Preppy Mommy

It's the Simple Things

2007-11-13T08:31:00.000-05:00

Oh, I was all that and a bag of chips. 21, just out of college and the first car that I bought with my own cold, hard cash. Look at that automotive perfection (gag). Yes friends, that's the 1990 Geo Storm, or as I like to call it, the "Stylin' Storm." (or on my even dorkier days, "The Jammin' Geo")

So in this season of thankfulness, I'd like to take a moment to remember the good old days and be thankful for the little things in life that I now normally take for granted.

1. I am thankful for intermittent wipers. While driving the sexy storm in a light mist, I would have to manually turn the wipers on....off....on....off....you get the drift. There were only 2 modes of wipers on this beauty - on and off - there was nothing in between.

2. I am thankful for cup holders. Apparently the manufacturers of the Geo assumed that the drivers of this particular model were either a)camels or b)people who want to sue McDonalds for the hotness of their coffee because they are forced to hold said coffee in their lap.

3. Finally, I am thankful for back seats that actually seat real people over 2 feet tall (without a booster) without hitting their heads on the decorative and streamlined sloped back window.

The scariest part? I had that little car for 10 years! It was pretty zippy!!

So what are some simple things that you're grateful for?

Out of the Mouths...

2007-11-10T15:29:00.000-05:00

"Mommy?"

"Yes?"

"What's Noah's last name? "

"Jones"

"What's Caleb's last name?"

"Costi"

"What's Bobby's last name?"

"Cox"

"Cox? Cox? I don't like Cox!"

"Your daddy will be glad to hear it." (not that there's anything wrong with that)

Jonesin' for Josie

2007-11-05T01:36:00.000-05:00

It's official. I'm reliving my childhood. This weekend Boomerang was having a Josie and the Pussycats marathon. I recorded all of the episodes "for the kids," but guess who was sitting on the couch with them, completely enthralled. Yup, you guessed it. We got to see Josie, Melody and Valerie rock out while the nasty Alexandra and Sebastian tried to lure Alan away from Josie time and time again. Of course Alan, who looks surprisingly like Barbie's man Ken, never falls for it. (Ok, I promise I did get the kids outside to play at some point during the day - only after the Josie hangover started to kick in).

The thing I didn't remember though, was the name calling. In every episode Alexandra calls somebody a ding-a-ling or a dumb dumb. My 3 year old has picked this up quite nicely and now thinks it's really funny to call people "dumb dumb." Fabulous. I'm already hearing the teacher reports from preschool in my head. Thanks Alexandra...first you break the number one girl rule and go after Alan and then you taint the mind of a three year old. UGH. (but I still have 5 more episodes recorded that I'll have to watch after the kids go to bed - it's like Desperate Housewives for the immature set!)

New Name - Same Great Ingredients!

2007-11-03T18:30:00.001-05:00

Yes, my blog has a new name. Since I'm not really working with Thirty One anymore, I thought the name didn't really make sense. Besides, considering the fact that if it moves I want to monogram it, I thought this new title was more fitting. It also fit more in line with the great new line I'm representing that I just absolutely love...Initials, inc.

End of The Season

2007-11-03T00:49:00.000-05:00

Well, my little guy is ending his first season of playing soccer. He's 3 (turning 4 in December) and it was the cutest thing to see these kids out chasing the ball. Tomorrow he's getting a trophy - he doesn't know it yet. I'm sooo excited to see his reaction. It'll be funny to see if he thinks he's super cool like his big brother since he gets to have a trophy in his room too.

Last week was a BIG week - he scored a goal! I don't think he quite got what the excitement was all about, but we were pretty impressed. Watch out David Beckham, there's a new kid in town!

Big, Bad Blogger

2007-09-21T22:07:00.000-05:00

I have been so bad at blogging lately. I have just been really focusing on building my business this month so I haven't spent much time in the blogosphere. Thanks to all of you who have still visited me even thought I've been pretty remiss in posting and in leaving comments on your sites. I'm catching up on all of them now.

As I was reading every one's blogs, I realized how long it's been since I've caught up and knew what was going on with everybody out there.

Anyway, I've been tagged by Belle-ah over at http://southerness.blogspot.com/. I'm so excited! I've never been tagged before. I have to give some info about me by using my middle name as a starting point. Here goes:

I changed my middle name to my maiden name when I got married so my middle name is now France.

F. Flag day - the day I was born

R. Raucous - I tend to be very loud. When I whisper, it's like a regular person's normal voice. I just get really excited about things and when I do, I'm just boisterous and dare I say...a little bit jolly.

A. Addicted - I cannot go more than 3 hours without a diet coke. It's very ugly - I shudder at the very thought.

N. Neurotic - Ya down with OCD? Yeah you know me! I'm completely obsessive compulsive. Hand washing, hair tweezing (there may be a stray witch hair on my chin or a pesky eyebrow hair that's getting out of line), fingernail picking,and the list goes on...

C. Christian - Every day I am thankful that Jesus is my Savior

E. Engaged - My husband proposed by having my dog wear a bow tie with a little jewelry bag around his neck. My other dog was also dressed in her finest, wearing a tiara and a garter with a helium balloon tied around her waist. This is why he and I get along so well. We have the same sense of humor.

Now it's my turn to tag - Nap Warden, Blonde Mom and Mother May I. Have fun!

My New Mantra......

2007-09-20T22:13:00.001-05:00

Why? Because I do it so well.

Cancel the Babysitter

2007-09-16T19:34:00.000-05:00

You will not believe this - or maybe you've already seen it. The manufacturer of Hello Kitty is coming out with a robot that's $6,299.00 (I'm not kidding!) that has face and voice recognition. There aren't a lot of specifics yet, but it has little motion sensors so it can move it's robotic arms, head and legs and can chat with a child in three different personality modes: as a close friend, with the family and as a guessing game.

But, the creme de la creme....the maker of the robot has described it as, "This is a perfect robot for whoever does not have a lot time to stay with their child. Hello Kitty Robot can stay with your child to keep them from being lonely."

Ummm....instead of hello kitty it should be hello creepy.

I Have a Secret

2007-09-10T13:32:00.000-05:00

What is it? Is it some deep, dark tale from a wretched past filled with gut-wrenching mistakes and disastrous decisions? Uh, not so much. But it's something that up until now, my friends, no one has known about except for hubby, J and C. I'm not proud...it's not glamorous, but I secretly love to burp. There, I said it. Big, loud, fraternity boy burps. I think it's hysterical to swig my diet coke as fast as I can and then either burp as loud as I can or do something ridiculous like burp the ABC's or the 123's. My kids think it's a riot, hubby - well, let's just say he's not quite as amused. But, I am also the one who taught them to toot (pass gas, cut the cheese, whatever you want to call it) while sitting on their Daddy's lap. Something I also think is just beyond funny. Juvenile, yes...gross, maybe a little....downright silly, you betcha!

Brand New Products

2007-09-05T13:47:00.000-05:00

I'm soooo excited to announce that I'll be representing a new product line called Initials. The products are just fabulous. Among other things, you can design your own purse. You choose the style, fabric, trim, monogram style and thread color. When you see the bags in person, they have true "squeal appeal!" Click this link to view the catalog:

http://www.initials-inc.com/preppypurses

I'm really excited to get your feedback.

The Good Time Girls

2007-09-04T11:48:00.000-05:00

I've talked so many times about my close girlfriends on this blog I thought you might like to see those crazy kids. As you can see, we can't even keep it together to take one picture...it took 3 tries before we could stop laughing.

Oh What a Relief It Is

2007-09-02T16:24:00.000-05:00

For the past 6 months I've been planning a surprise 40th birthday party for one of my closest friends. Her husband asked me to plan it and I was really excited to do this for her. This was a big affair and it has been sooooo hard not to talk about it!!! I got so much help from some other good friends - couldn't have done it without them (Peggy, Julie and Misty - I love you girls!). Well, it went off without a hitch. My friend, Karen, was flabbergasted. She had tons of friends and relatives fly and drive in from other states just for her which is very telling of her warm and wonderful nature. Anyway, I wanted to share with you the details of the party. It was so much fun!

Her favorite colors are blue, green and brown and she loves stripes and polka dots. Here is the style of the invitations that we got from http://www.partycat.com/:

My friend Misty made tablecloths out of this fabric:

and made a swag for the entryway out of this fabric:

We hung paper lanterns throughout the party:

We made centerpieces out of something called blumeboxes (you can find them at http://blumebox.com/ ): We used Martha Stewart ribbon around lime green candles and around the blumeboxes:

There was a custom made banner and crown from a fabulous artist over at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5031136 :

And for any of you in or around the Charlotte, NC area, we used the most fabulous caterer called Triple Crown. The food was unbelievable. Everyone was commenting on how fantastic the food was. Their website: http://www.triplecrowncaterers.com/about_us.htm We had filet mignon and roast turkey. Mashed potatoes with chipotle and montchego cheese. Roasted asparagus, penne pasta with a gorgonzola cream and walnut sauce, crabcakes, shrimp cocktail, baked brie and fresh fruit. And just too much more to list. But the best part...our birthday girl is a small town girl at heart. She loves comfort food and adores cream pies so rather than a birthday cake or traditional desserts, the caterer made banana cream, coconut cream, chocolate cream and boston cream pies for dessert. Yum!!!

We also used the greatest party service for the kids who attended. We had them separated from the adults. They had their own dinosaur hunt party that was provided by a company called Oogles and Googles (http://www.ooglesngoogles.com/birthday-parties.aspx) and they did such a fantastic job. If there's one in your area, I would highly recommend using them for your kids birthday parties.

Superbowl, Here We Come!

2007-08-30T22:38:00.000-05:00

Sorry about being so bad about posting this week. We've been sooo busy! But guess what? J started flag football this week. Ya know how sometimes you think your kids are getting so big? Well, put them on a football field with a ball in hand and they look tiny. It was adorable.

Speaking of which I have to stop using that word...or as happy hubby would say "that word." What word? Adorable. I now have both of my sons saying it with great frequency. Yes, I have an almost 6 year old boy who will see something like a miniature version of a batman action figure and he'll say, "Oh Daddy it's just so adorable!" I don't even have to look. I think I can now hear the sound of hubby's face cringing. So at least now that he's playing football, he can tackle anyone who tries to beat him up for his lunch money when he does something like comment on a bully's "adorable outfit" (something that he's subjected to hearing his mother say with great regularity when I see other moms wearing really cute outfits).

Fantasy Friday

2007-08-24T22:35:00.000-05:00

Let's just focus on the dreamy kitchens. I never realized how much I love creamy white kitchens until I started looking through pictures and magazines. Almost all of my kitchen files have white or ivory cabinetry. I guess there's something just classic about it. I have a white itchen with nickel pulls and white appliances. We've got a really nice 12" creamy tile backsplash that was installed on an angle so it's in a diamond shape. Rather than a traditional kitchen light fixture, I found an old brass and crystal chandelier which I spray painted cream and hung over the kitchen table. At some point I'd love to add either soapstone or granite countertops. I just added red toile valances to the windows which I'm loving! Again, as soon as the digital camera is up an running, I'll post some pictures. Until then, here are some kitchens that inspire me:

This one is blurry, but I love it:

New Eye Candy

2007-08-24T15:37:00.001-05:00

Check out my slideshow above. I've added new pictures from the fall catalog. We've got some great stuff!

An Apple for Teacher

2007-08-24T07:10:00.000-05:00

Today I gained a different perspective. All this month I've been dreading the day that the kids go to school. J started kindergarten and C starts preschool in about a week. There is that little part of me, however, that has been craving some "me" time again. It's been 6 years since I've had consistent quiet time or days to run errands without car seats and snacks involved.

Today we had preschool orientation. The preschool director spoke to the parents about the school, the program, dropoff and pickup, etc but then she really caught my attention. She started talking about thinking about your "free time" in a different way. Think about the teachers while you're away from your kids. While you're running errands or typing at your computer or working, there's someone loving your child. Someone who is reading to them and teaching them how to paint with a sponge. There's a teacher who is giving them a hug when they're crying and someone engaging them in play.

I'm ashamed to say that I've never really stopped to think of it that way. I've always appreciated our teachers as J was going through preschool, but never really thought about the day to day engagement, love, patience and care they take to teach our children.

So as we start our school year, thank you teachers for all that you do and all you accomplish with our children. You are truly appreciated.

Pimpin' the Blog, Yo

2007-08-22T21:30:00.000-05:00

Anybody familiar Salt n' Pepa's song "Whatta Man?" LOVE that song! Well, to quote Salt (with just a minor change from me, "I give props to those who deserve it and believe me y'all she's worth it." Who should get all the glory and accolades? drumroll please.....

It's Nap Warden!!!

Why? Have you seen my new pimped out blog???!!! Nap Warden created the new header for me. Isn't it fantastic! When I showed my husband, he even said, "Hey, that looks like your new haircut!" (I just had 8 inches cut off - and had mega highlights put in - oh, but I digress!) I just think it's the cutest thing!!

So, Keeper of Naps and Sanity.....thank you sooooooo very much for creating this fabulous, kitschy, trendy and cute header for me. I absolutely LOVE it!!!!

McDonalds Meltdown

2007-08-22T19:41:00.001-05:00

Ya know I was not so "lovin' it" at McDonalds last night. Yesterday we had kindergarten orientation and J and I were so excited. He got to dress up in his uniform for the first time, see his new classroom, meet his new class mates and see his teachers again. He did great. He was a little anxious, but for the most part he was truly over the moon.

To celebrate his new kindergarten status, we told him to pick any restaurant and we would take him and his little bro C there for dinner to celebrate. He chose McDonalds. Go figure. They do, however, have a fabulous indoor playland and a stacked stone fireplace. You kinda feel like you're in a ski lodge. But then you remember you're in the south, it's 105 flippin degrees and just the thought of a fire almost makes you spontaneously combust.

So we've finished our food, the boys are playing and hubby is at the register ordering apple pies. As I'm watching the boys play and I see J in his school uniform and the gaps in his teeth, I just started thinking about how he's not a baby anymore...not even a preschooler anymore. And then it got me thinking about how much I love the toddler and preschool stage and that it's whizzing by and I got really, really depressed. My husband walked back from the register and all he had to do was look at me and the waterworks started. At this point, hubby knew that something had seriously gone wrong in the 3 minute span of finishing his quarter pounder and then reappearing with pies in hand.

Of all places to have the kindergarten meltdown - the playland at the McDonalds ski lodge.

I do have to report, however that J officially started today. He (and I) did great at drop off. And when I picked him up, in his little lispy voice he said, "Mommy, I had sooo much fun today!!! Kindergarten rocks!"

2007-08-20T11:22:00.000-05:00

I remember when I was 23 and living with 3 other girls in an apartment we all had very distinct personalities. Three of us were very close friends from college and the other was the older sister of one of the girls. One day out of boredom we created Indian names for each other (I have no idea why). My best friend was dubbed, "Me Drinkum Slimfast." She lived on the stuff and was about as big as your pinky finger. My other friend had the good fortune to be called, "Man Makeum Bitter."

And then there was me, "Lays on Couch." Was I lazy or what?! I would have to say that not much has changed. I think napping and sleeping-in is completely underrated. I think cleaning ladies' feet should be kissed at least once a day and I truly believe that the personal chef is an absolute necessity in any household. The only problem is that pesky issue of income. I would like to live the lifestyle in which I'd like to become accustomed. Imagine the day when dinner consisted of a well balanced, gourmet meal rather than spaghetti noodles and Ragu (and when I'm feeling crazy...frozen meatballs!)

So if you had an Indian name, what would it be?

2007-08-19T10:17:00.000-05:00

Muwahahaha!!!! Can you tell I'm off my exercise routine and feeling um, a little bit bitter?

2007-08-16T15:18:00.000-05:00

So who decided that a SAHM also has to be the maid? Now I know there are those of you out there who are neat freaks, and I truly, from the bottom of my heart, wish I was one of you. But somehow the clean gene has missed my DNA altogether. Now let's get this straight: there's nothing I like better than a clean house...I just don't want to be the one who does it.

I think it comes down to my "doer" nature. I want to do something, get it done, and move on. I've found that when it comes to cleaning, especially with kids, when you clean something within milliseconds (and I'm being generous) it's completely undone. This drives me nuts. So nuts that I've now gotten to the point that I don't even want to bother cleaning in the first place. So as I sit here, looking at my house which literally looks like a tornado not only swept through, but decided to hang around for awhile, I feel overwhelmed and a little defeated.

What? What's that you say? School starts in a week? Preschool starts in 2 weeks? I'll have 3 mornings to myself?! First time in 6 years! I think I might be starting to feel better. There's light at the end of the tunnel after all. Wow - imagine being able to mop the floor and being able to walk on it for at least a solid hour without feeling grit, slime or stick. Sheer bliss.

Eeek! I'm reading my own writing and I've decided I must have some kind of illness. When did the highlight of my day become the thrill of cleaning without my kids in the house. Wow, next I'll be scheduling minivan drag races in the Piggly Wiggly parking lot at midnight.

Why Are 5 Year Olds So Smart?

2007-08-14T22:43:00.000-05:00

We were eating breakfast this morning when a funny thing happened. My 3 year old, C, was eating a waffle when all of a sudden, in a surprised voice he said "Mama, there's a wadybug (that's ladybug to you and me) on my waffle!" I looked and sure enough there was a wady, er, ladybug crawling along the side of his waffle. I picked it up and held it in my hand for the boys to see. My 5 year old, J, wanted to keep it in a jar. I told him we should put the ladybug outside.

"Why Mommy? I want to keep her. "

"Well, I think we should put her where God intended her to be. She's supposed to be outside in nature."

"Mommy?"

"Yes?"

"Then why do we have a dog and he lives in the house?"

UGH. 5 year old - one , Mommy - zero

(By the way, as this conversation was happening, C went ahead and ate the wadybug waffle. I'm sure this is akin to the 5 second rule when you drop food on the floor. This just had a ladybug for 5 seconds - or thereabout.....)

And just as a side note, J lost another tooth on Sunday and he looks adorable! Now he's got one missing on the top and the bottom. He's got the little toothless lisp going. I love it! So he got $2 for this tooth. Is this in line with average tooth fairy earnings, or is she being overly generous with our child (or miserly for that matter)? What do y'all give your kids?

Big Summer Sale

2007-08-14T09:17:00.000-05:00

We're retiring many of the products in our 2007 catalog (including the hamper above) to make room for our all new products in the fall/winter 2008 catalog. I wanted to share the sale flier with you in case you're interested.

http://www.thirtyonegifts.com/images/15for15.pdf

Also, here's a link to our new 2008 catalog:

http://thirtyonegifts.com/images/catalog08.pdf

Break Out the Argyle

2007-08-12T21:27:00.000-05:00

I went to the website below and found out that from now on I'll only answer to Kiki.

Your Preppy Name Is...

Barclay Heatherly Eckley the Third
But most people know you as Kiki
What's Your Preppy Name?

The funny thing is, when I entered my husband's name, he came out with a different last name and a nickname that's actually the name of a friend of ours. I can't wait to tell my friend Peggy that her husband is officially a prepster. She and I now have permission to buy the hubbies clothes exclusively from LaCoste or http://www.bermudastyles.com/

Your Preppy Name Is...

Pym Godfrey Osborne the Fifth
But most people know you as Tad

What's Your Preppy Name?

Here is a sampling of the 2 Tad's (my husband and Peggy's) new fashion look. I'm sure they'll be thrilled.

Wow...is it me or is one of those lobsters a little too close for comfort?! OUCH!

Soooo Tired

2007-08-12T09:27:00.000-05:00

This has been a hard week. My little one has been fighting some super virus that has kicked his bum and mine. Fevers, throwing up, tummy aches - and most of it in the middle of the night. UGH! After projectile vomit yesterday, I thought we had finally reached the culmination and were hopefully seeing light at the end of the tunnel. He seemed so much better by bedtime. Yeah! Fast forward - 2AM - my five year old comes in with a raging fever. Here we go again.

Fantasy Friday

2007-08-09T22:31:00.000-05:00

In this edition we're focusing on living rooms. I love cream/white furniture. That's what I have in my house. It goes with everything. You can change the accessories anytime, and it just looks fresh (until of course a sippy cup leaks - hate when that happens!)

I love the country, fresh feeling of this room. And check out the harlequin floors. At some point I would love to attempt this in my house. I'm a chicken though. If anyone would like to help me and is handy with a straight edge, give me a ring!

I've died and gone to shabby heaven:

I love the sconces above the mantle on the picture below. I have similar ones above our mantle, although they hold candles rather than bulbs.

I Need Some Volunteers

2007-08-07T16:04:00.000-05:00

I need some volunteers to look at some products for me and give some honest opinions. If you're willing to be a trendy guinea pig, let me know. I'll send you an email with some product pictures and an explanation. Thanks in advance!!

Another Picture of the Clan

2007-08-07T12:15:00.000-05:00

This one includes Grandmas, Grandpas, Aunts, Uncles and Sisters (and one four legged friend). That's me in the back wearing the white sweater. My husband's aunt and uncle from New Zealand had a wonderful vacation where they were able to travel to Scotland, England, the US and Canada to visit with different family members and to see the sights. One of thehighlights of the trip was when Uncle John was able to suit up and head to Charlotte Motor Speedway and drive in a Nascar at 150 mph.

Kindergarten Chaos

2007-08-07T07:59:00.000-05:00

I'm back from the mountains! What a fabulous time we had!! It was great going with another family who has kids the same age. The boys played the entire weekend and just had such fun together. They were messy and dirty and muddy and loud...they were boys! My friend's son even caught a crayfish in the creek. He was so excited!

Well, now we're back and I'm facing the chaos that is......Kindergarten. I can't believe my son is starting in just 2 weeks (boo hoo). Things started gearing up yesterday. We had our first get together with 3 other families from our school to get to know some other new kindergartners. Now at times I may run a little, ahem, tardy but I guess I didn't realize that my kids noticed. So for this play date we met at a local park at 10:30. We actually arrived around 10:25. My son said, "Well, finally we're the first ones to get someplace. That NEVER happens!" Score one for the procrastination crowd!

In the next 2 weeks we have a hot dog blast, volunteer fair, orientation, convocation, etc.....I just got all of his uniform pieces, but I have no idea if I actually bought the right things or not. I think so, but it gets a little confusing. I'm overwhelmed. Can anyone relate???

Climb Every Mountain

2007-08-02T20:38:00.001-05:00

We're heading to the mountains this weekend. I'm so excited. While we're there we're going to a place called Tweetsie Railroad. Apparently it's an old fashioned western-themed amusement park. They have an old steam train that you can ride (and apparently get robbed by some bandits), they have cowboys, indians, an old fashioned jail, shooting gallery and country fair. They also have an area where a you can go gem mining or panning for gold. The kids are going to love it!

We're going with friends of ours who have kids the same age and I'm just so looking forward to the last getaway before school starts.

New Products

2007-08-01T12:40:00.001-05:00

Woo hoo! I'm excited. In just a few short days I'll get to see all of the new products we're launching over here at Thirty One. We've decided to go almost entirely with exclusive products so most of the items we have in our current catalog will be retired by the end of this month. We are going to launch over 150 brand new, exclusive products in our Fall 2008 catalog. I can't wait to see everything! Of course I'll give all of you a preview as soon as possible.

If you'd like me to put you on my monthly newsletter mailing list which shows all of our sales and monthly specials, let me know and I'll email it to you.

View our end of season sale products here: http://www.thirtyonegifts.com/images/SaleProducts07_2.pdf

And lastly, you can see one of the products we'll be launching in the new catalog. The "Polka Dot Sassy Sac" is our customer special during the month of August. The small bag is on sale for $21 (normally $26) and the medium bag is on sale for $31 (normally $36).

Have No Fear, Underdog is Here!

2007-07-30T22:25:00.000-05:00

We got a care package in the mail yesterday. My fabulous sister sent a box full of goodies. First and foremost she took care of her little sis by picking up sheer curtains at IKEA for $4.99 A PAIR! Can you believe it??!! We don't have an IKEA here, so she graciously offered to buy them in beautiful (but waaaay too cold for me) St. Paul and ship them to me. I'm going to hang them in our screened-in porch. Slowly my vision of an all white, shabby chic porch is becoming a reality.

Anyway, along with the curtains there was a DVD collection of the old Underdog cartoons. I don't think I've seen this cartoon since I was a kid. I know a movie version is coming out in August, which my 5 year old is dying to see. We'll have to wait to see the reviews because we usually only go to G movies.

We're going to the mountains this weekend and we're going to save the Underdog cartoons for the ride. I'm so excited to see the kids reactions! I know they're going to be thrilled.

Although, I liked Underdog, I think my favorite cartoon growing up was Josie and the Pussycats. I could, however, spend hours talking about my favorite Saturday morning shows from when I was a kid (I was a little bit addicted - it's ok, I've been through Schoolhouse Rock Rehab). I had soooo many favorites.

What cartoons/Saturday morning shows did you love to watch?

Some Family Photos

2007-07-29T12:06:00.000-05:00

I need a drumroll please.....

No I haven't mastered the digital camera yet but I did manage to find some pictures that my sister-in-law emailed to us from a dinner we had at her apartment, so here goes....

Mr. J:

Mr. C:

All 3 of my boys:

And finally, me and the little guy. By the way, I think this picture does not represent my true, um, fabulousness and model-like qualities (snort). Do you notice that the wine bottle is strategically placed in front of me? Hmmm....I wonder how that happened?! One thing all people in my family know - wine and chocolate always is presented in front of me.

Camera Shy

2007-07-27T11:17:00.001-05:00

I've been reading several blogs lately that talk about how much they prefer reading other blogs that include personal pictures. I also love to read blogs that show other bloggers kids, homes, hobbies, etc. Here is my dilemma. I am completely technologically illiterate. I can cook, I can throw a pretty fabulous party, I can decorate, and I can do a pretty fierce tango (well, not really), but I have no idea how to use a digital camera. It feels so good to confess! My in-laws got us a digital camera 3 years ago and it's still sitting in it's box. The hubby and I will look at it once in a while and say, "Yeah we should figure that thing out," but alas, we're still using an antiquated camera that probably could have been seen in "The Breakfast Club." The last time I bought film for this thing (and I'm not kidding), all of the film cartridges in the store were covered with dust. Clearly no one buys this kind of film anymore except those of us who still live in the dark ages.

So, that being said I'm going to make a very late new years resolution and try to figure this thing out, as long as we still have all the parts. If successful, I want accolades and a lot of fanfare (just being my humble self). But I'll be excited to start posting some "real" things!

To Toile or Not to Toile, That is the Question

2007-07-25T22:53:00.001-05:00

I love toile. I love french country design. Not the provencial kind that's yellow and blue but more the old world, old rustic pine farm table surrounded by mismatched chairs in shades of creams and greens. I love chandeliers, candlesticks, old pitchers, baskets...whoops, I'm digressing. Anyway, I really like my living room and dining room, but I'm still working on my kitchen and this multifunctional, all-purpose, we don't know what to call it, room.

Anyway. I found a great sale on these chair pads (pictured above), and the matching curtains and valances. I think I'm definitely going to get the chair pad for one chair that really is old but I'll distress it further and use it at my computer.

The office area, which is part of the multipurpose room, is right off of the kitchen. Here's my question - do you think it would be too much to also get the toile curtains for the multipurpose room and then a matching valance for the kitchen?

Prayers Needed

2007-07-23T15:27:00.000-05:00

I just learned of this by way of Slacker Mom's blog. This sweet little girl drowned on July 19th. Her Mom is so strong but she's just hurting so badly. If you pray, will you take a moment to pray for their family and possibly take a moment to leave a word of encouragement on her blog:

http://hannahandlily.blogspot.com/

Oh Yes It's Ladies Night

2007-07-23T14:10:00.000-05:00

I'm on a roll...two posts in one day! My hubbie has the day off and he took the kids out for a while. Yippee! Tonight I'm going out to dinner with some girlfriends. Now for those of you who read my blog frequently, you know I also went out last week. What I failed to mention was how I felt the next day. Thinking that I'm oh so hip and trendy and can keep up with the youngun's, I ordered myself a chocolate martini and then split a bottle of wine with 2 of the other girls at the table. I felt mildly "happy," but in complete control.

Well, let's just say the next morning this girlie was not feeling so good. Wooeeey. Talk about a headache and sour stomach. Thankfully, my wonderful, fabulous, kind-hearted friend took pity on me and took the boys for several hours so I could take a nap. How embarrassing! Clearly at twenty nineteen I can't hold my liquor anymore.

So let's hope this fun loving girl has enough sense not to get carried away tonight. If there's any dancing on tables or girls gone wild videos, I'll let you know (after I recover of course)!

Jumping for Joy

2007-07-21T11:55:00.000-05:00

We are now the er, proud, if not somewhat paranoid owners of what seems like a gi-normous trampoline. One of my best friends had the 14 foot trampoline in her backyard for her 4 (yes 4 - I would have ripped my hair out by now) kids. They got bored with it so she offered it to us. The kids have been soooooo excited waiting to get the trampoline. Unfortunately, the night before we got the trampoline I discovered some of the dangers. I thought the only danger was falling off and hey, Julie was giving us the netted sides to go with the trampoline so there's no danger of falling off.

When I told my Dad we were getting the trampoline, he made me aware of some of the other concerns. Well, yikes! Anyway, after much research and stringent rules in place, we decided to get it and the kids absolutely love it. But as my friend Jenny said when she saw me with the kids while they were jumping on it, "You're gonna bite your nails every time they go on there aren't you?!" Yeah, pretty much but you should see their joy filled little faces as Mommy quietly has panic attacks, white knuckles gripping the sides of the trampoline. (Yes, my husband thinks I'm crazy, by the way.)

*Addendum: With a lot of coercion, I actually tried the trampoline this afternoon. It actually is really fun and wow, it's a really good cardio workout!

Fantasy Friday

2007-07-20T12:46:00.000-05:00

Today is the first day I'm building my dream house. Not in reality, but in my head. I thought I'd share it with all of you. This is what the outside of the house would look like:

I would want an arch with flowers outside the front door. Yes it would attract bees, but it's soooo pretty!

Flower boxes are a must (as well as a gardener since I love looking at the flowers but hate caring for them)

Here's the story...

2007-07-18T19:56:00.001-05:00

Does anyone else LOVE The Brady Bunch? I have the fondest memories of it from childhood. My mom used to work part time when I was in school, so somedays I would go to my friend's house after kindergarten. I remember vividly that when we got to her house, her Mom would set out TV trays with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Campbell's vegetable beef soup. Then we got to watch an episode of The Brady Bunch. I remember the day when we had our trays all set up and we were ready to go. Her Mom turned on the TV and to our dismay and horror, our favorite show wasn't on. They must have moved the time slot or something but we cried and cried. It was sooooo traumatic (and dramatic)!

So fast forward 30 years and my sister bought me a 4 disc set of the original Brady Bunch series. How fabulous! My kids came across it yesterday and asked if they could watch. Of course! I put in the first disc...the very first episode shows how Mr. Brady and Mrs. Martin get married and form the Brady Bunch. As soon as I heard the song, all of my 5 year old memories came flooding back. I'm so excited that I can share this with my kids. My 5 year old loves the show. Even my 3 year old likes it! 30 years later, the Brady Bunch still rocks!

Blessed and Lucky

2007-07-17T21:40:00.000-05:00

I went out to dinner tonight with 5 friends who are just the most fabulous group of women in the world. Every time we get together we're either laughing or crying. Don't you just love your friends?! Take a minute today to call, send an email or jot down a note to someone who maybe you haven't touched base with lately. We all need support, love and encouragement from other women and I am so grateful and feel so privileged to have such wonderful and fun group of (and I use this term lightly) ladies. Happy Birthday Misty!!!!

You Dropped the Bomb on Me, Baby

2007-07-16T19:09:00.001-05:00

I have to admit, I've gotten a little nutty about what my kids eat. They of course get special treats if we go to other people's houses or out to a restaurant, but when I'm feeding them at home, it's primarily whole foods and organic when possible. Well today I was lazy so for breakfast they each had a cliff bar (http://www.clifbar.com/) and some blueberries. Later I made the kids roll-up sandwiches made out of "Flatout" bread (http://www.flatoutbread.com/movie.html), which is fabulous. They also had cheese and fruit. I also tried a new snack for them. They're kind of like chips or crackers and they're from a manufacturer called Flat Earth (http://www.flatearth.com/). The kids LOVED them.

I'm not exactly sure what happened, but the combination of all the foods together was toxic. About 4:00 the bombs started to drop. Toot! Toot toot! Toot! Their little intestines were protesting the tremendous amount of fiber these children consumed today. And then my 5 year old, who thinks he's just the funniest thing ever ran over to me to give me a big hug and sit on my lap. And then...he tooted on me on purpose. He burst out laughing and then ran away as fast as he could. Now that's what I call a stealth bomber.

Beach on the Brain

2007-07-15T09:45:00.001-05:00

Ahhhhhhh......

Pier 1 Kids - HUGE SALE

2007-07-14T12:21:00.000-05:00

For those of you who are lucky enough to have a Pier 1 Kids store (http://www.pier1.com/kidshome.aspx) in your area, they are going out of business so everything in their store is on super sale. All of their furniture, which seems really well made, is 40% off. We're going today to buy bunk beds, and maybe a desk, for our boys. Take a look at the bunk beds below. They're on sale for $359.41.

The Big Sleepover

2007-07-13T21:10:00.001-05:00

My 5 year old son (if he read this he would quickly correct me and say, "Mommy, I'm 5 and 1/2!") had his first big sleepover last night. We went to a friend's house for a play date and my girlfriend asked if he would like to sleepover. Thinking he would probably be scared and say no, I asked him if he would like to spend the night with his buddy. Before I could even finish the sentence he immediately started jumping up and down, with a HUGE smile on his face and said, "yes, yes, YES!" He then asked how long he would be staying. I said, "one night," to which he quickly replied, "Can I stay longer?!" I have to admit, my ego was a little bruised. Humph! First sleepover, not a bit scared, not going to miss Mommy, and already wanting to stay longer.

I got home and received a call from my girlfriend. She said as a special treat they ordered pizza and could my son have a soda...and by the way she was also making brownies for dessert to celebrate the first official sleepover. She is such a great friend and such a thoughtful mommy. Oh the horrors....pizza, soda AND brownies?!! This kid is NEVER going to want to come home. EVER! And then I was informed that after I left he asked if I was gone yet, to which Peggy responded, "Yes, honey your mommy left. Do you need something?" And he got a big smile on his face and said, "Nope. I was just wondering." Oh, the first taste of freedom.

And then it came. 9:45 pm...the first phone call. He's a little scared and wants to talk to mommy. Ok, we talk through why he's scared, decide he's going to stay, say our I Love You's and hang up. 10:14 pm...call number 2. He wants to come home. So my sweet husband went and picked him up.

Now, I wasn't happy that he was scared and I wasn't happy that he didn't make it through his first sleepover, but I do have to say, it is a wonderful feeling to know that at least for now, I'm still loved and needed. Of course I wish it lasts until the boys are 50 and I'm gumming my food, but I'll cherish it for now....for as long as it lasts.

Embarrassing Moment of the Week

2007-07-11T09:08:00.000-05:00

Frankly, I can't even believe I'm going to share this, but I've often been accused of giving TMI, so here goes...

My son and I were snuggling together. Ohhhh, what a sweet moment. His head was on my shoulder, he was looking up at me sweetly. I just love those moments don't you? And then he got a look on his face, quizzical at first and then a little disgusted. I kissed him lovingly on the head not knowing what was coming.

"Mommy?"

"Yes?"

"Your Nose!"

"What about it?"

"When you look up there it looks like a big bunch of black spiderwebs in there. Pretty gross!"

Hmmm, so much for my sweet moment and so much for my personal grooming habits. Clearly now we need aestheticians to wax the deep reaches of the interiors of our noses. What's next? Inner ear waxing (pun intended!)

Before and After

2007-07-09T14:58:00.000-05:00

Ok, so my husband and I have started a new exercise and eating plan today (Suburban Momma -I'm right there with ya!). I bought 2 books: 5-Factor Fitness (which hapens to be on clearance at Barnes and Noble for $4.98) and The 5-Factor Diet. Both books are by Harley Pasternak, who helped Jessica Simpson lose 20 pounds in 6 weeks. He also works with...Alicia Keys, Halle Berry, Eva Mendes, Kanye West, Orlando Bloom, Mandy Moore, Jane Fonda, John Mayer, Vanessa Williams, Eve, Michael Chiklis, Rachel Weisz, Sophia Bush, Zach Braff, Val Kilmer, Robert Downey Jr., Ben Foster, Jim Caviezel, Benjamin Bratt, Stephen Dorff, Common, Eliza Dushku, Rick Fox, Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long, Donald Faison, Tracee Ellis Ross, Minka Kelly, Jeff Goldblum, Enrique Murciano, Brendan Fraser, Claire Forlani, LL Cool J, Juliette Lewis, Milla Jovovich, Ray Liotta, and Kenna. Ok, pretty impressive.

After reading the Fitness book, both the hubby and I are totally bought in. Day 1 has gone well so far. The workout was great. I'll keep you updated as to our progress. If anyone else is doing this plan, let me now. I'm really interested to hear if it worked for you.

2007-07-08T11:47:00.000-05:00

I got this great email from a friend and thought I would share it with you.

This explains why we forward jokes:

A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them. After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight. When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side.
When he was close enough, he called out, “Excuse me, where are we?”
“This is Heaven, sir,” the man answered.” Wow! Would you happen to have some water?” the man asked.
“Of course, sir, Come right in, and I’ll have some ice water brought right up.”
The man gestured, and the gate began to open.
“Can my friend,” gesturing toward his dog, “come in, too?” the traveler asked.
“I’m sorry; sir, but we don’t accept pets.”
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.
After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.
“Excuse me?” he called to the man. “Do you have any water?”
“Yeah, sure, there’s a pump over there, come on in.”
“How about my friend here?” the traveler gestured to the dog.
“There should be a bowl by the pump.”
They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, and then he gave some to the dog. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.
“What do you call this place?” the traveler asked.
“This is Heaven,” he answered.
“Well, that’s confusing,” the traveler said. “The man down the road said that was Heaven too.”
“Oh, you mean the place with the Gold Street and pearly gates? Nope, that’s hell.”
“Doesn’t it make you mad for them to use your name like that?”
“No, we’re just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind.”
So….
Sometimes, we wonder why friends keep forwarding jokes to us without writing a word. Maybe this will explain. When you are very busy, but still want to keep in touch, guess what you do? You forward jokes. When you have nothing to say, but still want to keep contact, you forward jokes. When you have something to say, but don’t know what, and don’t know how, you forward jokes. Also to let you know that you are still remembered, you are still important, you are still loved, you are still cared for, guess what you get? A forwarded joke.
So, next time if you get a joke, don’t think that you’ve been sent just another forwarded joke, but that you’ve been thought of today and your friend on the other end of your computer wanted to send you a smile.

You are all welcome at my water bowl anytime.

Itchin' for a Kitchen

2007-07-06T22:10:00.000-05:00

My friend Julie just got the most amazing new kitchen. It's white, it's stainless steel, it's cottage-y and it's got this great vintage feel even though it was just completed this past week. She had her wood floors stained the most amazing ebony color. It's just beautiful. Isn't it amazing how a room can make you feel warm and fuzzy?!

She has floor to ceiling white cabinetry with black honed granite countertops, a six burner gas stove, a MEGA refrigerator (I think she's secretly stashing an army in her attic) and a dishwasher that doesn't make a sound when you turn it on. Isn't it fabulous when you can watch a friend get giddy with excitement over a wish coming true!

The Great Scooter Race

2007-07-06T00:18:00.000-05:00

What do you get when you take 10 kids, streamers, sparkly garland, red/white/blue tassels and a whole lot of sugar...madness, mayhem and a whole lotta fun! We had 3 other families come over for a 4th of July celebration and the highlight (besides the gynormous waterslide monstrosity that is called Bonzai Falls - see picture below) was the scooter/skateboard/bike decorating contest and parade. The kids had such a great time decorating their wheels - the grown ups were not allowed to peek as they toiled over their individual masterpeices.

After they played on the waterslide, (provided by my great friend Julie - this thing is a kid's dream!), loaded up on 4th of July cupcakes and cookies, they then proceeded to do a parade for all of the grown-ups. We were all waving sparklers at them, but since it is me planning this - all of their backs were turned and they were at the end of the street so the sparklers went out before any of them turned around. My friend was yelling down the street, "Hey guys...look we have sparklers!" but none of them heard...or cared, not sure which.

The parade then turned into a race. There were feet flying, wheels rolling and soon there was crying all the way around. The Norman Rockwell moment was, well, lost in a sea of scraped knees, battered elbows and frustration over who really won. Poor kids...the sugar high crashed all at once. Oh well...fun was had by all even the ones who were battered and bruised!

Have a Wonderful Holiday!

2007-07-03T22:23:00.000-05:00

A Little Preview

2007-07-03T18:29:00.001-05:00

Girls, we're getting a whole new catalog starting on Sept 1st which will include 150 new products. We just got a sneak preview of one of the products and I wanted to pass along to all of you. I think it's pretty cute! I'd love your feedback.

If the Shoe Fits...

2007-06-30T22:10:00.000-05:00

Here are some good choices for summer. The first pair is from http://www.zappos.com/welcome.zhtml

These shoes (on sale for $34) you can find at http://www1.talbots.com/talbotsonline/index.aspx

You'll find these cute slides on sale for $24 at http://newport-news.com/

The flip flops below are soooo cute and theycome in so many different patterns. You can check all of them out at http://www.toegoz.com/house.asp?type=black%20formal. They also have matching belts. I would live in these shoes if I had all the different styles:

And in today's "Cheap Chic," checkout these cute flats for only $14.80 at http://www.forever21.com/default.asp:

Hostess with the Mostest

2007-06-30T13:50:00.000-05:00

I normally don't post about hosting parties, but I just have to let y'all know about July's really awesome deal. If you host a party in July (it can be a catalog show for those of you who aren't in the Charlotte, NC area) and it reaches $500 (which is pretty typical), you'll earn a $50 gift certificate to use with the current catalog or with the new catalog that's coming out in Sept. That's in addition to getting $65 in free products, getting free shipping and getting 1/2 priced products. Plus...you get an extra $10 gift certificate just for hosting a party in the summer months whether your party reaches $500 or not.

I'm excited because I truly love getting you girls free stuff!

And the Winner is.......

2007-06-30T12:20:00.001-05:00

Drumroll please......................

Blondemom!!!!!

Congratulations Jamie and thank you to everyone for playing!! I'm going to do these little contests periodically so hopefully everyone will get a chance to win.

A Little Contest....

2007-06-27T22:37:00.000-05:00

We're almost there....

When I receive 10 comments on this posting, I'll have one of my 2 fabulous assistants draw a name out of a hat. The person selected will win a super cute (and functional) thermal tote in the color of his/her choice - blue, lime green, pink or olive.

Start tapping those fingers on the keyboards!

A Veggie Tale...

2007-06-25T12:27:00.000-05:00

In my quest for the dreaded ever-elusive skinnyness, I've been trying to work out several times a week. Usually I have my two workout partners with me, cheering me along. My 5 and 3 year old used to try to do the workout DVD's with me, but now they just sit on the bed, watch me exercise and occasionally give helpful hints about how I can improve my form. Today my 5 year old suggested that perhaps I should try working out twice a day so my tummy can get skinnier faster (he then proceeded to pull my shorts up over the exposed muffin top - I am in the privacy of my own home for goodness sake!)

So I decided which workout DVD I was going to do. My son asked the title of it and then looked at me in an odd way and asked why I would want to do a workout that would get me a zucchini body. HA! Little does he know I already have one of those - smaller on the top and wider on the bottom. That's why I need the DVD titled "Bikini Body Camp."

Ok, Love These...

2007-06-22T11:41:00.000-05:00

Check these out from Room Service Home. They're rubber gloves and they're soooo cute! http://www.roomservicehome.com/prodinfo.asp?number=GH143206

Just plain want these....

earrings to the left ponytail holder below. Why, oh why do I have to looooove monogramming soooo much?!

Blame it on God

2007-06-22T10:20:00.000-05:00

I took my boys out on a lunch date the other day. The first thing we did was stick our tootsies in a fountain at a local outdoor mall. Well, we didn't really just dip our toes...let's just say their shorts were pretty soaking wet by the time they were finished, um, wading. Yeah, yeah, I know they're technically not supposed to wade in a public fountain but in my defense it was a hot day and well, no one was looking (wink). I'm such a good mom, aren't I? That's right, lead by example. Follow the rules, unless no one is looking and then do as you d**n well please, that's my motto. I kept humming "Breakin the Law" by Judas Priest as they splashed. They had a ball!

Our next stop was a little bakery for lunch. After we sat down, my 3 year old kept being sooooooo loud. He was happy, but obnoxiously boisterous. I kept doing the mommy shush. Soon enough, even my 5 year old was doing the mommy shush. We tried the "use an indoor voice" route, use "a quiet voice" route, we even tried for a quiet contest. No luck. Finally I said, "Honey, we really need to be quieter so we don't disturb other people." He looked at me like I was an idiot and replied, (and if he knew the word "DUH," he would have said it), "Mama, God made me loud and dat's the way it is!"

How do you argue with that? I laughed so loud that everyone looked around to look at me. I guess it was really me who was the disturbance after all.

Trendy Tuesday

2007-06-19T20:55:00.000-05:00

What's hot, hip and shows your patriotism? Red, white and blue of course! Check out this month's issues of In Style and Elle magazine. Both magazines prominently feature one of the hottest trends of the summer - the colors of the flag.

Check out some of our fun products that will be sure to get you noticed this summer!

Going Through a Mid Life Crisis, Maybe?

2007-06-19T00:01:00.000-05:00

I've turned into my own brand of superhero lately. Look....driving too fast down the road, it's a Mom, it's a responsible adult.....No, it's Wannabe Party Girl! Just between you and me, on several occasions after I've dropped my kids off at either a play date or at my in-laws, I crank up the loudest, most obnoxious music I can find and I've had the BIGGEST craving for cigarettes and margaritas. Crazy, you say?! Absolutely! But I almost veered my car into the nearest gas station to buy a pack of cigarettes the other day.

So picture this. The other day, my friend volunteered to watch the kids so I could run to the grocery store quickly (you know, the quick in and out trip which is like paradise to those of us who are Moms. No one asked for doughnuts, juice boxes, sugar cereal, pop tarts....it was sheer heaven). So anyway, I was driving my preppy, skirt-wearing self (pearls, hair band and all, mind you!), in my oh so hip Volvo station wagon (the sexy beast - complete with empty car seats, sippy cups and gold fish crackers spilled throughout the backseat) and blasting Guns and Roses, of all things. Windows down. Singing loudly along to the music. There was dancing. And clapping. Ummmm, and hair swinging. And maybe even some overbiting. I know all the 21 year olds are standing in line to be my friend. I'm humbly waiting for my cease and desist letter from Guns and Roses.

Happy Father's Day

2007-06-17T11:32:00.000-05:00

To my Dad...I love you dearly. Thank you for everything you've done to support me and continue to do. Thank you's may not come every day, but you mean the world to me.

To my Husband...you're such a wonderful father. You're so involved and hands on. There's not a better daddy out there!

Peanut Free is the Way to Be

2007-06-15T18:35:00.001-05:00

I've been reflecting on something lately and I just have it on my heart to write about it. I was soooo excited the first time I published something on my blog. It was all about a fluffer nutter sandwich. With great enthusiasm, I sent the link to everyone I know. What I didn't do, however was stop and think about how a simple happy little story in my life can be hurtful to others.

I have a friend, "C" who has a son, "J" who has a peanut allergy. Included in my initial email, I sent the link to her. I remember specifically thinking about her as I was writing my posting, because I made sure to mention that these sandwiches can be made out of sun butter as well as peanut butter. Now "C" has never mentioned a thing about this, but all of a sudden something struck me. This has been so cumbersome in her life and so troublesome, and I think I just took that very lightly.

So please, for the tens of you who read this :) , when you think about making any kinds of snacks with peanuts, peanut butter or just packing pre-made snacks (please check the label to see if the product is peanut free), please remember that there may be a child sitting next to yours with an allergy that could be deadly if he/she even inhales the peanut products. Peanut butter is great at home, but let's watch out for each other's kids and make other choices when we go out in public.

And "C", I know you sometimes wonder how people can be insensitive. Well, even someone who knows you and loves you can be insensitive without even realizing it. Sorry!

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

2007-06-14T09:13:00.000-05:00

You Know You're a Child of the Eighties If...

2007-06-13T20:26:00.000-05:00

1. you remember "Friday Night Videos" before the days of MTV
2. a predominant color in your childhood photos is "plaid"
3. you see teenagers today wearing clothes that show up in those childhood photos, and they still look bad
4. while in high school, you and all your friends discussed elaborate plans to get together again at the end of the century and play "1999" by Prince over and over again
5. you, yes you, sat down and memorized the entire lyric sheet to "It's the end of the world as we know it"
6. you took family trips BEFORE the invention of the mini-van. You rode in the back of the station wagon and you faced the cars behind you.
7. you've recently horrified yourself by using any one of the following phases:
"When I was younger"
"When I was your age"
"You know, back when..."
"Because I SAID so, that's why"
"Just can't (fill in the blank) like I used to"
8. you can't remember a time when "going out for coffee" DIDN'T involve 49,000 selections to choose from
9. Schoolhouse Rock played a HUGE part in how you actually learned the English language
10. Kids that work in restaurants and supermarkets are starting to piss you off by calling you "sir" or "ma'am"
11. you're starting to view getting carded to buy alcohol as a GOOD thing, and you're ready to marry the next person who cards you when you want to buy cigarettes.
12. flashback: it was your first chance to vote in a presidential election, and you were SO disappointed because, just for laughs, you really wanted to vote for Gary Hart
13. you ever dressed to emulate a person you saw in either a Duran Duran, Madonna, or Cyndi Lauper video
14. at one point during your teenage years, you walked with a noticeable tilt to one side due to the number of plastic rings on that arm
15. "Celebration" by Kool & the Gang was one of the hot new songs when you first heard it at a school dance
16. the first time you ever kissed someone at a dance fell during "Crazy for You" by Madonna
17. there were at least three people in your school that voluntarily went by the names of "Skip" "Buffy" "Muffy" or "Dexter"
18. you ever owned one of those embarrassing crimping irons
19. you used to hold in your head the thought that all those gold chains on Mr. T actually looked kinda cool and the thought that Mr. T made millions seemed rational to you at the time
20. you remember with pain the sad day when the Green Machine hit the streets and made your old big wheel quite obsolete
21. the phrase "Where's the beef?" still doubles you over with laughter
22. you were convinced for years that Batman was a mildly overweight man with a moderate beer belly who wore his underwear outside of his clothes and talked strangely
23. you thought Sean Cassidy was "dreamy", and lusted after "Ted, your ship's photographer" on the Love Boat, and Ponch and John from CHiPs
24. you're still occasionally suffering flashbacks from your 21st birthday party
25. you're starting to dread your 40th birthday, and have even begun going into denial about it's possibility
26. you're starting to believe that maybe 40 isn't so old after all, and it's those people over 60 you have to look out for
27. you freaked out when you found that you now fall into the "35 - 50" age category on most questionnaires
28. you have begun to lust after men that it would be socially inappropriate for you to date due to their age
29. your hair, at some point in time in the 80's, became something which can only be described by the phrase "I was experimenting"
30. you've ever shopped at a Benetton, but not in the last five years, okay?
31. you're starting to believe that maybe having the kids go to school year-round wouldn't be such a bad idea after all
32. you're doing absolutely nothing with anything pertaining to your major degree
33. you won't walk into the place where you once knew every bartender on a first name basis because "there are too many kids there"
34. going to keg parties no longer involves hiding out in the woods when the cops show up
35. you want to go out dancing, you really, REALLY do, but your back hurts, sorry
36. you've recently horrified yourself by groaning as you get out of bed, not because of a hangover, but because it genuinely just hurt to do so
37. you're finding that you just don't understand more than half the lingo used on MTV any more
38. you ever wanted to be gagged with a spoon
39. U2 is too "popular" and "mainstream" for you now
40. you ever used the phrase "kiss mah grits" in conversation
41. When someone mentions two consecutive days of the week, the Happy Days theme is stuck in your head for hours on end
42. you remember trying to guess the episode of the Brady Bunch from the first scene.
43. you spent endless nights dreaming about being the Bionic Woman or Wonder Woman or the Six Million Dollar Man
44. you had ringside seats for Luke and Laura's wedding (on General Hospital)
45. you remember "Hey, let's be careful out there"
46. you know who shot J.R.
47. this rings a bell: "and my name, is Charlie. They work for me."

Makeover Monstrosity - Part II

2007-06-13T08:14:00.000-05:00

Look at me...fabulous blond highlights shimmering in the sun, dazzling all who see. Everyone who looks is almost blinded by the sheer glow of my magnificence. Brrrrriiiiiiiing. Oh, hit the snooze button. That was a phenomenal dream. Drat!

So, thinking I would look like Charlize Theron I picked up a L'Oreal highlighting kit. It comes with a small highlighting wand for subtle highlights or a brush for more "dramatic" highlights. Well, who wouldn't want those?! And whenever I've gotten highlights at the salon they use a brush, so that's what I opted for. As soon as the brush hit the solution, I became possessed. I was highlighting places that where the sun don't shine (no, not there...but you get the point). It was my mission to use up every last bit of that highlighting cream. Why? Because I can't waste anything. So more is better when it comes to highlights, right?!

Stay with me here. Fast forward 30 minutes. I get out of the shower. Eagerly anticipating my new found gorgeousness and all I saw was a big blob of really blond on top and some sort of brownish-blondish underbrush. My "highlights" basically turned out to be hair color for the entire top section of my head, but the under parts of my hair are still the darker color. Egad.

Late thirties and I do something like this at least once a year. I think I'm channeling my inner beautician. No worries, though. That's why they've invented the baseball hat (pink of course) and the ultra cool head scarf!

Makeover Monstrosity

2007-06-11T20:13:00.000-05:00

It's Alive...Alive! This is what I was supposed to look like. Oh yeah, look at me, strollin' down the beach, blond hair glistening in the sun, bronzed skin aglow with the perfect tan. But alas, even for me, perfection has it's limits. I got in a fight with the self tanning spray and guess who won? I'll give you a hint...my orange wrists and palms are begging for mercy. The most embarrassing part was meeting with a client today. She's hosting a party for me and I had to review the catalog, products and order forms with her, so guess where she had to look most of the time. Yup, you guessed it. My dazzling, gleaming neon orange hands. "Um, please excuse the fact that my hands look like I got into a fight with an explosive tangerine. It's just that, well, I was walking by the tanning aisle in the drug store and one of the bottles spontaneously combusted! Can you believe it?! Now the rest of this fabulous glow you see, it's all me. Really. I kid you not. Oh you noticed that my toes are a little orange too? Well, um, er...hey, look over there! Is that Big Foot chasing the dog in your backyard?" Whew, I covered that one well!

By the way...more on Makeover Monstrosity tomorrow. Let's just say I pulled out a brush, some peroxide and a little timer and said hey, putting highlights in your own hair can't be that hard. Stay tuned....

Real Men Wear Kilts

2007-06-10T22:23:00.000-05:00

or so it says on my hubby's new t-shirt. We went to The Highland Games at Furman University on Saturday and it was fabulous! My handsome husband got to wear his kilt for the first time...hubba hubba! Now I like to fancy myself a pseudo Scot - a quasi lassie, as it were. For a time I actually did truly believe I had some Scottish roots on my maternal Grandfather's side. I considered myself part of the most esteemed of scottish clans - Clan MacDrunkard. Yoo Hoo! Unfortunately, my aspiration to be closer to my scottish kin folk led me to do some research on geneology online. Well drat! I found out I'm most likely Welsh. Not that there's anything particularly wrong with that (don't want to offend a segment of the UK out there!), but when was the last time you saw a Welsh festival anywhere? And to make matters worse, I found out my family's surname means literally, "a round, lumpish or stupid person." Nice.

So now I have to rely on my other two countries of origin, Czechoslovakia and Germany. We are a very hardy crew. Clearly I come from a background of stout peoples. No wonder I'm fighting with my muffin top.

Ok, from now on I'll just have to enjoy the highland games in celebration of my husband's nationality...but Octoberfest, here I come baby!

What's for Dinner?

2007-06-07T16:59:00.000-05:00

Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients:

Shrimp:
28 large shrimp (about 1 1/2 pounds) 1/3 cup cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
3 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups flaked sweetened coconut
Cooking spray

Salsa:
1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro 1/4 cup pineapple preserves
1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400°.
To prepare shrimp, peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails intact. Rinse shrimp in cold water; drain on paper towels until dry.
Combine cornstarch, salt, and red pepper in a shallow dish; stir with a whisk. Place the egg whites in a medium bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium-high speed until frothy (about 2 minutes). Place coconut in a shallow dish.
Working with one shrimp at a time, dredge in cornstarch mixture. Dip in egg white; dredge in coconut, pressing gently with fingers. Place shrimp on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Repeat the procedure with remaining shrimp, cornstarch mixture, egg white, and coconut. Lightly coat shrimp with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until shrimp are done, turning after 10 minutes.
To prepare salsa, combine pineapple and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl; stir to combine.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 7 shrimp and about 1/4 cup salsa)

Nutritional Information:
CALORIES 397(26% from fat); FAT 11.4g (sat 8.4g,mono 0.7g,poly 1g); PROTEIN 29.9g; CHOLESTEROL 194mg; CALCIUM 80mg; SODIUM 753mg; FIBER 2.2g; IRON 3.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 45g

Porch Dreams

2007-06-06T23:43:00.000-05:00

Some people sing "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas," however I'm actually dreaming of a white summer. We moved into our house a year ago and we've done absolutely nothing with the screened-in porch. It's a shame, too, because we have an absolutely fabulous back yard. So this summer, we are determined to get this porch up and running! It'll take a little elbow grease. It needs to be repainted and the doors and some of the screens need to be replaced. This is how I picture a small dining area to look like. My friend Julie, fabulous as she is, is giving us the furniture from her porch since she's getting some new pieces. I'm psyched! I have this fantasy going in my head that I'll recover the cushions in a cream fabric, hang sheer white panels along the outside edges of the screens and have a neutral rug. And we can't forget a crystal chandelier. Then realty sinks in...oh yeah, we have 2 kids and a 110 pound dog that loves to play in the mud. Drat! There goes my visions of white. Perhaps a reddish/brown would be better, to match the color of the NC dirt....

Trendy Tuesday

2007-06-05T16:37:00.001-05:00

Yellow is such a big color this season. It's everywhere. But maybe you don't want to be draped in head to toe lemon. Just a touch of a "sun-kissed zinger" can make you look stylish, fun and cheerful. To the left is our yellow thermal tote. It actually comes in 7 other colors as well and can be monogrammed in 23 different colors and 8 different fonts. You can use it as a handbag, but it's actually thermal inside so it's great for the pool, beach, picnics or just for taking snacks in the car.

Me No Like Pee on the Tree

2007-06-04T23:15:00.000-05:00

My husband had just gotten home from work. I was making dinner and the boys were playing outside. Suddenly, with shock and dismay I hear my husband say, "WHAT IS HE DOING?!" I looked out the window, and there IT is. Mr. Winky is out in all it's glory for all the neighbors to see. Our normally charming and well-mannered 5 year old is in our backyard peeing on a tree. Why? Apparently coming into the house was just far too cumbersome a task. Is there a sedative in the house?

Ooglie Booglie

2007-06-04T07:44:00.000-05:00

Every morning my kids and I lay in bed together before we start the day. It's actually my favorite part of day. This morning we were playing monsters. I was the tickle monster and then the oh-so-dreaded kissy face monster. My 5 year old was the boogie monster (he pretended to blow boogie's on us while saying in a rumbly, grumbly voice, "boogie, boogie, boogie" - nice, huh?), so my 3 year old suddenly had an epiphany. He would be the "sharp teeth" monster and proceeded to bite me as hard as he could on the boob. Game over.

Watch Out Clinton Kelly - Your Job is in Jeopardy

2007-06-03T22:01:00.000-05:00

Apparently my three year old is aspiring to be the next host of "What Not to Wear." I was cleaning the house today, so naturally I wasn't wearing stiletto heels and a little black dress. I think I looked somewhat presentable in black track pants, black t-shirt and hot pink flip flops. I was heading out to bible study when Campbell grabbed a skirt out of my closet and said, "Mama, you should wear dis...it looks bootiful on you." I said "Not tonight honey. Mommy doesn't feel like getting changed." He looked at me with what can only be described as revulsion and said "You gonna wear dat?!" He shook his head and walked away. I can't believe I'm on the 3 year old Glamour "Don't" list.

Specials in June

2007-05-31T10:06:00.001-05:00

Check out our customer special for June. These downtown tote bags are only $5.00 each in June. when you place a $15.oo order. They can be monogrammed in the font and color of your choice. These bags are perfect to take to the pool or Sunday School filled sand toys, books and magazines, markers and coloring books, DVDs, CDs and more.

And what about our hostess special? Well, if you host a book (catalog party) from anywhere in the country, or you open your home for a party if you're in the Charlotte, NC area you can order our everyday purse (shown below) with either the green ribbon or a pink ribbon for only $10 (it's normally $32).

And let's remember Dad on his special day...pictured below left is our canvas messenger bag. It has 2 interior pockets a snap closure and and 3 pencil/pen holders. Pictured below right is our convertible tech backpack. The padded shoulder strap detached and the backpack straps stow out of sight. Multiple pockets, key holder, and bottle pouch.

elf

2007-05-30T20:27:00.001-05:00

I've seen elf (eyes, lips, face) products in various magazines, but I decided to finally take a look at the website. All of their products are $1.00. They have lots of color choices and a wide variety of make-up. Have any of you tried their cosmetics? I'm curious if they're good quality. Here's the website: http://www.eyeslipsface.com/default.asp

On Your Mark, Get Set, Shop....

2007-05-30T08:47:00.000-05:00

Ok, this morning at 7:30 I was at a consignment sale. Not any old consignment sale. This was our new school's annual school uniform consignment sale in the school gym. My 5 year old will be starting kindergarten this fall and our school requires uniforms. This place was like going to Macy's on Black Friday. Apparently all the boys like wearing cargo shorts or cargo pants, so I was on a mission. I don't want to pay the Land's End Uniform full price ($24.50) if I don't have to - I know, I'm a cheapskate. I think it's really more the thrill of the hunt. I was like a lioness on the prowl. I had my gear...checkbook, pen, kids in tow, and night vision goggles (just in case). I sharpened my elbows and I went in. After a pretty dismal start, I ended up kicking butt! I got 2 pairs of brand new shorts - still in the bag - for $14 a pair and another pair that was used, but in mint condition for $8. I also got polo shirts with our school logo for $2 a piece and sweatshirts for $3 a piece. Cha Ching! Although I did give in to one special request. My son fell in love with a ratty old zip-up sweatshirt with some stains on it. He thought it was the coolest thing. For 2 bucks, I gave in. Hopefully by fall it can magically disappear and he'll be none the wiser.

Attention My Fashionista Friends

2007-05-29T23:01:00.000-05:00

I have been desperately searching out June's In Style Magazine. I like to get it when it's hot off the presses. I finally got my hands on a copy tonight. Soooo excited to share with you some highlighted products. I'll do an In-Style Spotlight once a week (or more) for those of you who want to "Look Amazing All Summer" like it says on the cover. Ok, this one I'm going to call, "What the Shell?!" Throughout the entire magazine, shells, mother-of-pearl and overall sea life abounded. Big, hot trend! But Jen, Thirty-One doesn't have anything like that, do they? I'm so glad you asked. Of course we do! Check it out... (by the way, there were also some bags with fish on them, one of which was $130. If you like bags and you like fish, check out my link to the right that says "New Monogram Designs." You'll get cute bags, fish and will spend no where near $130).

The Day Mommy Exploded

2007-05-29T21:42:00.000-05:00

As much as I hate to admit it, I'm not the perfect Mom. Oh, I know...stop gasping. It's shocking to all, but the first step is admitting the problem. After a day of bickering and whining yesterday my paience was wearing very thin. This morning, we woke up and there were dirty dishes in the sink, Jack didn't like any of the cereal choices and Campbell, well, was just being Campbell. First thing out of the gate Jack gave me a hard time about picking up his toys. Then when they finally sat down for breakfast, the bickering started again. Apparently Cam "borrowed" Jack's spoon and licked it. All hell broke loose. From Jack's reaction you would have thought he broke his leg. Yelling, crying, stomping...yup, you name it, he did it. I felt something. Hmmm...what was that? A tingling sensation starting in the depths of my abdomen and quickly working it's way up my esophagus, into my mouth and then.....IT happened. A primal, barbaric scream escaped my lips so fast I didn't even know what happened. Stunned silence. For a rare moment, the boys were frozen in time. The spoon they were fighting over stopped in mid-air and then as the world came into focus, the spoon dropped to the floor. All 3 of us looked at it as if it were an alien being. Then both boys started crying. Nice, huh? Where's that pina colada mix?

Watch Out Vera, There's a New Bag in Town

2007-05-28T22:45:00.001-05:00

I love the Vera Bradley bag (to the left). I think it is so cute and summery. Well, I was so excited when we started offering the bag pictured to the right because to me it's so reminiscent of Vera Bradley, but it's half the price at $32.00 and it can be monogrammed. And I'm a sucker for anything pink and green. Speaking of which, isn't the bag pictured below a knockout?! I think it would also be fabulous with a 3 letter monogram. It's $24.00.

Muffin Top Monday

2007-05-28T12:36:00.000-05:00

Hello Muffin-toppers! How are we doing with our challenge? Here's my progress...I actually exercised for the first time in months on Saturday.

I did the FIRM's "Jiggle Free Arms." My arms are still sore! Funny how I could do that workout 6 months ago with no problems. Unfortunately the eating part has not gone quite so well. Brownies and chocolate chip cookies were my downfall yesterday. DRAT! We're making a fresh start today. I did, however, wear my bathing suit for the first time yesterday. It was a horror show. Small children were running and crying, women starting spontaneously gagging and men were screaming, "Oh my eyes...I'm blind, I'm blind!" And I did see a woman at the pool who had 2 kids, was in her thirties and had washboard abs. Oh the humanity!

The Adventures of Captain Underpants

2007-05-27T07:17:00.000-05:00

We started potty training yesterday. Enough said? We tried it before, but almost every inch of our house was christened in some way, shape, form, and texture (no need to go into detail). So, I decided to take a little break until summer. Break's officially over. Campbell did remarkably well for his first big day. The day started wearing big boy underwear, shorts and a t-shirt. We had a "party" in the bathroom when he would pee (I blew bubbles all over him - he loved it!) and we played sink the boat (cheerios in the toilet). But then the day went downhill a little bit (do you hear the Jaws music playing?). At one point he wanted to go into the bathroom himself and I, being sooo brilliant and attentive, let him. He ran out and proudly stated with a HUGE smile, "Mama, I pooped in my underwear but I picked it out. But then it fell on the floor, so I picked it up and put it in the toilet and flushed it!" Needless to say, there was quite a bit of disinfectant involved in our afternoon yesterday. Later in the afternoon I was talking to my neighbor and he came out of the house in just his underwear. It was a proud moment. And to cap off the day, we were all eating dinner outside last night. Campbell was done eating and had an accident while he was playing on our swing set. Rather than coming over to us, he just whipped off his underwear

and continued playing. Charming. I'm glad to see we're raising a nudist.

Too Close for Comfort

2007-05-26T08:35:00.000-05:00

Every night my wonderful husband and I go to bed together alone but without fail, at least 3 times a week, this is what our bed looks like by 6:00 AM. Now last night was even more interesting because my 5 year old son was snoring so loud he woke up my husband, me and even our family dog. His mouth was wide open, drool coming out, and the loudest, most swine-like sound was coming out of his little cherubic body. My husband transferred him back to his bed, but the transfer didn't last long. Oh no...he came back for round 2. But this time, he brought his little brother. Have you ever been in a movie theatre when the movie is playing a really loud, intense fight scene between, say, 2 snarling, gnarling aliens? That was the scene that played out in our bed last night between number one and number two sons. They were vying for the title of "Who can snore the loudest." Do you think they make snore guards for preschoolers? And on top of it all, literally, my 5 year old kept rolling on top of me to get comfortable and my 3 year old kept rolling over him to get closer to me (and to try to completely edge me off the bed - at this point I had about 4 inches of mattress to squeeze on). All of this while they were fast asleep. Now that's talent, baby!

Yes I should be cleaning my house instead of blogging again

2007-05-25T10:50:00.000-05:00

I just can't get something off my mind, so I'm posting one more time. I was talking to a friend yesterday. She's 7 months pregnant and there are some issues with the baby's ventricles in his little brain. Without going into too much detail because I truly don't understand all of the medical terminology, this could pose a very real threat of moderate to severe mental retardation. They could induce her early, but then there's a concern about his lung development. If they induce early, he may need a shunt put in his brain...and a preemie plus surgery is not a good combination.

Anyway, as we were talking, the amount of faith she has is incredible to me. She said she has so much peace about this. She said she knows that the baby is God's baby first and that He's taking care of the baby. That the baby will be in His image...whatever that turns out to be. When I commented on her peace/strength she said it wasn't her own, but she was getting it completely from God.

I remember meeting this friend for the first time. It was before I was a Christian. I remember her talking about God and saying things like "Oh God is working in our life" or "it's only through God's grace that we're able to ...". I remember smiling but thinking, "oh no, she's one of those people."

Now I see her and just see the unbelievable strength of God and how through our trials he's there for us. So for those of you who pray, will you please keep her family in your prayers?

And remember...you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

Zzzzz

2007-05-25T08:43:00.001-05:00

Today is the first day of no school...yippee!!! (Talk to me in a month and I may not be so excited!) The kids got to sleep in, I got to sleep in, there was no rushing around. Lovely. And we have declared today as official jammie day. We are staying in our jammies until our playdate today at 1:30. I LOVE it!

Sassy Spotlight

2007-05-25T08:34:00.000-05:00

Don't ya just love it?! By the way, it's fully lined with hot pink and white gingham fabric. And it's got a friend...a larger tote version. Just fab!

Foodie Friday

2007-05-25T08:05:00.000-05:00

Chicken and Summer Vegetable Tostadas
from Cooking Light

The tostadas can easily become soft tacos if you skip broiling the tortillas. Serve with black beans.

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons canola oil
12 ounces chicken breast tenders
1 cup chopped red onion (about 1)
1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears) 1 cup chopped zucchini (about 4 ounces)
1/2 cup green salsa
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
4 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
Cooking spray
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preparation:
Preheat broiler. Combine first 3 ingredients, stirring well. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over chicken. Add chicken to pan; sauté for 3 minutes. Add onion, corn, and zucchini to pan; sauté for 2 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in salsa and 2 tablespoons cilantro. Cook 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring frequently. Working with 2 tortillas at a time, arrange tortillas in a single layer on a baking sheet; lightly coat tortillas with cooking spray. Broil 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Spoon about 3/4 cup chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla; sprinkle each serving with 1/4 cup cheese. Broil an additional 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas, chicken mixture, and cheese. Sprinkle each serving with about 3/4 teaspoon of remaining cilantro. Serve immediately.

Yield:
4 servings

Nutritional Information:
CALORIES 398(30% from fat); FAT 13.1g (sat 5.9g,mono 4.1g,poly 1.2g); PROTEIN 32.5g; CHOLESTEROL 75mg; CALCIUM 236mg; SODIUM 799mg; FIBER 3.1g; IRON 1.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 36.7g

On a Serious Note

2007-05-24T22:11:00.001-05:00

I just got an email from a friend warning of the danger of raisins and grapes to dogs. Apparently as few as 7 grapes or raisins can be toxic - there was a case recently of a 56 pound dog's system shutting down after ingesting raisins. Our dog, Bartley (aka "Super Dog." My kids dress him in a red cape and they all go on adventures together...but I digress!), LOVES grapes so I'm glad I found this out. (Well, he LOVES anything that can fit down his throat, really)

Muffin Top

2007-05-24T08:32:00.000-05:00

Okay, Okay...I know I posted the most beautiful words from the most beautiful Audrey Hepburn yesterday and I should be taking them to heart. And I am...for the most part. I need a little help in the staying slim category. Ever since I had number 2 son, I have the infamous muffin top (you know, that little roll that appears above the waist of your pants when you zip them up). I have been completely sucked into "What not to Wear" so I can figure out how to hide this disturbing gelatinous flaw (Stacey and Clinton, if you're reading this...I LOVE you, but I can't picture myself wearing a blazer everyday to hide my "pooch" - especially when I'm just going to be hanging around the house and ya know, cleaning toilets). So instead of hiding it, I just want it eliminated altogether.

So here's my challenge...does anyone want to play "Lose that muffin top" with me? Let's make June "Get Healthy Month". I plan on taking Audrey's advice..I'm going to share food with the hungry by donating money to http://samaritanspurse.org/ and to http://www.joycemeyer.org/jmmweb/missionscampaign/missionscampaign.aspx and then I'm going focus on exercising more and eating less. I'll even post some healthy recipes. We can keep track of our successes together.

Anyone with me?????

What is Beauty?

2007-05-23T10:13:00.000-05:00

I read this today and was really inspired by it. I thought I would share it with you. I've been very caught up in wanting to fit in my bathing suit lately, and I think this puts things in perspective. Hope you enjoy...and get a healthy boost of self esteem!

The following was written by Audrey Hepburn who was asked to share beauty tips before she passed away:

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a
day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed; never throw out anyone.

Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of each of your arms. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode, but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives and the passion that she shows.

The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years.

The Graduate

2007-05-22T18:01:00.000-05:00

Well, I would like to say that I was all choked up at my son's first graduation ceremony....the teachers speaking about each child's individual strengths and character traits, the poems that were read, the fact that the children performed. Most moms would be teary-eyed at the least or full-out weeping at the most. So am I cold hearted, you ask? No, no. I missed about 3/4 of the ceremony because unfortunately 9:30 was the time my 3 year old decided it was time to have a full blown, throw yourself on the floor, screaming tantrum. It was a moment I will treasure always. Thankfully my husband was there filming the entire thing so we do have film for posterity. I have yet to watch it because at one point I know I'll hear myself on tape whispering something sarcastic and then whisking my younger son out of the room. Not my proudest mommy moment. Can anyone relate?

March 2, 3, 4

2007-05-21T11:03:00.000-05:00

My son is "graduating" this week from TK, aka transitional kindergarten. Today they held a TK parade at his school. The kids in front were holding a banner that said, "On Our Way to Kindergarten." They were all wearing matching t-shirts, shorts and waving matching flags all while the school played parade music. It was the cutest thing I've seen in a long time. Even my 3 year old, who at times is very easily distracted (go figure), was completely enthralled. Tomorrow is the official graduation day. Do 5 year olds wear caps and gowns? I'll keep you posted!

How Cute is This??!!

2007-05-21T10:56:00.000-05:00

It's hand painted to your specifications. Do you want 3 kids on the bag? No problem. Do you want a little boy with glasses, blonde hair and a baseball cap? Sure thing! You can have it painted on our thermal tote (that's right...thermal - keeps things hot and cold and comes in 9 colors), on a canvas, or on ANY of our products! Just call me or send me an email for more info.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

2007-05-20T23:08:00.000-05:00

I like to fancy myself a black thumb. When anything green sees me coming, it starts to wilt. It’s always been that way and I thought it would always be that way. Somehow, kids have a way of changing your perspective. My son Jack has desperately wanted to plant a garden ever since he saw his friend Evan growing a garden last summer. Now Evan’s Mom, my friend of many years, happens to take a liking to growing these green things from seeds. I look at the seeds and all I want to do is either throw them on a salad and eat them (don’t all seeds taste like sunflower seeds?!) or put them back where they belong…in the garden section at Home Depot. But alas, I finally conceded. I do have to mention, however, last summer I did buy one basil plant. I put it in a pot, set it outside, and by the next morning our little friends the rabbits had completely devoured it. All that was left was a shredded stump. So, today was garden day. The tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, basil and mint are all planted. Thanks to my friend Misty, we have a little fence around our garden…let’s hope no backyard critters can infiltrate our elaborate garden security system. Wish us luck!

The Envelope Please....

2007-05-19T09:18:00.000-05:00

And the award for the best sandwich in the whole world goes to.....
the fluffer nutter! For those of you who haven't experienced this bliss, all it takes is bread, peanut butter and marshmellow creme. I have friends with kids who have peanut allergies, so you could try this with sun butter. I'm not sure if it would have the same effect, but hey...what wouldn't be good with marshmellow creme on top??

As a Mother's Day gift I got a basket filled with Sandra Lee cookbooks and all sorts of goodies including marshmellow creme. My 5 year old, Jack, and I made fluffer nutter sandwiches last night as a special treat. You have to understand, we've become a household of whole grain, low sugar and high fiber. So when we sat back and had our first bites of our sandwiches together, it was pure joy. When Jack was done with his sandwich, he had a huge toothless grin on his face (the tooth fairy visited us for the first time 2 weeks ago) and he had the fluff part literally from ear to ear. Making sure my kids get healthy foods each week - about $115 at the grocery store. Seeing that fluffery, toothless, joy-filled smile....priceless!

Get Ready For Summer and Save Some Money!

2007-05-18T21:20:00.001-05:00

I think we have the greatest beach bag. Why? Because the number of times I have spilled either a diet coke, suntan lotion or a sippy cup in a beach bag is ridiculous. I have had stains on my bags too many times to count. This bag is fully lined with a water-resistant lining. Hey suntan lotion...spill in my bag. I dare ya! Oh what's this, I can wipe you out with a paper towel and there are no stains? Ha Ha! You've been foiled!

Now check this out...when you buy our beach bag this month, you can purchase our water-resistant zipper pouch for only $5.00!!! They're normally $13.50. This bag (which comes in 5 colors) is so great for wet bathing suits, toiletries, crayons/markers, or anything else that could have the potential for getting other things wet or dirty.

Are We In Style or What?!

2007-05-18T20:24:00.000-05:00

I was checking out this month's In Style magazine and I was soooo excited when I got to page 154. It looks like brown and white damask fabric is very hip right now. Why was I excited? Well, look what we have in our catalog (not only do we have it in our catalog, but I just happened to order it last week for myself!)

Now, I don't know if you've heard me talk about these bags, but I LOVE them! They are fully lined on the inside with a water resistant lining and they come with a cosmetic bag (which has the same lining). Just wipe it clean and go! This picture is the tote. We also have a fabulous purse.