September Acres

...without spending a fortune. Below is our newest piece of 'artwork'. Our frugal artwork. I love how her jacket matches the chair. Poster- $5 in the clearance section at Michael's. Frame $29 @ Michael's with one of their coupons. (you have to love those coupons!) So for $34 (plus tax) we have a very neat picture hanging in our family room. And I only had to put the poster into the frame! A time saver as well as a money saver. Check out Wendy's Frugal Friday for more fun, frugal ideas.

Wendy posted yesterday about her pretty flowers. I decided I should get some, too. So for $4 I got these red carnations at the grocery store. I picked red so I would be in the spirit for Memorial Day weekend which is coming up all too soon. Money well spent...

I really am trying to be more diligent about cleaning. Maybe I should just get a cleaning lady. I broke the lamp in our living room the other day while vacuuming/moving around furniture. Luckily it was not brand new, nor my favorite. So on this week's to do list (along with 90 other things) is: BUY LAMP.

I just finished reading 'Falling apart in one piece' by Stacy Morrison. She used to be the Editor in Chief @ Redbook . It chronicles her divorce. Now, I usually don't like books about divorce but I read Redbook and am always interested in people's 'stories'. It is a good book that almost reads like a novel. Plus, she works in New York City and lives in Brooklyn, which I always find fascinating. I am now on to 'True Colors' by Kristin Hannah. I am only a few chapters in but I think it's going to be good. I enjoyed 'Firefly Lane' which she also wrote. I'll let you know when I am finished if it's worth a read. Any other summer reading ideas???

'they' (who ever they is) said we were going to a paperless society? Am I the only one who hasn't gone paperless? Tell me I'm not. Seems like I have more now than ever...

Tomorrow is LM's last day of 2 nd grade. It's a little bittersweet as she has a great class and teacher & will miss them. But it's summer vacation which is always fun. We don't have a ton planned yet. She doesn't want to do some of the things she has done in the past, like vacation bible school. I am okay with that as she needs some unscheduled time & I don't want to force her to do anything that is not absolutely necessary (especially church related activities). We have a few short (within driving distance) trips planned but otherwise we'll just stay in town and hopefully relax. That's what summer's all about in my book. I can't believe she'll be in third grade next year. I had a big go 'round with the principal regarding her teacher for next year. I may have mentioned it when it happened so I'll spare everyone the details. I still don't know who she'll have or even if they are considering our request. Ti

I have been working from home for about 6 yrs now. It is the perfect set up. I can be home when LM is home from school and work here when school is in session. Very flexible. A while back I came up with the 'brilliant' idea to pick up some more work. Although it has been financially lucrative it has cut into my time at home. For one of my local clients it works better for me to be at his office. Also, since my hubby's secretary is on an extended maternity leave (4 months) I have been going in to his office. Just driving around eats up lots of time. My house is a mess and while I have considered a weekly cleaning lady, I am not quite ready to spend a lot of the money I make on that. But this post is not about the true 'cost' of working. It's about how I tote all my 'stuff' around. I had been using a mesh wire file basket. Not this easiest thing to carry around. I stumbled across these darling file totes (pictured above) from Jamie Raquel .

I have always believed that people come into our lives for a reason. The good people and the bad people. We may never know why but that's what I believe. Some are here for a season, some forever. I have mentioned in the past my husband's horrible snoring. Horrible. And Scary. He has recently been diagnosed with sleep apnea . It was a long road getting to the diagnosis. Like most men he doesn't like to go to the doctor (who does?) He had a check up about 5-6 years ago and he saw the urologist for infertility issues & for a vasectomy (ironic, huh?) His family practice doc, Dr. W, moved practices and she was the only doctor in town he would see, other than the urologist. So after much time I got all the paperwork in order to have him see Dr. W again. He saw her a couple of months ago and she sent him to a Sleep Center where they diagnosed him with sleep apnea and arranged to get a CPAP machine for him. In order to diagnose my husband with sleep apnea he had to spend the

That's what I've got. Nothing. I guess all writers have blocks every now and then. I just feel like I have nothing to write about of any interest right now. At least nothing that I want to take the time to research and write properly. I will say that we are watching 'Avatar' right now and I just don't get it. Don't get me wrong, it's okay but not as fabulous as I was led to believe. To each his own, I guess. That's all for now. I've still got nothing...

SNOW! Yes, it snowed in Arizona on May 2 nd . Didn't stick and it wasn't much. But it was COLD out there watching those hockey games (outdoor) and really windy. Glad to get back home though were it was about 80 and sunny.

LM is playing 2 divisions in this weekend's hockey tournament, 8 and under (her usual division) and 10 and under. She is the only girl on either team. Because we were short players another team let us borrow a player. Another girl. LM was excited to have another girl on the team, even if for only a day. My husband is coaching two teams. Head coach for 8's and assistant for the 10's. He gives the players nicknames. Something short and easy to say fast when he is yelling. LM's nickname is 'B'. As is another player's. Kind of confusing but they have it figured out since they play the same position and they are usually not on the floor at the same time. He has a 'GW', a 'P', a 'G', a 'Sammy', and so it goes. Well, Mackenzie, the little girl who helped them out out day was quickly dubbed 'Girl'. He had everyone calling her that by the end of the second game. And what a player 'Girl' was. She will be