My little boy asked me the other day, why did we have valentines day, I realized I had no idea.. So.. I googled it (grins, I love google) Here is what I came up with.

Legend has it that a certain third-century priest named Valentine persisted in performing marriage ceremonies despite a ban by the Roman emperor Claudius II (Claudius was persuaded that single men made better soldiers for his army). Thrown into jail, Valentine formed a relationship with his jailor's daughter (some say he cured her blindness) and he signed his last message to her "From your Valentine," a phrase which still gets a lot of mileage

I thought it was interesting. My son thought some lady made it up, so all the ladies could get chocolate. LOL!

What do you think would be the best Valentine present to receive? Along with the Chocolate of course

Tam

As we are taking down the Christmas Tree. I can't help but get emotional. So many things to remember.
What I thought would not be a good Christmas (because of the economy issues) It actually turned out to be one of my most memorable. The true and magical reason for the season seemed to be more prevalant.

Please share your most memorable time of this year.. Or even years past, Christmas, Or holiday Memories

We left out bright and early friday morning at 3am, to find all the good deals

And we did find some!! It was nuts though. We went to ton of stores, even stood outside freezing to death at one. (I wont be doing that again next year) We stopped in Marshalls, and wow there were tons of people there. They had some great deals! I found my 8 year old this great shirt, and my daughter another betsey brown cosmetic case. The neat thing is, we were home by 9am and I was able to sleep for a couple of hours!

Did anyone else go out? Are you going to do it again next year?

If you all are like me, you have a ton of halloween candy sitting in your house. As I was stuffing my mouth, I realized if I didn't figure out something to do with all this candy, I would look like a whale by Christmas time. So here are some ideas I came up with. Please feel free to add to this list!

1. Give to Charity
2. Melt the chocolate for Fondue
3. Use the M&M's instead of Chocolate chips, in cookie recipes.
4. Save it for Stocking stuffers, or to make Decorations like a ginger bread house at Christmas time.
5. Crush candy bars for Ice Cream toppings (We do this, my favorite is butterfingers over vanilla Ice cream)
6. And last but not least. The icky Candy, that NO one in your family will eat. Save it, and give it away in cookie tins at Christmas time, To those people you really don't want to buy for, but you have to give them something.

I just got back from my mothers, she has been telling me she has been redoing the bedrooms. So I couldn't wait to see. She called the front bedroom The Jungle Room. It looks wonderful, and as I was commenting on the comforter on the bed she says. "Oh, I got that at Marshalls" And then she went on to tell me how almost everything she brought in that room, was from Marshalls. WOW. It was amazing. And Of course I forgot my camera and wasn't able to talk pictures. But I brought her home with me. And she has promised to redo my sons bedroom. So Wednesday, is our head to Marshalls day. I can't wait!!

Tam

Remember grandma's clothes line outside? Do you realize how much money she saved drying them outside?

Thinking of that made me realize that its time for me to start trying to cut corners. After going through and figuring out the best ways I could, I realized that it’s the latest craze too. People are needing to save energy, gas and money. The least I can do is hang out my laundry on those nice days. All of that got me thinking. There are lots of other ways to cut corners.
So off to Marshalls I went to try to find some darker curtains to put over the windows. That will save in the winter and the summer.

Anyone else have any other ideas?

I was surfing the web the other day, and came across a web site that talked about Halston's Past Fashion Collections. I honestly got a kick out of it. Tell me what you think.

1978



And then 1997 Autumn/ Winter Collection


And today's Autumn/Winter Collection


Funny how styles change huh? Although I would have never dressed as a lemon, whether it was 20 years ago, or today, Well unless for halloween <grins>

Tam

Since school started today (jumps for joy, hollers loudly and spins around) and the house is empty again. About time for some redecorating! My house is done mostly in earth tones, which I still love. But it just seems so boring. I need some ideas to brighten it up, I went to take a picture, but for some reason the battery is dead! So I will try my best to describe and add a picture next time.

Its the walls that are boring, I do have some stuff up there, some flowers and things. But blah. I need some more ideas!

Any help will be greatly appreciated
Tam

I was reading the forums today and seen this post.

http://whatsin.marshallsonline.com/topic/Shopping-Techniques/Teenkid-Shopping-Techniques/570001064&#msg570002494

This post made me laugh, because I went out with my youngest this weekend to school shop, and heard those exact words. ewwwwwww Mom, no one will ever wear that. That is so babyish, so on and so on.

So your opinions. Is an Spider man backpack too young for a 8 year old little boy? <grins>

Tam