I’m all about finding ways to make my life easier.

Not that I’m lazy, though I’m a little bit of that too…but truly on any given day, I’m going in at least 20 different directions at once. What mom isn’t!?!?

And to manage all those directions is one item that I can’t live without, my iPhone.  My calendar, my contacts, my 6 different email accounts, Facebook, Twitter, Starbucks, Camera are all on that phone…..ohhhhh to tell you all the apps that I use on a regular basis (stay tuned for a…

Happy Monday Everyone!

First off, a quick apology.  It seems Feedburner has been playing some selective tricks with the MFE Readers & Followers and randomly deciding who it wants to send daily subscriptions to and who it doesn’t, and it changes throughout the week.  So, we switched our subscription service this past weekend.  You will now be receiving your daily emails through Mail Chimp.  I’m doubly crossing my fingers that this solves the problem for everyone, but please let me know if anyone is stil having issues.

Thank you!!

Now onto the fun for…

This week has been a total blur, not really sure HOW we got to Friday!  And I really can’t believe that Christmas is next week, WOW….nor can I believe that my darling right hand will be on vacation all next week.  Just me and the kids and no car, I see LOTS of walking adventures in our future!

But back to the season.  Isn’t it fun to receive all of the holiday cards from friends and family?!  Definitely a favorite part…

I love finding things that make me feel good.  I know this sounds lame, and trust me, I LOVE being a mom and I LOVE our darling Littles – but there are still more than a handful of times that I long to fit in my cute jeans from pre-pregnancy, or pop on that cute pair of heels that I know used to turn a few heads…but I just don’t seem to get the same reaction these days.  Not sure why.  Do you think having…

There is no better description for Juliska’s tableware, than their own description.
It truly could be “the most beautiful tableware in the world“.

And I’m not the only one to think so – House Beautiful, Elle Decor, Metropolitan Home, Martha Stewart Living, countless celebrities, high end department stores and my very own book club all feel the same way!

What I love most about Juliska’s products is that they are FAMILY FRIENDLY.
(And it doesn’t hurt that they are BEAUTIFUL and FUNCTIONAL too.)

David and…

I know you’re all anxiously waiting….I was tapping my foot impatiently myself Saturday morning waiting for Addie to wake up and be the “official Halsea contest drawer”.   And then of course life took us in a million directions, but the bowl of names patiently waited for us…and just before nap time Addie got to work….

Ummm, what’s THIS bowl of goodies?

WEEEEEEEE, this drawing stuff is fun!!

Let me see how big of a mess I can…

Well, I have definitely been a little behind the game this week!
I kind of feel like Addie in this photo!

I WAS feeling pretty good about all the fun posts this week!  So many wonderful FAVORITES!
But then as I sat down to work on today’s post, it occurred to me that I never posted a menu, shopping list or December “to do” list last Friday!!!

HELLO – brain where have you gone and WHEN will you be back!!…

I love Cotton Idea Studio.

This darling little store shares a shoppe space with Halsea on Balboa Peninsula.

Here’s an idea for a great FAVORITE lunch time activity….

1. Load your car up with your Holiday gifts that you really WANT to wrap,
but know that you are going to run out of time
(and besides they kinda should look REALLY good – your boss, your mother-in-law, your mother….).

2. Drive down to:

With all the holiday parties upon us, it’s time to put on our “A Game” and look like the hot mamas (sisters, grandma’s, ladies!!) that we are!  I enlisted the help of FABULOUS Misha from Holiday Salon to help us all out.  She is my favorite Orange County make-up go-to girl and knows all the best tricks to make your assets work for you! You will look even more amazing once she has worked her magic!  Misha helped me with my “hot smoky eyes” for Halloween that…

I love finding a good deal, especially when:

A.) I don’t have to leave my house

B.) It’s something I want anyway, and now I get it (or get to give it) at a GREAT price!!

I just came across Amazon’s $5 Magazine Sale it ends TODAY, TUESDAY DECEMBER 1st. So don’t delay on a great way to cross some people off the Holiday Gift List.  Sister? Friend? Brother? Teacher?  At $5, the possibilities are endless!!!  I always do my magazine subscriptions through Amazon. They are normally a great price AND magazine subscriptions…

Doesn’t it always work, that you have to open your wallet for unexpected expenses at the WORST time ever??!!  This month we’ve each had traffic tickets (the dumb ones that you think, SERIOUSLY!?!?), medical bills for an emergency room visit for Addie (that turned out well, thank goodness!), and this weekend….replacing my makeup bag…

Now any girl reading this KNOWS that replacing your makeup bag is painful!  I don’t even want to add the cost up…the designer bag itself (which was a gift), the amazing brushes (that were a gift), and the priceless collection…

I’m newly in love with this cute book – it is perfect in so many ways!

First off, it’s a board book which is awesome when you have little hands that all want to be involved with turning the pages.

Second, you can personalize it yourself EASILY for your own family (I think I could do the entire book in about 10 minutes – which is about all the extra time I have in a day!).  I have been given other books similar to this…