They Say It's My Birthday

Today is my birthday- my 30th birthday! And we're having a very low-key evening. Of course we've had an incredibly low-key week because of our winter weather here. Monday night it started raining in the evening, then turned to sleet, and then snow. Schools were closed (not that I have class on Tuesdays now anyway), and the boss man said to stay home. The thing is, it never got above freezing Tuesday, so the ice and snow stayed right where it was. Wednesday classes were canceled. Work was a no-go. Then it was the same game Thursday. We did leave the house Thursday, to pick up my prescription and some Sonic, but that was it for me. Josh went in to work for awhile, but regretted it, as the roads were not great and the people on the road were even worse. And then, last night, it started snowing again. The 2 or so inches that had fallen Monday night hadn't gone anywhere, but they were quickly covered with a fresh layer. Just under 5" fell over last night into midday today. So, I got another snow day for my birthday! The sun came out at last and the temperature actually just reached 32 degrees this afternoon, so a little melting occurred. It's finally supposed to get above freezing tomorrow, so hopefully everyone will be able to dig out of their hibernation holes.

I should have been way more productive with this time off. I did some homework, and of course I still have the weekend, but I could have done more. I did find out that I was off a bit on some of my due dates, and in my favor, so that was helpful in alleviating a little stress. And this winter weather will postpone my Government test that I was concerned I might miss while we're out of town, so that's good also. And we'll gloss over the fact that I did absolutely no cleaning, nor did any household projects get done. I did make pancakes Tuesday morning, with enough to last me two weeks of school mornings. So, I guess it's not all been wasted, ha.

Mostly Josh and I have had lots of hanging out time. He's played lots of video games, I did some cooking and baking, we've had movie marathons and watched a LOT of Simpsons DVDs. We've obviously lost some income, but we've gained some rest and relaxation. Of course, we'll get some more of that when we go on vacation next week. Birthday cruise! Today I made grass-fed sausage and french toast with bananas for my birthday breakfast. We ventured out for beer, snacks, and pizza for my birthday evening, some of which has already been consumed. :) Oh, and I bought myself one other birthday present too.


Birthday Snow

Momma wants a Brand New Bag

I am trying to think up some ways to get some spending money. Between taxes, car repairs, being out sick, and a firm desire to take a vacation or two this year I am very low on spending money. Josh makes extra money by playing gigs with Back In Black and his other bands. If only I had such a skill that I could easily monetize! I replied to an ad on Craigslist today from an event coordinator looking for an assistant for the occasional weekend wedding/party/corporate function. We'll see if anything comes of that. Looking for someone to clean your house? Maybe you'd be interested in discussing the stocking of your freezer with some meals? I enjoy pulling weeds. Perhaps I should put up my own Craigslist ad: "Girl desperate to shop willing to trade domestic skills for cash." Because I wants:

Things Bought

Josh and I have been very, very lucky in that the recession stuff hasn't negatively affected us (yet). Knocking on wood, throwing salt over shoulder and keeping an eye out for ladders, black cats and sidewalk cracks. I am still keeping an eye on our spending, and sometimes I worry that we spend too much. But we have a sizable emergency fund, and we're putting more than 30% of our monthly income each month into our retirement, mutual fund, house, car, vacation and tax funds. So doing our part to stimulate the economy isn't so bad, right? I figure not.

This weekend we bought a new TV for the bedroom. Our old tube TV took up so much space in our cozy bedroom, and despite having a similar sized screen the new one takes up less visual space making the room feel more open. And actually giving me more space on top of our dresser, so that I was able to put my grandmother's mirrored tray up there.














Yesterday I received a new necklace in the mail and I'm in lurve. Literally. I ordered this sterling silver Lurve necklace from Etsy seller KatyScudieri after a week of hemming and hawing. And I'm so glad I landed in the "buy" column on this one. I use "lurve" all the time to express my adoration for people, places and things. The necklace itself is wonderful. And what could be better than having a Woody Allen reference hanging around my neck?
















And lastly I finallyfinallyFINALLY found some boots. And I have a big, hearty recommendation for endless.com. I ordered these boots from them last week. They are on clearance, already marked down 45%. On top of that there was a special offer for $20 off a purchase of $100 or more, and I received free two day shipping. And as if all that weren't good enough, the shipping didn't even take that long. I placed my order Thursday afternoon and the boots arrived on my front porch Friday evening! It's not quite boot season in these parts (although we've had rain the past three days, hallelujah) but I am so excited to get some great fall/winter dresses and skirts to wear my new boots with!

Baby Boy

Our friends Spencer and Deb are having a baby boy at the end of June. I picked up a few things for him on Etsy yesterday and I can't wait to get them so I can wrap them up and deliver them! These cuties came from veryKIKI. I ordered them each in a different size- 0-3 months, 3-6 months and 6-12 months, so they won't all be obsolete as soon as he sprouts. :) I also made sure to get the 6-12 months in a long sleeve version since it will likely be chilly when he's ready to sport it. I really like the colors and I think they will too. I know Deb loves orange, and along with brown it was their wedding color scheme. And the nursery is being done up in shades of blue, green and brown, so everything should fit right in. I hope they think they are as cute as I do!

Good, Better, Best

Buying pretty things: Good

Buying pretty things made by individuals: Better

Buying pretty things made by local individuals: Best

Shout Out

It seems like everyone knows someone right now who is having a baby, or recently welcomed a little bundle of joy. I think there are three pretty pregnant ladies on my blogroll alone. If you're looking for a cute gift for a mommy-to-be you should check out my friend Marissa's brand spankin' new Etsy shop, LaCour Baby. She's just starting out, so the shop isn't quite full yet, but just look how adorable her burp cloths and receiving blankets are!