Alex hangs an Ale8 can on the tree – Just for Fielding!

Our almost fully decoreated Christmas tree. But thanks to Emily we did get it up!

Tink plays with his toys. The catnip made him very weird!

Yes, Emily is standing on the cat toy so she can be taller than me!Ollie Mo was a little suspicious of the toys. But he looked marvelous in his Wildcat blue collar!

Emily reading by the Christmas tree – or she may have been loking at the pictures.

The crazy cats…

Had to finish the last drop before we could take a picture. Thanks to Granny for the Ales – they were the hit of the holiday!!

The video below was sent to us by the Mission President at the MTC while Alex was there. It’s a hymn medley (very beautiful, by the way!) and he is singing at a missionary farewell. We’ve always told Alex what a good voice he has – looks like he inherited that musical talent from his father and Grandad. I’ve kept in the DVD drive of my laptop nearly the entire time Alex has been in the Philippines and play it all the time. Enjoy!

I remember when my oldest daughter and I (that would be Jennifer) spent a few Saturdays at all the malls in Lexington, KY trying on every pair of jeans we could find. It was a blast! We had so much fun in the dressing rooms throwing jeans over the door and grading them accordingly. At that time, literarily about a decade ago, the winner was Gap jeans. Today I can say the I didn’t even try on a pair of Gap jeans for this contest.

But what I have done this time around is drag my youngest daughter (that would be Emily) from the mall to the outlet stores looking for a pair of jeans that are affordable, easy to find, cute, and of course comfortable! Now Emily is perfectly happy with a pair of Limted2 jeans and did not really understand my persistence with finding the “perfect” pair of jeans. But she was a great sport and my voice of reason as I tried on pair after pair.

I also made a few phone calls to my ever-so-opinionated family members to get their opinions and have read with extreme giddiness (if that’s a real word) at all the comments that popped up on my blog with submissions of the World’s Best Fitting Jeans. Plus in looking at my blog stats, the World’s Best Fitting Jeans post has been the number 1 top post with over 7,000 hits.

But alas, the fun comes to an end…. And the World’s Best Fitting Jeans will be crowned!

I set the following categories to include winners: Best Fit, Best Looking, Best Wash and Wear, and Best Overall Value.

And the winners are:

Best Fit goes to Calvin Cline – I love the weight of the fabric, the color selection, and the back pockets. I can wear any top with them and they look fabulous. They are dressy enough to wear to work on “Jean Fridays” and I always get more compliments when I wear them than any other pair of jeans.

Best Looking goes to my Ann Taylor jeans – I got these for Christmas (from my adorable husband and yes I picked them out, paid for them, and told him to wrap and put under the tree for me). This was my first pair of Ann Taylor jeans and I’ve fallen in love with them. They are a bit on the “dressy” side and I call them my “date” jeans. They are jeans to wear when you want to look just a bit more polished when going out.

Best Wash and Wear goes to Banana Republic – My son and his wife (that would be Jeffrey & Chemenn) nominated Banana Republic. I had never tried this brand on and it just so happens that the outlet mall down the road has a Banana Republic outlet store. So I ventured out to try some on. I bought the stretch fabric in a basic blue jean color. They do stretch out quite a bit as you wear them so they probably get washed more often than any other pair I own. (Not that all my other jeans don’t get washed – it’s just that the BR jeans looks as good after they are washed as they did when I purchased them).

Best Overall Value has to go to my Wal-Mart Faded Glory jeans – this is the pair of jeans I wear on totally casual days with a t-shirt or sweatshirt. I’ve had them for a couple of years, but bought them at Wal-mart for about $11.00. You can’t beat that value!

And now for the Grand Champion – the pair of jeans that wins the title of World’s Best Fitting Jeans is Tommy Hilfiger! These jeans are great – the fit, the cut, the fabric, and the sturdiness. I like jeans that still have a real denim feel – not a flimsy, thin, weak fabric. I really like the style, with a waistline that fits just below the waist, but not so low that they are way down on the hips and feel like they are going to fall off if you sit down. These jeans scored high in all categories but the cut – straight through the thighs and legs with just a slight flare at the bottom to make them the perfect boot-cut jean.

I’ve had a blast critiquing brand after brand while collecting a fine assortment of jeans. Now, I have not purchased every pair of jeans that I tried on – but it sure has been fun playing this game! I’d like to mention just a few more brands that I really like: Buffalo, NY and Company, Chico, Eddie Bauer, and Lucky.

So put on your jean thinking caps on – I know you probably have a couple of  pair that you just can’t decide between – and cast your final votes!! Here are the current standings:

#1 Banana Republic

#2 Levi’s

#3 Lucky, Lee, Gap, Eddie Bauer, Tommy Hilfiger (Boyfriend cut), Wrangler, Express  – All in a 3-way tie!

So cast your final votes and let’s name the World’s best fitting jeans ever!!!!

An interesting thing happened last night at our house. My 11-year-old daughter and my almost 26-year-old  daughter went shopping together. The weird thing is that one of them lives in New Jersey and one lives in Texas. But nonetheless, they went shopping together and appearantly found some great bargins on sale at Limited Too! Now I heard Miss Em chattering on the phone to someone and just assumed it was Jen – they do that alot…talk, talk, talk, talk. I wasn’t paying any attention to the conversation at all and probabaly would have caught on much quicker had I listened more carefully.

After Jen and Em hung up, Jen called me or maybe Em gave me the phone, or maybe Jen was talking to her dad and he gave me the phone – totally besides the point. But I ended up talking to Jen and she told me she just bought Em some clothes.  Cool, I thought – hope they fit. Hope it’s something Em will wear to school – another thought. Boy you’re brave buying something for an 11-year old without their approval… the thoughts rambled on.

But you know, these girls are pretty smart. Who needs the mall to have a good time, to find a bargin, or to spend a little cash?? Not my girls – now that they’ve discovered the “Wish List” online! Seems all Emily had to do was go online to her favorite store and pick out some cute fashions. Jen was also online at the same time and checking out Emily’s outfits from her wish list. Together they made their selections and purchased with the help of a discount coupon! So the purchase was made in New Jersey, the coupon came from El Paso, Texas, and the outfits will be shipped to Winchester, KY! Now that’s just way too cool! Technology – keeping families together once again!

I am addicted to Grippo bar-b-q potato chips! They are the best ever – just the right blend of hot and a mild sweetness. I can eat whole bags of these things in one sitting. When I was a teenager and driving myself to high school, I’d stop every morning at Babe’s and get a bag and an Ale8. For those of you who don’t about Babe’s – you’ve missed out on a classic. Babe’s is a ”Mayberry” type store located in a small community called Trapp. And if you don’t know about Ale8s, you’ve missed out on another classic – a KY home grown soft drink with lots of ginger and sugar. Delicious!

Anyway, back to the Grippo’s. My problem is that I can’t find them here in El Paso. I went into total depression – no Grippo’s! So a few weeks ago when we were in KY, my ever-so-smart husband brought me back several extra bags! And today – I’m down to my last bag. Now I can’t decide to open up the bag and devour it down or save it for a special occation. I kept the bag hidden (yes, I do hide food) in the bedroom for a few days and keep staring at it. It’s a beautiful sight – the red bag with black writing and the little Grippo dude holding a bag of chips. Just gazing at the bag brings a huge smile to my face. Isn’t it wierd how such little thigs can change your mood in an instant. Now I don’t know if I love these things so much because they are really that good or if I just miss home and they remind me of my home and so many wonderful memories. Either way – I’m still down to my last bag. What to do???

It’s a beautiful Saturday moring here in El Paso. It’s supposed to get up to 100 degrees today – like I said – a beautiful day. I’ve been dowloading MP3′s all night and here I sit in the floor in the middle of a sunbeam blazing through the window listening to Nickelback,  typing this post, and glaring at my last bag of Grippo’s. If I only had an Ale8, life would be almost perfect.

 The chips win! I’m just going to sit here and listening to my music, basking in the sunshine and eat my Grippo’s! The laundry will just have to wait – the last bag of Grippo’s are calling!

More votes are in for Banana Republic jeans. I’m going to have to go try those soon! Also, according to Cal, “you just can’t beat Levi’s”. What more can you say??? Here’s the list of our top contenders so far:

J

Here’s the sales pitch:

“Think Undesigned’s bamboo denim is sweet? Try jeans made from sugar cane. Tokyo-based Toyo Enterprise Company makes Sugar Cane jeans out of Japanese selvage denim spun out of cotton thread and sugar cane fibers. According to The New York Times‘ Elizabeth Hayt, who had a blurb on Sugar Cane jeans in this Sunday’s Style section, the jeans are woven on slow shuttle selvage looms bought from American denim factories in the 1960′s. The jeans come in three styles – Okinawa, Hawaii, and Edo Ai. After 40 years in Japan, they’re now being imported to the U.S. And evidently, they smell as good as they look.”

No mention of price….but who would have thought?

It’s been years since I’ve really dived into “jeans fashion” - how they fit, how easy you can move in them, how they wash and wear,  and what is considered “stylish”. It has recently come to my attention that jeans have evolved over the last few years or so. Now I have no clue what is considered stylish, which ones actually fit the best, or even which ones wash and wear well. So I am on a search to find the world’s best fitting jeans. About 15 years ago, my daughter and I set out on this same quest – traveling to our local malls and trying on every pair of jeans we could find. At that time the prize went to GAP jeans, with Eddie Bauer coming in a close second. And now, when I think about it, I still have a pair of Guess jeans that have to be at least 15 years old that look and fit as good today as they did then. And I’m wondering why they didn’t make the cut?

I just have 2 simple rules to be applied to my quest:  Number 1 – They must cost under $80.00. And number 2 – They must not have rips, tears, or other signs of “age”. Call me old fashion, but I refuse to pay for clothes that look like they’ve already been worn for 10 years. Other than that, let the search begin. Catagories include Best Fit, Best Looking, Best Wash and Wear, and Best Overall Value. Leave your comments about your favorite jeans, why you like them, and where someone else can buy them. Very simple. Let the search begin!

(Future search upcoming….. finding the world’s best mascara!)

 Read entire article:  The Cheapest Days to Buy Certain Items 

Airplane Tickets   
When to Buy: Wednesday morning.
Why: “Most airfare sales are thrown out there on the weekend,” says travel expert Peter Greenberg, a.k.a. The Travel Detective. Other airlines then jump into the game, discounting their own fares and prompting further changes by the first airline. The fares reach their lowest prices late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

Cars   
When to Buy: Monday.
Why: “Car dealers live for the weekend, which is when they make most of their sales,” says Phil Reed, consumer advice editor for Edmunds.com. “On Mondays, the low foot traffic makes it seem like the weekend will never come.” That dealer desperation, paired with fewer consumers on the lot, give you more negotiating power.

Clothing 
When to Buy: Thursday evening.
Why: That’s the day when stores stock their shelves for the weekend, and when many retailers — including Ann Taylor, Banana Republic and Express — start their weekend promotions, says Kathryn Finney, author of “How to Be a Budget Fashionista.” You’ll find great prices and the best selection. “It’s an effort to get people to shop in the middle of the week,” she says.

Department-Store Wares   
When to Buy: Saturday evening.
Why: Department stores have a lot to mark down for their Sunday circulars, so they frequently start the process on Saturday evenings before store closing, says Finney. “They’re preparing for the big rush,” she says. Bonus: Even if the markdowns haven’t been made, many employees will honor the sale price if you ask. Print out the circular preview from the store’s web site, and bring it with you when you head to the mall.

 Dinner Out   
When to Buy: Tuesday.
Why: Most restaurants do not receive food deliveries over the weekend. “Sunday is the garbage-can day of the week,” says Kate Krader, senior editor at Food & Wine magazine. “No doubt, they’re cleaning out their fridges. Tuesdays, they’re starting fresh.” Dining out on that day offers the best odds you’ll get a meal worth paying for, no matter your price point, she says.

Entertainment   
When to Buy: Wednesday.
Why: Plenty of movie theaters, amusement parks and museums offer extra discounts to consumers who visit midweek. Six Flags theme parks offer a $12 discount to AAA members — three times its usual discount of $4. AMC Theatres offers members in its free AMC Movie Watcher reward program a free small popcorn on Wednesdays. (This summer, it’s also the day select theaters offer free Summer Movie Camp screenings.)

Gas     
When to Buy: Thursday, before 10 a.m.
Why: The price of oil isn’t the only factor influencing costs at your local pump. Consumer usage plays a role, too — and weekend demand is high, says Jason Toews, co-founder of GasBuddy.com, a price-monitoring site. Prices usually swing upward on Thursdays as travelers fuel up to head out the following day. By hitting the pump before 10 a.m. (when many station owners change their prices), you’ll beat the rush and the price jump.

Groceries  
When to Buy: Sunday — or Tuesday.
Why: Maximize savings by combining store sales, which run from Wednesday to Tuesday, with the latest round of coupons from your Sunday paper, says Mary Hunt, publisher of Debt-Proof Living, a money-saving newsletter. “It’s a smart idea to wait until you have those in hand to match up with the week’s sale items,” she says. To snag savings on items you don’t need just yet, shop on Tuesday, advises Hunt. Chances are, the store will have run out of the sale items. “That means you can pick up rain checks, which allow you to buy those items later when you need them, and at the sale price,” she says.

Hotel Rooms  
When to Buy: Sunday.
Why: There are two kinds of hotel managers, and the kind that won’t give you a discount on your room rate has Sundays off, says Greenberg. Call the hotel directly, and ask to speak with the manager on duty or the director of sales. These employees are open to negotiation, he says. They’d rather have a booked room at a discounted rate than an empty room. (The rest of the week, your call would get you a so-called revenue manager, who monitors profits — and is rarely willing to lower rates.)