Farewell Summer Break!

errands with the best daughter in the whole wide world!

This past couple of weeks has been all about joining my son and grandson on all their last minute back to school shopping and errands.  And spending the last few precious, sunshine filled moments of summer break with them before the hustle and bustle of the school year begins.

There were many great back to school deals to be had, in addition to it being tax-free weekend here when he did the majority of his shopping! We began the shopping at Walmart, for both some clothing items and school supplies, and stopped in at McDonald's for a quick, not so healthy, bite to eat.  Then we headed to the Dollar Tree for school supplies that he couldn't find at Walmart.  After that, it was off to Target for a few more shirts and things.  While at Target, we also ran into some of our old work mates from when my son and I did product demonstrations there.  It was good to see them and catch up!

On other days, I went with them while he went for his immunizations, health check up and shoe shopping.  It has been such a pleasure to tag along with them and enjoy the process without the stress!  Ahhh, the benefits of being the mamaw!

Even better, was the end of summer sleepover at mamaw and papaw's house!  💕😍 What is better than making memories with our loved ones?

Along with the end of summer vacation, I have begun to feel a shift in the weather. It's almost imperceptibly cooler and less humid on some days, making the warm breezes I feel, as I tinker around the garden at sunset, as welcome as grandma's cozy afghan.  It has inspired me to already begin cooking and baking not so summery fare. Or to curl up with a good book or a charming movie by the fire with a steaming hot cup of tea when the day is done.  

I hope you are enjoying these last days of summer!  

Have your babies or grand babies already headed back to school?

Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ

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Some posts on my blog may contain links that will take you to my Avon e-boutique  (website) where, should you make a purchase, will earn me a commission as an Independent Avon Representative. 

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Use it Up ~ Empties August 2018

It's been a while since I've done an "empties" post!  Of course, I've got more empties than the few I am going to show in this post, but I didn't want the info to be overwhelming.  So, I decided to do a bite sized post, lol!

Without further ado and in no particular order, here we go...

•  L'Oréal Paris EverPure Blonde Conditioner Sulfate Free ~ I purchased this when I still had some blond in my hair while growing it out to reveal it's natural, ahem, "highlights".  I loved everything about it, especially that it was Sulfate free.  It seemed to work well on keeping my hair, both the blond and the grays while in transition, from turning brassy.    I may buy this again in the future, but in the meantime, I will be exploring other conditioners that are formulated for blond or gray hair, just to compare.

•  SUZANNE Organics Foaming Exfoliating Cleanser ~ this product was a gift that was included in another purchase I made well before I went on my money diet and renewed decluttering mission.  One of the benefits of this product are that it cleans away dirt and dead skin cells with a cleanser that won't strip your skin of it's natural moisture and protection.  Another thing I appreciated about this cleanser was the fact that I do prefer to use products that are non-toxic, organic and as close to natural as possible, and this fits the bill.  But products like that usually come with a higher price tag than I am going to pay right now.  Perhaps sometime in the future, when there is a bit more wiggle room in our budget, I would absolutely love to purchase this product again, for all of it's natural and skin loving goodness.

•  Avon On Duty Unscented Bonus-Size Roll-On Antiperspirant Deodorant ~  I have purchased this deodorant time and time again over the years.  For me, it has proven to live up to it's name keeping me fresh and odor free for the full day!  I prefer the unscented version so that it doesn't clash with any other fragrance I may choose to wear.  I feel it lives up to the benefits listed on Avon's website which follow:
▪ Unscented deodorant for people with sensitive skin
▪ Be odor free for 48 hours
▪ 24-hour antiperspirant
▪ Non-stinging
▪ Non-sticky
▪ Non-whitening
Because it is so affordable, and often on sale, I will continue to keep using this!

•  Avon Anew Skinvincible Day Lotion ~ another Avon product that I won't do without!  The main three reasons I continue to purchase bottle after bottle is the broad spectrum SPF 50, the fact that it's fragrance free and because it also feels great on my skin and doesn't leave a greasy, sticky, icky feeling (that is very important to me as I live in a hot and humid area and would go without sunscreen before I would wear one that makes me feel hotter and sweatier than the weather already does!). Here's a few more benefits listed on the Avon website & not a one of them bad, in my opinion!:
• Broad spectrum SPF 50 and high antioxidant formula protects skin from sun                 damage
• Smart Repair Technology heals skin from environmental damage
• Won't irritate sensitive skin, moisturizes for 24 hours
• Targets dehydrated skin and wrinkles
• Fragrance-free and oil-free
• Contains retinol
• Hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic
• Allergy-tested and dermatologist-tested
I will continue to buy this product over and over again and I always keep my eyes peeled for the sales.

•  Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Crème ~ another love, love, LOVE product that I have bought more than once!  I honestly can't think of one thing I don't like about this product.  From the light, pleasant fragrance, to the beautiful shine and silky feel it imparts when I run it through my hair, this hair product does just what it claims to do.  Another bonus: a very little bit goes a long way.  It's good for all hair types, it's paraben, sulfate and aluminum free and is humidity resistant!
*I will be trying out a similar product that my daughter told me about that is much less expensive, to see how it compares.  If I can find a comparable styling creme at a fraction of the cost, I will switch, for our budget's sake.

Well, there you have it, just a few of the products I have used up.  I love them all and, in a perfect, money flowing like a river world, would buy each and every one of them over and over again.  The reality is, I have decided that the only two products on the above list that I won't compromise on so far, are the Avon products.  Still, if I heard of similar products that worked as well and cost less, I would be willing to give them a try!

I would love to know some of the products you have loved enough to squeeze the last drop out of.  Please share!

Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ


*We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.  There is no cost to you, dear reader, by clicking on my affiliate links. 
Some posts on my blog may contain links that will take you to my Avon e-boutique (website) where, should you make a purchase, will earn me a commission as an Independent Avon Representative.
We thank you for your show of support for the blog when you use the links to make purchases! 

Five Frugal Things ~ 8/10/18

I'm sitting at my kitchen table having a cup of herbal tea, listening to the cicada song. As I write this, I occasionally lift my eyes to take in the view of our cat as he intently watches the birds enthusiastically calling out to their friends from our feeder, "lunch is served!" (don't worry, he's contained in his pop up kennel and can't get to them!). The weekend is on the horizon and quickly approaching.  I'm especially looking forward to this one as I will be spending part of it with my son and grandson as they do their back to school shopping!  This weekend is a tax free weekend and my oldest always likes to take advantage of that to optimize his hard earned dollars.

Before I get down to busying myself with my Friday homekeeping and wrapping up some odds and ends for this week's business however, I wanted to post my frugal five for this past week...

•  added a bit of leftover pickle juice to the last bits of store bought salad dressing to        thin it out and be able to get the last delicious drops out of the container.  (I mostly      make my own salad dressings, but I have had a hankerin' for thousand island                lately, which is not a dressing I have ever cared much for in the past.  Now that I          know I will enjoy eating it on my salads more often, I will try to find an easy,                yummy recipe that I can throw together myself.  If anyone has a delicious 1000            island dressing recipe they would be willing to share, I'm all ears!).

•  I had two store bought organic salad dressings that I bought a while back but didn't     care for them on salads.  I ended up using them as marinades for chicken                       breasts, which worked out well.

•  several times this past week, I was tempted to buy things but, took the time to               pause, take a deep breath and ask myself:  1) do I really need it? 2) do I have                   something alike or similar that I could use instead?  3)  could I make it with                   materials  I already have on hand?
    One such item that tempted me was a pot holder (yes, a lowly potholder!  BUT this       one was silicone.  Yeah.) since the ones we have been using year 'round are worn         AND get this, Christmas themed.🎄🎅  I had made them a few years ago, and     LOVED how efficient they were at protecting my hands from the heat of fresh-             from-the-oven pans!  Alas, I got distracted by the shiny things that each day brings,     and although each time I pulled those red and green potholders out to use, I                   swore that this was the week I would sew up some new, more day-to-day                   appropriate pot holders.  Oh, how I procrastinate!  (And ramble.)
    But this, this is the week I make new potholders!  The End.

Galahad in his pop up kennel

•  I continued to persevere in the garden, still experimenting, and trying to grow               things that I either have not grown, or had success in growing, in the past.  I have         enough seeds to keep me busy for a good while!  Still, I am keeping my main focus       on growing what I know grows well for me, mostly herbs.
    Knowing that the health of our soil is not the best right now, and is also a mixture       of clay and sand, I amend and mulch as much as the budget allows.

•  DD and I took advantage of our local dollar theatre's Terrific Tuesday to see a                 movie.  The movies aren't the latest releases but that isn't something that concerns       us.  The tickets were only .50 each!

What are your plans for this weekend?

If you have back to school shopping to do, have you started yet?

Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ

*We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. 
There is no cost to you, dear reader, by clicking on my affiliate links. We thank you for your show of support for the blog when you use the links to make purchases! 

Five Frugal Things ~ 7/27/18

*posting this a tad behind schedule 😊

Well, it's that time!  Yes, time for another, infrequent installment of my Five Frugal Things!  Yahoo!

Lately I have...

•  collected seeds from my garden.  Four o'clocks, cilantro and contender bean seeds.      I love knowing I won't have to purchase these seeds for a good long time, if ever          again!

•  watered my houseplant with little bits of water and teas (no cream in the tea) that      were left over in glasses and cups.

•  I began investing an extra one half to one hour of my day, five to six days a week,         into my Avon business to give myself a raise.

•  have continued to add mulch to the garden to help cut down on the amount and          frequency with which I have to water.

•  we have been keeping all blinds closed on the windows that have them to help keep    the heat out and save on air conditioning.   We have several windows that don't            have blinds, allowing for natural daylight in the house.  We aren't completely living    in the dark, that would quickly become depressing!

And before I sign off, I wanted to share another of my favorite resources, Jerry Baker aka, "America's Master Gardener"!  Sadly, Mr. Baker passed away last year but I continue to glean from his good old fashioned tips and tonics for the garden.  If you aren't familiar with this wonderful man, please do yourself a favor and browse his website! And don't miss out on his blog!

Have you continued to be thrifty and frugal during the dog days of summer?

Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ