Just Dance!

My nephew, Ryan, is turning a year old this week!  I can't believe it... I have pictures from his adorable little Birthday party coming soon.

The funniest thing about this little man is the fact that he LOVES to dance.  If he's sitting down in the car, he dances with his shoulders, if a toy comes on and plays music, he dances, if he is standing and your cell phone rings, he dances.  I am convinced he is probably the next Derek Hough!  

(please excuse my dumb sounding 'baby' voice!)

Hope you're enjoying your Tuesday!

Sex and They City 2

I am obsessed, truly, with this movie.  I cannot wait to see it.  I am running through the seasons and the first movie just to get myself prepared. :) I have watched this trailer so many times... 

any predictions???

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday!

I'm so thankful for family & friends... so I thought I would share a couple pictures from my Birthday weekend :)

I woke up to this on the morning of my Bday... along with balloons everywhere.  I have a very thoughtful husband.

Eating at one of our favorite restaurants in Carmel... Bahama Billys!

My girlfriend, Michelle, and I at the Highlands Inn.

Shopping on Ocean street in Carmel with some of my favorite girls.

Hanging out before dinner!

I treasure them.

My handsome TL and Zeus.

More friends visited at the end of the weekend!

Sweet friends.

I am so lucky.

What are you thankful for?

Best Self-Tanners?

I have always loved having a little 'color'.

Whether it's natural or not... It just makes me feel better.

But sometimes, when I do the sprays and lotions it just doesn't turn out great.

I have used the Jergens Natural Glow, and it works okay for the face, but not so much the body.

pic

The only other thing I do is the spray tan.  I have done it both in a salon and gone to a friends house who does it by hand.  The only downside:  it can get expensive, and it only lasts for so long!

What self tanners do you use & love??
Let me know and I'll do a post with all your recommendations! 

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for a quiet room at my work to have a lunch break in... time to myself & time to catch up reading lovely blogs.

I am thankful for people who smile.

I'm thankful for the sunny weather!  I love it.

I'm thankful for 'tivo' or 'DVR' (whatever it is).  I love the idea of watching something later with out commercials!  (Criminal Minds... my fave!)

I am thankful for TL who called me this morning when he was getting off work... otherwise, I would have been late to work!  I set my alarm for 'PM' instead of 'AM'.  He always pulls through for me ;)

I'm thankful for my reusable iced tea Starbucks cup (the one everyone wanted during the holidays).  I've used it pretty much everyday since my mom got it for me for Christmas!

I'm thankful for the ocean.  Isn't it incredible.  We spent last weekend right next to it and I could just stare at it forever.

I'm thankful for the new change in my schedule at work (most likely).  No more weekend nights... yay!  Now TL and I can see friends and family like normal people ;)

I'm thankful for the great family and friends I have... I have to include this anytime I talk about things I am thankful for... because with out them, I'm not me.

What are you thankful for?

I hope you are having a beautiful Thursday!

P.S. I'm thankful for all the sweet comments on our wedding pictures - that really makes me feel good, thank you!

Wedding Wednesday

A lot of bloggers do a fun 'Wedding Wednesday' post, and since my photographer just posted a few new pictures from our wedding for us, I decided to share a few! :)  

We got married at Arden Hills Resort & Spa in Fair Oaks, CA.  Our amazing photographer was Rebecca Ford from Ford Family Photography.

Hope you're having a fabulous week!

Top Two Tuesday

Today's top two:

1. I am thrilled for tonight's Fox lineup:  American Idol... and GLEE!!  Yay!

2. I had an amazing Birthday weekend!  I am so lucky to have such amazing family and friends!  I'll post pictures soon.  

Happy Tuesday!

I'm A Total LUSH! (part 2)

In the last few months, I have completely fallen in love with baths. 

 I love lighting candles, grabbing a cup of ice (strange, I know), and starting a hot bath.

My favorite part of baths, besides the total relaxation, is the LUSH bath bombs.  They explode in the hot water and leave an oily, moisturizing bath water that leaves your skin soft for days!  My favorite of all of them is the 'butterball' one.  My mom Santa got me one for my stocking, and I have been hooked ever since. It's hard for me to take a bath with out one now.

courtesy

You can pick all different types of colors and scents.  I've tried a few, and I love them all.

courtesy

"There must be quite a few things a hot bath won't cure, but I don't know many of them."

 - Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar

Thankful Thursday

Thursday, already!

I hope everyone is having a good week. :)

I am thankful for my husband, TL.  We are spending some time together with friends this weekend for my Birthday and I am so excited.

I am thankful for my mini 'spring break'.  I am off for the next 5 days from work, and I think it will be a great refresher... sometimes we just need a break.

But on the work note, I am thankful to have my job.  I really enjoy the people I work with.  I am starting to feel more and more like I can contribute to a team of people, and that feels good.

I am thankful for my sisters.  Sometimes you just have to be thankful for the amazing people you have in your life that are always there for you  no. matter. what.  They are.

I'm thankful for seat heaters in my bug... they make cool mornings amazing!

I'm thankful for girlfriends.  A few of mine are driving a long distance to see me this weekend, and that makes me extremely happy :)

I'm thankful for Target... even though that store gets me in the wallet everytime.  I can walk around for hours and just find all the random things I 'think' I need.

What are you thankful for?

Also, I thought it was funny that so many people thought I was so much older (from my last post).  I'll take that as a compliment... people have told me that my whole life (but if you saw me, you would think I am 15, I look like a child, haha!)

A,B,C...

My friend, Amanda, over at Amanda's thoughts, did this fun post.  

I love learning about people, so I figured I would do it too :)

Let me know if you do it, too!

A - Age: 22, 23 on Friday!

B - Bed size: Cal King

C - Chore you hate: Taking out the trash... stinky!

D - Dog's names: Maximus & Zeus

E - Essential start your day item: hot tea

F - Favorite color: Yellow, black, & white

G - Gold or Silver or Platinum: Platinum

H - Height: 5'0

I - Interesting fact about yourself: I have a serious addiction to the 'clean linen' scent.  I'm talking a serious addiction.  I have spray cans around the house, candles everywhere, and I only buy a specific laundry detergent from costco!  I also smell every piece of laundry as I put it in the dryer.

J - Jewelry you wear everyday: my wedding ring, earrings from my dad, & 2 necklaces from TL

K - Kids: hopefully someday

L - Living arrangements: My husband and I in our home in Northern CA

M - Mom's name: Kathleen

N- Nicknames: Trace, Tracybugs, TZ, and tracy-girl

O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth: In February :(  I hate hospitals!

P - Pet Peeve: Being Itchy

Q - Quote: Live the life you imagined.

R - Right handed or left handed: Right

S - Siblings: 2 fabulous sisters

T - Time you wake up: Depends on the shift I work, but usually 6:30

U- Underwear: can't go without 'em

V - Vegetable you dislike: cauliflower & eggplant (is eggplant a veggie?)

W - Ways you run late: traffic, locking the dogs up

X - X-rays you've had: my wrist, foot, and teeth

Y - Yummy food you make: Cupcakes (thats about all I know how to make!)

Z - Zoo favorite: LION!

Shoe Kick!

Lately, I have been on a total shoe kick. 

(TL says I am always on a shoe kick)

Right after TL and I first met years ago, he bought me a pair of Cole Haan 'Nike air' black pumps.

I still have them, wear them, and love them - even though the heels are worn down past the metal on the heels and there are big cuts and lacerations on the bottom.

I was thinking about all the places I have worn them... around the world on our honeymoon, to many of our wedding festivities, around my college campus, out with friends, and to my everyday work and life activities.  They must have hundreds of miles on them.  I love them not only because he got them for me, but because they are so comfortable... they never hurt my feet.

I might just get another pair of the exact same ones.  But I have also been looking around at other shoes I like.  I want them to be a solid black so I can wear them with everything.

  Here are a few I like:

Louboutins: Patent d'Orsay Pump from Neimans 

Via Spiga Granada Pumps from Nordstroms

Enzo Angiolini 'Merryann' pumps from Nordstrom

Do you have any everyday shoes you LOVE?

And for fun, I love these:

I think these would look good with both jeans, leggings, and shorts.

Stuart Weitzman Chain-detail Gladiators from Neimans

I've always loved Tory Burch sandals... especially these from Nordstroms

Classic Burberry Check Print Open Toe Pumps from Nordstrom

I love these Julianne Peep Toe Wedges from Tory Burch at Nordstroms

I love the color of these Cole Haan 'Tiana Air' Open Toe Pumps from Nordstroms

These are so fun - Bourne 'Georgina' pumps from Nordstroms

Happy Monday!!

xo

Calling all creative people...

I need some help with ideas for an adorable party for my precious nephew's first birthday.  I have a few ideas brewing... but I thought I would ask some of the most creative, fun, and exciting people out there... the blogger world!

He is a total cutie pie.  Since he was born, we've always loved trains for this little guy... but we are open to anything. 

Have you been to any cute kids parties lately?  Fill me in! :)

Summer 'to-do' list:

Summer is just around the corner - already!

Can't believe it.

With Gratitude inspired me to make my own 'to-do' list for this summer.

1. Get a tan.  I can't wait for this - I feel so much better when I have a little color.

2. Swim in the ocean.  It's been a while since i've played in the waves.

3. Wakeboard (this is a given... our family spends much of our summer on the water!)

4. Host a BBQ party - mmm, the true smells and sounds of summer.

5. Get a couple of summer pedicures.

6. Find and wear out a cute pair of shorts!

7. Have a picnic in the shade somewhere in my favorite city (SF)

8. Find a good summer book & finish it.

9.Take a road trip somewhere.

10. Spend lots of time with family and friends.

{This is my friend Sue & I last time we got together in Carmel - love her.}

What about you?? 

Any big trips or summer plans?

Thankful Thursday

It's been forever since I've done one of my favorite kinds of blog posts!

There is always so much to be thankful for.

-I'm thankful for my mom.  We had such an amazing shopping trip and day together this week.  She helped me find so many fun outfits and I just really enjoyed spending time with her.

- I am thankful for Maximus & Zeus.  They provide me with so much happiness and laughter.  I love those two little trouble makers so much.  I always dreamed of having two weiner dogs... so thankful to have them!

-I'm thankful for my health.  After being sick for a couple of months, I am especially grateful to have my health back.  It is something so easily taken for granted.

-I'm thankful for the choices I have.

-I'm thankful for a beautiful family.  I feel truly blessed.

-I'm thankful for my car!  I drive a little VW beetle.  I have had it for over 2 years, and I love it so much.  It was my all time dream car - it is so fun to drive!!

-I'm thankful for Skype.  It allows me to talk to my best friend, Jenny, on a daily basis.  She is living in Barcelona for the year and I miss her like crazy!

-I'm thankful for friends - new & old.  I'm thankful to have so many great memories with great girls... and thankful to be making more in the next few years!

Hope you're having a good day!

Tell me one thing you're thankful for...