Gifting on a budget

LADIES! This one is for all of us who are making our way in the world with limited funds (if you can even call our lack of funds "limited" more like nonexistent!) Fact is is that I love giving gifts. Wrapping pretty packages. Enjoying the excitement of watching someone open a gift I thoughtfully picked out and wrapped. But is it just me or does wrapping paper slowly get more and more expensive? HAVE NO FEAR! I have figured out a way to still be able to deliver perfectly wrapped packages without ever having to dump money on wrapping paper again!

It was my bible study leaders birthday on Sunday. So I bought her this cute frame and put a pic of all of us in it. But then I realized, I have no wrapping paper and no extra funds to go purchase any either. So.... I begin to dig around my apartment until I found something, anything I could use.

All it takes is paper, ribbon and a sharpie! No worries Penny-Stretchers, if you don't have a roll of paper laying around, use computer paper-- tape a couple pieces together! Or if you are running low on computer paper, newspaper is always a fun choice (the more color on the page the better). After wrapping my package in this plain white paper I thought it was too blah, so I grabbed a silver sharpie and started polka-dotting away. Then I found some left over ribbon laying around and wrapped that into a bow to add a finishing touch. (If you don't have enough ribbon to wrap around the whole package, just make a cute bow for the top and tape it on.)

WAHLAH! The cutest gift in the gift pile! Plus it is personalized, and depending on the recipient, you can get really creative with your design on your personalized paper.

Another life tip: Whenever you are at a craft store and notice a sale on scrapbook paper, grab a few pieces. You can save a LOT of money by hand-making your cards..... plus aren't yours cuter anyways?

#WifeMe

Tow away my car (and a chunk of my savings account)

Honestly, I should really stop being surprised that these things happen to me. Motto of my life ~ "If it's could to go wrong, it will go even worse!"

If I started remembering this more often maybe I could avoid a lot of heartburn, but then again what would I have to write about? So in a weird twisted way, I guess as a writer I should be thankful in that God has a sick sense of humor and just ADORES putting me through the ringer because at least it gives me material to work with.

*Cue Law and Order Music *

September 12, 2014 | 9:32 pm

The story actually started around 9 pm you could say. See where I live there are six tenants. (Three townhouses + two occupants each = for a grand total of 6) BUT - and this is the kicker- there are only 5 spots. WHOEVER PLANNED THIS... is a complete moron, but that's a different post on a different day. Any hoo, my roomie came home and called me because there were no spots. And since it was a game day weekend, she didn't know where she should put her car. I told her oh no worries! At 9:30 I was headed over to my friend Lane's place, so I'll just take your car. That way, maybe by time I get back, there will be a spot.

So about 9:30 pm I head over there. Lane had turned 21 that Monday. I know, I know... worst day for a 21 bday everrrrrr!!! So tonight she was going out. See I don't turn 21 til November, and I'm not drinking alcohol til then either, but she wanted me to come to the pre-game at least since I couldn't get into the bars. But I had a plan, I'll stop by the pre-game hang out with her before she goes out and then afterward I will go for my nightly run around the quad. (I signed up for a half marathon in February, keep following and watch out for more on that). So I show up in my running attire. Thus completely sticking out like a Mennonite showing up to a Madonna Concert. In a sea of girls all doll-up to go out and meet boys, I'm standing there in running spandex, a big tshirt and my hair in the worlds worst messy bun on the top of my head.

Well, as you can imagine, my job at any pre-game is to take photos of everyone and anyone who wants them. Honestly, I should invest in a ZAP shirt. I'm the token sober girl in the room. Therefore there is a 97.34% chance the photo won't come out blurry. (The remaining 2.66% is for when I get bored and play the "How-Blurry-Can-I-Get-This-Photo Game just for funsies) After taking countless photos, and retaking those countless photos because obvi there-was-something-wrong-with-that-one-piece-of-hair-on-the-back-of-your-head-that-you-just-know-is-there-and-will-bother-you-every-time-you-look-at-that-insta-you-post-even-though-no-one-else-will *DEEEEEEEPBREATH* (Since I'm a girl and understand this, I have an unlimited picture re-taking max.)

In the middle of my ZAP duties, Deb (another friend) comes and asks if I can go pick up Austin (her BF). Of course I can! So Deb, and her friend who's visiting (Jaycee) go to pick him up. Deb's car is bigger than Em (my roomies) car, so we agree I'll drive her.

Here's where the story blows up. Where the plans I had for my night end. Where I want to punch myself in the face because really?!?! this kind of bullcrap is happening to me...... again???

10:30 pm (notice not even an HOUR after I arrived)
As we head to the parking garage located on the bottom floor of their building, I get the strong urge to check and make sure Em's car is still there. As I round the corner, I just stop. Because right in front of me is nothing. Nothing but an empty parking spot. The spot that previously held my, well Em's, car. And that my friends is the absolute worse sight ever!

This is where I should freak out right? I should start panicking at the amount of money I'm going to pay to get this car out of jail. I should start panicking at the fact that I have no idea where this car even is. I should even probably start panicking that I don't even know how to figure out where it is?!?!?! But..... maybe I'm used to this kind of bull crud always happening or maybe I'm too laid-back for my own good. But I don't panic at all. Now do my sassy pants come on? YES! Do I want to rage? YES! Do I mentally start calculating how many pairs of shoes I could buy with the amount of money it takes to bail the car out of jail? ABSOLUTELY!

In case you're wondering, it cost (and I quote from the tower lady) "$160 of cold hard cash"..... great....  I don't think I've ever held that much cold hard cash in my hand just because. And to top everything off once I coughed over my "cold hard cash" I asked at what time they picked up my car. Her response, "10:22 pm" Ohhhhhhhhhh... I could have lost my mind. EIGHT MINUTES! EIGHT MINUTES!! Eight minutes before I went downstairs to go get Austin, they towed my car. Like is this a joke?! Well my wallet can prove it's not.

Needless to say, I didn't go for a run after all this was over. Because technically I had lost a significant amount of weight, from my wallet.

After an hour and a half, I was finally able to reclaim my roomies car! 

#WifeMe

And it softly sang me to sleep

There is something so peaceful about it.
Something so cleansing
The soft pitter patter
The steady rhythm
And occasionally,
When the wind begins to roar,
You can get swept up.
Swept up is some dark place
You rarely get to escape to.
So let it sing to you softly;
Let it erase the day you just survived.
Because rain has a unique ability
To nourish
To purify
To wash away
The trials of the day
The quarrels between lovers
The pain remaining from a yesterday

#WifeMe