Weekend Shenanigans

 

What a stormy weekend ... perfect for lazy time at home!

We did get out for a little bit to take the kids to see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. It was really cute, and my boys liked all the food characters.

 

We got hit with a strong rain and wind storm ... caused by a typhoon out in the seas or something like that. I absolutely love storms! Such power and beauty all wrapped up in one! I got to rock the rainboots and puffy coat whenever we left the house. I was a bit giddy with having to bundle up. This feeling will definitely pass come January when the holidays are over and the beautiful fall leaves are gone - usually when the weather-induced depression kicks in. For now though, I embrace the season's change. Plus, I get to pull out the autumn décor and decorate the house!

 

I also got caught up on The Vampire Diaries. Whoa ... I missed so much last season! I am so glad to be back in the loop and can't wait for Thursday's season premiere!!

 

And there you have it, folks! Nothing too exciting, but embracing the down time at home, and enjoying the new season!

 

 

I hope y'all had a great weekend!!

 

Link Up: Friday I'm In Love

Linking up with my girl Misty @ Handbags & Handguns. Are y'all playing along, too?
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I also add coffee to the mix if I am dragging throughout the day. Mmmm!!

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My email inbox is all caught up for the week ... holla!

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Fall TV Premieres ... Parenthood is my favorite. Trying desperately to find the time to watch the entire last season of Vampire Diaries. It used to be my obsession, but I fell off the wagon last season and didn't watch a single episode. I sure do miss those Salvatores.

♥

 

When breakups happen to cute people ...

 

 

I just learned of some sad news ... Nina Dobrev is now dating Derek Hough.

Does anyone else love seeing celebs that are in the same movie/TV show paired up off camera, secretly wishing they live happily ever after for ever and ever? Especially when the couple is two gorgeous people that would make beautiful babies together?

I was sad when I heard of Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder's break-up this year. They were a hot item for 3 years, and are my two fave players in The Vampire Diaries. I was hoping they would eventually get back together.

Nope. Dream crushed.
She is now with her bff's brother, Mr. Blondie. Who is so not hotter than Ian.

Sigh.

 

Payless Shoes BOGO

 

 

I am all about cheap, cute shoes. When Payless has their BOGO sale, I always pop in to see what I need to add to my closet. Here's what I snagged to go with my work pants ...

 

 

I also picked up socks of all fashions ... over the knee, the ones you wear with flats, and a pair of leg warmers to pair with leggings ... all for under $60. Not too shabby.

 

Anyone else hit up the BOGO sale?

Linkin' Up with Handbags & Handguns

 

I know Misty said she was starting this link-up next week, but her button was too darn cute not to post today! So, y'all play along with her next Friday and enjoy Handbags and Handguns throughout the week. She is one of my fave bloggers and if you aren't already a fan of hers, pop on over and see what you have been missing out on!! 

 

On my lunch break today, I snagged the new iPhone 5c in this adorable yellow color. I don't usually keep up in the techie world, but I have had an iPhone 4 for a couple years now. It was time for an upgrade, and I am loving it!

 

I have had Brit's new song on repeat this week! I am so excited to see her in Vegas next spring! I have been to several of her concerts and am giddy about her next album coming out in December!   That is all for now ... I hope everyone has a great weekend!!    

Hula Hoopin'

 

Y'all know that I am not into working out unless it is fun. By fun, I mean dancing like I am up in da club. The local gyms in my area don't offer hip hop fitness classes, so Zumba has always been my go-to when I am in the mood for a little cardio. While Zumba is fun, and burns up to 800 calories per class (holla!), it isn't hip-hop enough for me.
Browsing on Zulily this morning, as I do every day since new events are featured on the daily, I came across Hoopnotica. Apparently, I don't hang with the cool kids, because I have never heard of this hula-hooping fitness craze. Celebrities have even raved about the hour classes that burn up to 450 calories ... by simply hula-hooping to fun dance music!
Needless to say, I did my online research, complete with YouTube video tutorials, and purchased a kit through Zulily. Retail, these kits start at $60, and I purchased mine for $39.99, which includes a hoop and 2 dvds. I am excited to see if this program tones and tightens like it promises. If anything, I will get back to my childhood roots and refresh my hoopin' skills.

Has anyone tried Hoopnotica before?

Seasons change ... and so does my hair!

 

I have had purple extensions, and blue extensions. I bleached my hair to achieve the ombre look, and then had to cut off 10 inches to recover. I've even faked bangs. Needless to say, I am always trying to change up my hair.

Here is the latest 'do ... brownish-red extensions!

 

 

They go in easy ... just tape right in. This tape is like super glue, and it is attached to a small section of my hair. The extensions are real hair, so they blend nicely.

 

 

 

Such a fun way to add some color without damaging my hair. Removal is easy, too. There is a glue-dissolving serum you apply that removes the glue without damaging your hair. These extensions are also re-usable!

 

 

I am loving the contrast right now .... until I get bored again and think of the next style to try.

Menu of the Week

 

 

 

With the kids back in school, and hubby and I both working full-time schedules, I am finding that taking some extra time on Sundays to plan out meals for the week is the key to a smooth-flowing weeknight routine. The crockpot is my homie ... and gets used quite a bit this time of year.

 

Here's the menu for this week:

 

 

Monday  ....  Tuna Casserole

It's a family recipe, SUPER easy to make, and a hit in my home!

 

Tuesday  ....  Honey Sesame Chicken

I found this recipe on Pinterest. It looks yummy!

 

 

Wednesday  ....  Lasagna Soup

Another Pinterest recipe - y'all should see my Food board!

 

 

Thursday  ....  Open House Night and BBQ for my kiddos at their school

Gotta love a freebie night.

 

Friday  ....  Hawaiian Chicken

My fam loves this dish ... thanks again to Pinterest.

 

What recipes does your family enjoy? Please share ... I am always looking for new ideas!

 

Cleaning out my closet ...

Fall is my favorite time of year. There are so many things I adore about the season itself, but I also love when it is time to refresh my closet. I get to purge the spring and summer clothes that got plenty of wear over the last few months, donating some and packing favorite pieces away for next year. Pulling out boots and sweaters from the storage bins always feels like Christmas. I love taking inventory of the things I need to add to this year's mix (mostly new leggings and a basic cardigan or two), and I get excited putting outfits together from inspiration I find on Pinterest.

Last night I spent an hour and a half cleaning out my closet. Keeping Up With The Kardashians was on TV, the kiddos were in bed, and my bedroom was a crazy mess with clothes scattered about and piled up in an organized order. Waking up this morning and opening my closet door put a smile on my face ... fresh, organized, and ready for the new season!

Speaking of closet excitement ... check out how amazing these closets are! Closets that are open and bright take my breath away ... windows would be a must if there comes a day when I get to design my own wardrobe haven.

 



Does anyone else get as happy as I do when it comes to cleaning out your closets?

 

What's In Your Crockpot?

I love this recipe ... so flippin' easy and a family hit every time!

 

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders

1 Package of cream cheese

1 jar of salsa

 

Cook on high for 4 hours.

Shred chicken with fork and serve up with your favorite taco fixin's.

 

This is what's for dinner at my house tonight ... Yum!

Weekly Wrap-Up

 

How did everyone survive the first week of school?

Other than being really tired, I successfully managed to pull through the Labor Day vacation hangover, getting up an hour earlier to get the boys up and out the door in time (school starts at 7:45am ... anyone else's kiddos start that early?), and working extra hours to get caught up on the inbox. Whew!

 

The last two days have been wet. It's amazing how fast Fall swoops in here in the Pacific Northwest. The leaves are starting to change, the days are getting shorter and darker, my crockpot has been running all week, and football season has started! I even wore boots TWICE this week! Welcome Fall ... so happy you are here!

 

Campbell's has announced that they will debut K-Cups for Keurig in 2014. I love my Keurig. I love soup. This is great news!

 

 

 Tomorrow I will be adding extensions in this pretty brownish-red shade to my black hair. When seasons change, I get the itch to change up my hair (don't we all?) and I am not into bleaching it anymore. Ombre - been there, done that, chopped off 10 inches to recover.

 

 My family went on a trip for Labor Day weekend - about a three hour drive from home to Sunriver. We rented a house and stayed 4 nights; swimming, biking, shopping, and just relaxing for the last weekend of the summer. My sis-in-law brought along her fancy DSLR camera and it made me miss the one I had for a couple years. I sold it last year because it was so big to carry around. It always felt like a chore to get the pictures off of the camera (because the SD card didn't fit in my computer), and as much as I loved the beautiful pictures it captured, I was okay with the convenience of my little point-and-shoot that fit in my back pocket.

And then my point-and-shoot died.

I convinced myself that my iPhone was an even better camera option - afterall, you can edit and load pics instantly. But after shooting all weekend with such a nice camera, I realized it was time for an upgrade.
Still not wanting a big mamma-jamma to lug around, I researched the best budget-friendly point-and-shoot cameras and found rave reviews on the Canon Powershot Elph 330 HS.

  Isn't she pretty? This camera runs $200, but I shopped through Ebates and snagged it for $162 with FREE shipping!!

Yep, crazy savings!! Are you all using Ebates for your online shopping? If not, you are seriously missing out on extra CASH!! I have already received close to $300 in cash back just by shopping through this free site. And when I say cash, I really mean it! Ebates sends you a Big Fat Check (that's what it's called) every quarter with the credited cash back you earned. Christmas is just around the corner ... the seasons are changing and you need a wardrobe makeover ... there is always a reason to shop, and now you can get paid to do so!

My Ebates review is not sponsored by anyone but myself. The excitement is all organic ... check it out for yourself! In fact, when you sign up, you get a $10 gift card to stores like Target and Macy's to apply to your first purchase, in addition to the cash back % perk of the day. Just click on any of the links here to sign up ... you get credit, I get credit, we all win!

 

My camera arrives in a week ... I will let y'all know how I like it!

 

I hope everyone had a great first week of September! Enjoy the weekend, peeps!!

xoxo

Back To School

I can't believe the summer is over! It's also hard to believe that my boys are now in the 1st and 4th grades! It's always fun to see everyone's kiddos on Facebook on the first day back to school. This was always a fun time of year for me growing up as a kid, and I love seeing the excitement that it brings my boys as well.

Here's to a great school year and a fabulous fall season ahead!