• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Big Mama

the big mama blog

  • Home
  • Meet Melanie
  • Blog
  • Speaking
  • Books
    • *New* On The Bright Side
    • *New* Piper and Mabel
    • Church of the Small Things
    • Nobody’s Cuter Than You
    • The Antelope in the Living Room
    • Sparkly Green Earrings
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Melanie Podcast
You are here: Home / Just for fun / Periodicals are the window to the soul

Periodicals are the window to the soul

April 30, 2008 ·

Look what came in the mail today.

img_4537.jpg

If my marriage could be summed up in a picture, then this would be the one.

And yes, that is a magazine called “Cheaper Than Dirt!”.

It bet it shares a lot of crossover subscribers with “Vogue”.

Except “Vogue” doesn’t use an exclamation point in its title.

But that’s really the only difference.

« Previous article:

I got a hold of some bad information

Next Post: »

Edition 27: Fashion Friday (the dreaded swimsuit edition)

Reader Interactions

Similar Stories

Comments

  1. Daren

    April 30, 2008 at 4:53 am

    At least Cheaper Than Dirt gives you some reading material to laugh at while you’re stuck watching Uncle Ted.

    And yes, I just requested a copy for my own Uncle Ted watching hubby.

  2. suburbancorrespondent

    April 30, 2008 at 6:05 am

    I’m still trying to figure out what the magazine “Gun and Garden” is all about and who its demographic is. Horticulturists with deer problems, maybe?

  3. Erica

    April 30, 2008 at 6:06 am

    Why isn’t there a tabloid magazine called “Cheap Dirt” or “Cheap and Dirty”?

  4. Sheila Gregoire

    April 30, 2008 at 7:17 am

    I don’t know, if you combined those magazines you could have something interesting.

    Beauty Secrets for Off-Road Adventures. People that are Cheaper than Dirt. The possibilities are endless!

    How do you have time to read all those magazines, anyway? Or do you just lock yourself in the bathroom when you get especially bothered by humanity? I’ve done that. It works wonders.

    Visit To Love, Honor and Vacuum today!

  5. Shelly McCabe

    April 30, 2008 at 7:36 am

    What woman doesn’t dream of having a Cheaper than Dirt, Off Road Adventure while reading People? LOL

  6. Sister Honey Bunch

    April 30, 2008 at 7:58 am

    I have never heard of a magazine with such an odd name as Cheaper than Dirt.

    So, your People magazine came today? Mine usually comes Fridays. Making Friday night the best. night. ever.

  7. seized by hope

    April 30, 2008 at 8:02 am

    There is something about a magazine called cheaper than dirt with a semi automatic weapon on the cover that is unnerving…

  8. Moriah @ Please Pass the Salt

    April 30, 2008 at 8:23 am

    I really don’t know what to say!

  9. Melanie

    April 30, 2008 at 8:42 am

    I hope your fashion advice comes from the one on the left. ;>)

  10. Aliaspice

    April 30, 2008 at 8:46 am

    I don’t think it’s nice to call Katherine Heigl Cheaper than Dirt! I think she’s lovely!…oh wait, I should have been more observant of the periodical arrangement. Ours aren’t as exciting as that! Allure and National Geographic for Kids and Photography. YAWN!

  11. Diane

    April 30, 2008 at 9:06 am

    Where is your Cabela’a catalog? It is time for the pre-summer sales spectacular.Everything in Mossy Oak is 25% off. I’m surprised you are not all over that.
    (I made that up. Don’t tell your husband about the sale and get him all excited.)

  12. that girl

    April 30, 2008 at 9:40 am

    you could at least photograph the People with the pages open, so I could sneak a peek 😉 Gotta get my gossip on!

  13. Holly

    April 30, 2008 at 10:25 am

    Yeah, I like your subscription much better. Does someone really want their guns to be cheaper than dirt? Well, as long as the quality doesn’t suffer. 🙂

  14. Joanna

    April 30, 2008 at 10:49 am

    Does your husband get all excited when he sees it like mine? I tried to hide it once but the boys ratted me out.

  15. Quirky

    April 30, 2008 at 11:34 am

    Does Cheaper than Dirt just cover large guns, or are there other things in there that are cheap? Like, I wouldn’t mind a cheap designer bag, or a cheap gas station. I’m not really in the market for a cheaper than Dirt gun though.

  16. midlife mommy

    April 30, 2008 at 11:39 am

    Sad to say, the only magazine that I get is Parenting, and honestly, I don’t even have time to read that. Boring.

  17. Holly Smith

    April 30, 2008 at 12:32 pm

    Ours looks like that, too, except we also get Guns and Ammo and American Rifleman and about 3 other gun-related ones and Cabellas…and I get Southern Living :0) just to keep in touch with my heritage here in CO.

  18. Jenna

    April 30, 2008 at 12:43 pm

    Too bad the hottest new styles featured in People can’t be cheaper than dirt. 🙂

  19. Superchikk

    April 30, 2008 at 1:24 pm

    Love it. We get PC Gamer, Wired, (computer nerd-zines) and Lucky (shopping/fashion). That pretty much sums us up.

  20. Mysti

    April 30, 2008 at 1:31 pm

    I cannot tell you how relieved I am to find another home that receives both People (for me) and Cheaper than Dirt (for him) out there. Honestly – I was beginning to think my hubby was the only subscriber.

  21. Kelly @ Love Well

    April 30, 2008 at 2:11 pm

    I bet you could page through a year’s worth of those publications and never find the same ad.

    Different demographics. That’s all I’m saying.

  22. PollyS

    April 30, 2008 at 5:16 pm

    I remember as a new bride bringing the brand spanking new Cheaper than Dirt in from the mailbox. I just saw the title, wasn’t paying any attention to the picture on the front. And I was thrilled! Thrilled I tell you, to see that my new husband was as interested in a bargain as I am. I thought maybe it could be a housewares catalog. Or maybe gifts. Or maybe an Oriental Trading type place. Or better yet…clothes!
    Shocked is an understatement. I was deflated to find that it was one of those guns and stuff catalogs.
    Oh well, at least it makes him happy.

  23. Julie Schaal

    April 30, 2008 at 6:39 pm

    I have never heard of Cheaper than Dirt…
    I looove magazines, too. My personal rule is that I try not to spend more than $25 per yearly subscription. So far, I have scored Oprah for $18/yr (usually $24 and up) and Christianity Today ($26 and up)for $6—got the subscription on EBAY!

    You are a lucky duck to get People IN THE MAIL. Thats a pricey one.

    I usually have to book extra doctor and dentist appointments to read the current issue.

  24. Fran

    April 30, 2008 at 8:46 pm

    That was classic. How funny would it be to see pix of what people subscribe to?!
    May not wanna know! Anyhoo…I don’t think I’ll ever tire of People or Us.

    Cheaper than Dirt just makes me laugh. I may have a new phrase.

  25. Sarah S.

    April 30, 2008 at 8:58 pm

    We get Cheaper than Dirt! AND “National Rifleman”. OOh, ooh — AND Shooting Times! — I KNOW you are jealous! Guess where my husband is during deer season (and skeet season — which is… always!)

  26. Linda

    April 30, 2008 at 9:58 pm

    Okay, someone has been lying to me…back in the early days of my marriage, my ever-lovin’ bought a rifle for a hideous amount(could’ve bought at least 2 Coach bags) of money and when my jaw hit the floor he assured me that it was a really good deal, that guns are just EXPENSIVE. Now, I find out they are cheaper than dirt!

  27. Sheri

    April 30, 2008 at 10:06 pm

    I just noticed all these junk magazines at the register last week! I realized what a bubble I live in.

    I started to buy a couple of them to title blogs off and I just (seriously) couldn’t make myself bring them in the house.

    We actually get cheaper than dirt. 🙂

  28. Blogaroni and Dees

    April 30, 2008 at 11:50 pm

    We totally get more shooting-related periodicals than we do anything else at our house! We get Cheaper Than Dirt, too.

  29. Amanda- VintageDutchGirl

    May 1, 2008 at 12:22 am

    My husband comes from a hunting enthusiast/outdoor fanatic family…so I understand, boy do I EVER.

  30. Jacque

    May 1, 2008 at 6:40 am

    Ha! We get Field & Stream and Outdoor Life right along with InStyle and Parenting. 😉

  31. Jen@ Blue Yonder Design

    May 1, 2008 at 3:13 pm

    Ahhhh… Cheaper than Dirt!

    I’d say we have 3 or 4 at our house at any given time.

    🙂

  32. Kim @ SunflowerSeeds

    May 1, 2008 at 10:17 pm

    I am new to your blog, and I thought this post was so simple but hilarious!

    At my house, you would see no magazines. We get them at the library because we actually ARE Cheaper than Dirt. 🙂

  33. Connie

    May 3, 2008 at 12:03 am

    Absolutely required reading at our house. He actually orders from it. Last winter, he offered to get me a pair of boots from it. I hurried right of to the shoe store and bought myself boots. Gotta try them on, dontcha know.

    Today, a pair of shoes for him came from it. Or Cabelas. He loves them all!!!

    Why don’t you ever feature fashions from it on Fashion Fridays?

  34. Susie

    May 6, 2008 at 1:12 am

    We get “Cheaper Than Dirt” too. The only way that I can figure that the title is telling the truth is if I imagine that the stuff inside is cheaper than owning dirt in San Francisco or New York City. Because, really, come’on. Who are we fooling? I totally want Nordstrom’s to publish a catalog and title it that. Touche!

Primary Sidebar

Who is Melanie?

Melanie ShankleMy name is Melanie and, in some strange twist of fate, I’m also known as Big Mama because I started this blog in July of 2006 when my daughter, Caroline, was not quite three years old and I was in the process of convincing her that BIG girls use the potty and BIG girls don’t have pacifiers, thus she thought BIG was the highest compliment in the land and began referring to me as BIG MAMA.Read More

Sign up here!

Which is your pleasure?

Categories

Events Books The Big Boo Cast Diary Fashion Friday

The Latest on Instagram

Well, we have some news I wanted to share because Well, we have some news I wanted to share because I know many of you are really just here for the Piper and Mabel content. ⁣
⁣
A couple of years ago, Piper contracted a rare fungal infection in her left front paw. It began to invade all her soft tissue and we went to several vet specialists who all agreed there wasn’t any way to treat it short of eventually amputating her leg. We held off on that as long as we could and treated her with meds to slow the growth, but over the last month it became obvious that the foot was causing her pain and it was time. So on Monday, Piper got her left front leg amputated. ⁣
⁣
She’s home now and I’m happy to report that she is doing amazing. Apparently she didn’t get the memo that she is now missing a leg because she hasn’t missed a beat. She’s moving around like a champ and I feel certain she’ll be back to running at the ranch and protecting our home from bearded strangers wearing hats in no time. This is why she is currently on some painkillers and sedatives so she can rest and heal. No one gave her the memo this is a big deal. ⁣
⁣
However, at this point I would like to also give Mabel a sedative because she doesn’t understand why her sister is getting so much attention and is, frankly, a little salty about it. Also special thank you to @alldredgevet who treated our girl like a rockstar.
Back in the high life again. 👍🏻🏈🤍⁣
⁣
I love a bright, shiny football season when the Aggies are 1-0 and the possibilities seem endless. Best time, best place, best people. ⁣
⁣
Thanks and Gig’em.
Twenty-six years ago today we got married. At noon Twenty-six years ago today we got married. At noon. During the hottest month of the year. I give that decision one star, do not recommend. ⭐️⁣
⁣
But we made the best decision when we chose each other because we have lived a lot of life together and still make each other laugh. ❤️⁣
⁣
Also, Perry is spending this anniversary fishing at the coast. And I told him he just needs to remember he already made his best catch twenty-six years ago. 😂
🩵 HAPPY 20th BIRTHDAY, CAROLINE! 🩵⁣ ⁣ I 🩵 HAPPY 20th BIRTHDAY, CAROLINE! 🩵⁣
⁣
I blinked and my baby turned twenty.⁣
⁣
But the gift that happened when I blinked was my delightful little girl turned into an incredible woman and one of my best friends.🩵⁣
⁣
Wishing you a year of joy, love, laughter and winning Aggie teams. I love you so much!🩵
🥳 Happy Birthday, Gulley! 🥳⁣ ⁣ A couple 🥳 Happy Birthday, Gulley! 🥳⁣
⁣
A couple of months ago, Gulley and I took a selfie at an Aggie basketball game and we wondered how many times we had done some version of that over the years. Here’s just what I found on my phone and this doesn’t include most of college since, well, we went to college in the days you had to take film to Fox Photo to get developed and it was a whole thing. 
⁣
Here’s an excerpt from 𝘕𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺’𝘴 𝘊𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘠𝘰𝘶 that I wrote years ago. ⁣
⁣
“𝘈 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘎𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦: 𝘞𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯, 𝘛𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘦’𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵, 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘶𝘮𝘣 𝘪𝘯 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺.”⁣
⁣
I’m so thankful for every single bit of it and for a best friend who makes life infinitely more fun. 💕 @gulleyfisher
Best cure for the Texas heat? Leave. ⁣ ⁣ Spend Best cure for the Texas heat? Leave. ⁣
⁣
Spending time in the mountains with old friends who have known you and loved you for over thirty years and counting is a great place to be in July. 🤍

The Latest on Twitter

Twitter feed is not available at the moment.

Follow on Twitter

 



 

 

 

 

 



 

Footer

Stay Up to Date

Which is your pleasure?

  • About Me
  • Speaking
  • Blog
  • Contact

Copyright © 2023 · Website by Wordpress Barista

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT

Order Yours Today!

Select an online retailer below.

cokesbury-buttonfc-buttonlifewayMardelTyndale DirectBAMWalmartiTunes

Order Yours Today!

Select an online retailer below.

iTunes

Order Yours Today!

Select an online retailer below.

Order Yours Today!

Select an online retailer below.

Order Yours Today!

Select an online retailer below.

Order Yours Today!

Select an online retailer below.

lifewayMardelBAM

Select an online retailer below.

Book Retailers
Book RetailersBook RetailersBook RetailersBook RetailersBook Retailers

Order Yours Today!

Select an online retailer below.

Order Yours Today!

Select an online retailer below.

cokesbury-buttonfc-buttonlifewayMardelTyndale DirectBAMWalmart

Order Yours Today!

Order Yours Today!

Select an online retailer below.

cokesbury-buttonfc-buttonlifewayMardelTyndale DirectBAMWalmart

Order Yours Today!

Select an online retailer below.

Book Retailers

Book RetailersBook RetailersBook RetailersBook RetailersBook Retailers

Order Yours Today!

Select an online retailer below.