Category: Products & Places

Not too long ago, we got a new shredder. We didn't really want a new shredder, but we happened to kill our old one. So Chuck found this beauty. I love to shred things in it!

You can see the paper a it shreds through the little window…that also lights up! It's also got wheels and an easily removable bin to empty it. It will also shut off after it's been on for too long. Hopefully this will cease an untimely death like our last one had (which most likely died because I used it too long in one sitting).

Also, on a funny note, if you have been reading andihays.net for a long time, you will know that I love the “Will it Blend” videos. I was recently shown a new and equally as thrilling website…

Watch It Shred

You will love it! Make sure you check out the Beetle (the car…not the insect)! Enjoy!

My wonderful friend Katie got me some items from Bath & Body Works in my favorite scent. I don't know that there was a reason, but she surprised me with this sweet gift. Her hubby (whom I work with) brought them to work for me today. There were also a couple books for me to read in the bag.

She's such a thoughtful and fabulous friend and I am so thankful for her! Thanks for thinking of me, Katie! You made my day!

This is the last of my posts on bags! (At least until I decide I NEED something new!) This bag is from REI like the others. I have also seen them at a few other stores, but I can't seem to remember where I was. 🙂 There are a ton of different things made by this company and I love that they make them out of neoprene. It's so durable and is great for anything!

Here is a picture of the one I have.

This is a picture of the inside…well kind of.

The only thing I wish it had was some type of closing mechanism. I have been thinking of ways I could add one. But since they consider this a market bag…for getting groceries, they assumed a closure was not necessary. So we'll see. Chances are, I will never add one. 🙂

HERE is a link to the various Built items REI sells and you can also see all their products at the Built website. I have no doubt that you'll find something you think you can't live without!

I got this wallet the same time I got the Keen bag. (There's one more bag I got…I will probably show you that tomorrow!) I found this little guy at REI, too. I know they have some Keen wallets I really liked, but this one was on clearance….so I passed on the Keen one. Maybe one day, though!

It's a very versatile and usable wallet. I really hadn't found anything I was really happy with and have so many wallets because I don't like any of them 100%. But I have been quite happy with this one. There's ample space for cards (at least the ones I use and keep with me), money, receipts, change and even my pen. So I have been quite satisfied. I do like the flowers on the inside, too. I had to take a picture of mine with all my junk in it since I couldn't find a picture of the inside online.

This is a new bag I found at REI in the clearance section shortly after Christmas. I love this bag! It is by Keen and I think everyone should look at their bags. I have had two people buy one of these since I got mine. They do come in other colors (and yes, this is the color I have). I would have gotten something different if I had other color choices, but for the extremely cheap price I got it for, it was perfect!

There is front pocket that the flap covers. There are also side pockets (I put my water bottle in there). But they are more easily accessible after you pull the flap up. They are easier to put things in that way. The bottom also has a hard rubber on the bottom which is nice for stability and when you put it on the floor. There is a zippered pocket on the back. When you pull the flap up you can open the flap and there is more storage inside there along with a light. This is a picture of that:

It is a little big for a purse, but that doesn't stop me from using it all the time. I think this would make a really nice bag if you have work things to bring around, for travel or for school. So that is my new favorite bag. I highly recommend getting a keen bag. I love them as much as I love their shoes! 🙂

Chuck and I are leaving tonight to head to Colorado (Vail) to have long weekend of skiing. We will ski Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A couple of our friends are flying out Friday and skiing on Saturday and Sunday with us! The countdown has begun!

When we left Vail last year, Chuck came home with some new shiny skis all of his own. I was a bit jealous of this. Well, I got some of my own a couple weeks ago. We get REI gift cards for Christmas every year from Chuck's dad, so I got myself some skis and poles with it!

These are my fancy new skis. They are by K2 and called Sweet Luv. All of K2's women's skis have “Luv” in the name. These are really light which will be good for me to move around easily. I am so anxious to get on the slopes and try them out!

These are my poles by Rossignol. There's nothing all that fancy about them except that they are mine and I now have my own!

We're hoping we get to go out to Vail once more maybe in March. Now that we have our own skis, we would like to ski around town some more, too. So we'll see if that happens. Anyone interested in a weekend trip to Lutsen? 🙂

Have a great weekend! I'll hopefully have lots of pictures to share when I return!

This is yet another one of the fun gifts I got Chuck. This one was for his birthday. He sent me a video of it and was so excited. So of course, this little beauty was delivered to our house! He hasn't had a lot of time to put it together, but I can tell it's going to be really cool. You can see in the picture (and on the link I'll be attaching) that there is a track the marble rolls on. Well, you have to cut the track to length yourself! This is only the level three, but I really want to get him the Space Warp 10000 for next year! It's bigger and a level five! And it will be HUGE! 🙂 How cool! I think our next house really does need a game room of some sort!

I got this from Think Geek. This is my new favorite store and I will probably have to do another whole post just on this! HERE is the link I was talking about. There is a video you can watch on there, too! Maybe you'll have to get one for yourself! It would be a great conversation piece!

I got this little beauty for Chuck this year after a friend mentioned she got one for her hubby for Christmas. As soon as she mentioned it I knew Chuck would love it. Now we just need it to be nice outside so we can look at stars. I think it will be a very fun thing to learn and maybe I'll even find some martians! I love my Sci-Fi! 🙂

Chuck's dad also got one this year from his parents and I am sure they will be comparing constellations before I know it! I was just impressed I was able to surprise him and he actually liked the surprise. I'm already trying to think of things for next year! 🙂

If you have any fabulous ideas of things your hubby liked…let me know. I always need suggestions!

I am terrible at surprises. So this year I actually got TWO things for Chuck for Christmas that the didn't know about. The first one was this stick hockey game from Games By James. My step dad was with me when we saw this and I think he was jealous of it and wanted one for himself. This is just like bubble hockey, but without the bubble around it. It makes it much cheaper and more portable.

Chuck had no idea. I admit it wasn't the most practical gift I could have gotten him, but someday when we have a better area to put it (our next house) it will get used a lot I am sure! I was just happy I surprised him!

This was another one of my gifts from Chuck. This one is made by Garmin. I have been wanting my own GPS for a while. We started looking at them for his grandparents and I wanted one even more after looking at them! I love this little thing! It's so useful. I love that it has a touch screen and is easier for me to use than the other one we have. Something about the other one is not compatible with my brain! 🙂

A couple features I really like about it are the touch screen, like I mentioned. I love that it tells the speed limit where you are along side your current speed. It is so useful to know what the speed limit is. Sometimes I can go miles and not see a sign for it…and this eliminates that issue. Next, it has bluetooth on it. I can sync my phone with it and make and received phone calls through the GPS. That is so much fun. There are cars that can do that (and an add on we might get for our car one day) that does the same thing, but this is just useful. I know I will use this feature. It will also call places when you are looking up stores/restaurants and such and call them. I also like that you can change the icon for the vehicle. You would think I would want something that looks like my car. Well, you would be way off! I had a monster truck for a while (which is really a truck with huge wheels) and I currently have tennis shoes. They are two little feet that walk along your path. So cute!

If you don't already own a GPS, you should definitely get one. They are so useful and clearly a lot of fun, too!