a short film.

My friends Brittney and Marcella shared this on their respective blogs earlier today and I thought I would also post it here after it moved me to tears. Since becoming a Mom I've found that my respect for other parents has only grown, and the respect that I have for any single parent is just immeasurable. It's hard enough doing this job with two people, and I can only imagine the struggle it can be with one. I have a quite a few single mama friends, and quite simply, you are all amazing and inspire me every single day with your perseverance and strength. I thought this film was beautiful, and I wanted to share it here, with all of you.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Shadow Pencils Spring 2011

Urban Decay has just announced the newest member of the 24/7 family: the 24/7 Glide On Shadow Pencil. The 12 shades of waterproof eyeshadow are new for Spring 2011 and I have them to review, so I'm going to do my best to show you how pretty they are!

Like their eyeliner counterparts, these come in pencil form with a shiny silver cap. They're chubby pencils, about twice the diameter of a 24/7 eyeliner. They are actual pencils (not twist-up/automatic) so will need to be sharpened, but if you have the Urban Decay Grindhouse sharpener, they fit perfectly in the large side.


The shades are:

Barracuda, black with silver glitter.



Clash, a bright aqua blue with a hint of green, iridescent sparkle and a subtle purple sheen.

Clinic, a medium blue-toned emerald green with shimmer and subtle silver sparkle.


Delinquent, an amazing jeweltone purple with iridescent sparkle.



Lit, a light bronzy gold shimmer.



Mercury, a grey-silver shimmer.


Midnight Cowboy, a light peachy-beige gold with silver microglitter, just like the powder eyeshadow.


Morphine, a light lilac purple with blue duochrome and shimmer.


Narc, a mossy, olivey yellow-toned green shimmer.




Rehab, a light brown/taupe shimmer.




Sin, a delicate champagne shimmer.



Wasteland, a chocolate brown shimmer.

And, on my arm, applied straight from the tube, no base:

Sin, Midnight Cowboy, Lit, Morphine. If you enlarge this, you'll be able to see the gorgeous glitter in Midnight Cowboy. Also note how awesome and glowy Morphine looks. It has really strong blue iridescence so it looks like it's glowing blue. It's amazing.


Delinquent, Clash, Clinic, Narc. I tried to capture the sparkle in these, you may need to view it full size to see it. Delinquent is incredible, look at that rich purple color and all that electric purple shimmer in it!



Mercury, Barracuda, Wasteland, Rehab. Barracuda really stands out here, doesn't it? I love that glitter. And I'm not sure if you can see it very well, but Rehab has a really pretty reddish-gold duochrome sheen to it. It's subtle, but when you catch it just right, it's so pretty.

The texture of these pencils is really similar to the 24/7 eyeliner. They're soft, silky and extremely smooth. They really do glide on, no tugging or skipping. They're very opaque and pigmented and you really don't need more than one or two swipes of color.

You can apply them as eyeliner or eyeshadow. You'd think with such a chubby pencil, you wouldn't be able to get a nice line, but that's not the case. The thickness of the tip actually makes a really even line that isn't too thick. If you prefer a super thin line, you can always sharpen the tip before using it to line.

I've been testing them out over the past week to see how they hold up, and these are a few of the ways I've used them:

(All of these looks use Too Faced Shadow Insurance as a base.)

This is Lit on the lid and on the lower lashline, a green Anastasia shadow in the crease, Delinquent as liner and a tiny bit of Clinic on the outer edge of the lower lashline. Isn't Delinquent amazing?





This is a silvery smoky eye using Lap Dance and Stilletto from the Too Faced Naked Eye palette and Urban Decay Delinquent 24/7 shadow as eyeliner. Seriously... just look at that purple! It's so awesome! I can't get enough of it.




This is Morphine on the lid with Kat Von D Prague (from the Truth palette) in the crease and on the lower lashline and MAC Blacktrack Fluidline as liner. Morphine has that amazing blue glow that I love all by itself, but it does something cool when you layer with it. When other shadows are layered over Morphine, they become duochrome! Prague is a matte formula, but you can see in this picture that it takes on a red pearl duochrome effect everywhere it touches Morphine.

Now that I've used these a few times, I have a few observations.

First and foremost, when they say 24/7, they mean it! This is by far the longest wearing eyeshadow I've ever used. At first I was afraid that they'd crease due to the creamy texture, but that is absolutely not the case. They are bulletproof. No amount of rubbing or sweating or crying or rain will make these run or crease. Once they're on, they're on. They're so hardcore that they're even a little hard to remove- they don't come off easily with soap and water. I'd recommend an oily makeup remover to take these off- I use pure jojoba oil.

Because of this long-wear formula, you have to work quickly. They set extremely fast. Faster than the 24/7 pencils. Because they set so fast and don't budge when they're dry, you can't really blend them. I've tried and failed. There's literally no time to try to smudge your lines or blend out the colors, and if you try to blend after they're starting to set, it causes some uncomfortable tugging on the lid. Lightning fast. That's why I'm sticking to using these as a lid color or a liner.

The slight tackiness/stickiness (disappears after a few seconds) of these when they're freshly applied makes them a great shadow base. You can lay down a base of 24/7 and then pat your powder shadow on top while the 24/7 is still sticky to intensify the colors and smudge/crease/fade proof them. Also makes a good base for glitter if you work quick enough!

These would definitely be ideal if you're a swimmer or for a trip to the beach since they're waterproof and they don't melt. One color as a lid color, another color as liner and some waterproof mascara. Pool-proof makeup.

Besides being totally waterproof and crazy long wearing, another advantage of the 24/7 Glide On Shadow is that there's no glitter fallout. This is especially pleasing to me, as I've had a love-hate relationship with Urban Decay's glitter shadows. I am extremely happy that they've made Midnight Cowboy into a pencil. In pencil form, you can enjoy all the glitter in the iconic Midnight Cowboy without it ending up all over your face. The glitter stays on your eyelids and doesn't budge. Very, very happy about this.

I'm someone who never uses cream or liquid shadows because they're a pain, but these have changed my mind. They're creamy but they don't crease! They're easy to apply- just scribble all over your eyelid and you're done. They make nice, bold, even lines as eyeliner and they stay on all day. They're not really blendable, so I personally can't use them as a crease color, but as a lid color and a liner, they're great.

My top picks? Delinquent and Morphine are my must-haves from this collection. Delinquent is the purple pencil I've been searching for all my life. It is pigmented, sparkly and very obviously purple. Morphine is just insanely cool and you know I can't resist a duochrome. Midnight Cowboy is another top pick because it's a perfect neutral lid color and unlike the powder version, the pencil has no glitter fallout. Mercury is also great for an extremely fast, easy smoky eye look.

All the colors are gorgeous, vibrant and sparkly but I have a soft spot for purples and glitter. I really hope they do more glitter shades! I'm hoping for the old version of Oil Slick with the rainbow glitter. I'd also love to see SWF, Goddess, Kiddie Pool, Uzi and the other Midnight shades in pencil form. One can dream...

Have you tried these? I want to know what your experience with them was.

They're available now on Urban Decay's website, Sephora and Ulta.

(These were sent to me for review.)

Playing with China Glaze Crackle Glaze again...

I did this mani that I really hated, but I didn't feel like taking it off and starting over. No matter what I layered over it, I still hated it... So I figured, why not add one more layer just to see what it looks like? I didn't necessarily love what I ended up with, but it was at least better. I photographed the evidence:


Here's me playing with China Glaze Fault Line and Broken Hearted. I don't remember everything it's layered over, but it included Milani Magenta Metal as the base and Sally Hansen HD in Byte on top of everything. I liked the subtle crackle effect of Fault Line with little glints of duochrome sparkle from Byte peeking through. Fault Line still doesn't crack as well as the other shades, but I did get it to crackle more this time by applying it over completely dry polish and waiting 5 minutes before applying topcoat.



This one I actually liked. It's China Glaze Lightning Bolt over the random pink polish mess. I love the way the glass fleck sparkles in Byte shine through the cracks of the white polish. White crackle is really neat. I want to do it over neon yellow... think I'll try that soon.


So, there's that. Just thought I'd share a few more layering combinations with the crackles. I'm still a bit obsessed with crackle. I don't think I've done more than one or two manis in the past month that haven't had crackle on them...

5 quick ways to make our blog world a more positive place

It's no secret that I love blogging. And if you're here reading this, you probably do too! There's all sorts of people in our little/big community here: writers, readers, those who comment, those who don't, passer-by, regular guests. We all play our little roles to make up this larger tapestry often referred to as the blogosphere, our wonderful virtual world full of creativity and buzzing with connections. Most of the time it's a very positive place, but sometimes it isn't. Just recently I saw a slew of nasty comments pop up on a friend's blog and as usual, I was appalled. Why do people find the need to be so hurtful while hiding behind a computer screen? Rhetorical question for sure because I don't think anyone but the commenter ever knows. But it got me thinking...what can we do, now, to make our blog world a happier, more positive place? For one, absolutely ignore those negative nellies. They unfortunately do play a role here, but we don't need to acknowledge them. Instead, let's do things that build this community, foster connections, and encourage creativity. Sound good? Below are five quick things you can do now to keep this world turning in a positive direction, or at least in our little corner. I did all of these things this week, and it was not only fun to reach out, but I made a handful of new friends in the process. So awesome.

1. Take 20 minutes and click on 5 random blogs you otherwise wouldn't have visited. You can do this by checking out familiar blog's daily reads (mine will be updated this week!), profiles, or if you really want to get crazy you can use the "explore" option in Google Reader. Check them out, read through a few entries, and if you're intrigued, click the follow button. At the least, be sure to leave a comment saying hello and that you're just stopping by and share how you found them.

2. Really read. And really comment. It's hard to read through the hundreds of blogs many of us subscribe to, but if you find the time, really take in an entry or two, think about it, and leave some thoughts in the comment box. It's so fun to read comments that really tell me something and respond. And there's no greater feeling than hearing "me too" or "I love this, etc." with some details after you've put a little piece of yourself out into the world.

3. Reach out. Write an email to your favorite blogger or a new blog you recently discovered. I read a huge array of blogs, and I don't always reach out and say hello.  Yes, I am one of those readers who takes in every word but doesn't always comment! It's something I'm definitely working on, because I know how much every single one of the comments here warms my heart. But even better is just writing a quick email that lets someone know how much you enjoy what they're creating. I finally reached out to one of my favorite blogs this week, and she responded and told me that she was actually thinking of stopping because she thought no one read it! Ahh! I would have been so sad, and it only made me think more about how great it is to actually reach out.

4. Share the love! I started doing a blog spotlight feature here because I feel like there's nothing better than supporting other people in their creative endeavors. It's so fun to pick a blog from your daily reads and share them with the world, and it's something everyone can do. I love discovering new sites, and a spotlight or links feature is always a great way to give exposure to others that you feel are just awesome!

5. Finally, try something new to keep YOUR creative self moving and grooving! Perhaps do one of the popular "photo an hour" posts, a "what's in my bag" post, or a random facts share session. Video blog, interview someone, reach out and create a feature series with a friend! When you feel inspired, you inspire others, and what better way to beautify the world around you than by starting with yourself!

Good luck and happy positive-blogging! xoxo

MOTOROLA XOOM NOW AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE FROM VERIZON, NO CONTRACT REQUIRED TO UNLOCK WIFI

The Motorola Xoom Android tablet is now available for purchase from Verizon Wireless. Best Buy has been selling the tablet to pre-order customers since February 24th. Verizon is also charging $799 for a contract-free tablet.If you sign up for a 2 year data plan you will be able to pick it up for $599.

Meanwhile, Verizon has confirmed that customers who are willing to buy the tablet at full prize will no longer be required to register for a one-month data plan. It was earlier reported that paying for at least one month's data plan is required to unlock the tablet's WiFi functionality. Of course, if you are not interested in using 3G, there is really no point in buying the tablet at the moment by paying the contract-free price of $799, because Motorola has plans to offer a WiFi only version sometime soon. And that model is priced at $599.

In related news, Verizon will reportedly offer free upgrade to 4G in about 3 months. Customers will have to send in their tablets to get the upgrade, though.

MSI WINDPAD 110W WITH AMD ONTARIO CHIP COMING

MSI has been showing off Windows based tablets for a while. While none of these machines are available in the market yet, one of them - the WindPad 100W - is now up for pre-order from Excaliber PC. It has an Intel Atom Z530 processor and Windows 7 operating system. It is priced at $649.

Now it looks like the WindPad 100W has a sibling called the WindPad 110W. This model will have an AMD Fusion processor. Digitimes report that MSI will show off the tablet at the CeBIT trade show in Germany next month.

The MSI WindPad 110W will reportedly have a 10.1 inch display. It will be powered by an AMD C-50 dual core processor with Radeon graphics. Of course, the AMD C-50 isn't as powerful as the AMD E-350 Zacate processor. In fact, the C-50 is no better than the dual core Atom processor. On the bright side it comes with powerful Radeon graphics which means that it will be able to play 1080p HD video. It also supports the DirectX 11.

The MSI WindPad 110W also has 32GB of storage, a G-sensor, ambient light sensor and WiFi. Still no word on pricing or availability.

WIFI ONLY HTC FLYER UP FOR PRE-ORDER IN GERMANY

The WiFi only version of the HTC Flyer Android tablet is now up for pre-order in Germany. The Flyer is powered by a 1.5GHz single core processor. It has a 7 inch capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. The tablet also supports a pressure-sensitive stylus.

The 3G-enabled model of the tablet went up for pre-order at Amazon Germany last week for 669 Euros. Now German retailer Cyberport has started taking pre-orders for the WiFi-only model. It is priced at 499 Euros (about 685 USD) but that price includes the VAT.

Besides the stylus support, what makes the HTC Flyer interesting is the operating system it runs. It will ship with Android 2.4 at a time when most PC makers are busy announcing tablets with Android 3.0. The Android 2.4 is very similar to the version of Android that HTC has been running on its smartphones for a while. The company has also developed a new version of its Sense user interface with full screen widgets to run on top of Android. No word on pricing or availability in other parts of the world.

CLOSER LOOK AT THE FUJITSU STYLISTIC Q550 WINDOWS TABLET

Fujitsu showed off a Windows 7 tablet with an Intel Oak Trail processor and a 10.1 inch display at CES in January. However, Fujitsu didn't reveal a lot of details back then. Now it looks like the tablet is ready for prime time. Fujitsu will reportedly show off the tablet at the CeBIT trade show in Germany in March.

The Fujitsu Stylistic Q550 is aimed at business users, rather than consumers. It will run Windows 7 Professional operating system. It will be powered by an upcoming Intel Atom Oak Trail processor. The tablet has a touchscreen display which recognizes both pen and finger input. There is also a fingerprint scanner and a smartcard slot.

The Fujitsu Stylistic Q550 will also have a solid state disk of up to 64GB, front and rear facing cameras, a USB port, and optional 3G mobile broadband. The tablet will reportedly be available in Europe in April. No word on pricing at the moment, but bear in mind that Fujitsu has no history of launching cheap computers.

DELL UPDATES XPS 15 AND XPS 17 NOTEBOOKS WITH SANDY BRIDGE PROCESSORS

Dell has updated its XPS 15 and XPS 17 multimedia notebooks with Intel's latest 2nd generation Core i series Sandy Bridge processors and new NVIDIA GeForce 500M discrete graphics. The XPS 17 is also available with an optional 3D capable display.

The 15.6 inch XPS 15 L502x and the 17.3 inch XPS 17 L702x also support the NVIDIA Optimus automatic graphics switching technology. Select models also feature the Intel Wireless Display technology and built-in TV tuner. Full HD display resolution is also available as an optional feature. Dell says the new XPS notebooks aren't affected by the recent chipset issue that affected some Sandy Bridge laptops.

The Dell XPS 15 L502x and 17 L702x have a starting price of $1,049.99 and $899.99 respectively. Both models are expected to start shipping on March 15th.

SONY LAUNCHES VAIO CA10 AND CB10 NOTEBOOKS

Sony has officially introduced the C series Sony Vaio CA10 and CB10 notebooks. The 14 inch Sony Vaio CA10 and the 15.5 inch Vaio CB10 notebooks feature Intel's second generation Core i5 processors. Select models have the AMD Radeon HD 6630 hybrid graphics, support for Intel's Wireless Display 2.0 technology and Blu-ray drives.

The Sony Vaio C series will be available in Neon orange, Neon green, Lighting White and Bolt Black colors. Other features include chiclet style keyboards with backlights and webcams. While the Vaio CA10 has a standard resolution display, the Vaio CB is also available with optional full HD resolution display.

The new Vaio C series will be up for pre-order on March 13th at Sony's official website. Prices will start at around $800. Availability is expected in spring.

ACER ASPIRE AS7741Z-4633 OVERVIEW

The Acer Aspire AS7741Z-4633 is budget-friendly 17.3-inch multimedia notebook. One of the best selling laptops at Walmart, it is now available for just $498.

The Aspire AS7741Z-4633 has an Intel Pentium P6100 dual core processor clocking at 2GHz. Other specifications include a 320GB hard drive, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, Intel HD integrated graphics, DVD burner and a 6-cell battery that will reportedly get up to 3.6 hours of run time. Not bad for a 17 inch mainstream laptop.

The Aspire AS7741Z-4633 runs Windows 7 Home Premium operating system. It also has a 1.3 megapixel webcam, stereo speakers, HDMI, VGA, Gigabit LAN, 3 USB ports, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, a 5-in-1 media card reader and a 1600 x 900 pixels display.

The notebook sports a brown chassis with a mesh-patterned lid. It weighs 7.26 pounds.

HANVON HPAD A112 ANDROID TABLET COMING

Hanvon is all set to introduce yet another Android tablet at the CeBit trade show scheduled to be held in Germany next month. The Hanvon HPad A112 has a 7 inch display with a resolution of 800 x 600 pixels. It will be powered by a 720MHz ARM11 processor and run Android 2.2.


Sure, the tablet doesn't have a powerful processor. But like the Hanvon HPad A116 the company introduced at CES in January, the A112 is also being positioned as an ebook reader and media player for which you don't necessarily have the best processor out there.

The tablet is capable of playing H.264 video of up to 1080p resolution. It also supports other media formats such as MP4, MOV, AVI, ASF, MKV, WMV etc. The HPad A112 also has WiFi, Bluetooth, HDMI port, a USB port, a 3 megapixel camera and optional 3G and GPS. It will be available with 256MB or 512MB of RAM and has a 3300mAh battery.

The Hanvon HPad A112 is expected to be available in the second half of 2011. It will run about 399 Euros or $545 US.

11.6 INCH SONY VAIO YA WITH INTEL CPU HITS EUROPE

The Sony Vaio YB which is currently available in the US for $550 is an 11.6 inch laptop based on AMD's E-350 Zacate processor. It has an attractive design and delivers decent performance. And now a variation of this laptop has been spotted in Italy. In terms of looks, the Vaio YA is virtually identical to the YB, but it is powered by an Intel processor.

Precisely, the Sony Vaio YA is available with your choice of an Intel Core i3-380UM processor or a Core i5-470UM chip. It runs Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional and has an 11.6 inch display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels.

The base configuration has 2GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive. The laptop supports up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM. Higher capacity hard drives and solid state drive options are also available. Sony says that the laptop will get around 6 hours of run time with the standard battery. If you need more up time, a 12 hour battery option is also available.

The Sony Vaio YA is priced at 649 Euros or about $887 in Europe. That price includes the VAT. It is not clear whether this model will be available in the US.

MOTOROLA XOOM NOW UP FOR PRE-ORDER FOR $800

Best Buy has started taking pre-orders for the upcoming Motorola Xoom Android tablet. The tablet will be available in stores on February 24th. The model that is currently up for pre-order is 3G-enabled and has a price tag of $799.99. Motorola has also confirmed that there will be a WiFi only version of Xoom, however, there is no word on the availability of that model.

Meanwhile Best Buy isn't the only retailer taking orders for Xoom. Wirefly is also taking orders for the same price. Both models are designed for use on Verizon's wireless network. It looks like Verizon has no plans to subsidize the tablet. The data plans associated with the tablet are month-to-month which means you can cancel any time. Plans run between $20 per month for 1GB of data and $80 per month for up to 10GB of data.

Interestingly the Best Buy ad mentions that customers will have to pay for at least one month of service even if they want to use the tablet as a WiFi-only device. And that is kind of funny because devices usually ship with WiFi activated. In this particular case it looks like WiFi will need to be 'activated' by paying an extra fee.

ASUS INTRODUCES EEE PC 1011PX WITH ATOM N455

Asus has introduced a new Eee PC. The Asus Eee PC 1011PX is essentially an updated version of the 1001PX which is one of the cheapest and most popular Eee PCs available at the moment. Asus is expected to officially introduce the netbook at the CeBIT trade show in March.

The Eee PC 1011PX is expected to be sold as Eee PC R011PX in some countries. It has a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N455 processor (the 1001X has an Atom N450 processor), 1GB of DDR3 RAM, a 250GB hard drive and WiFi 802.11b/g/n. The netbook runs Windows 7 Starter Edition.

The main difference between the Atom N450 and N455 processors is that the N455 supports DDR3 memory. Bear in mind that there will be no major boost in performance.

DELL INSPIRON DUO CONVERTIBLE TABLET NOW SELLING FOR $399

Microsoft Store is now selling the Dell Inspiron Duo convertible tablet style netbook for just $399. The computer has been available for a while, but at launch it sported a $549 price tag.

Unlike typical convertibles which would let you rotate the display down over the keyboard, the Inspiron Duo has a display that rotates inside the lid. When the display faces inward, you can use the machine like a typical netbook. When the display faces outward, you can close the lid and use the machine as a tablet.

Specs-wise, the computer has a 10.1 inch capacitive multitouch display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. It is powered by a 1.5GHz Intel Atom N550 dual core processor with 2GB of RAM and a 320GB, 7200rpm hard drive. The device runs Windows 7 Home Premium. It has a 4-cell battery, a 1 megapixel webcam, 2 USB 2.0 ports and WiFi 802.11b/g/n.

DELL INSPIRON DUO CONVERTIBLE TABLET NOW SELLING FOR $399

Microsoft Store is now selling the Dell Inspiron Duo convertible tablet style netbook for just $399. The computer has been available for a while, but at launch it sported a $549 price tag.

Unlike typical convertibles which would let you rotate the display down over the keyboard, the Inspiron Duo has a display that rotates inside the lid. When the display faces inward, you can use the machine like a typical netbook. When the display faces outward, you can close the lid and use the machine as a tablet.

Specs-wise, the computer has a 10.1 inch capacitive multitouch display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. It is powered by a 1.5GHz Intel Atom N550 dual core processor with 2GB of RAM and a 320GB, 7200rpm hard drive. The device runs Windows 7 Home Premium. It has a 4-cell battery, a 1 megapixel webcam, 2 USB 2.0 ports and WiFi 802.11b/g/n.

LENOVO LEPAD ANDROID TABLET COULD SHIP AROUND THE WORLD IN MAY

Lenovo says that its 10 inch Android tablet called LePad will be available around the world in the first half of this year itself. The tablet will hit China in late March. In May it is expected to be available everywhere else.

The Lenovo LePad is powered by a 1.3 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. It has a 10.1 inch multitouch display with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. It runs Android, although it is not clear which version of the OS.

The Lenovo LePad started its life as the IdeaPad U1 Hybrid. It is still a part of the U1 Hybrid which is essentially a docking station which uses the tablet as a display for a Windows computer. The concept was introduced at CES 2010. Back then Lenovo had no intention to launch a tablet. It was probably the popularity of the iPad that prompted Lenovo to offer the U1 Hybrid display as a standalone tablet. Still, no word on when the U1 Hybrid will hit the market.

Thank goodness it was Friday!

 

What a great day! I spent the afternoon with some lovely ladies and it was so much fun. It was a little mama/baby meet up, and we enjoyed lunch, lots of girltalk, and topped our day off with sweets and cupcakes. Perfect.  My friend Natalie is due so soon, so it was great to be able to see her adorable and pregnant. We did lunch at Joe's Farm Grill out in Gilbert and I can't say enough good things about this place. It's a really interesting restaurant. It's surrounded by farmland, and they use local, fresh food that's in season whenever possible. You can learn more about the Agritopia project and the Grill by clicking here, and I definitely recommend doing so- I was fascinated to find out the concept of this whole area. Super neat. And back to the food, last time I was there I had the grilled chicken sandwich and sweet potato fries, and today I had the hamburger and salad- it was delicious! I really, really need to remember to bring my Nikon when I go places and actually take a few minutes to snap some good photos- I'm starting to get annoyed with myself so I am not going to make that mistake again! But anyway, after lunch we walked over to The Coffee Shop to enjoy some sweet treats (my pal Chelsea actually blogged about it yesterday if you'd like to hear more about it). Natalie and I split a birthday cake cupcake (so good). It was really just the best day- it's refreshing to be around a group of mothers who are super like-minded. I'm not religious by any means and most of the Mom's groups I've encountered are more religion-based, meeting via church, etc...which is absolutely not for me. I have a few friends who are in Moms groups like that, and like I always say- to each their own, but that kind of thing just isn't up my alley whatsoever. With that said, I'm looking forward to hanging out again soon with these wonderful gals!

After lunch I hurried home to Prescott so I could get ready for our date night, and was greeted by a mysterious package at the front door. Upon further investigation I saw it was from one of our dearest friends Alex, and it then hit me why he asked me the other night while we were texting, "do you like presents?" haha. Oh, Alex. When Hank got home we opened it, and inside was an amazing amount of sweets from his bakery in San Francisco, Miette! OH LORD was everything good. And yes, don't worry, I sampled one of everything.

So, after getting super full on sweets, we dropped Henry off at Hank's Mom's and went over to Wild Iris for tea and (more) sweets. I indulged a bit too much (okay a lot too much) today and let's just say I'm already looking forward to a long walk tomorrow with Henry. Yikes. But anyway, it was so much fun. We spent two hours just drinking our coconut tea, splitting a slice of citrus cheesecake, and talking about everything and anything. I feel so lucky to be married to my best friend, and I love that we can sit and talk for hours and hours. While there I also ran into two old students which is always wonderful too- they were pretty much the cutest things ever and it warmed my heart to see them doing well. All in all it's been a really great night.

Tomorrow morning Henry and I are heading downtown to enjoy breakfast with my sister-in-law before she moves to Portland for a month for floral school. How neat is that?! I'm excited for her and I know she is going to have the best time. So tomorrow is a bit of a farewell breakfast before she heads to the airport. Afterward you can find Henry and I walking around town, trying to work off some of the sugar I consumed today. ;)

Here are some photos, taken with my point and shoot Canon and my phone.

present from Alex, thank you again sweet friend! Love you tons.

sunset from our front yard this evening

coconut tea, seriously AMAZING! Adie introduced it to Hank, who introduced it to me...and I can't wait to drink it a lot more often. Love it.

the citrus cheesecake. Yup.

I hope you all have a fantastic Saturday! Until next time, xoxo!