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Like School, But Prettier

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Last Friday, I ended up at the local Target with my daughter and my Father-in-Law. Not a normal shopping experience for me, but FIL needed to buy a baby shower gift and daughter and I were along to help. Daughter and I basically picked the whole purchase out, but we didn't mind. We even had a bit of fun.

Anyway, as FIL was getting his bearings, I flitted like a nesting bird with ADD over to the Dollar section. Is there shiny? What is that pretty thing over there?

I spotted something, loved it, put it in my basket, and then took it out again. With the temorary mental powers of Einstein, I realized that this item must come home with me - for the betterment of mankind.

So, what was it?

This.

TV tray

Isn't it lovely? Yes, I bought four TV trays and I am just a wee bit in love with them. I might even be planning an elopement soon.

Sturdy with a nice lip around the edge and only $2.50 each.

We watch a lot of TV together in the Family Room while we eat (oh, shame upon me) and these are very helpful.

They remind of school trays, but so much better. If my school trays had looked like these, I might not have minded the mystery meat so much.

Dover Books Coupon

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Save up to $15 on books at Dover Publications through March 26th.  

    • To save $5 off an order of $25 or more, use Coupon Code EMM5 during checkout
    • To save $10 off an order of $40 or more, use Coupon Code EM10 during checkout
    • To save $15 off an order of $50 or more, use Coupon Code EM15 during checkout

One coupon per customer. Click here for more details.

The Mensa Chalkboard

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IKEA chalkboard

I suppose I should have known, but I didn't. Obviously, I should pay better attention because I was simply shocked to find out...that the IKEA chalkboard is magnetic. This will really transform our lives. How? I have no idea, but a magnetic chalkboard is an amazing feat of technology and I must reap the benefits - whatsoever they may be.

Above you can see my overachieving chalkboard working her heart out by holding a Columbia Restaurant magnet while simultaneously displaying fractions AND guarding our clothespin doll collection. Quite the skilled kitchen helper, isn't she? She definitely deserves a gold star. 

Turquoise Bird of Happiness

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Bluebird on desk

 

A little thrifting fest this weekend brought this glass bluebird to live on my desktop. It's not actually thrifted; I found it at Big Lots. It's turquoise, though I don't think you can tell in this photo. I'm a bit color blind and most "turquoise" items just look light blue to me. Does anyone else have this problem?

Did you know that Turquoise is the hot color for 2010? I picked up several turquoise pretties at Big Lots, in addition to the bluebird. I decorate with a lot of sunflower yellow, dark blue, and apple green, but I think turquoise will liven things up around here. I don't want to get bored and adding splashes of a new color is cheaper than redecorating.

By the way, in many myths and fairy tales, the bluebird symbolizes happiness. It must be true because I'm very happy with my little bluebird.

Movie buffs might recall that the Bluebird of Happiness was the focus of Shirley Temple's first childhood box office flop. Ironically, the movie also received two Academy Award nominations.

Thrift Store Somber

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The memorial service for H's grandmother was yesterday and I needed some mourning clothes for D, who had nothing appropriate. Thankfully, I managed to pull together a few thrifty pieces we had:

Daughter in black and gray

  • Talbots charcoal gray lined wool skirt - thrift store, about $5
  • Joneswear silk shirt - Bealls Outlet, about $5
  • Black leather boots - Bealls Outlet, about $8
  • Black vintage scarf - my mother-in-law, free
  • White seed pearl necklace - mine
  • Pearl earrings - hers
  • (not shown) Black wool coat - my mother-in-law, free

D is probably the only fourteen-year-old who goes to a memorial service and gets a million compliments from the fellow mourners. Those who know her best were completely amazed to spy her in earrings AND a necklace.

In other news, the memorial service was short, respectful, and a good opportunity for those who loved H's grandmother to celebrate her life. All things considered, I think it went as well as possible.

Our Own Weather Station

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Weather Station front

Without knowing that we are studying weather in Nature Study this term, my husband managed to purchase a very inexpensive weather station for our backyard - one that also happens to match my home decor. Double kudos to him.

The weather station measures rain fall, temperature, wind speed, wind direction, and has a wind chill chart on the back side.

Weather Station back

We like it a lot. Now we've added weather readings to our nature journals and compare the information to readings from our local news station's meteorology department.

Now I have something green in my garden that I will not have to worry about keeping alive.

By the way, those are clouds reflected on the weather station. Purely an accident when I took the photograph, but they make me smile.

Gulf Fritillary

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Gulf Fritillary

The son snapped this photo last weekend in our backyard. Yes, I actually let someone touch my precious camera. Shocking. And either incredibly forgiving or rather stupid, considering this child broke our last camera. Anyway, it turns out that this lovely thing is a Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis vanillae. The Butterflies and Moths website has a great close-up photo.

Here is a time lapse video of a Gulf Fritillary transforming from caterpillar to butterfly:



Sparkly

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A special package arrived for D while we were off Saturday enjoying the Free Museum Day sponsored by the Smithsonian. Inside the box was something D purchased with her birthday money.

Happy girl

Chain mail! Here she is newly-knighted. She made that sword and her father cut the kite shield for her.

Swing

It's a good thing she is so strong; I had a hard time lifting the box of chain mail and I can't imagine wearing it around. Needless to say, she is the envy of all the neighborhood boys.  I say boys only because it seems all the girls are too busy making googly-eyes at the boys. When did girls become so boring?

Such a happy birthday girl

You would not believe how much research D did before choosing this item. Such a good little historian - she makes her mother proud. She's been living and breathing Anglo-Saxons and Normans.

Ready for battle

We bought her a diorama kit from Michael's for her birthday for her tiny toy Saxons, which she also bought with her birthday money, and she has been working on it, but she won't let me photograph it 'til she's done.

Armed

Who else but my daughter would buy chain mail with her birthday money? I would have just bought books when I was fourteen. It must be that she's been raised to think outside the box. I would have read about it, but she lives it.

Plaid Duct Tape

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Gift from God or sign of the Apocalypse? Either way, you can buy it from L.L. Bean. Still waiting for polka dot, though. Oh, and did you know that colored masking tape is now available? As if I didn't have to deal with way too many options already.


The Painted Shield

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Remember D's shield and her plans to paint it? After much research on Viking shields, here is the result:

Painted shield

Those nicks on the wood have been added for "authenticity".

Shield back

Here is a look at the handle straps on the back of the shield. Notice her favorite product - duck tape. You can also get a good look at her Middle Ages costume. No fluffy pink princesses live at my house.

Lest you think we're all costumes all the time, here is D in her new olive green sundress:


Olive sundress

This fifty-dollar department store dress was at Bealls Outlet for $15. Good deal and lovely lassie.

Though the bright morning sun hides it, she is my dear nut-brown maiden. Here are "The Corries" singing the Scottish folk song:


About this Archive

This page is a archive of recent entries in the Shopping category.

Science is the previous category.

Soapbox is the next category.

Mrs. Happy Housewife

Mrs. Happy Housewife

I am... a Christian, a woman, a wife, a mother, a housewife, a homeschooler, a Conservative, a Republican, Pro-life, and 33.

I'm full of opinions and curiosity. I'm not an expert, but on a quest of self-improvement.

Welcome to my life.

Follow mrshappyhousewi on Twitter


I Like Ike is my son's blog. Aside from pestering him regarding grammar, I have no input. Please be nice if you comment on his blog.


The old site is slowly being transferred here.





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