A Pretty Little Desk

I really enjoy stumbling upon special ''finds'' for my daughters' rooms. So when I was looking for a desk for my 6-year-old, I made the rounds -- Pottery Barn Kids, Land of Nod, Company Kids, etc. Desks are really expensive.

Then I went to Craig's List. Love Craig's List. And I found a man selling a child's desk and matching chair. I went to look at it and immediately saw the potential. It was painted cream with gold accents and little fruit appliques on it. But imagine my surprise when I opened the drawer and saw the words ''Ethan Allen'' stamped inside.

Guess how much he wanted to the desk and chair? Only $25! For both! I was thrilled.

Our painter friend buffed out some of the rough spots and repainted it white to match her room. I found the lavender drawer knobs at Lowe's. Perfect to match her purple walls. The painter charged me $75.

Grand total: $100 for this Ethan Allen desk and chair that I happen to think is pretty darn cute. She loves it, too.

Check out the desk ''before'' and ''after.''

Lately my 6-year-old has also been taping up pictures and color pages all over her room and into the hallway. It drives me crazy not having a contained area for all this art. She doesn't want to hang it where I hang the rest of the kid art. Nope, she wants her own space. So I was on the hunt for a bulletin board to go with her room.

Her room is done in a vintage-style, so obviously this was the style I was looking for. I found one on www.etsy.com. (Love that site!) This lady takes wood from old houses and makes the wood into something else, like picture frames and such.

This bulletin board is perfect for my daughter's room, which is lavender with yellow accents. As soon as I saw it, I had to have it! The yellow wood is actually from an old door. You can see the brass hardware at the top still attached. I bought it for $30, and I am so happy with it.

And, as you can see, gone are the pictures hung up in the hall and on the doors and walls. She loves her little bulletin board and is doing quite well at keeping it organized!

Jazzercise

So my friend Jen is a devoted Jazzercise gal. Even has a Jazzercise bumper sticker on her car. So when she invited me to a class, I said no. Then I said no again. And probably again. Not really my thing.

I picture old women in leg warmers and unitards. My husband says he pictures Richard Simmons and ''Sweatin' to the Oldies.''

One day I give in because the class coincides with Aubrey's cheerleading class. I have to be there anyway, so might as well pull on the leg warmers, right?

It kicked my butt. I thought I might die, pass out or throw up. Or all three. I looked around and the majority of the class is definitely older than me, but there are a few younger people. Mostly I found out that I am really, really out of shape. And that 70-year-old women are much more coordinated than me and in better shape.

So I went back a few more times. And then I realized I kind of liked it. The music is great and the instructors always mix it up so you're doing something different each time.

Now that I'm past 35, things are a bit different with my body. No more eating whatever I want and not paying the price, like in my 20s. Nope, after two kids and making sure the girls are eating right, I forgot about myself. Some days I swear I could pass for four months pregnant.

I need to lose a few pounds. And I'd really like to become more fit. Now I'm not going to go crazy. I really hate to exercise. I am never effective when I go to the gym, and honestly, I don't really want to go anyway.

So I joined Jazzercise and am making myself go to classes. Strangely enough, I think I am really enjoying it. There are still times when the entire class is going one way and I'm going another way or I just can't figure out a particular step. But it's fun, and if I happen to get in better shape, then I would be thrilled.

I haven't seen any leg warmers yet, but they do play the theme song to the ''Fame'' movie.