A Mini Trip to the Dead Sea

What a fantastic day Hubby and I had yesterday.  While our views weren't anything like this wonderful picture, the peace and quiet can definitely be compared to this beautiful oasis.

We started our day off with a nice, long drive to a thrifty strip mall located about an hour away from us.  It's a mish mash of little stores that sells really cheap stuff - nick knacks, clothes, purses, furniture, tools, office supplies, etc.  We started off in the furniture store looking for some ideas of what type of furniture we want to buy for our new house...someday.  (Soon, I hope)  Then, we browsed around the purse store and the nick knack store.  There were too many people and too much stuff in the nick knack store for me to really enjoy myself, so we high tailed it to the tool store.

I have always hated the tool store.  Mainly because it's full of tools.  Duh.  Why on earth do I want to look at tools?  I don't remember a time I've ever uttered "I sure wish I had the right screwdriver, socket, drill thingy majig".  Never.  So, no interest whatsoever in what the tool store has to offer.  But, remember I had Hubby with me.  I made him walk around the purse store, it's only fair I walk around the tool store.  That was my feelings until I walked in and noticed aisles of SCHOOL SUPPLIES!!  Forget purses and clothes, and bring on the school supplies that are super cheap.

I loaded our cart with binders ($1 a piece), tabbed dividers ($2.50 for a box of 48 sets), binder clips, sticky notes, a new stapler, colored Popsicle sticks ($1 for over 100 of them), etc. etc.  A teacher's dream place!  Buying this stuff at Wal-Mart or some other store would have cost me some serious money - especially since the tabbed dividers are $1 a package at Wal-Mart...and I got 48 packages for $2.50.  The binders I bought sell for over $3 at Wal-Mart.  Let's not even get in to the Popsicle stick and binder clips.  All in all I spent about $15 on over $50 worth of stuff!  OH HAPPY DAYS!

After my mini shopping spree, it was back in the car for a shorter trip back to Fayetteville and a walk around the mall.  This is where my mini trip to the Dead Sea comes in.  You didn't actually think I went to the Dead Sea, did you?  I hope I didn't just burst your bubble at thinking I jumped in a plane, flew to Israel  took a dip in the Dead Sea, and then flew home again in a matter of 24 hours.  I'm good, but not that good at stuffing things in to a kid free weekend.

Anywho, we're walking around the mall, and I hear a voice say "Ma'am may I ask you a question".  I turn my head and I'm greeted with a good looking guy with a soft Israelian accent.  He takes one of my hands in his and asks if I always keep my nails natural - and compliments me on how beautiful they are.  Right then I knew I was in for a sales pitch.  I know your game, mister.  You can't fool me with those soft hands, thick accent, and get me to buy any of your junk... but I'm game for free stuff, so have at it.

He leads me over to his booth and asks if he can perform a little miracle on one of my thumb nails.  He takes my nails, starts buffing it with a buffing stone thing, and within 15 seconds my thumb nail looks like I've had a manicure.  It's shiny, smooth, and even I have to admit - pretty darn impressive looking, considering the mess it was in before.  I haven't had a manicure in...urm...over a year.

I have to admit, I was impressed.  He then dabs a little oil on my cuticle and WALAH, complete manicure in 20 seconds.  That was when I knew I was hooked.  He railed me in for buying not one, not two, but three mani/pedi sets.  Well, technically it was buy two and get one three.  But each one comes with a 2 year warranty - so not too bad.  But, then of course he wants to show me his Dead Sea salt scrub.  Now, I'm not a super crazy person when it comes to washing my hands - but I know that I keep my hands pretty clean.  He had me wash my hands with the sea salt and I was utterly disgusted at the water when I was finished.  It was BLACK!  BUT, my hands were the softest and cleanest I'd ever seen them.  So...again...I was roped in.  However, this time, Hubby opted to pick up the tab for my salt scrub and the guy even threw in free body butter that went with it and a bar of Dead Sea mud soap.

Finally, he roped me in for a facial cleanser - but gave it to us for next to nothing being that we'd bought everything else for him.  So, now, I'm holding on to two years worth of spa treatments in my bathroom.  Any time I want I can take myself off to the Dead Sea for some deep skin treatment.  And give myself a complete mani/pedi in less than 15 minutes.  Let's not discuss how much it all cost - because I know that beauty doesn't come cheap...and I'm OK with that.

After my mini spa session, we went to eat dinner at Red Lobster.  Oh, Red Lobster, curse you and your delicious food.  I had done so well this week with losing some weight...and then I indulge in this...

Lobster tail, garlic shrimp, shrimp mac & cheese, and a lobster baked potato

And a trip to Red Lobster just isn't complete without eating one of their famous Chocolate Chip Lava cookies...

I had to roll myself out of that restaurant when we were finished.

But, you know what?  I had an amazing day.  I needed it, that's for sure.  Hubby and I enjoyed our time, talked, laughed, and it reminded me that nothing is more important than some quality time alone.

Now, it's time to get back to the real world - have a few things to do this morning and then it's off to pick up the kids.