Ooops!

Well, I did take pictures but didn't blog about the trip in a timely manner. Sorry.

Here are some of the pictures:

This is the free tarp!

 

I am woman hear me roar!  I put it up all by myself.



After putting up the tents we found a little problem.  My friends' air mattress had a leak.  Their pump had to be plugged in and our bathroom facilities had no outlet :-(  So we had to take it to the ranger's station.  It wouldn't fit in the car on the way back so we had to get creative.

Fortunately, it was less than a mile walk. 

We also found out that I had forgotten my food bag back and the house.  My friends said they would share but, they forgot their's as well. The people who were joining us from GA fortunately had packed plenty and we had alot of group meals.

Hots and beans are a classic

Some friends of friends and children of friends joined us to watch the amazing fireflies.  I couldn't take a picture of the fireflies but trust me they were AMAZING!!

Had a great time around the campfire.

They next day my friend showed up to take me to Dollywood and Splash Country.  Unfortunately, she only knew that I was at Elkmont campground. She drove around the whole area to find me. She is a TRUE BLUE friend.  I was resigned that she wouldn't find me but she did.  I was glad too. I just couldn't hike anymore.

Loyal friends are a treasure.

The last evening one of the campers played the Dulicmer and gave us acupuncture to help up relax.

Beautiful music for a beautiful night

Camping and my bucket list

This weekend I am going camping in the Great Smoky Mountains.  I have never been before but a longtime friend has invited me. The main reason for accepting the invitation is the fireflies.  In the particular area, they have what are know as synchronous fireflies http://www.nps.gov/grsm/naturescience/fireflies.htm

It has been on my bucket list to go see them so I am willing to do a little camping to participate.
This also fits along with my free luxuries blog for several reasons

1) Great Smoky Mountains park is FREE!!  When one of the Rockafellers donated money to make the park one of the rules was that the park had to be free to everyone.

2) Borrowed a tent from one of my hiker friends.  Thanks JV.

3) Had a coupon for a free tarp from one of the local hardware stores.

4) No camping bag but I am using an old heavy comforter I have had for years.

5) Food is bring your own and since I have started cooking again, that will be no problem. One of my friends said she was buying me a water bottle about a month ago.  I hope it gets here in time :-)

6) For Lent this year, I gave up on additional electricity (i.e., lights, tv and computers) so I feel pretty comfortable without electricity now.

Well, I am looking forward to and nervous about this trip but I have promised to take pictures and will blog about them soon.


XOXO

ps. I was told to buy some COMET and put a ring around my tent so creepy crawlies don't get in.

Not exactly $10 but better.

Last weekend was amazing!! I should have played the lottery :-)
This is how everything played out.

Saturday morning, I got up and got some last minute things done. I made some muffins and got some things prepared for Sunday. When I met up with JV, she wanted to get some breakfast.  We stopped by Chick-fil-a  and ordered some food.  When checking the bag, JV noticed that there was 2 chicken biscuits. We even checked our receipt.  We scored an extra biscuit. Woohoo!!

We arrived in Pigeon Forge and went to the Wonderworks free teacher day.  We received a goody bag with some free stuff as well. One of the fun things, beside pens and brochures, was a passport to the Rainforest Zoo for 4 people. We did just about all the activities. My favorite was the flight simulator. JV's was the ropes course. While we were there they took the requiste photo in front of a green screen. We were looking at the pictures at the end of the day. The sweet girl let us have them for free!!  I think she took pity on us. \
After that, as part of the trip, we got a free ride in the hot air balloon. We arrived at dusk which was perfect. There was the setting sun and the clouds with the ferris wheel on one side and then farmland on the other.
We went to the hotel and JV needed some water.  I wanted some chips so I went out to go to Kroger's to get some.  While out there, I decided to get her some gluten-free cupcakes. I went to GiGi's cupcakes.  They have amazing strawberry gluten-free cupcakes.  When I got there, they didn't have any though. I thought about leaving but decided to ask anyway. She said "I don't have any today to sell to you, but I have some from yesterday that I can give to you for free" Whaaaaaaaa? Heck yeah!!

The next day, we went to Ripley's Aquarium. When we arrived we got another free goody bag. This one had a plastic water bottle. Some "dinosaur claws" and magnets and other accessories. We also got to see my favorite turtle. Sue the green sea turtle.

We then went to the Davey Crockett Mini-Golf. Jill won, of course. We then left for back to the big Johnson City, TN.  I spent more than $10 on the hotel room and dinners and gas but it was well worth it.
 

$10 Weekend Again

Well, last weekend was a washout. JV used the money she had saved to buy some dinner for herself on Thursday (which I don't blame her for) and I used the money for a baby shower gift on Saturday. Then we both ate lunch out that afternoon at a very nice restaurant. So I have decided to "start over" again.
Of course the problem is when I do things with other people. I don't want their fun to be diminished because of my "philosophy" but then again when I do things against it (i.e. lunch at a restaurant) life just doesn't seem to go well.

Anyway, this weekend I haven't bought anything but I did go to lunch with my friend Angela and that was $20. Technically since it involved someone else it doesn't count but I still feel kinda disappointed.

However, on the good side, I have gotten to do somethings that were free that I normally wouldn't have.  On Saturdays @ 10:30 Evergreen of Johnson City has wonderful seminars.  The one this weekend was on Fall Perrenials. The person was extremely knowledgeable and I learned so much.  Plus they also had giveways and refreshments. :-)  Next weekend is there Fall Festival which I can't go to because next weekend is Free Teacher Weekend at WonderWorks in Pidgeon Forge.

I tried to go to the ETSU observatory Open House but got lost and it was dark so I wound up coming back home. I will try again next month.

At the library I got my free DVDs for the weekend and a couple of cookbooks. I also found a book called Zero Waste Home which I am really enjoying.  It is about a family that is trying to cut out on waste and they are doing a great job.  She even has a blog (surprise, surpise) that can be found here.

I think I am going to adopt some of her ideas and incorporate them into my $10 weekend.

Week 2 of the $10 Challenge

This weekend proved to be a little more "interesting" than the one before. Since the challenge was no longer new, it was harder to be as excited as before.  However, we made it through with change in our pocket going jing-a-ling-a-ling (my apologies to the Georgia Satellites)

This weekend had a bit of a theme without knowing it.  Friday night I went to our local high school's football game. Since I am a county employee it was FREE!! WooHoo. Unfortunately, they lost 53-10 but many of my friends were there and it was nice to see the kiddos in a relaxed enviroment.

Saturday, JV and I got up and didn't meet up until lunchtime. We went to Chick-fil-A where we had a card for a free sandwich and cookie.  I got a small drink again (1.44) and then headed off to McKay in Knoxville. While there, JV got some DVDs and I used my credit for some books that were from some of my favorite authors. JV's sister Donna and I like the same type of books so I texted her about the new series I am enjoying.

Afterwards, we went to Dollywood. It was pretty late and we were pretty tires, so we just went into the museum. I must admit it was alot nicer than I had anticipated.  It had many of Dolly's old costumes and letters and you could even listen to some of her older song.  They also had her "Coat of Many Colors" on display.

Dinner at Hardee's was a chicken sandwich with fries and a coke. The total was only $3.23 because I had a coupon. We had a great talk while there because it was completely empty. The talk helped to refocus what these weekends are about. They are to be fun and creatively inspiring. When they stop being that, they should stop.

Sunday was relaxing. I got up and did some laundry, cooking, the usual. However, the Greeneville Astros were having a Teacher Appreciation Night so by showing my pass, I got in there free as well.

The $10 challenge

Sometimes then can get pretty tough financially but the blog is about finding that just because you don't have money, doesn't mean you can't have fun. My friend, JV, is going through that right now. So to help her feel better and get my creative juices flowing what I devised it the $10 weekend.
We both put $10 in an envelope and decided that that is all we could spend over the entire weekend. Whatever was left over, we are going to put back in the envelope and add $10 the next weekend.  Then there is a big trip planned on September 28th. The money left is what we use for that trip.
I must admit I was sceptical at first but we had a great first weekend and I even have a little money left over :-)

Here is what our weekend looked like.
After waking up and getting ready we headed to Greeneville for JV to drop off some donations at Goodwill. I was there Friday and didn't notice anything that good. However, today they had a Kindle Fire cover for $9.99 and a SodaStream for $44. Why did this happen on my $10 weekend?(I am checking on Monday to see if they are still there :-))

We both have season passes to Splash Country/Dollywood.  We went there and brought some snacks. I have a Splash Country popcorn tub from last year that I filled and also had a Fill and Chill cup that I used for water. We also brought our Kindles along for when we didn't want to go in the water.  Cost $0.00

However, on the trip down I stopped at a rest area to use the bathroom.  The retired Marines group was giving away free lemonade, coffee and water.  They also had snacks for donations.  Since I always like to support good causes I got a nutty bar and cheetos as well.  Unfortunately I only had my $10 so I asked if they could break it for me. The man reached his hand in the donation jar to take dollar bills out and I felt so bad I donated $5 for the food. Cost $5.00

After a great swimming day, we stopped by Chic-Fil-A and used our calendar cards to get a free Chicken Salad Sandwich and a small coke Cost $1.44

When we went to MagicQuest we used our leftover tickets for minature golf to play a round there. Cost: $0.00

We got home around 9:30 and I was so tired I couldn't do anything else.

On Sunday- I got up and make some maple chicken and ribs for a cookalong. I am hoping to win a cookbook. I also worked in the yard clearing away some branches that had fallen.


Go ahead and TRY to tell me I can't do something



JV and I then got dressed up and went to a new church.  Even though the main reason we went is because they were having a lunch catered by Cranberries I enjoy it alot.  Plus, JV won a $5 gift card to Starbucks. WooHoo!!
Then I came home and started doing laundry and working on school stuff. 
All in all I think it was a great weekend and I still have $3.54 in my envelope. I know that I am using alot of stuff that was prepaid for and those won't last forever.  However, the resourcefullness I am learning will last alot longer. I am also hoping this will help JV out of her " I don't have any money blues."

This Moment

A Friday ritual from Amanda Soule's blog www.soulemama.com

 

A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.