Great finds for summer

I found the cutest beach/pool summer stuff at Old Navy for 40% off!!! Inflatable balls...rafts...swimmies :) Pier one is also having a great sale for patio... 25% off.  I found some really great things for the Memorial BBQ at great prices!! The decorating is almost complete :)

Have a beautiful day

out and about for a little retail therapy

We have decided to have a Memorial Day BBQ which means that I get to plan, organize, decorate and shop.  I love being creative and most of all I love a great excuse to shop.  I love shopping.  I love to look, to find great deals and I love the interaction with people in the different places that I visit.   For example, people at the grocery store give great tips and some look at me like... "is she really going to cook that successfully?"  I am completely consumed with anything for puppy right now... so I could listen for hours at PetCo about dog food (and I have).  And the trick to retail are skinny mirrors and a great sales person telling you just how fabulous you look in everything (even though you do not).  And we all know that a department store that has chose to use FLORESCENT LIGHTING can ruin your whole day so beware!!! I once said that I think everyone should work at a McDonalds and although I have never worked there I still think everyone should... at least for a day.  First for the experience... but most importantly because it is a well oiled machine that is constantly being simplified.  Whatever the experience, I just really enjoy being around a mix of people.  So I have my list of stores to visit and my menu made for the week.  Its time to shop till I drop or I have exceeded my budget. 

Have a beautiful day

I do not like green eggs and ham...

but I love Dr. Seuss.  I think that he had such a wonderful take on life.


“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”-- DR.SEUSS

dog whisperer where are you?!?!?!?!?!?!

Puppy is in a crazy mood today.  It is raining and she has played in the mud, dirt and puddles... into the bath tub she goes :) Fortunately she does not mind taking a shower.  However, what she does mind is not being able to go into the garden.  She just does not understand and is BORED.  She is acting out... the CEO of his business has a gash in his nose and I have a gash around my wrist.  Her razor sharp teeth make it look like I tried to slash my wrist open :(
PARVO is a deadly virus for puppies and in our area it is a  big problem.  So until her last round of vaccinations she is in quarantine.  She can not leave our house or go where other dogs go.  We do take her places and for rides in the car... but she can not walk around on the ground on a leash.  It is sad but only until June 28th that is how the cookie crumbles.  She is a good dog and is pretty laid back... but then all of a sudden she snaps and goes crazy sprinting from one side of the yard to the other and growling!! YIKES!! She is already retrieving, knows how to sit, and is down to about one pee pee accident a week (usually my fault).  She is very smart so I think that as soon as she understands that NO is a command and not her "name" we will be on the right track :)  Wish we were friends with the dog whisperer :)

Have a beautiful day!!

Order or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?

I often hear myself and friends say "I am OCD."  Why do we label our cleanliness as a disorder... the disorder should be coined for the messy out of order people that make picking up and putting away a "repetitive behavior."  Why did the term OCD start being used so loosely? How did something positive like preferring a clean, uncluttered and organized house get labeled as a disorder.   I am by no means knocking anyone that actually has a compulsive disorder... I just think the term is overused.  The CEO of his business loves to say that I have "Select OCD," because I like to have everything in its place but some select things can be out of order.  First, the objects that are out of order are foreign, temporary objects that have been brought in and do not have a place.  Second, I have learned to give time and have a little patience before I start "nagging" or "complaining" about them being being left in a random place (usually right in the entrance of the house)... which has translated to the selective part.  Third, I have also learned that a grace period of a day or two is enough before I end up putting them away myself anyway.  Thank goodness for the garage which is our storage unit/"man cave."  That being said... I also have piles and messes that I make of things before they are ultimately put in there place.  And I always love having my "really" organized friends help organize.  I like to read tips on how to be more organized and strive to be the person that cleans out my closet often and organizes everything by color.  Not because I am obsessive but because I like things to be visually pleasing.  My closet is arranged by no sleeve, short sleeve, long sleeve, dresses (by sleeves and length), shorts, skirts, jeans, pants, juicy suits... so there is some order.   My shoe closet looks like a work of art... Oh how I love shoes!!! I keep his closet organized by color... but i just think that all of his clothes are easier to keep this way.  And the house needs to stay presentable at all times because there are people at our house most everyday.  I believe this is order... not obsessive-compulsive disorder.
I have been reading and recommend, "Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui" By Karen Kingston. 

Have a beautiful day

Its not easy being green!!!

This has had me laughing and I thought I would share with the class :)

It is easy being green... poor Kermit :) These are a few of my favorite green things!! Arcona has a wonderful Green Tea lotion... and my favorite summer drink is the blended Moroccan Mint Green Tea with Boba from Urth cafe.  Green Tea has such great properties that makes it easy to be green... tea :) This is the list of benefits of green tea according to Healthmad.com

1. It is used to treat multiple sclerosis.
2. It is used for treatment and prevention of cancer.
3. It is used to stop Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
4. It is used to raise the metabolism and increase fat oxidation.
5. It reduces the risk of heart diseases and heart attacks by reducing the risk of trombosis.
6. It reduces the risk of esophageal cancer.
7. Drinking green tea inhibits the growth of certain cancer cells, reduces the level of cholesterol in blood, improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol.
8. It is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular diseases
9. It is used to treat impaired immune function. .
10. Some researches show that, drinking green tea regularly may help prevent tooth decay by killing the bacteria which causes the dental plaque. 

Have a beautiful day

a few of my favorite things...

I was the girl that dreamed of entering my corner office in Manhattan every morning.  Getting dressed in the morning started with a nice bath routine.  A long marble counter top full of product and girl goodies.  Entering my walk in, room of a closet and slipping on beautiful lacy lingerie, then the perfect fitting "power suit," choosing the perfect pair of "power pumps," detailed accessories, and jetting out of the door.  Being pampered would be a weekly "task"... not luxury :) Hair appointments, laser, nails, facials, body treatments... everything to keep me in the game.  Funny how guys just think we look good effortlessly :)
However, the path I chose was very different.  I went to work for a great company that had a very relaxed atmosphere far from NYC, far from dressing up and "power suits"... more like "juicy suits."  I do have a great loft right in the middle of the city and a fashion forward group of friends.  No room for any relationships... because I just didn't have the "time" nor had I met the right person to "make time" for. 
Enter the next stage of life... Meeting the man I had always dreamed about and also being the girl of his dreams.  After the proposal, the nesting stage set in and I wanted more than anything to take care of him, be with him and make sure that he was happy... and still do.  We both work at home and this is great because we can travel, be spontaneous and be together.  However, when he is the breadwinner and it is "his" money how do you ask for the things that make you feel like a pampered lady or just extra spending cash?  Just as the dust, dirt and clothes bunched up on the floor magically disappear and become clean, freshly laundered, folded, ready to wear items neatly placed in his drawers... We need time and the means to clean, primp, pamper, dress, and take care of ourselves.  I have not yet become completely dependent on the CEO of his business but these are the types of issues that concern me. 
So then do you get back in the rat race? Spend valuable time away from your partner? Put baby making on hold? Cancel out any chance of more than 2 weeks vacation a year? Leave the cleaning and taking care of the house to someone else?  NO!!! If you are fortunate to be CEOofMyHouse and take care of your family then these are all of the things that you love about being a homemaker...and sometimes love to hate.  No matter your money situation, most girls know how to do this on a budget... but we need a budget.  When you are the CEOofMyHouse and your income is worth the same as Monopoly money, how do you come to an agreement to have your "own" money and not having to constantly ask.  Money is a hard topic to approach and most often uncomfortable.  Should the CEO of his business be responsible for making the money and sharing it?  Well YES!  After all, taking care of your partner, the household, yourself, and family(kids, employees, pets) is a nonstop job and should be appreciated and respected by the "bread"winner.  You may not sit at a desk all day and "make" the money but you are CEOofMyHouse and that is a very respectable title filled with many major responsibilities. If you have a successful or unsuccessful story please comment.

Have a beautiful day

Dinner time

This time the CEO of his business will be preparing my favorite meal!! Italian :) I just love nights like these!!! I appreciate it sooooooo much!! It was so thoughtful of him to go to the Italian deli and bring back all of my favorite things to cook and has promised to clean!! 

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

"Respect denotes both a positive feeling of esteem for a person or other entity (such as a nation or a religion), and also specific actions and conduct representative of that esteem. Respect can be a specific feeling of regard for the actual qualities of the one respected (e.g., "I have great respect for her judgment"). It can also be conduct in accord with a specific ethic of respect. Rude conduct is usually considered to indicate a lack of respect, disrespect, whereas actions that honor somebody or something indicate respect."-- Wikipedia

As CEOofMyHouse I think that it is time that the important things are defined... yesterday appreciation, today respect, tomorrow there will be another one.  Having respect for someone and showing respect can often be difficult.  It seems that so many people (if not everyone) have such a struggle within themselves.  We have a difficult time saying what we mean, meaning what we say and/or doing what we say.  I do think that we have so many ways of communicating... that at the end of the day if you respect or have positive feelings of esteem for people then the attitude behind what you say or how you act will show through.  If you have not been such a respectful person in the past, I do believe that you can become respectful... and if you have been respectful most of your life, I believe you can become bitter.  Wikipedia does not say anything about respecting yourself... I think that if you have a positive feeling of esteem for yourself (not to be confused with a cocky ego) and life, your attitude will be positive.  Finding or having someone or many people to respect is a blessing often taken for granted.  Try being a positive role model, respect yourself and others, be open to new things, educate yourself, communicate with others, respect others point of view.  If you find all of this overwhelming... then just smile!! After all... "A smile is the universal welcome." ~Max Eastman

Have a beautiful day

to appreciate

Appreciate means to be grateful or thankful for anything (wikipedia)... and yesterday there was a lot of appreciation for mom from children but was there appreciation for mom from partner?  There was an article that explained that the day after mothers day is one of the days that women cheat (or sign up on a discrete dating service).  They say that the day after Valentines and New Years Eve are first and third.  They also go on to explain why... saying that men cheat because they are looking for sex and women seek attention that they're not getting at home making them feel undesirable and unvalidated.  And for many women that already suffer from lack of appreciation, these days are a continuation of neglect and disappointment. 

I have to say, in the first place, that appreciation works both ways.  Communication and recognizing the differences between men and women also helps.  Positive feedback increases positive feedback... negative feedback increases negative feedback!! And asking for what you want usually leads to getting what you want... not saying anything and expecting your partner to read your mind (unless they really are a mind reader) will get you no where.  If you are feeling lonely then you should write a letter, sit, talk or "make whoopie." Why in the world would you want to seek someone or something else? You married, or are with, the man/woman of your dreams so why wouldn't you appreciate them and make them happy.  How can cheating make things better? It is an awful band-aid that covers the wound with negative, makes you feel bad about yourself in the long run, and in turn can only make everything worse.  If you are not happy and have given up on the relationship do yourself and everyone around you a favor and end the relationship before you start another.  I am so sick of hearing about cheating.   When trust is broken... you can't take that back.  It sounds so easy and really it is... love the one your with!!!  Relationships are hard work and are worth it, to have a great relationship with the one you love.  When I ask the people who have relationships that I admire, "why they think they have such a good relationship?" they always say the same thing... respect, appreciation and love.  They make good partners and they work together.  There are tough times but with respect and appreciation you can make it through and trusting that you will be there for each other is key.  Please say out loud or write a sweet note to the one you love today :) Smile at them and ask for something that you want! Appreciate them and give something in return!!!

Have a beautiful day :)

http://shine.yahoo.com/event/mothersday/why-moms-cheat-on-their-man-the-day-after-mothers-day-1410231/

Vibrate please

Phone etiquette... why is it that someone does not make some rules about this.  I was in a nice restaurant enjoying a great dinner with friends when this high pitched, ear piercing, ring tone from a phone kept beeping.  One time ok...maybe they forgot to turn it down but multiple times... not ok!! I got up from the table, walked over and politely asked her to silence her phone.  P.S. if you are in a nice restaurant, or anywhere for that matter, you should not have your phone out anyway... you should be enjoying the people that you are with or what you are out doing.  If you do need your phone then please put it on vibrate :) you can still know who is calling, texting or emailing but others do not have to hear it.  I do not know what happened in the last 10 years that now everyone thinks the world might end if they do not have their phone with them, out on the table and on the loudest possible ring.  Your friends will not unfriend you on facebook... promise.  There are always emergency situations and exceptions... but please turn your phone to vibrate or silence when you are out in public :) keep your ring tones for your personal enjoyment. 
On a side note... I had no idea that children are using text so much that they are not speaking or socializing anymore.  This may seem funny at first because they sit around and type, but it is really sad.  There is a fear that they will not learn proper social skills and so on.  They will not be the ones with the ringer on but they will not be making eye contact, communicating verbally or sharing active moments.  An acquaintance of ours was saying the other day, that he asked his daughter why she was not using any minutes? He had bought her an iphone and her bill was $0.00.  She replied she uses her phone all of the time... but not to talk.  He looked through the bill and saw 15,000 texts!! That is insane.

Have a beautiful day

great for mothers day and any day :)

I just found www.spoonsisters.com and think it is great!!  Fun gift ideas and cute things for friends, entertaining, home, and even man gadgets :)

Have a beautiful day

little miss sunshine

I got bogged down with settling in, learning my way around, moving 3 times in the last year, new jobs, new friends, new relationship, new responsibilities... Finally I am going to come up for air.  With everything changing the only thing constant was "nesting" and it is a lovely but dangerous comfort zone.  I am no stranger to moving and have been lucky to find good friends in each place that I have lived.  I am from Georgia (three different towns and college), lived in Paris, moved to Salt Lake City, and now live in California.  I moved to "his" town and miss my family and friends from all across the US very much.  I found that because I got so wound up in being CEO of my house I forgot to make time for my"self" and relationships with friends.  I love the CEO of his business very much and I enjoy being with him most of the time(we both work from home)... but taking time to nurture other relationships is very important as well and I pushed that to the side.  As CEO of my house I choose to invest in my"self" which in turn will raise the stock of this business... It is amazing how an hour or two girl talk can snap you right back into shape. You can't make others happy if you are not happy... So it is important to keep your"self" happy.  In honor of Sex and the City coming out at the end of the month... I would just like to say thank you to all of my girlfriends (especially mom)!! Thank you for being wonderful!!! Please come visit or if you live in this town... Let's have lunch!!! 
"And remember, no matter where you go, there you are."  ~Confucius

Have a beautiful day