Girl Friday

I have had a very fun but very exhausting week and I need the weekend to recover.  My sister is back in Michigan so we have a low key weekend planned.  

Tonight I have a belated b-day dinner of sushi and saki with one of my friends...

Saturday morning my son comes home from camp...

Saturday night, a crawfish boil...

Sunday afternoon, a day at the ball park...

Have a beautiful weekend ladies!!

Swag Bags

 Back in April I co-hosted a bridal shower for my cousin, who was just married this past Saturday, and had the perfect goody bag thanks to pinterest.  The second my mom asked if I would help with the shower I immediately took charge of the goody bags, a wine carrier that was filled with krispy cream donuts and milk.  The perfect gift for guests as they were leaving the party...  

here is how my goody bags turned out...

I had so much fun putting together these goody bags that I volunteered to do the same for my soon to be sister in law.  I am hosting, along with my mother in law and sisters in law, a bridal luncheon next Friday, but since the wedding is in Vail I knew I could not do a milk and donuts goody bag, I needed something that would travel well.  After obsessing over it for weeks I think I came up with something that is so fun and everyone will love all the goodies...

In each goody bag is a bottle of Essie "happily ever after"...

a mini bottle of polish remover...

a nail file...

and a package of cotton pads...

I love putting together a little gift that says "thanks for coming."  

Summer in the South

I will be spending the next couple of days 4 hours south of STL where it is good and hot.  My parents have a place right on the lake so we will be outside from sun up until sun down.  Here are my must haves for a day of fun in the sun.

Oil of Olay complete.  This is the sunblock I use for my face in the summer.  It has SPF,  zinc oxide and it is light so I don't break out.  Years ago my dermatologist told me this was the best sunblock for faces and I have never looked back.

gotta protect my body too, I love the Hawaiian tropic shimmer.  Not only does it save my skin from burning but it also leaves a gold shimmer on your skin so you glisten in the sun...

Ray ban aviators, always a staple...

usually by 2 pm I need to put on a hat because I can feel my face getting too hot.  I have a couple go-to's in my pool bag.

the JCrew floppy hat...

or my good old cardinals hat...

I think I drink a gallon of coconut water everyday...

the best sunblock for the kiddos...

and of course this book,  I am just getting to the juicy part!!

Happy Summer!

Girl Thursday

Kicking off another weekend a day early.  Tonight my sister and her family are coming to town, I am so excited!!  

this is definitely on the agenda...

and Friday night, we are finally trying a farm to table restaurant that I keep hearing rave reviews about

Saturday just so happens to be my birthday...

which I will be spending in a small town about 2 hrs away for my cousins wedding.  I will have my hubby and my sisters with me and that is all I want...

Sunday I am shipping my son off to camp for the week...

then off to a party to celebrate my nephew's 2nd birthday...

and his 1 year adoption anniversary

Sunday night my sister is sending her hubby back to Michigan so we can take our kiddos for a fun filled week here...

I am guessing this the only place in the world where you can ride a roller coaster, dip a candle, and see a Dolly Parton concert all at the same place!!

Have a beautiful weekend my friends

Free Time

This is the one week of the entire summer that all 3 of my kids are in camps.  The downside, the timing really doesn't overlap and they are all over the city.  This seemed like a fantastic idea in May when I was signing everyone up for camp, but now, I am not so sure...I created a crazy busy week for myself, and I only have small pockets of free time between chauffeuring kids around.  Yesterday I had about 45 minutes of free time before pickup and popped into J Crew.  Their summer sale, plus 30% off has begun.  If you are lucky, you can get some great steals.  Here are a few pieces I nabbed...

this will be perfect for the cool nights on Lake Michigan...

I love this, but I would definitely belt it...

the perfect top for my white skinnies...

I got all 3 pieces for about $90.00  Hurry!!

Big Weekend

This past weekend was one of over eating, drinking and all round over indulging, but I loved every second of it!!  The hubs and I celebrated our anniversary on Thursday and I was so excited to give him one of his gifts...

I found this on etsy and I think it is so perfect and so sentimental.  A frame of hearts with the words to our first dance at our wedding reception are printed on the hearts.  One heart has our initials and wedding date across it.  I have had this gift hidden under my bed for weeks and I just couldn't wait to hang it next to our wedding portrait...

of course the hubs had a bigger surprise in store for me ...

then it was downtown for our mini stay-cation.  A bottle of bubbly was waiting for us in our room...

off to our favorite restaurant...

Where I enjoyed almost every bite of my roasted french chicken...

A happy day indeed!!

Girl Thursday

My weekend officially starts today, mine and Dr Beautiful's anniversary.  Every morning I wake up and realize I am one lucky girl to be married to a man who wants nothing but happiness for me.  Tonight I want to spoil the hubs....

A romantic dinner at our favorite restaurant...

and then a night away from the kiddos at our favorite spot...

Friday, is Dr Beautiful's birthday...

he is taking the day off work so our plan is to sleep in, enjoy breakfast...

and spend the afternoon here before we head home....

we have the tradition of getting fondue with the kids on hubby's birthday, no idea how this started but I am up for anything dipped in cheese...

then home for cake and presents...

Saturday night, cocktails with friends...

Sunday, for father's day, Dr Beautiful will be off with his friends playing golf...

while the kids and I will be home preparing his favorite dinner...

this is a big weekend for my guy!!

Le Food Truck

I love the concept of "dinner on the go" in regards to a traveling food truck.  Nowadays almost every successful restaurant has some type of mobile kitchen.  Every Tuesday during the summer, also know as Food Truck Tuesdays, 15 food trucks will be parked from 5pm until dark at the park right across the street from my house.  The menus will be a surprise....

you can get really into the traveling food trucks by following them on twitter or checking their websites for when and where they were last seen...

I am so excited Holy Crepe! will be at the park tomorrow,  I have "followed" this one before when I have that craving for a french crepe....

We are meeting my older sister and her family at the park for some good food...

and thank goodness there is also the traveling wine bar...

If you are looking for something new, find the food trucks in your city....I promise you will have a fabulous meal!