You gotta love a bargain....

Our local Staples is getting ready to remodel. As a result, they are holding a lot of clearance sales and sending out a lot of coupons. I have been buying my home office supplies there for years so I have a rewards card that provides me with coupons as well. I received some coupons the other day and decided to drop in and see what was on sale. 

The first thing I looked at was their battery charger. I needed a new one for AA batteries and figured if I had a coupon to help pay for it, maybe I should see what they had. They had what I was looking for at a price of $12.99. That price wasn't bad compared to the ones at Walmart which weren't the quality the one at Staples was. 

Next, I needed a package of Martha Stewart dividers for my notebook. I love her line of products. They had them for $4.99 which was $1 less than usual so I picked up a pack.

I was looking for a small pink notebook to keep notes in for the National Conference I am attending this year. This was perfect and it was Martha Stewart as well. It was normally $1.99.

I decided to breeze by the clearance section just to see what they had. I found the perfect tray for my IN/OUT files. I have those plastic ones that always seem to crack eventually from the heavy load of paperwork that crosses my desk. This wasn't priced, but I thought it was exactly what I needed. So I took it with me to check out and had her scan it first since it was on clearance and is a very sturdy solid piece, I figured I would get it no matter what the price. Imagine my delight when the scanner said it was just $1.00!

Before coupons the price was $20.97. She rang up my coupons and then applied sales tax on the new balance. My final cost out of pocket was a whopping $1.83. That's right, just $1.83 for all this. You gotta love a bargain.

Mid week update...

So much to catch you up on. Saturday, I went running around with my daughter. We were in Target and I was looking at towels. I stumbled across this bath mat. I love my bubble bath but can't find a good pillow to lean on while I read. I saw this Bath Lounge Mat at Target for $20. This has been added to my wish list. I am going to have to get one of these. 

I looked at plants at Walmart. I am going to need some plants for my new office, especially in the corner with my desk and my file credenza meet. I am thinking a palm but don't know. These prices were really good at Walmart.

Sunday we had my oldest grandson's birthday at the Blue Moose. The food was delicious and we all had a great time. Most importantly, I got some pics of my family. Here is the birthday boy, my first grandchild, Garret. He turned 15. 

My second grandchild, Caleb, is 10 and will be 11 in just a couple of months. 

Next is my third grandchild who was my first granddaughter, Alexis. She is 9 1/2. They are growing up too fast. 

This is my fourth grandchild, Shelby. She is 5 1/2.

This is my fifth grandchild, Colby. He is 3 and he is a character as I'm sure you can tell by the mischievous little smile.

This is my son, Chris, and his wife, Jamie. They are the parents of Garret, Alexis and Colby.

  

This is my daughter, Diana, and her husband, Michael. They are the parents of Caleb and Shelby.

It is so hard to get all The Grands together in one picture so I decide to split the group up. Her I am with my beautiful granddaughters.

And here are my handsome grandsons. Garret is going through the I don't smile for pictures phase. I can't believe how tall he is getting. And Caleb isn't far behind. They are both going to tower over their poor old short mamaw. 

Monday night was the county VBS training for our bible school in June. The theme is secret agents as we learn to Discover, Decide, Defend. 

After coming back from VBS meeting, I started gathering things around the house that I want to use for decor in my new office. 

Tuesday night I decide to catch up on some baking. I made a chocolate cake for my friend Stevie. We do a lot of bartering and I owed her this for a dishtowel she made me. 

I haven't made my son any goodies in awhile and I asked what he would like to have and he picked no bake oatmeal cookies so I got up this morning and made him a batch. 

I am getting ready to start some craft projects (yes, Rachel, I will finish yours before I start new ones.) I was going through my yarn and found some more pastels for spring. I think I will make some coasters or an Easter basket. 

I found this yarn I had bought a while back. The label says it all.

The ultra stiff plastic canvas is getting harder and harder to find. I am down to my last three sheets. I need to check at AC Moore and see if they have any more in stock.

A few weeks ago, I got this little appointment book but had never started using it. I sat down and got all my upcoming appointments caught up in it.

I love it because it is landscape format instead of portrait. I also love all the little places for notes. 

And last but not least, I experimented with something to clean my canvas tennis shoes. If you wear canvas tennis shoes, you know how dirty they can get and just regular washing still leaves a faint shadow of any stains from daily wear. So I experimented. I have new detergent I am trying out and I love it. It is Arm and Hammer with OxyClean. I took that and mixed in some Dawn because they say blue Dawn is great for stains. I added some Peroxide because they say that is great for stains and I put in a cup of carpet shampoo from my shampooer because it is great on carpet stains. The result was some really clean white tennis shoes. I am very easy on shoes. These are three years old and I wear them every summer (when I'm not in flip flops) and I think they look fabulous. Very happy with my concoction.

How is your week going so far?

Top 10 I spy with my little eye....

This weeks Top 10 features items I have seen advertised on Craig's List at local Estate Sales that were either on a day I couldn't go or were too far away. But these are things I would have been interested in had I been able to attend.

1. I have one of these vintage utility carts in the wood grain look but I am looking for one either red or blue. I know I could paint the one I have, but I am just not a painter. If I don't find it in red or blue I may think about that though. I would also check out the little wicker picnic basket setting beside the cart.



2. I collect Santa's and there are quite a few in here that caught my eye. I normally don't think to shop for Christmas in the spring and summer. But when I see blogs where other people use the cutest little things at Christmas that they found at yard sales, it makes me wish I had done the same thing.

3. I fell in love with the little yellow ducks in this picture (over to the left). I would love to come across some of those this summer.

4. The red plaid file box caught my eye. I love anything vintage that is red and black, even though I don't collect it. I was also trying to figure out if the light blue container was Tupperware. I don't remember them having blue, but that looks like their ice cream keeper.

5. And I just love this chair. I would like to find one like it and paint it for my craft room.

6. Check out the vintage watering can. I would love to have that to put a planter in for the front porch.



7. I love the old cast iron pans. They are become quite collectible in some areas and the resale value is unreal.



8.  I love this old vintage jar. It would be cute to fill with buttons for my craft room.



9. I love this dessert set. I guess it is similar to a truffle bowl. I would love to make my Reese peanut butter brownie trifle in this.



10. I love juice glasses and especially any with fruit on them. This little glass caught my fancy.



Well, that's my top 10 for today.  Have a great day.

Happy birthday to my oldest grandson...

How did we go from this......

To this.....

In just 15 short years. 

I miss the adorable little boy he was. Full of smiles and giggles. 

I miss the snuggling on the couch and playing in the yard.

I miss the helping Mamaw in the kitchen.

But at the same time, my heart swells with pride at the young man he is becoming. He is polite and courteous. He has his own unique sense of humor. He is one of a kind. And he still loves spending time with me and coming over for visits. He is my first grandchild and will always hold a very special place in my heart. So while I watch him grow into the man he will become, my heart still misses those days of his little boy smile.

Happy 15th birthday to my first grandson, Garret. We love you.

Sunday Smiles...

Shameless promotion.....

I am a chocoholic. Many of you who know me are very aware of my obsession with chocolate.

I have a friend who does appliques and creates beautiful items like pillow cases, tote bags, peasant tops, Easter basket liners...just all sorts of goodies. Here is one of her adorable Easter basket liners.

You will note it is full of chocolate. She is holding a contest on her Facebook site, Stevie Marie's. People got to submit a family photo and whichever photo gets the most likes on her page, wins the basket. Well, you know I had to enter a photo. I put in the one of me and Papaw with all our grandchildren. It is so natural because nobody is "posed". Lots of laughter, good times and Papaw trying to get out of the picture as usual. 

I am in the lead right now but only by one. I am hoping that you will visit her Facebook page and like this photo to help me win the basket of goodies. Feel free to share the link with your friends as well. Simply visit this link to Stevie Marie's and click Like on this photo.