Ack! I Almost Forgot About April Fool's Day...

I'm not one for pulling outrageous tricks on people, but I think a fun prank (or two) is very necessary. 

Check out Martha Stewart and Family Fun for these pictured and some more fun and simple pranks for tomorrow... If you're feeling a bit foolish!

Music That Takes You Back

When I saw this post declaring it Blog Music Party Week, I just had to play along. Today's theme is music that reminds you of junior high and high school. Let me tell you, I had such a grand time traveling back in the ole music time machine and reminiscing. (There might have been some singing and dancing going on in this house last night.) Here are just a few of the songs that bring me back:

#1 The 80's just wouldn't be the 80's to me without a little New Order, Yaz, and OMD. This song is a good sample from the bunch. Can you name the movie?

[seeqpod disable]

#2 My first concert:

[seeqpod disabled... George Michael: Faith]

#3 A certain boy I know (the same one I married 10 years later) dropped this cassette tape off in my mailbox shortly after I mentioned how much I liked it while chatting with him on the phone. (Swoon!) This same certain boy was most likely wearing pinch-rolled Z.Cavariccis, Zodiacs with no socks, and a couple of earrings while delivering this musical surprise. (He turned out just fine!):

[seeqpod disabled... Lightening Seeds' Pure]

I could go on and on, but I'll stop there. If you're interested in a little music therapy hop over to any on of these three blogs (here, here, and/or here) and then look up some of your favorites over at seeqpod. I'm telling you, I had way too much fun strolling back in music history... What songs bring you back to your teen years?

Meal Planning Monday: Budget Friendly

My hubby and I sat down to reassess our budget to see where we could tighten things up. We decided our new grocery budget goal is $800 per month. This is for our family of 4, and includes all grocery & super store items, diapering needs, toiletries, and dining out. We generally try to buy organic veggies, fruit, dairy, and some meats & snacks. These in general cost a little bit more, but it's still a priorty. Taking into consideration how we normally spend our money, I think this is going to be tough, but it's necessary and I'm confident it can be done. 

In order to better ensure success, we're breaking it down into weeks and only buying for one week at a time. We will continue to meal plan and make lists (and stick to these said lists). I was inspired by Our Green Nest to really use what we have and buy for only what we will use this week. (She has some other valuable insight over there as well.) 

I don't know how our amount compares to others, if it's extravagant or bottom-basement, but I'm interested how we measure up. If you're comfortable sharing, what's your monthly grocery budget?  How do you organize spending in this area. Any tips that work for you?  

This week's menu is based on what I had in the pantry & the freezer and some budget friendly recipes I found snooping around on allrecipes. The hubby will not be super-thrilled with this carb intensity of the next seven days, but he is flexible and can opt out of the bread/pasta part if he wants. (I think he'll be secretly excited though.)

Monday & Tuesday

Spaghetti & Meatballs: Similar to this recipe, but I'll add a few more seasonings and some mozzarella.

Salad

Wednesday

out for Granddad's birthday

Thursday

Grilled Chicken

Strawberry/Spinach Salad:

(baby spinach, strawberries, sliced almonds and Brianna's Poppyseed Dressing)

Friday

Grilled Chicken Paninis

w/ spinach, tomato, cheese

fruit salad

Saturday

Pulled Pork Sandwiches: Trying this crock pot version

Sunday

leftovers 

Have a wonderful day!

Green It Is!

Thanks to everyone who gave me feedback regarding my table and the encouragement to go bold. I pitched the green idea to the hubby, and I think he's on board. And it must have been meant to be... I was thumbing through my current issue of Real Simple and there's a whole section on decorating with green, featuring Mr. Wilde's great quote. This could be exciting! I love my house, but I do have to admit, it's quite white/tan/brown/black throughout, with just small splashes of color. This would be somewhat stepping outside the good ole comfort zone... Do you think I can follow through?!

The Real Simple Spread:

{1: Ditte Sofa  2: Glamour lamp  3: Bauhaus Arc Floor Lamp

 4: Juno Table  5: Thomas Paul Broderie Grass Pillow

6: Sharon Spain Flower Family Pillow 

 7: Tufted Wool Rug  8: Madison Armchair} 

Happy, HAPPY Friday!

Oh, This Is So Much Fun!

orange wedges - by PS~Erin on Polyvore.com

I might be a bit behind the time, but I just now tried out Polyvore. To be honest with you, I wasn't really sure what it even was. When I went over there and found out it's much like WeHeartIt, only with fashion and editing capabilties and such, I was instantly sucked in. I'd seen it around blogtown for some time now, but Jackie over at Sweetie Pie Pumpkin Noodle recently posted some great images she found on Polyvore, and I decided it was time to investigate.

Oh.My.Goodness. It's virtual shopping taken to a whole new level! I just thought I was obessed when I visited stores all over cyberland to fill my virtual carts... I can now put together outfits and looks, without even glancing at a pricetag. It's like pre-shopping: Researching just the right look. And since I'm currently in the midst of a spending freeze (remember that pesky layoff event a while back?), it's completely safe. And it's really time well spent, to help make good, solid decisions regarding my future purchases. Right? It's like I'm creating my own look book to take along with me for my future wardrobe! I just love it. I haven't hit my stride just yet with fully accessorizing, but of course I had to put together a few things. I would totally wear the heck out of these three outfits this spring & summer!

shirt dress & jeans - by PS~Erin on Polyvore.com

(This top/dress is from Ruche and there's a giveaway here for a $50 gift certificate!)

white jeans & tank - by PS~Erin on Polyvore.com

I'm telling you, this was so much fun, and I know I haven't even scratched the Polyvore surface. Try it if you haven't yet, and if you have, be sure to fill me in on any fun tips you know.

Have a fabulous Thursday!

What to do... What to do?

Quick little back story... I have a black round pedestal table in our breakfast area that we use for most all of our meals. It's not anything really special, but I really like it. When I was pregnant with #2 we had a big garage sale, selling all things pink, along with our existing kitchen table. It was square and in a tight space. Too many little noggins had been bumped when trying to navigate around its corners. The money earned at said g-sale was ear-marked for baby boy bedding and a new, round kitchen table. Well, we raked it in! The very next day I clicked the 'purchase now' button (because my table was, of course, already in my online cart) and then I was off to the fabric store (to buy the robin's egg blue/tan/chocolate fabric I'd been eyeing). Done.

Fast forward to just the other day... My husband and daughter were getting geared up for their daddy/daughter YMCA Adventure Princess camping weekend (remember Indian Princesses when you were a kid?). They set out to glue their hard-earned patches onto their matching suede vests (standard Adventure Princess gear). It was quite a sweet scene, with the two of them deliberating on just where to place them and such. I quietly minded my own business (read: eaves-dropped nearby) and let them have their bonding time. The next morning the vests were still laid out on the kitchen table, having dried over night. I admired them before clearing the table for breakfast, only the vests didn't budge. They were adhered to the table! The two of them had attached 6 patches, so the vests were stuck in six places. After peeling the vests off of the table, this is what I found:

So it's got me thinking... Do I sand and just paint the top black again... Or do I change it up? This awesome green table spotted over at Two Ellie has got me feeling kind of crazy. I do love that bright green, but could I pull it off??

This next table gave me another idea... Possibly sand the top and stain it. Not sure about all the same wood tones everywhere though. Ideas anyone?

Right now I'm stuck with this:

I guess a tablecloth is in order.

Quite the bonding experience, don't you think?!

Happy Wednesday All!

Do You Freeze?

I was putting away the pork tenderloin that I purchased for our meal plan this week. It comes in two prepackaged parts from Costco or Sams, for a total of 5 lbs. It's a lot of meat. It's such a great deal though because I'll prepare half and freeze the other. It's a nice feeling to know we already have the majority of a meal purchased and ready to go when needed. It got me thinking about what else I could freeze for future use... I have to admit, I don't make a practice of making a big portion ahead of time and then freezing part of it. I'm not quite sure why I haven't because it makes such good sense, especially since meal planning is not my easiest or favorite thing to do. I found some pretty good-looking recipes while perusing on the web (Southern Living had quite a few). I found all kinds of storage tips and advice at Real Simple too. I got all excited and made these fun little labels to mark all the food I'm going to prepare. Download them here if you'd like. I'm going to print them out on adhesive paper and stick them on my storage containers. I think they will make me smile when I open the freezer door. It's the little things! Do you have any good freezer recipes to recommend? I'd love to try them out!

Speaking of food, I stumbled upon these two fun food giveaways here and here, while reading this pretty little blog. Emily at Essential E has a lot of other opportunities listed on her blog. Love me some food (and free is even better)!

Happy Tuesday!

Meal Planning Monday: Back On Track

image from here

Well, Spring Break is over and that means we are back on track... No more sleeping in until past 9, eating a big ole brunch, and fun (not-so-healthy) dinners. My husband, who is quite the health-conscience-nutritionally-minded guy, participated in our Spring Break break from our usually more balanced diet. (Love him!) To show him how much I appreciated his indulgance (with no complaints), I'm going to prepare some good-for-you food, with him in mind. I have to admit that I'm not extremely excited about our upcoming week's plan, but I know I'll most likely be pleased with it when it's all said and done. Here goes:

Mon/Tues: 

Pecan Crusted Chicken on Spring Mix 

w/ Raspberry Vinegrette Dressing 

(okay, so I cheated on this one: I picked up the chicken & dressing at Central Market.)

Wed: 

Super Soup 

We just had our fruit & veggie co-op pick up, and I have a bunch of kale and other stuff I can throw in. This concoction will definitely spell L-O-V-E to my healthy husband. 

My daughter is not a soup fan (doesn't care for everything all mixed together), so she'll get the dry version with tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and such all separated out on a plate.

Thurs: 

pizza at school

(fundraiser at kindergarten Open House)

Fri: 

Super Soup again

I'm thinking of making some cornbread to add to the allure of round 2.

Sat/Sun:

Pork Tenderloin (Trying this version that my mother-in-law makes: Top 2 Costco tenderloins with olive oil, a little bit of whisky, a can of rotel, & an onion and bake for about 40 minutes or so at 375 degrees.)

Parmesan Mashed Potatoes (I have a ton of red potatoes from the co-op)

big salad

And I can't let today pass without giving tribute to our sweet miniature schnauzer Sherman, who has been gone now for 2 years today. He was my our first "baby" and was just the perfect pup. We dearly miss him. And I do have to offer this: Be careful when choosing a veterinarian. Do not blindly trust the doctors. Always keep records and ask for documentation when your pets are given any sort of treatment, especially when in an in-patient type facility. We strongly believe our little dog would still be with us had he been properly cared for during his illness. 

Ack! That might have sounded a bit crazy, but I had to get it out there. 

Give your furry friends a hug and have a good Monday.

Mmm Mmm Good!

It's an iced-coffee-sort-of-day... It's Friday, sunny, and sadly, the last official day of Spring Break. I'm looking for a little way to celebrate and feel all happy inside. An iced coffee is definitely in order! I've recently discovered the McDonald's version... Not only is it de-li-cious, it's only $1.79 (for a large)! With a price tag so small, I've even paid for it with coins. Gotta love that! There are several flavors to choose from, but I can only speak for the "regular" flavored option. Scrumptious! I wasn't a frequent patron of MickyD's, but after seeing a few of these spots (darn commercials), I had to give it a try. (And there's no high fructose corn syrup in it, so it's not so bad, right?)

I can't help it... I'm a fan! You? 

Happy Friday! Have an ice-coffee-sort-of-day!

What's Your Type?

Have a minute or two? Check out this site. It is supposed to give you your "blog type", but when I saw mine pop up with the picture you see below, I knew we weren't dealing with a strange soothsaying formula. The first paragraph is not quite close to home, although I do like "soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells," but really, who doesn't? It was fairly spot-on in the 2nd paragraph. Maybe I'll go check out my horoscope for the day to see what's in store there. What's your type? I'd love to hear!

The entertaining and friendly type. They are especially attuned to pleasure and beauty and like to fill their surroundings with soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead - they are always in risk of exhausting themselves.

The enjoy work that makes them able to help other people in a concrete and visible way. They tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation - qualities that can make it hard for them in management positions.

{Thanks to A Thrifty Mrs for the heads up on this fun little link.}

Lucky Me!

I just discovered Southern Flair, (thanks Tonya!) and they are doing a giveaway month of handmade Etsy goods, one a day for 31 days. (That means there's 14 more days left!) I entered and won this adorable coin purse made by this creative lady. Check out her shop here. I know this phrase is way over used, but I'll go ahead and say it anyway, I never win anything. I'm just feeling all giddy and lucky over here! Hop over there and enter to win some neat things from some truely talented folks. You might just get lucky like me. Yay! (Lots of exclamation points going on in this here post, but it's just so fun to win!!) Have a splendid Wednesday!

A Bad Case of the "I Wants"

{kitchen image from Country Living, pillow from Pier 1,

 bedding & skirt from Anthropologie, tank from here, 

shoes from Piper Lime, furniture from The Dump.}

I keep a running list of things that I want. Occassionally I'll revisit my list and cross things off as the desire passes. It's my way to get it out of my head, or at least try. My current list just seems to be growing though... Good thing I don't need any of it (well, maybe just a few new duds).  What are you dreaming of right now?

Meal Planning Monday: Kid Friendly Recipes

{ This is the earliest photo I could find of my little gal baking... 4.5 years later, she's still loving the chef role!}

It's Spring Break for us this week and we are all four quite excited about it. We don't have any big travel plans, but we've talked about simple fun like going roller skating, taking the train with friends, and picnics at the park. I'm really looking forward to sleeping in (we all made it to 9:30AM on Sunday morning!) and not having to share my daughter with kindergarten for a whole week.  

I want to make our meals for this week a little more special, being both easy (so we don't have to spend tons of prep time) and fun (so everyone is excited about them... read: no complaints). I'm trying to think up some dinners that we can all prepare together and enjoy. This is what I have so far:

Build-Your-Own Pizzas: I haven't decided if we'll make one big pizza and everyone gets to "decorate" their own quadrant, or if we'll do personal pizzas. Either way, I know it'll be a winner for all involved. 

Bacon and Spinach Quiche: My daughter recently asked me out-of-the-blue what a quiche was, so I thought I'd show her first-hand. I bookmarked this recipe a little while ago, thinking it would be a good one to collaborate on and tasty too.  

Shamrock-Shaped Oatmeal Pancakes: For St. Patty's day breakfast, of course. Not sure what Irish-y meal I'd like to do for dinner though. Any ideas?

I'm not set to go to the grocery store until Tuesday or Wednesday, so I'd love to hear any of your kid-friendly recipe suggestions that would make our Spring Break meals seem extra special.

Happy Monday to YOU!!

ABCDEFG...

I love letters... Specifically the letters M, R, E, K and O, for these are the initials of each member of my family. We have them all around our house. Here's the arrangement on my dining room wall. (You'll notice my computer screen peaking in the shot because this is also serving as our office for now.)

I love happening upon our initials at flea markets or finding a selection of letters in a particularly cool font. I found these gold ones at Hobby Lobby (for $3.50 a piece on sale). We also have a vinyl M that is waiting to be put above our backdoor, among other letters throughout the house. Here are some neat options out there as well. They've got me thinking of new places to stash some personalization...

1st row: Hand Drawn Monogrammed Print, Oil Painting Print, 

Swirly Bird Vinyl Wall Monogram

2nd row: Monogram Wall Decal, Vintage Brushed Aluminum Letter, 

Primitive Paper Mache Letter, Cross Stitch Pattern

3rd row: Handmade Wire Letter, Op Art Fabric Panels, 

Handpainted Wall Canvas

Happy FRIDAY!

Good Times

wine + a fire + catching up on Lost = a perfect evening

(Who cares if it was only Wednesday night?)

More Affordable Art

Here's some more free art from The Indie Fixx. Read about the artists here. Such a neat deal they're doing over there. I could see that reading poster hanging out near our book box. (We love our books around here.)

Check this out! A really simple, yet oh-so-cool, how-to from Jess at Make Under My Life. She's got quite the creative knack.

And then there's The Bright Side Project where there were 28 days of art given away last month, and this month it's an accessory extravaganza! So many designers are contributing their artful pieces. Scroll back through all of the amazingly creative (and generous) artists and designers over there, and enter to win some mighty neat things.

Happy Wednesday to YOU!

Love Notes

I had to leave my house the other morning before my little ones were up and about. It had me in a bit of a glum mood, but my heart smiled when I came home to find this little pipe-cleaner message constructed by my daughter on our kitchen table. Just what I needed! Hope your heart finds lots of reasons to smile today!

Meal Planning Monday: Grocery Lists

This week is a completely different sort of week for us: we have one sick kid, I started a (temporary) part-time job, my husband is actively in search of a fabulous new job, along with a laundry list of other things. For a person who thrives on routines, I'm feeling slightly out-of-whack and a wee bit anxious. Planning is going to be even more necessary to help us adjust to our new "norm". My sweet husband is taking our daughter to the doctor today and doing the grocery shopping. I thought I'd help ensure success by organizing the grocery list for him, in hopes that he can get in and out of the market in the most efficient (and least miserable) manner possible. I divided the list into sections to correspond with the various areas of the store, and of course used my new favorite color combo to make it ever-so-cheery. (You can download the list here & print it out if it seems like something that would work for you too.)

As far as our meal plan for the week, I'm thinking Mexican... Our neighbor just supplied us with two jars of his homemade salsa and that's inspiration enough for me! Our week will look something like this:  

Mon & Tues: Chicken Fajita Salad (fajita meat, lettuce, tomato, avocado with ranch/salsa dressing mixture)

Wed: Quesadillas  (Have you tried Central Market's whole wheat tortillas? They stay soft and are so tasty!)

Thurs & Fri: White Bean Chili (Trying a new recipe from my friend Jenny. I listed it below. Looks scrumptious!)

Sat: Family Reunion (Lots of yummy food!)

Sun: I'm thinking Spaghetti with the leftover turkey meat.

White Bean Chili

1 lb ground turkey

1 packet of white chicken chili seasoning

1 can chicken broth

1 small can chopped green chilis

1 can of Northern White Beans (undrained)

1/4-1/3 cup whipping cream (optional, used to thicken a bit)

sour cream (for garnish, optional)

1. Brown the meat.
2. Add all other ingredients
3. Let simmer for about 2 hours
4. Top with sour cream, if desired.

Happy Monday...Hope your week is off to a smooth start!

Super Simple Display Frame

It seems to be fundraising season around here, and that means there are several silent auctions going on. I usually donate some cards and gift certificates, and I wanted to spruce up the way I display my work. The space at these events is usually limited, so in the past I've just set out a sample booklet, but I decided I wanted something a bit more eye-catching. This is what I came up with:

I spray-painted a frame purchased at a garage sale (Thanks Mom!) and screwed some small screw eyes into the back of the frame. I tied some grosgrain ribbon between each set of eye screws.   Then I used mini clothespins to hang my cards. Voila... Super easy!

It's Friday! Have a good one!!

Beautiful Baubles

Aren't these pretty? My daughter had the beads out, and we had such a nice time stringing them and digging for just the right ones. There's something quite calming about this whole activity. Here's a little tidbit we discovered: Stringing beads onto pipe cleaners is much simpler for little fingers. You have to push the beads into place and then they stay put. There are no pesky little beads slipping off and bouncing across the floor. So enjoyable!

Have a splendid almost Friday!

Creative Storage

I made a some fun purchases yesterday for my nook. (I just couldn't resist a few "new" items!) I have some crates and boxes that I'm planning to reuse for storage, but I wanted some interesting, little touches. Look at what I found at a cool antique mall near me, all totaling less than $20!

I'm seeing business cards in the little dishes, markers and colored pencils in the tins, clothes pins & fasteners in the jelly jars, a fun little project with that 'E', and I'm not quite sure about the wire-mesh basket yet, but it was free (from my generous mom).  The only thing I'm thinking I need at this point is fabric to cover my corkboard and for the curtain door. I suppose I'm looking for something that will work well with red, blue and green now. Do you think I can find some cool (and equally a steal) fabric to go along with my finds?

Happy Wednesday!

From Closet to Workspace

I am beyond excited about my soon-to-be workspace! I mentioned before that we are in the midst of a closet overhaul. (remember that vintage find during the clean out phase?) We have 1 closet finished, 1 just about complete, and 1 in the reloading stage... I'll post before and after pics of them all when the whole project is complete, but I just had to share some progress with you. My workspace is re-purposed and ready for me to make my own. Here's my blank slate (the paint is still not even quite dry):

It might not look like much, but this little closet had humble beginnings and got a super (budget friendly) face lift. It is now my workspace (all mine)! I have been thinking and dreaming and planning what my space will become, but now that it's actualized, I'm a little shell-shocked. Here's some inspiration I've been collecting along the way (as well as piles of dog-eared magazines). I have visions of bright storage, labels galore, interesting containers, displays, fabric, and on and on... I can't wait to get started! Any ideas?

{I'm not completely sure on the source of all of these wonderful images,

but I'll do my best... felt storage bins from Pottery Barn,

dotted labels, stamped journal tags,

wrapping station & ribbon/towel rack images from Country Living,

Amy Butler circle tags, wooden crates from Container Store}

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Meal Planning Monday: In Need of Inspiration?

So I sit down on Sunday evening with my cute menu planning pad and pencil. It's time to plan our week, but I'm blank. I open my refrigerater. Still no ispiration. Open the pantry. Same story. (How is it that when I look in those two places they appear to be full, yet there just isn't a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g to eat?) It's at this time I sit down for some online inspiration. I found it! Jane at This Week For Dinner posts her weekly plan, and her readers comment with their meal plans for the week! So many great ideas! This is just the motivation I needed to get me going for our week. Hop over there and I'm sure your meal planner will just fill right up too! We are playing pantry/frig cleanout this week. (Notice the full refrigerator below... It will all be consumed this week.) What's for dinner at your house?

Happy Monday to you all!