Getting My Thrifty Fix!

Hello everyone....I'm so happy to have some time and a topic for a post today! I feel so out of the loop lately....even though I am reading all your blogs and keeping up with the goings on of all my best blogging buddies! I am also happy to announce I made it through my first week of teaching kinders full time! Granted my voice is a little raspy at times due to talking sooo much this week, but all in all, I am good! I love all my littles and am looking forward to watching them learn and grow this year!

So, my weekend started off on a fun note as last night my hubby and I went to the local high school football game. It was a little bittersweet since my favorite player....my son, Dakota wasn't out there on the field. You might remember he graduated back in May! Before the game we went to a favorite local spot for supper and met up with my best friend, my sister, and another good friend. It was nice to have a few minutes to catch up with what's going on in all our lives. Then, at the game, I got to see another good friend and her sweet little baby girl who 5 months old and so sweet. I enjoyed holding her and getting my baby fix! I am so ready for grandchildren! Anywho....we won the game 22-7 so it was a great night!

This morning, the hubs and I got up early and hit up a yard sale, and then went to the flea market. I had pretty good luck everywhere! Here's what I got!

First up is this little item. Not sure if it was originally a lid for something, but it caught my eye and when the lady said she would take a quarter for it, I said sold! I am thinking about painting a black border around the edges to separate the primary colored frame from the red of the inside. I also thought I would tape off an area in the middle and paint it with chalkboard paint. What do you think? I was thinking it might look cute hanging on my classroom door (like a wreath from the rope handle) and I could write welcome on the chalkboard. Opinions please!

The next several items were from my favorite booth at the flea. Today everything was half price!!! I was thrilled...:) I got this pretty little tablecloth I for $2! Not sure if I will keep it to use for Valentine's Day or use the fabric for something else....we'll see!

I love the pink and yellow together!

I was inspired by my friend Carol over at Art & Sand to buy this hand. She has an amazing hand collection! If you don't know Carol, go right now (well, maybe as soon as you finish reading...lol) and visit her blog! She lives in the most delightful little beach cottage. It is one of my favorite homes ever.....seriously! I LOVE it! Also check out her hubby's awesome paintings while you're there. This is one talented couple! Anywho, my hand cost just $1 since it was half price day!

I got this sweet little vintage cookbook for $1 and may or may not keep it.

Check out some of the cakes inside...:) Love the sailboat!

I think this heavy mug must have been a shaving mug. It is shaped like one, but mighty fancy for a man's shaving mug in my opinion. It is shabby, but I love this particular look with the soft pink hues in the hand-painted flowers and with the aqua blue top, I couldn't pass it up! It was $2.50.

I almost squealed when I spotted this little cutie! I don't know why, but I love these white cow creamers. I bought this one a while back. Now I have a pair! He was $1.50.

Cute isn't he?

This pretty little glass apple paper weight caught my eye as well. I have a red marble one I keep at school. I thought this one was too pretty to pass up for $1.

I love the air bubbles in the glass!

You can see the red one in the photo below. This site near my desk...:) One of my little sweeties bought me the rose one morning and I forgot to take a picture before it opened up all the way. Still pretty though!

Last item from the half price book was this pretty vintage table cloth. I love the blue and green combination and I am sure I will use it often! It was $3.

I found these great numbers at an outside booth at the flea for $1. I so wish I had bought more of them!

These two crystal tea light holders were a steal at $1 each. I may use them as is for a while and then when I get tired of them, I can disassemble them and use the crystals for something else. I have seen these in Hobby Lobby for much more than $1 each! They will probably find a home in my bedroom since I have some similar items in there. They look small but they aren't. They are about 8 inches high. 

Last purchase of the day was two more books for my collection. I needed this Nicholas Sparks...it was one of four of his that I don't own. And...I love Richard Paul Evans and own several of his books so I had to add this one to the collection as well. They are hardcover (I only purchase hardcover books for my collection) and were $2 each. 

I am really happy with my deals for the day! Doesn't take much money to make this girl happy. I am off for now as I have a wedding to attend tonight and I need to get ready to go. Hope you enjoy your Saturday evening my friends. 

Until next time.....

 

 

Sweet Little Sadie...:)

Hello and Happy Sunday! I am happy to report I made it through my first week of school. It was pretty easy since I only had 4-6 kinders per day for screenings. Tomorrow they will ALL be there!!! Getting a little nervous about that. I did have 20 on my roll, but 2 didn't show so I may just have 18. Not a bad number but trying to get little ones who did not attend preschool to learn how to follow rules and procedures is a bit like trying to herd cats. See video below....

I will get there, but it will take a while. The first few days are absolutely exhausting for any teacher, but especially when you have little ones! Fortunately about half of my kiddos went to preschool last year and already know how to line up, sit still and listen, go through the lunch line, etc, so they can also help the new ones learn how by modeling for them...:)

I also wanted to share a quick little before and after. You might remember this sweet gold frame I bought for $0.99 a few weeks ago. Well, I had my dear hubby spray paint it red for me and I took it to school.

Here is what I used it for. I took pix of each of my kiddos last week and am going to develop them to send home to their parents...:) Cute or what? This is my sweet little Heavens behind the apple!

Ok...so on to the title of my post....Sweet Little Sadie! 

Here she is.....my new granddog! LOL! My son Dakota is the proud new daddy to this adorable little fur baby! She isn't weaned from her mom yet...a couple more weeks, but he did bring her to my mother-in-law's house yesterday so I could meet her. Isn't she precious?

She is half bulldog and half cur dog. 

Look at that precious little face....I love her already!

Here she is with her Aunt Miranda...my daughter. She got to come home for the weekend! I was so happy to see her. She hasn't been home since we went to Pennsylvania seven weeks ago! I have missed this beautiful girl!

Look at those wrinkles...:)

  Here she is scooting around on the floor...:)

Lovin' those cute little white tipped paws...:)

And finally....here she is with her daddy....my son, Dakota. He's sporting another Mohawk! For some reason, he likes this haircut! He is going to be a good daddy to this sweet little fur baby! And I can't wait for him to bring her home so I can snuggle her after work every day....such good therapy loving on a sweet little puppy!

A Pinteresting New Recipe!

Hello and happy Monday! Hope your Monday was a good one...:) I worked today and finished up a few last minute things before my kindergartners start coming in tomorrow. This week we just have a few students each day to do screenings so it shouldn't be as exhausting as next Monday will be! I actually left work before 4:00 and stopped by the grocery store to pick up some meat, came home, cooked, and washed dishes. I have also been working on a few school things on my laptop as well as reading blogs. And...it's only 6:15! I'm feeling pretty accomplished this evening...:)

So, I wanted to share a new recipe with you. I found this recipe while browsing Pinterest in search of crock pot recipes over the weekend. This Creamy Slow-Cooker Tortellini Soup is crock pot recipe but I didn't use it.....I used the stove top. I didn't think about taking photos to share until I had already browned the ground beef and put most of the ingredients in. So far in the pot, there is ground beef, spaghetti sauce, chicken broth, cream cheese, fresh spinach, and fresh mushrooms. This is all but one ingredient...Mmm!

This is the spaghetti sauce I used.

Here it is all stirred together. I cooked mine until the mushrooms were good and tender.

Here is the final ingredient! I love cheese tortellini and so does my family! These can be found in the frozen foods section of your grocery store.

 

Dump them in about a half hour before you are ready to serve.

All mixed in and looking oh so yummy!

And boy was it ever! I am a soup lover and can't wait for fall so I can cook soup more often. This recipe just looked so tasty that I had to go ahead and try it. The hubs even loved it and he is NOT a soup lover! On a scale of 1-10, I would definitely give it a 10!!! 

The steam fogged up my camera lens!

I topped mine with a little cheddar jack blend since I didn't have the parm it called for. It was so tasty and I am looking forward to taking a bowl for lunch tomorrow at school! 

That's it for today folks! If you are in the mood for something different, I highly recommend you click on the link for this recipe and give it a try....:)

Until next time.....

 

 

Just a Little FUN!

Well, I didn't make it to the flea market as planned this morning, but I did go to another Goodwill today and found a couple things, so I am a happy camper!

White seemed to be the theme today! Everything I bought except for the vintage pillowcase was white! You probably already know I have a thing for white dishes and I love milk glass! Here are the things I purchased.

This unusual piece is rather large and in perfect condition for $2.99. I thought it would be neat to put ice cream toppings in for an ice cream party, or different kinds of dips, etc. Any idea what you would use it for?

I spotted these ceramic letter dishes stacked and taped together and couldn't pass them up when I realized they spelled FUN! You probably also know I love words and letters! Probably the teacher in me...:) Anywho, for $1.99, they were a must have! The pretty vintage pillow case was $0.49. The greens, yellows, and peach colors are so pretty. I want to make a quilt with my vintage sheets like this one.....some day!

I also found two milk glass vases I didn't already have. This one is pretty large. It was $1.99.

I love these pedestal style vases. This one has pretty detailing on it and was also $1.99!

Oh...I forgot to share this one too! I actually got this one from the "up for grabs" table at school earlier in the week! So...it cost nothing and I love it!

I really want to find a way to display my collection....it is getting quite large! I also have a few pieces in my craft room. Here's the majority of my pieces.

And just a couple pretty photos to share. This piece of property is near Gainesville, Florida and is one of my favorite properties. I had to stop on my way home yesterday and take a couple photos. It is hundreds or maybe even thousands of acres and has some rolling hills (not common in Florida!). It is well maintained and fenced and is just gorgeous. This hay field was just gorgeous! It had recently been cut and baled and there were hundreds of bales as far as you could see! So pretty...:)

Drove on a few hundred feet and this was the field I saw....green and lush! Same property....right next to the hay field. Look at those storm clouds and the rain falling from them in the distance! I love it....:) Speaking of, it is threatening to rain as I type and I sure hope it does. I love a good thunder storm and listening to the rain on my tin roof. We had an over abundance of rain for weeks and then none, so we are actually needing rain for the plants and flowers now. 

Have a blessed Sunday evening and a wonderful week! Oh...if you missed my classroom photos, you can see them here! 

Until next time....