It's coming on Christmas

Hi friends,
again, all apologies for being so ridiculously bad at blogging on a regular basis. Work has been crazy, life has been crazy, both Lil' Pup and I got some sort of tummy bug last weekend and it's all been a roller coaster ride that I can barely explain myself out of.
First, today is my last day of work until 2009. I have never been so excited. You can feel the tension in the air as everyone is busting at the seams to get out of here for some extended period of time, and I, in all my brainiac glory, took 4 vacation days that yield me 12 days off in a row. SWEET. I love how the holidays fall this year, it's never been better :)
Second, we finally scored a big project we've been working on (we even got to ring the 'sale' bell this morning) so the whole office is in a fun giddy mood.
Third, I bought all my coworkers candy canes...nothing big, but still a nice little treat that I wanted to leave everyone with.

As for last weekend, the work party was hilarious and fun, and yes, I am still employed as of this morning. I did in fact take advantage of the open bar even though I said I wouldn't, and I had a ton of fun hanging out with co-workers who I am lucky enough to call friends, so that is a total plus :)

As for the Assemblies on Saturday, that didn't turn out quite the way I wanted. I didn't feel great all day Saturday (pretty normally hungover though) but for whatever reason, I got deathly ill at dinner and couldn't recover in time for the receiving line, so we missed the main part of the ball. It was a shame too because there were lots of people I knew and wanted to hang out with, but my stomach got the best of me and I was down for the count. Total bummer since I looked pretty damn good as well, blah. I am feeling better now though, thank goodness.

Finally, all the Christmas presents are wrapped, and I can't wait for Mr. Pit to open all his gifts. I am very proud of everything I got him, and I can't wait to set it up and get it going. All his little gifts are pretty good too, so they should be fun to watch him open as well. I can't lie to you either, I am pretty darn excited to see what he got me as well. He is honestly the most thoughtful person ever, and every year I am blown away with the gifts he gets me. He always goes above and beyond and I am madly in love with him for that.

Anyways, We have a big corporate lunch today at Capital Grill, yummy! I am really looking forward to closing out the year with a big fun steak lunch and then heading home afterwards to take Lil' Pup to the vet. I think he still has his bug, so we have to get him all checked out. Especially since he's going to be kenneled there for 5 days over New Years, we need to make sure he's OK to stay.

Enjoy your holidays, I will try to blog from home and from our ski trip, but if not, I'll see you in 2009!!

Bad Blogger, Bad Blogger!

I admit it, I am a bad blogger. Life got in the way, and work too, and that hurt me in the 'post a blog-a-day' thing I had going for awhile. But, I'm back now, and that's good news for everyone.

First, its 16 days to Christmas. AWESOME. Our house looks great (if I do say so myself since I decorated it ALL myself), and in Mr. Pits defense, he is studying for finals, so that lets him off the hook big time. But, the garland is on the mantle, the ornaments on the tree and the stockings are on the fireplace (even Lil' Pup has his own!) so we're ready to go. Big plans for this weekend and next, AND the one after that, so there's lot to do and the clock is counting down quickly.

This weekend is the annual Fundue party (and no, I didn't spell it wrong), its a fondue party that we started back in high school to get everyone together at Christmas time. We always do a Pollyanna (where everyone in the group gets anothers name, so that everyone doesn't have to buy everyone else a gift) and eat lots of cheese, beef and chocolate, and now that we're old enough and have been for some time, there is lots of wine, champagne and a whole lot of gossip. Now especially since 4 of the 7 live out of town, there is that much more to keep in touch about, so it's always a really fun time. Plus, now all the photos end up on Facebook so there is lots of photographic evidence of the fun. Oh, and boys aren't allowed, which is probably the best part of all. Not that we don't all love our husbands, boyfriends and others, but this is a girls night, and we like to keep it that way.

Next Friday is my company party and since it's the first 'fancy' party they've ever had, I have no idea what to expect. All I know is that the alcohol will be flowing, so I will take that opportunity to sit back and watch people make asses of themselves. I plan on NOT partaking in any of the open bar madness in lieu of staying sober and employed through the weekend. I also am wearing what could be considered a not-very-holiday-themed dress, it is appropriate for the dress code (cocktail attire) and not too low-cut. There are many reasons for this, none of which have to be explained :)

Then, the next party is Saturday night and this should be awesome. We have been invited to The Assemblies, which is one of the oldest Balls in the country and Philadelphia. It is invite only, White Tie and supposed to be one of the best parties in the city all year (to be trumped only by the Academy Ball which apparently is just amazing). But, I am so excited to see Mr. Pit in tails, and any excuse to get my hair, nails and toes done and wear a formal dress is really fun for me, so I am looking forward to it. I also have to practice my curtsy (oh yes, I have to curtsy my way down the receiving line) and Mr. Pit has to bow his way to the end as well. Mr. Pit is not thrilled about this in the least, but I promised him that once we get through the receiving line its open bar and an open dance floor for an evening of fun. My parents will also be there, as well as my brother and his date (his best friend J) as well as my best friend C and her boyfriend S, as well as her family. So, it will be super fun and I can't wait to get all dolled up for a Philadelphia tradition. You can read more about The Assemblies here , here or here.

Then of course, what could be better than Christmas coming just a mere 5 days after all that?? Nothing that I can think of!! I am almost done my Christmas shopping in its entirety, and now all I have to do is wrap, which, clearly I love...so it's ALL fun and games from here on out.

Then, I'm looking forward to many days off from work, a low key New Years Eve and then a fun ski trip up to New Hampshire to ring in the new year correctly.

Have fun and be safe these next couple of weeks, and remember, no matter HOW much trouble it might be to pick up your car the next day, PLEASE don't drink and drive. I hate to sound like a PSA, but please take a cab or sleep at our house if you're stuck on the Main Line. I will come get you no questions asked.

Peace, Love and Pawprints :) Mrs. Pit

The Big (Turkey) Day

Sorry for the delay in all my postings (really, I just didn't have time, and when I did I was too tired to think of anything pithy to say, so I apologize).
Today I have 2 of the 3 bids I am working on due, and then a week from now comes the big one. In the middle of all of this though, I completely neglected to pack for our trip to New York for the weekend (starting today) so I have to go home and pack quickly before Mr. Pit gets annoyed that I am so behind schedule.
This also involves packing Lil' Pups stuff into the car as well as he's coming to see his uncle, who is not as much his uncle as my inlaws mini poodle named Truffles. Lil' Pup and Truffles get along fairly well and there have been no incidents to date, but a few kerfluffles over bones or food or just plain old attention have come up in the past, so we'll see if we can't get through 5 days without them...but I highly doubt it.
I have 3.5 hours left at work today and I am hoping they go quickly and we can get these bids completed and out the door (or through the fax machine as it were).
So, I am wishing you ALL a wonderful Thanksgiving and am looking forward to 5 days of food, family and relaxation.
I am very thankful for my family, Mr. Pit, Lil' Pup, the fact that I still have a job in this craptastic economy and all my wonderful friends. I hope you have lots to be thankful for as well.
I'll be back Monday with what I am sure will be lots of stories.
XOXO Mrs. Pit

Hi, Bye!

Not much time to write today, since I'm really busy with 3 big bids at work, but wanted to stop in and let you know that I've stopped complaining about money. It is what it is and I'll pay the visa off eventually.
I also found that I had presents for my Dad that Mr. Pit and I had bought this past summer and completely forgot about, so that takes care of him. I also have something for my mom, yet something else from this summer, and I am sure that I can get my brothers both something that the annual Christmas Party at Gulph Mills that is 3 weeks from tonight on the 11th. So, I am feeling much better about that. Still trying to figure out good gifts for the bridesmaids and of course a good gift for my Pollyanna who has yet to be decided.
But, whatever it is, it will be thoughtful, mostly because thinking doesn't cost a thing!

Pitbull Love,
Mrs. Pit

Money and other fun stresses of the holidays

I think this song (and no, I don't know who sings it but I know all the words) says it best.

"If I had some money honey would you love me, love me, love me..." and I am not sure I'd love who ever "I" is...but money certainly is more fun to talk about when you have a lot of it.

Mr. Pit and I are successful by any measure. We both went to good colleges, make more than the average US Citizen, and are very happy in our house and with our accessories of our life. Well, maybe not Mr. Pits car, but that's an anomaly.

But, no matter how successful we are on paper, we just can't seem to stop the financial bleeding that we've been feeling the last two months and it is starting to weigh on things. I hate to be a downer at such a fun time of the year, but seriously, if you think you're getting anything more than a little pillow I stitched together out of scrap fabric at JoAnn's for Christmas, you're sorely mistaken.

Normally I give presents to my parents, my brothers, Mr Pit, his parents, his grandmother, my 7 bridesmaids and my friends from high school. That is a LOT of gifts and my bank account just has no idea how to handle all of that.

I need MAJOR suggestions for gift ideas en masse that don't look like I just stopped by the dollar store on my way home.

Blah. I love the holidays but I wish I were 10x as crafty and 100x more wealthy.

The things you do for your boss

So, my boss and I have an interesting relationship. Some say it's brother/sister like, which I have to say is pretty true. There are as many dead-arms as there are days in the week in any given month, but other times there are knock out-drag out fights about what was said in a meeting a month ago and who's responsibility it was to follow up on it.

So, I was as surprised as anyone when I found myself volunteering to wrap a present for him to bring to a wedding this weekend. Here are my excuses.

One: He came to me and asked if I knew anywhere he could go to get something professionally wrapped. I laughed in his face. Huh? In Philly? Most stores won't gift wrap it for you unless you buy it from them, and considering his gift is from India, I don't think you could just stroll in any old place and get it done.

Two: He bought the couple that is getting married an antique tea service and brought it all the way back from India from his trip last month. That is probably the most thoughtful thing I've ever seen him do. Big props.

Three: I LOVE wrapping things. What I love even MORE is unwrapping presents, but I digress. I get great satisfaction from folding and taping paper just so, and I love making bows out of ribbon (especially pretty grosgrain or satin wire ribbon that makes the bows just good enough looking to eat).

So, that's what I did today at lunch time. I first went and had an AWESOME salad at Continental Mid-Town with R, and then I bought the wrapping stuff and got to it. I left it on his chair for him.

He is thrilled with the results. Brilliant!

Popsicles and varnish

ok, so the title is a little vaugue to those of you on the 'outside' but for me, it makes perfect sense.

On one hand, I LOVE winter. I love breaking out the winter coats, the hats and gloves and most importantly, the cashmere. On the other hand though, I despise being cold, and that's how I felt ALL day yesterday in my office. Since they turn the heat off on the weekends, my 30 floor office building was NOT ready for the cold temperatures that came into Philadelphia the night before and it took me ALL day to warm up, only then having to go outside to get the train. Brrr.

Varnish then, refers to the staining of our unfinished china hutch that Mr Pit and I did over the weekend. It wasn't as much bonding experience and crafting as much as it was trying to keep the dog away from the wet wood (both his nose and his tail got dangerously close at points) but also trying to make sure that we didn't die of paint fumes since it was pouring rain outside and even with windows open the air just wasn't moving properly.

5 hours later though, we finished and the result is lovely. There are a few WTF spots that I can't believe we missed and/or later messed up, but it looks great and a helluva lot better than I thought it would when we got started. It brings out all the nice grains of the wood and now it really pulls the kitchen together and I feel our house feels much more like a home with that project completed.

Poor Lil' Pup had his cage moved all around all weekend but he was a champ the whole time. He was rewarded with another squeaky wooba toy (which he promptly ate apart, just like the first one) and as many walks as we could fit into the weekend without getting soaked or freezing to death.

This week we don't have anything on tap which is kind of nice, so I plan to spend the rest of the week finishing my needlepoint (my goal is to be able to take it to the store so they can 'finish' it into a cuff bracelet) and then I have yet another baby blanket to make and hopefully I can FINALLY get started on my keychains!!

Mr. Pit is off to DC for the weekend to meet up with college friends for the Redskins/Cowboys game on Sunday night, so that will leave some time for me to hang with Lil' Pup, craft and hang out with my girls from highschool over pizza and a payperview. I am super excited for some quiet girl time and am anxiously awaiting Saturday night.

In other news, I got a SEPTA parking ticket at the pay lot for apparently NOT paying. I couldn't pay however, because the whole thing was full of coins that were stuck mid-deposit so no one could get their money in there. I appealed the ticket via email and won, woo hoo!! It's amazing what a polite email and some photographic evidence can do :) (I took pictures yesterday on the way to the train with my trusty pocket size Canon Elph camera) and it worked.

Lastly, it's two weeks and two days to Thanksgiving and I can't stand it I'm so excited for it to get here. We are spending that weekend in NY with Mr. Pits family and I am SO looking forward to 5 days of relaxing and eating lots of yummy food. I'm also hoping to get a ride in the 'vette or on the Harley as Mr. Pits dad has both and they are SO fun to go for rides in. Plus, Mr. Pits dad is awesome to begin with and most of the time he likes to stop for candy or pastries and whoever is with him in his secret adventure is the lucky co-conspiritor and is rewarded with candy and food :)

That's all for now. Enjoy your Veteran's Day and remember all of those who fought for our freedom in wars both foreign and domestic. Our Country would not be what it is today if not for them.

Friday...I'm in love...

It's true. I'm in love with a lot of things at the moment.
Like, my husband for one, who no matter HOW ridiculous I am, still smiles and laughs when I make my own version of a joke (which normally isn't funny to anyone but me) and even puts up with it when I am less than nice to him like I was last night. But, things are all back to better and I am very excited about the weekend.
I am in love with the fact that it's Friday and almost lunch time. Double love.
I am in love with the lunch date I have with J and J at the Comcast Center and can't decide if I should get sushi or pizza, but either way it will be a great fun lunch and I can't wait.
I am in love with our weekend plans. Tonight we are going to 5 Guys for burgers, then to Home Depot for staining supplies as the plan is to FINALLY stain the china hutch, yay!! I think it will look SO fantastic when its done and I am so excited to do it.
I am in love with the fact that it's only 3 weeks to Thanksgiving and 7 to Christmas, two of my favorite holidays.
I am in love with the chance to hold our annual Fondue Party that is normally held at a friends house but since their house will be crazy that weekend, I decided to do it in Castle PitBull and I think it will be really fun. I don't see my highschool friends as much as I should or want to for reasons I can't explain (we always have the best intentions) so I am excited for that get-together as well.
Basically, I am just super excited for the weekend and the whole rest of the year.
Oh yeah, and all the stores having crazy sales doesn't hurt either. 50% off at JCrew on top of their sale stuff, what what?? Oh yes, it's true and I LOVE IT.
Plus, the Lilly warehouse sale is in 2 scant weeks and I am starting training for it this weekend as well. Sprints, weight lifting, elbowing...just kidding, it is an awesome sale though and I can't wait to pick up some awesome goodies for me and the other Lilly lovers in my life (Hi Mom and M!)
Have a good weekend Pit fans, hope you are as happy as I am today!

Election Day

It's Election Day 2008, a day that will probably live on in the memories of US Citizens for a very long time.

Word has it the lines to vote were already hours long by 7am this morning, and I, being a good little worker, got to work on time in hopes of voting this evening.

I will not say who I am voting for, nor do I ask for you to tell me who you are. My thoughts are a mixed bag today, and I can't say that I am thrilled with either candidate as a solution for this country's issues. However, as a US Citizen, it is my duty and my right as well as my privilege to vote, and I definitely plan on it. Whether you choose Barack Obama and Joe Biden, or John McCain and Sarah Palin, as a citizen you should exercise your right to choose your leader. I'd almost rather write in my Dad's name, even my Father In Laws name...but, I will choose the lesser of which I believe to be two evils and leave it at that.

Then I'm going to go home, make dinner and make a no-sew baby blanket for two sets of our friends who are expecting later this month. If I have time I will start my keychain project as well, but one thing at a time.

Work, Lunch, Work, Train, Vote, Dinner, Baby Blanket...and play with Lil' Pit in all the down times I am home. Mr. Pit has his MBA class tonight, so I'm on my own with the crafts and the dinner, which could turn into cold cereal if I don't think of anything else more creative.

Good times.

Post Halloween Recovery

So, in case you didn't notice, I was WAY more excited that the Phillies won the world series than I was to celebrate Halloween, but a funny thing happened on the way...I ended up having WAY more fun celebrating Halloween than I did celebrating the World Series trophy being hauled down Broad Street.

You see, my office is on the parade route. Cool huh? I thought so...until I actually went to the parade. You could barely get outside the doors, and once you did, unless you had your handy little ID card, there was no inside for you. Thankfully I kept mine on me the whole day, and actually got pretty close to the action. I got some fun pictures of the Philly Phanatic and a couple good ones of Pat Burrell and Cole Hamels. Cole is hot on TV and dear lord he's just as hot in person. Too bad Mr. Pit is WAY hotter than Cole and already married (to me, yay!).

Anyways...it was all fun and games for a time. We got let out of work at noon (and the project I had been cramming for was pushed back until December, holla!) and down to the parade we went. We clapped, we yelled and we smiled for the ABC/NBC/CBS cameras that rolled down Market Street. Then we got lunch and ate it in the silence of our office. A leisurely afternoon was had, and then I decided that a 2:15 pm train would be fun to make, as it could get me home by 3.
Little did I know that the train station would be SO crowded that the waits for trains would be 3 hours long, and that they would stop letting people into the station itself.

Then, panic set in. I couldn't figure out how to get home if not by train or cab (of which there were NONE to be found). I called Mr. Pit and pleaded for him to come and get me or to tell me what to do. "Get on the subway, and then on the Light Rail". Brilliant. I hadn't even thought of that. So, I did what any good Philadelphian does, I hiked up to 30th street station looking for any kind of transportation West.

Luckily the 30th street subway station was almost empty and after spending my last $10 on subway tokens (they don't give change, bastards), I hopped on the subway, and then on the light rail and was picked up by the chivalrous Mr. Pit near our house.

Door to door it took me 3 hours to get home. Had the trains been not so crazy crowded due to the diligent people who actually listened to Mayor Nutter, it would have taken me 40 minutes. Oh well, I lived it and learned. When we win the World Series or even the Super Bowl, I will be taking the day off from work the day of the parade. Not that it wasn't fun while it lasted, I just wanted to be home way earlier than I was.

Anyways...then I got home to find a HUGE praying mantis on my door frame (pictures are on facebook, this thing was huge!!) and then I got ready for trick-or-treaters and put together the costumes for later that night.

We had some really cute kids come to the door for candy and most were exceptionally polite with a lot of 'thank yous' to go around for the candy. Lil' Pit was also on his best behavior and didn't bark at anyone or try to ram through the door like he did last Halloween. See, even Pit Bulls can learn manners if you teach them well enough!!

Then we were finally off to M and C's house for their Halloween party and it was a blast. Our costumes (I was a golfer and Mr. Pit my caddy) were a hit and it was really great to catch up with people that we don't see that often. I also found a long lost relative (well, Mr. Pit found her but quickly called me in to the conversation) and the rest of the evening was filled with family names, stories and one very poorly played game of beer pong by yours truly.

And, that was my weekend. My day at work hasn't been too eventful, much to the chagrin of my boss, but I will motivate soon enough.

Hope everyone had a great Halloween!!

CHAMPIONS!!!

Ok, I admit it...I am a little bit of a bandwagon jumper as I did not faithfully follow the Phils from April of this year to the awesome apex that we reached last night. HOWEVER, being born and raised in this amazing city of ours, I was super happy to win the World Series last night and will proudly be at the parade down Market and Broad tomorrow at lunch time.

It was a little (ok, a lot) ridiculous that it was a 3.5 inning game, but the fact that we came out on top made it all worth it. Bud Selig, the commish of baseball was pretty lucky too, as if we had lost the game he would have turned into a modern day Mitch Williams and no one wants that, believe me!!

Anyways, I am super busy with a project here at work, but I HAD to post about the Phillies win and how I am going out at lunch today to buy paraphernalia to send to all my relatives who've since moved out of the City of Brotherly Love.

YAY Phillies!!!

Go Phillies Go!

So, unless you've been living under a rock for the past 2 weeks, you realize that my hometown Phightin' Phils are 1 win, yes, 1 WIN away from a World Series Championship tonight. I am so excited (as is the rest of my office) that no one quite knows what to do with themselves.
People have taken the day off of work to prepare (not me) and plan on taking the day off tomorrow to recover (again, not me)but I am still really excited to watch the game tonight and can't wait for the outcome and am hopeful for an awesome parade down Broad Street on Wednesday, yahoo!!!

Now, onto other things...I really figured out how to sew this weekend with the help of my awesome friend E. I got to see her house and meet her pitty pup, Cami, who is SO adorable and the house is fantastic. She and her BF R have done an amazing job sprucing up the house, and they aren't done yet, so I can't wait to see the final product. I learned a lot of things this weekend though, and I might as well tell you here why I was under E's watchful eye for almost 4 hours yesterday!

Sewing with any striped fabric is HARD. Especially when you aren't used to carefully measuring and pinning. E taught me the importance of pins, but I didn't take the stripes into consideration before I started sewing, so my finished product looks a little wonky, but I am still very proud.

Nylon is thicker than you think. E was a trooper and sewed a nylon keychain for me, and most of it was done by hand because we didn't want to hurt the needle on the sewing machine. All that really happened though was that E hurt her fingers, but it looks awesome. I will post pictures tonight if Mr. Pit ever gives me my laptop back. (but, since he needs it for the next 2 years in grad school, probably not so much)

Slower is better. E taught me how to 'hand sew' with the machine, and I can't tell you what a difference this makes. I am not very good with the foot pedal thing, so being able to start the row using my hand and cranking the needle down does amazing things to start the project.

Measure twice, then again, THEN cut. I didn't do this as I was too excited to get to sewing. E told me that over half of the issues with any garment come from NOT measuring correctly and not leaving yourself enough room to actually sew.

I learned a ton and can't wait to work on new projects. JoAnn's was having a huge sale over the weekend, so I will try to get up there another day this week to pick up some more supplies and see if I can start a real live project as opposed to just making them up as I go along. However, I think my first "Jewelry Envelope" as I call it, turned out really well.

Oh, and one more thing, don't forget to iron! This makes a HUGE difference in the look of the final product and makes it look THAT much more professional. Totally awesome!

Thanks again to E, R and Cami for hosting me yesterday!!

Damn Monopoly

Seriously, McDonald's has GOT to stop doing the Monopoly game. It makes me crazy because I feel like I have to win. And, not only do I want to win, but that I will stoop to levels SO low, I should win just out of pity.
Now...some things you should know about me. I am not fat, but I am certainly not Gisele-like in any way shape or form. I have given up bikinis entirely as I do not have the stomach that I should or could, and I just feel cruel letting the world see how out of shape I actually am.
So, given that...you'd think I would be smarter about what I eat. No, in fact, not at all and maybe the exact opposite. I eat whatever I want, whenever I want. I don't gain weight ever, but I don't lose it either, so I just sort of stay my always sort-of-overweight self.
HOWEVER, then comes along the McDonalds Monopoly game and all of that it out the window. Not only do you play by collecting the actual pieces, the pieces have codes on them so that you can play an entirely different game online...you get 2 codes per item, so lately I have been getting a large fries or soda practically everytime I am within 100 feet of the restaurant, just so I can tear those tiny stickers off the box or cup and then run to my nearest computer to get my 'roll' so I can hopefully land on an entirely new property.
And no, I haven't won a damn thing yet except for 25% off of Foot Locker (who the F wants that?!) and a free medium fries. Awesome. So, now I am 10 MILLION calories fatter and have nothing to show for it except for water retention from all the salt I ate. NICE.
Maybe I need to use my 25% off coupon to get me some running shoes to burn this crap off...totally no fun.
The worst part is, I almost pulled someone elses cup out of the garbage today to check it for game pieces. If the sidewalk hadn't been so crowded I probably would have. Ugh, what have I gotten myself into?!
By the way, if you have ANY extra pieces that you don't plan on using, send them my way please!!
JK...well, not really...but, I will try to be better and not buy anything this weekend...really, I will!

Quesadillas and Jeans :)

Yep, it's all in a days work. I am SO lucky that I work in Center City for the sole fact that I can get just about any type of cuisine in the world to eat for lunch, and that I am within blocks of fabulous shopping from discount Daffy's all the way to posh Coach and Ralph Lauren on Walnut Street.

Today for lunch I had a quesadilla from Qdoba...yum! And then I followed that up with some shopping at the Gap Outlet with my partners in crime J and J. I got jeans (I couldn't find 'skinny' jeans per se, but I got straight leg versions that I think should work well under my new boots), a cute red sweater (perfect for opening presents Christmas morning!), yoga pants (since my other pants are getting worn out from wearing them EVERY Monday to dance class) and then cute pink and navy striped gloves...all for $85 :)

I LOVE outlet shopping and gorgeous fall days. I tell ya, life is good at the moment.

Today is also the day of the Phillies Pep Rally down at City Hall and I saw a ton of people wearing Red in honor of our Phightin Phils...and I am excited to watch the end of the game when I get home tonight, woo hoo! Go Phillies!!!

Ok back to work!!

Shopping for Christmas...already?!

Yes folks, its only October 22nd, but the start of the Holiday season is well approaching, with some people trying to get as early of a leg-up as possible.

First off, I LOVE Christmas. I mean, completely adore it to the point that the day after Thankgiving isn't so important for the shopping to be done on that day (I hate shopping that day, its too crowded and makes me nervous), but...it's that I officially get to start decorating the house and that it my favorite task of all.

I will buy Christmas decorations in the middle of summer if they go with my chosen decor (Last year we had a red and silver theme, and this year will probably be similar) and then I carefully pack them away until Thanksgiving. The ornament above will be perfect for the tree, Pottery Barn here I come!!

This year I will have to wait to decorate our own house as we will be in NY with Mr. Pits family for Thanksgiving, but as soon as we get home Sunday the boxes come out of the attic and the decorating begins.

Tonight though, is the unofficial start of the holiday season, as it is the preview party for The Shipley Shops . The Shipley Shops is an event run by The Shipley School (my Alma Mater) and it hosts about 25 boutiques from all over and they can sell thier wares while raising money for the school at the same time. They always have tons of kids toys as well as great clothing, accessories and a ton of jewelry and fine art. I always see a ton of people I know as well, so it's as good for shopping as it is for the see-and-be-seen crowd. Plus, The Main Line Times is always there taking pictures of the pretty crowds, so it's always fun if you can get photographed to boot!

So, that's my plan for tonight and I couldn't be more excited. I love Christmas, thinking about Christmas and being able to shop while supporting my school is just awesome. Come on out tonight if you want, tickets are sold at the door and all proceeds go to Shipley and their scholarship fund!

Hope

Hope is a theme of my life the past 5 days, more now than ever in my life before. Sure, I hoped that I would get into the college of my choice (check), hope that my high school crush would call, hope that I could make it to the gas station in Baltimore before running out of gas on the way down to school. But, this new hope, is a new kind of hope, and a kind of hope that is tireless, sad, and one that I don't want to have to deal with ever again, though I know I will.

These past 5 days I have been hoping for my Grandmother to recover from a car accident she was in on Thursday evening, driving to the grocery store in Naples, Florida. She has been in intensive care ever since, and my heart rate and stress level have not gone down a tinge since hearing the news early Friday morning.

My Grandmother is amazing. She is hilarious, kind, intelligent and witty. She has been married to my Grandfather for 62 years and they make an amazing couple and set of Grandparents. They have 4 children and 9 grandchildren, including 1 great-grandchild who is as cute as the sun in bright. She has complete control in complete chaos when the entire family descends on their lake house in New Hampshire in August, making full breakfasts and dinners each day for the ever changing crowds. She plays bridge regularly, and would often bet her car when playing me in Gin Rummy. (I never won the car because I could never beat her).

My fondest memory so far is when Nana was staying with me and my brothers while my parents went somewhere for the weekend. Nana had a rental car and we had a plan to go grocery shopping. The only thing was, we couldn't figure out how to get the headlights on. We had the windshield wipers going, the horn honking and the car beeping, but those blasted lights would NOT go on. We just laughed and laughed, the two of us with tears streaming down our face. We couldn't contain ourselves and finally gave up. We ended up having pizza delivered and going to the store in the morning when we didn't need headlights. We still laugh about it to this day and I always smile when I think of it.

That same year, the new kitchen renovation was completed and it was my job along with Nana to put the spices in the spice drawer. My mom wanted them alphabetical, so we thought it would be an easy enough task. However, since the precedence was made that Nana and I do nothing well but giggling together, the task of alphabetizing the spice drawer drew laughter not only from the two of us, but anyone else in the vicinity of the kitchen that day. Nana's laughter is contagious and while deciding if Nutmeg went before or after Oregano, the giggles set in, only to be stopped when the task was completed and the family grew tired of hearing our spelling mishaps.

So, what I am really hoping for, on top of a full recovery, is for another lifetime full of giggle filled afternoons, playing gin-rummy and deciding that neither of us would make another drawer of items be in alphabetical order ever. I want my children to hear their Great Grandmothers laugh, to be beaten in a game of Gin Rummy and watch a woman who never went to college keep up in conversation like she has been a business woman her whole life.

In reality, she got pregnant with my mom when she was 19, and had 3 children in a row in 1947, '48 and '49, and another in '61 and was an amazing Mother and wife and Grandmother, taking care of all the details for everyone including my Grandfather. She is a tireless leader of my mothers side of the family, and has more friends than you could ever imagine. If she had a facebook page she would be accepting friend requests for days and years. She and my Grandfather haven't lived outside Philadelphia since the 70's, but inevitably when they are visiting they see people they know everywhere, mostly due to my Grandmothers warm smile and amazing ability to remember names and faces. They both have long standing roots in the community, and mostly the weather (which doesn't allow for 12 months of golf) keeps them from living here today. The warm air of Florida is great for them, and my Grandfather is still active on the golf course and in thier community down there. My Grandmother still plays bridge regularly with a group down there, and is as sharp as she ever was.

Basically, I cannot imagine her not in my life, and this hope that I am feeling is as selfish as ever, but I want her here for me. For my kids, for their weddings and their kids. I am asking for anyone who reads this, to keep my Nana in your prayers. Thanks.

Learning to Fly...

...But I ain't got wings... (one of my ALL time fav songs from Tom Petty!)

That is how I feel about learning to sew. I thought it was a HUGE accomplishment that I figured out how to wind a bobbin (not well mind you), put the bobbin in the holder thingy, wind the thread (I LOVE the automatic threader spring!) and then get started...but from there I am lost.

I heard a good rule of thumb from M's god-mother, who said "don't sew unless there is fabric"...unfortuneatly we heard that a little late and had to fish the thread out of the bobbin more than once...though by the end of the night we had sucessfully sewed 2 d-rings onto 1 piece of ribbon. Huzzah!

I, and we, are pretty far from mass producing anything cute, much less worth purchasing, but we're getting there slowly but surely! I plan on practicing a lot this weekend and the goal is to sew grosgrain ribbon onto nylon webbing...wish me luck! I am also gaining a ton of inspiration from Stephanie at Creative Reveries who is awesomely creative and makes tons of clothes and quilts and does all sorts of cute gifts for her adorable niece...love her stuff!

I also found the site Sew Mama Sew and they have some great ideas and lots of forums for people to talk about their projects and problems and show off what they've made...very cool to see and lots to work towards!!

We also have some visitors coming tonight and I am really excited to see them. Mr Pits friend D and his wife L are coming from Chicago for a wedding in NJ, but are nice enough to drive down from Newark this evening and spend the night with us. They have not seen the house since we moved in, and have never met Lil' Pup since we got him last summer and haven't seen them since!

We plan on grilling some steaks, and I am going to make my famous mashed potatoes (well, probably only famous to Mr. Pit and I, but he loves them and I love being able to make something edible, so its a win-win!) as well as open a bottle of champage to celebrate a fun weekend with friends. My favorite champagne is "Sofia" by Coppola and it has sentimental value as its the champagne we toasted with at our wedding, and that I for one did not drink enough of that day! (Besides the fact I didn't eat anything that day besides a cheese sandwich made for me by C's mom, I could have used a glass of champagne or two to calm me down as I almost fainted on the way down the aisle!...I did recover enough to say my vows and not bawl my eyes out, and then I finally relaxed at the reception, phew!)

Anyways...that's what the weekend has in store, I might post again today since it's a bit slow at work. The highest ranking person right now in my department is about the 5th in line of being in charge over all, since the top 4 seem to be mysteriously missing this fabulous fall Friday...but I don't want to take too much advantage of a good thing, so I am going to go grab lunch, finish my work and try to make the 5:05 train home. If it's STILL this quiet later this afternoon maybe I will modify plans and try to hop on the 4:44, but we'll have to play it by ear.

Have a great weekend, enjoy this awesome weather, cheer for the Phillies next week, and if you know how to sew and want to teach me, I can pay you in mashed potatoes, grilled cheese and good conversation!!

Artisinal Cheese and Kitchen Accessories

Afternoon Pit Fans!

I am feeling MUCH better than I was 2 days ago and have lots of news and fun topics for today.

First and foremost though, while I was eating my lunch today I browsed the Williams-Sonoma Catalog we got in the mail last night and I can't tell you how much that catalog motivates me! I am the farthest thing from a cook you could imagine (grilled cheese is my specialty, and my only specialty if you catch my drift) but nevertheless, reading this catalog makes me want to do great things in the kitchen! No, not like that! For goodness sake, get your mind out of the gutter! I mean it makes me want to cook, and by cook, I mean buy all the fun things in their catalog, and THEN cook thier yummy recipes! Even thier china patterns with roosters on them call out to me even though our house is currently without a rooster and I am not sure we need to add any...I still want to order the whole set, 12 please!

Second, the catalog has an entire section of specialty cheeses from the US and abroad, and I swear it is taking all of my strength not to spend $800 for approximately 8 lbs of cheese from all over the world. Everyone knows I am a cheese-aholic and the words 'goat cheese' might as well be the best aphrodisiac ever :) Mr. Pit knows this well and lets me regularly have my way with the cheese selection at Whole Foods (smart man) :)

Anyways, enough with the food talk, even right after lunch I am getting hunger pangs. Plus, it doesn't help that I work 2 blocks from
Tria which has the best wine and cheese menu in all of Philly. YUM.

Third...and this is exciting. I got a sewing machine last night. Got it all set up and didn't sew myself to any fabric yet, so its all good so far! I got tons of scrap fabric to mess around with, and $129 later I had a machine, tons of fun ribbon, webbing, fabric and thread. SO FUN! I did all of my practicing while listening to the debate in the backround, and let me tell you, I was so focused on not breaking the poor machine I hardly listened but knew enough that the headlines who said who 'won' today didn't suprise me.

AND, speaking of winning...YAY PHILLIES!!! World Series here we come!!! I have to admit that I am a known mush (a mush is someone who no matter what, when attending a game or event in person, the team that person wants to win, will lose) so I will not be attending any games though my little brother is flying back from San Diego for a long weekend and is trying to get tickets to whatever home game he can. All I have to say is GO PHILS! I promise I won't even be in the vicinity of Citizens Bank Park, and if you want, I won't even watch it on TV :)

So, thats what I have for today. M is coming over tonight to play with the sewing machine (which means I have to do a super-fast clean when I get home today) but it will be nice to have company :) Plus, Lil' Pup LOVES his Aunt M so he'll be as thrilled to see her as anyone.

Hope everyone is having a great day!

Oh wait, I almost forgot...Congratuatlions to Leanne for winning Project Runway last night! Thank goodness it wasn't the whiny Kenley, woo hoo! And I LOVE that Tim Gunn was the guest judge, I love that man :)

Cranky doesn't even begin to describe it...

It, of course, being me. I don't know what is wrong with me lately, but I have been down in the dumps and can't figure out why.
On the outside, all is well and good.
Let me list the good things.

• I am healthy.
• Mr. Pit is healthy. And he loves me to boot, what more could a girl ask for?!
• Lil' Pup is healthy and hasn't run away since we got the electric fence, horray!
• I have a job.
• Mr. Pit has a job.
• Both jobs regularly send paychecks.
• Health insurance is covered.
• The mortgage has and will be paid.
• The cars are being paid for.
• We even have money for the occassional (1x a week or so) dinner out at a place of our choosing.
• I have gotten nice new things this past month that make me smile when I look at them.
• My family is healthy and awesome. My little brother is moving home from California and my Mom couldn't be happier. I am also excited to have him home as he is a super fun partner in crime.

Now, the things that have driven me up a wall and to near tears in the last 2 weeks.

• I want to start a business but don't have a business plan, just a feeling and an 'idea'. This makes people nervous. This makes me angry. TRUST the idea.
• Since no one TRUSTS the idea (except for M), no one thinks its a good idea to sink $3000 into a machine and materials. This again makes me angry. I have to start somewhere!
• My boss is gone for 2 weeks (good) I have to do all my work and his (bad). This is a great opportunity for me to show my chops at work (good). I am terrifed (bad).
• Home heating oil is expensive. $3.39 a gallon to be exact. Therefore, our house is cold. Always.
• I was 3/4 of the way done my needlepoint (good)(note: most of this being done in sort of dim lighting). I was outside in the bright sun yesterday and realized that I had bought the wrong color to continue the pattern. I had to rip out hundreds of stitches. This almost made me weep. And then stab someone with my needlepoint needle. (bad)
• The weather outside is awesome (good). I am stuck in my office (bad)
• Both my friends in the office (that's right, I only have 2) are gone. There is nothing to do but work (and blog, though I am not really supposed to be doing that) (both bad)
• I am PMSing big time. This, of course is better than the alternative (being pregnant)...or is it? (btw, I have totally had babies on the brain lately...wtf? I am SO not ready, so why do I keep thinking about it?)
• As I said above, my little brother is moving home. He is being an idiot about finding a job. This infuriates me beyond belief. Why do I care so much? He is 25 and can take care of himself, job or no job. Problem is, I can't STOP being his big sister. I can't stop telling him what to do and how to do it. It's ingrained in me.
• And to top it all off...I have no Halloween costume. This is not earth shattering horrible news. This also makes me want to cry at various points in the day.

So, as you can see. I have NOTHING to complain about. Not a gosh darn thing. Poor me that I can't drop $3k on an embroidery machine while people lose thier homes in the wake of the sub-prime mortgage collapse. Poor me that I have to work all day making good money while people as qualified as me (if not more) lost thier jobs last week in the "reduction in force" of 2008.

Maybe if I took up running it would help. I hear it boosts seratonin? Can't I just take a pill and cook the corn? (name that movie people). Basically I want the easy way out. I want to wake up tomorrow and be in a good mood. I want to NOT care about the things I can't control (my little brother, the weather). I want to not drive my amazing husband to write emails that say "I feel like you are sinking, I want to help you".

But please. Someone. HELP ME.

Wavy Wedding Dresses and one BIG decision gone awry

Afternoon Pit Fans,

so, first off, lets do our weekly run down of Project: Runway and see how we fared last night.

And let me say this, I can't TELL you how excited I was that their projects were wedding dresses. I am OBSESSED with wedding dresses. Choosing mine that I wore two years ago was some of the most fun I have ever had (and it was all done in a day as I found my dream dress after trying only 9 others on!) so I love any excuse to talk/think/dream about wedding dresses and what would have been if I hadn't bought mine. (See right, mine was SO plain and simple and impossibly me...I still want to wear it all the time and am thinking of getting it dyed Navy Blue so I can wear it to a ball or something in the future. What do you think?)

I have to say that I LOVED Kenley's dress with all the feathers. And, though I have seen pictures of the Alexander McQueen version, (See above) I don't think that Kenley is stupid enough to rip off his design so blantantly in front of such high-end fashion talent. Or if she is that dumb she deserves a smack...but I digress.

I also loved Leanne's wavy dress, though I wouldn't wear it myself, I think it is the peak of couture wedding dresses and I knew it would be an instant judge pleaser.

Heidi was as nice as could be to everyone, and when Tim Gunn cried I almost shed a tear msyelf.

Anyways, onto more important things...the big decision I was going to make was to make a purchase of an embroidery machine, namely the Singer Futura CE-250. Then, I had lunch with my friend E, whose mother sews A LOT who recommended nothing but a Bernina. Now, I for one had only ever heard of a Bernina but didn't know anything about it. What I did find out is that they are considered the Bentley of sewing machines, and if you can afford to take the 2nd mortgage on your house, you should buy one hands down. So, if the train is on time tonight (which come on, is it ever?) I plan on heading to the only store near us that sells these amazing machines and getting a demonstration of why I should spend half my monthly salary on one.

Wish me luck!

A new adventure

Afternoon Pit Fans! This fall weather certainly has me running at peak strength as it's too chilly to be lazy and too gorgeous to be sitting at home while you could be outside enjoying the changing leaves, crisp air and my favorite 4 legged friend :)

The past two days have been filled with "if...then" statements pertaining to the new developments on the "Project: New Company" front, and I promise to let you know when we are up and running.

So far though, it looks like I am going to buy only 1 of the 2 components I think I will need for this venture due to costs...but I am ok with it, as I know I need to start slow and don't want to spend a lot of money on things I am not sure I need right now.

Onto other more interesting news:
1) The boots FINALLY arrived. They are gorgeous. They fit perfectly. But...I am not sure I love them as much as I do on the model in the catalog that served as inspiration. That model was 5'10", way skinnier than me and in a way cuter outfit. When I tried them on last night with the outfit I had always planned on wearing with them, they just looked 'off'. The skirt was too long and since they have little to no heel, it made me look squat instead of lithe. I kept the outfit on and put on boots with a 3" heel and I instantly 'lost' 10 lbs an felt like I should have. So now I wonder, what on earth do I wear the no-heeled boots with?

Is it true that wearing your boots on the outside of your jeans trend has gone by the way side? What is the point of a knee high boot if you can't even see them under pants? Someone PLEASE tell me what to wear with them? They are SO tough and awesome looking, but they do me NO good if I can't wear them with anything!!

2) I am no longer selling ANYTHING on eBay. Ever. I sold one item and sold it specifically since I was duped myself on the size. It said "size 10" which is my size, only to rip the tags off, put it on and realize that I don't normally buy 1/2 sleeved-belly shirts. I had bought a kids size 10. So, I sold it on eBay as such and got a nasty email (well, 3 nasty emails) from the person that bought it that said she couldn't see how a 10 year old would ever wear it. Listen lady, NOT my problem. If you don't know what size or style your kid likes, that is NOT my problem. There were 2 pictures up there of the item, and if you has asked any questions of it I would have been happy to answer any and all. Idiot.
I apologize if I come off a bit harsh, but come on, you paid $10 for this shirt, what do you want, Gucci?

3) I am done ranting, just in case you wanted to know.

4) My boss is gone for the next two weeks starting on Friday. Holla! Not that I won't have a ton of work to do while he is gone, because I am actually certain that my work load will increase, however, he won't be here to bug me every 2 minutes, so I might actually be able to get things done. Sweet. (I also plan on using some of this time to work on "Project:New Company" but only on the sly. )

5) yeah, I don't have a 5, I just wanted to round out the list to make it look like I have lots of things to say. I plan on leaving in 5 minutes to catch the early train anyway and spend the evening with Mr Pit and Lil' Pup discussing oil prices and all that fun house stuff.

Have a great afternoon!!

Uggs are on, Fall is here

So, I've officially given up any hope of an Indian summer, and am getting to be OK with the thought of Fall actually being here. The summer flew by faster than rabbit trying out outrun Lil' Pup (unfortunately for the rabbit, that rarely happens) but all I know is summer is gone and I am trying to not be incredibly annoyed when I wake up to 50 degree temperatures and the heat is officially been turned on.

I did however, have an amazing weekend in the Hampton's with the Family and my God-Mother who is a saint and the best hostess ever.

On the docket today for things to talk about are the following.

1) My boots have not arrived yet, but I am anxiously awaiting the box to be left on the front porch.

2) I have my dance class tonight, and though I am so tired, I am looking forward to waking up a bit and of course for seeing my BF "M".

3) Probably the most important of all is a choice of Halloween costumes. M is having a blow out party this year, as she did last year, and I have to be able to outdo my outfit last year (which was a big hit!) but I don't feel like dealing with buying something that I'll never wear again. Plus, I hate that Halloween is an excuse for girls to dress like sluts. I mean, where did this notion come from? It confuses me to the bitter end, and when searching online for things to wear, the only things I liked were those that were not made in my size (Winnie the Poo, Tigger, a big soft fluffy dog with ears and cute tail!) Alas, apparently as a grown woman you are not allowed to dress like a cute furry animal unless your midriff is showing and you're wearing knee high pleather boots. blah.

Someone tell me what to be for Halloween...please! Otherwise I'm going in my ski outfit for two reasons. 1- I'll be warm, and 2- I won't have to show any unnecessary skin unless I want to show off my ankles or my hands. And don't worry M, I'll promise to take off my ski boots before I come in the house!

So, that's what's on my mind for today, I am sure the week will bring lots more random thoughts and meandering posts, aren't you lucky readers?
I have Friday night plans with my Mom as the husbands are leaving us for the evening to participate in a golfers dinner and we are sure they will come back with some great stories as they do each year.

On top of that, there have been some late breaking developments on Project: New Company so I'll keep you posted on that. One Visa card could get a whole lot of exercise in the near future, but as Mr. Pit tells me frequently, you can't make money unless you spend money, so I am about to see how true that statement really is!

It's not supposed to be elegant Heidi!

Ooh, well...that doesn't say much for Kenley's outfit now does it? That line above is from Project Runway last night (obvi) and it was laugh out loud good until the judges (bowing to producers I'm sure) allowed all 4 finalists to show their collection prior to Bryant Park.

WTF? What ever happened to letting people lose? Even people like Kenley who make for good tv?

You'll notice this happens now in the age of "self-esteem" and all that BS. When I was little I was picked last, dropped from soccer teams, didn't make the lead in the play and all that good stuff. You have to learn how to fail and fail gracefully when you're young, or else the real world is gonna really show you who's boss. I didn't have my parents go roaring into the coaches office to see why I didn't make the team or got pulled out of the game after half time, never to touch the field again. I just plain dealt with it and practiced harder the next time so I was better and didn't have to get taken off the field.

Anyways, I thought the ending to last nights show was lame that they let everyone through, especially after Kenley's purple-zilla monstrosity. Bones however was awesome albeit super gross (it involved an elevator shaft, yuck!)and I am almost half way done with my needle pointing project (a cuff bracelet that I am making for myself) so I am a happy camper this lovely Thursday afternoon.

In other good news, I bit the bullet and ordered the boots below. No, not the Coach ones, the Steve Madden wannabe boots. I figure if they fit well enough, they are totally worth it given the price. One small bummer is that they are not in stock, but hopefully they will be ready to go for next weekend.



Speaking of next weekend, Mr. Pit is playing in a golf tournament with my Dad all weekend, so Lil' Pup and I have a whole weekend for Mommy/Puppy bonding time. Thinking at trip to Valley Forge Park might be nice, plus, after a nice 5 mile long trail walk Lil' Pup should be napping away all afternoon.

You're Lucky I'm Bored

Ok, I admit...that's not me speaking in the title, that's the one and only Chuck Bass, from you guessed it, Gossip Girl. That was definitely one of the best lines of the night, as I thought the fashion show plot line got a little boring. Though, it did show Blair at the height of her cattiness (and my favorite ironic line was Blair telling Darota to "never go to high school Darota, the girls are mean, nasty and have NO manners!") ha! I mean really, coming from Blair?!? Too much. I was definitely pleased with the show and the evening over all.

Dance class went well, though I think the teacher HATES me because all I do is laugh. I used to think I was coordinated, but trying to mimic her for an hour once a week is proving both impossible and hilarious at the same time.

But, onto SUPER fun news...we finally made plans for a vacation JUST the two of us. Not that we don't LOVE our friends, because we do, and they are exceptionally fun and awesome to vacation with...however, the last time we vacationed just the two of us was our honeymoon. Mmm, just thinking about the perfection that was Ladera in St. Lucia and Little Dix Bay in Virgin Gorda makes me weep for the beach...but I am really excited for our next ALONE trip.


We will be spending 3 delectable nights at the Snowy Owl Inn in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire for 2 full days of skiing, snuggling and hopefully ice skating if we have time. I adore New Hampshire as it's where my family has gone each and every summer since my Mom was a little girl. I, however, have never been up there any other time than August, so I am really looking forward to being there in the snowy throes of winter with just my darling husband and my super cute PINK ski outfit. (Come on now, you didn't think I skied in all black did you?!)

Boots, Reindeers and Sushi...all in a normal Monday kind of way

Happy lunch time Pit Fans...it's another great Monday here in the City of Brotherly Love.
Our Phightin' Phils clinched the division this weekend, so I had a lot of very happy family members, including my Dad and lil' brother out in San Deigo who was cheering them on from a Philly themed bar near the beach. (They also serve Philly cheesesteaks on real Amoroso bread that gets shipped there fresh every morning, how cool!)



In other news...I may have found myself a pair of boots that will stave off my hunger for the REAL thing. These are Madden Girl "Zarah" and they are less than 1/4 of the price of the boots from Coach...so I may get them now in lieu of the real thing (hoping my Christmas Bonus is enough for the boots and perhaps a few months worth of home heating oil!)



Speaking of Home Heating Oil...if anyone knows how we can get some for less than $3 a gallon, I will bequeath you my first born (well, not really, but something REALLY REALLY good!)Seriously, the price of oil is SO high at this point I am considering setting the thermotstat at 55 and piling on wool sweaters from now until April. Good thing Lil' Pup has his own sweater (and no, he does NOT like wearing it, but it was so cute I couldn't resist). He will also wear this sweater for his annual picture with Santa (Pit friends, get ready for another fridge worthy Christmas card this year!!) But, hey, atleast I don't dress him up like an ACTUAL reindeer!

Back to my yummy sushi lunch from Di Bruno Brothers check ya later after my hip-hop dance class tonight and of course Gossip Girl !!

Pa-a-a-an-cakes....

So, on this rainy Saturday with nothing planned for this evening, I convinced Mr. Pit to go to the King of Prussia mall with me, with the promise of Cheesecake Factory for dinner as a bribe. It worked and turned out to be one of the most successful shopping trips EVER.

But, first things first. The title of this post is dedicated to my all time favorite comedian, Jim Gaffigan . One of his skits is about IHOP, and how its weird that all the restaurants are shaped like churches. Hence, chanting "pan-a-an-cakes" while walking into the restaurant. Click HERE to see one of his best bits. Too freaking funny. I've seen him live a handful of times and each one is better than the last. I sing "pan-a-a-an-cakes" to Mr. Pit every time I go into a store that is my personal Mecca (Lilly, Polo, Coach) it's an inside joke and only Mr. Pit really gets it since he was with me the first time we saw Jim Gaffigan live...but anyways. I'm babbling.

NOW, onto the shopping.


First, we hit White House/Black Market and got a SUPER cute skirt for work. Looks like half of a Chanel suit, and I plan on wearing it with a crisp white button down and knee high black boots. Woo hoo! I am trying to do that whole "dress for the job you want, not the job you have" thing, and since I sort of gave up in the summer (I wore a LOT of Polo's with a lot of khakis, and even resorted to flip flops one slow week in August) it's time I start dressing the part. Plus, since yearly reviews are coming up in November, now is definitely the time to break out the big guns. Wish me luck.



Second, and the MOST exciting purchase tonight (and possibly of 2008, no joke) are the Lilly Pulitzer flats I got at the Lilly Store...ON SALE...last pair left...IN MY SIZE! I mean really, how often does that happen? I searched for them HIGH AND LOW on eBay and elbowed my way to the front of the shoe section at the warehouse sale earlier this summer, but a 9 1/2 in green with a pink flower was no where to be found. Alas, a random Saturday night at the Lilly store in the mall, was my nirvana. There on a shelf, all by itself, under a great big "SALE" sign, were my green "Color In Bloom" flats. Even better, they were reduced from $258 to $79!! I mean, I would have paid $199 for them and these shoes were less than the skirt I bought above. Too good to be true. Mr. Pit just smiled and waited patiently while I tried them on just to verify that they were in fact my size and not cruelly mis-labeled...and they fit like a gem. I think they might make their appearance on Tuesday if the weather is good. There is NO way I am wearing these babies in the rain.

So, we're home now watching college football (which is perfect for needle pointing by the way. Plus it makes Mr. Pit happy that I am in the same room, as he feels he has someone to make comments to and isn't just yelling at the TV, though he does that too)

I am deliriously happy with my purchases (which also included a gorgeous Tumi wallet for Mr. Pit and some make up for me at Sephora) and can't wait for tomorrow morning since the plan is to go to The Classic Diner for breakfast...honestly the best omelettes in all of PA, yum!

TV addictions and my plans for tonight

WOO HOO! Its back on in T-7 hours and I couldn't be more excited. Among the many things I am absolutely obsessed with is my television viewing schedule which includes the fabulously addictive Grey's Anatomy. I can't get enough of the Mer-Der drama and I always look forward to whatever is upsetting Izzie in any given week. Plus, take the two Mc-Yummy doctors and you've got yourself one hell of a show.

Among my other favs are (in no particular order):



Gossip Girl, even though I know it's aimed at a demographic 10 years younger than I, I still can't get enough of all the snarka-rific comments that can only come from a private school. I thought my school was bad back in the 90's, but oh no, Serena and Blair have this place ALL figured out, and if they don't rule the school, no one will. I especially liked in this past week's episode the slow Reservoir Dog-esque montage of Serena and her followers coming into the court yard...HOLLA! That was so bad ass! (And I really did scream out loud at the television afterwards, scaring the sleeping little pup up from his nap and prompting Mr. Pit to ask if something was wrong from downstairs. "Nothing wrong, just loving Gossip Girl this week!")



Project Runway, though I am the farthest thing from fashion forward, I adore this show and I can actually get Mr. Pit to watch it with me because of the lovely Heidi Klum. Last nights episode was a weird one (really, its season 5 and that's all they could come up with?) but I liked some of the outfits. Jarell's "pop" outfit for Kenley was fierce (I miss you Christian!) but her outfit for Leann was a travesty. To quote my very own lovely mother "Did she fall off a turnip truck"? How on earth did Kenley think that outfit was in any way shape or form "hip hop"? Even LL Cool J thought it was pathetic...and no Kenley, crying won't get you anywhere. High waisted pants for hip-hop? Come on!! Even this preppy follower knows you can't get away with a Lilly Dress if you're trying to look legitimate while listening to Lil' Kim!


The Office: How can you not adore this show? It makes me laugh out loud at every episode (my favorite being the one where Jim comes to work dressed like Dwight and says all these Dwight-isms and makes Dwight go crazy, too funny)


And last but not least: BONES. I totally think that some of the body parts stuff is gratuitous and I am a total squeamish baby when it comes to that, but I adore the banter between Bones and Booth (I especially like the name Seely...what do you think for a potential "little Pit" name Mr. Pit? hee hee, just kidding, but I do really like it!)

I don't want to say anymore because I don't want people to think that all I do is watch TV, I swear I get out of the house on a regular basis! But, I love my shows and I can't wait for the premiers tonight!!

Less Ranting, More Wishing

Hi Folks, sorry for all the ranting the last two posts, I swear I am not a bitter or angry person!

So, on to more fun topics...I have a few more things (purchases) that I want to make or at least dream about making!

One fun site I found is one of a girl I know (well, I know her sister and her brother who went to my school, she, Liz, went to another near by sort-of rival school, but, I digress) who now makes gorgeous letter pressed stationery out of New York. It is totally adorable and perfect for gifting this upcoming holiday season. Check out her site Linda and Harriett for super cute paper products that she designs herself. My favorite is the die-cut labels with cute ribbons to attach to gifts. Watch out Pit fans, you all know what your presents will look like this winter!

Another fave is this Ralph Lauren Sweater Dress unfortunately, I am 28, not 6...and it doesn't come in big kid sizes...but maybe when Mr Pit and I have a little Pit of our own I can dress her in cute clothes like this. One day!

Then, in keeping with the pink thing, this is my newest desire (and sort of a need...but try convincing that to Mr Pit who can't understand why I don't use the laptop I already have) This Dell 1525 Inspiron in you guessed it...Bright Pink. Honestly, I think I need a new computer, and how fitting it would be in Pink! Plus, then I could hook it up to my new embroidery machine! Just a thought.

Ok, enough retail therapy for now, back to work. The project I am working on got extended AGAIN but really it just means more work.

Enjoy this lovely early fall afternoon!

Stainless Steel Appliances and the Misguided Masses

Watching my one of my favorite shows last night (House Hunters on HGTV) I was again astounded at the reasons people give for not liking a house, and in the end use to justify NOT buying the otherwise perfectly nice affordable home. Paint colors can be changed, rugs re-done, just about anything non-structural can happen in a matter of days or weeks prior to move in. People, these items should NOT be a deal breaker!

But, here's the most annoying thing about these shows, and since I'm IN the construction industry, I especially get to be annoyed.

Stainless steel appliances are NOT better than other appliances.

Behind that shiny facade is the same freaking machine as you had before, only now its harder to clean! Have you ever gotten finger prints from a toddler or a nose mark from a dog on a stainless steel anything? If not, try it and good luck making your dishwasher look like new. EVERY time you clean the stainless steel surface you put minuscule scratches into it and then from far away you can see the little circular scrub marks no matter how lightly you scrub or with which fancy towel the sales people sold you on that 'won't hurt the surface' HA! You got duped. You got talked into a mid-range appliance for a high-range price for nothing else than a shiny front.

They are all the rage now, and you don't see any 'renovated' home without them...but seriously, take a quick look at ANY online appliance store (Sears, Lowe's, even Costco) and the stainless steel version of every appliance is $100-$300 higher than its same sister model in black or white.

If you think that you HAVE to have stainless steel when you move into your new home, think again about the maintenance of the front (you want it to look shiny all the time?, don't touch it!) and the fact that you are paying that much more for what it looks like as opposed to how it runs. Ever had a refrigerator punk out on you in the middle of summer? NOT FUN. Check consumers reports and buy the best brand with the best reliability you can and if it happens to come in stainless steel and you can afford it, good for you. If not, buy it in black and it will still look like a bad-ass kitchen.

That's the daily morning rant for you all. I have a busy day in front of me with a big project due today at work. So enjoy the sunny weather on the East Coast and think twice before buying stainless steel appliances.

Oprah, Puppy Mills and People Magazine

Puppy Mills suck.

The fact that they are not completely illegal is astounding to me.

For those of you not familiar with what a 'puppy mill' is, a brief explanation is simple and sickening.

Hundreds of dogs are bred each year to produce as many puppies as possible in living conditions you wouldn't subject your worst enemy to. Sires and dams are forced to live stacked on top of each other in wire cages with no bottoms and the only time they get to come OUT of the cages is when they are being bred or giving birth. These poor animals spend the majority of thier life unable to turn around, lie down, or stand at all comfortably as their paws dig into the metal. The dogs in the bottom cages perhaps have it worst of all, as there is nothing to catch the feces from the dogs above them.

Then, when these poor dogs are deemed too old to produce any more litters, they are routinely shot and killed and buried on the farmers land.

These poor dogs NEVER see a pat on the head, a scratch on the belly, or a night on a soft rug by a warm fire. These moms get to spend only 4 weeks with thier puppies (most good breeders recommend puppies stay with thier mothers for 8 weeks or more) and the puppies go from the farm to a petstore to sit in an even MORE cramped space waiting to be bought.

Puppy Mills are rampant in parts of central Pennsylvania, and Bill Smith (creator of Main Line Animal Rescue) and Oprah have done an expose on just how horrible these living conditions are for these poor animals. Bill has made it his mission to save dogs from central PA Puppy Mills and is working with local politicians and lobbying the state to have more strict laws enforced to regulate how these animals are being treated.

As of now in the state of Pennsylvania, dogs are considered livestock and therefore can be 'disposed of' (as the farmers call it) as such. It is not illegal to shoot a dog in the head in the State of Pennsylvania. WTF? How is that possible? This is the kind of thing that gets my blood BOILING and I want to do as much as I can to get the word out so we can shut down these 'farms' until they agree to better living conditions for all the animals they house.

PLEASE read the links below, they give a lot of information on all the good work that Bill and other dog rescuers are doing and thankfully the Oprah segment (which is re-airing tomorrow!!) has done a lot to uncover this seedy underbelly of dog breeding.

This is the Main Line Animal Rescue site that will link you to the Oprah story and the feature this week in People Magazine

Owning a dog or any animal for that matter is a privilage, not a right. Treat your animal as you would any other member of the family.

Adopt a dog from a shelter, try this one I guarantee they will have the breed you want!

Don't EVER buy a pet from a pet store. You are asking for trouble with the animals health (a very large percentage of puppy mill pups have been inbred and come riddled with disease) Pet stores are KNOWN for getting thier dogs from commerical breeders as opposed to private breeders who actually KNOW what they are doing. Plus, pet store owners know that you don't want to hear that they get thier dogs from a puppy mill, so they will tell you they don't. If you MUST buy a dog from a pet store, make sure to research the store, and the breeder they claim they get thier dogs from. If it is a responsible breeder you will be able to cross check them on www.akc.org or a number of other Kennel Club websites.

Also, don't sell yourself short by saying you'll only buy a pure bred dog. Pure breds are great (I grew up with a pure bred Portuguese Water Dog) but the mutts and mixes in shelters NEED YOU! Seriously, if you need points to get you to heaven, or for your karma...rescue an animal from a shelter. They will pay you back 100 fold with thier love and thanks.

And if you think that shelters only have pit bulls and 'bully breeds' a) check out a pit, you might like them. They were the original "Nanny Dog" used specifically to take care of children in the early 1900's. b) There are NO bad dogs, only bad owners. Don't shy away from dogs at shelters because you think they are bad dogs. 99% of the time its the owners who didn't know how to care for them or just plain didn't want the responsibility once they puppies grew into dogs. Dogs that aren't adoptable won't be there in the first place.

Thats all I have to say about the subject for now, I get pretty worked up about the whole subject and the whole thing makes me sad and mad and wanting to go home and give my rescue dog a great big hug (and a new toy).

So please, check out the above links and watch Oprah tomorrow at 4!

(BTW, thats my rescue pit puppy in the pic up there. Pretty ferocious looking huh?)

A Few Obsessions for Fall

So, I might as well get on with it...I have a confession.
There is ALWAYS something or things that I want to buy at any given moment.

They can go from small (a spoon rest for the stove that I just actually bought on Sunday) to large (the Corvette I was talking about earlier, that's a 2001 by the way, my favorite model year).

I might as well get these 'wish list' items out into the universe in case some person is looking for what to buy me as an early Halloween present or something!

Here are just a few.

*Coach Whitley Boots in Whiskey (9 1/2 to be exact!) they couldn't be cuter!

* Lilly Pulitzer Flats in Pink of course!

*This Super Cute Lilly Pulitzer Sweater Dress

*I am wishing for someone to invite us to a fall wedding so I can wear this CK Bradley dress

*And most of all this... Singer Futura CE-250 embroidery machine so I can monogram everything I own!

That's all of my wish list for now (believe me there's always more!)

Tell me readers, what are YOU wishing for?

Here We Go!

Welcome to The Preppy Pit Bull.

This blog is going to be my outlet for all things ME, including but not limited to:

My likes, dislikes, rants, raves, obsessions, cravings, musings, ideas and the like.

It will also be a place where you can track my budding business (mostly an idea at this point, more on that later) my profession(s) (both current and dreamed), my wish list of items to purchase for me (Coach Whitley Boots) or other people (as I would love to one day buy my husband a Red Corvette, and my Mom a greenhouse, and a number of other things) and anything else that seems relevant in my little life.

I hope to make people smile, sometimes laugh outloud, but mostly entertain those who happen upon this blog on purpose or just by chance.

By the way, our dog is a rescued pit bull, hence the name of the blog. He is the sweetest dog on the planet and he is an amazing ambassador of the breed and all it's misconceptions. If this blog does nothing else, atleast those who read it will know that all pits are not bad dogs, just unfortunate that some pits have bad owners.

Enjoy!