Yet another bag - - for a new toy!

I've been lucky enough to receive some surprise packages in the mail lately. In addition, I was selected to be part of a technology grant at my work and got another surprise put in my hands as part of that project. I am definitely a technology girl! I love new technology and don't know how I survived without an electronic planner, computer, smart phone (yes I carry around 2 smart phones . . . . crazy, I know), and email. But I'm not a person that runs right out and drops a chunk of change on the newest toys. I am usually content to wait a little for just the right deal on a tried and true great technology find.

So how excited was I last week when I went to a training at work and got a new iPad dropped in to my lap along with an iTunes gift card to start putting apps on it. It only took about 15 minutes before I had used up the gift card and was using my own money. I have many more apps to buy, I just need more time in my days.
Then the mailman rang my doorbell on Saturday with a box from Amazon. I wasn't quite sure what it was when I opened it . . . but I quickly discovered this new LITTLE (and "little" is definitely the operative word here!) treasure - a new pocket projector. This thing is amazing! It projects up to a 70 inch image and weighs literally only ounces. Its lamp life is over 20,000 hours. See the quarter I put on it so you get a feel for how small it really is! It was a thank you gift for something I had been working on for a long time.
And again, on Monday, when I arrived home from work, there was yet another box from Amazon on my front porch . . . A new generation Kindle from my incredibly nice (and only) sister as an early birthday present. I haven't had much time to play with it yet, but I'm excited to make the switch to e-books! Well of course the Kindle had to have it's own cool apple green leather cover. And the iPad came with a cover. But my little projector and all its cords needed just a little something to call home . . . so I fell back to my favorite gathered clutch pattern from Noodlehead and just increased the size slightly to hold everything. Who doesn't love brown these days? It's the new black!

Sadly I'm pretty sure the mailman is done ringing my doorbell for awhile. Ok - that means time to learn how to effectively use all this cool stuff!

My Halloween Night Secret

I have a little secret . . . . I'm not necessarily proud of it, but it's true all the same. There's no point in denying it any longer. Every Halloween night (or tonight in this year's case - since we're celebrating on Saturday), after we close down the front door to trick-or-treaters, I turn off all the lights, and sit down on the floor in front of my iTunes library . . . . and I play C H R I S T M A S music. Yes, it's true!!! I love Christmas music and it's all I can do to keep myself from playing it all year round. So my "line in the sand" is Halloween night. That is my FIRM rule - no Christmas music . . . until tonight.

And then, stand back - it's Christmas music 24/7 until around the day after Christmas.

There - I feel much better. It's never good to keep secrets!

Things That Make You Go Hum!

So this post is all about me - this little item is now in my possession - - - to be used in about three weeks. All on my own . . . with a group of people I don't know . . . but I am about as excited as my kids are when they get to spend a day out with Thomas at our local historic train company!

Hum . . . . what will it be like? I can hardly wait to see! And I would be neglectful to not mention a big thank you to a deserving husband who is sending me on my way while he stays home to take care of two busy little boys all by himself! I hope we all survive!