Resolutions?

I am one to just nearly kill myself leading up to Christmas, running around and trying to get everything done, only to almost collapse by the end of the year. Yes, that is my way.

I am not the only one...I know you all out there are just running yourselves ragged to make a prefect Christmas. I feel your pain. It's not just Christmas though, it's that "end of the year review" feeling.

Something about the reflecting back on the year stresses me out. I look back at things not done, not accomplished, not finished and I just want to fire myself as CEO of the Mrs. Company.

This year rather than setting up a bunch on unrealistic expectations for myself in 2009 (climb Mt. Everest while wearing new Bonanos). I am trying to look at what fun I could have in 2009.

One thing I like to do in life is miss the fun while I am running around planning the hell out of everything. This year I have but one resolution. Slow down and enjoy life! I am going to have more fun over function. More passion over purpose.

Who's with me? What are your resolutions?

Top Ten Reasons Christmas Was Fabulous!

What a fabulous Christmas we had in Texas....Here's my top ten! (in no particular order!)
10) Sister in law had hats for us for Christmas. Pink Santa hats no less!







9) Home made egg nog and a gingerbread house were made....









8) The cousins were bonding all over the place....
















7) A letter to Santa was left for clarification...










6) Landon made his first Christmas cookies, and it was my first FROSTED cookie experience!














5) Parents night out! (Notice my silver velvet Target Maternity Dress! Fab!) We went to Grace Ft. Worth.












4) Ribs, Broccoli Casserole and Pecan Pie! Yum!




3) Santa Claus came!!



2) Santa and the Toothfairy came in the same day!!!











1) A girls lunch at Neiman Marcus complete with home made popovers!!!!!!


What a Merry Christmas!

And The AWARD goes to NEWS READIN' WIFE!!!!

Mrs. Newsreadin'over at Breaking News pulled a WHAMMY! A good old fashioned Christmas miracle!!! She contacted a friend at Target corporate and somehow got hubby his Target flask. She is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As you can tell hubby was insanely happy and surprised. I think he had a coronary.

Thank you so much Mrs. News Readin'....now fork over your address so I can properly reward you with a prize!

xoxoxo The Mrs.

Off to Texas, two by two...

Skip to my lou my darlin'!


Have a Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!

xoxo The Mrs.

Christmas Traditions Tag!

Amanda tagged me to share 6 random holiday traditions/facts about my Christmases. I don't know how random these are but we'll see!

1. We always got a real Christmas tree. ALWAYS. We also only used ornaments we've collected over the years. It was like going through a scrapbook opening them every year! Now hubby and I give an ornament to each other each year and do the same thing! Ps no tinsel or colored lights cause mom thought it was too tacky!

2. We still do Santa Claus for my sister and nieces and nephews...hello they are in their 20's and 30's!

3. My sister and I hide gifts and try to be the person with the last present!

4. I snoop. I look for gifts. I am awful but hey it's my tradition!

5. When we started having Christmases in Vermont we'd go cut down our own tree. Whichever tree the dog would pee on was the winner!!!

6. Every year we make home made Christmas cookies and every year I eat half the dough. I am serious!!!

I am tagging:

Nautical By Nature
Mommyvents
Diapers to Designs
and
Weasels Journey!

Friday Tag Day!

Grosgrain Lane tagged me and I must not let her down!

1. What is/are your favorite Christmas Movie(s)?
White Christmas, Miracle on 34th street (Original with brilliant Natalie Wood), A Christmas Story!

2. Favorite Christmas Song?
This Christmas by anyone! As well as White Christmas by Bing and Jingle Bells by Frank Sinatra.

3. Favorite Holiday Memory?
Family gatherings at my parents home. We would get my Grandmommie every other Christmas and we would fight over her!!

4. What is your favorite cookie/treat to make?
Sugar cookie cut-outs with even sugar-ier frosting. Of course I eat all the dough first.

5. Have you ever made an igloo?
I tried in school as a child during recess. Got the walls up!

6. Do you love Starbucks?
Not that much because I don't drink coffee!

7. What makes the perfect Snowman?
Lots of snow! and coooold!

8. Not sure what happened to #8 so we'll move on..

9. Best gift you have ever received?
My Cartier watch.

10. What is the snowman's name on Rudolph?
Hmmmm.....

11. Silver or Gold?
Gold.

12. What is your favorite Christmas decoration?
Lights all over the house!

13. What's your Christmas decorating style?
Sassy and themed. This year Pink and Green!

14. Do you hang stockings?
Yep, with our names on them! Bought ones for kids when I didn't have any so they'd match!!!

15. How many days do you celebrate Christmas?
One.

16. What was your favorite ornament on the tree as a child?
Anything my little sister made. They are so funny. And my moms fancy ornaments.

17. Where will you be spending this Christmas?
Texas.

18. When do you open presents? Christmas morning.

19. Real tree or artificial? We have always had a real tree. This year I got a nordic and it doesn't smell! Next year no way!

I'm tagging:

KIKIBEE
KENADY
BELLE IN BLOOM
and
ANOTHER ON LINE MOM!


xoxoxo

One Fabulous Mom Carnie Wilson!

I ran into Carnie Wilson at my OB's office yesterday (baby girl is doing great!). She is the nicest person I swear. Especially because at first I thought she was Ricki Lake (and told her so), and she was so nice about it! I felt so stupid!!!!

Anyway we have to same OB, she's pregnant again and due in June. We had the nicest funniest chat about kids and birth and I am telling you we are now best friends. LOL.

In other news, I have sent all my gifts, and have almost dug myself out of the mess to reclaim my newly painted kitchen! I will post pics when I am done!


Hubby is sick. Landon is sick. Chances of me getting sick: 100%. Damn.

Favorite Sitcom Song Revealed!

Okay, after I stalked Donna Pescow last weekend, I realized although the theme from ANGIE is in my top five favorite sitcom songs...really there's one I love the best!


IT"S A LIVING!

"The show followed the lives of the waitresses who worked in a posh restaurant located at the top of the Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles. At the helm was their supervisor Nancy Beebe (Marian Mercer), who sometimes fraternized with the girls but usually gave orders. More often than not, the scheme of the week involved Nancy in some way, which upset her because all she wanted was an orderly staff. Adding to the chaotic working environment was a wisecracking pianist named Sonny Mann (Paul Kreppel). One of the many waitresses on the show was Cassie Cranston, played by actress Ann Jillian. Due to her stint on this show, she became very popular for a time."




Here are the lyrics:

Life's not
the French Riviera
Believe me
Life's not
A charity ball
It isn't
all a great big bed of roses
It's not like showbiz
But the main thing I suppose is.....

(Were- not- fakin' -it; backup) We're not the people on Broadway
Believe me
(It's real, but better than joining -the- navy; backup) But we know we're having a life
Although we may not be blessed and wealthy
But then a-gain were young and healthy
And any-one who's young and healthy knows
that that's the way
the traffic flows
**
It's a living

AHHH words to live by. Maybe I should be stalking Anne Jillian!

How I'm Living

The good news?
It's almost done.
The bad news?
It's killing me!


Can you find Landon in here? It's like Where's Waldo!

Blogger Alert! I need your help!

Okay, hubby wants this skull flask from Target and they are sold out all over. I have been to four stores!!!!

If anyone can pick one (or two!) up for me I will not only reimburse but I will offer a prize!!!!

I know we're all in Target all the time! Help! It's in the mens section on the gifts table!

xoxoxo

The Mrs.

L.A. Story #265

You might not know this about me but I am a sucker for sitcoms. Especially the ones from the 70's and eighties. Give me a night of Family Ties, The Facts Of Life, and The Cosby Show and I am one happy girl. Being that this is an obsession of mine (yes I can quote Cosby show and other episodes), I can spot an old sitcom star at twenty paces.

A few days ago while shopping at Ralphs Supermarket, I spotted someone. Someone hiding. Too bad I followed her! It was Donna Pescow from the short lives sitcom "Angie".



Now there is no reason to be scared Donna Pescow. I am just an obsessed pregnant girl who needed a little pick me up and when I remembered the Angie theme song I was so happy I almost cried! It's so cheerful and adorable and I love the hysterical opener with them all making mistakes and then giving an aw shucks smile. Yes, I am a cheesball.










Donna was also in Saturday Night Fever if you recall, so give her the love.



Here are the lyrics from Angie. Dare you not to love them.

Let the time flow
Let the love grow
Let the rain shower
Let the rose flower
Love it seeks, love it finds
Love it conquers, love it binds

We come to each other from different worlds,
Drawn to each other by the love inside of us
We give to each other our different worlds
As long as we can do it,
Life is gonna breeze right through it

chorus

We reach for each other from different worlds
With love for each other that will stand the test of time
We're up to the challenge of different worlds
With this love inside us,
There is nothing can divide us

chorus

Love it seeks and love it finds
(Love it seeks, love it finds)
Love it conquers, love it binds
Ahhhhhhh, ahhhhhhh

Love it seeks, love it finds
Love it conquers, love it binds

Next week I'll share my all time favorite theme song from a sitcom.

Holiday Five! My Five Favorite Christmas Cd's

If you look under my Fabulous Holiday's category and scroll down you will see my favorite Christmas movies, so this year I am doing my favorite Christmas CD's!!


Johnny Mathis, The Christmas Music of Johnny Mathis is too fabulous. What a velvety voice and I looove when he sings " A Marshmellow World!"

This next one may be hard to find but ladies and gents I love it!!! Pottery Barns Cool Christmas Volume 1.



Pearl Bailey's "5 pound box of money" is hysterical, but it's Eartha Kitt singing "Santa Baby" that will make you jump under the mistletoe!!

You may not know this about me but I looooooove gospel music. It just makes me feel good and gets me teary eyed! For that reason I also picked "Wow Gospel Christmas". It has Kirk Franklin and Donny Hathaway on it and baby that is good enough for me!






If you want a little party music Luther Vandross, This is Christmas, has the Mistletoe Jam "with lines like everybody kiss somebody" and I looove it!






Last but not least, because I am a big sap, Christmas with Perry Como. It's the best!



What's your favorite music? I am tagging you!

Pink and Green Christmas Tree! And a swappy gift for me!

As promised (drum roll), my Pink and Green tree!



The Pink and Green tree was planned from last years score of Lilly Pulitzer ornaments on sale! I was so excited to do it this year! If course the pink now has a whole new meaning with a baby girl on the way!








Notice the shift dresses and pink animals! So Lilly P!















Every year I give hubby and ornament based on what we've done that year. I decided to give Landon his now! We call him a little monkey so here he is on the tree!






Chitown Meg was my swap partner for the fab xmas swap hosted by Clemsongirl. She gave me the cutest things!









The perfect pink ornaments for my tree! And Landon looooves the hang on the door Santa! So cute!!

Christmas Countdown Interrupted!

The timing SUCKS but since it's being done as a favor we have no choice!!! We are doing a cosmetic face life on the kitchen since we can't afford the big remodel just yet. I'll give you the before tour! Notice the pic above and the DARK cabinets and this gorgeous floor (cut to me gagging).













And OOooohhh La La! The corn border! YUCK!!!!!!!!!!












The Pantry was soooooo needing an update!











Can you believe I've been doing Laundry in here?!




We have had the pantry rebuilt and laundry room cabinets put in and now plastered, prepped and painted!!!!!!!


I will post the after pics next week and My Pink and Green Christmas Tree tomorrow!

Christmas Countdown! Gifts!

Okay it's time to share my little secret. Along with buying cute personalized gifts from SO LUXE, I think Snapfish is a godsend. This year we have really cut back on gifts and the gifts from Snapfish still feel like a million dollars because they are so personal.


I usually do a calendar each year with photos of us and whomever is receiving it. This year I was toooooo tiiiiirrrreeedddd...so I did a few of these custom photo books. You can get ones in leather or linen, and even tell a little story inside. It works best if you have a little theme, or pick a trip you've been on. We did one of this past year of Landon's life and it came out so cute!!!

Use the coupon code Winter08 for 20% off most of their stuff!!!!






I did splurge on my little brother. I got him this from Back To Basics Toys:


It's the Legends of Magic Set which includes, "quality props to perform more than 250 illusions. Includes a working illusion table, Chinese sticks, metal linking rings, a detailed instruction booklet, a bibliography of the Legends of Magic, an instructional 60 minute DVD that includes rare footage of the masters."

He's going to just die!

My other secret I have discovered is retail me not. I just go on there and get whatever coupon I need for whatever store I am shopping in on line and get a discount! How did I not know about this!!!!?? Even got one for the magic set above and saved $12!

Christmas Countdown! Cards and such...

Okay I will admit it. When I send Christmas cards out I do a little slash through our name and send. To top it off I use Avery labels for the addresses. Well not anymore!

After reading momx2's post I realized I had to address them myself. She made the point that we all have time to hand address while we watch our favorite shows (hello Real Housewives of OC is back on again ladies...). Very true. Annoying but true. She also said you need to write a little note. That this is the death of polite society! Well, I am not causing death so everyone is getting a little scribble with love.

So as I sat there last night signing and addressing, I was feeling proud of myself, but tired! So tired! No one said politeness and manners weren't exhausting.

We got our tree yesterday and hubby hauled out all the ornaments (is 15 storage tubs too many?) and decorations. This year I am doing a pink and green tree in honor of baby girl and Landon. I will post when it's done, but I am breaking out my Lilly Pulitzer ornaments so look out!!!

I think having a theme for your tree keeps Christmas exciting. One year I did purple and green and it was fabulous. You should have seen my glittering eggplant ornaments!!

How's your countdown to the holidays going?

The Antidote For "Busy-ness"

A few Sundays ago our pastor was preaching about how busy everyone seems to be. People are trying to connect through Facebook, email, blogging (ahem), instead of spending real time together.

He proposed that the antidote for busy-ness was intimacy. I was just sitting there, kind of blown away by the idea. He then encouraged us to spend real time together, preferably over a meal, to connect.

Believe me I love my Facebook and my blogging, but I see his point. That is mostly a one way connection and keeps the relationship at a distance.

Having a meal together, at your home, is the most intimate way you can get to know someone.

This season we are all tightening belts because of the economy, even Oprah's Christmas show was more about giving from the heart, then from your wallet. This holiday we have an excuse not to spend as much. A simple little thoughtful gift, or even home made treats are wonderful.

I loved Oprah's idea for a gorgeous box that you give a host of a party or gift recipient, where you have everyone write something they like about the person. A personal note is the greatest gift!

Christmas Countdown! It's Not Too Late!

I just got my Christmas cards in the mail....aren't they so cute!!!??

I'm going to use a picture from the series of pics I took like the header on my blog.
I got them at Prints Charming. It's one of the Christmas card vendors I am working with through my company So Luxe.

We also carry Christmas Cards from Boatman Geller.

It's not too late to order your Holiday Cards!!! Just leave me a comment and let me know!!

The Mrs.

Traveling With A Two Year Old- Yes, I'm Insane.

Before I had kids I thought traveling with them would be no big deal. After all I wasn't going to let some tiny tyrant rain on my vacation!~ Landon is a pretty well behaved guy...we've been lucky thus far. Our luck ran out on a Continental Flight from Palm Beach to Houston. It wasn't pretty.

First of all the plane was a commuter plane. Tiny, packed like sardines, and minimal A/C. Recipe for disaster. Since when do they use these things for a flight that's over two hours? Cheap.
Landon was having tantrums and screaming no matter what I did. Snacks, videos, games, nothing worked. It was a rotten flight and when we arrived in Houston he was ready to party on. At this point hubby and I were looking for loving people to leave him with in Houston, or maybe just living there so we didn't have to take our other flight.

He threw a few more tantrums and I decided I would burn the outfit he was wearing when we got home, (crew cuts khakis with dogs on them and an orange polo), because if I ever saw him and relived the memory of these flights I'd kill him.

Praise God we got him to sleep for two hours on the second flight. I even watched the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Part two and bawled. Fine, I'm pregnant and such a sucker.

No matter how much you prepare you can't know when they are going to pull this stuff on you. We've decided to not travel with him again until he's eighteen. I mean Christmas when we go to Texas. Damn.

Hobe Sound Shopping- My Hobe Away From Hobe....

Our trip to Palm Beach was very fun and filled with beach, pool and conch fritters!! It was a great Turkey day and I did not cook a thing! (Told you!)

I did manage to do a little exploring....

Apparently I should be living in Hobe Sound...because the beaches and houses are fabulous and the shopping is to die for! All that and the town is the size of my pinky!

Here's a little tour of my favorite stores!


Here is Seaside Daze....(no website but they can be reached at seasidedaze@yahoo.com)




This orange shell mirror was too fabulous!




Are you dying over the faux painting on the walls? I was!



















Meanwhile next door at L & D Company....(ldandcompany@bellsouth.net)



Yes that is a faux painted zebra print inside that armoire...





Such a cute Seahorse tree!



But low and behold....next door to that? C. Orrico!!! Lilly Pulitzer heaven!





There were a few more adorable shops and it was so fun to look around. Tune in tomorrow when I tell you what it's like to travel on four flights and two lay overs with a two year old!