Random Friday

     Now that Thanksgiving is over, I am really excited to begin decorating for Christmas. I can't wait to have a Christmas tree in this house (though I am praying that Owen will not be tempting to climb it or knock it down or unwrap every present underneath). This weekend, I'm hoping we can get a tree and begin unpacking all our other decorations. Tim was really sweet last week and put up our icicle lights on the house on Black Friday while I was shopping. We need a wreath for the front door since the ornament wreaths that I made last year didn't survive the move and maybe some garland and ribbons and then our outside with me finished too. And speaking of shopping, I am almost done with all our Christmas shopping already. I took advantage of a lot of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals and we also had a couple presents that we bought earlier this year. Other than getting into the Christmas spirit, the other big event going on this weekend is....

1. SEC Championship

      Our college alma mater, The University of Georgia, is playing in the Southeastern Conference Football Championship tomorrow and we will be parked in front of the TV to watch the Bulldogs play. As Owen would say, "Yay football!" Whoever wins this game will play Notre Dame in the national championship. The game will air on CBS at 4 p.m. I am even making our dinner in the slow cooker so I don't have to miss anything while preparing it. Tim and I have a tradition (starting when we were dating in college) where we kiss after each touchdown Georgia scores. Here's hoping we have a full-on make-out session tomorrow!

2. What I'm reading now. 

       I am currently reading "The Light Between Oceans" by M.L. Stedman. Here's a synopsis from Amazon: "After four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherborne returns to Australia and takes a job as a lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock... After two miscarriages and a stillbirth, his grieving wife Isabel hears a baby's cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby... Against Toms judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them." So far the backstory is making it hard to really get into the book, but the brief introduction where they find the baby has me really interested to see the story unfold. 

3. Get paid to shop!

       I know I am probably totally behind when it comes to sites like Ebates, but for the three or four of you out there who have no idea what I'm talking about, this is for you. The site that I'm signed up with is Ebates and it basically pays you back a portion of the money you spend buying things on the Internet. Register (for free) with an e-mail address and click on one of the 1,500 retailers listed on the site to shop and then get an e-rebate on your total purchase (for instance, 6 percent cash back at Macy's.) There are no fees or forms to mail in - they just send you a check in the mail. I love online shopping, especially now that I have an energetic, impatient toddler who hates shopping. And if you're going to do some online shopping, what's the harm in getting paid to do it? And there are several sites that offer this. My mom has a deal through her Internet and cable company that deducts from her bill when she buys stuff online. Great idea, right? So far, I have made three purchases through the site and though my cashback payments are only a little at a time, eventually it should add up. And some stores even offer extra cashback through the holidays. For instance, Old Navy is offering 15 percent cash back on your purchases instead of the usual 2 percent.

4. Julep pick.

      Last week I chose my Julep Maven box for December and for the second month in a row, I chose the It Girl box. The box comes with, from left, Vivien (a full-coverage multi-dimensional gold glitter), Ivy (dynamic sapphire microglitter metallic), and Harper (full-coverage opalescent mermaid blue multi-dimensional glitter). Like every month, I had a really hard time choosing which box to go with and changed my mind at least three or four times. And because their new system is kind-of irritating because of how they allow you to redeem your jules (rewards points) or pay with cash, and not a combination of both, I just got a box and no add-ons, though I would have liked some of the reds and pinks too. Which is just as well, I guess because I have tons of nail polish at the moment and need to use them up some before I buy more. If you're interested in signing up for Julep Maven, visit their website here and take a style quiz to find out how they will tailor your selections to your personality and style. Use the code COLOR2012 to receive your introductory box for just a penny. 

5. Owen's first Disney movie. 

        Because I am a total mom-brain and forgot to use my Disney gift card from our friends Katie and David while we were actually at Disney World, I have been looking for a Disney movie to buy from the online Disney store. (And speaking of Katie and David, congrats to them on expecting a baby GIRL!) Anyway, I figured it was time we started collecting Disney movies for Owen since the majority of mine from childhood are on VHS. I ended up choosing the collector's edition of "Finding Nemo," which will be released on December 4. I figured it was a boy-friendly movie with colorful and beautiful animation. And it has a sweet message about a daddy who would cross the entire ocean to find his son. Currently, you can preorder the movie for $24.95 at Disneystore.com, which is an even better deal than the current one on Amazon. And if you preorder, you will later be e-mailed a discount code to get $20 off a future order of $40 of more at the online Disney Store. We are super excited about watching Disney movies with Owen as he grows up. Which others should we buy?

6. Look what the stork is bringing!

       The baby and toddler subscription company Stork Stack offered a deal earlier this month for 20 percent off their December box. I signed up in hopes of getting some fun, small items to include in Owen's stocking. And when they had an even better deal for Cyber Monday, I refrained to save us some money though I was definitely tempted! The theme for this month's box sounds really fun: Rock, Roll, and Roar! I love when a theme isn't specific so that what's inside is really a surprise. Themes like "Bathtime Fun" and "Fun with Food" don't leave a lot of room for interpretation. The box should ship today and I will review the items once it arrives next week. I have been interested in comparing Stork Stack to Citrus Lane and since I will be getting a box from both companies this month, I will be able to do so. 

7. Bible App

       My Sunday School class is going to be reading through the Bible together starting in January so we all downloaded the same Bible app on our tablets and e-readers so we could do it together. The one that we downloaded is the Youversion Holy Bible. On my Nook, it was called Bible and said Lifechurch.tv underneath. It is free. I really am enjoying this app because it has so many features. You can read the Bible in pretty much any version you prefer or have it read aloud for you. And it has tons of Bible reading plans and devotionals as well. I recently started the She Reads Truth Advent Plan which I found by browsing their plans by topic and selecting Christmas and Advent plans. There are 10 plans available with advent reading schedules. If you are interested in having a Bible app, I definitely recommend this one.