There is a reason for the Christmas Photo

Stay tuned.

Disclaimer: All photos were taken by me, the whole me, nothing but the me, Jellytea!

Next Post - All About Shopping. Until then...

In my Google reader, there are over 1000 current posts at any given time. Most are passable and I don't ever regret "marking all as read." Yet there are several blogs that I have to read every post, every time the author writes. Such a blog is Afrobella . I like reading/watching this lady because she seems to be a welcome non-crazy in the sometimes coocoo world of that is "African-American,/Black girl natural hair." This vivacious bella behind the afro scored an impromtu interview with my idol, Rachel Roy. This alone is read worthy but the topic of plus-sized fashion got my juices flowing and I joined the cause and decided on an additional way for my blog to make an impact.  Like I said, I am still an infant blogger. This blog may go places I never intend. Please just enjoy the ride.

So welcome to my first Outfit of the Day post and I will explain why... 

I'm on Bloglovin

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Hey all, just checking in. I will be posting lots soon. Just wanted to let you know I'm now on Bloglovin. Add me if you have an account.

Peace & Blessings

What I Buy When I Don't Spend

I've been gone for a few dear readers, busy preparing for returning to work. Once I have my groove in place, I plan to regularly update this blog. This is different type of entry one I think is very important in the infancy of this blog. I am a consumerist. Yet my consumption is to fulfill needs that I feel are essential to my being. Everything I buy is with good reason. I do not shop for shopping's sake. That being said, I am somewhat frugal in my pursuit if a good time. You should spend the day with me. I know how to save money and I know how to get what I want. 

This leads me to yesterday. I had a lovely day with my mom and daughter yesterday. We drove down a couple of miles down PCH, (Pacific Coast Highway,) just to enjoy the ocean view. We went to the Pacific Mammal Rescue Center in Laguna Beach, (totally free to view the sea lions and other rescued animals,) only to find that we had gotten there too late. So we just turned around and went to Laguna Main Beach and played in the water. We had fun chasing the pelicans and the waves. My mom took pictures. The cheap day will be one we'll remember for a lifetime. I have many days like this especially since I haven't yet returned to work. I spent $2.00 on parking. Since I have a toddler and I try not to buy fast food or spend unnecessarily, I always pack mini meals in my purse. Unless I make plans to go eat, I rarely spend money on food outside of the home. 

Coincidentally I came across an article today, over at Lifehacker.com, that stated

Spending on Experiences Instead of Possessions Results in More Satisfaction (click the link to go over to the article.) I have to agree with this. Even though I write a blog "What I Buy," most of my expenses, (other than necessities and bills,) come from spending on creating memories. 

For example, for my daughter's birthday, I made sure that the day would result in memories instead of stuff. We had a beautiful day at Tanaka Farms in Irvine, a beautiful organic farm, where my daughter and her guests were treated to a hay ride, freshly picked organic fruits and vegetables, and everyone got their own mini watermelon to take home. I'm not going to do an inventory on this, as I think it would be tacky, but it was an inexpensive way to celebrate and thank family and friends for being a part of our lives.

We had a ball. Although my daughter loves her gifts, even at two years old, all she can talk about is the tractor and the watermelons. I think this is a tradition I want to continue. I did not buy my daughter anything other than the party for her birthday. I think that I will use the day to create memories that she will share with her friends and family once I am gone. 

Don't get me wrong, I like stuff. Things I purchase bring me pleasure in some way or another. But I have become so much more aware of creating memories and traditions after becoming a widow and a mother that I try to ensure my dollar does more than it used to. 

So what I buy when I do not spend is memories and experiences that I can reflect on and give me pleasure for a lifetime. Hopefully more of my money from when I do spend will do the same. 

For more info on Tanaka Farms, please visit: www.tanakafarms.com

For more info on Pacific Marine Mammal Rescue center in Laguna Beach, CA, please visit: 

www.pacificmmc.org

Date with Daughter, Consignment, and Chanel!

Hi everyone! (crickets) hehehe, that's ok. I have to start somewhere, so I'm not upset that I have an audience of one. (Thanks for adding me!) Oh wait, maybe an audience of 2, my sister. Thanks for reading :)

Why would someone blog about shopping? Well if you haven't figured out by now, I love to shop. Some people like to cook, some like to read, others like to play video games. I like to shop. Or should I say, hunt. That's it, I like to hunt. Hunt for the next, well, the next whatever. The next bargain, the next undiscovered local shop, the next great product, the next cool travel spot.

I have been unable to hunt for sometime now. Yes I know I have already posted about my grocery store hauls and etc. But the real hunts are non-existent at the moment. I am studying for some exams and I have a deadline to meet, so I have not really left the house at all lately. Plus, I am on a very extreme budget so my expenditures have been rather utilitarian. I am saying this to apologize and to say hang in there, I will shop again! I hope this blog turns into a "what's good now, where to go, what to try, etc," type of blog that will appeal to the inner hunter in my reader's souls.

But guess what? I did get to do a little shopping today. Yeaa! Not only did I get to shop, but I did it with my special little bitty. My little one is growing like a weed and her shoes seem as though they are shrinking over night. She has grown two shoe sizes in less than 2 months. Could you imagine your foot growing that fast? Amazing. She has yet to reach two, but her feet are almost as big as a kindergarteners. Hopefully this means she will be tall and not just a Bigfoot like her mommy :) I buy her good shoes, just as I do for myself. I am a very good shopper and I also resale anything I can. So we bought some quality shoes from Bergstrom's Children Store in Irvine, for 20%-50% off, and if she grows out of them in a couple of weeks, I can sell them at my local shop, Newport Kids Consignment.

Ahh how I love Newport Kids Consignment. I love it for the obvious reasons: I can make money off of my gently used items and I can save money by purchasing gently used goods. But if you haven't figured out by reading my posts, I am sort of granola. Not in the hippy way, but definitely in the "I care about my environment" sort if way. I care about waste in all kinds of different areas. So buying and selling and donating goods is one of the ways I control my family's impact on the Earth. So thank you Cindy for your lovely store. Ok, off the box and back to the good stuff!

I had a ball on my date with the baby. We went shopping, rode a carousel, and made a ruckus at the dinner table at yummy Z'Tejas. I even treated myself to some items from the new Fall 2010 Chanel cosmetics line. I did not buy all the items I wanted. (I am extremely loyal to my Neiman Marcus friend/salesperson, Denise, so yeah, the damage could have been substantial if I didn't want to buy from her.) But all in all, today was a little victory for patience, my budget, and willpower. Yeaaa me!

The urge to review my purchases is strong in this one. Maybe later. For now I need to get back to my studies. Please comment or ask any questions if you have any. Thanks!


7/10/2010 Date w/my daughter

Bloomingdale's

Chanel Eyeshadow - Vert Khaki 28.5
Chanel Blush - Rose Temptation 42
Chanel Nail Polish - Paradoxal 23

Checkcard Transaction $101.68 w/tax

Bergstrom's Childrens Store

See Kai Run - Pink Fisherman Sandals 30.38
PediPed - Olivia Shoes - Bright Fushia 15.29
Squeakers - SIlver Sandals w/glitter 25.58

Checkcard Transaction $77.48 total w/tax

Z'Tejas Restaurant

Smoked Chicken Chili Relleno* 12.99
Kids Grilled Chicken w/macaroni & veges 0

Cash Transaction $17.00 w/tax and tip

South Coast Plaza Carousel

Two Rides on Merry-go-Around (priceless) 2

Cash Transaction $2.00 total

Total $198.16

* Grilled poblano pepper stuffed with chicken, pecans, apricots, raisins, a blend of spices and Jack cheese, served over a green chile and picante cream sauce with green chile rice and black beans (Z'Tejas, 2010, ztejas.com)

4th of July Eve Purchases

Happy Independence Day America! What's everyone up to? My life is definitely different now that I am a mother. I remember holiday weekends past of barely sleeping from all the partying. Now all I want to do is sleep and I get fussy that the partying is cutting into my sleep time. hehe. Of course here I am a 3 am writing a blog, but I am also up studying from some exams. I needed a little break from the monotony.

Well I think I have a reader, at least my sister made a comment about my shopping list. I am pleased that my peeps in the forest really do make a sound. That being said, I look forward to seeing my sister and my niece, who I haven't seen in a few months. They are making the trip to the beach and I think I will take my daughter on her first bus ride to meet them down there. That way I can avoid all the crazy beach parking. I hope the logistics work out. Do you take strollers on buses or should I just carry her? This is why people spend so much money on convenience. I will probably end up driving a few miles to the beach, paying some crazy parking fee in a lot that is like a mile from the beach only to avoid carrying a stroller on a bus.

Ahh convenience. It will get you all the time. This leads me to my purchases I have to share. The very closest grocery store to my home is a beautiful, lovely Calgon take me away type of place that I would love to shop at daily. Maybe not a fairy tale like as Bristol Farms but still a fun place to be. The deli is awesome and whenever my family needs any type of convenience food, I head straight there. Did I mention that Gelson's is probably about 30% higher than most stores? It is comparable to Whole Food's and Bristol Farms, if you are familiar, falling somewhere in between. It has a corner market feel and everyone truly knows my name. What's even better is that the deli is incredible. Once I made my homemade barbq chicken for dinner, I realized we needed potato salad to go with it.

Don't forget yogurt and berries, says Mommy. And ice cream yells Granddaddy. Ahh, yeah, and cookies Mommy adds. And I better get some things for the beach tomorrow for the baby to snack on, I add to myself. Granddaddy butts in to my thoughts. He yells, we need to refill my candy jar, let's try the new M&Ms!

This little volley of convo is to help you understand that usually I do not buy regular grocery items at Gelson's. It is my deli store and sometime fish market. But I got bombarded with requests and I didn't process all that info as I was heading out the door. My mental job is to put them on my virtual list because I cannot reach my Iphone and its lovely Grocery IQ app while carrying a 30 pound child down the stairs.

I hate buying regular things there because they are always marked up so high. What I should have done was went to Gelson's for their awesome potato salad and then drove back over to Ralph's for the rest. But I had some beach gear to buy at the Rite-Aid right next door from Gelson's and I knew I needed to use a free gift card I'd earned at Rite-Aid. The most convenient thing for me to do, especially with little mini-me in tow, was to do to Gelson's. Especially because my phone kept ringing with new requests like nuts and sundae sauce and Granddaddy wants "real" protein. Thus, my list:

7/3/2010

Gelson's Market

R.W. Knudsen Family Organic Pear Juice - 3 boxes 3.19

Nabisco Chunky Chips Ahoy Cookies 2.99

Hansen's Organic Junior Juice - Berry Medley - 4 boxes 2.19

Breyer's Ice Cream - Extra Vanilla 2.99

Straus Family Organic Yogurt - Plain Whole Milk 4.99

Reddi Whip Whipped Cream - Extra Creamy 3.49

Mrs. Richardson's Hot Fudge Topping 2.79

O.N.E. Coconut Water - Pink Guava 0.99

3 Musketeer Bar- DK Choc. Mint 0.79

Banana - Organic @ .99/lb 1.78

Plumcot - Dino Egg Organic @ 2.99/lb. 3.86

Earthbound Farm Strawberrie - Organic 4.99

Blueberries - Organic 3.99

Gelson's Calif. Cornbread 3.99

Gelson's Lobster Salad 5.05

Gelson's Homemade Potato Salad 8.24

Lamb Chops 6.43

Lamb Chops 6.71

Checkcard Transaction $65.45 total w/tax & coupons

Rite Aid Pharmacy

M&Ms - Coconut 0.5

M&Ms - Pretzel 0.5

M&Ms - Pretzel 0

Blue Diamond Sliced Almonds 3.49

Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder 2.29

Beach Toy Set (Shovel & Bucket w/sand toys 4.49

Beach Umbrella - 6FT 5.99

Rite Aid Waterproof Band Aids 1.99

Hyland's Sniffles 'n Sneezes 4Kids 6.99

Checkcard Transaction $2.76 total/w tax, coupons, & gift card

And I forgot the eggs! Well I kinda didn't, I refused to buy them there. But it was not a very convenient decision because now I won't have any for Sunday breakfast. Oatmeal it is!

Remember dear readers, I hyperlink to companies that I think deserve a second look, usually for their commitment to the consumer, to health, and to social responsibility. Take a look, you might learn something, just as I do!

Have fun and be careful!

Jellytea

Day One

Shall we get started? Yes we shall. I am pretty sure I am done with spending today, so I will list today's expenditures. Today I went shopping, in the order of my visits, at Planet Beauty, Torrid, Forever 21, Ralph's, and Mother's Market. Since it is the Independence Day holiday weekend, I had some major groceries to buy, plus I had to make sure I am cute for the festivities. hehehe. I'm sure most of my lists will not be this long because I usually do not do all my shopping in one day, but this should be fun.

I've listed everything below, including hyperlinks to companies I think deserve a second look. I have also included a clickable photo to the right, with everything a little more clean. Readers (?) and future readers, any idea how to make this cleaner within the post?

I have no idea if this is at all entertaining, but have fun. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments. Until next time!

Planet Beauty

OPI Nail Polish - Hot & Spicy 8.5

OPI Nail Polish - Jade is the New Black 8.5

OPI Nail Polish - Plugged in Plum 8.5

OPI Nail Polish - Flower to the Flower free

Checkcard purchase $27.73 total w/tax

Torrid

Goldtone Bracelets 11.4

Checkcard purchase $12.40 total w/tax

Forever 21

Gold Sparkle Hoop Earrings 2.8

Multicolor Floral Ring 4.8

Three Strand Gold Cross Necklace 5.8

Purple Sparkly Necklace 5.8

$20.88 total w/tax

Ralph's Grocery

Smart Balance eggs 3.59

Jennie-O Turkey Meatballs 5.99

Classico Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Sauce 2.5

Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce 3.79

Don Francisco Espresso 4.99

Frito Lays Lays Kettle Potato Chips 3.29

Lysol Neutra Air Starter Set 6.49

Clorox Liquid Bleach 1.19

Private Selection Organic Baby Spinach 4.49

Banana - Organic .99 lb. 2.69

Driscoll's Blackberries - Organic 2.99

Driscoll's Strawberries - Organic 2.99

Marzetti's Spinach Salad Dressing 2.5

Horizon Dairy Milk - Organic 2

New York Steak 4.99 lb. 10.25

Beef Roast 11.51

Foster Farms Chicken Wings 2.84

Foster Farms Chicken Wings 2.91

Hebrew National Kosher Beef Bologna 3.99

Kroger Coffee Filters #4 1.49

Ralph's Pinto Beans 1.99

Pepperidge Farms Whole Wheat Bread 3.59

Pepperidge Farms Whole Wheat Bread 0

No Yolks Extra Broad Noodles 1.99

Arm & Hammer Baking Soda 1.19

Santa Cruz Organic Mango Lemonade 1.6

Sabra Hummus 2.99

$100.24 total w/tax & coupons

Mother's Market

Napavalley Natural's Organic Olive Oil 32 oz 9.99

Newman's Own Peppermint Cups 1.49

Oatmeal - Organic .99 lb 1

Oranges - Valencia Organic .89 lb 1.66

Checkcard purchase $14.14 total

Mother's Market (Round two)

Fish - Red Snapper (for visitor) 11.82

Fish - Alaskan Salmon - Wild Caught Keta 38.29

$50.11 total

$225.50 Day One total