Bargain Finds _ 03.28.11

Monday morning I was sitting in class, Medical Terminology to be quite precise, with my friend. When we split into pairs, we started talking about our weekends. She told me that on Friday she had gone to Borders in Garden State Plaza because they were having a huge blowout sale! 40%-60% off of everything! I'm guessing that they had to close down another store... last year I went to one in Livingston because it had been closing and was having the same exact sale. 

So that afternoon Sal and I went to check it out. We were in there for over an hour looking at the books. I just couldn't pick a few, but eventually I picked 4 and Sal bought a DVD. 

Certain Girls: Jennifer Weiner - $7.50 [Orig. $15.00]

There's Cake in My Future: Kim Gruenenfelder - $7.49 [Orig. $14.99]

Who Loves You Best: Tess Stimson - $7.50 [Orig. $15.00]

Notes Left Behind: Brooke & Keith Desserich - $7.49 [Orig. $14.99]

& Sal's DVD - 1st Blood $5.99 [Orig. $9.99]

We spent $38.49 & saved $34.00! I think that's a pretty good bargain. 

I have way too many book unread right now, so I hope that's all the books I'll be buying this year. But hey ya never know when the next great bargain is going to come up !

SC Johnson Smart & Easy Spring Cleaning Campaign

Quite recently I signed up to be a Bzz Agent. What that means is I sign up for campaigns and receive a product or a service and share my opinions with others, whether it be face-to-face or through social networks like Blogger & Facebook. Join here & get started!

I received the SC Johnson Spring Cleaning package in the mail just a few short weeks ago, and knew I had to get started on my spring cleaning. The package included: 

1 Glade 4 oz Jar candle [sparkle of spring scent], 1 Glade Plugins Scented Oil Refill [crisp waters scent], 1 can of Pledge [lemon clean scent], 1 Scrubbing Bubbles Mega Shower Foamer, and  1 Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Cleaning Gel. 

I also received a book [seen in the picture above], which describes all the items, as well as a book of coupons!

Now I'm not one to want to clean. I still live at home with my parents and think that you only really need to clean when you're expecting company. However, when I received the package in the mail, I actually wanted to clean! I got right down to it. First I used the Pledge and although I've used it before, I felt as if it cleaned the glass tabletops, mirrors, and wood better than ever before. The smell was sensational and it left the room smelling crisp and clean. 

After I finished cleaning the living room and bedrooms with Pledge, I decided to tackle the bathrooms with the Scrubbing Bubbles cleaners. I cleaned the toilet with another cleaner, not given, and then decided to stick the Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Cleaning Gel inside the toilet, as directed. It was so simple to put on, and to this day has kept the toilet clean on the inside of the bowl. 

Then I tried out the Scrubbing Bubbles Mega Shower Foamer, in the bathroom upstairs. Now I have two bathrooms in my house, one upstairs, which the men in the house use, and one downstairs, which the women in the house use. If one saw the bathroom upstairs, he/she would immediately know that only men used the shower. It's clean to a certain extent, but some of the residue just won't come off. I applied the foamer, and left it for a couple of minutes. I used a towel to wipe it dry and washed the chrome parts of the shower with water. I just couldn't believe how clean it got just from using it once. Now believe me I would need to use it again in order to get EVERYTHING off, but using this product once made an amazing difference. 

Unfortunately I don't have a Glade Plugin, so I'm unable to use the refill until I purchase one, which I probably will with the coupons I was given. I'm sure it'll smell good, but I won't know for sure until I try it!

My favorite of all the products was definitely the Glade candle; the sparkle of spring scent made me feel like spring was on its way... even if the weather doesn't tell me so, this candle certainly did!

I would definitely recommend every single one of these products to family members, which is why I've been handing out the coupons to them! 

Interested in campaigns like this ? Become a Bzz Agent like me! 

Bargain Finds _ 03.23.11

I went to Target yesterday with my brother and his girlfriend. I wasn't looking for anything particular, but I went along with them anyways. No matter what time or day it is when I go to Target, I ALWAYS make sure I stop in the $1 section. I absolutely love it and always find such a cute bargain. Well yesterday I found one amazing bargain.


Look how cute these post-its are!

Guess how much I got them for? I originally thought they were $1.00 each, but it turns out they were TWO for $1.00! So cute and great for the organized person, like myself!

Fill In The Blank Friday _ 03.18.11

[Play Here]

1.   The best deal I've ever gotten is       7 books for $3.00; yup, you heard right, SEVEN BOOKS FOR THREE DOLLARS - post here.

2.  If I were hosting a dinner party and could invite people from my fantasy guest list it would include    I would without a doubt invite the cast of F.R.I.E,N.D.S   .

3.  Something that inspires me is    the simple things in life. I can seriously walk out of my front door and be inspired by nature, the smell of spring in the air, and the way the sun in peeking through a cloud. I also become inspired by those who are doing great things in the world  .

4.  If I could only choose to eat one flavor of food for the rest of eternity (sweet, salty, spicy, bitter....) I would have to go with     , after much deliberation, salty. I absolutely love sweet things, but I have a feeling I'd be in the dentist office quite often  .

5.  I dream about    being a mommy one day .

6.  My weekend will be spent       doing things on a whim with Salvatore and my family, oh & babysitting :) .

7.  If I could only  watch one movie or TV show for the rest of my life, it would be        F.R.I.E.N.D.S - I swear that show never gets old. I have all of the seasons and watch them every night   .

Rest In Peace

Several weeks ago my grandfather had a stroke and was admitted into the hospital.

Today I am writing because he has passed away... on March 3rd, 2011. It has taken me over a week to find the words to write because I am honestly heartbroken. I also was spending a huge amount of time trying to finish midterms, while my family from Florida started flying in. 


I never knew my dad's father because he passed away when my daddy was only 12. I therefore grew up with my mom's father, my poppy. He lived in Jersey for quite sometime, until him and my grandmother retired and moved to Florida. While he was in Jersey we would spend almost everyday together, us as well as my brother. When he moved to Florida we would try and visit every summer. Sometimes it didn't work out, but most of the time we were there. 


My poppy was one of those people that I thought would be around forever. I never saw life without him. He was 78 and still playing softball. Sure he had his unhealthy habits, but he still seemed pretty healthy and strong to me. He was strong up until the morning he passed away. That morning he had a stroke, he was getting ready to go play a game of softball. Can you believe it, 78 years old and still playing the sport he passionately loved. 


I'm actually happy I didn't go down to Florida with my mom to see him in the hospital. I don't want to picture my poppy in pain, or weak. Because the man I knew him as wasn't weak, wasn't stuck to a bed night after night. The man I know him to be was a sarcastic, hysterical, brave man, who wanted to spend every second of his life on that softball field, and surrounded by friends and family. 


I know he's in a better place now; the lord knew he could never live in the hospital bed, or hooked up to all machines. His heart, mind, and soul were on that softball field, and I think he figured if he couldn't be who he was, there was no point in living any longer. I look up to him for that, not only in heaven, but as an individual. 


It's going to be hard to go to Florida and not be able to see him, it's hard enough now knowing that he's gone and there's nothing I can do to get him back. All I can hope for is that he is happy, and he's able to play softball for all eternity. 


I had a dream about him the other night. I was sitting on a bed or couch with my Uncle, my poppy's oldest son, and my poppy came to me and grabbed my hand and tried to talk to me. Of course it was muffled, and I couldn't understand what he was saying, but he seemed happy. I woke up soon after, only to slip back into a deep sleep. I then dreamed again, but this time my poppy was slowly walking towards me. As soon as he got close to me, I woke up startled. It was the morning of his services, and I somehow felt comforted. 


Rest in peace poppy; I'll see you later and we can share coffee cake like we always did <3


3.3.11 - I love you always & forever.

‎"Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy."

this year

Valentine's Day this year was not spent at a fancy restaurant or at an expensive hotel. I didn't receive flowers, we didn't exchange cards. It was the most relaxing, Valentine's Day ever. Sal came over in the evening, and we began preparing dinner/dessert, for not only the two of us, but also my Daddy. My mom went to Florida to be with her Dad, my poppy, who had a stroke. 


While Sal was getting dinner ready, I was making cupcakes!


We exchanged gifts as well. I only got Sal an ESPN Trivia Desk calender; I had wanted to do something a little more special, but when my poppy had a stroke, I kind of forgot. Sal made me a wonderful collage of pictures of us, tickets to events we've been to, "Love Is" newspaper clippings, and even a rose :)

Dinner was served and we spent the night laughing and smiling. 

Chicken Italiana over Thin Spaghetti, and Potatoes, and Green Beans.

For dessert... Red Velvet Cupcakes made by ME!

After dinner we watched t.v and cuddled up on the couch. What a perfect ending.

Times Passes By

I've been keeping busy between classes, work, and volunteering at a hospital in the Child Life Department. I've also been trying to get my small cupcake business going; starting with business cards, a logo designed by me, and trying out new cupcakes. I might have my first customer, as well as a contribution to a baby shower [super excited about that].

However on the other hand, things have taken a downward spiral this week. On Thursday my family got a phone call. From Florida, where most of the family lives. My poppy was found on the bathroom floor, he was conscious and breathing, but passed out. We later found out he had a stroke. We were immediately filled with grief and helplessness. I went about my daily business after a good cry. When I returned home that night some relatives were over discussing travel plans. My mom, cousin, and uncle decided to head out on a plane in the morning to be with him and the rest of my family. I decided I would go if things took a turn for the worst.

Right now he's slowly making progress; however, he is still in the ICU. Not only did he have a stroke, but he also has congestive heart failure, and pneumonia. He's not the type of person to want to sit still, he still plays softball and is just itching to leave the hospital.

It sucks not being able to do anything, and being here while he's there. I talked to him on the phone... even though he couldn't really talk. I told him I loved him, he replied, "I love you too." It felt good telling him how I felt about him, even though I do that every summer.

Isn't it crazy how one phone call can change everything? How in one moment you're happy, and the next you're sad? I can't begin to figure out why bad things happen to good people. It makes me sick. To top it off, since my poppy was hospitalized, my grandma hasn't been feeling well and isn't able to sleep at night. I guess they say that happens when something happens to your spouse, or ex-spouse in this case.. because they remained very close friends.

I know my poppy is a fighter and can battle through this. He has so many people praying for him. I don't know what I'd do without my poppy's sense of humor and sarcasm. We'd always share coffee cake when I visited him at his house - and he'd always make sure he had some at his house when I went to visit.

I remember the days he used to pull my brother, cousin, and I around the yard, while we sat on towels. We could do anything to him and he'd just think of a way to make us laugh. He's a stubborn old man, but he sure loves his kids and grandkids.

I love you Popparoo. Stay Strong <3