Salvation Army Bargains

What do you do when your family is in town?

Besides ruin family photos for your mother?  You head to the Salvation Army.  Of course.

I had previously placed a self-imposed Salvation Army ban on myself.  I kept buying junk and not doing anything with it.  After a month, I lifted this ban.

Good thing.  Look what I found…

No, this is not junk.  This is beautifulness.

I have had my eye on this type of sled but they usually go for ~$50 in antique stores.  $8.50 at the Salvation Army Outlet.  Score.  I made my poor brother carry it around the entire store because I couldn’t risk losing it.  My family always hopes that I find large items at the end.  I don’t get it.  I’m not exactly sure what I am going to do with it yet but it will somehow make it into my Christmas decorating.  I’m pumped.

I also found these…

I like old books.  Old book can be expensive.  I don’t like to pay more than $0.75 for them.  I usually go for books that look pretty but I actually found some interesting titles on this stop.  The Complete Book of Furniture Repair and Refinishing could be useful.  And who couldn’t use a good brushing up on general hygiene?

Not the girl that hadn’t showered for 2 days.

Anyone else bond with their family at their favorite thrift store?  Anyone finding any good bargains out there?  Who wants to borrow my hygiene book?

THE Best Pumpkin Bars

October around our house is the only time of year we make two recipes.  Chicken Enchiladas and Pumpkin Bars.  The enchiladas are Nate’s favorite meal and he always picks Pumpkin Bars to take to work for his birthday.

I will not be sharing the Chicken Enchilada recipe with you because it looks like barf and I dry heave while making it.  I made Nate his own special birthday enchiladas last night while I ate toast…to settle my stomach.  True story.  He told me they were so good that I should open my own Mexican restaurant.  Those of you who know me are dying laughing.  (I am the world’s pickiest eater and Mexican doesn’t make my list.  And I don’t cook.)  I think he was serious about them tasting good. 

I will, however, share with you our pumpkin bar recipe.  I know there are lots of pumpkin bar recipes out there but these are truly the best.  You can trust me.  I’m a pharmacist.  People trust pharmacists.  (P.S. Our food photography needs improvement.)

Pumpkin Bars and Frosting

• 4 eggs
• 1 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 1 16 oz can pumpkin
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt

Beat together in large bowl: eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin until well blended.  In another bowl mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until well mixed.  Add dry mixture to large bowl.  Mix well.  Pour into long ungreased cookie pan.  Bake at 350 degrees 23-30 minutes.

FROSTING (You know, the best part.  We usually double the following.):

• 1 3 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Cream together cream cheese and butter.  Add vanilla and powdered sugar.  Put on cooled pumpkin bars. 

Always keep in the fridge.  Can be frozen.

What’s your favorite pumpkin recipe?  Anyone else sacrifice their own well-being to cook for their dear husband?

Happy Birthday Nate

Nate turns the big 3-0 today! 

(Those are balloons.  Not sperm.  I majored in Biology.  Cut me some slack.)

I made him a special birthday basket to take to work…

I’ve seen a lot of  “30 Sucks” with a container full of suckers.  From what I know, grown dudes aren’t super into suckers but they do like them some candy bars.  Done.  I prefer “bites” over “sucks” anyways.  It’s a classier term.

A dude with a jerky gun needs classy things on his birthday.

Although I do all of the blabbing on this blog, Nate plays a big role around here.  He’s the behind the scenes dude.  He helps me execute the crazy ideas that come into my head.  He puts the kibosh on the really crazy ones.  He takes the pretty pictures.  He has an amazing eye.  He’s responsible for a lot of the paint colors in our house.  He reads your comments.  He encourages me to keep being the best that I can be.  And he sneaks snuggles with Ike.

He’s a pretty special dude.

Happy Birthday Nate!  30 isn’t that old, right?