Saturday, January 31, 2009

Wanna Swap?

I have become totally and completely addicted to a newly discovered website. My husband, the wonderful internet surfer that he is, stumbled upon a site: swaptree.com where you can swap DVDs, CDs, video games and Books!! It's really simple, you just make a list of books, DVDs, and/or CDs that you want and list the DVDs, books and CDs that you have that you want to get rid of (swap!) and you will get matched up with someone who wants what you have and has what you want!

We don't have cable, so we end up buying movies quite a bit. And a lot of times those movies just don't turn out to be good enough to watch twice... I've thought about putting them on Ebay, but figured I wouldn't get much out of them... Ebay is usually flooded with new and recent movies. And I've thought about putting them into a garage sale, but same thing - you pay around $20 for a movie and you'd probably only be able to get $2 or $3 at most out of them at a garage sale... Swapping them for movies that you know you like, or another movie that you think you might like better is pretty gosh darn appealing! So far it has worked out great for us! We've made some great trades :) And I'm completely addicted!

If you have movies, books, CDs or video games sitting around gathering dust, it might be a great way to get rid of them and get something in return :)

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Wordless Wednesday: Things to do with a drawer

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Where Have I Been?

I know, I haven't posted a thing yet this week. So unlike me ;)

Of course I've been busy. Classes started this week at the community college I teach part time at. I was set to teach one English Composition class, but last week got a call that they were adding another section of a class and needed someone to teach it. How can I resist? Its not quite an English class, but its a class on study skills and such, much like the class I taught last semester. And I love imparting my wisdom on how to negotiate college life.

So I spent the better part of the weekend and the beginning of the week getting my stuff together to teach. I can't tell you how much I enjoy teaching. And especially at the community college level. Of course I am always pretty nervous on the first day, but after those first classes, after meeting all of my eager to learn students, it all settles back into place. And its a very comfortable place. I somehow always manage to have a great group of students. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the semester. It will be a challenge to teach 2 classes and keep it all together and stay organized and on top of things, but its worth it.

And when I haven't been busy with getting my stuff prepared to teach, I've been obsessively reading the Twilight books. Guilty. Over the past few months I've seen so many mothers out there reading this series, and kind of rolled my eyes... then my daughter wanted the books for Christmas. So I got her the first one. She completely devoured it in less than 2 days. I had been trying to get her to read forever. And finally, something that she read from beginning to end and as soon as she finished it, flipped back to the first page... I went and got her the second and third books in the series and she read those just as fast (even though they were much thicker)... By the time she started the fourth book I decided that I should probably see what was so interesting about the series. I was immediately hooked. I'm almost finished with the 4th book. And of course can't wait until I finally finish because I have so many things that have gone neglected for more reading time :)

So that's what I've been up to. I need to find a way to manage my time better ;) There just never seems to be enough time in one day...

Friday, January 16, 2009

Tea anyone?

What better to do in the arctic zone than have a tea party with the kids? The kids have been horribly bored since we've been stuck inside all week because of the -20s temps.

This morning it was actually -36! For some reason the temp in the town I live in is always at least 5 degrees colder than all the towns around us. We actually have the coldest recorded temp in Wisconsin of -55 in 1996! I'm just glad we weren't here then! -36 is bad enough. I think that's the coldest its been here since we've lived here. Everything was closed today, even the towns and banks closed. Every place except for where my husband works was closed that is... :( Thank God we remembered to plug the car in last night! Even plugged in it didn't want to start this morning! Hope everyone is keeping warm!

PhotoStory Friday
Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Monday, January 12, 2009

Nibbling...

Years and years ago (I won't give any specifics) ;) when I was newly married to my first husband, we were having dinner at his parents' house. He had a 5 year old sister and she had some strange eating habits. Her parents would put her plate on the table and she would sit down, take a few bites, go off to play or something, come back and take another nibble... and this would go on for an hour or two. "That's just the way she eats" they would say. Crazy I thought. My kids would certainly never do such a thing.

Isn't it funny the things we say our kids will/won't do before we have any? I used to be so full of criticism on other peoples parenting skills. Then I had my own children. And guess what? At least half of those criticisms I'm completely guilty of! :)

Oh yes, you will let your kids smash goldfish into the living room carpet if it will buy you enough time to go to the bathroom undisturbed.

And yes, last week, I let my son do the same nibbling thing I criticized. And he ate so much more than he usually does. It was quite the victory in my ongoing battle to get him to eat. I wondered why I didn't think of such a thing earlier ;)

Lesson: whatever criticisms you have on others' parenting (especially before you have kids), chances are you will end up doing those things yourself...

Friday, January 9, 2009

Just Checking my Computer and Drinking My Coffee


Santa Claus brough D his very own Lightning McQueen computer for Christmas. Its one of those Vtech things that has games and learning activities. Pretty cute. Of course he doesn't really know how to use it yet, but that certainly does not stop him from having to check his Lighting McQueen computer several times a day. And of course, if anyone else has thier laptop out, he must sit next to them with his going. He keeps saying "gotta check my lighting mcqueen computer." And of course, here he is, insisting that he has "coffee" not "juice." And where do you suppose he got that one from? ;)

PhotoStory Friday

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Wordless Wednesday: Snow Edition

"I can't put my arms down!"


Eating snow? Me?
Hmmmm....
OK. What now?
I'm Done!!

Monday, January 5, 2009

Its a New Year :)

And its time to catch up on some awards ;)

Now that I can once again upload pictures... Back in November (I know, so long ago now!) Missy from Bees and Boo Boos gave me this award, which I love ;)

This award gets passed on to "fellow rockin' bloggers" While I think you are all rockin' ;) (especially if you are still reading me) :) I will only pick a few, because I have to pick 10 for the next group of awards! So I will pass out this rockin' blogger award to: Tina at Life in the Lapadula House, Suzie from Up the Hill Backwards, Wendy from Notes From the Sleep Deprived, and Nut Nut from Nutty Tales.



And these three awards came as a group from Tina at Life in the Lapadula House. So I am awarding them as a group.


The rules for these awards are:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.

2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!

3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

And because I'm lazy and all... I'll have to repeat the same blogs from above ;)

1. Nut Nut from Nutty Tales
2. Wendy from Notes from the Sleep Deprived
3. Missy from Bees and Boo Boos
4. Kaci from Ellyphant
5. Alicia from Izzy 'N Emmy
6. Suzie from Up the Hill Backwards
7. Jenn from I Hate Wine
8. Kelli from Gohn Crazy
9. Stacey from Is there Any Mommy Out There?
10. Simply AnonyMOM

I hope you are all having a great new year so far! ;)

 
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