Hey Little Birdie!

Are you still trying to figure out what to get me for Christmas? I will just go ahead and tell you, I want Pandora One. I am a long time fan of that magical site. I have been loyal through all of the revisions and changes to skips and limits to hours (yay for the 320 hours limit, I was burning through 40 hours in the first week), but I am really tiring of the ads. SO MANY ADS. I just want my musically clairvoyant radio, not ads for cars or McDonalds.  So if you are looking for an idea for the music lover in your life (or me) Pandora has you covered, you can gift a subscription for Pandora One for $36. With Pandora One you get higher quality audio, ZERO advertising, a desktop app, increased number of skips and custom skins.  You can email it out to the recipient, print it out or pick up a gift card for it at Target. So if you are that dangerous kind of procrastinator that waits until the 24th to shop for gifts this might be an idea to keep in mind…

Welcome to our weekly feature “Know Your Birdies” where every Friday a question is posed and you get to know us through our answers. This week we’ve asked… and answered: What is one tech gadget you are currently coveting? 

I’ll be honest, with my 3 electronic staples – iPhone, TV and laptop, I feel like I basically have everything I need in this gift-getting category. And I know that this is what this question is all about. You guys have been wondering what to buy me, and this was a roundabout way of getting me to tell you what I want. You guys are sneaky. But if I had to pick something, I think I would drink the apple juice… and choose to desire an MacBook Air, all in its white beauty and Steve-Jobs-goodness. I would take the plunge and bring our little PC family one step closer to ultimate Apple domination.

Going along with Jina’s goal of Apple domination, my most coveted tech gadget is an IPad. I feel like we are the last family with out one. My dad has one and my children (who call it the moon for whatever reason) LOVE it. They could spend hours curled up on the couch with Grandpa playing with the IPad/the Moon. I think I would actually cheat on tangible books and read books on there. Plus then I could get an adorable little Kate Spade cover for it. Yeah, that is seriously a motivating factor, I have a sickness… Anyway, am I the only one that thinks that Apple should just sponsor this post and gift us with Apple goodness?

I have to agree with Katrina on the iPad. Not only would I use it for reading and such, but it would be so beneficial for Claire. There are a ton of apps to use as therapy for children with special needs. From visual stimulation that would help her learn to track her eyesight to augmentative communication apps where she could learn to hit a button that says YES or NO. Those may sound like elementary things to most but in our world they would be life changing. And I could download all the Yo Gabba Gabba episodes she loves, which means instant Claire happiness wherever we go- ha! There is a wonderful organization called Apps For Children With Special Needs, that helps grant iPads to children and teaches families about the best ways to use the iPad. Check them out for more info!

What tech gadget is calling your name? Tell us about it!

Welcome to our weekly feature “Know Your Birdies” where every Friday a question is posed and you get to know us through our answers. This week we’ve asked… and answered: What is one of your must read blogs?

I don’t know if I should admit this, but I have many daily-must-read blogs. I read Pop Candy on USA Today for all things indie pop culture related. I read Young House Love for DIY decorating inspiration. I read my husband’s photography blog, because he is the jelly to my peanut butter. Religiously, I read the Pleated Poppy on Wednesday’s for What I Wore Wednesday, and Melissa Loves on Tuesday’s for Cheap for Chic. But one I love and must devour each and every day is Ashley Ann’s Under the Sycamore. I am inspired by her craftiness. I enjoy her perspective on being a stay-at-home mom. I love her pictures of everything from her home to her sweet kids. And I totally share her passion to soon adopt a child. She’s relatable, approachable, and kind of seems like a lot of fun. (Gosh, I hope I didn’t just break the rules by mentioning 6 blogs! Oops.)

My favorite blog is local reporter Jaimee Rose’s blog. I have been a big fan of her’s since I was in college and she wrote for Y.E.S. I love her style, she seems to have the same “But does it come in black?” proclivity that I am afflicted with. The blog is always filled with lots of local love, from activities to venues to eateries, it is a fabulous resource for Phoenicians that are tired of Harkins and Chili’s on date nights. She also highlights books, fashion, shopping and travel. If you are looking for swoonworthy entertaining ideas, she is your girl.  Her blog is the blog I save for last in my google reader (btw does that mean the same thing to anyone else?)

I am a total blog-aholic. I am constantly having to painfully edit down my Google Reader list because it is getting too large to manage. There are just that many amazing sites out there! With that being said, one of my most favorite blogs is Oh Happy Day! I’m sure you’ve seen me mention Jordan Ferney and her fantastic ideas a million times here. Her blog is brimming with entertaining inspiration, gorgeous photography and art, interior design, beautiful typography- you name it! And she is living abroad in Paris with her family for a year. Swoon. Her genius has encouraged me to try out so many DIY projects for parties and home decor, and she even helps lead me to new ideas on my own. Thank you, Jordan! And I second Katrina above- I love Jaimee Rose too!

What about you dear readers? Do you have any beloved blogs to share with us?

There is so much going on in my head today. I know, there are too many jokes that could follow that sentence. But before we get too punchy with poor little Jina, I thought I would use this opportunity to give you a smorgasbord of links to all kinds of internet goodness from the past several weeks. Oh, and this was a great chance to use the word smorgasbord; I really think my grandma would have been pleased. Anyway, consider this a recap of all the best from my Reader to yours. Here we go…

• I am kind of in love with this Land’s End throw blanket. You guys know how I love my throws, right? If not, remind me to do an endorsement on all things throw blankets soon. (Image above)
• My obsession for this Zig Zag bag is reaching new heights… bold pattern, black and white, big enough to hold my stuff as well as Lyla’s and occassionally Mike’s.
• After being in NYC and trying to carry my purse as well as a camera and often a coffee, I realized how much I will need a cute, stylish camera strap, if I really do want to take more pictures. So, I am dreaming of the dreamer… the Tokyo Dreamer.
• The lace jewelry at the Etsy store Branch Bound would make some perfect Christmas gifts for several on my list.
• My dogs need new bling… or even more my style, some new striped collars from Cath Kidston.
• I am counting down the days until I can legitimately listen to cool new Christmas music. She & Him are a great source. Zooey’s voice is perfect for old Christmas standards.

It’s 115 degrees outside this week. Cue collective groan. But do you see that little light at the end of the tunnel? It’s sort of golden and smells like spiced autumn deliciousness? Could it be? Is it really? A Pumpkin Spice Latte?! TWO weeks people! And then no matter what the weather, I will picture myself wearing cardigans (like this one) and traipsing through falling leaves. Hooray! And if you are over-the-top passionate about the PSL, Starbucks is running a competition on their facebook page to bring the drink to your city one week earlier than the rest. Get all the details here.

via

Happy Fall Dreaming!

Happy Monday dear readers! With Father’s Day around the corner,  here is a roundup of gift-giving resources from the web:

Free printable cards from The TomKat Studio

Gift Guide from A Cup of Jo

Rootbeer Sampler from Oh Happy Day!

Gift Guide from Creature Comforts

Present and craft ideas from Martha Stewart

Hope you find something sweet to surprise the dads in your life with!

Let’s start with the funnest. (And yes, I am aware most fun is the correct term. But I think funnest sounds…you know, funner.)

One of my favorite bloggers and blogs, Jordan at Oh Happy Day! is kicking off a contest to win an amazing free trip for two to PARIS. Enter here. And if you win, you have to bring me. Please?!

Speaking of Paris, have you seen Midnight in Paris, the new Woody Allen film yet? C’est si bon! The opening city scenes filled me with an overwhelming longing to go back there. All the more reason to hope I win the free trip above. Seriously though, the movie is a delight. People clapped at the end. Isn’t it so sweet when that happens?

Another thing I wanted to share with you in case you hadn’t heard of it yet is Zulily. It’s kind of like the more affordable mom version of Gilt. Every day there are tons of new special deals added on everything from clothes to toys to decor. Check it out before you pay full price!

Lastly, if you are a local Phoenix reader, take a trip to the Riparian Preserve in Gilbert. With the scorching summer already haunting us, I imagine this might be one of the few outdoor spaces that could be tolerated in the morning and evening hours. You won’t even feel like you are in the Valley. Imagine 110 acres of water filled basins, shaded pathways, fishing, lots of birds and wildlife, great picnic areas, and even an Observatory for star gazing. Here’s a glimpse:

and here is a little Vender family photo op for good measure.

Have a splendid week!

Who else is excited about the IPad 2?!? I have been dreaming about buying an IPad for a while but cannot quite justify that purchase. They are just so dang cute, no? The apps are amazing and endless.  I don’t think I could betray physical tangible books and make the leap to ebooks.  But hypothetically if I were to, it would be on an IPad.

My PC loyal father was the first person I knew to purchase an IPad. He lets my children play with it and they LOVE it. It is disturbing the speed in which my three year old figured out how to turn it on, find his favorite game and proceed to play it.  He is going to be schooling me on computers by the time he is five. There are so many educational apps that are perfect for preschoolers and toddlers, that I think it is only responsible parenting to have one of these in our home. Right? No, I know, I am still working on that aforementioned justification.

So maybe it is time to start saving my pennies and get on the IPad bandwagon. In the mean time I will be planning on how to accessorize it. Because that is just who I am.

1. Kate Spade The Journal IPad cover (which I cannot find anywhere on their site, I think they are hiding it from me)  2. Dunhill IPad Cover discovered here 3. Last but certainly not least, the Book Book for IPad. I am so madly in love with this one that it might happen before the IPad comes to live with me. I am practical like that, folks.

I am feeling totally smug in my promptness in starting my taxes this year. I have this delusion that I will get them done by the end of February, but in reality this is how things will go down: I will start to think “Oh, I already started them, I will take my time”, I will abandon them altogether come next week and then when April rolls around I will be thrown into a frenzied panic trying to get my stuff together. There will tears, cuss words and sleepless nights. It is going to be ugly. But as I am going slow and steady for now I think it only my American duty to share one of my favorite things in the world with my fellow tax payers.

I guess I should start by telling you that we go through obscene amounts of receipts and invoices in our line of work. There are just copious amounts of paper and they take up lots of space. Try as I might to keep them organized they inevitably end up in a chaotic disarray. Last year I happened upon an ad for this bad boy. Neat Receipts, my friends, is a beautiful creation. I love this thing so much it makes me want to weep. Seriously I LOVE IT.

You feed your receipt through the cute little scanner, the program reads the vital info: vendor, date, total sale and sales tax. It files it. The digital copy is a-ok with the IRS. You can export the information to Excel, TurboTax, Quickbooks and Quicken.  You can assign a tax category and come tax time you can run a report gathering all of your information.

It also scans and files information on Business cards, and other documents like recipes. Go check it out, it may or may not change your life life like it did mine, but just know every time you scan a receipt an angel gets its wings. That is not hyperbole, that is just a cold hard fact.

all images via

Astoria Scum River Bridge from Jason Eppink on Vimeo.

I love this.  The “Astoria Scum River Bridge” story is a good reminder of the path I want to take in the upcoming year.

Notice the forgotten, the inconvenient… Maybe something else someone is “supposed” to do, and do something about it!  So simple, but so inspiring.

I hope you like it and are inspired, too!  Here’s to a great 2011.  Happy New Year!