Throwback Thursday Installment 2.

Birthday parties are one of my favorite things to celebrate!

Luckily my friends are on the same celebration bandwagon.

One year they had a luau themed party for me and went all out. They even made a cake. In the middle of the party while everyone was drinking fruity cocktails and doing the limbo (true story) the cake started to melt and fall apart! You can't waste cake, so

what better way to keep a cake together??

Tie a bow around it with flimsy ribbon and carry on with the party!

Wine Wednesday Awesomeness Week 3!

Well here we are again.

3 weeks of drinking wine and writing about it. 3 bottles of wine under 12 dollars that have been consumed and enjoyed. 3 blog posts written about the love of white wine and all its yumminess. Eventually I was going to hit a bump in the road and find one I don't like right?

WELL NOT THIS WEEK! Once again I have found another white wine under 12 bucks that is rad.

Enter Procrastinate Take 5 California Wine a nice white wine right at 10 dollars.

I am still in Texas visiting family and friends and picked up this sexy little bottle at H.E.B., a big grocery store chain here. I am hoping I can find it back in Cali when I get back.

This wine was awesome for many reasons, but perhaps the best is one

that it is a screw top!

And everytime I open a screw top I can't help but sing this.

True story.

This wine was really good. It was a nice, crisp white with a ton of fruity flavors. It's like an explosion of Fruity Pebbles in your mouth without that greasy feeling on the top of said mouth! I love me some FP's but the grease I could do without!

There were lots of fruity aromomas, as well. From the moment I twisted off the top and smelled the open bottle I got lots of hints of mangos, apples, and some grapefruit. It had a little bit of carbonation in my opinion, too. That carbonation made it a bit "sharp" if you will with the first few sips but the after taste was really good and went down smoothly. It was almost like a spritzer without the nasty hangover feel you are sure to get.

I had one glass with a pulled pork sandwich and that was not the best idea. Those 2 combos were no bueno. Therefore I wouldn't really take it to a BBQ. I would however take it to a nice party during the day, or to Sangria Sunday's at my friends house and add some fresh fruit and champagne to it.

The second glass I had while writing this post and not adding any food to it and it was still really good. It sat for awhile when I was getting Baby D ready for bed and it wasn't as tasty warm as I was hoping, BUT I added an ice cube (can't waste wine!) and it was good to go!

Overall this wine wasn't mind blowing, but I did like it a lot. For 10 dollars I think you get your money's worth, as well.

I give Procrastinate Take 5 4 corks. It is an over all good white with lots of fruity flavors and aromas. It is sure to be a hit at a girls brunch, a nice afternoon cocktail, or even a night in watching Jersey Shore which I will be doing in 5, 4, 3, 2....

Have a good week, enjoy your wine, and cheers!

xoxo

Lindsey at Tidbits Parenting is reviewing another white this week, and Kimberly at Party of Five And Counting is on board this week reviewing a red. Next week we will be back to normal with Eileen at Bringing Up Bronwyn doing a red. She was out of town this week and I guess she couldn't show up hungover to her work meetings! :D

i do not condone excessive use of alcohol. drink at your own risk.

Party this is strictly for fun and for my blog. i did not get paid for this review and bought the bottle on my own.

if procrastinate take 5 wants to send me a lifetime supply though, i am cool with that.

Throwback Thursday Installment 1.

That day he was smiling from ear to ear and he was so proud. He was his usual self full of love, laughter and animation. I never knew what was coming.

Little did I know in a few short hours I would be proposed to by my best friend. The love of my life. The guy that makes my heart pitter patter. The guy that would be the father of my children. Who would stand by me in my darkest times. The guy that would do anything in the world to make my heart sing.

That day he did it all right and my heart has been singing ever since.

Wine Wednesday Awesomeness Week 2!

See this?!?

That's an empty bottle.

Why is it empty you ask?!?

BECAUSE THIS WINE ISSS AWWWESOOOOME! <--- said just like Oprah would on her crazy "Favorite Things" show!

Enter Week 2 of Wine Wednesday and the wine I consumed was Middle Sister's Sauvignon Blanc. THIS wine did not disappoint! This little, lovely bottle has crept into the top 5 fav wines for me. AND you can buy it at Target! Since that is my home away from home, this is huge for me. Wine Win!

I chose this wine for a various reasons:

1-I was at Target and it was on sale for 9.99. Under my 12 dollar rule!

2-I was serving The Pioneer Woman's Penne Alla Betsy for some friends and family on Valentine's Day/my mom's birthday, and I was looking for a white whine to pair with seafood.

3-The label was super cute! Yes, I chose a wine based on how cute the label was. Such a girl thing!

I am glad I "girled out" and chose a cute labeled wine otherwise I would have been denied the awesomeness that is Middle Sister Surfer Chic.

The first glass was consumed while I was cooking. Everyone drinks while cooking right? Because I was drinking and cooking, I really didn't get the smell of the wine thanks to some serious onions and garlic on my stove top.

My second glass was consumed at dinner and I really got to taste and smell the wine. At the risk of sounding completely lame, it tasted like a citrus tree and some good fruit! And bonus, it wasn't too dry. It was also good warm. (back to my rule on wines being warm and still yummy) It was crisp and light and so easy going down.

I honestly think you all will love this wine. It is a lot different than last weeks in that it doesn't have a very sophisticated flavor if that makes sense. This wine is a great one to have with some girlfriends, a night in watching a movie with your hubs, or on the beach hence the Surfer Chic theme to it.

Most importantly this wine would be perfect paired with chocolate. And well,I did just that! I needed to make sure my instinct was correct. It was!

I give Middle Sister's Sauvignon Blanc 5 corks and will for sure be talking this wine up to people! Go out and try it for yourself and come back here and let me know what you think!

Have a good week, enjoy your wine, and cheers!

xoxo

We’re trying something new, and doing a link up! Link up to a post about what wine you drank this week and check out the rest of the fabulous Wine Wednesday Posts! Also grab the Wine Wednesday button to the right to represent! Make sure you check out the posts at Bringing Up Bronwyn, Tidbits Parenting, and Baby Baby Lemon!

i do not condone excessive use of alcohol. drink at your own risk.

this is strictly for fun and for my blog. i did not get paid for this review and bought the bottle on my own.

if middle sister wants to send me a lifetime supply though, i am cool with that.

All You Need Is Love.

We are in Texas spending Valentine's Day with my mom, dad, family and friends. It is my mom's 60th birthday today so we thought we would come help her celebrate.

What a wonderful celebration it was. Penne alla Betsy cooked by yours truly thanks to The Pioneer Woman's fabulous recipe. Wine flowing freely. And a delicious Chocolate Black Out cake that I am slowly coming out of a coma from.

It is amazing what a little guy can do to bring such joy and happiness to people. The love that is shown for him is breathtaking and I love to watch every second of it.

Today, as with everyday, I am truly blessed and lucky to have this little guy and such a wonderful husband and family to love and share my life with.

Happy Valentine's Day from this Baby D and his mama!

xoxo

Winner of The Pioneer Woman's New Book!

The lucky winner of The Pioneer Woman's new book, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels - A Love Story is #27, @tresjolie!

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:27Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Tres Jolie 23 hours ago

I would LOVE to win the book!!!

And at the risk of sounding like a total Pioneer MAN, not woman..... The fried round steak is by far my favorite!! Mmmmmmmm.

I also want to let you know that I typed in 36 as the MAX number but it was not working for me! I swear I didn't cheat!!

DM me your address so I can send you the book!

Thank you all so much for entering! This was so fun and I am so glad I am able to share this book with you!

Happy Valentine's Day and happy reading, Mrs. Jolie!

xoxo

Wine Wednesday Awesomeness Week 1!

It's here!

The first week of Wine Wednesday!

Grab your glass, pour yourself some wine and enjoy the review!

Who cares if you are reading this at 10 am! I won't tell.

My first thought when doing this was "Ok, was I drunk when I decided it would be a good idea to have a Wine Wednesday post?!?" I am, by no means, a connoisseur of anything, much less wine. Well...maybe cupcakes. Anywho, I was afraid I would come across as snotty and all knowing about wine. It is wine for god sakes! It is good! We drink a lot of it in this house! AND so do you all apparently.

After the initial "what was I thinking" moments passed, I decided to jump right and drink if you will. Take what you read here with a grain of salt!

I am a mom that likes white wine and wants to share the love with you! That is all. Nothing more. In fact I am writing this in sweats, a t-shirt and my hair in a messy bun. Hot, I know!

This week I chose Coppola's Rosso & Bianco Pinot Grigio.

My love for Coppola's wines began a few years ago, but I had never tried this table wine. I figured what better time than now.

After hitting up the local wine store with my baby in tow....yes, I was that mom....I picked up a bottle to try. Right away one of the guys that worked there said "Oh, you will love this! It's got hints of...." lalalala ::plugs ears::

I had to cut him of because, well, I want to sound like a sommelier here and not rip off his stuff.

I saved this wine for the weekend when I knew we were getting some good take out to pair it with and I am glad I did. This wine was really good! For 12.00 dollars a bottle this did not disappoint!

I paired it with some Thai Garlic Chicken and Broccoli. It really went well with garlic which is a good thing because I eat a lot of it!

It was light and didn't leave that weird after taste that some wines do. In fact, this could be consumed really quickly for me. A good and bad thing!

Sometimes I kind of linger with the wine I have depending on what I am doing while consuming said wine. If it is good when it has cooled off, it is a keeper for me. This wine was just that. After putting the baby to bed I came back to the glass. It was warm but still tasty! Wine Win!

My second glass was without food to see if I still had a warm and fuzzy spot for this wine and I did! I still liked it! It's going on the wine rack in our house for sure.

I feel like this wine is a good one to have when you have friends over for dinner or you're out on a picnic. It is light and fruity and would be good with some BBQ chicken, cheese and crackers, or a chocolate chip cookie.<---- I tested this theory!

I would also buy this wine to take to a dinner party. You know when you get invited to someone's house for dinner and you are on your way only to remember you should take a gift! This happens to me all the time. Pick this one up for just that occasion! Your hosts will thank you for it.

For a white table wine right at 12 dollars, I think you can't loose with this Pinot Grigio!

I give Coppola's Rosso and Bianco's Pinot Grigio 4 corks out of 5!

Go check out what Lindsey at Tidbit Parenting has to say about this wine, as well! She is the Ebert to my Roper!

Also, Eileen over at Bringing Up Brownyn did me a solid and reviewed a red wine! She used to work at a winery so this girl knows her stuff!

I couldn't have done this without the help of both of these ladies. They really completed this post with their reviews.

This is how Wine Wednesday will work!

Go out and buy the wine if this has peeked your interest, try it out over the week, and come back to tell me if I am right on or if I should never work at a winery!

Also grab the Wine Wednesday button at the top right and add it to your page! Represent!

Thanks to Lindsey and Brandy at The Baby Blackbird for their help with the button design! If you haven't read Brandy's blog, you should immediately! This girl knows her fashion. She is amazing and super sweet!

Have a good week, enjoy your wine and cheers!

xoxo

i do not condone excessive use of alcohol. drink at your own risk.

this is strictly for fun and for my blog. i did not get paid for this review and bought the bottle on my own.

if coppola wants to send me a lifetime supply though, i am cool with that.

I Met The Pioneer Woman.

...and almost peed my pants. For once it wasn't because of Mom Bladder!

I got to meet TPW last night at The Grove and W to the H to the O to the A she is amazing!! A-MAZING!!!!!

This book signing is all I have been talking about since last week at my house. So much so , I am sure my husband thinks I am slightly obsessed. Nail on head!

What should I say to her?

What should I wear? (I even ironed a shirt for this. This never happens!)

Will I be nervous?

To answer the last question, YES I was so nervous! Like shaking nervous! So nervous I forgot to show her Baby D! Poor kid he sat with me for an hour and didn't even get to meet TPW!

I make TPW's recipes quite often in my kitchen so being able to say that I met her was a huge honor for me.

She was beautiful, gracious and so polite. Everything you hope for when you meet someone you adore.

The problem with going to a signing like this alone is you get this kind of picture below!

A jacked up photo that you have to photo shop the hell out of because the person taking the picture kinda sucked at it.

Either way, I met her and I have proof!

She signed every book her fans had.

She stayed till the last person in line got their book signed and picture taken. AND there were A LOT of people there!

I got my cookbook signed, as well as her new book which I can't wait to read!

And for you my lovely friends that are so kind and read my blog, I got one signed for one of you!

Hear me out here when I say I am by no means trying to be a big time blogger giving away big stuff here. I have never wanted to be that. That is not my style at all.

I am so grateful for the readers I have and those that are so kind to me on Twitter and here. Without my readers I would have shut this thing down a long time ago. I have met some wonderful people here and I wanted to share my love of The Pioneer Woman with you!

It's my way of saying thank you so much for being a wonderful friend!

So all you need to do is comment and tell me why you love TPW or what your favorite recipe is! That is it!!

I will pick a winner at random on Friday!

One entry per person please to make it fair for everyone!

I hope someday everyone has the opportunity to meet someone that is influential to them. Someone who makes them giddy at the thought of meeting them. I had that chance last night and it was awesome!

xoxo

Weekend Amusement. #1.

I am not going to do a "What I Wore" post because well, honestly I usually look craptastic and no one cares that I got my shirt at Forever21 or my jeans at the Gap. I am not a fashion plate and on a good day I can barely get it together. I blame the fact that I haven't lost all my baby weight AND I love to drink wine and eat cupcakes. There I said it!

So with that being said....This is Weekend Amusement.

Saturday we hit up the Farmer's Market for some breakfast, a stroll around The Grove and to pick up some yummy stuff for our Super Bowl Sunday get together.

It is no secret I LOVE The Farmer's Market and The Grove. We are there almost every weekend picking out produce, meat, etc and eating breakfast. The crepes there are to die for and I found a great diner that serves amazing omelette's.

We occasionally pick up Famous Bob's Donuts that you can't walk past without drooling.

Produce is always so amazing and so good!

We never leave without picking up some good fruit or veggies.

Look at those melons! <----I had to put that in there. My hubs says that EVERY TIME we walk past the melon area. He really is in his 30's. I swear!

My trip to The Grove is never complete without a look see in Anthropologie. Didn't find anything I wanted, but I did like smelling all the yummy candles and such!

Baby D is infatuated with the water fountain at The Grove. I like to call it "The Mini Bellagio" fountain if you will.

Nothing brings a smile to this face quicker than saying "do you want to go see the fountain?" Seriously, he knows this! Genius!

It honestly was a perfect Saturday that ended with Thai food and Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt!

Sunday we had some friends over to watch the Superbowl.

Well actually to eat and drink. I mean who really watches the Superbowl?!? It is all about the commercials and food! At least it is at my house.

The hubs made The Pioneer Woman's Pulled Pork.

It was AMAZING! So. so good and so easy! I highly recommend this recipe to you all. It will not disappoint.

from left to right : pulled pork, margaritas,

pulled pork and shrimp taco fixings,

and a huge mess thanks to babies!

We had some cocktails with friends, played with our kids, and watched the game. Honestly though, I couldn't tell you who won the game or what commercial was the best. The Super Bowl is not the same anymore with a baby!

This weekend was fantastic and just what my little family needed. We get too wrapped up in things at time and forget to do a lot of special, fun family things. These things will last a lifetime in the memory bank.

How did you spend your weekend?

xoxo