Great Deal...

Great Deal on Plum District today -- $40 for $80 Worth of Designer Home Decor, Gifts, and Unique Finds from One Kings Lane. Make sure to scoop up the deal today, One Kings Lane always has fab finds, I can't wait to use it!

Wordless Wednesday...

A shout out to my hubby of a little more than 3 months.

I love you so, so much!

San Fran Video!

Recently, I have been loving making little movies on my IPhone! I have a fun app called 8mm that I learned about from my friend C over at Chic Geek, she makes the CUTEST movies with her phone. I am still getting the hang of it but I had some fun footage from our trip to San Fran. I have to remember to take more video, so that the movies are a bit more interesting. Here are some highlights:

13 Pieces = 31 Days of Style from BR

Did everyone get the email from Banana Republic this morning? 

I have to say the tag line totally got me...13 Pieces = 31 Days of Style! 

You know I have complained about putting outfits together, so this email was obviously written for me. I could totally wear a few of the outfits in the classroom and I love how versatile all of the pieces are. 

I am going to check out the selection today and I will let you know how it goes!

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NEW BRAND ALERT!

Be sure to "like" Cape Madras on Facebook and follow them on twitter @CapeMadras - 

LOTS of fun giveaways and discount codes coming up!

72 hrs left for Castaway Clothing's SALE!

The hubby's company, Castaway Clothing, 

is hosting their annual SUMMER SALE! 

There are only 72 hours left, SHOP NOW!!!

xoxo -- heart you MMB! 

Preppy Plates SALE on OKL!

I was so excited to see that One Kings Lane is hosting a Preppy Plates sale. 

I love Preppy Plates, they are so fun and make amazing gifts!!!

I just ordered a few platters as gifts and one for myself (hehe!)

Click here to shop the sale! 

Great Read...for Parents and Children (even us adult children)...

As a teacher, daughter and probably a parent (hopefully) in the next couple of years, I found this to be a great read, it made a lot of sense and made me thankful that I had two wonderful parents!!!

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Article found at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/betsy-brown-braun/ten-pieces-of-parenting-a_b_959138.html?ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false

Ten years ago this month I founded Parenting Pathways. (This is my business through which I offer parents of children, toddlers through teens, a variety of services including private consultations, monthly parenting groups, and individual topical seminars.) Who knew I would reinvent myself? Who knew how much I would learn? Who knew how many times in a week I'd address the complaint, "My kid doesn't listen to me!" I took a risk and made something from nothing. Voila! Parenting Pathways®, my fourth born child, now ten years old.

In celebration of my 10-year anniversary, I offer My Top 10 Pieces of Parenting Advice (in no particular order.)

1. There is no such thing as perfect. Striving for perfection is a road to nowhere. Stop! Turn left! Don't go there! Expecting perfection from your child (or from yourself) is a mistake. Remove the word from your vocabulary. Perfection is relative, and it doesn't really exist. One man's perfect is another's failure. Children need to be taught to strive for satisfaction. They need to think in terms of effort--about caring, about investment, about hard work. And parents need to believe that no one ever gives 100% all the time. Someone will always give more, do better, go beyond you. Sometimes enough is just enough... it isn't perfect. But it's good enough.

2. Prepare the child for the path and not the path for the child. You don't get to craft a world that works for your child; you need to prepare your child for the world. Removing the stones from her way won't enable your child to walk life's path. Your child needs to learn how to ski the moguls! It is by allowing her to deal with pebbles and boulders, cracks, crevices, and sink holes in her way that you prepare her for life. And experience IS her best teacher.

3. "A child who has not been bandaged has not been well parented." Dr. Benjamin Spock taught us many lessons, but this is my favorite. Children need to struggle, sometimes fall down. They need to get hurt, literally and figuratively. And they need to learn to pick themselves up... with the support of a loving parent. It is through such struggle and sometimes pain that children learn they can survive the bruises -- and how to do it differently or better next time.

4. You're only as happy as your least happy child. There is nothing as powerful as the sinew that connects parent to child. It is said that having a child is like getting used to your heart walking around outside of your body. And so it is with the pain your child experiences, physical or emotional. Nothing hurts you as much as the pain your child experiences, the trouble your child is having. I only tell you this so you will be forewarned and know that the ache in your heart is supposed to be there. That's one of the things that makes you the parent.

5. Nothing happens for no reason. (Yes, this is a double negative; that's what makes you think about it!) All behavior is motivated. So often you are baffled by your child's behavior. Maybe it seems to come out of left field. The truth is, there is a reason, and the tricky part is figuring out what it is. Focus on what might be the cause instead of just reacting to the behavior. And remember, so often the behaviors that come out of thin air are really a cry for attention.

6. One careless yes fuels a child through a thousand no's. Especially with young children who have elephant-like memories, stick to your guns. If one Thursday, six months ago, you caved in to your child's whining and gave him the cookie right before dinner, he will remember it and relentlessly ask you for a cookie every day before dinner! Don't sabotage yourself. No means no!

7. Let your child hate you. I know, this one stings. I also know that some people cannot tolerate the word hate. That's not the point. Part of growing up is being mad, sometimes fiercely mad at your parents. Do you think your child really hates you... forever and ever? Of course not. But at that moment you are dirt. It won't last. So don't let it hurt your feelings. Your child is just expressing his. And, if you find the word intolerable, go back long after it's over, an hour later, and discuss other ways for him to express his big, powerful feelings. But don't guilt him or rob him of his right to feel what he feels.

8. "Trust your instincts" may not work. Actually, some people can...but if you haven't spent time around babies or young children, if you're a first time parent, or if babies and young children aren't your thing, it's hard to have instincts about what to do. And some people's instincts are just plain off base, especially if your own parents weren't shining examples of good parenting. We are blessed with resources a plenty, so take advantage. Ask! There are some of us whose lives are about helping people just like you.

9. Be the person you want your child to be. Even though you don't believe it now, the apple really doesn't fall too far from the tree. Your child is watching you all the time; he is absorbing what you say and what you don't say, how you react, how you treat people, how you behave. Modeling is a powerful teacher.

10. The surest way to make life difficult for your child is to make it too easy for him. Need I say more?

San Francisco!

We are back from San Francisco and have completed our seventh of ten weddings we have this year. So much fun but very exhausting. We had a fabulous time in San Fran, MMB and I had never been there before, so it was great to see the sites and explore the city! I have lots of pics to share but I am have been trying to remember how to use illustrator so I put together these two digi-scrapbook pages...please excuse my elementary style, I am still trying to remember what I know! Do you all use illustrator or photoshop?

*you can click on the pages to make them bigger*

Never Forget...Always in our Hearts!

Today, is always a very sad day for me. My heart feels heavy for all the friends that were lost and the families that were affected. We are in San Francisco, and it was odd to be across the country today. Since we are 3 hours behind, I set my alarm to make sure I was awake around 9:03 am East Coast time. I said a prayer for those who were lost, for the heroes and first responders, made a promise to never forget and to always remember how precious life is. I will never forget that September morning, and how my senior year of high school started out with such a horrible event. I remember grabbing my two sisters, who were a junior and a freshman...I remember walking past our good friends in the hallway and trying to stay composed because we knew their fathers worked in the trade center, 3 of their fathers were lost. I am proud to be a New Yorker, I am proud to be from that tiny town on Long Island that lost so many men and women on that cloudless Tuesday morning. I am proud because we are strong and resilient and a community that will never forget those who were lost. Most importantly, I am proud to be an American and know that even 10 years, our whole country can come together and remember.

ALWAYS IN OUR HEARTS!

Wardrobe Organization...

So, today was the first day of school! So exciting, love seeing all the little kiddos and how excited they are, such a warm and fuzzy feeling. However, it made Mrs. B (aka me) realize how badly I need to organize my wardrobe. Seriously, I have tons of clothes and nothing to wear, you know the drill. MMB (the hubby), was teasing me last night, saying here were go again...He was referring to me and my ritual of ripping all of my clothing out of my closet and drawers around 9:30 pm, trying to find an outfit for the next morning. It's not a great experience.

I have always wanted to spend a day and create outfits with all of my clothes and take pictures of different combinations and keep them in a binder, so I can just know what to wear! Have any of you done that?

I have been reading this blog for a couple of months now called Kendi Everyday, love it, and I was so excited to see Kendi featured in the September issue of Matchbook! Her outfits are inspiring :)

Kendi Everyday

A favorite wedding present...

I wanted to share one of my favorite wedding gifts with you all. Alyssa, my friend and owner of A. Tierney and Monograms off Madison, gave us these adorable pillows. One has scenes of Nantucket all over it and the other has scenes from the Hamptons. This was an especially thoughtful gift not only because these two places are so special to us but because we became engaged on Nantucket and were married in the Hamptons. Alyssa went a step further and personalized the pillows, she put the date of our engagement on the back of the Nantucket pillow and our wedding date on the back of the Hamptons pillow! I just LOVE this special gift and have already used the idea and given a pillow to our friends for their wedding (they loved it also)!

Such cute pillows!

Our very special dates :)

My Accent Vlog!

So I did the accent vlog because Melissa from Beantown Prepster is making me!!! MMB actually filmed me (such a good hubby!). I have to say I really don't like myself on camera but I figured I would give it a try. So here is my accent vlog!

The instructions are to say these words:
Aunt, Route, Wash, Oil, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, Sure, Data, Ruin, Crayon, Toilet, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Spitting image, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Syrup, Pajamas, Caught

And answer these questions:
What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house?
What is the bug that when you touch it, it curls into a ball?
What is the bubbly carbonated drink called?
What do you call gym shoes?
What do you say to address a group of people?
What do you call the kind of spider that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs?
What do you call your grandparents?
What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket?
What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining?
What is the thing you use to change the TV channel?

Honeymoon Recap 4: Positano

Well, I thought it was about to time to try to finish up my honeymoon recaps! One of our absolute favorite places during our fabulous Italian honeymoon was Positano. It is just gorgeous! We stayed at Le Sirenuse, the hotel is out of this world, you really must stay there if you ever travel to the Amalfi Coast. We also took a day trip to Capri while we were there, so fun!

Stunning View from our hotel room

Treats waiting when we arrived :)

Spectacular dinner and fabulous views

Looking back at Positano

In the blue grotto - so fun!

Shopping, shopping and more shopping on Capri!

View from dinner at the top of Positano,

getting up there was a little scary!

MMB over pictures...

I had tons of shoes made in Positano, it was great!

Boat ride home from dinner one night,

very romantical :)

KGB very sad to leave!