He's Baaaaaack!

When Mr. Bunny showed up Missing last night I put some signs out by my mailbox asking "Please Bring Back our Bunny!" DH laughed - told me I was being silly. Ha Ha. Today we came home from errand running and low and behold, Mr. Bunny is standing on the front porch. His foot is broken and he needs a new paint job. But, he's back. It's nice to have him back, but mostly my faith is restored and I no longer think I have vigilantes and thieves running amuck up and down my street waving handguns and stealing garden statues.

Somebody ELSE got a Great Deal!

I am so MAD! Last night I notcied that my all time favorite garden statue is GONE! Stolen from in front of my house. It was a three foot tall concrete Jack Rabbit. I stopped at a charity sale late in the day and spied him under a table. Knowing he was out of my price range, I asked "How much?" anyway and "$2.00" was the magical reply that came back to my ears. I once saw a two or three year old boy stop and kiss that same rabbit on the top of his head then bid him farewell as he went on. I looked him up on ebay once and he was worth about $150.00-$200.00 because is was vintage and fabulaous. I am mad that someone stole him but I am even madder that someone violated me and came to steal him. This wasn't a person walking by - he weighed about 50 lbs. so it took some work to steal him. I don't care if it was a dumb teenage prank or a serious thief. It was WRONG! Bring back my RABBIT!

Back From Vacation

We got back last night from our little trip. My Mom and I ditched, er, uh, left behind, our husbands and took my DS and went on a little trip. We went back to where we lived when I was five to see family and do touritsy stuff. Well, we got there and it was hot. And I mean HOT. It was hot here too, but it said it was 117 on the rear view mirror in my car. That is hot. We would go to our first touristy spot then we would see how far we had to walk to get to it and how hot it was, etc. and then we would go on to the next one and do the same thing.

We ended up going to two different grocery stores, Deal$ and to Goodwill twice. Boy, do I know how to live it up or what? We also visited with family a lot and kind of enjoyed our hotel room mostly. I had earned a free night with Hyatt hotels so we used that four our first night there. The bill was $300.00 for the next three nights, so we figured we might as well stay and enjoy it and get out money out of it. We blasted the A/C full blast. We stayed at an Ameri-Suites which is great because you have the bedroom area with two beds and the bathroom then you have a living area with a pull-out couch and a chair and coffee table. Then there is a kitchenette area with a mini fridge and microwave. They even leave service for four in dishes, glasses and silverware. In the mornings they have a huge FREE bountiful breakfast buffet of all sorts of fresh fruits, yogurt, pastries, bagels, sausage, eggs, homemade do-it-yourself waffle bar, juice, coffee, etc. Just tons of food. DS and I went down and got plates of stuff and brought it up to the room for all of us. I'm not a big breakfast eater so I would get yogurt and oranges to eat later. I did make one of those huge waffles once. It was good. On Wednesday nights the manager has a reception with free food too. They didn't have much but did have the hottest hot wings I had ever eaten, chips and dip and veggies.

We went to Goodwill twice. The first time I scored a great rubber face bunny girl doll from the 1940's-1950's. I had sold a rubber faced teddy bear similar to this several years back to someone in Japan for $287.00. I was pretty excited to find her. The market isn't that high anymore, but she might still make $100.00 Sadly, I am in love with her though. (Must sell, must sell...). The had an "antiques" section up front where they had items marked as OLD and priced higher. I saw a rubber elephant but it was $7.98 and it was more of a squeak toy that anything else so I passed. I noticed later a lady behind me at the knick knack section had it in her cart. later I spotted her behind me in the toy section and agian in the clothing section. She was following me! She never took her eyes off my bunny doll the whole time. I even laid her (the bunny doll - misplaced modifier there) down a couple times in front of me just to see the light in her eye shine like I was ditching her. Not! When we checked out she was checking out in front of us. She just kept looking at my bunny over and over. So, I know I got a deal. By the way, she was only $1.48.

I also bought a microwave popcorn popper that looks like a glass coffee decanter with a lid on it. We already tried it out today and it made great popcorn plus you can put the amount of salt and butter on it that you want instead of it being sooooo buttery and salty. That cost $1.48 too. It says you can make pasta, rice, baked apples and steamed veggies in it too. I also bought a carnival dog from the 1950's that is filled with sawdust for stuffing. Not sure if he is collectible or not, but he was cheap (yep, you guessed it, $1.48) so I bought him too. I know he is worth more than that.

We went to this great Dillon's store. I talk about my Dillon's on here a lot, but it is really small. This one was HUGE and had great stuff. The best part was in the deli they had a "Chinese Kitchen" where you could get authentic Chinese food to go. We bought some Crab Rangoon. They were 2/$1.00 and they were as big as my fist and so good. That could get addicting. When we were leaving I noticed the Lottery Kiosk so I stopped to get in on the Powerball. We don't have the lottery here in the Bible Belt of Arkansas so I have to get it when I am in MO, OK or KS. I also bought five $1.00 scratch offs and won back $2.00. Then I traded that in for one $2.00 ticket and won $10.00 on that. So, I doubled my $5.00 in less than three minutes. I wish I could have done that with a thousand instead! I used one of my FIVE FREE Cokes coupons and the checker didn't have a clue what to do with it. So, clueless coupon checkers are everywhere. That's a relief!

It seems when you are on vacation all you do is worry about your next meal. I often gripe about cooking and thinking of dinner here at home. But, it is a lot nicer than trying to decide where to go and what to have at a resturant a couple of times a day. Not to mention handing out cash for food all the time! We did go to the gorcery store and buy sandwich stuff and lots of snacks for the room. That's half the fun of travelling - snacks and bad TV!

Oh yeah, yesterday morning when we finally came down form the fifth floor and stepped outside to load up and go home we were very upset to find that the tepmerature was only 67 degrees! Argh. As we travelled home it kept rising until it hit 98 degrees. Today it is 77degrees so that is better.

DS and I went to get the car ready for our vacation today. We had the oil changed and got new filters in the car so we "good to go." We have a Saturn VUE. I can'tremember if I have ever discussed Saturn on here or not. If you need a wonderfully reliable comfortable new car at a good price - go to Saturn. They are so fair to everyone - same pricing no matter who you are or waht you look like, etc. We got our VUE with no down payment, no trade in and we got 0% financing. And, believe it or not, I acutually had a $1000.00 coupon that they applied to the sticker price.

After we left the Saturn Dealership we went to Hobby Lobby since it is right next door. Right inside the door they had all their 4th of July merchandise for 80% off. I tried to walk by. I tried not to look. But, something caught my eye. I bought a life size stuffed Uncle Sam for $3.98. He was $19.99. He will look great sitting on the bench in the front yard. I also found a gazing ball that is made of mosiac to looklike a flag. It was $17.99 so I only paid $3.58 for it. I like a certain amount of patriotic stuff out all year long. Not Uncle Sam per say, but the gazing ball will work all year long.

I'll be without a computer for most of the next week which is sure to cause withdrawls, I am sure! It seems like hotels would have computers in them by now!

Went to my favorite thrift today. They still have the great prices of 15¢, 25¢, 35¢, etc. Clothes are 25¢ to $1.00. Today all clothes werem $2.00 for a Wal-Mart bag full. I bought two bags for $4.00 and must have gotten about 15 items. I alos bought a really cool colorized 1950's photo of a baby. Too cute! Also three ruby red rocks glasses that I might use for candleholders instead for 15¢ each and two nice vintage tins for flour and sugar for 25¢ each. Thought about reselling the tins, but might keep them for my flour and sugar instead. Unless there worth a mint, that is. ha ha.

I am known at the most trusted Mom in town. For instance - I am at the library right now for the Summer Reading Program. I brought my DS. I also brought my firends daughter and son. Then my other friend came in to the library with a flat tire and had to go have it fixed. So, I am in charge of her two until she gets back. She wanted me to take them home with me, but I can't fit five kids in my car! So, hopefully, she will b e right back so I can return the other two to their house and go home with my one and only son! Who knew I needed a cargo van for extra kids???

I had a job interview on Thursday for the school. It was for the "Parent-Volunteer Coordinator." After going to the job interview and realizing what they expected me to do - be forceful and authorative and travel a couple weeks a year - I decided I wasn't interested in the job. I went to tell the Superintendent to withdraw my name and he announced they had decided to hire the other person. Doh! He said she had some experience doing a similar job, so that is great. He did offer me a different job at the lower Elementary School working in the library. I have volunteered in the library a lot and love working there. But, DH and I decided that this might not be the best time for me to get a job what with DS starting Middle School and needing homework help, etc. I am known for volunterring a lot and he wants me to be able to volunteer at his new school just as much as at his old school. And I am going to chair the Teacher Appreciation committee for the PTSA, so I will be known at his school too.

And......If I had a REAl job.......I wouldn't be able to seek out all my thrfit store deals. Say it ain't so Joe!

Thursday morning DS and I went to the CHEAP thirft that I love so much. They had just put out all these great brand new shirts in DS's size - Croft and Barrow, Polo, Ralph Lauren, Old Navy, etc. He got seven nice new polo style shrts from 25¢-$1.00 each. Great back to school clothes at an even better price! I bought a bunch of stuff for resell and to keep, but nothing worth a zillion bucks or anything.

Friday DS and I went to the Salvation Army, the Atic thrift Store and a garage sale. DS found a nice vintage Selsi telescope at a thrift. I was amazed it was only $1.00. We checked out the moon and Saturn Friday night. I also found him 19 of the Magic Treehouse Series books for 25¢ each at the S.A. I bought some ohter misc. things, but nothing to get excited about. I'm in the market for a new super speedy computer to get my ebay stuff going on ebay fast. Since I'm not going to get a "real" job - I still like to make my ebay money. It helps me with my thirfting money and fun money to blow with DS on the weekends and summer.

We're travelling to Toepka, KS next week for a week. Plan on hitting a lot of BIG thrift stores while we are there. I won't have a lot of spare room in the car for big stuff, but would love to find a great deal! A few years ago I bought a 1972 Crissy doll in Topeka at the SA for $1.27. I sold her for $100.00 -Buy It Now - on ebay. That helped pay for the trip! You never know when you might find a piece of Maria pottery or Murano glass or...I can dream, can't I?

Hershey's Take 5 Candy Bars

I am a BzzzAgent and they recently sent me a box of Hershey's Take 5 Candy Bars. I'm supposed to eat one and pass the rest out. Which, of course, I will do. But, since I can't GIVE each of you a candy bar - I wanted to urge you to try one if you haven't. They have a nice salty pretzel inside instead of nougat or a cookie. I like a like a little saltiness with my sweetness when I have a treat anyway. They are really good! If you have tried them, leave a comment so I can report it in my Bzz Campaign. If you want more info on becoming a BzzAgent click here for more information: www.bzzagent.com