YouTubers I Watch

I'm so thankful to have a place to stay while I wait on my future home. My realtor says the current owners should be out of the house by the 23rd which is closing day, though it's unsure if the house will be move-in ready, since they have a cleaning crew scheduled to come in on the 24th. In the meantime I'm blessed to be staying with my daughter and son-in-law at their little villa. I spend my day making preparations, lists of things that I need to do or will have to do once we get to the new house. I prepare meals for myself and my son E (my daughter prefers to cook for herself and her husband), clean up the kitchen and the bathroom we're using, and...that's it. Oh, and I walk the dog. It's boring, y'all. I'm used to being busy around the house, but there's not a lot to do in my daughter's home. Instead, I watch way too much television.

Now, by "watch television" I'm not talking about network television. In my opinion there isn't anything on there that's worth watching. I also don't mean cable tv. I cut out cable years ago, and my son-in-law didn't have it before or after getting married. My daughter has Disney + which I can watch, and occasionally I do indulge in some of the classics: Cinderella, Snow White, Swiss Family Robinson, those sorts of oldies but goodies. I have Hulu and watch that as well: 20/20, or I'll watch one or two (or 12) episodes of House Hunters. But generally what I watch is YouTube. 

There are several different types of channels I enjoy on YouTube. There's the design channels like Kinwoven Home that teach a lot of the design basics. There's cleaning channels, those that show a typical home cleaning day and those that teach good cleaning techniques, like Clean My Space. Cooking channels are some of my favorites; you can watch the Food Network giants like Paula Deen, Alton Brown, even Rachael Ray, but I prefer to watch the typical housewife making her family's favorites or trying out new recipes and giving her honest opinion. Of course there's the beauty channels, but there's just the one that I still watch after all these years, Shelbey Wilson. No, wait, that's not true, I still watch KathleenLights because she's based in Miami and she's hilarious. But my favorite YouTubers aren't the big names. They're the ones that like the same things I like: simple, intentional living, on a budget, who try to honor God with their channels but also like to have fun while sharing their lives and their gifts. You don't get that on network television. 

So, here are some of my favorite YouTube channels, in no particular order (though my favorites will probably be listed first):

1. Karrie Lynn (second channel: Cleaning with Karrie) - Karrie Lynn is a young mama of two living in Central Florida. She started her YouTube channel whenever she was living in a single wide mobile home in Georgia. I started watching her whenever she was moving into her current home, around the same time I moved into my townhouse. What I love about Karrie is that she decorates her home beautifully on a tight budget. She buys used furniture that looks sad and turns it into a high end looking piece. She and her husband Dylan have built furniture even though she admits they'd never done anything like that before. She's extremely talented while still being down to earth. Hands down one of my very favorite YouTube channels. 

2. Moss Family TV (second channel: Heaven's Rhythm) - For anyone who likes down home Southern style cooking and hospitality, this is the channel to watch. Mrs. Falon takes care of her five kids (ranging in age from 1 to 16), her husband, her home, and even though she's got her hands full with homeschooling and posting on YouTube daily, she's always got the sunniest disposition. She's just as happy making pinto beans and cornbread as she is trying a complicated recipe, and she's not afraid to admit when supper doesn't turn out like she'd hoped. This is a family that loves Jesus and everyone around them. If you enjoy good old Southern gospel, they have a music channel called Heaven's Rhythm. It's a family band, led by dad Titus Moss. Totally worth listening to.

3. Till Vacuum Do Us Part (second channel: Ashley and Chase) - It's strange that I would like this channel so much, since Ashley's design style is so different from mine. I like more a more traditional while still rustic look (sprinkled with some farmhouse), and Ashley is all about glam. There's lots of crystal and shiny pieces that would not go with my decor style at all. The reason I like this channel so much is that, like Karrie Lynn, Ashley likes taking the old and making it new. I've seen her take an old dresser and glam it up so it looks like a showroom piece. She also has lots of cleaning hacks and great suggestions for both cleaning and decorating, regardless of your style. It goes to show we don't have to like all the same things to learn from each other.

4. The Minimal Mom - I'm not a minimalist. At least I never thought I was, until my townhouse sold the first day it was shown. My house prior to that also sold the day after it was listed. My realtor told me it was because I kept my decor to a minimum, which made the house look bigger and show better. I credit Dawn from The Minimal Mom for helping me declutter and live more intentionally. I realized that the more stuff I had, the more I had to clean, the more I had to organize, and the less time I had for other things I wanted to do. Granted, I enjoy cleaning and organizing (yes, I'm weird). But I don't want that to be the only thing in my life. For years I worked five days a week and cleaned all weekend long. I'm over that. For me, living intentionally means keeping only the things I use and love and getting rid of the rest. Dawn breaks it down simply and gives great tips. On Sundays she and her twin sister Diana do a devotional and talk about their faith. I call that a win-win.

5. Mandy In The Making - Here's another cooking channel that I absolutely love. I've tried a couple of Mandy's recipes, and they've been approved by my picky son E which says a lot. Mandy will usually test three recipes a week, two that she's researched and believes her family will like, and one Subbie Supper, in which her subscribers send in recipes and she selects one for her channel. She goes through the recipes step by step, gives her honest opinion, and if there's anything she changes or would change in the future she lets us know. Her husband Steven helps out in the kitchen and they are so fun to watch! 

There are many more YouTubers I could list, but I'm starting with my top five. I think I'll make this the first of several posts. There's great talent out there, and I want to give props where they're due. I'll be back with more soon!

Taking Down Christmas

 I realize that my intentions and my actions don't always line up. It was my intention to post pictures of my home decorated for Christmas. With everything going on (both good and bad) I never did that post. Now my Christmas decor is down and winter decor has gone up, but I can still share a glimpse of what I did and what has changed since.

Let's start with the living room. Compared to years past, this year my living room had very little decor. I did manage to get a few pillows and I used some items I'd had from whenever I was selling Christmas Around The World and Kingdom Treasures. 

The pup is not mine; it's my grand-dog Kuzco who stayed with me during the Thanksgiving weekend and who followed me around like my shadow. I'm really loving the black and red buffalo check pattern for Christmas time so I added this throw I picked up last year from Ross to my sectional. Most of the pillows I had before; the Merry pillow is from Hobby Lobby and the stocking pillow is from Costco.

The next decor items that I can never get enough of in my house is nativities.

These are my larger nativities; I have small ornament sized ones as well. While I do enjoy the story of Santa Claus and all the pretty items that are unique to Christmas, I never want to forget why I'm celebrating: the birth of Jesus Christ, my Savior, my Redeemer, my King. I want Him at the forefront of the celebration.

Now that Christmas and New Year's day have come and gone, I've simplified some of my decor and kept it very neutral for the winter months - though let's be honest, winter in South Florida is not as dark and cold as it is in most areas of the country. Still, our temps have gone down, the sun sets earlier, and my house is resting in wait of springtime decorations.

 The only color on my sectional now is the minty blue/green throw I tossed over the back of the longer side. The furry white pillows were another Costco find. I was in the store at the right time; whenever I saw someone had one in their buggy I went in search of them and found they were flying off the shelves. At $9.99 each it was no surprise. I had all the other pillows and together they give a soft, cozy vibe.

All my other decor stayed the same as before, but the living room looks bigger and roomier now that the tree is gone.

I tried two different looks for my dining room table this year.

The first used items from a more traditional Victorian style. I've had these for many years, from back whenever I sold Christmas Around The World. The Lloyd rabbit family in the back was from the same company. Christmas Around the World sold items by themes based on what country they represented, and this set, if I remember correctly, was from old world Britain. I really loved it for a long time, but whenever I put it on the table I realized how out of place it looked. My style is more rustic, with hints of farmhouse; far from this Victorian style with the frosted fruits and red velvet bows. I took it off and tried something else.

The two tiered dish was a gift from a sweet lady who passed away a few years ago. Rather than cakes or candies I filled it with shiny glass ornaments in red, green and gold. I then set these reindeer candleholders on either side. They are ceramic but are painted to look chippy. While not perfect, it looked much better than the previous look so I kept it instead. I've decided that the Victorian decor, while still beautiful, doesn't fit anywhere in my home, and I'm donating all the pieces (including the wreath and garland) to Goodwill. I know I could sell it, but I won't get much for it and I don't know that it's worth the hassle. 

Now that everything has been put away, this is what the dining room looks like:

There's a big change in this picture: the baker's rack that was in the kitchen is now in the dining room! Why, you may ask? Because of a lovely Christmas gift my daughter and son-in-law gave me that I'm super excited about! For now let me just say I'm loving how the dining room looks. The baker's rack is black, yet it's lighter than the media cabinet that was there before. It has all my fancy dishes and a few decor pieces as well. There's so much that has changed, but I want to save some for my next post. Right now I've gotta run to Goodwill to drop off some donations and maybe pick up some new-to-me goodies. In the meantime, have a blessed week!

Preparing The House For Christmas

While I don't go as overboard as I used to do whenever my kids were little, I still love and enjoy decorating my house for Christmas. It's a process that I've simplified over the years, especially now that my kids are grown. Funny enough, my youngest son tells me he misses the big production that was Christmas years ago. Still, I think he appreciates not only the amount of work that goes into decorating, but the beauty of a slightly more subtle Christmas. My hope is that, while making the home cozy and festive, we don't forget the true meaning of the season: Immanuel, God with us.

To start, I first had to take down all the fall decor that had been out since September.

It didn't seem like so much whenever I had it out around the house! I didn't even attempt to count the pumpkins - suffice it to say, there's a lot. Of course, there's more than just pumpkins here. This includes throw pillows, kitchen towels, outdoor decor and flower arrangements.

It's bittersweet to take the fall decor down (especially the pieces I picked up at Hobby Lobby just a week ago on clearance), but it was quickly replaced with the excitement of putting up the Christmas decor.

Next, furniture needed to be relocated.

One of my bookcases moved over to the wall separating the kitchen and the laundry area. This would make way for the Christmas tree. I like having the Christmas tree in front of the sliding glass door but not blocking our way out to the patio. I also like decorating the bookshelves, but if this is covered by the tree none of the decor can be appreciated.

In the master bedroom, I took out the armless chair that is part of the sectional and replaced it with the leather chair and ottoman. Again, this is to make way for the Christmas tree. I could potentially leave the chair in the living room, but it would make the room look crowded which I don't like. I draped a minty blue throw over the chair and added the lumbar pillow to soften the look.

My bed went from this:

To this:

Much as I love the pumpkin pillow I picked up from Costco this year, I do love this little pillow for Christmas/winter.

I got this from the Target dollar spot last year, I believe for $5. It's super cute, but honestly I picked it up because the colors were perfect with my bedroom decor. The other side is plaid and can be used throughout the winter.

The poinsettias I found at Hobby Lobby look beautiful in this vase. I put them before I did anything else because I was dying to see how they looked, and I am thoroughly loving them.

I decided to put up whatever decor I had recently bought before bringing up the tubs with all my stuff. I found these plates at TJ Maxx and I love them so much I may never put anything else up here.

They have a winter scene, which means I can leave them up until the spring - which I fully intend to do.

I also put my new Costco and Hobby Lobby pillows on the sofa with my big green pillow that I got years ago from Target. It's exactly how I pictured it would look.

The next day began the intense decorating, along with some changes that eventually happen whenever I'm decorating my home. Come back, there's plenty more to come!

Christmas Decorating: The Garland

Decorating for Christmas used to be a four day affair. From morning to night for days after Thanksgiving all I would do was put up villages, vignettes, stuffed animals, light up Santas and snowmen, and figurines all around the house. I decorated the formal living room, dining room, family room and kitchen. It's a good thing I did little to nothing in the rest of the house; I might be decorating till after Christmas! I don't do near as much anymore, but what I do I thoroughly enjoy. 

I have decor from years past and a few new pieces as well. Some of the items are from the years that I sold Christmas Around The World and Kingdom Treasures. Both these companies did home parties similar to Tupperware. I probably did this for 10 years, and in that time I accumulated a vast amount of decorations. Many of these I no longer have; I knew coming into this house there would be considerably less space, and I wouldn't have a place to put most of it. Choosing what to keep wasn't a simple task; I loved pretty much everything I owned. Some items I couldn't part with, while others I couldn't decide so I kept them "just in case." I'll be posting my Christmas home decor and explaining what I did, why I did it, and if this look will continue in the future.

I was so thrilled to have stairs and a bannister to hang garland from. I decided not to decorate the bannister going up the stairs, just the rail at the top of the stairs. 

This garland is part of a collection from Christmas Around the World. I've had it for many years; House of Lloyd, the company that created Christmas Around the World, closed its doors in January 2002, so this garland is over 20 years old. The collection also included candlesticks, a decorative horn, and a wreath. The pieces are decorated with greenery, red velvet ribbon, and frosted fruits. If I recall correctly, it was part of the Victorian Christmas. This garland goes across the whole railing so the length is perfect. I attached it to the railing with twine so as not to scratch and damage the wood.

This also gives it a bit of a rustic feel, which is more in line with my decorating style.

It isn't a pre-lit garland, but I knew it needed some lights, so I picked up a strand from Hobby Lobby and added them to the garland to liven it up.

In the past I would hang our stockings from the fireplace, but now that we added another family member to the mix, there wouldn't be enough space on the fireplace for 6 stockings to fit comfortably. I also had the issue that, once filled, the stockings and stocking holders tended to fall of the fireplace. So this year I had an idea, and I love the way it looks.

All six stockings, hung with the same twine, fit perfectly and look so festive! There's one thing missing though; last year I decided it was time to retire the wreath that went with this collection. It pained me to get rid of it, but I had to accept the fact that it was looking the worse for wear. The fruits kept falling off, the ribbon had faded, much of the greenery had also fallen off and it didn't look as regal as it had once looked. 

As I put up the garland, I realized this is probably the last year I will use it as well. I fluffed it as best I could, but the ribbon isn't velvety anymore. It has done its job for these 20+ years, but it doesn't even fit my style anymore. I have a more rustic vibe going on in my home, and little by little I hope to transition some of my Christmas decor to reflect that. Not all of it, though. There are some items that will stay with me. Come back to see what else I've done! 

The Week In Review

Thanksgiving week is one of the busiest weeks of the year in my house. Not only are we preparing a big feast, but Christmas decorating begins immediately after. This year was slightly different than most, and I'm sure the year 2020 will go down in history as the year when nothing was as it should be.

Ever since my kids were little, I decorated for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. To even insinuate that we could start decorating earlier was received with all manner of disapproval. Thanksgiving deserves our respect! Besides, we hosted Thanksgiving at our house, which meant putting out additional tables and chairs for the larger than usual group. Typically there were 25 of us, sometimes more. To put out  Christmas decorations in addition to everything else would create a cramped and uninviting space, which no hostess ever wants.

Fast forward to 2011. J and I had separated, and for the first time Thanksgiving was just the four of us: myself and my three kids. And it was so special. We ate, we played games, we watched movies. We told stories and laughed and had the best time, and we promised to keep Thanksgiving simple from then on. 

That's how we've done it since. In 2017 my (then) daughter's boyfriend C joined us. And this year we have the privilege of adding my new daughter-in-law AB to the family and to the Thanksgiving celebration. Yet even adding two new members to our family has kept our Thanksgiving small and intimate. This year is no exception - as a matter of fact, just about everyone kept Thanksgiving down to 10 people or less per CDC guidelines. I'm not upset about it either. For the first time in decades many families focused on thankfulness instead of shopping or football. 

There was one change to our yearly tradition, one that I felt was unavoidable. I put up the Christmas tree the Monday before Thanksgiving. The reason for this is simple: my daughter and son-in-law planned a trip to Georgia for the Thanksgiving weekend, and she asked me to sit my grand-dog Kuzco. He's an absolute cutie, and a good, quiet dog, so I said yes. The only problem is, he follows me around everywhere. I knew putting up the tree while he was underfoot would be next to impossible, and I didn't want to wait till they got back to do it. So instead, I broke with tradition and put it up early. 

Step one was to move one of the bookcases over to a different wall so the tree could go in front of the sliding glass doors in the living room.

 Right between the kitchen and master bedroom entryway is the perfect spot. 

Step two, put the tree together. We have an artificial tree thanks to our allergies. 

I've had this tree since 2004; it originally was pre-lit but the lights went out years ago. I was going to replace the tree several years ago but oh my word, trees are expensive!! I got this tree on a Black Friday sale for just $114. It's a 7.5 foot tree, very full and beautiful. My daughter and youngest son did me the enormous favor of removing the old lights so I could keep the tree, and here it is 16 years later. 

It was my intention to take pictures as I decorated the tree, but I ran into a slight snag. I would buy the regular clear lights every year from Walmart or Target, and every year I had to replace a few strands because the lights would go out. The box of lights is only about $3 but if you have to replace some of them every year they really aren't such a good deal. I bought the Costco LED lights this year because they have a 5 year warranty. I got four boxes, figuring I'd add these to my existing lights and replace as those went out. I started with the LED lights to see how they look, and oh my! This picture doesn't do them justice. They are pure white, the brightest lights I've ever had on a Christmas tree. They're gorgeous! I put up all the LED lights but as this is a 7.5 foot tree and I had only 400 lights it wasn't enough. So I got the clear lights from my stash. There were four strands, one of which only half the lights worked. I grabbed one of the strands and started putting it on the tree. To my horror, I realized these older clear lights looked yellow next to the pure white LED lights. It was absolutely awful! I had to drop everything and run to Costco where thankfully they still had boxes of lights and I picked up a couple more. It was worth it, though. My candy cane tree makes me smile all day long.

The next few days were Thanksgiving focused. I brined and roasted the turkey, made the dressing the night before, got up early Thursday morning to make the chocolate pudding pie and put the turkey in the oven, then made mashed potatoes and crescent rolls. My daughter made sweet potato casserole and a pumpkin pecan bread, and my oldest son and daughter-in-law brought cornbread and cookies. There was lots of food (and leftovers!). We had a great time together visiting. 

While they were all here, my oldest son gave me my birthday gift. My birthday isn't till next month, but since he won't be here he decided to give it to me early. Not to be undone by their older sibling, my other kids also gave me their presents. 

My youngest son E gave me a gift off of my Amazon wishlist:

I saw one of my favorite YouTubers, Mandy in the Making, using one of these rotating graters. I immediately added it to my wishlist! I'm not the biggest fan of pre-shredded cheese, but shredding by hand is no fun either. This takes the hard work out of shredding cheeses and vegetables. I'm so excited to use it!

My daughter knows my love of Disney so she indulged me with this:

Isn't it sweet?! I'll show off better when I post my Christmas home decor tour. 

My oldest son surprised me with something I've wanted for awhile. 

I was floored! My doorbell stopped working for I don't know what reason, and I wanted to get one of these video doorbells so I don't have to run downstairs whenever someone is at the door to see who it is. I haven't set it up yet because I have a four-legged shadow that goes nuts the minute I go near the front door, but I'm super excited to have this up and running!

The rest of the week was spent in decorating for Christmas and a small grocery shopping trip on Friday after my son R and his wife left for Central Florida where they live. I'll do a separate post on all the Christmas decorating because, as per usual, it's a lot! Have a blessed week y'all.

Mid-Week Trip To Hobby Lobby

 One of my favorite areas to decorate is my Christmas village. I used to have a very elaborate village. It started near the front door, went around the corner till it reached the Christmas tree in the living room, then continued on as a gingerbread village in the dining room. Ah, those were the good ole days, when my house was decorated to the nines! I keep it much simpler now, partly because my kids are grown, and partly because it was a 4 day affair to get all the decorating done. I'm not about that life anymore. I still love to decorate; I just don't have the energy I had back then.

My Christmas village is smaller now, but I still want it to be special. I've been watching village tutorials on YouTube, and one of them mentioned using lots of trees to make the village look more realistic. I have trees, but I wanted to add even more. I'd seen a set of bottle brush trees at Hobby Lobby for $12.99, but since all the Christmas decor is 50% off it would be $6.49. Whenever I'm looking at something to buy, I try to compare prices to be sure I'm getting the best deal. I tried logging on to Amazon while I was in the store but I couldn't get a good connection. I decided to leave and check prices when I got home.

That was a week ago. Amazon's prices started at $13.99 with no discount. I went to Walmart but all they had were single trees that were $1 - $2 each. Target had nothing. TJ Maxx didn't either. Bottom line, Hobby Lobby had the best price. Period.

So, off I went to Hobby Lobby this morning, expecting to get 1) a set of bottle brush trees, and 2) a small Christmas tree for my entryway. That's it. I was determined not to spend more than $25 if I found anything else, but I didn't expect to find anything else. 

Well, I was partly right...

I found the bottle brush trees; they'd moved them from where they'd been originally and I almost had a crying fit, thinking they'd run out. It brings 7 trees and 2 small bushes, and they match the ones I already have. I also got the little Christmas tree for the entryway. It was $4.99 after the 50% discount.

I decided some lights would look cute on the tree, so I got a small box of fairy lights.

Lights are only 25% off, so the lights cost almost as much as the little tree. But I really think twinkly lights will make all the difference.

I walked around the store and looked at all the gorgeous Christmas decor, but I resisted getting anything else. I admired, I ooh'd and ahh'd, but I kept walking. I was strong. Till I got to the fall clearance section...

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I'm the self-proclaimed Queen of Clearance. There was no way I was gonna pass up these sweet deals.

I saw these eucalyptus stems whenever Hobby Lobby first put out their fall decor, but they were $9.99 each. Yes, everything was 50% off, but I had already picked out some fall goodies and I was at my budget max, so I'd left these behind. When I saw them again today in a bin marked 80% off, my heart skipped a beat. That's right, I paid $2 for each. I'm stoked y'all!

Then I spotted these beauties:

It is such a pretty bouquet! The original price was $14.99, but I snagged it for only $3. Three dollars y'all! And I knew exactly where I wanted it.

On the little wooden shelf in my entryway, I put this monogrammed pumpkin next to the plant that is always there. I decided some fall florals would be much nicer for this spot.

I put them in this yellow pitcher first. I liked it, but I didn't love it. They didn't fit properly in this pitcher. Besides, this pitcher gets used on our Thanksgiving table. I wanted these here on Thanksgiving day. I wondered what other vase I could use for my flower arrangement. Then, as I went up the stairs, I saw the answer.

I got this gray pitcher from Kirkland's several years ago. The color and size were perfect.

I love how it looks with the monogrammed pumpkin! I've found myself going downstairs a few times just to look at it. Yes, I like it that much.

This is what I see now when I walk in from the garage. It makes me smile. And did I mention? My total bill was $24.58. I kept right under budget. Yay me!

I realize my fall decor will only be out for another week or so, then Christmas decor goes up. But fall will come again, and I can always put these florals back up after Christmas for a short time. Meanwhile, I am going to keep enjoying my new bargains. 

The Week In Review

 I had planned on posting more this week, but it seemed like the time got away from me. A lot of my time was spent on the phone - not my favorite pastime but sometimes it's got to be done.

The first call this week was to my internet provider, AT&T. We were having issues with the WiFi - internet worked but nothing was connecting. Thankfully they came out the same day. My son E is doing college online so having reliable internet is crucial. The guy found the problem right away. The first technician had put the WiFi extender in the wrong room and had done the connection incorrectly. I was annoyed at the guy, because he insisted none of their technicians would have done the connection this way and it must have been us. I tried to find the paperwork from the first technician but of course you can't ever find anything when you need it. Ultimately he accepted what I said, though I don't think he believed me. Anyway, he fixed the problem. That was my Monday in a nutshell.

As I mentioned in my previous post, fall decorating is an ongoing thing in my house. I add, subtract, move things around and generally change things till I feel like they look right. I added a few more things here and there, such as in the office/guest room.

I didn't make any changes to my desk other than the storage box. I don't want to have too many things on my desk cluttering the surface space.

I did, however, add a few little touches to my bookshelf (sorry about the glare, this room gets a lot of sunlight). Again, not too much, just enough to remind me that, according to the calendar, it's almost fall.

The little box of assorted pumpkins that I picked up from Hobby Lobby came in handy. I've scattered them all around the house. This one found its way here, next to the ceramic bowl my son R made for me whenever he was in middle school. He's getting married next month; I can't believe how the time has flown.

I got these gold and white pumpkins several years ago from Target. They used to be on my kitchen shelves, but this year they're making their appearance in the office. I don't like switching everything out yearly; instead, I like to buy pieces that I really like and use them year after year.

I added these pillows to my futon. I got these off of Walmart.com about three years ago I believe. They were two for $10, and they are so pretty!

I had two sets, this one and a more traditional set that would have worked for Thanksgiving as well, but I decluttered those whenever we moved. I now wish I hadn't, because they are so sweet and because Walmart doesn't carry them anymore. But I am thankful I kept these. The colors work really well with the rest of the decor in this room.

I did make a small adjustment in my master bedroom. I put this throw blanket instead of the textured one I had initially put down because the color on the first one was off. This throw is pretty much the same color as the bedspread. I want another throw but I haven't found one yet that I like enough to purchase. I've also been considering possibly upgrading to a comforter instead of a bedspread, but again I haven't seen anything I'm attracted to. I'm not in a rush; it's not a need, it's just a want. There's plenty of other things I could be purchasing instead.

Speaking of other things to purchase, I did my weekly grocery shopping for the fill in items I'd need for the coming week. It wasn't a lot of food, just a lot of money (ugh).

Walmart was my first stop:

Y'all, it wasn't even that much food. How did I end up spending $53?! I will say this, the Marketside pepperoni pizza was pretty good, and for $7 I guess I can't complain. It's not as good as the pizza from Costco but it's still good.

Next I went to Costco to pick up some kielbasa sausage and allergy medicine. That's it. Sausage and Allegra. This is what happened:

I got the sausage. I got the allergy medicine. Then I remembered my son told me his socks needed replacing so I got him a pack of Puma socks for $12.99. As I walked by I noticed they were carrying Pocky again, one of his favorite snacks, and they were on sale, so I picked up a box of those. Oh, but it didn't end there...

I love Costco sales! These Fila sneakers were just $17.99! I'd been thinking of getting some nice sneakers because my current ones are looking a bit worse for wear, but I don't like spending a lot of money on sneakers. This price is right up my alley! Of course that meant my total at Costco was $84, but I know I got good deals. The allergy medicine alone is $33 but my son has to have it. 

What else happened this week? Hmm...I dyed my hair because my roots were out of control. My son and I went to my daughter's house for dinner yesterday. We played Disney's Jungle Cruise board game and had a lot of fun. Was there anything else? Oh, that's right. I mentioned spending a lot of time on the phone. That's a whole other post in itself. Let's just say I'm not happy with the IRS. Yep, I've got a story to tell. Stay tuned.