If you are familiar with the stores; Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Sierra Trading Post and HomeGoods, then you have great taste! I love shopping at all the TJX Companies stores. I have been inspired to write this post after cleaning out a box of receipts I have been keeping for the past few months in case I needed to return something. After looking at the pile, and not returning much, I have come to the realization that I might have an addiction.
Although, this should probably be an inspirational post in sharing steps on overcoming addictions, it is really geared more toward feeding the addiction. This is one addiction I am not willing to give up or go to therapy for, unless it is retail therapy!
Our nest is empty and my husband travels a ton for business so it is easy for me to tag along. While he is working during the day, I am off to find the closest TJX stores and will sometime frequent 2 or 3 in one day.
With the travel, comes quite a bit of exposure to swanky shopping districts and areas with high end and luxury brands. Although, I could probably afford to make purchases now and then at one of those stores, I just can’t bring myself to do it because I know there is a good chance I will find it at one of the TJX stores!
Some of my favorite finds have been a Trina Turk swimsuit for only $49.99 that I picked up at TJ Maxx in Washington DC.
Trina Turk Two Piece Swimsuit
My Kate Spade bag I found at TJ Maxx in Chicago for only $149.00.
Kate Spade Purse
My Michael Kors bag I scored at Marshalls in Denver was $199.00.
Michael Kors Purse
I found a pair of Frye shoes for my hubby at the Marshalls in Houston for $99.00.
Frye Shoes from Marshalls
I got two Le Creuset pieces a few months apart, one large and one small in Wichita. Both were under $200 bucks, One was from TJMaxx and the other was Marshalls, what a steal!
Le Creuset Pots
As you can tell by the pile of receipts that is just the tip of the iceberg of some of my favorites!
Marshalls, TJ Maxxx and HomeGoods receipts
Pretty much every piece of clothing in my closet is from one of their stores. My favorite brands I have found there are Max Studio, Kut From The Kloth, Hudson Jeans, Paige Premium Denim, Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Coach, NYJD, Bobeau, Born, Max Studio, La Blanca, Trina Turk, Born, Frye, 7 for all Mankind and more! The active wear selection is out of this world and I get plenty of work out wear with RBX and 90 Degree by Reflex being a favorite brand.
Workout Gear from Marshalls
Sierra Trading Post which is another store under the TJX belt, sells mostly online. They do have a handful of stores in Colorado and Wyoming. It is more outdoor related and carry active wear, hiking gear, climbing gear, sporting goods and an amazing selection footwear. I got the cutest pair of Lane Brand Cowboy boots online a couple months ago.
Lane Cowboy Boots
I’ve also gotten Keen and Chaco brand shoes and have bought plenty of name brand clothing as well such as North Face, Columbia, Lucy and more. Our family is into indoor rock climbing so guess where I purchased our harnesses, shoes and gear needed for that!
My husband knows when he goes to Colorado for work, a visit to the Sierra Trading Post in Fort Collins store is a must! He has also come to the realization that I need the TJX reward credit card as I would be making money with the reward certificates you receive just for using it! Please note that if you are interested in the credit card only apply for it in one of their stores or through the official TJX website as other links to apply are scams!
Most of my home decor is from HomeGoods, Marshalls and TJ Maxx. Between the three of them it is easy to outfit your entire home. They have a great selection of lamps, pillows, bedding, curtains, towels, rugs, furniture, decorating accessories and more!
I am currently looking for a small love seat or chaise lounge to fill this big empty space in our bedroom.
Considering all of the recipes on this blog, it is safe to say I am an avid cook and get plenty of my kitchen gadgets there too!
If you have not shopped at any TJX stores, I encourage you to start. I promise you will not be disappointed. If you do shop at the TJX stores, you know where I am coming from! I would for you to leave a comment below on your favorite find, or maybe I should say #fabfound!
Well, I am off to HomeGoods to look for a love seat and apply for my TJX rewards credit card!
Also to be clear I am not paid or endorsed by the TJX Companies to write this either, although I would like to be! I just enjoy using this blog to share the things that I have done a found that make living finer!
This protein packed smoothie is delicious and will give you energy all day. I drink this one a lot after a workout and it is my daughters favorite.
Videos seem to be the way of the future but I do not have time to make those fancy ones with all of the editing! What you see is what you get! There will be no double takes and this is the real me. My goal is to keep them under 2 minutes so you can get the jest of the recipe without a lot of rambling.
You could certainly use any nut butter and milk you prefer. If you like cashews try this Cashew and Banana Smoothie or swap out the almond butter here for cashew butter.
I use Orgain brand protein powder. It is taste great and is about the purest I have found. I love Costco and get everything from there. If you don’t have one near by you can still order online. The almond milk, almond butter and Orgain protein powder can be ordered from costco.com or you can get them in the warehouse along with the greens and bananas. I don’t have any affiliation any of the highlighted links, it is just my way of getting you the info on what I like.
Ingredients:
1 cup almond milk or milk of choice
2 tablespoons almond butter or nut butter of choice
2 handful mixed greens
1 banana
1 serving protein powder of choice
1/2 cup ice cubes
Place milk in blender first, then add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
Makes 1 serving
This Peanut Butter and Strawberry Smoothie uses powdered peanut butter which cuts down on calories without sacrificing that yummy peanut butter taste.
Peanut butter powder can be found pretty regularly anymore. Some common brands are PB & Me, PB2, PB Fit and Honeyville.
Packed with protein this smoothie will jump start your day and make you feel like a kid again with it’s classic PB&J taste! I like making it after I work out. It is so yummy and makes me feel like I am eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
I use almond milk but you can use any kind of milk you like. Fresh strawberries can be used as well, just throw in a few ice cubes.
Peanut Butter and Strawberry Smoothie
Peanut Butter and Strawberry Smoothie
Makes 16 ounces
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1 Cup Almond Milk or Milk of Choice
1/4 Cup Water
1 Cup Frozen Strawberries
1 Serving Protein Powder of Choice
2 Tablespoons Powdered Peanut Butter
Pour liquids into blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
Enjoy!
This Green Kiwi Smoothie will get your St. Patricks Day or any other day for that matter off to a protein packed start. Enjoy this for breakfast or snack or any time of day when you need a boost of energy.
I promise you will want to ditch that infamous shamrock shake as this smoothie is as sweet and creamy and way healthier!
Green Kiwi Smoothie
Kiwi Green Smoothie
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Yield 2 – 16 oz Servings
Ingredients
1 Green Apple, sliced
1 Kiwi, sliced
2 Cups Mixed Greens
1/2 Avocado
2 Servings Protein Powder of choice
1 1/2 cups Almond Milk
1 Cup Ice Cubes
Method
Pour almond milk in blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
This Gorgeous Green Smoothie recipe is courtesy of Tosca Reno. She is the author of the Eat Clean Diet® series of books. I have been a fan of this lady for quite some time and just had the chance to meet her on a wellness retreat, which you can read about here.
The Clean Living® Experience with Tosca Reno could just change your life. It did mine, so that is why I am writing this today.
I first encountered Tosca Reno in 2007, when a magazine I subscribed to had her graced on the cover at age 40 in tip top shape. Once tipping the scale at 204 pounds she decided enough was enough and dropped the weight by using her eat clean® diet plan and eventually even competed in a figure competition.
The fact that she was older and had been overweight and now looked amazing, peaked my interest, so off to the store I went to get her Eat Clean® Diet book. It was easy to follow and it worked! I lost the weight I wanted to lose and I have been a fan ever since! I have most of her books, follow her on social media and subscribe to her newsletter, which is how I found out about this retreat.
A few weeks ago I got an email from her newsletter that she was hosting a wellness retreat at the beautiful Villa Estrella in Costa Rica through a company called Retreats Unlimited. Enough said for me as I know she knows her stuff and booked the retreat. I could not wait to meet her.
This retreat came at the perfect timing in my life as I have put back on a few of those extra pounds I lost so many years ago. In addition to the weight, my personal life was on the rocks as a move away from family and friends as well as becoming an empty nester all at the same time has thrown me into a tizzy. I know her plan works and thought this is just the ticket I needed to get recharged and back on track.
Once at the resort and meeting Tosca, it was clear I needed this even more than I thought. Not only did she address health and wellness issues, she gets to the core of the emotion. By sharing her own struggles, she became one of the group and made a safe zone where if desired, others could share their struggles. I’m pretty sure I was a blubbering idiot but it felt good to release the emotion.
Come to find out, we all have struggles and hurt, even Tosca. Your hurt looks different from my hurt, but it is still pain. It was comforting to see I am not the only one out there that feels like they are drowning in this thing called life.
Tosca worked ahead of time with the chef and every meal was clean eating® approved and delicious. Just after a couple of days of eating like this, the body starts detoxing as there has been no sugar intake, just clean healthy delicious foods. Some detoxing symptoms the group experienced were headaches and acne which is the bodies way of expelling the toxins we carry around.
With all of the amazing food, I really did not feel like I was losing any weight but decided to go ahead and weigh when I got home. I was down 3 pounds! Not bad for a four day retreat, I’ll take it!
Along with informational sessions on healthy eating, supplements, metabolism, and even a little sex, you will spend time with Tosca in the kitchen.
She will teach you her secret recipe for wetter water, plus easy tips and tricks to clean eating® so you will be able to cook and eat like this at home!
I am now back home and am back on track. My kitchen is stocked and I am not missing the sugar or anything else I have taken out.
Eating six meals a day, I had forgotten how much food you can really eat on this diet. Honestly, it is not a diet but more of a lifestyle way of eating as it is easy to follow and you get to eat real food.
For those interested in the fitness side you will not be left out. Tosca personally leads workouts in the pool, on the beach and fitness facility throughout the day. Nothing is mandatory at the retreat and at any time you may opt out of a session or workout with no judgement.
If all of the above is not enough, you also get a personal coaching session with Tosca if you wish.
There are a limited number of guests allowed on this retreat so the setting is intimate, personalized and Tosca is literally walking beside you!
Our group was very flexible and bonded well. I have made new friends that I will treasure for a lifetime. As a super fan of Tosca I thought it might be intimidating to meet her. It turned out to be the exact opposite. Tosca is humble, gracious, knowledgable, inspirational, strong and truly beautiful inside and out.
She was a blast and joined the group in all areas even accompaning us into the town to do some souvenir shopping and got a fish pedicure at the fish spa. So fun!
She took the time to bond with each one of us and embraced our individual needs.
She was gracious enough to sign all of the books that I brought and laughed when I was labeled the stalker of the group. I am honored to be called her friend now and not just a fan.
If you are in need of getting recharged physically, emotionally, mentally nutritionally or just looking for a fun getaway, I encourage you to seek out this retreat, it is truly a life changer.
The Retreats Unlimited staff go above and beyond to make sure you have the most amazing experience. They have more wellness events scheduled through out the year with various health and wellness ambassadors. Tosca’s are in March, April, May and October. Get more information at the Retreats Unlimited website. For more information on Tosca Reno or to order her books visit toscareno.com.
