Meet the Girls!

A big thank you to all my favorite blog ladies who partcipated in the [Life of Meg] Mingle Party - it was so much fun!

Now, I am happily introduced to several new adorable blogs, which I, of course, have to share my favorites with you!



Time to highlight the top 3 Mingle Party over-achievers! All three of these ladies have absolutely wonderful blogs that are awesome, girly, funny and informative.

[ GO CHECK THEM OUT! ]

- You won't be disappointed! -

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1) Christy @ Twenty Five Before Twenty Five

- This girl has it going ON! She inspires me to take care of myself, keep up with my running and have fun while doing it! Not to mention her awesome list: 25 things to do by age 25 - Love it! - Get ready to be inspired!


2) Nikki Jo @ A Single Girl in the City

- This blog is so versatile and fun! Nikki Jo is not afraid to use her own hilarious life stories, which sucks me into her posts every time. Always fresh, always different - go visit her!


3) Casey @ Poodleism

- Casey cracks me up! Her posts are a refreshing blend of hilarious, sassy and wonderful! She makes me laugh/smile so much! Chalked full of funny stories, creativity and ideas- stop by, you'll love it!

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[ Want More? ]

Every week, I will feature all of the Mingler participants blogs - you can be next! Here's a whole list of the cutest blogs that I know you will LOVE! Stop by, tell them I sent you, and get ready to be addicted to some great blog posts!

[ Thanks for mingling! ]
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- Karen @ The Kimchee Chronicles

- Nicole @ That's Life

- JessRaquel @ JessRaquel - Mo Shíorghrá

- Jenn @ A Work in Progress

- Chocoholic @ Diary of a Chocoholic

- JoJo @ Newlywed Adventures

- Amanda @ Don & Amanda

- KG Style @ KG Style Blogs

- The Bosmas @ A Little Taste of Our Life

- Marian @ Escaping the Single Life

- Caro @ Caro's Ramblings

- Chloe @ Tryin' To Throw My Arms Around The World

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Remember, the best way to grow your blog is by growing somebody else's! Stop by, if you like what you see - follow them! Chances are they will follow you right back!

I thought the first [Life of Meg] Mingle Party was a hit - what do YOU think?

I think I am going to officially dub Monday - "Mingle Monday" - so this can be a weekly event! Sound good?!

Suggestions? Feedback?

Join the PARTY!

Due to overwhleming response via e-mail, FB, and Blogger - I am extending the [Life of Meg] Mingle Party to give anyone else a chance to get MORE FOLLOWERS for your blog!

[ You have until 3 p.m. today to join the fun! ]



It's been a blast so far, and several people are already seeing a good response! If you have already participated - go say hi to even more minglers!

Getting your blog out there to other people gives you extra exposure! More followers and new blogs are always great, especially when all the [Life of Meg] followers are such dolls!

Confused? Click HERE to head to the party!!


Happy Mingling!

Want More Followers Instantly?

Yep, I knew that would get your feathers ruffled!

Welcome to the very first [Life of Meg] Mingle Party! I know all of us want to increase our blog traffic and followers, so I thought why not introduce all of my favorite friends to each other?!


Here is how it works:

You don't know how many wonderful blogs you're missing out on until someone introduces them to you! So I think I will!
PLUS nobody knows how fabulous YOUR blog is until your name is right
there in front of their faces! :)






How to play:

1) I begin a ridiculously goofy story and leave it hanging.

2) YOU leave a comment and pick up the story (1-2 sentences).

3) Don't forget to leave your blog site link at the end of your post!

4) Visit the blog of the person who commented before you and leave a comment!

5) The person under you has to do the same for you!


__________________________________

** Everyone who leaves a comment by today [Thursday] at
3 p.m. will have their blog highlighted in a list, along with
a long wonderful recommendation, on my blog! **
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** BONUS **

If you want to be personally featured on my blog tomorrow, I will choose the top 3 over-achievers at random - raffle style - and blog specifically about their site in detail! (Details below.)

EXTRA FOLLOWERS!
* * * * *

____________________________________


Interested?

1) Make a blog post about the [Life of Meg] Mingle Party
and leave the link!

2) Re-comment on my blog afterward and leave your link!

3) Wait in anticipation to see if you are a top 3 blogger!

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[ LET THE FUN BEGIN! ]



There once was a bubbly girl named Gigi who absolutely adored the sweet summertime. Gigi was quite the fashionable lady and did absolutely everything in style!

One lovely June morning, Gigi woke up to the warm sun shining through her window, and she suddenly got the BEST idea... - "I should throw an amazing summer celebration for all my friends!" - Gigi had a niche for planning fabulous parties and was so excited to get started! She rushed off to the store to grab all of her summertime party essentials...

[ GO! ]

*****


PS- If all goes well, Monday's will turn into Mingle Mondays! Hope this helps your readership and more importantly... have fun!


Happy Mingling!

Current Crush: Anthro Aprons

Holy moly! I happened to "accidently" stumble across the Anthropologie home page and now I completely regret it! I have a HUGE crush on all of the Anthropologie aprons!


{ Mmmmm..... }






So adorable, right?!






Anyone who knows me well, knows that I love, love, love anything KITCHEN! Especially aprons! I only have 3-4 right now, but I wear them all the time. I would love to have a nice little collection of them - especially cute vintage ones!

I totally love the first apron! Charlotte wore it in SATC2 [which I am FINALLY going to go see this weekend! YES!] and I think it's absolutely adorable!





I may have to stop by Anthro this weekend...

*DANGEROUS*

I'd Like to Thank the Academy...

Today is a good day. Why, you ask? Because I have the BEST blog following-friends in the world!

This morning I was pleasantly surprised with my first blog award from the very sweet Tarryn & Allison over at 2Bloggeristas! Ahhhhhhh!!


[ Made. My. Morning. ]

In usual MEGnificent fashion, I would like to thank the academy while wearing this gorgeous bright yellow couture Valentino gown from the 2010 spring line.



[ Yellow Anything + SJP = 2 of My Faves!]

In all mushy seriousness though, this is really cool! Tarryn and Allison gave me "The Versatile Blogger Award" - which is SO sweet!




Thank you to all of you oldies but goodies and recent new [Life of Meg] fans - you are amazing! It is so wonderful and refreshing to know people are not only following, but enjoying my blog :)


PS- Go check those Bloggeristas out!

Heavenly Banana Cake

Every Monday night BF, myself and a big group of our wonderful friends get together for what I call family dinner.


{ This night is by far one of my weekly faves! }

Each week family dinner is hosted at another friend's house - pot luck dinner party style! The person hosting usually makes the main dish and then all of us bring something to compliment the theme.

I, of course, realized it was family dinner night at 4 p.m. yesterday, so I was racking my brain to find a new yummy dessert to bring! After scanning the kitchen and finding several perfectly ripe bananas, the search was on! It only took me 10 minutes of scanning allrecipes.com [my go to fave!] to find this amazing recipe for banana cake with cream cheese frosting!

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{ Banana Cake w/ Cream Cheese Frosting }

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter
2 1/8 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas

1/2 cup butter softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
2) Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
3) In a small bowl, mix mashed bananas with lemon juice, set aside.
4) In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
5) In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy.
6) Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla.
7) Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.
8) Stir in banana mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.


Bake Time: 1 hour [My cake took 1 hr + 20 min]

**Remove from oven and place immediately in the freezer for 45 min!**


[I know, I thought this freezer trick sounded weird too, but this made the cake SUPER moist and yummy!]


Frosting Directions

1) In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter and cream cheese until smooth.
2) Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
3) Add confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth.
4) Spread frosting on cooled cake, chill and serve!

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The cake was super easy to prepare and was in the oven in no time! This cake was SO moist, with rich banana flavor and the BEST smooth cream cheese frosting I've ever tasted! The feedback I got from all of our friends was that they LOVED IT!

Well, I hope you try it out! It's perfect for any dinner party, shower or BBQ that you may have coming up!

PS- In case you're trying to watch it with the sweets [like me!], try my Guilt Free Cupcakes!


Bon Appetit!

Kids = Hilarious

After reading a facebook post from my dear friend, Javier,
I have decided that I am self-diagnosing myself with Peter Pan syndrome. That's right, after reading this story from The Huffington Post, I want to be a kid forever.




Below are several awesome photos of kids' actual to-do lists...
[freaking hilarious!]

My favorites are shown below :)











_____________________________

To-Do List

- Eat Ice Pops
- Play With Friend
- Mix Cornstarch & Water
- Eat Stuff
- Be Happy & Go Home

_____________________________

Yep. That's exactly what I was wanting to do today too [while wearing my favorite purple sparkle jellies and my Little Mermaid dress] - fabulous!


{ The joys of being a little kid. }


What would be on your to-do list?


{ Hope this made you giggle! }

Guilt Free Cupcakes

So... I happened to stumble across several cupcake pictures and they completely got me in the mood to bake! It's been so long since I've been in that kitchen baking yummy treats and I miss it!


{ Aren't these cute? }
Part of the reason is due to the fact that I am a self-admitted, rehabilitated (or at least in the process) sugar/sweets junkie. Since "competing" in my office's Biggest Loser competition, I am determined to do whatever I can to keep changing my lifestyle and mentality.

I mean, HELLO! If I bake yummy treats and they are just lingering around my kitchen, they're toast. My waistline doesn't need them and my pocketbook is counting on winning that $600!

Craving a cupcake, but not the calories?
...try this recipe!
SO simple, easy and delicious!

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{ Guilt-Free Cupcakes }

Ingredients

- 1 box cake mix (any flavor - I prefer Pillsbury Super Moist)
- 12 oz. can diet soda (any flavor)

Topping

- 8 oz. Cool Whip Free
- 1 oz. package Jello sugar-free vanilla pudding
- Sprinkles (optional fun!)

Directions

1) Preheat oven (following direction on box).
2) Line tin with cupcake wrappers.
3) Mix together cake mix and diet soda.
4) Poor mix into tin and follow baking directions on box.
5) Whip together cool whip and jello until blended well.
6) Remove cupcakes, let them cool, dollop on topping .
7) EAT & ENJOY!


Calories: 105 (per cupcake)
Fat: 1.8 g
Fiber: 3.6 g
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{ Favorite Combos }

- Strawberry Cake Mix + Diet Sierra Mist
- Chocolate Devils Food Cake Mix + Diet Coke
- Lemon Cake Mix + Diet 7-Up
- Chocolate Cake Mix + Diet Cherry Coke
- Angel Food Cake Mix + Diet Orange Crush
- Red Velvet Cake Mix + Diet Cherry Vanilla
- White Cake Mix + Diet Ginger Ale
_______________________________


So simple, right? Trust me, you can't really go wrong with any flavor combo unless you use dark soda for a light cake (color combo isn't so attractive!). Are you excited? I hope this makes you want to rush out to the store, buy some cake mix and get baking!

Let me know how your cupcakes turn out!!


Bon Appetit!

FREE Donuts!

There are few things in the world that I love more than Fridays. BUT I can think of one thing...


{ National Donut Day + Friday! }

Yes, that's right, today is the day to eat as many donuts as possible because the calories don't count!



Luckily enough for me, Krispy Kreme (along with some local KC donut shops) are giving away FREE donuts to anyone and everyone today, no purchase required! So, you'd better believe I'm going to get me some! ;)


{ Message to BF this morning }

"Are you aware of what TODAY is? National Donut Day!!
I know what we're doing for dinner... *nom nom nom*"


Of course he may have to drive me there since I'm still on crazy meds [starting to slowly feel better!], but one way or another I will get my free donut!


Hope your day is full of sprinkles & frosting!

Wild About TOMS Wedges

Holy cuteness! TOMS Shoes just released their newest edition to their shoe family:


{ Calypso Canvas Women's Wedges! }



{ Love them. Especially this yellow... Mmmm dreamy! }


Just in case you're not familiar with the wonderfulness that is TOMS Shoes, let me enlighten you! TOMS One for One Foundation mission:

_________________________________

"With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes
to a child in need. One for One"
_________________________________




So just in case you're feeling like saving the world one pair of shoes at a time...

...here's your wonderful excuse!!



{ Enjoy! }

When Life Gives You Lemons...

I just wanted to drop a quick post to thank all of you who have been sending me sweet get well soon wishes - you are pure sunshine!

For those who have been curious, here's a quick update. Sunday afternoon I was experiencing terrible lower abdominal pain, so BF rushed me to the emergency room. After several hours of yucky tests, CT scans, and what not, they found several substantial ruptured ovarian cysts and an infection. Ouch! :(


{ No wonder I felt yucky! }



This past week I have taken much needed recovery time off from work. The pain is slowly going away, which is amazing. My miracle doc has me on some aggressive medications after meeting with the specialist today - so I should be back to my normal self in a few days! YES!

I just wanted to say a special big THANK YOU to my cousins, BF, Mommy and Sista for taking good care of me well I've been under the weather.

{ Hugs for all! }

Back to simple sweet & sassy posting soon!