Thank you for the award!

Thanks so much to Anna at "Let's See if this Works"! She presented me with the Kreativ blogger award- many thanks! I love Anna's blog, too! Thank you!

There are rules that go along with winning this award and even though I can be a rule breaker, I promise to follow these guidelines this time!

The rules:

1.) Thank the person who gave this to you. (did it!)
2.) Copy the logo and place it in your blog. (did it!)
3.) Link the person who nominated you. (did it!)
4.) Name 7 things about yourself that no one would really know. (did it!)
5.) Nominate seven 'Kreativ Bloggers.' (did it!)
6.) Post links to the seven blogs you nominate. (did it!)
7.) Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know you nominated them. (did it!)

The 7 things about me:

An aside: this is hard because I've been blogging for more than 3 years and I think ya'll know everything!

a) I like a scoop of orange sherbet in my vanilla ice cream milkshake because then it tastes like one of those old fashioned orange push-up pops.

b) I resigned my job at the ice cream store on Wednesday, effective Oct. 2, 2009.

c) I have really bad arthritis in my right hand, especially my thumb, index finger, and the "fuck you" finger.

d) I often check out more library books than I can read during the allotted period so I either pay fines or I return them and check them right back out again since I usually have about 15 home at a time. But the reason I want so many at once is in case I get sick and have loads of time to read, or... well, what if I don't like something? I need to have another choice. And my mood changes so I have to have at least 3 different genres at home at once. Um, does this make me sound weird, or like I need medication?

e) I'm uncomfortable around old people because I feel like I end up talking to them the way I do a 5 year old and I never consciously do it. Then I catch myself and I feel like an idiot.

f) I don't recycle and I don't feel bad about not doing it but I feel bad about not feeling bad...

g) I like to wear flip- flops with toe socks just for a few weeks in the fall to make my foot transition back to real shoes easier. I try and trick my feet into being happy about shoes again. it doesn't always work...

My nominees

1) Bragger- I know I've given her an award before but I think she is SOOO worthy! Her blog is always thoughtful, and usually funny or insightful. AND she's smart! I love her blog and her brain! I have a 'girl crush'!

2) Julie at Riding Solo- her pictures are beautiful. And you never know what you might get with her blog- something personal, something insightful, something funny, quirky or just off the wall! I love it! (AND she works with BOOKS!!!!!!!)

3) Shan at Shansland- her blog is another potpourri of delight. She might have a video of anything, including her kids, or some insight or just a quip about her life. All good stuff. I also personally appreciate her comments that she leaves on my blog. She is funny, kind and always offers words that make me feel better; she shows through her comments that she is a good soul.

4) Finn McCool- my blogging buddy across the Pond in the land of the Emerald Isle had beautiful pictures, smart poetry, or a personal thought to share. (And I think his writing is sexy...)

5) Tense Teacher- a fellow high school English teacher who shares her stuff- the good, the bad, and the ugly. It's well written and I appreciate that she pokes a little fun at herself- anyone who doesn't take themselves too seriously, posts the greatest memes, and is always grammatically correct gets my vote as a FAB blog!

And the next 2 nominees are a bit unconventional...

6) Patti who is a member of a group photo blog called Through Our Eyes. This is her only blog but she is great. i love her pictures- they are stunning! And she is a frequent commenter here who always has something smart of fun to share. She is witty and insightful and I'm glad she's become my blog friend- and I hope to meet her in person someday!

7) Curley who is also a member of the group photo blog Through Our Eyes. She has a great sense of humor, which is apparent in her photos. I also appreciate her diligence in blog reading and commenting. She is a wonderful lady and I'm happy to call her my best friend and fellow blogger.

(Patti and Curley- we can post your award with your next picture on "Eyes" if you want!)

So once again, thanks to Anna for the award- I *heart* awards! And thanks to all the great bloggers who make my days just a little better!

Hugs and kisses,
Maggie Mae

Retail Therapy Day 1- Feelin' love for the Dollar Tree

I was actually working on a post where I was going to proclaim my love for Dollar Tree. It's been sitting in my drafts folder for a bit when I was surfing my blog favs and over at Little Pink Magnolia she also professed her love of this saving store! I thought maybe I should declare July "Dollar Tree" month in honor of such a great store!

I love to go there for... well, for everything. I've found ultra low cut socks there, which are perfect for the type of Sketcher tennis shoes I wear. And these socks are just darling, with fun and cute pictures on them, like slices of pizza or hearts or flowers or even a pair with pink flamingos. I also love to buy balloons and gift bags at the dollar tree- beautiful gift bags in ANY size, including huge, which are usually about 5 bucks at Wally World or 9 bucks at the Hallmark shop are ONLY 1 DOLLAR!

This is the perfect place to indulge my sweet tooth because they sell the movie theater sized boxes of candy there- I can get my fill of Sugar Babies, Junior Mints, Sweet Tarts for Mac, and a plethora of other goodies.

This is the best place to get cleaning products and if you keep your eyes open you can actually find name brand cleaning supplies. And that's the spendy stuff when at any other store so I try and get my 409, Dawn Dish Soap, toilet cleaner and Comet (or Spic n Span) at the Dollar Tree.

As a teacher, I go nuts there right before schools tarts. I stock up on pencils, paper and pens for my classroom. I decided it's not a battle worth fighting and if a student would show up sans notebook or writing implement, I would furnish it. Hey, I can get 24 pencils for a dollar- I'd rather take those few minutes I would spend reprimanding a child for being unprepared, and use them to say... TEACH stuff! And I get stickers there to put on students papers all school year long. (Yes, I put stickers on HS kids' papers. I just do it. mac's fault. Post for another time!)

And I could go on and on and on about all the scrapbook stuff at Dollar Tree- stickers, paper, pens, stamps- everything for the scrapbooker and I am one of those so I like to pick up stuff for my hobby cheaply and this is a good place to do it.

Curley, Daddy-O, Mac and I like to go to the Dollar Tree to just walk around and look to see what stuff they have. the stock changes all the time. One time we might find a beautiful set of coffee mugs and another time we find statues of Golden Retriever puppies with wings and another may have us in an aisle looking at 300 foam cones in all sizes... now, I never usually buy any of those things (I am so not even going into it about the dogs with wings... I mean, really, seriously, do I even NEED to?) but it's still fun to look and be shocked at what sort of tchotchke will be out.

And it's a great place to get holiday themed decorations and paper goods and party stuff. You want pink paper plates, for example, this is the place to get them, and get them cheap!

When I lived in the Wild West, I was about 3.5 hours from the nearest Dollar Tree and I can't believe I actually survived without it. I go at least twice a week now! It's like... crack! Or coffee! Or sho shopping- okay, wait, not like shoes! And since I still don't have a full time job (Okay will someone in bloggerville hire me to do something PLEASE? I'll even move, at this point. As long as there's a Dollar Tree!) this is the perfect place for me to indulge my shopping needs and worship the shopping goddess. Wanna see a picture? Click here!

Can you believe I actually got a pair of orange flip-flops there, that have a large white Daisy on the toe, and white polka dots?!? Shoes at the Dollar Tree! FOR A DOLLAR?!? Ah, what bliss is this!

Will buy almost anything for a buck,
Mags

Satchels & Shoes- I long for summer

Some of my old flip-flops which have seen better days... but I think summer would be "better days." I'm so tired of being cold and I just want to grab my nothing little shoes, my straw bag, don a cap* and hit the beach!

*Please take special note of my PINK President Obama Inaugural cap! Yeah, a souvenir from Sam! Yeah he buys me presents!

In Shoes we trust,
Maggie