Gus and Lula.

From time to time I come across shops on Etsy that I just fall head over heels in love with.

Today Im going to share one of those with you. 

 http://www.etsy.com/shop/GusAndLula?ref=seller_info ">Gus and Lula is a print shop on Etsy. 

I know there is ton of them out there, but seriously, go take a look.

You will not regret it.

I started looking at nursery prints in March after finding out I was pregnant. I've since miscarried, but My husband and I decided to wait anyway. We are still struggling financially, and we want to be able to provide

the best for our future family. I want to be able to deck out my child's nursery in the cutest things, and 

when that time comes, I know that I will be purchasing from Gus and Lula. They have alot of grey and yellow color schemes and that was the theme I had chosen for the nursery.

Here are some of my favorites:

Can't Always Get What You Want $18 USD

Daring Adventure $18 USD

Smiles $18 USD

As you can see my taste in nursery prints are far from the typical cookie cutter prints, and that's why when I found this shop, it was perfect!

(Gus and Lula did not compensate me in any way to write this post, Im a new blogger, and simply wanted to express my love for a shop I found )

I need your help!

Im planning my meal plan for the week, and I need some easy budget friendly meals to make!
I live in a two person household, just my hubby and I. We are not picky. We'll eat pretty much
anything. Just NO shrimp. I love it, but the hubs won't touch it with a ten foot pole.

You can leave your recipe in comments! I'll try it out, if I love it, I'll post it here, with full credit and links back to you. Im just new at this whole cooking thing, and have a lot to learn.

Date Night at Bahama Breeze

Last night when my husband came home from work, he took a shower, got dressed, and took me out
to eat for an impromptu "date night".

Where did we go?

Bahama Breeze was my choice. I'd never eaten there, and I had a $10 of a $20 or more purchase.
When we got there it was very crowded, and we were told we'd have to wait 45 minutes. We ended up
only waited thirty but man, was it worth the wait!

The atmosphere was very fun. Tropical decor, and music playing, and even though your indoors, it has a very atrium like feel.

Here was my hubby and I waiting for our food. Ignore the blurry pictures, I need a camera, cause the one on my phone doesn't cut it.

My hair is super long, and needs a trim, ASAP!

Then we got our food.

For the hubby, Tostones with Chicken.

He's half cuban and loves plaintains.

For me? My favorite meal of all time. Coconut Shrimp.

With a citrus mango sauce. I got excited and ate half the meal before remembering to take a photo of it.

All in all we had a great time. The food was delicious, my one complaint would be that the citrus sauce was too sweet, and I didn't care for it. But thats the only complaint we have. With the coupon, our meal was very reasonable and we were pleased with what we paid for it.

                                                      We are already talking about going back!

(I paid for my meal, and Bahama Breeze gave me nothing for this post. I simply enjoyed the place, and wanted to write about it on my blog. The coupon was mailed to me for being a new resident.)

Mail Call.

Bills, bills, bills, and oh...what this?

My prize from the Tea's Tea instant win sweeps. I won 5th prize, a tote bag. 

My favorite Pins of the week!

Im addicted to pinterest.com

Did you hear me?

ADDICTED.

Im on the site daily just pinning things.

Random things. The other day my pins were so random my sister called me and was like I think your pinterest got hacked. So I rushed to check it, and I was like no...that's all me. I pinned those random things that make no sense.

Here were my favorite finds on pinterest this week:

                                                                     credit: buzzlol.com
I love this because the quote sounds it came out of my sister's mouth, seriously, she talks like that all the time.
She's hilarious and super bubbly, and like this quote, puts me in a great mood.

http://mixmingleglow.com/blog/?p=1358

Go to this site, and read this wonderful post. Robyn, the lady in the picture, celebrated her 38th birthday by doing 38 random acts of kindness. I plan on instead of asking for gifts, doing this same for my 24th!

http://www.canadiangardening.com/how-to/pests-and-diseases/six-plants-that-repel-mosquitoes/a/42758

I hate mosquitos and the heat has been bringing them out like crazy! So I found this interesting. 6 plants that repel Mosquitos!

               And there you are! My 3 favorite Pinterest finds of the week. Hope you enjoy them!

Dr. Oz fan app review.

Hi!

Today Im reviewing the Dr. Oz fan app for Android. This is a free app, I simply went to my googleplay store, typed in Dr. Oz fan app and downloaded it.

I misunderstood this app at first. That was my fault. I thought it was a helpful tips app, like a day to day Dr. Oz tip for a healthy life kind of thing. It is a FAN app, it says that clearly in the name so the misunderstanding is my fault. On this app you can find photos of Dr. Oz. The maker of this app clearly finds Dr. Oz sexy. I don't but I do like him and his show. Other than photos of the doctor, you can also find a news section, a videos section, a supplements section and more.

My favorite section is the News section. It seems to be updated consistently and has lots of helpful news articles with tips from Dr. Oz, which is what I was looking for.


If you are a BIG FAN of Dr. Oz, this is a great app for you and I suggest you download it.
If you are looking for a daily tip from the Doc, Im not sure this is the app for you, but you might really love the news section like I did.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

A great blog for Memphians.

I moved to Memphis 3 years ago. My husband has lived here all of his life.
He shows me some places, but Memphis is pretty unique, and there is a lot in this city to
do that my hubby doesn't know about. That's why this summer we've become
sort of tourists in our own city.

I found this great blog about a year ago run by a local Memphian who just really...loves her city.


Ilovememphisblog.com


I visit pretty much 3x a week. I think Im addicted. Here's a few of my favorite articles.


http://ilovememphisblog.com/2012/07/cheap-food-guide/


A guide to eating cheap around here.




http://ilovememphisblog.com/2012/07/365-things-to-do-in-memphis-204-commune-with-nature-at-lichterman/


A great place to take your kids in the middle of the city.


http://ilovememphisblog.com/2012/06/365-lebonheur-art/


St. Jude isn't the only fantastic childrens hospital we have around here.


http://ilovememphisblog.com/2012/05/365-things-to-do-in-memphis-140-take-your-picture-with-elvis/


For you Elvis fans.


Check out her blog for more great posts!

Finding the positives in moving.

We all know what a huge hassle and stress moving can be.
There are so many things to do, so many loose ends to tie up, and lets face it; something ALWAYS gets lost
in the move.

GeekPhilosopher: Instant download of free stock photos, images, backgrounds, and desktop wallpapers. Pictures can be used for personal and commercial web sites.

I moved a few months ago into a townhome and with my hubby and yes, it was a hassle, but I have found one awesome upside to moving.

THE NEW RESIDENT COUPONS!

Even though I only moved across town, local businesses and restaurants don't know that. They just know they want me to shop or eat at their business. I've gotton coupons for restaurants, fast food places, local boutiques, and my husband favorite barber. 

My most recent one was a $10 dollars of a $20 dollar purchase at Bahama Breeze. I've always wanted to eat there, and now my husband and I will be checking it out this weekend!

My new obsession is Groupon.com!

Im constantly checking for deals. And last week I found one. My husband has been talking
about wanting to go to Memphis Redbirds game all summer. That's our local minor league baseball team
out here. However, a baseball game isn't really in our budget right now. That's where Groupon comes in.

Last week they offered two Redbirds tickets for $16!

I snatched them up!

Now my husband and I can enjoy an awesome night out without having to worry about busting
our budget.

(Groupon did not pay me or offer me anything to write this post, in fact they have nothing to do with it. I just am a big fan of the site, and these thoughts are my own. )

What a day off looks like for me.

I work full time, so when I have a day off sometimes all I want to do is be lazy!
Recently, I attended a twitter party where the topic was stress and the things we do to treat ourselves.

A day all to my self is a treat! I can clean the house, and the spend the rest of the day lounging in my favorite pjs...

work on my blog....

..watch my favorite shows...

...all with my partner in crime by my side.

Who wouldn't wanna spend the entire day cuddled up with him?

Fail.

As I sit in my "office" and blog this morning, I ask a question to all of you.

Have you ever planned a DIY or craft for a blog post, and have it totally fail on you?
Thats what happened to me this morning. I was trying to turn an old tee into a vest, when
I got distracted by a morning marathon of "Criminal Minds" and sliced it in half.
Totally ruined and not even worth showing. I was gonna wear it to work today too.
Bummer. oh, well better luck next time!

Look for these!

I won two books this week so look for upcoming reviews on here for:

The Perks of Being a WallFlower by Steven Chbosky



and

Shark Bait by Jenn Cooksey

What Should I read Next?

Pinterest.com introduces me to some great websites!

Recently I discovered whatshouldireadnext.com!

You go to the site, you type in what book you recently read or are currently reading and it gives you some ideas on what else you might like to read!

Im currently reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.

The sites suggestions?

Brave New Girl by Louisa Luna

Tales of a Punk Nothing by Abram Himelstein

and Smack by Melvin Burgess.

Check out this site! 

(whatshouldireadnext.com did not ask me to write this, i just really like this site.)

Pizza Friday!

Today was my day off!

My hubby was supposed to work, but he's sick with a cold so he stayed home rather
than working outside in the rain. Normally he's go to work, but we can't afford an ER bill if he
gets sicker.

I made Pizza Pinwheels a few weeks ago for the first time, and he loved them so
much we decided to make them together!

Here's the stuff we bought to make them:

Sorry, about the dryer, it's in my kitchen so I consider it counter space.

Then we piled on the toppings! (or in this case the insides)

The we rolled it, then sliced it.

I'd show you the final results, but we overstuffed it, and the results, while yummy, were not pretty!

We still had a great time making it. I love it when hubby and I cook together. He's actually a pretty decent cook, he just hates doing it!

MacVoil giveaway!

Hi everyone.
A few weeks ago I posted a review of MacVoil hair ReConditioner.
This is a great product that retails for $30 bucks.
I used it on my hair and loved it.
You can read my review here:

http://clarkmurdock.blogspot.com/2012/06/macvoil-review.html


Im giving away one bottle of the MacVoil hair ReConditioner for one of my reader to try!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway ends 7/21!

Super Awesome Deal!

I've been looking for a pair of sandals for weeks now.
I refuse to pay a ton for sandals because I wear them alot,
and tend to wear them out.

I hunted all over. I tried Payless..which actually should be called
pay more because the a pair of simple slingback sandals were
2o bucks. I tried Target, a decent pair for $12..but still...


Finally I tried New York and Company!
For 7.95 I got these gorgeous babies!

They match everything I own. And are comfy!

Not bad for only 8 bucks!

Top Ten Tuesday!

Here's my Tuesday Top Ten List!

With all the drama going around about Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes split, I decided to list my top ten
favorite celebrity couples who have stayed together (so far).

1. Faith Hill and Tim McGraw


2. Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale


3. Ellen DeGeneres and Portia De Rossi 


4. Gywneth Paltrow and Chris Martin


5. Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck (just recently had baby no. 3!)


6. Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban


7. Jewel and Ty Murray


8. Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem


9. Sarah Michelle Geller and Freddie Prinze Jr.


10. Amy Poehler and Will Arnett

Love My Wins.

Our new George Foreman Grill came in from the George Foreman Grilling Sweepstakes!

My happy hubby put it together in five minutes!

DIY: I made a scarf!

Last night, instead of going out, Hubby and I bought a movie (Date Night!)
and stayed in.
I decided to take that time to work on a little project Ive been wanting to.
I have a bunch of t-shirt that don't fit and instead of throwing them out I
wanna see what I can make from them.

My first project was turning one of my tees into a fringy infinity scarf.

I grabbed a tee and a pair of scissors:

(sorry, i live in a small townhome with limited counterspace, so i find it where i can..like my guest bathroom)

Then I cut the middle:

The I cut little strips on the bottom of the piece I cut:

You pull and twist the little strips!

Then you bunch it up and put it on.

Excuse the lack of makeup and messy hair.

Today is National Tell The Truth Day!

Just thought that was interesting. 
So today I will tell nothing but the truth,
sometimes I tell little white lies, and excuses...
oh, yea.. I was gonna clean that but then..
Not today!
And hopefully today will inspire me not to 
do it tommorow..and then next..

(credit unknown)

Happy Friday!

"Do not let your hearts be troubled" John 14:1

My new doormat arrived from Plow and Hearth!


Here is hoping everyone has a worry-free happy weekend!
Give up all your worries and trouble up to God, and enjoy time
with your families!

Being Happy is the New Pretty : Why I feel More Beautiful Than Ever

I was browsing pinterest last night (as I do every-night, seriously that site is addicting), and I came across
a pin that said "You're the Prettiest when You're Happy!"

This rings so true to me right now in my life. My looks haven't changed, but my life has.
I have a wonderful husband, and marriage. We are enjoying our life together more now than ever.
I have the cutest little dog. He's brought so much joy into my life!
My parents keep telling my husband and I how proud of us they are. We are slowly but surely getting
out of debt and being very responsible with our money. 
I love my happy little town-home! 
My relationship with my sister is in a great place, and I enjoy spending time with her.
I have a job that I love, with more responsibility than I've ever had. 

Because of all that, I feel more beautiful than ever. I don't feel the need to change anything
about myself because I'm so happy with my life right now. And that's beauty to me.

Love my wins!

Here's some of my contest wins that arrived Tuesday!:

Carmex, just for following them on twitter, I received 5 of these babies!

Won 4 of these samples from a blog.

Budweiser has an IWG! I won 25 bucks to spend at the LiveNation music store.

Vaska detergent from a blog. Combined with the Nellies detergent, my hubby and I won't have to

buy detergent for 2 months,  maybe longer.

Tuesday's mean..

....back to work for me!

What I've learned from my pet.

Pets can teach us many things about life. We feel like we teach them, and train them, and guide them, well I think they do the same for us.

My dog Blue has been in our lives since October 2011. We went to our animal shelter to find a pet to adopt, and I fell in love with him immediately. He looked at me with his beautiful eyes, and I was hooked.
He's a purebred dachshund, and at seven years old, far from being a puppy. The complete opposite of what we were looking for. My husband wanted a hound puppy. But Blue stole our hearts, that day, and everyday since.

Blue has taught me that its ok to always have someone there. He loves attention, He loves to cuddle. He depends on it, if he's not curled up next to one of us, he is not happy. He loves any kind of affection, and he loves giving kisses. He taught me to want affection as much to. I find myself hugging my husband more, and curling up next to him on the couch, and Blue is very much to thank for that.

WHAT LIFE LESSONS HAS YOUR PET TAUGHT YOU?