One Whole Year

If you were to check out the archives, you would see that one year ago today I entered into this blogging world as a naive little blogger with absolutely no idea what I was doing. So, this post is a dedication to YOU! After all, without your encouragement, I would have given up a long time ago! Thanks to our friends, family and those we only know through the web, for staying tuned into our lives by means of our humble little webspace! We love and appreciate all of you. This blog has been a great way for us to stay connected even though many you live so far away! And let's be honest, the recipes are good too, right? ;)

And I just want you to know, even though my darling husband seldom contributes to these posts, he definitely reads them and all of your comments. What can I say, he's busy with his other sports blogs:)

I truly hope you had a fabulous long weekend! Ours was wonderful and relaxing. Of course a pedicure, some garage sales and a delicious meal with family and friends were thrown in there, but I think the best part was that my friend Lael and her sister Elise got here yesterday afternoon. Our evening was accompanied by gluten free homemade pizza and lots of catching up, but sadly they are leaving this morning and continuing their road trip that gets them closer and closer to New Zealand!! It was a short visit, but a great one!

I am a bit green with envy this morning because Chris took the day off to get some things done (one being the DMV, eww!). I wish I could have taken off too, but at least I can look forward to October 16, when we will be on our way to Indiana for a mini-vacation!!

Wishing you a happy and productive Tuesday!

Mastering the Art of Cozy

Well happy Saturday!

This long weekend is already off to a great start...

When I got to work yesterday morning, I was greeted with the best kind of email and it went something like this:

"We decided to close up early today and get a head start on the long weekend! We are closing at 2, but because you come in early you can leave at noon."

Wahoo! And not only did I get to leave early, but my boss bought us Chipotle for lunch and even went to get it early for me. Talk about a nice surprise!!

So what did I do with the few extra hours? Well, I went home, got in my comfies, grabbed my all-time favorite book, Jane Eyre, and snuggled with Abby for over 3 hours! It was glorious!!


The only thing that could have made my afternoon better is if I would have had this:

Republic of Tea Pumpkin Chai Red Tea


Absolutely beautiful and fragrant! I bought it this morning at Crate and Barrel and am already brewing my second cup:) So happy I found it as I was in search of a new Fall tea!

And to complete the beginning of this already wonderful weekend, I am delighting in the thoughtful surprise my husband brought me yesterday:)

I was greeted with a kiss and these flowers when he got home! Yep, he's the best!



Enjoy your weekend!

Some Favorites From The Week

I've got some good eats, reads and finds to share with you on this beautiful Friday!

Grilled flank steak tacos with avocado-lime salsa ~ Sometimes when I make our weekly meal plan, I get so excited about a certain dinner that the anticipation lingers all week. This was definitely one of those weeks! Chris has been asking for steak, so I went browsing through some past issues of Cooking Light in search of the perfect recipe. Alas, I found these grilled flank steak tacos! I splurged a bit on a beautiful $17 piece of flank steak (but he's so worth it!). Last night I was feeling tired and unmotivated to cook, but I simply could not let this meal get put off! As soon as I started grilling the meat my enthusiasm was renewed as it began to sizzle and the spicy aroma of lime and chipotle filled the apartment! The results: wonderfully fresh and authentic tasting! Chris and I agreed these tacos will be making another appearance on our weekly menu!




Secrets to a Happy Marriage ~ Joanna Goddard, the author of one of my favorite blogs, was married last weekend and while she is on her two week honeymoon in Greece and Italy(jealous!), she has asked various bloggers, authors and friends to post about their "secrets to a happy marriage". It has been quite a sweet series that I've enjoyed reading:) Check it out at Cup of Jo! The post by Elly on Wednesday has been my favorite so far:)

Apron inspiration ~ I've shared that I am getting a sewing machine for Christmas, but what I haven't told you is my obsession with aprons! My whole inspiration for learning to sew stemmed from wanting to make my own aprons. I just love them and have recently been on the lookout for cute patterns. Last weekend while garage saleing, Chris and I found a few that he insisted I buy:) While paying for them the girls told me their grandmother made them over 30 years ago! All the more exciting for me as I love the vintage look. I've added them to my ever growing collection and now I REALLY can't wait to start learning! I've also fallen in love with the vintage inspired fabrics at The Tin Thimble. I need to start stocking up because I can tell, this is not going to be my cheapest hobby:)

This is one I got at the garage sale last weekend. Love the bright, cheery fabric!


This one was my grandma's and probably one of my favorites! It has such a feminine sweetness to it!


And this one is from Anthropologie. I love it's simple design and retro flair!



Bulerias Tank by Lululemon ~ I adore this tank! Perfect for yoga or grocery shopping...that's my kind of top:)



Have a great weekend! I know we're looking forward to a low-key 3-day break together:)

Oh Happy Day!

Fantastic news! Pumpkin spice lattes are back at Starbucks!! Let the season begin! Clear room in your closet for sweaters and pack up the tank tops cause folks, cool weather is just around the corner!

Chris and I enjoyed our first seasonal drinks of the year, along side a piece of pumpkin bread:) Yum!


You didn't think I was going to let this go uncaptured, did you?

Chicken Barley Stew

Ingredients
32 oz. low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tbsp thyme
1/2 tbsp basil
1/2 tbsp cilantro
1/4 tbsp dill
2 bay leaves
1/2 tbsp fresh ground black pepper
12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast cubed (uncooked)
1/2 cup uncooked black-eyed peas, rinsed and picked through (I used canellini beans instead)
1/2 cup barley
1 medium sweet onion, cubed
20 oz. potatoes, peeled and cubed
10 oz. carrots (3 large), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices
8 tbsp low-fat sour cream (optional)

Instructions
Fill a slow cooker with broth, 8 oz. water, garlic, herbs and pepper. Add chicken, peas and barley, then layer onion, potatoes and carrots. Liquid should just cover vegetables. Do not stir. Allow to simmer overnight, at least 4 to 6 hours. Remove bay leaves and stir before serving. Spoon 1 cup into each bowl and top with 1 tbsp. sour cream, if desired.


Enjoy this crock pot creation!

A GROWING Family

Well my friends, it's Wednesday and the upcoming three day weekend is calling my name! Which means I've gone six weeks since my last day off and it is much needed! Oh, and the best part is, Lael and her sister are coming Monday and staying the night!! They're only stopping through as they head south and leave for New Zealand to live for, well, who knows:) I wish they could stay longer, but these days, I'll take what I can get with my sweet friends who are now scattered all over!

And in other exciting news that I've been holding onto for a few weeks...I am going to have another little sibling this Spring! That's right, my stepmom is pregnant for the fifth and FINAL time:) Sadly, I probably won't get to meet this new addition until next year, but I will see her prego when we go to Indiana (they recently moved from Chicago) to visit them in October! Yay! Can't wait for that trip. I wish it could happen more than once a year, but it's so worth it to see how much my brother and sisters grow each time we see them:)

I LOVE these kids!





And finally, by special request, I will post this crock pot recipe later today:) So come back and you too can try it out!

Happy Wednesday!

PS ~ 20 days 'til Fall!

Fall Frenzy

Good morning and Happy September (the official month of the beginning of FALL!). I've got so much to talk about and very little time to talk about it...never a happy combination! I think after today things may slow down (fingers crossed!!).

Tonight I start training a friend of mine and I'm super excited about it! You should have seen me the past several days experimenting with new exercises and blasting loud music:) The distraction of personal training (including studying) is honestly getting me through these long days.

Funny story: because I knew I'd be really busy yesterday I planned a crock pot chicken and barley stew for dinner. Perfect way to save me time, right? Well I completely forgot about it until I walked in the house last night and inhaled the amazing aroma of my already finished dinner! It was such a giant relief! Silly that I forgot I put it together that morning. Guess that's what happens when you have a lot on your mind. It was a clean eating recipe and my husband couldn't stop going on about how tasty it was:) I'm so looking forward to the leftovers for lunch!!

Everyone wins when an easy dinner turns into an easy lunch, making me a very happy girl! Can I get an Amen?!

And did I already say we are 21 days from FALL?! I'm so giddy and already planning our wine tasting trip to Amador County and our annual trip to Apple Hill! And how could I forget our trip to see my adorable siblings in October?!

Wishing you a glorious day!