Thoughts and Honesty

I got a card from my Book Buddy the other day and I laughed out loud. It says:

"Tips from the almost-licensed party planner:

When seating guests, it's best not to place all the shallow people together. A simple shallow-deep-shallow-moody-shallow-deep pattern works best."



Yesterday, Mini #1 was on my last nerves and just had an all around moody day. He was so bratty, I don't know what his deal was. Last night, after stories, he was snuggling with me for a moment before I took him upstairs. I said "I missed my sweet boy today. I hope he is back tomorrow."

I tucked him in and went about my business.

He comes downstairs a few minutes later and says "Mom, I checked. The sweet boy will be back on Tuesday."

Where he gets this stuff, I don't know. At least he is honest!

Have a great weekend. Can't wait to catch up and hear all about it. Don't forget to enter our giveaway...Sunday is the last day!

Haphazard Thursday

Happy Thursday all! As usual, many random or haphazard things are running around this little brain of mine...

We have a new member of the Molly Lou family, Dorothy. Dorothy is our new fish. Mini #1 has wanted a pet and before we moved to the new house, we told him that he could get a fish. Dorothy was welcomed in to the family yesterday after quite an interesting trip to Scales & Tails pet shop. Dorothy is adjusting well although she is quite a "lazy" fish which has me slightly worried.

So, let's chat about Scales & Tails. Pet shops really creep me out. They always have that smell and then there are so many random animals in cages all over the place. The walls of fish bother me too. I have always had a fear that something from a movie will occur and the fish tanks will explode right as I am standing there and all these slimy fish and water will be all over me. (I know that I am weird.) Scales & Tails was your typical pet shop with your typical pet shop worker if you know what I mean. We get Dorothy in the bag and then the man is showing Mini #1 how to feed him. He then mentions that goldfish will eat anything and that if we wanted we could give them bloodworms, peas (without their shells) and that really big goldfish like brine shrimp.

OK-this is a small goldfish people that will live in a bowl for the pure enjoyment of my 3 year old son. I am not going to give the 25 cent fish bloodworms or shrimp and if you think that I am going to take the shell off peas to feed a GOLDFISH you really are insane. I let a little giggle when this was being explained. I said, "I think we will just take the flakes."

I could go on with my pet shop experience including some of the other interesting customers that were shopping...

The Molly Lou family is expanding quite quickly. First Darby came and then did I tell you about Sam? Sam walked back from PA. Yes, he walked back. We were having lunch on Monday and Mini #1 looks towards the door and says, "Hi Sam." Mini and I chat about Sam and I even get Sam a cup and give him some grapes. Sam walked back from PA because there wasn't any room in the car. Now, add Dorothy and Mr. Molly Lou better watch out. His spot in the bed may be taken soon.

Have a great day!

PS-Don't forget that we are donating to Katie & Olive Puppy Love Collars to support Puppies Behind Bars. Great time to buy a gift and know that you are helping a worthwhile cause. We also have the new Coyne and Pinckney giveaway going on until Sunday. Enter here for your chance to win your choice of stationery set.

Worthwhile Wednesday~Potpourri Pot

You know this is the one day that we offer a shameless plug to our shop. Indulge us and you might just find something you can't live without. This week's Worthwhile Wednesday is just a mix of some fabulous things at Molly Lou Gifts. I know you all know that they are ALL fabulous, but here are a few for this week!

I know you all have been dying to know what the Molly Lou family chose for moving announcements from our line for our new home. Our friends and family received these adorable owl announcements "...hoo moved their nest?" Of course, we chose orange to appease Mr. Molly Lou-you know the whole Clemson Tiger bit. Aren't they adorable? We also have this same design for party and shower invitations and in a few other color schemes as well. We also just added a truly adorable monogram announcement as well as some others...see them all here!

Stickers...I love stickers. I love putting them on the back of envelopes and feel that it offers an extra touch. We have so many sticker designs and your choice of quantity and either 2" or 3" sizes. I love these birthday stickers. Add your family name to them and seal them to all cards sent to loved ones on their special day. See all of the designs here.

Everyone should write notes and cards. I know we love email, but it is so nice to take the time to write a handwritten note. Stop paying $3.00 for a birthday card and get a personalized set of notecards to use for loved ones' birthday or special occassions. Cheaper & Personalized=Perfect! If you don't have anyone to send a note to, get yourself a penpal. I did and it has been fantastic. I love these chandelier notes. We have them in two colors and you get your choice of two lines of personalization. Get creative and show your unique style. We have damask patterns, birds, cherry blossoms, oh my!

Speaking of stationery, we have the fantastic Kara Rosenberry line and we also have our newest arrival, Coyne and Pinckney. Don't forget to enter our giveaway for our choice of C&P stationery set and all of their products are 10%! Check them out and get entering.

I could go on and on! Take a peek at Molly Lou Gifts and see what sticks out...we hope you'll love it. Please let us know if we can do anything...we are here to help. Use code MLGfun for 10% your total purchase with us!

Have a great day!

Roar?

Have you seen the previews for ABC's new, Cougartown starring Courteney Cox? Interesting...Obviously the title gives it away. Courteney Cox is a 40 something divorced woman with a teenage son that decides to spice up her dating life and go on the prowl. Right!

Yesterday I wrote about different perceptions. So, I give you part 2; Cougartown-a train wreck waiting to happen or pure sitcom revolution?

Thought A:

*Who uses the word cougar anymore in a cool way? It's kind of lame and really 5 minutes ago.

*The previews are terrible. The jokes are bad, just bad.

*Have you seen the one where Courteney Cox is pulling at all of her copious amounts of flab? LIKE ANYONE IN AMERICA IS GOING TO BELIEVE THAT WAS REALLY YOU AND FEEL SORRY FOR YOU! That is not a way to attract viewers?

*Everyone loves Courteney Cox on Friends and there is no going back once we see this show.

Thought B:

*What courageous producers and writers this show has in bringing back the word cougar. Good for them...perhaps it can be cool and we could even expand the definition of cougar so it could appeal to a broader audience.

*Perhaps the jokes aren't bad, just misunderstood. There are PLENTY of bad jokes that have stuck and continue to be repeated...perhaps Cougartown will start a trend.

* Courteney Cox found flab??? Oh no, plastic surgeons are going to get even richer and weight loss remedies are going to explode...just fixing the recession and economy.

*"Friends???? What's Friends? I only know Courteney Cox from that awesome show on ABC Cougartown. She is fantastic and a true role model for women. I so relate to her and just adore her. " It could happen...

I guess we will just have to wait until September 23 to see what Cougartown brings to our lives. I am pretty sure that even if it is a train wreck, I will have to take a peek...

Have a great day!

All About Your Perspective

Ok, so last week my friend over at Just Playing Pretend offered two options on attitudes while regaling her rather interesting. Loved this idea and decided to borrow it for today to fill you in on the Molly Lou family road trip. Everything really is all about your perspective and how you look at things...

Attitude 1

a. Stuck in the Molly Lou family car with Mr. Molly Lou, both minis, Mr. Molly Lou's brother, and his girlfriend for over 13 hours on Thursday/Friday cramped like sardines and getting nauseous as Mini #1 and are stuck in the way back and feel like we are on a constant roller coaster ride while Mr. Molly Lou is erratically driving. We left at 11 pm on Thursday night and arrived at our destination around 12:30 pm on Friday.

b. Arrive at destination and have many, many people to see. Mini #2 has bruises on her cheeks and hams from being squeezed and kissed so much over the weekend. Some of the family has new significant others that we get to meet and let's just say that some are quite interesting.

c. Mosquitoes eat me alive and I couldn't quit scratching all weekend.

d. Mr. Molly Lou was catching up and acting like he was in college again all weekend while I had sole Mini duty. Mini #2 loves plants and feels that she should eat them all.

e. Mini #2 decides that she doesn't want to sleep in the crib and Mini #1 doesn't want to sleep in the "nest" on the floor, so both nights all four of us slept together in one bed.

f. There was more food in the home than at your local supermarket, so as a form of entertainment, I just ate. I needed to be rolled out of there. I need some miracle cleanse and fasting.

g. After being there for about 48 hours, we decided that was enough and all jumped back in the car to ride those 13 hours back home together. We were all tired, fatter, and down right crankier as we embarked on this return journey. You know the trip home is never as much fun and the Minis were NOT feeling it on the ride home. Mini #1 was particularly cheery as his DVD player wouldn't work because the new "universal" car charger I bought didn't feel like working. My shift of driving was also the last 4.5 hours that ended at 2:30 this morning and included a torrential downpour in which I couldn't see a good portion of the trip.

Attitude 2

a. I got to spend quality time with my family in the Molly Lou car riding up to PA. We sang songs, chatted, and just loved being together. Mini #1 were able to get bonus entertainment as we got free amusement park rides from sitting in the back. Also, we were able to help the planet by only taking one car and conserving gas.

b. Mini #2 has a new reddish complexion with hints of blue on her skin from all the loving people that just couldn't get enough of this sweet, sweet girl. Perhaps she won't need makeup when she is older. We got to meet new significant others this weekend and loved getting to meet new people.

c. I lost weight this weekend since the mosquitoes loved feasting on my body. This could be a new diet fad.

d. It was such a trip down memory lane to watch Mr. Molly Lou with his family and childhood friends. I loved spending that extra quality time with the minis exploring the lake home we were visiting and was able to deeply appreciate the little things that he does at home when he actually acknowledges that he has children.

e. Sleeping together always brings a family closer. Thankfully, I wasn't able to sleep so deeply this weekend that I might miss something. Also, another great weight loss tool as I was sandwiched between my children that radiate heat and sweat so much each night.

f. I am so thankful to have had such wonderful food this weekend. Great food and great company. I won't need to buy groceries this week as we ate so much that our bodies have at least a week reserve.

g. It was great to hop back in the car on Sunday. We got to squeeze back in the car together and recap the weekend. We were able to see new parts of this great country and visit some gas stations and restrooms that helped build my children's tolerance to germs. Mini #1 was really able to appreciate how he normally gets to ride with a video and is now able to understand how we used to ride in the "old days." I got to really get in touch with God as I prayed so much to make it home through the storm.

I'll let you decide which attitude stance I take...perhaps a bit of both! :) Hope you all had a great weekend...can't wait to catch up!

Check it out!

Have you popped over to Molly Lou Gifts and seen the new collage that I made for the homepage? It's just a snapshot of the things you will find in our shop. We have so many new products and are continuing to add new things all of the time.

Jump on over and take a look. While you're there, use code MLGfun to save 10% off your total purchase. Remember that we are giving 10% of our profits to Katie and Olive Puppy Love Collars to benefit Puppies Behind Bars-know you're getting a great product and helping a fantastic charity as well.

Hope you're all having great weekends. Can't wait to catch up tomorrow!

Snapshot Saturday~Take a Drive in the Clouds

This week's picture was submitted by Ashley over at Happiness Is... She has an adorable blog that I read daily. Her husband is working in Denver and when she went to visit him a few week's ago, they decided to hit Pike's Peak. This picture this was from their ascent of Pike's Peak. Isn't it amazing...I was amazed when she first posted this picture and was thrilled when she sent it over to share with us. Thanks A!

Send us your Snapshot Saturday picture submission. Just attach a .jpg submission and a brief description of your shot and email it over. Happy weekend!

Spam Off

Dear Spam Customer Service Relations Executive,

I am writing you a fan letter because I have such strong feelings about you. I have decided to lump all of your scum, I mean spam together and just write one huge fan letter.

It is truly amazing how generous you all are. I mean in the past few weeks I have been offered enormous amounts of money. You all must have read my blog and saw that times were tight and then we had the whole delinquent renter issue. The $15,000,000, $800,000,000 and the 250,000 pounds will REALLY help out. We can so breathe a sigh of relief. I have never known that there were such kind Nigerian kings, British businessmen, or even an exiled billionaire who died tragically in an accident. I am so sorry to hear that said exiled man died and then your poor wife is stuck in Africa and is very ill. I really appreciate your "passing it on" attitude...I will be sure to let the minis know that you helped them go to college.

That saying "you can't get anything for free" just really isn't true anymore! I will be sure to let all of my friends know and perhaps they can get in on this fantastic and ever so generous offer. Recession...NO MORE!

While I appreciate your "go get 'em" attitude, I must first let you know that while I love, love, love getting your "please your woman in bed" or "double your penis in 5 days" perhaps you ought to spend more time researching your client. I could use more of the "sure fire way to repel your husband everynight" or "make your husband Brad Pitt in just 3 days."

The other thing that I love about your scum, I mean spam again is that I can post an ad on Craig's List for my rental home or about something the minis did and it's like you are reading my mind. You then send me 23 of these fantastic emails about "getting me out of debt and making me $100,000 a month" or the above mentioned help in bed. I know that I am not the smartest person in the world, so I REALLY appreciate you sending me so many so that I can "get it." That is just good customer service...making sure the customer understands what they are getting. It is truly like you are reading my posts and ads and you just get me...you are right inside my head and know exactly what I am thinking and need.

Dear Spammers, I just love you. You have so totally revolutionized email and the Internet. What ever did we do without you in our lives. Thank you, thank you dear scum!

Now SPAM OFF!

Haphazard Thursday

Happy Thursday folks. Again, you know that I have so many things running around in my head that I decided a "Haphazard Thursday" is necessary to tackle some random things...

A: I have lost 6 followers over the past few days? Hmmmm...you know this isn't helping reach my Dooce status and I must say that it makes me sad each time I see it. Do you think that they truly love this blog and want to start an identical one, so they think that by not following me that I won't know? Or perhaps they only followed me for the giveaways and got peeved they weren't chosen so thought that they would show me! I'm trying to make it to 300 followers and then we will do a Special Giveaway Blowout Extravanganza Crusade! :)

B: TV PHONE HOME! I am so over summer television and it is so sad how freaking excited I am for my shows to return. Perhaps this should be a true sign that I need to focus on a hobby, workout, or engage in more riveting and intellectual conversations with my husband. Maybe I will work on Mini #2's photobooks or take up serious running...or I could just watch reruns and complain for the next two months.

C: Speaking of TV, you know how I love Real Housewives... ATLANTA you are almost here! I actually dislike that one and feel that they could have done a thousand times better, but there is something about those women and their drama that just makes me laugh and thankful for my boring and poor life.

D: I appreciate all of your thoughts and suggestions about the LOSER renter. It would cost us more to take legal action than what it would be worth. The thing that makes me so stinkin' mad is the fact that they didn't even have the decency to call me and I had to find out from our neighbor friend and then there was no apology or anything. Ugh...it makes me mad just replaying everything in my head.

E: We have a new giveaway. Check it out here and enter today! Contest runs until next Sunday! We are thrilled to have Coyne and Pinckney as part of our family.

F: Instead of children's camp, I think we should start a Mom's Camp. You know-day without your kids, hanging with your friends, doing fun things like the movies or running in the sprinklers, meals and snack, perhaps even nap time. This could be huge...

G: Tonight, we are taking off on a 12 hour roadtrip for a weekend in PA with Mr.'s family and his mother's college friends and their families. This is just a weekend trip with two children and Mr. Molly Lou's brother and his girlfriend all trucking it together for 12 hours and one weekend. I will let you draw your own conclusions...

Have a great day!

Worthwhile Wednesday~Welcome to the Family & Giveaway

Happy Wednesday Friends! We are very excited and pleased to announce the newest member of the Molly Lou Gifts family, Coyne and Pinckney. Let me tell you a few things that made me just love them and want them to join the ML family before I even really explored their products.

The owners of Coyne and Pinckney are a husband and wife team that met at Clemson University (just like Mr. and Mrs. Molly Lou), they were married at Fripp Island (the Molly Lous adore Fripp and went there on vacation with my entire family after their wedding and before leaving for Italy), they are a South Carolina based business (just like Molly Lou Gifts)...are you seeing some similarities? Also, the owners both share names of people in the Molly Lou family and are just all around awesome.

Coyne and Pinckney's stationery sets have fantastic quality, detailed designs, and exude a Southern style that you will love and cherish. You will love sending notes on your new stationery designs and your recipient will appreciate your thoughtful stationery style.My favorites are the adirondack chairs! LOVE THEM! I also love the Palmetto Tree, crabs, alligator, sailing skiffs, the Palmetto pride-you get the idea.

When you need a vacation, go pull out your notes, think of a dear friend that you would like to be sitting under the Old Oak with or chatting with while sipping a summer drink in the adirondack chairs, close your eyes pretending you're there, and then write a note to them! Instant stress reliever!

Molly Lou Gifts is so excited to add their products to our line that we are offering them at a 10% discount to welcome them! Each note set comes with ten notes and the discount is good until August 1, 2009.

Now, in true Molly Lou Gifts style when we launch a new product line, we offer a discount and a giveaway. Discount, check! It's Giveaway time!

We are offering your choice of stationery set from our new friends! Which will you choose??

Now, to enter:

1-comment on this posting telling us which design you would choose and who your first note would be sent to on your new set.
2-Become a follower or let us know you already heart us.

3-Refer a friend to our blog and if they mention you in their comments, then you get an extra entry.

4-Blog and/or tweet about this giveaway linking it back to this post.

5-Buy a set! Think of all the great and affordable gift recipients that would LOVE this set. For every set you purchase, you receive 5 entries.

I will throw all the entries together and pick a winner on Monday, August 3! You have until Sunday, August 2 at 11:59 pm to enter! YAY! Get entering...you know you want to!

Now, get yourselves on over to Molly Lou Gifts and check out Coyne and Pinckney's new page! Have a great day!

Let's Give it to the Dogs!

So, it is time for Molly Lou Gifts to pick a new charity to donate 10% of its profits too. We were supporting the Boys Home of the South and thanks again to all of you that helped contribute to this fantastic cause.

You know after I posted the too adorable, Fenway, child of Perfectly Pleasant that I got the hate mail about me not being a "dog person." I am not going to jump back in to that pool, but in trying to reach out to my dog loving friends and perhaps customers, I decided that we needed to focus on those canines.

Hmm...where to look? It must be perfect...my friend, The Prep-E Girl is there to save the day! This is just meant to be. Erin has decided to try to raise $3000 for a fabulous organization, Puppies Behind Bars. This organization places puppies with prison inmates to raise them to become service dogs for the disabled or explosive detection canines for law enforcement.

When reading their website, I saw this "...prison inmates would make excellent puppy raisers, and started the first guide-dog/prison program. Not only do inmates have unlimited time to spend with the puppies, but they benefit from the responsibility of being puppy raisers in ways that are especially important to their rehabilitation: they learn patience, what it is like to be completely responsible for a living being, how to give and receive unconditional love, and-since puppy raisers take classes and train the dogs together-how to work as a team." I spent a lot of time looking around the organization's website was just in awe of this mission and what they are hoping to accomplish!

How is Ering doing this? She has created Katie & Olive Puppy Love Collars with hopes of raising $3000 for this wonderful charity. She is making dog and cat custom colors in different sizes and fabric choices. You can have your collar with a minium $20 donation and all profits go to PBB.

Where does MLG fit in? Oh, so glad you asked! Molly Lou Gifts will give 10% of all profits to Erin's efforts for Puppies Behind Bars. Any purchase you make from our shop, know that you are helping this great cause.

Thanks Erin for doing this! We wish you great success! If you're looking for a fabulous gift, you know we have it. Think of all those showers, birthdays, parties, weddings, hostess gifts, or certain items you have been wanting for a while. Buy and know you are helping this great effort! Don't forget to stop by Katie & Olive to order your collar!

Have a great day!

PS-think I will slowly be let back in thos good graces of those that were horrified by my not owning a dog????

Dear Renter

Dear Renter of the Year Award Recipient,

Thank you for moving out of our home a week ago and not even having the decency to call us. Thank you for abandoning your lease in which you still have nine months left to pay on...remember that legally binding agreement that we signed in which I offered you an adorable home to live in with your two and soon to be three children for the next year???

It was so great to hear from our neighbor and good friend on Saturday. We hadn't gotten to actually speak with him or his wife since they welcomed a new arrival to the world a few weeks ago. We so love them and were hoping that life was finally settling down for them and they were able to chat and tell us all the details and how the big brother was doing, but no, he was calling to regale us in your move out efforts and get the real scoop on why we "booted our tenants." Let's just say that both of us were more than a little SURPRISED to find out that we DID KNOW you left. That's right, you just left and couldn't even call us to tell us that you are not a nice or responsible person.

When I did get to talk to you on Saturday, you did not even apologize once, but acted like this was a normal occurrence...you don't have money so you just move out and forget about the lease agreement. You also told me the house was SPOTLESS because you got on your hands and knees to scrub the floors and everything was in pristine shape. You also told me that the utilities were still left on and that you certainly hoped that we could find another renter.

Well, dear renter, when Mr. Molly Lou arrived at the home this morning, the house wasn't exactly in that pristine shape that you mentioned and the light fixture hanging from the ceiling was only the tip of the iceberg. Oh, did you think that I wouldn't find out that the electricity was in fact not on? I even called the electric and gas company and as I am the owner of the home, I was informed that you asked for the services to be cut off last Thursday. Right...you are a tricky one and perhaps you thought that my hair was as blonde as yours. (While we are at it, no one thinks that is your natural hair color and perhaps the 2 inches of dark roots at the top give it away.)

Perhaps in your haste to move out, you forgot some very important "friends" that belong to you. The 32535322 fleas that you left were jumping up and down excited to see Mr. Molly Lou since they had been abandoned. I can't be sure, but I don't think they enjoyed the bomb that Mr. Molly Lou set off to let the little buggers drift away to Flea Heaven.

Dear Renter I think that you need some help. I am no professional, but may I offer you some life advice? Perhaps the two children that you currently have and the one that you are carrying with the boyfriend that you just broke up with would like to have a stable home and know that their mother is a responsible and good person. The job that you just got laid off from was as a teacher at a private, religious school...perhaps getting pregnant with your "baby daddy" wasn't on the top of their list of fave things you have done and the constant calling in sick from said pregnancy probably is what lost you the Teacher of the Year Award.

Trust me, there are continuous EXTREMELY not nice thoughts that continue to run through my head about you. If I wasn't a good Southern girl, I would call you some of those not so nice words that are in my thoughts right now.

Kind Regards,

Your Landlord

PS-Your rent check for this month bounced...THANKS AGAIN! Please tell any future landlord or mortgage broker to give me a call...I would love to chat about what a glorious person you are! I certainly hope your children don't follow in your footsteps, but instead learn from your example and do the opposite.

Honestly, I would like to thank...

the academy and all of the friends that helped me get to where I am today!

I was awarded the Honest Scrap by my friend Kara (see her lovely products at MLG here). There are a few rules that go along with this award. They are-I need to copy the logo and place it on my blog, Link it back to the person who gave it to me, Pass it on to five fellow bloggers, List 10 things about myself....

1. Mr. Molly Lou: I met Mr. Molly Lou when I was 19 and thought he was OBNOXIOUS. He loves to tell the story the opposite way. We were friends for a few months and then you know how the story remains today. I had a dream many years ago that we were in an airport with a couple of children and thought we were going to miss our plane. One child needed something and he was holding one and pushing the stroller. He told me to go with the one child that I had and he would meet me. I ran ahead, and in my dream, I looked back to see him holding our child and running through an airport and knew that I would marry him. Silly I know, but I would say that dream was pretty telling as here we sit two children later.

2. Sometimes I miss teaching! I used to complain about my students a lot, but really loved it and sometimes miss it. I love staying home with the minis though.

3. 10 years ago last week I was in a horrific car accident and if it weren't for some travellers from Ohio headed home pulling me from my car, I would have died. 10 seconds after they pulled me out of the car, my car exploded. Clearly I am here for a reason, some days I just don't know what it is.

4. From said accident, on the 1 year anniversary of my accident, I got a butterfly tattoo on my lower back. Butterflies represent new life and clearly I got a second chance. No one ever sees it and I forget about it. When I tell people I have one, most are shocked.

5. I love the Real Housewives... shows. I know it is silly and I am probably losing some brain cells from wasting my time and tuning in, but it is a great mindless release when I finally sit down at the end of the day. I don't really like the Atlanta one, but the trailer for the new season has me intrigued as to what NeeNee will be up to this season.

6. Hamburgers...I love hamburgers! When I was pregnant with Mini #1 I couldn't get enough of them. Mr. Molly Lou was loving the "beef pregnancy."

7. Coffee=my addiction. Everyone has to have one, right? I could drink coffee all day, every day.

8. Molly Lou sister and I are just over 5 years apart. We never got along when we were little as we had very little in common. We get along great now, but when we were little, not so much. We used to PLAY sisters. She was married to Kevin Costner and I was married to Tom Cruise and our rooms were our houses. We could PLAY sisters all day, but when it came to actually being sisters, it wasn't so fun.

9. NewYork is my favorite place in the world! Everytime I think about it, I smile and yearn to be there. I can't say enough good things about it. Mr. Molly Lou and I have a fantastic engagement story from Molly Lou, so now it even holds a deeper, more special place in my heart.

10. My embarassing moment: When I was a junior in highschool, I got an award at the end of the year assembly. Mind you, this was in the gym with the entire highschool (1200 students) and then parents, district people, teachers, etc. As I was walking up to get my award, I tripped on a cord that was hidden under plastic laid on the gym floor. I tripped right in front of the boy that I had a crush on for 3 YEARS!!! That's right, 1200 people, love of my life (at the time), and I tripped. I didn't totally fall, I caught myself, but the sound of all those people laughing still gets me. I mean seriously...perfect timing!

Thanks again for the award! I would now like to pass this award on to ALL of you. I love learning new things about my Blogland friends and hope to learn something funny, neat, or embarassing too! Come on, you know you want to do it.

Hope your weekends are going well. Can't wait to hear about them!

Have a great weekend! Can't wait to hear about all the happenings!

Snapshot Saturday~I want to be Bewitch!

5 years ago today, I was still here on my honeymoon...I am twitching my nose, clicking my heels, blinking, and rubbing my genie bottle trying to transport myself back to Venice and Rome. Oh, how I wish I was there now.

If I close my eyes, perhaps I can pretend...

We need more "Snapshot Saturday" shots. Send us your .jpg submission with a brief description. We'd love to see your summer happenings and trips!

Have a great weekend!

Oh Lordy, Please Tell Me This Isn't True!

As you all know, I have a small obsession and deep love for Kate Spade. While checking out her website, I came across this...

Please God in Heaven tell me this IS NOT what I am seeing. I don't even know where to start on this...

This is the description of this $375 Islington Daniella bag...

"london's bustling islington neighborhood, a haven for artists and performers, inspired this stunning shoulder bag in smooth, shiny goathide. featuring a flap top and long crossbody strap, this sophisticated satchel is a classic work bag, and on weekends it can be slung across your back while you ride your vintage schwinn around the city. noel jacquard lining and the light gold turnlock closure add final luxe touches."

I bolded the parts that I find particularly interesting. Can't you just get a mental image of the person that purchases this bag riding around on her Schwinn with the bag STRAPPED ACROSS HER BODY!

Seriously, I cannot in any way shape or form get on board with the come back of the "long crossbody strap." There is a reason that those died.

Perhaps I need to give Kate a call as something must be terribly wrong.

Mini #1 Way of Life and Darby Update

First of all, I feel like I have been talking a lot lately about Mini #1 and now Darby, but I just have to share some of the things he says and does so you all know what I am dealing with. I promise that Darby is not going to take over the blog as she is my life, but I present Exhibits A, B, C, and D for your reading enjoyment. Please read Exhibit D and explain what in the hay I should have done...

Exhibit A: Yesterday, I did some MORE yard work and finish clearing out another front bed. There is a part that has more bushes, so more difficult to get in. I had already done one wheel barrow and then filled the second one. I left the wheel barrow on the driveway full of leaves, sticks, small branches, etc. and when we got back last night, he was playing with the wheel barrow and it was tilting.

I said "Please don't do that. If that wheelbarrow tips over and all that work I did spills all over the driveway, I am not going to be happy."

Mini: "Are you going to be really mad mom?"

Me: "Yes, I am going to be mad."

Mini: "How mad? As mad as you were when I put the hole in the ceiling from the bathroom?"

(The hole is he is referring to is when he flooded the bathroom and the leak in the ceiling that occurred. He watched me hammer the nail in the ceiling to give the water a place to flow, so that must be the hole he is talking about. Read that story here if you missed that DAY O' FUN!)

Exhibit B: Mr. Molly Lou had parked his car on the street so that I could get my car out of the driveway. When we got back, he asked me to move his car back down. I said I would and asked Mini #1 if he wanted to come with me and "drive."

He did and loved the whole driving back in to the driveway. He then said he wanted to drive my car. I said that maybe he could tomorrow and that as a three year old, he had enough driving for one day.

He starts his pouting and shouts "But tomorrow never comes for me Mom!"

Exhibit C: We had dinner at Molly Lou sister's last night. Mini #1 and I made brownies while Mini #2 was napping. We made marble brownies, so we had one bowl for the white mix and one for the chocolate brownie mix. When we were finished, Mini #1 stole the bowl to get the goods left in it. I said "Aren't you going to share the other bowl with Darby?"

He says "No, Mom. Darby doesn't like brownies."

Interesting and quite convenient. I bet Darby just HATES M&M's too.

Exhibit D & Darby update: We went to the grocery store yesterday afternoon. We walked out and all of the sudden, Mini #1 starts screaming and runs back towards the store. He stops and starts crying. I am asking what is wrong as I'm completely clueless as to what is going on.

He tells me that Darby got smashed in the door. She wanted to go back in to get something and the door closed.

SERIOUSLY! How should I have handled that because I am open to any suggestions?

***Darby is fine and when we returned home safely in one piece, the minis and Darby enjoyed some juice and a snack. WHEW!***

Have a great weekend! Can't wait to hear about all the weekend happenings!

Haphazard Thursday

We all know that I have a lot of randomness (and a few rants) going on in my head at all times, so I am dubbing Thursdays to be "Haphazard Thursdays." I will just let it all (well, perhaps not all) out and we can chat it up based on what is going on in Molly Lou World. I know you're all thrilled.

1. Darby Update: (If you missed Darby's intro. to the Molly Lou family, click here.) Ok folks, I think the Darby has WORN out her welcome. I am trying to be patient and while it is humorous and fun to watch, sometimes that little $%^& is causing problems. All of the reasons that I don't believe in spanking my children, do you think that would apply as well to imaginary friends? Here is the best from yesterday...I was pulling out of the driveway and all of the sudden, the door opens. The car is moving and Mini #1's door is open.

I freak out and say "What are you doing?"

Mini: "You left Darby. She was chasing us. We can't leave her at home."

I get out and close the door (first assuring that the child lock is now actually on) and then say "Is Darby all set? From now on, if Darby isn't in the car when it starts moving, then she doesn't get to go. Ok?"

Mini: "Did you hear that Darby? Mom said you can't go if we are moving. She means it, I can tell."

Glad that Darby got the picture...Don't make me come back there, Darby! Darby also doesn't like to eat her lunch, but likes to try to sneak a fruit snack out of the cabinet. Mini #1 put Darby in to timeout and said "Darby, you are getting a time out because your ears aren't on and you are having a hard time listening."

Hmmm...where do you think that line came from?

2-Jon Gosselin-he is making me crazy. I was always on Team Jon, but now I have jumped ship. What a flippin' moron. You are now dating your wife's plastic surgeon's daughter that is over a decade younger than you and there are magazine pictures of you smoking while in the south of France just 19 days after your wife filed for divorce...great for your children. You are so right, you are there for your kids and doing what is BEST for them. Oh, by the way, why did you wife need to have plastic surgery? Right...she had 8 children, 6 of them at once and they slightly resemble you! WAY TO GO JON!

3-We have been going to a new church. It's nice and last night, we went to the Wednesday night deal. You know the drill: covered dish meal, old people that you don't know touching your baby, followed by children's fun time and then adult study/discussion. I really wanted to go because Mini #1 is going to VBS there next week alone and if you know him or have read my blog, he is not loving strangers and unfamiliar situations. We met some more nice people and the "class" was only like 35 minutes. The kids had fun, but here is my rant. COVERED DISH MEALS MAKE ME CRAZY!!!! Someone brought a 3"x6" platter of raw broccoli and someone else brought a package of Oreos. Are you f*&%ing kidding me? THAT WAS THEIR CONTRIBUTION!

4-Have you ever taken one of those colors tests? Choose your favorite color from a list and then it defines you as a person. I did one the other night when I couldn't sleep. I know what you're thinking that there were about 278 more useful things that I could have been doing instead of this. Take your own here and see if you can guess mine. I bet you can.

5-I look like a battered woman. All this manual labor in my yard has given me about 45621 bruises. I bruise so easily. This manual labor thing is getting old and I so wish I could Bewitch myself a laborer.

Thanks for indulging me on "Haphazard Thursday." Have a great day!

Highest Bidder Please

Ok, so like I said on Monday, I love my children. I do, I do, I really, really do!

Yesterday, however, was a true test of love and I had thoughts of posting them on Craig's List. I mean seriously if someone would have come along and offered me ANYTHING for the children, I might have accepted. I mean didn't Debbie Rowe just take $4 million for hers? Mine are WAY CUTER, so I wonder what I could get.

ONLY KIDDING. Perhaps not funny, but after you hear about my day yesterday you will not be so horrified.

(Before you read on, I would NEVER sell my children. I may rent them for a few hours, but they are too stinking cute and loveable to actually sell. Besides, Mr. Molly Lou always talks about how much we have invested in them already and wonders if they offer a trade-in program like with cars...interesting idea.)

Ok, so Mini #1 loves to play in the bathroom. The child has $6789987 worth of toys, but the sink is heaven to him. He has flooded the bathroom before with his overzealous sink play and has been told more than I can count not to do it. We had breakfast and then he went up for his morning potty break while Mini #2 and I finished up breakfast and I began to clean up. I went to check on him and there was the flood of 2009. He knew he was in trouble just by looking at me. (I used to be a teacher, so I have the best "look of death.") I got the mess all cleaned up and then went downstairs to finish cleaning up.

I am sweeping the wood floor and am in the kitchen when I feel a drop of water on me. I look down and there are several drops on the wood. Laws of gravity would lead me to look up and that's when I saw it...a leak in the ceiling. Convenient that this same leak is right below the bathroom. RIGHT (starting not to judge me so much aren't you.) So the flood, let to water leaking above my kitchen sink. I call Mr. Molly Lou and he tells me to hammer a small nail in the ceiling to allow the water to flow from that hole rather than just sit there and possible crash down on me and the children since there is no way to know exactly how much was there. I do as told and the water does start to drip from the hole. We fill a bowl and then it stopped.

Fast forward about 20 minutes from this fiasco and I am mopping the kitchen floor and cleaning up the rest of the mess from the leak. I hear a boom, crash in the living room and then Mini #2 crying. I walk in to find that she has worked her way across the room and attempted to pull her self up on to an iron plant stand and large plant. She felt that was the perfect place to stand at that moment. THE CHILD WAS COVERED IN DIRT. I mean covered, the stand has fallen over, and the plant is traumatized on the floor while the pot has broken in to 123 pieces. She isn't hurt and as soon as I pick her up, she is fine. She could care less about the dirt...this child loves to be dirty.

Clean up another mess and then get Mini #2 down for a nap.

The doorbell rings about 5 minutes later and who decided to drop by, but the pastor of the new church that we went to on Sunday. PERFECT TIMING. All I have to say is Thank God I had a bra on and he didn't come 5 minutes earlier to see my child covered in dirt and Mini #1 only his underwear and still crying over the punishment from the first fiasco. So the Rev. and I chatted it up for a few minutes and then he went on his way.

Later in the day when we went out to do a few things, I was stopped at a stop light and all of the sudden who is in my face? That would be my child. He just undid his seat belt, hopped out of his seat and decided to see the view from up front. Thank goodness I was stopped because I seriously almost peed my pants because he startled me so. A series of tantrums occurred over various things...no green goldfish in his bowl, Maggie read his book, etc.

Ok, judge away now. I will tell you that we are all still alive and were happy when it was bedtime last night. Today is a new day...

Have a great day!

PS-thanks for the emails and comments about Darby. Darby is still here and I have many stories to share...this imaginary friend bit is quite interesting. Darby is starting to wear out her welcome though. Darby and I might have a throw down...my patience is wearing thin on some things.

Meet Darby

Blog Friends meet Darby.

Darby meet Blog Friends.

Who is our new friend?

Darby is now living with us, has a spot at the table and didn't want to eat her dinner, prefers chocolate milk to water, a special bed with two pillows and stuffed animal,a prime spot right in the middle of the sofa for stories at night, loves swimming (she's really good at jumping), makes the best sand castles, and she has a new baby sister named Claire. Claire is also here although I didn't see her after we finished dinner. Perhaps I should be worried about that.

How long will Darby and Claire be living with us? Indefinitely, but Mr. Molly Lou has already said they have to go when it starts costing more money. Now, they are just grateful house guests, but when they start asking for things, eating too many snacks, or expect a college fund, he will file for eviction.

Darby is Mini #1's new imaginary friend. This is our first dip in to the "Imaginary Friend Pond" so I am just rolling with it. It's been interesting to say the least and quite fun to watch him with Darby. I never had an imaginary friend or have no recollection of it and I don't recall my sister ever having one either. Mr. Molly Lou says he never had one either although he talks to himself in the mirror now...does that count as an adult imaginary friend?

Ever play Hide and Seek with an imaginary friend??? Interesting...thankfully most of the time Darby hid with Mini #1. We only had almost one new friend catastrophe.

I still carry Mini #1 up to bed every night after stories and last night, I carried him, but had to hold Darby's hand up the stairs so she wouldn't fall. Darby loved Lyle Lyle Crocodile last night and wants to read that book every night. He is very protective of Darby and very considerate of her as well. He asked her what she wanted for breakfast and told me that she didn't like the cup that I got out for her. She even took over my seat at the table, but the host that I am graciously allowed her to sit where she wanted. She was slightly rude when it came time to pick her placemat. Mini #1 said she didn't like the choices, but finally decided on a lobster one (you know the adorable ones at Molly Lou Gifts). Darby also found it necessary to sit right in front of the refrigerator and I had to politely ask her to move each time I needed to get in there this morning. My politeness will quickly run its course if this behavior keeps up.

The adventures of Darby and Mini continue...any bets on what they get in to next?

Have a great day!

Terrible Mother

I love my children. I do, I really, really, really do.

I feel that I have been a terrible mother lately.

When I was pregnant with Mini #1, I made a pregnancy scrapbook documenting all of my doctor's appointments, ultrasound pictures, shower pictures, gifts, etc. It was all documented and ready to go before I went in to labor and then I added the days in the hospital when I had him. You know the whole, baby hat they first put on him, the name tags from his hospital cradle, all the little things that documented his introduction to the world.

Then, I think he had 6 photo albums/scrapbooks before he was three months old. All adorned with the cute little borders, tearful little sayings about sweet babies and bubbly baby boys. I only had one child, my husband worked out of the country, and I used to stay up until the wee hours of the morning making sure that everything was perfect.

He also has hours of video of him staring at the camera completely bored with the camera in his face, looking like an infant angel while sleeping, me sounding like a complete idiot making noises to try to get him to smile, his first steps, baths, tooth, tantrum, etc. I do have many more pictures than actual video footage. Mr. Molly Lou isn't much for taking pictures or video and he was gone a lot, so that leaves me alone and the camera is what I always grab first.

Fast forward three years and add Mini #2 who is so freaking adorable I just want to eat her. While I have all of her little ultrasound pictures, baby pink papers and vellum to create that fantastic pregnancy scrapbook documenting all of the doctor's appointments, first kicks, cravings, etc. I haven't made it.

I have 4354364 pictures of her nine months on this Earth and I have all of those books ready to be filled with amazingly creative photo pages.

I took a video yesterday afternoon of Mini #2 looking precious in her church dress and little pearl bracelet with a silver cross. She was smiling, cooing, babbling, trying to walk, crawling, and making cute faces for the camera. It was great, then I went to rewind the tape and realized that I haven't taken a video of her since Christmas.

That's right, Christmas...7 freaking months ago.

About all of those ultrasound pictures, photographs, paper, vellum, stickers, books, quotes, hospital stuff...While I HAVE THEM, I haven't done anything with them. They take up two drawers in a craft shelf that I have.

I HAVE NOT CREATED ONE BOOK FOR MY PRECIOUS DAUGHTER OR TAKEN A VIDEO OF HER ADORABLENESS IN 7 MONTHS. I SHOULD BE TURNED IN TO THE AUTHORITIES.

In my defense, I haven't done anything with Mini #1's photographs in over a year. Again, I have them, just in a drawer. I also haven't taken a video of him in 7 months either.

We have also moved three times since this little DISASTER first occurred. It started as a little snowball and has quickly turned in to a massive avalanche with no known survivors. And I am trying to grow a business, keep a clean house, do my side job, play/read/laugh with my children occassionally, feed them, blog with my friends, and sleep occassionally.

Who am I kidding??? No excuse is really good enough.

My children are going to be in therapy in 20 years and will roll in to the fetal position and start crying whenever someone mentions baby book. God forbid anyone to actually bring out a baby book to show off their life as a toddler.

I'll just hand my children the box where their pictures will still remain and then hand them a BIG check for their therapist.

Most Brilliant Woman Ever!

"As long as you know men are like children, you know everything." ~Coco Chanel

"How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone." ~Coco Chanel

Seriously, the most brilliant woman ever! :)

Happy Sunday! Hope your weekends are fabulous!

Christmas in July Swap Partners

"Dashing through the Snow..."

"Jingle bell, jingle bell rock..."

"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree..."

Feeling festive yet? I am so excited about this swap. Partners are listed below and were selected randomly. Mini #1 loved his job as "Official Name Picker." We at the Molly Lou headquarters like to kick it old school and just pick the names out of a jar. He is really stepping up and has proved that he is worthy! Your swap partner's name should link up to their email address. Chat with your partners about likes/dislikes, favorite colors, etc. Choose a theme with your partner or not. It's up to you all to decide what you want to do to make this fantastic.

Remember that gift packages should be mailed to your partner by July 25th and you shouldn't spend more than $30 (not including shipping.)

Wrap up your packages so your partner will have that Christmas morning rip open thrill-doesn't have to be holiday wrap!

I can just see it now...what a bunch of fools we will all look when we make it nice and cold in our living rooms, put on a sweater, add a holiday song on the ipod and drink hot chocolate as we open our lovely packages. :)

Living in the Moment-Perfectly Pleasant

Personalized Sketches and Sentiments-Gleatie

Family Life-Jen & Rob

Sweet Life-Stephanie

Just Playing Pretend-Joshley and The Charles

Pink is my Signature Color-LaurensMommy

Katiesperk-Ladybug Blessings

MelissaG. -Lindsey

Matt and Me - Cathy

Molly Lou Gifts-Her Southern Charm


Please let me know if you have any questions or if I can help in anyway! Don't forget to take pictures and post all about your awesome gifts after you receive. We all can't wait to see what gifts were left for you by your "Summer Santa."


If you're so sad that you missed the swap and are kicking yourself for not participating, email me and we will set you up. After all, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of Year."


Have a great day!


PS-Shameless Molly Lou Gifts plug: If you're interested in purchasing any gifts for your swap partner from us, we'll give you 20% off. Use code swap20 to get the discount at checkout. I know the owner and know what cute things they have and they always come adorably packaged. We can even ship directly to your partner with a gift message. Shameless, I know. :)

Snapshot Saturday~Pancake Saturday

This week's Snapshot Saturday come from the Molly Lou house. It has become a tradition in our home to do "Pancake Saturday." Mini #1 loves him some pancakes and can eat a lot. We usually dye the pancakes different colors and have even been known to add a sprinkle or two on special occassions (he calls them sprinklers.) He gets to choose the colors and sometimes likes to mix them making a yummy looking pancake. This picture shows the 4th of July Blue and Red pacakes on his face.

I know you all love that he isn't wearing a shirt so you get to see his mad muscles. Oh to be 3 again...
Mini #2 does a great job of supervising all kitchen activities while patiently waiting for her serving.

Send us your "Snapshot Saturday" submission. Just include your name and a brief description. Get your 15 min. of fame on our blog! Send us your .jpg submissions here. Have a great weekend!

You Better Sit Down for This!

WOW...first of all, I am totally impressed by the number of entries we had. Thanks to everyone for making this so fun and for blogging, tweeting, and talking about this BLOWOUT!

Let me just tell you how long it took me to decipher this mass of entries. Great "problem" to have, but between extra entries for referrals and purchases-AHHHH! I was also trying to do this while Mini #2 was napping and Mini #1 was playing by himself. I need to change some things for next time, but I mean this is fantastic and clearly we need more giveaway blowouts!

There are three randomly chosen winners to this contest! And you all know that I love Dancing With the Stars, so we are going to go with their agonizingly suspenseful music. Get it in your head...

Everyone dancing to the music? Ready...

The GRAND PRIZE winner of the Molly Lou Gifts 100th, well 101st Post Giveaway Blowout is

The Southern Housewife

The other two lucky winners who will receive Molly Lou Gifts gift certificates

Shaina aka Post Smith

Victoria Cosby

YAY for all three of you! Thanks so much again for entering. Girls, please email me and I will get you hooked up with your prizes and redemption codes for your gift certificates. Have a great day!

PS-we have over 200 followers!!! YAY, I am so incredibly excited! Welcome all our new peeps...thanks for stopping by! We're sure to have loads of fun times together!

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's...

SUPER PIG! That's right. Move over Batman and Superman, SUPER PIG is in the house!

Who is SUPER PIG, where did he come from, and what are his special talents?

Well, the library storytime yesterday had the theme of farm animals. We read some animal stories and sang some animal songs (the librarian that did it was so lame. A gnat has more personality than this woman...she was THRILLED to be singing along with a group of preschoolers and toddlers...that is a rant for a whole other day, so stay tuned.)

Anyway, the craft was a pig mask: color, add some string, and viola SUPER PIG was born. Now, Mini #1 is famous for his disgust and will repel any kind of mask or head adornment, but for some reason, we were really feeling the connection with the PIG.

He wore it ALL day and was combo ghostpig when Mr. Molly Lou came home-"Boo! Oink Oink! Boo! Oink Oink!" He even went to bed wearing the pig mask. When I went to check on him, this is what I saw-SUPER PIG'S do need their sleep after their busy days of fighting off bacon eaters!

The funniest part was when I was waiting to check out our books and Mini #1 proceeds to "fly" around the library, flapping his arms and saying "Pigs can fly." Mini #2 just ate hers...so much for dutiful sidekick!

Have a great day and weekend! Can't wait to hear all about the exciting weekend happenings.

You only have until noon to enter our giveaway blowout! Winner announced this afternoon...I know you're all too excited and just can't stand the suspense. Also, it's the last day to sign up for our Christmas in July swap. Partners will be randomly joined and announced tomorrow!

Creature of Habit

I am a TOTAL creature of habit. I like things to be done and am not a fan of surprises when it comes to daily routines. I have two children, so I know that all days aren't going to work exactly like I like them and I know that unforeseen circumstances will occur.

At night, before I go to bed, the dishwasher is unloaded, the floors have been swept and mopped, all mini toys have been picked up, my coffee pot is set, and things are pretty much neat and tidy in the Molly Lou house. I know this may seem excessive, but I am "a clean freak" as Mr. Molly Lou so lovingly describes me and if I get the basics like coffee set and dishwasher unloaded, then it is one less thing that I have to do in the morning.

Last night, we had a lighting debacle. We have been trying to put a new light up in the dining room for a few days. There is some problem left from the "interesting one" regarding the wires, so this is why it wasn't hung days ago. Last night, we hung the light and then started to tackle the wires. It got dark, mini #1 was still up, and Mr. Molly Lou decided to call his hear ol' dad for some help.

Mini #1 knows just how to sweet talk me some nights and wanted me to lay with him. I gave in and went upstairs with him. Of course, I fell asleep snuggling with him and when I came down, I just couldn't get it together.

I hadn't swept or mopped, the dishwasher hadn't even been started, there were pieces of wire, tools, box pieces all over the table and floor, and more tools strewn about the hutch and other places. I decided I would take care of it this morning, started the dishwasher, and made my way to my bed.

Fast forward to this morning, Mini #1 is in my bed at 3:00 am and feels that it's a great time to chat it up with Mom and Dad. I get up early, didn't realize that Mr. Molly Lou wouldn't pick up ANY tool strewn about and leave his soda can, bottle, glasses all over, and that he turned the kitchen breaker off (half of it) and didn't turn back on! YES, I said it. The laundry is included in said breaker, so the clothes I put in to wash last night didn't finish their cycle and were a lovely mush in the washer. The dishes hadn't even been ran in the dishwasher, but the worst, it turned off the clock on my coffee pot and therefore automatic timer...NO COFFEE WAITING FOR ME THIS MORNING! AHHHHHHHHHH!

I know these are REALLY minor things, but ugggggghhhhhh!

In other news, TOMORROW is the last day to sign up to join us for the "Christmas in July" Swap and partners will be set on Saturday. Also, TOMORROW at noon is the last chance to sign up for the "100th, well 101st Blog Post Giveaway Blowout." I will announce the winner tomorrow afternoon! Go, sign up and tell a friend! Have a great day!

Mini-isms

Mini #1 is becoming quite the teenager. At 3.5 years old whenever I ask him to do something, he responds with "Ohhhh-kay Mom." He adds quite the little attitude and frequently tells me that "I know that Mom."

He is so funny and is growing up so quickly.

This morning he said "My sister is so cute."
I said "You're pretty cute too. You know that?"
MLM#1: "I used to think I was cute, but now I know I am."

Humble, isn't he!

This morning while Mini #2 was nappy, we were outside. I was weeding that darn front bed STILL and he was playing. He looks up after a while and says "You need to work faster Mom. There are still a lot of weeds."

The other night Mr. Molly Lou was working some electrical things and it wasn't going so well. He was very frustrated and we were explaining to Mini #1 that Daddy was just frustrated because he couldn't get it right and didn't know how to fix it. Finally, Mr. Molly Lou worked his magic and fixed it. Mini #1 and I were clapping for Daddy's accomplishment and Mini #1 says:

"Yay Dad! You solved a problem. You should feel proud of yourself."

Where I Don't Belong

You all know that Mr. Molly Lou and I headed away for one night last Friday to celebrate our 5 year anniversary. We only had 24 hours, so we stayed close to home. We left the minis with Grammy (my mom) and headed to Asheville, NC.

As a child, I used to go to the Asheville area all the time. It's really beautiful and I was also so happy to grow up in a place that was so close to beautiful mountains and beaches. My parents would pack Molly Lou sister and I in the minivan and we would head to the mountains to pick apples, pumpkins, look at the beautiful fall leaves on the mountains, and tour the Biltmore Estate.

You know that I truly believe that I was meant to be royalty in a previous life. As a little girl, I used to pretend that I was a Vanderbilt and lived in the Biltmore. You know the whole largest private home in America, owning as far as you can see, more rooms that you could possibly run around in one day, people to cook your meals, horses to ride, etc. was really up my alley. Parents always encourage their children to dream and that was mine.

So, back to my original point. I have never really been to downtown Asheville or it has been many years since that little soiree. Asheville is full of artisitic, hippie, granola, tree-hugging sorts. It was nice to be in such a unique place...the weather was great and most of the shops and restaurants are locally owned. I love being in the mountains and this little unique town is cute. However, some citizens take the whole "back to nature thing" a little too far. I saw a woman in dreadlocks and a tapestry dress breastfeeding her child while walking down the street. RIGHT! I breastfed Mini #1 for 13 months and tried with Mini #2, so it isn't that I have a problem with breastfeeding, it's the whole while walking down a street filled people and the disgustingness that has become your head. Birds would fly away in fear after seeing that nest. Every person that was a true "Asheville-ite" had that vegan, yoga obsessed vibe while wearing their peasant inspired "vintage" clothes and some smelling as though they hadn't bathed in a while. When did taking regular showers and taking pride in having that Dove soap smell become a bad thing?

On Saturday, I had on seersucker pants, monogram Stephen Bonanno's, and carried my blue leather Kate Spade bag while Mr. Molly Lou had on madras shorts and Sperry's. The tree huggers were running for their trees when they saw us coming. I mean this town is-sooooooooo NOT ME! Mr. Molly Lou and I stuck out like sore thumbs. It was kind of funny because you could point out other "outsiders" like us a mile away as they too wore clean clothes and showered at their hotel or bed and breakfast before walking out in search of a Starbucks before they headed back to their respective fast paced life full of all that the Industrial Revolution made possible.

They would certainly turn me in to the authorities for bottle feeding my child and feeding her Gerber baby food in clothes that were not recycled, but purchased from Baby Gap. It might just throw them over the edge if they saw that she was wearing-disposable diapers! GASP! And, Mini #1 didn't play with handmade wooden toys, but loud, plastic ones from Target while obsessing over the polluting trains that go through the mountains. They would exile him for not eating organic vegetables, but instead inhaling Goldfish and pining for a taco from Moe's.

"Worthwhile Wednesday" will be delayed this week! Sorry...I know you just couldn't wait to read this morning to see this week's picks! Don't forget that Friday is the last day to enter our GIVEAWAY BLOWOUT. See top or left for details and to enter. Also, we are having a Christmas in July Swap! YAY! Join the fun and get the details here. Deadline to enter is July 10th with partners announced on the 11th. Invite a friend! Have a great day!

PS-It has become a habit that I don't even THINK about taking the camera if the minis aren't around. Mr. Molly Lou and I are going to look back and wonder where the heck we were for our entire lives. Answer-raising children!!! :)

It's the Most Wonderful Time of Year...

So, I have participated in a few swaps recently and loved them! You see I don't feel the least bit guilty shopping for someone else and Mr. Molly Lou can't say a word as I am shopping for a gift and then get something in return. You see where I am going with this...GUILT FREE SHOPPING! YAY!

So, I was thinking and chatting with my friend A about a "Christmas in July" swap. She said it wasn't cheesy and would be fun! Again, I love to shop for other people and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Christmas, so why not combine the two???

Here's how it will work. I will pair you up with a partner. You will shop for your partner and spend no more than $30 (not including shipping). You will mail your package to your swap partner with a postdate of no later than July 25 (Christmas in July!). The gifts don't have to havea Christmas theme, but should be wrapped up so your partner can unwrap and be just as excited as a child on Christmas morning. Wrap doesn't have to be holiday paper. We can all get so creative and cute with this!

You and your partner are free to share likes/dislikes to help with your shopping trip and the gifts don't have to have a theme.

If you are so excited to participate, comment on this post and leave me your email address. We will set partners on July 11th, giving you two weeks to shop for and ship your packages to your partners.

I know this is a bit cheesy, but it's also fun. Also, it is so flipping hot outside that perhaps if we pretend it's Christmas that we can stop sweating for three seconds. :) Come on, join us and have fun! Feel free to post and/or tweet about this to extend the love to more friends. Cheers!

Weeds and Mosquitose will not win!

The words "weeds" and "mosquitoes" are quickly becoming four letter words in the Molly Lou house. I HATE WEEDS AND MOSQUITOES equally. I cannot stress it enough...HATE THEM. That whole "love all living things" bit doesn't work with me and those two awful things listed above. When God and Noah's Ark occurred, why were the mosquitoes spared...I mean what good comes from a mosquito besides sucking the blood out of me and my precious minis? You all know my complete disgust with lizards, but even I can see why someone like God would like them. Forget that they are slimy, disgusting creatures, perhaps some see them as adorable litlte lizards that eat their bugs.

Even with bug spray on, we are still getting bit and I cannot kill enough. Trust me I feel NO GUILT when I smash one.

Weeds aren't much better in my book. At one time, years ago the "interesting" one had some great landscaping put in. I'm sure it cost quite a lot as I have met this woman and I don't think she could even understand the words "sweat equity." Anyway, I'm sure that back in it's day, the yard was fantastic and while I can see the "good bones" of the yard beneath the overgrowth, it is driving me crazy trying to get there.

I know what you all are thinking? Why doesn't the Molly Lou family hire a landscaper to make the yard beautiful again. Well, you see we don't really work like that. Mr. Molly Lou is someone who has the mentality of "Why should we pay someone to do what we can do?" While I can understand that, the real reason is that we should spend what little money we have feeding our children, keeping the AC running, and perhaps contributing to their college fund. The landscaper fund is slim these days. We are making major improvements and it started with the actual mowing of the lawn. It was amazing to see the two to three foot tall grass mowed down and this past weekend he did it again and it looks great. The backyard is looking good too. Now, the front beds are where the weeds I mentioned above are killing me. The front beds have some good shrubs and the outline of stones looks great. The problem comes from the 98437508745 weeds that have been quite happy making their home there for years as the interesting one continued to get boob jobs instead of weeding her yard.

My poor hands will NEVER look the same. Not that I had great hands and am always in need of a manicure, but now there is DIRT that is permanently making its home permanently in my nails and crevices on my hands. I also have cuts that I am not exactly sure how I got. It is instant gratification though...I get a little jolt of excitement when I look down and see a small patch that is weed free.

I swear though thatI pull up 4 weeds and then I look down and there are three more. They are worse than rabbits...where are they all coming from? You know how I have mentioned before about how I truly believe that I was meant to be royalty and obscenely rich in a previous life? Well, at night I am going to dream being that rich and watching a completely fab landscaper transform my yard and making the leaves disappear like magic.

Have a great day! Cheers!

PS-Mr. Molly Lou and Mini #1 were able to get in to the pool before dinner last night! YAY! It isn't completely clear, but I went to the pool store again yesterday with a sample. Everything checked out so it is completely safe to swim and we are adding a better clarifier to it. The woman explained that since the pool was so completely lagoonlike and disgusting to start, it is just taking MORE time to clear up and ADDITIONAL products....thanks again Interesting One. GREAT JOB!!! Perhaps if we didn't have to spend all this money on just getting the pool clear that I could actually have that landscaper.

Happy Monday Ya'll! It is so hard to get back in to the groove after the holiday weekend. It flew by and hope all of you had a great time...can't wait to hear all the details! I am so proud to be an American and this weekend only proved that we are so blessed to live in this country. I have so many things flying around my head and a few I feel that I may explode if I don't get out!

*This is the last week to enter our 100th (101st) Post Giveaway Blowout! Unless you have been in outerspace or under a rock for the past week, you should have entered our contest! Perhaps that craziness you call life had you (which I totally understand) and you missed it, click here for the details and to enter. One very lucky winner will receive $100 in Molly Lou Gifts products and two other lucky winners will receive Molly Lou Gifts gift certificates! Seriously, I am so excited about this and wish I could win my own contest. Read all about it, pass it on to a friend, post, tweet, and get entering!

*Is anyone else having preposting issues. For some reason, there is something SERIOUSLY wrong and my posts don't publish when I tell them to. I had two scheduled posts for last week's Worthwhile Wednesday when I was away for mini #2's doctor's appointment and Snapshot Saturday and neither worked. I think one of you mentioned this last week, but I can't remember who it was and if you got it resolved.

*I have several new products in the works for Molly Lou Gifts. I hope to reveal some by the end of the week, so stay tuned. I know the suspense is killing you.

*Pool Update: The Molly Lou family pool is still NOT blue. I mean it is blue, but it is still cloudy. Mr. Molly Lou has devoted so much time to this effort and we can't seem to get it right. I took a sample to the pool store and they gave me two things to put in and assured me all would be good in the world of pools. Well, we put it in and did exactly as instructed and while it may be safe to swim, still cloudy. I am taking another sample today and have all my fingers and toes crossed. I don't know how much longer I can deal with Mini #1's look of sheer disappointment every morning when he wakes up and sees that he still can't quite see the car he dropped in the deep end. AHHHHH! On another home note, we still have about 345 hours of good work to do on our yard, but I am pleased to say that major progress is happening and the neighbors are no longer shuddering at our overgrown yard. The landscaping is starting to come together..."The hills are alive."

*I posted two pictures of the minis at our 4th of July celebration and they were oh so cute in their personalized shirts. After seeing the pictures, I know you all are kicking yourself that you didn't get one, so head on over and check out our great selection of personalized shirts. (Shameless plug, sorry!) Here are a few more.

Sorry for the complete randomness of this post. Thanks to those of you that kept reading! :) Have a great day! Cheers!

4th of July Mini Style

Hope you all are having a fantastic holiday weekend. We spent yesterday at home with my mom, sister and brother-in-law, Mr. Molly Lou's brother and his girlfriend. The minis enjoyed having their first party at the new house...here is a glimpse of their patriotic spirit! The pool is still not clear, but that is a fiasco for another day. Have a great day! Cheers!

Snapshot Saturday~Kickin' at the Beach!

Happy 4th of July! Hope you all are having a relaxing and fun day and holiday weekend. I'm sure many of you are soaking up the rays at the beach this weekend. This week's Snapshot Saturday picture was taken by Pati M. This picture is taken near one of her favorite places, San Diego, CA. This picture is at Cabrillo National Monument.

What an awesome picture and I love San Diego. Thanks for sending this in!

We need more submissions for Snapshot Saturday. Just send us your picture and a brief description via email in .jpg format. We love funny, cute, adorable, interesting, and memorable shots. Get your 15 minutes of fame here!

Have a great holiday weekend. Cheers!

Let your soul and spirit fly...

in to the mystic...

5 years ago today I married Mr. Molly Lou and we danced our first dance to Van Morrison's Into the Mystic. 6 years ago today we were engaged in New York City on a dinner cruise right as we sailed by the Statue of Liberty at sunset. We announced our engagement the next morning on the Today Show to all of our friends and family around the country. We made a sign that said "Mom and Dad We're Getting Hitched!" I know you're jealous...we thought it might stand out and it obviously worked!

WOW! Mr. Molly Lou, we have had a very busy five years-think of all the places we have lived and visited and just look at our two beautiful minis! I am so glad I married you and look forward to all that life has in store for us! I LOVE YOU! Happy Anniversary!

We are leaving the minis with Grammy for the night and are headed for one night away in the mountains before we come back to celebrate Independence Day with our family at our new house. Pray the pool is clear and we are able to swim.

Have a great 4th of July holiday weekend! Can't wait to hear all about it. Enjoy your weekend! Cheers!

Worthwhile Wednesdays~Summer Style Entertaining (Posted Late on Thursday)

For whatever reason, my Worthwhile Wednesday post for yesterday decided it didn't feel like posting. I wrote it yesterday morning, then zipped out the door to head to Columbia for Molly Lou Mini #2's 9 month checkup and assumed all was well in Blogland...wrong. Then, you all know I missed last week's WW edition due to my internet "issues"...thanks ATT. I am really trying to let go of all my frustration and aggression towards those AT&T customer "service" employees. So, better late than never, right! Hope you're all having a great day.

Before we start WW, I just want to remind everyone of the BLOWOUT contest that was unveiled yesterday. You know you're excited. Make sure you enter all those times and tell a friend...all the cool kids are doing it. Check out all the details and the fantastic prize pack here.

This week's Worthwhile Wednesday will have to be good to make up for last week. This week's topic all involve products from the Molly Lou Gifts shop that are perfect for summer entertaining or gift giving. You know how the summers are filled with engagement parties, weddings, showers, birthday parties, etc. these products are great choices and are sure to make you the envy of the party.

We have just added personalized coaster sets to our line. I am in love. It is quite sad how completely excited I am about this new item. We have fifteen different designs. They come in packages of 25 and are wrapped in clear packaging with a coordinating ribbon. These are perfect to throw out at your own party or to give as a unique hostess gift or would make a great housewarming gift.

For those summer soirees, you will have the buckets full of cold beverages and what better way to add some personal style than to add one of our personalized name vinyl decal graphics. We have over 25 color choices, so pick a decal color to coordinate with your bucket color in your favorite colors or party theme. We also have monogram ones too! The minis have monogram and name ones on buckets in their room for stylishly organizing toys and books! At $11, these are a great deal and are also perfect to add to a bucket that you put presents in...reusable and personalized gift bag!

You know I love our personalized platters and trays. I mean they are perfect for EVERY use. Throw some burgers on them, cookies/brownies for the yummy dessert, chips and dip to get the guests started, or place fun drinks on the trays to serve your guests. How could you not love this preppy bbq platter? I have given so many of these platters with the couple's name or new monogram on them for shower gifts or throw some personalized plates to coordinate your platter choice and you have a great wedding gift. These melamine items are guaranteed not to break and are dishwasher safe. You really can have a lifetime of memories in these fun pieces!

Taking the minis to a summer cookout or party? Bring along one of our personalized puzzles! I love these and think they are so creative and unique. You choose your design style and personalization. The minis will love putting together a puzzle with their name on it. Makes a GREAT birthday gift for a little mini in your life and you know the other mother's at the party will be jealous of your creative gift and not the same Dora the Explorer or Transformers gift that the birthday child got three of!

Have a great time at a summer dinner or get together, be sure to send a personalized note to the hostess thanking her for your evening. Use one of our Kara Rosenberry dragonfly notes...perfect for this summer season. We also have adorable bees, chandeliers, nest, cupcakes, cakes, and more.

Have a great day! Cheers!