Bridal Shower Inspiration

I am throwing a Bridal shower in August for my dear friend, Amanda. And so I have been brainstorming for awhile about the essential things I feel are necessary for this bridal shower to be what I think of as successful.

Key things I need to make sure it is a blast are:

1. Patterned table cloths

2. signature cocktail

3. yummy dessert table

4. summer salads

5. festive games.

So these are the essentials.

Any suggestions or advice??



Mmmm. Wing Sauce...

So, I do not eat a lot of meat. I basically only eat fish... and buffalo wings... And I have recently come to realize that it is actually because I am insanely obsessed with the taste of wing sauce. So... I am going to do an experiment... If I buy veggie chicken strips... then cover them in either Buffalo Wild Wings Spicy Garlic Sauce... or Fire on the Mountain Buffalo Lime Cilantro.. will they be as good? I'll lectha know how it goes...

Is there anything you have sworn not to eat.. but just can't give up??

P.S. If you live in Portland... Check out Fire On The Mountain.. because it is the best wing place ever!

outdoor dining...

I think of dinner as more of an event than just a meal. Especially in the summertime! I have been noticing more and more since I have gotten married that I always want to set the table with matching dishes and pretty napkins.. I want the serve-ware to look nice and think that even the arrangement of the food is important now. Sooo.. I thought I would share with you some pretty summer dishes I have found. I wish I owned ALL of them!

Now only if more people had time to come over! 

anthropologie

anthropologie

anthropologie

Crate&Barrel

Crate&Barrel

Macys

 

where is the sun??

I am so ready for it to be summertime! I am ready to have BBQs on the back porch without people having to be wrapped in blankets! I am ready to make seafood and put it on colorful plates. 

Some things I am looking forward to come summer:

-corn on the cob

-farmers market where we can get all out veggies and herbs for fresh dinners

-summer dresses and tank tops

-watermelon

-bathing suits 

-being able to wear bright, bold colors all the time

-sandals and in turn, pedicures!

-staying up late and it still being warm

-drinking beers on the back porch

-going swimming at lakes

-long drives to the beach

-picnics!

These are just a few things I am REALLY looking forward to!

What are your favorite things about summer??

Currently Obsessed With...

My little sister, Kathryn, started her new blog, Currently Obsessed With..., and I love the concept so much that I thought I would share my current obsessions here to contribute to the creativity of the site!

So.. I am currently obessing over...

Statement Necklaces

Cowboy Boots



Fresh Produce

Drinking Out of Mason Jars





 What are you currently obsessing over??

Health

Recently, I have been having a lot of health issues and have had to go to the doctor a few times, and while I am not going to elaborate past that on here.. bascially I have been feeling horrible. My doctor asked me to start keeping a food jounral to see if anything can be alleviated by cutting out any particular food or drink. So I have been doing this for about a week and I have realized that I eat very poorly. I used to be a vegetarian.. well almost, I have always eaten fish. But I stopped doing that about a year ago when Erik and I first moved in together because I didn't want to have to make tw different dinners. But, Erik is great, and told me he doesn't mind eating mostly vegetarian again. So, I am thinking I might need to go back to that. (I will REALLY miss buffalo wings... for some reason they are pretty much the only meat food I love). 

So, here I go. Also, I have been looking into cutting my caffeine intake because I am not sure it makes me feel good and also cutting down on gluten. So, here is an experiment that I am willing to try. First things first, I need to figure out a plan for grocery shopping where I don't just buy everything I think looks good, but instead go in there with my weekly plans set out. And, I need to start eating a better breakfast, exercising, doing yoga, cutting down on alcohol, and setting up a sleep schedule. All of this will come easier once I start work again and have a set time to arrive at work. But I need to start now so that the transition is easier. 

So. Wish. Me. Luck. 

WA: Portland Farmer's Market

I have been seriously slacking on my Weekend Adventures section of this blog because I lost my camera and the one I have been using didn't have a way to put the pictures on the computer. But I found a way! So here it is, about a week ago, we went to the Portland Farmer's Market with my parents. It was really fun because I had never been there before, and even though it was a little overcast, all the colors and people made it a lively outing! I love fresh vegetables and seeing so many people buy local! I loved it!

What did you do this weekend?

Summer Pepper Salad

 

First off, I must admit that I LOVE bell peppers. I love the way they taste and their texture. So I thought I would share a salad that I made up involving them that I just love! Last night I made it to accompany salmon and rice. 

What you need: 

*2 large bell peppers whichever color you like.. I did red and orange.. chopped into small pieces

*8-10 grape tomatoes.. cut in half or thirds

* 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

* 1/4 cup Olive Oil

*2-3 cloves of fresh garlic depending on how much you like garlic

*1/2 tablespoon dried basil or 3-4 leaves of fresh basil

Mix it all together..

ENJOY!

here is a picture of my salad..

Happiness Experiment: Spring

Spring. 
So, the last couple of days have been beautiful.

First, Friday and Saturday were so sunny and warm that I even wore a tank top for awhile. 

Then Sunday, was beautiful with family all together and rain that just took over. (I love rain though). 

But even when the weather isn't cooperating... 
HAPPINESS EXPERIMENT.

I have realized that happiness is totally what you make of it.
You choose your battles, choose your activities.

So. I choose: 

*more date nights with my husband
*more lesuirely reading time, right now I am reading two books:

* making accounting notecards so I am not stuck at home studying, I can do it anywhere.. including sitting outside

* Fresh cut flowers

* Cooking with fresh vegetables and eating fresh fruit

* Spring dresses and attempting jeggings? 

* Going camping and golfing

* drinking lots of coffee 

* figuring out how to successfully stay faithful to an exercise regimen

* 7/11 Slurpees

* Sunglasses 

* Exploring new restaurants, especially ones with outdoor seating

What do you have planned for Spring??

Pita Chips and Dip

Yesterday I made really yummy pita chips and dip.
So I thought I would share the recipes with you!


Cheese Dip

8 oz Cream Cheese pack
3/4 c. sour cream
1/4 c. minced fresh chives
5 strips of bacon cup up
salt and pepper to taste!

Mix all these ingredients together.
Enjoy!

Baked Pita Chips
5 whoel wheat pitas
Garlic powder
olive oil
sea salt
pepper

Cut the pitas into 4 equal parts
Spread out on baking sheet
pour oil so each piece has a light covering on it
sprinkle garlic powder, sea salt, and pepper on top

cook in oven at 400 degrees for 8 minutes
broil at 400 degrees for about 2 based on your oven
just watch so it doesn't burn

let sit.. enjoy with dip!


adapted from Everyday Italian on Food Network! 
And not an accurate picture of what it looks like...
i need to start making sure to take pictures of my food...
before Erik and I eat it...

Happy Friday! 

WA: Huevos Rancheros

 This whole week I have been thinking about making a yummy breakfast on Saturday morning because my sister is in town and it will be one more person to enjoy some good home cookin. So when I saw this recipe on Smitten Kitchen, I knew I had to try it sometime.. so this is the weekend!

Wish me Luck! 

Happy Weekend Adventuring!

Figure it out!

I have been thinking a lot about my day to day life and how I am always really upset when I wake up in the morning. I work at 7am and have to leave my house by 6:30. So usually, my routine consists of my alarm going off at 5, hitting the snooze till 6, then eventually rolling out of bed at 6:10, getting ready as fast as possible and dragging my feet all the way to my car to leave.

I am realizing that this routine needs a complete makeover. When we lived in our apartment, I would get up early enough to sit and eat some toast and drink some coffee while watching Good Day Oregon and I realize now that it was a very important part of my waking up. I have also gotten super into yoga lately and I realize that even if I did a short, twenty minute, set before work, I would feel great all day. So tomorrow, I am going to try it out. 

Also, I have come to realize that my whole work day is so much better when I make my lunch and pack a few snacks for throughout the day. So I need to be better about going grocery shopping and packing it all up the night before. Because, the few days when I forget and I have to go from 7am till 1pm without food, I am a real horror to be around.

So. Tomorrow is the beginning of the rest of my life.
See you there.

Happy Hump Day everyone! 

Yoga and... frozen pizza?

So, usually I make soup on Wednesdays then go to yoga, but i have been feeling a bit under the weather so I decided I don't want to make soup tonight because it just sounds like it it is too much work for me right now. So instead, I am going to spruce up a frozen pizza I already have..

Tomatoes

Artichoke Hearts

Basil

Then I am going to head out to yoga. 

Thought I would share what it said on my  Yogi Detox tea-bag tag today..

"Happiness is nothing but total relaxation"

I think this is an  amazing saying. it makes you realize that happiness is totally what you make of it. So, go out and RELAX. 
Happy Hump Day! 

Weekend Adventures: Homemade Granola

So, Erik, my parents, and I have been working on eating healthier and just living a more simple life besed on cooking at home. So I have been thinking that I need to start making more things from scratch just to make sure I can. :) So, since I love Kashi Pumpkin Flax Granola, I am going to attempt to make my own granola. I might even add some flax seeds to the recipe. So here goes!

Ingredients !

• 1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1/3 cup raw sesame seeds
• 2 cups organic rolled oats
• 1-2 teaspoons organic ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons organic coconut oil, liquefied in a pan of hot water, if necessary
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup organic raisins
• 1/2 cup organic dried cranberries, unsulphured dried apricots, or other dried fruit (chopped, if necessary)
• 1/4 cup raw cacao nibs- optional, but highly recommended (70% dark chocolate chips could be substituted, if desired)

Directions!

1. Preheat oven to 250°F.

2. Pour all ingredients except cacao nibs in a large bowl and stir well.

3. Spread the mixture evenly onto a baking sheet in a thin layer.

4. Place the baking pan in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

5. Remove pan from oven, toss granola around, rotate the pan, and bake for another 15 minutes. Repeat until granola is completely dry and light golden brown (about 1 hour total).

6. Allow to cool and then stir in cacao nibs. Store in an air-tight container.

(From "Healthy Green Kitchen")

Happy Weekend Adventuring! 

Operation Get Healthy

So, in honor of the new year, it would not be complete without thinking about getting healthy. It is my plan every year and usually I do it for a little big, usually even a few days, then get back into my old routines. But this year, I am feeling it being different. First of all, my mom and I set out a calendar and divided up days as to who would cook at home because we realized that one of the main things that gets us out of shape is going out to eat. We designated Soup Wednesday because we go to yoga every Wednesday night and it is an easy enough dinner for us to eat after and the boys to eat at any time. Next, I have been making Erik and my lunches every night before I go to bed so they are there to pick right out of the fridge on the way out the door. And lastly, I am trying to be active everyday. I used to think it meant going to the gym to sweat it out for an hour, but I gave up on that much too quickly every year. So this year, I am just telling myself that I need to do something active everyday. For example, yesterday I lifted weights and jumped rope while today I spent a half hour power dancing with my kids at work. So! Lets see how this new improved more relaxed guide to getting healthy goes!

Winter Break Reading

 

So, starting today I am on a two month long break from school. So I need to get back into my hobbies: reading and cooking... So in order to do this.. I need your help. 

I need:

Book Suggestions?

Recipes?

Let me know! Thanks so much!

Currently Listening to: "Angel" -Matt Nathanson

Happy Friday!

Manicotti at Erik's Mom's house and a little R &R. :)

Happy Friday!

Harry Potter 7. Sushi. Red Wine. 

All with my husband and mom!

So Excited!