Take the Vanity Fair Questionnaire

If you answer these on your blog let me know! I want to read it!!!

Or answer in your comment!



What is your idea of perfect happiness? A beach vacation with wine.
What is your greatest fear? My children dying.
Which historical figure do you most identify with? Lilly Pulitzer. I'm just a girl with a vacationy dream.
Which living person do you most admire? Carol Burnett
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Being judgemental.
What is the trait you most deplore in others? One upping.
What is your greatest extravagance? Dinners out.
What is your favorite journey? Self discovery
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
On what occasion do you lie? If it will hurt someones feelings.
What do you dislike most about your appearance? Getting old.
Which living person do you most despise? Anyone who demands that it’s their way or the highway.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
What is your greatest regret? Trusting the untrustworthy.
What or who is the greatest love of your life? My husband, kids, cats and dog.
When and where were you happiest? At the altar.
Which talent would you most like to have? Flexibility, and a great singing voice
What is your current state of mind? Amazed and slightly panicked.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? My weight!
What do you consider your greatest achievement? Parenting without a net.
If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be? A pelican who visits the Highlands Inn in Carmel.
What is your most treasured possession? My humor.
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? No sense of humor.
Where would you like to live? Bahamas.
What is your favorite occupation? Doing the unexpected.
What is your most marked characteristic? My humor and knack for being people together.
What is the quality you most like in a man? Resilience.
What is the quality you most like in a woman? Loyalty
What do you most value in your friends? Being there through thin and thin. That’s friendship treasured.
Who are your favorite writers? Maya Angelou
Who is your favorite hero of fiction?Auntie Mame and Mary Poppins
Who are your heroes in real life? My father and my son.
What are your favorite names? Landon and Coco.
What is it that you most dislike? Braggarts
How would you like to die? I wouldn’t.
What is your motto? Save water drink Champagne.

Friday Five! Cardio Barre, The Blacklist and The Eagles Oh My!

Hi!

Here are the things I am loving right now! Brought to you by these lovely ladies: A. Liz Adventures, Hello! Happiness, The good life blog and Carolina Charm.

1. Cardio Barre-

Ladies I cannot tell you how long it had been since I exercised! I am now re invigorated after discovering Cardio Barre. It's low impact, high energy and fun. Have you tried it?

This is a video of the guy who runs my studio!




2. The Blacklist

James Spader is back and more evil than ever! I just love him and the show is riveting! Check it out on NBC!

 

3. I made this Greek Yogurt Chicken from Laloosh and it was great! You don't even need to marinate it. Just whip it up!

Lowfat and delicious!

4. I went to see the Eagles in concert and I have to say I was pretty impressed. They sounded great and were funny as hell. Go see them if you can :)

5. The Target Ankle Skinny Jean is rocking my world. Just got the dark denim too. Hello they are $11!!!!! The have cute little zippers on the back of the ankle!

Throw Back Thursday

Where does the time go!?

Valentines Day Favors

Every year I get ahead of this because two classes and this many kids can make my mind whirl!!!! Valentines are so cute.


Last year I did these:

This year I got these for Oriental Trading Company:

Landon picked out these Valentine Gorillas for his class.

Coco liked these!

Yes, light up heart necklaces.
You light up my life? Sure!

Now if you're feeling more crafty, I do think these ideas are cute:

Dig it?

What are you making for Valentines Day?

Five On Friday- My Top Five Most Popular Blog Posts Of The Year

I got this idea from September Acres, who has a fabulous blog herself! Of course this Friday Five I am connecting with these amazing ladies who all seem to be pregnant!! It's in the water look out! LOL

Here are my top five most popular blog posts of 2013. Let's do it David Letterman style to make it more suspenseful!

5. The Five Best Thanksgiving Ideas From Pinterest- My Friday Five!

Well of course. These ideas are amazing. Especially this!!!

4.  RIP Lilly Pulitzer- Anythings Possible With Sunshine and A Little Pink

Lilly Pulitzer is not just a brand. It's an attitude. Read on!

3.  March is National Reading Month With Levar Burton!

I am so happy that this is a popular post! Reading Rainbow is back in a big way!

2.  The Best Hotel In Santa Barbara- The Montecito Inn!

And I feel that the love is mutual because they send me a Christmas Card! LOL

And the most popular post of 2013 is.......


1. The Going Rate for The Toothfairy. How much do you give?

This was a controversial post! Weigh in!!!

Thanks for a great year!!!!Looking forward to a fabulous 2014!!!!

Starving

Sometimes we don't know how hungry we are....


For a hug...

For a real friend....

For beauty....

For Connection....

So when Landon's sweet school got a new addition of green. After these kids had just seen black top...and suddenly grass. They felt nothing but JOY.

I was so happy to help and make this happen. These kids were starving for green. Starving for playtime. Starving for joy. And now they've got it. And it brings tears to my eyes.

A little Christmas Tour- Christmas Tree and mantle bow tutorial

I am not even going to PRETEND I made the bow on the top of my tree.

BUT...I will tell you I cried when my HUSBAND put it on top of the tree! (yes loves he made them!!)

Love the turquoise and the gold angel!

I couldn't go all red and green because my newly recovered fabulous couch and rug would clash. So I did and little red on the mantle but the rest purple and turquoise.

My sister is a model so she was showing me how to make my arm look thinner. Not sure it worked! LOL.

Anyhoo, if you want to make the bow of your dreams just watch this bow tutorial!

Christmas Traditions To Love

Every year I look forward to some fun holiday festivities. Makes the whole Christmas Season so exciting for the kids!

1) Teddy Bear Tea-

This year my parents were in town so they came along!

The kids get sweet treats, hot cocoa and a marionette show!

2. Breakfast With Santa-

Our club does a very small and very sweet breakfast with Santa. The kids really have time to talk to Santa and enjoy their pancakes!

3. Aladdin And His Winter Wish at the Pasadena Playhouse-

Last year it was Snow White with Ariana Grande!

This year the Aladdin show blew the kids away! 

4. Nutcracker!

The San Gabriel Mission Playhouse is gorgeous. I love to see the costumes, the staging, the ballerinas, and the wonder on our kids faces!

5. Christmas Lunch at Villa Blanca-

It's gorgeous and sparkly and fun to do our White Elephant!

What are your traditions you love?

Christmas Menu Ideas

I am busy butting together my menu for Christmas Eve and Christmas!

I am loving this recipe for Coffee Rubbed Beef Tenderloin from Guru To The Outdoors:

We had this last year and it was amazing!

And bring on the Scalloped Potatoes PLEASE! Martha Stewart has a great recipe!

I thought this would make an amazing appetizer:

 Scallops with cucumber and jalapeno from Fine Cooking. I get a lot of great recipes from them!

and I'm gonna try this as a side dish. Broccoflower and Crimini Mushrooms.

And I may attempt this for dessert!!!

TRIPLE LAYER CHOCOLATE CAKE COATED IN CARAMEL BUTTER CREAM, TOPPED WITH SALTED CARAMEL AND DECORATED WITH CHOCOLATE DIPPED COCONUT MACAROONS!

 

Am I yelling? Its from Hugs and Cookies.

What's on your menu?? DO TELL!

I'm Getting To Know Landon's Arm

I'm getting to know this arm.

That sounds kind of funny but, it's true. This is not the arm I dreamed of for my son. This is not even the arm he was born with. Today Landon's arm looks like this.

We're getting to know each other, this arm and I.

I realize I have tried to hate it. The torture it puts us through. But I also realize this arm is attached to the greatest human being I've ever met. A human being that needs to grow up at peace with this arm, not hating it. I need to be grateful for this arm, the arm that was saved by god.

God has a plan for this arm that I cannot even fathom. This arm touches people, makes people talk, makes them grateful. This arm is everything. So when I care for this arm, rather than cursing it, I am going to bless it. As it has blessed me.
 
It's hard to see your baby in pain. It's even harder to explain it. Through all of this my inspiration and strength comes from Landon. He wakes up everyday with hope in his heart and joy all over his face. 

This Christmas I find myself living for the joy that he is feeling. Every little thing he discovers is full of wonder.  By the time we get this contraption removed it will be February. I know there will be hard days ahead, but this Christmas I feel nothing but LOVE all around this arm. And that, my lovelies, is a Christmas Miracle.