Free Nail Polish and It's Toxin Free Too

My Mom found me this awesome polish when I was pregnant since my husband and I made a decision to avoid as many toxins as possible when I was pregnant.  I admit I did get my hair highlighted once.  Only it was for my wedding so I made the case for it.  Besides that I went as natural as possible.  Now it is a lifestyle choice that I don't want to give up!  I have the base coat and top coat and I did my own pedicure and it has lasted for weeks!  Support this cool brand and let's get rid of unnecessary ingredients in beauty products that have the potential to hurt us and our kids!

You have until Wednesday to claim your free bottle!  Just visit their website for details.

Want to know more about Zoya?

Wedding Guest To Be

I haven't been to a wedding since.  Oh I don't know.  MINE!  Last October.  I haven't been a wedding guest in ages which is weird because I do have lots of single friends.  Come on ladies let's get serious Mom needs an excuse to get out and party!  I have not been out since Baby Posh Play was born in March.

We have been invited to two fab weddings in August and September one week apart.  Now I have something to work on for the next two months.  Getting ready for my wedding guest debut!  (By the way.  Has anyone been watching Jersey Couture?  I just watched some chick spend $1,000 on a wedding guest dress.  Seriously?  I guess it must be an East Coast thing)?

For now I am going to drool over the potentials.  Like this little number from Jessica Simpson.  I know I am still obsessed with this avocado green color.  It was our wedding color and now Baby Posh Play's room color and who knows what else I will infuse with this color before the year is up.  Don't you love a formal dress with pockets!  Totally cute.  I might have to buy it especially since it is only $65 on sale at Ideeli!

Need an invite to shop Ideeli?  Here you go!

Why Do Mother In Laws Say Things Like

We just got married in October so I am still getting used to my new fam.  They are great and I am blessed to have a whole new group of people who love me.  Only some days they just say the wrong thing.  Here is my compilation of the latest and greatest.

Her-You know your hair is going to start falling out soon.  In chunks.  Big chunks.
Me-Really?  It hasn't yet and it was so pretty when I was pregnant that would be sad.
Her-Just wait.  It will.
Me-Hmmm I hope not.
Her-You will.

Her-Baby Posh Play still has blue eyes.  They will be brown soon. (My husband has brown eyes and I have blue eyes).
Me-Hmmm maybye only I am holding out that they will stay blue.
Her-No they won't.  The (Blank) browns are strong.

Me-I am just so tired all the time.
Her-Get used to it.
Me-I know only I think it will improve as time goes on.
Her-It won't.  Get used to it.

Me-It is so cool to think about what Baby Posh Play will be when he gets older.  The President of the United States, a future basketball star or who knows.
Her-Ha! (Snort) Not with the (Blank) genes he will not play basketball.  His Dad was so clumsy.
Me-I am quite athletic and so is my family so you never know.
Her-Ha! (Snort)

Really?

Summer Rosemary Bread

When I married my husband I acquired all of his kitchen gadgets.  This man is obsessed with kitchen gadgets.  He has every juicer, roaster, blender and mixer on the market.  Most of his gadgets are ridiculous and I hardly use them only his bread machine is something I have grown to love.  There is nothing more rewarding than a nice warm loaf of bread with dinner.  Not having to heat up the kitchen makes it even more exciting!  Especially in summer.  Having warm bread without a warm kitchen is a huge bonus.

Usually the bread my husband makes in the bread machine is really yeasty so I don't love it that much.  Is that because he uses the quick mode?  I don't know only I decided to experiment this week while he was at work.  Last night I made the best bread machine bread I have ever made.  I started at 6:00 P.M. and put all the ingredients in and realized we wouldn't have bread until 9:30 P.M. so make sure you start early.  For a regular dinner time you will need to get going around 3:00 P.M. or so.

I would also serve this bread with butter and honey for breakfast along with breakfast potatoes and eggs.  Here is the recipe.

Ingredients

1 1/8 cup warm water (110 degrees F (43 degrees C))

2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

3 tablespoons white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

4 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary (adjust for more or less rosemary flavor)

3 cups whole wheat flour

Directions

Pour the water into the pan of a bread machine, then sprinkle in the yeast and sugar. Let the mixture sit in the bread machine until a creamy foam forms on top of the water, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the salt, then add olive oil, garlic powder, rosemary and flour. Set the machine for whole wheat and light crust setting and start the machine.

In a little over three hours you will have perfect rosemary bread!

Here We Are Still Waiting

I know I just spent the day yesterday complaining about waiting for our house so if you are tired of this endless diatribe then stop reading now.  You have been warned.

It has now been three weeks since we submitted our offer and two weeks since it was submitted to the bank for short sale approval.  We have not heard anything for a week.  Not a word.  I know people are complaining all over the internet about waiting months some even almost a year so why should I complain.  Here's why.  When we put in the offer the seller's agent told us it would only be two or three weeks at the most because the house had already been approved for short sale by the bank and we are offering the same amount so it should go right through.  So they wasted a week with getting the offer in to the bank so really the bank has only been looking at our offer for two weeks.  Still doesn't that seem like more than enough time to make a decision and to get this party started?

The bank is Bank of America so here is my open letter to them.

Dear Bank of America,

Unlike all the people out there who went and bought houses they couldn't afford.  Those people who got crazy loans without thinking it through.  All the people who almost forced you to close your doors and sink our economy into one of the worst economic downturns we have ever seen.  We are not those people.  We chose to wait.  We saved our money.  We lived as financially responsibly as we could.  We didn't buy.  We waited.  We knew we couldn't afford a house so we tried to do the right thing.  We lived in weird apartments and with weird landlords and unusable yards and old appliances that barely work.  We currently live with a dryer than puts rust stains on all our clothes, with moldy bathrooms and dirty carpets.

Now we are married and have saved up more than enough for a down payment.  We are ready to buy our first home together.  My husband has banked with you for almost 34 years.  He never bounced a check.  He never made any financial missteps.  He is pretty much your perfect customer.

Enough about us.  One of your home loan customers bought a house through you and stop paying their mortgage almost two years ago.  They left the house.  Turned off the water and power.  Let all the plants wither away.  They ripped out all the fixtures.  Ripped out lighting.  Ripped off cupboard doors.

Now you have been stuck with this house for almost two years.  Your customers haven't made payments.  You aren't making any interest on their loan payments.  You are close to owning a house that is becomming less valuable with every day that passes since it is falling into worse disrepair.  The auction is next month so you will own this house and have to pay to market it and lose even more money.  If you are worried about displacing the family of cockroaches who has taken up residence in the home we do regret to admit we will have to move them elsewhere.

You have an offer from a long time customer who is financially responsible and wants to take this house and pay you full market price for it too.

Can I ask what the holdup is?  If it were me I would be throwing the keys at us and running the other way.  Instead you choose to ignore us and basically act like we aren't even here.  If that is how you repay longtime customers then I am not sure I want to do business with you.

We really like your house and would like to buy it.  Can you at least give us a response so we can move on with it already?

Sincerely,
Posh Play and Family

(This cute backyard is courtesy of Pottery Barn).

The House Waiting Game Continues Day 20

It's now day twenty.  No word from the selling agent on our house.  We submitted our offer and it took the slowpokes almost a week to get the offer approved and submitted to the bank.  Then it took the bank a week to respond and say the offer was received.  Now we have waited almost a week for the bank.  Short sales.  Worth the wait?  We'll have to see how this all goes before I can answer that question.  The selling agent told our realtor it could take the bank weeks to respond.  We have to know something by July 1 because we have to be out of our current rental house by August 15 and we need a little overlap to get the new house move in ready.  Hey no worries people we are just here.  Waiting.  No rush or anything.

While I wait I continue to pretend to decorate this and our future houses.  I have to fill my hours of waiting with something productive.  I could just burrow down in this fabulousness for hours with a good magazine and my baby.  Don't worry Pottery Barn someday I might own a house I can actually decorate like this.

Hat Obsession Continues

I am still searching for the perfect hat so I came across this cute one this morning.  I have been wanting a fedora and a panama style hat so I figured this little fedora would be perfect with sundresses and cute summer outfits.  Now that I am home more I am also outside so much more.  Pushing my stroller around the neighborhood, meeting friends out and about, going to lunch and running errands.  A hat is a must have since with the heat here it keeps the sun off your face and adds a little style to some otherwise boring outfits.

You all know I am probably Ideeli's biggest fan.  I really don't make it to the mall that often.  With a baby it is just too hard.  Online shopping is what I have to do and I love Ideeli because I get awesome designers on sale instead of just having to be cheap and by my entire wardrobe at Target since that is about all I can afford right now.

So I bought this one today and I will report back with a picture of me in it once it arrives!  It was only $29 on sale from the regular price of $70.  I really do love a deal.

Need an invitation to shop Ideeli?  Here you go!