{Hey Buddy, what do you think about Mondays?}

{Downtown Chic}

Anybody else been loving Bravo's new show 9 by Design?

The Novogratz family is uber cool. I seriously can't get enough of them. This week's episode was all about the launch of their new book Downtown Chic.

Now I'm dying to get my hands on a copy, but Amazon is out of stock. Go figure.

{O.M.G. - Chairs}

Just saw this gorgeous chair makeover from Emily A. Clark. These chairs are AMAZING!

{Image via Emily A. Clark}

It's making me want to go scour every flea market this side of the Mississippi for cane back chairs!

Click here to see their complete transformation!

{Going to the Dogs}

My spoiled rotten fur children only love me when I bring them goodies. So when I spotted these in the Dollar Tree, I knew I'd earn some lovin'.

Are these not the cutest dog treats you've ever seen?




Apparently I've been under a rock because they've been around since at least the 70s.

{I spy...}

{Image via 320 Sycamore}

I saw this laundry room on The Lettered Cottage a while back, and there was one little detail that caught my eye.

Can you guess what it is?

Aww...c'mon. I know you can do it!...............................



It's the candy jar that's used for washing powder. Don't you love it?!

It sure beats looking at a big ugly box. It's just a little added way to make your house a home.



Update: On a quick trip to Goodwill last week, I found one just like it for $2. Score!!

{1sts}

You know when somebody gets a new camera and the first thing they take pictures of are flowers? Yeah well, I'm included in that cliche bunch.

So in my attempt to bore you to tears, I present my first few pics taken with my new baby.

{I Wanna Go Back Already}

After reading about this place on one of my fave blogs, I convinced the Hubby to stop on our way to Destin last month to do a little shopping.

Moore-Warren is a restaurant supply store in Dothan that sells to the public. Let me tell you...I could have spent hours in that place. They had every size plate, cup, cookie sheet, spatula, knife, pot and pan your heart could ever desire.

I went in thinking I'd only buy a few items, but I came out with a sack full!

My loot included 4 small juice cups, 1 LARGE cup (Jamey said I'd be the only one needing a cup that size), 4 divided melamine plates, an offset spatula, ladle, pizza pan, and the most amazing sheet pan I've ever owned!



I broke my sheet pan in our first night back. We had semi-homemade pizzas. I'll try to leave my pizza-making skills for another post. But I promise it's delish!
(See the Mickey Mouse trivet that my sweet sister-in-law brought back from Disney World?)



You can see a snippet of the round pizza pan in this one. It's the perfect size!

{I'm a Bottomless Pit Today}

I saw this recipe for Orange Ricotta Dumplings featured today on Design*Sponge. It sounds absolutely delicious!!



Have I mentioned that the Hubby and I are on a "water only" diet. So we're attempting to give up soda & tea for our go-to drink choice, both at home and dining out.
So far, so good. But I should probably mention that we've only been doing it for two days, but let me tell you....that's a huge milestone for the Hubby. He doesn't "give up" anything. He's a self-proclaimed caffeine addict and swears he can't go without it.
We'll see....

Tonight we're having dinner with friends at Sakura, a Japanese and sushi restaurant in Valley. Oh how I love their super crunchy roll. It makes my mouth water just thinking about it. I plan on taking my camera along to snap photos. Hopefully my friends won't think I'm a total freak for taking pictures of my food.

{5.5}

If you wanna know what an uber dork I am, (besides the fact that I just used the word uber)....

All day long I've been singing 'Cindo de Mayo' to the tune of Copacabana. As in..."Cinco...Cindo-de Mayo" substituted into the chorus for the "Copa..Copacabana" part.

I think this can only be cured with margaritas and cheese dip.

I have an appointment with both in about an hour.

So I hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday, and I hope you are planning on eating lots of tacos tonight!

{Goodbye Dry}

If you're like me, and your face is dryer than Death Valley...you will LOVE this!

I found it at Ulta; although I'm pretty sure Target carries it now, too.

"a water based night cream that combines the anti-oxidant power of pomegranate peel extract, ginkgo biloba, organic carrot and orange juices with 26 purifying Dead Sea Minerals. Rich in Vitamins C and A, Pomegranate Peel protects the skin from free-radicals, while Ginkgo Biloba Extract detoxifies and improves circulation. This lightly scented, paraben-free cream softens, smoothes and firms your skin, leaving you with a radiant glow. This cream should be applied nightly and is ideal for dry to sensitive skin."

For someone who has commitment issues with moisturizers, this one keeps me coming back for more. I can't even begin to describe how it makes my skin feel. I honestly think it helps me sleep better at night. It's amazing stuff and you must try it!

{From My Playlist}

Just a quick post for today---lots to do!

{image via Rhapsody}

The soothing sounds of Band of Horses has been my cure for the Monday blues.
I'm currently listening to No One's Gonna Love You.

Hope you had a great weekend, and welcome to a brand new week!
Happy Monday :)

{Guthrie's Original Sauce}

If you've ever been to Guthrie's and had the 'Guthrie's Original' sauce, you'll appreciate this recipe.

1/2 c mayonnaise
1/4 c ketchup
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp paprika
Generous amount of black pepper (3-4 heaping tbsp)

The hubby & I had some Sunday night with our grilled chicken fingers. Mmmmm...it's heavenly!

{From My Playlist}

Every once in a while, I get hooked on a song. Sometimes new ones and sometimes old. I toyed with the idea of doing sporadic "Music Monday" posts. (Yes, just because it's alliteration.)

Then I remembered I couldn't commit to something that regular, because sometimes I'm a bad blogger.

I guess every now and then I'll just throw in random songs that I become enamored with. I love finding new music, or finding an oldie but goody. Please feel free to let me know of any new/old/good/bad music I should give a listen to!

So, without further ado, I'd like to introduce my first "From My Playlist" post.

This is a song from the Soundtrack of Into the Wild, a 2007 film (based on a book of the same name). If you haven't seen this movie, put in your queue!

I hadn't heard this song in a while, then I started hearing it during every commercial break on Discovery channel. (It plays on the new Deadliest Catch preview.)
I love Eddie Vedder. MMMMmmm...that voice! I like his softer sound. It's a nice change from his Pearl Jam pace.

{My New Baby}

For a long while now, I've been whining pining for a certain Digital SLR camera. I'm a complete novice when it comes to taking photos, but I told Jamey I would be more than willing to learn if I had a good camera to learn with.
{Sidenote: Yes, I know we've all been told not to end sentences with prepositions, but I do it often. That's probably not gonna change, so all of you grammar snobs are forewarned!}

Anyway...
The hubby took me to Best Buy yesterday to get one! Ahhhh! I couldn't contain my excitement. I like it when he's in the mood to shop :)



She's a little beauty. I feel like she's worthy enough of having her own name...I even have a feeling we may become joined at the hip.....errr at least the neck.



I have a lot to learn about her (and her lens). Per Aunt Teresa's recommendation, I'm considering this book for dummies. On second thought, was that an insult?

If anybody's got any good pointers for me...please share!

Hopefully, she'll make make my blog a lot more entertaining!!

{My Pretty Patterned Paper Purchase}

I found this huge pack of paper on clearance at Tuesday morning.



If you've ever shopped for paper at any of the major craft stores, you know that buying in bulk can add up fast. Luckily this whole pack was on clearance. It rang up only $3.99. Score!



I love all the different patterns and bright fun colors. I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do with it yet, but I have a few ideas in mind.

{Pretty in Purple}

Have you seen the new Le Creuset color, Cassis? I just love pretty cookware!

{Sun & Sand}

Pardon the hiatus! The hubby and I went on a (well-deserved) vacation to Okaloosa Island.

We haven't been on a vacation, just the two of us, since our honeymoon. We were so excited to get away and relax!

On the drive down, we decided to take the long way there by driving down to Panama City Beach to hop on Scenic 30-A. I wanted to visit Rosemary Beach, Grayton Beach & everything in between.

Rosemary Beach was our first stop. It is breathtakingly beautiful. You feel like you have been transplanted into the middle of a small coastal European town. The architecture, detail and charm will steal you away from reality.













I didn't want to leave, but we had a condo waiting on us and more miles to cover.

Next we stopped in Seaside. It's absolutely adorable here. It'll make you want to kick your shoes off and stay awhile.






We ate the best fried dill pickles, shopped a little and took pictures of all the cute little cottages.

Our next stop was our condo. Unfortunately, this is where my picture-taking makes an abrupt hault. I managed only one last photo before I turned into a total beach bum.



If you ever get a chance to drive 30A, do it! There are amazing restaurants and shops along the way. It's a nice change of scenery. Hope you had a great weekend..and week so far!

{Arlan Feiles}

You know how every once in a while you find a song you just can't get out of your head? Well, this is one of those songs for me. Enjoy!

{Meet Bird}

I'd like to introduce you to my oldest child. His name is Buddy, but around here he's referred to as Bird.

Back Story: He earned this nickname because he uses his snout to maneuver pillows and blankets into a 'nest' for him to sit in and nap. But not just sitting. His legs are completely tucked under...like a hen. He's a little odd. We just assume he was a chicken in a former life.

In true mom fashion, sometimes I like to embarrass him by making him wear cutesy little pajamas. (Yes, it's a onesie)

But sometimes, as every mother learns to do, I open the back door and set Bird free. I let him explore the world alone. He takes on a whole new persona. He becomes Bird the Adventurer. His tail stands up. His chest broadens. His ears perk. The only thing missing is an Australian-accented narrator.

He braves the treacherous terrain of the backyard, weary of the exotic wildlife he occasionally encounters. He explores, digs and samples the vegetation.

After a long two hour excursion, he decides to head home. Of course, he always shows up with red feet. I guess he thinks it's Mom's job to get the stains out.