summer reads

I should call this post "Ode to Nelson DeMille" because I LOVE LOVE LOVE his books, and just finished the newly-released The Lion in just one day.

Yes, my friends, I read a 400-page book in one day. (See what happens when I have a day off? I'm VERY productive.)

I'm sure you're all saying "Nelson who?". Nelson DeMille wrote The General's Daughter, an awesome book that became an OK movie with John Travolta. And he's written a bunch of other stuff, too. His books are full of personality and wit. You should really check him out. He's one of the few non-chick-lit writers I read.

Here's a list of my favorite Nelson DeMille books (grouped by main character):

John Corey novels:
Plum Island
The Lion's Game
Night Fall Wild Fire
The Lion

John Sutter novels:
The Gold Coast
The Gate House

Paul Brenner novels:
The General's Daughter
Up Country

Okay, enough DeMille preaching.

One summer, back when I was temping between college semesters, I found myself in a boring receptionist job. I was pretty much told I could do whatever I wanted, as long as I stayed at the desk and answered the phone. Now, these were the days BEFORE computers (hear that, you twenty-something whipper snappers? once upon a time, computers didn't exist! and neither did justin bieber!)

So I started reading a Danielle Steel novel that my mother had lying around the house. And then another. I was reading for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. So I went to the library and took out every Danielle Steel novel they had. And my "Summer of Steel" was born. Have I picked up one of her novels since that summer? Nope.

Point being, I love to read. I DEVOUR books.

Next up in my summer line-up:

My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster
Promises to Keep by Jane Green (signed!)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,
The Girl Who Played with Fire and
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Steig Larsson

What's everyone else reading?

85/57

See that number up there?

That was my blood pressure yesterday afternoon. That little machine (and my body) must've known that I had the day off, which put me in an almost-coma state.

See what a hiatus from a stressful job could do to a girl?

I think it's also interesting that my BP was that low as I was sitting in a dentist chair, awaiting the last part of my dental implant surgery.

I take this to mean that I'd rather have Novocaine and someone cutting and scraping in my mouth than go to work.

And I'm sure the iced coffee, relaxing at the beach and reading a brand new novel from start to finish helped, too.

and the giveaway winners are...

((drumroll))

For the belt: Tasha

For the whale key chain: Jen

For the alligator key chain: Natalie

Congrats, ladies!

Please email me your address and I'll get your goodies in the mail!

wedding bells

As Mr. KK and I near our 5 year anniversary in August, I can't help but think back to our glorious (read: sweltering) wedding day. And all the fun I had planning the wedding.

And, with my friend Leroy's nuptials on the horizon in less than two weeks, I've had more than my share of wedding-brain.

I was a very organized bride, much to my mother's dismay. In fact, right after the excitement of my engagement wore off, my mother said to me: "You're no fun. You have everything planned out in your head and in that binder. That's no fun for me."

NOTE TO MOM: you already planned a wedding...YOURS.

I loved everything about planning our wedding – scrolling online for hours looking at bouquets; tearing out magazine pages on fun place card ideas; dress shopping; booking appointments...everything.

My obsession with everything bridal hasn't ended. In fact, now I get my fix by watching "Say YES To The Dress!" on TLC.

And speaking of dresses, this morning I got this in my email, and I got a little teary-eyed:

(Have any of you ever witnessed this? Oh, the horror! It is absolute mayhem!)

It made me want to try on wedding dresses all over again. And walk down the aisle to Mr. KK.

Because there's still a bride-to-be in all of us; even after we've said "I do", I think many of us would say "I'll do it all over again!"

GIVEAWAY – only a few days left!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway here, to win one of my friend's super-cute belts or key chains.


Deadline is Friday!

Say it ain't so...

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

What does one wear to meet Jane Green?

Tonight I'm headed to a book reading and signing by the one and only Jane Green!


I'm super excited to meet her!

Do you think it's too forward to wear a manuscript around my neck???

I tried. I really tried.

Today, after a self-induced two-month hiatus, I returned to Target.

In an effort to keep my trip in the double digits, I brought a list with me. Surely I could stick to a list, right?

My list:

• Father's Day cards
• sponges
• soap

My cart at checkout:

• Father's Day cards
• sponges
• soap
• concealer
• toilet bowl cleaner
• bathroom cleaner

• super cute shoes:


• preppy skirt:



• the book I've been waiting for:


• and I couldn't leave Jen Lancaster out:


$137.45 later, I'm back on the wagon.

See you in September, Target.

314 miles, big balls and a sore ass.

This past weekend I packed up and jumped into the Jetta for a fun-filled girls-only bachelorette weekend in Boston.

Some observations from the weekend:

TRUE: there’s nothing like a night out with the girls

FALSE: drinking like a twenty-something is just like drinking as a thirty-something

**

There are some skills you never lose:

• riding a bike

• peeing while balanced over a toilet seat

• being a Ms. Pac Man mastermind (I challenge anyone!)

**

Memorable quote of the night: “These balls are bigger than I’m used to.”*

**

You can’t miss with tradition: the extra large pink dildo that was purchased for MY bachelorette party five years ago resurfaced once again, after spending the last half-decade in a dining room buffet drawer...where poor Mr. Softee was once discovered by my friend’s mother.**

**

FACT: dirty martinis go down like water (maybe because they look like water?)

**

To the girls at the Karaoke bar: if you’re going to waste everyone’s time going on stage, for the love of pete you should at least know the song you’re singing. Hey, it’s okay to forget the words every now and again, the nice machine GIVES them to you. But, seriously? KNOW THE TUNE. (You’ve heard the song before, right?)

**

GOOD IDEA:

Switching to water at the end of the night

BAD IDEA:

Eating Ramen noodles on the couch while watching Sex and The City at 2:17am

**

The worst:

Suffering from my usual post-bowling hangover of a broken right thumb nail and severely sore hamstring and glute muscles. Am I that out of shape that I ache from bowling? A sore ass AND last place. Depressing.

**

Congrats to the bride-to-be, Leroy! It's almost time for me to embarrass you on your big day!

(kidding)

((kind of))

*location: bowling alley

**I believe she opened the drawer, peered inside, had a silent heart attack, then went about her business.

BFFs

We are knee deep (literally) in dogs this week. Well, not really. But we DO have an extra canine at our house while my in-laws visit sunny California.

And while Vito pretty much dislikes every other dog on the planet – which could be because he truly believes that he is a human, which I'm SURE has nothing to do with the way his parents treat him – these two pups get along pretty well.

Vito met Dino when he was a wee 8 weeks old, and about the size of panini sandwich. Since then, Vito has watched Dino grow up, "tolerating" him every step of the way.

Sure, every morning Vito gives me those half-moon eyes of his that say, "Mom, is he leaving today? When can I have my bed/couch/yard/parents back?"

But they ARE cute together when the wrestle.

And take over the couch.

And keep an eye on the neighborhood:


And hopefully misery loves company, as we're planning to board them together when the whole family has a super-fun wedding to attend.

Sorry, pups!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway here!

woo hoo! a giveaway!

My very first giveaway!

My friend T makes these super cute, super preppy belts and key chains, and she was kind enough to give me a few to give away!

Check them out:



This belt and the key chains are the perfect accessories for summer, and even make great gifts!

There will be 3 winners total: one winner for the belt and two winners for the key chains.

How to enter:

1. become a follower of my blog (1 entry)
2. leave a comment to this post that you'd like to be entered (1 entry)
3. repost my giveaway on your blog (2 entries)

**be sure to leave a comment and tell me how many entries you have. be honest, please!

The deadline to enter is Friday, June 24 at 6pm.

I'll use random.org to select the winners. If you have multiple entries, you have the chance to win multiple times.

(hey, i'm a virgin when it comes to giveaways...be patient with me!)

good luck!

stay tuned for a giveaway!

I have some very fun and special stuff to giveaway this week.

I've never done a giveaway before, and I'm not sure the best way to go about it/randomly choosing a winner/etc.

Any advice?

because not everyone loves home renovation like I do...

I make Mr. KK watch HGTV (and The Food Network) WAY more than any normal, straight man should.

I'm obsessed with houses – buying them, selling them, decorating them, and even remodeling them. Which I guess is a good thing, since Mr. KK and I are starting our own little renovation project.

Not everyone who reads this blog shares my passion for House Hunters International, loves the endearing way Sandra Rinomato says "howse" in her Toronto accent or wants to be BFFs with Genevieve Gorder.

Because of that, I've started a second blog that will be all about our home renovation project.

So instead of me boring you with gas ranges and wallpaper on THIS blog, I've created an entirely NEW blog that will be all about the renovation.

I created it in wordpress, as to not link it to this blog.

If you're interested in going through the madness with us, leave me your email in the comments section or via email (littleshoeprincess@gmail.com) and I'll send you the link.

(that's not to say one or two things won't creep up on THIS blog...I get really excited about paint and can't help myself!)

Oh yeah! I have a blog!

Hello, lovelies!

I have been away for a little while.

My first thought: "Holy crap! It's June!"

I didn't mean to abandon the blog, but over the last few weeks I've:

• led not one, but TWO new business pitches at work.

• won one of said pitches (woo hoo!). I will now be working on the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer business. I can't tell you how much this means to me. Besides coming from a long line of breast cancer survivors (Hi, Mom!), the fact that I'm going to be working on something that has actual meaning will (hopefully) make my time here a little bit more tolerable. And now, when people walk around here saying things like, "What's the big deal? We're not curing cancer!" I can finally say back to them: "Actually, we ARE." So there.

• told my extended family and friends about our big move. everyone is being very supportive and encouraging.

• had to accept the fact that this face:



is a murderer.

That's right. That chipmunk never stood a chance.

So between mothering a neighborhood killer, working until 3am – sleeping for 2 hours – and then turning around to come back IN to work, and preparing for and hosting a Memorial Day picnic for 45, this chick is exhausted.

But I have a few things up my sleeve.

Stay tuned.