The Sewing Mom

Besides being on a select travel softball team, my daughter also is now playing ball for the high school. Of course, she’s playing ball which means I’m not only a softball mom, but I’m also a member of the softball booster club for school. Trust me, there are a lot of duties that come with being either the mom or the member, but one of my most recent jobs was creating decorations that would go on each players locker on game day. I spent the last couple of weeks working on this off & on, getting it just the way I like it and trying not to have glitter covering my entire house.

I actually convinced my husband to work on the artwork which he adapted from something he found on the web. I then did all the printing, cutting, trimming, gluing and glittering. In the end, after making a total of 15 of these, I think they look pretty darn good, if I do say so myself! The team lost the game to the Panthers, but I think they liked their locker decorations!

This post brought to you by Express. All opinions are 100% mine.

It’s definitely warming up outside, today, although it’s super windy, it’s 75 degrees!  Our swimming pool is open year around, but we’ve never turned the heater on, so I wouldn’t want to swim in it until the sun has had time to warm up the water!  That will be less than a month away, so now is the perfect time to start looking at women’s swimwear because it takes me forever to find swimwear that I actually like and feel comfortable wearing.

I was visiting Express

and found  swim suits in such pretty colors, I really love the colors of summer.  I especially love the poppy color in this cover up, it’s such a warm color

It hard to “dive into the season’s sexiest swimwear” when I’m dealing with turning 50 yesterday, but I still enjoy being outdoors and finding suits that are flattering.  I like to shop early while there’s good selection too.  I’m sure my 15 year old will be interested in the flirty ruffles and sexy self-tie sides offered by Express.  Just like the swimsuits she’s had in the past, these bikinis have removable padding in the tops.  I do like to also check out the sandals, tote bags, sunglass and hats that Express has to offer.  I could use a good sunhat this season!  Don’t forget, Express also offers swim short for men.

Sign up for Express e-mail and get registered to win one of 10 Express $200 gift cards!  You can check out all the sweepstakes rules but it end April 21, 2011 at midnight.

Today is my birthday. I tried hiding under the bed to avoid it, but it came anyway. I so very much wanted to be out of town today, somewhere warm, with sparkling, sandy beaches and warm water to jump in. I wanted to have a Mohito in one hand and nachos in the other. But instead, here I sit, on the sofa, writing on my blog, while my daughter is at school and my husband is at work.

I did wake up to a nice surprise on the kitchen counter, as seen in the above picture. I also scheduled myself to have today off from work, so I can enjoy my day, even if it’s by myself! I also scheduled myself for a facial this morning, a special treat, and I may go for a pedicure afterwards. I have a softball booster meeting this evening, but am hoping to go out to dinner after that.

Not a bad day to turn 50, but I would still rather be on a sunny warm beach with a drink! I hope you all enjoy a great day!

This post brought to you by Pier 1. All opinions are 100% mine.

My daughter celebrated her 15th birthday yesterday!  She had a group of friends over last night for a fun meal, gifts, balloons and all around fun.  After dinner they all went to see the new movie “Beastly” which they said was pretty good.  My husband & I were a bit nervous about having a bunch of teenagers in the house with food around, but it was an amazing 80 degrees outside so we decided to open up the back door and give full access to the patio.

Before everyone arrived, my husband brushed off all the cushions on our patio furniture and even took the leaf blower to the patio to clean it.  It’s a wonder how much can accumulate in the corners over the winter!  The patio looked great (especially since I had just recovered all the cushions last summer) and then, the kids wound up never even going out there.  I have no idea why, but they chose to huddle around the kitchen table instead.  Maybe it was because it was a few feet closer to the food, they are teenagers after all!

Anyway, since they weren’t out there enjoying the lovely weather, I took my beer and stepped out to relax.  While I sat there, I was envisioning the things I need to get done this Spring, particularly the trimming of the bushes that surround our pool.  I thought plants weren’t supposed to grow in the winter?  How did they get so messy, I just trimmed them in the Fall!

I was also thinking of things I could add to the patio to add to the relaxation affect, for after I do all that labor on the bushes.  I recently joined the Pier 1 Outdoor newsletter and it gives great ideas on sprucing up the patio and adding backyard fun.  Pier 1 has always been one of my favorite places to shop, in fact, I furnished my entire 1st apartment by shopping at Pier 1 many years ago!  I like their furniture because many of the pieces can be used either indoors or outdoors, and they’re practical pieces that can be used for years to come.

I would love to have one of these Outdoor Swingasan Chairs.  This picture shows it hanging from a tree, but there is also a Singasan Chair Stand available, which is good, since we don’t have a tree large enough to hang it from!  March 20 is the 1st official day of Spring, and I can’t wait, how about you?

The Pier 1 Outdoor newsletter also gives updates on specials and sales including their special in-store off March 18-20.  Also mark your calendars for the Pier 1 Tweetups in Orlando, March 9, Dallas, March 22, Atlanta, April 5 and NYC April 20.

I saw daffodils in bloom!  That has to mean that Spring is right around the corner!

I’ve had various types of bulbs planted at every house we’ve ever owned except this one, and I really miss those first favorite signs of Spring.  Guess that’s why I was so happy to see those beautiful yellow daffodils on my drive home, even if they aren’t located in my own yard.

What is your favorite sign of Spring?