Keep on Truckin'...

Look what pulled up to my school last Thursday...

 The Scholastic Book Fair truck! Yippee!!  Isn't that the coolest truck ever?!

   For me, this is like the circus coming to town! I'm as jazzed as the kids on the truck.

The book fair can't fit into the library because of a new computer lab taking up library space. Guess where it will be instead?!  In the classroom right across the hall from my classroom!! Yee--freakin--haw!!

Can't wait till the book fair officially opens! Friday, while the librarian was setting up, I slipped in for a whiff of new book smell and a little reconnaissance. I spotted some interesting titles already. 

Click here to see the books I bought at the Scholastic Book Fair last spring. Consider visiting your local school's book fair-- there are usually cookbooks and other adult books too. Plus, buying helps the school get more books.

If you are into photography, photo meme linky parties are fun. I frequently participate in photo memes over at my everything else blog, Dusty Us Diaries, but this week it is Mrs. BG's turn.

Click the buttons to see more colorful photos from around the world.

Click here  for Ruby Tuesday

click here for Rednesday

Hay-ulp! A Shopping Dilemma!

Hay-ulp! Hay-ulp! Remember little ol' Penelope Pitstop? Rich vacuous southern belle always in peril.  My East Texas Piney Woods roots qualify me as Southern but I'm way too rough around the edges for belle-dom.  Vacuous? Hmm, better plead the fifth on that one. Rich? Definitely not. Peril? Not at the moment--  but I hope you can hay-ulp little ol' me with a shopping dilemma...

I recently won a CSN Store gift certificate from the lovely Jillian  that must be used by December 31.  My plan was to purchase my little boy a bookcase which would free up at least one shelf each from three family bookcases. CSN offers a wide selection of bookcases for children BUT I really want the fun of searching through thrift/junk stores for the perfect bookcase that can be refurbished in some funky cool way.  I'll know it when I see it and maybe it will even have a drawer or two.

So what to buy instead? How about kitchen toys! Here are my two choices:



A German clay roaster! I've always wanted to try one of these. Wonder if I could make tandoori chicken in it?   Do any of you have pro/con experience with clay cooking to sway me one way or the other?  I mainly roast in the winter but not weekly so it would see infrequent use and take up precious storage space.  But I've always wanted one and it would only cost about $10 with the gift certificate.



Or...



Melmac mixing bowls! Just perfect for my yellow accented kitchen.  I've been looking for a set of yellow lightweight mixing bowls for everyday use-- and believe me they would be used almost every day!  The price doesn't quite use up the gift certificate so one of the following would round out the order...




Rachel Ray's Bubble and Brown ramekins--  Love the shape!



Baby Batter bowl-- Isn't it cute!





Emile Henry mini pie dish-- Oh, this is even cuter!





Microplane zester! This is the most amazing gadget ever!  I have one already but it doesn't have a happy yellow handle. Silly, I know, but I do love happy yellow handles! And my old one can be passed on to a friend...



So what is your opinion?  An experimental possibly seldom used clay roaster to further my culinary adventures or happy frequently used yellow mixing bowls? If you vote yellow, which little extra should round out the order?

CSN is a new online shopping experience for me-- I will report on the ordering process and shipping/packaging. 

If you would like a chance to win a CSN gift certificate, Mystica and Booksploring are both running giveways right now! These are December giveways so hurry over to enter! 

Mrs. Baja's Gift Shop: Stephanie Plum Inspired Gifts

The gift giving season is upon us, but here at Mrs BG’s we think it’s always fun to shop. So we have a new, year ‘round feature, Mrs. Baja's Gift Shop.

Here we'll show off book-inspired gifts, sticking to the theme of the book, series or character. No books, book marks or book lights here; we are thinking off the page. Confused? Have a look and you'll see what we mean.

We are kicking off with gifts for Stephanie Plum readers. Wacky, exciting, Stephanie-related gifts for Evanovich aficionados.

Since Stephanie never cooks and has nothing in her pantry except peanut butter and frosted flakes, a gourmet food hamper is just the ticket. The only thing here that needs cooking is tea, so it’s perfect for stake outs. After the food is gone she could use the basket for picnics. Who are we kidding? She can use it to take her laundry to her mother’s.

Wooden donuts are low calorie fun treats. Or is that just too cruel?

This is a beautiful cookie jar. It would add a touch of class to any inner-city apartment, and it would be easy to see when you are running on low on treats. But you wouldn’t be able to hide your gun in it...

This one would be better for hiding guns, and you can personalize it with the names of the family. But which man would Stephanie put on hers? And do they have hamster images?

This is the ultimate cookie jar for Stephanie fans, since Morelli calls her cupcake.

This will make you or your partner smell like Ranger, the sexiest man in fiction.

…a cap gun, so someone can shoot at you, and you can shoot back. It’s die cast and looks really real.

For those who love bling or want to channel Sally Sweet, a pretty pair of earrings. They would dress up the t-shirt below.

Any woman would appreciate a wardrobe staple like a V neck tee. Fits nice and snug to show off your curves (donuts, anyone?) and goes anywhere. The funeral parlor, the police station, a break-and-enter, a movie and capture, a transvestite rock concert, dinner with the family, a stake out….