Love it . . . Keep it: Favorite Places to Shop

Welcome to Love it Keep it, where I chat about things or places I'm currently lovin' on. This may be news here but I love to shop. It's sad to say but I think shopping is my favorite hobby. Isn't my husband lucky? Unfortunately I live in West Michigan, which means my shopping is sort of limited. We don't have a lot of the fun stores I am used to. So, I make do with what we have....and also get out to California every now and then so my mom can take me shopping!

My number one favorite store to shop in is The Limited. I love their stuff and I can usually get items for work or play for a great price. They have great coupons all the time (like buy one accessory, get one free). A good majority of my wardrobe comes from here.

My second favorite store is Macy's. I get most of my shoes here. Seriously, who doesn't love Macy's?

And of course I love Ann Taylor. Their jewelry is my favorite. I can always find a classy outfit here.

I actually think that Target might be my favorite store. I could spend hours there just looking at all the stuff. I heart Target. I especially love finding cute clothes for great prices.

And finally, I love Victoria's Secret. Especially their comfy sweat pants. I think I spend way too much money in this store!

What are you favorite places to shop?

Help a Pasty Girl Out...

Hi Friends....it's that time a year again...the time when it is actually starting to get warm enough outside to show some skin! Now, being a redhead, I am naturally extremely pasty and white. I can't lay out in the sun either (yuck, skin cancer!) so I rely on self tanners to help me not look like, you know, a ghost.

I've been using Jergens Natural Glow Face to give my face a little color and I really love it. It helps me not look washed out in pictures.

My favorite tanning remedy is go to a salon and have someone spray tan me...but that gets a little expensive and is really time consuming. So, I've been using Neutrogena Build-A-Tan on my body for a little glow. But I'm not sure how much I love Build-A-Tan. Does anyone have any self tanner recommendations that are not budget breaking? This pasty girl needs some help!

Quack

Good morning. I hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend. I had Friday off, so it was a nice extended break for me. Unfortunately, we found out that the husband's uncle passed away on Friday. It was sort of expected, but still very sad. Please pray for my husband's family. We will be attending the funeral tomorrow.

Wow, what to say after that? I didn't take any pictures this weekend. But I did take some last weekend of some ducks on our lawn. Exciting stuff huh?

They were a cute duck couple.

Someone was a little excited about the visitors. And apparently a little wet too.

I'll be back later this week with a more up-beat post, I promise.

Love it . . . Keep it: Numbering Stuff

Welcome to "Love it...Keep it" where I discuss things I'm currently lovin' on. Right now I love stuff with numbers on it. It's my new obsession. I just picked up "1" and "2" pillow covers from Pottery Barn. They are on sale right now! Most numbers are sold out online but when I went to the store they had a ton of them for only $13. Score! They look super cute on my couch in the living room.

The best part is that there is writing on both sides, so you could display the big "1" or the definition of "one". So cute!

I also love these chairs from the Shabby Nest. I think I might do something similar in my dining room...once I have enough chairs! Aren't they adorable?

I am obsessed with these chairs from The Lettered Cottage. They painted them "1" "4" and "3" for the letters in "I" "Love" and "You". How cute is that?

And finally I'm totally lovin' on this chair redo from Pink and Polka Dot. Didn't it turn out great? It makes me want to number everything!

What are you lovin' on this week?

Wordless Wednesday: Pancake in the Sun

Rollin'

Good morning everyone! Thanks for all your comments on last weeks Gray and Yellow post....I went to Home to the Depot this weekend and picked out some paint samples....all that is left is to decide on a color and then somehow convince the husband to help me paint! I'm not the greatest painter in the world (according to the husband!) so I definitely need his help!

This weekend we spent a lot of time working in the yard putting down new mulch. The poor husband worked on it Saturday and Sunday and had to make 3 trips to Home to the Depot to buy more! I'll try and post a picture this week because it looks so good!

I spent some time inside (it was so cold in Michigan this weekend!) doing one of my favorite activities...rolling coins! I've loved rolling coins since I was a little girl. I used to do it with my dad and he would let me have half of the money we made. I love sorting the coins into piles, stuffing them in the wrappers, and then adding up how much I have....sounds weird, but I love it!

Here is what I started with....tons of the husband's loose change. I never have this much change!

I picked up some coin wrappers at Target...another love.

And here is my reward....it may not look like much but it turned out to be $144.50! Score! Shopping, here I come! And I still have more pennies to wrap...but I ran out of wrappers.

Anyone else love rolling coins too, or am I weird?

Love it . . . Keep it. . . Gray and Yellow

Welcome to "Love it...Keep it" where I talk about what I'm currently loving and keeping this week. Right now I am obsessed with the color combo of gray and yellow! I am planning a makeover for our guest room and definitely want to use gray, yellow, and white. Below is some of my inspiration:

This one is from a blog I love, called Little Green Notebook. I am obsessed with the fabric she used for the curtains....but I contacted her and it is way out of my price range....so I'll have to hunt around for something similar on a budget! If anyone knows of anything like this, please let me know! I also love the yellow lamp. I spotted one very similar to it at TJ Max...I hope it is still there!

This next photo I've been obsessed with for over a year and want to recreate it on a wall in the guest room. It is from the Sweet & Saucy Shop in CA. I went to high school with Melody, the owner, and her stuff is truly amazing! (She made yummy cupcakes for our second wedding reception in CA). Plus, her shop looks adorable. The photo was taken by Diandra Ann, love her!

And of course I had do find some cute gray and yellow weddings as inspiration too!

And don't you just love this stationary? I think the color combo is amazing...love it!

What are you lovin' and keepin' this week?

Who's Excited?

Happy Monday!

Good morning everyone! The weekend seemed to fly by, didn't it? I'm happy to report that after being sick for two weeks I am finally starting to feel better! As soon as I can take a big breath without coughing up a lung, I'm going to make it back to the gym...so excited!

This weekend the husband and I just laid low. We both worked a few hours on Saturday (yuck!) and then just did some work around the house. Nothing exciting.

Anyway, I want to thank all of you who left comments on the Book Fail post recommending books to me! I can't wait to read everything you guys love! I think I need to join Goodreads...has anyone on here joined and loved it? I just finished reading The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf and it was really good. Heartbreaking and sad, but good.

Right now I'm about a third of the way through with The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. I have been wanting to read it for months now and I finally got it from the library. So far it is really good, but also heartbreaking. Hmm....I think we need an uplifting book next, don't you?

Love it . . . Keep it . . . The I'm Sick Edition

Hi readers. Welcome to Love it...Keep it...where I chat about things I'm lovin' this week. Unfortunately I've been sick all week. I can't seem to shake this cold. I'm so over feeling sick. So here is what is on my list this week.

NyQuil. The only reason I'm able to sleep at night.

Oh Kleenex. I've used a lot of you this week.

And Sudafed....you've helped, sort of.

And Halls Cherry cough drops. Thank you for helping my throat.

I'm so done with feeling sick. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you all are doing better than I am! Hopefully next week I'll be back with some fun Love it Keep its.

Wordless Wednesday : Teamwork

Book Fail

Yesterday I started reading a new book that I picked up from the library. After reading for a while things started to feel....well, familiar. About three chapters in I realized....I've read this book before. Yikes....does this mean I'm getting old? I'm only in my twenties!!!!

Major book fail. So now I need something new to read.....any suggestions? I've read all of Nicholas Sparks' and Emily Giffin's books and loved them...and I'm a big fan of Jodi Picoult and Dan Brown. So, readers, have you read anything lately that was really good? I need some book love asap!

Happy Easter

We had a great Easter weekend at our house. My in-laws and sister-in-law came to visit and we had a great time catching up and relaxing. It was my first time hosting Easter, so I was a little nervous about cooking the meal and making sure everything turned out right. Plus, I've been sick all week so it was a little more difficult for me...but thanks to everyone it all worked out!

Me and the husband before church.

My in-laws.

After church we came back to our house for lunch. I made a roast and was nervous about the timing, but it turned out perfect!

My first roast was a success! So yummy.

I also made twice baked potatoes and a yummy salad with candied pecans. Everything tasted great and was worth all the effort.

I hope you had a wonderful Easter! He is Risen!

Hoppin' Down the Bunny Trail....

Love it keep it will be back next week. In the meantime, enjoy some love from our resident Easter bunny.

The husband isn't too happy about me doing this...but Wrigley insisted.

Hiding all those Easter eggs sure is hard work.

This Easter bunny needs a nap.

He ate one too many Easter eggs.

Happy Easter from our house to yours!