Memory Lane Has Huge Speedbumps

So over the last few days I have been reminiscing all the great R&B artists and songs from late 1990's to early 2000 like Mya, 112, Kelis, SWV and it has been great! Many songs were sung (badly) and danced too that brought back all the good memories.

It was bound to happen when the question arose "What ever happened to those guys?" Of course in some cases we could easily reflect on the VH1's Where Are They Now segments- one of the best ones to date is of Ronald Devoe of ell Biv Devoe and his current employment as a real-estate agent. The best was parading the flier which announced he was the "'New Edition' to the team." Ouch. Oh look...I even found the ad!

The first artist I looked up was the group 112 to see what they have been up to. While Wikipedia had noted that all of the members had tried to have solo careers of their own, that they were unsuccessful and that as early as the beginning of this year they had joined forces again and were planning on releasing a new album! ...then I saw that Slim had opted out of the reunion and since there has been no word on the new album or what is taking place. Booo!

Next I just so happened to look up Sisqo (who isn't doing much solo) which in turn led me to look up Dru Hill. While I saw that the group had attempted to get back together and put out a new album, one of the members had a last minute change of heart- live...on the radio! Eek!

Watch the video below to see the full reunion and break up of Dru Hill- all which lasts about 5 minutes.

Sometimes it's better not to know.

I'd Kiss My Son in Kissimmee

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Kissimmee Tourism. All opinions are 100% mine.

I've been wanting to visit Florida ever since my son was born so that I could not only visit the relatives that live there but also go on a mini vacation. Although summer has just ended I'm already planning out where I'd like to go next year and we might be headed to Kissimmee, Florida! I've always envied the families that take their kids to Disney World and looked like they were having the time of their lives. That could be us! Since typically during the summer my sister comes to visit and be my live in nanny I know for sure that she would want to come along for the ride, which would be even better for me (mommy deserves to have a night of adult fun too!)

Ideally we'd stay in the Super 8 Kissimmee suites which have been well noted for their huge beds and awesome amenities. It would be great to live it up for a few days with a pool in my backyard and complimentary breakfasts!

If I could plan my perfect week vacation it would go like this:

• Visit the Universal Studios and Disney World (asap!)
• Take the kids to one of the many water parks and show my son that he can have fun in pools of water
• What girl doesn't want to go shopping while on vacation? I'd go to one of the outlets for myself and then take my teen sister to the Florida Mall.
• Visit some of the local shops and stores for authentic and fun souvenirs
• Visit my family in Florida and tell them what a great time we are having in Kissimmee
• Try ziplining for the first time (Leito will have to sit that one out)

Have you ever been to Kissimmee? As moms we all need a little vacation even if it means one with the kids tagging along but it can still be an amazing time. Go here and plan out what your dream vacation at Kissimmee would be.

Awesome Vintage Eyeglasses!

So if there is one thing that I have a huge infatuation with is sexy eye-wear. Maybe it's because of the great varieties, the craftsmanship or just the fact that I'm blind and was born wearing glasses. When I was 16 I had to get my first pair and of course they broke out the "The Pair You'll Never Forget" box and sure enough I had the UGLIEST pair of red glasses. They took up half of my face, they were thick rimmed and they were bright ugly red. No wonder people who wear glasses always get made fun of!

From that pair forward I swore I would never buy a pair of red frames again! So after many metal, plastic, square and round frames I was forming a love hate relationship with glasses. It was when I could afford to buy my own glasses (an had great insurance) that I went on a search for stylish and fun frames.

 Not only did I find and purchase an amazing pair of frames- but they were red! And they kicked my first frames butt! Since I've come across some of the most amazing and funky pair of frames in all colors and sizes. Frames so sweet even girls with 20/20 vision buy them.

My love for elaborate and fun frames couldn't be expressed better than by the amazing glasses created by fellow mom Teresa who owns Vintage 50's Eyewear.

A little about woman behind the frames:

Hello my name is Teresa. I live with my husband, two kids and three dogs in a small town in the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains. I am a firm supporter of animal rights. My passions include animal rescue and collecting and selling vintage and antique eye wear. A trait a picked up from my mother.

I have the 1950s eyeglasses. Time of the poodle skirt and roller skates. The psychedelic 1960s hippie. The disco 70S and the oh so cool retro 80s sunglasses inspired by the hair bands and the blue brothers.

Some of Teresa's glasses are the bling-bling of eye-wear being covered in gems, rhinestones and colorful jewels. Teresa takes the 50's cat-eye frames and introduces them to the new millennium with by adding modern style and finesse putting a new meaning to the "hot library teacher." Getting the right frames can not only be an investment of time but also of money as good frames don't come cheap. If you want to invest in new pair of glasses, why not purchase one that is well made and one of a kind

Visit Teresa's shop Vintage 50's Eyewear here and you can follow her on Twitter here. Once you see her other selections you will wonder who wants to wear contacts when you can have glasses like these?

Girls Can Make BBQ Memorial

Time for the last holiday of the summer: Memorial Day and what better of a way to send off summer than with the last major bar-b-que! My boyfriend usually the one who prepares and cooks the meat but since he's gone this weekend it is up to me to take the tongs by the reins. My biggest hurdle is figuring how to cook the meat perfectly.

Having already written this blog, there is great information about the different types of grills and BBQ tricks and after scouring the net for BBQ tips (because yes, that is how really people BBQ - off the web) I came across this article from Associate Content giving great insight on how to prep and cook meats and veggies simple enough for girls of all BBQ stages!

When cooking fish on the grill, brush olive oil onto the fish or directly onto the grill to prevent sticking.Where possible, cook fish that has skin on it. Cook the fish skin side up for the first 1-2 minutes, to grab the smoke lines of the grill for the sake of aesthetics and then flip it over to cook the rest of the fish skin side down.

 That way, if you do have a sticking problem, the skin will stick to the grill, but the edible goodness will come up on your spatula. One more tip with fish: If the piece of fish you are cooking is less that one inch thick, consider starting the grilling process when the fish is partially frozen.

Ribs are a no brainer on the grill, but to be fair, the best barbecue ribs require some time in the oven. 40 minutes in the oven with a little bit of water at 350 degrees is enough to thoroughly cook the meat, keeping it juicy and sealing in the flavor before transferring the ribs to a preheated hot grill for barbecue sauce and the burned edges that make good ribs into great ribs.

For great veggies on the grill, the following tips should help: Cook well soaked corn on the cob still in the husk. Tin foil is your best friend for locking in flavors and moisture when cooking other sorts of veggies. Use the heat rather than the actual grill process unless cooking with a hearty vegetable such as asparagus spears, or yams.
One of the most common grilling mistakes is putting the barbecue sauce on too early. When it goes on too early, you end up wasting all of your sauce. Good grillers know that the you wait until the last couple of minutes of cooking to add barbecue sauce. The reason? If you put it on too early, the sauce all slides off into the drip tray instead of adhering to the meat. Let your meat cook thoroughly and then brush on your barbecue sauce when there is just enough time to heat it up before removing your yummy goodness from the grill.

When cooking chicken on the grill, ideally you will have a two rack grill at your disposal. Regardless of that, though, the secrets to successful juicy, chicken that pulls in all of the smoky flavor of the grill are patience and water. Patience comes from knowing to cook chicken on a medium flame rather than high. Fill a small oven safe dish with enough water to last through the entire cooking process, and close the lid of your grill during cooking. As the water comes to a boil, it will create enough steam to satiate the heat's greed for moisture, and your chicken will stay juicy and full of flavor.


And try these recipes!

Appetizer

Baked Brie with Rosemary, Almond & Cherries
Serves 4-6
2 T chopped fresh rosemary
2 T chopped slivered almonds

2 T honey
1 brie cheese round

8 fresh cherries, pitted and chopped
crackers (of your choice) Preheat oven to 400F. In a small bowl, combine rosemary and almonds. With a pastry brush (or knife), coat the sides of the brie with honey and dip into rosemary-almond mixture, pressing. Place brie on a sheet pan. Brush the top with honey and sprinkle with the remaining herb mixture. Place in oven and bake 20 minutes. Remove brie from oven and top with chopped cherries. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes until brie is soft when cut. Serve with crackers.

Dinner

Prize Winning Baby Back Ribs

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 pounds baby back pork ribs
• 1 cup barbeque sauce

Directions

1. Preheat grill for high heat.
2. In a small jar, combine cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Close the lid, and shake to mix.
3. Trim the membrane sheath from the back of each rack. Run a small, sharp knife between the membrane and each rib, and snip off the membrane as much as possible. Sprinkle as much of the rub onto both sides of the ribs as desired. To prevent the ribs from becoming too dark and spicy, do not thoroughly rub the spices into the ribs. Store the unused portion of the spice mix for future use.
4. Place aluminum foil on lower rack to capture drippings and prevent flare-ups. Lightly oil grate, and lay ribs on top rack of grill. Reduce heat to low, close lid, and leave undisturbed for 1 hour. Do not lift lid at all.
5. Brush ribs with barbecue sauce, and grill an additional 5 minutes. Serve ribs as whole rack, or cut between each rib bone and pile individually on a platter. 

 Dessert

Death by Chocolate

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package German chocolate cake mix
• 1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1 2/3 cups milk
• 3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
• 1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 6 (1.4 ounce) bars chocolate covered toffee bars, frozen and crushed

Directions

1. In a 9x13 in pan, bake cake according to package directions. Cool and crumble. Make pudding, according to package directions, with milk.
2. In a large trifle or other glass serving bowl, place half of the crumbled cake. Pour half of the coffee over the cake, and spread half of the pudding over that. Top with half of the whipped topping, sprinkled with half the crumbled candy bars. Repeat layers in the same order. Refrigerate until serving.

Awesome Totes for Moms by Robilena

One of my favorite websites is Etsy for the amazing selection of independent artists, seamstresses and craft makers. One of my favorite finds is Robilena which is a selection of handmade totes.

Here is little insight about the gal behind the seams, Robin:


I started sewing when I was in elementary school, then didn't sew for many years.  About two years ago, I started making tote bags, trying out different patterns, and combining and adapting them as I went along.  I was having so much fun making the bags, that I decided to start up my Etsy page.  I get most of my fabric at a wonderful independent fabric store in Santa Cruz, California.  It is the same store where I took sewing lessons when I was a kid.


I love playing with fabric pairings and most of my bags have at least 2 and usually 3 or 4 different fabrics.  My preferred fabric to work with is 100% cotton, lightweight fabric, which makes the bags totally washable.  I want these bags to last, so I make sure to have not exposed raw edges on the fabric. 

One reasons I think moms will love them: durability!
All the seams are either hidden on the reversible bags, or on the unlined/non-reversible bags, the seams are all finished so that there are no raw edges.  The handles are very securely sewn on as well, so the bags can hold a fair amount of weight without any worries. They are also a great size for kids to have their own personal bags.

And what woman doesn't love variety? Between the attractive patterns, various sizes and some pieces being reversible, moms have the option to choose which bag fits their need best.

The smaller bags are the perfect size to use as a casual purse, the medium bags are great for the grocery store (which is a very green idea!) and the larger sizes are great as overnight bags, or carry-ons.


To top it all off the prices are very reasonable. With some bags averaging out at $30 why buy a mass produced bag at Target when you can have your own custom made bag with love in every stitch and manage not to break the bank!

To check out and purchase other awesome bags visit Robin's Etsy shop at www.Robilena.etsy.com!