Surprises in the mail!

As anyone who has read this blog for long knows…I am a magazine addict. I just love them! Imagine my surprise when I went to the mailbox, just yesterday, and in it was a surprise. A surprise in the form of the Premier Issue of Vera Bradley Magazine!!!!

What a stupendous, completely unexpected, surprise! It isn’t a big magazine (do you sense I would love to see more?) but it has some great articles and product reviews (not just Vera products, lest you think it is all about Vera, but it IS all about conveying the “Vera Lifestyle”!). It has a few yummy party recipes for the upcoming holiday season, like Cheese Triangles made from phyllo sheets and Key Lime Zinger cookies. There is also a neat article about Carmel-by-the Sea, CA and packing tips if you plan a trip there. I loved the article about the family who had relocated to NYC but worked to create a cozy home that melded their way of life before NYC with the energy of the city. Of course, it was full of great shopping and product reviews, which the part of me that requires retail therapy appreciates very much, thank you.. The photography is gorgeous and I can see how this magazine could be the start of a lovely lifestyle magazine….Vera Style, of course! I can’t wait to see more. Check it out for yourself: http://www.verabradley.com/magazine

***edited to add an apology for messing up the link, sorry...now I think I finally got it correct!

Super Cute Shoe Friday!

Yes….this is a post about Super Cute Shoes! Thrilling, yes! Deep, no! But, eh, it is Friday so you take what you can get.

First off though, I have to say I am married to the most patient, sweetest man in the world. How do I know this, you ask? Well, when he asked me what my plans for the day were and my answer was, “To wear my new Super Cute Shoes!” he actually agreed that they are super cute, kissed me and headed down stairs to have breakfast with our boys…now, that is a sweet man! Why do I say he is the most patient? Well, that would be because as he was trying to get out the door this morning to work he not only dislodged DS2’s first “loose tooth” (which truth be known, is one of his least favorite parenting tasks!) but also willingly took some photos of said Super Cute Shoes for me so that I could share them here in blogland….Now, if that isn’t a good man…I don’t know what is!

Anyway, these are my new Super Cute Shoes! Don’t you just love them??? Before anyone rolls their eyes up in their little heads, I do know all about what "they" say about red shoes…but I have yet to hear one single thing about red plaid shoes!!!!!!!!! So I feel quite stylin’ (especially after Miss Teenage Fashion Diva lusted sufficiently over MY shoes and outfit…though I did have to borrow a bracelet from her) today in my Super Cute Shoes with cropped, dark wash, denim pants and no-to-be-out-done cute white, crochet trimmed blouse and red, faux-croc, wide headband…Oh yeah, I am cute today!

Meme?

Meg over at http://www.mylittlecottage.blogspot.com/ has tagged me in a Meme. So I think, since there is nothing overly exciting to post about, I will play along but first I must admit I don't know how I feel about Meme's...I love reading about others through the information most Meme's share but I can't say I like them...it would kind of be like those funny, sweet, sentimental email forwards....you feel bad if you don't like them and are glad you are thought about but just can't quite decide how you stand on the issue...oh well, too much thought for a Thursday:

M - married to the most wonderful of men

I - introvert...yep, I am

C- Christian

H - Happy and healthy (though I could loose a bit of extra Heart Disease causing poundage)

E - Expectations are very high, about everything!

L - love my children very much

L - laughter gets me through most stress

E - Exact...that is the way I like things!

Now I tag http://www.shabbymama.blogspot.com, http://www.cathysoutjunkinagain.blogspot.com, and http://www.thirtyonestyle.blogspot.com

Red Clay?

Have you ever seen Georgia red clay? That is the dirt of my youth. I remember the 1st time I moved away from Georgia I was surprised that the dirt there was...well...brown. As a Mom, I have learned how the red clay of Georgia can leave a lasting mark on clothing that little people like to wear; as a Southerner, I have learned how the red clay of Georgia can leave a lasting mark on one's heart.

Thank you, Jenn

Jenn, over at The Beaufort Lookout http://beaufortlookout.blogspot.com/ sent me this fun little something to make ME smile! Thanks so much...now I pass it along to http://www.itstoileyall.blogspot.com andhttp://www.thirtyonestyle.blogspot.com and http://www.jill-inc.blogspot.com oh, and http://www.chroniclaofahappyhousewife.blogspot.com

Lets never forget....

Six years ago, today, were you changed?

Please don't ever forget.

New purse...

Just thought I would share a photo of my NEW purse. It is in a pink and brown paisley print with a polka dot coordinating fabric (I just love polka dots...not on me -- that would be scary -- but in other things) and lined with a brown/pink gingham fabric.

This purse was a real steal and I found it in a not so ordinary place. You see this past summer my DD was taking a Latin Class and for what ever reason (cheap rent is my guess) the teacher has a store front as his "studio/classroom" and it is in the...ah...not typical retail section of town (but the part where you can actually find competition between Bail Bondsmen). On one side of the studio is a thrift shop and on the other side a place that sells "art"...you know the kind you buy to coordinate with your sofa. They have pictures ranging from Elvis silhouetted above a snowy church (???) to a giant Malcom X (complete with pants hanging down so far that his drawers are showing from here to Kingdom Come...somehow I didn't realize that particular fashion trend went back to Malcom X...but then who am I to nit pick?...heck for all I know Malcom X started the whole falling down drawers thing...I bet if I looked hard enough I could have found one with Elvis and Malcom together but I was in a hurry.). Oh, and they most definately had Dogs playing Poker!

Anyway, about a month into DD's Latin course the "Art Selling" shop started to put purses in the window...not just purses, but CUTE purses. I mean really cute, unique purses! I would look at them from afar as I really wasn't too comfortable with this part of town and the thought that "art" might just be a front for some other kind of nifty business...nifty but not my kind of retail therapy, of course. Finally, though, on her last Latin class I decided they might very well be a front for something else but heck...they were fronting with really cute purses....so I went in. It was actually a pretty nice little shop on the inside and the lady who helped me was sweet as pie. So, I guess you can't judge a shop by its locale and I was very excited to get my cute new purse for only $22! Oh, and I made it out without one scary thing happening...though none of my friends really seem to believe I got it on the seedy side of town (though, they do have a deep interest in just why I was even over there!).

When I got it home I promptly called my new bestest friend (well, she might just think we are friendly aquaintences but I love her, I tell ya!) who does monogramming. I sent her my purse and (for just a teenie few dollars) she whipped up a monogram on it and now my cheapy purse looks all preppy and chic! She is just so sweet and does such great quality work and very quickly that DD and I both just love her to death. She hasn't balked at anything we have come up with to be monogram and that is a quality that I can appreciate beyond words! She is a Mompreneur and has a cute business called Angela in Stitches http://www.angelainstitches.net/. Angela in Stitches doesn't really keep alot of inventory but loves to work with you on what ever you need. Have I mentioned that I just love her and wish I could have her bring her monogramming genie skills over to my house and just go to town on everything here?