The Deep Dark Secrets of Black Friday Shopping Success

1. Do your morning stretches. Those parking lots are longer than they look.
2. Eat breakfast but nothing heavy. You will need your energy.
   
3. Don't arrive early. Just arrive with padded knees and crawl the floors.
4. Use ear plugs when the rudeness song commences.
5. Go with a plan and keep moving. Never stop and you will be stuck!
6. As you come up to your desired purchase, grab and go. Look at it later. Someone you pass will want it.
7. Take the mp3 player. It helps to pass the time while waiting patiently in line.
8. Wear steel toe boots and pad those ribs. Never know when you might become clumsy.
9. Bring someone tall. They can grab things you can't.
10. When all else fails, stay home and shop from a WAHM from home!

I was part of those crazy people hitting the stores for good deals starting at midnight. I hit up 2 stores, awesome deals, and knocked 8 people off my nice list. The rest I will watch the sales, shop online, maybe even a little barter. The naughty list is easy. Sticks and coal for everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

May your day be full of wonderful memories to be thankful for.

Turkey Day is Coming!

Turkey day is coming and my mouth is already watering just thinking about the juicy turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, hot rolls oozing with butter, pumpkin pie and lots of whipped topping. Although tradition states you are supposed to be recreating the original dinner of the 1600's, we are traditional in the way of making our own traditions and sharing what we are thankful this year.

Being a mixed family of different cultures we also celebrate Thanksgiving with Puerto Rican dishes such as arroz con gandules, tostones, and a Mexican favorite of tamales. And because we all love my mothers potato salad this will also grace our table. My brother the culinary student will be creating for us a wonderful creme brulee while his wife makes a wonderful pumpkin bread.

The women will cook and craft, the children will play, the men will watch football. Because you can't split up Thanksgiving like you can with Christmas some will have 2 thanksgiving dinners that day. This Thanksgiving my niece Elizabeth will enjoy her very first thanksgiving dinner. Although she will not be able to partake in the delicious food spread, we will all share in the memories of her very first thanksgiving meal.

We will end our night with wii games as we prepare to brave the lines of the midnight sales starting at the Disney store moving into the wee morning hours to grab the best deals. Lucky for us the lines are not insane and we can easily navigate the sales without being trampled.

What is your tradition? Do you do anything special or non-traditional?

Black Friday and Cyber Monday Holiday Fair

Black Friday and Cyber Monday Holiday Fair
12pm-8pm EST
So Chic Bag Boutique Party Room
Great sales! Great companies! Great prizes!

Vendor slots still open. Reserve yours before they are gone! Visit the So Chic Bag Boutique Party Room for more information.

Craft Addiction

I have to admit it - I am a craft addict. I think it mainly stems from coping skills created to deal with ADD. A typical behavior of those with ADD/ADHD is incomplete projects. Being I have to complete a project at some point related to work, crafts I do not. It becomes my balance and subconsciously it allows me to deal with this.

While that is not the only reason, I just like crafting. I consider myself a fairly creative person. Through crafting I can enjoy that creativity. I often start with a project that I throw myself into fully then stop because I get bored. Eventually I pick it back up so I store my crafting items.

If you see my crafting area, you will wonder why I have so many. I know I do. I am currently on 3 crafting projects. One is baby shower items, keychains, recycling items into usable accessories. Soon this list will be birthday party art pieces (my niece is having a candyland theme and her family is going all out!) and I will pick back up my bow making as my youngest niece will have enough hair to wear them.

I have the itch to make Christmas ornaments but not sure I have enough time to make the amount I would need for family gift giving. Being I am fidgety (another ADD/ADHD trait) I need to always have something to do with my hands. Helps my husband stay sane. Blogging also helps with this. Blogging also helps with the 30 thoughts going through my head at any one moment.

So back to where I was... with so many crafting projects and the need to always have a project on the table I consider myself an addict. I can't be without a project even if I am not actively involved.

I am hoping next summer to begin a play area for my nieces and nephews to include a play house, fairy garden, and a few other tid bits I am thinking through. This will take about 2 yrs to complete and allow me to expand as I get the itch.

I would like to purchase a shed of some sort to store all my crafts neatly and also give me a mini workshop outside of the house. Ever heard of Man Cave? Well this would be the Woman Cave.

So who is with me? Any other crafting addicts out there?

WAHMs

As a WAHM it has been with a teenager. As my son was a young child I worked outside of the house even going to college for 2yrs while he learned in kindergarten and 1st grade. I never had a young child at home while a full-time WAHM. This week on and off I had a 2 yr old and 3 month old (my nieces) while trying to work. This certainly proved difficult. While I could still accomplish all I needed it wasn't without trial and and error. I don't think some realize how difficult it really is. Even I thought it would be easier than expected and I even expected problems. Next time we come across a WAHM especially one with young children still at home, look upon them with a new found respect. It is not as easy as it looks. As a woman wishing to extend her family with a new baby I have different expectations and plans for if and when this happens.

As a mother of a teenager...

this is very fitting.

What is in your purse?

Everyone is always teasing me about how much I carry in my purse. While I do carry a lot I am sure there are others with more and even more puzzling than myself.

So here I am ready to expose all the gory details of the deep depths of my purse.

Contents of my purse (I saved your eyes from pictures)

Hand sanitizer - Purel and Lysol
Wet Ones Antibacterial wipes
Flat wallet
Bottle of prescription medication
Inhalers - rescue, steroid, and backup OTC inhaler
Pens (about 5)
OTC allergy medication
Tylenol
Victoria's Secret body spray (in case you wondered - strawberries and champagne)
Pink grapefruit Tic Tacs
Eclipse gum
Hello kitty candy tin w/candy
Tums
Travel size deodorant
4 pack of wisps (mini disposable toothbrushes)
Brush
Lip balm (2)
Nail polish (fast drying)
Toothpicks (the kind with a pick at one end and floss on the other)
Eye drops
Travel size Febreeze
Handbag caddy
Business card holder
Travel size Lysol
Tissues
Keys
Travel size mouthwash
5 hour energy
Plastic case that holds instant drink mix (store brand Crystal Light) and instant coffee (Starbucks VIA)
Tweezers
Mirror
Mini notepad
Rubber band for hair
2 mini hair clips
5 pack of mini colored pens
Nail buds (pack of mini nail files)

and although I don't currently have on I try to keep a mini travel first aid kit and mini travel sewing kit as well.

Days I wear makeup and have my hair done I also carry:
Lip gloss
Lipstick
Pressed powder
Lip liner
Eyeliner
Mascara
Eyeshadow
Blush
Travel size hairspray
Mini travel makeup brush kit

So that's the purse contents many tease me about. I carry a lot but I pretty much have anything anyone will need and these have come in handy at some point in time.

So what do you keep in your purse? Anything unusual?

My Child ID™

Although I do not have young children I am always on the lookout for products that will keep my young nieces and nephew safe. A great item I came across recently is My Child ID™ found on amberalert.com.

Product Description from the site:

The My Child ID™ helps you securely store, organize and manage your child’s vital information, medical information (medications, allergies, physicians, etc.),emergency contact information, activities, friends, family and much, much more. The wireless digital slide show reminds you to never forget it.

You can find the My Child ID™ at http://www.amberalert.com/en/shop/child-id-kit/.

I think this would be a great baby shower gift.

**Life of a Work at Home Mother and its authors are not associated or compensated for suggesting My Child ID™

Veterans Day

Thank you to all of those who have served and currently serving our country faithfully.

Thank you for our service and sacrifices.

Personal Goals

After this past weeks vacation I realized I really need to drop a few pounds (about 50 to be realistic) and get in better shape. It was hard keeping up at first. Our muscles were so tired and my asthma was at an all time high. These could all have been alleviated by being in better shape. I don't expect to be in great shape. Just better.

My goals are to begin walking on a schedule. Not just when I feel like it. I will start with every other day. That may go through Jan since winter is near. Being on a hill and ice being an issue from time to time, I may not be able to step it up until we get past the worst part.

Next is to cut down on the sweets. Being I work from home it is really easy to snack on poor choices. If its easy I grab it. I will switch to fruits and vegetables that I can cut up making it easy when I need to snack.

Cut back on the Starbucks. I really enjoy my Venti White Chocolate Mocha. Instead of 2-3 in a week I can cut that down to 1 or 2 and move to a grande instead.

Watch my carbs. I love pasta and breads. They can be a serious downfall. I need to balance out my meals rather than cut them.

Drink more water. This past week I realized how little I drink water. I drank more this week than I have before.

I will take more "me" time. I always tell my son if you look good, you feel good. I need to practice what I preach. In years before I have done this and kept my weight at a reasonable level. Since purchasing my business in Jan '08, "me" time is hard to come by. That will change.

This all really is minor changes in my life but I need to be more aware and on top of them.

Where have I been?

This week we have spent out time in California on vacation. This is our first official vacation. We started off at Universal Studios attending their RIP tour of Halloween Horror nights. It was fantastic! This years theme was Saw so you had several characters from the Saw movies chasing quests with chainsaws. The mazes were even better and the tour was priceless.

From there we moved to Disneyland and California Adventure for 4 days. Good times, good times. Great rides, great food, great weather. Being a California native I am not new to Disneyland. Being a family of Disney lovers, my son is no stranger either. My husband was the least exposed so there was much to share. We vacationed with my brother and his wife. This was not only the first real family vacation my husband, son, and I have had, it was also the first family vacation with other family members as well.

We had to take a day to rest after 3 days going full force. Our poor feet just couldn't take it anymore. After all 3 of us sleeping most of the day away, it was obvious it wasn't just age beating us. The young hyper one needed a good rest too.

We had the opportunity to spend the early evening at the beach. While the air was cool and the water cold it was nice to walk along the beach barefoot and collect sea shells. Something I have not done since I was little.

Many memories were created and shared this trip. Its sad to say good bye but we will be back and I can't wait!