Where to begin...

I had the most amazing weekend!!

Well...actually it didn't start that way... I was so busy this week packing and working, that I neglected to realize until Friday morning that Kapler (yes that little monster I blogged about early) was missing!! Since TUESDAY!! I woke up Friday morning at 7am to get ready for Indianapolis and for the 3 hours before my road trip, I searched the neighborhood, shook her treat bag while calling her name, said prayers through tears... and nothing :(

My co-worker & friend Jessica and her friend Leigh came to pick me up around 11am for the 5 hour trip to Indy. I had to leave without knowing if Kapler was locked in someone's garage, hiding from all the storms & rain Detroit received or (gulp!) gone forever!

We arrived in Indy Friday evening... after settling in the hotel... we met up with the Art Staff from The Parade Company (who arrived Thursday to begin set-up of our fabulous float we made for the Indianapolis 500 Festival Parade) for dinner.

Jessica, Leigh & I at dinner.

After dinner we all went to (apparently an Indy favorite) The Slippery Noodle... personally, I am not a fan of this bar, which is Jazz & Blues, not because of the music, but because I am not used to being at a bar with 50-somethings hitting on everything that breaths... the set-up is a little weird as well, as I was told it used to be a brothel. All that matters though is that the alcohol was flowing and the company was good!! So a very successful night out indeed!!

Saturday morning (ugh... the hangovers) we headed out to the Indianapolis 500 Festival Parade. The day started a little gloomy, but by the time the confetti cannons were shot, the opening performance by Kellie Pickler & military flyover... the sun was shining!!

The Parade Company was commissioned to built a float for the Festival... Dave & the Art Staff did an amazing job! The float had great animation, color and music... and won the Chairman's Award for Best Float! Go TEAM Parade Co!!!

"500 Miles of Memories" Float, produced by The Parade Company

I was also happy to see two Michigan bands in the Parade, including one not far from my Alma Mater!! Way to rep Mitten!! The Parade also included all 33 Indy Drivers... Danica, Helio and my personal favs Dixon & Franchetti of Target Racing (although since I wasn't a racing fan until Sunday, I didn't know they were my favs yet), as well as Omar Miller, Florence Henderson, Anderson Cooper, Jillian Michael's, REO Speedwagon, Shaggy & Scooby Doo and Yogi & Boo Boo Bear!! :)

Grand Marshal, Anderson Cooper

Yogi & Boo Boo, Picnic Basket & Bush produced by The Parade Company

Saturday night was the Snake Pit Ball! Jess, Leigh & I started off in the 500 Festival hospitality suite... the only three people left with 2 tubs of beer, a dozen bottles of wine and appetizers... SCORE!! We then took a limo (literally 3 blocks) to the Indiana Roof Balloon with our 500 Festival friends!! We arrived just in time for airbrush tattoos and a fabulous performance by REO Speedwagon!!

Getting WILD in the 500 Festival Hospitality Suite

Limo arrival on the checkered carpet... fabulous!

Airbrush Tattoo "Start Your Engines"

REO Speedwagon

After the Ball... we headed back to the Hilton for an after party... where we met a cool cat named Fred, who told me I had "smiling eyes" and to stop by his booth at the race in the morning and he would have David Uhl (the artist of the official race poster) sign copies for us! Another SCORE!! :)

We turned in a little earlier than normal for a Saturday night, but we had a big day ahead of us!!

Stayed turned to see how this girly girl became a racing fan!! :) ....

xoxox

OH and PS... while at The Noodle... my roommate Amelia text messaged me... "She's back! and I am feeding her tuna fish!!" I practically lost my balance in excitement... that little monster of mine will be on house arrest for quite awhile... the power of prayer :)

Who doesn't love a new phone?!!

HOORAY!!
Today I upgraded from my Blackberry Curve to the Blackberry Bold 9780!

I am super excited for the visual voicemail feature, upgraded camera and video messaging!! I will be sure to take lots of pictures & video this weekend at the Indy 500 Festival & Race and The Movement, Detroit Electronic Music Festival!!

Stay tuned!! :)
xoxox

I am my hair!

Growing up I had a perm (ick)... actually I had multiple perms until freshman year of high school (double ick). Looking back my hair was definitely not my favorite physical quality. Barrel bangs & unnatural curls are NEVER attractive!! I sometimes wonder what the heck my mother was thinking, paying hard earned money for me to look like a fool?! ha ha.

Thankfully, like most hideous childhood phases, I out grew my bad hair days!! :) Hooray!!

Nowadays, I am obsessed with treating my hair like gold. From the products I use to how much I pay for a haircut (I am not even going there, because trust me, I've heard enough gasps! for a lifetime), I make sure my hair has the best money can buy.

Typically, I don't like receiving compliments, but to the little girl with the worst hair in sixth grade (ahhh the memories... cringe) deep down inside me, every time someone is in awe of my hair, it makes my day a little bit brighter :) and because every compliment is usually followed by "what do you use?" I figured I would share some of my favs!!

Favorite Weekend Shampoo

Coconut Frosting 3 in 1 by Philosophy

Fav Pre-Blowout Saver

Platinum Hot Spray Protect Finish 20 by Kenra

Fav Pre-Teaser Product

Osis + Dust It Matifying Powder by Schwarzkopf

Fav Finishing Spray

Hard Head by Bed Head

Hopefully this post doesn't come off conceited in any way... it's just that the new Lady Gaga CD "Born This Way" dropped yesterday and track #6 "Hair" is my new obsession (I think she might of wrote it for me) so I figured it was a good time to share my love of hair products and my own mane :)

xoxox

Is running contagious?!!

I. do. NOT. run.

In fact, the last time I enjoyed running was probably the bases in Little League! Even when it was time to say goodbye to co-ed baseball teams coached by my dad and advance to the more competitive all girl's team, I opted for 10 yrs of cheerleading... so I can lift & toss anything, but run... not so much!

At the office, I sit directly across from our Turkey Trot race director and two of my co-workers are big into running... so somehow this past March, I was talked into running my first 5k. I figured it couldn't be that bad, the weather was mild, I had been working out on a daily basis since January and I could run with Valentina... so I gave it a shot!

Much to my surprise, V and I had a great time!! My body was sore for a week, especially my right arm... apparently when a 40+lbs Valentina wants to run, you should try to keep up!! She pulled so hard on her lease to go faster, I could hear people shout & point "Look at that dog, dragging her owner!!" :)

Valentina & I running behind TPC PR rep Carly & her dog George.

Tequila, Valentina & I pre-race!

This weekend I decided to lace up my Nike's again, this time for a fabulous cause... the Susan G. Komen Race for a Cure downtown. Much like my co-workers persuaded me, I was able to talk my fav Marilena into running | walking with me. The weather Saturday was amazing and with 40,000 people out on Woodward Avenue... it was a beautiful day in Detroit!!

40,000 runners, walkers, supporters strong! Go Detroit!!

Marilena & I before the race!

Unfortunately, my allergies were in full swing this weekend, making running painful. My throat was so dry, it hurt to speak. I ran with a water bottle to cure the dry throat, which then led to the most annoying cramps, not too mention I really wasn't used to running | working out in such hot weather!! UGH Lame!! :) I didn't do as good as I did with the Corktown run, but still had a great time!!

AND I am still willing to RUN MORE!! I even have a September race on my calendar, the Michigan State Police Fall Color 5k!!

I definitely never thought I would be typing or saying that, but I guess some bugs are good to catch!

xoxox

The Placenta Lady

"Hi my name is CarolAnn and one day I plan to eat my own placenta"

I wish there was a way, as easy as that statement, to one day tell your future husband that your hospital bag should include a cooler... maybe after a few glasses of wine? Or a casual ...

"Have you ever read my blog, the early years? Specifically May 20, 2011? Yep, the one right after I broke my bra strap dancing and right before I ran my second 5k....where I talked about having my husband take my double wrapped, refrigerated placenta home after we welcome our beautiful baby into the world, so that The Placenta Lady can come & cook it up in some sort of jerky type maker, so that I can consume it?"

I know what you're thinking... this girl is out of her mind. But seriously people... I am not. 

I casually came across the world of placenta eating while debating whether or not to start a blog. At first I was a little weirded out reading a Time Magazine article written by a husband, as most would be, but the more I read the more intrigued I became about the benefits and testimonials.

I am not one of those organic only, hippy types. I am an average women; social, active who enjoys a good beer & bar food. I am not a health nut, but for some reason this idea and it's effects have me researching further and internally debating the pro's & con's (health benefits vs. people thinking I am weird).

Placentophagy is in the early stages of research, so there are no studies to prove the benefits, yet. However, the placenta contains vitamins & minerals that may help the body in a number of ways, including fighting depression symptoms, contracting the uterus and healing quicker, increasing milk production, increasing energy and fighting iron deficiency that can lead to insomnia and sleep disorders. 

If you've made it this far with me, congratulations and thank you... I feel I should mention a few more things. 

I don't plan to treat my placenta like it's Filet Mignon (I once received Liver & Onions in place of my steak at a restaurant and I will say that the one bite I took was not a good time). I would definitely turn to a Placenta Encapsulation Specialists to complete this gross task (yes I think it's gross too but the health benefits are enough for me to not think about it). A Placenta Encapsulation Specialists is an individual who will come to your home with their own supplies and will leave you with a jar of 100+ pills for consumption over a 2-3 wk period after childbirth. 

I also would consult my family & doctor before making any decisions about hiring a PES or taking such pills. I have a lot of respect for my doctor, as I have recommended many of my friends to her, and if she on a medical level thought this idea was outrageous... I would probably listen to her, actually I know I would.

Long story short, I am in no way, shape or form having a child in the immediate future, so this is just something I came across, internally debate on and would research more about in the future. Hopefully, to those that matter most in my life, it doesn't change your opinion of me :) although I have already told my co-workers (who each year remember my love for Cold Stone Peanut Butter Playground Ice Cream cake for my birthday) to forgo any bedazzled onsies, baby heels or larger than life hair accessories for a future mini me and just remember one thing ... a gift certificate to The Placenta Lady!!! 

xoxox

My little street walker

9 yrs ago this week... I found my first furbaby Kapler :)

In high school, my friends & I were obsessed with Gabe Kapler, a meathead outfielder with the Detroit Tigers. Every chance we had, we attended games... to watch him and because we were raised on games at Old Tigers Stadium.

The night before our prom, just us girls headed down to a game. Honestly, I don't think we even had tickets because I remember watching from behind the fences. We didn't stay long (probably because there was some high school party to go to) and walked back to my car, which we had parked on a lonely side street in Grand Circus Park.

The car behind mine, was a bunch of college kids who had left their lights on during the game and were trying to jump it. As we were all piling into my car, they told us they heard a meow coming from underneath and that we should check before driving away. All of us were on our knees listening for a meow... nothing. Just as I was about to turn the key in the ignition... my friend Brianna screamed, "WAIT, I hear it!!"

Listening again... there it was, the tiniest meow. I crawled under the car and found the smallest 5 week old kitten, all dirty and cold, tucked into my engine. I fell in love :) I remember calling my dad on the way home, begging to let me keep it... My dad and stepmom (although they were just dating at this point) deserve a special thank you for allowing me to keep her. Especially when I was college bound at the end of the summer and she wouldn't be accompanying me.

I think they knew I needed her. Four months earlier I had lost my mother to cancer and was going through quite a difficult time (we'll save that for another post)... so I always felt that my mother sent Kapler to me, to help me heal a little bit. Her way of giving me a light in my darkest days... and for that, I am forever grateful.

So here were are, 9 years later... and this little sass monster still has my heart :)

Happy Birthday Kapler!

xoxox

Time marches on

It's already Tuesday evening and I am still recovering from my weekend :) I guess that's what happens when you say goodbye to your early 20's!! Or maybe it's just because I haven't been much of a social butterfly these past few months, thank you Michigan winter!! Ugh.

I previously blogged about my Friday evening spent at the Bowling with Big Heads fundraiser, but I neglected to mention that after closing down the fundraiser, I managed to talk my friends into going downtown to one of my favorite bars, Delux! Monica and I stayed until close, drinking Miller Lite, obeying our rule "no hands, no hands... just dance!" (we don't like the random men grinding on us... so we tell them you can dance in front of us without hands!!), chatting up our fav bathroom attendant and stealing glances at our fav bouncer (whom we never talk to but love to look at).

I ended up sleeping in until 4pm on Saturday!! When I finally woke up, I had just enough energy to shower and go tanning... I figured all the dancing the night before qualified as a good enough work out! Later that evening I met Monica and some friends downtown again, at a local Irish bar, Old Shillelagh. I got there at 10pm (relatively early for the downtown crowd) but already the bars were jammed with people from the Hoedown & Tiger's game. There was plaid everywhere!! 

Again we found ourselves on the dance floor... which is always my fav place in any bar (as long as the DJ is decent). Apparently I was dancing so intensely that a few misfortune things happened :)

A man came up to me, thinking he wanted to dance with me and obeying "No hands, no hands" rule, I brushed him off. Thank goodness he was persistent, because when he finally got close enough for me to hear him, he yelled "Ummm is this your phone?" WHOOPS!! My little blackberry couldn't handle my moves and flew out of my jacket!! Thank you random party man!! 

Then about an hour later, and I can't believe I am writing it for the whole world to see, my Victoria Secret (multi-wear) bra strap completely broke!! LAME!! I was forced to sneak into a corner outside the men's bathroom (the girls line was insane and the boys were too drunk to pay attention to what I was doing) and with the help of Monica convert the situation into a halter!! Yi ya yi! These crazy dancing skills of mine!! :)

Monica & I ended the night at One Detroit Coney Island on Woodward... where we were greeted by off duty DPD officers frisking & checking purses!!

On Sunday my friend Amanda & her band Annabelle Road performed at the Hoedown!! Like always, they were fabulous!! Their energy is amazing and they didn't let the rain bring them down!! I totally recommend checking them out on iTunes or buying their CD here.

It's sad when you wake up and realize you're not as young as you once were... but I had such a great weekend that sore hips, a broken bra strap and chipped blackberry weren't going to bring me down!! :) I love Detroit nights :)

xoxox

Bowling with Big Heads!

This past weekend, The Parade Company hosted it's annual Bowling with Big Heads fundraising event. The night consisted of bowling, a special performance by Dianna Ross (a very diva Diana Ross impersonator) and of course our famous papier-mache Big Heads!!

My assignment for the night, was competing against my coworker Steve, to see who could sell the most raffle tickets. Not one to be outdone, I had recruited a few of my friends to help me sell tickets to guests. Monica, Marilena and I, creatively dubbed "The Girls Team" :) were responsible for selling raffle tickets for a pretty cool Detroit Tigers giveaway (game tickets, signed ball by Jhonny Peralta, and a $250 gift card to The Post Bar). We competed against, none other than, The Boys Team, which was my friend Patrick and Steve who sold 50/50 tickets.

As if there was any doubt, the girls team dominated, winning me a copy of Office Space (which surprisingly I have never seen)!

Woo Woo!! The Girls Team!!

Oddly enough, I have worked at The Parade Company since May of 2005 and have never once tried on one of our Big Heads!! So once guests began departing, my friends and I decided to model Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross and some ostrich's!! I chose to model Diana Ross, because we both have big hair, but after wearing her for 20 seconds I had to take her off because I felt claustrophobic... like a bad scene of SAW!! YIKES!!

Monica & I; these heads each way about 20lbs!

Marilena & I getting ready for an ostrich race!!

It was a great night and I feel so grateful to have friends that will volunteer their time on a Friday night!! I am sure you will see more of them as they always so graciously step in to assist me with my events!! :) THANKS guys!! 

xoxox



Chameleon

Growing up I was super preppy... I only believed in Tommy Hilfiger (in 6th grade I even wore little boy jeans in TH until he came out with Tommy Girl), Ralph Lauren & Calvin Klein... I remember crying in the fitting room at Hudson's begging my mother to buy me a $52 pair of CK's!! I was only in elementary school :)

A lot has changed over the years and I find myself quite the chameleon. Long gone is the brand whore, the Nordstrom credit card and the 'those are from where?!' attitude!! I find myself switching my style on a daily basis... as my new (and still in production) bedroom closet will show (in a future post)... I have a country wardrobe where just about everything goes with my fav BCBG bronzed cowboy boots, a special occasion dress section where glitz meets glamour for a memorable night out, some punk rock tee's with neon track jackets when my dub step dancing takes over, my casual go to of long shirts or dresses with my legging obsession, and any other must haves that catch my eye. 

Any excuse to switch up my style is welcomed and this weekend I have a few :)

This weekend in Detroit is the WYCD's Downtown Hoedown and one of my longtime friends (our lockers were next to each other from 6th to senior year) Amanda and her band Annabelle Road take the stage on Sunday to rock Hart Plaza!! I plan to head downtown around Noon to check out the scene, meet up with friends, enjoy some draft beer all while stomping around in my cowboy boots & extra big hair!! Closing out the night is a performance by Jason Aldean whose album "My Kinda Party" has been on repeat in the Jeep, so I am really looking forward to the day. 

Flash forward...Chameleon... Fist pumps.... It's not just in my big hair & bronzed skin... Sunday night, after I kick off my boots & southern flower messenger purse I will be putting on my leopard jammies and neon headband for the Season 3 premiere of Jerseylicious... one of my fav reality shows!! 

I am so excited to watch Olivia, Gigi & Tracy, the drama, the fashion unfold... I totally love Olivia's style (I'm sure some of you reading this are currently cringing hard) but she does wear a lot of cool pieces!! One of my favs is this scarf, by Two Whistles, below... I definitely will be getting a custom one before the summer is over!!



AND then while I was cruising her FB page for the scarf link, I totally fell in love with these Nike heel tennies... can I pull them off?!! IDK but I might try :)


Long story short, I have come to pride myself on my chameleon style... as out there as it might be one day and muted the next... it's who I am and a whole lot of fun!! 

I think John Fairchild said it best "Style is an expression of individualism mixed with charisma. Fashion is something that comes after style.” I hope that one day, looking back, even if I am embarrassed by an outfit or two, I know that I stuck to who I am, what I am comfortable in and didn't change for anyone, but myself :) and I hope one day to pass that same confidence onto my children... because we each deserve to feel comfortable in our own skin.

xoxox

Another day at the office...

My coworker Marvin, singling me out as the one person who wouldn't see the "Wet Paint" sign!! :) The Parade Company team knows me all too well.

If you can't stand the heat...

Over the past year, I have become more into cooking & recipes. I know this, at times, annoys my step mom Andrea because she is my first go to if I have questions regarding ingredients, prep or cooking. I typically call her from one of the million aisles at Meijer; "Where do I find the heavy whipping cream?" "What is processed cheese food?" or "Can you go to All Recipes and tell me what it says for....". The truth is my blackberry clearly has Internet capabilities, but Andrea is an awesome cook and I value her opinions, tips and ideas.

So yesterday was a typically grocery shopping experience. I was frantically searching for vinegar (I really thought it was in the baking aisle) and couldn't find it anywhere. (In these situations I am usually just over looking the product in a frustrated haze). As I was reaching for my BB to call Andrea, I was stopped in my tracks with uncontrollable laughter.........

When I was 22 years old, I had just graduated from Western Michigan and moved home to start my job at The Parade Company. My parents were not yet retired and would leave each weekend for their now home in Rose City. It was a few weeks before our VIP Rooftop Party featuring the Target Fireworks and I had been working 6 days a week in preparation. I woke up one Saturday morning, probably slightly hungover, and starving before heading into work... I found some Eggo's in the freezer (at this time in my life I was still living off my parents grocery shopping, which I am forever grateful for) and tossed them into the toaster... as I gathered everything for my waffles... I began searching the refrigerator for butter.... WHAT?! How could this be, we were out of butter?!! After moving every item, I finally found a clear tub with a stick of butter in it... HOORAY!!! My waffles came out perfect... just slightly bronzed (or burnt as others complain) and I saturated each square with butter & syrup!! YUM!!

Sunday night my parents returned home... I was watching TV while they were unpacking and stocking the refrigerator. I announced to them, that I hoped they bought butter as we were just about out and I had to use a stick (we typically only use tub butter) for my Eggo's... 

Andrea looked puzzled... "You used what for your Eggo's?"

"I used this" as I was now standing in the kitchen holding up my stick of butter in the clear plastic tub!!

"Tell me you didn't CarolAnn, you didn't really use this on your Eggo's did you?" Andrea asked with a shocked look on her face.

"I did, there's not much left because I put some in every square...." I trailed off as her eyes got bigger than I had ever seen.

"CarolAnn... this is NOT butter... this is CRISCO!! You used a stick of Crisco on your Eggo's!!!" She gasped. 

"WHAT?!!!!! The horror!!!"

I honestly didn't know that Crisco came in a stick form, I had only ever seen it in a large can!!! 

Looking back, I probably should be embarrassed that a fresh college graduated didn't know the difference between a stick of Crisco & a stick of butter. One is white the other is yellow. One is wrapped in shiny foil, the other in clear paper. Not too mention I am sure if I would of looked closer, it has a label!! 

So as I was searching for the vinegar to use for a new recipe... this is what caught my eye... and left me with the giggles :)

I hope it's not annoyance Andrea feels when she receives one of my pestering phone calls from Meijer "Where is the vinegar in this joint?!!", instead I hope she is a little bit prouder. I have come a long way from the days of Crisco-ing up my Eggo's :) I may not be a top chef yet, but I am learning and making great stories along the way. 

xoxox

Mother's Day

This passed weekend was Mother's Day... so Valentina (my almost 2 yr old Golden Retriever & Australian Shepherd puppy) and I packed up the Jeep and hit the road to gamma & gampa's house!! Thankfully gas prices have been on the decline, although $4.29 per gallon is no walk in the park!!

V and I arrived on Friday, after stopping off at some of our favorite shopping spots; Francesca's Collections, Great Lakes Crossing & the Doggy Bakery! We bought some great summer necessities: colorful flip flops, country clutches, maxi dresses & doggy ice cream :) Oh and we sang at the top of our lungs to Jason Aldean & my new obsession The Band Perry "You Lie" with the sunroof open... Yayay summer is almost here... for good!!

Friday night my parents and I went to a little restaurant in Lupton. After a delicious dinner & ice cream (score!) I introduced them to Mario Brothers Wii... and it was definitely a roit!! It took us over an hour and they each went through 45+ lives but we finally made it to & beat the first level!! The laughs, screams and Luigi suicides were hilarious... and a great start to a fabulous weekend!!

Saturday I accompanied Andrea & her fellow Red Hatter Wanda to Gladwin to a scrapbooking store, unfortunately we drove an hour on country roads and found an empty store front... but that didn't stop us from exploring what G had to offer... we found an apple orchard, a farmers market, and a river walk with cute shops (where I fell in love with a super cute nautical Donna Sharpe bag with a red jeweled anchor... unfortunately I thought I could get a better deal online & passed on it's purchase :( and now I can't seem to find it anywhere.... lame but lesson learned)!

Saturday night I stayed up until 3am to make a surprise breakfast for Andrea. My Auntie Florence's Famous French Toast Casserole required overnight refrigeration and Andrea was still up playing Wii (I think I created a monsta!!!) ... finally I think she had enough of Mario & Luigi and went to bed!! I snuck out to the garage fridge and grabbed my ingredients... because I was paranoid I cracked & beat the eggs in my bedroom and crept around the kitchen on my tiptoes :) Hilarious... but it was all worth it... YUM!!

Finally it was Sunday morning!! Hooray!! I had left my gift displayed so Andrea would see it when she woke up!! A one of a kind, custom mini red hat with purple feather made by The Parade Company's costume director & myself!! She LOVED it!! A great addition to Queen Andi's IncREDible wardrobe :)

Then after a fun walk with V (our country anthem) and another amazing meal with my parents, it was time to hit the road and head back to city living!!

I always enjoy my time with my family... there really is nothing like it :) I usually cry when I pull out of their drive way and hit the dirt, but not this time... because all I could do was smile and think of what a great summer in northern Michigan it will be!! 

xoxox

Fashionably Late

I am a little late to this blog party, but that's just the sorority girl in me... I like to make an entrance!!

At a recent dinner with friends, I joked that I would start my blog the day I met my future husband, just so I could entitle it "Today I met the boy I am going to marry..." (see my inspiration here) however when one of my BFF's husband remarked "what if you don't know it's him" I had an epiphany!! Although I have complete faith that in my fairytale, I will just know. I realized that if I wait around for Mr. Right, I am going to miss out on capturing my history & all the special moments that make me... me :)

So here I am ... with my big hair, green eyes & faux bronze ready to take on the world... one adventure at a time! :) I am very excited to share it with my family, friends, strangers and (one day Andrea I promise) my children. 

Your invitation has arrived... so grab your dancing shoes & lip gloss... and welcome to my party :)

xoxox