I heart Dress Barn...& American Idol

Today was a great day!! I got out & about, and man... it is HOT. It says it's only 84 degrees today with 39% humidity, but i don't believe that for a second. It felt like 94 degrees with about 80% humidity? HOT. I was even wearing shorts. And i don't wear shorts. I'm SO glad i did, though, because really when i made that decision, i had no idea just how humid it was today! Eesh!

{My apologies to my friends who are currently desperately WISHING for any amount of sun! i love  the sun, too, i just wish we could have more spring days before it gets to be a thousand degrees!}

Despite the humidity, the insane traffic & the ridiculously slow checkout lanes, it was a fun day! I'm not saying all that to complain, just to give you a picture of how it went! Everyone's off & everyone's shopping. It's funny i don't mind the crowds around Christmas time, but today's crowds were awful! I think it's because the humidity puts people in grumpy moods. Rude teens, bad kids & slow checkout ladies! HA!

 {not my toes}

First stop: Venus Nails. This is where i go to get my pedicures & my eyebrows waxed. I LOVE the girl that does mine, she is sooo sweet & is my age! I've been going there for at least 4 years now. LOVE.

After that, i went to Target. I got 2 polo shirts for Brad, some more Luna Bars (really good for breakfast!) & some more myoplex lite (an after workout drink my trainer recommends). I also got some new eyeshadow & a huge recees easter egg for Brad. :)

After that, i PLANNED to run into Old Navy for like 5 minutes & then go home. So i wasn't too worried about the recees egg. Well, on my way to Old Navy i thought, "hmm... i think i'll run in Dress Barn & take a look". Y'all. I tried on about 7 dresses & all of them were SUPER CUTE and fit GREAT (even without spanxx on!)! YAY! When did Dress Barn get such cute clothes? I thought they had um...not so fashionable looking clothes??? I was wrong. I recently complimented someone on a shirt & they told me that's where they got it. So that planted the idea in my head. :) When i saw it, i went on in "just to see". Next thing i knew, my arms were full of dresses to try on. 

I don't even like trying on clothes. With my weight, it is always a downer. But this time was different! Now, some of you know i've been eating healthy & exercising very well this year & have seen very little results on the scale. I have not been on a clothes shopping trip at all this year. But i slipped one dress after another over my head & each of them fit perfectly! I *think* it was a size down from my usual size, but even if it wasn't... the size i used to get was a bit tight... These fit & looked great! YAY!

It was actually a case of where there were TOO MANY that i loved & had to choose!! Usually only one will work (if any!) & so that's the one i get! I had GREAT customer service by a sweet lady named Carol. She was great. They were having a sale, buy two dresses, get one $10 off. So i got 2 dresses! I needed them! I really love dresses, but being the size that i am, there are very few that look good. And it always seems like the stores carry the styles that are the LEAST flattering for me. But these were the perfect styles for me! YAY! I got one that's VERY springy & came with a little bellero jacket thingie. The other one is solid navy. I absolutely LOVE them! YAY!

Now, not to put Lane Bryant down, but in the past that's been the only place with fashionable clothes for the plus sizer. But this place had a MUCH BETTER selection than Lane Bryant & they also had WAY BETTER prices. Who knew this about Dress Barn?! Cause i didn't! And, by the way, it's not just a plus size store! I saw some very cute things in "regular" sizes also!!

SO that totally brightened my day!

Then i ran into Old Navy & didn't find anything for Brad (he really needs some slacks). I got me some of their athletic socks, because mine keep disappearing & the Old Navy ones that i have are my favorites.

During my shopping i found out my parents were heading to Cracker Barrell for a late lunch if i wanted to meet them. I had already eaten but i met them anyway. I got to-go meals for me & Brad for dinner later & my dad TRICKED ME!! We were heading to check out & i took the to-go bag from dad (the waitress gave it to him). He handed me a receipt when i asked for it so i could pay. I didn't realize he had the *REAL* receipt in his hand until i heard the guy say, "both of them together?" to my dad! HAHA! I didn't expect him to pay at ALL. I was like, "you tricked me!" & he said, "I sure did." I said, "Why???" "Because i like you." Awww. Love my dad. :) 

So we had a great time! Oh, and you may be wondering how that huge recees egg survived in the heat?! Oh, yeah. See, i did not forget about it at all, but i had stumbled upon some amazing clothes! So i didn't really care what happened to it. But yes. It melted. Brad put it in the fridge right away! HA!

And tonight i've just been chillin! Caught up on my last 2 weeks of American Idol. I know people will probably be shocked that Casey has moved down on my list of favorites, but of the last two weeks he was not my favorite. DON'T get me wrong, i absolutely like them all! Scotty is my least favorite because i'm not a huge country fan & it seems the only country singers i listen to are female ones. My mom was telling me that James is AWESOME & i only watched one of his videos (the one from this week). So i'm not sure...I should go back & watch his other one. I know a lot of people do not like Haley or Jacob & i'm not sure why. But their style of music is right up my alley, so it makes sense that i like them. Jacob's Bridge over Troubled Waters made me cry, but then that is one of my favorite songs. i LOVE haley's voice, it's just gorgeous & i love the 40's style she does at times... that duet with Casey was AWESOME! Brad said he would buy a whole cd with her singing that style (& so would i!).  I would not at all be surprised if Lauren wins the whole thing. She's the whole package, to me. I really like her personality & her voice. She's awesome!! 

So my favorites are (in order): 

Lauren, Haley, Jacob, James, Casey & Scotty.

But my predictions are (winner listed first): 

Lauren, James, Scotty, Casey, Haley, & Jacob

That's where it is for now. I kind of hope i'm wrong. But really they are ALL very talented. There's no doubt about that.

Wow, this was a really long post!!! So, thanks, if you're still reading! :) Hope you're having a great Easter weekend!

*all images from google