My father-in-law had an unexpected surgery last week so we made an overnight trip to Georgia to visit him in the hospital. We are probably some of the most “un-spontaneous” people you will ever meet, which made this somewhat of a big deal for me! Here are some things I learned from our little adventure.

1. It’s actually less stressful and uncomplicated when you only have a couple of hours to pack as opposed to a couple of days.
2. If you’re looking for a certain restaurant at which to stop for breakfast, you will not find it no matter how many exits you continue to pass.
3. My youngest can sit still for long periods of time when she’s on her Granny’s lap.
4. If reviews for the hotel at which you made last-minute arrangements to stay include the phrase “worst hotel I ever stayed at,” your expectations will be so low that you’re pleasantly surprised when it’s not as bad as you thought.
5. Traveling in general gets easier as the kids get older.

Did you learn any great lessons this past week? See what others are sharing at Musings of a Housewife.photo courtesy public domain pictures

Since we’re sweltering in the heat here this month, I decided it would be good to list thirteen things that I love about summer.

1. Vacations
2. Sleeping in a little later
3. No homework for the kids
4. Going to the beach
5. Longer periods of daylight
6. Not having to pack lunches for the girls
7. Swimming at the pool
8. A more relaxed schedule
9. Trips to visit family
10. The large variety of fresh produce
11. Celebrating our wedding anniversary
12. It’s easier to clothe the girls – simple cotton dresses with flip-flops or sandals works for most any day
13. Cold treats like ice cream!

Hope you are enjoying your summer wherever you are!!This post is linked to Thursday-13.photo courtesy public domain pictures

We are back home after spending a week making some special memories with my family. I thought I’d share pictures from a few of the fun things we did!

We found some beautiful gardens to explore.

Later that day we shared a wonderful afternoon with cousins – eating lunch, riding a ferry and a trolley, then finishing the day with ice cream.

We love being with my cousin and her two girls. The four “second” cousins get along so well!

We worked in some shopping, a little one-on-one time for each of my daughters with their Grandmama, and celebrated my sister and her first baby boy (due in September) at her baby shower.

We also traveled to an animal park where the girls got to feed some animals – up close and personal!

God gave us safety, smooth travel and absolutely gorgeous weather for which we are very thankful!

I was so unmotivated when we got home last night that I didn’t do anything – hence today consists of a trip to the grocery store (already done), unpacking and several loads of laundry!!

Hope you had a wonderful 4th of July weekend! We were blessed to be able to do several fun things together as a family.

On Friday night we went to a minor league baseball game where the girls got their faces painted…..

…..took in some baseball action…..

…..and ended the evening with some pretty neat fireworks.

On Saturday my eight-year-old and I made July 4th Cupcakes…..

…..and late in the afternoon we headed to a friend’s house for a cookout and some time for the girls to play with friends.

Okay, are you tired of hearing me talk about the family vacation we’re going on next week?? Since I haven’t yet tired of talking about it, here are thirteen things that will make this vacation fun.

1. Anticipation. Thinking about and planning for our vacation is lots of fun in and of itself.
2. Watching the girls play in the hotel pool. Finding a hotel with an indoor pool is pretty much top priority for any trip these days. That way we know that they can be entertained no matter what the weather. They don’t have a lot of opportunities to swim in a pool here at home, so they thoroughly enjoy all-day access to a pool.
3. Spending time together as a family.
4. No cooking (although I am definitely ready for a home-cooked meal by the time we get back)
5. No cleaning
6. Being in the mountains. For whatever reason, I seem to feel more calm and peaceful when I see mountains around me.
7. Reading. Without laundry to do and meals to prepare, I have more time for reading books and magazines.
8. Amusement parks. The girls are at the age where they’re able to ride more rides (and want to ride the same ones over and over again!)
9. Shopping.
10. Relaxing. No schedule or bedtimes to keep…..
11. Water. I love seeing waterfalls or even just the little streams that run alongside the road.
12. Pictures. I like taking pictures of the girls in the different places we visit, to record the fun times we have together.
13. Getting home. As much fun as it is to go away, it’s also pretty sweet to sleep in your own bed after several nights away!

In case you missed my many references this week to our upcoming vacation (ha!), I thought I’d share one of my favorite packing tips. Not to confuse things, though – I really dislike packing. I must say, however, that it is so much easier at this stage of life when we’re past carting all the baby gear along!

Jen over at Beauty and Bedlam is hosting a Frugal Fashionista Fashion Show today. She has been doing a series on putting together a fabulous wardrobe inexpensively by shopping for clothes at yard sales and thrift stores.

Over the past several years, I have been able to find items at thrift stores and consignment stores for the girls, pieces that usually look new or still have the original store price tags on them. As my daughters have gotten older, I have not found quite as much in their sizes at yard sales and what is available is usually in a more worn condition.

When I shop at Good Will or another thrift or consignment store, I look for quality name brand items. I find that I am usually able to get store brand items just as cheaply by watching for sales or hitting the clearance racks. I do believe that it takes a little more time to shop at resale stores since many times clothes are only divided by gender or color. You often have to look through a lot of “junk” to find a “jewel,” but to me that’s part of the hunt – finding a really great deal on an item you can use.

Here are some of the clothes I’ve been able to get for my daughters.

I found this dress for my six-year-old at a consignment store. It was new with the tags still on it and I paid $3.50.

This cherry skirt, which my six-year-old has been able to wear for two seasons, was 50 cents at a yard sale. I usually have her wear it with a white or pink top.

These two Children’s Place skirts were at my favorite Good Will and look nearly new. Most importantly, they have the adjustable waist which I need for both my girls. Picked these up for my eight-year-old for around $2.69 each. They are a nice cotton twill so can be worn for summer or winter.

My older daughter loves long, flowy skirts, even for play. I got the brown one at Goodwill for $2.69 and the blue one at a consignment store for $1.50.

Lest you think I never buy tops, I found this Limited Too spring hoodie with the tags still on it at a consignment store for around $3.

I also love buying clothes for the girls in larger sizes when I can and putting them in the back of the closet until the appropriate season. I picked up this dress, which will fit one or the other of them this fall, for $2.69 at Goodwill a couple of weeks ago. It’s so much fun (and cheaper!) at the end of the summer to pull out these finds rather than run to the store to replenish their wardrobe.

I typically don’t find as much for myself at resale stores (although Jen’s series has inspired me to spend a bit more time looking!) I usually try on a variety of things, but don’t walk out with much. Occasionally, however it’s worth it. I recently found this great classic Gap dark brown skirt which is great for church and can be worn with a variety of tops. It looks new and I paid just over $4 for it.

Clothing can take up a huge chunk of your budget, so by shopping wisely for quality items at a good price you can really keep costs down. I still watch for store sales, regularly check the clearance racks at my favorite stores, and sign up to receive retailer coupons, but I also make it part of my routine to stop by a couple of thrift and consignment stores once or twice a month. You never know what treasure you may find!

See the great deals others have found on their clothing by visiting Jen’s Fashion Show. Read other great frugal tips at Frugal Friday hosted by Life as Mom.

The sights and sounds of Spring…..

Sights

• The sky that lightens a bit earlier each morning behind the tightly shut window blinds
• The pastel colors of young girls’ dresses on Easter Sunday
• The first tinge of green showing through the dull brown soil
• Dust flying from fast-moving rags as spring cleaning gets under way
• A mom, surrounded by boxes, tucking away sweatshirts and jeans, pulling out tank tops and shorts
• The first bouquet of flowers picked for mom by tiny fingers, clutched tightly in a small fist, given a place of honor in a paper-cup vase
• Bright green stalks of asparagus and ripe red strawberries putting in an appearance at the farmers market
• A load of newly washed laundry swinging on a clothesline in the light breeze
• Burst of blooms on a Bradford pear tree
• An elderly lady kneeling in her garden, shovel in hand, dreaming of a bounty of summer produce
• Thick layer of pollen on the hood of the car
• Azaleas in full bloom, glorious to behold

Sounds

• Neighbors chatting in the yard, catching up on the news after a long winter-induced hibernation
• First crank of the lawnmower for the season
• Soft spring rain, pattering on the windows
• Allergy-induced sneezes
• Soft bleating of a newborn sheep
• Children, released from winter jackets and snowboats, calling to one another as they traverse the neighborhood on shiny new bikes
• The “thwack” of a baseball hitting a glove; the whiff of a bat, just missing contact
• Squeaky windows being pushed open to admit soft, warm spring air
• Water from a hose hitting the roof of the car as it receives a long-awaited bath
• Early morning calls of birds as they greet the morning together
• The long-awaited silence of the heat pump – no heat or air conditioning needed
• The dull thud of a shovel being thrust into the ground, making way for a new rosebush

This is spring, warm and welcoming, a feast for the senses.