Good food, good company, good buy...

My hubby's family and I have been wanting to do some kind of ladies day/night out. So I took it upon myself to start one. We all agreed to have it on each of our birthday months. For August, it was my mother-in-law and my nephews girlfriend, whom we celebrated. We also decided to have lunch instead of dinner, so we can shop or have the rest of the day to do what we needed to. It worked out great. We went to Sizzler and it was Yuh-hu-mmy!!! The conversation was fun and it just was a good time to spend with each other.

Tammy, Lizzy, Spring, Ember, Marcia, me, Jill & Angie

My niece, Ember, with her swordfish impression

My niece, Lizzy, loving Ember's swordfish impression

After lunch everyone went their own way and did their own thing, but my mother-in-law and I went yard sale shopping. I love yard sales, finding treasures for a great price is my kind of shopping. My mom-in-law has to be the best bargain shopper I know, at least when it comes to yard sales or thrift stores. A good friend of mine, Janene, has to be the best department store shopper I know. Below are the treasures I found.

I've needed an 11x14 frame for this photo of the LDS First presidency, but haven't really gotten on the ball in doing so and when I finally think about it, it's too late. But I bought this frame (without the picture, of course) for one dollar. I got a steal of a deal, cause the frame is really strong and sturdy, the glass gives any picture a matted look. Doesn't it look great?

I have always loved Americana anything. In our old house our living room was all decked out with Americana stuff. In our home that we are finishing up, we are having one of the family rooms with the same theme. So when I saw these two things, I had to get it. The star/flag/heart thing-a-ma-jig was one dollar and the other frame w/heart (says UNITED WE STAND), was two dollars and both are in awesome condition.

I love pitchers, especially unique ones. I love having them for baby or bridal showers. They make for a simple, but classy look. But I also love using them for vases/centerpieces in my home. I bought this beautiful pitcher for two dollars. Isn't it darling?

Last year, I went "after Christmas shopping," and found a 7ft. Christmas tree for five dollars. I wanted a whole new theme for this new tree that we scored and wanted all the ornaments different. I did get jack-pot deals on ornaments and lights at the store. But I found these ornaments at a yard sale and got all of them for three dollars, that's twenty-five cents a piece.

This Americana candle holder, I got for five dollars. I got a deal for sure, I saw a similar candle holder, but not as cute as this one, for twenty-five dollars. Twenty dollar difference, you bet your bottom, I'm taking this one. It looks even better with a candle inside of it, lit up.

O.k. my parents have the average height kitchen counter of 36 inches, as most homes do. But they have 30 inch stools, which make it for an uncomfortable place to sit at. I told my dad that there are stools out there, made for counters, like theirs and that he should get them. He told me, that if I wanted them, that I should get them myself. I priced them out at a few places and the cheapest I could find them was at Wal-mart, for $38.88. I wasn't about to make a purchase of one hundred and sixty dollars for four stools, especially for their home. Maybe for my own home, but for theirs, no thanks(please don't judge me). So when I saw these two, they were priced out at three dollars each, but the lady who was having the yard sale, told me that she would give them both to me for five dollars flat. They are 24 inches tall and a perfect fit for my parents counters. I just need to find two more, hopefully for a good price. Wish me luck.

I have always loved antique organs, like the one below. My aunt Vicki has one in her home and it's a great conversation starter, all the history it has and the fun sounds it makes. My mother and father-in-law bought one last summer for thirty dollars, they had intended to give it as a Christmas gift for my nephew, Skyler, but they also found a gum ball machine for twenty-five dollars and gave my nephew the choice of either the organ or gum ball machine, he chose the gum ball machine and my mother-in-laws friends saw the organ and took it. When I saw this organ, I really wanted it, but was afraid to ask how much they were selling it for. So my mother-in-law did it for me, thank goodness for her. The lady there said it was twenty-five dollars, but if I would be able to take it off her drive way right then, that I could buy it for fifteen dollars and so I did.

My whole yard sale shopping total came to (drum roll please), a whopping $34.00, isn't that wonderful? I think that they are all a huge blessing for such a small price. I will be yard sale shopping every Saturday, until fall begins and I will keep you updated on any more treasures I find.