Count Down...

I am counting down the days until school is over! I am much more excited then the girls...these last few weeks just
d-r-a-g....o-n....f-o-r-e-v-e-r...
With all of the end of the year stuff, we have been very busy. Just about everyday there is some sort of event...portfolio picnics, plays, parties, graduations, etc...

What we have done so far this week:

We went to PF Changs for MBM's birthday and Lulu has decided to eat all her meals using chopsticks. PB&J diced...yummy!


MBM finally turned 34...


Lulu graduated from preschool...7 consecutive years at this school. I won't know what to do with myself next September when I don't have to drive anyone to school!


Between all the end of the year stuff I have squeaked out a few projects that have been lingering in the garage for the last few months! I am happy how these turned out...my parents old counter stools where headed to the trash but, I managed to salvage a few for our kitchen. Now we have 3 matching stools!
BEFORE


AFTER...sanding, two coats of paint, glaze, poly, new upholstered seats with laminated fabric!



I am headed to my new place of employment this afternoon to drop off some paper work...I start on MONDAY!!!!!!! Tonight, I am going to organize and plan out my clothes/shoes/bag/etc...

Spring...where are you?

It is cold and rainy here today. The kind of day you would like to stay inside under a blanket with a book. Since that is not an option, Lulu and I decided to forge ahead and make some sunshine of our own. In her choice of outfits today...



That brightens things up, doesn't it?

In other news...
Tonight, is my last custom "gig"...it is bitter sweet! I have had four very successful years schlepping my goods in and out of the homes of wonderful women. And I owe it all to these women for spreading the word out my little bag studio, because I never advertised. I will miss meeting new people and helping the ladies put their combinations together. But, I am also very excited about all the time that I am going to have to make new things for my Etsy store, the boutiques I work with and the upcoming market/art shows I am participating. And of course, I am still looking at other opportunities...hopefully, I will have some news soon!

Speaking of opportunities. MBM turned down the Boston area company and it looks like we will not be taking our show on the road after all. I am not going to lie, I am a bit disappointed. I had a house all picked out Wellesley!

One last thing...has anybody watched this? I think it is pretty funny!

Polar Bear Plunge

This past weekend MBM and I headed to the Shore, sans the girls...they were spending the weekend with my in-laws. Every Valentine's weekend our beach town host a Polar Bear Plunge. It is quite a festive event, costumes, an Ice Queen, and for a mere $25, to benifit a local charity, you can run into the freezing cold Atlantic.
We were spectators...here are some pictures from the day...the pics of the plungers is hard to see...Sorry!

Below, is a picture of MBM trying to recruit a racer for this, share this with the athletes in your life. MBM is working so hard on this race, his first as a race director, he feels so connected to the cause!

We capped off the day with a party at our friends house. Lots of food, drinks, and friendship!

Weekend

Well we survived the weekend. My event on Saturday wasn't the best, but I did book a custom party for February and met a local gal (she is new to our area by way of Long Island) with a sweet little business and story similar to my own, stay at home mom with a sewing machine...blah, blah, blah! Check out her website...I did some Holiday shopping with her...these for my girls!

This for my nephew ....


And this for my niece......

My girls night was ok, the place the birthday girl chose was AWFUL...a hokie Italian restaurant, which was fine. But, when they cleared your plate they took your table away, too! The chef became a DJ...there was dancing on the bar...too many disco balls...the music was sooo loud you couldn't even talk without screaming...AND it was a total meat market...nothing I like more that women in their forties dressed and acting like they are twenty, it wasn't even funny, just pathetic...GOOD LORD, I sound like an old fart...but, trust me it was bad!

MBM just arrived home from the NY marathon...he said it was the most exciting because the streets were lined with people cheering for most of the course. I wished I could have gone with him. Next time and there will be a next time! We are all a little wiped out from the busy weekend and the time change. I wish I could sit in front of the tv tonight..but, I am getting ready to fire up the monogramming and sewing machine!

Go check out my new friend's website!

Palm Beach

MBM and I are headed here tomorrow morning for a little R and R! Well, actually it is a work/reward trip for my husband and I get to tag along...gotta love sales! So today, I will be packing, food shopping and preparing the house and schedules for the arrival of the grandparents who will looking after the girls will we are gone. We are so lucky to have both sets of grandparents close and willing to watch our girls so we can get away. I have never been to Palm Beach, while we have some company events we must attend over the next few days we do have a fair amount of free time! Any suggestions of places I should NOT miss while there? I am all ears!

So Busy!!!!

When I last left you I was running out the door to Bunko. I will try to update you in one quick blog....

Let's start with Bunko, fun as usual, as if a night out with your girlfriends could be anything other. Here are some of the topics we touched on...Posh, summer reading, our friend's leukemia, husbands, Big Brother, children, mothers-in-law, the up coming season of Project Runway, boob jobs and tummy tucks, we could solve all the problems of the world given enough time!

For this next part, beware, this is how I talk and without taking a breath!

We stayed home this past weekend the forecast for the shore was not looking bright...we went to the athletic club/pool on Saturday, MBM and I worked out, ate lunch in the cafe, MBM took the girls to the pool and I went to Costco...I will never go to Costco on a Saturday afternoon again!...Sunday was rainy, I slept in while MBM ran 22 miles in the pouring rain...we cleaned out the guest bedroom, Emma will soon be moving into her own room, more on that later...that clean up lead to a major clean up/out of all the storage areas of our house...we had a lot of junk...I have been sewing a lot...I finished and shipped bags for two weddings, seventeen bags in all...

I finally, after 3 years, with my machine have all the components for embroidery...I skipped the classes and taught myself how to use it...I've been monogram something everyday...I took my first Spinning class at the gym, Holy Crap, after the first 15 minutes I thought I was going to pass out, puke, or cry...I finally started to drop some weight from all this working out...the sunflowers that MBM and Caroline planted from seed, bloomed by the playhouse...

Lulu went to the shore with my parent today, we will meet her there on Friday...The big girls are in Theater Camp this week, as if we need more drama in this house...I bought a cutting table for my studio, best $50 I have ever spent!...My friend started her treatment this week, so far so good!

Okay that should do it!

Home Sweet Home

We have returned from our trip to Carmel! I love being away but, I love going home, too!

MBM and I in Big Sur. We ate lunch in this beautiful spot at Nepenthe...breathtaking views and excellent burgers, too!

That is MBM in the orange shorts. Bad picture, I know! I am asking for a new camera for Mother's Day! Anyway, this was at mile 23...3 more miles to go...he looked great! I was enjoying a mimosa when he went by....probably explains the bad picture! Oh, I forgot to mention he finished in under 4 hours, 3:50 something! Not his best time but her was more interested in taking in the scenery and the the hills where a killer!

The day after the marathon we went for breakfast and massages at the Quail Lodge. MBM needed it, his legs were so tight. I just needed it! Then we just fluttered around Carmel By The Sea...I popped in and out of shops. I picked up a few things for the girls at Pink Wasabi.

We had dinner at the Mission Ranch. So fun with a piano bar and anyone could get up and sing. Pretty sure I heard the worst rendition of Kid Rock and Cheryl Crow's "Picture" sung by a couple well into their sixties!

I took this picture last night at sunset. Their house tradition is to toast the sunset and ring a bell! CHEERS!!!! So if you are considering heading out west....GO!!!!! I LOVE being from the Northeast but, I would consider taking our show on the road for a sunset like this every night!

Yummy!

So, my husband is in the final stretch of his MBA and is gone a few nights a week. Well tonight look what he brought home with him...yummy! Tastykakes are a Philadelphia thing...and this is vanilla ice cream with Peanutbutter KandyKakes mixed through!!Sweet...in so many ways!

Worth the extra time on the treadmill tomorrow!