cardi's and cookbooks....

So, yes, really I've just been wanting to dance around the house today, singing "Spring Feeeeeeeevaaaaaaa" at the top of my lungs. What is NOT to like about Spring? Here's what I like:

Flip Flops (I know, if you hear me say that again, you are going to beat your head against a wall)

The clothing. I love wearing jeans, flip flops (don't hate me), and a cardi (that's my slang for cardigan). And by the way, all the cute lightweight cardi's are $20 at Old Navy right now, go stock up! There is way more to choose from in-store than online. I am not that impressed with the online selection (as usual). So bouge on over there tout de suite.....

And on to an entirely different topic....birthday cake. My son has a birthday coming up, and like me, he doesn't love birthday cake. So we have to get creative. This year I am making THIS.

It's ooey gooey. One of my all time fav's. Tried and true recipe.....mmmmmm........when the boy saw this, he swooned. It's decided! Oh...what I would give for a slice of this RIGHT NOW!

This recipe comes from one of my very favorite cooking blogs, and they just came out with their very own cookbook!! I am a total sucker for cookbooks. I am going to have to get me one of these babies!

Don't you just love a good cookbook? And a nice, affordable cardi?

winter all over the world.....

Who is sick of winter? Besides ME! Oh, come on, I know you are! My sister in Indiana reports her cul de sac to be an ice skating rink, a friend in Texas tells me that they've had no power for two days, and a Facebook friend in Chicago writes of a closed airport because of feet and FEET of snow! Here, we are enjoying super-duper inversion with intense drops in the temps....and I've about had it!

I am longing for the days of flip flops, lazy days on the grass, trips to the beach, feeding the ducks, picnics, jogs in the morning WITHOUT my limbs freezing off, and most of all....seeing other people. Our neighborhood is like a ghost town in the winter time. It is lonely.

I seriously can't fathom having the desire to build one more snowman this winter. "No, kids....no more snowmen".....

However....I have a solution to dodging the three foot snowman. Minis! Mini snowman! I found them here....

Look how cute:

So next time it snows (and it WILL!)...I am going to suggest that we make THESE little minis instead...

what's for dinner....

Isn't it crazy, when you become so obsessed with something, how you start to notice it ALL around you? Since I made my New Year's Resolution (see below) to eat more dinners together as a family, and to make it meaningful, I've been seeing or noticing "family dinner" examples EVERYWHERE! The Today Show, People Magazine, and Rachael Ray.....HERE

Gwyneth Paltrow (my all time favorite actress since I first say her play the role of Emma) appeared on Rachael Ray last week, and her interview was so entertaining. What a graceful, lovely and funny girl she is! To Rachael, she mentioned having family dinner with her family. And about her dad, she says, "He kind of taught me that just eating a meal with the people that you love is like the biggest success in life ..." She is coming out with a cookbook in April, My Father's Daughter. I can't wait to check it out! (She also mentioned that she is completely OCD, has to be in control of everything, and takes a bath religiously every single night....leaving me to wonder if she and I were separated at birth!!! Gwyneth, am I your long, lost twin?) And let's not forget that Gwyneth ROCKED Glee a few weeks ago....she left me absolutely amazed.

I found an old mini-chalkboard in my basement, and brought it upstairs to put on an easel on my kitchen counter. It's our new daily menu board. (Cafe Adrienne, ha ha!). Each day, I write 'what's for dinner' on it. My kids LOVE it. And I better not stray one bit from what's written on it. They come home from school expecting EXACTLY what's written on that little chalkboard menu. It's hilarious.

My kids have been helping, too. Chopping, cutting, stirring....setting the table, cleaning up. They are involved. And it makes me so happy. We are all in the kitchen together, helping. TOGETHER being the key word.

Now, the challenge? Deciding what to make every day. That's the challenge. I've never perused so many cook books or cooking blogs in my life.

This week, I am trying THIS....looks good! I even found a killer deal on a Cuisinart this week at the Macy's sale, so I'll be choppin' zuchini all day long!

My New Year's Resolution

At the close of 2010, I am trying to decide what 'realistic' New Year's resolution I would like to set for myself. Every year, I seem to set my sights too high, only to be disappointed at the results. This year, I decided to set a goal for our family. It just seems like, right now, everything I do revolves around the health and happiness of my family. There is a time and a season for everything, and right now, that time and season is my family.

So......for Christmas, my mom gave me this:

Have you heard of it?

I have to admit, I started sweating a little when I unwrapped it. Pressure. Oh, the pressure to improve something I know I am lacking in.

With a family that has a crazy schedule, football games, baseball games, sports practices, a self- employed hubby who works some crazy hours and likes to go to the gym after work, piano lessons, dance lessons, gymnastics, after school stuff, etc., etc.......who has time to SIT down at a regular time every night at the dinner table and have a civilized, organized, well prepared family dinner? I admit, I TRY. I do make a healthy dinner every night. But it's usually me doing all the work, and eating up at the island/bar. Sometimes we watch the news, too. And hubby nowhere in sight. AND it often ends with a child crying because he/she doesn't like what's for dinner, one child pretending it's comedy hour at the dinner table, and TONS of left-overs because noone will eat. And a very frustrated mom. Phew.

Soooooo.........for the last few days, I've been reading this book. And lo and behold, it's fabulous. It's inspiring. Full of ideas. Full of inspiration and positive thoughts. Rules of thumb for a sucessful dinner experience. Great recipes to try. Beautiful pictures. And LOTS of reasons why to keep trying to instigate family dinner. Oh, and there is even a helpful website to go along with it.....here

This is my New Year's Resolution. Family Dinner. At least 4 times a week. Children HELPING. Making new recipes. Trying new things. Making a weekly menu, putting it up where everyone can see it. Turning the TV off. Having meaningful conversation. Now, I need to work on a cute place to write the menu and job/meal chart. I have the perfect place to hang it. :)

Hold on to your meatballs. It could be a bumpy ride.

my one obsession

OK, that's a lie. I have MANY obsessions....chocolate, Glee, little eiffel tours....to name a few. But recently, I have to say, I am OBSESSED with cute, unique trays and platters. I love to find unique trays to display in my home. I love melamine, I love ceramic, I love earthenware, I love glass. There is no end to my tray loving obsession. And I just recently purchased THIS cutie over at Pottery Barn. Who can resist the blues and greens and hello???? ROBIN EGGS?!! I swept this up as fast as I could, rushed it home, and found the nearest easil. And I have thoroughly enjoyed it. It's so hard to find a holiday platter that ISN'T in the shape of a snowman or nutcracker (not that I don't enjoy those too.....)

I have had so much fun browsing Target, Crate and Barrel, and Williams Sonoma for my new obsession...look what I found, the butterfly and Home Sweet Home are two of my fav's and they are from Target (never lets me down!) and in melamine, another new obsession.

Check out the cardinal platter (from etsy.com) and the black and white platter (also etsy). Did you know you can have your family silhouette placed on a platter at etsy.com as well? The gold platter and red and green mosaic are from Target. The Party Etiquette is from Williams Sonoma. Cute as can be. So unique.... This one is also from Target, and more mainstream for the holidays:

not that I don't still love these:

to gift, or not to gift?

Teacher gifts........ hmmmmm.......

I have to say, I'm not too creative in this department. I've had this conversation recently with my girlfriends...."what do you give a teacher for Christmas?" Do you give something he/she can use in the classroom? Do you give something they have to haul home with 100 other presents? Or do you give something easily consumed in the day? Like a baked goody? Or maybe a gift card to be used on whatever their heart desires? OR do you just stick with a homemade card from your child?

I have to say, when school let out for the summer last year, we gave each teacher a personalized notebook, stationary, notepad, etc....and they raved about them. It's something with their name on it that they can use in the classroom to send notes home or write reminders to students. Etsy.com is FULL of these cute custom notepads. I got mine from the sweetlifepaper shop on etsy, you should browse the cool ideas!

This year we did your basic anti-bac soap and hand sanitizer in holiday scents from good ol' Bath and Body Works.....but I think there are better ideas out there, and I want you to share them with me!

Go....Utes?

One word: BLING. And those of you who know me, KNOW that there's NOTHING wrong with THAT.Disclaimer: I feel like a complete traitor even featuring this on my blog, but I had to spread the word.....

Victoria's Secret has CUTE University of Utah apparel! Do you know how hard it is to find cute university tees to wear to games? Hubby likes to give all of our money to the RED school....by purchasing season football tickets and basketball tickets......so occasionally I have to accompany. Well, I walked into Victoria's Secret yesterday and nearly fell over due to the cuteness of these shirts. Red, black, and BLING! Unfortunately the website doesn't feature the red or black shirt....you must go to the store....and they sell out quickly!

Ps: (Go Cougars!)..... there is some BLUE left......