Getting ready for Easter!

Easter weekend is of course extra, extra fun this year.  For one thing, we got to go visit the Easter Bunny...

Sam was thrilled, obviously!  And yeah, I ended up getting Sam the little gingham Gap romper.  The Old Navy sandals too, but he kicked those off while trying to figure out the Easter Bunny!

And this week I also got a cute dress to wear from Old Navy.  Great dress sale going on this week!  I think it goes through Easter Sunday, so take a peek if you're on the hunt for a cute and affordable Easter dress.  Tons of styles!  Some as low as $15.  This one was $25...

And I finally put the kibosh on adding more goodies to Sam's Easter basket bucket.  It's way too easy to get carried away.  And it's ridiculous because he won't even thank me for it!!!  Here are most of the items...

His Nana got him the Peter Rabbit doll - it is so sweet!  I also snagged a clearance Peter Rabbit bib and burpee set from Pottery Barn Kids (sold out - can't find a good pic) that I got personalized with Sam's name.  Even his spit-up will be stylin'!  Ugh, and as I was looking for the link to the bib set, I saw that the Peter Rabbit bucket I bought at full price is now on clearance.  Drives me insane!!!  I didn't want to risk it selling out - I've missed out on several seasonal PB things before because I waited.  But they got me this time. Drats... oh well, it's still stinkin' cute!

We plan to do the early service at church that Sunday.  The 11am is nuts anyway, but on Easter - especially nuts.  No thanks!  Then we'll have an Easter lunch at my parents' house... about 12 or so people altogether.  I'm attempting cake pops for the first time ever.  This will be interesting... I'll take pics!  Just remember, I'm not a baker.  Should be fun!  And on another note, did I tell y'all we put Sam in the nursery (Waumba Land) at church last week for the first time?  He did great!

Here is one of the sweet volunteers loving on him...

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend!  Gosh, only 3 more weekends before I return to work from maternity leave.  I hate thinking about leaving my little man, but at the same time - I can't say I'm dreading going back to work.  So that is good... I'm going back at the best time possible - it will be our slow season.  And I AM looking forward to getting back into a routine.  Plus we really love Sam's daycare/school - I think he will have fun there! 

We have already established a nighttime routine for Sam, as far as having a consistent bedtime and bedtime routine (the 4 B's: Bath / Book / Boob / Bedtime Prayers)... so that has helped me prepare for the inevitable early mornings yet to come!  And the best news... as of a few nights ago, he started sleeping through the night!  It's only been four nights total now, but we're hoping this is our new normal.  He has slept between 7 and 8 hours each night.  So let's pray this continues!  I totally don't mind getting up for that 2 or 3am feeding... but a full night's sleep is awfully good.  Sure is!

Enjoy this weekend and Spring Break if that applies to you... I'm working on getting my baby item favorites post up shortly.  It's a long one, so it takes me several sittings (read: Sam's naps) to get it all finished.  :-)

Thirty-two. But who's counting?!

It's here! My favorite day of the year! That's right... my birthday! I think I will always love my birthday, no matter how many candles there are on my cake. Thirty-two does sound kinda old though. Hmmm...

Anyway, yay for today! And I'm so sorry to be so absent-go-bloggy lately, but it's just been a very busy few weeks here. I have tons of stuff I want to post about but just haven't had the time to sit down and do it! But I'm still alive and kickin'.

I've already gotten some fab birthday prezzies. Y'all already know about the freezer, my new best friend. And my godmother gave me a gift certificate to a local gift shop here that carries Vera Bradley. So I got this little ditty...

I'm in love! I needed a wallet SO badly. I've been carrying around a Dave Ramsey wallet since it was made to hold his cash envelopes. It's fine and all, but it ain't cute. And you know me... I like cute. So I found my birthday to be a good opp to get a new CUTE wallet. But it has to somehow hold my cash envelopes, and this cutie one does perfectly! I got it in the new Paprika pattern - SO cute.

I also got a giftcard for J. Crew from my MIL - sooooo excited! I screamed a little when I opened it. OK, maybe a lot. The hub and I also had a birthday-day-of-fun-on-a-budget on Sunday. We went to church, had brunch at The Flying Biscuit, went to Fernbank (on BOA's dime), and then later went to see The Invention of Lying that night. Really cute movie - I loved it. Tonight, the hub has something up his sleeve, but I'm not sure what it is. Though I'll probably know by 11am. He can't keep a secret to save his life. It's terribly cute, though.

So far, 32 looks pretty good. I think I'll like it. Hope you all are having a great week! And hopefully I'll find some more time to hop on here and jibber jabber. I know my commenting has been nearly non-existant lately, but I'm keeping up with you lovelies on my reader!

OH also - Javis Davis is having a big sale this month, so hop over here and check out the details. If you have some momma friends looking for crib bedding, now's a great time to go custom!

I got tanked!

Oh I am like on a tank top high, if there is such a thing. I think it's a combo of the fact that (1) I haven't bought anything for myself in almost a YEAR, and (2) I got 20 tank tops for less than $40. I'm so glad we went right when the store opened. It wasn't crazy crowded, but I guarantee by noon those tables of tanks will be empty. People were hovering over those tanks and grabbing them left and right and discussing strategies on how to get more than 5 (the limit per customer). But even the Old Navy chick standing by, constantly refolding tanks only to be rummaged through again and again, said that we could go through the check-out as many times as we wanted. AND I had 4 10% off coupons with, so we got an additional little savings there. If you're heading over there today to grab some $2 tanks, be sure to print off some for yourself!


It's not a huge discount, but hey - every penny counts, mommas. Just hop over to the weekly ads page and look for the two creepy girl mannequins in the top right corner. Click the coffee cup circled that the one on the left is holding and your coupon will pop up. It's only good once, so you've got to print several if you're planning on getting more than 5 tanks...



Yeah so I got 20 fab tanks... all different except I did get two of the delicious charcoal grey ones because I'm having a total love affair with grey right now. Everything grey is catching my eye lately. I'm completely giddy. I already hung up all my new tanks and went through my old ones and pitched the worn out ones in the Goodwill pile. A bunch of them have holes and stains and whatnot - I was totally in need of some replacements! So I had to display my scrumptious loot on the kitchen table and snap a pic...


Fab, aren't they? I do love a deal. Had I paid full price, these 20 tanks would've cost me $170 before adding tax. Yeah, I know they're on sale half the time for like 2 for $15 or 2 for $12, but still... it's more fun to think I saved 79%!

Alright... gotta get off my high horse and get some work done. I've got to put Lucky's bachelorette invites together! I will take pics of this project because it'll be a fun one. And I only have to make 7... she's just inviting her bridesmaids. So that's fun when I don't have to make like 200 of the same thing. I'm also brainstorming on designs for her wedding invitations this weekend. So I'll be playing around with those some too. Oh and I've got to get to the grocery today too... argh. AND I've got to update the budget. Too much to do. Hope y'all are having great weekends so far! Hmmm... which tank to wear first?!

Here's one sale I can't pass up!

Get ready, cuz all day Saturday (8/15) - and Saturday only - Old Navy tanks are $2 each! This is way more exciting for me than the $1 flip flops were earlier this summer. Because I don't need a million pairs of flip flops. I already have like 500,000. But I DO need a whole slew of new tanks. A lot of my old ones have stains and holes so I need some serious replacements. Note that they do have a 5-per-customer limit, so I'm bringing the hub along so I can snag more! I think we'll have to go Old Navy hopping so I can get lots. Or if they're super crowded, will they really notice if I go through the check-out multiple times? Please, like they care. I'm pretty excited because I haven't bought anything new for myself in almost a year. That's right - almost a year. All our cash is going to baby makin' and debt paydown - there's no room for a shopping budget. The only new clothes I've gotten over the last year have been gifts. But you can bet your britches I'll me taking my "miscellaneous" cash envelope to Old Navy first thing Saturday morning. And unfortunately, mommas, maternity tanks are not included or I'd probably be snagging some of those too for future.

And on another random note, you should see this contraption I'm in today. I do test-wearing for a very, very popular hosiery and body wear company here in Atlanta and today I feel like a tightly rolled burrito. I'm still breathing, but it's only 10:30am. Hmmm...

Where's my shopping fund when I need it?!

Children's Boutique Warehouse Sale

So Phoebe has a new rear windshield - good as new! Not exactly a fun expense in a month we're doing an IUI cycle AND paying off a credit card... but hey, what can you do but laugh and pray?! And thanks so much for the sweet messages regarding our baby makin' - your prayers mean SO much to me! I hope y'all know that.

By the way, does estrogen make you a fat cow? Cuz I sure feel like one. I've been eating normal, but my weight has like ballooned lately. They've got me pumping the estrogen due to my lining issue. So here's hoping this extra "cushioning" falls off once I get off that junk.

Anyway... Atlanta mommas, make sure y'all check out the children's boutique warehouse sale this Friday and Saturday - it only happens a couple of times a year and it's fab! For more details, meet me over here. I could do some serious damage there if I had (1) money and (2) a kid. Seeing as I have neither, I'll stay put. But let me live vicariously through y'all!

Alright, off to work. Gotta be productive today. Lots to do...

Online Sample Sales - Ready, Set, GO!

We've all swapped stories on fabulous finds on fun sites like Rue La La and Gilt, but this ever popular mode of online shopping seems to keep growing and growing in popularity. They all offer up great designer boutiques open for a limited time (usually 1-3 days), and each has some sort of referral program to encourage you to share the love. So I figured it was time for an update on my favorite sample sale sites!

Now y'all know I've put the kibosh on spending for myself while we're on our debt-free mission, but I still peruse these sites on a daily basis and often snag great gifts for others. Plus I do my best to keep an eye on the weekly kiddie sales so I can alert readers over at Make Room for Style.

So here's a list of my current faves when it comes to online sample sale sites. Most are "by invitation only," but several are open to newcomers with no invitation. So, bargainistas, take note!

• Rue La La - most of y'all know and love this one. This fab site, a birth child of another favorite of mine, Smart Bargains (Loehmann's), just celebrated its one year anniversary! Two or three new boutiques open every weekday. The sales are great, the site and packaging is like eye-candy, and the customer service is top notch. We loves the Rue! Consider yourself invited.

• Gilt Groupe - If you're looking for a lot of killer boutiques in any given day, Gilt is your place. They also have a lot of men and children's sales popping up every week. Tory Burch Kids is happening today over there at noon EDT. Gilt also has great customer service and fun packaging - it's the little things like this that do it for me. This one really does have extraordinary sales, so make it a favorite! Come on over as my personal guest.

• Gomatta Girls - I absolutely love this site... it's kind of like woot.com for fashion. New duds are featured each day - for one day only. So grab it while it's hot! The prices are usually rock-bottom, so this is a must hit site with your morning coffee. It's become a daily ritual of mine to see what the witty Gomatta Girls have up for grabs each day. No invitation is required for this one, but feel free to add me as a referral if you're so inclined (aaz106 at yahoo.com)!

• One Kings Lane - This site is all about home décor and accessories. You'll find a lot of high-end goods for the home here from luxurious linens, to barware, to doggie beds... in every style imaginable. An invitation is required for access and I'll have to email you one... so please leave a comment here with your email if you'd like in!

• ideeli - This is one that has grown a lot since I first started logging on. They feature mostly accessories, but do have several boutiques with clothing. And though I've yet to win one, they're always hosting fabulous giveaways! Do take note that items purchased at ideeli are NOT returnable, so click with caution, girls. This concerned me once when this gorgeous tea set that I ordered for my mom arrived with a chipped spout. I contacted ideeli to see if it was at all possible to exchange it, since it was broken. They were out of stock, but not only did they refund my money, they let me keep the order! So I just got some super glue and voila - a fabulously free tea set! So while sales are final, they do their best to keep customers happy and coming back! Click here to join the fun.

• The Mini Social - This is one of the newest online sample sale sites and it's especially for mom and baby. They have new boutiques opening almost daily - great designer duds for tots, as well as the occasional accessories for mom and the nursery. A must hit for you mommas! No invitation is currently required on this one, but feel free to add me as your referral (aaz106 at yahoo.com)!

• HauteLook - This is another one that offers up a wide array of boutiques, including several children's sales each week. So mommas, take note of this one too. You'll often see boutiques for skincare and makeup items here as well. Lots of jewelry and other accessories pop on here, too - lots to see! This is another one I really keep my eye on. Hop on over here as my guest!

So those are my personal faves. New ones seem to keep popping up, so if you've stumbled on a great find recently, do tell! Here are a few others worth a look...

• Editor's Closet (free membership - sign up here)
• The Top Secret (leave a comment for an invitation by email)
• GlamList (enter my email to gain access - aaz106 at yahoo.com)
• Billion Dollar Babes (free membership - sign up here)

Happy online shopping, girls! There's just nothing quite so nice as designer duds on a dime...

In my belly this afternoon...

In case you were dying to see how my fab crockpot BBQ I threw together this morning turned out, take a peek...


It may have to do with the fact that I missed my afternoon snack and was starving when I got home, but this is like the best BBQ sandwich EVER!




Hop back over here for the recipe.

Also, while you're salivating, jump on over to Shop It To Me where I guest-posted on closet reorganization! It's truly one of my favorite topics - I'm obsessed with having an organized closet.

And if you're not on the Shop It To Me train already, well get on it, girls! The team at Shop It To Me has tipped me off on many a killer bargain. You create an account, go through a list of designers and retailers and choose the ones that interest you. Give the specific sizes you're looking for in whatever categories you're after... and then you start receiving your *Sale Mail* - however frequently you choose - which alerts you to items of interest in your size that are on sale. They do all the legwork for you! It's truly awesome. LOVE it. You will too... sign up here!

Well, I'm officially on vaca, girls! Looking forward to a day at home tomorrow getting packed for the beach and all the preparation that goes along with that.

Spring Sale at Javis Davis!

Happy Saturday, dear readers! Oh I love me a Saturday when I don't have to work! I was on a staycation last weekend after the 15th, so Saturday didn't really feel like a Saturday last weekend... so this Saturday feels like the first real one where I don't have to go in the office and crunch numbers. And like McDonald's, I'm lovin' it!

I had a fab massage and facial last night. I promise to post soon about my awesome spa deal... I need to check with my spa dude to see what he is charging now before I spill the beans. And to make sure there's not a waiting list still, cuz trust me - if you're in Atlanta, you WANT this. And y'all KNOW I'm in a serious straight-jacket of a budget, so it's gotta be good. Yeah so, great pampering last night and a chill evening at la casa.

This morning I'm heading down to Grant Park to help Lucky move out some of her stuff because her brand spankin' new fiance is moving in. She is so excited... they've set a date for January and the wedding planning is already going full-force. She's already picked out our dresses (from J. Crew - YESSSS!!!!) and she's itchin' to find hers. Anyway, so yeah... having brunch with her and kuntry bride and helping her load the U-Haul. Oh and I'll be making a pit stop at the best paper store ever, Paper Source, on my way down. Or back maybe... depends how fast I get my ass moving this morning. I've got an order for save-the-date's and some one year birthday invites and am in need of some supplies. It's a busy weekend!

Tonight we're having dinner at the hub's boss' house. Should be fun! They banter like frat boys, so I'm pretty sure it will be fun. His job has been a true blessing... everyone was really unsure about him switching careers and going into mortgage lending in the middle of the housing crisis last fall, but it's proven to be a good move so far. And he is such a "problem solver," which makes this role a good fit for him too. And it's still very sales-driven, which is his background. Yeah so if you're looking to refi, peaches... I might as well give the hub a good plug! You can get his contact info (and see his dashing pic) here. Isn't he the cutest? Hehehehe...

Oh and speaking of jobs, that reminds me... Dave's Town Hall for Hope on Thursday night was GREAT! Leave me a comment if you went or watched or listened or whatever and tell me what you thought. He had a lot of really great things to say. He spoke to the fear that a lot of us are experiencing, and he talked about how fear is the antithesis of hope. No good decisions are ever made out of fear... so living in fear gets us nowhere. He gave a lot of historical info on economics, which was really interesting. And he answered lots of good viewer questions and concerns. My favorite quote of the night? "Gold is the Snuggie of investments." I was rolling... Cause you see it on late night infomercials and you look like an idiot for buying it. Hahahha... love it. So with all the great encouragement and info, he wanted us to walk away with a list of three things to do in the meantime as we battle this economy (this is totally from memory, so this is my understanding of what he said)...

1. Take responsibility for your situation, stop whining, and go bust your butt. The government's not responsible for taking care of you - YOU are responsible for you.


2. Learn to say *NO*!


3. Give more. (I'll have to say that this one is most important... in getting on the Dave bandwagon, we put giving at the top of our budget and it has CHANGED our lives.)

I believe the Fox Business Network is re-airing the show over the weekend and hopefully it'll be up on Dave's hulu page at some point - I don't know. I hope you'll get a chance to view it!

Now perhaps I should get to the title of this post.... geez! Yes, Javis Davis just announced a secret friends and family spring sale in honor of Mother's Day. This sale is not mentioned anywhere on their site (hence the *secret*!). They rarely do sales, so this is big deal, mommas! Hop on over to Make Room for Style for more details!

Bibs and Booties.

So after work today I ran by Off 5th to grab a baby shower gift. I had a 30% off Friends and Family coupon (good through Tuesday - email me if you want one!) so this was going to be my first spot to try and find a gift. I was a little disappointed in the baby and kids' clothing selection... sometimes they're overflowing with stuff... tons of Lilly and other fabulous brands... but today, not so much. Lots of designer jeans for kids, but I've become way to sensible for that nonsense. (Tell your toddler to get a job if he wants to wear $150 Diesel jeans.) Anyway, I had a few things in my hand from the clearance rack that were pretty cute, but I quickly threw them down when I caught wind of the stack of icky baby bibs around the corner.

Sometimes Off 5th has a bunch of these bibs and sometimes they don't... that store in general is totally hit or miss, but when it's a hit, it's a HIT. Which makes it one of my favorites! So anyway, all my momma friends adore these bibs. They retail between $15 and $18 and are usually sold at more uppity stores and boutiques. Well at Off 5th they were selling for $11.99... add my 30% off coupon... that's $8.39 each. Pretty good deal - I was happy. So I snagged these three...

Not an earth-shattering bargain, but a good one. And the total was under my $30 budget, so I'm happy and I know the mom-to-be and her baby boy will love them too! Yeah, by the way, I never do baby registries for baby gifts. I don't know what the hell half those products are and I'm not running laps in Babies 'R' Us trying to find a pack of onesies in some specific blend of organic cotton you picked out. Sorry.

OK and then booties? Yes, that'd be in reference to MY booty. As in, let's get it into shape, girls! Today is April 4th... exactly three months from JULY 4th... when I'll be running the Peachtree!!! I had fun tagging along with the hub and our other pals who ran last year, but I'm going to actually run it this year. It will be my first 10k, so I've got some serious work to do. Along with working ridiculous hours this time of year, my workout schedule gradually goes down the toilet. I haven't been to yoga in weeks... I haven't ran in... well, let's just say *a while*... I've managed to maintain my weight throughout the last few months solely because I watch my cal-intake like a hawk (on weekdays anyway). But we need some firming up... for realz.

So... I've got a week and a half left of busy season. The countdown is officially on! My plan - which I'll begin on Monday, April 20th - is gonna go like this:

• Mondays - Yoga after work


• Tuesdays - Run with Gertie at the park after work


• Wednesdays - Yoga after work


• Thursdays - Run with Gertie at the park after work


• Fridays - off


• Saturdays - a.m. run with Gertie in the park


• Sundays - off (unless I'm feeling crazy - optional afternoon yoga class)

You like? I do... I can totally do this... Operation Fierce Booty!!! Yes, let's call it that. Alright girlz... any of y'all have new workout plans to get bikini ready or whatever ready? Now I realize I may have to adjust this somewhat if my doctor tells me to take it easy... we'll see! I'm currently on my last cycle before we start IUI next month!!! I'm so ready to go. I've had two girlfriends recently conceive through IVF so I'm hoping their baby dust rubs off!

And speaking of baby dust... tomorrow I'm debuting my new blog and venture! And yes, it has to do with babies! That's all I'll spill for now. But there is a FABULOUS giveaway involved, so stay tuned!!!

Shecky's is back!

Hey girls! Hope you all had a good week. Mine was kinda long, but good! We actually went to see my doctor today to discuss our gameplan for Buford Baby. It was great to get caught up and back in the swing of things. I was telling my friend, Jill, that it's kind of a weird mix of emotions. It's super exciting and encouraging to get a plan laid out and know what steps are next, but there's always frustration and sadness mixed in there... wondering why the heck we have to go through all this crap to have a freaking baby. But no, overall, it's all good and we're really excited. We're still laying low till tax season is over, so our first go with IUI will be in May. Good stuff!

OK so on to other fun things happening in May... Shecky's Girls Night Out is returning to Atlanta! Once again, it'll be at the gorgeous Biltmore Ballrooms in midtown. You may've caught my post a few months back when they were here last fall. This is a great, great event and girls, the price is right! You can get in for free as a Shecky's insider, but trust me... pony up and get the goodie bag ticket! Remember how honkin' huge I mentioned they were last time? Lots of fun stuff in there and definitely worth the few extra bucks. Plus you're getting free cocktails... hello. And I know we're all pinching our pennies... but remember, I didn't spend a dime last time (aside from my ticket price and parking), and we had a blast. I was sold on the goodie bag and free drinks. We loves free! So grab your girlfriends and make a night of it! Click below to learn more and purchase tickets...

Alright... y'all have fabu weekends! This weekend is my slumber party with Lucky and kuntry bride. We're going to see Shopaholic tomorrow afternoon and then we're heading back to Lucky's for an equally delicious girls' night *in*... and funny thing, we're apparently not the only ones! Hmmm... maybe we're on to something!

Rue La Lilly.

Oh man... did anyone hit up the Lilly boutique at Rue La La this week? Definitely had one of those "I wish I could be irresponsible" moments. Some killer deals for sure! If you snagged anything, tell me about it so I can live vicariously through you! I'd been after Rue La La to do a Lilly boutique from the beginning... and of course by the time they do it, we're on a tight budget and I have to restrain myself! OH well... next time maybe!

Bleh.

OMG. I ate so much food last night I think I may never eat again. OK that's a lie. I just ate 3 strips of bacon like 5 minutes ago. But for real, I inhaled so many calories at the rehearsal dinner that I should probably not eat for 3 or 4 days. Hehehe... it was good. The rehearsal dinner was at one of the Sugo locations. Sugo is delish - I've always liked it. But you know how it's hard to get a true feel for a restaurant's food and service when it's a private party like that? I mean there were so many little goodies being passed around beforehand - and I was STARVING - so I of course loaded up on those. Then we had a salad... fresh mozzarella, tomato, and kalamata olives (three of my favorite things). So by the time my entree came, I was kinda over it. It was great, but I was like 80% full and a tummy ache was coming on strong. OMG and then dessert... tiramisu - like my favorite, hello! And it was fabulous tiramisu. So of course I ate like all of it. And I'm not a big sweets person generally. Yeah, so after that I was like dying to get in the car so I could unbutton my pants. The food was great, but there's just so much going on that it's hard to appreciate it like you would at a normal dinner out. Does that make sense?

Rambling. Anyway... the wedding's at 5 o'clock tonight. Now that I'm Budget Betty, I was a good girl and didn't buy anything new to wear. So here's what I'm wearing tonight...




I've been REALLY good about not shopping. Well, with our hardcore zero-based budget and envelope system alla Dave Ramsey, there's not a budget for shopping right now. But girls, it's getting hard with all these killer sales going on! I just caught wind of a huge sale on KORS shoes over at 6pm.com and I'm like sweating. But I'm holding on! For dear life! Not. Gonna. Budge.

Alright... off to go find some nail polish... My peeping toes need a touch up.

Need some boots for fall?

If you're a Nine West fan, hop on over to 6pm.com for a killer sale on boots and other Nine West shoes and accessories. You should know that I don't use the term "killer" loosely. All items are only $29.95 each! My friend Lucky went nuts and got 5 pairs. There's a HUGE selection, so go get you some!

Update (9/11/08): Prices changed some on these sale shoes. Instead of all being $29.95, they now range from $25.51 to $39.95 as of today. Still some great deals... happy shopping!

50% off all Mineral Makeup at ELF!

I'm trying to figure out - to the minute - how long this "24 hour" sale lasts... because it seems to still be going on and I think 24 hours have certainly passed since I first got word. The point: get hand to mouse and scoot on over to Elf and load up now, now, now!!!

If you've yet to try out this new "mineral" makeup phenomenon, here's your chance to do it, not just on the cheap, but on the WAY cheap! Click below to see all the mineral goodies...



There are tons of fun mineral products. If you're not familiar with Elf - it is fabulous makeup for stoopid prices. Most products are only $1. But the mineral line has products ranging from $3-8. I've mentioned it a bunch, so y'all know *I* loves it.

Anyway - they are always having sales on top of their awesome prices, but this one could not go without mentioning... when you enter code BLOWOUT at checkout, you get 50% off ALL mineral products totalling $25 or more. (Dumbass me had "BLOWAWAY" typed initially - so if you tried that, try again with the correct one!) But like I said - this is supposedly only a "24 hour sale" so I'd get your arse on over there now.

:: One year ago today ::

Lilly Sales - stock up!

All the fall merchandise is pouring in, so the summer goods have gotta go! Here are two big Lilly sales to take a bite out of...

For mini Lilly, visit In the Pink to get an EXTRA 25% off all kids' clearance items. Enter 0820 at checkout for the discount. Good through this Sunday, August 24th.

For my Atlanta gals, Mint Julep has slashed prices on all summer merchandise! Final markdowns on all ladies' items - 60-80% off! All kids' inventory will be marked 50-60% off. Sale starts Friday and goes through Labor Day weekend.

Go get you some!

Ballard Designs - Tent Sale!

I know a lot of you are fans of Ballard Designs... This weekend Ballard's Backroom is having a big tent sale. Items are marked an additional 50-75% off the lowest ticketed price. Definitely worth a look, Atlanta gals. This is only at the Holcomb Bridge location - not the DeFoor Ave location. If you haven't been, you are missing out. Everytime I go there I see something I've been eying in the catalog - or worse, something I bought online and paid full price for... damn. I won't be able to get over there, but you should. Go spend some money for me!

Three things for Thursday...

1. I added some measurements to my maternity denim detail below up for grabs, as inquiring minds wanted to know!

2. My $4.95 jeans arrived yesterday. They're gorgeous, but tragically, are one size too big. :-( I'm SO totally bummed... Guess I'll be returning those puppies. I do think my next designer denim purchase will definitely be Rich & Skinny's though - love them.

3. I'll be drawing a winner for my stationery giveaway tomorrow afternoon! Don't forget to sign up here by 5 o'clock tomorrow! My stuff is rather delicious, if I do say so myself, so don't miss out! :-)

:: One year ago today ::

I'm in love...

...with Rue La La. Not that we weren't having a torrid love affair before, but now it's official: we're an item. I had a good credit building for referrals and was just waiting and waiting on that *certain* item to pounce on. Wasn't sure what it would be... but this morning at 11:01am, we met.

Ladies, behold my new Rich & Skinny jeans. A $200 pair of jeans that I scored for... drumroll, please... $4.95.



OMG... so excited. Rue La La had them for $75 (which in and of itself is a great deal) so after my credit, I only had to pay some shipping costs (the $4.95). Here's hoping they fit! I can return them if not, but surely won't be able to exchange them since the boutique will be long gone. They're from the same makers of Seven and Citizens, and I know how those fit me... so I took a guess. Anyway, so keep spreading that la-la-love. It'll pay off! I am on cloud 9. I mean I can't even get a Chick-fil-A for $4.95. But I got some wicked ass jeans!!!!!! Woo hoo!!!!! What a great start to the weekend, huh?!

:: One year ago today ::

Ok this one's funny because I have this dress up on ebay right now!

New Markdowns at Isabella Oliver!

I don't talk about it too much, but all my girls know I have a slightly unhealthy obsession with maternity clothes. I just adore them. And I know, I know - I've never been pregnant - and therefore, have never worn maternity clothes. So what the hell do I know? But for whatever reason, they fascinate me. And as much as I want to be a mom, I want just as much to experience being pregnant so I can have a big ole buddha belly and rock some seriously fly maternity wear. Someday, someday! (Now watch me end up one of those in misery their entire pregnancy who won't leave the house in anything but a muu-muu.)

Anyway, I know of lot of you lovely ladies are expecting, so just wanted to pass along a good sale. Isabella Oliver is one of my favorite maternity brands and they don't usually do big markdowns, so this one's good. I just love their clean and classic lines. Simple, chic, and much of their collection is absolutely timeless. Now they're certainly not the cheapest maternity wear out there, but these are great pieces and hey - sale! They specialize in a "wrap" technique found on a lot of their pieces that allows you to wear them through each stage of pregnancy and even beyond. Here's a few of my favorites styles...

Swoon! Drool! Love it all. Now go get you some, mommas, so I can live vicariously through you! And I know I haven't really brought up the whole baby thing much lately. I was really down in the dumps last month about it - probably at my lowest point in the last 2.5 years dealing with all this crap. I was just starting to get really bitter. And then more bitter because I was bitter about being bitter. But I've totally had a breakthrough since my staycation (I'm telling you, they do wonders). Actually I've just had to re-focus my attention on other things that are more important right now, and for us that's working hard on getting ourselves in a better place financially. With no rental income coming in right now (on our townhouse) and the hub's job change earlier this year, it's gotten pretty damn tight. Oh and yeah - those damn gas prices, hello! I know everyone's feeling the pinch. But yeah, lately there seems to be too much month at the end of our paycheck. So we're cutting back and getting creative - and I have to say, and I know this sounds weird, but it's actually kind of fun finding new ways to save/earn money. It's not all fun, but you know, some things... like I've been having fun on ebay and become quite the coupon clipper! So that's definitely our main focus right now and it suddenly became clear to me a couple of weeks ago - seriously like light-bulb-going-off clear - that now is just NOT the time to have a kid.

We are absolutely still going to be aggressive with getting prego when we're ready, but it's just become clear that now is not the right time. That's not to say that 3 months from now won't be a different story, who knows... But I don't know, I feel like God is like, "see, Buford Betty, I told you I know what I'm doing here." I get it, I get it! And can I tell you what a RELIEF that is? I seriously feel a million times better about the whole baby thing right now. I know I will be a mom one day, by some means, but not today. And honestly, I don't want to get prego until I'm in a position where I can really enjoy it. I want to wear fabulous maternity clothes. I want to go APE shit with the nursery. I have big, big ideas in my head and they ain't cheap. So it's all good. It'll happen when it's meant to happen, I know this. So I'm not telling you all this to fuel sympathy, but to let y'all know I'm in a very good place right now mentally with it all. The hub and I are still loving our time together - just us two. OK, us two and three crazy dogs. But we are loving our "freedom." So all that to say, we are cooling our heels on the baby-making business right now. Not not-trying, but not really hard-core trying. I ditched the ovu kits. Damn things rarely worked for me anyway. I'm just literally not worrying about it. And it is SO freeing. Now watch me get knocked up next month.... go figure! ;-)

Alright enough of that... appropriate material for hump day though, right? Hehehe... Alright girls, have a good Wednesday and don't forget to leave your name for my giveaway below!!!

:: One year ago today ::