Goodbye cruel world.....

I'm off to frickin MAZATLAN!! Spur of the moment trip leaving at 3am and gone for 7 days!! 

I doubt I'll be on the internet much while I'm gone. Maybe once to check in with family etc...

I will catch up with all of you lovelies when I return.....relaxed, restored, and revived!!

Chili Chicken and Basil

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Thai bird chilies or serrano chilies
1 tsp soy sauce
2 cups loosely packed fresh basil
1 tbsp fish sauce
3 cloves garlic
1/2 tbsp peanut oil or canola oil
1/2 tbsp red-chili paste
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp fresh cracked pepper

1. Finely chop the garlic and chilies, then use the side of your knife to press them together into a rough paste. (Add a pinch of salt to make this process easier.)
2. Preheat a wok or stainless-steel saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and the garlic-chili paste you just made, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes (be careful not to burn the garlic). Chop the chicken into small pieces and add them to the pan, cooking until they're lightly browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, red-chili paste, and sugar, and continue to cook until the chicken is done all the way through, another 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the pepper and basil, and cook until the basil is just wilted, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Weekly Outfits 8/2/10 thru 8/8/10

Here are last week's outfits in review

 8/2/10 Carl Striped Romper by Oonagh by Nanette Lepore

8/3/10 Victorie Abstract-Print Dress by Winter Kate

8/4/10 Pleated-Skirt Jersey Dress by Zac Posen

8/5/10 Banded Twill Dress by Marc by Marc Jacobs

Birthday Dress 8/6/10 Wrap Dress with Halter Neck by Gucci

8/7/10 Leaf-Print Dress by Andrew Gn

8/8/10 Ruched-Waist Crepe Dress by Stella McCartney

Toss Old Lipgloss

Do you remember how long all of those tubes of lip glosses you own have been around? Well, you might want to. Every time you let air into a lip gloss tube and double-dip the wand (contaminating the formula with saliva), you create an environment in which bacteria can thrive. Toxicologist Joe DiNardo suggests tossing gloss after six months (when preservatives have likely degraded). You could date every tube with a Sharpie, or consider Cargo's new glosses, which have an indicator strip that turns red nine months after it has been opened. It's an easy way to know when your gloss could be giving you more than a dose of shine.

Thanks for the love!!

Look at me.....Two awards at once.......how cool is that.

The lovely Emmy7921 has bestowed these two awards upon me.

You can imagine how excited I was. 

(If you've been with me for any amount of time, you know that I love me an award!!!)

Please go visit Emmy's blog. She has the most wonderful make-up how-to's and reviews, along with a lot of other stuff that you definitely don't want to miss out on. Go check her out now.

 Now, for the wonderful bloggers that I would like to bestow these upon.

 The Sunshine Award goes to...


...Sour Tang
A Foreign Land
A girl needs 2 Talk
Cafe Bellini
Stephylicious

I love your blog award goes to....


Bella Gets Real
Closet Fashionista
style'n
Holiday Haven
express-o 

 I truly do love these blogs. I read them all the time and you should too. Click on them and check them out if you don't already.

Make the most of moisturizer

Today is my birthday!! Woohoo....Yes, my husband and I have a birthday one day apart. So, as I get older, I obsess about my skin and am constantly reading about it. 

Here's one thing I bet you didn't know about moisturizers: They protect skin against free-radical damage. Dehydration leads to oxidative stress, which generates free radicals. Without moisture, your skin isn't able to repair itself and suffers even more damage. You just have to use the right product. Cholesterol, ceramides, essential fatty acids, and niacinamide are among the best ingredients-they improve skin's protective moisture barrier. Try CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion or Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream.

A toast ......

.....to my husband's 35th birthday!! Here is the cake my daughter made him!

And here is a sample of how messy she got making it....

And then, how happy was I when I opened this box 

and inside were these absolutely beautiful champagne flutes that I won from Melanie's Randomness.

Thank you, I will enjoy them very much!!!

Are you eating enough fruit?

In praise of nature's candy, come summer, I try to pop blueberries and raspberries instead of M&M's. But studies show that 70 percent of women don't get the recommended two servings of fruit a day. Some shun the sweeter side of produce because they think it's fattening; others believe they're covered nutritionally if they double up on veggies. My response: You're doing your health - and waistline - a disservice. Here are three good reasons to rediscover fruit.

• It's Chock-Full of Nutrients. Yes, fruit contains natural sugar, but it's balanced by vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Broaden your spectrum and your body will benefit even more: Researchers from Colorado State University found that women who ate a wide variety of produce for two weeks had less oxidation in their cells (a marker for premature aging and disease) than those who stuck to just a few types.
• It Will Help You Slim Down. Low in calories and packed with water and fiber, fruit fills you up without filling you out. In fact, research shows that people who eat it every day have lower BMIs than those who don't - even lower than veggie eaters.
• You Can Mix It With Everything. Blend chopped cherries with lean ground beef for a succulent burger, or grill skewers that alternate cantaloupe chunks with bell pepper and red onion. For a sweet finish, top frozen yogurt with sliced plums.

Bella Gets Real Giveaway....

I have to say, I love my Bella Gets Real read. I am an avid stalker reader of her blog. She covers everything from Fashion, How to's, etc.etc... If you haven't already been to her blog, shame on you, get over there now!!

You will especially want to go now because she is having her very first giveaway. One lucky winner is going to get this blouse!!.  So, go and check out her new blog look and enter her giveaway while you're at it. You won't be sorry!

Weekly Outfits 7/26/10 thru 8/1/10

Here are last week's outfits in review

7/26/10 Draped Chambray Dress by Leifsdottir

7/27/10 Striped Bateau-Neck Top and Linda Straight-Leg Denim by M. Missoni

7/28/10 Wendy Top and Ciggi Resort Pants by Kate Spade

7/29/10 Trench-Style Parka, Narrow Pants and Pullover Top by Akris

7/30/10 Icon-Print Jersey Shift Dress by Emilio Pucci

7/31/10 Sleeveless Shift Dress with Scoop Back by Gucci

8/1/10 Dog-Print Silk Dress by Thakoon

Shoe shopping!

I had a bit of shopping fun this morning and here is what I bought!! I can't wait to get them.

Click to buy

I needed a pair of comfortable flats that I could just slip on with a cute skirt or with jeans....really with whatever....and these were on sale for $90.00. YES!!  They're Ted Baker Rhian Flats in Black Patent.

Click to buy

I also needed a pair of brown sandals. I have a ton of black, but barely any brown. I like to wear them with my jeans and shorts, so I bought these beauties for $119.00. They're GUESS by Marciano Charelle Strappy Platforms.  They look so gorgeous, but I was a little scared about the gold. I hope they don't turn out looking gaudy.  I cannot wait to get them though. I guess I'll know in a few days.

Tell me what you think and if you have any fun outfit ideas for these!! Thanks!

So you think you can dance........

This post is in honor of our new holiday, National Dance Day.

My daughter performed at the Relay for Life this morning. She was in two performances, costume change and all. I think she has been on stage more times in her mere 5 years than I have been in my entire life. She loves it and is quite a ham on stage.  Here you go.....

We're on our way to the stage. She is pretty excited!!

 She is in awe of all of the people, there are so many.

Check out his cool ride!

Her first set.

It's pretty cold while they're waiting to go onstage.

Her second set.

Taking a few laps in support of the cause!

The Day Just Began.....Already Giveaway

Check out this beautiful necklace from 

http://www.rock925jewelry.com/

The Day Just Began....Already is giving away this awesome necklace. If you haven't been to her blog, now is the time to go.  You can catch up on her posts AND enter to win this necklace. Can't go wrong there!!

Acne Face Mask DIY

Women in the northeast African nation of Eritrea often apply a facial mask of avocado, egg yolks, and honey to beat blemishes. This mix works because eggs are rich in vitamin A, or retinol, which helps heal skin. Honey helps kill bacteria cells by dehydrating them, and avocado moisturizes skin.

Be mindful of which part of the egg you use. Use egg whites only on oily skin; they act as an astringent. Use the yolk - high in fats and other helpful compounds - if you have dry skin. Use only pasteurized eggs in this mixture to eliminate the risk of salmonella. To make, mash and mix one avocado, the egg part suited to your needs, and about one tablespoon honey. Then apply to your face and leave on for 5 - 10 minutes. Add this remedy to your weekly skin care routine, or when you feel an outbreak coming on.

Garlic-Ginger Shrimp‏

Here's the third recipe in "What to do with a bag of Frozen Shrimp?" Hope you are getting some use out of these EASY and delicious shrimp recipes.

2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp grated or minced peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound frozen medium shrimp, thawed, peeled, and deveined
1/4 cup rice wine or dry white wine
1/2 cup chopped scallions
2 cups hot cooked brown rice

Warm oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Add shrimp and wine to the pan, and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook 3 minutes more or until the shrimp turn pink on both sides and are opaque. Add scallions to pan and toss well to combine. Divide rice and shrimp mixture evenly among 4 serving bowls.

Green Gracie Home Giveaway

This beauty is going on an antique side table that Green Gracie Home is working on and giving to ONE OF YOU!  Yes, you heard it, she is shipping an antique side table to YOU!


If you haven't checked out her blog, you should! The transformations she does are amazing. Very talented person with a great blog. Go and enter to try and win the table. Based on her other stuff, I am sure it will be beautiful.

Weekly Outfits 7/19/10 thru 7/25/10

Here are last week's outfits in review

 7/19/10 Taffeta Quilted Dress by Zac Posen

7/20/10 Tie-Front Heaton Dress by Diane von Furstenberg

7/21/10 Floral-Print One-Shoulder Dress by Shoshanna

7/22/10 Lace Jumpsuit by 3.1 Phillip Lim

7/23/10 Dolman Sleeve with Fitted Skirt Dress by Alice + Olivia

7/24/10 Deep V-Neck Muscle T and Tribal Print Miniskirt by Robert Rodriquez

7/25/10 Leopard Print Tie-Waist Dress by Diane von Furstenberg