I have NOT been stretching the past 2 days!  In getting ready for our trip-we leave Monday-I have bought a lot!  We set money aside for this so it is planned but I haven't shopped like this in ages.  Makes me clench my jaw as the register rings up the total each time-I'm so used to penny pinching.  I'm still pinching but have spent a lot these past days-amusement park tickets (purchased ahead of time at Costco for a discount), groceries to take to the condo where we will be staying, Mother's Day gifts, (did frugal plants and pictures).  The only unplanned purchase has been food for tomorrow's brunch which we were not planning to host.  It's ok though, made it a potluck so don't have to provide everything myself (don't have the time most of all!) and so I only have to provide the main dishes (an egg strata plus a cheese plate and drinks).

Overall, we are still on track but I feel like we have been spending like crazy!  I am just not used to spending so much at once.  But, I'll be glad for it next week when we don't have to buy snacks, drinks, meals, etc.  Trying to plan for these things ahead of time!

I wish everyone a Happy Mother's Day.  I have a lot to do before we leave Monday morning so will probably not be back online but will "see" you all in a week!

I met my friend who has had such a bad run of happenings this last month and helped her plan a grocery trip.  She  fortunately still has a sense of humour thru this because she was talking about eating hamburger helper without the hamburger the other night.  I took her some of my "free" chili and mashed potatoes, a box of PopTarts that I had, a loaf of wheat bread, some canned milk and a couple of cornbread mixes.  Then we planned a WalMart trip for her using the other sales papers.  She had to go there to pick up her Rx so one stop only made sense.  I had coupons to give her for a couple of personal items she needed too such as detergent and medicated shampoo.  It wasn't a lot but I was glad to be able to do some small things for her.  I also treated her to cheap meal.

DH and I did our errands and running around on the "bikes" today.  He's pretty embarrassed because at one point we couldn't keep my scooter going and he was standing beshide revving the engine and his hand slipped off thebrake and it jumped out of his grip.  They both went down in a heap.  He hurt his ankle a little bit and scratched my back fender and front skirt up, bent my mirror and loosened my windshield.  He's never dropped his motorcycle so I've been really teasing him about not being able to handle a scooter!  

A little later, he was sitting under a tree waiting for me at the police station when I went to get the girls' bills.  When I came out he stood up real fast and nearly knocked himself out on a low branch.  His third incident of the day --  I was in front and trying to make a left turn into a parking lot when he came up beside me.  I nearly hit his back tire and hurt my bad leg trying to keep myself from falling.  I was so upset that I nearly cried.  We came home straight from that incident without finishing the last of our errands.  I'm blaming his poor judgement calls today on the fact that he has felt so bad for the last week with allergies and is exhausted.

Oh and the worst of it is--he ruined his mother's present when he dropped my scooter.  It was a cupcake frosted to look loke a yellow rose and was absolutley gorgeous!  Now it's just a chocolate cupcake with a blob of yellow frosting all over the container!  

Tomorrow will be better!  I'm not letting him ot of the house!  No wait.  Maybe I'd better so that he doesn't hurt ME, just himself!

re-tired

Dear Re-Tired, I'm glad that you were able to help "T" out.

Dear All, Today is a no-spending day.  I'll just be out walking this AM.  I'll probably have some time to work on the book.  This aft, my aide & I are cooking sweet-&-sour fish & kasha (buckwheat groats). 

Happy Mother's Day to all!

To those who live in Missouri or Oklahoma, I hope & pray that you were not affected by the tornadoes!

Yours in Him, Deb

Kind of went back on my plan of not spending $ this weekend. I ended up going to a total of 3 sales... one specifically had a lot of clothing.

• Spent a total of $7 but came out with 2 jackets that I really could use (a heavy spring/fall but not winter jacket, name brand/great quality and a Nike nylon windbreaker) for $5! Plus I got to take a couple sweaters from my sis's (our family, you take vs. pay) some cross earings (handmade!), a serrated knife and 4 steak knives (I use often to cut things). I also got a nice bag that I will use to take on the train for food.  Got four t-shirts and a nice jumper dress out of the buys too... I'm happy.
• Overslept today... fell asleep and had a great night of sleep... forgot to turn on the alarm (it was set).
  
• Today now: did all laundry (had to get the garage-sale smell out of the clothes I bought)... 2 loads in dryer... one was towels.
  
• Watching movies on VHS that sis didn't want to keep that I enjoy watching. (Got a bunch of those = free!)
  
• Will be baking pizza later. (Friday night couldn't sleep so was baking cookies at 1am; need to clean up from then).  

Re-tired, it was nice you can help your friend out :)  another reason for good deals!

Hope everyone had good Mothers day!  rained in the morning but sunny the rest of the day. Mine was not much different then other days. my kids seem to think special days where you are suppose to be extra good (mother/fathers day our birthdays etc) then you have to stop listening all together.  

Did a costco run spent $132 (I have spent so much money this month!) on food.   Dh had to run to safeway a couple of time because our kitchen/bathroom drains were plugged.  they both drain into the same big drain. so he had to go to get drano twice.  dusted, vacuumed, laundry etc.

we stopped at burnaby lake nature park a couple of minutes away from costco to make the kids happy. lots of ducks, canada geese etc.

invited my mom and mil/fil/sil over for chinese food for dinner, bought a strawberry shortcake for dessert. that was nice. FIL still not better but it was good for him to get out.  everyone liked there presents. dd teacher got the kids to make a nice picture using the handprints as flowers with a nice poem.  mothers day cost us including my presents (tracking on excel) $135.00

DH gave me a hanging flower basket of peachy/pink begonias for mother's day and inside my card was a gift card to my favorite store! He told me he would take the boys grocery shopping and I could go shopping by myself! Yea!

I found (clearance rack) a wonderful Madras plaid spring/summer blazer for $9.99 (originally $56); a pair of black dress pants for $9.99 (I can always use black dress pants--and they were long! I'm 5'11 so I need long pants); and a new swimming suit. I waivered between the swim suit and some sandals but didn't have enough for both. So I got the swimming suit instead. I have plenty of sandals but my other suit is old, faded and getting stretchy and I could use a new one. Swimming suits are one of the things I have to buy new.

So it wasnt' a stretchy weekend but with a good sale and gift card, I think I did ok.

Dear Mama's Job, It was a GIFT from your DH!  He wouldn't have enjoyed it at all had you tried to exchange the gift for cash, & stashed the cash away in savings.  He WANTED to see you decked out in new finery!  And, in a swimsuit, he can enjoy you even more! 

Please don't think on that ground hat "it wasn't a stretchy weekend!"

Yours in Him, Deb

Mam's job- I have the opposite problem with clothes, I'm short!  5'2"  and maybe shrinking.  I have always wanted to shop with a tall friend and go into the Tall Girl store, just to see what is in there!  I think the pants would come up to my neck!  

It's hard for those of us on the extremes to find so much in thrift stores, I was looking for capris the other day and finding pants.

It is fun to buy new one in a while, sounds like you found bargains.  It is nice to get a new suit, used is a little icky for things like that.  And it's hard enough to find a style and color you like, I think it's good whenever we ladies can find a swim suit or bra that we like, new or gently used!  

enjoy the spring update to your wardrobe!  

You have to spend money on clothes etc. Its still frugal if you got it all in deals.  I mean if you what to be truly frugal, you can skip the swimsuit and go to a nudist colony lol

You're so cute, Martha MFI!  I'd never have thought of THAT!  Yours in Him, Deb