{BIG WEEKEND!!!}

This is FOR SURE a weekend I will NEVER forget! :) Let's start at the beginning...

Our BFF lunch crew had a 1pm Chic-fil-a date on Friday:)Their new nuggets are SO YUMMY! You can even add on the small fry and kids cone and stay under 500 calories for lunch:)My sweet friend Megan gave me an early birthday present!
Pretty, huh?:)I picked up some buddies of mine Friday night and spent some time of fellowship at Mickey D's:) Doing it big time---hehe! And when I got home I gave my hubby his BIRTHDAY PRESENT---which I will tell you about later:)

Saturday night we celebrated at Swamp Guinea...a family style fish/seafood house...good and GREASY!
Dad, Mom, Makayla, and Mo:)
Makayla settled for ranch dressing, ketchup, and a roll...lol! Easy to please, huh? :)
Brunswick stew, slaw, fried shrimp, boiled shrimp, catfish, tilapia, country ham, fried chicken, hushpuppies, and french fries:)
Me and the sweetest lil' girl in the whole wide world!
We always (lovingly) pick on Travis because he gets really into his meals..lol!...so my mom and sisters bought him this double-sided fork for quicker and more aggresive scooping...hahaha!
Me and my sweet hubby! Happy Birthday Honey!
Me, Mom, and Nikki after our big meal:)
...and I think it's safe to say that the boys got their money's worth!!!

I am so thankful for all the lives in our family! Each birthday is so special...especially this one!

Love,
Laura

{BIGGEST HAUL EVER!!!}

But----before I get to that I wanna show you the BEST thing I've eaten...EVER!...
Fried Pickles from Zaxby's! We got some on our way to the Miranda Lambert Concert!

And as fate would have it, we met her as soon as we walked in the door! Imagine that:)hehe! She was FANTASTIC!!! And that really is her:)

Since we were at the Bojangles Coliseum, we found it only fitting to EAT some Bojangles:)Thanks to my sweet hubby for such a wonderful Christmas gift!---the concert, not the chicken strips:)
After the show and many indulgences:) we had just four bucks and some change we dug out of the car---but after my SUPER DILIGENT efforts I convinced one of the peddlers in the parking lot to sell me one of their $10 t-shirts for about $4 and some change. It was not an easy task but I did it!
NOW....for my BIGGEST Burke's Outlet Haul of history..hehe! DRUM ROLL PLEASE.......
My new stuff filled up my entire dining room table:) Disclosure: I'm sharing lots of this with my fam:) so I'm NOT a hoarder---ok, Mom?:)
I wish the picture did it justice but here's the breakdown of goods:
3 tanks like this......including these two burgundy ones:)
Onion keeper, anyone? :) I already have one so I got two for my sistah-friends!
SHOES:)
Cute shirt and belt combo for Spring:)

Shades...
....three convertible skirts/dresses like this (2 were a black and white design)...

AND----

1 pair of Paris Blues capris
3 pair of shorts
7 CUTE headbands
3 decorative signs for the home
1 really good moisturizer
1 new pair of beige dress pants for work
1 pair of running pants
1 pair of earrings:)
1 tube top for Ali to wear this summer:)
2 tablecloths
and 1 more cute top!

Now---for my TOTAL---any guesses????
Well....MINUS the $2.09 you see above that was a cosmetic I bought at normal price, my GRAND TOTAL CAME TO......
......JUST $14.09 for ALL THAT STUFF!!! Every single thing was 95% off!

I love you Burkes Outlet! And I'll be back!

Love,
Laura

{I VOTE for more weekends like this!}

They make such a perfect time to eat, sleep, shop, and exercise your constitutional rights!

Last night we went to Outback with Ken and Lynn...I don't know about you but Outback is a special treat to me:) Our server gave us this chocolate waffle dessert for free! IT.WAS.FABULOUS!
I also had a steak, salad, and baked potato...best meal I've had in awhile:) But way more calories than I've had in awhile, too:) That's ok though---totally worth it!

I hit the CHRISTMAS CLEARANCE JACKPOT at Big Lots yesterday after work! 90% off!!!
Normal retail value of everything I got was $120 but I only paid $13! :) I stocked up on four wreath hangers (kept two out to use now:), two rolls of white snow blankets, two toys for Glory's stocking next year and a toy each for the cats, three red boxes to use for wrapping Valentine gifts, six big glittery pink bows (some of which I'm using for Valentine's Day decorations), a hot sauce gift kit for Trav:), a soft fleece blanket, and also...
...these two LED lighted cranberry swags...
...and these shiny sprigs I'm gonna spray paint white for some kind of arrangement that I am planning on using now:)

This morning we slept in...happily!...then went to Olive Garden, watched Contraband at the theater (which I highly recommend!)..and then we did the MOST important thing of this rainy Saturday...
...we VOTED! :)
The right to vote did not come free and we take it pretty seriously. It's an awesome privilege and RESPONSIBILITY!
I sported my sticker proudly!
Then my sweet hubby cooked me this DELISH dinner...grilled shrimp, salmon, and fresh broccoli:)

Life doesn't get much better than this!

Also, a prayer request!!! My wonderfully sweet Granny Ruth had surgery on her back and could use prayers for a quick and speedy recovery. Thanks so much friends!

Love,
Laura

{Peanut Butter Jelly Time!}

Yum...my go-to breakfast:) I just keep a jar of natural peanut butter, strawberry jelly, and a loaf of wheat bread at my desk and whip it up while checking my morning email:) It's a good way for me to get some protein in the am. I had an usual but really tasty lunch:) A twist on a traditionally calorie laden taco salad---HUGE bowl of lettuce, hot black-eyed peas for protein,1/4 cup shredded cheese, a handful of crushed tortilla chips and salsa....mix and enjoy! YUM!!!
Then...it was CRAFT TIME!
Thumbs up for creating stuff:) Such a stress reliever!

Time to spray paint some Goodwill finds---
A pretty sparkly bird...
....brass container that I see holding makeup brushes or something like that:)...
...and this old sconce---I'll show you when I finish it up and find each piece a home:)
Tomorrow night they'll be ready for a second coating. I also made this new tray:) I just cut up an old placement and slid it in to make something new for my dining room table:)
I LOVE that LIME GREEN:)
What about 'dem new shades, yo?! Straight up vintage, thick plastic, and just $1:)
OH!! And I cannot leave THIS out! Molly---if you're reading PLEASE tell me you remember this! We dressed up as Hugga Bunch kids for Halloween one year when we were little:)
So cute!

Well....it's time to go eat and watch some AI!

Love,
Laura

{Kitty -n- Kookies}

Please! Please! Please! PLEASE don't make me go to the vet!!!Sorry Rex...but you gotta get rid of your Kitty Kold! Thank you for trying your best to behave:) Most of my fingers are still in tact!

And the meds must be good stuff because he was KNOCKED OUT!
So while Kitty napped, I made a Kraft:) I found some leftover Christmas Kookies at the office and figured by now they were free to become art:) So I cut out pink hearts to glue on the kookies...
...hot glued them on the back of a wooden rod...
...and made toppers for my LOVE TREE!

And besides the tree:)----isn't this cute???...A new vintage cork board pic that made me so happy!

So---as soon as this torrential rains come to a halt---step outside and smell the flowers...or weeds...or whatever you've got:)

Love,
Laura