BOOKED!!

Here are some photos from the last time I headed out to Chicago to visit my Best Friend.

Two things to note here.

One, my dress is extremely yellow.

Two, there are no children in the pictures.

That is all about to change.

We just booked our flight to take ALL 5 OF US out to visit her and her family this summer.  That is a total of 4 children (3 for us, 1 for them) under one roof.  It is going to be SO much fun and perhaps SO SO crazy.  I cannot wait.  Since this is the first time we are taking the kids to Chicago, I am so excited to show them downtown, go shopping (Baby Girl already asked), visit the lake, BBQ on the roof top deck and of course, take them to their first Cubs game.  I am also beyond excited to meet my BFF's little one for the first time.  Their house is going to be total chaos for 5 days (apologizing in advance J!) but it is sure to be one big party (sans the 3am dance party on the roof like last time........hey, what do you expect?  four adults, no children, one weekend.  Why wouldn't we?)

Countdown to July is on!

Denim on Denim

What do you think of denim on denim?

JCrew

Levi's

Gap

Personally, I love it.

No need to match.

No need to fuss.

Just laid back chic.

Mojitos

Summer days bring summer cocktails.  It is hard to believe it is still January with 80 degree days.  Orange County has been blessed with an entire weekend of incredible weather so I decided to kick it off (Thursday is the weekend right?) by making Bobby's Signature Mojitos for my friend and I to enjoy during a little afternoon playdate (We like to call these "Happy Hour Playdates".  You should try it).  Bobby Flay always has incredible cocktail recipes and this one was BEYOND.  Not sure if it was the ginger simple syrup or the floater of coconut milk but whatever it was, I think it might have been one of the best mojitos that I have ever had.

I hope you all have an incredible weekend!

Sanity Check In

As a heads up, this photo has nothing to do with this post.  But it makes me laugh.

Food all over her clothes and face, insisting she sucks on the lime.

This is what was captured and it makes me smile.

But back to the sanity part.

Remember this post on what I would like to call my "33 Year Old Mid Life Crisis"?  I thought I would update you all so that it does not seem like I brushed it under the rug.  Yes, I know there are way more fun things to talk about but shockingly, my life isn't all shoes and fashion designers.  Can you believe it?!  But back to the anxiety.  The good news is that even though I have not been talking about it, I have been working on it.

First of all, I have gotten SO much better at letting things go.  House a little messy?  I am over it.  Laundry piling up.  Oh well.  In the end, it all gets done, but I am just not consumed by my perfection.  With three kids and a hubby, it is just not possible.  I also take more baths, plan more date nights, don't cook dinner every night and get out with girlfriends when I can.  Most importantly, I have stayed committed to seeing my therapist and it has made all the difference in the world.  She is pretty amazing and I cannot tell you how nice it is to have someone to go to (now once a month) where I can just LET IT ALL OUT.  I should have been doing this a LOOOOONG time ago.

I am not saying the anxiety is gone.  In fact, it is still well and present.  The good thing is, I am controlling it and not letting it control me.  BIG DIFFERENCE.  I feel like I know myself so much better now and have the confidence that this is only a bump in the road of life.  We all have our things right?

So there you have it.  A little update.

On a less serious but quite awesome note, PBSKids SoCal asked me a few weeks back to guest blog and of course I said yes!  Who doesn't love PBS (duh, Sesame Street)?!  Click here to read about the challenge they gave my picky eaters!

Medicine Cabinet

Today I am going to empty my medicine cabinet, sharing some of my must have's.

I have an addiction to beauty products and when I find something that works, I use them forever. 

You cannot go wrong with any of these.

Essie Chinchilly

This is my everyday, neutral nail polish. 

 I love the grey and it has been a great basic through the winter.

Cane + Austin Retexturizing Treatment Pads

These pads are CRAZY!

They have erased 90% of my sunspots, not even joking.

For a girl who has LIVED in this sun, these are a miracle.

Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Make Up Remover

The only eye makeup remover that has worked for me. 

 I cannot even tell you how many YEARS I have been using this.

Big Sexy Hair Root Pump Spray Mousse

With hair as fine and thin as mine, you need SOMETHING to help it out. 

This root pump works great without making my hair greasy (another issue for fine, thin hair).

Indian Healing Clay

BEST MASK EVER!!!

Thanks to Delighted Momma I was introduced to this mask. 

Mixed with a little Raw Apple Cider Vinegar, this mask is INSANE. 

I cannot say enough about it.  It is my Sunday night ritual.

Kiehl's Lip Balm

Medicine Cabinet.  Nightstand.  Purse.  Desk.

I have this lip balm EVERYWHERE. 

 I am convinced my lips are addicted.

Interested in some of my other skincare and beauty must haves? 

Here are some previous posts on the topic!

Dr. Perricone Moisturizers

Eve Lom Cleanser and Clarisonic

L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes

Laura Mercier

Dr. Perricone High Potency Eye Lift

Spring brings more reason to love Rachel Zoe

As you know, I have a slight obsession with Rachel Zoe (remember my excitement when her show returned here?  Or when I scooped up this vest, which I have lived in all winter?).

It just wouldn't seem right not sharing my favorite pieces from her Spring 2012 collection.  Why?  Because she is fabulous.  And if there was any closet that I would love to spend a day in, it would be hers.  Can you imagine??  I loved her fall collection but I actually like this one even more.  Perhaps more pieces that I can see myself in?  Or simply because it has Spring in the title (have I mentioned I am over Winter?).  Whatever it is, it is pretty insane.

all photos via Style.com

Brightening Up The Day

Here is a little eye candy to brighten up this rather gloomy OC day.

 

Nine West 'Pitera' Wedges 

Stewed Lentils and Tomatoes

I have been in desperate need of some changes to our meals.  We get stuck in a routine and end up having the exact same thing every week.  I spent some time going through cookbooks and came across Barefoot Contessa's Stewed Lentils and Tomatoes from her cookbook, Barefoot Contessa at Home.  I figured this would be a healthy side dish that the family would all enjoy.  It was delish and a definite comfort dish during this slightly rainy weekend.  Also, it was a fantastic dish for anyone with young children.  It was so easy for Baby Girl to eat and she loved it.  Her lunch was easy the rest of the weekend.  Here is the recipe...

Stewed Lentils and Tomatoes
(Barefoot Contessa at Home, pages 144-145)

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons good olive oil
2 cups large-diced yellow onions
2 cups large-diced carrots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 (28-oz) can whole plum tomatoes
1 cup French green lentils
2 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons mild curry powder
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground back pepper
1 tablespoon good red wine vinegar

Heat the oil in a large saucepan.  Add the onions and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes, until the onions start to brown.  Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon.  Ad the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

Meanwhile, place the canned plus tomatoes, including the juice, in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse several times until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped.  Rinse and pick over the lentils to make sure there are no stones in the package.

Add the tomatoes, lentils, chicken broth, curry powder, thyme, salt and pepper to the pan.  Raise the heat to bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer covered for about 40 minutes, until the lentils are tender.  Check occasionally to be sure the liquid is still simmering.  Remove from the heat and allow the lentils to sit covered for another 10 minutes.  Add the vinegar, season to taste and serve hot.

This cookbook has numerous recipes that I continue to go back to.  I would highly suggest picking it up for your kitchen.  You can find it here.

Neon, Jimmy Choo Style

Perhaps it is the day and a half of rain we got here in The OC (rough, I know).  Or that I am simply tired of the drab colors of Winter.  Whatever it is, I am absolutely loving the neon colors of Spring that we are seeing everywhere.

This past weekend in LA, my friend and I were drawn into Jimmy Choo simply because of their windows. Bright colors were everywhere!  Absolutely gorgeous neon color.  Some people feel that it is just too 80's, but I think that as long as it is done in moderation, it is a fabulous 2012 twist on a lost trend.  Neon, I welcome you back wholeheartedly, especially when you have partnered with Jimmy Choo.

Jimmy Choo Peep Toe Wedge
These are top of my list.
I cannot say no to orange and I would definitely rock these all summer long!

Jimmy Choo Lance Sandal
My friend picked these up in black and they are even prettier in person.

Jimmy Choo Cayla Patent Clutch
They had this in every color and I would be hard pressed to pick which one
I loved more!

Jimmy Choo Abel Pump
I love seeing a classic pump spiced up a bit!

Inside Out

See this picture?

That is my Baby Girl wearing her pajamas inside out.

Why?

Because we are third time parents.  As third time parents, we have learned our lesson.  The lesson is that there will come a point where a child will find the zipper on their pajamas and try to take them off.  Therefore, rather than putting pajamas back on 10 times a night, we put them on inside out.  You should see how angry she gets too.  First, you will see her looking for the zipper.  Then, it is followed by a scream that would most likely translate to "I AM SO PISSED RIGHT NOW!"  Truth be told, this sort of makes us laugh.  Sorry Baby Girl, third time parents here.

My favorite story is when my hubby took her to the grocery store early one morning and a kind woman behind him in line said "I have to ask, did you purposely put her pajamas on inside out?".  I can only imagine his serious response of "Yes, yes I did."

In other news, are you wondering why a 1 year old is wearing 3T pajamas?  Would it make you more shocked that 4T actually fits better?  This Baby Girl is growing like a weed and I can only image how tall she is going to be when she is older.  Mommy's 6ft?  I am guessing taller.

Spend. Save. Invest. Give.

When you are married to a finance man, you know money is going to be watched VERY CLOSELY.  Investing is an absolute and it doesn't matter if you have it, you do not need to always spend it.  I mean, who doesn't open a 529 account immediately after getting married for the future child that will not come into the picture for another three years?  Don't get me wrong.  This is a good thing because, if you haven't noticed from my shopping posts, I am potentially a big spender.  Saver and spender.  It works.

Anyway, now that my Oldest is 7, my husband has been looking for ways to teach him the value of a dollar and that it is important to think of others, save and invest.  This is a lot of information for a 7 year old to digest and for a while, he was just not getting it.  Over the holidays I came across this piggy bank that seemed to be the answer.

Money Scholar Baseball Glove Piggy Bank

Jesus gave this to him for Christmas (we thought the message would be stronger...Jesus outweighs parents), telling him that it is important to always think of others and donate some of your money to those in need.  This thing has worked like a charm.  Now that he can visually see four slots, any time he receives money, he decides how much is going to go into each slot.  It is a rule that something always goes into "GIVE".  After that, he needs to decide to "INVEST" or "SAVE".  Then, whatever is left goes into "SPEND".  The best part about this is that most of the time, he never puts anything into the "SPEND" slot.  I am hoping that by continuously using this, he will make a habit in life of always saving and giving before he spends.

These piggy banks come in an array of girl and boy designs and I have seen them in Nordstrom and on Amazon.  I think this one is really cute for a little girl.

Money Scholar Bug Purse Piggy Bank

What about you?  Do you have any tricks to teaching your child how to understand the value of money?   

Best Dressed.....A Day Late

So, I liked my post too much yesterday to push it aside and deliver my best dressed from the Golden Globes on time.  Sorry.  And, you may not care at all who I thought was the best dressed at the Golden Globes.  Oh well, I am going to tell you anyway.  They are...

Charlize Theron in Dior via

Emma Stone in Lanvin via

These two ladies looked incredible.  Charlize Theron is always stunning (did I mention I wish I was her?) and being Dior's muse, I would expect so.  I would love to learn her secrets.  Emma Stone has the ability to consistently pull out something you wouldn't expect and it always look incredible.  LOVE the purple and red together (Not even lying about that because I wore the combo here.  Unfortunately mine was not Lanvin, sigh.......).

On the other hand, I have to disagree with a lot of the best dressed lists because I was not a huge fan of this...

Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace via via

I felt that through the entire show she looked like she was going to kick someone's ass.  Perhaps it was the sharp lines of the dress and the red lips.  Not sure.  All I know is that I kept getting visions of the Evil Queen from Snow White.  Scared the hell out of me.

What do you think?  Who were your favorites? 

In the Spirit of the Game

A very close friend of mine (my friend, S, you have seen her before) has a relationship with major league baseball like you wouldn't believe.  Her grandfather, father and brother have all played, and both her father and brother have been baseball scouts (her brother still is).  Major league baseball has been like a second family to her and when her father passed away a little over a year ago, it also become a place for memories of who he was.

This past Saturday night, The Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation hosted their 9th annual In the Spirit of the Game to support the MLB scouts from across the country.  I was extremely honored when she invited the hubby and I to attend, as I knew how important (and potentially emotional) this night is to her and I was so happy to be a part of it.  We had an incredible time, catching up with her family, hearing stories about her dad, speaking to other Scouts and players from the league, and appreciating all the love that people have for the sport.  I must say, I never understood it until that night.  Along with the emotional side, there were a number of professional athletes and celebrities out to show their support and I must admit, it was fun to meet them and grab a few pictures (hey, who wouldn't!).  Here are just a couple from the night.

Red Carpet!  Yes, we left the hubby's out.

The four of us with Tommy Lasorda, a close family friend to S and P

One of the highlights of  the night!
Though  we have a number of photos of people from the night, Matt Kemp was our favorite!
Rihanna, not sure what you were thinking but he is a DOLL!

Annnnd, because we arrived in Beverly Hills early that day, we took advantage of it and spent the afternoon shopping and dining at none other than...

For any Real Housewives of Beverly Hills fans, there were no sightings of Lisa Vanderpump, though I fully enjoyed their risotto and champagne cocktails.

Thank you S & P on including us in such an important night for you!  We had such an incredible time!

Perfect Combination

I thought to finish off this week I would share my absolute favorite skincare combination that I cannot live without.  They work in perfect unison and I absolutely notice a difference if I do not use them both.

Eve Lom Cleanser

This cleanser is magic in a jar.  It is a cleanser, toner and exfoliant all in one.  It comes with a muslin cloth to wipe it off and truly removes every trace of dirt and makeup on your face.  It leaves your skin feeling incredible.  I began using this back in November and have noticed a tremendous difference in the texture of my skin.  I was a little hesitant due to the price but now I swear by it.  I have friends who have also been using this and they love it as well.  It will forever be a staple.

CLARISONIC PLUS

BEST INVENTION EVER.  When I was pregnant with number 3, I started to really break out (I blame it on having a girl since they try to make you ugly the entire pregnancy).  Unfortunately there is nothing you can use on your skin so my dermatologist told me to invest in a Clarisonic.  Again, due to the price, I was hesitant but thought spending the money was better than looking like a 13 year old going through puberty.  I am so glad I made the investment.  It cleared my skin right up and two years later, I still use this religiously every morning and every night.

Two investments, two miracle workers.  You will not be disappointed.  

Let the Games Begin!

I am going to take a moment,

step out of my adult world,

and join millions of teens by stating,

I LOVE THE HUNGER GAMES!

If you have not read them yet, you are missing out.

(I have even made my hubby start book 1)

And the movie?

CANNOT WAIT.

Anyone else excited to see this?

And with this post I have confirmed that this is my most random week of postings yet.  From boys grabbing themselves, to a new boutique in the OC, to chandeliers and now teen dramas.  I can only laugh and say "welcome to my world!" 

Elegant Lighting

Nothing adds glamour to a house more than a chandelier.  They can define a room and create a feel that other pieces of furniture just do not have the power to do.  I consistently lean towards a more vintage-inspired look when it comes to chandeliers due to the elegance they exude.  My goal is to, at some point, have gorgeous chandeliers hanging in every room of my house (excluding the boys rooms...that might cause some issues).  This is going to take some time since, considering my selection, it is apparent that my expensive taste in clothes extends into lighting as well.

Fabian Chandelier

Serena and Lily Seychelles Chandelier

Pottery Barn Clarissa Glass Drop Rectangular Chandelier

Hand Cut Crystal St. Regis English Bronze Chandelier

Arteriors Duke 4 Light Iron/Glass Chandelier

Elizabeth Charles comes to Orange County

First it was New York.  Then came San Francisco.  Where next?  Newport Beach!  Elizabeth Charles has recently opened their third fabulous boutique here in The OC and it has not gone unnoticed.  After only a few weeks of opening their doors, women from around the area have been frequenting the boutique in search of incredibly fashionable designers such as Carven, Erdem, Preen, Jonathan Saunders, Peter Som, Thakoon and many more.  They also carry stunning jewelry from designers such as Rona Pfeiffer.

The store is absolutely beautiful, extremely spacious and I loved how open and bright it is.  The arrival of Resort 2012 collections has created a beautiful array of color and patterns throughout the store and the overall feel was just so luxurious.  If you live in the Orange County area, I highly recommend visiting the boutique.  You will not be disappointed.

You can visit Elizabeth Charles at:

1649 Westcliff Drive

Newport Beach, Ca. 92660

Welcome to the neighborhood Elizabeth Charles!