Detoxing

*photo credit: Sara Janssen

Just wanted to say hola. I have just a few minutes to post. My mother in law is in town, and last night my own mother spent the night so she could hang out with us. They get along swimmingly-it's such a blessing.

Southern Hubby had a work dinner with some Japan clients so it was a girl's night out for us. We enjoyed a good shopping trip capped off with a dinner from the Cheesecake Factory. That place is so yummy but my poor stomach.... I was up all night with a sore tummy.

Which got me thinking about Sara's raw food journey. I know I've mentioned Sara before. She is an awesome and unique woman...living the good life, following God, and doing it all while maintaining her own morals and ethics. She is an awesome steward of the Earth...she even made a deal with herself when she could NOT purchase something brand new for a whole year. And she did it! Can you imagine? Her reasons are awfully compelling...I just don't know if I could do it.

Anyone out there living as a vegetarian, vegan, or loving a raw food diet? I'm seriously thinking about at least starting to drink a green smoothie every day. She had a challenge this past summer but I missed it. I'm looking for another green smoothie partner....just in case my courage fails and I need some motivation.

If anyone thinks they can go through sugar detox with me, let me know! Sounds scary, but after the way I felt last night, I'm starting to think it's a smart cookie thing to do.

Happy Friday!!! And Happy Halloween, y'all!
xoxo

loving…

1.  this sofa from martha stewart furniture with bernhardt.  i haven’t priced it out but her collection is really reasonable.

2.  this color combo.  the room was designed by pamplemousse design inc. and i spotted it on this blog.

3.  this A-DOR-A-BLE crib from pottery barn kids called the olivia fixed gate crib.  i love it.  it has so much character.

4.  this hayden crib bedding from caden lane.  i mean is this cute or what.

5.  these precious mobiles from the etsy shop pink perch.

6.  these fun pumpkin pics.  thought they would be a good way to end the list.  HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

images - here

i know what you are thinking…no, i’m not preggers.  sorry to disappoint.  i’ve got baby on the brain because i’m about to start working on a nursery.  it is fun to window shop for baby things though. 

have a safe and happy halloween!

LiveJournal Tags: loving...,martha stewart furniture,pamplemousse design inc,pottery barn kids,olivia fixed gate crib,hayden bedding,caden lane,mobiles,etsy,pink perch,halloween

bringing in the fall

i finished decorating for fall today.  i didn’t do much and i definitely didn’t spend a lot of money, but i think that it turned out quite nicely and it will last through thanksgiving.

here’s our dining table center piece.  i got the monogrammed pumpkin idea from layla over at the lettered cottage.  such a cute idea.  i picked up a 1/2 yard of burlap from the fabric store and cut it to just fit under the arrangement.  without the burlap it didn’t have anything to ground it.

in our pass-thru archway that leads to the kitchen i used an old tray and and placed a jar candle and some leaves inside of it.  i didn’t like how the jar’s label was showing so i used leaves and raffia to cover it up.

our entryway is more like a long hallway but it is big enough for us to have a part shelf, part table .  i added a hurricane vase filled with limbs from our dogwood trees that are a lovely shade of red-orange right now. 

i had a couple of brown pillar candles that i bought earlier in the year so i wrapped them in leaves and raffia and placed them on the table too.  i’m not a huge fan of raffia but for this project it worked.

for the very last little project i used a vase that i had in the house and added some of the left-over dogwood limbs to it.  i placed it on top of painted shelves that we have in our kitchen.  we also got a halloween card from a friend last week so i added that up there too.  it’s simple but it works.

and that’s it.  the house is decorated for fall.  can’t wait until i can decorate for christmas though.

LiveJournal Tags: decorating for fall,thanksgiving,the lettered cottage,hurricane vase

A 20-something's look at feminism

Feminism can be quite the slippery subject. Brought up in a crowd of high powered lawyers, and you might be given one opinion. But bring the topic up to a crowd of stay at home wives and mothers and the opinion may be the exact opposite.

But what happens when you bring the topic up to a group of young college graduates, who were more often than not raised by working mothers that grew up in the bra burning era?

I was dying to know.

And this is where you come in...

Most of us know where I stand. Like many of you, I hold a college degree. In my family it was not an option. You graduate high school then go on to college. Period. But after one year of working, I knew the classroom was not where I was meant to be forever. In that one year of marriage, my heart changed. I longed to be home. I wanted to wake up every morning, get the coffee going, make the bed and get Southern Hubby off to work. I wanted to join bridge clubs, volunteer, learn to sew and quilt. I wanted to be the PTA president, have fresh cookies baked when my child arrived home from school; I wanted to dig my hands into my home- knowing that I had a hand in every clean toilet, every streak free mirror, every dust free shelf, and every precious tradition.

To me, there was no greater gift I could give my family.

But I had to come a long way to get to that point. As a child, I do remember wishing my mother was home. As a teen, even though an empty house allowed me many freedoms, deep down I longed for her to be there. But I didn't know any different. None of my friends had stay at home mothers. That was a figment of a 1950's past. Real women had jobs. Real women juggled home and work. Real women were told they could have it all. Right?

What do you think? Where do you stand on this hot topic issue? Can you have it all?

My mother in law is coming into to town, so my posts might be spotty! I can't wait to read y'all's answers!

Happy crisp fall day! Only 2 more days until Halloween!!!

xoxo

UPDATE: Of course, as all the great comments come in, I am reminded of how 'small' my view of feminism was presented in my blog. No, I do not think it is only work vs. home. I am so passionate about this subject, I could have written thesis length post, but I decided to spare my readers. :)

Suffice it say, I believe feminism is about women being created equal. And here is where my view will get me in to trouble with many women. I believe we are equal, yes. But I believe we were created different- with different strengths and different weaknesses.

My views, which are based on my Christian beliefs, tell me that although we are created equal and are equal in value (in God's eyes), we are here to do things differently. God made women delicate and feminine. We are nurturing and creative. He made us soft and caring, with empathic hearts. To me, these characteristics serve well at home.

Many women will say, "I'd love to stay home but we cannot afford to be a one income family."  But let me leave you with this thought...Why do you need two incomes?

In the 1950's and 60's, the average American home was less than 1500 sq. feet. That size has doubled today. It was considered normal for two boys to share a room. There was no dedicated 'TV/media' room. No pool table area. Only one bathroom was needed, not one for each person. Women sewed. Some made their own clothes. Children's lunches weren't expensive 'lunchables', they were left overs, or homemade sandwiches. A lot of women made due with what they had in order to stay home. I think the whole mentality of 'keeping up with the Jones' is a big reason women cannot afford to stay home. Alot of people buy into to this mentality, me included. (BTW, no where in this am I saying that I'm perfect or above these ideals.)

And the ramifications were tremendous. I noticed a shift in society when women went into the work force. Morals went down. Crime went up. Women were not at home monitoring what their children got into. A two income lifestyle lead to more wants, more 'needs', more, more, more. The simple life no longer existed. Like one commenter said, you cannot have it all. Something will suffer.

 And I think that is where 'femininsts' sold us a raw deal....telling us we could have it all. Life doesn't work that way. It only drove women crazy. Their self worth suffered because, although they got that raise at work, Timmy fell behind on him homework and has to repeat a grade. They put in their 60 hours at work, but felt guilty over sending Molly to school with store bought cupcakes, not homemade kind like she wanted. If you are not "Super Mom," then you're a failure. Super Mom does it all. No one tells them that Super Mom is a big fat lie.

I could write on and on, but I'll save that for another post. Just thought I'd add this in, too. Whooo, this one stirred the pot for sure...have at me gals! ;)

cover ‘em

cool idea for staircase spindles.  if you don’t like ‘em…cover ‘em.  even if you do like ‘em…cover ‘em anyway.  it’s like accessories for your staircase.

image – belle maison via nicole hollis

LiveJournal Tags: staircase,belle maison,nicole hollis

PEMENANGNYA!!!!!

Saya dah dapat gambar2 penyertaaan semua...

boleh tahan gak yg hantar...pening ni tgh nak pilihhhhhhhhhhh..

Yang mana satu ye idaman hati saya....

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Tunggu jap k....

bring on the holidays

i’ve never really gotten into decorating for fall.  although i love the colors, i’ve never been one to fill my house with pumpkins and spooky things.  it’s probably because around the time most people start to decorate their house for halloween and fall, i start to get super excited about decorating for christmas.  once i get christmas on the brain it’s hard for me to get it off.  billy has to try really hard to keep me from getting a tree earlier than thanksgiving.  once it’s up it would suit me just fine to leave it there ‘til easter.  i’ve even been known to start listening to my christmas cd’s as early as september.  christmas is my favorite holiday, can you tell.  LOVE the decorations, the colors, the smells, the music, the sweet little baby that we celebrate it for…pretty much everything about it. 

saturday my restoration hardware catalog came in and guess what, there were the first signs of christmas in it.  i love the way they styled this issue.  i’m definitely going to be stealing quite a few of their ideas this season. 

like this one…hanging christmas ornaments on lots of tree limbs.  i don’t thing i would drape my whole dining room in them but one or two limbs hanging on the wall would be a nice touch.

on my side table or maybe my coffee table i’ll be using this arrangement.  pretty much the same idea as the last but just arranged in a large hurricane vase.

berries, pomegranates and candles make a perfect casual dining table centerpiece. 

love the idea of hanging a wreath on the inside as well as the outside.

even though i could decorate for christmas tomorrow i’ve decided i’m at least going to do a fall centerpiece this year.  if it turns out like i hope it will i’ll post some pics later.

LiveJournal Tags: halloween,restoration hardware,fall,christmas

Preppy Blogger of the Week: Queen Bee Swain

A staple of the preppy bloggers, Queen Bee Swain is known for her humerous stories, fun pictures and love of all things regal and preppy! It was an honor to interview her along with my bbm bff, Kappa Prep.

1. How did you come up with your blog name?

 I have been a coxswain for nine years- I was on the boys team in college (the gender of the coxswain doesn't matter on college teams)- my mother always said that I looked like the Queen Bee in the boat directing the rowerboys about. A few of the rowerboys actually will call me their QueenBee!

2. What preppy item could you not live without aka the one thing you would take with you to a deserted preppy island?

2- I would have to say that I'd bring a book- Social Climbers by Beth Dunn. It's like Bergdorf Blondes/Debutante Divorcee and The Preppy Handbook had a baby- a fun and light read with lots of lists of all things Preppy. I'm the kind of person that is always reading a book and the thought of being stuck somewhere with nothing to read is my worst nightmare- thankfully this book is one that you can read over and over again!

3. Who is your preppy icon?

3- Kate Middleton (Prince William's girlfriend), although she is more of a Sloane Ranger (the British version of a Preppy). She is always so well turned-out and posh-looking. She is an even bigger fan than QueenBee of knee-high boots. Kate's taste is understated, chic and timeless- everything one would hope for from -fingers crossed- the future Queen of England. She is a fan of skiing, shooting and polo- all things the British Royal Family are very keen on and recently has started to lend her efforts to charity galas. Ooooh I have such high hopes for her and plan on throwing an engagement and a wedding party for her!

4. Where do you find your daily blog inspiration?

4- My inspiration comes from the myriad of other Preppy bloggers out there and various bits of my day-to-day life- whether it be a piece of clothing I just have to gush about, to a recipe I need to share or something that happened in my life I thought was worthy of sharing. I'd also have to say that above all else, I try to put out only positive elements. The J.M. Barrie quote, "Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves." is a personal source of inspiration and a goal I strive to achieve on a day-to-day basis.

5. What is your favorite preppy photo of yourself?

5- This photo is of QueenBee, mid August this year at the 106th NWIRA Regatta, with the trophy for the Men's Championship Eight (the fastest race and boat in the regatta). The trophy is as old as the regatta and insured for just over $8,000. The official regatta photographer insisted that a picture of just me and the trophy be taken as it is clearly almost as large as I am. What is fun about this too is that I am in my favorite Lilly Pulitzer sundress and in winning this race, I beat two of the rowerboys that raced in the Men's Eight for the USA and won bronze at the Beijing Olympics!

6. If you could have one celeb's wardrobe including shoes and bags, whose would you get?

6- I am going to have to say Princess Marie Chantal of Greece. She is a Miller sister (their father founded Duty Free shops)- one sister married a von Furstenberg, one married a Getty and MC married the heir to the Greek crown. Like Kate, MC is always so polished looking and anything she wears is nothing short of flawless- you know that she understands and appreciates grooming. I believe that she'd have a killer wardrobe with all of her royal galas and functions she attends, plus she is a fan of fur! *

7. What clubs, societies, or volunteer organizations are you involved in? Were you in a sorority in college?

7- I attended a Catholic university so we did not have a Greek system (I am not sure if this is applicable to ALL Catholic schools or not, but most of my friends that attended Catholic universities also did not have a Greek system). This is the only aspect of my college career that I wish I could have changed, I always thought it would be great fun and had I gone to University of Wisconsin surely would have pledged. I am a current member of the Junior League of Saint Paul, Minneapolis Rowing Club and University Club of Saint Paul (a former F. Scott Fitzgerald haunt). I just do not know how I'd live without philanthrophy, rowing and a great pool!

8. What were your plans for the weekend?

8- This past weekend was the first weekend that I have been home in over a month- I've been on the road for family events and regattas! I excused myself from an event on Friday evening to go shopping- totally needed some "me" time. I went out on Saturday evening in Uptown for a triple-birthday for a few college teammates and then on Sunday I volunteered at the North Star Challenge regatta as the dockmaster.

9. Describe your perfect preppy outfit. Don't forget to include accessories.

9- I'm sure it's cliche, but I'm going to go with a Lilly Pulitzer shift- maybe something from the Fall 2008 line- as it could be worn with a turtleneck underneath and knee high boots when the temperature takes a nose-dive South, or just by itself with strappy sandals. For sure my KEP Designs twisty pearl necklace and my pearl earrings and the Brahmin toasted almond croc purse of mine. I'm fairly certain that you'd be able to look poised and polished just about anywhere in this outfit!

*Editor's note: As much as I love Miss Queen Bee Swain, I am not a fan of fur (unless it is faux, of course!) so just a reminder that all the Preppy Blogger of the Week's answers do not always reflect the attitudes or values of the this blog owner! :)

Happy Monday!! :)

xoxo

doesn’t get much prettier

i just came across this 2009 idea house from coastal living.  i could so live here. 

i mean who wouldn’t want to live here with this north carolina view.  i can just imagine lounging in a chaise out under this lazy tree, sipping on a cup of tea and listening to the wind blow through the grass.  that’s the way i would start every day.

i could also get used to this kitchen.  love the two-tone cabinets and the light fixture that’s almost identical to one of my favorites.  i would trade the man out for my husband though.

i’ve always wanted a kitchen with a nook…just like this one.  i’m sure sweetie, my little jack russell terrier, would be looking out this window all day long.

on rainy days i would curl up with a book in the sunroom.

or in this cozy room by the fire.

i’d love to entertain guests in the living room.  the muted colors are so soothing.  i absolutely love the bird artwork on the back wall.  it’s so elegant.

having an outdoor kitchen like this one would make entertaining a lot of fun too.

and when i had guests stay overnight they could stay in this lovely guest suite.

jewelry and accessories included in the stay…

after entertaining i would retreat to the lovely master suite.

maybe some day….

all images – coastal living

LiveJournal Tags: 2009 idea house,coastal living,north carolina,kitchen chairs,two-tone cabinets,nook,muted colors,outdoor kitchen,guest suite,master suite

in her memory

i was mia from blogging most of last week because billy’s grandma passed away on tuesday morning.  she had gone in for a serious surgery week before last, but she made it through the surgery just fine.  unfortunately there were complications about three days later and the good Lord decided it was time for her to go and be with him.  last week was rough on our family, but we know that she is in a better place.  for the funeral billy’s aunt’s printing company made these beautiful bookmarks for everyone to have in her memory.  the picture is a picture of her at our wedding.  she looked so beautiful that day.  “grandma,” as we called her, was a beautiful, vivacious woman of God.  her spirit touched everyone she was around.  we will miss her very much but we were so blessed to have had her in our life.

LiveJournal Tags: grandma

It's up! And the Etiquette Grrls

Yay! After the whole summer of having a craptastic website, I finally got a designer that knew what she was doing! :) Sara, from Sara's Pixel Studio was awesome. Better than awesome. She actually would respond to my emails when I had bajillions of questions. Who knew customer service was still alive in this day and age? (Can you tell I'm still a little bitter over my last designer?) And best of all, she had my site up in a matter of days. So, thank you, thank you Ms. Sara.

So, y'all go visit. Show me some love. You know you want to! ;) I would be your BFF!

In other news, insomnia got the better of me last night. I lay wide awake until 2am rolled around then had fitful sleep until 5am. I couldn't fall back asleep between the dog's snoring and Southern Hubby tossing and turning.

Instead of much needed sleep, I decided, in honor of my favorite decorum guru, Miss Janice, I'd show you some of my etiquette book collection. My faves are the "Things You Need to be Told" books by the Etiquette Grrls and "Manners" by Kate Spade. The Etiquette Grrls have a dry sense of humor and I found myself chuckling throughout the whole book. (Yes, these books are meant to be read through all the way, not just skimmed.)

One of their fun suggestions for a Halloween costume is:

A Burberry Overdose. Go to the Kiosk in the Mall that sells all the Fake Burberry Stuff, or, better yet, hit up Friends Who Love Burberry Too Much, and see how many items of clothing in the Signature Plaid you can wear at One Time. Extra Points if you Dress Up a Small Pet, too.

How dreadful would that one be?! I think you would render every guest cross-eyed by the end of the night! Or at least very dizzy.

What are you wearing for Halloween?

Happy Friday! Yay for the weekends!

xoxo