Bandito Haul

I made out like a bandito in Mexico!

I hauled back a pale pink freshwater pearl necklace that can be worn as a single, double or triple strand...

A couple of fun summer bracelets...

Long, beaded tassel necklaces, with a muchos gracias nod to Gwynnie and her ruby version oh so many Oscars ago...

A hand embroidered, long dress which I had them shorten to above the knee for me...

A hand embroidered blouse...

Annnd, a custom painted, just por mi, tortilla warmer and condiments serving dish, neither of which Leels could squeeze herself into like last time and the time before. Although, sheee triiieeed...

After that bitter disappointment, we reassessed the situation...

 Maybe it was meant for her to eat out of?

 Maybe it was for her to play the shell game with her treat?

Or, maybe she should let Mummy know she was hurt with her obvious oversight in the travel gift department and make her promise to bring back a platter big enough for a growing li'l girl next year...

*Btw, all that fabulous loot...somewhere in the neighborhood of 3000 pesos. Which, converts to less than 300 buckeroos. Which, converts to dirt cheap. Which, converts to Babe breathing a sigh of relief. La Cucarachaaa...la cucurachaaa...ya no puede caminarrr...porque le falta, porque no tieneee...marihuana pa' fumarrrr...


Kindness of everyone for not pointing out the tan/no tan stripes on my neck. Shameful amateur mistake having my head buried in books and needlework the majority of pth's. Alsooo...for understanding my need to go down to 3 posts/week seeing that Babe is now home weeknights. And, NOT so I can spend more time on Pinterest AT ALL. No way José...XXOO

My Welcome Home

The first 6 days I was gone the report from home was cheerful; Babe was getting up early each morn to groom the Ti-Babes, clean the litter, refill water bowls, squeeze in a quick workout, ect. On Saturday he even GASP! vacuumed. By Sunday though, it all started going to hell in one big, fat fur ball throw up, Chinese takeout, no clean boxers, we need you to come home basket...

I realized how much I was missed but, this li'l welcome home vignette let me know just how much I am also...

Appreciated...

And, loved...

I went to town on the Cadbury Crime Eggs whilst Lolly went to town on the tulip leaves. Lack of self control runs in the family and now our tummies hurt and our butt's are having trouble squeezing into baskets...

Kindness of Babe, Pilge and Lolly for my thoughtful surprise. Annnd, Ana for coming Thursday morning, Thursday evening, and Friday morning to sterilize the joint for my arrival home...XXOO

Happy Birthday Emma!

Birthday season officially kicks off this Month in my family...

And, today belongs to Emma...

Miss didn't use to be but, now is hard to buy for turned up her nose at a pink, fresh water pearl necklace, a hand painted chip bowl or a molcajete from Mexico so, I threw in the thoughtful towel and went with a just plain practical lululemon Adjust Me Bra in lavender dusk...

Can I tell you how outrageously comfy this sports bra is?

Let's just say, it's Happy Birthday Emma and Alice...

Kindness of everyone for patiently awaiting my return from sun roasting hiatus. I'm a smidge outta whack after flying out right smack at the moment we sprung the clocks forward, landing in a Central time zone where they DON'T observe Daylight Savings this early, then flying back to a Central time zone where they DO observe for a night then back to the East Coast the next morn where I got to go through the pain of losing that hour all over again. It went, minus an hour, plus two hours, minus an hour, minus an hour. And, to make it even more confusing, the hotel room in St. Louis hadn't adjusted the alarm clock to reflect the time change. I had to move so fast to make my flight that I left half my tan in my wake...XXOO 

Pirate's Booty

Since this is my last post before I head to Mexico for two weeks, I thought I'd leave y'all with my looting booty from recent raids around the blogging hood. Hopefully, it's enough to keep you and your wallet occupied til I return on the 26th...

The Darlings: A Novel courtesy of Keep it Chic...

This gooorgeous Helga Wagner of Palm Beach necklace, not to mention several other baubles, trounced upon at Necessary & Proper...

I need another iPhone cover like I need a hole in the head but, when The Enchanted Home posted these beauts by The Pink Pagoda I thought, eh, what's one more?

And, as luck would have it, Mel recently gave Ghost Armor her much revered nod of approval completing my mobile makeover...

There's thee lone David Webbesque Rachel Leigh enamel link bracelet for the fastest girl on her Shopafrolic toes..

And, lastly, it was pay dirt time when I swung by Tickled Pink and Green for some laughs and found preppy novel du jour, The Starboard Sea...


ANNND...the trailer for Whit Stillman's new movie Damsels in Distress. Perfectly timed to open upon my return. Can not WAIT to be the tannest one in the theater!

Kindness of everyone I robbed around the hood for helping me to go out with a bang. And, Babe, for holding down the fort, fur ball throw up and all, while I bask on la playa drinking my Coke Lite con tres limones y una popote...XXOO

Noble House Designs

Looks like I'm not the only one with an inner Mrs. Roper...

Seems Kelly of KELLY MARKET...

BLC of The Company She Keeps...

And, Melanie Parker of Ivy & Piper, have all let Mrs. Roper out of the closet by revealing their love for  Noble House Designs necklaces...

I'm just trying to decide which of designer Sara Lowery Ng's lovely pieces; the Nautical Vintage...

the Red & Pink Vintage...

the Neon Vintage III...

the CB Pink Vintage...

the Arlington...

the Color Stripes..

or, the Red & Pink Vintage II, do I want to wear when I meet Jack and Chrissy at the Regal Beagle for drinks and, more importantly, HOW ever am I going to hide my purchase from Mr. Roper?

Drool over more NHD eye candy here, here and here...

Kindness of all the fashionable ladies listed above for pointing me in the direction of Noble House Designs. Now, if y'all wouldn't mind doing me another favor and distracting Stanley when the UPS man arrives I'd be forever indebted...XXOO

Cue The White Bikini

It's heeere... 

That harbinger of summer...

The swallows of Capistrano are making their way to San Juan which is my cue to lock down the white bikini contenders for Summer '12...

This year I had a bit o' help from the ultimate bellwether, bikini Goddess Elle...

Sooo, queue up the Melissa Odabash Elba...

As well as the smidge more preppy Los Angeles. And, fingers crossed that Elle is also saying that we're trending towards skinny...

Kindness of Kate and Pippa for also placing my beloved white bikini in a good light. Let's just hope that light is a little more forgiving to us older lesser mortals...XXOO

Francesca Joy Of Palm Beach

Waaay back, during the era of wide whale OP's, Lacoste when it was Izod, Docksiders, and Lilly shorts with the elastic waist, my small clique had a friend custom paint designs on our Bean totes and sweatshirts to further distinguish our self proclaimed superiority. Yup, I was one of those girls...

And, apparently, I still am cuz I am all OVER the Francesca Joy custom painted totes. But, which is thee coolest? My heart may belong to Southampton...

And Palm Beach buuut...

Massachusetts...

Cape Cod...

 Aspen...

Nantucket...

And, Newport have resurrected that mine mine ALL MINE! 17 year old self...

Maybe I can distract her with a wristlet or two while I narrow my tote choice to one and leave some for the rest of the class...

Kindness of any dear friends feeling obliged to leave comments verifying my old mean girl ways ooor thee failed to mention gag me with a spoon matching Lacoste socks for, just not. Some things are just better left in the 80's...XXOO

World's Shortest Workout

Dr. Smartypants has thrown a flag on the field with a Japanese scientist's claim that this 4 minute workout video is the equivalent of a 40-60 minute run, increasing aerobic capacity and metabolism for the following 36 hours but, I say, yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause bearing thin...

     

Considering I recognize the moves from my Insanity workouts, and I KNOW those work, I'm willing to take the gamble and have added it as a bonus fat burner to my daily routine. Besides, I figure if my heart and head believe, I have a pretty good chance of my rumpus following suit...

Btw, I don't even bother changing for this and have done it the past several nights in my street clothes and slippers right before sitting down to dinz...

Kindness of the Suburban Princess whose Pinterest board I looted this video from. T minus 9 days and counting til it's bikini go time and I appreciate any and all help towards becoming remotely presentable...XXOO