When Handed Lemons....

So a couple weeks ago K-Bot came home with some rather bad news. They have too many people working too many hours and not enough customers to buy projectors so they have a full storage and will need to shut down operations for a while. Exactly 3 days. Exactly 3 days after the August long weekend. Making it exactly 10 days K-Bot will be off. Day 1 and 8 will be spent at markets as it is summer time. So what to do with all the others in between?

First we thought about going to my parents and just spending all day every day at the beach. We haven't been to the beach since we got married. However that plan wasn't the best as they don't have air conditioning and Gunner breathes a lot of hot air on you.

Second we thought about Algonquin, but that is expensive and we didn't want to have to sit on an island just the two of us. I don't think we love each other enough for that to happen.

So then what are we doing???

We are going to New York! We found great bus tickets leaving Sunday July 31st and coming back Thursday August 4th. We looked at hostels but all the good ones were booked (obviously) so we opted for the same hotel I stayed at last year when I went. I am over the moon excited. We were planning on trying to get down there in October for our anniversary but then K-Bot would have had to take days off which we didn't want to have to do. So this whole thing was so perfect. We have a list of like 100 things we have to do. To be honest I just want to go so I can get a new purse as my one from last year is starting to crack.

Also as a note this will be our first vacation together alone. Yes I know, almost 5 years in and we haven't vacationed alone, CRAZY. Our honeymoon was only 2 days.

Gas Savings

So K-Bot and I have been visiting Niagara a lot lately, and the reason being to save money.

Tickets for a show at Shea's Preforming Arts Center are cheaper than most shows in Toronto. Plus parking is $4 all day in Buffalo (if you find the right lot), and Toronto....well....it is not.

Groceries are cheaper too. And if you shop at Tops Friendly Markets they allow Canadians to hold their savings club card so it is even cheaper to shop. I am sure you know club cards from Extreme Couponing, except you don't have to load this card, it is an automatic savings. Just go to the customer service desk before you start shopping to start saving that day.

The dollar has been decent so that also helps.

But I am sure you are saying, Laura your blog says GAS SAVINGS. Well my friend I am getting to that.

If you cross the Queenston Lewiston Bridge, which if you are going to the outlet mall you will do unless you take the worst possible way there, you can take Robert Moses Parkway to Upper Mountain Road. Then go all the way down, do be alarmed that you are leaving the State, you are just entering the Reservation. Go down Indian Hill Road to Smokin Joes. I love this gas place.

Monday we went over and gas places were showing 3.91/Gallon. We did our shopping and stopped for gas on the way home. Smokin Joes was 3.74/Gallon, already cheaper. Then if you pay cash they take 5cents off per gallon. 3.69/Gallon. For those out there keeping score that's 97cents/Litre. I haven't noticed gas prices here in a while but I am sure they aren't that low. A whole $37 to fill our car on Monday.

Just remember a couple things:

~the earlier you can get to the bridge the shorter your wait time, best before 9am. Walmart is open 24 hours there and if you get to the outlet mall before it opens you can save yourself the headache of trying to find a parking spot (ps Walmart is right beside the mall so park at the mall and walk over).

~you typically won't get pulled over to pay duty if you spend less than $50 per person for 1 day. However if that $50 is on tobacco or alcohol then you probably will get pulled over.

~keep this number on hand, 1-800-715-6722, it is the boarder wait time number. they will tell you what the wait time is at each bridge.

Too Good To Be True

I love a good deal, that's no secret. I have a bunch of sites that I visit daily to see the newest and best deals. Some are too good to be true and I just ignore them (which turns out for the best sometimes). But then there is that time where you are so excited that you go out on a limb.

I am a bit of a nerd, also not much of a secret. So I have been really thinking about going to see the new X-Men movie, but I kind of forget what happened in the first three (although not imperative too see this one). So I borrowed the DVD set from Mamaz. However I had been to Best Buy in Buffalo and seen that the blu ray version was very nice looking on the TVs they had out, so I looked at how much they wanted. It wasn't what I wanted to pay so I forgot about it. Well a couple weeks ago it gets posted on one of my deal blogs that the trilogy on blu ray is on sale for $15 at amazon.ca. This set can cost you up to $80, so what gives? A 9 disc blu ray set of a popular movie, $15? Too good to be true, but also WAY too good to pass. So I bought it. $1.99 shipping and all. Then the next day the item is pulled from amazon, but my order is still on there and good so I am happy to wait. After a couple days it isn't re posted, so I search on the web for an answer. Well I got it, it WAS too good to be true. Seems the ad was wrong and it is the DVD version on sale not blu ray, but it said blu ray on the site. People were mad that they were getting the DVD in the mail. Dang, I already have the DVD version sitting on my shelf. So I email amazon to see what is up and possibly cancel my order as I don't need DVDs (they really do suck). The response I got sent me over the moon with joy. It was their mistake and they will honor the $15 and send me the 9 disc blu ray set.

I got it in the mail yesterday, it was definitely a bright spot in a very bad couple of days. I can't wait till I can relax with K-Bot and watch them.

Squeaky Wheel

So they say the squeaky wheel gets the grease, but I am not one to squeak. Maybe sometimes I complain, but that is mainly only to K-Bot and never to the thing that has gotten me upset. But I think I have changed my tune.

So on one of my many adventures down to Niagara K-Bot said we could stop at the Book Depot Warehouse, I was so excited. We spent an hour in there looking around, and they have great deals. I was looking at a copy of The Outsiders, it was a hard cover and the cover price was $25. But the Book Depot price was $9.99. Also they have sales maybe once a year, fill a box for $30. Anyways I didn't find the one book I was looking for. However I noticed that they have a website, so I went to it. They have their warehouse online so you can order books that way. They have great prices, this I knew, but the shipping wasn't that terrible. The one option is pick up in store, which they only charge you $1 for processing your order. So I look and to my joy they have the book I want. $7.99 instead of the cover price $25. So I order it and say I will pick it up in store. Now I was currently reading said book as I had taken it out from the library, so I took it back thinking that I would have my own copy to read. Well I took it back Friday morning (yes I walked to the library in the rain) and Friday afternoon I get an email saying that there really wasn't any of those books in stock, even though the web page said 2. So I was angry, as anyone would be. So I sent off an angry email. Not like me, and I regretted it all weekend. I felt bad.

Monday morning I check my email and what is there???? A response, very apologetic. They feel bad for the mix up and so if I place another order for that book they will give me free shipping to my door. FREE shipping. Well that was very kind. I didn't demand anything, just maybe if they don't have supply don't advertise to the contrary. So I ordered the book, the shipping statement said I could expect it in 21 business days. YIKES. Oh well that's ok, free shipping. I ordered the book Monday night and it was here Thursday morning.

I am really impressed with this store now. They seem to really care about their customers and work with them to get them their books. I definitely recommend shopping with them, if for no other reason then they are SO much cheaper than Chapters. And I learned that sometimes you need to stand up and say something when you are upset. I guess it isn't just men who aren't mind readers (K-Bot tells me all the time men aren't mind readers so if I want something speak up and I can have it).

Date Night

So K-Bot and I had a date night today, early evening still counts as a date night right?

So I will just start by saying that we are naughty and bring our own snacks to the movies, tisk! Anyways so we brought orange juice boxes, which were free on a box of pop tarts. Then we bought chocolate bars, what's that? a coupon for buy 1 get 1 free? Yep! Then off to see Rango. It is cheap night so it is $5.50 each to get in, but, and here's the sneaky part, I found a buy 1 get 1 free movie pass in my cereal box, so $5.50. But we didn't even have to pay that because Mamaz gave us 2 gift cards to the movies.

So date night cost us $1.50.

I love coupons.

Next week we are going to see Paul. Same coupons but this time we are buying the chocolate bars at Walmart so it will cost us a whopping 58 cents for date night.

Take that Space Coyote.

Young Frankenstein

I have wanted to see Young Frankenstein since 2007, so I was so excited when Saturday morning came and I was off to see it in Buffalo. K-Bot said it would be a fun care free weekend. What he should have said is, this trip will resemble Apollo 13.

Here's the set up. We leave my parents house (which is only 5 minutes from the boarder) at 8:30. The only time restraint on us is that the box office at Shea's opens to pick up tickets at 1 and the play starts at 2. We have about 5 hours to shop and get to Buffalo.

K-Bot changed his mind about where he wanted to go over the morning of the play. So he got new directions and we headed out. I wanted to be across the Lewiston bridge and at Walmart by 9am, we left with plenty of time. Unfortunately as we came up to the train tracks a train started. It was the world's longest train. So now we are running behind. That's ok I tell myself, every trip has to have that 1 thing go wrong and this is it. We get to the border and we get through in about 10 minutes. We get to Walmart and they didn't have everything we were looking for but that's ok because we are going to the other Walmart across from the Walden Galleria later anyways. We hop back on the highway and we are on our way to Buffalo. As we get on the I-290 we see lots of signs about an accident ahead, oh well that's what happens on highways no biggie. Well traffic stopped, then slowly started again. Then we see why. The I-290 has been closed. GREAT. We get off at Colvin, but that's ok because we know that area well and stop at a store for directions. After alot of ummm's and ohhh's from a very unsure guy, we have directions and we are off to Buffalo. Still ok on time. Then the road we are on is closed due to construction, so we follow a detour and pray we are still driving the right direction. We turn down a street and think we are going the right way, luckily I recognize the area and how to get to the highway, which is open on this end and we are on our way, again. Time? Oh not so good. We get to the Galleria and run across the mall to get to Bath and Body Works to get some body wash (the whole reason we came) and run back out, and drive across the street to McDonald's. We eat and K-Bot says we have just over an hour before the play starts which is fine because it is only 14 minutes down the highway. Luck changes? Nope. We can't find the street to turn onto because it has been renamed and doesn't show that in our directions. Luckily we looked up at the sign that told us we were about to get back on the highway which lead right to the Peace Bridge, that wouldn't have been cool to end up back in Canada. After circling twice we find the parking garage we are looking for and park. 30 minutes till the play starts, and I still need to go to the box office to pick up the tickets. We start running, we got a block before realizing it was the wrong direction. We run 3 blocks back and by then I am out of breath (did I mention I had been sick all week? not good for running), we get the tickets, use the washroom, run up the 4 flights of stairs to our seats, forget to get a program, run back get a program and get in our seats. At least we had 10 minutes to spare.

The play was amazing. Hilarious.

As we leave I want to buy a shirt and take a picture with the poster. Well I get in line for a shirt and ask K-Bot for some money because the place doesn't take credit card (who doesn't take credit card?!?!) and low and behold, we have NO MONEY LEFT. So I didn't get a shirt, I was upset about that. But I did get a couple pictures with the poster.

Our next play at Shea's Performing Arts Centre is Wicked. We will have better luck then. If only for the fact that I will make it so.

I Love Giveaways (Say in Oprah voice)

So my friend Heather is doing another giveaway on her blog. 1 lucky person will win a 6 pack of My Lip Stuff lip balm.

Check out the giveaway here.

Check out the super cool list of flavors here.

I would love to try all the different and awesome flavors, but I always buy the same flavors when I need chap stick. Grape or Lime.

Laura's How To Guide

I am poor. Ok well only in the sense where if I am not feeling like buying something I will say "I am poor", the judges are out on if I really am. So one of the things I am too poor for is power tools. So how do you do work without power tools? Here's a guide.

Hanging Pictures:

Start with hammer and nail, hammer nail into wall, pull out. Put the nail back in the hole with your fingers, wiggle around making a bigger hole. Take a screwdriver and a screw, screw into hole, bring back out about half way. Now rip that sucker out of the wall. Now you have a pretty big hole. Big enough for you to put a plastic stud dealy in. Screw your screw into that and hang picture. If there is more than 1 screw needed make an approximate measurement of where they go and then when finished hammer at the sides of screws to make picture fasteners fit. Husband will no doubt ask if it is level, pretend to measure and tell him "close enough".

Hanging Speakers:

Nail deck screw into wall. It will be fine, say this to husband countless times.

Running Speaker Wire:

Hot glue to ceiling. No one will notice and if they do we can say they are racing stripes because they make cars more expensive, repeat to husband everyday.

This is seriously how I work on our apartment. I know how to do things proper, don't worry. I just don't have the tools. My house will be better.

Also as a note, if you are swapping out pictures and the one on the wall needed 1 screw but the new picture needs 2, don't think you can cheap out by running twine between the 2 picture hooks and using 1 screw. This won't end well.

So What's On My Bookshelf?

When ever I visit someone I always take a look at their bookshelf, curious to see what they deem worthy of being placed there. I figure it is normal for people to have a HUGE rubbermaid box full of books in storage, so the ones that get to the bookshelf are there for a couple reasons in my mind

1. They are the best of the best. This person loves this book, as is evident by the broken spine.

2. To show off. Maybe they are all a certain type of book because you think this will make you a certain way, lots of gospel books so people will think I am spiritual.

3. Maybe they are just the newest books the person has bought. As is evident by the book store look of the whole case.

So what gets the coveted place in my apartment? I will share with you, as you will never likely see my bookcase as it is in my bedroom.

I have 3 sections; picture books, chapter books, and gospel books.

Picture books

The Christmas Star, The Last Straw, Oh, The Places You'll Go, Something From Nothing, The True Story Of The Three Little Pigs, The House of Seven Colors, Smelly Socks, Where The Wild Things Are, Who Flung Dung, Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus, The Pigeon Finds A Hot Dog, Don't Let The Pigeon Stay Up Late, The Pigeon Wants A Puppy, Franklin In The Dark, Rotten Ralph, Other Worlds, Veggie Tales Where's God When I'm Scared, and Good Families Don't.

Chapter books

Marley & Me, Wicked, The Mouse and The Motorcycle, Ralph S Mouse, Socks, Ribsy, Charlotte's Web, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Trilogy in Five Parts Boxset, Winnie The Pooh Boxset, The Princess Bride, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Through The Looking Glass And What Alice Found There, Chicken Soup For The Teenage Soul, Where The Sidewalk Ends, and Strange Stories, Amazing Facts.

Gospel books

The Book of Revelation Simplified for the Latter-Day Saints, All the Teachings of The Presidents books, You're Gonna Make It, The Latter-Day Saint Woman manuals, 100 Questions LDS Couples Should Ask Before Marriage, The Miracle of Forgiveness, Lectures on Faith, Gospel Principles, Jesus the Christ, Book of Mormon, Strength of Youth, True to the Faith, MEE Thinks, MEE Speaks, and Emma Smith My Story.

I ran out of space on that bookshelf so I keep my comics at my desk. Yes they count as books!
Lost Boys: Reign of Frogs, Star Trek: Countdown, Fringe #1 Tales From The Fringe, Star Trek: Alien Spotlight Tribbles, Star Trek Deep Space Nine #14 Nobody Knows The Tribbles I've Seen, Muppet Peter Pan, Muppet Show: Meet The Muppets, Star Trek The Original Series Omnibus, and The Muppet Show #9 Muppet Mash Part 2 That's A Wrap.

So that was a long post but they are all great books. So what's on your bookshelf?

Book Reviews

So for the past while I have been slacking on my reading. Meaning outside of book club books (which I always end up listening to an audio book of) I have read nothing but comics. Shameful I know. I have had a list of books I have wanted to read for a while but just filed that away and never looked at it again.

However, for my birthday in December I wanted an OZ theme. K-Bot bought me The Wizard of Oz on blu-ray, the promise of tickets to Wicked (they aren't on sale until Feb 12th) and the book Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.

I read Wicked in 3 days, it only took me that long because I didn't want to finish it because it was such a good book. I loved it, except that some parts bothered me. It wasn't true to the movie in parts, such as the ruby red slippers being silver in this book. It got a bit graphic when talking about how Elphaba and her siblings were conceived, but they were small parts so I over looked it. It was real thought provoking with the whole what is wickedness and what makes one wicked debate. I would recommended it, only if you aren't easily offended by a few cuss words and some brief love scenes.

Next I read Bridge to Terabithia. I know I am all over the map with my picks. I have fond memories of this book being read to my class by our grade 6 teacher. I wondered if it would be the same all these year later. And it was. Though it is a very short read for an adult, I finished in 1 afternoon. I will definitely be buying this book for my children's library. However the movie was terrible, an abomination (during which I even called the girl an overly made up young tartlet) it wasn't very true to the story and if you hadn't read the book before watching it some parts left you wondering (K-Bot had lots of questions as it had been years since he read it).

I decided that since Wicked was so good, maybe I should try The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. I should have started here. Apparently the movie is nothing like the book, it made Wicked make sense. However I didn't like it as much, or really at all. I think I will stick with the movie. Something about such fabulous ruby red slippers and Judy Garland (however if you are wondering, skip the blu-ray of Oz, definitely not blu-ray worthy).

K-Bot and I have planned that every Saturday will be library day, because it is on the way to groceries. And then every Sunday afternoon is curl up on the couches with herbal tea and a good book day. K-Bot is still working on his first book pick The Salmon of Doubt, while I am currently on my third pick The Outsiders (I didn't do a good job of reading it while in school...). However I do have a couple more in my pile from the library, Where the Red Fern Grows (which will be a re-read) and The Princess Bride.