Bridal Brunch Bargain Outfit

I've briefly mentioned I'm in my friend Christina's Pheonix destination wedding next month. It's actually the weekend of Easter. We fly into Pheonix Thursday morning and there is a bridal brunch scheduled that afternoon.

I have been looking for the perfect outfit and this is what I'm dreaming of wearing. I made sure every item was $50 and under.  What do you think? A good pick?

Draped dress
$45 - delias.com

Black pump shoes
$50 - bakersshoes.com

Pink clutch
$13 - target.com

Pearl jewelry
$50 - charmandchain.com

Purple earring
$25 - badjoan.com

Monsoon gold bangle
14 GBP - monsoon.co.uk

Dorothy Perkins beaded ring

3.75 GBP - dorothyperkins.com

I admit, I used to be a dollar store hater

I don’t know why, but I used to be such a dollar store snob. I thought they only had really scummy, chincy junk. Lately, I’ve been obsessed. Is there anything better than a store where everything is literally a dollar? Actually, yes there is. The 99 Cent Only Store.  However, the Dollar Tree comes in at a close second for me.

I’ve bought all my organizational bins from the 99 Cent Only Store, which you can see here and here. And most recently, I found the cutest stuff for my nephew’s Easter basket at the Dollar Tree. I got so excited when I got home I had to put it all together even though Easter was still 2 months away at the time. Check, check, check it out:

I get some of my cleaning supplies, holiday décor, sippy cups, toddler plates, kitchen supplies like foil, and gift bags from dollar stores. The opportunities are endless. I’m telling you, if you too suffer from dollar store snobbiness, check one out this weekend and you won’t be disappointed. It will change your life.

Where ‘da gold at?

This holiday brings back fond memories of the leprechaun of Mobile, Alabama. And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, I’m not sure we can be friends. This shiz was hilarious! I still can’t get over how RIDIC it is that this legitimately aired on a news broadcast.

The “amateur sketch” might be the best part, it makes me laugh out loud every time. I mean, really?

So today may be St. Patty’s Day, but yesterday was also a holiday in my family. It was my little brother, Reagan’s, 25th birthday. We are only 18 months apart, but I always felt like he was 10 years younger than me. I used to beat him up and my Mom would always say, “You better watch it … one day he will be bigger than you and he’ll get you back.” I never believed her. Oh, that day came.

I used to yell at him for not coloring in between the lines in coloring books, even banning him from coloring with me. Typical. One of our favorite things was we used to do growing up was to play WWE on my Mom’s bed. That stopped the day we accidently broke her bed.

He is the “baby” so he always got away with so much more than me. All you firstborns out there know what I’m talking about. It is SO not fair, don’t even get me started.

Apparently when he legitimately was a baby, one day I ran to my Mom and said “I fed the baby, I fed the baby!” Horrified my Mom ran to my brother’s crib and I had stuffed his little mouth full of grapes. Whoopsies. Good thing he didn’t choke.

My nephew, if you can’t tell from pics, is my brother’s clone. It is scary how much they look alike. Look at my brother at my nephew’s age. Crazy, huh?

Happy Birthday Reagan! Sorry for that time I tricked you into thinking I was choking on orange juice and you got so scared you cried and called Mom. My bad. Love you!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Let's start this obsession edition with one example of the many reasons I have the best mom eva!

1. Remember in last week's WILW post I said I had to own the pink, heart-shaped SCENTPORTABLE from Bath and Body Works?  Well ... look what we have here compliments of the madre.  She sent it in my St. Patrick's Day package!  I got so excited when I opened this, you have no idea.  And included were some refils in the scent I'm currently loving.  Did I not say I had the best Mom eva?

2. Schlotzskys. They made the mistake of opening one right down the street from my apt.  I say mistake because I'm trying to get more fit, not more fat.  I refuse to even go online to look at the calorie content in "The Original" sandwich there.  I try to be good and just get the turkey with mustard, but the Original has quickly become my favorite hangover cure.  I'll take one small Original with no tomatoes or onions, original chips and a diet coke.  That's my order because I know you care. 

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3. The Cosmetics Company Store @ the Outlet Mall.  I realize that most people don't have easy access to an Outlet Mall,  so sorry 'bout ya bad luck, because I do!  There is one 2 exits away from my work so you know where I be during lunch.  The store carries discounted make-up from Estee Lauder lines: MAC, Bobbi Brown, Origins, Clinique, Estee Lauder.  The woman working there explained to me they get the dept store excess product shipped to them, so you never really know what they'll have stocked.  I scooped up these 2 MAC Lipglass colors from discountinued collections for only $10 each.  The Bargain Blonde strikes yet again.

 
4. "Marry Me" by Train.  This is the song that played on The Bachelor after Brad asked Emily to marry him and I have been listening to it on repeat since.  It melted my cold black heart, and wanted to make me be in love.  Now I just have to find the perfect man to marry me. 


5. Getting awarded the "Lovely Blog Award" by Miss LC @ Mixed With Love!  Her blog is great, she does some awesome reviews!  You must check her out.  Thank you so much girl!

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

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I haven't posted a recipe in a while so I thought I should share one of my absolute favorite meals to whip up.  My ex-bf (aka Lucifer. kidding. kinda.) was the pickiest eater ever and even he loved this.  I got the original recipe from the Betty Crocker Web site, but halved it for the 2 of us.  Now I make it and have leftovers for the week. 

It is so ridiculously easy to make, I never imagined it would be so good.  I just throw all the ingredients in my slow cooker before work and when I get home, the meat is falling apart.  I'm telling y'all, I want to lick my plate when I'm done.  

Ingredients

• 1 to 1.25 lbs lean beef stew meat
• 1/2 C chopped onion
• 3/4 can of condensed golden mushroom soup (make sure you get golden mushroom, NOT cream of mushroom)
• 3/4 can of condensed cream of onion soup
• 1 (6oz) jar/can of sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 4 oz reduced fat cream cheese
• 1/4 C low fat sour cream
• 4 C cooked wheat egg noodles (I just use my eye to measure out of the bag - whatever looks good for 2 people)

Directions
1. Mix beef, onion, soups, mushrooms and pepper in slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until beef is very tender.
3. Stir in cream cheese until melted then the sour cream.  Serve over noodles.