There's An Elephant In The Room!!

If you have followed my blog at all....you know my family room has Lions, Tigers and Bears...OH MY!  Not really....more like, monkeys and dogs (chinese dogs at that)....mmmkay?  So....a couple of weeks ago while Hannah and I were on our Saturday morning thrifting adventure, I found this great elephant lamp.  I know, right?!  

Lookey....Lookey....

and what did this little treasure cost me you ask?  $6.  

 Since I made no New Years resolutions that will eventually fail if I actually call them that.  I am here to report that I've lost 10lbs and my blood sugar is down to 126.  (takes a bow)  I hope I can keep this up.

My daughter, Christina gave me a new website to take a peek at and I thought I would share it with you.  She's a health FREAK...so she knows.

The World's Healthiest Foods

I'll be incorporating these recipes into my grocery list and come up with a better healthy eating plan.  Hopefully I can cook some of these recipes and share the really good ones with you.  Wish me luck!

Now to go stare at my family room and see if there is anything I can change in there.....what?!

What To Do First....

I ended last year with not completing the laundry room project.  It's like this tire around my neck.  I HATE TO PAINT.  Any volunteers??  It's a must do soon though.  I've got to get this monkey off my back.  The laundry room would look so much better with a coat of fresh paint.  I think this room has so much stuff in it, that just looking at it makes it a neverending all weekend job.  I haven't been able to want to even give up my weekend for it yet.  

The holidays left me not in touch with my cozi.com cleaning schedule.  I randomly cleaned throughout the month of December, which meant...some of my weekends were days filled with cleaning again.  There was just to much going on!!  I printed my schedule off last week and somewhat did what it said.  I am in hopes this week I can tune back in and not find myself cleaning on my weekend off.

My son turns 28 on Friday.  Friday the 13th!  The exact day this 2 lb. 15 oz. guy was born.  Three days prior to the 13th,  I found myself on an ambulance headed about 3 hours from here to Columbus, GA.  Preemies back then were not something our hospital here could deal with.  Can I just say that I love him!  He's went through alot in his 28 years and I'm so proud of him.  We'll be celebrating this weekend!

Hannah and I did our Saturday morning thrifting adventure.  The places we go now...KNOW US well.  Heh.  I found Ryder a really cool hooded towel that looks like a dinosaur.  I can see him now running around growling.  I can't wait to show him.  I found a Bob the Builder toy that actually makes this very annoying noise...he'll love it...me....not so much!  

Hannah found another LP at Goodwill.  She has quite the collection now.  Here's a blast from the past!

 If you recognize some of these faces....well...yeah, you ARE that old.  Sorry.

I stumbled across this little item.  It was brand new...still in its plastic wrap...waiting on moi.

The writing on the top of each sheet says....To Do List.  Yeah.  I needed it.  I have lots to do!  Plus...the paper is just cute, right?

I'd like to share a site with you.  It's called www.fitday.com.  Go check it out.  I hate making New Year's Resolutions...so I won't say this is one of them.  I'll just say, I went to my doctor on Friday...started some new meds....got a tongue lashing about my out of control blood sugar and found this site.  I am officially on a diet.  I know.  I KNOW.  What's great about this site is that it helps you count your calories during the day.  It has a journal.....a place to record any exercise that you do and will calculate calories used and much more.  Hannah and I are both doing this...well because she has to do everything I do.  So...yesterday we spent the day logging every single item that we ate.  I hope we can keep this up.  It does make you aware of what you are eating for sure.  We'll see how it goes!  Keep your fingers crossed for me.  I'm not a very good dieter.

Next post...I've got an elephant I want to introduce you to!

Lookey What I found!

Goodwill never fails me.  It's kinda scary.  I watch the hoarding shows on television and I'm in hopes 20 years from now I won't be actually ON the show.  

 Whatever have I found?  Are they just the cutest things ever??  Who could have resisted this find!!!  

 A pillow!!  I paid $3 for this at Goodwill.  I just love this pillow.  I was a little sad it didn't have my dachshund on it, but  I'll learn to deal with it.  Dachshunds probably have their own pillows anyway!

This landed in my family room.  I love it!

Goodwill Continues to Deliver!

Yesterday, after being sick Sunday and Monday..... I was clearly needing to get out and do my thing.  I headed to Goodwill to unwind.  I get a great deal of pleasure of just looking, even if I don't buy anything.  I always see something I like, but I don't always buy.  That would be back to the hoarding issue, right?  I did find a couple of treasures I couldn't live without.

This little bunny caught my eye and for $2.99, I had to have it.  The color was a perfect match for my brown kitchen.

For now...it's new home is on my bakers rack in the kitchen. 

I'm also still working on my laundry room decor.  I was so wanting to have the laundry room completed by Thanksgiving, but I seriously doubt it's going to happen.  You would think this small room would not be such a big deal, but it clearly is.  All I see is 2 book shelves....a fridge, washer, dryer, cabinet and shelves to be moved...not to mention the patching that needs to be done.  Sighs.  There just needs to be more of me.  I am slowly collecting things to use in there and when I came across this at Goodwill...no doubt, I had to have it.

Are these not the cutest little froggies you ever did see?  They are a heavy iron metal and each foot will be used to hang my daycare bags on. 

Remember these plates?

There are 4 of them.  These are also a Goodwill find.  I thought these would look nice displayed on the wall above the little frogs.   I only have one wall available for some decor and I want to take full advantage of it. 


With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching, my mind has been in a million circles.  I have just a bit more grocery shopping to do and this weekend I will pull together my schedule.  This year I will be having our dinner late afternoon, which gives me the day to relax and not feel so rushed.  I haven't yet decided what desserts I will be making.  It's driving me insane!  I did find a pumpkin mousse dessert that I may do, but with having pumpkin pies...it might be an overkill in the pumpkin corner.  A chocolate cake for sure and my menu is set in stone now.  I shared that with you in an earlier post here.

I've been slowly knocking out Christmas gifts.  I have several sites I follow and they have not let me down.  I've purchased some really good deals so far this year.  I can remember one year having everything purchased by Thanksgiving.  It's not going to happen this year for sure!  I can only hope the sites I follow continue to provide me with ultimate deals. 

Here's a few I follow:

http://hip2save.com/
http://aproverbswife.com/
http://www.bradsdeals.com/newest-deals


These sites have never failed me.  You can cha-ching on the deals all day long, I promise!

Rescuing Goodwill Stuff

I just don't know what Goodwill would do without me around.  There has never been a time that I haven't walked in there and something struck my interest.  I don't always buy what I would like to...because then, ummmm....I'd be a hoarder, right?  I really only buy things I could use or things that just jump off the shelves into my cart.  What?!

I have been looking for an end table for our family room.  The el cheapo one I had, the drawer finally broke off and frankly, I was so glad it did.  So...I've been stalking Goodwill for an end table.  I had already made up my mind that I would probably have to refinish it or paint it and I was happy to do so.  Sort of.  BUT.....I walked in Goodwill a few weeks ago and noticed on their front door they were having a 50% off furniture sale.  Cha-Ching!  I was so in hopes something was back there in the furniture section that would not kill my budget or drive me insane on the makeover.  I was surprised at what I had found....

This made me very happy!!  Not only was it in perfect condition, it was just what I needed for the family room.  I DID. NOT. HAVE. TO. PAINT. IT.!!!  It was a drop and go.  Done.  Perfect.  The table was marked $34.99 and I got it for 50% off.  Deal or what?!

*Does a little happy dance*  For those who wait...it will come!


Saturday's have turned into a day of thrifting with Hannah.  I have my cozi.com cleaning schedule working for me all week and Saturday is a free day.  Yesterday was Diva Day in our little quaint town.  This is a day that we enjoy doing together.  This year was even more bigger than the previous years.  It was moved to a larger place and it was so crowded that we could barely move around.  There were homemade items there....and there were booths set up for Mary Kay.....Tupperware....but mostly there was jewelry.  Frankly, it was so shoulder to shoulder...we were just happy to get out of there.  We then drove around to some consignment shops and ended up at Goodwill.

Look what Goodwill had to offer....

Neat, huh?  I'm not sure exactly what it was used for.  It says on the bottom...microwaveable.  ?  Anyhoo...I decided to use it to store my instant hot chocolate.  For $2.99...why not?

Cozi tells me I have baseboards to clean today....and both bathrooms....and I was lazy yesterday and did not do any laundry...so this may turn out to be a rather busy afternoon for me.

Until next time....have a wonderful Sunday!

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Goodwill Treasures

Savvy Southern StyleYesterday as I was reading my way through blogland, I came across a post about "The Thrill of the Hunt" posted by Embellishments by SLR.  She had found some really great treasures at none other than a Goodwill store in her community.  I enjoyed this post so much that I just had to make a trip by Goodwill yesterday.  I have to pass by the store to get to Walmart and well...ya know...there is some sort of magnet in that store.  We have a great Goodwill here for such a small town.  I have been to several of the surrounding Goodwills within an hour from our town and our Goodwill by far wins.

This is what I found...not a lot...but enough to give that little thrill of finding a bargain.  I know...seriously?  I'm so low maintenance!

These two little decorative pumpkins were $.99 each and I added them to my Fall mantle.  The more the merrier, right?

This little glass container was $1.99.  I added some Indian Corn and a bow and it made a really nice piece in our family room.  After Fall...I can use this throughout the Christmas holidays as well!

Can we say Gobble, Gobble?  How cute is this.  Made of wood...and other "earthy" thingy's!  I just love this little turkey.  He found a place in my dining room to bring in the eating of da turkey!  $1.99 Goodwill!!

and what to my wondering eyes did appear?  Ummm...oh right, it's Thanksgiving...BUT...I knew that SOMEONE out there would toss their little pumpkin salt and pepper shakers if I waited long enough!  $2...got them!  Love them.

There were so many other things that I loved, but clearly didn't need...*shivers a bit*.....and I just got the things that jumped off the shelves into my buggy.  If you've been reading any of my prior posts you can always find Goodwill finds throughout them.  I am totally hooked on "The Thrill of the Hunt" for sure!!

Go check out this blog about all the kitchen items I found at Goodwill!  Goodwilling for the Kitchen


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Gobble! Gobble!!

I was browsing down the aisles of Goodwill and what did I see??  Two turkey candle holders.  I turned them over to check the price.  What did it say?  $2.99.  Plus, their was a sticker on the bottom that said "Pier One".  They would be perfect for my dining room table and I would certainly light the candles during our Thanksgiving dinner.  Cha-Ching in the cart they went.  They were a clay pottery color.  I actually liked the color, but I knew I would be painting them soon.

So....I failed to take before pictures, because I had a can of spray paint in my hand and there was no time to stop and go back inside for a camera.  Okay.  I was lazy.  We had been at a kiddie birthday party out of town most of the day and I was dreaming of spray painting those turkeys All. Day. Long.

So....here's the end result....

Sighs...now what to do with that can of spray paint!!!!  There's so much spray painting to be done....

*skips off*

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The Blue Chair

Yesterday while browsing through our Goodwill, I saw this picture that had caught my eye a couple of weeks ago.  I couldn't justify buying it, where would it go?  I did the usual I love it, but I really don't need it and left.  As soon as you walk into the Goodwill here, they had it up on a high shelf so it would stare right at you when you opened their front door.  Now I've been to Goodwill several times since first seeing it and it caught my eye every single time.  I loved it.  It was calling my name.  I had convinced myself that I didn't need it.  When it caught hub's eye he said it was a really nice picture.  Yesterday he helped me get it.  Not that it was that expensive, but I try to stay on a pretty tight budget here and Goodwilling is my vent of being on a tight budget.  It was marked $40.  I just couldn't justify it.  So...hub tells me to ask if they'll mark it down.  I know...we're so cheap, right?!  *winks*  So, they called the manager over the microphone....as I laid on the floor with embarrassment...I mean seriously, who begs for a discount in Goodwill?  Ummmm...we do?  She came and said she couldn't mark it down and I gave her this look...

It worked!!  She came down $10.  Which made this amazing picture not $40, but $30.  I know...it's not a lot of money...but $10 is $10, right?!  So hub pitched in half and I paid half and look what I got!!

My oh my!!  I was excited!  I love this blue chair.  As the manager was taking it down from the shelf for us, she flipped it over and said you might want to check this out.  On the back it showed where this had been sold at a fund raising auction.  The auction company handling the fundraiser was from Pennsylvania.  On the back it read, The Blue Chair, Artist, Ned Young and stated it was a signed lithograph.  Exciting, huh?  So, we brought it home and started google searching this print and I found on line this print framed for $189.00.  *faints*  Since this is a "signed" lithograph, I'm thinking that the value could be more.  We made a good choice.

Here's a few more pics of it...

Check out that frame!  Beautiful knotted pine! 

Here's an up close shot of the blue chair.  The white marks showing on this pic are flickers of light.  There is not a scratch on it.

I had no problem finding a place for this.  It matched the chest perfectly.  I moved a few pictures around in the family room and it's a done deal.

You never know what Goodwill has sitting on it's shelf!! I can't wait to show you my Pier One find!  Next post!

Hannah blegged out on me yesterday with her treasure post.  Too tired perhaps?  Ahem.  She said she would "try" to do one NEXT Saturday.  I'm so firing her if she doesn't.  GIRLS!!  Geesh.

I wanted to tell you that I'm still loving the Cozi.com site.  They really should hire me.  I love that site.  It is keeping me in order with all my household cleaning.  I had another Saturday of waking up to a clean house.  The only job I have to do on that day is changing the linens in the master bedroom.  My menu and grocery shopping is all done through Cozi.  I also keep up with all of Hannah's school functions and homework assignements!  I know what homework is due every week.  Her school emails me this every week! Nice, huh?

Update on the Lemony Soup recipe...hated it.  Hub loved it.  I hated it.  It tasted okay, but I'm just not use to a plain, blah, rice soup I guess.  That's what it tasted like to me.  I do have a new recipe for Slow Cooker corn chowder that I'm serving up on Monday night.  If it passes my taste test, I'll share the recipe.

We still have not painted.  My goal is to have this done before Thanksgiving.  That gives me a few weeks to procrastinate over it.  I've already asked my son would he be interested in painting it...he quickly said no.  I should have really guilt tripped him up with..."thanks, since I labored for days to have you, rode in an ambulance and had so much drama, I guess I don't DESERVE for you to paint this room for me"...but, I didn't.  He's a busy guy, so I'll leave him alone THIS time.

http://debbie-debbiedoos.blogspot.com/2011/10/boys-playroomtv-room-dressed-up-in.html

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Coastal Charm

Knick of Time Interiors

Creating A House of Grace

Ooops I Did It Again!

I found another bargain at Goodwill.  I spied these 4 plates several weeks ago.  I'm not sure why they were not snatched up.  The price was $2.99.  I just could not for the life of me figure out where I would put them.  Yesterday, I just needed to get out of the house after a long day at home.  I was headed to Walmart and did a quick stop at Goodwill on the way.  I saw the plates again and bought them.

 Here's a pic.  These 4 plates were taped  together and I thought they were all the same.  To my surprise, each plate had a different design on it.  That was a great surprise.

Aren't they just gorgeous?  I've decided they are going in my laundry room.  I'll find a plate rack for them soon.  I have one wall I can decorate in there and this will be one of the first things I decorate it with.  Have you noticed the green trim around the plate?  Perfect!  The brown will bring in the brown walls of the kitchen.  I don't know what I've been thinking by not getting these the first time I saw them!  I've got to get done with the project of painting the laundry room.  It will be so much more pleasant to go in there with everything completely organized and to actually have decor on the walls!  I loathe painting.  *sighs*

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A Wonderful Picture Find!

Here's another find that I found this weekend with my friend shopping.  I finally remembered to take a picture when the lighting was much better in the house.

Take a look at this....

I got this for TWELVE DOLLARS.  The frame had a couple of scratches, but with some Old English polish they came right out.  I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the price tag for $12.00.  The cashier even commented at what a great deal this was.  You never know what you can find when you go thrifting.  I purchased this picture to go over my fireplace, but it didn't work out there.  I carried this around the entire house and finally realized it had a home right here.  It matches everything perfectly!!  I love the old setting in the picture.  This is why I thrift!

Yesterday I was very busy.  Remember the laundry room?  The most hated room in my house?  Well...I've been busy.  I've been tossing....trashing....re-organizing this space.   I removed Hannah's 2 hoarding containers.  One ended up in the storage building outside and another one she uses ended up in the guest bedroom closet.  She'll have to deal with it!  I want my space back.

I had in mind to do this room in a green color.  Something that would look nice flowing in from the kitchen.  I've decided to go with more of a sage color.  A softer color than Hannah's bathroom that I originally thought I wanted.  I was shopping at Goodwill on Sunday and came across this set of curtains....

There's the salmon color I was looking for...and there's the sage green.  PERFECT curtains for the laundry room.  All the decor will be thought out around these curtains.  Oh...how much were the curtains?  $5.99.  Cha-ching!  These curtains got me in the mood to clean some things out yesterday.  I've got some more things to take to the storage building outside tonight with hub's help.  Slowly but surely my laundry room will get it's much needed makeover.  I'm seeing visions of a table, lamps and pictures on the wall.

I'm still tweaking the Fall Decor.  I can't wait to show you the finished dining room table.  I actually did a place setting that belonged to my sons great grandmother.  It fits the Fall decor perfectly.  I know she would love knowing that these dishes still had a purpose.

Gotta go and dig through that laundry room some more....this is going to be a big ordeal before it's all said and done.

Here's a peek at Marsha's kitchen....

She's promised to get me some more pics.  All of mine were not that great.  As soon as she sends them to me....I can't wait to show you her kitchen makeover.  Aren't the colors just wonderful?  She found all of this at Hobby Lobby.

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