Archive for November, 2009

Posted on November 30, 2009 - by Cate

from Nordstrom to CVS in 2 kids

I used to be a department store kind of gal. I loved to shop, loved expensive makeup and skin care products. Nothing stood in between me and a pair of shoes or a new coat. As I contemplated my first article for “Favorite Things,” I stumble onto a curious discovery. Somewhere in the last 20 years I’ve become a drugstore kind of gal when it comes to skin and hair care. In fact, my first inclination was to write about a line of products I’m fairly devoted to by Dove.

I suppose, given the broohaha of the last few months and all the feelings stirred up by the FTC, I must fully disclose that to date, I’ve made nothing, nada, zip, zero on my blogs. I’m just getting started and I’m stretching my gray matter and I just want to concentrate on writing. So, this is not a sponsored review.

Okay, here goes — I really love my Dove Go Fresh Collection in Cucumber & Green Tea — shampoo, conditioner, lotion, soap, deodorant and body spray. I’ve gotten more compliments and “what are you wearing?” and “you smell good” from this combo than any expensive perfume I have ever worn. Now when I think about it, I can honestly say, we’re in belt-tightening mode. Both my husband and I are self-employed, trying to ride out this bad economy with one in college and one on the way. Bring on the Dove…

But the truth is, I started using this combination long before the recession hit and I have to say, I love the smell and the freshness. It’s relatively inexpensive and yes, I’ll say it several times, it’s GREEN, a trend you’ll see in my favorite things as it’s always been my favorite color. I have no idea if it’s green in terms of the environment. GoodGuide is rating this product line at 7.1 compared to their best entries in the high 8’s.

And I have to admit, there’s some kind of psychology in buying a suite or “set” of products. It feels luxurious regardless of its price point. I seem to remember they offered travel sets which would make awesome stocking stuffers. I will link out to the product line in the event you want to see what it looks like. I imagine they are sold in drugstores and grocery stores, nation-wide.

This may not be the most inspiring first entry and certainly not the latest and greatest discovery by a frugal mom, but hey, they are my favorite things right?

Posted on November 24, 2009 - by Cate

First Reno Project: First Floor Floors

This weekend we ripped up old, crumbling parquet floors in the dining room and front foyer. We got great advice from a hardwood floor installer regarding removal. Why is that destroying things always seems much easier than building new? It worked like a charm!

After removing the quarter round (shoe molding), we took a circular saw and cut a grid into the floor following the parquet in both directions. Why? The parquet was glued to a masonite subfloor. That subfloor was subsequently stapled to the plywood flooring in both rooms.

By setting the depth of the circular saw to the first two layers, we were able to take a crowbar to each quadrant and rip them up with relative ease. Then we tackled the parquet around the perimeter.

Here we took a different approach. We pried off only the parquet layer from the subfloor (which butt fit up to the baseboard). Then we removed the baseboard and then the subsequent masonite, tucked underneath the drywall.

The final step, removing or pounding down the remaining staples/nails left behind that didn’t come up with the masonite! Heck, our trash removal service took it all away the very next day! Which is a very good thing, because I could barely move and no amount of Aleve made a difference. Why oh why did I give up my yoga classes…

postscript: both the sump pump and the water heater gave way this week — plumbing scares me — and everything comes in three’s…turns out it’s cheaper to rebuild an electric water heater than a gas one (silver lining?) U6DHEZJDB3AW

Posted on November 16, 2009 - by Cate

A Turkey Held Hostage

I’m wondering if holiday sharing is a common phenomenon among married couples. My husband and I have, since we married in 1986, traded Thanksgivings back and forth between our respective families.

Both of our families maintained strong holiday traditions. Both expected their children to continue to participate after marriage. Allowances were made once grandchildren entered the scene but only specifically for a few hours on Christmas day.

Early on, this methodology worked for us. It was a fair and even distribution of our much sought after time and attention. But truth be told, some years it was simply the fulfilling of expectations and being dutiful children. On more than a few occasions it caused marital strife.

And so it came to pass that my first Thanksgiving, mine to host and mine to cook and mine to serve came about as a result of family tension. So much tension, in fact, that my husband made the decision to forgo his family’s Thanksgiving. The story has been retold many times however this is the first time I’ve actually written it down to re-tell it in this forum. (more…)