Thursday 13 - Favorite Summer Moments (So Far...)

I thought it might be fun to dedicate this weeks Thursday 13 to my 13 favorite summer moments so far. I'm chronicling them in hopes of spurring lots more before autumn comes to whisk them away.

1. Getting Grandma in the pool for some Saturday Fun in the Sun.

2. Seeing Coldplay at Nissian Pavillion

3. Being lost in DC with my Sister

4. Getting two rounds of applause at my big meeting week before last

5. Hanging Tree Flaire in my Wedding Tree (an owl)

6. Wearing my cute new aqua sun dress with my Vera Bradley Flip Flops and Clutch

7. Cooking chicken at Jen's Bachelorette Party...who would have thunk I could do it??

8. Declaring WTF moments at work with my budget buddies

9. Spending time at the Spa with my Mommy

10. Getting the lawn cut...which allows so much more time for fun. I hope I never take this luxury for granted!!!

11. Watching our Chipmunk, Tiny, from the kitchen window. He is seriously the cutest little thing ever.

12. Watching Poly do her thing

13. Having fun in Baltimore with a waiter who flirted with us for three days straight and a super cute bell hop who could solve any problem.


I hope that you have had some favorite moments this summer too!! Here's to hoping there are lots more to come!!

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Patience is a Virtue...

My sister and I took an afternoon trip to Tiara to scope out Vera Bradley...which is really a harmless pastime. For the past year (although it seems like forever), I have been watching a Baekgaard Red Patent Satchel. It was beautiful and sat in its own little nook with a light shining down upon it. Oh yes...I would look at it and wander over and pick it up and put it back down again. It was a ritual. It was so beautiful. It was so going to be mine someday. Someday...

I didn't say anything to my sister, but when we walked into Tiara my heart sank. My bag was gone. I decided to just suck it up and come to terms with the fact that it was not meant to be mine. I meandered through the store and couldn't really find anything that I was looking for. For whatever reason, nothing was satisfying my urge to purchase a purse. I wandered over to the Brighton section and some of the purses were cute...but again...it was not what I wanted. I pushed away the thoughts of the fabulous red patent shine. And then I saw a table of Baekgaard but tried to keep my wishes in check. I did not get my hopes up.

And then I see it. Shining in the light. My precious!! The salesgirl sees me lift it from it's spot on the table and declares her love for it too. It is 40% off and I am so tempted to buy it. I mean...I have been working some long hours and toting my work back and forth in my petal pink miller bag. A sleek Red Patent Satchel would really take the sting off. Plus...it is quite eye catching...and will really perk up my work image. I need to shake things up. This bag will totally do it!! And then...I put the bag down feeling silly.

My sister walks over, sees the bag, sees that it is on the sale, and declares that I must buy it. It is kismet!!!

Thursday 13 - Favorite Childhood Books

Since I am so busy...I am writing my Thursday 13 on Wednesday Night. It feels like cheating, but I couldn't miss another week. No list last week since I was gearing up for my big meeting. I have been stressed and when I am stressed I have a habit and I can't believe that I am going to reveal it. When I need to de-stress I watch cartoons. And when you watch cartoons it takes you back to when you were less stressed and carefree...I can't quite remember not being stressed...but I revert back despite it. As I was watching cartoons this weekend, I got to thinking about some of my favorite childhood books. Some of which I remember watching as cartoons...(cue Pierre and Alligators All Around)

My Thursday 13 this week is a quick list of some of my favorite childhood books or children's books...a few may have been written after I was considered a child. Don't Judge!!

1) Drummer Hoff

2) Make Way For Ducklings

3) Pierre

4) Little Bear

5) Big Sister and Little Sister

6) The Hungry Catepillar

7) Madeline

8) A Snowy Day

9) Miss Viola Swamp

10) The Strange Story of the Frog that Became a Prince

11) Alligators All Around

12) Tikki Tikki Tembo

13) The Little Engine That Could

Have I have listed one of your favorites?? Let me know...

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Frills...She has done it Again!!!

The Vera Girls will need to get together STAT....as soon as the new Vera Bradley Frills line is available in a store that is near. Our Vera dealer at Artisian's revealed yesterday that it shipped on Wednesday so my estimation is that it could be any day now. I am so excited because none of the Fall Colors really did it for me, but somehow the Frill line is reeling me in. The colors are actually the inside designs of the new Fall colors. Super Fun. Super Cuter. Super patenty. Could anything be better? I mean really??

I always have a hard time committing to colors and I have a sneaking suspicion that I may go with the pinky one. Although there is a black pattern as well...that would be perfect for winter. Decisions, Decisions, Decisions. I'm starting to think that is part of the fun. Lots of patterns. Lots of styles. Lots of personality. Afterall, isn't that what it is all about? Expressing yourself with the perfect purse? The best thing is that for the most part...they always fit.

Thursday 13 - Legendary Duos

My sister is my very best friend and as such we have many inside jokes and are pretty sure we can communicate on several different wavelengths. Especially in terms of one of our favorite games...when watching TV, movies, or even the news we have a habit (even if we are not in the same location) of deciding who is who in a situation where you have two people. My sister is the (insert name of person) to my (insert name of other person). I'm sure there are zillions of things we have come up with over the years...but I am dedicating this weeks Thursday 13 to some of these duo combos. My sister actually helped me with this weeks list. Snaps to Sisterness!!! :)

1) My sister is the Jay to my Silent Bob.

2) My sister is the Amy Poehler to my Tina Fey.

3) My sister is the Joe Cole to my Henry Rollins.

4) My sister is the Art Garfunkel to my Paul Simon.

5) My sister is the Big Bird to my Snuffleupagus. (hmmm...is that the right spelling? Does anyone remember when only Big Bird could see him?)

6) My sister is the Adam Carolla to my Dr. Drew.

7) My sister is the Don Vito to my Phil.

8) My sister is the Matt Damon to my Ben Affleck. (She is the Will to my Chuckie and the Loki to my Bartleby too.)

9) My sister is the JD to my Turk.

10) My sister is the Stewie to my Brian.

11) My sister is the Eddie Murphy to my Arsenio Hall.

12) My sister is the Leonard to my Sheldon.

13) My sister is the Koda to Kenai.


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Thursday 13 - Nicknames

I thought it would be fun to list out some of my nicknames over the past 32 years...I tried to note them in order of when they were bestowed upon me...from birth until now. Hope you enjoy them!!!

1) Buddha Belly

2) Moose

3) Tot Wheeler

4) Sweet Face

5) Mean Worm

6) Joyful

7) Sissy

8) FPOS (Fat Piece of 'fill in an s-word')

9) Joyous

10) Depression

11) Queen Joy

12) Blossom

13) Joy Joy


Do you have nicknames that you want to share?? Of all of the above, Moose and Blossom are used the most. ;)


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