For about the last 5 weeks of 2008 I was in a calendar quandry.  Normally I use calendars from Whomi but due to my procrastination (family trait) the cover I wanted was sold out by the time I got there. Don’t let that deter you though - a Whomi calendar will be your best friend if you like one of the designs they have left. This year will be tough without my Whomi.

Regardless, a girl needs to move on. I searched for a calendar that met my needs - monthly overview, weeks at-a-glance, space for more than just my life (I have kids! a husband! they have schedules!) and something that will easily move from handbag to handbag. Just think…who would you turn to if you were in such a quandry? HELLO KATE! I have your Barbie! I love you!

Yes my friends, Kate Spade can organize my life.

It’s a snappy little number.  It’s a little different from the path that I’ve been on in the sense that it’s refillable so it’s got the binder rings, etc.  I just got it today so I spent the evening transferring info from my 2008 Whomi to this and right now I give it a 7 out of 10.  Whomi is 10 out of 10 so Kate’s got some work to do but if anyone can do it, Kate can.

You know what would help this calendar? A tab for the monthly overview.  There is a bookmark for the week at a glance but the monthly overview you just have to fumble for.  I want to be able to flip back and forth.  I rigged mine - I don’t need the address tab so I flipped it over and marked the monthly page with it.

I’m not going to lie though, this rates points for style and as we all know, sometimes we have to sacrifice for style.

Hi Kate! Love this new bag almost as much as I love you!

I will travel and I will take this with me.  Or more accurately I will dream of travel and dream of having this bag!

I’m in the middle of Christmas shopping planning.  That means I’m figuring out what I’m getting everyone ahead of time so that when I have a spare moment, some spare money and some spare energy I can be efficient.  This is new for me. Usually I wander around stores until I find something for someone which means I usually end up spending more than I planned and I end up last minute shopping for the difficult people on my list. Not this year!

In my online search for gifts I found some cute personalized stamps. I can’t show you the cutest ones because, hello, ordered some for some of you for Christmas. I can show you some that I will order for the kids though!

What a cute stamp to put on the back of their school art or any school work that we are saving for the scrapbooks that I’ll never finish! After I’m done holiday shopping I’ll have to start working my way through the list of cute things I find for me & mine!

My girlfriend sent me an email recently - she had seen a hat she wanted in a magazine, thought it was by Kate Spade, couldn’t find but knew I would be able to if it was findable.

I came close that day - I found a blog detailing some goodies that were coming out in the Holiday 2008 collection and it seemed like the hat was in that collection.

Today, I came as close as I can get without actually having the hat on my head:

Not only do I agree that if something cute made by Kate is out there I will find it, I agree with Hawaii or Bust.

It’s to starting to cool down around here. By cool down, I mean it’s under 100 every day! That means we aren’t far away from the three or so weeks of jacket weather around here. Jacket weather is highly anticipated, mostly because of the variety it brings to a wardrobe.

This is my current fave!

So cute! I have about 4 different ideas of what to wear it with should it show up in my closet anytime soon!

In case you are wondering, I picked these out:

Don’t know what I’m talking about? Slacker. Click HERE.

When we decided to go camping (GAH! Don’t tell anyone I did that) I bought some new pajama’s.  I did this 1) for warmth and 2) because I felt sorry for myself that I was going camping.

Since we got home from camping I have done little else other than look forward to the moment I can put those pajama bottoms back on.  They are the most comfortable things that have ever been on my body.

Whatever. The picture isn’t saving properly and it’s ruining my plan.  Grrr.  Anyway, you should run, not walk, run to your local target and buy these. You will be well served.

Christmas is just around the bend - start planning!  I’m already mentally preparing to start holiday shopping.  I’d like to buy presents gradually over the next two months instead of my typical shop for everyone in a week scenario.

Last year I didn’t send out holiday cards, I was too overwhelmed with everything I had going on.  This year I will be making a better effort to get cards out.  I even found a cute one already at Gumps (of course)!

This week in my secret, pretend life in New York City - you know, the life where I have calling cards and spare time to spend at the Met - it’s fashion week. So in my pretend life, I’m so front row at Nanette Lepore’s show and after the show? I’m ordering this:

In addition to everything else she put on the runway. After that I will, secretly of course, head over to the Monique Lhuillier show and buy everything. Twice. Because it’s that good.

So pretty.

I have planned all along to wear a brown dress to my brother’s wedding mostly because I have a pair of brown shoes that I’ve only worn once and are really only made for weddings. I’m getting closer to my actual shopping date so I’ve been searching online for dresses just to get an idea. One con of the brown dress is that I will have to get all new shirts & ties for my kids to wear so that we, as a family, will match.

While searching this week I stumbled on this blue dress that may be the new front runner. While I would need to find some new fabulous shoes, my husband & children are already prepared to match me with this one.

The detailing on the neck line of the dress is very pretty. I think it’s time to get off the Internet and hit the floor of Nordstrom to figure this one out - may the best dress win!