Friday, August 27, 2010

Fabulous Summer Finds

We have entered the countdown...4 sleeps until Mini K's first day of school. This means we are slowly making bedtime earlier...otherwise known as World War 3...4 year old style.

I have spent this week in a blur ...back to school shopping, school shoes, fall sign ups and a now a visit from my in-laws...oh yeah throw in my day job, Crossfit and yet more updates to the Grove site and planning for the holidays. No wonder I am tired.

I might not be in school anymore, but I still find myself thinking about the highs (and lows) of the summer. This summer I have only 1 low: the to-do list I thought I would knock out on maternity leave...well it is still there.

Now onto the HIGHS and I am sharing them with you in hopes you find a few to make your life easier, better or just add a little style.

The Fountain of Youth: Tifosi DEA Sport
That is what I am calling these glasses. They are sized for a woman, don't fall off when running, yet still look chic enough to wear when you are not working out. The lenses go around the side just enough to protect your eyes from squinting. Crows feet...I am launching a total defense. The best part, make that parts: they are only $89.95 and made in Georgia.
For Your Little Princess, or her Friends
Toggle Girl. It was love at first sight. Seriously, these are the best made headbands I have purchased for Mini K and they also happen to be the least expensive. Mr. Grove are you reading? I picked out the least expensive item...we know that never happens! Here is my suggestion: order more than you need and when that birthday invite for a minnie arrives, place a few headbands in a cello bag and tie with a bow. You can find Toggle Girl on etsy and "like" her on Facebook too!
Gloss
I have a slight addiction to Fresh lip balm...in the tube...they used to sell it in the pot and I wasn't such a fan. This summer they came out with a Plum color and RUN RUN RUN over to Sephora or Fresh or NM and pick it up. You will be thanking me when the weather turns cooler and chapped lips return.
Crossfit
I owe the team at Crossfit Oldtown a HUGE thank you! I feel stronger than I have in years and like the number I see on the scale. I won't say it is a relaxing to pleasant experience, but the results are almost immediate and they helped me kick my diet soda habit...no diet coke in 3 months and I never thought I would say this,but I don't miss it.

Lilly
You didn't think I could discuss summer without Lilly Pulitzer did you? I am in LOVE with the new activewear collection. I am counting down the days until it is cool enough to wear my Norma wrap...outside! It's like a preppy, fashionable snuggie.
My Office
Summer as an adult still means work, but thanks to the uber talented Ashley at Ashley Brooke Designs my office now makes me smile the moment I walk in thanks to a custom print of Mini K and Baby C. I also have sticky notes with this print..for those rare times when I have to remember something! I kid. I know you will cring when you read this, but the holidays are just around the corner and a print from Ashley Brooke Designs would make the best gift! Plus it makes future gift gifting easy...just pick one of her many fabulous items and she will use your print design on them. I already have another project for her, and did I mention, she is fabulous to work with on a custom project.

Full disclosure, thanks to those new pesky FCC rules...the only money involved in any of the above referenced finds was from my wallet to these amazing businesses. At a time when there seems to be all of this talk on shopping local, I have a different opinion. I believe you shop where you receive amazing service, a pleasant attitude and love the product.

One last favor...
Grove Gal E and I promise we are trying to do more with our Facebook page...including giveaways and discounts so can you make us feel popular and "like" our page? Pineapple Grove Gifts. Thanks!

Tomorrow we are off to Baltimore for a day at the aquarium, some shopping and a night in a hotel...Mini K is already dreaming of her Sunday morning room service breakfast. So Baltimore ladies...there is only one question: where to shop?

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Decisions Decisions

I cannot plan a party until we have a theme, and Halloween is just too general. SO we wait...for Mini K to decide what she wants to be for Halloween. Full disclosure, she came up with "the best" plan: she would get 4 costumes, they would go in the red wagon and when she felt like changing mid-trick or treating (and yes I know that is not really a word/phrase) she would. That idea was met with what we call the parental veto, because life as a 4 year old in this house is not a buffet or a democracy!

So Baby C is going to be....a monkey

And the current choice for Mini K is...a southern belle...

I have to go back to unpacking boxes, but I think our next giveaway will start on Monday...so get ready!

Monday, August 23, 2010

Manic Monday


Some days you just have to stop and laugh...and remember that you are not the boss of your life...or in today's case...my to do list, schedule and let's not even discuss the 6 loads of clean clothes that are folded and staring me down from their current in Scout totes. I always wonder...am I the only one who hates to put clean clothes away? The sorting, pre-stain treating, washing, folding doesn't bother me but I would rather not say how long I have let clean clothes sit before I put them away.I have also spent way too much time over the last three days tracking down UPS packages...as a rule of thumb I think people expect the information displayed after you enter your tracking number to be well ...CORRECT.

I am not sure how everyone else deals with their stress when life gets a little out of control...I bake and you better believe it contains sugar...and butter. I overheard Mini K tell Miss J today that Mommy needed a Paula Deen timeout...and yes ladies I gave myelf a Paula Deen timeout. The clothes are still sitting there, the packages didn't show up but I do feel a little better...it could also be that RHONJ comes on shortly so that always makes me feel better.

Today's Paula Deen Timeout wasn't actually one of her recipes (at least I don't think so)...I finally got around to making Cracker Toffee. It's the simplest thing ever and based on the fact that between what we sent home with Miss J, what Mr. G ate and took to hockey to it gone!

I am not one for hoarding so hear is the recipe...go ahead and laugh, then make it...and the only thing laughing will be the scale if you don't walk it off.

Ingredients
40 saltine crackers
1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 bag of chocolate chips (you don't need the entire bag, but an entire bag always disappears in this house once opened)

Directions
Preheat oven to 400
Line cookie sheet with foil
Place crackers on the cookie sheet without stacking them
Melt butter and sugar in a pan over low heat, bring to a boil and let boil for 3 minutes
Even spread the butter/sugar mixture over the crackers
Place chocolate chips in the center of each cracker
Place cookie sheet in the oven until the chips have melted and immediately remove (this doesn't take long)
Optional you can then top with chopped nuts, toffee bits or any other thing you wish
Lift foil and crackers out of hot cookie sheet and break or cut when warm


You won't even taste the crackers. Promise

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Slow Down Summer...



Am I alone? I had all these plans of everything I was going to get done this summer, and I really don't feel like I have stopped moving...and yet is has been 9 days since I last posted (some of you probably thought I had given this little blog up!) and my list is still not finished.

Grove Gal E and I are so excited for our little company...so many new things coming...I know I keep saying that but I PROMISE I am making so many updates to the site. Please be patient, because we have a great giveaway to kick off the holiday season.

As you can see the boxes keep coming and we are unpacking as fast as we can.

It also seem s Mini k and Baby C decided to grow (the nerve!) so twist my arm, I had to do a little (okay a lot) of clothes shopping for baby C and Mini K's feet are now 3 sizes bigger than they were in June.

But tonight, for the first time in weeks, I feel calm. I saw my favorite client today...she is always honest, good or bad, and I love that. Tomorrow our photos from our first photo shoot as a family of 4 are being delivered and I have promised Mini K we are making cracker candy.

I am going to go catch up on all of your posts, emails and orders!

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Picture This


We are celebrating Mrs. MMM's birthday this month! So hop on over to her blog and enter to win one of the Grove's newest products: personalized picture frames. We LOVE these frames...in fact 2 of our favorite patterns are below with Mini K and Baby C's monograms on them!

The frames are 8x10 and fit a 4x6 picture. The text is up to you...from a classic three letter monogram, sorority or camp names, baby's name and birthdate, vacation home name, it's up to you.