Kapeesh is Offering Autumn Specials - Yippee!

Great news! Kapeesh LLC is offering autumn specials on social media consultation, design and starter web pages:

http://www.kapeeshllc.com/specials.pdf

Kapeesh has been helping small businesses with their business cards, signage, websites, logos and social media strategy since 2009. The strategic, creative marketing and design team began in El Campo before expanding their service from Wharton County to include Northwest Houston, Cypress and Jersey Village.

The best part? Kapeesh is run by my brilliant and talented friend, Amy Morales.

For more info visit them on the web at http://kapeeshllc.com, or see what they're up to on Facebook and Twitter!

Back on Pointe

Backonpointe's Tumblr is the best tumblr I've come across for simple, creative and beautifully designed home workout plans.  Beyond the typical motivational blurbs there are endless routines listed in the Workout Challenges section and corresponding monthly workout calendars created by the author. I tried the Full Body Workout (below) last night and it was just what I needed to get up off my butt after a week-long hiatus from yoga.  I really needed to get moving but REALLY didn't want to drive to my gym at 8:30pm. Bonus: this took very little space and zero equipment to complete. 

http://backonpointe.tumblr.com/image/17828932930

My oldest friend is getting MARRIED!

L-R Front Row: Jaclyn, Carla, Trisha, Me, Steven. L-R Back Row: Mom, Aunt Keri and Michelle

My friendship with Trisha began when we were 5 years old, and her family lived just three blocks away from my Grandma’s house. We started PM kindergarten together that year, along with her twin brother Steven, and their Mom and older sister Michelle helped keep an eye on me before lining us all up at the bus stop each day.  Together we danced to ‘Love Shack’ and sang along to ‘Ice, Ice Baby,’ shared a love for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and devoured Ketchup Sandwiches. I special ordered my tacos at Taco Bell and was often in timeout for a variety of offenses.  Trisha gave me the other half of her friendship bracelet and hardly ever ended up in timeout. Steven taught me how to ride a bike. Life was good. 

Trisha and I at an early 90's Skate World Birthday Party

After 1st grade we went to separate elementary schools and it wasn't until 7th grade that we both ended up at Agnes E. Beer middle school, where Trisha became my first friend all over again.

Amy, Dana, Trisha and I - 2003

After high school we experienced our ‘Canada Days’ together. Birth certificates in hand we crossed the border weekly and danced our way across Windsor (where the the drinking age is 19) to anything by the Black Eyed Peas. 

Trisha and I - 2004

As we grew older our friendship only got deeper.  Trisha is still the first person I call when I’m coming in to town and the first to offer up her spare bedroom.  She has the biggest heart of anyone I have ever met, and more kindness and patience than I ever thought possible. We have been friends for more than 20 years which has earned her the irrevocable title of ‘My Oldest Friend.’

Michelle, Trisha and I - Christmas 2011

Next Saturday Trisha is getting married to her best friend and I couldn’t be happier for them. Her sister and matron of honor, Michelle, had planned a fantastic bachelorette party that would start with cocktails and gifts at Trisha's house, not too far from where we all grew up in Michigan, and then move to Boogie Fever for a night of dancing. For all of her pre-wedding events Trisha had been more than reluctant to ask her out-of-state friends to travel. “Just be here for my wedding,” she kept saying, “the plane tickets are too much money.” 

Trisha and Mike

I hung back for the shower but couldn’t image not being there for her bachelorette party. Karen (another old friend) and I begun planning my surprise attendance back in August. I bought plane tickets, called my mother and Michelle was let in on the secret. As I walked up the driveway Trisha was shocked, and a little confused. We hugged, and laughed, and celebrated my oldest friend’s final ‘Girls Night Out’ before she'll walk down the aisle to become a 'Mrs.' 

Friends and family showered Trisha with gifts, some sweet, some racy, before loading on to the party bus. I wished the beautiful bachelorette 'a marriage filled with snuggles and celebrations' with the gift of a furry throw to share with her hubby on those cold Michigan nights and a set of leopard print Lolita wine glasses for celebrating their many blessings yet to come.  The majority of the night was spent dancing until our feet ached with other ‘old’ friends, some I hadn’t seen in years.

 

Trisha and I- September 15th, 2012 

Needless to say, the plane ticket and car rental were money well spent, spending that special night with Trisha was something I wouldn't have missed for the world. <3

Semi-annual Clearance Sale @ Express? Don't mind if I do...

http://www.express.com/

If you have previously skipped out on the semi-annual clearance sale at Express you are seriously missing the boat. Today I was delighted to snag a leopard print dress, a pair of destructed denim shorts, a lovely snake-print scarf, two adorably casual tops and the patterned sequin mini pictured below, 
all for under $100!

photo by: http://www.express.com/

Needless to say I am eagerly awaiting a visit from the FedEx man in 5-7 days.  I highly recommend catching this sale now, before the good stuff is picked over. Best of luck bargain hunters!

The Lumineers - "Flowers In Your Hair" Tour Video

Love this band, love this song and LOVE this video vignette of their 2011 tour.

Just add coffee for the perfect start to a fall Friday. <3

A deliciously easy meal, that may or may not be appreciated in your household

Last night I whipped up (what I believed to be) a delicious and well-rounded meal in record time using these three magic meal helpers:

Near East couscous, Steam-in-the-bag green beans & Lawry’s 30 minute marinade

With the addition of chicken, olive oil, water, Tony Chachere’s and a little salt this easy meal for two can be cooked and plated in about 15 minutes. *Add 30 minutes prep time to allow the chicken to marinate.

Voila!

While I thoroughly enjoyed my heaping pile of couscous, Matt was convinced he was eating grits and is not a grits guy.  Nevertheless, I give kudos to Near East for manufacturing a meal addition that is nearly impossible to mess up.  The couscous took less than 10 minutes start-to-finish and came out perfect. Just disregard anything you hear to the contrary from my picky-eater boyfriend.

Hopefully this one goes over better at your house than it did at mine! ;-)

Well hello fall-like day in Houston…

It was in the low 70’s when I left for work this morning and I was near ecstatic to pair my pearls with last year's favorite delicate-knit camel colored sweater, dark skinny jeans and gold flats. All that was missing was a pumpkin spice latte in my right hand.

Although it should get up to 86 during the day we’re going down to the low 60’s tonight and inside my heart is screaming: “Woo hoo! It feels like fall!”

After spending the past weekend in Michigan enjoying the type of ‘real’ fall weather we Houstonians can only dream of, I am welcoming this dip in temp with open, sweater-clad arms.  The adorable beige sweater and faux-leather shorts ensemble pictured here (borrowed from Wendys Lookbook), and this Pinterest Pick are perfect for ushering in autumn 2012.

Happy Hump Day Houston!