I miss Williams-Sonoma + a Giveaway

I did not realize how much I miss Williams-Sonoma until this Christmas season. Mr. Perfect and I always went there and picked up some treats for our kitchen around this time of the year. Their products are not the least expensive ones around. However, any time we had a problem with something we bought there, they made it right. Also, whenever you go into a W-S store between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve, there is something yummy baking or brewing. It smells so good there!

We gave this to our moms last year. I hope they are using them. If not, they should feel free to send it my way. LOL

I LOVE nutcrackers. I'd like to have a Christmas table set with this one day.

I'm afraid that if I had a box of these right now I'd eat the whole thing!

I'm thinking about trying to make this at home this year. Anyone have a good recipe?

We buy these to use December 26th after our Boxing Day dinner.

If you like to make espresso drinks at home, I recommend giving Illy a try.

In previous years, we've stocked up on mulling spices once they go on sale near Christmas. I cannot find them on the website now. I also can't find any cocktail mixers. I used to buy one each year to put in Mr. Perfect's stocking - kind of a joke since he didn't drink them, but just mixed them for me. I don't see them either. I wonder what happened? Maybe they are still in the stores. I think I'll take a drive to Augusta this weekend to check it out...


Now, for some fun: monogramchick has a super giveaway going right now. Drop on by her blog to check it out. Winners will be announced Sunday, so hurry!  Don't you love these cut travel mugs?

¡Feliz Navidad, amigas bonitas!

Kitchen Designing & a Giveaway

   I just finished shopping for kitchen cabinets. It was much easier this time than a few months ago. Why? Probably because I didn't have to do all the research again. But more likely, because I don't care that much anymore - I JUST WANT TO BUILD THE HOUSE!

   I'm thinking of going with either a red, white and brown theme OR a red, white and black theme. The red would just be in the accents, and the white is more of a linen.
This is the finish for the cabinets along the walls:   

This is the finish for the island cabinets:  or 


    I was leaning toward the black. Maybe it's the Dawg in me... However, the fabrics I'm drawn to would look better with the chocolate.  Here are a few that I'm thinking about for curtains, chandelier shades and cushions, etc.

  

   I was planning to go with neutral colors in the dining room so that I can do more seasonal decorating in there than was able to do before. So, keeping the kitchen a little more neutral than in the past would also be a good idea, I think. In our last house, I had a different color on every wall, so this is a new concept to me.  

How would this look over the breakfast table with some cute shades, Mom?

     On another note, there is a great giveaway at  How I Met Your Father that you should check out if you are at all interested in True Prep. The prize is an autographed copy of the book. Hurry, it ends this Thursday. 

Here Comes a Busy Weekend

Until our house is built, one of my favorite pastimes is finding ways to avoid our rental house. I am so excited to say that this weekend will be perfect for it. Tonight, we will travel to some small So Georgia town that I've never heard of to watch our high school football team. 

 Go Crusaders!

Saturday, after sleeping late, we will go to the seemingly unavoidable Wal-mart to find a gift for Boy 1 to take to a bowling birthday party. Parties at the bowling lanes seem to be quite popular here. There are not a lot of options, and the kids seem to really enjoy it. I imagine we'll probably have one there in December for Boy 1. Boy 2 will insist on playing a few arcade games before we leave to run errands. Afterwards, we'll pick Boy 1 up from said party.

Image via Wikipedia

We will visit one of Mr. Perfect's aunts for a while. They are all so sweet, and his parents, sister and niece are driving over, as well.
Somewhere along the way, I MUST catch at least part of the UGA v. So Carolina game. Here's hoping the Dawgs crush the Gamecocks!

Image via Wikipedia

Finally, I'm going to a Pampered Chef party at a new friend's house.

Image via Wikipedia

I've never been inside her home, but I have been to her pool for a party, and it's absolutely lovely. So is she and her entire family - especially her beautiful, sweet little girl who I think Boy 2 is a little sweet on. (He's far too young for that now, but in a few years I'll be thrilled if his taste in girls is still that good.)


I'll be actively ignoring the fact that it's still hot as stink here and clinging to the knowledge that cooler weather will be here soon.

Image via Wikipedia

Any-hoo, I hope you all have exciting plans for the weekend. What will you be doing?

Committing Commerce

   Hi, there. As of last night, I absolutely could not stand the thought of sitting in this house one more day. There isn't a lot to do here in our new town that does not involve being outside. And, since it's so hot, we have pretty much been sitting in the house doing nothing but watching tv and playing with Legos.  Here are a few of the boys' creations:

A Lego City

A Lego Helicopter and Helo-pad  

   I decided that the boys and I needed a day trip to Savannah to do some shopping. I hit Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, Sam's Club and Toys 'r Us (or "Toys for Us" as Boy 2 calls it). We even went to Chick-fil-A - twice! Oh, how I miss CFA! I could have literally spent all day looking around in BB&B. I went there to buy some T-discs for my new Tassimo coffee maker my in-laws gave me for my birthday. 

Image via Wikipedia

I think I actually stopped in mid-sentence in awe as I walked in the door and saw HOW MUCH STUFF was in that store. I've forgotten what it's like to have a selection. Of course I had a fist-full of those 20% off coupons I'm constantly receiving in the mail. They are worth saving.


   Adjusting to the limited number of quality buying opportunities that a small town offers has been tough. (Now, if you're looking for something made in China that only costs $1, we have 4 different stores for that.) I haven't needed to do a lot of shopping, but it was nice in our former town to be able to run out and get whatever I needed whenever I needed it. Plus, I LOVE shopping and have really missed  it. Savannah is 90 miles away, and I can drive there in about 90 minutes. It's not too far if I have the better part of the day to spend, but I definitely can't just go whenever I feel like it. 


   I'm thinking that I need to do a couple of things when it comes to the shopping transition into my new surroundings. First, I need to do a better job of keeping track of what we need so that I can take care of all of it in one big day trip to Savannah. I'm the queen of lists, so this won't be a problem. Second, I need to become the master of on-line shopping.  I'm a long-time Land's End customer, but I need to expand my horizons.  Any suggestions? 


   The upside of all of this is that we have been spending WAY less money since we moved than we used to, which is nice. I plan to keep it that way. You just don't need as much "stuff" in a small town - less pressure and simpler living.


   Any-hoo. Time to tuck in the boys (45 minutes late). I hope that wherever you are, you're keeping cool. And, let me know if you have any on-line stores that you recommend.

Good night, ya'll.