And the animals came to the ark. . .2 by 2!

Well, just as expected. . .Saturday started with a bang!  Or should I say. . .flood!  This is one of the unfortunate times that the forecasters were dead on!  Our backyard is now a small lake!

Because of the horrible weather, we decided to pile the boys in the van and head a little over an hour away to a fantastic camera store (Camera Mart) for Chuck, and after, a HUGE 3 story mall (Somerset Mall) for me!!!

Our first stop was Camera Mart!

Connor and I modeling for the camera as Chuck tried out a new lens!

After about 2 hours tooling around the "Mart" (good thing they had a play area for children), we jumped in the van and headed to the mall!

After navagating the parking structure, we entered on the 2nd floor skywalk!  The first store I spotted was Restoration Hardware!  The store is SO cool that even our 11 year old, Jared, wanted to go in!  I was like a cat on the scent of a mouse though, and passed by Restoration (while grabbing the latest catalog), and floated right in to the Michael Kors store!  I would like one of everything please!  Or not.  .darn!!!

The next place we hit was The North Face. . .I may or may not have spent my life savings. . .in my mind!  Good save Amy!  Good save!

Now, as you can imaging, the boys were just about done by this point. . .until they spotted the LEGO store!  They have never been to a LEGO store before and were so excited!  We let them each pick out one small thing for being such troopers!  We hit Urban Outfitters and then Macy's for a potty break, before we started to get hungry!  We truthfully only made it around one floor at Somerset before we decided to call it quits!

I knew just what we were having as soon as we spotted it:

Bonus time. . .I had a buy one get one free coupon!!!  Chuck indulged in a huge burrito, while I opted for the "free" burrito bowl filled with cilantro lime rice, black beans, grilled chicken, fresh salsa, lettuce, and a little bit of cheese!

I ate all the way down to the rice before I just couldn't eat another bite!  The boys each got a quesadilla meal with a side of chips, rice, and beans!  Would you believe we walked out of there only spending $19.86?  Best ever!!!!  I totally dig bogo coupons!!!

Guess what we exited the restaurant to. . .SNOW!!  Again!  The best part of the snowy weather. . .we were over an hour from home!  Could you catch the sarcastic tone in my last sentence?  Thanks so much Michigan!  We did make it home safely, but my stomach was a large knot by the time we finally pulled into the driveway!

After my wild and crazy day of very little spending in a VERY upscale mall, I got a call from my credit card people asking me to verify the last 3 purchases that I had made on my card.  What?  Yes. . .I authorized purchases from The North Face, LEGO, and Urban outfitters, all 3 not even totaling $65.  I guess they were suspicious because I should have spent more at such a big mall?  Hmmm. . .not sure!  Good news is that there is no longer a freeze on my card!  Nothing like knowing that Big Brother is watching out for me!

To un-knot my belly, I cozied up on the couch when we arrived home and read the remainder of Catching Fire!  Again. . .the darn book kept me up past midnight!

Riveting. . .as usual!  Good thing I didn't have the third book, Mockingjay, here or I would have dug right in!!  Looks like Monday or Tuesday evening is going to be a late one!!!

What are you currently reading?

I'm a little bit Mexican. . .He's a little bit Rock n' Roll!

My husband and I. . . Isn't it amazing to really think about just how different you can be from your spouse. . .I mean. . .polar opposite different???  What I find more amazing is the fact that, over time, we have melded into one, liking what the other likes, and becoming interested in things that were never thought possible!

Take for example music, my husband has always loved rock. . .he can pick out the different instruments, hone on on the different guitars.  Me?  I like just about everything!  Put me in the South. . .I can dig country.  Put me in a theater, I swoon over Broadway showtunes!  Sit me next to my husband, I can head bang with the best of them!  My workout playlist proves my point to a T. . .where else can you work out to Taylor Swift and Metallica all in one morning?!?!  Here baby!

I'm telling you. . .I married a real gem!!!  Seventeen years ago, I bet if you asked the 18 year old fresh faced Marine if he thought one day that he would be strolling happily around the mall with his wife shopping through the Michael Kors purses helping her to find just. . .the. . .right. . .perfect. . .one, he would have told you NO. . .NO. . .NEVER!!  It really is all about give and take!!!!  And it really did happen!!  Unfortunately however, they didn't have the MK I was looking for. . .bummer!

We make the perfect team. . .he and I!  But truthfully. . .I'm really not Mexican. . .

I just like Mexican food so much that I question my ethnicity often!

Actually, I found myself questioning who my parents were on Friday evening!  Chuck and I had made it out of the snow hole that we call home, and decided to do a little shopping!  After a couple of returns, and a few new spring t-shirts for the boys, we got hungry!!!  Like. . .really hungry!  Que?  Hola On the Border!!!!

I chose to take it easy on the free chips and salsa!  I only ate about 6 or so!  I then opted for the healthier section of the menu. . .Grilled chicken breast topped with salsa, cilantro, and on the side. . .grilled veggies and rice!  It was excellente!!!  My belly couldn't hold all the rice though!!

Next stop?  My words can not even express what comes next. . .a visual will have to do:

No worries. . .I had one doughnut and washed it down with my favorite Krispy Kreme coffee. . .the Cafe Kreme made with skim milk!!!  In the past I used to eat 3 doughnuts, and then leave with a belly ache.  My portion control has vastly improved making my treat that much more enjoyable!

Now. . .off to talk about the tattoo convention that will be in Detroit this weekend that my husband wants to attend. . .maybe I'll listen to Harry Conick Jr. on the drive there!