Hi again!

I'm back. Yes, I got back a week ago - it's just been busy. As usual!

I'd love to make this post all fun and full of photos but truth be told it'll never happen unless I sit here right now to catch up, photoless.

Thanks for all your suggestions. I did end up scouting out the local shops and was lucky to find a few bargains. I got 2 solid tops. Kind of fancied up t-shirts with nicer sleeves & a cute neck in a solid turquoise & kelly green. Paired them w white pants and dark jeans respectively, dressed them up with some BARGAIN jewelry and voila - I was set. I even got a compliment on my heels that look brand new but are really "I can't remember how old"!

Our meetings were over around 3pm on Friday. We were staying in West Palm Beach and meetings in Palm Beach. I'd never been and had always wanted to go to Palm Beach... Worth Ave, the Via's, The Breakers, etc... But heck, when that meeting was over my boss and I made a beeline for the closest nice mall ($40 cab fare away) and hit the shops. Such a shame we didn't have time to explore Palm Beach.

Sidebar here - I discovered the MAGIC of Moleskin while I was away. Moleskin is an inexpensive adhesive felt (you can find it in the Dr Scholls section of your local drug store/supermarket) that you cut and stick on to your foot wherever your shoes are uncomfortable. Ladies let me tell you - this stuff is awesome. You may remember me mentioning a while back that I wear flip flops or the sort 24/7. My feet survived the business trip quite well thanks to this simple product. I've even used it since I've been back on an adorable pair of flip flops that had a metal piece where the 3 straps meet that was terribly uncomfortable on the tops of my feet. Cut out a little piece of moleskin and I don't even notice the piece anymore. Go out and get some!

Apparently I'm getting old. I say this because my trip to the mall was a little anti-climactic. Banana Republic was a little blah to me and I found most of the tops a little odd. It was such a muted palette I was a little bored. It's spring people!! I did score a cute pair of dressy jeans, a cute black shirt dress & some fake jewels. Then I went to J Crew. Cuter colors but a tad strange. I don't know - I just can't get excited over racks of Dukes of Hazzardesque plaid shirts that look like they've been crumpled up on the floor forever before they were hung up. Anyone else relating to me here or am I truly just getting old? I didn't even have palpitations in the Nordstrom shoe department. They had a sale going on and it was a little too crowded and confusing. Thankfully our shopping was topped off with buzz-worthy margaritas and a yummy dinner at PF Changs.

I was so busy I hardly had time to fret over my babies. I was gone for less than 48 hours. Of course, they did fine without me but they were super happy to see me. Nothing like that greeting - oh the love!

I'm so proud of my weekend project... I made a velvet lining for my jewelry drawer! I can be quite crafty & innovative when inspiration strikes. I mentioned my recent bargain/fake jewel acquisitions. I couldn't take the mismatched boxes and ziploc bags any longer. I went out and got me a piece of foam board, some black velvet, dusted off my glue gun and $18 later I had a pretty impressive drawer liner if I do say so myself! Fake on the left, real on the right. I don't really have a very extensive jewelry collection. I'm a classic kind of gal with a few diamonds and pearls. Wasn't much into the fake scene for a while. But with the latest "statement pieces" trend, it was either pass the trend all together or embrace costume jewelry. I chose the latter.

What else has been going on. Oh yes - work. We got our first merchandise delivery last week. Ooh-la-la how fun! This week our components & cabinetry are supposed to be installed. Hoping to open early next month. I WILL share photos of the shop because let me tell you it is going to be nothing short of FABULOUS! We attended a hoity-toity fundraising tea on Friday and donated some items to the auction & raffle. The response we got was fantastic. Our auction item went for triple the minimum bid and I know the winning bidder. Yay!

Well I guess that pretty much brings you up to speed here. Oh I must mention that I watched Precious last night. My goodness I had a splitting headache all night from crying my eyes out. Have you seen it? It just broke my heart to pieces. Geez Louise, if you are ever feeling like life's dealt you a crappy hand - sit down and watch it and you will likely feel like the luckiest person alive afterwards. Unfathomable to me, yet way too common in our world. How? Why? Ugh....

Nighty night everybody. I'm going to catch up and comment on what some of you have been up to!

Elle :)

Business travel

So I'm super-d-duper excited because on Thursday I'm going on a business trip. Read: free trip to the US, land of Target and malls galore! I was a tad disappointed when my boss sent me the itinerary as it doesn't leave much time at all for shopping. But a little and that's all I need can afford.

Today I decided to go through my closet because I was having a tough time thinking of what I could pack. Well for once it wasn't a case of memory loss. I really have nothing to take that I'm happy with. First of all I have to take weather into consideration. It's a little cooler in Florida so I can't exactly dress up some of my summery dresses. Second of all I haven't done much shopping for chic items in a long time. The single item I pulled out is a winter white trench with lavender lining that I got at Benetton in London 5 years ago. How depressing. And Im working in fashion retail. Double whammy. I've got to come up with 2 traveling outfits a meeting outfit and a post-meeting outfit. I'm sooooo tempted to scout out the local shops but I'll end up spending a fortune. It's really bugging me.

At first I didn't even have a "look" in mind. I went to visit Chloe (that girl knows how to dress!) and did get some inspiration. Thanks Chloe!

Tomorrow I just may embark on a hunt. Any suggestions from savvy & chic business travelers out there?

BTW this will be my first trip away from my kids. Only 2 nights. I'm looking forward to it but I know, at the same time, my heart will be aching.

And if you are wondering what I wear to work normally - we are still at a pre-opening stage. So I can wear pretty much whatever to our temp office. Our first deliveries should arrive next week from which my work wardrobe comes.

Hope you had a lovely weekend - I did!

Elle :)

I'm so happy

I could explode! Here's why:

About 15 years ago (holy moly has it really been THAT long?!?!) my husband's (then boyfriend's) cousin started dating a lovely Danish girl. She & I got along like 2 peas in a pod. The 4 of us did stuff together every weekend for a few years pretty much. Dinners out, movies in, travelled, etc.. We became best of friends. Then they got married and had a baby and it changed a bit, but not much. They moved abroad, came back, had another baby. I finally joined the baby club about the same time they decided it was time to move abroad again. She & the kids left when my first child was about a week old. That was a little over 4 years ago. Well this past summer they split. Things got pretty crazy for them. We understood but were so sad. You know they were the couple you thought would be together forever. Then the slander started. The can you believe she did this and he said that? I wondered if I'd ever be able to visit my best friend again. You know when family is involved it gets even stickier. Well tonight we got a call from them. They are BACK TOGETHER!! Hooray! They are planning to come visit this summer and I'm just so stinkin thrilled I had to share it with you. I love it when love wins.

:) :) :) Elle :)

Kate, you're killing me!!!

I was getting a little bored doing Play-Doh "sand art" with Miss S.

As it goes, I often do a little blog surfing when I get bored and don't have other more pressing things to do. Ok, who am I kidding, there are obviously more pressing things to do but sometimes I just don't feel like it.... Well I found

Chloe. She captured me in an instant. I love the David Yurman heart necklace and I read on. Read on to find some fabulous discount codes and a super chic gal with some lovely "outfits of the day". Her Kate Spade discount code led me to do a very dangerous and ill-advised thing: I headed to KateSpade.com to see if there was anything on my imaginary wish list that a 20% discount would justify. I fell in love, once again.

With this

and these!

Kate! Please, stop. Every time I go on your website I am soooo tempted. Which really means you are doing your job but it's not helping me one bit.

So Chloe inspired me, because I thought it was hilarious (my attire in comparison, not the concept!), to post my very own outfit of the day. I couldn't figure out the self timer on my 2 month old camera so I had to resort to the photo in the mirror. Taken in Miss S's room.

Polo, Lacoste. Shorts, J Crew.

Oh and flip flops (taken whilst trying to figure out the darn self timer) Havaianas.

Tres chic!!

Elle :)

I'm crushed!

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I'm a big fan of the Yonka line. It is my facial cleansing routine. These products won me over a few years ago mostly for one reason: they smell fabulous. This is the one splurge I have allowed myself to continue as a stay-at-home mom. The products are on the pricey side, but they do last for a while.

So I recently ran out of my regular moisturizer (Creme PS, still love it) and my local day spa was out of stock. Since I had several sample sized moisturizers, I decided I would use the samples as they would surely last until the next shipment arrived. Now usually anti-aging products don't work well for me. Especially if they contain fruit acids - my skin gets all prickly. But as I had a few anti-aging samples I thought I'd give them a try. Much to my surprise - there was only a slight twinge of the prickly feeling upon application and then it completely disappeared. But in no time, I noticed a difference in my skin. It felt softer and smoother. I had a change of heart and instantly requested the Fruitelia moisturizer. A few days later the product was in and ready for my collection - the bill: the equivalent of about US$89. I thought there must've been a mistake. My regular moisturizer usually sets me back about 40ish dollars. So she must've had both products put aside for me. WRONG! I struggled with it a bit and then thought "oh what the heck - it amounts to cents a day" and bought it. (Don't you wish you had a twin sometimes for these experiments? Ok twin #1 - you use the $6 moisturizer and I'm going to use the $60 moisturizer and lets see where we are in 10 years... ) Well that was on Saturday and today.....it fell off the shelf in the bathroom and smashed on the floor. I thought I might cry! Why the glass bottle?!? I'm kind of torn. I don't know if I should bite the bullet and buy another bottle, replace it with my other cheaper Yonka moisturizer or attempt to use the cream I scooped up off the (clean) bathroom floor and placed in the plastic container. Yes, with the latter option I am running the risk of spreading glass shards on my face... it sounds horribly foolish. Don't you just hate it when things like this happen?

You may be wondering how the bottle fell off the shelf and I'll tell you. It was totally my fault. My little boy had just stepped on the scale and we were doing a little celebratory dance because he's back up to his pre-stomach virus weight of 22 pounds. In our craziness I managed to swing him around in just the right way to knock a few things off the shelf. Only one being glass.

*sigh*

Elle :/

PS - To end on a brighter note. My friend is treating me to a "Thai massage" & a pedi tomorrow. Apparently they give you some type of loose clothing to wear during this type of massage. Sounds interesting.

Changing the subject...

There's going to be a little of that going on because I haven't posted in a few days...

First off I hate to report that we still have pesky viruses attacking my kids. It's been bang-bang-bang this year. Runny noses and coughs barely phase me these days. Overall we are all doing pretty well.

On to American football. I'm minutely pleased that the team I was pulling for won the Super Bowl. Frankly I don't have much interest in the sport. For the life of me I cannot understand the game. Even with the fancy yellow lines they stick in electronically these days. I've lived in a family of sports lovers my whole life. It just isn't in me. I aced (ok maybe a B) Trigonometry, Calculus and Statistics in my high school days, but the rules and game play of American football are completely beyond me. I do enjoy the Super Bowl for one reason: snacks. It's like the Thanksgiving of snacks. And I like it when a newcomer wins. I needed no further info than the Colts have been to the Super Bowl before and won (I think) and the Saints had never been to know that I was pulling for the Saints.

On to Kate Spade.

Dear Kate, I wish I could afford to adorn myself in your label. I trust other labels in my price range will have similar items in their Spring offering. I know it's not quite the same but it will have to do. I do find it quite interesting that your handbag prices are not, in my opinion, crazy expensive. Though I'm sad to report I don't own a single one.

P.S. I'd love to know where I might find your Outlet.

I mean seriously - I love this outfit. I don't need to be fancy.

{via Kate Spade.com}

And how lovely is this? Living on an island and all - it's so nice it's not cliche´.

{via Kate Spade.com}

I really should stop stalking her website. It's just a wicked thing to do to myself.

Subject change #3.

I'm getting excited about my job. I think I can totally handle the hours and I know it'll be fun. I am admittedly worried about the whole "getting vacation time approved" again. My dreams of summers in Europe have been tossed out the window. And let's not even talk about the subject of December holidays in the retail world. But heck, I'm going to give it a shot. And I couldn't have picked a nicer boss. For now I'm working a few hours here and there till the shop is ready to open which should be in late March. Then I'll be a regular. I let you know how it goes.

Well I guess I better get back to the laundry. Before I have to turn the dryer on another 5x to get the wrinkles out.

I'm going out for Sushi tonight - yum. What have you been up to??

Elle :)

I'm back, I think...

My goodness. We have had an absolutely horrid stomach virus visitor in our house for about a week and a half. Somehow I've managed to escape infection. Not sure if that's a mother's immunity or the grace of God. First and foremost I am beyond thrilled that my babies are well again. And who are we kidding, putting it into perspective this was a relatively mild virus. But I've gotta tell you - I'm WORN OUT. Caring for a sick and needy family for the better part of 2 weeks has taken a little toll on me too. I couldn't use the toilet without my offspring hanging on to my legs. So I'm going to take a little break. Yes, I'm only dreaming but what the heck... Come along.

I'd never heard of Sanya - had you? So many places to see in this world.

If you need me, I'll be here (alone, just like her).

Or here.

Getting ready to relax on one of these and have the most fabulous massage ever.

Hope you are having a grand day!

Elle :)