The Proper Affair

Thursday night was an event called the Proper Affair. Boston Proper partnered with the Delray Beach Achievement Center for Children and Families.  It was held at the Boca Raton Resort and Club from 6:30-9:00pm. The event had a fashion show, silent auction, cocktails and dinner. They even had a raffle to win a brand new 2011 Honda! The room was filled with so much energy and when the children from the achievement center performed, you could feel the warmth and love in the air. The charity event was huge success.

Tara, Christine, Alex, Kate

Fashion Show

Boston Proper Clothes

Alex, Katie, Amy

Claudia, Jamie, Sunny, Tara, Christine

Wardrobe Wednesday along with a trip to Kansas City for Gina's Wedding

For this Wardrobe Wednesday I chose an outfit I wore in Kansas City to Gina's Wedding. Dave, Kevin, Leah and I all arrived in KC on Friday early afternoon. We spent the day touring the city and then we headed off to the rehearsal dinner that was at the Boulevard Brewery. We had Gates BBQ and spent the night catching up with people and getting an extensive tour of the Brewery. We ended the night at Johnny's Tavern with many family friends and high school friends too. Saturday we got up and ate a huge lunch at Stroud's. We then headed back over to Johnny's and met about eighteen of our closest friends for the afternoon. We quickly headed back and changed for the wedding. The wedding was beautiful and the room was full of energy. Gina and Blake brought tears to my eyes. We danced all night and even went out after the wedding. Sunday was an exhausting day of travel, but before we flew back to Florida, we indulged in Kansas City's finest Winstead's!! We all had a fast fun filled weekend.

Wedding Attire- I loved this look that I put together for a great price!

Dress: Jessica Simpson from Marshall's

Pashmina: Target

Shoes: Victoria's Secret

Earrings: Fannie's Finds (great store in Parkland, Florida but check out the website if you don't live locally http://www.fanniesfinds.com/Content/17.htm)

Enjoy the rest of the Photos

Giving my Mom her Birthday Present

The Girls

Lunch at Stroud's

Gina the BRIDE!!!

The Two Married Couples

Good-Bye Breakfast with Family



Passover in Pajamas

Our first Passover (Pesach) as a married couple took place in our own living room in pajamas!! It was just how we both wanted it to be, comfortable and relaxed. The wonderful thing about our new marriage is that we also are beginning to make our own traditions. Dave was raised Catholic. We feel so lucky that we get the best of both religions, and so we celebrate a little of everything (it is so wonderful). Tonight was the first night of Passover and so we had our own little Seder. Passover is a Jewish holiday that remembers the freedom and exodus of the Jewish slaves (Israelites) from Egypt during Pharaoh's power. The holiday lasts eight days and families gather together to retell the story of Passover through the reading of the Haggadah. The Seder is the main part of the Passover celebration because it includes songs, foods and customs. Dave and I did just that tonight. I kept our little Seder very simple considering I didn't have time to cook all day because I was at work and since we just got back in town yesterday. I made matzo ball soup, charoset, hard boiled eggs, green beans, chicken and matzo. We skipped dessert because we were stuffed, but we also have macaroons to enjoy during the week!

Scrapbooking Idea

I can't take credit for this cute idea; I have to hand it off to Cami Schaumberg. Our friend Gina is getting married April 16, 2011. As a gift to Gina from all her friends and family her maid of honor came up with the idea to have everyone make a scrapbook page for Gina. It could be front and/or back and it could be about anything. It could range from memories about childhood to crazy drunken college days or to her new life with her soon to be husband Blake.

I chose to recap our history together. I met Gina right after hurricane Wilma in 2006. We lived together as roommates and became instant friends. As she moved on with her life, we still kept our friendship and to this day we see each other about once a week. She is my only other friend from Kansas down here and we love to get together to watch KU games, Chief's games and talk Kansas talk!

I love putting together photos for scrapbook pages so this was the perfect activity for me. Michael's Arts & Crafts has a wonderful variety of stickers and paper to add sparkle to your page. You can also find some unique little things at the dollar store as well. I used fun scissors and backed the paper with colored construction paper to give it some pizazz.

Below is the poem that was emailed to us about Gina:

             Our friend we know and love so dear

Has met a man who's handsome and loves beer

We never thought this day would come,

When Gina would become a wife, and soon a mum

And now it's time for us to make,

A special book; Gina's own keepsake

Of special times, from her single day,

Childhood, college and living by the bay

So gather your memories for our bride to be,

And make a pretty page for us all to see

Include photos of great times, even drunk ones will do,

Notes, quotes, and stories are fun to add, too

And just so you know, this will be a surprise,

Don't spill the beans or you'll see your demise

At her bridal luncheon, we'll present this wonderful book

Here is the page I made for Gina:

Front

Back

If you are a maid of honor and want a cute idea! I think this would be really fun. Email me with any questions.



Wardrobe Wednesday

Let’s face it; we all have functions that require us to wear a cocktail dress. It might be a party, work event, gathering with friends, or a date night. It’s always fun to take a dress and add a twist. I found this photo and it inspired me to take this outfit and find the look for less.

The Look

Gold Lame Tube dress on sale at Arden B for $69.99

Forever 21 Point Blazer for $27.80

Jeveux Patent Croc Print Clutch/Wallet Target $16.99

Steve Madden Stokker Pumps from Macy’s $89.00



SW Retro Style #1689 at www.Sunglasswarehouse.com  for $14.95

Total Cost of Outfit: $218.73

Staying Active

Growing up I was never really into sports. My Mom tried so hard to get me to play soccer. I loved swimming, but I don’t have a competitive bone in my body. So, I would go to the pool and swim laps and although the swim instructors tried to convince me to join the Leawood City Swim team I would just continue to decline their offers. I also loved gymnastics. I took classes up until the point where you have to decide if you are going to compete and perform at the meets. I, of course, decided I had enough of gymnastics and stopped taking classes. Finally, I found dance. I loved jazz and hip-hop. I took classes and joined the dance team in high school. I loved being a part of a team and once we started competing, I didn’t mind it because I felt we were all in it together. I danced morning, afternoon and night. I would eat fast food and junk food daily but because of always being active in dance I remained a stick (I look back and realize how lucky I was). I went off to college and although I didn’t dance, my first year I walked everywhere. I remember having a class on North campus and then one directly after on South campus. Most people gain the freshman fifteen, but I was constantly walking and moving so I actually lost the freshman fifteen! By the end of college, I had a car so I wasn’t walking as much, but I had plenty of time to hit the gym so I could remain healthy. I then went off to Florida and began my career teaching in early childhood. I was so exhausted in the evenings that I would come home eat dinner then go to bed. I didn’t have time or energy to join a gym and I noticed that I began picking up unhealthy habits. When we moved from out rental house to a condo we bought I started working out at the gym in the clubhouse. I began paying attention to my eating habits and I noticed a change right away. I instantly had a lot more energy and confidence when I eliminated the yucky stuff from my diet. Last year, I took up running. It is now a passion of mine. We have a nice group of girls that I work with that started doing it Tuesday and Thursday mornings last year. We would meet at 5:30am and run about 3-4 miles. Now, we are running in the afternoons and weekends.  It has been such a great experience. Last year we participated in the first annual 10K for Gumbo Limbo.

Gumbo Limbo:

About Us

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center is a coastal and marine environmental experience...

Founded in 1984, Gumbo Limbo Nature Center is a unique cooperative project of the City of Boca Raton, Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District, The Palm Beach County School District, Florida Atlantic University (FAU), and Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, Inc. Each year, more than 100,000 local and tourist visitors receive valuable environmental education while enjoying respite from the city bustle.

As a beacon for environmental education, research, and conservation, Gumbo Limbo’s 20 acres of protected barrier island not only provides refuge to many varieties of plants and animals - some rare or endangered - but represents a commitment to protect our natural resources by our members, volunteers, and the organizations that comprise the Center.

Recently, the preservation of our natural environment and wildlife resources has been recognized as a national concern for all of our families. You can join us in our mission to increase public awareness of our coastal and marine ecosystems and support our educational, conservation, and research efforts by becoming a Member of Friends of Gumbo Limbo.

What we do
School Programs

· We instruct more than 10,000 Palm Beach County school students in coastal and marine ecology every year

· Programs are constructed to meet the Sunshine State Standards Requirement in science education

Sea Turtle Conservation

· We monitor more than 500 nests a year within a five mile span of beaches

· We rescue injured turtles and release more than 6000 stranded hatchlings each nesting season

Public Programs

· We offer more than 50 programs for children, adults, and families facilitated by qualified naturalists and biologists

· Small class sizes and a low cost with more than 13,000 people participating annually

Research

· The FAU lab conducts valuable scientific research which enhances our understanding of sea turtle behavior, physiology, and ecology

· The research creates practical applications in the conservation of sea turtles and other marine life

We were so excited to participate again in the run. 

I love my Nails!!!

Yes, I am addicted to manicures and pedicures. I am seriously addicted.

It all started when I moved to Florida and my fingers and toes were exposed 12 months a year. There was no wearing gloves in the winter or closed toe shoes when it got cold. So, I now have been addicted to the bi-monthly habit. I love bright colors in the summer and dark hues in the winter.

I recently fell in love with the gel manicures that keep for two weeks without chipping. I've done acrylic years ago and solar nails for my wedding. I've seem to have tried everything. The problem with nails and teaching is that I use my hands a lot. I am constantly painting, using clay, gluing, using modge podge, cooking, etc. My poor manicures hardly last, but as you can see it's an addiction so I keep going back to the salon. Same goes for my feet; I mean they seem to last longer, but I tend to get my toes trampled on by my little students.

Long story short I will continue to always get manicures and pedicures, but I have found something fun to do with my nails at home too! It is Sally Hansen Salon Effects (you can purchase it at Walgreen's or CVS). They also sell something similar at Sephora. It costs about $10 and you get 16 strips. They are nail polish strips that you put on your nails with no drying time and lasts 10 days. They come in all different colors.

Here is the website to see all the colors they come in and read comments from other people that have tried it!

http://www.sallyhansen.com/products/nails/nail-color/salon-effects-real-nail-polish-strips

Sally Hansen Red-y for Trouble

I have had a lot of people compliment my nail polish color and I had to tell them it wasn't nail polish it was nail polish strips by Sally Hansen!