Memorial Day Monday

Memorial Day weekend has always been different for me than most other people. While most people enjoy a long 3 day weekend, my husband and I spend most of it working because for some reason people still need to go shopping and eat out during these holiday weekends.
I kid...mostly.
Nonetheless, we still usually find time to visit a BBQ or two and this weekend was no different. Saturday we enjoyed dinner with family we don't get to see very often and yesterday we had a relaxing day with some friends by their pool. It was Jack's first pool experience and he loved it!!! ( I could kick myself for forgetting the camera!)
But tonight it's back to the grind...
Until then I am spending my day relaxing with my little boy and while he naps-exploring the blogging community. I'm still learning things like how to gain more readers, linking to other blogs, and how to promote my giveaway. I haven't quite found my niche in the blog-o-sphere, but I am confident I will.
Until then I am having fun.
I hope everyone is having a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. Don't forget to take a moment and reflect on what this weekend is for, all the brave and wonderful men and women serving our country!
And tune in tomorrow...McFatty Monday is being replaced. Tomorrow is Trim Down Tuesday!!

Finale Season...A review!

Now that most shows have ended for the year, it's time to recap and review what happened on our Favorite shows. If you don't see a review here on a show you like feel free to add it in via comment!

WARNING!!! Spoilers Ahead!!

Gossip Girl: This show has been a guilty pleasure of mine for quite sometime now. Half of me revels in the hour of young adult angst and the other half of me is slightly horrified that this show is actually geared for a younger demographic. That said...I love me some GG! This season finale dragged on a bit for me.Serena and Nate bore me. Vanessa and Dan do too and while I love the whole Chuck & Blair endless chase, the story line is getting a bit old for me. I did however like the nod to "An Affair to Remember" even if I knew Blair would end up meeting him in the end anyways. And then there is stupid Jenny Humphrey. If anyone should be shot this season it should have been her...xoxo!

American Idol: BLAH!! That is how I've felt all season, so at least I can say the shows been consistent! It's not that I dislike Lee or Crystal, I'm just really indifferent towards them. I can honestly say that I could care less who won because neither of them really WOWed me. The main reason I even tuned in to the finale was because Idol's finale is usually good for some kick ass collaborations. Usually being the operative word in that sentence. Maybe I didn't get the memo, but apparently tonight was Senior night. Nothing against the musicians- I happen to enjoy Chicago, Hall & Oates, the Bee Gees,etc, on occasion-but COME ON! I'm willing to bet that half the viewing audience had no idea who half the people were. The whole Simon tribute was sweet but overdone. I say this even though I am sad to admit I did tear up a little when the previous winners came out and sang for him. I will miss Simon-he was usually the only voice of reason on the show. The Paula speech was awkward. I felt so awkward watching it that I used the time to grab a snack. I'm not a fan of Lee's "Beautiful Day". I feel that if you are going to cover a U2 song, it needs to be amazing and Lee's hardly is. And while I enjoyed the intention, why have Crystal collaborate with Alanis and sing a song that you have to change the lyrics too soo much!
My highlight of the night- Pant's on the Ground!! ;-)

Dancing with the Stars: I'll keep it short people. Erin and Max were my favorites. Had Nicole not been competing I think Erin could have taken it. Nicole and Derek were fantastic and their Jive was- I think- the best dance on the show-EVER. But if I am being honest I think it was a little unfair to put Nicole in the same category as the others when she clearly has had way more dance training. And Evan was good but his face is oddly creepy for me, like a cartoon characters. So for me, no matter how good the dance I was distracted!
And why, oh why did they let Kate Gosslin dance again? I'm embarrassed for her...

Brothers and Sisters: This show is dangerously close to getting the DVR boot. Everyone knew that Robert was going to die because he is leaving the show. No big surprise there. The Saul storyline was the only one that really intrigued me. Rebecca and Justin's plot line needs some serious redirection and the whole Narrow Lake mystery was anti-climatic.

Desperate Housewives: Sometimes I just mainly watch this show because there is nothing else better to watch on a Sunday night. But then as I am watching it, I find I still enjoy it. So whatever works right? Desperate Housewives season finales are always good for one thing- a really great cliffhanger. And this one was no exception. So the real mystery next season...Whose baby was switched at birth and why is Paul Young back? I'll definitely be back in the fall to find out!

Grey's Anatomy: WOW!! I'll admit I was getting bored with this season, but this finale sure shot some life back into the show!!(Pun intended) I've never been so on the edge of my seat for a TV finale. I could go on and on about how great it was but if you watched it you know! And if you haven't...what are you waiting for. Just make sure you grab some tissues before you sit down to watch!

How I Met Your Mother, Modern Family, and Cougar Town: I'm sorry I lumped all the 30 min comedies into one but their season finales are usually a little less insignificant than the hour long dramas. That said I still enjoyed them all. If you are not watching these 3 shows you are missing out. Modern Family is hands down the best new comedy on TV right now.
Also notable mentions...30 Rock, Community & Parks and Recreation

LOST: Please feel free to comment all you want on this one because I have little to say. I never watched a single episode of LOST yet I sat through the whole 2 hour finale for some reason. I know very little of the show, so I am sure many of the little nuances & messages were lost on me-no pun intended. That said in the way of Series Finales I thought it was pretty good, and for some reason I even cried at the end during the church sequence. Maybe it was just my hormones though...

Parenthood: I don't really feel that this episode should be called a finale, as it seemed like any other episode to me. This season finale seemed to say "Please Hold" while other season finales shout "YOU GOTTA COME BACK OR ELSE", and I respect that. Parenthood has been a quiet, but good show all year. It creeped in mid-season and has been delightful ever since. So while nothing of epic proportions happens, I can say with no uncertainty that I will be back in the Fall to continue to watch the Bravermen's!

The only finale left is Glee which I can't wait for. That show is brilliant.
Did I leave any out? What's your take on the shows ending. Any shows I missed? Comment away!

Sex and the City 2: A review

SPOILER ALERT! Do not read past the picture if you don't want to know about the movie!!

There are few movies I get truly excited for but SATC is defiantly one of them. I saw the midnight showing of the first one, so of course I also had to see it on opening day again the 2nd time around. We skipped the 12am showing (way too many women in one spot last time) and opted for an early evening showing Thursday night at a local brew n' view so we could sip Cosmo's while we watched our favorite ladies. But as the movie ended I couldn't help feeling...disappointed.

Let's start with the the good: The fashion as always never disappoints! Carrie's shoes-&closet-still make me swoon. Liza Minnelli singing and dancing to "Single Ladies"-genius! & scene with Miranda and Charlotte talking about being a mother was especially heartwarming. There were a few other random funny and tender moments, but overall this movie was lacking the plot and follow thru of the first one.

So I guess we'll go into the bad...In my opinion it seemed like they had no idea what direction they wanted to take when they wrote this movie. There were several small plot lines that ran thru the movie, but none were ever really given time to materialize so they all just fizzled. And unlike the whole Carrie/Big drama in the first one that kinda tied it all together, there was no central storyline to ground this movie. Everything about the movie seemed rushed and not well planned out. The flashback scene was way too brief, the whole Adien/Carrie plot line fell flat, and why the hell were they even in the Middle East? Smith invites Samantha to his premier in the begining but then we never see or hear from him again. Maybe I missed something after my 3rd Cosmo, but WTF?? And then all of a sudden they are thrown out of the hotel? (kinda) The movie was just all over the place which was disappointing. And don't even get me started on the whole "I Am Woman" karaoke scene.

Bottom line...If you are a die hard SATC fan you will have a good time, but you won't feel fulfilled.

So what did you think? Share your comments here...
And don't forget to check out my Stella & Dot giveaway going on until June 7th!!

Giveaway time!

I told you in my last post that I would expand on my new part time job so here's the low down:

I had a really hard time being out of the full time workforce after I quit my full time job to stay home with Jack more. Even though I had picked up a part time serving job, I still felt like I wasn't bringing in enough extra money. Then I stumbled on Stella & Dot.

For those of you not familiar with Stella & Dot, they are a direct sales jewelry company.This means that their jewelry is only available through in-home Trunk Shows and online. The jewelry itself is very current and is featured constantly in fashion magazines like Lucky, InStyle, Allure, just to name a few. Their styles also have been seen on many celebrities and in shows like The View, Today, and Rachel Ray. And best of all the jewelry is affordable!
I found Stella & Dot while reading another mommy blog. Blair at Heir to Blair was doing a Stella & Dot giveaway and I was so taken by the jewelry that I ventured over to the website to have a look. I fell in love with the jewelry almost immediately and 3 days later I signed up to become a Stylist to help supplement our income. I am now a month in to starting my business and so far I love it.
So here's the deal...
To introduce you all to the wonderful world of Stella & Dot I would like to offer a little incentive:

One lucky winner will receive a Bloom Flower ring for themselves (choice of black or ivory) AND a Mini Bloom Flower ring from the Stella & Dot little girls line to give away to their favorite little girl!!

Here's how to enter:

1.)Follow my blog AND go to www.stelladot.com/angiemaas and leave me a comment telling me your favorite Stella & Dot piece.
2.) Complete at least one of the following tasks and leave me a comment telling me which one you did!

*Shop my e-boutique! For every $50 dollars you spend you will receive 10 entries to win the giveaway!!

*Become a fan of my Facebook page  and follow me on Twitter. Re-tweet the Giveaway information or link to this post in your status update for one entry.

*Local Only-Host a show!! Email me at angeladmaas@gmail.com and book a June/July show for 5 entries!

Giveaway ends June 7th!!!

Keep an eye out for my new blog Stella Style on a Shoestring debuting soon!!

Where are thou?

I know I've been MIA lately.
I know I have promised to write more and lied.
But lets face it, I'm sure none of you were rushing to your computers each day in hopes that I would finally post! In reality the only one I've disappointed was myself, because I truly love blogging. However lately, at the end of the day, I find it has fallen to the bottom of my to-do list.
So why have I been so pre-occupied?
Well lots of reasons...
#1-Jackson is growing way to fast for me to keep up with. The progression from 3 months to 6 months is amazing. It's hard to believe that 3 months ago all he did was eat, sleep, and pee/poop. Now he is learning new things each day. He literally accomplished rolling-back to stomach in one night. Prior to that he showed absolutely no interest in it and then all of a sudden, POOF! We looked on the monitor one night and he was face down in his crib. After a fit of panic and once I learned he was still breathing ok, I gleamed proudly at my little boy for another milestone reached.
Then of course also came starting him on solids. We started Jack right before he turned 4 months and he picked up on the whole eating thing really quick. It truly is like dinnertime theater watching him eat. He giggles and gets so excited sometimes he bangs his arms on his highchair. Sometimes I imagine him holding a tiny fork & knife, demanding his "supper" and giggle to myself. So far he is not a picky eater, knock on wood. He has tried every fruit and vegetable there is and liked them all. Green beans were a little touch and go at first, but now he takes them just fine. Now that he is a little older, Kev and I are always looking for new flavor combos to give him. Sweet potatoes and turkey are his favorite so far! We even let him suck on a chilled piece of pineapple last week and he loved it, though I am not sure if it was the taste or the coolness on his gums.
Speaking of gums...we have a tooth!!! After a few weeks of feeling it, it finally made an appearance. It already looks like another one is soon to follow!
And then there is the sitting and pulling up. I am really convinced that this kid will skip the whole crawling thing and move right on to walking. I am not saying that to sound snotty or all "my kids the best at everything". I say it because he shows absolutely no interest in being on his stomach. We try and try and try to put him on his tummy and he either throws a fit or if we are close by, will try and pull himself up on us. He does a good job at this, sometimes a little too good. The other day he used my shirt as leverage and pulled it down so far the girls were out for all to see. Luckily I was at home, so my husband was the only one who got the free show!
As for talking, occasionally Jack will pull his binky out to coo or squeal at us. I read to him daily and say "mamama" and "dadadada" so much he probably thinks I'm crazy. Right now he seems much too preoccupied with standing though. And that combined with the teething is very time consuming. Where as before he took many more naps and would be content playing on his play mat, now he wants to always be on the move. He plays in his exsaucer independently sometimes, but mostly he wants you to play with him.  And when he bats those big blue eyes and give you his semi-toothless grim, it's really hard not to drop what you are doing and play with him. Especially with the way he is growing I don't want to miss a second of it!
#2-May is a beast of a month. First, there was Mother's Day. It was a truly wonderful day and it made me feel so blessed to have the family that I have. Then the week after that we had Jack's baptism, in which we hosted a brunch at our house right after. It all turned out good, but next time I am outsourcing that shindig! It is way too hard to host a brunch for 50 people when you are arriving at the house the same time as they are. Lesson learned!
#3- My work life is been busy. And that's my own fault because I recently decided to become a stylist for Stella & Dot. I am doing this in addition to my part time serving job, but I wanted something else to supplement our income AND a job that wasn't serving. I'll tell you all a little more about this venture in another post, but all in all I am liking it so far. The only downside to it is that it has been eating up a lot of my time. Every second that I am not with Kevin, Jackson, or working at the restaurant, I am working on building my business and networking. It's been rewarding and exhausting all at the same time.

So I'm working on a plan. A plan that still allows me to fit in some work time, but that also allows for some "me" time. It started with this blog post. And it is about to continue on with a glass of wine, a hot shower, a manicure, and maybe even a (tiny)bowl of ice cream in bed while I catch up on my DVRed shows!! Can't wait to see Glee!

Tales from the road...

I'm back!!!

April seemed to flash by in the blink of an eye, but this happens to me every year. January and February creep by at a snails pace, March picks up a little steam, and then BOOM! April hits and before I know it the months are coming too fast to keep up with.
Tuesday night we got back from our trip to Mexico for my dear friend Cheryl and Bobby-aka Bub's- wedding. Even though I hated leaving my little boy for 6 days, the trip itself was well needed. Our friends wedding was beautiful and we enjoyed the perfect balance of partying and relaxing. I've never slept so good on a vacation, which at first I attributed to the hotel's bed. Upon further review I think it is actually due to the fact that this is the first time I slept without a baby waking me up or worrying that a baby was going to wake me up. Overall it was a great time, but I am also glad to be back home.  For those of you looking for more details, check out my review of the resort: here.
Things I learned in my travels:

* I don't know that I posses enough patience to become a world traveler.
*Entirely too many people make themselves "at home" on a plane. And what's up with everyone kicking their shoes off and putting their feet everywhere on a plane? The girl in front of me, put her bare ass nasty feet on the pillow on the floor!!)  I also saw someone clipping their nails. GROSS! This is not your living room people.
*The older I get the less tolerable I am of heat and humidity. And stupidity.
*I thought food and other things were expensive in American airports, but Cancun's airport takes the cake. I paid $4.50 for a Reese Peanut Butter Cup. Although maybe I was duped because I'm pretty sure the girl checking me out could tell that I was a little slow on the peso's to dollars conversion.
*There is nothing like splashing in the waves of the ocean with your friends to make you feel like a kid again.
*Vacations are nice and it's good to take a break once in awhile, but once you have a child...your heart always yearns to be home!

I read some books and tried some new things so keep an eye out for some reviews coming soon. May is a busy month, but I am vowing to try and blog more often. See you all later!!