Holiday Hints

Jo-Lynne from Musings of a Housewife has just posted a GREAT holiday gift guide!

You can find the guide here or you can just click on that nifty button on my right sidebar. That's right, over there. ->

I have almost finished all my Christmas shopping- actually I just have to finish a project for my mom's gift and buy another small gift for IV. But, I know someone out there could use hints for what to buy me (that's right, IV I'm talking to you.)

Here's a start to your Christmas shopping and the great advantage is not having to leave the house! Your gifts will come to you!

Bye, bye dishwasher!

Our dishwasher died on Thursday. I mean it just refused to function- we think the water pump broke (since no water was going in when it was supposed to be washing!) And it is quite rusty so we think it's old (it came with the house.)

So in addition to hand washing dishes (really it's not that bad for a family of three, except when we decide to make something elaborate like oysters) we have been shopping.

I want a GOOD dishwasher. The one we had (sadly passed away) was so great about getting the dishes clean. I read some online articles and decided the most important components for me are a food grinder, automatic water temperature control, and adjustable tines on the bottom. Not to mention, the more spray heads the better!

So we went shopping at three stores- Sears, Lowes, and Home Depot. I found a few dishwashers which were almost perfect at Lowes and Sears but we found our new dishwasher at Home Depot.

Home Depot has 10% off Maytag appliances right now, which is one of the reasons we selected a Maytag. But the main reason is it met all the requirements- and has three spray heads! It's also $100 less than its Sears competitor and seems more reliable from its reviews. If you're curious it's the Maytag Model MDBH955AWW.

Now we just have to be patient and wait for delivery. It will arrive on Wednesday- and we are planning to install it ourselves. (I'll let you know how that goes.)

I can't wait for my new dishwasher!!!!

Christmas Shopping

We like to start our Christmas shopping early around here- in fact we started very early!

I bought one of DV's gifts last spring- it's a really cute kid's cookbook but he wasn't ready for it yet. Now he cooks with me all the time. See the photo over there of us making chocolate cutout cookies last Saturday. You can see we were wearing our Texas orange- go Texas- #1!!

Anyway, back to Christmas shopping- I have been watching out for sales and there have been some pretty good ones. Lenox has a great clearance section online where I have bought teacher gifts already and also gifts for my mother-in-law and mom.

One of DV's large gifts was bought at a consignment sale- a used train table! I can't wait until my parents are here for Thanksgiving- that will be SO much fun- plus they are going to help me refinish it. So it will be perfect for DV!

I love Christmas shopping! I have so much fun buying gifts for my family and friends. It is one of my favorite things about this lovely season.

HUNTING!!!! (for bargains)

Sometimes I get into a mood... and I just feel like HUNTING! I have this great urge to go out and get something, beat someone out, win... Well, what satisfies that craving? Bargain hunting!!! I just love finding a bargain- especially if it is a really good one and I have been looking all over- and it's a one time thing.

I have noticed that recently DV has been very fussy in his oh so convenient umbrella stroller. I just took a good look at the thing and realized that he is really at the upper end of its usefulness. It's one of those cheapos (we actually got it for free!)

So, I have been really wanting to purchase another umbrella stroller- but one with a seat as large and comfortable as his jogging stroller. I found one that met all my qualifications and decided to see if I could find a 2006 (since they just came out with the 2007) at a bargain price.

Well, I started on the internet- I did find a good deal on a 2006 in lime green ($93) but I was really looking for $60-70 range. So I went to Babys R Us and tried out the 2007 (great!). I actually think it's worth the price.

But, I kept looking. And, I found.... a floor model 2006!!! Which was marked $79.90, then I got 20% off because it was a floor model. It was only $63.92, under $70 WITH TAX!!!!

So I am feeling totally victorious, although it is missing its carry strap.

Hooray for the great mommy hunter!!!