SharpMoms, You’re On the Ball!
November 30, 2006
According to our poll, “When do you do your holiday shopping?,” 60% of you are already done! Way to go SharpMoms! And, I’m really happy to report that none of you try to tackle everything the day before. That’s just for Dads, right?
Here are your complete results:
When do you do your holiday shopping?
- Already done! 60%
- A month before! 30%
- A week before! 10%
- A day before 0%
- All year long 0%
I’m kind of surprised that no one voted for “All year long,” because I thought a lot of moms picked up sale items throughout the year. Personally, I fall into the “A month before” category. Now, I am already done this year, but I started in early November. And, that’s just because we are moving in two weeks.
Good luck to those of you who still have some shopping to do! Keep reading SharpMom.com for great gift ideas and holiday tips!
At First Sight (Fireside Book Review)
November 29, 2006
I haven’t been reading much lately. Between getting ready to move and getting ready for the holidays, there isn’t much free time. But, I did manage to finally get around to finishing up At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks.
I’ve read all of Nicholas Sparks’ books, except for his latest, Dear John, which is sitting on my book shelf waiting for me. I’m a big fan of Sparks’ work. He’s a superb story teller and great at throwing in a twist you never expected.
However, At First Sight, isn’t his best novel. It’s the sequel to True Believer, which I read and reviewed over the Summer. True Believer is the story of how Lexie Darnell and Jeremy Marsh meet and fall in love. At First Sight takes us through their life together in Boone Creek, North Carolina. The highlights include their engagement, their marriage, Lexie’s pregnancy and the renovations their first home. I guess I found the courtship more entertaining than real life!
The book begins with Jeremy relocating from New York City to the small town of Boone Creek. Of course, this is quite a cultural change for Jeremy. And, one that brings on a serious case of writers block. As Jeremy struggles through his career challenges, Lexie experiences ups and downs in her pregnancy.
It was an entertaining, easy read. But, as I mentioned earlier, Sparks does hit you with the unexpected. The twist really took me by surprise and at that point, I finished the book up in one night! I won’t say anymore, because I don’t want to give it away.
If you are a Sparks fan like me, you can’t pass on one of his books. You have to read it, just to say you’ve read them all! And, if nothing else, you can compare it to his others. For me, it’s hard to top The Notebook and Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas. Those are my top two!
Do you read Nicholas Sparks novels? What’s your favorite one?
Slow Down at the Check-Out Line (Tip of the Week)
November 27, 2006
This afternoon while going through my receipts trying to determine how much money I’ve spent on Christmas gifts for my kids (not a fun project), I realized that I was charged twice for the same item at Toys “R” Us last week. An item with a $31.99 price tag! I was so mad at myself for being in too much of a rush to go over the receipt carefully before leaving the store.
The item was actually a special battery pack for a toy I’d bought for my son. Yes, I too was shocked that a battery pack would cost $31.99 (and now I’ve paid for two of them!). I took my receipt into the store today and explained the situation showing them that I really only needed one battery pack since I’d just purchased one toy. Lucky for me, my cashier was apologetic and gave me a return with no questions asked.
As a SharpMom, I should have known better. I lucked out this time, but my warning to you is don’t leave the store until you really look at your receipt. Both the sales clerks and the buyers are rushed and busy during the holiday season. Add to that the fact that in many cases a lot of items are being purchased at once. It’s really easy for mistakes to occur, but you don’t want to pay for stuff you didn’t buy! Buyers, beware!
About SharpMom
Hi, I'm Katie. I’ve been successfully working at home and homeschooling my kids for the past 14 years, so I figured it’s time to get out there and start sharing what I’ve learned along the way. I'm glad you're here to join in the fun!
