Nine & Sixteen

valentines for school

2012-02-13T21:43:00.000-08:00

some {most} years i just opt for store bought valentines

and others i feel inspired to make them a little more special.

last year, i saw a cute idea for valentine smores using heart shaped peeps.

so i copied. but instead of peeps i made my own marshmallows

{recipe here}

and cut them into hearts.

a gooey, sticky, fun, food science experiment!

the black + white striped bags are for andrew's classmates and the red gingham are for charlie's.

and just to make sure they tasted ok we roasted them for breakfast this morning.

yep. delish.

happy valentine's day!!

xoxo

Date Night Attire

2012-02-06T13:29:00.000-08:00

I am happily tired after a busy weekend that included celebrating a girlfriend's 40th birthday {she barely looks over 30}, a swim meet, planning and coaching a Destination Imagination team meeting for Andrew's team, a little Super Bowl watching, and a date with Jimmy. A very much needed date with Jimmy. I always know when it's long over due because we start to get a bit snippy with each other about little {insignificant} things. We don't really argue much, he is very laid back and usually let's me have my moments when I'm all bent out of shape about something. But lately he's had to do quite a bit of traveling for work and when he's gone like that it sometimes takes a few days to get back into the fold of the household. More for me than him. I get so used to doing it all myself and running a pretty tight ship, so transitioning back to a family of four sometimes takes a little effort. Questions like, what time does Andrew get out of school or where do I store the grill pan drive me nuts when they should make me grateful - I have a husband who wants to handle school pick up and do dishes when he is home. But it's amazing what a night out together {without interrupted conversations, laundry baskets awaiting folding, or one of us falling asleep while the other tucks in the kiddos} will do and how quickly our perspective changes. A little reminder that I am indeed lucky to be in love with my best friend.

Going out is definitely more fun when you feel pretty, and it is much easier to feel pretty {for me, at least} when I am wearing something new. {why is that?} Here are a few favorite recent-ish {December is recent, right?} purchases that make getting ready to go out a little more fun...

{bangles, sequin mini, zig-zag dress, skinny pants, blouse}

a word of caution regarding the mini, it does run short and tight

Inspiring Readers

2012-01-31T19:57:00.000-08:00

This week is dragging a bit for me. Lots of homework + tests. For Andrew, not me, but as any parent of a third grader knows, when they've got homework, you've got it too... We have after school dentist and doctor appointments... Weird spring like weather in the dead of winter.... I have been on an organizing mission and stepping up my housekeeping skills {not hard to do since they were lacking} since the start of the new year.... Till this week... Now I'm pooped... So much for that. Anyway, before I climb into bed with what is likely my 5th cup of tea for the day, I wanted to share a couple stories about two blog friends....

I do not do a blog roll, but if I did a "Reader Roll" these two lovely ladies would be at the top. I'm always grateful to receive kind comments and emails from readers. But now and then, I'll get the most heartfelt email and it will blow me away, completely make my day, and give me all the gusto to keep on blogging. Occasionally, they are from women that don't have blogs of their own, so I don't "know" them they way the "know" me. Over Christmas, I got the chance to know a couple such readers better when they shared pictures of their homes. I was so inspired + impressed that it is high time I shared them with you too....

First is Kelly {"from Georgia" which is how her comments read}. Take a look....

Looks like a magazine, right? Well, that's because it is!! She doesn't have a blog YET, but her home was featured in the Christmas issue of Cottages a& Bungalows. So pretty. So much to love. She doesn't know this, but when I was out Christmas shopping I grabbed a stash of shelter mags to peruse while I drank coffee and this home {HER home} brought my page flipping to a halt. I actual bought the issue just to tear the above image out for my files. It wasn't until a couple weeks later that I found out the Kelly in the mag was the Kelly that reads my blog. Unbelievable. Crazy. She needs to hurry up with her blog. Until then, more of her home can be seen right here...{click link}

Second, Michelle, another reader whose very kind words have made my day on more than one occasion. Michelle has just started her own blog and shared a couple peeks into her gorgeous home...

This is the dining room that she is REDOING!! Yes, how pretty is it to start?!! And her sitting room below...

It's so fun to see how she has such similar taste to mine! Very traditional, loves antiques, blue + white, books, etc. She has two adorable children and she writes well. All the makings of a fabulous blog. I can't wait for her to share more. Please check her out here... A Haus to Call Home

So thank you. To Kelly and Michelle for letting me share a little of your lovely homes on my blog. And to all of you that stop by here. I've always wanted my blog to feel like I was sharing a bit of my life with you, but when you share a little of your lives with me it's even better. Blogging friendships are definitely real and you are all such a supportive bunch!!! xo, Tessa

Days 1 to 31...

2012-01-31T12:16:00.000-08:00

A picture a day.

For 365 days.

A personal challenge.

Using {only} my phone + instagram.

Spontaneous, Unedited. Everyday Life.

Documented.

Here's January.

When {if} I get to day 365, I'll make a slide show.
A year in our life.
There.
I've blogged about it, so therefore I must do it.

Care to join me?

Quiche + Savory Madeleines + Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

2012-01-26T17:27:00.000-08:00

Happy, almost, Friday all!! I think I'm setting some sort of personal record in blog posts this week.
Are you all tired of me yet??!! :) I wanted to finish up the week posting a few savory recipes. The first is for a ham and leek quiche. When I was growing up we frequently had our friends over for dinner. My Mum is an incredible cook and served exotic dishes like buttered, caramelized endive, yorkshire pudding and leeks. Back in the 80s, in Southern Ohio, these were highly usual and made for lively dinner/European food lessons for my friends. Everyone always loved the leeks. My favorite way to eat them was with a cream sauce along side mashed potatoes. My brother's favorite way to eat them was rolled up in ham and baked with a Gruyere sauce over top. Now leeks are main stream and no one thinks twice about cooking with them. I still often make them the way my Mum did and having them for dinner always brings back good memories of growing up and our dinners around the round kitchen table with the giant mid-century, egg yolk yellow, light fixture overhead. It was a horrible thing, back from my parent's very contemporary Scandinavian furniture days. For all I know, it was from some famous designer, worth a boat load of money today, and sold by my parents in a garage sale. Anyway, I digress. {Gosh I wish I had a picture of that light fixture + table. I'm going to look in my old albums tonight, see if I can't resurrect that thing for all of you to see!} Ok, back to the quiche. This was the most requested recipe from the shower {along with the cake}. Kevin, if you are reading, tell Toni to make it for you because you will love it! I hope you all do too. I liked it so much I made it again for dinner tonight.

Ingredients:
1 refrigerated pie crust
1 TBS butter
3 c thinly sliced leeks
kosher salt to taste + 1/2 tsp
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 c diced smoked ham
3 eggs
1.5 c heavy cream
small pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 c finely shredded Gruyere cheese

Preheat oven to 400.
Butter + flour a 9 inch pie dish or removable bottom tart pan.
Unfold dough in prepared pan, fold over excess dough to form crust.
Line pie crust with a piece of foil and fill with pie weights. {or dried beans}
Bake 15 minutes.
Remove foil and weights and cook 3-5 minutes longer till very lightly golden.
Remove and cool.
Reduce oven temp to 350.
Melt butter in saute pan, add leeks, cook 5 minutes, season with salt + pepper. Let cool. Add diced ham.
Whisk eggs and cream. Season with 1/2 tsp salt + pepper + nutmeg.
Cover pie crust with leek mixture, poor egg mixture over top, sprinkle with cheese.
Bake 40-45 minutes.
{recipe from williams-sonoma}

Next, I made a savory version of the traditionally sweet Madeleine cookies. It looks like I doused them in salt, I promise I did not. :) Ok, maybe a little, because that fleur de sel is oh so delish. I made them the night before, but I think they would be best eaten fresh from the oven. Still mighty tasty though.

Ingredients
1 stick of butter, melted
1 c cake flour
3 tsp finely minced fresh rosemary
1 tsp fluer de sel
1/4 tsp ground pepper
4 eggs
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
2 TBS sugar
1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Put rack in lower third of oven.
Brush molds of two 12 well madeleine pans with 2 TBS of melted butter and dust with all purpose flour.
Sift the cake flour into in a bowl and gently stir in the rosemary + 1 tsp fleur de sel + pepper. Set aide.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs on high until yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the cream of tartar and sugar and beat until the mixture drops from the whisk in ribbons, about 3 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the flour mixture and 1 cup cheese, then remaining 6 TBS butter.
Spoon into prepared molds and bake 12 minutes. Immediately remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with salt and cheese and serve. Makes 18.
{recipe from williams-sonoma}

And last {sorry for the long post, I vow in 2012 to find a better way to post + organize recipes!!} is an oldie but goodie recipe for sun-dried tomato pesto. Sun-dried tomatoes in the 1990's were like the salted caramel of today weren't they?! They were such a hot ingredient and now you rarely come across recipes featuring them. Since I was in college in the 90's and armed with my first subscription to Bon Appetit, I became quite fond of the sun-dried tomato. I actually far prefer sun-dried tomato pesto over traditional pesto. A little less over powering, though you really aren't very kissable after eating either. Not a great date food, but the perfect meals-on-wheels food, welcome new neighbor food, potluck, appetizer, etc food. I love it tossed with pasta like here, but also I use it to coat chicken breasts prior to searing them in the pan. Works like a charm, so good and the easiest dinner ever. This will keep in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. For the shower, I skewered tortellini tossed in the pesto and served them at room temperature. {picture below was my lunch the day after}.

Ingredients
1 c drained, oil packed sun-dreid tomatoes {6 oz}
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese {or Parmesan}
1/4 c chopped fresh basil
2 TBS pine nuts
3 cloves of garlic
3/4 c olive oil

Combine tomatoes, cheese, basil, pine nuts + garlic in food processor. With machine running slowly add olive oil and process till smooth paste forms.
{recipe from bon appetit, cira 1994!!}

That's all folks! Have a great weekend!! xo

Paper Flower Wreath ~ Tutorial

2012-01-25T19:55:00.000-08:00

When I saw the gorgeous cover of the February Martha Stewart Living magazine with the big Valentine heart constructed out of paper flowers, I knew I wanted to create something similar for Katie's shower. I approach all crafts, particularly Martha's, with slight trepidation. I've had enough failed attempts to know that I'm not the world's craftiest girl, but it is fun to have something homemade so I'm willing to keep trying. March on craft soldiers, march on... But this time it turned out to be pretty simple and very cute. Here are the deets.....

Materials
6 packs of tissue paper, 8 sheets per package {i used three shades of pink}
styrofoam wreath {i used one that is flat on top + bottom see link, i didn't have one for this post}
floral wire
pins
scissors
ribbon
fabric strips to wrap wreath
glue gun

step 1: wrap wreath with fabric, pin in place {i like these pins, extra snug}

step 2: take one stack of 8 sheets of tissue and fold them accordion style starting along the short end. i did about 1.5-2 inch folds.

step 3. cut in half for big flower or thirds for smaller flowers.

step 4. wrap floral wire around the middle

step 5. round off ends with scissors

step 6. fan out and begin lifting one sheet of tissue at a time, till you have a pretty flower. then ohhh and ahhh at your crafty self!

{tip: the smaller flowers are a little more difficult and easier if you use fewer sheets, i did some with 6 sheets and that helped.}

step 7. once you have a collection of flowers, begin playing around with an arrangement on the wreath. when it looks good, slather wreath with hot glue and hold flower in place. once it dries there is no moving them so make sure you like it! finish by pinning on ribbon. i pinned a small loop of ribbon on the back to hang it.

If you make one I'd love to see pictures!! It really would be super fun for Valentine's Day too.

Sugar + Spice {and everything nice} Cookies

2012-01-23T11:32:00.000-08:00

That's what was inside the treat bags. I love a crispy cookie, more so than a soft and chewy cookie. In fact, when I make chocolate chip cookies I slightly overcook one batch just for me. These sugar + spice cookies are crispy, not chewy, and perfect with a cup of coffee or tea, first thing in the morning or while watching TV at night. My boys love them and can eat a dozen without blinking. While the original recipe suggests decorating them with royal icing, I prefer a dusting of powdered sugar. I made these very early in the week, then froze them. I took them out the morning of the shower, sprinkled with sugar and put them in the bags.

Sugar + Spice Cookies
4 3/4 c flour
2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
3 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
1 3/4 c sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c molasses

1. combine dry ingredients, set aside
2. in bowl of electric mixer beat butter + sugar until fluffy {about 2 min}. add eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. beat in medium until combined.
3. add molasses, mix till combined. add dry ingredients and mix till combined, about 30 seconds.
4. transfer dough to work surface. roll into 4 1.5 inch diameter logs. wrap in parchment and refrigerate till firm. 1-2 hours.
5. heat oven to 350. slice each log into 3/8 inch thick rounds. place on parchment lined baking sheets. cook 12-15 minutes.

recipe via

treat bags, round stickers, pink bakers twine

and the striped straws {below}

all came from sweet lulu {click for link}

The Best Chocolate Cake

2012-01-22T16:55:00.000-08:00

There are a few staple recipes every cook should have and the perfect party cake is one of them. Until recently, I never seemed to be able to master the traditional layer cake. I tried many that were good but not great, so I tended to favor box mixes because they just seemed moister. Then one night I stumbled upon the easiest of recipes in an attempt to meet a sudden chocolate cupcake craving from Andrew. This used ingredients I had on hand, only one bowl, no dry ingredient sifting or room temperature eggs. I was skeptical. Then pleasantly surprised. Actually, somewhat blown away. The best news is it gets better with each passing day. Hitting its peak around day 3, or so I hear, it never seems to last quite that long in our home! Boxed cake mix lovers let me reform you...

You'll Love Me Forever Chocolate Cake
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa {I like Ghirardelli}
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk {I've used 1% and whole with equal success}
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tsp good quality vanilla
1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350.
Butter and flour cake pans or line muffin pan for cupcakes.
Combine sugar through salt in a large mixing bowl.
Make a well and add remaining ingredients, except the boiling water.
Mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
Then stir in one cup boiling water.
Batter will be smooth and very runny.
Pour into prepared pans.
Cook for 30-35 minutes.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
8 oz cream cheese from fridge
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
4 cups powdered sugar
4-6 TBS heavy cream

Blend butter.
Add cream cheese, blend till combined.
Add vanilla and cocoa, blend till combined
Add powdered sugar blend on low till combined, increase speed to medium and beat till fluffy.
Slowly add cream to desired spreadability.
Beat till fluffy.
Lick the beater or if you are feeling generous, share with your child!!

A Baby Shower for Katie

2012-01-21T15:05:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of treating a beautiful friend to an afternoon in her honor as we celebrated the upcoming {in 2 weeks} arrival of her baby girl. Katie is the kind of friend that makes you want to give her a party ~ someone who has all the qualities you most want in a good friend. We had a really nice time and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing all this pink in my typically boy filled home.

{Recipes, party sources and a coupe DIYs to come next week! Promise!}

Tag, I'm it...

2012-01-15T18:01:00.000-08:00

my friend, tara, at Between You & Me tagged me in a fun little Q&A game. tara is a genuine sweetheart. the real deal in blogging. so, while i'm not normally a chain letter, tag-it, kind of girl, for tara i will play along.....

rules:
1. share 11 facts about yourself
2. answer 11 questions from the blogger that tagged you
3. tag 11 other bloggers {i'm breaking the rules and skipping this part!}

11 facts about me...
1} four foods that i could not live without {in order}: chocolate, cheese, pasta, bread

Source: whatkatieate.blogspot.com via Tessa on Pinterest

2} i don't drink beer. {ever} but i do love wine and the occasional cocktail!
3} i don't swear. {almost never}
4} my favorite actresses that i'd also like as friends ~ kate winslet, amy adams, and anne hathaway.
5} one celebrity that i think would make an excellent dinner guest is john stewart.
6} two places i want to visit while i'm still young {relatively speaking} ~ the south of france and tuscany.
7} i prefer B&W photos.

Source: thetieguy.tumblr.com via Tessa on Pinterest

8} i'm not a good dancer, but that doesn't stop me! :)

Source: Uploaded by user via Tessa on Pinterest

9} i get lost all the time and have no sense of direction. {ok, and then I swear}
10} hot baths are overrated...i'd rather take a steamy shower.
11} i've been in love once. and married him.

Source: stylemepretty.com via Tessa on Pinterest

my answers to tara's questions:
1} favorite season?
fall.

2} favorite food?

chocolate.

3} name three things on your bucket list.

1. take a cooking class in france,

2. open my own antique + home shop,

3. own a small cottage by the sea that is in walking distance to the beach + a cozy cafe + a bookstore.

Source: greigedesign.blogspot.com via Tessa on Pinterest

4} favorite quality about yourself?

loyal.

5} least favorite quality about yourself?

forgetful.

6} favorite thing to do on a lazy day?

a perfect lazy day would include a walk with my hubs, quiet time in front of a fire to read, good coffee, a chocolate dessert, french food, a matinee, music while I cook, a friendly gossip session with a girlfriend and sleep.

Source: plumprettysugar.tumblr.com via Tessa on Pinterest

7} favorite brainless tv show?

"the bachelor"

8} favorite quality in a friend?

sense of humor.

9} three things you love about your spouse?

his compliments, his laugh, his patience

10} hardest part of parenting for you?

letting them make and learn from their own mistakes without interfering.

Source: tabsisaacson.blogspot.com via Tessa on Pinterest

11} dress up or casual? stay in or go out?

hmm. that depends. with young children our "dates" are typically a movie + take out + a bottle of wine, so sometimes it's fun to dress up, feel a little sexy, put on heels, and go out. but i'm also quite content to grab a coffee together and hang out at a bookstore.

Source: anthropologie.com via Tessa on Pinterest

i'm not tagging anyone, but i'd loooooove to know from you....

1} if you could invite someone famous to dinner who would it be?

2} what is your guilty pleasure when it comes to food?

3} your blogging pet peeve?

have a lovely week!!

xo, tessa

Entertaining Inspiration + A Book Recommendation

2012-01-13T13:15:00.000-08:00

{from martha's entertaining: a year of celebrations}

I have been busy this week planning the details for a baby shower I am hosting for one of my best friends next weekend. I love planning a party. Especially that moment when I can finally see it all come together in my mind. Sometimes it takes longer than others, but then all of a sudden I'll have some sort of epiphany and I can visualize it all ~ the table setting, the food, the games and crafts if it's a child's party ~ I will start to sketch out the table and scribble down ideas right down to what servingware I will use for each recipe. I always start with the menu {unless it's a bday party for my children, then I usually start with the theme}. Thinking about what makes sense for the season, the number of guests and the time of day. I also like to try make different things from one party to the other. More for me than anyone else because that keeps it fun for the cook. This time it will be a lunch for about 20 girls in January, so things like tea sandwiches didn't feel right - too springy and things like soups or chili sounded messy and not very showerish. I also need to keep in mind the guest of honor, who in this case has a serious sweet tooth and a rather unadventurous palette. Here's the menu I've planned.

Katie's Baby Shower Menu

Baby Greens with Roasted Asparagus + Lemon Vinaigrette

Tomato + Basil Tart

Arugula + Bacon Quiche

Potato + Leek Gratin

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Petits Fours

Chocolate Layer Cake

Sparkling Raspberry Cocktails

I will share all the recipes after the shower, since I'm likely to change my mind a time or two before it is here. The good news is that EVERYTHING can be made ahead. And everything, except the gratin, is just as good at room temp as it is fresh from the oven.

When it comes to parties I go to Ina for food inspiration {I swear I'm not getting gratuities mentioning her name again!} and Martha for table set up and food presentation ideas. The images in this post are from her newest entertaining book. {click here to find it on amazon} Is is a heavy, gorgeous, sit by the fire with a cup of tea and get lost in it sort of book. It was a Christmas gift from Jimmy and by far my favorite Martha book in my collection.

I hope you are all bundled up and settling in for a cozy weekend. I had one more post planned for this week that will have to wait. Charlie has boycotted all his naps this week so I was robbed of precious blogging time. Wishing you a happy weekend! xo

Ina + Starbucks

2012-01-09T12:06:00.000-08:00

That is how I started my Monday morning. A favorite Barefoot Contessa recipe + coffee. After dropping the boys off at school, I decided to skip the gym and treat myself to a morning doing what I enjoy most. I grabbed a latte from Starbucks and headed home to savor a couple uninterrupted hours by myself in the kitchen. When it comes to cooking, I'd say Ina has had the biggest influence on me {beside my Mum}. I know so many of her recipes by heart and I've adopted many of her techniques as my own.

Today, I made her Lemon Cake while the sun streamed in the windows and I momentarily pretended I was in East Hampton. Jimmy was working in his office upstairs just like Ina's Jeffrey in so many of her TV episodes. But unlike her episodes, the smell of buttery lemon cake didn't lure him down, instead I had to take a slice up. {I will say he came down and ate a couple more on his own! Ah, the way to a man's heart!! :)} This is one of Andrew's favorites so he'll be happy to find a slice in his lunch tomorrow and on a plate after school today. Enjoy!

Lemon Cake
from the Barefoot Contessa
Ingredients

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6 to 8 large lemons)
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the glaze:

2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans. You may also line the bottom with parchment paper, if desired.

Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and the lemon zest.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and set them on a rack set over a tray or sheet pan; spoon the lemon syrup over them. Allow the cakes to cool completely.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the tops of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.

PS. A HUGE thank you to all that left such great info about the butcher block counters in the last post!! You are all THE best. I'm planning a little follow up post. Hopefully later in the week.

Butcher Block Counters

2012-01-06T11:33:00.000-08:00

Source: tammyconnorid.com via Tessa on Pinterest

My hope/wish is to be able to start a little work on our kitchen this year.

On my list of musts:
~new counters
~new stove - switch to gas!!
~new farmhouse sink
~remove upper cabinets + add open shelves

On my list of wishes:
~replace lower cabinets + pantry doors
~new lighting
~redesign the island
~painted horizontal planks on walls, but would be happy with subway tile too
~new corner casement window {ours is painted shut!}

While a major renovation would be ideal, there's that pesky little 6 letter word that always gets in the way. {budget} I will likely stretch this project out over a couple years and change my mind umpteen million times. That's fine too. I will strive to enjoy the process!

Starting with counters....I love, adore, drool over butcher block counters. Especially, dark walnut butcher block. mmmmm... I'd love to add them to our island but I need to know about practicality.
Because I really, really, REALLLY spend a lot of time in the kitchen it is more about function than frills. I need a hardworking space. So, do any of you have butcher block on your counters? How does it hold up to wear and tear? What does it look like after 5, 10 years of use? How do you clean it? Do you love it or hate it? Give me the skinny....

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Happy Birthday, Dad!

2012-01-05T12:15:00.000-08:00

{my dad pushing me in my pram, circa 1973}

Yesterday my Dad turned 70!

7-0!!

He is one of the smartest men I know.

Seriously, his brain is like a treasure trove of information...

history, world events, photography, computers, electronics.

He is generous and has always sought to provide the best

for my brother and I, even now when we are grown.

He shares the same passion for German luxury cars as Jimmy,

thank goodness, because that is one topic I could care less to talk about.

He is private, but sensitive.

Still speaks with a Danish accent.

And still tells me every time I back out of the driveway to watch for

other cars, or the trash can, or the dark, or the slippery road.

Every. Time.

I Love You, Dad!

Tess

Finally!

2012-01-02T12:20:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T18:54:00.000-08:00

Welcome 2012! Your arrival seems to have come at some super sonic warp speed, but you are here and we are ready. I think. I'm not really one to make resolutions. At least not just once a year. It's more a monthly, weekly, daily sort of thing for me...I will be more organized today, will remember the birthdays of friends this month AND get cards in the mail, will try to keep the house a little tidier, will not sweat the small stuff, will put photos in albums, will write in my journal, will work out, spend less time online, stick to the budget....you get the idea.

{my boys + nephew, carter, on christmas eve at my parent's}

The end of 2011 was lovely. It was a darn near perfect Christmas for our little family. One of those Jimmy and I will look back on when we reminisce about the boys being little. The way they sat together with their PJ covered, outstretched legs, in the upstairs hallway, opening their advent calendars to start each day; their joint morning search + giggles to find our incredibly mischievous elf; the homemade gifts we opened Christmas morning that their hands created in school; Charlie singing "Jingle Bell Rock" in the kitchen, the car, out in public each time it came on the radio {"my song, my song"}; Andrew patiently and lovingly teaching his little brother the wonder and joy of Christmas. More than once I caught myself with that tightening in the back of my throat as I swallowed back tears of happiness. We enjoyed each other so much this year.

{mum and her buche de noel which deserves to be on a magazine cover!}

{me, my mum, and my brother, kevin}

We rang in 2012 with a cozy fireside dinner. {the dining table was a temporary Lego construction zone}. We ate a small pork roast, an herb and scallion bread pudding, and green beans with shallots. For dessert, a rather scrumptious chocolate cake. I could have skipped dinner and just had cake, I think my boys felt the same! After Charlie went to bed we played board games till midnight and let Andrew watch the ball drop for the first time. At midnight I was kissed by two boys.

Today all the decorations came down and the house feels a little lonely and bare. I always hate to see them go, especially with a long, dreary winter still stretched out before us.

So, may this be the happy, happy, happiest of New Years for all of you!!! Did you do something special to celebrate the start of 2012? I'm looking forward to some serious blog catch up with all of you this week!! Cheers!!

And one more picture that cracks me up.... A little reminder that my example is likely a far bigger influence than my words, so I better model what I want to see!! Ah, there's my New Year's resolution!

Christmas Day Brunch at Our Home

2011-12-26T06:25:00.000-08:00

Each year I host our Christmas day brunch.

I set the table on Christmas Eve before heading to my parent's house for dinner.

{The vintage pinecone ornaments are new this year.
Found on my day of nutcracker "antiquing" with Andrew}

I think brunch is my favorite meal for entertaining.

So much can be prepared ahead of time, it's a bit more casual,

all the clean up is finished by 1:30 {In theory. I'm still cleaning up a day later},
and everyone is usually pretty hungry.

The Menu

Sausage, Spinach and Roasted Red Pepper Torta

Hashbrown Potatoes

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Mixed Berry Salad

Orange Juice

Coffee

{click on item for recipe link}

{I used frozen hashbrowns from Trader Joes, cooked in olive oil + a little kosher salt.

The berries were sprinkled with sugar 2 hours before brunch.
The sugar brings out the juice and creates a yummy sauce.}

I'd like to pretend that everyone sat down and enjoyed

a nice leisurely breakfast, but the truth is we sort of ate in shifts.

My 2 year old nephew was asleep on arrival and

remained so, cuddled in my sister in law's arms.

My furry four legged sister....

...just happened to be the same height as the kid's table,

so she required some adult supervision while the children were eating.

There was a lot of running around and anxious anticipation with the boys, especially mine,

because at 12:00 PM on Christmas day they still had this waiting under the tree...

After my family left, we spent 2 hours opening gifts.

I'd bet my children were the last in our town to open their presents.

I love that they took their time.

That they played with each gift after it had been opened, that we opened one at a time.

No rush, no frantic tearing into the paper.

I'm really not sure how we became so civilized about gift opening.

I realize this is highly usual behavior for children my age,

but trust me, they make up for it by being highly rambunctious in plenty of other ways.

I know everyone is likely all Christmas pictured and posted out,

but I do still have a few more pictures coming...

Just one more post before we wrap up 2011.
Hope your Christmas was filled with a little magic too!

Joy to the World...

2011-12-25T13:44:00.000-08:00

The Lord is come.

Let earth receive her King.

Let every heart prepare Him room.

And heaven and nature sing.

Merry Christmas, sweet friends!

Thank you for being in my life.

You are a gift.

Even if you only visit here occasionally and never say

hello, I thank you for taking the time to read.

And for those that do leave comments and send emails,

your kind words inspire me to keep this blogging thing going.

Many blessings to you & yours!

Cookies & Crafts

2011-12-22T11:19:00.000-08:00

Hi, I'm momentarily resurfacing from the land of felt, scissors, glue, glitter and cinnamon to share links to the recipes + projects keeping us busy this week. If you've read my blog for any length of time you know that I'm not all too much of a crafter. In fact, I'm a bit of a deer in the headlights when I try to navigate my way through the aisles of Hobby Lobby. And navigate I did, for the likes of mysterious unknowns such as the liquid glycerin and epoxy glue needed for some of this week's ideas. I'm also not a step by step tutorial kind of blogger either {the cake pop post literally took me four days to write}, but lucky for all of us there are others who are brilliant at explaining and tutorialing so I will link to them. Have fun! These have been BIG, BIG hits with my boys.

no. 1} snowflakes ~ with no sign of snow, we created our own with giant snowflakes for the playroom.

supplies:

6 sheets of computer paper + scissors + tape + stapler

takes about 10 minutes per snowflake.

perfect for 3rd grader with a little help from me.

instant gratification and no trip to the store required!

no. 2} mason jar snow globes

{we let the glue set up overnight}

supplies:

mason jar with lid + glitter + water + liquid glycerin

{found with soap making supplies in craft store, can also buy at drugstore}

+ small little toys/ornaments + epoxy or crazy glue.

both boys helped with these.

i did the gluing, they did the rest.

no 3.} soft sugar cookies + butter cream frosting

my recipe notes:

i creamed butter + sugar ,

then added 1 egg at time + vanilla,

then mixed in dry ingredients.

i also used a little more milk in the buttercream frosting.

no. 4} gingerbread houses

{take note of decapitated gretel on top of charlie's house, a lovely festive touch!}

supplies:

kits from trader joes.

the best premade kit i've ever used.

nice thick gingerbread, assembles in a snap, with all natural ingredients to boot.

no artificial color in the candy either. bam! i love TJs.

easy enough for a 3 year old to construct,

though not so easy to resist eating.

you need to make the icing with the powdered sugar in the kit.

just add egg white and a few drops lemon juice.

i placed icing in disposable pasty bags with the tip cut off.

no. 5} ruffled felt Christmas trees

supplies:

styrofoam cone + felt + scissors + straight pins + optional embellishments

i skipped the iron on waxpaper step.

perfect for 3rd grader to complete independently.

this was so fun with just the right amount of time to keep his attention.

can you tell which one andrew made and which on i made?

no. 6} cinnamon and sugar monkey bread + gift tag

my recipe notes:

i used a 36 count Rhodes dinner roll bag,

divided into three paper bundt pans from the container store.

i assembled it the night before and baked in the morning.

do not cover with a damp cloth, it will make the paper bundt pans damp,

just cover with saran wrap coated with cooking spray.

place bundt pans on a parchment lined baking sheet to rise

cook bundt pans on the same lined baking sheet.

we took them to neighbors still warm.

serious yum. a new tradition is born.

so much easier than making lots of cookies and a little unexpected.

I've got a few more ideas up my sleeve. I'll blog about them if they turn out to be a success. But maybe not till after Christmas...

Christmas Red

2011-12-19T07:39:00.000-08:00

We have a busy week of crafts and baking planned. Well, at least that is what I envision. Sometimes the best of intentions don't always come to fruition. I was reminded few weeks ago how much conversation transpires between mother and child when crafting, as Andrew and I glued buttons on a frame together at Charlie's Cookie with Santa event. In an effort to recapture that, I collected a few craft ideas that we could try at home. Hopefully, simple enough for the smallest hands to help, but interesting enough to keep a 9 year old engaged. I'll let you know how they go. Today gingerbread houses {pre-boxed, not homemade} and vintage nutcracker searching are on the agenda.

In the spirit of all this traditional Christmas activity, I thought I'd share a few pictures from my files and pinterest with my favorite traditional Christmas color, RED. It wouldn't be Christmas with out it in my home. We when were first married, I wanted all crimson and gold, then it was white and linen, and about 9 years, I threw it all out and returned to red and green and haven't looked back since. You can never have too much red ribbon at Christmas!!

{traditional home, scanned by me}

{pinterest}

{traditional home}

{pinterest}

{house & home}

{and george, via tiffany}

{traditional home, scanned by me}

{martha stewart}

Concerts & Candy Cane Cake Pops

2011-12-17T12:48:00.000-08:00

We've been busying singing and baking, baking and singing!

{and shipping and writing and wrapping and shopping...}

We enjoyed Andrew's Christmas concert on Tuesday.

My little bow tie clad boy was the cutest on stage.

I loved watching Charlie take it all in and chime along when he knew the words.

I listened to my boys build a massive train track {TOGETHER}

while singing Christmas songs {TOGETHER} for more than

an hour while I prepared dinner the other night.

Can I even begin to tell you how happy moments like that make me?!

It is rarely so civilized.

I donned my kitchen apron and got to baking.

I'm really not much of a baker.

I enjoy it to a point, but prefer cooking.

After discovering Andrew's sensitivity to artificial ingredients, baking became

a necessity if he was going to get special treats.

So for his class Christmas party, I decided to treat the whole class to homemade cake pops.

Just call me Miss Bakerella. Haha. No, but I have a new found appreciation for her!!

These were a labor of love.

A slightly fussy recipe of my own creation,

that I probably wouldn't make again if they didn't taste so incredibly delish.

I've never eaten a cake pop before so I had nothing to compare it to,

something about mushed up cake and frosting on a stick never appealed to me.
Until now. I get it. They aren't just cute. They are YUM-MY!

If you make them, I would suggest making the cake and frosting mixture the day before.

chocolate + candy cane cake pops
recipe for chocolate cake
recipe for cream cheese frosting
candy canes
white sparkling decorative sugar
4 bags of white chocolate chips

Cool cake completely {several hours} and crumble in a large mixing bowl.

Add frosting to cake crumbles and knead together using your hands until well combined.

Refrigerate at least 1 hour or over night.

Scoop and roll cake into balls.Place on parchment lined baking sheets.

Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
Crush candy canes between sheets of wax paper using mallet or hammer.
{Combine with sparkling sugar.
Use as much as you fancy!}
Melt white chocolate slowly in microwave, in small batches
{1/2 bag at a time}
Removing 6 cake balls at a time from the fridge, put a lollipop stick in and dip and coat in the melted chocolate, sprinkle with topping.

Set on parchment to dry.
They will harden quickly.
Freeze or leave at room temp.
Do not refrigerate.
Makes about 50 cake pops.

{TIP ~ the cake balls are easiest to coat when very cold. The closer they get to room temp the softer they become and they can fall apart or slide off the stick}

chocolate cake
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1.5 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup veg. oil
1 cup boiling water

preheat oven to 350.
grease and flour cake pan.
combine all dry ingredients.
make a well.
add milk, eggs, oil,
beat on med. 2 min.
stir in boiling water.
bake 35 minutes

cream cheese frosting
8 oz cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
4 tbs butter
1 tbs milk

whip till smooth

sweet little teacher gifts

2011-12-11T13:59:00.000-08:00

{ignore the dirty windows! gesh!}

charlie's last day of preschool before break is tomorrow.

i think most classes collect money and buy a gift, but it sure is sweet

to give just a little something personal too.

i know my kiddos love to do it.

1.} a paperwhite kit from trader joes

2.} a spring of fresh greens

3.} a little pretty ribbon

4.} a scrap of white burlap stitched into a gift sack

(i used my sewing machine, took 10 seconds)

5.} a card {not pictured}

if you are curious this is my favorite, favorite brand of ribbon...

{i buy it at the container store, but you should be able to order on-line too}

off to make 5 more...

Party on a School Night...

2011-12-09T10:12:00.000-08:00

Last night I hosted our mom's group Christmas party.

It is group of local moms [about 100 of us, I think} with preschool age children.

We meet each month and host activities for young children throughout the year.

Last night was our December meeting and holiday party for the mamas.

I agreed last summer to host it at our house.

Thankfully, I didn't need to prepare food, just clean the house

and keep the boys out of the way for an evening.

It was a fun night and I didn't take a single picture. What sort of blogger am I?

I did snap pictures beforehand.

This is likely the tidiest our house will be this December, so come on in....

{Carrye, I shamelessly copied your ribbons on our bookcase wreaths! :)}

I love Christmas in our home to feel cozy and filled with tradition.

I love hanging the little Danish window ornaments from my Dad and Mormor (Danish grandma),

I love seeing my lifelong collection of bear ornaments from my Mum hanging

alongside handmade ornaments from my children on the tree,

I love seeing the Christmas themed gifts given by dear friends propped

on the bookcase or hanging on the wall,

I still like traditional red and green,

lots of white candles and wreaths.

Our home and December activities tend to look the same

each year and I like it that way.

Have a great weekend!

{linking up to Cottage & Vine Home Tour}

The Christmas Season Has Arrived...

2011-12-05T11:33:00.000-08:00

It's starting to feel like Christmas...
Bedtime stories in front of the fire, hot chocolate after swim practice,
a little biscotti baking, a visit to the Holiday Junction at the Museum Center
and the return of our highly mischievous Elf on the Shelf.
Andrew has concluded that our Elf attended some summer camp to learn new tricks.
He's zip-lined, played a round of Scramble with Lego Harry Potter, decorated the tree, raided the baking supplies in the pantry and went to town with a pack of post its and a black Sharpie.
And it's only Dec. 5th! {Thank heaven for pinterest! Ha!!}

The first weekend in December is usually blustery and bone chilling but this year

we were treated to mild temps and sunny skies {on Saturday at least}.

Giving me a chance to finish up our outside decorations.

{my window boxes still need berry sprigs. I may or may not get around to that}
Andrew hung the lights this year! He did a great job!!

The rest of our Saturday was filled to the brim with family Christmassy activities...
Starting with "Cookies with Santa" at Charlie's preschool.

They decorated cookies, made crafts, sang carols and spent a little time on Santa's lap.

I keep thinking this is going to be the last year Andrew truly believes,
but I'm really hoping for one more. Christmas isn't quite the same once you lose the magic of Santa.

I know, I know, it is about celebrating the birth of our savior, and that should be magic enough,

but there is something so special about that wide-eyed wonder and innocence on

Christmas morning that makes some of life's best memories.

Charlie has been a bit reluctant around Santa, but his face when he saw him come through the double doors was one of awe. So sweet to get it on film, even if I accidentally cut Santa out.

Charlie and one of his little friends went right up to the man in red and gave him a high five.

After nap time, {which is taking place in a big boy bed!! yay!}

we walked to the corner Boy Scout Tree Sale to pick out our tree.

Clearly Daddy did not get the memo that it was a puffy vest occasion.

{Note the new boot socks too. Love. From Madewell!! Grab 'em while you can!!}

We found the tree in lightening speed and held on tight.

While Charlie discovered the tree lot to be the perfect tag/hide and seek set up.

He brought a drum stick in case we needed a stand in for the saw.

He was fascinated watching the Scouts trim the trunk with their saws.

Of course electric would have been better, but any sort of manly tool captivates this boy.

I wonder if this means he'll be handy later in life??!!

This Mama can only hope because I've always got a project list! :)

Once darkness hit it was time for Luminaria.

It is always one of my favorite village events every year.

Each street is lit up with luminaries and we all walk to the old towne square for

carriage rides, caroling, Santa and the lighting of the big tree.

Sunday, the rain returned and I had a matinee movie date with Andrew

to see "Arthur Christmas" -- a very, very sweet movie!!

Then we came home and prepared a perfect, if I say so myself,

Sunday night dinner to the sounds of Frank Sinatra Holiday {Michael Buble Holiday is good too}

on Pandora while my boys played with their daddy.

My Mum always made Sunday night dinners special.

I remember her spending the whole day in the kitchen with

lots of good smells filling the house as my brother and I played.

I don't quite spend all day in the kitchen. A couple hours maybe, but I do

try, most of the time, to make something a little extra nice on Sunday.

Last night it was this Herb and Potato Chip Crusted Beef Tenderloin with

a Cherry Chutney and Blue Cheese Crumbles from the current issue of Southern Living.

Uh-Huh! Absolutely as divine as it sounds.

Big, HUGE, hit.

{as if anything coated in a potato chip crust could be anything else!}

That's it.

Now you are all up to date.

I'm off to remove all the dead real greenery downstairs and try again.

I have no idea what happened this year, but my greens dried up in a matter of days.

Off to pull some of the fake stuff (uck!) out again.

Merry, merry!!

xo,

Tessa

Red Wellies + Plaid

2011-11-29T06:08:00.000-08:00

This one's for you, Holly...

Apparently, we are both feeling the love for plaid these days.

{i believe i would have worn this same outfit in 8th grade.

in fact, i'm quite certain i did. not sure what that says about my fashion evolution, or lack there of}

This gal does it up a little better...

I must find some gray over the knee socks!!

and maybe a green pair of wellies next.

Happy, hopefully-not-rainy-for-you, Tuesday!

(images via)

An Early Christmas Present

2011-11-28T18:02:00.000-08:00

Greetings!

I don't know about you, but I'm happy to wrap up this dreary and rainy Monday.

I'd much rather have snow on the ground instead of puddles, but wearing my cute new rain boots helps.

(Red glossies, if you are wondering. I took a accidental departure and ordered them in cranberry, but they were too pink for me. So back they went. I think I counted about 10 mom's sporting Hunters at pick up today. hmmmm. I'm not so crazy about the trendiness.)

Anyway....This Saturday, Jimmy and Andrew went on a little adventure out in the country in Papa's pick up to check out a Craig's list find for me. (ok, not really "the country", only a 45 minute drive away) I've had my hopes on finding a tall secretary to put in our upstairs office for some time now.

Ever since I saw this one in Southern Living I've been on a mission...

I was kind of striking out. But on a whim I checked in last week on Craig's list and spotted a new listing for an antique Governor Winthrop secretary. I did a little research. The style was created by Thomas Chippendale in the 1920's and named after the first Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Seems like they go for a pretty penny on ebay and at antique stores.
I also realized I'd pinned quite a few...

(super traditional styling)

(so pretty with a fabric or wallpaper back)

(painted blue from elle decor)

When I saw the price I hopped on it with my pulse racing.

I was sure someone would of snatched that baby up.

It was my lucky day.

Jimmy asked before he left if I was sure I hadn't missed a zero on the price.

Nope. A rare steal. Hard to come by.

Now this is my kind of Christmas present...

(Sorry for the awful picture. This room is unfinished. Needs fresh paint + carpet in a bad way)

Isn't the fretwork fabulous!!

Originally, I planned to paint the whole thing a glossy black and line the back with grasscloth,

Now I'm not so sure.

It's in really good shape, just needs a little elbow grease and a couple coats of dark wax.

You'll have to stay tuned to see what happens.

For now I'm just thrilled to get the ikea bookcase eyesore outta there.

While we use this room as an office it is supposed to be a sitting room and adjoins to ours.

When you walk in our bedroom you can see straight into this room and now

this secretary is the view.

There is something so pretty about a secretary in a bedroom space, no?

(the above is identical to ours!!)

Now off for evening prayers + bedtime kiss for my eldest!

Our Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T21:28:00.000-08:00

A few pictures for my memory book....

I'm so, so grateful to have spent this holiday in the company of those

I love most in this world, enjoying a cozy evening, delicious food

{though I totally botched up my pumpkin pie. twice.} and making happy memories.

Food + Family

2011-11-23T06:32:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving {almost}.
November has been a busy month for me.
I've tried like mad to wrap up my Christmas shopping early in the hopes of enjoying a low key December with my family. There are few things I detest as much as crowded stores, frantic shoppers and traffic jams. Yes, I might miss out on a sale or two, but when I'm at home building gingerbread houses or baking cookies while others are out fighting for parking spaces, it seems worth it.

This Thanksgiving I'm especially thankful to be a mother of boys.

To watch them play pizzeria and barber shop together.

To see them sit side by side as they "camp-out" in front of the fire

and attempt to roast mini marshmallows on wooden utensils with the fire screen still in place.

They make each other laugh and my heart melts.

I love my shared lunches with Charlie at the kitchen counter,

The way he dunks his french bread in his little cup of soup and exclaims, "delicious!"

I love my time with Andrew, after Charlie goes to bed, playing cards or scrabble,

popping popcorn or reviewing spelling words.

I love their gingham shirts, their corduroy pants, their messy hair, toddler pjs + rain boots.
They've been especially cute together lately and I'm eating it up.

{Some of these were taken on rainy day trip to picturesque Lebanon, Ohio.

A town that has appeared in the movies "Milk Money" and "Harper Valley PTA"}

{The inn has seen many US presidents and famous literary figures, like Charles Dickens}

We had grandparent's Day at school this week.

It was a rainy mess as the children are all in temporary modular classrooms while

the Elementary School is being renovated and rebuilt.

Somehow or other everyone squeezed it.

We did crafts and the kids sang and shared projects and essays.

Andrew, my Mum, and I tried our hardest to win the "Thanksgiving Day" word scramble.

We came in third. With a 148 words.

Afterwards, we took Andrew and Payton

{his oldest best bud/almost like a sister to him/almost like a niece to me}

out to lunch at the Inn.

Last weekend I went to Edward and Bella's wedding with a group of good friends.

The kind of good friends that recently introduced me to the important cultural phenomenon that is Twilight. I falsely thought my literary taste was a little too sophisticated

for teen vampire soap operas - apparently not.

While I'm far from a Twigh-hard, I did enjoy two weekends of girl time.

First with a movie marathon catching up on the old flicks and

then to the theater to see "Breaking Dawn" last Friday.

Since we were attending a wedding, I came prepared with red velvet cupcakes (this recipe).

{Note, using natural food color does not make the cupcakes RED enough. Or at all, really}

Speaking of food...

I have two recipes to share....

First, a Foley family holiday tradition for caramel popcorn.

The recipe comes from Jimmy's cousin and it wasn't even 24 hours

after the first time I tried it that I had to make it myself.

I had a craving a couple weeks ago and decided to surprise Andrew with a special after school snack.

If you've never had warm caramel popcorn right out the oven, then I believe you haven't fully lived.

Recipe | Foley's Famous Caramel Popcorn

Measure 1 cup kernels, then pop on stove or air popper {or 3 bags of microwave popcorn}

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 tsp salt

2 sticks butter

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 250.

Line two big baking sheets with foil or parchment.

Pop popcorn and spread evenly over both pans. {If you made your own, then sprinkle with kosher salt}

Melt butter, add sugar, syrup + salt, stir constantly

Bring to boil, let boil and do not stir for 5 minutes with heat on.

Remove from heat and add baking soda + vanilla.

Pour evenly over popcorn.

Gently toss to coat.

Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

And one more...

I made this for dinner last night.

Jimmy had three servings.

The rest of us had two.

It's fabulous. I will make it again and again and again.

Recipe | Moroccan Chicken Stew

4 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, halved
3 medium yellow onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
28 oz diced tomatoes, with their juices
8 oz canned chickpeas, drained
1 quart chicken stock
3 tbsp cilantro, roughly chopped
¾ cup golden raisins
½ cup dried apricots, chopped
½ lemon, juiced
1 tbsp cumin
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp ground ginger
2 cinnamon sticks (or 1 tsp ground)
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Cut chicken into 1-2 inch chunks, salt and pepper.

In a large pot with olive oil, brown the chicken in batches over high heat. Set aside.

In the same pot, add the onions and sauté until translucent making sure to scrape up any remaining drippings from the chicken. Add the garlic, turmeric, ginger, cumin, nutmeg, and cinnamon sticks. Once the spices are fully incorporated and aromatic, return the chicken to the pot along with the tomatoes, chickpeas, and enough stock to submerge all contents of the stew (may be less than 1 quart). Cook uncovered for one hour. Add cilantro + apricots + raisins and cook 10-15 more min. Serve over rice.

{recipe adapted from here}

Happy Thanksgiving to you!!!! We'll be at my parent's home tomorrow. I'm only on the hook for pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce. This would be the reason I have time to blog this morning!! xo

Cozy + Classic

2011-11-19T19:52:00.000-08:00

The fire is blazing bright and my kettle is about to whistle.

But real, real, REAL quick...

I hit the jackpot on pretty house pictures tonight,

when I came across this website {GAP interiors}.

I just had to share a few. Enjoy!

Be back in a jiffy to talk about vampire movies, caramel popcorn,

auction items, Christmas shopping and my boys..

PS. I am very behind answering emails.

I promise I will try answer questions about fabric, paint, and other things in my next post.

I'll take one of each, please...

2011-11-14T18:25:00.000-08:00

Can I tell you how excited I was today to open my laptop and go check out High Street Market's new online store?!!!

High Street Market was the very first etsy store I {hearted}, which if you aren't on etsy means you tag it as one of your favorites. I absolutely adore Kelly's finds. Her vintage items are just the sort of finishing touches that I feel can make a room. Those one of a kind, hard to copy pieces, that keep a space from looking like a page out of a Pottery Barn catalogue {I'm not knocking PB, promise.} The sort of treasures that you'd be thrilled to find after a day of scouring antique malls or tag sales. Something I rarely have time to do at this stage in my life. When I found out Kelly was opening an online home store with many more items I just knew I'd love it. She did not disappoint. Here is a little sampling of some of my favorites....

From vintage maps {Cincinnati too}, to vintage brass door knockers, and lots of gorgeous lighting. I sort of want it all.

So Jimmy, if you are reading, and really struggling with Christmas ideas for me, let's just say this wouldn't be a bad place to start! ;) xoxoxo

You can find High Street Market here

and Kelly's blog here

Ideas for Charlie's Room

2011-11-11T13:58:00.000-08:00

The time is approaching to move Charlie out of his crib and into a twin.

His room is the smallest in our home so there isn't a whole lot of changing and rearranging that's going

to be going on, but I'd still like to make a few {inexpensive} updates.

{not his room, but equally as tiny!}

Here are some ideas....

We just had Andrew's old twin bed painted in Chelsea Gray

I've ordered some new art...

I'd plan to sew {yes, me} a pair of new drapes in something like this...

Add a fun light and wallpaper in the closet {it's a cute closet)

A cozy striped wool blanket for the winter...

The walls and ceiling are already a wheat/ buff color, so I'll just be adding a bit of

gray and a few fun accessories and calling it a day.

I like children's rooms to be pretty simple and restful,

yet reflect their personality too.

And Charlie has a BIG personality..

He began performing from a podium at a bookstore earlier this

week while we were out Christmas shopping.

He found a mic and "performed" for about 40 min.

Toward the end I risked getting the phone out and video taping,

this is one of his calmer performances.

I could just eat him up!!!

Have a lovely weekend!!

{sources can all be found on my children pinterest board}

birds + monograms

2011-11-07T08:06:00.000-08:00

Good Monday morning my friends!
I'm popping in real quick before I need to pick Charlie up from preschool.
I had intended to clean the bathrooms, do a load of laundry, and hop online for some Xmas shopping.
I scrubbed one shower, then checked email, visited pinterest and now I need to leave in 10 minutes.
Sound familiar??

Anyway, I'm still getting a number of emails with questions about the bedroom.
Seriously, thank you, THANK YOU!! {big hug}
I wanted to make sure you know that I added sources to the original BR post here.

Also, for those loving the bird prints, you could achieve a similar looks with prints from this calendar...

found at paper-source and other online retailers

A few of you emailed to say Gramercy was out of stock on the pillows. It looks like they are still available. They are listed under accessories on the website, not bedding, so that may have been a bit confusing. Here is the exact link.

The mirror over the dresser came from Ballard, but it is now discontinued. If I come across something similar I will post it!

That's all for now. Gotta run! Be back real soon. I've got about 6 posts bouncing around in my head.

xo,

Tessa

The Official October Recap

2011-11-05T05:50:00.000-07:00

Here we are...

Goodbye October, welcome November.

October is my favorite, FAVORITE, month of the year.
I'm afraid I let much of it slip by without adequate documentation,
so today I'm giving October its due with a big ol blog picture dump...

It is the prettiest time in our little village.

A while back I promised a village tour, this will not be it,

but I did manage a few phone pictures while on walks...

{on the way to a hayride + trip to the pumpkin patch for the fall festival}

{today all these trees are bare}

{The little bridge that crosses over to the village chapel in the background}

{The village square}

This is where we sit for ice cream in the summer months, soon this fountain will freeze.

We walk past it each morning and afternoon on our way to and from school,
occasionally pennies will be dropped in and wishes made.

{One of many pretty Tudor homes}

{Tudor architecture downtown}

{The Inn}

Where we go almost daily to check on the "animals"

Charlie loves the deer, moose and buffalo mounted heads in the "hunting-lodge"

themed lobby. The inn is our favorite place for breakfast too. In the winter we bundle up and
walk there to eat in front of a big roaring fire, in the summer we sit outside on the little patio.

{Trip to roadside pumpkin stand after preschool and a lunch date}

October also brought Friday night instructional soccer.

Charlie was too young but I signed him up anyway.

Daddy "coached". Though 3 year olds aren't really coachable.

Big brother helped too.

Charlie gave it his ALL for the first 15 minutes each week,

after that he wanted to cuddle. I was probably a little over zealous to sign him up so young.

I should have waited till he was 4. Live and learn. But he sure was cute.

In other sports, October marked the official start of the winter swim season.

{Though Andrew has been back in the water since September.}

Now it's nightly practices and weekend meets.

Lots of wet towels, chlorine smelling hair, lost goggles, and

double dinners b/c after practice this boy is hungrrrrry!

I've been spending a lot of time in the kitchen. There are few things I enjoy as much as filling the house with yummy smells when it's damp and chilly outside. With all the pinning I've been doing I had a rather ambitious agenda to bake, craft, host parties, and add pumpkin to every conceivable recipe (soup, pancakes, french toast, doughnuts, cookies, pasta, you name it there is a pumpkin version recipe on pinterest), but I barely cracked a dent in that list and that is ok. I did make a lot of pumpkin bread {my Mum's recipe}, tried these pumpkin spice doughnuts, and this fun skeleton treat for Charlie's Halloween party at preschool...{link here for instructions.}

I used my FAVORITE brownie recipe...

I've blogged it before, but it is soooooooo good, I'm blogging the link again.

I have zero self control when these are in the house. ZERO!

{The downside of too much time spent in the kitchen...}

{...so sometimes we eat out for dinner}

{and other times, for lunch, in the middle of the week...}

{at a cute bakery in Glendale, Ohio, where we can watch and hear the trains go by}

I celebrated my birthday at the end of month...

and Charlie sang to me the entire day.

He's so proud to know all the words to happy birthday he just couldn't help himself!

We managed to squeeze in a little pumpkin carving the Saturday before Halloween

with Mindy, my dearest friend in the whole wide world, and her four sweet babies...

I had ping pong eyeballs, plastic fangs and rats and

some inspiration from Martha and then we let the kids make their own interpretations...

{Not exactly what Martha had in mind. No one will be pinning this one! ha!}

After carving and playing we came in for lunch.

I served my friend Merret's, Autumn Harvest Soup along with Ham + Havarti Biscuits.

Yum. I will post the recipe soon.
Mindy thought it tasted very Parisian. Coming from a French teacher I will take it!

Sorry this post keeps on going and going...almost to Halloween..

Anyone still reading? Bueller? Bueller? Anyone??

On Halloween the elementary children come home for lunch
and change into their costumers.
Then we all walk back together for the parade...

I had a slightly disgruntled Harry. I forgot to get him a wand. oopsie.

We also had a slightly disgruntled baby brother who was feeling wiped out from the antibiotics

he was taking for an ear infection. So yes, my three yearold watched the parade with a paci.

And I feel no shame. Whatever it takes.

Thankfully a good nap for C and a little perspective for Andrew

and we were back in business by the time trick or treating rolled around.

And that was our October.

Friday night we celebrated Andrew's good report card

by skipping swim practice to go out for pizza and yogurt.

How can the first quarter of school be finished when it feels like I was just posting pictures

of the boys running through the sprinkler?!

This post took too long.

I vow to be a better blogger in November.

Ha! I've heard that before!

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Blogging just wouldn't be the same without you.

PS. Still cooking with pumpkin too...Pumpkin spice doughnuts {again} for breakfast!

Happy Saturday!

{in case you missed the doughnut recipe above, here is the link again,

cause I know you've got a craving now!}

Our Bedroom: Before + After {finally}

2011-11-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

Since everyone else is posting about Halloween,

I thought I'd share something different.

{actually, I don't have time to recap and write about Halloween +

our October activities and would much rather do a post with mostly pictures.}

I'm excited to share a peek of this room with you.

It's a small room and incredibly difficult to photograph so bear with me.

I also got a new fancy pants camera {that I have no business using} for my bday {thanks, Dad}

and I'm still learning how to make it work {no auto setting on this one!!}. Anyways....

My bedroom is absolutely my favorite room {now} in our home.

It is about 95% complete, but the final touches might take a while...still searching for a pretty antique desk chair, an antique side table for the other nightstand, the perfect hardware for our long dresser, and a few odds and ends, but if I wait for all that it may be another year

before I get to share it with you....

I was lucky to ~~work, shop, consult~~ (not sure what I should call what we did)

with Holly Mathis again on this room. Basically, Holly made my room beautiful. Period.

It was even more fun working (er, designing) together the second time around.

She is now a dear friend and knows my taste better than I do.

She tends to be overly modest about her talents, which is what makes her endearing to work with,

but that girl knows how to pull it together! She is amazing...Take a look...

{Before}

{After}

{If you look close you can see the drapes and the arched ceiling.

This is the best I could do, way too bright out to get a picture of the windows. sorry.}

I'll be happy to post sources if there are questions. Thanks so much for stopping by!!!

{Sources: green check fabric - Ballard,

blue bolster fabric - Peter Dunham Textiles,

monogram pillows - Gramercy Linens,

natural linen fabric - fabricstore.com,

gray paint on dresser - old custom mix from 9 years ago

bird prints - antiques from estate sale in Belgium,

frames for birds - custom from local frame shop,

sconces - Shades of Light

wallpaper - Thibaut, Cypress Collection

type of pillows - 100% down inserts}

The Paint Job: Before & After

2011-10-24T19:09:00.000-07:00

Have you all just about had enough of my house painting posts???

Well, this is the last one.

Hopefully.

I couldn't be happier with how it turned out, but the process was UGLY.

Not the painting process, the decision making process.

Thankfully, I had some VERY patient friends (Holly, Keri, neighbors, mailman, et al.) and

parents and husband b/c it's kind of the only thing I talked about for a good 4 weeks.
So, enough talking. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...

Here she is.

BEFORE

and AFTER...

Whoa, Nellie, kind of amazing what a little (er, a lot) of paint can do?!

I did learn a thing or two in the process and

will gladly pass on my new found wisdom to those of you embarking on the same endeavor...

{no. 1} Every single color appeared much lighter on our house than it did on the paint cards. Even when I painted a large 6x6 foot test section it was still lighter once the whole house was covered.

{no. 2} I changed my mind on the body color after the primer was up. See point number 1.

{no. 3} You need to love it. Not your neighbor, not your best friend, but YOU. Trust. Your. Instincts.

{no. 4} Don't ask for too many opinions. See point number 3. Everyone will have a different, albeit well intended, point of view. You will drive yourself CRAZY trying to please everyone.

{no. 5} You can ask neighbors for their house colors, but they will look different on your own. Shoot.

{no. 6} You need to love it. Oh wait, did I already say that?! But it's true. The old adage, "it's only paint" takes on a new meaning when it is costing thousands of dollars. It is not an easy fix if you mess it up. I was sooooo afraid I would mess it up. I actually liked the old color and brick, hard to believe now when I look back at the before pictures. There were often times I "liked" a color and tried to convince myself that I would "love" it once the trim and shutter colors were up too. Nope. Doesn't work that way. You need to love it all on its own.

And you know what, after all those weeks of craziness, I do.

So much so, we are now posing for pictures in front of it. ha ha!!
Ok, back to the more important things in life...
xo

The final paint colors are:

I Can't Decide, Please Help...

2011-10-19T10:46:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here enjoying left over black bean, feta, and cilantro slaw tacos

(thank you Tiffany, thank you pinterest), reading teenager vampire lit.

(3rd book of the Twilight series, please don't judge),

preparing to make some pumpkin bread,

and watching buckets of rain pour outside.

All the rain is reminding me that I desperately need a new pair of wellies.

My orange ones, may they rest in peace, bit the dust after many years of rainy day trudging.

I loved my orange boots.

I think part of the reason I've put off buying another pair for so long

is that I've been torn over finding a color I like just as much.

But I live in a town where you walk A LOT and

a girl's gotsta have her some proper rainy day gear.

Alas, I've settled on red. Yes, very Ramona Quimbyish, I know.

Now the question is, would I rather stomp in puddles wearing:

Original Red....

Original Gloss....

Who knew buying rain boots could be so confusing...

What do you think?

Party Details + New Recipe

2011-10-18T18:56:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are the answers to your questions...

1. Cupcake toppers from gifts define
2. What did we eat? For the adults: baked ziti (this recipe) made by my mum, a field green salad with candied walnuts + dried cranberries (with this vinaigrette), and to drink we had Strawberry Lemonade and Pomegranate Limeade from Trader Joe's
3. Felt animal masks from etsy
4. Berry crates + wood utensils + container + kraft sticker + sandwich paper + twine all from Garnish
5. What was in the picnics? cheese & butter sandwich + lemon orzo with roasted veggies & basil + pretzel sticks
6. And apples
7. Tent tutorial link here
8. Play veggies from ikea
9. Felt bunting made by me - I was clearly diggin the felt for this party.
10. Chairs around the table - I bought a set of 4 mismatched vintage windsor chairs at an auction last year. The price for all 4 was less than the price for 1 from PB. Yes, really. The others are from ikea.
11. Party hats? I made them. Loosely following this tutorial.
12. My boots are from DSW, the brand is Audrey Brooke. Sorry, I couldn't find them online. and my dress was from a small local store, the brand name is Theme.

Did I forget anything??

There are a lot of woodland themed ideas available. One can easily be tempted to go over board.
I will say I stared at this set from the ACME Part Box Company for awhile, contemplating. It is pretty darn cute.

Switching gears...

I must, MUST, must share this heavenly recipe with all of you. I came across it on pinterest and will be forever grateful. It combines two of my favorite fall comfort foods: butternut squash and pasta.
Ok, not really true, pasta is a YEAR ROUND favorite comfort food. But I've never made it quite like this ah-mazing creation. Can you see the bits of crunchy fried pasta mixed with buttery squash and toasted nuts, with just enough Parmesan to give it a little tang. Seriously, this recipe is so good it will become one of my go to chilly weather dishes...

Pasta Pan-Fried with Butternut Squash, Fried Sage, and Pine Nuts
feeds 4

1 medium butternut squash (i used a large)
1 small sweet onion, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup fresh sage leaves
1 pound farfalle pasta (I only used 1/2 pound)
3/4 cup pine nuts, toasted (I would cut this in half next time)
4 ounces high quality Parmesan, shredded or shaved (about a cup total)

Heat the oven to 375°. Peel butternut squash and cut into 1-inch cubes. Toss with the onion, garlic, a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper. Mince about half of the fresh sage leaves and also toss with the squash.

Spread the squash mixture in a thin layer on a large baking sheet and roast for about 40 minutes or until the squash is soft.

Heat salted pasta water to boiling and cook the farfalle until al dente. Drain drizzle with a little olive oil and set aside. As the squash finishes roasting, heat about two tablespoons of olive oil in a large high-sided sauté pan. The oil is ready when it pops and sputters. (Don't let it start smoking.) Drop in the rest of the sage leaves and fry for about a minute, or until they begin to just shrivel up.

Remove with a slotted spoon and salt lightly. Crush with the back of a spoon.

Add the pasta to the pan, along with the roasted squash mixture. Crumble in the sage. Cook, stirring frequently, for five minutes or until the pasta is heated through and getting crispy on some of the edges. Add the pine nuts and cook for another minute. Stir in half the cheese and serve.

(recipe adapted from the kitchn)

A New October Tradition

2011-10-17T18:03:00.000-07:00

Today was fun. fun. fun!!!

For starters the painters finished our house!!!!

FINISHED!!!

Here is a sneak peak. The fence still needs to be painted.

I promise a better post is coming soon.

I'M. IN. LOVE.

It's the perfect warm brownish gray with off white trim. PERFECT!

So much for modesty, right? :)

Anyway, on to new traditions....

Andrew and I got to spend the morning together

while Charlie was in school, thanks to an in-service day.

And we had big plans.

TO MAKE OUR OWN CANDY CORN

You see, last winter we discovered Andrew was sensitive to artificial ingredients.

Both colors and flavors.

This is our first Halloween since we changed the way we eat.

I told him he'd get $1/ pound of candy so Trick-or-Treating will still be fun.

The only problem is his favorite October sweet is candy corn.

I searched Whole Foods and online looking for a natural version of the candy.

No luck. But I found recipes to make your own.

They sounded a little intimidating, especially because I don't make candy.

But I had to give it a shot.

We made it together and turned it into a sort of science experiment.

And guess what? So, so fun!!! So much so, it will become an annual October tradition.

And guess what else? Sooooo delish. Like a buttery caramel/candy corn concoction.

BETTER than the store bought kind. I know, couldn't believe it myself.

Totally worth it, even if you don't have food allergies.

Here is a link to the recipe we used.

And a few pics of the candy making in action...

PS. Thanks for all the sweet comments on Charlie's party.

They made my day! I will do a follow up post with the sources soon.

Charlie's 3rd Birthday Party!

2011-10-16T13:46:00.000-07:00

My baby turned 3 this weekend!

We had a small party on Saturday to celebrate.

It was quite possibly the most gorgeous day of the year.

The sky couldn't have been a bluer blue.

Charlie started the day saying he didn't want to go to his party, because his friends are scary.

Have I ever mentioned how hard I think age 3 can be with boys??

I think he was confusing his party and Halloween since lately he's been a bit afraid of some of Andrew's more ghoulish Halloween decor.

But as soon as I started decorating, he came out in his jammies, navy Toms, and his birthday hat from preschool saying he wanted to play.

It was a good day!

Standing Still...

2011-10-08T17:54:00.000-07:00

"Time stands still best in moments that look suspiciously like ordinary life."

Brian Andreas

{via}

an indian summer afternoon

a picnic, in a meadow, under the yellow canopy of early fall

skipping rocks
finding the perfect walking stick
building forts
discovering enchanted places
tucking wildflowers picked by my loves in my hair.
i. love. october.

xo, tessa

Handmade Children's Tent DIY

2011-10-07T14:30:00.000-07:00

"DIY" is not something you'll see much of on my blog unless it involves food, but this is just too cute not to share. So, I'm interrupting my unannounced blogging hiatus (really, where I've been lately?!!) to share a rare crafty moment of mine....

In anticipation of Charlie's birthday, I've been hitting Hobby Lobby and breaking out the glue gun...

I'm a BIG believer in keeping children's parties small and easy on the Mamas. But when I come across something that is really special, fun AND easy I get a little giddy. Since we are doing a "woodsy" themed party, I thought I'd buy a fun children's tent that could be used afterward in the playroom.
While searching I came across a tutorial for an DIY A-Frame Tent. Hmmmm... it seemed simple enough, so I gave it a stab. Here's how it turned out...

Soooo cute, right? And the best part is that if I can make this ANYONE can make it. Really.
This is what you need:

Materials:

4- 1'' x 2'' x 48'' whitewood moulding
1- 3/4'' x 48'' poplar dowel
drill with a 3/4'' spade bit
measuring tape
pencil (marker)
fabric large enough to cover frame (approx. 46'' x 85.5'' un-hemmed; 44'' x 83.5'' hemmed)
coordinating thread
elastic
scissors

If you don't want to sew, you can use a twin sheet. I used left over linen from my stash. I made the toad stools out of felt (cut freehand, no templates) and just glue gunned them on. This would make such a terrific gift. It took about 1 hour to make 2 tents.

A step by step tutorial can be found here.

The toad stools probably make me more happy than Charlie. When I was a little girl we lived in Germany. I went through a phase where I was forever drawing elaborate toad stool homes. This was before the Smurfs too. They are just so whimsical and sweet. This is probably the last year I can get away with something so cutesy for a boy birthday party!

Say Yes to the Paint...

2011-09-21T11:56:00.000-07:00

Are you all familiar with the show "Say Yes to The Dress?"

Well, I've decided an HGTV spin off called "Say Yes to The Paint" would be highly entertaining. Featuring crazy homeowners like myself trying to determine the best exterior paint colors.

With decorators giving their expert opinions, neighbors and family weighing in on the decision.

See where I'm going? Highly entertaining so long as you aren't the one making the decision.

If you've never had to contemplate painting the exterior of your home, consider yourself lucky.

I tried 30, T-H-I-R-T-Y!!!, different paint colors before

finally, FINALLY (yes, I'm sort of screaming) selecting our final ones.

Andrew had plenty of practice with his multiplication tables...

"mom, you just bought 6 new colors to try, you've wasted another $30 dollars..."

(a small sampling of our kaleidoscope)

It wasn't a fun process.

I stalked neighborhood houses,

carted around old dried up paint cans to get matches for unknown colors,

emailed bloggers with pretty homes,

even called business owners if I happened to be driving by a pretty retail building.

I have scrutinized every painted home till I no longer like any of them.

The sad part about this whole ordeal is that I truly thought I was a recovered perfectionist.

That I had a relatively firm grasp on what was important and worth worrying about in life.

Clearly I need to be rehabilitated.

BUT...in the process I've found some gorgeous paint combinations.

While they were not right for our house they are beautiful and maybe would work for your own

should you ever have to venture down this very treacherous terrain.

(I have also decided that in neighborhood directories, right next to addresses and phone numbers,

should be a listing of exterior paint colors. It would make this a whole lot easier!! No?)

During my "I want an off white house week" this combination was our leading contender.

This is one of my favorite painted houses in our neighborhood

Here are the colors:

The problem was on my home they read way too similar to my next door neighbor.

So much so, even the mailman made a comment.

It looked like we were trying to match. Also, the undertones are a bit cool,

and our interiors are so warm. It didn't flow right with our home,

but these colors are gorg, gorg, gorg!

Next up (still on my off-white kick) was this charming store front in a neighboring town.

The poor landlord called me after rummaging around in his basement to find

10 year old paint cans. I didn't have the heart to tell

him that I'd moved on and was back to a darker color scheme.

Again stunning, but better on a home that gets a lot of sun.

All our trees warped these colors considerably.

So, ultimately we ended up right where we started.

Our house is very New England farmhouse looking, and despite our best efforts,

we couldn't shake the feeling that it was meant to be darker.

A little more subdued...

Here are our final paint colors...

mega greige - SW

soft antique white - porter

tumstone gray - porter

Now if only the rain would stop so these painters could get busy before I change my mind!!

Cozy, Cosy

2011-09-19T19:30:00.000-07:00

Hi friends!

I know I've been MIA lately.

I miss you!

(via The English Home)

I've been short on time, so blogging has taken a backseat.

While I have a bazillion things I'd like to blog about I'm going to

keep this post short + sweet....

While the boys were in school this morning,

I snuck away with a pumpkin spice latte to a favorite

local bookstore where I nestled down in a squishy armchair

with an arm load of shelter mags.

Not a bad way to start the day, if I may say so.

I scanned some favorite pics just for you.

Enjoy!

(via House & Home)

I'm a little nuts over those light fixtures in the hallway!! And the floor!!

(via BHG)
So charming!! (I know Holly, I know. It's off white!!!)

(via Traditional Home)
The striped rug + the antiques + the framed art!!

(via The English Home)

The light yellowy-green paint....Those curtains!!!

(via House & Home)

The green painted millwork. Soooo stinkin pretty!

(via Traditional Home)

A perfect kitchen!!

(via House & Home)

Toile. I still love you.

For dinner I made this creamy butternut squash + cheese pasta bake

It's supposed to be a light mac & cheese.

It didn't really taste like mac + cheese.

It was better.

Of course I'm addicted to butternut squash. Addicted.

This recipe will not dissapoint.

(the only change I made was to skip the blender.

I hate to have extra dishes to clean.

I used a hand held immersion blender right in the saucepan.

I was also far more liberal with salt and pepper, but that's just me.)

xo,

Tessa

A New Milestone...

2011-09-12T19:52:00.000-07:00

My baby started preschool today...

He was so proud to put his backpack on this morning, 20 minutes before it was time to leave.

He kept asking Andrew if he was ready for school.

He has spent every day with me since he was born.

On one hand I'm not really ready to share him, but on the other

I'm so excited for him and this big new step in his little life.

I pray that school is a happy place for him,

that he finds kind playmates,

and gets plenty of hugs from his teachers.

Selfishly, I can't wait for my kitchen walls to fill up with preschool art again.

No art makes me quite as happy as preschool art.

My little Charlie, you are so sweet!

I'll miss you for the few hours a week you are away,

but don't worry, we'll still have plenty of fun together too!

And if you ever wake up and it happens to be a school day

and you decide you'd rather spend the morning

in your jammies and cuddle with me,

well, shhh, don't tell your teachers,

but I'll be more than happy to oblige.

Hello, September! (Plus Vote for Holly)

2011-09-01T18:22:00.000-07:00

I know fall hasn't officially arrived

but it's so close I can taste it!

(or maybe that's the pumpkin bread + muffins I made a couple weeks ago)

The trees are just beginning to show signs of yellow,

we've had a few cool mornings and evenings requiring

a cardigan and the chance to sleep with the windows open.

I'm in the mood to eat butternut squash, have friends over for dinner, serve warm apple pie,

and drink red wine around our little outside fire with a blanket tossed over my legs.

I'm ready to throw away my worn out flip flops, pack away the swimsuits,
go on hikes, plan picnics, drink soup, wear boots,

and enjoy my favorite time of year. (I can hear you saying "amen", Tara! :))

So, while I dream about pumpkin spice lattes,

curling up with a good book + taking a nap on a chilly day,

a season filled with my favorite colors,

a time of year that is all about cozy,

I will remain in denial that we had temps in the 90s today.

Fall, you are so very, very near.

Just pick up he pace a little bitty bit, okay?

PS. My friend and favorite blogger, Holly Mathis, has been nominated
for The Country Living Magazine Blue Ribbon Blogger award.

I believe they are "looking for bloggers with heart and soul and impeccable taste."
Ummm, yeah, that about sums her up, don't ya think?!
Here is the link to vote for her.
I can't think of someone more deserving of this honor!!
It makes me so happy when good things happen to good people!!

images via

Tuesday Ramblings...

2011-08-30T10:56:00.000-07:00

I love that little hand clutching my necklace.
(better that, than the top of my dress, or I'd be in trouble!)

Let's pretend I'm whispering something really sweet in his ear too.
Not correcting him for wildly swatting a stick a few inches from other children.
A few of these pictures were taken Sunday night at our annual "Taste of Mariemont".
It is held at the Concourse, a large open grassy area with a pretty, vine covered, stone overlook.
We like to pretend the ocean is visible on the otherside.
Ohio River, Ocean, tOmato, tomAto, pOtato, potAto
It's a picturesque little spot for a picnic or after dinner family baseball game.
I'm still hoping to squeeze in one while the weather is warm.
Also, many/most of our backyards are small so it's nice to have this around the corner.
I know a number of you requested a little village show + tell.
I will, I promise. Maybe this fall.
We live in the first "planned community" in the US and it has all sorts of fun historical tid-bits,
if you are into that sort of thing! :)
I can tell you the bakery I took the kids to on the first day of school is
NOT part of our town. It is a cute spot a couple towns over in Milford.
Also deserving of a little tour. But one town at a time, shall we.

We've been enjoying these late summer days.

Spending as much time outside as possible.

{C and his buddy, Elliot, in the octopus T}

My Saturday night (I'm moving backwards in this post..)...
was a dinner of spaghetti with garlic, lemon, pine nuts, basil and Parmesan with my three favorite boys followed by Frank Sinatra on Pandora, a glass (or two) of wine, open windows and

the production that was this fig + strawberry + hazelnut tart.

I somehow missed the prep time of 3.5 hours when I set out to make it.
Here's my review...I love Martha, I am not her, and her recipes are not my favorite.
I enjoyed the dollop of fresh whipped cream more than the tart, though Jimmy said it's his favorite
dessert of all time. Then he went on to have three servings.
It was fun to make, but will not become one of my go-to desserts.

While Andrew's been in school, summer is still in full swing with my little smiley boy.

This child knows how to have a good time.

He loves his friends and makes new ones so easily.

Charlie is always up for new adventures.
I honestly have 100 pictures from an afternoon at a fabulous new park (below) and
his face and body radiate joy in each and every one of them.
Don't worry, he can scream with the best of them when the urge strikes,
but MOST of the time he is one happy, affectionate, little camper.

Let's see...what else.
Oh, my bedroom wallpaper is up. I'm crazy about it!
Can't wait to finish off the room and share a peek with you gals.

And I finally finished a book this summer that isn't related to Harry Potter or Narnia.
I heard Diane Rehm's interview with the author and thought I might enjoy it.
It's about three women who live in a small town in Massachusetts with
husbands fighting in WWII. It's the story of how their lives and
relationships are changed in the years following the war.
I'd say it was good. Not great. Worth checking out at the library but not buying.
A solid B if I was giving out grades.

That's all for now.
Thanks for the painting advice + empathy!!
Still searching...
xo,
Tessa

Painting Our House Chronicles

2011-08-25T11:56:00.000-07:00

It's crunch time.

T minus 3 weeks and counting.

Oh, I was soooo sure I knew what colors to paint our house.

I might have bragged about how easily I came to the decision.

Piece of cake.

For once I wasn't going to over analyze.

I should know better.

At the moment (2:00 PM Thursday, August 25th), I want this....

Care to guess those paint colors??

While I can find pretty pics, I don't have sources.

Is that a charcoal gray?

Are those shutters a super dark navy?

Thankfully, I've got a trim color I love that is very close to this.

HELLLLP!

(source: pinterest)

First Day of School!!

2011-08-24T19:02:00.000-07:00

You know it is the first day of school when:

1. you wake up + shower + dress before the kiddos even make a peep

2. lunch has been pre-packed the night before

3. you make smoothies to go along with homemade muffins for breakfast

4. everyone in our entire village walks their children to school

5. you write love notes to put in lunch boxes.

6. you happily indudge unusual dinner requests

7. you plan trips to bakeries for after school snacks

Soon enough I'll be sleeping in till the last possible minute...

throwing together lunches and breakfasts in a mad dash...

and passing off my jammies as workout wear...

As for the recap of Andrew's day?
in this order..
"i had a great day"
"i know what I want for Xmas"
"i hate spanish, the teacher talks too fast and i can't follow"
"my teacher put a lego table in our class room"
"we watched a movie during lunch"
"oh and i liked the note in my lunch box too. thanks"

Here's to 3rd grade!

Ice Cream for Foodies

2011-08-22T20:34:00.000-07:00

I feel a little greedy having kept this discovery to myself for as long as I have.

My sincere apology.

About a year ago, thanks to a neighbor, I discovered jeni's.

It is the best ice cream I've ever eaten. Period.

Not sure I can even think of anything that comes close.

It is made in Columbus, Ohio and can be found in

a number of specialty stores and they will ship nationwide from their website.
(Found at Whole Foods in Cincinnati)

It's all natural. From grass fed cows.

With unbelievable flavor combinations

like sweet corn + black raspberries or goat cheese + red cherries.

My favorite though, is the Salty Carmel. TO DIE FOR.

Your mouth will do a little happy dance with each bite.

Initial notes of burnt sugar give way to mouth-watering saltiness. A perfect salty/sweet balance

I topped some on a homemade brownie tonight and was quite certain

it ranks up there with the best things I've ever eaten.

You scream, I scream,
now go get yourself some Ice Cream

website here

Window Treatments, Take Two....

2011-08-18T10:42:00.000-07:00

This Mama's a happy girl.

I fixed a rather big decorating boo-boo.

My family room before:

Oh, Lordy, that valance had to go.

I had really wanted drapery panels + bamboo shades from the get go,

but I had purchased a discontinued fabric (the lure of a bargain!!)

and didn't have enough for 6 panels, so I had 4 panels plus a valance.

I knew it was wrong the second I hung it up.

My family room now:

ahhhh, much better.

Sorry, I hadn't planned to take pics today so I didn't make the shelves all picture worthy, there are board games on top of the armoire, maybe a magic 8 ball standing in as an accessory....

I gave the pillows a quick fluff and then snapped a few.

Just look at the curtains people! thank you!

They are even prettier in person. (thank you, Linda!)

The perfect color linen. (SK Parchment from Ballard)

And they are so soft and hang so pretty.

I debated doing a contrasting banding but at the last minute decided to keep them simple.

I do need to add a bamboo shade to one window still.

And this last pic has nothing to do with anything,

'cept I moved a blue and white lamp to my living room

chest and it changed that entire little nook.

Yes, empty frame alert.

Like I said, I hadn't planned on taking pictures!!

Happy Thursday!

{ps. thanks for the sweet comments on andrew's little shin-dig, they made me feel all warm + fuzzy.

if you had questions about sources, i replied in the comment section}

pps. Linked to Cottage and Vine Room By Room Series