Weekend Getaway!

I am SO excited because the hubby and I are getting out of the city for the weekend....we are headed to Newport, Rhode Island! The hubby turns 25 next week so, we are doing a birthday getaway. He loves music and there is the Newport Folk Festival going on this weekend. I like music but I wouldn't say I love it...I am mostly just along for the ride. I will take any time with my husband that I can these days.

He has been working crazy hours, and it is really killing me :( It doesn't help that I have STILL not found a job...I mean, we have been here for 4 months and I have not even gotten a call back. This is crazy! I have never been in this situation before...I normally apply for a job, get an interview, and then get the job. Anyone know of any jobs in NYC/Brooklyn?? I will work anywhere!

It doesn't help that our rent is SO freaking ridiculous, and this no job thing is holding up us trying for a baby :(

BUT I can forget about all of that for this weekend and just enjoy my time with my hubby! How awesome does Newport look!

Top 2 Tuesday-Items you want to purchase

This is a fun Top 2 Tuesday!!

1. A Nikon - I have wanted one for a while now, but I keep telling myself that I will be able to talk the hubbs into this camera when we decide to have a little one!!



2. A black Volvo SUV - this is another purchase that I think that I can talk to the hubbs into when we have a baby!! But we don't really need a car right now because we live in NYC so, this will have to wait until we move back home! I drool every time I see one though!!



**6 more days left in the Christmas in July sale. Go to my Etsy shop and receive FREE SHIPPING!! Check it out!!

Christmas in July SALE

Hi everyone!! I am doing a Christmas in July Sale in my Etsy shop so, from NOW to July 25th you can received FREE SHIPPING on all purchases! All items in my shop qualify for free shipping!

Magnolia Hairclips has items for babies through adults. I have hair clips, headbands, broaches, hair pins, binky clips, and much more. If you see something that you like, but want to change it a bit just let me know and I will make that happen. Just remember to get over to the shop before July 25th to take advantage of FREE SHIPPING!!

Whether you want to get an early start in Christmas shopping or just to take advantage of this great deal, head over to Magnolia Hairclips and shop, shop, shop!!

Our 4th of July Weekend

The hubbs and I really had the perfect 4th of July weekend!! We normally go to Manhattan every weekend so, we decided that we would stay in Brooklyn for the whole holiday weekend. Going to Manhattan can be very exhausting especially with this heat.

My hubby got off early on Friday so I meet him in Downtown Brooklyn for lunch, and then we headed home for a relaxing evening of wine and rummy...I guess we are old people now!!

On Saturday we slept in and then went to see Toy Story 3 in 3D. I love all of the Toy Story movies, and this one was just as good. The little girl in it was adorable, which is funny to say since she is a cartoon. Saturday was another hot day but we were able to eat some awesome pizza in an outdoor cafe that evening when the heat was a little better.

On 4th of July, we decided to pack a picnic lunch and head out to Prospect Park which is only 2 blocks from our apartment. We set up our picnic in the shade, and we were able to relax there for a few hours before the heat got the best of us.




That night we decided to not head to Manhattan for the fireworks over the Hudson, but instead we wanted to go to our rooftop to watch them. So, we live on the 5th floor of a walk-up brownstone (which means no elevator), and the fire escape stairs off of our guest bedroom/office window go up to the roof. We have yet to look up there because we didn't know if it was allowed or safe. But the hubbs decided to take a peak and it looked great. At around 8:45 we went up there to watch the sunset and then the fireworks over the Manhattan skyline. It was the perfect end to the weekend!! We will definitely be going to the rooftop more often, but the fire escape definitely make it kind of scary. You can't drink too much wine while you are up there because you definitely could have a very hard time getting back down. The building management should definitely turn it into a proper rooftop deck and unlock the door at the top of the stairway...and then I am sure they could raise our rent too, hehe!!

Top 2 Tuesday-Favorite Purchases Made This Year

When I saw the TOP 2 Tuesday topic over at "The Undomestic Momma" I got really excited and knew exactly what 2 things I wanted to put:

1. My Navy Blue Converse - I have always been an admirer of Converse from afar. Whenever I see people wearing them, I always think that they look so comfortable and cool. I know that it sounds silly to say that a pair of shoes can make someone look cool, but I think Converse do. BUT the thing about these particular shoes is that I never thought that I could pull them off...I just didn't think that I was cool enough. My hubbs finally convinced me to get a pair because he thought they would look cute on me, and now I LOVE them!! They are my favorite pair of shoes...I mostly wear them with jeans and a tee, but sometimes I sport them with a cotton dress. The best part is that they are finally starting to look worn so, they don't look so brand new.



2. My Ikea Bar - When hubbs and I moved to NYC the apartment that we rented actually had more space then our apartment in Austin so, we were very excited to have a dining/bar area! The most exciting part of this was that I knew this meant a trip to Ikea, and I LOVE Ikea. At this point in our life we don't have a lot of money for furnishing and decorating and Ikea really helps us to get a modern, sleek look on an affordable budget! Anyways, I found this bookcase at Ikea and decided that it could use it as a bar instead. I love the way it came out, and I plenty of other ideas for this piece of furniture if we ever want to re-purpose it!!

This hurts my heart

Being that I was born in raised in Southeast Louisiana and lived there up until a year ago, the BP oil spill definitely hits me close to home. Everyday new pictures surface showing the impact that this has made on the economy of the entire Gulf Coast. It is crazy to think that this upcoming month will be 3 months since the rig explosion, and BP has still not found a successful way to cap the oil. More and more oil reaches landfall everyday, and recovery is seeming more difficult as every day passes.

I am not only saddened by the effect that this has had on the animal life in the Gulf and the air above the Gulf, but I am sad and concerned for the people who make their living from the Gulf. Fishing and Shrimping are a HUGE way of life for the people in the Gulf Coast so, much that it is a career for many. How will these people have the money to feed their families?? When will they be able to resume their trade?? When can we enjoy Gulf Coast Shrimp again??

Many people in Louisiana frequent the Alabama and Florida beach throughout the year. I personally visited them every month when we lived in the South. When will we be able to enjoy these beautiful white beaches again?? How will the hotels and economy of these areas survive??



What concerns me even more is the fact that Hurricane is HERE!! With the first tropical storm already affecting the Gulf Coast, how will the people there be protected?? I know that I do not live in Louisiana anymore but my family and my husband's family do!! This year they not only have to worry about hurricanes, they have to worry about how the oil will devastate the area if a hurricane does hit. I was talking to a friend in New Orleans yesterday, and she was telling me that with all of the rain they have been having you can actually smell the oil. CRAZY!!

I guess I just wanted to get out some frustrations out that I have about the oil spill. Louisiana has and always will be MY HOME. I hope that the culture that makes Louisiana so special can be restored so, my children will one day be able to see what a great place it is and all that it has had to overcome!!

Please pray for the people and animals of the Gulf Coast!!