CONFESSION:

I have Expensive taste. like ...REALLY REALLY expensive taste. I don't know why ...well ya I do she starts with an Eve and ends with a Mom.

Let me break it down for you...
If you were to put two brands of toilette paper in front of me and cover the price I would 9 out of 10 times pick the more expensive of the two...and it just wipes your butt.

I have always been this way...if twinkles, sparkles, looks pretty, smells good, sings, dance and smiles. I'm sold.

Mommyhood has definatley taught me how to bring it down a couple of notches you can be thrifty and savvy while still maintaining fabulous looks the home and family. Now there are some things I just cant skim on...like purses , cars, makeup, and electronic stuff (for the hubby) , ohhhhh oooohhh and vacations. But everything else is doable...and I have to say, I am p.r.e.t.t.y. good on finding almost anything for a ridiculously crazy price.

These are a few of my FAVORITE guilt free places:
Etsy
Ebay
TJ Maxx
Marshalls
Tuesday Morning
Big Lots (gives my bff the hee-bee-gee-bees)
Target
Wal Mart (don't judge)
I would love ...Flea Markets (if SD ever had any good ones)

CONFESSION:


I. Think. I. Have. Become. My. Mother.

Growing up my fabulous, gorgeous, strong, stubborn, selfless, mommy has kept the picture perfect home. At any given time Better Homes and Garden could pop in, snap a pic and it could be featured. Her stylish taste is EXTREMELY IMMACULATE.

Now as a child I had to clean my room, vacuum, do the dishes and dust and believe me if you thought that was a lot, it came with standards. My mother's standards. Which are (still) P-R-E-T-T-Y high!!! I vowed I would never be like that. NEVER.

Booooooyyyyyy wassss I WRONG! This morning I found my self cleaning the baseboards, scrubbing the grout and spray painting the vents! Yes, you read correctly SPAY.PAINTING.THE.VENTS. All before 9:00am and then it hit me... like a bad outfit.

I have become my mother.

As I looked down at my bleached hands, my tosseled fro, and my 3 year old who was CLEANING with me, I realized I had the "Clean Gene" and it's apparently hereditary.

My home is no where near the perfection of my mother's modern lines and upper Eastside apartment influence. But I do LOVE my warm cozy cottage meets modern classic, a little mish mashy...I like it...it's my style inviting and livable. But keeping up this 4 bedroom 2 story abode is NO easy feat. Luckily I have been trained by the best...hopefully one day Better Homes and Garden will be knocking at my door. Until then...I'll find a healthy balance between psycho cleaning and acceptable mess!

Pumpkin Patch Diaries.....

Dear Diary,

I have a deep dark secret....I...SUCK...at...CARVING...PUMPKINS! Ugh! I do however L-O-V-E the whole experience of me and the Hubby taking the little guy to Bates Nut Farm...ahhhhh theres nothing like true family fun when you have kids, especially when you have one as "adorable" as ours. Filled with junk food that can put you into a coma, hay rides, petting zoo, the sugar shop, corn mazes and ohhh did I mention the food. Yup. Thats right. Bliss....



Wrong.

When its almost 90 degrees out, your child HAS NOT taken his afternoon nap, your dressed entirely WAY to warm and sweat is starting to form in unsual places (ya'll know what I talking about) you then slowly come to, and see this place for what it is.

A S-c-r-e-a-m-i-n-g wonderland filled with both children and parents on the verge of a mental breakdown, smelly stinky animals- everywhere and ALL people that God forgot- eating God knows what. We decided very early on to get the F out of that place.

Soooo we grab our pumpkins as quickly as possible, which is not fast when your dealing with a 31/2 yr that has his own agenda!!! And bailed.

I will have to say that our selection was not to shabby!



That was until I got a hold of my pumpkin ( the crooked one on the right, ugh I should have known). Now folks I pride my self on being pretty resourceful and creative, but on this night.
I was neither.


I turned that(above) in to this...

I know. I know. Its scary huh? No teeth, no nose, un even eyes and really f*cked up brows.

I was soooooo pissed, that I took off to the nearest PP and started all over.

I was on my merry way when this happened...

A hole...a freaking hole fell out of the bottom of my NEW pumpkin!!!! Great. Now I'm the jack-o with an ass-ho................'...ugh!!!!

The night goes on and we ( The husband, the child and my sissy ) are working so intensely, so diligently on our pumpkins, as if we were on and episode of Pumpkin Masters.

We finally finish close to 11pm...and I will have to say.....Not to shabby people...Not to shabby at all!



And if your interested my sissy is starting her own line of NCAA Pumpkins...send me a line if your interested ;)

Today I was going through one of my FAVORITE blogs and came across this . Don't you just love it!

I wasn't too jazzed about my "H" but LOVE my "M" and "B"!

OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH WHHHHHYYYY NOOOOT
( For my one follower and one reader)

1. Where is your cell phone? charging

2. Your hair? Crazy

3. Your mother? F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S

4. Your father? H.I.L.A.R.I.O.U.S

5. Your favorite food? Sugar free

6. Your dream last night? Scary

7. Your favorite drink? Coke Zero

8. Your dream/goal? Living it

9. What room are you in? Living

10. Your hobby? Creating

11. Your fear? Heights

12. Where do you want to be in six years? Anywhere

13. Where were you last night? Home

14. Something that you aren't? Bitch

15. Muffins? Blueberry

16. Wish list item? Many

17. Where did you grow up? San Diego, CA

18. Last thing you did?MIdterm

19. What are you wearing? Maxi Dress

20. Your TV? TIVO

21. Your pets? Poley

22. Friends? Amazing

23. Your life? Perfect

24. Your mood? Full

25. Missing someone? Nope

26. Vehicle? Tahoe

27. Something you're not wearing? Bra

28. Your favorite store? Anthropologie

29. Your favorite color? Blue

30. When was the last time you laughed? now

31. Last time you cried? awhile

32. Your best friend? Husband

33. One place that I could go over and over? NY

34. One person who emails you regularly? Paloma

35. Favorite place to eat? Kings

I have ALWAYS been a fan of photography...I, however can't keep a camera alive for the LIFE of me. I. AM. THE CAMERA. GRIMM REAPER.

This aside I have always wanted to have professional family photos taken, that weren't from....

A. my janky half broken camera

and

B.Anything I have Picasad the shit out of

Sooooooo......I found my saving grace ;)

Lillie...from http://lilliebphotography.com

Is our NEW family photographer!!! This fellow BVHS alum, and a wonderfully talented mommytographer caught my eye one evening as I got lost in her blog. Her GORGEOUS shots of her beautifully colorful family made me want what she was having, and yesterday we finally got to meet her! She made the experience so wonderful and sooooo much fun even my camera shy hubby walked away feeling a little proud.

I cant wait to see her work ...and share it with my world!!!

Pics...coming soon!

With our Bravence/ Weston family vacation only hours away....and as the mother of an adorably precarious 3yr old I thought I'd let him pack his own bag......let me just say....

THAT.WILL.NEVER.HAPPEN.AGAIN.

Everything from Poley to his night light went into his weekend bag. We're talking broken crayons, markers with no lids, EVERY BROKEN TOY he could find, his books, my books, dirty clothes.....ooooooooooohhhhhhh.......and lets not forget comforter!

Now I will spend the better half of my relaxing morning unpacking this monstrosity of a mess....all the while listening to my 3yr negotiate why every item is necessary!!!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh the blessed joys of motherhood.

41 days......

Till i stand in line with yelling Tweenie boppers who would throw them selves in front of a bus for one magical night with Edward , and Twi Mom's that wished their Hubby's were like a 118 year old vampire!!! IM.SO.EXCITED.

For those who know me best...know A. I'm a chhhheeeezzzy sap B. a hopeless romantic, both of which make them ALL want to throw up a little in their mouths. But thankfully both the sissy and sissy-in-law share my LOVE for Edward...sigh...

however after seeing this post....

I can totally hear the Husbands and mWm's grunts and eye rolls...if only they
would just succumb to the mania.

HMBreport:

As a license cosmetologist I have had a passion for hair, makeup and skin care as far back as I can remember...and i can honestly say you don't to spend tons of $$$ to keep you looking youthful and fabulous! Today I have found my answer to the Clarasonic!!!! and yes as mWm has so described... it's like the difference between toothbrush and a spin brush!

$195












$1
Both achieve the same results ;)

HMBreport:

Lets talk about this for a hot minute!
With my upcoming trip to PS...and family
photos approaching I was looking for a little
somethin somethin to help me loooooose that unwanted
water weight! And by golly I found it! Nature's Secret
15- Day Weight Loss hooks a sista up!

I'm dreaming about this.....






















When I should be doing this....












Before we head off to our family getaway doing this...











It's our annual family vacation with the BFF's!!!! The hubby and I are super excited to go on our long awaited ( at least for him...I got to go to PS already this year heehee) mini vacation with X, mWm and #19!!! There's nothing like boxed wine, hours at the pool, Las Casuelas and thoses breezy cool desert nights!!!!!!!!!!