10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1

Happy New Year!

Ashley and Seth Sittin' in a Tree...

Three years ago this evening I went on a first date with a guy that I wasn't sure was "my type".
And, really, he wasn't! We went to Opry Mills to see Memoirs of a Geisha, we ate at the food court Burger King (My idea, not his. He wanted to take me somewhere "fancy".), we held hands for a total of 5 seconds in the parking lot on the way to the car (we both thought the other pulled away and so neither of us tried it again that night!), we talked and talked and talked. But he still wasn't my type!
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We were complete opposites! He was 11 years older than me so we obviously hung out in different circles. We kind of knew of each other...but we had never officially met until a few weeks before. He kind of drove me crazy with his "nice guy act" practically racing me to doors so that he could open them for me (and actually I found that it wasn't an act...he really IS that nice!). I drove him crazy with the fact that I was still a bit hung up on an ex-boyfriend (I get made fun of now for that). He liked sports A LOT...He had a weird work schedule...He had weird eating habits...I had a whole list of reasons that we wouldn't work out!
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But for some reason I just couldn't seem to make the decision to stop seeing him. We did like the same music...it turned out that I actually liked hockey...He was an MTSU alum so we had school to talk about...We were both artists (me with writing, him with graphics)...He made me LAUGH...something just kind of clicked with us.
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Well...after several months of "just seeing each other"...we got closer, we became best friends and very soon it was just him. Somehow the guy that wasn't my type became the only guy that I wanted to be with.
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So tonight we celebrate the 3rd anniversary of our first date. I ended up getting one of the good ones and I'm just so blessed to have him. Soon we'll have another anniversary to celebrate but I think this one will still be an important one even after getting married.
I love you Seth. Happy 3 years!

Girl's Nadia are HERE!

They're Here! They're Here! They're Here!

Hurry in while supplies last!

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

From our family to yours; Buffy Heaton, Greg Gillentine, Helen Gillentine, Garry Gillentine, Ashley Gillentine and Seth Wright

HO. HO. HO. Two Shopping Days Remaining...Really?

So...here I am...posting at 1:21 am because I feel like I've abandoned you last-minute shoppers in your time of need! There are only TWO shopping days until Christmas people!

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I still have a ton of Christmas gift ideas...but having just gotten done with customers and wrapping and away from the shop at 8:00 pm and not having enough energy to post all of the great ideas. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful....just a little tired too....but I can sleep after Christmas, right?

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It's gotten to the point where y'all are just gonna have to come into the shop and see us if you're really in need of a cure for that "shoppers block"! Or if you're visiting the blog for the first time ever or for the first time in awhile click here for some more Christmas ideas!

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To break it down for you...because I don't want you to take any unnecessary trips:

• I can definitely take care of the baby to 10-year-old boys and girls...
• I've got the 11 to 14-year-old girls taken care of....
• the grandmothers, aunts and teachers...
• the moms are easy easy easy, especially if their little darlings or wonderful hubby picks it out...
• Older-than-10 boys I can still find stuff for, but it kind of depends on their personality...
• 15 to 17-year-old girls are hard to shop for no matter the personality (I think I just wanted Mario Lopez for Christmas during those years) but I can still find a couple of things that they would like...
• 18 and up girls and women are pretty easy to find stuff for (and gift certificates are ALWAYS appreciated by them, I promise!)...
• a lot of dads, brothers and grandpas LOVE Crocs............................
• and we have got stocking stuffers galore for EVERYONE! Under $10, WAY under $10 and even some above $10!

I guess I'll summarize all of this with my usual tag "We can find something for NEARLY everyone on your list"!

And we have several sales going on (for you lucky last-minuters...in addition to Mom's everyday "special, on-a-whim" deals that she gives randomly!

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If you have questions, just call us! If you want some more ideas, just call us! If you want us to wrap something up so that you AS WELL AS the person you're gifting is suprised, just give call us and give us a price point! I promise, we'll go out of our way to make sure you're satisfied with your gift and that your loved one will LOVE it!

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Now for my rant!

I'm right along with you...I've helped everyone else get their Christmas shopping done and gifts ready and have neglected mine! Thank goodness I have a wonderful brother in Knoxville who does a lot of the parent shopping...but what to get the wonderful shopping brother and his fiance?

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Better yet, what to get my own fiance? I have gotten him a few things that I think are pretty great and I know he'll appreciate but I haven't got "that" gift...you know, the finale gift that really packs the punch...? Our first Christmas together was a really awesome, very hard to find, SIGNED by PAUL STANLEY guitar that I had to call all over Middle Tennessee to find. Last Christmas was a bunch of Milwaukee Admirals (The Preds' minor league team) stuff and an authentic Preds practice jersey. This year...there is one really great thing that I won't mention on here because Seth actually likes the blog and reads it on a regular basis....but no guitar this year....no really awesome jersey...I suck! He's just so good and thoughtful all of the time but especially in his gift giving and hopefully he'll continue to be really great (yeah, I'm kissing up a little...what?)and let me get him something really great after Christmas when I have some time to breathe and maybe even shop!

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Whew! I feel better...though not any more energized! I hope your last two days are not too stressful, not too crowded, not too hectic, not too cold and that you find the joy in the season and really get a kick out of your gift-giving this year! I'll post more over the next couple of days...just don't expect anything too spectacular until after the new year has begun!

Thank you thank you thank you!!

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p.s. I realize that Christmas is not all about the gift-giving, by the way! There's a whole lot bigger and better "reason for the season"...and HE doesn't really care how "prepared" I might be for the holiday...just that I continue to take the time to LOVE and care for my fellow man despite the hustle and bustle of this week! HE LOVES me unconditionally and has set an example for me and THAT is what keeps me in check and gives me peace despite my recent lack of energy and the craziness of the season!

Christmas Gift Idea #14 - Hello Kitty & Friends

With less than one week...4 days to be exact.... until Christmas I've noticed that there are still a lot of people hunting for "the perfect Christmas gift" for that special someone on their list. So I've decided that from now until the 24th that I'm going to post at least one gift idea every day. Hopefully these ideas will inspire those of you who are having "shoppers block" and will jumpstart your holiday shopping!

For more Christmas Gift Ideas Click Here.

Gift Idea #14 is Hello Kitty and Friends!

You knew that this had to be on my list somewhere! We are the ONLY Sanrio store in Warren County and we have one of the largest selections of Sanrio in the Middle Tennessee area! With Hello Kitty, Keroppi, Pandapple, Chococat, Batz Maru and all the rest of the Sanrio friends...we have plenty of Sanrio for the girls and even for the boys. Everyone from toddler-age up to grown women love Hello Kitty...and we can find something in Hello Kitty for nearly everyone!

Don't forget!

We can hold stuff for you to think about and we gift-wrap for free! We'll be open through Christmas Eve for your convenience and if there's anything else we can do to make your Christmas season easier, just give us a call!

Do you really want to go out of town during this hectic time...traffic, crazed shoppers, stores running out of merchandise, crazy cold/rainy/windy weather,very public restrooms (yuck!), cold loooong walks across huge parking lots at malls, germs on carts and doorknobs, long lines at check-out, long waits for after-shopping eating, having to hop from store to store to find different gifts for different people, grumpy salespeople, having to wrap everything yourself or pay the price, lugging bags and boxes with you while you shop and then on the cold loooong trek across the parking lot to your car, mall Santas (yikes!), having to deal with gift receipts with codes and numbers that you don't recognize.....AND THEN when you get home, the gifts are under the tree and you're sitting there thinking about the whole experience - the fear that some of the stuff won't fit or work and you'll have to make the whole trip over again!

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Five-minutes from almost anywhere in town, close-to-the-door parking, service all the way to your car, no gift receipts required (unless you really want one!), within walking distance (or just a short drive) to great restaurants like Gondola, Stewart's Pharmacy Luncheonette, Loafin' Around, Baskin Robbins, Billy's, La Cazona, Captain D's, J's, China Wok, Fiesta Ranchero, Peking...our check-out lines are never too long, we try to keep everything in stock and when we can't we'll find something just as good for you and a wide selection for nearly everyone on your list, etc. etc. ......

Curbside service, gift registries, deliveries, pre-picked out gifts, gift certificates...just don't ask us to come down your chimney (we will eat the cookies, though, if you insist!).

Sweet Rhaelee

Miss Rhaelee came for a visit the other day and I just had to snap a few pictures of her in her cute outfit and coat from the shop!

Check out the cute reindeer bow!

Isn't she just so adorable?