our Mini Vacation

So the boys and I are back and really glad we went. It was just the three of us and while it was low key, we had a lot of fun.

There were costs, to be sure, but isn't there with most anything. The top three were the hotel, the fuel to get there and back, and feeding the three of us for dinner x 2, supper x 2 and one breakfast.

It was the first time I'd taken the two of them away on my own and I am really glad I did.

We spent most of our time at West Edmonton Mall. We checked out the movies but there wasn't anything we were dying to see so we decided not to waste our money. There wasn't a ton of 'shopping' per se, but we did come home with a few things. I bought the boys each a book they wanted, and one for myself. They used their own money to buy a couple more each.

DS1 spent his money on some clothes and a hat (hockey based, n'est-ce pas?) He really wanted a KANE jersey, but it was $229. I suggsested that the jersey could be his first goal for saving when he gets his part time job. Perhaps after saving so much a week for many weeks, he will realize it wasn't worth the expense. Or perhaps he will still want it and that will be fine as he's saved for it. He said 'oh there's lots more I NEED.' Then he laughed and said " ok not need, but WANT. I do know the difference'. Good to know since he's the spender in the family.

DS2 didn't really want to buy any clothes. Said he didn't need any right now and saw little point in buying some until he did. He's the saver.

I bought some clothes using a gift card my mom gave me for Christmas, some lotion and that was about it.

Some of the highlights of our trip were:

Sea Lions at West Ed Mall. DS1 was just fascinated by them. It was quite amusing to watch his face as he watched them. He said they are his new favourite animal. I offered to go down to the 'paid spots' you can see in the pic but he said it wasn't worth the $9 each. I didn't see the $ sign but he must have. We caught their show probably 3 times.

Crabtree and Evelyn Citron body Lotion. Lotions and potions are my trigger and I ended up buying the one on the far right of the photo. I was given a free mini sample of the mousse you can see in the jar. We can't wear scents at work so that will have to be my weekend or lift my mood treat. It has a wonderful lemony scent.

 We hit Petsmart. I told the boys I didn't want to go in there. They know how I react to cats in cages. And cry I did. There were probably 10 cats in there. Zeus, captured my heart. An adult male. White with orange. A tail like my tomcat's. If I could have, he would have come home with me. The boys each bought a pack of toys for our cats.

Our last stop was at Campers Village. This was at DS2's request. He bought a flint and stone for his Scouting summer and I bought him a microfiber towel that bundles into a teeny little pack no bigger than the palm of your hand. We spent over an hour in there. DS2 was in heaven LOL

All the way up and back we listened to the boys Ipods. I learned that along with the hockey songs DS1 listens to and the inappropriate ones I wouldn 't let him listen to, that both my boys like Taylor Swift. It was quite amusing to hear them both singing away to her songs.

The trip cost, to be sure. I am waiting for one more charge to come on my Mastercard and then it will all get paid off in full. Yes I could have used that money to plunk more down on my vehicle loan or put towards my savings goals. I didn't, and I am glad for the memories the wee trip created.

A Successful Mini Week

The grand total??? 27

Yup, 27.

27 containers and vials, tubes and bubble packs of lotions and potions are now gone from my house. Some to trash and those who could, joined their little plastic friends at the recycling depot.

I used up soap, shampoos and conditioners, bodywash and hair gel. There were face creams, footie creams,  ey creams and hand creams, even some generic ones for the 'whole body' :P

It's amazing how many one can accumulate. Some were freebies. Some were from students. Some..........I'm honestly not sure.

And after my Edmonton trip, I now have 1 more soap, 1 more shampoo and conditioner, and a wee sample of a lemon mousse body lotion from Crabtree and Evelyn.

Shaking my bitters

First I wanted to thank all of  you for your kind support on Saturday when I felt all blargggghhhhhhhh. It certainly helped to not feel alone in those feelings. I spent Sat and Sunday doing little things to feel better.

I lit some Party-Lite Candles and appreciated their fragrance and flickering warmth. I crossed a couple of deep clean items off my to do list. I got a phone call from a couple friends and we went out for a good long coffee. And we laughed. and laughed. It was a good feeling.

Sunday were the awards for DS1's hockey. This is our first foray into the high muckymuck league. There were 8 awards handed out and DS received 2 of them. Was very proud of him.

Today the boys and I head off for Edmonton. We'll go. Have a nice supper. Toodle about West Ed. go to a movie or not, depending on what's on. We'll spend the night and shop as long as they can stand it tomorrow and come home tomorrow night. It will give them something different during their week off.

Thanks again everyone.

ok this made me smile

Snow Angels

Bad case of the bitters

Some major envy going on in my world right now and I know it's not a healthy place to be in. Perhaps I just have cabin fever...or I need something different to shake my world up right  now. I 'feel' very boring and I'm struggling with 'never having anything or going anywhere'.

I think this has spawned from some of my family's recent activity. Sister 2 did her 'trip of a lifetime' to Egypt in Nov/Dec (before all hell broke loose over there). Sister 3 is off to the Mayan tomorrow with her two youngest (I think the kids are going. They are 17 and 15). Niece 1 and her Signifcant Other built this wonderful house. Niece 2 has a fancy new house to go with new baby. Nephew 1 and his girlfriend went to Mexcio right after Christmas. Nephew 2 and new wife just got back from the Dominican on Friday and they also have fancy new house. Niece 3 is finishing  her Geology Degree (which she has worked her assss off for) and has been offered a 2 year contract with a company in Australia.

No one in our family is more than middle class, if one wants to define things that way. We're not rich and we've all come from relatively humble backgrounds. All except Niece 2 have gone to post secondary. Electricians. Welders. Youth Drug/Alcohol Counsellor. Home Care Nurse (that's one of the nephew in laws).

It's very common in Sask for people to jet away to somewhere warm over the winter. It used to be more uncommon but not so much anymore. Heck even on my facebook page today I had over 12 different people on there giving there 'woo hoo so long 40 below Sask, hello Mexico/Dominican/Disney/Costa Rica.

We all make different choices with our money. I suspect almost all of the family listed above are 'financing' their trips...with different speeds of payoff.

Could I get a loan to finance a big trip? yup. In fact I did that...........5 years ago to take DS1 to Europe for hockey. I also know it took me 4 years to pay that loan off. I don't want to be in that place again....lol but neither do I want to be in the "I never get to do anything' place I currently am in.

This too shall pass, I know. I will be fine and process/swallow/deny my feelings and life will move on. Right now though, I need to  shake the bitter betties.