Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

Hubby has been chalking up BIG points by taking such great care of me while I've been on bed rest. He leaves for work at the crack of dawn each morning and at the end of the day all he probably wants to do is relax. Instead he comes home cooks dinner, cleans, does the laundry, buys the groceries and tackles his "honey do" list on the weekends. In addition, I wake up each morning to find that he's packed a cooler for me with breakfast, water and snacks to get me through the day so I don't have to get up to grab food. He also leaves my tray in bed which is full of magazines, the remote, my iPad, stationery and stamps for thank you notes, etc.

Honestly, WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE SUCH A GREAT GUY??? Here he is with one of our nephews just the other week (excuse the poor iPhone photo quality - I was horizontal on the couch when I took this):

I think he's going to make one GREAT dad when his 2 little girls arrive!

Needless to say, he has been going above and beyond the call of duty and deserves a BIG treat for all of the extra work he's been doing around here. If you have any suggestions, LET ME KNOW!

So I was quite smitten when he came home from Trader Joe's the other day with two bunches of BEAUTIFUL peonies! Aren't they GORGEOUS? I even gave him a quick tip from the couch on how to arrange them. (What guy has arranged fresh flowers before?) Didn't he do a great job? 

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know I LOVE peonies. They are my absolute favorite and have really brightened my week so far!

I LOVE YOU!!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Cooking with a View

Spotted this great kitchen on La Dolce Vita today. I don't think I've ever seen a window behind a range and hood. Isn't it beautiful? I could envision myself stirring a pot of risotto or something else that required me to be by the stove for a while just so I could enjoy the view! So much better than a plain old backsplash. I'll be filing this one away for the day when I get to design my dream home.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Great Gift for Dad

Trying to come up with a great idea for a Father's Day present? One Kings Lane is featuring a sale on Chic Canvas today. I think this would be a great gift for dear old Dad this Father's Day! They'll turn your photograph into a canvas that you can hang on the wall. Dad could hang it at work or at home. Great for grandfathers too! I love it when I see a great photograph of kids blown up HUGE in someone's home. They are so fun!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Chic Mom

I am definitely not feeling chic these days. Since I'm on bed rest, I spend my days in some form of lounge wear - sweats, robes, pajamas, baseball hats, etc. I haven't been outside my house in over 2 weeks which means I haven't worn shoes in that amount of time. I can't wait until these babies arrive and I can get dressed in real clothes and wear all my cute shoes again. I know, those of you with kids are probably saying, she's crazy if she thinks she'll be getting out of the house soon after the twins are born let alone trying to look "chic" while covered in spit up and drool.

You know who was a chic mom? Jackie Kennedy. Maybe after I lose the baby weight (plus some extra) I can look great as she did with her kids. 

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

I'm Not Dead......

Just pregnant! Yep, the reason for the lack of posts over the last few months is because I've been exhausted and trying to get plenty of rest.

I'm now 21 weeks along....with TWIN GIRLS!!! Hubby and I are pleased to introduce you to Baby A:

Yes, those are her knees next to her shoulders and her feet by her head. Apparently we caught her mid yoga pose. 

And Baby B:

She's higher up in my tummy so apparently she has more room to pose for the camera. Aren't they both beautiful???

I didn't have any morning sickness at all in the first trimester. Yay! My pregnancy has been so smooth....up until now. I'm currently on bed rest so I have all the time in the world to blog now. I got a new iPad and this is the first post I'm writing with it.

I'll try and post more often now that I have the time and my iPad is never too far from me. If you have any suggestions of things I can do on bed rest, let me know! I have a huge stack of baby books to get through, but other ideas on how to pass the time are welcome. And if you live close by, feel free to visit anytime! 

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Pucker Up

You need to get this NOW:

It will literally make your lips as smooth as silk!  Put it on before you go to bed and after a few nights, you will notice a big difference!  I love how smooth it makes my lips.  

You can find it at your nearest Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Neiman Marcus and Sephora.  You can also find it here and here.

More St. Patrick's Day Cheer!

In case you were wondering about my other nephew, here's Brooks wishing you all a Happy St. Patrick's Day!  He turns 6 months old today!

Even though he's wearing green, I still want to pinch him...he's just SO cute!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

These pictures made my heart melt when my sister sent them to me.  Remember my post last week on the St. Patrick's Day books I sent to my nephews?  This is why I LOVE giving them books.  Look at their imagination run wild!  Here's my oldest nephew, Chase, reading the book, The Night Before St. Patrick's Day:

 

Chase - 2.5 years old

He is intently looking at the page in the book where the kids set several traps for the leprechaun!  

Check out the trap he made to catch a leprechaun on St. Patrick's Day!  Notice the shiny cookie cutter on top of the box to attract the leprechaun?  Apparently leprechauns like shiny objects.

He made a set of stairs with some of his blocks and he even used small ladders because leprechauns are small.  Is this kid smart or what?  (OK, I'm a little biased.)

Here Chase shows us what happens to the leprechaun when it tries to get the shiny object...

He falls in the box!

I hope that all of you are able to capture your own leprechaun and that you have a great St. Patrick's Day too!

Going Green!

I can't believe that it's already March.  We all know what happens in March...St. Patrick's Day!  My days of drinking green beer are LONG over.  Now that I have 2 adorable nephews in my life, I love to get them excited about fun holidays like this.

The other day I picked up a few books for them to help them learn more about St. Patrick's Day:

I was surprised at how many choices there were when it came to St. Patrick's Day books in the children's section at my local bookstore.  The two I picked were The Night Before St. Patrick's Day by Natasha Wing and Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato by Tomie dePaola, one of my favorite illustrators.  

In The Night Before St. Patrick's Day, my nephews will read about a brother and sister who are trying to catch a leprechaun.  In the photo below, the mom has made them green eggs for the holiday.  My mom used to make us green eggs, green milk and send us to school with sandwiches made on green bread!

They decide to make traps to catch the leprechaun and to lure the him into the trap, they make sure to use shiny objects (which leprechauns apparently like).

Since receiving the book, my almost 3 year old nephew has called me to talk all about leprechauns and how he wants to catch one!  He even made a trap this weekend including a shiny object!  I love watching his imagination and vocabulary grow with each new book.

In the second book, Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato, we read about Jamie and how he grows a GIANT potato.  It's big enough to feed his whole town!

Tomie dePaola has always been one of my favorite children's author and illustrator.  His stories are always classics!

So if you have some little ones in your life, run out and get them some fun treats for this fun, green holiday!

Design Goals 2010

Sorry for falling off the face of the earth!  Life got busy and things got in the way which meant that blogging was put on the back burner.  I'm back and hope to be writing a little more regularly now.  I hope you missed me!

I love to decorate and I am always moving things around in my house - furniture, accessories, you name it.  Something I've been wanting to get better at in 2010 is accessorizing and in particular layering and creating small vignettes around my house to complete the look.  So, this has become one of my deign goals in 2010.

These vignettes or tablescapes can be created almost anywhere - on an entry table, a mantle, bedside table, bookshelf, dresser....the possibilities are endless.

Here are a few examples.  I hope they get your creative juices flowing too!

Dan Marty, photo courtesy of SF Examiner

 

Annsley McAleer, Domino, April 2007

Dan Marty, Western Interiors, April/May 2009

 Anette Joseph, Decorating, Winter 2008

Domino, June 2008, photograph by Matt Albiani

 

Canadian House & Home

 

 Dan Marty, photo courtesy of SF Examiner

The Countdown

The countdown has begun!  Only 2 more days until the 3rd issue of Lonny hits your virtual newsstand!  If you have been trying to find a magazine to fill the void that was left when Domino went under and you haven't discovered Lonny yet, you're in for a treat!

Lonny December 2009 Cover

I can't tell you how many times I wished that my computer was handy while I am flipping through a great magazine so I can check out the sources online.  I usually put the magazine down and forget about researching the items I liked.  Well with Lonny, if you see an item you like, you can click on it and it takes you directly to where you can find it!  Genius!  For instance, the Iomoi bag in the top right corner caught my eye in the December Gift Guide:

If you rolled your mouse over the bag and clicked on it, you were directed right to the Iomoi page where you could buy the bag!  I only wish this feature had existed sooner.

Vanessa De Vargas' Home, Lonny December 2009

So, on February 10th, be sure to check out the latest issue of Lonny magazine.  They've been tweeting that it will feature some West Coast homes so I am really excited about that.  I hope you like it as much as I do!

More Love For Trader Joe's!

Like I said before, I am not someone who likes to celebrate Valentine's Day by going out to a fancy, overpriced dinner.  Instead, we like to cook at home or get together with friends and celebrate.  

Well this year, I can tell you what I'll be cooking for dessert!  Who doesn't love molten chocolate cakes?  They are so ooey and gooey, warm and yummy all in one little cake!  I am sure I could make them from scratch, but why would I want to when I can buy them at Trader Joe's and pop them in the oven!

I discovered them when I read this feature in the Jan./Feb. issue of the Food Network Magazine.  

They are now sitting in my freezer waiting for Valentine's Day to roll around!  You can find them at your local Trader Joe's in the freezer aisle for $2.99!  I plan to serve mine with a little vanilla ice cream.  YUM!

When I shop at Trader Joe's, I always love to check out the shelf where they feature their new products.  Look what I found this week - another treat to send to work with hubby!  

Now I don't want you all thinking that I send treats with him year round.  This is only a Valentine's Day thing.  A good excuse to send him to work with some love that will hopefully brighten his day!

Do you have anything fun planned for your Valentine's Day?  Do you like to eat in or out?  I'd love to hear what other people do!

Got 5?

Minutes that is!  If you have FIVE minutes, you can whip up the easiest dinner EVER.  I'm not kidding - FIVE minutes.  Did you ever think you'd be able to cook a dinner for your entire family that fast?  I bet the answer is NO!  You can't even microwave a meal for more than one person in under 5 minutes, let alone cook a meal!  OK, I'll let you in on my little secret:

Trader Joe's "Just Pasta" can be found in the freezer section at your local Trader Joe's.  You can get either Penne or Spaghetti noodles and each bag costs ONLY $2.49.  Pop it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, and your pasta is cooked!  YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO BOIL WATER.  It's a miracle!  You don't have to wash your pasta pot or colander afterward either!  Having to wash fewer dishes after a meal is a great thing in my book.

Inside the bag there are two 8 oz. bags of pre-cooked spaghetti.  I cook both bags for the two of us and there are usually enough leftovers for one person the next day.  I think they must measure the pasta once it's been cooked because even thought it's 16 oz. of pasta, it makes a lot less than 1 pound of dry noodles would make.  Either way, it's still the fastest dinner you will EVER make.

Just as I put the noodles in the microwave, I pour a can of sauce in a sauce pan to heat it up on the stove.  My favorite sauce is the Organic Tomato Basil Marinara ($2.29) from Trader Joe's.  I find that it has more flavor than other sauces you can find at the grocery store.  And if we're going to eat sauce from the jar, then it should at least taste good right?

If you don't like to use sauce from a jar, then you can use the sauce from this post which I like to make and freeze so I have it handy when I need it.

A group of women from my neighborhood were getting together on Saturday night for drinks a few doors down so I wanted something easy to cook before I headed out.  This time I browned some ground beef and added it to the pasta.  I prefer to use the organic ground beef you can find at Costco that comes in convenient 1 pound packages:

I store the individual packages in the freezer and they keep well.  So all you have to do for this entire dinner is brown the meat, heat the sauce and microwave the noodles.  It's as simple as that and you have dinner in FIVE minutes!  YUM!

Wondering about that garlic bread there?  That's the Barefoot Contessa's garlic ciabatta bread.  It was the best home made garlic bread I've ever made so I'll definitely write a post on that later!

I'd love to hear what your favorites are from Trader Joe's too!  I hope you'll share so we can all try them out!  

Domino Love

I dug through my OLD issues of Domino magazine to find this photo for today's post!  One of my favorite things I ever saw in Domino and implemented in my own home was to use an apothecary jar to hold my toilet paper!  Oh how I miss Domino.  (Sniffle, sniffle.)  It was featured in the October 2005 issue and I'm sure that countless people have now put one in their bathroom too.

Photo courtesy Domino Magazine, October 2005

The apothecary jar they featured is from English Creek  Gardens.  I found mine at Z Gallerie shortly after I saw it in the magazine, but they may still carry something similar.  If not, there are so many resources for apothecary jars - both online and in stores.

It's a great place to store extra TP, but the best part about it is that I now have it in our guest bathroom so the guests never have to search for more toilet paper when they run out!  Here's what it looks like in our guest bathroom:

See it tucked away in the corner?

Don't you miss Domino?  Do you have any fun decorating tricks you learned from them?  I'd love to know!

More Spring!

In case you didn't have time to click through the links in last night's post, here are some photos of the J. Crew items I bought that weren't on the site last night, but they are today!

J. Crew Tissue Garland Tank in dark pewter ($42.50 online, $45 in stores) 

This is how I was thinking of wearing it (but with jeans...I can't rock those short shorts!):

And here's the zipper sweater...a much better picture:

J. Crew Scalloped Zipper Cardigan ($98) 

There were a few more items that I spotted on the site today that I just might have to add to my shopping cart.  Darn you J. Crack!!!

J. Crew Thomas Mason Printed Tuxedo Shirt ($150)

 

J. Crew Vintage Bateau Top ($36) 

I am such a sucker for anything nautical and I love it when all the designers launch their spring lines with nautical themed pieces.  It must be the sailor in me.  And I love pleats - especially on blouses.  Thank goodness for my dry cleaner.  I think I drive them insane with all my pleated shirts!

Spring Has Sprung!

Spring has sprung!  Well, not if you look outside, but in the land of J. Crew it has!

A few weeks ago I was invited by one of my favorite J. Crew J. Crack sales associates to a breakfast in the store to celebrate the launch of the Spring line.  I was so excited to see the new stuff that I could hardly sleep!  (Well, not that excited, but you get the point.)  The store had been a little bare over the last few weeks so I was ready for some new merchandise!

When I got there I tried to practice as much self control as I could, but it was tough tough tough!  I also kept trying to remind myself of the difference between want and need, but there were four things I just couldn't leave the store without.

The first was this sweet cotton papillon blouse which I picked up in white:

J. Crew Cotton Papillon Blouse shown in soft violet ($79.50)

Wouldn't it be so cute with black capris or skinny jeans?  They didn't carry black in the store, but now that I've seen black online, I might have a tough decision to make.  Which color to get and keep for Spring???

The second top I got was this dark gray ruffle tank top.  It's not online yet, but here's a photo I took tonight (sorry the flash washed out the color a little bit):

J. Crew Ruffle Tank ($45)

I looked for a fun necklace to go with this top and opted for something other than the usual black.  This is what the sales associate picked:

J. Crew Petal and Pearl Necklace in light amethyst ($59.50)

I can picture wearing this top and necklace with a lighter gray cardigan, jeans and my silver Capri Sandals from last year.

After I had checked out and was leaving the store, I spotted this sweater.  I tried it on and had to have it.  It's not for sale online yet either so here's a photo:

J. Crew Zipper Cardigan ($98)

It's a light gray cardigan with zipper, ruffle and satin details.  (Click on the photo to get a closer view.)  There were only a few left and the store had only had them on the floor for a few hours!  I got the last one in my size.  As they were putting it in my bag another woman who was looking for it asked to try mine on since we were the same size.  I let her, but since they were now sold out of our size thanks to me, she had to special order it.  I can't wait to wear it!  The zippers add such a fun unexpected detail.

So, if you are addicted like me, stop by your J. Crew store before yours is sold out too!