Great find: MiniInTheBox.com

Good morning lovelies! I wanted to take a minute to stop in and tell you about an awesome website, MiniInTheBox.com. Maybe you already know about the fabulousness that is this site, but if you’re unfamiliar, keep reading.

MiniInTheBox sells all sorts of tech-related gadgets—keyboards, adapters, phone cases, memory cards, game controllers, stands, cables, and more. (They’ve also got camping, storage, and home "gadgets.") I was looking for a replacement charger cable for my iPhone—not only did I find it, but I also had a dozen colors and sizes to choose from. There are so many options! And it’s cheap. I got my cable and a plugin adapter for less than $5, and my shipping was free.

Extra long iPhone charger ($2.99)

Cable management velcro ties ($1.19)

Owl pattern hard case ($2.99)

Leopard design cosmetic brush set ($3.69)

So let’s recap:

1. Lots of choices.
2. Extremely affordable prices.

It’s a win-win! The only downfall? Shipping takes forever. It took almost a month to get my charger in the mail. I'm sure that's how they keep their prices so low, but it is a little annoying. So just be prepared to wait for whatever you order.

Have you heard of MiniInTheBox before? Ever used them? Leave a comment and share your experience!

Please note: this post is 100% my opinion. I wasn't paid in any way to write about MiniInTheBox.com, I just wanted to share my thoughts.

Wishlist: World Market wall decor

If you didn't already know this, I'm a HUGE World Market fan. Their stuff is just so unique and different from what I usually see in stores around here. We got this table in our living room on sale from the website (there's no brick-and-mortar store near us):

Cool, right? I love it. So lately I've been snooping around on the WM website looking for more pieces to add to my decor. Here are a few of my favorites:

First up, this french roast tapestry. It belongs in my kitchen. Seriously, I can hear it calling my name.

I've been thinking about decorating the family room downstairs with a travel theme--I'd give my left foot to be able to travel the world (really, who needs the left one anyway?)--and I think this time zone clock would work well on the wall above the TV.

Next up, this cute water closet sign. Our bedroom has something of a rustic vibe to it, and I think this would be fun to have above the door to our bathroom. Little touches like that make me smile. :) <--- just like that.

Finally, I love this victorian bust. It should go in my living room. Because... well, why the heck not?

Which item is your favorite?

I've decided to become a wino

Because what's better than sitting down after a long, stressful day at the office with a glass of sweet goodness? And having an excuse to buy one of these babies:

Husker wine glass from dottindivas

Or better yet, this adorable his and hers set:

His and hers wine glasses from TipsyGLOWs

And, if I REALLY get good at it, I could hook myself up with a name charm. You know, so I'll know which of the glasses sitting next to the sink is the cleanest/most recently used. :)

Personalize wine glass charms from kraze4paper

In all seriousness, I really am taking up wine drinking as a regular pastime. I typically only drink on special occasions, but recently a new grocery store near our house was having a sale on my favorite fermented grapes: James Arthur Vineyards' Edelweiss. For Valentine's day, C and I paired it artfully with our favorite cheese and treat that's found in our house even less frequently than the wine:

Super classy, right? When you can spend a romantic evening drinking wine and nibbling on flavored tortilla chips, you know it's real love. 

Anyway, the not-the-norm sip of vino in front of the fireplace while the wind gusted outside got me officially hooked. Life is too short not to enjoy a good experience like that more often. At least, as often as I can without causing C to organize an intervention. Cheers, lovelies!

Put the phone DOWN already!

The other day, I was sitting in a coffee shop with friends all working/blogging/doing taxes/enjoying the atmosphere. I'm pretty sure Tim was slacking and reading about the Huskers instead of working. And C forgot some papers, so the taxes thing might not have actually happened. But either way, all six of us were huddled around three tiny little tables, hyped up on caffeine, and not saying a word to each other.

What's wrong with this picture?

I had a friend once who took my phone away for texting while a group of us were out to dinner. At the time, I thought he was being silly. Now, I think he was brilliant. He got me to focus on the people I was with. And I think we should all take steps in that direction more often. We have to give up our screen distractions. Intentionally. Because other people are actually pretty cool.

How can we reconnect with the people around us?

1. Put the phone down. Turn it off, hide it, do whatever you have to do. Just stop checking it for even just a few minutes.

2. Look people in the eye. So much of the problem can be solved with eye contact. Try it and see if it doesn't make you want to chat.

3. Don't give up if the conversation isn't easy. Those awkward silences? They're ok. Push through them. Don't retreat behind a screen.

It can really be that simple. But those three things might be harder than they sound. I know they are for me. But we've got to do it, or we might as well hide in our houses for the rest of our lives.

I'm in! 52 Lists

HeygirlHaaaaaay! Guess what I just discovered? The 52 Lists project from Moorea Seal! If you know me at all, you know I'm a slightly obsessive list maker. So this project makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I'm a little bit behind (the 2013 project is already on week 6), but I'm totally joining in the fun. Here's my first list:

Want to make your own list? You can download a premade printable of each week's prompt here (click on the week you want to download). If you join in the fun, be sure to leave a comment here and let me know--I'd love to read your lists, too!