so cute! Cat in the Hat hightops!

I don't forsee either of my chicks wearing these...even with Peyton's obsession with converse rearing its ugly head daily.  I think we missed the boat on the Cat in the Hat version...BUT...they are darling.

I wanna see these on a super funky little skater dude.

Genius really.

I do think these are darling.  Love them really.

Wonder if Peyton would wear them.

I did score a great deal the other day however. It occured about 2 hours after I was complaining that when your kids grow out of "kid sized" shoes...and they are into women's sizes...that the prices double.

Just look at a pair of nikes.  Kids...$50... womens version $100.  I don't get it. Some of them are the exact same shoe...and since a kids size 4 is actually larger than a womens size 5 (yup..it's true) then it REALLY doesn't make sense.

Never the less...I scored this pair for Peyton for her birthday. 

They WERE $150...marked down to $47 on clearance with only one pair left.

Whoo hooo.  Yay me...I mean...yay Peyton.

And since I am fully aware of the cost of the rhinestones needed for these...$47 is a darn good price.

lmnop...how I love thee

lmnop is an online magazine that stops me in my tracks...every time it pops up in my inbox.

I love it.  The ideas are amazing...the "finds" are fabulous...and the photos...breathtaking.

If you do not already subscribe...do so now.  It is free.  You will not regret it.

lmnop

This issue could very well be my favorite.

It is about rainbows. 

Oh how I love rainbows.

Color color...I am like the cookie monster but with colors...and cookies actually...but that is an entirely different addiction.

Best...book store ever

 This picture will forever be engrained in my mind...I love it that much.

I want a photo of my girls exactly like this.

Anyone wanna take it? I can try to do the makeup and hair.

Wouldn't it be cool if this was a brother and sister? Think of how happy that mom would be

to have such a funky cool yet totally sweet photo of her kids. 

Did I mention how much I love this?

Yum

How good would these be for a nice festive breakfast?

with these on the side

 and a yummy yogurt and fruit smoothie

Um...are you kidding me?

Wow.  Somethings just make you go wow.

Everything at I am Baker makes me go wow.

It also makes me feel incompetent and TOTALLY like a cheater to think I could 

pass off cupcakes for the big 10 birthday.

Dangit.  Gotta get creative I think.

Seriously...how great is that cake.  I don't even want to understand how she did it.

Just sit back and enjoy looking at it.

Ask and you shall receive...

Voila...these are about the prettiest things I have seen all day.

Jennifer just sent this link over from One Ordinary Day (clearly a blog I need to be following...hello)

These will need to be made in my home this weekend.
They are glorious.
And here I thought I was over cupcakes...clearly I am not...I have mentioned them in two blog posts in one day.

This picture makes me so so SO hungry.
My house is beyond pathetic.  I feel like I live at the grocery store and yet, I swear to god, I was just snacking on salad topping.  No joke.  That is the yummiest thing I can find in my pantry right now.

Today was so beyond boring...I am ready to go to bed.
Days like this I do get alot done however...and by "days like this" I mean...days that I cannot muster up enough oomph to leave the house.  So work work work.

And of course...snap a couple of pictures.

My preteener...aka tweener...she will be 10 on Sat.
My heart is breaking already.

Those pants...I need them in my size.  They are Butter Super Soft...and my kids have alot of them...in both pants and hoodies.  There is nothing softer.  If ya need a pair of them...Hipster Kid is my go to Butter shop.  Elizabeth is the Hipster mama owner.  She is fabulous. 

Oh...then we have the daily pool shot...since that is basically all we can do here in the summer.  Swim.
Our hair is thisclose to turning10 shades of green.

This one cracks me up...they were doing the "High School Musical" pose.
Notice the lovely landscaping behind the pool.  Oh ya...talk about baaaaad. 
It won't be for long...there is just no point in planting anything now as it is 110 degrees out and nothing stands a chance of living if you plant it now.  So I get to look at that lovely mess for 5 more months.

 Just concider this a before picture.  You just wait.  One year from now we will not notice that house back there...or the hideous fence...wish I knew what I had in store for that god awful dirt planter.

 

Fun for the 4th

I love the 4th of July. I love how American it is.  That probably came our wrong.

I just love the feeling of celebrating America.  And yes...I am Canadian.

I am also in Arizona...so I should probably make it a habit to carry my greencard around with me now huh.  Anywho.  I am usually packing on the 4th of July...and my husband has always had to work that day since every golf course he has been at in the past 10 years has a big shindig of their own.

Is it wrong that I am happy this year, do to the recession, the golf course cannot afford the fireworks...so he doesn't have to stay there until who knows when?  Because I am happy.

Anyways.  My daughters birthday is on the 3rd (sniff sniff...lots more whining from me to come throughout the week on that one) and so we will be here on the 4th.  A small amount of family is coming into town...and I am wondering what fun things there are to make to celebrate the 4th.

Let me know if you have any good ideas.

Here are a couple that I have found.

Of course...no holiday would be complete without Martha Stewart

This drink from Family Fun looks like something my kids would like.

Made with cranberry juice, wild berry gatorade and diet 7up (apparently you need the diet drink because the more sugar the drink has...the denser it is...thus the layers)

There are always Patriotic Cupcakes from Sprinkles.

These would be my first stop...however I think I am totally cheating this year

for Peyton's birthday...and cupcakes it is.  Shhh...don't tell her I was not up until midnight (as usual) baking some rainbow layered funkified cake this year. Does that make me a bad mom?

Of course...you need to bbq something...but that part is easy.

However...I think it would be nice to share your favorite 4th of July recipes (as in...I need help coming up with something good)...so...if ya want to be nice. Email me your favorite recipe...secret salad...perfect parfait...tantilizing (lol) trifle...and I will post it.  If you have a photo...send it as well.

It doesn't have to be something you made up...it can be something you saw online

tried...

 and it was fabulous.  

email it to me at customerservice@paperlili.com

you can always send a craft as well...or anything that you think others would enjoy to help celebrate the holiday.

Summer lovelies

Man I love summer. I even love the heat. I love it.

I love going outside at 9 o'clock at night and it still being super warm.
I have no idea when this happened to me. I am Canadian for goodness sakes.

I haven't seen snow in over 12 years. I don't miss it. I miss it the week before xmas.

Then.  I get over it...like really fast.  Sure it was 114 degrees here friday. I didn't care.

I was floating in the pool eating a sugar free creamsicle.  How bad could that be?

I am not a complainer. I don't like to complain. I am not a person that sees something and thinks, "how can I make this better"...thus the reason why I am not a multi gazillionaire who invented space bags...or the diaper genie...or...a spork.  I really am quite content with things.  This backfires on me...alot.

It means I am not a go getter.  I am not an explorere.

Whatever.  I am a doer.  A very hard worker...and I am tee-red. 

Tired man.  I was shipping last night at 11 and I thought.  Holy crapoly...I have been working continuously (with the exception of my pool float/creamsicle between 2-4) since 6am (noone sleeps past 6 in my house...it sucks). I do this everyday.  I am looking forward to my break.

I am looking forward to the 24 hour drive to Canada. I have no excuse but to sit and well sit (I don't drive...any of it...I am a hazard on the highway...highways make me sleepy...even if I am driving...so I don't).  I am EXTRA excited because we are not taking our dogs.  Don't get me wrong.  You know I adore my dogs...I will miss my George so so much.  But driving in a car...and then having him sleep 120 lbs of him sleeping on my legs in my tiny little room that I grew up in at mom and dad's house.  Nope.  Won't miss that.  Sorry George.  I hope you will forgive me. 

So. For my trip...I need to load up the ipod with movies.  Keep in mind, I have seen pretty much nothing over the past year.  Last summer I watched 27 dresses (cute) and Marley and me (omg...bawling in the car).  So please...tell me what to download.

I do have two books all lined up.

Deep deep reads;) But...looking forward to them.

Have I shared with you my love for Tori Spelling. I find her adorable.

And I would like to own (of course...I would need larger sizes) everything in her closet.

The girl has good taste in clothes I tell ya.

Plus...I will have my bag of crafts to do...and I am all set:)

Ok.  Just got a phone call in the middle of this post and I totally forgot about what else I was going to write about.  Nice.  

Until I remember...I guess I will leave you with a couple pictures of me from last weekend.

Some of my finest work I think.

We went to Slide Rock Park in Sedona.  It is basically a natural water slide.

A flippin freezing natural water slide.

Honestly...the water was about 50 degrees.

But the kids wanted to go in.  So they did.

I was there for photo taking only.

Until...

Yup.  That's me.  And right there...is really deep water.  

I went down.  Those rocks are like walking on ice. 

I was laughing so hard, I think people watching were afraid to laugh because they thought I was crying.  Omg.  It was funny.

Sometimes ya just gotta laugh.  I did.

Ok.  Until I remember what else I was going to post...I am done.

Got my hair done today...for the first time in over 4 months...and although it was done in record timing (1 hour 30 minutes) I always have a screaming headache after sitting there.  I get ansy.  My blackberry is flashing like a beacon and it calls to me...and yet...I am stuck there wrapped in foil. 

I hate getting my hair done.  

I will be back tomorrow.  I promise:)

Kinda in a funk...

Do ya ever get in a funk?

What constitutes a funk?

I don't truly know...all I know is that I am gruuuuumpy.

So.  I am gonna post things that make me smile.

First...Ainsley's bowl of soup today.

I tell you...it does not matter where we are...the girl will find a heart.

It is her "shape" of choice.  She LOVES love. And she loves hearts.

We can be watering pants and there will be a drop of water that then spreads

on cement and voila....a heart.  Or her dollup of toothpaste on her toothbrush will be a heart.

It is all hearts all the time...and every single time she points it out to me...sure enough...she is correct.

Today.  It was her soup.

See what I mean?  It is never an "ooooh...ok...I can kinda see it"...nope...it is most definitely a heart.

I love her:)  She makes me smile.

What else makes me smile.

These shoes from Frye!

Why?  Because they totally remind me a pair I had when I was a kid...AND...well...hello color!

And then there are these.

I need these...because I love quirky things.

It is a candy dish that looks like a ziplock baggie.

And the glass milk creamer...why? Why not.

Tanks everyone:)

Alrighty ladies.

I have a pile of tanks here that need to go to make room for Fall goodies (yup...already). 

So.  Think birthday presents...think next year...think three years from now...it is not like numbers go outta style ya know! Stock up!

Grey and Blue  tanks & Mint Skirts

$25

and you can pick from the following (no names though)

• happy face
• rainbow heart
• rainbow daisy
• tennis racquet
• soccer ball
• basketball
• baseball
• earth
• peace sign
• tiara
• cupcake
• shamrock
• peace, love, wink
• any number 1-12 (I will pick # color)

Once these sizes and colors are gone...they are gone.

You can see all the designs on the site.

This is just for the design.  No names please.

And ONLY the grey or blue tanks...not black or white tanks.

And the skirts.

If you are interested...email me at

customerservice@paperlili.com

Thanks Mom!

So I just had a little delivery from the post lady.

Oooo...it was a nice surprise.

Didn't really help with the ol diet since I sucked back 3 vanilla bean's in 2.5 minutes.

That's what happens when the mail lady arrives BEFORE I can eat my egg white omlet.

Oh it was a sad sad sight...but sooo worth it.

Are you familiar with Macarons?

I have never had one, however I have seen them alot recently.

Martha Stewart did a piece on them a couple months ago.

You know them...they are the little cookies that come in every color under the rainbow.

Colorful cookies!  Count me in.

Apparently one of the worlds best Macaron bakeries is here in Phoenix.  Tempe actually.

My mom just sent me a box...and they are beyond adorable. 

And by beyond, I mean, they taste even better than they look. 

I think you are supposed to let them get to room temp as they came packed in dry ice and they were still nice and chilled when I opened them.  But I like my baked goods cold.

Sprinkle cupcakes...cold (gasp!  I know I know...you are given strict instructions at sprinkles to NOT refrigerate them...uh ya...I think I have stuck mine in the freezer before!)

So I am not sure what these cookies taste like at room temp...but chilled..omg...the top was almost chewy!  Chewy.  They are not crisp like they look.  Mmmm.

So good.

Essence Macarons.  

Highly recommended.

mmm...soup

A few years ago a very good friend of mine made this soup for me.

It is beyond delish.

I then lost the recipe for a couple of years...but found it again yesterday when I was going through an old stack of papers.

If you like soup...you will love this.

If you like Cilantro...you will REALLY love this.  Trust me. 

Cream of Cilantro soup

• 1bunch fresh cilantro
• 1 (32 oz) container swansons chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 (8 oz) package fat-free cream cheese
• 1 (8oz) container light sour cream
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• cilantro for garnish

directions

• remove stems from cilantro and chop chop leaves
• in a blender...blend 1 cup of broth with the bunch of cilantro
• in a pot, melt butter over medium heat
• wisk in flour
• add remaining chicken broth
• mix until smooth
• boil for 1 minute
• stir in cilantro mixture from blender
• add cream cheese, sour cream and the rest of the dry ingredients
• wisk until not lumpy
• simmer 15 minutes
• look like a hero!

mmm...I love it so much...I need to make another pot.  Mine is already gone.

So basically I just ate a stick of cream cheese and a container of sour cream in 24 hours.

Yay me.

Oh and the bread.  Oops.  

Photo Tuesday:)

I love pictures.

Who doesn't right?  

I get so many good ones sent to me and I love them all.  So I think I will start to post them once a week.

Then you can love them with me:)  So if you want to see yours up here...just email me a photo of your 

adorable offspring and I will post it on here.

And if you are a mom...PLEASE send me a photo of you in one of your paperlili tees.

I hardly ever get the ladies pics (I know...I am one to talk).

 I did get this one from Rhonda...and I LOVE it:)

Look at Isabella and her teachers...in fact there are about 6 teachers at the school who are now sportin' bling...love that:)

Next I have this beauty from Christina

I always loved the name Elle...it is very fitting for a princess.

And then there was Kate.  This little guy is beyond darling.

So is her daughter...and so is she.   

If you live in Chicago and you are looking for a photographer...your search is over. 

Donut Police...won't last long

You asked for it:)

I just restocked the Donut Police, Pancake Police, Pizza Police and Coppuccino Police tanks in the shop.

Get them here.

Billie Beans

You have heard me talk about my friend Robin many times.

She is the tie dye queen.  She can do any color combo and she does it well.

She is also happy to help if you ever want to match something.

As you can tell from these pics...her pants and shorts match pretty much anything from my site:)

Clearly she and I love color.

Check out her shop here.

I know she has been busting her rump doing trunk shows and just making fun stuff for her shop.

She lists new stuff all the time...so ya gotta check back with her often.

I like to do a small run of Limited Edition tie dye items every once in awhile.

So stay tuned...I think it is about that time:)

Someone take my bling-er away...

Once again...I cannot stop myself.

Why?  Because it is too easy.  I have the "stuff" all set up ready to go.

So what happens?  My daughter insists on a pair of Converse that I can "bling" for her.

Do you remember when I did that cream pair for myself?

I can't find the photo...but I know I blogged it way back when.

Needless to say, I get so many people asking me where I got them that I may have to do some for us mom's and of course, kids...in the fall.  Let me think about it.  They would not look like this pair.

Truthfully...I put next to no effort into this pair and it shows.  But I do like the brass "rocker" studs and I have a pile of them...so I should put them to use.  Ya?  Let me know if you think this is a good idea.

After the shoes...I decided to do my jeans. This is my favorite pair of jeans.  The problem with them is that they are "worn" and they had a big o hole right at the bottom of the front pocket.

If I had thighs like Gisele, this could look fabulous.

I don't. And I have worn them toooo many times with my pastey white thigh squeezing through.

So I cut the pocket inside to make it hang down and I added just a little sparkle.

Then of course...I went over board and did the butt.

Why.  Why would I bling my a#@?  This is not my first pair of jeans that I have added bling to the bootay...but this is the first time that it dawned on me that adding sparkle to the back end just draws more attention to that area...which is truly the last thing I want to do.

But I did it anyways.  

I kinda wanna chop up a pair of boyfriend khakis and add some brass to it.

Ala Jcrew style.

I would however, probably add two rows of metal studds...but that's just me.  I'm tacky like that.

Nothing is safe in my house.

Summer lovin' had be a blast...

Ok...so...basically...I am sick of eating well.

Totally over it.  Help me.  It is 4000 degrees out and seriously...I just want to hook myself up to a 

Jamba Juice dreamsicle I.V.  

Not kidding.

Whatever.

I have used some "downtime" aka "make sure the kids don't drown time" at the pool to whip through my pile of magazines that I have been collecting over the past month.  I can go through 5 magazines in 30 minutes.  Clearly these are not Time magazine or National Enquire that I am reading lol.

Anyways...I am also the queen of ripping out pages to check out online after.

Here is some fun things I found today that I liked.

Ooo...I could just picture this on some tanned legged chick walking on the beach...

so so SO wish that was me.  No beaches for me...and I hate my legs.

But I do love this.

Now I saw a couple cute scarves...however when I went to find them online...of course they are not available any longer.  BUT...I like these ones more.

From Topshop

Now I have to say...I do not own a piece of Stella and Dot Jewelry...but I do enjoy looking at it.

 And I see they have little girls baubles now too!

Pretty stinkin' adorable...I must say

 I believe that Heather is now a Stella and Dot rep...so if you wanted anything from them...I am most certain you could email her if you wanted to order anything.

JCrew is also cranking out the amazing designs.  Geesh.  I swear if I won a $5000 gift certificate to Jcrew...it could spend it.  Sad but true.

Ok...that's all I have for tonight.  

I promise to return tomorrow with more fun finds:)