Live A Little - Embrace the Old Fashioned

Technology keeps updating at a dizzying pace. Personal computers were just starting to be introduced when I was little but in the eight years since Roo was born, iPods and all their Apple-y brethren have completely reshaped not only the computer industry but also music and telecommunications. We live in an increasingly smart and interconnected world, although sometimes it's easy to feel disconnected from other people when mass media is encroaching on all fronts.

On occasion, it's nice to step away from all the progress. Do something simple and time-consuming with your family. Unplug and focus on what's right in front of you instead of what's all around you.

This weekend, we co-hosted a Halloween party at our neighbors' house. We invited kids from school and the neighborhood. They bobbed for apples and sat around a campfire and jumped in a rented bouncy house. (I can't claim any credit for that; the neighbors procured it- it was the biggest one I ever saw!) To prepare, we gathered up all of our Halloween accoutrements and carted them down the street. Bob painted some panels to make bean bag toss games and sewed a zillion bean bags.

I baked several dozen cupcakes, using homemade pumpkin butter instead of oil and eggs. I made cream cheese frosting from scratch. We dipped marshmallow pops in tinted white chocolate and the kids decorated them.

I'm not usually the sort of mom who goes overboard on holiday decorating. I didn't grow up with that stuff and the cynic in me still thinks it's a little silly. But how awesome is it to celebrate the everyday stuff? Roo and Jasper had so much fun putting sprinkles and icing on the treats. They don't look quite as adorable as something on Pinterest but they're still pretty cute. 

I'm going to have to drop perfection and futuristic for some homespun fun this season. Get back to basics a little bit. Live a Little by living in the moment instead of trying to stay ahead.

How do you embrace the old fashioned?

Join us!

Participate in the weekly Live a Little blog hop! Write a blog post how you “live a little,” what’s your small way of living life to the fullest and add your blog post to the InLinkz widget above. Rules: Link to bit.ly/livelittle, and if you want, add the get the InLinkz code for your post. If you post the widget in your blog post, please add these rules as well.




You can also use the image below by getting the code, and link to our Pinterest board. If you would like to contribute to our Live a Little board on Pinterest, let me know and we'll add you.

<a href="http://pinterest.com/skimbaco/live-a-little/"><img src="http://www.skimbacolifestyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/live-a-little-banner.jpg" alt="" title="Live a little banner" width="300" height="99" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-25264" /></a>

Live A Little - Sometimes You Have to Splurge

I'm a bargain hunter. While I would never classify myself as frugal, necessarily, I always scour the sale racks first and look for the best deals. That being said, I appreciate quality and craft so when I say "bargain" I don't always mean "cheap." And sometimes you've got to suck it up and fork over the big bucks to get what you want.

My mom taught me that lesson when I was little, when she was working three jobs but still making time to do something really special every month, like taking me to see Nureyev dance or sharing a meal at a fancy restaurant. She still goes on and on about the importance of exposing kids to culture and new things and though I like to roll my eyes, I know she's right.

We never had extra cash for buying clothes. My school wardrobe usually consisted of things my grandmother bought for me while I was visiting New Jersey in the summertime. She never could figure out why I didn't want to buy corduroys! Aside from the charming vip-vip sound my always chunky thighs made, no one in Hawaii EVER wore cords. Or socks, for that matter. I had a totally weird east coast preppy look for years until I started thrift shopping in junior high. Then I was just plain weird…

Anyway, Guess jeans and Esprit coordinates were not typically in our budget. Neither was formalwear, which was not a big deal until I was asked to a prom. I ended up finding a really gorgeous '30s black satin floor-length gown at a vintage shop but I had no suitable shoes. My thrift store stilettos sort of cheesed out the look. My mom was pretty appalled that I was going to wear a second-hand dress but she did offer to take me to Ala Moana to look for shoes. I was assuming I would end up with dyed-to-match satin pumps but my mom took me to Carol & Mary and bought me my very first pair of designer shoes. Colorblocked red and black slingback kitten heels by Yves Saint Laurent. They cost $145 but mom assured me they were timeless.

Almost thirty years later and I have to agree, they've aged well. It's hard to admit I'm old enough to see things come back into style but these actually look pretty current for Fall 2012. And maybe they'll work when Roo gets asked to prom. Some splurges are worth it.

What have you splurged on?

Share your Live a Little suggestions with the Skimbaco every Monday by adding the link to your Live a Little blog post in the InLinkz widget below. Rules: Link either to Skimbacolifestyle.com OR grab the InLinkz code for your blog post – or do both! If you post the widget in your blog post, please add the rules as well.

TGIF- Cleaning Out My Inbox

Ordinarily, I wouldn't be sitting around on the computer all night. Not because I am usually out on the town but because I am usually hanging out with the hubs. He's in full campfire mode, though, and has some beer-drinking menfolk out back tonight so I am using my time to delete extraneous junk from my inbox. Like random emails from 2007. Don't judge me, people.

Most of the stuff is totally trash-worthy but I found some photos of the kids looking particularly young and adorable. They made me smile, so I figured I should share them here, for posterity since that's what I started this here web-log for in the first place– way back when Jasper was but a bun in the oven…

Aww, weren't they cute when they were little?

Mug Shot

In honor of SXSW, I give you my Texas drivers license from the wayback machine. Nice.

Rainbow Brite Is Back!

Not so very long ago, a little girl name Wisp appeared in a colorless and unhappy world. Through courage, kindness and friendship, Wisp became Rainbow Brite and transformed the unhappy world to Rainbow Land, a magical place where all the colors in the universe are created.

Now, Rainbow Brite is one of Rainbow Land’s four Sky Powers, characters whose magical powers determine the cycles of Rainbow Land’s days and seasons. With the help of her friends, her magnificent horse Starlite, and her magical Color Belt and Star Scepter, Rainbow Brite travels to the far corners of the universe, bringing hope and happiness to everyone she meets. No matter where you are, you can always count on Rainbow Brite to make your heart a little lighter and your world a little more colorful!



I remember Rainbow Brite from the '80s as a cheerful little moppet with an optimistic point of view. Hallmark has brought her back for Roo's generation, but with a sleeker, more "tween" look. Still sporting those flashy moonboots and perky topknot, though! I love the bright colors and happy message. The new dolls and accompanying ponies look pretty cute, too.




Disclosure: We received a CD featuring Rainbow Brite games and activities and extra copies to share with Roo's friends. You can play some free Rainbow Brite games online, too.