Did you realize?

That this year December only has 3 weekends before Christmas?!!
I didn't.
I've got to get to work!

The king is dead, long live the king!

Goodbye Northface- mass produced and heavily saturated.

Hello Patagonia- well made, the original preppy fleece.

So, you want a successful fundraiser?

Dear Mrs. Fundraiser,
 Often I will hear (especially if it is a poorly attended event) organizers say that they advertised all over and can't understand why no one came... 


My experience is that you can't count on the outside world to support the event but you should be able to count on the school/church/temple/club/sport that benefits from the event to! 


I do so many of these and find the most profitable (for all) are when the organization that benefits from the fundraiser supports the event.
Suggestions to insure that:

   1.  If a church or temple, appeal to congregation at each service to support upcoming event. If it is a school, send home flyer. If it is a sports organization? Have in person sign-ups AT event.
   2.  Put in organization's newsletter.
   3.  have a school choir/band perform-parents will come to watch AND shop!
   4.  have contest for kids at school or for members of group- must be present to win.
   5.  ask room mothers to suggest a “ladies night” out to their classes starting with shopping at the boutique! If a religious group ask different committees to plan ladie's night out.
   6.  email chain for members and supporters of organization.
   7.  get as many volunteers as possible, even if you have to make-up jobs-just to get them in the door.
   8.  have student counsel kids volunteer or any student group- their parents will come in and shop when they drop off or pick up.
   9.  invite any other fundraisers involved with church or school to be present-people will then feel obligated.
   10. Most of all? Have a HUGE sign/banner in front advertising the event. 


These are but a few suggestions to insure a successful event for all.
Thanks,
Preppyplayer

Tis the weekend.

The weekend after Thanksgiving is a paradox.
It is a relaxing, flurry of activity!
This the weekend I begin all my Christmas preprations. I begin planning, decorating, buying, wrapping and in a way,
celebrating!
 why celebrating?
Mostly because my business frenzy is winding down. I have more time for family and home. Not a lot of time, but more. Also I have been given a taste of the season, literally, with Thanksgiving and I am inspired.
I want to make our home beautiful for the holidays!
I want it to smell good!
I want to fill it with friends and family!

So, this is the weekend it begins. Time to look for some Christmas Crackers!

It is time.

Yes. It is crock-pot time!
There is a chill in the air and winter is encroaching.
It is so nice to walk in the door around 6 pm and smell a wonderful stew-like smell knowing that all I have to do is make a salad and throw a loaf of bread in the oven because I was smart enough to have started my crock-pot up twelve hours earlier.
Yes, that's the catch. You can't be spontaneous with a crock-pot as it is a slow cooker. You have to plan ahead and know what you are preparing for dinner that morning.
But the pay off is amazing! It's like having your own wife :)

Glass full.

It's all good.
Can't complain, don't want to.
Everyone is healthy.
Business is good.
New. Kitchen.  Need I say more?
All my relationships are good, would love to see more of friends and family at this time of year- but gotta pay for that new kitchen! So Marc and I are working our butts off.
Kids are happy.
Although, does anyone need a 24 year-old, handsome, smart employee? ( my son needs a job!)
The weather has been awesome. Trust me, when you work outdoor events AND play an outdoor winter sport and the weather has been AMAZING!
Also, I just connected with a long lost relative that we all have wondered about and that is so cool.
So, I would half to say my glass is certainly,
full.

Heaven.

My kingdom for a foot massage.

I actually fantasize about foot massages as I drive home from certain shows.

You know, the ones where I have gone up and down stairs carrying bins of merchandise and have run back and forth from the truck a gazillion times?

 So, if the above diagram is true I think the masseuse should concentrate on my both of my outer foot right below my pinkie toes...
I hope my husband reads this blog.

I'm a little bit Republican and...

a little bit rock and roll?
No.
But according to a new study by Experian Simmons I might be more Republican than my (secret/hidden) Democrat leanings.
At least in my television viewing.
But wait where does Boardwalk Empire fit in?

Where are you?

Possible table for laundry room...

perfect for folding on.

VOTE for the "old bag!"

Here is an email I received from a ski school buddy,
Hey y'all...
The Doritos commercial....

So for the past few years Doritos has had this contest called Crash the Super Bowl. Basically you have to create a Doritos spot and if yours is chosen, you get it aired during the Super Bowl. Well my parents shot a spot and I've got to tell you...... it's friggin HYSTERICAL!!!! They really have a shot at this so I'm asking all of you, if you would, to take 2 minutes and visit the site and leave a nice comment.
Another cool thing about the spot.... they got all of Art Carney's (yes THAT Art Carney) family to be a part of it!
 My father just wrote, produced and edited a 30 second spot for this year's Doritos "Crash The Superbowl" Contest.

He's honored to have TV Legend Art Carney's family, wife Jean and sons Brian and Paul featured in the spot entitled-

"The Old Bag"

My mother co-produced the commercial, Martin Cole was the DP, and Topher Reifeiss (Art's grandson) jumped onboard with much appreciated creative input
and production support.

Please go to the contest site and post a comment... POSITIVE of course!  You'll have to register to post a comment.. thanks for that.

Here's the link: http://www.crashthesuperbowl.com/#/gallery?video=1944

The spot is also up on youtube.  If you would also be so kind as to hit that site a few hundred times, we'd like the video to go viral!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeRPJmZvBtw

My niece is pretty darn talented. Darn pretty too!

She is one of the members of the amazing drill team below. Love the music AND I especially love how tasteful and unrevealing their costumes are! Check it out!

So many things...

Yes, so many things....

 So this is the new carpet I'm jonesing for our den.
Wool.
 Gotta have it.

 From Wednesday on I am selling at events until Christmas.

My girl was voted captain of her team!!! So. Proud.

 Need, must have this rug for our bedroom. overstock.com

 Not our kitchen, but our new back splash!

 All that "stuff" aside?
These are the folks that are most important to me. New kitchen, new furnishings, work, achievements?
All meaningless without these folks.
Blessed.

Unique, cool pinnies- jimmies pinnies!

I know I have mentioned jimmies pinnies before. thought I would have them this Summer...
But they are hard to get.
Apparently, jimmie makes them when he wants to and only in limited amounts.

The reason why we all want them?
 They are priced well, come in hot colors and always have some type sarcastic, tongue in cheek design, and they are hard to get- so you don't see everyone else wearing them.
I haven't met jimmie. I hear he is an old laxer/surfer that is very particular as to who is allowed to sell his brand...
And guess what?
He is finally letting me sell them!
Two guy designs and two girl designs. Haven't even seen them. Don't care.
 YOU WANT THEM.
Look here first week in December.

Disregard the girl accepting the award... (me in 1974)

Instead focus on the Godawful plaid pants both men are wearing!
Seriously, this was taken on the 4th of July.
Have you ever experienced a New Jersey July?
We're talking hot AND humid!
Yet these two guys were rocking the plaid polyesters...
I'm guessing they weren't the only ones. I wonder if they will ever make a comeback?
Hope not.

As for the girl accepting the award, (me) I guess I had it wrong back then too.
I see that I was wearing converse and cutoff jeans to run races and other events.
No Under Armour back then!

My new (pretend) boyfriend

Not only because of his talents on the mound and in spite of his scary beard,


Mainly, because he is funny as hell!

That which does not kill us...

 I have often heard that home renovations can lead to divorce, that arguments about design and construction decisions or money can really hurt a marriage.

But I am happy to say that it has been the complete opposite for us.
 I feel like it has made us closer.
I knew that we would get along during the process because:
We have always been good collaborators, (we do have five kids!)
We usually defer to one another when one of us feels strongly.
He gets the TV over the fireplace and I got the Wolf 60' range.
We both exhaust ourselves trying to get the best quality for the best price.
We temper one another. When I am upset he calms me and when he is upset I calm him.

 We also welcomed the challenge of living through construction knowing that there was an amazing reward at the end- a New Kitchen!

Stay tuned for the big reveal. Looks like November 16th? I hope!

You will want these! TEXT gloves http://www.preppyplayer.com

Why?
Because if you put them in the Christmas stockings the kids will think Santa is cool!
Because you need them if you have an iphone.
Because they are the perfect (babysitter/hair stylist/nail person/ secret santa) gift EVER!
Because the $15 price point is just right.
Because it isn't easy to find stuff that is fun, pretty, and functional.
Like I said, you will want these.
 I take it back. What I really mean is....
You need these!
I will have select styles available next week on my new web site (finally!)
http://www.preppyplayer.com