Peeptoe Pumps and Pearls

Happy 2011 & the Top 20 of 2010

2011-01-01T12:30:00.006-06:00

Happy 2011! I hope y'all had a great New Year's Eve. I had SO much fun last night... I was in bed and sleeping by 11:00 PM. I'm not joking about having fun and getting to bed early. Lately I've been beyond tired and exhausted! :) In keeping with tradition, I'm posting my "Top 20 in 2010" list. Hope your New Year's Day is off to a fantastic start.

Top 20 in 2009

Top 20 in 2007

Top 20 in 2010

1. Surprise- New Job

(and very little time for blogging)

2. Color- Pink

3. Product- Per-fekt Body Perfection Gel

The Body Perfection Gel is similar to a sunless tanner but doesn't look as fake as most sunless tanners AND it doesn't smell strange. I purchased it from Henri Bendel in NYC but was excited to learn Sephora sells it too.

4. Introduction- My nephew, Trent

5. Achievement- Continental Platinum Elite Status

6. Accessory- Marie Hayden Headband

7. Purchase- Car

Since I resigned from my job in February that included a company car, for the first time in my life I had purchase a car. Cars are overrated; I'd rather buy clothes. :)

8. Party Planning- Sister’s Baby Shower

9. Favorite Dresses of the Year-

10. Missed- Pawpaw

11. Steak- Ruth’s Chris is still the BEST

12. Hotel - Hilton

After being a loyal Marriott customer for the last 12 years, I switched to the Hilton. Switching brands is a big deal if you're a frequent traveler.

13. Favorite Photo- NYC

14. Exercise- Pilates

15. Event- Jarrett (Brother) & Kate’s Wedding

16. Shoes- Pink Tory Burch Revas

17. Technology- Apple

I purchased my first Mac Book. I'm still learning how to do everything on it (don't have a lot of time). However, it's a GREAT computer. I'm not a fan of the crazy-Mac-obessed-snobs... really nobody cares that much but if you're debating between a Mac and PC, go with the Mac.

18. TV- The Real Housewives

Orange County, NYC, DC, and Beverly Hills kept us entertained and wanting more.

19. Song- From the Inside Out by Hillsong United

20. Broadway- Wicked

Frozen Margarita Recipe

2010-11-17T13:05:00.001-06:00

Last week my friend, Jana, sent me a text message asking for my Frozen Margarita Recipe! It's one of the few recipes I have memorized. Of course, 1 of the 3 recipes I know by heart is for a cocktail. I haven't made Margaritas in ages. Ever since I sent Jana the recipe, I've been dying for a good Frozen Margarita. You'd think living in San Antonio, I would get my fix. :)

I'm pretty sure I've posted this recipe before but here it is again... YUM!

Easy Frozen Margarita

You'll Need:

1 Can Frozen Lime Juice

Tequila

Triple Sec

Ice

Cute Garnishes

Pour can of Frozen Lime Juice, unthawed into the blender.

Use the Lime Juice Can to measure the remaining ingredients.

Pour Tequila into the Lime Juice Can, 1/2 full.

Add Tequila to the Blender.

Any Tequila Brand is okay, even the lesser priced versions.

I prefer the Gold Tequila verses the Silver.

Pour Triple Sec into the Lime Juice Can, 1/4 full.
Add Triple Sec to the blender.

Fill the blender with Ice and Mix.
Serve with Fresh Lime & a Cute Umbrella.

Trent = Pure LOVE

2010-11-07T06:21:00.004-06:00

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my new nephew, Trent. Everyday I ask my sister to send me pictures. He makes my day brighter. Danielle suggested I start something new on my blog, Trent Tuesdays. It's a cute idea and thank you Danielle for thinking Trent is as great as we do. I will definitely post about Trent but probably not weekly.

Please don't worry, y'all. I will not become the blogger who only posts about the kids in my life and how they're soooo perfect, all the time! LOL... you know what I'm talking about. Don't get me wrong, I love reading post about your kids. If I read your blog, you're not one of those people. If you're reading this, you're not one of those people.

I'll give you a little example of how to be annoying. I did not copy this from anyone's blog (I would never do that). Just a little summary of what I've seen out there. "Today my precious, baby, angel came home with all A's! My baby is a genius and has a very high IQ. My baby will win multiple Pulitzer prices someday for a variety of things because he/she is that perfect, talented, and brilliant."

Really??? I thought your kid was in pre-school. Do they give grades in pre-school these days? Wow, so your kid got an A for being quiet during nap time, stacking blocks, and for eating their entire lunchable, including the jello cup. That's profound!

Don't worry... I'm not planning to blog like that, EVER!

Odds~n~Ends

2010-11-02T06:39:00.001-05:00

VOTE or DIE

Remember that stupid slogan from the last Presidential election? Paris H*lton was sporting tee shirts that said, "Vote or Die" and she did NOT vote. Nice! Today is election day and this is an important election. Don't forget to vote! Last Friday my driver, Ray, a big (and very nice) Iranian guy picked me up from the airport. Ray told me he was going to vote after he dropped me off. I told Ray I had to vote too. So together, a Christian, Texan girl and an Iranian Driver stood in line to practice our civic duties and BOTH vote Republican! God Bless the U.S.A!

REVA FLATS

I've been dreaming of a pair of Pink Tory Burch flats for the longest time but I could never justify spending the money. Last month I stopped at the Tory Burch outlet in San Marcos, TX and used some birthday money to purchase the Pink Revas.

I want to share something very important that I've learned about Revas. If you're planning to purchase a pair of Reva flats, you MUST purchase a half size larger than your normal size. I usually wear a 6.5, so I purchased the size 7. A couple years ago I splurged and purchased a pair of Black Reva flats in my size, 6.5. The 6.5 has never been comfortable and the back of the shoe constantly slips off my foot! Since that purchase, I've learned you're supposed to go a half size up. If you're planning to splurge on Reva flats, I hope this helps you out. The shoes are really cute but let's be honest, they're not cheap. It was a little sickening when splurged on the Black Revas and they didn't fit properly.

GIVEAWAY WINNER!

I couldn't believe it when Pink Peonies and Pearls contacted me to let me know I won her giveaway! Mrs. Pink Peonies and Pearls has an Etsy Store and sells the most adorable hand painted bracelets. These bracelets would be great gifts for all the stylish girls in your life and they arrive wrapped and ready to give! Thank you, Pink Peonies and Pearls.

NEW BEDDING

I purchased new bedding in June but it sat in the bag until last weekend. Isn't it funny how new bedding and re-arranging the furniture can give you a new outlook on life? Doesn't take much!

Jarrett and Kate's Wedding

2010-10-31T11:00:00.000-05:00

On October 9th my brother and his girlfriend of 5 years, Kate, got married in Southlake, TX. The entire weekend was wonderful! As the guests checked into the hotel, we received a fun gift bag.

Gift Bag Goodies

On Friday morning Kate hosted brunch at one of her favorite places in Grapevine.

The rehearsal dinner was held at Cross Timbers Winery. Jarrett proposed to Kate at Cross Timbers.

P.S. A few people have asked me if I carved the pumpkins. I didn't carve the pumpkins but I wish I had/could. One of Kate's friends is an artist and she did the pumpkins. I LOVE them... cute touch.

Jarrett & Kate Arrive at the Rehearsal Dinner

Fall is the best season!

Jarrett and Me

Friends

Family

The Wedding Day

My Dad & Jarrett

My Parents & Kate

Kate's Family

The Groomsmen

The Reception

My BFF, Tiffany

The Blessing Tree from Jenn's baby shower made it to the wedding

Jarrett, the best brother!

Saturday in NYC

2010-10-27T06:35:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, Danielle and I started the day with a free Latte (Hot Tea for me) and a pastry from the Starbucks in our hotel. Again, it pays to be a Hilton Diamond member! I've been a business traveler for 12 years. The Hilton has the best "points" program. They should give me points for writing this. :) After breakfast we headed to Rockefeller Center.

Danielle and I on the Top of the Rock. Great views of the city!

(my favorite photo from the entire weekend, it kinda looks fake but it's not)

After spending more money than I had planned on spending at Henri Bendel and a bad lunch, we headed to the Plaza Hotel to view the Eloise exhibit... very cute!

Next we headed to Central Park. My new favorite way to tour the park is a bike tour! It was so fun. Our guide stopped anytime we asked so we could take pictures and walk around. Because he was great, he received a fat tip!

The Friends Fountain!

This is not surprising... Danielle and I had dinner reservations on Saturday night but we both forgot where the reservations were at! Nice! Now since dinner was undecided, we decided to see another show. We were able to get tickets to Avenue Q. It was really funny and politically incorrect... which is always fun (let's be honest).

If you don't have dinner reservations in NYC, it's very likely you'll be disappointed. We had dinner at Room Service. I love the restaurant name. When I was choosing a blog name "Room Service, Please" was one of my 4 possible options. The presentation at Room Service was GREAT! However, the food was average... maybe even a little below average.

Finally, we ended the day with a few more photos in Times Square.

NYC Weekend

2010-10-25T14:08:00.005-05:00

Last weekend I took my annual trip to New York City. Since my sister just had the cutest baby I've ever seen, she was unable to join me this year. I invited Danielle and we had a great time! Danielle and I met at the Newark airport and took the train into the city.

I had a couple free nights at the Waldorf Astoria. For work, I stay in the Hilton brand hotels. Occasionally the Hilton offers special promotions, in addition to earning hotel points. Yay, for 2 free nights at a fancy hotel. Otherwise, we would have been at the Holiday Inn Express. LOL!

We had a late lunch/early dinner at Fig and Olive. I love this place! We had planned to visit the Top of the Rock on Friday but realize we probably didn't have time before our show. Everything takes 2-3 times longer than you expect in NYC.

With the little time we had before the show, we shopped. Of course, we did!

Before the show we stopped at Bull and Bear for a quick cocktail... very New York. It pays to be a Hilton Diamond member, we had a voucher for free drinks at the Bull and Bear.

A trip to NYC is not complete without cab ride photos!

Friday night we had tickets to Wicked! LOVED. EVERY. MINUTE.

After Wicked, we headed to Times Square for a slice of NYC pizza.

Saturday in NYC coming soon....

I'm an Aunt !!!

2010-10-22T00:12:00.006-05:00

I'd like to introduce my nephew and the subject of many future blog posts...

Trent Quentin

Born October 19, 2010

Weight 6 lbs 9 oz

19" Long

He's the cutest baby I've ever seen. I know, I know... all babies look the same (except this one). :) His little lips are so cute.

Jenn's Preppy Baby Boy Shower

2010-10-19T07:00:00.007-05:00

In August I hosted a Preppy Baby Boy Shower for my sister, Jenn. BTW... Jenn is due any day now. I. CAN. HARDLY. WAIT. The color scheme of the shower was Navy Blue and Lime Green with hints of Orange. I made the pinwheels from scrapbook paper, directions here.

Jenn looking fabulous!

The Hostesses

My outfit matched the shower color scheme,

Navy Dress with Lime Green Flower Pin :)

The Food Table

Ooey Gooey Ham & Cheese Sandwiches & Turkey & Cheese Sandwiches,

Chinese Chicken Salad, Fruit, Hummus, Bacon & Cheddar Cheese Spread, Hello Dolly Bars

The Beverages

Izze Soda~ Lime and Orange

We also served wine and punch

Cupcakes for Dessert

My mom and I made the cupcake tower.

It's so easy and economical!

We got this fantastic idea and directions here.

For the bottom of our cupcake tower, we used a cake stand.

One of my favorite features of the Baby Shower was the Blessing Tree.

The white vase was my Grandma's and the white "button" on the ribbon is one of my Grandma's clip earrings. Even though she couldn't be at the shower (in a dementia care facility), a part of my Grandma was there.

The Gifts

Friends

A great party isn't complete without fabulous and tasty Party Favors!

I ordered these CUTE and delicious cookies from See Jane Living on Etsy.

As I was looking for cute and reasonably priced cutout cookies, See Jane Living had the best prices! I wondered if the cookies would be tasty. Sometimes decorated cutout cookies are prettier than they are tasty. We were not disappointed... these cookies were just as yummy as they were cute! They came individually wrapped in clear bags. I added the sticker, "For this child, I prayed. 1 Samuel 1:27."

I'm Winning the Busy Contest

2010-10-17T21:30:00.003-05:00

My sister called me today and reminded me that I have posted in 2.5 months! I didn't plan to take a blog break; it just sorta happened. If anyone is still reading this blog... Hi, I've missed y'all!

I started a new job on February 22. I'm loving the new job, especially the day my K*dak friends called to tell me there would be another layoff at the end of September! I worked for K*dak for 11.5 years. I was the veteran. I had proven myself. I could do my job in my sleep. I've put a lot of pressure on myself at the new job to be the best (and I am, just kidding... but not really). I had dinner with my boss a few weeks ago. He told me I was doing great and the pressure I'm feeling is because I'm my own worst enemy. He's right. Sigh... Breathe...

Lots of exciting things have happened since I last posted. I'll post about the 2 big events soon. Here's a little sneak peak.

Sister's Baby Shower

Brother's Wedding

Project 52~ Week 31

2010-08-01T08:23:00.003-05:00

Goodies from a Pastry Baking Class my mom and I took on Saturday.

So fun, so good, and so bad for me.

Chocolate Water?

2010-07-29T06:18:00.002-05:00

Last week I worked in 5 states in 4 days! Eating healthy on the road can be either really easy or really hard. It's all circumstantial. Last Tuesday night I was in Omaha and stopped by Whole Foods to pick up dinner. On the way to the register I found a new flavored water, Chocolate Mint. I debated it but finally decided to give it a try. Yuummm.... it's great if you're looking for something sweet but you don't want the calories. It reminded me of an Andes Chocolate Mint!

Sorry for the bad photo due to bad hotel room lighting but YUM. I wish I had some Chocolate Mint water now.

Quick Trip to IAH

2010-07-27T07:00:00.004-05:00

A couple weeks ago I took a quick trip through IAH (Houston). I met up with friends, Maria and Amy, for dinner. I missed Maria's birthday in June so we celebrated. I laughed SO hard that night, especially when we each made an entry in Amy's (pretend) diary. Good times!

When we arrived the sun was really bright but we still took a few photos.

I can't remember the last time I posted a photo of myself... I just haven't been feeling it.

Happy Birthday, Maria!

Maria ordered a drink named, "2 Brunettes and a Blonde." It was fitting for our trio.

After a couple glasses of wine, we were ready for our usual, fun (and random) photo shoot.

We wondered why young girls do this pose in their Facebook profile photos. Well, their pose isn't exactly like this... we're trying. If anyone knows what the pose is all about, please fill me in.

Project 52~ Week 29 & 30

2010-07-25T14:22:00.002-05:00

Week 29

Cute Notecards made by the kids at New Day Foster Home

Week 30

Planning a baby shower for my sister at the end of August

This is a sneak peak at the shower decorations & inspiration...

(The dark color is navy, but kinda looks black in the photo)

Finally, A Real Post

2010-07-18T23:40:00.001-05:00

My Sister is Pregnant!

I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I am. It’s weird… I love this baby so much and I feel so attached to the baby. Last week we found out, it’s a Boy! I’m SO excited about having a baby boy in the family, even though I can't buy him pink outfits and ruffled bathing suits.

I’ve had a few people ask me, “Are you okay?” “How are you handling this?” Thanks for the sympathy but… DO YOU KNOW ME? kiss, kiss ;)

Last Christmas was our first Christmas without my Grandpaw. I can’t remember ever having a Christmas that quiet… someone was missing. After all the gifts had been opened, including gifts my Grandpa had bought us, I asked Jenn if she would have a baby by next Christmas. My Christmas wish was granted!

I refer to Jenn’s baby as the ‘Golden Child.’ He will be the first baby for both families, our family and my brother-in-law’s family. The baby is going to be brilliant! His dad is a surgeon and his mom is a creative, advertising & business girl. He will be beautiful, look at his parents! I know I’m biased but can you argue with their stats?

5 Months Pregnant... you can't even tell

When Jenn told my parents my dad said, “I don’t even know what to think but I’ve wondered if I’d be a Grandfather by the time I collect social security.” HA! My parents always say, “Most people live life fast (especially at our church); we live life really slow.” The itty-bitty doctor scrubs were a gift to my brother-in-law when he finished his residency.

Daisy, the cutest dog in the world, had to get in on the fun and insisted on modeling the baby's scrubs. LOVE her!

Project 52~ Week 22, 23, 24, 24, 26, 27, & 28

2010-07-11T22:00:00.002-05:00

Well, I'm not sure if anyone still reads my poor blog. It's been so neglected. I've started several posts, just haven't finished them. I still plan to write about everything that's been going on. Thanks for all the sweet emails, checking in on me. My goal is to write a real post this week, not just photos. We'll see, :)

Week 22

Transistor Radio my Grandpa MADE (from a kit)

Week 23

My Mom's Birthday Dessert

Week 24

Omaha Farmer's Market

Week 25

Baby Scrubs. Guess who's pregnant? If you say me, we can't be friends anymore.

Week 26

Father's Day Lunch

I tried to make the table as manly as possible, including fajita toppings in pink depression glasses.

Week 27

My sister and brother-in-law move back to Texas.

Week 28

New bedding for guest bedroom. Oh my gosh... I must have ironed for 5 hours this weekend.

A Moment of Silence for Baby Cohen

2010-07-01T00:00:00.004-05:00

Send Love to Cohen

Sadie Update

2010-06-02T06:25:00.001-05:00

It's been a while since I wrote an update on Sadie, the little girl I sponsor at New Day Foster Home in China. Isn't she cute?

The Update....

Sadie (Camille) is 1 Year 1 Month Old. We're excited to announce that Sadie has been matched with an adoptive family, and they've decided to name her Camille.

Camille is doing well and continues to grow more beautiful each day. Her eyes are one of her most attractive features and she looks like a little doll baby! Camille likes to call the nannies “aunt” and when she does, it makes us smile. She will sometimes mouth the word “aunt” without saying it out loud and it is the cutest thing to see. We are very pleased with Camille’s development and look forward to being a part of her life as she continues to learn new things and to grow into a healthy toddler.

Project 52~ Week 18, 19, 20, 21

2010-05-29T21:39:00.003-05:00

I'm still alive and still taking photos. I'm just a wee bit late in posting. Happy Memorial Day!

Week 18~

My Grandmother's Home Economics Text Book

Week 19~

Salad I made for Mother's Day Lunch

Week 20~

My First Cherry Tomatoes

Week 21~

I Bought a Car for the First Time in my Life

(It's used, bought it from my dad for a great price)

8 Things Tag

2010-05-11T22:00:00.004-05:00

I promise I’m still alive and still a blogger. I talked to my friend Lindsay tonight and she told me her husband John came home from work and said, “I guess Jill is not blogging anymore.” John, thank you for being the only guy that reads my blog. I’ll be back. I’m planning to post about everything that has been going on (maybe not this week) but soon.

My friend Jules at Chic and Pink tagged me in the ‘8 Things’ Post. I must admit, it took me about 2 weeks to complete this. Ugh!

8 TV Shows I Like To Watch:
1. Desperate Housewives
2. The Celebrity Apprentice
3. Gossip Girl
4. Tori and Dean~ Home Sweet Hollywood
5. The Hills
6. 90210
7. Keeping up with the Kardashians
8. The Real Housewives of Everywhere (well, except ATL... I could never get into that one)

LOVE Tori's Headboard

8 Favorite Places to Eat & Drink:
1. Niko Niko's- Houston
2. Avec- Chicago
3. Angus Barn- Durham, NC
4. Chuy's- An Austin, TX Institution
5. Fig and Olive- NYC
6. Joe's Stone Crab- Miami
7. Tiny Boxwoods- Houston
8. Max's Wine Dive- Houston

Houston Restaurants are so underrated.

8 Things I Look Forward To:
1. Vacation
2. Re-doing my Chairs
3. Being an Aunt
4. Buying a new Sofa
5. Getting a Massage~ my shoulder is killing me from pulling around my 50 lb. suitcase. A girl has gotta have her stuff.
6. Fall~ I could skip the Texas Summer
7. Sex And The City Movie
8. Vacation~ Did I mention that already?

I'm thinking about getting a sofa similar to this one

8 Things That Happened Yesterday:
1. Worked
2. Flew on a tiny plane in bad weather~ when you realize you're not going to die, it's kinda fun
3. Neighbor called me to tell me I had a dead cat in my garden. Oh great & gross.! I really don't have time for this crap.
4. Got home and didn't find a dead cat. Not surprised! Some people really... oh never mind.
5. Painted my nails
6. Arrived home and had dinner, which consisted of food in my purse from the Continental President's Club. You'd think I could do better than that at home. Oh well...
7. Watched Tori and Dean~ Home Sweet Hollywood on my DVR
8. Talked on the phone

8 Things I Like About Winter (Just 8???):
1. Winter Clothes, Layering, & Scarves
2. Christmas
3. NYC
4. It's not hot! Well for the most part it's not hot, I do live in Texas.
5. Heating blanket
6. No sweating
7. Cheap electric bills
8. Gumbo

8 Things On My Wish List:
1. An extra day every weekend
2. New Comforter
3. Dresses~ on my wish list everyday
4. Chanel Purse~ probably not happening anytime soon, too crazy expensive
5. Sofa
6. Tickets to Lady GaGa
7. New Camera~ probably not happening anytime soon. I don't like spending $$$ on electronics.
8. Dining Room Chairs

I really LOVE this comforter

8 Things I’m Passionate About:
1. God
2. Family
3. Friends
4. Orphan Outreach, especially in China
5. Traveling
6. Trying New Things
7. Design
8. Picking my Hair

8 Words or Phrase I Use Often:
1. “Like” My boss recently observed one of my training seminars. He said I did a great job at not using 'filler words.' I was so proud.
2. “Whatever”
3. “I don't have time for that”
4. “Oh my gosh”
5. "Are you joking"
6. “I'm tired"
7. ??
8. ??

8 Things I Learned From The Past:
1. What you don't know can hurt you.
2. Don’t let yourself be a doormat or let people mistake your kindness as a weakness
3. Be careful what you say you'll never do
4. Be very careful about giving advice to girlfriends about guys, even when they beg for it and they say it's really over this time.
5. It's always better to do the right thing, even though you may not want to.
6. Once you say something you can't take it back, be careful.
7. Forgiving and forgetting is so much easier... release yourself and move on.
8. The grass is always greener on the other side.

8 Places I Would Love To Go Visit/See:
1. China~ Always want to go back
2. Vietnam
3. Cambodia
4. Taiwan
5. Greece
6. Dubai
7. NYC~ Always want to go back
8. Napa & Sonoma Valley

8 Things I Currently Want/Need:
1. Some free time
2. Time to work out~ I'm in a wedding this fall, gotta get in shape
3. Vacation~ Have I mentioned that one yet?
4. Sleep
5.
6.
7.
8.
(I don't really need anything else right now, I guess that's good)

It Took 3 Years, 2 Months, & 1 Week

2010-05-03T18:53:00.003-05:00

My friend Amy is in China to bring home her baby girl, Molly. It's been a long wait, 3 years, 2 months, and 1week (thanks for the title Danielle). Today Amy got to meet Molly a day early!

Molly is sooo precious. Check out Amy's blog for more photos and wish her congratulations!

Project 52~ Week 17

2010-05-01T23:59:00.002-05:00

Display at SAT airport~ The Duty Free Store

Oh my gosh... I'm so busy. I'll be back; I promise. Thanks for sticking with me.

Project 52~ Week 16

2010-04-24T19:24:00.003-05:00

Someone asked what kind of car I'm driving. I've never ever purchased a car. For 11.5 years I had a company car. When I resigned in February, K*dak picked up the company car. Since my sister commutes between San Antonio and Omaha, I've been driving her car, a VW Beetle. Today I washed it, it looks cute.

Project 52~ Week 15

2010-04-18T11:07:00.002-05:00

I Planted~

Definitely out of my comfort zone, just being outdoors is out of my comfort zone. I am excited about the Basil. I hope it grows well and doesn't die. Basil is so expensive at the grocery store and I love it.

ABC's~ (I'm Still Here)

2010-04-12T07:11:00.000-05:00

A. AREA CODE : Oh my gosh, I hated to give up my 713 (Houston) area code when I started my new job but I chose to 'port' my cell phone # (no home #, waste of money). Porting my phone # meant K*dak paid the entire bill so they owned the phone #. When I left the company I lost the phone #, which I knew when I decided to port the #. My new area code is 210.

B. BED SIZE: Queen. For the record, there is a major difference in a queen and a full sized bed. In 2006, I was in NYC with the girls. When we arrived to our hotel and entered our room, we thought the hotel had made a mistake and given us 2 twin sized beds. We called the front desk, they informed us our room had 'full' sized beds. What??? That night my friend, Maria, and I spooned. Please don't judge me, we didn't have a choice & we didn't enjoy it.

C. CHORE YOU HATE: Just one? Ironing and I seem to do it all the time.

D. DOG'S NAME: No time = no pets. However, my sister has the best dog in the world, a Maltese named Daisy. Jenn and I have discussed who they would leave Daisy to in their will.. I got dibs, y'all!

E. ESSENTIAL "START THE DAY!" ITEM: Diet Coke!

F. FAVORITE COLOR: Pink

G. GOLD OR SILVER: Both

H. HEIGHT: 5' 2.5"

I. INSTRUMENTS YOU PLAY: None

J. Job: Beyond thankful and very busy, gotta love the 1st year learning curve

K. KIDS: I have no desire to reproduce. However, never say "Never." Be careful what you say you'll never do. Right? I want to adopt but I'm open to reproduction.

L. LIVING ARRANGEMENTS: Rent a townhouse, can't commit to buying a house or even a car payment. I have issues. ;)

M. MOM'S NAME: Janet

N. NICKNAME: I've been called "Jilly" and "Jilly Bean." Not a huge fan.

O. OVERNIGHT HOSPITAL STAY: No

P. PET PEEVE: Too many to count... just kidding, but not really. Being Micro-managed, inappropriate PDA, rude people, etc...

Q. QUOTE FROM A MOVIE: Guess I'm kinda shallow, some of my favorite quotes are from Legally Blonde.

Elle: "It has come to my attention that the maintenance staff is switching our toilet paper from Charmin... to generic. All those opposed to chafing, please say 'Aye'."

Elle: "I'm able to recall hundreds of details at the drop of a hat."
Margo: "Hey Elle, do you know what happened on Days of Our Lives yesterday?"

Elle: "Why, yes, Margo, I do! Once again we join Hope in her search for identity. As you know, she was brainwashed by the evil Stephano."

R. RIGHTY OR LEFTY?: Righty

S. SIBLINGS: Sister and Brother (both younger)

T. TIME YOU WAKE UP: As late as possible every morning but for the most part 7:00 AM. At my new job I make my own schedule. All my training sessions start at 10:00 AM. I love it but I still wake up around 7:00... lots to do.

U. UNDERWEAR: Hanky Panky... they'll change your life

V. VEGGIE YOU DISLIKE: I'm not a huge fan of mushrooms but I'll eat them. I WILL eat anything served to me. I think it's rude and immature not to. Although I don't love mushrooms, I recently had the mushrooms at Flemings... YUM!

W. WAYS/REASONS YOU ARE LATE: Issues waking up, the computer, and ironing.

X. XRAYS YOU'VE HAD: A few. I definitely do NOT blog about everything I do or everyting going on. I might hang out with friends or have a major event (or an xray) and not blog about it. Blogging isn't fun when people expect things.

Y. YUMMY FOOD YOU MAKE: Sugar Cookies

Z. ZOO ANIMALS YOU LIKE: N/A

Project 52~ Week 14

2010-04-10T21:16:00.004-05:00

Bayou Goo Pie

House of Pies in Houston

Pie Description: A pecan crust with a layer of sweet cream cheese,then a layer of vanilla custard swirled with chocolate chunks and topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Project 52~ Week 13

2010-04-03T20:54:00.003-05:00

Easter Dress

Project 52~ Week 12

2010-03-26T19:05:00.001-05:00

New Lamp~ I love it.

(from HomeGoods)

The Spice Dilemma Solved

2010-03-21T15:58:00.002-05:00

Last October I wrote about my dilemma with storing spices in the kitchen. The spices were crammed into a little cabinet and I couldn't find what I needed without removing half the spices from the cabinet. Also, I have been known to purchase a spice I needed for a recipe when I actually had it, I just couldn't find it the mess. Y'all had some great suggestions. Thanks!

I finally found a solution that worked in my kitchen, the elfa storage system, from The Container Store. I wish I could say that it was a great deal but it wasn't. I definitely paid more than I planned to pay. However, it works perfect!

Before

After- In Alphabetical Order

I like the elfa storage system because the pieces are sold separately; so you can custom design what works best for your storage needs. First I purchased the vertical rod that hangs from the top of the door to the bottom for $14.99. Next I purchased the hooks which attach the pole to the door for $9.99. Then I purchase the storage baskets that I needed. I love the different sizes available... spice rack, narrow, deep, etc... Since the spices are now on their rack I have an extra cabinet in the kitchen. Yay!

If you're looking for a good way to organize your spices or anything else, I definitely suggest The Container Store!

Project 52~ Week 11

2010-03-19T16:09:00.004-05:00

An Ugly Chair

Not only did I buy this ugly chair, I bought the pair. I have TWO ugly chairs! I love the shape and style and have big plans for this pair. Now I just need to find time for my new project.

Project 52~ Week 10 (a little late)

2010-03-14T20:55:00.002-05:00

Think I have a problem? At least it's not beer.

Hello Kitty Airport Terminal

2010-03-10T06:00:00.015-06:00

I travel almost every week for work. I'm beyond happy these days... I'll be flying more than driving! At K*dak the policy was to drive within a FIVE hour radius. Yikes, the policy was changed from a four hour radius to five hour last year. The excessive driving was so boring & I couldn't get anything done. Thank goodness for my new job! We only have to drive within a 2 hour radius. Yay!

I'll be the first to admit flying is not always glamours but after the many Friday nights I've spent in the car, I'll take it! I rather sit in the Continental President's Club with a glass of wine and play on the computer & the phone any day over driving. ;)

I was browsing the Internet and found a Hello Kitty Airport Terminal at Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) in Taiwan. HOW CUTE! I'd love to have a very long layover or delay in this airport. The terminal has a Hello Kitty playground, a Baby Kitty nursery, a rainbow theater and a Hello Kitty shop, that has special items only sold at TPE.

I wonder what men think when their flight is in or out of this terminal, especially men flying on business that have no idea there is a Hello Kitty airport terminal. I bet they're thinking, "Get me out of here," or "All this pink is giving me a headache," or "I love my job, I love my job, I love my job."

Weekend

2010-03-07T17:00:00.001-06:00

Last weekends my friend Maria and her son Austin came to San Antonio for visit. It was great to see Maria. She is like a big sister to me and now that I live in SAT, I don't see her as much. Friday night we had Mexican food & made chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate covered marshmallows.

Saturday we slept in, it was great! We had a late breakfast and took a walk in the park. The weather was perfect! Saturday night we went to the Riverwalk for dinner and a boat ride. I haven't been taking as many photos as I usually do, I'm just not feeling it these days. However, Maria and I did try to have Austin, a 1st grader, take our photo. Here's the results....

1st try, very blurry. We instructed him to keep the camera very still.

2nd try, even worse

3rd try, not getting better

4th try, a little better

Austin Dancing in front of the Alamo

Project 52~ Week 9

2010-03-06T14:18:00.000-06:00

Chuy's Curb Side To Go= Very Dangerous

Project 52~ Week 8

2010-02-27T22:37:00.002-06:00

Rental Car in ATL

2010-02-23T22:40:00.000-06:00

Wow, starting a new job is overwhelming! Last week I worked from home and ‘closed shop’ with Ko*dak. I also had a million things to accomplish before I started my new job. Here’s a sample of last week…

-Purchased a personal computer. My new company doesn’t allow personal downloads (i.e.…digital camera, iPod) on the company laptop. Most companies have this policy. In fact, Ko*dak had it too; they just didn’t enforce it.

I purchased my first Mac~ so far I like it but there is a lot to learn

-Dentist appointment

-3 Doctor appointments

-Purchased car insurance. I’m driving my sister’s car for now. Jenn commutes between Omaha, NYC, and San Antonio. I’ll purchase a car later.

-Removed all my personal files from the old computer

-Submitted my final expense report

-Exit interview

-Shopping for new clothes and shoes. I had to get a few work appropriate items for cold weather. My first day on the job was in Virginia. It’s cold in Virginia!

Virginia had snow but not this much

-Packed and shipped my Ko*dak computer and blackberry

-Got a temporary cell phone to use until I have my new blackberry. That was a pain.

-Recorded all the phone numbers from my old blackberry to put into my new blackberry… another pain.

-Treated my family to dinner at the Melting Pot to celebrate my new job

-Hair appointment

-Manicure appointment

-Cleaned out my home office. That was SO fun. I had 3 bags of trash filled with old manuals, software, and training videos. I love cleaning out, especially work junk.

-Cleaned out my company car for pick up on Friday

-Decorated my Grandma’s shadow box at her new home. She has moved into a Alzheimer and Dementia care facility. The home has 23 residents. Each resident has their own room. At the door of their room they each have a shadow box with a brief description of their life experiences, photos, and memorabilia. Of course, I had to make sure my Grandma had a CUTE shadow box.

-Packed for Virginia

-Made a stop at the dreaded post office. Does anyone really enjoy the post office?

-Left on Sunday morning for Virginia

-Spent 1.5 days in VA for orientation and now I’m in ATL. And to think I thought I was busy before.

Project 52~ Week 7

2010-02-20T21:41:00.000-06:00

The fleet company taking my company car on my last day with Ko*dak. I was a little sad... 11.5 years with the same company. I have so many memories and lifetime friends. A friend recently asked me how much my car insurance is per year; I have NO idea. Ko*dak has paid my car insurance, it was a nice benefit.

Giveaway Winner

2010-02-19T10:30:00.001-06:00

Congratulations

Elizabeth from Freckled Fancies

You've won the Scarlet Threads Apron & a Williams-Sonoma gift card. Please email me at peeptoepumpsandpearls(at)gmail(dot)com with your mailing address.

Giveaway~ Scarlet Threads & Williams-Sonoma

2010-02-15T09:15:00.000-06:00

Can you imagine not having the opportunity to work and provide for your family? Many of us stay home with our children or we plan to be a stay-at-home-mom someday but we have the opportunity to work if we choose to or if we need to. In rural China, the women don’t have the same work and career opportunities that we often take for granted. They want to work and provide for their families. They don’t want a hand out.

My friend, Carrie, volunteers at New Day Foster Home in China. She recently started the most amazing business, Scarlet Threads Boutique. Scarlett Threads specializes in “unique products designed and produced by talented seamstresses in rural Asia.” Scarlet Threads is helping women in rural China by empowering and employing.

From the Scarlet Threads website… “We believe that helping the poor requires more than charity. It means instituting sustainable change by providing safe and rewarding work, enabling the poor to provide for their own families and meet their own needs. We provide economic development opportunities to empower people just like you... people with kids to raise and bills to pay. People who don't want hand-outs, just a chance.”

I’m so excited about this giveaway! The winner will receive a Scarlet Threads Limited Edition Savannah apron. Since you’ll have a new apron, I thought you might like something new for the kitchen. So I’m including a $25 gift card to Williams-Sonoma.

There are 3 opportunities to win…

1 entry~ You must be a follower of my blog and visit the Scarlett Threads Boutique. Let me know your favorite product in a comment on this post.

Additional entry~ Become a follower of the Scarlett Threads Blog.

Additional entry~ Post about this giveaway on your blog.

Be sure to let me know how many entries you're eligible for.

The Giveaway will end at 5:00 Thursday, February 18. The winner will be announced Friday, February 19.

Project 52~ Week 6

2010-02-13T17:10:00.002-06:00

Last day working in the field. Next week paper work from home. The following week NEW JOB!

Odds~n~Ends

2010-02-12T14:10:00.004-06:00

I arrived home last night from my last long drive for K*dak. Yay! Last year the company changed the flying vs. driving policy. I’ve been driving a lot more and it’s so boring. I am SO happy that yesterday was my last long drive for work! My new company’s policy is much better.

Speaking of work, my friend Amy M. reminded me of something; she told me I had blog about it. Last Thursday night my team received an email with another new company policy... dress codes and uniforms. Have I mentioned I despise being told what to wear? The email said we were required to order black polo, company logo shirts to be worn daily with dark pants or khakis. Y’all, I almost fainted and then I cried. I majored in Fashion Merchandising; I’m not wearing a uniform. Another reason to be thankful I put in my 2 week notice. It is funny… you tell a Fashion Merchandising major they must wear a uniform and 3 days later they quit! For the record, I was going to order the shirts (because it was required) but I wasn’t going to wear them. Since I work in the field how would anyone know?

I'd rather wear a dress everyday and I can at my new job!

Last night when I arrived home my Pink Swap package from Kate was at the door. Kate and I were partners in the 2nd Annual Pink Swap hosted by Monograms and Manicures. I love this swap, it's definitely my favorite. Kate gifted me with the cutest items. Check out her store, Katydid Designs, Inc. Very cute! Thank you Kate!

Ice Cream Cone Kitchen Timer~ are you kidding me? I LOVE it! I've been looking for a cute kitchen timer.

Monogrammed Luggage Tags, Fun Belt, Cute Key Chain, & a Fancy Bowl full of Chocolate. Everything is just so cute. I'm super excited about the key chain. Below is a photo of the key chain I've been using, not because it's cute but because it's all I had... perfect timing!

Last weekend one of my SAT friends hosted a dinner party. I made Red Velvet Cake Balls. Yum! A couple guys at the dinner party thought the cake balls were decorations and not food. Ha!

In an earlier post I mentioned hosting giveaway this week. It's going to be next week instead, stay tuned.

P.S. The other night I had a dream about Hugh Hefner, so random.

2 Week Notice

2010-02-10T17:55:00.002-06:00

On Monday I resigned from my company. After many weeks of consideration, I’ve decided I don’t want to work anymore. I’m tired. I’m going to relax for awhile and maybe take advantage of some government handouts. I’m 100% kidding, not about resigning but about not working.

Last Friday I accepted a verbal offer from a new company! I'm. So. Beyond. Excited. On Monday I received the written offer, signed it, faxed it, and turned in my 2 week notice. I’ve been with Ko.dak for 11.5 years; this is a big change but I’m ready for it.

In my new position I’ll be responsible for growing sales through customer training in a territory of 12 states. I still get to travel but I will be making my own schedule. Love that! I’ll also fly more often. Right now, I’m driving a lot and I definitely prefer flying.

I feel so blessed. The company had an internal candidate. An internal candidate usually gets the job. The hiring manager told me the final decision was between me and the internal candidate. Last week I was crazy, nervous. I had a feeling that I did not get the job. I felt defeated. Friday morning I got the call and I got the offer! What? This stuff happens to other people, not me.

Friday I was the most excited I’ve ever been in my life. I was shocked. I was shaking. I couldn’t stop smiling. By Friday night, I had a massive smile headache. Saturday morning I woke up and didn’t believe it. I thought Friday was a dream but it wasn’t. YAY!

My last day will be February 19th and my first day with the new company will be February 22nd. This is why I’ve been a little absent from blogging. Hopefully, things will settle down next week.

I found this picture online... so funny.

Project 52~ Week 5

2010-02-06T19:00:00.001-06:00

Items for the Pink Swap ready to ship to my partner Kate

Bad Blogger & Field Job

2010-02-05T13:10:00.001-06:00

Bad Blogger~

I feel like such a bad blogger. There is so much going right now. I can't post about it now but I will next week. Also, I'm planning a giveaway next week so be sure to check back. It's a cute one!

Field Job~

My friend Maria just started a new job. She works in “the field,” which is what I do as well. We love our field jobs… office from home and travel around your territory. Not that anyone cares, but my territory is the whole United States.

Well, last week Maria called me to tell me about her day at work. One of the sales reps at her new company was training Maria in the field. Maria said, “Jill, you would love her. She exactly like us, she works really hard but when she spots a cute shop she pulls over.” I couldn’t stop laughing. That is so true! We do work hard but when there is a cute shop or an antique shop, I always stop! Why not? It makes the day more interesting.

There is a small town north of Beaumont, TX and when I pass through I always have to make a quick stop. The town is Lumberton and they have a GREAT antique shop, The Country Lane Antique Mall. I love it because it is merchandised well and the prices are fantastic. I also have a second favorite stop in Lumberton, The Antique Mall of Lumberton. They also have great prices. This week I was in Beaumont for work and made a stop in Lumberton on my way home. Actually, Lumberton is not on the way home but pretty close.

I’m not a big collector but I love vintage lady head vases. Lady head vases were primarily made in Japan and they were used in florists’ flower arrangements in the U.S. from the late 1940’s to the early 1970’s. While in Lumberton, I found 2 additions to my head vase collection.

She is missing part of her finger but I think she's great. I love her big hat and eyelashes.

I picked up this head vase too. I'm very happy that she is dressed in pink.

I found these at an antique shop in downtown Omaha. The hunt is part of the fun.

I have the head vases displayed on my dresser on a pink leather tray. My bedroom is white with a few black accents so I love this pop of color.

Project 52~ Week 4

2010-01-30T19:34:00.001-06:00

Finally found a great mani & pedi salon in San Antonio

New York~ Day 5

2010-01-25T07:00:00.001-06:00

This is my final NYC post until the next trip. Speaking of, I should put in a request for The View tickets soon. Has anyone been to a taping of The View? I would LOVE to go.

On our 5th day in NYC, we attended a taping of Regis and Kelly. In August, we each sent a post card requesting 4 tickets. Leslie ended up getting the tickets. Yay! My sister couldn't go because she had a work meeting so I invited my friend Nancy who I met on the 2006 China trip.

Regis was not hosting because he was recovering from a recent surgery. I was a little disappointed when the guest host was Bryant Gumbel, boring! The show guests that day were Ray Romano and John Lithgow. During commercial breaks Kelly talks to the audience. She's really sweet, funny, and crazy skinny.

The show was over, Bryant left the studio, and Kelly told us they were going to pre-tape a segment for the following week and we could watch! She left the stage to change clothes and I started to wonder who the guest host would be. I was really hoping for the beautiful Anderson Cooper.

Guess who was our guest host? When he walked out the studio audience, consisting of mostly women, screamed and cheered. I actually jumped around in my seat. I love him. The show guest for the 2nd taping was Colin Firth. I was more excited about Anderson. :)

We had lunch at an organic restaurant around Bryant Park. Honestly, I won't go back. The food was good but it could've been seasoned more. The biggest problem, they did NOT have diet coke. Not okay, not going back. Wow, you think I have a diet coke problem?

After lunch, we looked around at a Christmas market at Grand Central Station. Then we headed to Times Square for half price Broadway tickets. We were able to get great seats to Mary Poppins for half price! I love a deal. The show was cute and magical. The theater is gorgeous! Broadway in NYC is the best, beautiful theaters and all the seats are good!

Project 52~ Week 3

2010-01-23T16:45:00.002-06:00

From a display window I just completed at the airport (my side job) for the candy store. I love this window, so I decided to post a few other photos from it.

M.I.A.

2010-01-19T21:48:00.000-06:00

Apparently going back to work after a 7 week break is much harder than I had anticipated. It didn't help that my computer was infected by a nasty virus. Fortunately, it was NOT the "g*y s*x fetish" virus that my computer got last year. I was 100% horrified when I had to tell my company help desk the name of that virus.

I went out of town last week for work and had issues packing and getting out the door. I'm the queen of traveling. What has happened to me? I've been behind on work, which is unusual. I always work ahead. I'm also behind on blogging and reading blogs. Ugh. I'm catching up though and getting back into the swing of things.

Project 52~ Week 2

2010-01-16T17:38:00.000-06:00

I think the purpose of Project 52 was to take a good photo each week of the year. I definitely failed miserably this week; this is such a bad photo. Oh well, I'll try again week. If you're from Texas and you love Chuy's, you know exactly what's in this photo.

Chuy's Creamy Jalapeno Dip~ a little bowl of Heaven on Earth

Fishs Eddy

2010-01-13T16:35:00.000-06:00

Last month while visiting NYC we discovered a great kitchen shop. We arrived a little early for our dinner reservation at Craftbar on Broadway and found this treasure across the street, Fishs Eddy. It's fun! We walked around the store until our dinner reservation and then went back after dinner. The store is that good, y'all.

Love these

Polka Dot Dishes, Canisters, Glasses, Mugs, & Dish Towels... so fun. These would have been so cute in my college apartment.

My Part of the Store~Vintage China

Floor plan Dishes~ so clever! Wouldn't these be a cute gift for an interior decorator?

Glass Printed Bowls~ with a lid

Nautical Kate~ this photo is for you

New Blog Design~ The Best Ever

2010-01-12T23:35:00.000-06:00

I had another blog post planned for tonight about a cute store but it will have to wait. My new blog design deserves a post of its own. My friend Danielle, The Design Girl, created this cute, vintage, girly blog design for me tonight. I LOVE it; I can't stop looking at it. Of all the designs I've had, it's my favorite.

The Design Girl is offering all my readers a great discount on custom blog designs. A custom blog design includes a template, a header, recoloring of text and links, and wallpaper. The price for a custom blog design is $75 but Danielle is offering the custom blog design to all my readers for $55! What a deal. Wouldn't it be fun to start the year with a new blog design?

Since I don't like to post without a photo, here's Danielle and me at Disneyland last year.

Tagged

2010-01-11T06:45:00.001-06:00

Jules at Chic and Pink tagged me. Yay and thanks Jules, January is boring.

Here are the rules:

1. Answer 5 questions with 5 answers

2. Tag 5 other bloggers

Question #1 – What were you doing 10 years ago? I have day planner pages with everything I've done documented and I have tons of photos from 2000. Unfortunately, everything is buried in the townhouse garage so this answer is from memory. I considered fighting the junk and climbing on the Jeep Wrangler parked in the 1-car garage to access the boxes of photo albums and my day planner pages but it could get ugly.

1. On the infamous night of Y2K, I had dinner at the Kemah boardwalk with friends. Remember how the media said something bad was going to happen at the stroke of midnight and nothing happened? I was a little disappointed; at least the lights could've flickered to amuse us. Luckily I wasn’t one of the people who stockpiled canned goods and peanut butter. :) Since everyone was worried about staying out late, after dinner we went back to a girl’s apartment for movies and cocktails. That night I slept in tent, in her apartment on the living room floor. Oh my gosh… I so glad it’s 10 years later, I can't imagine doing that now.

2. I think that was the year I went on a cruise with my BFF Tiffany. I have so many photos from our trip in the garage. I wish I could post one.

3. I was offered a job as a sales rep with my company. I had a bad feeling about the position and I declined it. Four years later that position was completely eliminated.

4. My company initiated a huge project in 2000; I traveled every week. I kept a swimsuit in my suitcase and always rented a SUV with tinted windows. After work I changed into my swimsuit in the back of the SUV and hit the beach or the pool. I would NEVER do that today; I care too much about my skin. Also, I remember taking a nap in the back of an SUV rental in an Olive Garden parking lot in Florida. Classy, huh?

5. My favorite restaurant was Star Pizza in Houston. I really love pizza. I’ve had pizza in many cities, even Rome, Italy and Star is always a favorite.

Question #2 – What are 5 things on your To-Do list today

1. Work

2. Run a couple errands

3. Go to the gym, which is difficult. I'd rather play with razor blades in the middle of the interstate at rush hour.

4. Dinner

5. Watch the "most dramatic and scandalous episode ever" of The Bachelor.

Question #3 – What 5 snacks do you enjoy?

1. Hummus with pita bread and veggies

2. Diet Coke

3. Chips and Dip

4. Sugary Candy- jelly beans, gummi peach rings, etc...

5. Snow Cones

Question #4 – Where are 5 places that you have lived?

1. Houston, TX

2. Conroe, TX

3. Abilene, TX

4. San Antonio, TX

5. A multitude of hotel rooms across the U.S.

Question #5 – What are 5 things you would do if you were a billionaire? I’m really boring. I wouldn’t even quit my job.

1. Donate to church and charities

2. Save and invest

3. Sponsor tons of kids in China & sponsor volunteer trips to China orphanages for people interested

4. Hire a full time personal trainer. As you can see with my answer in question #2, I need help with motivation. My sis and I worked out with a trainer 2 weeks ago. Yikes, it was hard but awesome!

5. Re-decorate my house over and over and over

I tag...

Guitars and Pralines

Jimmy Choos and a Baby Too

Walk with Me on this Journey Called Life

Jill's Real Life

Happy Daily

Photo Project 52~ Week 1

2010-01-09T23:31:00.002-06:00

The goal is to post one photo each week of the year. There is also Project 365 and the goal is to post one photo each day of the year. I cannot commit to posting a favorite photo each day of the year. I won’t even commit to living in a particular city. Yesterday my dad talked to me about the advantages of home ownership (blah, blah I've heard it before) and how I should consider it. No way, can’t commit! You think I have issues? ;)

I am not a professional photographer. I work for a major U.S. based photo company and I like taking pictures. I have spent time in a dark room and I loved it but I’m not a pro. I know I could be a better photographer if I had a nicer camera. Isn’t it funny how the camera makes all the difference these days? I have a basic Sony point and shoot camera (not the company I work for, such a trader). I’m an amateur.

Here’s my photo for week 1 of Project 52. Wow, I almost didn’t make the deadline.

This week I spent a couple evenings with my Grandma. Since my Grandpa passed away on December 16th, she has been staying with my parents. My parents had a couple obligations this week and didn’t want to leave her alone. My Grandma has dementia and can’t do many things for herself.

I remember when I was in high school, my Grandparents volunteered at our local hospital. They would sit and visit with sick people, people they didn’t even know. My Grandma always brought a bottle of nail polish. As she was visiting with the sick ladies she would offer to paint their nails, most said yes. Girls love to be girls! This week I painted my own nails with OPI Lincoln Park After Dark and then offered to paint my Grandma’s nails pink. She loved it .

P.S. I promise I won’t give this much of an explanation on each Project 52 photo. I just liked this story.

2010-01-07T17:00:00.001-06:00

Is it just me or January a boring month? Next week I’m going back to work and I’m actually looking forward to it. I’ve worked from home a little but I haven't been in the field since November 20th. I’ve been busy and entertained until this week. I'm running out of stuff to do or not interesed in the last few items on my "to do" list.

My friend Gigi at Guitars and Pralines awarded me with The Chic award. Thank you, Gigi for my first award of 2010. The rules are to pass this award to someone you admire. I’m going to pass The Chic award to my friend Melissa at Create The Life You Love. Melissa has a heart of gold and she’s extremely talented. I admire the way Melissa lives her life and her eye for beauty. Check out her blog and her cute Etsy shop. I just ordered one of these CUTE note pads and a few other things.

Y’all know Nautical Kate, right? Well, every week on her blog she features a blogger dressed in a nautical outfit. Check out who’s featured this week?

New York~ Day 4

2010-01-06T14:51:00.001-06:00

We started our 4th day in NYC with brunch at Max Brenners. Max B is known for his speciality chocolates. The menu felt more like a dessert menu than a brunch menu, which isn't a bad thing. I ordered the apple cinnamon and white chocolate truffle cream french toast. Yum....

Next we went to the Time Warner building for a photo shoot. I love vacay photo shoots and I love it that these girls love them too. Have you noticed that guys never want to take a ton of photos, maybe a few and then they're ready to move on? We were at the Time Warner building for an hour, just taking photos.

After the photo shoot, we went to Central Park for a horse and carriage ride. It was such a pretty day.

Next on the itinerary was the empire state building. We purchased our tickets online to bypass some of the lines. We definitely had a great view of the city from the observation deck. However, I had to leave the observation deck before the other girls. I started feeling sick and queezy. I'm kinda (but not completely) scared of heights.

After the empire state building we headed to Times Square for dinner at a small deli and more photos in Times Square.

My sis and I had a pretend "sister fight" in Times Square. If you have a sister, you know the kind of fight I'm talking about... pulling hair, scratching, screaming, and slapping. For the record, we haven't actually had a fight like this in many years but we do bicker. We thought our family would enjoy these photos. Jenn emailed the photos to our parents and brother. I don't think we got a response. Ha Ha.

And the next minute we love each other and all is forgiven... a true sister fight.

Jenn drinking wine from a little bottle in Times Square, we're so classy.

We ended the day at Rockefeller Center and watched the Saks Fifth Avenue snowflake light show... very cute!

New York~Day 3

2010-01-03T14:02:00.001-06:00

The week after Thanksgiving my sis and our friends took our annual Girl's Trip to NYC. We were in New York for 5 days and had SO much fun! I didn't want to bore y'all and post about our NYC days over and over. I'm spreading them out.

On day 3 of our trip it was raining, so we adjusted our plans and did activities inside. We attended the Martha Stewart Holiday Craft Show. It was held at Martha's corporate office and this was the first year it was open to the public. We were very excited. There were lots of booths with homemade items for sale, demonstrations, ideas and samples.

Standing in front of Martha's Nautical Christmas Tree. Of course, I thought of Kate.

We got to make Christmas gift tags, using Martha's supplies and tools sold at Michael's.

After the Craft Show we headed to Macy's and Bloomingdale's for lunch and shopping.

We had lunch at the Macy's Cellar. Salad + Wine + a Slice of Cheese Pizza= $50! Only in New York! That lunch would have cost $20 in San Antonio, $30 in Houston, $7 in Beijing, $38 in Los Angeles, okay I'll stop now. I'm really hyper and A.D.D right now.

Maria purchased her first pair of Tory Burch Reva Flats

And a ton of other things....

When we left Bloomingdale's it was snowing, which is really exciting& magical for Texas girls

That night we had dinner at Craftbar, a Tom Colicchio concept (Top Chef Host). It was delicious, especially the Risotto Balls and Pecorino Fondue. We highly recommend it. ;)

Happy 2010 & Top 20 in '09

2010-01-01T07:00:00.011-06:00

Happy Year! I'm definitely looking forward to a new year. Here's my "Top 20 in 2009" list. I forgot to post a "Top 2008" list but I did post a "Top 2007" list. Hope y'all are having a wonderful New Year's Day!

Top 20 in 2009

1. CD- The Fame Monster, Lady Gaga

2. Product- MAC Prep and Prime

3. Color- Pink

4. Concert- Britney Spears

5. Not Right- Fried Oreos at Houston Rodeo

6. Celeb Sighting- Alyson Hannigan at Toast in L.A.

7. Class- Chinese Cooking Class at Central Market in Houston

8. Accessory- Headband

9. Recipe- Creamy Jalapeno Dip (I'll post the recipe soon, I'm still tweaking it)

10. Surprise- Moving to San Antonio

11. Book- 90 Minutes in Heaven

12. Restaurant- Villa Blanca in Beverly Hills

13. Layoff- Survived

14. Roller Coaster- Paradise Pier at California Adventure

15. Craft- Martha Stewart Craft Show in NYC (still haven't posted about the entire NYC trip yet)

16. Movie- Up In The Air (I don't watch many movies but this one is SO GOOD)

17. Project- Re-doing my Dresser

18. Vacation- New York

19. Season- Fall in Omaha, NE

20. Broadway- Mary Poppins

I'm Back

2009-12-27T16:00:00.000-06:00

Thank you SO much for all the comments & prayers concerning my Grandpa. Each one of your comments has meant so much to me. I love our blogging community. Y’all are so sweet and supportive.

Last Sunday my family traveled to Pawpaw’s hometown of Jennings, LA. Wow, he was so organized! Pawpaw left us a folder with all the details of his funeral and his last wishes. He included things like life insurance policies, the funeral home he wanted us to use, the church where he wanted the service to be held, and a poem written by his father that he wanted read at the funeral. He even wrote his own obituary.

At the graveside, the U.S. military did a 21 gun salute and they each saluted his casket. They folded the flag over his casket and presented it to my Grandma. She gave it to Pawpaw’s best friend, my brother. It was a touching ceremony. We will really miss him but we know he’s in a better place.

Thank you again for all your prayers and encouragement. I love y’all!

My sister printed the poem Pawpaw's father wrote and a photo for the guest to take

We got to walk through the house Pawpaw grew up in

A visit to south Louisiana isn't complete without having authentic Cajun food

It was hard to think about Christmas this year or get into the Christmas spirit. On Christmas Eve, I finally managed to wrap my presents and bake sugar cookies. We ended up having a nice Christmas. I hope y’all had a wonderful Christmas. I can’t wait to catch up on your blogs.

Update

2009-12-16T22:30:00.001-06:00

I’m so overwhelmed. Thank you SO very much for all your comments, phone calls, text messages, and most of all your prayers. Eventually, I want to visit each of your blogs and personally thank you.

I’m sure you’ve heard the term “The Greatest Generation,” coined by Tom Brokaw. It describes the generation of men and women who lived during the Great Depression and served our country in World War II. Pawpaw was a part of the Greatest Generation. Without a question or doubt Pawpaw served our country in WW II. I’ve heard an estimated 1000-1200 World War II veterans die each day.

Today at 1:30 PM we lost another U.S. hero, a World War II veteran, a member of the Greatest Generation, and the best Grandpa I could have asked for. Pawpaw went to see Jesus peacefully, without pain. My brother held his head and my dad prayed for him as he left this life. I know if I had asked Pawpaw who do want holding you as you leave he would have said, “Jarrett.” They have each told me on different occasions that they were best friends. Pawpaw wouldn’t have had it any other way.

It hasn’t even been 24 hours and desperately I miss him. Pawpaw was a good person, the kind of person you want to be your friend. Earlier this year I was feeling down about layoffs. I went to my Grandparents house and watched the LSU game with Pawpaw. Later that night he asked me to take him to Taco Cabana for a Cabana Bowl. Pawapaw was a simple man and being around him was comforting.

Pawpaw could fix anything. Once I took a hair dryer to Italy and plugged it into an (overpriced) adapter in a Rome hotel room. Not only did the hair dryer blow, the power went out in the entire hotel. Opps. I really liked the hair dryer and I brought it to Pawpaw to see if it could be salvaged, knowing I would probably have to spend $19.99 on a new one. He fixed it!

Pawpaw had no enemies and he would do anything for anyone. Once a lady from the church called and asked to speak with my Grandma. She wasn’t available and Pawpaw said, “Can I take a message?” She said, “Yes, our Jack Hamm (a church member) is not doing well. We are asking everyone to pray for him today at noon.” Pawpaw didn’t hear very well and misunderstood her. He responded with, “WHAT? Your jack hammer is broken and you want me to pray for it at noon? I’ll just fix it for you.” He was always generous with his time and his skills and he always made us laugh.

Pawpaw was fun and spontaneous. My brother told me one of his favorite memories was visiting my Grandparent’s home in Louisiana. My parents had purchased a slip-n-slide and we were in the backyard having fun. Pawpaw came home, dressed in nice pants, a nice shirt and a hat. Jarrett remembers Pawpaw throwing off his hat, running, and sliding on the slip-n-slide in his nice clothes.

I’ve been reading the book, '90 Minutes in Heaven.' It is true story about a man who was in a car accident, pronounced dead, went to Heaven, and came back to earth. In the book he said when he arrived at the gates of Heaven he was greeted by the people he loved that had passed away before him. They acted as if they had been expecting him and they were over joyous that he had arrived.

Today as I mourned Pawpaw’s death, I remembered that part of the book. I thought about all the people that were greeting Pawpaw...his mother, his father, his older brother and a sister. I know there are many other family members and friends greeting Pawpaw and excited that he is home.

Pawpaw was nostalgic. In the last year, he had asked my mom to cook and bake some of the old recipes his mother made when he was a child. I think tonight he is having the meal of a lifetime… all his favorites! Tonight Pawpaw’s arms aren’t black and blue from the blood thinners, he can walk without swaying or falling, he can stand straight, he doesn’t need a pacemaker, he can use his hands the way he used to and his smile is bigger than ever.

Our family is sad and we will be for a long time. However, I find comfort in knowing that Pawpaw will greet me at Heaven's gate someday; he’s expecting me.

Urgent Prayer Request

2009-12-15T13:28:00.001-06:00

Yesterday afternoon my mom was Christmas shopping and received a call on her cell phone. It was Dr. B, my Grandparents neighbor. Yesterday afternoon when Dr. B’s son was getting off the school bus he saw my Grandpa, Pawpaw, passed out on the sidewalk in a pool of blood. Dr. B’s son ran into his house screaming for his mom. Dr. B ran outside and had her son call 911.

We think Pawpaw was walking from his house to the mailbox. He tripped and fell. We have no idea how long he was passed out on the sidewalk and we are so thankful Dr. B’s son found him.

My mom dropped her stuff and ran to the car. She called my dad on her way and he rushed to Pawpaw’s house. Luckily, my Grandparents live a minute away and in the same neighborhood. When my dad arrived the paramedics were loading Pawpaw into the ambulance. A police officer was spraying the pool of blood with a hose. My dad said it was a significant amount of blood. Pawpaw has a pacemaker and takes Coumadin, which is a blood thinner. It’s very common for pacemaker patients to take Coumadin. One of the side effects of Coumadin is you bleed easily and it’s hard to control the bleeding.

At first Pawpaw seemed stable. I was supposed to go out of town today for work. My parents said to go. At 11:00 PM last night my mom called and said, “Your dad said you should not go.” The bleeding in Pawpaw’s brain had increased and the doctor informed us he has permanent brain damage. His heart rate dropped and was in the 30 range. At 11:00 last night the doctor said he had anywhere from 5 minutes to 3 hours to live. I rushed to the hospital, my parents rushed to the hospital, and my brother started his drive from Dallas.

When I arrived at the ER, Pawpaw’s heart rate had gone up and was in the 60 range. They were moving him for the ER to ICU. We were there until 4:00 AM but there was no change in his condition. The doctor told us the situation is not looking good and will probably result in death. His vitals are okay, he’s on a ventilator but the brain damage is permanent.

I keep asking myself how this is possible. He was just walking to the mailbox and now he has permanent brain damage… just because he wanted to check the mail? How? How does this happen? Why? Why did this have to happen to him? Pawpaw told me he has prayed that he would outlive my Grandma because she has dementia and needs full time care. Pawpaw wanted to be the one who took care of her because nobody else can care for her and love her the way he can. Why couldn’t that simple, humbling, and sweet prayer be answered? Why?

If you remember, will you pray for my family? We are so devastated. I almost fainted last night at the hospital and I'm sick to my stomach. Pawpaw is my mom's dad. Please pray for my mom. So far, she's holding up but I don't think reality has set in yet. My poor Grandma... because of the dementia she keeps asking us where Pawpaw is and when he'll be home. Each time we tell her what's going on, it like the first time she's heard the bad news. She can't even begin to process it. Thank you so much for your prayers.

Discount on Cute Aprons & Danielle's SA Visit

2009-12-14T20:10:00.001-06:00

Scarlet Threads~

Yesterday I posted about Scarlet Threads. An amazing company my friend Carrie started. "Scarlet Threads is a compassionate boutique, specializing in unique aprons designed and produced by talented seamstresses in rural Asia." You can read more about Scarlet Threads core vision and values here. Your heart will be touched.

So Vintage~ Love it

Scarlet Threads is offering a 10% discount to all my readers now through December 16. At check out just enter the code "peeptoe." If you order by December 16, your order will arrive before Christmas!

A Scarlet Threads apron is the perfect last minute Christmas gift and the perfect gift the for girl who has everything. Don't forget about other gift occasions... birthdays, bridesmaids gifts, thank you gifts, hostess gifts, Mother's Day, etc... The possibilities are endless.

So Girly-Girl

Danielle's Visit to San Antonio~

Last weekend Danielle visited San Antonio. Each day was full of fun activities! Friday night we visited the Charles Dickens Christmas event at Bracken Village. I love the Santa Claus at Bracken Village, he's fancy.

After Bracken Village we made a HUGE pot of vegetable soup. I had no idea it was going to make this much. Danielle and I ate the veggie soup for about three meals and I still have enough to feed 20 people.

Saturday morning we went to my mom's house for Danielle's sewing lesson. I decided to make lunch while they worked on a throw pillow slip cover. I'm still working on my tote bags from Thanksgiving. Someday I'll have a finished product. :(

I made a Christmas tree shaped veggie pizza (but it's not really a pizza)

Saturday night we had Mexican food on the Riverwalk and took a boat ride. Danielle got the see the Alamo. It's a bit anti-climatic but worth a photo. Danielle asked me about the purpose and meaning behind the Alamo. Hmmm... so bad. I really didn't know much about it or care. So much for that Texas history class I took in high school. However, I was able to tell her about the maintenance guy at Rivercenter mall seeing the ghost of Mexican solider one night.

Sunday after church we went to SeaWorld. Sunday was a great day to go; the weather was perfect and it wasn't crowded. We got to ride the 2 big roller coasters THREE times each with no wait!

Christmas Cheer at SeaWorld

The Dolphins were so cute.

My friend, Leslie, works at SeaWorld as one of the Shamu trainers. Leslie took Danielle and me backstage to "meet" the whale. We got to touch him and ask Leslie questions.

Leslie has the most fascinating job and she's one the nicest people I've ever met.

I've know Leslie for about 8-9 years. We have talked and talked about her job & the whales but I haven't been to SeaWorld since I was a kid. Sunday was SO fun. When the show started and Leslie ran out on the stage, I cried a little. Yep, I cried. She is just incredible! My favorite part was when Leslie dove off Shamu's nose! It was magical!

Lisa, Angela, Danielle, Carrie~ That's a Creative Title, Huh?

2009-12-13T16:52:00.003-06:00

Lisa~

Thursday I had the honor of meeting Lisa from Osborn Odds 'N Ends and Little Bits of Lindy. I have been reading her blogs for the longest time. I've always looked up to Lisa and admired her. She is just as sweet and wonderful in person as she is in blogland. Lisa met Danielle and me at the Guenther House for brunch.

Lisa brought Danielle and me gifts... so sweet! I love the little Christmas sign and the koozies!Thank you so much, Lisa.

Angela~

Y'all know Angela from Sweet Tea Diaries, right? LOVE her! If you don't know Angela, you must check out her blog. She's one of the nicest people I've ever met and she just won an award for employee of the year at her company. Angela sent me a belated birthday gift last week. I love, love, love it. Thank you, Angela!

Super Cute Barbie Note Cards

The Cutest Frame Ever

Danielle~

Danielle is visiting San Antonio this weekend. She brought me the cutest Christmas ornament! She purchased it in Chicago and I adore it. Thank you, Danielle! Check out her blog for a few weekend photos.

Carrie~

My friend Carrie has started a business, Scarlet Threads. Carrie and her husband Jacob live in China and volunteer at New Day Foster Home. The vision of Scarlet Threads is so touching, "No matter what country we call home, as women we care about the same things -- our children and our families. When you purchase a Scarlet Threads product, you become intricately connected to a woman half a world away. You give her the chance to provide for her family in a safe and dignified way, and you make our vision a reality. You are tied, with a scarlet red thread, to a woman just like you."

Carrie generously gifted me with one of the aprons sold at Scarlet Threads. I love it... I love where it came from and the story behind the apron. Carrie, thank you!

Danielle modeling the apron but being very difficult about it.

Recipes and Girly Household Tips

2009-12-10T23:50:00.004-06:00

I've had a few requests for my sister's Roasted Tomato Basil Soup recipe. It's so delicious. If you make it, let me know!

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

2.5 pounds of fresh tomatoes (use any variety of tomato you like and you can mix them... heirlooms, cherry, vine and plum)

6 cloves of garlic, peeled

2 small yellow onions

1/2 cup of good olive oil (California Ranch is my favorite Olive Oil)

Freshly ground black pepper and salt

1 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (optional)

1 quart chicken broth

2 bay leaves

4 tablespoons butter

An entire bunch of fresh basil

3/4 cup heavy cream. Jenn adds a few splashes of the heavy cream. It keeps the soup healthier.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Wash and cut tomatoes into halves. Spread tomatoes, garlic cloves, & onions onto a baking tray. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-30 minutes or until caramelized.

Remove roasted tomatoes, garlic, & onion from the oven and transfer to a large stock pot. Add 3/4 cup of the chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme, red pepper, and butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until liquid has reduced by a third.

Wash and dry basil leaves, add to pot. Use a hand blender to puree the soup until smooth. Return soup to low heat, add cream and adjust consistency with remaining chicken broth, if necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Jenn making the soup and sipping wine

Jenn served the soup with a Mahi Mahi-Veggie Taco

Asparagus Casserole

I also had a few requests for the Asparagus Casserole I made for Thanksgiving Lunch. It was so creamy and rich. I found the recipe in the Paula Deen magazine, need I say more. Unfortunately, I didn't take a photo but the finished product looks just like a green bean casserole.

1⁄3 cup butter

3 pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 onion, chopped

1 (8-ounce) package sliced baby bella mushrooms

1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1⁄4 cups whole milk

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1cup sour cream

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (6-ounce) can french-fried onions

Preheat oven to 350˚. Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add asparagus, onion, and mushrooms; cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Add flour; cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add milk, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixture is thickened. Stir in cheese, sour cream, salt, lemon zest, and pepper.

Spoon mixture into prepared pan, and bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Top with onions, and bake for 5 minutes longer.

I'd like to share a few girly household tips...

Tip #1

Have you ever had the leftover wax from a votive candle get stuck in your candle holder? I thought everyone knew this trick but Danielle told me many people don't know and I should share. The best way to remove the remaining votive candle wax is to put the candle holder in your freezer. Let it completely freeze and the wax will slide right out. It's a great trick!

Tip #2

Before I left for NYC, my mom informed me that I should cover the outside pipes and faucets because San Antonio was expecting a winter freeze. She was on her way to my house and I asked her if she would help me. I have never had to perform such a task.

When my mom arrived she told me I needed old hand towels and rope. Okay, I've got a few old hand towels but ROPE... not over here. I searched the garage for something to tie the outside pipes with and I found tulle. Yes, I have tulle in the garage. Here's our masterpieces.

I'm Dreaming of a Pink Christmas

2009-12-09T15:11:00.000-06:00

This is the first year I've had a Christmas tree taller than 4 feet. In the past I've put up so many Christmas trees for mall display windows in October and November, by the time December comes around I'm done with Christmas decorating.

I decided to purchase a 7.5 foot tree this year. It's fake. I'm not sure I can handle a real tree. When I was a kid we purchased real trees. On 2 occasions our real trees came with a free gift, a lizard. Yep, a disgusting reptile in the HOUSE. When my mom saw the lizard she screamed as loud as she could and we ran. My dad did something to get rid of the lizard. I have no idea what he actually did and I don't want to know. So I have a fake tree and I really like the idea of not having to buy another one next year. Luckily, this tree did not come with a free gift. ;)

A Few of my Favorite Ornaments

The Pink Tree is in my bedroom. I call it the "personality tree." The pink tree displays all my fun, funky ornaments.

Dining Room Table

The pink Santa is a vintage chenille fabric wine bottle cover. I found it in Nashville at the Christmas Market. I'm kinda obsessed with vintage chenille.

New York, New York

2009-12-08T18:19:00.001-06:00

Of all the NYC Girl Trips, this year was my favorite. We did so many fun things, ate too much food, and took about 1000 photos. I'm not kidding about 1000 photos. We don't have a final count yet but it's close. Don't worry I won't post all the photos or be the person who loads their entire camera card to Facebook.

Friday morning we stopped by the Today Show. Leslie got to Rockefeller Plaza early and got to see the entire cast. Jenn and I were late because we love to sleep. Oh well, I did see Lester Holt and Natalie Morales. My sister made massage appointments in Chinatown. Yikes~ it was painful but I don't have a knot left in my back or shoulders.

My friend, Maria, arrived on Friday afternoon and we had lunch at Wichcraft in Bryant Park. After lunch we did some shopping and checked out the Christmas windows in a few of the department stores. NYC has the best Christmas windows!

After shopping and window gazing it was time for a cocktail at Bryant Park. Bryant Park has a great ice skating rink next to the cocktail place. I really love Bryant Park during the Christmas season.

We headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. I did bring "night outfits" so it's important to change for the night events. ;) We took the subway to Greenwich Village for dinner. We took a ton of photos while we were waiting for the subway and on the subway, very fun!

We had dinner at Perilla in Greenwich Village. Anyone a Top Chef fan? Perilla is the restaurant Season 1 winner, Harold, opened. The food was really good and the atmosphere was quaint.

After dinner we headed to the famous Magnolia Bakery for cupcakes! They were delicious! If you're planning a trip to the city, Christmas is the best time to go. I've been in the summer and fall. Christmas is always my favorite time of year to be there.

NYC~ Rockettes

2009-12-06T18:10:00.000-06:00

I arrived in NYC on Thursday afternoon. I met my sis for lunch and Holiday shopping at Bryant Park. Thursday evening our friend, Leslie, arrived and we headed to the Radio City Music Hall for the Christmas Spectacular Show. It was the cutest show I've ever seen. I want to see it every year. After the show, my sis made dinner reservations at Fig and Olive. It was yummy!

We're still in NYC, just taking a little break before we head out tonight. Hope y'all had a great weekend!

Giveaway Winner & Christmas List

2009-12-02T22:08:00.007-06:00

Giveaway Winner

Congratulations

JGH

You're the Winner of the Perricone MD Cold Plasma Giveaway.

Please email me with your name and mailing address.

Thank you to everyone for entering the Perricone Giveaway. I had a total of 96 entries. I used Random.Org to determine the winner.

True Random Number Generator

Min: 1
Max: 96
Result:
66
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Christmas List

In our family, we make a Christmas list each year. It’s the best way to ensure you’ll get something you actually want and something you’ll actually use. :) We try to have at least 10 (reasonable) items on our list. How do your families do Christmas? Do you take the surprise route or use the list? What's on your list this year?

Here are a few items on my list...

Flatware~ I ended up picking the "Louisiana" Pattern. It's so girly and vintage.

The "Louisiana" Seafood Forks

Happy Perfume~ My signature Scent

Amy Butler Bed Sheets

Curb Your Enthusiasm~ Season 2

Martha Stewart White Wine Glasses

Martha Stewart Red Wine Glasses

Hand Blender~ My sis has a great recipe for Tomato Basil Soup and I need this gadget to get the job done.

I LOVE gift cards. They're not that much fun to give but aren't they fun to get? I usually pick about 5-10 stores I would like a gift card from.

What I've Been Up To...

2009-11-30T15:45:00.005-06:00

Soup

Last week I had a few days off before Thanksgiving. My friend, Amy M, recently blogged about making homemade soup and freezing the soup in individual serving sizes for later. I LOVE this idea. I’ve done it before but with my crazy work schedule (the past 2 years), I haven’t had much time. In the past, I've used Tupperware containers for freezing soup. Amy has a much better idea.

Amy suggested using freezer bags. She said, “Simply put the desired amount in a baggy, let the air out, and seal it. Then lay the baggies on a cookie sheet inside your freezer so they can freeze lying flat. After they are frozen stack them up and store them (standing up) in a small basket.”

GREAT idea! I made 4 pots of soup, Chicken Gumbo, Shrimp Etouffee, Corn Chowder, and Turkey Chili. I also made labels for my soup baggies. Clearly, I know what is what; I just love labels. :) I followed Amy’s directions for freezing and storing and here’s the result. Yay… I’m so excited. This will be perfect for nights I arrive home late and the hundreds of days I don’t feel like cooking.

NYC

I’ve been planning outfits for my NYC trip. It's all about the outfits and photo opportunities. I'm just kidding but not really. :) My sister and I used to pack this way for summer camp. One year the camp sent letters home saying, "Camp is not a fashion show. Your kids don't need to change outfits twice a day." Whatever, I despise being told what to wear. One year my district manager purchased polo shirts with our company logo on the pocket. He asked us to wear them to a meeting, I didn't wear it, not happening! Anyhoo...

I can’t wait for NYC this year. My sister and I put together a tentative itinerary. Our itinerary is so great; I get the chills when I think about it. We love to be anal and organized. You can check out my other anal itinerary for Danielle’s visit to San Antonio here.

Day Outfits~ Unfortunately, I'll have to wear a coat because it will be cold.

Night Outfits

Christmas Decorating

I decorated the townhouse for Christmas on Saturday and Sunday. Yikes, it’s a lot of work. I’ll post more on this subject later.

Hope y’all are having a Happy Monday.

P.S. Don't forget to enter my skincare giveaway. It's ending tomorrow at midnight.

San Antonio River Parade, Thank You, & New Blog Design

2009-11-29T15:37:00.000-06:00

San Antonio River Parade

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend. Besides my boredom issues on Thanksgiving Day, I had a nice weekend. Friday night I went out with my brother, Jarrett, his girlfriend, Kate, and Dr. Mark. We had a great Italian dinner on the Riverwalk and watched the Christmas Parade on the river.

If you're not familiar with San Antonio, there is a mall that wraps around one end of the Riverwalk. My sister designed the mall Christmas decorations. Aren't they great?

Thank You

I've received a few blog awards. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Be sure to check out these fabulous blogs...

Thank you Shoshanah at From L.A. to LA for the Dragon Loyalty Award.

Thank you, Mrs. MFC for the Fabulous Sugar Doll Award.

Thank you Angela & Danielle for the Happy 101 Award. I’m supposed to list 10 things that make me happy...

My Faith
Family
My New Church in San Antonio
Old Friends
New Friends, especially my blog friends
Chinese Kids~ they’re SO stinkin’ cute
Upgrades to First Class
My Niece, Daisy the Maltese
Vacation
Pink Christmas Decorations

New Blog Design

Thanks to the very talented Danielle at The Design Girl for my new Christmas look. As always, I LOVE my new look. If you’re looking for a Christmas look, head over to The Design Girl. Her custom designs are amazing. You can also purchase a CUTE Christmas pre-made template. For the next week, if you purchase a pre-made template and mention “Peeptoe Jill”, you’ll receive the design for only $20.00!

Thanksgiving Day

2009-11-26T07:38:00.002-06:00

I hope y’all are having a nice Thanksgiving Day. We’re having a nice day but honestly, I think Thanksgiving is a bit boring. We eat, the guys watch football, and we sit because there’s not much to do and all the stores are closed. Cry, Cry.

So, I decided to make a craft this year after Thanksgiving lunch. I purchased a pattern and several fabrics to make a shopping tote. I cut out the fabric pieces and realized I’m missing a couple important supplies (webbing and interfacing, huh?). Unfortunately, it’s the most boring day of the year and the stores are closed. Hmmm...

Fabric for Totes

I don’t want to be a total Thanksgiving Scrooge. I am thankful for many things this year...

~I’m thankful for my family, Mom, Dad, Pawpaw, Mawmaw, Jenn, Ryan, Jarrett, and Daisy.

Photo from today~ Jenn, Ryan, & Daisy couldn't join us but they hit the seafood buffet in Iowa.

~I’m thankful for my IRL friends, my blog friends and the new blog friends I’ve met in person this year. This year I got to meet Angela, Amy M. and Tippa. Last year I got to meet Danielle, Jessica, and Kate.

~It’s hard to believe that a year ago I had no intention of moving to San Antonio. In one day, April 16th, I started thinking about moving and by the end of the day I had 95% decided I was moving. I’m so thankful the opportunity to move presented itself and I’m here.

~I’m thankful that after 11 years and tons of layoffs, including a major layoff this year, I’m still with my company. Although Corporate America can be a pain, at the end of the day I’m a “company girl."

~I’m thankful for my visual merchandising job.

~I’m thankful for my new church.

~Last but not least, I’m thankful for the guy a Ford that volunteered to wash my filthy car yesterday.

There's No Place Like Home

2009-11-25T06:00:00.001-06:00

I’m SO happy! Since I moved to San Antonio in June, I don’t have to travel for the Holidays! YAY! I grew up an hour outside of Houston. My parents moved to San Antonio in 2000 because they wanted to retire in here. Ever since I left for college at age 18, I’ve been traveling for the holidays. Even though a few years my trip was an hour, it counts. ;) I’m so beyond happy this year! For the record, I live about 20 mintues from my parents NOT with them.

Today I’m making a Sweet Potato Pecan Pie and Asparagus Casserole. Both are new recipes for me; I’ll let y’all know how they turn out. Also, I have to stop by the Godiva store to purchase and ship Christmas gifts to my visual merchandising customers and my car is in the shop. The A.C. and Heater stopped working. Poor car, I drive it too much. It's only a year old and has almost 30,000 miles. I hope my car is ready today because the rental car is junky but I’m thankful for it.

Hope y'all are having a Happy Thanksgiving Eve!

Giveaway and Perricone Discount

2009-11-22T14:45:00.003-06:00

I have to confess, I’m obsessed with skincare and looking young. Don't even get me started on the sun and tanning. :) So, I’m extremely excited about this giveaway. I’m partnering with Perricone MD to offer y’all a chance to win a jar of Perricone MD Cold Plasma, a $150 value.

“Cold Plasma is a universal skin care product; suited for anyone, no matter how old your skin is, what your skin type is, or whether you’re male or female.” This product addresses the 10 most visible signs of aging... firmness, elasticity, clarity, radiance, smoothness, texture, redness, blotchiness, fine lines & wrinkles, and dryness. Wow~ Cold Plasma covers everything!

Wouldn't it be great to try this product for free? Also, it would also make a GREAT Christmas gift or stocking stuffer!

Perricone MD is a US based company created by well known clinical and research dermatologist (my favorite kind of doctor) Dr. Nicholas Perricone. He has developed an award winning line of skin care products and supplements based on his research and experience. To learn more about Perricone MD and receive your Perricone Discount, you can visit the Perricone website.

Rules:

1. This giveaway is only open to US readers

2. 1 entry- Leave a comment on this post

3. 2 entries- Leave a comment on this post and become follower of my blog. If you’re already a follower let me know.

4. 3 entries- Leave a comment on this post, follow my blog, and post about the giveaway on your blog.

5. The Perricone MD giveaway will end December 1 at midnight.

Nashville~ Part 2

2009-11-17T11:39:00.001-06:00

Saturday morning we slept late, which is always my vote! Amy M. is such a wonderful and gracious hostess. She made yummy tea biscuits for breakfast on Saturday morning. When Danielle and I arrived at Amy’s house on Thursday night Amy had gifts for us. She’s sweet!

Cute Christmas Towel, Tennessee Christmas Ornament, Plum Purple (so in right now) Makeup Bag, Lip Gloss, & Candy

Saturday we started the day at Sonic. Danielle had never had a Sonic drink. Every time we’re talking on the phone, I’m ordering a Route 44 Diet Coke. Amy and I took Danielle to experience her first Route 44 Diet Coke. Of course, she loved it!

Next Amy took us to the country. She grew up in a beautiful home on the most amazing land. We walked around and took tons of photos.

This is my favorite photo from the country. I hope Amy doesn't kill me for posting it. This is her Grandmaw's backyard. Every Saturday her Grandmaw washes her undies and hangs them to dry. That so cute!

Saturday afternoon we headed to the city and met Tippa. She’s great and she has a Maltese! We walked around Music Row, had a good dinner, and took a horse and carriage ride. It was so fun! I love Nashville. I would live in Nashville in a heartbeat!

Carrie Underwood signing autographs in a bookstore. She's so pretty!

I Heart Nashville!

2009-11-13T22:45:00.002-06:00

Last night I arrived in Nashville! I love this place. I met Danielle at the airport and we headed to Amy's house. Amy is so sweet, soft spoken, and so calm. Danielle and I are definitely not calm. :)

Today we shopped all day! Amy took us to some cute local shops and we headed to the annual Christmas Village.

Excited about The Christmas Village

I ran into some old friends from my church in Sugar Land. They moved to Nashville 5 years ago. I love it when these things happen.

We sampled and purchased the famous Tennessee T-Cakes

Can't pass up the photo opportunities on the way out

Tonight we're relaxing, baking Pumpkin Bread, & watching Love Actually, which I actually don't love. Amy doesn't love it either but it's one of Danielle's favorites. So the question is... Do you love Love Actually? Please take my poll in the sidebar.

I Love this Show

2009-11-10T17:25:00.001-06:00

I usually stick to girly (trashy) television shows. Last year I was hanging out at my friend Lindsay’s house. She had Curb Your Enthusiasm on the TV. I was hooked. I couldn’t break away from the show, which is extremely unusual. When I watch TV 99% of the time I’m doing something else like playing on the computer, doing an expense report, looking through a magazine, painting my nails, etc...

Curb is so interesting, random, and funny. The problem is I’m too cheap to pay for HBO. It just doesn’t make sense when I spend at least half the week in hotel rooms. I’ve caught a few episodes in hotel rooms but not enough.

This is sketchy and I probably shouldn’t even write it. A couple weeks ago I had a dream I was making out with the main character in Curb. Yes, that would be the guy in the photo above. YIKES! I promise he’s not my type or what I’m looking for. I just really love this show.

Last week I purchased Season 1 and I love it. Do y’all watch Curb? What show is not your typical show but you completely love it?

P.S. Guess what, I just heard that Curb will be airing on the TV Guide Network starting February 2010.

Flatware & Gross

2009-11-08T19:05:00.001-06:00

Flatware~

Thanks for the advice on the flatware. I don’t know why this is such a hard decision for me. My decision has been between #1, the Dover and #3, the Louisiana. I’ve been leaning toward the Louisiana pattern. I like the girly, vintage look.

#1, The Dover

#3, The Louisiana

My BFF, Tiffany, has advised me to purchase all the girly household items while I’m single. Someday when I get married (not that I’m dating anyone right now), I can say “Well, I already have this set and it wasn’t cheap so we might as well keep it unless you want to buy a new one.” I really hope Tiffany’s husband does not read my blog. Bless him, after they were married he moved into her house. It is the girly-girl house! They have a pale pink master bedroom and a pale pink master bath.

I still haven't made my final decision on the flatware. I'd like to see and touch both patterns before deciding. I'll let y'all know what I pick.

Gross~

Saturday night I went to a festival with my friend Shelly. The festival is called Wurstfest and it’s held in New Braunfels, about a 30 minute drive from San Antonio. I wasn’t exactly sure what Wurstfest had to offer but I love a good festival.

Oh my, it was the last weekend of the festival and it was packed. I haven’t experienced a crowd like this since the early 90’s when my family went to Disney World on July 4th. There was a lot of sausage, beer, and drunken people. I probably won’t go back next year; it’s just not my scene. I like a place with atmosphere, fancy (local) food, and good wine.

I was shocked and disgusted when I saw a vendor selling this...

Yep, Chicken Fried BACON

GROSS!!! I’ll admit, a chicken fried steak tastes good. However, I haven’t ordered a chicken fried steak since 1994. I was in college and went to Chili’s one night with a few friends; Amy S. was there that night. Amy S., I'm sure you don't remember this. I have such a random memory. I can't remember important things, like the things I've learned in my history classes over the years but I remember the last time I ate a chicken fried steak. Anyway, the chicken fried steak in 1994 tasted delicious but I felt very sick after eating it. I haven’t had one since but Chicken Fried BACON. You might as well glue it to my butt and thighs.

Oh.. gotta run the 2 hour special event Keeping up with the Kardashians- The Wedding just started. Hope y'all had a great weekend.

Advice??

2009-11-06T22:30:00.001-06:00

Clearly, I’ve in a blogging slump the last 2 weeks! Lately I spend over 50% of my life in a car (my own or a rental), the airport, the airport runway, on an airplane, or at work! I haven’t had much to write about. However, there is one little project I’ve been working on... everyday flatware!!!

Since I’m in my 30’s and I only have 3 dinner forks, I have been researching flatware patterns. I think it’s time to have a grown up set and more than 3 dinner forks. Although, I have enjoyed telling people over the years that most of my friends registered by age 30 and I still have THREE dinner forks. Anyway, I’ve narrowed my search down to 2 patterns. I’m definitely leaning toward one pattern more than the other.

Since y'all have such great taste, I’d like to hear your opinions on the flatware. Even though I’ve narrowed my decision to 2 patterns, I’m posting 3. One of the 3 patterns has never been in the running. Which flatware pattern do you like the best? Can you guess which one I like the best? Which one do you think was never an option for me?

Here are a few clues to my style... Pictures of my dinnerware & my Grandmother's vintage Silverware that I love & borrow on occasion...

Option #1- Dover

Option #2- Sheraton

Option #3- Louisiana

New Find

2009-11-02T06:00:00.002-06:00

I received a $20 gift certificate from the Vera Bradley store for my birthday. I was supposed to use it during my birthday month, October. Surprise, Surprise, I had no time in October to use the gift card.

Yesterday after church I ran into Vera B. and nicely asked the sales associate if I could use the gift card a day late. She let me! Yay!

Tons of new items have arrived at the Vera B. store since I was last in. I was happy and it was so hard to narrow my decision down. I picked up these super cute wine bottle labels. The package comes with 6 bottle labels and 6 gift tags. The Vera B. sales associate told me the labels are great if you're giving a bottle of wine as a gift. She also suggested using the labels on your wine bottles if you're hosting a dinner party, especially if you're serving cheap wine. Ha Ha... great idea!

I also picked up a cute clipboard to use while I decorate windows at the mall and airport. Speaking of windows, I just finished the Christmas windows at the airport. In addition to working on the windows 7 hours last week, I worked on the windows Saturday afternoon and didn't finish until Saturday night. I missed a Halloween party. I was kinda sad because I love costumes. Oh well, maybe next time.

Does anyone else love the new show Leave It To Lamas? Shayne is so funny; I want to be her IRL friend. ;)

Odds~n~Ends

2009-10-30T00:40:00.001-05:00

Hi Y’all! I feel like I’ve been a bad blogger the last few days. I’m traveling on the East Coast this week and I'm overly busy. Today I worked for 12.5 hours. The only break I had was a quick trip to Radio Shack for CAT 5 cables. Boooo! I promise to catch up on your blogs soon!

Funny story- As I was boarding my Continental connection flight in Houston, I recognized the flight attendant and she recognized me. She said, “Hello Ms. San Antonio.” Nice! I travel way too much. :)

While visiting the East Coast, I stopped at a local grocery store to pick up some bottled water and diet coke for my hotel room. Also, I was hoping to find a nice salad, similar to the pre-made salads at Whole Foods. Unfortunately, this grocery store did not have pre-made salads that you’d want to purchase and actually eat! As I was heading to the beverage section, I passed something pink. Anything pink catches my eye. Check out what they were selling… Pickled Pink Eggs! GROSS and WHY?

Thank you to my friend, Jules at Chic and Pink for the Fall Surprise! Who doesn't love a surprise? It was so sweet and so thoughtful!

Ghouls Night Out~ I LOVE this and hung it within seconds of opening it.

Jules also sent a bunch of fall treats~ a candle, candy, kitchen soap, and a notepad! Sorry for the blurry photo.

Thank You, Jules!!!