Well Meaning Gifts

It makes me very happy to have received a hand written thank-you card from my nephew in the mail box yesterday. He is very happy with the Genz Benz acoustic amp that we managed to get him for Christmas way back in December of last year. Better late than never I suppose. I have to admit that I do pretty well in picking out gifts that will mean something to the people who receive them. I can honestly say that I have never given anyone any bath soaps and lotions, nor any food of any type or a gift card, although I know gift cards are a great idea for gifts.

A Starting Harmonica?

I really didn’t know that there was even a “starting harmonica” on the market! But then I certainly know everything when it comes to today’s musical instruments. It’s just weird that coming from a very musical family that is still multiplying that I wouldn’t have at least heard about it or read about it online somewhere!

Be that as it may, I managed to find a great last minute deal with a starting harmonica so that I would have it in time to take over to my sister’s house for the “Family 4th of July Holiday Dinner”. This is the first year that my sister has hosted such a large friend and family gathering (we are expecting about 26 people) so I have been trying to help her with some of her personal 4th of July gift shopping errands. It’s been a blessing that we live so close together and are on good terms at the moment.

Japanese Animation

My youngest has gotten into many things that I have absolutely no knowledge or background about. She has been reading and watching numerous Japanese animation books, TV shows, and movies. She has taken the time to show me one of the sites that she goes online for,  she showed me a page concerning Bleach Manga, who is character she has been following lately and I found quite interesting to read.

At least she is reading, it is a real challenge trying to get her to read just about everything. I don’t get it, hubby and I are both avid readers, while neither of our children want to pick up a book, except for the Japanese Animation books that are becoming more popular these days.

I went to the bookstore a few months back to see if they had any of these types of books that she is learning to enjoy, I was surprised at how many that they had. The young lady that was assisting me with locating them and then explaining them for me, told me that I was lucky that she was working the floor at that time because she was the only one in the whole store that read and knew anything about them. She was very friendly and helpful, I was certainly glad that she was working then also because I was way out of my field.

%&#@$$$ car repair…..

I missed the phone call this morning from my car repair guy, but did find the message in my Voice Mail later in the afternoon and so I called as soon as I got the message. The guy I needed to talk to had left for the day, but I spoke with another gentleman who informed me that we are looking at the $1200 area for what it will take to get the oil leakage problem taken care of.

Not good news.

Called my brother, he is going to call the garage tomorrow and speak with my customer service rep and find out exactly what is going on that warrants the amount of work and expense that is being deemed necessary by them. Since I just had them do an oil change a little over a week ago, and now a seal is blown and oil is spewing out as fast as you can put it in, it just doesn’t sound quite kosher and I need for him to interject with his knowledge of my car, he knows my car well, bless his heart.

In the meantime I’m trying to figure out how to come up with the funds to take care of this very surprising and untimely expense and aggravation in my life right now.

Hubby Is Thinking Ahead

Hubby and his brothers are worried that their Dad won’t be around for too many more years and they all want to pitch in and get him a great gift for Father’s Day that is coming up in a few short weeks. I think it is a wonderful idea and I hope that their Dad appreciates their efforts. He has an older model BMW that is in wonderful condition even for its age, he keeps it very well kept like he does all of his vehicles, but this one is special to him and I know the boys are wondering what will happen to it when Dad does finally pass on one of these years.

Anyway one of the brothers found a website  that sells some wheels that the guys are drooling over and hoping that they can all pitch in to afford these awesome Sevas wheels that are a must when owning a higher end quality car such as his BMW.

Wheelfire, I like the name, is a company that offers discount wheels, rims and tires packages. Where you can find 17, 18, 20, 22 and 24 inch discount and custom wheel rim and tire packages for your car, truck or SUV. So if you find you have a need for any of these for your use, you should take the time and check this web-site out.

Easy As Pie Fundraising

I have been asked by the PTA at the middle school that my son will attend next year if I would be on the committee that handles the fundraisers for the school year. I was happy to say yes to their request because I had already found a website that looks good and had it bookmarked in case I found myself needing this kind of information. I’m so happy that something that I bookmarked I actually made us of it.

I have never liked the kind of fundraising that requires a kid to go door to door in their neighborhood, or the kind that makes the parents pester their relatives and take the paperwork to their work place and guilt trip your co-workers in spending a few bucks.

This company, School Pop’s web-site offers easy middle school fundraisers that only require the participant to sign up on-line with certain retail companies so that every time a purchase is made there, a portion is dedicated towards the schools account. One of the stores is Wal-Mart and almost everybody shops at Wal-Mart at some point in time. It is that easy. I’ll be ready for my recommendation when we have our first meeting before the school year begins again in the fall.

Woodwind and Brasswind Instruments

The bass clarinet stands that I have been eyeballing are now being offered at %15 with a promo code, that’s along with free shipping. I have been looking for a new stand for a few months now. I can’t wait until my tax refund check arrive later this month, so I’ve gotten to know my way around the various websites that have musical instruments for sale. So far WWBW (Woodwind & Brasswind) has the best selection, they have new and/or used items, and if I use the promo code I can get it at one heck of a good price.

Come on Uncle Sam!!!

cataloge
Woodwind & Brasswind

My Sons Birthday is Coming Up!

My sons birthday is coming up soon and I’m trying to make it to where I can afford his birthday gifts and throw somewhat of a decent party for him this year. He seems to really enjoy his new PlayStation 3 we had gotten him this past Christmas and has had his eye on a few new games that have recently came out. So today I am going to try to shop for the coolest games I can come across that I think he will really enjoy playing over and over, instead of getting tired of them after one time of playing them and never touching them ever again.

I also would like to find a cake with his favorite cartoon character, Sponge Bob on it, and make arrangement’s for it to be ready the day before his party. I have already found invitations he loves with Power Rangers all over them, and have already sent them out to the parents of his friends. I’m hoping to get all RSVP’s in the next week so I can make plans on all activities for the children on the day of his party. I am really hoping that the day of his party, it will be a nice sunny day out so we have more options on the activities we are selecting.

Lunch at Red Lobster!

Hubby has been promised that we would go out to lunch at Red Lobster for a weeks now and something seems to come up every day that it doesn’t work out.

My sister sent us gift certificates for Red Lobster as a Christmas gift, I can’t believe that I have been holding on to them for this long, waiting for a chance to use them.  We wanted to do lunch so that it would be just the two of us.  We take the kids everywhere all the time, so if we can steal away for a lunch, just us two, we take it and run with it.

Today was the day, it just worked out, it wasn’t planned.  The computer was acting funny so neither of us could go online, the weather was cooperating nicely, so we went and got back in time for the youngest to get home from school by the bus.

We both ordered nice entrees and enjoyed an appetizer of stuffed mushrooms, yummy.  We both really enjoy their muffins, so they came home with us, along with a few other left overs, but not that much was left on our plates to bring home.  We did order a take out order of the fondue bread with lobster sauce so that the whole family can enjoy it later.

I love Red Lobster, thanks Sis!

Stem Cell Research

I have read quite a bit as of late about how much we all have to gain through today’s stem cell research. And I just finished reading an article about how how a company by the name of C’elle has made it possible to collect these vital stem cells from a woman’s monthly menstrual fluid.

C’elle has made it possible to take control of a woman’s future, right in the privacy of her home, in a revolutionary technique that makes the harvesting from your menstrual blood, safe and easy, what a wonderful opportunity they are providing us.

Imagine knowing in advance what you are capable of passing down to future generations, just by using this invasive collection process. The cells are processed and preserved at a very low temperature, for possible cellular therapies that might be used in the future. These are self-renewing cells, that who knows, one day might be used for sports medicine.

C’elle is offering for a limited time a promotion called “Caring is Sharing”, you may purchase this kit for yourself and give a friend or a relative one for free. You can go online to Celle.com and put in the promo code of 241 to take advantage of this one time only special. This is something that takes very little time to do, so it is great for us over worked and over scheduled women of today’s world.

I went on line and read some of their C’elle Client Testimonial pages and it sounds like a very exciting proposal, one that is very controversial, to say the least, but very interesting and important.