The Pretty Pinhead

Traveling with Accessories Made Simple (and Pretty!)

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 23:50:00 +0000

We all know we're guilty of it. You see something at the store that's pretty, but you ponder how you will get any use of it. This happens to me every time I go to The Container Store. I have way TOO many containers in the house, but when I walked by these pretty gems in every color and size imaginable, it made me want to buy some. So I did.

Thinking of how I could make use of them at home, I thought I'd see what they'd look like in a juice carafe. I actually liked how it looked, but I need the carafe from time to time, so I had to nix the decor idea.

With the containers being so small, I thought they would be perfect for all of my small jewelry and accessories that I am taking to Hawaii with me. I started filling them with jewelry, and it worked like a charm- no pun intended :)

I actually prefer this way to storing my jewelry when I travel since you can keep items separate. I had a jewelry pouch that came with my train case, but after putting all of the necklaces in the same compartment, I'd spend too much time trying to untangle everything. There literally is a size for everything! You could get really fancy and color code if you wanted to as well.

This time tomorrow, I'll be in Maui! I may blog when I'm there. We'll see, otherwise, I'll be back on March 14th (my birthday!). Later loves!

Fitting Room Follies

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 07:52:00 +0000

It is a pretty rare occasion for me to have some "mommy" time at the mall. On Tuesday, I got all of my work done and had a little extra time to myself after I got my haircut. I mean, I was *right* by the mall anyway! I made some stops to Madewell, J Crew and Nordstrom and loved WAY too much stuff. In fact, a lot of it is sitting in shopping bags on the floor in my bedroom waiting on their fate to either become a permanent fixture in my closet chosen or be a temporary clothing "crush" and head back to the rack. Maybe you can help me out? What are your favorites? Yays? Nays?

J Crew Picks

Madewell Picks

Nordie Picks

A Snow Day!

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 08:08:00 +0000

Like a large part of our country, Colorado got dumped on. Luckily for us, it was on a weekend which meant a play day for the family. Actual "snow days" are pretty rare here since snow isn't our of the ordinary.

Last winter, Tyler was still too little to "properly" experience the snow. Our pediatrician cautioned us from exposing him to the cold with his elevated risk of getting sick since he was a preemie. This winter, we have lucked out and haven't had a "real" Colorado snow until this weekend. Sunday marked the first blizzard of the year, so we took a family outing to Sports Authority to get some snow boots and a sled for Tyler. When we got home, we dressed him in some layers and got him all "suited" up in his snowsuit that he received for Christmas. He looked adorable!

His outdoor time consisted of about ten minutes before he started to notice the effects of the cold. Unfortunately, the new gloves we bought were too big and the ones he already had were 100% cotton and not water-resistant. He did seem to really enjoy playing in the snow and being pulled along in his sled. We'll have to purchase some better gloves so he can spend more time playing next time around.

My baby is getting SO big!

Ready for adventure!

He was so excited when he walked in snow for the first time!

Being pulled around in his new sled

Starting to feel the effects of the cold mixed with wet snow.

"Follow me, dad!"

February Birchbox Reveal (and an honest review)

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 06:38:00 +0000

Let me start off by saying that Birchbox is a wonderful *concept". I am not one to spend a bunch of money on a full size product of something I am not absolutely in love with. This is why I decided to give Birchbox a try. Luckily, for me, it's a subscription you aren't stuck with if you don't love it. I'm a three strikes your our kinda girl and Birchbox has struck out for me.

I feel like *most* of the samples they send are something I could get for free at a make up counter. When I try something new, I want it to be the latest and greatest hard to get your hands on type of product. Let's take this month for example. I was sent a Ghirardelli chocolate square. I can buy a whole bag of them for $2.99 at Target. Who hasn't had one? They send perfume samples all of the time, but I can get those for free whenever I want. The finger nail polish is one of the most generic red colors I've ever seen. And a face rejuvenator? No offense, but I am not in that age market- yet.

It's sad that I have been so disappointed in my boxes lately, but I've gotta love it to pay for it and they're just not cutting it for me. Maybe, after some more time on the market, they'll figure out the kinks and it will be more worthwhile.

Cute presentation, but please tell me there's more...

There was more all right- a perfume sample and an elastic headband (not even a cute color).

Meh.

I probably won't use this.

Have you ever tried a monthly "surprise" box program? How did it work for you? Please share!

Oscar Fashion Faves

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 07:11:00 +0000

Despite a handful of Oscar "snubs", it was an incredible night for fashion. Am I the only one who had never heard of "Argo" prior to last night or am I living under a rock? Anyway, let's take a look at who I thought "wowed the red" the most:

Sandra Bullock in Elie Saab

Nicole Kidman in L'Wren Scott

Naomi Watts in Armani

Stacey Keibler in Naeem Khan

Lara Spencer in Kaufman Franco

Amanda Seyfried in Alexandar McQueen

And Channing Tatum is looking good in WHO THE F CARES?!? He's HOT!

Do you have any favorites of the night? How about fashion flops? There was certainly a fair share of fug dresses too!

My New Toy!

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 21:22:00 +0000

When my flat iron broke, I was actually pretty excited. I had wanted a new one for a while, but wouldn't get the "blessing" from the husband to purchase one if I had one that worked. A few weeks later, it "bit" the dust. I promise I didn't do it ;)

Throughout my research, I found a lot of positive blogger reviews for the Hana brand. I ended up purchasing the 1.5" flat iron. When I received the package, I was beyond amazed by their packaging as well as all of the freebies they included. Definitely not what I expected. Take a look for yourself:

Seriously, how cute is this?

All of this was included in the box!

I love that it came with 2 travel cases and a silicon mat.

Close up of the flat iron

I will post a review once I use it a few times. I already love it and I haven't used it yet!

The Messy Project Reveal!

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 12:00:00 +0000

OMG! I finally got the opportunity to participate in The Messy Project. When Kelly with Messy.Dirty.Hair. had an opening to join in on February's reveal, I jumped at the chance. As luck would have it, I was the chosen one!

So what is The Messy Project?

The Deal:

1 Item

5 Girls

5 Different Looks

1 Major Blog Post Day

I literally felt like a kid waiting for Christmas to arrive waiting for my package. Was I going to like the item? Would I have anything to style it with? Would I be able to pull it off? The moment I received the package I ripped it open and to my excitement, I loved what was in the box- a nude high-low dress!

Now given I live in Denver, my first thought was to add some layers. I decided to pair it with a black blazer and black tights. This helped take the winter "chill" away. I wore my ensemble with a waist belt and ankle boots. To tie the look together, I added some gold and royal blue jewelry and accessories including my Rebecca Minkoff Swing shoulder bag- one of my favorites!

What do you think?

Please, if you ever get the opportunity to sign up to participate in The Messy Project, DO IT! It really challenged me to think outside the box and use my creativity to pair things together that I normally wouldn't have. Now I have a new outfit to wear out! It's like the dress brought items in my closet closer together :) Thank you for the awesome experience, Kelly!

Now go check out how these amazing gals coordinated this dress into their wardrobes!

Melis @ Mila Rose Designs Nikki @ Bedazzles after Dark Kat @ Shop.School.Sleep.and the hostess with the mostest:Kelly @ Messy.Dirty.Hair

P.S. A HUGE thank you goes out to my husband for all of his help with the photo shoots this weekend!

Fun in Disney!

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 08:01:00 +0000

Last week, I took my cheer team to Orlando, Florida for the National High School Cheerleading Championships. It was a well deserved trip after a successful year. While we didn't place (or perform) as good as I had hoped, we still had a fun time bonding as a team. Here's some highlights of our trip:

Checking in to nationals on Day 1!

Traditional Senior Dinner

Me playing a prank on one of my four year athletes.

Disney's Wide World of Sports

Getting ready for competition in the Josten's Center

Our last routine of the season- done.

Lunch @ Rainforest Cafe in Animal Kingdom

One of the kids caught me off guard :(

Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom

Stay tuned tomorrow for the HUGE The Messy Project reveal brought to you by Kelly with Messy.Dirty.Hair! It's going to be awesome!

I Wanna Move

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:00:00 +0000

I've had a lot to think about the past several months and after assessing my personal situation, I think I am just miserable in Colorado (and have been for long time). I want to move away. Plain and simple.

It all started when my mom moved me here in 1997 for a job opportunity. I left behind a lot when we moved from Texas. I wasn't too happy moving to a different state, but I knew my mom was making a decision that was best for both of us. I moved during a rough year- eighth grade. I went to a middle school where cliques and friend groups had been defined and I was the outsider. I had a hard time fitting in and almost went back to live with my dad in Dallas and go to high school there. But I didn't. Aside from the mediocre relationship with my dad, I also didn't want to leave my mom by herself. So I stayed in Colorado and actually ended up meeting my husband the following year in in 9th grade. That is the best thing that has come from living here (probably the only good thing). After I got married, my mom moved back to her home state of Michigan. Ever since, I've realized I don't have much keeping me here.

You see, all of my stresses come from living here- both work and personal. I never wanted to move here in the first place and now that I am married to a native Coloradan, I fear that I am stuck here for life. His family is here (which is hard since I rarely see my own) and he doesn't want to move from everything he's known. I'm a southern girl at heart. I love the ocean and I want to live by a beach (or a short drive away). The people here are different- almost too uptight. I am absolutely in love with the Savannah, Georgia area and feel like I could really be happy there.

The cost of living here sucks. We could get a house with the exact square footage, a huge backyard and a pool for 25-30% less than here. My job is my ball and chain. For us to live comfortably, I need to stay employed and the fact that I work at home while watching my son doesn't provide the quality time with him that I thought I'd have. Sure I have *some* flexibility, but when I need to work, I need to work and a lot of the time that means putting Tyler in front of the TV and ignoring him. I HATE it. Moving would allow me to quit my job and be a full time stay at home mom which is what I have always wanted.

I just wish my husband would have more of an open mind about moving. He doesn't take me seriously in the matter and refuses to even hear me out. I feel like he thinks because he is the primary bread winner it's always going to be his way or the highway when it comes to where we live. I feel like if he got a job opportunity out of state, he'd want me to move wherever (he'd be okay with moving if it was on his terms). He is a software engineer and I believe he could easily find a career anywhere with his experience and qualifications. Sometimes I just get depressed that I am going to have to live somewhere I'm miserable the rest of my life.

Please tell me I'm not alone. Have any of you had this struggle? Have you ever been "forced" to live somewhere you were unhappy or wanted to move, but didn't have support from your family or significant other? I know this is one of my "deeper" posts, but I just had to put it out there. I already feel better.

My New Love...

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 21:16:00 +0000

This is a bit of a "late" post considering I purchased this on our cruise a month ago, but I figured since it's Valentine's Day, its an appropriate time to share with you the new love in my life: another Louis bag! I bought the Damier Ebene Speedy 30. Even though I am dirt poor now, I do adore it! Since I bought it in St.Thomas, I didn't have to pay tax (yes, this is me rationalizing the purchase). Check her out!

Five Valentine's Gifts for Under $30!

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 05:33:00 +0000

1. Love Charm Bracelet (Madewell)

2. Ultimate Dessert Truffles Gift Box (Godiva)

3. Reason's I Love You Stones (Red Envelope)

4. Hearts Print Original Low Rise Thong (Hanky Panky)

5. Ariella Collection Heart Ring (Nordstrom)

Let's Try This Healthy Thing...

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 08:00:00 +0000

I've had a Vitamix for a couple of years now, and sadly, I've only used it a dozen times. The damn thing cost too much to just sit there and collect dust, so I decided to make a smoothie for breakfast this morning. A healthy one at that!

Here's what I used:

1/2 c. fresh strawberries

1/2 c. fresh blueberries

6 oz. greek yogurt

1/2 c. milk

1 large handful of spinach

1 t. vanilla

10-12 ice cubes

I added everything into the Vitamix and blended on high for about 15-20 seconds. This makes 2 8-ounce smoothies. It was actually pretty good. If I had to change anything, I may have added a 1/3 cup of apple juice instead of milk to make it a tad sweeter, but other than that, not too shabby for a healthy breakfast. I love finding new recipes to try. What's your favorite healthy smoothie recipe?

I *promise* it tastes a lot better than it looks!

Another Fast Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Another weekend (quickly) over and I'm left trying to catch up on everything before taking my team to Disney World for nationals on Thursday. I am very excited, but vastly overwhelmed by the amount of things that need to get done.

Friday was a a busy day. The team had their winter pep assembly, so I drove Tyler to my mother in laws and headed back to the school for the festivities. They performed their nationals routine and they looked amazing! I was very proud of them being able to showcase their athleticism in front of their student body. They don't get enough credit for what they do and are often told they are just the "cute girls/guys on the sidelines yelling, rah rah". I think everyone was blown away by the difficulty of their routine.

If you follow me on Twitter or read this blog post, you knew that my iPad was recently stolen after I left it at the school one night. Minutes after the pep assembly on Friday, I got a notification that the "Find My iPad" app had been activated and tracked where it was. I quickly filed a police report and within minutes, the cops went the the residence to look for it. Come to find out, it was at the house of father and son custodians who work at the same high school I do. They are still denying they have it, but cops and myself know that these tracking devices do NOT lie. For it to be at the house of two of the six people left at the school the night it went missing? They have it- 100%. I'm sure by now, they've ditched it since they know it's trackable, but they are now accusing me of them maybe losing their jobs. Seriously? *They* fucking stole my iPad?!? I just hope I get it back (or the money to buy a new one). I wish people had more integrity. Keep your fingers crossed for me that it "magically" appears at the school...

Saturday was actually pretty boring. Tyler is still a little under the weather, so we kept it simple and chilled out in our PJs all day. I became newly addicted to Parenthood and watched about 5 episodes. That's really all I have to say about Saturday.

On Sunday, we went to a local park since T was feeling better. It's a pretty cool park- but a lot of the equipment was for older kids, so we just hung out by the sand box and swings. Afterwards, we came home and I watched some more episodes of Parenthood. Yeah, another pretty lazy day.

Love this picture!

"Hi. I'm Tyler."

This country would be much better off if our weekend was longer, don't you agree? I can't seem to keep up with the two days I have "off", but I am partially to blame for that. Whenever Kelly is watching Tyler, instead of doing chores or laundry, I either nap or surf the web. Here I am, Sunday night and the house is still a pig stye and I have nothing to wear tomorrow (and nothing to pack for Florida!) I seriously need to get my ass in gear!

Yellow Owl Workshop: Je T'aime Pendant

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 08:00:00 +0000

About a month ago, I was checking out the post Christmas sales at Madewell, and I stumbled across the cutest jewelry, made by Yellow Owl Workshop. Not only is the jewelry adorable, but the packaging is fun too. It almost reminds me of a "message" in a bottle. Hearts seem to go with everything, so I decided to take this pendent home with me. It is so dainty and I love the fact that it's on a longer 30" chain. It adds just a tad more "style" than a traditional 16" or 18" necklace.

I got tons of compliments on it, not to mention I love it!

Here are some of my other faves from Yellow Owl Workshop:

Neon Infinity Triangle Pendant

You + Me Pendant

Color Wheel Pendant

California Pendant

Which one do you like the best?

Ten Signs That You're Having a Crappy Week...

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 08:00:00 +0000

I *love* vacation, but ironically, one of the things in life that I despise the most is connected to vacations- all of the crap that you have to deal with when you come back. Between this week and last week, it's made for a crappy end to the month January. Let's take a look at why...

1. People who don't understand what an "Out of Office" auto-reply on an email is.

Seriously, when my auto-reply email says I won't be back for a week, I'm not going to reply to your 2nd, 3rd or 10th email either. I got several complaints filed into our call center for not returning calls or emails WHEN I WAS ON VACATION. Come on people!

2. Dropping my cell phone and cracking my screen.

Pretty self explanatory. Fuck.

3. Having bosses that suck.

Don't expect perfection from your employees if you are a far cry from it. If you want a strong work force, you need to be a strong leader and do what's right. I hate chauvinism.

4. Having a sick kid.

I feel terrible. I've had a cold over the past couple of weeks and my son finally caught it from me. Poor little guy is coughing so much that he throws ups his food. Not only is this sad, but also disgusting. Cleaning up curds of thrown up milk is the *nastiest* thing EVER. Ugh.

5. Jealous pets that shit on things to prove a point.

My cat decided that my son's favorite blanket was the appropriate place to defecate. Right in front of me too. That made me even more mad.

6. People who think being a work at home mom is "easy".

It drives me nuts that some people think that since my son stays home with me all day, that I don't have to work and have the flexibility to do whatever, whenever. I am a *work* at home mom. I have a full time job with goals and quotas to make in addition to raising my kid. I especially get miffed when my husband thinks his job is more important than mine since he "goes" to an office. I do too. Mine is just in our house. It must be nice to actually get your work done with all of that piece and quiet...

7. People who steal.

I foolishly left my iPad at the school after cheer practice. I realized when I got home that I had left it in the gym. I am 99.9% positive that it was stolen by staff. We were the last group out of the school and the only people left were the cleaning crew. I have a "Find My iPad" app, but it only works when the iPad is online. I called the school today and checked with security and no one has seen it. I wish that all people had the decency to turn things in when they find them.

8. Trying to keep my head about water after being off work for a week.

So many fires to put out. People to make happy. Oh yeah, and those people who act surprised that you go on vacation? Sorry to inconvenience you with my hard-earned paid time off.

9. Having a home that is falling apart.

Our garage door is slowly going downhill, which means a pricey repair is about to rear it's ugly head.

10. Freezing cold weather.

After being in a tropical climate for a week, it has been hard adjusting to the cold, winter gloom that we've experienced this week. It's pretty depressing.

How I've felt most of this week

For every ten bad things, there is always ONE good one. I was running late to my coaching job today, and knew I needed to stop and get gas. When I turned on my car, the fuel gage read "full". My husband filled up my car for me and that seriously made my week a million times better. The little things really do make a HUGE difference.

I'm very hopeful (and desperate) for February to be a better month. I get to go to Disney World next week, so hey, it can't be too bad. After all, isn't it supposed to be the happiest place on earth?

Our Cruise: Part 5 (Grand Turk)

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Our final port of call brought us to Grand Turk. Seeing crystal clear water has always been on my bucket list and this stop allowed me to cross this right off. I have never, in my life, ever seen something so naturally beautiful.

We went to Governor's Beach to do some snorkeling and it was amazing! The visibility was great and you could sea so much ocean life! I even found a perfect sand dollar (which I broke within 5 minutes of finding it). We saw some barracudas again, but they seemed to keep to themselves.

Barracuda!

Sand Art <3

Gorgeous Water!

As the weather started to turn, we decided to head back to the port and go to Margaritaville for appetizers and some delicious Pina Coladas. It was gloomy and rainy, so we wrapped up our trip to the port by doing some shopping.

Amazing Pina Coladas. Don't mind how haggard I look!

While there wasn't a *ton* to do at this port, I did thoroughly enjoy the beaches and water. It was very peaceful and not overcrowded.

Caribbean Sunset

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. We had one more day at sea, and we spent it sleeping on the deck, capturing every bit of ocean sound that we could. We toured the boat and said our goodbyes. We got to know some awesome people on this cruise. Aside from our new friends, we also enjoyed getting to know our waitstaff who contributed so much to our nightly dinner entertainment.

I have so many great memories from this vacation that I will cherish forever. The company. The food. The laughs. The towel animals. Just writing this makes me want to go back! If you ever get a chance to go on a cruise, GO! It was by far the best vacation I've ever been on. I hope to go on another one within the next few years.

Our Cruise: Part 4 (Puerto Rico)

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 08:00:00 +0000

My favorite port was by far San Juan, Puerto Rico. First of all, we weren't hassled once by people selling us their cheap souvenirs or hair braiding services. That gets real old, real fast. There is a lot of history with Spanish forts, cobblestone streets and old cemeteries. Oddly enough, this was the port with the most to do, with the least amount of time. So as soon as we pulled in, we got right off the boat.

We decided not to buy an excursion through the ship since it was so expensive. Once we got off the boat, there were plenty of taxis and tour services that were offering to take passengers around Old San Juan for next to nothing. We hopped onto a tour bus and began our tour of the city. First, we stopped at a beach to take some photos. It was right next to some swanky hotels and the views were breath-taking.

Our second stop was to the capital building. Despite the "heavy" security, our bus driver had an "in" with the staff and we were able to get right in. The building was gorgeous. Mosaics covered the ceiling. Everything was constructed with white marble. I didn't know this until the trip, but Puerto Rico is in the process of possibly becoming the 51st state! I was very surprised by how many people spoke English there.

The end of our bus tour landed us at the Castillo San Cristobal. This fortress constructed by the Spanish, protected San Juan against attackers coming to land in the 1700's. It was also used as a command post for the US Military in WWII. The views from the were amazing. You could see all of Old Town San Juan.

Castillo San Cristobal

What a view!

View from the fort

Lots of balls

About a mile walk from the fort was the Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery. Because of it's proximity to the ocean, it is an above ground cemetery with mausoleums and beautiful marble statues and memorials. It was established in the 1800's and overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. Some of the tombs were even OPEN due to damage, so you could see inside. Talk about creepy.

After our tour, we stopped to get a bite to eat before boarding the ship. Like I said before, I'm a HUGE fan of Yelp! reviews and looked up a restaurant that was well known for good local cuisine. We went to Punto De Vista. I ordered fresh Mahi Mahi with Rice and Beans (Puerto Rican style, of course) and it was incredible!!! If you're ever in San Juan, you NEED to try this place!

I had such a great time in here and could easily imagine spending an entire week here. Once we got back to the ship, our feet were tired from all of the walking, so we lounged around on the deck and got our tan on before dinner. After a few beverages, we walked around the boat and got some photos with our new friends. It was definitely my favorite day of the cruise!

Koala bear towel animal

My next post will be the last of our cruise series as I take your to Turks and Caicos!

Our Cruise: Part 3 (St.Thomas)

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Pulling in to St. Thomas

Our second port of call was St.Thomas, and it was beautiful! It's what I picture the coast of Italy to look like. Our first stop was at Coki Beach to scuba dive. My husband is certified and has always asked me to give it a try. I've always been afraid to try it, but I thought it may be one of those things I would regret not trying.

Well, not only was it my first time scuba diving, but my last. I was scared shitless. I had the hardest time "concentrating" when to breathe since I was so claustrophobic. Not going to lie- there were a few moments I actually thought I could die. The pressure in my ears was awful and my heart was beating so fast that I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I *love* the water. Just not in this capacity.

This does *not* mean "cool dude". In scuba, it means, "get me the fuck out of here!"

After scuba diving, we snorkeled for a while (which I actually love doing). We ended up swimming right next to several barracudas.

'Cuda!

Zoinks!

Swim for your lives!

We took a scary taxi ride back to the port and did a little shopping including a stop to...Louis Vuitton! I came home with an unexpected baby. A Speedy 30 (which I will review next week!).

We dined at the on-board steak house "The Emerald Steakhouse". It's an up-charge to the "free" meals you get, but SO worth it. The food was fantastic, but unfortunately, the service was sub-par. The waitstaff was sort of stuck up and we missed our awesome waitstaff from our main dining room.

Brandied Apple Dessert

Bomb Cheesecake!

Sally and Me

Our next port was San Juan, Puerto Rico. Stay tuned for my next post which will feature this stop!

Our Cruise: Part 2 (Nassau)

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 23:58:00 +0000

Sunrise pulling in to Nassau

Atlantis Resort from our ship

BIG boat!

The first port we visited was Nassau, Bahamas and in all honesty, it was my least favorite. We arrived at 7am and I remember thinking we should get off of the the ship early since we had to be back by 1:30 and that didn't seem like nearly enough time to see "everything". We were off of the ship by 7:30 and we were "greeted" and hassled by over 50 hagglers/local tour guides to buy their tours/souvenirs. It was very overwhelming. It was kind of a sketchy place and there were a few scary faces to be seen.

Nassau, Bahamas

No Caribbean vacation is complete without a stop to Senor Frogs! Probably the highlight of Nassau.

Our ship is in the background

No stores were open until 10, and by 9, I had already had enough of the town. We decided to head back to the ship and hang out on board the rest of the day. Had we had more time in Nassau, we probably would have bought a day pass to Atlantis, but didn't think it was worth it for this trip considering the short time we were there. If we ever go on another cruise with Nassau as a stop, we'll most likely stay on the boat. It's nice to just relax any way.

The 2nd night was our first formal night. They served lobster and it was DELICIOUS. I love how you can order as many entrees/desserts as you wish. We got to know our dinner neighbors, Jay and Sally, and hung out with them quite a bit over the cruise. The first thing they said to us when they sat down at our table was "good- they're normal". They had a bad experience with table neighbors the last cruise they were on. Little did they know that we weren't much better :)

Sally and I during formal night.

Elephant!

The 2nd day of the cruise was a "Fun Day at Sea", and these days are the BEST! I laid out and worked on my tan with a Miami Vice in hand most of the day. Wouldn't have wanted it any other way. It was a bit chilly from the wind blowing on deck, but I (with the addition of alcohol,of course) braved it out. It was such an experience being on this floating palace with bars, theaters, clubs, shops and million other things to do in the middle of the ocean. It's surreal.

We got to know out dinner neighbors from our table and hung out with them quite a bit! The first think they said to us when the sat down was "good- they're normal". Little did they know...

I'm Back! Our Cruise: Part 1 (Miami)

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 18:44:00 +0000

I hope you all enjoyed the lovely guest bloggers last week while I was enjoying some time in the sun! I have to say it was definitely "Home Bittersweet Home" coming back. I missed my baby boy tons and couldn't wait to pick him up and shower him with kisses and cuddles. That was about all I enjoyed about coming back as work has already been hell.

Our trip was AMAZING! By far the *BEST* vacation I've ever been on. It was the first actual vacation (not visiting families) that my husband and I have taken in the fifteen years that we've been together. This was my first cruise and my husband's second. Let me tell you- cruises are THE way to go! I have so much to tell you all. So much, that it will be broken up into 5 blog posts.

We left for our trip on Saturday, January 12th and headed to Miami. Getting there was some what of a hassle. First of all, our plane left at 7am, meaning we had to leave the house at 4 (and wake up at 3). Sounds fun, right? It's a loonnnggg plane ride from Denver to Fort Lauderdale. After a 3 hour and 45 minute plane ride and a huge kink in my neck from the less than desirable sleeping conditions, we ran into what I thought was the biggest pain in the ass during the entire trip: getting to Miami.

We waited for a shuttle for nearly an hour and a half (and they supposedly promise you don't wait more than 30 minutes). It killed them to only drive two passengers to Miami, so they waited until more passengers were going our direction. About 2 hours later, we finally arrived to our hotel in downtown Miami. Our hotel wasn't the nicest and I wanted to spend the least amount of time in it, so we headed out to do some shopping. We stopped by Bubba Gumps and ordered our first of many Miami Vices.

My vice = Miami Vices

Bubba Gumps. Like my kicks?

Pretty carousel

I can't get enough of palm trees!

After some strolling around downtown, we headed out for dinner. If you're ever in Miami, I highly suggest dining at Ni Do. It's a fresh mozzarella bar with amazing food. I'm all about Yelp reviews and decided to give it a whirl and I'm glad we did! I slept like a little kid on Christmas Eve, I was THAT excited for the cruise.

Sunday morning, we slept in a little bit and had a terrible, way overpriced continental breakfast. We arrived to the Port of Miami to the Carnival terminal. We sailed on the Carnival Glory. What a beautiful ship! Seeing our ship for the first time was so exciting! We had Priority boarding since we got a suite and we were on the ship within 25 minutes. Without Priority, we would have waited about an hour and a half.

That icky line we didn't have to wait in :) You can see our ship in the background.

Waiting to board.

Right before going on the gangplank.

Walking on to the ship for the first time is something I will always remember. It literally was a floating palace. We toured the different decks, checked out our room and of course, went to check out the food you always hear about on cruises. They aren't kidding when they say you can eat everything and anything on the ship. The amount of food was astonishing. I don't know where they keep it all.

Prime Rib for lunch. Yes please.

Touring the ship.

Waiting for the ship to depart.

Whale Tale!

Hello vacation!

View outside on our balcony.

More Miami Vices...

As we pulled out of the port, we saw an amazing sunset on the skyline of Miami and began our caribbean journey. Our first stop was in Nassau, Bahamas. Read all about it in tomorrow's post!

Guest Post: Jennifer from Our Love and Blessing

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Hello!! I'm Jennifer and I blog over at Our Love and Our Blessing. I am a stay at home mom and married to Jer a.k.a my boytoy..... that loves to write about fun/cute/cheap projects, our daily life with our baby boy and my love for creating memories.

I'm thrilled to share an uber cheap DIY project with you today. It's so easy and most importantly it turned out really pretty!

Recently, while on a walk with my son, I noticed a brown shelf that was sitting on the curb in front of a house that they were clearly throwing away (I often stalk our curbs....I'm notorious for picking up "trash"and recycling them, like these chairs). So, I inspected it for sturdiness and it passed my test. So I called my husband and told him to pick it up on his way home. ha. Yeah, I let him look like the weirdo picking up things off the curb.

What you'll need:

Steps:

1) sand until it's smooth (then wipe with wet rag to get all of the sand off. you want to make sure you don't put paint over sand dust), 2) apply 2-3 even coats of paint, 3) remove the backing, 4) hot glue your fabric to the backing and nail the backing back onto the shelf.

See, so easy!

We chose to hang it in our master bathroom "toilet room" which desperately needed some shelving for some necessities/decor.

For extra support, my husband decided that it'd be best if we used a piece of lumber underneath it as reinforcement (even though we hung it on the studs). So he screwed those in and I painted it the same color as the shelf.

And here's our new beauty hanging pretty! I'm so excited about how she turned out. I love the colors of the paint (I used a paint that I already had called Alpaca from Sherwin Williams) and fabric together.

I hope you liked this project and you too will keep an eye out for trash on your neighbors curbs and turn something into useable-treasure!!

We have tons of other easy projects on our blog (among our life happenings). You can also follow us on facebook, twitter, instagram and pinterest!

Guest Post: Megan from The Memoirs of Megan

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Hey everyone!

I am so excited to be posting on Amanda's blog today! As you can see, she and I have bonded recently over mid-day playdates, and a love affair for one, Edward Cullen. My name is Megan, and I blog over at The Memoirs of Megan, where I talk 90% about being a mom, and 10% about random stuff that flies out of my sleep deprived fingers when I finally get some quiet time to write.

I promise I stifled my squeal of delight during the opening credits.

Today, I am going to share with you an easy-peasey meal, that is 90% healthy, that is both toddler, and picky husband approved.

What is it, you ask? You mean you can't automatically tell simply by my crap-tastic instagrammed photo?! I'll break it down for you....

French Onion Chicken

Don't get all high and mighty by calling me out on the fact that this recipe is on the back of the french's french onion can
~~and the commercials.~~ Maybe some people don't have a keen eye for detail, or maybe they just need someone to tell them that it is freaking delicious. I'm not kidding. My chicken- nugget- hating- toddler (I know she's weird) even ate half of a chicken breast when I made this the other night.

Take a can of the french onions and smash them up in a freezer bag. Add two tbsp of flour into the bag as well. Dip the raw chicken breast in a beaten egg and then put the breast in the bag, and shake, shake, shake it up! Before you remove the chicken, make sure to really pack on the onions.

Place on a non-greased baking sheet, and bake at 400 for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked to 165 degrees everywhere.

I've spiced this up a bit by also adding a packet of ranch salad dressing mix into the process, which is also amazing.

Quinoa: I'm linking that to wikipedia, because after posting this, I had a ton of people ask me what quinoa was. So, learn away. PS: It's pronounced "KEEN-wah"

I buy quinoa at Sprouts or Whole Foods in the bulk isle. To cook quinoa, use two cups of water per cup of quinoa. Bring the water to a boil, add the quinoa, and let simmer on the stovetop for around 15-20 minutes. You will know the quinoa is done when the "threads" around the edges become visible.

For this recipe, I added some sage and garlic into the mixture as it was simmering. It's kind of bland (like unseasoned rice) so add what you think sounds good.

Also, one cup of dry quinoa makes about 3 cups cooked.

Sauteed Potatoes and Onions:

This one is self explanatory. Sauté the onions and potatoes on the stove top using olive oil and whatever spices you want, until they are tender.

All in all, this meal took about 25 minutes, from start to finish, and is always a huge hit in my family when I make it.

Give it a try! Thanks for reading!

Guest Post: Kendra from the Adventures of Brad & Kendra

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Hi, I'm Kendra from Adventures of Brad & Kendra. I hope that Amanda and her hubby are having an amazing time in the Caribbean soaking up the sun and taking lots of pictures. Today, I have a super easy and fun cupcake recipe to share with you. I tried out this recipe last week for a baby shower. One suggestion I have is to make them the day before they are needed as they stuck to the liners when I first took tried them; however, they were much better the next day.

Light & Fluffy Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 box funfetti cake mix (just the powdered mix)
1 12 oz can pop (I used cranberry ginger ale)
1 8 oz container cool-whip
1 3 oz box of instant vanilla pudding (just the powdered mix)

Whisk the pop into the cake mix until the clumps are gone. Fill cupcakes 2/3 full and bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. For the frosting; whisk the vanilla pudding mix into the cool-whip. Frost the cupcakes once they cool.

When I first tried the frosting, I thought that I could feel the particles of pudding in the frosting; but they were gone when I ate them the following day.

These cupcakes would be perfect for a Valentines Day or Birthday Party. The batter or frosting could easily be dyed using food coloring.

Guest Post: Paula from The Patriotic Peacock

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Hello there! I am so excited to be guest blogging for The Pretty Pinhead! My name is Paula Kathlyn and my blog is The Patriotic Peacock. Today I am going to share with you a gorgeous wreath, that is SUPER simple to make and it has been my number one re-pinned item on Pinterest for a couple of years now! Not only that but I have received lots of pictures from readers of their very own version of this wreath and they have all been unbelievably cute. I really should title this, "A wreath so easy, your husband could make it!" Obviously it wouldn't look nearly as fantabulous as YOURS, but he could sooo pull it off if the situation came about and he needed a felt flower wreath. Hmmm, I'm onto something here. Maybe I'll put my husband in charge of Mother's Day gifts this year...Steering back to the point of this post. How to make this wreath!

Here's what you need:

~A wreath, your choice of size. I am using a 10" one.

~Fabric (about 1/2 a yard, depending on wreath size)

~Straight pins

~Floral pearl pins

~Ribbon

~Felt

(I don't have everything pictured)

The directions are super simple. Cut your fabric into strips, lengthwise and wrap around your wreath, pinning as you go.

Next, cut circles out of your felt, as big or as small as you would like. The bigger the circle, the bigger the felt flower! My own opinion is go big or go home, but since you're already at home, you can do whatever tickles your fancy. If you want a stunning wreath, cut out those circles till you just don't think you can cut one more felt circle out...seriously.

My least favorite part is cutting those daggone circles out, but the great thing for ~~lazy~~ quick crafters (such as myself), is that the circles don't have to be perfect circles! You can have oblongs, ovals, spheres (okay, maybe not spheres, unless you're just talented like that, and in that case, knock yourself out).

Now grab a circle and a pin. Fold the circle in half. Then fold that half in half again.Your circle will resemble a triangle if you squish it flat. Take your pin and pin the pointed end to your wreath. Fluff flower, then repeat until you're out of circles. I drew up a little illustration. I'm hoping it will be clear enough! Is it???

If you are anything like me, you won't be satisfied and you'll probably decide to force yourself into more felt circle cuttery, then you'll spend a while rearranging the "flowers", then you'll step back and almost cry from the beauty you just created, or maybe not. But it will be a purty thang, I can guarantee that! Then, you'll run back to the craft store and spend a couple of hours picking up more wreaths, fabric, and ribbon. It's just that fun of a craft! See...I went back to the craft store. More than once.

Guest Post: Melissa from Insert Sarcastic Remark Here

noreply@blogger.com (The Pretty Pinhead) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 08:00:00 +0000

blog // facebook // twitter // instagram // pinterestHey party people, Melissa here from [insert sarcastic remark here]. Thanks to Amanda for letting me guest post on her blog while she's basking in the sun on a cruise. I'm bundled up over here with the covers pulled up to my nose ready for a nap. One of my goals this year is to buy a bike. When I was younger I used to ride my bike EVERYWHERE. I miss it. Here's a little something I put together for a lovely fall or spring day cruising around on my future bike.

cruisin around town by chickenb00 featuring cord pants

I've been obsessed with getting a pair of red skinny jeans and I finally snagged a pair when I was in Chicago a few weekends ago. In the spring I'd layer a t-shirt with a denim button with the sleeves rolled up and a comfy pair of TOMS or in the fall the same denim button up under a fun sweater. I'm really digging the look of button ups under sweaters right now. Throw on a fresh face of natural looking make up and it's time to get to cruisin. I might even steal a puppy and keep it in my basket. Also, I'm currently obsessed with those Minnetonka ankle boots. I plan to make them mine in a few weeks. I just hate to pay retail for them so I'm hoping a coupon code will pop up somewhere soon or I can find them for a good deal. Wanna learn more about me? Or maybe join the be my FREAKIN valentine gift exchange that I'm co-hosting? Stop by my blog, [insert sarcastic remark here]. It'll be fun. Thanks again Amanda for having me.