Decisions decisions decisions...

OUR NEW COUCH IS HERE!!!!! I can't wait for the apartment reveal to show it to you... so I'm showing you now! However, I need your opinions on side tables and a new center table. I've searched high and low for what I want and I finally stumbled upon some I love on the Walmart webpage.

Here's our new couch...
Yes, I'm hiding the wall decor and the rest of the room until the reveal (which is this MONDAY!).

And here's where you come into play. These are the end tables/side tables I have to choose between - as they're the only ones that fit our style and are in our budget. Ones a cobblestone gray (which most of the living room decor is shades of brown), one is a rainwater blue green and the other is a yellow. I'm struggling to decide because they'd all look good in this room. A friend suggested one of each, but I think that might be overboard. Your thoughts? :)

Here's a few close ups of the colors:

Post a comment with your thoughts and I'll wait to purchase until probably next Friday! Thank you!!!

xox the Roberts

Steals, deals and home decor

GUESS WHAT? GUESS WHAT? GUESS WHAT?!

It's good Friday! What better day to share our news of purchasing a new couch and rug than to do it on a FIVE ON FRIDAY, GOOD FRIDAY day?! There isn't a better day!

My husband and I have been searching high and low for a couch that we absolutely loved but also for the right price. We couldn't find one with a chaise that wasn't in a dark chocolate color. As most of you know we've got a husky/lab mix that's a white/cream color with some red in his fur. Any couch that wasn't a perfect cream wouldn't work with our decor or it'd show too much of his hair for our liking. Huskies shed 4 times a year and when they shed - it's their entire coat. We vacuum 2-3 times daily most weeks in order to keep up on it.

Well.... we found the perfect couch! Where?! ASHLEY FURNITURE!!! They're hosting a 25% off sale this weekend so we saved over $400 on this beauty! I've heard both negative and good reviews from there, but we decided to take the plunge and give it a shot. We loved the lady we worked with and she was extremely helpful without being pushy. It should be delivered a week from tomorrow. It's a perfect cream color and it happens to allow us to keep our current decor, have more seating and not show as much of our dogs hair.

Are you ready to see it?! We aren't getting it delivered until a week from tomorrow so you're going to have to deal with a store picture until that time... but you better believe it'll be in the apartment reveal as soon as I can possibly get everything put together.

Here's the stock picture! I'm in LOVE. I can't wait to see it in OUR space!!

The rug?! I scored a $150 Nate Burkes rug from target for $22! Can you feel my excitement?!!! I can't wait to share a picture of our actual rug on our apartment revealwhen we get our new couch! Here's a picture of the rug, however ours has a blue/teal weave through it. Apparently there were only 40 made in our style! EVEN COOLER!!!! I feel this savings calls for a giveaway! I'm going to be posting one this weekend for a $20 Target giftcard and possibly something from my sisters shop ;)! Check back for more details.

I also used my cartwheel app to save 50% off a bed in a bag set for our bedroom. I'm in love with Chevron and it's the perfect teal blue color to match our sheets and the golden yellow accents in our bedroom. I'm keeping this item a secret until our reveal.

& AS PROMISED here's my 5 on FRIDAY -
1) New couch pictures coming in a few hours
2) ITS SPRING BREAK! What's better than that?! Nothing!...Oh wait, it's better with sunshine and above freezing temperatures... and we're blessed with that, too!
3) KARMA WATER! Have you tried it? I'm in love and completely addicted to it. It's a water that offers vitamins in the cap. You peal of the seal, push in the crushed vitamins and drink it. Try it! You'll love it.
4) Easter Sunday! We're so excited to celebrate with loved ones. I pray none of you forget the actual reason for the season. I was raised, as was Greg, to know it's about Jesus and not a fake bunny that gives you gifts.
5) My new rug picture coming soon! I'm so obsessed with the Nate Burkus line and if you haven't checked it out yet --- you're surely missing out! It's amazing quality and cute decor for your home or apartment!

xox I'm off to enjoy this beautiful weather before we paint the apartment this evening. I love painting.
- the Roberts

#targetdoesitagain

Yes... I titled this entry with a hashtag and I know some of you may find that annoying, however I don't care. Why? Because TARGET is AMAZING and I always get treated like royalty when I go into a store. 

I've been questioned many times how I save money at Target stores and I figured instead of explaining it to many different people I'd just post a blog update about it. Here it goes....

CARTWHEEL - It's an app on Android and Apple that Target releases coupons with an expiration date. You get to pick and choose which coupons you add to your "account" and it gives you ONE barcode to scan for ANY of those coupons! It's AH-MAZE-ING! This application also gives you the option to link it to your Facebook and share deals your friends. This application has coupons for clothes, diapers, food, housewares, pet supplies and EVERYTHING in the store.

RED CARD - Target has a special card you can link straight to your checking account so instead of them paying the credit card companies the fee's the run your credit or debit cards, they run your red card and save you an extra 5%! We weren't sold on it with the cashiers sales pitch of it but when we bought a new grill and realized we could save $20 on it then we couldn't fill out the application fast enough.

TARGET WEBSITE COUPONS - Did you know if you go to the Target website that you can click on the upper right hand corner by their categories and print at home coupons in which you can stack with manufacture coupons to save even more money? Well now you do! I do it often to save on groceries and typically get many items cheaper than you can find them at Aldi's.

BANK REWARDS - I'm not sure if all banks offer this but our bank gives us cash back on every purchase and we can redeem them for Target gift cards quarterly. This past quarter we got $50 free at Target for using our debit card. We cashed the giftcards in for a two shelf cabinet that now holds our fish tank. 

#targetdoesitagain

Target always gets the best of me because as most people know - I typically can't go in and spend under $100 while walking out with EXACTLY what was on our shopping list, but because of these quick, easy and fun saving tips I typically can get the things I want while saving on the things I need, and not overspending. I hope you can too! 

Now onto the fun part... How I've scored this awesome beside table while using the deals above... ;)

Do you see that little yellow bedside table!? It was orginally $98. I paid $52 ;) HOW?! Easy. There was a cartwheel coupon for 20% off a threshold housewares item + 5% off on my target red card + 20% off because there was a scratch on it. I also had a gift card worth $40  (from a in store return) so I ended up only paying $12 for it. YAYYY SCORE!!!! I'm 110% in L O V E!

xxxoo the Roberts

Something 'bout a T R U C K

My husband and I had been having lots of problems with our truck. He's taken all the coworker mechanics advice and decided to finally sell it and start on a new project. Project trucks are Gregs absolute FAVORITE. He searched high and low for a 1994-1996 Chevy Silverado with a solid engine, back seat and solid transmission. He finally found one and immediately listed his truck for sale. Within 2 days his truck sold for more than he was asking, or what it was worth.....THAT'S GOD!

Gregs new truck?  Here "she" is....as he'd say ;)

She's solid and she will need work on the body, but that's right up his alley. The muffler is loud and the tires are new. The interior fabric on the roof will also need to be fixed. We're pretty proud of her.

I'll update you with pictures as we do more work on it :)

xo The Roberts

Teaching: St. Patricks day crafts and fun

Tomorrow the district I work for has off school, so I went onto Pinterest to try to find some fun and entertaining ways to get the kids excited about St Patricks day! What did we do before Pinterest?! I honestly have no clue. Our days off program is open on days off school from 6:00a-6:00p. 12 hours! It makes for a long day, so sugar + fun is a definite must to keep them occupied and behaving.

*Disclaimer: I found these ideas on pinterest and copied the pictures straight from my saved boards. I just figured I'd share them with you, since most of you have kids of your own.

We'll start our day coloring and making traps on the four tables I covered with a huge white roll of paper. This will probably be their favorite part, because they get to be creative and have no limits as to what they can do. I can not wait to see what they create :)

A few more ideas I've got for the day include:

1) Making a maze throughout the playground using rainbow colored yarn with a treat, or "treasure" of lucky charms and green milk with FUN straws at the end of it. I know they'll LOVE this part. Who wouldn't like to have a special treat of lucky charms?!

2) We're going to be using green, yellow, orange and red peppers to make Shamrock paintings.

& lastly, we're doing a science experiment! I spent a good 20-30 minutes tracing large Shamrocks, which they will cut out & then I'll mix 1/4 cup green paint with 3/4 cup of baking soda. After they're done painting, we'll squirt them with vinegar! The kids shrill with excitement watching it fizzle & bubble.

I hope these crafts help you have a little bit more of an exciting Saint Patricks day with your kiddos, and if they don't - and you chose to celebrate other ways, then I pray for your safety and smart decisions. I know we'll be celebrating by staying home, snuggling and watching The Voice! We're obsessed!!!!

Happy Saint Patricks Day to you and yours.

xo The Roberts

Recipe: Chicken Taco Soup

Before I share this fabulous recipe I wanted to take a minute to shout out to my sister, Katie Guth, for redoing my blog layout for me. Doesn't it look amazing? She captured my country style with a little girly twist that I absolutely adore! Katie has many talents and has always been my #1. She works full time at a car restoration place as the receptionist, but also runs a full time photography business - and makes the cutest screen printed baby leggings! If you're interested in finding out more about her photography business you can find her images at: www.katieguthphotography.com - Thanks Katie!!

Who likes TACOS? Who likes soup on a chilly 29* day? We do! 

We moved into our apartment on 03/1 and I scoured the web for crock pot freezer recipes for that first week. I didn't want to have to worry about cooking dinner while unpacking, organizing and working. It worked. I had off that Monday, so I prepped all the meals in gallon size freezer bags and froze them. Each evening I grabbed one out and thawed it, then threw it in the crock pot before leaving for work. 8 hours later when we arrived home, wah-la dinner is served!

Chicken Taco Soup

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped

1 (16 ounce) can chili beans

1 (15 ounce) can of black beans

1 (8 ounce) can of tomato paste

1 (15 ounce) can of whole kernel corn, drained

1 (12 ounce) can of beer [we used non alcoholic]

2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained

1 package of taco seasoning

3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Shredded cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips for toping/serving purposes

Combine ingredients in the crock pot and cook on low for FIVE hours, then shred the chicken ad place back in on low for another TWO hours. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and crushed tortilla chips.

We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did. 

xox The Roberts

Reno

Please excuse the dust as we redo the layout of our blog.

I promise you... apartment tour coming soon! I'm just so busy with work that I don't have time to finish our decor and my perfectionist personality won't allow me to show it to you until its 100% complete ;).

My husband finally got his 55" TV. I keep telling him it's too big for our living room, but he begs to differ. I must say, it's AWESOME doing workout videos on + watching our favorite shows: Greys Anatomy & The Voice. He also surprised me with this cute TV stand that I've been wanting for YEARS. I LOVE IT.

Despite the weather still dropping snow and cold temperatures through the midwest, I decided it was time to decorate for spring. I'm in love with our new high table and bring colored kitchen decor. It makes this cold, nasty weather a little easier to handle.

I'll be sure to come back and share more pictures of our apartment for all to see after our blog redo.

Thanks for your dedication and patience.

xox the Roberts