Frugal Friday Wrap up 5/6/16

 

   
   Happy Friday Everyone!  It has been a very productive and frugal week around here.  Lots of gardening tasks were accomplished and many many things on our ongoing list of things that we wanted or needed were found at thrift stores or yard sales.  My parents came to visit and they generously blessed us in so many material ways but the best "thing" was just being able to spend time with both of them.  That gift is priceless!

~We had my parents here this weekend and had the family over for dinners and BBQs 2 of those nights.  Our kids and my cousin pitched in since we did it potluck style.
~My parents treated us and my in-laws to lunch on Sunday.
~Sunday night we had leftovers for dinner because we had so much food from the potlucks.
~I froze 2 pans of baked ziti and Italian sausage, 3 quarts of chicken noodle soup and 5 ears of corn that we all leftover from our weekend meals.

~After my parents left Monday morning I washed all the bedding and towels and hung them out on the line to dry.
~My parents brought us over the comfy recliner, some homemade raspberry syrup. and several bottles of wine.
~My sweet and amazing mom gave me 2 of her beautiful rings.  One has tourmaline gemstones and the other is her gorgeous opal ring that has an emerald accent off to one side of the large opal.
~Mom also gave Heather, Rachel and I a bunch of fashion earrings.

~My cousin Jeremy had been to an auction and had bought a box full of DVDs.  He pulled what he wanted and brought the rest out here for all of us to pick from on Saturday.  he also got a box full of art supplies for my grandboys.
~Saturday we went to some yard sales and I got 2 seasons of the I love Lucy show on dvd for $1 each, a fishing net for Isaiah (his had broke), some wonderful quilting books for my mom, a gorgeous old story book for me, some books about the planets for the grandboys, a cookbook, some jewelry, a brand new shirt for my hubby and some other movies.

~Sunday I stopped at the Goodwill to try to find some capris.  I did not find any of those but they announced a 15 minute half price special on all their movies.  I got a bag full, including some more seasons of Friends and also Madmen, along with some individual movies.  Jeff found a brand new pair of Cabelas boots in his size for $24.99 (they retail for $139) and another golf club ($4.99) to complete a set we have here for our son Josh who is left handed.
~We watched more shows online.
~The hubby was able to fix and electrical issue his car was having himself.  Cost $5 for him to do it.

~I had a dentist appointment on Monday to get my teeth cleaned. I asked what I owned for my appointment 2 weeks ago and they told me that they did not charge me for it, just for the x-rays and they added that onto today's bill.  They also gave me a discount for paying today. :)  They also sent me home with a new toothbrush and floss.
~There were still a few items on my "to find" list that I did not find at the yard sales this weekend.  I stopped by my favorite thrift store and I found most of the things that I was looking for.  I found some denim jeggings, a beautiful pair of black capris, a wool skirt that I will give my mom to use for her crafting, some shorts, canning jar labels, a nice Tupperware pitcher, 2 storage bins, some Bath and Body Works body wash, a skirt, a cookbook and the first season of Gilmore Girls.  All of those items had been on my list and to find all of them and the clothing in my size that fits perfectly is just such a blessing.  They also started a customer loyalty punch card for me.  I am a regular in the store so she gave me an extra punch on the card since it came out before the last time I was there and they forgot to give me one. :)  They are so good to me there.

~I stopped by the grocery store and picked up 2 copies of the free paper that also had coupons in it.
~More movies were borrowed from the library.
~We received a certificate in the mail for 100 loyalty points on our debit card account.
~I continued to work on my online points programs.

~This week the garden was planted with cucumber, acorn squash, zuchinni and yellow squash seedling that I started here and the pole bean seeds were also planted.
~My long suffering hubby transplanted some roses for me that decided to grow right in the middle of our veggie garden.  We thought we had ripped them out when we had to redo that area due to a pipe leaking but they are back.  I think one of them was a miniature rose but I can't be sure.  It will be interesting to see what they are when they bloom because I had quite a variety in the area previously.
~We had a thunderstorm come through on Wednesday night that not only provided great entertainment for me while I watched the lightening show but also deeply watered our gardens. :)

~I am rereading one of my favorite gardening books "The New Victory Garden" and finding hints and tips in it for helping my struggling blueberry bushes along.
~Our home holds heat and cold pretty well.  I have been opening up the windows and just using the screen doors in the morning and evenings so that I can get cool air into the house since I do not sleep well when it is above 65F in here.  I know that all too soon my hubby will have to get our swamp cooler going so that I do not melt.
~I tried out a new hairspray that I got at the Dollar Tree.  I had not had much luck in the past getting off brand hair sprays there that actually worked but this one does a pretty decent job if it is not a windy day.  I'll save the "good" hairspray for days that I have to go out somewhere and it is windy.

~The students at Washington State University are taking their finals this week.  They are also packing up and have way more stuff now than they had when they first came to college.  They can't take it all home with them so they have been donating to the thrift stores.  Thursday I found the rest of the seasons of Gilmore Girls for $2.99 each. Yay!  I am stocked up for the long Summer nights when I just have to lay in bed with the swamp cooler on to stay cool. ;)  I also found a pair of dark black jeans (which I needed to replace another pair that don't fit me anymore) for $3.97,more brand new underwear (.29 each), another storage crate ($1.79) and the sugar bowl (.79) that matches a fine china platter that I bought awhile ago.
~My best frugal buy of the week is a Nuwave induction cooktop.  I got a brand new one in package for $5.99...I looked it up and it retails at $150.00!!!  I will be using this during canning season out on the back porch so that I don't have to heat up the house.  It will also be great for camping.

~Our bench that lives on the front walkway into our home is in need of a new paint job.  I found a quart of Krylon Blue paint on clearance at Walmart for $5.99.  This is my Spring project this year.  Last year I repainted the glider rocker that makes it's home on our back screened in porch.
~Found more free coupon inserts in the recycling bin at our Post Office
~The mail brought a free Martha Stewart Living magazine.
~I found some soil acidifying treatment for my blueberry plants that are turning yellow on sale.  They will get a nice treatment today. :)  Hopefully this will give them the boost they need.  I will also use some on the hydrangea plant that has gone from producing blue flowers to producing a pinkish white flower.

~With our hot weather, my volunteer spinach is starting to bolt.  I will  harvesting that today and seeding in some other plants in that area.
~My hubby and I had an early dinner at one of our favorite family owned Chinese restaurants.  They let you order off the lunch menu at any time of day and they will do substitutions for you on some things at no additional cost.  The tea is also free.  I ordered off the lunch menu, had some tea and my hubby ordered his favorite thing there. :)  I also brought home their take home menu to help inspire me to cook more of the dishes at home.  Does anyone else do that?

~Rufus has again been creating havoc with the screen on our screened in porch.  My hubby had to repair it yet again.  Rufus was in major trouble for that one and knew it.  He spent the rest of the evening in the house and was not allowed out on the back porch.
~I pulled some  free venison steaks out of the freezer for dinner this Friday night.  I'll serve that with baked potatoes and a nice green salad.  I'll also bake some extra potatoes to make a nice baked potato salad for the weekend.
~More sourdough bread was made.  With the weather heating up, I start this early in the morning in the breadmaker.

   The students at Washington State University are finishing their finals today and will be moving out of their apartments this weekend.  Next week the whole process will be again repeated at University of Idaho.  This is the perfect time to go curb side treasure hunting!  Last year we found furniture, clothing, plants and many other things and are hoping to do the same again this year.  

I hope you all have a great weekend!