My blog is no longer my blog – it’s become a repository for random thoughts.  For this, I apologize.  But if you’re still reading this, well then maybe you want an explanation for where I’ve been… I will try to explain.  So what the heck have I been up to? Well, a whole lot of everything including learning how to write code.  Yup, Mommy wanted to learn a new language: computer programming. So I tried. And I did.

This blog has been totally neglected.  I used to post once and sometimes twice a day.  Lately, it’s maybe once a month. But I think I have a decent excuse or two.  Let me explain.  For the past year, I’ve been the PTA President at our elementary school and for as much as I would LOVE to write all about that, I won’t. Sorry.  That’s a blog for another day, maybe.

In addition, I’ve been working part-time as a Social Media Manager and exploring the brand management side of blogging. Fascinating stuff really, although not nearly as full of drama nor as entertaining as my regular blogroll.  I miss the regular writing prompts, the sense of community and the always stunning how-to posts. I haven’t quite figured out how to do both regularly, although I hear it’s possible…  I’m hoping I will find THAT how-to post soon.

On top of all that, I’m still my kids’ personal chauffer and chef, sports coach and tutor. I won’t pretend to be a housekeeper and interior decorator because those are not things that I do admittedly well. (I’ve been told it’s important to recognize one’s weaknesses.)

This. Is. Not. Me.

And most recently, I decided that it was important that I learn how to code.  You know, in my spare time.

My husband was thrilled!

Pause.  

Re-read that last sentence with heavy sarcasm and imagine staring at an enormous pile of unfolded laundry. Ok good. Let’s move on…

Any way… yes, I was bitten by the coding bug because I read about it all day long for my new gig and like blogging was to me two years ago – I thought it was a fabulous mystery.  So I took a class on SkillShare and basically I built Pinterest.

Yup, that’s right. I built friggin’ Pinterest or a version of it.  It’s not pretty but it works and…I MADE IT. FROM NOTHING. For me, that’s the most exciting thing about learning to code. You can build ANYTHING.

So now, I want to share it with you.  Check it out –> here’s a link to my completed class project:

http://limitless-dusk-6130.herokuapp.com/

It’s totally Pinterest right?!?!  You can upload and create your own pins and everything.

I coded it using the programming language Ruby on Rails and I might as well have been learning how to speak Chinese.  The tutorial was great and I understood why I was doing most of what I was doing.  Most of the time.

By the way, if you haven’t already guessed, right now I’m pretty much maxing out in my total geekiness.  This is it. Right here. I think I’ve reached the pinnacle of my geekdom. You all witnessed it.  You were there.

My next step is to try to create a new web application from scratch which will require remembering why I did certain things in a certain order which is not that easy.  I have a couple of ideas on what I’d like to build, I’m just a little short on time to play around with it. By a little short, I mean a lot.

So that’s it.  In a nutshell, that’s what I’ve been up to – at least the super fun bits that I can tell you about.

If I do build my next web app, I’ll be sure to share it with you.  In the meantime, if you are interested in learning to code check out online resources like codecademy.com, codeschool.com or treehouse.  There are so many online resources out there, if you find something that you like, please share it!

Later geeks,

Sara aka Mommy

The post Mommy Learns To Code appeared first on Periwinkle Papillon.

Summer time equals big box office releases and I’m already excited for two films to come out.  This is going to reveal a lot about me so please be kind and don’t judge too harshly.  I thought about searching for a third less geeky film, something a little more artsy or cinematically beautiful but then thought, nah – you guys already know I’m a total geek.

So here they are, my two must-see films of the summer – so far…

Elysium

Elysium opens August 9th and is directed by Neill Blomkamp who made District 9, another GREAT movie. The movie stars Matt Damon of the Jason Bourne legacy (among other awesome films), Sharlto Copley from District 9, and Jodie Foster from well, just about every great movie ever made.

This is an apocalyptic sci-fi set in the year 2154 where the ‘privileged’ live on Elysium, a utopian society anchored in space and ‘the rest of us’ live on devastated Earth. The premise seems to be that Matt Damon needs to get to Elysium and shake things up – I can’t tell why from the trailer but basically he turns into a total badass cyborg to do it.  I really loved District 9 and hope this film lives up to that one if not takes things to the next level.  That film had a powerful social commentary built in and I suspect this one will too.

Here’s a peak at the trailer:

The Internship

In a totally different direction, I’m also curious to see The Internship starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson who’ve teamed up again from their Wedding Crasher days.  Now this movie looks like it will poke fun at some pretty typical Silicon Valley geek stereotypes and could be a recipe for some hilarity. It also has the potential to go horribly wrong. The premise? Owen and Vince find themselves out of work and worm their way into a coveted internship at Google as a last ditch effort to reinvigorate their careers. Not being programmers or under the age of 20, the jokes start flying.

From the preview, it looks like most of the jokes are on them and not the programmers.  This is where I hope they strike a good balance between poking fun at stereotypes and then just making fun of.  I hope there’s not too many “oh poor helpless geeks” being saved by the burly athletic beer drinkers bits. Because that’s annoying and stale.  From the looks of things and according to AllThingsD, this movie was totally sanctioned and had the full cooperation from Google. Free marketing anyone?  Anyway, I hope it’s good because those two really cracked me up in Wedding Crashers. Opens June 7th.

Click HERE to see a preview. (By the way movie companies, make your previews embeddable! That’s super annoying!)

What else looks good out there? What previews am I missing? Tell me in the comments… Better yet, suggest something artsy and beautiful to balance out all this nonsense I’m going to be watching apparently in the next few months.

Sara

The post Summer Movies Can’t Come Soon Enough appeared first on Periwinkle Papillon.

Our Christmas tree is STILL lying in my front yard awaiting a recycling truck to come and chip it up.  Every day it gets a little crispier and a little more flammable. I keep asking myself on a daily basis, ‘where is this gosh darn recycling truck?!’ It’s such a depressing site.

So THESE trees totally made me smirk today.

via D*Face via Vandalog

via D*Face via Vandalog

Cleverly done by London street artist D*Face, he gave discarded Christmas trees a second life while spreading his message of “A Tree is For Life”. I love how the artist signed his work in the first photo. Do you see it?

Click the HERE to see more pics.

If they don’t come with the woodchipper on Tuesday I am totally buying some giant googly eyes for my dead Christmas Tree.

The post Discarded Christmas Trees Make Sad, Except These Ones appeared first on Periwinkle Papillon.

This will be a VERY random post but it’s a post so I’m going with it.

Here’s a quick list of the top 3 things I’m obsessed with RIGHT now and I think you should be too. In advance I will tell you that none of these brands are paying me to say this but if they want to I’m totally open to it. HA!

1. Spotify. 

It’s an app, it’s music, it’s live streaming music. I’ve done iTunes then I graduated to Pandora, but now I’m totally into Spotify. Well I have been for the past 48 hours at least.

I’m not sure what took me so long, I’d heard about it but I guess I didn’t want to deal with yet another app. Then over this past weekend at our friends’ house they were streaming music and controlling it with their iPad. I was like… umm… WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? Can I play DJ??? And then I wouldn’t stop. I was convinced I’d totally missed my calling as Spinderella’s backup playing tune after tune. I thought I was killing it until my obscure ’90s dance hit selection fell totally flat. (100% Pure Love by Crystal Waters anyone? Anyone?).

So here’s why it’s awesome: you can still have ‘stations’ like Pandora but if there’s a song you want to hear, you can search for it and you can play it right then and there. You can add it to a queue for later, add it to a playlist, and also you can listen to it offline if you want.  I’m so hooked. Downside: it is a subscription based service, it’s $9.99/month or $4.99/month with less bells and whistles but I think that’s totally worth it for finding new music and listening ad free.

2. Christmas Lights

I wrote a post last year about how much I appreciate other peoples’ Christmas light installations and what they represent for me. I just reread it and realized it’s a little sombre (sorry) but truth is, it still rings totally true. I’m still totally obsessed with Christmas lights and décor and they make me so totally happy. I am therefore including Christmas Lights as my #2 true current obsession.

The bigger and brighter the better.

We’ve already done a few laps around the hood and were delighted to see some new additions to the neighborhood light festivities.  So once again dear neighbors… I salute your efforts and say THANK YOU for bringing me and my kids that holiday joy via LEDs and flashing bulbs.

And then there’s this one (via reddit) that just made me giggle and I had to share:

via reddit

3. The Tudors

Showtime series The Tudors

Told ya this list was pretty random. So yeah, I’m totally into watching the Tudors on Amazon Prime instant video.  I have no idea how historically accurate the show is about Henry VIII and am often pausing and looking stuff up on wikipedia (which again is totally accurate right?). It seems like every other episode I’m asking “Did she really get her head chopped off too?!” “What exactly is GOUT?” It’s crazy what went on back then as ‘normal’ and I’m totally aware that this is really just a glamorized soap opera set in a historical content rich setting but I’m completely entranced by the costumes and the absurdity of this monarch’s rule and can’t. stop. watching.  If you haven’t seen it you probably should, especially if you have Amazon Prime because well then, it’s free and free is good.

Ok that’s the top 3 three things I’m currently obsessed with. What about you? What are some things you find yourself watching, doing, playing these days? Tell me!

The post 3 Things I’m Obsessed With Right Now appeared first on Periwinkle Papillon.

Sorry. No really, I’m sorry but I have to do this. Again, I’m sorry.

(If you are Canadian you just laughed there).

Today is Canadian Thanksgiving and I wandered over onto reddit to try to find some pics to send to my brother. Well, 3 emails later I decided this needed a post. So here I am.

These made me giggle. And if you aren’t Canadian you might not  get it.

Don’t worry aboot it.

Here’s a nice one:

via reddit 

via reddit

 and then this… which is really too much.

via reddit

Finally, I saw this picture.

via MTV

Truthfully? I have NO idea who those people are sitting next to Ellen Page. And Kim Cattral? Really? I had no idea (in a bad way.) But we’ll take the Ryans, they can duke it out over who gets to carve the bird.

Which made me want to ask: Who’s your favorite Canadian?

Who would you invite to sit at your Canadian Thanksgiving dinner table? 

Happy Turkey Day Bro

xo

S.

The post Happy Thanksgiving Eh? appeared first on Periwinkle Papillon.

Today, my littlest turns 5. I can’t believe where the time has gone…

I still carry her around like I did the first day I unpacked her from the beautiful box she came in and keep her close to me at ALL times. In fact, this is the longest attachment parenting I have ever done.  Some say you relax a bit as  each new child enters your family, but this couldn’t be further from the truth when it comes to my little iPhone. She still goes EVERYWHERE with me and I’m terrified I will leave her behind somewhere. You know, mommybrain and all… The nice thing is she does come with a locator feature so I can find her if I ever do (*gasp*).

Also? She’s quite the little prodigy.  My iPhone has contributed $150BN in new revenue to her mothership and created over 20,000 new jobs since she landed. Ok, I’m boasting now. But you know, I’m a little proud.

Most recently she surprised us all when she added a new developmental milestone and started to talk back! This  was exciting to everyone but most especially me.*  I hear she might soon take on some household chores to help her Momma out like folding laundry and doing dishes. Hopefully that day is right around the corner.

No big plans for her party though… we might download an app or two and just for kicks check in on Facebook. You know, something new and different.

Please feel free to leave her some birthday wishes in the comments below and OH! Check out this page from her scrapbook:

Image source: vouchercodes.co.uk via Apple Insider

Disclaimer: I still have the iPhone 4, but one can only hope. hint, hint, hint..

The post Happy 5th Birthday to My 3rd Child: My iPhone [Infographic] appeared first on Periwinkle Papillon.

The Hunger Games movie is almost here – finally! YES, this is a movie based on Young Adult fiction and NO I’m not at all embarrassed by how much I want for this movie to be great.

So far I’ve heard good things about the movie.  And to that I say: “May the odds be ever in your favor.”

I’m making no apologies here.

Here’s what the internets have produced in terms of fanfare. Some of these are unbelievable. Click on the image to check them out.

So tell me, will you go see the movie? Which scene are you most excited to see come to life? 

Amazing Hunger Games cookies from Lizzy B Bakes

The Hunger Games Playlist via design editor

Having a Hunger Games Party? Check out these awesome free printables from Living Locurto. The straw tags are my favorites.

Hunger Games free party printables via Living Locurto

This one’s pretty cool for doing a freezer stencil. I know I have freezer paper somewhere… from The Crafty Sparrow:

'I love the Boy With The Bread' Freezer stencil t-shirt by The Crafted Sparrow.

The post The Hunger Games RoundUp appeared first on Periwinkle Papillon.

Source: Competitive Intelligence Blog

Today is one of those days when I think my brain has reached it’s max capacity for retaining even just one more piece of information. One of the best, and worst things about the speed with which information now travels is that there is SO much of it.

Every day I’m introduced to new and exciting people and their ideas and I struggle to find time to synthesize it all and then incorporate it into my own life. And of yeah, be the CEO of my household. Can you relate?

Currently, I’m knee-deep in trying to navigate education finance reform for my children’s school district, understanding curriculum and standards and trying to decide what the heck to do about my passion for eradicating breast cancer.  I think somewhere in there I need to build a Leprechaun trap with my son.

So bear with me as I download for you what’s in my head these days… you can follow along if you like.

Education

Help California Shine Again – California State Budget Results in Parent Demonstrations Across the State – via LA Moms.  On ‘Pink Slip Day’, Thursday, March 15th, schoolchildren across California will be blowing bubbles before the 1st bell  to tell Sacramento budget policymakers: ‘Don’t Blow It!’ – a very important and effective message for California.

Educate Our State campaign for March 15th, 2012

Parent, Community Groups Pressed to Fill K-12 Budget Gaps via EdWeek. This just about sums up the conversations we’ve been having later about district financing issues and frustrations around it. 

Rethinking School via Harvard Business Review. The US report card shown here is EYE opening and JAW dropping. C’mon people… 

Breast Cancer Awareness

Last month (or was it 2 months ago?), Komen and their major gaffe with Planned Parenthood blew up on the internet. Komen later reversed it’s decision but sadly it was considered by most, too little too late.

For me, it was the final straw in some personal gripes with the organization. I won’t go into them here because I still think the organization does a great job in raising awareness for breast cancer but I  believe that, for me personally, I need to focus my breast cancer awareness elsewhere.

I’m still walking and talking breast cancer awareness until we don’t have to anymore.  I sure hope I won’t have to anymore.

So I made a decision.

This year, the Maidens for Mammograms and Margaritas are going to walk in the San Francisco Avon Walk for Breast Cancer on July 7-8th.  We would LOVE IT, LOVE IT LOVE IT if you joined us!

Last year,  I made a new ‘breast’ friend, Rachael who walked and camped with me.  We’d love to walk with you too! Let me know if you’re interested – by the way, we celebrate the finish line with Margaritas all around!  The team page is coming… stay tuned.

On the Homefront: Cleaning and Groceries

Just when my head was totally about to explode, my bloggy friend, Ilana reminded me that my house needs cleaning and oh! it can make you happy with the right products! Wha? So of course I hop over to MommyShorts where I just have to enter her giveaway for a year’s supply of cleaning products from Method. I mean because NOW I’m all self-conscious about the cleanliness of my house and it’s un-color coordinated soaps!  Thanks Ilana!  Here’s the link for you too. (I won’t hoard it – enter by April 2nd). Pretty sweet right? Also if you don’t think you are going to win, you can stock up on Method supplies with 20% off using the code CLEANHAPPY on their site (ends 3/31).

via MommyShorts

And THEN… Amanda from One Family One Meal (my secret weapon in meal planning) shows me that it’s possible to make 20 meals for 1 week all from Whole Foods for under $200. Excuse me??  Impossible! (Say it with an Italian accent it’s way more fun).  See how she did it by clicking here. She’s also giving away a $200 gift card to Whole Foods which I totally want to win but again I’m not selfish, so here’s the link for that one too.

OK PHEW…that’s it… I’m done for now. That’s a bit of my brain download for ya. I will spare you the parcel tax discussions and descriptions of endless loads of laundry.

Cheers,

Sara

The post Overload: Education, Breast Cancer, Cleaning and Groceries appeared first on Periwinkle Papillon.

Sequin top 7 For All Mankind flare jeans,  J.Crew strappy leather sandals,  Nine West sandals,  Polka dot earrings,  Pippa stone earrings,  OPI Nail Varnish – Are We There Yet? 15ml Health & Beauty | HQHair.com  Kate Spade Harrison Street Jenny Ann clutch 

I’m scraping together an outfit for an upcoming parent party at my daughter’s school. The theme is ‘Denim & Diamonds’ and while I don’t plan on getting a whole new outfit (although I totally deserve it!) I had a lot of fun putting this together.

I started noticing a trend for emerald and coral in spring catalogs – at least I think it’s a trend but what the heck do I know??  So when I was shopping with a gift certificate to Stella & Dot (thank you Susan!), I built an entire outfit around a pair of emeraldish (yes that’s a word) earrings that I liked.

Whaddaya think?

The NineWest shoes aren’t available until 5/1 – which is probably a good thing because that heel looks too high for me anyway (I’m 5’9″). I can’t decide whether the coral accent is just too much although I do like the color punch.

So like it? Hate it? Tell me what you think…

The post Emerald and Coral Fashion Sense appeared first on Periwinkle Papillon.

This is the Superbowl commercial that you didn’t see if you live in the US. It is the Canadian Budweiser ad – and it’s totally awesome.

Watch it and you’ll see why.

The post The Superbowl Ad You Did Not See appeared first on Periwinkle Papillon.