HAUL: Birthday Presents

Last week was my 25^th birthday. I haven't had a chance to post much since then because, the day after my birthday, I was bitten by a dog on my right hand. It's a long story, but I'm fine; it's just a little harder than usual to type.

Anyway, I received a number of items off my wish list, as well as some other great presents; you can check out all the goodies below. The only birthday deal I wound up using was the Rita's one for a free regular ice, partly because of my injury but in large part because most of the offers weren't compelling enough for me to go out of my way to use them.

The Goods

5 sets of 5 items

Books and more

Penguin umbrella

Ravens jersey

3 books

Read on for all the details.

The Details

My birthday haul this year was pretty extensive -- I guess 25 is kind of a big deal! My gifts included:

• 5 sets of 5:
  - 5 quarters
  - 5 bags of Bigelow Cinnamon Stick tea (my favorite)
  - 5 personal packets of Kleenex
  - 5 blue votive candles
  - 5 IKEA magazine holders
  My sister Juliana gave this 25-item extravaganza, which was spread out over 5 days. She actually gave me 8 magazine holders, since IKEA sells them in packs of 4, but only wrapped up 5 so it fit the theme.
• 6 books
  - 1 Ingredient, 4 Ways by the staff of Love Food
  - The Visual Miscellaneum by David McCandless
  - Joey Green's Fix-It Magic by Joey Green
  - The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary, 4^th edition, by Merriam-Webster
  - The Hellraiser of the Hollywood Hills by Jennifer Colt
  - Thrift by Bridget Bodoano
  The first 3 books were from my husband; the last 3 books were from my parents.
• 2 movies:
  - Down With Love, starring Renee Zellweger and Ewan McGregor, on DVD
  - Megamind by Dreamworks on Blu-Ray and DVD [combo pack]
  Both of these movies were from my husband, William.
• 1 pair of scissors: a pair of Fiskars Cuts+More scissors, "the ultimate multi-purpose scissors"
  My parents got me these, which have been on my wish list for some time now.
• 1 CD: the Gnomeo & Juliet soundtrack, which features songs by Elton John
  Another gift from my husband, with whom I saw the movie.
• 1 magazine subscription: a 2-year subscription to mental_floss magazine
  This was another gift from my parents.
• Penguins:
  - A penguin-shaped umbrella
  - A hand-embroidered penguin ornament
  My friend Becky sent me a birthday package containing these two penguin items all the way from Minnesota.
• 1 jersey: a Todd Heap #86 Ravens jersey
  My husband got me this jersey, which has long been on my wish list because I was born in '86, half-price since Heap recently left the Ravens. We're actually returning this specific jersey to get a smaller one, still half-price.

PS:

In addition to the items pictured and listed above, I also received:

• Money: Some of the birthday money I received has funded subsequent shopping hauls
• Date-a-Month: My husband presented me with a certificate for one special date a month; our usual trips for "fast casual" food, ice cream, and sporting events at his alma mater do not count. So far we have dates planned for November (to ICE! at the Gaylord National) and March (to see the Harlem Globetrotters)
• Bracelet: William's sister, Amanda, gave me a penguin link bracelet