Incredibly Thrifty

Hello there! As a busy mom of 2 sometimes it's hard to find something quick and nutritious, especially in the morning time. Between getting my oldest dressed for school/fed and battling my toddler to eat breakfast, I find little time to give myself the proper fuel to start my day off right!  I'm sure by now you have all heard the rave about green juice/smoothies, it's so true! I was extremely skeptical at first because the thought of putting vegetables in a blender and drinking it...well...barf? No! Absolutely not. One of my best girlfriends got me hooked on green smoothies and I love them now. It is full of nutrients, low in calories and very easy to make! Not to mention the combinations are endless. I thought I'd share my ingredient list for when I prep my smoothies.  Below is everything that I put into quart sized freezer bags, after it has been washed and cut 2 bunches Kale 1 bag spinach 1pineapple 4 kiwi 3 large cucumber 4 apples of your choice 1 package strawberri...

Hello again! I've been so busy since I got back from vacation. Between flooded basements, getting my son & myself ready for school I feel like thrifting had taken the back burner. Today I hopped in the shower and decided it was time to go! :) I went to my favorite Goodwill (this one always has the best finds! For me anyways) & although I only got 4 items I was so excited about them!  This was my favorite find for today. With fall approaching, I had been wanting a trench coat. This is brand new(still had the spare buttons on the inside in a tiny plastic bag) & is perfect! I love that it's belted & of course black goes with a lot of things. This is by Jessica Simpson and it was only $8.99, definitely a steal!  Recently, I been trying to build up my heel/wedge/girly shoes in my closet. I have tons of boots/booties but not enough heels to rock in the warmer months. These Charlotte Russe wedges are exactly what I was looking for & for only $4.99!  I'm not s...

I'm sure I'm not the only mom who practically has to beg their kids to eat vegetables. When it comes to my 5 year old, it seems almost impossible. He claims he is "allergic" to ALL of them. Well....*drum roll please*... I finally made a kid approved recipe with vegetables in it! He has eaten this before but avoided the zucchini and corn like it was the boogie man himself. I added a little extra cheese and some garlic to this & he actually ate it! He cleared his plate in less than 10 minutes and I didn't hear one peep about dreaded vegetables. This recipe is already in my blog listed as "healthy chili pasta bake". Here is the finished result!  He loved it! It is good and good for you. I will definitely be making this frequently in my household from now on!  Until next time,  Kristen 

Since I've gotten back from out of town, I have been itching to do a good sized thrift haul! However, school supply shopping & a flooded basement had been preventing that. Yesterday I finally made my way to my favorite Goodwill for the last day of tax free weekend, with my dear thrifting partner in crime of course! :) I have to say, this is probably one of my favorite hauls, I couldn't decide what I liked the most!  This grey faux leather jacket was $8.99. I can't wait to get some good use out of this come fall season.  I probably should stop buying boots, but when they are only $5 a pair I can't say no! These Madden Girl motto boots are going to be a wardrobe staple in the colder months for sure.  I love this maxi dress. It has a romantic/vintage vibe to it. The soft colors and tie waist are super flattering! Only $6.99!  I wanted to add some color to my closet, so this sparrow/striped detail dress was perfect! Only $6.99. From the lavender color, to the sheer f...

The older I get, the less material things matter. Material things don't necessarily have to mean something that is tangible, either. I'm talking about reputation, people's opinions, etc. Now a days, quality of life to me consist of things that money can't buy. I have happy children, a handful of great friends, a loving significant other and I'm in a place where I love myself, nothing else matters. Which leads to me the whole title of this blog, BE the CHANGE. Don't allow negative people to affect how you look at the world. Regardless of how may times I have had my name dragged through the mud, I still believe in kindness. There is still good left in this world & I have always set that expectation for myself to be part of that good. I was raised by very old school grandparents. I was taught to always be humble, even if people didn't deserve it. I thank God for the common sense and kind mentality they brought me up with. So on that note... CYBER BULLYING. ...

Hello & Happy Friday! I'm finally settled in from being out of town & I'm so happy to share a thrift haul. After spending $264 on school supplies alone for my soon to be Kindergartener, the first place I looked for clothes were of course some thrift stores. I found some great brands at even greater prices!  These were from my favorite Goodwill here in VA. Children's clothing is only $1.99 per item!  Osh Kosh hoodie Chaps long sleeve button down Tony Hawk polo Chaps polo Old Navy striped tee Gap logo tee Children's Place tee Children's Place tee All for a little over $16!  This was my Once Upon a Child haul. I absolutely love this thrift store! It's clean, organized and always has great brands for a steal! I purchased a pair of Jordan sneakers, 5 jeans, a pair of khakis, 5 polo shirts, a basic tee & 3 pairs of shorts for $86!  So all in all for a new school wardrobe I spent a little more than $100! My son a...