Okay.... It has been NINE years.  NINE years... what?  Life has been quite interesting in those nine years.  I had one kid nine years ago.  Now I have two! )  I was in my early years of owning a house outside Boston and now I am in the early years (well actually its been mere weeks...) of owning a house in western Mass or as my parents like to say "rural America"! :)  

I cannot promise I will be posting regularly. But suddenly had a hankering tonight to see if I even still had my blog password and even if I remember how to create posts! :)   So, here we are!  

I am truly not sure if anyone will even see this post, so consider this a test.  You still out there?  Nine years later?

I'm still here.... :)

xoxo

C.J..... Colored Jeans!

There has been a lot of talk around my office these days about colored jeans.  Yes, they are all the rage.... but there are so many color options.  How is a girl to choose?

I had been looking for a tangerine colored pair after seeing them in a fashion magazine, but chickened out in the end.  I figured I would start "safe" and went with red.  They have not yet arrived in the mail, so we will see what I think once I put them on.  But, colored jeans are EVERYWHERE, so it is safe to say I will find a pair or two ... I hope!

Until next time...xoxo

P... Playhouse!

Okay... the backyard project continues and I recently (well the husband- under my direction) recently tackled a new addition to the space.  Avery loves playhouses.  The park we frequent has a little cabin and Avery absolutely adores it.  Of course, I realized that she needed a playhouse of her own!  I would love to build her a playhouse, but at this time that was not an option.

I immediately hit the web to buy a playhouse for her.  I was shocked to find that these plastic dream homes cost on average $300-$400 dollars.  For plastic... seriously?  And in truth ... they are pretty ugly.  Clearly buying a new one was out of the question, so I hit Craigslist.    I searched for several weeks before finding one that looked in decent shape (no cracks) it was listed for $100 and included a  Cozy Coupe Car too.  The selling factor was that it was one town over and he would deliver it to our home if we bought it.  Perfect!

So, of course we bought this lovely thing!  These things last forever, but seem to fade easily.  Not to mention that the original color scheme is just not nice.  I had big plans for this house!

I had big plans for this house!   A few cans of plastic specific spray paint later....it is cute enough to gain acceptance into our backyard plan. 

What do you think?  Cute right?   Avery loves this little house and its recent makeover.   I should hopefully have some other yard updates soon.  We have made some recent progress and are bringing in the new guns (professionals) in the next few weeks.  Finally!  

Until next time....xoxo

B... Brimfield. Take 1!

So, I have been MIA....again!  Well, what can I say.  I return with Brimfield news though.  Not only did I hit Brimfield last week, I hit it twice.  I was there Tuesday, opening day, in the rain.  I then returned on Saturday for the 2nd to last day for the good deals and it was perfect sunshine.

I am going to do a full debrief on all my purchases later this week, but I thought I would give you a little teaser today.  I bought this adorable school desk that I am currently hiding from the husband.  I have absolutely no need for a small kids desk as I already have a few.

It was the drawer under the chair that got me.  How freaking cute!?  I had not plans on buying this, especially given the $50 price tag.  But, when the dealer told me I could have it for $30 (without me even asking)... I could not say no.  $30... total steal.

I think I am going to paint it with white Annie Sloan chalk paint and put it in our family room as a little craft spot for the wee one or perhaps in our new (almost finished) playroom.

Wanna know what else I got?  You have to check back later this week for the other goods!   Until next time...xoxo

M... Meatless. Wednesday?

They wYep, I know it is Wednesday, but I am bringing you a "meatless Monday" recipe.  It is damn good too.  I was not sure that the husband would buy into these Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, but he did!  They were really really yummy.  If I made these again I would make a bunch and bring them for lunch to work.  They could be easily popped in the microwave and still be quite tasty!  Thank you Pennies on a Platter for this delicious meatfree recipe.

3 medium sweet potatoes 1 (15 oz) can corn, or 1.5 cups frozen corn, rinsed and patted dry Salt, to taste 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano (optional) 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1/2 yellow onion, diced 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped 1 ounce cream cheese (light or regular) 1/4 cup sour cream (light or regular), plus more for serving 1 to 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced or pureed 6 Tablespoons shredded Mexican cheese (or other preferred flavor)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until fork tender. Remove from the oven and allow to set until cool enough to handle. While the sweet potatoes are cooling, saute the corn in a dry heavy skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle with salt, cumin, chili powder and Mexican oregano. Cook until the corn is roasted and browned (about 7 to 10 minutes). Transfer to a small bowl; set aside. Wipe the skillet clean and heat the Tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onions and cook until just tender. Transfer to the bowl with the corn. Add the black beans and cilantro to the onion and corn. Gently stir to evenly mix. When the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half, lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the flesh, into a large mixing bowl, leaving the skins intact. (Try leaving a thin layer of potato to help the skin hold together.) Add the cream cheese, sour cream, chipotle pepper(s) and salt to the mixing bowl with the sweet potatoes. Mash with a potato masher or blender to desired texture. Gently stir in the roasted corn, onions, black beans and cilantro mix. Preheat the broiler. Fill each potato skin with the mashed potato mixture*, topping each with 1 Tablespoon of cheese. Broil for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and hot. Serve immediately with a dollop of sour cream. *Note: Any leftover filling can be saved and used later to whip up a few delicious quesadillas.

Give this recipe a try... you won't regret it! :)  Until next time...xoxo

Y... Yes, I am still here!

Okay.... I have clearly been gone a while as I have returned to an all new blogger.  I am surprised that I could even figure out how to post! :)  Things probably look the same to you.    I will admit that I am having a hard time keeping up with life right now.  Things have been REALLY REALLY REALLY busy.  Work is killing me right now and any time outside of that is devoted to parenting and sleeping.  The husband and I did manage to squeeze in a weekend away ... thanks to my mom and dad who took Avery!  It was FANTASTIC.

We went to the Equinox in Manchester, VT.  It is one of my new favorite places on earth.  It is such the perfect New England town and we did a lot of eating, drinking.  We did a lot of sitting outside or by the fire reading.  We swam and got massages.  We went to the Land Rover Off Road Driving School (my Xmas gift to the hubby).  We did some shopping and then we did some more eating and drinking.  Perfection!

So, if you have never been to the Equinox or Manchester, VT... GO!  Any other adorable New England towns you would recommend for our next weekend away.  Won't happen anytime soon, but gotta have a goal! :)  Until next time...xoxo

D....Dreams!

Okay... Dreams really do come true.  Since I have lived in my house I dreamed of a cute shed off on the side of our house (not in the center of our yard).  I wanted a shed that was cute and functional and has windows for light.   I could go on and on.  I never dreamed that my dream would come true... thanks to my husband and father-in-law.  Over the course of two weeks, I watched a miraculous shed appear.

This fall we had a fence company move the side perimeter of our fence... hoping we could put a small shed over there in our new "side yard".  While they were at it... we had them put in a gate to the sidewalk... accessibility is key. The husband has had some free time on his hands and finally got down to focusing on the shed.  They seriously built this in TWO weeks!

Check it out! 

This is the space we were "saving" for the shed!

Progress was made quick... we have walls!

A nice wide door, two windows... oh la la!

Satisfied with his work... he has a beer!

This photos lets you see how/where it fits in our new side yard.

And the drum roll please..........

Please meet our beautiful new shed.  Love it!  

A BIG BIG thanks to the husband and my FIL!  They did great work... I really really really love my new shed.  LOVE!  Now.... onto the hardscaping and landscaping.  We still have a LONG way to go in our backyard.   Until next time....xoxo

P... Pink!

I stumbled across this adorable pink maxi skirt on Pinterest and immediately bought it at Old Navy!  It was a steal.  $15 bucks.... seriously.  I think this is officially the first maxi skirt that I own.    Bright pink just screams spring and I am so ready for spring.  This skirt can be styled in so many different ways.   Once it arrived the mail- I immediately hit the web to get some ideas of how to wear it.  

Check out these inspiration images!

See Jane

Little XO

Rebecca Hearts

My Dressy Ways

Want this skirt for yourself... get it quick!  On sale $15.99.  Until next time...xoxo

C is for cupping!

So, I tried something new this past weekend.   My back has been killing me and I had the cold from hell for two weeks so I thought I deserved some TLC.  I decided to give cupping therapy a try.  It is one of those things I had always been curious about.  When I mentioned it to the husband, he of course rolled his eyes.  But, I did it anyways! :)  


Cupping has been practiced for thousands of years and is a form of eastern medicine... in the realm of acupunture, reike, etc.  Chinese medicine belives that it is believed that illness or disharmony, such as stress and pain can be caused by stagnation of blockage of Qi (vital energy), Blood and lymph fluids.  Cupping therapy involves creating a vacuum in several cups and applying them to the skin. This causes a suction sensation which stimulates energy and fluid flow and eliminates toxins.  And yes for those of you have heard of cupping, it leaves perfectly cylindrical bruises after treatment.  But, I thought if it is good enough for Gywenth (Paltrow), Victoria (Beckham), and Jessica (Simpson) it is good enough for me.  

So, the woman who did my cupping therapy was hard core.   At one point I yelped and she said "pain is good".   It was clear, no pain, no gain.  Where my muscles were tightest the suction did hurt.  It was like getting a very deep tissue massage.  But, after the treatment I felt amazing.  Truly amazing.  I had a range of motion in my neck that I have not had in months!   I will be doing it again.  The husband was horrified that I paid someone 90 bucks to physically bruise me.  Men... just don't understand! :)  I will be curious to see how long it takes for the bruises to go away as I do look like a leopard.

The next day after my cupping therapy treatment I still felt great. I felt a bit sore like I had a intense gym workout.  I wonder how miraculous a second treatment could feel! :)  Until next time...xoxo

F.C.... Fried Chicken!

Okay... so I have a recipe for you today, but not meatless.  Just recently the husband and I made this fried chicken.  I did not tell my husband until after we ate it all and he raved about how good it was that it was a weight watchers recipe.  Yes, he loved it and it was a weight watchers recipe.  This oven fried chicken is truly amazing.  It is crunchy, has tons of flavor and was really moist.  We just cooked this and I am already craving it again! A big thanks to Everyday Maven for sharing this delicious recipe!  I found it on Pinterest, of course!

Ingredients:

• 1 whole organic chicken, cut up into 8 pieces, skin removed  (I just bought a big package of chicken thighs on sale rather than dealing with a whole chicken.)
• 1 5-ounce box Classic Melba Toast, crushed
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• non stick cooking spray or oil mister

1. Start by lining a baking sheet with tin foil and place cooking rack on top. Lightly spray cooking rack with non stick cooking spray.
2. Now, lets crush the Melba Toast. If you are a patient person and want the best possible results, place the Melba Toast in a large ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to crush it. If you are crunched for time or slightly impatient like me, throw it in the food processor. Help the process a bit by crushing it in the package before tossing into the food processor bowl. You do NOT want the Melba Toast to be completely pulverized. Leave some little pebbles and texture for maximum crispy crunch! 
3. Add in salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder and oregano. Pulse a couple more times. 
4. Combine Dijon and light mayo in a shallow dish. 
5. Get an assembly line ready: chicken, a shallow dish or plate with mayo mixture, Melba crumbs and lined baking sheet. 
6. Coat one piece of chicken at a time with mayo mixture (just enough to lightly coat) and press into Melba toast crumbs, making sure the chicken is evenly coated. Repeat until all chicken is coated. 
7. Use an oil mister or non stick cooking spray to lightly spray each piece of chicken.
8. Preheat oven to 400F. Place oven rack in upper middle position. Cook for 60 minutes, rotating the baking sheet one time at 30 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve and Enjoy! 

You will NOT disappointed with this recipe.  It is so freaking good!  IF you are on weight watchers (we are not), here is the "skinny":

• Skinless thighs are 3 Points Plus each plus 1 Point Plus for the breading so 4 Points Plus each.
• Skinless legs are 2 Points Plus each plus 1 Point Plus for the breading so 3 Points Plus each.
• Skinless breasts 3 Points Plus each for 4 ounces plus 1 Point Plus for the breading so 4 Points Plus each.

Have a I mentioned how good this chicken is?  Yuuummmy!  Until next time...xoxo

B... is busy!

Yes, we have been busy in our household.   Well, to give credit where credit is due, the husband has been very busy.  I have talked many many many times about how much I hate our backyard and the ugly shed that live there!   I really really hate it.  It is in the center of the yard.  It is really badly constructed and just looks cheap.  But, since we have no garage... we need a shed!  Well, here is the where the "busy" part comes in.

Our shed looked like this just yesterday with the sun shining brightly behind it!

This is what the old shed looks like now!

Bye bye ugly shed.  Wanna see what is replacing this beast?  You will have to check back next week to see! :)  Have a great weekend.

Until next time...xoxo

M.M.... Meatless Monday!

It's baaaacccckkkk!  I have gotten my butt back in gear and am back into menu planning and eating meatless at least one day each week.  Today I am sharing a flavorful pasta dish for you that is very flavor, comforting and meatless! :)  Where did I find it?  Budget Savvy Diva... by way of  Pinterest,  course!  


Ingredients:

• 14 oz of Orecchiette Pasta ( or short pasta)
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Cup of Chopped Onion
• 3 Cloves of Garlic ( Minced)
• 1 Cup of Sour Cream
• 4 oz of Cream Cheese ( Room Temperature)
• 3/4 Cup of Parmesan Cheese
• 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice + Zest
• 10 Oz of Spinach ( Make sure to squeeze excess moisture, after it has been thawed of course)
• 13.5 Can of Artichoke Hearts rinsed and chopped
• 1 Cup of Mozzarella
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
• 1 Teaspoon of Pepper

What to do:

1. Preheat Oven To 425
2. Cook pasta according to the box. Keep 1/4 Cup of the Pasta Water before you drain the cooked pasta.
3. Heat oil in pan and cook onions for 8 – 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute.
4. In a large bowl – Mix Sour Cream, Cream Cheese, Parmesan, Lemon (juice and zest), onions, and garlic. Add Pasta and mix.
5. Stir in spinach, artichokes, 1/4 cup of cooking liquid from the pasta, salt, pepper, and 1/2 Cup of Mozzarella
6. Place mixture into greased 2.5 – 3 qt casserole dish and place the rest of mozzarella cheese on top
7. Place in the oven till golden brown on top – about 10 – 15 minutes.

Mmmmm....meatless!  Until next time...xoxo

P...Pinning!

Okay, I am obsessed with Pinterest.  I have it on my phone and find myself pinning a lot!  I have a board that is all DIY Craft Projects.  I have so many projects I am dying to do, but no time to actually do them.  How did I ever survive without Pinterest eye candy in the past?

Here are some things on my "to do" list!

So many craft project ideas....so little time! :(  Happy Pinning.  Until next time....  xoxo

G..... Gray!

Yes, I am still here!  The past few weeks have been very busy, but what else is new!?  I have back and forth to New York twice in the past two weeks.  I am happy to be home again and not scheduled to get on a plane this week or next.

While I have been busy with work, the husband has been busy at home.  As I have mentioned in the past, I wanted to paint Avery's room.  IT was pale pink, but it did not really suit Avery or her personality.  She has more spunk than pale pink.  We wanted to paint her room gray so that then we could accent it with some more vibrancy... think magenta.

I have been perusing Pinterest for the perfect gray.  Something light and bright, but something that has enough contrast against white trim.

And the winner is..... Alaskan Huskie!  (Swatch Shown Above)   We... I meant the husband painted the room and it looks awesome.  We both LOVE it.  Photos to come later, but this nursery is becoming a toddler room!

Until next time...xoxo