Challenges 2 & 3

As promised, I am issuing the next two challenges (yes, two at once – can you believe it??) You can choose to participate in one, both or neither . . . it’s all up to you!

Challenge #2 – The Great “No Money Honey” Challenge (hee hee!)
In this challenge, you are to spend nothing, zero, zilch on your secret pal. How is that a challenge you might ask? Because you need to do SOMETHING for your pal for 5 days out of a two week period. It can be 5 days in a row, it can be 5 randomly chosen days. It cannot however be 5 times in one day. (!) Starting on Monday, February 23rd and continuing through to Friday, March 6th this challenge will make you think creatively. You can write a note to your pal, cut out their favorite comic from the paper, re-gift something that they may like but just isn’t you, make something (using things you have on hand, not things you have to go out and buy), pack them a lunch when you pack yours (assuming you make a decent lunch AND know that your pal has no allergies). Anyway, the sky’s the limit creatively but $0.00 is the limit financially. Have fun and on March 6th I’ll send out the e-mail asking if you participated (again, as the GIVER not the receiver.)

Challenge #3 – The St. Patrick’s Day Dollar Store Challenge (like you didn’t see that one coming!)
Same thing as Valentine’s day, only this time it will be St. Patrick themed. Dollar Stores, 5 Below, the Dollar area at Target are the only places you can peruse for your goodies. They don’t all have to be SPD branded but there should be an overlying theme. I’m issuing this challenge early so that we don’t run in to the same issue as last time (I issued the challenge too close to Valentine’s Day and the stores had been pretty picked over. Start early but deliver your gift on March 17th. (Or a day or so earlier, but not later.) On the 17th I’ll send out the e-mail asking if you participated.

Please continue to use the blog if you’d like to publically thank your pal or just share the awesomeness that they are. However, you no longer HAVE to post there if your pal fulfilled a challenge. Enjoy . . . and happy hunting!

Valentine Challenge Thank You!

If your pal fulfills the challenge the requirements, post your thank you here. If you can, attach a photo (or several) to your post so everybody can see how creative your pal got. The winner of this challenge will recieve a box of Trader Joe's Almond Snowman cookies!

Thank you Thread 2/9-2/13

Post your thank you's for the week here. If you receive something that meets the challenge requirements post that in the Challenge Thank You thread. (Have I made this confusing enough??)

Yummy Treats!

Wow! The muffins and chocolate drink really hit the spot. Thanks for your thoughtfulness.

Challenge 2

You all know that Valentine’s Day is coming up. Your challenge (if you choose to accept it) is as follows: Create a Valentine’s themed gift bag/basket consisting of (useful) items that you obtain at either the Dollar Store OR Five Below OR the dollar aisle at Target. Everything from the container to the tissue paper you use for “fluff” must come from one of those two places (or your own personal stash if you’re that organized . . . Kris!) You don’t have to go to the Dollar Store™, it can be any dollar store you like (Dollar General . . . I don’t know the names of any others, but you get the idea!) No buying random cr*p that nobody in their right mind will have a use for, but get as creative as you can.

Buying for a newly married couple? 5 Below has “cooking for 2” cookbooks. One of those and two champagne flutes and some chocolate . . . good to go!

Buying for someone who loves to be outdoors? Valentine's flip flops, a book on grilling and maybe a valentine themed bag that can be used as a pool/beach bag this summer.

Be creative, have fun and be sure to have your gift delivered by Friday the 13th . . . oohhh, spooky! If you receive a gift this Friday, be sure to post in our blog – (come see me if you need help with this . . . please bring your computer!)

Secret Pals Spring '09

Welcome to the secret pal blog for the spring round of the 2008-2009 school year. Everyone who is participating can add comments, posts, whatever you'd like. Each week I'll post a general "thank you" post so that you don't have to do a whole post if you don't want to. There is no requirement to use the blog, you don't have to publicly thank your pal, but if you want to the option is there. If you want to respond to your pal, you'll need to create a unique name that doesn't give away your identity. (Or, just keep your responses general in order to confuse them!)

My goal this time around is to have monthly challenges or themes. Each time a challenge is issued I'll send out an e-mail announcement with the challenge, guidelines and anything else you need to know. There will be small prizes awarded for each challenge. More on how to collect your prize when that occurs! If your pal fulfills a challenge, please be kind enough to post about it in the proper challenge thank you thread. If you need to take a picture and upload it, I can help you do that. If it doesn't get posted, I won't know that people have participated and your pal won't have a chance to win.

Anyway - enjoy this round and let's all have a great time!

Edited because I know grammar.