::Drumroll!:: We have a Winner!

Thank you to everyone who entered for a chance to win the MadebyStella earrings and the opportunity to choose their own set of note cards from Molly Lou Gifts. All of your responses made me smile & I wish that everyone could have won!

With everyone's comments, posts on their blogs and referrals, I had a total of 89 entries.
After pressing Generate - this is what came up.

The winner is Michelle from Stuttering Shell! Michelle, please send me an email with your mailing address and I'll get your new earrings sent. I'll also respond back to you with Molly Lou Gift's email and website information again so you can begin working with her.

Michelle, you should be sure to thank RNJenn - she was the one that let me know you had referred her, earning you your winning entry!

Thank you all for helping to make my birthday week so much fun!

Oh WOW!

Umm...so I may have changed my mind. I may just have to keep those earrings for myself. Just kidding. Kind of.

I just got home and checked the mail and the earrings were there. I was dying to see them & HAD to open them. I've officially fallen in love. Trust me - you don't want to miss out on the chance to wear these on a regular basis.

I'm going to order some of my own. Love.Love.Love!

Out of Town Birthday Celebrations

Ahh....birthdays. What beautiful days. Yesterday was beautiful in New England. The temps were in mid 80's. Absolutely wonderful. Today it will barely be in the 70's with tomorrow not even getting out of the 60's. That sounds a little too chilly for August, so I'm happy to be leaving on the high note today.

Yesterday I didn't make it to Kennebunk/Kennebunkport. My stomach started growling around 11:45 - which coincided with driving through Portsmouth, NH. This is a pretty town located on a pretty river (Piscataqua River) which runs tug boats. I decided to stop in their historic downtown and have lunch. I typically don't have opportunities to explore a lot while I'm traveling for work, so this was a nice treat.

Lunch was pretty good, but look at the view I had while eating.I saw several tugboats coming in. If you've never watched them dock, they're fast!
I went for dinner last night with one of my co-worker/friends that live here. It was quite the trendy little restaurant, but our service was awful. Don't you hate when you find a fun little restaurant with great food, but the service is disappointing?

The end of the meal was finished with coffee and donuts. I didn't think to take a picture until after all the food was eaten, but how cute is it that they decorated the plate for me?
The flash was on in this next picture. Hello bright light!
I'll be back to normal commenting tomorrow and hope to get caught up quickly on my reading. So if there is a rash of posting on your blogs, just know that I'm finally able to sit and savor your thoughts.

Happy Thursday - and don't forget to enter my giveaway!

What a beautiful Wednesday!

It is a beautiful New England morning and I'm off to New Hampshire. I'll be passing by Kennebunk today. That may be a good stop for a birthday lunch? Will hopefully have some pictures later.

Happy Wednesday to you all and Happy Birthday to me.

Big Win!

I am back in New England this week for work and as always, staying at a Hilton property - it's all about the points (and the work budget) you know.

I always have a hard time falling asleep in a hotel. I double check my alarm, I the newspaper being shoved under the door, I re-check my alarm, I hear kids running in the hall.

Side note - I will (and have) jerk open the door in my pj's and my hair in all it's sleep glory to hiss at children, "Do you have ANY idea what time it is?? People are trying to sleep!" This has been done at 3am on a Wednesday morning, so no, it wasn't at 11pm on a Friday night.

This morning I woke with a start. You know that jolt when you wake up & just KNOW that you've missed your alarm? Yes, that is what woke me up this morning - 4 minutes after my alarm was supposed to go off. What happened? I set the alarm. I double checked it.

It took me a few minutes to realize that someone had set the clock time to pm, evening, night instead of the right time.

*insert eye roll here*

Thwarted! I still managed to get up! Soon will be on my way to one of our offices here for a Train the Tra*ner session.

Don't forget - Birthday Giveaway posted last night!

Birthday Giveaway! Birthday Giveaway!!

Don't you just love birthdays? I DO!

I have never been one to fret about getting older. I've learned so much each year and been able to experience so many wonderful things. I wouldn't change a thing. Well, perhaps I'd change a few things, but I wouldn't go backwards.

I once told someone who was lamenting the fact that she was getting older (she actually said she was "old" and I had to remind her that I'm "older" than she is) that she wasn't getting older, she was getting smarter. I like to think that way, and besides, isn't 40 the new 20? According to Courtney Cox Arquette it is!

Since I love love love birthdays so much and get so excited about them (almost to an obnoxious frenzy) I wanted to share a little birthday love with you all.

Are you excited? I am!!

So, lets see...

I've highlighted a few things recently that I love and thought that there could be nothing better than to actually share them with you!!

You may remember that I recently highlighted Molly Lou Gifts in my first Fabulous Friday (although at the time it was Friday Favorites - don't you think Fabulous Friday is a MUCH better title?). Since I am so in love with everything on her site (MLG - I think you need a wish-list feature that women could share with their sig. others, mmhmmm?) and have a few things in the works coming from her, I wanted to share with you all some MLG love!

Molly Lou has graciously offered to let the winner pick from any of the items in the Personalized Social Stationery Line! There are so so many cute things to pick from. I personally am ordering my very own Dots Monogram Note set as well as the Family Birdie Folded notes. I also adore the Bold Pink Chick Folded Notes.

The second part of my birthday giveaway is another Fabulous Friday find. Remember these beauties?Yes, that is right! The second part of this giveaway are these beautiful garnet cluster earrings from MadeByStella. These are handmade with an oval hammered gold filled pendant and small garnet nuggets. They measure slightly over 1 and 1/4th inch in length.

Who's excited??

Ready to enter? Read this and then enter away (let me know what you do). Giveaway closes at midnight on Friday, August 28th.

Comment on this blog (this post) - 1 entry
Become a follower - 1 entry
Already a follower? Let me know! 2 entries
Post this on your blog - 1 entry
Refer your readers to me (have them tell me you sent them) - 1 entry per referral

Now back to my original question - Don't you just love birthdays??

Fabulous Friday!

Last week I highlighted Friday Favorites. I was thinking about the title though, and realized that it should have been, ahem, Fabulous Friday! So, here you have it, Fabulous Friday! I wanted to highlight some of my favorite things from this week (and really, just some of my favorite things).

Again, in no particular order.

Brittany Ann from Living in the Moment. She's honest, she's funny (actually, she's hilarious) and she's a person I wished lived nearer so that I could meet her. I have NEVER laughed so hard as I did when I read her Workout Wednesday post about her most embarrassing moments in the gym. You should definitely read that one! She's a must read - go say hello.

I am absolutely in love with the Etsy jewelry of MadeByStella. Check out these earrings - aren't they beautiful?
I also recently came across Brown Girl's blog. I loved it from the moment I started reading. Plus, she is going to start school soon for her cosmetology license. Don't we all secretly harbor the dream of doing hair? I don't know if it was Grease that did it for me or just the love of having my hair brushed & "fixed", but you must go say hello & congratulate her. It was a big decision!

I'm off for a weekend in Nashville with Mr. Potts. Hope you all have a great one & I'll be back with some pictures as well as a Giveaway - A BIRTHDAY giveaway since my 33rd is the 26th (Ahem, Wednesday).

Happy Friday!

Conversation with my girlfriend

My best girlfriend is the type of person that says the first thing in their head. She & I are alike in that we have no filter. But it makes our conversations really interesting. Plus, she's one of those girls who when she asks for an opinion, she truly wants it.

She called me this afternoon while I was running into the grocery store to snag a salad. Our conversation went like this.

Best Girlfriend: Hey!
Me: Hey there!
BG: Hey, why do the stores keep shoving skinny jeans down people's throats? Does anyone even wear them?
Me: I think the only people who wear them are super skinny girls.
BG: Or drugged out girls.
Me: Well, then there's that.
BG: Do YOU wear them???
Me: *snorting in laughter* No, I'm short and not skinny, why in the world would I wear them? Besides, I haven't had an inch gap between my thighs since I was 5. Do you really think I want to accentuate that?
BG: Shut up! You're absolutely beautiful!
Me: I appreciate that, but I'm still never going to wear them.
BG: Good! I'm not either!

The rest of our conversation was just normal chit-chat, but I hope the people in the store around me appreciated our conversation (or rather my end of it) regarding skinny jeans. Or more specifically, the fact that I am short and not skinny.

Mr. Potts cooks!

Yesterday I had a last minute request to look after my niece and nephew while my mom went to the school that my niece will be starting next week. It was quite literally a last minute request, so I cancelled my plans to go to my Cardio Sculpt class (which is really a bummer since I'll be in New England next week) and headed off to my mom's after work.

The kids and I had a great time and I was glad I was able to help out.

When I got home and opened the front door, an amazing smell greeted me. Mr. Potts had made dinner! I sent him the recipe and made sure that he had everything he needed in order to make it. I think he surprised himself by how well it turned out. I did not take any pictures because we gobbled it down so quickly, but I'll throw one on here from Cooking Light.

So for your pleasure, Southwestern Steak and Pinto Beans.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 pound boneless sirloin steak, trimmed
• Cooking spray
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup bottled chunky salsa, divided - I used the fresh salsa from my grocery store
• 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Preparation

Combine first 3 ingredients. Remove 1 teaspoon cumin mixture, and set aside.

Sprinkle remaining cumin mixture evenly over steak.

Heat the grill to medium-high heat.

Place steak on grill; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

Remove from grill; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into thin slices.

While steak cooks, heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper; sauté 4 minutes or until tender.

Add reserved cumin mixture, 1/4 cup salsa, and beans; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly.

Place 1/2 cup bean mixture on each of 4 plates; divide beef evenly over bean mixture. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon salsa and 1 tablespoon cilantro.

Absolutely wonderful!!

Awesomeness Abounds!

Brittany over at Living in the Moment awarded me with the Official Seal of Awesomeness. She is such a super sweet girl, you should go over & say hello. I'm to share this award with other bloggers I think are awesome. So, I sending this on to the following:

• Julie at Wearing Mascara
• Belle at Une Belle Vie
• Lindsey at Learning to be a Wife
• Annie at Chapters of Our Life
• Kimmie at Full Circle

All of these women are wonderful & I enjoy reading them. You should check them out & say hello!

Monday Much?

I'm so glad that Tuesday is here - I'm halfway done with my week at this point. I'm taking Friday off and heading to Nashville with Mr. Potts to visit my dad and step-mom for the weekend. Families can be hard sometimes, especially when you have 4 sets. Between myself and Mr. Potts we have 2 dads and step-mom, 1 mom and step-dad and 1 mom. Not to mention the rest of the family (sister, grandmother, aunts/uncles, cousins) and friends that are in Louisville. It makes it really hard at holidays and we usually come home more exhausted than when we left. I always feel that my dad gets shafted since he is in Nashville. We try to make an effort to go up & see them and also to see them when they're in town.

Yesterday flew by in such a blur - did anyone else feel as if they time escaped them? I left work a little later than I had intended, but still made it to the gym to go to a Strength and Stability class. Thank goodness for Mr. Potts - he made dinner last night. He is the "Grill Master" in our home which makes it easy for me on nights when I'll go to the gym after work. It doesn't hurt that his grilling is also pretty tasty.

Tonight we have a birthday to celebrate. One of our neighbors is having people over to celebrate. She invited everyone with the title, "Why let a horrific break-up ruin a perfectly good birthday?". She's staying positive about a negative part of her life. Definitely something we can all learn from, no?

Before we go over tonight, I'm going to get Hayden out for a quick walk. The temperature has been in the high 80's for a while. Such a nice change of pace from 90+ (close to 100). I'm ready for fall though. The days when the weather is still warm, but at night, you're ready to pull on a sweatshirt and cuddle up with a blanket. Anyone else ready for that?

While you're at it today, try to remember the small things. I'm cherishing the memory of my niece as she's getting ready to fall asleep this weekend turning to hug me and whispering, "I love you Aunt Mrs. Potts." It brings a smile to my face every time.
My favorite picture from the weekend. I had to share it again.

Everything is beach-a-licious

What a wonderful, wonderful weekend we had! I loaded up the car and drove to my mom's to drop Hayden off for the weekend & pick up my sweet niece. Hayden was so excited - she has a big yard to run around in there & my nephew will throw the ball for her endlessly.

After packing up my niece, we headed off to pick up Mr. Potts - poor guy, he was still working & missing out on all this fun! Once we picked him up, we were on our way! We stopped once, outside of Myrtle Beach to take a bathroom break & grab some more water. Oh yes, we also bought a lotto ticket - which you can see we did not win due to the increase in the Powerball amount. Boo.

The beach was wonderful and the weather held up nicely on Saturday. There were a few sprinkles, but not enough to make us pick up our chairs and go inside. No way! Not for this little girl.

We got there Friday evening and had to make sure we went to the beach on her first day. I was so very proud of her - I thought she'd be a little nervous, but she was fearless!
After she got her feet wet (ba ding!) we went to the restaurant/bar that was on the property for a quick dinner. Nothing special food wise and a few beers for me and Mr. Potts. We took some time to get some family pictures. Note that the hair is already growing bigger and the curl/frizz is breaking out. :)My niece took this picture. I was amazed that she was so good! Perhaps we have a budding artist on our hands?
She was so excited, and kept asking to go back down to the beach. Of course we had to oblige her when we were done.After a nights sleep, we were up and off on Saturday morning. Mr. Potts helped her build her first sandcastle, we jumped the waves in the ocean, she built more sandcastles, we went to the lazy river on property, she "swam" in the pool there - it was a kiddie pool & I realized that I need to get her some swimming lessons. She wants to swim so badly! After we left the kids area we were back on the beach & Mr. Potts helped her fly her first kite. A Barbie kite to boot! He told me how masculine it made him feel. He's such a good sport!
Barbie One - Mr. Potts named the kiteShe wants to build a sandcastle like this one next year.Saturday was such a long, busy day and we spent two hours on the beach before we left on Sunday. That made for one very tired little girl.Even Mr. Potts was exhausted!
A wonderful weekend! We talked to her about the importance of doing well in school & listening. I'm thinking next year an airplane ride (I've promised that already) to a beach is in order. Perhaps fly to Tampa & go to Clearwater/St. Pete?

We watched True Blood last night. I fall more & more in love with Eric each time I see him. Last night when he was talking to Godrick at the end, I teared up. Totally. Love that show!!

How was your weekend?

Friday Favorites

Aren't you all glad it's Friday? This week has been an exceptionally long week for the Potts family. Today Mr. Potts and I are taking half days and driving with my beautiful niece to the beach for the weekend. This will be her first beach trip & she is so excited, but a little nervous - it's something new for her, you know?

Mr. Potts and I are both excited about taking her and perhaps a little anxious about the almost 4 hour car ride.

Now, doesn't everyone look forward to Friday and the easiness with which they drift into the weekends? So, I thought I'd share with you all some of my favorites today. Voila! Friday Favorites!

So, in no particular order, some of my latest faves.

Molly Lou Gifts
She has the best selection of stationary (which I love) and always has wonderful discounts on new products. My favorite things right now are the Natural Whimsy set and the Cherry Blossom set. Aren't they wonderful?

I love tapas! I love eating them and making them. One of my favorite spots here is a tapas restaurant. So, I'd love to have a tapas cookbook. Several sites online have recommended
particular one.
What girl doesn't love jewelry? Isn't this a pretty little bauble?There are also a few bloggers I want to highlight.

Megan from In this wonderful life...
I love her posts & she has the most beautiful smile. Not only that, but how sweet is her puppy?

Heather at The Spohrs Are Multiplying. They had the most beautiful little girl and shares such an inspirational story of love and loss. Be prepared with tissues if you go visit her.

My Blonde Reality - a daily MUST! She never fails to entertain me & I look forward to her Outfit of the Day.

I hope you all will have a fabulous weekend. I most likely won't be posting as I'll be busy with a 5 year old at the beach. Wish me luck!

Birthdays should be made a big deal out of

I have always been of the opinion that birthdays should be made a big deal out of - see here and here. Mr. Potts doesn't always share my point of view - although I don't know why, as I'm always right. There was one time when I was wrong, but it was so long ago that I don't remember it, so it doesn't count.

I've tried to drop some hints along the way of what I'd like for my birthday. Subtle hints. You know, like emailing him links to things I would like. That's been a bust.

I sent him this - Burberry:
He laughed at me.

I sent him this"That's funny!" he responded.

I also sent him thisThis one is maybe a bit more likely, no?

Since it is my birthday month, I'll be hosting a giveaway to celebrate. Because, you gotta share the love!

Landlocked Lovers

For those of you who may miss her, Landlocked Mermaid has gone private. If you're a regular reader & a Landlocked lover (oh, I'm just too funny!), you can email her at pagranata@yahoo.com to request an invitation.

Last Wedding related post

Well, to finish up Kelly's Korner Show Us Your Life - Wedding Edition, I'm putting some of my honeymoon pictures up. Mr. Potts and I flew down to Barbados and stayed at the Crane Resort and Spa. It was absolutely wonderful. You'll notice in all these pictures that I didn't touch my hair down there. Pretty much 100% humidity guaranteed that there would be no straightness for me.

It was absolutely beautiful there & the highs were in the mid 80's the whole time. Once we arrived at the resort this was the first thing we saw.
We checked in & they handed us the "Island Punch". Indeed!Mr. Potts took his punch out on the balcony of our roomThe view from our bedroomThe next thing we did was change in some money for Barbadian currency.Because we had to have money to purchase what we would be drinking pretty much all week.Our first night there. We obviously found a tiki bar & more Banks beerA little cafe on the resort where we usually had lunch. Great little sandwiches & yep, you guessed it. Banks!Mr. Potts made a friend. But he wouldn't let me bring him home.
The view from our deck was amazing.
Mr. Potts & I loved the infinity pool. You notice who is taking most of the pictures, right?These were left in our room one day to congratulate us on our marriage.We found a wonderful restaurant situated on the water of a little bay in a town just one over from the resort. We were able to sit outside on the water and watch the turtles swim right under us. I tried to take pictures, but I have no skills for capturing turtles swimming at night. We also found a Mexican restaurant (more Tex-Mex) & had Coronas and Mango margaritas!
Another night we found an Irish pub. Fun little place
We spent most of our time here and at the poolsWe had a wonderful time!We for sure didn't want to leave.
Too bad I caught a very NASTY bug the last day. From eating locally caught fish. Thank God for first class upgrades or I may not have made it back. It was such a severe bug that it was tracked by the CDC & the Health Department. Yep - that's the kind of luck I have.

All in all, it was a wonderful time away for us. We'd love to go back, but maybe in a few years.

One last look