Goodbye November!

Thank you all again for your thoughts and prayers last week. Even though father was safe and sound they were very much appreciated by my entire family. My thoughts and prayers are still with the victims of the India attack.

Thursday morning I flew to MSP to spend the holiday with my mother, grandparents and cousins. The airport was much more crowded then I anticipated, but everything was smooth as could be. Better for it to be crowded because it meant more people got to spend time with those dear to them, right?!

With Nana and Poppy.

We had a lovely feast at dear aunt's and then mother and I headed home to pick up the dogs and see Four Christmases. We got a bit mixed up on the time and got there a bit too early, however it worked out as we got amazing seats for our showing.

We missed you daddy!!

On Friday I had the pleasure of seeing my father's side of the family for lunch and then mother and I did some shopping. I got an amazing deal on a coat which I will post tomorrow! We also stopped back by the cousins to help dear aunt get her blog set up.

Saturday I was back to Dallas and then today I had the pleasure of meeting NINA for lunch (of course I forgot to capture the wonderful occasion with a photo- whoops)! We had the best time and I felt as if I had known her for years and we were simply catching up. Nina is in town for the next few days and I certainly hope I get the chance to see her again!!

I hope everyone had a lovely and blessed Thanksgiving and that the Christmas spirit is now upon you! Can you believe we enter the last month of 2008 tomorrow? We have so much to look forward to and 31 days to fulfill those 2008 resolutions dear friends! Make this month great!

PS- A Lilly fun fact for all your LP lovers: the brown, Nancy sweater I am wearing in the Thanksgiving photos was purchased for $30 at the warehouse sale!!

Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart

Last year I spent Thanksgiving in England and today I am on my way to Minnesota to spend time with my family. I have so much to be thankful for and feel so blessed. I have a loving family, wonderful friends, a perfect job, a lovely apartment, a warm church, clothes on my back, food to eat and all of you all! I am so grateful for our friendships and for this wonderful community. As I have said before, today I am especially thankful for every single person who puts their life on the line for this country. I am thankful that they are willing to be away from their family to fight for me. We are blessed in so many ways and let us not forget all those that are unable to spend today with loved ones. Have a wonderful day, may it be filled with happiness, companionship and lots of good food and cheer!

More Than A Day

As Thanksgiving Day rolls around,
It brings up some facts, quite profound.
We may think that we're poor,
Feel like bums, insecure,
But in truth, our riches astound.

We have friends and family we love;
We have guidance from heaven above.
We have so much more
Than they sell in a store,
We're wealthy, when push comes to shove.

So add up your blessings, I say;
Make Thanksgiving last more than a day.
Enjoy what you've got;
Realize it's a lot,
And you'll make all your cares go away.

Karl Fuchs

India Update

UPDATE: All is well in Dehli minus the fact that father is very ill. He will be taking it easy today and will be extremely cautious. I am praying for all the victims of the recent Mumbai attacks as well as keeping their families in my thoughts.

Thank you all for your concern and prayers. They mean much more than you know and I am so thankful to have so many wonderful people out there thinking of me!

My mother and I are still waiting to hear from my father who is traveling, but thankfully as far as we know not in Mumbai. He is usually in Dehli, but happens to be out and about today. We hope to hear something this evening when father will have better access to email and hopefully he might even be able to get a line out. My thoughts and prayers are with all those families who are missing a loved one and to all the hostages.

Items, Items, Items Galore!

Well I kept you waiting, but it was worth while! Here are photos of almost all my Lilly purchases (forgot to photograph the Nancy sweaters, the headbands, polo and the wristlet- sorry) from last Thursday. The Lilly Pulitzer Warehouse Sale was simply fantastic and I had such success and fun that I plan to return next year. The deals are out of this world and I could not resist adding more pink and green to my closet.

Tunics, tunics are so fun (and versatile when living in Texas)!
The neutral, wrap dress with the Lilly signature was a must at $30!

Oh how it pays to be a sample size. Another $30 dress to add to my pink and green closet.

Comfortable for work and nice enough for dinner out!

Won't this look darling with my navy or even my orange turtleneck underneath and my orchid pink Revas??

Had to complete the fall sets and add this navy dress to my collection.

Another summer shift purchased for a mere $30.

Yet another...the obsession continues.

Though it is hard to select one favorite purchase, this leopard skirt is towards the top of my list.

Treats for daddy dearest: embroidered pants, swimsuits, a tie and boxers!

Cardigans and shoes for mother! !

I save the best for last: my treats from Lilly! Isn't the KKG shirt darling? From the pillow case to the apron to the luggage tag and tees I just love it all!

So what do you say, are you in for a trip to KoP in November 2009?! I am!

KP and LP...Love At First Site!

Ohhhh lala! This post is just beyond exciting! Check it out!!

New Blog Alert!!

My dear aunt Kris just started a blog: Three Boys and Two Dogs! She was a Kappa at MN too as was my mother. When I am home on Thursday and Friday I will give her the 411 on blogging, but in the mean time stop by and say hello!

PS- Today is dear aunties birthday!!

Pink and Green LOVE Round Two

I promise this is the last set of Lilly photos until I post the finds! I still have to take photos of everything so to your dismay you might be waiting until tomorrow evening. However, I assure you the wait will be well worth it and in the mean time I am providing you with even more pink and green eye candy!!

The Lilly Jeep! Isn't it darling? Oh, and our fabulous tour guide even got to drive it! I would totally consider buying one of these if we still lived in Florida, Panama or Honduras! It would be absolutely perfect!

Hopsy looking incredibly tired before the BIG event! C and I decked out in pink and green (the Portia dress in Jackie is one of my favorite Fall/Winter Lilly pieces) for the morning of a lifetime.

I do promise to post all my amazing purchases tomorrow evening, but for now I will leave you with this: I bought seven dresses, one skirt, a polo, a beaded tunic, three Nancy sweaters, a pair of shoes, a wristlet and three headbands all for just over $500! Talk about deals to write home about!!

Pink and Green Love!

Since I have a free few minutes I wanted to give you all a sneak peak into my fabulous pink and green weekend!

As you could have guessed the tour of Lilly Headquarters in KoP was amazing. It was a once in a lifetime experience and I am so thankful that I was able to visit. As soon as we left downtown Philadelphia we hit horrible traffic (at 4pm on a Thursday afternoon). It was literally bumper to bumper and as we sat and sat and sat in the car C and I began to fear for the worst. Visions of us driving up to black and closed LP in our sporty, little, rental car started to fill my head. However, thankfully this did not happen and we pulled up right on time! Dear E gave us the grand tour and it was absolutely fantastic and just filled with happy, cherry decor (think Lilly covered furniture)! Really it is everything you have ever dreamed and more! We saw it all and even were treated to some lovely treats before leaving the pink palace and heading to our hotel to get some major rest for the BIG day!
In the entry with E! Can you sport the cheery pillows behind us?!

My favorite photo of the weekend- posing with the Lilly Jeep!

A sneak one item acquired over the weekend. How cute is this tee? I told C it is too special and too adorable to wash with other tops and it will need some special care so that it last forever!

More LILLY new to come!!

PS- as you know I just adore Lilly and I have already emailed the NP store today about helping in my free time. My fingers are crossed they need another pink and green fanatic working in the store!

Back In the Big D!

This weekend was simply AMAZING. There are not words to describe how much fun I had. From our time in historical Philadelphia to the most amazing tour of Lilly to the warehouse sale to THE SALE to time in NYC this was one of the very best weekends of my entire life. I do not have time to share all the details with you now, but I assure you by the end of this week you will be tired of me! Here is a short recap of the weekend in photos.

I just adored PHL and the surrounding areas. It is such a beautiful city and if I was ever given an opportunity to move there I would not pass it up.

One of the highlights of my life: Lilly Headquarters!

I cannot even describe my excitement as we drove towards KoP. Touring LP land was out of this word. Our dear guide was simply amazing and I cannot thank her enough. Also, everyone was so gracious. In fact I enjoyed my tour and time at the sale so much that I have been inspired to go apply to work at the NP store part time. Pink and Green forever!

After we arrived in NYC C and I hit up 5th before dinner at 21 Club and Mary Poppins. We had a wonderful afternoon and if you have not yet seen MP I highly recommend it. The special effects and set are phenomenal!

Like in Philadelphia, our time in NYC was fantastic. I had the best time hitting up all the usual spots, meeting three fellow bloggers) and catching up with old classmates. Minus the fact that I left my car/apartment keys at the hotel and had to have LLH pick up my spare and drive it out to the airport (not everything can be 100% perfect, right?!) this trip was perfection. More details to follow!!

6am and we are OFF!

BON VOYAGE!!

Well, it is 6:20am and our flight is departing DFW. Talk about bright and early, but to pack in all the fun this is the way to go! Have a lovely weekend and I will try to be in touch.

After raving about my new, pink Blackberry I am actually sort of annoyed with it. I cannot get the email to sync with my Gmail box. Every singles time I send and email it appears as a new message on my phone and when I delete something from either mailbox it does not sync up. I have gone in and changed the options and no luck at all. Any advice? Thank goodness there is a return period! I doubt I will end up having to use it, but it is still a plus!

Anyone, no complaining here because I am off to make dreams come true! Philadelphia and Lilly headquarters today then the sale and NYC tomorrow! Since Legally Blonde was cancelled we are going to 21 Club (I LOVE their creamed corn) and then Mary Poppins! Saturday we have a reservation at Serendipity and lots of time to hit up the best of the best (Charlotte Moss, Dylan's, Tiffany's, CK Bradley, Lilly, Floris of London, The MET perhaps). It is going to be a fun packed weekend and I honestly am in awe that it is finally here. God willing, I will be back on Sunday evening with loads of photos, lots of Lilly and too many stories!!

Questions?!

I am in LOVE with my new Blackberry! I HIGHLY suggest that anyone in the market for a new phone look into purchasing a Curve. It is so easy to use and I adore the full keyboard. If you are on the Verizon network the phone is currently on sale for $179.99, but there is a $70 rebate which is not included in the price. Then, if you are eligible to upgrade your phone you have a $100 credit which means the phone is FREE!
Also, as I will be MIA from the computer for the next four days, might one of you lovely ladies be able to fill me in on blogging from a BlackBerry? It would be much appreciated!!

WINNER!

I am very excited to announce that Random.org picked comment 101 as the winner of the giveaway! Hooray for Lulu of The Dirty Martini Diaries! Thank you all for entering and I would HIGHLY recommend purchasing this planner for yourself. It is just $20, such a small price to pay for a price of Kate and an organized life!

Life and Lilly!

Lilly Pulitzer on Madison. Home away from home!

One day from now I will be on my way to Philadelphia with C! We have been anxiously planning this trips for months and I have been dreaming about it for years! When we arrive we plan to head downtown and see some of the big historical sites. What is a trip without a little education, right? After taking a look at Independence Hall, The Liberty Bell and maybe even Betsy Ross's home we are headed to King of Prussia. Why to King of Prussia you might ask? Well, yes the Lilly sale in at the Valley Forge Convention Center on Friday, but on Thursday we will be VISITING THE LILLY HEADQUARTERS! I do not think thrilled ecstatic even begin to describe how I am feeling. I just cannot wait!! As mentioned it has been a dream of mine to visit the Pink Palace for a number of years and I am so blessed that this dream is actually coming true! I will be thinking of you all and will make sure to try and get a photo in front of the Lilly Jeep which I hear is parked out front!

After the tour C and I have a quick errand to run before having dinner and calling it a night. We have to get a good night's sleep before the big sale! I know you will all want me to be energized and have well rested eyes so that I can find the perfect giveaway items for you! After the sale we are off to the city! Another post on NYC later though. I feel obligated to dedicate this post to Life, Lilly and the Pursuit of Happiness!!

PS- side note my new Balckberry arrived yesterday! I am getting it all set up this morning, just in time for the BIG trip!

That Thing You Do

Was anyone else OBSESSED with this movie? It is one of my favorites and I think a copy on DVD is a must for me!

PS- The single is available on iTunes!

Big Week Filled With Fun!

As a thank you to all my loyal readers who have gone above and beyond by reading my blog, voting for my jeans and frequently commenting I am hosting a giveaway!! One lucky winner will win a 2009 Kate Spade desk calendar.

This is the best agenda/diary/date book as it is the perfect size and very vibrant. I simply adore it (LOVE the time slots for each day) and I know you will too!

If you would like to be entered in the giveaway please leave a comment with a reason why you are looking forward to 2009 (comments must be positive!) by 1pm EST (noon Dallas time) on Wednesday, November 19th, 2008. I will pick a winner before my trip!

PS- I feel like this is the perfect giveaway since it is from Kate Spade New York and I will soon be in the city!!

Turtlenecks

I LOVE turtlenecks. They are perfect under dresses and vest and great by themselves. They are such a practical item when the weather gets chilly. For the past few years I have built up a great collection of the J Crew Wellsley turtlenecks. I have them in the basic colors and a pink too! I love them! This past week I decided I needed a new basic, black turtleneck though. You can never go wrong with black and I felt as if mine was looking a bit worn. So I headed to J Crew on my way home from church. I was hoping to pick up a black, merino turtleneck of theirs, but of course they had nothing left in my size. Just my luck is what I thought and boy was I right! After failing to find anything that worked I dragged myself across the way to Banana and after looking a bit I had had zero luck. On my way out I stumbled upon a table full of turtlenecks in basic colors. I looked through a pile of blacks and could not find my size. I went through a second time because the tags can be confusing and there at the bottom of the pile was my size! Now this turtleneck did not seem like anything special at the time. I mean it was good enough to not have to try it on in the store and the price was right at $59, but let me tell you I am now OBSESSED!

The turtleneck is 55% Silk, 15% Cotton, 15% Viscose, 10% Extra fine merino wool, 5% Cashmere and literally is the most comfortable item I own. I tried it on last night and did not want to take it off. However, since I planned to wear it today I forced myself to do so. It is so breathable and soft enough that I could sleep in it. Also, the sleeves are a perfect length. Not too long for the tall crown, but can be cuffed if you are shorter. Banana has a great selection of basic colors and I assure you this is something everyone needs to add to their closet asap!

FOUR DAYS TO GO!

Well, fall just arrived in Dallas and this weekend it felt like winter! Brr!! At least i got to put some of my favorite winter items to good use though. Yesterday I wore my new bee cords with a tan, cableknit turtleneck. I switched out of the bee pants and into jeans before dinner at Fireside Pies with L and Caroline. I wanted to wear my London Sole snakeskin flats and my new Scottie headband from Calista Cove and jeans were a better match. Isn't the headband cute? It is such a perfect fit for me since I have headband hair and love all 'critter' items!We had an amazing meal and then went to see Changeling. I am not a very big fan of Angelina Jolie, but she did a great job in this movie. The movie itself was very well done and even though it was long it was incredibly captivating and entertaining. Afterwards, I came home and watched Made of Honor before calling it a night.

Today, I went to church, ran errands and prepared for the big trip! I pulled clothing I plan to take and tried on a few outfits before putting items aside in my suitcase. I was also hard at work on the trip itinerary. C and I want to make the most of our time and the best way to do this is to stay organized and plan ahead. This evening I also caught up on all my emails which is always a major plus!

Another exciting thing to report: I bought my new phone tonight!!

While it was a tough choice I ended up picking the pink, Blackberry Curve. Up until today I was really set on the Blackberry World, but when I started to think about it I realized there is no point in my having two cell phones that work overseas. Yes, the idea might be nice in case something happened and one did not work, but it really was not necessary. Plus, I just love the pink Blackberry and the fact that the price was lowered an additional $50 this weekend made it completely FREE! I am crossing my fingers that my new BB might decide to arrive before my trip...I will keep you all posted.

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend and thank you again for your votes!!!

Monograms and Jeans!!

Jennifer at Life In The Cove is hosting a monogram contest. How fun and preppy is that?! As soon as I heard about the contest I knew I just HAD to enter. I mean I grew up with monograms and half of what I own has my initials on it. I think my blog name shows my love for anything with a monogram. As you can imagine it was hard to pick just one item to submit, but in the end I went with my monogrammed jeans. I wear these all the time and always get compliments on them. They are not ordinary and I just love that I have have all three of my initials on the pocket!

As I am sure you all guessed from everyone else's post this morning voting has opened!! I am counting on your support to win this! I know there are many frequent commenters as well as a number of faithful lurkers out there that can head on over and vote my jeans (entry #4)! You do NOT even have to have a blog to vote, so I need your help to pull off a win. Each person may only vote ONE time so make sure to take a good look at every entry when you cast your vote. It is like the election, no fraud in the Cove! Who knows, if I do win we might just all have to celebrate! So far my preppy, monogrammed jeans only have two lonely votes (thank you Mona and Maureen!!) so it time to turn things around!! You all are the reason I blog and your support is needed! Thank you in advance for you all do!!

*UPDATE: Oh my goodness! Thank you all for your votes, I think I am already at 29 or 30! I am overwhelmed by your support! Also, just a reminder, one vote for the entire contest. Not one vote per day. Thank you for making your one vote count!!

FREE?!

Calling ALL readers that live in Dallas!

If you are looking to add some stylish, designer pieces to your wardrobe this weekend read on. LFT in Victory Park is having an AMAZING sale and I mean amazing. Buy one get one free on fall clothing. DVF and Trina Turk two for one??? If you love quality and a deal head down NOW! The sale only lasts until November 16th so the time to style is today!If brunch at Craft or watching the Cowboys game at the Boardroom was not already reason enough to head down to Victory this deal will have you camping out down there. Click here for more information!!

Swap Reminder

Today is the LAST day to enter Grove Gals Trim-A-Tree swap! There is a great group signed up, but as always: the more, the merrier!

So the details are spend no more than $25 and send your partners a minimum of 2 items. They can be ornaments, papers, ribbons, you name it. I am not good at acronyms, so I thought we would try something new.
There is one more part of the swap...your package must include your favorite holiday recipe. Now you don't actually need to have made said recipe...if you are like me you have a whole file of recipes that you keep meaning to cook/bake, etc.

Head on over, sign up and join in on the F-U-N!!!

By Request

I apologize to leave you all hanging yesterday! I honestly had no idea you all would have an interest in my would be outfit. Anyway, after receiving several comments and numerous emails as to what I would wear to the Lilly Headquarters if I ever got the opportunity to take a tour I have put it together for you to enjoy:

I think it is fun yet still chic. It is current yet still very classic. I love wearing a turtleneck and matching tights under shifts in the fall as it makes them for versatile. If you have not tired this it is a must! So ladies, do you approve? I think this is one of my favorite outfits and though it may seem like I wear this dress far too often I assure you I do not! I get good use out of it, but it is not over worn- just and fyi!

Pink and Green Tree!

For the past few years I have been collecting the Lilly, hand painted ornaments. They are so beautiful and you can never have enough pink and green on your tree! When I was in the NorthPark store with mother a few weeks back my eye spotted the above item. It is the Lilly Pulitzer Kiss n Tell Ball and it is a giant glass ornament!! How fabulous is that!? In my opinion, just like Texas, bigger is always better! Who knows this lovely item but might bring us all a little bit of luck in the game of love during the holidays... are you ready to kiss and tell!?

Lilly and Me!

Today is a HUGE day! I am talking REALLY big fabulous readers! Today begins the countdown to my Lilly Pulitzer Warehouse Sale and NYC trip!

In ONE WEEK I will be on my way to Philadelphia. I will be mentally preparing for a day I have dreamed of for years. Literally, years. I have been into (some might consider me obsessed) Lilly Pulitzer since I was in eighth grade. That is eight years going on nine dear friends. I have been hooked and never loved any other clothing brand as much. I own over 115 items of Lilly clothing and C and I live in a pink and green apartment. I have worked at a Lilly store, been in a Lilly fashion show and even won their facebook contest last December. I adore the vibrant colors and exotic prints and shifts and tunics are my favorite Lilly items. Lilly is Hopsy and Hopsy is Lilly! If only my love for Lilly and all things pink and green could get me a tour of the PA office/headquarters!! I just do not know what I would do, but I do know what I would wear!

I have gotten loads of information on the sale from some very kind, fellow bloggers. I have heard I am a sample size so that really excites me! Since this is the case I think I might be adding a few more shifts to my collection. I mean someone has yet to tell me thirteen is the number to own. Actually, if you ask me it is an unlucky number so at least one more is in order. Anyway, dear readers do not fear there is something in this for you too! I have been planning to pick up some items at the sale and host a little giveaway when I return. Keep reading and it just might be your lucky day come November 26th! Also, in case you have not already checked it out make sure to visit the revamped website. LillyPulitzer dot com is better than ever and while I am shopping in a convention center you can shop online. We can channel one another!

Okay, I think you understand my excitement for the BIG trip! I will be thinking of you all and if anyone has any tips I gladly welcome them!

I will leave you with some of my favorite Lilly prints. For the record, 2001 and 2005 were my very favorite years as far as prints are concerned and I even saved all the catalogs.

I also love the party lanterns print, but was unable to find a suitable photo!

Cell Time (no, I am not going to jail)!

It is time for a new phone for Hopsy!!!

Very exciting I know and perhaps that is the reason I keep putting it off. I currently have a Blackberry Pearl and a Pink Razr. The Razr is not by choice. My super fun cell got stolen on the way back from Europe in 2007 and I settled for the easiest replacement. Do not get me wrong, it is cute as can be just not that easy to use. Anyway, I have narrowed my search down to a second Blackberry. I LOVE my Pearl and text often so this seems to be the best option plus the price is right!

The first option is the Pink Curve:

I love the size and of course the color of this one!!

Second option: Silver Blackberry World

Since I travel I am all about convenience. This is wonderful in that is will work if and when I need to while traveling. Pretty much the same as the lovely peak, but for the same price you get the world feature. Please note that I do know it costs more to use the phone abroad so that is not an issue.

Third Option: Blackberry Storm

This is the new Blackberry that comes out this month. I am not into touch screens or added web browsing features at all so this is my least favorite of the three. I just thought it might be sort of fun to be one of the first to have one.

Thoughts and suggestions are welcomed and encouraged!

Goodbye to the Townhouse!

Take the time and do some small thing that will be noticed and remembered. Choose your objects carefully, and buy only what you love.
Charlotte Moss

Well, I am sure many of you have heard the sad, sad news: the Charlotte Moss Townhouse will be closing its' doors this month. November 25th will be a tear filled day for all of us who love traditional design with a touch of flair. However, we can all take advantage of the FANTASTIC closing sale. I have read that all antiques are 50% off and new items are reduced 70%. Talk about a steal! Thank goodness I will be in NYC in TEN days and will have the opportunity to indulge and pick up some fabulous Christmas gifts.

Townhouse hours: 10am to 6pm

Monday through Saturday

People's lives are expressed in little details....The soap in the bathroom, the flowers in the garden, the books on the bedside table are all strong symbols of a life in progress. You look at these details and a world unfolds - here are their books, the paintings they cherish, the music that soothes their souls.
Charlotte Moss

Perfect Jean Jacket

Are you looking for something to throw over a turtleneck and a Lilly shift? Something fun, flirty, stylish, but still sort of preppy? Keep reading ladies because I have the perfect item: the Molly B Swarovski Jean Jacket!

I have three of these jackets and they are the best! I can wear them with black pants and a black turtleneck, over my Lilly, Jackie cowl neck dress or with a shift. You can wear these year round and they can be an everyday jacket or thrown on for a special occasion. I have two of the jackets in pink and one in black. I just love wearing them when it is cool with a matching pashmina, but I also love rolling up the silk lined cuffs in the summer. I was never a big jean jacket girl until I came across one of my pink jackets while working at Camp Greystone. I have never looked back and I can you assure you that you will not either!

This eBay seller currently has two jackets listed. One is an XS and the other is an XL and both are the light, cotton candy pink. They are steal at just $50!

They are 50% off here ($99)!

Last, but not least, I cannot forget about my fabulous, old store: Melly! They have a great selection of the Molly B jackets and matching silk, wrap skirts too.

Veteran's Day

Happy Veteran's Day!

I thank each and every service member today and also the families that stand beside them. I am proud to be from a family where both my grandfathers served, my father went to West Point and then served and my cousin was a marine. We are so lucky to live in a country where people are willing to protect us. Thank you all and may God continue to bless our amazing country!

I Won (and ONE for you too)!

For the small price of $16.50 the bee cords were made mine! Hooray! I have so many turtlenecks they will look great with.

Also, while on eBay last night I found these:
Brown cords with PINK and GREEN martinis!
Though they are my size I honestly do not think I would put them to good use (I already have a pair of brown cords). However, I thought there might be a number of you all that can for just $7.99! Bidding ends soon so critter fans head on over!