{my favorite things}

Am I the only one who has not received her Sunfest Bonanno's yet?? Boo-hoo. I ordered the Emma classic monogram. I have never had this style before, but tried them on one day after making the trip to Stuart and they were so comfy!! I'm already contemplating my next pair. I think I need a blue to round out my collection. I'm thinking maybe a June Blue base with either a Skye blue or Emerald blue whipstitch.

The Taegan has been my favorite Lilly dress this Spring/Summer by far! I was quite surprised myself after trying it on how flattering this dress is to the figure. It has that empire waist which is so popular right now. It emphasizes the bust and makes the waist look tiny! I loved it so much --I purchased it in 3 prints! You may be able to find this dress on sale now, so be on the lookout and grab one if you can!

See Mom & Dad -- it really wasn't my fault...

The Princeton Review has published its yearly list of the top party schools in the country. The test prep company has released the results of its "pseudo-scientific" survey of 120,000 students at schools around the country, which asked questions about the amount of drug and alcohol use on campus, as well as the schools' attempts to combat binge drinking. The result: The University of Florida in Gainesville seems to be the top place to go if you want to spend four years in college and remember none of it afterward.
I did not attend UF, but my university just squeezed by into the top 20, which does not surprise me in the least. I was a straight-A student in high school, but it took me 6 years to graduate college, because, um, well, ...there were too many parties to go to extracurricular activities in which to participate! But, that's a whole other story...
And to think that all of this time I have blamed my university underachievements on the fact that I attended an all-girls high school. I figured that by the time I reached college it was waaay too difficult to concentrate on my studies with BOYS all around. Then there were the fraternities, sororities, and campus parties. Anywhoo, here goes. See if your school made the ranking, and then you may have a real excuse as to why you did not graduate Magna Cum Laude!

1. University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.
2. University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), Oxford, Miss.
3. Penn State University, University Park, Pa.
4. West Virginia University, Morgantown, W.Va.
5. Ohio University, Athens, Ohio
6. Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, Va.
7. University of Georgia, Athens, Ga.
8. University of Texas, Austin, Texas.
9. University of California-Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, Calif.
10. Florida State University, Tallahassee, Fla.
11. University of New Hampshire, Durham, N.H.
12. University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
13. University of Colorado, Boulder, Co.
14. Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind.
15. Tulane University, New Orleans, La.
16. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Ill.
17. Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz.
18. University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.
19. University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
20. Loyola University New Orleans, New Orleans, La.

addictive stuff

This picture is for More, more, more. If you have a little potato chip problem, then STAY AWAY from these. They are just a little bit of spicy, & a whole lot of flavorful. If you do go ahead and try one, ...don't come running to me...
I don't even buy this stuff myself. I'd be eating potato chips all day long. Thanks, Emily, for bringing this bag over and leaving it here for me to finish off!

it stinks being at home with the flu in the summer

Lil Petunia had to stay home from gymnastics camp today because she has a fever, aches, and stuffy nose. We are watching a Hillary Duff movie on Disney. Nothing exciting going on here.

Because i'm bored i'm posting one of my very very favorite videos and songs for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy! (Don't forget to scroll down to the bottom of this page and pause the music first.)

oh, behave!

Have you seen this Madonna video with Mike Myers? Hysterical! He really makes me laugh. Mindi posted this video the other day and I can't stop thinking about it. Maybe because Mike is so funny especially with Madonna doing her thing all over him. Or maybe I can't stop thinking that I really have to start working out. Geez, Madonna--at 49 years old--makes me look baaad. I hate that.
Thanks Mindi!! ;-)

Don't forget to scroll down to the bottom of this page to pause Van Morrison before clicking on the Madonna video.

Madonna - beautiful Stranger '99

{more decorating dilemmas}

Yes, look closely and you will see that those are 2 bare light bulbs sticking out from my bathroom mirror. That is what I use to brush my teeth and put my make-up on every day!

I am searching for sconces for my bathroom and just haven't made up my mind yet. I cannot have anything too modern, because the chandelier hanging in there is an antique crystal fixture. I basically have to find sconces that will match the chandelier. I've had this chandelier for quite a few years and have dragged it around with me installing and uninstalling it, now for the fourth time. I am thinking of getting some crystal sconces and possibly putting ivory silk shades on them, & then adding the same shades to the chandelier. How would this look? Hmmm.

I love this mirror and haven't found a place to hang it. It has been sitting on the floor for over 3 months since we moved.

Autumn Lilly collection

These Lilly riding boots from the new collection are so cute. I like the quilted nylon--it's different. Although, I probably would not actually use them for riding, well, maybe for riding in the car! What do you all think??

{while we're on the subject...}

This is Lil' Petunia's favorite Lilly P dress. The little Leis around each girl's neck are 'real'. They float all around. She can no longer squeeze into this dress, but she won't let me get rid of it. She insists that she wants to "keep it for her daughter" someday. Cute.

Crazy vintage Lilly

I love this shirt! It cracks me up (no pun intended)! Believe it or not, this is a vintage Lilly Pulitzer design. It must be circa 1970's during the era of "streakers"!

Summer Golf

Come take a ride with us. Hubby is just playing a little Summer golf. It is nice and sunny and HOT!  The girls decide to go along just for the ride. Only two people are allowed to ride on the golf cart at one time (or so the attendants have told us already), but we like to break the rules. We're crazy like that.

Here's hubby making the put. Since he's the only one playing, if he doesn't like the way the ball played he will try a second one...or a third! Shhhh!:

The blue plumbago are so pretty:

The end!

OMG--My House Is Featured in Veranda!

A-HA! I almost gotcha for a nano-second there, didn't I? You, too, can make a magazine cover of your own design with any of your pictures at Flikr toys!!! (tee hee hee...)
http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/

But, seriously, folks...the home decorating goes on...and on...one room at a time. I'm trying to finish up my bathroom. I wanted a color scheme of ivory and light blue--my favorite color. I narrowed it down to these 5 fabrics when designing my vanity chair:

I chose the top swatch, which is the one below. I was very nervous to see if it would come out as I had envisioned. Usually things don't seem to turn out exactly as I picture them.

It finally arrived and I am very happy with the results. Here it is!.....

Then the other day I found these 2 pieces which could not be more perfect for the space above my tub AND they are the perfect colors AND they amazingly look like they were custom made to coordinate with my vanity chair!

Happy Un-Birthday to me!

Does my man know the way to a preppy chocoholic girl's heart, or what??! My daughter was in her school play--Alice In Wonderland--this year and this weekend she thought it would be a good idea to celebrate all of our un-birthdays. So, she got the MarioCart Nintendo DS game that she has been lusting over since family vacation when she saw that ALL of her cousins have the game. DH got a new RL Polo shirt (Spring colors on sale NOW at Bloomies for $49--reg price $75). And last night I was surprised with my un-birthday present........

Dark chocolate Godiva truffles tied up with a pink & green grosgrain ribbon bow? I nearly fainted!

In The Pink

Went to a surprise party at GANDER MOUNTAIN last night. Does anyone have one of these monstrosities of a store near them? Well, this is a new store here and I just thought it was a store...that's it. Nope. Evidently the store is so huge that it has to have a restaurant attatched to it because people need nourishment after hours of meandering around the several acres that this store occupies. And oddly enough it also has a private party room. Anywhoo, we arrived early and walked around the store for a few minutes. DH stated that there was nothing he needed, but was very interested in a cute little go-cart type thing that they had propped right in the middle of the floor. Eventually he said that what we really need to get is a golf cart, not a go-cart. I, on the other hand, did not take long to find something to buy. I have been meaning to get one--and here it was in PINK!!



DH said that I didn't need it, that when have I needed pepper spray?? Well, luckily I have never needed it, but I might need to spray a would-be attacker in the face with it someday. He still didn't get it. I'm putting it on my keychain right away.

{bunny ears}

I spent much of yesterday getting lasered within an inch of my sanity. Hubby received a brand spanking new hair removal laser at his office and I am the official guinea pig test patient. My goal is to be as hairless as possible. Maybe this is TMI, but not having to shave ever again is high on my list of things to accomplish this year. This is my second treatment. After the first one, all of the hair fell out and I didn't have to shave for weeks! Woo Hoo! I am becoming more brave, so this time I let them laser more areas. Well, they started on the usual setting that they use on me which is the highest setting! "YEOOOOOW! Okay, something is very wrong!", I screamed. After much discussion I convinced them to turn the machine down to 5 and then it was totally tolerable. Almost completely painless, just like when they do my underarms and legs at the 10 setting. Evidently each area of the body has it's own tolerance level. For a minute there I was worried. If any of you have watched my favorite show that annoying show The Girls Next Door, then you know what a "fur bikini" is---and I don't want one!

Oh, by the way, note that in the 1st picture above the Bunny on the left is wearing Lilly Pulitzer!!!! SEE! Anything is possible!

Hello Kitty

I am originally from New Orleans. In fact, my entire family (mom, dad, 4 sisters, 1 brother, various BILs & SIL, and 13 nieces and nephews) still live there. They survived Katrina by evacuating and eventually returning to their original homes pretty much unscathed. The rest of N.O. didn't all do as well. Especially the animals. There were so many abandoned cats and dogs that N.O. is still dealing with the aftermath to this day. There are a gazillion stray cats running around the city because the original huge # of abandoned cats multiplied. And they continue to multiply. The SPCA continues to put dozens of these poor little animals to sleep every week. :-(

Well, my sister has been volunteering to help the animals since Katrina happened. She goes every week to put food in various feeding spots throughout the city for these homeless animals. She adopted a Katrina dog, Rex, who was rescued from under an abandoned house. Now she has 2 kittens that need a new home. Aren't they cute?

Anybody out there know someone who knows someone who lives in the N.O. area who would take 1 or 2 sweet kitties into their home and save their lives? I would, but I am severely allergic to cats!

Anybody? Anybody? Bueller??

I love interior design...

My new home is a work in progress, but if I had my way it would look like this room at Beach Dwelling (http://beachdwelling.com/) right now...

I love light and airy neutrals! My last home had a pale yellow living room, a red-then-beige(because I got tired of the red after trying 3 different shades) dining room, and a brownish-green kitchen! It worked at the time (and I honestly don't know how I ended up with so much color because I really don't like a lot of color), but now I am craving a clean light look, which just happens to work with the new house. Unfortunately my hubby wouldn't let me throw away all of our old furniture and start over (which i think would have made everything a whole lot easier!!) ...so I am redecorating room-by-room as I can. Here's my progress so far:

I am a seashell-nut. I like to place them everywhere I can. Aren't these the prettiest seashells?

Hello world!

My blog is born!

Isn't this the cutest little thing you've ever seen? We're thinking about getting one. Look at that sweet little face and pokey belly! Of course it would only look that way for less than one year.


Then it starts looking more like this:


The problem is we are feeling lazy and are not sure that we want to train another dog right now. Puppies require a lot of time and attention...and patience! Maybe next Summer.