A Little Bit of Everything!

This will probably be a little long. The reason I mostly blog is to remember what was going on so that I can go back and use it for scrapbooking and memories but I also having a place for ideas and such. Reading blogs gives me plenty of those and if you're a Pinterest-aholic, like me, you have a place for LOTS of ideas.

1. I bought a new lamp shade from our Pottery Barn outlet here. I still don't know how I feel about it. I think I'm liking the openess of it but Chris is still on the fence about it.

2. Inspired by a blog that I read, I changed the dining room set-up and I like it, but, I think our table is to small in the room. Maybe because that's the only furniture in the room but I think I want a farmhouse table in here. More on that later.

(I probably should've cleaned off my pumpkins..oops)

3. This is the only tree on my block that has leaves turning color and I love it. Yes this is random.

4. I made this delicious meal the other night and was so proud at how it looked I photographed it! It's Balsamic Chicken with Tomato and Mozzarella Topping courtesy of Favorite Family Recipes, a food blog I love!

5. I love Halloween and I love decorating for it but this year I realized that my decorations are not big enough for our house! In the apartments they were perfect sized but not so much anymore. I haven't had the chance to really buy any for this year so maybe I'll deal with what we've got and pick some decorations at the end of the season, real cheap, and buy some next Halloween.

6. My baby boy turned a month old already. Feels like just yesterday I brought him home. He loves his brother, he's back up to his birth weight, he's eating about 4 oz. every 3 hours, he's in size 1 diapers (they're still a little big), he's still in 0-3 month clothes, but has already outgrown his newborn stuff. We love him so much!  ♥

7. I'm so excited but nervous to be starting school again in Jan. I'm planning on getting this Life Planner from erincondren.com to keep my life in check. I saw it on Amanda's blog, OurOklahomaNest, and thought it was absolutely perfect for the student/working mom in me! Can't wait to place my order =)

My favorite design!



So far that's what I've been up to. Painting and other home improvements are on the back burner until after the new year. There's to much going on between now and then. I need to get into a routine and then hopefully everything will fall into place. Hope you all have a good week.

Birthday Pictures, Parades, and Cooking Oh My!

I miss relaxing weekends sooo much, yet I wouldn't change my crazy, memory-making weekends for anything.  On Saturday, Chris and I took Logan to get his first BIRTHDAY pictures! I wanted them to be so perfect, I bought him a new outfit and even debated getting him a haircut. Alas, the haircut did not happen and I'm happy I didn't! I wanted to buy ALLL of them, except the Easter bunny pictures, because he looked absolutely terrified! Haha. So here are my 3 favorite pictures that were taken.

Ok, ok I fibbed, four of my favorites!

Today we went to the St. Patrick's Day Parade! It was such a gorgeous day, with 63 degree weather and beautiful sunny skies.  It made me feel so good! I wanted to take a walk, even though I was exhausted! Ha! Logan was dressed in his little Irish sweater and cap and one of my favorite pics of the day was this one.

Thanks to the beautiful weather as motivation I made TWO meals!! I'm not going to lie I'm completely exhausted as I sit and write this. Chris made coffee, at my request, and I'm in love with International Coffee's Hershey Chocolate and Caramel flavor! I may go for a second cup.  Anyways, I made Baked Potato Soup, which I got from a fellow blogger's site, Delicious Dishes!  It was amazing! Although easy, this recipe again challenged me to exit my comfort zone because I had never made bacon before! Yes, you read that correctly! I also made Beef Stew, in the crock pot, using a recipe taken from a website online (I can't find the print out so when I do I'll add a link for the recipe).  It's so easy and I just love my crock pot so much that I'm always making it!  And it's sooo good too =)   ♥

Found a new love: Country Living ♥

Yesterday was Chris's first day back from his 48 hour trip to Memphis for that job interview. He said everything went really well and we should hear back by the end of next week! Woo!! Can't wait, I really hope he gets it even though it'll mean moving out of New Jersey but I think we're ready for the challenge!  Anyways, we went to several places to return stuff and get stuff for the Lemon-Basil Potatoes that I saw Giada de Laurentiis make on the Food Network! They were amazing and just as good as she made it seem on tv!

While we on line at ShopRite I saw the cover for Country Living magazine and I wanted it because of everything on the front cover.  But we were in a rush to get out of there because it was freaking CRAZY.  Anyways we went to Target to return gifts that Logan had already received and I went straight to the magazine section and picked it up, along with my other FAVORITE magazine, Real Simple.  I was so excited and I wanted to get to reading it as soon as I came home but I had to first, make the taters and then his cousin brought over 2 of his 3 girls for us to watch! So needless to say I didn't get to the mag until 11 pm! But once I opened it I was in LOVE. These are the things that I would love, love, love to have in Memphis or wherever we end up living, hopefully!

This was painted in "Saffron" and was $159 from Gothic Cabinet Craft

These decorative birdcages were awesome too! They're only $38 and are from Great Rooms Decor.

These mum napkin rings are adorable and they weren't the exact same ones in the mag but still close and for the same price of $2.95 from Pier 1 Imports.

This print I love for a dining room and/or kitchen.  It's 18 pounds or the US equivalent of $28.99.

These prints are cute to and are from Keep Calm Gallery a U.K. based company! The one above, coffee, is 20 pounds or the US equivalent of $32.21, as per the conversion done on XE.com.

And last but not least these creamers, from Pigeon Toe Ceramics.com, at $8 each, are cute and the neat thing about these is that there are 13 different colors to choose from, giving you the ability to match it up to your dinnerware, or almost match it up!

So there ya have it! Boy this was probably my longest but insightful post. At least I know where I can find these items if I lose the magazine! =)  ♥ I love lazy sundays!!