Hi friends

It's the last day to shop my on-line party. Support the Ovarian Cancer Research Center by purchasing the pretty Tribute bracelet, or treat yourself to a beautiful new bauble from Stella & Dot.

Just visit the link and click away. Your purchase will be shipped to you, and your happiness is guaranteed!

Orders must be placed by 12:00 tonight. Thank you!

Let's Shop!

Ready, Set, BLING!

It's Party Time!

In joint effort with the Stella & Dot Super Saturday event in the Hamptons this weekend, net proceed sales of the Tribute Bracelet (pictured below) between July 27th-29th will support the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. Stella & Dot will have a booth at the event and all net proceeds sold will be donated as well.

This is an important charity to me: a close friend of my mother-in-law's passed away from ovarian cancer; one of my sweet friends Lyndsie is a young survivor (yeah!); and one of my dearest friends just had surgery on Monday to remove an ovarian tumor, which thankfully turned out to be benign. But in the difficult week between discovery of it, blood work, and the "all clear", she and I both were reminded of the scary statistics involving ovarian cancer - early detection is difficult, it can strike a woman of any age, and survival is a challenge. Hopefully more awareness and more donations will lead to a cure!

Ooooh, I'm getting these!!

In support of this event - and because I really do love Stella & Dot jewelry - I decided to host an online party through my friend and stylist, Chris Corcoran. You can purchase a bracelet - or any of their other fabulous jewelry - by simply visiting my online party here. A few clicks and you'll have your beautifully packaged new bauble(s) in about a week. Stop by anytime between now and Sunday night!

Go ahead! Treat yourself! It's a great opportunity to look good and do good! 

WILW

Here we go ... a beauty/fashion edition this week!

Love these Stella & Dot necklaces. Bonus - both are on sale through the end of the month. Go here starting July 27th to shop my party and get yours!

Love my new Mud Pie cover-up, found on sale at Bayside's pool club. Super cute, yes?

Peach milkshakes at Chick-Fil-A are back - love!! I love Peach Satin Hands too, and the fact that Cearra has become a Mary Kay consultant. Click here to order from her or plan a party.

Love this floaty, chic blouse. Might have to order before HHI ...

This outfit is so me (minus the hat). Love.

I don't usually do anything but french or sheer, but I think this is cute. Not going to do it on my own nails, but think it's cute (smile).

I'm missing comments, so please play along and tell us what beauty/fashion item you're loving!

Beach Week 2012

Another week gone by too quickly ... days at the pool playing "mermaid"; a visit to the water park; ice cream treats; carousel rides; and best of all, giggling cousins.

I'll let the pictures talk more of the fun, sweet, sandy times we had!

My big boy's birthday was the first day of vacation -
he was very excited to have a "piata" to celebrate!

To the victor goes the cupcakes (and dinosaur leg)

Love my sweet 6 year old!

Mini golf

Cousins Kenzie and Samantha

This one's for you LeAnne and Marc Kieffer!

Riley taking a break

Pottery painting - Owen's cat is green, red and black. Oh well ....

Our new hermit crab - named after our buddy Jackson Metz!

Date night with Kris and Jeff. Nana and Pop-pop watched the
kids so we could enjoy dinner at Kris' friend's restaurant.

He has such fun at the beach!

Making a tunnel and bridge with Pop-pop

Cool gator! (nope, we didn't make it)

Ahhh, sprinkles of sand and chocolate sprinkles

Uncle Jeff and Rocky are buddies

Our Cat and Dog Party Dinner

The Boys

Crazy cousins!

Without Cearra on hand* to take charge of them
during the photo shoot, we got a lot of silly shots!
(our home for the week in the background)

About as good as it got

And they're off!

Cheers until next year!

*Cearra landed an internship in downtown Baltimore, whose start date coincided with our vacation. We all missed her!!

Get Ready to Bling!

I'm teaming up with Stella & Dot stylist (and sorority sister!) Chris Corcoran to host an online trunk show.

Also very cool - beyond the fact that all Stella & Dot jewelry is super pretty, on-trend, and high quality -  during my party, all net proceeds from the sale of that beautiful Tribute bracelet shown above will go to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. Win-win!

So go ahead and check out Stella & Dot now, make up your wish list, then come back July 27th and place your order!

The Best Gift

I really didn't know. Looking back now I see the clues were there all along, yet I somehow didn't quite realize that despite all I had, there was a hole in my heart. And it still amazes me, still brings a lump to my throat and tears to my eyes, that the hole has been so perfectly filled by a little boy born to another woman half a world away.

I think of her often, but especially today, because as full as my heart now is, I know that part of hers is missing forever. It is, sometimes, hard to know that the very gift which completed your life left someone else with a hole in hers.

So I pray she knows how very loved he is, how much he has filled - no, expanded - my heart. That he is beautiful and healthy and very, very happy. That I am incredibly, beyond words, grateful for him. In my mind I send her images of him: laughing with his big sister; playing in the sand; sleeping peacefully, his thumb falling gently from his mouth.

But while I acknowledge he is still part of her and will always be, he is my son. Make no mistake ... while my body did not form him, I am his mommy with everything I am. He is my light, my littlest love, my buddy, my joy, my reason for oh-so-many things. Every day - every single day - he allows me to see through the drudgery and despair with the eyes of a child who trusts the world is awaiting his exploration with open arms. He is a treasure, and he is cherished.

Today we mark the day of his birth. We'll laugh and sing and gather with family to toast him. We'll celebrate every moment we have had with him and look forward to many more. I'll watch him blow out his birthday candles as I wish his first mother peace.  And I will send her a silent "thank you" for the best gift I have ever been given.

Bleeding Blue and White ... Still

The jury has spoken, the task force has made public its' report. Columnists are calling for the "death penalty" for Penn State football, and four men (plus one monster) will forever be hated for both what they did, and what they failed to do, among the rolling mountains of Central Pennsylvania.

There is no defense for any of them - each in their own way failed miserably at a very basic tenet of life - protect the weak and innocent. Shame on them.

My heart is still grieving what I now know to be true. A personal hero to me and so many, a man who did many great things in his career, directly contributed to the tragedy that has forever changed my Alma mater and deeply scarred not only those children but an entire community.

I understand that some people only knew Penn State through the blue and white uniforms and grid iron victories. And it's a sad fact of human nature to cheer when a winner falls; to delight in a tarnished legend. Perhaps we were too proud of what we believed was good and true; perhaps we loved our school too much and put too much trust in mere mortals. But to the crowd at Ohio State who jeered and threatened a group of Penn State students, and to the folks at the Kenny Chestnut concert who hurled insults at a young man wearing a "Happy Valley" shirt, well, shame on you too.

I assure you that other than the victims and their families, no one has shed more tears these last few months than the more than half a million alumni and 100,000 current Penn State students. And each blazing headline, each mean spirited comment on facebook or twitter demanding that we be ashamed of our university, inexplicably questioning our character (rather than the perpetrators), or just outright calling us stupid and ignorant (and worse), well, it stings. Do you really believe any of us would have ever wanted this? Supported this?

Yes, it has been difficult to be a proud Penn Stater these last few months, and perhaps no more so than today. And yet, I am. I will always be. Because my university gave me so much and I will defend her and fight for her and see her though.

WE had nothing to do with the crime or the cover-up. WE are embarrassed, ashamed and infuriated that our leaders failed us. WE are hurting too. But, WE are committed to making sure it never happens again - anywhere. WE will continue to work and study and contribute to society in great numbers and deeds. And  WE are, WE have always been, more than a football team and a handful of misguided men.

WE will go on. For the glory of Old State.

WILW

A bit of a busy week here, so just a quick WILW today. Some things that caught my eye:

Wow! What a beautiful space!

This clock would fit right in - and I love the face!

This is amazing ... the panda face? It's actually the
ant eater's leg! How cool is that??

Love these! And love that they are made in USA

My next bead? Amber to represent Owen's birthplace.

DIY wire cloche

I'm a sucker for a silhouette

So true.
I am so thankful Owen is still such a snuggler

22

It's been said that Cearra took a while to make her way into this world (her poor mom was in labor for hours!) because she didn't want to compete with the fireworks of July 4th. That she was just stubborn. Or that she waited to arrive because then her birth date - 07/05 - matched her birth weight - 7 lbs, 5 ounces. Who really knows?

But without a doubt on this day 22 years ago, a very special gift was given to us all. And once again we take today to celebrate her birth, her life, and her future.

Happy Birthday Cearra! We love you then, now and always!

Pretty new hair and always cute couple

Ready for dinner at Sakura

Slurrrrp

She caught the shrimp! Love the look on Dennis' face!

Who doesn't like an onion volcano?

And the umbrella makes it Japanese?

He picked the sparkly rings as his gift
to her all by himself

Dennis enjoying one of her presents

Hard to believe Cearra is now the age
Bob was when she was born.

Ending a great day with our family tradition