Unlike most of the party games you’ve played before, Cards Against Humanity brings out the reprehensible and graceless inner workings of your closest friends.

Check your tact at the door and make sure the kids are in bed. Playing this game you realize just how ‘wrong’ all your peeps really are. If you are not of the prudish variety, this game will bring you to the verge of wetting your pants due to laughter. Good times.

The box clearly states 17+ and it means it. I wouldn’t play this game with anyone not in high school. Full Stop. Additionally, you’ll have to have a strong stomach and broad sense of humor. I promise if you play long enough, everyone winds up offended at one point or another. With all of this said, this game is incredibly fun with the right group of people. 

The game is simple. Each round, one player asks a question from a Black Card, and everyone else answers with their funniest White Card. There’s an art in how the question and answer cards fit together. The over the top comedy comes from the ridiculous/ grotesque/ absurd/ offensive/ combinations your friend come up with – all for the sake of a good belly laugh. Leave your sense of social wrongdoing behind and realize that every religion, nationality and sensitive subject is going to be drawn into the light. The hilarity lies in just how inappropriate inappropriate can get with the people you consider close friends.

I leave you with an example:

Black Card is read  “Why am I sticky”

responses from the table

• me time
• DNA
• George Clooney’s Musk
• a brain tumor
• three months in the hole

The winner of the most humorous response to the Black Card owner, is bequeathed the honor of pulling the next black card.

FYI – I did my best to keep those responses PG and IT WASN’T EASY.

Enjoy.

This Spring, I want to celebrate these highlights! Together, with a few blogger friends, we are giving away a $500 gift card to B&H Photo, Video & Pro Audio or a $250 gift card to Kelly Moore Bags.

Need a new camera, lens, or iPad? The $500 can be used to purchase whatever your heart desires from B&H Photo. My trusted online camera folks. What?  You already have a camera to love? Perhaps a gorgeous new Kelly Moore satchel to carry it in is for you! This is my personal choice.

The Juju Bag l Walnut

You may spend your winnings any way you please. The first winner chosen will have the option of choosing between a $500 gift card to B&H Photo, Video & Pro Audio or a $250 gift card to Kelly Moore Bags. The second prize winner will be awarded the item that was not chosen by the first prize winner.

The “Click & Carry” giveaway begins Tuesday, April 16th (TODAY) and ends at 12:00 AM on April, 23, 2013 (NEXT TUESDAY).

Here is how to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The fancy small talk now…

Giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only. Void where prohibited.

All entries are optional with the exception of providing an email address so that we may contact you if you were to win. We will never sell, distribute, or spam your email.

Two winners will be chosen by Rafflecopter (powered by Random.org). The first winner chosen will have the option of choosing between a $500 gift card to B&H Photo, Video & Pro Audio or a $250 gift card to Kelly Moore Bags. The second prize winner will be awarded the item that was not chosen by the first prize winner. Gift cards are not transferable and cannot be exchanged for a cash prize.

This is a non-sponsored post. Prizes were purchased by a group of participating bloggers. B&H Photo, Video & Pro Audio and Kelly Moore Bags are not affiliated with this giveaway.

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. You understand that you are providing your information to the owner of this Facebook page and not to Facebook.

This promotion is powered by Rafflecopter. Metric Feat LLC (“Rafflecopter”) does not sponsor, administer, or endorse this promotion. Participants must read and agree to Rafflecopter’s Privacy Policy before entering and participating in this promotion.

St Germain is from freshly handpicked elderflower blossoms. It’s a French liqueur, with low sugar content. Incredibly fruity and with a bright floral flavor. It makes for a vibrant and uplifting champagne cocktail.  At brunch it is now my go-to over a mimosa. Delicious.

Be warned, it is a touch hard to find. your local mega-mart will not likely carry it. About $35 for a 750ml bottle. I found mine online.

Enjoy!

But the views, food, fun and culture will keep us coming back. Again and again.

Today is from last Friday. Friday Night Lights style with some Flag Football. My son is sporting the San Francisco 49er’s colors. The opposing team was undefeated.

Will we win? Am I fast enough? Will I get hurt? There are so many people watching.

While lying in bed the last few weeks (recovering), I came across a new clothing site. Modbe. Don’t ask me how I found it, I was loaded on pain meds. However, I could still see clearly their new arrivals and more importantly their price point were noteworthy. Check out the polka dot blouse, otherwise known as the On Target Top in cherry and orange.  Only $26.99. While the green striped dress, with the ever important side pockets for your iPhone, is only $36.99.

Whabam

While over at Jcrew Factory the navy striped dress called my name along with some sensible shorts. I’ll take a 10” inseam any day thank-you-very-much. Being of a certain age, a 2” inseam puts me in the “ordered-up” category. If you catch my drift. These finds paired with a white t-shirt, hoop earrings and Havaiana flip flops; I envision summer time BBQ’s, Friday night football games, play dates in Newport Beach, and shopping along State St. in Santa Barbara. They all have good times oozing from their seams.

Here are the Jcrewfactory.com links to the $34.50 navy stripe dress, $24.50 cherry shorts, and $34.50 seersucker shorts. Keep an eye of the website, Jcrew Factory usually adds an additional 30-40% off various items weekly.

If you have any Spring 2013 wardrobe updates, please share for all of us to check out.

Besos,

]]> http://kathleenssugarandspice.com/2013/03/10/spring-2013-wardrobe-updates/feed/ 1 http://kathleenssugarandspice.com/2013/03/09/new-sunscreen-to-love/ http://kathleenssugarandspice.com/2013/03/09/new-sunscreen-to-love/#comments Sun, 10 Mar 2013 03:37:06 +0000 Kathleen http://kathleenssugarandspice.com/?p=24306 When Bobbi Brown discontinued my coveted Sunscreen I wept.  I then turned to Gone But Not Forgotten to order 6 discontinued boxes in hopes I’d find a new sunscreen to love in the meantime. Well, being down to the last tube was scary stuff. I had tried so many and nothing past muster. Thankfully while on bed rest I discovered Ms. Bobbie Brown had just released a brand new SPF 50 Protective Face Base.

It’s a lightweight moisturizing lotion with SPF 50 complete with broad spectrum sun protection. The formula absorbs quickly and smooth’s the skin’s surface – without piling or rolling or turning you chalky pasty white – Boo. Worried about stinging or irritation, there is absolutely none. Can I get a Holy Grail Product Hallelujah?

I’m so glad this product is back, bigger and better than ever. Thanks Bobbie.

Tell me, what sunscreen do you use that I missed? I would love to hear and share with our friends here.

Remember to Spring Forward tonight, summer is right around the corner.

Smooches,

But, before they zoomed off, visions of proms, weddings and futures memories to be made washed over. Those photos will be here before you know it.

Today I bring you the Daddy Daughter Dance with a side of Beagles and a rare DH sighting. It was all about the blue tie tonight. My youngest agreed.

Let’s turn on the lights of this blog and dust of the counters, I’m back or coming back. Very, very slowly.

It’s been a while since I posted with any regularity. The holidays came and went with this news. Which brings us to the Hysterectomy that occurred last Saturday. Sleeping was my first line of business upon return.  More than I ever thought possible.

Yesterday was the first day waking hours outnumbered the heavy slumbering ones. You could say, yes, I am awake now. Managing pain, but still keeping the activity level low. This is where we are presently and there is the rub. For the mind to be skipping along with a body not in agreement leads to mental boredom. Twitter, Instagram and Facebook are my window to the world. TV’s just doesn’t do it for me anymore. What to do, what to do.

Why not post about my Hysterectomy insights.

Here is what you need to know about a Hysterectomy that no one told me. By the way, it’s no walk in the park.

1. They fill your tummy with CO2 in order to perform the surgery. That gas hurts. Especially when it gets trapped in your shoulders post surgery. Oh mama.

2. In the hospital your own pillow from home feels a lot better under your head, bring it.

3. You will be incredibly tired and fragile.  Handle with extreme caution (and care) will be your mantra.

4. It’s absolutely okay to be 5, 6, 7  days post-op and not be able to get through a day without a pain pill.

5. You will not be able to wear the same clothes you wore before surgery comfortably. The incision pain and CO2 balloon belly combo is a deal breaker.

6. Look to be sure the toilet seat is in the “down” position before sitting. And make sure Colace, Milk of Magnesia, and GasX are in your medicine cabinet.

7. Sitting can actually hurt more than standing.

8. Makes notes as to when you took your last pain meds. Foggy memories can lead to difficult pain management.

9. Internal organs that were not removed were prodded and rearranged. They hurt were you least except things to hurt and accept the fact that post-op soreness may linger for quite a while. Please see number 4.

10 “three steps forward, followed by two steps back.” You may have a day where you feel strong. Only to have it followed by feeling like you just got home from the hospital. Please see number 3.

The operation itself with the pain, the recovery time, the post-op limitations and restrictions, was bigger than I thought. Maybe I was minimizing things. However, I am relieved the ovarian tumors are gone along with the big mama fibroid. The pathology came back benign, however the doc was relieved those organs were no longer lurking around. They had danger written all over them.

Which brings me to a whole new chapter in my midlife.

I’m glad to be back.

Thankfully.

Disclosure: if you are a dude and not comfortable with lady talk, navigate far away from here. I totally understand.

Big Inhales, Big Exhales.

I am less than 24 hours shy of surgery. This somewhat explains my absence as of late. I’ve been getting my business in order.

Are you ready for this? There is still time to click away.

Alrighty then, grab a seat.

Last May before a Napa trip, my back was causing me grief necessitating a trip to the local Doc. She gave me pain meds, but also wanted blood work. You know, to be thorough -  it’s a good practice. With the phlebotomist ordered up, I requested my usual add-on service of a CA-125 screening.

What is a CA-125 screening you ask? It’s a screening for ovarian health; cancer and/or other benign tumor conditions. I ask for this test because infertility and all its potent IVF drugs dominated my life and ovaries back in 2003. Being on all those infertility boards taught me to ask the necessary questions, before and after infertility. A CA-125 test was one of them.

You guessed it, I failed the screening test.

No worries, upon return from wine country, I had a date with the Ultrasound Tech. To take a look-see at my harmless over-sized visitor, along with a peek at the other lady bits. The good news was the ole fibroid visitor had won the Biggest Loser competition. It was only the size of an orange now, no longer a grapefruit (bottom pic). Due to it’s location, it was determined to be the source of my pre-Napa back pain. Thankfully so, since this back pain precipitated the tests which bring me to today’s news.

But before we get there, let’s fill in the gaps.  I was told to come back in 6 months for a re-check. Fast forward to December. Post holidays, the next round of blood draws occurred. Me and the phlebotomist were on a first name basis. The results? Phooey, an even larger CA-125 number decorated my chart. In six months it had doubled. Doctors were contacted and high-tech ultrasounds were ordered. See those two dark martini olives stuck together in the top photo? That is what all the fuss is about today.

My hopes in sharing this with you is that you are now “in the know” to ask for a simple CA-125 whenever blood work is ordered. The CA-125 is in no way foolproof, but it is a good marker for undercarriage issues, much like prostate marker testing for the fellas.

Do I have Cancer? I don’t think/hope so. My close friend says, “honey, it’s nothing, until it’s something” thanks Michelle. Those words have been my mantra, keeping my compass pointing north even in my darkest of moments.

Surgery is set for Saturday morning with my OB-GYN and his Oncology BFF. Gone will be my troubled ovary and baby carriage. I am scared but know this is for the best.

No matter what the news, I am resolved to remain positive.  Come Monday, I’ll be resting and hopefully very bored. So expect daily, if not hourly updates. Until then, send up some sparkly thoughts. I’ll hear them and be appreciative.

Big Inhales, Big Exhales,