W is for...WH Hostess!

I have talked about my love of stationary before, so you could imagine how thrilled I was when my friend Kelly now has her own line of "social stationary". Kelly is the face behind the darling site, The Party Dress. This "Well Heeled Hostess" knows just what it takes to throw a fabulous soiree, and now with her cute party invites, cupcake toppers and more you can do the same!

WH Hostess stationary can give you inspiration for your next party...I personally love the nautical/anchor party idea. It would be cute for a little boy's birthday...

invites are $15 for a set of 10

cupcake toppers $6 for set of 12

Or this darling Bumble Bee theme...

and I absolutely love her gift tags, which could be used on party favor bags or boxes...

only $4 for a set of 12!

all available on Etsy.com

OMG...Oscar...

Hey Everyone!

I am back from my vacation. It was a great trip, despite the cool weather in souther Florida. We just made the most of it and enjoyed ourselves even though it wasn't 80 degrees. We did have a few days at the pool though, and it's amazing what a little sun can do!

we got one good family photo...

We did some really fun things on this trip like go fishing (you should have seen my outfit! Khaki wind suit...not so pretty), took our son to the zoo for the first time, and an amazing Valentine's dinner. But one of the highlights was a trip to one of the most gorgeous stores I have ever fstepped in, Marissa Collections in downtown Naples.

This store has it all...Lanvin, Manolo Blahnik, Stella McCartney, Tom Ford, Zac Posen...the list goes on and on. Since moving to Kansas City, from Chicago, I haven't laid my eyes on beautiful clothing like this in a while. It was so fun to peruse the racks and see some of the amazing items that I read about in magazines.

I immediately fell in love with these...

I keep reading about these Lanvin Patent flats, and how comfortable they are. But $515...YIKES!

Then I stumbled up on their Oscar De La Renta Pre-Fall trunk show. All I can say is wow. Everything was gorgeous. Almost too pretty to wear, like a work of art. There was a lot of Grey, Pink and Navy and a grouping of reds and rich golds. I was just drooling over it all. They even had the exact dress that Jessica Biel wore to the premiere of Valentine's Day-the movie. The lady at the shop informed me that she wore the sample and it was TINY. I didn't realize she was so small until I saw the picture of her in it...

doesn't she look so small here? I am telling you, in person the dress could not have been bigger than a zero.

and here is the runway shot...

this was phenomenal in person. so Oscar. so feminine.

I really loved this blouse, simple yet elegant. and the COLOR. I wish I could wear this marigold shade!

They didn't have this, but isn't it stunning?! It's hard to beat an Oscar De La Renta dress...

images courtesy of Elle.com

V is for Vacation, Baby!

Oh dear lord, this trip could not have come at a better time. Yours truly needs to seriously recharge her battery. It's been a rough winter so far, and I long for the summer days where we could go on walks, play outside and go to the pool. We are heading to warmer climates, which seems unbelievable considering it is snowing (for the 4th day in a row) outside.

Let's hope our toddler is an angel on the plane. But...you know how that goes, toddlers are like a ticking time bomb. You never know what you are going to get! I am prepared with 2 bags full of books, DVD's, snacks, etc. I am just worried, since the kid doesn't really love to be confined or have to sit still for too long. Thankfully once we arrive, this is what I will have to look forward to...

This is  the spot where we got engaged 6 years ago...to the day almost!

I can't wait to spend Valentine's Day having a moonlit dinner, just the 2 of us...

See you all in a week and a half! Have a great Valentine's day with your sweetheart!

U is for...underneath it all...

We all have a stash of those cotton undies that we would never want ANYONE to see us in. But they are so comfortable and sometimes you just don't want to wear a thong. Well, it's time to put those granny panties away and start thinking about something a bit more frisky. It is only a week until Valentine's ladies, after all. And, it's kind of fun to slip on something silky and beautiful every once in a while.

When I was a buyer for lingerie/under pinnings, I came across the most gorgeous lingerie by designer Wendy Glez. Her intimates and lounge wear are of amazing quality and they are "sexy" without being in your face. Her attention to detail, stunning fabrics, and perfect fit has set herself apart in the intimate apparel industry. I would love to wear any one of these beauties...

Navy and Grey Chemise $110/ Front Ruched Lace boy shorts $64

Chocolate and Mint triangle cami $110 and bikini knickers $52

Triangle Empire chemise $78 (on sale!) and silk knickers $38.40 (also on sale!)

T is for my girl Tracy...I am obsessed!!!

I am sorry to all of my friends and family who are sick of hearing me talk about Tracy Anderson. But, I can't STOP talking about it because I truly cannot believe the results I have had in such a short amount of time.  Up until right after having my son I would say that I worked out "hard" for the past 8 years. I started slacking after our son was born because not only was I tired, but I just didn't have the time to schlep him to the gym, and try to squeeze in an hour workout in between naps. Enter my friend Gina...looking amazing and svelte after a few short months of doing The Tracy Anderson Method. I was completely sold...

Tracy's killer body...pretty ridiculous, right?!

A little background on Tracy. She was a dancer and had a large weight gain during college. She spent 10 years researching a method in which she could tone and lose weight without bulking up. She has a huge celebrity clientele base...Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Shakira, Courtney Cox and Jennifer Aniston. She is literally transforming women's bodies through her method.

I started doing the mat workout video Jan 1. and since then the results have been pretty unbelievable. I measured myself at the beginning because I wanted to see what was actually happening to my body. 5 weeks later I have lost 4" off my thighs, 1" from my butt and hips and 1" from my waist. My lower half is definitely my "problem area", so to see what has happened in these few short weeks is just amazing! I actually was able to pull on my skinniest jeans from when I was in my best pre-baby shape. AND, I had to pull out some old pants from the bag of "give away" clothes because I thought I could never wear them again!

I also have her dance cardio DVD which I will incorporate soon. It's pretty intense. As my friend Jill says, it's like doing jumping jacks for 40 minutes. BUT, I am ready for the cardio and something to break up the monotony of doing the mat video 6 days a week. She also just released 3 new DVD's that I am anxious to get my hands on.

TRUST ME...her method works. I am totally obsessed...any other Tracy Anderson addicts out there?

S if for Sauvignon Blanc!

About 70% of the time I am a bubbly girl, but when it comes to wine I am a tried and true Sauvignon Blanc drinker. My husband and I got turned on to New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc's a few years ago, and it seems like when it comes to white wine this is what we enjoy the most. I think it is the crisp, fruity flavors and light body of these wines that make them so easy (and tasty!) to drink. A lot of people prefer this in the summer, but we really like it all year round. We have tried many different kinds, but these are just a few of our favorites.

Nobilo-around $9 a bottle

This good buy has intense lemon, citrus and tropical fruit flavors that make it absolutely delicious. It's light and crisp and pairs wonderfully with a prawn salad or any fish dish. My dad happens to be a wine distributor, so this is always stocked in our wine refrigerator!

MATUA- around $13 a bottle

According to the Wine Curmudgeon, this wine has citrus, lime and grapefruit flavors up front, and a wonderful pineapple-y middle. Serve chilled and pair it with a chicken or fish dish or even something spicy. This is a popular Sauvignon Blanc served by restaurants, it's a great price for a really good bottle of wine.

KIM CRAWFORD-around $15 a bottle

I was actually recommended this wine by a gentleman from New Zealand that I sat next to on a flight home from NYC. He said this was by far his favorite, and I would have to agree with him. With notes of  Gooseberry, citrus and passion fruit it is the perfect blend of earthy and sweet. It pairs very nicely with any seafood or vegetarian dish and of course a great salad. 

Cloudy Bay-Around $30 a bottle

When we feel like splurging on a bottle of Sauvignon, Cloudy Bay is always our first pick. We first tried this wine on the roof top terrace of the Park Hyatt in Chicago, paired with Sushi and salads. It blew us both away. It has a broad spectrum of varietal flavors which include tropical flavors of guava and mango to ripe lime/citrus and sweet herbs. It is fantastic served nice and cold...especially on a warm summer night.

What is your favorite Sauvignon Blanc?

R is for...Real Women Have Curves

I want to give a little shout out to Kourtney Kardashian for coming out about the pressure of losing the baby weight and how she was heavily photoshopped to look like she was much skinnier than she currently is. Here she is promoting her belly bandit...looking healthy, curvy and beautiful...

NORMAL

5 months after baby

NOT NORMAL...

 I am sorry, but it just bothers me that Hollywood is putting such pressure on women to have a baby and then look like Heidi Klum did when she walked the runway at the VS fashion show, just 6 weeks after having her baby! Don't get me wrong, I am vain. And when I had my baby I definitely was not going to let anything stand in the way of losing the 35 lbs that I had packed on. But it TAKES TIME! It doesn't happen overnight. And really, it is the one time in your life that you can embrace those curves and for most new moms their priority is their little one and spending time with them. Not necessarily hitting the gym.

sorry, just had to vent. That's all for now...

any thoughts on the subject?

*photos courtesy of msnbc.com,