Put the shoes down, and walk away slowly

**Updated with a really crappy pic from my cell phone. The one that I sent my husband :) **


Or quickly in my case, so that I don't change my mind and do something I shouldn't!

Ok a little background.

I went to Target today to get another tub for our Christmas decorations. I had plenty of time so I'm just moseying around the departments. I end up in the shoe department - who wouldn't! There's been this one pair of shoes that I've been coveting for the past month or so and I always check if they're are on clearance. The last few times I've seen them they have been but out of the 3 stores in town I hadn't been able to find my size. I'm not really a big shoe person. But every once in awhile I find a pair (or 2) that I love so much it's hard for me to think of much else. These fell into that category. They weren't flats but they didn't have TOO much of a heel either. They had a little ruffle on the toe (cuter than it sounds) and they were MUSTARD YELLOW! A color that I've become rather obsessed with lately as you can tell by my background.
So anyway, I'm wandering up and down the aisles and in the non-clearance section I come up some ballet flats. And they're zebra print. I love me some zebra print. Tastefully done of course. And these were like a metallicky glittery type (again WAY cuter than it sounds) so that they take on the color of what you're wearing. My brown shirt created a brown tinge but my purple sweater created a more purpley tone. Get my drift? And then the price. Regular price remember? Only $12.99!!!!! I just love Target.
They immediately go into the cart. And instead of exiting the shoe department (like a good girl) I continue to browse the clearance aisles.
Right away I see the mustard yellow adorableness but they were all size 7 1/2. So not my size! I start to give up but then see one more glimpse of mustard yellow at the end of the aisle. I kid you not these babies were sent from heaven because they were a size 9! Just what I needed! And they were on clearance for $13.98, down from 19.99.
Now the dilemma. Two pairs of shoes. Maybe to some of you there would be no dilemma. $30 for TWO incredibly adorable pairs of shoes? Both very comfortable and versatile so you know you're going to get your money's worth. Such a screamin' deal.
Well, I'm just not that person. Maybe I was at some point, maybe I will be again some day. But not today.
You see, as you may recall, we are a one income family. Which makes are budget a little bit tighter than others. Don't get me wrong. We are in the best financial position of our lives and we do live quite comfortably. My husband is really not a strict bread winner. He rarely denies me my hearts desire (a $1000 camera, or say a BABY is just a bit too much :) ).
When I sent him a text "asking permission" to buy the shoes, his reply was "I'll leave it up to you" GAH!!! See what I mean?
But like I said we are but one income. An income that comes in ONCE a month. That's it. We usually have David's paychecks earmarked before we even get them, because we like to plan ahead. We know we will get to enjoy the money. We know we have all that we need. But we do still have to be careful.
We're going out of town for the day this weekend. Gas, event tickets, lunch, dinner, babysitter, merchandise. That spending is all earmarked so that we can have a good time. Not that I think this $30 splurge would've broke the bank. I just don't think it would have been the most wise or necessary decision. Capish?
So when it comes to an unexpected glorious and very reasonably priced gift from the Target gods. Sometimes you just have to put it back.









Well not BOTH of them! These little babies did make it home with me today. I just can't say no to fate :)

These other beauties will have to sit and wait. Till next time (my birthday is next month you know). And who knows, maybe they'll be even cheaper!

*sorry blogger isn't letting me upload the pictures. so click on the links to see the cuteness!*

My Grown Up Christmas List

aww Amy Grant Christmas songs :) Alas, tis not yet the season! I'm still holding true to my post about Respecting the Turkey. But this post idea came to me as I was vacuuming this morning and it's my blog and I can be wishy washy if I want to leave me alone!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Ok back to the post. The Christmas before I got married my mom gave me/us a vacuum. I can remember how bummed and irritated I was that I got a vacuum for Christmas! We were getting married 3 months later and I knew that we NEEDED a vacuum but as one of my Christmas gifts?! Ugh. But this just goes to show you how YOUNG I was when I got engaged/married. That Christmas I was 18. I turned 19 just about a month before our wedding. Crazy young huh?

But now looking back, I would LOOOOOOVE for my mom (or anyone!) to give me a vacuum this Christmas! Now that I'm all growed up (haha!) I realize how nice it is to get gifts that you NEED instead of gifts that you might or might not want!

David & I will celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary this March. That means it has been NINE years since we opened our wedding gifts. We were really lucky to have received a TON of kitchen-y items as gifts but honestly, we don't even HAVE a lot of those gifts anymore. We've gone through more than one vacuum, toaster, spatula, and so on. It is not so fun spending money on all those things! I would much rather Santa (or Mommy) give them to me! Seriously!

So here you go, this is my Grown Up Christmas List:

• A new set of pots & pans. I don't really have a preference for these because I dont' really know my way around the kitchen. But I do know the difference between non stick and NO LONGER non stick. It's past time people! And because I love all things Racheal Ray, I choose these :)


• A new vacuum. Again, don't really care what brand just as long as it gets the job done!


• A Carpet cleaner. In a house with cheap, LIGHT, carpet, 2 kids and 2 adults, no coffee table OR Rugs, our carpet needs all the help it can get! I'd also really like to use it in my van!



• My walls painted. I hate painting, I suck at it, and we have vaulted ceilings - need I say more?

That's all for now. I reserve the right to add to this as things come to mind while I'm doing other household chores :)

It came & went

This is the only picture I have of the night, taken in our dirveway before we left. BUT the fabulous Ashley should have a picture up soon of us (taken by her fabulous hubby), so I'll add that one when I can :)

So the big night was on Friday. The girls' work was AMAZING! I was really impressed! I knew they were amazing but they did such a great job with the pictures for the show. I was definitely proud of them!

As you know I was really excited about seeing Colleen again and meeting Ashley. I also got to meet their hubbies! :) They are SUCH nice people! I was a lil nervous seeing them because it'd been so long with Colleen and obviously having never met Ashley before and you know what they say about those internet people ;) But they were all just SO great! Ashley was so sweet and it just felt like we had known eachother for awhile! It's not very often that I meet someone so genuine and classy and I know that that is exactly who Colleen and Ashley are - what you see is what you get! I love that. This world could definitely use alot less shadiness, don't you agree?

My fave part of the night (other than seeing the girls) was when Colleen was introducing me to her husband, Kyle, and he said "oh I know I've read her blog". haha that was just so cool to me!

My least favorite part of the night was leaving before I got to meet some of the other bloggers that showed up that night. :( Especially these three girls. I am shamelessy addicted to reading all 3 of their blogs and from those I know that they share those same great qualities that Colleen & Ashley have!

But we WERE on a date night and my hubby had been so sweet in agreeing to accompany me so I knew that I needed to follow through with my end of the bargain - get your mind out of the gutter people I'm talking about dinner & Best Buy! ;)

Anyway it really was a great event and I was so happy to have been able to show my support!

Great job girls!!!!

Excitement! Major Excitement!

Have you heard the exciting news?

1 gal from high school, 1 gal from the bloggy world, both fantabulous photographers and they're coming to B-town to show off their work!

I am sooooo excited for both of them. What an amazing opportunity. But like I said on Ashley's blog (and maybe Colleen's too?) I am also so excited for ME haha I have such fond memories of Colleen from high school but it's been I think 8 years since I've seen her and now I get to rub the lil LBS bump too!!! And Ashley, oh man meeting Ms Ashley is going to be like meeting a celebrity! Not to mention that some the other bloggers that I am guilty of stalking are rumored to be coming out of the woodwork for this shindig! It's like a lil bowl of bloggy heaven!!!! I can't wait! I've got the babysitter booked and the hubby (with his credit card) on notice! We are SO there! Here's the deets cause you DON'T want to miss this!

The show will be held at a new gallery downtown (the following was taken the gallery's blog)- Surface Gallery is owned and operated by two young artists, vikki cruz and yvonne cavanagh, who are dedicated to promoting the work of emerging and under-recognized contemporary artists.

Surface Gallery
1703 20th Street
Bakersfield, CA 93301
661-323-4090
surfacegallery@att.net

Surface Gallery will feature the vibrant photographic works by visiting artists' Ashley Forrette and Colleen Sherman. Join us for an artist reception on Friday November 7th from 5-9pm as these two photographers exhibit a collaboration of photographs exploring the vibrant color found in everyday life.

Another Step

We've taken another step into Big Kid World.....
Our mornings have gone from Playhouse Disney to Cartoon network.
Lovely (*sarcasticly* I think CN is SO annoying! And I really miss Charlie & Lola haha)