The wait has been painful. March 25, our wait will come to an end. Need a fix to hold you over?
Mad Men is back! (almost)
February 20th, 2012
real moms-it isn’t always pretty
February 17th, 2012
Want the real deal? Motherhood isn’t always pretty and it ‘aint for the faint of heart. I wanted to end the week with a list from what I’ll call real life motherhood. [Please note this is not a glamorized mommy blog written for people.com that gushes about the true gifts my children are and how mothering has only made me a more complete human.]
Real moms:
- drive their kids to school in their pajamas without brushing their hair or teeth
- yell
- switch their kids lunches in the mad dash out the door and are bitter when they have to “fix” the f*#^ up.
- need to drink wine (insert alcoholic beverage of choice) to do homework with their children.
- are exhausted by 9am
- buy syrup for a class party which contains high fructose corn syrup [gasp.]
- wonder daily how any of their children will turn out “normal”.
These statements are all taken from true stories told by real moms. Or they are all about me.
Remember, we are all in this together.
design inspiration: cuff me
February 16th, 2012The cuff bracelet. Long forgotten in the winter due the fact that we are all covered from head to wrist! Soon (let’s hope soonER than later), spring will arrive and the cuff bracelet will be back in the mix. The perfect way to add color, personality, or fun to your outfit!
Here are few I spied on nordstrom.com:
Moschitto Designs | Filigree
Tory Burch | Woven Turlock
Stephan & Co. | Beaded Chevron
Nordstrom | ‘Gold Water’ Textured
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well, why not.
February 15th, 2012
We broke out the fine china and crystal last night. It was just the four of us, but I said, “Why the hell not?” If not now…when?
What does Valentine’s Day look like for a housewife in suburbia with 2 young boys?
The Table:
- a glassybaby used as a vase for flowers
- specially decorated votive candle holder my oldest gave me today (made for me at a party coordinated by other wonderful women!)
- porcelain tea light holders {found at a local shop ~ c. michelle }
- marble wine coaster
- chalkboard napkin rings {at World Market or you can DIY}
- Waterford Lismore goblets
- Vintage Noritake China
Valentine’s lessons from a modern housewife:
- if you want flowers, buy them for yourself
- boys, 5 and 7 years old, can drink from a wine glass and use a cloth napkin
- keep it simple, but dress it up. (I am referring to the meal.)
- doritos look devine on fine china
- a pan of brownies and a heart shaped cookie cutter. (You never reveal how you baked brownies in perfect heart shapes.)
xoxoxo
THE BASIC SUGAR COOKIE
February 14th, 2012
I am a total sucker for a frosted sugar cookie. I love baking them, and find every excuse to bust out the cookie cutters. Hey, hey-it’s Valentine’s Day! My little boys and I cut two pans of cookies last night and lovingly frosted them. We keep our frosting and decorating super simple. Icing and colored sugars. (Anything more complicated and I get frustrated..which ruins all my fun.)
I do have the MOST amazing recipe-which I will share with you. It comes straight from the domestic-goddess herself. Who else? Martha Stewart. I have two tips which should ensure the perfectly baked cookie. First, roll your dough thick-approximately 1/2″. If they are too thin, they turn out crispy. Secondly, don’t over bake them. Watch them carefully and pull them out of the oven when the bottom edges are just golden.
The Basic Sugar Cookie (with a few tips)- from Everyday Food | Holiday ’06
2 cups flour
½ tsp. Baking powder
¼ tsp. Salt
1 stick butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
Whisk together flower, baking powder and salt. In mixer, beat butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low, add dry ingredients gradually. Beat until combined. Divide dough in half; flatten into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic. Freeze until firm-at least 20 minutes (or refrigerate overnight).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove dough and let stand for 10 minutes. Roll dough and cut out shapes on floured surface. (First tip is to roll dough thick. This makes softer cookies.) Bake for 10-18 minutes. (Second tip is to pull cookies from oven when edges are JUST golden. You don’t want to over bake your cookies.)
Easy icing:
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
3-4 Tbs. Milk.
Whisk together. Add food coloring if you would like. Frost cookies and let set, about 20 minutes.
**If you don’t like to bake or just short on time, order the GORGEOUS cookies pictured above from the Etsy shop, Sugar Me Desserterie **
Target: color me happy!
February 13th, 2012New commercial from Target. {makes me happy, happy}
Add color somewhere! Happy Monday.
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I couldn’t help myself
February 10th, 2012For the first time in 7.5 years I had a night off AT HOME. I have plenty of nights out, but I have never-since the birth of my oldest son-had a night off and got to stay home. My husband openly admits he enters a full “lock down” when I am gone. No one comes in, no one goes out. The boys are getting older and he is beginning to lift his self-inflicted isolation. Even venturing out with both of them when I am home (gasp!). Another perk to my boys learning to ski…..night skiing with dad on Thursday night! “Party rock is in the house tonight!’
What did I do with my time, you ask? I couldn’t help myself.
First stop, manicure/pedicure. I totally splurged and treated myself! Usually I just have them shape and buff my finger nails. Not tonight. Check it!
Spring has sprung. At least on my nails! Color me happy.
butter | London in Slapper
Next stop, take out. Picked up Pho soup to enjoy at home.
And finally I got to watch Season 1: Episode 1 of Downtown Abbey. Reminds me of a Jane Austen novel. (Love.) Totally indulgent and worth the chatter. Can’t wait to watch the next episode.
Can you appreciate my enthusiasm? If I am granted another night, it most likely will be filled with dishes, laundry, and tidying the house. Since nothing in life is guaranteed (including nights off), I lived this one to the fullest!
~denise
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odds and ins
February 7th, 2012The CHAOS got the best of me this last week! I am totally behind and so I will not give a new task for the week. (Oh, it is secretly great when you control the homework assignments. But that is entirely a different blog post!)
A few odds and ins:
1. I Loved with a capital L …… Smash last night. Did you see it? I can’t wait until next week. This was my favorite scene.
2. Love that App: Where’s my Water?
I recently downloaded this app and played it Saturday morning with my youngest for 2 hours. We were in the ski lodge with time to kill. We both think is was pretty super! Produced by Disney, it is thoughtful in its design. My kids adore the graphics and all the levels to unlock. I appreciate that it is a physics based game with tons of reasoning skills needed to complete each level. Cause and effect is taught through the introduction of toxic ooze, algae, traps and triggers. Bottom line though, it is just plain fun. (Plus, I love the price at $.99!)
3. Vitamin D is good for the soul (and spirit and mental well-being)!
go out and SMASH it!
February 6th, 2012
TONIGHT!
NBC 10pm.
Love, love that Debra Messing is back on TV. Along with Anjelica Huston and cutie pie Katherine McPhee…it might be more than I can take on a Monday night. Steven Spielberg produces. I truly hope that it lives up to all the hype. Check it out tonight.
Just can’t wait, like me? http://www.nbc.com/smash/
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too faced
February 5th, 2012You might also like:
A Few of My Favorites
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