With summer break coming to an end, there are a few things I want to do before summer ends. Here they are: Have dinner outdoors – I want to enjoy the warm summer evenings and enjoy being able to be outside in the evening without a sweater. This may include grabbing some food and going to the beach to watch the sunset, or just having our dinner in the backyard…. Continue Reading
Recently I had the opportunity to check out a store that I had never been to before. I am a bit of a creature of habit when it comes to clothes shopping. I tend to find stores I like and only go back to those same stores. I like to wear comfortable clothing that I can dress up or down. I work in a professional office, so the garments have… Continue Reading
This weekend I felt like having a spicy snack so I made individual jalapeno dips. These have a little kick so if you like things on the mild side, reduce the jalapenos by 1/2. These can be put together in about 15 minutes. Ingredients 1 8 0z tub cream cheese (I used the one with lower fat) 1/3 cup mayonnaise 1 4 oz can chopped jalapeno peppers 1 4 oz… Continue Reading
This weekend I was noticing that all the Back To School sales are in progress. Another reminder of how quickly the summer goes by! I have some tips on maximizing value while shopping for school supplies. Even though my kids now buy their own school supplies, I like to shop several things at these sales for organization at home: Binders – I love these, they are great for storing and… Continue Reading
Simple Hummus is an easy recipe that can be put together in about 5 minutes, if you have the ingredients in your kitchen. All of these ingredients can be found in most major supermarkets. A few years ago Tahini was harder to find, but not any longer. Simple Hummus Recipe: 2 cloves garlic (chopped, I use the jar variety) 1 15 oz can garbanzo beans 4 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon Tahini… Continue Reading
This Chalkboard gift box is a fun and simple and fun gift idea. I made this one afternoon while watching the Olympics. I bought one of those cardboard boxes from the craft store. Most craft store carry these cardboard boxes. I love that they are so cute and useful! First, I covered the edge of the lid with double-sided tape. Then I painted the lid with chalkboard paint…. Continue Reading
So for my blogging friends, many of you are going to BlogHer very soon! I am so excited for all of you and I am going to be watching and following like an Olympic fan. So in order to make my absence as painless as possible I am doing a few things to help me live vicariously through conferees. I am also hoping to be one that wins one of… Continue Reading
With these warm summer days, sometimes I just want to have a cool salad for dinner or lunch. One of my favorites is pasta salad, which can be made in about 10 minutes. Ingredients: 1 package spiral or rotini pasta (1 lb.) 1 cup chopped bell peppers (I used green and yellow) 1/4 cup chopped onions (I prefer red) 1 large tomato chopped 1/4 cup feta cheese 1/2 can olives… Continue Reading
I am so exited about sharing a special guest post today. I am blogging here today, and my friend Melanie is sharing with you. Check out her blog & enjoy! Hi! I’m Melanie from the blog Metropolitan Money Pit where I write all about fun and inexpensive things to do in Southern California. Raquel and I recently discovered that we both share a love of cupcakes so I’m writing here… Continue Reading
Are you having a restful summer? I am hearing from many of my friends that summer is going by so fast and that they are needing a break. I think a lot of women tend to overbook themselves. We are used to multitasking so we fill our day with activities and duties and at the end of the day, we are exhausted. I find that scheduling down time during the… Continue Reading
During the summer, I tend to eat more salads. They are refreshing and you do not have to turn the oven on to make one. My Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing is a favorite at our house. Over the years, I have found that I prefer making my own salad dressings for a few reasons: It is cheaper than buying a bottle of dressing There are no added preservatives I can… Continue Reading
This weekend we are heading to the beach for some rest and relaxation. I do not want beach preparation to take too much time. So each season, I will rearrange my hall closet so that many of the items that we will need for outdoor fun for that season, are kept together. For example, during summer I will store the following items together: beach tote bag sunscreen goggles Ziplock bags… Continue Reading
Today I used a quick and cheap way to identify my keys for easy identification with nail polish. I painted the top of each key a different color of nail polish. You can paint the entire key if you want, but I like just painting the tops. After the key dries, you can leave the colors the way they are or if you want to make them look edgy, add… Continue Reading
Tonight I wanted to make my son some cupcakes with Nutella. Since we were getting ready to watch the Olympic trials on TV, I didn’t want to make a complicated recipe. So I made some easy Nutella Swirl Cupcakes from white cupcakes out of a box with an added a spoonful of Nutella. Then I swirled the batter a little bit. After baking, I made some vanilla butter cream… Continue Reading
I wanted to make some centerpieces with the mason jars and other craft supplies I have on hand for the Fourth of July. If you have seen my Pinterest boards, you know I love love love mason jars! I could write an entire post on how fabulous they are, but I will save that for another time. I especially like that they are so versatile for decorating. I gathered… Continue Reading
This weekend we went to breakfast at a favorite spot in Laguna Beach, California. The view of the ocean is so pretty and many times you can see dolphins splashing about. C’est la Vie is a cute French restaurant that is of course, also a bakery. They have fresh bread in the front window. and tasty pastries in the case inside… There is dining inside and on the patio. The… Continue Reading
Father’s Day is a great time to start a tradition with your family. In our family, the kids always made their Dad breakfast in bed. When they were young, of course I made the food and they would be in the room when it was served. As preschoolers and toddlers, they helped with getting the breakfast together. As the kids became older, they wanted to participate more and cook more… Continue Reading
If you have been following my blog, you know that my parents are up in years and are having trouble keeping things organized (read understatement). This weekend we cleaned up their patio area that had been neglected. To give you an idea of what we did, I have to share with you the before pictures: My parents met in the late 1930’s and had been children during the depression. At… Continue Reading
