Tuesday This & That

I know, I know, I'm very original on Tuesday mornings.  Another round of random ramblings on my part, but this time I am accepting reader participation, so pay attention my lovely friends!

1. I am doing my weekly push to encourage some voting for my nephew's school Rose Drive Elementary!  They have a chance to win a $250,000 grant from Pepsi to help their school go green to save some green.  The contest is 100% voter driven, so every single vote counts!  You can vote once a day every day, so please pop over to Pepsi Refresh to vote today!

2. If you are a local Southern California resident, you may want to consider stopping in to Chartreuse Home Furnishings for their annual Summer Sale.  Everything on the floor is 15% off and they have an amazing showroom filled with delights of every kind and price range.  Mention their blog and you will be entered into a drawing to win a custom silk floral arrangement.  Check out a few of their most recent pieces:

3. So this weekend I am going away on a "girls trip".  I am excited.  It is my first trip of this kind since becoming a mom.  We will be staying at a friend's grandma's house in Palm Desert swimming and trying to stay cool.  The forecast is 115 degrees.  Oh mommy.  We will be sweating and drinking and laughing and eating here Sunday morning.  Let's see how hip and swanky we look with kinky hair and sweat ring stains. 

So while I mention this trip not to incite jealousy on your part, although, come on, with 115 degree heat who wouldn't be jealous?  I mention it because I do want to hear your book recommendations.  I want to just take one book with me.  A good summer read, not necessarily heavy, but not too light.  I like my books with some substance and meaning, but I don't want to end the book feeling like I'm going to slit my wrists, so no Jodi Picoult book recs please.  Keep in mind that I have already read The Help, so that's checked off.  What else my friends should I whirlwind through on my trip?

4. I will be hosting a giveaway starting today at Life Rearranged (post to be up later and will link it once it is up and go into more details).  Stay tuned and/or please check back :)  Jeannett started the blog as a way to chronicle life as a mom, but also as a way to raise money and be charitable.  Every couple of weeks she hosts a new blogger to tell a story how their life has been rearranged, and the guest blogger then chooses a charity to raise money for.  Each guest blog post has a giveaway (this is where I come in with my Etsy shop).  You get a chance to enter to win the giveaway by donating amounts of any amount.  $1 gets you 1 entry, $10 gets you 10.  Simple and easy right?  She has raised over $2000 for various charities so far.  Amazing and I am honored to be a part of it.

5. Lastly, if you are my Facebook friend, you may already know about "The Runner".  If not, here you go...there is a young man that runs through our neighborhood, actually just around the elementary school across the street, 2 times a day everyday.  He wears the same thing each time he runs and he runs at the exact same times every day.  My husband had never noticed him until I mentioned him, and now he is like our phenomenon.  We are trying to figure out why he is running, is he in training, is he just bored, is he obsessive, and for goodness sake, why does he wear the same thing every time he runs?  Please keep in mind that while it may appear we are poking fun at him, deep down we are both envious of this young man's dedication, endurance and stamina, and focus.
Yesterday on his way to work Art snapped a shot with his camera phone and sent it to me, to which I immediately started busting up.  He always knows how to make me laugh!

So now we are taking a poll.
How many of you think he has multiple sets of the same exact running gear and changes them twice a day?
How many think he wears the same one running outfit day in and day out?
How many think he washes the outfit every day in between runs?
C'mon, play along just for fun!

Alright friends, back to work for me :)
I will be double posting tonight, so be on the lookout for my 3rd recipe from Better Homes & Gardens 20 to Try.
Happy Tuesday!