do you have a friend (or many) who inspires you to be healthier? i mean, like when you’re lounging in bed at 7 am, dreaming of sidecar doughnuts while checking facebook and she’s already finished a marathon? right. that friend. my friend Robyn is that to me. she’s a smart, hard-charging, all-natural beauty, and is usually […]
a salute to the US Armed Forces
my husband and i had an experience of a lifetime over Mother’s Day weekend. it’s apropos that i post this on Veteran’s Day. we were invited as Distinguished Visitors for a weekend on the US Navy’s USS Vinson, one of 7 aircraft carriers that travel around the world to protect and provide assistance in times of need. i […]
How to paint wood to look like weathered Restoration Hardware wood
hi friends! i’m back with another furniture painting tutorial on how to use chalk paint to get a weathered wood Restoration Hardware finish. here’s my inspiration. a wonderful wood pier that we visited on our summer road trip. the irony is that the piece i was painting, was in fact, a real Restoration Hardware dresser….from the early […]
Restoration Hardware finish on a keg
i blog for fun..and mostly about painting furniture. so when one of my 3 readers asks for technique tips, i’m humbled and sort of freaked out. i’m by no means an expert. i just sneak moments after the kids are asleep to paint stuff i find on the side of the road. with kids, i’ve […]
got sleep? 6 tips to getting more of it.
My friend Nancy Rothstein wrote a book called My Daddy Snores and is known as The Sleep Ambassador®. I’m pretty sure she wrote this book about me, though. Perhaps she wrote it about my entire brood. We all snore. Even this guy. It’s like a really bad rendition of dueling chainsaws. What to do, what to […]
chocolate chip pancake goodness
we’ve been in a pancake phase here at the house for about 4 years. 🙂 this momma hides all kinds of goodness in pancakes. pureed veggies, eggs, milk. start ’em young and they won’t know the difference! the problem is that when i think i’m doing a favor by adding chocolate chips, the kids […]
a gorgeous, romantic, Napa wedding
we just returned from the most gorgeous and romantic wedding….ever. the setting was idyllic with the changing leaves and warm breezes. i wanted to practice my photo skills, especially in low lighting. and there’s no better place to do that than in napa at the pristine Beaulieu Garden, which i believe is the private family […]
lululemon, the new diet
lululemon is like a drug here in Orange County. it’s the dress of choice whether you’re an active marathoner, have an aggro (aggressive, gnarly, hard-core) yoga practice, or are a busy mom who calls tag at the park her sport of choice. so i walk into the store, and am greeted with gorgeous pictures of […]