MyFitnessPal

Are any of you on MyFitnessPal?  I just joined last week and have lost a bit by tracking my calories and exercising almost every day.  If you'd like to "friend" me, my UN is Smidgeroo-ski (no dash).

What kind of success have you had while tracking calories online?

Happy Birthday

We don't have any set plans for the long weekend, but I'm hoping we can make a bat house to keep our incredible mosquito population down and a chicken tractor.  The chickens have eaten all of the greenery in their coop.  We can't allow them to free-range when we're not home since between our cats and the neighbor dog, we only have 6 chickens left (we started with 10)  :(

What do you have planned for this long weekend?

My most favorite find this Saturday

Well, if I'm totally honest, the Liberty Lake community garage sale was a bust.  I had the intentions of buying 1 year's worth of clothes for both of my kiddos.  I walked away with 2 pairs of sweats and a hat, yikes!

However, it was not a TOTAL bust.  I spotted this granite table and 2 solid oak chairs while all of us (8 family members) were getting a little cranky.  They wanted $100, but my wonderful mother-in-law bought it for me, as an early birthday present, for $80.  It's super heavy and really pulls our kitchen together.  I can't tell you how much I love it!!  It's bigger than our kitchen nook, that I really didn't like in the first place, but it fit the bill (free and small).  We just need 1 more wood chair...currently I'm sitting on the Costco special aka camping folding chair ;)  It appears these table retail for $500+

Did you find anything note-worthy while thrifting or g-saleing recently?

Made in the USA...at the Dollar Tree....whaaaaat?

You might be as shocked as I am, but it's true!  I love to buy their twisty crayons (aka unbreakable for Mr. J), but they're not Made in the USA.  However, all of these items are!

The clear bins are for holding my dry goods (BPA-Free) like beans, rice, etc.  I had an odd assortment of tupperware that was bugging me (didn't match).  I would much prefer glass, but we can't afford to spend $10/each on glass containers.

The Quick Erasers are a copy of the Magic Erasers and they are amazing!  I clean out the sink at the end of the day in under 20 seconds and it's beautiful and shiny.  Then, I just rinse it and re-use it :)

On to the sponges; they're thinner than others, but I don't use them very much since we have a dishwasher :)

Do you buy things at a dollar store?  If so, have you noticed things that are made in the USA?

Have a blessed weekend!

The garage sale I've been waiting for...

...is this Saturday!  We're headed to Liberty Lake for their HUGE community garage sales.  The plan was just for me to go and The Hubbs would stay home with the kids.  However, now my entire family wants to go and The Hubbs is still on the fence.  Either way, we'll be sure to score on LOTS of stuff we NEED.  I'm hoping to stay away from stuff in the WANT category :)

Here is the link to last year's booty

This is a great article on preparing for a day of garage sales from Apron Thrift Girl.  However, I will be packing much more protein-heavy snacks :)

On this year's list is:
Tank tops for the kids and I
Rash guards for the kids
Fall/winter clothes for the kids
Butter dish *have proven SO hard to find*
Socks for the kids
I can't think of the other stuff on my mental list :)

Summer travel budgeting

Who loves a spreadsheet?  This one is great for budgeting for summer travel.  Enjoy!

ListPlanIt

Where are you going this summer?  
What frugal travel tips can you share?

We're headed to the Washington cost and can't wait!

Thrifting Thursday

Does anybody else have the camping bug?  I do!  I do!  So, The Hubbs and I have been racking our brains to make a little list of things that would round out our stash of gear.

  

 Here is what I bought today...

Black/Orange mummy-style sleeping bag (for Mr. J) $2.89 & a Ready Bed (retails for $113 *choke*) paid $5.99 (for Miss A)

Chalk $.99, Net mitts $.99, Ping pong paddles $1.99, 7 plates $.79/each

Not really a camping thing, but we LOVE this game and it appears to be brand new, $1.99 (we'll be giving this as a gift)

Another non-camping item, but I was SOOOO excited to find this shirt for The Hubbs, $1.89!

Do you like camping?  

If so, do you tent, trailer, or something else?  

What's your favorite convenience item while camping?