Agri chic design - I love it

I love my house, mostly because we live here and not necessarily because of its groundbreaking design, but I'm kind of obsessed with a style that I saw a few years ago when we stayed in Sonoma, CA. The hotel was agri-chic and I really dug it.
http://www.thecarnerosinn.com/thecarnerosinn/

What will I be when I grow up? Lately people have been asking me what I plan on doing when I'm done being a stay at home mom, which I think is a little odd because don't your children still need you when they're 5 and older? In fact, don't they need you to be around even more when they're pre-teen and teens?

I'm not really insulted by the question, because it's something I've been asking myself lately too. I've done a lot of things in my 34 years on this earth. I've had a lot of little careers. Let's see I've slewn donuts and bagels, worked as a lifeguard, at a tanning salon, hair salon and daycare all before I graduated from high school. I was a manicurist, scheduler, advertising and marketing account exec, advertising sales rep, print sales rep, country club sales rep, and business owner all before I was 30. I was a designer for California Closets, the Cosmetic & Fragrance manager at Saks 5th Avenue and launched Skirt Magazine during my time in North Carolina.

Someone tried to recruit me for a job once because he was so impressed by all the things I'd "done." I guess I'd never really thought of myself as a "do-er" but the truth is that I really do like to try new things. How else would I ever know whether I was missing something great. Some people pick a career in college and stay with that choice until they retire. My mother picked my major (Journalism with a concentration in PR), and that was a fitting choice. I think I would have been a very happy magazine writer, PR exec (although I wasn't thrilled with working in an agency, but they weren't a particularly cool or PR focused agency).

It's a great time to not be in sales, so maybe by the time it's for me to go back to work the economy will have straightened itself out. Maybe I'll open another business (what's that they say about the definition of insanity?). Maybe I'll go and work at J Crew so that I can dress like Michelle Obama and get a discount on their adorable Crew Cuts kids line. http://www.jcrew.com/AST/Navigation/CrewCuts.jsp

Luckily, I think I have a while to think this through. The next job I choose will definitely be the one that sticks.

I should be wearing this dress

Can someone please invite me to a beach wedding or some other event where I can where this dress? It's too cute for my backyard. Or maybe my backyard just needs a reason to host..........
http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/main/ProductDetail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524446221816&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=282574492708015&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474399545537&bmUID=1245980559025&ev19=1:16

My Favorite Room

When I realized that I was pregnant with baby girls, I had to change everything on my baby registry from unisex green, yellow, cream, and brown to pink. It's just natural to embrace the girlishness of having girls. Thankfully, I did make those changes since even though my girls were dressed in head to toe pink, being carried in pink car seats, and wiped with pink burp cloths, I would inevitably be told what cute boys they are.

For some reason though I resisted painting their nursery pink. I had planned on painting it something neutral like beige or grey until a friend insisted it be pink. She's the kind of friend who's always right about this type of thing, so I listened. I searched high and low to find the perfect pink: not too pastel, still warm, and pretty of course. With the help of my mom, and about a million swatches, I found Benjamin Moore's Rose Petal, and I couldn't be happier.

Becoming a Domestic Goddess

I strive to be a domestic goddess. I truly want to be good at this job I have. I don't want o be annoying like Martha Stewart and do everything too perfectly, I want to more like the Barefoot Contessa who knows how to make a lovely dinner for 20, a terrific cocktail, and a romantic dinner for Jeffrey any night of the week. I want my house to be beyond reproach clean, but not too sterile that it's not cozy. I want to have a pot of coffee brewing every time a friend just pops by, and not have to say "there's a little left in the pot, hold on while I make some more."

I can still be a feminist (which I am) and want to be good at these things. However, I have some competition. It just so happens that my husband's better than me at all of the things mentioned above. He can have the house gleaming, a clam sauce bubbling, a mojito muddled and on ice, plus have the grass mowed, and a ceiling fan wired in under 2 hours.

I'm getting better, though. Tonight I surprised him with maybe the best oatmeal, walnut, chocolate chip cookies EVER! They aren't much to look at, but they are gooood. Lacy, crispy, and chewy. He begs for sweets, and try and surprise him a couple of times a week, even though I really don't like to have the temptation in the house. I'll have to remember to send the batch to work with him in the morning.
Note: I added chocolate chips & chopped walnuts Cookie Recipe:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gale-gand/crispy-oatmeal-cookies-recipe/index.html

Jon & Kate We Ain't

I am the mother of 9-month-old identical twin girls. They are the loves of our lives. I never in a million years could have dreamed of having twins. It truly never occured to me. The closest I'd come to twins is Barbie's Hart Family, but even those twins are a fraternal girl and boy. Oh, and I'm also a Gemini, so maybe personality-wise I'm kind of like a twin(?) or just have multi-personalities.

I honestly don't watch the show, although the world seems to think I should because people are constantly asking me if I watch! I've tuned in a few times to see what all the fuss is about, but I really couldn't stand watching the parents, Jon & Kate. Here's how we're different:
Me: nice, loving
My husband: has a backbone

I heard on the news yesterday that couples with multiples have higher rates of divorce. I'm sure it's true, but I hope we don't become a statistic. Sure, alone-time is harder (especially with two babies in your bed) and it's a lot of work without a learning curve of having one baby at a time, but I think if you work on it, make time for yourselves, talk openly about money and difficult topics, than you stand more of a chance than the average couple. We're bonded by not just one, but two other lives, and a very interesting experience.