Shopping Trip

My blog has been living in the land of make-believe over the last few days so why not take it one step further. Let’s make believe that money is no object and that I have lost about two hundred pounds. Ok, see now isn’t everything rosy with these glasses on?

We have a new “mall” here in Glendale called the Americana at Brand (they held a contest to name it and a friend of mine won). In this mall are shops that I can not either afford or fit, so now that I am “rich and skinny” LET”S GO SHOPPING!


The Armani Exchange has great denim, and by denim I mean jeans.

These are my 3 favorite pairs:






The Potassium Straight Leg








The AX Pocket Boot Cut







The Embroidered Skinny Flare Fit















Okay maybe I would need to lose more than two hundred pounds for that last one.

I love dark denim and I enjoy a good fitting jean. If it is too tight, you not only can’t breathe but wearing jeans is supposed to be about being comfortable. I think I could be comfortable in these (remember we are in fantasyland here).



The Armani Exchange has denim starting at $98. And every day until July 31st, they are giving away a pair of denim jeans in a contest called text AX - try to win by texting “DENIM2″ to ARMANI (276264). Also if you purchase a pair of jeans between July 7 - July 19 at full price, you’ll get a gift card worth $20 to use on your next purchase of $100 or more (between July 30 - August 15).

Curb Appeal

Back to the fantasy land that is my dream house.

I would love to have beautiful curb appeal for my house. A fenced in yard, so the grandkids could play with their balls I wouldn't have to chase them into the street (the balls not the grandkids). A beautiful garden of unscented flowers (gotta think of the allergies).

And on the house itself? I have always loved shutters. I think they give a house a certain je ne sais quoi. Whther they are wood or composite or vinyl shutters, it doesn't matter, I just like the way they look.

Travelling to Chicago

I am getting ready to travel again. I am leaving in two weeks for Chicago where I will be participating in Blogging events for both UL Laboratories and Ford and then attending BlogHer. Because one can never have too much luggage I was browsing around on the internet looking for wheeled carry on luggage.

I have a huge suitcase, but am thinking of shipping that ahead and bringing only a small Carry-On Luggage on the plane. I am staying in one hotel the first night and then switching hotels the next and it would just be easier to not worry about moving my luggage across town after attending the event on Wednesday.

This one would be perfect for my day’s worth of clothing and my laptop and all my paraphernalia.

I also drifted off and was checking out the Briefcases, which are all gorgeous. Of course I purchased a new laptop bag last year before BlogHer and it is still in fine condition, but really a girl can dream can’t she?

As long as I am dreaming would you feast your eyes on this? Gorgeous I tell you! But the day I can afford $900 for a carry on bag is the day I fly in my own private jet!

This is a sponsored post.

Home Security Systems

I love the idea of a neighborhood community. When I was younger, all the kids on the block played together and all the parents on the block parented each other’s children. Families would sit out on the porch in the evenings talking to each other over the railings. Children would run from sprinkling lawn to sprinkling lawn (being careful of course to not step foot on Mrs. Howard’s lawn). It was a time when you knew your neighbors and your neighbors knew you. And still even then, your house wasn’t necessarily safe.

Our house was broken into many times over the years, unfortunately by some of the neighbor kids. Nothing could ever be proven, except the one time we found our awesome tent put up in someone else’s yard (nitwits).

Neighborhood Watch is a great thing, it is a showing of community, it is a rallying of troops, but unfortunately it can’t always be the only thing. Especially in this day and age, when most families have two working parents, the kids don’t play outside much because it is too dangerous and how many of you know the first and last name of your immediate neighbors.

Today it is easier and smarter to have a home alarm system. I’m not saying shun your neighbors or don’t look out for each other, but having a home security system just makes sense.

As I am not a home owner (yet) I don't have a house alarm set up, but I do have Link. She protects me from anyone that won't pet her.

Furnishing the Bedroom

Back to my fantasy home, let’s move to the bedroom. Now keep your mind out of the gutter we are gonna talk about beds. STOP IT!

When Ursula passed away, I inherited her bed. Some thought that was creepy, but it wasn’t like she died in it or anything (although our cat Stone did die on one of my beds before and I kept sleeping on it afterwards). I love this bed actually, it is king size and has a pillow top mattress and also has a beautiful headboard with overhead lighting.

But if I am building my dream home anyways, I may as well spring for a beautiful new bed.

I don’t usually care for leather anything but this bed is AMAZING! Look you just lift it up and there are all your linens or whatnot stored underneath. We had a couch like this on Navy. We used to keep all of the board games under there.

Now this one is more my style, I love wood and I like the idea of the drawers at the bottom. Having no “under the bed area” for things to get lost in is good for me as I can no longer get down on my knees to look for things there.


Perhaps I will have a guest room in my house (or 2) I may need to shop for guest beds as well.

Hmmmm I will have to think about that for a while.

This is a sponsored post.

Bathroomtopia

This is my bathroom on any given day

Small cramped and full of stuff. The vanity is, if not original to the 1930’s house, then damn close to it. The floor is consistently littered with the kids (and I use that term loosely as they are both adults now) clothes, Caitlyn’s bath toys and the babies tub and various crapola all over the vanity counter.

I often dream of living on my own. One day I will be independently wealthy and will be able to design my own home as it is being built. And when I do, I am designing the biggest bestest bathroom you have ever encountered!

A beautiful bathroom starts with beautiful Bathroom Vanities and I am particularly fond of this Single Vanity.

Of course, I could be swayed with this Double Bathroom Vanity.

But that would give the illusion that I am willing to share it with someone else and I most definitely am NOT.

This website has not only beautiful vanities but they also offer free shipping and the prices from what I can tell are pretty reasonable and discounted.

Of course this is in my fantasy future so, again you are entering my land of delusion (enter at your own risk).

I would have a walk in shower with surround sprays coming at me from all angles, with a bench for sitting and a rain showerhead over top. There would be a HUGE Jacuzzi tub definitely long enough for me to stretch out my legs and wide enough for my large derierre. I would have lush towels that would actually stay in the bathroom and not walk out on their own two feet and land in the depths of some teenagers room never to be seen again. I would be able to keep a washcloth handy without it being left at the bottom of the tub or being worried about what it was last used on before I wash my face with it. And the vanity? Oh the vanity would be clean and clear, my soap, lotion and something cute to decorate it would be the only things on it.

Ah well, back to reality.

This is a sponsored post.

Car Search

I may be looking for a new car soon (I know my posts are all discombobulated lately, but bear with me here). I came across this site called BuyYourCar.com that has used cars, new cars and car leases all in one place.

They have every make, model and type you can think of, ready and waiting for you and me to just click on what we like and make a sale.

Of course I can't even afford Used Cars at this point but it is nice to look around and see what is out there.

This is a UK site, so maybe I would have to fly over and get an actual feel for it, that would make the purchase much more exciting, nevermind that it would add to the expense, we are dreaming here, shut up.

This is a sponsored post.

Dog Shampoo

Is your dog itching, scratching and stinking beyond belief?

Mine does constantly. Every summer Link gets a rash on her backside that is horrible and the stink, ugh.

Do you?

Wash your dog one day, just to have the stink return the next?
Wait weeks between bathing your dog because his skin gets so dry and flaky?
Hate bathing your dog because you rinse and rinse and rinse...and still can't get him completely rinsed?

Need help?

Why not try the all natural dog shampoo Dogosuds ® made by Dinovite, Inc.

Isn't it time for that new dog smell?

Dogosuds ® Benefits:
• Makes your dog smell CLEAN and WONDERFUL for a long time.
• Lathers beautifully ... and RINSES EASILY!
• Contains 100% pure, therapeutic grade essential oils that have natural, healing properties • Gentle soothing shampoo works well for sensitive skin.
• Is a NATURAL FLEA DETERRENT
• Lathers beautifully ... and RINSES EASILY!
• Contains NO CHEMICALS, NO PERFUMES, NO FILLERS, nothing to irritate or dry your dog's skin!
• Also works great to remove SKUNK odor!

Check out the dog shampoo at http://www.dinovite.com/dog_shampoo.html
And also look at Dinovite's other products at http://www.dinovite.com/

We usually take Link to the local groomers up the street to get her bathed and shorn but with the times being what they are, I don’t think I can afford that anymore. I definitely will be looking further into the Dinovite dog shampoo.

The ingredient list is full of all natural Ingredients: Saponified coconut oil, Saponified olive oil, Saponified jojoba oil, vegetable gum/glycerine extract, aloe extract, yucca extract, peppermint extract, lavender extract, tea tree oil, bergamot extract, geranium extract, patchouli extract, sandalwood extract and rosemary extract.

And the price is right! For the cost of getting Link shampooed I can buy 5 bottles of this product. Now I may need to get a bigger bathtub, LOL.

Name That Firefly!

Bah dah da da bah da da da da! (put gameshow music in your head)

Kroger-owned food stores are holding a contest that can help fund your child’s college education. Help Comforts store brand baby formula name its Firefly mascot and win a $10,000 college scholarship. It’s really easy actually, just go to the Comforts for Baby website and enter in 25 characters or less what you would name their adorable little firefly. There is a caveat to the entry though, you must have a child under the age of 2. But if I could enter I would name him Bumble since he looks a little bumblebeeish. (is too a word!) The contest runs until July 31, 2009 and the winner will be announced in September.

Most brand name formulas are fortified with iron and contain all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients required for a healthy baby's first year. They also contain the lipids DHA and ARA, which are associated with infant mental and visual development. They also provide nutrients found naturally in mother's milk that help develop the immune system. And most of all they also COST A FORTUNE! By going generic with the Kroger brand of Comfort you know you are getting all of the above but at a price more economical to a new parent.

It amazes me nowadays how new parents can afford anything. Formula is a gotcha if you choose not to or are unable to breastfeed (personally, I don’t lactate. Tmi? Too bad). Diapers are another outrageous expense and it doesn’t matter whether you go cloth or disposable they both cost a lot. Generic just makes sense. And who couldn’t use an extra $10,000 for their college fund?

If you have a child under 2, go enter the contest now.

Relax

This has not been a good day. Something that was supposed to happen, that someone in a position of making it happen said would happen, didn't happen, mainly because that someone renigged on her word and now I am not only back to square one I think I may have moved into negative numbers.

I have also made the decision I spoke about earlier, more on that another time. On top of all this, today's is Adam's bday and he is refusing to go out for a traditional birthday dinner. Then to top it off, my daughter told me "Fuck you" today. Doesn't that just put the cherry on top of the shit pile?

In an effort to relax, I turn to my computer (it seems to be my closest confidante of late). I found these cool Singing Bowls at Silver Sky. Tradition holds that each Crystal Singing Bowl is manufactured to create a beautiful song perfect for meditation and healing. I could sure use some meditation and healing right now. They have many different types of relaxation methods most related to Yoga and such. I have tried Yoga once and it was simply not my cup of tea. Let's just say I had more coming out of me, than I would like to emit in public.

this cool video I found on You Tube shows you the cool sounds, I could start relaxing now.











This is a sponsored post.

Rustic Furniture

The question to you is, What do you think of when I say rustic furniture?

Me? I think of twigs and sticks and logs and such. I think of my multi-talented cousin Tim who can build anything out of wood. I think of outdoors and cabins and wilderness.

I would love to have a Log Cabin, with all natural (read rustic) furniture, in every room. Of course it would also have to have all the modern amenities as well, like wireless and cable.

Check out the beds and tables and even the lamps on Scenic Furniture.com they have everything to maintain a pure rustic look throughout your house. Just look at this file cabinet. Gorgeous! I could totally relax in a home office made from Cherry or Maple. Items like this could make your pre-fab uber-modern home feel like a log cabin.

This is a sponsored post.

Black Friday

My goal for Black Friday is to not shop but to gamble my way from the red into the black.

Wish me luck!