Coming soon - Miss America!

My dear Miss America friends, with the crowing of America's Loveliest only two nights away, PlanetClaire has sharpened her pencils to begin her annual coverage of La Affair de la Crown.

Let us begin by feasting our eyes on this royal bling.

Aren't they fabulous? I may already own the official Miss America crown pin and earrings but these beauties may need to come home to Mama some day soon.

Sadly, PlanetClaire must tear herself away from hourly monitoring of the Miss America website to return herself to the drudgery of homework, laundry and dinner. I shall return with my annual Top 10 candidates by Friday evening. Until then.

Playing card games

Every year before the holidays approach, I boldly make the same declaration — the Huffman Christmas card shall be the first of all such greetings that our friends and family receive.

This is my vision. The day after Thanksgiving, recipients will open their mailboxes to find our special envelope awaiting them, as if to announce: “Let the holiday fun begin!”

Click here to read more Surrendering to Motherhood...

Sandals in January!

Woo hoo! It's 75 degrees here in Napa today. Break out the summer sandals if only for a day.

Pearly whites

Check out these chunky monkey faux pearls at Talbots. Mama Mia! Coco Chanel on steroids!
At $85 I don't think I will be buying them but aren't they something?
Modeled by one of PlanetClaire's junior readers.

Chilling out in the car.

When I tried to turn on my car heater one morning in late October, I got a little confused.

It seemed like only cold air was blowing through the car. The next morning, I tried again. Sure enough, more cold air.

“I think my car heater is broken,” I told my husband.

For more Surrendering to Motherhood click here...

More muff

PlanetClaire readers know how much I enjoy vintage accessories. Grandma Tootie has a winner here -- a real leopard fur trimmed muff. It was her mothers and she has the original plastic storage bag with price tag: $65. She also had a leopard fur leather belt that was about a size 2.
Great-Grandma Nelda was a USO party girl and entertainer in the 40s and 50s. Her first husband, and Don's Grandfather, was an Air Force pilot in WWII. He was killed over North Africa shortly after Don's mom was born.

As seen at McCallou's department store in Napa...

Shoe cake server.
Note pink fuzzy liner with zebra stripes. How cute is that?

Did you know? McCallou's department store is home to the only escalator in Napa County. Yup.