Baby Got Back

C had her final Daisy scout meeting today and when I picked her they had planted these beautiful flowers in mini fishbowls. They were SO cute! Please note the past tense... I put the plant in the car, went around the side of the car to get her situated in her seat, went back to my driver's seat, sat down, and heard this horrific pop! I was thinking what the - when I realized my gigantic ashcan had sat directly on top of the flower/fishbowl!!!!!!!!!!!!! The fishbowl appeared to be pulverized by approximately 0.0 seconds of pressure. What an ego boost!




How I am not in the hospital getting stitches in my derriere (please pronounce that Dehr-ree-AY like Ramona) I will never know, so I guess I should be happy. It would have been such a pleasure to have to tell and retell that one!



Lucky for me, I enjoy spending lots of money on things I really don't need at the Christmas Tree Shop (or the Christmas Crap Shop as my dad calls it) b/c I had the perfect tiny vase (please pronounce it vahs - since I paid 1.99 for it) to transplant this traumatized flower! xo, Brie

Somebody give this woman a raise!

This just keep me laughing and laughing.... guess which person in this pic is my sister? There's nothing she won't do for sales!! xo, Brie

Halloween Do's and Dont's

Halloween has always been one of my favorites. As a kid I would often start planning out who or what I was going to be months in advance. Our costumes were often homemade b/c back in the day to buy a costume meant to go to CVS and pick up something that looked like this...

I actually loved these old Ben Cooper vintage costumes and was the proud owner of several. Buyer beware though, those masks are fragile. Too much "pre" Halloween fun with them might mean you will not have a mask to wear on the big night!

Usually my parents made Keeks and I duo type costumes when we were little. Minnie and Mickey, Little Bo Peep and a sheep, and a coffee can and a piece of toast - ok the last one was a little weird - I think those might have been "chosen" for us b/c I don't know many 7 or 8 year olds who actually want to be a can of coffee for Halloween, but when all was said and done it was one of the cutest ever. Hey dad can you scan some of those old pics when you get a chance?!?!

When I was in 7th or 8th grade my best friend Nancy (who I have recently been reunited with on facebook!) and I dressed up like wind up dolls. We went to good will and got some poofy looking square dancing dresses. Did the rosey cheeks and big fake eyelashes and my dad made us big wind up keys made of tinfoil for our back. Super cute!

We are trying to decide what we will all be in this house for Halloween 2008. My suggestions are usually met with dirty looks or rolling eyes. In the past I have made some costumes and also embellished some store bought costumes with homemade touches. Here are a few from Halloween Past

When we peruse the online costume shops I am horrified by what I see especially for the girls/women! In the famous words of Michael Kors on Project Runway... slutty, slutty, slutty!

First up and no surprises is the French Maid. The French Maid has been s to the third power for as long as we can remember. Is anyone ever her? Honestly?

Next up we have some new "s cubed" twists on some of the classics - the look in a word? Charming!

In the mood for some sexy versions of some childhood favorites?

Minnie is that you?

Raggedy Anne has matured! No?

And last but not least.... nothing says we support our troops like this little number

Honest to goodness - the catalog calls her sexy special mission lady. Hmmmmm

I don't know if it's because it's cold here in NJ on October 31st or simply my lazy nature not feeling like working out for 8 years to prepare to squeeze into one of these or maybe I'm just shy..... but here's what I'm thinking of being this year

This shirt + this wig = one of my favorite movie characters EVER! Can you guess who it is? If you can, you have great taste in movies!

Hope your Halloween is an eleven! xo, Brie

It might also be fun to scare the bejeezus out of unsuspecting trick or treaters by opening the door wearing this..

The big FIVE O

Michael Jackson is turning 50?!?!? I don't know why that sounds weird to me but it does. I was in 8th grade when Thriller came out. I used to go over to my friend Maureen's house to watch the video after school (which she had purchased over the phone to own using hard earned babysitting money!) I am only a slightly embarrassed to share that I had THIS poster hanging on my closet door (which I purchased at Spencer Gifts btw) Michael has gotten a little eccentric these days - I heard he has a son named Blanket - but nobody and I mean nobody can deny the awesomeness of Off the Wall and Thriller!

Ohhh I just remembered an oldie but goodie... gets me cutting a rug every time! The special effects are funny. Don't blame it the sunshine, don't blame it on the moonlight, don't blame on the good times.....

Hope you all have a great long Labor Day Weekend! I'll be working on our fall line and hope to have some pics to share sometime next week! xo, Brie

Don't Hassle the Hoff!

If anyone needs me I will be locked in my room sobbing with a box a kleenex! Ok, I fully admit the picture I submitted of myself is insane, but David Hasselhoff? That's hurtful, mean celebrity machine. Have you ever seen a more random mix of celebrities to look like? As mad as I am at this, I can't stop laughing at it. That picture of poor Chelsea is a doozy too....thanks to Country Girl and My Heritage for this wondeful self esteem boost! Ha! xo, Brie

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities - Collage - Morph

An Open Letter to the Grape King

Your grapes are deeeelicious, but you my friend.....

are positively FRIGHTENING! xo, Brie

A recent phone call

as in 5 minutes ago from my 11 yo Kay who is at the Jersey Shore with my friend E.

Kay: Hi mom, can I get a hermit crab for a souvenir?

me: What?!?

Kay: They are only 2 dollars each

Me: What?!?

Kay: I can get it a cage and food for like 12 dollars

Me: This is a joke right?

Kay: please??? They are so cute!

Me: I doubt that very much. We are going to the Cape soon.

Kay: Nana and Monka will love it and it can travel in the cage!

Me: Ummmmm, ok?

Kay: Great, I have enough money for 2. Love you, bye! click


It could always be worse...... xo, Brie

No sleep for you!

First "official" day of sleep in summer for us (kids finished up school yesterday). Ms. C is in my room at 6:15 am and a woodpecker was on the side of our house pecking away. This is a joke right? xo, Brie

Is this a little Overboard?

I take no personal offense to this because it is not directed to me as we do not own a dog. I ask you though, is this necessary? It doesn't feel like a "neighborly" message to me. Mister Rogers would never have driven a sign like this into the ground by his mailbox.




Quick question though:



Does someone see this sign shopping and say to themselves, "Yes! I have been looking everywhere for a sign like this," or do they actually go to a sign maker and have this made custom. "Please make sure you italicize the word your and my for extra emphasis!"

Discuss ;) xo, Brie

You'd want to Leave too!

If they made you do ridiculous stunts like this!



More later... I'm off to Ms. C's swimming lessons! xo, Brie

Ice cold Chelada anyone?

My parents and one sister made it down to Florida this past March for a little vacation. They stopped into the Publix supermarket for a couple of quick things and laid their eyes on this........

Chelada..... mmmmmmmm............... yes you are reading right Bud Light mixed with Clamato. For those of you unfamiliar with Clamato - it's a blended drink of just what it sounds like... Clam juice and tomato juice - gak!

They of course had to buy it and describe it as "worse than you can possibly imagine!" I suggest you stock up on these for your next party! It makes me want to dry heave just thinking about it! The party will be over before it even begins :) Salud! xo, Brie

No Bowling for You!

So we had torrential rain here in the afternoon followed by tornado force winds in the evening - just lovely! My sister and I thought it might be fun to take the kids bowling and we were quite looking forward to our own little sister grudge wwf smack down bowling battle royale! It wasn't meant to be :(

We arrived at the stinky bowling alley and after braving sideways rain to get to the entrance. We were kind of rudely "greeted" by the bowling alley lady with a gruff... "ARE YOU HERE FOR OPEN BOWL?" um, yes we are! "WELL, YOU WILL HAVE TO WAIT AT LEAST AN HOUR AN A HALF" We were essentially scolded and I'm still not sure why - as if we stormed into Nobu with a party of 12 and no reservations on New Year's eve or something. Needless to say, the thought of hanging around the dark, mildewy, bowling alley with black lights and NOT bowling held very little appeal no matter how certain I was that I could whip my sister.



It was not a complete loss though, because upon leaving both my sister and I laid eyes at the same time on the most horrific video game, perhaps ever. What made it worse, was there were about 10 seven year old boys and some adults all gathered around and looked like they were having the time of their lives! The game - Big Buck Hunter Pro - here you can hold a rifle and aim it at all different kinds of very realistic looking wildlife drinking peacefully from a creek, or on a leisurely walk and SHOOT them. Charming! I wouldn't have believed it had I not seen it with my own eyes. I'm going to steal a label from Jules and call this "What the?" xo, Brie