Shopping for School Supplies!

Freshly sharpened pencils, notebooks, erasers, paperclips...the essentials for starting the school year.  Definitely not the key words of June...and for sure the most empty aisle in the entire store!

Yet, as one of my school years comes to a close, another is just beginning.  Today I went out to buy a few things for Spain... I could probably buy it there (at a marked up price of course), but I want to come fully assembled, ready with everything.  Just in case.  That's just my style.

My goal was to get some skirts, sandals, all my school supplies, an umbrella, and some pjs for under $30 out of pocket.  And I did--very, very craftily.  So craftily in fact that I will tell you.

What I got:

• 2 pairs of Steve Madden Sandals
• 2 pairs of PJ pants (one short, one long) and a tank
• 2 skirts and 2 matching tops
• 2 notebooks, 1 hard-cover folder, 1 notepad, 40 mechanical pencils, eraser, metal clips, led refills, and post-it notes

What I got for my husband as part of his b-day present:

• 1 Collared Shirt
• 1 Graphic Tee
• Addis athletic shoes

How I did it:

• COINSTAR:  These machines ROCK.  You take all of your loose change sitting around the house dump it into one at your local grocery store and cash out.  The key is, most people want cash, and the machine takes 10% of your total.  No thank you!  To avoid this surcharge, take a giftcard.  It's 100% money in your pocket!  A mason jar on our table totaled over $70.  (We've been saving up for about a year or so).  Cha-ching!
• BECOME A TEACHER:  Basically, you can assume that all your students will fill your pockets with Target gift cards.  And this is a fact.  I had a few leftover from students just waiting for the taking.
• ROLLBACKS AND COUPONS:  Target does have lots of clearances... you just have to know where to look.  Don't buy your items as eye level (because they are the most expensive).  Lots of them have sticky coupons right on the items.  For example, some of the sticky, clear post-it notes had a coupon on it for $1 off, but it's on ANY of their products.  They put it on the most expensive one.  Take it off, and buy the cheapest one.  Easy! 
• REGISTER REWARDS:  Off Broadway shoes gives you 10% back of your previous total on your next purchase.  I had about $8 in rewards leftover.
• AAA: New York and Company gives you an automatic 30% off if you are a AAA member.  I used my expired card to get it because the lady was nice.  Yusss!  PJs were 50% off, plus my 30% off, making them 80% off!
• SHOP THE CLEARANCE RACK:  Ummm...duh? ;)

Here's the booty:

Gettin' ready for school!!  Can you tell I love color?

love&family :)

This weekend was a great one.  We flew into Baltimore, MD for Charlie's cousin's wedding.  It was a CRAZY afternoon, trying to get to the airport by 4:40pm, but we somehow managed.  I was worried about recreating a scene from Home Alone, but luckly, we avoided the frantic, airport mad-dash.

Baltimore is a beautiful place--- it's historic, trendy, and scenic.  I think I loved it so much because it reminded me of Europe? ;)   

We spent Friday evening at a bar downtown enjoying bluegrass music, crab cakes and family.  By all accounts a winning combination.  It was so good to see everyone and kick-back.  Sometimes being so far away from family I think it's easy to fall into a groove, work ourselves into the ground, and when we come up for air, we forget how good it feels.

The next day we spend touring Baltimore with the family! Our shirts were sticking to our backs and the overcast sky was somehow relentlessly sunny...but it was a great time.

The wedding the next day was beautiful...and I can honestly say that I danced to every song...which was the plan.  It was a blast.  It was held at a beautiful, historic home (where Will Smith got married) and the ceremony was in the outdoor garden.  The vows were lovely, the night was a blast, and it was well-worth our trip to see everyone and share in true love.  Who DOESN'T want to be a part of that?

Here's the happy couple!

The flight back home wasn't so perfect...we battled a 3 hour delay due to the weather, but no matter.  We had a deck of cards, good books, and a Droid Incredible.  There's nothing a little Double Bexley and Bejewled can't cure. ;)

25th birthday surprise.

I turned 25 on May 25th. My golden birthday! I knew the next weekend that Charlie had a surprise planned for me. He just told me: "I have all the plans taken care of. Trust me."

That's when my wheels started turning... in my normal "wifely" way.

A surprise? Are we going on vacation? How long will we be gone? Should we let the apartment know? Do I need to pack a bag? What do I wear? Do I need to grocery shop this week? Do I need to buy anything special? What will happen with Luna???

"Trust me, Kathryn."

"I know...but..."

I was excited but anxious about it because nothing seemed to be planned.  I hadn't seen Charlie working on anything!  Come Saturday afternoon, the day the "festivities" were about to begin, I was confused. Charlie told me noon, and then 5:00, and then 6:00, and then it was close to 7:00... I was getting mad. Where is the plan? Are we leaving? Did you actually plan ANYTHING!?!?!?

Then a got a text with this picture inside:

A late birthday text?  Still confused.

Then I realized (with Charlie's prompting), that was OUR APARTMENT DOOR! My best friend in the world, Susanna (and her new baby and her sister!) had driven all the way from Michigan to surprise us for the weekend!! I couldn't believe it. I cried when I opened the door-- The best birthday present EVER!

I hadn't met her son, Sam before...but I loved him instantly.  Just as an "Aunt Kathryn" should.  I don't think you realize, until someone really close to you has a baby, how incredible they are and how special the gift of being a mother is.  It was so moving to see Susanna and how she has grown as a mother... and share that with her.  Sam's little smile melted me away!

The first day we went to the pool and soaked up the sun. :)  Sam got to go in the water for the first time!  Dinner was a night uptown.

The next day we went to Discovery Place and messed around like kids.

 I feel so thankful and blessed to have shared these precious moments with my best friend as she raises her son and spend such concentrated time together when there are normally so many miles between us :)

Sigh.  Did it really have to end?