the Golden Globes: Top Trends

(I *LOVE* this dapper little dog! =))

Like many of you, I love "Red Carpet Season." I kind of felt like I was alone in watching the People's Choice Awards (at least on Twitter), but I know many of us were watching the Globes last night! It's one of my favorites because...I love that the fashion bar is raised - but the actual dialogue on stage, & the interaction between the attendees, is less formal than at awards shows later in the season.

(Also, I love Ricky Gervais!)

So here are a few of my personal favorite looks from the Globes parties & red carpet, & the trends they'll be inspiring me to look into this week:

1. Sofia Vergara

jewel tones

My Prince & I *looove* Modern Family, & I think Sofia Vergara is hilarious - & beautiful! She looked the part of classic bombshell at the Golden Globes in her dazzling blue Vera Wang fishtail gown with its swirls of pleats. & she accessorized with more than five million dollars of diamond jewelry from the Harry Winston collection! Elegant, glamorous, & just incredible!

2. Shailene Woodley

pale pastels

So I have to admit that I am only familiar with Shailene Woodley from the clips of the Secret Life of the American Teenager that Joel McHale plays (& rightfully ridicules) on E!'s the Soup. But I have been impressed with her absolutely stunning red carpet looks, & she comes across as much more adorable in real life. This beautiful (& age-appropriate!) dress by Marchesa is classic&effortless - but it has this lovely color to it that looks like lilac in some photos, pale blue in others - & yet I thought it was silver when I was watching the telecast! The look is bright, cool, & yet still dramatic.

&...her chic, daring after-party dress was so sleek that I am willing to overlook, just this once, that whole dressed-down shoe debacle...

3. Nicole Richie

metallics

We just don't see enough of Nicole Richie's amazing style anymore! I was excited to see how beautiful&chic she looked in this open-backed metallic silver Julien Macdonald dress, which she described as "a little bit heavy." ;) I also love that she carried her own signature House of Harlow bag, & I thought her hair was great! What do y'all think about her upcoming fashion reality show...will you watch? I am undecided...

4. Charlize Theron

headbands

I am generally not a big fan of Charlize Theron. I like her as an actress, & there are plenty of great movies that I've enjoyed watching her in, but...there have been at least a couple interviews I've seen where she's come across as really arrogant & a bit condescending. However, last night she was maybe the most excited&happy I've ever seen her in a red carpet setting. & I loved her 1930s-feeling look! The blush-colored chiffon gown she wore by Christian Dior Couture was amazing, with an almost dainty effect in spite of the oversized bow detail on the waist. & how gorgeous was her dramatic vintage Cartier headband?! There really wasn't a lot of big excitement! on the red carpet last night, since a lot of stars seemed to be playing it kind of safe, so I liked this inspired fashion risk.

5. Kim Kardashian

Old Hollywood

This is another personality that I'm honestly not a fan of, but supposedly she had a sense of humor about the jokes Ricky Gervais made about her, & she brought a pretty classic look to the after-parties. So while I wish somebody I had more admiration for had been showcasing this fresh take on dramatic glamour, I will give some credit to Kim. She ventured away from her usual play-it-safe red carpet standards to wear this head-turning black lace cap-sleeve dress by Bruce Oldfield, & I think it's very "Old Hollywood siren!" & what really pulls the look all together is the way her hair is pulled up with the 1950s loose curls & the deep side part. Oh, & the big diamond&ruby bling adds a special touch, too! ;)

...& although there weren't a lot of glaring fashion disasters this year, my least favorite looks were:

Jessica Biel

(all that lace + dowdy long neck&sleeves + the floral applique + the high slit = overwhelming)

Mary J. Blige

(that odd feathered, furry skirt at the base of the sparkles was just unappealing)

Zooey Deschanel

(I actually liked the dress - I thought it was a very good look *for Zooey!*...but that hair was just atrocious - the side curls seriously look like sideburns, & it bothers me that there is no visible part...it's so retro that it looks costumey)

Lea Michele

(this went beyond just revealing - into tacky territory - with its barely there detailing & sheer panels...plus it was just unflattering & gave her an unbalanced frame)

Katharine McPhee

(the color washed her out & really faded her into the background, & the poor fit & uneven cut didn't help matters!)

So how excited are you about the kick-off of Awards Season 2012?! & has watching the awards shows so far inspired you to add anything to your "must-watch" list? I am really interested in seeing

the Descendants,

the Help

(I love love loved the book & have been apprehensive about seeing the film adaptation),

& maaaybeee Hugo.

Maybe.

Anybody seen it?

So stay tuned this week as I blog about some of my favorite shopping finds that were inspired by my favorite Golden Globes trends! =)

Pinterested, But Not Committed

So, I've gotten a bit of blog tidying underway, though there's still a lot to do.

Same for Twitter.

Same for my email accounts.

Same for my (personal) Facebook account.

But this Pinterest business.

I want to love Pinterest. Really, I do. It's a great concept.

But I think one of the main reasons that I just haven't committed to using it is because it is a giant pain in the tail.

Maybe I'm less technically-savvy than I thought...

(I do have Polyvore issues, too)

...but I find the entire Pinterest process annoying because it seems like it's full of glitches that should have been fixed.

(Maybe it's not Mac-friendly? It's for sure not iPhone-friendly!)

I hate the add a bookmark thing, though I understand its usefulness & can deal with it.

What drives me batty are things like...

My profile says I have one pin. No, I do not. I cleared out all my pins to start this baby over from scratch. When I click on the one pin, you do not have a pin to show me. So why does it say one pin?

My profile says I have x number of followers. So, why, when I click on this, to see my followers, do no followers come up? Those that I follow come up when I click "following," so why doesn't the other one work?

I also find it ridiculous that you say it's proper Pinterest etiquette to give credit to the original pin's source when the whole point of Pinterest seems to be the convenience of "re-pinning" in a way that already does give credit back to the original source (unlike, say, Tumblr). Am I wrong?

Also, as I mentioned earlier, Pinterest is pretty much pointless on my iPhone. The mobile website is incredibly wonky, & the app is even worse. I always post my actual blog posts from my MacBook, & I do most of my email from my MacBook, at night after my children are in bed. But actually reading blogs, or doing anything on Facebook or Twitter...those are things I do from my iPhone (using wonderfully convenient apps & mobile sites) at random short intervals throughout the day, during moments when one of my children doesn't need my attention. That would also be the preferable time for something as leisurely as Pinterest.

But I'm giving it another go, albeit frustratingly (obviously).

If I start changing my mind about it, I'll let you know & share my Pinterest.

& if not, well...life's short. I need to get back in the habit of reading more books anyway. ;)

Present

The other day Joy from All Things Refined! asked us what our word was going to be for 2012. I've decided that the best way to sum up my personal hope for 2012 is with the word "present."

Over the years I've become less & less "Type A."

(Though I'm sure My Prince would probably argue that I still have plenty enough of those qualities to still qualify for the Type A label!)

In 2012 I hope to continue becoming more relaxed about things.

I want to be able to stop & smell the roses.

It's not always easy for me to stop the constant train of thought in my head...which usually includes worries about the things I haven't done but meant to do, as well as stress about whatever is coming up next on my schedule. I make zillions of to-do lists, & I get frustrated with myself every time I see one that didn't get completed.

But in 2011 I dropped the ball in a lot of areas. & I left a lot of to-do lists untouched.

& you know what?

The most important things still got done,

we still showed up at the most important events,

& our family made many important memories together.

So my DVDs didn't get re-organized. So I didn't read as many books last year as I usually do.

(& almost no magazines.)

So I still haven't decorated every room in the house.

My Prince has always been a "better late than never" kind of guy. & I have to say I'm usually pretty annoyed by his tendency toward perpetual lateness. ;)

But I think there is a middle ground to be found between

so tightly wound that one never has any fun, due to a preoccupation with perfection...

...& so laid-back that you're irritating the ones you love because you aren't always prioritizing the same things.

Certainly, I don't think I'll ever be one of those "free spirits" who can truly relax about everything & just let things fall where they may. But I've decided that sometimes if I'm not excited about doing something on the list, it may just be because there is something more important I should be doing - something that isn't on any list.

So I hope to be present - mentally&physically - for all of the important moments that happen in 2012. & I hope that living in the present will help build a foundation of appreciation&patience for the future.

So, what is your word for 2012?

Happy New Year!

I honestly don't know what to say. That's exactly when you shouldn't update your blog, isn't it? ;)

Obviously, this has been the longest hiatus I have taken from the blog since I began it back in the late summer of 2009. In between blog posts on the subjects I usually address here, I posted several updates in 2011 of a more personal nature, which is exactly the kind of thing I shy away from. However, because of that unofficial "rule" that I have about not posting the personal stuff, this blog ended up being pretty sparse on posts in 2011. That's because 2011 was a pretty emotional year for me & my family.

Most of you know that our newborn son got really sick in September. Those of you that know me well know exactly how sick, & know about the battles&setbacks we've faced in the last few months. Many of those hurdles have been related to our son's health.

That being said, please know that my absence from the blog does not mean that I have been depressed, or even that life hasn't been going on.

(Though perhaps going on a bit less organized. My Type A rep has taken a hit!)

There have been so many wonderful memories made in between these low points we've hit!

Our faith has been tested, but I believe I have come through the last year with my faith possibly stronger than it ever has been before. I have certainly experienced a very real connection with God during some of these highs&lows I've faced.

I can certainly understand why so many marriages suffer when a family adds the special management of a child's health to all of the other everyday stresses we all face. I am so, so blessed to say that throughout every single bump in the road we've faced, My Prince & I have strengthened our bond & acknowledged how very grateful we are to have one another

in good times & in bad,

for richer or poorer,

in sickness & in health,

'til death do us part.

Also, a couple of cliches proved true for me in 2011:

You find out who your friends are.

(& sometimes you find you've taken some for granted...& sometimes you find you've perhaps been putting a bit too much effort into others. It's another one of those "growing up" things, I think, that it becomes easier to let go of the ties that aren't strong enough to hold through the hard times.)

Also...

...when it rains, it pours.

But personally, I found that the harder it rained, the more easily I adapted to finding ways to make the cold & the wet seem sunny&warm!

In fact, a lot of people have asked me, "How on earth do you stay so positive?" Well, I just do. You can't change these kinds of things, & there is certainly more power in positive thinking than in wallowing in self-pity. & even when My Little Man was very sick, I also had to be a good mama to a beautiful little girl who adores her baby brother, & I would never want to allow my own worries to affect her.

My Little Man is doing well today.

He will always see specialists,

& he will always have some things that need to be monitored,

& God knows I will always be worried to death about him.

But he is a chubby, smiley little cherub; & he is developmentally perfect on all of the cognitive&physical charts. Were it not for the miracles of advanced modern medicine, nobody would even know anything had ever been wrong!

(Although I am not comfortable disclosing any more details, since this is still very much a public blog, & My Little Man has an incredibly rare condition; please feel free to email me if you want to know more. I certainly consider many of you friends & am not intentionally shrouding myself in mystery from those of you!)

Please forgive me...

...if I have not replied to your email at all;

...or if I have taken weeks to respond to your Twitter request.

Please forgive me...

...if I haven't kept up with your blog, which I probably love & miss reading!

...or if you generously offered me some fantastic gift or blog giveaway, & I never even got around to replying to you.

Truthfully, there have been many times in the last few months when I have begun composing in my head some kind of "signing off" or "taking a break" blog post. But each time something prevented me from doing it, even when I felt like I was too emotionally detached from this blog to continue to try to put any kind of heart into it.

Now, after making one of those silly New Year's resolutions to blog more, I've been trying to figure out how to go about it.

Do I just jump right back in, pretending as though nothing personal ever happened to the author of this blog?

Do I delete this blog & start over someplace else?

Do I just go to the email account associated with this blog & "mark all unread?"

Well, I just couldn't bear to do any of those, & so I've spent the last couple days scrolling through emails&messages...& my heart has just been bursting at the outpouring of love from my beautiful blogfriends. THANK YOU.

(I've also been humbled to have some of the most awesome bloggers, & folks from some of the most awesome companies, share words of encouragement&praise! Thank you!)

& so with all of that love, I am beginning 2012 with a big smile & a heartfelt appreciation for all that this "impersonal" blog has personally done for me.

I have no idea where this year will take this blog...

(or me!)

...but I am overjoyed to have you along for the ride.

Our Little Squirrel-Lovin' Girl

I'm not sure exactly how or when it started, but Pretty Little Bare Feet has become quite interested in squirrels in the last couple months.

She had been noticing squirrels outside her bedroom window, & pointing them out when we took walks in our neighborhood.

Then she was ohsodelighted when I bought her this little orange smocked squirrel bishop dress.

& her current favorite pair of "big girl" unmentionables are from Gymboree: bright orange&yellow with a little squirrel on them.

Most recently, Pretty Little Bare Feet has spent the last two afternoons narrating her own little documentary

(which I've been overhearing on the downstairs monitor),

about the little "Squirrel Mommy" that has been posted on a branch just outside her bedroom window.

Now I must admit that the Squirrel Mommy was adorable, with all her little squirrel babies nestled up on the branch with her. But good grief, the mind of a two-year-old

(aaa, she's almost three!)

never ceases to amaze me. Only the blissful freedom of youth could provide one with the awe&patience to stare at a barely-moving critter

(okay, & its barely-moving young, too)

for that amount of time. Absolutely precious...but I do hope that maybe Pretty Little Bare Feet will nap this afternoon, since our little squirrel family has apparently relocated to another branch, out of our sight.

Anyway, inspired by Pretty Little Bare Feet's latest fixation, I just thought I'd share...squirrels are cute! ;)

Squirrel Pull Toy by Woodours at Geared for Imagination

(via: eBay)

Apparently once upon a time, there was a Lilly Pulitzer squirrel pattern for Minnies!

Squirrel Candleholders in Midnight by Jonathan Adler

Love Acorn Raglan Girls Tee by Juicy Couture

Squirrel Tee in Mustard Yellow at Crazy 8

Limited Edition 2011 Fall Charm Bracelet by Juicy Couture

Pretty Little Bare Feet's Palate: I LOVE Lunch-Packing!

Recently, I posted on Facebook about how much I enjoy lunch-packing. I was delighted to find that several of my friends - & not all of them mamas! - are just as invested in trying to create more exciting, healthy lunches, whether for their children or for themselves.

I am (& pretty much always have been) admittedly a bit on the OCD side when it comes to

alphabetizing,

editing,

list-making,

organizing,

etc.

(See? I just alphabetized that list...I almost ALWAYS do that!)

So it should come as no surprise that one of my most recent projects came about from adding "lunch-packing" for Pretty Little Bare Feet to my already somewhat "over-detailed" meal-planning. I began packing lunches for Pretty Little Bare Feet last summer, when she attended camp sessions that lasted through lunch. Now I get to pack her lunch for nursery school four days a week! =)

I would be embarrassed to actually let anybody besides My Prince see my .docx for lunch-planning!

(That would really give away how neurotic I am, & I do try to limit my *many, many, many* crazy lists to my own crazy eyes. ;))

But since I was so excited to learn that so many others are at least interested in lunch-packing...

(if not also a bit off-the-deep-end detailed about it!)

...I would *LOVE* to share with y'all some of my favorite resources for creative, healthy lunchbox ideas - that are almost always well-eaten!

Pretty Little Bare Feet tends to always eat

a small breakfast,

an average-sized(?) morning snack,

a really big lunch,

a small afternoon snack,

& then a puny supper.

So I take advantage of that by putting as much "good stuff" as I can into her lunch every day (even at home!). I also realize how much she enjoys the "dining environment" of unpacking her own lunch & sharing a table with a friend in her classroom - things that motivate her to dig into whatever I pack for her.

Great Blogs, Facebook Pages, Websites, etc. for Lunchbox Ideas:

$5 Dinners

Another Lunch

Family Fresh Cooking

Food @ Babble

(including their blog, the Family Kitchen)

Food for My Family

Food with Kid Appeal

It's Not Just Lunch

Jamie Oliver

One Hungry Mama

Parent Hacks

Parents for Health

Recipes @ Parenting

Super Healthy Kids

Weelicious

Wendolonia

(Pretty much all of those also have Facebook pages linked from their blogs/websites.)

Cookbooks

Brown Bag Success by Sandra K. Nissenberg

Lunch Boxes & Snacks by Annabel Karmel

Lunch Lessons by Ann Cooper

My Lunch Box by Hilary Karmilowicz

the Top 100 Recipes for a Healthy Lunchbox by Nicole Graimes

I've never really given Pretty Little Bare Feet a lot of choices when it comes to eating.

For the most part,

she eats what she's served,

or she doesn't eat again until the next meal

(or snack).

But I even enjoyed making her baby food homemade, so she's been trying different foods since she was a baby & has a pretty adventurous palate most of the time.

Pretty Little Bare Feet's Montessori nursery school also encourages "good" lunch-packing. They ask that parents pack nutritious lunches, even if there is doubt that the child is going to eat all of it. They also advise that letting children help plan their own lunches provides a good opportunity to talk with them about nutrition. We follow their guidelines of

no chocolate;

no nuts;

(we love SunButter!);

no sweets;

only 100% fruit juice;

etc.

The teachers rewrap any leftover food & put it back in the lunchbox, so I always know what Pretty Little Bare Feet does or does not eat! & her teachers are always happy to microwave lunch items for a few seconds, if requested.

(So helpful!)

I use Easy Lunchboxes bentos inside Pretty Little Bare Feet's lunchbox:

They are awesome, & they fit PERFECTLY in Pretty Little Bare Feet's adorable Stephen Joseph lunchbox:

Here are some of Pretty Little Bare Feet's recent lunches:

banana, quesadilla, tomato salsa

(To make that quesadilla, I folded a single whole wheat flour tortilla in half; added a bit of grated cheddar cheese on the bottom to act as glue against the tortilla, canned black beans [rinsed&drained], finely chopped red peppers, finely chopped purple onion, cilantro, & a bit more grated cheddar cheese on top; cooked in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until the cheese melted; & cut into wedges. I use this recipe for fresh tomato salsa.)

hummus wrap, macaroni salad, strawberries, tangerine

(To make a hummus wrap, I fill a wrap with avocado, hummus, shredded lettuce, & tomato. I use Paula Deen's recipe for macaroni salad. The strawberries are kind of hidden under the tangerine in the photo, but they were there!)

apple, quesadilla, sour cream

(To make this quesadilla, I used two whole wheat flour tortillas, filled sandwich-style with a bit of grated monterey Jack cheese on the bottom, finely chopped tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, cooked chicken, & a bit of monterey Jack cheese on top; added a slick of olive oil to the skillet for a crispy exterior; cooked over medium-high heat until the cheese melted; & cut into wedges.)

carrots, pinto bean dip, potato salad, Stacy's simply naked pita chips

(To make healthy pinto bean dip, I puree 1/2 cup chopped kale & two tablespoons olive oil in a food processor; add a well rinsed can of pinto beans, two tablespoons tahini, zest of one lemon, & a small clove of garlic; pulse a few more times; & add salt, pepper, & two tablespoons lemon juice. I use the Barefoot Contessa's recipe for potato salad.)

broccoli & cheese sauce, fried rice, honey-glazed carrots, smoked salmon

(To make these easy honey-glazed carrots, I brought 1 1/2 quarts of water to a boil in a medium saucepan; added five cups Bolthouse Farms carrot chips; cooked for twenty minutes; drained well; placed carrots in a large bowl with three tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, two tablespoons honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind, & 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; & tossed gently. I use Taste of Home recipes for broccoli with cheese sauce, & instant fried rice.)

corn & butter sauce, hummus, kiwi, Stacy's simply naked pita chips

broccoli & cheese sauce, honey-glazed carrots, SunButter & strawberry jam sandwich on Food for Life sprouted bread

corn niblets, hummus with lemon juice, pineapple, Stacy's simply naked pita chips

ham, lettuce, & tomato sandwich on Food for Life sprouted bread; Parmesan Goldfish crackers; raspberry Buddy Fruits

Campbell's double noodle soup, Parmesan Goldfish crackers, V8 V-Fusion Concord grape raspberry juice

Amy's organic minestrone soup; fruit salad with honeydew melon, pineapple, & watermelon; mayonnaise & red pepper sandwich on Food for Life sprouted bread

Baked Naturals cheese crisps, cheese cubes, inside-out caramel apple, spinach leaves, tuna

(You can find the recipe for the inside-out caramel apple here. Because I am pretty consistent about packing healthy, nutritious lunches, the teachers don't mind if I slip some caramel in with the fruit once every couple months or so. ;) I mean, they have parents sending in icky Gogurt!)

(& by the way, that is what the inside-out caramel apple looked like before I had to cut it up to fit into the bento!)

ham; oranges, pineapple, & strawberries; vegetable&oatmeal bread

(To make the *divine* vegetable&oatmeal bread, I used this Mark Bittman recipe. For this particular batch, I used raw, grated zucchini. Since Pretty Little Bare Feet's classroom is nut-free, I substitute oatmeal browned in a little bit of butter.)

& some other lunchbox "staples" we love:

barley with mushrooms&spinach

(Heat two teaspoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add one cup chopped onion, 1/2 teaspoon chopped dried rosemary, & three minced garlic cloves; sauté three minutes; add eight cups sliced mushrooms; cook eight minutes, stirring occasionally; stir in 3/4 cup uncooked quick-cooking barley & a can of fat-free less-sodium beef broth; bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, & simmer fifteen minutes; add eight cups bagged baby spinach leaves, three tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese, & 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; cover & cook two minutes, stirring frequently.)

ice cream cone sandwiches

(recipe here)

mountains&forest sandwiches

(recipe here)

rocketship sandwiches

(recipe here)

(& yes, I do realize that I am a bit more fanatical about lunch-packing/meal-planning than is probably considered normal. ;))