Looking for new shoes?

After a lengthy exchange process with New Balance....my new shoes finally arrived in the mail!

These are True Balance shoes from New Balance. They are a similar concept to the rock and tone shoes from all the other brands but they look like a regular tennis shoe. I tried them out today on my walk with Grace and WOW is all I can say. I could feel the toning in my legs instantly. Can't wait to see my new legs when they make their summer debut!

Just saying...if you're in the market for a new pair of tennis shoes...why not get some that are stylish, comfortable and do some good?

Audrey's Bachelorette Weekend

Wow....I think I am finally recovered from a weekend of fun for Audrey's bachelorette party. Last minute the weekend changed from Austin to Dallas so I was able to join in on the fun....Audrey's friend Liz had a great weekend planned minute to minute. After a Thursday night of no sleep, I was really gearing up and getting motivated for a busy weekend!

Friday night I met the girls at Mi Cocina in the West Village for a great dinner and some Mambo Taxis....It was such a fun night...the girls were highly impressed with my festive cranberry and sprite....my new favorite party drink!

the girls at mi cocina

cheers to audrey!

After dinner we hopped over to the Lemon Bar where we chatted it up and listened to some good tunes. I lasted until about 10:15 and then headed home to sleep and gear up for the next day!

We were meeting for brunch, then some shopping, a little spa treatment after that, then a movie, then the lingerie shower, then out for dinner and a festive night! I knew I couldn't hang for the whole day and evening of fun so I opted out of the movie and joined for dinner but let them go dancing at the W without me....

We met for brunch at Toulouse (this is where Orie and I went for NYE).....brunch was delish and we had a great time chatting.

brunch....horizontal stripes seem to be a bad decision:(

After brunch we shopped along Knox street strolling in and out of stores. The sun was out and the day was just gorgeous! After our hard work shopping and eating we treated ourselves to a massage at Riviera Spa. It was so relaxing....I loved my girl so much I took her card and brought home the brochure to Orie....I'm hoping to turn this into a monthly treat!!!!

I then headed home to shower and get dressed for the evening's festivities. While they were at the movie I took Jen and Rod to the airport and then quickly headed to meet the girls. After a little glitch in the hotel location....we decided just to meet at the restaurant and open Audrey's gifts there. We had dinner at Victor Tangos and it was delish! We waited FOREVER for a table though but the food was definitely worth the wait! Audrey got some fun gifts and we had a great time just hanging out over dinner. Afterwards I took them downtown to the W where they danced the evening away and I headed home to bed....now don't worry...I wasn't that much of a party poooper....it was 11:30 before I got home!

party time with the bachelorette!

the girls....

On Sunday I didn't do much but recover! Thanks for a fun weekend Audrey....we can't wait until the wedding!

What did Orie do all weekend....he loved every minute of being left alone with nothing to do but game!!!!!

Freecycle Glider Part 2

I'm not quite sure my first post on why the glider DID NOT work was clear or not....so I thought I should follow up with some pics. Also....for you greenies out there....don't worry - the glider did not end up in a landfill. Within moments of its curbside debut it was scooped up by some glider loving person! All is well with the world again!

see...no wooden seat bottom...boo hoo

this fabric can only be described as "elegant camouflage"?....

February 17, 2007

This is the day that Orie asked me to marry him.....gosh I can remember almost every little detail. It was perfectly amazing.....

Carriage rides through Central Park will always be special in my book. Thanks for asking me to marry you Orie....I can't imagine life without you!

Maybe we should celebrate?

Such a fun week....

It's been a pretty fun week....some highlights....

Valentine's celebrations.....helping out at the Orient Expressed show.....strolling with sweet Will and Lee....watching Grace bask in her sunshine filled backyard....leaving the back door open because the weather is so amazing....lunch with Lee-Tay....finding out if Kat's Kit-Kat is a boy or a girl....watching a movie with my Valentine...finally catching up on some blogs....hearing that my bestie conquered a fear and finally went "out to lunch"....Grace's clean bill of health at her 6 month eye checkup....

gosh - so much fun in our lives....we are blessed!

Valentine's Celebrations....

I love celebrations...if you know us well, you know we celebrate EVERYTHING!

Valentine's Day is no different....so for all you people that don't celebrate V-Day because you think it's a lame excuse to have to show someone you love them....stop reading. I don't agree with you....I simply think it's another day to get to show people you love them!

We hadn't really made plans on how to celebrate....we're kind of live in the moment people sometimes. After talking with Rodney on Saturday we decided we would go out to dinner and we were going to try a place he and Jen recommended....so we set out Saturday night to have dinner at a place called Olivella's. After taking a little while to find it....we pull up to what appears to be a college pizza and beer joint for frat dudes. I wasn't super sold on the crowd and I told Orie I would rather just pick up pizza and go home and watch a movie. Not that I wanted something super fancy and romantic but I wasn't really interested in college frat boys convos after the rugby match. He searched on....using one of his many iPhone apps....he decides on a new place...it was a surprise. So, we drive on! We then pull up at a local joint called Nicolas. Which could have been perfect except I had read a review on this place when it opened after hearing lots of hype about it. Apparently it's an old person's joint....saying that you might trip over all the walkers when you walk in! Orie just laughed and didn't fully believe me....so we peeked in the restaurant and at 8:00 on a Saturday night the restaurant was empty....that was enough for him!

So-we regroup again.....this time heading to a place called Momo's. We arrive and the host asks if we have a reservation...we say no but we don't mind waiting....he says he's just not quite sure if he will have a table for us....I gasped....I could hardly believe it and was definitely put off by his non neighborly attitude. We went and waited at the bar for his "decision". Orie looked at me and said "want me to just take the 8:15 reservation on Open Table?" I love stuff like that! A few moments later the host found us a table and we ended up having a delicious dinner and a really lovely evening.....very Di and Orie style! It was one of the first meals I have truly enjoyed in the last few months.

On Monday night we had another celebration....I had planned on cooking Orie a nice dinner and setting our dining room table with all our fine china. Plans changed and I was without a car on Monday....so no gourmet dinner from Chef Diana. Instead....my sweet husband picked up our dinner from Chef Central Market and we had a lovely evening. Chef CM whipped up a Valentine's special for us.....spinach salad, whipped potato something, mixed vegetables, dinner roll, chocolate covered strawberries and cake balls, a bottle of wine AND LOBSTER TAILS! Ahhhh...it was amazing. The bonus was that since Chef Central Market cooked....I didn't have anything to clean up - so washing the fine china by hand was no big deal! We had beautiful roses at our table too...from my Valentine of course! It was so fun to use all of our fancy stuff too...I so enjoyed using it and love it even more than the day I picked it all out! I strongly recommend using yours one night soon....so fun!

our table....

my beautiful flowers...

some flowers, some vino and some ginger ale

Chef Central Market's fine dinner...

I just love my crystal and pewter goblets! and that dessert was pretty tasty too!

see....not so bad!

What fun celebrating Valentine's Day was for us! AND for all you people that don't believe in that one day of celebrating your love....have no fear....he still loved me the next day and the next and the next.....and he ALWAYS does nice things for me!

Happy Heart Day friends!

Freecycle

I recently learned about these group of "greenies"....their group "freecycles" lots of random things to others in their area. I thought it sounded a little interesting and I am always up for something new and fun so I joined my local Freecycle group to see what the fuss was about.

It's basically an online recycling/donation/giveaway project for your area. Anything goes as long as it's free and no pets are allowed to be freecycled! I have seen posts for batteries, lamp shades, sheets, ink cartridges, diet red bull, sewing patterns, blenders, to adult gliders! The adult glider is what caught my eye....I immediately responded to the post that I wanted it! It was supposedly a great rocking chair with a cherry finish and green and white cushion....I was picturing something similar to this....

I thought I could just take off the green and white cushion part and have an extra rocker for the living room. So, I told the woman I wanted it and we worked out the details. The details of Freecycle usually run like this....Porch Pickup Only and ASAP. So that Saturday Orie and I set out to this porch (which is supposed to be in your neighborhood....aka your freecycle group since it's based on location). We drive and drive and drive....through a few "hoods" and finally find the house....with the porch....with the rocking chair on the front. For a split second I almost thought....no...we can't stop here....but we did and Orie loaded up the chair in the car....I was the look out to make sure no one shot him - thinking he was stealing off their neighbor's front porch!

I wasn't super impressed with my find but I wasn't going to give up yet! We got home and got the chair out...Orie helped get the back cushion off and I was thinking it had potential...we got the arm cushions off and I was still thinking it had potential.....then we took the seat cushion off....that's where the fun ended....those stupid gliders don't have a seat.....it's just mesh under the stupid cushion! Our adventure was over....now that stupid glider (can you read my frustration?) is just waiting to go out on our curb for bulk trash pick up....woops....my first lesson in Freecycling and I failed.....anybody want a chair that no longer works because I ripped off the cushions?

Ahhh....never a dull moment with our adventures...I'm so grateful Orie continues to go on these adventures with me....there's no one else I'd rather be crazy with!

Dave and Buster's

Orie and I had the best time at Dave and Buster's the other weekend.....We were finally able to get out of the house...after the ice....and were just kind of tooling around town. We ordered new contacts and glasses for me at Sam's and then decided to head off for an early dinner. I quickly became nerded out at the thought of going to dinner at 5:30 with the "old folk" and so we found ourselves aimlessly driving around again. Orie said "I know where we can go" and we pulled up at Dave and Buster's. I was so excited....I love arcades...I know it's nerdy but they are so fun and bring back great memories of childhood visits to the boardwalk in Cape May.

I don't have any pics from the event but I do have some stats......Diana definitely beat Orie at football.....multiple times...even made the Pro Bowl selection.....Diana definitely beat Orie at the basketball game too.....sorry babe! It was a great evening....we were definitely the only people "like us" there but we still had a blast!

Find something fun near you and go have a great night!

Valentine's Day Teaser....

Random....from a Guest Blogger....Guess Who?

I was soft today in a soft pink shirt and gray shoes..

I heard mascara was made from bat poop

I actually really like Kim's idea because my hands are always so cold and after I wash them with my rings on it really bothers me and a hand towel just doesn't do the trick

The sun was out here too and it made me really happy

"that labrador retriever" has had several rounds of Pepto Bismol and SEVERAL (solid) bowel movements....Hard to believe they have been solid

Yoga is REALLY hard...try Pilates

Stuck like glue bugged me the first time I heard it and now it is a favorite!

I will have to check out the glass chime mine is boring

Get someone to do your taxes :)

Maybe your eyes are tired...Take a nap :)

Random....

1. Today I am sweet like a watermelon.....pink striped blouse with green cardigan!

2. Have you ever smelled your mascara? Mine smells like baby powder...smell yours, you might be surprised!

3. Kim Kardashian blow dries her jewelry before putting it on....she can't stand cold metal on her skin.....WOW is all I can say about that.

4. The sun is out in Dallas today and for the whole weekend....outdoors here we come.

5. I wonder what happens to a labrador retriever after eating 2....raw....10-12 ounce venison fillets?

6. Yoga is hard

7. If you listen to a song over and over again it just might become one of your favorites.

8. I love the glass chime on my phone for a new text message....makes me all giddy inside going to see who it's from!

9. Taxes scare me....anything I don't understand scares me.

10. My eye has been twitching for two days....too bad I went to the eye doctor last week.

Facelift, Botox or Nothing?

After a lengthy conversation and lesson about blog design on blogger with someone who shall remain nameless.....I am entertaining the idea of changing up the design of our blog.....(shocker!)

I have always loved the simplicity and consistency of the look of my blog....not too frilly....mainly because all those frilly choices weren't available when I started my blog! It will really be hard to not have a consistent design....and I really don't like change for that matter either!

But....now that I have learned the new layout and understand all these advanced choices, I am wondering if our blog needs a bit of a facelift....or maybe just some botox? What are your thoughts?

Happy Birthday Grace....a day late:)

Happy Birthday Grace....it was her lucky birthday.....7 years old on 2.7.2011! She even received a barking greeting from her sweet cousins E and C....it made her day! Enjoy some pics of her celebration....we do realize that last year's celebration was a bit more exciting....a Saints Super Bowl win and a party with her four legged cousins!

she's just not into her birthday hat....

but we gotta get a close up....

ready for some cake...aka frosty paws!

smelling the goods....

going for it....

delicious...she got every lick!

a video of the action!

Early Morning Photo Shoot

my new urn....in sepia....kind of fun

the sun was gorgeous on my Mardi Gras flag....

Grace wondering where her pretty pansies went...

still loving the fluffy snow....

heading out to explore the entire front yard....

pictures can't do the sun justice....it was so pretty on the snow too....

another try....

wouldn't be a photo shoot without a posed picture...

this must be her good side...
playing another round of ice soccer with a basketball!


love this one...strike a pose Grace....

Can you tell we are bored? Haven't left the house since Monday.....AGGGHHHHHH!

Snowmargeddon in 20-11 (sing it so it rhymes!!!)

Welcome to Dallas.....where it's colder than Alaska! Ha - can you imagine all these Super Bowl people who paid a fortune for a nice warm trip south to watch some football? Today Orie woke me at 7:40 to go outside. Some of you may be thinking that he is crazy to wake someone on a cold winter's day but man....I was ready to go play! I bundled up...still not so cute...and we all went out to play. It was great! Enjoy some pics from our morning....I think Grace is still outside....

Checking out the neighborhood....

wow....

it looks like about 3 people have driven already this morning....crazies

i just want to run around and play!

okay...i must have been excited about street photos

here, have a seat!

if you look under the chair you can kind of see the snowfall....our neighbor was measuring 4 inches...why she has the tool for that and actually measured...who knows

come sit...we'll have a cup of hot cocoa

she loved it when the wind would blow and snow would drift out of the tree....

no squirrels with that drift though

backyard....

going for the ball...

it was just amazing!

Frozen Tundra Day....I mean 3 days....maybe 4?

Wow - I never thought I would say this but I am sick of SNOW DAYS!

We have had ice for three days in Dallas and it is preventing me from doing anything.....we left our house one time for the grocery store (bad idea....we slid all over the place) and that is it....3 days in our home is making me mad!

What have you been doing with your snow/ice/wintery mix days?

Grace scoping out her front yard....

She isn't loving this...

All is well with the world....she found a squirrel in the middle of this frozen mess!

A little action....

A Musical Treat

We spent last weekend in Shreveport....celebrating Mom's birthday! It seems that mom had SEVERAL birthday celebrations...but we won't talk about all of them! For Christmas....we all received tickets to a Tony DeBlois piano concert....mom wanted us all to go hear his music for her birthday celebration (the finale I guess!) It was an evening sponsored by The Arc Foundation and it did not disappoint. The event was held on Centenary's campus and it was such a fun evening.

Tony DeBlois was quite talented and quite funny! Here is his website where you can learn many things about him....he can sing in over 11 different languages....he has a library of over 8,00o songs....he is not only a musician but an entertainer....oh yes....did I mention that he is blind...has autism and Savant Syndrome?

It was truly incredible to watch him perform....he and his mom put on a great "show" and he even does some amazing impersonations....Frank Sinatra and Elvis to name a few! The first half of the evening was his show and the second half was special requests from the audience. We heard it all.....Elvis, Phantom, the classics (which I can't remember because I am SO NOT a classical music person!!!)....and everything in between...but no rap or heavy metal!

I strongly encourage you to check out Tony and his music.....also to support local events in your area like this evening of music with Tony DeBlois. It's a win win situation for everyone....you will have a fun evening and you will be supporting a great cause like the Arc Foundation. If you're in the Boston area....check him out live!

Here's a teaser....




After the concert we went "clubbing" at Superior Steakhouse with the whole fam. It was great. We had the nice spot in the back with the sofas and big chairs by the fire. The perfect nightcap to a great evening. We even had full participation from fam....until very late I might add! What fun it was!

Happy Birthday Mom....we hope your day....I mean week....of celebration was fabulous!