Ticlwo TJs

THINGS I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT - TRADER JOE'S edition

Before Trader Joe's opened in Des Moines a year or so ago I had no idea what it was.  In fact, I actually  had it mixed up with Eskimo Joe's - and I still don't know exactly what that is. We had some good friends move to Des Moines right by Trader Joe's so we had an easy excuse to start going there about once a month and wouldn't you know it - I now get things there that we can't live without.  

Sorry the picture is so blurry - it's been crazy around here lately and I just haven't had time to take a good picture.. but you'll get the idea.  So what's in the mix? 

- Bananas.  They have other great produce too, but for some reason I really love their bananas.  I'm not all super organic or naturally by any means.  I basically just buy what's cheap most of the time and I would never dish out for organic fruit at HyVee, but their's are so good and SO CHEAP!

- Name Tag Beer.  Okay, not so much me but Travis.  He loves this stuff for some reason, and for $3.99 a six pack, we all win. 

- Toilet Paper.  This stuff was cheap and it's pretty nice feeling, if I do say so.  And we like the package.  Travis actually asked if we could frame the packaging.  We're not going to - but I thought about it. 

- Orange Juice.  It's so good.  So sweet.  And again, SO CHEAP!

- Peanut Butter.  If we run out of Trader Joe's peanut butter then we start begging people who work in Des Moines to stop and get us some.  The ingredients are 1.Peanuts and 2. Peanut oil.  It's way cheaper than buying all natural peanut butter at any store here.  

- That little green tube - that's Chapstick that I just discovered.  They sell it in a 3 pack and it's spearmint flavored and super oily.  I think it was like $3 for the 3 pack. Well worth trying.  Especially since you'll love it! 

- That big jar has A) Granola Bars and B) Fruit Leathers.  I like their granola bars.  They aren't too fruity but not too dry and are called "So this Fig walks into a bar".  The fig ones are really the best.  And every time we go there I let Savannah get a handful of their fruit leathers. They have all kinds.  She thinks they are like candy.  

- FLOWERS.  Did you know that Trader Joe's has the best flowers for the cheapest?  I never knew until recently that I was a flower person.  But I love having fresh flowers in the house.  I almost always do.  Especially in the winter.  This picture has some little potted flower I put in a mug and a pile of fresh Eucalyptus I just bought - but they have really nice sunflowers and Hydrangeas too!

Honorable Mention: 

Kitchen Hand Soap.  

Oreo (type) Cookies

Canned Beans

Joe's Os - Spaghetti Os

That last thing is Kleenex - The box looks cool but don't even bother because the tissues are rough as tree bark!

Oh, and they have kids carts and if you have a child that's between 2 and 8 years old then you probably know there is nothing better than a kids cart.  They also have stickers.  And you get a sucker if you find the pig toy hidden in the store.