First Annual Ugly Sweater Christmas Party

This past Friday night, we had our first ugly sweater Christmas party. I love this picture; it looks like some of us have been transported back to the '80's! Our winner--back row with the fruity purple bear sweater. :) I think he won because no one expected him to go "all out"...and of course, it was a great sweater!! My vest came from a fellow co-worker. There is a plethora of ugly sweater options when you work in an elementary school! :) Thanks to everyone for making our "first annual" a HIT!

2008 Christmas Card

Wishing you the HIDDEN joys of Christmas.

-Hte Bafshi's-

Pictures of Christmases Past

Every year we attempt to do a "funny/clever" Christmas card. Our first year, we used a wedding picture, and then the following year we started our tradition. Our 2006 card was "Merry Christmas, Love the XXXXXX's".

For 2007, our theme was "peace" on Earth.

Our 2008 christmas card is finished...but you'll have to wait until next week to see it posted :) ..or find it in your mailbox :)

Friday Night Knitting Club

I finished "The Friday Night Kniting Club" by Kate Jacobs, a little while ago, but am just now getting around to "reviewing" it. It's definitely worth mentioning; I loved it! It fits into the category "chic-lit" which I realize, is kind of "my thing" :) It basically provides the same satisfaction that a chic-flic brings, but in the form of a novel! This novel is the story of a group of women of different ages, different backgrounds and very different personalities who meet at a little yarn shop on Manhattan's Upper West Side. It follows each of their individual stories, which really kept me interested. This book made me laugh, cry, and yes, even want to knit (they warn you of that on the back cover)! and BONUS: There is a sequel! "Knit Two"...I can't wait to read it!

It's Jason!!

Okay, so did anyone watch the past season of the Bachelorette? (I don't normally, but hey, there is nothing on in the Summer!) Jason was my favorite from the very first episode. But for some reason, DeAnna (who I used to like, but now I just feel like I don't know her anymore--ha) didn't choose Jason on the last episode!! Myself, and a few groupies, were so utterly dissapointed, we were ready to send DeAnna hate mail...what was she thinking?! (hehe) Over the next few days, we found ourselves "googling" Jason's name, thinking "I hope he's okay"..."Who do I know that I could set him up with?"... and our last thought, "He should be the next Bachelor! That would be awesome"

So when the first commercial aired, needless to say, we were ecstatic! Jason premieres as the next bachelor on January 5th. I'm convinced that his "good morals" and "family values" will change the feel of the show. We'll see :) Anyone else going to be tuning in? :-D

Question

Alright friends...I have a question/request of you. I'm curious who reads my blog. Every once in a while, I start to feel like I might be writing entries, simply for my own enjoyment (which is sad...haha). So! If you just checked my blog and read this post, LEAVE A COMMENT! I want to know who you are! You probably fall into 1 of 2 categories. 1) Oh, she knows I read this blog...I don't need to comment. or 2) She'll really think I'm a stalker if I post a comment. To #1, I reply: Yes you do! ...and #2: I've been there. I am a fellow stalker. Be brave :)

Free Snapfish Photo Book

Freebie Alert! Snapfish.com is giving away a free 20-page 8 x 11 custom cover photo book ($29.99 value) to both new and returning Snapfish users. However, they aren't offering it for long! You must get your free coupon by Friday (11/14) at 11:59 p.m. PT and then you need to order your book by Sunday (11/16) at 11:59 p.m. PT. Shipping and handling charges do apply (7.00), but what a great gift, right?! Especially those of you with kiddos. I'm sure grandma & grandpa would love a picture book of their grandkids. (Or in other cases, pictures of a trip to Colorado ;) ) ...I'm trying to think what I would want a picture book of? Maybe a collection of all of my teacher-yearbook pictures? Anyone want that for Christmas? :)

Okay, I just have to tell you about EBATES. If you are an online shopper, this is simply a "no-brainer." EBATES is a shopping site that gives you up to 25% Cash Back every time you shop online. You can shop at over 900 stores including Barnes & Noble.com, Gap, Target, HomeDepot, Banana Republic, Pottery Barn and more! Plus you get additional savings with exclusive coupons, free shipping offers, and limited-time sales!

Most stores are also doubling their cash back throughout the Holiday Season (now through December 26th)...so if you plan on taking advantage of shopping from the comfort of your very own home, check it out! I was so excited to find out about this before I started my Christmas shopping! Mom, you can testify to this...that is, if you can remember your login and password :) -hehe.

Happy Shopping!

Another Freebie

Right now you can get a free 8 x 10 photo on Walgreens.com. Just use code FREEPIC through 11/8 and pick it up at your local Walgreens. That's it; pretty simple! If you can't think of a picture you'd like in an 8 x 10, feel free to send this picture of Josh & my dad, right after a morning of Josh's new favorite pastime, GOOSE HUNTING! Yes, he is officially a hunter, and he has the camo to prove it! We're actually heading to D-town this weekend for another Goose Extravaganza!!

Vintage Jesus

No, I am not a speed reader. :) I have been slowly reading Vintage Jesus over the past few months during my devotional time in the morning. The authors, Mark Driscol & Gerry Breshears, seek to answer "timely questions" by breaking it down into a number of sub-questions about Jesus, including Is Jesus the only God? Why did Jesus come to earth? Did Jesus rise from death? Why should we worship Jesus? and others. If you're thinking...well, I already know the answers to those questions; that's what I thought too, but I was encouraged by the reminder! If you're curious about the answers to those questions, I would encourage you to pick up this book! It's full of facts and references that will blow your mind ;) Also, Mark Driscol is quickly becoming my favorite author. His writing is very humorous (literally, I've laughed out loud a few times), not always politically correct, and best of all, you can tell he is very passionate about Jesus. He's "keepin' it real," as they say. I could read this book everyday for the next 20 years, and still have things to learn! very thought provoking...a recommended read!

Water For Elephants

I just finished the book Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen last night and decided to start a new "tradition." After every book I finish, I have decided to write a quick review. I love to read and recommend books to fellow friends and readers (you know who you are). :) Because of paperback swap (yes, a plug. I really do love it!), I've taken risks on books I typically wouldn't pick up, because I didn't want to waste money. However, when you're only spending about $2.00 on a book, it's worth a try!! So here it is...Water for Elephants.

The story is set during the great depression, and tells the story of Jacob Jankowski who, after the sudden death of his parents, realizes he has nothing, and goes to join the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, what seems to be his only option. He learns the struggles of working with a circus and there is much drama to be had along the way :) He also falls in love with a performer, Marlena. (If you know me, there must be a love story, or I'm just not interested!) All of these events are told through the memories of a ninety-three year old Jacob Jankowski, who now sits alone in a nursing home.

Overall, the book kept me interested; however, it wasn't necessarily a "page turner". Worth a read?--yes, if you're a true reader, and enjoy a good story. If you're more like my mom, and can't finish a novel unless it's the most amazing story in the world (*wink)...or like my sister who can't even touch the front cover of a book, or it might burn her fingertips...I would say hold off on this one :)

My personal rating: 6

ALL TREATS, NO TRICKS

You may have seen on a friend's blog (The Bowars Bunch), that she mentioned using Restaurant.com and getting a $25 gift certificate for as low as $2. Well, RIGHT NOW is one of those times! From now until October 31st, you can get 80% off your purchase (which translates into a 25 dollar gift certificate, for only 2!) Enter discount code "TREATS" at checkout, and hit "apply".

In the B/N area, JBucks is the only restaurant participating in restaurant.com. Hopefully they will add more soon! So if you ever go there, or would like to, now is the time to buy a gift certificate! Remember, you must spend $35 to use your certificate...but that shouldn't be too hard to do :) Also, I believe you can only print one per customer, per month...to the same restaurant (because i knew what you were thinking) Enjoy!

Spoonful of Sugar

I’m on my way to work, and I’m listening to the radio. Suddenly I’m listening to the song “A Spoonful of Sugar” from Mary Poppins. Oh, that’s pleasant-love that song, what’s this advertisement for? Enter In—dialogue: “That’s nice when the medicine goes down, but what happens when the poo won’t go down?” WHAT?!?! I just about drove off the road! How bizarre a transition! I wasn’t sure if I even heard that right. I totally busted into laughter. Can you even say the word “poo” in a radio commercial? The advertisement was for Lee Excavating and Plumbing. (I guess they accomplished their purpose, because I remember their name…way to go Lee!) So remember, if you can’t get the poo to go down, call Lee Excavating & Plumbing.

P.S. Props to the friend who said “Hey, you should blog about that!” …I’m not quite in the “blog frame of mind” yet.

Mmm Mmm GOOD!

Anybody enjoy going out on these cold nights and grabbing starbucks? Well now through October 31st, you can head to Barnes & Noble and get yourself a FREE tall cafe latte, cappuccino, espresso, coffee or hot tea. Click here for the coupon. Enjoy!

For the Reader In You...

Okay, so PaperBack Swap is something I experimented with this summer, and I loved it! I used to be a sucker for brand new books; however the cost would really add up after a summer of reading! Don't get me wrong, I will still BUY my Nicholas Sparks and Jodi Piccoult books :), but it's fun to swap books that I don't necessarily want to keep on my bookshelf.

What is it? It's basically a free online book club. You start out by posting 10 books that you are willing to "swap" with other members. You get 2 free credits when you post 10 books, as a "welcoming gift". With these credits, you are able to order books from other members (1 credit = 1 book). These books will be sent right to your front door, and are then yours to keep or swap again. I can't tell you how exciting it is to get a book in your mailbox!!

When someone requests a book from you, you get an email to let you know. You pay postage (which you can actually print at home), and send it off to another member. Once your book is shipped, you recieve 1 book credit. And! You can actually mail it right from your very own mailbox; no need to go to the post office (is this not on your list of top 10 worst places in the world?) So basically, you are paying about $2.00-3.00 for a book, and you never leave your home! When you recieve a book, you don't pay anything!

So check it out! The website is www.paperbackswap.com. I've done this more than a dozen times. Let me know if you're a skeptic and I'll convince you!!

Did You Know?

I recently made a discovery, through the help of a person more clever than myself. Did you know that your boxes of aluminum foil, saran wrap, wax paper, etc., all have a little handy dandy hole on each side to prevent you from pulling out the entire roll EVERY TIME you use it??? I don't know how many times I have been frustrated over this, and all the while, there was some genius who already took care of the problem! Do be careful however, because if you push it in too far, you will find that your product has been locked in the box, never to be seen again by mankind :)

Was anyone else in the dark on this one? Or was I the only one???

A First

Welcome to my very first blog post. Beware: If you travel back to this blog at some point, and it no longer exists...that may be because it has been deleted due to a lack of interesting topics :) Afterall, what do you blog about when you don't have kids or a real hobby?! Any ideas?

Okay, so I DO have an interesting website to share. If you like recieving free things and coupons, this is for you! (I'm starting to become obsessed with coupons, good deals, and things that are free)! It is called freebirthdaytreats.com. You can search by state, and see what companies offer for FREE on your birthday! If you're interested, you follow the different links and sign up! I will be recieving something free from: Famous Daves, Smoothie King, Coldstone, and many, many more! Go ahead, set yourself up for a great birthday!