fab finds

The reason the blog list on the right hand side is so long is because there are always new, fabulous blogs to be ogled over! I have to catalog all that redonkulous creativity otherwise I would misplace them and that would make me very sad. I admire peeps (and maybe do a little drooling) that can churn out an adorable gift, or host a spectacular birthday party, or bake up some scrumptious treat. It is so freaking inspiring! Not to mention the fantastic photos draw you right in. Note to self: get a new fancy camera!

This morning I stumbled upon a really cute 4th of July cupcake push pop from an awesome blog I have never seen before, which led me to another great find, that led me to more greatness....well you get the picture. All that eye candy popping off my laptop screen was overwhelming and too much for me not to share.

Be Different...Act Normal Get ready for project cuteness overload!!

Lady Behind the Curtain Bringing the simplicity of entertaining into your life.

Love From The Oven Baking up sweets and treats to give and eat.

Scissors & Spatulas ...and everything in between!

Three Pixie Lane She had me at "tree house"


Most know I am a lover of etsy. I mean I really, really love etsy!! It's a craft show on my computer that I can shop from in my pajamas. What's not to love?! Here are some fun finds I just had to share.

Vintage Confections as seen on Martha. I did some major swooning over the large number hard candy lollipops I tell ya.

Cup Kates Event Design if you were wondering where to buy those push pops. I know I was.

Not on etsy but you must go see: Sur La Table. They have the most adorable ice cream cups that I am in love with.

So there you have it. Go check it out....they are too good for you not to get inspired!

still here

So after all the pending rapture hub-bub of this past weekend, I'm still here as I'm pretty sure all of you are too. Phew! Made it through that one. And, I'm glad too because Sunday morning when I woke up, I weighed myself. Seeing the number staring back at me had me doing the happy dance. After two months I reached my first goal of a weight loss of forty pounds. The weight on my drivers license is now the same number as my actual weight. I don't want to toot my own horn.....but, toot!

Those of you close to me know I had weight loss surgery in March. And, those not close to me might say I took the easy way out. Which, my friends, I disagree with my whole heart. Weight loss surgery is not easy by any means. (Although the actual surgery is easier than from where it started out years ago. Gone are the days of barbaric, invasive surgeries.) It's a tool from which I actually see success after many years of struggle. Don't I deserve some success darn it?!

I'm not completely out of the woods just yet however. I've had some set backs and relearning foods that work and don't work has been frustrating. I hear the three month mark is magic and I'm about three and half weeks away. In the mean time, I just keep plugging along and reset my goal for another forty pounds.

skating party favors

For the most part, we invited the girls from class for this rocking roller skating party. But, one of my Miss Divine's bestest buddies from school is a boy, and, of course we had to invite him. Add him to her brother, cousin and a couple of family friends, we have five boys in total.

Each of the girls are going to receive one of these sweet roller skate necklaces because I fell in love with the charms and had to purchase them. However, I've been totally stumped on what to make for the boys that would be rad in their own right.

I thought something like a ball bearing, or roller skate wheels would be totally cool but I had to keep within the budget. I found myself in the jewelry section of our craft store this morning trying to convince myself little sparkly doo-dads could be something boyish and awesome. Skull and crossbones are over rated and over done. So I left the store empty handed.

Then it hit me!

I drove myself to the hardware store and picked out five of the best looking washers I could find. What's even more totally tubular is the lot only cost me a whopping 60 cents. Cha-ching!! I brought these bad boys home and made them into sweet neck wear is that off the chain!! Woot! Woot!

gr8 sk8

Roller skating is making a comeback, especially with all the awesome-ness roller derby girls. Last year, the kids' school had a fundraiser at our local skating rink. Boy, did that bring me back. I have fond memories of going to our local Skate Land back in the day. Even though the two skating rinks (the one from my childhood and our current neighborhood rink) are cities apart, they are one in the same. From the smell to the decor to the skates to the carpeted mushroom shaped seats. I was instantly a kid again and loved everything about it.

Being thrown back into 80s rad skating scene stirred up the party planning juices. I only had to twist Miss Divine's arm a little bit for her to agree on a roller skating 8th birthday party. Actually, no twisting involved. She was very much keen on the idea.

With her 8th birthday now less than a month away, I've started to whip this party into shape. My first stop for inspirations and ideas is the Internet which has left me a bit disappointed. I've binged and googled over and over again only to come up dry. I've searched every fave party blog and was left empty handed. Normally I'm flooded amazing tips, but not this time. I resorted to browsing images after searching "roller skate birthday party" and I found two blogs, both with cute ideas.

First is Junk Mamma's adorable skate centerpiece. Although I'm not going with the Hello Kitty theme, I instantly fell in love with her idea of putting flowers into the skate. Genius!

Next is Urban Daisies cute party favors. I love how the party theme was all tied together. Well done!!

Today I spent the better part of the morning searching every craft and party store for any roller skating goodies. I'm sad to report, there is really NOTHING out there. With a little brain storming and creativity, this is what I've got so far:

I found these adorable t-shirts at The GAP. One for Miss Divine and a matching top for little sis.

I've had these skates for about two years now. Found them at a garage sale for eight bucks. No joke! And, what do you know, they totally fit Miss Divine.

Favor bags turned out pretty cute. I found a skate photo online and printed it out on sticker paper. Inside we've got rainbow stickers and ring pops...so far. I'm hoping to score a few more goodies for the kiddos. I've been somewhat stumped on this one.

Adorable charms found on Etsy. I love them!! My plan is to make them into necklaces for the girlie's.

And this is our party invitation from Tiny Prints. Which is pretty darn fabulous!

comparing thee to a summer's day

This last Thursday an email landed in my inbox informing me El Fuego had volunteered to recite Shakespeare's sonnet no. 18 with some of his classmates for a Mother's Day breakfast on Friday. I'm so glad the gal organizing it wrote a note because we had no idea. Good thing too because El Fuego needed to be at school early.

In the end, it all worked out and the kids were adorable!!

It's not every day we moms get compared to a summer's day ya know.

a little bone to pick

You know what really bugs me? When people ask questions but have no interest in your answer. None. In fact, their lack of interest is so evident on their face that it makes you feel almost insecure. After which, you realize the only reason said person asked a question in the first place was to talk about themselves or their endeavors. So annoying. Nothing truly drives me more crazy than that. I mean, really!

However, there are lots of things that don't bug me. Including the lovely weather we had today. I didn't even wear a coat. Can you believe it!?! I couldn't. I'm crossing my fingers we move into warmer temperatures very soon because I am over this wet weather.

Things I love right now:

• Skinny Carmel macchiatos
• funny movies
• Fabulous photos of my kiddos
• Great friends!
• Sunshine
• sleeping in
• Facebook
• Garage sale season
• my Windows 7 phone
• texting!
• Weekends
• freshly groomed doggies
• Party planning

Something I'm not really proud of, however, is how I felt after hearing some unfortunate news about an acquaintance. It wasn't that I was happy something negative happened. Not at all. What it was .... was how much better I felt when the news made me quickly realized my wee family is okay. Let me explain. Sometimes, upon meeting people, it seems (on the surface) like they've got it all. You know what I mean right? Nice house. New cars. Sweet family. Successful businesses. Money!

Now we all know or have heard, "money can't buy happiness"..... yadda, yadda, yadda. Whoever made up that saying probably didn't have money because I think having a few extra bucks in my pocket would make me pretty darn happy. At the very least relieve some stress.

Anyway, with that said, once in a while, those nagging insecurities creep in and gnaw on your brain a little bit. I am totally guilty. I'll admit it. I don't like it when I let it happen. But it's true, sometimes when I'm tired and I've not got my wits about me, I let things bug me, just a little. Hearing the news today though, made me understand we are fine. My family is fine. And, that, made me very happy.

preschool mother's day tea

This is the very last year of preschool for my wee family. A chapter about to close. Next year all the kids will be at the same school with the same schedule. And although I am giddy about having the kids all in the same place at the same time, it is bittersweet we are doing all these preschool things for the final time.

Miss Petite loves her little school. It happens to be the messiest, most hands-on, critters everywhere learning center around. It's part farm, part wetland, part school, part fun. Every day I pick her up she is covered in some sort of substance from paint to mud. And, she is usually wet and dirty from playing outside. All of which she enjoys completely.

Being the baby of the family I always anticipated Miss Petite struggling with being left at school. But that's not been the case. Ever. If there is one thing this girl has got, it's confidence. She burst at the seams with it.

Preschool Mother's Day Tea last week.

Miss Petite and her class sang songs and handed out their gifts. It was all very cute!!