I may have mentioned it before, but I love Target

Well, they got me again. I love Target. Oh, passionately love. The sales, the clearance, the totally-cool-looking-things-that-look-like-Pottery-Barn-for-a-fraction-of-the-price, the clearance, the prices, the many checkout lanes, the red logo, the open aisles, the lack of lame music playing, the fact that nothing is stacked on the top shelf (except toys at Christmas), the cool phones that make people come to you in 30 seconds (or the voice record lady will get mad), the clean bathrooms, the cheap food, the clearance, the lighting, the selection, and, well, I could go ON AND ON AND ON AND ON. I LOOOOOOVE Target.

Then they put out this totally cool and awesome Thanksgiving commercial staring another Nancy. I love my name and I love Target. Could I POSSIBLY be their TARGET audience? Good thing I studied advertising in school or they may have got me. Oh, yeah, I almost forgot: I love Target advertising too.

Here is the commercial:

I can't decide if the cut-out paper turkey leg or answering the door with a bowl and a whisk it my favorite part. Hahaha.

On a side note, when I was in school I did some Comms research paper and read a book about Target and why they are so successful. I only read about half of it due to my amount of procrastination and it not being the true subject of my assigned topic and luck in library due dates (yes, I know about renewing. I did it twice.) So I told myself I would read it when I have more time. Hummm. If only I had more time AND could remember the name of the book. I guess I could read through my research papers from college and see if I referenced it correctly. But man, I need time for that too. Anyway.

So dear Target: I love you. Happy Thanksgiving. I'll see you several times next week, as always.

XOXO, Nancy

ps: there is a total ban on anyone making a comment here about their dislike of Target. This is my blog and I say so. Plus I always protect what I love.

pps: this post is dedicated to Nikki, Heidi, Melanie and Bryce (He has to go there a lot. At least he can get a dedication. Think of it like the beginning of a children's book. Doncha ever wish that was you?)

My Red Dyson = Love

My friend was asking what kind of vacuum to buy on Facebook with a $300 budget. I raved about my Dyson and felt like I needed to post it on some forum or something. Then I remembered I have a blog and can post my opinions to it whenever I want... and I haven't done so in quite some time... Anyway, the post:

My Dyson is seriously one of my ultimate, TOTALLY worth it purchases. I love it - especially how unbelievably satisfying it is to vacuum and see how much stuff you pull up. The cord is long, the bag-less feature is easy to use, you can switch it to a canister-type style (for hard floors) with an attachment, the hose is like 17 feet long, there is a lifetime filter, 5 year warranty, it is light and it hasn't ever given me a problem.

The best way to get a deal on a Dyson is search online for a store front that has a sale going on -- then take it to Bed Bath and Beyond to price match. My sister got her $500 version (DC 24) for $320! But there is usually a good one with attachments and an extra filter at Costco. I actually sold some extra attachments mine came with on eBay for $10-$20 too... but they do have some pretty cool attachments I love...

Mine is the regular (DC 07) version, but I am jealous of the new(er) Ball addition and the quick-draw hose feature.

I have heard mixed reviews from other people of the Dyson, but I have been nothing but totally satisfied (OBVIOUSLY!) I threw my $150 Dirt Devil away after 18 months with a newer $30 filter. What a waste!

Some bonus Derek pictures

I think my sisters would kill me unless I posted some pictures of Derek too. I'll choose a few here and put the rest on Flickr.

At the Owlz game.
Eating his cute cookie at Disneyland.
Exhausted after Disneyland day #1.

Projects and over-run budgets.

TA-DA! A blog post! I know, I know, how exciting.

I just finished my latest project for my living room. The South end has been redone and I thought I would share the progress.

The family pictures: Family pictures are always an ordeal, even when you don't want them to be. When my sister Nikki was in town, we went shopping for clothes. 17 outfits later (okay, maybe there were only 15), we decided on what I should wear. Then Bryce and Derek's outfits were easy to find. I then decided to take the pictures at Wadley Farms in Lindon. Clay came with us to make Derek smile -- somehow a grown man with a light saber always does the trick! (Thanks again, Clay.)

We did Rick Nye's new website and left some cash at the end for an updated family picture. I did take the picture of Derek on the right -- he wouldn't cooperate long enough for Rick to take a picture, so Mike and Claire let us use their backyard as a backdrop a few days later.

The coffee/end tables & frames: I went in to Four Chairs to order some frames for our family pictures and I saw the tables. I knew I had to have them! They came in a set, so I decided I needed both end and the coffee table. That meant we had to rearrange the living room, moving the entertainment center and rearranging the media stuff. That was quite the project. I also had a hard time deciding on a frame color, but I think black will be traditional enough throughout the years. (I do Four Chairs' website too. But don't look at it now. It's in the middle of being revamped.)

The lamps: I got a black lamp base and pretty red lamp shade for our wedding. I realized a little while later that I should have two -- one for my side of the bed and one for Bryce -- but Target decided to no longer carry the shade. A few years later I noticed the base on clearance, so I bought it. A short while after that, we moved and one of the bases was dropped and broken (the guilty person will remain nameless).

Now fast-forward to the present. I had two new black end tables, one functioning black base, one broken black base and one red shade. I went to Lowe's and (all by myself) found the necessary pieces to fix the broken base. I then browsed online and found a darling lamp shade for $250. I then kept looking for lamp shades and found one at Target.

I then decided that I wanted something more unique for my totally-awesome-and-totally-unique end tables. So I went to six stores and then decided that the Target lamp shades were totally-awesome-and-totally-unique-especially-for-their-price. I then went to JoAnn's and bought beads and trim to spice them up. An hour later with the hot hot glue gun, they look pretty dang good. (And no, I didn't make a mistake. I meant to say hot twice. Just ask my right thumb.)

I also spent an evening with my Lowe's fix-it parts and my broken lamp base. I was only electrocuted once (and tripped the power twice), but I fixed my broken base for a little less than $10. It was so worth it.

The couch and accessories: the same ol' red couch. In my wildest dreams I will get a new one someday. I have fabric left over from the curtains for toss pillows. What a concept. So for today, just let the couch be. The throw has been at Target for months and it finally went on clearance, which means I have no restraint. Hooray for Target clearance.

I want something else for the East wall and some sort of finishing touch with the picture frames. Maybe someday we'll decide what to do with our lives, we'll own something and I will be able to paint too.

But hey, several projects and several over-run budgets later, I couldn't be happier about my new South-end in my living room. And my cute family hanging on the wall.

Derek is Babysat by Clay

Clay always does a terrific job babysitting. He's very willing too. One of Derek's (and Clay's) favorite things to do with Clay is lightsaber fight. Clay brought over the Darth Vader mask and at first it scared him, but then it was fine.

Derek also likes to pitch the ball (imaginary) and then run the bases. Until tonight we had never seen him dust himself off.

Then we dressed him up like Yoda.

It's an 8 minute clip and the in house film editor didn't feel like editing it. So we won't be offended if you close it early.

The Real Singin in the Rain

Singin' in the Rain continues to be one of Derek's choice songs. The other day it was raining so he got to use the umbrella. It was a monumental day.

Tonight we let him dance with it to Singin' in the Rain.

Grammie and Hockey

Do you like the new header? I had a hard time choosing a picture (and a new background that looked boy-ish enough!) It is a picture of Derek at the ice rink. Bryce took him there while I was at the new IHC hospital in Murray visiting my Grammie in the Neuro ICU.

You can read more about that here at a blog my mom is managing.

**UPDATE** Grammie opened her eyes today and the doctor says she can see out of the left eye. She talks and responds to questions! She is moving her left hand when asked. YAY!

I debated writing this post or not -- I'm not very good at telling people when my family is sick. Or talking about when my family is sick. Or dealing with the fact that my family is sick. But I am continuously thinking and praying for her, making for a lame blog post about something I'm not really thinking about if I say something else. But my family has only seen real blessings when we're really sick. So hey, there are positives.

Bryce and I visited her last night (thanks to Derek's awesome Grandpa Rock Star and Grandma Leslie and Best Friend Aunt Jennifer.) She is making real progress and we just hope she continues moving in the right direction.

My Grammie is the most independent and faithful person I know. It took a lot of strength for her to finally have her knee surgery, and now she is still strong. Now we are watching the Lord do His thing and provide us with the strength we need.

Love ya, Grammie.

This is my grandparents at the airport waiting for Brady to come off the airplane from his mission. Grammie is holding Olivia.
This is at our wedding. Of course I have pictures of Grammie taking pictures.
This is in 1992. Cute, huh?
This is Derek at the hospital with the blanket Grammie (and Gramps) made for him.

I think Grammie would like this one.

This is at my Grammie's house on Danish Road after my bridal shower. I don't think Heidi and Nikki will like this picture, but hey, here we are.

This is Grammie with Derek.
The fam at our Graduation. This is the most recent picture of the extended family at Brady's homecoming.