Operation Control Spending

So.  a la Becky Bloomwood I decided that it might be a good time to enact Operation Control Spending (hereafter referred to as C.S.).  after all, i was inspired by jen lancaster's enlightenment about all of her personal spending, and decided that even though my job is fairly safe, i would never want to be in a position where i regretted the ways i had spent money while i had it.  SO.  for the last few weeks, i've been pretty restrained (having to spend 10 days inside a hospital with no outlet for retail therapy always can curb a habit.  see, every cloud has a silver lining.), and decided to 'reward' myself with a small purchase from wal-mart.  (don't ask what it was - irrelevant, but i got out of there for under $20.)  well, since i was so well-behaved in wal-mart, and it was a beautiful day, and they are my customers after all, i thought i would just stop in for a little visit to Mam'selle.  i barely even noticed the easel they had set up on the sidewalk with a poster that said ADDITIONAL 50% ALL SALE ITEMS.  It just so happened they had the TIBI skirt i've been lusting over since, oh, APRIL... and guess what.  its tucked away in my favorite corner of the store:  the sale rack next to the dressing rooms.  last one.  my size.  it was meant to be.  
don't ask me what else i bought, but needless to say, Operation C.S. died a fiery, violent death at the cash register counter of Mam'selle yesterday afternoon.  even as i was writing the check (yes, a check, because that will give me time to scurry home and get panty-drawer cashola to deposit into the acct before Mam'selle has a chance to make their daily deposit, right?), i was rubbing my eye, thinking, Oh, I think there might be an extra zero in there; did you say $______?  because is sounded like you said $______.   Oh, right.  even as i was watching my hand write out the number, the little voice in my mind was saying "stop.  STOP.  DID YOU HEAR ME?  WALK AWAY!!!".
Oh well.  tomorrow IS pay day.  and i did run home to get some panty-drawer money deposited BEFORE 2:00 p.m.  so, as soon as the Mam'selle check clears the account i think Operation C.S. will be re-enacted.  i will keep you posted.
p.s. - celia offered to keep my purchases in a vault and let me get them out one by one as a reward for good behavior.  she may have to become a signer on the account.  or barbara may have to hot-card the debit card...

you tube. (or, "this is why we still have young friends")

well, so anyway. since tim and i are both married, over 22 years old, and have one child, we are officially what the young people these days are calling "boring". (tim just said "no we're not"). we have most recently discovered the joys of you tube, which combines two of our favorite things: staying in bed (mine) and funniest home videos (tim's).
so, last night (for lack of anything more thrilling to do --- in bed; not kidding. you wait and see. im talking to you and you know who you are.), i texted erin and her delinquent friend trevor to see if they had any good recommends on YT. i had already seen the wedding video the whole nation freaked over on friday morning's early news shows http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0 as well as this other hilarious one that my friend cecilia sent me, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN5YbfFszlI.
so anyway, here are a few of the gems they shared with us. i hope you enjoy them as much as we did.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIwTYL1fwJk (one of tim's favorites)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGQz2Y4WIH0 (one of my favorites, tim said there was too much reading involved...)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MD6Cx0qzRA (another of tim's; p.s. he HATES roller coasters. i know.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtX8nswnUKU (my ALL TIME favorite video ever; this is literally me at five years old - if only i had had access to a video camera. i watched this one four times and only wet my pants once. so that's progress.)
i hope you enjoy these as much as we did. have a great sunday - enjoy the rest of your weekend!

you have got to be kidding me

is it just me, or are the people who work at books-a-million the worst retail employees ever? i mean, seriously. i don't know if they just completely lack any social skills, but the arrogance that accompanies their incompetence is, literally, mind-blowing. this afternoon, there are about 34 (read: 6) people in line, with one cashier, who thinks he is so hilarious and is trying to be cute/mr. personality with everyone in line... meanwhile, 3 other employees are (i swear i am not exaggerating here) within TEN FEET of the other 4 idle cash registers. unbelievable. and then Mr. Personality finally has a Moment Of Clarity where he realizes there are 34 people in line to: BUY SOMETHING, and he (not kidding) hollers at one of his coworkers to come assist checking people out. (this was only after he had already answered the phone after it rang 4 times.)
this was also after i walked in, tried to find the book on my own, then had to ask one of the employees where the book was. at which point she *silently* led me to the book (in the back corner of the store, of course), but did not say ONE SINGLE WORD on the way there. (again, ZERO social skills.)
and then once you get to the cash register, they ask you if you want to purchase their discount card. ("um, yeah. the AWESOME customer service you just provided totally inspired me to spend money to continue shopping at this store. right.")

brush with greatness...

well, in case you dont know, tim (my husband) is in somerset, ky, this weekend for a store promotion at one of the retailers he services. [to make a long story short, he really, really, REALLY doesnt want to be there - it's kind of ridiculous - but he's there and trying to make the best of it.] so. he calls me this morning and he is super excited. SUPER excited. inexplicably so. and he says "guess what! a celebrity is coming to the promotion today and i cant believe it and im going to have my picture made with him!"
[side note: tim phillips thinks having your picture made with someone famous is about the lamest thing known to man. he is way too COOL to ever do something that UNCOOL. this must be serious.]
at this point, he wants me to guess who the celebrity is. let me think. it must be somebody pretty major if tim wants to have a picture of him... "jimmy houston." no. "kevin van dam." no, think more redneck. "dale earnhardt jr." no, honey, somebody really redneck; think of the most redneck person in america. "larry the cable guy." mmm, youre getting closer. "ron white." funny, but no; i mean you may never guess who it is. "okay well give me a hint." think *SUPER*redneck. "did i already guess larry the cable guy?"
honey, the turtleman is coming; THE Turtleman. can you believe that? isnt that hilarious? i cant wait!
at this point, i should inform you of who THE Turtleman is. [before you click, all i ask is that you please keep an open mind. and possibly go to the bathroom before watching.]
Please go to this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gn8EQ0azXpQ
thats right, people. today, my husband, Tim Phillips, gets to meet THE Turtleman. please try to contain your excitement, i mean, i know how impressed you all are about this...

i know, i know.

so, prior to becoming pregnant, i would have sworn up and down my kid wouldn't sit in front of the tv, mindlessly watching, oh, say... Baby Einstein videos. Ever.
well, im just here to say that Baby Einstein will save your life. it is to babies what jerry springer is to trailer park residents. its like crack. its that good.
maggie is completely sucked in - to the point that when she hears the music start up she locks in on the tv. she has even looked (gasp) around me to see what is going to come up next. not kidding. 6 months old, people.
i am so ashamed of myself. oh well. life goes on.