T H A T ‘ S A W R A P !
>>> May, 2013 <<<
:: nicole ::
:: sara ::
Recipe Organization
:: Recipe Organization ::
If you are anything like me, a beautiful magazine focused on food, wine, design, or the outdoors is a prized read as a mother. I still love a hard copy version of a magazine. They are quick and easy when life is hectic. The problem is, all of those Martha Stewart Living, Sunset Magazine, and HGTV Magazines start to pile up. The dog-eared pages of recipes, vacations, and DIY’s start to multiply in my magazine rack {that in it self seems to be a black hole}. So with the mantra and song that beats to the rhythm of Olivia Newton John’s “Physical”, I myself want to “Get organized, organized.”
The best way to do that with recipes is to organize them in a binder. I know I know there is such a thing as cataloging recipes on websites etc., but I am old fashioned and I love the recipes I have collected over years. I also enjoy and often download recipes from blogs that I follow, as well as from Pinterest. Yes it is somewhat of an upkeep, but it is the easiest way to find a recipe for a special occasion or for a quick and easy family dinner.
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Berry Smoothie
:: Berry Smoothie ::
Fruits and vegetables are a struggle in my household. I have a picky eater on my hands, and a little girl who eats enough fruit for the two of them. Vegetables seem to be the bigger battle of the two, so why not throw in a couple into a smoothie?
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Birchbox Beauty Favorites
:: BIRCHBOX FAVORITES ::
I love products…. but I certainly don’t go to beauty supply stores and shop for myself often. With four kids, it seems like all shopping these days is for them…. not mama! Birchbox is perfect for someone like me! At only ten dollars a month, I don’t feel bad with the small purchase. The added bonus is that you don’t pay additional shipping and it comes in the mail… so it’s like opening up a little present once a month! I had every intention of doing a monthly review of its contents… but that hasn’t happened… In fact, I’ve only done this one {which you can view here}. In lieu of the monthly review, I decided to share with you several of my favorite products that I have received over the past five months. All of my favorites are on the Birchbox Best Sellers list, which means I am not alone in my opinions! These products are of great quality and ones I will purchase for myself once my samples run out.
theBalm // Put A Lid On It
A little goes a long way with this amazing eyelid primer! I have used several other brands. This one happens to be less money, while still producing the same lasting, creaseless effect! Your shadows and eyeliner will stay on all day long! At times, I hesitate when about to wash off my eye makeup {at the end of the day} because it still looks perfect! I’m not one to sleep in my makeup, but I almost wonder if you could! You would probably wake up with your eyes looking flawless, assuming you’re a back sleeper! This product retails for $18.
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{weekend} lovelies
:: Weekend Lovelies ::
This weekend lovelies is a glimpse of summer lovin’ and the good old U.S. of A….
Oklahoma // The Pioneer Woman
Our hearts and prayers have been with Oklahoma this week. It’s so hard to wrap our minds around natural disasters. One of our cooking inspirations is Ree Drummond. Her photographs have captured the scenery of Oklahoma for many years. On her blog this week, she has listed ways in which we all can help out. Click {here} for more information on ways to help Oklahomans during their time of need.
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DIY: Paint a Chevron Striped Wall
:: DIY TUTORIAL | PAINT A CHEVRON STRIPED WALL ::
When we decided to put our two youngest {Sophia & Finn} in a room together… we knew we had to re-paint to make it suitable for both of them. Since I’m obsessed with the color gray {and it’s gender neutral}, we chose to paint three of the walls in a solid gray, and paint a chevron stripe pattern on the fourth wall to make things a bit more lively {admittedly… Miss Blue was slightly traumatized over the gray, and did refuse to sleep there until we told her she could paint her next room bright pink}!
Lucky for me…. all I had to do was ask my sweet Husby if he’d do it, and of course….he said YES! He is super handy and much more of a perfectionist when it comes to things like this. I am a little more book smart, so I used my talents to research the best method {and supervised the rest of the process, as any good wife would do}! The taping was a little intense… but most people probably won’t have their levels and yard sticks out measuring and re-measuring the way we did!
Almond Poppy Seed Muffins
:: ALMOND POPPY SEED MUFFINS ::
Isn’t it funny how certain sights, sounds, tastes, and smells evoke emotions and bring back memories? Well… the smell and taste of these muffins do just that for me. It brings me back to my early high school years spent in San Diego…. Happy memories surfaced of the carefree days spent with one of my best high school friends. We used to make these muffins after school or on the weekends. Back then, we made them from a boxed mix… and they really were delicious! I think we’d practically devour the whole dozen! I haven’t seen them since those years, long ago. I have found lemon poppyseed muffin mix… but that just isn’t the same in my opinion! There is just something magical about the combination of almonds with poppy seeds!
A Book Review
:: A Book Review ::
We {heart} a Book Review from our friend Kimberly at Book Reader Chronicles. With summer just around the corner, we are excited to add these recommendations to our reading lists. For additional reviews on the latest novels, please visit her site at www.bookreaderchronicles.com, or go and “like” her Facebook page!
If you’ve been browsing your local bookstore or walking through the aisles of Target or Wal-Mart, then maybe you’ve seen these book covers:
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{weekend} lovelies
:: Weekend Lovelies ::
I rarely plan weekend lovelies. Sometimes I bookmark things I come across during the week, but more often than not… I sit at the computer and just let my mind wander. It’s almost therapeutic… leaving the week behind me and letting my mind take over as my fingers dash across the keyboard searching the contents of my subconscious. After a trying week keeping up with my favorite four and Husby’s unrelenting work schedule, I was clearly in the mood for all things light, bright, and pretty — but mostly as they relate to cooking, kitchens, and entertaining. Enjoy, friends … and have a lovely weekend! {xo}
Small Plates & Sweet Treats // Aran Goyoaga
Aran has a gorgeous food blog {one of my favorites}, Cannelle et Vanille. She released her first cookbook called Small Plates and Sweet Treats which documents her families journey to a gluten-free lifestyle through flavorful, fresh cooking.
Cannelle et Vanille // Aran Goyoaga
Two delicious recipes from Aran’s blog: The Simplicity of Trifle | A Quinoa Salad Full of Spring.
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Gift Ideas for Teacher Appreciation
Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas are always needed this time of the year. With Mason, we have a “team” of what I like to refer as “angels” that help him to continue to progress in his main stream classroom with his peers. How do you find a way to say how much you appreciate them? Due to the number of people that are in his support team, I am often pondering ways in which I can purchase special “thank you” gifts to show our appreciation.