Birthday Girl!!

A very happy birthday to my amazing bff, Betsy!! I won't get all sappy and mushy, but I love you lots!! xoxo ♥

Mark Your Calenders ...

Oh yeah ... its that time of the year!! I'm cleaning out my house (well, the storage unit that holds my house), and I am having a crazy-huge garage sale next week! Friday, June 5th from 9am to 3pm, fab stuff to rummage through ... most outta my own home, and some from other family members. Furniture, kitchen stuff, car seats, clothing, home decor, toys, toys, toys, and so.much.more!! I am only running it for one day only, so grab your friends and head on over next week!! Email me for my address ... aprilbaker23@yahoo.com ... hope to see you there (even if it is just to say hi)!!

I'm Gonna Soak Up The Sun!

Cheryl Crow stuck in your head from my title? Yeah. Me, too. Sorry.

So that's what I have been up to lately ... by some fluke jet stream pressure or other fancy weather mumbo jumbo, Oregon is enjoying some sunshine! Yep, in the 80's this week, and I have been working on my tan - on my arms. Ha, ha! Not quite hot enough for me to bust out the shorts just yet, but my arms are getting quite the base. Anyone have any tricks as to how to maintain without peeling? I hear too much lotion isn't good, as well as not enough. The rain will return before July people ... it always does! This tan needs to stick around to remind me that summer will eventually come back for a couple months.

Speaking of July ... that is when my next hair appointment is. I know, I have preached before that I don't get my hair done professionally more than twice a year, but hey - turning 28 has really messed with my hair! Seriously! Got any advice on how to tame the fluffiness? I say 'fluffy' because I can't consider it frizz, as my hair isn't curly. It now has a slight wave to it, but definitely not curls. ANYWAYS ... I watch Keeping Up With The Kardashians (anyone else?) and Kourtney just cut her hair in the last episode .... omg!! So stinkin' cute! I may be excited enough to do that myself. I chickened out this last time, but after seeing Kourt's new 'do, I am reconsidering again. If I finally decide, I may have to make an extra appointment before July.

I updated my playlist at the bottom for your listening pleasure. Threw in some old school, cuz that's how I roll. See a song you like? Just click on it to jam out while you are here (or minimize my page and continue to rock out as you browse other sites - ain't.no.shame, ha ha).

Yay! I'm It!

The oh-so-cute Molly tagged me for this fun "What's In Your Purse?" game ... so, I cleaned out my bag (duh - lets get rid of all those crumbled up receipts, and put everything in order first) and here's what I carry around each day!

Here's my lil' Coach bag in a soft yellow for the summer. I snagged it at the Coach outlet for $49! I prefer this size because any bigger and I literally lose stuff! I know you have all had that moment when your cell phone is ringing somewhere in your purse and you just can't find it. Yeah. Well, I dumped my bag upside down in the middle of my car one day and swore to never own anything big enough to swallow my much needed items evah again!

Currently in my purse: Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy travel perfume, my wallet (that actually matches my other purse), green tea mints, Trident gum, my point-n-shoot camera (never leave home without it!), my fancy little handbag hanger, MAC lip gloss, Spiderman fruitsnacks and a granola bar (yes, I am a mom), a photobooth strip of my boys from the arcade at the beach, and a pen - cuz you always need a pen when you don't have one!

Now I get to tag 6 other girlies to open up their purses and show off their goodies! Have fun!!

Jennifer at JenWebb702

Jodee at The Pinkston Family

Amy at The Seifert's Diary Of Life

Jackie at Babies...Belly Laughs and Bare Feet

Emily at Photos, Fingerprints, Crayons & Coffee

S at a.little.bit.delirious

Sand of a Beach!

We spent an amazing Memorial weekend at the beach. Our family owns a beach house about an hour and 20 minutes from home, so we all head out there to spend holidays together. The kids run around crazy, and we just relax. Very nice, and such a blessing to be able to have.
We lucked out with sunny weather this weekend, and yesterday was actually warm enough to go play on the beach. Everyone in the Baker Family loves the beach. Except me. I.HATE.SAND. Yes, I really do. The ocean is gorgeous, the sunshine and warmth are definitely for me, but my ideal beach would be made up of concrete. Sand gets in places it shouldn't and it is dirty. I do not like dirty. I try not to complain too much about it, so others can enjoy themselves, but I do not let my sandy kids touch me, nor do I strip them down to get them into the car. Hubby saves the day and does that for me! And I always wear my flip flops. Sand just plain creeps me out.

Despite my hate for the sand, I did get a nice little base tan started, snapped some pretty cute pictures of the kiddos playing around, and enjoyed soaking in all the family time. We had such a fun weekend, and are looking forward to the 4th of July for our next holiday retreat. Here are a few pics from this weekend ... to see more, visit our family site and my facebook (link in my sidebar) that I also updated. Hope you guys had a great weekend, too!!

Makes A Girl Smile

I am a pretty easy girl to please. It's the little things in life that make me happy, and as long as I have my family and friends, my world spins 'round. Last weekend, me and my girlies had a fun night out - I met up beforehand with Betsy and roamed through Nordstrom for a little bit. She is an awesome bargain hunter and loves the sales racks! Sure enough, we came across these little purse holder gadgets that were half off! Anyone hate putting their purse on the ground or on the back of your chair when you are at a restaurant? I usually end up with mine in my lap, being it is small enough, but it can be rather annoying.

Nordstrom is now selling Handbag Hangers - nifty little hooks that hang from the table and keep your purse off the ground! They are really pretty and cost $28 - $32, but keep an eye on the handbag sale tables - you are bound to find them at $13 - $15. These little cuties hold a lot of weight, too! I tested mine out on my sister-in-law's diaper bag and it held up just fine!! Betsy and I snagged ourselves each one and took them to dinner with us!

Wednesday this week kicked off Nordstrom's Half-Yearly Sale ... and of course Betsy and I had to get our fix! We were very good though and fought back the urges to spend on all the cute things we were drooling over. Sigh. If we ever win the lottery some day ... oh the fun we will have!

Browsing the sale, we came across these adorable Juicy tube socks ... ever since Holly Madison rocked them on Girls Next Door, I always wondered how cute they would be in real life. I debated for about 30 seconds - you all know my weakness for Juicy Couture (especially on sale!) - but I put them back. I didn't need them, nor did I need to spend the cash (even if they were under $10). Off to the next department we went ... then my hubby called and I had to defend the fact that yes, I was shopping, but honestly I was NOT spending! Boys just don't get it sometimes.

When I finally hung up, Betsy had disappeared. I casually kept looking through racks while keeping an eye out for her. A minute or two went by and I was about to call her, when she came popping up with a little Nordstrom bag in her hands ... "Here, friend!" My sweet bff snuck back over and got me the Juicy socks while I was distracted on the phone! No purchases for herself, just a little something for me. I told you she is the greatest person, evah!! Something as small as a pair of socks made me smile, but the fact that she got them just cuz she loves me ... that is way more special!! :o)

Thoughtless Thursday

Yeah. I am stuck. I am sure I have some cool blog topics in my brain somewhere, but for now they are hiding. So here are some randoms for you ... promise I will be back to my regularly scheduled blogging soon!

Like this card? I got it for Betsy for her birthday this month. It was too darn perfect. If you are a momma, you get it. Ain't no shame.

Anyone see my post on Manicure Mommas a few weeks ago, where I took my solar nails off? Well, they are back on again. It was a short-lived break.

Who hit up the Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale going on right now? Please share pics, as I am unable to shop, and need something to ooh and aah over. Stinkin' bills.

And the winners of the oh-so-cool Strap Perfect freebie are Molly and KLC! Send me your shipping addresses to aprilbaker23@yahoo.com and I will get them off in the mail to you! Be sure to blog about how you liked or didn't like them!!

My next giveaway will be a doosey for my 1 year Blogiversary ... I am working on a few things for all my awesome readers friends, so be sure to stay tuned within the next few weeks.
Have a great weekend!!
Muah xoxo ♥

Dear Starbucks,

I have never liked coffee. Love the smell, not the taste. Until you offered a free sample upon one of my recent green tea latte visits - Caramel Frappuccino Light. Oh, my newest feel-good treat! Only 160 calories in the grande ... not-so-bad and oh-so-yummy!
Now having to chose between my classic love and my newest temptation ... it's just not fair. Thanks.

See you again tomorrow,
April
♥

Consumer Report (and a freebie)

Saw these on an infomercial (hey, I am an insomniac, remember?), and thought to myself that this nifty little invention could save me some moolah in the bra buying department. I prefer to get my bras at Nordstrom's ... they carry my size and they just plain fit right, but we all know that Nordy's is on the spendy side. I honestly needed a racerback bra for all those summer tanks and tops, but dropping $50 to $75 on a new bra just isn't in the budget right now.

Intrigued by Strap Perfect, I sat and watched a good 15 minutes of the paid programming. I didn't order them off the TV, but I did find them in a local Walgreens and thought I'd give them a try. I figured if they didn't work, I was okay with losing the $9.99 I paid for them (because if they did indeed work, hey! I just saved some bucks!!).

I tested them out this weekend, and I must say that they did as they advertised! You take this small plastic piece, thread your bra straps through, adjust the height to where you want it on your back, and wholah! No more bra straps hanging out the side of your tank! It wasn't uncomfortable either ... I forgot I was even wearing it as I went about my day. Now as for the cleavage boost they claim (of adding a full cup size instantly) ... I can't say anything about that one. If anyone pulls their shoulders back and stand up straighter, the girls are gonna be lifted. A plastic bra strap doo-hickey isn't going to make you look any bigger. Sorry.

So, for the $9.99 you pay, you get 6 bra strap gadgets (2 clear, 2 nude and 2 black), plus 24 pieces of invisible sticky tape (in case you needed some, I guess). There are instructions, too. Definitely worth a try - in fact, I wanna send 2 of my readers one! I have a nude one and a clear one that I would love to pass along to a friend, so if you are interested, leave me a comment! I'll pick 2 people on Thursday and get them in the mail before the holiday weekend!

I.So.Tried!

Got my hair done tonight - yay!! Got a little trim ... I chickened out on cutting the length - I am loving my long hair - but, I did get a few more longer layers, and had it colored almost black. I am so excited that I no longer have a lovely band of brassy, grown-out color at my roots, and I love the new shiny, rich color. My stylist rocks!
I want you all to know though that I honestly tried to get purple highlights tonight!! No joke! I went into the salon this evening very excited to take the plunge! My stylist helped find the right strands in between my top and bottom layers (so the purple wouldn't be too crazy obvious, but fun when peeking through), she bleached the strands slightly so the color would stand out from my darker color, and .... nothing. We tried a second time to apply the color, without re-bleaching (I don't want straw for hair), and still nothing. Sigh. I was so bummed. My stylist has a couple other ideas that we may play around with later this week, but for now I am thrilled with my new color.

Polyvore

My sis-in-law, Jackie introduced me to this fun site ... a place to play dress-up with all your favorite designers and stores! Not only can you put together gorgeous outfits with coordinating accessories, but you can also shop at the same time with prices and links to your wardrobe picks!
Check out what I put together for Saturday night ... I must say that I have great taste, as the shoes are over $500 themselves (everything else, except for the Coach purse, was under $30 each though). Ha, ha! Have fun, girls! I can't wait to see what creations you come up with!

Girls Night by aprilbaker23 featuring Coach Bags

So Ready

I am really looking forward to this weekend ... not only is the weather supposed to be sunny and WARM (we Oregonians love the 'w' word), but I am getting my hair done tomorrow night (pictures to come, fo' sho'), and a girls night out on Saturday! Hubby is not a fan when I book my weekends out (which really is a rare occurence), but I am giving him mad props for taking on the boys for me so I can have some time out. Woot, woot!!

Easy to please

1 Bag of Popcorn, divided in two seperate bags: $1

2 Vanilla Milk Boxes: $3

45 minutes of Target shopping with 2 happy boys: Priceless

Final Answers.

Here are the rest of my Open Book questions ... this was really fun! Thanks again for playing along!!

Dana from Welcome to our world! was wondering ...

What is one of your most embarrassing moments?

I don't embarrass too easily. I have a pretty tough degree in the "I don't give a crap about what people think of me" department, however there is always one thing that leads me to a red face: Tequila. That stuff does not get along too well with me. I am talking head spinning, can't see straight, watch out cuz I am going to puke! kind of embarrassment. The kind of shame when you get up the next morning and feel like you need to call all the people you were hanging out with the night before to apologize for any out-of-character behavior and to make sure we are still friends. Yeah. Not good. And that is why I am a vodka girl.

Money no object---what is your ultimate dream car?

Hummer H2 ... tricked out, bad-ass, these mo' fo's are hot! Ain't gonna lie! Hubby currently has a black H3 and we love it! Some day we will have an H2!

The best gift you have received from your hubby?

Oh my goodness ... what doesn't my hubby give to me? He has blessed me with an incredible life! He provides for me and our boys each and every day, and he works hard to get me anything my heart desires. I am definitely spoiled, from being a stay-at-home momma to my Juicy Couture, vacations, and putting up with my shopping addiction ... he is one amazing guy!

Aside from dreaming of being a mama when you were a kid, was there anything else you ever dreamt about being when you grew up?

Okay, don't laugh. I actually wanted to be a dolphin trainer at Sea World! I went into high school with the plan to become a marine biologist. I had a fondness for orca whales and bottle-nosed dolphins, so I thought it would be amazing to work with them up close and personal. Then a high school guidance counselor told me that I had to learn the German language to continue in this particular course of study. Sigh. Who speaks German?!? So I canned that idea and moved onto dreaming of being a kindergarten or first grade teacher. I had worked in preschools, daycares, and taught swimming lessons to children of all ages. I babysat since I was 9, and by my senior year of high school, I cared for a 9-week old on a regular basis! Then I went into community college out of high school and was told I needed college algebra and microbiology classes in order to teach children under the age of 7. Ugh. I was done. All I really wanted to do was become a wife and a momma. And so be it.

Summertime Swap!!

I'm a sucker for swaps ... especially fun ones like these!! Come join us over at Sweet Tea Diaries and sign up before Monday, May 18th!!

Round 2 ...

Answering more questions ... anyone else have any? This is so much fun!!

Timi from A Girl Named Timi asked ...

Where would you like to travel to, some place you have never been?
Italy! You all know how proud I am of my Italian heritage! I would love to go experience Venice, Tuscany, Sicily, and Rome. The language alone makes my heart pitter-patter (if only I spoke it!), and the food ... oh! Mangia!
What is your most favorite food dish? The thing that makes you all warm and fuzzy inside.
Ahhh ... Cioppino!! Made by my little (and by little, I mean short) 85-year-old Italian grandma! It is a seafood stew in a red sauce, normally served with spaghetti noodles. I prefer it with a loaf (yes, I said a loaf) of french bread. I absolutely refuse to taste any other imposters (i.e. restaurants) ... this dish has to be made by my gram!
Your last "light bulb" moment, aaah ha moment, something that made you say.. oh I get it now!
Hmmm ... obviously my brain isn't working for this question! Anytime I do have one of these moments, it is because my hubby has had to explain something to me in terms I understand. Seriously - with the mom brain I suffer with, he is always trying to help me figure things out. It's a good thing he is a smart man!
Newest item discovery that your in love with?
My sleeping pills!! Ha, ha! I have just recently come to the realization that I can handle life a whole lot better after a good nap or a good night's sleep! It is still hard for me to get to the point at night to sit down and actually pop a pill (I soo enjoy the 'me' time), but when I finally do, it feels good to recharge!

We have a winner!

Thanks so much for entering my latest giveaway for the chance to win an adorable hat from Portland Beanie Company! Many thanks and appreciation to Nili who is the talented creator of these sweet little hats, and for generously donating one to my blog giveaway!!

And the winner, by good old fashioned name draw ....

Grandma Jean!!

I'll be in contact soon to find out which hat you would like. Congratulations!!

I still have a few awesome giveaways coming soon, so be sure to keep checking in! Thanks for the blog love!! ♥

Ask and you shall receive ...

Great questions from my post this last week, girls!! If there are any other inquiring minds who wanna know something, then please ask away! Here is the first set of questions and answers ...

Amy from The Seifert's Diary of Life asked ...

How did you and Tim meet?
We met at Eastside Athletic Club in late December 1998. I was a senior in high school and worked at the gym in daycare and at the front desk. Tim was a member and spotted me working with the kids one night, and immediately asked my co-workers all the details about me. Our first date was January 2, 1999 and we have been together ever since.
What high school did you go to?
I went to Clackamas High School, Class of 1999. Tim was Class of 1997, and we did not know eachother in high school. We hung out in seperate crowds, but in a video of Tim goofing off in the hallway with his friends, you can see me looking on in the background! Pretty crazy that I was laughing at my future husband!!
What are your biggest pet peeves?
Drivers who don't use their turn signals!! Ugh - how annoying!! And of course, stinkin' women who steal the parking spot you are waiting for!
When are we going to meet in person for a drink?
LOL - love this one!! I often think of how fun it would be to get a big group of us bloggers together for a girls night out! Lots of laughs would be shared, I am sure. Seriously ... let's plan a night!! :o)

Happy Momma's Day!!

This year, a stay-at-home mom performing the 10 most popular "mom-job functions" does the work equivalent of a $122,732 salary, up 5 percent over last year's calculations.

Money can be tight at times, my days can be overwhelming and stressful. I run on little-to-no sleep, and my boys know how to run me ragged. But overall, I have the absolute greatest "job" in the world.

I am blessed. My hubby has given me the amazing opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom. He busts his butt each and every day to provide the lifestyle that we lead, and makes sure we are more than taken care of. We are never in want or need. He makes it work. I get to raise our boys. Our witty 5 year old, Maddox, and our spit-fire 2 year old, Sean. The sweetest of boys who will give you a run for your money if ya let them! Being a momma isn't always the funnest or prettiest, but I have had no greater calling in life. I am one lucky girl! ♥

To all my mommy friends, I hope you are having a wonderful day!! Lots of love!! xoxo

Don't forget to enter my latest giveaway!! Deadline is tomorrow night at 8pm!! :o)

♥ Giveaway ♥

I am so excited to be hosting this giveaway from an adorable company called Portland Beanie Company! They are a small, family-owned business located here in the Portland-Metro area, and they have a cute little store on Etsy. All of their products are handmade by a stay-at-home momma (Nili) of 100% cotton yarn (breathable and great for all seasons) and they are offering one lucky reader of my blog an oh-so-sweet children's hat of your choice (in sizes 0-3 months or 5T to preteen)!!

Here's how to enter:
First, click on the above picture to visit pdx beanies on Etsy. Try to pick out your absolute favorite hat ... it will be hard, they are all so stinkin' cute!

Next, come back here, become a follower if you aren't already, and leave me a comment as to which beanie you can't live without. And if you blog about this giveaway on your own blog with a link back, let me know for your second entry!

*You don't have to have a blog to enter, just be sure to include your email address in your comment (post under name/url)!*

Super simple! Giveaway ends Monday, May 11th at 8pm and the winner will be announced before 10pm. Good Luck!! :o)

A BIG thank you to Nili for being so generous for this giveaway!! ♥

Mommy's Day Wishes

Juicy Couture Charm Catcher Toggle Necklace

Nordstrom, $58

Gerber Daisies & Roses

Flowers are always great!

Twilight

Look what I am reading! I loved this movie (and so fell in lust with Edward - ain't.no.shame.), but so many of you have praised the book series as being better. So, I am getting over my 'these books look way to ginormous to get into' theory and am diving in! I enjoyed The DaVinci Code in text way better than the movie ... let's see if Twilight can do the same.

Muchas Gracias, Mexico!

Cinco de Mayo. The Mexican Army defeated the French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Not to be confused with Mexico's Independence Day which is actually September 16th (thank you, Wikipedia).

While this day is not widely celebrated in Mexico, it gives reason for Americans to party in the middle of the week. Awesome.

Open Book

I have seen several bloggers do this, so now it's my turn.

Most of you already know that I am a pretty open person. I share a lot here on my blog, whether it is my opinion on a matter, or admitting I have corns on my feet (probably not what y'all wanted to know, but hey). So does anyone out there wonder something about myself that I haven't already shared? Now is your chance ... ask me anything ... I will answer any and all questions! Fun, crazy, personal ... whatever you like! I'll give it a few days, then collect your questions and give you my answers. Let's see what you all can come up with! :o)

All you need is love ...

... And Miss Jackie is giving it away! My sis-in-law is hosting her very first giveaway! Some great Philosophy products including the delicious Falling in Love scent ... mmmmm!!! Promise you will love it!! Go enter - giveaway ends Monday at midnight!

I Was A Really Good Mom ...

I was inspired by my reader's block and found some great (and not-so-great) books to entertain me. There will be lots of reviews in the (hopefully) near future as I dive into the 5 books I found ... a couple of them were per your recommendations! Thanks, girls!! So, off to book #1 ...

I Was A Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids: Reinventing Modern Motherhood by Trisha Ashworth and Amy Nobile

Excuse me, You're Jack's mom, right? Are you losing your mind?

(During Downward Dog)

Trisha: Psssst, Liz. How's it going? Are you losing it?

Liz: Yeah, I'm gonna shoot myself in the head. Talk to ya after class!

I am definitely not a perfect momma. Those who know me have seen the not-so-pleasant side of me when I am yelling at my boys and pulling my hair out. The days when my patience levels expired yesterday and when I am just counting down the minutes for my hubby to get home so I can bust out a martini. I am a busy woman, I try to keep my schedule full on purpose. I stay occupied and my boys have grown accustomed to always having things to do. Being a chronic insomniac though, some days are tougher than others. I am weak, tired, moody, and just don't want to deal with anything. Hey, I am human. I rock as a mom - it is my calling in life - but I am the first to let ya know warn you when I am having a not-so-great day!

This book, while I will admit was really redundant and boring at times, was a great resource for those looking to find some control and organization in their mommyhood lives. These 2 authors, both mommies themselves, interviewed fellow moms and dug deep to find out how women really feel in their roles. Working moms, stay-at-home moms, and single moms all vented and shared their dirty little secrets, and true feelings on their lives. There was even a chapter on husbands and marriage, and the guys shared their own perspectives.

Bottom line ... a good book that teaches you how to embrace and love mommyhood for all it's worth. How not to feel overwhelmed and to reaffirm that you are not the only woman out there feeling the way you do. These 2 authors really did a great job on keeping it real! They have been on Oprah and The Today Show, have written a couple other books in this series and keep up a great website to check out!

Has anyone else read these books? Whadya' think?

Say hello to my little friend ...

I am loving my new cell phone - I had to trade in my other one cuz it was freakin' out - so meet my new buddy ... Blackberry Curve. I can't even tell you how thrilled I am to get my emails throughout the day while I am out, and that keyboard - oh.so.awesome!! xoxo