Gust Gab

DIY Project - This old Desk!

2016-09-14T21:13:00.002-05:00

ah, speaking of DIY Projects...this blog has really gotten dusty, hasn't it?

I thought that as the kids got older, I'd have soo much free time!

BWAHAHAHAHA!

Anyhoo...

I still want to document some projects, some of my life's work...

So...

I'm back at it, a little.

Both of our kiddos have wanted desks for quite some time.

We are short on square footage at our house, plus...

Would they use them, or would they simply become a place to collect things?

Well, my local second hand store had a smallish desk, in pretty rough shape - but for this price?

(Plus, 25% off on Thursdays!! WHOOOO!)

Why not?

SOLD!

I tossed in the back of my Traverse and brought it home.

To say that it was in rough shape, would be an understatement.

The previous owners had even carved names in it...

The hardware was not my favorite...

So I put my best handyman on the job, removing it.

And I have ZERO experience with Chalk Paint - but I read that you don't even have to sand...

So...why not, right?

And much to my surprise! It DID cover, amazingly well!

And I loved this turquoise color!!

Derek and I did this while she was off and running somewhere else, because with that girl, if you give her choices...it just doesn't always end well.

Would she like this??

We hunted high and low and low and high for new hardware.

There is sooo. much. fun. hardware!! for desks out there...

but...not for this desk.

Turns out, most hardware is 3" and these handles are 2" -

And yes, there are work arounds...but this is us, and we aren't terribly DIY-ey at our house...

So...we used some shiny silver spray paint...

And...Viola!

Now, I know what you are thinking...

This doesn't even look like the same desk...

That's because we have terrible lighting in our home, and I tried to snap some pics just now so you could see the finished product.

She's been using the desk sans knobs for awhile now - we finally decided to stick with what we had and put them on...So...

until I can get a great photo in better light....

Finding a chair to fit this smallish desk was also a challenge - but we found these awesome cubes at Gordmans - the big soft fuzzy one is just a solid block, perfect height for her to sit and work at her desk - the two cubes off to the side, those are actually storage cubes, and they can hold up to 250 pounds sitting on them as well...

Perfect seating in her room when friends visit, and a nice place to stash that stuff you don't want out in the open, too! Win-Win!

Have you used Chalk Paint?

did you love it or hate it?

Did you wax it?

I can't wait to tackle another project!

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First Day of School - 4th and 5th Grades!

2016-09-09T21:13:00.000-05:00

How DID it get so late so soon?

It's night before it's afternoon!

Yikes!

Her last year of Elementary School!

Excuse me, there's something in my eye!

I love seeing how some of the creativity that comes out when the kids make their own Back to School signs, but last minute, I decided to google, and found some I loved from

Krystyn at Really, Are you Serious!

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Back to School - Save 20% off your entire purchase at Gordmans!

2016-08-17T09:41:00.002-05:00

Take this page with you to your local gordmans store and save 20% off your entire purchase!!

While we don't love back to school, we love gordmans!

Clothes, shoes, jewelry, hand bags, blankets, pillows, fun things for your dorm room...

They've got it!

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Pfizer Pediatric Platform #GiveAway

2016-05-19T22:56:00.001-05:00

Pfizer Pediatric Platform

#SickJustGotReal

We got really, really lucky this past winter...

Not one sick day taken by anyone, not even the kiddos.

Is that unheard of, or what?

We made it through the winter...but we didn't get too far into spring, before #SickJustGotReal

Allergies, we thought.

But then with both kids coughing...not just the runny nose, stuffy nose combo action...

We knew it was more than just springtime allergies....

Thankfully,

Pfizer Pediatric Platform to the rescue.

Maybe I'm weird that way, but I always like to have something on hand.

Just. In. Case.

and I'm glad I did...

Because while no one needed a sick day,

it was sure nice to be able to go to the medicine chest and find some relief for not one, but both of our kiddos!!

A few great options?

Ease those aches and pains, while reducing a child’s fever fast with Children’s Advil®, a great solution for kids as young as 2 and up to 11. Children’s Advil® comes in several great-tasting flavors, including: Sugar-free Dye-free Berry, Bubble Gum, Grape, Blue Raspberry, Fruit and Dye-Free White Grape flavors. There’s also Infants’ Advil® White Grape, which provides unsurpassed fever relief with a syringe for easy dosing for children 6-23 months.

My kids prefer grape...and thankfully, have always taken meds like a champ!

Formulated just for kids, Children's Robitussin® DM Day/Night Pack (Children’s Robitussin® Cough & Chest Congestion and Children’s Robitussin® Nighttime Cough) non-drowsy daytime formula helps break up chest congestion, while the long-acting nighttime formula relieves coughs and runny noses to help kids get the rest they need.

All in a great tasting grape flavor, Children’s Dimetapp® Cold & Cough tackles a child’s most bothersome stuffy and runny noses, all while working to relieve cough.

*It is important to remember to always read and keep the cartons for complete warnings and dosing information on Pfizer Pediatric Platform products and to use as directed!!

And check those expiration dates!
We are known for keeping stuff on hand, but it needs to be changed out and updated - though I much prefer to do it that way, vs having to go to the store at midnight so people can get some decent rest!

How would you like to stock your medicine cabinet with the Pfizer Pediatric Platform?

(Children’s Advil®, Children’s Robitussin®, Children’s Dimetapp®)

Pfizer Consumer HealthCare is giving away a prize pack to one lucky winner!

Simply enter via the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more information - feel free to snoop around

· Sick just got real.™ website

· Sick just got real.™ Facebook page

· Pfizer products available on Target.com

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“The Pfizer Pediatric Platform products, information, and additional gift pack have been provided by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare. All thoughts and reviews are my own.”

Fundraising with Coca Cola Products & My Coke Rewards

2016-04-19T18:45:00.001-05:00

I love love love to volunteer at school with our kids.

I've been lucky enough to go out on a few field trips this year, and it's so fun to get to spend time with the kids and their classmates!

I wish I could do more, but life gets in the way of that....

One thing that we are able to do, however, to give back to our school, is the MyCokeRewards for schools program!

We don't drink a lot of pop at home (anymore) but we know a lot of folks who do, and we do buy cases of water, and some cases (Dasani) have codes on the bottom of their plastic packages!

Each Coca Cola rewards code varies in points from 3 points for the codes in the caps, to 10-25, depending on if you get the code from a 12 pack, a case, or one of those shrink wrapped packages of bottles from your local big big box store.

Every 3 points is the equivalent to a nickel!

Doesn't take long for all those codes to add up, and after entering those codes, you can go under 'CAUSES' in your MyCokeRewards account, find your cause, and viola!

DONATE!

1000 points is a quick $15.00 for your cause!

(Ours being our kiddos elementary school!)

Doesn't get much easier than that, does it? Well, I guess it can...

If you don't save your Coke Rewards codes, or don't want to enter them yourself, we'd love to add them to our collection along with our Box Tops for Education!

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St Louis Missouri - Spring Break (or) Bust!

2016-03-19T21:17:00.000-05:00

This year for Spring Break, we decided to Road Trip it.

Cross a few things off of the Bucket List...

First Stop?

St.Louis!

The ARCH!

We were arriving into St. Loo, just before 8 pm, and I thought...

hmmmm...

I wonder how late the Arch is open?

Maybe we could pop in at night, before we go to our hotel?

Maybe it's cool at night??

So...I pulled up the info on my phone....

What DID we do before smartphones?

BWAHAHAHAHHA!

Apparently, I should've done my research before we left Minnesota!

You guys!!

I cannot make this up!!

CLOSED!!

So, we went to the hotel, to make a plan...

We had 10 days off, a car packed full...and zero plan.

That WAS the plan...no plans.

Just us and the open road.

After finding out that the Arch, Grant's Farm AND Meramec Caverns were all closed...

ALL closed...

We did the best we could.

dozens of family selfies, as close as we could get!

No Trespassing!

NO.

TRESPASSING!

St Louis did not disappoint, however.

Turns out, they celebrate St. Patty's Day a whole week early,

and they do it in pretty exciting style!

After taking our selfies outside of the arch, wandering around outside of the (closed!!) Cardinal's Stadium, and people watching during the St. Patrick's Day parade...

We decided to get out of dodge...

It was cool, literally, with some sprinkles and rain showers mixed in...

but we've got places to go and things to see!

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Photo Fun with Pixie's Photography - Boudoir Shoot in the Twin Cities! $149!

2016-03-07T22:14:00.004-06:00

One thing I am working on this year, is saying NO, more.

NO MORE!

I find myself tired, frazzled, and worn down, before I even hit week's end, and that's no good for anyone.

One way to curb that, is to stop agreeing to so many things.

I'm getting better at that, and trying to spend a night or two with no outside commitments, just me, and my family.

I was recently invited to a little get together with some local folks, some I knew, some I didn't....

and while it was tempting to say NO...

I found myself disappointed when the first date set, didn't work for me.

When the next date came, though it wasn't ideal...

I knew I had to commit.

For me.

Stepping, literally, a bit out of my comfort zone.

The two women behind Pixie's Photography could not have made this experience any easier.

They were laid back, welcoming, professional, and so. much. FUN!

From helping to get our hair and make up just right....

To making sure we were in the most flattering of poses...

I loved these women!

Boudoir photos can be super scary, but they don't have to be.

Feeling beautiful isn't just for the size zeros of the world.

You can get amazing photos with your clothes on!

I did!!

Getting some beauty sleep will help you look well rested...I am at a major cross roads in my life, so while this might not be the best time to be doing a photo shoot like this, (hello, not sleeping well, panic attacks and anti anxiety meds!)

this means that this was also the best time to be doing a photo shoot like this!

Who doesn't want a little help finding some beauty in themselves?

Friends, if you've ever thought about doing a boudoir shoot, I encourage you to do so.

NOW is the time.

Not when you are sleeping better.

Not when you lose 10 or 20 or 40 pounds.

Stop waiting for someday, grab life by the horns, and do it!

Pixie's Photography is offering a Silver Package to our readers:

Choice of Wardrobe

Choice of Set

Professional Hair, Make Up and Lashes (oh, how I LOVED MY LASHES!!)

Multiple Guided Poses

Approximately 50 proofs to choose from, including their 11x17 12 month/6 photo calendar (a $155 value by itself!!)

for just $149.00

USE CODE FEB161 when you call!

This would've been a fantastic way to celebrate my big milestone birthday last year, a party with some girlfriends in the Pixie's Photography Studio, getting dolled up and taking turns going behind the curtain for a photo shoot!

So. Much. Fun!

I'm glad I was able to do this mini - shoot, and I cannot wait to go back and have more time, more ME time, in a full on session. It was nice being doted on, if you will.

... sitting back and being taken care of...

Having these amazing women bring out the beauty that is within all of us.

Mine gets buried under my jeans and my hoodies and my messy bun, day after day after day....

Next time, I'm booking for a morning session, so I can have the great natural lighting AND go all around town the rest of the weekend, wearing those amazing eye lashes!

Here's an outtake that a friend snapped on my cell phone during my shoot -

Thanks, Kate! For everything!!

$149.00 for a Silver Package...What are you waiting for?

Call the girls behind Pixie's Photography.

You won't regret it!

Friends, I loved my lashes so much, I kept them on and wore them to Como Zoo Field trip with the 3rd grade class the next day! HA HA! Sadly, they fell off the next night!

Several friends have reached out to me, privately, with questions, after seeing my pictures on Instagram and on Facebook. Please don't hesitate to ask, if you have any other questions about the process, or if you want me to come along!

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*** In exchange for sharing about my experience with you, dear readers, I was treated to a fun night at Pixie's Photography. Purchasing any portraits from my mini-shoot will be at my expense...and for my eyes only! HA HA! ***

Mashed Potato Bar with #HormelFamily

2015-12-20T11:14:00.000-06:00

It's Holiday Time! YAY!

I love love love me some Christmastime, don't you?

Friends, Family, Chaos!

Sing it with me, now....

It's the most wonderful time of the YEAR!

One thing that I do tend to stress about, a little...

is...

DINNER!

This year, we have a small crowd, and one very picky eater (ours!) and while I don't want to cater to her, I do want her to be included...

Enter....

And the

Hormel - MASHED POTATO BAR!

Doesn't that look AMAZING?

And what a fun way to use some festive holiday glassware too!

Some ideas for toppings can include:

I cannot wait to put together a mashed potato bar!

I MAY even do some baked potatoes in a crock pot too!

How can I go wrong?

Help a girl out here...what else am I missing?

Would you add any toppings that aren't included above?

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*** I am not compensated for my post. As a Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger, I am occasionally given Hormel Foods products to try or coupons to off set the price of purchasing my own Hormel products to help facilitate a blog post. ***

First Day of School - Date Day!

2015-11-30T21:36:00.000-06:00

Because we are a two parent working household, with no family in town...

date nights are virtually unheard of.

They AREN'T non-existent, but it sure feels like it.

We get a sitter from time to time, but man, who can afford them?

But when the kids are in school?

WHOO!

DOUBLE UP!

The Hubs spun the big wheel at Family Night out at a St. Paul Saints game and won $100!

Well, not really, it's a $100 play card thingy...

And so play we did!

But one of us is a double-upper, and one of us isn't...

I'll let you decide who's who, if you don't already know!

HA!

Even looking into the sun, this man humored me and posed for a selfie with our winnings...

not quite the $100+ we had hoped for, but...........

And a great lunch, a bit closer to home, where our luck continued!

A chip in the shape of Minnesota!

That's pretty cool!

As much as I love our kids and the family we've built, I think date-days and date-nights are so so important. Do you date your spouse regularly?

What's your favorite date night?

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Back Yard Shananigans

2015-11-29T12:51:00.000-06:00

You have to look really, really hard, but if you do - can you see a deer?

Two?

Three?

Four?

I love when these little fellas pay us a visit, though I don't think the DNR feels the same way, as they are currently doing some sort of deer reduction in the hood.

We won't tell the kids that part, and we'll just marvel at the beauty that is these guys visiting our backyard and those around us!

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Yearbook Cover Contest

2015-11-26T20:54:00.000-06:00

The firstborn loves her some art, and she's pretty darn good at it too.

Our school had a yearbook cover coloring contest...

A blank slate, and the kids were to come up with a baseball themed cover...

Hers...

Not too shabby, if I do say so in my non-biased Mom opinion!

She made the top ten...but that's as far as she got.

Top 1 makes the front cover, four more make the back, and she may have an appearance in the yearbook somewhere, with this drawing, but we don't know the details on that yet.

Regardless, I love love love seeing creativity flow out of our kids.

Non-electronic, especially!

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Quick and Easy Sandwiches at Home with Hormel Foods!

2015-11-24T23:26:00.000-06:00

A person can only have so much leftover turkey...

(or ham, if that's your Thanksgiving thing!)

But Turkey Pepperoni?

With Salami, shredded cheese, & fresh lettuce?

Toss a couple of pickles on the top for good measure,

and Viola!

A delish, tastes-like-you-are-dining-out, sandwich, made at home!

As we close out the year, and look ahead to 2016...

Eating at home and bringing our lunches to work is moving up the priority list...

(again! GAH!)

Hormel Foods makes that easier with Natural Choice Products:

Hard Salami

Honey Deli Turkey

Deli Roast Beef

Canadian Bacon and so much more....

What is your go to bring it for lunch thing?

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*** As a Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger - I am occasionally given complimentary Hormel products or coupons to off set the price of purchasing products. I am not otherwise compensated for this post. ***

Pumpkins and Pumpkins - Year 10?

2015-11-22T13:06:00.000-06:00

Not always the funnest job,

in fact, this year we left some untouched, for the critters to eat...

but Jack-o-Lanterns are a Halloween Must...Tradition.

Aren't they for everyone, though?

Gorgeous weather had us outside...

And no real plan netted us this...

and this............

Not too shabby!

One of these years, we'll invest in some of those fancy carving tools, and leave our poor kitchen utensils in the house to do what they are intended to do!

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Brace Face...

2015-11-18T21:32:00.000-06:00

Well, he got his expander off a couple of weeks ago, thankfully!

Mom is NOT a fan of the palate expander experience...but wow, are our kids troopers!

Why does he look so different to me, in these pictures taken 30 minutes apart?

No, it's not JUST the braces...........

But the braces sure do make a difference, already!!

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Buck Hill Season Passes - Warm Weather Assurance!

2015-11-17T21:21:00.000-06:00

With the kiddo hanging up his hockey skates this season...

We knew we wanted to find something to keep both kids busy, now that we aren't committing to the ice rink...

They both enjoyed their snowboarding lessons so much last winter...

We decided to go for the season passes...

::GULP::

They are NOT CHEAP...

Hard to swallow that big of an expense all at once...

but, when you live in Minnesota, you have to embrace the winters, cold weather, snow, and all...

So here's to a great ski and snowboard season ahead...

Maybe the first of many?

But if I'm being honest, if it means NO SNOW and these amazing temps hitting 60 degrees with Thanksgiving NEXT WEEK...I'd buy these passes every year!

HA!

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Because when you are 8...

2015-11-15T21:15:00.000-06:00

Isn't this the most logical place to park your bike at the local park?

ah, being a parent is never dull, is it?

And warm, sunny sixty + degree days in the middle of November? That doesn't get old either!

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Halloween 2015!

2015-11-08T12:59:00.000-06:00

I feel like their is extra pressure on Halloween, when the kids are allowed to wear costumes at school.

Yes, I KNOW! Isn't that AWESOME that they can!

Anyhoo - the girl knew what she wanted to be, but the boy didn't...so he went along for the ride.

Back to the 50's, anyone?

H and one of her girlfriends, at the school Halloween Party.

I loved this creative Halloween game that I got stationed at.

The kids put their hand in the box, and then write down what they think it was...

Cat Eyeballs = Peeled Grapes

Witch Fingers = Carrots

Vampire Ears = Dried Apricots

Monster Teeth = Corn Kernals

Frankensteins Brain = Cauliflower!

I adore seeing the kids dressed up with all of their friends, having fun at school, being kids!

And later that night, at home...

posing for the obligatory photos for mom!

We had our annual cul de sac bonfire and the weather was so nice!

And because we had sold off all of our furniture that morning, the kids had lots of room to spread out and trade candy with their friends!

A very successful Halloween, 2015!

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School Pictures...Take 1 and Take 2

2015-11-05T20:56:00.000-06:00

I say this every year...

I don't put a ton of stock into school pictures...

I take a ton, a TON, of photos all the time...so school pictures...

Meh...

I can take them or leave them...

we usually leave them...

Except...they go in the yearbook - in color, no less...

Remember when I shared one of the super cool pictures from their school yearbook???

So when I got these back...

I was like...

What???

How do you not see the kid has his eyes barely open?

Man, is that every annoying...

Hers turned out great, however!

4th grade!

The boy was so annoyed with me that he had to go in for retakes...but seriously...

Isn't take 2 soo much better?

Geez! How hard can it be, with digital cameras???

Derek Robert, 3rd Grade

I'm glad we didn't just ignore this and go with the originals...

The retakes turned out so much better!

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20% Off your Entire Purchase at Gordmans!

2015-11-02T20:18:00.000-06:00

Hey Guys?

I've got a great coupon to share, exclusively with blog readers!

20% off your ENTIRE PURCHASE at Gordmans!

Print this coupon and run to your nearest Gordmans to start your holiday shopping!

http://www.gordmans.com/11.5.15PFcoupon20ep-FFblog.html

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Fits like a Glove!

2015-11-01T21:42:00.000-06:00

We had literally, like 2 choices, from something like a dozen stores -

So beggers can't be choosers!

Fits like a glove!

Why blog this?

Because I love before and afters, that's why!

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Cousin Time on the North Shore!

2015-10-25T21:49:00.000-05:00

Cousin time doesn't happen for our kids nearly enough...

But this day was super special...

Luke and Caleb AND Baby Norah...all at once!

I wish we could make this happen more frequently!

And when your dad teaches you to skip rocks on Lake Superior after the party?

'Mom! Take my picture!'

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Skippy Peanut Butter Bites #HormelFamily

2015-10-21T21:48:00.000-05:00

When you are on the road as much as we are....a person needs some good on the go snacks.

Something that is easy to take with you in the car, easy to eat, somewhat decent....

I share with you...

A new family fav...

Skippy Peanut Butter Bites!!

A Gust Family #HormelFamily Favorite...

Have you tried these yet?

Featuring a crunchy center with a soft peanut butter coating, the product is available in pretzel and double peanut butter varieties and contains 5 grams of protein per serving!!

Next trip, I think we'll get two cups!!

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*** As a Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger, I am not compensated for this post, however, I am occasionally given complimentary products or coupons to off set the cost of purchasing the products themselves. ***

Sunscreen and Skin Cancer PSA

2015-10-16T20:36:00.000-05:00

If you have a little freckle on your lip -

you might just chalk it up to being a sun worshipper for the previous several decades...

But just in case, you might decide to go see a Dermatologist, you know, just in case...

And he might tell you that he isn't a psychologist,

and that he needs to do a biopsy right then and there...

ACK!

and then you have to hope that no news is good news...

until actual news arrives...

And then you can celebrate...

And remember to wear sunscreen!

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Home Remodel Update - Long Overdue Carpet Project

2015-10-11T11:09:00.000-05:00

If we stay or if we go...

One thing was for certain...

That carpet.

GROSS!

Never mind the duct tape - we had some subfloor replaced, then patched er up until the carpet installers could come!

And various forms of carpet, from room to room.

Yep.

Gross.

The stairs were the WORST!

15 years of traffic....

Yikes!

The hubs convinced me we also needed to redo the 'shoe floor' - in the entry way -

Thank GOD he did!

Wow!

What a difference!

I can't wait to do the kitchen in this easy snaps together laminate flooring too!

Before and after of the entry way - YES! Another one of those...

WHY DIDN'T WE DO THIS SOONER!! Situations!!

The carpet has since been replaced...and looks one trillion times better!

Home Improvements never end, do they?

At least with us, we wait so very very long - that the before and afters are simply amazing! HA!

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Back to School Shopping with Gordmans!

2015-10-06T13:35:00.003-05:00

Back to school is SUCH an exciting time, for both kids, AND their parents,

am I right??

Actually, I love having the kiddos home and we love our Minnesota Summers...but getting back into a routine is really nice too...

Back to school means a lot of things to a lot of people - and one of those things that goes hand in hand is SHOPPING!

We don't rush out and do a lot of back to school shopping, except for getting the things off of the 'must have to start fourth grade' school supply type lists.

A new outfit, a couple of tops or bottoms here and there...

The rest can wait...

It's fun to get new stuff a month into school, too, isn't it?

My newly minted 10 year old and I headed to one of our favs...

Gordmans is a place that everyone wins!

So very very much to pick from, even when we don't always have the same thing in mind!

Shopping can be a real chore, some days.

But affordable sports apparel for everyone?

YES!

It's so fun to watch her come into her own, choose her own things...

And the price tags at Gordmans make me feel so much better about this whole we almost have a teenager in the house thing!

Stylish gym shoes, for when cute flip flops and sandals just won't do!

And accessories!

This little purse is so cute, you just may see me using it from time to time!

Or, at these prices, we could each get our own!

Gordmans has become a family favorite - so much to choose from and prices that allow us to choose entire outfits, complete with accessories, not just a piece here, a piece there!

Have you shopped Gordmans lately?

What was your great find?

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*** I was offered a gift card to Gordmans in order to facilitate this blog post. I was not otherwise compensated for this post. ***