The End.

I thought being private might bring with it more blogging. But, you know, it didn't. 

So this is good-bye friends! I'll still be reading and commenting and enjoying your blogs. 

Take care and much love!! 

xoxo

Private.

I've sent the invitations, so I'm officially private! I would say if you haven't gotten your invitation to let me know, but since you can't read this if you haven't gotten it, there's no point in that. :-) I made my list and checked it twice, so I hope I didn't forget anyone.

Please subscribe to my blog via email now that I'm private. I know that my reading of Private Blogs was hit or miss without the email subscription. 

Hope you're having a great weekend. I am. UT won. And Derek Dooley still looks just precious in those orange pants. By the way, there is a FB page called Derek Dooley's Orange Pants. You really should "LIKE" it if you haven't already.

I'm gonna sign off for tonight, but I'll see you again soon! I hope I'm a better blogger now that I'm private. You'll for sure hear more about Baby A. :-)

XOXO

Big Orange Country {Pants}

The University of Tennessee football coach,

- cutest in the world -

Derek Dooley wore ORANGE pants for our first 2 games this year,

and it caused quite the stir!

I love them and him!

Articles in the paper, discussion on Sports Talk Radio, talk around the water coolers, photos . . .

Rumor has it that the pants cost around $1400.

My opinion on that?

I don't care how much they cost.

You'll understand when you see how cute ;-) he looks in them:

Go Vols!! 

Hello! Is there anyone out there?

Hey BF's!

I hope the summer was good as gold to you. I must say I've enjoyed my Blog Break very much. 

I am back - sort of. 

I believe I'm going to take my blog Private. 

So if you're interested in reading, please send me an email - i.am.preppy101@gmail.com -
and I'll send you an invitation. 

I've been reading your blogs, commenting a little, and enjoying your summer stories a lot. 

Summer Recap and Miscellany:

NYC.  A couple of visits with lots of holding Baby "A" while there. 

Baby "A" has moved to the South! 

Yes, her parents came with her as if anyone cares about them anymore - hehe.  ;-). 

She is the prettiest baby I have ever seen ;-).

PAINTED a bathroom that had been red for longer than I can remember. 

Three coats of paint later

- Sandy Beaches by Benjamin Moore - 

I swore to never, ever paint another room red. 

Beach Pics in newly-painted bathroom make me happy.

Mommy Memorabilia.

CLEANING, purging, organizing, and tossing that always makes one feel so much better. 

My den/office/craft room now has some great shelving with my assortment of containers holding all kinds of "stuff". 

I never realized how many different types of containers I have. I for sure have a problem that needs intervention. Please, if you see me in Target attempting to buy any kind of basket or tin container, STOP me immediately. 

Thankyouverymuch.

Do I need intervention?

I also love Market Baskets. Monogrammed, of course! 

SENIOR TOUR Golf Tournament in Westchester, NY at the Westchester Country Club. Stellar event. Freddy Couples, who is a cutie-pie for certain, won! 

I had a celeb spotting on my plane from White Plains to Atlanta. 

Telma Hopkins, gorgeous and friendly, was on my flight. 

I think I'm not impressed with movie stars until I see one and get as giddy as a teenager. Fun. 

He is a cutie. I call him Fred"diva" Couples.

 

PINTEREST. 

Enough Said. 

I love it. 

If you "pin", please let's follow one another. 

BACK at work!

Love my job, but this year is going to be much more challenging than last year. 

Sharpen the Saw, right? 

WEIGHT WATCHERS -

Yes, I joined as my doctor had practically threatened me to improve my lifestyle or else . . . 

I've lost 20 pounds to date. I probably still have 5-10 to go.

This has required a lot of alterations to existing clothes that I adore and/or lots of shopping. That part has been fun. 

The best thing is my cholesterol dropped 78 points.  

Yes, diet and exercise work. 

IT'S FOOTBALL TIME IN TENNESSEE! 

You know how I love my Vols! 

Go Big Orange!

I finally got an iPhone. 

And I love it.

Period.

White + Kate Spade case.

Oh, yes.

That's all I have for now. 

Hope you have a great weekend, BF's. 

Even with the enjoyment of the Blog Break, I missed y'all! 

xoxo

Where From Here?

For now, I am taking a break. 

I have several small projects that I'd like to accomplish, 

so I'm focusing on that for now.

I'm not sure where this blog is headed . . . 

I'll still be reading and commenting a bit though!

Hope your summer is nothing short of Fabulous! 

XOXO

Ooh Baby Love, My Baby Love . . .

I have been completely MIA.

No blogging, no reading, no commenting.

Why?

This little bundle of Baby Love

 

 Preppy Grammy  with 1st Preppy Grandbaby "Baby A"

 She is sooooo precious, perfect, sweet, soft, cuddly . . . 

xoxo

"A Baby Changes Everything"

She's HERE!! 

Baby Girl "A"

May 13, 2011

12:37 a.m.

7 lbs. 4 ozs. 

20.5" long

Mommy and Daddy aren't sure about my blogging with pics yet. 

If I get the green light, you'll see how precious and perfect she is :-).

xoxo

Smathers & Branson Winners!!!

Sorry I didn't get this posted yesterday, but Blogger was NOT cooperating! 

The winners of my Smathers & Branson Giveaway are

First Winner - You get your choice of the headband or the coin purse:

Entry #57 - Her Preppiness!! 

Second Winner - 

Entry #7 - Amy at Forever 29!!

Congratulations Girls!! 

Enjoy your new items from Smathers & Branson! 

xoxo

Deadline Tomorrow at Midnight . . .

. . . to Enter my Fabulous Smathers & Branson Giveaway! 

Go Here to Enter.

xoxo

Smathers & Branson Get the Needle"point"; We Need a Giveaway!

 Hey Bloggy Friends! 

It's Giveaway Time at Southern and Preppy! 
This giveaway runs from Today through Thursday, May 12.
The winner will be chosen on Lucky, Friday the 13th.

Smathers & Branson is sponsoring this giveaway x 2!! 

Margie from Smathers & Branson contacted me about a collaboration, 

so a giveaway for the best BF's in the world is in order.

Smathers & Branson is a top-notch quality, creative company

that oversees the artisans who make their needlepoint products.

Their mission is “to offer the finest products with customer service to match.” 

I can personally attest to the quality of their products.

Several years ago I gave my son the University of Tennessee needlepoint belt.

This is the perfect gift for your football fan{atic}. 

Now onto the important stuff: 

There will be TWO lucky winners! 

THE PRIZES:

This Preppy Needlepoint Coin Purse!

 You will be able to choose any in-stock pattern {non-monogrammed}

This cute little purse is on my want list. ;-)

 

{OR}

A Preppy Needlepoint Headband!

Again, you can choose any in-stock pattern you want!

The Rules:

1.  Required: Go to Smathers & Branson; Comment telling me your Favorite Product!
2.  "Like" Smathers & Branson on Facebook.
3.  Follow Smathers & Branson on Twitter
4.  Blog about this giveaway.
5.  Tweet about this giveaway

Yes, you can get up to 5 entries on this fabulous giveaway! 
Winner will be chosen by Random.org

Also, the first winner chosen will have the choice of either the coin purse or the headband.

When you comment, just list all the things you've done to earn an entry. 

Good Luck, Best Bloggy Friends in the World. 

xoxo

Pink & Green in NYC - Part Deux!!!

To read Part II about my Most Fun Easter Weekend in NYC,

Click HERE!
 If you need to read Part I, click HERE.
Enjoy :-).

xoxo

God, the best maker of all marriages, Combine your hearts into one. -- John 13:34-35

It was a good day.

xoxo

Pretty Personal Gifts

~ Grandmom Gets Showered With Love ~

One of the best things about blogging is making new, wonderful friends. 

One such friend  is Janine at Pretty Personal Gifts.

{check out her store - lots of goodies}

When she found out that I have a granddaughter on the way, 

she "showered' me with the preppiest, cutest gifts.

Thank you Janine. You're a sweet lady!! 

 Love this :-)!!

 Bib, Blanket, Bloomers & Burp Cloth

<3

xoxo

Matthew 28:1-10
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, 

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, 

going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 

His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 

The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, 

"Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. 

Come and see the place where he lay. 

Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 

'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. 

 There you will see him.' 

 Now I have told you."

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. 

"Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 

Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. 

Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.

Have a Blessed Easter.

xoxo

Daughter + Turquoise = Lovefest

My daughter is really liking turquoise this year!

I can see why:

    

 

Have a great day, BF's.

{Images from Lilly Pulitzer, Furbish Studio, Fornash, Benjamin Moore, Jonathan Adler, Google}

xoxo

Decorating Inspiration from a Wastebasket?

Design a room around a Wastebasket?

Crazy? Absolutely Not.

Because . . . . . .

It could be one of these from Haymarket Designs:

 

Aren't these gorgeous? 

Yes, I am really loving these HandPainted items by Haymarket Designs!

Look what else you can add to your new decor:

Picture Frames

Plain, Monogrammed, Chalk Board

 

Tissue Boxes

Trays {3 different sizes}

There are 9 different designs and 18 color choices. 

Oh, one last little tidbit - the prices are fabulous! 

Love. 

Check them out on their website, Facebook page, and blog! 

{all images are from Haymarket Designs website}

Have a great day, BF's. 

xoxo

Advice for Young Wives and Young Mothers

Sisters + Girlfriends

  

{a colleague shared this with me years ago, and I thought it was worth passing on}

A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot, humid day, 

drinking iced tea and visiting her Mother. 

As they talked about life, about marriage, 

about the responsibilities of life and the obligations of adulthood, 

the Mother clinked the ice cubes in her glass thoughtfully

and turned a clear, sober glance upon her daughter.

"Don't forget your Sisters," she advised, swirling the tea leaves to the bottom of her glass. 

"They'll be more important as you get older. 

No matter how much you love your husband, 

no matter how much you love the children you may have, 

you are still going to need Sisters.

Remember to go places with them now and then; do things with them.

 Remember that Sisters also means 

your girlfriends, 

your daughters, 

and other women relatives, too.  

You'll need other women. Women always do."

What a funny piece of advice, the young woman thought. 

Haven't I just gotten married and joined the couple world?

I'm now a married woman, for goodness sakes! A grown up!

Surely my husband and the family we may start will be all I need. 

But she listened to her Mother. 

She kept in contact with her Sisters and made more women friends each year. 

As the years tumbled by, one after another, 

she gradually came to understand what her Mom meant.

As time and nature work their changes and their mysteries upon their women, 

Sisters are the constants of their lives.

After more than 60 years of living in this world, here is what I've learned:

Time passes.

Life happens.

Distance separates.

Children grow up.

Jobs come and go.

Love waxes and wanes.

Hearts break.

Parents die.

Husbands die.

Colleagues forget favors.

Careers end.

But Girlfriends are there, no matter how much time and

how many miles are between you and her.

A Girlfriend is never farther away than needing her can reach.

When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself,

your Girlfriends will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, 

praying for you, pulling for you,

intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end.

Sometimes they will even break the rules and walk beside you.

Or come in and carry you out.

Girlfriends, sisters, daughters, daughters-in-law, sisters-in-law, Mother, 

aunts, nieces & cousins bless our lives!

The world wouldn't be the same without them, and neither would I.

When we began this adventure called womanhood, 

we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead.

Nor did we know how much we would need each other. 

Everyday we need each other still. 

Have a great day, BF's!!

xoxo

of Rogues & Gentlemen, The Preppy Princess, Maxminimus, Prince Charles & Don Draper

Yesterday one of my all-time favorite bloggers, The Preppy Princess,  included in her post, among other delightful/informative facts, a reference to a new blogger: 

of Rogues  & Gentlemen, aka Brooks Brothers! 

{The Preppy Princess is a daily-must-read {DMR} with her clever, sometimes toungue-in-cheek writing style 

that addresses the anti-prep, fashion, the latest scoop, Tilly, and all things prepalicious.}

Her post sent me to a place of nostalgia. And with my amazing son's birthday today,
I reflected on shopping sprees in Brooks Brothers . . .

Happy Birthday to my amazing son who is 32 years old today!

  Brooks Brothers in Knoxville, TN gave me A+ service and attention.

My son and I shopped there for his first suit - isn't that a coming of age moment? 

Many more shirts and ties for frat parties when he was at UT -

{"It makes me sad because I've never seen such - such beautiful shirts before." 

Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby - yes, I digress}

Camel hair sportcoat -

Braces - 

Impeccable tailoring - 

More ties, more shirts, more suits.

Sartorial advice through the years.

Cummerbund pleats up or down?

Which shoes with which color?

Which tie looks the best?

Is there anyway I can get this tomorrow? 

"Yes, we can certainly do that, ma'am."

The men in that store were always so courteous, pleasant, and helpful.

It was there that I learned this little tidbit:  

~~ the difference between the American and European repp tie:

"Traditionally, English stripes ran from the left shoulder down to the right side; however, when Brooks Brothers introduced the striped ties in the US around the beginning of the 20th century, they had theirs cut in the opposite direction." 

American stripes - Yes, Don Draper wears Brooks Brothers.

 

English stripes - he's no Don Draper in my book, but I digress yet again . . .

Annnnyway - 

Fabulous Customer Service.

Southern Gentlemen in the Purest Form.

I always thanked them profusely, but, let me say it again . . .

Thank you, Brooks Brothers. 

Occasionally I still have a sartorial question . . .

Maxminimus is nowadays gracious with his expertise.

{Maxminimus' blog is delicious with a fabulous fare of wisdom, knowledge, humor, and wit 

served in an unparalleled syntactical style of original ideas and images. ~ whew!} 

His blog is also a DMR. 

Thank you, Maxminimus.

Hope you're having a great day, BF's!

xoxo

My Blood Runs Orange

Yes, it does. Through thick and thin. 

Of course, you know that. 

I have multiple posts to back me up. 

But today my friends, athletic activities on "The Hill"

are nothing short of a 

 

Amid NCAA violations that include lying and "bumping" {worth googling ;-)}, 

UT fired our basketball coach, Coach Bruce Pearl. 

He is a fabulous coach, but he violated some NCAA policies.  

He is popular with the students and fans, so the Volunteers are not happy today. 

For those of you who might be curious, you can read alllll about it here. 

As I type this, the powers that be are in a meeting to decide on his financial package. 

We're probably talking about millions here. 

We Tennessee Vols love to turn coaches into millionaires. 

We're so generous here in Big Orange Country.

What I know is that no one person is bigger than the Vols, 

and in the end, we'll be fine. 

We'll have growing pains for sure, but we will prevail. 

In the big picture of all that is going on in the world, 

this is barely a blip on the radar in my opinion. 

Of course, I'm older and wiser ;-). 

But the Volunteers are not happy today. 

xoxo

March Madness, Memories, and Michael Jordan

NCAA March Madness

I love it. 

Mr. Preppy 101 was a basketball coach, so March Madness around this house was revered!

We used to fill out the "brackets" and then watch game after game after game . . .

Mr. Preppy 101 saw a few "Final Fours" in his day. 

{FYI: People have been known to sell their birthrights for those tickets ;-)}

One of the most memorable:

1982

North Carolina vs. Georgetown

Michael Jordan {you may have heard of him} hits the winning basket. 

Sweet.

March Madness - I love it.

It's not just the basketball, but all the memories. 

Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, 

the things you are, the things you never want to lose.  

~The Wonder Years

Have you filled in a bracket? 

Who's your winner?

xoxo