Cocktail Club Starts With Beauty and Basil!

It was a wonderful night and it went off without a hitch! Being the first event in our cocktail club, I wanted to really go all out. After all, God is in the details! I started with the theme of Beauty and Basil. I used this invitation from Paperless Post!

I even used a green crocodile liner. I know, I know. I am always extolling the virtues of paper invitations, but for this club wanted it to be easy peasy.

I wanted to have all forms of beauty at the party. Beauty you could see, taste, hear, touch and create!

First, husband had to get the pool and backyard looking smashing. And he did! Sod was in! Mama was happy! Before the party started we had to take of photo of our color coordinating Beauty and Basil attire!

I literally walked into Macy's with an exact idea of the dress I wanted and it was waiting for me. I love that place! Husband looked smashing in his Nantucket reds, green gingham Vineyard Vines shirt and blue blazer!


When our guests arrived they were treated to two signature cocktails from our bartender Robin.

One was a Cucumber Basil Martini with Vodka....

And the other was a Strawberry, Basil Mojito!

We moved outside for our cocktails. Aren't we a colorful and festive group!

 

Soon our Fabulous Chef Manouschka Guerrier of "Single Serving Bytes" was ready with our appetizers!

You may recognize her from Food Networks, Private Chefs of Beverly Hills! You can follow her on twitter @singleserving.

The menu:

Sliced Filet on a Crostini with horseradish

Tomato Basil Soup with Grilled Fontina Cheese

Lemon Basil Shrimp with Creole Cocktail Sauce

Tomato, Basil, and Watermelon skewers with balsamic simple syrup

Ahi Tuna Tare Tare Kiss

and guava cream cheese tartlets!

We were loving it! Soon my special guests arrived.

Danielle and her cellist . She was amazing and breathtaking! We listened and also watched the movie "Under The Tuscan Sun", playing on our outdoor wall.

Magical!  Throughout the night my guests painted on canvases with acrylic paints I had set out for them. One canvas per couple.

The guys got into it!

At the end of the night each guest left with a bottle of Santa Barbara Collection wine and a basil plant! A fabulous evening!!!

Bastille Day Parisian Dinner Party!

Apparently I went to Paris last night. I have the pictures to prove it.

A night under the stars.

A little place for the men to smoke their cigars.

And a bar worthy of a Parisian flat.

The french music played, we drank our champagne cocktails and we felt to lucky to be there! In Paris I mean!

Thank you to Shannan our fabulous host! I will be first in line to buy your book!

Note To Self

I think this is so perfect. Especially for all you busy Mom's running around out there!

Note to Self

• I am enough just as I am.
• I have NOTHING to prove to anyone.
• I don’t need to work any harder than I already do.
• It’s okay to slow down the pace of my life.
• It’s not a race to the finish.  There’s no trophy for first place.
• It is the simplest things that give the biggest pleasures in life—reading, working in the garden, cooking, spending time with family and friends… just being together.
• There is no guilt in not accomplishing everything on my to-do list.
• I don’t need to apologize for my behavior or make excuses.
• It’s safe to be ME.  To allow my TRUE self to shine.
• I don’t need anybody’s approval.
• I need only to listen to my inner guidance.
• My inner guidance is my compass, my true north.
• The rest is all ego….and can be let go.
• My walls of defense can come crumbling down.
• They are no longer needed.
• I can stand on my own two feet, secure in my knowledge that my higher self will provide all the support I ever need.
• I am free to be who I am.

A Dolphin Tale

We had been told about this movie and I am so glad we got to see it!

A Dolphin Tale was inspired by the amazing true story of a brave dolphin and the compassionate strangers who banded together to save her life! A tear jerker for sure. The way the boy in the movie, who is so shy, comes out of his shell to help the dolphin is amazing. Landon and Coco both loved this movie.

With all the challenges Landon will face with his arm I hope he was inspired to see this Dolphin refuse to give up!

Get it on amazon. I did!

Fourth Of July!

Do these pictures even need words? The kids loved every second and were WIPED out after!!

Yes that's Landon in the white shirt.

Look at my summer boy.

Sweet baby.

Friends forever.

Happy 4th!!!

Joel Osteens Declaration Of Independence!

Celebrate Your Freedom TODAY’S SCRIPTURE “You have been set free from sin...” (Romans 6:18, NIV) TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria Today in America, we celebrate Independence Day. July 4, 1776 was the day America declared its independence, but the battle for freedom went on until 1783 — seven years later. Even though the people declared their freedom in 1776, they had to stand and fight for many years before the British would accept and recognized the United States of America. In the same way, we have to declare our freedom and be determined to stand against the opposing forces of darkness in our lives. We have to declare our freedom from addiction, poverty, sickness and lack. We have to stand and fight until we fully experience His freedom and the peace that He has promised. I love what the early colonists did once they signed the Declaration of Independence. They read it out loud in public. They published it in the newspaper. They spread the word. They continued to declare and celebrate even though they were in the midst of the battle. Today, no matter what battle you may be facing, declare that you are free and celebrate your freedom because the victory you seek is on the way!

I love this! Happy 4th everyone!!

Pool Progress

Yes y'all it is coming together. Not as fast as I'd like, but it's happening! What happens when you put some new things in an old house? You have to replace everything! We had to waterproof, fix a garage wall that was dented and uneven, and level, level, level.

Here's how it's looking back there kids:

This is just the cement base over which we will lay the stone patio. I like a nice stone like this:

As for plotting and planning the whole list I found a whole new picture to love. Can it just look like this please?

Love the awning, the seating and the chairs in the pool! Heaven!!!!! Of course I had to pin this to my board on Pinterest. Are you following me there?