Love is a numbers game.

I feel like I must preface this post (and perhaps, all future posts,) with this: Most of what I write is 'tongue-in-cheek'.  People are serious as a heart attack and  as literary as a school teacher these days. I can't write like that. I WON'T write like that. So now, take your critic hat off and enjoy the blog. *grin*

008 days to 007 Bond themed Valentine's day party. 

Ugh, 10 times the pressure. Not only do I have to look good for my husband on this 'special day', I also have to look good for random, possibly, 'judgy' strangers at this whole Gala thingy. Great.  Meaning terrible, actually, as I have gained a considerable amount of poundage since October last year - since we're doing numbers, 6.7 lbs to be exact - and definitely changed dress sizes- I've gone from a 004 to a 006. Whew, even I'm impressed by my openness in this blog post!

It was between these dresses: Yes, I had narrowed it down to 007 dresses (ironic, no?). I also quizzed at least 004 friends, roughly about 002 times apiece, if they were absolutely, positively, sure, they liked 'x' dress best.  And not one friend picked the same dress -ha!- so I was left with 005 choices - including my favorite.

I gamely got it down to 002 choices - one long and semi elegant, the other, short, sequinned and sassy. 'Which says Bond girl more to you?" I asked colleagues, friends and family - anyone who would care to listen, really. Sigh. By the time I had placed the order for the dresses, they only had the long dress in a 4 Petite!!  Scroll above for my updated dress size commentary. Of course, now, I had my heart set on wearing the long dress, since it was sort of 'unavailable' to me. It was the worst possible choice; with the low back, I couldn't wear a bra, how much more my much needed spanx!


Friday - 002 days to 007 Bond Party
 

 I decided to give the short, metallic sequinned dress a try. I texted my friend. "I look like an overweight  hooker." Her response "Bwhahahahaha!" I know, very helpful friend.

The black dress warranted another text. "I look like a fat sow." More laughter. Smh.
I wouldn't even show my dear husband my stomach. Plus the 4 Petite was way too short. Above my ankles, coupled with a slit, way, way up there. Tacky, tacky, tacky. It was ALL bad, y'all.

This is where having way too many clothes that you probably wear once and never again comes in handy. (Remember the tongue -in-cheek disclaimer up top, now). I had this long, dramatic fishtail skirt that I had only ever worn once - I had bought it in 2008, but it was a size 6 and had been slightly too big, so I'd never worn it again. Well, those extra pounds were good for something, apparently. HIPS!!

I decided to wear the *Yigal Azrouel 4P dress under the Chetta B skirt, and wouldn't you know it? Perfection! People couldn't even tell that it wasn't a dress. And since it was FREEZING that night, I also had a mini shrug, that created a 'cut-out' effect in the back. It came together really well, shockingly. Whew.

      The day wouldn't be complete without a smart comment from one of the kids would it, now? So real quick - I went to get my eyes done at MAC- I have never, and probably will never master the smokey eye technique - or eye make-up in general. She gave me a smokey eye with natural looking false lashes. I felt really glam, that is,  until Principessa cut me down to size. She literally jumped out of her skin when she saw me. I was like, 'Do you like my make-up?" to which she replied "You look creepy!".  Monkey boy was like, "That's not nice!" and Principessa tried to ease my hurt feelings with a hug and "No, I like it, you just look scary, that's all." Welp.  Principessa - 002, Mom- 000.

                                           *Principessa and scary Mom.

*Forgot the most important part - I have stopped buying dresses that I only wear once and forget about. If you attend a lot of events and rarely wear your black tie outfits again (I know I don't), I highly recommend Rent The Runway. It just makes sense. And here is my referral link - you get $20 off. 
http://refer.renttherunway.com/x/ASDHKY

Hope you all had a great Valentine's Day! (Shaken not stirred) pp

Losing our Nanny, Finding my Pancake Mojo

Now what do pancakes have to do with losing our nanny? Everything. And, nothing.  See, we have always been blessed to have help.  Live-in help, for all but one nanny.  For ten plus years.  Completely spoiled, I know.

But you see, there is a back story to this. In Nigeria, where I was raised, this is normal. Regular people have nannies, house keepers, house maids, cleaners, chauffeurs, cooks and gardeners. It is so common place, that most of 'the help' has their own 'help'. Besides, I work crazy hours and I have quite the commute. This fabulousness was not happening without a nanny. Grin.

One of our previous nannies before this one started making pancakes for dinner and then 'Pancake Thursday' became a thing in our house. Fortunately, our most recent nanny made a mean pancake - well, more like crepes- she is of Francophone origin and that's what she knew how to make, so we rolled with it. So for six years, pancake Thursday was a thing. It worked for me, one less meal to plan; and for her, one less thing to learn to make. Also, for the kids, because, who doesn't love breakfast for dinner? Much less pancakes, right?

But along the way, we lost something. The thrill dissipated, more pancakes were left uneaten. Principessa even declared one day that she hated pancakes. She didn't, but we were all just a little sick of them, with good reason

Nanny leaves after six, yes, SIX years with us.  There were tears and feelings of misgiving and real fear.  Could I do this? My home had run like a well oiled machine for six years and now I was going to have to take control again. Then again, where was the time???

The first thing I got rid of was 'Pancake Thursdays'. No one missed it, to be honest. I make up the menu as I go, my husband packs them fun, nutritious lunches, the night before. Numero Uno had taken PBJ to school for lunch for years, because, he told the Nanny that was ALL he liked. Of course, she obliged - it was one less thing to think about right? Well, homeboy is eating chicken, cheese and arugula melts on naan bread and LOVING it. I firmly believe that most kids don't really know what they don't like - they just want the familiar.

      My point is, I've had to take charge and I'm loving it! Some days it's still cereal and toast, but some days, like today - it was pancakes. Chocolate chip pancakes*!  I've never seen the kids get dressed so fast to make it to the breakfast table!

Change is good. If I can do it, YOU can do this. I see your nanny and I raise you some pancakes.

*Recipe for Chocolate Chip Pancakes

1. Drive to Giant/grocery store of choice
2. Pick up Krusteaz Pancake mix
3. Drive home
4.Add water to mix
5.Make on griddle

TGIF, pp

'Le bow'

You know that cheesy thing that you bought on a whim from Target, for like $3.99, that has all of a sudden become your all consuming obsession? Yup, that one. Viola! In my case, my tacky, sequined, hot pink, hair bow.

I. Cannot. Get. Enough. I wear it with everything- whenever I can get away with it. And I have not worn hair bows since I was like, eight.

Even the Principessa is bewildered by my new fad. Everytime she sees me with the bow, she says soberly, reproachfully, "That's Principessa's." Even a two year old knows that a thirty something year old mother of three has no business rocking that monstrosity. To which I reply sweetly, " Mine, not yours. Mommy's bow."

That's right. Mine. :)

Obsessed, pp

Push Presents

Oh, the controversial 'push presents'. Why should women be 'compensated' for having a baby? Isn't the 'gift of a baby' enough for her? What does the father get for his contribution? Yada, Yada, Yada.

I speak from experience as one who has been there and is firmly 'pro- push presents'. Make that, "pro, pro, pro.'

Here are my answers:

Ofcourse, women CAN'T be compensated for having a baby, even though I think they should be, most definitely. Why? Talk to me after you've done it - I doubt this conversation will be necessary then, though.

Nothing can compare to the 'gift of a baby'. Absolutely nothing. That new baby scent alone is worth its weight in gold. But I fail to see what is wrong with getting even more gold. You know, like the real kind.

Does Dad get- No. He's gotten enough, if you know what I mean. So sue me.

Although I am a die hard 'Pradist', I do not recommend turning one's nose up at the Cartier trinity rolling ring - especially the 'les must de cartier' collection. White, Rose and Yellow interlocking rings on one's right hand are just so... chic. Plus, they are so much fun to play with - that is, if your fingers are not still too fat from pregnancy. Ah, the joys. And they come in the fun red Cartier box, which frankly, is quite refreshing after the sea of tiffany blue boxes, don't you think?

And yeah, that is/was my push present/ birthday present/ anniversary present ( repping 3 decades and 3 babies - You do know there is a recession, right? Combo gifts are the ONLY way to go, trust me). Mama Like. :)

All blinged out, pp

p.s Smooches to SnowCone, for your sweet comment. you are the reason I came out of my hiatus! :)

Vintage is SO 2010...

Books, I mean. Take a look at them beauties, would ya? I was raised on my mother's milk, garri - and Harlequins.
Janet Daily, Charlotte Lamb, Violet Winspear, Betty Neals - you name 'em, we had 'em. Our house was probably better stocked than most small libraries on virtually any topic. With a father who was a voracious reader, a mother who stalked garage sales and bought any book (or anything, for that matter) on any subject and three elder sisters who must have had stock in the Harlequin franchise, I was that chick when it came to these babies.
So to discover them after decades, in mint condition, at 50 cents a piece? I could honestly just cry. Thank you so much, Rosie for remembering. And purchasing. This will jump start my 'good old book' collection that I had been meaning to start.
Je suis une bibliophile... pp

Falling Apart In One Piece

First of all, OMG.

If you are married with the slightest inkling that there is an undercurrent of the slightest 'something is not quite right here', RUN and get this book!

If you are married, with full blown chaos in your home and you think you might be alone, GET THIS BOOK!

If you are married and blissfully happy and want to stay that way, you NEED this book!

If you are unmarried and think you might be getting married at some point to your 'best friend and all that', this book is a must-read.

My point is get this book. Read this book. We can all relate to this book. Married or unmarried. Happy or unhappy. Career mom or stay at home mom. Kids or no kids. Male or female.

If you have ever wondered why marriages don't work out sometimes even between two amazing people, then Stacy Morrison will help you 'get it'. And she does this in the most real, unpreachy, loving way. Without self-pity or cynicism, devoid of finger-pointing or martyrdom, she lets you have her answer (because in the end it is her story, and we each have our own) - which it sometimes it just does not.

And that beyond divorce, there is still life and raising a toddler son and work at the helm of Redbook (a magazine for strong, independent family women, who supposedly 'have it all', whatever that means). So yes, life doesn't just stop just because you got problems. Amen, sister.

What I like most about this book is that it neither glorifies divorce nor puts down marriage. It is just one woman's story to which we can all relate. And it does serve as a wake up call, even attractive, successful women can and do have marital woes. And sometimes there is no 'reason' for a spouses change of heart - no other woman, no financial pressure and not even having a beautiful kid together can save that. And as for couples that never bicker - bravo, but complacency can be a sign of some deeper issue. Or not. But you just never know.

Stacy Morrison's voice is imbued with grace and matter of factness, but I still choked up in certain parts at the honesty and simplicity of her story. Think 'Eat, Pray, Love' meets 'The Devil wears Prada'. You know I'm a fan for life now.

Brava, pp

Fashionphile & going green

Where hast thou been all my life? I need to know so that I can make sense of all the wasted years and dollars that my thirst for fashion has produced.

I shop. Alot. I have. Alot. Of clothes. And guilt, naturally. So I assuage my guilt in two ways: a) telling myself that my mandatory once a year purchase of Tory Burch flats and Ugg boots are investments in classics, since I do keep my clothes forever. I mean I do, really, and I can afford to because they are made so well, and I have, well, alot. I also 'give back' - by this I mean I purge my closets ever so often and sell anything I have not worn in a while on eBay, craigslist, facebook.

But if you have ever sold anything on ebay, you know the hell it can sometimes be. people seriously want a real Louis Vuitton for $50. I know it's a buyers market, but um.. yeah, no.

Which is why Fashionphile is my new best friend. They have gently used (really gently used) designer bags and accessories for less than you will find and the better quality than you will find on eBay - with all the worries about authentication safely out of the way. And get this - they also will sell your gently used designer stuff for a price that is not insulting and you get to make some other fashion-obsessed person's day. Now if that's not the most fabulous way to 'go green', I don't know what is.

MonkeyBoy turns One!

Where does the time go, eh? That gurgling, tiny, almost translucent looking primate is one and big and into everything and in LIVING COLOR! Truly God has been gracious to me and mine.

We had a rollicking good time, with a traditional 'good old days' birthday party, in the basement, with balloons, cake and kids music blasted from the home stereo system. Sans the kiddie entertainer and face painter, it could have been 1984 again!

I just love to share my ideas and new finds, so here goes:

I am on a 'personalized' kick this year, cos it just makes it all the more personal, right :)? So I did the custom m&ms from mymms.com. I had always wanted to try them and it was the perfect opportunity - not for myself per se( too egocentric), you can pick your own colors and write whatever you want on it and - get this - upload photos to put a face on them!!! Now how cool is that? I know!!!! I am still in awe of this phenomenon - the personalized m&m.

As we all know, your party is only as good as the entertainment. For Numero Uno son's first, I had the most awesome magician/comedian/balloon artist, which was great for the older kids, but hardly registered with my son, as he was all of one. so this year I opted for a 'Gymboree' style person who could coordinate games, songs and activities for all ages. it turns out Ms Ann Goodman of 'Parties for Toddlers' was the best investment ever. I mean, who wants to be organising musical chairs and hosting their own puppet show on their sons birthday, when there are a million and one other things to do? She was so good, I joined in the fun myself! 'The wheels on the bus go..." Whoo hooo!

And there is Amy Tam - yes, almost like the brilliant writer, just swap an 'm' for an 'n' and face painting for writing. She is an artisan - that is the is the only way to describe the creativity this lady possesses and the lightening like speed with which she does all this, without sacrificing the beauty of her work is a plus. With squirming babies and temperamental toddlers, I crown her genius saint of birthday parties and all events. Of course I got my face painted. Like, hello?

So, oh yeah, happy birthday Monkeyboy. Cake is awesome, right?

party animal extraordinaire, pp

The Gifts for Less...

It would be remiss of me not to share these wonderful budget friendly yet extremely elegant and useful gifts that I found and gave out last year for Christmas.

These bone china geese measuring cups and giraffe measuring spoons are the cutest things I have ever seen. Perfect for my eldest sister who has Martha Stewart beat, in my opinion. They were so adorable that I even ordered a set for myself - and I cannot bake to save my life! Now they hold pride of place, gliding behind the windows of my kitchen cabinets. But they are so cool that I would totally move them to my living room in a heartbeat, and they are perfect for laying out nuts and candy etc for guests.Then there are these fantastic little soap/china soap dish gift sets with monogrammed initials of your choice, in yummy scents like bergamot and vanilla coconut, lilies and freesia. Everything from the gorgeous packaging (that is so 'tiny yet chic Parisian boutique find') to the china soap dish that seems more fine china dessert plate than soap dish, to the scents is do die for. You'll want one in every scent, regardless of initial. Perfect for your powder room and yet too fabulous for words, I tell you.

A tip: when in doubt give something monogrammed, for in truth who doesn't love seeing their name in print? It is really flattering and personal and always takes whatever the gift is a notch. Enter these exquisite monogrammed note cards. The perfect little boxed gift, on perfect paper, for the perfect price! All from anthropologie.

Bisous, pp

Red, black, hint of or ombre?

This is the most perplexing matter I am facing these days. Living in 'Obamaland', we are right in the thick of things and since everyone and their cousin is throwing a'ball', you can be sure that we got invited to a couple. Now that all the election stuff is behind us, we move on to more serious matters, like 'what should I wear to the inaugural ball?' It is of course, black tie - so I figure that most of the ladies will be in floor length, black gowns? And why not? Black is slimming, black is elegant, black always looks expensive. Black is thine friend. Obvious choice for me was red, as I like how it goes with my skin tone, but every red dress I found was just not me. So I narrowed it down to three choices, Black one shouldered dress - I would've totally worn this one if they had red in my size - (Katherine Heigl at the emmys, except in red), Black Vera Wang strapless with a blue belt, for that hint of color to separate it from the sea of black out there, and an ombre ABS strapless dress that I have lusted after every since I saw Angelina Jolie look absolutely gorgeous in one on the red carpet. I soon nixed that one as, let's face it, she is after all, Angelina Jolie. I may have a copy of the dress, but a copy of the face and body? Exactly. Come to think of it, she was at least 8 months pregnant when she wore it and it does read a little too boho for sedate Washington D.C. In a nutshell, I cannot pull it off. Then there is the gorgeous BCBG brocade silk halter dress, which is so gorgeous, but I am kinda over halternecks at this point. It goes wonderfully with my skin, but has a hint of Bollywood to it. You know, all saris and spices - which I am not sure is totally the best thing for this 'high fallutin' ball thingy. For now, it's between the Vera and BCBG, the husband shall get the final say. Just as long as his final say is in line with my final say. :-) P.S Bluefly doth Rock, as always.

we be ballin', pp

Ear Bling

She didn't call me high maintenance, but I know she was definitely thinking it. I recently upgraded my old I-pod earphones to these 'Shugabuds Swarovski Earphones'. You know, the earphones with all the 'bling'. I think I deserve a little credit for choosing the most sedate color - all white, as opposed to say - pink (I was tempted though) or iridescent rainbow (yeah, um - no thanks.) But someone saw them and laughed and said 'Only you PP, only you..." I wasn't offended, but it did make me go, Hmmm. Do I come across as high maintenance? Because I really, truly am not. Am I a bit of a 'princess'? Well, yeah. And unabashedly so. Do I like nice things? Absolutement. Do I indulge myself on occasion? Yeeeessss. Okay, so I'm high maintenance. Deal with it. :-)

Primpin' and Preenin', pp

Who's in The News?

Me! memememe! Shameless plug of me and the Gilt Groupe - which I have plugged already in a previous entry - gilty pleasures. Look at me! Please...



p.s I apologize for the lack of posts. I just hate not having any photos along with an entry, seems so empty, you know? I have a camera now, so it's all good. But just look at ME, will ya?






We caught this member wearing her Gilt Groupe purchase. Chinwe shows off a little shoulder in this smoldering, statement-making number. With a bright, eye-catching color and the right accessories to boot, this member makes styling look all too easy.
Dress: Cynthia Steffe
Hometown: Columbia, MD
Current residence: Ellicott City, MD
Favorite food: Anything spicy (over white rice)
Restaurant: Cindy Wolfe's The Charleston in Baltimore is great ... But then, there's Le Cinq in Paris...
Reading material: Autobiographies, anything by Chimamanda Adichie, fashion magazines, blogs.
Momentary style obsessions: Tory Burch boots, searching for the perfect shade of purplish/lavenderish gloss, Bottega Venetta bag and at least one Roland Mouret dress.
Style secret: Confidence is sexy. Invest in good quality, timeless classics and never pay retail for anything!
Favorite Gilt brand: I love them ALL. Equally.
Fashion icon: These days, Genevieve Jones.

'Gilty' Pleasure - by invitation only.

I'm just a regular Jo(sephina). As in, I put my Loubou(tins) on one foot at a time, just like y'all and there is something about a deal - any deal - that makes me want to spend copious amounts of money. This must be true for all of us, or Costco and BJ's would be out of business. But I am learning to recognise (and wait for) real deals. Ergo, the one shouldered Jay Godfrey dress from Neiman's (though aching cute) is not as much of a bargain as the one shouldered Cynthia Steffe dress from 'the Gilt groupe', (which costs $179 at both Neimans and Saks) where a deal is truly a deal. How much of deal, you ask? try $70 versus $300 and something? Plus, you never ever pay full price for a trend, because you'll ALWAYS regret it. Remember, celebs get this stuff for free. And we(non-celebs yet fabulous all the same) get our stuff from 'the Gilt Groupe', cause "our mama's didn't birth no fools...". Besides the 'handwritten' note from the owners was so classy, in all its 'black scratch paper and gold inked' glory. Nice touch, no? Exactly.

pp

Out of Africa...

Out of Africa comes beautiful things. Gorgeous fabrics, delicious food, beautiful people. And I want to celebrate just a few of them in this post - little things that I've found on the web that make me proud to be who I am.

Motherland Bites has everything I crave from my childhood days. Golden 'puff puffs', shiny 'meat pies', did someone say crunchy nuts? I am so there. Except they are based in the U.K. {Sigh} Oh well, here's a shout out to those wonderful women 'across the pond'. Your presentation alone (as I have not tasted their food) makes you noteworthy!

I fell in love with these little darling dolls when I spotted them last year on this site. (Bella Naija, by the way is another awesome Nigerian import and her blog keeps my nose firmly planted in the business of all the fabulous people in Nigeria) I mean, how adorable are these replicas of women from the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria? If you have been hunting for dolls that look more like your baby girl and ESPECIALLY if you are Nigerian. these barbies are a must have. I even ordered one for myself, and let's face it, I am hardly seven anymore.

And of course, this list would not be complete without something from Calista Clothiers. If you're looking for something to take you from office to evening or just to lounge in this summer, look no further! This Culotte jumpsuit is too cute and available in all kinds of fabulous colors. All kinds of delish, I tell ya!

Stuntin' like My Daddy...

They start so young, don't they? So Numero Uno goes out for a drive/walk (he's driving, Hubby's walking) with his favorite person in the world - Daddy. And let me tell you, that Ford truck of his is the best gift we ever got for our car crazy young'un, with its REAL battery and speeds, up to (watch out now!) 3 MPH. He looks for a car in every book, magazine or commercial he watches. He makes pretend cars from Lego and playdoh. He eats, sleeps with
and collects little die-cast cars. So you can see why this his own real life car that he got for his second birthday, is definitely one of his favorite things. Like in life.
So why did my heart just about break when I heard he said to his daddy, after their drive/walk, "I'm gonna park my car now." And he promptly executed a perfect parking maneuver, in between our two cars? Oh, my son, my heart doth burst with love for thee. Just don't grow up to fast please - I mean, what's next? Potty training? {Gasp}

Mom of a diaper wearing driver, pp

Puella Girl

My shipment from Puella just arrived this weekend and I am as excited as I can be. You see, I pre-ordered the fab Puella grab bag, sight unseen, based entirely on the word of Melissa, who I do not know, but whose judgement i inexplicably, trust, at least when it comes to such things.

And boy, am I glad I did place that order like six, seven months ago! I was at least 8 months pregnant, unsure of what size I would turn out to be post pregnancy or if I would even like the clothes, but I did it anyway. Such is my love for fashion. It arrived - my TEN (yes, TEN)pieces of clothing, delicious in their soft jersey, floral, pastel colored, wonder - packed in this adorable Puella pink and cream tote, and I tell you, I was in fashion heaven.
I must admit, I was nervous at first. I mean, you have no clue what you're getting. All you are sure of is the size. At first glance, I was positive they were all glorified pajamas, but No! They are fashionable, pretty and easy to wear. And every, very figure friendly. Which is important to me as I press towards my goal of being skinny again. So now I have a plethora of tops, couple of dresses, cute yogaish cropped drawstring pants... TEN items of summer clothing for $150. I dare you to beat that bargain. And look this fabulous doing it. :-) I'm just saying...

Living 'Puella' Loca,

pp

Books, Bracelets, Babies and Body Lotion...

'The Mrs. Club'. Is where I'm at right now, quite literally and figuratively. A good friend bought (had autographed and mailed) me a copy of this foray into the hitherto uncharted waters of Nigerian 'chick-lit'. My first reaction was 'Bravo!' and 'A for effort!' for this self published first book, until I saw a grammatical error in the very first paragraph. It put me off for like a week or so. I mean, hello, spell check much? When I did finally give it another try, I was hooked by the conversational, true to life tone of a worldly single Nigerian (or Naija as we like to say) girl, trying to make it in the U.S. A bit exaggerated and intense, but you try developing and sustaining three very different characters in 195 pages and then you can talk! Rough around the edges, yes. The drifting between tenses will make you dizzy for sure. But definitely, definitely, entertaining and you will be holding your sides laughing. Literally. I guess what I am trying to say is, I'm a fan. And I will be buying copies for other Nigerian women or at least letting them know we have embraced a new genre of literature and a new queen of Naija Chick Lit. So, Get it, then, Ekene!

I am chock full of reviews today - all unpaid, I promise, but definitely 'prada tested'. I am all about the unique gifts for my special 'peeps'. Check out these simply gorg 'mommy and me' bracelets I ordered from Lisa for my cousin and her new baby, Kimber. Adorable. And you can customize with just about anything. I did birthstones, baby alphabet blocks and booties. Love, love, love it!

Paspic.com - This one, any busy mom who has ever had to sit immobile under a white cheesecloth with her squirming baby on her lap (I kid you not), all for the sake of a passport photo, will agree is worth its weight in gold. Imagine taking passport photos at home, uploading them and having them sent to you for just $10??? Cannot beat it. They will proof and correct for you as well. I have posted MonkeyBoys, and I will post the finished product from Paspic when they mail them back. Oh, and the $10 (well $10.18 actually) is for THREE Passport photos, INCLUDES postage and you get it within TWO BUSINESS DAYS! I 'PUFFY HEART' THE PEOPLE WHO CAME UP WITH THIS INGENIOUS IDEA!

In my never ending quest to stay fab for less, I turned guinea pig last week. I rubbed the entire left half of my body in Nivea Natural Tone Lotion ($6.99, Target) and the entire right size of my body in Kiehls ($18, Target - 4 sizes smaller than Nivea). No difference. I daresay the left side of my body stayed smoother and more moisturised longer. So Nivea Natural Tone it is, then. :-)

The infinitely smooth, pp

Target Wonderland

Target be rocking, yo. You know the one about the lady who went into Target to buy some gum and then ended up spending $100? No? Oh, you know what? That's just my story. I went into Target to get a few of their ridiculously cheap 'Osh Kosh' shorts for my boys - Numero Uno who is now going down in pant sizes from a size 3T to 2T, and monkeyboy who is growing rapidly, wearing his teensy tiny, but oh so cute 6M shorts. I learned the hard way not to pay $20 for anything for babies under 18 months. So armed with this noble mission and full of purpose and financial prudence, I am bewildered to find myself at the checkout counter with not only a cart full of shorts for both munchkins, a travel comfort set (blanket, pillow and eye mask), cause I just know that soon we will be bringing our own seats,to travel on airplanes, mark my words. Two sets of hot wheels cars (Numero Uno is a car fiend and Aunty Carmen's grandson would appreciate them too, right?), a pair of incredibly cute 4th of July flipflops, for ONE Dollar. Stickers, T shirts (on sale for $1.49) - I Love this Mr, Grumpy one. More T shirts. Toddler underwear with Thomas the Tank on them. Hoping and praying that Numero Uno would respect the train and not pee on them until Mama is able to get proper training pants. Um, nope. But they were just $4 for a pack of 3. Ridiculously cute 'faux crocs' for MB. $6.99. But you know any footwear in that size is insanely adorable. All told for a whopping $60. Before you judge me, I challenge you to try spending just $10 at a Target - let me put a caveat there, a good Target. The crappy oes you just wanna get in and out. Virtually impossible though, in a clean, brightly lit Target such as mine. And when you think of all the things I could have gotten ( organic shopping totes, lotions and potions from the 'Boots' line, those delicious soda- seltzers from Target's 'Archer Farms' and every other yummy or in trend or so affordable-why-not? thing), but didn't, I really am disciplined. No, really.

The ever so prudent pp