The house we sold in 2005 was one that gave us the chance to do LOTS of home improvement projects. Before we even moved in, we transformed (with help!) a den into a 3rd bedroom. After moving in, we ripped out all of the carpet in the living room, dining room, hall, and family room, as well as the vinyl in the kitchen, and installed laminate flooring. Did you know that you can actually buy instruction do it yourself DVD’s online showing you exactly what you need to do to complete home improvement projects like that? Had I known that installing hardwood floors was something we could have tackled, I wouldn’t have paid the builder of our current home to install them for us! DoItYourself.com not only has instructions on how to do home improvement and DIY projects, but if you need more than just written instructions, they have DVDs available for purchase. This floors and ceilings DVD covers everything from installing hardwood floors to putting down ceramic tile and vinyl floors. Visit DoItYourself.com for more and buy the DVD if you’ve got a few DIY projects of your own, or browse the other information on their site, with topics including:

• Installing Ceramic Tile
• Drywall
• Painting
• Remove and Replace Your Toilet
• Home Wiring
• Kitchen Cabinet Projects
• Getting Ready for the Winter
• Repairing Damage to Plaster Walls
• Building a Deck
• Building a Garage

You can’t go wrong with help and advice presented in live action on your TV!

Our big purchase this week is my husband trying to convince me to plunk down $500 for my son’s next session of hockey. Oy! Leave it to my kid to pick one of the most expensive sports out there for boys his age. I thought it was bad when the equipment cost us $200 - little did I know that we’d soon be paying more than that just for the lessons.

I should be thankful that he hasn’t outgrown any of his equipment yet - not even his skates. There’s not a lot of used hockey equipment around in the hockey resale market or stores like Play It Again Sports for boys his age and size, so it’s good that he’s not outgrown anything. Yet.

Here’s a big sale and clearance on summer items like patio decor and decorative house flags and garden items for you to enjoy. It’s time for retailers to make way for fall and Halloween items, so it’s a great time to get some deals. I always love shopping the end of season sales. It gives me a chance to save some cash, restock my gift closet, and even find a few things as Christmas gifts!

One of the things I bought for myself at Kohl’s this weekend was a new purse. I’ve been using a brown purse for the past few months, and I hate carrying it when I’m wearing black pants and shoes, but I usually forget to change purses in the morning before heading to work. I solved my problem by getting a purse in a black and brown print, so not matter what I’m wearing, I won’t clash!

I’ve done a little bit of mystery shopping, and it’s always neat getting to rate a business and getting a free meal or payment out of the deal! One of the last times I did it, Jim and I got to enjoy burgers and beers for free, in return for simply sharing my comments about the restaurant and staff. Most companies probably aren’t aware of how they can make a mystery shopping service work for them, or how to find competent mystery shoppers. BestMark is a company that provides mystery shopping services to companies large and small, be it with telephone calls, comparison shopping, or even ID checks. Wouldn’t you want to know what your customers really think about your staff, your store, and your services?

Interested in earning money for shopping? They’re looking for shoppers to help them and you can apply online!

Last week I received my Panera bread gift certificate in the mail. One of the store managers had called me about 2 weeks ago to follow up with my complaint, and then he sent me two $6 vouchers. I took the kids back (the idiot manager wasn’t there) and we enjoyed a cheap dinner.

I’m not in a hurry to go back and pay with my own money though. The service wasn’t much better upon our return visit.

More and more, I see people on the road using a GPS system. I’ve had friends and others coming to the house, and when I offer to give directions, I’m told, “No problem - I have a GPS!” Owning a GPS for your car is no longer a toy that only a few have, it’s becoming a lot more mainstream, and people are adding them for the big convenience factor. If you’ve looked at GPS navigation systems in your local big box electronics store, you’ve probably been surprised by the high prices and the lack of a selection. You also probably won’t get much information on the GPS system you’re eyeballing from the minimum wage big box employee. If you want product reviews, AND low prices, check out TigerGPS.com - they offer brand names like Garmin Magellan, and TomTom. Each product offers a thorough review, and if you’re not sure which system would work best for you, you can use the product selector to get a custom recommendation.

A GPS navigation system isn’t just for your car to get you from point A to point B without using a map. You can take one camping with you, keep one in your boat if you’re hitting the open seas, or even use one for fun while hiking and exploring. I’d personally love to get my hands on one to use for a scavenger hunt - wouldn’t it be neat to get your clues and then have to locate places with GPS?

I had to venture into Wal-Mart tonight for a few gifts - we needed to get something for my daughter’s 10th birthday, and her siblings wanted to buy gifts for her as well, plus I needed a get well gift for someone else.

I hate Wal-Mart. Our local store recently completed some sort of renovation. What they renovated, I’m not sure, since everything looks the same, it’s just in different locations. I wanted around for a good 15 minutes looking for the office supplies that used to be in the front of the store before asking someone. Turns out office supplies are now in the back corner, where auto parts used to be, wedged between toys and crafts. Surprisingly, I was able to find a checkstand without a line, and I was out quickly. That NEVER happens.

Fall TV is coming…it’s almost time for the new shows! One of the new shows I’ve seen advertised is The CW’s Gossip Girl, which is based on a series of books by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series is about young adults with too much money living it up in NYC, and young adults with no money being drawn into that lifestyle. I’m not sure if its something I’ll enjoy yet, but just knowing it was based off a book is enough to make me watch a few episodes. I’m picturing it as sort of a Cruel Intentions kind of plot? I definitely want to get the books before the show premieres on September 19.

The CW is doing a lot to promote the show - in addition to the television spots they’re running, they’ve set up a MySpace fan page, and the profile has already attracted 1322 friends!

One reason I’m interested in the show is that the narrator of the whole is a blogger who constantly stirs the pot amongst her friends and rivals. I love it when writers work blogging and bloggers into episodes of TV shows!

This is a sponsored review.

I’m curious to know how many people out there would buy the DVD of a season of their favorite TV show…would you? My kids have been given a few different shows on DVD - we’ve got Full House, The Brady Bunch, and The Simpsons. I have a season or 2 of The Family Guy on DVD. I can deal with The Simpsons or The Family Guy, because I just don’t get sick of watching those cartoons - ever! But as much as I love Grey’s Anatomy, or 30 Rock, or even The Office - I have no interest in getting those shows on DVD and watching them again and again. I dpn’t even buy movies, unless I know I’ll watch them at least 5 times.

Am I weird, or do you feel the same way?

When we built our home last year, we got to choose a lot of options, but none of the things we got to pick were truly custom. For example, I have a nice little island in my kitchen that matches the rest of my cabinets. Had I been given the choice, I would have loved to have done a custom cabinet in the center of my kitchen with a shelf for my cookbooks. In the bathrooms, we have standard cabinet vanities - I would have much rather had a unique bathroom vanity lthat looked like an antique. It’s unique home decor like the vanities pictured there that will set me apart from the other 10 people who have the same house I do in my neighborhood - LOL! You won’t find bathroom vanities like that at your local home improvement store either - your best bet for saving money on such an item is to order it online. You’ll pay much less than buying it locally.

In the meantime, I’ve thought about pulling down the huge (plain) mirror in my bathroom that the builder installed, and adding 2 framed oval mirrors about the double sinks. I hate knowing my bathroom isn’t unique, and I’d love to give it a little more style!

I skipped going to the outlet mall in Orlando on Sunday. It was too hot to walk around outside at an outdoor mall. I stopped at Kohl’s on my way home instead, hoping to find some shorts for my oldest that would be acceptable for school. Kohl’s had 2 styles to choose from, the first being a super short cotton athletic short that is NOT acceptable for school, and the other being a cute plaid dressy short. Perfect length, cute style - but they only had it in two sizes, neither of which fit my 11 year old.

I did end up finding her sneakers (L.A. Gear - I didn’t know they made those anymore!), 2 pairs of capri pants, new shoes for me, plus a new shirt for me, so it wasn’t a complete waist, but I’m getting irritated at not finding shorts long enough for school anywhere.

All of the cool kids are getting new bedding.

No, seriously - I know of 2 or 3 blogging friends who have all ordered or bought new bedding this week. I’ve been inspired to shop for new bed linen as well. I’d like another duvet cover, since we only have one. When it needs to be washed, I absolutely have to finish the job in one day, because I don’t have another cover! The one we currently have is a red stripe, and it’s a lot of red. Overpowering, almost. That’s why I like this Praque duvet cover so much - it’s completely different from what we currently have. I love the fine line of color detail on the white background - it’s so crisp and clean looking! And machine washable, that’s a huge plus!

I took my oldest back to school shopping this week and spent 2 hours and $200. She’s fun to buy for still, because she doesn’t push for things that are bordering on inappropriate. Her school prohibits t-shirts that have slogans and sayings and characters on them, which I really appreciate. It makes it very easy to turn down requests for t-shirts with dumb sayings on them! I think we’ll need to have another shopping trip once the weather turns cooler to stock up on jeans and a few long sleeved shirts. She must have grown another few inches, because all of her jeans are a bit too short. I wish jeans came with adjustable lengths, just like they come with adjustable waists!

We spent much less on the other kids, as they were uniforms and had plenty in good shape that still fit from last year. Maybe $50 each?

How much did you spend on your teen or tween for back to school shopping?

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JCPenney is taunting me!

We get flyers in the mail and the newspaper each week advertising great deals and clearance sales, but the nearest store to my house is 2 counties away. We’re supposed to get our very own JCPenney by the end of the year, and I can’t wait. Jim buys all of his dress shirts and ties and work pants there, and I can always find good deals on stuff for the kids to wear there too. It’ll be a nice alternative to the 2 small pseudo department stores we currently have.

Are cufflinks a thing of the past?

I hope not. I think they’re a classic mens accessory that never fail to add a subtle punch to a men’s suit. My husband, like most men, has a pair or two. I think he received one pair from his employer, and possibly the other pair was handed down from a family member. I think that’s probably the case for most men…somewhere, in a man’s bureau, he’s got a tie tack and cuff links that are probably a bit out dated and out of style. The next time you need a fun gift for your husband, your dad, or another man in your life, why not consider designer cufflinks? Reward the new college graduate with a cool, fun accessory he can wear to job interviews. The selection at GreenShag is interesting - from cufflinks with flag representations on them, to the “phallic collection” (offering Big Ben, the CN Tower, and the Eiffel Tower) or images of money. It’s definitely the kind of thing that will give a sharp dressed man a little extra “oomph”!

My oldest daughter and I were out last night doing a bit of school shopping, and I decided to pick up some new foundation from the Clinique counter. Lucky me - it’s bonus time, and this is a good one, because each item has been selected by Allure magazine readers as a Best of Beauty winner! With a $21.50 purchase, you’ll get:

• A nice sized green print cosmetic bag
• Rinse Off Foaming Cleanser
• Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion
• Moisture Surge Extra Thirsty Skin Relief
• High Definition Lashes Mascara
• Long Last Lipstick
• A pop up hair brush (I’m sending this to school with Catherine for her gym class locker!)
• and a subscription card for Allure - get 12 issues for just $6!

Not too shabby, eh?

It may only be August, but my son is already thinking ahead…to Halloween! He’s considering his costume choices very carefully. Right now, being Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean is at the top of his list. Have you seen how expensive that costume is though? I priced it in the Disney store at the mall and it’s $50 for the whole thing - more for the accessories. Sheesh! So of COURSE I’m going to be looking for Disney costumes online and hoping I can find a cheaper version of what the Disney store is selling. There are bound to be a few stores cheaper than Disney! Being able to shop online is definitely a time saver for Halloween costumes. (Of course, my son will probably change his mind about his costume choice 10 times between now and October 31st!)

We’re off to Disney this weekend, and I’m hoping we’ll have time on Sunday to hit the Prime Outlets off I-4 in Lake Buena Vista. I had good luck at the Gap outlet there the last time we visited, so I guess I’m looking to get lucky again. And now that I’ve discovered Ann Taylor, I’m wondering if there’s an Ann Taylor or Ann Taylor Loft outlet in the strip of stores. And our must hit store for the whole family is the Skechers outlet. Perfect timing, since my oldest is in need of new sneakers!