100 Book Challenge

I decided to do a 100 book challenge. That's 100 books in 1 year. Here is a list of what I have read so far this year...at the end of the year I hope to have met the challenge and I'll also post what my top favorites were. Reading is so important. Read for yourself and read to your kids if you have them. I'm hoping by posting on here it will keep me accountable and motivated. Click through the picture above to get to the Book Chick City website and join me in the challenge! Any book suggestions?

1. Elemental (Elemental #0.5) by Brigid Kemmerer

2. Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles #3) by Kami Garcia

3. Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

4. Flawless (Pretty Little Liars #2) by Sara Shepard

5. Perfect (Pretty Little Liars #3) by Sara Shepard

6. Unbelievable (Pretty Little Liars #4) by Sara Shepard

7. Wicked (Pretty Little Liars #5) by Sara Shepard

8. Killer (Pretty Little Liars #6) by Sara Shepard

9. Heartless (Pretty Little Liars #7) by Sara Shepard

10. Wanted (Pretty Little Liars # 8) by Sara Shepard

11. Twisted (Pretty Little Liars #9) by Sara Shepard

12. Ruthless (Pretty Little Liars #10) by Sara Shepard

13. Stunning (Pretty Little Liars #11) by Sara Shepard

14. Opal (Lux #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

15. Beautiful Redemption (Caster Chronicles #4) by Kami Garcia

16. Hunger (The Vampire Legacy) by Karen E. Taylor

17. Currently reading: Crave (The Vampire Legacy #2) by Karen E. Taylor

five

So this little tidbit seems to hitting instagram and the blogosphere pretty hard so I figured I would join in. Five random facts about moi!

1// I love to window shop online. At any given time I have at least three websites with items in the basket. But I end up never committing and checking out.

2// I cannot peel and cut potatoes! My hands break out in rashes and turn bright red and burn. Just started in the last year. Weird! Time to purchase some kitchen gloves! Dollar store here I come!

3// At my local Philadelphia branch of the free library the librarians know me by name. By name I mean my last name. Since they are constantly putting books on the hold shelf for me. Besides being an avid tv and movie watcher my absolute favorite thing to do is read a new book. I'm always looking for new series to start..any suggestions?

4// I never take a picture without smiling. I feel like the most un-photogenic person ever.

5// I have horrible anxiety. I know other people have much worse cases but seriously some of the things that go in my noggin you would think I was ca-razy! The anxiety doesn't keep me from doing things but my mind is constantly going while preparing for things and especially the night before something. If I have something really special planned in the near future I constantly think something is going to go wrong. Being a Christian makes this even worse because than the guilt kicks in. My coping mechanism is usually a quick prayer saying "Lord please just take the thoughts away and sorry for being horrible again." A strange prayer yes, but He gets me.

Olivia's 2nd Birthday Party

On Saturday we had our families and a few close friends over to celebrate Olivia turning 2! Lately she has been digging Hello Kitty so that was the theme I went with. Not too many leftovers thank god but still cupcakes for breakfast are SO GOOD.

I did a candy bar for the kids with goodie bags that they decorated themselves with foam stickers. Enter the dum-dum tree, oh my gosh I never realized how many I would need to fill the tree!

 Dum Dum Tree Idea found here

Vanilla Cupcake Recipe found here 

Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe found here 

Fluffy and Soft Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies found here 

 Pin the bow on Hello Kitty idea found here 

She loved getting Happy Birthday sang to her. Big Brother had to help her blow out the candles. 

 (Note the white sandals with socks! As soon as she opened them she had to wear them! Haha )

Bathing Suits...blerg

How can it be that time again? Every store..the Victoria Secret catalogs..bathing suit season already?!? I can't take it... as I sit here browsing the internet we are forecasted to get snow here in Philly tomorrow and I'm looking at bathing suits. Welp.. atleast I have a couple more weeks to get beach ready? Yea right! After years of searching every summer for a perfectly fitting bathing suit I still haven't found one. I have horrible posture and an achy neck all the time.. tying a bathing suit around my neck is killer! I'm working on the walking straighter but who knows. This week I've been looking a lot on JCrew.com and surprisingly they have reasonably priced bathing suits. And they are built like a bra with straps over the shoulders. Heaven I tell you! And the prints are very cute and even the one pieces seem appealing to me. I'm putting a lot of hope into these suits hopefully they won't disappoint. And free shipping and returns! I'm convinced! I'm gonna give them a try. Click through the pictures for links!

Thirty-One Spring Bags

I thought I would feature some of the bags that I am really excited about in the new Spring 2013 catalog. New colors and patterns to brighten up your arm or your house. I also like that most bags can be personalized. Click on picture for ordering link. My website here.

Zipper pouch in Punch Bowl

I use these bags for everything...makeup, toiletries, pencil case, great for a gift you can fit a magazine inside and some snacks.

The Metro Retro Tote in Woodblock Floral

This is my everyday bag. I use it as a diaper bag for Olivia I have it in lotsa dots. Now comes in MINT!

Cinch it up Thermal Tote in new pattern Island Damask

Perfect lunch bag. Keeps your food fresh.

Super Organzing Tote in new pattern Party Punch. Chevron print is so big right now.

This bag is just like the organizing utility tote but now zippers at the top.

This was the first diaper bag I had for Olivia (minus the zipper) . But it's great for a lot of things. Makes a nice gift for new mom or wife.

Perfect Party Set, mixed prints LOVE it.

It's a double decker thermal. Perfect for a pot luck or the holidays.

This is what I want for myself. Only available if you host a party though but it's only $20 amazing.

Your way rectangle in turquoise cross pop. The color I'm most excited for.

I love the clear window in front so you know what's in there before you have to pull it off your shelf.

Sub-par?

Oh jeez my last blog post was 13 days ago...I've really dropped the ball lately. I have typed up several posts and had them sitting in my queue and then just decided to delete them. Something was missing and wasn't feeling right. But there has been something on my mind I feel like I need to get out. The last couple of days I have been thinking about my role as a mom. I'm hooked on pinterest and reading other "mom blogs" and it's been making me feel sub-par in the mom department lately. When I was the "working mom" I looked at stay at home moms and thought they have all the time in the world to get things done. They are the ones posting the pictures of these fabulous birthday parties and their perfect DIY salon design nails or perfectly organized and decorated homes. I'm always left feeling somewhere in the middle and never the top. Now that I'm home I'm seeing it from the other side...there is never enough time for the mounds of wash, the dusting of every surface, picking up a million toys though out their rooms and your living room. I feel like I have less time management now then I did when I worked. Sure the floor needed to be mopped over the weekend but I didn't get to it till today. Everyday seeing that spot on the floor and just walking over it while getting Liv another snack or holding her up to clean her hands in the sink. I keep thinking most moms should be like me right? I'm not the only one looking at these pictures of perfect things and thinking what am I not doing right? I loose my patience more than I like to admit but it happens. And then the mom guilt kicks in. Sometimes I just want to watch a show without an interruption or read a chapter of a book and not get distracted. Then the guilt again. Every mom wants to be perfect. With an 8 year old and now a 2 year old I'm thinking I need to start accepting that I'm not perfect and I need to let go of the guilt sometimes. We need alone time. Peace and quiet. A time just for us. We get lost in the kids because they need us. We get lost in housework because we think the house needs to look amazing..just in case someone stops by. We get lost in looking at picture after picture of perfectly balanced meals online and perfectly styled families with their beautiful family photos. I understand that what we see on here is never the WHOLE story but  the way technology is now we have a view into everyone's home but only what they want us to see. But it still affects us because all we see is the perfection. I wish more people would start posting  their junk. Their messing kitchen..the pile of laundry, and the kids' toys all over the floor. An honest view. I guess it's time to start letting it go and just being glad we have a roof over our head, food in our bellies, and a lot of love to share. The laundry will get done eventually right?

Target Love Affair

Like most women (and mothers) I have a continuous love affair with Target. I could be in there for hours. I love getting those special trips when that miracle of no children happens. I could spend all night in the fitting room and oohing and aahing over the home decor section. Lately I haven't had much time while there to even browse but I have been hooked to the online site. So many deals around this time of year. I could spend a small fortune in this place. I've also started following Targetdoesitagain on instagram and I am hooked. Go check them out and follow them. I always see what outfits they are posting. I love the style of the two girls running the account. It's nice to get a little preview of what Target has going on before you get there. Here are a couple items I have been coveting this past week....Click through pictures for direct link..

This Curiosity Shop Serving Bowl

The matching Salad Servers

Cute crossbody bag...several colors

This dress comes in several different patterns and its a hi-low (my fave). Add cardigan, tights and boots for now. Later cute flats or sandals. Check out the black ikat, coral arrows and navy splatter. On sale right now for $20

Lace hi-low. An everyday dress!

And for the littles in your life

How is it swimsuit season already? They come out way too early. But how cute is this mint bathing suit?

Designer Jason Wu for target 70% off $17.99 right now!

 What have you been eyeing up at Target???