Plum spa.

Everybody wants needs some some time away from the world every now and then and that is exactly what Chad and I did last weekend with my brother.  We rode around Colorado like there was nothing to it.  I bet we saw more in 2 days than we had in three years. My feet felt like they had walked to China and back.  They needed some lovin yesterday afternoon.

 Now I know that Wal-Mart doesn't exactly sound like TLC but something that I found in there was totally perfect...

$3 foot soak?  Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   I took the tub that I keep Quincys toys in (washed it out of course) and filled it with hot water then I added 1 cup of the salts to it...

 I toted it to my chair in the living room and read a magazine for half an hour before I fell asleep.  Ha!

My feet are happy and I am going to make this a nightly thing.  Felt so good and Chad said that the house smelt nice and minty when he got home from golfing.  Double score.

The Biggest Loser

Ow ow owwwwwwwwww. The pain might never go away.  I have been trying to lose some weight the past 6 weeks with a 2 day a week Boot Camp.  It was given by a guy that was on the second season of Biggest Loser, Jarron Tate.  He didn't win.  Wah... but he made a lifestyle change.  That's what important isn't it?

Hours of jogging around at my office with 20 colleagues, hours of push ups, and hours of squat jumps paid off for me.  I only lost pounds a few pounds but I improved my eating habits, drink a ton more water, shaved a minute and a half off my mile, and did a lot of woman push ups in 2 minutes. Did I mention I lost inches... everywhere.  It's all gone... Oh wait and that I am now super hyper all  most of the time?!?!

I am proud of my accomplishment but I am not done.  I have signed up for six more weeks.  If I can get my mile under 10 minutes I might dance.  Well, I dance all the time regardless so I don't know what I would do. Eat a piece of cake? Mmmmmmm nummy.

A lesson on opening your mail...

3 weeks ago

Junk... junk... junk... ooo whats this?!  A letter from a catalog that I love but can't afford.  Hmmm ok.  Reading...reading... a $50 coupon?! Sweet!

1 week ago

Where's that *#(@&(@(Q&Q(& coupon?! Can't find it.

Later that day

Me: I'm calling the company to see if they can track it
Chad: Whatever...

Ring ring...

Lady on the other end: Garnet Hill how can I help?
Me: I received a coupon last week but can't find it.  It was for $50.  Do you have proof that I haven't used it and give me the credit?
Lady on the other end: Let me see if I can track it
Me:Ok

..... .... .... .....music

Lady on other end:  I can't find it but I can give you two $25 coupons instead.  What would you like?

I tell her the item number...

Lady on other end:   Is that it?  You don't owe us anything.  It will be delivered next week.  I'll send you the tracking number.

....

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It gets better...

30 minutes ago at the mailbox

Junk....junk...junk... Oooo a letter from that catalog. I hope they didn't make a mistake and I owe them for the rug...

Inside the house...

A check for the difference of what I didn't use on the coupon. Sweet!

Lesson... Read your mail and make sure that you subscribe to the Garnet Hill.

Friday finds...

This weekend was crazy busy! Friday I colored my hair and trimmed it for the first time in months... I didn't cut any length off since it has taken what seems like AGES to get it over that weird spot on my back that's in between short and long... you know the spot I am talking about!?  After that I went to a few antique stores before meeting a friend to walk... my loot is below.



I love Christopher Robin...




Stamps!




Chad said I will never make biscuits like his grandmother... let's bet...




I couldn't turn away from a home state plate...

 I loved these candle sticks made out of various salt and pepper shakers... Very $$$... I wonder how much effort it would take to make them?

 A vintage stork... He was sooooo pretty! I didn't have a need for him but he was cool.

Good Song For a Friday

Painted Chairs for the Guest Room

Painting is an enemy of mine.  I love the way it looks once it is done but I hate doing it. It hurts my back, my neck, and my pride because it is sooooooooooo stinkin tough for me to paint neatly.

 I found these two  chairs for $5 a piece over the weekend and  I thought that they would look cool in our basement guestroom... Plus the deal was so good I couldn't walk away from them.  The color was a weird brownish-red that I couldn't handle. I tossed them into our "basement painting closet" and found  the leftover paint from when my mom and I painted my Pyrex shelf. 

It didn't take long to paint because I was so intent on finishing them in one day and being done with this little project.  I likey the way it turned out. Now I need to find some pillows for the seat and possibly a rug to go in front between them and the bed.

I would like these cushions if they weren't $45 a piece.  Whoa..


Pier 1



Hinged Milk Crate Bread Box

Our little doggy Quincy has a thing for bread.  Actually lets make it all things carbohydrate. If we leave any type of carb out on the counter int he morning when we leave for work  we can safely  bet that it will be in his little tummy by the time we get home.  Our normal storage area is our microwave since we have no extra cabinet space for anything.  Plus it is annoying taking it in and out when we want to use the thing.

While I was out over the weekend I came across a hinged milk box. For $15 I thought it was perfect so snatched it up so fast you couldn't see my arms move.  I think it looks great out on our counter and it is full of carby treats.

Saturday Finds at the Goodwill Grand Opening Longmont CO

Chad went golfing yesterday morning with some guys from work so I ventured off to Boulder to use a coupon that I had  and a gift card for Anthropologie from my sister.  I was about half way to Boulder and then I noticed a HUGE crowd at Goodwill... I mean people parking 3 blocks and walking kind of a crowd.  Of course I pulled in.

Normally I wouldn't take time to describe the scene at Goodwill I would just skip on the stuff that I found.  This deserves a few sentences... or paragraphs.

First of all there was an ORCHESTRA out in front of the store... I am talking  straight up violins, cellos, and flutes.  Then when you get into the store you are greeted by several very attractive corporate employees with muffins and coffee for all of the customers venturing in.

Then you realize it is the grand opening of this store. There were radio stations out front, iPads being given away at the top of every hour, gift cards being given out, and hundreds of people just hanging around.

My heart started to beat out of my chest and I squirmed to the back of the store where the housegoods are because I was seeing all of the treasures that people were buying.  I saw one lady with 3 carts!  They had to have been storing all of the best items that have been dropped off in Denver for months for this opening.  I saw brand new outdoor ceramic pots, antiques, furniture, brand new solar lights, brand new clothes... The entire store was 50 percent off.

By the time that I got to the back of the store I was exhausted from elbowing my way in and out of the check out line but then there right in front of my eyes was the Pyrex Mecca. I didn't have a cart.  How the heck was I supposed to know that I would need a cart?!  I have never needed a cart in Goodwill.  I find one or two things a week but today I saw SO much it was hard to hold back.

I grabbed what I could and put my coffee in one of the bowls so I could hold it upright with my chin... and then made my way to the back of the line.  I wish I could have taken a photo but I had no hands and didn't have anyone to dig in my purse for my phone.

Just picture Toys R Us or Target on Black Friday.

One guy offered to hold my coffee up to my mouth so I could drink it because my hands were full. Hahahahaha.  I told him I'd wait.  45 minutes later I checked out.  I spent a whopping $14.  When I made it to the check out counter my entire body was shaking.  It was the weirdest feeling.  I was exhausted from standing in line holding my items and I was so wired from all of the excitement.

If you ever see a Goodwill grand opening you have to plan to go.  It was amazing.

Good morning juicer...

Last weekend one of my little surprises was a Goodwill gift card. When I say I was over the top pumped up about it I really mean it. I was counting down to Friday all week because it was burning a hole in my pocket.  $10 buys so much at Goodwill.  It's the way to shop people.

I was hoping to find something big, like a piece of furniture, that I could work on this weekend but I had no luck... I did however spot this amazing little juicer.

I know I probably shouldn't use it and just use it as a little decorator piece but of course it was bugging me sitting there screaming fresh squeezed juice so I had to try it.



I guess it had been in an antique booth prior to Goodwill,  The tag says $25 I paid $2...



Easter Markdowns at Target

Target put their Easter things on 70% off yesterday while I was walking around in there... I grabbed some napkins and plastic silverware that I can use now for some things.  I like the Easter items because they can be used a little more than say a Christmas or Halloween theme.



80 cent




3.50




80 cent




I bought this for $4 when it was half off... I couldn't wait...



I have an itch to paint something green.

Here we go with green paint people.  Last weekend I had people over for breakfast and I was giving the tour and everyone was lovin' my wall colors... one problem though.  Everything I was showing them was a hint of blue or grey.  ACK  I need some more colors in my life.

While I would love to paint our guest bathroom a nice yellow I don't think it would fly for everyone.  I promise it would be the best yellow in the world.  Eh, I can settle with green.

This is a prelim stage of pondering about the appropriate color.  Check these out below.  Have a favorite?



Kennebunkport Green Benjamin Moore for Pottery Barn




Sherwood Greed Benjamin Moore for Pottery Barn



Obviously I have a thing for Benjamin Moore colors...



Peaceful Garden



Green Hydrangea



Pistachio Ice Cream



Budding Green



Spring Has Sprung



Shuffle shuffle shuffle.

Since starting my Boot Camp class a few weeks ago I have realized that my iPhone is way too bulky to wear outside while working out.  The massive band that it fits in makes my arm hot and super sweaty.  Plus when you think about it... is it fare that one arm has to move with a mini weight strapped to it and the other one not?  Do I want one arm to be a hell-of-a-lot larger than the other?  Maybe I am being really far fetched here but it stanks.

I didn't even consider buying a shuffle until I creeped up on one at Target one night a few weeks ago and that is all I have had in my mind since.  Today when were there at lunch buying golf balls for Chad (and checking out the after Easter sales) he broke down and bought one for me.  

It is so small!  I took a photo of it next to a coke cap so you can see the size.  It was only $45.  There is even a cool button to push and it reads the name of the song and the artist out to you.  Did I mention it has a clip on the back so you don't need a cover? WHAT!  This thing is sweet. I'm going to use it tonight and I am not going to complain about arm being sweatier than the other.

  *Super pumped*

Easter Sunday with a Cornish Hen

Happy day after Easter everyone!

I  just ran, literally rannnnnn, to the post office.  I got home from work and walked the dog only to  realize that I didn't have any stamps and I needed some ASAP but the post office was going to close in less than 20 minutes... I grabbed my check card and raced the clock. 

I got to the counter, red with sweat dripping down my face, and managed to say "I neeeeeeeeed stamps and I don't want the flag kind." Sadly, all they had were the flags so I didn't have any other choice. I hate that! She gave me a "strange lady you are all sweaty" kind of look and "you need to get some water" stare as she handed over the stamps plus an envelope for me to free up my hands as I attempted to run back home.

NOW guess my time... just guess it!!!!! I made it to the post office, bought stamps, ran half way home, stopped and talked to a neighbor, and finished the rest of my run home in under 23 minutes.  That is what I call time management!

Let's talk Cornish hens.

Chad and I couldn't decide what we wanted for Easter dinner until we went to the grocery store late Saturday night and saw that Cornish hens were 2 for $6.50.  We received 4 hams from 4 different people at Christmas and just finished eating those so were knew that swine was not in the picture for Easter.

We used to love cooking Cornish hens in college.  One of our good friends would fry them for everyone in nothing but Tony Catchers and peanut oil.   I loved that but unfortunately I can't eat that now.  Boo hoo hoo...

Preheat your oven to 350.

Rub butter, or in my case olive oil, all over and under the skin of the entire hen.  You can even put some inside.  To each it's own.

Choose your spice.  I picked a Florida Seasoning that I buy at a local spice shop.  It has rosemary and citrus rinds in it.  Chad chose Tonys (duh of course). Rub it all over.

Now put it in the oven for an hour and it should come out looking similar to this..

If it doesn't come out looking like that you have done something wrong and you should have googled a recipe rather than attempting to follow my instructions.  Just saying.

What was left of Chads basket

Easter Bunny!

Quincys Easter Toys

Golf inside? Please...