I just saved over $3,000. You're welcome Michael Neal.

Mike just went back to work today after a few days off. He usually takes 3 or 4 days off during the first week of the month to spend time with the kids and catch his breath after the last week of the month. So, While he was home I took advantage of the situation, I had him watch the kids and I packed up a few things that we don't use everyday, did some deep cleaning, cleaned out the garage, and hauled a bunch of stuff to Goodwill. It felt good. Real good. I love purging. It makes me happy.

I feel like we are making progress in Brent's allergy situation. I suppose it's good that we are figuring it out, But it also sucks because we are finding that he is not just allergic to peanuts. The list keeps growing. We will be headed to an allergist specialist in the next week or so. We are up to a list of at least 3 really serious "like he could stop breathing if he comes in contact with" Allergies. And a page full of allergies that will give him rashes and hives, and we haven't even ventured into sensitivities yet.

The house is coming along! We are looking at about 45 days until completion! They started drywall yesterday, that should take about 5 days or so to tape, mud, smooth and all that stuff, and then the fun stuff will start to go in!~ Floors, cabinets, backsplash, tiles, Etc. I think I am almost as excited to see all this stuff go in as I am to move in!

I have been searching for things for the kids rooms and the living room, On a budget... and I think it's starting to coming together. I need opinions please... Here is what I am thinking for the living room, Do you think it goes together? Or if there is something you think needs to go in that room will you send me a link? Pretty please with sugar on top?

I'm thinking this rug in either the tan or the blue. I'm leaning towards blue... But its going to depend on the wall color and/or if its too much tan or too much blue. It's all about balance baby... Finding my zen. My happy place.

These for the window treatments.

This is the paint selection. It's the Restoration Hardware Silver sage collection. Surprisingly, their paint is rather reasonably priced. I am thinking the middle shade, But it will depend on the lighting in the house, That will be a game time decision.

This tucked in the corner by the fireplace. With a soft little throw blanket. Cozy right? Everyone needs a recliner, and this is a recliner I can live with.  

 

                                        A few of these...

                                                        

And this will be the crowning jewel butted up right behind the sofa.

 Its going to be a labor of love to find the stuff the make this a reality, But I am determined. 

This is the sofa and loveseat. {I am going to wait until we get our tax return to buy the leather ones I want. But I really love these. And have lusted after them for quite some time... Who knows maybe I won't want the leather ones come April or so}, And Mike gets his wish to sit on cloth not leather during this football season.} And I got a ridiculous steal of a deal on it.

Are you ready for this??... Retail on the couch alone is $1,800. The loveseat is $1,700.

I paid $250 each. $500 for the set. That's a big fat savings. Here's the story.

I was stalking craigslist for a dresser for the girls, And just for the heck of it I typed in Pottery Barn. And these couches came up. The ad had been up for an hour and I thought to myself, I have to call. Mike was at the pool with the kids and I didn't have time to wait for him to give me the green light, So I basically just thought, Well, I will send her an email and then ask Mike. If he says no, we just won't go look at it. Well, I sent an email and then I waited about 5 seconds and then texted the lady. I couldn't take the chance of loosing these bad boys, so I had to be aggressive. I know what you're thinking, But hold that thought.... Does that really surprise you... Uh, Have we met? My nickname isn't "Badger" For no reason. I earned that. I didn't care if this lady thought I was a crazy stalker for emailing, texting, and calling her, all within 10 minutes... I had some couches to buy before anyone else got to them. So, We went last night and picked them up. Well, actually the lady was so so sweet, She had a trailer and a truck, so she followed us and dropped them off. No extra gas fee or anything. Well, When I went in to look at them I saw them, and thought to myself... THESE LOOK NOTHING LIKE THE PICTURE!!!!! They are a hot mess! They literally looked like the pictures above, Clean, white, and crisp on the craigslist ad. I walked in and took a look at them and they were covered in a wrinkly faded ugly khaki-ish green-ish slipcover. I was devastated. And then she said, "I took the pictures without the slipcovers on it." So we peeled back the slip covers and you know know what I saw... Those white, crisp, clean couches. With springy soft cozy fluffy pillows and cushions. No pets, and no smoking!!!!!! They are only a few months old, And the gal decided that she wanted leather instead and just needed someone to take them off her hands that day, because she was moving the next day. That's why they were priced so low. But they did need a new slipcover. I knew that the pottery barn replacement slip covers are ridiculously over priced, {$840 for the sofa slipcover & $650 for the loveseat cover.} But I figured that I could take apart the old ones using it as a pattern and make some new ones. I knew it was going to be a huge project, But I didn't care. I couldn't pass this deal up. So we get home, and it sank in... I was dreading the thought of spending HOURS and HOURS making a new slipcover for those. So much so that I got desperate and it did seriously cross my mind to pay the pottery barn price and get new ones. But that just wasn't logical and would absolutely dismiss the fact that I was doing this in an frugal but glamorous way. So, I had determined that I would make them. Well, I still didn't want to commit to that. Even though I knew it was really my only option to keep this frugal. So I started Google-ing like a mad woman and blog stalking design blogs. And shut the front door, do you know what I came across... THIS SAVED MY LIFE!!! Okay, okay, lets not be dramatic, But it did save me about 50 hours of remaking these slip covers... 

IKEAS ektorp slip cover fits the pottery barn basics sofa! 

(Now, as a side note, If you're wondering why I didn't just buy the ikea sofa... I wouldn't have bought the Ikea ektorp sofa because even though it may be a great deal, and look pretty dang close to the Pottery Barn one, It is nowhere close to as
comfortable or of the quality that the Mitchel Gold from PB is.)

The price from Ikea... Drum roll please... $39 for the loveseat cover and $49 for the sofa slipcover. Compared to Pottery Barns $840 and $650. BIG DIFFERENCE!

So, Sarah, And I are taking a trip to Orlando on Saturday and we will be making a stop at Ikea to pick up my new inexpensive slipcovers. So, to make a long story even longer... I got some extremely comfortable very very well built basically brand new Pottery Barn couches for dirt cheap. And I am every bit as happy with them as I would have been buying them brand spanking new and carrying them out of the pottery barn store. Actually, no, that's not true. I am happier... WAY happier because I saved over $3,000. Remember this post? Well, This was a win win... Mike got craigslist prices, and I got pottery Barn. Complete with comfort, quality, and you know, That little tag that says, Pottery Barn. Let's be honest, That little tag takes me to my happy place:) And so does keeping money in the bank account.