happy friday!

Happy Friday! This week has flown by for me, I hope it's been quick for you too!

I don't want to dwell on this, but someone stole my beach cruiser from my back porch (in broad daylight) on Tuesday. I was so angry at first! I don't know why it was stolen or who did it, but they must be in a very bad place in their life. Thinking about that made me realize that I'm blessed enough as it is, and if someone needed my bike badly enough to climb over my back porch and take it, then so be it. I am confused as to how someone lifted it over the 6.5 foot ledge I have surrounding my back porch because it must weigh at least 35 pounds and it's very awkward shaped.

Goodbye pink bike, I'll miss you!

A sweet co-worker brought me the most beautiful roses from her garden. They are so pretty and smell amazing! Having them in my office instantly makes me feel happy!

Tonight, we are going to the movies! Fast Five is finally here :)

I'm sorry I've been quiet on the blog this week. Thanks again for all of the kind birthday comments! I will be announcing the giveaway winner on Monday, May 2 so this is your last chance to earn another entry! Have a great weekend!

Dancing with the Stars

There are only 7 couples left on Dancing with the Stars! Do you watch the show? I think this season has been very good so far, and there hasn't been a predictable winner yet which I love. Last season, it was SO obvious that Jennifer Grey was going to win and while it was still fun to watch, it definitely wasn't suspenseful. This season has seen all different stars at the top of the leaderboard. Poor Petra was on top one week and sent home the next. It makes for a very exciting show!

Since we're reaching the middle of the season, I thought it would be fun to make my predictions on who will win the Mirror Ball Trophy this season. (My blog friend Terri does an excellent recap each week of the show so be sure to check that out if you want to see weekly predictions.)

At this point, I think there are three couples that stand out to me and seem to be the most deserving of the trophy.

Chelsea & Mark

Chelsea is obviously very talented. She seems to pick up the dance moves effortlessly. She makes each of her performances look fun. Mark is a very good choreographer, and I like that he keeps in mind her young age and choreographs accordingly.

Hines & Kim

Hines is another natural on the dance floor. Like football, he has put his mind to this and I think he fully expects to come out a winner. His performances are beautiful to watch, and even though we see him struggling during the rehearsals, he really seems to not want to stop practicing until he's got the routine down. Also, his chemistry with Kim is undeniable.

Romeo & Chelsea

My least favorite of the front runners is Romeo. It may just be me, but he seems to have an attitude. That said, he really does seem to be giving this competition his all and his performances are proof of that. He's smooth and makes dancing look easy. But my only question is, does he have the fan base to make it to the top 3 or will Ralph take that from him?

There next two celebrities are the biggest stars of the season. Will their fan base keep them in the running or will they actually get the moves to earn their place in the competition?

Ralph & Karina

Ralph was considered a favorite from the beginning of the season and his first couple of performances were strong. BUT...while I like him, I don't think he's showing much improvement week to week. I think that Chris Jericho is improving more than Ralph, but he may not have the fan base to keep him in the competition like Ralph does. I would like to see Ralph step out of his comfort zone more and just relax a little.

Kirstie & Maks

I think Kirstie has improved a great deal since Week 1. She seems to be able to breathe better after her performances whereas in Week 1, I honestly thought she might have passed out. With that said, I think she might be a fan favorite and therefore isn't really in any danger of going home until after Kendra and Chris leave. Everyone wants to see her do well, I know I do! While her performances are not perfect, I have been impressed with her resilience and strength.

The next two stars are who I consider to be at the bottom.

Chris & Cheryl

Like I said above, Chris is actually pretty good. He has a lot of dedication to the competition and works very well with Cheryl. She's just a great choreographer and makes her partners look good. But, I am not even sure who Chris is and why he is a celebrity. I'm not trying to be mean, but honestly that's part of what makes stars stay on the show from week to week. But maybe I'm the only one who didn't know who he was...

Kendra & Louis

Considered a front runner from before the season even started, Kendra has not met expectations. She tries hard, but it just hasn't come together for her. Last night was her best performance, but I'm not sure she has the fan base to continue. I mean, I like her because of Girls Next Door, but do you think many other people are out there voting for her?

The show has a lot to do with the star's performances as well as the viewers who are voting for them. So there may be someone who had a great performance but just didn't have the votes or vice versa.

Do you agree or think I'm completely off? I'd love to hear your thoughts and remember, these are just my opinions!

happy birthday + weekend recap

First things first, here is a picture of my hair cut. It's only been 3 weeks since I had it cut, but my hair grows SOOOOO fast that it's already lost the cute shape/style that it had. But I promise it still looks much better than what is showing up in the photo (and shorter too).


I'm kind of depressed to be at work on my birthday, but I had such a good weekend that I guess I can't complain too much. Here's the recap! (Beware: lots and lots of pictures ahead)

On Thursday after work, C and I went to play mini golf!


Afterwards, we ate dinner at Blue Dog Tavern, which is delicious! The waitress brought me a free birthday ice cream sandwich. The picture doesn't even begin to show how big that thing was!


On Friday, I slept in so late! I don't think I got up until after 1. We decided to go shopping and have dinner at Lazy Dog Cafe. Neither of us had been before, but it was so fun. We got there in time for happy hour so we got a pitcher of white peach sangria.



We were going to watch a movie at the theater afterwards, but decided to buy Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and watch it at home. Such a great movie! We had seen it in the theater, but I pretty much forgot everything that happened and I loved watching it again.

Saturday was a very good mail day! We had three packages delivered.

What could it be?

Easter gift package from Cheryl's!
Thank you Easter Bunny!

Something for me?
From Spotted Moth!!



OMG OMG Ohh.Emm.Gee!!

Thanks to the birthday fairy (aka MOM who also happens to be the Easter Bunny!!) I was a very lucky girl this year! I can't even tell you how much I love my new purse, dress, and necklace! And the people at Spotted Moth packaged up my gifts so nicely and even included a handwritten happy birthday card. It was so sweet! Thank you Mom!

On Saturday I also got a gel manicure. This time I got the Harmony Shellac, and I really like it. There were so many more colors to choose from than when I got the OPI gel so I picked a pretty bright pink (I believe the actual name is Tutti Frutti).


On Sunday we got up early because I wanted to drive up to Santa Ynez for the day. We stopped for lunch at Los Olivos Grocery, which is this little market that makes delicious food at their deli. After filling up on sandwiches, we drove over to Solvang.

Aebleskivers!

I made a friend :)

We ended my birthday weekend with cocktails from Maggiano's!


Now I think this is officially the longest post EVER. I shopped my little heart out this weekend too, and I'll share all of those goodies on another post.

Thank you to all of you who have been helping me celebrate my birthday this year. I appreciate all of the kind comments and can't wait to pick a giveaway winner soon!

ps - don't forget that each comment on my blog until April 30

counts as an entry in my surprise birthday giveaway!

Thursday's Thoughts

Aaaaaaaaand I'm back!

I appreciate all of your comments on Tuesday's post (which has now been deleted). If you left a comment, and have an e-mail attached to your profile then you should have received a reply of thanks from me. I truly do appreciate the blog community. I also want to quickly clarify that I do not think being married, having a house or having a great job makes a life perfect. I was simply using those as examples of things I do not have that my mom may wish I had at this point in my life.

I was also so happy with all of the positive comments about Spotted Moth! I went over to the website today to order the ladybird dress and the doctor doctor handbag (yay for payday!) BUT they are both SOLD OUT! Were any of you responsible for this??! Haha! If you did happen to order anything, I'd love to hear about your experience with the store and the quality of your purchases. I'm hoping the items I want get restocked soon!

In other news, I'm so thankful that today is my Friday since we are off work tomorrow for Good Friday. I think it's sad that we can no longer call this holiday Easter. I still made festive cupcakes and brought them to work. My boss thanked me for the "spring holiday" cupcakes...ugh.

green dyed coconut and jelly beans

on top of chocolate/vanilla cupcakes!

I am so looking forward to a long weekend! I have some ideas of what I'd like to do to celebrate my birthday, but we don't really have a set agenda.

Also, totally random, but have you guys seen this:

[source]

Honestly, I haven't really been paying attention to the Royal Wedding hype, but I thought this was really funny. And could they have found a more unflattering picture of the beautiful princess-to-be?? I mean really...

That's it for now! I hope all of you have a lovely Easter and enjoy the weekend!

ps - don't forget that each comment on my blog until April 30

counts as an entry in my surprise birthday giveaway!

Favorites from Spotted Moth

I can spend hours browsing the internet. There is always something new to discover so it never gets old! My most recent find is a stylish online store called Spotted Moth that specializes in unique clothing & accessories for women. I apologize if you're already a fan, but for those of you who aren't, you should definitely explore their site.

I've already found numerous things that I'd love to see underneath my birthday tree! So I don't really have a birthday tree, but you know what I mean...

I am lusting over this Doctor Doctor Bag in tan/brown ombre. I have a major case of the wants!

They have apparel as well. This ladybird dress in mustard is one of my favorites (it comes in gray too).

Spotted Moth also sells soap and other handmade goods on their site. It is kind of like shopping from Etsy, but you can buy everything you want from just one seller!

crossed arrows necklace

this is soap that looks like a dessert!

[all photos via]

There is really so much to discover at Spotted Moth and this post doesn't even begin to uncover their assortment of products. I am very impressed with their prices, and their feedback is positive! You can also check out their blog, which is updated frequently. (PS - Spotted Moth has no idea who I am and I wrote this post because I wanted to share an awesome website that I came across while making my birthday wishlist.)

I'm thinking there will definitely be a birthday purchase in my near future! Did you see anything at Spotted Moth that you would love to have? What websites are your favorite to window shop from?

ps - don't forget that each comment on my blog until April 30

counts as an entry in my surprise birthday giveaway!

help me pick!

This is why I love the blog world so much. I had a question, and so many of you took time to answer and be helpful. Thank you! I have decided that the pros probably far outweigh the cons for the book Water for Elephants and so many of you had wonderful things to say about it. I'm actually now looking forward to delving deeper into the story, and as Mary A. says, "good triumphs over evil" which leaves me feeling hopeful!

Moving on...

You guys, I reallyyyyyyyy want a pair of TOMS. I was all set to buy a pair last weekend, but there wasn't a store within a 100 mile radius that had anything in my size or style I wanted. But I think that actually wound up being a good thing because now I can consult all of you and ask which pair is your favorite!

I'm pretty sure everyone has a pair of TOMS by now, I am very late to the party. Oh well, I'm joining now! Here are the styles I'm considering:

1.

silver glitter

2.

nude glitter (exclusive to nordy's)

3.

black glitter

4.

gold glitter

The above shoes are all linked to Nordstrom's. I know that I can also buy directly from TOMS website but either way, with every pair of shoes purchased, TOMS gives a new pair of shoes to a child in need. One for One.

I'm leaning towards the silver or gold, but am worried about the gold being too much. However, I think I have more to wear with gold than silver. I like the black, but am not sure I have enough casual weekend wear to go with them since most of my black clothes are dressier. And I love the nude, but am pretty sure they would get dirty quickly. I need your help!

Tell me which ones you have or would love to have! And if you don't like TOMS that's okay too...just don't let me know :)

ps - don't forget that each comment on my blog until April 30

counts as an entry in my surprise birthday giveaway!

Water for Elephants - your thoughts??

Thanks for all of the sweet comments on my last post, I promise I won't leave you hanging and I will post a picture of my hair soon :)

I have been debating reading Water for Elephants for some time now. I've been apprehensive about reading the book because I don't want to read about the mistreatment of the circus animals. I read this excerpt from a review, and it makes my stomach churn:

Gruen, whose first novel was "Riding Lessons," turns horses and other creatures into sympathetic characters. According to an author's note, she studied elephant body language and behavior with a former handler at the Kansas City Zoo. The research pays off. August's mistreatment of Marlena pales beside the visceral wallop of his nonchalant cruelty toward Rosie: "I look up just as he flicks the cigarette. It arcs through the air and lands in Rosie's open mouth, sizzling as it hits her tongue. She roars, panicked, throwing her head and fishing inside her mouth with her trunk. August marches off. I turn back to Rosie. She stares at me, a look of unspeakable sadness on her face. Her amber eyes are filled with tears."

For those of you that have a hard time reading stuff like this, does this occur A LOT or does the story of Jacob and Marlena takes center stage? I know that there has to be some mistreatment (of humans and animals) because it wouldn't be accurate otherwise.

I did decide to download the book for my Nook, and right now, I've made it to the middle of chapter 2 and I'm really hoping that I can enjoy the book and watch the movie because the previews look fantastic. Reese Witherspoon, Christoph Waltz, and Robert Pattinson are all wonderful actors.

Trailer 3

I'd really love to hear your thoughts on Water for Elephants if you have read it.

Also, just a reminder that any comment on my blog until April 30

will count as an entry in my surprise birthday giveaway.

Catching Up & Mysterious Birthday Giveaway

It's catch-up time!

1. I realize I left many of you hanging after last week's post about the premiere of Bravo's new show, Pregnant in Heels. I was very excited to watch the show and for me, it lived up to my expectations. I watched the second episode last night, and there is just something so lovely about Rosie and the way she handles her demanding clients. Yes, most of them are crazy (and really, that's being kind), but Rosie is so patient yet firm with them, without babying them. I really like her no-nonsense approach. I'm sure there are many views on the show so I'd love to know what you think if you watched/are watching! Oh, and exciting - you can follow Rosie on Twitter! I've heard a lot of people say how annoying her accent is, but I like it. You can also check out her blog here.

2. I chopped off my hair last week, and I am loving it. I took the below picture to my hairstylist, and she did a great job. My hair is a little bit longer than the picture, but I have the blunt ends which I absolutely love. Styling is quick and easy too.

3. My birthday is in less than two weeks. I honestly haven't even had time to think about what I want to do. I'm assuming that since I'll be busy working and C will have just returned from Chicago, we will not have the time or energy to do much. Maybe just a nice dinner out. Last year, I had quite the birthday extravaganza so this year it only makes sense to keep it low key.

4. Oh, speaking of C, he has been gone for almost a month! He returns this weekend and I'm really excited for him to be back. It's just not the same without him. No one is there to laugh at my corny jokes during tv and more importantly, no one is here to take out the trash. I have to do it myself. Can you believe it?! :)

san francisco, 2011

5. Here's where the giveaway comes in. Since my birthday is coming up, I wanted to do something to celebrate with all of my readers!

What will you win??

The prize is a surprise for now, but I promise you will enjoy it! If you like fashion and accessories, and want to be ready for spring, then you will definitely be happy with this prize package!

How do you enter??

Leave a comment on today's post and any future posts until April 30. You will earn one entry per comment.

Since I knew I would be doing a giveaway this month, any comments already left on previous April posts - here and here - will also count as an entry. I've already marked these up in my spreadsheet so future comments on those posts do not count.

When will the winner be announced and the prize be revealed??

Come back on MONDAY, MAY 2 to find out if you are the lucky winner.

Pregnant in Heels

Who else will be watching Bravo's latest show, Pregnant in Heels?

Here's the basis of the show, according to Bravo:

Pregnant in Heels is a docu-drama that follows maternity concierge, fashion designer, and pregnancy guru Rosie Pope as she guides expecting mothers through the joys and perils of preparing to have a baby. Rosie owns a high fashion maternity clothing boutique on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and runs MomPrep, the premier training academy for mothers-to-be. With the help of her assistants, Hannah and LT, Rosie runs the store, designs the clothing and takes on clients on a case-by-case basis to help them with all their bizarre baby needs.

Each week, viewers will join Rosie and her team as they tackle two new clients and their pregnancy dilemmas. From shotgun wedding planning and rock n’roll nursery makeovers, to daddy boot camps and even getting the baby into British aristocracy, Rosie Pope is the maternity concierge to the most affluent –- and hormonal -– expectant mothers in the city.

Judging from this video, it looks to be pretty entertaining! And let's be honest, I have a hard time turning down reality tv trainwrecks... :)

Pregnant in Heels premieres TONIGHT at 10/9 c!

Best of the Week

Hi all!

I'm back for another recap of the best things I've seen on the web this week!

Best of the Week

March 28 - April 1, 2011

The lovely & glamorous Shasta Anne is hosting the most amazing giveaway! I'm not kidding, you will not want to miss it. It may or may not include a $100 gift card to Forever 21, and a $100 gas card...click here to see for yourself!

My new favorite lunch item? That would be the half-size Apple Pecan Chicken Salad from Wendy's! It is seriously so delicious...I've had it twice this week. Can you believe that it is only 340 calories, and that includes all of the yummies - grilled chicken, blue cheese, dried cranberries, apple chunks, roasted pecans, and pomegranate vinaigrette dressing! You can click here to see all of the nutritional info in more detail.

Another co-worker is leaving and today is her last day. I wanted to bring in cupcakes, and I came across the most amazing recipe over at Annie's Eats...love her blog! Anyway, these banana split cupcakes are pretty labor intensive, but definitely worth the effort! Please visit Annie's Eats to find the actual recipe, and to gawk at her super professional looking cupcakes! Mine are not as pretty looking, but I still think they turned out great!!

sorry for the poor quality iPhone photos

The last thing I want to share has been my lifesaver this week! I've had to wear heels every day this week for work, which is very unusual, and I wouldn't have made it through the day without these AirPlus Gel Relief Heel Savers. I stumbled across these at TJ Maxx (for $1.99!!) and decided to try them out. I'm so glad I did, they actually make wearing my heels comfortable. It comes with the heel saver and has the option of adding a gel insert (the pink & green dots at the bottom of the image) to the heel saver for additional comfort, depending on your level of activity.


That's my list this week. I'd love to know what hidden internet gems you've come across...please share in the comments!

I'm hoping for a relaxed weekend of a little bit of cleaning, a couple of trips to the gym, and sleeping in before my second job takes over my Saturdays and Sundays.