Coupons, Dirt, and Other Random Love

Welcome to a rendition of random. 

For real, I am not becoming an extreme couponer.  That was a joke.  But, I have started using coupons when they make sense for an item I need and use.  I have also started saving the little stamps that The Market Basket gives out.  Collect so many to lick and stick on a card and then voila, each card equals one dollar off your next gas purchase.  Sometimes they have deals on food too, but I have noticed they usually place the coupons on processed not real boxed food which I tend to steer clear from.  So I use these cards for gas.  Well actually I haven't really used them yet because I find it oddly satisfying to have a stack of them all clipped up with a cute clip.  Plus the deep down nerd that lives in me thinks it might be fun to save up enough to make a whole gas purchase FREE.  Wouldn't that be worth a donkey kick?! 

Like I said, I steer clear from most processed foods.  Remember my mantra is -- if it came from the ground or had a mother, I'll eat it.  BUT.  Last Saturday when I was at the farm, Momma Debi had these crackers out and I actually could read all of the ingredients on the box and they are yummy.  So I had some that day and then I told her I was taking the rest home.  They are scrumptious with cottage cheese or really any kind of cheese.  Although, the men in my family did not like them.  So know they are probably a girly cracker.  

The reason I was at the farm last Saturday was to plant garden.  And weed the strawberry bed.  That was first on the agenda.  It surprises me I haven't done this whole gardening thing before because it is right up my alley to pick all of those pesky weeds out of where they do not belong to end up with something all neat and clean.  Very satisfying to my inners. 

The garden is officially planted and let's hope it doesn't drown before it has a chance to shine.  I'll say it again that I'm surprised I haven't done this whole gardening thing before because being outside and having dirt under my fingernails is my idea of a pretty fabulous Saturday afternoon.  My parents have always been gardeners and my grandparents were gardeners and now I'm a gardener.  Full circle.   

Momma D. was schooling me in garden know how.  For instance, place a coffee can around the plants for two reasons: one, it keeps the cut worms out and two, it helps the water and fertilizer stay right by the plant to soak in instead of spreading out.  But coffee doesn't come in cans anymore.  Now it comes in plastic.  Momma Debi has held on to those old Folger's cans like they are gold and I rather enjoy their vintage look. 

I only hope that I will like the picking, cleaning, canning, freezing aspects of the garden as much as I like the dirt.  

There has been an over abundance of not sunny days this summer.  Otherwise known as rainy days.  On those rainy days, I feverishly attacked all cupboards, closets, drawers, corners, ledges, niches, shelves in my house.  And I made my way through them all.  I'm completely organized up.  Everything in its place without any rif-raf hanging around.  

In doing all of that organizing, I came to the realization that I want to spruce up my office a bit.  Make it more inspiring and less -here lives a desk, a chair, and a computer.  I found this piece of paper when I was cleaning out my clothes closet.  Apparently this spoke to me at one time because I've held on to it.  So, I'm thinking something along these lines for my office.  Cheap and easy with using items I already have lying around.  I can just picture all my fun office supplies that have been collected over the years sorted into jars.   

Yesterday, I met Sister Pister at Hobby Lobby to help her start a project and I ran across these baskets on clearance for the price that you can find in loose change in your couch.  These have already found a home in my office.  Jars and baskets.  Check YES.  

Last night, amidst three little girls playing dress up and running through the grass, a bonfire crackling, a more than adorable baby being passed around and snuggled, nineties country music playing, wine glasses clinking, friends visiting, and the sun setting, I had a moment of - When did we get to this goodness?  It was an evening that was a poster for this is what you finally get to after high school drama and college studying and job hunting and grad school writing.  You get to the good stuff.  The summer evenings of carefree.  

Wine was the drink of choice last night and we all know I am a marketer's dream.  All about the labels and packaging and pretty.  I ran across this when I was buying wine and have no idea if it tastes good but I loved the look of it.  

Maybe I should be in marketing because it's the little details that I notice like the old school bike on the cap and the color combination of orange with red and the saying "follow your folly."  I sure hope it tastes as good as it looks and isn't like when you were a kid and you dumped the cereal out to get the toy at the bottom only to realize it was the size of your thumb nail and didn't really talk on its own.   

Coupons, playing in the dirt, organizing scarves, cute jars and baskets, summer drinks...

My life makes so much sense.  

Uffda.