Bad, bad, bad morning.......

This a.m. I woke up, got ready for work, went out to my car, and could hear the engine quite clearly. I just figured I'd left a window down, so I looked around in the car and realized that last night someone vandalized my car by breaking the rear side window. It was shattered to smithereens- completely and utterly shattered. I immediately started crying (doesn't everyone in these types of situations?) and called B. Yesterday when I went to the grocery store I had tons of bags to take up, so I left the case of Diet Coke, the Tide, and a 12 pack of beer in the back seat. B was going to bring everything up last night, but we got really busy around the house and just forgot. Turns out some alcoholic person or an underage teenager (yes, I am generalizing- please don't yell at me about this) decided that taking the beer was of utmost importance and shattered my window to get to it. Did they take the DC, the tide, the cds, the money that was in the cup holder??? NOPE - JUST THE BEER! For goodness sakes, it was a 12 pack of Miller Lite that was on sale at the grocery store for $8.00. I'd rather have you ring my doorbell so that I could just give it to you and then you could save me the $200 I lost this a.m. replacing everything and losing 2 hrs of pay at work. I park my car in the back of the house, so it's not on the street or even somewhere that is easy access really. I'm so frustrated, annoyed, mad, and scared right now. Things like this happen, and it definitely reaffirms that I am ready to move. I realize vandalism still happens all over (suburbs, cities, rural areas), but if I had a garage, if I didn't have to walk up three flights with heavy bags all the time, if if if............... then maybe this wouldn't have happened. I want to cry right now just thinking about it. I did file a police report for it, but they do it over the phone and don't even come out to take finger prints. They said it was pointless b/c there is no way to really charge anyone if I didn't catch them in the act. So whoever did it gets away scott free with no guilt or punishment, and I am stuck with a bill that shouldn't be mine.

And honestly, who wants to spend $150 on a window to a car that yesterday was just fine? If I'm going to shell out that kind of money, I'd like it to be on a cute new dress or a new shirt for B or for dinner and drinks, etc. I just can't believe this happened........................

Gardening!! (the rest of the weekend)

Saturday, B had a class at work in the a.m., so I got up with him to get an early start on the day. I worked in the yard for 3.5 hrs- it was AWESOME! I planted basil and tomatoes in containers for mid summer bruschetta and caprese salad. I weeded the side garden, raked the leaves from the yard, swept the patio, planted flower seeds in front of the side garden, and planted some rosemary in the corner where nothing ever grows. We live in an apt in a three flat, and that side garden hasn't been touched in years, I'm sure. I filled two huge garbage bags with dead plants, leaves, weeds, etc. I also split some hostas in order to balance out some of the spaces in the yard. I can't wait to see how things look in a few weeks. I'll definitely take pics for you guys once things begin to grow and blossom. This is one of the reasons I would love to find a house for us. I can't wait to plan my own yard and garden. I have such a love for digging and planting, and I love to see the fruit of my labor later in the summer.

After B got home, we went for a 5.5 mile run/walk and found a gorgeous, slightly hidden street in the city that we would love, love, love to live on. Definitely out of our price range, but amazing older (historical) houses on good sized plots that definitely put other areas in the neighborhood to shame. It was a part of the city neither of us have spent any time in, and it was definitely fun to explore. We then showered and got ready for a great dinner at Frasca. I had a cucumber and basil vodka cocktail that was really interesting and very refreshing. We're going to try to recreate it at home. Met some friends for drinks in Wrigleyville and then came home because I had to work in the morning.

Sunday I worked all day. B played golf and cleaned for the week ahead. We had an amazing rice salad for dinner last night- I'll definitely post the recipe next week. It will be a great summertime dinner, especially for picnics!! Plus it holds really well and would be an easy lunch the next day.

Boring post- no pics! But you'll get inundated with pics next weekend- just wait!

What I am doing tonight

Watching this


and eating these




Life doesn't get much better!!

Tom's Mom's Cookies are the absolute best cookies in Northern Michigan. They aren't too soft, aren't too hard, just perfectly chewy, and come in amazing flavors. One of our favorite "up north" activities is to ride bikes from Gram's house across the bay to Harbor Springs, have lunch at Gurney's (a liquor/wine store with the best deli sandwiches on that side of the bay), eat by the boat docks, and get a cookie after we're done with the sandwiches. It's a fabulous lunch!

When I was talking to family friend's during the Lenten Season, I was lamenting missing sweets, and the mom was astonished that I would be able to do it for 40 days. She definitely has the sweetest tooth of anyone I know. Today a box of cookies arrived for us in the mail from them as a graduation present and to thank me for helping take care of their son while he was in the hospital. It was a huge and amazingly wonderful surprise! Don't you all just adore suprises???

Who gets to wear a pretty necklace this summer???

MOM X 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is going to look so purty on you this summer!! Please email me with your address so I can have Stella ship it to you asap!

Also, please don't forget that Stella has 20% off all her pieces through the end of May with the code TWENTYOFF. Treat yourself to a gorgeous piece for summer (or do some REALLY early Christmas shopping!!). Thank you all so much for entering my giveaway- I loved seeing what all your favorite pieces are!

So sorry!

Ladies,

I have drawn the winner for the necklace and taken pics of the drawing, the whole nine yards. However, the swine flu has wreaked havoc on my life in that the hospital was incredibly insane today and I had to work in the ED which I NEVER have to do. I didn't sit down all day and I got a five minute lunch break (for a 12.5 hr shift). I'm not kidding when I say that it was so busy and parents (and locals schools) are slightly (okay, really) crazy about this stuff. Our emergency department had 394 people come through yesterday (only 12 of which were actually sick and needed to be admitted to the hospital). The previous number for the busiest day was 280. INSANE!!!!

So, tonight, I just ate dinner (I thank God for my wonderful husband who made a great meal) and now I'm off to bed. I can't even fathom anything else. I promise that one of you will be surprised this weekend. I have to go in for another 12 hr shift tomorrow, so I will try to post tomorrow night, but it could be Saturday morning. Please don't be mad!! My brain cells just can't function enough to do anything anymore!

Have a great Friday and, if you are going to the Derby, have a great weekend there! I'll be catching up on all your blogs on Saturday, and I hope you all are posting super fun things for me to read about. I can't wait to veg on the couch and read Sat morning after my run!!

Need help please!

For my birthday last fall, my mother in law got me the VV polo shirt dress in light pink. It's absolutely adorable, but this style of dress looks AWFUL on me. Every year I try on one or two in this style and every year I walk away thinking "so that's why I don't have any in my closet!" I've talked to B's mom about it, and since she got it last summer out east at a store that is only open in the summer, it can't be returned or exchanged. Bummer!! So, what I need your help with is would it be worth it to list it on ebay? I've never sold anything there before (though I buy occasionally). I'd like to get at least $50 for it as it's a $125 dress, still with the tags on it. At our local consignment stores in the city I'd get 50% of what they sell it for, and I bet they'd only put a $40 or $50 price on it. I really would like to see more than $20 for it. Does it cost a lot of money to list on ebay? It's a size medium, and I've never seen this dress listed on ebay, so that ups the "exclusivity" factor, but I don't know how many people (outside of preppy bloggers) that search for VV stuff on ebay in general.

Here are some pics to show you what I am talking about:



Anyone have any other ideas? Anyone out there in blogger world interested in an adorable summer dress? Trust me, it's perfect and would be great for running around all summer long!

Don't forget!

My giveaway ends tonight at 5:00 p.m.! Don't forget to enter!!

Updates!

*We had a great time in FL last weekend. Friday, B's parents picked us up from the airport, we drove through old Jax, had lunch on the river, went to the pool, and had lunch with them and the 5 (bil, sil, 3 kids) at the beach club. We ate out on the porch overlooking the ocean and after dinner went in to the club to dance to the live band. The three kids loved the band and we probably danced for at least 45 minutes!!
*Sat we got up slowly, had a great breakfast, and went to the beach for most of the day. It was glorious, and my body was completely shocked by the sunshine! We went home and got ready for dinner at A1 Ale House in downtown St. Augustine. The wait was horrendous (especially while trying to entertain a 6 year old and 4 1/2 year old twins!). Dinner was great though.
*Sunday we went to church with the 5 (B's parents go to a different church and since we were staying with the 5, it was easier to go to their church) and then met his parents at the TPC Club at Sawgrass.

The clubhouse is brand new and gorgeous!! We ate out on the covered part of the porch (my shoulders were glad for that) and walked around the course after lunch. They are getting ready for the players which is going on May 7th through 10th, so everything looks so lush and green. Everyone loved their lunch- very casual yet very good.
*Today I picked up my graduation gown and hood for the ceremony next Thursday!! I'm going to look like I just stepped out of Hogwarts with this get-up on. It's got weird sleeves and the hood is just too comical!! Oh well, I'll wear it with pride knowing that all I have to do now is pass boards in June!!
*I finished 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' on the plane. It was a fascinating read and very engrossing. I wasn't thrilled with the last three pages, but other than that, I would highly recommend.
*Pulled out my suitcase for Spain today!! Only 16 days left until we leave, and I want to start putting things in the suitcase to start getting organized. I like to pack early (obviously!!) and am a huge overpacker, so this way I can put in everything I think I'll need and then have B help me edit!! (ANY packing advice would be greatly appreciated!!)
*Ordered my review book for my boards. I refuse to take it to Spain, but I'd like it to arrive before we leave.

An adorable gift

My brother-in-law and sis-in-law (and the kids) got me a fantastic gift this weekend when we went to visit. L saw it in a store and picked it up right on the spot. Her reasoning? "It matched the wedding ties!" She's so right! The guys in our wedding wore the pink Vineyard Whale tie with the blue whales, and though the present is blue on blue, it is smashingly similar!!




It appears to be a tote bag, but actually it's a cooler! B and I love to go to Ravinia in the summer, and this will work perfectly with our picnic basket. It also will be great to take to the beach with sandwiches, Diet Coke, and snacks.

It was such a sweet gift and so useful as well. I can't wait to use it!!!

Cute finds at LL Bean

LL Bean just put out some adorable new summer outfits. In fact, one dress that was so cute and online this weekend is already gone! I'm hoping it will come back- it was navy with a white bamboo-ish print and a kelly green waistband. Look for it- it's a great option for summer!

Here are a few other things I found that I think are great summer staples!
Adorable flats

If those are too much for you, these below are just as cute but a little more conservative (and probably match many more outfits in a closet!)

Love this whole look!!

I love this shirt. It would pair perfectly with white pants for the office or white bermudas and a white tank on the weekend

Each color option has adorable cuffs on the sleeves (and I do love me a turned up cuff!!!)


Have you ordered anything fun lately that I need to know about? Did any of you happen to see the cute dress I was talking about up top?