Paul's Mid-Life Challenger
Paul turned 35 on January 20th, and this will be a big year for us as we are expecting our first little one. But 2013 is the year of more than one "baby" coming into our life!
The day of Paul's actual birthday, we didn't have much going on. We met up with his Mom and sister at an Antique Mall in Cumming, and from there didn't have much planned. SO, Paul wanted to go test drive some cars for fun. We decided to go over and look at what Curtis (one of Paul's best friends) was working with at Rick Case Hyundai in Duluth. I think it was a pretty quiet day for Curtis anyway, so we were able to check out a couple of cars! We started with the Hyundai Genesis Coupe - a small sporty ride. While it handled nicely it just didn't feel like it had the comfort and quality we were expecting. We both have Hyundai's and LOVE them, but this was nothing compared to our XG350L and the Santa Fe. And, yes I know, the Genesis Coupe is a sports car so it's not got the kind of luxury of the other rides, we wanted it all!
Next we test drove a 2011 Dodge Challenger... a sexy white muscle car with power, handling and surprising luxury! It's a sports car yes, but it's big and ironically quiet! Both Paul and I drove it, and we were absolutely enamored! It's comfortable, yet handles well. It's quite the looker, and quite spacious too!
Now I know what you are thinking... "They are about to have a baby and they are buying a sports car?!" Yeah, we thought about that too, but the backseat is roomy, and we already have my car which is a perfectly good "mommy mobile!" And after our little man arrives, what are the chances we can enjoy a vehicle like this?! We took an extended test drive, and literally fell in love!
Monday, Paul called the insurance company to see what we'd be looking at there, and you know what? It was actually less expensive than our 4 door XG350L because it has better safety ratings! Another sign we were leaning towards moving forward with the purchase!
Pros:Spacious
Quiet
Handles Great!
Better Fuel Economy Less on Insurance Better Safety Ratings And SUPER SEXY! Cons: Hmmmm... the only one we can think of is 2-doors instead of 4, but what can you do, it's a sports car!
Later that evening we headed to the dealer and a deal was made! We couldn't be happier and we've already gotten a lot of use out of it! I'm hopeful this baby could be a collectible we can give to our baby one day! ;)
Sushi, Shopping and Crafts with Yarden
The other night I met up with my friend Yarden for Sushi, a little shopping, and crafts! I always get these coupons from Victoria's Secret, so it was a reason to make this girl's night a reality. We, of course, enjoy these little girl nights and when crafts are involved, for some reason we always get carried away and absolutely lose track of time, and life in general.
We started our evening with our favorite, SUSHI! We had a delicious dinner at Happy Sumo in Norcross, it's close to the forum, and it was just what the doctor ordered! I had my usual Bagel Roll, and their special Volcano Scallop Roll, and it was fabulous! And of course Yarden got her usual California Rolls as always (so predictable)!
After leaving Happy Sumo, we headed over to the Forum at Peachtree Corners for a little shopping. First stop was VS and I had some decisions to make, it wasn't too hard and I used my coupon for some more leggings! The PINK Leggings are the best, I absolutely love them! And luckily I hit it at the right time and get a PINK Dog with my purchase, that was perfect, cause not only was I getting something for me, but I also was able to get something for CHUNK!
Yarden had to stop at Barnes N Nobel for a book, but after that it was onto our crafting! YEAH! So I must start this with the fact that I am a very good and thorough researcher, part of me feels like I should have been a researcher. Anyway, when searching through Pinterest, I stumbled upon a crafting website I had never been before, and I was in a new craft heaven! This website is called Craft Gawker, and it's like Pinterest, but as you can tell by the name, it's just for crafts! So after stumbling upon this, I found a super cool, and fairly easy project for to work on for the evening.
Adorable leather bow bracelets! How fun are these?! Next stop Jo-Ann Fabrics... luckily they are open until 9PM! So the items we really needed to complete this project included.
- Leather Scraps (you can use pleather if needed)
- Button Snaps
- Thread
- Super Glue
Yarden had the thread and Super Glue at the house, so all we needed was the Leather Scraps and button snaps. Yarden and I each bought a bag of leather scraps, and shared our button snaps. You could do this project for $15 or less, and end up with 5 or more bracelets...
So you first start with the leather, cutting out an oval shape measuring about 8-8.5" in length and 4" wide at the middle. Depending on the size of your wrist you can adjust this up or down.
Prepare some thread to be able to wrap around the center, you'll need this once you have leather folded. It was nice having Yarden's help to hold the folded leather, but if you don't have help, you can always use a clip or rubber-band to hold it while you wrap the thread around the center.
After you have the center tied, you will need to sew your snaps on. First test it around your wrist and get an idea of where to best place each snap button. Notice, one snap should be on the front of one flap and the back of the opposite flap.
Once the snaps are attached, you'll want to cut out your rectangle strip to wrap around the center. Again test it out and see what thickness you like and make sure it's long enough to wrap all the way around before you do your final cuts and gluing. After you have your strip ready, you can glue it! I started with a dab of super glue in the center and stuck my bow down in the center and then added some additional glue to the strip as I wrapped it around the bow. Let it dry for a bit and viola! You now have an awesome bow bracelet that totally makes a statement and it doesn't take forever to do! We love crafts!
I made a few extras... I even did a Navy one with a chocolate-brown center strap! So cute! And lucky for those that comment on the post, you will be entered into a drawing to get one of these adorable bow bracelets compliments of Perdueosity! So be sure to comment!
I hope you enjoyed this post and I leave you with Chunk enjoying his new PINK dog! He's so cute!
Gonna Get My First TOMS! Help Me Decide Which...
So, I've decided to treat myself to my first pair of TOMS, and I'm torn about which to get! PLEASE HELP!!!
I've been eying the cords for a while and would love those for the winter... but can't decide on color. And if that's the issue, I feel like I can't go wrong with grey... but it's in canvas! Of course a pattern could be fun too. What should I do?? Please let me know what you think!
Pinterest Achieved...
So the other day Paul and I completed our first Pinterest Project, the Photo Heart! And I think the relevance of having Pinterest is to be able to achieve those things we think would be great for our life, whether it be for our home, for our taste buds, for wearing or just for fun!
a·chieve
verb (used with object)1. to bring to a successful end; carry through; accomplish: The police crackdown on speeders achieved its purpose.
2. to get or attain by effort; gain; obtain: to achieve victory.
I think I will make this a regular thing, to "achieve" a Pinterest on a monthly, bi-weekly, or even weekly basis. Hopefully more often than not, but we will see as we go. One day when I was searching for the Pinterest logo, I stumbled upon this image (below), and I think this was created by someone with a lack of drive and motivation.
Well, I have achieved three Pinterests last week and have several others in the works! First was our Photo Heart for our bedroom wall...
Second was purchasing this super cool shirt from Forever 21(it was only $23 including tax and shipping - and I probably could have gone to the store for it... but I was impatient and wanted to be absolutely sure I didn't miss out!)
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And third was making this fun scarf (and it was even easier and took less time than the blog said)!
I think Pinterest is all about collaboration and inspiration! THere are not to many original things out there anymore, but there is definitely individual personality, desire and achievement, and Pinterest is totally helping me achieve!
Thanksgiving Holiday in PCB!
Paul's parent's have some awesome condos right on the beach in Panama City Beach Florida, and we have the privilege of using them on various occasions, and Thanksgiving was no exception!
Paul and I headed down after work Wednesday, to sleep in, relax and prepare our bodies for an amazing Thanksgiving Dinner at the Boat Yard. It was pretty awesome as they prepare a family style dining experience for Thanksgiving where you get a 26 lbs Turkey, and all the traditional Thanksgiving Dinner dressings, of mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, dressing, veggies, green bean casserole, and my favorite cranberry sauce! And of course they topped the meal off with some pumpkin pie! It was a great time, and they even had live music (a local saxophonist).
Also, on a very impressive note, they pack up the turkey carcass, turkey and any left-overs, so you can take it home and eat it for the rest of the week! How cool is that?? We actually took the carcass home, and Paul is making up some delicious Turkey Soup! YUMMM!
While that was the main highlight of the weekend, there was some more fun to be had! Following dinner, we all of course went back to the condos to chill, nap and let the turkey tryptophan wear off. Once we were able to get the energy back on, we decided to head over to the movies and were totally entertained by the movie Hugo in 3D, and while I believe it is geared for children, it was actually a very good movie, one I would totally watch again! It has a very intriguing and elaborate story line, and is good for the whole family! Of course I think it could be a bit much for children under five or 6.
Thanksgiving Day wasn't over yet, we headed back to the condo to hang out and wait for Midnight so that we could take part in the Black Friday fun, starting at 12AM!
Elizabeth (my sister-in-law) and I decided we were going to hit up some stores in Pier Park in PCB. Target was open at 12AM Friday, we decided that was going to be our first and "main" stop. This was the first time that Elizabeth had gone out for Black Friday, and I think she may actually do it again in the future. Of course it really is one of those thing that you need to do advance research on, as there seems to be either very specific deals in places like Target, and smaller stores have what you would be surprised to find, like 40% EVERYTHING!
When we got to Target, there was a line to get in, but by the time we walked to the front, the line had dissipated and we were headed in! We found a good amount of deals and were seeing people everywhere with LCD TVs in their carts. We weren't really looking for anything specific, so we got a mix of good deals and just stuff we had to have. And while we thought we would only be out for about an hour or so, I think we actually spent almost 2 hours in Target alone! We roamed around and as we were in the midst of our shopping spree, we noticed a line building around the entire store! It was INSANE. Ironically, we continued browsing, and by the time we were ready to check out, the lines were gone. Either time flies when you're having fun, or those Target checkers were moving in super speed! CRAZY!
Once we left Target, we moved on to some of the other shops in Pier Park, and were very excited to find that American Eagle was doing 40% off your entire purchase! YEAH! These are the times that we find more stuff for ourselves than others... but we did accomplish a good bit of Christmas Shopping too! ;) Other stops included Bath & Body Works, New York & Co., and Nike! Elizabeth and I were shocked when we finally got back to the car at 4:15AM! The couple of hours we thought we would spend out, turned into 4 hours of shopping... It was so fun!
The rest of the weekend continued with more fun, shopping (Paul's Mom really knows how to scope out the consignment shops!), eating great PCB Seafood (Bayou on the Beach and the Captain's Table), a Boat Parade and Festival (the 25th Anniversary in Downtown Panama City Beach), and just good old family fun!
Anniversary Weekend: We Love You MacBook Pro
This is definitely a Happy Anniversary to US both! While I have been grovelling for a new Mac for some time now (since I have been working from a 12 year old Mac Power Book), this brand new MacBook Pro will be a gift that both Paul and I will cherish for years to come.
It will not only help me not to go bald (tearing my hair out with the PowerBook), but it will allow me to help Paul with his business sites, and me to BLOG which has become a new addiction of mine.
And of course I'm finding so many things to talk about, including this fabulous Anniversary Gift! THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH Paul Paul! I love you and together with this awesome new machine, we will embark on our second year of marriage with excitement and pleasure! Hehe And I know we will do so many great things together for years to come.
You have to check this baby out, isn't she a beauty (yes, she is a she, because she is magnificent). Maybe Paul and I should give her a name! Maybe Anni - short for Anniversary?? I know it's cheesy, but isn't that what Anniversaries are all about??
Definitely stay tuned, cause we have a lot more to come with a weekend full of fun!
Loving My Pinterest!
So I've had an invite to Pinterest for some time now, but hadn't taken the leap cause I knew it would be another thing that I would truly become addicted to and I was right. But with the constant stream of COOL stuff that I find EVERYWHERE, I need a resource to hold all these cool things I would love to have, try, and do, so I'm in it and collecting and adding new things daily to my boards!
I imagine my account will be huge not too long from now, and it will be a great resource for any and all ideas I've got for our life! Not only that, but I imagine it could be a very good "hint" resource for Paul when it comes to knowing all things I'm into and loving right now! Couldn't hurt!
I've found several ideas I am ready to implement soon. I think my first project will be this one...
But another very cool one that both Paul and I are loving is this! I image this one will be further down the line as we don't really have a bar area for bar stools YET, but it will happen, and these puppies will be in the picture of our bar/living space.
But this isn't just a resource for home decor ideas, it's about anything and everything you can imagine! Whether it's a frame of mind, a frame to put on the wall, a frame you make, or a place to go so you can put it in a frame... you can pin it!
It's like the new "there's an app for that", but now it's "pin it!"
And to top all of the fun decor stuff we will be implementing hopefully soon, I'm also in absolute DIY mode, and Pinterest has totally been feeding my "to do" list of things I KNOW I can make, and they WILL be so cool you'll want to pin them. I think I may start with the Christmas ornaments... It is that time after all.
Either way check it out!
Brother Kane Chips Now Available Online!
One of Paul's client's, Brother Kane, is now selling chips online! Jim Kane Sr. and Jim Kane Jr. have been long-time customers of my parent's at The UPS Store in Dacula, and have been working with Paul for design, photography, web design and more.
We were first introduced to Brother Kane peanuts, and they are AMAZING! They are some of the biggest, crunchiest and most flavorful peanuts you will find. Then they branched out even further with potato chips. And I honestly think they hit the nail on the head with these chips!
Paul and I absolutely LOVE Brother Kane Chips, but like so many others, have only been able to find them in varied vending locations and random grocery and gas stations. BUT NOW, they are online!!! We absolutely love these chips, specifically the Baby Back Ribs, Cracked Pepper, Jalapeno, and my absolute favorite Buffalo Wing Bleu Cheese!
You should definitely check them out, whether you decide to order online, or find them in your local store or vending machine, they are definitely worth it!
Fall/Winter Weather = Boots + Scarves
The cool down this past week has definitely put me in the mood for Fall! I am so ready for the Fall and Winter weather and along with it my boots and scarves! YEAH! I think this year I will need to get new boots to add to the collection, and maybe even make a new scarf too!
My birthday is around the corner and I've got a little gift from DSW, so this could be a nice birthday treat! Keep in mind price... I mean if they are the ones, they are the ones and I could be flexible, but let's try to be conservative! So the Vintage Style Boot is in...what do we think about these??
Civico 10 Sportster Leather Riding Boot - $99.95
I love the riding boots, they are just so versatile!
SM Women's Aspenn Wedge Boot - $79.95
But these are also fun too!! I can totally see them with some skinny jeans, leggings or even a skirt! They come in black too...
Back to the riding boots, in suede. I like both of these colors, but this is the priciest one of all of them!
Nine West Vintage America Cookin Boot - $64.95
I like these a lot too, they have a little riding style to them but also that vintage rugged look! And they are the least expensive!
Which do you think I should get??
Gluten Free Must Haves!
Throughout the process of the HC3 Trim Diet and Reset Program, Paul and I have learned a new kind of lifestyle - which includes natural and gluten-free foods! Paul has psoriasis, which is an auto-immune disease, and the nutritionist recommends that he stay away from Gluten, so we are both planning to avoid it. Some of the things we have come across and have gotten recommendations on along the way that are absolutely wonderful include, but are not limited too...
Glutino Pretzels - They are absolutely delicious! During our 500 calorie phase it was a nice snack option, but now it's a great option for dips like Guacamole Dip! We love it!
Cindy's Kitchen All Natural Salad Dressings - These salad dressings are All Natural and Organic. Cindy's salad dressings are available in Sugar Free, Dairy Free, Fat Free, Organic, and with enhanced Omega-3 and Lutein. A great product that can be used as a gourmet dip, sauce, dressing and marinade (which are great for grilling) We recently purchased the new Avocado Vinaigrette - We got this at The Fresh Market in Suwanee, GA, and it is amazing! We love it, and it's pretty reasonable as far as calories go!
Peanut Butter & Company Crunch Time - I've never really like "natural" peanut butter, but this stuff is a "no-stir, glutton free, all natural peanut butter! YEAH!!! And it's super yummy! We also got "Smooth Operator," but I haven't had the pleasure of trying that just yet! You can buy this in Kroger, Publix and natural food stores as well as online! It's awesome!
Stevia and flavored stevia extracts - 
are zero calorie all natural sweetener. It's pretty darn wonderful!
Pamela's Ultimate Baking and Pancake Mix - the best all-around all-purpose baking and pancake mix. It features buttermilk and almond meal. You can use Pamela's mix as a one-to-one sub for wheat flour in gluten-free baking. I love to bake so this is definitely a must-have when the holiday's roll around!
Udi's Frozen Gluten-free Pizza Crusts - a ready-made gluten-free pizza crust. Udi's gluten-free crusts are easy to use with good flavor. And they recommend using a preheated pizza stone to bake gluten-free pizza if you favor cracker-crisp New York-style pizza. Paul and I love to make home-made pizzas so this will be another thing we will be picking up soon!
Member's Mark Spinach and Asiago Cheese Chicken Sausage - This is a nice and easy lunch or dinner option, and it's Gluten Free! and delicious! We eat them as your typical sausage, but have also cooked them in soups, and it's a great protein and lower in fat considering it is a sausage!
Oh and a great App for finding Gluten Free places is "Find Me Gluten Free" and I'm fairly certain it's a free app!
You should check them out for sure!
