Girl's Day Bargains

Today was "girl's day," as my nine year old daughter Maddy likes to call it. I had no idea what to do with her. When the weather is nice we go to the local park and hunt for frogs. When it's cold we make popcorn, watch movies, and do our nails. (Yeah, we're versatile like that.) But it's February and we're both itching to get out of the house. The boys went ice fishing, we decided to go shopping.

I wasn't looking forward to the trip. I was exhausted. I just wanted to stay home, snuggle up in bed and take a nap. But mother's guilt rose into my conscious, so I got ready in a haste - no frills, no thrills, just the basics.
I should explain this guilt thing: During a recent conversation with my Aunt we chatting about Maddy's upcoming 10th birthday. My baby is turning ten. This realization is hard for me; I'm sure many mothers can relate. I mean, just yesterday she was a sweet baby sleeping in my arms! While I struggled comprehending reality, on the other end of the phone I hear my Aunt say, "Just think, in ten years she could be married..." FACE-PALM! Hold up... What did she just say?! But, it's true... didn't I get married when I was twenty?
Enter: Guilt. I'm not even going to think about what my Aunt said, but in eight years Maddy will be heading off to college. I know it seems like a long way off, but the last ten years have gone by (SO) fast. Today she is still ALL mine. I don't care HOW tired I am. Today... is girl's day.

First up, Goodwill. The last place I wanted to be was in a congested store. Don't get me wrong, I love a good deal, but there wasn't anything on my list of wants and needs that I could find at the thrift store, right?
Maddy loves Goodwill, and it's an inexpensive way to let her feel a little extra special, since I always let her pick something for herself. She runs off and I head to my usual racks:
1st: Curtain rods - Nothing good.
2nd: Electronics - Nothing that I was looking for. There was an interesting do-dad that hooks up to the T.V. and plays an iPod - but, then I remembered, I have an iHome, so... Pass.
3rd: Pets, Garden and Home Goods - Nada.
4th: Books? (please, please, PLEASE have Eat, Pray, Love.) Nope.

Usually, at this point, I give Maddy a five minute warning before dragging her from the store. Today, though, I didn't have the energy; so I let her continue doing whatever it is that she's doing and I head over to the clothing racks. I'm not too keen on buying used clothes for myself, but Goodwill regularly receives donations from popular department stores. So, to kill time, I started digging through the racks, just to see, and... BINGO!

Starring me in the face: a brand new, Liz Claiborne, dark brown leather jacket.* My size. $9.99. For years I've wanted a dark brown leather jacket. Once, I even took a special trip over to Macy's just to buy one. In the end, I couldn't justify dishing out the dough because I wouldn't wear it often enough**. AND If I buy a brown leather jacket, I NEED brown leather shoes, right? No question. See the pattern here? But guess what? You'll never guess...
Brand new, Nine West, SUPER CUTE, Size 12***, kitten heel ankle booties - WITH a buckle detail AND the color matches the coat perfectly. $4.99. O. M. G. SCORE!!!

Now I'm excited. I rummage through every rack in the store, huffing obnoxiously and sighing loudly when someone gets in my way. I find a long, black, thick knitted winter scarf that looks a little... familiar, to say the least. (Back story: earlier this winter I was walking through the mall, (another girl's day,) eyed a scarf in the Gap window and drooled. It was perfect. I went in, picked it up, looked at the price tag, almost fainted, put it back and stomped out of the store. $60?! Come on, Gap, no WAY. I went right home and learned to knit - no joke. Two months later I finally finished the handmade scarf, but Maddy wanted it, so... no scarf for me.) Here I am, at Goodwill, scarf in hand, almost too excited to look at the tag: Yep. Gap. $2.99. My heart's racing now!
Then... a black, long sleeve, open front, shawl cardigan: BCBG. Hot DAMN! TODAY is my DAY!

Two hours later...
My loot from above, two shirts for Maddy, a toy and flat iron that she wanted, and we're off to Marshall's... with a renewed spring in my step.
Okay, first, let me say this: Sometimes Miss Maddy says some CRAZY, off-the-wall things. Kind of a Smack-My-Head, where did you get THAT, kind-of-a-thing... This morning, before we left the house, Maddy asks if we can stop at the gas station to buy cotton candy. I pause, look at her sweet, innocent expression and (seriously) smack myself in the forehead. Cotton candy? At the GAS STATION? I simply say "uh, honey, I don't think the gas station sells cotton candy..."
We walk into Marshall's and what do I spy? A big bucket of cotton candy. $2.99. I chuckle, shake my head, throw it in the cart and move on.
I love Marshall's. Cute stuff, great prices, but nothing I need to spend money on at the moment. As Maddy looks through the kid's clothes I rummage through the beauty aisle. Pretty floral hand cream for the car - check.**** Then... what do I see here? A torn up box, clearance priced $2.99, with the brand name Tweezerman. Hmmm... let's take a look-see. If it's a pair of Tweezerman tweezers - for $2.99 - it's mine. Period. I open the box to find a shiny black makeup bag. Hmmph. BUT... inside the bag, I find TREASURE!!!: TWEEZERMAN tweezers, eyelash curler, cuticle clippers and a porcelain nail file. No WAY. (I run a quick calculation in my head) retail value: $85.00 - minimum. This HAS to be mis-priced. Oh well - it's MINE NOW, SUCKERS!
A few "No - that's too grown up" comments on the clothes Maddy chose and we're off to check out, where I get distracted. I think everyone can see the hot steam blowing from my ears, because Maddy says, "Mama, what's wrong?" when I spot a coffee press for $15.99. I paid $80 for mine. Damn. OK, check out, where the cashier swoons over my Tweezerman STEAL.

Just in case you were wondering:

Liz Claiborne leather jacket: Retail $199/Mine $9.99

Nine West booties: Retail $89/Mine $4.99

Gap winter scarf: Retail $60/Mine $2.99
Gap sweater (I know, I didn't mention this - sorry): Retail $49/Mine $4.99
BCBG sweater: Retail $178/Mine $4.99
Shirts for Maddy: Retail $40?/Hers $5.98
Toy and flat iron: Retail $30/Hers $12
Tweezerman Kit: Retail $85/Mine $2.99

That's $730 worth of items for a mere $48.00. WOOT!

Good girl's day. Guilt be gone. GREAT bargains. I can't wait to do it again!

*I'm really not a Liz Claiborne fan, but have you seen her leather coats?! This will be my 3rd LC leather coat. They're beautiful. Cut well, great color, soft leather.... worth the $199 price tag at Macy's.
**I'm really a black-wearing-fashionista.
***Yes, I have enormous feet for a woman. Just another thing I can blame on the kids. Imagine how I felt when I found MY size just sitting there on the rack!
****Hand cream, for the car, WAS on my list... I'm SERIOUS!!!

What to do with the space above the kitchen cabinets...

I did a TON of research before I decorated above my kitchen cabinets.  First I decided what I didn't like. 

§  I HATE fake flowers, fake leaves, fake ivy... fake ANYTHING.  Really - they are dust catchers and no matter how many times you reassure yourself that they look real, they DON'T.  Tell me... what type of ivy grows out of the top of your cabinets? 

§  I don’t like “themes.”  Popular kitchen themes are roosters, apples, etc.  I think themes are a waste of time and money.  A kitchen is a kitchen.  Let’s not scream the fact that apples are stored here. 

§  I don’t like storing decorative food items.  How pointless!  A friend of mine put up a few XL jars and filled them with colorful pasta.  Now that it has been exposed to sunlight, the colorful pasta looks old and dingy.  I have a better idea for the pasta - COOK IT!

Now on to what I DO like…

ü  I like lights above the cabinets.

ü  I like simple

ü  I don’t want to dust but once or twice a year

ü  I want to utilize what I already have

ü  I want it to be an “Ahhhh…” response.

This is what I came up with…

I collect old jars - especially blue Ball jars with zinc tops and old milk jugs… I had nowhere to display them and was just about to donate them… but look!  They look beautiful above the kitchen cabinets - especially with the lights shining through the glass!

Lighting Fixtures

I really love home improvement projects.  The more creative, the better!  I like adding things to my home that no one else has... here are two lighting fixtures I made for my home.

 This pink one is in my daughter's room.

 This green one is in the guest bathroom.

Lessons of An Eight Year Old

It’s been a BIG, CRAZY week, especially for my 8 year old daughter.  She’s learned a lot of lessons the hard way.  On Wednesday, I received a call from her principal, who was chuckling as he informed me that she beat up a boy because he was being mean to her friends.  She had to stay in for recess the rest of the week.  Now, the “good mom” in me chided her.  But I also wanted to shout with praise, “That’s my GIRL!”  J 

On Thursday, I left home early to go to The Learning Place before my evening class.  I was gone for seven hours.  As I walk in the door, my husband says to me, “The dog is gone, Maddy needs stitches and I might get laid off.”  I almost had a heart attack, but the mother-bear instinct in me took over and I flew up the stairs to check on my daughter.  She was incoherent so we waited until morning, when she got 10 sutures.  She’s a little monkey and I’m surprised she hasn’t needed stitches before this.  She decided to climb on the kitchen counter to check on the plants on the windowsill.  Years of yelling at her not to climb on the counter, and I think she finally learned her lesson. 

The dog is still gone, he ran away, and I’d like ten minutes alone in a room with Mr. Scott Walker. 

Doe-doe the Bird

A few years ago, my daughter begged for a pet parakeet.  My grandparents had a pair of parakeets for years.  The birds were a source of amusement for them, so I caved.  We picked out a pretty little bird, bought a new cage and she named him “Doe-Doe.”  Doe-doe the bird. 

Maddy held the bird all the time.  She would put it in her Barbie house, wrap it in a blanket like a baby, or push it on the swing… the fun never ended.  Maddy would set the bird on the table while she was eating, and command, “now SIT!”  The bird would listen to her!  He hated the rest of us, mind you.  He would bite everyone but Maddy.  It started getting ridiculous; only Maddy could feed him, etc.  She started giving us problems - she would sneak out of bed at night, get the bird out of its cage and SLEEP with it!  I was so worried the cat would get a hold of it!  Mornings started to get really hard, she didn’t want to go to school, because she wanted to be with her bird! 

One day, Maddy and I went on a shopping trip.  We’re in the middle of an aisle when I hear a “chirp!”  I’m thinking I’m going nuts when I look at Maddy, and she’s talking into her purse.  I rush over, take a look, and there sits the bird, in her purse, in the middle of the store. 

Doe-doe took a vacation over to grandma’s house, to give mom a break.  The morning I took him to grandma’s, we had pancakes for breakfast.  Naturally, Doe-doe was full of syrup.  I ran him under some warm water, his beak digging into my hand the entire time, and my grandmother yelling, “You can’t give a bird a bath!”  I asked, “Well, what else do you suggest I do?!”  I put him back in his cage, on the back porch, in the sun to dry and stay warm.  Grandma calls me later that day with the news; Doe-doe didn’t make it.  Guess you’re not supposed to give a bird a bath.

My Favorite Ring

About 12 years ago, I worked at a restaurant in Wauwatosa.  One night, I was running late for work and grabbed the wrong work shirt.  I was sent to the manager’s office to be written up and sent home.  While the manager was chastising me, a man I’ve never seen before stood up from a desk in the back of the room and unbuttoned his shirt.  He said it was the end of his shift and handed me his shirt.  A few weeks later, he asked me out on a date.  He took me out to dinner and a movie.  Later, we walked on the beach, where I lost my favorite ring in the sand.  11 years ago today, he took me back to that beach to replace my favorite ring, and ask me to be his wife. 

The American Dream

                Throughout the world, Americans are held to high standards.  America is a country where, according to James Adams, “life should be better, richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement,” regardless of social class.  When did Americans turn this simple statement, known as “The American Dream,” into a pressure to compete in order to become successful?    The “American Dream” now includes advanced education, an impressive financial portfolio and a high social status.  While “The American Dream” is a great ideal and an awesome goal, when are high standards high enough?

                Forty years ago, education was not always deemed necessary.  Now, a high school diploma simply is not enough to support a family.  A college degree is required if you want to succeed financially and compete in this ever-changing society.  Even when a BA is earned, advanced education is strongly encouraged.  I believe learning is a never ending process, but today, it’s hard to find an expert in one field of study.  Instead, people are learning a little about a lot in their field.  Competing academically can be inspiring and can drive a person to succeed, but when is enough education simply enough?                 

                American’s are also expected to “keep up with the Jones’” so to speak.  Buying a nice home in a nice neighborhood simply isn’t enough.  It’s expected you update the house to keep the neighborhood desirable as are additions to the home to retain or add to its value.  Not many individuals earn a six figure income, yet we feel forced to spend as though we do.  In order to do so, we don’t live within our means, instead use credit cards and ruin our credit scores.  In a society that values a high credit score, which many times is used to determine a person’s fiscal responsibility and employment considerations, this behavior can be detrimental.   

                In a society that values material objects, we tend to judge other members on their physical appearance.  While owning name brand clothes is encouraged, in order to wear them you’re required to be physically fit.  Most fashion designers don’t make clothes for the “plus size” individual.  While stressing out about academics and finances, we’re also expected to work out and eat healthy every day, visit a salon for the newest hairstyle and rip hair out of pores on a regular basis.  If you are overweight, a smoker, suffer from acne or the like, society deems you lazy with no self control. 

                I believe Americans are encouraged to compete, in general, over the wrong things and this is counterproductive.  While we’re working so hard at making insurmountable amounts of money or trying to gain respect from society, who is spending quality time with our children?  Imagine living in a world with people that, instead, compete to succeed in world peace, with strong family values. 

~Amanda Fellows