melancholy nonsense

see ya!

2010-08-11T21:54:00.001-05:00

Ok, I just really don't have time (or energy) for blogging anymore. See you on Facebook, peeps!

I just wanted to get that out there.

Ivy's Night

2010-06-30T07:14:00.004-05:00

9:30pm: Put Ivy to bed.
9:31pm: Ivy starts to get out of bed. I somehow convince her to stay.
10:30pm: Ivy comes downstairs.
10:35pm: Put Ivy to bed.
11:00pm: I check on her. Finally sleeping!
12:05am: I go to bed.
12:08am: Ivy starts whining in her sleep.
12:15am: After trying unsuccessfully to calm her, I take Ivy outside for some fresh air.
12:16am: Drag Ivy inside while she's screaming bloody murder and surely waking up all the neighbors.
12:30am: With no other options, I turn on cartoons. Ivy and I try to relax on the couch.
12:50am: After 20 minutes of long blinks, the child is still awake.
12:55am: I succumb to sleep.
2:00am: I wake up. Ivy: still awake.
2:15am: I convince Ivy to go back to her bed with me.
2:20am: Crunched up against the wall, I watch as Ivy makes shapes with her hands.
4:55am: Jer wakes me up. Ivy's sleeping. I crawl back into my own bed.
6:42am: Ivy wakes me up for the day. She's cranky. Go figure.

etsy update

2010-05-31T07:49:00.007-05:00

I feel like I don't have anything to write here anymore since most of what I find gets posted on Facebook. But for those of you who don't have Facebook, I'll share some of my more interesting sales. My shop is doing extremely well... way better than I ever thought. I've still been hitting garage sales like a mad woman. I've set a new goal for myself... 1000 sales this summer. I'm already over 450. So here's a little show and tell...

Strawberry Shortcake Orange Blossom Doll. Paid $1.49. Sold for $6.00

G.I. Joe Collector Case. Paid 50 cents. Sold for $12.00

The original Glo-Worm. Paid 25 cents. Sold for $20.00

My Little Pony Petites. Paid $1.50. Sold for $18.00

Fisher Price Little People pool (with accessories from Kathy). Paid 25 cents. Sold for $8.00

I love Pac-Man mug. Paid: 99 cents. Sold for $10.00

I bought a box of ponies for $10 on craigslist which included 10 vintage ponies, most with their combs. So essentially, $1.00 for each pony.

Satin 'N Lace. Sold for $22.00

Moonstone. Sold for $10.00

Baby Stockings, in the package. Sold for $12.00

need to know

2010-05-11T22:48:00.001-05:00

These guys are so familiar, but I can't place them. Does anyone know what they're called??

Phase Two

2010-05-10T00:34:00.002-05:00

free box find

2010-05-09T08:30:00.002-05:00

Paid: $0 Sold: $28

Boom-shaka-laka

2010-05-01T15:44:00.002-05:00

Oh yeah, two more sales...

Ninja Turtles accessories: Paid $1.00 Sold $10.00

He-Man: Paid approx. 40 cents Sold $3.00

best picture ever

2010-04-26T22:40:00.001-05:00

show and tell time!

2010-04-24T15:06:00.004-05:00

I have been extremely busy with garage sales so far this year. I have gone to 96 total sales within the past 3 weeks! I've been finding some goodies, so check them out!

Julie found me the vintage Little People Circus Train and Children's Hospital, for $1.50! Super Awesome!

I found the Little People dog for free!
puzzles, 50 cents each
Baby Stockings, 25 cents, and Baby Tappy, $1.00
Mad Magazine board game, $3.00

Does anyone remember M.U.S.C.L.E. Men? They are from 1983. Two boxes full for 50 cents each. These guys are so cool!

I totally remember playing with this as a kid.
The Barbie Ice Cream Shoppe, complete in the box, $1.50.

Never heard of Capsela, but I thought this looked interesting. It's from 1978. Paid 50 cents.

I found 2 of these vintage 1968 Barbie cases for a quarter each. Not in the best shape, but still pretty cool.

Neal, this is the candy dish I found for you. Just thought it was neato, and it's dated 1975. Paid 50 cents.

to be continued

2010-04-22T22:34:00.001-05:00

Ok, I promise I will blog soon. I've been finding so many goodies lately at garage sales, I can't keep up! Perhaps a vlog?? Anyway, I will post soon!

Ta-da!

2010-04-14T21:26:00.001-05:00

Check out my handiwork! I still need to level the ground under the deck. Oh, and buy sand.

try not to be jealous

2010-04-10T22:47:00.003-05:00

Between thrifting and the 15 garage sales I went to this week, I found some pretty cool stuff. Check it out!

I love puzzles. You know it. I know it. This puzzle is particularly cool because of the oddly shaped puzzle pieces, and the way the picture props up in the box. Savers, 99 cents.

Sweet He-Man puzzle. Not sure if all the pieces are there yet.
Stupid Savers tapes all their boxes shut. 69 cents.

Duck Tales, Woo-ooh! Garage sale, $2.00

Vintage Snoopy book from 1966. Garage sale, 10 cents.

Garfield plastic cup. Estate sale, 25 cents.
I love this owl bell! Estate sale, 50 cents.

Not sure if I will ever play this, but I couldn't pass it up for a quarter.
And duh, who doesn't love the 80s??

The Wuzzles card game from 1985, complete. Garage sale, 50 cents.

Totally awesome Spirograph from 1976. Near complete, I believe it's just missing the pens, plus it has some extras. I paid a whole quarter for this, and it sells for around $20 on ebay.

And for my treasure find of the weekend... Thing Ding! I picked this up from a little old lady's garage sale for a buck. It's complete with original box from the 60s. The only thing wrong with it is the broken handle. Checked ebay and found this might be a rare game! There are a few "Buy It Now" listings, one listed at $150, and a near mint one listed for $375! I'm going to have to watch to see how much one of these actually goes for. To be continued...How cute are these little robot guys??

Easter Pics

2010-04-06T22:58:00.003-05:00

Easter Vids

2010-04-06T09:47:00.000-05:00

my family knows how to work the puzzles

2010-04-05T23:42:00.000-05:00

pee wees

2010-04-01T22:16:00.004-05:00

I made my second sale today! Bought for $2, sold for $5. Not a huge profit, but I at least doubled my money! And of course, most importantly, I got these dolls into the hands of someone who really wants them. This is so much fun! It just makes me even more anxious for garage sales.

be jealous!

2010-03-30T22:29:00.004-05:00

did you see my awesome shoe clock? you can buy it in my shop!

why i shouldn't run

2010-03-27T22:21:00.002-05:00

I've been trying and trying to motivate myself for some time to go running. So finally today, I actually did it. The run around our "block" is exactly one mile. Perfect! So as I got not even halfway up the road and had to walk because I was already exhausted, I noticed a HUGE group of people in bright yellow vests and tighty-pants. RUNNERS! Like, the real kind. They were in someone's yard doing group photos. I almost turned around. I felt awkward enough, but to have to run by a group of actual runners was, well, embarrassing. So I kept walking and thought I would wait until I was out of sight around the block to start running again. As I get up to the driveway, the entire hoard (like 30-40 people) started down to begin their run. I was right in the middle of them all. Um, AWKWARD! What kind of shit luck do I have? So anyway, they took a different direction than me luckily, so I could do my thing. I managed to make the loop in about 13 minutes, which isn't too bad considering my mile time in high school averaged around 10 minutes, and I don't think I have run any distance since then. I'm going to try to keep this up, at least on Saturdays for a start, but only if I can get out of bed before the rest of the world. I don't want anyone to see me! Overall, running made me feel very old, sore, and jiggly. Running sucks! I hope it gets better.

WROCKSTOCK!!!!

2010-03-23T22:06:00.001-05:00

MC Kreacher alone is worth the ticket!!!

SOLD!

2010-03-23T10:23:00.001-05:00

Made my first sale this morning!
Bought this Barbie at a Goodwill for 99 cents, and sold for $18, despite her feet being all chewed up. Cool!

Dimples!

2010-03-21T09:11:00.001-05:00

the shop!

2010-03-18T23:41:00.004-05:00

I almost decided to scrap the whole "nostalgia" theme and go for something like BuyMyShit... but I decided on NostalgiaMama! Check it out peeps!!!

Etsy
Buy Handmade
NostalgiaMama

Much more to come soon!

etsy

2010-03-15T22:27:00.003-05:00

Do you ever notice how your best ideas come to you right before you fall asleep?

Thrifting has really become my number one obsession, hobby, and true love. The problem is, when I see something I get nostalgic for, I have a serious hard time not bringing it home with me, even if I don't necessarily need that item. I just hate to think of it sitting in that store, where it might never find its way into the hands of the person who is searching for it. So to turn my hobby into something even more rewarding (and maybe a little more lucrative), I am thinking of starting an etsy shop. (See etsy.com). Vintage items at least 20 years old are allowed on the site, and that seems to be my main focus lately. Plus the fees are way cheaper than ebay.

Now for starters, I need to come up with a shop name, and I need your help! I want to include the word "nostalgia" in the name, as I think that's sort of the central theme of what I'll be selling. Here's what I've come up with so far:

NostalgiaMama
NostalgiaCity
NostalgiaCorner
NostalgiaMedic
NostalgiaFever
NostalgicFantastic
NostalgicallySpeaking

Ok, let me know what you think. What's your favorite? Or please offer suggestions!

thrifting adventure

2010-03-14T11:17:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, while Ivy spent the day with Grandma, Jer and I spent the entire day thrifting. I used my handy-dandy thrift map and plotted out a route through the cities to hit as many shops as possible. Out of the 15 I had routed, we managed to get to 11 stores! Awesome! Some of these stores were huge and it was crazy how much stuff they had! We didn't find any incredible treasure, but we brought home a fair share of junk, and had a lot of fun.

I found several more Madame Alexander McD dolls to add to "Ivy's" collection. And by collection, I mean obsession!
I found this bag of old ninja turtle accessories for $1.00! Why do I need this? Why not?!
Something I was actually looking for was a lightweight spring/fall coat, so this find gets the award for most functional. Paid $6.99.
Sometimes you just come across stuff you were looking for or thinking about, and you can't resist the purchase, even if it costs $4.99 and your normal puzzle limit is $1.99. Whatever. I had this Beetlejuice puzzle when I was a kid. I remember putting it together with Dad in the basement. And I was just thinking about it this past week! And bam, there it was. Weird.
Probably my favorite find of the day was a vintage Rainbow Brite doll for $2.99. She is in excellent condition, which makes it even sweeter.

On top of that, Jer bought a remote control helicopter, and I found a lot of books for Ivy, including 4 I Spy books at $1.99 each.

Springbok Love

2010-03-02T21:52:00.003-06:00

I'm a little obsessed with Springbok. 4 puzzles for $4.50!

Minnesota Thrift Stores

2010-02-28T21:41:00.004-06:00

So I've been working on mapping out the entire state for thrift stores. This project is under construction, but check it out!

View Minnesota Thrift Stores in a larger map

*By the way, green equals Goodwill.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRACE!!!

2010-02-28T08:54:00.002-06:00

CLOCK CLOCK!

2010-02-23T22:59:00.002-06:00

This is either the coolest clock ever, or I'm just getting over-anxious for garage sale season. $1.99 at Savers.

ivy and aubrey

2010-02-22T09:25:00.002-06:00

Contest!

2010-02-21T22:03:00.004-06:00

I won a contest! I won a contest! Well, 3rd place, but it still counts. Wrockstock had a little contest where you downloaded an mp3 file and had to name the songs and artists. The file was about a minute and a half, and had 29 clips, and the songs were all sped up to sound like chipmunks. I knew about half, and had to research the rest. I only missed two of the songs. The first place prize was a free pass to Wrockstock, so I'm a little sad I didn't win that. But third place got me a Wrockstock hoodie, posters, and DVD! Still cool!

Anyway, thrifting was dead this weekend. Last weekend we hit up the Unique Thrift Store in St. Paul. I scored a few good finds:

A 1986 Little People barn for $3.80. Still moos when you open the door!

Pac-Mania NES game for $1.80

And a bag full of toys, which included a vintage Lotsa-Heart Elephant, for $2.60. His tummy is kind of worn off, but I couldn't just leave him there! The Strawberry Shortcake dolls I found at Savers for $1.49.

i have the best daughter

2010-02-09T22:06:00.002-06:00

I just went in to check on Ivy and she said, "I love you mom." And then she held up her hand and said, "I want to touch your cheek." So I bent down so she could rub my cheek and she says, "You're beautiful." Awww, I almost cried. She is just too sweet sometimes.

living room

2010-02-03T10:37:00.002-06:00

HARRY POTTER! HARRY POTTER!

2010-01-28T00:19:00.001-06:00

Do you love Nirvana? Do you love Harry Potter? Mash up time! This video enhances my great desire to reach my ultimate life goal of seeing a Harry and the Potters concert. HARRY! POTTER! HARRY! HARRY POTTER!

Project 2

2010-01-25T23:34:00.004-06:00

Since I rearranged the living room, I was looking for a small table to include, and this half-moon table caught my eye at an antique store. I paid $28. I loved the shape, but thought the color was kind of bland, so I painted it! I haven't experimented a whole lot with this kind of thing, but I love how it turned out. I paired it with a lamp I bought at a garage sale last summer for $3 (and lampshade from Target). I also changed the knob. I'm not sure exactly where the knob came from, but I know I've been hanging onto it for a long time, just waiting for the right project to come along!

Table Before:

Table After:

Yay!

thrifts of the day

2010-01-25T00:01:00.004-06:00

Savers: 6 McDonald's Madame Alexander dolls for a total of $2.97, and a Fisher Price Magic Burner Stove toy, $1.99
Goodwill: P.S. I Love You, and Wicked (books) for $1.99 each, and Mrs. Frisbey and the Rats of Nimh for 49 cents.

Project 1

2010-01-24T09:34:00.003-06:00

I bought these really cool foil pictures from Goodwill last week for $3.99 each. The frames were in a regular stain color, and a little beat up, so I decided to paint them using some leftover wall paint I had. I think they turned out really nice!

why i love Star Trek

2010-01-22T10:55:00.001-06:00

This was a scene in the episode I watched last night. Hilarious.

an actual blog!

2010-01-18T21:52:00.008-06:00

So I thought I'd post an actual real-life blog. You know, one of those posts where I tell you what's going on in my life. I realize I don't write much anymore, which is kinda sad. It's mostly because I never have anything too exciting to report. But who cares, right? I can post about anything, even if it is boring. Well, I just had a 4-day weekend and it was overall pretty good, so I guess I'll tell you about that.

I had Friday off as my last unpaid day for the quarter. Work is back to normal hours now, which is a relief. Did I feel guilty about taking the day when work was completely swamped when I left on Thursday? No. Not really. Jer and I spent part of the day going to a few occasional shops. The shops are only open once a month. Gypsy Lea's in Sauk Rapids has a lot of antique/vintage furniture that has been re-purposed. Some really neat stuff. Anne's is similar but has a lot of stuff other than furniture. I didn't find too much while shopping except a set of owls for $6. While paying the cashier, I noticed I was missing some money. I realized I must have been short-changed the day before at a convenience store, by $15! Kind of bummed me out. So I decided to call the store, even though I didn't think much would come of it. The manager was very nice, and told me she would take care of it. So I drove to the store and got my $15 back! I was glad I called. After that I drove around to several antique stores, and bought a small table for the living room. It was priced at $35, and I got it for $28. All I had to do was ask. I'm in the process of refinishing the table, so I will post pictures of before and after when I get it done.

On Saturday, Jer and I left Ivy overnight at Mom's and we went to see Fiddler on the Roof at the Paramount. It was really very good. We both loved it. The music is great, and the main character is so funny, and the cast did amazing.

On Sunday, after I picked Ivy up, we bundled up to play outside. It's been warm out, which is awesome. Unfortunately, the snow was too powdery so we didn't get to build a snowman, and Ivy tried and tried, but just couldn't make a snowball. So I took her for a sled ride. The trail was nice and packed down in the field out back because of the snowmobiles, so it was perfect. We did a loop, and that was enough exercise for me!

Today being a holiday, work was closed, so yay, another day off! I had lots of places to go today, so I kept busy. Started off my day with a physical... Fun! Not! My new doctor is very nice, and she did a good job (too much info?). Anyway, she thought she felt something, but wasn't sure, so she ordered a pelvic ultrasound for me. Later on, I walked back into the clinic ready to vomit from the amount of water I had just gulped down. The nurse took some outside shots, then decided I hadn't allowed enough time for the water to go to my bladder, so she needed to do some "inside" shots as well. Let me tell you... that camera was bigger than the tampon size they mentioned in the brochure. UNCOMFORTABLE. (again... too much info. whatev.) So I should find out something in a few days. I'm not worried.

The rest of my day was spent at Walmart, Target, Savers, Joann Fabric, Goodwill, and of course... Caribou. At Savers I found some vintage (?) barrettes. You know, the cute little plastic ones we wore when we were kids? I don't think they make them like that anymore, but I could be wrong. Anyway, I got a bagful for $1.49. I thought Ivy could have some fun with them. Then I thought about that show on Discovery Health about hoarders. And I wondered if I'm turning into one of those. Do I really need a bag of barrettes? I think it's totally a nostalgia thing. Whatever, I bought them anyway. Then I bought a bunch more stuff at Goodwill, a few things of which I'm probably returning because I really don't need. But I did find an awesome Sailor Moon lunchbox for $1.99! Again with the nostalgia. I also found some really cool framed pictures. When I got home, I decided to paint the frames along with the table I was already working on, so photos of all that to come.

So that was my weekend. I also did other things like read and watch TV. I'm currently reading The Lovely Bones, and I just started the last season of Star Trek (finally!). I'm also two discs into Arrested Development.

just ivy

2010-01-18T19:21:00.002-06:00

in the name of the moon...

2010-01-09T22:48:00.003-06:00

Sweet Goodwill Treasure! Found these 17" Sailor Moon dolls tonight for $1.99 each. Too bad the rest of the gang wasn't there.

The lady at the register actually said, "These look like Pokemon dolls." Really? Whatever.

owlies

2010-01-07T21:17:00.004-06:00

Caribou Coffee had these knit owls 75% off, so I picked them up for $1.50 each. Love 'em! Oh, and I just happened to pick up an extra set. Call it incentive for someone to come visit. :)

weekend thrifts

2010-01-04T22:19:00.003-06:00

Found a few cute things at Savers this weekend. This teapot is just adorable. I'm kind of digging the vintage feel lately. Not sure if this is vintage, but hey, it's rusty inside! Paid $2.99

I saw this cute little planter over the weekend but waited until today because I knew she would be 99 cents. I was happy she was still there! It's the look on her face that intrigues me.

I've decided to keep a thrift running total for the year, and will post that next time, when I figure out what it is!

for neal and holly

2010-01-02T11:33:00.002-06:00

thrifting at last

2009-12-27T19:47:00.002-06:00

I got out of the house today and did some thrifting. I didn't find anything too remarkable, but I did find a pair of Express jeans for $3.50, and these books, for $1.99 each:

My only interest in the Underland Chronicles is because the author wrote Hunger Games, which was quite obviously fabulous. This is more of a children's series, and was written previously, but I've learned never again to turn my nose at children's books.

the chase

2009-12-17T00:03:00.000-06:00

this movie is FABULOUS!

ho ho Harry

2009-12-15T22:01:00.002-06:00

Barnes and Noble had a Santa tonight, so I thought we'd check him out and avoid the mall. So he wasn't very Santa-like, but Ivy didn't know the difference, and there was no line!

in the name of the moon...

2009-12-14T22:34:00.003-06:00

Not gonna lie. I am totally digging Sailor Moon right now. Grace was here over the weekend, watching some vids on YouTube, and I fell right back into it. I was even able to sing along with the theme song:

This show brings me back to being 15 again, watching Sailor Moon with Neal in the mornings before school. (You know you loved it too, Neal!) So I found a really good source for all the Sailor Moon episodes: http://www.youtube.com/user/SassySunbeam
She has every single episode, movie, in order, and in very good quality. I started watching through Tivo last night, and was very impressed. Plus, no commercials! This will have to do until they do an official English release on the DVDs. There are lots of versions available on ebay, but it gets way too confusing. So anyway, Episode 1 starts here:

ENJOY!!

don't forget...

2009-12-12T09:16:00.002-06:00

Happy Birthday Auntie Holly! (Ivy is really excited about it!)

plant down your feet, and tear out my spine.

2009-12-12T00:21:00.001-06:00

I am so pumped for The Jena Campaign reunion, you have no idea.

watch! listen!

2009-12-08T21:31:00.000-06:00

New song from Swish and Flick. Awesome.

a small request

2009-12-07T21:48:00.003-06:00

If you shop thrifts/garage sales, auctions, etc, I'm looking for a few things:

-Bananas in Pajamas
-Vintage Little People

The Little People thing is my obsession of the moment. I had a waking dream about this cool idea involving them, and now I'm kicking myself for not buying the ones I saw at Savers several months ago. Anyway, keep me in mind if you see this stuff!

Avatar: The Last Airbender

2009-12-05T23:10:00.002-06:00

I definitely recommend this show. Anyone else ever watch it? It's instant on Netflix, and totally addicting.

gingy

2009-12-05T18:19:00.002-06:00

this kid is awesome!

2009-12-03T22:03:00.002-06:00

Check out this video:
http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/us/2009/11/16/am.boy.no.pledge.cnn.html

An Arkansas 10-year-old says he won't pledge to the flag until gays and lesbians have equal rights.

ask me anything!

2009-12-03T21:39:00.001-06:00

The latest fad? Count me in!

http://www.formspring.me/emilyeve

my own mortality

2009-12-02T22:28:00.003-06:00

I am in the process of reading a book called, Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers. So for obvious reasons, it's gotten me thinking about death, my own in particular, and funerals. I have so many questions about funerals! For instance: is a funeral a requirement? By law? What's legal and what's not when it comes to death? I've been doing a little research, and have found that a funeral can cost around $10,000! FUCK! I am way too thrifty for that shit! In all seriousness, if possible, I want my body to be donated to science. I'm pretty sure that's close to free. If that's not possible, I at least want to be cremated, because that cuts costs. I read that a casket is not required by law when cremation takes place, and also, embalming is not required if there is no viewing before-hand. As far as the funeral itself, I believe that takes place more for the living than the dead, so I don't think I'd want one. At least, not in the traditional sense. Anyway, I apologize if this seems morbid, but I've thought about this a lot over many years. It should probably spur me into getting a will drawn up or something.

ikea deals

2009-11-25T23:19:00.002-06:00

Anyone going to Ikea on Friday? I went to their site and pretty much found exactly what I was looking for: a black storage bench for $99.

Reservoir Dogs, in short

2009-11-23T23:06:00.000-06:00

hoot hoot

2009-11-22T21:30:00.003-06:00

Went to Goodwill today and found this amazingly cool owl vase/candle holder thingy. I'm really not sure what to call it. It has an opening at the top, but it is also in two pieces. Either way, I had to have it, even for $6.99.

random random random

2009-11-21T22:20:00.004-06:00

I am ALMOST done Christmas shopping. I have to buy one thing for Ivy still, and then I am done. Completely. Jealous? I am hoping for the item to go on sale because I'm a cheap ass. Anyway, I finally finally finished Doogie Howser, the whole series. I can move on now. So what shall it be... Arrested Development, or Freaks and Geeks??

Question: Who wants a copy of my next Wizard Rock compilation?? Haven't heard Wizard Rock yet? Here's your chance!! I still have to decide on songs... and I still have to purchase a functioning CD writer. But anyway, I hope to have those done before Christmas too.

And once again... I LOVED NEW MOON!!!

but this is funny! :)

ebay listings

2009-11-17T22:01:00.002-06:00

Francie: Paid $2.99. Sold for $102.

Tomy Snappy Shots: Paid: 50 cents. Sold for $36.

why didn't i buy this cd?

2009-11-16T22:35:00.000-06:00

VIDEO MADNESS

2009-11-15T15:17:00.002-06:00

Ok, I apologize for my poor video-taking skills. It's hard to film and dance at the same time!

The Moaning Myrtles singing "Choko Ono"

Draco and the Malfoys singing "Party Like You're Evil"

Swish and Flick singing "Pure Blood Prince," which is more of a pop song than hip hop.

The Whomping Willows singing "Merch Girls are Easy." I had to stop filming because of the frickin' pillow fight!

The Butterbeer Experience singing "Accio Hot Guy"

I know I posted these before, but now I have them on YouTube.
Riddle TM singing "Rubber Ducks"

Diagon Alley. I'm not sure the song name, but I think this was my favorite performance of Wrockstock!

vacation, in list form

2009-11-15T00:09:00.005-06:00

-10+ hour drive to St. Louis. Iowa is Fucking Boring! Played Cows. Sang a lot.
-Stayed with Neal and Holly and enjoyed yummy meatloaf.
-Laser pointer + cats = way too much fun for my own good.
-Spent a day checking out St. Louis thrift stores, and got to see the local B&N. :)
-Checked out the Arch before leaving St. Louis. Didn't go inside because it cost money. :(
-Another long drive to Potosi. Arrived at the YMCA Trout Lodge.
-Unpacked and stuff. Did the on-site geocaching. Super easy, which was good for us.
-Merch room.
-Dinner! One of my favorite parts of the vacation was that every meal was served to us in buffet style. It was awesome. Everyone eats together, including the bands!
-The show started late. We had to get used to this, because EVERY show started late.
-The Moaning Myrtles were so so great. Their songs are fun, and funny.
-JFF. Got a carnation when he asked all the girls to the Yule Ball. Candy tossing during "Honeydukes." Guitar smash.
-Ministry of Magic. Total boy band. Bought 2 of their CDs.
-Back to our room around midnight. SO FRICKIN' TIRED. As a result, we didn't go to any of the dance parties.
-Day 2: Breakfast. Oh my god, the BACON is AMAZING.
-Horseback riding. The trail ride was beautiful, but no cameras allowed.
-Merch room. Got to talk to Lauren of the Moaning Myrtles a little bit and told her how great she played!
-Lunch, then checked out the Wampum Willow (teepee) where other bands got to play.
-Draco and the Malfoys, Creevy Crisis, Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls!
-Dinner. By the way, dinner was never that good, but it was good at the same time. Weird, I know.
-Diagon Alley was amazing amazing AMAZING (but the CD wasn't that good).
-Swish and Flick! One of my favorites for sure!
-Gred and Forge. He sang "Brotherly Love" and made me realize how much I love that song.
-Day 3: Catchlove, Riddle TM, and The Whomping Willows!
-People actually brought their pillows to have a pillow fight during "Merch Girls Are Easy." I didn't get it.
-Speeches, awards, and group hug.
-Tonks and the Aurors, The Remus Lupins, and The Mudbloods!
-The Mudbloods played their final performance and it was awesome. People were sad.
-By the end, I was so tired and so sore, that I didn't even take any pictures the last round, and I don't remember as many details and I was just ready to go home.
-Monday morning was our last bacon meal.
-Overall a lot of fun, and it's happening again next year! Not sure if I'm going or not. Something to think about!
-Total merch: 7 shirts + 7 CDs + 2 buttons + 2 pirate eye patches + 1 wand = $188.
-Long ass drive back home. Not even coffee kept me awake.

Some more photos below, and I will try to get videos on YouTube soon!

Diagon Alley

Fuck Yeah!

Swish and Flick

Gred and Forge. Love the Weasley hat!

Riddle TM

The Whomping Willows (you can even see you-know-who in the crowd. up front of course.)The Lodge

The spillway on the way to the ranch

View from the dock

My awesome wand from Diagon Alley!

The CD was sealed! How cool is that?!

last day

2009-11-11T19:53:00.002-06:00

Today was my last day off before going back to work. So how did I spend it? Thrifting of course! It was a pretty good day for me. I found this little assortment of goodies at Goodwill: a cute ceramic turtle for $1.99, a basket (without the apples) for $2.99, and an owl for $4.99. The owl actually "bobbles." How cool is that?

At Savers I found a pair of Dora shoes for Ivy ($1.50) , and some Sketchers for me ($4.00). I was super pumped when I found these original Rainbow Brite dolls for $4.99 each.

francie's on ebay

2009-11-11T08:54:00.001-06:00

Ok, I listed a few things on ebay yesterday, including Francie. This morning she is already up to $42!! Um... CRAZY!

FRANCIE!

thanks for the presents!

2009-11-10T23:54:00.003-06:00

I found this Marble Works toy at a St. Louis thrift store for $3 while visiting Neal and Holly. I had the exact one as a kid, so I was pretty pumped. Ivy loves it!

Side note: I will be posting a blog on my St. Louis/Wrockstock adventures with more photos/videos. I literally don't have the room on my computer for everything right now. And I'm lazy.

Wrockstock Day 3 Part 1

2009-11-08T19:28:00.004-06:00

Ok, I'm worn out from blogging! Actually, I'm COMPLETELY worn out! This weekend has been very exhausting, and I am soooo sore!!! My feet, back, everything! Ok, enough whining. First band today was Catchlove. Not a favorite, and I wasn't impressed today either. I actually sat down for most of it. It didn't help that they were an hour late, and we had already been standing for that hour just waiting for them to start. (It makes me a little cranky.) Second today was Riddle TM. They came over from England to play and they were really good. The songs got kind of boring, but they have amazing voices and they sing very clearly. Third to play was The Whomping Willows. This was our 4th time (CRAZY!) seeing him and probably the most awesome. He played with a 7-piece band (Myrtles, Gred and Forge, JFF, and Malfoys). It's really cool because all the bands play instruments for each other. He sang most of his new album, and all the "classics." I was so happy I got to see a live performance of "Merch Girls Are Easy." Fabulous song!

Check out the video of Riddle TM singing "Rubber Duck." How cute are these girls??!

Wrockstock Day 2 Part 2

2009-11-08T00:48:00.004-06:00

Ok, I'll try to keep it simple. The three bands tonight were all amazing. I was completely stunned by the awesomeness that is Diagon Alley. I have never heard these guys, and didn't know what to expect. Holy Fiddle Awesomeness!!! See video below. Another (yes another) merch room visit is in order. The second band tonight was Swish and Flick. I can cross another dream goal off the list. Draco and the Malfoys, CHECK! Swish and Flick, CHECK!! They were soooooooo awesome! Gred and Forge was last and I thought the live performance was way better than his recorded music. He had so much energy and got everyone so pumped! He may have been drunk, or he may just have that much excitement. Either way, it was fabulous! I will have to post more pics later. I'm not very skilled on the laptop.

Wrockstock Day 2 Part 1

2009-11-07T17:59:00.005-06:00

The view this morning from our room.

So far at the lodge, the bacon beats everything as far as food goes. Today we took a 15 minute walk to the ranch to check out the trails via horseback. My first experience on a horse was pretty good. I got a well-trained one that followed the leader and I didn't have to do too much. Jer on the other hand got the horse that wanted to take him into the woods and scrape him off on a tree. And he has the head scratch to prove it. I did get some sort of bite on my leg. I'm pretty sure I'm going to develop lyme disease from it. But it was a fun ride. After another merch room visit and lunch, we checked out the Wampum Willow for some music. We saw Hawthorne and Holly, and The Butterbeer Experience. From there it was back to the main stage. Kicking off the day was Draco and the Malfoys!!! Totally awesome! They started with some folksy tunes, banjo and all. They played lots of good tunes, including Voldemort is Awesome, All I Want For Christmas ("I know Hogwarts would be better, if that bed-wetter, didn't show his face 'round anymore!"), and Dobby for their encore. Then Creevy Crisis was on. We sort of sat out for most of it. Couldn't really dig it. Then Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls. Super awesome voice! So right now is break time and we're about to head down for din-din. More later!

Hawthorne and Holly

The Butterbeer Experience

Draco and the Malfoys!!!

Creevy Crisis

Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls

Wrockstock Day 1

2009-11-07T01:04:00.003-06:00

So we made it to Wrockstock!!! We got here early, so we killed some time finding geocaches, which were super easy... just the kind we like. Stocked up on Wrock goodies in the merch room, ate supper, then waited around for the bands to start. Up first were The Moaning Myrtles! The sound in the room was really good, and these girls are amazing and super talented. I don't know much of their music, so I can't even say what songs they played, but I'm starting to realize I'll be spending more in the merch room than previously anticipated. The Moaning Myrtles = must have music. Second to play was JFF. As usual, he was very goofy and full of energy. His set was great, a lot of songs I knew (Umbridge is Dumbridge, Expelliarmus, Dumbledore is Gay (and that's OK), etc.) Love him!!! The absolute best part was when he sang Honeydukes, and then towards the end they started throwing out candy by the boxful. It was fabulous!!! And he actually closed the song by smashing his guitar on stage. Crazy! Finishing off the night was The Ministry of Magic. I'm pretty new to their stuff, but you can just tell this "boy band" has some amazing talent. (another merch room trip... ka-ching, ka-ching.) No dance party for us tonight. It's past 1am and I'm soooo tired. I'll try to keep posted as we go along!

The Moaning Myrtles

Lauren of The Moaning Myrtles

JFF!!!

The Ministry of Magic

with my candy stash!

francie follow-up

2009-11-01T21:40:00.001-06:00

So yeah, that Francie doll on ebay went for $41.51. Not bad! So I'm planning to sell mine, as well as my Tomy Snappy Shots after I get back from vacation.

Halloween 2009

2009-10-31T21:33:00.004-05:00

Ivy as a Fairy Princess. Thrifted the entire costume for $3.50.

I am a nerdy Ravenclaw. And not just for Halloween.

Francie!

2009-10-29T22:48:00.003-05:00

Behold. Treasure! Vintage 1974 Francie doll, still in the package. I found her in a combo bag with a frickin' Hannah Montana doll at Savers for $2.99. I think she might be worth something, but so far, this is the closest ebay listing I could find.

the guys

2009-10-28T23:15:00.003-05:00

Ivy put her "guys" to sleep under the rug. She says, "They're snuggling." I love having a 3-year-old.

so, what's up, Em?

2009-10-27T23:52:00.005-05:00

-I'm still coughing. And sick of it. I have figured out that the only way to get rid of it is to make the decision to just stop coughing. So far, it's not working. (*COUGH, HACK, WHEEZE*)

-Ivy is still coughing too. But she got it worse because hers (as usual) turned into an ear infection. Since Sunday, her ear has been draining a continuous flow of waxy fluid. It's like she had an Ear-Splosion. Totally disgusting. It's starting to slow now that she is on Day 5 of ear drops, and Day 3 of antibiotics. She has lost one of her ear tubes, and the other is ready to come out.

-Ivy is 31 pounds 4 ounces (56th percentile), and 40 inches tall, which puts her in the 95th percentile!!! She's like a giant 3-year-old. Awesome.

-In just over a week, we will be on our way to see Holly and Neal!!!

-10 days until my Wizard Rock Dream Vacation begins!!!

-Finished Season 5 of The Office and started Season 6 today, courtesy of Amazon and Hulu. Neal, how far are you???

-Got a hat for Ivy in the mail today from Carrie. Thanks, Carrie! You are made of awesome!! I loved it. However, Ivy refused to try it on. She was busy coloring a picture. She asked me to color a playground for her. I said, "I'll draw a playground for you if you try on the hat. Deal?" She looked me straight in the eye and said, "No." So I tried it on. But it was too small. Damn.

-I've been busy working on a Christmas project and I'm still not done and I'm sick of working on it, but I need to get it done before vacation.

-I have way too much to do before vacation. Pictures this weekend, oil change, packing, figuring out my schedule, and figuring out how to get to Missouri.

-Work has been extremely busy lately. It's nice.

-I haven't exercised since before I got sick. I need motivation. But on the bright side, I'm lighter now.

-I should really go to bed so I can get more sleep instead of relying on coffee to keep me awake at work. I have some kind of sick addiction.

-I think I'm out of random thoughts. This was good. Therapeutic. I feel slightly more organized somehow.

Wild Things

2009-10-24T19:20:00.003-05:00

Jer and I got to the theater last night to see Where the Wild Things Are. Overall, I really enjoyed it. I liked it a lot, but I don't think I would go as far as "loved it." I wouldn't see it in the theater again. I probably wouldn't even buy it. But I would probably rent it to watch again. It was a lot different from what I expected. It was deep and emotional, instead of light-hearted and fun. I did not expect to see relationship problems between the Wild Things. That really threw me. So I'll just break it down into "like" and "dislike" lists.

Likes
-I loved Max. The little boy that plays him is so extremely perfect for the role, and absolutely adorable. And I bet he had a blast making this movie.
-I liked that, even though the original book didn't provide a lot of source material for a movie, the movie they made from it still felt true to the book. And a lot of what was in the book can be found in the movie. Max chasing his dog (I loved the opening scene, by the way), the Wild Rumpus, and even the supper waiting for him at the end (and it was still hot.)
-There was this one scene in the movie that was shot like the cover of the book. The Beast character is sitting at the mouth of the fort in the same sleeping position. Very cool.
-I loved the cinematography. Everything about the movie visually was perfect and beautiful. The scenery, the color scheme, the nature, and even the Wild Things were believable within their backdrop.
-The soundtrack/score was AWESOME. I loved it.
-Giant Dog

Dislikes
-The first problem I had with the movie was the voices of the monsters. I don't know, I guess I expected them to have deeper voices, or something that matched the way they looked. It was weird. They just sounded like people. Didn't like it.
-My big beef with the movie was that they changed the names of all the monsters. True, they weren't actually given names in the book, but they do have names. And the names they used in the movie were as fitting as the voices. Carol? KW? Douglas? Judith? WTF??? What ever happened to Tzippy, Moishe, Emile, and Bernard?
-Terry and Bob? It was kinda weird. Didn't really get it.

2-fer

2009-10-23T15:35:00.003-05:00

First off, the finished kitchen photos, with the lovely "Crisp Autumn Leaves" color:

I found some good things today while out thrifting. Two pairs of jeans! Woo-hoo! A couple of books for Ivy, including a Snow White Golden Book, some View Master slides, a magic wand to complete her Halloween costume, and... 3 bags of He-Man figures priced at $1.49 each!

Three of the dudes have missing arms, and sadly, Skeletor has no head. I think there are also a few She-Ra dolls there.

bouncy bouncy

2009-10-22T22:11:00.002-05:00

Ok, I admit it. I had coffee today. When I have coffee, this is how I feel: AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Except usually I'm at work and I can't let it out, but just sit there quietly as usual while inside my head is exploding with random nonsense. Generally, coffee makes me really happy. So I'm home now, still a bit wired up, really kinda bored and antsy. Can't wait for my day off tomorrow!! Woo-hoo! And can't stop thinking about Wrockstock! Whoa! Only like 2 weeks away? Insane. Holy crap, I'm excited. Ok, I'm going to go now and eat pizza and finish watching Wuthering Heights.

Fairhaven Farms

2009-10-20T23:19:00.003-05:00

We checked out another orchard over the weekend. We went on the horse-drawn hay ride (sans hay), and had fun getting lost in the corn maze. The theme of the maze was "Where the Wild Things Are."

ivy's third

2009-10-19T22:44:00.005-05:00

Birthday breakfast: chocolate waffles and whipped cream!Aubrey and Ivy, and a glimpse of the new kitchen color!
My attempt at cake-decorating (yikes!)

The Barbie Trike!
I think Aubrey was pissed she didn't get a trike!
Snowpants! Yess!
I bought Ivy some body paint/soap from Avon.
Before:
It appears Ivy is allergic. After:

i have this little tickle

2009-10-16T00:57:00.002-05:00

I think I'm getting sick. But I think it's just a cold. I hope. But I'd rather get sick now than in a few weeks. I just read that we are not allowed at Wrockstock if we've shown flu symptoms within the week leading up to it. They are even making us sign a waiver stating we are healthy. I've been sort of paranoid about this. Luckily, they will provide a refund if we do get sick. But oh my, I would be so depressed.

Happy thought... Ivy will be 3 in two days!!!

wise old owl

2009-10-08T23:47:00.003-05:00

Savers had a lot of owls today! But I only picked up this guy, which I really love. Sadly at $4.99, but I couldn't resist.

Sad Panda

2009-10-08T23:20:00.002-05:00

Ok St. Louis folks... Harry and the Potters will be playing on the roof of the City Museum on November 1st. Do you have any idea how disappointed I am that I am going to miss this show by a matter of days??? Seriously, I'm going to be in St. Louis on Nov. 4th. Couldn't they have waited??? For the past year, it has become my dream goal to see a Harry and the Potters show, because I have seen footage of them live, and they put on an incredible performance. To be this close.... And yet, I don't think I can rearrange my schedule for it. DAMN IT. However, if you live in the area, (ahem, ahem), I urge you to go, even though it will make me super insanely jealous.

in case you don't have Facebook...

2009-10-07T22:16:00.006-05:00

Ivy and I both had the day off - me from work, and Ivy from daycare. So we baked Halloween cookies, and visited an apple orchard (with a petting zoo!).

this is too funny

2009-10-06T23:06:00.001-05:00

pumpkin

2009-09-30T22:41:00.002-05:00

This is the color I may or may not paint the kitchen. I haven't decided yet. Thoughts?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NEAL!!!

2009-09-28T23:43:00.002-05:00

annandale playground

2009-09-27T23:01:00.001-05:00

show and tell

2009-09-26T09:44:00.002-05:00

Well, this was the only thing worth posting that I found at garage sales this week. It's some kind of wooden box, I guess you could call it. I paid $1.00. I just really like the pattern. The other things I found included a Dora sheet set for Ivy for $1.00, a miniature Star Trek: TNG plate, and a "Herself the Elf" mug from the 80s. Anyone remember these elves? I didn't know what they were called until I found the mug, and it brought back vague memories of the characters.

words of wisdom

2009-09-26T00:09:00.001-05:00

Sometimes it seems like no matter what you eat, good or bad, you're just destined to get heartburn.

i'm just a bit pathetic... and i love it!

2009-09-23T23:47:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow I have the day off. I'm on a mission. I'm headed to city-wide garage sales in St. Stephen, then headed out of town to some thrift stores. My mission is to find something wonderful and exciting. I have no idea what it will be. Any ideas? Are you looking for anything? Come on, give me a challenge! I'm ready. Bring it on.

just spreading the insanity

2009-09-23T22:40:00.001-05:00

Have you guys heard this song? You really should not listen to it. STOP! DON'T DO IT! NOOOOOO!!!!

I warned you.

HP Readathon

2009-09-23T00:37:00.003-05:00

So, have I ever told you guys that I really enjoy reading out loud?...

Thoughts?

By the way, I have no idea why it added the black space on the sides. Boo...

teaser

2009-09-21T23:20:00.003-05:00

I have an idea. It might be good, it might not be. In my mind, how I imagine things in my own little world, my idea could be potentially epic. But it's probably not really. You know when you think things to yourself, they are generally blown out of proportion? Anyway, I'm rambling. I want to vlog my idea though, so I'm not going to say it now. And I'm not going to vlog now, because I have mega tired face. Bleh. My idea involves Harry Potter. That's all for now.

funky

2009-09-20T22:25:00.003-05:00

I found the lamp shade a while back for $1.00. I've been waiting for the perfect lamp to show up, and today it finally did at Goodwill. Got the lamp half-price for $2.50! I love it! I think I'm going to dress up my desk at work with this.

kitchen fixes

2009-09-17T21:49:00.005-05:00

Ok, so last week at Savers, I brought home a cute little saucer dish for a quarter, and I just love the pattern. This week I saw plates to match at Goodwill, but the pattern was pretty faded, so I passed them up. Today, I found the whole freaking set at a garage sale!!! It was marked $15 and I offered her $10 and the deal was sealed. I just love the dainty little flower pattern, and the fabulous blue color of the cups. Most are in pretty good shape, a few nicks here and there, and the dinner plates kinda scratched more than the rest.

So I guess the plates are part of my kitchen-sort of-redo. I'm planning to paint the walls orange, and I think I've finally picked the right color. I've also found some new cabinet handles I really like. I shopped around everywhere, and returned items to Menards three different times before I found what I wanted. And then I still returned them, because I found them cheaper online. They were $3.99 each, and with 29 handles, that's getting pretty spendy for a cheap cabinet fix. Mind you, it's still way cheaper than replacing the cabinets, which would be nice because they are damn ugly. But anyway, I found the handles for $2.63 each online. So about $76 for that little project. And that's not including the hinges, which I'm not sure I'll need to do. I don't really notice them. We'll see. So here is how it looks...

The new next to the old:

i heart Voldy

2009-09-17T00:07:00.001-05:00

I finished watching A Very Potter Musical and it was pretty much the best thing I've ever seen in my life EVER. One of my faves:

Potterific!

2009-09-14T23:23:00.002-05:00

Did you know you can download the "A Very Potter Musical" soundtrack for FREE!
TOTALLY AWESOME!!

show and tell

2009-09-12T15:50:00.004-05:00

Garage sales are dwindling down, but that doesn't mean I've given up yet! Yesterday, I found these super-cute shoes, like new, at a garage sale for $2. I had never heard of the brand Frye, but they looked and felt like they might be a good brand. When I got home, I looked them up and it turns out Frye is an expensive brand! They sell for $100 and up! I couldn't find the exact pair online, but this was close:
http://www.zappos.com/product/7329953/color/3
Lucky day!

I found this guy in a free box. Not sure what to do with him, but he was just too creep-tastic to leave behind. I'll probably end up throwing him away, just because he keeps crumbling. But I'll see what I can salvage. My first thought was that he would make a good friend for Norman. But he needs a good name. Suggestions?

And this little toy was $1.00, and tons of fun. The animals open up, and the mouse fits into the chicken, and the chicken into the pig, etc. Cute!

melancholy nonsense

see ya!

Ivy's Night

etsy update

need to know

Phase Two

free box find

Boom-shaka-laka

best picture ever

show and tell time!

to be continued

Ta-da!

try not to be jealous

Easter Pics

Easter Vids

my family knows how to work the puzzles

pee wees

be jealous!

why i shouldn't run

WROCKSTOCK!!!!

SOLD!

Dimples!

the shop!

etsy

thrifting adventure

Springbok Love

Minnesota Thrift Stores

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRACE!!!

CLOCK CLOCK!

ivy and aubrey

Contest!

i have the best daughter

living room

HARRY POTTER! HARRY POTTER!

Project 2

thrifts of the day

Project 1

why i love Star Trek

an actual blog!

just ivy

in the name of the moon...

owlies

weekend thrifts

for neal and holly

thrifting at last

the chase

ho ho Harry

in the name of the moon...

don't forget...

plant down your feet, and tear out my spine.

watch! listen!

a small request

Avatar: The Last Airbender

gingy

this kid is awesome!

ask me anything!

my own mortality

ikea deals

Reservoir Dogs, in short

hoot hoot

*random random random*

ebay listings

why didn't i buy this cd?

VIDEO MADNESS

vacation, in list form

last day

francie's on ebay

thanks for the presents!

Wrockstock Day 3 Part 1

Wrockstock Day 2 Part 2

Wrockstock Day 2 Part 1

Wrockstock Day 1

francie follow-up

Halloween 2009

Francie!

the guys

so, what's up, Em?

Wild Things

2-fer

bouncy bouncy

random random random