Category: lifestyle

Dorm Life

Well, my first-born is going to college this fall…. and we just got back from freshman orientation.     I remember college as the BEST 4 years of my young adult life!  So I should be excited for him, right?

There are so many emotions.  I’m proud as can be, I’m excited  for him beginning this new adventure, I’m nervous he won’t get a good roommate, I’m worried he’ll get sick or need that extra nudge to get out of bed every now and then.   I’m sad about leaving him but know he’s going to have so much fun!  He’s ready.   I think I am 🙂     So now I’m overwhelmed with all the lists… the stuff one needs to set up a dorm room and get ready for college.

One idea my girlfriend told me….I thought was fabulous is for the kids to bring beach chairs into the dorm for extra seating.  Chairs can be folded and stored out of the way when kids are not using them.   Oh… I guess they are not “kids” anymore.  Maybe I should say “students”…. but they are still “kids” to me! 🙂

Definitely got gray sheets and towels…. thinking I’ll be lucky if they get washed and gray won’t look as bad if it does not get washed.   Gray should hide most things.    Maybe I should have gotten black?

Boys are definitely easier … my son truly did not want to go shopping at all.  He was, however, excited to get his new computer.

Oh.. tell me this, now is this generational or a boy thing.   I proposed getting him a white board for friends to write messages on like we all had xx years ago 🙂 but he reminded me…”Mom, they can just text me”   Wow, I thought.  Yeah, I guess they can, but what if they don’t know your number?   My son then told me that there is a directory.  Okay… So I guess we really don’t need a white board.  I suppose my son could put a sticky note on his door with his cell number for people to find him.

Finally, what about communication?    I called my mom and dad once a week I think.   With today’s technology… I really want to connect more frequently,  at least via text.     So how much is too much?  How often would you want to connect with your child/young adult/student 🙂

So much is happening to change our life… we’ll have to get used to our “new normal”.  I’d love any advice any parents have out there…. ideas…. anything!   This is my first kid leaving home and I want to be ready!

 

NYC!

New York City is so diverse!   You really do need to spend a week there to get the full flavor of it!  You’ve got Central Park… such a haven in the middle of all the concrete… IMG_3018.JPGthere are always tons of people… running, walking and biking!  It’s vibrant!

And then there’s SoHo… which was named Soho because it is South of Houston Street… (Prounounced House-ton not Houston like in Texas) … There’s great shopping… and FYI most of the restaurants are one block away on the side streets.   We tried this quaint little spot off Prince  Street called Back Forty West.  It was super nice… had a large upstairs so don’t be fooled by lack of seating when you walk in!   It was lovely and most of my party had delicious grain fed burgers which got high marks!

 

If you walk toward Columbus Circle off Broadway, you’ll find the Metropolitan Opera… and lots of shopping.. and of course there’s midtown.. near Time’s Square which is always a hub of activity!    Madison Avenue is a lovely walk Uptown with high end shopping…. and then there’s lower Manhattan with South Street Seaport and Freedom Tower… Truly a lot to cover to REALLY capture all the different neighborhoods in the city!

  

There are restaurants galore…. and it’s all expensive.. but there are ways to make it more affordable if you bring in a few items for breakfast and snacks… bottled water is a must so you don’t have to pay $3 a bottle or more!  Don’t be embarrassed to bring in some supplies!  Everyone does it!

Enjoy the sights.. the culture… the food and the shopping!    I love NYC!  Share your favorite restaurants, sights etc…. for all my friends who always ask me for restaurant or hotel recommendations…. this will be a great diary!

Summer in the Kitchen

I love Summer! I love summer vegetables and cooking on the grill! There’s something about summer that makes it more fun to cook!   I think because it feels more relaxed … Eating outside and not having as many activities to go to with kids. 

What are some of your lighter fare dishes you love to whip up when the weather is hot?    Grilled shrimp, grilled chicken, chopped salads and corn on the cob and fresh tomatoes and cucumbers are some of mine!   I love a chilled gazpacho soup too!   Let’s share some favorites!

Cool Dresses for Summer 

Dresses are EASY for summer!   Whether you work outside the home or not…. dresses are a fantastic staple for your summer wardrobe!  They can literally be dressed up or dressed down with your accessory choices!   Shown here with eSBe Designs Jewelry and you get a WOW look!   Add a black handbag and heels and you’re ready for anything from work to dinner out!  You can even add a little black jacket for a more professional look at the office!

Simplify the look for a summer picnic and wear cute sandals and casual handbag and this dress takes you everywhere you want to be!

Talk to a stylists or go shopping with a girlfriend you trust to figure out the most flattering cut for your figure!  Once you do that, you’ll feel more comfortable and save time when shopping for dresses to add to your wardrobe!

Have fun getting “dressed” for summer!

 

*Shown: eSBe Designs Sable collection Black onyx necklace, earrings ring and bracelet and Legato Collection Hematite necklace.  www.esbedesigns.com/theda

Save Money while Booking your Summer Travel!

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I don’t have a lot of time for garage sales and cutting coupons  BUT….. I do pay attention to good deals and DO try to save money whenever I can!

I just thought I would share a few of my favorite ways to save extra money this summer that COULD turn into some vacation money…. some extra spending money… or just to save!

We travel all year round with dance competitions for my daughter.. so I’m always making hotel reservastions.   If your kid does any travel sport, you are doing the same!   Follow the link below… and JOIN eBates.

http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=RwGDrJgzvmhYJWFXtBf3Ug%3D%3D&eeid=26474

THEN, go to the HOTELS.COM link within the site and book your hotels.

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Hotels.com gives you a free night after you’ve used their site for 10 nights of stays in hotels… and

EBATES gives you a rebate on your reservation.   Combine all that with using your rewards Credit card to get cash back, airline miles or whatever,  and you’re getting a better deal!

STAY tuned for MORE ways to find extra money this summer!

Are you tired of your Wardrobe?

Are you tired of your wardrobe?  Accessorize!   It’s a sure-fire way to update that little black dress or that sweater!   Whatever the wardrobe… the accessories  give it that UPDATE!

It’s all about the shoes, the handbag and the jewelry! For REAL!    If you are wearing the same little necklace you’ve always worn… the dress looks the same.    If you accessorize with new updated pieces… it can look like an entirely different outfit!

As you go into the weekend, I will challenge you to freshen up your accessories and if you need help, Text me…. or  send me an email with a photo of  your outfit!  I’d love to help you select some pieces to update your wardrobe!

 

Here’s two photos I took last week…. same new jewelry…. two completely different looks…. What if I had only worn my little necklace I had always worn?   Think about it and let me help you!   So much fun to create new looks with new pieces!   I love my job!!!    

Summer nights

Oh how I love Summer nights!   Grilling yummy food and enjoying the evening sunset!   My husband and I have been trying to eat healthier…. you know how that goes!  So we recently found this new favorite recipe for Cedar Plank Salmon!  It’s absolutely to die for!

We also found that the marinade works great on shrimp!  We’ll skewer the shrimp after marinating and grill those too!   So incredibly yummy!

You can find Cedar Planks in your grocery store in the fresh fish section – at least you can in ours – and I recommend stocking up.  We only use our boards once.. they are not very expensive and really make the dinner amazing!    We also keep a jar of crushed/minced Ginger on hand so we don’t have to grate it for this recipe AND finally…. If you buy scallions and chop them.. you can freeze what you don’t use and use them for the next marinade.  We’ve also substituted minced onion in a pinch and it works great!

CLICK on photo for recipe!

Now enjoy your evening at home… a delightful dinner… relaxing in your own back yard! Priceless!

All Decked Out!

My husband and I were getting the house ready for Spring/Summer….and were disappointed that our deck stain/waterproofer was peeling up after a long cold winter!

Reluctantly… in order to do the job right… we sanded the deck to remove the peeling stain and are planning on reapplying the stain/waterproofing again…

So if you live in the North East, and are subject to harsh winters, what deck stain/waterproofer do you use that does not peel up season after season!  We are all decked out!   #wishIhadTrex #Patio #anythingbutwood  Would love your thoughts before we stain this coming weekend!  

Summer Legs!

 

It’s ALMOST summer… and if your legs are as white as mine… you may be a little concerned with wearing skirts and NOT looking “glow in the dark”.  I don’t have a lot of time to “sunbathe” nor do I want to ruin my skin anymore…   I will sometimes use self tanner if I think about it in time…. but most of the time, I’m in my closet deciding what to wear and I may avoid the skirt if my legs look like the one on the right! 🙂

I just found the BEST product that can instantly give color to your legs or other body parts!   My arms and chest seem to get color from walking or gardening outside but my legs are another story!  🙂

Found this product at Sephora and I will definitely buy it again!   Look what it did to my legs in just 5 minutes!   So much better!!!   I guess I better buy some before you guys sell it out! 🙂   ENJOY!

Theda

 

 

Happy Mother’s Day!

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So this Mother’s day is a little hard for me…. Mom passed away about a year and a half ago… kind of suddenly…   I’m not going to dwell on that though… I want  to just say how thankful I am that we got to spend time together until she was almost 81!  This photo was taken at her 80th birthday party!  So, so glad we planned this for her!    I’m so glad we traveled together… so glad we were lucky enough to have her in our lives while my children were old enough to know her….

For those of you who don’t have your moms around anymore…. I feel your loss!  It’s a club you don’t want to belong to.  I truly believe our mom’s are looking over us!

For those of you who still have your mom, even if she annoys you sometimes, tell her you love her every day.. because the next day, could be the last.

Not all moms are perfect… but they do the best they can.   I hope your mom is perfect…. but in case she isn’t…. KNOW that she loves you!    A mother’s love is unconditional… and hindsight is 20/20.   I wish I knew the things I know now.. but isn’t that always the case…

So all this to say…. I hope you have a VERY happy Mother’s day celebrating YOU, your mother, your mother in law…. and ANY woman who has been LIKE A MOM to you!

The bottom line is “it takes a village” and moms have had a great influence over who we are and who we have become.   Be thankful for what you have learned from that “mom figure” and have made you who you are today!

Happy Mother’s Day!