Four dollars well spent!

Since becoming a stay at home mom and adding more kids into the mix... I have had to become creative and most importantly ... Frugal.
It wasn't an easy transition.. there was a lot of trial and error.
At first I as I was off like lightning. I was trying and doing any and everything. But, over time I had to find what worked and what as worth it to us as a family.
I am still learning. I am still trying to find creative ways to save money and I can say with my whole heart I enjoy it!
It really has become something that has become fun for me... at times, game-like. When I get a pile of clothes for the family that retails for 300 but I get it on clearance for 25... I feel like I have won some game... it is a rush..
Anyway..in being frugal I have learned (sometimes the hard way) what is worth actually spending the money on and what isn't.
When Anna turned two we bought her her first bike... It as a small two wheeler with princesses all over it. It was a pretty penny.. we also bought her this top of the line bike helmet. At that time, I still worked (part time) and we only had two kids.
We realized quickly tho that she didn't use that bike for very long. She quickly grew and that sweet little princess bike was soon way to small for her.
When it was time for Gabe to need a small bike... we thought of buying him a new bike as we had with Anna but... we remembered how quickly she outgrew it and we also, had another baby.
I was no longer working and so we just decided to take that pretty little purple princess bike and spray paint it black (Gabe chose that color since he wanted it to look like a "Hepi- copta") HE LOVED IT... as much as Anna loved it when it was a brand new princess bike!
He rode that bike till he was too big for it and we got him a big boy bike that would last a bit longer.
When it was Kalebs turn to need a little bike.. well, his Meme bought him one. He loved it... He got it for his third birthday and before his 4th he had the training wheels off and was riding like a big shot ...
Here is Kaleb getting his big boy bike on his third birthday... Since his birthday is in two days.. this all kinda fits...

As I said in a few days (about 11) Abigail will be four *and I promise I am getting to a point here*  She has been cruising around on her tricycle very happily till a few weeks ago when while at the store, she spotted a little bike with a basket in the front.
After we left the store she didn't stop talking about how she wanted a bike with a basket. I wasn't sure she could even ride a little bike. She is smaller then our other kids at that age.
First thing she said when her Meme asked her what she wanted for her birthday was a bike with a basket.
My mom instantly said "I will buy you one"... I told my mom I wasn't sure if she could ride one. She never had so, I told her to let me take her to the store and see if she could fit/ride one. I did.. and she could... YAY.
She was counting down the days till she got her new bike with a basket on it.
I started feeling bad about my mom buying her a 50 (or more) dollar bike that she would only use for a short time but, that was what she wanted... Even tho it wasn't my money , it bothered me.
One day we were sitting out and our neighbor threw away .. you guessed it.. a little bike with training wheels.
It wasn't pretty, and it had no basket but.. IT WAS FREE. And so, my kids went and got it.
Abby wasn't at all excited about it because, there was no basket and so I called my mom to let her know she didn't have to get Abs a bike but, I did tell her she could get her a basket for her bike.
The other day my mom celebrated the kids birthdays since she will be out of town on their actual big days... she got Abigail her basket.
It was so cute and pink and princessy.
I started thinking about the shape of the little bike we got for free and thinking how we had painted a bike before so, to get Abigail excited about her new bike I let her go to the store and pick her paint. Yes, we painted the little free bike... and she couldn't be more excited.
Here is the before:

Here it is ... 4$ later

I think that we will have to get her a couple stickers for it but, I think it looks a million times better (tho don't look too close, it has it's flaws :P )

Anyway... watching her on the bike I have to say that it as the best $4 we have ever spent! she has had a blast and even rode it around the living room when it was time to come in. She was so so so excited when she realized she could put her new dolly (Patty) in the basket!

Love the look of determination on her face here.. she struggles with turning and has fallen but, she hasn't stopped...

Abigails car seat needed some cleaning. I have to say I don't think that I have ever taken her car seat a part and cleaned it since she got in for her 2nd birthday. If I did, it was maybe once. She just hadn't done any yucky stuff in it (threw up, used the bathroom ect ect) and so, I just hadn't.

Well I HAD to today. I took it off and realized just how gross light pink can look after 2 years of being used day after day.. YUCK.

I had found a recipe for homemade oxyclean and figured that it couldn't possibly hurt it more then it already is so.. I tried it.. 

Here are the results.

Before:

This is the bottom (where her bottom goes)

Gross huh? Like I said I hadn't realized it since normally she is sitting in it when I am looking at it... YUCK.

Well I made up some "oxyclean" (recipe HERE ) 

And, here are the Afters:

I was amazed! 

After TWO  years of wear and tear on pale pink.

I am pretty impressed. It has a few spots that I could have done again but, I figured it as just going to happen again... besides I only let it set a couple hours.. I think that if I would have been able to leave it longer it may have been spotless... 

I am going to keep this recipe.. OH, and I will say I added some dawn dish soap to mine.. seen that on a different recipe a while back so I added it. 

Anyway... that's enough rambling for one night. If you made it this far..  THANKS :)