Madras Matters

B2B (Back to Blogging)

2011-06-12T20:16:00.002-05:00

Well, it's been a while...a looooong while since I last blogged. Lately, I was getting the itch to start back up again. I actually made a "Summer Bucket List" and getting back to Madras Matters was the first thing on the list. Here are a few more items on my list...
~buy a hammock~plant a vegetable garden~paint a picture~run a 10K~make weekly trips to the farmer's market~reconnect with an old friend~start a cocktail club~write some poetry~bake a cake from scratch~read Jane Austen~bring flowers to a neighbor~visit an art gallery~take cooking lessons~learn how to meditate~
I'll keep you posted on my progress. In the meantime, I look forward to reconnecting with some old blogging buddies and meeting some new friends along the way.

What A Deal

2009-10-23T09:36:00.003-05:00

I love Swoozie's!!! If you've never visited, either in person or online, you're missing out. It's fun and fresh name says it all...it's a shop full of fun and fresh items, from stationery to monogrammed everything to Tervis tumblers to those great new Lilly Pulitzer paper and gift items. I've done most of my holiday shopping there this year. Now, they're offering one item at 50% off. through October 31st Simply enter code ENJOY50. That means you could get one of those adorable Lilly P coffee mugs for less than $10. I'm off to choose my stuff right now.

Great Deal at Tucker Blair

2009-10-12T11:38:00.006-05:00

I absolutely love the needlepoint belts, headbands and key fobs at Tucker Blair. The best news is that they're celebrating Columbus Day by offering 30% off everything on their site today with the coupon code COLUMBUS. How cute are these needlepoint headbands??? They are actually on sale for $25 plus the additional 30% off makes them a steal. Check them out plus the other fun stuff and have fun shopping.

More Fun Giveaways

2009-10-10T18:10:00.005-05:00

With Bonus Baby being sick today, I've had nothing but time on my hands. I've spent a lot of that time right here on the computer and stumbled upon a bunch of fun giveaways from fellow bloggers who are giving away some really cool stuff.

The Pleasures of Homemaking is a great blog full of wonderful ideas. Right now Manuela is giving away two books that sounds great ~ a copy of Tracey McBride's fabulous book Frugal Luxuries by the Seasons (Celebrate Holidays with Elegance and Simplicity on Any Income) and Jonni McCoy's Miserly Moms (Living Well on Less in a Tough Economy -revised edition).

Lauren Nicole Gifts has some great monogrammed preppy things. Right now, Lauren is giving away an awesome Vera Bradley purse. Visit Lauren Nicole Gifts blog here to enter the giveaway.

Another fun giveaway can be found at Mille Fleur. Cathy is giving away a great collection of items from Williams Sonoma. Click here to enter.

One of my best finds today was this blog that highlights all sorts of giveaways from artists and crafters on Etsy. You can enter tons of giveaways here. It's so much fun. Here's just one of the great giveaways I found on the Etsy Giveaway blog.
http://stuffundertwenty.blogspot.com/2009/10/giveaway-beautiful-functional-beautiful.html#comment-form

I Love Surprises

2009-10-10T17:08:00.006-05:00

Today's been a day sprinkled with several little unexpected suprises...some good, others not so much...

First snowfall in the Twin Cities.
Bonus Baby woke up with a hacking cough, runny nose and fever.
I found several winter accessories I thought were lost forever.
Have to cancel date with Mr. Madras since BB is sick.
Discovered the great "surprise giveaway" at Nautical by Nature's blog. Click here to enter.

Twins Win!!!

2009-10-07T21:23:00.009-05:00

It's been a thrilling week of sports around the Twin Cities. The Twins played their way into a playoff game and beat the Detroit Tigers for the American League Central Division Title. Brett Favre led the Vikings to a huge (a slight understatement) victory over the Green Bay Packers. Half the town is hoarse from all of the screaming and cheering we've been doing nonstop.

Even though I'm not much of a baseball fan, I must admit that I've caught Twins fever right now...not just because they're a great baseball team with really nice, classy players...they've also got some really nice players to "watch." ;) With the Twins playing the Yankees now, here's the one matchup where the Twins win hands down.

Best Looking Baseball Stud

vs.
Minnesota's Joe Mauer easily beats New York's Alex Rodriguez as baseball's "hottest" player

GO TWINS GO!!!!!!

Dandy of a Deal

2009-10-01T21:38:00.000-05:00

If you've never seen any of the adorable products from Barn Dandy's then you've really been missing out. Their vintage-inspired items like backpacks, luggage, lunch boxes, thermoses, tents, tv trays and so much more come in the greatest designs and fabrics. I often visit the website and just oggle all the great stuff. So imagine my thrill when I got an email today announcing their biggest three-day sale ever -- 50% off EVERYTHING in the store. People that's huge!!! Just enter BIGSALE at checkout in the promotion code box and your total cost will be CUT IN HALF! This is a great time to stock up on some holiday gifts. Their fun tv trays are only $24; the adorable backpacks only $17 and half off all their luggage makes a sleepover so fun. Check out Barn Dandy's today through Oct. 4 to get HALF OFF.

A Perfect Match

2009-09-28T21:31:00.010-05:00

I was thrilled to see two of my favorite brands teaming up for what is sure to be a "slam dunk." Lilly Pulitzer and LeSportsac have joined forces and collaborated on an absolutely adorable collection of bags due out this spring. I've loved LeSportsac bags ever since high school when I saved up my babysitting money to buy a "must-have" wine colored purse. I'm still delighted when I stumble across a cute LeSportsac bag as I'm meandering through Marshall's or TJ Maxx. Trust me, I won't be waiting for these fresh and bright Lilly LeSportsacs to hit the racks of Marshall's or TJ Maxx. I'm sure I'll be paying full price so I can carry one of these cute bags asap. I'm starting to save my pennies now.

Preppy Pennies

2009-09-26T14:47:00.008-05:00

Long time no blog. What can I say??? Life just seemed to get in the way…between juggling the lives of the Madras family; managing this whole house remodel project; and maintaining some sense of order and normalcy while we live in our little two bedroom apartment while the house is under construction. It’s been a wild and crazy ride. One of the more positive things to come out of all of this is that I’ve learned how to stretch our dollars and all while not really having to compromise the Madras family lifestyle. I’ve had so much fun uncovering great preppy bargains and discovering ways to do and get a lot for less that I just had to share. So, I am announcing the birth of my alter ego, Penny Prep. Penny Prep is where I’ll blog about the latest bargains and ideas we’ve discovered at the Madras house. Who doesn’t need to save a few pennies in today’s economy? As we began making all of the choices that go into remodeling a home, I quickly realized I didn’t want to have to sacrifice a Lilly shift for my kitchen sink fixture. I challenged myself – could I be frugal and wear Vineyard Vines at the same time? Is it hypocritical to carry clipped coupons in a Tory Burch tote? I’ve decided you can be a fun-loving, penny-pinching prep. Click on over to see how Penny Prep tries to accomplish just that.

Easter Bucket Fun

2009-03-18T22:09:00.005-05:00

Count me in for a couple of these absolutely adorable Easter buckets from my friend Hazel. If you remember, she does those adorable monogrammed key chains and is such a talented artist. I was thrilled to see that she is going to be selling these cute buckets at her Etsy shop starting Friday afternoon and for only $25. How sweet would these look with your little chickadee's monogram? No doubt, these buckets would have tons of uses far beyond holding the Easter Bunny's goodies. I know that the Madras family will have a couple of these filled with fun on Easter morning.

Luck o' the Irish

2009-03-17T16:16:00.003-05:00

It appears a little Irish luck headed our way today as we finally got a contract on our home in Texas and if all goes according to plan we'll close at the end of April. While I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch, we're cautiously optimistic about the sale. We can finally devote our full attention to our home remodel. That process is definitely going to be a learning experience. My first lesson is going to have to be how to majorly cut down on my "wish list." Unfortunately, with today's economy we didn't sell our home for as much as we thought so I've got to give some real thought to what I really want & need in our "new" old house.

The next few months we will be pinching our pennies so my trips to TJ Maxx and Marshalls will be few and far between :( . I've also got to think of some ways to make a penny or two... Should be an interesting spring...

A New Home

2009-02-11T09:03:00.004-06:00

While it's no news to most of you I'm a very irregular blogger. Always seems there's more interesting stuff going on in other people's lives than mine...so I spend most of my time reading blogs rather than posting on my own. Add to that the fact that we have now moved and are working on getting settled into our new lives in Minnesota, you can see that my excuses abound. As I have tried to keep up with family and friends with news on our move, home renovation, etc. I decided the easiest way to do that was with a blog. So here's the scoop...I've started a new blog Raising the Roof that will chronicle our family's journey through the renovation of our 1300 square foot cottage. I hope you'll stop by and visit. No doubt, I will need your help with all kinds of renovating decisions from light fixtures to flooring to toilet bowls. Let's try and keep in touch.

My New Addiction

2008-07-29T22:28:00.005-05:00

OMG~I have spent the whole day on this wonderfully fun website called Wordle. It makes those fun "word clouds" from any combination of words you create or from any website or blog you submit. Below is the cloud I created when I submitted my blog address.

What makes this site super cool is that you can choose the colors, font, layout and text. The site also includes a gallery of users' creations that can provide for tons of inspiration. It took me a little while to figure out how to save my creations and format them as jpeg images, but my perseverance paid off and now I'm hooked. My mind has been racing with all the ways I could use this. I'm thinking who needs a Christmas letter when I can just type in our year's highlights; format the text for red and green; and then print on a foldover card. How cute is that? I just finished making one for Big Sis that she proclaimed "really cool" and I'm planning to print and frame that one. The possibilities are endless. I'll keep you posted on other ideas I have, but right now you HAVE to head over to Wordle.

What a Deal!

2008-07-28T22:32:00.008-05:00

Just had to pass along what I think is one heck of a deal from Brocade Home. With the coupon code: SUMMER, you can get 50% off all of their sale and clearance items. While I realize a lot of their stuff would not necessarily fit in with my decor, I still love to look through the catalog and dream. I do think some of these pieces might have to find a place in the Madras house since they're such a steal.

This gorgeous king sized duvet was originally $149, on sale for $79 50% off = $39.50. The matching square pillow covers are only $12 each.

This neat storage unit was originally $299, on sale for $149 50% off makes it $75

This chair was originally $299, on sale for $179. 50% off makes it $90

Maybe you'll find something to tickle your fancy...

Most Embarrassing Moment

2008-07-27T22:25:00.004-05:00

I must admit I'm pretty embarrassed/ashamed to not have posted in over a week. I'd love to say I have several really good reasons why...but, truth be told, I just couldn't think of anything worthwhile to write about. Some of my favorite blogger friends can be so witty, insightful, articulate & intelligent in their posts that I think who would want to read anything I have to say...I can't do it as well as these other ladies. I just sit around and hope for some inspiration and divine intervention. I guess you could say that came tonight at dinner when I was sharing an embarrassing high school moment with Big Sis. After I finished telling the story, she said, "Mom, you should write about that in your blog." So here goes...

I was 17 and a high school senior at my New Jersey prep school. Our class was headed on the annual "Senior Trip" to Orlando. Wouldn't you know Aunt Flo (my period) decides it would be nice to join me on the trip? So, to be on the safe side, I packed an extraordinarily large amount of "sanitary protection" so as to not run out. Turns out, I used maybe a tenth of what I brought and had to stuff the rest back into my overloaded suitcase for the trip home. On our way to the airport, we made one last stop at some souvenir shop and fruit stand where people bought big bags of oranges and grapefruit to bring home. Fast forward to my entire senior class and some other random travelers at the Philadelphia airport's baggage claim. As the luggage started to make its way onto the conveyor belt you would see a lone grapefruit or maybe an orange on the carousel and it soon became apparent that the luggage handlers had been pretty rough on our stuff. Then, a wave of laughter broke out and fingers were pointing at this sad suitcase with a few maxi pads and tampons hanging out along with some more on the conveyor belt. My boyfriend at the time nudged me to point out the site and to my horror I realized it was mine. I looked him straight in the eye and said, "That's my suitcase. Get it off, close it and meet me at the bus. I'm getting out of here right now." Fortunately, for me, this was one time that he actually acted like he cared and handled the situation for me.

Let me tell you to have your entire senior class seeing your feminine protection spread out all along the baggage carousel is quite harrowing for a 17-year-old Catholic school girl. As I shared with Big Sis tonight, I did survive and the story makes for interesting conversation. What's your most embarrassing moment??? Care to share?

Favor, please...

2008-07-18T12:39:00.006-05:00

Remember my absolutely adorable pink & green monogrammed tennis key chain??? (can you get any preppier than that?) Well, my blog friend Hazel, the wonderfully creative and talented artist who custom designed that little gem among many other delightful pieces, needs our help to win a great prize in Girl Indie Blog's Designer Chick Contest. If you can spare a second just click here and vote for Hazel's adorable custom kid's key chain which is #17. The grand prize includes a lot of wonderful items to help Hazel take her business to the next step. After you vote for her, visit Hazel's blog Just Add Dots and leave a comment that you voted for her. You'll then have a chance to win your very own custom key chain. Just look at some of Hazel's creativity at work. I would just love to help her take her talents to the next level.

Thanks for helping Hazel out. I know she appreciates it.

There's No Place Like Home

2008-07-16T08:33:00.006-05:00

I could not agree with Dorothy more...We got back from our 15-day, 3,000 mile road trip on Sunday and I'm soooooooo glad to be home. While I love my family, I'd have to say this vacation included a little too much togetherness...

3,000 miles through mid-America in the middle of summer with a 4-year old constantly asking to watch "The Polar Express" (her all-time favorite movie) while the 11 year old wants to watch Napoleon Dynamite for the umpteenth time and whines how unfair it is that Bonus Baby "always gets her way." (Her whining is just a little more annoying than his so she wins) Meanwhile, Big Sis just puts on her iPod and all I want to do is play a family game of License Plate Bingo, which never happened.

A 3,000-mile road trip means LOTS of public bathroom visits with Bonus Baby...I HATE public restrooms, particularly the hot, steamy, crowded, unclean ones at the ever-interesting interstate rest stops. To add to my disgust, is the fact that I am the only one that can take her "potty" at all of these places...Mr. Madras says how much he wishes he could help out, but he wouldn't dare take her into the men's restroom...(Another reason I love WDW is the very clean FAMILY restrooms they have, where dads can take their precious little baby girls). In all fairness to Big Sis, she does make a few trips to the potty with BB and I do appreciate the break.

Luckily, the long miles were broken up a bit by our visits to our family lake house in Wisconsin; another visit to my brother-in-law's island farmhouse and yet another stop to visit family in Minnesota. Mind you, all of these visits are with Mr. Madras' family (whom I dearly love, but once again a lot of togetherness!!!) It's hard to really relax with your in-laws everywhere. I wanted the kids to be so well-behaved, look cute and all while making it look so natural. That's a lot of stress on a mom!!!

Add to the stress the fact that the 5 of us shared one bedroom..bunks, air mattresses, etc. The best part of all is sharing one bathroom with the 11 of us that were there. The lake house is so cute and everything a cottage should be except for the whole bathroom thing. I spent most of my time there brainstorming how in the heck we could add a second bathroom...

Fortunately, the weather was great!!! I was able to run 5-6 miles in relatively cool, and wonderfully unhumid weather. Boy, that makes a huge difference... I think 3 miles in hot, humid Texas is equal to 5 miles in the upper Midwest.

Other trip highlights included Big Sis conquering water skiing; BB "swimming" with no life vest; Big Bro driving the boat; trip to the American Girl store in Chicago and the American Girl OUTLET (yes, it's true there's an outlet) in Oshkosh, WI which is also where the Land's End Outlet is.

All in all, a fun trip but I really do yearn for a relaxing vacation one of these days. Right now, I have to conquer Mount Washmore...I cannot believe the amount of laundry we have. I am really beginning to think that less is more...the less clothes we have, the less laundry we have to do.

Off To The Lake

2008-06-27T16:26:00.004-05:00

We're headed on our annual trip "up north" to spend time at our family lake house in Wisconsin. Think "On Golden Pond." We'll be gone two weeks so I'll catch up when we return. Have a great Fourth of July!!!

Lilly, Lilly, Everywhere....

2008-06-25T19:43:00.007-05:00

Look at these classics that are getting decked out in their "Lilly-finest" to celebrate Lilly's Jubilee Year.

A Steinway Piano

A Lilly Jeep Wrangler~ I really want this.

Lilly is also partnering with some other companies who will be incorporating traditional Lilly prints and themes: Hasbro will introduce a Palm Beach version of its Monopoly game called "Lilly-opoly." Florida Natural Orange Juice containers will be decked out in Pulitzer prints. How cool is that?!?!

For anyone who's headed for a hospital stay anytime soon, might as well do it in Lilly style with these custom made patient gowns in Lilly Pulitzer prints. I stumbled upon this website Raspberry Bee and thought, "what a great idea."

Have you seen any neat Lilly stuff lately???

Sweet Treats

2008-06-18T21:20:00.011-05:00

I just love all the fun stuff at Swoozie's. I absolutely adore it when it's on sale!! Thought these bargains were worth passing along. These would make great hostess gifts. I've stocked up on several things for the Madras house, as well as for gifts. The Initial Guest Towels are only $3.97; the Initial Cocktail Napkins in a lucite holder a mere $7.47; Initial Notes in a lucite holder just $7.47; and the Initial Soap Sets are only $7.47. Just too good to pass up.

Speaking of too good to pass up...I've fallen in love with these yummy Sara Lee Cheesecake Bites. Basically, these little treats are a Sara Lee cheesecake cut into small bite-size cubes. Each cube has only 20 calories, and, truly, two or three satisfy my sweet tooth . They're on sale right now at Kroger for $2.20 instead of the usual $3.79. Needless to say, I stocked up. As that old jingle goes... "Nobody, doesn't like Sara Lee..."

Did I Mess Up?

2008-06-12T12:52:00.007-05:00

OK everyone, just have to vent a little. So please excuse my little rant here. As I've mentioned before I like to visit Kristin Armstrong's blog, Mile Markers. She's a creative writer, and I can relate to so many of her posts. Well, several weeks ago she had a great post Orange Shorts. As I was reading through the comments that readers had left, I was particularly annoyed by one reader, CGT, who had commented several times on a grammatical mistake in Kristin's post. Mind you, this blog is written by a mom and runner and gives readers a little inspiration when it comes to balancing all the stuff that comes with being a parent who has interests and a life. Well, I thought it was a little odd that someone would take the time to be fairly "ugly" in her comments when they really had nothing to do with the spirit of the post. (Thanks to all of you for never pointing out any of my writing errors...I try to use spellcheck when I remember and double check my posts before I publish...stuff surely slips by...blogging, for many of us, is like a journal or that quick note you would jot to a friend...all things that we don't worry about being scrutinized for grammatical errors) Anyway, it just irked me to see all of the real negative comments that this particular blogger continued to make about this post.

Fast forward to yesterday evening, when I was reading Kristin's latest post Some Like It Hot, Hot, Hot, all about running in this awful Texas heat and humidity. As usual, I browsed through the comments and found it quite ironic that the infamous CGT had posted not once but twice with the very common grammatical mistake of writing "alot" as one word instead of the correct "a lot." Since she had done it in two different posts, I figured it wasn't just a typo and since it was midnight and I was a bit tired and perhaps not thinking straight, I typed a comment on Kristin's blog addressing the mistake. I thought if CGT was going to take the time to point out the grammatical errors of others (and not in a very kind way) I thought I would inform her of the mistake. Since I had just reviewed this with the sixth-grade students I had volunteered to tutor, the lesson was fresh in my mind.

Well, she didn't seem to take the helpful information very well and decided to poke a little fun at my blog and question what I was doing teaching sixth-grade students in Houston during the middle of June. I had actually volunteered to work with a group of students who had struggled in the writing portion of our state assessment (TAKS). These kids have a lot going on in their lives that isn't so great, so I felt this was a way I might be able to help. I'm having a blast working with them, and I'm probably learning as much from them as I hope they are learning from me.

In a way, I'm mad at myself for even writing the comment to CGT. It's just that she was so unkind in her comments. The comments weren't just about the grammatical error in Kristin's post but about Kristin herself. While I didn't make a comment during her initial criticisms, I couldn't help myself yesterday. Did I mess up? Should I just let stuff like that go? Now, CGT seems to have decided to make a little fun of me. This has just really irked me so I had to vent. Thanks for letting me let it out. I promise my next post will be much lighter and fun.

(No doubt, this post probably has some grammatical errors...let's make a pact that our posts don't have to be grammatically perfect and that if we can't say anything kind in our blog comments, we won't say anything at all.)

Cute Bargains

2008-06-11T17:17:00.008-05:00

An email I got yesterday from CWD Kids led me to some incredibly cute bargains that I had to pass along. Here are just a few of the deals I put into my shopping cart.what a cute pink and green seersucker skirt only 9.99!!

pink and green flip flops embroidered with little starfish only 9.99!!

Sweet Potatoes bathing suit in fun Marimeko design ~ 19.99

Matching Sweet Potatoes dress ~ 19.99

pink and green seersucker dress ~ 19.99

There were lots more great deals. Cute Sara's Prints pjs and Mulberribush t-shirts. Some really fun patriotic outfits, too, that would look adorable for the Fourth. Hope you'll discover some great finds, too!

Just Add Dots

2008-06-06T16:20:00.009-05:00

I've discovered one of the most creative and nicest ladies around...Her name is Hazel, and she's an incredibly talented artist. I recently purchased one of her custom-designed handpainted keychains and I just had to share. I was able to customize everything from color combo (pink & green, of course) to the graphic and monogram. Her Etsy Shop, Just Add Dots, has a sampling of her creative products, and she also does custom requests. My keychain is adorable, and I've received a ton of compliments. The "ball" is about 1.5 inches in diameter so it's easy to find in your purse. She paints these super cute keychains with whimsical portraits of your children.

Check out Hazel's blog so you can keep up with her new creations as well as her crazy, busy life as a mom and artist.

Garnet Hill Bargains

2008-05-28T14:06:00.009-05:00

Just wanted to pass along a great bargain find...I just ordered these two adorable Lilly suits from Growing Up With Garnet Hill-Kids' Clothing and Accessories for Bonus Baby at $19 each. They actually had several kids' Lilly items on sale as well as a bunch of other goodies. Just so happened, I came across a coupon code for $10 off a purchase of $50 or $20 off $100. I couldn't just buy the two suits and not use the coupon -- so to get to my $50 total I also purchased this cute button pillow for $9 and fun scooter skirt for $9. The code is G6KMENT. Go check out the clearance section on the Garnet Hill site, you'll find some real bargains.

May Is The New December

2008-05-23T22:33:00.002-05:00

I'm officially declaring that this time of year is crazier & busier than the holidays. Between all of the end of year programs, celebrations, assemblies, tournaments, concerts, I truly am about to lose it -- hence the lack of posts. Somehow it seems that anything I find remotely fun like reading a book, surfing the web, playing some tennis or simply a good night's sleep all fall by the wayside once May arrives.

This weekend I'll be making 140 luggage tags for Big Brother's Fifth Grade Appreciation Celebration. Then it's working on clever gifts for the myriad of teachers, office staff, nurses, counselors, administrators, crossing guards, etc. who make school such a great place for my kids. I'll also be fitting in a soccer tournament, band concert, choir performance, preschool end of year party, Big Sis' braces removal, and I'm sure some other stuff I have forgotten and will undoubtedly remember the night before...

Good luck to all of you who are in this same boat. Let's hope it just stays afloat and reaches a safe harbor very soon.

Nostalgic Notions

2008-05-11T22:22:00.014-05:00

Tonight at dinner I found myself taking a trip down Memory Lane with my kids as I recalled some of my favorite tv shows and my celebrity crushes. Here's a bit of what I reminisced about...

Watching Pinky Tuscadero & Fonzie on "Happy Days." Fonzie really loved Pinky and I so hoped they would get married.

Crying like a baby when Jenny died with Greg at her bedside on All My Children

Hoping that Jamie Somers, the Bionic Woman, would remember how much she loved Steve Austin, the Six Million Dollar Man, and they would be a couple.

Listening to my Shaun Cassidy album over & over.
Quickly finishing my homework so I could watch Willie Aames on "Eight is Enough"; Lance Kerwin on James at 15 (and after he lost his virginity the show became James at 16); Shaun Cassidy on the Hardy Boys; and Jimmy McNichol (Kristy's brother) on some show that I cannot remember the name of. I also remember watching a tv movie of the week with Jimmy McNichol where he was a hockey player and became a figure skater and his girlfreind was his partner. At the end of the movie, he died in a plane crash and I cried for days.
Wearing my oh-so stylish Starsky & Hutch socks and wishing I was old enough to marry David Soul.

Those were the days, my friend...

A Few Quirks

2008-05-01T22:45:00.007-05:00

I have to admit I'm not the best at this "tagging" thing. I would always be the one to break the chain in a chain letter. Not that I had anything against chain letters or tagging, I just tend to forget, procrastinate, etc. until it seems too late to do it. I am going to try and make the effort. The Preppy Engineer recently tagged me with Six Quirky Things Meme. Mr. Madras would claim that I have a lot more than six quirks, but here are a few...

I love pretzels -- all kinds -- soft or crunchy. My latest faves are pretzel chips. They're these flat cracker-like pretzels with an awesome crunch. They have a variety of flavors and I can buy a HUGE bag at Costco. I crunch and munch the whole day long.
I am a "pronunciation snob." I cannot stand it when people misuse words or, worse yet, "mis-say" them. You know, like "supposebly" instead of "supposedly." Some that really get me are "Barnes & Nobles" and "Krogers" -- there is no "S" people. You don't say J. Crews or Targets. It's "Barnes & Noble" and "Kroger"!
I am a huge fan of the San Antonio Spurs NBA team. I can hold my own in any conversation about the NBA and particularly the Spurs. Eva Longoria Parker's husband, Tony Parker, is their starting point guard and one awesome player.
I have to chew Orbit peppermint gum and wear Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine when I play tennis. I'm convinced the aromatherapy and peppermint help me focus.
I have to wear socks all the time whenever I'm in a hotel. Whether it's a Motel 6 or The Greenbrier, I've got to have my socks on.
I'm addicted to joining those book clubs like Doubleday, Literary Guild, etc. I keep joining, cancelling, rejoining, etc. Something about those ads "Get 8 books for $2" seems like such a bargain and I cannot stay away.

Just a few of my quirks...What are yours?
Rules of play:

a. Link the person who tagged you. That’s Me

b. Mention the rules in your blog post.

c. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.

d. Tag 6 bloggers by linking to them.

e. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they have been tagged.

I'm tagging
Tickled Pink & Green
Magnolia Mama
Abnormally Normal
Preppy Pink Crocodile
Boo and Hooties Mom
Just Add Dots

Bargain Madras

2008-04-29T21:42:00.006-05:00

Just had to share...In my quest to find more cute madras stuff to add to Tickled Pink and Green's growing Target list,I stumbled upon these AWESOME pillows from a site called TextileShop.Com. The best news is that they are such a bargain! A 27 x 27 floor pillow is only 9.99 and a 17 x 17 inch toss pillow is only $3.49!!! Here's the link. Hope there are some left after I made my HUGE purchase.

I'm In Love...

2008-04-29T08:47:00.009-05:00

It's no secret that I have a fondness for madras. Everything from my ironing board cover to my key chain reflect my passion. So, needless to say, I was thrilled to get an email from the folks at Cape Madras letting me know about their absolutely ADORABLE madras collections. This is the REAL stuff, y'all...madras straight from Madras, India. Everything they have is quintessentially preppy and oh so cute!!! I must admit I have fallen "head over heals" in love with their Linen Collection. While they are still developing the linen line, I can tell from the "gotta have" madras chair and "too fun" ottoman, that I am a goner. Check out the linen collection here click on Linen Home. It's just fun to surf around the Cape Madras site -- the photo gallery is full of great pics that make you wish you were strolling the Cape right now.

I'm off to get my "madras fix" right now at Target. Tickled Pink and Green has posted about all the great preppy finds at Target right now. Can't wait to fill up my cart!!!

It's Official

2008-04-28T22:23:00.010-05:00

Well, I did it. I just clicked "submit" and I'm now officially registered to run in my first marathon. I've run the Houston half-marathon twice (2007 & '08)and flirted on and off with the idea of doing a full marathon but could always find many reasons why it wasn't a good idea. Well, I've decided 2009 will be the time and Walt Disney World will be the place. I can think of no better place to trot those 26.2 miles than through the "Happiest Place on Earth. I've convinced myself that the atmosphere and sheer magic of that place will make give me the extra "oomph" I'll need to complete a marathon. So on January 11th, I hope to lace up my running shoes, sprinkle on a little pixie dust and enjoy a "leisurely 26.2 mile stroll" through my favorite place on earth.

One place that I've found some excellent running inspiration as well as some wonderful insights into life is Kristen Armstong's (Lance's ex-wife) blog Mile Markers. Kristen has such a way with words and an incredible view of life. Reading her blog is a shear joy and her posts always leave me with some nugget of wisdom or insight that changes the way I look at life.

Any other preppy runners out there care to join me...I'll spring for the madras running shorts :)

The Big Green Purse & A Cute Pink Bike

2008-04-22T17:57:00.013-05:00

Happy Belated Earth Day, everyone!!! (it was actually yesterday, April 22) Life at the Madras house is becoming a bit more "eco-friendly" every day. We're trying to make some strides (albeit, baby steps) to living more "green." Last week, I purchased "The Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World," by Diane MacEachern. It's full of eye-opening facts and user-friendly ideas. Diane also has a website Big Green Purse that shares a wealth of information on how we can make a positive difference in our environment by using our spending power.

One of the areas where I've decided to make a change is my mode of transportation. While I will still be piling the kids in the Odyssey most of the time, the Madras family will also be traveling .by bike a lot more. This weekend, Mr. Madras gave my 15+ year-old Schwinn a much-needed tune-up and a little TLC in preparation for its daily use. I plan on riding it to my tennis matches. Our courts are embarrassingly close to most of our ., yet the parking lot overflows with our SUVs. In addition, that quick trip for milk & bread will now be made on my bike. Luckily, the store is nearby and besides having to cross a fairly busy intersection, it's an easy ride. I've decided that if I stick to this plan for a couple of months<., I'll invest in this cute pink Ra l eig h cr uiser and add a few fun accessories like the adorable green bike basket by Swedish designer Marie-Louise Gustafsson . I figured I might as well make a statement in style...

I'll keep you updated on my progress.

Finish What You Start

2008-04-21T21:22:00.005-05:00

Well, I know...long time no post...I'd love to say we've been at DisneyWorld for the last month, but we've actually been home since March 23rd. I can't quite explain why I haven't posted. I've certainly thought of many ideas to write about...but, like so many things in my life...I just never seemed to get around to it. I'd read all my favorite blogs and think how interesting and witty they were and how nothing I had to say was that creative and cute. I seem to have this habit of starting many projects (like this blog) and going "gung-ho" for a while and then just leaving the project half-done. I even do it with books. Tonight, Big Sis asked if we could please finish decorating her room. (A project I enthusiastically started two months ago.) I believe her actual words were "Mom, can you just finish one thing before you start something else?!" Oops, what can I say to that? She's right, and I've decided that I've got to "lead by example." By the end of May my "completion goals" are:

Finish decorating Big Sis' room

Finish "Jane Austen in Scarsdale" A fun, preppy read I found in the bargain book section at Barnes & Noble. I'm more than halfway through the book, and I haven't picked it up in weeks. Instead, I started reading "The Big Green Purse" in hopes of beginning to live a little more earth friendly.

Post on my blog at least 4 times a week. (even if I think it's not as good as everyone else's)

I'll keep you posted on my progress...Tomorrow is Earth Day so I hope/plan to post some fun facts from "The Big Green Purse."

When You Wish Upon a Star...

2008-03-13T21:54:00.002-05:00

We're off to the most magical place on earth. I admit it -- I absolutely LOVE Disney and can't wait to get there. I think I may be more excited than the kids. Needless to say, I won't be posting for a while. I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter, and I'll look forward to catching up on everyone's blogs when I get back.

The Gift of Giving

2008-03-05T19:40:00.004-06:00

Yesterday a friend told me that I was such a creative "gift giver." I had to chuckle a bit to myself as my most "creative" gift ideas seem to come at the eleventh hour the night (or hour) before I have to give a present. I've been able to come up with several easy & very meaningful gift ideas that have proven to be real "winners." I thought I'd share a few...

-Give a "tree." Visit historictrees.org and click on the Nursery Store. Here you can purchase the offspring of trees connected to famous people, events, and places. From George Washington to Johnny Appleseed, Walt Disney to Mark Twain, these trees witnessed the birth of our nation-and all aspects of its history thus far. The trees are very reasonably priced and proceeds benefit American Forests, the nation's oldest nonprofit conservation group. For Christmas last year, we gave my brother-in-law and his wife a "Williamsburg Golden Raintree" as they met as students at William & Mary. I promise this gift is a sure winner and you'll feel good knowing you've done something positive for the environment.

- Making a donation in someone's honor can also be very special. I suggested to my friend, who was struggling as to what to get her mother for her 75th birthday, to donate a book in her mother's honor at the library of the college her mother attended. Since her mom is an accomplished artist, I suggested an art book. You can simply visit the website of a college and usually get the information you need on the development page or alumni site.

-For the last several years, we have made donations in honor of the kids' teachers either at the teacher's alma mater or to a cause that means a lot to them. For instance, one year we made a donation to the Thomas Jefferson Foundation as my son's teacher had a real fondness for Jefferson and Monticello. Another year, we contributed to the Smithsonian to celebrate a wonderful Social Studies teacher. With the internet, it is so easy to just visit the websites of these organizations and find the "donations page." Don't forget, those donations are also tax-deductible.

-We love to give magazine subscriptions, particularly when you can get them very easily and inexpensively on eBay. The kids often give these as birthday gifts think Sports Illustrated for Kids, American Girl, Nick Jr.. We simply buy the current issue of the magazine and include a cute poem letting them know they'll be getting a subscription. I give them as housewarming gifts think Veranda, Southern Accents, Architectural Digest. New parents think Cookie, Wonder Years, Parents.

Just a few ideas that are simple, meaningful and as easy as a mouse-click.

A picture is worth a thousand words...

2008-03-03T22:24:00.003-06:00

I couldn't have said it better myself! This is my life....

This cartoon is by artist Dave Walker. He's got a real knack for finding the humor in the everyday. Find more of his cartoons at We Blog Cartoons.

We Are Family...

2008-03-01T19:51:00.005-06:00

You saved me once, and what is given is always returned.

We are in this world to help each other.

The Adventures of Pinocchio, C. Collodi, 1883

Almost four and half years ago I suffered from a serious bout of postpartum depression after Bonus Baby was born. My wonderful sister helped me navigate those treacherous waters with her care, nurturing and unending optimism and friendship. I am eternally grateful for her help during that dark time which is why I didn't even think twice when she really needed my support over the last week and a half as she faced some difficult times of her own. She's doing great now, and I am finally getting back to some of the stuff that I had put on the back burner - like my blog. I must admit my perspective on life has changed a bit over the past couple of weeks, and one thing I know for sure is that nothing is more important than family and the gift of unconditional love.

Container Store Cuteness

2008-02-20T17:18:00.008-06:00

I had a few minutes before preschool pickup today so I ran into the Container Store for a quick look around. Several adorable items caught my eye...
This cute pink a n d green striped acrylic tray for only $9.99

How cute is this pink & green acrylic basket? It was $14.99.

I also spotted these market totes. I found the exact same ones in Marshall's & TJ Maxx for $9.99 compared to the $34.99 at the Container Store. I love to give these as gifts filled with fun surprises from my gift closet. I've found some in red, lime green & blue. I came across some other totes like these at Hobby Lobby, but instead of the aluminum frame they were white plastic. With a 40% coupon, you could get them there for around $6. Not too bad.

The Simple Pleasures

2008-02-13T10:24:00.009-06:00

Today, I am grateful for some of those little things that can really make a big difference...

Today was Bonus Baby's Valentine's Pizza Party at preschool so I didn't have to make her lunch. That extra 7 minutes this morning was so nice.

My full tank of gas that Mr. Madras so kindly filled up last night.

A dear friend who offered to do carpool pick up today
SUNSHINE!! We've had a couple of dreary days so the sun is such a treat.

I'm about to try and be a bit domestic in the kitchen & make these yummy sounding "chocolate pretzel buttons". I found the complete recipe and instructions at Enamor via one of my favorite crafty blogs, Craftzine. My 13-year-old thought these looked like a great Valentine's Day gift for her buddies. We'll see....

It's all in the bag...

2008-02-10T20:27:00.000-06:00

When Tickled Pink & Green posted about her daughter's adorable preppy tennis racquet cover, it got me thinking that it was about time for me to be getting a new tennis tote. Why it had been at least a few months since my last racquet cover purchase, so I was due for a new one, right??? See, I've got a little addiction issue when it comes to cute tennis stuff. By the looks of my tennis bag and racquet cover collection, you'd think I was really good when the fact is I am still (and will probably always be) a struggling novice. I figure that what skills I may lack on the court I can make up for with my fun tennis accessories. Here are a few items from my collection...

I love my Vera Bradley bag. It's on sale right now ($36.56) along with all Capri Melon items since this pattern is being retired. There's a matching visor and water bottle holder that are adorable. Check it out here .

Here are two more of my racquet covers. Both of these are from Toss Designs and Marshall's.

While browsing for a new bag, I stumbled onto Henry Brown bags which I think just might take the prize for adorable, preppy, fun racquet covers & totes. (not to mention great purses and handbags, too) Here are just a few that caught my eye...

The best part is you can monogram all of these. They've got great choices for monogram styles and motifs. Check them out here . I'll let you know which one (or two or three) I decide on. Oh, and here's a site kStyle that seemed to have pretty good deals on Henry Brown bags.

Now, I'm off to attempt to conquer "Mt. Washmore." I've procrastinated long enough and the mountain appears to be ready for an avalanche at any moment. Wish me luck...

Fruity Fun

2008-02-08T18:29:00.000-06:00

How fun do these look??? I found this idea while visiting one of my favorite blogs, How About Orange. Jessica always has neat ideas & projects with a funky flair. While I'm not much of a cook, I think these look very doable even for me. Some oranges and jello and I'm all "set". Here are the step by step instructions courtesy of Not Martha. For a fun twist, here's a recipe with vodka from The Food Network. For a little pink & green preppy flair, maybe some pink grapefruit and honeydew melon???

Pinkalicious

2008-02-07T20:50:00.000-06:00

We're all about books here at the Madras house. Every holiday is celebrated with at least one book gift. This year, for Valentine's Day, Bonus Baby will be getting Pinkalicious, an adorable children's book about a little girl who loves the color pink, especially pink cupcakes. One day, she eats one too many, and (you guessed it) she turns pink. From the darling illustrations of all things pink to the sweet message in the story, I know this will become a favorite bedtime book at our house. I particularly enjoy all of the fun wordplay with phrases like "Pinkerella" and "Pinkabelle" along with "pink-a-boo" and "Pinkititis." I can't wait until the 14th so BB and I can curl up together to read this "pinkerrific" tale.

Meeting Mr. Madras

2008-01-31T22:51:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm finally home after a crazy few days of traveling, cancelled flights, airport food, lost luggage and a bunch of other travel-related headaches.

I was so excited to see that Abnormally Normal had tagged me for my very first time so here's the scoop on how I met Mr. Madras...

It was my freshman year (his sophomore) during the first week of school. The RA of my floor was dating the RA of Mr. M's floor so there was always some kind of good-natured fun going on. My first encounter with Mr. M was the night we had a "boxer raid." All the girls on my floor stormed the guys' dorm rooms, opened their dresser drawers and attempted to "steal" a pair of boxers. Lucky for me, Mr. Madras was a true prep and a pair of freshly-laundered (I think/hope) tartan plaid boxers was sitting neatly folded in his top drawer. I grabbed them, caught his eye for a split second and ran like mad out the door with my prize. Since we attended a relatively small (2,000 students) private college, it was inevitable that our paths would cross again--sooner rather than later. Several weeks later, his dorm floor had a party, and we actually talked a bit. He introduced me to his roommate and kept on making the rounds meeting some new freshmen girls. That fall, I'd see him on campus and say "hi," but it wasn't until we had a class together "Child Psychology" Spring semester that I knew this guy was worth a little flirting. Luckily, he felt I was worth some of his time as well. We met up at a fraternity party that spring and ended up spending most of the night together -- just talking, about everything and anything. I knew that night, without a doubt, this would be the guy I would marry. While it may not have been totally smooth sailing after that night, we did get married 5 years later. This year, we'll celebrate our 19th wedding anniversary, and I can't imagine anyone more perfect for me.

I'm tagging Impoverished Preppy and Melissa C.

Giddyup!

2008-01-24T09:53:00.000-06:00

Living in the Lone Star State provides opportunities for some fun traditions. Among them "Go Texan Day" where everyone in Houston is encouraged to dress in Western attire and celebrate the arrival of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. It's not unusual to see wagon trains along the sides of busy Houston freeways as real-live cowboys and cowgirls travel from their Texas towns to take part in the festivities of rodeo season. Festive, it is!!! There is nothing quite like the rodeo in Houston. Where else can you watch high school students rope calves to earn college scholarships then cheer on cowboys in wild barrel races and finally be a part of the "sold-out" Hannah Montanna concert (or see Fergie, Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, just to name a few)? Check out what it's all about here.

Since "Go Texan Day" is quickly approaching, I thought I'd do a little shopping for Bonus Baby. Some great cowgirl bargains I found...

Orient Expressed sale $32.88. The t-shirt ($15.88) and sweater($18.38) below also on sale at OE .

How cute is this Sara's Prints fleece coat from CWD KIDS. Only $14. There's a lot of cute stuff on sale at CWD right now.

Every cowgirl needs a pair of fashionable cowboy boots. Here's a cute pair from Target...

I wonder if I paired all of this with a green cowboy hat...Preppy Cowgirl...is that an oxymoron??? Happy Trails, Y'all...

Just had to share...

2008-01-23T15:21:00.000-06:00

See a bargain, pick it up ~ all day long you'll have good luck.

Just had to share about some of my good fortune over the last few days as I stumbled upon some really fun bargains. I've discovered that half the fun of discovering these great finds is being able to share the news with others who appreciate a good deal.

First, at Tuesday Morning. Lilly Pulitzer abounds. They had several of these multi patch quilts along with matching shams. There were also several different Lilly sheet sets and dust ruffles as well. I got the king quilt for $119.99 and two matching king shams for $29.99. We're redecorating Big Sister's room and Lilly is something we can BOTH agree on.

Also got this Lilly book for $4.99. It's got great recipes, ideas and photos.

Then it was onto Marshall's for more bargain finds and all "On Clearance" nonetheless. These were all Toss Designs, and I've paid full price for their stuff before because it's so cute! Needless to say, this stuff was literally jumping into my cart...

Adorable laminated cosmetic bag only $5 along with a matching tennis racket cover for $15. For $15, I could afford to get this cute racket cover, too, (which coincidentally matches a Toss tote I got at Tuesday Morning before Christmas).

Marshall's had a lot of other Toss stuff, too, ~bucket hats, flip-flops, lots of cosmetic bags. Oh, and some cute rain boots that I just HAD to have...only$16.

Also, I picked up some Vineyard Vines $3 boxers and a $5 belt for Big Brother. If you've got a Marshall's nearby, it's probably worth a stop. On a quick whim, I also ran into Ross, which I consider the "black sheep" of the TJMaxx/Marshall's family...so imagine my surprise and disbelief when I came across this Vera Bradley Nantucket Red suitcase "On Clearance" for $89. It's huge with lots of great features and I knew it was meant to be since Mr. Madras and I are headed on a "weekend getaway" in a few days, and I really did need some new luggage... Mr. M doesn't seem to find the same joy in my bargain finds. In fact, his only comment about my Vera bargain suitcase was that it would probably get really dirty. So thanks for letting me share here...I'd love to hear about some of your great bargains. I really do think it's twice as fun to share the excitement of that "fabulous find."

Since you asked...

2008-01-17T10:02:00.000-06:00

Several of you have asked how "Bonus Baby" got this wonderful nickname. Well, it's because she is exactly that -- a bonus. You've probably noticed there's a little age spread between Big Sis (13), Big Bro (10) and our three and half-year old "bonus." People would often ask us if she was our "OOPS" or "Surprise Baby" some would even dare say "Mistake." While BB may not have been on my "Life's To Do" list, I'm well aware that my "to-do" list is not always the same as the list of the "man upstairs." So when that stick showed two blue lines, I knew it was meant to be and life was about to get even more exciting. I can tell you that our little girl has been nothing but a true BONUS in our lives. The excitement and joy she has brought to our family are immeasurable. Just a few of the perks she's provided:

Trips to Disney are even more thrilling for Big Sis and Big Bro because they see things through her eyes. They get so excited watching BB's reaction to hugging Pooh or riding Dumbo. Christmas morning is like this, too, and the older two rush by their own gifts to show BB her new bike or doll house.

My older two have become so responsible and more patient. Big Bro is so nurturing and caring that I know he'll be a better boyfriend, husband and father when the time comes.

Big Sis is real popular with all her friends because her little sister is soooo cute and fun to play with.

A chance to get to do the whole "little girl "thing again as an older and, hopefully, wiser parent.

I just looked "bonus" up in the thesaurus and here are a few of its synonyms. Our little bonus is all of these and so much more...gift, extra, reward, perk, plus, treasure, benefit, goodie, boost, enhancement, prize, advantage. We are truly blessed!

Help Wanted

2008-01-15T22:15:00.000-06:00

Animal crackers, and cocoa to drink,
That is the finest of suppers, I think;
When I'm grown up and can have what I please
I think I shall always insist upon these.
"Animal Crackers," Christoper Morley, 1921

If making dinner could only be that simple. That's exactly what I need ~ some simple supper recipes that everyone in my family will eat and that I can prepare fairly easily. You see, I must confess I don't like to cook. Trust me, I've tried to enjoy it. If you looked on my kitchen bookshelves lined with all sorts of cookbooks, you would swear I was a seasoned chef. But my family knows better and that became all too clear today when I was "planning" tonight's meal. Here's the conversation:

Big Brother: What are we going to have for dinner tonight, Mom?

Me: Why don't we go out to eat tonight? Let's see, it's Tuesday, where do kids eat free?

Big Brother: Mom, kids eat free at home every night.

Well, if that didn't say it all! I have to cook more here at home where "kids eat free." So I'm asking for a bit of help. Does anyone have a great cookbook or helpful website where I can find easy and tasty meals? (The easy part is kind of important for me.) Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Pass the Kleenex, please

2008-01-14T17:20:00.000-06:00

I stumbled upon this fun idea while browsing one of my favorite new sites Craftzine's Blog. How fun is this...Design your own Kleenex box at the Kleenex website.

From photos to your own patterns just upload your image and follow the simple directions. I'm thinking you could scan a cute Lilly print or for the Photoshop users among us you could create your own patterns. The design interface looks really easy to use. There's also a neat 3D preview of your creation that you can spin around. Here's the link. It's only $4.99 + shipping. Not bad to get your own personalized Kleenex box. Once the Kleenex are finished there are probably endless possibilities for the empty box...

A Myriad of Meandering Musings

2008-01-09T22:48:00.000-06:00

Today I was so lucky to be able to do my morning run in absolute perfect weather. Total sunshine and around 50 degrees which is perfect for a runner like me who sweats profusely. Honestly, I have met few people who can get as drenched as I can from just a mild workout. Anyway, the idyllic weather had me running a bit farther and longer than usual so my meandering brain had more time to wander & wonder, and here are just a few of the thoughts that I pondered...

Could it be that last night I attended the "New Parents Freshmen Orientation" at our local high school? No, it's not possible that I'm the mother of a child entering high school this fall. But, alas, it is true and I tell you I left that meeting totally overwhelmed. Honestly, the counselors made it sound like the course selections you make today will affect your entire life --college, career, etc. They really were saying things like "if your child wants to be an accountant, then he/she should do this...if your child is planning to attend medical school than you need to consider this..." My daughter can't decide what to wear on most days, let alone know what career she is interested in. Do they really expect our kids to have figured all of this out? Then all the talk of AP, IB (International Baccalaureate), Distinguished Diplomas, weighted GPAs~my head was swimming. My hope is that I can digest this info. a bit more in the coming days and get the real "scoop" from friends who have already done the high school thing. I can tell you that a one hour meeting in the school cafeteria just doesn't cut it!
While all of this is weighing on my mind, so is the fact that tomorrow is "Brown Day" at preschool, and I cannot think of one thing in Bonus Baby's wardrobe that has a stitch of brown in it? I can handle "Blue, Yellow, Red, Orange, and of course Pink & Green Day," but "Brown Day"????? All I can think about is the fact that if BB does not have something brown to put on in the morning, she will be one very mad & unhappy camper. Oh great!
Next, I begin to wonder how Big Bro is doing at school today, since exactly five minutes before walking out the door for school, he informs me that he is supposed to "dress-up" like a Patriot for his Social Studies debate today. I think we could have maybe thrown together a New England Patriots football uniform together, but an 18th century Son of Liberty?? Luckily, the dress-up part was actually worth five extra points. He ran upstairs and got his navy blue blazer. I grabbed some construction paper out of the pantry (that's where we keep all our school craft goodies) along with some scissors and a stapler, and we were able to assemble some sort of hat with the three corners that maybe if you squinted real hard somewhat resembled a colonial-looking hat. We did all this while creeping through the carpool line! I guess I could have really gotten mad and lectured him on checking his assignment book and managing his time better, but since the apple does not fall far from the tree, and I've been known to get into predicaments like this myself, I decided I would share the skill of "winging it." I don't think that's the way to go through life, but sure is a skill worth having!
Those thoughts led me to ponder the fact that I truly think my ADD brain comes with many gift and advantages. I think my creativity and ability to think on my feet all come from my somewhat busy brain. I can definitely "think out of the box" with the best of them...
Even more snippets that ran through me head...should I paint BB's room; I want to read more poetry; maybe we should get Netflix; what vitamins do I really need to be taking; my college roommate's birthday is this weekend, maybe I should call her; what should I wear to the Heart Ball next month...

Just a few of the things I ponder during a run. I used to run with my iPod, but I have found that the time goes much faster when I can just let my mind wander. I actually think it's kind of fun! I equate it to productive daydreaming -- I'm actually doing something worthwhile (exercising) and getting to daydream the whole time. Try it, it might work for you, too.

My Subscription Addiction

2008-01-07T20:41:00.000-06:00

I admit it -- I am a magazineaholic. I love magazines and subscribe to an inordinate amount. Mr. Madras wishes one of my New Year's resolutions was to conquer this addiction. Sorry, Mr. M, that's just not happening. In fact, I've just subscribed to a few more in support of my resolution to cook more. I've found that without a doubt eBay is the best place to get bargain subscriptions. Today, I ordered Martha Stewart's Everyday Food, Living & Everyday with Rachael Ray. Here are the links to these deals:

Martha Stewart's Everyday Food 1 year subscription was $8.75
Martha Stewart's Living & Everyday with Rachael Ray $16.98 1 year subscription for each magazine.

Here are a few other great deals I found on eBay. You can get a 3-year subscription to Traditional Home for only $5.99 or 1 year of InStyle for only $8.89! It's no wonder that a popular gift from the Madras family this Christmas was a magazine subscription. I've found lots of great deals on kids magazines which make great birthday presents, too. Below are some of my favorite reads...
Domino
Coastal Living
Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion
Better Homes & Gardens
InStyle
Traditional Home
Cooking Light
Town & Country

Another little problem I have when it comes to magazines is that I hate to throw any of them away. That also drives Mr. M crazy. Today, on a quick Target run, I saw these really cute magazine storage boxes in the Dollar Spot. I'm planning on organizing some magazines tomorrow and will post pics of the cute boxes then.

After one more load of laundry, I'll be off to bed with a few magazines in tow along with my "Itty Bitty" book light since Mr. M will undoubtedly be asleep by the time I finally roll into bed. He's never too fond of my late night reading, particularly magazines since I turn the pages much more frequently and they seem to make a lot of noise...Perhaps, another reason he hates my magazine obsession...

Happy New Year!

2008-01-02T22:14:00.000-06:00

It was back to school for Big Sis and Big Bro today, although Bonus Baby doesn't go back until Monday. I must admit it sure was hard getting up this morning...we have all enjoyed sleeping in the last two weeks so this morning we were all a little cranky. I guess if I was a "good mom" I would have tried to ease us back into the morning routine over the last several days, but since the snooze button and I are best buds, that just did not happen. Maybe, next year... I'll just add that to my New Year's resolutions. Speaking of resolutions, I've got several items on this year's "To Do" list from the simple to the grand.

"So many things are possible, just as long as you don't know they're impossible." from The Phantom Tollbooth, Norton Juster, 1961

Reconnect with some old friends...(this year is my 25th high school reunion so what better reason to get back in touch)
Try to cook more and eat out less
Maintain this blog
Organize my cottage business and start a website
Win the HGTV "Dream Home" Enter here (I'm entering daily online and bribing my son to fill out postcards since you can enter by mail as often as you like)
Train for a marathon

Those things should keep me fairly busy...I'll keep you posted on my progress (let's just hope there is some!)

Once Upon a Time...

2007-12-30T17:11:00.000-06:00

As a former junior high English teacher, I have a fondness for the written word, particularly quality children's literature. It seems that many of life's most valuable lessons are so eloquently and succinctly shared on the pages of children's books. That's why I was so thrilled to stumble upon Amy Gash's What the Dormouse Said: Lessons fo r Grown-ups from Child ren's Books. It's a true treasure, and I refer to it often. As Amy writes, "The ability to get to the essence in just a few lines, as authors for young people with short attention spans must do, is the mark of a gifted writer for an audience of any age."

With the birth of my "bonus baby" a little more than three years ago, I have had the pleasure of rediscovering some of my favorite children's books along with uncovering some new tales with my older two. I truly enjoy reading these books and discovering wonderful nuggets of wisdom. I'm planning on sharing some of those insightful gems in this blog, especially when I find one that perfectly fits with whatever meandering musing I might be blogging about.

Children's author Judith Viorst summed up my thoughts exactly when she wrote that those bits of wisdom shared in children's books..."remind us that we should never grow so old, or change so much, that we cannot find room in our hearts for the wisdom of children's books." On that note, I'm off to read a bedtime story to Bonus Baby and look forward to what life lesson we might learn tonight.

I Think I Can...

2007-12-29T19:53:00.000-06:00

With the new year right around the corner, I'm thinking/hoping that 2008 is the year I get my act together--follow through on things I start--like this blog. Oh, I had high hopes for it when I started, then life got in the way, and I got sidetracked which seems to happen frequently. Anyway, when tickledpinkandgreen left a comment on my blog (which at that point had only 3 entries with the last one back in Sept.) I felt truly inspired. I love her blog and to think that she had actually read mine and left a comment was all the prompting I needed to make another go at this blogging thing. So in the words of that famous Little Red Engine, "I think I can...I think I can...I think I can" So here I go again...

A Little About Me...

2007-09-14T16:23:00.000-05:00

While this isn't a "100 Things about Me" list, it is a tidy description of "what I love"

I'm in love with...
my husband of 18 years; my 3 kids (big sis-13; big brother-10; bonus baby-3)

I love to wear & carry...
anything madras; Lilly Pulitzer; Vera Bradley; my Nike running shoes; Crocs; David Yurman; Angela Moore; J. Crew; Spring Flowers by Creed; Coach; monogrammed everything; Vineyard Vines;

I love to play...
tennis; Harry Connick Jr.; hide and seek with bonus baby; Motown music; in the garden; on the beach; my iPod

I love to spend time...
reading historical fiction; writing letters; perusing Marshall's & TJ Maxx; shopping on eBay; collecting quotes; hunting for antiques; learning Photoshop; skimming US & People; volunteering at school

I love to visit...
Kiawah; Disneyworld; the Greenbrier; historical sites; old cemeteries; Barnes & Noble; fun blogs; my son at lunch; friends; outlet malls; NYC; Tuesday Morning

I love to dream about...
completing a marathon; writing a book; redecorating my house; my children's' futures; starting a business; moving to a quaint New England town

Just for the record, here are few things that I despise...
laundry; liars; being late; traffic; hypocrites; pushy parents; winning at all costs; rudeness; bad grammar; over-scheduling; humidity

That about sums it up...

2007-09-13T21:15:00.000-05:00

I love a good word. When I find one that so perfectly describes something that I'm trying to communicate, I can't help but smile. While writing the little tagline for this blog, I found one of those perfect words -- it seems to sum up much of what I do and who I am -- "meander" (I even like the way it sounds). When I looked up its definition, here's what I found:

meander (noun) - a winding path or course -What could better describe the life of a mother of three? Not to mention this is the perfect analogy for my ADD brain (which I love, by the way:)

meander (verb) - to move in a leisurely way, especially for pleasure. There is no better way to witness this word in action than to watch me shop at TJ MAXX or Marshalls (without kids). It's where I do my best meandering. I can also be found meandering in -- Barnes & Noble; antique stores; flea markets; my chintz-covered chaise where my daydreams are filled with meandering thoughts. Now, my goal is to incorporate meandering into all those crazy, harried daily aspects of my life so that I truly don't forget to "stop and smell the roses..."

I'll warn you now this blog will meander a lot as it follows the winding path of the life of a 40-something stay-at-home mom with many wandering thoughts and ideas. I'm sure I'll be sharing about my latest bargain finds to my training for a half-marathon to who knows what. I do hope that if you read my blog, you'll meander through it -- moving in a leisurely way, especially for pleasure!

Let's Give It A Try...

2007-09-10T16:21:00.000-05:00

Hi and welcome to my blog. I'm not sure if anyone will ever read this or find anything of interest, but on a "dare" I decided to try. Since discovering this amazing blogging world several months ago, I am continually in awe of how much I have in common with people I have never met or talked to in person. I find myself nodding in agreement and wanting to shout, "me, too!!" Or, heading straight to Amazon.com to order a book someone has recommended or buying something so totally adorable from a fun website that a favorite blogger led me to. So, when a friend dared me to write my own blog, I thought, "Well, what the heck.. Maybe, I could share a little about my life and make some new friends along the way."

So here goes.........