Sunday Funday

Last week is still a blur of back to school activities, fall sports starting and meetings for this working mom.  This morning we woke up to fall like weather and I finally feel like I am hitting my stride!

I am hoping that this is the week I can finalize the trunk show schedule and get the website updated...I have over a 100 new products to put on the website.  So excited about our new finds and you will also find that some products will be listed as K's Finds.  Mini K is joining the Grove and has selected some items that she likes to wear and give as gifts.  I am hoping this helps with that hard to shop for tween market.  And if you know your budget, but don't know what to get just send us an email and we are happy to help you select the perfect gift, wrap it up and send it off to you!

These scented hairbrushes are one of K's favorites.  Even the tangles don't seem so bad with a fun sparkly and scented brush!  They come in Cherry Lime, Strawberry Cake and Watermelon and are $15 shipped!

For those of you that needlepoint, you know September is crunch time to send everything off to be finished before Christmas.  I finished this little pretty this week and am having it turned into a throw pillow for the sitting room.  So excited!

Coffee!  You didn't think I could survive without it did you?  If you know me you know that I am always looking for a good deal.  Shutterfly is giving away FREE coffee mugs this weekend with the code:  CHEERS.  If you don't like their standard mugs, you can use the same code and take $14.99 off the price of another mug.  I let the kids design a travel mug for their Daddy for his stocking at Christmas.

And speaking of the holidays, YES for those of you that know me, I have started my shopping!  So many of you have taken advantage of our 35% off holiday photo cards that I have been busy (and loving it!), but for those of you that haven't taken photos yet, do not fret...I have more sales planned!  So all you need to do is pick out your card design!  This card is one of my favorite new designs!  You can add rounded corners, put photos on both sides and who doesn't love a little glitter!

This blog has become my accountability to stay in touch, get things done and have some fun in the process!  I would love to hear how you do it, because I can always use some help and encouragement from my friends!

XOX

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

I wanted to pop in before my next client meeting and share an easy weeknight dinner.  This recipe was so so easy and everyone from the 4 to the 43 year old ate it and asked for more.  Weeknight dinners in our house are sometimes a source of stress so I thought I would share....no photos because it was gone!


Ingredients
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup dijon mustard
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegr

Mix the marinade and place the chicken thighs in it.  Keep in fridge during the day.  Bake for 40 minutes in a 450 degree oven.

I served it with a salad and green beans.

What is your go to weeknight meal?

xoxo

Fall Back

It's September 1st!  After an almost 6 month break I am back to blogging!  Back in March I felt overwhelmed.  There just weren't enough hours in the day and by the time I sat down to write my mind was blank.

After all of this time I have missed it.  I have missed reading comments, talking about new products and reading other blogs.   I have been on instagram, but sometimes a blog is more than a picture so here I am.  A lot has changed both personally and with the Grove.  Both of my kiddos are starting at new schools, a brand new school for Mini K and a new building for C.  Mini K got braces and we are trading summer sports for fall ones with tennis and swim team coming along for the year round fun!

The Grove has changed and will be changing some more.  We will now offer non-personalized products and have been so busy with corporate and what I like to call working mom gifting.  I might need to trademark working mom gifting!  It's that luxurious 1-3 a.m. email that lists out all of the gifts they need for the next 2 months and how much they want to spend on them...the best part is we answer by 9am because this working mom household survives on Crossfit and my Keurig.

Labor Day to me always feels like a starting line.  I have spent this evening packing up my white jeans (total rule follower) and downloading our Christmas card photos.  I have spent the last few days making lists and plans for the things I want to do, write or tackle over the next month.  I love technology, but at heart I am a list girl and month by month to do lists are what keep me going.  I have given myself a goal of blogging 4 times a week and I hope you will follow along and tell your friends.

I also wanted to share a little something with you!  From today until September 15th ALL of our holiday cards are 35% off!  This is our biggest discount on photo cards so if you have your photo ready, order now and cross them off your list!  Our cards that allow you to attach your own photo are also on sale!  You can see all of the designs HERE.

This year we are offering postcards as some of our new designs.  I am hoping this allows people who cut their list down because of postage costs to be able to send to all of their friends and save money too!  My favorite postcard is this one:

I hope everyone had a great summer and I promise I won't disappear anymore!

Friday FIVE

Oh Friday!  I have been waiting on you since Monday and am so happy you finally showed up to the party.  This week's favorites are mostly from my J'Adore Vox Box and a Dove product they asked me to try a few weeks ago.  All five items have one thing in common...they are helping me survive this winter that just won't seem to go AWAY!

1.  John Frieda 3 Day Straight
I have UBER curly hair and if that wasn't enough it is super super thick.  If I dry it with a hair dryer it takes almost an hour and if I let it air dry it takes more than a day to completely dry.  I have been getting the Keratin treatments since they came out and before that I did the japanese relaxer treatments.  So when this bottle of 3 day straight arrived in my J'Adore Vox Box I thought...how good can it be?  Well let me remove my foot from my mouth, because this ROCKS!  Seriously, I sprayed my hair with about 14 sprays and blow dried it.  It took less than 30 minutes to dry and stayed super straight and FRIZZ free for the next 5 days, not 3 but 5 and that includes my daily crossfit workout and being pulled into a ponytail during showers.  What was even better was the fact that it didn't know any band lines...those tell tale signs that you have had your hair up that make you want to dry it all over again...well that might be a tad too far.  I have already purchased my second bottle and am convinced this is every working mom's dream!

2.  Boots Face Mask
This hot cold weather has been brutal on my skin.  I tried my Boots Botanics Clay mask last night, because I have had to cancel my facial 3 times due to meetings, kids schedules and snow days.  I have NEVER used a Boots product before and if they are all like this I am sold.  This mask left my skin brighter, tighter and yet it felt completely hydrated.  So happy Influenster's Vox Box program introduced me to this product as I probably wouldn't have purchased it on my own.

3.  HERSHEY'S!
I am pretty sure that every man who works for our contractor knows we keep a bowl of candy by the front door!  Since construction starts again on Monday, I am extra thankful for these pink, silver and red Hershey's kisses.  I especially like that their Valentine's Day colors match my room!  In our house silver, sparkles and chocolate are ALWAYS in style.

4. Dove Deodorant
I have to keep it real.  Influenster sent me this about a month ago and I was like, it's deodorant, does it really matter the brand?  Then I realized I had been using Secret forever.  So I tried it.  It actually feels like lotion, which of course made me panic that it wouldn't work and if you have been in these old D.C. buildings when the heat is on you know they make our August weather seem cool.  Well guess what friends....it is AMAZING!  Seriously works, feels like lotion and comes in so many scents there is most certainly one you will like!  TRY IT!.

5.  Julep Hand Creme
Have you caught on to my winter theme yet???  My current favorite if the Julep hand creme with power cell complex.  It was in my Maven box and each month I love trying out new things that I would never purchase on my own.  The best part is that Maven members get FREE shipping and 20% off on all of their other purchases!  You can get your first Maven box for FREE.  Just sign up HERE.  Their nail polish wear like shellac and come off super easy, but from their lip balms to their eye primer/concealer, everything is great quality!

It feels good to be back and looking forward to blogging rather than feeling like I failed when the day got away from me.  I plan on spending the weekend with the littles, but Mini K wants to help out in the "shop" so make sure to follow us on Instagram for new product sneak peeks!

You Are Going To Die.....

You Are Going To Die...

That sentence really gets your attention right?  Yesterday, was of course Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent.  I found myself with a client in town, a ton of meetings and not a lot of time.  I decided I could "grab ashes" at St. Peters on capitol hill and walked in for the 12:15pm service.

The priest started his homily with:  "you are going to die....just hopefully not today."  I think I have been thinking about his homily for the last 24 hours in an almost daze.  How often to we put our faith or what is important on the back burner.  If you are a list maker like I am, how many lists do you have going at any one time?  For me it is way more than I want to admit.

In a world where having it together and being caught up is so important it is way too easy to be caught up in the ways of the world and the things of the world, rather than what is truly important.  The next now 39 days for me are more about trying to finally kick the things I don't like about myself to the curb and embrace and accept the things that truly matter.

I realize this probably sounds like the most random post for a lot of you, but with Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook you really only see one side of a person and I for one will admit, I try to put the best of whatever I am going through that day out there.  I mean how many times have you caught yourself thinking or saying "I don't really care that so and so is stuck in traffic, or went to the grocery store or the classic their kid went to the bathroom on the potty."  I admit to having cringed at those posts, but let's be honest I know I have had days where just getting through my meetings, processing orders and getting to the grocery store has seemed like an Olympic event.

I am a big believer in accountability, so I feel a need to put it out there...

For me this lenten journey is about not only taking the time for what is important, but recognizing that on some days it just won't get done; and when that happens it doesn't have to be someone's fault.  Perfection is not reality.  It's fine to try and be the best version of yourself, but when you look around and realize you don't have anyone to call when the bottom falls out, and if you have kiddos the bottom falls out at least once a week (until you have a glass of wine!), was it really worth it?  I am so so thankful for the friends that are ALWAYS there.  WHo don't laugh at me when I ask them the same question for the 20th time because they know I am struggling with my answer.  I am blessed to have so many strong Christian believers in my life who hold me accountable.  I woke up early this morning to pray and reflect.  I usually run around early in the morning and try to get a bunch of stuff done, but today it was just to reflect and you know what:  I got more done today than I have in a long long time.  The master wanted to school me on the first day of this lenten journey and I have a smile on my face as I type this and realize, he has always been there, but unlike my to do list that often leaves me feeling like I have fallen short, he finds joy when I make time for him.  The priest closed by saying God gives us 168 hours in a week and really only asks for 1.

Perspective.   It's all about your viewpoint.  Now please don't think post means I have gotten on a high horse, in fact it's just the opposite.  I realize that I need to step back and think, calm down, ironically some of the same things I tell my kids, minus the "don't you think the Disney channel has been on long enough?"  I still love my family, and my friends and my day job and of course Pineapple Grove, but the reality is that if I don't invest in myself then all of those things cannot reach their potential either.

So thank you to all of you that are friends in real life, that send me random texts, or still claim me as a friend even after you know that I am oddly addicted to nugget ice and to those of you that have supported my business, thank you for being a part of something I love.  I am truly hopeful and committed that this lenten season leads to something far more than 40 days, but a grace that I can carry with me, because who couldn't use a little more grace in their lives?

Snow SALE

Today might be a 2 post day so I can post a recipe later, but news this big couldn't WAIT!  EVERYTHING in our paper section is 40% off through February 18th!  Your eyes are NOT failing you-40% off!  Just enter code: ERRT4

This is the sale to stock up for spring gifts and events!

These green gift tags are one of my favorite items!  Simply personalize them with Enjoy!, Celebrate! or Just for You! and add your names and you can use them year round and just change out the ribbon depending on the event!  They also make great gifts!

This year Mini K makes her first communion and I am still deciding on invites, but these are the current favorite!

We are also going to to gift her friends with the Jesus Calling for Kids books and we are going to add a personalized bookmark with each one!

Stationery is always a good gift to pair with a gift card for graduations.  I love to give notecards personalized with the name of friends or families beach or vacation homes.  These nautical ones are my favorite!

And it may be freezing right now, but summer camp is around the corner!  Order your K.I.T. cards NOW (that's Keep In Touch) cards for your camper.  Simply personalize our calling cards with their name, address, email and phone and the end of camp information exchange is a whole lot easier.

Of course ALL of our invites and save the dates are also 40% off so maybe this is your excuse to have a party!

The sale runs through February 18th and the code is: ERRT4

What's For Dinner Wednesday

For the record I did NOT serve this for dinner, but we are delivering quite a few of them to friends tomorrow as our Love 'Em Up daily task.  With so many friends texting and emailing photos of snow, snow and more snow I figure you must not run out of coffee, wine and sugar.  Or maybe that's just me....

Funfetti Cookie Cakes

Ingredients
3/4 cup of butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 box funfetti cake mix, dry
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2-3 teaspoons sprinkles
1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions
Cream the butter and sugar with a mixer
Add the egg and vanilla and mix well
Add the sprinkles, cake mix, and cornstarch and mix.  The dough will be REALLY sticky.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
**Here is the important part:  wrap the dough in plastic wrap and put in the fridge overnight.**

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease your pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
We used a heart shaped pan, but any cake pan will do.
Spread the dough out and back for 25-30 minutes until the outside is golden brown.
The center will have a fudgy texture and the outside will be crisp.


We iced our as Mini K never misses a chance to use the frosting gun as she calls it.  They are now wrapped in cello with bows waiting to be delivered after school tomorrow.