Belated Weekend Update

Sorry about the mini-hiatus but I'm back! 

Last time we chatted I was planning for my solo weekend at home.  Mark went on a guys' weekend in the mountains and so the pup and I were on our own.  Naturally I wrote down a huge to-do list to keep myself busy.  It looked something like this:

~ Read 1 book (maybe 2)
~ Detail inside of my car
~ Start (complete?) taxes online
~ Deodorize/clean carpet
~ Finish organizing and decorating the guest suite and lounge from the room swap a couple weeks ago
~ Come up with an appetizer for the Super Bowl party (and then attend said party)
~ Laundry
~ Come up with menu/grocery list for the week
~ Clean the house (dust, bathrooms, etc.)
~ Go to a birthday party for a little friend that is turning 1 (this depends on the sick status .. no need to spread germs!)
~ Go to Target for items to complete tasks above.

So how did I do, you ask?

~ I finished one book and got through a big chunk of the second.
~ My car remains un-detailed .. but I bought an awesome air freshener that clips to the car vent so that makes everything ok ;)
~ I gathered some tax docs together that were already sitting on top of the desk in a messy pile to prep for actually doing it.  That counts, right?
~ Yes!  This was actually one of the priorities.  A few days earlier, while laying in Downward Dog (don't be fooled by the yoga-speak .. I just started), I had my nosed pressed into our carpet .. and was mortified to realize it REEKED of actual dog.  Merlin is cute but GEEZ!  He is bathed regularly and I keep plug-ins around the house so I guess kudos to them for actually doing their job.  I had no idea!  Now, thanks to Arm and Hammer .. we are back to being so fresh and so clean clean ...
~ Ohhh buddy .. this little bullet point shall continue below..
~ I copped out on this one.  I was going to do individual veggie cups but ran out of time.  Instead I went to the store and bought a veggie tray and hummus.  Oh well..
~ Done but the clothes weren't actually put away until Mark got home .. which might have actually been part of the plan .. because I will wash clothes all day but I hate hanging them ..
~ Yup!
~ Check!
~ I felt much better by the time Saturday night rolled around and so I went.  It was a ton of fun!  I don't often (ever?) hang out with that crowd stag so it was a nice change of pace.  The topic of my birthday came up (which was 3 days ago) and it was decided we would throw a house party.  Just something simple, easy and fun.  I will recap this in another post.
~ OK SO!  This was one of the major highlights of the weekend.  Yes .. I know .. I saw great friends and went to a sweet birthday party but OH HOW I LOVE TARGET!  My original intention for the guest room (thus Target trip) was to get some missing essentials.  We repurposed/donated a lot of the items that were in the previous guest room so all that I was left with was pretty much JUST a bed and a couple chairs.  Since this room was painted a different color, I couldn't even use the bedding because it clashed so badly!  So I made a list of what I needed: a lamp, some sort of side table, a hand towel holder for the bathroom and a comforter that didn't make you reach for sunglasses. Four things.  That's it.  And really it was possibly just three because Mark could build me a side table or two.

Off to Target I went. 

I started in the lighting department.  I didn't really have a budget in mind but cheap (without looking like it) is ALWAYS what I'm going for.  I saw several lamps I loved but didn't feel like dropping $40 on a lamp at the time.. especially since I really wanted two.  I kept perusing and then I saw this little red sticker that said "clearance".  Usually Target uses their endcaps for clearance so when I saw the lamps above the sticker (shoved way in the back) I figured the whole thing was misplaced.  Just on a whim though I checked.  FOUR DOLLARS!  Say what!?  They are medium/large ceramic white lamp bases, in perfect condition, and only $4.  There were two sitting there and so I grabbed them up.  They were meant for me. 

I figured it had to be a fluke until I was heading out of the lighting department and spotted a second little red tag.  It was for a smaller black lamp with a cool oval shade.  SIX DOLLARS! Then halfway down the aisle a stainless floor lamp with remote for TWELVE DOLLARS!  I had been in Target all of 15 minutes and my cart was full with three ceramic lamps and a stainless floor lamp for a whopping $26.  I was totally elated.  The extra lamps weren't really on my list but how can you turn down a sale like that!? 

I looked around for signs advertising some sort of crazy sale but there was nothing.  Just these little red tags stuck amidst the regularly priced items.  I immediately started to amend my shopping list in my head to include all the "wants" and not just the "needs".  I thought about how I wanted to dress the room and began to practically skip to the other departments.  All in all I came away a HUGE winner.  Turns out those little red stickers were everywhere!  This is what I ended up with:

- 2 large white ceramic lamp bases
- 1 black ceramic lamp with shade
- 1 stainless floor lamp with remote
- hand towel holder for bathroom
- embroidered curtain panel
- sheer curtain panel
- curtain rod
- super soft throw
- 2 accent pillows
- glass vase
- welcome mat
- makeup

What was the grand total?  $114.76! I think the checkout girl thought I was nuts because I totally asked her to repeat herself (even though it was on the screen in front of me) and there may have been a very small happy dance involved.

Needless to say it was a success :)  I will post pictures soon of the finished results.  Below is the photographic evidence.  Consider this me bragging ...


Sorry for the bad pic.  Mark took the good camera with him to the mountains.



Lesson Learned?  ALWAYS look for the little red tags. 

Do you love Target like I do?  Have you scored some insanely good sales lately?  Where is your favorite place to shop?  Have you ever embarrassed yourself with a happy dance?