2011

We had a fabulous Christmas, a wonderful trip to Colorado to visit my brother and sister in law and my sweet little niece and now we just arrived home to ring in the new year with some good friends! Welcome 2011, I have big plans for you and big dreams too!!! I welcome you with open arms....xoxo

Have a Happy New Year and please be safe!

Do you have any cans of pumpkin lying around that you need to get rid of? If you were like me and bought enough cans of pumpkin puree to feed an army, then you are going to need a recipe to finish them off...
I made this last week and it was so scrumptious...It is from the Gourgeously Green website. Her book is great too!(*Note, it says to use fresh pumpkin and I used canned pumpkin and it turned out great. Also, I would not use as much red chile flakes as it was pretty spicy. Maybe 1/4 teaspoon instead)....enjoy!!

Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Brown Rice and Swiss Chard

2 tbsp butter

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp red chile flakes

7-ounce pumpkin, seeds and flesh removed, chopped into 1-inch cubes

3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

3 cups whole milk (vegan: soy silk)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup chopped green Swiss chard, stalks removed

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Melt the butter in a heavy stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin and red chile flakes and cook for 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin, stock, milk, and salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender. Purée the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Add the chard leaves and simmer for 5 minutes. Spoon into warmed soup bowls, add a mound of rice to each bowl, and dust with the cinnamon.

Ahh-mazing!

Sarah Bareilles rocked it! Such an amazing show. The venue was gorgeous, her voice was beautiful and she is a pretty funny gal. Can't wait to see her again someday. Raining Jane opened for her and they were pretty amazing too! Sarah (yes, we are on a first name basis now) did a cover of Radiohead's "Nice Dream"...it gave me chills...WOW! Well, now it's back to the mad week before Christmas rush!!

Excitement!

I get to see her tonight in San Francisco...I am soooo excited!!!

address please?

Here is the ole' Christmas card this year! I love getting Christmas cards in the mail everyday...it is the one thing that brightens my day. I especially love the ones with photos to see how people have changed over the year, especially the little ones! Merry Christmas!

I wish...

Here are a few of the items on my wishlist this year...

Maple Falls Bedding from Anthropologie
Vintage Thermoses from Nerdnest on Etsy
Shoes from Steve Madden
And media stand and record player from Urban Outfitters
Aren't they all so dreamy???
A girl can wish!
What's on your wishlist?

Cherish the moments

I know, it's been awhile, I do apologize. We actually had a family tragedy on Thanksgiving. My uncle had an anurism and then ended up dying the following Monday. It was a shock; completely sudden. I still can't believe he is gone. So with that, I have been feeling a little unmotivated. Not to mention that I have had a sinus infection for the past 2 weeks, had to throw my husband's company Christmas party and just dealing with the holiday bustle.....which really is nothing compared to the loss of family. I feel a little absent minded. I must say, if I have learned anything from these past 3 weeks, it is that LIFE needs to be taken seriously and that there is no room for useless relationships and that family truly is THE most important thing! You never know when someone could be taken from your life...so cherish those that you have and relish in the memories of those that now watch over you.

So, on another note, here is a picture of my hubby and I from a family photo shoot we did recently...mmm, I love him!
Oh and my son just threw up...lovely...it is going to be a long night, but it is okay because this is what being a mother is all about!!!

Sorry for the randomness, I'll get it together soon!

thankful

I am thankful for my healthy family...Happy Thanksgiving!

Pie

(source)
Tomorrow I will be baking delicious pies with my mom for Thanksgiving...I can't wait. I am thankful that I get to spend time with my momma!!

Today

Today I am thankful for being able to spend the whole week with my kids having fun, doing whatever we want...

What I wore...Disected

Here is the outfit I wore for a day of wine tasting this last weekend. As you can see, I am wearing a lot of stuff from Target...I was going to try and come up with an excuse or justification as to why everything I am wearing is from Target (because it is a little embarassing) but simply put, Target is easy and it is the one place I can stick my children in a shopping cart and bribe them with treats and toys so that I can try on clothes if only for 5 minutes...pure bliss!!! For now on I'll stick to buying stuff online....Oh and yes...I might also add, that my husband made a comment about my socks sticking out of my boots. He said, "is that the style these days?" "I'd like to see a picture of that from a magazine." I said,"ha, yes, it is, I'll show you." So I went and grabbed my latest Urban Oufitters catalog and showed him just who the stylish one is in this family....

Little Helper

I finally got my hubby to hang my clipboards in the dining room the other night
(inspired by this blog) and of course he couldn't do it without his little helper...so cute!!!

Thrifted

Look what I snagged today...only $4.00
I was just at Urban Outfitters earlier in the day and was looking at some similar for close to $50.00
When I saw this one at the thrift store I was so excited, especially after I saw the price. What made the purchase even sweeter was the little old woman that checked me out and how she said what a nice purse it was...she was adorable! Sitting on my new purchase is the current book I'm reading that my hubby bought me at the airport a few months ago. I will only be 29 for 2 more months and he thought of me when he saw the book....what a sweetie! Have you found any stellar thrifted items lately?

stay home

I can't tell you how much I love this poster...I don't actually own it, but have been dreaming about it for quite some time...I think I might have to get it for my hubby for Christmas, because really, there is nothing I love more than staying home with my family!

4 kids, 2 adults and a week in Tahoe

About two weeks ago, my girlfriend and I took our 4 kiddos up to Lake Tahoe for 5 days. We had an absolute blast and made some memories that we'll never forget....

.the fall colors
.looking for pinecones and sticks with our munchkins
.the girls deciding to do Rocco's hair with a bow (and him enjoying it)
.good talks
.glasses of wine

.good, fresh food
.hikes that only lasted 30 minutes
.the munchkins getting naked and going in the freezing lake and loving it

.cuddling with our kids
.drinking warm coffee every morning
.carving pumpkins

.my car breaking down and having to be towed
.everyone looking at us like we were crazy
It was a truly priceless trip...we can't wait to do it again!!

One last bit of Halloween

Here's a look at my kiddos costumes....I got to spend a night with Belle and Batman. They would only stop for a second so they could get their picture snapped. It was a fun night. I'm trying to decide what to do with all of this Halloween candy now, but the decorations are packed up and now I am ready to decorate for Christmas....

Lady Gaga

We have been busy bees around here, so I apologize for not getting it together with my blog posts...I do have a lot to share with you, but for now, it is my Halloween costume, as I know you have all been wondering just what I was....the infamous Lady Gaga! I was trying to make the meat costume she wore to this years VMA's but I didn't have the time or manpower in me, so I got this instead with a little help from the girl that babysits my little ones. It was a fun night and I did win 3rd place in a costume contest. I was up against some tough competition at this year's Halloween party! Now to start thinking about next year!!! I hope you all had a Happy Halloween!

A Fall Day in Lake Tahoe

The kids and I and our good friends have been enjoying the week up in Lake Tahoe. It has been gorgeous up here and we are loving the fall colors....I will have more photos and fun from our trip to share next week! It has been a nice calm before the storm of Halloween soon arriving!

Fire, fire!

This is an image from our beautiful shopping mall that was set on fire last week by a twenty three year old gunmen. They are still doing an investigation as to exactly how the fire started, whether it was from an explosive or not, but it is just so sad! Some stores are expected to re-open this week, but some that had a lot of fire damage, may not open for at least a year...so sad, not just for the fact that we can't shop, but for all the people that have temporarily lost their jobs. It was shocking to see this image from the Whole Foods across the street from the mall and so scary that something like that would happen so close to home....

Kale Chips

I was sick once again with the flu this week...ugh! I think I am finally cured and am getting back into the swing of things....

Anyways, I wanted to share a fabulous, easy and healthy recipe with you...

Kale Chips
1 bunch of Kale washed and dried (stems removed)
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Lay Kale individually out on a cookie sheet. Brush or spritz with a bit of olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper on each Kale leaf and bake in oven at 350 for about 30 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!!!

My kids didn't like them too much, but at least they gave it a try!
Have a wonderful weekend....it is officially fall here....finally!
Now it's back to working on my Halloween costume (it's a good one)....just wait!!!

The Launch

I showcased some of my photography last weekend at a local salon in town. It was a group of four women, (me included) who are all trying to get their businesses up and going. We did a wine and cheese party at the salon with music and raffles...it was a blast!!! I am so blessed that so many of my friends and of course my mom and dad were able to make it! It was a great turnout!!! Did you know I have a website? I bet you didn't. It is still under a bit of construction, but for now, you can get the idea!

Another pumpkin recipe....

I have another pumpkin recipe to share with you...this is one of my favorites and has been in my family for a long time....it is so scrumptious, especially with a Soy Pumpkin Latte or a glass of cold milk!!!

Harvest Loaf Muffins
Mix together:
1 3/4 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
Beat together:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
Then, mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients, plus add:
3/4 cup pumpkin
3/4 cup chocolate chips
Grease pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or you can bake in a loaf pan for 65-70 minutes.

Enjoy!!!!
Have a happy Fall Weekend.....Here in Northern, Cali, it is not quite fall yet, we still have temperatures in the high 80's...hopefully by next week it will feel like fall around here!!!!

The Pumpkin Patch

Yesterday, my mom and I took the kids to the pumpkin patch for an afternoon of fun! It was rather warm, but we had fun finding the perfect pumpkin and enjoying all of the other activities there were to do. It was a great change, as I have not been feeling very well. Apparently there is a virus going around that gives you an achy body, a hoarse voice and no energy to do anything...luckily I am starting to feel better except for a little bit of the body aching left. Hopefully I can kick it soon!!!See that pumpkin there on the right hand side? Yes, that is the one we chose...you should have seen my mom and I trying to roll it into the wagon, that deserved a picture....

Savanna found the perfect pumpkin!!!
A hug from sister on the train!!!

The pumpkin smoothie

Well, here it is, the first full week of October, so I thought I would share a pumpkin recipe with you. Everyone in line around me at Whole Foods seriously thought I was crazy when I was buying 8 cans of pumpkin. They asked me if I was worried they would run out...I said no, but honestly, yes, I am a little bit scared. You see, when the leaves start changing colors and the air gets crisp, I can't resist anything with pumpkin and let alone baking with it. I know by December, I will be disgusted by it, but for now, I am enjoying the stacks of canned pumpkin in my pantry. For this week, I am sharing a pumpkin smoothie recipe with you...so delicious and the kids gulped it up!!

Pumpkin Fruit Smoothie
1 cup frozen strawberries
2 frozen bananas
3/4 can of pumpkin
1/2 cup rice milk
Blend it up and enjoy!!!

34 years

My parents just celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary this last Saturday. They got married when my dad was 19 and my mom was 17 and they are still so happily married. I feel so blessed to have such amazing role models and parents. I love you Mom and Dad

Who knew Florida could be so much fun!!!

In a nutshell, this was our vacation....
Disneyworld was a blast, but we were truly exhausted after spending the day there. Savanna thought she was a princess being there and enjoyed seeing all of the characters and riding the rides while Rocco snoozed. The beach was so relaxing! We spent our mornings swimming at the pool while enjoying some poolside libations. We all took naps and then enjoyed our afternoons on the beach before heading inside to cook dinner. They had a farmer's market our first day in town which was so exciting and we splurged on all of the local veggies, fruits and of course, fish! My hubby made some mouthwatering meals...yum! We had a great time with family, got to enjoy a little date night and eat ice cream almost everyday!!! It was a fabulous vacation....can't wait to do it again next year!!!

And the winner is....

Comment #2 Deb....so, mom, looks like we get to enjoy another cup of coffee together. Thank you all for joining in on the fun and most of all for taking time out of your day to read my little blog! I will do another giveaway in October....stay posted....also, I will share some pics of my trip tomorrow. As for today, I am a tired girl. Still trying to catch up on my chores and getting back into the swing of things...

A busy day with pumpkin spice love...

Yes, that is what you think it is....my first pumpkin spice latte of the season. Iced, because it is not quite fall here yet...it is more of an Indian Summer here in Northern California.
You see, today, I will be drinking many of these as we have a long travel day to Florida to see my wonderful in-laws.
Tomorrow we are headed to Disneyworld and then Saturday we head to the beach for a week....pure relaxation (the beach part that is).

I have had the big talk with Rocco about sitting on his bottom as you remember our flight last time...I think he will listen this time!!!

My backpack is stocked with a bunch of movies, workbooks, coloring books, flashcards, snacks (a few pieces of candy to be used as bribery-if needed), my i-pod with some updated "chill" music and of course Breaking Dawn (the last book in the Twilight series) with only 150 pages left to read. I think I am set. I will try to blog in between pina coladas and laying on the beach
(sorry, am I making you jealous?)
Don't be, because I also have something for you to look forward to...remember that giveaway I talked about??? Yes, I didn't forget, I know you thought I did. Well I have a $10 Starbucks gift card up for grabs. All you have to do is tell me about the best cup of coffee you ever had and where you enjoyed it. Giveaway ends Sunday, September 26th upon my return and the winner will be announced on Monday, the 27th. A winner will be chosen through Random.org

Farewell....

What I wore...

Date night with hubby and friends last Friday night...
(I promise I will get a tripod one of these days so you don't have to see my bathroom every time).

My baby...

It doesn't happen very often that I get a chance to get in the pictures with my kids as I am always the one taking them. Today my good friend Cathy and I went out and took some photos of Rocco and my friends daughter Stella. I had fun, but the kiddos were tired and didn't like all of the stickery weeds (I don't blame them). Cathy got this one of Rocco and I. I was looking up at a bird and I think Rocco was getting ready to blow a kiss....I love it!!! Thanks Cathy!

Family

This is one of my best friends and her beautiful family. I photographed them on Sunday in the sweltering heat. We were all sweating while stumbling over rocks and walking over snake holes and she was in high heels. It was a blast and we had some great laughs...

End of the Summer Salad

Doesn't this salad look scrumptious...it was! I ate every last bit of it topped with my favorite Trader Joes Goddess dressing, because you know I am a goddess or at least pretend that I am. I know I always catch myself saying I need to eat healthier, but then I don't feel like making anything healthy. Well, today, this salad took 5 minutes to make...so, no more excuses!!

Ingredients
Lettuce
Cucumber (from my garden)
Cherry Tomatoes (from my garden)
Avacado
Corn (leftover from dinner the other night)
Blue Cheese Crumbles
Walnuts
3 tablespoons cup of Goddess Dressing
Enjoy!!!

Dolled Up

I did a photo shoot on Tuesday for my friends new website. She does makeup, hair, nails, spray tans and teeth whitening. You can get all Dolled Up in one place. She is fabulous. I had so much fun! Here is a sneak peek of one of the beautiful models....I'll share more later! Peace

Love & Marriage

My cousin Tanner married his beautiful bride on Friday night. It was a fabulous evening had by all...

What I wore...

So, here is my first "What I wore..." You can love it, you can hate it, but I love feedback...
So for my first "what I wore" I need to tell you that I bought these ankle boots about two months ago after seeing them on the cute girl that worked in the Brass Plum section of Nordstrom. I asked her where she got them and she said, "right downstairs in the shoe department." I made a bee-line downstairs to snag these adorable boots....
So I loved them when I bought them, and I still love them, but I just wasn't sure how to wear them. I seriously sat on the internet one night for about an hour googling "how to wear ankle boots"....I know, you're laughing right now, but I am totally serious! The boots intimidated me and I'm sure in the hell not famous, but I had this image in my head of showing up on a magazine as the worst dressed (like what was she thinking when she got dressed today), I could see young girls staring at me and shaking their heads...
And of course my husband looks at me like what are you wearing, because he isn't always up to date on fashion (but that's okay, I still love him to death).
Well, last night (after talking to my kids babysitter last week who is 17 and is in high school) making sure that I wasn't going to make a fashion faux pas, I "rocked" the boots (no not knocked the boots...your dirty little minds). I just held my head high and I wore my little ankle boots. Of course I went out to dinner with two of my long time friends and not one of them said anything the whole night (so in my mind I'm thinking, oh my gosh, they must wonder what I'm wearing)....until right before we are about to leave my friends house at the end of the night, her husband (who is very fashionable himself) says, "I love your boots, the whole outfit looks great." My friends agreed and said "yeah, I would have never thought to wear them with a dress, it is so cute though." I felt redeemed, like oh, I did it, I really am still somewhat hip after two kids. So you can love it or hate it, but I'm just glad I finally had the guts to rock my boots!!! And....I totally owe my babysitter for being my personal fashionista right now...You rock Lizzie!

On the wishlist...

Now that fall is slowly creeping up, I always begin thinking about my Christmas list. Since I was a young girl, I have always made a Christmas list. It used to be from the pages of the JCPenney catalog, but now all my wishes and wants I find while perusing my favorite websites and blogs. This year, I am jonesing for one of these chairs in pink from here.
(hint hint Mom and Ryan)
What are some of your wishes this Christmas...and please don't say World Peace.....