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Book Review: The Nanny Returns

I’m a huge fan of chick lit. One of my all-time favorites was “The Nanny Diaries” and I even loved the movie (speaking of, should add to netflix for kicks)

So I was THRILLED when I got an email from Engelman & Co asking me to review a copy of the Nanny Returns, and immediately jumped at the opportunity. Unfortunately, my reading was a littl slow in December so it took me about a month to get through a bunch of library books.

But! Once I dived in, it was hard to pry the book away from my hands (setting me into a TWO book lead from Hubs in our 50 book challenge of 2010)

In Nanny Returns, it’s almost ten years later, and Nan has just come back from abroad with her husband—H.H., now known just as Ryan. Mrs. X was a scary lady, but now Nan can be one too: she’s thirty-three, confident and successful, speaks three languages, and runs her own business … but when Grayer, now sixteen and more messed-up than ever, makes a drunken late-night visit to her apartment, Nan is sucked right back into the world of power, wealth, and dysfunction of the Upper East Side.

Awash with guilt for “abandoning” Grayer after the Xes kicked her out of their life when he was still a little boy, Nan agrees to do a simple favor for her grown-up charge and his smart, sweet little brother, Stilton. But the Xes are in the middle of a brutal, high-profile divorce; Mr. X is consumed by money troubles and his new actress fiancée, and Mrs. X is M.I.A. and possibly faking cancer for sympathy—and soon “one little favor” snowballs into an ever-more-bizarre series of events as Nan fights to make sure that someone is taking care of Grayer and Stilton … and to win back her beloved Grayer’s fractured trust.

Meanwhile, the rest of Nan’s life starts nose-diving like the economy. Ryan is working out of the country and practically unreachable, but still putting unexpected pressure on Nan to “start a family” of their own. Their “fixer-upper” house in Harlem is infested with toxic mold and other costly little renovation surprises. And, most of all, Nan’s experiences with the first major client in her consulting business—the Board of the ultra-elite Jarndyce prep school—are turning out to be sickeningly familiar: the Board is just as unreasonable and demanding as the UES parents she used to nanny for. Teachers—and Nan—are the new hired help, picking up where the nannies left off in the war for the well-being of the children of privilege.

Just as fresh, biting, and funny as The Nanny Diaries, but with the extra heart and wisdom of a few years’ experience, NANNY RETURNS brings both heroine and readers back to the exotic world of the Upper East Side—a community where appearances are everything, friendships can dissolve with the disappearance of a bank account, and children are often the casualties in the war between wealth and family.

Once I read that summary, I was all kinds of stoked to get into it.

I liked it. I did. Nan’s character, however, I found to be more annoying than in the first book – I kept wishing for her to grow a backbone. To just…say no for once. I found Grayer to be a feisty, over-privileged brat – like Chuck Bass but WORSE! The story itself picked up well from the first book which is always a plus especially when it’s been so long since the first one. Most sequels, if I’m correct, don’t take so long to come out – hell, I didn’t even know they were WRITING a sequel (I’ve loved all of their books that I’ve read – Dedication, Nanny Diaries, Citizen Girl and thanks to amazon, i found another to add to my list to read: The Real Real…I’m intrigued!) but this one was an easy read, an okay read but not a super, great OMG-I’m-going-to-send-it-to-all-my-pals read.

End Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars. {i wanted to give it a 5 but while the writing was great, the story was just…I dunno…missing something}

{Disclaimer: I did receive this book for free from the publisher, however, I was not paid for my review. These thoughts are strictly my own and have not been influenced by any outside sources}

L’Oreal Paris Lash Boosting Serum

I am obsessed with mascara. It’s the one bit of make up that I will not leave the house without putting on. Call me shallow, but it’s one of those things.

I started the four week challenge this week – it’s a Bzzz Campaign, and for 4 weeks, you use the serum at night and the mascara by day. It’s supposed to make your lashes fuller and longer. {Disclaimer: I was not paid in any form for this review, the thoughts in here are mine and have not been influenced in any way, I am participating in a review program as a Bzz Agent therefore the product being reviewed was sent to me for free for the purpose of being reviewed honestly.}

3 nights in? I’ve noticed a definite difference in the fullness of my lashes. I can’t wait to see what happens at the end of the 4 weeks.

Before

(please excuse my makeupless face)

After (with mascara)


Overall, I’ve really been enjoying the mascara – the handle of the mascara is quirky i think – since you have to apply a serum then the actual mascara – but that’s just me.

So far: Highly recommend this mascara. Will review again half way through the 4 week review program :)

{sidenote: do you know how hard it is to take pictures of your own lashes without looking like a freak???!!!}

Joey Totes: a review

Earlier this summer, I was sent a couple Joey Totes by BLASTmedia to review them. It’s taken me a while, as I tend to neglect this blog. Whoops (Sorry for the delay!!!)

What are Joey Totes?

From their website:

Joey Totes are the all-purpose, reusable bags that stow easily in one pouch so even a set of 3 can fit in a small purse. Use them as a travel bag, at the beach, as a gym bag, at the mall and, yes, even at the grocery store. The 2 sizes let you carry one over your shoulder and the other in your hand. You can carry 40 lbs. in each bag (wow!) and can even put them in your washing machine. Best of all, your Joey Totes will help replace thousands of disposable bags each year.

They certainly do live up to their name. Although, one of them did rip when Hubs tried to put WAY too much in it, it was a smaller size and he tried using it for the gym, it was a small tear, and wouldn’t stop me from using. I blame user error not the quality of the product though. Additionally, they are washable as they say – Pup happened to pee on one in an angry burst when she was home once – we washed it and you couldn’t even smell it. Phew, I’ve lost a few grocery bags because of her so I’m glad I didn’t lose this one.

I love these bags for grocery shopping, and the large one for using when I go to the gym. The handle is incredibly sturdy and doesn’t cut into my arm when I’m carrying it full of groceries.

I recommend these bags to pretty much anyone – they’re compact, durable and pretty affordable ($20 for 3). Go check them out!

A year in Blogging….

Over at the main blog Life in Pink, I posted about doing a giveaway to celebrate a year in blogging -

After my fab Gap Party last month (that I still need to recap), there was some awesome stuff left for me to giveaway to bloggers. Including 1 $50 gift card and 5 cards for free jeans.

If you’d like to be the one who wins the $50 gift card or one of 5 to win a free pair of jeans, leave a comment here telling me what your favorite article of clothing is – whether it’s a pair of jeans that fit amazingly or a sweater that looks to die for on you. On Thursday 9/10 I’ll pick SIX winners at random. To get extra entries, tweet this (reply @missheidi so I know you tweeted!) for one extra entry and blog about it for TWO extra entries.

Chicks with Sticks

A week ago, I had the honor of being invited to a Brand About Town party held by Zandria who was hosting a “Gals Guide to Gaming” party – a party I had seen much about.

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I kind of forgot to take pictures, but I did get this snazzy one on my iphone when I entered. Nintendo certainly captured a new audience with these awesome parties – I mean free bubbly never hurts, nor do awesome little h’or duerves. But best of all, BEST OF ALL, they give out these bad ass little Nintendo DS games. With points. To buy games.

I’m sitting here in Dulles kind of wishing I had brought mine with me, but I haven’t really put any games, aside from the Brain Age game, on it yet because I’m…get this…too lazy to enter in our wifi password. Whoops?

Either way, it was a fabulous fabulous party! Thanks Nintendo, Brand About Town and most of all, Zandria for inviting me! It was a great time and I’m super excited to not share my DS with fiance!

GAP Born to be Fit – Welcome to the Club

Among many other of my favorite bloggers, I was picked to be a GAP brand ambassador – which means having a party for my nearest, dearest and most favorite people ever.

In honor of me being chosen, they sent me some fun goodies! Who doesn’t love fun goodies? Ummm…the correct answer is likely, no one. Certainly not this girl!

I was quite suprised when  I got a package in the mail – a nice big ole box waited in our door to the apartment we couldn’t stay at thanks to the great flood of 2009.

I opened it later, in our hotel room and was thrilled with the contents - 

*a super size tote bag (that I now use as a gym bag. All the time.)

*Perfume (my favorite stuff!)

*lip glosses

*a bad ass Born To Blog tee shirt 

*a folder with a nice welcome letter!

The whole planning my party process was awesome – I invited my nearest and dearest and on August 7th. A few days before that? I got two ginormous boxes with the contents to host my party. 

Next up…the party and a giveaway!!!

Fall Into The Gap

Earlier this week, I was lucky enough to meet with the lovely Justine from Brand About Town about a couple of opportunities.

One of which, was to become a bloggy ambassador for The Gap. Ummm…yes please? I don’t think she understood my love of shopping. Seriously. More specifically a special love I have for the Gap (along with J Crew, Old Navy..etc…etc..)

So after we met up, I got to poke over to the Gap and pick out a couple things as a parting gift. My lovely picks? (I would model them but well, I’m lazy.)

This sweater

this tank top

These shorts

these adorable flip flops (i needed a gold pair!!!)

Of course, later on I went to Georgetown and popped into The Gap there and totally found half a dozen things I wish I had gotten earlier, but since The Gap was so generous with me, I decided to reward myself with some retail rewarding (not therapy. Retail rewards. New term. Made by moi) by buying another cute little tank top with ruffles. Oh how I love thee ruffles :)

Expect more awesomeness from Brand About Town and The Gap in the coming weeks – and thank YOU to Justine for being patient with my ridiculous indecisiveness (seriously, I’m the worst shopper ever. Thus why 90% of my shopping gets done ONLINE.)

In the meantime, trying to whittle down my ever growing to do list while trying to clean the house, and get ready for happy hour with Fiance and his pal at The Club. Eeeesh.