Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Melts In Your Mouth , Not In Your Hands (I Hope!)

***DEADLINE IS 5 PM CENTRAL TIME TODAY JUNE 1ST - I WILL BE DRAWING ONE LUCKY NAME TONIGHT PLUS A RUNNER-UP IN CASE WINNER DOES NOT RESPOND***


Three years ago I started this blog because I love to write and talk about random things and now it is my 3-year blogoversary (well, actually, it was May 17th.) In honor of said occasion, I am having a Blog Giveway of 3 of my favorite things.

At first I toyed with the idea of giving away 3 of my favorite books (but I think I will save that for next time). This time I am giving away a $10 gift card to Starbucks,




some yummy chocolate,



and a Thymes Offerings candle in your choice of Thankfulness (a caramel vanilla) or Happiness (a rhubarb sugar cane) because I am both thankful and happy for my blog and my readers!




The candle itself retails for $26. I work for the company that makes it so I hope if you win my contest you will try the candle & fall in love with it and want to buy more!

So to enter my contest I will keep it very simple. Just leave me a comment telling me 3 things about yourself – it can be your 3 favorite designers, your 3 favorite foods, 3 places you have lived, 3 colors you like. Anything in a set of 3. I like random!

And if you are a follower or become a follower (over on the sidebar), you will get a double entry. Please be sure to let me know if you are a follower though because I don’t always keep track.

Easy peasy!

Also, I do have to make this contest for US and Canada readers only as I am a little concerned about mailing chocolate and a candle in this heat wave, let alone worrying about my package making it around the world!

Good luck!

I will draw one lucky name on the evening of Tuesday, June 1st the old fashioned way out of a Juicy Couture sun hat.








Monday, May 24, 2010

Win This


Win this!


No, still not my giveway yet! (Tomorrow though)


This one is being held by Stephanie at Le Sigh of a Fashionista.


You can win this awesome little book.


"Christian Dior reveals the secrets of style in this charming handbook that no woman should be without. An indispensable guide that covers everything from what to wear to a wedding and how to tie a scarf to how to walk with grace, The Little Dictionary of Fashion is full of timeless tips."


Go visit Stephanie now & good luck!


And Yet Another Giveway


I can't keep track of all of the giveways that are going on this week and that I am in, but here is another one--this one is from my friend, Kristie.


And this is what she is giving away:


1. Prima Flowers Embellishments in Honeydew (great for scrapbooking)

2. Sweet Treats Little Notes Notecards (3 different designs)

3. Me & My Big Ideas Multi-Pack of Sticker Sheets

4. Gel Ink Pen in Dandy Candy Apple (The ink smells like Candy Apples!)

5. Wet N Wild Jumbo Juicy Lip Balm in Lemon Lime

6. Rainbow Colored Ribbon

7. Bag of Favorite Findings Primary Color Buttons

8. Bag of Skittles in new flavor Fizzled Fruits


Just pop over to Kristie's blog and tell her your favorite movie from the 80s, your favorite TV show from the 80s AND you favorite song from the 80s.


Mine were "Sixteen Candles", "Facts of Life", and "Don't Talk To Strangers" (Rick Springfield).


Good luck!!

Cute Outfit!

I really like this outfit from Anthropologie.



I like the mix of stripes and floral which can be kind of unexpected, but really works.

Shoes are cute, too!


Cardigan is $128, floral tunic top, $78 and gladiator shoes are $138.

BE SURE TO CHECK BACK TOMORROW, I WILL BE ANNOUNCING A BLOGOVERSARY GIVEWAY of my very own!!





Thursday, May 20, 2010

A Giveway From My Pal, Andie



Please be sure to stop by Andie's blog - she is celebrating her 5 year blogoversary with a giveway of 5 of her favorite things!


You could win an Aveda Rosemary Mint Bath Bar, some Crawtators, a Lei necklace, some praline dessert or tinted lip balm!


P.S. Andie wanted me to let everyone know that some lucky person will win ALL 5 ITEMS!!





Sunday, May 16, 2010

Guest Blogging


I am so excited to be a guest blogger at Modern Day Ricky and Lucy!

Lucy had a fabulous idea to feature her friends & their blogs and I am honored to be included. So stop by and visit Lucy!

P.S. She also gave me an award which I really need to accept & follow up on and pass along!


Thursday, May 13, 2010

Vegas Baby!

As you may have seen over at the No Shopping Blog, I was in Vegas for Mother's Day weekend. Eric's parents were already out there for a week's stay--they wanted to see the Hoover Dam, the Grand Canyon and, of course, hit the casinos.

I suggested that Eric and I go out there that weekend and take my mom, too, so we could have a little family Mother's Day get-together, get-away.



So on Friday morning I drove to Iowa to pick up my mom and she spent the night at a hotel in St. Paul (after a delicious dinner at Red Lobster--hey, I am no food snob! and I like chain restaurants - don't judge!).



My mom had something vodka and chocolate...and, uh, vodka!






We flew out out to Vegas on Saturday morning. I am ready to go in my Sex and the City t-shirt.




We stayed at the Encore by Wynn which is an elegant boutique hotel owned by the Wynn. My mom was on the 63rd floor, the penthouse floor. She had a panoramic view.







Eric and I were on the 39th floor.


I loved our room, especially the bathtub and want to live there.




ERIC AND MY MOM - I LOVED THE FUNKY MODERN FURNITURE



On Saturday night, I put on a cute dress from Forever 21 and got out my Kate Spade clutch (a different one than the one I bought-I had 4 Kate Spade bags with me in Vegas) and the 5 of us went to a fancy dinner at the Society Cafe. After dinner, Eric and I saw Holly Madison in Peep Show at Planet Hollywood. She is one of the original "Girls Next Door". I used to think Bridget was my favorite, but lately I really like Holly and she is a huge advocate for animals.





The show was titillating--sorry, I couldn't resist. A lot of boobs and butts shaking all over the place. We had great seats at a table right in front of the stage. Eric literally could put his hand on the stage, but was warned not to, unless he wanted a stiletto heel through the back of his hand.


The show was not for prudes (like me--ha ha!) and was a little on the racy side, but was done in a tasteful manner. I liked it, but I especially liked Holly. My favorite part was probably the part where they all sang about the color pink and Holly painted her love interest with pink paint.


There was singing, dancing, stripper pole action, just very Las Vegas. I bought a Peep Show t-shirt afterwards.


On Sunday we did a Mother's Day buffet brunch at Caesar's Palace and then I hit Fashion Show Mall for about 4 hours. I got my hair done and went shopping at Kate Spade and Nordstrom and got a strawberry Frappucino at Starbucks.


That evening Eric spent it with his parents (gambling) and I spent it with my mom at one of the restaurants downstairs. Or rather my mom ate, and I had an iced tea and 2 or 3 French Fries. I was still full from all of the champagne at the brunch. Those bubbles! Then I actually had an early night and went back to my room to watch "Desperate Housewives". Okay, I know I am lame!


Monday Eric and I walked down to Caesar's Palace because I wanted a daiquiri (yes, a daiquiri for breakfast, this is Vegas!) but we found out after walking all the way down there that they didn't open til 10 a.m. and it was only 9 a.m. So we found a place that was selling champagne in the center of Caesar's Palace, and I got these photos of the fish in the giant aquarium.





Then the 5 of us met up at the Wynn and did a little gambling. I won $10 - woo hoo! I will say that my husband won close to $500 playing Black Jack and his dad won over $800 on the slot machines. But those two (and actually Eric's mom) are much more serious gamblers than I could ever be. I would rather spend my money on a cute handbag--because that is a sure thing!


Then it was time for yet another buffet. Honestly, it is a miracle I didn't gain weight over the weekend--I am happy to report I actually lost 2 pounds. But there was a whole LOT of walking and I never really ate later than 2 or 3 in the afternoon most days & then I was done.


After that it was pool time for me and more Black Jack for Eric.


Then one of the favorite parts of our vacation. Serendipity 3!







I had the Frrrozen Hot Chocolate, which was delicious and filling but I could only eat about 1/3 of my cheese omelet after that and only 2 of my fries.



Then that evening we rode up to the top of the fake Eiffel Tower at the Paris Hotel. We were in the middle of a windstorm and it was freezing up on top. I took a few pictures before freezing to death.




I AM A GHOST


OH WAIT, THERE I AM!




VIEW FROM THE TOP OF THE EIFFEL TOWER


Tuesday was our last day there. I finally made it back to Fat Tuesday's to get my peach daiquiri and then Eric and I and my mom had a really yummy lunch at one of the hotel restaurants--I can't remember the name! But I had a shrimp salad, and then spent the rest of the day at the pool.


The weekend went really fast and for the most part it was a lot of fun. My favorite parts of the trip were Serendipity 3, Peep Show and our fabulous hotel.
















Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Noodles & I Do The Walk for Animals 2010

So this past Saturday, May 1st (May Day!), Noodles and I did the Humane Society Walk for Animals in Golden Valley, Minnesota. There were over 10,000 people walking and over 5,000 animals (mostly dogs, plus a monkey) and more than one million dollars was raised.



Here are just a few pictures of the walk!





A wagon full of adorable little dogs




Noodles takes a break in the grass



And yet another break!



Back on the shuttle bus after a long day




After a delicious veggie dog and a peanut butter cookie, we are done!





He could be a show dog!





After lunch


Sorry, these photos were in no particular order! What? You think I would put them in chronological order???!!! xoxo