I shared recently that some of my wonderful friends chipped in together and bought me an Amazon gift certificate. I pondered here whether I should use it toward homeschooling stuff or on myself. Overwhelmingly, everyone that commented said that I should get something for myself. (Including some of the people that chipped in toward it that seemed to indicate that they would hunt me down if I didn’t use it for myself.)
So, I used their gift certificate, some Amazon affiliate money, and then a small amount of some money I had in Paypal to get the following 10 items for myself:
1. Thank You Notes by Jimmy Fallon and the Writers of Late Night — Jimmy is the best. This is the only part of my order that I haven’t received yet, because the book is so darn popular.
2. The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in the Heart of the City — So I don’t really live in the heart of the city. But, I don’t live out in the country either, so I was hoping to get some great tips for around our house.
3. Creative is a Verb: If You’re Alive, You’re Creative — Loved her book Life is a Verb: 37 Days to Wake Up, Be Mindful, and Live Intentionally so much that I had to give my copy to my sister, Kristin, after I read it. Then, when another sister (Kristin’s twin) kept picking it up to check it out, I bought her a copy and sent it to her. So, I was looking forward to also reading this one.
4. Waterpik Ultra Water Flosser – I hate to floss, and I loved our Waterpik when I was a kid. For the record, only one of my three kids likes the Waterpik after testing it. Three out of three kids, however, did manage to spray the bathroom wall.
5. Original Life Hammer Escape Hammer – I saw these on a show once, and kept thinking that I needed to buy one for each vehicle. I left them on my wishlist for about a year. I finally realized that if something happened where one of us needed these and I had let them sit on my wishlist for a year, I would feel even more miserable.
6. Collage Couture: Techniques for Creating Fashionable Art – This book is just as cool in person as it looks in the preview. Very excited for this one!
7. The Artist Unique: Discovering Your Creative Signature Through Inspiration and Techniques – Yes, another cool art book. 
8. Rip the Page!: Adventures in Creative Writing – I saw this book in a post about a family writing club on SouleMama. I just had to see it in person. Love it! I’m going to have to show it to Jack and see if he wants to start a writing club with me. (If he does, then I’ll get him his own copy too.)
9. Youcat – The Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church (appropriate for high school and up). Yes, I am long since done being what would be considered a “young adult,” I suspect. (Well, unless you ask the retired couple across the street, since he calls me kiddo.) I still thought that I would enjoy it.
10. Painted Pages: Fueling Creativity with Sketchbooks and Mixed Media – Oh yeah, I did it. I got yet another art book. This is something I totally wouldn’t normally do, so it was such a fun splurge.
(Know what we also ordered at the same time, but with different money? A treadmill! It, sadly, hasn’t arrived yet.)
Thanks so much to my friends that made the greater percentage of this shopping trip possible! You guys rock! (And, thanks to all those that encouraged me to treat myself. That was definitely fun.)
This post is linked to Top Ten Tuesday.
This post contains a whole mess of affiliate links. Shopping through the affiliate link doesn’t change your purchase price, and helps to support this site (and our book habit).
Rip the Page looks really, really neat. I think one of my kids would really like it and I would like it too.
I showed it to my almost 10 year old, and he wants to have a writing club with me. I told him that sometimes, made our club could even meet at Starbucks.
I thought it would be a nice time to spend together.
I had to laugh at #4 – that sounds like what would happen with our family!
Ashley Pichea´s last [type] ..Top 10 Tuesday- May in Review
I wasn’t entirely honest, actually. When my Mom read it and said, “How did all of the kids manage to do that?” I told her that I also had hit the wall with the water too. Apparently none of us expected it. It’s just that the kids did it more times than I did.
Love Rip thePage. We’re using it as a sort of guide for our homeschool reading & writing group next year. I’ve been eying that urban homestead book too.
Michelle´s last [type] ..Conquering Art Phobia
Do you do the reading and writing group with other families or just yourselves?
We have a small group of children who meet at the library a couple times a month. It was originally run by a college student, but we will be continuing the group ourselves next year. Very relaxed. Several times the kids spent most of the time making up mad libs to fill out with each other! They love sharing the stories they write. It gives them public speaking practice in a super relaxed, non-pressured atmosphere that I can’t give my daughter at home with just us.
Michelle´s last [type] ..In Bloom
What a wonderful list!
So happy to be part of Cathoilc Mothers online!
Great list! I love Amazon. I keep hoping that some random stranger will grant me my entire wish list out of the kindness of his/her heart! LOL
Somer´s last [type] ..Top Ten Things I Cant Live Without Today
LOL – sometimes I think the same thing too!
I’m glad you got some things for yourself. Looks like you had fun!
Kris @ WUHS and Eclipsed´s last [type] ..Review- Branded- Sharing Jesus with a Consumer Culture
You do so much for others, I’m so glad you did something for you!!
How fun! I’m putting Rip the Page on my wishlist!
Didn’t know anything about the YouCat, have to add that to my list and question, do you like the water pik? I hate to floss too but I’ve never had a water pik.
Julie´s last [type] ..On My Candy Bars
I do like the Waterpik. When I used it for the first time, I had food that came out (I used it right after dinner though), so I thought that was a good sign. I haven’t been using it regularly, but I really need to. It was much, much better than flossing.
Thanks Angie
Julie´s last [type] ..Many Muffin Mix
You got some fun titles. Enjoy!
Glad to hear you splurged on yourself. I have a couple of Amazon GCs and couldn’t figure out what to buy. Now I think I might buy myself a few books, plus some scrapbook supplies. I’d love to hear your review of the Urban Homesteader and the Waterpik.
a treadmill is on my list! As weird as this sounds, I would not only use it for me, but for my dog too. Cause he’s way too hyper!
-Samantha
http://www.kreativekaring.com