thrifty finds.....

Sometimes you just do something spur of the moment, or if you're like me, you are ALWAYS flying by the seat of your pants, running out the door on a whim...which was what happened yesterday evening. I won't bore you with the details of who was going where with whom, but Evelyn and I decided that What The Heck, we were going to the thrift store.

We browsed the outside stuff first, and oh yeah, I found a dollhouse. I have yet to grow up, so I was clapping my hands in delight. It was spotlessly clean and brand new looking. We brought it in and asked the price: $7.99. Okay. I asked if I could leave it on the counter while we shopped. Well, that wasn't going to work because it was already seven o'clock, and they close at seven o'clock! What?! We were there, all ready to browse, and they were closing! I paid for the dollhouse, and wah, we left. (When we got home, it didn't take long to find the dollhouse online, it's a Calico Critter, and very pricey!)

We decided to try the other thrift store in the small city, and they were open until nine. What fun, I found a pink fleece Addidas zippered hoodie for Char, brand new looking, for $3.99! Then right next to it, a pull-over UnderArmour hoodie for Cam, also for $3.99! I found warm Columbia boots for me, a few sweaters, and a shirt. Evelyn found shoes! I can't remember the brand, but they are adorable.

Then, a stop in Walmart for a few things that Suzanne needed. Evelyn and I had already picked out some mums for the deck, and I wanted some for the front porch. They were sorry looking things at Walmart, but one we picked up seemed all right, and I felt sorry for it, and put it in the cart. The cashier gave us a discount because they were so sorry, so for $2.94, you can't complain. I bought a few tiny pumpkins to autumn up the place, and a few orange/brown towels.

Today, we are going on an adventure when the kids finish their school work. We are going apple picking at a place we haven't been to. Did you know that New York state is the second apple producing state in the U.S., behind Washington state? I just have to navigate my way through all the sweetness - fresh cider, the donuts, the pumpkin muffins.

Yesterday, after school work, we got some things done around here. We washed the front of the house, the lower windows, cleaned the two minivans, washed the windows and vacuumed them, then Samuel and Jonathan mowed the front and back yards. Dinner was easy, leftover pork roast warmed in the oven with olive oil and rosemary, leftover mashed potatoes, and applesauce.

This fine morning, I tried to talk myself out of my morning walk. I will be walking later, I reasoned. There's so much to do, I protested. But I went anyway, yay me. The thought of pumpkin spice coffee lured me back at a speedy pace, and it didn't disappoint. I have done some laundry, and helped the girls with spelling, but there is housework to do, blah. I like a clean house, but this Every Single Day cleaning thing gets old. :)

Oh, the fun thing about the dollhouse is that my girls, my little nine year old Camille Anaya and 11 year old Charlotte Claire (Cam is almost ten, they are 18 months apart), loved that dollhouse. They got out all the little Woodeez critters and play sets and set that house up, played with it for TWO HOURS, until finally, at ten o'clock, I regretfully Mean Mommied them to bed. They kept the house set up, put it on a shelf, but put away all the rest of the fun stuff they had scattered across the living room floor. I love seeing them be kids, and playing together like that. It was worth every penny.

I think I'll make the kids a nice brekky, and get some things done around here....