Girls Just Want to Have Fun!

Hello and Happy almost Friday! Sounds better than just plain old Thursday doesn't it? I must say, I am in a very good mood this morning. Why you ask? I am the latest recipient of a spray tan. Well that, and I have a bit of a caffeine buzz on this morning. As I look down at my bronzed arms typing away, I must declare spray tans are not just for Britney Spears and the cast of Dancing With the Stars. It may be the perfect Mommy pick me up. Look like you got away to the Carribean without the price tag. And, you get the appearance enhancing quality without going all Heidi Montag Pratt (that's code for crazy plastic surgery). Perhaps it is not the spray tan itself, but the fact I got mine via a "Spray Tan Party" that I hosted last night and did this in the company of six other girlfriends. Fun!

I was totally ready to trade in my "winter glow" (white glow worthy of avoiding any black light) for a summer one (bronze glow synonyous with relaxed summer days and less makeup) and had a conversation with some friends who felt the same. I have another friend who provides the spray tan service and was looking for business. This business girl knows a win win when I see it. Turns out my friend who does the spray tanning does it in a party format, so I said, "Sign me up!" My spray tan friend offers the service for $35. Helloooooo bargain (instant happiness)! If you ask me, this also beats the pants off of $35 of doo hickies you would buy at a typical demonstration. Now, this is not the party you can invite the masses to, you really need to go eight or less unless you want to party into the wee hours (hmmmmm on second thought). So I gather some of my neighborhood posse and we got giddy over our little aesthetic shin dig.

What do I wear? Could we be any more predictable in asking this question? We all wore something bathing suit-esque and were told to wear dark loose clothing for afterwards. We all showed up in our bathing suits and little pool cover up dresses (most were black - there's a shocker). No make up, hair up, equals Instant pool/vacation vibe. I was happy everyone opted for a pomegranate martini which we renamed the "Tan-tini" for the evening festivities. Truthfully I wanted to create a new cocktail for this with some sort of orange juice and orange flavored vodka. Two sips of my first not-so-successful concoction made me realize I would be hammered by 4pm (roll tape for Housewives of Montgomery County...no thanks). I settled for my favorite, renamed.

Can she spray tan abs and boobs on me? Sadly, no. It was a spray tan party, not an airbrush party (I would pay big bucks to go to that one - wonder if that could be the next millionaire mom idea?). The best I could do was serve light fare for food as to not create additional bloat.

How are we going to do this? My friend/technician set up a tent in my garage which we stood in to get all tanned up. For ventilation purposes, the garage door had to stay open. No worries, the tent saved everyone from passing eyes. The tan process also gave us a chance to laugh at ourselves as we posed as a body builder, egyptian and as if we were being arrested to make sure all body parts were "tanned" sufficiently. As each person came back into the kitchen we cheered them on and admired their tan.

Special instructions? Yeah, there's a good number of those, the most important being, no showering 6-8 hours afterwards. However, be sure to shower before you go into your next sweat session alas, your tan will turn green. I will admit I get a bit "Grinchy" in spin class, but no need to get all literal about it.

Facing facts, standing in front of a gal in your bathing suit in someone's garage...let's just say you could have snapped a picture (as if) and planted it next to "awkward" in the dictionary. My friend/technician was great in making us all feel comfortable...even me who is still a bit post partum blobish. Anyway, if anyone wants her name to throw your own party, drop me an e-mail. (There's nothing in it for me...just spreading sunshine)

So I am still basking in the glow (literally) of my most recent gathering. Girlfriends make the world go round. They are there for the good, the bad and the ugly. Who got me my last job? Girlfriend. When I was in potty training hell with my daughter, who had the solution? Girlfriend. May I say, "Girlfriends for government!" I'll bet you we could find a solution to the BP oil spill (no levity to be found there). May I propose "Girlfriends Day?" Kind of like Mother's Day, but instead of flowers and brunch, you gather your girls and get some sort of spa service and have a cocktail. Brilliant right?! Until we get that pushed through, gather your girlfriends and celebrate your friendship. Whether it's a tan party or not, you'll still come out with a glow.

Us Magazine...Thursday???

Hey, it happens sometimes. 3 rounds of illness, A travelling husband, a 50th anniversery and a birthday celebration have made time evaporate in this household. So now it's Thursday. I am back from spin class and I am finally able to sit down and blog. Admitedly, I'm listening to my almost seven month old on the monitor and trying to mentally will her back to sleep (that's code for I'm ignoring her...c'mon girl, help a mom out. GO BACK TO SLEEP!!!)

So, back to the magazine. I got to page 2 before I was hit with a two page spread of Kim Kardshian displaying a variety of mini dresses. The cost of the dresses and shoes undoubtedly could have fed an entire third world country, but hey, anything for a photo op for the Kardashians. Page 4, Khloe Kardashian. Page 23 back to Kim Kardashian with this pic:

So, she states she gets "bikini ready by doing squats and lunges." You sure? It looks like you get there by sticking your head under my kitchen sink (I'm referring to the plumber butt here). One word...gross. Spare us the peek-a-boos and just go naked already. Oddly, I think it would be more tasteful.

Onto Hilary Duff's 25 Things You Didn't Know About Me. I'm torn on this one (Except for the fact she decidedly has to step away from the spray tan booth). Is she my soulmate or providing TMI here?

2. I speak gibberish fluently - soulmate
3. I watched "The Holiday" nine times last Christmas - soulmate, it's in standard rotation in my DVD player
4. My mom used M&M's to potty train me - TMI
9. I sleep with four dogs and two cats when my fiance isn't home - TMI, and by the way it makes it sound like Lizzie Maguire has one foot in the adult section here. Ewe.
16. I lose my keys at least twice a day - soulmate
23. The only car accidents I have ever been in were on my property - TMI, but only because this didn't work out so well for Tiger Woods.

Yep,it's a draw. But I'm leaning towards soulmate because of my own downfall where TMI is concerned. If you want to know what I'm talking about, just drop the word "pregnancy" around me and you'll get far more than you bargained for. That is a shout out for my dear friends who have listened to me tell the same stories ad nauseum...I love you for putting up with me and I will make a valiant effort to stop.

I seriously don't know where to start or stop with this one, so I'm just going to post the picture.

Okay, one comment. I heard she got the chin done. Why? The laws of gravity dictate that the second she trips the boobs are going to pull her straight down causing her to smash it again. Just an excuse for more surgery I guess. Moving on.

Now, I don't go to the Us for fashion advice and here is a perfect example why:

"Marbled" denim my foot...it's called acid washed and the memories are not fond. If they're going to bring back these eighties nightmares, could they at least bring back the million pockets? Those would actually come in handy and might eliminate my need for a diaper bag. Judging from the length of the shorts, I am entirely too old to be reading this magazine. The "sporty" pair also serves as a time machine. If you wear them with a pair of sports socks pulled up to your knees (preferably with two colored bands up at the top) you will be instantly deposited in 1975.

And that's a wrap. I didn't even have to go on a tirade about K.G. (I don't even want to type her name) and managed to make it to page 58 before having to endure her presence.

For those of you wondering, I caved and got my precious baby girl five minutes after starting this. No animals were hurt, and there were two diaper changes, one Baby Einstein video, countless pacifiers, and a bottle feeding during the creation of this post. TMI? Old habits die hard.

Happy Thursday!