Archive for February 2014

Friday, February 28, 2014

Friday 5: Celebrating Simplicity

5 simple happenings from the week worth celebrating.

Here's to little rainbow cocktail forks. 
I don't know what I'll use them for but they sure do make me happy.

Here's to getting things done.
I do believe it was our first "one Home Depot trip" job. Normally it takes us about three to get the job done. 

Here's to trees that wear dangly earrings.
It made us feel better about the cold weather.

Here's to graham crackers. 
They make fraction homework better. 

Here's to kindergarten programs. 
 This lovely showcase started with parachute work and ended with the chicken dance. The kids were adorable and so proud of themselves, as were their families. 

Woof, it's been a long week. Anyone else ready to celebrate?
Cheers!
What are you toasting to?


By the way, I'm charisadee over at Instagram if you'd like to be in on the non-stop fun that happens over there. 

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Fun Thing: St.Patrick's Day Printable

I bet the employee that came up with the idea for the $1 Spot at Target is living in mansions, driving Benzes, and feeling stupendous right about now (Thank you Biggie). I wander through every time even when I tell myself No, no, no (Thanks Amy). I've spent a small fortune on $1 items by now for sure. Darn that cute cheap stuff! 

On my last Target run I couldn't resist these items - a clover growing kit and a burlap bag. How fun would it be to surprise friends or kids on St. Patrick's Day with this little gift?!? 

 I then made and printed out this note to tie on the bag.

I was feeling lucky so I tried making a printable for you. First time so hope it works! Click HERE to print! 


Hope you liked this little idea!

(Are you a sucker for the $1 Spot as well?)

Our Delightful Home

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Today Is One Day Closer to Spring



Last week I felt it. Spring is (finally) coming. The mornings have been brighter and the birds are noisier. Screen doors were left open for fresh air and the sounds of neighborhood kids could be heard while playing pickle in the back yard. Vaughn was even able to start getting her fairy house back in order. Everyone was in a better mood and it was fantastic. 

On the way home from running errands today I noticed that the roads were white from salt. Grrr… I checked the weather and sure enough there's a small chance for snow tonight. And Friday. And Sunday. 

Last week was clearly a teaser but it was a nice change of pace. This also found its way to my inbox last week and the timing was perfect. I'm always looking for good pasta salad recipes and this one is a keeper. Next time I'll try it with quinoa. Here's the link for It's Not Summer Yet Greek Pasta Salad from Joy the Baker. You'll be glad you did. 

Monday, February 24, 2014

Back to Being Myself

I recently finished Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson, aka The Bloggess, and it got me thinking about what I'm doing here. I have been confused for awhile about what or how to write here and have been struggling to find my voice. 

I thought back to when I first started feeling this way and I realized it was when I randomly checked my email subscription list and found it had skyrocketed. Knowing that my poorly constructed posts about random nothingness were going out to so many people got to me. A form of stage fright, I guess. From that point on I was scared about what I was sending out. {Do people want to hear about this stupid stuff? Should I stop using contractions? Better watch those run on sentences!} (I've stopped counting how many mean comments I have gotten about my poor grammar and misspelled words.) I would write then rewrite over and over and then I got tired of whatever I was writing about and then deemed it too stupid to send out and move on the the next topic and then start the (vicious) cycle again. 

I am in no way saying I am as talented as Jenny Lawson. What I am saying is that it was refreshing to see her being herself and not being scared to write about whatever she wanted. It reminded be that it's ok to just be myself again and stop over thinking everything. Besides, my email subscription growth was directly related to my popular nail polish post. Those following along thinking that I post beauty tips on a regular basis are long gone now and my numbers are back in the non-scary level! 

What does this mean for you? Stay tuned for more random posts about daily minutia and what's going on inside this silly head of mine. And more contractions! 




Friday, February 21, 2014

Pro Tip: Don't be a no reply commenter

In the light of my recent giveaway, I have noticed how many people have their accounts set to "no reply-comment". I thought I would take a quick minute to explain what it is and how to remedy the situation. 

When your blogger account is set to "noreply-comment" it does not show an email address on your profile or when you leave comments. This means that when you leave a comment there is no way to contact you. Switching your account to show an email address opens up a way for authors to reply directly back to you in regards to your comment, for giveaway notification, etc. 

All that's standing in your way to receiving witty emails from me are these easy steps:
1. Log into your blogger account 
2. Dashboard
3. Edit Profile
4. Click the box that says "show my email address"

It should look a little something' like this:












Go forth and click those boxes! 

The Friday 5 will be back next week. Have a great weekend!!!

Thursday, February 20, 2014

My First Stitch Fix Box

I caved and ordered my first Stitch Fix box after being snowed in for countless days with two kids, dwindling groceries, and the reality that I wouldn't be going to the mall anytime soon.

I admit I have grown accustomed to the services of my Amazon Prime account and am used to having whatever I need delivered within 2 days time. Be it battery operated tea lights, long underwear, dishwashing detergent, or even shoes. That is why Stitch Fix seemed so intriguing. Could it really be that easy? I documented the entire event to share with you in case you were wondering too. Let's do this.

First things first, you must fill in your style survey on the Stitch Fix site. There, you enter in your likes, dislikes, tell them the types of clothes/accessories that you want them to shop for, and choose a delivery date. 

Here is what mine looked like when I got it: 

A style guide is always included to give styling ideas.

A labeled bag is also included for returns. 

Now the fun part! Here are the selections that were made for me.
$110 Splendid cardigan 
 $80 Zula polka dot cardigan
 $110 Splendid knit sweater
$80 Kensie mixed material sweater 
$80 41 Hawthorn jacket

I was amazed that everything fit perfectly and there was only one item that I did not like (the red jacket). I thought that was pretty impressive for the first time! I have heard from others that it took a couple of tries for their stylist to "get" their style, but I think mine did a great job for the first go round.

I ended up not keeping anything from this round. It was hard justifying this much money on clothes for a season that is (hopefully!) almost over with. I was the one who asked for winter clothes but was not thinking of the timing and price points so the finger of blame is my own. (It was really hard letting the striped knit sweater go because it was so soft and comfortable. However, the loops of the knit were wide and I could just see a potential child-related snag in the future.)

Returns are easy - just put unwanted items into the bag and drop it in the mail. I am planning on trying it out again and now is probably a good time since spring is right around the corner. 


Let me know what you think!



*Not a sponsored post. I just wanted to share the experience.

Friday, February 14, 2014

Friday 5: Celebrating Simplicity

5 simple happenings from the week worth celebrating.

Here's to the sun.
(Anyone else find the light and just sit for a few?)

Here's to creative messes.
(I've given up. As long as that tilted glue bottle stays ON the table and not on the floor we're cool.)

Here's to big brother's.
(Who make handmade Valentine's.)

Here's to leg warmers.
 (And to the little dancers who wear them.)

Here's to Valentine's Day.
(I made these pillows for relay races for Vance's Friendship Party. Note I did not say Valentine's Day party. Because that would be wrong. So glad that Room Momming is almost over!) 

Happy Valentine's Day!
Cheers!
What are you toasting to tonight?



Thursday, February 13, 2014

Public Notice: End of Winter Kid's Clothes Edition



Attention:

Please excuse my children's wardrobe for the next 1.5 months or so. You see, we have entered that awkward time where their winter clothes are becoming too small, worn out, faded, stained with dry erase markers, spaghetti sauce, and random grease marks. Spring is peeking around the corner which means brand new wardrobes for them and I am not spending any more money on clothes for winter.  Please do not call them hobos to their faces. 

Thanks, 
Mgmt. 




Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Put a (faux) Fish On It

Remember this sad little guy? 
He had been banished into a cabinet since his friend (another faux fish) that was glued above him had crashed to the floor one mysterious night. I recently re-found him and decided this little ceramic sardine deserved a little TLC.

I bought an unfinished wood plaque, painted it white, and in my head thought that would be enough. However it was just too boring. A little somethin', somethin' was necessary. 
{Wait - before going on, have you seen or used these little plaques before? They are cheap, come in different shapes and sizes, and I now want to glue everything onto one. It may become an obsession!}

It is not necessary to bring you along for the thought process, but why not? Here are some of the different possibilities. 

Keeping in mind that this would hang on a dark blue wall I ended up choosing the damask. The quatrefoil was a strong contender but the paper is really thin and I worried about the glue seeping through and discoloring it. The damask is a piece of scrapbook paper that is really thick so I was sure it could handle the glue. 
I outlined the raised surface of the plaque -a little tricky- but figured it out by pressing a piece of foil around the edges, cutting it out then using it as a template for cutting out the damask paper. After all the cutting, I used a thin layer of Elmer's glue to glue the paper onto the wood.

When it was dry I hot glued the fish on top.  

There he is back in full glory! So much better! Although my dog looks a little sad. Maybe he needs a little plaque of his own?!

(Don't worry, I kept his party hat for special occasions. How else is a faux fish supposed to look fancy?)

Have a great day!


Monday, February 10, 2014

Fight Dry Skin with Suave Professionals®



I do not have to look at the calendar or even out the window to be reminded what month we are in. All I have to do is take one look at my skin and I KNOW it is winter. 
My hands, in particular, take the brunt of the winter, with sanitizing and frequent hand washing, but the cold temps and dry air take its toll on the rest of the body too. I tried fighting this from the inside out with drinking plenty of water and eating healthy but it is not enough. I need a miracle.
Bring in the miracle oil itself! I already use hair products that contain Moroccan oil, so why not use it as a skin moisturizer as well? For the first time, Suave® Body Care is launching products in their Suave Professionals® line which offers everyone premium quality products with the finest skincare ingredients. Suave Professionals® Moroccan Infusion features a lightweight miracle oil known to enrich nutrients and antioxidants leaving the skin looking and feeling silky and radiant.  

The Moroccan Infusion Body Care line includes a body lotion and a dry body oil spray. The body lotion is a moisturizer that absorbs quickly and lasts all day. I am picky when it comes to skin products, and I can attest to the lotion being non-greasy.  There is also a pleasant, long-lasting fragrance. 
Honestly, I was hesitant to try the Dry Body Oil Spray even though it boasts a non-greasy formula. In the past, I have tried other body oil sprays that have turned out to be too heavy and, well, too oily for my taste. I was pleasantly surprised with this body oil though! It seemed to absorb instantly and left my skin feeling and looking radiant without feeling too oily. The Dry Body Oil will be perfect to give my legs a healthy looking sheen when they make their uncovered appearance again in the spring! (I am looking forward to that being sooner than later!)

Overall, I am excited about these new products from the Suave Professionals® Moroccan Infusion Body Care line and know they will help keep my skin moisturized all year long. For more information about the product line, radiant skincare tips, style advice from celebrity stylist Brad Goreski, and to enter the “Radiant Wishes” sweepstakes, please click over to their Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/SuaveBeauty

Would you like a chance to win a $1,000 gift card? 
Leave a comment below letting me know which Suave Professionals® Moroccan Infusion Body Care product you would like to try! 
Giveaway has ended and winner has been notified

*COMMENTS LEFT WITHOUT AN EMAIL OR WITHOUT AN EMAIL DIRECTLY LINKED ON THEIR PROFILE PAGE WILL BE DELETED* At this time, I do not have a fancy comment system. There is no way to magically track you down if you win. Thank you for playing along! 
Sweepstakes Rules: 
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
  1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
  2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
  3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
  4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 2/7/2014-2/28/2014.
Be sure to visit the Suave Professionals® brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

Friday, February 07, 2014

Friday 5: Celebrating Simplicity

5 simple happenings from the week worth celebrating. 

Here's to how I am feeling about the current winter. (Really, not worth celebrating but cannot escape it. Might as well try to embrace it.) 

 Here's to more snow days and 80's movies with the kids.

Here's to Vaughn and her veggie loving self.
(Toss kale in EVOO, bake for 13 minutes on 350, season immediately afterwards)

Here's to catching up with a good friend over coffee.

Here's to making time to finally getting this guy a new home. 
(I'll show the finished picture next week.)

Cheers! 
What are you toasting to tonight? 
The Olympics are starting and Jimmy Fallon's first show airs tonight. Excited for both! Will you watch!

Tuesday, February 04, 2014

Apparently Cinnamon Gives Me a Headache

Over the weekend we attended an indoor carnival put on by our local high school. Every year I am amazed how great the high schoolers are with the little kids. (If all teenagers were this great I wouldn't be annoyed to go to the mall on a weekend.)


Vaughn, already a fan of body adornment in anyway possible, bypassed the face paint booth and went straight for the tattoos. 
She first picked out a large snake in striking position, proudly showing its fangs. I quickly brought a tutu wearing, unicycle riding brown bear to her attention as an alternative but she ultimately chose this one on her own. One, I do hope this scenario is not foreshadowing how her 18th birthday will go down and two, I hope they have better tattoos to choose from next year when the kids drag us to the carnival again. 


Yesterday the workers at Trader Joe's were giving away cinnamon brooms that did not sell during the holidays. I foolishly took one and when got it home had no idea what to do with it. I stuck it in the laundry room and this morning promptly moved it to the garage. Apparently there is such a thing as too much cinnamon.


More snow is headed our way and I just got the call that our district will be closing early today. Assuming this would happen, I stopped by the liquor store this morning to restock. I was never a girl scout but I always like to be prepared. (I also bought 2 sleds yesterday because ours have gone missing. Good thing!)

I have a sweet potato baking for lunch and think I may be able to squeeze in one episode of RHWOBH. Hope you are having a great day!



 

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