From Carpools to Cocktails

Ahh the weekend! This was the first time in a few weeks that I've actually been able to be still and not running around like a crazy person. And possibly the last for another few weeks as this next month is shaping up to be quite busy. Saturday I was able to sleep in a bit and then lazed about with my Sweet Pea. I even had the audacity to take 2 naps!! Can't remember the last time that happened. I think it was college. I was feeling kind of blah and was enjoying laying around the house but managed to rally and get it together in time to go pick the birthday girl Ms. Ebony for her Ladies Night celebration. Last night I had the pleasure of hanging out with some lovely ladies in honor of one of my bestgoodfriends - Ebony. Not only is she one of my closest friends , she's also my hair stylist and an all around amazing lady so I was happy to rouse myself out of the laziness of the day and get a little jazzy to go out and celebrate her! We ended up at L.A. Live for dinner & drinks (…

It's back and I'm so excited! My good friend Rachel (a.k.a Mrs.No.17) is working out the details for this year's Blog Sugar. If you don't know - Blog Sugar is a networking event for local bloggers. We come together, eat, chat and discuss all things blogging while getting to know the people who's blogs we stalk read , in real life! I went last year and ended up late to another party I was supposed to be going to as I was chatting my little heart out! I got to know so many wonderful women and it just made my heart happy.
Stay tuned for more details as I will be posting about them as soon as they are available. And if you're interested in attending: Let me know so I can send your email to the ladies who coordinate and we can get you on the list!!

Here it is  the end of February and I somehow never got around to writing about some of the January fun! what the heck?!!! so here goes....... the last few weekends have been a whirlwind of activity. We are about to enter what I like to call "the birthday season" and January is the kick-off! (side bar - I made a 'master birthday list' and discovered that between 5 families we have 28 birthdays/year!!! that's not including the new additions that we are expecting this year!) We started the month of with the celebration of the birth of the Prince and then his brother the King had his first birthday a mere two weeks later. Then the 28th was "Game Night" hosted by our good friends the Muhammad's for Muji's birthday. We hit the door with Jell-O shots in one hand and guacamole & salsa in the other ready to put it down in Taboo, Monopoly and Connect Four! (one of MY favorite games)


Tenia (Muji's wife) had games everywhere for all age groups and there s…

ATTENTION ALL SHOE LOVERS:
There is a new oh-so heavenly destination in town for the shoe obsessed woman. Sole Society.com - a new site that features a personalized selection of shoes each month of for $44.95 with NO obligation to buy!!! Designer quality shoes at a reasonable price will give you a reason to shop each and every month. The shoes, by Marco Santi, are on-trend, affordably priced and incredibly chic! Even if you weren't into shoes before......you will be now!!
(here's a sneak peek at this months' shoes.....shhhhhh)
I've already picked out MY first pair.....can you guess which ones they are??? I'm beyond excited about this launch as I've been able to see this website take shape first hand and cannot wait to hear and see all the feedback it's going to get! The site has some very cool features such as Trends &Fashion Insiders  sections which offer suggestions and pictorials on what to wear pair your shoes with as well as a little insight as to what…

I had a whole other post "planned" but saw this on my friend Inga's Facebook and had to steal it
"Do not spoil what you have, by desiring what you have not; but, remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for."


What a great reminder to us all to really focus on what we have and not what we want. In a culture such as ours where people are commonly described as the "haves " and "have nots" it's hard to enjoy what you have and not constantly desire/crave more. Bigger , better, shinier, newer. Attaining things will not make us happy.
True happiness lies within and allowing oneself to be 100% content.
Not complacent. Content. Meaning that you are happy with the way things are right then.
Not in 3 weeks or 6 months or after you get that promotion/new job/ bigger house etc....
But being satisfied with all the joyous things you have and are able to experience on a daily basis.
For me, it's about really taking the time t…

It goes without saying that I've had babies on the brain as of late.
I've written about my baby fever here,here and here.  And,  recently it's been taken to new heights because we are really doing this.
Like really 'trying' for a baby.
Is that TMI????
Too bad - it's the truth.
We are. And we're excited.
There have never been so many babies in the family as what we are looking forward to in the coming year.
The wife of one of Babe's BFF's is 3months along (more on that later), our other friends (the Pierre's) had their Prince this past January and here we are......shooting for number two.
And you know what?
Getting pregnant is HUGE.  (pun intended)
There are fifty-eleven-thousand things that can go wrong prior to conception, at conception, whilst carrying a baby and once the baby arrives.
My dad (the retired OBGYN) says that anytime a baby is born healthy and with no complications is a miracle.
It's enough to make a girls head spin!
Or at least fall into…

Hey!
Yeah you!
Head over to TheSmartlySoCal.comright now!!
Why you ask?
I'm the featured writer today!!

And you know you want to find out what Crush Groove is all about!!

"Let us not love [merely] in theory or in speech but in deed and truth..."
1 John 3:18

Love is all around us and I make a concerted effort to not only speak of my love for others but to show them as well. The past few days have been kind of a love fest around these parts. SaturdayI woke up (rather early I might say) to a beautiful sunny California day. A perfect day to head to my hometown (the LBC) with Sweet Pea and go get our pretty on. The weather was lovely and as we cruised down the highway  with the music blaring and singing along to the radio it seemed all was right with the world.  We went and got our hair done and then spent a lovely afternoon with my dear friend Amber. Boy- was that a great, soul baring , heartfelt, self-discovery filled conversation! sigh.
I love that woman.  She is ......well really....there are no words but to simply say she is so good to and for me. Then it was off for a date night with my hubby. (smile)
We went to Roy's and had a mediocre experience w…

To all the lovers out there!!
Whether you are in love with your spouse, your boy friend, your best friend or your kids. Tell someone you love them today. And then SHOW them. I plan on doing just that for my loved ones today. Yesterday I loved on everyone via the time and energy I put in preparing our yummy dinner and dessert and while it was a long process it was for sure a labor of love. The look on everyone's face said enough while the clean plates and mouth noises convinced me the food was a hit. My cup runneth over. And today after a yummy "re-mixed" dinner Sweet Pea goes to bed, Babe and I will share a quiet moment or two. Strawberries and Rose` anyone? I'm pretty excited. And to put a cherry on top of it all.......the government sent us money!!! (tax return for anyone who's confused)
My cup runneth over these days and I want to share it with everyone.
What are your V-Day plans?

T.G.I.F y'all!!! It has been that kind of week and I am so looking forward to this weekend! We have some fun things planned as a couple and as a family that I'm pretty excited about.
First thing tomorrow morning, the Sweet Pea and I are off to the LBC to "get our hair did" as it's that time for both of us.
And I get to see my girl Ebony and chat it up while she makes me look snazzy.
Sweet Pea also has another loose tooth and is hoping it comes out tonight.
Teeth gross me out so I hope it's while she's with her Nana.
After the hair salon I'll drop her off with my mom for their girls weekend and then head over to my dear Amber's for some QT.
Definitely jazzed about that ( insert happy dance w/ jazz hands)
Then I have to hightail it back out to my neck of the woods and get 'spiffy' as I have a hot date with my husband.
Awhile back we got gift cards to Roy's and we fully intend to take advantage of the 'free food'.
Have you all been?
…

I've been in kind of a weird place lately. Feeling some kinda way. Not necessarily in a funk but more like a transition? A lot is weighing on my mind and as much writing as I do, some of it just can't/shouldn't be posted and some of it......(shakes head) well sometimes a girl's just gotta 'run her mouth' a bit ya know? So I did what every smart woman does. I called my nearest and dearest. And I have to say......I have some of the best friends. My girls are so different and they all bring a much needed element to my life in some way. Some are the perfect ones to go to for advice, some just for a laugh, some to vent and others to pray. They are all great friends to me and each one means so very much. I feel so blessed to have them in my life. Especially considering the losses that have occurred over the years. Friday I started with a good heart to heart with my girl Michelle - she happened to be just getting home and the kiddo's were already down so we had ourselves a lo…

Out of the darkness inspired by "the light" like water for chocolate I FOCUSED my sight bright as the sun and clear as the skies I can look into your eyes and tell we're underneath the same spell mesmerized by each other time and again consistently glad we're more than 'just friends' being able to reach out and knowing that you're there kissing you whenever as an indication that I care common knowledge we share never mattering where we are spending continuous days chronically blazed not giving thought to the number of passing days but I remember clear as yesterday looking into your eyes after experiencing the ultimate high a real life roller coaster ride venturing to the top of the world and back. Letting you know I like it like that. joining together
 hand in hand
soul to soul our bodies melt away and our hearts become whole. and ever since then Baby it's been you and I much better friends than before having finally recognized that it was LOVE that I  constantly saw in your …

"We all started out with words. And words became phrases, which turned into sentences, that led to paragraphs, who became essays, which evolved into short stories, that became chapters in the novel of our lives"
- Lady Lavendare...... circa 1999

Happy Thursday!! I'm featured today over on TheSmartlySoCal so mosey on over  for a little FREE THERAPY and check out my piece! Oh and leave me a comment and tell me what you thought/think!!