born I weighed in at 189.

And then I never had time to eat again.

Okay, that's not completely true, but I definitely had a drastic increase in activity, not to mention the extra calories I was using pumping breastmilk, and my caloric intake was limited to whatever I could grab off the counter with one hand while holding TC with the other. Despite that all too often being Girl Scout cookies, I actually lost weight pretty quickly, and have been hovering around 150lbs now for around 6 months. I'm a size 12 or occasionally a 10 now, which means all my clothes look a little dumpy and ill fitting. I also wore a lot of them while I was pregnant, so I feel like everything I own looks like maternity, even if it wasn't. SO - this is why I've been complaining, and now am finally taking some action on my closet!

Thanks hubs :)

Eleven - it's a supersized #1...

Go big or go home, that's what I always say!

I don't think I've ever said that, actually.

At least not in the context of planning one excursion after the next and running all weekend long. I'm not even sure how we accomplished it, really, but in the end it was a great weekend.

After our mini vacation Thursday - Saturday, I had planned to use Sunday to catch up on laundry, dishes, sleep (ha ha ha ha ha ha ha)...instead, we decided to do one more family day together, and trekked out to the Mall of America. We did a lot of window shopping, I bought an overpriced but excellent and unique photo display that I promised to use for a million different things (you will definitely see it here as part of the shower I'm throwing in 2 weeks!). The Cupcake fell asleep just long enough for us to have a quick lunch at the Wolfgang Puck Express, followed by a "celebration brownie" at the Tollhouse Cookie/Edy's Ice Cream stand. We browsed all 3 levels of shops, and somehow still had some energy left as the stores were starting to close up, so we headed across the street to IKEA for a little more unintentional shopping.

Oops.

We did a LOT more damage than intended there, but it should be all good choices in the long run. Our current high chair just isn't working out (why do first time moms even try to make registries? WTF did I know about what would be good baby-raising items?), and although she won't be in it for long, feeding takes up such a big chunk of my day now that I'm willing to try something new. Hoping this works a little better:


We got it in red :)

Also, I'd been meaning to pick up a nightlight for TC's room, and I've been smitten with this fixture for a while, so I finally decided to go for it. Turns out it's a little bright, and I might end up going for the smaller one instead, but it sure is FUN! We picked up a few things we've been meaning to get but never seem to get around to - a pizza cutter (ours disappeared about a year ago, no idea where) and a new silverware organizer (it might be the only organizational tool hubby has EVER requested). Then there were a few serving pieces for the shower (TBA!) and of course 3 boxes of swedish cookies...by the time we got home all 3 of us were ready for bed :)

Costume Ideas - using graduation/choir robes

As I mentioned, I've been spending more and more time at the Goodwill lately, scouring for Halloween bargains. Particularly I think this location does a good job of hauling in TONS of costume inspiring pieces:

St. Paul
553 Fairview Ave. N
St. Paul, MN 55104
(651) 379-5808

(I've called it the "University Avenue store", though its technically set back off the main street and the address is Fairview).

One thing I noticed a ton of on their racks were these:



Robes. Choir robes/graduation robes/clergy robes, they had them in all colors and finishes. And cheap. So I thought I might step away from the NOLA costume ideas, and rack my brain for a few costumes you could create around this easy piece.

1. Graduate

Buy the robe, and take 10 minutes to make up an easy little graduation cap - cover a square piece of cardboard in black (or whatever color robe you decided on) fabric - hot glue works well. Cut a strip just larger than the circumference of your head and secure it in a circle as the cap. Glue on a button & tassel, and you're done.

Jazz it up:
- spell out something obnoxious on your hat (Hi Mom!)
(source)

- classic streaker - there's always one guy who decides to go "au natural" under his robe - create the look with an open robe and nude bodysuit underneath.

- set yourself in a different time period - try some big 80's bangs and a side ponytail, jelly bracelets, acid washed jeans tucked into your neon slouch socks, high top sneakers, and add a "Class of 1985 rules!" sticker across your back

- Pick your clique - accessorize with nerd glasses & buck teeth, goth makeup & baggy pants, drama mask and feather boa, etc.

- Politicize it - strap a crushing load of student debt to your back (maybe just a huge backpack that says "STUDENT LOANS." Maybe with blood for emphasis), a "will work for food" sign on your back and a copy of the want ads with lots of red circles and XXs, wear your robe open with the bare minimum cloths underneath and a "will dance for tuition" sign.

- Go (un)dead - zombie or vampire twists are easy to add to any costume, just pick up the appropriate makeup kit at a Walgreens or Target.


2. God-Fearing Folk



(source)

- start with a black robe and add a white collar (strip of cardboard) to become a Catholic priest, or drape a sash over your shoulders (vestments? something like that?) with religious symbols to be a minister. Carry a bible (or a black dictionary, or heck, put a paper cover on your copy of "New Moon" and write BIBLE across the spine).

- black robe, white dickie or bib (or you could even cut off the top of a white t-shirt to make the collar), and a habit made of a rectangle of black fabric secured to a white bandanna or knit cap makes you a nun. Best if worn with a stern look, and possibly carry a ruler for rapping knuckles.

- choir singer - carry a book of hymns. Spontaneously sing back the last line of what anyone says to you. (Be prepared to be tossed out of your party early.)

- Mary & Joseph - start with a light blue or brown/gold robe, add a few loops of fabric draped across your body or over your arms and tie at the waist with rope or twine. A chunk of fabric, or in a pinch even a pillowcase can make your head scarf. Mary is a good costume for a pregnant mama, or she could gently swaddle the baby Jesus (doll wrapped in a receiving blanket).

Jazz it up - too many options, and too much room for politics and offense to even get me started. Of course there are the classics - pregnant nun, "excited" priest...but you probably don't have to look too far to come up with a million more statements you can make with a few accessories. I'll let you delve into them on your own.


3. Judge

(source)

A black robe easily doubles as a judge's robe (which would look way less stupid than the folks above), and you've always wanted an excuse to carry around and bang a gavel.

Here's a great tutorial on making a barrister's wig out of a Christmas tree skirt, or if you'd rather, create it out of tampons, toilet paper rolls, also here, or most costume shops carry them as well.

Jazz it up:

- protest a particular ruling...though the only ones that I come up with are too offensive to post. Maybe look at some political cartoons for research. Or just add a devil tail peeking out the back, or envelopes of cash bulging out of your robe. Wrap yourself in red electrical tape to protest the inefficiencies of the judicial system.

- Judge Judy - she would require a different wig, but same general idea.


4. Miscellaneous and Whackadoo



Angel - white robe, tinsel halo, and paper wings, just like in your kindergarten Christmas pageant.

The "other" afterlife - It's probably wrong, but I kind of love the idea of a vampire nun or zombie choir singer.

Grandma - let's face it, a choir robe is just a mumu before the loud pattern. Remedy that with some fabric paint or iron on appliques, put your hair in curlers and smear a mud mask over your face.

Greek God/Goddess - if you've ever tried to make a bed sheet toga, you know its harder than it would appear. But if you start with a big flowy garment, its a little easier - get a white gown, lop off one sleeve, and wrap gold braided cord around your midsection to "tailor" it to your body. Add a crown of gold leaves and gladiator sandals.

Harry Potter's school uniform - A black robe can be adorned with minimal trim & a Gryffindor emblem to become a Hogwart's cloak.




Speaking of Wizards, create an old school Merlin - long blue robe, paint or iron on white stars, and use cardboard to create the iconic pointy hat. Long white beards can be purchased at any costume shop, or make one out of fiberfill or cotton balls.

Voodoo on the Bayou

After a less efficient weekend than I had hoped, I finally made some more progress on the Halloween party last night! I don't want to give everything away, but a few sneak peeks:

First up I stopped at the Goodwill again (this time a different one - MN people, the University Avenue Goodwill has a TON of extra Halloween costume stuff out!) since Sundays & Mondays are 50% off days for whatever color price tag is selected that week (yesterday was yellow, in case that matters to you - and today all yellow tag items are just $1.49). I scored some major deals:



- three giant lengths of fabric (not shown - they are going in the wash first), one purple which will be a table cloth, one dark teal and one black which will probably add ambiance to the voodoo shop - $2.99 each

- a blue sparkly wide scarf/table runner, also for the voodoo shop (not shown)- $1.99

- an awesome heavy decanter for just $6.99

- 2 tall silver taper candle holders (one shown) for $6 total (yellow tag!)

- small round vase for $0.24 (yellow tag!)

- a giant 10" glass vase (yellow tag!) $3.49

- little crystal looking candy dish on a pedestal $1.99

- new in package Venetian hand mask $0.99 (not shown)



- two creepy framed art pieces (one shown) $9 total (one was yellow tag!)

Most of this stuff is going into the "voodoo shop" scene...aka, the room formerly (and very temporarily) known as our nursery. It no longer looks at all childlike, unless your child is demon spawn. This is where our Psychic will read palms and tarot cards, and I wanted a creepy eclectic mix of potions, herbs, and artifacts. I hauled in a few shelves from other areas of the house, and after my shopping trip I spent a few hours hauling skulls, Gothic angels, and black crows down from storage. I finally feel like I have a start on at least one of the rooms! I still have a long way to go, and it was definitely a challenge getting up this morning, but I just *might* be able to pull this off :)