I've hit the motherload!

Let me set the plot for you... It was supposed to be a quickie (your sick, sick, sick, I mean my shopping trip). Return an ill fitting dress and seek a frame flattering pair of shorts (near impossible, I know). It turned into a shopping extravaganza with deals doctored up with more deals on top! Fabulous percentages off of already marked down things! So glorious my non-math calculating brain couldn't keep up! It's a summer romance of a sale your closet and pocket book can't afford to miss (like you really care what your husband/wife has to say). Here is the inside pooper-scooper... JCrew, one of my favorite spots for fun, affordable (relatively speaking) fashions, has a mega, mac daddy sale rocking. Almost the whole store is on sale (in the Grove, can't speak for other locations) AND all sale items are an additional 25% off! I know! Tees and lounge-wear and blazers, oh my! I bought shorts (bought two great, patterned, bermuda style for my "skinnest legg-ed ever" MOM-none for me), a fabulous orange and white flowered skirt, a fabulously bright orange tunic top, a darling sleeveless blouse with a wrap around tie, a "sick-green" strapless sundress, a flirty tank perfect for a night on the town and a few accessories to boot for $150 bucks. THE PRICE IS RIGHT, Bob! But there's more on this fabulous showcase showdown! I thought I would see if my luck persisted with a stop at Express. Holy Hussy-ville! Nothin' doin' unless you are interested in looking like a $.02 floozy in black, silver or hot fuchsia (if this is you-lets talk later). But, I wasn't going to give up yet. The Gap is a tried and true favorite for some staple items and they too are currently sporting 25% off already marked down duds. On $25 that's, ok let me think... carry the one... I dunno, but its a good deal. Even the great InspiRED line of T's supporting a cure for HIV/AIDS are on sale-they NEVER go on sale. I scored a fun, red, long sleeved, v-neck, already perfectly broken-in and weathered looking for $11.24! You can't wait. Go now for the best selection, don't worry you can thank me later!

No Queen like the Dairy Queen!

It's a beautiful union. The marriage of a slush, so cold it's guaranteed to give you "brain freeze" right square in your temples, and creamy vanilla soft serve ice cream. Choose your weapon of choice... A Mr. Misty float (a.k.a. the Artic Rush Float at the newer Braziers) can be slurped through a straw or shoveled in with the trademarked red spoon. Over the sultry, hot, July weekend I indulged in not one, but two (almost three) of these tasty DQ treats. My flava-flav of choice is cherry, but try em all on for size and see what strikes your fancy. One for each day of the week: Cherry, Blue Raspberry, Lemon-Lime, Grape, & Kiwi-Strawberry. Chump-change at $2.69 for a SMALL and won't require an extra "hole" in your belt (check out the online calorie counter):

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size (404g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories
360
Calories from Fat
60

Visit Dairy Queen online for locations near you or to join the "Blizzard Fan Club" to get buy-one/get-one deals all month. AND don't feel shunned if you don't get accepted into the club right away-my first request was denied access too. Initiation is a biiiaaattch, but all well worth it for free ice cream!

You take the mallow...

...then you roast the mallow. Carefully "smoosh" it between two graham crackers lined with a slab of chocolate. Ohhhh a little taste of gooey, melted heaven. It doesn't get much better than SMORES on a warm summer evening after one helluva-fun-packed weekend. Only thing that would be better is if it was Saturday. What is it about a long weekend that always makes you wish for one more day? Would ONE more day really "scratch your itch" leaving you feeling ready to head back to work? I mean who would want to stay out late more night, sleep without setting an alarm one more morning, spend another 5 hours on the lake wake boarding and soaking up the intensely hot July sun? Who really would rather opt out of blow drying your hair and a fresh "coat" of makeup for a baseball cap and a pair of perfectly broken in Gap shorts? All those in favor blog "I!" All those opposed-what is wrong with you?

(Now friends, prepare yourself, I'm gonna get sappy!) I hope you had a fabulous long weekend full of friends and laughter. AND I hope you took the time to stop and enjoy the little things in life. You know. Little stuff like laughing at a chocolate faced child. Like marveling at the butterfly that won't fly away from your side. Like how great it is to catch up with friends inviting them and parting them with a bear hug. Like appreciating the bond between K-9 and human. Anywho, been thinking it's July and it's just time to stop and smell the roses. Hope you'll do/did the same.

Tomorrow-the sap gets turned off and I'll fill you in on the best $2.69 you'll spend this summer.

Happy Fashion Friday AND Hip Happy 4th O' July!

Happy Fashion Friday AND Happy Fourth of July to you! A quick, little blog post today as we all rush to area, parks, campgrounds, lakes and backyard BBQ's. A reminder as we honor Independence Day... This day is not just an excuse to drink icy, cold beer before 5pm, although it certainly doesn't hurt, its a celebration of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. So as we commemorate this great day be sure to always, always WEAR your pride of being an American on your sleeve & in your heart (just not on your butt). Hope you all have a happy and safe holiday weekend!

The "Honey Hole"

We're movin' up in the world. Who needs a fancy fishin' boat (or always stylish waders) when you can cruise in the comfort of a flat-bottom-john-boat? I mean when we go, we go all out for the style points. Powered by an 8 horse, 2 stroke Merc (why do I know this?), typically used for chasing ducks in the fall, is our trusty vessel when pursuing fish. So here's the deal. It's all about balance on this little cruiser. If all three of us sit on the same side-chances are we may be going for a swim. On calm waters we can open her wide up and fly across the water at about 10 mph (what is that, about 9 knots?). And speaking from experience-each and every fishing excursion comes we a free pair of "sea legs." Guaranteed to keep you rolling over the waves while walking, sitting, or trying to fall asleep. Also, guaranteed is the consistent bite on your hook if you are lucky enough to experience the "honey hole." I am not at liberty to divulge which of the 10,000 we set sail on or the exact map coordinates of this spectacular, secret spot (Catfish-keep your trap shut). What I can tell you is the first time we stumbled (or should I say floundered) upon this hot spot we caught at least 30 fish! All small stuff, pannies, like sunfish and crappies and a bass or two for good measure. I think the secret recipe for this successful fishing trip is this:

1 cute hubby who baits, hooks and takes off fish

1 curious chocolate Labrador Retriever for company

1 bag of Dakota Kid Sunflower Seeds (the BEST in the world-don't bother to argue-anyone headed to SD?)

2 cans of the coldest diet coke you can get your hands on

2 bobbers with "minnerds" as my hubby calls them

1 pink fishing hook for optimal catching pleasure

*It is important to note no little fisheys were hurt in the creating the blog-post-experience. We are a catch and release family.

Knee high by the 4th!

I can't believe my eyes! Three ya-hoos playing in the dirt, staking out rows and burying seeds beneath the earth. It all sounded great and was a perfect excuse to spend the afternoon with Ellen, Zoom and Foster. Somewhere down deep, I must admit, there was a little skepticism. We have never planted an official garden before. Flowers, shrubs and trees-yes. The occasional tomato and herb plant-yes. But a "for real" vegetable garden starting with the tinest little seeds tucked in a shallow bed of dirt? Seems like a craps shoot. But, to my delight (and a little bit of shock) it worked. We are officially producing. I'm gonna go out on a limb and just call it... we are farming. The first crop of tomatoes, beans, peppers and onions have already been harvested. And corn-starting with just a crow of kernels will officially be "knee high by the fourth!"

Ellen: Thanks for doing all the "dirty" work of watering (yikes), weeding and nurturing our salmonella free garden!

MOO-ve over! A new favorite thing!

So my new favorite thing I am dying to tell you about is A. So fun to have for yourself or give as a gift. B. Easy as long as you have a digital camera, a computer with Internet, and a credit card with $25.00 left on your credit limit. And C. It's from London which for some reason sounds fancier and funner, yup funner. MOO.com is the latest and greatest in my book. So here's the deal. You simply log on to MOO.com and follow their expert lead in how to print all things fun and creative. Do personal business cards to hand out with your blog address and email address so more strangers can pry into your life. Make fun post cards of your friend looking their worst after an all night bender so even the postal workers can get a chuckle. Personalize note cards with photos of your kids, dogs or cats or your kid riding your dog who's attacking the cat for all I care. Have fun with your own stickers for yer, um, ahhh, sticker book?!? Anyway, the options are awesome, each and every mini business card (so fun), note card, post card or sticker can proudly display a different pic. You pick the font, pick the font color and get on your creative thinking hat to come up with some witty text. Press send and your officially off to the press. Nothing on the menu for more than 25 US dollars, not Euros or Pounds (thank gosh), were talking twenty-five George Washingtons. So go on now-get started early cause these things have an international voyage ahead of them before they arrive at your door step. I promise you'll love the finished product.