Baby, You're a Firework

The Fourth of July makes me think of fireworks.
And fireworks make me think of this song.
And this song makes my heart race with inspiration,
and motivation,
and awesomeness.


And awesomeness makes me think of you,
of how much you matter--to me and to others,
and the difference you are making
without even realizing it.


Cuz baby, you're a firework.
Come on, let your colors burst.
Ignite your light and let it shine.
Just own the night like the 4th of July.


So press play,
take a deep breath
close your eyes
and listen.


Because no matter who you are,
this song applies to you.
Trust me.


Ok, I'm stepping off my "motivational" soap box now.

4th of July Party Ideas

Fourth of July Party Ideas

Oooo, this is one of my favorite holidays for so many reasons.

Inspiration.

Gratitude.

Patriotism.

And here are some of the pretty reasons that

I love our Nation's birthday {via Pinterest}:

Source: singingintherain.tumblr.com via Ashley on Pinterest

 

Source: asoftplace.net via Ashley on Pinterest

 

Source: marthastewart.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: nicolehill.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

 

Source: twigandthistle.com via Ashley on Pinterest

 

Source: myjuicecup.com via Ashley on Pinterest

 

Source: floramcflimsy.tumblr.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: afieldjournal.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

 

Source: hostessblog.com via Ashley on Pinterest

 

Source: marthastewart.com via Ashley on Pinterest

 

Source: eighteen25.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

 

Source: tastefullyentertaining.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: marthastewart.com via Ashley on Pinterest

We're having a small family BBQ this Independence Day. 

Burgers and Hot Dogs.

Watermelon.

Baked Beans.

Coca Cola.

Kiddie Pool.

Sparklers.

What are your holiday plans?

Hello Summer

Hello Summer

{inspired by Lisa Leonard's Hello Monday Series}

Hello chubby cheeks, and melted sticky popsicle that collects in the creases of your neck.

Hello tan Summer {and shoe-less} toddler toes.

Hello to my go-to Summer shoes.

Hello local kiddos learning to sail.

And hello crazy lake mansions that I love to gawk at {and imagine I live in}.

Hello to a Baby W who would love to go swimming all day long.

And hello to a baby who prefers falling in the pool rather than jumping.

Hello to the hammock that I have good intentions of finally using.

Hello old cement duck named Gladys that we have to visit every day, so that Baby W can point and say Guck, Guck.

Hello to Baby W's best buddies.

And hello to the Buzz Lightyear that was mine when I was a kid {top shelf, far left, standing up}.

Hello evening game night with hot chocolate and whipped cream on the back patio.

Hello new-fangled Monopoly board {I miss the classic version}.

Hello to my favorite Monopoly properties.

Hello to the braggy winner of game night and hello to the poor sport behind the camera.

And Hello to our Summer fun list:

1. Walk to the lake and feed the ducks

2. Ride bikes around the lake

3. Go to the Santa Barbara zoo

4. Go to Underwood Family Farms and pick berries

5. Learn to bake a homemade pie with said berries

6. Teach Baby W to swim

7. Get shaved ice

8. Build a sand castle at Zuma beach

9. Go on a picnic

10. Make a tent in the living room and watch a movie

11. Go on a night walk

12. Make water balloons

13. Finger paint

14. Take Baby W fishing

15. Throw fish back in lake

16. Have a back "patio" BBQ with friends

17. Get a wagon

18. Play in the sprinklers

19. Visit the fire station

20. Take Baby W to pick out a new book at Barnes & Noble

*what am I forgetting?

What's on your Summer list?

Trader Joe's Salad Recipe

Trader Joe's Five Minute Arugula Salad

This is seriously one of my favorite salads to make and eat.

It appears to be supper fancy, but really it takes about 5 minutes to whip up.

The catch...you need to live near a Trader Joe's.

I'm a sucker for those little booths where they hand out samples.

I get sucked in every time, and I always end up buying what they're pushing.

That's how I learned about this gem.

Ingredients:

Champagne Pear Vinaigrette with Gorgonzola dressing

Arugula

Mixed Baby Greens

Dried Cranberries

Candied Walnuts

Parmesan Romano and Asiago cheese shavings

Arugula is my new go to lettuce. I just love it.  But it can sometimes be a bit heavy by itself in a salad so I go 50/50 with mixed baby greens.

{arugula}

{mixed baby greens}

Then combine all ingredients and toss.

Mmm, Mmm good.

Some yummy variations include:

Pomegranate seeds

Strawberries

Pears

Mandarin Oranges

Candied Pecans

What's your favorite summer salad?

Give me links por favor, because I'm in me a salad kinda mood.

Lisa Leonard Giveaway: TWO WINNERS

Lisa Leonard Designs Giveaway

{and a few anecdotes}

You know that dinner party I went to the other night?

I don't know if I told you, but I only knew a couple of the ladies that would be there. So I was a tiny bit nervous about the whole get to know you portion of the evening.  But...as it turns out, I had the perfect ice breaker. The first gal I met had on this SUPER adorable necklace that I recognized immediately--it was a Lisa Leonard design, of course.

Well, I didn't want to be that girl, who says, ya know, I'm kinda friends with Lisa, which sorta makes me a big deal. So I bit my tongue and just told her I adored her necklace and even showed her the LL beauties I was sportin that evening (my Rain or Shine necklace, and my Devoted bracelet}.

Yep, that's the whole story. Riveting, I know.

On another note...

The hubs and my five year anniversary is coming up on July 14th. Five going on fifty years--and I mean that in the best possible way.  You know when you love someone so much, you don't even remember what life was like before them? Well that's how the last five years have been with my Benny Boo-kins {no I don't really call him that, I just wanted to make you gag a little}.

Well, my new, precious, adorable, dainty Lisa Leonard bracelet is the perfect token to celebrate our devotion to each other.

This pewter heart beauty is also adorning a newly painted desk in my almost finished craft room {which I will show y'all very soon}.  Is that heart timeless, or what!

So, I'm sorta addicted to LL now. Like, I find myself scanning through her shop at random times each day, multiple times a day.  I even have a wish list.  And when the new summer line came out, my wish list got even longer.  Check out these new cuties:

And some of my long time favorites:

***THE GIVEAWAY***

Lisa Leonard Designs is giving away

a Devoted Bracelet {just like mine}

to TWO lucky WINNERS!!!!

Can I get a Whoop Whoop?!

Here's How You Enter To WIN:

{Please leave a separate comment for each entry you complete}

1. Visit the Lisa Leonard shop and leave a comment with your favorite goodies.

2. Like Lisa Leonard on facebook and leave a comment on her wall that you stopped by from LMM.

3. Follow the Little Miss Momma blog.

4. Visit Lisa's blog and leave a comment that you stopped by from LMM.

5. Facebook, tweet and/or blog about this giveaway and leave a link. {up to 3 entries available}

GOOD LUCK!

Winner will be announced on July 3rd, 2011.

Four Course Summer Dinner Party

Four Course Summer Dinner Party

Honestly, I'm drooling even as I write this post.

Last night I had a BLAST.

There was yummy food.

There was tear induced laughter.

There was even a choking incident on a giblet of corn--you know when you are enjoying your food a bit too much and you inhale deeply before completely chewing...and a large chunk of food seems to impale the back of your throat, and soon after embeds into your lung...

yeah, that happened to my dear friend last night.

It was good times.

I was invited to join a dinner party group--called Karrot Sticks.

Basically, it's a group of 10 super rad and bodacious ladies that leave the kiddos home for one evening every month to enjoy some fine dining in the comfort of a hosts beautiful home. 

We divide into groups of two, and every month one group is responsible for creating and hosting a 4-course meal--appetizer, soup or salad, entree and dessert.  You even get to pick a theme.

Last nights theme was "Welcome Summer".

And it turns out, I'm quite a fan of summer food.

 ~ The Menu ~

Appetizer: Pomegranate Spritzers, Prosciutto Cantaloupe Bites

Salad: Tomato & Watermelon Salad

Main: Mar-a-Lago Turkey burger with Mar-a-Lago Pear Chutney, Sweet Potato Fries with Sour Cream Dipping Sauce, Grilled Corn

Dessert: Blueberry-Plum crisp with Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.

You know you're enjoying your night out when the sun is up when you arrive, and down when you leave. 

And just as a reminder that all things beautiful, take lots of hard work.

Thank you, thank you to Amy and Nicki for hosting such a fabulous evening.

My partner Brittney and I are up in August, and we still need to come up with a theme and menu...

any ideas?