my wish list

HAPPY MONDAY! we had a lovely weekend…our first snow all day Saturday! i had plans to get together with some girl friends for a cookie exchange, but the roads didn’t look fun and  our buddy JJ came to stay… and I forced him to let me take his pic (hey! he needed an updated photo for his Mother, anyhow) I’ll post those soon!  our neighbors came over to eat chicken wings and watch sports, we sang Christmas Carols, and had the bank Christmas Party last night! something i ate yesterday didn’t quite agree with me, however… i woke up at 4 with an upset tummy. : (    eh… don’t think that will stop me from eating a couple of the gingersnaps we got at a bake sale yesterday. : )  here are some snowy pics i took in the yard and some from saturday night…. enjoy!

question: what are your thoughts on christmas shopping and gift giving in general?  i am an only child, and i shamefully admit that i got a lot of gifts every year. of course when i was little, i was all about it. but as i grew older… the more i realized that “gee… i will never get to be an aunt… i will never have a sister to bond with… i will die alone.”  (okay not that last thing…)   so now my thought is to spend money on big purchases that benefit several people. whether it be a new TV as a “together’ gift to invite friends over for movie night, something practical (like stuff for the kitchen), or even a vacation or an activity that we can make memories doing (crazy white elephant gift exchanges are so fun! more, please) . I’m all about this kind of gift giving.  i don’t care for the loud commercials urging people to spend spend spend! it pains me to think of all the things that are mass-produced and not even made to last.  i’m for quality…not quantity.    I am so thankful that all our basic needs are met: a roof to keep us warm and dry, food on our table, and lots of love in our hearts. the things on my wish list are just things: things i wish for. someday…when i have extra spending money and room in the house to spare. (remember my monster clean-out?!) i keep a list so i don’t blow it on impulse. to be goal-driven and thoughtful about where my money goes. owning a business has certainly taught me that! : ) that and being married to a banker. haha     what’s on your wish list? I stumbled upon THIS fail-proof list for ladies, too! LOVE.

1.  iphone! i think i get to have one of my own soon! no more playing with everyone else’s!

2. Fossil coin purse. easier to carry this little guy to the vending machine instead of my big clunky bag.

3. compact mirror for my purse. i never seem to have a mirror when i need one!

4.  still want my perfect red sweater.

5.  electronic meat thermometer  i don’t really care which model… just something simple without a zillion confusing buttons.

6. Julie & Julia on DVD. I’ve seen this movie about 7 times, but i love it! and it’s not on Netflix any longer. : (    I’d also love to have Yes man with Jim Carey and Zooey DeChannel. She’ s my favorite!

7. tall brown boots. i have grey and 2 pairs of black… no brown.

8. this fossil bag! it doesn’t fit cross-body like my current bag (SO nice for shopping…. i wander away from the shopping cart too often to keep my purse in with my groceries). kinda expensive, but i think it’s classic, durable, and worth the investment. i’ve made an educated decision to go with fossil bags from now on. LOVE them. forever vintage!

9. Decorate    a book by Holly Becker and Joanna Copestick   very inspiring images!