LIfe and Style: A to Z...

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Wed, 08 Dec 2021 22:46:00 +0000

Okay.... It has been NINE years. NINE years... what? Life has been quite interesting in those nine years. I had one kid nine years ago. Now I have two! ) I was in my early years of owning a house outside Boston and now I am in the early years (well actually its been mere weeks...) of owning a house in western Mass or as my parents like to say "rural America"! :)

I cannot promise I will be posting regularly. But suddenly had a hankering tonight to see if I even still had my blog password and even if I remember how to create posts! :) So, here we are!

I am truly not sure if anyone will even see this post, so consider this a test. You still out there? Nine years later?

I'm still here.... :)

xoxo

C.J..... Colored Jeans!

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 09:00:00 +0000

There has been a lot of talk around my office these days about colored jeans. Yes, they are all the rage.... but there are so many color options. How is a girl to choose?

I had been looking for a tangerine colored pair after seeing them in a fashion magazine, but chickened out in the end. I figured I would start "safe" and went with red. They have not yet arrived in the mail, so we will see what I think once I put them on. But, colored jeans are EVERYWHERE, so it is safe to say I will find a pair or two ... I hope!

Until next time...xoxo

P... Playhouse!

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Tue, 22 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Okay... the backyard project continues and I recently (well the husband- under my direction) recently tackled a new addition to the space. Avery loves playhouses. The park we frequent has a little cabin and Avery absolutely adores it. Of course, I realized that she needed a playhouse of her own! I would love to build her a playhouse, but at this time that was not an option.

I immediately hit the web to buy a playhouse for her. I was shocked to find that these plastic dream homes cost on average $300-$400 dollars. For plastic... seriously? And in truth ... they are pretty ugly. Clearly buying a new one was out of the question, so I hit Craigslist. I searched for several weeks before finding one that looked in decent shape (no cracks) it was listed for $100 and included a Cozy Coupe Car too. The selling factor was that it was one town over and he would deliver it to our home if we bought it. Perfect!

So, of course we bought this lovely thing! These things last forever, but seem to fade easily. Not to mention that the original color scheme is just not nice. I had big plans for this house!

I had big plans for this house! A few cans of plastic specific spray paint later....it is cute enough to gain acceptance into our backyard plan.

What do you think? Cute right? Avery loves this little house and its recent makeover. I should hopefully have some other yard updates soon. We have made some recent progress and are bringing in the new guns (professionals) in the next few weeks. Finally!

Until next time....xoxo

B... Brimfield. Take 1!

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

So, I have been MIA....again! Well, what can I say. I return with Brimfield news though. Not only did I hit Brimfield last week, I hit it twice. I was there Tuesday, opening day, in the rain. I then returned on Saturday for the 2nd to last day for the good deals and it was perfect sunshine.

I am going to do a full debrief on all my purchases later this week, but I thought I would give you a little teaser today. I bought this adorable school desk that I am currently hiding from the husband. I have absolutely no need for a small kids desk as I already have a few.

It was the drawer under the chair that got me. How freaking cute!? I had not plans on buying this, especially given the $50 price tag. But, when the dealer told me I could have it for $30 (without me even asking)... I could not say no. $30... total steal.

I think I am going to paint it with white Annie Sloan chalk paint and put it in our family room as a little craft spot for the wee one or perhaps in our new (almost finished) playroom.

Wanna know what else I got? You have to check back later this week for the other goods! Until next time...xoxo

M... Meatless. Wednesday?

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Wed, 02 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

They wYep, I know it is Wednesday, but I am bringing you a "meatless Monday" recipe. It is damn good too. I was not sure that the husband would buy into these Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, but he did! They were really really yummy. If I made these again I would make a bunch and bring them for lunch to work. They could be easily popped in the microwave and still be quite tasty! Thank you Pennies on a Platter for this delicious meatfree recipe.

3 medium sweet potatoes
1 (15 oz) can corn, or 1.5 cups frozen corn, rinsed and patted dry
Salt, to taste
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano (optional)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1 ounce cream cheese (light or regular)
1/4 cup sour cream (light or regular), plus more for serving
1 to 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced or pureed
6 Tablespoons shredded Mexican cheese (or other preferred flavor)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until fork tender. Remove from the oven and allow to set until cool enough to handle.

While the sweet potatoes are cooling, saute the corn in a dry heavy skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle with salt, cumin, chili powder and Mexican oregano. Cook until the corn is roasted and browned (about 7 to 10 minutes). Transfer to a small bowl; set aside.

Wipe the skillet clean and heat the Tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onions and cook until just tender. Transfer to the bowl with the corn. Add the black beans and cilantro to the onion and corn. Gently stir to evenly mix.

When the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half, lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the flesh, into a large mixing bowl, leaving the skins intact. (Try leaving a thin layer of potato to help the skin hold together.)

Add the cream cheese, sour cream, chipotle pepper(s) and salt to the mixing bowl with the sweet potatoes. Mash with a potato masher or blender to desired texture. Gently stir in the roasted corn, onions, black beans and cilantro mix.

Preheat the broiler. Fill each potato skin with the mashed potato mixture*, topping each with 1 Tablespoon of cheese. Broil for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and hot. Serve immediately with a dollop of sour cream.

*Note: Any leftover filling can be saved and used later to whip up a few delicious quesadillas.

Give this recipe a try... you won't regret it! :) Until next time...xoxo

Y... Yes, I am still here!

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 09:30:00 +0000

Okay.... I have clearly been gone a while as I have returned to an all new blogger. I am surprised that I could even figure out how to post! :) Things probably look the same to you. I will admit that I am having a hard time keeping up with life right now. Things have been REALLY REALLY REALLY busy. Work is killing me right now and any time outside of that is devoted to parenting and sleeping. The husband and I did manage to squeeze in a weekend away ... thanks to my mom and dad who took Avery! It was FANTASTIC.

We went to the Equinox in Manchester, VT. It is one of my new favorite places on earth. It is such the perfect New England town and we did a lot of eating, drinking. We did a lot of sitting outside or by the fire reading. We swam and got massages. We went to the Land Rover Off Road Driving School (my Xmas gift to the hubby). We did some shopping and then we did some more eating and drinking. Perfection!

So, if you have never been to the Equinox or Manchester, VT... GO! Any other adorable New England towns you would recommend for our next weekend away. Won't happen anytime soon, but gotta have a goal! :) Until next time...xoxo

D....Dreams!

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 08:54:00 +0000

Okay... Dreams really do come true. Since I have lived in my house I dreamed of a cute shed off on the side of our house (not in the center of our yard). I wanted a shed that was cute and functional and has windows for light. I could go on and on. I never dreamed that my dream would come true... thanks to my husband and father-in-law. Over the course of two weeks, I watched a miraculous shed appear.

This fall we had a fence company move the side perimeter of our fence... hoping we could put a small shed over there in our new "side yard". While they were at it... we had them put in a gate to the sidewalk... accessibility is key. The husband has had some free time on his hands and finally got down to focusing on the shed. They seriously built this in TWO weeks!

Check it out!

This is the space we were "saving" for the shed!

Progress was made quick... we have walls!

A nice wide door, two windows... oh la la!

Satisfied with his work... he has a beer!

This photos lets you see how/where it fits in our new side yard.

And the drum roll please..........

Please meet our beautiful new shed. Love it!

A BIG BIG thanks to the husband and my FIL! They did great work... I really really really love my new shed. LOVE! Now.... onto the hardscaping and landscaping. We still have a LONG way to go in our backyard. Until next time....xoxo

P... Pink!

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 09:00:00 +0000

I stumbled across this adorable pink maxi skirt on Pinterest and immediately bought it at Old Navy! It was a steal. $15 bucks.... seriously. I think this is officially the first maxi skirt that I own. Bright pink just screams spring and I am so ready for spring. This skirt can be styled in so many different ways. Once it arrived the mail- I immediately hit the web to get some ideas of how to wear it.

Check out these inspiration images!

Want this skirt for yourself... get it quick! On sale $15.99. Until next time...xoxo

C is for cupping!

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 09:00:00 +0000

So, I tried something new this past weekend. My back has been killing me and I had the cold from hell for two weeks so I thought I deserved some TLC. I decided to give cupping therapy a try. It is one of those things I had always been curious about. When I mentioned it to the husband, he of course rolled his eyes. But, I did it anyways! :)

Cupping has been practiced for thousands of years and is a form of eastern medicine... in the realm of acupunture, reike, etc. Chinese medicine belives that it is believed that illness or disharmony, such as stress and pain can be caused by stagnation of blockage of Qi (vital energy), Blood and lymph fluids. Cupping therapy involves creating a vacuum in several cups and applying them to the skin. This causes a suction sensation which stimulates energy and fluid flow and eliminates toxins. And yes for those of you have heard of cupping, it leaves perfectly cylindrical bruises after treatment. But, I thought if it is good enough for Gywenth (Paltrow), Victoria (Beckham), and Jessica (Simpson) it is good enough for me.

So, the woman who did my cupping therapy was hard core. At one point I yelped and she said "pain is good". It was clear, no pain, no gain. Where my muscles were tightest the suction did hurt. It was like getting a very deep tissue massage. But, after the treatment I felt amazing. Truly amazing. I had a range of motion in my neck that I have not had in months! I will be doing it again. The husband was horrified that I paid someone 90 bucks to physically bruise me. Men... just don't understand! :) I will be curious to see how long it takes for the bruises to go away as I do look like a leopard.

The next day after my cupping therapy treatment I still felt great. I felt a bit sore like I had a intense gym workout. I wonder how miraculous a second treatment could feel! :) Until next time...xoxo

F.C.... Fried Chicken!

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 09:02:00 +0000

Okay... so I have a recipe for you today, but not meatless. Just recently the husband and I made this fried chicken. I did not tell my husband until after we ate it all and he raved about how good it was that it was a weight watchers recipe. Yes, he loved it and it was a weight watchers recipe. This oven fried chicken is truly amazing. It is crunchy, has tons of flavor and was really moist. We just cooked this and I am already craving it again! A big thanks to Everyday Maven for sharing this delicious recipe! I found it on Pinterest, of course!

Ingredients:

1 whole organic chicken, cut up into 8 pieces, skin removed (I just bought a big package of chicken thighs on sale rather than dealing with a whole chicken.)
1 5-ounce box Classic Melba Toast, crushed
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
non stick cooking spray or oil mister

Start by lining a baking sheet with tin foil and place cooking rack on top. Lightly spray cooking rack with non stick cooking spray.
Now, lets crush the Melba Toast. If you are a patient person and want the best possible results, place the Melba Toast in a large ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to crush it. If you are crunched for time or slightly impatient like me, throw it in the food processor. Help the process a bit by crushing it in the package before tossing into the food processor bowl. You do NOT want the Melba Toast to be completely pulverized. Leave some little pebbles and texture for maximum crispy crunch!
Add in salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder and oregano. Pulse a couple more times.
Combine Dijon and light mayo in a shallow dish.
Get an assembly line ready: chicken, a shallow dish or plate with mayo mixture, Melba crumbs and lined baking sheet.
Coat one piece of chicken at a time with mayo mixture (just enough to lightly coat) and press into Melba toast crumbs, making sure the chicken is evenly coated. Repeat until all chicken is coated.
Use an oil mister or non stick cooking spray to lightly spray each piece of chicken.
Preheat oven to 400F. Place oven rack in upper middle position. Cook for 60 minutes, rotating the baking sheet one time at 30 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve and Enjoy!

You will NOT disappointed with this recipe. It is so freaking good! IF you are on weight watchers (we are not), here is the "skinny":

Skinless thighs are 3 Points Plus each plus 1 Point Plus for the breading so 4 Points Plus each.
Skinless legs are 2 Points Plus each plus 1 Point Plus for the breading so 3 Points Plus each.
Skinless breasts 3 Points Plus each for 4 ounces plus 1 Point Plus for the breading so 4 Points Plus each.

Have a I mentioned how good this chicken is? Yuuummmy! Until next time...xoxo

B... is busy!

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Yes, we have been busy in our household. Well, to give credit where credit is due, the husband has been very busy. I have talked many many many times about how much I hate our backyard and the ugly shed that live there! I really really hate it. It is in the center of the yard. It is really badly constructed and just looks cheap. But, since we have no garage... we need a shed! Well, here is the where the "busy" part comes in.

Our shed looked like this just yesterday with the sun shining brightly behind it!

This is what the old shed looks like now!

Bye bye ugly shed. Wanna see what is replacing this beast? You will have to check back next week to see! :) Have a great weekend.

Until next time...xoxo

M.M.... Meatless Monday!

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:00:00 +0000

It's baaaacccckkkk! I have gotten my butt back in gear and am back into menu planning and eating meatless at least one day each week. Today I am sharing a flavorful pasta dish for you that is very flavor, comforting and meatless! :) Where did I find it? Budget Savvy Diva... by way of Pinterest, course!

Ingredients:

14 oz of Orecchiette Pasta ( or short pasta)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Cup of Chopped Onion
3 Cloves of Garlic ( Minced)
1 Cup of Sour Cream
4 oz of Cream Cheese ( Room Temperature)
3/4 Cup of Parmesan Cheese
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice + Zest
10 Oz of Spinach ( Make sure to squeeze excess moisture, after it has been thawed of course)
13.5 Can of Artichoke Hearts rinsed and chopped
1 Cup of Mozzarella
1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
1 Teaspoon of Pepper

What to do:

Preheat Oven To 425

Cook pasta according to the box. Keep 1/4 Cup of the Pasta Water before you drain the cooked pasta.

Heat oil in pan and cook onions for 8 – 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute.

In a large bowl – Mix Sour Cream, Cream Cheese, Parmesan, Lemon (juice and zest), onions, and garlic. Add Pasta and mix.

Stir in spinach, artichokes, 1/4 cup of cooking liquid from the pasta, salt, pepper, and 1/2 Cup of Mozzarella

Place mixture into greased 2.5 – 3 qt casserole dish and place the rest of mozzarella cheese on top

Place in the oven till golden brown on top – about 10 – 15 minutes.

Mmmmm....meatless! Until next time...xoxo

P...Pinning!

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Okay, I am obsessed with Pinterest. I have it on my phone and find myself pinning a lot! I have a board that is all DIY Craft Projects. I have so many projects I am dying to do, but no time to actually do them. How did I ever survive without Pinterest eye candy in the past?

Here are some things on my "to do" list!

So many craft project ideas....so little time! :( Happy Pinning. Until next time.... xoxo

G..... Gray!

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Yes, I am still here! The past few weeks have been very busy, but what else is new!? I have back and forth to New York twice in the past two weeks. I am happy to be home again and not scheduled to get on a plane this week or next.

While I have been busy with work, the husband has been busy at home. As I have mentioned in the past, I wanted to paint Avery's room. IT was pale pink, but it did not really suit Avery or her personality. She has more spunk than pale pink. We wanted to paint her room gray so that then we could accent it with some more vibrancy... think magenta.

I have been perusing Pinterest for the perfect gray. Something light and bright, but something that has enough contrast against white trim.

And the winner is..... Alaskan Huskie! (Swatch Shown Above) We... I meant the husband painted the room and it looks awesome. We both LOVE it. Photos to come later, but this nursery is becoming a toddler room!

Until next time...xoxo

O... Objects!

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

So, I had some questions after my post on Wednesday about the "yellow items" on the wall. I have actually blogged about this very thing a while ago here! What are these very cute and quite mysterious decorative objects.... ceiling medallions. Yes, those things you hang on the ceiling around light fixtures.

If you want this look it is actually really really really easy. Collect yourself some ceiling medallions. You can get them in all shapes and sizes at Home Depot, Lowes, Overstock, Amazon, etc!

I kind of like these ones!

Amazon

Home Depot

Amazon

Once you have collected the ceiling medallions you want to hang- get out your paint. Spray paint would of course be easiest...I LOVE spray paint. But, you could use any paint you want. Then simply attach a picture hanger of some kind with epoxy or super glue on the back and voila! Affordable, stylish and pretty unique art!

Until next time...xoxo

D is for Dilemma!

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:18:00 +0000

So my friends S and B have found themselves in a dilemma. They have an amazing brand new house and have made some furniture purchases but are having a hard time pulling it all together. In particular they are finding their family room a bit of a challenge. They have a wall of built-ins (with fireplace), they bought a lovely neutral (perfect) rug for the family room and a large leather couch. The couch is kind of dark for the room and S admits maybe not exactly right. But the couch is is a neutral brown leather.... we can make it work! For those that are "design challenged" it is easy to buy a bunch of things and try to make it work. Best thing to do is to find some photos of rooms you like and try to copy! If decorating is not your think- copy those that do it well and don't be ashamed.

Here is their room.

(Yes the Christmas tree has to come down and we need to find a bin for toys.)

First challenge is wall art for behind the couch! You have to love it to look at it every day so love it. Don't just pick something up because it matches the room's color scheme in the art aisle of Home Goods. If you are not "art people" there are options out there including objects or photos (think family, not "art"). Like these....

Any of these objects would add some softness to the room. My vote is for the gallery wall to add some "family" to the family room. The key is to not get too fancy. Stick to simple frames all in the same color. You can do color or black and white or combo (as long as frames are all same color). We can talk layout at a later date.

What else does this room need (and I am going to help with... accessorizing bookshelves, adding softness with throw pillows and blankets, and accent furniture (end table, coffee table, etc). S and B... you can do it and this room will be fabulous.

xoxo

Meaty.... Monday!

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 10:35:00 +0000

Okay, gotta get myself back in meatless mode and blogging mode for that matter. Sorry for the silence last week. I am back though and I have been meaty cooking rather than meatless. I blame it on winter. Todays recipe is one of my new favorites. Thank you "Our Best Bites"! I recently made French Dip Sandwiches in the crockpot and they were so damn good! This is a great meal to serve to company for a casual gathering.

Ingredients
1 2.5-3 lb. beef roast (you can use a frozen roast if you want)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper
2 1-ounce packages dry onion soup mix
2 c. water
2 cans beef broth
6-8 large buns (or more…6 would be VERY generous servings!)
Swiss, provolone, or mozzarella cheese, shredded or sliced.

The "How To"...
Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and rub roast with salt and pepper.

When very hot, carefully place roast in pan and sear on all sides. You're not cooking the meat, you're just browning it quickly on all sides to add flavor and seal in the juices.

Place in crockpot and sprinkle with onion soup mixes. Pour water and beef broth over roast.

Cook 8-10 hours on low or cook 4-5 hours on high and another 3-4 hours on low. It's hard to screw this part up; basically, the longer it cooks, the more tender it will be. But you know it's done when you pop a fork in it and the meat just falls apart. When meat is ready, shred with a fork.

Place meat in crusty rolls. Top with cheese and broil open-faced in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes, until bread is golden and cheese is melty.

Ladle juices into small cups for dipping and enjoy!

I will get you something meatless soon.... I hope. Until next time....xoxo

T... Toms!

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Okay, every once in a while a fad comes along that I don't get. Many of these "fads" are shoe related. Crocs... ugly. People do you not know you are wearing rubber clogs in public? Oh yeah....clogs, don't love those either (yes, I hear they are very comfortable). Toms are the most recent "fad" that I think is ugly. Well ... until now!

Yes, Toms Shoes are a GREAT story. I would happily donate money to them, but the shoes that they make are dowdy. Yes, DOWDY! Well, I was so so so happy to stumble across (no pun intended :) their new ballet flat design. They are so cute. And, just like their original shoe, for every pair you buy they donate a pair to a child in need. Again, love the company just didn't love the shoe, until now!

Why would I wear this?

If I could wear one (all) of these!

Kiera. the linen ballet flat is a much better option for you!

Size 8.5 please.... animal print. Thank you! :) Until next time...xoxo

M.... Meatless! Yes, I know it is Wednesday.

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:08:00 +0000

Photo and recipe from The Dabble

As I have mentioned/complained about before... being a full time working woman, mom and blogger is hard work. Hence, no post on Monday. But, don't fret. I am going to share a yummy meatless recipe with you. As life has gotten busier and busier, I have implemented pizza night in our house. Plain ol' pizza can get kind of boring, so I have tried some more creative options. A few weeks ago I cooked a sweet potato pizza and this week a straight old potato with other goodies version! It was SUPER flavorful and really really yummy.

Ingredients:
5 oz. fingerling or red bliss potatoes
cornmeal
pizza dough
1 ½ tbsp olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup grated mozzarella
3 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
6 oz. asparagus, trimmed, cut in fourths
¼ cup grated Parmesan

The Deal....

Preheat the oven to 450.

Place the potatoes in a saucepan, add enough water to cover and boil until tender. Cool and cut into thin slices.

Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal and roll out the dough into an oval or shape of your choice.

To construct: Mix 1 tbsp of olive oil and the garlic in a small bowl. Brush it over the crust, sprinkle ¾ of the scallions and all of the mozzarella over the top, leaving a border. Top with the potato slices and goat cheese. Toss the asparagus with ½ tbsp of olive oil and scatter over the pizza. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until the crust is browned and the asparagus is tender, about 18 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining scallions, cut and serve.

I would definitely make this recipe again... delish. Any night can be meatless! :) Until next time....xoxo

T... Tree Lover?

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Okay, perusing Pinterest, I stumbled across some really really cute shelves. How cute would these look in a nursery?

I REALLY love the first one ... the green one! You can buy it on Amazon for $840.... WHAT! There certainly must be a DIY option out there to copy it. Until next time...xoxo

P... Presents... for me!

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

So, I was realizing recently that I never blogged about Christmas. This is surprising as my husband did EXTREMELY well this year.... like so well it will be hard to beat next year.

I got theseTory Burch flats that I had always coveted but was way to cheap to buy myself. I had dropped some hints about these, but never thought he would buy them for me. He always said he would NEVER buy me shoes as he thinks I have too many. Too many? Really! :) These flats are so comfy, so versatile and so damn cute. I love em'!

I also was shocked when he pulled out a Burberry gift bag. Love Burberry, but it is hard to find anything in that store less than $300. He picked out this shirt for me all by himself and I adore it. I love Tunics. I love that it has a hint of the classic burberry plaid. I am saving it to wear some day when I won't be covered in druel, cheerios and god know what else!

Finally, I got some perfume from my favorite scent spot L'Occitane! I love the scents at L'Occitane which I have talked about before. Their scents smell fresh and clean and not too chemically! He got me Pivoine Flora Eau de Parfum. It is floral, but light and smells like actual flowers.

Well done honey, well done. You scored a perfect 10 on in the category of gift giving this year. I am one lucky woman!

Until next time....xoxo

Z-Z.... Zig Zag!

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0000

I don't know if this all started with Missoni hit Target, but I am loving zig-zag rugs right now. I would like to "update" Avery's room and maybe she needs a zig zag rug? I decorated her room with soft pink, white etc and I will say as her personality develops she is more Magenta than Soft Pink! I want to paint and "grow up" a bit.

Here are a few zig zag rugs I have my eye on!

Dash and Albert... they make my FAVORITE rugs!

Rug Studio

Garnet Hill (LOVE this orange/pink number)

Same rug... better view!

Trina Turk

I am thinking gray walls.... but not ready to commit to anything just yet. Just getting my creative juices flowing. Until next time....xoxo

M....Meaty Monday!

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Okay I tried out a meatless recipe this weekend that I intended on sharing today, but it was not GREAT. So, instead I am sharing the exact opposite of meatless Monday.... MEATY Monday. The husband and I have been on a constant search for a great chili recipe.... like really really great. Chili is kind of like pizza... even when it is bad it is fine, But, we wanted AMAZING hearty, thick, meaty, flavorful, slightly spicy chili. We found our recipe.....it was so delicious. I found it on "Gimme Some Oven"... yes love the name!

We made a few substitutions...

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1.5 – 2 lbs. lean beef (or you can use pork). We got steak and cut it up.

1 medium white or yellow onion, chopped

1/2 a jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced

1 green Pepper (or Poblano)

5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. sugar
2 cups beef broth
2 cups water
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can Rotel (diced tomatoes and green chiles)
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Method:

Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat (beef or pork) and cook until just browned on all sides. Then remove meat with a slotted spoon and set aside.

In a large stock pot (or dutch oven) heat the additional 1 Tbsp. oil over medium heat. Add the onions, poblano and jalapeno peppers, and saute until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and spices and saute until very aromatic, about 1 minute more. Add in the beef broth, water, beans, Rotel, tomato sauce, vinegar and browned meat, and stir to combine.

Simmer over medium-low heat for a couple of hours (We did 3 hours covered, one hour uncovered).

To serve, ladel soup into bowls and top with desired toppings.

We a few changes from the original recipe (posted on Gimme Some Oven). We omitted the Poblano pepper because we could not find it at our grocery store. Chipotle Powder was also omitted. It was like 8 bucks for a large thing and we thought we would never use it again, so just left it out. Yep, we were cheap. We did not have to add flour or cornstarch as we left it simmering for several hours and it thickened right up. Next time I might think about adding a can of kidney beans ... just to get a little more bean action going on.

This Chili Recipe is a 9 in my book. Definitely the best one we ever made! We are having it over hot dogs tomorrow night... chili dogs.. yumm! Definitely not a meatless week... oh well. For those of you who are meatless, try the sweet potato chili I blogged about in the past. It is also quite amazing.

Until next time...xoxo

D... Dollhouse!

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Yes, I want a dollhouse. It will be a few years before Avery can appreciate and truly enjoy a dollhouse, ut I want one. I was recently perusing Making It Lovely and fell in love with the dollhouse she made. It is truly AMAZING! I feel like to make an awesome dollhouse I need to start collecting furniture and ideas now... it could take years.

Check out Nicole's really really cool dollhouse!

Um, did I say AMAZING? Right! Check out the rest of her photos on her blog Making It Lovely. Perusing Etsy I found some cute furniture options!

It is an opportunity to decorate a whole house all over again! Ahh.. maybe some day. Until next time...xoxo

M.M.... Meatless Monday! Yes, it is Tuesday!

noreply@blogger.com (Life and Style: A to Z...) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:03:00 +0000

So, yesterday was a holiday .... so no post. But, I thought I would share what would have been my Meatless Monday post! I have actually gotten into making homemade pizza once a week. The husband who is generally not a pizza guy has actually enjoyed this. Homemade pizza always tastes a bit healthier than its takeout counterpart! I love it because it is quick, easy and creative! :)

We made a yummy Sweet Potato, Spinach and Red Onion Pizza. The recipe from Two Peas and their Pod, called for Kale which would have been awesome, but the husband said the grocery store was all out (hmmm....).

I buy fresh dough (at Trader Joes). Who has time to make dough? Here you go:

ingredients:

Your favorite pizza dough
1 large sweet potato, thinly sliced, about 1/4 inch thick
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper, for seasoning potato slices and onion
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped kale (we substituted baby spinach)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon, freshly chopped rosemary

directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the sweet potato slices and red onion slices in a bow and toss with 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place on a large baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are soft and tender. Make sure you turn them once during the 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool while you prepare the pizza dough.

2. Turn the oven to 500 degrees F or as high as your oven will go. If you have a pizza stone, place the pizza stone in the oven to get hot. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza dough, using a rolling pin. Roll it out to about 3/8 of an inch. Place the pizza dough on a pizza peel or pan that has been generously coated with corn meal. Lightly brush the dough with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. In a small bowl, toss the kale with balsamic vinegar. Top the pizza dough with mozzarella cheese, sweet potato slices, kale, red onion slices, and fresh rosemary.

3. Place the pizza in the oven-directly on the pizza stone, if using one, or on the oven rack. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until pizza crust is golden and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before slicing. Slice and serve warm.

It felt light by hearty and was incredibly flavorful! Happy Meatless Tuesday. :) Until next time...xoxo