FIT+FAMOUS! St. Patrick’s Day Slimdown with… RICHARD SIMMONS!

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What’s fun, fabulous and green all over? The world’s all-original workout queen Richard Simmons on St. Patty’s Day! (I say this with the utmost excitement, admiration and respect… I’ve always heart-ed Richard! He’s AMAZING!) Listen up Southern California Fab-Moms (and anyone else who’s game to travel to LA this weekend): On Sunday, March 17, LOLLIPOP [...]

FOCUSED. 2013: The fab choice is yours.

Yes this sounds as loud as it looks. Louder, even.

Call me an amateur. New Year’s Eve is my favorite holiday. The mandated sparkly attire, the having-a-party-because-it’s-the-requirement, the tossing out of the old and dreaming up new goals and hopes for the future… the mandatory making out at midnight. How can you not love it? I’ve always L-O-V-E-D New Year’s Eve. Until this past New [...]

What would Joan Rivers say? Our week of fabulous fashion foolishness.

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If Joan Rivers ever sees these pictures I’m scared of what she might say. But whatever… it was CHRISTMAS. Also known as: My-own-excuse-to-create-the-most-frivolous-fashion-frenziness for my girls. But that’s how it works. I’m the Mom. And since I was blessed with two little girls, I take my responsibility to dress them for fabulous occasions VERY seriously. [...]

Holiday Cheer: Anyone else faking it?

A little over the top? That's how we roll.

I haven’t wanted to write this week. Like everyone else, I’ve been sad. (Sad is of course a great understatement.) The kind of sad that rings the “Now-I-Know-What-They-Mean-When-People-Say-Your-Emotions-Root-Deeper-When-You-Become-A-Mom” sad. We’ve all publicly ached in real life and online for those who experienced and are enduring the worst of what the world can bring. Despite that I have zero [...]

Tots & Tree-Snobs: The fight for tradition.

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Hello, my name is Jill, and I’m a Tree-Snob. The first step is admitting you have a problem. Maybe one day I’ll ask for help. But not today. Not this year. I realize that Los Angeles is the capital of all-things phony (boobs, hair, and come holiday-time… Christmas trees)… but blame the small-town, Fresno-raised farm-girl [...]

This week’s fabulous assignment.

Ah. Worth the hour.

I put it off for as long as I could, and then I broke down: What am I doing with all these barely-used and too-small baby clothes still in my girls’ closet? Time to cleanse… time to GIVE. ‘Tis the season. Last weekend, I purged most everything that either of my girls won’t ever fit [...]

Toddler meltdown with Santa? {VIDEO} Check your kid’s outfit.

LilMiss: Bored. LadyP: Uncomfortable.

It was my toddler’s meltdown of all meltdowns. (I’m the worst cliche, I know.) But I was mostly confused about it: LadyP woke up in a good mood, was excited for our day’s activity (which I had built up so big the night before that she actually wanted to go to bed to wake up [...]

Forgetting my second baby’s FIRST Thanksgiving. Tell me I’m not alone?

This is the best you could do, Mom?

I try not to forget important things on holidays, but sometimes things fall through the cracks… especially now since I have a second baby to contend with. So, I’m passing this on to you. It’s a simple notion, but if my own vain ego forgot to do it this past holiday, maybe normal people will [...]

FabTip: Bust out the fancy plates.

My own wedding china & crystal. Arte Italica & Waterford.

Thanksgiving Week! Last year this time my mind was selfishly on turkey and totally-fab tablescapes. This year? We’re going to my mom’s house to eat the bird. Which means: My fancy plates are confined to their storage cabinet. (Sad face here.) But wait! Who says that fancy plates should be confined to holidays only… So [...]

Halloween lessons? This mom’s got tricks.

Guess who.

October 31. Here. Almost done. Phew. At least there’s candy… and many lessons taught and learned. Even the most shallow of holidays centered around costumes and sugar should have lessons (this is the ‘fab-from-the-inside-out’ portion of the blog). Because I said so. So while I’m carting around a ridiculously-mini Minnie Mouse and a fabulously-flirty ladybug [...]

Do it for our country.

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Our tips for a fab Fourth? Get equipped with proper uniforms. Make sure it fits right. Accessorize as appropriate. When I was growing up, the big question at our house was “What are you wearing?” Not in a shallow way, but in a let’s-have-fun-with-life’s-occasions way. Never underestimate how a fabulous outfit can make life that much more [...]

The fab thing I forgot Memorial Day…

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Flag? Check. A full grill? Check. A backyard packed with family and friends? Check. Being thankful for our troops? Check. So what did I forget? See if you can figure it out from the picture below: I FORGOT THE STARS AND STRIPES! Thanks to LadyP and LilMiss’ little playmate (far left) rightfully and royally decked [...]

My obscene New Year’s card.

And may all of life's 'bumps' lead to good things...

I’m starting 2012 with a bang. In an effort to add spice and humor to an otherwise sweet-but-ordinary ‘happy new year’ card, I may have jumped the grid just a little bit. The front was fun and family-centric… But the back was… well… those of you who got one know what I did. THE FLIPSIDE [...]

Child labor at my house.

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Having trouble keeping up with household chores during the holiday rush? Do what I do and tap into ALL of your resources: In my defense, I start doing the job until LadyP screams at me and demands that I hand over the Swiffer… who am I to say no? Also, it’s the only way to make [...]

Christmas Countdown: Yes, it’s real. And it’s fabulous.

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  No hate to the fake Christmas trees out there, but I just can’t do it. I need the smell. I need the annoying pine needles everywhere. I need the oh-crap-it’s-too-big-for-our-room feeling when it’s delivered…. which is what happened this year. Oops. A tradition I started last year (when LadyP was just 3 months old) was [...]

So maybe I deserved the pervy Santa?

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Yesterday was a superb showing of how cranky and irrational I can be. I was stuck at my house all day (doing housewifey-mommy things) and it wasn’t jiving with my constant need to do something productive. I suppose I could’ve blogged, but rather acting pissy seemed like such a better choice at the time. So [...]

For those of you who didn’t cook…

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Don’t be mad, but I’m just gonna say it: It’s time to suck it up and learn how to boil water. I’m saying this because I love you. Really. Cooking seems to be a lost art these days (at least where I live) and it makes me sad. I say this NOT as a gourmet [...]

T-Day Countdown: The REAL (selfish) reason why I’m doing Thanksgiving.

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Yes, I love to eat. Yes, I love to cook. But screw the big bird. That’s NOT why I volunteered to host Thanksgiving this year. I wanted to do Thanksgiving so I could play with my wedding china and dining room table. It brings me happiness, joy and makes me feel productive. So there. OK, [...]