Muffy Martini

{Giveaway} Monogrammed Stamp

2012-01-30T04:00:00.000-08:00

It's been quite a while since I last hosted a giveaway, hasn't it? Well, I made this one a good one to make up for lost time. The lovely folks at Cafe Press are offering a Muffy Martini reader a Custom Snap Stamper Kit valued at $49.99. I was pleasantly surprised to see Cafe Press has such a varied collection of custom stampers and I'm glad to be able to give one to a loyal reader.

I'm rather picky about the items I giveaway but I KNEW y'all would LOVE these choices-- look at some of these great options:

Of course the dachshund stamp caught my eye!

Another favorite is this square monogram. A little different from everything else out there. I really love this one:

Speaking of unusual ones, I really love the look of this one as well, very traditional.

Of course Cafe Press offers a million options so you're sure to find one to reflect your own interests or style in the mix. Not only do they have great stampers, but their array of custom invitations is fabulous as well.

Would you like to win the Custom Snap Stamper Kit? Simply leave a comment on this post by 9p this Thursday. The winner will be announced shortly thereafter, possibly even Friday if I can manage it!

While it won't earn you extra entries, I highly recommend you keep up with Cafe Press via their charming twitter account: @CafePress or "like" them on Facebook at their Cafe Press page.

Good Luck!

Doxy Lover Valentine's Day

2012-01-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

I LOVE Valentine's Day. The only time of year I can stock up on everything pink and hearts. Obsessed. I love spending time with my Valentine's {aka Mummy and Daddy and now Skipp, owner of my heart} and making sweet treats and sending Valentine's Day cards.

What could be better than Valentine's gifts all pink and cute? Valentine's items featuring WIENER DOGS!!! {Obviously} Here are my current faves, from my "mall on the web"-- Etsy.

Welcome Sign. I could use this on my office door year round. How adorable. This seller {Max, Minnie and Me} is a favorite for dachshund items.
iPad Sleeve. OH MY GOSH. How darling is this?! This item has skyrocketed from "want" to "need" in record time! I absolutely have to have it.

Dachshunds in Love Valentine's Day card. SO cute. Simply ideal!

Dachshund Love Paper Garland. What better way to decorate the house {or office!} than with cute paper dachshunds and hearts?! I could even use this for the pups birthday parties! Adore.
"You Should See My Wiener in Action" Coffee mugs. Because men are Valentine's too and these are as funny as can be! Skipp may just find one of these in his V-day gift this year! Too funny.

Elements of Style: Earrings

2012-01-27T04:00:00.000-08:00

Well, hello there! Riding high off the positive feedback from my last fashion feature ("Black is the new Black") I thought I would continue my series in which I pretend to be very knowledgeable on fashion, style and achieving sprezzatura (word credit to Lisa at Privilege).

I believe in paying attention to details and I adore when people pick up on them. "Oh, how lovely-- your nails are the exact shade of your dress!" Makes my day. I've noticed recently how much I depend on earrings to complete my look. I'm seldom without my pearl studs at the very least and I see them as the final brush stroke in a painting (the painting being your OOTD, natch).

I also noticed lately what a varied collection of earrings I've collected over the years. This week I assembled my most often used pieces and are featuring them here so you may get ideas on how to work earrings into your complete look. Of course, because I am a sentimentalist, most have a story.

Let's start at the nicer end. Everyone loves to dress up once in a while. These are some of my newest earrings. They were a gift from my parents when I became a Catholic. They are not Catholics and weren't sure what to get me, so they thought I might remember that day each time I wear these. They are right and I not only think of that day but their kindness each time I pull them out.

Pearls go with everything and these always compete my evening look no matter what shade, fabric or style I decide on. You really cannot go wrong with pearls.

Along those lines, my most often worn pairs are these two sets of pearl studs. The smaller pair are my "go to" daily pair and the larger ones I wear when I want to make a big impact. Lately I've been wearing the bigger pair more and more often. We all want to make a big impact, don't we? These are the LBDs of my collection. No outfit is complete without them!

If I am nothing else, I am quirky. Downright odd, some might say. Did you think I would have ordinary bland offerings? No, of course. Enter these dachshund earrings (from Etsy seller AN Original Jewelry). Not only are they funny and charming, they are a great conversation starter wherever I wear them. When you take yourself too seriously, you miss out on the FUN!

Aren't these diamond and peridot earrings STUNNING?! What if I told you they weren't diamonds or peridots but faux offerings purchased at Sears for under $5? It's true. I saw these while I was shopping for a freezer and simply adore them. They are classic and yet stylish and add pizzaz to my look everytime. I pair these with pink, green, black or grey.I've never been afraid of COLOR! When you wear a lot of black or other neutrals, earrings are a great way to inject a POP of color into your look. As you can see, I'm fond of the quatrefoil style and always get compliments on these. KEP Designs sells my favorites.

Lastly: STUDS. Perhaps you are like my father and hate the look of pearls (can you even imagine? I mean, seriously!), or perhaps you just feel they are too conservative or "old lady" for younger people. Enter these options. My birthstone is the peridot and I don't have to tell you I wear a lot of pink and green and so these peridot studs fit perfectly into my wardrobe and always offer the perfect finishing touch.

My other studs are gold and silver offerings (Tiffany & Co) and blend seamlessly into the look I am trying to achieve no matter the color or style. I do insist on matching your tones so no silver watch with gold earrings ladies! I also pay attention to the hardware on my shoes and purses to make sure I don't mix metals.

There you have it! What elements of style can you not live without?

On Paula + Paterno

2012-01-24T04:00:00.000-08:00

I'm an independent thinker. I have strong opinions and rarely back down. TWICE lately I've made my mind about something and then "flip flopped" after I heard additional info that changed my mind. Change can be good and more information often leads to a better educated opinion. Do you change your mind often?

My first FLIP FLOP happened over Miss Paula Deen, patron saint of southern bloggers. I ADORE Paula Deen. "Come read my blog, y'all!" I've made several of her dishes but I haven't made any since I joined Weight Watchers. Paula Deen is sort of the anti-Weight Watcher with all her butter, sugar and goodness. Bless her heart.

When I first heard she was getting a hard time about coming out as diabetic and having a pharmaceutical sponsor, I was incensed. "Why, how dare they!" "My beloved Paula!" THEN I found out Miss Paula has been keeping a secret from us! She's had diabetes for YEARS, but never said a word until she got a big ole check from Novo Nordisk. "Well now!" I thought. "That changes things, now doesn't it?"

While I do believe all the hoopla is largely unfounded (especially criticism from other chefs that cook equally "bad" foods), I will say the whole thing left me terribly disappointed in her. Really, now Paula. You've let us down.

My second recent flip flop concerned a much more serious matter. When the Penn State scandal initially broke, I was SO UPSET at everyone involved-- ESPECIALLY longtime coach Joe Paterno, who "obviously" knew something was going on and did nothing. "He's super old!" some said. "He has no idea what's going on!" others claimed. He coaches a football team, I thought. He has to be sharp and couldn't have missed something like that.

Then I visited my parents and my father had a different point of view. "He's 85," Daddy said. "He deserved better after 46 years." I replied, "Not when he's not telling people about things he KNOWS are happening!" "What if I were being molested?! Would you feel the same?" Daddy simply said at 85 he didn't really think he understood what was going on.

Later that weekend I read the Washington Post interview with him. His only after the scandal broke. He claimed he told the people he believed to be the police. The people he thought should handle it. He explained Mike McQueary didn't get into specifics and he'd "never heard" of rape of a man. I believed him. I felt sorry for him. I thought maybe he wasn't such a bad guy after all. I read that he died on Sunday and I felt just awful about it. He should have done more, but he didn't understand the severity of what was going on. He died of a broken heart.

THEN, I spoke with Skipp about the matter. "You REALLY think he didn't know?!" he said, "Even after TEN years ago Sandusky was banned from showering with boys at the University? You don't think something happened to trigger that sort of ban?" "Ummmm.....gosh......I don't know...." was all I could come up with. He WAS right after all. TEN boys over FIFTEEN years? Why did he quit at all? He was obviously forced to step down after people found out....yet no one called the police.

At the end of the day, this is a sad terrible story for a million reasons. Sandusky (presumed innocent until proven guilty) seemingly has been molesting boys for decades while many around him (and around Penn State) pretended to not notice or care. Did Paterno know? I really don't know. On one hand-- how could he NOT? On the other hand, he WAS 85....but he also WAS capable of coming up with plays and managing a football team-- no small feat. One thing is clear-- no matter what he did, he should have been given more than a phone call to tell him he was fired after nearly 50 years. Is what he did excusable? Honestly, I don't think we know enough yet to really decide what the RIGHT ANSWER is here.

I think my opinion is going to continue to go back and forth as more information becomes available. There is no doubt this is a sad story from any angle.

What are your thoughts on Paula and Paterno? Is Paula getting a bad rap? Did JoePa KNOW what was going on and simply looked the other way? I'd love to hear y'alls input. Let me know!

That's the Ticket!

2012-01-23T10:00:00.000-08:00

As you all know by now, long time BFF Daisy visited me this past weekend. After a very rough work week I was looking forward to some down time with an old friend. WOW-- what a difference a weekend can make. I forgot how COMFORTING it is to just sit with an old friend and talk. There was no pretense, no airs, just good conversation, funny stories and nice times.

While it made me realize I've been lacking some good old fashioned FRIENDSHIP here in San Diego, it also surprised me that just 24 hours with a friend was better than a day at the spa. I'm rested, rejuvenated and feeling great.

My visit with Daisy was GOOD FOR MY SOUL and just what the doctor ordered. We baked cookies, watched movies and relaxed. I am a NEW PERSON this week. God bless Dugout Daisy!

This week at work is already ridiculously busy, but I'm taking it in stride and powering through my list of things to do. I've had some great post ideas bouncing around in my head, so hopefully I can find some time to write this week while I'm feeling enthused.

I do hope you all had a lovely weekend as well! XO

Oh, DAISY!

2012-01-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

This weekend longtime bestie Daisy will be making the LOOOOOONG drive from Los Angeles to San Diego to come visit me. This is the first guest we've had since we finished both bathrooms and I am SO looking forward to catching up with her in person (even though we chat everyday).

We've got a packed itinerary that even includes an impromptu triple date with Daisy and a potential new beau! I guess you can say "this is a set up"! HAHA! We're also planning lots of down time, sitting around watching movies and drinking hot cocoa-- maybe with the fireplace going? Hopefully cookies are involved! I do love a good cookie!

This should be a nice weekend capping off an extremely stressful week at work. HOO BOY! She works hard for her money indeed! What are you up to this weekend?

Going Home

2012-01-20T04:00:00.000-08:00

Last weekend while I was enjoying a little R+R with my parents, I realized something.

I miss LA.

After nearly two years in San Diego (March 12 was move-in day!) I really consider "America's Finest City" home. I like our house, I love our neighborhood, I like the proximity to my in-laws (right next door). I'm used to the clean streets and stunning beaches in this town. I'm getting more situated at my (no longer) new job and (slowly, very slowly) making friends and building a life here.

Sitting at our big kitchen table reading the paper last weekend memories came flooding back-- the farmers markets, the Junior League events, the Valley Hunt Club, the Rose Parade, Colorado Blvd, the Galleria, hiking up to the Hollywood sign, grabbing a sammy at Canters (at 4 in the morning), catching a show at the Pantages. I lived and breathed that city.

They say you can never go back home. I know now this is true. If presented with the choice to move back to LA I don't know what I'd do. We could never find a home like ours in the bustling city. Where would we even live? Brentwood? Pasadena? Long Beach? Downtown?

For a long time it was very painful for me to go on Facebook and see what all my friends back home were up to. Seeing the events I would have been with them at and seeing them move on with their lives. Now I've moved on too and realize my time in Los Angeles was a span of time that is over now. LA has changed and so have I. I'm a different person-- very much so. I don't think or act the way I used to.

Is this growing up? I don't know but I know my heart sometimes aches for the city I grew up in but there is nothing to ease the pain because the city has changed and so have I. Where do I belong? Not to a place or town, but rather to my husband and parents (don't forget the PUPPIES!!!). Just like them LA will occupy a place in my heart forever.

Cue the sappy music!

When I get homesick I listen to this song, by Rilo Kiley.

Let it be printed
Let it be known
I'm leaving you
I'm going home

And all you can do is just
Watch me go

I've put you down
Talked you up
Defended your honor
Then packed it in and picked it up

And all you can do is just
Watch me go

From the Eastern seaboard
The land-locked Midwest
The Keys, the Alps, the Black Hills
and Budapest

With my heart in a sling, tail between my legs a swingin'
I'm sorry for leavin'

But when the palm trees bow their heads
No matter how cruel I've been
LA, you always let me back in

And you can bury me when my body breaks
In the earth that created me
In the Golden State
By my mama and her brother
And their mama too

Cause I had a dream I was carried on backs
Of a thousand green birds
And they carried me to a place without words
And there was nothin'
But there was everything

But when the palm trees bow their heads
No matter how wrong I've been
LA, you always let me back in

But when the palm trees bow their heads
No matter how cruel I've been
LA, you always let me back in

Black is the new Black

2012-01-19T04:00:00.000-08:00

While I've never been afraid of color, there is one color I seldom wear. The lack of color present in black has never appealed to me. Oh yes, I have plenty of brown, navy and grey. I accent these with bright blues, pinks and red. Black has just never fit into my style file until now.

Aside from a pair of "business" slacks and an LBD or two, my closet is very clear of black. Lately, however, I find myself gravitating towards it. I wear my Banana Republic black slacks more and more often and I've even pulled out my black cashmere sweater this year.

While my style has always been more 'headed to the club' than 'headed to a funeral' the versatility of black has me intrigued. Mummy and Daddy (my original Valentines) recently gave me my Valentine's Day gift early-- a shiny new black patent leather Kate Spade Melinda bag. I adore it and only owned a single other black bag.

Now that I've got all the right accessories, I'm ready to declare that "Black is the new Black!" This is how I wear my black, how do you wear yours?

Weight Watchers Wednesday

2012-01-18T04:00:00.000-08:00

Hello hello! It's been awhile since I last updated you on my progress. So far I'm holding in place at a loss of 15-20 pounds. I just can't seem to break that 20 pound mark. I've got to do it soon because I'd love to lose the last 15 in the first half of 2012.

How am I going to do that? I'll tell you.

Last week at my WW meeting, the topic was planning and how you have to plan meals and snacks ahead of time to make sure when hunger strikes you have plenty of good snacks and power foods around. I didn't have much in the way of power foods OR healthy snacks since I knew my week was full of extracurriculars after work and I was headed out of town for the weekend. Why go grocery shopping when you won't be around to eat any of it? I knew a big shopping trip was going to be my key to success.

Yesterday Skipp and I hit the supermarket and loaded up on TONS of veggies, some fruits and some salad fixins. I love a good salad. We also found light coconut milk-- the key to lightening up a Skipp-favorite: curry. I also switched the usual chicken/pork to shrimp to lighten it further.

All this time, I've been unwilling to be flexible with "light" foods (light butter, reduced fat cheese, etc etc) but I've decided to give them a chance to break my mini-plateau and make my goals. So far they haven't been atrocious.

Last night I made "light" curry and also made a healthy breakfast. Too often we sleep in and don't make good breakfast choices due to time constraints. Today we had eggs, bagels (ok, bagel thins!), and sausage (tequila lime chicken sausage-- yum!) for breakfast and it was all ready in about two minutes. I added some reduced fat cheese to my eggs and also added salsa for added flavor.

I'm determined to get back on track after several weeks of coasting along. At one meeting my leader said something that really reached me: "If you kind of do it, it kind of works." That's SO true. I'm hoping to break the 20 pound mark (I'm SO close!) by the first week in February when I have a out of town trip planned.

Here's hoping with enough focus, determination and planning I can make my goals soon. How are your resolutions coming along?

The Weekend In Numbers

2012-01-17T04:00:00.000-08:00

6 = Number of slices of breakfast garlic toast consumed by me this weekend

2 = Number of fudge brownie ice cream sundaes ordered while out with Mummy and Daddy - "In all my years here, no one has ever ordered a second one...!" -our waitress

3 = Number of pink bow hair accessories crafted by me. This is the hair bow-- incredibly easy. Expect a "how to" tutorial soon.

Speaking of hair accessories--

4 = Number of new bow headbands I picked up this weekend. Love these double bow ones from L. Erickson:

2 = Batches of extra special cookie dough made. One for mummy (no chocolate or nuts) and one for Daddy (extra chocolate chips and pecan pieces). (Find extra special cookie dough recipe HERE).

3 = Number of football games watched with Daddy

3 = Number of football games watched with Daddy where our team lost (boo!)

2 = Lonely pups waiting for mummy's quick return:

1 = Number of Skipp Guinnesses so glad to have a wife again!

I had a wonderful weekend whooping it up single child style back home with my parents. What did you do this weekend?

Weekend Plans

2012-01-13T15:30:00.001-08:00

This weekend I am sitting down with some needle, thread and some perfectly pink pins...

...and starting a sewing project! I've been meaning to find time to start on my monogrammed pillow project and I've set aside some time this weekend to do it! I love this pink and green pin cushion tomato-- isn't it darling?

I'm looking forward to a quiet weekend with not too much to do.

What are you up to this weekend?

WES IS BACK!

2012-01-12T16:00:00.000-08:00

There are few things I love more than a Wes Anderson flick. He's always spot-on with his references, his soundtracks are always outstanding and the dialogue is always clever. He does preppy in a very dark, ironic way that I simply adore. My favorites include:

Rushmore. This movie CRACKS ME UP. "Are you a nurse?" "No, these are O. R. scrubs." "O, R they?" Kills me. Truly classic.

The Royal Tenenbaums. This flick was particular dark but very well written and the layers in his storylines are so engaging.

My absolute favorite! The Darjeeling Limited. Also very dark, yet so sentimental. I love the Indian landscape (it's really the 4th major character) and the ending was exquisite.
I am BEYOND excited to share that I just heard he is BACK with a new film! Moonrise Kingdom looks to be more of the same-- in the best way! The characters are always so engaging and this story looks sweet and entertaining!!! Here is the trailer:

Are you as excited as I am that Wes is back?!

For The Beginner...

2012-01-10T04:00:00.000-08:00

If you recall, not that long ago {ahem, this post}, I was pining away for Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts. I happen to be lunching near a Barnes and Noble (one of the last B&M bookstores now...how sad is that?) and popped in to take a look at it in person. Wow-- can you say underwhelmed?

While it was informative and the pictures in it were quite lovely, I really had no interest in any of the projects in the book. I was BEYOND disappointed and was looking elsewhere on the shelf when I found this:

Sewing 101! Heyyy, that sounds right up my alley. I browsed through it and LOVE each of the projects in it. Not only that, this book is $10 cheaper than Martha's tome. The projects in the book go from VERY basic and easy and get slightly more complicated as you go on. The intent is that by the end of the book you will have a good set of sewing skills.

I really enjoyed the informative beginning (basic parts of your sewing machine, reading a pattern, choosing the right fabrics) and I LOVE all the home decor projects in the second half of the book!

If you're looking to learn how to sew and have zero experience with it (like me!) I'd recommend this book. Great resource and very helpful. Happy crafting!

How Very PINTERESTING!

2012-01-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

Hello, my name is Muffy. I am the last person on the planet to join the craze that is Pinterest. You can find me at: http://pinterest.com/muffymartini/

Now that all that is settled, what do I do with this thing? "Pin" things from the internet? Follow people you like? Direction please!!! How do you use Pinterest?

Friday Favorites: Doxy Love

2012-01-06T04:00:00.001-08:00

I am endlessly impressed with the crafters that sell on Etsy. As someone who gave it a go once {remember Beachy Baubles?} I really appreciate how HARD it is to turn a profit and stay competitive at the same time. Not only that the TIME required to run a store is no joke.

Something that brings me great joy is searching for dachshund related items. There is always something new and innovative and the Etsy community is always thinking of new ideas and crafts that make you go, "Ahhhh!" Here are a few recent favorites:

Valentine's Day dress for Miss Bitsy Marie Martini Guinness. HOW AMAZING IS THIS?! The bow! The collar! The colors! I think she needs this....STAT!

Dachshund Bookmark.This is so funny. The end.

Dachshund gloves. OH. MY. GOSH. The cuteness factor is THROUGH the roof. These are ridiculously charming. The perfect way for a crazy doxy lady or kid to keep warm when the weather turns chilly.

Polka Dot black and kraft dachshund stickers. Kraft paper gives everything such a good look-- I adore the way it has a country style to it. I would use these to put on packages and as gift tags. So darling!

Dachshund notecards. I love how simple these are and I love the rounded corners. These would be a great hostess gift for the doxy lover in your life (male OR female)!

Barbeque the Dachshund applique pillow. Isn't this the cutest? Really darling. Adorable.

There you have it! The best of Doxy on Etsy!

Of course I want it all. What do you have your eye on these days?

Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!

2012-01-05T04:00:00.000-08:00

This is an exciting post to write! A few weeks ago I was reading one of my favorite blogs Her Southern Charm {check out her store too!} and entered her contest for a $75 (!!!) St. Bernard Sports gift card. I was beyond excited to discover I won (!!!!!!) and then I became overwhelmed with the crucial decision of what to get with my gift card!

This week I finally made my decisions and now I can't wait to get my goodies in the mail! Starting the new year with some new pieces? What could be better?!

While St. Bernard Sports sells every brand under the sun and I thought for sure I'd get something from Lacoste, the North Face or Patagonia, I ended up going with, you guessed it, a Lilly tunic! Love this print and it will be perfect for this spring and summer:

I even had enough credit left over to pick up this cute pink and orange headband (from Lacoste):

I am beyond excited about winning! Starting off 2012 on a good footing, for sure. How is 2012 treating you so far?

BFFs {the untold story}

2012-01-04T04:00:00.000-08:00

Does anyone else find it incredibly hard to make new friends as we grow older?

When I lived in Los Angeles, I had a number of gal pals I could count on should last-minute concert tickets/coffee needs/girl talk situations arise. I've never been the most popular girl in school, but I could hold my own. Since moving to San Diego {nearly TWO years ago now!} I find that it's hard to find people with similar interests.

Work sounds like a natural place to make some buddies, but I've made very few. Not many other young marrieds (or young singles, for that matter) work here and our office is quite small (especially compared to the 500+ coworkers I had in LA). I would consider myself very involved in the Junior League but I haven't really made many friends there either. I've met a million super fabulous ladies and at events I always find someone to chat with...but while I've tried and tried I just haven't crossed that bridge to BFF with anyone yet.

Skipp and I like to stay busy in our neighborhood. Our church is at the center of our social life and I've met a ton of super fabulous people there, but again, they are much older than us and many even have children our age.

Why is it so hard to find other married couples who like to do similar things once we pass the age of 22? We are regulars at the dog park, make it to all the San Diego Dachshund Club events, are active at our church and in the community, and both work full-time jobs and yet between the two of us we have a handful of friends.

If Skipp didn't have a huge family full of fabulous siblings and cousins, I think I'd go mad. I know I can't be alone in this-- why is it so hard to make friends as adults?

Ooh La La!

2012-01-03T11:00:00.000-08:00

Ooh la la! What better way to start the year than with a nice new frock! When Lilly sent an email out about a sale today, I never imagined there would be anything left by the time I signed on {those East Coasters have a love of Lilly that may rival my own!}. Alas, there was plenty and I was happy to snap up the Evie dress for around $50!

I hope it fits-- I've never tried this style on in store before. Did you find anything fabulous for 2012 in the Lilly sale today?

Goals for 2012

2012-01-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

Every year I like to make a list of resolutions. This year I think it seems silly, so instead I have a list of goals. I don't want to resolve to be a better person because each day I try to be the best person I can be. Many days I am unsuccessful, but hey, at least I'm trying! This year I am setting goals that I hope to achieve.

I took a look at last year's resolutions and am glad to say I fulfilled most of them in 2011. Here are my 2011 resolutions:

*Baby Diet*
In preparation for having a child in the next few years, I wanted to lose around 30 pounds. I'm hovering around the 20 pound loss mark right now and very pleased with my progress. I'm certain I can knock those last 10 pounds off in 2012!

As a motivator to keep losing, I will reward myself when I pass the 20 pound mark and remain there. My reward will be the pink Cambridge Satchel Company bag I have been coveting for ages!

*Healthy Eating*
Joining Weight Watchers has really educated me about nutrition and portion size and I'm really happy to say I've fulfilled this resolution this year. Yay for health!

*My Blog*
I still want to do something special with the blog but I'm not sure what yet. I really think it could use a little work but I've been so busy this year I haven't had time to think about it. Still, my fancy header counts so I'm calling this resolution fulfilled as well!

*Fitness*
I don't know how many years I've resolved to get more active. This year I joined my local Dailey Method studio and go several times each week. I finally found something that interests and engages me and that was all it took. I can really tell my body is shifting and I definitely feel more toned and I also feel thinner than I felt the last time I was at this weight. Mission accomplished!

*Furniture*
Last year I resolved to find an old piece of furniture and redo it. I found a lovely desk and bought all the tools I need but I haven't actually sanded it down and repainted it yet. I feel like since I am 75% of the way there, I will consider this one resolved as well.

How do you like that? Almost everything was fulfilled and complete! This year I want to continue working on myself from the inside out: building more faith, getting more fit, having a healthier lifestyle and becoming a better person.

What are your goals and resolutions for 2012?

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

All the best to you and yours in 2012!

A Very Muffy New Year!

2011-12-31T05:00:00.000-08:00

Another year has come and gone! How quickly this one flew by! Do you have fabulous plans for the evening? Skipp and I will be heading to a party nearby to celebrate with lots of food and fun. I hadn't been on Polyvore in a good long time but what better time to revisit Polyvore than New Year's Eve?! I wish you all the best in 2012, but for the final night of 2011, I wish you a VERY Muffy New Year!

A Muffy New Year! by MuffyMartini

The 2011 Anti-Prep Awards

2011-12-30T04:00:00.000-08:00

Many times people ask my thoughts on what is and isn't preppy. While a specific definition of the word is hard to pin down, when something isn't preppy, it can become clear very quickly.

What is prep? It's not a line of clothing or a specific familial lineage. It's not playing a particular sport or going to a particular school (although that does help, doesn't it?). Being preppy is more about living a sort of lifestyle. Why do people call me preppy? It could be because I'm a traditionalist. Being preppy doesn't mean I wear Lilly Pulitzer and lunch at the club. It means that I believe in a certain way of doing things, no matter how the world around me changes. Is that what makes me preppy? I don't know and I don't care much for labels (on clothes or on people) so I will stick to what I DO know-- the Anti-Preps of 2011.

Without further ado, Muffy's picks for the LEAST preppy people of the year!

THIRD PLACE:

A two-way tie between the casts of The Real Housewives and Jersey Shore

Where to begin? The lack of tact? The language? The unnatural spray tans? The hairspray? I don't think either of these choices requires much commentary except to say if this is the way our society is headed, I'm going to start stockpiling the Hendrick's and tonic now.

Is it worse that these people are allowed to be on television or that so many watch and love them? I couldn't say. The lack of any kind of decorum, civility or {I hate to use this word} class is deplorable. God save us all.

SECOND PLACE:

The Occupy Movement Protesters

Ah, where to begin here? I'm all about free speech and respecting the opinions of others, but when did hating the rich become an acceptable practice? Not just hating them but DEMANDING that they share their wealth? How about this-- how about you get a job, make a few million and give all that away? I think we would all be fine with that. So glad that's all settled.

It's not JUST that they cost taxpayers millions with this nonsense and that I happen to think the cause is absurd, it's that something like this should not happen in our very own country.

I was taught to work hard and enjoy the fruits of my labor as I please. I WANT to be the 1%, I do not want them paying for my healthcare. These dirty-looking, largely unemployed people have decided the world OWES them and the rich should not have it all.

Here is a thought: Want it all? Become the rich. The end.

Perhaps all the protesters could use a nice getaway to Nantucket? Relax by the sea, buy some new reds at Murray's and get to searching the classifieds for gainful employment. Who knows, next year they might be voted preppiest of 2012!

FIRST PLACE:

Kim Kardashian

(and the whole Kardashian Klan)

Oh yes, I went there!

Let's see.....I could start with the reality show (cringe), mention the brief fraudulent marriage (double cringe) or point out the endless line of endorsements (watches, perfume, books...did I miss any?). Kim's life appears to revolve around constant promotional appearances, filming, and developing new products to cover in the letter K.

While I would never begrudge anyone the opportunity to become independently wealthy (see second place winner), there is a time and place for everything and the deep over-saturation of the Kardashians has given Kim the CROWN of Most Anti Prep in 2011.

Kim, dear, why don't you go ahead and escape the limelight a little in 2012? I know a great little resort in Bermuda where you could rest. No photographers, no makeup artists, no hairstylists....oh, you wouldn't care for that? Isn't that a shame.

Who do you consider the Anti-Preps of 2011?

The First Noel {+ more decor!}

2011-12-29T04:00:00.000-08:00

Let's work off all that dessert with a walk around Casa Guinness. This year we purchased a lovely nativity scene that just fit PERFECTLY on our sofa table. We displayed all our cards above it and it was a perfectly festive little spot of happiness.

Skipp believes every home should have a good dictionary and a good nativity scene and with this purchase, we now have both. Here is a closer look at our scene, complete with wise men, shepards and even a camel! {Notice the absence of baby Jesus? This photo was snapped before Christmas and his arrival!}

I love the details of the sculptures. The faces are so expressive!

I told Skipp, "If one more person had been there, we wouldn't be able to fit the scene on this table!" but I love how many pieces were included.

On Christmas Eve Eve there was a knock on the door and this beauty arrived. Skipp's grandparents sent it to us to and it made a lovely centerpiece on the main dining table.

The village on top of the foliage lit up and played Christmas carols. I'll love using this village in our Christmas decorations from years to come! Such a thoughtful gesture.

Our other tables had fresh centerpieces we purchased from our church. They made the whole house fragrant and brought some color to the tables.

The center table in our dining room (we fit THREE tables in the dining room with a main table in the center of the living room while our coffee table stayed in a guest bedroom!) featured this Three Kings figurine.

...and now, a shot of our Christmas tree. Oh wait! That's not our tree, that's BITSY! Oh, Bitsy dear, why are you dressed as a tree? I'll bet your wackadoodle Mummy had something to with that! You look terrific, darling!

Ahhh, that's more like it! I love that in only two years, we've found some lovely perfect ornaments to add to our tree. The tree is over 30 years old (older than either of us!) and belonged to my parents. I love that they gave it to us and a little piece of them is in our living room all season. Stay tuned as there is MORE Christmas At Muffy's House to come!

Save Room For Dessert!

2011-12-28T10:30:00.000-08:00

Ah, where have I been for nearly two weeks? Planning a Christmas shindig for 30 and vacationing in Vegas! I'm about to bombard you with posts about our party because I don't think they will be relevant after Jan. 1 and the clock is ticking! HA!

Since the general consensus is that only so many photos are acceptable before we all lose interest in a post, I will begin with everyone's favorite: DESSERT. We had a lovely selection of desserts at Casa Guinness on Christmas. Here are some of the delicious assortment:

Pecan Pie. Yes, please! Isn't this gorgeous?! I was as stuffed as could be by the time dessert was served but I had to make room for this beauty, brought by Mummy Guinness for the party. I think it looked ideal on my silver plated cake stand.

Many of my own Christmas memories are influenced by my fathers time in Hungary and some of the traditions he brought back home with him. Szaloncukor is something we've had every year of my life and I had to incorporate it into our party. I have some shipped over from Hungary every year and in Burbank there is a very fine European deli that sells it as well {Otto's}. These flavors were (gold) hazelnut creme {a new favorite!} and (red) citron {citrus jelly}. They were so popular only a few were left after the party.

Traditionally, they are hung on the Christmas tree. We hang 2 boxes on our tree each year, but for some reason people never take them off our tree to eat! I suppose it's not something they are used to. I may have a LOT of extra candy when it comes time to take down the tree!

Another Hungarian Christmas tradition we have in our home is Bagli. Bagli is a strudel made of either walnut (dios) or poppy seed (makos). While I favor the poppy seed, it's an acquired taste and the walnut is well loved by everyone. We make this from SCRATCH each year in a marathon baking session that takes an entire weekend. The filling is very well flavored with plenty of rum (!!!) and golden raisins. They flew off the platter and everyone loved them.

What is Christmas without COOKIES?! Dearest Aunt Cris baked these and brought them over. The haystacks were my absolute favorite and I likely ate most of the ones pictured here. Many of the others disappeared before I could even try them. Isn't this plate delectable?!

Mummy Guinness spent several days baking 100s of these Bizcochos. She makes these every year and they are incredibly light and flavorful. Everyone was asking to take home a bag at the end of the evening.

Another one of Skipp's aunts, Linda, made these charming cupcakes and brought along this adorable cupcake stand. There is nothing quite like homemade cupcakes, are there? She made carrot cake with creme cheese frosting, red velvet, and chocolate and each one was SO GOOD. {I simply HAD to try each flavor-- wouldn't you?!}

Of course my party guests couldn't leave empty handed! I had a bag of exotic chocolates for each family to take home. The flavors included honeycomb, chipotle, cinnamon and more. Lots of wacky combinations I hope they enjoyed. Their dentists will later thank me for bringing them so much business in 2012.

There you have it! What did YOU eat for dessert this Christmas?

Wish List

2011-12-15T04:00:00.000-08:00

While Santa was very good to me this year and bought me a sewing machine (!!!), I would be lying if I didn't admit to having an item or two left on my wish list. Let's discuss!

For YEARS and YEARS I have been lusting after a Cambridge Satchel Company bag. Skipp and I are hoping to visit Europe in 2012 (*fingers crossed!*) and I now have an image of a wildly sophisticated "World Traveler Muffy" walking down the Champs Elysees in my mind and the image cannot be complete without a stylish pink Classic Cambridge Satchel. Isn't it just ideal? It can be MONOGRAMMED!!!

Of course not all wish list items have to be big ticket items. What a terrific companion piece to a new sewing machine! I love Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts and reading reviews it sounds like this one is a wonderful resource for the novice!

As you can see, my wish list is short this year. I'm feeling grateful for all the blessings of 2011. My father is still alive and kicking after his dangerous bout with pneumonia and our Bitsy and Bandit bring us so much joy everyday. What are YOU wishing for this year?

Pork Roast Supper

2011-12-14T04:00:00.000-08:00

This weekend I made the most delicious meal-- it was so incredibly quick and easy to put together, I have to share it. A few weeks ago, Costco had a ridiculous sale on pork roast so we bought a ton of it. I'm talking EIGHT roasts. I know, we're nuts. Hey, we like pork! The other white meat! I digress. I've made about three of them so far and each one has come out incredibly tasty. I've been experimenting with new recipes and I've found a lot of success.

The first recipe I tried was Smoked Paprika Pork Roast with Sticky Stout BBQ Sauce from the October issue of Southern Living. I served that dish with the Grilled Peppers and Mushrooms from the same issue, and it was one of the best meals EVER. The second time around I sliced the roast and soaked the slices in the Sticky Stout BBQ Sauce {recipe above} and grilled them on the BBQ. Really good and they cook quickly.

This time I pulled out my best friend, the slow cooker.

The main course was Tangy Slow Cooker Pork Roast. I adapted the recipe from AllRecipes. For side dishes I made braised red cabbage (sweet and sour!) and german potato salad. In under an hour we had an incredible meal that was filling as well as healthy. Here are the recipes:

Tangy Slow Cooker Pork Roast

1 large onion, sliced
2 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin roast
1/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 dash hot pepper sauce, or to taste (I used 3-5)

1. Arrange onion slices evenly over the bottom of the slow cooker, and then place the roast on top of the onion. In a bowl, mix together sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and hot sauce; pour over roast.

2.Cover, and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours, or on High for 3 to 4 hours.

{Note: Next time I may double the sauce. The sauce is excellent and makes a delicious dip for the pork}

German Potato Salad {Weight Watchers}

1 1/2 pound(s) uncooked red potatoes, unpeeled (about 14 small potatoes)
3 oz uncooked Canadian-style bacon, finely chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium uncooked onion(s), chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp black pepper
2/3 cup(s) water
1/4 cup(s) apple cider vinegar
1 large whole hard-boiled egg(s), chopped
2 Tbsp parsley, fresh, chopped

Place potatoes in a large saucepan; add enough water to cover potatoes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and allow to cool. Cut potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices; set aside.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until slightly brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet; set aside.

Add oil to same skillet; warm over medium heat until sizzling. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in cornstarch, sugar, salt, celery seed, dry mustard and pepper; cook about 1 minute. Add water and vinegar; stir and cook until thick and bubbly, about 1 minute. Stir in potatoes and bacon; toss to mix. Cook, stirring gently, until mixture is heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with egg and parsley. Yields about 1/2 cup per serving. {3 points a serving}

Braised Red Cabbage {Recipe by Muffy}

1 bottle Greenwoods Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 apple, chopped into small cubes
1 small onion, sliced

Add oil to a medium skillet and turn on medium high heat. Add sliced onions, cubed apples, vinegar and sugar to pan and pan fry until both apples and onion are very tender and onions are browning (may take 30+ minutes). Add entire bottle of red cabbage simmer on low heat for another 5-10 minutes. Serve hot.

200 Too Few!

2011-12-13T12:55:00.000-08:00

I found this online recently and had to share-- how much of your favorite pie can you enjoy for around 200 calories? Not much, it appears! Of course pecan is my very favorite. Isn't this interesting?! I'm still going to enjoy a nice big slice of pie on Christmas day! What about you?

Gearing Up for XMAS!

2011-12-12T10:30:00.000-08:00

Can y'all believe Christmas is nearly here? We're down to two weeks! How time flies. This weekend was terrific. After my BFF caught a cold and couldn't visit as planned we couldn't let a clean guest room sit empty! Mummy and Daddy came down and we had a LOVELY time.

The weekend didn't start off on a positive note. Skipp recently lost two great aunts and on Friday we celebrated the life of one of them at a funeral mass in Los Angeles. It was a lovely service and she is now at peace. After the mass and burial, we headed to Glendale to see my parents and grab some lunch.

The Americana at Brand was looking very festive with a large Christmas tree and lots of wreaths. Going there really lifted our spirits. We enjoyed lunch at the new Chi Dynasty location before hitting the road back to San Diego.

On Saturday my parents arrived and got to see our home decked out for the holidays. They marveled at our giant tree and stockings hung by the chimney with care! We decided to hit up a favorite San Diego haunt: Harrah's. We enjoyed seeing all the gingerbread houses set up all over but I had never seen one like this:

Two floors! Made entirely of candy! They even did the inside:

After all that excitement, we came home to find Bandit trying on his Santa suit! He just wanted to make sure it still fit after all the Christmas cookies he's been eating! HA!

We spent the rest of the day baking cookies and relaxing with the pups. This weekend we were finally able to hang all the frames I've been collecting for months and put them up all over the house. It really looks like we live here now! The house is nearly ready for Christmas! It's a very exciting time at our home.

Are you gearing up for Christmas too?

Festive Fashions!

2011-12-08T04:00:00.000-08:00

One of the best parts of this time of year is that we get to bring out our fun plaids and party dresses and cozy up with winter sweaters! I was in Sears this weekend and LOVED some of the festive fashions Lands End is offering this year.

I love the look of a high waisted skirt with a tucked in button front. Navy and green are such terrific colors for a plaid too. {A-Line Skirt}

Everyone needs a LBD {Little Black Dress} to carry them through the Holiday Party Circuit {oh yes, that needs to be capitalized!}. I am DYING over the scallop trim hem on this LBD. If I were a fashion designer, every skirt in my collection would have a scalloped trim! {Scalloped Edge Dress}
I'm not big on holiday sweaters (it doesn't tend to get cold enough in these parts often enough) but this option really caught my eye. It has the "fair isle" feel, but also seems more modern than those. I love the festive red color. {Fair Isle Turtleneck Sweater}
Of course Bandit never wants to be left out {and looks so dashing in a smart sweater!} so Lands End has made sure to include him as well. He'll look so darling standing beside Bitsy in this argyle dog sweater. {Hand Knit Pet Sweater}

What are you wearing this season?

Perfectly Persimmon!

2011-12-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

Ah, the persimmon! A fabulous fruit if ever there was one! I had my first persimmon last year in Missouri. We were driving around and Skipp's uncle pointed out a persimmon tree bursting with ripe fruit. We got off our Kubota RTVs and tried some. WOW! It doesn't really taste like anything else! I fell in love.

Right now persimmons are in season and readily available. I bought two cartons of Fuyu {California Grown} persimmons and I'm having the time of my life enjoying them and using them in recipes. I find that many of my friends have never had persimmons so it's exciting coming up with things they can try and enjoy. This past weekend I had a blast making Nancy Reagan's Persimmon Pudding, which is really a cake, with brandy whipped cream sauce. Here is that and some other persimmon recipes I'm going to try soon:

Nancy Reagan's Persimmon Pudding
{with Brandy Whipped Cream}

{Adapted from the Junior League of Pasadena cookbook: California Mosaic}

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup persimmon pulp ( 3 to 4 very ripe persimmons)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons warm water
3 tablespoons brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup seedless raisins
1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons orange peel, grated (optional)

Brandy Whipped Cream Ingredients:
1 eggs
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brandy

Stir together butter and sugar.
Resift flour with salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and add to butter and sugar mixture.
Add persimmon pulp, baking soda dissolved in warm water, brandy and vanilla.
Add eggs, mixing thoroughly but lightly.
Add raisins, pecans and orange peel, stirring until mixed.
Turn into buttered steam-type (about 5- to 6-cup) covered mold.
Cover and steam on a rack in a pot of water on top of stove 2 1/2 hours.
Let stand a few minutes, then unmold onto a serving plate.

Flame at table with additional brandy and serve with Brandy Whipped Cream Sauce: Beat 1 egg until light and fluffy.
Beat in 1/3 cup melted butter, 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, salt and 1 tablespoon brandy flavoring.
Beat 1 cup heavy whipping cream until stiff.
Gently fold whipped cream into butter mixture.
Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Stir before spooning onto pudding.

Note:If you prefer not using a raw egg in the sauce, simply combine whipped cream with a little powdered sugar and a little brandy flavoring. It will have a different texture and consistency but will taste delicious with the pudding.

Persimmon Cookies {From All Recipes}

Ingredients:
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup persimmon pulp {Hachiya variety suggested}

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.Cream together the shortening and sugar. Add egg and vanilla; mix well.

3.Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir flour mixture into creamed sugar mixture.

4.Stir in the raisins, chopped nuts, 1/4 teaspoon salt and persimmon pulp; mix well.

5.Drop by the teaspoonful on greased or parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Lastly, a Fuyu Bundt cake recipe from the California Fuyu Growers Association. This recipe sounds SO easy, I'll be making it this weekend.

Fuyu Bundt Cake
{California Fuyu Growers Association}

Grease and flour a bundt cake pan. Preheat oven to 350.

Blend 2 tsp. baking soda into 3 cups of chopped firm Fuyus. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup soft butter with 1 2/3 cups sugar. Add 2 eggs, 2 tsp. lemon juice, and 2 tsp. vanilla and beat until fluffy. Stir in Fuyu mix.

Sift together 2 cups flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. ground cloves, 1 tsp. cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp. nutmeg. Stir flour into Fuyu mixture just until blended. Add 1 cup chopped walnuts and 3/4 cup raisins.

Pour into prepared bundt pan. Bake at 350 for 55 - 60 minutes or until toothpick tests clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Turn onto rack.

There you have it! You should have enough recipes now to use all the persimmons you can get your little hands on. If you make all these and STILL have persimmons left over, I think I'll be making some persimmon bread this year too. The recipe looks fab. Are you hungry now? Me too...I think I'll have a persimmon!

A Very PINK Christmas!

2011-12-05T04:00:00.000-08:00

It is officially Christmas in my office! How long have I been promising shots from my office? Too long, that's how long! I didn't make it "photo ready" before shooting these with my phone, so let's pretend it's usually very neat and organized at all times, shall we? What? I am a busy woman! Give me a break! Hahaha...ok, onto the photos...

Here we are! Welcome! Come on in and take a seat! As you can see, I hung some pink lights, a Christmas banner, put up my first pink tree (the second can be found in our mini-conference room), a stocking, an advent calendar (a gift from my boss-- SO sweet!) and replaced pens in my mug with candy canes!

It's the details, isn't it? This is my pink tree-- with THREE kinds of green ornaments and a green bow! Ah, tis the season!
My mug looks much more festive this way, doesn't it?A silver bowl of pink ornaments adds a touch of sparkle to my file cabinet! Originally it was filled with light green, dark green and pink ornaments but after boss hung garland in our hall (!!!) I simply had to hang the ornaments on the lovely garland.

Outside my door is this GIGANTIC stocking I picked up last year at the Dollar Tree. I wrote on it in glitter glue: "Merry Christmas from our department!" I wish they still sold these-- they are so fun.

There you have it! It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here!

How are you getting ready for the big day?!

Weight Watching with Muffy

2011-12-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

Hello and happy weekend! While I can't imagine anyone would care about reading about my weight loss journey, I received a couple of emails about it last month which leads me to believe an update is in order.

All is well. A little while ago I received a "16 week" gift and I feel like in 16 short weeks I've made SUCH a drastic change. It's a good feeling. I'm down nearly 20 pounds since May when I joined and back at my "normal" weight. It's such a great feeling to be back on track and fitting into all my clothes again. I've held a few blog sales to move out some of my bigger pieces that I never want to see again. Not going back there again!

When I was heavier there was a lot of anxiety. Would I see someone I hadn't seen in a while? Would they notice how much I had gained? Every time a camera came out while I was at a party or event I would worry-- will I look fat in these photos? Will they be all over Facebook? It's such a relief to have lost the weight and not worry.

Last month there were several days I was busy working very long hours at work and helping with some events we were hosting. I missed 4 meetings in a row and at my fifth I had put on 3.8 pounds. While I should have felt bad, I was glad. Before WW, I would have been getting bad-for-me takeout and eating carb-rich meals late at night. I could have gained 10 pounds easily! I now know when I am really hungry and I look at food differently. Takeout Chinese may sound good, but an apple and some hot tea will satisfy me and not leave me sluggish. I was pleased to weigh in 1.2 pounds down after the Thanksgiving holiday!

With the holidays here and party season in full swing, I have a new goal-- 5 lbs by Christmas. We are taking a short vacation right before Christmas and I have decided I am going to look fantastic in all the photos.

It's sometimes very hard to find motivation and the stamina to keep going. Right now I have a renewed motivation and am excited for the new year! Eating right and keeping active becomes second nature if you keep at it long enough.

As always, you are all welcome to email me if you have any questions about my journey or need encouragement. We're a team around here and we ALL need help from time to time. That's all the news that's fit to print from Muffy. What are you doing to keep your weight in check this time of year?

Max, Minnie and Me

2011-12-02T04:00:00.000-08:00

Sometimes Etsy features a special seller and I always love reading about the people behind the goods. I thought I would write about a seller I just recently found. If y'all know me you know I love to buy anything and everything dachshund. I discovered Max, Minnie and Me while I was randomly browsing Etsy and I fell in love. I ended up purchasing a lot of fun items from her (I'll have to photograph the pieces and show you!) and they are beyond fabulous.

Lucy, the proprietor of the shop, is the sweetest lady on Etsy. We were sending each other photos of our pups and sharing stories about the cute things they do. We are a pair of crazy doxy ladies! There seem to be so many of us!

Isn't this the funniest sign? I know Bandit would love to take a big bite out of our neighborhood gingerbread man. Bitsy would just look on, horrified. HAHAHA.

Skipp and I dream about adding a black and tan doxy to our brood someday. Perhaps I'll get this sign when we do!

This one cracks me up. If we had snow you just KNOW Bandit would be tackling snowmen-- but not before licking them to death. That's my boy!

Lucy also features other breeds in her store including scotties, poodles and chihuahuas!

I love Lucy and so should you!

Give her some love this Christmas when shopping for your own crazy dachshund lady.

The Look for Less

2011-12-01T04:00:00.000-08:00

I'm always pleased when I find a look I want to try at a good price. While you all know I'm not a terribly trendy person (classics only for this girl!), I have been wanting to try the oxford heel trend this season. I had my eye on this pair of oxfords from J. Crew, on sale for $200:

Imagine my surprise to find this much more affordable version last weekend at Sears:

Yes, that is an iPhone picture of my shoe on my desk in my office at work. Don't judge. LOL. This pair is by French Connection (They have a line at Sears! Who knew?!) and were only $30! I've worn them already and they are as comfy as can be. They had many pairs of shoes at Sears that were very affordable, stylish and comfortable. I'll surely be returning to the store.

Isn't it great finding the look for less?!

America's Cup

2011-11-28T04:00:00.000-08:00

What a week! The America's Cup World Series was in San Diego a few weeks ago and I visited the bay THREE times enjoying some races and taking a few photos. The top photo is the San Diego skyline (from the Coronado Ferry Landing) and I'm rather proud of it. I think my photography skills have really improved this year! Here are some other shots from America's Cup week.

I love this shot of both US boats. You can really see just how tall those masts are with the little people there for perspective. So proud of Team Oracle!
Wouldn't it be nice to view the races from this special viewing area on top of the USS Midway? Next time perhaps!!!
The Swedish team passing the US boats near the pier. Such a beautiful day for a race!
The New Zealand team had such a pretty red boat. They were a great team (but we still beat them!). Loved watching them on the water.
One more gratuitous shot of the US team...
A match race on the water... ...and the best races to watch, the fleet race!I haven't had a chance to sail in San Diego waters yet, but after watching these boats at play, I can't wait to get out on the water!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

From our home to yours!

Odds and Ends

2011-11-22T11:25:00.000-08:00
Hello friends. I wish I had an extra hour in my day so I could blog consistently. I love blogging but never have enough time. Ah well, story of my life. Speaking of my life, here's what's happening in my neck of the woods.

This weekend I enjoyed a SUPER fun afternoon of tri-tip, wine and lovely conversation with my BFFs PerfectWhite Bow and MemeSW along with special guest MakeupByTricia. It was so lovely to sit down and chat about everything under the sun. The friends I've made through blogging have been worth all the effort and time spent on it. So thankful for them!

It's been uncharacteristically cold in these parts! CHILLY WILLY! Goodness. I just had to take a shot of the temperature this morning after I got out of my 6a workout. 41! That's practically FREEZING! BRRRR!

Speaking of cold weather, the pups love to cuddle in Mummy's snuggie, so we thought it was high time to get them their own. I've said it a million times before, but I went from "No dog clothes. EVER." to "Oh, look at this. I'll just get them this one sweater...."!

You may have seen these on Twitter last night (follow me at @MuffyMartini) but I couldn't resist posting them here. First, "La reina de la casa en su trono" {The queen of the house on her throne} little Bitsy in her pink Snuggie! I die from the cuteness. Cannot handle. Adorbs. She loves it.

Then, my little boy Bandit! Not one to be left out he simply HAD to have a Snuggie of his own. This is reaching ridiculous proportions. We learned last night the sound of velcro freaks him out, bless his tiny little furry heart.

I'm looking forward to a nice quiet weekend at my parents place, eating lots of turkey and watching lots of old movies and football games. This is a terrible holiday for "weight watchers" since the portions are generally huge (and who wants a teeny piece of pie?) but I'm going to try my best to be good. I think the meal isn't the worst part (that's what the extra 49 points are for!) it is the leftover for DAYS that I am concerned about.

I hope y'all have a wonderful holiday spent with friends and family. I AM THANKFUL FOR YOU!!!!

Well, Hello There!

2011-11-16T04:00:00.000-08:00

I know it's frightfully early, but may I please introduce you to the newest member of the Martini/Guinness family? Please say hello to my Christmas gift-- a new Singer sewing machine!

My whole life I've always wanted to learn how to sew. I've decided there is no time like the present! Walmart is having a terrific black Friday deal on a Project Runway Limited Edition Brother machine (only $49.99 on November 25!) but when Skipp and I saw this beauty on sale ($40 off!) at Costco this past weekend, we decided to take the plunge.

As I {rather rapidly} approach my third decade of life {oh dear}, I find myself saying: "Muffy! Stop lollygagging! Life awaits!" and then, more quietly, "Lord knows you aren't getting any younger!" HAHA-- ok, not the second part, but I've decided if I keep "waiting to have more free time" I'll never do any of the things I want to. Enter: new sewing machine!

Now, I'm not about to start churning out a clothing line {Muffy by Muffy M!}, but I am excited to do little things like hem pretty fabric for place mats, tablecloths and handkerchiefs, make little outfits for the pups and perhaps even make a pillow or two! While I am excited to learn, I'm not expecting to be some sort of sewing prodigy. This dog is a little old to be learning new tricks.

In any case, I am just tickled pink {and green} about my Christmas present and had to share the good news of a new arrival-- a bundle of joy! LOL!

Am I the only one or do y'all have all your Christmas gifts already too?

You're Invited!

2011-11-14T04:00:00.000-08:00

Hello all and welcome to Muffy's FIRST ever trunk show! I recently purchased my first set of stationery from The Preppy Ladybug and quickly fell in love with the set. I heard she does trunk shows and couldn't resist. I'm NUTS about her stuff.

What's in it for you? Well, today (Monday) all readers get 20% off everything in the shop with code MUFFYSHOP. Starting tomorrow (Tuesday) the code gets you 10% off.

TPL has a wide range of stationery themes, including Holiday notes and labels for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The set I bought that have become my new favorites are the script monogram cards. 12 are only $10 with code Muffyshop today (or $11.25 this week) and the quality is very high.

Of course I love to matchy match so I also bought these script monogram seals that are super swell. Only $3.60 for 30 labels today or $4.05 this week.

TPL really has a wide variety of choices and her selection is definitely worth a glance. Especially with Christmas right around the corner. She not only sells stationery (although that's what Miss Muffy is OBSESSED with), but also a ton of great gift ideas for everyone. I love these .925 sterling silver monogrammed earrings {$23.20 today or $26.10 rest of the week}.

These personalized ceramic 'go cups' are a cute gift for coworkers or coffee loving gal pals.

TPL even sells these great totes that can be monogrammed. A lot of wonderful gift choices. I highlighted only a few favorites-- she sells everything from jewelry to scarves to coffee carriers to tote bags to...the list goes on!

The trunk show lasts through next Monday but for your best savings (20%!) make sure to shop today. The discount drops to 10% (still good!) for the rest of the week. The code again is: MuffyShop! Enjoy shopping and thanks for visiting my first trunk show!

Thanksgiving Treats!

2011-11-12T05:00:00.000-08:00
Not one to race from Halloween to Christmas, I'm excited to enjoy the season of Thanksgiving. It's a great time of year to reflect on all the blessings we take for granted and also, a great time to enjoy being with family (the thing I am MOST thankful for). Of course Muffy loves a good visual aid, so here are some Thanksgiving treats I've found around town lately:

Thankful banner. I love banners and printables. This would be so charming hanging on my office wall.

There's Always Something To Be Thankful For sign. Isn't this terrific?
Of course Bitsy and Bandit need to be ready too! Can't leave them out! I adore this dog collar featuring turkeys. I wonder what Bandit would do if faced with a real life turkey?! He tried to tackle one of my sister in law's chickens when we were visiting the other day. He just wanted to play! HAHAHA!
Of course I love to send notes year round and I love these charming notes from the Preppy Ladybug. Adorable.

What are you thankful for this year?

Life Update

2011-11-10T09:30:00.000-08:00
Hello all! It's been a little while, hasn't it? I've been a busy bee lately, more so than usual, but looking forward to all the exciting holiday events that will be here before we know it!

For those of you that have been asking, my Father is doing quite well. A few weeks back, I wasn't sure if he was going to live through the week (!!!), but his medication has been adjusted, he is feeling better and is in good spirits! What more could I ask for? I'm feeling very blessed to be able to spend the holidays with him. Lucky dog is headed to Vegas this weekend with Mummy. Wish I were tagging along!

On the home front, things are coming along. We officially have a {pink} master bath with a working shower and toilet! Ahhhhh! After nearly two years of construction, it's SO nice for it to be done. Skipp and I have been busy buying accessories and art for the room. What a relief to have it nearly totally complete. I'll be posting before and after photos soon. I'm so proud of all our hard work!

I had to share this photo with you. Last night Skipp and I {and the pups, naturally} were laying down watching TV on the sofa and Skipp says, "Look at Bitsy!" She had sandwiched herself between Skipp's leg and the sofa to find the perfect napping spot! Hilarious.
Tomorrow a big storm is supposed to come to San Diego (!!!) so we will be laying low and staying warm. Perhaps we'll even throw a log on the fire! I know it seems early, but this weekend I'm going to put together a menu for Christmas so that at Skipp's birthday party next week all the ladies of the family will be able to decide what their family will bring to the Christmas potluck. Any menu tips or suggestions are appreciated!

Three Word Wednesday

2011-11-09T04:00:00.000-08:00

Pink. Green. Dachshund.

From Etsy

Blog Hop: Favorite Cookbooks

2011-11-04T03:00:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome to Muffy Martini's first ever blog hop! Hopefully this helps us find some great new cookbooks that we wouldn't have otherwise found. The rules are easy:

#1) Post about your favorite cookbook. Why is it your favorite?
#2) Post a recipe from the book.
#3) Link us up! Where can we buy a copy?

That's all. Simply add your link below and join the party! I'll get us started.

My favorite cookbook is California Mosaic by the Junior League of Pasadena (my old league!). If any of you are also Junior Leaguers, you know we all end up with a few copies of the league cookbook, but this actually IS a killer killer book. The recipes are super versatile but unique. I usually pull California Mosaic out when I want to impress my dinner guests or need a really special dish to take to a party.

My favorite recipes from the book include Gilroy garlic chicken, turkey burgers with caramelized onions, lobster quesadillas with brie and easy elegant salmon. There are a TON of really great recipes in this book and there are a ton I haven't even had a chance to try that sound delicious.

For my recipe I'm choosing the seasonally appropriate Pumpkin Flan. A neat twist on a fall original. Here you go:

Pumpkin Flan (from California Mosaic)

2 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups pureed cooked pumpkin or canned pumpkin
5 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Whipped cream sweetened with vanilla and sugar for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat 1 1/2 cups of the sugar in a heavy skillet over low heat until a golden syrup forms, stirring constantly. Immediately pour the caramel into a 1 1/2 quart souffle dish, tilting the dish to coat the bottom evenly.

Combine the remaining 1 cup sugar, the cinnamon and salt in a bowl and mix well. Add the pumpkin and eggs and stir until blended. Stir in the evaporated milk, water and vanilla. Spoon the pumpkin mixture over the prepared layer. Set the souffle dish in a large baking pan and add enough hot water to reach halfway up the side of the dish. Bake for 1 1/4 hours or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the dish on a wire rack. Chill, covered, until serving time.

Run a knife around the side of the dish to loosen the flan and invert onto a serving platter. Cut into wedges and garnish each serving with a dollop of whipped cream.

Serves 9.

Yum! Are you hungry now too? Ok, step three, the link to where you can buy my favorite cookbook. I was delighted to see when I visited the JLP store that the book is on sale right now (!!!!) for only $20. That's a steal. Of course all proceeds go to the Junior League so you can feel good about your purchase. You can buy your own copy HERE.

Now it's your turn! What's YOUR all time favorite cookbook?

Dogs in Costumes

2011-11-02T04:00:00.000-07:00
Oh, yes. There was no better title for this post than: Dogs in Costumes. You were warned. This weekend Skipp, Bitsy, Bandit, some friends and I headed over to Balboa Park to take part in the San Diego Dachshund Club HalloWIENER Parade and Picnic. It was so much fun! We ate bratwurst and saw all the cute pups dressed for success! Here are my favorites:

Cowboy UP!
We've got a prisoner on the loose!!!

Oh, don't worry-- the cops are on it!!!

Look at this "race horse" with a jockey! Hilarious.
Not a terribly good shot, but I had to include this Indian and Pilgrim! HA!!! Just in time for Thanksgiving!!!
Perhaps you'd like a banana split for dessert?
Turtle power:
The Fire Truck and the Fairy:
Cowgirl pup:
Devilish!
Pumpkin pup!
The Dachshund club does not discriminate! All dogs can join in the fun! LOL!
"I'm the sheriff in this town...!"
This was my favorite. The puppy is wearing a dachshund skeleton shirt, the dad is wearing a skeleton shirt that shows his belly has beer bottles in it and then the wife (mommy) has a skeleton showing a TEENY skeleton in her belly! SO CUTE!

Did you have a Happy HalloWIENER?!

Blog Hop This Friday: Cookbook Faves

2011-11-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

Well, hello there! The holidays are coming up and I, for one, love to give and get cookbooks. This Friday I am going to host a "Blog-Hop" party {a linky dink, y'all!} and I'd love you to join me.

This Friday, November 4, please write a post about your very favorite cookbook. You know the one-- you always reach for it when you want to WOW your dinner guests or need something easy and delicious in a snap for the family. Tell us why it is your favorite, post a recipe from it and make sure to include a link to where we can buy a copy for ourselves! That's all.

Whip out those cookbooks and get ready for the link-up party right here this Friday! I already know which book I'm going to post about, do you?

Happy HalloWIENER!

2011-10-31T04:00:00.000-07:00

...from Bitsy, Bandit, Skipp + Muffy!

Pink Friday {+ Giveaway Winners}

2011-10-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

How darling are these lacquered boxes I picked up today from One Kings Lane? I can't wait to use them in our house. Too perfect! I'm obsessed.

Ready to order your Holiday cards? Me too. The winners of the 25 free cards from Shutterfly are commenters 4,5 and 9: Preppy Pitbull, AEOT and Gretchen! I've got your codes so please email me.

Are you ready for this weekend? We're getting our cable installed tomorrow (!!!), we've got a San Diego Dachshund Club event Sunday and Sunday evening we are having dinner guests. Should be an exciting few days! What are your weekend plans?

Tis' the Season! {Part III}

2011-10-26T04:00:00.000-07:00
...and here we are. Not even November yet and I've done three posts on Christmas. Ah well, I'm excited. Since the news is out that we are officially hosting Christmas this year (!!!), I've been on the lookout for pieces that will heighten the Christmas experience.

I was able to find a Spode Christmas Tree table cloth that I think will be a lovely addition to our decor:
...and I found not one but TWO fabulous Christmas pillows to toss about.
Of course the best Christmas (or Hanukkah or Holiday...) accessory is a card! Who doesn't love Holiday cards? Well, Muffy is here to brighten your Holiday season nice and early this year by giving THREE readers 25 Holiday cards from Shutterfly. Nothing fancy needed to do to enter. Leave a comment on this post today or tomorrow and I'll select three winners, but quick. Make sure to include your email address if you have a private blog or are not a blogger. Good luck!

Pumpkin Fudge Redux

2011-10-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hello all! Happy Sunday. Last year I made the most amazing sweet treat-- Pumpkin Fudge! Since it is that time of year again, here is the recipe. It's an oldie but a goodie. Enjoy!

PUMPKIN FUDGE
Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cups white sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 cup white chocolate chips
7 ounces marshmallow creme
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Line a 9x9 inch pan with aluminum foil, and set aside.

2. In a 3 quart saucepan, heat milk and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.

3. Mix in pumpkin puree and cinnamon; bring back to a boil. Stir in marshmallow creme and butter. Bring to a rolling boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 18 minutes.

4. Remove from heat, and add white chocolate chips and vanilla. Stir until creamy and all chips are melted. Pour into prepared pan. Cool, remove from pan, and cut into squares. Store in a cool, dry place.

Saturday Dreaming...

2011-10-22T05:00:00.000-07:00
In my other {more glamorous}{dream} life, I imagine myself wearing silk party dresses to lounge around the home {I'd be a lady of leisure, naturally} and pullovers like this one {Kate Spade} once the weather turned chilly:

Check out the bow on the back-- HEAVEN!

The only thing that would make this better would be an affordable price tag and real fur. I sometimes like to buy pieces that Muffy the Lady of Leisure would wear to indulge in the fantasy, but at $845, this one will have to remain solely in my dream life. Isn't it DIVINE?! What are YOU dreaming about this Saturday?

TGIF!

2011-10-21T04:00:00.000-07:00
Wow. I can't believe we all made it to FRIDAY! This has felt like the longest week of my life. On Monday I was certain my father was at death's door and that he might not even make it to the weekend. Now I'm feeling a little more hopeful that he is just sick and that he can recover. I hope I'm right. We'll see. His EKG showed that his heart is working at a 20-25% rate. That doesn't sound terribly good, does it? I'll keep you updated.

Tonight Skipp and our family are headed to Oktoberfest at our church. We went last year and it was SO FUN! There was an oom pah pah band, delicious bratwurst (with sauerkraut!) and wonderful struedel (not to mention beer!). I'm looking forward to it.

Early Saturday I am driving to LA to spend some time with my parents. I've taken Monday off to extend the visit. You really don't know how much time you've got on this earth so you really need to make the most out of it. Hopefully the weekend is refreshing and I can recharge my batteries.

What are you up to this weekend?

Tis' the Season {Part II}

2011-10-20T04:00:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, the Holidays. I love them. I look forward to them all year and just MIGHT be caught playing Christmas carols in my car in July. {We can all use a little drummer boy to break up summer!}. This year is going to be an EXTRA special Christmas because...wait for it...

We are hosting Christmas at our house! GAH!
I am beyond excited. Skipp has a HUGE extended family and it's a potluck style meal, so it won't be overwhelming for us. We will be hanging Christmas lights on our house for the FIRST time and I've ALREADY gone nuts buying decor. I keep saying, "Well, I wasn't going to get this...but since we ARE hosting Christmas this year....!" I'm excited to unveil our lovely new Nativity Set and to decorate the tree and have it standing so tall and strong during the party...I can't wait!

Oh, I guess I didn't tell you-- Skipp and I decided to join the 21st century and we bought a television set! That's more huge news for you. The cable folks are coming in a week or two and I can't wait to play my favorite Christmas mix through our DVD player. We managed two years without it but after being left out of one too many water cooler conversations about TV shows at work and, well, having to watch the royal wedding at someone else's house, we just decided the time had come. Not only that, our children will need to watch Sesame Street SOMEWHERE, so we decided to take the plunge. Yay us.

Earlier this year I won a Christmas in July basket in a silent auction at church. The {huge} basket was filled with all kinds of goodies (a Spode tea set, hand towels, snack dishes...) that I can't wait to unveil as well. I'm hoping my parents can come down and join us for the festivities but it all hinges on Daddy's health and how things end up. I do hope they can make it (and be all better by then!).

I've already picked up a Christmas apron (I took a photo but didn't bring my camera with me-- what a dunce!), some new red and green plaid placemats and of course, our Nativity set. This Christmas will be extra special as it will be my FIRST Catholic Christmas. I'm very much looking forward to it.

Well, now that I've worn you out on the topic of Christmas in October....what else is new with you?

Sad post.

2011-10-19T04:00:00.000-07:00
Hello friends. You all know I like to keep things as upbeat and positive on my blog, but I have something to share with you.You may have noticed my blogging has been a little spotty lately and I haven't been online much. The truth is that I have been preoccupied with a lot on my mind.

Right before I left for DC, my father came down with pneumonia. He also had bronchitis and his pre-existing congestive heart failure and a host of other ailments. Although the pneumonia seems to be calming down, he can't shake the chronic cough he has been suffering from for WEEKS and WEEKS now.

I'm really concerned about his health. I also realize I'm so not ready to lose a parent. It's clear to me now that I don't think there is EVER a time someone is ready to lose a parent. He has been in constant contact with his doctors but they can't seem to pinpoint the cause of his coughing. Before his pneumonia his heart was pumping at 33% efficiency and his doctors say it has gone down since then. My major fear is that his constant coughing is taxing his heart and it may just give up.

If you pray, please think of my father and and if you don't, kind thoughts are appreciated as well. I'll be back to more upbeat blogging tomorrow (I'm hoping to find time to write: Tis' the Season Part 2!) but for now, please keep my father in your thoughts and prayers and thank you for always caring about what is going on in my life. I appreciate y'all.

Xx,
Muffy

Tis' the Season! {Part I}

2011-10-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

The Guinness household is abuzz with the Holidays! Fall is here and I couldn't be happier, but do you know what is right around the corner? Christmas! One of my favorite parts of Christmas is sending and receiving Christmas cards. I love to get that phone call from a relative I haven't seen in years, "Muffy dear, I got your card-- you look fantastic!" and I love seeing the little ones I don't get to see enough grow year by year through Christmas cards. I was as happy as I could be when I got an email from my favorite Shutterfly asking me to participate in the Holiday Card Promotion this year. I post about Shutterfly all the time so I'm sure you all know I use them for stationery, greeting cards, collage prints, photo gifts and MOST IMPORTANT to me: photo books. I have photo books from the events before our wedding (showers, rehearsal dinner, etc) to the wedding, to every vacation we've taken since. They are more usable than scrapbooks to me and I love ordering books for our loved ones. Ok, enough with the Shutterfly gush fest.Let's talk cards!!!

We tend to alternate between whimsical and more serious cards. I love the whimsy of this Holly Jolly Christmas card.
Traditional designs and verbage always get me. I love this Christmas Blessings card as well. The colors are just perfect and I love that script! I find it more challenging as the years pass to find cards that feature religious text.
After looking through all the choices, I am fondest of this card:
It is traditional but still fun with all the different photos. That's one thing I prefer about Shutterfly cards over others (and I was not asked to say that-- HA!). It's hard to find cute cards that feature several photo slots. I like that we can include an 'official' family photo along with vacation shots and maybe a gratuitous photo of the dogs while we're at it. I think I may choose this card for our own this year! {Shutterfly has graciously offered me 50 cards of my choosing for writing this post-- thank you Shutterfly!}
Of course man cannot survive on cards alone! I think my parents and in-laws will enjoy this photo calendar full of shots of us from 2010.You can find a ton of different photo gifts from Shutterfly on their site, as well as "Holiday" cards in case you send cards to a large cross section of people from different beliefs.
I'm excited to order my cards for this year. It's so nice to get things out of the way early. If you would also like to blog about Shutterfly's Christmas and Holiday cards, register here for a chance to get 25 cards of your own. Consider it an early Christmas gift from me to you!

Mrs. Fields Cookies

2011-10-11T04:00:00.000-07:00

This weekend my little sister in law came over and we baked chocolate chip cookies. I had read an article about Mrs. Fields "secret" recipe for cookies and we decided to try one of the 'alleged' secret recipes out. Let me tell you, our cookies came out EXACTLY like a Mrs. Field's cookie!!! I had the camera out with the intention of chronicling the whole process, but didn't take a SINGLE photo. Isn't that always the way things go?

Our cookies looked the same, smelled the same and TASTED the same as the legendary Mrs. Fields cookie. I was in cookie heaven! Of course after the first bite, I knew a post was in order!

Here is the recipe we used (adapted from a few different online recipes):

Mrs. Field's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup C & H dark brown sugar (firmly packed)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup COLD salted butter, cut into cubes
(make sure the butter is COLD and not softened!)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300° and line three baking trays with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix well with a wire whisk. Keep the dry ingredients aside.

3. In your stand mixer blend the sugars at medium speed (doesn't take long).

4. Add the COLD butter and mix to form a grainy paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add eggs and vanilla extract and mix at low to medium speed just until blended. Do not over mix. (you don't want the sugar to dissolve)

5. Add the flour mix and chocolate chips and blend at a low speed just until mixed. Do not over mix. (Once you don't see anymore flour, you're done)

6. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet, two inches apart. (I used an ice cream scoop and they were larger than a Tbsp)

7. Bake 20-22 minutes until golden. Once you take the pan out of the oven, pull the parchment paper to a cool surface (to stop the baking process). I placed the cookies (on the parchment) onto natural stone tiles.

Makes 30-36 cookies, depending on the size of your scoops.

Two Years Later

2011-10-10T09:25:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe today is TWO YEARS since Skipp and I were married! Time has FLOWN by and we are happy as can be. It all still feels new and fresh and I certainly don't feel any different than I did on October 10, 2009. It's so wild to think I've been blogging this whole time and you have all been able to follow along with the way my life has changed. We have a house, dogs (more than one!), we moved cities and I changed jobs. So wild. I hope you'll be following along for years to come.

For those of you (like me) that like to relive happy moments, here is the Skuffy Wedding Album for you to peruse through. Enjoy!

Reliving the 90s

2011-10-07T11:30:00.000-07:00

Last night Skipp and I attended a Blink 182 concert. Blink was SUPER popular when we were in high school and we were looking forward to it. I was surprised at how many young people were there-- when we went to a Sublime concert a few weeks back, everyone was our age, but here there were a lot of young kids there that were trying terribly hard to be hip. I was trying terribly hard to be warm. It was FREEZING in Chula Vista last night. I was borderline uncontrollably shivering and when we got in the car, it said it was only 56 degrees. I don't know what I will ever do if I have to move out of Southern California and experience real weather.
We thought it would be a really energetic show since the Blink boys are from our neighborhood. It was lively and people seemed to be having the best night of their lives, but I was underwhelmed. They didn't really play any of their old hits except for a few predictable songs. Still, it was fun to be on a date with the husband and catching a familiar act.
I love that the music of the 90s is sort of making a resurgence in popular culture. It's so weird to think the 90s were over TEN YEARS ago! That was the music of our youth! I was in high school in the late (very late) 90s! I mean, WOW.
In the vernacular of the times, "That's wild, dude. That's, like, SO 90s!"

Wednesday WANT!

2011-10-05T04:00:00.000-07:00

Ummmm....YES PLEASE! How darling is this pink coat from Kate Spade?! With a giant bow collar I couldn't resist. With a price tag of $695...I'll manage to resist! HA! What are you wanting this Wednesday?

Favorite DC Snapshots {Part II}

2011-10-04T04:00:00.000-07:00
It's been really fun putting these posts together-- like I'm reliving our trip. Thank you for letting me indulge in the luxury. Here are some more snapshots, a little more personal than the last set, of things we did and saw on vacation.

Fellow Junior League of Pasadena member Julia Child's kitchen was on display at the Smithsonian. What a unique treat to see her real kitchen filled with her used pots and pans. Very cool.
Skipp and I are big big fans of Thomas Jefferson and this shot of a wall in his memorial is a favorite shot from our trip. What a great man and what a legacy.
As the owner of "Jackie Pearls" that were made from a cast of her necklace, it was BEYOND thrilling for me to stand in the same air as Jackie's ACTUAL pearls. The ones she actually wore. Amazing. No words.
It was also a treat to stumble upon the Ruby Slippers from The Wizard of Oz. So much history is ALIVE at the Smithsonian! There's no place like home....there's no place like home....!
Of course the highlight of any vacation is the local food. I enjoyed my FIRST visit to Cracker Barrel SO MUCH! I dined with the one and only Whit from Worthy Style and we had the MOST FUN EVER! This is my dish, the Cracker Barrel SAMPLER. WOW! Delish.
Of course the best part about Cracker Barrel was the gift shop! I almost picked up this darling doggie, but I'm afraid there was no more room in my luggage to bring him home. What a selection of treasures they have!
We went into Virginia to try Cracker Barrel and then all the way up to Annapolis the next day to try REAL MARYLAND CRAB! What a treat. This one was on my bucket list. Lots of fun. I still have some cuts on my hands and that is OK by me! Delicious.
Of course, at the end of the day, I'm still a born and raised Californian. We were tired of all the work getting that meat out of that crab shell and decided to order lump crab cakes. No work and good eats! A dining highlight of the trip at Cantler's Riverside Inn, a Whit (and Southern Social) recommendation that was WELL WORTH the trip!
The last day of our trip it rained {and rained, and rained, and rained, and rained and rained...} which we were REALLY not used to {because it was raining and HOT! What on earth?!} but all the gloomy weather was worth it in the end as this DOUBLE RAINBOW bid us adieu. A wonderful end to a wonderful week.

Happy Birthday Daddy Martini

2011-10-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

Today is Daddy Martini's birthday. I'm so glad my father is still living, as I have so much to learn from him still before he goes. This birthday poem sums up my feelings about the day:

Dad,
Every year, your birthday reminds me
how grateful I am that you are my father.
With all that’s going on in the world today,
I’m thankful I get to watch you,
to look up to you, being an example of a good man.
What a privilege it is to observe your strength,
your competence, and your kindness.
I am so blessed to be under your wing,
your protection, your care,
learning important life lessons from you.
If all fathers were like you,
the world would be a very different
and much better place.
Happy Birthday, Dad,

More feelings on my Papa...

Not many can have a father
Who’s half as great as you.
Others might try, but they fall shy
You’re a top-notch father, it’s true.

So that’s why on your birthday,
I want to make sure you know,
I admire you sincerely and love you dearly,
And those feelings continue to grow.

Lemon Caper Chicken {WW Recipe}

2011-10-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back {ok, closer to a month or two ago} I made a Weight Watchers recipe that a few twitter followers were interested in learning more about. I promised I would post the recipe and all this time later, I am finally following through.

This recipe is actually quite easy and comes out WONDERFULLY. I would serve this to guests for dinner. It's not "diet" food, by any means. For those counting, each breast half has 4 points. Not a bad dinner with some sauteed spinach or brown rice. Enjoy and BON APPETIT!

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
4 thinly-sliced boneless skinless chicken breast halves
4 teaspoons flour, divided
1 medium shallot, minced (I used two large-- LOVE shallots)
2 Tbsp drained capers (ok, honestly? I must have used half the jar. ADORE capers!)
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (I used the organic kind, bought at Costco)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (again, I was VERY heavy handed with this)
1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley (I only had dried parsley and it worked well)
Salt and Pepper

Warm oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pat chicken breasts with paper towels to thoroughly dry. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then lightly coat with flour, using about 1 tsp for each breast.

Lay chicken in skillet; cook 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown, gently pressing down on breast to ensure equal browning. Reduce heat to medium. Turn breasts; cook 2 to 3 minutes longer, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove breasts to a serving platter.

Reduce heat to low; add shallots and capers to skillet. Cook 30 seconds, stirring. Add broth and juice, cook 1 minute, until incorporated and thickened, stirring. Stir in parsley, pour sauce over chicken. Serve immediately.

The Capitol

2011-10-01T08:45:00.000-07:00

As I've mentioned before, visiting the Capitol was one of the great highlights of our trip. I took a million photos on the tour and I thought I'd share some favorites with you.

High atop the Capitol dome rests this very statue-- but in bronze! The cast was used to make this secondary statue. Isn't she something?! I loved that we could see what is EXACTLY on the dome, in the scale, up close. What a treat! Look at that face!
This is the marble compass at the center of the Capitol. Directly above this spot is the area where Presidents and other important people lie in state at the Capitol. Directly above THAT spot is where Lady Liberty is perched, atop the Capitol dome. From this compass originated the four original quadrants of the District of Columbia. The TRUE center of the Capital at the Capitol! Amazing.

The inside of the top of the Capitol dome. This piece is called, "The Apotheosis of Washington"-- I love it. So beautiful. Why do I feel like a piece like this wouldn't get approved if we were building the Capitol today? Hmmm...how times have changed. The 13 women around him (in the inner circle) represent the 13 original states and the ones with their faces turned away represent the states that wanted to secede in the Civil War. Interesting stuff.
How amazing is this chandelier? I had to post this photo-- check out the pink and green dome! FANCY!

More pink ceilings-- in the hall of statues! I was really impressed at how stunning the interior of the Capitol is.
Each state gets TWO statues in the Capitol. For California, our statues are of Ronald Reagan and Blessed Junipero Serra, father of the missions. All statues are made of either marble, bronze or both but Ronald Reagan's statue also incorporates stone-- specifically, pieces of the BERLIN WALL in the base! So so cool. Here is a shot of the Berlin Wall pieces.
The second statue; Blessed Junipero Serra:
There you have it-- I hope I've told a good story. Hope you're enjoying our vacation photos!

Favorite DC Snapshots (Part I)

2011-09-30T04:00:00.000-07:00
One of the greatest things about our vacation was that we had never been there before. Everything was very new and exciting. I was so lucky to be able to poll my {well-traveled} readers and get all the great tips that only a local would know. We did most everything recommended and ate at nearly all the spots you all mentioned. Here are a few photos we took that I want to share:

The White House. What a neat place. We didn't get a chance to request a tour (decided on DC too late -- they need 2 months notice), but that gives us something to see next time. I kept watching for Michelle or Barack to peek out a window, but it didn't happen.
We walked around the back side to visit LaFayette Square and got a shot of the back of the house. Such a pretty place. I'd love to live there myself!

Washington Monument. Ah, too bad about that earthquake. I would have been interested to visit the top. Lovely monument to a terrific figure in history. Enjoyed visiting this spot a great deal.
Washington Monument from Lincoln Memorial. As you can see, the reflecting pool is under construction. I know my friends and family were sad to hear it was a dirt field, but I think it lends our photos a unique flair. The cloudy weather definitely makes things moody, doesn't it?

Lincoln Memorial. What a wonderful monument to another great man in American history. I very much enjoyed this stop as well.

Well, hello there President Lincoln! {Inside the Lincoln Memorial}. I got a big kick out of seeing the top hat he was wearing when he was killed at the Smithsonian. I can be a sicko like that. So neat.

All that walking makes one HUNGRY! Off to reader-recommended Old Ebbit Grill. I LOVED eating here. The ambiance was wonderful, the food was incredible and the dessert! Oh, the dessert. Just keep reading...

We enjoyed this slice of BOURBON WALNUT PIE. My goodness! It kept us going well into the night. We needed the energy since my blog reading BFFs told me a MUST was visiting the monuments at night, which we did.
Here is a shot of the Capitol at night. You were all right-- a completely different experience can be had after dark. I LOVED how safe the streets felt and the walking was refreshing. We were so impressed with the Capitol, we called our Congressman for a tour and it was one of the highlights of our trip. We really do live in a wonderful country, don't we?

I didn't want a post with a THOUSAND and one photos, so I'll leave you {hopefully} hungry for more! We crammed a TON of activity into our week and I have a few more things I'd still like to share. Until then...God bless the USA!

{All photos are our own - please don't use without permission}

Fall Favorites

2011-09-29T04:00:00.000-07:00
Can you believe Fall has arrived? I simply can't! Seems like only yesterday I was wearing barely-there sandals to the office and now I'm getting out my flats and boots to get ready for the cooler weather. Of course cooler weather in San Diego means highs around 70, but still, we like to pretend we have seasons and dress accordingly.

This fall I find myself mixing old items I've had for some time with just a few new pieces. It's a great season to pick up some new pieces with trends including bow details and the Muffy-approved peter pan collars popping up all over. Here are a few favorites I've seen lately:

Sandro black dress with leopard print peter pan collar. I've been a little wild (pun intended) for animal prints this year and this dress has just the right amount of print on the peter pan collar. Isn't it darling? This is a piece you really could wear for years and years and years. So classic.
Kate Spade Bardot Sweater. This is just fun. I love the idea of wearing this with some cuffed dark jeans to the pumpkin patch this fall or with black slacks to the office. Of course I'm nuts about the bow at the collar. I saw in People Style Watch there is a dress version of this top, but it is not yet available on the Kate Spade website. Simply darling!

Jessica Howard shift dress with bow detail.How charming is this shift? It is reminiscent of ANOTHER famous shift brand I love to wear but much much less expensive. This dress is only $17.99 at, wait for it....JC Penneys! Lately I've seen a lot of very smart dresses on friends and they all seem to be shopping at Penneys! Who knew? Apparently, it's not your mother's Penneys anymore. I would wear this with sandals (Sept + Oct remain rather warm here-- fire season actually) and then transition to fall by pairing it with opaque black tights, black platform heels and a black lady day coat. I do love a pop of color and you certainly get exactly that with this cute dress.
Studio1 big bow detail dress. Of course not everyone works in an office they can wear sleeveless shifts and sandals to. This dress is also from Penneys and I just adore it. At only $34.99, I think I could find plenty of opportunities to wear this-- client meetings, at the office or to church. It's another great dress that you could wear for years.
What are your fall favorites?

Glamorous!

2011-09-28T04:00:00.000-07:00

Last week, Poppy at Project Gadabout featured me as a GLAMOROUS GADABOUT! I was thrilled to be included in her Glamorous Gadabout feature as I ADORE all the other women that have participated and it was such a thrill to have Poppy compile my answers into lovely posts. She has such a fun whimsical style and I adored every post she did!

In case you missed the posts, here they are:

It's Time for Muffy Martini:

Muffy Martini's Style File (this one is a fave-- love Poppy's touch!):

Pink and Green Contents:

Cupcakes, Dachshunds & Muffy Martini:

Covet Muffy's Style with her Treasure Map:

Set It and Forget It with Muffy Martini:
If you aren't familiar with Poppy, you simply MUST head over to her blog and read her fabulous posts as well as her features on other Glamorous Gadabouts. You can also follow her on twitter, as I do, here. Thank you to Poppy for doing SUCH a delightful job on all the posts.

Mementos

2011-09-27T04:00:00.000-07:00
Well, hello there! It has been AGES, hasn't it?! Good to see you-- you look terrific! I've been on vacation for the past week, so prepare to hear lots about it from me over the next week or so.

Skipp and I went to Washington DC, the Nation's CAPITAL! It was a terrific time and we saw so much in one little week-- I really have enough photos and stories for a MONTH of posts, but I won't bore you with all that.

Something I'm rather passionate about is souvenirs. Oh yes! Little mementos of our trips always bring a smile to my face. I love to visit antique malls in areas we travel to to discover the true local flavor of a town, but occasionally I can't help but pick up a cheesy token in a gift shop to remember an experience or visit.

DC had such a wide array of fun artifacts and gifts, I simply must share with you a few things I picked up for myself.

Something we enjoyed very much was a tour of the Capitol. We were guided by a lovely lady from the office our Congressman and I was amazed at everything from the history and decor to the statues and ambiance. What a fantastic place! Visiting the Capitol wasn't something we planned to do, but a quick call to our Congressman's office resulted in a tour that really was a highlight of our trip. I digress.

We popped into the Capitol Gift Shop just to look around (I make it a point to see every gift shop at every place we go-- Skipp insists we spend more time at gift shops than at actual attractions. He may be onto something...) and spotted this lovely brooch right away. The flag as a bow?! This has Muffy written all over it. I simply couldn't leave it. I've been wearing it and I am obsessed. I imagine it will get lots of use over the years on Election Day, the Fourth of July and any time I am feeling particularly patriotic.
The rest of these items were picked up at the Mt. Vernon gift shop, a gift shop I consider to be the FINEST museum gift shop I have EVER visited (and that is saying something-- gift shops are my thing!). What a lovely lovely place!

One of my favorite items has to be this stationery set, featuring a pink toile pattern of Mt. Vernon. I simply cannot WAIT to pen a few notes with this gorgeous set! It's pink! It's toile! It features Mt. Vernon! I die.
Mugs are generally not something I pick up on vacation. Most of them feature tacky images and quite frankly, our everyday china is so lovely, there is no reason to pollute our cupboards with all manner of mismatched mugs. I will admit we have a few souvenir mugs-- a set given to us in Death Valley, a duo of mugs from one of my favorite Los Angeles breakfast spots Du-Par's and lastly, a set given to us at the resort which we spent our first night as husband and wife. Even these we have a hard time finding space for. Again, I digress.

I saw this mug and thought it was lovely. The images are beautiful and it is a wonderful reminder of some of the spots we visited. I've decided to keep it in my office and drink my morning tea in it. Even though it is gold rimmed, it is microwavable! Hurrah! I went ahead and took a photo of it from each side so you got the FULL "vacation mug" experience. Isn't it terrific?

Something we've made a point of doing since we were married is picking up a Christmas ornament on our trips. Since we're just starting out as a new family, we don't have many ornaments. In a few years surely our tree will be brimming with "Baby's First Christmas" ornaments and the sort, but for now we love remembering special trips with some special ornaments. We love blue and white and we adore the Staffordshire design china, so when we saw it on this ornament, it was an easy choice. The plate features Martha and George Washington as well as the White House, Supreme Court, the Capitol, the Washington Monument and more. I can't wait to add it to our tree this year!

Mt. Vernon made such an impact on me, I decided I needed to know more about the place and Martha. Did you know she was five foot tall? Just like me, she was also madly in love with a tall redhead. We have lots in common! I'm just about done with my book on Mt. Vernon. What a terrific place! I can't wait to get started on Martha's biography. I need to know more about this interesting FIRST first lady.
There you have it! We went four pounds overweight on our luggage on the return trip and surely our mementos had something to do with that! Are souvenirs often the highlight of YOUR vacations too?! You must tell let me know!

San Diego Blackout 2011

2011-09-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

Well, you may have heard there was a little BLACKOUT in the Southwest last week. There I was, sitting in my office, working hard when I noticed my lights flicker and then the computer screen went black. My office was plunged into darkness and of course everyone was confused and surprised when the lights didn't come right back on.

Man, let me tell you, there is not much you can do without electricity. No email, no reports, no nothing. Wild. Some smart coworkers brought out margarita mix and tequila and we snacked on chips and salsa until it was clear the electricity was not coming back on and we were told to head home.

Oh man, the troubles BEGAN once I left! No electricity means no streetlights, no on/off ramp lights, nothing! Bumper to bumper traffic was EVERYWHERE as everyone in San Diego headed home at the same time. I've never experienced anything like it.

Once home, I kept switching on lights as habit, forgetting they wouldn't be coming on. While it was still light out I got together all our flashlights and candles and set them up where I knew we'd need them. It was torturous not being able to update my Facebook or send any twitter updates, but I survived.

Out on the streets everyone was out! Blackout party time! No one wanted to sit home in the dark so all the neighbors were standing around with beers and chatting. It was so nice. Many neighbors were walking around making sure everyone was safe and doing ok. We were doing great-- I had plenty of Weight Watchers snacks, but we ended up munching on whole grain bread with nutella for dinner. Hey, desperate times call for desperate measures!

Around 10p we headed to bed and while our power returned at around 12:30a, our offices remained closed and it was lovely to have the day to catch up on life. I must have done ten loads of laundry since Friday (shhh! don't tell SDG&E, we're still working on diminished capacity! HA!), my garden is watered, pruned and fed. The whole house is spotless and organized. I have several meals ready to eat in the fridge and even the dogs were happy with all the attention they were getting.

I've never been in an experience like that before and I really hope I'm not in anything like that again. Some people couldn't leave work because they didn't have enough gas to get home and all pumps were closed! Of course I suppose it makes for a good story. It's going to be hard to make it through a full work week after that three day one! What a wild time. I hope you were all thinking of me while you were watching the news! Ha. That's my Blackout story. What's yours?

We Will Never Forget

2011-09-11T15:45:00.000-07:00

TEN YEARS.
The pain is as fresh as it was yesterday.
God bless America.

Muffy Martini 2010: God Shed His Grace on Thee

Muffy Martini 2009: Eight Years Later

Muffy Martini 2008: We Will Never Forget (My 9/11 story)

Fabulous, Indeed!

2011-08-31T08:45:00.000-07:00
Hello friends. First of all, thank you for the outpouring of support in response to my post yesterday. I was very hesitant to post something so negative on my blog, but after numerous emails ("She did the same thing to ME!") I am glad I wrote it and it is now clear that it was the right thing to do.

You may notice certain sections of the original post have been removed at Kelly's request. Yesterday, after I left the office for lunch, I was pleased to see that she did, indeed, refund my $155. About an hour later, she also refunded my $30 deposit.

I truly believe if I hadn't made a big fuss and involved my legions of fans (haha, sorry, had to use that term, LOL) I would have never received my refund. The saddest part of that to me is, what about those who are just starting out and maybe don't have nearly 1200 twitter followers to tell? What happens to them? They just lose their money? Not cool.

Thank you again, without all of you I really think I would still be sitting around, feeling bitter about the whole experience, but instead, I have a renewed faith in humanity and I think I'm ready to return to blogging!

THANK YOU.

Less Than Fabulous

2011-08-30T04:00:00.000-07:00
UGH, I can't believe I'm actually writing this post, but I'm not sure what else to do. Let me tell you why I'm stressing.

Back in December of 2010, I emailed Kelly of Fabulous K Creative about giving my blog a makeover. After three weeks with no response, I followed up, asking again how we could get the ball rolling. On February 2, I sent her a $30 deposit and was added to her March wait list. After hearing NOTHING from her the entire month of March, I finally followed up on April 18. I said:

"Hello dear,
I hope this email finds you well! I'm just following up with you about my blog redesign. You had mentioned I was in your queue for late March and since it is mid-April I wanted to make sure I didn't fall through the cracks. I know you've been very busy lately, let me know if you need any additional information from me to get started. I paid the $30 deposit on February 2.
Thank you!
Muffy"

She replied (over a week later) with:

*REMOVED BY REQUEST OF KELLY*

On April 20, I got a pay pal request for $155, the remainder of my bill. According to her website at the time, after she receives full payment the blog makeover can begin and the process usually takes 3-4 weeks. On April 21, I sent her all my design instructions including the photo I wanted to use in my profile

On May 2, I received an update to my invoice:

*REMOVED BY REQUEST OF KELLY*

Finally, on July 4th, she asked me for the links and titles I wanted in my horizontal nav bar....but I had clearly stated in my April 21 email that outlined all the details of the blog makeover that I didn't want a horizontal nav bar. Did she even read the email at all?! I wrote back right away:

Hi Kelly,

I decided against the horizontal nav bar. Please see email from 4/21(below). Let me know if you need anything else!

Xx,
Muffy

....and never heard from her again. Finally, on August 3, I was over it. I wrote:

Hello Kelly,

I am writing to ask if you know when my custom blog layout will be complete? I understand your website stated (when I first approached you in December of last year) that turnaround time is 3-4 weeks. I know at the time I said there was no rush, but nearly eight months later I'm getting concerned. I completely understand if you are overwhelmed and unable to do my makeover. Please either a) give me a firm date I can expect my makeover to be complete or b) refund my money in full.

Your promptness in this matter is appreciated.

Muffy

Of course she didn't answer. After she eventually wrote back and we went back and forth, we decided that she would keep the $30 deposit for the time she had spent on my design so far and I would get my $155 back.

Except she hasn't given me my $155. She said two weeks ago I would get it early next week. Well, we're early in the week after that with no refund. I filed a claim with PayPal but I'm getting nervous. Will I EVER see my $155 again?

Have you ever been in a situation like this? HELP! What else can I do?

Lilly Loot!

2011-08-24T08:35:00.000-07:00
If you were on twitter, Facebook or reading blogs yesterday you knew that the Lilly Lovers were in a tizzy over Lilly's once a year online sale. This year they did it differently by letting their via shops hold online sales at the same time which was fun.

It was a good sale. Prices were slashes deeply (some 75% off!) and there was a lot of inventory to choose from. I had a gift card I'd been holding onto since Christmas and it was gone in the blink of an eye. Here's what I picked up!

I LOVE my shorely blue Adelson. I get tons of compliments on it and it's super versatile. I saw it in green (prep green!) on a via shop website and I had to snap it up. I got it at 60% off.

The Adelson really is the best style for me Lilly has put out in a while. It's super flattering and the jacquard is a personal fave. I also adore the color navy (fall is coming!), so this was an easy choice.

Whoa! Curve ball! After much deliberation, I decided I couldn't be without the Adelson in pink too. Yes, I bought three of the same dress yesterday. Whatevs, don't be so judgemental. LOL. It fits well, I can wear them for work or play, and really, pink is my color.

Of course Muffy cannot live on shift dresses alone, so I picked up this darling charm bracelet for over half off. The charm that says, "Every hour is happy hour" sold it. Super cute.

While I hadn't meant to pick up more than a piece or two, I'm really pleased with the dresses I found and SUPER pleased at the prices. For far less than the price of one full-priced piece I was able to pick up three dresses and a bracelet. Success! I'm riding a happy Lilly cloud-- something I haven't done in a really long time actually. I had been over their high prices and poor quality, but perhaps I'll give them a second chance.

How did you fare in the sale? Pick up anything fantastic? What did you think about the new way they did things this year?

What I've Been Up To...

2011-08-17T04:00:00.000-07:00
Hey y'all! It's been AGES, hasn't it? Well, I've just been the busiest bee ever and simply stopped in to say hello and update you on my life. This is what I've been up to (forgive the lack of pictures):

*The Races at Del Mar - what a fun experience! I bet on three different horses and all three won. I used a highly technical method of choosing them. I picked one with a monogrammed cap, one whose jockey was wearing pink and green and one that reminded me of my husband. Apparently it's a winning strategy!

*Party in the USA! A somewhat distant relative (someone on Skipp's side...) had a big birthday party so we drove out to LA and attended. What a FUN time, what a lovely party and what a charming birthday girl! I loved all the relatives I met and can't wait to see them all again. You could tell they weren't immediate family-- it was a dry event! HA! It's such a blast having a big family (or rather, marrying into one). So many wonderful personalities and people!

*Stone Brewing Company. Skipp and I LOVE Stone Brewing Company so it only made sense to take some cousins there recently. Two of the cousins are heading back to school (one in Chico, one in Kalamazoo) so it was great being able to spend a little time with them before they left and enjoying some yummy food (and brews!). After dinner (an over THREE hour long dinner!!!) we walked around the gardens and our cousin did a terrific job planking on several surfaces! So much fun.

*Junior League-ing it! Ah, yes. That time again! I had the VERY BEST time meeting some girls at a neighborhood event in my neck of the woods. So great to meet people from my area. We had a wonderful dinner and the conversation was unparalleled. I can't believe the new year is starting again and my calendar will soon be full of events and meetings again. I won't lie, I'm excited. It's going to be a good year.

*Work work work. If you follow me on twitter you know all the excitement. I got a new title and a pretty new office here at work. I haven't started decorating my space yet, but I'll put some Muff-tastic pieces up soon. Right now I'm trying to conquer all my new tasks and get situated. This new position is NOT blogger friendly! HA! Don't they know I have a public that NEEDS to hear from me on a semi-frequent basis?! Gosh.

There you have it! This week is just as busy as can be. I have some church friends coming by, a goodbye party for a coworker and a weekend of REST ahead. Boy, it can't come soon enough.

Thank you for all the kind words of congratulations and virtual pats on the back about my new job. So appreciated and sweet. Hopefully I'll be back blogging regularly again soon. Right now I'm enjoying living life and enjoying every second here on earth!

Woof No More

2011-08-10T04:00:00.000-07:00

Last month one of our neighbors passed away. I knew something was wrong because Bandit seemed really agitated and kept barking at her house. Since she passed her children have been coming in and out of the home going through her belongings and sorting everything. Bandit is NOT a fan of this activity and whenever they are bustling about, he lets them know about it.

I was hoping he would get used to the new activity and calm down but a month later he is still upset. This past Sunday we returned from church to find our neighbor's son waiting for us. They simply cannot take Bandit's barking anymore. SAD!

Of course we would never want to be "those neighbors" and so off we went to purchase one of these:

I just about cried when I saw it (doesn't it look painful?) but it's actually totally humane and works well. We only put it on Bandit when they are over there and he has finally stopped barking. Of course if someone were to come into our house he would kill them nip by nip, it's just that now they won't have a warning. HA!

Do you use a bark collar? Any suggestions are appreciated!

Lakeside Wedding

2011-08-09T04:00:00.000-07:00
This past weekend Skipp and I attended the lakeside wedding of some friends of ours. I had never been to Lake Poway before and was pleasantly surprised by the scenery and ambiance!

The wedding was Southern Californian through and through. The groom was injured while bodysurfing (what else?) and walked down in the aisle in crutches while we all dined on that San Diego mainstay, Wahoo's Fish Tacos.

Lake Poway, as seen from our seats:

The weather could not have been more ideal:

The bride chose seasonal flowers with a summer feel:

I loved these "meant to bee" honey sticks. Cute idea.

The party went on into the evening and we had a terrific time. I loved the lights hanging around the dance floor.

It's so different going to weddings as a married couple. You really understand the work that goes into these events! I loved sharing in our friends special day and I know they will live happily ever after!

Washington DC Advice?

2011-08-05T04:00:00.000-07:00

While we haven't yet booked our flights, it looks like the Guinness' are heading East this fall to visit Washington DC! I've never been but as an American patriot I'm very much looking forward to it! Since y'all are so well-traveled I'd like to know any suggestions or tips you have for our trip. What must we see before we leave? Let me know, thanks!

Tam O' Shanter

2011-08-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

This weekend my parents took me to the Tam O'Shanter restaurant in Los Angeles to celebrate my birthday. We've been going to the Tam O'Shanter for AGES and I hadn't been back so it was a very special treat. The TOS is the oldest dining establishment in Los Angeles that has been continuously operating by the same family, in the same location!

I ordered my favorite, the prime rib with creamed spinach and creamed corn. Heaven!

Good food, good times and good company-- I love the Tam!

Today!

2011-08-02T04:00:00.000-07:00

Ah, that time of year here once again. Today is my birthday!

I'm looking forward to a quiet peaceful day and a nice evening spent at a party thrown in my honor at my in-laws. There will be cake and I'll have a nice big slice!

Have a great day everyone!

Bitsy + Bandit: By Fifi

2011-08-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

THANK YOU all for voting for Bitsy and Bandit in Fifi Flowers contest last week. They won FIRST PLACE and were drawn by Fifi! Aren't they just the sweetest? I can't wait to frame and hang this piece in our home. Of course the best part of the contest was the cause, soon Fifi will have all the dog note cards available for sale with proceeds going to service and guide dogs!

Of course you don't need to be a winner to have Fifi paint your pups! She accepts commissions of all kinds. Visit her website: Fifi Flowers! I'm obsessed with her. Fifi has done my beloved ostriches (see here) and when we bought our home I had her paint that too! It's so fabulous the painting hangs in our living room. Now she's done our little fur children and I couldn't be happier. Thanks again all!

Around the Web

2011-07-29T12:00:00.000-07:00
I've been finding lots of great deals on cute items lately, I had to share my top three. I have more canvas totes than I can use, but I couldn't help picking up this chic one from The Pink Giraffe. It's on sale for only $15! I chose hot pink handles and a double diamond kelly green monogram. I can't wait to get it.

I LOVE the Preppy Princess. A friend recently told me she designed a 2012 calendar and I went to check it out and DIED. This calendar is SO CUTE. I think it's a little early to buy a desk calendar for next year, but this is so darling I'm going to get it anyhow. Every single month is cute as can be and this calendar is only $12! Would make a great gift too.

Lastly, a little something for me. I proudly wear my dachshund earrings from AN Original Jewelry all the time, but it sure would be fun to have a matching necklace, wouldn't it? I would wear this along with my pearls. Hmmm, I do have a birthday coming up...

What's caught your eye around the web lately?

Giddy Up!

2011-07-27T04:00:00.000-07:00
As you know, Del Mar racing season has begun! We are one week in and now I can't stop thinking about what to wear to the races! Lord knows I have enough hats, but how about dresses?!

The Eryn is a personal favorite of mine, so I was pleased to see Lilly brought it back this season in TWO new prints! The only problem now is choosing a pattern. What are your thoughts?

The Hotty Pink Cherry Begonia is a good print in a terrific color. This version seems to be made from a lighter cotton and is as cute as can be.

The Lilly's Pink Lilet almost seems more....sophisticated? It's not quite as loud somehow, and the colors are very pretty. I just can't decide, what do you think?! This one is slightly more costly and seems to be made out of a thicker fabric.

On a separate but not totally unrelated topic, how CUTE is this Essie shirt dress? I ADORE it! I have been disappointed in Lilly's offerings as of late, but things appear to be headed in a positive direction again! Maybe I'll get gift cards for my birthday and will pick this up. What are YOU wearing to the races this year?

SDDC Annual Picnic

2011-07-26T04:00:00.000-07:00
I try to wait a few days before writing a post on a topic I've already covered, but I just have to share these photos from the San Diego Dachshund Club Annual Picnic with you, even though just yesterday we discussed Bitsy and Bandit.

While Bandit was having the best day of his life, adoring his time spent with doxies and their kooky parents, Bitsy was not a fan. She curled up with my little sister-in-law under our big umbrella and slept through the entire event. Perhaps next year she'll be more interested.

Here are some shots of the very exciting day:

Bitsy: "Papa! Is it true? Will there be other doxies just like me? Is it true, papa?!"
Bandit, getting acquainted with other dogs (and owners):

The "Bandit's-eye-view" of things.

Bandit LOVED this pretty girl, Peaches:
Even Captain America stopped by! He has a dachshund of his own, naturally.

"Mummy? Can we come here every day, mummy? Can we? This is the happiest day of my life."

PS: Reminder! Today is the last day to vote for Bitsy and Bandit in Fifi Flower's contest! Click here and leave a comment voting for #14, Bitsy and Bandit (and up to five more cute dogs-- they are ALL darling)! THANK YOU! Xx.

Arf! Arf! The time has come!

2011-07-25T08:45:00.000-07:00

Fifi Flowers, one of my VERY favorite artists, is hosting a contest "Beach Bum Biscuit 2011" where doggies have a chance to be in a painting by her. The set of winning notecards will be available for sale with proceeds benefiting service and guide dogs. Art with a purpose!!! Each winner (there will be SIX!) gets a set of notecards featuring the painting of their pups and the chance to buy the piece at discount. You KNOW I was all over this like white on rice.

Please take a moment if you have one to leave a comment voting for entry #14, Bitsy and Bandit. Much appreciated friends! Voting is only for two days, so get busy! Click HERE to vote!

Many thanks,
Muffy, Skipp, Bitsy + Bandit

Weekend Fun!

2011-07-23T05:00:00.000-07:00
Are you ready for the weekend?! Lord knows I am. Things at work have been......interesting with a lot of shifting of responsibilities and the waiting game as we sit around waiting to hear back from corporate. I'll be glad when everything is back at normal and we can get back into a routine.

Skipp and I are having QUITE the jam-packed weekend. First thing this morning we are picking up Skipp's new car-- a Volvo! We'll be twinsies in our matching Volvs! I'll have to think of a good name for his...perhaps Victor or Vincent? I'll let you know.

After that, we are heading home and will work on the house. I sure wish we had a maid! Little tasks like dusting and folding laundry just never get done. I'm hoping to finally hang all the terrific frames I bought in our living room. Our house seriously looks like we moved in two weeks ago with bare walls and unfinished projects. I'm hoping to at least make a little progress today.

This afternoon we have a family party in Poway with swimming, a BBQ and BUNCO! I do love Bunco! That should be really fun.

Tomorrow is the San Diego Dachshund Club's Annual Picnic! We cannot WAIT to take Bits and Band to hang out with with other hot dog pups. As they say, "Get a loooooong little doggie!" I am really excited, especially since this will be Bitsy's first dachshund club event!

What are YOU doing this weekend?

Old Town

2011-07-22T08:45:00.000-07:00
Well, hello there! It's been awhile, hasn't it? With all the changes at work I've been a busy bee! Yesterday was the fourth anniversary of my Grandfather's passing. Doesn't seem like so long ago, but also seems like it happened ages ago. I still miss him a ton and can't believe he's gone.

Moving right along, last weekend I visited Old Town in San Diego and snapped some photos of all the lovely bits and baubles available for sale! Looking at my snapshots now, I didn't take any of the traditional Mexican pots or clothing that are the big draw to old town! Ah well, next time!

I was wild for this Talavera pottery. It's so bright and colorful! The paper flowers pictures in the vase are very popular in old town and come in a wide array of shapes and colors.

I was just nuts about this blue and white garden stool:

This glazed elephant would look terrific guarding my mantle!

I love a good ginger jar.

A local artist was there, painting San Diego sites and I fell in love with this painting of the San Diego mission!

Aside from fabulous shopping and sightseeing, there are some killer Mexcian restaurants there serving authentic food. AMAZING. There are also PITCHERS of margaritas available. You've been warned. I had such a terrific time I didn't even take shots of the pieces I picked up: a Mexican sundress (with embroidered flowers), a green vase and a concrete dachshund doorstopper. It's our third dog. HA! Have a wonderful weekend!

Do you know what today is?!

2011-07-20T08:35:00.000-07:00

Why, it's OPENING DAY at the Del Mar Racetrack!

Do you have your hat ready, darling?

San Diego Mission

2011-07-19T04:00:00.000-07:00

This weekend I had the pleasure of visiting the San Diego Mission. It was a LOVELY day and the anniversary weekend of the church's founding (back in 1769!!!!). Here are some snapshots I took of the grounds. Above is the original facade, standing above Mission Valley since 1799.

The inside of the Mission. I don't know what's worse: taking a photo during Mass or posting it on the internet?
Out front, a memorial for Friar Luis Jayme, the first Christian martyr of California. He died on this spot in 1775 and is buried in the Mission.

La Capilla, or small chapel. Full of very old artifacts. I can't really describe the smell except to say it smelled quite like old wet wood.

Saint Didacus, aka San Diego.

A room in the mission how it looked while the friars were living there.

More information:

Squash, anyone?

2011-07-18T09:15:00.000-07:00

Like proud parents, Skipp and I pulled the first bounty of our vegetable garden off the vines this weekend and marveled at what we grew. Like any proud parents, we must now inundate you with photos! (Above: The Bounty)

Here are our prize worthy squash beside store bought squash (that, quite frankly, we should have eaten by now) for comparison:

Yellow squash, next to store bought:

Yellow squash, next to my phone so you can see the size:

Zucchini, with store bought:

Zucchini, with phone:

Can you even BELIEVE we grew these from SEEDS?! That's it, I'm never buying veggies in the store again! HAHA! I cannot BELIEVE how big these are, how FANTASTIC they taste, and how easy it was to grow them! Proud gardener, right here!

Around Town

2011-07-16T05:00:00.000-07:00
This weekend I'm looking forward to being a tourist. I'm packing up the car, picking up the fam and heading out!

First stop: The San Diego Mission

I've been by a few times but I've never really took the time to walk around and enjoy the scenery. I'm hoping to attend Mass there, but we'll see how it goes. The San Diego Mission is California's FIRST mission and is rich in history. It's been sitting in this spot since before the US was a country! Isn't that just WILD to think about?

Our next stop is Old Town. Everyone had told me about Old Town but it wasn't until I visited last week for lunch that I got to see what all the fuss was about! It's a lovely place filled with unique shops and a lot of restaurants and things to do. I'm looking forward to perusing the boutiques and being a tourist for the day.

That's as much as I've planned so far, but I open to ideas if you have any and I'm open to discovering new areas in my hometown! Happy weekend, y'all! Xx.

Winning San Diego Style

2011-07-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

GQ Magazine recently released the 40 Worst-Dressed Cities in America list and it is HILARIOUS. Of course my very own San Diego made the list! Here's what they had to say about America's Finest City:

27. San Diego

Woe to the city for whom taking a cue from legendarily-lapelled anchorman Ron Burgundy would be a sartorial step up. For San Diego though, some polyester suiting and un-ironic mustache action might act as effective defense against the one-two punch of the city's style heavyweights: college kids rocking their crustiest Trustafarian chic and the men (and women) whose fashion strategy is to appear perpetually on the verge of hitting the links.

Sure, it's hot down there and most of you are inching towards retirement, but until then it's time to drop the country club outfits—you'll get there, we promise—and put on something a little more appropriate for the real world. And the pastels? Spare yourselves from looking like overgrown kindergarteners and save them for your next beach vacation or Easter egg pageant.

So while we're not suggesting you all run out and grow some jaw-grazing sideburns, San Diego, maybe you could split the difference and stop dressing with such infantilizing abandon. Get yourself in that sartorial boxing ring, San Diego, we know you have it in you.

ZING! Didn't they hear? I'm on my way to an Easter egg pageant right now!!! HAHAHA! See what they had to say about your city (you KNOW it's on there...) here.

Fridge Art

2011-07-14T04:00:00.000-07:00
Although I am what my father likes to call "Nearly 30" {don't age me, daddy!}, I noticed this past weekend that my parents STILL have art from my childhood on their fridge. They've surely had three fridges since these pieces were produced, so they must really be special to them. Looking at them, I see very little has changed about me and our family. These both gave me a hearty chuckle, so I thought I'd share them with you so you could know a little more about me.

Piece #1: Martini Family Portrait

When I was a little girl, we had a pet lovebird, Monique. Monique was very much a family member and we treated her as such. Naturally, in Muffy's childhood mind, Monique deserved equal exposure in our 'official' family portrait.

There are many funny things to notice about this piece. For one, I guess pink and green is not a new concept to me. For another, I guess I hadn't heard about putting all your eggs in one basket at that point yet. My father has ALWAYS worn pants the slightest bit too short (as long as I can remember) and bonus points to Mummy for getting a matching handbag. Well done, Muffy. It's interesting that Mummy is the largest figure too. I'm sure a psychoanalyst could break this down and learn a lot about me from this one! Is it weird that Monique is wearing clothes? What was I thinking?

Piece #2: Muffy, a Self-Portrait

This one was clearly made before the one above. I had not yet discovered mixed mediums and was obviously shaky with the watercolor brush. I love that this was clearly placed near the stove and has the splatter stains of a life well lived all over it. I can't imagine HOW it got so dirty seeing as Mummy never cooked, but that's a story for another day.

This one also echoes present-day Muffy. Close friends know I love a good set of fake lashes and I work hard to perfect my "That Girl" flip. This is SO funny. What an odd little girl I must have been?

Ok, you've seen the labors of MY childhood, what's on YOUR fridge?

The Help: Movie Review

2011-07-13T11:30:00.000-07:00

Last night, I had the privilege of attending an advanced screening of "The Help" organized by the Junior League. I was BEYOND excited because I've been anxiously awaiting the film since hearing it was coming out this August.

After a few technical difficulties (the movie started while we were all getting seated, then started again with all the lights on, then wouldn't start once the lights came down...) we got started and all was smooth after that.

The movie was......OK. It wasn't GREAT, but it was far from terrible. The casting is spot on and the clothes/hair/makeup/set design was flawless. They pretty much stuck to the story line, but as can be expected many details and background stories were left out. While Stewart was in the plot, the fact he was the Senator's son was omitted and their romance was a very small part of the story. Many other little details were tweaked, but it did help the story line move along quickly and smoother than it would have.

I often gauge the "goodness" of a film by the amount I cry. While I'm not a terribly emotional person, I tend to get really involved in movies I'm watching and it doesn't take much to get a tear out of me during a good film. I did cry a few times while reading the book (when Skeeter's mother was near death, when Treelore died, etc etc), but I did not shed a single tear during the movie. I don't know...I just couldn't get into it. No emotional response from me.

Having said that, if you've read the book you've got to see the film. There is no way around it. In my opinion, the trailer is a great deal better than the movie, but even so, you've got to go see it. It wasn't BAD, just don't go in expecting it to be amazing. It was rather average.

Muffy's rating: B-
A nice story, decent acting and cute clothes. Don't expect it to change your life.

Wordless Wednesday: Wake Surfing Doxy

2011-07-13T04:00:00.000-07:00

This is amazing! I couldn't take my eyes off this cute little sporty pup. Credit to the Dachshund Love blog.

Bandit would SO not be down.

Santa Monica

2011-07-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

I hadn't been to Santa Monica in a long time, so this weekend my parents and I tried to escape the heat (along with everyone else in LA) and headed to the beach! The pier and beach were largely the same, although I spied some new rides on the pier I hadn't seen before. I was last on the pier when Skipp and I took our engagement photos. Seems like yesterday but it was over 2 years ago now!

Santa Monica Place was under construction the last time I was in Santa Monica and I was surprised to see the finished product. While the new mall is shiny and new (and open air!) I miss the old one. I grew up there, spending time cooling off in the food court after sunbathing on the beach during my youth. A giant SMURF could be found in the courtyard this past weekend. HUGE!

The vibe of the mall has changed too. No more "mom and pop" boutiques. Now it's all the same stuff you find in every upscale mall. A Tiffany & Co, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, etc. Speaking of Burberry, my parents bought me the CUTEST headband I can't wait to wear! LOVE. IT. Even so, the old mall will be missed.

After walking along the beach, on the pier, along Ocean Ave, in the mall and on Third Street Promenade, we were ready to eat! When I was a little girl and my grandparents would bring me to the beach, we always had dinner on the way home at the southern California diner, Norms. Think 100 year old waitresses with sass and blue plate specials. My parents asked me where I wanted to have dinner and I said, "Is Norms still around?" We had the MOST AMAZING meal (and I don't care for diner food).

Split pea soup, salad with the yummiest thick blue cheese dressing, filet mignon with garlic parmesan fries and then after allllll that, this:
Norms signature GIGANTIC fudge brownie a la mode. If one of you so even whispers the words "Weight Watchers" I'll just hit you right now! HAHA. It was amazing (and DELICIOUS) and I keep teasing my parents that I'll want to go back soon. Mummy was not as impressed as I was, but she DID enjoy her strawberry shortcake...

A lovely weekend, lovely company, lovely surroundings and a great time. How was your weekend?

Muffy's Book Club: Heaven is for Real

2011-07-08T04:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back a few people in my church group mentioned they had read this cute book about a boy who was very ill and recovered but would reference his time in "heaven" and could tell his parents what they were doing while he was in surgery. The book was "Heaven is for Real" and I wanted to check it out. Day before yesterday I was at Berean, a local Christian bookstore and saw it on the shelf. I'd been trying to borrow it from the library but it is a very popular book around here! Always on hold or overdue. Anyhow, I snapped it up and planned to read it this weekend.

When I got home I read a few pages and LOVED it. I finished it in an hour and a half (I'm no speed reader, it's a pretty short book). I could NOT put it down! I cried and cried and cried reading about this little boy talking about meeting his sister (a baby his mother had miscarried before he was born and knew nothing about) and grandfather.

This book is AMAZING. I'm glad I bought it because I can think of ten people I can loan this to that will love it. It's a charming heartwarming story and well written. If you've still got a vacation to take this summer, pick it up!

Aside from little Colton's amazing description of heaven, there was something else about the book that really moved me. After Colton's parents decide to "go public" with Colton's story, one of their friends sends them a clip about a young girl in Lithuania who claimed to have visited heaven several times. Colton's dad was struck by the similarities in detail between this little Lithuanian girl and what his one 4 year old son had described heaven as like. The little girl is an incredibly gifted artist and draws from memory images of heaven and Jesus.

Without giving away the whole entire book, whenever Colton's parents would show him a painting, drawing or sketch of Jesus, Colton would say it was off. The hair wasn't right or the face was missing something. After Colton's dad learned about Akiane, the little Lithuanian girl, he called Colton over and showed him Akiane's rendering of Jesus:

...and Colton was speechless. "That's him, dad!" Amazing. You can buy the image above (or a giclee print, starting at $450 (yikes!)) on Akiane's website HERE. The download of the image is only $10, and she also sells note cards (!!!) on her site as well.

That's all for today, folks. Read any good books lately? I'm working on The Paris Wife right now-- not bad!

Ch-ch-changes!

2011-07-07T04:00:00.000-07:00
From the desk of Muffy
The only constant is change. Isn't that what they always say? My boss found an awesome new job and left. I felt an attachment to her, she did hire me after all. We got along well. I think mostly because I genuinely believed she was always right. SUPER smart and innovative. I wish we had a closer relationship, but she was always so busy. Easy to get along with someone when you think the same way.

Now that she's gone, there is a lot of work to be done. I won't lie, while I'm super sad to see her go, I'm beyond excited at the prospect of being able to take on some of her responsibilities.

Change is inevitable and these days we face more and more of it. While I get tired of the rat race sometimes I also realize I'm incredibly lucky to be working in such a fun industry and that I get the chance to do things that interest me and keep me engaged. It's been a long road to this point...I started in promotions (in the most thankless job EVER) and answered phones forever but now that this chance is ahead of me I'm EXCITED. Feels like just yesterday I got a job at the big fancy radio station and now here I am!

I don't know what the future holds but I'm hoping it's all positive and I'm excited to see where I'll end up. Don't worry, I'll keep you all updated and informed. For now.....feel free to send positive thoughts my way, they are needed!

Xx,
Muffy

The Help

2011-07-06T04:00:00.000-07:00
A little while ago, I read The Help and ever since then I've been anxiously awaiting the movie. Now that the trailer is out, August 10 cannot get here soon enough! Have you read The Help too? Here is the trailer:

WARNING: Cute Overload!

2011-07-05T04:00:00.000-07:00

Can't say I didn't warn you!

A couple of weekends ago, Skipp and I took family portraits and brought along the pups. OF COURSE they insisted on taking a few snapshots of the kids and OF COURSE we were idiots and bought them. These CRACK ME UP! Aren't they hilarious?! PS: Act surprised when one (or both!) of these appear on our Christmas cards.

Happy Fourth of July!

2011-07-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Low Fat Fettuccini Alfredo!

2011-07-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

Before I joined Weight Watchers, one of my favorite family meals was Fettuccine Alfredo. I'd pile it into a big bowl and load it up with broccoli and other veggies and hope the veggies would counterbalance all the fat I knew was lurking in that yummy sauce.

Now that I eat a little better (and a lot less, too) I haven't revisited the beloved dish. Partly because the thought of all that fat makes me ill, and partly because I think at this point, the dish itself would make me ill.

I was thumbing through my Vita-Mix recipe book and found a delish sounding recipe for LOW FAT Fettuccine Alfredo. Sounds delicious and not-as-bad-as-it-could-be health wise. I'm going to try it out today, perhaps you'd like to as well? Here is the recipe:

Low Fat Fettuccine Alfredo (Vita-Mix recipe)

1/2 lb (277 g) fettuccine, dry
1 1/3 cups (320 ml) skim milk
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (30 g) fat-free cream cheese
1/2 cup (50 g) grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons (25 g) light butter spread

1. Cook fettuccine in boiling water for 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain.
2. Place rest of ingredients into the Vitamix container in the order listed secure lid.
3. Select Variable 1.
4. Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High.
5. Blend for 5-6 minutes.
6. Pour over cooked fettuccine and toss until coated.

Variation: Substitute whole wheat fettuccine to increase fiber.

For those counting, one cup (pasta with sauce) is 9 WW points. Bon appetit!

CLUB 33

2011-07-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week I joined Skipp and his family on a trip to Disneyland. Located in New Orleans Square, there is a private club where members and their guests can enjoy lunch or dinner in a lovely atmosphere away from the hubbub of the park below. It's called Club 33. Lucky for us, a family friend is a member and invited us for lunch.

While Skipp and his family had the great fortune of dining there before, I had never been and felt like an impressed tourist, gazing at all the charming antiques, sketches and art around the club. Here are some shots from our lunch:

The view from above. It was so fun to see all the people walking through New Orleans Square from our table!

I loved the assortment of fresh arrangements placed all around. Each table also had a small vase with a single rose in it.

I LOVED some of the furniture and antiques displayed. Aren't these tables unique?!

There were many one-of-a-kind sketches on the walls. Some depicted ideas for future rides (like Pirates of the Caribbean or the Matterhorn), while others featured costume designs like these:

The food was DIVINE. I ordered the chateaubriand (no, I did NOT count WW points that day!), and enjoyed no less than FOUR desserts! I figured when one has a unique opportunity one must not dwell on points and such (for the record, made my 10 pound loss goal this week! Yay me!).

Skipp is going to be MORTIFIED to see that I posted this photo, but I simply HAD to share. This, my friends, is the toilet (!!!) in the ladies room. Oh yes, I took you there. Have you ever?
It was a fabulous time (Club 33 is the ONLY place to obtain, ahem, adult beverages in the park) and a wonderful experience. I do hope we are invited again soon, I just adored everything about it. The wallpaper was divine, the atmosphere was serene and yet lively and the food was delightful. Quite frankly, I didn't want to leave and venture back into the hot southern California heat, but eventually I did. Full and happy, I hope I'll be back soon!