Doggy date

Earlier this week I found out that our local Petsmart was having a grand opening of a store/pet hotel. Well, hula was cancelled for today and I had nothing better to do. Yesterday I invited one of my best girl friends and her dog Whiskey to come with me, Malu and Simon. So we decided to meet at 8 a.m. The store opened at 9 and the first 50 people got a gift card anywhere from $5-50 value. Me and my dogs got there about 7:50. There were not to many people waiting. Ashley and Whiskey showed up at about 8:10. We both got gift cards. Mine was a $10 and Ashleys was $25. Our dogs were SO good. I thought Simon was going to get grounded to the car half way through but they were both awesome. Pesmart had a ribbon cutting and then in we went. Simon needed a nail trim and we just happened to get a coupon for a free nail trim or $9 off a grooming service. So, I had Simon and Malus nails trimmed and ears cleaned. Simon usually is very difficult to get his nails trimmed but was a good boy today and Malu was a good girl! Whiskey got his nails and ears done too. He liked stairing at himself in the mirror.

The ribbon cutting ceremony
Malu getting her nails done. She was shaking and made the whole table shake. Poor thing

Simon after his nails.

After that we walked around. They got bandannas to wear and around the store was all sorts of free items for your dog. I got a t-shirt, teeth bone cleaners, frisbees, and squeak toys all for free. We entered in all sorts of raffles. They were even giving out samples of their doggy ice cream. Malu and Simon loved it! It was lactose soy based ice cream for dogs and even people. We took a tour of the doggy hotel. The associates were so friendly and helpful! Whiskey was a little excited and threw up but other than that nobody pee'd or poo'd in the store. I thought for sure Simon would be lifting a leg to every shelf.

oops... sideways picture of cute little Whiskey after his nails and ears were done.

I bet this doggy inflatable costume was so hot.The dogs were getting tired.

This is the free stuff I got minus the gift cards and another 2 squeak toys and frisbee and t-shirt and more bone thingys. Thats a lot of free stuff! Woohoo.

Petsmart was taking free pictures of dogs and their owners and making them into buttons. Ashley and I thought it would be so cute to do us all together. The button turned out adorable! The whole experience left Ashley and me so happy and excited! Petsmart in Boise did a really great job at their grand opening! It wasn't too crazy and out of control, even with 2 dogs in tow. I guess this is what people do when they have no kids :)

This was the button. The picture turned out GREAT! The lighting, though, when I took this picture of the picture turned out crappy. But ya'll get the idea. Really cute. I am going to turn it into a magnet for the fridge.

After Petsmart Ashley and Whiskey came over to the house to play in the backyard. They are exhausted now. At 1 I went back to Petsmart because they were having a drawing for free $25 gift cards to 20 people. It was the only giveaway you had to be present to win. I entered at 12:45 and when they drew I won one of them!! I was so excited. But I am glad I didn't have the dogs with me that time. The store was much crazier and the whole experience would have been different.

Flowers, dress, sink hole

My weekend was a good one. All day yesterday was spent at the America's Global Village Festival in Ontario, Oregon. We had an awesome booth with food and trinkets to sell. We do a half hour show. I brought my camera, turned it on, and took.... no pictures. My battery died and I got NO pictures. Kristi and Heidi did though. It was fun!

Rillz and I went on a silly date today when he got off work. We went to Costco for lunch at the food court. Then went up and down every aisle. IT was great! I bought flowers and underwear. Thats all. I planted my flowers when I got home while Rillz was looking for running shoes in the shop. My other flowers I bought for my window box are only spring flowers that are now going dead on me and looking a little sad. New flowers... new pretty color!

Rillz couldn't find his running shoes so off to Fred Meyer we went for shoes. We found some great ones for him! Then we went looking for dinner. Rillz had plans to go to Sizzlers for the salad buffet until we passed an Applebees with a sign that read "Feed 2 for $20". Rillz turned into the parking lot so fast and the detour had officially been taken to Applebees instead of Sizzlers. The food and service was great!

I finally finished my frock by friday. I like how it turned out and it fits! There are plenty of mess ups but oh-well. A good learning experience.

Here is a CRAZY mystery. In my garden by where I planted my peas I have a freaky sink hole. It eats dirt and seeds and spits back up sand/rocks. I don't get it. It is SO weird. I have filled this stinkin hole 3 times with dirt. Packed dirt. You know, like how you pack in a ton of brown sugar in the little measuring cup and dump it out only to still hold a very tight cup form. Well, thats how tight I have packed in this flippin dirt only to have rocks and sand spit back at me the next day after the dirt had been watered. I don't get it. Anybody know my mystery? It's driving me crazy.

You can't see the stupid little rock pebbles very well in the picture. Where is the dirt going? And where are the rocks coming from? Grrrr.....

I hope your weekend went well! Happy Monday tomorrow.

I feel so behind

Is it just me or have I not blogged lately. I think about things to blog about often but then just don't find the time. Last Saturday Rillz and I went garage saleing. Yeah, I know, no surprise there but we bought a bread maker for $10 from a church sale. It didn't come with a manual which I was a bit worried about but I figured I could get it off the internet. Lucky for me it was very easy to find and print. So I made bread the other day. I started making the bread late at like 10:00 pm and it takes 3 hours. The bread shouldn't sit in the bread maker longer than an hour so therefore I had to wake up at 1 a.m. just to take the bread out of the bread maker. And to make things worse Rillz has bad allergies right now which is making him snore BAD. So I couldn't fall back to sleep easily. Oh-well. My bread machine worked though and the bread was edible!

Next thing, Kristi gave me a topsy turvy and I planted a jalapeno pepper plant. Rillz picked it out and I hope it grows or does something besides die on me. I want to can salsa this year so the more things I can grow the better. But, has anyone had success with the topsy turvy planter or even tried it (besides Kristi, she killed her tomato plant when she tried because she didn't water it) Grow little plant, grow!

Rillz made me a garden box. It is 6' x 3'. I wanted it 8' but the lumber price went WAY up just for 2 more feet. So I stuck with 6' instead. Nothing is planted in it yet because I am waiting to get (I never thought I would have to wait around for this) horse manure compost. That seems so weird that I am waiting for horse crap to plant my vegetable seeds. But it looks good. I just hope I remember to water these things.

Doesn't that look so nice.

Rillz and I went to Zamzoes (a local garden/animal place) to get chemical that makes pee stains go away in the yard. Thanks to Malu and her contribution to lawn maintenance, we have yellow patches. The guy told us to use Thrive. Thrive is good for everything! It helps with flowers, gardens, pee spots, shrubs, trees. It is some sort of fertilizer. I took pictures right after I applied some to the lawn to see if it will really work. Here is what the lawn looks like now...

the dogs pee in the first half and poop in the second half. It's kinda silly. Lets hope Thrive helps my lawn look a little less like a leopard.
Random... look at this pretty flower that is growing by the tree I hate most in our yard. Look how ugly that tree is in the back. It makes the flower look uglier.

One last thing, I follow this website that has a frock by friday thingy. This week I joined in. I am sad to say that I am lagging behind. I have Monday, Tuesday, and most of Wednesday done. The Wednesday instructions I messed up one part and cut somewhere I shouldn't have and so I had to bandage it up. I am planning on pretty much finishing it tonight but I have plenty obsticles in my way. I have NEVER sewed a button whole in my life. I guess its easy but I will be the judge of that. I mean, I already messed some of it up and the hardest is yet to come. Oh man, wish me luck that this turns out to be wearable. I was going to post a picture of what it is supposed to look like but I can't figure it out right now so no picture for you folks. Well, off I go to continue working and then home to finish that stinkin dress.

Strawberry jam and composter

After blogging this morning I was just SO tired. Why? I don't know. But, I woke up at 4 and was ready to continue my day. I decided to start tackling the strawberry jam. I had NO idea what I was doing. But in the pectin packages are instructions for jam. I followed them and got them into jars. I decided to go with shelf jam instead of freezer jam this first time around (although the freezer jam is easier). I had to put it in my pressure cooker/canner. I have never used one before. But guess what... I have shelf strawberry jam now made by me! The lids are even sealed and everything! I am so proud of myself. And, it wasn't that hard.

Next thing on my list, Rillz bought me a composter bin from Costco. Some girls are giddy about nice shoes and purses and all I wanted was this composter bin! I have to wipe the drool from my mouth over this big black rotating piece of plastic! haha. Anyways, Rillz put it together for me tonight.

Isn't she a beauty. Won't be clean for long though

Here is my little sugar snap pea plants so far. They are so cute. Yesterday I planted my herbs. I planted Rosemary, chives, cilantro, and parsley. This gardening thing takes patience. I am like a little kid and want results the next day. I am excited to have the time this summer to do all these outdoor things for my house.

Coupon deals

It feels like I haven't posted on a great coupon run lately. Which is ok because it means I am not only focused on couponing. I get cheap groceries typically every week but just don't feel the need to blog as many. Todays was pretty good though so I will share.

I went to Albertsons this morning. I really needed sure-jell pectin because I am going to make strawberry jam today. (I got cheap strawberries at Fred Meyer last week knowing I wanted to make jam). I was able to get 4 pacs of sure-jell pectin, 3 Nestle tollhouse cookie doughs, 5 dole sensations juice, 6 cups of velveeta cheese, and 2 boca veggie patties. Without coupons and deals I would have paid $54.84 but with coupons/deals I really paid...$4.85 plus I still have $2 receipt survey to use on my next shopping trip. SO I paid less than $5 for 20 items. That is less than .25 cents per item. Ahhh I love a good savings.

Also, I don't think I can go a saturday in the summer without stopping at a garage sale. I got some good stuff this Saturday. I realized that this is the only way to buy clothes for summer. I also got the cutest baby swing shaped as a car for SUPER cheap! The only problem, I don't have a baby. Good thing both my sisters are though so I can put it to use. Mine looks like the picture except it is all grey and doesn't have those silly looking stickers on it. I am to lazy to take a picture of the one I actually have. Pathetic I know.

Well, I am going to take a nap then make strawberry jam and then water my garden/flowers. Peace out everyone. Have a nice Sunday.

Nigerian Kids Let Me Clear my throat

I was laughing so hard at the little big boy. I just pictured that boy being Rillz when he was little and I know Rillz was a crazy dancer like that. HAHA. Enjoy

Bed done... well almost

I am almost done with my bed. Like, really really close to being done. Yesterday I assembled all the pieces and made the railing for the bed. So we can use it now BUT it is still missing one piece. In the picture you can see a bed skirt (the cream fabric) well, that is supposed to be a long piece of 2x10 wood instead. The guy at Home Depot cut the piece a little too long which is fine. We just need to cut it down about a 1/2 inch to fit the space. But I love the bed! We slept on it last night and it is still standing! It makes our bed SO much taller too. Our mattress and box spring are taller than normal ones so now the bed is to tall for the dogs! So, now on to the dresser, night stands, and those stinkin curtains for the bedroom.