A Video For My Precious Baby Niece!

Mad Shoppin Skillz

My mother has tried to teach me lots of things over the years, many of which I didn't want to learn. But a lesson that was instilled in me from the moment I could walk around a store is 1) Never buy anything at full price when you can get a bargain, 2) Getting a bargain sometimes takes patience and persistence. Hence our frequent TJMaxx and Marshall's runs, and the massive amounts of Macy's coupons that can be found in Mom's purse at any given moment.

I'm so proud of myself for getting these bargains. This first beauty caught my eye in the Chicago Kate Spade store, and it was love at first sight. I waited and waited for it to go on sale. Then I waited some more for it to go on clearance, then finally snagged it at clearance price plus an extra 15% off with the coupon code I have been saving. 

The anticipation was killing me... but I wanted to remember how pretty the packaging was!

Next up is a functional, yet beautiful laptop bag. I never even considered paying full price, not even normal eBay prices for this. But, my relentless daily eBay searches finally paid off after only six short months. :) Some amateur listed it as a "Kate Spade Women's Business Bag" instead of a "Laptop Bag", or a "Computer Bag" and since as many people didn't find her listing,  I got it at 1/5 of the retail price! To think, I had almost given up and purchased a Marc Jacobs laptop bag! 

This one is perfection. It's beyond gorgeous, fits my laptop, and the front pocket is perfectly sized for.... my iPad!

That's what patience and persistence gets you- and it is so worth it!

A Rowdy Thanksgiving

Kids make the holidays so much more fun. I've always looked forward to seeing the little ones at holiday get-togethers, since I'm not around kids that often. They are so entertaining!

Of course, this beautiful baby girl brings joy everywhere she goes!

Granny knitted Anniston a sweater and a hat. Rumor has it she almost gave up knitting after tackling that pattern!

David reminds me so much of Jake when he was little. He came up to me and said, "My momma has a camera like that!" Then he proceeded to pose, and insisted on seeing the picture to approve it before moving on to wrestling Eli.

 Meredith laughed at this wrestling match, saying "Eli may not be able to beat his 3 year old nephew, but he can defeat anyone at Modern Warfare!" I have to say- David is a pretty tough little 3 year old.

Mason and David were sneaky about posing for this one while their mom wasn't looking. ;)

Ella is going to be a personal shopper when she grows up! This girl is only 7 and already has some mad style.

 It's been LONG time since we've taken a good picture together. We don't get many tries. :)

A very thankful mom.

Something To Be Thankful For..

Anniston Ruth turned one month old this week! This Fall has been such a wonderful time... we've had beautiful weather, and the trees turning are as gorgeous as ever. Each time I run, I go to Chicasaw and enjoy the beautiful sights.... magnificent houses in the middle of the rich autumn leaves, all surrounding a serene lake. I couldn't wait to take my camera out to capture it, and I couldn't think of a more beautiful subject than my precious baby niece.