Sippycups ARE for Chardonnay

More Fun with WHAT TO WEAR...

2012-01-18T14:09:00.001-05:00

This time, I chose a family vignette. I love photographing families, but I hate the standard white shirt and jeans look. First of all, white is an almost impossible color to photograph and get right. I know all brides are cringing now! It's not so bad for brides, but when you get an entire family wearing white shirts, ESPECIALLY when there is sand, sun or the surf to reflect of off, it can be an exposure nightmare!

So, I've taken another watercolor look and transformed it into real life. I've listed my sources below. Have fun and remember, if you have a different combination of or more/fewer children, you can always go to the sources I've used and add or subtract items from the same collection. They are more likely to be coordinating and not matchy matchy! You'll probably have to click on the images to make them bigger...or you can head over to my photography blog Jennifer Thiers Photography to see a larger view!

For Mom:
A lovely figure hugging blue dress from Boden USA, a J. Crew cashmere cardigan, J. Crew Mona Suede pumps (you could also do a tall boot and it would look amazing!) in burnt sienna, and a Tory Burch Painted Wildflower Scarf.

For Baby Sister:
Gorgeous green dress by Janie and Jack and white cardigan by Janie and Jack. Fringed bootie by Olive Juice Kids.

For Big Sister:
Girls Twirl Time dress by J. Crew Crewcuts, Girls patent tortoise flats by Crewcuts, Cardigan from Crewcuts, tights from Olive Juice Kids and beret from Olive Juice Kids.

For Big Brother:
Boys supima argile half zip sweater from Brooks Brothers Kids, Khaki pants from J. Crew, Chukka Boat boots from Brooks Brothers kids, and Band stripe trilby hat from Crewcuts.

For Dad: Classic white oxford and gingham tie from J. Crew, Suede Hybrid Jacket from Brooks Brothers, Levis 505 Regular fit for Brooks Brothers Jeans, and Red Wing for Brooks Brothers antique cactus Iron Ranger boots.

This outfit could go straight from the photo session to church, a social event, or even just to the movies. Have fun!

What to Wear...no longer a mystery!

2012-01-16T03:18:00.001-05:00

As a photographer I often find myself in the awkward position of stylist. Oftentimes my clients bring several outfits or pieces of clothing and ask for my advice. I definitely know what photographs well...I'm just not the greatest at pulling it all together! In steps this fantastic photographer's fashion guide! One of my favorite vendors has just started putting these out and I am in love. I love the stylish look of a watercolor, and also that it allows a little room for artistic license when picking and choosing outfits. They give you a basic color palette to work with so you aren't completely tied down to specific pieces. Genius! I thought I'd give it a try and see how long it would actually take me to pull together some of these looks online. It was a breeze! So here's my own, homegrown version of a polyvore outfit for you guys!

I'll be posting these on this blog as well as my photography blog, www.jenniferthiersphotography.com. I think they will be such a huge help for my clients!

First, we have the professional style guide...

Love the color combo so much! I've done my own version, adding a little texture and a few different options...

Here's the cost breakdown:
Men's Burberry Wool Overcoat: $1600 (don't let your chin hit the floor ladies...this is an INVESTMENT PIECE...it will last years and years and be worn over and over)
Men's J. Crew secret white shirt: $64
Men's J. Crew Broken in Chino: $59
Men's blue cashmere J. Crew v neck sweater: $198
Men's Alden for J. Crew suede boots: $470 (again, an investment, but a worthy one!)
Ladies' Tulle Alexa Coat in Yellow from Nordstrom: $59
Ladies' Tory Burch long sleeve lidia polo: $125
Ladies' J. Crew Pencil Skirt in decadent red: $98
Stuart Weitzman platswoon pump in nude: $298
I have two belt options: for the gal who wants a little trendier look, the skinny calf hair belt from J. Crew for $60...for the girl looking for a more classic look, the J. Crew multistrap leather belt $ 55

All great options whether you're having your photo taken, going out to dinner, a football game, or even after dinner cocktails!

Elva Fields

2012-01-11T16:57:00.002-05:00

I wish I was one of those really put together girls. You know, the ones who wear cute little skinny jeans, flats, a perfectly pressed silk blouse under a belted cardigan? Super cute (I would actually settle for clean) hair and finished off with just the right piece of jewelry? Yeah, I'd like to be that girl.

For all of you out there that feel the same way, or if you actually ARE that girl (lucky you!) then you will love Elva Fields. I stumbled upon this website and fell in love with the pieces. They are so unique and classy. Edgy but classic at the same time. Big and chunky and yet delicate and sweet. I even love the dangly earrings, and I'm not a dangly kind of gal. You could pair these pieces with a sharp business suit, a charming cocktail dress, or a pair of jeans and a sweater. Either way, you can't go wrong with one of these gorgeous pieces.

Enjoy!

It's almost time...

2012-01-10T17:50:00.000-05:00

For Matilda Jane! I LOVE Matilda Jane and my daughter loves wearing their clothes. They are soft, colorful, edgy, and simply make you happy when you're wearing them! You can't help but be a fashionista when you walk out the door in MJC. Over the past year I have had a couple trunk shows and amassed a great deal of MJC. I LOOOOVE their clothes for photography. The layers, the textures, the colors, should I go on? Oohh, la la!
I simply cannot wait to see their latest collection! The show debuts on February 1st and I will have the trunk the entire next weekend. Can't wait to host as many shows as possible!

What's in YOUR kids' lunchbox?

2012-01-10T01:05:00.000-05:00

I had to post this photo to go along with this blogpost. I saw a little ditty on Good Morning America that talked about these overachieving mothers in Japan that made their kids homemade sushi and fabulously decorated food for their lunch boxes. I guess when you're all packed in like sushi in your house this is FUN? notsomuch.
I don't know about you guys, but my kids are the polar opposites when it comes to lunches. Babyboy LOVES to eat the school lunch. He insists that when I pack, he never has enough to eat. I must say, his school has a lunch buffet that is to be reckoned with. We're talking salad bar, delicious homemade hot protein, super fresh veggies, home cooked desserts, milk, fresh juice. You name it, they've got it. That's what I'm paying the big bucks for, right? He definitely gets more food variety at school than he does at home and I'm 100% cool with that. Love it.
Babygirl on the other hand, is a creature of habit. She does NOT like the idea of a lunch line AT ALL. She wants to know what is going to be on her plate everyday BEFORE it's there. Sooo, here's her daily spread: pre-packaged fresh grapefruit with a stevia pack for sweetener, waffle pretzels with an individual pack of Jif peanut butter, chips with an individual pack of salsa, a bag of mini oreos, 3 biscoff cookies, and a bottle of water. That's it. Everyday. While I'm cool with the nutrition part...she's getting fruit (grapefruit), veggies (salsa) (hush, it's close), protein (peanut butter) and then water, I still feel like she's missing a MAIN DISH. She just refuses to eat a sandwich or a salad and she won't take leftovers from the night before no matter how much she loved them. What to do? How do I mix up the lunch offerings without upturning the apple cart?

How Many Times Have I Said....I'm baaaaack?

2012-01-08T22:10:00.000-05:00

I know. Like a zillion times. Here's the thing. Sometimes I'm into it and sometimes I'm not. After a few, okay SEVERAL, months of nothing to say, I've had some time to build up a little repertoire. Soooo many things to talk about.
So I took a few months off because I had gone back to nursing full time as well as trying to manage my photography business. After a loooong look at my strengths and weaknesses and what is best for my family, I have decided to quit my full time nursing job and go on with the photography. I love it, I've been told once or twice I'm good at it and I would love to make a real go at it! The problem is, I SUCK at the business side. I mean, really bad. Teerrible.
Soooo, I'm going to really focus on the business side of the business and try to mesh it with the creative side. Any advice? Seriously!
As you all know, I'm a total reality TV junkie. Right now I'm so into Dance Moms. Talk about juicy stuff! The mother of a seven, almost eight year old myself, I cannot even IMAGINE putting my child through this stuff! In my opinion, it's bordering on child abuse. Not because of the intensity for the kids, but because of the treatment of the PARENTS. Do you guys think this is for the cameras or for real? Do you really think a dance teacher could get away with this? I'm dying to know!

It's That Time Again...

2011-08-04T16:56:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday we were all packed and ready to go to Camp Greystone again this year. The girls decided to do the two week August Camp this year after loving the shorter, junior camp last year. The second they arrived they were ready to party!

They both loved their tentalow (lower tentalow 2) and had fun decorating their bunks. Jennie insisted on hanging around to watch them take their swim test (I practically had to drag that girl outta there!). We went back to the tentalow to tinkle before we left and the girls arrived back from the pool. Babygirl looked at me sarcastically and said "you're STILL here?". Wow, I'm glad she's so well adjusted!

She chose beading, gymnastics, riflery, dance, pottery and a few others I can't remember. She will also try waterskiing and horsebackriding. I have a feeling she'll be coming home and asking for a horse. Not a chance. Do you all hear me? PLEASE remind me I said NO horse!

Everyone else is just hanging out waiting for relief from the summer's heat. Babyboy has finally agreed to soccer camp. I'm thinking next year he'll be going to Camp Alpine. He really needs a week with no electronics!

A few photos...

Book Review

2011-06-06T10:30:00.000-04:00

I just finished reading Rob Lowe's Stories I only Tell my Friends. If you're looking for a quick, easy read interlaced with fun, ironic stories, this is the book for you! I loved Rob Lowe in The West Wing but more often than not I find him to be a little self pitying. I did get some of that with this book, but mostly just the written version of a personal growth that we all go through. His is laced with slightly more starpower but the same struggles we all have. Plus, you can't complain AT ALL about the picture of him and his surfboard at the end!

LOVE these frames!

2011-06-02T21:29:00.001-04:00

I'm so happy with my new frames from The Organic Bloom. They look so great! Everyone keeps asking me how I got my kids to look so happy and loving in the photos. Ha! They were actually choking one another. Gotta love it. If you love the frames and want some for yourself please let me know. They are only available through photographers (that would be me:))

For Madison On Her Birthday

2011-05-26T23:00:00.000-04:00

Ick

2011-05-21T21:15:00.000-04:00

This is my eye today. I woke up yesterday afternoon after a short nap and both of my eyes were crusted over with pinkeye. Yuck! We've been sharing this all throughout the house for the past few weeks and I've finally been hit. My kids agree I got it the worst. I look like a monster! Plus, I have a respiratory infection. I thought no tonsils meant no sore throat. Wrong!!!
The kids played outside all day with J-dad and and washed cars, threw water balloons and ran through the sprinkler. So much fun without mom! They went to Wal Mart and now they're watching movies. I'm watching the O Network show about Chaz Bono. Bizarre.
Have a great weekend!

New Branding and a vote!

2011-05-14T09:14:00.000-04:00

There's no question that I LOVE my logo for my children's portraiture boutique. It's fun, it's elementary, it's me! I created it myself one morning sitting in my mom's living room in the West End of Richmond in, like, twenty seconds. No joke. But I immediately knew that it was representative of me and what I wanted to do. I love photography and I love kids. No bridezillas, no happy families ( okay, I DO happy families but only if they're kids with really cute parents). Most especially, I LOVE high school seniors. They are so cool! They have this awesome artistic vision and ideas I've never even considered....climb up on top of that old, relic plane for a shot? OK! Just do it quick before security catches us! That's the kind of stuff I love. Sooooooo.......I thought it only appropriate to partner with a new branding "genius" to put together brand that I could use tandemly for interiors {which I've grown to LOVE} and high school seniors and whatever other commercial work comes my way. (no, you need not fear that I will be chasing Pippa with a telefoto next week)
Soooo,,,I've enlisted the oh, so talented Emma at http://www.emmajdesign.com/ to produce a logo that will encompass my senior, interior and commercial brand, while keeping Just Kiddin' separate...(atleast for now). Emily is awesome. I mean really awesome. I've never known someone who shared my affinity for white, clean lines and monkeys and elephants all at the same time. What kismet!
You can see a few of the inspiration boards I sent her here:

I can't wait to see her ideas and share them with all of you. We're going to do this by committee, you and I, so get ready for a wild ride!

Will He Go Down As A Leader in History?...or atleast a progressive?

2011-05-13T23:25:00.002-04:00

There's no doubt I have a love for Hugh Hefner. I've read his old bios, I admire his daugher (his CEO) and I LOVED "The Girls Next Door". I think he has been a pacesetter in the freedom of speech and expression as it applies to women and their assetts. Those who have denounced him as a pimp and exploiter simply don't understand his admiration of the female as a means of personal expression. And have we mentioned the inroads he has made with interracial communication? He really does deserve the Nobel Peace Prize as far as I'm concerned.
Please take a moment to watch the documentary that has been produced on Showtime. It really is great....and he is still spot on...smart as a whip. It seems that all who know him love him and admire him. Kudos to you, Hugh! We appreciate all you have done for women and a basic discourse in regard to "sensitive" subjects throughout the years. Oh, and did I mention that in Vietnam his plane was one of few that could enter Vietnam and save hundreds of orphaned children? Those bunnies who we wo snottily brushed aside as social climbers were the ones on then plane nursing those babies back to health so yuppie mommies could have a no questions asked adoption.
That makes me feel like an American.
Blue eyed afghanis anyone? You know they need families!!!
Long live the libertarians!

Things I Love About Today...

2011-05-09T19:34:00.000-04:00

1. My Nook Color. I had an Ipad for two days and the charging mechanism broke. Piece of crap. I love my Nook Color. It really does everything I wanted the Ipad to do ( with the exception of photography apps, but I'll live without that) and it was much more reasonable in terms of investment. PLUS, I got a Lilly cover for it! You can't beat that!
2. My rhoomba vacuum. I must admit that I was VERY critical of these vacuums prior to owning one. Now that I am gainfully employed (that's right, folks....Sippycups has gone back to work as an RN....evacuate your local hospital asap!!!) it is a Godsend. All I have to do is set up the laser wall, turn it on, and it cleans the house better than me. Seriously. It's not a DEEP clean, but it definitely does the day to day dirty work. Punny, right?
3. My amazing husband who mows the lawn IN HIS WHEELCHAIR. With a mower that isn't self propelled. I'll just leave that one to your imaginations. It's pretty fun to watch.
4. The Skinny Taste Blog. I literally build my shopping list around this blog. It is amazing. Especially since I started the Dukan Diet. No joke...I've lost eight pounds in five days and have NO cravings. I've never had this amount of success on any diet before. I'm guessing it's the oat bran?
5. Emma J Design. What can I say? I just love everything about this girl! She's like the Tory Burch of stationery...but not a bitch. (I have it on good authority that TB is not the nicest of girls).
6. Well, last but not least...chardonnay. No, it's not on the Dukan Diet, but I've managed to lose the weight despite my now two glass a day habit. I can't complain.
xoxo!
Sippycups

Water for Elephants

2011-04-22T11:11:00.000-04:00

I'm so freakin' excited I can't even stand it! I've been waiting with such anticipation for this movie to come out! Just finished the book and loved it. Of course, Reese Witherspoon is my hero which adds to the must seeness of this movie! My kids are out of school today but they are at their Dad's house so I think I'm going to do something completely unheard of and see a matinee on a Friday afternoon!

Medivac Missions...if you appreciate your freedom you must view this video.

2011-04-14T23:22:00.001-04:00

I found this video after reading a blog called Wife of a Wounded Soldier. Her husband had been injured in Iraq and was being treated at Walter Reed Hospital. Her story touched me because it could be that of any wife, whether that of a soldier, a teacher, a doctor, or anyone. She told of the fear of not knowing exactly where he was just after his injury, having to wait for him to be transported after his surgery, imagining the misery of the long medevac flight and then being loaded on to the equivalent of a schoolbus made into an ambulance for delivery to Walter Reed. She was so worried about him but couldn't be with him. Then, once they were reunited there were days, weeks, months of recovery and rehabilitation. His body was fixed, but his mind couldn't let go of the horrible memories of war. These are the men and women who have voluntarily joined our military and fulfilled their duty of protecting our freedom. Whether or not you support our administration's actions you simply have to support these men and women who have given so freely and willingly. You have to support and respect their families who live for months and months without husbands, wives, parents, sons and daughters. It IS the ultimate sacrifice. As I make trips to the VA Hospital where my husband is treated for his spinal cord injury I often meet much older men...those who have served in Korea, Vietnam, even WWII. They are always the first ones to jump up and start pushing my husband's wheelchair even though he is happy to do it himself. They will always approach us and speak, even when others shy away because they don't know how to react to the wheelchair. These men were America's Great Generation. I feel certain that we will be saying the same thing in forty years about those men and women who now serve in our military and marines. Freedom isn't free. It's such a campy saying...but it really does ring true. The cost is great and it is the lives of our fellow Americans. Let's not only remember those who have died as heroes serving their country, but also those who have been wounded, some catastrophically, and continue to soldier on and prosper as great men and women in our society. Next time you see a soldier or marine, take a moment to shake their hand, even if they're in a wheelchair, and thank them for their service. Trust me, they can never hear it enough.

Love It!

2011-04-14T12:38:00.000-04:00

This year in first grade babygirl has really skyrocketed with reading and writing. She has learned cursive and is really great at writing in cursive, yet she still insists that "big girls" write in regular print. She is also such a little task master. She remembers EVERYTHING. As opposed to me, who remembers nothing unless it is written down in fifty different places. Smart girl that she is, she realizes that Mommy needs a little help sometimes in the memory department.
She got a bunny for her birthday and has been begging me to take the bunny to her classroom. I finally agreed and set it up with her teacher for Friday. Last night before she went to bed I told her to remind me about it so I wouldn't forget. Here's what she gave me this morning:

There are so many things I love about this note. First, it's written on her Lilly diary paper. She writes in her diary every night before bed. I'm DYING to know what's in it but have managed to refrain thus far. Second, little organizer that she is, she even circled the day of the week that she wrote it. Third, the spelling. It's really pretty good but I do love to read her interpretations sometimes!!! Fourth, the fact that it says "doter", as if I wouldn't know WHICH Reagan wrote the note :) And last, the fact that she wants to be absolutely certain that her brother will come nowhere near that bunny!!!
Love it.

Everyody knows...

2011-03-31T12:11:00.000-04:00

That I LOVE the real housewives of anywhere. Seriously, I think it's an addiction. Is it that I love to watch a train wreck while it's happening? Is it beacause I love to know that they are actually successful at portraying the fact that money doesn't buy happiness? Is it just that I love Andy Cohen so much? THAT's an entire other post. LOVE LOVE LOVE Andy. What a genius. I also love that he does his after show on a set that looks just like his apartment (although I'm hoping he's gotten an interior designer since the show started).
So, I want to know who is YOUR favorite housewife?
I'm conflicted. I love so many of them. Love to HATE some of them. My favorite of all time is Bethenney, for sure. I love her new show, too. She's so candid and funny as hell.
My favorite current housewife would have to be Phaedra...cause everybody knows...she has the best quotes. A few of my faves...

On Kim's education: If Miss Kim was a nurse, I guess that's one of those mail-order degrees that you can get for $59.

On becoming a mother: Before this I was fancy-free and footloose, running around shopping and doing, you know, whatever I wanted to do... and now I'm sort of chained to this baby... we'll see how this turns out.

On sweetening up her va-jay-jay... yes, you read that right: The powdered sugar really, like, turns into really sweet syrupy... it tastes delicious!

More deep thoughts on the joys of motherhood: I'm very nervous about having this baby... I work out every day, I have to get my massage three times a week, I have to get my manicure-pedicure at least once a week, I've got to get my facials... it takes a lot to be me and look this good.

On what's important: This is why I hired Latoya because she can figure out this milk and penis ointment, and I can just spend my time buying cute clothes for my baby and spoiling myself.

Or... maybe he's full term?: My labor is being induced because the baby is fully developed and he's ready to climb out of my vagina.

On how she plans on raising Ayden: This child will be gettin' a whoopin'. If he looks at me sideways, I'mma beat the hell out of him.

On her husband's white culinary tastes: Apollo does not like very elaborate dishes, and I'm a connoisseur of finer foods. You know, growing up in a white household, he's not used to all this fancy stuff... he likes canned foods... he likes packed meats... he just doesn't care.

On the miracle of childbirth: I'm having anything they can give me to take off the edge cause I cannot be screaming like a wolf and poopin' on no tables.

On her Miami stripper connections: I’mma get some interesting penises to show up to y'all... I know a stripper that can give himself head.

So I've Been Gone For Awhile...

2011-03-29T19:44:00.001-04:00

I know, I know. Babysteps. I keep vaccilating and trying to decide if I'm going to blog or not. I want to keep up my photography blog because I know I need to do this for my business. BUT, that's no fun! I can't really speak my mind. And I have LOTS of thoughts! This past year has been one of huge ups and huge downs. I got divorced, built a house, married the love of my life, have struggled to find my "place in this world", spent two weeks in the ICU at UVa almost dead from liver and renal failure, was accused by my family of being on drugs or SOMETHING that would explain my odd behavior...the list goes on.

The bottom line is this: I'm 35 years old. I'm a divorcee. I'm remarried with two kids. I'm not the same girl that started this blog three years ago. In fact, I think I might be slightly more interesting now, if not more shocking and inappropriate. I still love my kids more than life, love my now husband more than I ever thought I could love a man, and try everyday to find ways to express my creativity.
So, let's get this party started. Literally. This weekend we celebrated BabyGirl's 7th birthday. I know, seriously? 7? She wanted a pink pony party and a pink pony party she got. We did a candy buffet as her goody bags and it was a big hit. I highly recommend it!

All printables found at etsy.. http://www.etsy.com/people/andersruff?ref=ls_profile

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like...CANVAS!

2010-12-19T19:34:00.000-05:00

This has been a whirlwind fall. My business has taken off and I've been planning my upcoming wedding. My blogging has been pathetic and I apologize!

I've been toying with the idea of merging my two blogs into one and I'm almost 100% sure that this is what I'll do. I will keep the photography blog and say a bittersweet goodo-bye to sippycups. By no means does this imply you won't hear from me anymore...I'll just be in a new, more diverse home. I'm hoping to start offering photography tutorials and lots of fun ideas and I think focusing on just one blog will allow me provide a lot more for my readers.

As you can see from the photo, I've had quite a few gallery wrapped canvas orders. I've really struggled with loving canvas. I'm really much more into the fine art paper prints that I also offer. I've felt that canvas may be a little too modern for me. This grouping, however, may have changed my mind! I LOVED doing this photo shoot. The kids were SO adorable and I was over the moon for the blue suede shoes!!! The little boy was so genuinely thrilled to be allowed on the tractor and I'm so glad I caught it on film.

This grouping will go on the wall leading up my client's staircase. I can't wait to help her hang them!

Mama's Boy

2010-11-14T19:01:00.000-05:00

So...

It's been a busy week/month/day/hour...don't we all feel that way? My business is TOO busy and I'm so grateful and humbled and overwhelmed at the same time...

My goal in growing my photography business is not only to pursue something I LOVE and am fulfilled by, but to create a sense of security for my family. I don't ever want to have to rely on anyone for anything other than joy. For that, I rely on my children.

Over the past year I have tried in every way that I can to remind my children everyday of how much I love them, am amazed by them, and want for them to be happy. They have gone through SO MUCH change this year and have been so amazing.

I am spending my evening catching up on last week's Oprah episodes and have been watching Marie Osmond speak about and honor her beautiful son who took his life in February. It just made me want to squeeze my baby boy. What a sad, sad situation. For everyone. So today, I honor my son. Smart, witty, sensitive, handsome, {sarcastic :)}...

I can't wait to see the man that he will become.

My New Favorite Blog

2010-10-07T06:44:00.000-04:00

It's no secret that I'm getting hitched in January. Worst time to get married with regard to the waistline, no? Anyway, I'm really trying to buckle down and eat better and maybe lose a few of those extra pounds that have crept on over the past several years.

While searching the net for recipes I came across this blog. It is AMAZING! Literally, every recipe is fantastic.

My faves so far...

Baked Zucchini Sticks

Chicken and Avocado Soup

Turkey Burgers with Zucchini (try these with pitas and all the fixins of a gyro...my kids LOVED them and ate zucchini without even knowing it)

Broiled Tilapia with Coconut Curry Sauce

Seriously, the broiled tilapia with coconut curry sauce is the BEST fish recipe I have ever made...and so EASY.

Bon Apetit!

It's Official...Fall Has Arrived!

2010-09-27T19:13:00.000-04:00

And with it came these DELICIOUS cupcakes featured in House Beautiful this month. Ina Garten has done it again! I made these for our neighborhood block party this weekend. The only thing missing was cold air and new tall boots! Unfortunately, it's just too hot around here. But a girl can dream!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Frosting

Makes 10 cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup canned pumpkin purée (8 ounces), not pie filling
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Maple Frosting (recipe follows)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped Heath bars, for serving (2 1.4-ounce bars)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush or spray the top of 10 muffin tins with vegetable oil and line them with 10 paper liners.

2. Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. In a larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. Add the flour mixture and stir until combined.

3. Divide the batter among the prepared tins (I use a level 2 1/4-inch ice cream scoop) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.

4. Spread the cupcakes with the Maple Frosting and sprinkle with the chopped toffee bits.

Maple Frosting

6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon Boyajian Natural Maple Flavor
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese and butter on low speed until smooth. Stir in the maple flavoring and vanilla extract. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

SO proud of my brother!

2010-09-20T22:38:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday Lt. Ryan Alexander! We are so proud of you...
please view the video below and realize that there are still 50,000 troops in Iraq, fighting for our freedom to work, shop, blog, speak our minds, and every other thing we do each minute of each day.

Love you, RP!

http://rt.com/Top_News/2010-09-20/irag-security-us-withdrawal.html

2010-09-09T08:43:00.000-04:00

It's no secret that I LOVE Thibaut. Love their fabric, wallpaper, love it all. My previous house had the most gorgeous Thibaut wallpaper in the dining room and fabric on the bedroom windows. It's just so girly and yet grown up at the same time. AND, they've outdone themselves again with the new books. Check out these perfectly perfect rooms...

I actually think I'm going to use the green and white trellis wallpaper in my master bathroom. I just love it! We already have one green bathroom but green is my favorite color so I think that makes it okay!

I'm thinking the diagonal buffalo check in brown for panels in my bedroom. I love that it's a check but the diagonal makes it a little less country...little more chic.

Love, love, love it all.

First Day of School!

2010-08-30T16:23:00.000-04:00

I truly believe that the first day of school should be a national holiday for parents. We should send out Hallmark cards to one another, etc.

This morning was our first day of school and not a moment too soon. The kids were actually excited, which made everything go a little smoother.

Of course, Mommy spent so much time taking pictures we ended up arriving about two minutes too late and Babygirl missed being called to class by her teacher. Oh, well. She was totally unfazed and I was super happy that she got the same teacher Babyboy had for first grade.

Babyboy was also happy with his teacher so smiles all around. Only minor lip trembling when Babygirl realized her bff wasn't in her class.

PS. Thanks for the backpacks, Mimi!

***UPDATE: Holy crazy carpool line! They've been doing road construction all around the school and in between the school and our new house. The traffic at carpool was ri-di-cu-lous! Where were the teachers directing the crazy parents?

Now, maybe I can finally get some work done! Don't forget to check out my photography blog for frequent updates and sneak peeks! http://www.justkiddinphotography.blogspot.com/

Sunset Beach!

2010-08-25T15:51:00.000-04:00

I think we may be the next Disney movie family...

2010-08-24T13:05:00.000-04:00

Let me just set the scene for you...

We're at the teeninsy pool at Mimi's ultra nice beach house...we're the only ones around. Apparently, people in the south are SMART and send their kids back to school early.

I'm in my Texas ball cap, Jackie O Ray Bans, and Lands End Idon'tevencareifitsucksitinanymore swimsuit.
BabyGirl? Well, Lilly of course. And BabyBoy is in soon to be retired Vilebrequin trunks. We SHOULD be this ultra classy, well behaved family, yes?

It starts to rain. I panic slightly and try to cover my sippycup (and it is SERIOUSLY a sippycup half full of courage to overcome the headache from last night) with my Woman's Day magazine (don't judge...it's all I could find). I then cover myself with the kids' towels and tell them "As long as it doesn't thunder you can swim in the rain". Weeeehhheeeeheeelll. You would have thought they won the lottery! They immediately LOST their minds, started screaming and howling wildly and doing all sorts of bizaare jumps and flips into the pool. BabyBoy shouts out "HEEEERE'S JOHNNY!" and I ask where in the world he's ever heard this before. "Oh", he says,"in a Lego youtube video at Dad's house. There was lots of blood." Awesome.

I then give in to the madness and start eating sour cream and onion chips OUT OF THE BAG with zero restraint and pray that no other humans are listening or watching. We stayed out in the rain for about thirty minutes until the kids got cold (wimps). Now, more sour cream and onion chips and hot dogs (this time off of plates.) How very civilized of us.

Dear Martha Stewart,

2010-08-18T20:18:00.001-04:00

I love you, I love you, I love you. But your cleaning products SUCK.

XOXO Sippycups

Top Ten Reason Why Divorce Sucks...for me, that is:

2010-08-17T23:59:00.000-04:00

1. BabyGirl's bff isn't right around the corner anymore. She's a 15 minute drive away, but it seems like much longer.

2. I have no say in the filter of my ex. He still attends family dinners and events but with an even lighter filter than when we were married.

3. I get to listen to endless options of his on match.com and hear him vet which ones are acceptable or not based on age, hair color, breast size, etc. Seriously?

4. My ex has the kids each Tuesday, which is great and gives my fiance and I an awesome date night but I have to get to bed early because I have to pick the kids up before he goes to work (which is a 15 minute drive since we've moved).

5. I always feel guilty when we take the kids to the latest kid movies or kid festivals in town because those could have been opportunities for the kids' dad to spend time with them.

6. I feel guilty that the kids spend the majority of their time at their dad's house watching tv or watching him work in the yard because he just can't do it all himself and refuses to hire a house cleaner or a yard service.

7. I can't always be there to re-direct my ex's train of thought when he makes statements as to his willingness to pay for fake boobs for babygirl when she turns 21, or when he says one of our 15 year old babysitters gained 30 pounds and that's not good. Cause babygirl thinks she looks awesome and is now pinching her tummy trying to decide if she's fat.

8. My kids are constantly exposed to a rotating door of random women who are attractive on the outside and attracted to the money, but may or may not like kids and could possibly care less about the quality time they will get to spend with my kids. Babygirl loves crafts...does she know that?

9. I still, in a way, have love for my ex. The love of a friend who doesn't want to see her friend get hurt. I hate watching him search for this perfect person that surely will never exist for him. I strived to be as perfect as I could be and yet it was never enough. And I mean, I REALLY tried. I just so wish he would re asess his needs/desires.

10. Top Ten reason why divorce sucks: no matter how hard you try your kids may love their future stepdad, your dad may love his future son in law, SOMEONE in your family/close group of friends will let you down in the most unexpected way and that will REALLY hurt.

Love It.

2010-08-09T08:16:00.000-04:00

My brother, Aaron, is not only by brother, but one of my best friends as well. I totally count on him to keep me up to date on trends in fashion, entertainment, etc. He recently moved into a new apartment in NYC and has been having so much fun with interior design. He is obsessed with Jonathan Adler . I checked out the website this morning and I have to say I'm a little obsessed myself!

First of all...who wouldn't love a designer with these words to live by?...

Our Manifesto

We believe that your home should make you happy.

We believe that when it comes to decorating, the wife is always right.

Unless the husband is gay.

We believe in carbohydrates and to hell with the puffy consequences.

We believe minimalism is a bummer.

We believe handcrafted tchotchkes are life-enhancing.

We believe tassels are the earrings of the home.

We believe in our muses: David Hicks, Alexander Girard, Bonnie Cashin. Hans Coper, Gio Ponti, Andy Warhol, Leroy Neiman, Yves Saint Laurent, and Madonna.

We believe in the innate chicness of red with brown.

We believe in being underdressed or overdressed always.

We believe in infantile, happy emblems like butterflies and hearts.

We believe celebrities should pay full price.

We believe in rustic modernism: Big Sur, A-Frame beach houses, raw beams, and geodesic dome homes.

We believe in Palm Beach style: Louis chairs, chinoiserie, Lilly Pulitzer, The Breakers circa '72.

We believe our designs are award winning even though they've never actually won any.

We believe in Aid to Artisans.

We believe dogs should be allowed in stores and restaurants.

We believe in mantiques - suits of armour, worn chesterfield sofas, heraldic tapestries.

We believe you should throw out your Blackberry and go pick some actual blackberries.

We believe colors can't clash.

We believe in blowing your nest egg on our pots.

We believe our lamps will make you look younger and thinner.

We believe in irreverent luxury.

Honestly...were we separated at birth?

Some of my faves from the website:

LOVE these picture frames...

And how about these rugs for a nursery? (or any room for that matter)

You already know I'm a wrapping paper whore...so of course I can't resist these:

Check out the website (or the store if you live nearby) for lots of other great goodies!

Become a Fan of Just Kiddin' and Win!

2010-08-07T10:53:00.004-04:00

It's contest time again! As many of you know I've started a new photography business and along with that comes a new blog. Just Kiddin' Photography is where I'll post sneak peeks of recent photo sessions, tips, ideas, inspirations, and all whatever else happens to be on my mind. I'd love for you all to drop by and have a look. Become a fan of the blog, and you'll be entered in a random drawing to receive 75 complimentary holiday cards made with one of the gorgeous templates from Luxecetera. If you're local (within 50 miles of Roanoke, VA) you'll receive a complimentary photo session, your choice of photos for the card, as well as the cards themselves. If you're not local, just send me your photos and I'll have the cards made for you.
So, head on over and become a fan...check back often to see who the winner is!

Ahh, the passy.

2010-08-05T00:00:00.000-04:00

In my task of sifting through weeks of unpacking i have discovered a family member that had been buried for ever. BabyGirl's passy. She had hidden it in my mother's jewelry box (appropriate) and had left it amidst the pearls, gold, and chains. I recovered her and observed her with nothing but love and joyful memories. What a sweet lovie for Babygirl. She used to run around the house with no less than three or four on her person. And then, one day, she met my friend Shannon's baby and decided she was done, and there was another baby who needed the passy much more. Sweet, sweet girl.

New House Breakfast Nook

2010-08-04T10:12:00.000-04:00

Continuing the tour of the new house...we move onto the breakfast nook! Which is actually quite the misnomer...my kids eat breakfast on the couch. We generally eat lunch and supper in the nook.

Love, love, love the nook. It's the happiest part of my house, I think, because it's a place where I can laugh with my kids, catch up with their day, and feed them healthy, delicious meals.

The details:

paint: file cabinet by Martha Stewart for Home Depot - we put this throughout the first floor and I LOVE it. It's just a nice, light beige with warm tones of red and blue.

table: Paula Deen Home! I have filled my house with Paula Deen's furniture collection. Love it.

chairs: slipcovered parsons chairs from Ballard Designs. Perfect for kids...they can dirty them all up and I just throw them in the wash.

dishes: Gabriella Dinnerware from Pottery Barn

Pew Bench: antique. Hands down my favorite piece from my mother's collection. Perfect for this space! JDad and I spend an entire weekend restoring it's original color and quality. The pillows are some that I've had for years.

Chandelier: Shades of Light

Napkins: To Bee Named, LOVE how she put our street number on them. So cute.

Cookbooks: well, yes, I have a bunch, but I use them ALL! This space was originally going to be for the microwave, but then we ended up getting the GE Advantium and didn't need one. So, I put all of my cookbooks in there and it turned out to be a perfect spot!

The only thing I need now is some type of window treatment for the windows. I'm thinking just a plain woven shade that is lightly lined. We don't really NEED it, I just hate naked windows!

I'm hoping to post the rest of the kitchen later this week...enjoy!

I SHOULD miss them more...

2010-08-02T14:47:00.000-04:00

So the kids are at the beach with their Dad this week. I'm feeling a little guilty because while I do miss them A LOT I feel like maybe I'm not missing them enough? For example: I've slept until atleast 10 am the past two mornings, I had other people's kids over for dinner last night and ENJOYED hanging out with them, my house is picked up and has been for 48 hours and I'm LOVING IT, I'm getting to watch whatever I want to watch on TV ALL DAY. Really, haven't seen a cartoon in days. Jealous?

I've also decided that working from home rocks. I get to hang out on my laptop all day and edit pictures of other people's adorable kids. Is life supposed to be this fun? Am I dreaming?

Don't worry, people, I know I'm livin' a dream and my days are numbered. The kids will return on Friday, as will the endless messy house, stupid cartoons, early mornings, and summer boredom.

For now, though, I'm going to try to mentally block that reality!

Live in Roanoke and Nothing to do on Saturday?

2010-07-30T22:36:00.000-04:00

The Roanoke County Parks and Rec Dept. is hosting a Touch a Truck event. These are so fun...especially for little boys!

"This event is a community wide happening where kids and adults have the opportunity to see, touch, interact with and learn about dozens of cool vehicles. From fire trucks to motorcycles, cement trucks to police cars, UPS trucks to garbage trucks and why not airplanes as well.

How often does anyone get to look inside, sit inside and climb all over any of these unusual vehicles and get to talk to someone who operates them? And kids of all ages love these loud and unique vehicles.

Additional favorite activities will include events involving “water” such as Firemen’s Foam, misting tent, water spray and possibly even a water slide. Face painting, balloon sculptures, costumed characters, food vendors and other special attractions will help to add to the event’s appeal. Cameras will be highly recommended.

Here's a list of a few things you might see at the event!

• Firetrucks
• Garbage Trucks
• Race Cars
• Postal Cars
• Back Hoes
• Small Planes
• Bobcats
• Police Cruisers
• Tractors
• Dump Trucks
• Snow Plows
• Army Cars
• Tow Trucks
• TV Trucks
• Ambulances
• School Busses
• Helicopters
• Cement Mixers
• Hot Air Balloons
• Front End Loaders
• Cherry Pickers
• Street Sweepers

Plus, I'll be there with my fiance's Farmers Insurance Agency sponsoring the Petting Zoo. He'll also have his wheelchair lift on display, which is WAY cool.

Hope to see you there!

photo session anyone?

2010-07-29T22:24:00.000-04:00

Do you live in Richmond? Are you interested in hosting a portrait party? Will you be vacationing at Sunset or Topsail in August and want to have great family photos taken? Let me know! I'll be doing VERY limited sessions at the beach and will do ONE portrait party in Richmond this fall. Please visit my photography blog for more information...Just Kiddin' Photography.

Remembering the 4th

2010-07-29T08:48:00.000-04:00

We're pretty big on the 4th of July around here. We like to show our patriotism and respect for our freedom, etc. This year was so chaotic that we really didn't get to do much! We had just returned from vacation and were trying to get ready for the move. We did, however, get to go out to the club for their fantastic fireworks display. The kids loved running around on the golf course and chasing fireflies while the grown ups sat on a blanket and sipped from their own sippycups!

Now don't go getting all even stevens and wondering why babygirl is monopolizing these photos...I couldn't get babyboy to stand still!!!

Baby It's Cold Outside!

2010-07-26T10:05:00.000-04:00

Hah! Wishful thinking. Not yet...but it will be! One of the biggest struggles I have with BabyGirl in the fall is that it's cool in the morning when she goes to school, but it gets warmer throughout the day. She's gotten to where she HATES tights and she really doesn't like pants, either. Enter

This company has the most adorable leg warmers and footless tights. Of course, as a photographer, I'm in love with the baby leg warmers. My favorite (no surprise since they coordinate with my blog!) are the orange and blue.

How cute would these be in your holiday photos? You can check out all of their styles and options at the BabyLegs Leg Warmers website.

The View From the Top

2010-07-25T22:18:00.000-04:00

of our little piece of heaven, that is. We finally got moved into our new home last weekend. The move went really well and thankfully my Dad came down to help out. He didn't waste time reminding me that this was my fifth move in 10 years. Oh, well. I guess I'll never get all that Army brat out of me after all. His fault anyway!

The house is great. I feel like we picked a perfect layout for our family and the way we live. There is very little wasted space and we have bags of room without even finishing the basement. I'm afraid we may NEVER see the kids once we do! As it is, they love to spend most of their time on "their floor" of the house (the second floor, which consists of their two bedrooms, a bathroom and a kids study).

One of my favorite rooms in the house is the kids' bathroom. I had found a vanity at Pottery Barn that I loved, but was just not what I wanted to spend. I found an almost identical item on Ebay for HALF the price. It came with the countertop and faucet as well. Mirror from Lowe's, light fixture from Shades of Light, and towel rack from Restoration Hardware (but purchased at a discount on Ebay). All of the towels and accessories and the shower curtain were purchased at a Pottery Barn outlet. The entry to the bath is hardwood, but the shower surround is a white hexagonal mosaic. The fixtures are all polished chrome.

Enjoy!

2010-07-12T11:44:00.000-04:00

Toy Story 3 Birthday Party!

It's hard to believe that BabyBoy is already 8 years old! This year he chose to have a smaller party than in the past so that he could get a little more bang for his buck.

We decided on a Toy Story 3 theme since the movie was coming out the Friday prior to his party.

I made the invitations (I'll be glad to send you the photoshop file!) look like a VIP backstage pass. The kids loved them! Some even thought it was their actual ticket :).

We had everyone come to the house about an hour before the movie was to start. Each child had a little to go bag with Toy Story 3 gummies, a bottle of water, and a Toy Story 3 fun dip (check out Wal-Mart for TONS of Toy Story 3 loot).

We went to a matinee at 1:50 so the prices were a little less. I had planned to let each child purchase a bottle of water and a small popcorn but then the super sweet girl behind the counter recommended I purchase a large tub of popcorn and just get refills. She gave me 8 little plastic containers to put the popcorn in for the kids. This saved me about $50! I only had to get one refill and the kids were totally fine with this.

The movie was GREAT! A couple of the kids even cried at the end.

After the movie we headed home for cake and pinata. The cake was super easy to make...just a rectangular sheet cake with blue icing, fondant stars, pillow and headboards, and little plastic guys from Wal-Mart. It took literally an hour to make.
After presents and cake we watched the ORIGINAL Toy Story 3 while waiting for parents to pick up kids. Each child took home a goodie bag with a little paddle and ball set from the dollar spot at Target, a super ball, a water gun, and more Toy Story gummies. Not to mention all the loot they got from the pinata, which they collected in .99 cent Toy Story 3 cups from the dollar store.
It was such an easy and laid back party...and the kids had a great time!

Faces Part 2

2010-07-03T22:13:00.000-04:00

Faces Part 1

2010-07-03T10:57:00.002-04:00

Sippycups Snippets

2010-06-30T21:29:00.000-04:00

So, it's been a while since I've done a snippets post. Mostly, because things have just been kind of crazy snippety and not really FUN snippety. Also, because BabyBoy talks ALL THE TIME and there are no snippets. It's just non stop diarhhea of the mouth. And not the cute, off the cuff kind. More like the smart ass, my ears are burning kind.

HOWEVER...we've been in Williamsburg this week for a little family vacay. Reconstructed family, that is. Yes, my FIANCE Jeremie is with us and that adds a whole knew wrench into the ballgame. A few good ones thus far:

My niece, Melissa, after spending THREE minutes with us at the Great Wolf Lodge: "Umm, why don't your kids listen to you?" Well, gee, I don't know if it's the fact that they saw me drink a BL Lime and know my weakness or that's it's 105 degrees outside and we're hostiled in here like Russian prostitutes. Either way, they don't listen so get on it and enjoy it while you can.

Today in ElmoLand at Busch Gardens: "Mamn? You aren't supposed to have that BL Lime in the children's area. Me: "Really? I'll try to suck it down just as quickly as I can seeing as how I was almost just ousted from the park because my kids assaulted Elmo and called him lame." Seriously? Where else would they need the beer the MOST? It's like the freakin' Magic Kingdom! Get over the PC crap already.

In the Pompei ride: The man in front of us was REALLY trying to give his 10 year old a history lesson. WE,he hell, he clearly wasn't aware that I have BEEN to POMPEII and my kids have heard all about it. BabyGirl (6) felt the need to ensure him that indeed, people roasted much like as in the fires of hell and there was NO WATER FALL. Sweet.

And to top it off with one last doozy...when you're handicapped...but an olympian, it's a bit difficult to get the pity of the staff at Busch Gardens. You can brace but you can't walk you say? Tough schnookies. We see the size of your guns. Figure it out. But figure it out with your family at the front of the line. Not bad.

Summer, summer, summertime!

2010-06-29T20:57:00.001-04:00

What happened to sitting back to unwind? We've been hanging out in Williamsburg this week with the kiddos. Keeping them entertained is non stop work. No wonder our parents dumped us at camp every summer. I feel like a freakin' cruise director! What ever happened to hitting a tennis ball against the house? Kick the can? What's with the constant entertainment?

For one thing, it's been miserably hot. Like 105 degrees record breaking temperatures hot. Sweat your bootie off hot. We could barely even stand the pool one morning. Yesterday we ran away to the Great Wolf Lodge for the night. Atleast we were indoors! That place is crazy but the kids so love it. Our little cousin Melissa came to see us as well. She and babygirl are only three days apart. They've been having so much fun! Babyboy and Jeremie went to see Karate Kid this afternoon and the girls and I baked cookies, did pedicures and a mini photo shoot. I got to work on my storyboard creator, which is tons of fun.

Tomorrow we're off to Busch Gardens and praying for cooler weather! They say it will only be 85. A cold front!

Fun New Photo Tool!

2010-06-27T20:09:00.000-04:00

Working on my photography business has been so much fun. It's hardly work, really! I have found so many awesome templates and different ways to grow my business and offer fun products to my customers. One of those templates is the Moirai Storyboard Creator. You simply download it to your photoshop and plug in photos. It does all the work for you!

some examples...

Summer!

2010-06-16T22:02:00.000-04:00

If camp and the beach weren't enough we now know for sure that summer has arrived! The kids had their first swim meet on Monday and did great! BabyGirl finished first in her heat in freestyle and 8th overall against some very stiff competition. BabyBoy finished fifth in freestyle overall. They both got dq's in breaststroke bit it was a great learning experience. Funny...most of the the photos I got were taken with members of their old swim team (we switched back to our old country club) but they're still great photos nonetheless!

Sarah!

2010-06-14T10:08:00.001-04:00

Apparently I got overzealous with the cleaning last week and managed to throw away your email :(. Please leave another comment so I can mail you your book! Thanks, girl!

2010-06-12T17:39:00.000-04:00

I mean really...there are no words. I have the best looking niece EVER.

Camp Greystone!

2010-06-06T15:49:00.000-04:00

We drove to Asheville on Thursday and stayed the night at the Woodfield Inn en route to pick up the girls at Camp Greystone. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend the Woodfield Inn! It's definitely cute and a little campy, but apparently the owner had run out of money and refused to pay his staff and all the kitchen staff quit DURING OUR LUNCH. Awkward!

It was hot and humid upon pick up and apparently my body has turned into a one woman heat generator at the old age of 34. It was not pretty. I bought one of those little hand held fans at the gift shop and sat on the porch fanning myself like freaking Scarlett O'Hara. At one point Jennie looked over at me and commented "For pete's sake you're DAMP". Nice.

The girls finally broke loose at 10am and we got some cute photos. I got to meet Henley on the Horn which was awesome!

The camp itself has such an beautiful, idyllic setting. Think they'll let me come back next year as the camp photographer? I could definitely handle all the homemade food and lake time!

2010-06-03T08:06:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited to be staying at The Woodfield Inn tonight en route to pick up BabyGirl and her best friend from Camp Greystone. We dropped her off on Monday morning in the POURING RAIN. It was so depressing! I had a vision in my head of what it would be like and that was NOT IT. BabyGirl, however, was ecstatic and couldn't get rid of me fast enough! Any and all fears I had were quickly erased as I perused pictures of her on the camp website having a blast and already having suckered her counselers into putting her hair up in piggytails!
I was amazed by camp. Thank you so much to Kappa Prep for introducing me to Greystone. It is a magical place. I felt like we had driven straight into the 1940's. Never before have I met such accommodating staff or seen so many smiling young faces! I can't wait to hear all of BabyGirl's stories and to meet her new friends. And thank you SO MUCH to Henley on the Horn for letting me know that she had seen BabyGirl at camp and all was well! What a small world.

Calling All Richmonders!

2010-06-02T22:42:00.000-04:00

Just Kiddin' Photography will be in the Greater Richmond Area from June 10-12. If you would like to schedule a photo session please contact me at justkiddinphotography@gmail.com. I would love to photograph your little angels. I'm also now doing Senior Portraits so if you have or know of an upcoming Senior please keep me in mind!

Congratulations Sarah!

2010-06-02T16:05:00.001-04:00

You are my 300th follower and the lucky winner of a signed copy of "When Did I Get Like This?" Please leave me a comment with your email address (not to be published :)) and I will get your contact info!

Quick! Be my 300th Follower!

2010-06-02T11:17:00.000-04:00

I just realized that I have 299 followers. Be my 300th follower and receive an autographed copy of this great book...When Did I Get Like This?: The Screamer, the Worrier, the Dinosaur-Chicken-Nugget-Buyer, and Other Mothers I Swore I'd Never Be by Amy Wilson.

Perfection

2010-06-01T18:12:00.000-04:00

I had the absolute joy of getting to meet my first niece this weekend...

Introducing Madison Rusty.

Is she not the most yummy little thing you've ever seen? Check out my photography blog for more photos!

Oh, by the way, the Daddy is taken. Sorry ladies! You can check out his wife's blog here...

Can't Wait...

2010-05-27T23:06:00.000-04:00

To share some bubbly with the family in Richmond

this weekend to celebrate the most recent

addition to the Alexander chaos.

Welcome, Welcome, Welcome!

2010-05-27T22:39:00.000-04:00

Welcome to this crazy world!

Madison Russell Alexander "Maddie"

My oldest little brother's first baby girl.

Congratulations Ryan and Hayleigh!

She is beautiful and I can't wait to hug her tight and count all her fingers and toesies.

Cousins!

2010-05-26T22:21:00.000-04:00

How cute are these little dolls? Babygirl and her cousin are only two days apart in age and it's crazy how similar they look with their hair cut the same. They had a blast playing in their matching outfits. I see many summer weekend sleepovers in our future...

All the Crazies from Crazytown...

2010-05-21T08:36:00.000-04:00

Apparently decided to vacay in the Caribbean with KKB. WTH? Did you catch Real Housewives of NYC last night? I'm sorry. Kelly has a smokin hot body and I'm sure that as Sonja says, has a great "aesthetic", but that bitch is CRAZY.
Someone give that girl a Xanax! A complaint list? No. It's pretty bad when you can reduce Bethenney to a blubbering mess hiding on the couch. I found myself feeling uncharacteristic empathy for Bethenney. Girl...you are a CHEF. Screw Kelly. You made homemade salsa and cocktails and you didn't even get to drink one. That's a true friend. Hell, you're a true friend for going on a girl's trip at all when you couldn't drink. Especially with that crew. Good grief. BTW, your sweet, precious Bryn is absolutely adorable and I LOVE the name choice. So feminine and classic.
K. So back to don't mess with me while I'm talking to my kids or I'll claw your eyes out Kelly. The whole photo shoot thing was odd. Don't get me wrong, I love me some picture taking and I have been known to annoy the heck out of my family on beach trips with extended photo shoots. HOWEVER, the clip with Kelly baby talking to Alex and telling her to show her Johann face...I thought SHE was going to kiss HER with tongue. EEEEWWWW. Just EEEEEWWWW.
Oh. Oh. And JILL having her Nancy Kerrigan moment. What was with that outfit? Hilarious. Definitely added some humor to the episode. And girlfriend is stirring the pot by planning to show up on that trip.
Kelly, Kelly, Kelly. White noise. Let me just text. Are you gunna make out with the tongue. I want you to zip it. All in thirty seconds.
I think the bottom line for Kelly is that she needs to just hang out with guys. Or maybe just with other models.
Poor Ramona. And Sonja. Such a good girl for trying to diffuse.
I honestly believe that Kelly is having some sort of breakdown. Or maybe she got drunk before the dinner in St. John.
All I have to say is...does anyone want some Jelly Beans? Or a sucker?

New House Style Question #1

2010-05-20T20:46:00.002-04:00

The new house is coming along! I wish I had an exterior photo but I don't yet. Maybe tomorrow! My first room to design is the master bedroom. I've made a little inspiration board and I have a request. A little contest, if you will! The master is BIG. Which is GREAT. I picked out a bird duvet (LOVE BIRDS) and a chandelier from Pottery Barn. The bed is a mahogany sleigh bed that I got a great deal on. The dressers and bedside table are from Paula Deen. I am IN LOVE with her new furniture line! The pillows on the bed and the other bedside table are done in this beautiful red ikat print. Red is definitely the main accent color in the home. LOVE it. The paint will be Chopstick from Martha Stewart's new paint line at Home Depot. I love that you can pick out colorways in all different shades and they show you what will or won't flow throughout the entire home. I'm doing all paints with the little flower icon in the corner of the sample (if that helps!). SO, my big question is....what sconces should I put on either side of the bed? I want something to compliment the crystal and wrought iron of the chandelier, but not necessarily MATCH it. I'm not all matchy matchy. I want eclectic. The winner of the contest will receive a $25 gift card to Pottery Barn. The contest will last until June 1st. Just send me an email to sippycupscontest@gmail.com with an attached link or photo with a link. I'll review the submissions and let you know!

Here's the inspiration board...

Good luck!!!!!!!!!

Abbey Cakes!

2010-05-19T23:09:00.003-04:00

Babygirl had her end of the year program yesterday. I can't believe it's the end of Kindergarten!!! She's practically going off to college. {in HER mind, anyway!}

The theme was the Solar System and I was in charge of a dessert for the reception that followed. I had recently had the pleasure of inhaling a few of the most delicious cupcakes EVER and decided to enlist the baker of said cupcakes to provide some little treats for the kiddos.

You can find Abbey Cakes on Facebook. I'm telling you...these are the most delicious cupcakes I've ever had. HANDS DOWN. They are made from scratch and literally melt in your mouth. I just love her decorations and her eye for detail. Martha Stewart would be envious!

Check them out!

The Shark...I'm eating it up!

2010-05-12T16:53:00.000-04:00

This is life changing! I know this isn't a very glamorous item to blog about...it's not a fabric sample or a chandelier or a piece of furniture. It is, however, the single best cleaning item I have found in a LONG TIME. I seems to magically ( I know...it's the steam! ) remove dirt and grime from floors. It vaporizes it! It also gets the smell of dog pee out of carpet. I've also used it on the baseboards and it works great there as well. For $99.99 at Wal-Mart you can't beat it!

Finally!

2010-05-10T08:00:00.002-04:00

It's here! My dream of having a photography business has come to fruition and I've started a new blog to help get it off the ground. Thanks to you, my awesome readers, who have encouraged me SO much over the years to take my photography to the next level. When you enter th blog you'll see a list on the right hand side that suggests photographers in your town across the country and beyond. If you know of a great photographer please let me know their website and I'll be happy to link to it. Check it out! http://www.justkiddinphotography.blogspot.com/ You can also contact me at justkiddinphotography@gmail.com.

Grrrr!

2010-04-28T16:45:00.001-04:00

I am so excited to present my new blog...but I can't yet!!! My computer crashed and is being repaired and all of my photos, etc. are on that computer. I will have it up and running asap and will share my news then. Thank you all for your patience!

2010-04-20T17:41:00.003-04:00

I don't even know what to call this post, so it will have to remain titleless.

Yes, it's been a long time! If rumors in the blogging world are as potent as rumors in my hometown then I'm sure you all think I'm six feet under. I've debated A LOT about blogging regarding my absence and the final conclusion I've come to is this: my blog has become a journal for me in the past few years. It is an outlet, a place where I can vent, express creativity, get feedback...it's not just a journal, but a journey. So, here goes.

On March 3rd I had my tonsils taken out. After three episodes of strep throat this year I'd had it! I figured it was time. The kids were going to be with their Dad in Florida for Spring Break and I had someone to stay with me to take care of me so the timing seemed right.

My surgery went without complication. In fact, on Friday I went to High Point to buy a dining room table! Thank you Hydrocodone for making me think the amount I spent was A DEAL. Hah. Whatever, I love the table and wouldn't do it differently.

By Saturday I was really starting to have a lot of pain and had pretty much stopped eating. By Sunday, I had stopped drinking, too. My only intake was the liquid Hydrocodone that I had been prescribed for pain and Ambien to help sleep. By Monday, I was taking Extra Strength Tylenol and Motrin ON TOP of my Hydrocodone which also had Tylenol in it. With no other food or drink. Can you say stupid? Leave it to a nurse to think all that "Tylenol toxicity" stuff wasn't for real.

Thankfully, my friend who was staying with me noted my irrational behavior and took me to the ER. Long story short: my liver enzymes were found to be off the charts...WAY off the charts. My kidneys were failing as well. I was answering questions appropriately but my behavior was far from normal (drawing circles on my admission forms instead of filling them out properly). I was flown from my local hospital to the University of Virginia Hospital. My husband (from whom I'm separated but thank goodness have a good relationship) was still my medical power of attorney. He graciously allowed the good doctors at UVA to intubate me (note the sarcasm there?) and put me on a ventilator. I remained that way for two days, while it was debated whether or not a hole should be drilled in my head to relieve pressure on my brain and how soon I should receive a liver transplant. No joke.
On Thursday, I woke up. Not happy. At all. My whole family was there. Everyone seemed really serious. I had some idea of what had happened, but really no idea at all.

My first concern was my kids. What would they think? What would happen to them? Where were they? My family quickly assured me that they were fine and on the way back from Disney with their Dad. I did not want them to see me in the hospital. Their Dad, again very graciously, drove the two hours to see me and brought my "friend" with him. I had been removed from the ventilator but my troubles were far from over. I was carrying roughly 50 lbs. of fluid weight and faced dialysis and the continued concern over my liver and kidneys.

A dialysis catheter was placed and I received my first round of dialysis on Friday. I was transferred out of the ICU. I spent the next week and a half in the hospital receiving dialysis and recovering. I was discharged a month ago and have SLOWLY recovered at home. No more dialysis, liver is fine, kidneys are fine, I am SO LUCKY. Can't take Tylenol if I have a headache, but SO LUCKY!!! My stepmom stayed with me for two weeks. I seriously could not have made it without Mimi! My house has never been so clean. My friends have been sending meal after meal and have been so generous.

Needless to say, having all that time to lie in a hospital bed gives you lots of time to ponder your life, your priorities, what's real and what's not...

I'm so appreciative...so much MORE appreciative, that is, of my family and all that they mean to me and do for me. I'm not in a HURRY to move on with my life after divorce, but I'm certainly sure of the choices I've made and look forward to the future. It's hard to cherish everyday when you're exhausted and not completely recovered, but I'm trying. I still don't think I have a full realization of what happened. My friend is more a part of my life than ever and is truly my angel. Were it not for him I would surely be dead. Thank goodness he had the good sense to take me to the hospital, despite my apparent demands that he not (I don't remember anything after Sunday, so I can't argue with what I've been told!).

My kids are doing GREAT. They were so spoiled the entire time..they're none the wiser! My new home is framed, roof is in place, and we're moving on! More on that later.

Another thing I became very clear about while hospitalized was what I really want to do in the future. I've renewed my nursing license, but that's not at all what I want to do for life. Sooooo...in the next day or so I'll be unveiling my newest venture. Stay tuned!

Design Help!

2010-02-24T14:08:00.007-05:00

I need your help! Picking light fixtures for my new home has been a challenge. I love SO many different things. The lighting allowance provided by the builder is a joke so I've just decided to pick what I like and not stress about the pricing too much. I think lighting adds such character to a home and since this will be a brand new build I'm hoping to have as much character as possible.

So, my first issue has been BabyGirl's room. Here is a photo of her current room. Her room in the new house will be very similar, but will only have one window (yes, one of those valances will be for sale soon!).

The fabric is so perfect for her: a kind of oriental flair with lots of animals but still very feminine. It's primary colors are pink, green and khaki. Since it does have that oriental flair and I wanted something a little funky that would grow with her, I picked this chandelier from Shades of Light. I'm thinking of either no shades or some light pink shades.

Of course, BabyGirl has other ideas. She prefers these options from Posh Tots and Pottery Barn Teen.

Now, to add more confusion, the green bamboo chandelier would look great in my guest room as well...

I just don't know what to do. Therefore...I'm asking your advice! Please see the poll above and cast your vote!

Remember these little cuties?

2010-02-22T13:00:00.003-05:00

Several posts back I posted some photos I took of a friend's twins. They are so adorable! I was lucky enough to get to shoot them again this weekend. It was a short session but we got some great shots! It's hard to believe how quickly they've grown...

Now, for all you camera gurus out there I have a question: I recently purchased the D90 and have been using it with my Sigma 50mm 1/1.4 lens. I have LOVED this lens in the past but I'm not having as much luck with the D90. I feel like my photos should be more crisp, more clear, and require less editing. Of course, this from the girl who bought a book explaining the camera and hasn't read it. Any thoughts?

Long time, no talk!

2010-02-15T20:43:00.002-05:00

I'll be posting soon about all the fun things I've picked out for the new house! BTW...I decided to go for the lot at the top of the hill. It's on a culdesac as as well and the cost difference wasn't enough to justify not having that view!

For now, head over and check out Preppy Napkin's new look! She's also got a great giveaway going on that you don't want to miss. A preppy pink and green handpainted cocktail napkin holder.

Leave a comment, become a follower and she will enter your name in the drawing.
If you post this giveaway on your blog, she'll enter your name twice.

Good Luck!

expires Saturday the 20th

And on a lighter note...

2010-01-26T21:05:00.002-05:00

You simply MUST SEE...

The Young Victoria.

SUCH a great movie. Emily Blunt is AMAZING. I hated her in The Devil Wears Prada but I so loved her in this film. What I also loved about this film was that it was an incredibly informative historical movie (now I know where "Victoria and Albert's" comes from at Disneyworld LOL) but it wasn't dull and long like most historical movies.

The love story was perfectly played out. Couldn't recommend it more...

Authenticity

2010-01-26T20:43:00.002-05:00

As part of my New Year's resolution (and I'm sure a gazillion other people's resolutions) I committed to working out more this year. Not necessarily for weight loss (although losing that extra 20 lbs. wouldn't hurt), but for health and peace of mind. I say PEACE because I could use a little!

As I walked on the treadmill yesterday I saw that Rosie O'Donnell was on Oprah. I'm really not a Rosie fan. I mean, REALLY not a Rosie fan. I hate her political views and I find her abrasive and annoying. For some reason, however, I felt the need to listen. As I listened, I felt so incredibly enlightened. She talked about her kids, her value of family, and her constant CRAVING to live an authentic life. I've heard Oprah talk about living an authentic life for years now. I kind of brushed it off as bunk and moved on. Whatever. Authentic? How can you get more authentic than the everyday chaos of babies, diapers, carpool, dinner, sleepless nights, potty training, etc?

The past few months, however, have made me re-evaluate my version of an authentic life. I've had to be honest with myself. I mean...REALLY honest. Hearing Rosie say that it was so telling to her to know that her kids knew she was happy once she was living a truly authentic life almost made me fall off the treadmill. IT IS MY LIFE RIGHT NOW. My kids have even made a point of telling me that throughout this separation and divorce they can tell that I'm happier, and in their own words, living a more authentic life. The things that I valued before aren't so important anymore. I'm vividly aware of the fact that a: I married too young and b: I married a man who I thought I could change (and Dad PLEASE don't perseverate on this) and was too old for me. We had more of a parent-child relationship than a husband-wife relationship. That is not to say that he did't teach me A LOT. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to make me happy.

I have to give tons of credit to my soon to be ex-husband because he really has handled this situation with as much class and grace as possible. We certainly have our moments, but I'm SO happy and relieved to know that in the end, we will always be friends and we both have our children's interests at heart. We were and always will be a family, traditional or not. We still have dinner together once a week...he's started calling me with dating questions (awkward!), and I do value his opinion on certain issues, as he does mine.

I guess my point is that the big D word isn't always the kiss of death. Yes, I'm happy. I've moved on. Has he? Will he ever really? I doubt it. But that's just who he is and I have to accept that.

In my twenties I always thought that 35 was REALLY old. Now, I can't wait to turn 40! My 30's (and I'm just barely 34) have been such a learning experience. I'm ready for the real fun and the true AUTHENTICITY.

Text me...

2010-01-08T08:41:00.002-05:00

A friend of mine asked her three kids what their New Year's Resolutions would be this year. Her 14 year old daughter said "to text more", which I thought was hilarious.
Hilarious, that is, until I got my latest Verizon bill. With $50 dollars worth up up charges for texting. It's funny...I thought that the premium texting charge meant you could text your little heart out and not get charged extra. Silly me. 776texts later, and I'll be storming the Verizon store this morning to change my account! A special thanks to all my friends with i phones.

Of course, being 33 and texting makes me feel very cool for some reason. Young and hip and all that...
Alas, I am young and hip no longer. Yesterday I traded my Volvo station wagon in for a Toyota Sienna minivan. I was leaning toward a Suburban. I just really wanted more space for the kids to spread out and quit touching each other in the car! Well, my friend insisted that I atleast test drive the Sienna Limited that had been sitting at our local dealer for a while. It's got all the bells and whistles...more than I need really. I have to say, after one afternoon I was pretty convinced. By the end of a very SILENT carpool with three five year olds watching the DVD player and not pissing and moaning all the way home I was officially hooked. I am loving that car! Yet another thing I said I would never do and here I am...pimpin around town in the mini. Gotta love it.

Have a great weekend!

XOXO Sippycups

Here's What's Been Going On...

2010-01-03T09:13:00.006-05:00

Wow! What a whirlwind December! We had a great holiday (our first with two separate houses for the kids, which turned out surprisingly well). The kids left on Christmas day with Dr. Daddy and my brother to ski in Colorado. Apparently, they're naturals. Well, duh!
My family was here to visit, as was a special friend. We spent a week of pure bliss (although I'm sure many of my friends are wondering if I'm still alive). I managed to make the final decision to build rather than buy a home, and I've been working on growing my photography hobby/business and reinstating my nursing license. So...not busy AT ALL. He He.

A few of my faves from a recent twin shoot...

The home I've decided to build is in a neighborhood that has primarily crafstman style homes which is not a style I EVER thought I would embrace but I've fallen in love with. These are some initial concepts I have but I would LOVE to see any photos you have to offer!

My biggest issue now is whether to build on the more expensive lot at the top of the hill but sacrifice some of the details I LOVE, or to build down below at the bottom of the subdivision on a culdesac with less view but more special touches and upgrades. Thoughts, ideas?

Thanks again for all your kind words of support with the ongoing separation and divorce. It's going surprisingly well...I've insisted we have a meal once a week as a family and I think we're all settling in to the idea of the end of the marriage. It's like surviving when someone else has died...but I KNOW in the end that this is for the best and that my children will be happier in the end. Trying to do it right? That's a whole other story!

To add to my family's stress...my oldest little brother deployed to Iraq this month. He left behind his newly pregnant newlywed and a really WORRIED family! Please pray for him. You can track his progress at his wife's blog...The Sand is Different Here.

I look forward to hearing from all of you soon!

Mantle Madness

2009-12-02T09:01:00.009-05:00

Loyal reader Sharon made my day by emailing and requesting holiday mantle ideas. Ah, so MANY ideas. She's hosting a dinner party this weekend and wants something woodsy and natural looking. So let's get started!

First, I love to start with a little (lot) of fresh greenery. The price is right (FREE if you can get it from your yard!) and I love the smell and natural element it adds. I also like to add a little eucalyptus berry from the market. And, you KNOW I'd be throwing in a few feathers here and there...

Next, why not add a little Baby Jesus? He is, after all, the reason for the season. And as Babygirl loves to point out..."he gets a birthday AGAIN this year?!". Funny girl. I LOVE this nativity set from Wisteria.

So, we've got our greenery, we've got Baby Jesus, now we need some stockings.
Ballard Designs never lets me down in the stocking department. I've had their polka dot stockings with leopard trim for years. This year, I especially love these adorable neutral stockings with a vintage look. Very chic and understated. Don't forget to "stuff" your stockings with some plastic grocery bags to give them a little body. I also like to have a little greenery hanging out the tops of the stockings to give them more life.

Now that we've addressed our staple items, it's time to have fun! Add some gorgeous candles such as these from Pottery Barn.

I also LOVE these crowns from Wisteria.

They would be adorable worked in amongst your greenery or even bunched on the ground in front of your fireplace. Have fun and be creative! And, don't forget the fire in the fireplace!

If you aren't loving the mess of a fire but still love the flames and the smell...add some lit candles to the fireplace and mix in one of the Slatkin & Co. "Winter" candles from Bath and Body Works. It is practically an exact replica of the old winter candles sold by Slatkin & Co. at Neiman Marcus for three times the price. You will not believe how wonderful your house smells!

Ghetto Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T22:43:00.006-05:00

A few shots from today...and a funny story!

We were bored this afternoon. Seriously...who doesn't eat turkey until after 6pm? We aren't the Vanderbilt's for goodness sake!

So, we had an impromptu photo shoot. The above photos were the result.

Babygirl and I were discussing our upcoming trip to NYC to see the Rockettes, visit the American girl store for tea, carriage ride in central park, lunch at the top of Bergdorf's, etc. Babyboy was a bit put out that he was not invited. I said it was a girls' trip and he responded "well then why does Uncle Aaron get to go?"

Babygirl responded "because Uncle Aaron is ghetto?" like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Then I had to interject and say "ummm, you mean Uncle Aaron is GAY?" Yeah, she says, Uncle Aaron is gay with his friend Eric. "No", I respond, "Uncle Aaron is ghetto with his friend Eric. He's GAY with his friend Tobin"...

At which time I realize that my kids will either be the most culturally accepting and advanced kids on the block...or they'll be the most messed up confused kids around! Either way...I'm up for it!

What are you thankful for today?

XOXO Sippycups

New Beginnings!

2009-11-25T23:23:00.005-05:00

Sorry for the tardy post. I've been busy with the Junior League bazaar fundraiser, kids school parties, moving, etc. I've also been trying to transition one of my passions into a growing "career". I've always loved photography and have taken photos of friends' kids forever. This year, I've been taking "sessions" and have sent all of my clients to Tiny Prints' website to view Tiny Prints 2009 Holiday Cards. They are awesome!

Here is what I chose for my card...

I love that it's neutral, classic and highlights the photo rather than a flashy card. That's what they're so great about ...they produce great cards that will enhance your photos.

Some other great samples...

Have you started your cards yet? If not, get to Tiny Prints now! They have GREAT deals and as an amateur photographer I can say that their reprints are very high quality and you won't be disappointed!

Happy shopping!

This one is for THE MAID

2009-11-14T20:43:00.003-05:00

Lest I become irrelevant for lack of posting...Pete called...he said he wanted some schnookie...with a side of spratt.
XOXO Sippycups

All I Can Say Is...

2009-10-25T22:12:00.002-04:00

WOW. Thank you so much for all your kind thoughts and comments. I honestly had no idea when I wrote my previous post what kind of can of worms I was opening. I thought surely I would have some negative comments, and steeled myself as best I could.
I have been so amazed by all your positive thoughts, comments, advice and inspiration. I have had NOT ONE negative comment.
Thank you all so much.
This process is incredibly painful and exhausting and yet a massive relief at the same time. It's so hard to know how you're "supposed" to feel. I'm taking it one day at a time and again, I appreciate all your support.
Cheers!

What Adorable Kids Those Are!

2009-10-02T21:45:00.003-04:00

Oh, wait...they're my kids! How excited are we to be featured on Whitney English's Website? Too cute. Check out all of her photo and digital photo cards...I definitely know where I'll be getting MY cards this year!

OMG!

2009-09-29T21:30:00.004-04:00

Chris O'Donnell is on NCIS Los Angeles. Obviously, my new favorite show. LOVE HIM.

The Bathroom is Finally Complete!

2009-09-28T21:03:00.008-04:00

As I may have mentioned (a thousand times before) we've spend the summer renovating BabyBoy's Bathroom. I had very specific ideas about what I wanted. Here was the before:

I really wanted to create a bathroom that would still look "old" but have all the updated features we needed. We replaced tile, tub, fixtures, cabinet, vanity and sink, lighting and window treatment.

The during...

AND...drumroll please...the final outcome!

The details:

I ordered all the tile on ebay. Got a great price...some pieces were broken or cracked but overall I was able to get the molding pieces for top and bottom and wouldn't have if I hadn't purchased via ebay.

The cabinet is from Restoration Hardware. I changed the hardware from brushed nickel to the shiny silver to match the rest of the room.

The sink faucet was purchased from Tuesday Morning.

Mirrored cabinet from Restoration Hardware.

Sconces from Pottery Barn.

Window treatment made by yours truly.

Shower faucet, Toto toilet and tub purchased at a local plumbing store.

Shower curtain and rings from Restoration Hardware.

Brown towels and all other accesories from Target.

Photo taken at the beach this summer and placed in a frame from Pier One.

Overall...I'm very happy with the outcome. It's still a tight space but so much more usable now. Plus, no more leaky faucets!

Total renovation cost: approx. $11,000. This includes all tear out, installation, and fixtures including tile, cabinets, etc.

The Trailer....

2009-09-23T21:06:00.001-04:00

Okay. So I've been out of the box for a while. Yes, there has been a lot going on. Yes, my life has taken a life changing turn. Yes, there will be full disclosure soon. Tune in...

What's on YOUR ipod?

2009-08-22T10:13:00.003-04:00

You know how they always ask celebrities really lame questions like "What's on your ipod right now?" when they interview them? Or even better, "What books are you reading?", and the celeb names some unheard of book that they think makes them seem really cerebral?

Well, you won't get that from me!

Here's what's on my ipod right now and I am OBSESSED...

I'm trying to muddle my way through "The Time Traveller's Wife" but the beginning is really confusing...especially after a Skinny Girl Margarita. More on that later!

Dining Room Redo

2009-08-18T10:21:00.005-04:00

When we originally move into this house I picked a wallpaper for the dining room that I LOVE. It's by Thibaut and it's from the Tea House collection. I pretty much decorated the rest of the room around that paper. I picked curtain panels with pink and green stripes that were really pretty. Then, Happy Housewife came in and turned my world upsidedown by suggesting I put the pink and green panels in my living room instead. Hmmmph. Well, she was right of course. They look great in there. I had another pair made and now it's perfection.

I had a fabric sample I'd been holding onto for two years that I really wanted to use to cover the dining room chairs. It's really a "wow" piece. ie: can't do too much else in the room if the chairs are going to have this fabric. It was pricey, so I was on the fence. Finally Dr. Daddy agreed that if I had kept it for that long and not yet found anything else I liked as much that I could go ahead and use it. Yay! So, here was the before...you may remember
this post.

And now...

The curtains are a gorgeous greenish blue silk with an onion ball trim that incorporates all the colors of the room. I found the asian inspired lamps at a local design store. The rug is one that used to be in the living room; I just switched and put the old dining room rug in the living room and vice versa. The adorable monkey on the table was a gift from my physicians' spouse auxiliary. Now, I just need to figure out what to put on that round table in the corner. I'm kind of sick of the plant. Any suggestions? Oh, and I painted the wall below the chairrail with Benjamin Moore's mushroom cap in a half strength. It has just the right amount of a creamy, buttery color to warm up the room but not over do it. Hope you like!

Lazy Summer

2009-08-09T11:16:00.006-04:00

We've had such a lazy summer...I know, I've been a lazy blogger, too! Actually, it hasn't been SO lazy. We've taken some fun trips and done LOTS to the house. BabyBoy's bathroom is ALMOST complete. Here's a little teaser for you...

When it's all complete (cross your fingers that it will be by the end of this week!) I will post lots of before and after pix.

I'm also having new window treatments and pillows made for my family room and having my dining room chairs covered. I bought some great grasscloth wallpaper last weekend in Richmond (I'm pretty sure Mimi thought I was smoking crack for just buying it without even measuring or thinking) and hope to have that hung this week, too. Summer refreshment! Love it. Just what I need to get me in the mood for fall...

I FINALLY went to see a podiatrist about my heel last week. It has been killing me all summer. I haven't really been able to exercise as a result other than swimming and have gained some weight (oh, shut up. It is NOT all the Gin and Wine that caused the weight gain :)) I had the pleasure of a 2 inch needle stick to the heel ( can you say freaking owwww!!!?? ). The cortisone has helped a lot, however, the anti inflammatory he gave me has kept me nauseaus for three days straight. Anyone ever taken Mobic before? I think I'm going to just have to go back and beg for something else. Percocet anyone?!

I took the kids to a friend's house last week for some R and R around her pool. She also has goats so they loved feeding the goats peanuts with LUTBand her kids.

They look miserable, right?

Promise, promise I'll have before and after pics of the bathroom asap!

Have you heard of this?

2009-08-06T10:11:00.000-04:00

Have you heard of Smilebox? It's my newest obsession...

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

And the Oscar Goes to...

2009-08-04T07:40:00.002-04:00

Eric. You are such a drama queen! He He. I did forget to mention in my beach post that Aaron's friend Eric spent some quality time with us at the beach as well. That would explain my day of "lethargy" spent in bed...

We did get some fun pictures, though, and even got to take home a gorgeous piece of art that Eric created himself and BabyGirl has found a special place in her room for. Eric, you may have a customer base...several of her friends covet it as well!

Beach Week!

2009-08-02T23:57:00.008-04:00

We had an awesome beach week this year. We normally go to Litchfield or Pawley's Island or Sunset Beach. GREAT beaches all...but having lived in Wilmington for three years we decided to go back and do a Wrightsville Beach vacay. Our house was a stone's throw away from the beach...we could see the water from the porch. It was an OLD house. Built in the 1920's. I loved sitting on the front porch and watching the surfers go out to the beach early before work. It was so...beachy!
For the first time EVER we didn't take a sitter with us to the beach. At the last minute we invited a friend for BabyBoy. It worked out perfectly because BabyBoy, friend, and BabyGirl all get along great. It was better than a sitter!
We spent lazy days at the beach, shopped, scootered to the ice cream shop after dinner...it was bliss. I did have an evening that included entirely too much a-a-a-a-cohol. The following day I stayed in bed until 7pm. Yes...you red correctly. 7pm. Clearly, Mrs. Sippycups can no longer party like it's 1999. All good. Dr. Daddy was THE MAN and didn't give me a hard time AT ALL. Mommy was TIRED.
The kids did shell art, beading, played countless hours of Wii and DS. YES...I am that bad of a Mom :).
A few pictures from our trip...

A New Twist on an Old Favorite

2009-07-30T09:45:00.009-04:00

We're back from the beach and had a GREAT time! I'll post pix asap. For some reason I've gone into nesting mode. I'm cookin' up a storm! I came back to discover a massive overgrowth of basil in the garden and had to harvest it asap. So, I have a plethora of pesto in the fridge. The first night I concocted a pasta/chicken/artichoke dish with pesto cream sauce that was super yummy but after that I was stumped. What to do with all this pesto? I decided that since my kids LOVE the crescent roll chicken bundles I would mix that up a bit and come up with a new recipe.

Here's what you'll need:

2 cans of refrigerated crescent rolls
1 large (I use the 13 oz. size from Sam's Club) can of chicken
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup pesto (depending on how strong you want the flavor to be)

First, mix the chicken, sour cream and pesto and add salt and pepper to taste:

Next, separate your roll dough into eight squares, mashing the perforated lines together...

Add about a 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture to each square...

Next, fold over the points of the square toward the middle of the chicken mixture to create a pocket...

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake at 350 degrees until browned (about 20 minutes or so)

These were so tasty! I even used the low fat version of the rolls and didn't notice a difference at all. The kids loved them (even though they were green!)

Serves 8.

These also freeze really well...

No, I'm not Dead

2009-07-17T17:20:00.002-04:00

For Fun...

What is your salad dressing of choice?
Bleu Cheese

What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
A greek place in town called The Isaacs

What food could you eat for 2 weeks straight and not get sick of it?
Cheesesticks

What are your pizza toppings of choice?
spicy sausage, onions, mushrooms, banana peppers

What do you like to put on your toast?
butter and raspberry jam

How many televisions are in your house?
6 if you count the portables

What color cell phone do you have?
silver

Are you right-handed or left-handed?
right

Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
moles, children, inappropriately sized saline implant, excess saddlebag fat...this is kind if a gross question cause I could go on...

What is the last heavy item you lifted?
bathroom tile

Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
yes

If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
no friggin way. I'm already a basket case, ugh...

If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
I've always loved cute preppy names like Laney or Kipper or Libby. I don't know. I've NEVER liked my given name. I mean, how many Jennifers do you know? I guess if I had to choose I would choose Meredith.

Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?
Yeah, probably. I suppose it would depend on how much alcohol was involved.

Last run-in with a cop?
Ugh...help me out Aaron, were the cops involved in that nasty run in at the karaoke joint in Pawley's?

Last person you talked to?
Dr. Daddy...dinner plans

Last person you hugged?
BabyGirl...my little love bug

Favorite Season?
Fall-love the colors

Holiday?
Christmas...you know I love me some decoratin'

Day of the week?
Monday...I'm a re-group type of gal

Month?
October-see a fall theme here?

First place you went this morning?
The kitchen for coffee

What's the last movie you saw?
New In Town...really cute

Do you smile often?
Yes

Do you always answer your phone?
Hell No

It's four in the morning and you get a text message who is it?
Aaron

If you could change your eye color what would it be?
Brown. I think blondes with brown eyes are kind of exotic.

What flavor drink do you get at Sonic?
Diet Cherry Limeade...the big one.

Do you own a digital camera?
Yes

Have you ever had a pet fish?
Gah. No.

Favorite Christmas song?
Oh, Holy Night.

What's on your wish list for your birthday?
Anna Weatherley Plates

Can you do push ups?
Hells to the yes.

Can you do a chin up?
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Does the future make you more nervous or excited?
Definitely excited.

Do you have any saved texts?
Yup.

Ever been in a car wreck?
yes, very mild

Do you have an accent?
I don't believe so

What is the last song to make you cry?
Wind Beneath My Wings

Plans tonight?
Mexican with Dr. Daddy, BabyBoy and his pal Grey.

Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom?
Yes, but in retrospect no.

Name 3 things you bought yesterday?
matching mario bros. pajamas for BabyBoy and his friend who is going to the beach with us
a Hannah Montana guitar shaped float for BabyGirl
tampons

Have you ever been given roses?
yes

Current worry?
behavior at the beach...and I DON'T mean my kids'

Current hate right now?
volunteer commitments

Met someone who changed your life?
yes

How did you bring in the New Year?
Supper club at our house...too fun.

What were you doing 12 AM last night?
definitely sleeping

What was the first thing you thought when you woke up?
Seriously? 7am? Who are these children and why are they calling me mother?

Now you know a few more things about me...

Super Mario Bros. Success!

2009-07-02T08:20:00.008-04:00

After having such success with BabyGirl's birthday at the Y Pool I was luckily able to convince BabyBoy to do something similar for his 7th birthday party. The Y has what they call and "inflatable" party where they set up this huge inflatable obstacle course in the gym, let the kids play for an hour, and then send them up to the party room for food and cake. Easy, right?
BabyBoy being the budding computer genius that he is was determined to find the perfect cake to go with his chosen Mario Bros. theme. So, he googled "super mario bros. cake" and here's what he came up with...

Ummmm. Yeah. Mommy can bake a little but Ace of Cakes I'm not. I had to bring him back to earth just a bit. We did end up with a pretty cool cake, though. I actually ran out of time and the option became I could EITHER bake the cake or ice the cake. Sooooo, I headed off to Ukrop's and purchased the largest sheet cake they had, scraped off the oh, so delicious icing, colored my purchased icing bright blue, and went to town with the pre made fondant I had purchased. Here was the result...

The fondant was actually really easy to work with. I wasn't really doing anything 3D or crazy like that so it went pretty smoothly.

For the favors I found some cute ice cream cups at the dollar store and filled each with crinkly shreds and a gift card for a kids cone at Maggie Moo's.

The invitations were purchased from a seller on Ebay and I have to say I was really pleased...you simply send them the info and they send you a pdf of the invitation that you print out yourself. You can find them here.

I purchased all of the birthday supplies from Celebrate Express. This was the only place I was able to find them. They had really cute blue balloons with white clouds and I added yellow balloons with white stars and solid red balloons. It was definitely a cheap way to add to the theme. Overall...another successful party and very low stress!

Preppy Chic!

2009-06-24T08:32:00.008-04:00

That is the term my aunt coined to describe the wedding we planned for my cousin, Emily. In keeping with that theme Jettaka and I hosted a very Lilly inspired Bridesmaids Luncheon at Jettaka's best friend Betsy's house. If you're from Richmond, or maybe if you're not, you may have heard of Turnkey Interiors. This is the design firm that Betsy owns. We had the priveledge of entertaining at her beautiful home and it was fabulous! We decided on a poolside theme hoping that the girls would be able to relax in anticipation of the big day. We had everything catered by Mosaic Cafe. Can you say delicious? We even let BabyBoy and little Carter invade our girly day so they could get some well needed outdoor time. Enjoy the photos!

First, the invitations...

We chose the Lilly Pulitzer cloud nine pattern because it had navy and hot pink, which were Emily's colors.

More details...

Seven Year Room Redo

2009-06-23T09:13:00.006-04:00

It's been a long time since my last post...almost a month! I've got lots to post about in the next couple of weeks. I had an awesome trip to NYC. If you're interested in purchasing any DVF dresses check out my ebay link to the right of the screen. LOTS of cute stuff!
We've been busy with weddings and swim team. Good grief! I had no idea what a time commitment swim team would be! We've successfully completed two and a half meets. I say two and a half because BabyGirl refused to swim the first meet. BabyBoy had a cast on his arm for the first meet and didn't participate (broken elbow). Beware of trampolines. They are so dangerous! This was our second tramp injury. Our neighbors have one that backs up to our yard and we've had to officially ban our kids from playing on it.
Last Saturday was BabyBoy's 7th birthday party. I can't believe he's seven years old! I told him I would not buy one more Lego but that I would redo his bedroom however he wanted as a gift (and then promptly handed him the Pottery Barn Kids catalog). Gotta have a LITTLE say so. Of course, he picked a Star Wars theme. I found some cute plaid fabric to coordinate with the PBK Star Wars sheet set and a king size sham from Target (lots cheaper than the one from PBK AND it looks better, I think!) I bought some of those really cool wall decals from a seller on Etsy (overloadednoggin was his name). They were so easy to apply and make a huge difference. It really adds to the theme without being too cheezy.
I purchased a black wire storage rack and big galvanized metal bins from Lowe's to put all his Legos and toys in. The shelves also serve as display shelves for his larger Lego projects. I found a really neat shadow box type frame from Target to display his Lego cars. Two cheap Target tables and some storage bins for his videos and video games, a new bedside table and lamp from TJ Maxx and we were a go! Luckily, his carpet already had stars on it so totally fit the theme. Here are some pics...

Oh, if I could, I would...

2009-06-01T21:47:00.014-04:00

Have you forgotten me yet? I hope not! I know it's redundant to say...but it's just been so darned busy around here! End of year parties...my year as president of our medical alliance ending...BabyBoy's birthday coming up...redecorating rooms in the house...swim team...gymnastics...are you exhausted yet? 'Cause I definitely am! We've had a great several weeks. Last weekend we had the honor and priveledge of attending the Virginia Republican Convention and got to hear Sean Hannity speak. It was awesome! He gave such a great speech. We would have loved to have heard Mitt Romney speak at the Gala the evening prior, but we just couldn't get there in time!

I've had so many new ideas for blog posts...Etsy is my new obsession! I will be posting a lot about that soon.

I know I also promised to post pix of our "complete" master bedroom. However...it just isn't perfect yet. Soon...soon! We're renovating BabyBoy's bathroom right now and I can't WAIT to post pix. It should be a great transformation.

Today, however...I want to escape from reality. I want to do an I SO would if I could post.

I have always wanted a beach house. Unfortunately, Dr. Daddy is very much a glass half empty kind of folk and is terrified of hurricanes!!!

SOOOO, I'm going to do a post about my dream beach house. If I could I would have this house

with this kitchen

and how about this entry?

Imagine the blogging I could do from this master suite...

BabyBoy would LOVE this bedroom...don't you love the Hermes blanket? (atleast...I think it's Hermes!)

And BabyGirl's room...

And if the friends or cousins come to visit? We'll definitely need both of these rooms!

Of course...Mimi will need a room as well...and every girl needs some LV!

And since we all need a place to hang out and watch our back episodes of Weeds and The Real Housewives...

There are certainly a zillion more rooms I would love to post...but for now...this is my dream beach house!!!

Congratulations, Aaron!

2009-05-11T07:50:00.013-04:00

This weekend was BUSY! Friday was spent preparing for the rehearsal dinner I had been helping to plan for several months. I'm glad to say that everything went off without a hitch. Unfortunately, I managed to get there with no memory card in my camera. Therefore...no pictures! I did the same wheat grass and gerbera daisy arrangements seen here. I added table numbers on wooden sticks to each arrangement. I printed them on red cardstock and cut them into squares. It looked really cute! (you'll just have to trust me on that :)

Saturday we had Field Day at the kids' school. Then at 2:30pm we headed down to Chapel Hill for Aaron's graduation. Three hours later (thanks to the Garmin's illustrious tour of all the nooks and crannies of the North Carolina Research Triangle) we arrived! I was so glad to share this special time with Aaron and all his friends...friends who have become like family to us over the past six years (many of them were high school friends as well). Many of them were also some of Sippycups' first supporters. Saturday night we headed to a pizza place on Franklin Street that the graduates had rented out so their families could enjoy a little celebration. It was such a great idea. We had the entire place packed with friends and familiar faces. Lots of memories in that room, I'm sure!

Of course, the revelry continued after dinner. Everyone headed back to Aaron's apartment. I drove Dr. Daddy and the kids back to the friend's house we were staying at and he got the kids and himself to bed. I then headed back to Aaron's apartment and whipped up some Skinny Girl Margaritas. If you haven't tried one...you must! Just remember to use the good tequila (100% Agave, white tequila). This is my new drink of choice! It's light and refreshing but it definitely packs a punch!
Mimi and I headed to bed pretty early (I think it was about 11:30pm). The "kids" continued the fun well in to the wee hours of the morning, as they should :). Good thing Mimi and I were at Aaron's door at 8:30 Sunday morning to get his lazy bum out of bed. Otherwise, he would have missed the graduation!
We hustled over to the stadium. Seanie boy, feeling the pain of the previous night's fun, was moving at a snail's pace. Tobin, Aaron's adorable boyfriend, was a true mensch and found bottled water and coffee. My dad came through with Krispy Kreme and all was well. Desmond Tutu was the speaker. I have to say, he is an intriguing speaker. Unfortunately, his message was a wonderful one that was somewhat lost when he politicized his speech. Not cool. It's hard to represent yourself as a uniter when you're speech is judgemental and partisan. It was funny, though, trying to construe some of his interpretations of the King's English.

We dashed out a bit early so we could get back to Aaron's apartment and whip up some brunch. And whip up some brunch Tobin did! What a chef!
We then opened presents. Everyone got a litty teary eyed when Aaron was given the greatest gift from my Dad. To make a long story short...before my Mom passed away she was in a quilting group of ladies. They called it the "Stitch and Bitch" group. She had finished a quilt for Seanieboy and started quilts for Aaron and Ryan. Well, my Dad had those same ladies finish Aaron's quilt and that was the gift my Dad gave him yesterday. Definitely an emotional moment, especially given the date of Mother's Day. It's a beautiful quilt and I am so grateful to those ladies who finished it for Aaron.

After the gifting we did an impromptu photo shoot. I think we got some great photos!

Bad Blogger

2009-05-07T08:19:00.005-04:00

I know, I know! I've been away forever. It's been crazy around here! I've been busy with this:

I've had so much fun making these adorable wedding invitations for my cousin who is getting married June 13. I LOVE the hot pink and navy color combo. I've also been working on menus, rehearsal dinner invites, etc.

Add to that the craziness of May. What the heck? School has been crazy lately with the kids. I've just finished baking ten dozen dinosaur cookies for BabyBoy's first grade Dino Day. Thank goodness I didn't have to ice them. No, we get to enjoy that catastrophe with the class. I'll be taking ten tubs of "brightly colored icing" and a pile of sprinkles for lots of super fun first grade bonding time. Awesome. For BabyGirl's class, it's dolphin day. Looks like I'll be making some dolphin cookies, too! On the bright side...I've mastered the art of cut out cookies.

This Saturday we have Field Day, for which I've been desperately trying to gather volunteers to work the booths. I'm sorry, but I am so OVER the Field Day thing. Let's just get a bunch of bounce houses a few slip and slides and a cake walk. Better yet, can I just write the school a check? I'm already getting nickel and dimed for tshirts, raffle tickets, casseroles, lollipops, etc. What's another hundred bucks? Geez!

We also leave Saturday for my brother Aaron's graduation from UNC Chapel Hill. I promise to take lots of pictures!

Speaking of pictures...BabyGirl and I stopped by the open house at the gym last weekend and she walked away with this crazy balloon sculpture. Ziggy the Clown was not messin around on this particular day! Of course, BabyGirl was pretty specific with her request: white bunny...big ears, blue eyes, pink and blue leash. A leash for a bunny? She did make haste in pointing out to me that bunny's eyes were actually "aquamarine" and not blue. Okay. Whatever.

Tomorrow night I'm overseeing a rehearsal dinner at a local museum. Lots of cute flower arrangements and photos to follow...

And next week...my master bedroom is officially finished! (well, for now atleast) I'll post new pix soon.

Have a great weekend!

For real?

2009-04-28T23:00:00.005-04:00

Mother in heaven...

I so love me some Real Housewives. First off...Bethenny and Kelly Killoren Bensimon? WTF? I'm sorry. I watched that entire interaction (the first one in the bar and then the second one in Jill's daughter's room...) Bethenny was totally en queu and Kelly? Come on. If she isn't on some really good s*it then she's clearly NOT RIGHT. Really. I'm confused. And I'm not so much dumb. So what gives?

Oky. Doky. That being said...I completely stand behind Alex and her wacked out spouse's home redo. Brooklyn IS where's it's at and SHOULD be. Any good Republican (and I'm pretty sure they AREN'T but WHATEVER) will tell you that renovating as opposed to buying is the smart thing to do in this economy. HOWEVER. Jill TRIED to help them in this dept. Did they just not listen? I KNOW my boy Brad DID NOT steer them THIS far astray...did he?

Whatever. I'm just happy that my New York Housewives continue to overshadow my local housewives in the drama dept. (although in a MINOR fashion as of late).

2009-04-24T09:12:00.002-04:00

I couldn't think of a title for today's post. Nothing in particular to talk about, really.
First of all, I have a headache that I've now had for five days. I think it's sinus related but who knows. I'm over it. Strangely, the only thing that seems to help is gin & tonic. Not surprisingly, this morning I have an even worse headache. Damn.
So I'm watching Regis & Kelly and Neil Patrick Harris is the guest host. He's pretty damn funny! For real. He and Kelly are a good match. Lovin' it.
Onto more whining and complaining. I am STILL SORE from my workout on MONDAY. Here's the thing. After giving birth to each of my children I had no problem returning to my pre-baby weight, even losing a little extra, which was lovely. Over the past four years, however, I have gained around 15 pounds and I just can't seem to get it off. Not that I've REALLY tried that hard but it's annoying. It's not annoying in the sense that I so much care about the weight gain per se. I suppose I'd be pretty content at my current weight. The problem is that I can't wear all of my clothes and I really like my clothes. It would also be nice to go to the pool and not feel self conscious. I've been amping up my workouts as of late but it's depressing. I was lamenting the fact that I'm still sore from Monday's workout while talking to Dr. Daddy last night. The always helpful Dr. made haste to point out that "You're getting old. Age sucks.". Huh? Way to encourage me, buddy!
So I know I'm just opening myself up to tons and tons of solicited advice here but if anyone has any ideas as to how I can lose this weight without killing myself I'd love to hear it. And please don't write telling me I should give up the gin & tonic. I'd rather be chubby than crazy and my evening cocktail is the only thing keeping me out of the loony bin at this point.
Thanks so much for listening to my rant...whine, whine, whine.

Sweet Sophie

2009-04-21T21:19:00.003-04:00

Sorry for my lack of good posts lately...it's been a bit crazy around here!
I spent the better part of last week in Richmond. Got to meet Claiborne from Fandangle Beads in person at the Collegiate School show. I'm hoping I can convince her to come to the Junior League Stocked Market in Roanoke in November.
That's another thing I've been tied up with as of late! I'm co-chairing the event and my awesome committee and I have been busy little bees trying to drum up lots of new ideas for our gala shopping event and lots of new merchants for this year's market. If you know of any merchants who might be interested please leave a comment to let me know!
I've also been working on my cousin's wedding invitations. I have three girl cousins and have done all of their invitations as their wedding gift. It's a lot of work but a TON of fun! I'm having a blast helping Emily plan her wedding. It's going to be so preppy and adorable. Happy Housewife has also been lending her amazing ideas and talent to the effort!
The first cousin I helped do invitations was the oldest of the three sisters...Molly. It's hard to believe her adorable daughter Sophie is now two years old! We celebrated her birthday this weekend. She was too cute! I've never seen a two year old be so good at her own birthday party!

Congratulations, Kristen!

2009-04-20T22:39:00.004-04:00

Congratulations Kristen Dalton, our new Miss USA!

It's funny...we always joke in my family that my brother Aaron has an amazing knack for meeting people with connections. So it comes as no surprise that he actually DATED Kristen in high school. Yes, we're talking about my gay brother! As Dr. Daddy so unabashedly pointed out last night while viewing the swimsuit competition during the pageant..."If anyone ever doubted the authenticity of his gayness...I'm thinking they're pretty sure now. NO HETEROSEXUAL MAN COULD TURN THAT AWAY!". Nice.
The thing about pageants is that I think they're really pretty ridiculous. For Kristen, however, this has been a lifelong dream. Her Mom was Miss North Carolina USA in the 80's and her sister was Miss Teen North Carolina 2008. Her sister Kinzie dates Chad Michael Murray from One Tree Hill. Actually, I think they're engaged.
Most people have this impression of these pageant girls as being totally fake and bitchy. Kristen honestly could not be more different. She's authentic, she's sweet, she wears her heart on her sleeve. She's AMAZINGLY talented. Girl can SING. I'm genuinely happy for her. Go Wilmington! What an amazing opportunity for her.
And I love it that Aaron gets to be the guy who says "I dated her when" and everyone else says "Yeah, right. Whateva dude."

If you have a size 4 little girl...

2009-04-14T00:54:00.001-04:00

Check it out! Great deals on Ebay!