Rolling back my mental stability

They've really messed me up. I mean, you can't DO this. It has to be illegal or something.

We've lived in Baltimore for almost nine years now. In those nine years, I've been a regular, consistent patron of the White Marsh Walmart. I love it really. There's something very comforting about walking into a store and knowing roughly how much item will cost and exactly where to look for it. I mean, I could literally go into the store blindfolded and find what I'm looking for.

Until recently...

They

are

rearranging

my

WALMART!

I never knew something so simple could throw me off so much. I almost started crying the other day over the location of the bubbles. A woman asked me if I needed any help and I could only faintly ask, "Where did the toys go?"

I suppose I took for granted this simple stability. No matter what else was crazy in my life, I could walk into Walmart and still find paper towels in aisle 12.

Well, not anymore, my friend. Not anymore.

Additionally, I can't resist the urge to tell whomever I'm with what used to be in each location. I point to bedsheets and report, "This is where crafts used to be" or, "The paint chips were on this wall, not that one." And to make matters worse, they're not done yet so some things are in temporary locations so it's not even worth committing them to memory yet.

I feel... violated somehow.

Will I have an improved, more efficient Walmart when it' s all over? Probably.

Will I get used to it?

Eh.

What the... ?!

So I sit down to chill after a long, wonderful week of day camp (more on that later), thrilled to soak in the first episode of a brand new season of Shear Genius.

One, small question...

What in the WORLD happened to Jaclyn Smith's face?

Seriously.

It's the middle of June...

... and I still have flannel snowman sheets on our bed.

Don't hate. They're comfy.

Shopping: a memoir

If you know me at all you know that I'm a person who doesn't like to spend more money than necessary. One could say that I'm cheap (thought that term is not my favorite because the words "and easy" could follow, giving the entirely wrong connotation) though I prefer the term "frugal". In any event, this information will make the following account more interesting and, I daresay, entertaining.

For Christmas this past year, I received a gift card from one of my piano/voice students and her mother. Now, I like gift cards. They make me feel... I don't know... powerful. I actually tend to hold on to them for longer periods of time than most would -- six months to a year on average. Weird, huh. There's just something about knowing I have this nice, designated money to spend that I enjoy.

OK. Back to my story. So I've had this gift card for awhile and, in a rare event, I found myself at the mall (buying a birthday present for my sister) and realized that this particular store (at which I had never shopped before - that's an important detail) was at said mall. I thought I'd stop in and make good on the gift card that had found itself a comfortable residence in my wallet for the past six months.

I was struck first by how expensive everything was. But, fortunately, it was a buy one, get one half off dealio so I became determined to stretch my $25 to buy not one, but TWO items. Oh, yes. I was walking out of there with two new garments or... well, I don't know what.

I ended up with two plain v-neck t-shirty type tops, one navy and one khaki -- nice solid staples to my wardrobe (I tend toward solid and practical -- something I should probably look into changing). I managed, without too terribly much thought, to spend exactly $.35 less than my gift card. Ha!

Anyway, when I got home, certain details from the purchase started to stand out to me. First of all, my shirts were in not a shopping bag, but more of a gift bag. And, get this, they were wrapped up in tissue paper and taped shut with a sticker bearing the name of the store. A sticker! In my world, stickers are for completed piano pieces by eight-year-olds, not clothing purchases. Oh, and there's one more part. I noticed a little envelope in the bag (also proudly bearing the store's name) that I hadn't previously noticed. What could it be? A present? Another gift card? No. It was my receipt! In a little envelope like a present. I had never seen anything like that in my life...

Now, allow me to compare that to my usual shopping experience. I'm a fan of Goodwill -- there's a fabulous one mere miles from our house. And on the last Saturday of the month, something magical happens. That's right, my friends. The last Saturday of the month is SUPER Saturday. The pool of already tantalizing pre-used clothing is an additional 50% off.

I'll give you a moment.

At Goodwill, I have to be in the mood for digging (which I usually am) and flip through various clothes sorted by color, not size -- all for bargain umbrella prices. If I'm looking at tops, I don't need price tags. I know they're all $3. When I check out, my treasures go into a plastic bag with the words "Thank You" in triplicate down the side of my bag. No tissue, no sticker, no envelope.

Interesting.

Which method do I prefer? I'd be lying if I didn't admit that the adrenaline from the hunt and the "post-bargain high" are pretty much my shopping life-blood. Whether it's genetic (I happen to be the spawn of an amazing bargain shopper) or a learned skill, Goodwill is a little more my speed. BUT, it is nice to be pampered once in awhile -- to feel like your selection time and purchase choice were celebrated is a fun change.

Of course, I can't fully appreciate that right now. I'm still little high off of finding Play Doh, two packs for $3 today...

Let's try this again

Birthday video from my boyz...

I'd forgotten how much I like summer

The last few days have really been wonderful -- not because of any great event but more because of the lack of one. I'd forgotten how nice it is to have nothing on the schedule. Since the boys got off of school Wednesday, I've been letting them stay up late, sleep in, watch movies, run around like crazy people, etc. I woke up this morning to a quiet house and no place to be and it was... bliss! I know it's not going to last forever. In fact, I plan Monday on getting the boys on their summer schedule, bed times, chores and those wonderful workbooks I always make them do over the summer. But for now, Jacob is watching TV, Josh and Micah are still sleeping, Matt is running errands and I'm sitting here blogging, listening to a neighborhood lawnmower and smelling the brewing coffee in the kitchen and getting ready to make banana pancakes. See? Bliss.

Last night, we ate outside (as we do very often in the summer). After dinner, the boys ran around and chased lightening bugs and rode the wagon down the hill. Matt and I just sat there and talked. I said, "Wouldn't it be great if we could just freeze this night and save it? It's perfect."

His response, "Not really. The dog is drooling on my foot."

Can't blame me for trying!

I hope you're enjoying a few lazy days of summer yourself!

Is it blogger or just me?

Argh! Josh made me this awesome video for my birthday and put it on YouTube. I'm trying to embed it in my blog, but every time I do, it freezes my whole blog up (like force quit Firefox freezes).

Again I say, argh!!

I'm going to work on it. It's really cute. You should see it...

Whew!

Notice anything different? Hmmm? Do I look any older? Yeah, yesterday was the ol' birthday. It was really quite a wonderful day. The was a lot of busyness (more about that in a second) and lots of people and I'm all about people.

So, yeah, yesterday. Matt preached at our church and did a wonderful job. He told our story and really used it to encourage people to trust God despite their circumstances. It was really great -- probably one of the best messages I've ever heard him preach.

We went straight from church, grabbed a bite at Wendy's, and Matt and the boys dropped me off at my next destination -- the church where I was having my semi-annual student recital. I was both nervous and excited about the recital. One of the main reasons for my nervousness was that I had almost twice as many students participating as I normally do -- 23 to be exact. I think the most I'd had up to this point was 13. I was excited about the variety we were offering in the program. When it was all said and done, everything went very well. We had our share of mistakes, forgotten words, etc. but that's to be expected.

Then we went to Don Pablo's with our friends. I got to wear a turquoise sombrero where the yelled birthday greetings at me. Matt and the boys got my a new iPod. Good birthday. I'm blessed.

I am so ready for life to slow down! Lessons and meetings and school stuff... AHHH! It has seriously been crazy. But this week, this week my friends -- school is done on Wednesday, I have my last piano/voice lesson until August on Thursday, our last youth group meeting is on Thursday... everything is coming to a blissful halt. Don't get me wrong, I love what I get to do for a living but I am ready for a break. I'm looking forward to spending more time with the boys and, honestly, I have had NO time to get this house organized. I am really hoping to do that, too before Chain Reaction kicks into gear this summer.

Oh yeah, and I may actually have time to BLOG once in awhile!