inspired

it is funny how seeing your far away friends can really put things into perspective. after seeing h and k, it made me realize 1. how much i adore/miss them, and 2. how different their lives are from mine. these girls are truly making a difference; k is a teacher in new orleans, while h rebuilds houses destroyed by katrina and coordinates volunteer projects. while i am immensely proud of these girls, and love them dearly, it made me want to try to do something different... 


volunteering is something i am incredibly passionate about and makes me feel as though i have a purpose. i hope to become more involved in my community, and to continue working with children. while i would love for my career to be something along these lines, it is not currently an option (yet). however, i have thought of a few differences i can make in my day to day living (perhaps an early new year's resolution?):

• start walking and taking the bus more often
• increase my current time commitment to my little buddy
• find somewhere i can volunteer once a month on weekends (a soup kitchen, local church, etc.)
• read more / watch tv less
• write about something i am passionate about (other than on this little blog hehe)
• stop wasting $$ on unnecessary items

the last (above) difference is what inspired my new challenge: thrifting... i came across a few blogs today dedicated solely to thrift store shopping (see here and here). i aspire to do this! it will significantly decrease the amount of money i waste, force me to stick to my monthly budget, and introduce me to new people and practices. i decided to begin my challenge today. while i currently own a few thrifted items, i was curious as to what else is out there. here are a few things i picked up today (all of which cost $32!):

i cannot wait to show you some of these items!