HOME...be inspired everyday

the grammys

 

I LOVE this song from Gotye and I LOVE this version that is on youtube,  I'm glad that Gotye won Record of the Year at the Grammys last night. GLEE did this song to with Blaine and his brother several months ago {yes we are GLEEKS}. Did you watch the grammys last night?  That dress Carrie Underwood wore for her performance was magical, how creative to use it as a projector screen. WOW,  amazing!  Which artist or performer was your favorite?  What do you think of the new dress code?  I think we wear bathing suits on the beach or pool, so what is the big deal about showing all the boobs and booties and skin. Alicia Keys looked great and what a gorgeous voice she has!  Nice to see Prince there...he was one of my favorites in the 8o's, especially Rasberry Beret. 

For our Chinese New Year,  we ended up having TJ's Orange Chicken, sticky-white rice and veggie egg rolls. The girls begged me to make that instead of what I planned and I wasn't really in the mood to cook so it was a no brainer. I hurt my back about a week ago and it feels all achy when I stand for long periods but today feels the best it has felt in a long time.  Now..thinking what will be on the Menu for Valentines Day on Thursday.

Back to school, My Fifty Shades and Bean Sprouts..oh so Random

Well, our weekly beach day trips are over.....school starts tomorrow.   It is bittersweet.  Will miss the beach but will enjoy the quiet of my home during the day. 

The girls have shopped for new school clothes...for their upcoming school year. I can't believe I have a freshman! I did the shopping thing different this year than I did in years past.  I think my girls are a bit spoiled...maybe you mothers can relate but they seem to think "money grows on trees"so I gave each of them a set amount of money to spend {$200.00 in cash} for their back to school clothes which did not include school supplies; markers, binders, pencil stuff.  At first my li'l one was like Wow, LOOK at all this money, she thought she won big in Vegas!!   Well, she soon learned that $$$ does not go as far as you think, especially if you want to buy a pair of jeans at Hollister versus two pairs at H & M.  They begged me for Toms last year.....I really talked them out of them and they got the "Fake" Toms. This year if they so choose to buy Toms then they could..it was their choice. At the end of their shopping spree they didn't budget enough for a new backpack, my eldest was cool with using last years.  My Li'l one, well  is not too happy that she will be reusing last years, but it is still in great condition. It was a great learning experience for both of them and I'll do it again next year.  I want to teach them that yes.."Money does NOT grow on Trees" as my Daddy used to say while I was their age. 

Well, speaking of back to school shopping...I WANT these BOOTS {I DO have a slight shoe fettish, do you remember the Filipino Imelda Marcos?}...but since money doesn't grow on trees....it will be a loooooooong time if ever If I  can afford to buy them.  They are by UGG,  I was never fond of the traditional looking UGGS { you can see them in the left side of the above picture}, I thought they were UGLY to be honest.  Comfy and warm but not so attractive but these babies....mmmmmm, I think are mighty pretty.  Love the soft brown leather with the white fur inside, kind of cloggy- looking,  perfect size heel...I'll be saving my allowance for these babies...I can see them with a great pair of jeans and a warm sweater for the upcoming Fall season.

After shopping we always hit CalifornaPizzaKitchen and I always order My favorite Pizza, The Thai Chicken Pizza from CPK.....loaded with bean sprouts...but this time as I ate my sprouts I ate it without incidence...a few months ago I was eating an Asian salad at The Cheesecake Factory and a bean sprout got caught horizontal in my throat and I had the whole restaurant in a PANIC!  My waitress almost delivered her BABY early seeing me with my hands around my throat!!  In the end I went to the restroom and coughed it out...and no one had to do the Hemlick-maneuver on me....

Here they are teasing me.....Smart Aleck!

It took me all summer to finish reading my Fifty Shades....mmmmmm mmmm mmmm....Not because I didn't enjoy the book I SOOOOO did but finding the time to read them with teenagers in the house thinking my Mini Van is painted a sunny shade of YELLOW.  I LOVED THE BOOKS...LOVED THE STORY AND CAN'T WAIT when I can watch Christian Grey on the big screen.....I've been slightly obsessed seeing all the Fifty Shades' Pin boards on Pinterest and watching YOUTube-fan-based-movie-trailers..I found one that was really good and relatively tame, the one my friend sent me via my iphone is much more racier...what do you think, have you read the books, who can you picture playing Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele?

 

Without a doubt after seeing this trailor, Matt Bomer IS Christian Grey..

 

Going for the GOLD!!

In honor of the United States Womens Soccer team I painted my nails Essie's Good As Gold Nail Polish!   It is one of her new colors from her Metallic Line.  Let's hope we are able to redeem ourselves after the World Cup loss to Japan.

http://youtu.be/cSuDprOvUXE 

On the Cottage on Cullen Street we are counting down the minutes to kick-off as we watch and exciting game where we hope our team will be wearing the Gold!  Not Essie's gold but a Gold Medal around their necks!!

                                                   LET'S GO TEAM U.S.A!!!!!

 

I NEED a 12 Step Program...I'm a junky...

I know I've been absent lately....I've been an Olympic couch potato.   All day I either watch the Beach Volleyball, go Misty May- Traenor and Kerri Walsh -Jennings, what a fabulous, in sync team they are....so fun to watch.

or women's or men's volleyball....I think Matt Anderson is such a cutie..

yep, that is an all -american -good-looking- boy right there...yum!

and swimming and diving {Mr. Incredible's favorite to watch during the Olympics} or MY personal favorite GYMNASTICS!! 

Gabrielle Douglas....she just flies over those bars, I was bummed she missed her element in her routine last night...cost her a medal.  I was a gymnast when I was younger so it has a very special place in my heart during the olympics..my favorite is the balance beam..I used to do cartwheels when I was 8 or so on my brick wall..and when I missed my legs got so scratched up but I got back up and did it again until I advanced to doing aerials on that brick wall...if my Mom only knew, I wonder if she ever did.  But I guess Soccer stole my heart in the end.. when I went to High School...

Yesterdays game against Canada was such a nail biter....loved every minute of it...Alex Morgan  was so awesome...I'm in awe of her tenacity for never giving up to clinch the win with only a few minutes to go in the 123rd minute in overtime, 4-3 USA!  Now they go on to redeem themselves against Japan who they lost to in the World Cup!!  They can do it!  Oh yes they can, they are hungry! 

My new soccer hero..the future of Women's USA Soccer.....Alex Morgan.

A few things you may or may not know....about Li'l ol me...

Over at My Sweet Savannah she was interviewed by another blogger and answered a few questions about herself. so I thought I would do that on this post about me.  I haven't done this in awhile, so here goes.  If you have any questions about me...go ahead and ask them in the comment section and I'll be glad to answer in a future post of Q and A's. Not that I'm all that exciting but you may be curious I see I get a lot of visitors from all over and this is your chance to delurk..I promise I don't bite.  :)

                                         1-what is my favorite season?

Summer, I must say I love all the seasons but I love sleeping in and going to the beach all day and not being on a schedule

{from Pinterest}

  

 

2-what is my favorite food?

Ice cream, without a doubt

Name 3 things on my bucket list.

Go scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, drive up the Pacific Coast and stay in quaint Bed and Breakfast places with my husband, travel Europe.

4-my favorite quality about myself.

  

that I'm not shy

5-least favorite quality about myself.

That I don't always think before I talk

6-favorite thing to do on a lazy day.

Staying in my pajamas, putter in my cottage and watch movies with the family and play board games

7-my favorite brainless tv show.

Modern Family

8-favorite quality in a friend.

Being there when needed

9-What are three things I love about my spouse?

Hardworker, his love of his family, loving me still when I was hairless

10-What is the hardest part of parenting for me?

When others are mean to my girls and knowing that you have to let them fight their own battles 

 

 

 

Sloppy Joe Pasta and Pioneer Woman

Have you ever heard of Pioneer Woman?  I'm sure you have that fun-loving, city- born-transplanted- to- a-ranch lady, Ree Drummond well she has a new Food Cookin' show on the Food Network this Saturday.  10 am in my side of the world.  I love her blog and have been following it for several years now, it is over on the left side under Good Eats.  Speaking of good eats I have a winner of a recipe for ya...called Sloppy Joe Pasta.  My WHOLE family give this a 2 thumbs up!  

In Pioneer Woman style her is the "cast of characters".

1 pound ground beef

1 envelope of sloppy joe mix or Manwhich

1 cup water

1 can {8oz.} tomato sauce

1 can {6oz.} tomatoe paste

1 package of shell pasta {7 oz} cooked by package directions

1 cup {8 oz.} cottage cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

In large saucepan, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink, drain..  Stir in sloppy joe mix, water, sauce and paste. Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 5-8 minutes or until heated through.  Remove from heat, stir in pasta.

Spoon half into a greased baking dish, top with cottage cheese and the rest of pasta mixture.  

Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bake uncovered @350 degrees for about 3o minutes and that cheese is all gooey!  

Does that not look good!?    I yes it does!  Serve with your favorite green salad.  My friend T makes the best salad dressing and she sent me home after visiting her new Grandchild last week.  More to come on that....in future posts.  Now go start dinner!   

What I read in 2011 and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and cookies!

I'm not a big reader..I do however LOVE to read a good book.  I encourage my girls to read, one loves to read and the other it is like pulling teeth.  I remember being like that when was her age.  My parents weren't big readers so maybe that has something to do with it. But as an adult I love to make the time to read.  I read a whole lot of magazines, do they count? I think not.  Anywho....The NESTER is having a Book List Linky Party and I'm always into finding out what other people like to read or  what they recommend.  I have a couple of girlfriends that are always reading and one passes me on her books.  So without further ado here is the books I read in 2011.

This is what currently is on my nightstand....some to be read and others I've read.

1.  Still Alice by Lisa Genova

    I really enjoyed this book.  My Mother has Alzheimer's so it was     interesting to have the patients point of view represented in this book.

2. Lips Unsealed by Belinda Carlisle

    As a GoGo fan, yes I'm an 80's girl, I can remember my Punk Rock     boyfriend taking  me to see them at The Whiskey, a Gogo {Hollywood} in     1981. I enjoyed book I found it interesting that she had a 30 year drug     problem and her husband never knew for the longest time.

3. The Secret Lives of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

    This was a great read!  Now my youngest is reading it, she is really loving it.      After reading it I had to rent the movie.  I loved both!

4.  The Help by Kathryn Stockett

    My friend Pam recommended this book and I loved it.  What a great     interesting, enjoyable book to read.  I love books about the south, I have     family in Alabama, maybe that is why.  My in laws live near the Gulf and my     Dad was from Arkansas.  I hope to see the movie now that I have read the     book.

5.  Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

    I liked the book, it was not a favorite but it was good.  I also saw the movie     and I thought it was pretty good.  A good read.

6. Waterside Cottages by Barbara Jacksier and photos by Dan Mayers

    The one and only decorating book I read this year.  I've been busy     decorating for the new house and since this is a beachy look book it fit in     with the Cottage on Cullen St. style decor.  I loved the photos, Dan did an         amazing job and I follow Barbara's blog too, check the sidebar.  

Currently I'm reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, my friend Renee raved about this whole series and I hear from several people the movie is really, really good.  So my goal this Winter break is to finish the book.  

I know I've been a postin' foo...but I was working like crazy in December and the computer went down for good so we had to get a new one, {we got a laptop} and I'm playing around with the posts because it wasn't letting my pictures upload but I think I have it figured out now. Sorry for the

B    I     G        S    P    A   C      E     S    between words, it doesn't show up like that in my box when I'm composing the post...

So what do you my readers recommend to read in 2012?  I'd love for you to leave your picks in the comments area! Please with cheeries on top...

These cookies are by Bake at 350 , check out her website...I love the cottage cookies, she is quite the cookie artist.

 

 

Polo Fields and a Desperate Housewife

A few weeks ago my daughter had a Showcase soccer tournament at the San Juan Capistrano Polo Fields.  Last year's tournament it was raining cats and dogs for the whole week and the tournament went on...the parking lot was a mud- wrestling- dream- arena.  It was complete swampy wet craziness....but that weekend it was a beautiful fall day to play soccer. As proof is in the pictures.

This is Kenzie's team, they are a brand new Club team and are improving with every game.  The season ends in a couple of weeks but with all Club Soccer it never really ends, it's year round{so yes you can read into it, Mama never get a break}.   So while we were between games at the Polo Fields I took Snickers Barbra to check out the Ponies...

 
They were having a Horse Show and I wanted to see what Snickers would do..well of course she was quite skeptical of these "Giant Looking Dogs".

This horse was tossing her a stuffed Duck.....she just kept barking at her or him. Snickers would not go near it, backing away but the owner said, their horse was friendly to dogs, Snickers didn't want have anything to do with that!   The grounds were decorated so nice for fall with all the colorful Mums.  I couldn't help taking pictures of the decor.   
This area was set up for the CotoDe Caza Stables...and we all know ...who are from Coto, a gated commumnity for the wealthy in Orange County.

Yes...the Desperate Housewives of Orange County are from Coto de Caza...this is the original cast when the show first aired on Bravo...I do watch them here and there on Bravo when I have some down time..but I do miss the original cast. 
So while I was snapping pictures of the decorated Autumn displays and grounds.

{I thought this horse was soooo beautiful, I always wanted a white horse}

I recognized a voice I'd heard before.....coming from the Coto de Cazo area...

Yes..Lauri Waring from the Original Cast of the Orange County Desperate Housewives was..walking with her husband George.  They met and wed while she was on the show, she was my favorite.  I liked her pesonality, I wasn't a fan of her fake looking face {too much plastic surgery for me}.But I thought she had a good heart.  I felt bad for her that her son was so involved in drugs and from what I read he still is.  She left the show to focus on her family and marriage to George which I think is good thing.  Almost all of the wives are divorced or in the process of divorce. I wish her luck in her marriage.  Marriage is hard enough without have a microscope peering down on it like Reality TV.   We have a few more Showcase tournaments in the next couple of weeks, so who knows If I'll meet the rest of the cast but I hightly doubt it, I think only Lauri and Jo were the only ones into horses.  From what I read George has a horse ranch in San Juan Capistrano.

I'm baaaack..

 I LOVE technology and I HATE technology...computer had a corrupted Windows program and got really, really slow....finally had to call in the Computer Doctor for surgery.  I think she is all better now and I have lots to post about. 

Yea!  My girl Meg won on Design Star....I thought for sure they would run with the "whole crimes against decorating" theme, I thought that was a cute idea. 

I'm also excited for the Fall Season of T.V. to start running their shows this week!   My favorite is Modern Family and I was so excited to see that they won 5 Emmy's.  My BFF "T" is such a Claire Dumphey....from Modern Family.

 
I swear they wrote that one episode where she turns into "Fun Mom"....on my BFF's  life. Here is my best friend.....

 
Don't they look a lot alike?  This vintage Corvette was out in front of a hotel where we were having cocktails at and so I snapped a picture of her posing in front of the convertible.  "T" holds her whole family together, she works full time as a Science Teacher plus is raising 3 teenagers{along with her dedicated husband}.  But that one episode when Claire turns into "Fun Mom" had me going that is so "T".  She plays the bad cop in the discipline of her children and one time she said, "I'm tired of being the bad cop and told her husband you be bad cop, I want to be "fun MOM".. So the next morning the kids all had Ice Cream for breakfast.  Then they spent the whole day at Disneyland. The whole day kind of went like that, but the funny thing was she would say "I'm being FUN MOM"..with a bit of resentment in her voice and all the while gritting her teeth.  It was such a funny story....so here is to you My Claire Dumphey....you keep me laughing with your  Family Life stories....{I've been trying to convince her to watch the show } I'm glad Modern Family is sticking around this season, it always good for few laughs and the end of my Wednesday Night .  

The girls and I also like to watch GLEE, The Middle and Dancing with the Stars. What shows are you excited to watch and are their any new ones that you think might be good to tune into, I'd like to hear your suggestions. Cheers to our new Fall Shows this Season....I'm tuning in!

 

 

HGTV....and Design Star

I'm a HGTV junkie...and I'm raising future junkies.  When my girls are at school and Mr. Incredible is at work...I turn to HGTV and watch all kinds of "home" shows. Proof I'm a junkie..I watch; Divine Design, Design to Sell, Curb Appeal and Curb Appeal, the Block, Property Virgins, My First Place, among others.  Mr. Incredible loves House Hunters International and I like the original House Hunters.  Now they have House Hunters on Vacation.  Not only that I have our girls tuning into HGTV too. Oh my gosh I'm raising some junkies!...I guess there could be worse things to be addicted too? Lately one series I did not jump on right away was DESIGN STAR..I heard from Layla at The Lettered Cottage for years how she has tried out for Design Star and I would LOVE if she made the show and she has been on board from Day 1.  This season my girls and I have watched from the beginning and now it is down to the last two designers..............

 
Karl

Age: 42    Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
As a kid, Karl says his love of design was "there from the beginning." By age 10, he frequently rearranged his parents' furniture while they weren't home and was mesmerized by building blocks and floor plans. Karl, who studied architecture at the University of Illinois in Chicago, has more than 10 years of practical design experience and says that he can excite people with his passion for design. He characterizes his personal design preferences as "ultra-modern minimalist," but often completes traditional designs for his high-end clientele. As the youngest of six, Karl says he is extroverted, loud and loves to live in the moment.

 
   Meg        Age: 33 Hometown: Chicago, Ill.

Meg says she began her career in design the moment she decided not to attend law school. After she earned a degree in criminology, she soon enrolled at The Art Institute of Chicago where she earned a B.F.A. in interior architecture. The interpersonal skills she learned during her criminology studies help her develop profiles of her clients and uncover their true design preferences. As the owner of a design firm and a home decor store in Chicago, Meg characterizes herself as a determined, direct and high-energy competitor. She describes her design style as a preppy mix of modern and traditional, but she also counts the vibrant pastel colors of "Palm Beach chic" among her favorite looks.

Who else is watching?  And who do you pick to win this season on Design Star.  I really liked Kelly and was sad to see her go but I think my vote is for Meg...I like her style and her energy!  So I vote for Meg...