Both are exciting changes to anyone’s life!  Which is why I wanted to join my friend (since her husband didn’t want any part of picking announcements….he claimed the wedding was enough) to select announcement cards for the arrival of their baby girl later this month.

While I’m excited about her upcoming small person that’s on the way….I was more excited to visit the print shop with her.  Keep in mind….I work as a marketing manager and a free lance graphic designer, so print and all things it entails are right up my alley!  The smell of the pressing running, the paper, the typography, patone colors, and much more is all very fascinating to me.

Come to find out that we were planning on doing everything online and calling to place an order….wah, wah!!  Anywho…I can’t say enough about the selection of different papers, designs, images and the staff at Babies and Bells.  They were knowledgeable, friendly and more than helpful!

I just wanted to share a few of the designs:

For more information about baby announcements, visit them at: http://www.babiesnbells.com/index.php?seid=35017d34e813f0129dd2b87e896feb86

With the 4^th of July just around the corner, it’s time to start making plans with friends and family. This has always been one of my favorite holidays (and the only time it’s warm enough for me to go home to visit my family in Ohio).  In fact, one of the things I always think of with the 4^th is the scene from “The Sandlot,” where the boys are playing baseball at their “night game” and the field is being lit up by all the fireworks.   Love it!

I mean….what’s not to love about the 4^th of July.  A day off of work, spending time with family and friend, picnics with hotdog and normally (at my family gatherings at least) some type of beer brewed in Milwaukee and whiskey from Tennessee, apple pie and a game of horse shoes….heck…that’s Americana at its finest.   But it’s not always about booze and food, much to my chagrin….it’s about celebrating and honoring our freedom as an independent nation.

Which brings me to the premier celebration in Frisco to commemorate our Independence, the Frisco Freedom Fest 2010.  It’s being held on July, 3^rd at Simpson Hall at City Hall.  The event begins at 4:00 p.m. with a fireworks display at dark.  With something for the whole family from local food tastings to fireworks, and the community stage that will be hosting entertainment all evening, there’s sure to be something to spark the interest of all attendees!

For additional information on the event, you can visit, http://www.friscofreedomfest.org/Pages/Default.aspx.

Heading to a movie is one of American’s favorite pastimes (eating popcorn drenched in so much butter it’s soggy is one of mine)…perhaps right after baseball, and now mixed martial arts and world cup soccer.  The AMC 24 at the Stonebriar is one of the best places to see a movie…one which I am highly anticipating and I’m looking forward to this weekend is Grown Ups. 

A movie theater…despite how simple the concept is surprisingly a very difficult thing to do right.  I mean there’s a great potential for icky chairs, sticky floors, the smell of burnt pop corn, screaming children, talking adults and just all around blah.  Well the AMC….I must say….has hit the ball out of the park! (Look at that…combined TWO great American pastimes).  Honestly, I can’t ever recall going into this joint and see any of the above. 

Always clean, quiet and for the most part right in line with cost as the rest of the theaters here in the Dallas Fort Worth area.  The area is safe, as it’s in the mall and patrolled by the mall cops….which as a side note is a GREAT new show on TLC….has me in stitches all the time!

Make time this weekend to see Grown Ups which open tomorrow….or if you’re really ambitious (which I’m not) go see the 12:01 a.m. show tonight…or tomorrow morning….whatever!!

Grown Ups [PG-13]

Synopsis: “Grown Ups” is about five men who were best friends when they were young kids and now are getting together for the Fourth of July weekend to meet each others’ families for the first time. Picking up where they left off, they discover why growing older doe

Starring: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, David Spade

Running Time: 1:42

Category: Comedy

I hate to admit it, but I’m a hooooorrrible Groupon junkie!  Every morning when I open my inbox it’s the first email that I click on to see the deal of the day.  Massages, baby food, Pilates classes, restaurant discounts and so much more!   It’s like my little electronic grab bag that I look forward to each, and every morning.  It’s my little box of chocolates (okay that’s not a good one because I don’t buy or accept a box  that doesn’t have a guide in it….while not liking the taste of a chocolate is forgiving…food allergies, not so much).

Anywho….today, was no different.  Opened up the inbox and and rushing right to my Groupon and what did I find……….oh the suspense is killing you I can tell.  Hah!  In the spirit of the World Cup and USA’s amazing (and slightly nerve racking) win of Algeria this morning….the deal of the day was 50% off sideline tickets for your choice (one of two games) for our home team FC Dallas!

FC Dallas, our MLS team that plays at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco is a great time for the whole family….the joint is much bigger than you might think and seats a little over 20,000 people.  For $15 a piece you can get a sideline ticket (up to 8 per deal)!

For additional information on the deal visit, www.groupon.com and for additional information on FC Dallas, visit www.fcdallas.com.

I’d like to say that I really have a green thumb, but honestly….I don’t. Despite having dropped a few bills on a number of pots, the “cream of the crop” miracle grow soil and the meticulous watering schedule I’ve found myself keeping up with in the mornings and and evening…I just can’t seem to get the proper mix of soil, water and fertilizer.  Truth be told….it’s really frustrating…my grandfather and mother could grow just about anything…corn, pumpkins, cukes, watermelons and a million other strange squashes and fruits. 

Even though I do not have a yard and garden to deal with, a home-owner friend of mine mention this Master Gardening series that hosts workshops from time to time in Frisco.  And sheesh…if I can learn a thing or two to keep my potted plants and upside down hydroponic tomatoes alive it’s well worth the time investment! 

The free workshop on “Lawn Care 101” from the Master Gardener Series. In less than two hours, discover how to identify potential problem spots in your new or established landscape and how to responsibly maintain and manage the natural beauty of your lawn.

The workshop will be held Saturday, May 1st from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the Frisco Public Works Facility located at 11300 Research Road. Space may be limited, so please send an email to waterwise@friscotexas.gov or call (972)292-5814 to reserve seats. When emailing, please provide your address, number of people who will be attending, and the best number or email to reach you for confirmation.

Additional Water Wise events in Frisco can be found at http://www.friscotexas.gov/departments/publicworks/water/Pages/default.aspx.

of the year!!! I don’t mean winter of course…I mean SUMMER!  And with the warming weather, comes the end of the school year and summer vacation.  Here are ten Frisco style tips and ideas to help fight off hearing “I’M BORED” for the three months of summer!

1. The Frisco Library – Offering books, DVDs and classes ranging from digital photography to poetry.
2. The Frisco Athletic Center – Great for swim parties or group exercise.
3. Splash Parks – Located all around Frisco these “spraygrounds” off kids the opportunity to play outside and cool down in the sprinkler systems.
4. Visit http://www.aroundtownkidsfrisco.com/ for ideas and check out their event calendar.
5. Main Event – Indoor fun games such as putt putt and ski ball for all ages.
6. Six Flags over Texas – just a short drive to Arlington to spend a the day riding roller coasters and enjoying the water park.  Discounts can be found online.
7. Rough Riders – Enjoy a day at the ballpark with the family…visit the website for deal packages and firework nights!
8.  Picnic – Pack up a basket with Donnie’s Hot Dog Shop or Great Outdoors Subs and head out to the park.
9. AMC – Take the kids and a friend to a matinee movie, which is generally half the price of an evening’s shows ticket.
10.  Pizza – Spend the evening making pizza at home.  Ingredients can be picked up inexpensively from the local store and kids will love putting their favorite toppings on their pies!  Follow up with smores in the backyard and ghost stories.

These are great tips for fighting bordom with the kids this summer….stay tuned for some of my favorite adult bordom fighters!!

I’ve never been a big fan of the sport of golf, actually, I used to categorize it right there next to NASCAR in the sports arena.  Driving a car around in a circle for hours or whacking a little white ball around and chasing it for hours…neither one ever really screamed TRY ME before.  But since moving to the south a few years back where everyone seems to play and you can play more than two and a half times a year, it’s begun to grow on me.

 While I’ve never played 18 holes myself, I’ve gone with friends and boyfriend to play many times on the weekends or in the evening.  The majority of the courses in Frisco are very nicely groomed and well kept.  Just being out on the course gets you away from the concrete jungle that we live in Dallas/Fort Worth area and allows for a breath of fresh air.

Listed below are a number of the courses that I’ve been to over the last year or so.  Some are better than others, but then again…I’m just judging by the landscaping and fresh air, not the difficulty or how fun the course is to place.  

• Trails of Frisco Golf Club
• Plantation Golf Club
• Golf Club at Frisco Lakes
• West Ridge Golf Club
• Ridgeview Ranch Golf Course (my personal favorite)

I’m sure this would have been much more helpful if the local weather ladies and gentleman weren’t calling for scattered showers this week, but check the forecast and book a tee time!!

Now we might be a little bias about our state and all the travel that it has to offer, from big cities with their sporting events, dining options and culture, to the relaxation of a spa and resort in the Hill Country to the fishing and other water activities on the state’s gulf coast…we sure do have a lot to brag about. 

But what about what we have right in our own backyard in Frisco?  We have some great options for folks of all ages and the Frisco Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) is asking residents of Frisco to participate in their 1^st Annual “You be the Tour Guide” Photo Contest in Suppose of National Travel and Tourism week!! 

The contest is open to amateur photographers 16 years of age and older who reside in the Frisco area.  The Frisco CVB is seeking your best images of what’s popular in the Frisco area, what’s new and up and coming, what are the hidden gems in Frisco to showcase why others can enjoy them.  The purpose of the contest is to highlight life in Frisco and promote the city as an elite place for travel and attracting visitors.

Winners of the contest will be at the Stonebriare Center during the kick off of National Travel and Tourism week on Saturday, May 8^th at 2:00 p.m.  The winning and runner up photos will be featured in the 2011 Frisco CVB Visitors Guide.

For additional information and to showcase your city as an elite place for travel to not only the rest of Texas but also the rest of the country visit the Frisco CVB’s website.

Tomorrow is my little Addison’s birthday and she get’s to go to day care and play!!!!  She goes (rarely might I add….they’re prices are through the roof but it’s by fare her favorite place to go by far) to the Doggie Zen Den in Frisco for special occasions like this one…her 2^nd birthday!!! J

And I can honestly say I love this places about as much as she does so it’s perfect for a treat for both of us….she gets to run and play and is ready to pass out when we get home.  In fact….here’s a picture of her face planted on the back of the sofa after her last Zen Den session.

Day care, while $31 dollar a day <Steph chokes on even thinking about the cost> is worth every penny.  Separated by size these pampered pups enjoy inside and outside playtime and even a water park when it’s warm.  I could sit there for hours (with a cooler full of beer) and watch these dogs play all evening long!!! 

Most importantly…the staff is amazing and every one of them treats your pooch like a member of their own family.  They also require that each dog is up to date on their shots and that they pass a temperament test before enter into the supervised areas with the other dogs.

When I moved to Texas a few years back I was 23 years old…just graduated college and ready to take on the big city life!  I already had friends living here and asked them for suggestions on places where to live…and of course…their response….Uptown.

Needless to say….I didn’t choose Uptown…A.) Because I couldn’t afford a rat hole and wasn’t willing to put my car payment, water bill and cell phone bill on my credit card, B.) My office was in faaaaar North Plano and finally…just really wasn’t sure if it was the place for me to be….so Frisco it was

Hands down…the best decision that I’ve made since….well I made the decision to move to Texas.  Keep in mind I’ve made lots of bad ones…the Big D Climb…getting a personal trainer…tattooing a butterfly on my back (I didn’t do it…a professional tattoo artist did, but you get the point).

Anyways….there is a point to this rambling…I was down in Uptown (that just sounds silly…down in uptown) last night and my goodness…it’s a mess!!  I have a friend who is living in the heart of uptown with 577 square feet, no balcony and an not all that great apartment for $970/month!!!  Not only that…it’s crowded, packed and miserable to maneuver through the packed bars with all the $30,000 millionaires.  No don’t get me wrong…if I could afford to do it right I totally would…a nice one bedroom at the 1900 McKinney for a cool $2,500/month and I’m there!!

Moral of the story….Frisco can not be beat when it comes to affordable living!  I love, love, love my brand new built apartment and how close things are like restaurants, bars and shopping.  My advice….checkout some new places here in Frisco if you are burying yourself in debt living in Uptown!!

http://www.rent.com/rentals/texas/dallas-fort-worth-and-vicinity/frisco/