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!