Glasses shopping online???

This week I decided to make a daring move and buy a new pair of eyeglasses online. For most people this probably wouldn't be a big deal, but my prescription is -9.25 in both eyes. Obviously, it would have been smarter to go to the eye doctor, have an eye exam, and try on numerous pairs, but that probably would have cost me over $600.

A friend of mine has used Zenni Optical before so I decided to use them (www.zennioptical.com). But before I started browsing, I called my eye doctor to get my prescription information. The website was easy to follow and allowed me to upload a picture of myself in order to 'try' the glasses on. I narrowed it down to two pairs, but decided to only order one pair just in case they turn out horrible. For a grand total of $51.80 I got a new pair of glasses and this includes the additional charges for extra strength lenses and high-index lenses.

So, in about two weeks I'll know whether or not I made the right decision. For now, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they don't turn out like this.

Italy Must-Haves

Yep, I'm still without my visa. Kevin is heading to the Immigration Office on Monday to apply for my nulla osta (authorization to be granted a visa) so hopefully I'll know more in a few days. Today, I got the last of my must-haves before leaving for Italy.

1. Snow Boots; Sorel Torfino- I've never bought snow boots before so I had no idea what to look for. A friend of mine whose husband played in Italy told me to make sure they were waterproof so that was my only prerequisite. Well, that, and they had to be cute. I researched for weeks, read hundreds of reviews, and tried on numerous pairs. I finally made the decision to go with the Sorel Torfino. Luckily for me, I found a pair I loved on Nordstrom.com and since I have smaller feet I ordered the kid's size and saved some money.

2. Puffer Coat; Tommy Hilfiger Hood Belted Down Anorak- The last down coat I owned was a red one from Gap and I'm pretty sure that was back in high school. I knew I wanted a black coat that was long enough to cover my bum, but not past my knees. It also had to have a hood without fur (since the boots have fur, I didn't want to overdo it). I found a couple different options at Macy's and on Overstock.com and finally settled on the Tommy Hilfiger Belted Down since it has some shape to it. I really didn't want to look like I was wearing a garbage bag. And it's perfect!

3. Hair Straightener; T3 SinglePass Compact- When we lived in England, I just used a converter with my straightener, but it wasn't a good staightener so I really didn't care if it got fried. In Italy, Kevin has already managed to fry our Sonicare charger and his electric razor so I'm not taking any chances with my Chi. Finding a dual frequency straightener wasn't easy, but the ladies at Ulta helped me out and suggested I get a T3. I looked at reviews online and found the T3 SinglePass Compact for an amazing price at Target.com and couldn't pass it up. And since it is compact it doesn't take up much space and will be perfect for traveling. I've tried it a few times and I'm impressed. I honestly think it works better than my Chi!

4. Slingbox- Thanks to this amazing invention, I'll be able to watch Jersey Shore and Glee and Kevin can get his hockey fix. I've never used one before, but know people who have and I'm pretty sure this will be my best purchase of the year.

5. Camera; Nikon D3100 Digital SLR- Okay, so I haven't bought this camera YET, but I look at it online everyday and sometimes even visit Best Buy to check it out. I know I could probably get by with my point and shoot camera, but sometimes it starts acting up (like on our honeymoon) and I don't want to miss a thing. I keep fighting with myself on whether or not to get it and I'm 80% sure I probably will, but for now, it is on my 'wish list' not 'must-have list.'

Jerry, Jerry, Jerry!

Let's talk daytime TV! It's been awhile since I've had the opportunity to sit around all day, watching TV. This past season in Fort Wayne, I was a nanny so the only daytime TV shows I watched were on Nick Jr or Disney. While the sound of Dora's voice makes me cringe, I really started to like Olivia and Peppa Pig. That doesn't mean I'm going to sit around and watch them by myself though. Instead, I pass the time waiting for Kevin's Skype icon to light up green by watching horrible and horribly addicting TV shows. My usual day follows the same schedule.

1. VH1 Jump Start- I like to start with music in the morning, but I'm starting to notice a pattern. The same songs play everyday, but in a different order. I might have to start watching The Today Show instead.
2. Jerry Springer- I loved the show in college and I still love it! I still wonder if half the stuff on the show is real, but ,honestly, I don't care. It's great entertainment! My only question is "Why do the girls on the show insist on wearing bras (with straps) with strapless and one shoulder dresses?"
3. Maury- Yes, every show revolves around lie detector or paternity results, but I can't get enough. The suspense kills me and I cannot stand when they don't reveal the results until the next day.
4. The Jeremy Kyle Show- I was introduced to The Jeremy Kyle Show when we lived in England. I have no idea when this show started in the US, but I'm sure glad it did. The show follows the same script as both Jerry and Maury. People come on to tell their loved ones a terrible secret or to find out who their babies' daddies are. The only difference is Jeremy Kyle is brutally honest with his guests and will tell them when they are idiots. Jerry and Maury encourage them to act like idiots.

While the above shows are my go tos, I do sometimes go off schedule. Right now, I'm keeping up with the Conrad Murray Trial on HLN and I can always find something on HGTV. And when all else fails, there is always a rerun of Law & Order on some channel.