Yet another post for the “Emily is Neurotic” file.

mouse
I am paranoid – paranoid – about mice in our house. (As an aside, searching “mouse” on Flickr was a giant mistake.)

Ugh, just the thought of it sends chills down my spine.

Mice haven’t been an issue in our current house (knock on wood, please God do not let those be famous last words) but there was a period of time when we had a serious issue with them when we lived in our old house. That was just one of the myriad exciting parts of living in a house that was built in 1888. But anyway. I am constantly waiting to find evidence of a mouse in our house, and I think it’s starting to be a problem.

As in, perhaps I need to seek help.

The other day, I saw what was probably a brownie crumb on our kitchen counter and I freaked out, thinking it was mouse droppings. I finally convinced myself that if it was just one, it was probably just a crumb and not a sign of the devil a mouse. I’ve started following the children around with the vacuum cleaner when they eat snacks downstairs.

And as of yesterday, my paranoia is actually keeping me up at night.

We started decorating our house for Christmas yesterday (more on that disaster later) and our tree goes where our dining room table typically sits. The easiest way to move the table to the basement is to move it out on the deck and carry it outside down to the back door. So, in between one trip from the basement to the deck, we left the door open. It was open and unmanned only long enough for me and Andy to walk up the stairs of the deck, grab a chair, and walk back down, but that was long enough for my imagination to run wild. Last night I dreamed that a mouse got in while the door was open, and I remember “seeing” it scurry (ewww even that word freaks me out) up the stairs. When I woke up, I realized it was just a dream, but just because I had dreamed it didn’t mean it wasn’t true, so I literally laid awake for probably close to an hour thinking about whether or not there was a mouse in the basement, how I could find out if there was, and how I could trap the nasty little thing.

I could not get back to sleep because I was so stressed out.

And now that I’m posting about this, it’s going to be just like yesterday when I thought to myself “I really love this pre-lit Christmas tree!” as I plugged in a level of branches, which of course didn’t light. So yeah. Now I am really screwed. I need something like a metal detector that works for mice. Yes, that would be great. Until someone invents one, though, I may never sleep again.

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I Likes To Shop for Free!

Despite the fact that Thursday was both Thanksgiving Day and my husband’s BIRTHDAY, I had to get me some DEALS! And CVS starts their “black Friday” sales on Thanksgiving Day instead of Friday. So at 10 a.m., my BFF Luanne and I hit CVS! My “regular” store wasn’t open (the horror!) so I went to another store that I used to frequent and happily two of my homies were the only ones working! That and the dozen donuts Tim Horton’s donuts Luanne & I brought them helped us have a really FUN shopping trip! Luanne and I each did 3 transactions, were able to use Rite Aid $5/$25 coupons because this CVS accepts competitor coupons, got a TON of freebies because they had everything in stock, and “made” a ton of ECBs. It was EPIC!! But of course, I forgot to take a picture. D’oh!

But never fear. Hungry for more deals, I went to Rite Aid and Walgreens and my “regular” CVS on Friday. Here’s what I got!

riteaidloot

The best score of the day was at Rite Aid. I got 2 Schick men’s razors, 3 Schick Intuition razors, and 3 packs of Schick disposables all FREE plus a penny. I also got the Scope, toothbrush, tampons, shampoo, & shave gel. I ended up spending $7.21 and will get over $8 back in rebates plus a $5 Rite Aid gift card! Yee-ha!!! Now that’s what I call shopping!!

Then I moved on to Walgreens for free deodorant, shave gel, and body wash, 99 cent crayons (64 pack Crayola! with sharpener!) and of course a gallon of milk. 🙂 Because we needed milk!

Finally, back to CVS to get a couple women’s razors that they didn’t have at the other store on Thursday (I graciously let Luanne have the one they did have in stock. ‘Cause I am big-hearted like that!)

It was a great drugstore freebie shopping weekend! And NO ONE was at the drugstores on Friday, so I didn’t risk traffic or being trampled to death. Woohoo!

Hope you got some great bargains this weekend. To see what everyone else got, check out Super Savings Saturday at Money Saving Mom!

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Our Holiday Gift Guide – Moms Edition

Whether you’re looking for gift ideas for your BFF or ideas of what to put on your list, we’ve got the perfect presents for all the moms in your life. And if you’d like us to email your husband a link to this post, just let us know!

Without further ado… our gift guide.

Carolina Pad’s Simply Chic collection

simplychic
I love office supplies (probably more than what’s normal, but no surprise there), and I think these are so cute! I love how everything coordinates – they would bring a fun splash of color to any office or cubicle (and those of us who live work in cubes could definitely use something cheerful!). I particularly like the padfolio. The faux-croc cover makes it fashionable and fun, and I really like the magnetic closure (yes, I am a dork).

Belkin Laptop Hideaway
belkin laptop hideaway
I love my laptop, but I don’t always love it laying around in plain sight. Add in the power cord, various USB cords and all that, and it can be quite an eyesore. The Belkin Laptop Hideaway is a great solution to that problem! It’s made to sit on the floor, and safely stores your laptop, cords, paperwork and anything else you want to have handy but not necessarily in plain sight. I also like how easy the Hideaway makes transporting everything from room to room. This way I’m never looking for my power cord! It is well-made, durable, and looks great.

Scanpan
scanpan
I really love the convenience of nonstick cookware, but lately all hearing the word “carcinogen” thrown around in conjunction with such cookware has been making me a little nervous. Scanpan is the best of both worlds – it is the first nonstick cookware that’s certified PFOA-free. The ceramic-titanium interior is safe for metal utensils, and the nonstick factor is so good that cooking requires little to no oil (really!). The skillets are great for browning, searing, and deglazing – or at least that’s what they tell me. I have no idea how to do any of those things, but I will tell you that this pan makes a mean grilled cheese!

Kitchencue
kitchencue
Speaking of things I don’t know how to do in the kitchen… I love the idea behind Kitchencue, a series of instructional videos that teach the cooking-challenged among us how to do things like saute, make soups, and roast meat. In addition to teaching basic skills, the DVDs include recipes and information on the best way to use spices and herbs, wine pairings, and much more. They are a great gift for cooks of all levels who want to improve their skills.

Seattle’s Best Coffee
seattles best
I’m often looking for a useful-but-not-too-expensive gift for teachers, babysitters or Secret Santa gift exchanges, and Seattle’s Best Coffee has several holiday offerings that fit the bill! Seasonal coffee blends, like the SleighBell blend pictured above and my personal favorite, the Peppermint Mocha Trio, make great gifts for the coffee lover on your list. Seattle’s Best also has pretty gift sets that are wrapped and ready to go!

Nic’s Sticks
nic's sticks
Jenny and I have both enjoyed trying out Nic’s Sticks by OPI. Actually, neither one of us had been taking very good care of our nails since, I don’t know, 2004 (when our first children were born, imagine that), and now we are back into the grove of having great-looking nails! These portable, easy-to-use nail polish markers are the perfect way for busy moms to keep their nails looking lovely – they’d make a great stocking stuffer! They come in a ton of colors, and have the same fun names we’ve come to expect from OPI (my favorite is “I’m Really Not a Waitress”). Jenny highlighted Nic’s Sticks on Blissful Style, and you can read her review here.

Boots Original Beauty Formula Gift Set
boots beauty gift set
Another thing that’s gone by the wayside since I’ve had children is the luxury of a long, hot bath. In my opinion, there’s nothing more relaxing! This Boots gift set would make a great gift, as it includes bath foam and body lotion. Bath foam. Doesn’t that just sound fantastic? Both of them smell and feel wonderful. Memo to the husbands out there: If you get this for your wife, make sure you also give her the time to use it (aka keep the kids out of the bathroom!!).

Handbags by Cinda B
cindabbag

I am pretty much in love with EVERY bag Cinda B offers! They have some gorgeous fabric patterns and, functional handbag styles for any season in your life. The above pictured “Takin’ Care of Business” tote is perfect for the busy mom – it could easily be a laptop bag, diaper bag, or simply a purse! The fabric is water-resistant and easy to clean, and it’s just plain CUTE and very eye-catching!

Healthy Back Bag by Ameribag
healthybackbag

If you like a bag that’s more hands-free and ergonomically friendly, the Healthy Back Bag is perfect for you! Designed with your body in mind, it’s the most comfortable bag you’ll ever carry – easy on the eyes and easy on the spine! Plus, it has a REALLY awesome silver easy-see lining that helps you actually be able to see – and find – the contents in your bag! Great if you need to keep lots of smaller items organized inside your purse.

Ok, this is Jenny butting in – I feel I would be remiss if I didn’t mention an accessory that is dear to both Emily & myself – we each have a toggle necklace from Hip Fusion designs – here’s mine:

hipfusionnecklace

I was sent this to review months and months ago, and when Emily saw it, she loved it so much, her hubby was *persuaded* to buy her one for her 30th birthday! We both wear our kids names close to our hearts all the time now! I love, love, love this necklace. It is THE perfect gift for any mom, grandma, etc. And NOW it also comes in bronze!

Bronze Bar Tag Necklace

I am a SUCKER for personalized jewelry! I am giving this bronze version to a friend who’s child has a very unique family name (who I hope is not reading this post!) No matter how unique your child’s name is, with a necklace like this or one of the many other hand made personalized designs Hip Fusion offers, you can have something special with your kiddo’s name on it!

*Ok,end of Jenny’s gushing rant.*

And there you have it – the perfect gifts for the women in your life!

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Need more gift ideas? Check out our Little Kid edition here, and our Big Kid edition here! As a reminder, Jenny or I received a sample of each of the products listed so we could check them out and make sure we are recommending only the best products, but no cash exchanged hands!

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