Yes, I'm pinning

siiggghhhh.
One more way for my time to evaporate - but yet another to fulfill a little creative corner of my brain.
I tried and tried to avoid it, but BAM, just like that, I joined pinterest. I have to say that it is quite satisfying and I am glad I joined. I just started, and if you are interested, I highly recommend it! It really is a great way to "pin" all of your inspiration - home, business, whatever - into one organized, concise place.

On another note: this weekend was great but oddly enough tiring. It was so nice having my husband around for a long stretch. Oliver pretty much follows him around and mimics his every move. It is very cute but suddenly I am chopped liver, ha. He wakes up first thing in the morning and asks for him.
Yesterday when we cooked out, I made this recipe for dessert that I found on Camille Styles, it was adapted from an Ina Garten recipe. It is the cross between pudding and a brownie - what could be better? Well, surprisingly, brownies OR pudding! It is beyond decadent and rich - it was almost too much to take. And you have to understand, I am a major choco-holic. I don't know that I have ever uttered the words it's too rich, I can't finish it. But that is precisely what I did. See for your self (I didn't scrape any vanilla beans and did not use grand marier, i just added some vanilla extract):

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the dish
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
1 tablespoon grand marnier
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a 2-quart (9 by 12 by 2-inch) oval baking dish. Melt the 1/2 pound of butter and set aside to cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and light yellow. Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside.

When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla seeds, grand marnier, and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix only until combined. With mixer still on low, slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined.

Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and place it in a larger baking pan. Add enough of the hottest tap water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish and bake for exactly 1 hour. A cake tester inserted 2 inches from the side will come out 3/4 clean. The center will appear very under-baked; this dessert is between a brownie and a pudding.

Allow to (mostly) cool and serve with vanilla ice cream.



image and recipe via Camille Styles

I didn't take any photos this weekend, so see Camille's to get an idea of what a brownie and pudding look like, because I know you are thinking huh? Well, it looks exactly as you think it would! Please, please let me know if you make this, I would love to hear what you thought!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

I hope everyone had a great, relaxing weekend lined up, with their (hopefully) extra day off! For what is seen as the unofficial kick off to summer, how do you plan on spending it? Here, we want to cook out all of your "traditional" fare like veggie burgers ("traditional" for us), watermelon, brownies, corn on the cob, potato salad, etc., and just keep it low key and hang out with our little family. I also try not to forget what we celebrate this day for, since there are still so many men and women out there fighting. Do you plan on going to the beach or a lake? Maybe staying close to home and taking in your town's parade? Whatever you do, be safe and enjoy it!!


I also just have to mention that my dear friend Kristi's wedding is being featured on Style Me Pretty. It was photographed by a friend, and styled by friend, so it was an all around love fest - it just so happens that the photographer and stylist are huge in the San Diego area! :) Check out any of the above links for some great inspiration!

images 1 + 2 google images
images 3 - 6 pinterst

Etsy for birthdays

Today is my niece Rose's birthday. She is absolutely in love with pigs (cute, right?) so I just knew I had to get her something with a pig. I was so happy when I found tiny bear on etsy. These handmade stuffed animals are adorable and the sweetest gift. I love giving things like this rather than another plastic toy, that so many others have, you know? It seems not only more personal, but also more heart felt, being that it was made by someone. Often times too, you will run into what I did, where the owner of the shop went above and beyond to get it there and include a birthday message - you can't get that at a big box store, that's for sure ;)
Check out these sweet animals, as well the little piglet I sent my niece, below. What are some of your favorite etsy shops?

summetime=popsicles

Last week I noticed that Oliver was getting a molar (you know, crabby and more 2 yr old attitude than normal!). My mom suggested getting him popsicle's and that maybe it would help soothe way back there. Not sure if that did the trick or just the fact that he loved the popsicle, but sure enough, smiles followed and tears were dried. I had gone to a natural grocery chain we have here in San Diego and picked out a flavor. The ingredients were good, yes - the price, not so much. So I have decided I want to make my own popsicle's!
After doing some research, I know I probably won't be as good as some mom's who make only organic ones for their kids, but I figured that on the days that they aren't completely organic, I will still have control over what is going into them, and I should still be saving $$$!
There are many popsicle molds out there to consider, ranging in price, but the Tovolo ones have gotten many good reviews, are non-toxic, reusable, and dishwasher safe. These will run you around $10 depending on the style you like. I liked the star molds best (pictured below) and they are right around $9.
The best part is all of the recipes out there! I can't wait to try mango strawberry, or raspberry!

Now all we need is warm weather here and I will be ready with popsicles, molars or not :)
Do you have any good popsicle recipes?

this just made me smile

So much so, that I just had to re-post.
image via frolic



How great would that be in your yard?

showering, outdoors

One day, when we finally buy a home and settle in (ha!), one of many things on my wish list is an outdoor shower.
For our lifestyle, it makes perfect sense. Whether we stay in San Diego, or make it back to the East Coast, it is a must as I see it. We can all troop in from the beach (where we spend a lot of time) and rinse off without traipsing sand and God knows what else through the house. We can rinse and hang wetsuits, bathing suits, etc. Again, we won't have to run quickly through the house with these items wrapped in a towel while trying not to drip all over the place. One day.
For now, inspiration will have to do!There is everything from fancy-shmancy to super stripped down. I think just basic would be nice - an extra frill could be attaching hot water to it ;)



Karen Blackerby







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coastal living

hello

blerg...blogger was down for what felt like sooo long!
Anyway, Happy Friday to everyone, it's the weekend, yaaaa! I finally watched SNL when Tina Fey hosted as well as the season finale of 30 Rock. SNL was ok...I do have to say that there was one skit in particular that cracked me up, I think it was supposed to be based on the theory of Orgasmic birth. Yes it is exactly as it sounds. The funny thing was that I had just read about that day. All I can say is more power to you (I think I just threw up a little) but when I was in labor, I hardly wanted someones hand on my shoulder! ugh. NO thank you. But to each his own.

A couple of things not grossing me out? West Elm. So cute lately. I love, love these hive vases.

The bowls are also super cute, but they look just like the ones I have from anthropologie, which I have loved for years. You should check out West Elm's bedding too, many fun prints to choose from and their block printing is cute and on trend.
west elm:


anthro:




I hope everyone has a great weekend and I hope it's warm and sunny where you are, cause it's not here! :(

Tina Fey

Just a quick note to say that I finished Tina Fey's Best seller Bossypants last week, and I have to say that it really is laugh out loud funny. I did, laugh out loud. If you are at all interested it is a very quick, funny read. I am not usually into books that "celebrities" have written, but this was definitely an exception to the rule.
Also, seemingly overnight, my sweet, sweet boy has become, um possessed. So sad. 2 will be here next month and I think I am finally experiencing what I have heard so much about. He has always been such a good-natured, gentle, easy going little boy, and I do not like this other side to him not one bit! I want my other little friend back and I just hope we all make it out the other side unscathed. I pray for patience. I have a feeling I will need it.

image via amazon.com

hi

Where have you been?!
Just kidding. Some are probably asking that of me. It's the weirdest thing. I have been no where, but felt soo busy last week that coming to this here blog was the last thing on my mind.
Have you ever had weeks like that? Where there wasn't anything specifically out of the ordinary, like a trip, to really make things crazy, but it just ends up that way?
Well, I did re-cover a kitchen table chair, with a staple gun that I have decided basically doesn't work. It doesn't work because the staples stick out about half an inch after I center all my weight over the thing when I go to staple it. The underside of the chair looks a little reminiscent of Frankenstein, but at least it's covered. And I will just try to avoid ever looking under there and remembering what a crap job it is!
Also, it was our anniversary (9 years!) and mother's day all in one week. So I guess that could throw a girl for a loop. I honestly can't believe I used to have a 9 to 5 job! Anniversary was great, got to see The Cave Singers and Fleet Foxes, thanks Ian! It was our first time out without a family member watching Oliver, so it was kind of a big deal. I was lucky enough to her babysit! It put my mind at ease so I could enjoy myself.
Mother's Day was so special - Oliver and Dad making breakfast and sweet little thoughts waited for me. I even got to go to the fabric store by myself! For 2 hours!

How has your week been? A lot of excitement in the news, but my heart still goes out to all of those in the South, especially AL..