...we're off...Laguna Beach style

We're off to Laguna Beach for a much needed vacay (w/ a little work) from this 100+ degree heat!!! And... Nora is going to be hanging out with Gma and Gpa T for the week.

All of us are going to have a ton of fun... guaranteed!

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Steph's Pick | AZ Mom's Night Out

Most of you know that I have another blogging "home" - right? Hopefully this doesn't surprise any of you ;) A dear friend and I started Scottsdale Moms Blog this past March and have been loving everything about meeting other local mama's and connecting with local businesses.

Well tonight we're having AZ Mom's Night Out and I'm sooooooo excited about it! I just couldn't resist posting about it because it's all I'm thinking about this morning.

Here's the info for all you local mama's:

When: Friday, September 24th at 6pm

Where: The Big Bang- Tempe

What: A rockin’ good time… happy hour prices… no cover charge for those on the list… a fun filled goodie bag and door prizes!

Register Today!!

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Steph's Pick | Blurb (revisited)

If you've been a Flies Blend reader for some time you probably remember the first time I highlighted Blurb.com as a Steph's Pick. Well that was a couple years ago and so I thought it was appropriate to revisit how much I LOVE these books. (Plus... it's a good excuse to show you the Blurb book that I received a month or so ago :))

Here's a bit from my 2008 post...

Have you ever found yourself just waiting till you have time to finally put that scrapbook together or at the very least put those old photos in an album? I know I've found myself in that position on numerous occasions. Wait no longer - I've found a great way to display those photos. Blurb.com is a free bookmaking software that has been a great way for Alan and I to capture memories on a yearly (or event) basis. By going on their website you can preview books other users have created to inspire you in your own bookmaking. They have a ton of page layout/design options that assist in putting the book together in a professional and creative way. And the best part is - the software is FREE & the books are very affordable ($20 - $50).

As our anniversary approaches each year I put together a book of that year's memories. It's such a fun and easy way to highlight everything that happens each year. Plus - it's pretty cheap when compared to a lot of other scrapbooking type options.

Check out Blurb.com today!

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♥ pigtails ♥

Everyone say it together now...awww.... I just love this pic....

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

This is one small step for Nora but one large step for this momma!

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Nora Recommends | Splash Pad & Briar Claire

Some of you may remember my Mommy SOS post about switching from two naps to one. If not, click here. We're on our way to achieving this goal - but as most of you suggested - it is most likely going to take time (and patience). So we're taking it one day at a time...

For now we've filled our no-nap-mornings with Nora's new fav activity -

The Splash Pad!!! Thankfully there are a handful of these around the Valley and so we're able to go on a regular basis. (And for our Midwest family and friends - yes - it's still 100+ here).

Here's Nora at the Kierland Splash Pad...

She just can't get enough of these. :) And we can't get enough of her...

On another note - Nora got one of the cutest Briar Claire hair clips from Callie for her bday. I just had to share this pic I snapped the other day. Isn't it so cute? Shop for more Briar Claire accessories here.

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Session Nine Photography Photo Shoot

Good photography makes me giddy. It totally does. Don't ask me why... it just does.

So when Jason and Jessica of Session Nine Photography asked to do a photo shoot of Joy and me (with the girls of course) for Scottsdale Moms Blog naturally we had to say "YES!!!"

Jason and Jessica rocked it (as usual) and we couldn't be happier with the photos! To see their thoughts about the shoot click HERE.

Here is just a taste of some of them...enjoy...

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Little Girl Jeggings

One of the things I love about having a little girl is that I can use her as a guinea pig for new trends! Case in point... jeggings. For those who are unfamiliar with the term jeggings - they are exactly what you'd expect. Leggings which are styled to look like tight fitting jeans. Hehe....

Still not sure if I'll personally hop on the bandwagon but Nora sure looks cute, huh?!!! :)

Happy Labor Day!

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Steph's Pick - Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

Where have all of my girlfriends been all of my life? I feel like at 27 I'm just now learning some of the best beauty secrets. If you didn't see my first beauty secrets post click HERE.

On with today's Steph's Pick...

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion.

I'll be honest - I wasn't thrilled about the idea of spending $18 for eyeshadow primer. I mean, how good can it be, right??!! Well I finally gave in and bought Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion - Sin a few weeks ago from Ulta. Previous to using this, after a few hours, my eye shadow would pretty much just fade to nothing, leaving black mascara creases on my eyelid. But this keeps my eye makeup in place all day (and all night, on occasion) without fading, smudging, or especially creasing. And it even has a little shimmer to it.

It's AWESOME! I bought mine at Ulta but Amazon sells it as well.

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