Please Join Me....

I would love, love, love to see you there!

Oh yes, and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Greek Quinoa Salad

Since beginning my triathlon training, I have become a garbage disposal.  It seems like there is never enough food and I will confess, I am not very nice when I am hungry.  In order to keep up with my appetite AND eat healthy options, I have been perusing the internet for some new, easy recipes.  At the top of my list was this Greek Quinoa Salad by With Style and Grace.  It not only looked delish but I loved the fact that there would most likely be leftovers and provide me with a potential snack the next day.  

The only thing I did different was to add a can of garbanzo beans because I wanted to add protein and make this for our dinner.  I made it earlier in the afternoon which was fabulous because it was ready to go and we were able to focus on the important task of pumpkin carving after dinner instead of doing dishes.  If you would like, add a glass of Pinot Grigio.  It made it even better.  Plus, I was right.  There was a TON left over.  Perfect.

  

I could have absolutely taken more photos of this recipe but I was glued to CNN all afternoon with Sandy watch and could not pull myself away long enough.  My thoughts and prayers are with everyone on the East Coast.  

The Glass Slipper Guild Firefighter Fashion Show

As promised from this post, I have some photos from the CHOC Children's Glass Slipper Guild Firefighter Fashion Show that was back on September 15, 2012.  Yes, it has taken more a while to get these up but you can blame the post office and a VERY crazy schedule over here.  Better late than never right?

I did attend the Fashion Show and also took along Baby Girl, my little sister and her best friend and we had such a great time.  The show was hosted by Bloomingdale's South Coast Plaza and held in AnQi Bistro, who did a phenomenal job of creating a very swanky vibe to the show.  The Firefighters did a great job of stepping outside of their comfort zone but it truly was the children of CHOC who not only stole the show but everyone's hearts as they walked the runway.  The event was a huge success and kicked off an extremely successful weekend of shopping with 10% of purchases at both the South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island stores going back to CHOC Children's Hospital, on top of Bloomingdale's $3,000 donation given at the end of the show.

Congratulations to the CHOC Glass Slipper Guild, the Costa Mesa Fire Department, AnQi and Bloomingdale's for raising money for such an incredible cause and thank you for letting me be a part of it!

The Matilda Jane giveaway is only open for a few more days!  Click here to enter!

* All photos courtesy of Juggling in Heels and Bloomingdale's

11 Years

11 years.

It is crazy.

A few observations.

1. We look like babies

2. My hair is way too high.. and yes, I chose to put those white things in there

3. Please note that I am wearing gloves
4. This is when I still had boobs

5. Men have it so easy on wedding days

It is amazing how much our life has changed since October 27, 2001.
I have loved our story so far and I cannot wait to keep writing it.

Happy Anniversary (tomorrow) Hubby!

Wish List: Boots

I have been on the hunt for a black boot that is short and flat for what seems like forever.  So far, these two are my favorites.  Is it too early to create my Christmas list?  I would think so but since Target is now filled with Christmas trees, perhaps it is okay.  

Isabel Marant Jenny Slouchy Leather Boots

Jimmy Choo Youth Metallic Leather Boot

Don't forget to enter the Matilda Jane giveaway!

**GIVEAWAY** Matilda Jane

Look at Baby Girl.  I mention that I am going to start posting outfit photos of myself by taking them on Instagram and she has to one up me by bribing a photographer (not really, it's me) with that cute smile to take photos of her in a gorgeous Matilda Jane dress for this post.  Typical.  But back to the reason for this post...

I was recently introduced to Matilda Jane (I know, where have I been right?) and instantly fell in love.  I think their phrase "an unexpected clothing company" says it all.  Each piece holds such a feminine and unique touch that is incredible hard to find in little girl's clothing.  And oh the patterns and prints!  It is like finding an Anthropologie for little girls.

  
Here is the fabulous news about all this.  My local Trunk Keeper, Maura is offering not one but TWO ways to win with Matilda Jane. 

The first is a giveaway hosted here and is a $50 gift certificate to purchase whatever you would like directly from Maura.  Free money; no brainer.  All you need to do is visit the Matilda Jane website and leave a comment below stating which item is your favorite.  That is it!  This giveaway will run from Wednesday, October 24th through Tuesday, October 30th at midnight. 

Now for the second opportunity.  On Thursday, October 25th, Matilda Jane with be launching the following promotion.

 This promotion will run from October 25th through October 28th.  During this time, if you make a $150 purchase, you will not only receive this cute apron, but if you order from Maura, she will be entering you into a raffle for a $100 gift certificate.  Perhaps order for Thanksgiving attire and get the Christmas attire for free?  All you need to do to be entered into this raffle is place your order with Maura by clicking here, no later than October 28th!

You can also host private trunk shows with your friends through Maura.  If you are interested click here to get started. 

There you have it.  

Good Luck and Happy Shopping!

* Baby Girl is wearing the Broadway dress and Cinnamon Tee.  Juggling in Heels was provided this outfit from Maura Dwyer but all opinions are 100% my own.  The winner of the $50 gift certificate will be selected and announced by Juggling in Heels but the $100 gift certificate will be selected by Maura Dwyer and the winner will not be announced here but will be contacted by Maura once they have been selected.  U.S. Residents only.

PLANKS USA

Last week I was invited into the PLANKS USA showroom to preview their collections and custom furniture orders.  PLANKS USA uses refurbished wood, steel and industrial products to create vintage, retro and trendy style interiors for restaurants, retail shops, hotels and homes.  Since I am constantly on the look out for great pieces for our new home and this style is right up my alley, I jumped at the chance to take a visit, even if it meant bringing Baby Girl along for the ride.  Thank goodness they had candy.

As soon as I walked into the showroom I knew exactly where my next piece of furniture was coming from.  It is like they went into my head and began pulling ideas prior to me even showing up.  The pieces were not only incredibly unique but gorgeous and would fit into a home with both modern and traditional pieces (a.k.a mine) perfectly.  

Some of my favorites were the oversized dining rooms tables, the cow hide stools, and the metal and wood coffee tables, just to name a few.  If I happened to own a restaurant or bar, I would want it to look just like their recent project, The Fat Cow at the Grove in LA.  It is pretty incredible.  As I was shown around the showroom I also learned about the company, how it came about and their desire to use only recycled materials.  It is a pretty great story but I will let you read it for yourself here.  I also asked them to send me some of photos of my favorite pieces so I could share with you just a small piece of what they create.  

 PLANKS USA is located in Lake Forest, Ca. and you can either shop from their website here or stop in their showroom to discuss creating a custom piece for your home.  If you are at all curious as to how the process of creating a custom furniture piece with them would go, the generous individuals at PLANKS USA have offered to create me a custom coffee table for our family room so I will be sharing the entire step by step process with you soon!  Keep an eye out!

Pumpkins

Another Halloween means another trip to our favorite pumpkin farm!

It amazes me how much all three of them have changed since last year.

Macaroons and Bubbly

Last night I kicked off the weekend indulging in macaroons, champagne and clothes at the Joie boutique in Fashion Island.

The Dry Bar was also there and my hair received some "beachy waves"

Then I went home to eat a grilled cheese with a glass of Caymus.

The entire night made me happy.

This is going to be a great weekend.

I can just feel it.

Sir, this is not your room!

I have anxiety.  We all know this.

Well, that is not true.  If you are new to visiting you haven't been lucky enough to read about my anxiety but you can catch up quickly here and here.

But back to my anxiety.

Here is word for word what I said to my hubby prior to leaving for my business trip to Las Vegas last week.

"My biggest fear traveling alone is someone trying to break into my hotel room."

This is extremely typical of me (I am a worst case scenario type of person) so my hubby responds with "Babe, that is not going to happen".

Fast forward to Thursday morning at 4am when I am woken from deep sleep with someone trying to open my hotel room door.  I , LEAP, JUMP  FLEW out of bed and ran to the peephole to find one man trying to get into my room with a hotel key with another one standing next to him.

Here is our conversation...

ME: "Excuse me, this is not your room"

HIM: "Yes it is"

ME: "Um no, it isn't"

He continues to try to use the key

ME: "SIR, THIS IS NOT YOUR ROOM!"

HIM: I am not Sir, I am ___ and this is my room

Obviously this man was drunk and was completely avoiding the fact that my voice was coming from inside the room so I ran to my phone and called hotel security.  

I have to give it to Vegas for having amazing security because three people were surrounding him (other guy had apparently gone to his own room) within 2 minutes (if that) asking him questions, checking his ID and the room card he was using.  Apparently this guy was too drunk, was actually three rooms down and they escorted him to his room while I was moved to a completely different room on a completely different floor.

Nothing like roaming a Vegas hotel in your pajamas with a suitcase at 5am.

Might I note that this is all after having a panic attack on the plane for the first time ever and trying to maintain a "I am a successful, confident business woman" while I was FREAKING OUT on the inside.

Moral of the story?

My anxiety is alive and well and thanks to the A-hole trying to get into my room, it had peaked for a few days following.

It is okay though because it taught me two things.  One, I learned that when something I am extremely scared of happening actually does, I handle it like I should and do not completely freak out.  Therefore, I should not be so scared.  And two, my anxiety is going to peak at moments (like on the plane) that I cannot explain or control but I can make it through it.

Win win for me, right?

There you have it.

Crazy story right?

Jewels

Now that Fall is here for the majority of the country (we are still in swimming pools and sun bathing with our 100 degree heat), I am trying to update my accessories to fit with Fall colors and some recent purchases of sweaters, pants and boots (all which are sitting in my closet with the tags on thanks to this weather).  Stella & Dot seems to always come through with great pieces that are not only gorgeous, but also very well priced.  Here are some items that I recently ordered and one that I have added to my wish list.

Limited Edition Fox Necklace from the Alice by Temperley Design Collaboration
I had mentioned how excited I was to see this line launch!  Love this piece.

Serenity Stone Drops
I was a fan of these earrings in the green stone but this brown color is even more my taste.

And what is on my wish list?

Limited Edition Admiral Bracelet from the Lara Bohinc Design Collaboration
I adore this bracelet.  Love the mixing of metals and how chunky it is.
I can see myself wearing this all Winter long.

"Making a Difference"

Last year was my first Camino Health Center Fashion Show and Luncheon and I remember saying that day that I would absolutely be there again next year.  And now here we are.

The 28th Annual Fashion Show and Luncheon benefitting the Camino Health Center is next month I am doing all I can to build awareness for this great event.  It will be held Tuesday, November 20th at the Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel.  South Coast Plaza sponsors this event and they pull out all the stops when it comes to producing a New York fashion show in Orange County.  Not only are designers such as Tory Burch, Oscar de la Renta, Donna Karen, and Marni (just to name a few) showcased, the silent auction might be the best one I have ever seen, flooded with donations from numerous boutiques in South Coast Plaza.  Add some champagne, the food, fab raffle prizes and the Ritz and you have quite the afternoon!

 When I was asked to attend this event last year, I knew very little about the Camino Health Center and the Foundation that supports it.  Of course I knew that it had the reputation of an incredible clinic in San Juan Capistrano, providing free services to those who cannot afford insurance or, due to the insurance they have, are not able to financially afford the speciality services they need.  But that was about it.  Over the past year I have increased my involvement with both the Camino Health Center Auxiliary and the Mission Hospital Foundation and I continue to be touched by the people that work so hard to help others.  

If you are looking to attend an amazing event while supporting the Orange County community, you can purchase tickets by clicking here.  I would love to see you there!

Beer-Battered Apple and Onion Rings

What do you do when it has hit the middle of October and the weather is still in the 80's?

You pretend it is summer and host a BBQ!

Saturday night we had some friends over to celebrate the summer that never seems to end.  The hubby was handling the main course, prepping ribs, beans, kale and cornbread.  The only job I had was handling the appetizers.  Yes, I could have gone the healthy route but that would have been no fun at all.  Instead I went the complete other direction and went for the deep fried option.  I made Beer-Battered Apple and Onion Rings and I am not going to lie, all the calories were worth it.  The apples tasted like apple pie (they would make a great dessert too!) and the onions were a perfect compliment with the salty.  As I suspected, two fried foods are better than one.

Work

Photo and Subject don't seem to go together do they?

I arrived in Las Vegas yesterday for a conference and will be here until tomorrow.  So it works!  

Since I am here, why not look back at my recent visits to Sin City.

September 2010 - A Girls Weekend that was OUT OF CONTROL and AWESOME.

November 2011 - With the entire family on our way to the Polar Express

October 2012 - Work Conference

This is what I love about this city.

It never really makes sense why you are here.

But you are.

And it is awesome.

And then you leave, unsure as to when you will return.

But you will.

Cause it's Vegas.

I am going to take tomorrow off from posting so I can hop on my jet plane and get back to the hubby and little ones so this is my weekend farewell.

I hope you all have a fab weekend!

Sponsor Highlight: SugarSNAP

"They're Here!"

No, I am not referencing one of the scariest movies of my childhood but that the ladies of SugarSNAP have joined the Juggling in Heels family.

After making two appearances on the blog for their fabulous Files and my new obsession, the Car-Go System (it has saved me more than once in the diaper department), they have set up shop as a sponsor of the blog and I could not be more excited to have them.

The SugarSNAP files were developed to help moms organize their diaper bags so that they were no longer bottomless pits but actually served the purpose we need them to serve.  These files led to the Car-Go System, to help organize our cars while we play Taxi Driver to the family.  I know I keep saying this but if you haven't taken a look at these two products, you really are missing out.  

I have had the pleasure of getting to know the creators of SugarSNAP, Stacy and Tarah and they are incredible examples of women who had an idea, pursued it and have ensured it became a reality, all while managing a household of twins!  Plus, if you visit them over on Facebook or Twitter you will also find that they are extremely funny.

In case you missed my previous reviews, here they are...

The SugarSNAP Files

The Car-Go System

In addition, these lovely ladies are offering 20% off your purchase for all my readers through October 31, 2012 simply by using the code: JUGGLING.  You can click here to order.

Welcome SugarSNAP!

What I Wore

Over the past week I was running around in "it is still summer" weather, attending blogging events and trying to keep up with school, athletic games and birthday parties.  A week in the life of a mother right?  Even though I need to be comfortable and casual, I still want to feel put together (especially when I have to get out of the car for preschool drop off and pick up).  I think that sometimes we feel that style means sacrificing comfort but with these looks, that was definitely not the case.

Sweater: Velvet (similar) Jeans: c/o Marc Allison Jeans Clutch: Tory Burch Accessories: Banana Republic, Stella & Dot

Jacket: Rubbish Tank: Splendid (similar) Shorts: J Brand (similar) Shoes: Sperry Top Siders Accessories: Michael Kors, House of Harlow 1960, c/o Last Call Neiman Marcus

Shirt: Banana Republic Shorts: J Crew, Satchel: Cambridge Satchel Company, Shoes: Mossimo Accessories: Tiffany & Co, Nordstrom

Dress: Zara Satchel: Cambridge Satchel Company, Sunglasses: David Yurman