Lynde Easterlin Designs

My dear friend/cousin-in-law (her husband is J's Godfather and A's cousin), Lynde Easterlin, is being featured on One Kings Lane tonight in their tastemaker Tag sales. Please check it out. 

Check out Lynde's One Kings Lane Sale tonight at 9pm est: https://www.onekingslane.com/invite/magnolias

Check out Lynde's website: www.lyndeeasterlin.com

Check out Lynde's blog: http://flairfordesign.blogspot.com

Follow Lynde on twitter:  @lyndeasterlin

Congrats Lynde! We love you and are so proud of you!

Five for You and Five for Me

Here are five things I'm currently loving: 

1) My fruit infusion water pitcher. It is such a great way to get you drink more water! You put fruit in the little tube and then you just refill the water. We've tried doing lemons, limes, oranges and cucumber and mint. I have really started drinking more water because of this pitcher.

2) New flash deal sites that are popping up! The latest I have found are Bitsy Bug and Little Bird for NYC and Atlanta Moms. I just love all the great deals I've been getting!

3) My Pottery Barn tissue cover. I gave these as gifts this past Christmas and everyone just loves them. I bought two for myself and they seriously have made me smile every time I've needed a tissue. They are GREAT gifts! Go get a few.

4) J's CARES harness has been getting some serious mileage. We just returned home from round one of our house search and I couldn't have done it without the harness. I highly recommend it for traveling with your toddler! I promise I'll do an updated travel post soon.

5) Running out of things to do with your little one? An old classmate of mine from Atlanta created this website for Moms. It is simply amazing, you must check it out!

Now Five Questions for YOU!

1) What is your favorite home or decorating magazine? I'm getting so excited about decorating our new home. I want to go ahead and start some inspiration files. I would love any tips you have!

2) One of the first purchases we'll have to make is mattresses. How exciting! We have our mattress, but J is still in his crib. We'll move him into a single bed and we want to upgrade our queen to a king. So we'll need 2 twin mattresses and a king and maybe another queen. What kind do you have? Any recommendations?

3) We're planning to go to Chicago in May. Do you have any recommendations on where to eat? We'll have J with us, so would love to know some family friendly sights to see. I've only been twice so I'm very excited. We are going for my SIL's graduation from seminary!

4) Atlanta friends, if you have recommendations on babysitters, house keepers, painters, inspectors, yard guys, etc, etc, etc. Send them my way! I'm starting my "can't live without them" file. magnoliasmarriage and manhattan at gmail dot com

5) Does anyone have any tips on saving money while renting a car? Our car rental bill was so high (as was our hotel bill). A simple house hunting trip costs as much as a nice vacation. Since we are going to need to go again, would love any tips you have to share!

Birthday Giveaway #3-Willow House Kensington Platter and Stand

Here are the rules to win the Willow House Kensington Platter and Stand:

1) Go to Callie's brand new Willow House website.
2) Pick your favorite item and come back here and post what is is in the comment section.
If you want, you can try for additional entries (and please remember to post each of these in a SEPARATE comment or the random number generator won't count it):

1) Become a follower of my blog or let me know you are already a follower in a separate comment.
2) Blog about this contest or add it to your sidebar and let me know you did in a separate comment.
3) Become a fan of WillowHouse Mom on facebook. Let me know you became their follower in a separate comment.
4) Tweet about this contest to @MrsMMMBlogger and @Callie_Parker and let me know you did so in a separate comment. We would love for you to follow us too!
5)  Become a follower of the Willow House Mom blog or let me know you already are in a separate comment.

That is a potential for FIVE additional entries!! Good luck ladies! The random number generator will pick a winner on Thursday, August 19th so you have two weeks to enter this one, the online party will also remain open the entire two weeks!

Don't forget to sign up for Birthday Giveaway #1-Donovan Designs Monogrammed Vase Wrap from Prim and Paper and Birthday Giveaway #2-$25.00 to Doodle Bugs Paper. I will draw winners for those Birthday giveaways early next week. There are lots more giveaways to come to celebrate my Birthday Month so please keep checking in! I hope you ALL will win!

If you want to place an order with Willow House through Callie's website, I'm hosting an online party in addition to the giveaway for the next two weeks.

Here are a few of my favorite things:

Here is what you do to order:

1) Go to the site: Willow House with Callie

2) Click on: Shop Online

3) You can either choose to Browse the Catalog or Shop Online

4) When you Shop Online, you will choose the item (or items) that you would like, one at a time, and add them to your cart.

5) When you are finished, hit Finalize and Submit Order

6) You will be prompted to find a hostess, that's me, Mrs. MMM!

7) You will enter your information and hit submit.

8) Once you press "Submit," you will be brought back to the Shop Online page, don't worry! Your order went through if you pressed submit. However, Callie will then have to contact you to get your payment information. If this is just too confusing, email me Callie at willowhousemom@gmail.com to send her your order!

Also, don't forget, when you purchase something $39.96 and over, you automatically qualify for 50% off ANY item $40 and under. When you qualify, add this item to your order as well, and Callie will make sure it goes in with the correct price!

Sweet Tea Bama Style

Black and White Houndstooth Ice Tea Glasses from Girly Twirly

1 for $14.00

4 for $28.00

8 for $66.00

Perfect Preppy Hostess Gift

This summer you will probably be invited either to a fabulous dinner at a friend's house, a weekend stay at a friend's beach or lake house, or maybe you'll just go visit an old friend (or future mother-in-law) in their hometown. For any of these type of occasions, I was always taught to bring a "little something" for your hostess. This preppy pink and green recipe card and mat set is a perfect option for that "little something." For $23.50 you get 8 reversible paper place mats and 25 matching recipe cards. It's the perfect combo.

Gift set available at Whitney Caroline Gifts.

So Pretty 15% Off Sale Starts Today!

With code MMM get 15% off for the next week at So Pretty. Here are two products that are just available during this special sale:

This monogrammed ice bucket is precious! With the 15% off it is only $39.95 (reg $47.00.)


Monogrammed Collapsible Thermal Party Tub for $49.00 ($41.65 with the sale code MMM).

Happy Friday!

Hello everyone from wedding command central. Today's task include figuring out how to print our wedding brochure (the itinerary and direction booklet I've created), returning a 8 foot glass vase I received for a wedding gift, heading to Michaels to get ribbon for our paddle fans (which still need to be put together...we've done 50 of 250) and picking up some other gifts at a local store. We met with our wedding coordinator yesterday and there is still so much to do. We went over the schedule for the day of the wedding and how everything is "supposed" to flow. There are so many things going on it makes me exhausted just thinking about it. I'm so ready for our honeymoon, I can't even explain.

Tomorrow morning we are flying to Memphis for a party that my fiance's family is throwing for us. On Sunday, my fiance and I are taking an early morning flight to NYC to find our apartment! We have 5 appointments on Monday, 4 on Tuesday and then an appointment with a broker friend on Wednesday. I'm really excited and nervous about going up there. I guess I will be out of pocket for a few days so have a wonderful weekend and keep your fingers crossed that I find the most amazing apartment in all of Manhattan! I'll be sure to take lots of pictures and tell you all about our experience when I return.

Ok, enough talking...I've got to get working! Have a great one!

Goodbye

Here is a picture of my cute house that I just sold on Thursday. Sorry for the lack of posts, but there were a lot of boxes to come out of this house! I am now unemployed and homeless. Wow! My Dad suggested I not try to apply for any loans this week. =) Daisy and I took our pay out check and headed to see my fiance. We are spending a week with him. I have already had too much fun celebrating my recent life changes! Thursday night we went to the Braves game and last night we went to the Atlanta Brewing Company ($7.00 for 7 pints...ouch!) and then to my favorite Mexican restaurant Taqueria. Tonight is the MBA Fete Noir here. I'm going to relax for the rest of this week and try to do a little remote wedding planning and finish my thank you notes. I hope all of you are having a fabulous weekend.

Happy Easter!

First, I want to start by thanking all of you that wrote supporting messages after my last post. Since I started blogging I have been so lucky to make a great group of virtual friends. I really appreciate all of your ideas, comments and support. I know I have other readers that do not comment and just know that I appreciate y'all too! Thank you everyone for reading!

I really did take as much of a wedding break as I could the past few days, but I also got some exciting things accomplished. My fiance and I met with the jeweler on Saturday and he showed me the cast of my band. He put a couple diamonds in it so I could get a better idea and it was PERFECT! It should be ready the end of this week and I also ordered my fiance's yellow gold band (that is what he wanted because that is what his Dad has). We met with our calligrapher and our invitations are in currently being addressed! I packed lots of boxes and even sold some of my furniture. Only 1 1/2 more weeks in my house and only 1 more week of work! My kitchen and linen shower is this weekend and I have lots of friends coming in town to celebrate with me. I can't wait!

My fiance and I had a wonderful Easter today. I hope everyone else did too! We went to church with his parents and then we attempted to cook our very own Easter lunch. My fiance and I cooked an 11 pound ham with a Weight Watchers friendly glaze. It was our first attempt and we only burnt the glaze part. Oops! But, it was still fabulous and we'll be eating ham sandwiches all week and Daisy got a nice Easter treat too! I also made squash casserole, green bean casserole AND a peanut butter pie (from WW). Here's the recipe. It is so easy and so fabulous! I'm so proud of myself!

Weight Watchers Peanut Butter Pie
4oz fat-free cream cheese
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
8oz fat free cool whip
1/2 cup confectionery sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 low fat Graham cracker crust

Mix all ingredients together and pour into crust, freeze over night and cut
SERVES 8

Hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing weekend!

A's Wedding Weekend Decor

Rehearsal Dinner Cocktail Table
Rehearsal Dinner Centerpiece

Rehearsal Dinner Head Table
Head Table
Bride and Grooms Chairs at Rehearsal Dinner

Centerpiece at Bridesmaid Luncheon
Bridesmaid Luncheon Cake

Wedding Day Brunch
Wedding Day Brunch Flowers

Didn't I do well capturing all the wedding weekend details that I know you all LOVE! I hope you enjoy the pics. I'll post more from the actual wedding and reception later. I had a wonderful weekend at home celebrating the marriage of one of my best friends. She's now on her way to Tahiti...lucky girl! The wedding was on Saturday and it was absolutely perfect and so beautiful. "A" made a perfect bride and was stunning. It was an emotional weekend filled with lots of laughter and a few tears of joy. "A" is one of my college friends and pledge sisters so it was great to have all the girls together again. For her toast at the rehearsal dinner 4 of us did the "ABC's" of the things her groom needed to know before they got married. It was really cute and we got lots of laughs at the insight only your college friends would share at your rehearsal dinner! The weekend was busy and crazy, but it was so much fun. I hope everyone had a great weekend too. I can't believe it is March already. My engagement party is in two weeks and I found a dress. I'll share later, I promise. In house news the inspection period is FINALLY over. We are just waiting for the appraisal and then it is pretty much finalized until the closing date in mid-April. Next week is my fiances spring break and we are planning on moving most of my things out. It is all so exciting!

Engagement Party Oufit Options

Mrs. P over at one of my favorite blogs, Chic, has been working hard to make sure I have the perfect outfit for my upcoming engagement party in March. I live in the South, so the weather is either going to be in the 30's or the 70's and on some days it will change 40 degrees during the course of one day. The party is at the owner of my company's house (he introduced me to my fiance) and is hosted by my future in-laws' friends. The attire is "dressy casual," but I really would like to wear a dress. The bride gets to stand out a little...right? =) I just found out last night they are catering in Mexican (my favorite)! My favorite color is pink, so Mrs. P did a great job of incorporating a little touch of pink in all of my outfits. Which one should I chose? Thanks again Mrs. P! Check out her blog, Chic, for all the details on the outfits.

In other life news, today is I-day (my fiance's name for Inspection Day.) I am so nervous that I definitely do not feel like working today. I will not know anything until Monday, but I really hope that everything goes okay and the guy does not find thousands of dollars of stuff wrong with my house. Yikes! I'm going back to thinking about cute outfits to keep my mind off of some random man going through my house looking for things wrong. Wish me luck!

For Sale...Sold??

Big news for me! I got a offer on my house yesterday! It was only on the market for 9 days! I have accepted the offer, but now we have to wait for the inspection (insert haunted house music.) They have 10 business days to complete the inspection, but I think they are going to do it this week. I'm not telling anyone (except parents, fiance, roommate, and you...my blogging friends) until the house passes inspection. The buyer chose the exact day I told my boss was my last day of work for our closing day! The sun is shining down on me if this all works out! Of course, now I'm in complete panic over all of the things I'm going to have to do in the next 6 weeks. I am also a little sad about leaving my cute house. It is my first house and I just can't help but be sentimental about it. Keep your fingers crossed for the inspection!

In other weekend news, we had a great time at Mardis Gras. I'm still a little sore from throwing all of those beads and moon pies, but it was worth the pain. I also had a chance while I was at home to try out a new hair stylist. I have curly hair and with the humidity of June I was getting worried that I would have a problem finding someone that would be able to fix my hair for the wedding. The new girl did an AMAZING job and I'm about to call and book her. I'll post some pics later! I hope everyone else had a wonderful weekend.