Easter Sunday With The Family

It has become a family tradition that Di's parents (the other grandparents) host Easter dinner. They live in our town so there is virtually no travel involved. This is a very casual family get together and the meal is potluck so no one person gets stuck with all the cooking. Even Junior contributed a lamb cake from a local bakery.

Beth and Wullie each hunted for an Easter basket that Grandma #2 & I put together. Of course the baskets have been recycled for years. We included dollar store goodies and some of the freebies we have recently received. Wullie got the little football Grandpa brought home from his work. And they each got a book from that wonderful Freecycle giveaway.
There is nothing like being together with the ones we love for a holiday celebration. We are blessed that our family lives close to us and we can share these special times. And the fact that Di's folks also embrace frugality and enjoy a simple gathering makes it all the more memorable.
__________________________________________________

I Started My Christmas Shopping!

I started my Christmas shopping this week! I found these puzzles at our local super market for only 75 cents a piece - that's cheaper than the dollar store! I know they were on sale as Easter basket fillers but I plan to sit on them until December. Beth and Wullie love puzzles and do well with ones that have 25 pieces. The puzzles I just purchased have 100 pieces and are for ages 5 and up. By the holidays the kids will be ready for a bigger challenge.

A Visit To Sparrows Nest

While out running errands the other day I decided to stop at The Sparrows Nest - the thrift store in the next town. It's not an establishment I frequent because I seldom find anything to purchase there. The prices are too high for most items (in a lot of cases Wal-Mart or Target will be cheaper). However, a quick peek once in awhile might be worth my time. It's a nice, clean, large store and everyting is neatly displayed.
I am always disappointed with housewares - if there is anything vintage it has an antique store price attached. Books, both adult and children's, had nothing to offer. There was no fabric, no craft supplies and of course no toys as that is store policy. Finally I looked through clothing. I did find this darling Cherokee spring jacket for Beth. Pretty good timing with Easter almost here. Priced at $3 - ouch! But, it is like new - perhaps never worn - so I could justify the cost. It's a tad big on my granddaughter so she should get a couple years wear out of it - it was a good find - my only find.

Birthday Parties For The Prince And Princess

Beth and Wullie's birthdays are only two weeks apart. Their parents insist they each have their own party and enjoy being the center of attention on their special day. The celebrations were simple but fun and there were tons of presents - what more could a 3 year old and 4 year old want?



The only thing my son splurged on was balloons and a canister of helium. Birthday cakes were homemade. Dinner was a make your own sandwich. Di made a cold-cut tray instead of paying a ridiculous amount for one of those ready made party platters.



The freebie candy dispenser that Grandpa got from his work was a big hit with both kids. Chocolate covered peanuts - yum!

Frugal Grandpa Has Retired!

Frugal Grandpa has retired! This was a long time in coming. He could have quit his job several years ago but opted to continue working. His co-workers are a fine group of hard working, dedicated individuals who have helped make his job a very satisfying one. But, alas, after 27 years of service it was time to call it quits - time to relax a bit and say good-bye to the old alarm clock.
Did Grandpa get a nice gold watch after 27 years of service? Ah, NO. Did he get a farewell dinner? Ah, NO, but that was Grandpa's choice. He knows well that some of the gals in the office would not attend because they need to go home to their families after work. He requested a nice lunch instead so everyone would be able to enjoy it. A huge Chinese/Thai buffet was provided along with a chocolate chip cookie cake from Mrs. Field's for desert.

If Frugal Grandpa was a Rolex type of guy I am sure the company would have presented him with a gold watch - they truly have valued his work and devotion to the company. But Grandpa has more of a Timex personality. I was astounded at all the wonderful, practical gifts he did receive, not only from the company but also from his co-workers.

Grandpa received a service award for his 27 years with the company. It's quite an impressive plaque - love the Art Deco look of the display stand.

This Spring floral arrangement is gorgeous! Doubt it will last through Easter but we will keep it as fresh as possible as long as we can.

Grandpa is going to get a lot of use from his new Werner Telescoping Multiladder. It has come in handy already.

Knowing that Grandpa loves to grill he received a gift card from Omaha Steaks.

And good cooks need good tools. This Premium BBQ Tool Set from Smart BBQ will get a lot of use.
Last but not least, Grandpa got some cold hard cash - gotta love it!
Grandpa really appreciated the thoughtfulness of his co-workers and all their well wishes for a happy retirement.
So, what will Grandpa do now? Spend more time with the grandchildren. Help the boys with home improvement projects. Work on my "honey do" list. And accept handyman jobs - he already has several lined up. He wants to learn more about the computer. And next Fall we will have lots of company to entertain. And he thinks he's going to relax - HA!!!
Oh yes, we also have more time now for romance. Listen, we might be old but we are not dead! That's what makes the golden years golden! As long as our good health prevails we are going to enjoy retirement to the fullest. We have much to look forward to!

Our Gift Giving Strategy For The Grandkids

Our gift giving strategy for our grandchildren is very simple. #1 Come Christmas and birthdays we deposit money in their savings accounts. Sonny and Junior do the same. #2 We shop all year for incredible bargains to give as gifts so the kids have a few things to open. Just before Christmas I get out all the goodies accumulated over the last twelve months. I divide the booty between Christmas, birthdays and Easter (Beth and Wullie have birthdays early in the year so this works out really well). So far I have found we accumulate enough gifts without going overboard.

Bargain hunting is an art with a bit of luck thrown in (so ok, a lot of luck helps!). I shop at garage sales, church and school rummage sales, and resale/thrift shops. I look for retail store sales and never pass up a freebie.

Garage sales rock! I guess we are lucky to live in an area where sales are plentiful during the warmer months. Finding new things in original packaging is rare but not impossible. I also snatch up anything in like new condition.



I got Beth this Little Mermaid tote for only $1. It's in like new condition without the tags. I figured it would be the perfect beach bag for swim wear and towel. Ariel happens to be her favorite Disney Princess so this was a great find.

We have two thrift shops within 10 miles from our home. I occasionally am able to find some clothes for the grandkids but nothing in the line of toys. In fact one shop completely quit selling toys because customers were using the store as a play area and it was chaos. Can't blame the store for this decision but it's a bummer for me.

I love church and school rummage sales. Although I found very little in the line of gifts last year I did get some nice items to list on Ebay and Etsy.

Retail store sales are great if you happen to be in the right place at the right time. I was lucky enough to hit the 80% off rack at Target a month ago - Wullie will be getting pajamas and a couple zipped sweatshirts with hoods for his birthday.

FREE is the magic word. We never pass up a freebie (with the exception of pets). I posted about the wonderful books we got off Freecycle.org recently. Another website I have been using these past few months is totallyfreecrap.com. There is no guarantee you will receive the item you sign up for but I feel it's worth taking a chance. So far I have gotten three items - a baby bowl from Beechnut with cereal coupon, a baseball cap from Ridgid and a knit winter hat from Mikita - very nice items.

The other day Grandpa came home from work with this candy dispenser full of chocolate covered peanuts. It was from a temp agency. I was really amazed - it's the nicest freebie he has ever received. Usually sales reps will give a small bag of candy or popcorn - never anything that nice. Maybe, it is a sign of the times - as the economy worsens salesmen are working harder to attract business. We decided it would make a great birthday gift for Wullie - he can't read yet so who cares about the advertisement on the top. And every little three year old needs to be hyped up on sugar on his birthday - right? The little football was also an advertising freebie from a shipping company - we are saving it for Wullie's Easter basket.

As long as our grandchildren are young our frugal shopping strategy has worked wonderfully. The kids don't want anything in particular - they are just very happy with what they receive. And with two sets of Grandparents and many aunts and uncles they get plenty. They have no clue what lucky children they are. As Grandparents we must teach them to appreciate their many blessings.

Books From Freecycle

One of my favorite websites is Freecycle.org. Here members can list stuff no longer needed that can be passed onto others. The idea is to find new homes for unwanted items so they don't end up in a landfill. Members can also post things they wish to receive.
When I joined Freecycle a couple years ago my hope was to occasionally acquire clothing for my grandchildren. Having a few extra shirts, pants and pajamas to keep at my house would come in very handy indeed. So far - ziltch. That's not to say that clothing hasn't been offered - it has. But this Grandma is always too slow on the draw. By the time I respond to an offering it has already been promised. I have even wished for items a few times but there wasn't any response. Augh! but I will keep on trying because you just never know.
Last week a member offered a bag full of children's books. Ooooooh, I was salivating at the thought of this offer - this is the first time books have been offered and being a bit of a biblio nut I was really hoping. Of course I was yet again too slow. The books had been promised but I was informed that I was second on the list. If the original respondent didn't show up they would be offered to me. I figured that was the end of it. After all, who could pass up a bag of children's books? So I put it out of my mind. Well, surprise, surprise, a couple days later I learned there had been a no show - the books were mine - all MINE!!!!
Picking up the books was so easy. The offeree lives just down the road from me. Freecycle encourages anonymity for safety reasons. So there was no direct contact with the person. The books were left outside - the bag was marked with my name - I stopped and picked up my new literary treasures.
Opening up that bag when I got home was like having Christmas all over again - the books are absolutely wonderful. Half of them look like they just walked out of Barnes and Nobel. Be still my frugal heart! It was just too much fun sorting the stories out. I have decided which books will soon become birthday gifts and Easter basket fillers. I have put some aside for next Christmas - not only for Beth and Wullie but for the new royal baby that will join the family next Fall. A few books will be saved for when the kids get older. The rest are now on our bookshelf. You can never have too many fairy tales!
I have only received a few things through Freecycle - guess our needs are pretty simple so I am not looking for much. But, these books were absolutely fantastic! And, the best part is, once the kids have outgrown the stories, they will be Freecycled again. Books are too precious to throw away. I LOVE Freecycle!