Most Excellent

Here we are again Sunday night. A whole weekend is gone and a whole week ahead. It was a weekend of cold and quiet but full of excellent things.

#1 My husband. There is no web site for him but right now I love hims lots. He cleaned the gutters, took the kids to a State game and helped my dad with his trees. All the while he is keeping me going through this hectic year & a busy weekend. I hate this anxiety over the economy & life in general.

#2 The Baldwin Public Library in B'ham, MI. My city has a new & pretty library but I love Baldwin. It has nooks and crannies to hide out and read in and an everlasting beauty all over the place. This Saturday as I was studying at my normal table in the main room, I looked up. The ceiling was breathtaking and divine with an ornately carved molding that could only be done in the past - craftsmanship. So if you have a few moments then I encourage you to go there & look up. If you do not then just look up & see if you can see anything new.

http://www.metronet.lib.mi.us/BALD/

#3 "The Family at Home" by Anita Kaushal. I read about this in someone's blog but I picked it up at the library. What a great book of captivating pics full of color & love of home & family.

http://www.amazon.com/Family-Home-Love-Life-Style/dp/030739445X

#4 Microfinance: In this world of crazy stock markets, one can be unsure about where to put money. I read an article about providing finance backing to the poor. Love this!

www.kiva.org or www.microplace.com


#5 Popcorn is a great treat & economical. I was just interrupted by my husband who is up at the local high school with my son & some friends. They are playing football. I am going to make them popcorn & hot cocoa. I'll make it my dad's way with a little olive oil & lots of salt.

#6 My new Lands' End coat is awesome. I originally bought it in ivory but ended up disliking the color on me. I returned it for a dark, dark brown with a shaggy collar. Yum! Plus it was on sale & had free shipping.

What will my children be?

My son advised me the other day that he is getting a degree in football. He has made many career choices in his short ten years. This includes working for the FBI and being a ninja. He also wants not to just work but be a pro baseball player while he is working on his degrees. I have never shot him down. It is joyful to hear his dreams and who am I to discourage him?

My daughter has many dreams too. She is a bit more grounded than my son. She wants to be a journalist and live in New York City. At least it is only 1 career. I know she can do it. She can do whatever she wants and I will be proud.

My kids have dreamed big from early on and it has been great to see them act them out. I remember taking my 2 1/2 year daughter everywhere in a pink tu-tu for about four months when she wanted to be a ballerina. My son spent years "spying" on us in our own house!

Scary Halloween Goodies turn in to Christmas craziness

You may think you know what I am going to write about but boo! My son just opened 1 of his treats from his Halloween bag. It is a full bag of Snyder's honey mustard & onion pretzels. He received 2 of them. For many years in our neighborhood, my daughter has received a tennis ball. Yes, that is right 1 tennis ball. Guess what. It is her favorite goodie. My son loves his pretzels.

The kids have me thinking about Christmas, our budget and crazy-inspired gifts this year. What do my nieces & nephews want but do not know they want? Could it be a tennis ball, a bag of homemade chocolate covered pretzels or do we dare give them a CD of our favorite music? I do not know about you but my family has a lot of stuff & a lot to be thankful for this year. Do my relatives need 1 more thing?

What to do? What to make? Could it end up being a "crazfrugal" Christmas? I could save a little money & make their day.

I feel like

I feel like writing this morning. It hasn't been a stellar week & I am tired.

I have to remind myself like I did earlier this morning that good things happen especially when you are running through tons of crunchy leaves. I love that sound!

The weather this week has been perfect. I have been outside everyday with my kids. We have great video of them jumping in the crunchy leaves. (I am trying to upload it on Youtube. I am 1/2way there)

I am wearing a crazy sweater thanks to Boden with the biggest buttons you have ever seen, fashion-forward or fashion-fluke? My student's will let me know today. Plus I am wearing my favorite, most comfortable clogs today so who cares!

Thanksgiving is coming. I am already dreaming of turkey & my favorite stuffing! Yum.

O.k. I am ready to get through the rest of the week. How about you?

Pumpkin carnage

Ah, nothing like getting rid of your pumpkins. We have a great tradition year after year. Smashing pumpkins, need I say more?

Save your house, stop buying Starbuck's

O.k. I am not the queen of frugal but I am learning how to cut corners. We are pretty good with our bills and bought a house we could afford on 1 salary. I am not bragging. I am confused.

This weekend on NPR, they were interviewing random people about the economy. They stopped 1 woman with a large cup of Starbuck's coffee. She said she was in the process of losing her house. Why is she drinking Starbuck's? Does anybody else see the disconnect? You can't afford a huge mortgage payment so you throw up your hands and buy a $5 coffee?

Does she drink Starbuck's everyday? Should she let them know so they can set up a cot in the back? When she is without a home, can she build 1 out of recycled Starbuck's cups? If yes, I want my house to be all decaf, mocha latte lights! Oh yeah & I want my walls decorated with all of the crazy CD covers that they have.