spendthrift...

...is not my middle name this past weekend. i am totally proud of myself on my super bargain shopping.

i've always been a bargain shopper, but with the great designer brands we all luv it's hard to stay so bargain'ista. i luv those labels just like madonna does; however, in an economy like this -- we have to be bargain'istas! haha had to get that economy line in there somewhere.

anywho, so yes! i did some great bargain shopping. i have a complete new outfit on today from head-to-toe that i only spent a total of $51. some may say $51 is a lot -- which it totally can be if you're buying just one item, but that is a total of three items to make a complete new outfit. including the following:
1. dress
2. tights
3. shoes

on a side note, i soooo need to revamp my work wardrobe. my stuff is so last year (actually two years ago when i used to work. then taking a year off, i totally didn't buy anything work related) so it's so outdated and blah and boring. i need(ed) new material...

now, back on subject -- shoes can let alone run you $51. a dress, most definitely can run you $51. tights on the other hand, if you find some for $51 just don't admit it!

so, you might ask where did i find such great items at via bargain-style? well, one of my fave stores that i have become to luv for trendy, fashion. i have a hard time spending a lot of money on trendy things that are going to go out of style in say...6-months. that store is good 'ole forever 21. tons of my gfriends have grown very fond of this trendy retailer as well. tons of peeps everywhere have, as i stood in line for 30 minutes to purchase my $22.50 dress. it was soooo worth it though. everyone is watching their nickles and dimes.

there you have it, trendy done cheap -- plus, i can wear this outfit for xmas mass. dual purpose makes it even more bargain'ista.

hopefully you'll be inspired to be creative with your wardrobe purchases as well,
nb

nutty bar goodness

my mom told me that the nutty bars came in a 100 calorie option now. i was stoked. ever since i remember i loved those chocolate, peanut butter goodness; however, they are packed with sugar and too many calories for this ruffly bootay.

i FINALLY found them last night and was stoked. they were pretty cheap too, so i picked up a box for myself. keep in mind, they are only a 100 calories a serving...one whole wafer bar [not two like the full-fat packaging]. so the theory of them only being a 100 calories is good unless you eat four in one day. kind of takes away the guilty pleasure treat being low cal.

yup, that was me today. i will admit that i ate four full servings of these yummy, chocolaty peanut butter goodness. 400 calories later, i am not craving another nutty bar...singles that is.

until my next nutty craving,
nb

can't find the right gift?

well have no fear! i have the resolution for you. or i should say hgtv.com has the resolution for you. go check out http://marketplace.hgtv.com/ShopPersona and it'll give you that perfect gift for that perfect person that you had no clue what to get.

you go in and choose your shopping personality. for example, i choose TRENDY and then you go in choose if it's for a girl or a guy. i choose GIRL. you then choose if it's someone so darn close to you or someone so far distant from you. i chose CLOSE. it generates options and from there i found this great and fun wine bottle holder that i pretty much wanted to buy for myself. check it out. it's pretty cool. this site has really cool stuff as well. you should check it out if you like the modern style http://www.puremodern.com/so that's how it works. i think i'll be going back in to see what to get for my bro for his bday and xmas. he doesn't have any special requests so i'll keep my fingers crossed that ShopPersona can come through for me....

happy shopping for the perfect ruffles & lace,
nb

cali...

...here i come, again.

so i'm headed off to palm springs tomorrow a.m. SUPER EARLY i might add; however, i am willing to forgo my beauty sleep for a little vitamin D! my flight leaves @ 6 a.m. and the limo (yes, i had to throw that in there as i NEVER travel in a limo anywhere) is picking me up around 4:30 a.m. i am tossing around the idea of maybe just pulling an all-nighter. who know's? we'll see what the night brings.

anywho, that's pretty much it. just had to express my excited for the sun again. this bod needs a little tan revive action.

sun-bound,
nb

ouch...

...i hurt today.

so i finally made it to the gym two days in a row. FINALLY! and i totally hurt from it. it's a good hurt though. makes me so ready to head there tonight too. i've been so crazy busy that gym attending has been my last priority when reality, it needs to be my first. working out makes me feel so good and refreshed. i have more energy and more strength of course.

anywho, back to the gym tonight as i know i'll for sure be skipping tomorrow. friday's aren't a big gym day for me. never really have been [only when i was living in cali and didn't work i would go on friday's...10'ish or so], but i'll be hitting it back up hard this weekend and weeks to come. well, hopefully ;)

HAIR...

...cut. it's time, time for a new do!

so it's been ages since i've really had a new hair style. i had been keeping it pretty basic since and just shaping it up since my sis was getting married. it's always nice to have a little more hair to work with in an up-do vs. too short of hair so i had been letting it grow a bit. which in turn has made me very lazy at doing my hair lately. every day almost turns into a ponytail day. i think i make the pony's look pretty cute; however, i need to get realistic and stop doing pony day every day. i was kind of using my sis' wedding as an excuse to keep my hair long and get away with a pony tail kind of day; however, since my sis is now married and the wedding is over...no need for the long hair.

i've been contemplating on whether or not to keep it long as i do feel it does look good from time-to-time this length, but reality is...it is just too easy for me to pull it into a pony tail. i need to get away from this and have my fun, stylist hair back.

so with that theory i have made an appointment for this saturday to get the NEW do. i am stoked, but it still gives me a few days to back out and decide to wait. we'll see as i'm usually not a chicken when it comes to new do's. i embrace them and luv them. i'll probably stick with the appointment and november will be my month for change. i'm thinking about this short, blunt look, something along the lines of a chin-skimming bob with some blunt bangs...kind of what reese witherspoon is sporting these days. we'll see though. i'm still keeping my eyes peeled for "the one" and i'm always game for what the hair pro ends up suggesting. after all, he is the pro in the field.

kind of like this, but with more bang action

do do do do do do do...

...doot, doot, doot, doot.

anywho, as i am waiting her every so patiently for my final files from my art director...i thought i'd just keep my mind busy and write another blog as my mind is racing with all my to-do's for tonight. it's a pretty big list and already 6:15 p.m. i haven't left the office, yet. so...we'll see if the to-do's get done tonight or not.

here's the list:
1. return books on CD to the library. wouldn't wanna get an overdue notice as they were do yesterday.
2. WORKOUT! big to-do that has been on the list for two months now. see what happens when i move back to kc. forget about working out :(
3. return baby blanket to nordstrom. got it for a client baby gift; however, we opt'd for something different so i need to get my dollar billz back.
4. exchange dry shampoo hair stuff @ sephora. i just don't like it and why let the money go to waste. might 'tis well get something i'll actually use!
5. get some cosmetic items from macy's...as it is clinquie bonus time and i am so outta of face stuff. it's the time to buy...when you get bonus items thrown in your bag for FREE!
6. should have called my landlord as my closet broke! so frustrating. i guess that will be a to-do for tomorrow.
7. probably should get some groceries as i only have cucumbers, diet coke, water, tortilla chips and some random lean cuisine's in my frig/freezer. heck, i guess one can live off those items for a couple days.
8. return my broken work bag to target. i loved that thing, but it broke and i think i should get a refund. it wasn't even that old. good news is, i found a great replacement while i was visiting mandie lou. it's great to have friends help you find good finds!


ok, so that might be it and we'll see how much of it i really get done. wish me luck and i think number one and two are the most important to-do at this time of night. we'll see though...

welp, i'm off!
nb

amazing weekend

so...the weekend was great! did a little janet support on friday night and then headed off to des moines, iowa to see my bff mandie lou and her two little girlies kayla and natalie (and michael of course too). kayla's not too little anymore; 4 years old! wow, how time flies. i still remember when she was born! anywho, i had a blast and it was great to see my gals. i hadn't seen ms natalie since last christmas when she was 6 months old. it was so great to keep up with her fast legs. made me realize i needed to get back to the gym ;) she's a quick one and loves to laugh! i luv'd it and wanted to spend more than just a weekend there.

i rolled in about 9'ish saturday a.m. and had a tour of their super new cute house. i loved it and makes me want a house of my own so badly. oh wait, with that comes a higher morgage than my rent and that doesn't look promising in this budget...hehe. anywho, it was a great house and i am so happy and excited for mandie and mike (her hubby) as they've worked hard for this great home. congrats! it's beautiful.

so...what are girls to do when 10 a.m. hits? yup, hit the mall! mike was at a cpa training session so there wasn't a boy in the house to tell us not to ;) it was all the girls and we put our shopping shoes on and hit up jordan creek mall. it is actually a pretty darn good mall. i like it better than oak park here in KC, but then again it doesn't take much to beat oak park. we strolled around and came home with a handful of good finds. i even got my halloween costume for this friday's costume's and cocktails partay at the ferg's. kayla did a great job helping me pick it out. there were so many to choose from, but price made the final decision.

what next, oh yes...rest time. shopping did us in so we went home and took a load off for a bit. made some yummy chili for dinner that night and put the kiddos down for a nap. cracked open a nice refreshing red beer and chilled. then it was time to get the kiddos in their halloween get-up for the zoo trick-or-treating night. kayla was snow white and natalie was a lady bug. too cute! i'll post a pic up when i get home to download it. we walked the trick-or-treat zoo path and then ended at THE fun zone. which was a huge building filled with a handful of jumpy contraptions. kayla and nat loved it and i loved watching them have fun. we were all a bit tuckered out after that fun night. came home and became pile's of poo on the couches. didn't even have the energy to open up our flirtini martini fun night. i guess that's what happens when you get old. you would rather choose sleep time over a refreshing cocktail.

that was pretty much our satruday. we were so exhausted that sunday let into sleeping in...well sleeping in until 8 a.m. i swear, i can't sleep much past 8 a.m. these days. wow! i am getting old. if i am still in bed @ 9 a.m. i am most definitely awake...just tossing and turning in hopes of being able to sleep in; however, it is usually never the case. so, we all awoke refreshed and ready to take sunday funday on BUT the wind put a bit of a damper into that idea. with wind speeds of around 60 mph we kept inside as much as possible. except the time when we had to go rescue the porch swing that "swung" over the porch into the yard due to the wind. that was great fun trying to get back in order with those winds. it was some pretty hard work so mandie and i decided that work gave us a good reason to do a little target run. so we did. headed to target, but the darn wind didn't make it as fun to be out.

so...it was about that time. time for me to hit the road south back to kc. i had a great weekend and didn't want it to end. the drive home actually didn't take long at all, but it always stinks leaving a good weekend of fun.

thx again m&m for a great weekend!
nb

janet...

...here i come!

so i am totally stoked that a great friend [nisserson] invited me along tonight to embark on one of his winning tickets for a little janet jackson concert. well, i use the term "invited" loosely as once i heard he won tickets i pretty much invited myself...as i am a big time janet jackson fan. hehe.

when i was in elementary and jr high school we used to do talent show dances to some janet hits. you know, a little nasty boys dance gets the crowd going. my fave dance routine was to escapade. if only i could remember that routine so i could break out the moves tonight. i know all the peeps around would be totally impressed ;)

anywho, gotta get back to the music listening. i'll send a follow-up to the ruffles & lace escapade fun, along with posting some concert pics!

miss you much,
nb

library 101...

...is the class i attended today as i signed up for a KC library card. wow! it has been ages since i've had a library card or wait, now that i think about it, have i really ever had a library card? hmmm at any rate, it felt good and refreshing getting one today. i felt all studious. it's not that i'm not studious and don't read, but i always like to buy my books so i can keep them after i have finished...kind of like a book collection. my own library if you will. that explains why i don't have a library card, just a borders card.

so, if i like to buy books vs. check them out, then why would i go to the library today? well, i was in the need of books on CD and really wasn't in the mood to spend $30 for each "book". books on CD are great! don't get me wrong, i do love to curl up and relax with a nice book, but books on CD are for sure the fastest way to get a book read and most def a great companion for long drives by yourself. that was the sole purpose for the addition of a library card in my purse today. i was in the need of a great companion for my upcoming roadtrip.

i'm headed north on a five hour drive back to good 'ole shelton, ne...my hometown village of 900 peeps. i haven't driven that drive [or more than a couple hours] for ages, since before i left for cali. unfortunately, i got a little spoiled with hopping on a plane for any long travels. at any rate, i checked out a few very good "books" to keep me very well alert and occupied on my fun, five hour drive. i can barely wait to start "reading".

lipstick jungle...

...is my fave TV show!


the premier was on last night and i was soooo pumped and sooooo ready for it. i had the premier night reminder in phone iCal. yup, that's how obsessed i am with this show. there was no way i was gonna miss it...unless an invite with a galfriend happened to come to fruition. which it did, which i was stoked about! which i was NOT gonna say no to just 'cuz lipstick jungle. it's been ages since ferg-a-licious and i have had a girlie night out. so we went out! and boy did we go out ;)

i wasn't worried about missing the premier as i had set the DVR to "record series" a couple weeks ago. confident that it would indeed record, right?

so, it was a great girls night out. with wine, food and fun! a night of catching up, chatting about "life" things, bashing on boyz, j/k aron ;) hehe and then heading to niss' house for a ONE beer nightcap. HA. ya, right. like we were only gonna have ONE beer? at this point, i'm still not worried about missing the premier. i was confident DVR would be there when i got home. so the ONE beer nightcap turned out to a ONE a.m. beer nightcap! believe it or not, he actually had the premier on @ his bachelor pad. yes, a guy had lipstick jungle on his TV. what a man ;) i was stoked and was ready to plump myself down infront of the tellie and not pay attention to anything else around, but that wasn't the case. the premier was right in the middle and i wanted the full effect from beginning to end. so i chose to chat and tell stories with everyone else and just pump myself up for when i got home...being weeee-hours in the a.m.

so, the ferg-a-licious date was coming to an end and we were settling up @ the ONE beer nightcap fun. time to head home and i was ready to hit the couch and flip on the tellie, hit the "list" button on my DVR and settle in for a bedtime store of lipstick jungle. BUT, that wasn't gonna happened :( i pushed my "list" button and didn't see any reference to lipstick jungle on the there, except last year's series. NO lipstick jungle premier. what?! that couldn't be right! i made it very clear to DVR that i wanted to record it, but no :( it wasn't on the list. DVR won this battle and i went to bed sad.

then there i was this a.m. i had an AHhhhhHAaaa moment. the wonderful world of the World Wide Web. i would just watch it on there and be all happy and smitting with glee. that's totally what i did and my day has been fulfilled. it was such a good premier i want to watch it over and over again! i can't wait for next week's episode and the next, and the next, and the next. as i can only imagine we'll be seeing more ruffles & lace than one can handle.

happiness,
nb

did you know...

...that Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s?

no? me neither. i had no clue about this amazing fact. all of us advertising guru's are very familiar with Lorem Ipsum when it comes to placing "greek" copy into a layout for initial layout review and such. so, when i came across this fact i was like...OMG. i have to blog about it.


Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.

there's even more detail as to where does it come from? why do we use it? where can i get some? check out this link if you want more details http://www.lipsum.com/.

summons for jury service...

...is what the letter read last night.

so there i was, sitting in my kitchen, opening my mail and i gasped when i saw the envelope stating "SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF THE JURY COMMISSIONER". "OFFICAL JURY SUMMONS ENCLOSED". yes, all in CAPS! nothing like having an envelope screeaaaam @ ya. i opened it with my heart racing. this was my first official request to appear in court...as a juror that is ;)

the superior court of california, county of san diego jury services is requesting i show up on oct. 10 (let me remind you that's ONE day before my sis' wedding!) for my juror service. so, yes...i was freaking out last night. i was like OMG, OMG. so now i have to go through the process of proving i am NOT a rez of cali anymore. hopefully they grant me my request to "not be qualified to serve" as a juror as i can't! that's the bottom line, i can't serve as a juror in san diego county while living in jackson county.

wish me luck as getting this ruffles & lace to sit on jury duty a day before her sis' wedding...while not even living in cali anymore...is on called for. makes me wonder what kind of case it would be for? maybe its the whole custody battle for k-fed, maybe even a little OJ aftermath trial. who knows? and quit frankly, i don't really want to know...

i'll keep ya posted on the outcome,
nb

red velvet...

...in luv.

so i have to brag a bit as i even surprised myself. check out these amazing red velvet cupcakes i made the other night.
i couldn't believe my eyes when i saw the finished piece! i did that, really? is what i thought to myself. they kind of look like those ones you get at a gourmet bakery like sprinkels. don't worry sprinkels, i'm not copying you. i'm just giving you props on such a cool cupcake shop you have.

so for those of you who don't know...i luv to make cupcakes. even though i don't really like eating dessert. i think its the art of it or something that's involved with dressing the cupcakes. anywho, its also kind of weird that i like to bake @ all 'cuz my mom never used to really let me bake [or even cook] when i lived @ home 'cuz i was always such a slob when doing so. i made too big of a mess for her. so, little did she know that all that non-practice of baking turned into this. see, practice doesn't always make perfect ;) she was actually quit impressed with the outcome of my cupcakes. i guess its time to open up my own shop and it will be titled ruffles & lace cakes. i would only have cupcakes in there. no cakes...

my last morning walk on the beach...

...as a cali rez.

so today was my last full day here in cali :( i had to take full advantage of my morning beach walk. i used to do it more regularly, but became so busy and i usually worked out better if i was @ the gym. anywho, headed out and down West i went. below are some pics of my walk. a pretty gloomy day actually. that's ok though. cali didn't wanna tease me with their amazing weather. they wanted to prepare me for KC.

here i was walking....this was the view. it seemed as though i was @ a retirement home or something. j/k. i luv old peeps. they are the bomb, but it was funny as i started noticing everyone around me was three times my age or so. it is a great time to get out there and go for a morning walk as there's a nice breeze from the ocean and there aren't tons of peeps around yet. anywho, first shot...




then i came upon this house. amazing location with one amazing of a price tag. i learned that these right here on the water front are in the $25 million dollar price range. yes, totally up my alley fo'sizzle.



and surfboards. can't forget those as its a very common site. the ones i luv the best are when they're strapped on the top of cars or even hanging out of the top of convertibles. so fun!


a purple house. the purple house people eater. i was cracking up when i walked passed this house. its not on the beach front. its on a little side street, but it was serious about the purple. purple pots, purple mailboxes, purple trim, purple doors. purple was everywhere.

the little village street with a handful of restaurants and surf shops. super cute and quaint area. a quick 5-minute walk from the vallecitos pad.


so there was my morning beach walk. i left around 8:30 a.m. and didn't return home until 10'ish (a.m. of course). time flies when you're having fun and getting the ruffles and lace a walking...

good night and just remember...cali will always be here and i will always visit!
nb

been a long time...

...a REALLLLLLY long time since i've posted anything.

why? you might ask? well, crazy, busy times here in SoCal. my month of august was filled with tons of exciting and sad events.

exciting events:
= new job...back into the world-wide-web of my advertising career.
= lea and lil'joj's cali visit! we had a blast with muy cerveza's, margarita's, beach time, happy hour, dinner, shopping and relaxation.
= red tracton debut in solana beach. the 'piano lady' was playing some good tunes on her electric piano propped up agaisnt the grand piano. cougar's were out and on a prawl, arrrr. doug and kris were enjoying their 3-wisemen shot ;)
= karaoke celebration for susan's bday bash. we 'dropped like it was hot', sang to a little journey and tried to stay clear of mr. sleeve man that was all up in my biz. he was so into me he even spilled his drink on me. so not cool. hehe
= del mar races...via turf club style. got all dressed up. put the pearls on and won some BIG money. well, not really BIG money, but it was still a blast to cheer on those horses and feel big and important that day.
= sunday funday good-bye nikki lunch @ the Del in Coronado. thx to my WONDERFUL cali friends for being so cool, warm, inviting and fun! it was a great lunch with great friends. i'm gonna miss you'all. see ya soon fo'sizzle though!
= padres baseball game. and believe it or not, they actually won. it was a good game. even a homerun and the best part was...kylee, susan and myself made it BIG time on the mega-tron screen. susan was like, "nikki that's you." and then we waved our little hearts out. that was so super exciting and cool.

sad events:
= saying good-bye to my little kiddos. camden and emily are the bomb. they have been my entourage and BFF's. i'm gonna miss those little burgers. on the flip side though. they're gonna be in KC in two weeks so i'm gonna hang with them for a night. see ya soon my little peeps!
= saying good-bye to my roommies, amy and dave. they are the coolest peeps to live with...in an AMAZING house i might add. so saying bye to the house of relaxation will be hard to. back to apartment/condo living for me.
= saying good-bye to the beach and surf. i'm gonna miss that sound of the waves putting me to sleep @ night.

anywho, all-in-all it has been a good month and i'm looking forward to my newest adventure and getting back into my career where i can put the ruffles and lace back on...

surf's up!
nb

shattered dreams...

...as i finally came to the realization today that i will need to re-think my car purchase decision.


i've been stuck on getting a convertible when i get back to kc. i know you ask, "why get a convertible in the midwest. isn't cali the place for convertibles?" yes and no. since i won't be able to enjoy this terrific cali weather i said to myself...heck, i'm gonna bring as much of cali back to kc with me as i can. so a few things were in store:

1. get a convertible
2. get a place with a pool
3. drink lots of margarita's
4. wear sunscreen everyday (the smell will remind me of cali)

so on that note i was looking @ getting the new VW Eos. of course i would absolutely LUV to have a 3 series BMW hardtop convertible, but WTF...am i dreaming?! yup, pretty much. in my dreams!!! however, they do say they "only" start out @ $43k. i built mine and it approached the $50k mark. i could have went even more, but realized i needed to stop adding all the extras ;)

at any rate, the VW Eos. fun, cute and new...new to the VW line. i did tons of research. even rode in one of my bff's one [yes, i know...i didn't want to copy her, but is a great convert!]. my biggest reason for wanting the Eos was because its the only hardtop out there [besides the BMW convert] and with the wonderful midwest weather i think it would do me best to at least have a hardtop vs. soft top. plus for insurance reasons it makes it cheaper...well i assume. so, i'm coming to the findings that these are a popular car and VERY hard to find or possibly they didn't ship a big inventory of these to the midwest 'cuz heck, who wants a convertible in the midwest with the humidity, snow, rain, ice, haha. they don't really have any great deals on leasing or buying one right now either so my convertible dreams might be shattered as i don't really want to pay an arm and a leg for this one. if i'm gonna pay an arm and a leg i would splurge on the beamer ;)

so my convert dreams might be shattered and i won't be able to bring part of cali back with me

...UNLESS...

i consider the mini cooper convertible? or the VW beetle convertible? i don't totally see myself in either of those cars; however, if i had to choose one i could see me in it would the be the mini convertible. what do ya think? should i go for it? could you see me in it? hmmmm decisions, decisions.

onward with the convertible car searching via ruffles & lace style,
nb

one of the sadess...

...things ever.

so i swear kids are the smartest peeps on this planet. emily, the little three year old i watch just came back to my room (with her mom) to show me a boo-boo she just got from stepping on one of her brother's airplanes. she was crying and so sad. she then said, "i don't want you to leave. please sleep here tonight." ya, pretty much made my heart melt as the kiddos don't know i am leaving their home.

so i live with the fam here in cali and have lived with them since day one. pretty much like their older sister. i just have a room down the hall from them. anywho, wow. i teared up so much after she said that and her mom was crying. it was very emotional. i luv those kiddos so much and feel so bad i have to leave them. i wish it wasn't this hard...

its booked...

...my flight home to KC.

i just did it. i pulled the trigger and bought a one-way tix. one-way home...to KC.

its for real. i accepted my job @ VML yesterday and am heading back. as i'm looking @ my flight details of current and past flights with SWA [southwest airlines], i realized i have been on 10 flights [just with SWA] since last year @ this time. wow, around the world in 10 flights with SWA. its pretty much what i've felt these last 12 months. i have really been on an airplane adventure every single month for the last year [since 2007]. sometimes in one month it was has been @ least two round-trip flight adventures. with either the same or different airlines.

let me tally with both SWA and other airlines:
1. july '07 move to cali
2. aug '07 to omaha for one of my bff's wedding...lea's
3. aug '07 back to omaha for one of my bff's boy's wedding...t-dogg's
4. oct '07 to kc (for what? i have no clue? hmmm. just saw it on my flight history) i can only assume for fun!
5. nov '07 to kc for the chief's reunion game
6. nov '07 to boise for thxgiving with the sista and future bro-in-law (and their two pups)
7. dec '07 to home shelton for fam-filled xmas holiday
8. feb '08 to kc for my bday festivities
9. march '08 to san fran to celebrate my irish heritage
10. april '08 to park city, ut for skiing fun
11. may '08 to home in shelton for sis wedding day planning, cake tasting...all that jazz
12. june '08 to cabo san lucas...my other bff mrs. amy k joined me
13. june '08 to kc just for the hecks of it (oh, and a job interview. the job i accepted now)
14. aug '08 back to kc (to come)

and that's how the tally ends up. one big circle from a one-way out to cali to a one-way back to kc.

anywho, i do love to fly and here i am...flying back to the good 'ole midwest where the buffalo roam and the deer and the antelope play. away from the ocean breeze :( please bring me some lace to cover up my ruffly sorrow...

peace,
nb

today was the day...

...i accepted the job offer. so i did it. i said "yes" to VML and am gonna plunge right back into my career. which i am totally stoked for. saying "yes" lands me back in kc so i have to say gŏŏd-bī' to the beach, sun and fun of cali and say he-loh to the snow, humidity and fun of kc...again.

i am sad to depart cali as it is AMAZING here, but it will always be here...unless a really bad earthquakes hits. j/k. that was mean. i take that back. anywho, it will be even more amazing being closer to my fam and friends back in the good 'ole midwest...as the beach and sun doesn't necessarily make up for not having your fam and friends around. when it comes down to it...i am a midwest girl @ heart.

my year out here has pretty much seemed like one long vacay ;) and why am i complaining? long vacay's are a good thing, right?! but @ any rate, i've been able to learn, grow and do so many things i normally wouldn't have. so its been a great year and i'm ready to get back to home base and get my career rolling again.

i'm gonna miss the kiddos. we've become BFF's and i'm like their older sis, but they'll know where to find me and i definitely plan on going on their fam vacay's and coming out to visit or even babysit when needed.

so on that note, i besta get this ruffles & lace to bed as i am on kiddo duty @ 7:30 a.m. ouch!

nites,
nb

weekend biz...

...consisted of a doggie bday partay, a pink lady martini lunch, muscle's and mac 'n cheese wine dinner, a night out with the kiddos and a job offer.

yes! finally...after months of attending a million interviews, i have a job offer! finally heading back into my career and hanging up the interview suit. i'm excited to get back into my biz as i do miss the comradery of the ad world. on that note, i will have to say good-bye to the wild wild west as my job opp is back in good 'ole KC. it won't be the same as having the beach out my front door is pretty amazing; however, getting back into my career and being closer to my fam and friends will be worth it. the ad world down here in sunny san diego isn't really all that big of a deal here. bummer, but everything happens for a reason.

lets see...the doggie bday partay. a good excuse to let the dogs loose and run around a grassy knoll while the adults sip on some adult beverages and dip into the guac and pico :) dogs are a lot like children i notice. it was a fun time to hang with everyone and have a little doggie play-date...even though i didn't have a dog.

my pink lady martini lunch @ george's was pretty darn good. i could have about ten of those, but didn't. i held off to just one. one martini lunch... i'll totes have to take joanna [lil' joj] and lea there when they come to visit next week! yay. i'm so excited. its a great roof top lunch spot with an amazing ocean view. i need to start taking advantage of that more before i head back to the midwest.

the muscle's and mac 'n cheese wine dinner wasn't one dish. three separate things. i know! i had ya worried ;) had a great glass of gewurztraminer, muscle's and a nibble on some mac 'n cheese. pretty good stuff. i haven't had muscle's for ages so it was nice to partake in those again. i know, the mac 'n cheese kind of seems random, but there's this mac 'n cheese kick a handful of girls and i are on. i went on this girls trip to NYC [an AMAZING time!] back in april and it seemed everywhere we went we ordered mac 'n cheese to share. so it ended up being a continuous joke each place we went we had to get the mac 'n cheese...so we continued that fun right here in san d.

the kiddo night. o wow! i almost forgot i was a good [ya, the best!] babysitter ever. i took them to dave and busters. and wow! that's all i can say. wow! what a crazy place and what adults in their right mind really want to go there for fun? it is just madness there. the kids had a blast so that's what really counts...right?! [pic to the right isn't one from dave & buster's. just a cute one i wanted to share. i had no time to actually coordinate taking pics @ the madness of dave & buster's.]

so, that's pretty much the weekend low-down. i besta get to packing up these ruffles & lace.

chow,
nb

dinner views...

...last night and tonight.
so this was my dinner view last night [see above]. nice, peaceful and relaxing. yes, that is the ocean in the distance. i know, kind of hard to see. BUT only three blocks from my house. amazing!!! hearing the waves crash on the shore and the nice ocean breeze. ya, pretty amazing and one says "how, the heck can you leave that setting?" i know! hard stuff. so i had my glass of white [seven daughters] blended wine, a lean cuisine spaghetti [yes, very classy stuff] and green beans while staring off into the ocean sunset. ha, pretty romantic if you like that sorta thing...
so this was my dinner view tonight [see above]. well, dessert view that is. so i was a soccer sudo mom tonight as camden had soccer with all his 4-year-old buddies. he has a super bud pal he loves so we planned a dinner date with him, his sister and his sitter [along with emily of course too. i can't leave that sweetie behind]. it was actually a really fun time. the kids were bouncing off the wallz [and no, they hadn't eaten that over flowing sundae you see above...yet] and all the peeps around us were definitely annoyed with our crazy kiddos. oh well, the kids were having fun. anywho, we ordered this overflowing/explosive sundae. it was explosive alright. brownie chunks in it, chocolate syrup overflowing, whip cream with a cherry on top. oh, ya...there was ice cream in there somewhere too. i need to get rid of this sweet tooth i have developed since being around kiddos!

hmmm, looks like these blogs are turning into more of a food diary. guess i better get back on my DIET. pronto or else these ruffles & lace pants will need some elastic ;)

out,
nb

hash house a go-go...

...leads to big time bloating!


so check out these brunch plates. ummmm, enormous. who says peeps in southern cali don't eat? with portions like this how is everyone here so skinny? OMG this brunch place was amazing. for anyone who knows me and knows how much i luv the brunch notion. i was in heaven. its weird 'cuz i'm not a huge breakfast eating fan; however, i luv brunch. weird, i know. maybe its the mimosa's or bloody mary's that i really like and since those go well with brunch makes me luv brunch. maybe its the 'hair of the dog' remedy after a hard night out with many adult beverages. who knows? buy at any rate. i didn't eat the entire plate. neither did those two lovely ladies either. they shared and could have probably still had two more people share with them. another friend [not pictured] and i nibbled [just nibbled] a bit on that colossal pancake as i didn't want to add any more ruffles & lace to my dress to cover the bootay and belly. as much as i wanted to eat it all...i didn't.

dig in,
nb

shake, rattle and roll...

...is what was happening today @ approx 11:42 a.m. PST. i had no clue of this until my mom asked if i was ok or felt the quake. i guess this strong quake shook Southern Cali. little did i know as i totally didn't feel the 5.4, 5.8, 5.9 magnitude quake nor did i hear anything on radio about it. hmmm. goes to show well in-tune i am over here in cali.

anywho, this was now my 6th quake i've "been" involved in while out here on my cali excursion and guess how many i've felt? yup, ZERO. which is a good thing, but i kind of wish i could feel one just to know the feeling. heck, when i get hailed on i sure know how that feels and definitely knows its hailing. or when i slip on a patch of ice...i totally realize its icy out ;) hehe

so, i'll keep my eyes and feet peeled for anything that may require me to hold on tight...or shake the ruffly bootay.

laters,
nb

productivity...

...was my end result today. so i was super productive today which is amazing considering i am a bit under the weather. this darn sinus ache [i think as last i checked i didn't have a phd] with stuffy nose, ears, head. i sound hott...like a man [who has smoked too many cigs] pretty much. anywho, so i had a productive day. it all started with me waking up and feeling like shit so i make a great pot of coffee. then headed back to my room to see how i should entertain myself.

and here's how it went...

1. CLOSET: you know those movies where peeps are grabbing clothes, shoes, handbags, etc. and tossing them over their shoulder. yup! that was me this a.m. i totally cleared out my closet. i could actually see the floor for once, corners, wallz ;) i purged yet again my clothes, handbags and shoes [mainly flip-flops, as i have a trillion].

2. BATHROOM: totally deep cleaned this sucker. i usually clean it weekly; however, this time i got down on my hands and knees and totally deep cleaned it. re-arranged some things and trashed unnecessary items, i.e. old make-up [i don't know why i like to keep that stuff around?].

3. BEDROOM: finally hung up and put away some folded clothes from last weekend when i did laundry. ya, i know that's sad that i left them in the laundry basket all week; however, everyone does that from time-to-time don't they?! and then totally deep cleaned as well. got down on my hands and knees and scrubbed. oh, i forgot to mention we have Spanish tile throughout the WHOLE ENTIRE HOUSE. so lots of scrubbing.

4. FILING: so, i know everyone's gotta have a little "junk" drawer or hide-away of sorts for paid bills, car insurance information, 401(k) info., etc. don't they? well i have this cupboard in my tv stand unit that houses all those goods. yup, i get a bill, car stuff, etc. pay what needs to be paid and then toss it in that cupboard. it was a mess so i finally organized it into my handy dandy filing unit. it felt great! i do luv to organize so i don't know why i don't just put the bill in the appropriate file when i'm done with it vs. just throwing it in the cupboard, but i don't. hmmm

5. PAID BILLZ: enough said. the part we all dislike and don't like to spend too much time doing.

6. LAUNDRY: yup, hence why i had to clean out my laundry basket. had to refill it with dirty clothes to haul to the laundry room then to refill it again with clean ones. which i have yet to do as they're still in the dryer.

7. GROCERIES: even made it to the grocery store to fill up the fridge's. yes, that was plural. we have two. it works great for a fam as one can be for beverages [both kid and a adult] and the other for food. i got the usual stuff. nothing too fancy or fun i found. i actually do like to get groceries. i have no clue why, but i do.

8. TO-DO's: made new list of to-do's for this next week. here's a sample; assemble my sis' wedding invites, send bday cards, figure out new housing [yup, i think i'm moving...again], find a new car [yup, if i move gotta leave the corolla kid-mobile behind]. well, that's the start of the list. i'm sure it will evolve as the week evolves.

there you have it. that was my productive day. kind of crazy for feeling like crap and a sounding like a cig man. i'm pretty impressed, except for the fact that church didn't make that productive list. that was really the only thing on my real list of "to-do's" for today and its not up there. makes me sad, but i'll make sure to wear extra ruffles & lace to church next week.

nite,
nb

man in pink...

...shirt with a bra over it. so i can't believe i totally forgot to blog about this great site i saw last weekend.



so there i was...standing in the at&t store awaiting for all my 200+ contacts to be transferred from my treo to my iphone, when i saw this man wearing a pink shirt. not any pink shirt. a pink shirt with a bra on it. it was wayyyy cool and i told him that too. i was like, "hey, man! that's a cool shirt." he blushed and said, "thx! my girlfriend designed it for the breast cancer walk last year." so that's where the bra comes in, breast cancer walk. are you still imagining a man wearing a pink shirt with a real bra over it?

anywho, it was actually a screen print of a bra image...with a little lace around it. pretty cute bra i might say ;) it was just a fun and ingenious idea. i wish i could be that awesome and actually think of something that cool. i was very proud of him being so fun to wear it. it even had the straps of the bra, along with the back. when he stood still it looked like he was really wearing a bra. funny stuff. i kind of wanted it off his back for my own t-shirt collection.

until now, u were so imagining a man wearing a pink shirt with a bra over it, weren't you ;) that if that was the case, that would have totally required me asking him if i could take a pic of his ruffles & lace pink bra shirt. heck, i should have asked (or just snapped) him anyway.

sleep on that image,
nb

welp...

...its here! i got it. finally, after 10 days i received my über [that's my german side coming out] fabulous iPhone 3g. ummm, amazing stuff. what was i doing without one to begin with?! oh, that's right, waiting for the 2nd [and better, faster, etc.] iPhone generation to come out. anywho, my life will be even more organized [don't know if that's possible ;) as i'm über organized the way it is] and it is pretty much my new BFF. it will keep me very busy for the next few nights, possibly weeks. so much to do, see, play...
farewell to the palm treo. you treated me well for the last year; however, its time to move on. thx verizon for the great service for the last eight years. sorry i had to switch carriers, but in the long run, i am saving money on my monthly bill. my bill was getting a little [ok, A LOT] outta control and i needed to change.

so, anyone who is interested in a very well kept palm treo 700p i have one for ya. with all accessories [like car charger, etc.]. i'll be posting it on craigslist or there abouts for a very reasonable price.

welp...off to go hang with my new BFF as i'll need to add some ruffles & lace touches to it.

until next time,
nb

and one and two and...

...three and...you get the idea. that was the rhythm the kiddos and i were chanting tonight.

it was too cute. they were watching their video and having a snack before bed while there i was trying to work off my 9lb bean burrito i ate tonight @ porkyland's. ya, with a name like porkyland's i should really lay off ordering anything to eat from there! anywho, so i was doing some exercises [leg lifts, sit ups, push ups...easy stuff like that in hopes the 9lb burrito was burning off!] when all the sudden the kiddos saw me and wanted to join. it was aerobics via kid-style. cam would try some of my moves then he would teach me some of his aerobic moves. pretty good stuff that kid came up with. like this side balance thingy while lifting your leg up and down. takes talent and i finally caught on ;) by now i had to have turned that 9lb burrito into @ least 8.5lbs.

after that big workout then i was special enough to receive a 4-star massage treatment...with four little feet pounding on my back. it actually felt really good and is the kiddos kind of way to give me a massage. i just think they like the idea that they can "kick" their babysitter and not get in trouble. LOL

so that was pretty much my night. somewhat low-key as we had a busy day of camp in the a.m. then a playdate and then off to soccer. seeing little 4-year olds out there kicking and chasing that soccer ball is too cute. it sure does look like those kiddos are having a blast running back and forth, back and forth with little sweat droplets.

laters peeps as its time to put the ruffles & lace to rest...6:30 a.m. will be here before we know it!

nite,
nb

wal-mart...

...visitations have been very few and far between for me. @ least a year and possibly two its been since i've stepped foot in a wal-mart. partly because i luv target, one wasn't all that close to me back in KC and when they decided to part ways as a client of BR's i kind of banned them from my biz.

i finally broke down and visited a wally-world last night. yes, i was desperate...kind of. i needed to get ribbon for my sis' wedding invites so i can get them assembled and shipped out. it was 8:24 p.m. PST and pretty much everything gets sleepy around then and where one wal-mart is open 24/7 they've gotta be like that everywhere...i assumed. so i hopped in the toyota corolla kid-mobile [yes, my car has turned into the biggest kid-mobile of all times. can't wait to get a new car!] and headed 52 east then onto 805 south, then 1st exit on right. i always saw this wal-mart when i was on my way to target :) and target doesn't have ribbon or crafty stuff...bummer! so i knew it wasn't far from home. i know, why would i choose wal-mart to get ribbon when i can go to michael's, hobby lobby [well, hobby lobby's don't exist here in SD], joann's house of fabric, etc.; however, all of those shops were totally closed [and a bit of a drive] so wally-world was the best option i had especially since i'm gonna be on kid-duty 24/7 until tomorrow afternoon. this kid-duty time will give me great opps to get them assembled...after the kiddos go to bed of course.

ok...so after my wally-world experience last night i totally forgot how darn cheap this place is. hence their tagline of "save money. live better." i got three spools of ribbon for $1.97 each. so i "saved money"...will it make me "live better"?

ribbon can be so pricey so it was worth me stepping foot in there last night and re-looking @ my wally-world experiences. heck, maybe i'll have to up my visitation time to good 'ole wally-world here in the near future, but only for a little ruffles & lace necessities.

until next time,
nb

flair...

...is everywhere! so i just spent the last hour adding the flair app to my facebook page. you know, its a pretty fun application as you can make your own flair or find ones in the flair catalog...of a zillion flair options. i made a few and found many! now i just wish all these pins were here in real life as i would luv to flair-up my denim jacket and hit the town.

anywho, if you need a mindless activity that will waste an hour of your time [@ least], check out the flair app. does wonders...

something just dawned on me...i need to find a ruffles & lace piece of flair!

nite,
nb

time-after-time...

...i promised i would make this a daily blog; however, have totally neglected that promise. last week was CRAZY and is the main excuse as to why there hasn't been any daily blogs. yes, CRAZY is in caps and bold for a reason; to put the emphasis that it was a CRAZY week.

as some of you may know i am on the job hunt. the economy sucks [or maybe i suck, hehe j/k] and in a positive way of looking @ this whole job hunt is that i am becoming a pro @ interviews [via phone and in-person]. i feel i have been in almost every interview situation one can have. i'm almost sad to admit this, but i think the number is now 14...i believe i have had 14 interviews during my four-month job hunt. this includes phone screenings [as many san diego agencies like to do that before they bring you in], phone interviews and in-person interviews in areas such as LA, San Diego, Chicago and KC. i have had more than one interview @ particular shops so i have to remind myself that is a good thing and hence why the number is in the teens.

anywho, not to bore you'all with my CRAZY job hunt experience, but it'll all work out how its supposed to and i'll just keep thinking positive thoughts and good things will happen. as many of you know my fave quote is "everything happens for a reason" [-american proverb] and that's for sizzle.

so, i promise to anyone i have been short with i will be better this week. thx mom for making it apparent that i was a bit "down" and wasn't smiling while i was chatting with you. luv ya!

"...if you're lost, you can look and you will find me, time after time. if you fall i will catch you, i will be waiting, time after time..." thx quietdrive for the inspiring song for ruffles & lace.

take care,
nb

two buck chuck...

...is a pretty darn good wine for the price. literally $1.99 (hence the "two buck" nickname it has received) @ trader joe's. i have only tried the chardonnay as i was informed that was the best one; however, i think i might just have to run my own wine tasting to see if the pinot noir or merlot or chard's [etc.] hold up to good tastings. 'cuz heck...@ only two bucks its a cheap and fun experiment.

i'll keep ya all posted on the ruffles & lace wine tasting experiment...

here's a little history on the maker... (compliments of wikipedia.com. my all-time fave website!)

Charles Shaw is a brand of "extreme value" wine. All from California vineyards, Charles Shaw wines currently include Cabernet Sauvignon, White Zinfandel, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Valdigue in the style of Beaujolais nouveau, and limited quantities of Pinot Grigio. These wines are distributed predominantly by Trader Joe's grocery stores, and sell for $1.99 in California.

Charles Shaw wines are affectionately known as "Two Buck Chuck." Due to the three-tier system, in other states the price can go up to around $4. As such, the wine is often referred to as "Three Buck Chuck" or "Four Buck Chuck" relative to the price.

long time no writing...

...as it has been a crazy week for me! finally a little downtime to jot down my crazy week.

well, as some may or may not know...i am getting back into my ad-ver-tahy-zing career. yay! as i am itching to get back to the grind & complaining of those creatives ;) hehe j/k. i miss the energy, innovation & challenges of my advtg career world.

i do have challenges [i.e., getting the kiddos to listen to me! wait, that sounds like the creatives again...j/k], energy [i.e., running from one activity to the next (wait, sounds like mtg after mtg) or better yet, making sure i drink my green tea or red bull to keep MY energy going] & innovation [new ways to capture their attention & calm them down long enough so they'll stop screaming] with kiddos don't get me wrong; however, its just not the same.

so this week has consisted of coordinating even MORE interviews. i think i've had about 10 or so total to-date. they've either been in-person or via phone. phone ones can be a bit tricky, but i have grown to like them. i feel you can really tell a lot about someone & their personality by the way they can interact with you on the phone. their excitement in their voice or even their attention span by the way they comment on your response(s). anywho, you're probably thinking..."wow, you suck @ interviewing if you've had 10 and still no job offer?!" ya, may seem as though; however, a few of those i have chose to not move fwd with. either i didn't want to move to LA, San Fran or down the ladder. the goal is to move up the ladder in my book. you can't be a VP by moving down the ladder. a handful of the interviews have been with the same agency...just diff peeps within checking me out. & a couple others are still on going. wanna bring me back next week & what-not. welp, that's part of my crazy week.

the other part, kiddos! i have been on kid-duty 24/7 [read as, the kid's rents are outta town so i am a "single mom" for three whole days & nights]. just me & two kids...wow, i give HUGE props to all you single moms out there. you're THE BOMB! i do luv the kiddos though. they crack my sh*t up. are so darn smart & keep me on my toes. we pooled it yesterday, heading to a 4-year-old's bday party tonight & then maybe a little movie matinee tomorrow. so we're keeping busy! the rents are do home saturday night :)

now another part of my crazy week, finding a place to live! its pretty much a full time job. hunting down the perfect condo, apt or house in the perfect area you want with the perfect price tag... [is there such a thing as perfect though? hmmm]

its now 10 a.m. PST. the kiddos are @ camp so i besta make myself productive this a.m. while i can...before i have to go & pick them up @ nooner. maybe i'll take a shower? maybe i'll organize my e-mails or just read? we'll see, but i do know i am going to enjoy this peace & quit with a little ruffles & lace...

laters,
nb

and its monday...

...monday, monday. nothing really all that great to type-up here. watched the finale of bachelorette [yes, i am one of those sucked in and just can't get out]. i was so shocked @ her boy choice, but hey...difference strokes for different folks. and heck, now maybe i'll just have to contact the runner-up as he is pretty yum and single. hmmm

i am really tired and thinking that its time for me to hit the hay. possibly open my book for a bit and get caught up on some reading. i finally finished straight up and dirty and now i'm on to bright lights big ass. ya, i pick some classy titles...don't i? ;) good and funny reads though.

well peeps, hope you'all enjoyed your monday and this is one tuckered out ruffles & lace...

nite,
nb

4th of july holiday festivities

hope you'all had a fab 4th. i actually had a life for the holiday weekend believe it or not...hence my m.i.a. on the blog'n for the last couple days.

friday started out with a great relaxing day @...oh yes, the beach! headed to coronado island http://www.coronado.ca.us/ and beached it @ the del [see image below] with some nice "refreshing" lemonades [read "refreshing" as vodka lemonades]. got myself a nice sunburn. good stuff ;) yes, i should probably apply sunscreen in higher spf than 4...ooops. then we were off for a little bbq action with brauts and fireworks.

lets see here, saturday...what happened? oh, was on kid duty during the day. the rents were home by 9 p.m. so then it was my time to play. headed to one of the best dive bars i've been too in a long time, norma jeans in east county [la mesa to be exact]. pretty much a part of san diego i never travel. kind of like when i lived in kc and didn't go past 88th & ward pkwy...that was about as far south as i made it. so it was karaoke night and boy was it. i luv to see all those peeps get out and belt their lungs out to a little britney and poor some sugar on me. gee, good stuff. i know you're wondering...did you hop up there and belt out your "amazing" voice [read "amazing" as terrible]?!?! well, the answer is...yes. amazingly WE did. belted out a little journey with a group of girls is so perfect when you have an "amazing" voice like i do, LOL. anywho, we rocked the house with our karaoke choice...don't stop believing was a winner. everyone got up from their chairs and joined us on the dance floor. good times for sure as we closed the place down. oh and no, didn't meet the man of my dreams there ;) hehe. maybe the next dive place.

here we are, its sunday funday and that's pretty much what i had...minus the booze that usually takes place with a sunday funday. went to the aventine pool @ the hyatt. ummm, an amazing hide-away. yup, my new fave spot for the summer. pooling-it with the option of a nice pina colada or refreshing margarita ;) you'll can find me here every sunday and possibly any given weekday that i am not on kid duty...



for those of you who know how much i luv my diet coke, well listen to this random fact i just learned. the coca-cola company purchases more sugar than any other company in the world. besides being a liquid refreshment, coca-cola is commonly used to clean toilets, remove dust, baste ham, and dissolve driveway grease [credit so, now you know book]. wow! and i put the same stuff that can be used to clean toilets into my stomach. hmmm

ok, i think this might do it for this blog inquiry. nothing all that great to report. just the where-abouts and festivities of a holiday weekend with a little ruffles and lace...

cheers,
nb

  
  "><$BlogItemTitle$>
 test

cupcakes...

...are what i'm craving right now. ice cream cupcakes @ that. i saw them @ costco the other day and can't get them outta my mind. i can't indulge though...i can't give in to that cavity giving food ;)

[ya, the title has nothing to do with my blog...fyi]

i promise i won't write a novel like i did last night. today was pretty low-key and nothing too novel-worthy.

went to bed super late last night and so getting up early this a.m. was hard! was on kid-duty @ 7 a.m. so, got myself up and strapped the kids in the car and headed to la jolla country day for the kids' camp festivities. after dropping the kiddos off i headed for my morning misto [grande non-fat misto with foam & two splenda's]. its crazy how one of those makes the day start off oh so well.

that was pretty much my day. so exciting ;) found out some bummer news, but was able to move on from that to get my eyebrows tamed and toe nails polished. i haven't gotten a pedicure since last aug. i know, that might be sad to say for those of you who get them weekly; however, i am weird and actually like to polish my own nails...kind of like a little home spa night weekly. it mainly started 'cuz back in my poor days [which i still kind of am] i couldn't afford to primp myself @ the spa weekly so i go used to polishing them up; however, now i can afford a little primping from time-to-time...when i become lazy.

since then i've kind of been just bumming around the house. ate some italian dinner with a little red wine. its been a week or so since i've had a nice adult refreshing beverage so i figured why-not. poor some wine for me and have been enjoying it ever since. i guess priming for a little holiday fun.

4th of july plans: definitely hitting it up either beach- or pool-side. gotta keep this cali tan going [along with that skin cancer, j/k. i shouldn't jinx myself] so actually looking forward to putting on that superb bathing suit. then we'll head out for a little dinner and watch the sky light up...

peace peeps and have a great 4th of july fun via ruffles and lace style...

nb

jim...you there?

so i know you're probably on the edge of your seat wondering if i actually made it to the gym last night or not. well i procrastinated for so long and didn't make it...hehe, ya what a good excuse, procrastination. please do take note of my oh, so nice and yummy dinner [see image below]. one of those glorious lean cuisine's you pull right outta the freezer and pop in the micro for five to six minutes on medium speed. that's also a lettuce salad with cottage cheese you see sitting there and yes, i know you're wondering if that's grape juice?! it totes is...NOT. a nice, refreshing glass of wine to keep this heart healthy ;) so, there u have it. eating a meal of only 350-400 calories and having a glass of wine for a healthy heart was kind of like going to the gym. if i would have went to the gym i would have probably came home and wanted to eat nacho's, a taco or something oh so greasy to crave my after workout hunger...which would have resulted to 1,000 calorie intake or so.

so on that procrastinated too long excuse, i actually was very productive while i was procrastinating. i FINALLY got to my heaping mounds of laundry and got that all the dirty, clean. its sad to say that i don't think i had done laundry since i got back from cabo...or maybe right before i left. that was a month ago. yes, sick and wrong...i know! reference to my "day #2" blog and now you know why i have set the challenge of NO shopping during the month of july. i obviously have plenty of clothes and undergarments to last me a month ;)

so here it july 2 [happy bday t.v.] and i did make it to the gym. woke up this a.m. and finally laced up those tenny-runners and headed off to the gym. no pit-stops, no starbucks...just the gym. it felt good to be back there. the smell of sweat and b.o. nothing says good morn'n quit like that. i punched in my code and it took a bit longer for it to register in the system to actualy let me pass GO. ya, that code has been m.i.a. for about a month, but heck...it finally said have a nice workout.

where to begin? is what i thought as all these machines looked foreign, j/k. but they did do some rearranging while i was m.i.a. the elliptical was the first cardio piece i tackled, then to the bike [where i actually got called a sweatheart from a gentlemen beside me. here's the story, as i was wiping down my sweaty mess off the bike he leaned over and said, "hey, when you're done cleaning that would you mind cleaning my car?" LOL is what i wanted to do, but instead i just gave a nice, big smile and said, "sure, no prob." then that's when he told me i was a sweatheart. oh, my heart melted as its been awhile since a man has told me that, hehe. oh, did i forget to mention he was about 80-years-old. yes, those o.b.c.'s (guess what the initials stand for) luv me.] and then off to rowing [which i luv!] and ended with weights and stretching. so there was my day @ the gym...finally. see ya tomorrow gym and my o.b.c. man ;)

the remainder of my day was pretty uneventful. got a cavity filled...yuk! headed to verizon to get my treo looked @. its just been acting up a bit [ok, A LOT], but have no fear as the new iPhone 3G is coming out july 11 [1/2 the price and double the speed. sounds like a win-win to me] and i am so hopping on-board this time to snag me one of them. my dad always tough me to never buy the first generation of something; i.e. a brand new car model. he says let the first generation come out and get all the tweaks worked out and by the second generation you can buy. so i am now taking his advice. thx dad! anywho, i have loved verizon as my carrier for the last eight years, but you know what...they've gotten expensive on me with my plan all the sudden. out with the old and in with the new. i think at&t will treat me very nice and i have to give others a chance. no need to stay in a dead-in relationship that is sucking all my money away. my bill has been outrageous 'cuz verizon seems to be the only carrier that charges extra for the internet package [an extra $44/month on top of the regular $99.99, ouch!]. i will actually be saving money with at&t so there it is. i will be one of them...one of those iPhone peeps walking around hand-in-hand with the iPhone. can't wait!

then, i got home and immediately was on kid-duty [an hour early i might add]. i hung with the kiddos for a handful of hours...well, just three 'cuz then it was bedtime! yay, that's when i pull out my book and am almost finished with the best book ever, straight up and dirty. its a great read! a pretty darn funny memoir. not to laugh @ someone's life, but its a funny read. stephanie klein is a brilliant writer...if you like that funny stuff. [http://stephanieklein.blogs.com/].

so, there's my day. realizing i just wrote a novel maybe it was more eventful than i thought, but i doubt it. the weekend is nearing and we'll be celebrating our independence with lighting up the sky. hope everyone has some fun 4th plans and stays classy in their ruffles and lace...

check ya laters,
nb

day #2...

...and we'll see how well i can stay on top of this daily blogging goal.

july 1, 2008 and it is bluetooth cali day. a day i haveNOT been counting down as today is the start of the new law of NO talking [or texting or checking your e-mail or surfing the net] on your mobile cellular while driving. sad to think that peeps were actually texting while driving [yes, i am guilty of that].

here it is, they did it to me. made a law where now i have to look like even more of a dodo while driving. yes, one of those who looks like i am talking to myself. i could pretend i was talking to the kiddos in the backseat; however, the only time i can really chat on the mobile is when they aren't in the car. i just need to remind myself that everyone will be looking like a dodo with me since it is a law and i don't need to give cali justice anymore of my money. it doesn't grow on trees for me...especially out here ;) now for the rest of SoCal, i think it does so i need to find those trees!

so, that was the beginning part of my day. screening which calls i would actually answer or who i would call with this ear piece in my ear. the second part is pretty darn cool as i saw a very sweet pic opp.

i was on my way to do a costco stock-up of all those surplus goods for the fam, when i saw this [see image to the left]. wow, is pretty much what came outta my mouth [no, i don't talk to myself ;)]. this yellow bug parked in what was at the time an empty parking lot, stacked high with goods. now this is what you call guerilla advertising at its best. it definitely made me look and obviously take a pic. ikea is having their twice yearly sale and definitely wanted us drivers to know. so for those of you who have an ikea in your neighborhood...go check 'em out, see if you get some steals and if this guerilla advertising works on you. i unfortunately wasn't able to go in to shop as i banned myself from shopping for the month of july. yes! i know i am crazy. what am i thinking? what am i gonna do in all my spare time? most importantly, what am i gonna wear?!!!!? so anywho, fun guerilla advertising right there in front of my nose.

now i am just killing time and procrastinating my gym appearance. i so need to get back on the gym wagon as i fell off a month ago with all my vacay's in june. did so good up until i left for cabo. which was an AMAZING time @ esperanza resort with my gal pal amy k. came back from cabo and had a friend in town for a couple days [the waterfront misses us man!], then i left for kc fun. which definitely leads to many adult friendly beverages and good eats with the kc peeps! came back to cali and my bro and nat came in for a visit. hit up the restaurant scene very nicely. didn't drink as many adult friendly beverages as i normally would since they were underage; however, still a week of no gym and one too many doritos. so nostalgic. side note: did you know doritos have been produced since 1966. wow! i never realized they were that old'school...oh, and they come in 16 flavors. amazing stuff.

well, i guess this does it for this day of ruffles & lace. peace and cheers...

nb