This Casita

Our Backyard Area

2012-06-04T07:00:00.000-05:00

I've hated our backyard for a long time. Because we live in a neighborhood where the homes around us are pretty much on top of each other (at least by Texas standards), it's impossible to feel like we have any privacy so we rarely went out there in the past. We've never added any plants or trees, which I still hope will change one day, but my hopes of moving to a different house in the next couple of years with a bit more land is far greater. I digress.

Now that HUT has become outdoorsy and we have some fun toys for him in the yard, we spend much more time out there. Our patio is teeny, so in the past year I've made the best use of the space that I could. Here's the current scenario outside:

{ That white thing peeking out under the bench? Yeah, that's our Diaper Genie. Once your child hits a certain age, you realize that it's no longer going to work to keep that stinky thing inside of the house. Luckily, when outside, you never even catch a whiff. Is that gross? Probably. Oh well. Just keeping it real over here. }

{ If you take a close look, you'll see that the bottoms of our posts are no longer. One of our pups (who now lives at the U's parents' home) chewed them apart. }

I bought the furniture on a whim at the Wisteria outlet for a grand total of about $30 for all three pieces. I kid you not. It was a find and a half. The patterned pillows are from Costo. The plain blue and striped pillows were found in a pack all together at Lowes. It all just happened to match close to perfectly.

HUT even got his own chair from Lowes for $9.99. I love that it matches, because that's just me. Matchy matchy.

{ New wooden pieces waiting to be painted and nailed back to our outdoor columns! }

So there you have it - our current outdoor space. Nothing fancy or drool-worthy, that's for sure, but it works for us right now.

I really want to find some sort of a storage table so that we can put the smaller toys (soccer balls, etc.) in it while we're not outside so they don't fly away during storms. Any suggestions?

An Outdoor Memorial Day

2012-06-01T14:04:00.000-05:00

I'm a bit late posting, but better late than never!

It's come to our attention that we have an outdoor child. He loves to go outside and, truthfully, it's nice to take him out there. It gets out a ton of his energy, which makes for a much easier bedtime and it's great for all of us to get out of the house sometimes.

The unfortunate part? We live in Texas where it's 40293847230984729384 degrees already and pretty darn miserable. So on Memorial Day we decided to get a kiddie pool and put HUT's new outdoor slide to good use.

Combined with popsicles, a brisket dinner and time with family and friends, it was a great day. And I see many more kiddie pool day in the backyard it in the near future!

Pinterest-ipes

2012-05-31T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hello Dolly Bars

Source: eatliverun.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

Make sure to add the ingredients in the order listed. I totally forgot the nuts so I added them last and they kind of fell all over the place. Also, I didn't really read the post, just used the recipe, and I think that I'll add the butterscotch chips that I omitted next time.

Easy Beef Enchiladas

Source: recipegirl.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

So delish. And the zucchini is a nice addition!

Enchilada Sauce

Source: recipegirl.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

I don't know why I haven't been making my own forever! This is so tasty, but I think that you could lower the amount of oil in the recipe and it should still taste great.

Happy Memorial Day!

2012-05-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

Hope everyone is enjoying their extended weekend!

Like a lot of families this weekend, we are cooking out. A big brisket is on the menu today so I thought the recipe that we're using...

Mesquite Smoked Brisket

Ingredients

1 Whole Brisket - 9 to 10 lbs.

2 tbs. Coarse Kosher Salt

2 tsp. Coarse Cracked Pepper

2 tsp. Paprika

1 tsp. Cayenne

1 tsp. Oregano

1/2 tsp. Cumin

Directions

Combine spices - rub on both sides of meat and let it stand two hours at room temperature.

Brown the meat on the grill on both sides.

Smoke for one hour. Turn and then smoke for one more hour.

Remove from smoker. Wrap in heavy duty foil and place in a 250 degree oven and bake for four hours.

We don't have a smoker on hand this year, so we plan to brown on the grill and then cook it completely in the oven.

When It Rains, It Pours

2012-05-25T09:15:00.003-05:00

I really try to keep this blog mainly about the positive things happening in my life. I try not to elaborate too much on the personal (remember that one time that some asshole from our past read my blog, called a friend and tried to cause drama in my marriage?) but sometimes you just can't help but acknowledge on your blog when life happens. Because this blog is a big part of who I am these days.

Some not great things have been happening in my life around here. Basically, my side of the family is completely imploding. I seem to be the only person in our family on speaking terms with everyone, which makes for some drama and mixed emotions all over the place. I feel bad for every person in my family right now because we all can't just seem to relax, let go and enjoy each other.

In the middle of all of the drama, we've had a full house while sorting through all of this turmoil. We don't have a very large house - I'm sure many would consider it a very nice home, even more would consider it tiny, and when you put four adults and a toddler into our home, it's not very big at all. In fact, it's downright claustrophobic at times.

I hate that this is happening to me right now. Yes, me. Selfish old me.

I have to try and help keep the pieces of the puzzle somewhat together, be the therapist for 3 of my 4 family members and keep a brave face for everyone. Because there really is not one person or one specific event to blame for the uproar in my family. It's years of miscommunication and bad attitudes that have left everyone with chips on their shoulders, horrible tastes in their mouths and, quite frankly, a deep funk and depression that is oh so hard to see happen to those that you love.

For the first time in my life, I really feel like the adult in our family. Not the baby sister. Or the last born. Or that spoiled little princess that so many people like to think that I am.

I feel like I'm trying to be the rock for so many people and it's hard. So fucking hard.

So in the middle of my posts on the fun things we do, how much I dote on my son, how I'm trying to clean and organize this house. Please know - I'm human just like everyone else. I've got the family drama like a lot of people. My life isn't a fairytale (and, honestly, I don't think I could handle it being one). So occasionally I'm going to come on here to vent about the not so amazing times in my life to counterbalance the amazing stuff that I do get to be a part of.

Because this is my life. This is my blog. And this is what I choose to do.

Be real.

Good, bad, ugly. Happy, sad.

This is my real life.

**And I want to give a special shout-out to the U. While I don't always show my appreciation, he's been extraordinary right now. He helps me with anything I need, supports me and is taking all of these changes in stride. I really could not ask for anything more.**

Pinterest-ipes

2012-05-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

I've been cooking up a lot of tasty stuff in the kitchen lately, as per usual thanks to Pinterest. Here are a few new favs...

Cucumber Turkey Tortilla Roll-Up

Source: rachaelraymag.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

This is seriously the easiest lunch in the world and super tasty.

Banana Blueberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Source: thekitchn.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

We had bananas and blueberries that were threatening to go bad, so after a quick search on the Interwebs, this is what I found. It didn't disappoint!

Dollar Tree Makeup Storage

2012-05-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

I originally found this pin and decided that I would make something similar with items from the Dollar Tree (yet again):

Source: bhg.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

But then when I went to the Dollar Tree, I found faux silver trays and decided that would fit better with my style. So I bought a tray in each size, a couple of candlesticks and came up with this:

Just for reference, I tried this a couple of times with the trays and candlesticks and several types of glue. Hands down the E6000 Adhesive is the winner and don't waste your time with anything else. I took my trial trays and used them in my closet to for perfume storage.

I also bought a couple of clear glass candle holders to stick my makeup brushes and other items in on the top tier.

After I'd made my creation, I came upon this pin:

Source: dollarstorecrafts.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

How cute are they spray painted? I also am bummed that I didn't think the turn the candlesticks upside down so that I'd have more storage area on each tear. Maybe I'll try it again another time.

Grand total for project? $5 + tax. I already had the glue at home. Not too shabby!

Gucci Giveaway

2012-05-23T07:00:00.001-05:00

Remember my post last week about the Gucci samples I had to giveaway?

Well, one person didn't respond to my email and, unfortunately, most of the commenters didn't leave an email address as requested.

Soooooo...

I have one Tuberose sample left to send out to someone who resides in the United States (I just can't afford to send out of the country on my own dime these days, sorry). If you're interested, just leave me a comment below WITH A VALID EMAIL and I'll get in touch with you.

Cork Board Jewelry Organization

2012-05-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

I told you that I was on an organization kick. I guess we will just deem this "organization week" here at This Casita.

There are a billion of these DIY tutorials all around the Internet and I'm pretty sure that I have a few pinned myself, but here's my version of the cork board jewelry organizer.

I purchased two 15x15 square cork boards already in cute white frames from Homegoods for $20/piece. Then I headed over to JoAnn's to find some fabric that would match our bedroom, which happened to be 30% off. It took a half a yard and ended up totaling a little over $5. I simply used a staple gun to wrap the fabric around the cork, put it back in the frame and, voila!, we have new necklace and earring storage.

So, for about $45 total, I have these two beauties hanging in my bedroom:

I just wasn't in the mood to find frames, spray paint them, buy cork and fabric and put it all together. I'm sure that if I'd taken that route I would have also found some way to spend $45 in the end.

If you're looking for a couple of easy tutorials for cute cork board makeovers, here are some that I've found online:

Source: deliciouslyorganized.blogspot.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

Source: sarahortega.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

Dollar Tree Linen Closet Organization

2012-05-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

I'm not going to lie, I've been spending a bit too much time at the old Dollar Tree lately. I'm on a cleaning and organization kick and I'm not going to stop until this house is decluttered and in an orderly fashion. I just feel so much better when the piles of shit that lie around my house are no longer, when everything has it's place, and when we've gotten rid of all of the crap that we don't need and, truthfully, never use.

So last week on a random trip to Dollar Tree I decided to peruse their organization aisle and found these beauties:

{ Dollar Tree Collapsible Polka-Dot Containers }

They forever changed our linen closet. We gained a whole shelf in that puppy. Once we move HUT into a big boy room (hopefully by the end of 2012), we'll gain the bottom of the closet as well -which I plan to use for storing my massive collection of a Christmas village.

I separated all of the smaller towels by various uses (bath towels, kitchen towels, cleaning towels, etc.). I also folded all of our towels differently to look organized and to gain a bit of extra room in the closet. We have a ton of junk towels, but I can't bring myself to just throw them away. Up top I put our extra duvets, pillows, etc. that I should probably get rid of, but just can't quite pull the trigger just yet.

So, there you go. For a whopping $10 I transformed one closet in our house from a bit of a mess, to a more organized space. It might not be as cute as the stuff that you find on I Heart Organizing, but it definitely works for us for right now!

Avocado Shrimp Salad

2012-05-18T07:30:00.000-05:00

We made this last week for the concert on the lake and it was so fabuloso that I had to share. It's super easy, and surely not the first time anyone has ever made this, but this is what we came up with and I'm sharing it anywho. I didn't put exact amounts of most of the veggies because you can truly as as much, or as little, as you prefer and it should still taste great!

Salad Ingredients

1 pound shrimp

Green onion

Radishes

Celery

Cilantro

Grape tomatoes

2-3 Avocados

Directions

Cook, peel and devain shrimp.

Let shrimp cool completely.

Chop onion, celery, radishes and tomatoes.

Chop cooled shrimp.

Cut avocados into chunks.

Combine everything, add salt and pepper if needed, and coat with dressing (see below) and a little extra lemon juice so that the avocados don't brown.

For the Dressing

We used the same dressing that I found on Pinterest for the quinoa salad I made a few weeks ago - we've used it on quinoa, a regular salad and now this...

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3 T maple syrup (I usually use less than this)

1 T Dijon mustard

1 tsp salt

The Honest Company - My Final Update

2012-05-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

I written reviews a couple of times here and here about my experience with The Honest Company after I purchased the discounted monthly packages from Zulily a while back.

Someone recently asked me my thoughts on the products, so I thought that I'd give a little update and share with you what I shared with her...

I didn't think that it was worth it, moneywise, in the end. The wipes are HORRIBLE, and the diapers were good with leakage, but now that we're back to Pampers I realize that HUT's diaper rash was because of the diapers, and not the amount of times he was pooping. I spend about $50/month max (and I really doubt it's even that much) on diapers/wipes using Amazon mom, so the $85 expense for Honest was really not in the cards for us.

The bath/cleaning products are nice, but the sunscreen was super thick, a pain to put on and only 20spf. The baby wash was only in orange vanilla scent, which was not a personal preference. The dish detergent didn't clean my dishes as well, but all of the other products were pretty good. In the beginning I loved the concept so much that I was really happy with it all, but, in the end, I don't think it's worth it the monthly expense. I've heard raves from people, but it just wasn't meant to be for us!

A few things to add to this:

1) All kids are different. What gave my baby diaper rash might not give yours a diaper rash. One of the people from their company gave this as a possible reason for the rash - "The diapers use a wheat and corn-based fluff and I'm wondering if that perhaps triggered a reaction. I'm pushing for us to develop a fluff from non-food crops, but we're limited by technology and accessibility at the moment. In time..."

2) You really do have to weigh out what is most important to you - if money isn't of big concern, then it might be great to try these products as they are Earth friendly and SUPER cute. Not going to lie there. Those diapers were the cutest I've ever seen.

3) All of my reviews being said, when I was emailed by the company to participate in a blogger forum, I let them know that we weren't ultimately happy with the product. The response from them was extremely positive, asking me to still participate while letting me know that they are constantly trying to improve their products and hope to offer the ability to purchase individual products on an "as need" basis as well as the monthly subscription.

So, ultimately, they are a new business who are working through the growing pains while trying to keep all of their customers satisfied. If ever they decide to lower the price of their products, then we might join the monthly subscription again, but for now it's much more cost efficient for us to stick with Amazon mom. If they do end up offering the ability to purchase individual products from The Honest Company, I definitely think there are a few I might splurge on (especially the baby lotion - it smells amazing and I even used it for myself some)!

Cleaning with Pinterest

2012-05-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

I'm slowly getting on board the train of cleaning with less chemicals (veeeeerrrrrry slowly), but last week I decided to utilize a couple of ideas that I found on Pinterest (where else?) to clean around the house. They were both big hits, so I thought that I'd share...

1) Soap Scum in the Shower

Source: food.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

Our glass in the shower always gets so scummy, thanks in part to how long I wait between cleanings because, if truth be told, I loathe cleaning the bathroom. So much so, that I'm embarrassed to admit that at times it can be dangerously close to that of a bathroom in a frat house. Not quite as bad, but toed the line a few times.
It was so stinkin' simple to make this cleaner that I didn't believe that it could work. It did. Our shower looks fabuloso. I bought a couple of empty spray bottles at the Dollar Tree (love that place) and mixed it up. I will be using this formula from now on and it's so cheap!

2) Ring Around the Toilet

Well, if I hate cleaning the shower, you obviously know how I feel about cleaning the toilet. Although, I hate looking into a dirty toilet, so I do clean this more often than not. I never feel like our cleaners do the best job, so I figured, why not give this a try.

Source: lifehackery.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

Turns out, I had about four boxes of baking soda in our fridge because I have a tendency to buy them, forget, and buy another box. So I took half of a box, dumped it in, spread it around and let it sit. The toilet looks beautiful. Nice and shiny. No nasty ring. Now the test in on to see how long the clean toilet lasts to see if it's worth the cost.

Concerts on the Lake

2012-05-15T07:30:00.000-05:00

In our small suburb, we happen to live right near a lake. A few years ago they started a "Concert on the Lake" series that's free for everyone to attend. Each Thursday a new band plays for about an hour or so, people bring picnics and drinks (I don't know how they make it ok for open containers in public on this day, but they do) and it's a lot of fun to hang out, listen to music and let the kiddos run around.

We usually try to go to the first couple of concerts before the Texas heat hits in the summer, and last Thursday night the weather was just perfect. We headed out to meet some friends, brought along some shrimp salad and potato salad, along with drinks and snacks for HUT, and listened to some Big Band music.

HUT thought it was pretty fun to run and flail around on the big blanket that we had...

And we brought along some toys, which he insisted on throwing to everyone...

Here's a small shot of the boats that park near the concert area to listen to the band...

And the actual band, which was really great...

Surprisingly, HUT was a big fan of the shrimp salad that we prepared (recipe to come later this week)...

It was a bit of work keeping HUT from running off (the U took the brunt of that chasing around), but all in all, we enjoyed the evening. We're hoping to go to a couple more of these free evenings before it's too hot and humid outside to enjoy it.

Bzzing About Flora by Gucci: The Flora Garden Collection

2012-05-14T07:30:00.000-05:00

Bzz Agent has really been spoiling me lately with campaigns... expect a couple more posts even after this!

When I was invited to participate in a perfume campaign, it was a no brainer. I'm too cheap at the moment to splurge on an expensive bottle of perfume, so I was so excited to received this in the mail:

{ I adore the box, and it's good quality, so I'm thinking this would be great jewelry storage to place on top of our dresser }

I truly truly love these perfumes. I really like light, floral scents - with gardenia being one of my favorites. I received a small bottle of each: Tuberose, Gardenia and Magnolia. Each of them smell equally amazing, and are great spring/summer (or all year, if you're me) scents.

Here's a little info about the fragrances:

EXPRESS YOURSELF

Inspired by one of Gucci's most iconic designs, Flora by Gucci: The Flora Garden Collection is a bouquet of refined eau de toilettes, designed to express the multi-faceted personality and depth of emotion of every woman. Glamorous, Gracious, Gorgeous — each fragrance is distinct, yet together all the scents embody the beauty and allure of Gucci's renowned Flora pattern, originally designed for the charismatic Princess Grace in 1966. Explore each bloom, and express your loveliness, with Flora by Gucci.

Flora by Gucci: The Flora Garden Collection is available in three distinct floral fragrances:

GLAMOROUS MAGNOLIA

A brilliant opening of buoyant freesia, zest and green leaves yields to a tactile fusion of peony and magnolia. Sandalwood, musk and warm chocolate lend sensuousness to a base that proves as lingering as it is addictive. Glamorous Magnolia celebrates the magnolia in all its guises: radiant freshness, velvet petals and an enduringly feminine sensuality. Glamour is assured.

GORGEOUS GARDENIA

A sparkling prelude of succulent red berries and juicy pear gives way to an opulent floral heart. The plushness of gardenia petals is enhanced by the creamy warmth of frangipani flower, underlaid by the delectable aroma of patchouli and brown sugar. Gorgeous Gardenia is a paean to the lightness of the shrub's first blossom and the addictive richness of it in full bloom. The result is gorgeously feminine.

GRACIOUS TUBEROSE

A distinctively elegant tuberose in which a verdant overture of violet leaves and peach softens into the plant's silken blossom. A base of white cedarwood and cistus enhances the impression of refined charm. Gracious Tuberose embraces all aspects of the flower's loveliness: its fresh green shoots, dew-sprinkled petals and lingering sillage. The effect is the most gracious aura.

VISIT MACYS.COM AND SEPHORA.COM

Visit macys.com and sephora.com.

I also received small samples to share with others. I shared some with my friends, but I'd like to offer up one sample of each perfume to three of my blog readers!

I have three small samples to give out: one Tuberose, one Gardenia and one Magnolia. Instead of doing a drawing, I'm just going to send a sample to the first to comment for each one. Just leave me your email and which scent you'd prefer. I'll be in touch with you to get an address if you're the first to claim a sample!

Happy Mother's Day!

2012-05-13T08:10:00.000-05:00

Some call it a Hallmark holiday - but I'm going to soak up the fun that comes along with today. We're cooking up a big breakfast with family and I'm going to celebrate my new (can I still keep calling it new?) life as a mommy with my own mom.

Here's to the best, and hardest, job there really is - being a mom.

Cheers!

Bzzing About Garnier Fructis

2012-05-12T07:35:00.000-05:00

I really hate when I'm given a free product to try and it isn't my favorite. But, I would never write about a product that was given to me on this blog and not give an honest review, so here we go.

I was asked to participate in the Garnier Fructis campaign on Bzz Agent and answered a set of questions about our hair to determine which kind of shampoo and conditioner that I would get: Triple Nutrition or Sleek and Shine.

Because of my frizzy hair status, I was selected for Sleek and Shine. When I first got the bottles (full-sized, I must add, because that's just awesome), I immediately put it to use. I typically use the Costco off-brand shampoo and conditioner and, surprisingly, my hair is always healthy and shiny. Even my new hairstylist commented on it, which I always think is funny because I'm not using the bajillion dollar products they try to hock.

Anywho, so I immediately enjoyed the smell of the new shampoo and conditioner so I thought this might be a great match. After a few days, however, and styling my hair, I realized that my hair seemed more flat and definitely not shiny. Then, after about a week, I noticed that my scalp was itchy a bit. See, the thing about my head is that it's a little messed up (in more ways than one, I'm sure). If I don't wash my hair for a day, my hair gets super greasy, yet my scalp gets itchy - so I wash it daily. I also have tendency to get dry scalp with certain products. To still be washing my hair daily and get the itches? I was a little worried.

Since I wasn't digging how my hair looked styled, and my scalp was a bit itchy, I decided to go back to my old shampoo and conditioner and haven't looked back. My hair, and scalp, is back to normal.

I think that the triple moisture might have worked better for someone like me. So maybe it was just the wrong type of shampoo and conditioner for my funky hair type. Either way, this wasn't my favorite. Such a bummer because it was nice to be involved in the campaign. I'm sure that many other people had better experiences with the product, but it just wasn't my cup of tea.

It's the Little Things

2012-05-11T07:30:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it's the little things that make you happy. Here's what I'm loving at the moment...

Goody Colour Collection Metallic Small Bobby Pin, Black, 26 Count (Pack of 3)

How I never knew about these is beyond me, but now that I have some sort of a side swept bang, these little bobby pins are a life saver to keep them out of my face when needed. And I love how they pretty much hide in my hair color.

{ Zico Coconut Water }

I had always heard that you should drink coconut water when you are hungover. Since I'm not the biggest fan of coconut, I avoided it. But the raves about this stuff had me curious, so I bought some on a whim at the store the other day and, I must say, I don't mind it. I really think that I might like a pomegranate blend, so that's next on my list to try. Anyone have favorite brands or coconut water mixes you would recommend?

I'm dying over the new "The Shops at Target" that they have in store. While I will fully admit that I haven't made many purchases from the shops, they are oh so cute to look at. I did make one splurge from the Webster shop though:

Pinterest-ipes

2012-05-10T07:30:00.000-05:00

No matter what curveballs are thrown at us lately, I'm still getting some time in the kitchen. Here are my latest favs!

Corn Quinoa Salad

Source: legumesamis.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

Made this per directions, although I went a little less on the maple syrup. Everyone who ate it raved about it!

Chicken Marsala Casserole

Source: rachaelraymag.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

A couple of things. Don't try to cut out the cream. My mom made it with whole milk and it just wasn't the same as my cream version. Also, I was worried about the rice, so I cooked my rice al dente in chicken broth before adding it to the casserole dish. I made the mistake of added two CUPS of wine to this, so I had a ton of extra sauce. I just poured what I thought was best onto the casserole, then stored the rest of the sauce away. I used it later in the week to make pasta as well. Delish!

Caprese Pizza

Source: food.chatelaine.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

We added prosciutto to this and chopped up a couple of large mozzarella balls to use for this. I also used ciabiatta, but any good bread will work.

HUT's Goes to the Dentist

2012-05-09T15:43:00.000-05:00

In the midst of all of the craziness that seems to never end in our lives at the moment, HUT had his first trip to the dentist. I know that many people think that he's a bit young at 16 months to be taking a trip to have his teeth checked, but since he's had soo many teeth for soo long (16 total as of right now), we decided that it was time. Not to mention that everyone on the news had us scared to death about taking good care of his teeth from a young age.

I picked the office that we went to mainly because of the reputation, but also because of the really sweet "under the sea" theme of their office. HUT was immediately sold when he walked in and saw a huge fish tank. Once we went back to the check-up area we had to wait a bit, so HUT got to run around the room and the assistants gave him a couple of balls to play with, which was a big hit.

All in all, I'm glad that we took him, although I'm not really sure how necessary going every six months will be. His teeth are in great shape and she took all of five minutes to determine that. How she coaxed this child into letting her pry around in his mouth is beyond me, but it worked and we all left relatively unscathed.

My mom came along and was going to sit in the waiting area, but once I found out that he'd have to sit on my lap, she came in to take over photography duties once the doc arrived. You better believe I had to get this on camera!

When Life Happens...

2012-05-03T10:14:00.001-05:00

For the past several months I'd like to think that I've been a pretty dedicated blogger. Not because I feel obligated, but because I really enjoy sharing my life on the Interwebs and the feeling of satisfaction that I get when I hit "publish."

But this week? Well, this week life got in the way. My FIL is going through some medical issues (he's fine, thank goodness), my side of the family is going through some drama (nothing terrible, just one of those transitional times), we have a garage sale, First Monday and the Cottonwood Art Festival to attempt to attend this week/weekend and, if truth be told, the Bloomies Outlet opening is calling my name.

It's taking a lot for me to balance all of the emotions, our social calendar and keeping HUT happy and busy whilst somehow attempting to not let our house look like an episode of Hoarders. So, the silence here will continue for a bit longer.

Here's a pic of HUT cheesing it last night when we went out to dinner. The weather here was absolutely perfect, so a patio dinner was a must. HUT was so happy that he kept showing us all his "funny face" over and over.

This kid is trouble, I tell ya!

Hope everyone has a fantastic rest of the week and weekend!

Pinterest-ipes

2012-04-30T13:05:00.002-05:00

I'm STILL playing catchup from our vacation, so here's a quick list of some recipes I've made lately that are fabulous. I followed all of the recipes as the instructions called for. Major hits in this house!

Cilantro Grilled Chicken

Source: artsy-foodie.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

Italian Crescent Casserole

Source: realmomkitchen.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

Cheesy Potato Veggie Side

Source: budgetbytes.blogspot.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

Kikko'Pilo Win!

2012-04-27T07:30:00.000-05:00

Right before we left for Cabo, I entered a contest on Stroller in the City and I actually won!

Feast your eyes on my winnings - a Kikko'Pilo travel pillow!

Although it would have been perfect about a week earlier to receive this in the mail for our trip to Cabo, I'm still happy to have it because we definitely plan to travel with kiddos more and this little nap mat really would come in handy on the plane and in the hotel room.

I'm looking forward to giving it a try - and to entering more contests to hopefully win. ;)

Our Dancing King

2012-04-26T07:30:00.000-05:00

If you're friends with me on Facebook, then you've probably already seen this and you can disregard the repetition, but I just had to share. It makes me smile and giggle each time I see this video.

You see, our HUT, well, like most kids, he's a dancer. But he'll break out into dance anywhere. Two days ago it was waiting at the car wash. Sometimes it's at dinner. Sometimes in his car seat. Sometimes it's to the tv. Basically, when he likes a beat, he busts a move.

So when I accidentally thought American Idol was on the other night and it turned out to be Glee, well, HUT was in heaven...

Cabo San Lucas - Where We Ate

2012-04-25T09:32:00.000-05:00

We've been going to Cabo for years and have always had our staples (Edith's, The Office, La Golondrina, to name a few) but the past few trips we've really stepped outside of our comfort zone and tried new restaurants. We do an "all-inclusive" type of deal at our timeshare now, but we still tend to go out for dinners (trust me, we consume enough breakfast, lunch and adult libations to make the inclusive worth it even when leaving the hotel in the evening).

Here are two of our hands-down, absolute new favorites in Cabo San Lucas...

1) Hacienda Cocina y Cantina at the Hacienda Beach Club and Residences

I most definitely cannot afford to stay at this hotel or purchase one of their villas, but their restaurant is, amazingly enough, priced really well. Meaning, the most expensive thing on the menu is about $26, which I'll take any day on vacation. The view is spectacular, the food insanely delicious and, most importantly to us these days, is not only suitable for a romantic date but also for a family dinner. Us being part of the latter category these days.

If you are ever in Cabo and try out Hacienda, save room for dessert and order the churros. These aren't your usual churros that you can find at sporting events and state fairs, these are so. much. more. They are served in a paper bag with your choice of caramel and chocolate dipping sauces and we pretty much crave them all year and look forward to this meal and dessert.

This year I also tried the Hibiscus margarita and it was so delish. HUT also found his new love for jicama with a spicy salt on it at Hacienda. Although it's supposed to be a little treat when you arrive, HUT ate three glasses full of the jicama by the time all was said and done.

2) Bar Esquina at the Bahia Hotel

We saw this restaurant on our last night last year and hadn't forgotten about it when we arrived this year. This restaurant was so amazing that, after my mom stayed back to watch HUT so the rest of us could go out, my friend Jen and I took her back a few nights later for ladies' night.

Every night around 8-8:30 they have this amazing little band with some serious guitarists.

Jen and I on our first outing to Bar Esquina.

For my first visit I had a short rib, bleu cheese and arugula wood-fired pizza. The U had a flank steak that just melted in your mouth.

When we went back with my mom, I opted for the chicken with creamy polenta and braised chard.

She got the filet with, I'm not even kidding when I say this, the most spectacular potato dish I've ever had in my life: horseradish potatoes gratin.

I just salivated when writing that, and it's 9:15am.

Anywho, I would say that this restaurant is better for adults only, and it's such a special treat that you really will want to enjoy your full meal and not have to worry about chasing around your toddler (or maybe that's just what happens to us when HUT joins for dinner). It's also on the more expensive side with the filet running you about $50.

So, while we still visited some of our tried and true restaurants, and while I'm sure there are a ton more amazing places to visit and eat in Cabo, you are definitely in good hands if you give either of these two a try if you have a chance to vacation in Cabo San Lucas!