happy halloween

orry we have been a little mia lately. i am blogging through my lunch today since we have yet to hook the computer back up since moving it to the new office/sewing room last tuesday. that room is a disaster. after tomorrow we have nothing on the agenda. my numero uno goal is getting the office/sewing room organized. for the 500th time.

we had a fun and extremely busy weekend. i am beat today. so so tired. i can't imagine how elle must feel. she has eaten so much sugar all weekend, dressed up a dozen times, had several naps in the car and was drug all over god's green earth.



she sure made for a cute fairy/angel/winged creature though.  the dress is what she wore as the flower girl in my cousin's wedding back in may. i paid a pretty penny for that dress so i wanted her to get some more use out of it. i followed this tutorial and made her wings. followed the advice of my cousin and used glitter hairspray to glitter up the wings. elle thought she was pretty amazing. and, she was!

we went to aaron's work friday and trick-or-treated there. my sil, nephew and niece joined us. we had a big time. i have some really fun pictures on my camera from the whole weekend that i'll have to get uploaded this week to share. they are so sweet!

and yes, aaron dressed as flo the progressive lady. huh.lare.ee.us. he is the ugliest woman on this planet. and someone even told him at work that he made for a pretty woman. seriously, they must have been blind.

we trick-or-treated last night so tonight we are having some friends over for dinner and will hand out candy. and relax! elle doesn't really get it this year, so we'll save neighborhood trick-or-treating for next year!

happy halloween!

mid-week nonsense

honest to goodness, i had all intentions of posting a new recipe last night for garbanzo and black bean hummus with grilled pita but (there's always a but) we moved our desk into our guest bedroom and when i went to do my tasty tuesday post, the computer had yet to be set back up and i was not about to mess with it and i didn't want to burden aaron with it either. so i'll post the recipe next week. good, easy and tasty. tasty, even if my 3-year old cousin told me that is looked and smelled like poop.




my cousin texted me these pictures last night, thought they were so cute because they really show the excitement on elle's face.

yesterday we met my cousin and her kids at the park. it was beautiful outside, just super windy. elle flipped down some shallow sets. it scared the poo out of me. but, she only cried for a split second. and she was on to the next thing.



elle has been asking me for cookies for about a week now. i bought m&m's at the store last week but didn't get around to making cookies so i made this recipe yesterday afternoon. scrumptious. i think elle ate 2 whole cookies between nap and bedtime yesterday. she ate the m&m's off the cookie first then ate the cookie.



last night i made these googly-eyed owl s'mores for elle to take to abuela's today. got the idea from slaughterhouse rules. i sandwiched the graham crackers together with nutella. i'm not going to say these were easy because they weren't and i got very a little frustrated. i thought the candy wafer would melt in the microwave and the chocolate chip would stick to the melted wafter but no, it took a while for the wafer to actually melt enough for the chocolate chip to stick. and several times one marshmallow would melt in the microwave but the other one wouldn't. still fun for sure. and the kids and abuela got a big kick out of them this morning!

wishing this day away...i look forward to going home tonight, kicking my feet up and not doing a dang thing! amen!

meal plan monday

i left the grocery store very bitter today. our bill was $160. yes. for real. i had to get a few things for elle's halloween costume (more on that later) and a couple household items, one being springform pans. i've needed them for a while now and finally just bit the bullet and bought them today. 3 for $9, so it wasn't too big of a blow to our pocketbook. but anytime i leave the grocery store spending that much money, i feel defeated. hopefully we are set and i don't have to make any subsequent trips this week.

sunday:
sweet potato and black bean enchiladas {recipe}
cilantro-lime rice
*i was supposed to make this friday night, but we ate dinner with friends and i was too lazy saturday night to make them. we had leftover tostadas instead. and, my grocery bill was still $160.
**if i was a death-row inmate, i would have the hardest time deciding what my last meal would be. these enchiladas would be on the top 3 list.

monday:
spaghetti
marina {recipe} i use
"venesian inn" salad
toasted sourdough bread

salad recipe:
bag shredded iceberg
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs salad vinegar
green olives
garlic salt, to taste
fresh ground pepper, to taste
mix it all up. you'll thank me later.
**i think some recipes call for sugar, but i never use it.**

tuesday:
greek turkey meatballs {recipe}
pita/raw veggies/tzatziki/hummus

wednesday:
crockpot chicken tortilla soup {slow-cooker cookbook}
i'll share the recipe if its any good. i made a potato soup recipe a few weeks back from the same cookbook. well, let's just say, i'll never make it again. but the apple butter i made is from the same cookbook and it was yummy.

thursday:
autumn chopped salad with grilled chicken {recipe}

friday:
lemon salmon burgers {recipe}
sweet potato fries

saturday:
leftovers (we should have lots of them)

we had a very full weekend. i am extremely exhausted tonight. extremely. i will be out when my head hits the pillow. oh, our yard? it looks good. so good. i am so proud of my husband for sacrificing his whole weekend, after working a 70-hour work week, for this project. i can't to share pictures.

have a great week!

something sweet saturday

we had a last minute change of plans today. they went from finishing the kitchen cabinets to planting our front flower beds. for some reason i thought today was going to be cold and yucky but last night i checked the weather and it was going to be the exact opposite so we decided to get up and head to the nurseries.



elle louise calling those hogs while we shopped for plants.




daddy started the planting. elle and i sidewalk chalked for a bit before it was time for her nap. yes, we had a little outfit change. we are potty training after all.

our front beds our looking so good. i'm excited for our house to have some fresh curb appeal.

today is...

...my mom's birthday!

my mom is such an inspiration to me. my best friend. the best nana a baby could ask for. she is so selfless and always so giving of her time and efforts. she works hard. loves her family much. and always takes time out of her very busy days to call me and to check on me.



my mom loves elle louise so much. she always calls to talk to her, to find out how her day went. she stops by the house often just to see elle for a couple of minutes and she will drop any and everything to watch elle for us if we need her.



elle louise is in love with her nana. she talks about her all day long. always wants to go to "nana house" and always asks to call her on the phone. she has been telling me all day that it's "nana bur-day". it fills my heart to watch them together. they are going to be a tight pair. i just know it. so thankful for their closeness.



happy birthday mom! we love you so much!

fall makes me want to change things...

like big things. painting. every. thing. two falls ago we painted. everything. our bedroom, kitchen and living room. at that time we re-painted our kitchen cabinets. big, huge, enormous deal. it was a massive project. aaron finished the bottom cabinets and we left the tops without doors. i liked it for a while, started not liking it as time went on and now i hate it. the dishes and cups that don't get used often enough (ahem, my wine glasses) get so dusty. its just gross. so finishing the cabinets is at the top of our list. right under "find entertainment center"...



aren't elle bean's tiny hand-prints just so sweet and cute?

the list is on the kitchen door that opens to the garage. i look at it one hundred times a day.

there are several projects that i'm hoping to finish in the next couple of months. i kind of, sort of have them in order of importance. i want to get the painting done over the next several weeks before it turns too cold. speaking of cold, it is cold here right now. elle wore the cutest sweatsuit to abuela's today and looked way too big. but we were running late out the door and i couldn't get a picture. but, trust, she looked adorable. but, way too big. anywho, i really really really want to transform our master. it has never had any attention paid to it and i really want to make a fun and romantic escape, if you will, for aaron and i. our place. that speaks of our love. and that is a constant reminder of june 30, 2007. the day we promised our lives to each other. so i've found some really fun inspiration on pinterest. but, of course...

Source: None via Kari Beth on Pinterest

how perfect.

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Kari Beth on Pinterest

in dire love with this whole look.

Source: m.urbanoutfitters.com via Kari Beth on Pinterest

love the charlie brown bedding.

Source: flickr.com via Kari Beth on Pinterest

romance.

my idea for our bedroom is white one white with pops of color coming from the furniture. our dresser and nightstands are painted pieces. and also some color in the art and other pieces i put on the wall. i am so excited to get going on it!

i thought since we had so many projects going on at home it would be fun to do before and after posts. i think i will title these posts "love where you live". because ultimately loving where you live is what it's all about. i would be happy as a freaking clam living in a 300 sq ft loft as long as i have my husband and my baby girl. with that said, i want my home to be a joyful place! i want to look around and love what i see and not constantly be thinking what i could do to change it. and as you saw at the bottom of the list. i want to simplify. simple is my goal.

aaron said he is finishing the cabinets this weekend. so, we will shall start there. we do plan on repainting the kitchen too, but i highly doubt we will get to it this weekend. but, maybe so. you never know with us. we get these wild hares and just run with 'em sometimes!

off to bed, we've got a big day tomorrow. love to all.

p.s. tonight i'm thinking of goings-on in my life and in the lives of people that i truly, truly love. hold your baby a little longer. hug your hubby a little tighter. spend some extra time talking to God. tell someone that you haven't told in a while that you love them. let things roll off your shoulder. life is so precious. and things can change in the blink of an eye.

tasty tuesday {chicken, cannellini bean + spinach soup}

once-upon a time i was given a recipe for this soup. but i've since lost it so i found a similar one on pinterest. but i didn't really like all the steps you had to take to make the soup, so i kind of made up my own.



chicken, cannellini bean + spinach soup

5-6 cups chicken broth**
1 chicken breast
2 tbs olive oil
1/2 medium white onion
1/4 cup carrots (i buy the crinkle kind in the produce section)
1 clove garlic
6 ounces fresh spinach
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
jar prepared pesto (or you can make your own)

**add 5-6 chicken bouillon cubes to 5-6 cups boiling water to make your broth.
add chicken breast to boiling water and let cook for 5-7 minutes (to where still pink in middle). while chicken is cooking, heat oil over medium-high heat in stock pot. dice up onion and put in stock pot once oil is hot and let cook until clear. add garlic to onion and let cook for a couple minutes. remove chicken from broth, be sure to reserve all the broth for the soup, and cut up in bite-size pieces. add chicken, carrots, and broth to stock pot. bring soup to boil, reduce heat to medium and let cook for 5 minutes. add spinach and beans to soup. bring back to boil, reduce heat again and let simmer for 5 more minutes. after this i like to check the chicken and just double check that it is cooked all the way through. it always is, but just don't ever want to serve raw chicken. ick. add in as much prepared pesto as you like. i love love love pesto, so i add the entire jar! after you add the pesto, reduce heat to low and let sit until ready to eat. it is an extremely brothy soup. so if you don't like brothy soup then you will not like this. i like to serve with garlic-butter sourdough toast. yummy. hope you enjoy!



aaron's older sister made elle the cutest beanie. i found something i liked on a website but didn't want to pay the $30 price tag, so i asked her if she could make it. i made the flower and pinned it on. turned out so super cute! she's going to wear it for our family pictures that are in a couple of weeks. i am keeping my fingers crossed that she cooperates and will actually wear it. i had to bribe her with the phone to even get her to wear it long enough to snap a quick phone pic.



today i went to my cousin sara's house to help her finish a pinterest project she started a couple of weeks ago. love love love how it turned out. i want to do something similar. i think in elle's play area. i can write her sweet scriptures and messages! and she can write on it too!



also today, our good friends gary and ashley had their sweet baby boy. he is adorable! we got to love on him a little tonight. i can't wait to see him again. brand new babies are my absolute favorite. nothing sweeter.

meal-plan monday

up way to early on a sunday morning. but i woke up and couldn't fall back asleep so i made our menu for the week...

sunday:
chicken and spinach soup

monday:
slow-cooker pinto beans
skillet cornbread with green chiles

tuesday:
spaghetti squash lasagna
pear + apple salad with maple vinegarette dressing

wednesday:
refried bean {leftover pinto beans from monday} tostadas

thursday:
pork tenderloin
pw's creamy mashed potatos
slow-cooker green beans
cheddar biscuits
and brown butter cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting for dessert

friday:
sweet potato enchiladas
cilantro-lime rice

saturday:
leftovers, leftovers and more leftovers

...and, i'm off to beat sunday crowds at the grocery store!

something sweet saturday

after 11 looooong days...



...daddy is home from his work trip and our family is back together again!

we missed him much and glad to have him home safe and sound.


happy saturday!

fall

this afternoon we met some friends, jessica and lindsey, for lunch and then a quick trip to the park.

i could totally live year round where the weather is like it is right now. cool and crisp mornings and evenings and warm and breezy days. with a few rainy days here and there.

it is absolutely gorgeous!



elle weezy and roobs sliding.



jessica getting in on the action! lindsey and landry in the background.



who's coming down next?

we loved seeing our friends, even if it was for just a little bit. lunch is a little hectic nowadays with toddlers in abundance, but still so fun. wish i would have gotten a pic of the three cuties, elle, ruby and landry, all together. coulda. woulda. shoulda. do you watch the tonight show? ha!



i took this sweet picture of my girl late this afternoon to send to her daddy. it was right after waking up from her nap. she looks so sweet! i just had to share!

***edited to add:
i've been forgetting to mention...i got a new fall 'do. jess cut my hair on tuesday and we totally did bangs. i. love. them. of course, they are taking some getting used to, but i really love the look. no length was taken off, just a slight trim to get rid of dead ends. and some new color.



this picture is totally dorky!

happy friday tomorrow. i am soooooooo looking forward to this weekend. can it get here already?

look what i found!

i thought that these pictures were lost forever. and that i would never have documentation of this special occasion. but tonight, while trying to find some other pictures that are missing (i've never claimed to be organized. but i do try!) i stumbled upon a folder that said "camera pics" and they were in the panasonic folder even though they were taken with our canon.

get excited!

elle louise's first (& only) haircut.

jessica cut elle's hair the week she turned one. she turned one on a friday and we cut her hair the following friday. february 11, 2011. she was one year and one week old. she looks like such a baby in these pics. makes me weepy.





hair before. oh, the beloved rat tail.



during. she was not a fan, but i must say jessica did an amazing job. i was sweating bullets under that cape and i was nervous as i'll get out with those scissors flying every where and elle crying and moving around liking she was. we survived to tell the tale.



ruby there to cheer elle up and on!



oh, that sweet face.



all done! i was one proud momma, loving my girl's new 'do!





my beautiful beautiful girl!

i am beyond relieved that these pictures were found! i would hate to ever forget this day or not have actual pictures to show for it

now that elle's hair is all the same length we are going to let it grow out long and flowing. she has amazing texture and fullness. she is lucky to have such a beautiful mane!

meal-plan monday

monday:
leftover spaghetti squash lasagna

tuesday:
chicken nuggets and brocolli and white cheddar mac 'n cheese
i have a feeling i'll be making this meal lots. elle loves these nuggets! i like making food that i know she will actually eat.

wednesday:
breakfast for dinner with biscuits and apple butter

thursday:
chicken and vegetable fried rice

friday/saturday/sunday:
leftovers, sandwiches, eating out, and/or cereal

another exciting meal week for us. i'm trying to clean out the pantry and refrigerator and eat what we have before stuff spoils. i've been buying tons of baking stuff lately for all the sweet treats i'm running across on pinterest. this week i want to make candy corn fudge and m&m sugar cookies. elle's been asking for "cookie and milk" for the last couple of days so i want to make her some. she deserves them. she's such a sweet girl.

our weekend has come to an end

it has been a full and fun weekend.



friday night we had an ice cream date with our cousins. ak is such a kid now. she looks so grown up here. elle helped herself to hay's ice cream. he was too busy in the water fountain and knocking over chairs to care.



after we shopped our butts off on saturday, we watched the hogs whoop auburn at nana and bapa's house. go hogs go! woo pig sooie!



elle louise stayed up way. past. her. bedtime. saturday night. we slept in till 10:00 this morning so the late night was ok.



today i made apple butter. it is delicious. i followed a recipe out of my slow-cooker cookbook but tweaked it quite a bit.

apple butter recipe {according to moi}:
3 lb apples, i used gala but next time will use honeycrisp
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 cup sugar
--cook on high for 3 hours, stirring every hour. reduce heat to low and cook for 7-8 hours, stirring frequently with a wire wisk. i only cooked mine for 6 1/2 hours because my crockpot cooks everything extra fast (for some reason i don't know why). my butter was still kind of lumpy (because i wasn't diligent about stirring) so i pureed it to a creamy consistency in the food processor.



today i also finished up a little something for a friend, that i have been working on for over a month. i'm a horrible friend, but the shirt turned out so cute.



oh yea, i also got fake glasses at altr'd state on saturday. so if you see me wearing them know that no, i did not get glasses. wearing them solely for the sake of fashion. i crack myself up. but, they're cute aren't they?!

and, if you would be so obliged, please say a prayer for my poppy. he is having open-heart surgery in the morning. pray that God is in the operating room guiding the surgeons and that everything goes according to His will.


have a great week, friends!