Thrift Store Saturday

Helllloooo Friends!  I hope everyone had a great weekend!

 

My mom had things to do Saturday. I had things to do Saturday.  No worries, we did our stuff, went out later, had lunch and did a little end of the day thrifting.  Still fun.

 

The very first thing that caught my eye was this.  I'm not sure where I will use it (I'm thinking at work or the craft room) but I was sold when I saw the price tag...

$ .50!!! Fifty cents! Whoo-hoo, my fifty cent streak continues!

 

Also for $ .50 I scored this paperback and some sparkly mint green yarn.  ($ .50 for both!)

 

I picked up another skirt, this khaki colored one with great detail.  I paid a dollar for this one!

 

That's right, a big file organizer, a book, sparkly yarn and a pretty skirt all for two dollars!

 

That closes out my thrifting treasures for the week.   Till next time my friends! ☺

Linking this post up with Sara at
It's Good To Be Queen

Thrift Monday Store Musings

Hellllloooo Friends!  I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend! Welcome to my "Thrift Store Saturday/Monday Musings"  mash-up! (On a Tuesday...confused yet? ☺)

 

So this is what I have been doing instead of blogging: 

hanging out with these two sweethearts!

 

 

My two middle nieces, Miss K & Miss T came to visit for a few days! Oh I love these girls! (and their sisters; Miss A, who didn't come because she was busy celebrating her upcoming birthday, and Miss G because she is still too little to leave Mommy for very long.)

 

 

Saturday morning my Mom got to sneak away for a bit (Thanks Dad!) and we met for our weekly coffee/thrifting date.

 

(Worth every point...yummmm!)

I got this awesome little rolling cart...I'm thinking about putting it in the pantry, but really it could go so many places...between the washing machine & dryer, in the bathroom, in the craft room...For $5 I couldn't pass it up.

 

A Swiffer for $1. 

 

This lantern that I have big plans for, $2.

 

 

And a dress that I was going to show you but the picture makes it look ugly. It's not. Maybe you will see me wearing it someday and I will tell you about my $2 dress ☺

I love thrifting.  I think I say that every week.  True Story.

 

On Sunday after church we met my sister at the zoo so she could pick up the girls. It was an awesome, fun afternoon. The weather was fantastic!!

 

We even got to see the new baby elephant!

We said good-bye to my sister and her girls and then topped off our lovely afternoon/weekend with a stop at Trader Joe's.  (When you live 2 hours from a Trader Joe's you always make time to stop when you are there!)  I wish they would bring one a little closer to me...fingers crossed ☺

I am linking my Thrift Monday Store Musings on a Tuesday (haha that's a mouthful) up with Sara (It's Good To Be Queen) again at her Thrifted Thursday Linky Party

 

Thanks Friends! Come Back Soon!☺

Change, Strength & Thanks

Change is hard. 

 

About a week ago we moved my beloved grandma (Nana) into senior living apartments.  We've been spending this last week getting her settled.  I knew it would be hard for her, I just never realized how hard it would be for me, or my Mom.

 

My Nana's health has declined in the last few years since we lost my grandpa.  Nana is amazing.  When it came time for her to give up driving due to her declining eye sight, she voluntarily gave up her keys.  When it came time to discuss the need for her to live closer to us, she picked the place she wanted to live.  She handles change so well.  She makes a decision, no matter how hard it is and just does it.  Nana has an inner strength that I can only hope to have someday.  I know that strength comes from Jesus, and her relationship with Him.

Nana had lived in her house for fifty years. I have gone to Sunday dinner after church at her house for as long as I can remember. Last Sunday we had our last Sunday dinner there. Christmas Eve at Nana's is also a tradition. When I was a little girl Nana always let my sister and I choose an ornament off her tree. I always picked the sparkly ones....go figure!

Angel food cake is my favorite cake, and Nana has always baked one for my birthday. Her declining eye sight has made it hard for to cook so Sunday she gave me her angel food cake pan.  I cried.  Ask anyone in my family (ok, anyone who knows me) and they will tell you I'm emotional.  I'm a crier. 

 

My Nana has a beautiful daughter. She is my beautiful Momma. My mom is beautiful inside and out, she has one of the kindest hearts of anyone I know. She is my confidant, my counselor and one of my dearest friends.  She lets Jesus shine through her in her actions and words and the way she serves others.  This week I have seen her strength in so many ways.  I am so proud to be her daughter.

 

I am so thankful for my family and that this is the family God chose to place me in.  I am so proud to come from a long line of strong, faithful and brave women. 

 

This week families everywhere will gather together to give thanks. Our family will be one of those families. My sister will be here Wednesday!!  I hope you and your family have a great week and 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Sharing this post with Elaine at Sunny Simple Life

Garage Sale & Good Friends

Hello Friends! How was your weekend? If you follow me on Facebook then you know I had a garage sale this weekend.  I love going to garage sales, and I love how clean and organized my garage is now, but I forgot how much work having one is!

I was lucky enough to have a beautiful day of weather (It has been over 100 degrees here every day for weeks, so to have a nice day was awesome!!)  This sale wouldn't have been possible without the help of my Mom, and my awesome friends Lori and Elizabeth.  Let me tell you about these amazing ladies.

My Mom helped me get ready for the sale all week last week, pricing, organizing & setting up.  She stayed and helped me all day of the sale. I love her. Lots. :)

My friend Lori is one of the most generous people I have ever met. She has a huge heart. I am so lucky to be her friend. Lori gave me tons of stuff for the sale, told me to keep the money, and then bought something from the sale. I love her too! 

My friend Elizabeth was there first thing in the morning. She stayed with me all day. She also bought something. She helped me chase down all of my garage sale signs that had blown down. We laughed together as I dodged cars to get one sign in the middle of the road,  and one that was blowing away as I was running after it. Elizabeth and I laugh together a lot.  She is a great friend. I love her too! (But I won't hug her, Elizabeth does not do hugs! hahahaha)

So, how did my garage sale go you ask? Well, not great. I didn't make as much as I wanted too (even with my friends purchasing my unwanted junk lol.) I still have a garage full of stuff that I need to pack up and giveaway.  But here are the reasons it was great...I met some of my neighbors that I didn't know, my garage is organized & clean (yes I know I already said that, it makes me reeeealllllyyyy happy), I made a little money, and it reminded me how blessed I am to have a wonderful Mom and great friends!

My sale wore me out, so I think I'm going to stick to going to garage sales instead of having them! :) 

Have any of you had a garage sale lately?

A Birthday, Bible School & Busy Times

The past week and a half have flown by, as they often do, but this time every minute was filled. 

We started out by celebrating my beautiful niece, Miss A's 7th birthday!

Per her request Aunt Amanda made strawberry cupcakes with strawberry icing. :)

Miss A is beautiful inside and out. She lives her life with so much joy, people are just drawn to her. She has a megawatt smile. She is my oldest niece and is the one most like me. We are social girls, we love to talk...to pretty much everyone....we are emotional...we wear our hearts on our sleeves.  We share the same middle name and have the same initials. (Which is very cool to a seven year old, we will talk in ten years, I'm sure it won't be near as cool!) 

Speaking of cool...

My nieces think my 17 year old daughter is a rock star, so anytime she graces us with her presence is a big deal.  She gave up a Saturday night to celebrate Miss A's birthday, and a week of sleeping in to be a group leader at bible school. 

I think I'll keep her...and her giraffe...:)

She is a good cousin, and she is great with the girls!

Miss A and her sisters, Miss K and Miss T, don't live in Missouri. They live in another state, about 4 hours away. Miss A's birthday wasn't the only reason they made the trip though.  My older two nieces, Miss A and Miss K, stayed here for the week and we all went to bible school! I was the bible study teacher, my mom was the director, and my daughter was a group leader. It was so fun!

I love bible school, I always have! It is one of my favorite things about summer!

Miss T was not very happy that she didn't get to stay.

Miss T is my youngest niece. She goes 90 to nothing the entire time she is awake. I have no idea how my sister ever gets anything done! She hardly ever smiles for pictures, but she smiles all the time in real life! Miss T loves all things Elmo, and I love the way she says my name, "At Mana." :)

(The only "smiling" picture I got of her-and I had to trick her with food!) :)

Miss K is my middle niece, and she is a hoot. You never know what is going to come out of that child's mouth! She is witty and has great timing and she is only three!

All week I heard "My mom said" followed by some of the funniest things! I should have written them down! By the end of the week just hearing "My mom said" made me giggle!

Miss K also loved Aunt Amanda's high heels. Every time I turned around she had on a pair.

Who doesn't wear heels to bed? :)

The week with Miss A and Miss K flew by... bible school, visits to the park, swimming, playing Barbies, just playing. Miss A did some fishing with my dad while Miss K and I did some ice cream eating. (I think we got the better deal!)  On Saturday morning we packed up and headed to their home, where I stayed the weekend. (Miss K kept telling my sister, "Aunt Amanda is going to spend the night!")

I came home late Sunday night, and I think I could have slept all day yesterday if I had the chance. I was exhausted! But it was that life is good kind of exhaustion, so it was worth it.

I love being an aunt, and I love those girls so much! I treasure the time I get to spend with them. My sister is such a great mom. My nieces are three of the sweetest, most loving girls.

This week is going to seem super boring compared to the last one I bet! :)

I'm proud to be an American

I was very fortunate to start my 4th of July off very very early this morning (or late last night, however you look at it...) as a part of a very large group that welcomed home the veterans from the Central Missouri Honor Flight's 19th mission. 

The Central Missouri Honor Flight is an amazing program, whose mission is to transport America’s veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials dedicated to honor their service and sacrifices.  

American flags lined the street, as did hundreds of people.  The mood was festive as we waited for the veterans to return. Volunteers kept us updated "They are 40 miles, out; they are 15 miles out..."  And then we heard them, the more than 900 motorcycles that escorted them into the city.  What a sight!

Then the bus turned the corner!

The two buses honked, and turned on their lights. The crowd was cheering. You could see the veteran's smiling and waving and taking it all in.  It is hard to put into words what I felt at that exact moment, but it was something like pride and gratitude mixed together.

The crowd continued to cheer loudly as each veteran's name was announced as they were escorted off the bus.  

I saw this on the back of a volunteer's shirt.  I believe it says it all.  That is the reason I was there last night, and it is the reason I live in this free country today. 

What an awesome to way to celebrate this country's birth, by honoring the men and women who have served our country, kept us safe and fought for the freedom we have today!

I am so proud to be an American, and I am so grateful to everyone past and present who have served.  I am also so proud to be the granddaughter of two veterans (my Papa Case served in WWII, my Papa Bosch served in the Korean War) who served this country with honor. They have gone on to be with the Lord, but their service lives on.

I hope you stay safe, enjoy your day and I wish you

A VERY HAPPY 4th of JULY!!! 

Grab Joy

Oh life...
 most of the time it's wonderful, sometimes it's not, but I am always thankful for it!

I've had some changes in my life recently, and while it's not what I planned, it is what God planned. I believe that with my whole heart.
At the beginning of June I started a "Joy Journal."  It's not fancy (yet!), just a cute little polka-dot notebook I picked up. 

I believe that you can find joy in every day. Some days you really have to think and look hard for it, and other days joy is so plentiful and in so many moments that you are awed and overwhelmed by all the joy in your life.  My joy journal is a place to record all that joy, and to help me remember every day how truly blessed I am.

I thought I would show you some things that brought me joy today:

My Nana.

I spent the afternoon with her. (This picture is from a few months ago, it was over a 100 today-no long sleeves for us!) Nana is my last grandparent; she and I have always been close.  I am her oldest granddaughter. I am the mother of her oldest great-granddaughter (we seem to only have girls in our family!) I go to Nana's almost every Sunday after church.  I have for as long as I can remember. Nana and Papa were married for 60 years. Nana is a fighter, she has survived three heart attacks...I told you she was a fighter! :) I love to listen to Nana tell stories about being a child during the Depression, a young military wife, my Mom, and her walk with God.  I know how lucky I am to still have Nana, and spending time with her brings me joy.

These wild flowers/weeds (whatever) that have sprung up at the edge of my patio bring me joy, plain and simple.

Pizza brings me joy. 

Seriously...well at least this one did.  I really didn't want to cook.  It is too hot, I was too hot, and I was tired. My awesome parents brought this over.
Yep, pizza with the parents brought me some joy today.

I have no idea what the deal with this leaf is.  Maybe it's decaying, maybe a bug destroyed it, I don't know.  What I do know is that when I found it on the patio this evening, I was excited.  A leaf that looks like lace, how awesome is that?! Yes, I may be easily impressed, but regardless, this lacey leaf added a bit of joy to my day.

As I said before, there is joy in every day, you just have to find it...then grab it! :)

P.S.  Want to know one more thing that brings me joy?
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