Back in Cola

I ended up back in Cola for my youngest's Ortho appointment on Thursday.  I just could not have her go to that appointment by herself with potential bad news looming, regarding her ankle injury.  Since I didn't have time to drive, I was not able to "drive Miss Daisy" as an extra treat for cheering her up.  However, after about 5 flight delays, I was wondering if A) I'd ever arrive in Columbia and B) it would have been faster to drive.  In any case, I literally arrived just in time for her to pick me up and get to the appointment.

The great news is that it looks like it's nothing more serious than a bad lateral sprain.  They were able to put her in a boot so she was thrilled to say goodbye to her crutches.  Her campus is not at all "crutch friendly".  

We were so hungry after my long day of traveling, we decided to go to one of our favorite restaurants in Columbia - Pearlz Oyster Bar.  It's a wonderful place but I haven't been there since I started eating super clean.  Ahhh....call it temporary insanity or relief over the Dr. appt that went well - but I caved! The new-Englander in me decided that I needed a lobster roll - as in, "with bread".  Thankfully, I had the good sense to substitute chips for grilled asparagus but I should have nixed the roll.  I soon realized that gluten is just not ever going to be allowed in my diet if I want to feel good.

(I would have a picture of the amazing lobster roll here.....but I was so hungry, there was no time for pictures)

Some of my lyme symptoms/auto immune were strange hives on my arms and my head would itch like crazy.  I'd get various parts of my hands that would swell up to the point where my hand looked disfigured (angioedema).  Thankfully, there was no angioedema but the itchiness started within an hour of eating.  It was good to have that reminder that I'm doing what I need to be doing for my health.  I am certain that most of the things I've eliminated, need to stay out of my diet but gluten is for sure one of those things.  Interestingly, I've been tested for celiac and it's always shown up as negative but I believe you can be sensitive to certain foods and it can make a huge difference in your overall health to remove them from your diet.  I'm anxious to get back on track when I return to Northern Virginia on Sunday.

In the meantime, I'm back to working on her laundry, errands and shopping - hoping to make her life a little easier so she can spend a little more time with her foot elevated and resting.  Okay, I realize that's probably not reality for my college student, but it will help me to imagine that she's slowing down a bit so she can start healing.  

Hope you are having a good weekend in your corner of the world!

The Clouds...

I flew to South Carolina last week, to see my daughter's dance performances.  On the way there, I started a blog entry that I was actually pretty happy with.  Since I had no wifi, I figured I'd post it when I got to the hotel.  Imagine my surprise when it wasn't there!  Ahh still new to this blogging world.  

The pictures, however, stayed "in the cloud"...

Beautiful day to fly

My new "snack on the go" and reading Danielle Walker's
"Meals Made Simple"
 

As excited as I was to head to S.C., I was also slightly nervous - being away from my protein shakes and this new way of living.  Being in hotels and grabbing food on the go is not exactly part of my new plan.  I was so worried that I'd have a set back.

The first challenge was that the hotel, which previously had a restaurant had now turned it into a Starbuck's Bistro Cafe.  I told the waitress that I needed something really clean and she recommended the Healthy Start Sandwich, which was egg whites, roast turkey, spinach, havarti cheese on and english muffin.  She assured me that it was cooked in olive oil and no butter.  I did not hear her mention havarti, so I was a little concerned when I saw cheese on the eggs but I was fine and it didn't taste too bad.  One thing that might interest you should you ever find yourself in a Starbucks Bistro...if you make any changes to the normal menu, your food will be made to order - rather than what has been made earlier in the day.  Personally, I'd find something to change on the order for that reason alone.  Fresh is best!

Healthy Start Breakfast (no english muffin) with Tazo Zen Tea (no sweetener)

It's funny, the entire time I was in SC when I would order something with no bread - I was immediately met with, "I hate to charge you the full price if you aren't getting the bread".  So sweet but I'd be paying in other ways if I had the bread so I was perfectly fine paying full price and letting them keep their bread.  I'm happy to say that I didn't experience much of a set-back while I was away - just a few ounces gained and they were immediately lost!

Much of my days were spent driving my daughter to & fro, like old times.  She had classes, rehearsals, performances and sorority initiation and parking is not plentiful in Columbia, SC so I did my best to give her more time by driving her around.  I picked up some things for her apartment, including a slow cooker - and made a healthy turkey chili for she & her roomies.  

Thursday night was the first performance - it was amazing!  You can't imagine what this girl has gone through in the past few years with her health challenges.  To see her happy, dancing and being pleased with her performance was so emotional for me.  I loved the entire show...she was in a ballet piece by Balanchine called Walpurgisnacht which I was unfamiliar with but loved.  My favorite piece was Paul Taylor's "Company B".  She was in several of the dances and was the "Rum & Coca Cola Girl".  The dances were mostly flirty and fun and featured music from the Andrew's Sisters.  I could have watched it again and again.

Rum & Coca Cola

You're not supposed to take pictures during the show.  It's a cardinal rule of theatre/dance performances, however I had a very brave grandfather of one of the dancer's snapping away throughout the show, right next to me.  I ended up giving in to peer pressure and took a few fuzzy pics from my iPhone.  Still can't believe I did that!  I'm normally such a rule follower.

After the show, we had a late dinner at "Cola's" in Columbia.  I broke another one of my new rules for living by eating after 7pm, but it was worth it!  We had poached pear salads and fresh sesame ahi tuna.  I substituted risotto for spinach and stayed away from the dessert.  Sigh....

the comeback kid

Friday, we did it all over again but she squeezed in her sorority initiation between rehearsals and performances.   My husband flew into town and was able to see the performance as well.  It was so nice to have him there to see his little girl.  Such proud parents!

On Monday, I got a call that she lost her footing in her apartment and rolled her ankle and heard a loud "snap"!  She had an X-ray and it looks like she'll be on crutches for a least a week.  We're hoping  to get her in with an Ortho soon for an MRI.  Ahhh never a dull moment!  I may need to go back down there.  

This time, I think I will drive so I can surprise her with the best pick-me-up, ever...

Daisy

Who's up for a road trip!?  

Goodness....6 months have passed! Really?!

I knew it had been awhile since I blogged, but....6 months?!  Seriously?!  Let me try to sum things up...

It was a crazy, busy summer with the my kids home from college.  My son went on a life changing study abroad trip to Tokyo, Japan for 6 weeks and met his girlfriend who I believe will be my daughter in law in another few years.  My daughter went to her ballet intensive in Washington, DC for 6 weeks.  Since we live just 45 min from the city, she came home on the weekends to visit our ailing "senior" dog, Newton - who we had to say goodbye to at the end of July.  It was heartbreaking but I know we made the right decision.  We were able to have him hang on 'til my son was back from Japan and my daughter finished her summer performances.  I'm so grateful for that.

Rest In Peace, Newton (17 years old)

Before I knew it, the kids were ready to go back to college - what a whirlwind!  My daughter is back in South Carolina, got into the sorority of her dreams and settled into her apartment.  Her schedule is insane.  I'm really not sure how she manages to do everything but she's hanging in there.  My son was going to transfer to the same college as my daughter, but after meeting his lovely girlfriend, who attends Penn State, he felt it would be much too far away.  He had to scramble to find a school nearby that he could still apply to but found a school in Shepherdstown, WV that has turned out to be a great fit for him.  He's happy there and only has a 2 hour commute to visit Penn State.  Best of all, he's only an hour from home, which makes me happy.  Perfect!

Through it all, I've been selling my Lilly Pulitzer clothes on Poshmark.  I have to say - after trying eBay, Tradesy and Poshmark, Posh has won me over.  With very few exceptions, I've had great experiences selling on Posh and have made a good amount of money.  I keep my prices extremely low but it's good to get things moving out the door.  Poshmark sends me the mailing label, which is a nice time saver!  If you want to check things out, the link is here The Preppy Closet  Let me know what you think!

Part of the reason I started thinking of my blog today, is that I've sort of been going through a life changing experience and have considered starting a blog about it.  Not sure if I should keep it under this name or switch to a different name that might be more appropriate.  I welcome your thoughts and suggestions.  

To give you an idea of what I've been going through, I'll give you a little background...I have suffered from thyroid disease, chronic lyme disease and other auto immune diseases for approximately 17 years.  In fact, I really don't know if there's much of my daughter's life that she remembers me being healthy.  For much of the time, I was functioning okay but it was often a struggle to get through the day.  Once I was finally diagnosed with Lyme Disease (after 15 years), I went to a specialist in Georgetown and was put on a major antibiotic protocol.  This left me pretty much couch-bound and I gained a lot of weight from the carbs that I took, to keep the antibiotics down.  I stayed on the protocol for several months, until I got "well enough".  The biggest reason for this is that I was a Mom - my daughter was still in HS and she needed me to function.  Once you've felt as horrible as I did, you will take what you get and a little progress seemed huge for me, though I continued to suffer flare ups and inflammation - especially, if stress entered my life (which I seem to welcome with open arms).  

Needless to say, after all of my medical issues and experience with health providers, I do not have a lot of confidence in traditional medicine or our healthcare system in the United States.  Frankly, it really sucks.  Several months ago, I was introduced to DoTerra Oils and though they are not allowed to say they have a protocol for Lyme Disease, you can do a search on the internet and find one.  It has really helped me keep my symptoms from flaring.  Once I started feeling about 80% better, I decided I had to do something to lose the weight.  I've been working privately with an amazing pilates instructor once/week for years but haven't noticed much weight coming off.  I knew that it was important to re-set my metabolism.  I didn't want to do the typical diet programs with the pre-made foods because I know that I already ate healthier foods than anything with those preservatives.  I also didn't want to take medication to lose it.  I ended up trying one detox program that seemed okay but also seemed that a lot of the products were extremely sweet.  I was mid way through and losing weight but looked up reviews on Amazon where the consensus was that people should stay away from that program.  Still, the basic premise of it was clean eating and I knew that clean eating was how I wanted to go.  I ended up starting a different 30 day detox program and removed dairy, gluten, sugar, etc from my diet.  It sounds extreme but there were many things to replace the things I was taking out.  I'm actually eating more than I was and haven't felt better!  The inflammation is gone - and lyme symptoms are too.  It's been years since I've felt this great.  I've dropped 2-3 SIZES and about 18 lbs.  I wish I would have measured myself when I started because I think the inches are significant.  

I now have more things than ever to add to my Poshmark closet!  It's all very exciting but very emotional as well.  The more I documentaries I watch on our food industry, the more I'm ready to move out of this country.  Oh gosh, I'm starting to sound like my son - help! 

Soooo, I need advice - do I start journaling this experience on this M & MM blog or do I start a new one.  I really want to help people who want to make a change in their lives but not sure I'm up for keeping track of two blogs (as noted by the date of my last post, I can barely keep up with one!).  

Your thoughts?

Calling all Lilly Lovers!

Between welcoming my college kids back to the nest for summer and selling a house, I've been busy selling my Lilly Pulitzer inventory!  This is no small undertaking - trust me, on this.  I feel like I'm finally on a roll though.  Most ALL of the items are New with Tags and ridiculously low savings!  My husband and I have decided to downsize a bit and move closer to the city.  To facilitate this happening, I can no longer ignore the Lilly inventory that takes up 2 rooms in our current house.  Help!

If you know any sorority girls or if you are a Lilly Lover, please check out my listings.  Most are on Poshmark at The Preppy Closet on Poshmark  (you need the app to view)

At the suggestion of a sweet blogger friend, I'm also trying "Tradesy" for some of the finer offerings.  The Preppy Closet on Tradesy

You can find updates on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/thepreppycloset

Oh!  Speaking of Facebook, if you are a Tory Burch fan and ready for a great deal, go to Facebook!  Tory Burch has reached the 1m fans on Facebook mark and rewarding customers with an exclusive sale.  50% off the Continental Wallet - it's cute!  Check it out!  Tory Burch Exclusive Sale

Hope you all have a productive and happy Friday, friends!

Spring Cleaning....the pantry

With the kids wrapping up their spring semesters, I've decided I'd better get my act together and dive into spring cleaning.  This is especially important to me this year because I have spent the last several months recognizing some things that we as a family, really need to improve upon.  The thought being that we all need to start some better habits that will hopefully go with the kids back to college, as well.  Dare to dream!

Yesterday, I started with the pantry.  I have to preface this by saying, I do clean out my pantry at least once/year....I really do!  That being said, for the life of me...I cannot figure out how we would have had things that expired well over a year ago.  It was awful!  I can't even tell you how much food we threw out because frankly, it's embarrassing.  Needless to say, it was quite an emotional experience for me.  The amount of money I was throwing away made me sick.  Knowing that I couldn't donate the food to someone who really needed it, made it even worse.  Oh yes, the days of going to Whole Foods with my youngest - without a list, are behind us!  This family needs to make changes - real quick.

no...this is not my pantry!  ;)

Perhaps it would not have impacted me in such a way, had I not thrown away so many trash bags filled with food.  I decided to take a deep breath, forgive myself and vow to make changes.  I'm now looking into all the things we can do to stop being so wasteful.

I'm not saying I'm now a  different person but I do think I will look at things much differently.  Do you have any tips?

On a happier note, it's FRIDAY!!!  Happy Friday to you!  

Meal Planning at it's finest

While I was so excited to get those 3 Paleo cookbooks in a previous post, I must admit that I hadn't gotten much farther than postmarking pages and highlighting some recipes.  I am ready to embrace this new way of life but feel like I've been floundering a bit (no pun intended) as I've been traveling and have had college kids home visiting.  I've come to the realization that I need to get some sort of meal planning system down.

Enter Plan to Eat!  This app is a fantastic meal planning tool.  You can upload recipes from your computer with PTE's bookmarklet.  You can drag the recipes to the PTE calendar and PTE creates a shopping list per the week or dates specified, according to your menu plan.  This is EXACTLY what I've been looking for!  There is a small fee, however they give you a free 30 day trial so if you don't like it as much as I do, you don't need to purchase.  There is no app (yet) for iPad or iPhone, however you can pull it up on Safari and then set the site on your home screen.  Give it a try!  I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Paleo or Bust!

My latest amazon order arrived today...a box filled with 3 Paleo Cookbooks.  I'm practically jumping up and down!  Okay, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but they look fabulous!

Against All Grain, The Slim Palate Paleo Cookbook, Well Fed Paleo Recipes

After hearing a number of Paleo success stories, I feel that I'm ready to take the plunge.  To give you a little background, I have been dealing with various auto-immune diseases for the past 19 years.  Approximately 4 years ago, I was (finally) diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease - having had symptoms for approximately 15 years.  Since then, I have had treatment from a Lyme specialist but between my thyroid disease, Lyme disease & treatment and the fact that I'm over 40 yrs old, I have gained much more weight than I'm comfortable with.  For me, it's not just about how I look (though I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me) - I know that I'm not in good heath and continue to experience joint pain and fatigue.  Anyway, I've heard a lot of great things about the Paleo Lifestyle and am hoping I can add myself as a success, as well.

I'm a very visual person, and I must say, if these books aren't inspiration to go Paleo, I don't know what is!  The pictures are beautiful in all 3 books.  Here's a sampling from two of them:

rosemary fried eggs with garlic-lemon spinach
The Slim Palate

asparagus soup with crispy shallots
The Slim Palate

chocolate berry granola
Against All Grain

I think the 3 books I chose will provide a nice education on Paleo and a variety of good recipes to eat that will help me take "baby steps" into this new lifestyle.  (I really think I'm going to end up eliminating nightshade veggies as well but let's not get too crazy!)

Speaking of crazy - I'm heading down to South Carolina to see the ballerina this week, so I believe it would be a little crazy to begin my new "lifestyle" before Saturday, once I've returned home.  Still, I will try to order Paleo-friendly options when we are out & about.

Between that, and my DoTerra oils protocol, I think I should be in good shape by May!  Fingers crossed!

Whitney English Day Designer

I guess it might be obvious by my lack of blogging lately, that things have gotten a little cray-cray in my life.  So many projects up in the air and so much to keep track of.  I can usually handle using my icalendar for keeping track of things, but lately I have been feeling like I need a little something more.  I decided to go back to a traditional planner to use in conjunction with my Apple icalendar.

I considered the usual suspects: Filofax, Kate Spade,  Lilly Pulitzer,  Erin Condren...and settled on Whitney English.  I have been a fan of Whitney English stationary for years and have seen some great reviews on her planner.  

While I would have liked the pages to be a tad thicker, I have to say I am pleased with the layout, size and heavy duty cover.  The sweet velveteen ribbon with the packaging is a lovely touch.  (I'm all about presentation!)  In addition, Whitney English gives tips in a webinar to help utilize the planner to the best of your abilities.  If you are interested in purchasing one, you can find them on Whitney English on Etsy

I'm excited to give it a try!  How do you keep yourself organized?

Seriously?

Yes, folks...it's snowing on March 25th in good 'ol Northern Virginia.  I'm losing my sense of humor, at this point.

Hope you are enjoying warmth and sun in your part of the world!

shoe's cup and cork

I'm not entirely sure how long it will last but today was an incredibly beautiful spring day in Northern Virginia.  My husband and I both had different appointments earlier in the day but this afternoon, we decided to get outside and make the most of this glorious day.

We decided to take sweet Daisy with us and walk around downtown Leesburg.  I'm so glad we did!  We walked all around the historic district while Daisy panted and gave me dirty looks.  To say that she's not quite used to exercise is probably the under-statement of the century.  I think she was wondering why I neglected to bring her pink stroller on our adventure.

Since we were limited on dog-friendly places to eat at, we decided to have a casual dinner outside in the Secret Garden at Shoe's Cup and Cork.  They were completely welcoming and went out of their way to make Daisy (and us) at home.  In fact, they didn't have an apple to sell us (one of Daisy's favorite treats), so one of the waitresses offered to let Daisy have her apple that she didn't eat at lunch!  She is now Daisy's friend-for-life!

Year's ago, Shoe's belonged to an actual cobbler.  There was no food to be eaten but it was the place to go if you needed your shoe's repaired.  Several years ago, Shoe's was opened as a cute coffee shop/cafe but closed last year.  We were so happy when new owners "re-soled" it and brought it back to life.  In my opinion, Shoe's Cup & Cork is better than ever.

I should have gotten pics of the charming Secret Garden but it was tough to get past this adorable face!

Apples and water were all it took to put a smile on her face

If you are in Northern Virginia or the D.C. area, you should give Shoe's a try!

Happy Spring!!!

Signs of Spring!

Good riddance to the Winter '13

Hello Spring 2014!!!

I'm really trying to be optimistic here!  I've never looked forward to spring as much as this year.  I feel like everyone in Northern Virginia & up the east coast, deserve a medal for surviving this winter that just didn't end.

Unfortunately, our forecast for next week calls for more of the white stuff.  You've GOT to be kidding me!!!  (my first thought, when I heard the forecast)  For today, I'm going to focus on the fact that the sun is shining and it's close to 60 degrees.

We're getting there, spring, we are getting there!

It's been a few weeks...

Having both of my kids on two different Spring Break schedules was a little frustrating since we never had a moment as a family, when we were all together.  That said, my son and I went down to visit my daughter in SC while he was on his break, so I did have a few days with both kids.  I don't know how much of a break it actually was for my son.  My daughter went to school in January without her car, so it seemed we were busy driving her places from the time we arrived - until the time we left.  We did enjoy a few relaxing dinners while we were there.  Columbia, SC has some great restaurants.  This trip, our favorites were Pearl's Oyster Bar and California Dreaming.  Pearl's has really great oysters on the half shell and pretty fabulous lobster rolls.  (I'm a tough critic when it comes to lobster rolls since I was born in Massachusetts, so you can trust me on this.)  California Dreaming's house salad is amazing...though I could have probably done myself a few favors by saying "no" to the honey croissants that accompany each salad.  The fact that we began our meal with an appetizer of croissants was probably not the best decision but they tasted incredible.

The ballerina's spring break was cut short from the beginning as she had a performance at the Columbia Museum of Art on the first Saturday of her break.  My son and I were able to attend the dress rehearsal the day before.  It was so great to see her dancing again.  It wasn't a ballet piece - it was a "swing piece" to complement the theme "From Geisha's to Gatsby".  The choreography was fast and fun.  They performed 3 times during the Gala and she said all three performances went really well with great energy from the dancer's as well as the crowd.

The dancer's all donned black bob wigs - I barely recognized her!

I think she misses the dogs when she is at school..more than anything.

Headed back to school in her new car ~ Happy Girl! 

We headed back to Virginia on Sunday - wishing we had brought the SC weather with us.  I think my daughter felt she got "the short end of the stick"...coming home to the freezing cold on "spring break" but she was so happy to spend a few days at home with her pets before having to go back to school.

I wish I had  gotten some pics of my son over the break.  He arrived home with a bad cold, so we spent the first half of his break, nursing him back to health before we headed south and we were so busy while we were in SC, I didn't think about it.  Thankfully, they'll both be back for a few weeks in May, before their busy summers begin.

How were your spring break's with your kids?  Busy (like ours) or relaxing...like most people we know?

I need a moment....

While I should be blogging about the Oscars (which have been amazing, in my opinion), I hope you will understand if I need a moment, because....

Lisa Birnbach just favorited two of my tweets!

Ahhh!  Her Preppiness Herself!

For those of you who were not "of age" (or born) in the 80's, you might not understand what this means to me.  The Preppy Handbook was my "bible" in High School.  I still have the book to this day.  When Lisa wrote her newer version in 2010, I bought a copy for myself - and my daughter.  She had quite a profound influence on me and my style of dress - way of life.

My copies

Thank you, Lisa Birnbach for making my night!

south carolina dreaming

Having an empty nest (sigh), my husband and I are looking at our future and making plans for pre and post retirement.   It has not been a secret amongst my family and friends that I'm anxious to move south.  I'm a Massachusett's girl at heart but I'm looking for the warmth and hospitality of the south.  Since my daughter moved to South Carolina for school, I have fallen in love with the state even more.

Can't imagine why, since we woke up to this today (and yesterday, and...well....)

Poor Daisy - trying her best to hide from the snow!

We've decided to look for a home that we can rent out in the summer and use for vacations & weekend getaways for our family the rest of the year.  Although I desperately want to have a home in Charleston (for obvious reasons), we are starting to think that short-term, it would probably be best to get a beach house if we will be renting out in the summers.  I've begun the search online...so many areas near Charleston...Folly Beach, Isle of Palms, Seabrook, Sullivan's, Kiawah.  Although, this will likely not be our forever home (hello...Charleston!?), I do want to be in an area that we enjoy and hopefully not too "tourist-y".

Any southern bloggers that can offer advice or suggestions?  Have you vacationed down south?  Help this Washington, DC girl find some warmth in SC!

the extra mile

Do you ever want to give a suggestion to a store owner/manager but then decide not to - because a) you guess they probably just don't care and b) you are just so frustrated with the lack of customer service that exists today?

I'm in that situation frequently.  Maybe it's due to the fact that I had a small store and truly valued business that came my way.  Customer service was the extremely important to me.  I realized that people could purchase their Lilly online and I wanted to give them a reason to come into my shop and buy it from me.  Our business was built on relationships - many that I still hold dear to this day.

As I mentioned in my previous post, "the daughter - aka the ballerina" transferred to her school in S.C. in January.  She is on a large campus and we were told she would not need a car.  Big Mistake.  We should have been told "she will not need a car UNLESS she is a dance major".  In addition to trips to Whole Foods, she's had many occasions where she'll need something last minute that she could not have anticipated.  As a result, I have become very good friends with our UPS store.  Yesterday, however even UPS couldn't help me.  She needed some shoes for today and it was going to cost me $80 to ship them.  I just couldn't make myself do it.  

There HAD to be another option.

Since she couldn't find a ride to the local ballet store.  I called them to see if they had the shoes (they did) and if I could pay them to get them to her (they were 10-15 min away).  They said it would be $30 to ship overnight.  I agreed to do that but had also asked if anyone who worked there would be near the campus?  (hint: can you go a little out of your way?!)  I would have been happy to pay that money for someone to drive them to her dorm.  No dice.  She will now get to walk 15 min to the mailroom - each way, between class and rehearsal to pick up the package.  It's not a huge problem but it just amazes me that I couldn't even pay someone to go the extra mile (okay 5 miles).  I realize I was asking them to go out of their way, but it is interesting to me that there were at least 2 people in the shop and neither thought, "Hey, I can drive over after work...not a problem".  

Something similar happened to me a few months ago.  I needed to send another something to daughter and I was sick that day and really didn't want to brave the weather, etc.  I thought I'd call a store in our historic area to give them some business.  I began the conversation by asking if they could mail overnight - I needed her to have the item the next day.  I was speaking with the owner of the store (who I knew) who said, yes - she would get it there over night.  I paid her and before we hung up made sure she was going to have it there the following day.  She then said that she actually wouldn't be sending it until the next day because she was the only person in the store and open til 5pm.  I told her that the UPS store (which she would drive past to get home) was open until 7pm but she refused to stop.  She told me that I could pick it up from her store - which frankly, is not convenient for me.  I told her to cancel the transaction.  If I was going to have to go out and mail the item myself, I was going to go to another store with a better location.  Which I did.  I haven't been back to that store since.

I guess these situations bother me because I hear people complaining about lack of jobs and small businesses that can't afford to stay open and I think to myself, 

"maybe if they went the extra mile"

"maybe if employees paid attention to customers more than their cell phones" ...

maybe...

the ballerina will be returning to campus after spring break, with her car.  

make that, definitely.

Spring Break!

It's hard to believe I'm thinking about spring break so soon but my son's spring break is at the end of this week!  To say that I'm excited for this is an understatement for sure.  I absolutely adore both of my kids!

My son is in his senior year of college at a school in Virginia - about 3 1/2 hours away from home. He's a psychology major and if we paid him to go to school for forever, that would probably be perfectly fine with him.  He loves studying/researching/learning.  He's planning on moving to Japan after college and took a semester off of school to get privately tutored in Japanese.  Needless to say, knowing that he will be leaving the country within the next two years, I'm anxious to spend any time I can with him.  We are very different but I have such an appreciation for the insightful person that he is.

Unfortunately, my daughter's spring break is the following week.  (You'd think all colleges could just agree on one week to have spring break, wouldn't you?!)  She transferred as a freshman to a school in South Carolina in January, about 8 hrs away from home (sigh!)  Since her brother has not yet seen her new campus, we've decided to take a road trip to visit her and bring her back for her spring break.  Unlike her brother, she & I are very similar...and so close that this year has been a big adjustment for both of us.

the son

the daughter (aka - the ballerina)

If you have college kids, what are your plans for their spring break?  It's likely right around the corner!

Sunday Evenings belong to Downton!

Enjoyed the first episode of Season 4 with my grandfather's proper English Tea Set

I'm not sure if it's my Scottish Heritage (my mom was born and raised in Scotland) or just the fantastic writing and acting but whatever the reason, I am in love with Downton Abbey.  I started watching just prior to Season 3 and after the first episode, I was hooked.  I was so hooked that I actually binge watched the first two seasons in less than two weeks.  And that, my friends, was a problem.  The problem being that I had to wait an extraordinary amount of time for Season 3 to begin.  I got through it, but it wasn't pretty.  Now, here we are at Season 4 and I'm still loving it.  Some people feel that it's moving too slowly but I guess with so much loss and excitement in Season 3, I was ready for things to slow down a bit.  I am not quite ready to lose anymore characters as I'm still trying to accept the fact that Matthew Crawley is gone.  My only gripe with Downton is that the season seems entirely too short and it tends to take entirely too long before the next season begins.  And...while I'm on a bit of a tear,...why does the U.S. have to wait so long after the U.K. to see it?  Hardly seems fair!  

If you are a Downton Fan, what did you think of Season 4?  Did it move too slow or just right?

Perhaps I was in denial but until this very moment, I hadn't realized tonight's two-hour episode was the season finale.  Already counting the days until Season 5 begins....sigh.

Spring Forward

As if the weather today in Northern Virginia wasn't enough to get excited about (for those of you in other areas, we actually saw the sun in the DC area AND it was over 60 degrees - big improvement!), the spring lines from Kate Spade, Tory Burch and Lilly Pulitzer are have gotten me jumping up and down!

Let's start with Lilly...
Since I sold my shop  in 2009, I have not been overjoyed with a lot of the looks.  This is not to say that I haven't purchased anything since then, but if I'm going to be honest, there was more than one occasion that I went to a Lilly shop with the intent to purchase and walked out empty handed.  There was nothing I really "had to have".  I felt like they moved too far away from the classic Lilly style and I wasn't in love with a lot of their offerings.  While I did enjoy some of the prints, I didn't not enjoy the neon colors (what was up with that?!).   I feel they were trying too hard to attract a younger crowd without realizing that the younger crowd that loves Lilly - are part of a group that loves classic style and they don't need to change a thing.  Case in point, my daughter is 18 years old and when she saw the new looks for spring, she was overjoyed!

Meanwhile, Kate Spade & Tory Burch are feeding my need for Parisian Flair!

Tory Burch

Kate Spade

At the end of last year, my kids got me the Rosetta Stone for learning the French language ~ something that was on my bucket list.  I'm determined to conquer the language and then plan a family vacation to Paris.  Thanks to Kate Spade & Tory Burch, I feel like I'll be one step closer!  Oui Oui!

What are your favorite looks for Spring '14?

The Perfect Truffle

On President's Day, my friend P & I went to lunch at one of our favorite restaurants, Founding Farmers.  I will save my post about Founding Farmers for another day, but if you haven't been there - you must put it on your list.  It's really wonderful.  On the way there, we took a detour through Frederick, Maryland and went to The Perfect Truffle.  Once you have a chocolate from there,  you'll never look at Godiva the same way again.  These chocolates are truly PERFECT!  I decided to pick up a box for my son and daughter, to send them at college and thought I'd share a picture:

As you can see, they are beautiful as well as completely mouth wateringly good.  (I'm pretty sure that wateringly is not a word, but I can't seem to find a description for you that is on par with the fabulous flavor.)  If you are near Frederick, Maryland, I highly suggest you stop at The Perfect Truffle.  My favorite is Salted Dark Chocolate Caramel but Lavender is pretty amazing, as well.  Actually, they all are!

To find out more about The Perfect Truffle, this link should take you there.  The Perfect Truffle

Procrastinate Much?

Today is the day...I begin (again) to get some things done that I've been putting off for...well...years.  That's right...years.  I am the Queen of Procrastination but I will tell you, this is one tiara that I don't wear proudly.

Approximately 5 years ago, I sold my beloved Lilly Pulitzer specialty store and ended up with a whole lot of inventory.  Under the terms of the contract, I was not allowed to sell any Lilly Pulitzer products for 2 years and it sat in boxes, in my house.   I now have an entire room filled with Lilly Pulitzer.  I know how colorful and happy that sounds, but I've got to tell you, it's become such a thorn in my side. I know that I need to move these goodies out of my home.  A few years ago, I was on a roll and selling things on eBay, which was great but time consuming.  I'm now ready to put my procrastination aside and find these fabulous frocks new homes.  The question is, do I go back to eBay - tried and true, yet time consuming?  Or, do I give Poshmark a try?

Please follow my progress (and hold me accountable)!  My ebay page is The Preppy One on eBay and my new Poshmark "closet" is The Preppy Closet on Poshmark and feel free to send comments and suggestions.

Winter in Northern Virginia doesn't do it justice
Persnickety Palm 2008

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Zucchini Sticks and Red Pepper Pesto

I made these zucchini sticks with red pepper pesto last week and thought I'd share this quick and yummy recipe.  While the pesto sauce isn't gluten free, I did use gluten free bread crumbs.  (I am really trying to be gluten free, whenever possible)

Ingredients:
1 zucchini (med-large size), peeled and cut into sticks
bread crumbs, 1-2 cups
1 egg
roasted red pepper pesto sauce

The Cibo Organic Roasted Red Pepper Pesto from Costco is kind of amazing.  One of my friends on Facebook felt the need to share how wonderful it was and I was so glad she did.  There are so many things you can do with it and it's quite tasty!

You can probably guess what to do with these ingredients, but I'll take you through it...
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Coat the zucchini sticks in egg and then dip in a bowl with the bread crumbs.  Place the breaded zucchini on a baking sheet with parchment paper.  (I use parchment paper a LOT.  It keeps the mess and cleaning to a minimum and you don't need to use oil.  Win-Win, if you ask me.)

Bake sticks for about 15-20 min.  You don't want to overcook.  Take them out and serve with pesto sauce.  Enjoy!

It's All in A Name

The following is a post from my blog that never quite got off the ground, "A Grateful Heart":

     As I mentioned in my first post, this is not my first time attempting to write a blog.  I have such diverse interests - thus, so many blog name possibilities.  I had started a blog last year on tumblr called "grosgrain & pearls" - homage to my love of grosgrain ribbon and pearls.  While I liked the name, I was really drawn to "the empty nest".  I felt that it would be reflective of where I am at in this stage of my life.  When I went to create my account, most variations of the empty nest had been taken, so I began to look at other possibilities.  When I think about my life, there are so many layers to it.  Many things have gone "right" and a lot of things have gone "wrong".  When things go wrong in my family, they tend to go really wrong at once and get ridiculously overwhelming.  One thing that gets me through these moments is gratitude for all that is right.  No matter what I am going through, I do know that I have so much to be grateful for.  My family is so important to me and I am forever grateful that I have them.  They make my heart happy.

While all of the above is true, "A Grateful Heart" just didn't "feel" like the right name for my blog.  I felt pressure to make a blog that was more intimate and meaningful...while, what I preferred to do was blog about things that might be less personal and more fun...crafts, shopping, cooking.  I realized I was avoiding posting if I didn't have something significant to contribute, which sort of defeated the purpose for having the blog in the first place.    As I've been on a quest to "embrace my inner Martha" for as long as I can remember and my love for Monograms knows no limit, I think this blog will be more fitting for me and allow me to take the pressure off and have fun with this.  Wish me luck!

Oh Snow! Post Valentine's Day Lunch ❤️

This weather...can you even believe it?!  If you are pretty much anywhere on the east coast, with the exception of Florida, you know what I'm talking about.  The last several days in Northern Virginia, we were hit with between 12-15 inches or more of that fluffy white stuff.  I love snow more than most but I've got to say, I think I'm over it now.

Along with the chilly temperature, I've been trying my best to get rid of a bad cold/virus so I really wasn't up for going out for dinner on Valentine's Day.  Today, we got a reprieve....both from the snow AND my cold.  My husband and I decided to go to Upperville for Brunch.  If you are in "hunt country" and want a great place to eat and drink, Hunter's Head Tavern is for you.  It had been many years since I was last there and today I was reminded how much I love it.  Hunter's Head Tavern is a completely charming British tavern about 3 miles from Middleburg, Virginia.  The staff is friendly and welcoming.  The food was great.  I had a crab cake because it was a special but my next visit, I'm embracing my Scottish roots and going for the Bangers & Mash.   We shared the "staff favorite" dessert, lemon pound cake with a lavender glaze.  It's now my favorite!

We had a great lunch near a roaring fire and walked around Middleburg afterwards.  It was a lovely afternoon.