Girly Girl

30 ROCKS! ~ Rockin’ 30th Birthday Party

We had a rockin’ 30th birthday party for my sister Lisa at my house.  My sister really does ROCK and this was the perfect way to celebrate her 30th birthday.

rockin 30th birthday party

We all dressed up as our favorite rockers, played Just Dance 2, and Guitar Hero.  I swear it was such a fun night.

30 ROCKS! {Lisa’s 30th Birthday Party Video}

It was so much fun in fact that I just had to make a video.  {snicker}  It was just too much fun not to relive over and over again.  If you don’t have Just Dance 2 then you’ve got to go get it.  I swear it’s such a fun time and quite the work out!

Can  you tell who everyone one is dressed up as?  If you’re stumped then watch the video – it has all the details.

Lisa dressed up as Haley from Paramore and really rocked her red and yellow wig and was the life of the party. There are so many things I love about my sister.  I love it that she doesn’t take life seriously, she’s sarcastic, always up for a fun time, speaks her mind, is patient, and very independent.  {So basically – the exact opposite of me.  HA!}

Living so close to her that we can walk together at night and share our day has been such a blessing in my life.  She’s such a sport listening to me talk about my business and my boys.   She’s full of great advice and really has my back.  I just adore her and have come to rely on her so much.

It was the perfect 30th birthday party and fabulous evening full of friends, food, and fun!  Love you Sis!

Girly Girl

Where Everyone’s An Artist

Have you guys heard of Let’s Art Party? Holy smokes it is so much fun.  Tiffany invited several of us out to join in the fun and honestly I had a blast.

You can bring in food and drinks so it’s more like a party than a class.  The instructor stands at the top and gives you step-by-step instructions on how to paint the canvas.

It’s so easy a kid could do it!  I’ll admit it’s a little intimidating at first but the instructor really encourages each person to put their own personality into the painting and really make it your own.

I went for a more muted look, while several of the women tried to copy the instructions exactly, while others took it to a new level and went wild.  {snicker} 

When I showed the horse I painted to my boys there were SO impressed and really made me feel like I did a good job.  It surprised me how much they liked it.  They even asked where I was going to hang it up.  {Ahhh it’s that cute!} 

I had such a fun night painting, eating, and chatting it up with the girls.  Afterwards we came over to my house for some Let’s Dance 2 on the Wii.  Good times.

Business Owner · Girly Girl

Broken Jewlery Crafting

  
You may remember a while back when I made a few broken jewelry projects for Charming Charlie.  Well now that things have settled down, I wanted to use the rest of the jewelry they sent me to make a jeweled wood letter for one of my readers!
On a whim, I uploaded a giveaway onto Tip Junkie a week later, I picked a random winner.  Of course, her letter was “E” one of the biggest letters in the alphabet.  {{giggle}}  That thing used SO much jewelry and was HEAVY!  Poor thing – I don’t envy her trying to mount that bad boy on a frame.  {{snicker}}
I think it turned out gorgeous!  It took me 6 hours to make as my jewelry supply was quickly diminishing and I was having to make cute pieces out of random pieces by hot gluing them together.  It was quite the project – but a stunning end result.  The picture doesn’t do it justice – it’s breathtaking.
Afterwards, I was so bummed that I didn’t make one for ME!  {{d’oh!}}  Dude, I’m a looser.  But I’m so glad that I was able to make one for a deserving reader.
My index finger on my left hand got in the way at one point and now I have the grodiest hot glue gun burn on it.  Drake was so grossed out he wouldn’t let me touch him for 2 days after seeing it!  Now I have to promise that it’s almost healed before he’ll kiss me.
{{yeah – it’s that gross}}  So I’ll spare you the shock and won’t upload a photo.
This is the “C” that I made for Chanda.  She’s been working for me on Tip Junkie and I cannot tell you how much her help has meant to me.  To say that she’s been a lifesaver is an understatement.  I wanted to do something for her to let her know how much I appreciate all her hard work!  This is how it turned out! 

What do you think?

Girly Girl

The Christmas Gag Gift Party

Every year one of my fabulous friends hosts an adult only Christmas Gag Gift Party. It’s one of my favorite nights of the year!
This year the runner up for the best White Elephant gift was larger than life size stand up poster.  I’m quite sure that this is going to pop up at all kinds of places throughout the next year.  I was bummed that I didn’t get it as I had all kinds of plans for it.  {{evil laugh}}

Chanda made this hysterical vinyl lettering tile, “HOME Where The HO & ME Come Together”.  {{bwaahaa!!}}  Holy Crap that’s so funny.

This year, there’s been a long-running inside joke about the “panis”. Therefore, Lisa D made a panis reducer complete with suspenders. It was hysterical.
Urban Definition:  Medical term for fat that hangs over the waist line “like a separate entity”.

Lucky us, we ended up with the Luggable Loo and His and Her’s portable urinals.  Yep, we were stoked.  {{said sarcastically}}

I don’t have a picture of the winning gag gift because I was the lucky duck who opened it up.  There is a video of it which I’m quite sure will pop up at some point.  Yep, sadly it’s a blackmail video.
Let me set the scene:
I pick a gift and I realize it’s a little wet at the bottom which I thought was really weird.  I open up the card and it was a gift card to Red Lobster.  Cool!  I thought I hit the jackpot as I’m a practical girl and I was thinking “date night”.  At any rate, I open up the box and something MOVED inside it!
{{Scream!}}
{{Hysterical Scream!}}
I’m thinking it’s a snake and it’s going to slither out of the box!

{{More hysterical screaming and trying to find a way out of the room.}}

Mike thinks this is hillarious and brings the box to me to get a picture of me in my terrified state.
{{I’m still thinking it’s a snake – so at this point I’m starting to get MAD.}} 
Then I hear the word “lobster” and I settle down.  I look inside the box and there’s a plastic bag inside filled with water.  So the lobster was mostly covered up and when it moves, it’s movements get exaggerated by the water.  That’s why I thought it was a snake.  
{{grrrr}}
So yes, the winning gag gift was a LIVE lobster with a $25 gift card to Red Lobster.
Turns out the jokes on me.  I didn’t even end up with it when the night was through.  Dadgum It.  So all I did was fueled hysterical laughing and inside jokes at my expense for years to come. {{oh joy}}
All said and done the party was crazy fun and we had a great time!  
I hope this posts gives you some cool white elephant gift ideas – but um – leave the live animals at the store.  {{wink}}
Business Owner · Girly Girl

DIY Crafts: Broken Jewelry Initial

I landed the coolest job with Charming Charlie in October. I made three broken jewelry projects they’ve posted them on all onto their site.  My favorite by far was the broken jewelry initial that I made entirely out of Charming Charlie accessories.  {{squeal}}

I’ve hooked you up with video as well as pictured instructions.  Here you go:

I’m such a dork in the videos but I really like how the projects turned out.  Each one has it’s own vibe and it was such an amazing opportunity. The silver “C” I made is my favorite.  I believe they’re going to give it away on CharmingCharlie.com but I haven’t seen it live yet.

Blogger · Girly Girl

What Do You Want?

I’ll never forget one Christmas we were having the hardest time getting Dylan to tell us what he wanted from Santa.  He finally asked me, “If I don’t tell Santa what I want, will I get it?”  I had to restrain my myself as I was at the brink of frustration with him and I said, “No! You won’t.  If you don’t tell people what you want –  you’ll never get it.” 

I’m quite sure everyone in the Santa line could see the huge light-bulb over my head at that very moment.  I finally got it myself.  I have to ask for what I want otherwise I’ll get just that – nothing.

 I had the best conversation with a dear friend about getting what you want out of life. That conversation has been so eye opening to me.  She recently went to the Mighty Summit which was a small get together of power women in social media. The entire weekend was about their Life List and making those things happen for each other.

What a profound experience to be in a room full of influential women who are reading the top 5 things they want to do in life and having someone sitting next to you say, “You want to write a book? I just published a book and can help you get in touch with the right people.”  {{jawdropping}}

Needless to say, Allison has convinced me once again that I have to know what I want and then ask for it.  So I’ll be taking the next week to write down my life list.  The problem that I’m facing is that I have a very limited imagination.  HA!

What’s on your life list?  I need some suggestions. {{giggle}}

Girly Girl

Girls Weekend in Canton

For my birthday, Lisa organized a girls weekend and shopping in Canton. Whoohoo!  Seriously, I could not have asked for a better birthday present.

It was two days and one night of roaring laughter, a lot of great finds, and surrounded by beautiful things.

The past month I’ve been completely overwhelmed with gratitude.  Gratitude for the women in my life who are so easy to be friends with, who are so caring and genuine, and who see me as I truly am and not how they want or perceive me to be.

The older I get, the more I realize how vital these kinds of friendships are.

Life is way more fun when you get to let your hair down and just laugh and be yourself.

These women have the uncanny ability to bring out the best of myself.  It’s what my sister calls “Fun Laurie”.  {{bwaahaa!}} 

So a huge huge huge huge thanks to Lisa, Cali, Chanda, and Melissa for making 34 so much freakin’ fun!

Girly Girl

Intervention in New Orleans


I got the strangest 911 phone call from my sister, Lisa, asking if I could drive to New Orleans with her for an intervention with my youngest brother. Anyone who knows me knows that I avoid drama like the plaque.  I’m not one to get involved.  Why?  
 
It’s not because I don’t care. 
It’s not because I don’t want to help. 

It’s because if I’ve learned anything, it’s that we’re all on a different path in life and unfortunately we have to find our own way.

Maybe it’s because I’m a parent.  Maybe it’s because I’m completely cynical.  Maybe it’s because I’ve gotten beat up so many times that I know that I’m the only one who I can change.

 
For what ever reason, I believe that we each have to hit rock bottom for real change to happen AND it has to be our idea.  When life gets really dark, I have found that you have to want to find the light and do whatever it takes to learn, grow, and avoid those situations in the future.  No one can do it for you.

However, I’ll do anything for my sister.  {{anything}}

So we jumped in the car and drove 8 hours to give my brother an intervention because he announced his breakdown on Facebook.

Let’s face it, we all feel the need to self destruct sometimes.  In all honesty, I do it at least once a year.  Yep, my secrets out.  About once a year I have a complete identity crisis:  Who am I?  Why am I doing what I’m doing?  Is it worth it?  Is this the life I want?  {{you know what I’m talking about}}


However, the key to self destructing is
NOT TO LEAVE ANY EVIDENCE.

Do not self destruct online.
Do not leave a paper trail.  Do not write angry letters and mail them.  {{you burn them}}
Do not leave any evidence.  {{no bruises, no hurt feelings, no shock value}}

Yes, this is {some} of the advice I gave my brother.  When you hit rock bottom – you suffer like an adult.  Not like a spoiled rotten teen. 

The key is to be able to live an even better life once you pick yourself back up.  Not have to do damage control once you’re self-pity moment is finally over.  {{duh!}}

On our long drive up Lisa and I wrote in a journal a bunch of advice and the personal experience when we learned that lesson the hard way.  The parent in me wants him to learn from our mistakes and live a better life.

But let’s face it, I know better than that.  Just like I had to live the hard way, so does my brother as well as my boys.  That’s just life.  It’s unfair, hard, and a heck of a lot of work.

I think the key is to create fun moments that you can reflect on when life beams you in the head with lemons.

Friday night was rough as Lisa and I tried to reason with a self-destructing 23 year old.  Saturday was crazy fun as we ate way too much cajun food, saw a movie, shopped, and toured New Orleans.  {{dude it’s smelly!}}

However, I came home with a new appreciation for my own little ones with their very simple and uncomplicated lives.

I know there will be a time very shortly when their innocence will completely change.  I pray that at that point I’m able to handle it in a very Love and Logic way.  Sadly, they have a mother who will not enable or rescue them.  Right now life is sweet – but the time will come when they’ll be on their own to learn the hard way… just like everyone else.

In the meantime, I’ll indulge their sweet tooth and love them the only way I know how: to help gain a testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ, help them to learn how to make their own choices, and pick themselves up when they’ve fallen. 
{{I pray this is enough}}

Blogger · Girly Girl

Twilight Eclipse Premier Party

While I was in Utah, I was invited to attend a Twilight Eclipse premier party at Thanksgiving Point. The best thing about it was that it was at 8pm instead of midnight.  {{squeal in delight}}  I got all the perks of seeing it first without the sleep deprivation hang over the next morning.

I was a bit under-dressed as there were people dressed up as werewolves and full costume.  The party was crazy fun with mom-tini’s called “Edwards Kiss” and “Jacob on the Beach”.

I got the hook up thanks to these lovely ladies who are also fellow bloggers.
Allison, Rachael, and Marie.  {{hola!}}

It was a crazy fun evening.  Miss you Carina!

Allison and I just couldn’t pass up this photo op taken from someone’s car!  How funny to drive around with Edward as a passenger.{{bwaahaa!}}

Yep, we left with some fun swag.  VIP guest passes, “Paw-sta”, buttons, cup, and necklace. 
Huge thanks to everyone for such a lovely time in Utah! 

Girly Girl

Happy 40th Birthday Anessa!

I still have our Utah vacation pictures to upload, but since that’s going to take quite a while, I’m skipping a head a bit to officially tell Anessa Happy Birthday!

We were invited to celebrate with her on a river boat and even though it was drizzling we had the best time!

Talk about a wet & wild party!

Anessa has the coolest job, a wonderful man, and generous spirit.
40 is most definitely fabulous!

There was great food, fabulous company, and a lot of showing off.

We had mens synchronized jumping,

swan diving,

and even some over exposures.

Billy was on fire and was the most entertaining jumper! 
Dudes, gotta be hurting today.  {{just sayin’}}

I just love hanging out with these women.  I consider it an honor.

The night ended with an impressive fireworks display and I was sorry to see the party end.  These people are the real deal – fun, easy going, non-judgmental, with no drama. 
I heart them!