Shipwrecked on Fabulous Island

WW: Happy Color Palette

2013-05-15T23:57:00.001-04:00

Wordless Wednesdays: this color palette makes me happy. Stay tuned to see where I'm using it in the new house!

iPod?! iCant.

2013-05-13T22:46:00.000-04:00

While waiting on my flight in the Vegas airport, I received an iMessage.

"Dear Mommy, I hope you had fun at the wedding."

I responded:

"Did Munch write that?"

The response I received was a major shocker for me:

"Yes mommy I did. Pop-Pop bought me an iPod."

WAIT. He did WHAT?! An iPod?!

iCant.

Now, back in MY day, my father would NEVER purchase me an iPod. I got my first MP3 player as a High School Senior. She is 6. MESSAGING ME?

Again, back in MY day, the ONLY thing an iPod did was play music and maybe a movie. Sure, one could easily change the views of how the information was sorted (by title, by artist, by type, etc.) but now? The iPod does everything the iPhone and iPad do EXCEPT make phone calls (though, it does FaceTime AND, with the Skype app, you can make phone calls).

At first, I gave Pop-Pop a side eye (Seriously?! 6?! With an iPod?). Then, ~~she told me he did it because he's the BEST Pop-Pop in the world and she loves him~~ I watched her sound out her words before she texted her Tati. I answered her questions about how to spell bigger words and I was happy to see those same words spelled correctly in her school stories. The iPod has reading apps, math practice, phonics lessons and brings our Munch smiles.

It's very funny. She facetimes me all the time. She will get up and run out of the room into the next one JUST to call and chat... About nothing.

The iPod enables communication between Munch and me (now the bathroom REALLY isn't an escape)...

Once, she was laying beside me and Facetimed me to ask,

"Mommy, who is that next to you?"

"GIRL, it's you!!"

"O" *giggles*

Even the iMessages have brought many laughs.

The Scene: We arrive to her before-school care facility and I'm waiting on her to get out of the car. She tosses her iPod into the cup holder and hops out. When I returned to my car, I had THIS waiting for me on my cell:

LOL. She had the nerve to look annoyed that afternoon and when I hadn't responded.

The iPod is bringing her great joy. Seeing her smile brings me great joy.

Have the grandparents (or aunts or god parents or friends) purchased a toy you THOUGHT would be a problem and it's turned out to be a GREAT investment?

I gotta go. My kid is iMessaging me.

Matters of My Heart.

2013-05-10T12:52:00.003-04:00

This past Tuesday, my life was interrupted.

I received a phone call from Patient First that my mommy:

... was rushed to the hospital.

That's about all the information they could give.

I needed more.

Which hospital?

What happened?

Who was there with her?

Panic. My lack of knowledge sent my mind into a whirlwind of questions and worry. It all came to a head when I finally heard her voice. I just sobbed and fussed that I was "WORRIED SICK ABOUT [HER] AND COULDN'T FIND [HER] AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON AND--"

"Aww, Tabby. I'm okay."

The past few days have been scary.

We kept our spirits high. We prayed. Shoot, I sounded the alarm to our church family and other prayer warriors to do the same.

Islanders, I am happy to report that my mom is home.

Yep, home.

...With her pups, her comfortable arm chairs, her junky closet, Dad (her personal chef and fussy doctor)...

Yep, she's home and just in time for Mother's Day.

Home.

My mommy gave me the best Mother's Day gift ever.

She survived. We survived.

Reminder: this Sunday, May 12, is Mother's Day.

Can I make some special requests?

If you pray, when you pray, can you send one up for my sweet mommy's heart? Also, can you join me in praying for those who do not have the opportunity to shower their mom with love this holiday?

You can?!

Consider the uncertainty of tomorrow reason enough to disconnect your electronics to reconnect with the people who matter most!

Umbrella Sharing - A Love Story Continued.

2013-05-09T08:00:00.000-04:00

Islanders, I have another sweet story from the life of my sweet parents.

Mom worked with Hubbs to surprise Dad with the car he's always wanted.

On May 1, we all had our missions. I was tasked with procuring the big red bow:

And putting the car in position:

Dad heard about a new restaurant, Bistro Bethem. Hubbs, Munch and I walked in the new restaurant (unsure of whether we should crash the dinner). When I saw how intimate the place was I ducked, snatching the kid, I ran out of the restaurant.

It was official, we crashed their anniversary.

Shh! They didn't see us. Hubbs spoke to the manager. The manager walked over the table and told Mom she had a phone call.

Disclaimer: Dad's been yelping (learn more here). He writes reviews for everything. Apparently, when the manager said someone called, Dad thought it was because his yelping was having a huge impact. Matter of fact, he announced it to the restaurant staff and those at neighboring tables.

Anyhoo...

Mom returned to the table and told him that Brian and I were fussing; we needed to talk to him right now.

He came out as if to diffuse a situation...

"Hey guys, what's going on?"

Me: Have you seen the new car he got?

Dad: Yea, it's a nice car, son.

Hubbs: Man, walk with me...

Hubbs: She's mad that I got this car ... and you got that one *points to the new car*

Do you see his face? He definitely stood like that (eyes closed, tears falling, lip puckered) for a FULL minute.

Then he stood like this:

Then, he backed up... Speechless.

Mom took the keys from Brian and said, "I got it for you, honey. I got the car for you... Happy anniversary!"

Still, no words from Dad.

Then, FINALLY, he had words.

The man said he would... uh... return the favor later... With "quality time."

Back to silence...

It was a sweet moment enjoyed by all of the staff, the patrons, passers by and, luckily, my little family.

I've never seen my Dad sob. My mom has never been able to surprise Dad. He just knows too much. Once again, however, I learned something from my parents.

In this instance, I learned romance should not be the responsibility of one party in any relationship; it's okay to surprise the guy sometimes.

My parents don't live a life without storms. They have, however, chosen to share the same umbrella during the storms.

I love love.

FYI - I also love a good laugh so, yes, I did send this picture with this face to the entire family. I just can't stop giggling at that lip pucker! We got him SO good!

I needed that smile.

Have a LOVE-filled Thursday :)

Quick and Affordable Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas

2013-05-08T16:31:00.001-04:00

I hold teachers in the highest regard. They are up there with law enforcement, first responders, medical professionals, etc.

While I think teachers are super heroes, there is NOTHING like the dedication of a called teacher. What do I mean by called? Some people teach for the career of teaching while others have a calling to teach. It's what they love.

Munch's teacher is called. She is informative, honest, responsive, caring... She checks on us, the parents, to ensure we work to help Munch understand concepts she's learning in class. She emails every Friday with details of what the class has covered in each subject. She writes notes in Munch's agenda several times a week specific to her progress. She encourages my daughter in such a way that makes Munch rush home to announce things like, "Ms. Hopper said I read beautifully."

To show our thanks for everything Ms. Hopper does, we made a quick and easy treat. Munch gave me the low down.

Ms. Hopper likes chocolate (and loves fudge).

Ms. Hopper likes coffee (and loves Starbucks).

Ms. Hopper's favorite color is purple.

We baked Ghiradelli double chocolate brownies:

We bought a Starbucks gift card and the new Starbucks reusable cup (only $1)!

We baked the brownies according to package directions. After the brownies cooled, I used the Pam spray top and used it to cut circles in the brownie pan. I know it sounds weird but the Pam top was the perfect size for the brownies to fit in the cup and the flexible plastic top made it easy to wiggle the brownie out.

I placed two brownie circles per cupcake wrapper and stacked them before placing them in the cup like so:

I then put a wrapper on top to ensure they didn't dry out overnight.

Munch painted a picture (using craft paint and Q-tips), I used one of my scrap wedding invitations and I think it turned out really cute.

A picture, a thank you painting and a Starbucks gift card... Perfect! We tied it up pretty:

Bagged up the treats:

It was ready to go!

Munchface was so excited to take our gifts to her amazing teacher, Ms. Hopper.

Do you know a teacher? Has someone taught you something? THANK THEM TODAY.

So, how are you showing appreciation for the hard work of teachers? Need other ideas? Check out my post from last year here.

WW: KidzBop Baths.

2013-05-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

Wordless Wednesdays: Munch loves her KidzBop and plays it often.

... Sometimes while she bathes. JAMMING!

Bags, Boxes, Bins - The Disconnect.

2013-05-07T11:03:00.003-04:00

As you know, we bought a new house.

Hubbs tightening the new formal dining chair legs.

I've been traveling for work.

No one told me it's impossible to look cool with a laptop bag and a sticker nametag on.

I planned a bridal shower and a bachelorette party.

Banner tutorial coming soon!

Favor table tutorial coming soon!

Partyin' in Vegas.

I was the Matron of Honor in my sister-friend's wedding in Las Vegas.

Quick tutorial coming soon!

It's been a lot in the past 6 weeks.

A lot.

Islanders, I have a confession.

I haven't unpacked my clothes yet.

*gasp*

Hear me out! At first, it was because we purchased a new bedroom set so we had no furniture. Huh? Uh... Why yes, the new bedroom furniture arrived (like 3 weeks ago).

Pic from the store's magazine

No, I haven't put any of my clothes in the dresser. Yes, the clothes are still in bags, bins and boxes all over the floor.

Yes, I hate it.

No, my hate hasn't driven me to fix it.

UNTIL NOW.

See, I've got a horrible habit of doing the most for others and neglecting myself. As I mentioned in the Bucket List post (here), I am no longer going to apologize for taking care of me and mine.

I am going to take this week to disconnect from the world when I leave the office. I will not answer phone calls. I will not respond to emails. I will not do anything other than unpack my clothes and make my master bedroom pretty.

I've always focused on every room besides my bedroom. In our other homes, it became a hodge-podge catchall of decor and random bedding. Simply put, it became a major source of stress for me (as long as it's clean, the man could care less *eye roll*).

This time, I want our room to be our oasis. You know, our escape from life's stress... Our personal romantic getaway. To make this happen, I'm going to put some work into the master bedroom upfront.

Islanders, please excuse me while I unplug from the world in an effort to make progress around my home.
...

With my work around the house, Teacher Appreciation Week and Mother's Day upon us, I'm going to pick up with the Vegas posts after we discuss some last minute gift ideas. Stay tuned!
...

Are you holding yourself back?

Vegas - More BANG for the Buck!

2013-05-06T08:00:00.000-04:00

Remember my Wordless Wednesday post with the pics from the Big Shot?

No? Well, check out the other images here.

From the time Hubbs and I left the airport, I mentally compiled a list of things I wanted to do. As we turned onto Las Vegas Blvd (known as The Strip), I saw a billboard advertisement to shoot an uzi. I announced that I MUST do it. When we arrived to the hotel, I saw signs for amusement park rides. One ride, The Big Shot, was a fast takeoff to the highest point of Vegas. I mentally decided that I must do that also.

...

DISCLAIMER: My trip to Vegas was in support of my dear friend, Deb. I was the Matron of Honor and performed whatever duties she needed of me. I ensured she enjoyed her planning process and that Vegas was as stress-free as possible. The wedding was Saturday and we flew out Sunday evening so...

My final day in Vegas was mine.

I woke with the mission of riding The Big Shot. I did it. You saw the pics. Sure, my cell phone died, I lost the man, we spent an hour looking for each other, he was worried and annoyed, I was excited but annoyed too (lol)... but FINALLY we found each other.

We attended the bridal brunch at the Grand Lux Cafe with the other wedding guests:

It was a beautiful venue and the chicken-n-waffles were pretty amazing!

After brunch, we said our farewells and headed to find my uzi!

We found several options in the same area. The only problem was these packages were VERY expensive (starting at $139). I just couldn't bring myself to spend that kind of money for a few shots. I tried to bribe but, when it didn't work, I looked at that little cocktail waitress like she was crazy and got back in the car:

Have they lost their minds?

The billboard I saw said $30. We left one and I ~~made Hubbs sit in a parking lot while I~~ called every range in town. FINALLY, I found THE ONE!! The manager said I could shoot 1 magazine from an uzi for.... $25!

They were the nicest group of folks and could tell that I was crazy excited:

Our sales associate was willing to let us do whatever we wanted... Hubbs and I built our own package and it was a great price (less than $75!!!).

This mama shot an uzi(it blew my pony tail into the air, lol):

AND a grenade launcher:

The power behind that baby gave me a hot flash; it was amazing!!!

Awesome, right?!

I know, I am just checking boxes off of my pink glitter bucket list (many I didn't even know I had).

This guy and I had a blast!

After this photo (taken with Hollywood props outside of the facility), we headed to the outlets for some shopping before our mid-day flight.

Now, if you're ever in town and want to get more BANG for your BUCK, stop by the Las Vegas Gun Range and Fire Arms Center! They have the best prices in town and made sure our trip was worth it!

Unique and Affordable Mother's Day Gift

2013-05-04T08:00:00.000-04:00

Do you remember those handmade gifts of Elementary school? The ones you'd work on and have to keep a secret from the recipient?

For Mother's Day, Dad would take us to pick out a gift for Mom. She would love the gifts that Dad would buy her but there was always something about us running back to our rooms to grab those little handmade gifts. We would try our best to contain the yup-I-kept-this-a-secret grin but it was almost impossible. It never failed, Mom would cry when we gave her the wrinkled brown bags filled with projects we made. She was so grateful for those homemade cards with sloppy scribbles of love all over them.

As I've gotten older, I've tried to find ways to give my mom gifts that capture the same emotions of the handmade cards AND live up to my grown-up standards...

Remember my thank you gift from Sheena? Well, I still love my charm necklace and wear it often.

It's Mother's Day on May 12, 2013!!

What are you getting Mom?

Are you looking for a thoughtful, unique and affordable gift? If so, check out the Origami Owl living locket!

You can choose from all types of charms and design a one-of-a-kind gift for your mom.

Hurry! If you're looking to get a gift in time for Mother's Day, be sure to check out the shipping schedule! You only have until Monday to order so get on it:

Stay tuned for some DIY gifts for mom later on this week...

O and don't think I've forgotten the Vegas updates. I just can't negate that Mother's Day is a ~~HUGE, MEGA, MONDO, YOU-BETTER-NOT-FORGET~~ big deal :)

DISCLAIMER: I am NOT being compensated for my comments. This post is simply because I love my necklace and I know other moms would love a gift like this too...

Vegas - Celebrity Status

2013-05-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

Vegas Funny Moments 3 & 4:

Vegas is 3 hours BEHIND our East Coast time... We left our home at 4:30 a.m. to arrive and get situated in enough time for our 6:30 a.m. flight. We arrived in Vegas a little before 2:00 p.m. and I was exhausted.

After we got to the room and put our bags down, I met the girls for some shopping on the Vegas Strip. Like a punch to the forehead, jetlag hit me around 6:30 p.m. (which was 9:30 p.m. back home).

I needed a pick-me-up.

My radar led me to Starbucks, of course.

I was the only customer and made conversation with my new loves, the Baristas. I asked that they make my coffee EXTRA special... Fancy pants, if you will.

We laughed about random things only found in Vegas like Disney characters and pimps (it's legal in Vegas) on the same corners of the street.

While I waited on my fancy pants drink, I noticed a jumbotron of scrolling pics. Apparently, if you hashtag Starbucks Vegas (#starbucksVegas), your image and/or message appears on the scrolling jumbotron.

WHAT?! You mean, my picture could be famous?

*CLICK*

I waited for it. They said the screen refreshes after 15 minutes. I sat outside and ~~STALKED~~ waited on the jumbotron to refresh.

Imagine this: I see the pic, I scream, run and JUMP on the bench under the pic. Slowly walking under it as it scrolls by... The baristas, the patrons and my so-called friends laughed.

But I- I was a celebrity photographer.

... If only for 15 minutes.

Speaking of celebrity... On our way home, we had a layover in Long Beach, CA. There was a group of *like* a gajillion high school kids flying from CA to DC.

Hubbs left to use the rest room and a girl ran up to this kid, whispered something in his ear and he responded, "I DON'T KNOW. STOP ASKING ME!"

Another kid runs up and whispers something in his ear. He responds, "WHY DON'T YOU ASK?"

A few minutes later, he leaned across the charging station and asks me, "uh... ma'am? Is that guy you're with famous?... Like a football player or rapper?"

I SHOULD have said yes and made Hubbs pose for pics with each of the gajillion kids. I SHOULD have said I was famous and he was my younger brother who was trying to be a rapper. Start a mini riot in the middle of the smallest airport *like* ever...

Instead, I burst into laughter for about 30 seconds before I wiped the tears from my eyes and responded, "GOSH NO!!!"

For a second, however, we BOTH were celebrities.

97 eBooks We All Need.

2013-05-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

I have to interrupt the Vegas updates to pass along some information that I'm sure you're going to love.

...

I love books. Like, real books. I haven't jumped on the Kindle bandwagon because I love to smell books. I love the sense of accomplishment with the turn of every page. I seriously LOVE books.

I've been thinking lately... Could I enjoy electronic books (commonly known as ebooks)? I mean, I love reading blogs, right? Essentially, most ebooks are just a blogger's focus on one topic or theme.

Why do I love blogs?? I feel they're are more personable than books... Almost like I KNOW the writer. Blogs are an ongoing conversation... One where you develop an e-relationship behind the comfort of a computer screen. Beyond that, the blog rules of grammar are different. Bloggers have to write in such a way that their audience finds them personable thus becoming connected with THEM. The goal is to eventually, have a group of people who click to your site often NOT necessarily because they're looking for expert information bloggers provide but because they feel connected with the author.

It's an interesting balance, this whole blogging thing... Anyhoo, I've heard ebooks are like blogs and, like I said, I like reading blogs.

Just when I decided I'd purchase my first ebook, I find this BUNDLE of 97 ebooks for $29.97!!!! My boo, The Nester, broke the books down by topic (I've pasted her list below). I'm really excited about all of the topics and I'm sure you can find good reason to hurry and get your bundle too (I can't wait to dive into the Working from Home and Blogging books).

PLUS, You will receive FREE Bonuses from 10 companies! Check out The Nester's post for more information!

WW: In Times of Crisis, Friendships Form.

2013-05-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

Wordless Wednesdays: Before and After.

Her name's Kailla. She's 12. She wears mascara and eye shadow. Her sweatshirt says, "My boyfriend's name is Gym." Thankfully, she held my hand as we shot 2,000 feet above Las Vegas on the Big Shot (a ride on top of our hotel, The Stratosphere).

Vegas - The Dance Off.

2013-04-30T08:00:00.000-04:00

Funny #2 of the Vegas trip...

I am sworn to secrecy as it pertains to the bachelorette festivities. I will, HOWEVER, let you "in" on some of the fun.

The scene: we're out. We're about. You know, doing the party bus thing - club hoppin' and booty poppin'...

All of a sudden, this appears on the dance floor:

He stepped to Deb for a dance off. He went from man to blur in 2.2 seconds.

At the conclusion of his dance break, he, along with his hype man, struck a you-got-served pose:

NOT TO BE OUTDONE, Deb and Karen, her hype girl, started wiggling around in response:

Then both, Deb and Mr. Dance Off, went all dance-booty-shake blurry on the dance floor:

Who won?! The bride-to-be (and YES I was biased). Not to worry! It was all in good fun as the "dance crews" did unite for a photo in the end.

I PROMISE I did not expect a dance off in the middle of the club.

ONLY in VEGAS.

Vegas - A Man. His Underwear. And a Baby.

2013-04-29T10:34:00.000-04:00

I am BACK from my dear friend's wedding in Vegas. It was awesome and I can't wait to share some deets with all of you. I will, however, lead into it with some of the funnier moments of my trip.

On my first full day in Vegas, Deb and I hit the ground running! We ran errands for the wedding, enjoyed some shopping and met Shaunita for lunch at the Harley Davidson Cafe.

Seriously, there are so many restuarants on the strip that NONE of them are EVER busy. We didn't wait for a table *like* ever!!

SIDEBAR: Can you see the American flag in the above photo? The crafter in me loved it! It's individual strands of chains hanging from the ceiling and PAINTED to look like an American flag. Isn't it amazing?!

Not only was the decor cool but the food was awesome! I highly recommend the trio (pork, beef, chicken) BBQ sliders - DELISH!

SO... I ate. I was full. I was happy. I purchased $4 flip flops because these beauties were KILLING my feet (like them? They're on sale for $69):

My feet were happy.

I didn't think life could get better.

Then, THIS happened:

Yep. He is amazing, isn't he? Get this, the baby was a robot. So, when I stepped up to take a pic, the baby turned to look at me - one of the freakiest things I've ever seen.

Do you recognize him? He's one of the leading men from the movie, The Hangover.

Yep. My life couldn't get any better. My full belly got to stand next to a man carrying a robot baby... while wearing his undies.

ONLY in Vegas.

WW: The Uno Champ.

2013-04-24T12:36:00.000-04:00

Wordless Wednesdays: Can you tell who won the Uno Championship?

Free Printable - Blessings.

2013-04-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

Source.

I saw this FREE printable and HAD to share! It is so powerful! I am deciding on where to hang it in the house (if I ever get around to putting nails in the wall)...

Enjoy!

Fabu-LASH

2013-04-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

Hi, Islanders!

It's Friday and I'm so excited to have a few days to get the new house in order before I head out of town. O, don't worry. I've scheduled blog posts so the island won't miss a beat!

I almost forgot what it feels like to move! As if my regular life wasn't enough to fill my days, unpacking seems to take over my LIFE!! I can't wait until I feel settled because I'm way overdue for some girl time.

A few weeks back, my boo, Renee, came into town. She made some sightseeing plans and requested that all of the girls come together to play catch-up.

On the outside, Renee is fabulous. Like, seriously. She's one of those people you see and think, "where is she going?!"

I've learned fashion is Renee's truest form of expression. She wears sparkles at all times simply because they make her feel good. Yo, if Renee showed up to my house in a ball gown with a tiara, I wouldn't even blink. Rather, I would know she felt like a million bucks. She's contagious. When I answer the phone and hear her squeal, "Ahhhhh, TABITHA!!!!" I know it's going to be a FUN conversation.

What I love most is that Renee is one of the most genuine people I have EVER met. One who asks how you're doing and waits for you to answer. She's the type of person who never judges, who still sends care packages to her friends and who always wishes the best. For *like* everyone.

Did I mention she reads my blog? Yea, she's awesome.

...

Anyhoo, when the girls get together, it's a guaranteed good time - there's singing, pop culture, wine, guy gossip, dancing to our old jams and much MUCH more. Joy hosted the party at her adorable apartment and she threw DOWN in the kitchen. We each went around the room giving our life update.

Did you see what Renee wore (far left)? Imagine over-the-top stilettos, with that fabulous outfit. So extra for no reason... I love it.

Dani - was preparing to turn 30 in Miami at the time. She had some great news about her upcoming projects (I have a post for her coming soon). She looked so cool in her striped dress and purple tights. She kept us laughing all night.

Tammy - adjusting to married life and her new house just fine. Work work work... Busy busy busy... When she's not working, volunteering with her sorority or DIY-ing and decorating her fab house, APPARENTLY, she's Mrs. BETTY frikkin' CROCKER. My kinda gal :)

J.Lo -

Studying French, traveling the world, growing big curly natural hair, loving on her sweet mama, establishing her brand and building buzz around the launch of her next project... She bought her big girl fancy camera and was the photographer on deck for the night :) O and I have a post for her coming soon too :)

Joy - starting her own fitness business, enjoying her newest hobby of teaching zumba (we saw her first routine and, let's just say, my thighs burned from the zumba butt shake). She's the Jane of all trades (I didn't believe she colored her own hair because it looks that amazing). She had a full spread and was a gracious host. It's nice to show up somewhere and not have anything to do. Thanks, Joy!

Renee -

She was the woman of the hour announcing her desire to pursue a hobby:

... in makeup!

She's decided to use her gift of glam to enhance the natural beauty of women. She wants to make others look as good on the outside as they feel on the inside. Sweet, right?! We were all proud to support!

Her first victim of the night?

"Tabby, you know I read your blog. I saw your bucket list. Now, before you go trying lash extensions, you need to make sure you even like the look. When I come up there, I would love to put some lashes on you..."

This was the start of our conversation the week before Renee came into town. We talked about all things makeup and she was so excited that I got excited, lol.

ANYHOO...

Somewhere between her updating us on her life, I got my makeup done.

Can you see my side eye in the pic above? I kept having to remind her to do my makeup because her life update was slowing up progress!

So, what do you think?

I called Hubbs and told him to get ready to love on another woman, lol.

When I got home, I ran downstairs covering my face. I did the big reveal and the man was freaked out. It was funny because he actually told me, when I was mid-sentence, to stop blinking at him.

Ah, well. My lash extensions won't be THAT bold but the trial was totally worth it! Anytime I get sparkles glued to my lids along with lashes that touch my eyebrows is a GOOD TIME!!
...

It's exciting to be around women who are supportive of each other, who love each other and who ALL have so many positive things happening in their life.

I can't wait to have more time with my friends... I just need to get my house in a little more order. Check me out with my FABU-LASH eyeballs, lol:

Have you tried something new recently?

Lumpia Lesson - The Dessert Recipe.

2013-04-11T08:00:00.000-04:00

Who loves dessert?

Who loves EASY desserts?

Who loves QUICK desserts?

If you raised your hand for any (or all) of those questions, TODAY is your lucky day!!

PLANTAIN LUMPIA

I love plantains. I'll pan sear some in brown sugar and butter for a sweet side with my West Indian dishes. We fight over them at the Caribbean restaurant, lol. I tellya, Hubbs has become more and more West Indian with every passing day of our marriage.

Despite my love for plantains, I've never thought to prepare them like this. It is delicious and I think you're going to LOVE this recipe.

Supplies

- Ripe plantains

- Brown Sugar

- 1 egg

- lumpia wrappers
- optional: caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream

Step-by-Steps

1. Cut the ends off of you plantains.

2. Cut the plantain in half

3. Cut down the length of the peel. Take care not to apply too much pressure as you are just trying to peel the skin

4. With your half standing up cut down the center once:

Then again:

In other words, 1 plantain = 8 dessert lumpia rolls!!

5. Roll each plantain slice in brown sugar.

6. Place your plantain slice in the center of the wrap. Use an envelope fold to hold the plantain in place.

Remember to seal with your egg!

7. Fry in oil for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.

ENJOY!!

Imagine this drizzled with caramel sauce and served with vanilla ice cream? AMAZING!

OMG, go. NOW! Try it and let me know what you think!

WW: Our first visitors.

2013-04-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

Wordless Wednesdays: Aside from my parents, Sheena and baby Olivia were my first official visitors to the new house.

Lumpia - The Recipe.

2013-04-09T08:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, we discussed the Women's Fellowship Lesson. Today, I am FINALLY going to share the lumpia lesson! I told you how I'm pretty-much-basically OBSESSED with Filipino food. That said, you can imagine this lesson is a highlight how-to of my life, lol. Why?

- It's authentic.

- It's easy.

- It can be made ahead and FROZEN!

- It's delicious.

You're welcome!!

Before we get started with the how-to's, I must share some of the other treats of the day!

Mommy wanted everyone to have their own apron. Rather than purchase several aprons, she made a quick no-sew option for attendees.

She cut a few slits along one side of a fabric napkin and "weaved" wired ribbon through the slits. It turned out REALLY cute, added fun colors to the event, served as a favor AND was totally functional.

Didn't I tell you craftiness runs in my blood? I also LOVED that all of her supplies were so cheap!

Mommy also set-up a non-alcoholic mojito station:

To create your version, pour Sprite over ice in your glass. Sprinkle in mint leaves, fresh berries and your choice of a lemon or a lime slice. It made for a YUMMY alternative to the mojito. I am OFFICIALLY addicted:

Other decor elements included cute little tubs for each attendee to take their HOT lumpia home in and some adorable napkins and cutlery:

The monogram napkins read: Seasonally Over Scheduled. Severely Over Served. Peculiar Mental State. Doing Too Much.

It was all very fabulous. Let's get to the tutorial shall we?

Supplies

- Spring Roll Shells (sold in the international grocery stores or sections)

- Lipton Beefy Onion seasoning packets

- 1lb of your choice of ground meat (we made several variations - beef, chicken, pork, etc.)

- shredded carrots (we used the food processor to further refine the consistency)

- fresh green beans (a handful) minced

- 3 eggs

- 1/3 cup Oats (like the plain Quaker Oats oatmeal... not for flavor but to help the consistency)

- Veggie oil for deep-frying

Step-by-Steps

1. Process the carrots.

2. In a bowl, combine the meat, carrots, green beans, seasoning, oats and 1 egg.

She started with a spoon:

But then said "back home" they use their hands. In an effort to be AUTHENTIC with our recipe, use your hands to smoosh (it's a word) everything together.

3. In a small bowl, combine 3-5 tablespoons of water with 2 eggs.

NOW, it's time for rolling!!

There are 2 methods:

#1 - THE EASY ROLL

1. Look at your pointer finger. You see it? That's the amount of filling you need for your lumpia rolls. Trust me, this filling goes a LONG way.

2. Carefully separate a few wraps (they are thin so, again, be careful).

3. Place a pointer finger-sized amount about an inch from the bottom of the wrap like so:

4. Roll the lower piece of the wrap over the filling making sure to keep it TIGHT. Use a little of your egg/water mix to seal. It should look like this:

Continue rolling the wrap:

5. About half an inch from the edge, use the egg/water mixture to seal the end:

6. Continue rolling until you have a completely rolled wrap!

#2 THE ENVELOPE FOLD

1. Carefully separate a single wrap from the stack:

2. Unlike the last wrap, place the filling about an inch and a half from a corner. Fold the corner over your filling until it looks like this:

3. Fold the left and right corners in (seal with a little egg/water mixture):

Place the egg/water mixture in the remaining exposed corner and fold over like an envelope.

After you're about half-way finished with your pack of wraps, I recommend turning on the oil (in a deep fryer or frying pan). The rolls cook in about 5 minutes or until golden brown.

When they are finished you can enjoy them plain OR take a leaf of romaine lettuce, place a roll in the center and add some shredded carrots. Top your lettuce wrap with some Asian sauce like this:

YOU WILL BE IN LOVE!

The photographed sauce has a very distinct flavor that I don't use often enough to purchase such large bottles BUT I think the orange sauce packets I can't bring myself to trash would be AMAZING on these!!

The lettuce wraps are perfect for lunch on a warm day while the rolls by themselves (cut in half) are the perfect party food!

We also learned how to make another variation using stir fry with chicken. She added yellow raisins just before rolling. The sweet raisins were a nice touch (spicy with a sweet kick and crunchy cabbage - YUM!).

We had a great time!

Everyone left with freezer bags FULL of lumpia. I froze my uncooked rolls for about two months. Last week, I pulled them out and we had them for dinner. THEY WERE A HIT!!

The fellowship was truly a great time with great people!

Thanks to our wonderful chef for coming to help! She's the best :)

In the pic above, you can totally see some of the hubbies who came CONVENIENTLY just as the food was done to "help clean up" and to taste test. Sneaky men folk!

Stay tuned for the fabulous and easy DESSERT lumpia recipe!!

Ladies. Lumpia. Lessons.

2013-04-08T10:11:00.000-04:00

My church hosts monthly Women's Ministry events. It's a moment for all the girls to come together and enjoy each other's company - building relationships (with God, with fellow Christians, with yourself) is what church family is all about.

I'll have to share the story of RLCC's move into the new building. It is a POWERFUL example of God's grace... One day I'll get into the details but, for the sake of today, I'll share that we sublet our building to another church family. The other church has a large Filipino population. We opened our doors for their Sunday afternoon services and we love to fellowship together. They attended our grand opening celebration and brought several traditional Filipino dishes to share. I didn't even know how much I loved Filipino food until the Grand Opening (hosted September 2012)!

We were so excited when one of their Filipino cooks volunteered to host a lumpia cooking class for the first women's fellowship of 2013. This event was hosted by my fabulous mommy. For realz, everything I needed to learn about being a great hostess I learned from my mommy; it was an awesome day!

We spoke about gifts and how to use them properly. Mommy started by talking about some of the "misses" that come with utilizing spiritual gifts.

MISguided. MISused. MISunderstood. MIScreant. MISgiving. and many MANY more.

She stuck post-its with the 'MIS' words all over a wall and, some of those that applied to her, she stuck to her shirt as an example of how quickly we can take MISlabels and put them on ourselves:

Scripture teaches, as Christians, we all have spiritually-endowed abilities over which God calls us to be stewards. The Bible refers to these special abilities as spiritual gifts. In 1 Peter 4:10 we are told:

"As each one has received a special gift, employ it serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."

This fellowship was a great reminder that each of us has at least one gift and the lesson emphasized how each of our individual gifts plays an integral role in God's kingdom work. Sometimes, as women, our jobs are thankless. It's good to get a reminder that we play an important role especially if you've ever been like me and felt unnoticed - bleh.

If you would like to join us for the Women's Ministry or any other RLCC event, stay connected with the RLCC calendar! If you're far away but want to dial-in, we'll make a way for you to join us! Leave a comment and I'll be sure to send you the next event's info!!

OMG! I didn't realize this post would get so long so fast. Tomorrow, I'll share the lumpia tutorial. Sorry... but it will be worth the wait, I promise!

Happy MOTIVATIONAL Monday!

Sore Nonetheless

2013-03-28T15:09:00.001-04:00

I'm tired.

My bones hurt from lifting. My eyes burn from lack of sleep.

I'm tired.

... It's like the sting on your lips after overeating sunflower seeds. You know, where your entire lip burns but you can't stop... Yea, like that.

My legs hurt from lifting... But I've also been happy dancing in every room everyday.

My eyes burn from sleep deprivation but that's because I take 1 hour to walk around and look in every room before I "officially" wake up or go to bed.

I am sore with gratitude and in pain from praise. My eyes burn from looking around at God's awesome blessing.

I'm excited.

But sore, nonetheless.

Update: The Move.

2013-03-27T10:35:00.000-04:00

Hi-ya! It's me. Checking in. We're officially out of the townhouse and into our new home.

It's been a LONG process. By long I mean that kind of process where you stop and wonder, "WHY the HECK am I doing this again?"

I also wondered, "where are all of those people I've helped move?"

Then I remembered, TABITHA! YOU JUST TOLD PEOPLE THE OTHER DAY!!!

Self, you're right. I appreciate those who offered to help and Dani who came by the day before she caught a flight to Miami.

This move taught me a lot. I learned that I have WAYYYY more craft and event supplies than I ever knew. My supplies accounted for a little less than HALF of our entire shipment to the new house. So many times Hubbs just stopped and stared at me like I needed to be on the next episode of Hoarders.

Cotton candy maker? I have 2 (plus a cake pop, pie pop, donut and shaved ice maker).

Apothecary jars? I have about 30 (for candy buffets HELLOOOoOoOOoo) and vases for just-about every centerpiece you can imagine.

Table linen? Check!

Paper? Tubs of it.

Ribbon? I have close to 200 spools NOT counting the other hair bow making supplies.

AND THIS is just the beginning. Paper punches, dowels, things I purchased to make into new things but never did, things I purchased to organize the things I purchased.

IT'S JUST A LOT.

I let a lot go... A LOT. I also realized just how badly I needed a craft room. I vow, however, to develop a system to keep tabs on my things to ensure I never wind up in this situation again.

I'm creating a cheery space that will serve as the perfect place to create. Everything in it will make me happy. I'm one step closer to achieving my Dirty30 goal of my MOM DEN!!

Remember my list?

Stay tuned for the room reveal. It'll come in the next few weeks.

Just thought I'd give you an update...

Join me for the real fun when I FINALLY share the lumpia tutorial!

See you then,

Good News: The Move.

2013-03-21T11:43:00.000-04:00

I've mentioned our major life changes going on. Well, I think I'm ready to share what's happenin' 'round these parts.

My life is, well...

Like, seriously. My job is crazy busy, my hours are all over the place (remember the daycare incident? Well, we're still dropping her off and picking her up), I'm the MoH in a Vegas wedding in a matter of a few weeks (bridal shower and bachelorette parties, helloooo) and, to top it all off?

No, seriously. Packing. Yep, moving. Closing...

Within 24 hours.

It's kind of a major deal, I know. I'm late sharing, I know. It's just this market and this process has been full of question marks.

Wait. What's that you say? How'd we get here?

...

Hubbs and I have been discussing the purchase of our new home for about a year. You're never going to believe it BUT all of this talk stemmed from our typical home update conversation. Hubbs was fed up with all my talk about granite (you know I want granite... and new kitchen, bathroom and entryway flooring...) and blurted out, "WHY would we waste money on this place when we're moving?!"

Yes, I knew we would eventually leave but right now (and for the rest of my time here and for the resale value) and-- did he just say we're leaving in a year?!

When did WE decide that?

We had been putting money away but not actively saving like we should. Long story... Hubbs was a victim of auto fraud and we emptied our pockets to win the case... By "win" I mean we got enough back to negotiate a payoff for the vehicle he traded in on the new vehicle (to an unlicensed dealer who never paid off his loan i.e. we had two car loans, one for a car we no longer had in our possession - and could not find because it was sold to someone else - and one for a car we had but couldn't technically own because the "dealer" did the same thing to someone else)... Maybe one day, I'll get around to telling you about that. Between the two luxury vehicle payments, the luxury auto insurance, the new car's maintenance, the travel to Virginia Beach for multiple hearings, the lawyer fees and much more, we were out more than $70K in just-under 3 years... From our pockets... From our savings... Thankfully, our lifestyle didn't have to change too much to accommodate the bills. For me, it meant getting comfortable in our townhouse... Working harder to make it a townhome.

With the auto drama behind us and money coming back in our pockets, we worked to rebuild our savings. Sure, life happened but we were on the mend.

Maybe we could get a house in a year.

I didn't want to nag at the idea. I said what I wanted and I knew Hubbs would tell me when it was time. I continued to make small updates to our home.

Remember the front yard face lift?

On our way home from Miami (February 3, 2013), Hubbs was on his cell phone. Scrolling and clicking and tapping his screen... He looked at me grinning and whispered, "wanna see what I'm looking at?"

Sure he'd been interested in the HGTv shows. I may have dropped realtor cards on the floor in the bathroom (in front of his throne). Conversations of the next house update were creeping into our pillow talk but HOUSES? He was looking at houses.

We spent the next few hours in the airport excitedly looking at houses. The two of us sat down the following evening to discuss our path forward. We looked at the savings account, identified the debt to remove and paid most of it off (freeing up close to $2,000/month). The next day, with our pre-approval in hand, we were narrowing our requirements for our next home.

That's right. Monday, February 4, we were scrolling through listings of homes discussing what we each of us wanted... We were excited at the possibilities.

After seeing some great properties and quickly learning the market is not as slow as it once was, we were ready to make an offer.

February 15, we had an accepted offer on our dream home.

Our plan is to rent our current property (we've got a tenant!!!!!) and enjoy all the amenities of the new place.

Property Deets?

A realtor-purchased flip property, the new place has been completely renovated and remained in its vacant state. It's in an awesome community and we are very excited to join the activities! It's got plenty of room for us to grow and to contain my crafts. I am just certain right now, with all that I've got going on, my excitement is what's fueling me.

God is so good and has shown himself faithful in every adventure of our small family. I'll be back to share pics and such... I just have to figure out how to work this doggone PACKING TAPE!

'Til next time,

WW: Rock Stars in the Making

2013-03-20T12:26:00.000-04:00

Wordless Wednesday: Rock stars in the making!

Shipwrecked on Fabulous Island

WW: Happy Color Palette

iPod?! iCant.

Matters of My Heart.

Umbrella Sharing - A Love Story Continued.

Quick and Affordable Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas

WW: KidzBop Baths.

Bags, Boxes, Bins - The Disconnect.

Vegas - More BANG for the Buck!

Unique and Affordable Mother's Day Gift

Vegas - Celebrity Status

97 eBooks We All Need.

Home & Property {Cleaning, Organizing, Decor}

Educational Children’s Resources

Budgeting {Finance & Time}

In the Kitchen {Recipes and Cooking}

Pregnancy & Baby Care

Holidays & Special Events

Spiritual Growth

Marriage & Romance

Motherhood

Health & Fitness

Beauty

Working from Home & Blogging

Ecourses

PLUS, You will receive FREE Bonuses from 10 companies! Check out The Nester's post for more information!

WW: In Times of Crisis, Friendships Form.

Vegas - The Dance Off.

Vegas - A Man. His Underwear. And a Baby.

WW: The Uno Champ.

Free Printable - Blessings.

Fabu-LASH

Lumpia Lesson - The Dessert Recipe.

WW: Our first visitors.

Lumpia - The Recipe.

Ladies. Lumpia. Lessons.

Sore Nonetheless

Update: The Move.

Good News: The Move.

WW: Rock Stars in the Making