School Shopping on a Budget

It's that time of year, the end of summer, end of warm weather, the carefree days at home for the kids and the days that make our pocketbooks tremble with fear.  These are a few of my tips and I'll share some of the deals I got along the way.  I've been picking up school supplies since they started showing up on display at the stores.  Spiral notebooks for .15, composition books .50, pens $1 per pack, glue sticks .25.  I didn't buy it all in one fail swoop, remember the budget.  But a few here and a few there and you can accumulate more than you think.  I took each boy out seperately this week, shopping with both boys together makes this mom crazy.  This week's shopping focused on shirts and shorts, in a couple weeks we focus on pants and sweatshirts.  We got shoes and shorts on clearance with an extra 50% off.  Score!!  Don't get frustrated if money is tight, there are always options.  Whether it be planning way ahead, shopping clearance racks or paroozing the thrift store aisles.  I've done all three.  Cheers!

Thrift Store Treasures

Japanese Sugar Bowl $2.69

Japanese China $8.48

I have been diligently working to "gather" items that will help me entertain. Remember I only had settings enough for 4 people?  Sandy at Reluctant Entertainer explains that most items can be found at thrift or discount stores. So thrifting I have been doing. I found this Japanese China and was elated, I've never owned a set of China before.  I haven't figured out how to make a picture collage on my blog yet, so forgive the string of photos. I'll be posting over the next couple weeks the treasures I have collected so far. Cheers!

My Aunt Lil's Brown Iced Tea Pitcher

Ever since I can remember whenever we would go visit my great aunt Lil's house she always had a pitcher of iced tea on the kitchen counter in a brown pitcher.  I loved her iced tea and I loved her, espcially her wit and humor.  Come to find out in my adult years that her brown pitcher was actually a Marcrest brand dot and daisy design.  Horribly, my beloved Aunt Cheryl and I used to joke as to who would get the treasured brown pitcher upon Aunt Lil's passing.  Yes, I no it was a tad morbid but we were just kidding around.  One day when visiting my in-laws I went to a local antique shop and there it was a replica of Aunt Lil's pitcher.  With lightening speed I swooped it up and took it home.  Last week while doing my weekly thrift store run I came across a matching cookie jar w/o the lid.  For a meer $2.99 I bought it and am using it to hold my cooking utensils.  The nice memories I get each time I look at them are priceless.  Do you have a family heirloom that brings you joy?  Cheers.

HE IS FREE AT LAST

Free from the mouth full of metal that he has endured since his freshman year (no sympathy from us).  Free to drive in car without his mom or dad with him.  Free to do so many things.  How did this happen so quickly?  Was I not here the last 16 years?  I sure do love this boy/young man/teen.  With freedom comes great responsibility - Eleanor Roosevelt.

Domestically Driven

Remember my post from months back that my word for the year is driven?  Well I'm still striving towards new things that make my stretch, physically, emotionally, spiritually.  My drive right now is learning and equipping to entertain people in my home.  I frequent the local thrift stores and my current finds include a beautiful tablecloth, crackle vase, clear glass pyrex platter, 4 glass salad plates and a secret find that I'll share later when my camera is handy.  I also bought 3 clear glass plates from Bed, Bath & Beyond to give me a total of 8 dinner plates.  Total cost under $15.  I'm now moving on to 4 bar stools, my kitchen table is bistro height.  So, if my friends come over I need to be able to seat them somewhere other than the couch.  Many thanks to my girlfriends, Kelly, Sandy & Amy who let me ask many "stupid" questions about what they do and what they have at their homes.  The info I've gathered from them is priceless.  I'm trying to come up with a menu for my first gathering my Reluctant Entertainer book says cook things you know so I'll be working on that.  I've always thought that having people over didn't mean having  to serve prime rib or crab, why not spaghetti??  It's the friends not the food right? Wish me luck.

Beach Boat Church Camp

I ask for prayers as our high school youth group leaves for summer camp.  It sounds like an terrific place, they get to stay on house boats.  How COOL is that?  I want our big guy to have an amazing time, have so much fun he doesn't think he could pack one more thing into this "fun" schedule.  I also pray that he is amazed by the Lord.  On a more evil note, I'm going to clean and rearrange his room while he is gone.  MUAHAHAHAHA.  Cheers!

An Old Dog Can Learn New Tricks

So, I've been reading my new book The Reluctant Entertainer.  I'm feeling like I have gained some new confidence that I to can do this entertaining thing.  It's not hard, or at least it's not supposed to be.  I purchased a new steno pad to take important notes for myself from the book.  I've been going through my own stash of dinnerware etc., I've been making bi-weekly trips to the local thrift stores to see what I can pick up to add to my own (advice from the author).  So far I have found 2 packages of 4 cloth napkins, dark sage green $1 each, clear decorative bottle for flowers $1.50, round red placemats on clearance for .88 cents a piece.  I did notice that I am lacking on the amount of dinnerware I have.  Don't judge me but I only have a service for 4 in my all white cafe style dishes.  If I do have people over what are they supposed to eat on?  I'm hoping to add a few more dishes in the next couple weeks, I also noticed that our fork population has decreased.  ????.  I'm thinking they may be hiding in the boys' rooms.  Have a great week, maybe you'll be the victim, I mean lucky person who gets to be a part of my entertaining experience.  Cheers!!