• Isn’t this cute?  

• So true.  I definitely need the one on the right.

• How do you like your steak?  I could go for #3 and maybe the next one..on the right.  Please don’t unfriend me.  🙂

• I went to set up my classroom and it is almost done.  I can say it is about 95% done.  Feels good to be almost done.  Some other little things will be done when I go back on the 20th.  I also need to work on my library and a substitute teacher folder.

• Have you tried this cream cheese?  It is so good.

• I received a email from my Principal that I can start to set up my classroom next week.  While I am excited about this, it means that summer break is almost over and it will be time to go back to work.

• Where did this summer go?  It went by so FAST!

• Remember the Brooks PureConnect shoes?  These showed up in my Facebook Memories.  I loved these shoes.  The 2nd version was even better.

• All this back to school stuff has got me thinking about a Cricut.  It is a cutting machine that you can use to make and decorate many things things.  No more buying letters, cutouts, etc. for the classroom.  With this machine you can make all of that and MORE.  They’re almost $300, but if I can get multiple pairs of Tieks, I can get this too.  🙂

• I finished reading another John Grisham book.  Another great book as usual but also sad as it mentions some things that happened in the South.  I won’t mention it here but I think you can get the idea.

• RnR Chicago was this past weekend.  It is usually HOT and HUMID on race day.  This year it was mostly humid with a lot of rain.  Oh man, I would have been miserable out there.  I don’t mind a little rain for a short amount of time but it was pouring out there.  

• A few months ago I applied for a Starbucks Reward Credit Card.  The first time I used it, I got 250 stars (enough for 2 free drinks).  Then when I spent $500, I was rewarded with 2500 stars (enough for 20 drinks).  Yep, I am happy!  The only thing is that these expire in February.  I should be able to use them all up, right?  🙂  From now on, I will receive 1 star per $1 spent on Starbucks Card load and 1 star per $4 spent on all other purchases.  I will use this mainly for Starbucks purchases as I use my Southwest credit card for everything else.

• Remember that time I wrote about a parking ticket that I received but that it was a mistake?  I got a letter letting me know that the ticket has been paid.  Umm, I didn’t pay for it but instead contested it.  Oh well, I won’t say anything else about it because at least I do not have to pay.  

• I mentioned that I have several credit cards but ended up closing most of them.  One of those cards is a Sam’s Club credit card.  I rarely use it.  I use it as a membership card.  One time I used it at the gas station but must have forgotten to use another one to pay.  A few weeks later I closed my account.  Last week I received an email letting me know that payment was due.  I was surprised because I did not know I had a balance.  Well, imagine my surprise when I logged in my account and not only did I owe $23.48 for gas but I also owed a late fee and interest charges (total almost $50).  I did a quick chat session with an agent and he was able to waive the late fee and interest charges.  My balance was was again $23.48 and you bet I paid right away.  Whew!

• I am a big fan of Amazon and think it is funny how much the prices go up and down for some items.  On Thursday I ordered a pair of the Oiselle Women Moto Lesley Tights for $9.32.  These are great for running in the winter.  I know, I know, it is still summer but that is a good price for those tights.  I cancelled the order (stupid reason and now regret it).  The next day the same tights were $88.  Damn! I was mad at myself for cancelling the order.

• Recently I signed up for Billie, Women Shave Club.  It is $9 for the starter kit.  You get a Billie handle, the mag(net)ic holder and two 5-blade razor cartridges.  So far I’ve used it once and like it.  I am going to use it a few more times before writing a review.

• IHOP recently celebrated their 60th Anniversary.  To celebrate, they were offering 3 short stacks for 60 cents.  My family and I got there around 9am and it was very crowded.  We were there for about 2 hours and when we left, not only was it still crowded, but there were a lot of people waiting in line.

• Which door would you choose?  I would choose #2.

• Finished reading this book and loved it.  It will help me understand my students a lot better.

• A nice evening last week enjoying a sunset.  Simply beautiful, right?

• Saw this on the counter at Starbucks.  Umm, OK.  Shouldn’t that be common sense?

• I was inspired by Kim’s post on her Be The Match experience.  I signed up at the Illinois Marathon expo but then received a voice mail message letting me know that I would have to sign up again and pay $100 for the cheek swabs.  Well, I decided to try again.  I am very annoyed that because of my age I would have to pay $100 to join the registry.  Part of me wants to pay but then I get annoyed again that I have to pay.

• Saw this mug at Gloria Jean’s Coffees.  Hilarious!  It was tempting to get it but I have so many mugs at home.

• I bought my car on June 6, 2006 and it finally reached 100,000 miles.  I love my car.  It isn’t fancy like the ones now but it is just perfect for me.

• Grease turns 40?  How is that possible?  I think I’ve watched it 2 or 3 times?