It's a DIY Miracle! ($0.90 Personalized Pillar Candle with $2 DIY Hurricane)

I like pretty things.

I do not, however, spend lots of money on pretty things.

I also do not have the Crafting gene.  Crafts make me twitch.  It's all the mess and the perfection that's required, and the concentration/focus... as well as the personal failure you feel when you don't get the results you were hoping for. 

(That's what I've heard, anyway.)

BUT!  When I came across this little project, I knew that I, LO, EVEN I could do this!

Behold:  the DIY hurricane, sporting a DIY monogrammed pillar candle!

(I also do not have the photography gene.)

For the Hurricane, I used the these supplies, purchased from Dollar Tree:

• glass candlestick 
• tall glass vase

Now, these instructions are PRET-TY tricky, so play close attention.

1. Apply super glue to the top rim of the candlestick.
2. Place the vase atop the candlestick, exactly in the center.  (DUH.)
3. Place a small book on top, just for slight pressure, until the glue is dry.**

**Note:  It would be pretty embarrassing to admit it, but if you did a little happy dance and puffed your chest out at all the craftiness which you obviously possess, it would be perfectly acceptable in the privacy of your own home.

I *Heart* Markdowns! (subtitled: How to Know if You're Getting Old)

We'd been without fruit for about 4 days, and the kids were missing it. 
So was I.

So I bundled everyone up and headed to the nearest grocery store--about a mile away.  It's not in a good neighborhood, and not exactly known for being the cheapest, most well-stocked store.  But I was tired, and so were the girls.  Their flier advertised a good sale on strawberries and pears, so off we went.

I nearly squealed with delight when I noticed several packages and bundles of marked-down produce, sitting dejectedly at the end of an unused register!  Now, who says God doesn't ordain our steps?!? 

a bag of Tropicana oranges:  $1.49

a head of cauliflower:  $1.39

4-packs of pears:  $0.89 each

not pictured:  packages of turkey bacon for $1 each, chicken pieces for $0.89/lb., and ground turkey for $1.88/lb.

I'm still feeling all warm & fuzzy inside at the thought of snagging such great deals!

Does this make me weird?

Old?

Crazy?

Lame?

Geeky?

Shout-Out: Shutterfly

A couple weeks ago, Shutterfly supplied us with a couple dozen free photo Christmas cards, thanks to Pampers's Gifts to Grow program.   I like monkeying around on Shutterfly's website.  It's visually pleasing and easy to navigate.  Want a black-toned 4x8 card with space for three photos?  BAM!  You've got all the options narrowed down for you!  (I liked this one in that category, only I'd have changed "Season's Greetings" into "Merry Christmas.") 

Shutterfly offers lots gazillions of options for Christmas card styles, which I simultaneously love and hate.  Does anyone else out there feel compelled to browse ALL the options before deciding? 

This year, though, I forced myself to just PICK ONE ALREADY.  I had this one all set to go: 

Classic Winter Cabin Christmas

Make a statement with Shutterfly Christmas photo cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

Nice, huh?  If that isn't the picture of "cozy," I don't want to know what is!  But then I stumbled upon this one, called "Scarlet Letter"--gasp! and opted for the kill-two-birds-with-one-stone method.  Nice photo, bright red background, and a space for a bare-bones update letter.  (get it?  scarlet letter?)  I'd considered foregoing the Christmas letter this year, but this card layout was the perfect solution!  Now THAT is multi-tasking!

Shutterfly is giving me a $25 gift card for doing this write-up.  Wahoo!  More free photo stuff! 
See details for getting yours here.  Offer ends January 31; $25 gift certificate expires February 15.

Resolution Review: September 2010

Happy October! Just checking in to log my progress regarding my New Years Resolutions. In order to keep myself accountable this year, I'm doing monthly reviews, in which I share my successes--or maybe failures--of the past month.
Here's how I did for September:

• Start and/or maintain healthy habits... sorta!  Well, I've fallen off the Weight Loss Bandwagon this month.  I jumped off, actually.  About halfway through September, I declared that I was taking the month off from my stringent self-denial, and I intended to enjoy myself!  We had our Labor Day getaway the first weekend, Livvie's birthday the 2nd weekend, Brienna's the 3rd, and our anniversary last weekend.  I found lots of excuses for cheating on my no-sugar commitment, snacking at nighttime and drinking sugar-laden beverages. 

          I did great exercising for the first 2 weeks, but by mid-September the sun wasn't rising early enough for me to run before Nate left the house.  I ran 10 times in the first half of the month, and only 3 in the second half.  It's feast or famine, apparetly  I'm going to have to get creative once again as the days get shorter and colder.

          I won't lie--all the fun food tasted wonderful... for awhile.  To be honest, though, I'm glad my Healthy Habit Vacation is over.  I've felt a lot like garbage this month: tired, with yucky stomach symptoms, and just feeling "blah" overall.  It's no surprise that I gained a couple pounds this month.  As usual, The Binge was not worth it.

          My goal for October is to drop the pesky pounds I've added this month, to drink LOTS of water, and to exercise three times per week.

• Go one one date per month...check!   We had an anniversary date--dinner and bowling.

• Spend less...check!  

• Host guests once per month... check!  We hosted about 25 people for Brienna's party.

How'd you do with your resolutions in September?

Resolution Review: August 2010

Can you believe autumn is upon us?  This is me, checking in to log my progress regarding my New Years Resolutions. In order to keep myself accountable this year, I'm doing monthly reviews, in which I share my successes--or maybe failures--of the past month.
Here's how I did for August:

• Start and/or maintain healthy habits... check!  I'm glad to report that I exercised faithfully this month--17 of the 31 days this month.  I've enjoyed it.  I've mostly been running, but I did a little speed-walking and biking, too, so I don't get bored.   I didn't do as well drinking water, but I've been trying to remedy that these last few days.  For September, I'll try to get that water intake back up there where it should be.

          My weight loss goal for August was 3 pounds, which I achieved by the skin of my teeth!  I've also (finally!) dipped below my pre-pregnancy weight--as in, pre-Olivia!-- about which I couldn't possibly be more thrilled!  The goal for September:  2 more pounds.

• Go one one date per month...oops!  Our weekends were jam-packed this month, and we plumb forgot! 

• Spend less...check!   Thanks to my parents' generosity and an abundant garden harvest, we kept our grocery bill down quite a bit.

• Host guests once per month... check!  We had good fellowship with some friends we hadn't seen in a really long time.  Next month we'll host a few families for Brienna's first birthday party!

How'd you do with your resolutions in August?

Summer Sandals for $2.11

Between the $10 off coupon code and free shipping on shoes (through September 6), I was able to score some new dress sandals for Olivia (for next summer) for just $2.11!   Go here for details.

Olivia was tickled when I showed her these beauties, whose original price is $30.
"MOM!  They have a HEEL!"

Resolution Review: July 2010

Happy (almost) August!  Just checking in to log my progress regarding my New Years Resolutions. In order to keep myself accountable this year, I'm doing monthly reviews, in which I share my successes--or maybe failures--of the past month.
Here's how I did for July:

• Start and/or maintain healthy habits... check!  I did the TaeBo videos several times in June; even though TaoBo is INFINTELY more fun than Pilates, I still longed to get outside and RUN!  Finally, after receiving the green light from my bodyguard (Love you, Nate!), I've been running nearly every day since.  It's just around the block--most of it is a busy main street--but it's better than exercising in front of the TV!  The block is .6 miles, and I'm running it three times most mornings. 

          I lost 6 pounds in July, bringing my total to 31 pounds.  My goal for 2010 was to lose 30 pounds; I can hardly believe I've actually accomplished it--in 7 months!  Losing weight is not easy for me, (If it's easy for you, do me a favor and DON'T tell me!)  and I have to give God the credit for granting self-denial and perseverance.  Although my 30-pound goal has been met, my ultimate goal is 40 pounds--what I weighed on my wedding day.  I have a feeling these final 10 pounds won't come off without a BIG fight, so my weight loss goal for August is 3 pounds. 

• Go one one date per month...check!  We went out last night; a big thanks goes to Justin & Kelly for babysitting.

• Spend less...check, I think!  I threw out a whole wad of receipts, without realizing that they hadn't yet been recorded.  But we've not splurged on anything, so my guess is that July was fairly typical.

• Host guests once per month... check!  We had Nate's brother Ryan and his family over for dinner, along with Kathy (my friend who taught me to sew).

How'd you do with your resolutions in July?

Resolution Review: June 2010

Happy Summer!  (Unbelievable.)  With half of the year officially over, it's time to check in and log my progress regarding my New Years Resolutions. In order to keep myself accountable this year, I'm doing monthly reviews, in which I share my successes--or maybe failures--of the past month.
Here's how I did for June:

1. Start and/or maintain healthy habits... check, mostly!  Okay, it's obvious that exercise is going to be the thorn in my side.  I don't suppose gardening and lawnmowing qualify???  Surprisingly, I still lost 6  pounds in June, bringing my total to 25 pounds!  Can I get an AMEN?  My weight loss goal for July:  another 4 pounds.  And consistent exercise.  (I mean it this time.)  I've picked up a couple TaeBo videos, and I'm ready to work!
2. Go one one date per month...check!  We attended a Basic Massage class, which has already been worth the $10 fee!  What a fun and different sort of date!
3. Spend less...double check!  This month we set a couple records, at least for our family, saving 150% on our grocery bill in June. 
4. Host guests once per month... nope.  I'm chalking it up to a super-busy schedule!  Family reunions, eye appointments, church activities, and more!  But hopefully we'll double up in July and make up for it. 

How'd you do with your resolutions in June?

What $0.73 can buy

I scored big time at the grocery store! 

These boxes of cereal were marked down from $4.99 (PER! BOX!  Who would ever?) to $0.99.  That was a great deal already, but then I discovered that each one had a $1 coupon attached.  They paid me 4 cents to take this cereal home!

And the organic single-serve strawberry milk--what a treat for the girlies!--was marked down from $1.29 each to $0.59.  And I had a coupon for $1/3.  

Not a bad little haul! 

(Please, please forgive the photos.  I keep praying that next I'll find a nice marked-down camera with a peelie coupon attached!)

The Lord has blessed us this month with many such steals and deals!  So far, we've saved about 72% on our grocery bill!  He is good!

Resolution Review: May 2010

Can you believe it's nearly June?!  I honestly still feel as though we've just come through the Christmas season!  It's time to check in and log my progress regarding my New Years Resolutions. In order to keep myself accountable this year, I'm doing monthly reviews, in which I share my successes--or maybe failures--of the past month.
Here's how I did for May:

1. Start &/or maintain healthy habits... check, mostly!  In May I set out to get back on track--saying no to sugar, eating reasonable portions, drinking lots of water, and exercising 3x weekly.  I've done all of these things successfully, except the exercise.  I need to come up with a plan, and quickly, while the weather is nice!  Our neighborhood is not safe for jogging or walking, and it's not feasible to join a gym.  I have one Pilates video, but it's so boring that I'd rather stick toothpicks in my eyeballs than follow it.  I suppose I need to see about getting some exciting workout videos.  Any suggestions?  Despite the sporadic exercise, I still managed to come within ounces of my weight loss goal of 4 pounds in May.  This brings my total weight loss to 18 pounds.  Wahoo!  I'm so thrilled, and I'm newly resolved to keep it up!  I hope to lose another 4 pounds in June.
2. Go one one date per month...check!  While we were in Chicago, Nate's mom kept the girls so we could go out.  We enjoyed Olive Garden's soup/salad/breadsticks lunch deal.  Loved it!
3. Spend less...check!  I chalk it up to just plain ol' eating less.  Sounds simple, and it is!  Our grocery bill was down 34% in May! 
4. Host guests once per month... check! We hosted our Young Single Adult group, and it was a blast!

How'd you do with your resolutions in May?

Resolution Review: April 2010

April is over, which means 2010 is 1/3 behind us.  Unbelievable!  It's time to check in and log my progress regarding my New Years Resolutions. In order to keep myself accountable this year, I'm doing monthly reviews, in which I share my successes--or maybe failures--of the past month.
Here's how I did for April:

1. Start healthy habits... fail!  In April I was supposed to exercise three times per week.  I didn't expect to do it 100%, but neither did I expect to fail so miserably.  I exercised the first two weeks faithfully, and not at all the second two weeks.  Grr.  I suppose it's only natural that my resolve and enthusiasm are waning at this point.  I've lost only two measly pounds since the initial 11-pound loss in January, and I've become a little lazy.  My healthy habit goal for May is nothing new--in fact, all I want to do in May is to get back on the wagon, keeping up the other healthy habits I've begun. Or not begun, depending on which habits we're talking about.  So--it's back to no sugar, reasonable portions, 64 ounces water daily, exercising 3x weekly.  I've been doing everything at about 50%, but I'm ready to try, try again!  Additionally, right now I'm smack dab in the middle of a liver/gallbladder cleanse; we'll see what that, umm, yields. 
2. Go one one date per month...check!  Nate's brother and his wife watched our kids so we could enjoy dinner.  And thanks to Swagbucks, we paid $10 for the entire night!  (Want to start earning points yourself?  Get 30 free swagbucks, just for signing up!  Let me know if you'd like an e-mail invitation.) 
3. Spend less...check, sort of!  We had a couple church functions which required a few extra bucks here and there (gotta love potlucks!).  We also splurged for Easter and bought an 8-lb. ham.  But the girls and I were out of town for nearly a week this month, so we broke about even in the end.
4. Host guests once per month... check! We hosted our former neighbors and had a great time.

How'd you do with your resolutions in April?

Resolution Review: March 2010

Wow! Did March fly by, or what?! It's time to check in and log my progress regarding my New Years Resolutions. In order to keep myself accountable this year, I'm doing monthly reviews, in which I share my successes--or maybe failures--of the past month.

Here's how I did for March:

1. Start healthy habits... check! In March I made a concerted effort to drastically increase my water intake. I'm elated to tell you that out of the 31 days in March, I drank at least 8 glasses of water for 29 days! (Those 2 days I missed were spent at a family funeral, and the water tasted NASTY! Blech!) This is enormous progress for me; I've never enjoyed drinking water. I wish I could say that I like it now, but I don't. I suppose it'll always be a discipline for me. My healthy habit goal for April: Exercise at least three times per week... and keep up the other healthy habits I've begun.


2. Go one one date per month...check! We almost missed out this month, when out scheduled date was cancelled for the funeral, but our good friend made sure to send us out. And thanks to a generous relative, we didn't pay a dime!
   
3. Spend less...check! Now that the paychecks are coming in consistently, we've been doing more grocery shopping. But I've also been able to do a lot more couponing as well, so we've enjoyed some great deals this month and stayed within our budget.


4. Host guests once per month... check! We had 10 adults and 8 kids over for a killer pizza party!
   

How'd you do with your resolutions in March?

Homemade Baby Wipes

I'm trying my hand at reuseable baby wipes.
(Not brave enough to use them for Ellia's messy diapers. Gross!)
A cinch to make, and it saves us money!

I scored this box of small, thin washcloths from freecycle. Must be at least 150 washcloths in there!











Made up the soap solution:
3 cups water
2 T. olive oil
2 T. baby wash (I used the lavender scent)
2 drops tea tree oil



Then, I swished several cloths in the solution and squeezed almost all of it out.



Placed the moistened cloths in an empty wipes container.

And that's it!

Resolution Review: February 2010

It's the end of the month already; can you believe it? That means it's time to check in and log my progress regarding my New Years Resolutions. In order to keep myself accountable this year, I'm doing monthly reviews, in which I share my successes--or maybe failures--of the past month.

Here's how I did for February:

1. Stop eating sugar... not quite. I'm ashamed to say that I cheated a couple of times. Not for anything truly tasty--frosted graham crackers!--but cheating nonetheless. I've actually re-vamped this particular resolution in the last few weeks or so; it would more appropriately read, "Start healthy habits." In January I stopped eating sugar. In February I attempted to limit my portions (rather unsuccessfully!). In March I'll make a concerted effort to drastically increase my water intake. April will be exercise, and so on. That's not to say that I abandon good habits as the new month begins, but that I build and add good habits each month. That said, I'll change the wording of this first resolution, starting next month.


2. Go one one date per month...triple check! We had our scheduled date night over Valentine's weekend, and we also managed a lunch date! And don't forget about Date Night In! That counts, for sure!


3. Spend less...check! I'm thrilled to report that Nate is back to work! Last week was his first full week since Christmas. Boy, was it nice for him to come home with a paycheck on Friday! We certainly won't take those for granted anymore, not after this lean winter! God has been abundantly faithful to us, supplying our needs over and over again. We received a hefty income tax refund (thanks to a[nother] addition to the family!) and were able to pay off a couple of credit cards as well. So not only have we spent less in February, but we've done some debt-slashing! Hallelujah!


4. Host guests once per month... double check!

We had some good friends over whom we hadn't seen in awhile. It's so fun to catch up!

We also hosted a pizza party with Nate's parents and his brother's family. (Fun cupcake photos to come!)

How'd you do with your resolutions in February?

Lazy or Creative? Frugal or Lame?

Thursday night was a special night for Nate and me: we had a date.

Only thing is, we didn't hire a babysitter.

And we didn't spend any money.

And I cooked dinner.

Are any of you still reading?
... Hello?

I'd heard of this idea before but had never done it. Without further ado, I give you...

Date Night In.

Date Night In required a bit of work up front, but it was well worth it! It actually came about almost by accident, but once the wheels were in motion, it was so fun! Here's how it went down:

It all started when Livvie & Ellia had trouble settling down during naptime. Ordinarily, I'd get irritated about it, but for some reason, around 2:30, I had a thought. "I guess they'll go to bed really early tonight! Hey, won't that be really nice for Nate and me!" I thought on it a little more, and decided to run with it!

I went in and asked Olivia if she would like to skip her nap today. You can bet she heartily agreed! I allowed her to play educational games on the computer for awhile. With Big Sister out of the room, Ellia was sound asleep within a couple of minutes. I didn't want her to sleep longer than an hour, so I got to work.

First, I made a card for Nate and taped it to the door. It read, "It's a Date--the in-home kind!" ...with the start time and some details: kid-free dinner, coffee, and a movie!

Then, I did a little bit of planning. For dinner, I decided on leftovers and fruit for the girls, and I pulled out a grown-up meal for the two of us... an Asian-inspired convenience meal that would've been too spicy for the kids. I definitely didn't want something which required a lot of effort, but something a little out-of-the-ordinary. I also roughly planned how the evening would go.

Next, I spruced myself up a little. I think this one's important! If we'd had plans to be out together, I would've made sure to do my makeup and hair, and put on something nice to wear. So I did. It took only 10 minutes, and I wondered why I don't do it every day. (Sorry, Nate! I'll work on it.)

By 4:30, Livvie & Ellia were eating their supper! Nate got home as they finished up, and shortly after that, I put the girls in the tub. They splashed and played happily as I tidied up the house a bit. I told them, "Mommy has a special surprise for you at 7 o'clock!" Livvie couldn't wait!

6:15--Time for some wrestling with their Daddy! If they were to go to bed early, they had to expend some energy! As they played, I set the table, started dinner, nursed Brienna, and moved the secondary TV into the girls' bedroom--another first! Livvie kept asking, "Is it 7 o'clock yet?"

Finally, 7:00 rolled around! I told Livvie to pick a short DVD, and then I shooed the kids into their beds and popped some popcorn. They were astounded that we were letting them watch TV IN THEIR ROOM and eat IN THEIR BEDS! While they watched their show, Nate and I ate dinner.

ALL... BY... OURSELVES.

And, get this..

We talked.

TO EACH OTHER!
(Photo credit: dreamstime)

It was lovely. Almost-Chinese food on placemats... and adult conversation. If I'd been thinking, I'd have lit a candle and put on some music. Next time!

We finished dinner just as the kids' movie ended, and then I cleaned up dinner while Nate built a fire in the fireplace. As he helped them brush their teeth, I sneaked the TV into our bedroom--yet another first!

After the kids went to bed, I made coffee, and we enjoyed the roaring fire awhile. Brienna went to bed at 9, and then we snuggled up and watched a movie... well, part of a movie. Gettysburg is over 5 hours long, so we'll have to watch it in several installments!

I think Nate was quite pleased with Date Night In; I know I was! It was the little, out-of-the-ordinary things that made the evening special... a kid-less dinner together and a movie in bed!

Have you ever had a Date Night In? What'd you do to make it special?

Resolution Review: January 2010

After this first month of 2010, I wonder how well (or how poorly!) people are keeping their New Years Resolutions. In order to keep myself accountable this year, I intend to do a monthly review, in which I share my successes--or maybe failures--of the past month. Enter the...

Here's how I did for January:

1. Stop eating sugar... check! I'm glad to report that this one went extremely well! Our exception situations are very few, which is a good thing! I ate a couple of chocolates from my friend in Vienna. I also enjoyed one piece of dessert when we had company over. Last, I ate a couple of treats which were gifted to us by a church friend. All of those sugary treats fell under the umbrella of our exceptions, and I'm really thankful for the Lord's help in exercising restraint. Nate and I have both been weighing in each Sunday. In the month of January, I lost 11 pounds! An added bonus, to be sure!
2. Go one one date per month...almost check! I guess I can't technically call it a date. We left the kids with a friend and went to dinner with our Young Single Adult group. Although it was really nice to get out without the kids, we mostly enjoyed other people, instead of focusing on one another without distraction. Next month, however, we've got our date night marked on our calendar and have confirmed our babysitter!
3. Spend less...double check! Nate did several days' work doing some remodeling at his brother's house; however, he has been laid off at his construction job. He hasn't worked there all month! Suffice it to say we haven't had a dime to waste! It was a "fun" challenge to scrounge up meals with what we had, but we're certainly praying for God's continued provision and guidance. He has been faithful and will continue to be so. And it'll be exciting to watch Him work!
4. Host guests once per month... check! I didn't mention this one specifically, but we believe that we have a responsibility to demonstrate generosity and foster fellowship with other believers. It was extremely difficult to entertain in our other, far smaller, home. But now we have ample room to do so! We hosted our church's new youth leader/assistant to the pastor and his wife in January. It was a blessed evening with godly friends! We've got next month's guests all lined up--friends whom we haven't seen in a long while. We're excited!

How'd you do with your resolutions? How are you keeping accountable?

Family Fun Day

Nate is working tomorrow (Olivia's birthday), so we decided that today would be our day to do something extra-special together. We thought about going to the zoo, but that would've messed with the all-important nap routine--big no-no! We settled on Chuck E. Cheese's instead, and invited Livvie's little friend Eva along. The girls had a blast!

Smacking the big buttons as they light up...

You can't see him, but Chuck E. Cheese is on stage singing. The girls were hollering to him, "Over here, Chuck E!"

A closer look.

This was one of Olivia's favorites. Dial the numbers and "talk" to various critters and characters.

Eva rides with Barney.

Chuck E. even made an appearance! Olivia liked him at first, but then he noticed her and started waving. She changed her mind and freaked out! Eva loved him, though!

What a fun morning!

A little tip for ya:

If you register online with Chuck E. Cheese's, they'll send you a bunch of super coupons!

A Kid's Birthday, the Frugal way

How are we keeping costs down for Livvie's third birthday?

1. We aren't having a birthday party. That is to say, we aren't having all her little cousins and grandparents and aunts & uncles over. We did it for her 1st and 2nd birthdays, but we don't want to be stuck doing it every year. Even with a simple meal and easy decorations, the costs add up quickly! And, we are on kid #3, after all! So we're planning to have a fun family day on Wednesday, the day before her b-day (Nate works on Thursday.). But it'll just be us! Simple, intimate, frugal, and no stress!
2. We aren't buying extravagant gifts. In our house, this is a given... for any occasion! I dug through my gift "closet" (just a big box, really) and found a little thing or two that she'll like. A couple months ago, I ran across this darling thing, and I knew I had to make one for my own fairy princess! Note: Scroll down...I made the girls' garden fairy version, not the boys' Robin Hood one. I ended up having to purchase only the hula hoop and felt--with a 40% off coupon!--thanks to craigslist and freecycle and my own stash. And a kind friend. In addition, I'm making an art smock for her, complete with fancy buttons and pockets.
3. We aren't buying, or making, a fancy-pants cake. I found a princess cake mix at Kroger for $1.49... comes with edible princess-y images and everything. She's tickled pink!

Let's face it--at age three, kids don't require much to be amused or impressed. Olivia will be thrilled if we spend an hour at the park and $4 on a Happy Meal.

How do you keep tabs on spending when it comes to your kids' birthdays?

P.S. Don't forget about the big blogoversary giveaway! Contest ends Monday, 9/7!

Today Only: FREE Scrapbook Page

Today only, 9/21, you can customize an 8x10 Scrapbook page (regularly $4.99) at Walgreens.com for FREE when you use the coupon code SCRAPIT at checkout. Pick it up in-store, and you'll pay nothing!

I don't do much scrapbooking anymore, but I can't wait to put my page in a frame for hanging! It'll be beautiful!

Steals & Deals. And a dilemma.

I just love it when I happen upon great deals! On Friday Kroger had several carts full of clearanced items, many of which we often use. I snagged this loot--which originally retailed for $28.97--for about a third of the price! Wahoo!






I also took Meredith's advice and took inventory of the girls' clothing. That is, the clothing that Olivia has yet to grow into. I was surprised to find that she had very few items for the future! We took a trip to our local Salvation Army yesterday, where we took advantage of the current sale--5 red-tagged clothing items for $5. I also picked up a set of pillowcases for $1.99, as we have only heavy fleece ones.

{Aside: Nate won't let me buy sheets secondhand. He gags violently at the mere thought. Am I the only one who thinks a good hot washing would make them not gross? Seriously! I saw sets for $4-$6. For both sheets! But it makes his skin crawl, so I drooled and then walked away.}

Anyway. Moving on to my dilemma. This is a matter of national security, so I know you'll help me out.

As I paid my $12 for those 11 items yesterday, I thought, "Boy, it's just too bad I can't get my act together and just prowl around garage sales all summer long for this stuff!" Around here, $1 is generally more you'll pay for kid clothes at a garage sale. I guess there must be some secret for garage sale-ing on your own with 2 small kiddos...3 if you count the unborn... because I simply can not do it unless I'm willing to accept exhaustion, a headache, and a backache as well. It's just too much for me!

I've tried, mind you. And it looks something like this: scour advertisements the night before, mapping out a route to the ones that look most promising, load up kids, stop by the ATM & get cash, drive to numerous destinations, unload & load kids (repeat, repeat, repeat...), keep kids corralled & happy, all the while knowing you might get to cross 2 items off your list.... ugh. Don't get me wrong--I love me a good garage sale! But if I'm looking specifically for 3T blue jeans (without weird designs & stuff on them, please!), 4T winter dresses, and 4T khaki shorts??? No thanks. I'll pay a dollar apiece and get it all at one location, where I can safely strap Baby Dracula into a cart.

Thankyouverymuch. This is the end.

I await your response.