Checking In

I hope y'all all had a wonderful Christmas and are enjoying your time between Christmas and the New Year. I am back at work, but I had a lot of great time off with my husband and kids. Aside from HB, I have hardly seen the other Three Rights and a Left Girls over the holiday, so I am looking forward to catching up with them sometime soon.

Our Christmas was great! One highlight -- my girls got guitars from Santa. Neither one knows how to play, but that doesn't stop them from strumming them constantly while singing whatever Taylor Swift song comes to mind at the moment. It is really cute but really loud and not necessarily pleasant-sounding.

I am hoping that they will soon learn to actually play something that sounds nice. And then maybe they will turn into little Taylor Swifts and become rich and famous and take good care of me.

Or something like that.

And The Farmer isn't any better. He seems to think that he is some great guitar hero, but he also knows not a lick of guitar. He just holds it and strums really fast like he is Charlie Daniels on the fiddle.

It isn't quite as cute as when the girls do it.

I hope y'all are having a much quieter time than I am! How were your Christmases?

Trixie

Etsy is my new obsession!

Well hello friends!

I hope the start to your Christmas week has been going well. Mine has been lovely. We drove home to New Orleans and arrived on Saturday, and we have been enjoying spending time in the city with my family and our friends. Not being at work has given me some time to think about my Etsy post! I have to admit, that I am an Etsy newbie, so please forgive me for not having more Etsy knowledge than the other girls.

I too absolutely LOVE LiliBugBoutique. This shop has the cutest bows I have ever seen. What will I do if we don't have a little girl!?!?!?! I could look through the selection of bows at this shop for hours! They are just too cute for words. So here's a picture of one of my favorites!

I found this cute little seller, Ninu, who makes handbags and other apparel. I really love the Piccola Ninfea Pouch in Toasted Brown. I think this bag would add such a cute little something special to any outfit, and the craftsmanship is amazing!!

One of my favorite shops has to be Single Stone Studios. They sell vinyl wall graphics in absolutely AMAZING patterns and colors. I love the sleek, contemporary styling of their work. We will likely be renting a condo when we move home, and I am almost certain that the landlord will not want us painting the walls there. They are currently fourteen feet of white space, and I think these graphics would be the perfect way to add life, color, and character into the space. This one featured with the cherry blossoms and birds is my favorite!

Finally, the shop I am most excited about introducing to you is Lauren Alsop Custom Papers. Lauren is a good friend of my sister's who graciously donated her time and amazing talent to creating a logo for a new business venture my sister is taking on (more about that soon. I can't wait to tell you about it!!!). Lauren has recently opened her shop which features beautifully designed custom papers. From wedding invitations, save the dates, baby announcements, and personal stationery, she can create absolutely anything. Having spent one evening with Lauren working on Sissy's logo, I was so incredibly impressed with the knowledge, creativity, and care she puts into her work. While I loved everything in her shop, I thought these thank you notes were especially fabulous!! And what I really can't wait to do is show you the stationery, logos, business cards, and menus she has created for Sissy. You have never seen anything quite so cute, I promise!!!

I still do find Etsy a little overwhelming! We'd love to hear about your favorite must stop shops!! Please share...

LOLA

MIA

some Christmas cuties (don't know why Sassy

had to pull out the crazy eyes...)

Hello! It's Trixie...

I am sorry to say that I don't have an Etsy post in store for you yet. I am just getting into all of the wonderfulness that is Etsy, so I will have a post for you later...

I just wanted to drop in for a minute to wish y'all a very Merry Christmas. I hope you are all getting to sit back and enjoy this wonderful season a little more than I am. I am running around like a crazy person trying to get all sorts of last minute things done, going from one child's performance/celebration to another, and redecorating my tree every 10 minutes because Bubba likes to undecorate the tree. And there has been plenty of eating and celebrating in between.

I have enough done, though, that I get to spend most of tomorrow baking, watching movies, and snuggling with my chillens. And that will be the best day, if you ask me!

I am going to go ahead and guess that we will pretty much be MIA around here for the next several days -- as I am sure y'all will be, too. So, if I don't check back in before, have a wonderful Christmas!

I heart Etsy!

I'm so glad that Angela requested a post about Etsy, because Etsy is one of my specialties---shopping specialties, that is! I love Etsy so much, and can honestly say that almost everything I buy online is from either Etsy or Ebay. I was showing a friend my baby's nursery today and didn't realize how much had come from Etsy or Ebay until I started looking around---the bedding, three pictures, the fabric for the pillows, the changing pad cover, the wall letters, and even the sound machine all came from Etsy or Ebay. I love finding a good bargain, and love when I can buy handmade even more.

Here are some of my favorite Etsy sellers---all are kid/baby related, but since I'm a full time mama that's pretty much what my world revolves around!

1. The Polka Dot Tot Spot has the cutest stuff, but the cloth play blocks and jingle balls are my favorites. They make great baby gifts and the prices can't be beat! I like the fact that you can throw these into the washing machine and you know they aren't going to have any crazy chemicals/lead/toxic paint that so many of us worry about being in our children's toys.
2. The Sassy Stork makes the best car seat covers. When I ordered mine, she was making custom covers for only $50---I just had to send her two yards of coordinating fabric and she created the most adorable car seat cover for my little one (not the one pictured below, but it's just as cute). I don't see that she's doing custom orders right now, but you it couldn't hurt to ask if you're interested!
3. Bits for Baby is one of my all-time favorite Etsy sellers. I've bought pretty much every onesie that she has made for baby boys, and at only $8 each, they're a steal! She's on hiatus until after the holidays but this is one shop you must bookmark and check back after the new year. You won't be disappointed!
4. I had Little Cupcakes make the green outfit on the left for my 2 year old and it's one of my favorite outfits she has ever worn. Little Cupcakes also has a website that has a more extensive list of products. LOVE this!
5. My daughter was born with more hair than a lot of toddlers have, so she's been wearing hair bows since she was just a couple of weeks old. Through the years I've bought many a bow, but LiliBug Boutique might just have the cutest and biggest array of bows I've ever seen. This pumpkin bow is in our collection, along with many other LiliBug bows.

6. Itzhero is also on break until January 8th, but it's one of my favorite shops for toddler gifts. Every child loves a super hero cape, and these can be customized with the child's name and any assortment of colors you'd like. I've given this as a gift a few times and it's always a hit.

That's all for now, but I'll be back soon!

Love, Muffie :)

Etsy Weekly

HoneyBun here. One of our readers asked us to feature some of our favorite Etsy finds on our blog. I'll start. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one around this weekend so I have some extra time on my hands.

1) Tiny Victorian Key Necklace: I love tiny silver necklaces and this one is even BETTER because it has a few little sparkles.
2) Quirky Animal Prints: I have always loved these prints by Sharon Montrose. She takes animals and puts them in a minimalist setting. They are odd and interesting. A modern twist on the animal print idea.



3) This Laura Gunn hoodie: This is a splurge but I am obsessed with all Laura Gunn fabrics...especially when used on this doll baby.


4) Last but not least, do you have something that you plan to use as an heirloom? CommonThreadCottage hand embroidered Duck's Christening gown. This seller was a breeze to work with and we'll definitely use her again.

Wedded Bliss

Today Doc and I are celebrating our fifth wedding anniversary. I can hardly believe it has been that long! Seriously where does the time go?

Marriage is an amazing thing when you think about it, isn't it? Two people choose to walk the journey of their lives together not knowing where it might take them but knowing that together it will be better than it could ever be alone. I am thankful everyday that Doc chose me as the person he wanted to walk through life with. From the very day I met him, he has made me strive to be the best version of myself. Admittedly, I often fall short of this goal, but he never stops seeing me for my best self which make me want to continue to be better.

I have always been in love with weddings. When I was in 8th grade, I asked for a subscription to Bride's magazine for Christmas because I wanted to be a dress designer. I would spend hours reading the magazine and tracing all of the dresses in it. At the time, my fascination with weddings had less to do with marriage itself than it did with dresses, flowers, and dancing. And even as we were planning my wedding it was difficult to put this aspect of the wedding on hold to focus on the most important part of the celebration - the joining of two lives.

The moment of our wedding I will never forget was when they opened the door to the church. It was as though my whole life was sitting there in that room. My parents, my sister, my childhood friends, my college roommates, and the friends I had just made. It was like a map of my entire life up to this point with people marking all of my life experiences. They are the people who bandaged my first scraped knee, held my hand on the first day of school, giggled with me at my first sleepover, cried with me over my first heartbreak, helped me get ready for my first date with Doc. They are the people who have helped weave the fabric of who I am. As I walked in, pew by pew, I realized that they represented every stage of my past. And when I got to the alter and I really saw Doc for the first time, it was like seeing my future. Standing there holding his hand I saw all of the memories ahead us. And the people of my past were bearing witness to our future. That evening at 7:30 pm, if only just for a moment, all was right in the world.

LOLA

Desperately seeking...

Hello again! This is HoneyBun. I may have mentioned in another post that I would really like the Barbour International Jacket for Christmas. Well there is a problem: there aren't ANY available in my size IN THIS COUNTRY! Sad. I mean, it is technically a biker jacket, and I can't imagine there are that many bikers (or in my case, biker wannabes) out there in desperate search of this jacket this season. I have underestimated the popularity of this find.

If you have friends in English places...let me know!

Let me elaborate...

Tonight one of the rights received a threatening call from a reader saying all we write about are things like boots, Paris, etc. "Want want want" I believe was the quote. While that wasn't an entirely wrong synopsis, let's be honest, that's sketchy and a bold move for a blog with a mere 28 posts!

We don't live in New York City...in fact, the nearest mall is actually in another state. We live normal, busy lives like most women in their twenty and thirty somethings (and beyond). If we want to take a few minutes every few nights and write about something mindless, spoiled, ridiculous, silly or high maintenance with some of our friends, will you please placate us? This blog is all in good fun. We don't mean to hurt feelings or make anyone feel bad. Hey, and if there is an issue that you'd like for us to tackle, we'll give it our best!

Friendly reminder

Just a friendly reminder that this is a blog of random thoughts by us. If you don't like what we have to say, please don't read it. There are millions of other things out there on the internet that you can find to read if anything we say offends you. Okay? Thanks!

Inspiration!

Hello to our fifteen readers (well, okay...ten if you don't include us and my husband). This is HoneyBun. You may have noticed that I haven't posted since November. Truth be told, there is nothing that seemed compelling enough to write about until tonight. Have you seen the movie Julie & Julia? I know, cliche since it is a movie ABOUT blogging, and becoming famous via blogging (which who doesn't want to become famous if you have a blog, right?), but this movie is inspirational. If you haven't seen it, I won't give it away, but it is about someone who is basically unnoticed, inspired, and then finds the person she is supposed to be.

Some days, most days, it feels like I am barely staying afloat. Not specifically financially, though I might be hurting a little more in that department after my shopping trip with Trixie on Saturday. In general I am two parts complete disaster and one part normal functioning human being. For example, on any given day one of the following completed by the time I walk out the door: 1) my hair 2) an outfit on vs. something thrown together 3) makeup on face.

All this to say that my hope is that we all find that "moment." The moment where we are called to do something great and out of the ordinary and tough but wonderful at the same time. I'm not sure what mine is yet, but I spend a lot of time thinking about it. Actually, I may be closer than I let on because there is an idea in my head that one in every three women cannot live without but I need someone to help me actually MAKE my idea. I believe that is called a prototype so if you know of anyone who does that sort of thing please let me know!

Thank you, ten readers, for spending a little second of your day reading our thoughts.

Merry Christmas to me!

Lola, our local fashion expert, along with Trixie and HB, helped me pick out these boots as a Christmas gift from my hubby. He had the greatest of intentions and wanted to pick out boots for me, but I picked the perfect time (after several drinks at a dinner party) to convince him that it would be better for my friends to find them instead. They are from Piperlime and I am so excited for them to get here so I can try them on before wrapping them and putting them under the tree! Now I'm on the hunt for a pair of skinny jeans that will go well with them but not accentuate this post-baby-belly that I'm still dealing with (okay, who am I kidding, I had a post-baby-belly before even having children, but it's a good excuse!).

Love, Muffie :)

Nu Joisey

Oh, MTV, how I do love thee. Throughout the years, you have given me (in no particular order other than how they popped into my head) Real World, Road Rules, Laguna Beach, The Hills, Spring Break, 16 and Pregnant, Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, True Life, and Engaged and Underage. I didn't think it could get any better until now. Jersey Shore is officially my newest reality addiction. I'll admit, I had to google the meaning of "guido": A guido is typically and Italian male who is damn proud of it. Normally has a fake tan and gelled up spikey hair, which is the opposite of his arms because he shaves those. He normally asks ya "How you doin" FOR REAL not for fake. They go to clubs with dance music and try and get as many girls as possible... as we say in NJ: "We don't pump our gas but we pump our fists", but I was hooked in the first five minutes of watching the show. It really doesn't get much better than fake tans, fist pumping, big muscles, provocative clothing, dancing, hot tubbing, screaming, drinking, and fighting. Love. It.

Not exactly appropriate to watch when the monkeys are awake, though. Thank goodness for DVR!

This review was brought to you by yours truly, Muffie. :)

Us

Muffie, HoneyBun, Trixie, and Lola

Now you can put our names with our faces! Thanks for reading our blog!

Diamonds (and Other Jewels) Are A Girl's Best Friend

Like most girly girls out there, I love jewelry. I don't always get jewelry when The Farmer gives me gifts, but I always have some on my list just in case he's feeling generous. Here are a couple of baubles that I have on my list this year:

Every girl needs some diamond earrings, and I think the bigger they are, the better! For now I am wearing my $15 fake ones from Target.

I think this ring is just gorgeous:

I love a big cuff bracelet, and this one is so pretty:

I have the ring to match these earrings, so I think I need these for my collection:

I do have some much less expensive things on my wish list, and those are the things that I will probably get. However, The Farmer can keep these in his file for a special occasion...

Do y'all have any big ticket items on your wish list this year?

Trixie

Three wolves and a moon

So amazon.com sells this amazing t-shirt:

Beautiful, isn't it? Don't you just want to run order one right now? No???? Well, check out some of the 1,500+ reviews, and you just might change your mind:

Dual Function Design, November 10, 2008
By B. Govern "Bee-Dot-Govern" (New Jersey, USA) - See all my reviews

This item has wolves on it which makes it intrinsically sweet and worth 5 stars by itself, but once I tried it on, that's when the magic happened. After checking to ensure that the shirt would properly cover my girth, I walked from my trailer to Wal-mart with the shirt on and was immediately approached by women. The women knew from the wolves on my shirt that I, like a wolf, am a mysterious loner who knows how to 'howl at the moon' from time to time (if you catch my drift!). The women that approached me wanted to know if I would be their boyfriend and/or give them money for something they called mehth. I told them no, because they didn't have enough teeth, and frankly a man with a wolf-shirt shouldn't settle for the first thing that comes to him.

I arrived at Wal-mart, mounted my courtesy-scooter (walking is such a drag!) sitting side saddle so that my wolves would show. While I was browsing tube socks, I could hear aroused asthmatic breathing behind me. I turned around to see a slightly sweaty dream in sweatpants and flip-flops standing there. She told me she liked the wolves on my shirt, I told her I wanted to howl at her moon. She offered me a swig from her mountain dew, and I drove my scooter, with her shuffling along side out the door and into the rest of our lives. Thank you wolf shirt.

Pros: Fits my girthy frame, has wolves on it, attracts women
Cons: Only 3 wolves (could probably use a few more on the 'guns'), cannot see wolves when sitting with arms crossed, wolves would have been better if they glowed in the dark.

And another one:

Great compliment for my skin art, May 19, 2009
By overlook1977 (Raleigh, NC United States) - See all my reviews

Unfortunately I already had this exact picture tattooed on my chest, but this shirt is very useful in colder weather.

One more...

Three wolves is just two wolves plus another wolf, May 19, 2009
By Seth G. Macy "friendship alliance" (Maine) - See all my reviews

I had a two-wolf shirt for a while and I didn't think life could get any better. I was wrong. Life got 50% better, no lie.

Okay, now go get you a wolf shirt!! With this many good reviews, there's no reason not to!!! :)

Love,

Muffie

**I totally stole this idea from my friend Katie's blog, but it was too good not to post here!**

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words

I uploaded and posted our NYC photos on my blog. http://imanolagirl.blogspot.com/2009/12/nyc-recap-in-pictures.html

It's a quicker way to learn about our NYC trip than my ridiculously long post about it. And the pictures just make the whole thing come to life!

Speaking of pictures, I have asked my parents for a camera for Christmas, and I am so excited because I am pretty sure this wishlist item will be sitting under the tree come Christmas morning. I call it "the mom camera" but the real name is the Canon EOS Rebel XSi. All of our friends with little ones have them, and their pictures are always beautiful! I love that it captures moments as they happen. With the camera we have right now, you have to wait several seconds before the camera self-adjusts in order to take the shot. We miss a good deal of the real life moments waiting for our camera to "think."

For some reason, I think just by having this camera I will become a really artistic photographer who sees these magical things through the lens of my Rebel. I have a feeling there's a little more to it than that though. I would love to take photography lessons at some point so that I can understand angles and shadows and lighting, but until then I'll have to just cross my fingers and shoot from the hip.

Have you ever taken a photography class?? Or do you have any good photography tips that a novice might be able to use??

Aunt Trix

Aunt Trixie and Baby C

My brother and his wife had their baby today! She was born four weeks early, but she weighed in at 6 pounds 6 ounces and 18 3/4 inches.

And she is just precious.

Don't you just love babies?!?!?!

I Heart N.Y.

Ahhh... I'm daydreaming about our amazing trip to NYC and wondering how a week has passed since the Macy's Parade. I feel like we were just there standing in a sea of people on the corner of 68th and Central Park West squealing with excitement as Santa's sleigh turned the corner. I realized I haven't been back to post anything since then so I thought I'd do a quick little recap of our trip. For those who read my blog, you already know that I am a Type A trip planner whose itineraries are drawn up in excel and are usually focused around our meals. I wish I could say I was kidding about the excel thing, but it's no lie. I have a little spreadsheet that has columns for day, time, activity, location, address, cross street, and phone number. I swear I don't schedule nap times!!!

Anyway - here's a little daily recap that covers the highlights of our trip!

Tuesday night

• We met two of Docs brother and our sis-in-laws for a 10:45 dinner reservation at Anthony Bourdain's old stomping ground Les Halles - amazing pommes frites and Bearnaise

Wednesday

• Doc and sis-in-laws spent the morning walking through Bloomies, Prada, Gucci, Fendi, Chanel, LV. I am always reminded of Becky Bloomwood in the Shopaholic books when I walk down 5th Ave. when she recalls being a little girl watching the fancy ladies using their "magic cards." If only they didn't come with 20% APRs.
• Doc, Liss, and I wondered through the Village looking for the perfect hot cocoa and happened in on the best grilled cheese of ALL time at Hundred Acres (recommended by Gweneth Paltrow on http://www.goop.com/). Seriously it was to die for.
• Had our celeb spottings at Hundred Acres. We saw the unethical reporter from the 5th season of The Wire (best show ever on tv). And (said in the saddest voice ever) Doc, Liss, and Barn (BIL) saw the little blonde actress from 30 Rock. I was in the potty. Apparently she saw them too - they were high fiving each other over their celeb spotting and she caught them and laughed!!
• More walking through the Village until we arrived at Mariebelle for the world's tiniest cup of hot cocoa. Seriously - it was the size of a shot glass. But it was so rich that was all you could ever want. Mmmmm....
• Doc, me, Liss, and Barn walked over to my favorite bar in the entire world - McSorley's. it must be everybody's favorite b/c it was so crowded in there we thought we'd never get in, but we actually wound up with the best table in the place. They only serve their own brew and it comes in light and dark - your choice. You must order in sets of two, and you must keep drinking or they will boot you from your table. Needless to say, it is always a bit rowdy in there, but it is never fails to produce good times and great memories.
• After a bit of a nap, the whole family met up for dinner at Eatery NYC and drinks - awesome!!!

Thursday

• I have already mentioned that we went to the Macy's parade, but I had to again since it was the highlight of my trip!!!
• We watched football, and of course Home Alone
• The whole family met up for Thanksgiving Dinner at Atlantic Grill. It was wonderful.

Friday

• At this point we had moved from the East Side to the Upper West Side to stay with my wonderful friend Marie in her AMAZING apartment. We spent the morning catching up and it was wonderful.
• We started our day of at the David Yurman store on Madison where I picked out my birthday treasure. I got a ring that matched an earring and necklace set I have, and I haven't stopped staring at since we got it!!
• Mark and I walked from the Midtown to Times Square where we had lunch at Daniel Boulud's Bistro Moderne. I felt so special and fancy dining at one of his restaurants. I had the lobster bisque and it was to die for. It was rich, but not overly creamy. Perfection.
• After walking off a little of our lunch, Doc and I joined his parents and his aunt at Bye Bye Birdie!!!!! It was so good. I thought John Stamos was very charming as Albert, and it made me miss my community theatre days. I played Kim MacAfee the summer after my senior year, and seeing the show brought back such great memories.
• Mark and I managed to squeeze in a quick carriage ride through Central Park - one of our NYC traditions.
• Friday night we met back up with the whole gang at this adorable little Italian place in Nolita called Emilio's Ballato. It is Kelly Ripa's favorite date place. For good reason - they serve housemade pasta cooked to order!

Saturday

• I am a big believer in walking food tours. I think they are a great way to see a city like a local would. My favorite tours are offered by http://www.foodsofny.com/. We chose to do the Central Village/Soho tour, which I did back in April on a girls trip, and it was spectacular yet again. It is a three and a half hour walking tour of the area where you learn about the culture and history of the area all while sampling the most delicious bites of food. Highly recommended!!!
• After the tour, Liss and I did a little West Broadway shopping while the others got some rest in a cozy little SOHO bar. It was then that I discovered the wonders of Uni-Qlo. It is a Japanese clothing line that makes great casual pieces (many in cashmere) for very reasonable prices. I got a plaid tunic, cashmere scarf, beret, and black skirt for under $100. And it is amazing quality!!
• Saturday was our designated NYC friends dinner. Marie was kind enough to organize a reservation for all of us at Salumeria Rossi, a very fancy meat market and cheese shop on one side and a tapas restaurant on the other. It was delish and the company was fantastic.
• Saturday night family and friends all met up for some drinks before we wrapped up another version of the Doc family Thanksgiving!

Sunday

• Doc and I took a long walk through Central Park and took in all that is New York. It is hard to ever really find peace in the city, but the park is like a huge oasis in the middle of it all.
• We joined some family for a quick brunch at Citrus before we packed up, said good-bye to our UWS home away from home, and headed to Newark.

And so there you have it. All you ever wanted to know about out trip to NYC. After writing this, I am finding it hard to imagine how I will ever be able to put on my skinny jeans again!!!

Lola

A Must Have

I mentioned in an earlier post that I have a love for all office supplies, and I also added that my planner is one of my top three office supplies. I was browsing through Blue Eyed Bride (great blog, btw, if you haven't read it...although I don't agree with her choice of football teams...) earlier this evening, and she mentioned my favorite planner as a great gift idea. I totally agree with her, so I thought I would post it on here for any of you who may be searching for the perfect planner.

It is the momAgenda!

I have been using a momAgenda for about four years now. I started out with the spiral bound refillable planner, but last year I bought this one:

It is the momAgenda Personal Portfolio. I had wondered why momAgenda didn't have a three-ring binder type agenda, and they finally came out with one. This agenda is great because you can buy refills for the different tabs -- calendar, notes, to do, etc. -- rather than buying one prepackaged refill for the entire year. It is rather expensive, so you may not want to buy it for someone else (unless it is someone that you really love..), but it is a great investment for your personal agenda -- or at least I think so!

Here are some pictures of the inside:

If you would like to get the momAgenda as a gift, I recommend this one (stupid Blogger...why are my words blue?!?!):

This is the momAgenda Desktop. It has plenty of room to keep all of your appointments plus all of the goings-on of up to 4 kids. If you don't have kids, you can get the myAgenda, which is just as good as the momAgenda. Seriously, this thing has kept me in line for about four years now, so it has to be awesome!

I know I sound like a total saleslady, which I am not. I just really have a love for my planner and think that you would love it, too!

And, yes, I know I'm a dork...

xoxoxo, Trix

Sad...

They don't fit! It's a sad day for me, but a happy day for my pocket book...

Back to the drawing board...

Jet setting with Duck

This is Honey Bun. We had a great Thanksgiving but it was bittersweet as my grandfather, who we usually celebrate with, was very ill and had to stay home this year. We live pretty far away from one another and I was down in the dumps about missing this opportunity to spend time with him. ACP is great and he bought me a ticket to go see him this upcoming weekend. What a great surprise! The only thing is that my parents are begging me to bring Duck. I'd like to bring her, but I am feeling a little nervous about plane travel with an infant. I did find these helpful tips:

First: Stick to a regular schedule Try to schedule the departure of your trip around your baby's regular naptime or bedtime. That way your baby will sleep for at least part of the trip. "I would recommend that a parent refrain from interrupting a baby's sleep schedule before a flight," says Daniel R Bronfin, MD, clinical pediatrics professor at Tulane School of Medicine in New Orleans and physician at New Orleans' Ochsner Foundation Hospital. "Trying to sleep deprive an infant, for example, in order to make him/her sleep on the plane, will often backfire."

Second: Plan ahead
Catharine Shaner, MD, FAAP, a pediatrician and advisor with the American Safety and Health Institute in Holiday, Florida, recommends parents try to schedule flights during non-peak times or days, so it is less crowded and less over stimulating for your baby, which can make for a very fussy baby. She also recommends parents call and confirm their travel itineraries with the airlines ahead of time. At that time, request any special seating requirements, such as asking for a bulkhead seat -- where there is no seat in front of you -- which should offer the most room.

"Some airlines do not make these available ahead of time and sometimes the bulkhead may be the emergency exit row," Dr Shaner says. The emergency exit rows are typically off limits for parents traveling with young children.

If you can't get a bulkhead seat, ask to be seated in a "noisy" area of the plane, recommends frequent flyer Phoebe Dey of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. "I think most airlines do this anyway, but if not, I would request it," she says. "Most of the babies were seated in the middle of the plane, right over the engines. Not only does it muffle some of the sound from crying babies, the vibration seems to knock the babies right out."

Third: What to bring
I plan to have a diaper bag handy and packed with the following:

Plenty of diapers, wipes and diaper rash cream for the trip. (Ask friends or relatives to have some diapers on hand for you at your final destination).

A bag to hold dirty diapers, especially if you use cloth (I don't but you might).

A bottle of hand sanitizer, like Purell, so you can "wash" your hands when you don't have access to water.

Bottles and extra pacifiers.

A baby blanket -- good for warmth as well as for privacy when breastfeeding.

A change of clothes -- or two -- for Baby. You may also want to dress her in layers, since airplanes can be rather cold or get very hot!

If you are new to nursing, an extra top for you.

A travel-size diaper changing pad or disposable diaper changing cloths

A bottle of water for mixing formula and for you to keep hydrated! Make sure to ask the flight attendant for a cup of warm water to put the bottle in to heat the formula or breastmilk.I'm planning to get a six pack of the formula that comes pre-mixed and packaged from Similac.

A bib, bowl, spoon and baby food if your baby is on solids, along with snacks for babies on solids.

A cloth to quickly wipe up spills or spit up.

A carrying case that can keep pumped breastmilk bottles cold.

Some toys to keep Duck entertained.

I'm also bringing BabyBjorn.

They also recommend bringing an umbrella stroller -- maybe even one that reclines -- or a front carrier to make getting around the airport a lot easier. Typically, travelers will be allowed to check strollers just before boarding the plane and it will be stored with the luggage. The airline workers will then bring it up for just after you get off the plane.
I was planning on bringing my stroller that can snap in Duck's infant car seat just in case there is an extra seat available and I can strap her in (rear facing) on the plane. What do you think? Rear facing car seat or umbrella stroller?

A Dream Come True

Hello Honey Bun, Muffie, and Trixie, and Readers!!!

We are here in NYC!!! OMG - it is amazing as always, but especially so since there are twinkling lights everywhere!! this is my third Doc family Thanksgiving in the Big Apple, but this will be the first one where we are staying in the city for Thanksgiving Day. I have always for my whole life wanted to go to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Every year on Thanksgiving my family would watch Miracle on 34th St. I loved watching that movie! And each year when we watched the parade on tv, I would imagine myself being there in person to see it. And finally it is happening. Tomorrow we will wake up on the Upper West Side, and walk three blocks to sit and wait for a Snoopy balloon to float on by. Can you just picture it!!! A lifetime worth waiting for! I would say look for us on tv, but there is no way this Southern girl is sitting outside in the cold to get a front row spot. So instead, just think of us!! We will be making the dreams of a little girl (who might be 29) come true.

Is there something you have always wanted to do? Is there a particular experience you have always imagined having??

It's An Addiction

I love boots. Boots are so fun -- they can be dressed up; they can be dressed down. I am currently loving the look of boots over the top of skinny jeans or worn with a dress and tights. I love boots so much that I have way too many pairs to my name...

Exhibit A:

I bought these Naughty Monkey boots a couple of weeks ago. I had had a pair of brown boots from J.Crew for years. The Farmer got them for me the first Christmas that we were married -- almost 8 years ago now. I have loved those brown boots, but they have started to look a little dated so, I was in the market for some new brown boots. I found these on Nordstrom. They are comfortable and cute and a pretty shade of chocolate. The only problem is that, while I was packing to go out of town last weekend, I found another pair of brown suede boots that I had bought last year and had forgotten about! Luckily they are a lighter brown and flat, so I didn't totally double-buy but I felt really stupid! Just please don't tell The Farmer -- he would kill me! I like my Naughty Monkeys better than last year's pair anyway...

Then there is Exhibit B:

I just ordered these Frye cowboy (cowgirl?) boots last night. I had decided that I wanted some last year, and I even ordered a pair, but then they were backordered. And I bought a Dooney & Bourke bag with my Christmas money instead. I found the Fryes on Piperlime a couple of weeks ago and put them in the shopping cart but never pulled the trigger. Last night I got back on Piperlime and found that the size that I had in my shopping cart was sold out. I am between a 7.5 and 8, so I originally put the 8 in my cart; however, since the 8s were sold out, I decided to hurry up and buy the 7.5s. I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will fit!

I figure that these cowboy (cowgirl?) boots are less expensive that the ones that I bought last year, I have a rewards certificate from GAP to go towards my purchase, I have a bit of a credit on my GAPcard, and I will use some Christmas money to pay for them, so I am saving money, right?!?!

And, finally, Exhibit C:

I know that people have a love/hate relationship with Uggs: they either love them or they hate them. I don't have any, but I think they are cute. I know, I know -- people say that they are sweatpants for your feet, but I think they can look pretty cute over jeans. Really, people -- I have seen that look with my own eyes, and I think it can be cute! I would love a pair to wear around town when I don't feel like really dressing up with other boots. And, I have a pair of Danskos that I heard that I had to have because they are so comfortable and wonderful and blah, blah, blah...and I hate them. I only wear them every once in a while, and I always roll my ankle in them. And they are so ugly (sorry if I am offending anyone...)!

Anywho, Miss Priss has asked for real Uggs for Christmas. We have always gotten her the knockoffs from Target, and they have been fine in the past. However, she had a friend who had the real deal last year, and she has decided that she needs the real deal, too. The Farmer and I decided that, since it is from Santa Claus, Miss Priss can get the real things. Since there has been so much talk about Uggs around our house lately, The Farmer got the idea in his head to get me my very own, real Uggs for Christmas. He spilled the beans when we were getting ready to go to a football game in the cold a couple of weeks ago; he thought that maybe we could just swing by someplace and get some before the game. That didn't happen, but I am glad that I know what he is planning so that I can have some input into just which Uggs he gets -- The Farmer is a great guy, but sometimes he struggles in the gift-giving department.

So, there you have it: my boot obsession. I really could apply this obsession trend to pretty much anything that has to do with fashion -- clothes, makeup, shoes, bags, jewelry -- but we won't go there tonight. Suffice it to say that I need to do a better job of watching my pennies...but, like Scarlett, I will think of that tomorrow...

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

Trix

The Craze

Let's see a show of hands for those of you who are crazy about The Twilight Saga!

My hand is definitely in the air.

I must admit that I didn't want to start the series when I read them about a year ago. It took some coaxing from Muffie to get me to start Twilight, but once I got into it, I got hooked. I walked around with my nose in a book for six days until I had read every last word of all four books. I think all of my little chillens forgot what my face looked like for those six days -- they had to talk to me through the cover of a book! I hate to admit it, but my life felt a little bit empty after finishing that last book -- I didn't want it to end.

Naturally I was beyond excited when Twilight came out as a movie.

And I have never been more disappointed by a movie in my life. (Really. I am not hard to please when it comes to movies. I love movies!)

It just did not live up to the book at all. I know that it is common for a movie to not live up to a book, but this one just stunk big time. I was so disappointed! As I watched the movie, I wondered to myself if I didn't like the movie because it just brought the whole vampire saga to life and made me realize that is was just so cheesy (I mean, really, vampires? How unbelievable can you get -- that is why I didn't want to read the books in the first place. I don't get into that stuff...) or if the movie was just that bad.

I am pretty sure that the movie was just that bad. It seems to be a general consensus among those I have talked to who loved the books.

So, although I have heard that New Moon is so much better than Twilight, I am approaching it with the realization that it is highly likely that this movie will also fail to be as good as the book.

That's right, I haven't seen it yet. And I am dying to!

Muffie and I are going to meet our friend, Hogie, in a couple of weeks at a city halfway between our homes where we will go to the spa, eat great meals, and watch New Moon. I cannot wait; I hope I can hold out that long! Muffie and I have talked about rereading all of the books (or at least the first two) to hold us over until we actually get to see the movie -- you know, because everyone else in America has already seen it.

Or, should I say, every other chick in America has seen it. The Farmer would not be caught dead at that movie.

How about you? Have you seen the movie? Did you love it? Will it be worth the wait?

Oh, and just FYI, I am totally on Team Edward.

Trixie

All I want for Christmas...

Peace on Earth? No. College Savings fully funded for Duck? No (well, yes, but not this year). The Barbour International Jacket. For years ACP has been saying that I NEED a Barbour jacket. I don't know how much anyone actually NEEDS a Barbour jacket. We don't live in England, we do live where it is sweltering hot most of the time, and I haven't found one that I am in love with...until now.

Which brings me to my next point to all of you reading this blog. I hope you don't make the same mistake I do and set your sights on a big Christmas present early. This year I was in Charlotte with my mother in law and I happened to see that one of my favorite jewelry stores was going out of business and everything is at least 10% off. This was the perfect storm: A deal and something new and sparkly sitting behind a nice glass counter waiting for me. Well, of course, I found something that I could not breathe without that Roberto Coin made ESPECIALLY for me. I called ACP and asked if he didn't want to think about Christmas this year, he said to pull the trigger and now it has been staring at me on his dresser for the past month. Sigh. Now given the choice between the new something sparkly and the Barbour International jacket I would still pick the new something sparkly, of course. However today it was chilly and the International would have been perfect en route to see New Moon.

Not to be depressing but the best part about Christmas presents is wondering what you are going to get and now I have sort of ruined it. Don't tell ACP because he would completely agree with me. Husbands do sometimes know best.

What do you want for Christmas just so I can get some new big ideas?

HoneyBun

Pack Rat

Today I have been completely distracted with my upcoming trip to NYC for our Thanksgiving celebration with Doc's family. We leave on Tuesday after work, so I have been mentally packing for the last half hour. Doc and I travel quite a bit, so I have become quite accustomed to packing for a three day weekend, but I become completely unravelled when it comes to packing for an extended stay in NYC. I find that NYC poses some packing challenges unlike any other city we visit. First, you walk so much when you're there, that you have to have at least one pair of comfy shoes (for me some flat boots). On top of that, we will spend our days shopping, going to shows, and have nice lunches, so i need outfits that are comfy, warm, and wearable, but that are also fashionable. Then you have to pack for your evening costume change so that you look just right for dinner and drinks. So many outfits, so little space.

Doc and I have made a promise that we will make every attempt to avoid checking bags. We have dinner reservations at Les Halles very late Tuesday night (10:45), and by not checking bags, even if we run a minute behind, we should still be able to hop in a cab and head to dinner. Plus, I just heard on the radio that a couple in Phoenix has been charged with stealing over 1,000 pieces of luggage from the Phoenix baggage claim. That is my BIGGEST fear about checking. I would just die if my luggage was lost or stolen. As a result, all of my outfits must fit nice and snug in a tiny little carry-on!

I have a trick or two to make packing a little better. I roll small items (tights, tanks, socks) and stuff them in my shoes. You'd be amazed how much space this saves. I also pre-plan an outfit itinerary for every day so that I only pack what I need and nothing extra. I try to stick to outfits that can all be paired with the same accessories so that I'm not packing multiple purses/shoes/etc. And I always wear my bulkiest outfit on the plane on both travel days, including my coat, scarf, and heavy boots.

PS - We have found that if you have a rolling bag and a purse, the airlines have not ever said anything to us about also carrying on a hanging bag. So I try to make all of my dinner outfits dresses and I hang them on one hanger so that I have even more room in the roller!

I am wondering, do you have any good packing tips?


Lola

I guess it's my turn now!

Muffie's Ten Things

1. What are some of your family traditions? When I was growing up, my favorite Christmas traditions included going to the candlelight Christmas Eve service at church, waking up at the crack of dawn, impatiently waiting until my parents and grandparents had bathrobes on and coffee brewing before we were allowed to peek in the living room at our presents, and eating breakfast casserole and stollen after all the gifts have been opened. Hubby and I are continuing these traditions with our own children and I hope they will do the same with their families one day. Another tradition that we started last year and plan to continue is having a birthday party for Jesus on Christmas Eve. We make a cake, have candles, and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus---it's a great way to talk about the true meaning of Christmas with young children who sometimes get too focused on the gift aspect of the holiday. :)

2. Do you know how to change a flat tire? I know how a person is supposed to change a tire---all of the steps and I've watched it be done---but I've never personally changed a tire. Isn't that what boys are for? :)

3. Do you subscribe to any magazines? What are your favorites? I love magazines, although I don't have nearly enough time to read them as I'd like. I subscribe to Parenting, Parents, Southern Living, and Real Simple. I don't subscribe to it, but I buy US Weekly pretty much every week. That would be a great Christmas present for me if anybody is trying to come up with ideas...hint, hint!! :) I guess I'd say that US Weekly is my favorite, but Real Simple comes in at a close second.

4. What are your top three favorite office supply items? Oh my gosh, I have no clue! I'm not a very organized person, nor do I have an office, so I can't even come up with an answer for this one. I do have a really cute planner from Mom Agenda but I'm not very good at actually writing in it.

5. Are you a good public speaker? I don't know if I'm necessarily good at public speaking, but I like to speak in public! Speech was one of my favorite classes in both high school and college, but as a full time mommy I don't have many opportunities for public speaking unless you count shouting across a parking lot for one of the monkeys to stop running.

6. How do you feel about acronyms? LMBO! IDK, I'd probably say a BF yes to this one! My DH and BFFs have made fun of me for years for my overuse of acronyms. BTW, this question made me LOL. :)

7. What’s the most creative things you’ve ever done? Not sure what the most creative thing is, but my creative side has been coming out more and more. I've started sewing and have made headbands, crayon rolls, burp cloths, my daughter's Halloween bag, and even a dress. I've made an art display for our playroom, tutus for my daughter and some friends, and most recently a fall wreath for our front door. Like Honeybun (still can't believe we're calling her that on this blog!), I've enjoyed creating my kiddos' nurseries as well. My newest baby's nursery might be my favorite, although it's still a work in progress.

8. I’d rather jam a pen in my eye than… have dental work done. For some odd reason, I have tremendous anxiety about going to the dentist even just to have my teeth cleaned. It's terrible. One of my best friends just happens to be my dentist, and she gave me the bad news earlier this week that I have a cavity and must get a filling next month. This will be my first filling in at least 15 years, and I feel sick even thinking about it. Luckily, she is such a good friend that she is going to prescribe me some nice drugs to help me get through it without having a panic attack!

9. What company has the best advertising? I'm a sap....I love the Publix commercials because they always make me cry!

10. When is your birthday? March 8th, greatest day of the year!

Muffie :)

Ten Things about Honey Bun

My turn!
1. What are some of your family traditions? A few years ago my mom and her sisters found this Jingle Bell Rock Santa. He shakes his hips and plays Jingle Bell Rock and while this sounds very cheesy and red neck he is actually hilarious. After a few glasses of wine all the women in my family get up and dance with this Santa and all the men sit on the couch and roll their eyes. I love it! My favorite family tradition with ACP and Duck is getting up on Saturday mornings and having coffee.

2. Do you know how to change a flat tire? No. Actually this is a funny story. It was my third week in our town, I only knew one person besides my husband and he was already at church. I was running late (typical) and I ran this very yellowish red light, bumped the curb, and slashed my tire. I made it to the Applebees parking lot and had to walk about two miles by myself in the sweltering heat and wait for ACP to get home several hours later. I should really learn how to change a tire.

3. Do you subscribe to any magazines? What are your favorites? I love magazines. I am so sad that they are all going out of print. My favorites are House Beautiful and Nutrition Action. One of our friends recently introduced me to LonnyMag which is a great online publication.

4. What are your top three favorite office supply items? There is nothing like pretending to get organized. I love staplers and paper clips. Can I count a great coffee mug in office supplies? I think it should count.

5. Are you a good public speaker? I'm not sure. In my profession I do have speaking engagements but I don't know if I am good or not.

6. How do you feel about acronyms? Well, in this case you should ask Muffie. LMBO.

7. What’s the most creative things you’ve ever done? Duck's nursery.

8. I’d rather jam a pen in my eye than… call a customer service line and talk to someone in India who's name is Jennifer.

9. What company has the best advertising? The new Amex commercials with the smiles and frowns are clever. The e-trade baby ads are also very funny.

10. When is your birthday? February 4th!

Have a fabulous day,

Trixie's Ten Things

1. What are some of your family traditions? Since it is getting close to Christmas (who else is already listening to Christmas music besides me?!?!), I will go with some Christmas traditions...Ever since I was little, we have gone to the family service at church on Christmas Eve. It is my favorite service of the year, aside from Easter. After church we always go to my aunt's house for dinner with the whole family, and on Christmas morning we always go to my grandmother's house for breakfast.

My parents used to torture us kids every Christmas morning by making us sit at the top of the stairs while they yelled out things like "Wow, it is a toyland down here!" or "Boy, Santa sure went all out this year!" We would be dying to get downstairs to tear into our gifts, but we weren't allowed down until Mama had her coffe, the tree was lit, and the Christmas music was playing. I am happy to say that The Farmer and I have kept that tradition with our kids!

2. Do you know how to change a flat tire? Um, no. Right after The Farmer and I got married, I got a flat tire on the way home from my parents' house. At the time, The Farmer and I were living an hour-and-a-half away from my parents, and the flat tire ocurred about halfway home. First I tried to fix the tire myself, but I couldn't get the darn bolts loosened even a tiny bit. I tried to call The Farmer but couldn't get in touch with him, so I finally called my dad. I had to wait in this gas station/Subway shop for 45 minutes until he could get there. It was no fun. Seems like I would have learned after that, but I still haven't...

3. Do you subscribe to any magazines? What are your favorites? I subscribe to Parents, Parenting, Southern Living, Coastal Living, and InStyle. I have also asked for subscriptions to a couple of home magazines for Christmas. My faves are InStyle (I have been subscribing to that one since college) and Southern Living.

4. What are your top three favorite office supply items? Oh, boy, do I love office supplies! My favorites have to be planners (do those count?), pens (I am always searching for the best ones -- I love the Sharpie pens), and highlighters in pretty colors.

5. Are you a good public speaker? Hell no. I am shy, shy, shy. And, I have the unfortunate ability to turn beet red if all eyes are fixed on me. Yuck.

6. How do you feel about acronyms? Just fine, FYI.

7. What’s the most creative things you’ve ever done? Creativity and I don't really belong in the same sentence. However, Muffie, my sister, and I hosted a baby shower for my sister-in-law a week ago, and I think we were pretty creative in that. And, I shamelessly copied Muffie and made myself a fall wreath like she did. But coming up with something creative on my own? Not gonna happen, folks.

8. I’d rather jam a pen in my eye than…speak in public, lose to my alma mater's rivals, change clothes in front of other girls (or boys, really)...I could go on.

9. What company has the best advertising? Like Lola, I like Bud Light commercials -- and, hey, I just like Bud Light. I also think Mac has some good ones. For the most part, I try to avoid advertisements.

10. When is your birthday? May 31. I used to really like this birthday until I met The Farmer, and he told me that I was born at a really inconvenient time of the year (he is really busy with harvest season then). I pretty much never see him on my birthday. Luckily I have good girlfriends who make up for The Farmer's absence!

Okay, Muffie and HoneyBun (I can't believe we are calling her that...), it is your turn!

Trixie

Ten Things on Thursday

I love these little Q&A posts, and I thought it'd be fun for yall to comment with your answers!!
1. What are some of your family traditions? My family has a tradition for just about everything, but my favorite would have to be Christmas Eve. Every year after all of our family parties have ended, my family has dinner at The Steak Knife. And just before we go to bed, my dad reads The Polar Express to us. We have been doing this for as long as I can remember, even after Doc and I got married. I can't wait for the day when we all have kids and my dad is reading it to them. As for Doc and me, we stay at the Le Pavillon Hotel every year for one night around the weekend of our wedding anniversary to celebrate our special day and the special place where we had our reception. It was spectacular!

2. Do you know how to change a flat tire? Hmmm... Once at a slumber party in high school after we had stayed up all night I helped three girls change our friend Katie's flat tire. I've never done it since, so I don't know if I could.

3. Do you subscribe to any magazines? What are your favorites? I sure do! I love getting magazines in the mail!! I am a People, Everyday Food, Southern Living, and In Style subscriber. In Style is my fave!

4. What are your top three favorite office supply items? Oh my goodness, is there anything better in the whole world than the supply closet at work? I love how neat and organized everything is, and it reminds of going to work with my mom when I was little. She would let us play with colored white out - fun! My faves would be, Bic No. 5 clicky pencils, thin tipped Sharpies in every color, and colored 3M tabs.

5. Are you a good public speaker? I absolutely love public speaking. I always have. I find it exciting and exhilirating. I have always dreamed of being a speech writer, but let's be honest, I'd want to grab that speech right out of the reader's hand and say "Here, just let me give it."

6. How do you feel about acronyms? Considering I worked for KPMG for a while, and it in and of itself is an acronym, I got really attached to them. There was one for everything!! And now being married into the military, our use of acronyms has doubled. I think acronyms are great if you know what they mean, but when you don't, it makes you feel like an outsider.

7. What’s the most creative things you’ve ever done? Aside from making fabulously glittery shoes for the Mardi Gras parade I ride in, for our first engagement anniversary I created a puzzle for Doc and sent him around NOLA to find various gifts at different stops across town. At each location he found another puzzle piece attached to a wrapped gift with a rhyme that led him to his next gift. His last stop was a table at Commanders Palace where we had brunch for our anniversary.

8. I’d rather jam a pen in my eye than… be at an away game when the Saints lose. It is so painful to hear all of the smack talk that 65,000 fans will spout out to you.

9. What company has the best advertising? I like Bud Light's advertsising because it is clever and funny and doesn't exploit women (remember the Miller Lite "twins").

10. When is your birthday? November 2nd. It just passed and is on All Souls Day. Growing up, I always thought I special because it fell on a "holiday." I didn't realize that was just a Catholic thing until college! This year I have decided, I will be celebrating my birth year not my birth day. I plan to enjoy every last minute in my 20s.

Have a fabulous day,

Lola

A dilemma for Honeybun

Hello! I am Honeybun. This is the name I aspire to use when I am a grandmother (in hopefully no less than 25 years). I have a seven month old daughter, Duck(a nickname that we stole from Lola & Doc), and she needs to have some brothers and sisters before we start thinking about all of that!

Here is my dilemma. My husband, ACP, loves to cook (praise the Lord), but is a little bit of a monster in the kitchen. We have very nice dishes but they are chipped and cracked. I'm completely type A and I can't look at cracked dishes anymore. My new vision is "french cafe" something hearty and white that won't break easily but still looks nice.

I found this set at Crate & Barrel and it received fabulous reviews. People said they had the set for 20 years without a break! I thought it was perfect. We bought the set, it arrived today, and I hate it. That is the downfall of online shopping but what do you do when the nearest C&B is hundreds of miles away? You take a chance. Well, I'm at a loss. If anyone out there has some good suggestions as an alternative please send them my way!

I found this other set at Target but it just isn't quite as substantial as I would like. Do you think I should sit with the current set I have and maybe it will grow on me or do you have better ideas?

Love,

Honeybun