Lucky Day

I just found an Anthropologie gift card in my top dresser drawer!  I know I've used some of it already but I just called and found out it has a balance of $47!

This baby is on its way to my arms! Yahoo! xo, Brie

Twilight Books for Beginning Readers

I am a big fan of the Dick and Jane series for easy early readers.  Plenty of easy sight words and lots of repetition to drive it home.  Numerous but short chapters to read which is good for little attention spans.  Hard covered and durable for 7.99!  I'm also a sucker for the nostalgia of the old fashioned pictures.

We are brushing up on our reading skills because first grade is just around the corner.  I let her choose whichever one she wanted and this is what she chose.....

and I am not going to lie - it's hilarious.  That Dick and Jane sure have a good sense of humor!! xo, Brie

Bubble Baths

I'll take a bubble bath over a shower any day of the week.  It's my preferred spot for getting clean and also reading (I'm a multi tasker!)  The bubble bath is very very very VERY impt.... thought I would share with my top three selections. 

Laura Mercier Creme Brulee - this stuff smell SO good - I mean SO good 'you might want to drink it' good.  It makes great long lasting bubbles and the scent definitely stays on your skin which is a nice bonus.  Sometimes I would even pour some in the kids' bath when they were little because they smelled so darn good after a bubble in this.  It's pricey for bubble bath, but in my opinion WELL worth it. 

 

My second fave is this great White Almond Moisturizing bath by Perlier.  You can get this from a variety of retailers and sometimes, if the stars are properly aligned - TJ Maxx for 7.99.  If you happen to see some there please let me know, I will send you a check because I like to keep a nice stockade of this in my bathroom vanity.  Another smell great with great lasting bubbles.  I remember using this on my wedding day and I have a thing for smells and memories and this pairing is a nice one :)

Last but certainly not least is Philosophy's Amazing Grace.  I love the way this whole product line smells, very clean and uncluttered.  I have the perfume and the lotion too.  I wish the bubbles were a touch longer lasting but the amazing scent of Amazing Grace pulls through in a big way. 

So that's it, would love to hear from other bubble bath lovers about their favorite products!  xo, Brie

Back to School Shoes

Ms. C   loves herself some red shoes!  I've heard good things about Lands End shoe quality and at this price, I don't see how you can go wrong!   Check em out here!  xo, Brie

10 Misconceptions about Moms and School

First off - I didn't write this - I wish I had! Whoever did write this however, might be my long lost soul sister. I hate clear contact paper and back to school nights with a passion. This is definitely funny and I borrowed it from a friend on facebook. xo, Brie

Misconception Number 1: Moms miss their kids when they go back to school
Seriously. I've had enough of you by now. Every morning with the "what are we going to do today, Mom?" is finally over. I've had looked at your face twenty-four seven for the last 77 days. It's time to go learn something. No more asking me about the pool, when is the next snack or if you can stay up late and watch a movie. It's over..You're going back to Hogwarts and I get to have a life again. There is a Christmas morning for parents and it's called "back to school".

Misconception Number 2: Moms like to go school shopping.
Are you freaking kidding me? Why do I pay taxes?.so I can rack up a 200dollar bill at Staples for crap that we have laying around my house in junk drawers. Why does it have to be new pencils? What's wrong with the chewed up, broken strawberry shortcake pencils sitting in the bottom of the toy box for the last 6 months? And how many subject books can you possibly need?What happened to reading, writing and arithmetic. If they added a couple of things for parents to that list I wouldn't mind so much..why not pencils,erasers and vodka ...or some Nyquil.

Misconception Number 3: Moms like back to school night.
Why must we do this every year? I got it already. You're the teacher. I’m the parent. My kid is either going to be smart or dumb. If he gets a certain number or colored dot on his discipline chart, he can't get a prize from the prize box. Pretty simple stuff. Listen, I'm pretty old school. If he doesn't listen to you. you can throw something at him. I don't care. But I got a lot of work to do at home and I'm paying a babysitter right now. Plus, I'm pretty sure you are going to assign some project on wigwams made by some Indian tribe I've never heard of, so I need to get home and start my research. So, I got it. We're all here for the betterment of the kids. Blah Blah Blah. Can I leave now?

Misconception Number 4: Moms like school paperwork.
How many trees are you planning on killing to tell me the same stuff I had to pay a babysitter to listen to the other night? You know our name, where we live and our emergency phone numbers. He doesn't have a nickname..call him "stinkbutt" for all I care. We don't have any "special circumstances"that you need to know about. He lives in a home with two parents who may or may not like each other at any given time and they will fight. If that qualifies as a reason he can't get his homework done on time then he won't be able to function as an adult and have a real job so you may want to"educate" him on that life lesson.

Misconception Number 5: Moms like covering books in that annoying sticky paper.
What exactly will you be doing with these books that I have to cover them in a plastic laminate? Do you often teach in the rain? Or while the children are drinking soda and eating soup? Do you know how long that takes? Has any parent in the history of education been able to do it without any air bubbles in it? From now on I'm covering it the old way. brown paper bags.That way I can cover the books and pack their lunches at that same time. Who says moms can't multitask?

PS. Please tell my son if he can't find his lunch to look in his science book.

Misconception Number 6: Moms like helping you with your homework.
What? I am scared out of my mind. I'm pretty sure that I forgot everything I learned in fifth grade by the time I was in sixth grade. I have no idea what you are talking about most days. I don't really know my 12 times tables, I read the cliff notes to all your summer reading and I don't know how to conjugate anything but I do know that song "conjunction junction what's your function" if that helps at all. And please don't even say the words "new math" to me. What the heck was wrong the old one?

Misconception Number 7: Moms can't wait to pack your lunch every day until we die.
I hate doing laundry. Making dinner every night is the bane of my existence,so making your lunch every day for an entire year, in terms of "mom fun",lies somewhere between brushing plaque off the dogs teeth and scheduling my annual pap smear. Listen, as a child I hated what my mom packed me for lunch. But, like every kid before me, and every generation to come you will find a kid to trade with. I’m sure someone likes sardines.

Misconception Number 8: Moms love after school activities.
I don't know who made up this idea of organized clubs and sports but they should be the ones in charge of carting your ass around. Don't get me wrong.I'm not against all after school programs. I just wish they would offer it during hours that would work best for me so that dinner wasn't at 8:30 at night followed by 4 hours of homework. Why not do it on the weekends and call it "after-hours activities" so mommy and daddy could actually go out one night and pretend that we have a life of our own. Don't worry about us though I'm sure that me and "what's his name" will be married a very longtime.

Misconception Number 9: Moms don't mind taking you to school if you miss the bus
Your bus comes at 7:10 am..which means that you should be standing by the door at 7:05 am. Not eating breakfast , chasing the dog around the house or in the bathroom, asking me to check your homework while I'm taking a shower.Get it together! I don't like running down the street in my jammies at 7:12screaming "Please wait" or "If you stop I'll show you my boobies."

Misconception Number 10: Moms cry on your first day of school
We do cry but they are tears of joy. I have done my job. I have successfully kept a human child alive for at least 5 years without doing any major damage. Motherhood is the hardest job in the world!! Sure, doctors savel ives and CEO's run million dollar businesses but. You teach a kid not to poop their pants and then you can say you've made the world a better place."

Menu Monday

It's that time of year again - after a wonderful summer, I need to create a schedule here!
(Peperonata pasta from Real Simple Magazine - August 2010 issue)

Monday - spaghetti and meatballs, salad, bread

Tuesday - lemon chicken, rice, peas

Wednesday london broil on the grill, salad

Thursday Ravioli, bread and salad

Friday crab cakes

Saturday pasta pepernota from Real Simple magazine this month

Mermaid Love

I've dropped numerous hints and I am really hoping someone in my family will get me this vase for my birthday! Isn't she awesome?



I'm loving lots of things on this website especially in the ceramics - the lotus candle votives are beautiful too!

I have no idea where I will put her, but I will make room for her :) xo, Brie