This Is Life At Our Home

Happy 4th to my Hubby!

2013-05-23T16:00:00.000-04:00

Four years ago today, Shep and I tied the knot!!!! To quote a friend upon hearing we've been married for 4 years: "Holy Sh*t!" ;) Sometimes it seems likes just yesterday that we walked down the aisle, pledged our lives to one another, and then boogied until the wee hours of the morning. Yet sometimes it's hard to believe that it's been only four years because it's nearly impossible for me

Reduce Reuse Recycle

2013-04-23T22:54:00.002-04:00

Remember when I revealed my minor obsession with adoration for address labels? Vistaprint is the source of many of my personalized address labels and, unfortunately, the smallest batch of labels one can order from the site is 140, which means I have looooooots of extras. In addition to these beauties, though, I also receive a ton of address labels from the various charitable organizations we

Spring Is {Finally!} In The Air

2013-04-16T22:36:00.003-04:00

Well, technically spring arrived a few weeks ago, but the only thing I've felt in the air thus far has been a chill. I wore my down coat to work as late as yesterday, for crying out loud! But, since the forecast predicts that the next few days will be in the 50s and 60s, I figured it was time to "officially" acknowledge spring by posting photos of our Easter and spring decorations -- better

Sale Adjustments

2013-04-14T14:44:00.002-04:00

I just made back $7 by making a 30 second phone call! How? Sale adjustment to the rescue!!! 'Caitlin' Chevron Knit Throw, Plum It's just my luck that a blanket I bought on sale would get even further discounted not even 2 weeks after my purchase! Well, it turns out that Nordstrom has a "Sale Adjustment" price policy {here} that saved the day! I made a quick call to their Customer Service

Happy Hundred

2013-04-09T23:30:00.000-04:00

Happy 100 blog posts to us! Source Wow, it's hard to believe This Is Life At Our Home has published 100 posts since its inception in 2011!!!!!!!!!! {Actually, this post makes 101, but who's counting?!} When I created this blog on a whim after really missing the blog Shep and I wrote together while planning our wedding, I honestly wasn't sure whether we'd maintain it or what I'd have to

Free Cupcake Alert!

2013-04-03T11:15:00.000-04:00

Attention all cupcake lovers in the NY Metro area! Source Sign up for New York magazine's New York Deals and get a FREE cupcake (up to $3.95) from any of the 39 Crumbs Bake Shop locations in the NY Metro area! New York Deals is New York magazine's short list collection of what its editors think are the best deals in NYC. It's free to sign up and you can receive alerts delivered via email or

Fit For a Rockstar

2013-03-26T23:44:00.000-04:00

It's been far too long since my first {Un}Real Estate post and I am just itching to share some more ridiculous real estate eye candy with you, so without further ado I present a NYC penthouse fit for a rock-star. Literally... Bon Jovi's NYC Penthouse 7,452 sq. ft. duplex ~ 5 bedrooms ~ 5.5 baths Floor-to-ceiling windows ~ 360 degree views Located in SoHo All for

Seasonal Steals

2013-03-15T19:15:00.001-04:00

Like many of you out there, I just LOVE me a good deal. That's one {of many!} reasons why I get excited about the changing seasons -- it's a great opportunity to score big savings on seasonal items. Here are a couple examples: This pair of leather boots retails for $250 at macys.com, but I got myself a pair in February for only $80.99! {WOWZERS, that's 68% off!} Enzo Angiolini Gregie Tall

Charity Spotlight: Be The Match

2013-03-12T22:44:00.002-04:00

Did you know that there are several forms of life-threatening blood cancers in existence today (including leukemia, lymphoma & sickle cell anemia) that can be successfully treated, allowing patients to live long and healthy lives? Unfortunately, thousands of people of all ages are diagnosed with these blood cancers each year and 70% of these cancer patients do not have a marrow match in

Delicious Love Dinner

2013-03-05T22:30:00.000-05:00

I am the luckiest girl in the world. Why, you ask? Because on February 14th, I came home from work to this: As I mentioned, Valentine's Day marked 5 years since Shep popped the question. While the "day of Cupid" will always have a special place in my heart because of our engagement story, this year's Valentine's Day surprise dinner was one I'll never forget! Shep really outdid himself

Happy March!

2013-03-02T17:36:00.001-05:00

Wow, I can't believe it's already March!!! I guess that means we can take down our Christmas wreath... The cold bitter winter really seemed like it was going to last forever but now that March is here we have Daylight Savings Time, taxes, Easter and SPRING to look forward to! {Although it did flurry a bit today, which isn't too reassuring.} Hope you all have a Happy March ahead of you, and

Wayfair Rewards

2013-02-25T22:30:00.000-05:00

I want to let you in on a little secret.... it's an online website that has zillions of really nice items for sale at surprisingly affordable prices! Most of their items ship free (and fast!) and their selection is huge -- I can (and have) spent hours drooling over their merchandise. Plus, their customer service is top notch. Introducing... Source I discovered this internet gem about two

Five Year Engage-aversary!

2013-02-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day!!! Today is a special occasion not only because it's a Hallmark holiday celebrated by millions of people all over the world; it also has personal meaning to Shep and me. Let's take a stroll down memory lane, shall we? Five years ago today my handsome hubby asked for my hand in marriage. Or at least that's what he tells me. I can't swear on it because I sort of blacked

Potato Veggie Soup Recipe

2013-02-10T22:00:00.000-05:00

Since we were expecting a blizzard this weekend, I decided to put my Crock Pot to use and make some homemade soup to keep us warm. :) I searched the world wide web and ended up combining a couple different recipes to create my own. I'm a super novice in the kitchen, so if I can pull this recipe off, anyone can! ;) The veggie ingredients you use can be customized for your preferences, but I

Winter Storm Nemo

2013-02-08T10:00:00.000-05:00

I do not want Nemo to find me. The weather forecast is predicting heavy snow, winds and coastal flooding for our region. Source Source I am quite tired of winter and want it to be over. Thanks to Hurricane Sandy, we've had enough flooding for a whole lifetime. And all the wind and cold temperatures over the first couple months of winter have already worn on my patience. My skin is

Twin Sets

2013-02-06T21:34:00.001-05:00

According to Mel and Joe Schwanke, who have been married for well over 60 years, wearing matching outfits is one path to happy matrimony... Source Well, I'm not one to question my elders, and I will certainly take any marriage advice I can get from a pair who's lasted so long together in love! Shep and I actually became interested in what we call "twin sets" a few years back. I'm not sure

Escape to Lenox

2013-01-31T20:00:00.000-05:00

A couple weekends ago we escaped to "The Blatnyre" in Lenox, Massachusetts. We arrived on a Friday night to this beautiful sight: Upon check-in, we found some treats in our room: We didn't have much planned for the weekend (except relaxation) but we ended up having a great time! We enjoyed a gourmet homemade breakfast each morning we were there. From the whole wheat lemon poppy

To Do Lists

2013-01-18T12:00:00.000-05:00

Shep and I are big fans of to-do lists. We have apartment to-do lists, life to-do lists, vacation to-do lists, hurricane prep to-do lists, and even weekend to-do lists. For some reason, it seems more fun to spend our free time doing things we don't necessarily want to be doing when we get to check them off a piece of paper as we go. {Wait a minute, that doesn't sound very fun at all. We've

Blanket Wars

2012-12-27T17:26:00.001-05:00

It's winter. It's cold outside and snowing. You hate it. We do too. Fighting to get to work in 25 degree weather (don't forget to subtract for wind chill!) while it's sleeting is one of the worst battles a person can face. Even if you finally get there, yay, time to work for 8 hours! But there is another, more discrete battle that winter brings. It is the Eternal Battle of The Sleeping

My Christmas Wish

2012-12-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

So here's my lifelong wish My grown-up christmas list Not for myself But for a world in need No more lives torn apart That wars would never start And time would heal all hearts And everyone would have a friend And right would always win And love would never end This is my grown-up christmas list Lyrics by Linda Thompson-Jenner Source

Oh what fun!

2012-12-23T20:00:00.000-05:00

Do you know your elf name? It's very simple to figure out: Source Now how about a shiny new photo to go along with your brand new moniker! Interested? Elf Yourself! For even more fun with elves, check out the present drop game over at Santa's Village: I'm not big into video games myself, but this one was fun, even for an amateur like me!! While you're at the North Pole, ask

Santa's Workshop

2012-12-22T23:00:00.000-05:00

With only a few days left until Christmas, Santa's been quite busy up at the North Pole, and I've been helping him! We are getting ready to... Ho, Ho, Ho! How about you? Has your shopping and wrapping all been done since you finished the last of the Thanksgiving leftovers, or are you a last-minute elf?

Our Holiday Home

2012-12-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!! Happy Winter Solstice, everyone! Typically, Shep and I don't get our holiday act together to Christmas-tize our home until much later in the month. In fact, I'm pretty certain we've at least once (or twice, or three times, or maybe twice) bought our tree on Dec. 20-something. Last year, we didn't decorate at all because we moved in mid-December.

Tree Love

2012-12-20T22:18:00.001-05:00

Oh how I love coming home to a Christmas tree!

Holiday Carols

2012-12-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Here's some holiday arithmetic for you: Michael Buble + SNL holiday duet skit = HILARITY! When Shep and I first saw Michael Buble's SNL holiday duets skit last year, we laughed so hard we actually cried. I almost needed CPR! We love SNL and Michael Buble (he did sing our wedding song after all!) so we may be biased, but if you haven't seen it, you're missing out! Even if you have, do