Mini Stools from Pottery Barn

So cute! Found these in the Pottery Barn April 2009 catalog today.
Looks like they're a limited item.

I think I'd put it on top of a stack of nice big books on top of my dresser, and then lean a photo frame on top of the little stool, against the wall. :D All next to a jar with wildflowers? Yes. :)

I really think I might by this...

Another use for binder clips.

I was looking through one of the lists of "New uses for everyday items" that Real Simple has on its website when I came across this.

Using binder clips to hold up photos [or index cards with verses, quotes, agendas, sticky pad reminders, and so on..]

Most of their ideas were pretty straightforward (for example, use a sticky pad to write driving instructions and put it on your steering wheel.) While this binder clip idea won't keep me from every buying a frame again, I do think it's a neat way to display something on your desk, without buying one of those "page up" dealies that come in bad colors.

Goals

My Spring semester has been getting busier and busier over the last weeks, and will continue to do so. One thing I've been thinking about is how I want to "thrive not just survive." At care group last night we were talking about making scripture reading a priority. This is something I have really let slip, and so it's going to be at the top of my list. For me to "thrive not just survive" means that my time is spent intentionally, I have priorities and the important things are getting time and attention, etc. I want to look back on this time and not just remember that it was busy, but also remember that I grew in certain areas, ate well, and focused on things that mattered.

Here's stuff I want to work on:

1. Getting up at a consistent time.
   I tend to get up as late as I can, leaving the minimum time to get ready for my day. This results in skipping breakfast, running late for class, not making my bed, stress, not being able to take time to read any scripture in the morning, etc.
   Specific Goal = 6 or 6:30am each day. (6:30 at first, then 6 as I get used to the adjustment.)
2. Make Scripture a Priority
   Specific Goal = Spend 20 minutes of the 6:30-7:30am hour with my Bible.
   (And that will be the 6-7am hour later on when I get up at 6.)
   And then I'll try to make time later in the day to read more, etc. but this way I'm at least getting some core reading in each morning as I get going with my day.
   
3. Get to classes 5 minutes early. Yea, I guess that's specific. :)
   The getting up earlier thing will be really key in making this one work. ;D
   
4. Eating healthy. The thing that's hard for me isn't eating healthy foods (which I love) - it's eating.
   For me, eating healthy means making meals, especially breakfast and lunch, a priority.
5. Keeping my room clean
6. Memorizing Scripture

Towards the end of the list, I have less specifics but I'm going to add to this list.
For this week, my main focus is on #1 and #2. I'll keep you posted on progress. :)

Customer Service Website & Pink Lady Apples @ Whole Foods

The other day, I stumbled upon a super website called Get Satisfaction.
This site says it provides "Real conversations with company employees and other customers who will answer your questions..."

From the small amount I've used the site and spent time browsing it, it seems to deliver as advertised.
Also, there are a good number of companies that use the site that I have products/services from:
- Google (+gmail, etc.),
- Twitter, Apple,
- Adobe
- and even stores like Whole Foods.

Even though I wasn't having an issue with an account or product, I wanted to try the service out.
And so I decided to ask Whole Foods a question about Pink Lady Apples. :)
I haven't been to Whole Foods more then a couple times, and I wondered if they carried Pink Lady apples year round. Safeway and Giant have them now, but not all year and the ones at Giant are icky.

Anyway, here's what the employee said in reply to my question. :D

Pink Lady Apples @ Whole Foods.

The Pink Lady apple (also known as Cripps Pink) is a late season apple and is among the last varieties to come off the trees in the fall. Pink Lady apples tend to have a starchy flavor right off of the tree (this may be what you are experiencing occasionally when the fruit is just not right) and because of this we like to wait 8 weeks or so after harvest to promote them. The domestic season starts in late October and the fruit is usually gone by May. However our product experts tell me that US-grown Pink Lady apples taste the best from January through April.

We also get imported Pink Lady apples in the summer from Chile and New Zealand that start to arrive about the time the domestic fruit goes away (late May). Imported fruit in the early part of the season will have the same starchy flavor as the early season domestic fruit, so you may want to wait until later in the season (July-September) to purchase the best tasting fruit from the imported crops.

Pink Lady apples are one of a kind, so it is difficult to recommend a substitute. Our produce experts suggest Honey Crisp or Jonagold apples (both are excellent from September all the way to late December) but there is no real match in flavor and texture for a Pink Lady during the right time of the year.

--
So yeah. :)
I'll be at Whole Foods soon. ( i LOVE pink lady apples )