So Stinkin' Cute

WHITE kitchen reveal....

2012-05-11T16:29:00.000-05:00

Dreams do come true.

You may have to wait years and take baby steps,

but, it's worth the wait.

Rather than giving you every last detail,

I'll let the pictures do the talking.

These pictures were taken by my

gal pal, Annie Torrini. She normally photographs people,

but I begged, and she obliged and I think she needs to

expand her repertoire and include photographing homes!

Take a lookey....

....lastly, the happy woman of this WHITE kitchen....

....who deep down feels like this!

Guess I won't need any Birthday, Mother's Day, or Anniversary

gifts for years!!

Toodles...

It's Time! It's Time!!

2012-04-19T19:31:00.000-05:00

I can't contain my excitement any longer.....I've

even blurted it out to strangers in recent days.

My dream is coming true as we speak.

I am getting a white kitchen.

This may be no biggie to you, but believe me, and

you could verify with Branmuffin....I have been

waiting for years.

There is sumthin' bout a crisp, clean, white kitchen that makes

me squeal! I don't know what it is, but I am obsessed.

I grew up with white woodwork, and I can't shake my love

affair with white and pops of color....and now my

surroundings will match my obsessions and my dreams.

A little background....we bought our house about a year and

a half ago. Love the house, but it's got dark woodwork and

builder's paint (tan, neutral) throughout.

I have done my best to add white and pops of color all over

the house...but it wasn't enough.

Men don't get it. We would have people over and the men

would gush over our woodwork, saying "why would you ever put

paint over that grain?".

I say slap it on!

While I can't say my kitchen will match any of these from my Pinterest

board "Dream Kitchen"...but I will get close!

Here's what my house looks like now....I missed a full "before" picture.

....my house is in shambles, but I could care less,

dreams are coming true over here.

We actually are doing the whole first level...walls and woodwork.

Then we will move to the second level later this summer

when my painter's schedule slows down.

Here's another room that will be transformed...

....until then....check out the mess!

I gotta know...am I the only one with white woodwork

obsession?

Toodles...

The Best of Everything

2012-03-04T21:23:00.000-06:00

I have been noticing the trend of stacking

bracelets....mixing up a bunch,

different styles, different colors....you know

making it all messy and effortless!

My parents have been in Florida for the month,

and my Mom called me from there, all frantic one Saturday morning.

She was out of breath and unsteady.....

...it took me 30 seconds to figure out why.

She was at the store, The Best of Everything.

We don't have them here, but they are all over Florida

and I don't know wherever else. It's chock full of jewelry and

accessories and that's it!

She wanted to know what colors and what stuff

I "needed" for Spring. I ended up sending her an email

with links and ideas...cuz I've got a lot of stuff I "need".

Well, this is what she found.....

And, that's just a few...

.....here's everything she found for me....

and here is Moi, in my own little version

of heaven.....

...I won't ever wear it all at the same time,

...but you can bet I will wear at least 3 or 4 at a time!

The best gift really is, that my parents are home safe and sound.

{well...its really that they signed up to watch our kids

when we are in Mexico...}

Have you checked out her blog yet?

It's almost as good as all the jewelry she bought me.

Have you ever been/bought at Best of Everything?
Do tell...

Toodles....

2012 Oscar Opinions

2012-02-27T20:46:00.000-06:00

I only was able to watch the pre-shows.

I will be short and sweet on what I think.

My only disclaimer is this...

If, I don't mention someone's outfit it's cuz I have

nothing nice to say, and my Momma taught me to

keep my mouth shut if I don't have nice things to say

about others....regardless of the fact that I think if you

put yourself on t.v. you are kinda askin' for it.

Let's get it started.

Love...don't understand why you were there,

but, I like your look girl.

You knocked it outta the park, and you

are my #1 for this.

I don't like your posing...it bugs and I am

glad someone else made fun of it besides me.

{Eat some pizza, puh-lease.}

Beautiful...loved the color, loved your role!

Fantastic..great fit and sparkle!

Go girl!

L.O.V.E....a lot!

Take off the cape and you are perfection!

Branmuffin says you are his new fave and I

WANT that cuff!

Sandra?!?! My BFF, I don't know

about the dress...and you looked like you got

pumped up with Botox and fillers! Why???

Eh...like the dress and I heard you

got a good hair vote, but I hated it.

Oops, am I starting to break my rule about nice talk?

I saw the "nip slip"!

Ask my guests of the evening! I pointed it out and

knowing J-Lo, she did that on purpose!!

And lastly....

She makes me wanna buy a lot of navy.

Done-zo...now, tell me what you think!

The longest blog update ever in the history of SSC

2012-02-22T22:01:00.001-06:00

Did you think I had died?

I know...I know...this blog is dusty and unkempt.

Wanna know where I have been??

I have been allllllll over Pinterest! That little time-sucker is the good stuff.

......and like the rest of world, I love it!

I chopped my hair off....7 inches of it.

I just had had enough of the work, the length,

and finding yards of it in my shower drain.

I made an entire board of what I wanted it to

be transformed to and said "Chop it and don't

worry! It's hair, it'll grow back.."

Oh, I lost my job :(

So, searching for the right job takes time and

is priority numero uno after my family.

And the good news is...I got a new one!

I start on Monday....I will be selling stuff again.

It's what I do...it's what I know best.

Only the product changes, and this is a good one!

{Feel free to send cute outfit ideas like you see above.}

Oh...you wanna know about Branmuffin?

I am taking his cute lil' butt to Mexico soon.

I.cannot.wait.cuz.I.deserve.a.week.with.my.man!

I am on a search for the perfect swimsuit and

coverup...together they can't "break the bank".

Here's what I like...

...all found on Pinterest, of course.

I can't make the jump to a one-piece yet, though.

I'm not going to be chasing my kids....I will

be lounging, with a cocktail, with an umbrella in it and a good book.
...and making-out with my husband.

So, I'm searching for the perfect bandeau-top bikini.

{No strap-lines...}

Any ideas welcome to wear to get a

good swimsuit?!?!

What else?

{Tool}

Oh, I hate Ben on the Bachelor...and I think that what's-her-face-Courtney

is a plant to make the show somewhat interesting.

And...he needs to cut.his.hair.pronto.

I have two more days of freedom before I am back to work full-time.

I've been spoiling my kiddos with Mommy days and special outings and treats.

But, today I went to see a friend's photography studio.

It's got great lighting and features, an old building with the coolest details.

Next to her studio is an amazing

antique shop....I was in heaven with all the stuff they had.

{Like this bench for my entryway, so I posed on it and got

the dimensions.}

This one gives you a better idea of her talent and my shorter hair.

I told her...."Next time, I'll do more to myself, especially throw on

some more jewelry if you're gonna be snapping!".

If you want to see her work and her studio,

you should just call her. Her work speaks for itself.

And lastly, my Mom started a blog.

It's pretty fab...check it out here!

Thirty-Two Yellow Walls

The writing is fabulous, and it showcases a ton of her

talents and her wit....check it out!

Toodles...hoping I can do this more often, I miss it!

Ben is a bust, the "blogger" is a mess, I smell grandma?... I love Bachelor!!

2012-01-02T20:49:00.000-06:00

Holidays are done-zo.

Christmas decorations are down.
My New Year's resolution is made.

And tonight, the fun began!

The Bachelor 2012!!!

{What a reason to get back to blogging!}

If you don't plan on watching, you should.

I don't have a good reason not to watch.

If anything, it's something to talk about with your gal pals!

Here are some thoughts on Episode #1.

Ben...you are eww...Gosh, I hope you grow on me.

Ben, if you don't grow on me, I don't care....watching these women

is better than any movie I would have to pay almost $10 for.

I would totally do the "walkbywithnowords" the

blonde girl pulled....super smooth!

Did you notice the girls must have had at least 3 cocktails before

they started interviewing any of them on camera?

I love their slurred words, messy hair, and rubbed off lipgloss.

If you got a spot on the Bachelor would you really put your "girls" out

on the first night or wait till a hot tub scene?

The woman who is the "Blogger" bawling all of the time,

really.eeks.me.out.....what's her deal?

{At the same time, I am glad he kept the drama girls!}

Ben claps in a really odd way.

Notice how most of the girls are in medical and pharma sales..

Coinkydink?....such an insult to this former pharma sales girl....

Can't wait till next Monday!

{All of your random thoughts are so welcomed :)}

"Comfort" Food Season has begun..

2011-11-20T18:44:00.000-06:00

We had our first snowfall in Minnesota yesterday!

Brandon was out of town for the entire weekend.

With the snowy weather, and Tatum's asthma acting up

we were kind of home bound.

Never fear, I have a good girlfriend, Tember who

came over with her 3 kiddos!

Her husband was off hunting, so we needed each

other to survive being husband-less....and kid full.

And the best part?

She brought everything to make Lefsa...some of the best comfort

food there is!

She took over my kitchen...which was TOTALLY fine with me,

and I got the kids entertained with some card games and puzzles.

I did my best to capture the event with some pics for you.

It's a pretty tedious process....something I could prolly never sign up

for...but she does it with a smile even if her

youngest was tugging at her legs.

She talked about how her parents got her all of the

stuff to make Lefsa as a wedding gift and the recipe

.....isn't that cool?

All I had to do was spread the butter on each piece and

sprinkle it with sugar....and hand it out as fast

as the kiddos demanded.

Tatum and Sam worked on a puzzle, and

I have found a future husband for her....he is gonna be

6 this week and he took care of her and

let her win at cards....A LOT.

{He even fills her nebulizer for her when she needed it...

I am so arranging this marriage!}

And I have to add this pic....my Turner...

going "you know what" on the potty!

He learned how to do it so fast from watching is big sister and

I can say he's 90% trained without me

doing much more than screaming and jumping

up and down every time

he did his thang on the toilet....

So, the season has begun....stuck inside with the urge

to eat something warm and comforting...I better

break out the comfy pants...here comes the "poundage" this time

of year always seems to bring.

What's your comfort food?

Do you know how to make Lefsa?

Toodles, from me in my comfy pants!

Women get crafty...

2011-11-19T19:51:00.000-06:00

Last Saturday was another infamous "Craft Day".

I've blogged about this before,

you know the drill...women crafting,

getting away from their regular responsibilities and

of course, eating.....and gabbing.

The picture above gives you a clue to our craft.

Yes, if you know me, you know I dream of

a white kitchen...hoping it will come this Spring,

but check out the artichokes.

My Mom hosts, and comes up with the craft.

We grab our glue guns {I forgot mine}and listen

to instructions while keeping an eye on the final

product...the goal of our hard work.

Here's us working....

Linda on her phone...

...and everyone's finished product!

Here is mine...

We took a flower pot,
added foam and the faux artichoke
and then just added a bunch of
fun foliage.

Lastly, we added moss to the sides.

I finished mine with a jeweled dragonfly.

Here we are in my Mom's garden,
it was a gorgeous day.

I love hanging with the girls,
we all have a different story and
something to bring to the
craft table.

Here's to good women,
good food,
and great conversation!

Some of the best things in life...

Toodles....

Work girls

2011-11-09T07:53:00.000-06:00

Happy to announce...

I'm adjusted to being a full-time working Mom.

What that means...I'm not exhausted daily.

That was the hardest part for me.

Exhaustion.

Golly, getting up at the butt crack of

dawn and not taking naps and

sitting in comfies made me

EXHAUSTED.

Also, happy to announce, you guys like the sock bun huh?

Thanks for the pics you sent...both via email and text.

I am happy to bring you a tidbit,

a little morsel to add to your life....and

make YOU more glam and fab.

And it got me thinking.....

....I get this from my "work girls".

Mmmm hmm...I work with a couple of twenty-somethings

that are single with no kids.

And they are keeping me hip.

In fact, I might make a series on what I learned

from the "work girls".

For example, these girls are

not afraid to wear heels every.darn.day.

Really? I explained...I am over that.

I want comfort, cute comfort....that wearing

heels and pushing a stroller or a having a kid on your hip

in heels, does.not.work.

So they tell me where to get cute, comfy

shoes...they know the stores, the websites and

when to get it...who has the best return policy, everything.

They also tell me about crazy apps for my IPhone.

I will show you that sometime.

Oh, and the lingo!

Here's an example...

Work Girl 1: Stomps into my office and exclaims "______ and I

got into a domestic last night!"

Me: What? You are kidding! Are you okay? (looking her over for

marks and bruises)

Work Girl 1: "yeah, we got over it, I love him!"

Me: "uh, okay...you sure?" (so confused!)

Note: A "domestic" means that they had a fight.

As in, they had a minor disagreement and they are done now.

Not a knock down, drag out...they just had a "fight".

Seriously? did you know this is what the 20somethings say nowadays?

Not only am I learning lingo, but acronyms, apps, websites,

Twitter and it's hashtags and where to read what

about anyone famous-fast.

We learn from each other, I reminisce about

things I did when I was their age and in their stage

and they ask what it's like to be in mine. (A married Momma.)

Gosh, they are so quick and hip and talk so fast

and you should see them type....they bounce around and make

me feel like I am from another era.

I am, and I didn't know it for sure until we

talked about where we were on September 11th, 2001.

They were in HIGH SCHOOL!

OMG, it's keeping me on my toes.

And they want advice...isn't that the cutest thing?

More to come....from the 20something cutie pies

who have the world at their fingertips

and their parents credit cards, cars,

addresses for cheaper auto insurance...the list

goes on and on.

Toodles...

Put a sock in it!

2011-11-06T20:10:00.001-06:00

Oh, my goodness!

I'm kind of dying....

I found the best secret, it's not a huge secret,

but I really wish someone would have told me

about this, months {okay years} ago....

Of course, it took me spending time on

the beloved Pinterest to find it.

Have you heard of the sock bun?

I just did last nite while bouncing

around on Pinterest because my hibernation mode has started.

I have a love/hate relationship with my hair.

I'm growing it, and I wanna chop it!

However, Branmuffin and my hair gal are all "No! don't do it, you'll regret it!"

But, I really have realized,

I'm low maintenance, and I need something to get me

through the days of "I hate you so much, HAIR".

The sock bun...I saw it on Pinterest, I went to

church this morning and saw a gal with one in

and marched up to her and said " that's a sock bun isn't it?"

she looked shocked, then she glowed, winked, and straight up

gave me a tutorial.

I put the kiddos to bed, grabbed an old

sock with a hole in the toes {who doesn't have those?}

and now I am sporting a sock bun while

watching my DVR'd shows.

It feels so good, it was easy, and now

I'm flipping glamorous, and you will

probably see me in this every darn day.

So, put a sock in your hair.

And if you were clueless like me....hit up You Tube.

They have millions of videos on how to do it,

here's one for you.

I'm smitten, and I have a sock in my hair!!!!!!!!

Must Have Moxie-November Sale

2011-11-02T07:07:00.000-05:00

Cozy up now, the holidays are coming,

the weather is turning and

Must Have Moxie is having a sale of all sales before

Black Friday.

Right now, all merchandise is 30% OFF!

Have I shown you some of the new stuff you can

cozy up with or give as a gift?

You really can't go wrong...I've been burning

candles like crazy already.

So grab a cup of coffee, tea, whatever you fancy

and click away at www.musthavemoxie.com

Toodles....

New "Must Haves" ...

2011-10-16T09:03:00.000-05:00

Have you been to MustHaveMoxie lately?

The website got a huge makeover,

and now it's prettier!

We also added some fun new products that

I use daily.

The Card Cubby...

...this lil' thang is perfect for carrying

business cards, gift cards, credit cards,

the whole bit.

You know, the stuff that makes your wallet so big you

can't close it.

Also, I use this....

...The Pouchee....I have it in black.

If you are anything like me, you change

purses every once in awhile, and

this makes it easy.

Just pick it up, add it to all your other crap, and plop it in your purse!

There is so much more,

baby stuff, jewelry, etc.

This slap watch is uber popular...

a great way to add a pop of color to

a dark Fall/Winter wardrobe.

Go check it out....

MustHaveMoxie

Grab a cup of coffee and peruse.

Toodles...

Maybe its a decor failure?!?!! U be the judge.

2011-09-29T21:00:00.001-05:00

See the fabulous antlers on the wall?

They have been quite the trend in home decor for the last year.

I've seen them everywhere, but just didn't want to spend $100 or

more for such a trend. I asked every man that hunts
to give me their antlers....they didn't want to

give them up...something about "being proud of their kill".

I also couldn't wait another winter or hunting season for

someone to find some in the woods for me either.

I no longer have to search!

I found some antlers at the Junk Bonanza a few weeks ago.

They weren't mounted and I figured, I could make

my own antler mount and save some cash.

So, I bought a wooden mount at none other than

JoAnn Fabrics for a mere $3....then I enlisted my

handy Dad to drill them into the mount.

{Yes, my daughter wears princess garb all day, everyday and she
doesn't care if her shoes match.}

Then I brought that bad boy home and painted it and hung
it on the wall.

Brandon laughed at it.
He made fun of it.
In fact, he did it so much, it bugged me.big time.

But, I am not budging.

I am happy that this DIY cost me {well, him too} $19.

What's the problem?

I realized I bought two right antlers.

So, it doesn't really look like the glamorous pictures above.

And when I came home the next day, I found this on
one of the pictures on the wall.....

Funny, huh?
Yeah, real.funny..

So, what do you think?
You like them antlers?

Vote on the poll on the right sidebar.

And, just so you know, I am okay
if you vote that you hate them, cuz it would be my
first failure in my opinion, and I will rehang the
antlers in Branmuffin's closet!

I did find this rug at TJ Maxx, Home Goods.

It's replacing the old IKEA rug in our entry...
and if you really want to know?!
It's two rugs sewed together!
My Mom told me she had seen that done before on HGTV.
She sewed it for me {yay!}....I bought the rugs,
the heavy duty upholstery thread, and the needles!

Can't go wrong with that DIY!

Vote....I really want to know if you like my antlers!

Toodles...

How could you call it junk?

2011-09-19T18:53:00.001-05:00

I feel like I should start this post with an apology for not posting

for so long. But, I'm realizing I may be apologizing all of the time.

Working full time and blogging is a tough gig.

My posts may be fewer and further in-between, but

I think about blogging all of the time.

Does that count? I guess I am setting expectations

with you......hope you understand.

The late nights of reality tv and blogging are over.

I get up at 5:30 am, and sleep has taken priority.

This weekend my two favorite girls {Tatum and my Mom} and

I went to the Junk Bonanza. Have you been?

It's held out at Canterbury Park racetrack.

Why oh why did I not know about this event sooner in life?!?!

Its pretty much beyond fabulous.

It holds all of the unique items you can see in blogs of

decor that I never could find at garage sales or vintage stores.

And, I went crazy.

I needed to find something for this landing in my house.

It's a very small place up high in the entrance of our home.

I had no idea what would fit.....but I thought

some vintage luggage all stacked up would look cool.

And, after not a ton of looking I found three

pieces at a reasonable price and a "form".

I adorned the form with a belt I wore here and begged my Dad

to bring his ladder and do something I was scared to do.

Put it all up really high....I am not a fan of heights!

I also got some antlers, but I need my crafty dad to make a

mount and then I will paint it and share it with all of you,

of course.

I also saw these and we think these would be great for

one of our next Craft Days!

Do tell if you have ever been to Junk Bonanza...it's gonna

be a tradition for this girl. They even serve wine, bloody Mary's and champagne

while you shop...we indulged on the mini donuts, of course.

Oh, wanna know why else I have been busy?

Someone turned 4 years old in our house.

...and parties just don't plan themselves,
right?

Toodles....

I'm surviving!

2011-08-31T20:30:00.000-05:00

I'm in the middle of week 3 of being a working Momma.

{Though, I think every Mom is a "working" Mom.}

The kids are adjusting well and I am happy to

announce that Tatum can count to ten in Spanish.....

seriously, I would have never had the patience to teach her

that.

I have to dress cute everyday, and that is the fun part.

Actually, it's all very fun for me.

I needed a comfy, but stylish shoe and
I found these at Target...they are their Miss Trish line, now

on clearance...$8 bucks! So cute and comfy, with bling of course!

Also, I had a Sephora gift card burning a hole in my

purse so I found this....

...a really nice lip plumping lip gloss.

I chose the color Dani...I would recommend it fo sho'.

And with summer coming to a close I needed some

new flip flops and I have always heard great things about

Haviannas.

Too die for as far as comfort goes.

And while I'm on the subject of products I love.

Have you heard about Missoni coming to Target?

It's their biggest designer line they have ever launched.

Home decor and clothing for the whole family!

I can't wait...September 13th in stores.

I will be there when they open the doors,

panting, foaming at the mouth, and knocking

over anyone who gets in my way!

And last but definitely not least...

my new friend I found through Branmuffin

featured my Kim Kardashian wedding post on her blog.

She writes a blog called the Glamour Girls Guide to Sports.

I wish I had that quality...glamorous and a sports nut?!?!!

Every man's dream.

Go check it out, you won't be dissapointed!

Toodles....

An Interview with a guest of the Kim Kardashian wedding...yes, you read that right!

2011-08-23T21:12:00.002-05:00

I hope you aren't tired of the footage and numerous reports covering the

Kim Kardashian/Kris Humphries wedding.

Because I have the inside scoop from an actual

person who attended the wedding!

Is your mouth wide open and have you fallen on the floor?

{Breathe...breathe, otherwise you won't be able to read

the deets. Deep breath...ahhhh....}

I'm not that cool, I just have a knack for connecting with

people and using my connections to bring you

the important information here at So Stinkin' Cute.

In fact, I have a friend in New York who is supposed

to be using her phone to snap random pictures of

celebs for me...she hasn't reported in yet.

Ahem, who cares about random celebs in NY.

I have the scoop on the biggest wedding since

Kate Middleton walked down the aisle.

And while I am on the subject, any celebrity

info that you get on your own, text or email it to me,

preferrably with pictures...mmkay?

A lot of this info may or may not be shared when the wedding airs

on the E! channel in October.

If it is shared it will be proven that my info and inside scoop

is top notch and you will be even more impressed with

this lil' blog.

Enough of the buildup...here is my interview,

think of me as more Chelsea Handler than Barbara Walters.

How was the weather at the ceremony/reception? Were you sweatin'?

No - it was a beautiful day

Was Kris Humphries sweatin' when Kim walked down the aisle?

He was a little nervous but also excited. They hadn't seen each other before the ceremony.

Did they serve a signature drink at the reception?

No - surprisingly not a lot of drinking. Mostly just champagne.

What was the best food you ate overall?

Pasta & cake. The chicken and potatoes were boring. Food wasn't as great as many people are saying.

I know you had to wear black or white, did anyone break the rules?

No - I heard they had some extra dresses for anyone who didn't wear black and white. Lara Spencer (newscaster, GMA) got red wine spilled all over her white dress and was given a new dress. That dress was a bit too tight so another woman traded dresses with her. Stevie Wonder's wife split the side of her dress so she and Lara made a new seam out of pins. (All per GMA)

Which celebrity looked the worst? Which one surprised you the most and why?

Lindsay and Dina Lohan. Both had really bad hair color (too white). Pippa definitely looked better in the green version of the dress and Lindsay.

How late did you stay? And...was the dance floor packed?

Until about 1:00. The dance floor was packed but not by the celebrity guests. They pretty much just kept to themselves and left earlier than other guests.

Any other details you just have to add.....

Surprised that they had all long tables for dinner. They were like a normal wedding couple...walked around to greet all guests. Kris and Kim did their first dance right when they were announced as husband and wife at the reception - then everyone started dancing then as they were waiting for their food to be served. Fun to have the Krispy Kream donuts in the car after the wedding. Kim was not around much - too many change of clothes! Only inappropriate moment was when Khloe and Kourtney (more so Khloe) was giving their toasts and told the audience to "Shake their t*ts".

Pastor Brad Johnson (Kardashian family friend) did the prayer at the meal. He has an interesting story. He was once one of the most prominent pastors in a huge church in LA (Calvary Community Church). Some scandal broke out (extramarital affair) and that led to the end of his 28 year marriage as well as being forced to leave Calvary. He went to work at a Starbucks that Kris Jenner frequents. She started talking to him and found out about his story and they became friends. She helped him find his faith again and helped him open a new church in LA. Kris married Brad and his new wife, Karen, as recently seen on "Keeping up with the Kardashians".

{Kris Humphries is a native Minnesotan. So there have been tons of reports of the couple being spotted all over the Twin Cities and out on our lakes. And yes, a local pastor from Westwood Church performed the ceremony.}

Here is a pic from my interviewee's cell phone of
Pastor Joel and his beautiful wife.

All cell phones were confiscated at the entry after they
went through metal detectors.

Ugh, it's tough work giving the hard facts on celebrities!
Toodles...

Some changes 'round here....

2011-08-20T23:17:00.000-05:00

It was a monumental week at our home.

I went back to work after 4 years of being "home"

with my babies....however, I never stayed home much, we

were always on the go, playdates, going to the park,

hitting up Target, that's the kind of stuff we would do.

I am happy that I didn't miss a thing in my kids life,

but I wasn't happy with it all of the time. Some stages were

better than others...overall it was tough. My kids are 19 months apart.

But, I know there are a million Moms out there who have it tougher.

Everything that's worthwhile

in life is usually not easy, right?

Here's a pic of our first day...

I am in a sales role for a software company.

My job is to sell a social marketing tool.

I am supposed to be on Facebook and any social

marketing tool, all day long.

It fits my personality perfectly,

needless to say...I am in love!

I was thinking I could blog about the whole experience..

you know working vs. working out of the home.

But, it's a bit controversial and I feel there are less choices

on the matter in this day...let me know if you want to know my

thoughts, I could create a "series" on the subject.

I will always give my shoutouts to stay-at-home Moms,

not because it's the "better" choice, its simple.is.one.million.times.harder.

I know, I did it for 4 years.

My biggest shout out will be to Branmuffin, he has truly

embraced his new roles of juggling the schedules, and

making us a better team than we ever were. He even

does Tatum's hair...I think he has mastered a braid!

Overall, I will compartmentalize my time much better than I

did before. When I am with my family/kids, I am with them.

I am soaking up every second with them and

making it "special" and I didn't do that very well before.

I had things to get done or things I wanted for myself.

I became an Auntie again, sweet little Piper was born

in a fast and furious way and we couldn't wait

to see her sweetness....

...newborns are so sweet and tiny and I can't

wait to see who this girl is gonna be!

Welcome to this crazy world, Piper.

You are already so loved, and I happen to know

you have the best parents and big sister, ever!

We also hit the Pepperfest parade this weekend,

which is now becoming quite a tradition!

The kids just can't believe that a place exists

where people throw candy at you!

If you ever need something to do on the cheap.

Take your kids to a parade, their happiness is

out-of-this-world!

Turner spent his time flirting with the parade princesses...

it could have been because he popped

his collar and his Daddy did his hair that

morning too!

And it wouldn't be "So Stinkin' Cute" around here

if I didn't recommend a product I am in love with!

A good friend wears this and I always caught myself

leaning in to smell her.

Kai Perfume

It's so fab, I simply can't take it!

They offer a whole group of products,

and I can see it always being on my list of things

I can't get enough of.

Clean and fresh and I got it at Amazon.com, its a bit

hard to find in stores.

Toodles...stay with me, I have more

to juggle, but I will never give up the blog!

What I am reading now....

2011-08-10T08:28:00.000-05:00

I attended book club in our neighborhood last night.

I'm in love...not because I am an avid reader, but

because it's a night of girl talk, finding out what's going

on in the neighborhood and great food and wine.

Plus, if I have a deadline, I will get a book read.

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, by Amy Chua was the book

of the month and proved to be a fast read and quite controversial.

Have you read it? It was a fast read and overall the woman

is a nut job and totally crazy when it comes to her antics at raising kids.

However, it was so interesting for me to learn how other

cultures raise their children and why they do what they do.

I would say you must read it and it would be good for my kids

to read when they are older, so they can see what the rest of the

world is doing when it comes to achievements and academics.

Enough of that.

Here's my fluff book of the summer!

My Mom sent it to me...she thinks Amazon.com is so great

because all she has to do is click one button to send

herself or others a gift!

I'm loving it...

the book gives great tips on how to make your

house a place you never want to leave....I just started it.

One tip I love... is that you should have a mirror hanging

somewhere when you enter your home,

whichever door. That way guests can do a quick check

on what has happened to their

hair since they left home, if they have a huge booger in their left nostril, or

spinach in their teeth.

It adds an element of light and glamour too!

I will share more tips as I find them....okay?

Let me know if you have read either of these and what you think!

Annie Torrini Photography

2011-08-09T16:37:00.000-05:00

Since Brandon and I recently had our own private photo shoot,

I decided to forgo the family pictures and go

with a shoot for the kiddos only.

I have never done an "urban" setting

and was excited to give that look a try.

I think the urban setting forces you to focus on the "pretty"

in the picture, your eye doesn't get distracted

by nature's beauty.

For this, I chose Annie Torrini Photography,

and my goodness did she deliver the look I was

looking for.

Feast your eyes, of course, I think they are just

the biggest cutie pies, but that's cuz they are mine.

Doesn't Annie do a great job?

Oh, and you should witness her while she works,

she was jumping all around, making funny faces and noises

and I just kept out of the way....maybe that's why

the pictures turned out so darn good!

Annie told me she likes to do urban photography,

she had the ideas of where to go.

It ended up that we just hopped out of the car in downtown Saint Paul.

Thanks Annie, for capturing my kiddos' personality!

Can you tell that Tatum has a sassy attitude and

that Turner is the world's biggest flirt?!?!

Toodles....

Put her on the bench

2011-08-08T08:44:00.000-05:00

If you are feeling like its been forever since I've posted or done a

DIY....you are right.

Apologies all around, my only excuse is....it's summer!

I intend to soak up every minute of it.

My dear friend Linda gave me a bench last week.

That's right, she gave it to me...you know

the line, someone's trash is another person's treasure....

I've got the pics to prove it.

Here's the before...we pulled the old fabric off and
that's what they used for padding? Gosh Linda this thing
must be old.

And here's the after, cuz I know that's all you care about.

The deets:

Metallic spray paint $5
Fabric $7...JoAnn had a 60% off sale this past weekend
Foam $8....instead of searching for a paper coupon, I pulled one
up online on my smart phone and they scanned my phone, 40% off.
Did you know you can do that?

$20 buckeroos for a beautiful, new piece!

The moral of the story...bring me your junk and
I will make it nice and new!

But, I get to keep it, right?

Wedding Anniversary Photo Shoot

2011-07-30T11:22:00.000-05:00

As our 5 year wedding anniversary was approaching I started to come up

with ideas to make it a fun one to remember.

I asked Brandon if he wanted to renew our vows,

he quickly replied "No". Well, hmmmm...okay, I

will think of something else then!

When we got married, I hired a fab photographer

and I adore our wedding photos...they captured the day

perfectly. However, if I could change one thing on my wedding

day, I would've delegated more, so I could enjoy the day and be more

relaxed. I am sure most brides would say that though.

I never took the time to have my wedding dress cleaned and/or have it

preserved, so it always just hung in the spare closet. This gave

me the opportunity to try it on from time to time.

And that's where my big idea came to me.

I then decided I was gonna put my wedding dress on, where my hair down,

with fun jewelry and get some pictures that are

relaxed and not so wedding-y.

I wanted to relax enough that I could even sit in a field of grass.

What bride does that in her wedding dress?

So, last week, I put on my dress....it didn't zip the last inch or

two..but Nealy {my fab photographer} told me not to worry...she

wouldn't be photographing the back. I picked up an elastic belt

from "Heartbreakers" for $1.97 that had some fun, faux,

flowers with sparkles {of course}.

Next, I borrowed some kick-butt, bold, Stella & Dot jewelry from

a couple of my favorite friends that rep it.

My parents came to watch the kiddos and my

mom brought me some hydrangeas from her garden.....

they are one of my favorite flowers and for some reason

I couldn't have them in my wedding bouquet.

I did my own hair, and wore it down and my Mom

applied some fake eyelashes I had bought from CVS, 10 minutes

before they arrived.

Brandon picked up a fedora hat and donned his seersucker

jacket.

I am telling you all of these details, to let you know....

you can do this too! Dust off your dress, do your own hair,

switch up the jewelry to something more funky and bold,

and grab your man and tell him what he's gonna do with you!

I will say, I have to give my husband mad props for doing

this, to obliging my crazy whim, because it was so much fun and

we will have these pics for a lifetime.

The shoot, took all of 25 minutes and it was much cooler

than the temps on our wedding day. We laughed a lot

and I didn't have one bit of stress!

And if you live in the Minnesota/Iowa area,

you should have PhotographyByNealy be your

photographer too! All I really had to do was smile,

she made us feel at ease, told us how to look our best and even brought

some cool props.

As you can tell from the pictures, she is a true artist

with a great eye, and she does all types of photography.

Nealy, thanks for making me look fab, for capturing

our love for each other and for creating memories

that we can share with others.

Go visit her www.photographybynealy.com site, you will be glad you did!

Must Have Moxie...Murano and Bling Sale

2011-07-28T07:15:00.000-05:00

Introducing....

Must Have Moxie's Summer Jewelry Sale.

All murano glass beads are 25% off.

Find those here.

AND...

All bling earrings are 25% off as well.

Find those here.

Happy Shopping and next post will include my "reveal".

Toodles...

5 Year Anniversary

2011-07-27T08:51:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow, Branmuffin and I celebrate 5 years of

blissful {sarcasm} marriage.

Brandon..I love you, madly. Thanks for being "my man", and

the father of our children. Thanks for putting up with my hair-brained

decor ideas and cooking me breakfast almost every single weekend.

Most of all, thanks for embracing who I am

and inspiring me to keep on being me.

According to wikipedia, the modern gift for 5 years is silverware.

We have plenty of that, so I am gonna modify the gift and

cook him more scrumptious meals in the upcoming years.

He loves my meatloaf and my beef enchiladas,

and I figure I can add to the repertoire.

{Wikipedia says the 10 year gift is diamonds.....

fingers crossed, I cannot wait!!!!}

We plan to go to one of our favorite places for dinner

on Thursday night. And we decided we have it all, so there will be no

gifts exchanged.

However...last night we did the coolest thing....

and I can only give you a sneaky peaky because

I wanna reveal the results in the biggest way.

I will reveal soon and believe me....I am pretty much

wetting my pants, every minute of the day until I do this

"reveal".

Here's the hint.....

Toodles..

Smelly Fruit?

2011-07-25T20:25:00.000-05:00

I'm just gonna be really honest right now.

Have you, as a woman, shopped for deodorant lately?

I went to Target to get a new tube of deodorant last week

and found all of the packaging of my favorite "Secret" has

changed...I have other deodorants I may use. But, overall

they all have new packaging and new scents.

The new scents include names like....

Cherry Mischief, Dive In Daisy, Powder Fresh,

it goes on and on.

And while I certainly don't know what you wear, do you really

want to smell like Pears or Cherries when you sweat or get a whiff of

your deodorant?

I don't.

I purchased a couple brands in a couple

of fragrances.

I am usually okay with a baby powder smell.

That smells girly enough, right?

Well......{sigh}

I can't find it...everything has a fruity edge.

So, I went out on a limb and got this:

...and laugh if you want, but I smell

like a clean bar of soap. Like I stepped out of the shower.

I may go as far as to say, I smell like a clean man.

And I like it.

Enough of fou-fou, fruity smelling crap under my

arms...and when I sweat this summer, I smell clean.

I had a little soiree this weekend with some of my

girlies...and I forgot to take pics of the food, fun,

nails and girl time, I did get pictures of me

telling them I have switched to men's deodorant.

My honesty and and willingness to let them smell

me, took them a bit by surprise....

Isn't that what girl's nite is for?

Rant over.

Toodles...

what freshness do you have under there?

Summer Updates

2011-07-19T09:26:00.001-05:00

Ahhhh summer.....how I love thee!

However, I sure am busy, are you too?

My mother-in-law was here for 8 days....

....spoiling us rotten! We got 4 date nights, and

the kiddos got to stay up late, eat all the cookies they

wanted, and I got new curtains!!

My house like a lot of other houses in this development

have long, short windows that are tough to find

coverings for.

I told Betty what I wanted and she delivered....

Sorry for the picture quality....it's almost impossible to

photograph them with all the light the window brings in.

The hot pink, pom-pom edging is so ME!

Also, I got a new piece for my collection.

The blue starfish...thanks Daddy, see him in the picture in the background?

He went and bought it for me after reading my blog!

I love him.

Next up...I made some new pillow covers.

Out with the old....

....in with the new.....

....I had those pillows for over two years and

my kiddos did a number on them.

And when Brandon naps on the couch he sleeps on my

decorative pillows....so annoying, makes them all scrunchy and boy-smelling.

Does your man do that?

Lastly, I get a bit crazy with spray paint now and

then.......here are some of the damages....

and now...

...and these two...the bowl was black and

the tray was nasty from a garage sale....

My Mom found me this mirror at a garage sale.

It was $7.... I am using

it for a vanity area for my jewelry

and perfume....what do you think?

Told you I've been busy! What do you think

of all my bargains and lil' improvements?

Happy Summer!

Toodles....