TJ MarshallsRossxx

I LURVE shopping for bargains. For me, half of the shopping high is whatever deal i got that day. There are times i wish that i wasn't on a budget and could just go to the mall, shop my little heart out, picking up whatever catches my eye and never glancing at a price tag. But i don't know how well i'd actually do with it. Looking for deals and stretching my dollar is so deeply ingrained in me, i am not sure how long it would take to lose those habits. (if i really had no reason to worry bout money, i'm sure i would find a way to get over it...)

But right now, my reality is we live on one income, we have 3 kids, and i still like to buy new things. I used to pick up a lot of basics at Target while i was there to buy laundry soap or Capri Sun. And that is one of the truly great things about stores like Target. Talk about your one stop shop. Now that they feature limited edition designer bags and GO! International clothing lines, you can have a little piece of the dream. But i do get tired of Target. and i get tired of buying clothes that don't last a season.

So how do i build a wardrobe of lasting pieces on a super tight budget? Well hello! Ross, Marshall's, and TJ Maxx of course! Some of my fave places to look around!

I tend to buy housewares and linens from Marshall's because i prefer their selection of such things. TJ Maxx also has awesome bath towels.

I like purses from Ross and TJM. I like shoes from Marshalls especially now that they have this huge area dedicated to shoes, and they even come in BOXES again. What a luxury. I like to find clothes at all 3 but will usually hit Ross first, simply because i find so much stuff. I was just there, and by the time i walked down HALF of a sales rack, i had more than exceeded the 8 item dressing room limit. (BTW, i do so hate this dressing room limit crap. c'mon people. unless the store is packed, let me try on my stuff. do you want me to buy it or change my mind because i don't want to get dressed and go exchange 8 things for 8 things...)

So i found a few casual tops and a new pair of shades, but more importantly and the reason i was there, i freshly stocked my lingerie drawer. woot. c'mon. New sexy panties and/or new shoes can change your whole outlook on life. I just tallied the ORIGINAL price tags and the grand total? $71.50 for 11 pair. What did i pay? $21.89.

Valentine's Day Scavenger Hunt

My husband and I had so much fun with a recent scavenger hunt, that i decided to do one for the kids today. i made up 14 clues and hid them all over, with the last clue leading them to their gifts. They absolutely had a blast and did really well solving each clue. we had to keep telling them to slow down so we could follow them with the video camera!

Here are the clues i worked very hard on, lol!

1. It's Valentines Day and time for some fun. I've hidden some clues - you must find every one. So here's the first clue, read it carefully: Go to the place where mom keeps cold tea. (fridge)

2. Sometimes we might forget to say please, but when our ears itch, we ask you for these. (q-tip drawer.)

3. Looking your best everyday never hurts. This is the place where you hang your nice shirts. (closet)

4. Sometimes in the morning, we're in quite a rush. This is the place where you go to brush.(bathroom)

5. Reading each day is more important that good looks. This is the place where you store all your books. (bookshelf)

6. When we eat corn dogs or tater tots, we put our plates here so that they can be washed. (dishwasher)

7. When we wear our clothes, they get dirty or stained. This is where mom gets them clean every day. (laundry room.)

8. When mommy goofs off, she doesn't like to watch shows. When she's working or playing, here's where she goes. (computer desk)

9. You like to skateboard over dirt and rocks, But your favorite game includes this special "box". (XBox)

10. Every now and then we all crave a treat. Here's where we keep goodies for a tooth that is sweet. (candy drawer)

11. Old family pictures remind us of the past. Here's where your baby pictures sit behind glass. (picture shelf)

12. Daddy works hard for us every day. When he comes home, here his keys lay. (key basket)

13. When Caleb gets stinky we all plug our nose. Here to change diapers is where we go. (Changing table)

14. The game's almost done and you're doing great! This is where Santa comes Christmas Night when it's late. (fireplace)

So, as they ran off to find the last clue, i quickly pulled out their gifts and put them on the hearth. They had so much fun and so did I! When they finally got to their gifts, I realized that my heart was racing with excitement!

All in all it was pretty cheap too. About $15 per kid in gifts, and $4 on cute little note cards for clues. Best $50 i've spent in a long while!

Happy Valentines Day!

Hope you all have a fun day!

YouTube Viewer Question

This question was asked in response to my round brush blow drying video:

Q: "May i ask what dryer you have? the one i have is too heavy =( "


A: You know, mine is actually a cheapo that i've had for ages. I believe it's Vidal Sassoon or some such Target brand. I'm really ready to invest in a good quality (read: expensive, lol!) ION dryer. A lot of the reason we can't get our hair to look like "salon" hair is because of the tools we use. I used to buy cheap flat iron's and would have to replace them several times per year. Really wasn't so inexpensive when you look at it that way. Plus, they never got my hair shiny or smooth. So i finally broke down and paid about $130 for a good one, and it's been doing its job very well for 4 years now. (Knock on wood!) I would recommend going someplace like ULTA or a beauty supply store where you can try out a few before you buy. And if you have a good hairdresser, ask him or her what they recommend. (and when i finally acquire a new one, I'll let you know what i end up choosing.) GL!

White House Black Market

Anybody shop here? Do you have a store where you live?

I've been getting their catalog for a few years, & i LOVE their looks, but never bought anything because i'm unsure of how their sizes run and of the quality. We don't have a store anywhere near here.

Have you ever purchased from them? In store or online/catalog? Are their sizes pretty true or do they run larger/small? How is the quality of their clothing?

30 - 90 - 5 - 6

What do these numbers mean? Well, for the past 30 days, i've been bringing it hardcore, pushing play on P90X and in that time i've lost 5 lbs and 6 inches!!

What is P90X you ask? Well if you aren't an insomniac like me, and you haven't seen one of their almost nightly infomercials, P90X is a sadistic workout program from Beachbody. It promises to be unlike any other workout program you've used before, as well as to get you into the best shape of your life.

Infomercials are usually selling LIES, but Beachbody has been around for a long time, and they never promise amazing results in 2 days with no diet or exercise. These people are in the business of changing lives and they don't tell you it won't take some work. Their slogan? "Decide, Commit, Succeed". And if you do steps 1 & 2 you WILL reach the 3rd. That's what they promise and then offer the tools to help. They are the real deal - NO lies, gimmicks or snake oils.

I was in the worst shape of my life. And though i'd rather, i can't blame it on the baby. After I had Caleb i quickly shed most of the weight as I have with my other 2 pregnancies. But life leading up to him and just after him included a lot of uncertainty and a lot of change. and I don't take well to change. Add a baby to that mix, and i completely left myself out in the cold. I hate admitting this, but there was definitely a twinge of depression going on. It didn't derail me from my life, but it caused me to stop taking care of myself - eyeshadow or no. So more than being "overweight" i felt terrible; physically and emotionally, and wanted something to change. I can't change anything but myself, so i DECIDED. Enough was enough.

I had used another product from Beachbody years ago and trusted what they were pushing. My husband was equally ready for change so we made a pact. He and I both turn 30 this year, and i have to admit, i've been looking forward to my 30's since i was 25. I wanted the big 30 to be an event, something monumental - a new leaf, a new path, whatever you want to call it. I was facing that milestone down and formulating a plan. Together and with each other's support, my husband and I COMMITTED. Not just to work out 6 days a week for 45 to 90 min. (yep - 6 DAYS A WEEK!) and not just to go on a diet. But to make the changes in our lifestyle that we kept saying we were going to get around to. Life is what happens while you're making plans, and we'd spent to much of our recent life feeling miserable, while aimlessly chattering about getting our act together. Enough is enough.

We met at a gym after all! We were extremely healthy, happy, vibrant, people back then. We RARELY watched TV. We RARELY sat around for a whole weekend doing nothing. And it becomes really easy to blame it all on having kids and life being hectic, but what kind of memories are we making as a family when we sit around watching whatever is on just because it's on? Enough is enough.

I knew that exercise and proper diet had always been my best "anti-depressant". It relieved stress, it made me feel amazing, and helped me to actually have MORE energy by keeping active. Imagine how depressing it can become to sit around stagnate with yourself. What a downer. Plenty of time to pick myself apart and feel like a loser. ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH!

So for one week prior, we "practiced" our diet. LOL! We figured out the changes that needed to be made so that it wasn't just "a diet" but OUR diet. Our way of eating. Otherwise, we'd never stick to it. The core of our eating habits were good. We just had to cut out the occasional fast food, and tweak a few things about the way we cooked. After that it was all about portions and eating OFTEN enough thru the day. Then we sat down on a weekend and watched the workout dvd's. I admit it - i was a bit afraid. Then we took our fit test, (and BARELY passed...) our before pictures and our measurements. The next day we started pushing play and I haven't missed a single workout in 30 days. Now with 5 lbs gone buh-bye, new muscles peeking out all over, and inches missing from my hips waist and thighs, i'm SUCCEEDING.

The most perfect smokey eye could never make me feel this amazing. I feel beautiful inside and out. And keeping a commitment to yourself is one of the best confidence boosters in the world. I highly recommend it!