Fantastic Frugal Friday--Garden Edition

It's here!  Spring!  I hear birds chirping in the morning and the cherry blossoms are blossoming.  I even see a few daffodils popping up around the neighborhood. 

But you want to know the best thing?   We finally hit 60 degrees, 64 degrees to be exact (I think) here in the Pac NW and that is a treat indeed!  Now it is time to think about our garden!

 I actually started a little bit early this year and bought some indoor mini planters for a few things and may or may not transplant them.  It depends. 

How cute are these?  I bought these at the Dollar Tree !  Yup, you heard it right!  $1.00 each.  And I also bought lots of seeds there too a few weeks back for 4/$1.00.  Can you believe that?

Head on over to  your local Dollar Tree and see what they have.  I always find lots of goodies there when I visit. They have tons of cute little gardening tools (maybe not the best quality but might be fun to get for the kids), pinwheels, flags, signs, etc...

Do you and your family garden?  What do you plant and when do you start planting?

Happy Spring!

**This is not a paid endorsement for Dollar Tree. 

Can We Fix It?

Bob, the builder, can we fix it? Bob, the builder, yes we can!

Yeah, not so much in our case.

I am not sure to be happy or sad about this.  Mr. Beanpole, apparently is a bit mechanically inclined (good=happy) when it comes to taking things apart but not so much when trying to put them back together (bad=sad).

Last night as I was preparing a salad for part of our dinner, he was in the back room playing basketball with his brother and his brothers friends (we have a small hoop on the back of T's bedroom door).... so I thought. 

I heard them all talking, giggling, including Mr.Beanpole, so I went about my business preparing the salad which literally took me maybe 5 mins max.  It got pretty quiet at one point so I decided to investigate. 

And what do I find? 

A 3 year old, with dad's tool box items strewn across the bathroom floor, taking my curling iron apart!  He literally took the screws out of the handle and the rod part fell off.  Luckily, it wasn't plugged in and we never did find all the screws.

So this morning, needless to say, I didn't curl my hair which is always nice!  Tried my best to doll myself up using just product and the hair dryer.  Not so sure it worked but whatever I guess, what can you do?  It was too late to head to find a new curling iron last night so looks like that is what I get to do tonight when the hubby gets home.

Fun times!  (I probably needed a new one anyways).

 
Any recommendations?  ( I am pretty frugal and low maintenence so nothing that is going to cost me an arm and a leg nor one that I have to go hunting high and low for at beauty stores).

Wednesday Blog Hops



Gone Baby Gone

Our "oldest" little girl is growing up.  She is 18 now.  She has graduated from high school, working her way through college and now she has decided it is time to fly the coop and move out.  Kinda, bittersweet.  I knew it would come one day. 


At times we have even had "discussions" about it especially when the "discussions" are when we are butting heads over her car insurance payment that is due OR her not cleaning up after her self OR her nagging me about something (or vice versa however I am the mom so I get to nag, right?)

She really gets into her food.  I think that was from spaghetti.

Christmas 1992





At The Zoo





What an Angel



In her slicker and boots.  She loved those!

What a ham!





Prized possession.  She still has it. Beauty & The Beast Lithograph.



Dressed up for The Nutcracker.  Yearly tradition with grandparents until she was 10 or so.

Christmas pic with Tman

Dress Up

8th Grade Graduation

HS PromMay 2010

HS Prom May 2010

Her and her BFF

She found a cute little apt not too far down the street.  I know she is close by but it will not be the same, that's for sure. 

Now what are we going to do with all the extra space (just kidding).   

Even if she "thinks" that we won't miss her, my sweet babe we will miss you!  (and I am sure she will miss us too; I hope) 

Post It Note Tuesday

Caught Red Handed!

Little Miss K

Caught

Red Handed

Unraveling

the TP

I  didn't do it.  You can't prove it!  How cute is she?

 

Sunday Blog Hops

Put A Leash On "It"

To leash or not to leash that is the question.  I am not talking about my dog though because I don't have a dog and don't plan on getting one anytime soon.  And I would definitely leash a dog at all times when out in public.

I am talking about our 3 year old aka Mr. Beanpole.  I know harsh, right?  Maybe?  I am struggling a little bit with this.

See I used to be one of those moms who "judged" just a little bit when I saw parents with the little monkey or puppy backpack harnesses i.e. leashes on their children.  I would always, maybe not always, but too many times, I would comment to my husband, "They are not dogs".  Of course that was when we only had the 3 kids far apart in age.  I could be totally immersed with the smallest one when we were out and about because the older two where 15 and 9 when we had our 3rd child who is now 3.  Now that we had our 4th (and last) child much closer to our 3rd, it is difficult to get out and about with our 3 yr old and the almost 11 month old especially by myself. 

You see, Mr. Beanpole is a normal average 3 year old, always curious, always getting into something, somewhere, has no fear and likes to run (more like bolt)!  At times he has bolted when we are trying to just get out into the car here at home, at church, etc.  He also gets distracted easily like most 3 year olds when we are out and about so unless we are holding his hand at all times (which he is not very fond of since he is Mr Independent these days) we walk at a snails pace, touching everyone and everything in our path. 

When it comes to bolting when we are getting in/out of the car, we are lucky that the street we live on has very little traffic most of the time and he hasn't bolted into the street but rather up the street on the sidewalk but when you see him in action, he is QUICK!  (He gets that from his older brother)  And it is probably the funniest thing to my neighbors when I am running up the street, with baby in tow, after him, hollering his name....My hair flying in my face, Miss K bouncing on my hip (among other things bouncing that shouldn't) as I am about to make a face plant with each step...Not too funny at the time, but of course always looking back I just have to chuckle (or else I would probably cry). 

So with this all being said, I am no longer that mother!  I am really considering getting one of those little backpacks i.e. leashes to use with him when we are out and about so I have a little bit more "control".

What do you think? 

Are you for or against "leashes" on small children?

Check This Out!

Hey, check this out.  I am this weeks "Frugal Expert" over at Frugality is Free & Being Frugal & Making It Work! 

How *AWESOME* is that?

If you haven't checked out these blogs or their linky's, you are missing out.  Lots of frugal ideas and frugal minded friends!

5 On Friday-Frugal Style

Since we have been back from vacation I have been way to busy (& lazy)  to even go near a store to grocery shop...so I worked with what I had for dinner last night.


This is what I had.....

This is what I made.....






http://www.daily.mail.uk.com/





I call it Short Cut Sheperds Pie!


It literally took me 7 mins to cook the instant mashed potatoes (follow instructions on box) and then I put them over the 2 cans of soup that I had poured into a 13 x 9 casserole dish.  Heat in oven on 350 for approx 15 mins until top of mashed potatoes are golden brown and the soup under neath is heated.


Although it doesn't necessarily look the prettiest, it is very good and hearty!  And it was C-H-E-A-P! 

Box of instant mashed pototoes $4.69 (didn't use the whole box)  and 2 cans of sirloin & vegetable soup (2/$1.98 on sale this past week at Safeway).    If I take half the price of the box of pototoes $2.34 plus the $1.98 for the soup it turns out to be .86 per person.


Fed all 5 of us and even had some left overs.

How's that for being quick, easy and frugal!

5 Things....

5 Things I Learned On Our Vacation to The Oregon Coast...



1.  I do not like sleeping in other peoples beds.  I barely slept the whole time there! And the mattress was even a memory foam but I could barely move once the memory of my body was made!  And I am a night mover so every time I wanted to roll over I woke myself up because I couldn't get out of the impression.  

2.  It inevitably rains every time we go to the beach...LOL...Liquid sunshine, got to love it (and Spring Break)

3.  I don't like centipedes.  (There were tons around the house we rented!)

4.  Strollers and Newport Historic Bay Front don't mix well together.  Most of the shops had stairs, no ramps!  Needless to say we didn't get to go in many shops there.  (not so sure they were complying with the ADA; maybe because it was a *historic* area they don't have to?)

5.  Vacations are a lot of work unless you are staying at a 5 Star Resort and are being catered to.  I am more tired now than I was when I started.  I need an *adult* vacation from my vacation.


We did however make the best of it enjoying ourselves and our time together.  We stayed in Waldport, did day trips to Florence, Newport and Tillamook Cheese Factory....Cheese!  (and ice cream too).

Family memories in the making and that is all that matters!

Wordless Wednesday

Hello from The Oregon Coast!

Sea Lions on the beach near where we stayed

Depoe Bay, Oregon

At Sunset

Dinner?

Sea Creatures

Waldport, Oregon

Seal Rock, Oregon

And we even met Arnold!  I told you I would be back!

I'm In The Spotlight!

I am in the spotlight over at The Frugal Free Gal.

Check it out!





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Six Word Saturday

Although I didn't really link up since I am really not here, I wanted to do to the Six Word Saturday anyways...

I am on vacation, whoo-hoo! (can whoo-hoo count for two words?) 

Hasta La Vista Baby

The time has come...I will be unplugged, unwired, untethered, for the next several days! 

Our mini vacation is in full swing! 

Oregon Coast here we come, watch out!

Hope everyone has a great couple of days! 

I'll be back....(in my best Arnold voice)

We Have A Winner!

We have a winner for the St Patrick's Day $110.00

Cash Giveaway!

 

 

 

 

Wendy for Entry 669!

 

 

Congratulations Wendy!  And thanks to everyone who entered and my fellow bloggers that contributed to the giveaway!

 

You all ROCK!

Tweet! Tweet!

I tot I taw a putty cat!

I am on Twitter!  I finally broke down and created an account.

I mean everyone is doing it so....

Care to follow my tweets?

You can find me at http://twitter.com/superwomanimnot

Friday Blog Hops