A Sweet Surprise!

Guess what I found today?! I was running some errands and popped into Whole Foods to do an exchange and happened to turn around while I was waiting at the returns desk and I spotted these lovelies.

My heart literally skipped a beat and I felt my eyes start to tear up. It was like seeing an old friend. lol. I've been dreaming of peonies and if you read my post titled Pining for Peonies a few weeks ago then you know how much I adore them.

In Florida they are very rare unless imported and cannot be grown here because of the extreme heat. I haven't had any in this home we share ever and in fact I haven't seen any in almost 4 years. I have been deprived, that was until today! I've been seeing posts on peonies pop up everywhere during the past couple weeks which always makes me smile my but nothing brightened my day more than seeing all those florist buckets filled with bouquets of pale pink peonies. *SWOON*

I was so excited and asked the clerk how much they were-just $9.99 for a 5 hearty stems! That is a steal compared to the  $10 per stem with a minimum $100 order requirement that the florist shop wanted to charge, when I inquired. I kept staring over at them propped up against the passenger seat all the way home and couldn't wait to pull the plastic off, snip the stems, remove some excess leaves and get them into a vase. Since this opportunity doesn't come around often here, I couldn't help but start snapping photos of each individual bloom and the arrangement in the vase. They started out here on the kitchen table.

Then I decided that they should be in the place where I spend my day so I can admire them as much as possible, so they are now in my office on this table here:

I love that little framed art which reads "The World is Your Oyster" which I made a few months ago. I really do feel like it is at this moment. I'm so excited that my week has started off so wonderful. Lots of good things are happening, I had another great sponsor contact me today for a fun, new giveaway and I can't wait to share the details with you in June.

Oh, and I also picked up another one of my favorite things at Whole Foods-their amazing lemon bars. This is what I ate for dessert tonight and enjoyed every last bite.

It's amazing how the little things truly are the greatest gifts and can be the sweetest of surprises.

I hope you all had a wonderful start to your week too!



*images all my original work

Life's Little Luxuries for Less!

I hope you all have had a fabulous week. I'm finally back from my week in Toronto and had a wonderful time! It's always amazing to me how quickly a week truly flies by when you're having fun.

Last night my hubby picked me up from the airport and had a card waiting for me (a belated b-day card since I wasn't around on the exact day) and inside he wrote a sweet message which included a voucher for a 1-hr massage followed by some cute gifts at home. He is so sweet. The appointment is set for later this afternoon and it is needed for sure! Sitting on planes, pulling luggage behind me and sleeping in an unfamiliar bed has led to some neck and back stiffness. Anyway, the place I am going to is around the corner from our house and it is really inexpensive!

Why am I telling you all of this, you might be wondering? Well, I have found a way to get great massages at a fraction of the price. It is a local University that offers massage courses and upon completion of their program, students must work a set amount of hours to earn their full certification before starting their career as a Massage Therapist. So, the school offers one-hour massages for just $25! During the Christmas season they had a special promo for regulars and it was just $20. You might be thinking they are less qualified or the massage may not be as good as a pro, but I have been satisfied about 98% of the time. In today's case, Paul paid a little extra for me to have one of the instructors, which I haven't tried yet, so it should be wonderful! The environment is very private, complete with soothing music and massage oils and the students are very professional. After your massage is complete you fill out a short feedback and rating form which allows them to identify where to improve, if necessary. Because they are being graded essentially, I find they really try to make it a great experience.

If you've been dreaming of a massage but feel you can't afford one, I highly recommend doing some research on google and looking into the Massage schools in your area to see what they offer. The same holds true for manicures via Esthetician schools and also Hair Salons too. Aveda in particular offers student services through the Aveda Institure for a lot less than their regular salons in select cities. I often pop over for a $15 manicure or $20 pedicure and I receive the same treatment and products used during a service at another Aveda salon.

I encourage you to find a great service online and carve some time out just for YOU and enjoy some of life's little luxuries!