Smiling from ear to ear :-)

I love a good consignment shop. A perfect afternoon for me is to scour a consignment shop from top to bottom, just browsing around at all the interesting finds. When we lived in Michigan there was this wonderful consignment shop in Milford called "Our Blessings". They carried merchandise for women, children as well as home furnishings. I purchased many items from Our Blessings, including a set of lamps (these lamps can be used as a weapon they are so heavy) $15/piece! If you can find a consignment shop in an upscale location, you have struck gold!

I found a decent consignment shop here in downtown Bordentown, it doesn't have the selection that the one in Michigan does, but every once in awhile they will have good merchandise. It doesn't happen often, but once in a blue moon you may stumble upon a deal of all deals. For me, today was that day. I like to browse when I have a specific item in mind, that keeps me focused. Today I was in the market for a casual jacket. We've been having such an influx in weather lately that some days don't require a heavy coat. I found a sage green, fully lined, DKNY jacket with a removable fur collar. It's a very casual coat and has a brushed corduroy texture to it. It has a hidden zipper up the front and three snaps (top, middle, bottom). With the collar removed it has a cute belt with a brushed buckle that wraps around the collar. This coat was brand new with tags and retailed at $102. I got it for $27.

Now, believe it or not, that was not the "blue moon" buy I was referring to. With jacket in hand, I continued to browse the other side of the coat rack and came across some really cute things. I picked up an arms full and tried them on 1) a suede eggplant collarless coat with three buttons down the front, really cute @ $70 but I wasn't "in love" with it, 2) a red boiled wool coat @ $40, nice, but I'll pass, 3) a fur lined tan trench coat @ $68. Well, I tried on the trench coat and BAM!!! I immediately fell in love (think hearts dancing around my head)! Upon closer examination I realized that it was all completely hand made. Hand made as in, "NOT SOLD IN STORES" hand made. This coat was so classic it looked like it could have belonged to Grace Kelly! It is Gorgeous, Simple, and Classic. I can dress it up or wear it with jeans and boots. It has this huge collars that wrap across your upper back and runs from shoulder to shoulder, there's one hidden button inside the front center for closure and you can wrap the coat closed and tie it secure with the matching belt. It's has an a-line cut so it swings out from the waist, so beautiful, it fit me like a glove (if only I can find dresses in that same style). And the lining is real fur, so heavy I can wear it in the winter and removable so I can wear it year round. It must have been too small for the recipient and they sent it to the consignment shop - one person's loss...my happy treasure :-)

I put it on layaway just to be sure I wasn't making an impulsive buy - I'll rescue it this weekend-for $68, I'd be nuts to leave it!

The art of handwritten letters

Yesterday I received a letter from my Aunt who lives in North Carolina. She and I have been writing letters to one another since I was eight years old, it's always been our main source of communication. This annoys hubby tremendously. He cannot understand why we don't just pick up the phone and talk to one another, rather than communicate via snail mail. Honestly, we probably only speak on the phone "maybe" twice a year.

I look forward to getting my holiday/birthday cards, decorated with stickers and cut outs; Valentines Day, Anniversary, Birthday and Christmas. Even Busy Boy and Busy Girl look forward to getting their birthday cards with $1 for each year-it's especially a highlight when the card arrives on the actual birthday (an art only a true letter writer can appreciate).

I tried to explain to hubby that she and I share a special bond through our letter writing. We communicate thoughts and feelings that wouldn't be expressed on the telephone and describe events with such detail; it's like reading a chapter from your favorite book. Some letters are so funny and descriptive that I read them to the children as though it was a short story, and they enjoy it so much! My Aunt, in turn saves many of my letters and keeps them in a scrap book (yes, she is the queen of the "low-budget" scrap book) to share with family and friends.

In this day and age of forwarded prayers, chain letters and cute video clips via e-mail, it's comforting to know that a part of me remains connected to what seems to be a dieing art, the art of handwritten letters.

Hustle and Flow

Well this has been a really busy week for me. I started two new jobs this week. One is a seasonal part-time job which will last just until the first week of December. There is this fabulous company that sells care packages to college students via their parents. Parents can send gift baskets, goody bags, sheets, etc. directly to the students dorm (where was this service when I was in school?). Anyway, this is their busiest time of the year (Thanksgiving and right before Christmas), and they hire tons of folks to key in orders - so that is one of my jobs. The pay is not bad and actually, I enjoy being able to "zone out" for a few hours. A classic "punch-in and punch-out" situation.

The other is the part time position where I can work from home doing research and analysis - the pay is very good and I'm anxious to get into the groove of the position. I also have another client where I work for him on an as needed basis, he contacted me this week to work on three projects to complete this week - so this has been a busy (and trying at times) week.

Trying to develop a flow in juggling family and work. Any suggestions!?!

Addicted to Sweaters

Is it possible to be addicted to sweaters? I LOVE sweaters! I went "window shopping" today and found myself pushing a basket full of sweaters. Is it my imagination, or has the selection of sweaters grown by leaps and bounds recently? Has it really been that long since I've gone shopping? All kinds of cute, non-bulky sweaters are all over the place! I had to get some - I picked up 5 sweaters, well one was a sweater vest. The sweater vest was by far the bargain of the year at a whopping 45 cents (regularly priced at $48.00)!!! What a deal!!!!

I can't wait to wear them!

My latest read...

I'm reading "Love in the Time of Cholera". I checked it out at the library on November 1st and am halfway though it. It's a really good book. I love books where I can share some of the story lines to my family. There is a part involving a parrot that I read to Busy Boy and Busy Girl. Then there are some entertaining parts that I shared with Busy Hubby. I didn't realize the movie was coming out this weekend - now I want to finish it then check out the flick!

The Birds are back!

I've often told Busy Boy that the patch of forest located in our backyard is a "rest stop" for birds as they make their migration to the south. I hadn't really thought about it as being a fact, just a cute story that fit the bill at the time.

Well, today I am a firm believer that this patch of forest is actually a rest stop for birds. Here is a photo I took less than one hour ago. All of those black blotches, BIRDS! And I didn't even capture all of them. They landed in the trees for a few minutes, then took off. WOW.
Sidenote: Does anyone else out there think Alicia Keys latest single "Like You'll Never See Me Again" sound like a re-mixed Prince song?

Advice anyone?

I was chatting with a friend the other day about life and advice. Everyone has given advice at one time or another on various aspects of life; What to expect when starting college. What to expect when starting your career. What to expect when starting a business. What to do when planning a wedding. What to expect when expecting a child. I can go on and on.....

But do people actually listen to and heed the advice? It seems that no matter what you say, many will forge their own path and do what they want to anyway. Who can blame them, it is their life right? When (and if) they look back and reflect on the advice given, do they think, "Oh yeah...." Personally, getting advice from people is a pet peeve for me-unless of course I ask for advice.

If I had to do it all over again I definitely would not have stopped working. Technically I was laid off and decided to start my own business. [CAUTION: ADVICE AHEAD] I should not have waited so long to jump back into the game. It seems like my career stock took a huge plunge and I'm literally starting from scratch.

I don't regret starting a business, it's been a very fulfilling experience and I have no plans to stop, but I can definitely maintain it on a part-time basis without skipping a beat.

Whenever someone finds out that I "have my own business" and "work from home", they seem so impressed - well don't be. Now, if I were "working from home" for a company that paid a "steady income" - that would be impressive. Or, if I had the desire and capital to launch a huge money making business, that would be impressive. For me - family comes first, business gets in when it can. The money is decent, but not steady. It's a perfect part-time gig. I've always had the "entrepreneurial bug" and will always have a hustle going. I'm just chomping at the bit to get back in the game, put on a suit and heels (most of which are outdated-it has been 7 years for me, but that's another story) and roll with the big dogs!

This Busy household needs two steady incomes. As such, I've been trying to re-enter the workforce over the past year, yes, THE PAST YEAR. I've been on a number of interviews but nothing has panned out, until recently. Within the past week I've had two interviews, one very promising. I'm hopeful that one will come through. Ironically the full-time interview ended with a proposition of a possible consulting position where I can work from home-now wouldn't that be impressive ;-)

Have I lost my mind?!

It's been a minute since my last blog. So much has happened since then. Busy Boy has finished his football season (I can cross that activity off my to-do list). Halloween has come and gone (Ninja and Good Witch have collected enough candy to feed a small village) and oh, I've started a business selling doggie treats. It's called "Maddie-Cakes". We did a promo during Halloween where we gave out sample packages to the neighborhood dogs. Busy Pup (aka Madison) and I went door to door and did a "reverse" trick-or-treat to all the neighbors with pups. Approximately 16 live just in our little cul-de-sac. I also handed them out to trick-or-treaters walking with their pooch. The website is, www.maddie-cakes.com. Tell your friends!