Weekend wrap up.....

Let's go back to Thursday when I actually had one of my days off last week. A friend had called me last weekend. She was cleaning her house and had about 3 totes full of books she wanted to give me. So I ran over and got them. They weren't romance novels so I decide to take them all to McKay's for exchange. I figured I could get about $30 trade credit. But instead, I got $74.33. WOW! I love Christmas movies but don't have a large stock. I have to wait till they come on TV each year. But with the way I work they are usually on while I'm not home. So I bought 8 of my favorite ones along with 12 new paper back books and 2 new hardback books. And I still have close to $20 left on the trade credit for when I go back again.

On my way to work Friday, I decided to stop and do a little shopping. I have been seeing so many pictures of people decorating their banisters really cute and it makes me wish for a two story house. Walking up onto my porch it dawned on me that I have a banister...it's just outside. So I want to do something with garland but don't want to spend a fortune. So I stopped at Dollar Tree on a whim and found out I can get 15' of garland for just $1. So I picked up a few packs to do my banister and porch rails. Now to go to Pinterest to get ideas as to what I want to do.

You might recall that I am going to do a craft project with clothespins. But I needed stain. I hated paying $2 or $3 for a can of stain for just 2 1/2 clothespins. So I did what I do best...I Googled it. Sure enough I found a company called Defy Wood Stain where you can send off for 5 free samples. So I did. I had a couple of other small projects in the future so I picked some colors for the projects I'm going to do and they arrived on Friday. Took less than a week to get them. Here's the link for my crafty friends. http://www.defywoodstain.com/samples/ . I am going with the Natural Pine for my project.

The only hitch in my craft plan was I needed to cut one clothespin in half. I realized I needed something to to cut it with. So I got me a mini hacksaw for just $3.88 at Walmart.

I had some old vintage clothespins that were a little mismatched, which was perfect for my project. I had found a pack of wooden starts at A.C. Moore the other day and used a 40% off coupon to get them for just a little over a dollar. I just forgot to get some sandpaper to shape up the bottom of the 1/2 clothespin. Planning on doing that my day off this week. 

I also stopped into Family Dollar the other day for some storage containers. While there, I found these little Rubber Maid bowls for $1.00. Check them out. They look like an old Tupperware pattern.

I love the fact that they also have a removable tray so you can have two things in the bowls if you want. Can't wait to try these out. The lids screw on instead of snap and are easy to handle.

Saturday was crazy. I arrived at work at 8:15 a.m. and got off work at 9:30 p.m. That was over 13 hours. Talk about exhausted. But it was a blast since I got to greet 23 groups total throughout the day. Not to mention on 5 show days like that, I get to go upstairs and help them set up the tables for the next show after each show. That is always fun. I also got to meet the daughter of one of my good friends at work. Meet Nora, our newest Southern Belle. Isn't this dress gorgeous. She makes a beautiful belle. 

I was a little discouraged ever since last Thursday. I had ordered a new phone case since mine was getting rough looking. Unfortunately, the mail lady put it in the wrong box and I didn't get it until three days after I was supposed to, but it was worth the wait. I am loving it. It makes my phone look like a new phone. It is rose gold. So  happy.

Then Sunday, I slept in and skipped Sunday School. I needed the rest. But I did go to church. My daughter helped me in Children's Church as we let the kids packs shoe boxes with items donated by some of our church members. We broke down into teams of 2-3 and they went "shopping" at the various table to pack a box. We let them pick the age and gender they wanted to shop for. They were so excited and were very patient to wait for their teams turn.

We had a couple of brothers visiting with us yesterday. The oldest son volunteered to help put the labels on the boxes for us. He was a huge help.

Afterwards, we gathered over the boxes and prayed that God would go with each box to make sure it was placed in the hands of a child who needed to receive the particular items in that box. The kids were so excited to do this project. This is my last Christmas with Children's Church since I am retiring next September after 10 years of participating in it, with the last three years being the leader and back there every Sunday with the kids. Most of these kids have been in Sunday School, Children's Church and VBS with me for 9 years and it is going to feel weird, but I just feel like it is time to step down at the end of this church year.

So despite the fact I did nothing Saturday but work all day and fall in bed the minute I got home, I still had an amazing weekend.