Amazing Savings at Goodwill

When it comes to spending money I'm on the fence. You can't really call me a thrift-er because I only buy new clothes, there are certain beauty related products that I have to use and sometimes certain things just have to be more expensive than name-brand. But then on the other hand I don't go on shopping sprees really ever, I'm all for finding sales and I won't turn down a deal for something that saves me a bunch of moneys! (But then again, who wouldn't!)

Because I am part thrift-er I make occasional stops at Goodwill to see if there is anything to snatch up. I typically stay away from the clothes (unless it's to cut up and use as a craft project!) and shoes and sports equipment and our location doesn't have much furniture at all but I have found some pretty sweet deals and I wanted to show you how a little searching can save you so much. 

Counter-top Wine Rack: 

We typically don't buy wine if we're not planning on drinking it soon but occasionally we do have a few bottles and I wanted a way to show them off. 

Price for a similar @ Target: $20

Price from GW: $3

Savings: $17

Large Wicker Basket: 

When we built our shelving unit in the family room we had an awkward space between the bottom shelf and the floor that we didn't know what to do with but I didn't want it to be a big hole either. This basket is the perfect size to fit with our speaker and holds our spare blankets when we're not using them. 

Price for a similar @ Michael's: $40+

Price from GW: $6

Savings: $34

Paperback Books: 

Even though I have a Nook from Barne's & Noble as well as an iPad with a reader app I still love having actual books for a good price. And at our Goodwill, all large paperback books are the same price regardless of the title. 

Price on back of 3 books: $41

Price from GW: $6 ($1.99 each)

Savings: $35

Fiskers Paper Cutter:

I am planning on doing a lot of the stationary for our wedding myself and if I wanted to try to accomplish Save the Dates, invites, place cards, menus, thank yous, etc etc etc I knew I would have to get a big, fancy paper cutter to make everything crisp. I'm still in awe of the savings from this one!

Price for similar @ Michael's: $60+

Price from GW: $8

Savings: $52

Blue Ceramic Vases/Bowls: 

Now that we have an office/craft space in our house I have accumulated a lot more supplies and have the space to keep them accessible at all times. Gone are the days of keeping things in boxes unless I need them. The decor in this room is still in the process but I knew I wanted blues and I use these two jars almost every time I'm in that room. 

Price for similar @ IKEA: $16

Price from GW: $5

Savings: $11

Totals

Price I could have paid: $177

Price I actually paid: $28

That's a grand total savings of $149!!!

I might even make a trip there this afternoon after work just because I'm motivated to save more awesome money! 

Life Lately

Things around here have been busy, busy, busy! Plus there are a few random things I wanted to share that didn't deserve their own posts so this is a bit of an update/random things I'd like to share. 

[+] J and I have been trying to get our butt's in shape for the last few months. Between wanting to be healthy and preparing for our wedding we've had some good motivation going. I'm actually very impressed with how often we've been hitting up the gym and how well we've (especially J) have been doing. I do some lifting workouts occasionally with J but most of the time I take one of the classes they offer, for free I might add. I go to at least 3 Zumba classes each week and I'm totally loving my yoga on Thursdays and Sundays. 

[+] The weather in San Diego has been hit or miss lately. Some times it's chilly and overcast with the occasional rain (which I despise!) or some times it's close to 80 degrees and I sit on the porch all day. I can't wait for the warmer weather to be here to stay. But it has been at least warm enough on average to allow my garden to start growing! When we were at Home Depot a few weeks ago I picked up some packets of seeds, two different types of orange Poppys, and they've finally started to sprout out of the dirt. I can't wait to see how they grow and hopefully they'll be easy to take care of. On the gardening note, we were blessed to have a rose bush just pop up in our yard. Our neighbors have rose bushes lining the fence and I guess one wanted to sprout on our side. At first we thought it was a weed and I'm so glad we didn't kill it. We've been nurturing it as it's been kinda scraggly but it's starting to grow too. The neighbors roses are the size of softballs(!!!) so I hope ours are the same. Can you say gorgeous!?

[+] Our Ollie dog is so sweet and so cute and has brought such joy to our lives lately. Especially for me after losing my sweet boy, Basil, I've really been cherishing every game of fetch and every snuggle this big guy will give me. His favorite yard toy ever is his Ollie-ball and it just cracks us up every time we watch him gallop through the yard with it in tow. When J was out of town last week for work I even let him sleep on the couch (which he's not usually allowed to do) in the evenings to keep me company. He is seriously the best dog and I am so happy he's in our lives.

[+] Wedding planning is still trucking along but now that we've gotten a lot of the big parts set in stone there's no rush or stress to be constantly planning, planning, planning. I'm very thankful that we got a lot done as early as we did so that there's not negativity surrounding our big day. Now that we have the files for our engagement pictures I have been playing around with different sites like MyPublisher and Shutterfly to make a photo book of all the images. I want to design a book with a simple layout and lots of white background space to use as our guest book. That way people can flip through our photos, sign some sweet words to us and we can kill two birds with one stone with the guest book. 

[+] We are expecting some visitors in the next few months and I am so thankful that our families are able to come visit us out in SD. First is J's grandparents are coming in this weekend, then J's mom and step-dad are coming in May and then my mom in June. Being away from family is one of the few negatives of living where we do so we are both very excited to have everyone come. Plus we've made some changes to the house that we can't wait to show off.

[+] If you couldn't tell, all the pictures on this blog are from my Instagram. I recently got a new Android phone that finally has the app and I love being able to share pictures so easily and hope to some day use the photos as magnets, photobooks, etc etc etc from the sites that I've seen floating around lately. But more importantly, if you have Instagram... follow me! Username: jaymeeryn

Tying the Knot: Engagement Pictures

When J and I went home to Colorado a few weeks ago it was all about the wedding. Wedding appointments, wedding dress shopping, wedding cake tasting. I think you get the point. 

One of my favorite parts about that weekend was that we got to meet with our photog, Josh of Ignite Images, and take our engagement pictures. 

I am absolutely thrilled with how they turned out and I cannot wait to enjoy them for years to come. I'm planning on using these pictures as our Save the Dates, giving some of them to family members as gifts and also making a photo book of all the pictures to use as our guest book at the wedding so I don't want to spoil the surprise later on.

.... but I figured a sneak peak of at least a few of the hundred images would be alright ;-)

Happy Wednesday everyone!

My Sweet, Sweet Boy

This post has been floating around in my head wanting to be written.... 

but my heart has been too sad. 

One week ago yesterday my mom said her (and our families) last goodbyes to our sweet boy Basil. 

It was almost 12 years to the day since we brought him home.... 

sometimes life just works in mysterious ways.

 Being in San Diego has made it hard for me to really realize that he's gone, to realize that he wont be there the next time I come home, loosing his balance on the wood floor in all his excitement. I wont be able to see his grayed face, ask him where his "dolly" is or share my bananas with him. 

 But I'll hold the memories of him close to my heart. I'll remember buying him his first kiddie pool for the summer, his shaved leg after surgery, and his kind way with our cat who never really liked him. I'll remember how hard I tried to convince my parents to let him sleep in my room and how since that first night he never slept anywhere else. 

 I'll remember him running along the fence barking, hiding under the deck when we weren't home and sunbathing until his heart was content. I'll remember his eager face waiting to come inside whenever he heard the garage door open. I'll remember his impeccable timing to always stand by his bowl for dinner at 5 o'clock each night. 

 I'll remember when he ate 3 dozen oatmeal cookies off the counter and didn't eat for 2 days after. I'll remember showing him off as a puppy to all my friends and how he brought my dad and I together all those years ago. I'll remember his keen sense of hearing whenever we were cutting veggies on the cutting board and how polite and gentle he always was.

I'll remember how he never really enjoyed playing fetch and how he'd much rather be sitting or laying by your side the whole day. I'll remember how he truly was a member of our family, not just our pet. I'll remember how he hated suitcases because he loved us so much and I will always remember how much I loved him. 

I know my mom made the right decision for him. I know it can be so easy to be selfish and not want them to go. But I also know that now he is his old self again, that he isn't suffering anymore and that he is the happy, wonderful, sweet, sweet boy that I love so dearly. 

He will always be my boy and I will always be his girl. 

I love you and I miss you Basil. 

Dear Monday

Dear Monday,
Thank you for not being too crazy today.
And for the extra 30 min of sleep.
And for being a slow day at work.
I needed this as I slide into the week.
Thanks,
End of Weekend

Dear April, 
Have you seen your friend March?
Because I swear that I didn't.
It can't really be you, can it?
With Concern,
Time-warped

Dear Basil,
I miss you already.
But I know this is exactly what you deserved.
You will always be my boy.
Love,
Your Girl

Dear Ollie, 
I swear sometimes you're part human.
How you know when I'm upset baffles me.
There's nothing quite like your fluffy hugs and you'll be getting lots of them.
Woof,
Momma

Dear J,

The support you've given me over the last few days means so much to me.

You always know just what to say,

and that is part of why I love you.

Yours Forever,

Peng

Dear San Diego, 

I do love you most of the time. 

But the fact that you're 1000 miles from my home plainly sucks. 

Can you pick up and move closer?

From, 

Homesick

Dear Adult Beverage, 
I am going to consume you tonight.
But only after I tutor.
Because that's the responsible thing to do.
Hugs,
Rough Day

Dear NCAA Championship Game
Please let the team I want win.
Sorry I can't tell you who, I don't want to step on toes.
But we could really use the $1000.
Sincerely,
KU or UK?

linking up with Megan