What to Wear Weekend

The weekend is here!  Time for all of the fun dinners-out, parties, activities with kids, etc. If you are anything like me, you him and haw over what to wear.  I thought I would share some outfit ideas for your weekends.  I wore this look last Saturday, out for a friend's Birthday. The dress is so comfortable and can easily be dressed up or down! 

Velvet- Ember Tired Tube Dress-$124

Bamboleo Necklace-$228

Camilla Ring-$49

Baby Flower Post Earrings- $24

Espadrille Sandals- $79.95

Stone Fold-over Clutch-$98

Denim Jacket- $69.50

I hated posing for this, but everyone likes to see the outfit on someone! 

Mother's Day Ideas

Mother's Day is on May 8th!  

Here are some beautiful items that Mom is sure to love!  But of course, the BEST present is spending time with your Mom!  Enjoy the day! 

Pursfection Portable Purse Organizer with 9 Pockets

  I LOVE this purse organizer.  I keep all of my essentials in it-phone, wallet, lipsticks, etc.  When I switch from purse to purse or diaper bag to diaper bag- all I have to do is grab this and throw it in my new bag!  And the best part, it's only $20 at QVC.

Stella & Dot mix and match charms necklaces

I love the endless possibilities of these charm necklaces.  You chose your base necklace- 15", 18", 30" in gold or silver.  Then you pick some adorable, personalized charms.  Wouldn't Mom love her kids initials, birthstones or a "mom" charm.  It also makes Birthday and Christmas shopping easier-just pick out some new charms!  

Cole Haan 'Jitney - Kendra' Printed Canvas Tote

This is the perfect summer purse/tote.  Comes in a number of beautiful colors- bright and neutral.  A printed bag like this can make your whole outfit.  Just pop on your favorite jeans and a white tank and this purse will make it look put-together!

PB Paperwhite monogrammed soaps

What Mom wouldn't love these beautiful looking and smelling soaps.  The personalization will really impress her! They will look beautiful in the powder room or her master bath sink. 

 

Nordstrom Tissue Weight Cashmere Wrap

I love, love, love this wrap!  I have had it for 3 years (in Fushia) and use it year round.  It is perfect as a scarf under your wool coat in the winter.  It is also light weight enough to use in the air conditioning in the summer.  You can even use it as a pashmina to keep your arms warm in a cocktail dress.  SO many possibilities! 

High Gloss Magazine

Have you heard the buzz?  Have you seen the gorgeousness? High Gloss magazine is back with a second issue, April/May 2011. Check out the beautiful fashions and home design.  Don't miss the interview with the amazingly talented Diane von Furstenberg (page 22).  You know, the incredible woman behind the coveted wrap dress- Well, she has now brought her talents to the interior design world with the launch of DVF Home.

My other favs:
The beautiful lamps on page 19 (I have a slight obsession with lighting, thanks to my sister-in-law, AJ- don't worry, I will devote an entire post to this one!)

Statement necklaces on page 25 (I LOVE a big necklace- it can make even the simplest outfit)

The lovely Mother's Day table settings on page 50 (can you believe Mother's Day is in less than 2 weeks?)

The gorgeous zebra runner up the staircase on page 59 (who doesn't love classic animal prints)

And the BEST part- this magazine is free! Let it inspire you to bring something beautiful into your life!

Meatless Monday- Lunch!

LUNCH!

And here is my much anticipated lunch!!

1- La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious Tortillas (80 cal., 3g fat, 12g fiber, 8 g protein)

Sabra Hummus- any flavor! (I used pine nut, but garlic is also yummy!)

Del Destino fire roasted red peppers (rinsed & sliced)

Black Olives (rinsed & sliced)

Spinach (I was actually out of spinach today- gasp!)

cantaloupe slices

ALL items were purchased from my favorite- Costco. Next Monday- Dinner!

Enjoy!

p.s. I rinsed the peppers and olives to cut down on sodium!

Meatless Monday

Meatless Monday is a non-profit initiative by The National Meatless Monday Campaign partnered with the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Center for a Livable Future. 

They provide information and recipes needed to start each week with healthy, environmentally friendly meat-free alternatives. The goal is to help people reduce meat consumption by 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of the planet.  Meatless Monday is just that- NO meat all day on Mondays, for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  I am inspired by the Meatless Monday idea to share recipes and meal ideas for anyone who wants to try being vegetarian, just for a day!  


For breakfast I will have my usual:

3/4 cup slow-cook oatmeal
1/4 cup blueberries (I use frozen, helps cool it down, too!)
a handful chopped walnuts 
cinnamon
coffee!


Health Tip:
You can cut your chance of cancer by 40%, heart disease by 50% and Type 2 diabetes by 60% by switching to a whole foods, vegetarian diet!
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine


Check back later for lunch!

The "Original Martha Stewart"

With Easter upon us, I am remembering how I spent Easter as a child. After finding our baskets, eating some eggs & chocolate, and attending church, we would go to my Grandmother's huge Easter Brunch. She had brunch for her whole extended family.

We lost my Grandma this year, so I wanted to take the time to remember her. I wish you all a wonderful Easter holiday.  Enjoy your time with the family you have, and remember the family you've lost! Happy Easter!

My Grandma was definitely not your typical Grandma. She was on the go and kept up with the world. She epitomized the feisty redhead- She was direct and told it how it was, but always with laugher and complete love.

I call her the original Martha Stewart because she was a master crafter and seamstress. She was "green" before green was a "thing" or a fad. For her it was called being creative and thrifty. She raised 6 amazing children on one income in a 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom house. She thrived on organization. This meant that Grandma had to make due with what she had, and use her amazing gift of creativity. The paper milk cartons were cut down as dividers for paper clicks and rubber bands. The top elastic of panty hose were cut off to be used as large rubber bands for board games and puzzles. If you happen to find yourself at her home without your bathing suit, you could just look in the swim bag of extra suits made out of the plastic rings tops that held pop cans together.

She hated to cook, and I never saw her in a rocking chair knitting. We absolutely saw her on a computer, a label maker and a laminator. The first VCR I ever saw, was in her family room. The first remote control, again, in Grandma's house. Mind you, we had to sit at the edge of the pull-out sofa, basically on top of the TV to use the remote, because it was attached by a cord!

She loved games and puzzles of all kinds. When my siblings, cousins and I would sleep over her house, we played a multitude of games- Family Feud, Rack-O, and eventually compute games. She spent time with us and loved us. When we all had to pile in the station wagon for a 12 hour drive to my Uncle Tommy's wedding in Boston, Grandma made each of us a bag of car "entertainment". (This was way before the In-Car-DVDs and Game Boys. ) When she watched us over Valentine's Day while my parents were on vacation, we came home from school to an intricate scavenger hunt for each of us ( and I have 6 siblings!)

My love for organization came form my Grandma. When she would stay with us she would make us dump all of our laundry on the floor in the dining room. She taught me how to sort, treat stains and most importantly, how to fold. I am crazy abut the way every item that comes out of my dryer is folded. She explained to me how to fold towels so that they looked best in your linen closets and how to minimize "fold" marks on your shirts. Next, was the toy area in the basement. We again dumped everything into the middle of the room and she taught us how to organize it all. (It honestly just dawned on me why I spend every nap-time and early evening meticulously sorting my children's toys into bins and making sure every piece is with the right toy.)

Her dining room floor sparkled with hundreds of push pins. You see, her dining room was mostly used as a sewing room. Communion dresses, bridesmaid dresses and the like were created there. She created absolutely stunning clothes. My mother told stories of copied dresses she made with ease.

The hardest part of life is losing someone you love. The importance of someone's life is easily determined by what they left behind. Well, Grandma left an amazing husband, 6 wonderful children, 27 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. All, who I have no doubt, will keep part of her alive. I know that she helped shape me and those lessons will be passed on again and again.

I miss and love you, Grandma. Thank you for everything!

Color of the Year!

Pantone, Inc. is the world-renowned expert on color.  Every year they chose the "Color of the Year" for fashion and home. This year, for 2011, The Pantone Color of the Year is: Honeysuckle!  The beautiful, bold, deep pink is inspired by the honeysuckle flower.  It is fun, fresh, feminine and energetic.  And, doesn't it just make you feel happy?

Here are some inexpensive ways to add Honeysuckle to your Spring and Summer Wardrobe:

All items under $100.00

B.P. Valentine Sandal in "Fushia"- Nordstrom $49.95

Halogen Crewneck Cardigan in "Raspberry"- Nordstrom $44

Nike Pro Racerback Bra in "Spark"- Nordstrom $28

Longchamp Le Pliage- Mini in "Fushia"- Nordstrom $98

Lush Blouson Dress in "Pomegranate"- Nordstrom $38

Betsy Johnson Ribbed Pajamas in "Think Pink"- Nordstrom- $69

Check back for ways to add Honeysuckle to you home & beauty products! 

Easter!

The girls had an Easter Egg Hunt at their preschool.  It is a class with 7 students- ALL girls!  When we went to visit, they said the class was all girly-girls who love princesses and dress-up.  E & K fit right in! They love it!

This was making me think how much they have changed from their first easter:

On my night stand

With three little ones under 3, I am lucky that I do not crash the moment my sleepy head hits the pillow!  However, I am trying to unwind at night with a book rather than television (which is very activating- not good for falling asleep).

My nightstand:

Here are the books I am loving right now:

The One Hundred, by Nina Garcia

Nina Garcia is a fashion journalism icon.  She has been fashion director for Elle & Marie Claire magazines. You may also know her from Project Runway.  She is one of the judges alongside Michael Kors & Heidi Klum. This book lists the 100 items every woman should have in their closet. These are classic pieces that every women should invest in and use as the base of their wardrobes.  Check back to see how I mix and match some of these classic pieces into my wardrobe.

Veganist, by Kathy Freston

What is the difference between a vegetarian and a vegan? Vegetarians do not eat meat, whereas vegans do not eat ANY animal products.  This includes dairy and eggs.  While I am not a vegan, reading this book has made me lean vegan or become Veganist.  Kathy is so realistic about making small changes to get healthier.  By being conscious about what we eat, we can prevent disease, lose weight and feel all around better.  

The 5 Love Languages, by Gary Chapman

After close to 8 years of marriage (almost 10 together), I am still madly in love with my husband.  He is my best friend and I love spending time with him.  But, with work, kids, and house hold responsibilities, it is not as easy as when we first met and fell in love- when we were footloose and fancy-free.  It may not always be easy, but we are 100% committed and realize that we have to work on it.  This book focuses on tailoring your message to the person you are delivering it to.  It helps remind me how to show my husband appreciation and love, in the way that he appreciate and responds to it.  

What are you reading?

No more cribs!

Our baby b "t" has decided to climb out of his crib at just 18 months!  He is climbing on everything, so we have had to clear everything out of his room and leave just a full bed.  Otherwise, I may see him on my Mobi Cam standing of his dresser.  It is a hard day.  We at one point had 3 cribs in our house.  We now have zero.   Our babies just keep growing. But I am looking at the positive side.  He is happy, healthy, and thriving.  I can't ask for more than that.  The above pictures are me reminiscing on when he was still a little baby in his crib.

I am also focusing on the fact that I get to design a big boy room!  My husband would like something all boy-- sports! Here are some inspirations:

Pottery Barn Kids junior varsity kendall room

Pottery Barn Kids junior varsity kids bedroom

Home Design House

We would definitely not go this far, but what a cool bedroom!

I would favor something softer, more soothing, that baby b "t" could actually sleep in. Like this:

Restoration Hardware

What do you like?

What do you eat?

I am a total health food nut and vegetarian.  My husband is, well, not.  Over our 7 years of marriage, he has succumb to this way of life. (Probably because I do ALL of the shopping, meal planning & cooking!) I have done enough research to support my position, so he now understands all of the health benefits and is at least vegetarian at home.

Now that we have toddlers who need to be fed, he no longer believes in my vegetarian ways.  The funny thing is, before we got married we discussed, I thought, every detail of how we wanted to raise our children- religion, parenting styles, schooling, discipline.  Mind you, a lot of that has been tweaked as soon as those little bundle of joys arrived home; but, the core values are still there.  Honestly, how we would feed our children never entered my mind as a discussion point.  But it has been quite a point of contention between us.

We have done a great deal of compromising over the past 2 years.  The kids are also vegetarian at home but do have chicken nuggets and french fries every once in awhile.  I ate meat growing up,  so I am being flexible, and I am okay with that.  But health is still the name of the game in our kitchen!

Since I am so passionate about the health benefits of certain foods (and the negative benefits of certain food), and since so many people ask me what we eat, part of this blog will give health tips, recipes, and little known facts about food & diet.  Hopefully you will enjoy this as much as I do!  So, here is my first tip!

Health Tip -  Many people are familiar with the heart benefits of eating olive oil.  But what many people DON'T know- is that olive oil is best served as a dressing or light drizzle over food.  When cooking with olive oil, only use low-medium heat (light sauteing).  If heated on high setting, it actually becomes a carcinogen.  So, when cooking at high temperatures, choose sunflower, safflower,  sesame, or avocado oil.   
Read more about how to use oils:
Kitchen Oil Uses

Blog in Progress!

I am working with Jenna from q.a. design to beautify my blog!  It is almost finished! What do you think?