Baby Legs

Have you seen these adorable baby legs? If you need a shower gift or have a little one on the way I highly recommend them! I would not buy them for any child over one years old as my daughter won't seem to keep them on, but boy do they come handy when changing diapers! They run about $10.00-$12.00 each or you can buy a cute matching set of 3 for $30.00. Use this coupon code "FAVE10" and save 10% on their website from their "FAVORITES" category for a limited time!

Please Please Me...

I have become intensely frustrated lately. I am about 6 months pregnant and therefore slow and tired and just trying to get through the day with a two year old. It is hard for my psyche when I am unable to perform to my previous standards and have to "ask" for help. My hormones have me a bit emotional of course so that means more tears during heart felt commercials and nastier words during quarrels. I am ,however, particularly concerned with my husbands demands. He wants me to make sure his socks are washed and together and in his drawer when he needs them. I cannot wrestle the left sock monster in my condition...doesn't he know that?!? So dear, please please me.....and don't complain! You might lose a limb in the process!

A Double Rainbow All The Way!

Have you ever been this moved? This video is pretty funny. I think this guy may have thought he just won 4 pots of gold :)

Amazing 3 year old...

This amazing 3 year old memorizes poetry. Check out this video of him reciting "litany" and "The Eagle". I think he may break some hearts in 20 years or so :)

Mod Cloth

I love this retro clothing site. I especially love that they have a selection of dresses that have a longer length. I'm a little taller than the average bear so most dresses fall just a little short on me. Check these out... you are sure to love them!

Tea Cupcakes

Hostess with the Mostess featured these adorable cupcake molds that look like tea cups. What an elegant dessert to serve at a luncheon or baby shower! Click here to see more info about where to pick these babies up!

Nigerian Parents Give Birth To White Baby

A Nigerian couple living in Britain has stunned genetic experts while giving birth to a very white baby with blue eyes and very blonde curly hair. Click Here to link to full article at Blink.com

How to photograph a home for sale...

If you are trying to sell your house now, God bless you! You need all the help you can get in this market. Here are some good tips from CasaSugar that you might find helpful!


Rule number one of capturing the best pictures of your home is to get rid of all the clutter and clean up. Make beds perfectly, shine up glass and stainless, close the toilet bowl lid, fluff pillows, etc. A flawless looking pad could be the difference in getting a potential buyer or not.

Homes don't always look their best head on. Try to find your house's best angle by experimenting using different points of view. Avoid taking shots that focus on the garage door. Similarly, crop out less appealing features inside and out.

Your house is for sale, not your car. Remove any vehicles from the picture and try to avoid showing any parked cars on the street as well.

Partially set the dining room table or kitchen bar to make it picture perfect. You don't need to bother with all the utensils and cups, but the goal here is to make potential buyers find the room inviting and livable.

Capturing your pad in natural light is always best, but you should avoid taking the pictures when it's too bright or too dark. An hour after sunset or an hour before sunrise often provide good, soft light. Turn on the interior lights as well. If possible, skip the flash, which can make an image look sterile.

Click here to view photos and get more great info!

Renee Loux

She has become my new favorite greenie. Check out her blog here! She has great tips and ideas for healthy living/eating. She also has an amazing cook book called The Balanced Plate.





View some of her plastic tips below that you may not have thought about!

1. DON’T MIX HOT FOODS AND PLASTIC.
Putting hot stuff in plastic containers is never a good idea. The chemicals and additives in plastic, which are not especially stable, are released when plastic is heated and can leach into food and drink. Fatty foods and plastic are the worst combination of all because the chemicals in plastic are more soluble in fat, so they leach greater amounts of those chemicals into fatty foods.
2. USE LESS PLASTIC CLING WRAP.
Plastic wrap is a mainstay in kitchen everywhere, though its clingy convenience comes at quite a cost. Most plastic wraps are made with the worst kind of plastics (PVC and its cousins), which are laden with softening chemicals like phthalates and plasticizers that are believed to readily migrate into foods. Please, for your sake, never put plastic wrap in the microwave – try covering food with a glass or ceramic lid or plate, unbleached wax, parchment paper or a paper towel instead.
Reusable glass containers with lids and unbleached parchment paper are great, greener alternatives for storing food.
3. TOSS OUT OLD, SCRATCHED PLASTIC CONTAINERS.
Plastic containers that are scratched and cracked leach more unwanted chemicals into food and drinks than new containers do, Any plastic that is worse for the wear should not be used for foods. As plastic containers wear out, replace them with glass containers with lids for long-lasting, safer food storage. Unfortunately, many plastic containers can’t be recycled, but they can be repurposed for organizing stuff in drawers, closets, and offices or used as gardening tools.
4. GO FOR GLASS CONTAINERS.
For food storage, glass containers are the safest, greenest, most long-lasting way to go. They come in all shapes and sizes, and with tight-fitting lids for all of the convenience and non of the concern. A n eco-bonus is that glass containers can last for decades, and even if they suffer an untimely demise, they can be recycled with the glass bottles.
5. RETHINK PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES
Plastic water bottles are the bane of eco-green living, and they’re pretty impossible to avoid. The reality is that we require fluids to live and we need something to carry it them in. Plastic bottles have been the standard up until recently, but glass and stainless steel water bottles are great, green options that will let you avoid ingesting the chemicals that migrate from plastic and contributing to the 30 million plastic water bottles disposed of every day in the U.S.


To learn more about Safer Plastics and so much more, check out Easy Green Living: the ultimate guide to simple, eco-friendly choices for you and your home by Renée Loux

Happy Friday = Happy Hour

Look at this yummy drink!

I can't wait to try it. It's called a Ciroc Chic. The fresh blend of pomegranate and pineapple juices with crisp Cîroc vodka is an excellent choice for girls' night. Up the ante by garnishing this chic cocktail with edible flowers, such as pansies or violets.

Here is the recipe thanks to www.thebar.com.



Ingredients
U.S. Metric Conversion chart

* 1 1/2 ounce(s) Cîroc Vodka
* 1 1/2 ounce(s) pomegranate juice
* 1 ounce(s) pineapple juice
* 1 slice(s) pineapple, or edible flowers

Directions

1. Add Cîroc Vodka, pomegranate juice, and pineapple juice.
2. Shake with ice and strain into a prechilled martini glass.
3. Garnish with a pineapple slice or edible flowers.

Find 9 more perfect summer drinks at the Delish website by clicking here.

Better Chicken Conditions....

I know chickens aren't high on the totem pole, but I still think they deserve better conditions. I'm glad to see California become the first cage-free egg state.

According to planet green, that means..."Governor Schwarzenegger brought some good news to the state's chickens yesterday by signing legislation requiring that all whole eggs sold in California come from hens that are able to stand up, extend their limbs, and spread their wings without touching either one another or the sides of the cage."


Read the full article here.

Mini Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches

OH YUMMM. Summer is in full effect now and ice cream is just the right treat to cool us down. Martha Stewart has a great recipe for mini ice cream sandwiches. I like the small ones better for the kids and myself. Click here to connect to Marthas site for the recipe and 60 other perfect summer desserts!

Shabby Chic Baby Shower

Hostess with the Mostess always has amazing ideas for unique party themes. I fell in love with this Shabby Chic Baby Shower tablescape. I think if you raid a good thrift store you could pick most of these things up without breaking the bank. Check out more beautiful photos and ideas by clicking HERE!

Patriotic Crafts

Here are a couple of cute crafts from babycenter you and the kiddos can do for this holiday weekend!




Ages: 5- 8 years
Time to complete: 60 minutes
Re-create America's first flag, originally made in May 1776 by Betsy Ross

What you need:
Piece of white felt , 4 yards 5/8-inch red and white ribbon , 22 yards of blue grosgrain ribbon , 12-inch dowel , wooden beads , ruler , scissors , fabric glue
Instructions:
Cut seven 16-inch lengths of red ribbon and six 16-inch lengths of white ribbon. Cut out a 5-inch-by-9-inch piece of white felt. Start gluing a red ribbon to the white felt, letting half an inch of ribbon hang over the wide side of the rectangle. Continue alternating white and red ribbon until you have a total of 13 stripes. Fold over the short ends of the ribbons and glue to the back of the felt to create a finished edge. Cut seven strips of blue ribbon 6 inches long. Starting at the upper corner, fold half an inch of ribbon over the edge of the felt and glue to secure. Glue the blue ribbons on top of the red and white ones. At the other end of the blue ribbon, fold under half an inch and glue to create a finished edge. Cut 13 white stars from the remaining felt. Glue the stars onto the blue ribbon in a circle. Fold back the tips of the loose ends of the red and white ribbons twice and glue. Take four 3-inch strips of ribbon and create loops. Glue the loops to the back of the wide side of the felt. Place a dowel through the loops. Glue wooden beads to the ends of the dowel to secure the flag. Tie a ribbon to each end and hang.


Ages: 4- 8 years
Star Mobile
Time to complete: 60 minutes

What you need:
White and blue paper , string , embroidery hoop , red paint , paint brush , scissors glue
Instructions:
Paint an embroidery hoop red. Cut out as many white or blue star shapes as you like. Attach the stars to the string by gluing two matching stars together with the string sandwiched between them. Cut the strings to different lengths.
Wrap each piece of string around the hoop and glue or knot ends. Continue attaching stars until you have the desired number, making sure the mobile is balanced on all sides.
Tie four pieces of string at equal distances around hoop and tie the ends together. Thread a wooden bead on the strings.
Hang near a window.



Ages: 3- 8 years
This festive, patriotic fan will keep you cool on a hot, summer day.

What you need:
Red and white wrapping paper , Popsicle sticks , blue construction paper , scissors and glue.
Instructions:
Cut a sheet of wrapping paper 35" long by 5" high. Accordion-fold the paper, allowing about 1/2" for each fold. Glue ends together so it makes a circle. Flip the fan over. Make a handle by glueing a popsicle stick onto each side of the seam where you glued the circle together. Cut out two stars from the blue construction paper and glue them in the center of the fan on the front and the back.

Not Just For Birthdays...

I thought this was an adorable idea! Banners for everyday! Check out all of the cute options from Banter Banner! Only $10.00 each!

Fun Friday Fights...

Check out these fight scenes. Stand back James Cameron.





Worth watching for the one liner at the end :)

Have a fantastic weekend!

Free Dress Pattern...

A friend of mine who knows I live in Italy and have a little girl recommended this site to me and there is a free dress pattern available on it. So cute and perfect for summer!

Click here for free dress pattern from the MADE blog!

Congrats, you're.......not pregnant :/

Ever been asked how far along you were when you weren't pregnant at all? I mean, what is wrong with people? Ok, this spurred from it happening to me...twice. Should this tell me something? Hmmmm. Well apparently it happens a lot. Here are some tips from Lil Sugar to keep you from making the same mistake to some other poor husky girl :)

http://www.lilsugar.com/Real-Mom-Tips-Telling-Woman-Pregnant-8730691

2 year old smokes 40 cigs a day...

This is horrible and cruel and unfortunately in some way, hilarious.



Read the whole story at www.thehuffingtonpost.com

One Hell of a Party!

Forgive me for my absence. I have been traveling for the last month and now packing to move but I had to blog about this latest party thrown by Pi Beta Phi. I'm so far removed from college life at this point I hardly remember those days. I couldn't help but giggle when I read about this recent party. I think these are the kind of throw downs they write movies about. You know the ones. The new geeky but kind hearted college freshman that is in love with the sophomore hottie. Tell me, does he get the girl???

Click link here to read about this raging party from www.thesmokinggun.com.

At the Circus

When I was about ten years old my grandfather took me to the circus. There were about 4 baby elephants there that they were letting the kiddies ride on. I have always been and animal lover and I was just itching to get on. I did but after the ride I felt horrible. It was like I could feel the animals sadness. This obvious unnatural behavior for this massive beautiful creature oozed from its body language and sad eyes. It wasn't until recently that I decided that the circus although being a fun and amazing event to go watch is just too cruel for these wild animals. I vowed I would never go again if animals were being abused in the show. This video is a little glimpse into what I think probably goes on with most of the wondrous beasts they have trained.

Body Guard

Remember this video? I used to LOVE it. The damn things gets stuck in my head. It makes me smile so I thought I would pass it on!!

J-woww what are you wearing?

Ok so I'm no diva in the gym (because it's the gym) but the cast of Jersey Shore continues to shock people even when working out. Is that a tube top she is wearing? Im no physicist but I know gravity and I'm thinking the girls aren't getting much support there...OUCH.

read more here from fitsugar!

Camille Allen

This amazing artist makes the most life like miniture babies out of polymer clay and resin that I have ever seen. They range any where from $99.00 to $4,000.00. Um...I think I will just enjoy the pictures of them! How cute are they? Here is a link to her site if you are interested in more info on Camille Allen.

Happy Easter

This is a young cowboy wiser than his years...a great Easter Lesson!

WS cooking class

A fantastic friend and writer is sharing her experience with a recent cooking class. Thank you Antonetta! Here is what she has to say about it...

Last Sunday, my sister and I went to Williams-Sonoma for their cooking technique’s class. Not only was this a cooking class at one of my favorite stores, it was also a class on pies and tarts, one of my favorite things to bake. I’ve definitely made my fair share of pies before, but they’ve usually been the standard “pie-in-a-box” kind. That was, until several months ago when I made my first real pie from scratch. So I was really happy when I found out that everything they were baking in this class was going to be made the same way.
During the class they made a chocolate pudding pie with a cookie crumb crust, topped off with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. As far as I know, this was the first time I’d ever had chocolate pudding that didn’t come from a small little JELL-O box. It was so creamy and rich! The cookie crumb pie crust was just as yummy, and it was so easy to make. You only need three ingredients and it bakes in 7-10 minutes. The second dish was a lemon curd tart with whipped cream on top. They made this with the traditional pie dough and it turned out beautifully. It was very sweet and light tasting. Between this tart and the chocolate pie, I believe I had satisfied about a week’s worth of sugar cravings in under 30 minutes.

The last dish was Quiche Lorraine. This was a bunch of my favorite breakfast foods all baked in a deep and buttery pie crust. However, the highlight of this dish wasn’t the savory quiche itself, but the pie dish it was baked in. I think I needed a few seconds to recover after I first saw it. It’s part of Emile Henry’s Artisan Collection and as far as pie dishes go, this one is beautiful (especially the Pometerra one)! Aside from its pretty looks, it also cooks pies and quiches to perfection. The entire dish is made of clay, so it’s quite heavy and will last you forever. Seeing as how I think it is the perfect pie dish, I’ve decided that I am going to have to buy it in a few weeks, as a birthday present for myself! Now I’m just patiently waiting for the next class to come along…topic- Healthy Cooking with Seafood (another fav).
If you’re interested, almost all of the Williams-Sonoma locations host these classes. The classes are free and usually held on Sundays at 12noon. Just call your store as far in advance as possible so you can reserve yourself a spot. They fill up fast! In my area, I prefer the Hilltop location in Virginia Beach instead of the one at MacArthur Center. It’s a more intimate setting, the class sizes are small and the ladies there are very friendly and helpful. They are usually willing to sign you up for a class even if it’s full!
Check out these links for more info!
Williams-Sonoma Site
Chocolate Pie Recipe
Lemon Curd Tart
Quiche Lorraine
Emile Henry Artisan Ruffled Pie Dish
Another great find was the Pancake Pen from the previous week’s class on Cakes and Cupcakes. It’s a great tool to use when filling cupcake trays. It’s also great for making pancakes for kids because you can draw out little designs and shapes right in the pan…and it’s only $9.95.

Identity Theft...

In this virtual world identity theft lurks around every corner. Keep an eye out and keep yourself protected. Check out these latest victims!







Happy Easter!

Beauty Pageant....for Goats?!?!

Alice Lane Home

If you like interior design, definitely follow Alice Lane Home. They have great ideas! Check out these Pussy Willows, what a fresh and easy look!

Click Here to link to their blog!

Hippity Hop

Here comes that bunny, time to dye those eggs. Look at these gorgeous marbelized eggs from Martha Stewart.

If the earth hatched from a giant egg, as the ancient Persians believed, it might have resembled one of these in our dreamy dozen. We used a simple dyeing technique to create the intricate swirls of color. Every Easter egg made this way is one of a kind. Click Here to see how to create this masterpiece!

Doggone that's CUTE!!

Clean like Martha

On Marthastewart.com I found a ton of great ideas for Spring Cleaning. The weather is warm so the windows open and the house gets a super clean. Here are some tips that helped me!

How to Clean Marble
How to care for wood furniture
How to polish a copper pot
How to clean your stainless steel

Love you Martha!!
photo from Marthastewart.com

Ali quote

"Don't count the days, make the days count"

Muhammad Ali

Holly Wierd Women

I found this article about odd looking actresses in Hollywood. I do agree that some of their bone structure may be unusual but I can't bring myself to say they are weird looking or ugly. Every woman is beautiful in their own way and beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder. I actually think some of the women in the article are quite breathtaking. I saw a discovery channel show long ago that studied "beauty". They claim that perfect proportion makes a beautiful woman. In my opinion sometimes it is a womans uneven smirk that gives her character and makes her just plain cute. What do you think? Click here to see the full list of leading ladies that Paul Tassi from Unreality magazine highlights...

Pastel Pearls

I LOVE this pastel pearl wrap from WillOaks Studio. It's gorgeous and affordable! The pastel colors of Spring on a shimmering pale gray silk chain. A careful selection of shapes and colors suggests a pastel version of a rainbow. Can be wound 'round and 'round the wrist for a lovely dense cuff bracelet full of glossy pearls. Also fun to wear in many different ways as a necklace--clustered or cascading, long or short. Such a beautiful pastel color collection that is just perfect for a soft Spring accessory. Click HERE to link to the site!

No Air Tires

I have been wondering why we didnt already have this technology a long time ago! It's amazing what we can do with manmade materials these days. I received an email with the following information. These tires are airless and are scheduled to be out on the market very soon.

The bad news for Police and other law enforcement is that stinger spikes will not work on these.

Just think of the impact on existing technology:
A. No more air valves ...
B. No more air compressors at Gas stations ...
C. No more repair kits .....
D. No more flat tires ...
E.. Less expensive and more money in the drivers pocket.


These are pictures taken in the South Carolina plant of Michelin.