Luxury for your Friday

Did you know I try my darndest to post a #fridaybaby picture on Instagram each week?  That daughter of mine, RG, is so stinkin' expressive, I sometimes feel bad keeping her cuteness all to myself.  So I make it a point to try and share her best expression from the week, as well as stretch my creative captioning skills.  Its a luxury for your eyes, trust me.

"It's that time, y'all, and #rileymag is looking at you. Have a glorious #fridaybaby!! You've earned it!"
Speaking of eyes, am I right!?!

I wore leggings as pants last week.  It made me feel uncomfortable, I'm just saying.  In fact, they were jeggings.  I don't know that that makes it any better.  But today, I'm wearing these babies.  And oh. my. lanta.  Luxury on my legs.  There's actually a subtle woven-sweater-look to them, and (drumroll please) they are FLEECE LINED.  Which may seem outrageous to you folks with your  sunshine and your lack of furnace running, but it was in the low 40's when I drove to work this morning, so necessary, and luxurious, at the same time.  Do it.  Your legs will love you!

Shop Here

Finally, if you're in the market for a little leather luxury, might I suggest the Great & Many Things Shoppe?  We've got a fall sale going on right now, and it seems like maybe a new purse might be just the thing for your Friday... or maybe that's just me :)  For realz, though, I'm making myself a new one, and I'm puh-uhmped!

<3 + Leggings,

M.

Let's Coffee Date :: ThredUp

Wanna go on a coffee date today?  I'm inviting you to join me.  We're going to Romolo's (trust me on this), and here's how its going down.  

First, we'll plan on 9A, but then I'll text you at 8:57 when you're sitting in the parking lot and it'll read "Leaving now, little late".  Unless we're besties, in which case it'll just read "Magagnotti Time" which means the same thing.  But I'll get there and then we'll order after hugging it out (I am a bit of a hugger, once you know me.  Consider yourself warned.  That is, unless I get a really strong "I'm not a hugger" vibe off of you, in which case I respect your boundaries until after the first bottle of wine.  Just sayin'.).  You'll go first, early bird and all that, and you'll probably order an actual coffee with some shot of syrup or whatever because you're a real grown up and then I'll step up and get a half-coffee half-chocolate because I'm a fake grown up.  I do not apologize for this.  We could order pastries too, except they don't really have them, but the hot coffalatte is so delicious that I don't want for anything more.  If you think you might, pack a Clif bar.

So anyhow, we get our drinks, and sit down on the bright red leather couch, because we're friends, see, and friends don't sit at tables to hang out unless there are dishes to eat off of or diagrams to consider.  Sometimes there are diagrams.  Don't judge.  Anyhow, we couch it up and then we chat.  I tell you about moving and Handsome's love/hate with his job and how when we told RG to eat her chicken, she made "the sound the chicken makes" except it sounded like a bear going "bawk bawk" and I laughed so hard, she's fabulous.  And you can tell me things too, because I've got to take a in order to properly sip my drink, and you get the floor.

So what do you tell me?  No really, whats going on with you, fraynd?

I also want to say, on this coffee date, that if you notice that my jeans are adorbs, or that my shirt seems new, you might get me started on a tangent and then you won't get to pipe up until I'm done.  Because yo - I've got a new crush, and its on ThredUp.

I love cute packaging.
They don't have to do it, but its just a little something extra, just for kicks.

You know about my addiction hobby called "online shopping" (long "o").   You're also aware that I don't enjoy malls, hate not finding things after putting in the effort, and have a very low measure for what I think clothing should cost - we agree on this last part, as $120 for jeans is RIDIC.  We've also talked about that whole conscience issue with ethically produced clothing and waste and the environment and... basically, how I overthink all of the fun out of clothes shopping most of the time and sometimes make you overthink and how you hate me a little bit for it.

But then I surprise you with one of Romolo's chocolate covered strawberries and we're good again.

So after you throw out an innocent comment about some article of clothing I am wearing and I am set loose to jabber on about my new favorite online store, here's what I tell you:

I love ThredUp because...

1) I can shop at home in the evenings when RG is in bed and I don't have to worry about naptimes or babysitters or wearing pants, etc.  (I don't worry about me wearing pants.  All babysitters must wear pants.)

2) The shipping is free provided you spend over $50.  If you spend less, its something like $3 for the first item and $1 for each item after.  Basically, you're charged for the actual amount it costs to ship stuff.  And returns?  Well, I'm sending some stuff back this week - FOR FREE.  This is the holy grail of online shopping, my dears.  Of course, I'm sending stuff back because I ordered 12 pairs of jeans last week, because I have a hard time finding stuff that fits, and maybe I got a little carried away... But you don't judge me because, duh, the strawberry!

3) Variety variety variety! You know how I hate having to go to all of the stores to see all of the different brands, and you hate it too.  So when I tell you that ThredUp lets you choose the brands you want to see, filter them by size, and only look for the pieces you're looking for, well, you think you might love them too.

And then, then I drop the bomb on you.  I tell you that I do solemnly swear that all appropriately washed clothing purchased from ThredUp will not shrink, but you don't believe me.  You think the obscene number of chocolate covered strawberries I've been consuming (declaring them "breakfast fruit) has gone to my head.  But then I tell you the secret - your clothes won't shrink, because they've all already been washed.  

That's right!  ThredUp is an online consignment-ish store.  You can buy new to like-new clothing and the quality is superb!  And the prices, mylanta, they're fabulous.  Citizen of Humanity (Anthro brand) jeans for under $40.  Gap jeans, look like new, $14.49.  Even all sorts of brands that I'm not cool enough to know about, I can happen upon them and fall in love, all for up to 80% off of retail.

As you finish your coffee and chocolate-covered blueberries (they're organic, its okay!), you tell me that you'd prefer to wear new clothes.  And I tell you, they look like new.  Maybe as though you've owned them for a month, worn them twice.  You can do like I do and just pretend you lost them in your closet and just now re-found them.  As I was trying some on, Handsome asked "So, how are these 'used' when they're new..." because he thought they were new... even though they're not!

So now you're hooked, high on caffeine and a sugar buzz, and you want to go shop for some of these barely-used clothes, too.  It is at this point that I make you swear to wait until I email you, because if you use the link I send you, you'll get $10 off any purchase, and so will I.  And then I'll suggest that you use the coupon code SAVE20 to get an extra 20% off of your order, because *MWAH* I just love you so much.  And then, then, if you find you like them and want to order again later (or for your children, because they've got the cutest children's clothes), I tell you to go through ebates, because then you'll get 7.5% back with every order, using my link or not.

Whew.  Aren't you glad you liked my jeans?  And ate some strawberries with me?  And sipped the coffee and sat on the red couch and just chilled, even though I was running late?  

<3 M.

Things My Baby Doesn't Need :: Etsy Edition

I might have mentioned that my baby girl's birthday is coming up.  In 8 days.  I've got a puzzle stashed away for her big day, but that's it.  And I'm not worried.  Because she doesn't need anything.  She doesn't know to want anything.  AND, in true after-christmas-baby fashion, she's just not gonna get a whole lot.  When she's older, and her current toys aren't new to her every morning, and she can't be kept happy for hours with a mylar balloon, perhaps then we'll actually buy her presents.  But until then... 

We could be called counter-cultural, choosing not to buy and buy and lavish and lavish on our 52-week-old.   (don't mind me with the weeks, I'm having more trouble than I thought with the whole "letting her grow up" thing).  Handsome prefers the term "cheap".  Maybe its a combination (but its mostly cheap).  Whatever.  All I know is that we make the rules around here, and around here, 1-year-olds don't get a ton of toys.  They just don't.  

She will get a smash cake.  Oh yes, she will.  And she will get both grandmas here to visit and kiss and cuddle with.  And there will be some decorations, and friends over to play, and music and a party.  There will be a gift or two.  But unless someone ignores the "Please, come and celebrate, but don't bring a gift" line on the party invitation facebook event e-vite, that's it.

And I'm A-okay with it.  BUT.  But.  That doesn't stop me from dreaming.  I still want to nab all of these sweet toys for my girl, and I want her to love them and play with them and appreciate them and have memories of them.  So I'm storing them here, and perhaps throughout the year we'll get her one or two.  Unless you buy them up, in which case I will cut you be sad.

So here's the things I'd get for Riley Girl if I was a getting girl in a getting mood.  

Note: This is not a "please get Riley a present" list.  It's not.  We really do not need anything more in our house.  We've got toys spread out across 3 levels, just so she's not overwhelmed.  We have PLENTY.  I just like to window shop.  Just for the record.  Okay, resume the listing.

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I think this fabric doll is sweet.
She'll have a doll eventually, when she's old enough.

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I love hedgehogs!
RG has a "touch & feel" book where the hedgehog is made of velcro.
I'd put a string on this and when she decides to walk, she could pull it around!

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Girlfriend loves phones.
She picks everything up, holds it to the side of her head, and say "Heeey!"
Except play that back in your head sounding less like a valley girl, and more like Don Corleone.

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It's a pull-along, it's a wagon, it's a puzzle...
It's WONDER TOY!

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I'm really kind of stuck on the dolls.
I wasn't a big "doll" girl, but I'm super excited to hook my girl up with some!
Richard, what's happening to me!?!

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Now, this might not seem like a toy a parent would buy.
More like something an aunt or uncle buys, and gives, and then leaves for the quiet of their own home.
But baby girl loves her some percussion instruments.
And I don't mind 'em, as long as they don't have batteries.
Not a big battery-operated noise-maker fan.
Nope.

via
Although maybe I'll go with this version instead.
I could say its the colors, but I'd be lying if I said the "ships from Italy" wasn't a swaying point for me
#iloveitalians

So, that's the list.  Oh!  I just remembered, she does have another gift coming.  I ordered a set of blank nesting dolls, through this Russian connection, and my sister-in-law is hand painting them for Riley!  I believe she's doing woodland creatures, and I really hope there's a squirrel, or chipmunk in there.  Which is crazy, given  my irrational fear of those rodents.  Got any baby-gifting stories for me?  Anything you're loving lately from Etsy/Storenvy?  

<3 M.

Money Monday :: Ebates

Hey y'all. 

How is your Monday going?  Our house was surprised with yet another day at home for RG, this time due to a illness at her babysitter's and not her own.  I'm super thankful that, in the "baby sickness" lottery, we managed to draw "ear infection" rather than "unidentifiable rash", which is what is keeping my babysitter's kid down in the dumps.  As soon as he's feeling better, though, Riley's gonna smother him with open-mouthed slobber kisses, since she loves to test the Dr.'s "no longer contagious after 24 hours" hypothesis.  We'll let you know.

Anyhow, being home allows me a little bit of time, and when I have time (and a looming deadline of Christmas in 37 days for motivation), I love to do a bit of online shopping.  You know I do.  This is no surprise.  But, couple that little fact that I discovered Friday's mail in my Jeep (things get lost, ya know?) and realized that I had a Big Fat Check from Ebates, and I knew I should tell you about it.

Now, I know that not everyone shops online like I do.  In fact, most people don't and its probably for the best.  Because when you start having toilet paper delivered to your house, you've crossed a line somewhere.  But since you're reading this here b-log, you know how to navigate the interwebs.  Either that or someone at your local library stepped away from their seat and you're being nosey.  Step. Off.  Their 30 minutes isn't up yet.  

Sorry.

But since you know how to use the interwebs, you might do some online shopping occasionally.  And if you do, even occassionally, you should check out Ebates.

Here's how Ebates goes.  You want to shop online.  You first navigate to www.ebates.com (which will keep you logged in if you so choose, so you don't have to do that after the first time), type the store you want into the search bar, and when it comes up, you click on it.  Magic happens.  Ebates disappears, and you're suddenly at the main website of the store you wanted to shop at.  You go through, business as usual, check out, use a promo code from somewhere else if you've got it, and done.  

Except for the magic that happened, it was a regular online shopping trip with one extra step.  That magic, however, is what is going to cause a Big Fat Check to arrive at your door.  I believe they are mailed out every quarter.  Mine this quarter was for $9.22.  My mom's was for $15.something.  Its not huge.  But its exciting, and a bonus if you were going to spend the money anyhow.  It says my next one is going to be for $19.89, but I actually returned some of the stuff, so it'll probably go down.  No biggie.

As you see, if you refer someone and they use Ebates, you get a "qualified referral".  Which is what you would be for me if you use THIS LINK RIGHT HERE and start making the magic happen.  But if I were you, I wouldn't tell your mom to come check out this post and get signed up.  Nope.  I'd send her your own personal link, so that you can get a qualified referral, too.  Because in the math of Ebates, Qualified referral = Cash Money.  $5 per, to be exact, with bonuses for volume.  I'm just sayin'. 

Oh, and you cannot refer yourself.  Trust me.  I've tried.

Anyhow, particularly if you were planning on hitting up Cyber Monday or just simply doing your Black Friday shopping from home this year, this is a great way to end up with some extra cash in your pocket after all is said and done.  I've also used this with HomeDepot (6% ) where I buy online, ask for in-store pickup, and then an hour later when the baby is up from her nap, go get what I needed (an orbital sander).  Still costs me what it would have in the store, but I got $1.79 back.  Old Navy? 5%.  Target? 4%.  Which doesn't feel like much, until it adds up!

I'm thinking about giving you some money talk each Monday.  For at least a week.  We'll see where this goes.  But what about you?  Do you have any online shopping tips for us?  

<3 M.

Snug as a Bug :: Swaddling

Bless this child of mine.  We don't always have great days (*cough*yesterday*cough*), but she's doing A-O-kay on her nights.  In amongst the 2- & 3-hour stretches I have been getting, I slept for a solid 3 1/2 hours last night, and it was bliss.  Funny how your perceptions of a good night's sleep change.

How do we manage such a feat at 3 weeks old, you ask?  First, you have to birth a toddler, like mine.  Okay, maybe not really, but I'm just going with what I know.  Baby girl has pushed her way past the double digits and is still gaining.  I'm not sure if her size has anything to do with it, but like I said, it's what I know.  So you birth a toddler (or not).  Then what?  One word: SWADDLE.

Honey 'chile has been swaddled to sleep from pretty much her first hour.  I've tried putting her down with arms & legs free to flail twice, but it's not a good scenario for her.  She wakes herself up fairly quickly, and has to be soothed back to sleep, only to wake again... you get the picture.  Handsome does love when she falls asleep with her arms all up over her head, and I must agree, she looks perfectly delectable like that.  But cuteness does not a well-rested baby (or momma) make, and so for this baby girl, swaddles are a must.  It keeps her from startling herself awake during REM sleep, and also helps her calm down and feel secure. 

In the hospital, we used the receiving blankets and the Aden + Anais swaddles I mentioned before.  And while swaddling with blankets might make you feel a kinship with the generations who have had babies before, let me tell you - it's tricky.  The last thing you want is swaddle that has come loose, because that will result in a baby who is angry.  And you won't like it when baby is angry.  There are some good videos available to help you learn to swaddle with blankets, but still, it's tricky.

Baby Brain

I don't know how other women do it.  I'm at a loss here.  I'm 100% distracted by having this baby, and I can't seem to do anything that requires brain power.  I can think about prepping for the baby.  I can think about getting the house ready for the baby.  I can even think about buying and making things for the baby.

Researching things associated with my PhD?  Nada.

I start to think about stuff like supply chains and computer programs, and then all of the sudden it's "I should make a boppy cover!"  Or "I forgot about that onesie I wanted..."

Link

It doesn't help that nearly all of my prego friends have had their babies already, included my due-date buddy, as of this morning.  Their little girl is beautiful and wonderful and out in the wide world.  And all I can think is that my baby could be in the outside world, but chooses instead to flip and kick and hang out inside-o-me-belly.

Monday Deals!

I swear, this is not going to turn into a shopping site.  Honestly, my *want* tendencies can't handle it.  But I did want to share this one awesome deal with you.  Remember Delicate Fortress Creations?  They're the peeps who are selling beautiful items like this:

and this:

But don't get me one of these gorgeous scarves.  I don't know how to wear a scarf.  I'm physically unable to wear a decorative scarf.  Get this one for yourself.  Your mom (snicker snicker).  Your college buddy.  Your mailman - I mean, c'mon, you know he has a flair for color.

They sell all of this in an effort to help women pull themselves out of slavery.  It's some serious important stuff.  And today, they're offering 15% off, and a free t-shirt for orders over $75!  That means you could get me this super awesome hand-stitched reversible sari throw, and you'd get a free t-shirt.  It'd be like sharing, only better!

I promise, I wouldn't be mad.  Now go shop!

<3 M.

My Friday Feels Bright, Not Black!

Hey all.

I'm good, how are you?

I can't even explain to you how much I love hot chocolate.
Know this: It's a lot.
Like, however much you think I might love hot chocolate, doubled.
Times 100000.
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Are you tired?  Were you shopping or did you just overdose on tryptophan?  I'm feeling pleasantly spry this morning.  I've got the Frank Sinatra Holiday Station pumping, and I've been doing some good cleaning and project-finishing-up!  Now is my time for some Cheeseburger Soup (I've had 4+ thanksgivings this month, I'm turkey-ed out!), a bit of netflix, and then some more projects ;)

In case you're wondering, I used to be a black friday shopper.  In fact, I even tried to be one of the door-buster-at-the-mall people once, which is no easy feat when you're 2+ hours from any mall, anywhere.  I didn't make it.  I also used to go to VS every year, spend my $50 so I got the free tote, go home, list the tote for sale on Ebay, and make my $50 back.  It was rewarding, until the tote bags turned into cheap-o things no one wanted.

But now, I'm an online-browser, pajama-wearer, hot chocolate-sipper.  I'm a sleep-in-er, too, which is much nicer than the 3AM wake up call.  I've done a bit of shopping today, mostly with left-over gift cards from our baby shower.  Spending other people's money makes it ever so nice!  I've got some of the deals I hit up today laid out below, but where ever you shop online, I want you to know about Ebates.  They're AWE$OME.  I accidentally did that with the "$", but it's appropriate so I left it.

Ebates is a website that you shop from.  They don't sell anything (that I know of).  But you go, for example, to ebates.com.  Then you search "Home Depot".  They say something to the effect of "Shop at HomeDepot.com and earn 6% cashback!".  Then you click "shop now" and boom, done.  You see no more of ebates, you only see home depot, and you buy the things you wanted to buy.  If you're like me, this consists of an orbital sander that you then pick up 4 hours later at your local store, and thus begins your love affair with mechanized sanding.  Seriously people, I could be out there, sanding away, all. day. long.

Anyhow, once a quarter, ebates mails you a check.  Like, legit.  I don't do a ton of online shopping, but I've gotten little checks in the mail for $12.16 or $17.25 or whatever.  It's always a nice surprise.  And sometimes, they have coupon codes.  If they don't, you can always hit up retailmenot.com for some coupon codes that you can apply, even if you're already using ebates to get cashback.  Isn't that wild?  I'm pretty psyched.  Can't wait to see what my total "back" is.

Honorable mention deals:

• Joann.com - 60% off home decor fabrics *LOVE*
• Maidenform - 30% off store, plus free shipping
• Burt's Bees - Super cool grab bag!
• The Body Shop - Sweet 3 for $30, and a Grab bag!
• Babys R Us - 20% off baby purchase of $125 or more, and something about free shipping

But remember, don't just go to the shops.  Hit up Ebates first, sign up (I swear, I've never gotten anything spammy from them, nor have I ever gotten anything in the mail.  Except cash.  Which is sweet.  And by cash, I mean a check, but whatever.).  Note: I think there is some sort of referral thing, but I'm not concerned with that.  I just wanted you to know how awesome Ebates is.  Because it's the season of giving.

<3 M.

Delicate Fortress Math

Hey all. 

I thought I should let you know that the stress level in my house is basically atmospheric at this point.  As in, its so high, it's in the atmosphere.

Handsome's paramedic school is just about as bad as we feared it might be, and I've got a good amount of work to do for my school.  Add in me leaving every other week, while still trying to maintain a home life, and, well, there's a lot.

All that to say I'm not feeling very witty.  Apparently my wittiness is indirectly proportionate to my stress level.  And before you bug out on me for writing something mathy, you know what that means.  Yes, you do.  It means that when my stress level goes up, my wittiness goes down.  Boom.  Done.  Pre-Calc passed.  You're a rockstar.

Anyhow, to spare my mind for today, I'm just going to tell you one more little mathy thing.  Just one.  Are you ready?  C'mon, you already passed Pre-Calc, you can handle just one more itty bitty piece of information.  Here we go:

Sale Prices < Regular Prices

(read: sale prices are less than regular prices)

I know, now you're really impressed that I'm getting a PhD, right?  But this little piece of information is important, because one of my very favorite shops is having a sale, and I thought you might want to know about it.

Check them out here!

That's right.  Those awesome people who offer beautiful goods for sale with the purpose of freeing women everywhere from slavery and prostitution.  Basically, they're kind of a big deal.  And right now, they're having a sale.  So go check it out!  And while you're checking it out, just know that I wouldn't be mad if anyone decided to buy me any of these:

A quilted throw made out of old Saris

The End of an Era

Subtitled: I Now Have a Wocket Robot in my Pocket.

Ode to a phone:

You've been my phone for 3-odd years,

I always thought our parting would bring me to tears,

It seems, instead, that I'm happy inside,

A new phone, that works?! This I can abide.

Goodbye, dear flip phone, goodbye and goodnight,

We've been together so long, it almost doesn't seem right.

But there's a new phone in town, and you're out the door

I'd sell you online, but no one uses flip phones anymore.

--Peace--

And so ends the era of a dumb not-so-smart phone.  I held out as long as I could, but the need for GPS drove me to it.  That, and a sweet Mother's day deal.  I think I'll keep the little guy around, though, just in case I get freaked out about the whole my-phone-is-a-small-robot thing.  Anyone else out there still have an oldie-but-goodie making their phone calls for them?

I watched iRobot too many times,

TFW

Fabric Informatique

In case the title didn't tip you off, this here is riveting stuff.  Definitely worth your time today.  

Definitely.

So last week, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, blah blah blah.  I didn't really do the shopping thing.  Handsome was only off work on Friday, so we did our Thanksgiving that day.  My parents were in town all weekend, and while my Madre and I did pick up some new furniture (see the chair in below pictures), we did it casually and as we would on any day.  I perused some online ads, but nothing caught my fancy... until...

Joann.  She's evil.  We used to be friends, but then she kept offering me things that ended up costing me dearly... For example, this weekend, she's offering 50% off all Home Decor Fabrics.  And me, being the naive little thing that I am, thought that all home decor fabrics are created equal.  It went a little like this:

"I need some curtains.  Curtains are 'Home Decor'.  Any of this fabric must be suitable for curtains.  Done!"

Two brief days later, Mr. FedEx shows up, Duke barks, and I'm given this package:

And now, $$ poorer and not a whole lot wiser, I do have one bit of information to share with you.  All home decor fabrics are not created equal.  The fact that they're not all priced the same should have been a red flag for me, but I figured the difference in price was due to the design or something.  You know, Mourning Dove Herringbone must just be a really popular color, right?  Right??  Nope.

Etsy Fashion

I've been back on etsy.com.

It was like coming home.

Except not really, because my home looks like this right now:

So maybe it was more like coming home after a fairy cleaned up and some trolls made me some stuff.

Whatever.  That part is not important.  What is important is that etsy is super cool, and also affords a person (although the term affords is relative... ha ha, punny) the chance to buy things direct from the artisan who created them, thus fulfilling my dream and living more like Laura Ingalls.  That homesteader life, it speaks to me.

Jockey Lot

Saturday, I had some time to myself.  Handsome had an appointment with the bottom of the lake, and so I found myself without any plans.  So I decided it was time to take the next step out into the water, moving towards total Southern Submersion.  I went to the Jockey Lot *duhn duh dunnnn*.

The Jockey Lot is a large … collection of people selling things.  Up north, we call them flea markets.  Down here, its called the Jockey Lot.  From the moment I got out of my car until I wearily unloaded my purchases back into it, it was an experience of pure perfection.  Rarely do events turn out to be everything you imagine that they should, but this was one of the exceptions. 

The Strangest Thing

Last year, right around the time handsome got his full-time firefighting position, we (and I use the term "we" loosely here... gulp.) decided it was time for a shopping spree.  Because, you see, we were now flush with money.  Right?  (and the paid firefighters families are laughing...)  Well, comparatively, we were, in fact, flush with $$, so it was shopping time.  We hadn't really gotten new clothes in about 2 years, other than as Christmas gifts.  

Handsome couldn't really think of anything he needed, but lucky for him, I could think of quite a few things he needed, and so I called my two best shopper friends, and away we went.  We shopped from open to near-close, and the other two girls were able to explain their hefty bills to their hubbies by ending the story with, "But Mariah spent more!"  This was unusual, as Handsome & I had lived such a tightwad existence for the past 2 years, and I think it actually bought them some leeway.

The one thing that H. did want was to realize a dream.  He'd been talking about this for months.  It was right up there with the, "When I get a job, we're going to eat red meat again!" conversations.  And his dream went like this.  

When I get a job, I'm going to get rid of all of my different socks, every single one of them, and I'm going to buy only two kinds; one short, and one long.  That way they all match, there's no unmatched, and its done.  Also, these two kinds are going to be easy to find, generic ones, that will always be around.  This way, when its time to replace some lost socks, they will still all be ...

*wait for it*

THE SAME!

And so, on that hot sweltering August day, I truly did make his dream come true.  I bought all the same kind of short sock and all the same kind of long sock.  And I know where to get more.  When we got home from our shopping trip, I boxed up all of his current socks and put them in a box in the garage earmarked for GoodWill.  Done.

Or so I thought.

Lately, as I've been folding the laundry, I've come across some peculiar sightings.  Old socks, worn-out ones that he used to have, will suddenly appear in the pile.  The little kid's black socks that his mom accidentally bought him, will just be in with the mix.  I'm not sure where these are coming from, as Handsome has no idea that the box I earmarked for GoodWill 11 months ago is still sitting in our garage.  We don't have rodents, that I know of, and Duke is scared of the garage and all of its big scariness.

The only plausible solution I can come up with is that the dryer really was eating our socks as we laundered them, and is now spitting them back out, something akin to a piece of chewing gum that has lost its flavor.  Really, its the only likely answer.  It could be Handsome waging some sort of psychological manipulation, but he's not the type.  Outright lie, yes.  Sneakily re-integrate old socks into the wash, no.

GoodWill towards men...

*~* Please ignore the frequency with which I'm posting today and pretend that you think I do have a life.  Thank you. *~*

I'm in the mood for some GoodWill/Flea Market/Yard Sale/Sally Anne's goings ons.  Perhaps its the spring time, or perhaps its my desire for new stuff coupled with my limited free spending budget.  I can't tell.  But I want me some used stuff.  Furniture would be nice.  Worn-in, out-dated Tshirts are nothing short of Jackpot.  Perhaps some glass dishes/glasses/usable decorations (we'll discuss impractical decorations and my abhorrence of them at another date).  Any or all of these things would be great.

I used to shop at GoodWill frequently in high school.  I think I fancied myself "vintage" or something.  Either way, I would find a lot of little kid Tshirts in Large and wear them, especially if they had cool old screen printing on them.  For example, I had 2 favorites.  I tried to draw them, but it was futile.  Instead, I'll tell you that they were blue, and one had a picture of a Mack Truck and said "Daddy Drives an 18 Wheeler" and the other had a picture of a scared worm on a fishing hook and said "I might not catch a lot of fish, but I show those worms who's boss!".  Take a moment, picture them now.  Aren't they awesome!?

So, I continued to rock this fashion trend until one day, when Handsome (before he was officially mine) and I had the following talk.

******

(set the scene, I am wearing a new T-shirt from American Eagle, similar to this)

Him: I like when you wear shirts like that

Me: Oh really, thanks!  Do you mean purple or V-neck? 

Him: No, not especially either of those things.  Just ones not from GoodWill.

******

And with that glorious shot, my GoodWill days were tempered (although not completely extinguished).

BTW (favorite abbreviation, said bee-tee-dub) "Sally Anne's" is what my grandparents call the Salvation Army Thrift Stores.