HOME...be inspired everyday

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..

 

Bridges of Madison {Cerritos} County...

One of my favorite movies is Bridges of Madison County with Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood,  She is my favorite actress (I loved her in Sohie's Choice for which she won an Oscar}. Mr. Incredible's favorite actor is Clint..hands down he can watch all of his movies over and over and over again, but he has never seen The Bridges of Madison County up until a couple of weeks ago.  It was on again last night and I can watch it over and over.  Love the scenery, the farmhouse and the old trucks they drive up and down the dirt roads. 

Well I don't live in Iowa but we have a little park near our home and it reminds me of the movie.  The girls call it Pirate Park, I call it Paul Revere Park but its actual name is Heritage Park in Cerritos, Calif.  We LOVE going to this park. I love to take a good book and read under the trees, my Li'l one loves to take my camera and take lots and lots of pictures, {me too} and my eldest likes to jump on the rocks or kick the soccer ball around with a friend. 

This is why they call it Pirate Park...it has a stone boat out in the pond to play on...which looks like a mini pirate ship.

I call it Paul Revere Park because throughout the park their are places engraved in metal plaques with the poem of "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere"...

there is play equipment, slides and jungle gyms enclosed in the cutest little buildings....that are replicas of a village in Massachusetts.

Can you see it through the doorway?

 

Love all the brick and all the White clapboard on the little buildings....

And here they are with their besties :)....

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.

 

 

the English Tudor part II....

Yesterday got away from me like it does sometimes.   I get caught up on my housework and checking up on everyone's blog.  I don't always comment but man are there some inspiring blogs out there, that I ran to HOME DEPOT and got two cans of spray paint to start on the "out to the trash" vanity for my daughters room, some 99 cent fall Mums found their way into my cart....and I DRAGGED all my fall boxes down from the rafters  to start decorating for the season.  It is after all the FAll Equinox...or the beginning of Autumn today!!.  There is a crispness in the morning air and the last several days it has been a bit gloomy, I've been lighting my candles and enjoying their smell with my morning coffee.  But you been waiting to see go upstairs to see that beautiful home..haven't you?

So without further ado, lets head upstairs to the Guerra's Tudor home...

This is the upstairs landing..an office space. 

 
Just to the right of the office space you go through some double doors and into the Master suite...

 Wow...does she have some jewelry...

Hand painted furniture with another pretty chandelier...

 

I have always wanted a slipper chair...can you see it in the corner.  I nice place to sit and relax or put on shoes.  

A cute little window seat tucked into the eaves, over looking the backyard. 

  
Marble topped vanity..for the lady of the house....

Now the reason we were at this house....

 
was because my neighbor had a double birthday party for her children..the cutie poototie you saw in the last post and her son..which you can see here..

 Her son...in the navy blue left hand corner....she is going to have her hands full when he hits middle school....he is very handsome and quite the character....he did a full Karate Kid move on the pinata.  My neighbor is the one holding up the black t-shirt.  She is also quite talented..check these guys out...

MacKenzie thought they were the cutest li'l Alien cupcakes....if you have NOT seen Toy Story 3... 
  you Must..it was one of my favorite movies all summer {not that I went to a lot all summer so I have nothing to compare it to} But seriously it was the BEST for old or young alike.

Is this not the cutest Toy Story cake EVA!!!   Her cousin made it..this is one talented family....No? 

Come back soon ya'all...i have an announcement.......

Who's cookin' now?

About a week and a half ago I went to see the Movie julie and julia at the late night show....  what a cute movie

 and what a cute lady that lady julie child was, she was so eclectic, funny and frisky. 

I am sorry to say that I never have watched one of her cooking shows when it was on the air .  She was the prelude to the Martha Stewart and  to all the cooking shows we have on T.V. today.

 

i can't even say i have read one of her cookbooks but the movie has steered me in the right direction because look out kitchen here i come.....speaking of kitchens check out  Julia's Kitchen at the Smithsonian you even get to hear her voice....that's cool.

so the next day with cooking on my brain i went to this place  and strait to the cookbook section, well I did stop at the decorating book section.  But my Barnes and Nobles were sold out of her books, they didn't have her famous book the art of french cooking {i think i'll have to go see if the library has it} but I picked up this baby....and I'm so glad that had it because I went earlier in the week to Borders  and they did not have it.

 

is that cover not scrumptious!!  Ya!!  i love the book jacket and the cute apron stencil that comes inside it AND if that isn't good enough mine came with a FREE year's subscription to Country Living Magazine!!! yahoo!! if you would like one too you can also order it here,  i better get going....i mean cookin' i have lots recipes to choose from...........or maybe one of the cute projects inside....

Bon Appetit!!

Do you Carrie for a Cosmo?

How many of you went to the show this weekend?  Are you a Sex in the City fan?  Well my girlfriends and I are.  I have not seen every episode because I ordered HBO to late...I have seen some seasons but not all ...I am trying to play catch up on the seasons I missed and telling from the Quiz I just took..and the a score of 48 %...I had to many Cosmos...watching the episodes....click the link below and see how you do.  Good Luck.

http://www.hbo.com/city/games/index.shtml

I'm off to watch Season 4......I stayed up until Midnight watching Season 3 last night.....

This Weekend we got a date night and I choose to see this..

<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FeqqHjyWWtI&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FeqqHjyWWtI&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>

I really liked this Movie...but what struck me about the Main Character Juno , she reminded me so much of my good friend.   She has that witty sense of humor and really loves music like the character in the movie. She can be quirky and sentimental, which is what I love so much about her. I love witty people, I wish wittiness came natural to me...and I admire people who are like that.  If you have a chance to see the movie I highly recommend it, even my husband liked it even though he was one of three men in the theatre.