With what little time The Captain has at home we try to spend it wisely. Half of it is devoted to getting him ready for the upcoming week of work, but the other half is split between adventures, relaxation, and wedding planning. Just a day after he got home from work, M and I forced him out into an adventure to Sacramento—to the Arden Fair Mall. I had my reasons, which involved my remembrance that he wanted to buy a straight razor from a store there, but also because M had never been to Lush and I had some cash to burn.

We got up reasonably early on Thursday and put on my wedding playlist for some tunes. Then I drove all the way to Sacramento in The Captain’s truck without having a panic attack or freaking out in any major way. It’s amazing what two weeks in New Zealand will do for some trauma. We made it to the mall by eleven and walked into the air conditioned paradise with empty hands and full pockets.

Of course, Sephora was the first store we went into because I was interested in getting a rollerball of Ralph Lauren Romance. I found it within two minutes, but The Captain was diverted into an exploration of men’s cologne and we ended up leaving with two different samples for him. He kept asking me which I preferred, but honestly they both smelled great.

We went from one sweet smelling paradise to another as M and I dragged The Captain into Lush. I watched as M’s eyes widened in excitement and wonder at the variety of bath bombs, melts, powders, and everything in between. I’ll be honest and say I didn’t buy anything, because I’ve realized that as much as I love the aesthetic and the luxury of bath bombs I never really use them. I’ve used maybe one in my entire time buying them, because I end up giving the rest away as gifts. I’m just not much of a bath person at this time. Maybe eventually…

The surprise of the day was finding a new candy store called Lolli + Pops. What grabbed our attention was the Harry Potter candy display toward the front, and M and I freaked out over Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans, and Butterbeer. Then we discovered there were tons of chocolates, gummies, sweets, and everything we could imagine. The Captain had a heart attack when he saw the German chocolates and bought a giant bar. M and I got some Chocolate Frogs—mine had a Voldemort card inside.

We wandered through Arden’s Hot Topic, Spencer’s, and Lunch Box and found lots of geeky delights. I was tempted by some chemical jewelry, but didn’t buy anything. The Captain got a Sum 41 shirt and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shirt, and he’s pretty pleased about that.

Thirsty, we found ourselves in Teavana (the best place on Earth) and I finally gave in and bought the beginner tea maker set complete with machine, spoon, and tea leaves. I also got their summer package and we each got our own teas. They’re so delicious I know I’ll be stocking up on more every time I go. I haven’t tried it out yet, but it’s so damn hot today I might try. The Captain and M talked me into the purchase with a simple, “Treat Yo Self!”

We reminisced in the Disney Store, gawked at the Lego Store, and wandered around other stores before meeting M’s mom for lunch. It was the first time I’d ever met her mother, and I found that many of my favorite qualities of my best friend were genetic. It was great to see them together after such a long time apart and we had lunch at BJ’s to talk, eat, and relax.

I was pulled into Orogold Cosmetics and had another unusual purchase. Normally I just walk by and grab the free sample, but this time I had wedding on the brain and pretty skin is a must for pictures. I got some swag with my purchase, simply because I mentioned my upcoming wedding, and I will be posting a review of the product in the near future. I feel luxurious and pampered just looking at the packaging.

After Arden Fair, we made our way to Ikea for a mini-adventure. M had never been to the oasis of home décor and furniture before so it was fun to walk through the showroom with someone who had never witnessed the wonder. We were immediately taken in with a comfortable and beautiful reading chair, but decided to wait on a decision since I’d already spent a pretty penny that day.  M got a duvet and cover, and somehow we all walked out having spent less than ever before.

The drive home was spent singing at the top of our lungs, lamenting over a lack of tacos, and feeling extremely tired. It was hard enough to just drag our purchases into the Haus and collapse on the couch. It was an adventure, a day well spent with friends, and hopefully there will be more on the way.