The Tin Thimble

I just had one of the best kind of Saturday afternoons and I am newly inspired!! You see, my Mom found these great, never used margarita and martini glasses from Pottery barn on Craig's list and found out the lady selling them owns, with her Mom, a cute little sewing shop called The Tin Thimble (here's a link to their blog). Naturally, she invited me along to pick them up, knowing this is right up our ally! From seeing the fantastic, vintage inspired stuff they make, I am inspired to learn to sew:) When I was little, my grandma tried to teach me but I was never really too interested, but now that I am learning all of the fabulous things I can make myself (and save money buying) I want to learn. We definitely have the crafty gene in our blood:) I bought this adorable handkerchief (and yes, I plan on using it for traditional purposes!) at the Tin Thimble!



We were told by the lady about some other places we should stop by around the cute little town of Newcastle. We had lunch and bought some local produce at the Newcastle Produce Market. Learning while we were there that they also hold cooking/technique classes. I plan on attending the cupcake and sushi class! Oh, these are two different classes:) And finally we stopped by a vintage second hand shop where I picked up some past issues of Country Living for $.25. They actually aren't old at all, one of them is the June 2009 issue! I never thought it was my kind of magazine, but as I started flipping through it I realized it is full of DIY projects, great recipes and encouragement about living green and shopping locally. I am happy my magazine subscriptions are just up, as I may add Country Living to my monthly reads:)

Okay, I'm off to get ready for Darrell's birthday party! Enjoy this glorious Saturday!

Yumminess for the Weekend

As I was updating my recipe box on Whole Foods website this afternoon, I stumbled upon some recipes I just couldn't resist sharing. The first is for black bean burgers. I am constantly on the lookout for alternative burger recipes so I am excited to try this one! The second is a fun dessert that is sure to please anybody you have over. I actually think this would be a good dessert for camping:) Click on the title to get to the recipe.

Homemade Black Bean Burgers



Grilled Bananas with Sweet Toppings



Happy cooking!

More Cramped by the Minute

Happy Friday guys!! This week went by in a snap:)

I just finished cutting up tomatoes, onions and lettuce for our work bbq today. Phew, those onions were brutal to my still teary eyes! My little platter looks cute though:)

Oh and speaking of cute, I have to show off my FAB-ulous new chairs! Um, yes, we bought MORE furniture!! I just can't pass up such a good find when I know we won't be here significantly longer and even though it may be cramped, at least everyone can have a cozy seat!

Please ignore that they are randomly strewn in our living room! We got both chairs and the ottoman for $200!! They are exactly what I have been looking for and look brand new! What can I say, I've been told I'm a hardcore nester!



In addition to picking up our chairs last night, we also watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I mean, the acting was great and I liked the story, but it was so unrealistic. Not that I am against using my imagination..Oh I don't know, I think I liked it. Did you see it? Any thoughts?

This weekend is Darrell's big 40th birthday party! Woo hoo! I have been designated the official (unprofessional) photographer:) Shocking, I know! I can't wait for the weekend to be here!!!

Enjoy the last work day of the week!!

A Glimpse

Today I woke up full of excitement and I can't really explain why! Does that ever happen to you? Where you practically beat your alarm clock to the punch and bounce right out of bed? I love when that happens! I think today is going to be a good day!!

Nothing thrills me in the morning quite like catching a glimpse of an incredible sunrise! Enjoy the beauty around you today!

Schedule Change!

So the last few days have been quite eventful for the Hansen's! We were so happy to have an extra day off this week. Even though I didn't get much done around the house, we were in the wonderful company of our friends and family all day! We started out at Awful Annie's for breakfast with our parents (love them!), and then the two of us went to the Sacramento jazz festival. I just love Oldtown Sac! we enjoyed delicious soft serve ice cream, walked around the cute shops while listening to wonderful jazz all afternoon! Then we headed over to the Reed's house for a BBQ and ended up staying late into the evening:) I call our weekend a success!

I am loving that this week is already half over! I also love that I have a new phone!! Woohoo! It's the Samsung Propel and it's the cutest shade of green:)

And speaking of new, my Mom bought us a fantastic set of stainless steel cookware from Entertaining at Home as an early Anniversary present! I wasn't even expecting a gift:)Thank you Mom, you are wonderful!!

Lately I have been so sad that I don't have much time in the evenings to do the things I wish I could around the house. You're going to laugh at how I recently got my wish. We are taking on a new client at work, but they are on the East coast and would really like someone on the phones at 9am their time. Yesterday my boss asked for a volunteer to start the 6-3 shift and who do you think jumped at the opportunity? That's right, yours truly! As early as next week, I will be home by 3:30!! It may take some adjusting, but I am a morning person and can definitely handle the the crack of dawn:) Imaging having my work out done and dinner ready when my hubby gets home! Fabulous!!

I would like to give a shout out to my father-in-law who turned 40 today!!! I hope you guys are having fun in Vegas!!

Enjoy your Wednesday! I am going to grab some coffee and heat up my clean eating banana applesause bread:)Yum!

The Deed is Done!

Well guys, the deed is done and Emily and Mark are MARRIED!!! Em made a gorgeous bride and I was so happy to take part in such a special day with her and her new husband! I feel sure they will make each other very happy. I look forward to hearing about the many exciting things they experience the next few weeks, months and years to come! Congratulations to the DeLews!!! You guys are loved!

PS~ Yes, I cried!

Here are some pics of the weekend:

The lovely couple at rehearsal

With the bride at rehearsal dinner

Hehe, my hair for the wedding

Gorgeous bride in her gorgeous dress


Woot!!



With my fantabulous husband!!!


Some of the bridesmaids!! I'm so glad I got to meet you lovely ladies!

I love this picture of Em and Mark dancing!




Although I had a blast celebrating the last few days, I am so glad to have another two days to recoup before going back to work!

Funny story I have to share! I have mentioned before how I can't send my husband to the store without him buying something off the list, right? While running errands last week, he found it necessary to bring home some ShamWOWs:) I am still laughing about his purchase as I am looking at the box still sitting on our desk. Oh how that man makes me happy!

For your viewing pleasure:



Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!

Just Fabulous!

Happy Friday!!!

I am unbelievably happy to be writing this blog in the comfort of my own home and proudly still in my running clothes! And did I forget to mention I am in the wonderful company of my hubby? Yeah, he also took the day off... um, for moral support?? Haha, I love that he is home with me today:)

I got a few extra, much needed, hours of sleep this morning. The bachelorette party was a total hit! The bride-to-be looked stunning (in the gorgeous veil I made her), drinks were delicious, lingerie was a plenty and most of all, the company was fabulous!! I got to meet Emily's friends from school that I have heard about the last four years. It's always so nice to finally meet people you feel like you already know.

My day off is already off to a great start! I woke up around 7:30 and went for a run, followed by Chris and I walking Abby to Starbucks for coffee and oatmeal:) We kept saying this would be a wonderful tradition we could get used to during the week. Hmm, if only we could find jobs that required Chris to talk and write about sports and me to do wifely (and eventually motherly) things all day:) Here's to hoping!

I would be perfectly fine if my day consisted of the above and I could just clean and hang out with Chris all day, but I couldn't let my day off not include the much needed pedicure I have been lusting for the last week, could I? So, in a few hours I am meeting Parris to get our toes all prettied up:) And finally, the wedding rehearsal is tonight and I can't wait to wear the new dress I bought! Should be fun!!

Oh, and one last thing. for the last three years, since Origins came out with it, I have been obsessed with a fragrance called Shedonism. It is filled with hints of gardenia and jasmine an makes my skin feel amazing all day long! Someone always buys it for Christmas and my birthday, but this year I didn't get it for my birthday and I had just used the last of what I had:( So I went online last week to order some and lone behold they have just discontinued it!!! Ahhh! I was devastated. So last weekend, Chris called Origins and asked if they could track down a store that hadn't sent it back to the manufacturer yet. Well they called him back after tracking down five bottles. I kept saying I only needed one or two, but being the thoughtful guy that he is, he bought them all, saying, "You will regret not having all of them and I know how much you love it. This will give you some time to find another lotion you love". How sweet is he? The package came yesterday and I fully plan on savoring every last drop!

Hope your weekend is marvelous!

A peek into our night!!

The lovely Bachelorette!


Gettin' the night started!


Me, Elizabeth and Em:)


In Victoria's Secret...they hated us!


And of course, my Shedonism:)

Home Stretch

So it's th 21st, the official day of our 11th and final monthiversary! We are in the home stretch of a full year!! From now on we get to celebrate but once a year. I will admit, it's been fun having our little celebrations each month:)

In other exciting happenings, Emily's bachelorette party is tonight! Woo hoo! I can't wait to celebrate with her before she officially becomes Mrs. Delew:)

I decided ahead of time to ask for tomorrow off, assuming I would not be feeling so great about waking up at 5:30 after tonight! And since Monday is a holiday, I get a four day weekend!!!

Yay for wedding weekend being here!

Happy Thursday!

I dug up these pics of me and my girls at my bachelorette party and again at our wedding:) Such good times!

Faux Tan

Okay, I have discovered a product that I simply cannot keep to myself!! It's called Faux Tan by Bare Ecsentuals and I am in love!

With bathing suit season coming up (and for me a wedding) we all want to look our best right? I am all about having the perfect sun-kissed look, but unfortunately for me I can't get a real tan to save my life and to top it off, I have had it drilled into my head to avoid skin cancer at all costs! So, imagine my glee when I took a shot tonight with this new self tanner and finished with a beautiful, streak-free glow:) Again, I just had to share! And the best part is how easy it was to apply. You see the color as you are brushing it on, leaving your tan flawless. I am beyond pleased with the finished product, especially next to my fresh hair cut and lighter shade of blond:)



Happy tanning!

My Positive Spin

I hate to give certain days a stigma, but given the last few weeks, I am going to give Tuesdays the title "Terrible Tuesdays". They deserve it after all! Let's see, I started the morning off with a minor meltdown of tears, I have a weird stomach ache and have just felt blue ALL day:( Bummer... I should really focus on the positive so Tuesdays don't have a self-fulfilling prophesy for me as being difficult!

So, my positive spin is this~

1. I am getting my hair done after work:)

2. The weather today is a perfect combination of sunny and breezy.

3. I am loving our new console table (see pics!)

4. My husband is such a sweetie peetie and I don't know what I would do without him!!

5. I am taking Friday off! Hooray for 4 day weeks!

Ahh, I feel better already:)




More pics of Mochi and my goofy hubby!

In a (very large) Nutshell

Hi Friends! I hope you had a fantastic weekend! I did, but I have not had a second to breathe!! I am currently taking a ten minute break from my crazy morning to recap the last few days:)

So here goes:

*By the time Friday was here, I was getting really overwhelmed by everything I had going on and asked my boss if I could take a half day off. Being the great boss that he is, he let me. Only thing is, I started a big project that morning, so I was busting my tail to get it finished. Well, not exactly finished, but enough that I could finish today. I seriously woke up this morning thinking about all I have to do today!!

*Friday afternoon I was able to get some neccessary things finished and I celebrated with some girl time with my sweet friend Parris! I was SOO in need of a girl "date"! Of course, I have a very "Kate" story to share with you...

*I have been having a lot of trouble with my phone lately. We are trying to get on a new service, so I am trying to hold out with my phone until then. Lately it is having trouble charging, so randomly I just don't have a phone! Wouldn't you know, when I got to the mall to meet Parris Friday night, I realize we never decided on a meeting place. I pull out my phone to realize it is dead! Oh, and I have no car charger! I decide to go in anyway and hope she will think to meet at a place we discussed shopping at. Stupid idea! Forty-five minutes later I see a friend who let's me use her phone to call Parris. Problem is, I don't know her number off the top of my head! I decide to call Chris and have him tell Parris where I will be. Of all times, I remember that when I left, his phone was on the bed and he was in the office! A little frusturated, I get the idea to walk over to the T-Mobile kiosk and explain my sob story in hopes that the lady will charge my phone...I think she did it out of sheer boredom, but I didn't care. My phone got enough juice to call Parris:) Apparently she was worried something happened to me because I am never late and she couldn't get a hold of Chris or me! See the evil that comes from relying on technology!! Haha, maybe I should just be more prepared with things like my phone! Another lesson learned...

*After a bit of a delay, the rest of the night was a success. After shopping we went to a great sushi place I had never been to. They were even having a special of 50% off rolls for the evening! I am a big fan of saving money. Ended the night with My Best Friend's Wedding!

*Saturday morning was filled with fantastic garage saleing!! Our neighborhood was having it's annual garage sale (literally hundreds of houses participated!). I am most proud of the fabulous console table I found for $5!!! It's even the perfect shade of green...of course! Pictures of my fab finds to come:)

*More shopping with Emily, who is in town to get married on Saturday!!!

*Had a relaxing night with Hubby and ate yummy turkey burgers and sweet potato fries:)

*Spent Sunday afternoon at the in-laws in the pool! I am loving the HOT weather!

*Helped my Aunt by creating a menu plan for her. Oh how I miss helping people become healthy!

*Did some more shopping with my Mom and Mother-in-law. Got a super cute little black dress for the bachelorette party on Thursday! I am actually wearing it today:) Hey, you gotta have something to look forward to on Monday, right?!

*As we were getting ready to leave this morning, Chris realized one of his fish was stuck under a rock...dead! Eeew!

Okay, back to work! Busy, busy, busy and lovin' it!!

Merry Monday:)

Some of My Fav's

First things first~I am so happy about the finale of Hell's Kitchen last night! Yay for Danny!! We were totally pulling for him and I am pleased to say that the two seasons I have watched have ended with the chef of my choice:)

And secondly, in honor of my favorite (work) day of the week, I wanted to share some of my other favorite's! After all, when you love something you should share it right? So here they are, some of the little things in life that make me smile...

*Starbucks Casi Cielo coffee. This beautiful medium blend comes out around Valentine's Day. There are many coffee's I enjoy, but few as much as this one! It's a must try to keep you warm in the midst of the chilly winter months. In the meantime, check out their Verona blend.




*Rachel's Wickedly Delicious yogurt. This is a new discovery for me and I am hooked! This yogurt comes in some of the most decadent and irresistible flavors like Mango Pineapple Passion Fruit and Plum Honey Lavender! Any one of these can perk up any dreary afternoon at work:)



*Taylor Swift's Fearless. Absolutely love this entire cd! In fact, a lot of mornings I wake up to this one:)



*Aveda's Tourmaline Charged Hydrating Creme. Mmm, this stuff is so creamy and thick, a little bit goes a very long way. I tend to have dry skin, but with this cream, you would never know it!



*Method cleaners. I am a sucker for natural products, especially when it comes to cleaning. The clean freak in me can assure you they can get even the grimiest tubs and toilets to sparkle!




*And lastly, my beloved Vita-Mix. I don't know what I would do without this in my kitchen! I have been hooked ever since my parents got one about 11 years ago. I would even dare say that I love this appliance more than my pink Kitchen-Aid mixer (gasp!). Really though, what else can make quick healthy (and hot) soups, delicious smoothies, refreshing ice cream and other desserts etc. at the flip of a switch?



Hope your weekend is absolutely fabulous!

Where's the Wisdom?

Whoever decided it was funny to name these inch-long, painful teeth "wisdom", had a very lame-o sense of humor!

My dentist has been telling me for two years that I need to have my wisdom teeth pulled. Did I listen? NO! They didn't bother me at the time and it seemed so inconvenient to schedule the surgery between my brakes home from college. Stupid girl!! I should have listened, as clearly they have given me no wisdom, but rather, massive headaches, shifting teeth and eventually the bill (which my parents would have paid when I was covered by their insurance)!

So here I am, in major pain and trying to get into my dentist to get a new refferal so that I can schedule my appointment with an oral surgeon. And to boot, I have to take precious PTO, which I would much rather spend during the holidays:(

Moral of the story: Listen to your dentist!

I hate learning the hard way!

New Kid on the Block

There is a new little addition to our family...Chris' parents got a puppy!! He is a cutie little chihuahua/shitzu mix and his name is Mochi. He spent a few hours at our house last night trying to get accustomed to our beast:) Thankfully, Abby and Mochi are on pretty friendly terms, but I am a bit worried Abby could get too playful and crush the little guy! He is like 4 lbs max! Obviously, we're gonna have to pay very close attention to the two of them.

Isn't he a cutie pie?!




Anyway, lots to do in the next week and a half! Emily and Mark are coming into town this weekend and getting married!! I can't believe their wedding is almost here. I feel like it was just Chris and Me saying our "I Do's"!

Hope the last half of your week is fabulous! I know mine will be...Chris is bringing me coffee at his break:)

Happy Wednesday!

Extra pickles, yes?

Do you remember that scene from Two Weeks Notice, where Sandra and Hugh are at lunch and they automatically start taking things from the other's plate that they like and vice versa?

I had a similar incident of familiarity this morning:)

As I was packing Chris' lunch last night, I decided to make him a tuna sandwich. You must understand that while Chris isn't really picky about most foods, he is very picky about how most foods are prepared. For instance, if I mention tuna, he typically turns his nose up. But, if I make it the way he likes and present it to him when he is hungry, I can usually make the man pretty darn happy:) I happen to know that he likes tuna extra crunchy (pickles, celery and onion) and ONLY with mustard (NO mayo or Miracle Whip whatsoever!!). These are just the kinds of things you learn about your spouse...eventually and after inevitably doing things a different way once or twice;)

I got an email from my hubby at work this morning that said this:

Chris: "Everyone loves your brownies! Is lunch a lettuce sandwich?

(I baked brownies for his work potluck and I didn't assemble the sandwich because I didn't want it to be soggy. He also hates that! So, I brought the tuna in a container and put it in the fridge to keep it extra cold!)

Kate: "Yay! Haha...I have the COLD tuna in the fridge:)"

Chris: "Extra pickles, yes?"

Kate: "Of course!"

Oh silly husband! I felt so proud that I knew exactly what he liked!

It might seem silly, but it is one of the many pleasures of knowing somebody so well:)



Have a Happy Tuesday!!

Celebrating Mom's

Where do I even begin with how fabulous my weekend was? I guess I just have to say how much I appreciate all of the wonferful women in my life! This weekend was definitely full of celebration to them:)

On Saturday morning, we woke up at 6 to run the Race for the Cure. I am pretty sure the sun comes out especially for this event. It is always such a beautiful weekend. Definitely perfect for running. This run is especially important for my Mom and me because my grandma is a two-time breast cancer survivor!! We run in celebration of her brave victory over cancer and recognize how special she is to us:) I love you Gram!

Of course, the beautiful morning wouldn't be complete without Starbucks:)

In the afternoon I attended a baby shower for Chris' cousin. The theme was ladybugs and everything was absolutely adorable! I would like to share something I realized while I was there. I will admit that I have had a bit of the baby "bug" lately. We aren't planning on getting pregnant soon or anything, but it has definitely been on my mind the past weeks (or months). But while I was at the shower, it hit me that I have such a desire to wait for babies! As wonderful as it will be when Chris and I do start to expand our family, we are still newlyweds and I would like to savor every last ounce of being spontaneous with my husband!! It was a good reminder to not rush life and really enjoy the chapter we are in and not constantly look to the next. After all, we are in such a fantastic place! However, when the time does come, my husband is going to be the most amazing father:) I constantly get glimpses of him with kids and I just fall more and more in love!

And on Sunday we spent the day celebrating our wonderful Moms! We made a delicious lunch for them complete with gourmet sandwiches, fresh fruit, champagne and the most beautiful petite desserts you have ever seen (courtesy of Whole Foods!). After we hung out and chatted for a while, Chris took his Mom to see the new Star Trek movie and My mom and I went to see Ghosts of Girlfriend's past:) Perfectly fitting for each of us! I can't speak for their movie, but ours was so cute! Of course, we LOVE Matthew McConaughey!! Afterwards, the six of us (including the guys) hung out at my in-laws, where the men cooked dinner for us:) I think my favorite part of the evening was the fantastic margaritas! Oh, and the sunshine! And of course watching our cute pup play for hours in the pool.

After such a fun-filled weekend I am a little sleepy this morning, but it was so worth it!

I hope you had a great weekend celebrating your wonderful Mom!