This Life...

Oatmeal Cream Pies

2011-07-10T06:17:00.000-07:00

One of my husband's favorite treats are Oatmeal Cream Pies. These are NOT little debbie's! I went on a hunt for a copy recipe I could make at home, and boy did I find the most perfect recipe. Using a larger cookie scooper ensures perfectly sized and uniform cookies. Everyone raves about these, and cant believe I made them :) Try them yourself, they are delicious.

Recipe HERE from Honey and Jam.

Sage

2011-07-09T17:00:00.000-07:00

My granny at the local store.

My great grandmother grew sage in her yard and would pick and dry then save a bunch for my Mom to come and get to use for our Thanksgiving dressing. All I know is she would dry it on newspapers in her attic. When she passed away, our Thanksgiving dressing never tasted the same.

Fast forward to today when I went to the garden to pick TONS of sage to dry myself and save for Thanksgiving. I sat on a stool picking the larger leaves off each large bush. I ended up with a small pail full and decided I would try to make the rubbed sage two different ways to find out which way was the best.

The first batch, I grouped together about 24 sage leaves and using a rubber band I wrapped each bunch by the stem end. You should hang each bunch in an area with no direct sunlight and with adequate ventilation. I chose the area above my kitchen sink.

I took some twine and clothes pins to hang each bunch. Look, decor!

Like I mentioned above, the second method I used was drying the sage leaves on a newspaper in a single layer. Since I dont go to our attic, I place the newspapers and sage on top of our bookcases.

When the sage is dried out, I will continue on the next step (rubbed sage!) and post about that in the future.

An addiction.

2011-06-29T07:35:00.000-07:00

That's right, I have a new addiction. Pinterest. I can sit here while watching tv and pin all night long. It's bad for my mind because Im not reading through blogs anymore...but so much easier to find things, crafts, outfits, decor, recipes, etc that Im looking for. Some of my very favorite decor photos I have found on pinterest:

Source

Graduation Candy Gram!

2011-06-21T07:47:00.000-07:00

I came up with this candy gram for my sister's college graduation, thanks to Pinterest (my newest addiction). I came up with a poem that would fit her graduation day, and the accordinating candies. I bought a poster board at the Dollar Tree, used duct tape to attache each candy, and a sharpie to write the words. It was very easy and fun to do :) Everyone loved it!

Garden pics, finally!

2011-06-06T08:47:00.000-07:00

I think the rain is finally done drowning us here...we had April and May filled with rain practically every day and hit some records being the wettest ever. So with all that rain over, we finally planted our family garden!

Watering the tomatoes:

As you can see, our first step was planting all of those tomato plants. They look so little!

At the end of the garden, we still needed to till up the soil and let it dry out some, because it was way too wet from all the rain. Jalapenos, Pumpkins, Watermelon and beans are planted in that area now.

Garden currently:

The pics might be a little dark, I took them this weekend. The garden is almost complete from planting, Im still waiting on my beans to get a little larger to transplant them, then it will be finished!

Below are 4 brussels sprouts plants I started from seed. Still quite small:

And, there are 8 zucchini plants here I also started from seed:

Look how much the tomato plants have grown (in the middle left in the pic), and to the right are all pepper plants.

We have gotten a couple strawberries, but hopefully will get more and more as the years go on (and we continue to add more of them to the garden).

It's hot!

2011-05-31T15:35:00.000-07:00

Well, April and May gave us TONS of rain. But, this Memorial day weekend gave us lots of sun and warm (hot) weather. The garden has finally been able to flourish and hopefully will start growing from the much anticipated sun.

So far, one plant hasn't worked out so well. I had purchased some strawberry "roots" from walmart a while back and we had planted them in April. Unfortunately they never came up. My grandma bought us a few strawberry plants that had greenery and were grown, so we had planted those as well. They are flourishing and even have a few berries and buds on them! We are all very excited to have a strawberry patch and over the years add on to it to make it larger year after year.

We still have a few things to plant, which we plan to do so tomorrow- corn, beans and zucchini (all from seed). Since we finally had great weather, starting some things from seed (beans, zucchini) worked out very well! It's much cheaper and was pretty easy. I re used some plastic cell packs leftover from my parents house (Mother's day flowers) to start the seeds.

I hope to show pics this week, I have been so busy!

Antique Mall shopping.

2011-05-07T08:20:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite things to do is to go to a favorite local antique mall and walk around. It's free to look, until you find something you fall in love with or you just can't pass up. Of course, we go in search of an antique sideboard every-time, but haven't had any luck with finding one just yet.

So, below is my recent antique mall find at a price we just couldn't pass up. For $17:

I keep it by the entry to use to put my purse on, and to sit and take our shoes off.

I love the color of the wood!

Rain, rain, go away!

2011-05-05T18:29:00.000-07:00

It's been a month since my last post. Bad news, hardly any progress on the garden because of all the rain here. I heard on my local news this week that in the last 31 days we have had the most rain on record. Dont get me wrong, I love rainy days, but this is getting ridiculous!

We have all of our veggie plants ready to go into the ground if we could ever get

a few warm sunny days in a row to dry up the ground!

Items that were able to get planted so far:

Beans, Strawberries, and varieties of onions.

Oh, and in other news, my cupcake charm finally arrived :)

Summer Garden

2011-04-04T18:43:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, we ordered loads of veggie plants. The plants will be divided amongst 3 families.
On our growing list for this summer so far is:

Yellow Onions
Purple Onions
Garlic
Green Onions

Beefsteak Tomatoes
Brandywine Tomatoes
Jelly Bean Hybrid Tomatoes
Roma Tomatoes

Red Sweet Peppers
Green Bell Peppers
Jalapenos

Italian Roma Bush Beans (Or as my husband likes to call them "fat green beans")-(from seed).
Radishes (from seed)
Zucchini (from seed)
Brussels Sprouts (from seed)

Strawberries
Rhubarb
Sage

We might do more herbs too. I wanted to do the mini pumpkins to use for decor around my house in the fall, but they take up too much space :(

I cant wait for the plants to arrive and for the weather to get warmer so they will grow and I can start enjoying fresh veggies and start my canning!

I love to can. I started last summer, and made a few recipes I loved and enjoyed. These few recipes will be made again this summer, as well as new ones I have come across recently.

Canning is especially great for Christmas gifts. Last year I made little food baskets (bought peach baskets for .25 each last summer!) and I filled them with baked goods and of course my canned items.

We may be adding more plants to the garden, we aren't sure yet. I look forward to posting about the garden and my canning items for this summer!

Hey UPS man!

2011-03-31T18:25:00.000-07:00

I wait for you every afternoon, hoping to find that you have left me an important package.

Im anxiously awaiting the last of my 30th birthday gift.

On my 30th birthday, Hubby took me to Tiffany's to get a few of my bracelets lengthened and polished. They had to send them to NYC to do so, and the kind man who worked there didn't charge us anything, not even shipping! Service at Tiffany&Co. rocks! Hubby was thrilled, and since we didn't have to pay for that...he told me to pick out a new charm for my charm bracelet. Squeeeeee!!!!!

It turned out that I picked the charm they didn't have in stock at the store! So, they had to ship it to me from the NYC location. I got it today in the mail :) Here she is, I picked her out to represent my 30th. And, well I LOVE cupcakes.

Now, I can't wait to get my charm bracelet back and sparkly and the perfect length for my now "adult" (aka fat) wrist so I can wear my new charm!

The search.

2011-03-28T10:36:00.000-07:00

I have been searching for a specific piece of furniture for the last 3 years, maybe even my whole life.

I have always loved sideboards. It's obvious to me where and when my love of them began...in my Grandparent's dining room. They had a huge, gorgeous sideboard that they covered the top with framed family photos. I always loved when they would switch out photos to update to current ones of grandchildren, and kept older ones of their own children. I always wanted to do this in my own home when I got older, and would have loved to have had their sideboard in my home. But, alas that didn't happen.

Fast forward to about 3 years ago. While at a local antique mall one afternoon, I saw a GORGEOUS antique oak sideboard. It had a mirror with ledge, leaded glass doors on each end, and lots of drawers for storage. I was instantly sold...but it was just that- SOLD. I was so heartbroken, and a little mad they teased me with such a gorgeous piece of furniture by leaving it out in the open for all to drool over. Since then, I have been searching for something just like it.

Below are some photos I have found through google of sideboards:

My 30th

2011-03-25T18:57:00.000-07:00

I turned 30 this week. I have to be honest...it scared the crap out of me! For various reasons, it freaked me out to know Im no longer in my 20's. A decade that shaped who I am, and what my life is. This life has had many ups and downs, and growing older is a scary one for me. I was afraid of what I might miss out on, afraid of what I haven't had the chance to accomplish yet.

Turning 30 has come and gone, and I feel the same...and even feel like Im still in my early 20's. So, to anyone who is turning 30 or 40 or 50, etc....age is just a number!

I had decided I wanted to make my own birthday cake this year. I found an amazing chocolate cake recipe and frosted it with buttercream and topped it off with black and pink fondant in a zebra design. I loved how it turned out!

By the way...Im totally over the age thing ;)

Trader Joe's

2011-03-14T11:15:00.000-07:00

I love going to Trader Joe's! I go typically 4 times a year, maybe more. I think of Trader Joe's as a special treat for us, and have made some favorite meals utilizing their products. Im really hoping a Trader Joe's would open closer to us, soon!

Below, I will list our favorite products and a favorite meal I make with a Trader Joe's favorite. Note, I do not buy every single one of these items every time I go, just a few as a treat for us :)

Frozen section:

naan (garlic or plain), Indian frozen entrees, mini crab cakes, chocolate filled croissants, jasmine rice

Refrigerated Section:

marscapone cheese, creme fraiche, fresh mozzarella, proscuitto, fresh pizza dough, hummus, fresh bruschetta, fresh salsa, layer dip

Pantry:
lemon curd, cranberry apple butter, pumpkin butter, dried mango, dried pineapple chips, maple leaf cookies, stroopwafels, huge chocolate bar with almonds, pirate's booty, beer bread mix, roasted red pepper soup

And, although we hardly buy it (like ever)- their wine section is decent and cheap!

Here is their website, and on occasion they will post a flyer of new and on sale items:

http://www.traderjoes.com/

Our Favorite, Quick and Easy Chicken Bruschetta

1 container of TJ's fresh bruschetta

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Balsamic vinegar

Sugar

Angle hair pasta (cooked and drained)

If desired: Fresh basil (chiffonade), Grated Parmesean

Pour 1 1/2 cups of balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan, bring to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons (or more) and continue cooking until sauce becomes thick and reduced. Set aside.

Grill chicken breasts until done (I season mine with garlic seasoning I got from Sam's club).

Slice each chicken breast on a diagonal.

Place cooked angel hair pasta on plate, spoon fresh bruschetta on top (as much as desired), place grilled chicken on top, then drizzle balsamic reduction on top. I like to put most of the balsamic drizzle around the edge of the plate and on the angel hair. Serve with garlic ciabatta bread.

I will post a pic of the completed dish next time I make this. It's so quick and easy, especially for the spring and summer!

Mantle decor for St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-09T14:50:00.000-08:00

Black candle holders bought at IKEA years ago, black wooden

letter "S" from our wedding (got it on clearance at a scrapbook store),

windowpane-free! It was in our basement when we bought the house and moved in!

Antique kraut slicer.

Irish ceramic candle holder found at Goodwill for .50!

Ruffled cupcake liner wreath I made, using checkered cupcake liners

from Michaels' dollar section (the brand is by Paula Deen).

Tutorial found here.

I did get one of those floral forms that the Dollar Tree sells,

so I used ribbon I had and wrapped it so the cupcake liners

would stick, and the wreath would stop "shedding"!

Use straight pins to pin the ribbon in place and also to add a loop to

hang your wreath from.

Home decor eye candy.

2011-03-08T10:32:00.000-08:00

I have high expectations of cleaning up and organizing our basement, and turning it into a mecca for us to have fun and relax. The above is eye candy only.

Right now, it is for storage only (oh and a pool table, it came with the house). I have 3 areas that I will be rearranging things down there. One room has a pool table. Another, right now has an air hockey table, but I would love to turn it into a TV room. Adjacent to this room is an open area I would love to keep my crafts and both of our desks and computer (but the husband has already veto'd that).

My plan is to do this in the next month. I will have photos when complete (and not at all like the photos above, because hello Im not doing any remodeling or spending any money here!).

Weekly Menu

2011-02-15T10:25:00.000-08:00

Again, Im posting what we will be having this week, but no assignments to specific days.

~~Mahi Mahi Tacos~~ ~~(Hubs loves the fish tacos I created!)~~

Sloppy Joes, potato wedges, cole slaw and a veggie. (I went to Walmart and stocked up on the Del monte sloppy joe sauce that we love. I cant find it anywhere else AND it's gluten free!).

Chicken & Rice soup (from the freezer).

Chicken cordon bleu, chicken flavored rice, mixed veggies.

~~I might try to make the hubby his favorite, Chicken Tikka Masala!~~

We already had: Baked ravioli, and grilled out hot dogs this week so far!

A Valentine treat!

2011-02-13T13:33:00.000-08:00

Valentine suckers

I came across this blog post from The Idea Room, and instantly knew I wanted to do this!

I headed to Target in January and found they still had boxes of mini candy canes in their Christmas clearance section. A huge box only cost me .25 CENTS!!!

I already had the lollipop sticks from a previous project, and last week found lollipop bags with a valentine print on them at Michael's on clearance for .99 cents!

I followed the directions The Idea Room used, except I used a silpat to line my cookie sheet with. Then, heat the oven to 350, and assemble the mini candy canes around eack lillipop stick and pop them in the oven! I waited til they looked a little melted and pulled them out of the oven. VERY carefully I pinched each end of the candy canes together. I let them cool, then wrapped them in the bags I bought.

That's it! This literally took me less than 10 minutes!

My silpat lined baking sheet, lolliop sticks (I actually made mini ones by cutting some of these in half), and the candy canes, 60 of them for .25 - how much better can this cheap on a budget Valentine treat get?!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine Crafts!

2011-02-02T17:56:00.000-08:00

Mantle decor: Mirror from Hobby Lobby, Heart wreath made by me, Candleholders from IKEA, heart candy dish from the Dollar Tree

Red felted heart wreath made by me, last year during the superbowl. Tutorial here.

Entrytable / Chalkboard: branch swag I made.

Milk glass compote found at an antique mall for under $1!!! Fuzzy hearts from the Dollar Tree (sold as picks, I broke those off to make a filler), doily table runner (bought a package of light pink paper heart doilies from the Dollar Tree and attached them together in a pattern using photo squares).


Paper rose wreath, made by me :) Tutorial here. It took a few nights sitting in front of the TV making this. I used white cardstock I already had on hand (given to me free from my last job).

I have been very busy crafting all of these, but the mantle still seems bare to me. Any ideas what else I could add (on a tight budget)? Let me know what you think!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Weekly Menu

2011-01-31T10:41:00.000-08:00

It seems that's all I have been posting lately :( Moving on...

Chili

Homemade fish sticks, green beans, mac & cheese

Pepper steak over rice (in the crockpot)

Breakfast for dinner: Canadian bacon and egg bagels with hashbrowns

Sloppy Joes, cole slaw, potato wedges

Grilled Cheese & Soup

Chicken Chili

Weekly Menu

2011-01-24T15:19:00.000-08:00

S: BLT

M: Turkey Pot Pie

T: B~~eef Fajitas (or Pepper Steak over rice).~~ Dominos pizza...for $3.99 what else can I say?

W: ~~Chicken Chili~~ We had burritos my Dad made :)

TH: Out for a birthday dinner for some friends.

F: ~~BBQ Chicken Pizza~~ Another birthday dinner out, at a german restaurant, The Sherman House. It was SO good! I had the pork tenderloin, kraut and mashed potatoes. I loved it, the kraut was mild-which I really liked and the mashed potatoes were amazing, like best I have ever had amazing! I did get the salad bar (loved the croutons), and had their fried biscuits and fried pickles as well (really good!). I hope we go back soon :)

S: Soup Night with grilled cheese.

Weekly Menu

2011-01-10T22:35:00.000-08:00

A little late, but Im going to try and start this back up!

Sunday: Turkey Dinner : Turkey, mashed potatoes & gravy, stove top, green beans / green bean casserole, baked sweet potatoes, noodles, brussels sprouts and rolls

Monday: Leftovers!

Tuesday: Soup & Grilled Cheese ~~or Beef Roast with potatoes and carrots~~

Wednesday: ~~Beef Stew, Beer bread~~ ~~Grilled Cheese & tomato soup~~ So, yeah DH surprised me by taking me out to dinner after we had a ton of Christmas returns to do :) Friday's it was! I had Jack Daniels Chicken, yummmm!

Thursday: ~~Leftovers or~~ Beef Hash

Friday: Breakfast for Dinner!

Saturday: ~~Chicken potstickers, veggies & rice or sesame noodles~~ Fish fry with the family!

Chalkboard "art"

2010-11-11T09:58:00.000-08:00

This month, I have been inspired by some bloggers who have been giving away free art versions of the infamous "keep calm and carry on" artwork. Seen here on Craftily Ever After's blog.

I can't decide if I should change mine and copy hers or not though....

Tell me what you think!

Halloween Decor and aDIY!

2010-10-30T11:42:00.000-07:00

My mantle, and bookshelves all decorated for fall. Garlands from Michaels, crows from Dollar Tree, pumpkins from Xmas tree shops, ghosts from Target's $ spot, happy Halloween garland from Michaels, apothecary jars from Kirkland's, IKEA framed leaves that DH picked for me.

An inspiration picture (not mine, found through google search on Country Living):

And here's my creepy sofa!!! (cheesecloth-found it at the dollar tree)

And finally my DIY chalkboard! I used a PB signature frame that I never used for our wedding and used only the backing of the frame and painted it with primer then chalkboard paint. I draped some more of the creepy cheesecloth around the frame as well. The pumpkin on the table is a candle- from B&BW and smells AMAZING.

**Oops, forgot to close that drawer. Nevermind that!**

Hope they inspire you, and you like them! Let me know what you think :) Happy Halloween!

Finally.

2010-07-27T15:06:00.000-07:00

Click here for my ETSY shop!!!

So, my big announcement that I have been anticipating for about a month now has finally happened. I opened my very own ETSY shop today! I only have a few items so far, and right now Im offering free shipping!!! Head on over to check out my goods :)

(Note: Im having difficulties with doing links lately since I upgrade my blogger version. Maybe its my Mac? If anyone can help me, let me know in the comments section please.)

Weekly Menu

2010-07-25T21:06:00.000-07:00

I have decided to add in lunch options to my weekly list!

Sunday
L: Jr Bacon Cheeseburger (Wendy's)
D: Sushi

Monday
L: Tuna Salad, wrapped in iceburg lettuce
D: Salsa chicken- taco salads.

Tuesday
L: ~~Tuna Salad, wrapped in iceburg lettuce~~ Carrot and celery sticks, hummus
D: BBQ Chicken, salad & these potatoes:
http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/2009/10/hasselback-potatoes.html

Wednesday
L: Veggies & light ranch or hummus dip
D: Pulled pork sliders, cole slaw

Thursday
L: PB&J, Light Pringles
D: Burrito bowls or taco salads (using leftover pulled pork).

Friday
L: Veggies & light ranch or hummus dip
D: Chicken stir fry

Saturday
L: Leftovers
D: Spaghetti, garlic toast & salad

Weekly Menu

2010-07-10T14:08:00.000-07:00

Sunday : Pepper Steak, Brown Rice, steamed broccoli.

Monday : Leftovers

Tuesday : ~~Grilled Brats, macaroni salad, baked beans~~ No softball for the hubs tomorrow so he wont be having his weekly superstitious meal (haha!). So, we will have something else...pasta or crab cake sliders with a salad.

Wednesday : Pulled Pork BBQ Sliders

Thursday : Leftovers (pulled pork sliders)

Friday : Salsa Chicken

Saturday : Leftovers

Coming Soon!

2010-06-30T18:23:00.000-07:00

I have some news. Im working out the kinks and getting everything together, so stay tuned for my super exciting news! Here's one hint:

Any guesses?

Bacon!

2010-06-18T14:16:00.000-07:00

I looove bacon! The only thing I used to hate about bacon was cooking it. I hated the grease popping and burning me, and the bacon itself not getting an even doneness. So, I only bake by bacon now. It's so much easier, and I like to think a little healthier since all the grease drips into the pan and doesn't "bathe" in the grease.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Get a cookie sheet with high-ish edges (mine is from Sam's Club-comes in a 2-pack!).

Place a all metal "cooling rack" on your cookie sheet (mine is supposed to be for cookies, but I like utilizing it in this way instead).

Lay your slices of bacon side by side, as close as you can get to each other on the metal "cooling rack."

Bake in the oven until desired doneness! That's it, so easy and you can spend the time you would have slaved over the heat and grease cooking your bacon doing something else!

Mahi Mahi BBQ Fish Tacos

2010-06-03T15:46:00.000-07:00

I got the inspiration for this recipe while watching an episode of Diner, Drive Ins & Dives with Guy Fieri last week. The Husband begged me to make them after watching this show. I quickly dvr'd the episode so I could do some studying! These were very easy to make, I served the tacos alongside some black beans and rice and were delicious with a Corona Light with lime, yum :) Let me know how you like them, and any suggestions you may have.

Mahi Mahi BBQ Tacos

Makes approx. 7 Tacos.

3 filets of Mahi Mahi (bought a bag of frozen from Costco)

Guacamole (Costco)

Chile Cole Slaw (recipe to come)

Cilantro Cream Sauce (recipe below)

Mango BBQ sauce (recipe below)

6 inch flour tortillas

Cheddar Jack shredded Cheese (also from Costco)

Cilantro

1 Diced fresh tomato

Caribbean seasoning, Lawry's seasoned salt

1 cup Chicken broth

Start with your frying pan, heat with 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.

Season your frozen Mahi Mahi with Carribean seasoning, and a dash of Lawry's seasoned salt.

Place seasoned Mahi Mahi in skillet, pan fry on both

sides until almost white thru out. Chop fish into cubes with a spatula.

Add one cup of chicken broth to pan, cover with lid and let simmer (to let chicken broth cook the fish the rest of the way and evaporate).

When fish is finished cooking, add Mango BBQ sauce to pan and stir to coat Mahi Mahi.

To assemble tacos: Place heated small tortilla on plate. Spread with tablespoon of guacamole. Sprinkle desired amount of cheese, then diced tomatoes.

Add some of the chile cole slaw, then some of the Mahi Mahi BBQ fish.

Drizzle the tacos with Cilantro Cream sauce. Top them with more cilantro if desired.

Mango BBQ Sauce:

1 Mango sliced

1/2 of a jar of Roasted Red Bell Peppers (Trader Joe's)

2 Cups of your favorite BBQ sauce (We like Sweet Baby Ray's)

2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

3 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper

1-2 Teaspoons Caribbean Seasoning (depending on your taste)

Blend all ingredients in blender until combined.

Cilantro Cream Sauce:

1 & 1/2 Cup Sour Cream

1/4 Cup Light Kraft Mayo

1/2- 1 Cup of fresh Cilantro (depending on how much you love cilantro, stems and all!)

Dash of Lawry's Seasoned Salt.

Place all ingredients in Food processor and process until combined and cilantro is well chopped and blended into the sauce. Pour the sauce into a squirt bottle (I got mine from Michale's in the cake decorating aisle).

I have to say, this cilantro cream sauce is absolutely amazing!!!

NOTE*

The Chile Cole Slaw recipe will be posted at a later time, still perfecting the recipe! You could just use the Dole cole slaw mix in the bag, no dressing and it would give a great crunch to your taco.

Weekly Menu

2010-04-25T17:43:00.000-07:00

Sunday: Greek salad, 3-ways.

Monday: Baked chicken, veggies, sweet potato rolls (*recipe to come).

Update* The sweet potato rolls didn't turn out, therefore Im not posting the recipe.

Tuesday: Chili & cheesy beer bread

Wednesday: Chicken stir fry

Thursday, Friday, Saturday: Out :)

Lima Bean Wreath

2010-04-22T10:33:00.000-07:00

I came across this post on All Things Thrifty a while back, and even bought my lima beans. All I was waiting for was the styrofoam wreath form...waiting to find the right one and with a coupon! Well, last week while at Hobby Lobby I jumped all in and bought my wreath form and some awesome avocado spray paint! I got the primer at Lowe's.

This project took me about 2 hours to hot-glue the lima beans to the wreath form. I primed then painted it in the avocado color. I used scrap fabric from my sister's bridesmaid dress (from my wedding) to hang the wreath. I didn't really care that some of the hot glue got stringy and left some of it on (even though my little brother noticed!).

Oh well, I love it, that's all that matters! Ignore my ugly door and red curtain, looks like Christmas, eh? Well, my weekend project will be trying to sew a new curtain for the door.

Weekly Menu

2010-04-20T11:47:00.000-07:00

I've been slacking again on my posts and menu plans :( Here's mine for the week:

Monday: BBQ Meatloaf, creamy mashed potatoes, peas & carrots

Tuesday: Prosciutto wrapped asparagus, chicken & angel-hair pasta

Wednesday: Carryout :(

Thursday: Italian Beef Sandwiches

Friday: Veggie/cheese/fruit plate with dips, maybe sushi

Saturday: Cookout at family's

Freezer Paper T-shirt Tutorial

2010-04-08T11:00:00.000-07:00

I got the inspiration of this rock star tee design from my friend Mel- Thanks Mel! :)

Supplies: T-shirt, fabric paint, paint brush, freezer paper, printer, exacto knife and cutting mat, iron/ironing board

Directions:

1). I did my design on powerpoint, then printed it out on the matte side of the freezer paper. (I bought a pack of 30 sheets on ebay-instead of buying the roll at the grocery).

2). I used my cutting mat and exacto knife (both bought from walmart) to cut out the shapes/design.

3). I made sure my shirt was flat and ironed it to position all pieces of the freezer paper then carefully placed the iron on top in sections-dont move the iron around, just lay it on top.

4). Then, you're ready to paint! I did pull off the freezer paper off the shirt right after I painted...and bought the wrong kind of paint so it gave a bled effect. Trial and error, right? :)

Baked Potato Soup

2010-03-19T18:22:00.001-07:00

This soup is soooo good & easy!

4 Strips of Bacon

1 small onion, diced (I use dried diced onions-from Sam's club-eyeball it.)

Sprinkle of garlic salt

3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

A few "cracks" of fresh black pepper

3 cups of sodium free, organic chicken broth

2 large idaho potatoes (peeled, cubed and boiled until soft)

1 cup of half and half

a few "shakes" of hot sauce (you can omit or add the amount you like for hottness!)

Shredded cheddar cheese

Dried minced chives (again, found a Sam's club).

In a large saucepan, cook bacon-remove and crumble. Save enough bacon grease in your pan to keep the bottom of the pan coated.

Saute your onions, sprinkle in garlic salt (not too long, just a minute or so).

Stir in flour, pepper. Using a whisk, pour in chicken broth slowly- bring to a boil. Stir for about 2 minutes. Add your cooked potatoes (cubed), half & half, and hot sauce.

Heat through- DON'T boil.

Ladle into serving bowls, garnish with shredded cheddar, crumbled bacon, dried chives.

We like to eat these with Copycat Red Lobster Biscuits :) Enjoy!

Weekly Menu 3/14-3/20

2010-03-13T15:11:00.000-08:00

Spaghetti Sunday- with meatballs and garlic bread, romaine salad.

Monday: Meatless Taco Salads

Taco Tuesday- TBD

Wednesday: ST. Patrick's Day! Im making corned beef, cabbage, boxty, and irish soda bread (or beer bread).

Thursday: Calzones, salad

Friday: Baked/Breaded Tilapia, mac & cheese, veggie

3/19-update: We just finished eating this dinner- yum! I brushed the tilapia loins with dijon mustard, then coated with bread crumbs & baked. Very good :)

Saturday: BBQ Chicken quesadillas

Weekly Menu

2010-01-31T22:05:00.000-08:00

Sunday: out to dinner with family :)

Monday: Chicken Cordon Bleu, veggies

Tuesday: Taco Salads

Wednesday: Something with chicken...

Thursday: Spaghetti & Meatballs

Friday: Frozen Pizza and salad

Saturday: Another meal with chicken, not sure what yet...

What's on your menu this week?

Valentine Sweets!

2010-01-31T21:11:00.000-08:00

Below you will find a recipe for some yummy ice-cream sandwiches, Valentine theme. Beyond that are some inspiration for various goodies for your sweetie ;) Valentine's day is only 2 weeks away!

Photo: Flickr

Ice Cream Sandwiches (Martha Stewart)

Makes 24

Ingredients:

2 -3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2- 1/2 teas. baking powder

1/4 teas. salt

12 tbl. unsalted butter, room temp.

1-1/2 teas. pure vanilla extract

1- 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 tbl. milk

2 to 2- 1/2 pints strawberry ice-cream, slightly softened.

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, vanilla, and sugar. Add eggs and milk, and mix until combined. Add reserved flour mixture, and mix on low speed until incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula at least once. Divide the dough in half, and shape each half into a flat disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap, and chill until firm, about 1 hour.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface; use an offset spatula to unstick the dough every few turns of the rolling pin. Roll dough to an 1/8-inch thickness. Cut dough using a variety of heart-shaped cookie cutters from 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter, making sure there is a top and bottom cookie for each sandwich. Place hearts on a parchment-lined baking sheet; chill until firm, about 30 minutes. Remove from refrigerator; use a fork to prick holes all over the surface of the cookies. Bake until firm, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly on baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

3. Using half the cookies, spoon softened strawberry ice cream about 1/2 inch thick on each underside. Place matching cookie on top of ice cream, top-side facing out. Transfer immediately to freezer to harden; repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve directly from the freezer. Sandwiches can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for 3 to 4 days.

Valentine Sweets Inspiration:

(all images found via Flickr)

Weekly Menu

2010-01-25T11:51:00.000-08:00

Here's what's on my list of dinners this week:

M: Chicken Cordon Bleu (using laughing cow cheese), baked potato, broccoli

T: "Taco Tuesday" We will have some sort of mexican food H has to decide on what though. Some ideas: taco salad, quesadillas, burritos

W: Hoagies and baked lay's

H: Baked Ham, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes (not sure on this meal...)

F: BBQ Ranch skillet chicken, salad

S: Beef Hash

S: Spaghetti/Italian night: Spaghetti and meatballs or Lasagna!

Waiting....

2010-01-20T20:40:00.000-08:00

......on this beauty to arrive in the mail.

I can't decide what I will do for my very first project. I definitely need something easy, for sure!

LOVE this blog!

2010-01-18T12:58:00.001-08:00

I came across the Knock-off Wood blog over the weekend. I am in love! This chick is amazing and has serious skills :) Check her out here.

I have been wanting new living room tables and a coffee table and PB always has something gorgeous! I will keep my eye out on her blog to see if H & I can DIY some pieces together for the living-room. Go check it out NOW!

Eye Candy

2010-01-11T19:17:00.001-08:00

I know Christmas is over...

but my birthday is coming up, and hey its a fresh new year!

Here are some items and ideas that I have my eye on:

Family Photo Wall. Pic found here. I plan to do lots of old and new family photos in B&W. I am obsessed with ancestry.com right now, and have been crazy successful in connecting with distant family :)

French Tumblers

Sorry, no pic. My grandma bought us the juice sized glasses, and we LOVE them :) I would love to have the iced tea or beverage size to complete our set. They make me think of my grandma every-time I use them.

These PJs. Love the pretty plaid :)

This PB rug, ah swoon! I saw it a few years ago and saved the pic of it...hoping one day they would bring it back- and they did!!!! I want, I want....I need (In the largest size please!)

Makeup brush set

I just recently went to Sephora...and along with frequenting a message board about makeup,

I think I may have started a new addiction. Finally learning about makeup :) I would LOVE these brushes!

Sharpie Pen Retractable Fine Point

I first heard about this on Urban Grace Interiors (love her and her sister's blog by the way!).

I have always used sharpies (the artist in me lurves it!), but the bleeding not so much! I reallly want one to see how well they work for everyday.

I've been M.I.A.

2010-01-08T16:12:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I have abandoned the blog! It's been a crazy and busy (obviously) holiday season. From hunting down these beaut pillows from PB before Thanksgiving, getting my NEW (yes new and remodeled) kitchen together, celebrating the holidays with family (and anniversary with the Hubbs), cheap finds after the holidays, and so much more :) I have SO much to post about and hopefully will now have the time!

See that buffalo check pillow behind the santa one? Oh yes, that's the one (or two!) :)

It's a beaut.

I realllly wanted the santa one too, but too rich for my blood!

Harry Connick, Jr.

2009-09-25T14:35:00.000-07:00

Oh yes, that's right a huge pic of Harry Connick Jr. He's so gorgeous, and he sings pretty good too ;) I have seen him in concert, and wow so amazing!

I highly recommend you check out his music. Today only if you go to Oprah's website you can download a FREE song of his from the new cd. The song is a cover of Frank Sinatra's "All The Way" SWOON! Go check it out now!!!

Cork Board...finally!

2009-09-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

I have had the supplies for this for over a month now and I finally got the last thing I needed: nail heads! I have been wanting a huge fabric covered cork board for ages...ever since I saw one in a house we considered buying but didnt. Oh well, I have my oversized cork board now!

Supplies:

Wood Board, any size you want

Roll of cork, found at Lowe's

Tape (I used painter's tape to tape the cork down on all corners to adhere to the board- after exhausting using many other options (super glue, hot glue, craft glue, double stick foam), this worked good enough!

Staples and Staple Gun

Fabric, any kind you want but I used an old painter's drop cloth that I wanted to try out for curtains but DH wasn't sold :(

Saw Tooth Hangers, bought at Lowe's

Nailhead Trim, bought on ebay

Nailheads, bought at Hancock Fabrics

Other things you will need: Nails, Scissors, Level, Ruler

Directions: Pretty simple, but time consuming.

1) Nail saw tooth hangers to back of the board

. (I used 2).

2) Roll out the cork (as many layers as you want-I used 3.) and lay out onto your board. Tape down all corners.

3) Cover board with fabric, pull fabric tight to smooth out wrinkles and staple back side all edges. Trim excess fabric.

4) Lay out nailhead trim to where you want it, add nailheads and hammer them tight-all four sides.

This is not the permanent place for the cork-board- it will go in the kitchen... whenever thats done! I just had to hang it up to see how it looked :)

Macys...

2009-09-18T21:19:00.000-07:00

So we stopped by Macy's today to get a few gifts, and as we approached the 2nd floor via the escalator Holiday Lane or whatever its called smacked us in the face...and behind me I heard a child like gasp then a squeal, "Christmas!!!!" LOL, it was H. He loooves everything Christmas, and so do I but I was truly shocked to already see the glitter and gorgeous ornaments and decor out. They know how to make us in the mood for the holidays, don't they. Because of Macy's I am starting on my dinner list right now :)

H really wanted to check out all of the stuff, but I didnt want to yet spoil that season this early, so I kept on moving to our destination to get our gifts. As I approached the Macy's customer service desk to check out, a young girl was playing with her phone and probably texting, ignoring us as we stood waiting to be checked out....Grrrr!

Young kids today really piss me off, they have no respect and care in this world. She acted like we were bothering HER by making a $140 purchase on 2 items...my goodness it was so hard to scan those two items and btw she almost forgot my request for a gift receipt-oh the horror! (Sense my sarcasm). I hope at least Martha Stewart and Macy's appreciates our purchase, because the sales associate that has a job didn't.

Oh yeah, the holiday season now under 100 days away. And yes, I still believe.

Im on a roll!

2009-09-17T10:28:00.000-07:00

Remember this wall basket I have been lusting over? Well, It's finally on sale at Urban Outfitters...but still too rich for my blood at $29.99. Im crossing my fingers it goes cheaper!

Sooo busy!

2009-09-17T10:13:00.000-07:00

Ok, obviously I have been really busy-I havent posted since August :(

As for my "on deck" list...I have the supplies for the felted acorns and almost

everything to do my new cork board. I plan

to finish these up by next week.

The other projects....hmmm not much time right now.

Switching gears...The Office starts back up tonight- YAY!!! I started up on the Office just recently and am completely caught up. I am in love with Jim...to me he is the perfect guy in every way. Shhhh, don't tell H. ;)

On deck!

2009-08-25T17:18:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I have posted...I have been busy. We have started back up on the kitchen remodel and I have a big list of "craft projects" that I hope to complete in the upcoming weeks/month. Here's what I have on deck (most are ideas, some are definite):

Refinish buffet/filing cabinet

Cork Board

Felted Acorns

Painting MBR and finding bedding

Refinish some furniture for someone

Paint front door

NYC subway rollsign art

Make our Christmas cards

Weekly Menu and a Review

2009-08-06T12:13:00.001-07:00

I Love Sloppy Joe's!

I know, it's Thursday but Im back from vacation and went to the grocery yesterday. So, Im going to post all of my meals for the next week or so.

But first Im going to tell you about my favorite (and H's) meal. It's sloppy Joe's. It's so good, easy and cheap to make :) Now, I dont buy that Manwich, to me it doesn't have a good flavor and it's much more expensive than what I buy! I buy Del Monte Sloppy Joe sauce. It has a pop top can, claims to be better than manwich- and it is! This is a very satisfying and yummy meal. If you want to sneak some more veggies in, you can add chopped bell peppers (my fave) or shredded carrots or zucchini. Now, let me break down the price for you, for this meal:

Lean ground beef, 1lb: $3.86
Package of whole wheat HFCS free hamburger buns: $2.42
Frozen potato wedges (in the deep freeze at home, I buy in bulk at Sam's)
Frozen steamfresh veggies: (also in the deep freeze, but you can buy them at $1 each).
1 Can Del Monte Sloppy Joe Sauce (it was in my pantry, but about $1 at Walmart)
Grand total for this meal (which serves as dinner and lunch the next day):

$6.28 is what I spent for this meal at the grocery.
It roughly cost me $9 total to include the items I already had at home. $9?!!! And that's for 2 meals for H & I :)

Here's what's on the menu at our house for the next week or so:

Sloppy Joe's, baked potato wedges, corn & green beans
Crock-pot Salsa Chicken over rice
Taco Salads
Hawaiian Chicken, rice, grilled veggies
Greek Turkey burgers, spinach salad
Pulled pork sandwiches, sweet potato fries
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salads
Cheeseburgers, baked potato wedges, baked beans
Southwest Chicken Soup
BBQ grilled Chicken, sweet potato fries, green beans

Back To Reality

2009-08-05T12:30:00.001-07:00

So, Im back from Vegas. It was a great trip! We saw so much, ate a lot, and sunbathed :) The heat was the only thing I didn't like. However, we were able to catch a show while we were there.

We found one of the half price ticket booths and got tickets to see Human Nature, produced by Smokey Robinson. For only $30 a piece, it was an excellent deal!!! The theater was small and intimate (sat at tables and had cocktails during the show!). If you are in Vegas, and love Motown music and throwback style with in-synch dancing- this show will not disappoint! They were amazing :)

Oh yeah, and in reference to my last post- a tiger really escaped while we were there! LOL, he was found and not hurt so all is good :)

"...what happens in Vegas..."

2009-07-25T21:57:00.000-07:00

"...stays in Vegas...except for herpes. That shit'll come back with you"

So, Im finally going on Vacation, Sin City!!! While I am gone, I will be eating and doing whatever I want. When I come back, it will be a serious buckle down and lifestyle change to get healthy! So, when I get back I will be posting about healthy meal plans, and recipes H and I enjoy :)

While we are on the topic of Sin City...I want to review a

movie I have seen twice, yes twice in the last week! The Hangover. Seriously, love this movie! H & I haven't seen a funny movie like this in a long time, H said it will definitely be a keeper (meaning we will snatch it up on DVD as soon as it comes out!). I love every single one of the characters in this film and how they interact-brilliance! It doesn't hurt that Ed Helms from The Office is in the movie (I have a *slight* obsession with The Office, haha).

Im trying to talk H into dressing up as Jade and Stu for Halloween...that is if I lose the weight by then!

By the way, there will be a sequel!!!

Now get off the computer and see this film, you wont be disappointed.

Found it for less :)

2009-07-23T21:16:00.000-07:00

So the newest Pottery Barn craze in iron wall sconces is the Circles wall mount votive holder

But for over $100 wow!!! After a quick search, Target has something similar! It's called the Circles and Waves Candleholder Wall Sconce and for $17.95- can't beat it! It's not perfect, but you could buy a few to get the larger feel and spray paint them black. Happy shopping!

On the hunt...

2009-07-16T11:18:00.000-07:00

Obviously the CBS show How I Met Your Mother is a great show! H & I have been loyal fans from the beginning. But, everytime I watch and see the metal basket hanging from Ted's door I keep thinking to myself, "Where can I get one...or two of those?!"

See the basket right behind Ted, on the do

or- Ohh yeahh!!

Well, look no further if you want one. Urban Outfitters is selling one similar to Ted's.

Seen here:

But, it's still not quite what I want, and especially not at that price.

What can I say, I'm cheap!

So, if you know where I can get one similar to Ted's

and for a reasonable price, please let me know!

An update...

2009-07-15T20:48:00.000-07:00

So, after using the oven all day and leaving it in all night, I went to check to see how the fruit roll-ups turned out. They looked just like Darby's....but when I tried to roll them up the middle of the pan was mushy and only the outer edges were hardened enough for the fruit roll up consistency :(

I do think the flub was my fault- I probably had too much on the pan (if you make them, make sure you spread it thin enough!) I will say though, the edges of the fruit-roll ups turned out perfectly and VERY yummy!!! H even loved it. I made a peach (added a handful of grapes), triple berry (blackberry, raspberry & blueberry) and strawberry (didnt turn out). I didn't add any sugar to these and the flavor of the peach and triple berry were awesome, yum!

I will definitely use this recipe again, just make sure I spread it thin enough or as my mom said, "Put a food dehydrator on your Christmas list this year!" Haha, yeah I think I will!

Do you have a food Hydrator that you love? Recommend yours please :)

2009-07-13T17:24:00.000-07:00

The Pioneer Woman

2009-07-12T19:32:00.001-07:00

I love The Pioneer Woman's site- mostly for her cooking recipes! Tonight, I made the Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad. OMG YUuuummmmm!!! I didnt add the olives because H hates them and no halved cherry tomatoes. This was delish, paired with some grilled chicken, I suggest you try it out, it's so easy and yummy!

The Pioneer Woman Sun-dried Tomato Pasta Salad Recipe

My fear

2009-07-11T11:54:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, I get this feeling that if something were to happen to me or H Im afraid he won't know how much I love him. Im afraid we won't get the chance to have children, grow old together and have that beach house we dream about.

We have already been together for 10 years...and been through so many things-too many things so soon in our young lives together. Because of those things, it makes you think about how precious and short life can be, and we can't control it-and that's what scares me the most...

I tell H I love him all day, but sometimes I feel like it isn't enough.

Inspiration

2009-07-06T20:33:00.001-07:00

So I have a bad, addicting habit. I save and collect tons of pictures of decor, crafts, art, etc of anything that catches my eye :) The bad part? I forget where I find them, so I cant give credit (if you see a picture that is yours and want me to credit you or remove it, just let me know!) So, here is a big mixed jumble of beautiful pictures to enjoy!

Love the ledge in this kitchen for frames.

Cute desk nook! Our new kitchen cabinets will be close to this color.

I drool over this picture every time I see it...too bad H loathes the color green :(

I like the layout here..

A dream bathroom!

In love with the exterior of this home...

These crates are stacked to give the look of a bookcase, great idea for those antique mall finds!

Oh to have a glamourous mudroom to look like this!

Hope you enjoyed the eye candy!!!

To Do List

2009-07-05T18:55:00.000-07:00

So, Im going to start making to do lists on here of projects, crafts, etc so I can keep track of them (even though we are in the middle of a kitchen reno haha) all in one place :)

Refinishing some MBR furniture

Painting our front door...again but in a different color!

B&W city painting project

Throw pillows

Learn how to quilt

Re-decorate our MBR

Weekly Menu

2009-07-05T14:54:00.000-07:00

I just bought a ton of chicken on sale at Sam's club, so chicken is what we will mostly be having this week...

Sunday: Pulled Pork Sandwiches, cole slaw, pasta salad

Monday: Crock-pot salsa chicken (this will be our 1st time trying this dish, hope it's yummy!)

Tuesday: Chicken Cordon Bleu (Laughing cow chicken) with waffle fries and green beans

Wednesday: Grilled Steak

Thursday: Spaghetti & Meatballs

Friday: Grilled Hawaiian Chicken and veggies

Saturday: Pizza and Salad

New Dishwasher!

2009-06-30T19:04:00.000-07:00

Yeah, this was our kitchen...and now it is down to the studs- no more ugly bathroom tile, no more blue cabinets and that original to the home.....first model available dishwasher- it's at the street right now because we got a new one!!! Seriously that dishwasher still works (it's KitchenAid), but it is ancient-I mean it was brown and had push buttons!

So, tonight H and I picked out our new dishwasher for our soon (crossing fingers) to be completed kitchen. Unfortunately, while at Lowe's a few days ago they had more models available and when we went in today a bunch were gone-so less to choose from. It took me a while to decide, but ultimately, I wanted one with deep drawers, adjustable racks and a large utensil bin. This baby was right on- expensive yes, but this is the only appliance we will be buying (the rest of the appliances that came with the house are white). And yeah, we got a KitchenAid, because you should go with what you know right?!

Glorious Dishwasher

Oh yeah, and we didn't pay that price...in the store it was $698, and we snagged one of those 10% off movers coupons (shhh, don't tell!). So, one step closer to completing the remodel, yay!

Kitchen Remodel

2009-06-30T08:58:00.000-07:00

A kitchen remodel is in progress in our home right now...here are some pictures of kitchens I love :)

Love this floor and the dog is cute too!

I looove the floor tiles here...anyone know where I can get this size? I checked out Lowes with no luck...are they special order?

Housekeeping!!! Fluff pillow?

2009-06-29T20:20:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, dont these freshly folded sheets look great?!

I hate folding fitted sheets, they always give me such trouble. Here's a tutorial on how to fold those pesky fitted sheets. Hopefully it helps you :)

How to fold fitted sheets

It's late tonight, Im about to hit the sheets (not feeling well). Night!

Weekly Menu

2009-06-28T11:37:00.000-07:00

I try to do a weekly menu whenever I go to the grocery and have a list in hand. We like going to Walmart because we get a lot for our buck there (70 items for under $100 is not bad in my book)! So, I present my menu for this week:

Sunday: Grilled Chicken Salads

Monday: Greek Turkey Burgers & Pasta Salad (recipe to come...)

Tuesday: Root Beer Pulled Pork Sandwiches & Coleslaw with Waffle Fries

Wednesday: Southwest Chicken Soup (found this recipe on my favorite blog! I do change it up a little-add chopped bell peppers and sub grilled shredded chicken for rotisserie and top it with cheese, sour cream, chopped cilantro and the yummy tortilla strips!!!!)

Thursday: Grilled Steak & Salad

Friday: Taco Salads/Nachos (using leftover pulled pork)

Saturday: Cookout- HAPPY 4th OF JULY!!!

July 4th & Apple Pie

2009-06-25T07:35:00.000-07:00

4th of July is just around the corner. What's more american than cookouts and apple pie?! I have to confess something...I have never liked apple pie until I found this recipe. This apple pie recipe is amazing, its like eating a caramel apple wrapped in a flaky crust (and by flaky crust I mean cheating and using the pillsbury pie crust ;). I think this will be on my menu for 4th of July for sure, and the best part, its sooooo easy to make!!!

(Pic from allrecipes.com site)

Here's the recipe: A pple Pie

2009-06-24T13:54:00.000-07:00

This organization has touched me because of the amazing work they do for others. Honor Flight is a organization that gives World War II veterans the opportunity cost free to them to see their memorial.

To me, it's pretty ridiculous it took so long for our greatest generation of heroes to finally get a memorial. President Bush made it happen and in 2004, the memorial was completed. Most WWII veterans are gone now and 1,000 more die each day.

I made a donation in honor of my grandfather and hope you will make a donation in honor of a loved one or donate simply to a great cause. Please make a donation today: HONOR FLIGHT

The Beach

2009-06-23T06:44:00.000-07:00

It is my dream one day for H & I to own a beach home to spend our summers with family. Will it happen? Who knows!

While dreaming, and searching beautiful beaches I came across this beach home that is listed for sale, for the low low price of 3.9 mil. Um, yeah........

never.gonna,happen.

So, here are the gorgeous pictures of this home, not only are the views to die for, but the interiors are soooo dreamy!

Seriously, who wouldn't want this home?! If you are interested in purchasing it or checking it our for more details, here's the link: Beach Home

The Proposal

2009-06-22T07:40:00.000-07:00

No, this is not a movie review (although I do really want to see it!!) This post is about H & I.

Today is the day H proposed to me 3 years ago! Wow time flies by. H took me on a tour of our local ballpark (private!) and at the end of the tour, we got to go into the home team's dugout!!!

As we were in the dugout checking it out, I started to walk away and H told me not to go yet to turn around. I found he was on one knee with a box in his hand!!!! It was the most perfect moment that he had planned for us. The funny thing is, the first words out of my mouth after H asked me to marry him were, "Did you ask my Dad?" Haha, yes I'm a Daddy's girl :) And, yes H did ask, like 2 months in advance. Wow, I don't know how my family kept this a secret.

My favorite picture from that day- I love the look on H's face as he is on one knee. Oh yeah, and look how nicely dressed he is

compared to me and my capris and flip flops! I should have known something was going on, b/c it was hot out!!!

This moment in my life was so amazing and such a rush, immediately after he proposed we went to our favorite local BBQ place, where H had all of our families waiting for us to celebrate over dinner. He is amazing :)

We got to this BBQ place that is famous in our hometown for all celebrations because simply it is sooo good! You should definitely check it out if you are here! Looks like they are doing a ribsfest starting July 6th. Oh, and I love this location best: Montgomery Inn

Cookies :)

2009-06-21T12:39:00.000-07:00

Finished baskets, and my beautiful peonies from my yard :)

I recently had an order from a family member asking me

to do the favors for a baby shower they were hosting. I was so excited-my 1st job!!! I made sugar cookies on a stick :) This was so much work, but well worth the outcome.

A closeup of the baby shower cookies.

I did onesies, baby carriages, bottles and pacifiers.

I heard they were a hit! I take orders :)

Country Music

2009-06-20T17:23:00.000-07:00

Ok, so my first post. I am going to tell you about my love of country music- it runs deep. I have been listening to country music since I was a kid and not entirely by choice (because my parents wouldn't let us watch MTV haha). But, I truly love country music and try to go to a concert anytime an artist is in town.

Recently, I saw Taylor Swift & Keith Urban-floor

seats no less! It was an amazing concert, high energy and entertaining! I highly recommend you check them out if you haven't seen them live yet!

Backup guitarist for Taylor Swift....gotta love his "Rod Stewart" hair haha!

I love her sparkly guitar, and she is really so humble-a

great role model for young girls!

Keith Urban, swoon :)

I haven't had this much fun at a concert for a long time (the beer helped a little!) I will be going to see them again next time I get the chance.