Fun Fact Friday 09.12.14

Two posts in two days, mama must be doing something right! ;)

I'm dedicating this fact Friday post to things in which my only regret is not knowing/purchasing them sooner.

1. Swiffer Sweeper Vac. I'm pretty sure this has been on my mental list of "need" items for over a year now. A friend had told me how great it was for her hardwood floors and dog hair and I tucked that info away. Well, being home everyday and having Tucker as a shadow has led to dog hair literally everywhere! He's spending much more time upstairs than he ever has before and I just couldn't stand all the hair and sweeping anymore. This little vaccuum is seriously amazing. I really wish I had bought this sooner. With only have one room of wall-to-wall carpet in this house, using the swiffer vaccuum for quick clean-ups has been a life-saver.

2. Lazy Girl Hairstyling Hacks. The name of this buzzfeed article says it all. I tried #22 immediately after reading the article and it worked so well! My hair doesn't always stay up in a bun easily but this was so easy and successful. I've also tried #5 and was just as impressed with the results. You know I'm on board with #3 and #2 is next on my list. :)

3. The best way to toast bread - Thank you Courtney for introducing me to this toaster life hack. If you have a toaster, place both slices of bread in the same toaster slot so that the outsides toast but the insides stay soft. We have a toaster oven so while I loved this idea, I never tried it. Until yesterday when a lightbulb went off and I stacked the 2 slices of bread on top of each other. Genius! My sandwich was sooo good with the semi-toasted bread.

4. Pushpins App. After a little bit of googling to find a good list app, I downloaded Pushpin and have zero regrets. It not only allows me to create several grocery lists - regular grocery store, Target, etc. But it looks up all the sales at the grocery stores in my area and lets me add those specific items to my list. AND it lets you link up with other phones! So I keep my grocery store list linked up with J's phone so that he can stop at the store on his way home if needed and he has the list ready to go.

5. Microwave Life Hack. Thank you J for finding this one.We have eaten many re-heated meals since Baby Girl joined the family and using a coffee mug to elevate one dish above the other works so well! Kudos to the kid's mom who thought of this one!

I love that 3 of the 5 are life hacks - I wish I could say I thought of any of these but nope, this brain is fried. I am forever grateful to the geniuses above though!

Have any other good life hacks I should know about??

What are you up to this weekend?
Fact: I haven't done a Fact Friday since the beginning of May. Yikes! I'm going to try to at least get these out each week - it's a nice way to quickly go through a few things on my mind.

J&A are in town this weekend to visit L! She is soo excited to see her Auntie J and meet her Uncle A. Auntie doesn't plan to ever put her down. ;)

Have a fantastic weekend!

Fun Fact Friday 05.02.14

You know what's the best part about Fridays these days, casual wear to work. I've stocked up on maternity jeans. Work pants not so much, but jeans were switched over quite a while ago. So, so comfortable.

So I think I have a little shopping to do this weekend to snag another pair or two of work pants. I've been relying on the bella band and hair elastics through the button hole of pants for the most part. But yesterday I realized this just isn't working anymore. Ridiculously uncomfortable. Pretty happy I made it this far but the waist size on my pre-preggo pants just doesn't cut it anymore. Ah well, having to go shopping isn't the worst thing.

1. I owe you a recap of Easter. Next week. J & I hosted and had such a great meal. Here's a sneak peek.

2. And I owe you a recap of Florida still. Happy to hear mom will be returning next year. Baby has its first trip on the horizon! I don't think he/she will mind this view. :)

3. And I owe you a recap of Charlotte. We had such a fabulous weekend in Charlotte. I think it's settled that we'll be visiting in the Spring from now on versus the Fall. Weather was incredible. Here's a sneak peek.

Horse races Saturday / Boating Sunday.... mid-80's and blue skies the whole time

4. A few recent purchases I'd highly recommend:

• We had dinner with friends last month and they had this pitcher. I bought it online the next day and we looove it. 
• I bought this cover for my mini iPad and it is awesome. I absolutely love how it swivels so that you can still have it vertical in the stand.
• I also recently bought this iPhone case. I decided I needed a little tortoise in my life, daily. Very happy with this purchase. If I could have found a tortoise iPad cover, I would have bought that too.

5. Congratulations to Jayden for winning the Preggers giftcard!! Thank you so much for those of you who entered. Hopefully we'll have some more giveaways in the future.

Have a fantastic weekend!

What are you up to this weekend?

The guest bathroom is getting sanded, primed, and painted! I have 3 color samples ready to go once J primes the walls today. And then it's a quick decision before paint is purchased Saturday. Eek! But we have got to move this project forward. If you're attending a Derby party, have so much fun! And have a mint julep for me, would ya?!

Fun Fact Friday 04.25.14

Happy Friday! I really can't complain seeing as I have today off (ahh). Depending on when you read this, I'm either on my way to or have arrived in Charlotte! A weekend down South to celebrate my sister's 30th birthday. I have so been looking forward to this weekend!

Here's what else we've got going on over here.

1. Have you entered the compression leggings giveaway?! I realize this is a maternity related giveaway but maybe you know someone who could use them? Or you could use them in the near future? I'm looking at you many close gfs who should totally join me and have babies soon. ;)

2. The guest bathroom now has walls! I owe you a recap of the process so far but man does getting some fresh drywall up make a difference. Now it's time to pick out some paint. Decisions, decisions. Planning to pick up samples of these colors next week:

I really hope one of them looks similar to what I see online once it's on the wall. You know how that goes...

3. The last few busy work weeks and weekends have meant I've hardly made it to the gym lately. Thankfully, J has totally turned me on to Tabata workouts! So I've been doing my best to get a workout in at home when I can (still not all that often). A Tabata workout is a 4 min cycle of 20 seconds of hardwork, 10 seconds rest - you end up doing this 8 times. My go-to workout lately:

• 4 mins burpees (no pushup...)
• 4 mins squats
• 4 mins of either planks or mountain climbers
• 4 mins high knees, working one leg at a time for the full 20 seconds and just tapping down quickly

I downloaded an app to my phone for this but here's an online tabata timer.

4. Tell me J and I aren't the only ones who can't stand Pharrel's new song Happy? I can tolerate it for about 30 seconds before it gets under my skin. It just keeps saying the same thing! Over, and over, and over again...

5. I've gone back and forth with having maternity photos done. First of all J has no desire to have his photo taken in public. It's just not his thing so he ends up with this weird awkward forced smile half of the time. But then I stumbled upon these photos thanks to pinterest and there's just something about them. I think having them done in the comforts of my own home is more me. Do I dare??

Have a fantastic weekend!

What are you up to this weekend?

We'll be in Charlotte through the weekend spending time with J&A. It's going to be in the 80's! Summer maternity clothes are far more comfortable than the winter-ish clothes I have to wear in Boston. 

Fun Fact Friday 04.11.14

Throughout the week/weekend I sporadically snap pictures with my phone, thinking about blog posts and what I want to share. Thinking, "oh this would make a great post perhaps." Annd then life gets in the way yet again and the pictures just accumulate on my phone.

I'm in the home stretch of work deadlines. And I'm leaving for Florida in the morning. Yippee! But here are a few pictures I snapped over the past week and what's been going on other than work.

I was out of my beloved Olay night cream recently so I headed over to Walmart to grab some more. And then I saw this....maybe its the tiny human growing inside of me but something about it being 99% natural struck a chord. Totally not regretting this purchase. Even the next morning my skin is super soft.

 We jetted off to NYC last weekend to visit friends. It was so nice to see J's college roommates, especially since we hadn't seen them since June! But a weekend in the city and on the road meant not eating all that healthy. So a big kale salad with homemade dressing was a must Sunday night. Without thinking I picked up Tuscan Kale for our salad....bad idea. It was much rougher/thicker than curly kale. I'll be sticking with regular kale for raw salads going forward. One of the best parts about kale salad though? Leftovers. It doesn't get soggy! So lunch was all set for Monday too.

On our drive to NYC I tested out a pair of Preggers compression leggings. Starting at 24 weeks I started noticing swollen feet some nights. Yikes! So its time to start slowing down and literally put my feet up when I can. Review (and a giveaway!) of the leggings to come - they are awesome!

You guys, I was gifted my very own pair of New England Outwear loafers!! I was totally surprised by my thoughtful (and very talented) brother-in-law. They are insanely comfortable and so well made.

Oh Tucker, you melt mama's heart these days. I've mentioned before how important it is to us to do what we can to make Tucker's introduction to a baby as smooth as possible. We just have no idea how he's going to react as he's never around kids. So we spend time in the nursery when we can. Honestly, it's really just the rug that Tucker's obsessed with but still, it gets him in the room. And in this picture he's snoozing next to a box of diapers and wipes which certainly give off a bit of "baby" scent! There's still lots to do in the nursery so this is your sneak peak for now. I'll share the full room once complete.


This week I really felt pregnant. It was interesting to say the least. Tuesday I decided to attempt jogging for a total of 5 mins. I just needed to get my heart rate up and walking wasn't cutting it. Bad, bad idea. I'm still in pain. I've learned my lesson, no more jogging for this mama-to-be.

Pair that with a real late worknight Wednesday/early day Thursday. Oh was I a waddling/limping ball of emotions. It's kind of comical to look back at now that the days over. There were unnecessary tears out of just pure exhaustion, stress from work, anxiety over everything we need to get done before this baby joins us, when am I going to get laundry done for my trip, etc. I happened to mention to J over the phone, I have no idea what's wrong with me and why I'm so emotional today?! Love him, "um Trace, I think we know why you're emotional today." ha. Touche. But hey, I think he'd agree I've been pretty good so far in terms of pregnancy hormones.

So I'm glad this week is over. And when I get back from Florida, tax season will be over too! I planned this trip well.

PS - 40% Sherwin Williams paint this weekend for preferred guests! (it's easy, all they need is an email address). I should totally take advantage of this for our bathroom reno!

Have a fantastic weekend!

What are you up to this weekend?

Before I fly down to FL I'll be enjoying my sister-in-laws baby shower Saturday afternoon. I can't wait! I'm so excited to meet my nephew next month and can't wait to see Meg have a wonderful day tomorrow being showered with gifts for her baby boy.

Fun Fact Friday 03.28.14

1. First and foremost, my thoughts and prayers go out to the firefighters here in Boston. I can't exactly wrap my head around what a 9-alarm fire looks like. J and I were watching the news last weekend and the destruction a 2-alarm fire created was shown. I turned to J and said, "2-alarm?! That home is completely gone!" And I'm not kidding, the roof was gone and you could see that both the first and second floors were destroyed. So what the BFD experienced Wednesday was unimaginable in my book and I commend them on their efforts. Two men made the ultimate sacrifice and as a community the city will surely miss them.

2. Today is what some may refer to as my Champagne birthday. Though, for obvious reasons there will be no champagne celebration, it's still fun. (Definition- the age I'm turning and the date are the same.) Yesterday was my father-in-laws birthday and Wednesday was a brother-in-laws birthday - lots to celebrate!

3. Last year I put together a little list of items I wanted for my birthday...all a bit over the top, and not exactly birthday gift material. But, that's what want lists are for right? I'm excited to say that a year of hardwork has paid off and all of last year's birthday "wants" have been purchased! I never thought I'd see the day. You're all well aware of our new home and may have seen my new car pop-up at one point here. I've yet to share it here on the blog but I treated myself to a Kate Spade diaper bag and crossbody bag last month after a few hellish weeks at work. Both are from the outlet and were more than half off when combining sales...I couldn't resist. And well this week, we invested in an iPad mini for me. I am so excited! It's something I've really wanted and once my kindle broke a few months ago I decided I'd just go for a tablet instead. It still needs a pretty case so it has not traveled with me to or from work just yet. Plus, I still need to finish the book I'm reading on J's kindle....

via

4. This weekend my momma leaves her her annual trip to Florida. Which just means that there are only 2 weeks (ok 15 days) until I'll be joining her on the beach! (Past recaps here, here, and here). I say this every year but I am so ready for this trip. Very much needed girls week in store. :)

5. I've started going to prenatal yoga on Wednesday nights. It's not a sweat inducing workout by any means (which I'm seriously missing these days) but the deep stretch is great, its so relaxing, and its really refreshing to be surrounded by other pregnant women from the area. They are so supportive!

What are you up to this weekend?

We have a few family birthday dinners lined up and I have a date with the treadmill for sure. There have been a few slices of cake and heavy dinners this week... But other than that, we'll be laying low which sounds fantastic to me.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Monday Updates

Well, I really had intentions of getting this post up on Friday...and then work blew up. Woah it's been a week. I'm hitting my work busy season burn out bad this year. I don't want to use this pregnancy as an excuse, but I don't know - I am tired!

On a brighter note, I hope you had a nice Valentine's Day!

Here are a few things my mind has been able to sort through this week/weekend other than work.

1. This post is absolutely, positively amazing. And oh so important.

2. Our Valentine's Day plans were up in the air up until 6 pm Friday night when things cleared up at work and I sprinted out the door before someone could change their mind. Honestly, we've both been putting in extra work hours this month so a go with the flow, no reservations needed night was necessary, and it was amazing. A trip to Chipotle, followed by a stroll over to Coldstone. Home by 8:30. Just perfect.

3. Confession - I haven't really been into the Winter Olympics this year....part of it is definitely due to work. But otherwise, I feel like they keep showing the same events OR they spoil the results for you earlier in the day before they show it! I have to say though, the USA v. Russia men's hockey game Saturday morning was awesome! We had ordered a new dog ID tag for Tucker recently and it finally came in on Friday. Tuck was psyched to sport it for the big game Saturday.

4. Also, not really into this snow anymore. I've had just about enough of it and commuting to work. I've resorted to online "window" shop for maxi dresses and maternity bathing suits (how unsexy does that sound...) to calm me down. I need a beach vacation stat!

5. The bright side to being snowed in this past Saturday? I finally made Giada's turkey, kale, and brown rice soup. I had originally seen the receipe on Natalie's blog and knew it would be a hit over here. I've yet to make a Giada recipe we didn't love...highly recommend it!

6. Oh hey, I spent a few extra minutes and ran a curling iron through my hair one morning this week (on a dry shampoo morning).

7. Glimpses like this still make me smile. Boy has this home come a very long way.

8. J thought this sign was perfect for my mom. I think most ladies/dog-moms can relate to this sign from time to time. :)

Happy Monday!

Fun Fact Friday 01.31.13

Last day of January! Wohoo. Keep the Spring countdown coming. And for me, keep the tax deadline countdown coming!

I'm really looking forward to getting my nights back and getting back to blogging more regularly. I miss it! But working 12 hours days, combined with an avg hour commute each way...ya I head straight to bed upon arriving home these days. And will continue to do so for the next couple weeks. Boo.

But here's what's going on over here:

1. I do my best not to wash my hair daily. Somehow, this curly hair of mine has really thinned out over the past few years....and I'm still waiting for those healthy hair benefits from prenatal vitamins to kick in... Anyways, every other day I rely on dry shampoo - a life saver these days as it allows me to sleep in a few extra minutes. But here's my tip: If you know you won't be washing your hair in the morning, spray in some dry shampoo, or baby powder, the night before. Let it work its oil absorbing magic all night. (A big thank you to A Cup of Joe for that tip!).

2. I enjoyed hearing from a few of you about my skin routine. Thinking a hair and makeup routine might be up next. Creature of habit over here, I need you to let me know what I'm missing out on.

3. Baby C:

• J and I may have visited Buy Buy Baby last weekend... And I may have loved every minute of it. The associates we dealt with were incredibly helpful. Yes, I needed to know what stroller I wanted at 15 weeks! I can't help it. I was born for this gig and am so excited. Plus, now we can look for any deals. Am I right?
• My stroller must haves:
• Foam filled tires - the idea of having to worry about a flat tire on a stroller? No thanks.
• Not too heavy - the stroller I originally wanted was 25 lbs. Well in the city that's totally fine, but in the suburbs where I'll be lifting it in and out of car? It's too much. So we've settled on a smaller, 15lb version. (We think, so no extra details yet)
• Accessible, good sized storage
• A plus: front and rear facing seat option
• My mom and I may be starting the furniture shopping/browsing this weekend too....Combine an overly excited Nona-to-be with a list maker who loves to get things done (and is an overly excited mama-to-be) and well, I wouldn't be surprised if the nursery is done before I enter my third-trimester...fine by me!

4. Do yourself a favor and make this Chopped Italian Salad. And don't forget the dressing recipe too. It's so easy, and soo good. We added grilled shrimp and paired it with some fresh crusty bread, wine for J, Sanpellegrino for me. Delish! This is next on my list to make.

5. Who will be watching the Superbowl this weekend? Not going to lie, I only really watch to see how my square numbers do. But this video makes me want to root for the Seahawks just for the fan! But please Kevin Jonas, we don't need you to rent us your home, thanks. Especially where only part of that fee is going to charity. Seriously?

6. Well, we just finally saw the Parenthood season finale and I bawled my eyes out at the end. That hit a little close to home, and pregnancy hormones. Wow.

7. My dog is a freak and I wouldn't want him any other way.

Have a fantastic weekend!

What are you up to this weekend?
 I'll be working Saturday but am hoping to head to the gym first. Or maybe after work is better? Sunday will be workout #2, baby furniture shopping, and winning money on superbowl squares! ;)

Linking up with H54F, That Friday Blog Hop

Fun Fact Friday - 01.24.14

It's hard to believe that an entire week has gone by. It was all one big blur over here...pretty pumped we're nearing the end of January though! The closer we get to Spring, the better. Right?

1. The snow. We woke up Wednesday morning to a foot and a half of fresh snow. And seeing as the city and anywhere north or west of the city only got a dusting, it was not a work from home type of day. So we got out there early, shoveled what we could, and then headed on out to work. If only the mountains got this snow, it was so powdery! Oh and J and I had a little debut on the local news cleaning my car off at the bus lot I left it at the night before (right around 1:25 mark, here).

 Google+ added a snow filter to this...nice touch Google, nice touch.

2. Our master bathroom was featured! Shortly after I posted about our bathroom renovation, Laurel reached out to me about a feature. While this particular granite company is not exactly close to Boston, I was honored that she wanted to showcase our use of granite. We're still so happy with it!

3. Do yourself a favor and make Ree's chili. The last snow storm we got, J and I anticipated losing power so I prepped a big batch of chili knowing we'd be able to heat up on the stovetop if needed. My only addition to her recipe, one jalepeno. Next time though, I think we'll be adding more - bring the heat! I'm drooling thinking about the serving I put in our freezer for a future quick meal.

4. Baby brain. I realize not everyone is interested in all things baby related but well, my mind can't help but be very preoccupied with it. Here's what I've been reading and thinking these days -

• I'm 90% sure we will not be finding out the sex of our baby beforehand. While we heard reasons why we should, the reasons to wait just seemed to agree with us more. The anticipation of that moment is so exciting!
• Plus, Michelle found out at 33 weeks preggo that the techs had the sex of her baby wrong! What the what?! 
• I LOVE reading bloggers lists of baby must-haves and hearing from friends on this. But yesterday, it was sort of refreshing to read Bri's take on what she wishes she hadn't registered for. This one's toughs since it truly depends on your baby, but I've heard this about the Bumbo more than once...hmm...moms out there- thoughts??
• Another item I've read more than once not to register....clothes. People are going to buy them anyways. Interesting theory really, and probably very true. But seeing as we won't know what we're having, I'm guessing there won't be too many clothing items on our registry.
• Walking into what has been just the spare bedroom for the last 6 months, empty of any furniture, and imagining it as a nursery was surreal. I can't wait until we start crib shopping!

5. When we moved, I subscribed to too many home decor magazines...I couldn't help myself. And at $5 subscriptions, you would too. But the unread magazines have been piling up lately between being just too busy and  a little burned out, overwhelmed by house projects before the holidays. Well, I finally took a peek at the recent issue of HGTV...and the home decor craving is back! I want to paint something. While at Target the other night I scoured the end caps in the home section for decor deals. If you've never noticed that before, here's your heads up. The clearance items are on the end caps. And usually, I find the really good stuff on the more "hidden" end caps, not the ones you walk by unintentionally. Besides Target deals, that guest bathroom makeover is on my mind daily...

6. Lastly, we're creating a monster over here...And I can't even bring myself to tell him no. His world is going to turn upside down in 6 months.

How can you say no to this face?!

Have a fantastic weekend!

What are you up to this weekend?
 I'll be working Saturday per usual these days but am hoping to head to the gym first. Sunday is all about finally spending some QT with J. There's no football on TV! My husbands back!

Linking up with H54F, That Friday Blog Hop

Fun Fact Friday - Baby C!

I think this Friday calls for the first Baby C Q&A!

First off, we couldn't be more excited! I've certainly cherished the time J and I have had together just us two, but we're counting down the days until our little one makes his/her arrival.

Due Date: Currently July 23rd

First symptoms: Sore chest, burping (yes, TMI? sorry but seriously weird yet common symptom)

How far along are you? We just finished the first trimester over here (thank god).

Food Aversions? Oh yes. My diet changed dramatically in the first trimester. Mostly due to nausea....but goodbye veggies and chicken.

Food cravings? Hello bagels with cream cheese (daily), box mac n cheese, red meat....milk and cereal, baked potatoes, yogurt, and ice cream have also been making more regular appearances than they did pre-pregnancy. But as the second trimester begins, I'm finding myself actually craving salad. Never thought I'd see the day, but thankful veggies are back in my life.

What do you miss eating? J and I talked about creating a list of things to do before I got pregnant, I was thinking trips, etc. J was more realistic listing out a sushi date, visiting a raw bar, etc. To which I responded, we have all the time in the world, think bigger! Sad to say, he was totally right. And by the grace of God, I got pregnant much quicker than we ever anticipated. So now I'm dying for sushi. And watching friends enjoy freshly shucked oysters in December was killer. I used to eat a sandwich everyday for lunch, totally missing good deli meat/subs! And lastly, probably the biggest would be red wine. Oh how I miss you.

  Don't be fooled by the little bump at 8 weeks, another first trimester symptom - serious bloating

Symptoms/ How I've been feeling: The first 7 weeks were great, no major symptoms at all. And then nausea struck. The minute I became hungry, I also because very nauseous so keeping snacks with me was important. As someone who can get car sick anyways, pregnancy totally magnified that! So commuting to/from work was a struggle at times. And waking up early during the week didn't help. I kept reminding myself though, it could have been much worse - I got through the day, fatigue wasn't terrible, and I didn't end up getting physically sick that often. By week 12 things died down. Knock on wood they stay that way.

I also experienced bleeding around week 7, which was scary to say the least! It happens and everything can be just fine, as it was in my case, but it lasted a week and I was put on a strict no exercise plan which was tough. Nothing like someone telling you not to move (while you're eating bagels and pasta daily) to make you really want to get in a workout!

My biggest symptom now is headaches. But again, it could be worse so no complaining here. We'll get through it.

How did family/friends react? This was so much fun! Our parents were the first to know of course. And they were totally shocked. Shocked! Then the siblings found out next and were all so excited. They were also completely shocked. I'm not sure I've mentioned this on the blog but my sister-in-law Meg is also pregnant and due in May. I'm really excited to go through this with someone so close - we will certainly help each other's sanity during the trying times!

Extended family found out next during the holidays. And without a doubt my mom's side of the family, a group of loud Italian women, takes the cake for best reaction. It was so fun to tell everyone at once.

Lastly, we did our best to tell as many good friends as possible before spilling the beans more publicly. We are SO fortunate to have the best family and friends who are just so excited with us. There were a few more tears, hugs, and many cheers (with water for me obv). J has certainly enjoyed having himself a driver these days.

Friends seemed to know it was coming much better than family. Apparently we did a very good job at fooling our families into thinking we were still waiting - my line for the past 6 months or so of being asked has always been, I'm too young. :) But when we realized we only have 1 wedding next summer, the opportunity to start our family became very real.

Will you find out what you're having? I've seriously gone back and forth on this one. I can't say that I have this need to know feeling. But I kinda/sorta want to know...if you have a convincing reason why I should or shouldn't, let me know! I've heard some great points on this, going both ways.

How's Tucker? Snoozing right besides me, no idea what's going on... I do think he's become a little more attached lately but maybe that's me. I'm so excited to add a little one to our family but I want to make sure Tucker knows just how important he is too so he's been getting lots of love. And I'm doing my best not to call him baby anymore. As the older sibling, he's the big boy now. We will certainly be instilling some of the great tips we've read on how to introduce dogs to babies.

Have a fantastic weekend!

What are you up to this weekend?
 I'll be working Saturday but have scheduled apps and diet cokes (for me) with girlfriends to make sure I get out of work at a decent time, then we're off to celebrate a friends birthday. So glad I won't be drinking ginger ale in Harpoon cider bottles anymore to hide being preggo! And Sunday..there's only one thing to say, Go Pats! 

Linking up with H54F, That Friday Blog Hop

Recent Recaps

Oh, happy Monday! Here's to another long work week for me. I figure since I can't seem to get Friday weekly recaps together lately, we'd start the week off with one. Sound good?

Work is gearing up for me and it looks like I'll be working 6 days a week for the next 6 weeks or so (boo), so I'll do my best to keep up with the blog. But if something needs to give, it'll be blogging. :(

So let's recap the last few weeks, shall we?

1. Brie & Fig Crostinis. Oh these are so good. And so easy to make! 

• Get yourself a baguette, fig jam/butter, brie, and olive oil. 
• Preheat the oven to 425
• Slice the baguette and spread across a cookie sheet. Lightly pour the olive oil across them all - enough to slightly cover them, keep them from sticking to the cookie sheet.
• Spread the fig jam on each bread slice.
• Cut a piece of brie for each bread slice - it should cover the center of the bread - it will spread out as it heats up.
• Cook for 10-12 minutes.

There are no exact measurements for this recipe - use as little or as much as you'd like!

2. Uh, this was the scene outside my window yesterday morning...The snow heaves off our back gutters are insane!

3. My sister gifted me this sweater for Christmas. I'm obsessed. And I think I found a bold lip color I like!

4. I feel very fortunate to have such a great group of guys in my life since I started dating J back in high school.

5. Green smoothies for Christmas morning. Getting in a few vitamins and minerals before the all day binging began.

6. Google+ put together this fun recap of photos from 2013 for me. Memories.

7. I made french macarons from scratch! Yes, thats why they looks so funny. I need to get myself a pastry bag before I recreate them and share the recipe. A melon baller was my tool of choice this time. Either way, they tasted fantastic. I think their light, airiness was a pleasant surprise at the holiday party I brought them to.

Half filled with raspberry jam, the other half with homemade chocolate-almond frosting (yum!)

8. Christmas may be all packed up now, but I kept meaning to share a few of our holiday decorations. I loved having a mantel to decorate this year! Next year I will find the perfect wreath to hang from the mirror...

Happy Monday!

How was your weekend?

We had a great weekend. Although I worked Saturday, we met friends in the city for dinner and Sunday I finally got myself back into the gym. It was awful, and pretty great.

Fun Fact Friday 12.06.13

The fact that I won't hear my alarm go off around 5 am tomorrow morning is what's getting me through this day. What a freakin long week! I guess that's how any work week after vacation is right? But man, I'm ready for the weekend.

Here's what we've got going on around here:

1. I finally attended my first Boston Bloggers event. And I am soo glad I did. Finally meeting a few ladies I've emailed with and who's blogs I've been following was so nice. Totally made reading these ladies' blogs less creepy ha. Well now that sounds creepy! But you learn a lot about someone from their blog, so it's nice to actually meet a few other bloggers finally. The event was held at Warehouse here in Boston and I have to say, their drink menu looked amazing! It was crowded though and not exactly easy to grab a drink at first so I snagged a water to start and before I knew it, I'd been chatting the whole time and it was time to go! Boo. Martinis next time.

Jodi, Rachel, Kate, Emily

2. We're getting our Christmas tree tomorrow finally. I have never felt so behind on Christmas decorations. The fact that we have nothing out yet is kinda stressing me out. Between a late Thanksgiving, and traveling for it, we're just behind schedule. I can't wait to get out there tomorrow and pick the perfect tree. There may be a few wreaths and mini trees that come home with us too....we'll see. If you're local, where shall we go?!

3. We had plans to head to Maine this weekend so I took Monday off. And then J remembered it's a home Patriots game this weekend, and he's going...boo. But, I'm pretty pumped to have Monday off now, especially knowing I won't spend half the day in a car.

4. Anyone get any unbelievable Black Friday deals? I took advantage of a few online sales to get some of my holiday shopping done but I have more to do. Honestly, I always thought it was crazy how early some people start their shopping. Until this year, when I read one bloggers plan to just enjoy December now that her shopping is done. And you know what, that sounds fabulous. That will be next year's goal. Cherish the Holiday season, don't save all my shopping until December.

5. This mild weather has caused quite the moth invasion over here! Anyone else? If we leave the outside lights one, the house is seriously covered in moths....gross.

6. It only took us 6 months to check out the local nature trails in our neighborhood. We started off on a nice walk down the street to stretch our legs and quickly veered off course into the woods to let Tuck off leash. He had a ball running around like a mad man in the woods. And definitely burned more energy than a measly walk would have done.

7. I still have a Thanksgiving recap I'd like to post next week if you don't mind. This week just included a few too many later work nights.

8. Lastly, I put a call out on Talkative*TLC's facebook page this week for post recommendations and was excited with the feedback. Are there posts you'd like to see more of?

Have a fantastic weekend!

What are you up to this weekend?

Linking up with H54F, That Friday Blog Hop

Fun Fact Friday 11.22.13

Happy Friday! Here's a glimpse of what's going on over here.

1. I'm feeling old, my youngest brother-in-law turns 21 tomorrow. 21! When J and I first started dating, I was checking the age groups on the back of board games for his birthday. He was turning 9... wow. He was 16 at our wedding....how in the world is he 21?!

2. Birthday celebrations will take place at Foxwoods! You probably think I have a gambling problem seeing as I've already posted about this place twice this year (here/here & here)...whoops. I might...

3. We're heading to Charlotte for Thanksgiving early next week. How is it Thanksgiving already? A week off from work - don't mind if I do. :)

4. Did you miss any room tours this week? More to come!

• Guest bedroom
• Master bedroom
• Living room

5. I'm really looking forward to another Sunday with no plans. I think I see another movie in my future. Any suggestions? I never watch movies.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Tonight is my company's pre-holiday party - which is actually crazier than the holiday party! And tomorrow we're headed to the casino for birthday celebrations. Sunday will most definitely be a lazy day!



Linking up with H54F, That Friday Blog Hop

Fun Fact Friday 11.08.13

Warning - it's a no picture kind of Friday....how is it Friday?!

Better yet, is it me or is anyone else still having the hardest time grasping the fact that it's already November? People are already starting their Christmas shopping? Insanity. This year flew by like none other, I guess I just need to accept it. But my head is still spinning at the fact that Christmas is so close (secretly pretty excited to decorate the new house for it though...)

In a week that was pretty much a whirlwind, what do I have to share with you? Hmm. Good question! Here's a few glimpses into this week, as well as some great links I've found. 

1.  Sunday I bought a package of 4 chicken breasts and put them all right into the slow cooker. Added a diced onion, salt & pepper, garlic powder, and enough water to just cover the chicken. I set it on low for 6 hours and then shredded it all. Best decision ever. There is so much you can do with plain shredded chicken- BBQ pulled chicken, buffalo chicken, soft tacos, etc. I even used the foodsaver on some and froze it for a future use. Frozen meals that are already cooked = best time saver ever.

2. J and I started Insanity this week. It's intense! I hated it Wednesday, but then loved it Thursday...weird. Hoping to tone up a bit, maybe lose a few pounds before the Holidays- my weakness! And perfect timing, Lindsey did a write up yesterday with her thoughts on this exercise program. We're also loosely following the meal plan. We have quickly fallen for these delish protein packed pancakes (which taste like French toast if you ask me). 

3. And the number one reason I agreed to partake in Insanity workouts at 5 am....my darling husband. If you haven't already ready this article, it certainly puts things in perspective. Like when your husband decides he'd rather get healthy in a natural form (i.e. diet & exercise) than take medication, but needs your support. This guy supports me through thick and thin, so yes I will do Insanity just for him. 

4. Here's another fun article I came across this week. These things are important! If you're married or live with your significant other, which of these did you discuss? Though J & I didn't have a serious discussion about many of these, they seemed understood. Or we agreed that one of us had a better method and went with it. J owns the "way" the dish washer should be filled....

5. And one more fun little list. This person for me? I think there are a few. Hands down, my big sis for #1. And #2-#6 would be my best girlfriends for sure. Thank goodness for these ladies!

Oh, and insider scoop - 40% off Sherwin-Williams paint for preferred guests (it's easy, all they need is an email address). We'll be there!

I hope you have a fantastic weekend! 

We've got some home project lined up over here, no surprise there. If you haven't already left your opinion on the nightstands, I'd so appreciate your help!

If you like this post please let me know by leaving a comment or liking my Facebook page. You can also follow along on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Let's stay in touch!

Linking up with H54F, That Friday Blog Hop, Friday Favorites

Fun Fact Friday 11.01.13

Happy Friday! This week was looong. Mainly due to late Red Sox games but hey, totally worth it. (#cityofchamps). We didn't get a single trick-or-treater last night. Not one. I can't say I'm surprised, it's so dark in our neck of the woods, but it would have been fun!

I've only got 4 facts for you this week. Take it or leave it.

1. Shipyard pumpkin, you are delish. But only one or two, then you're too sweet. Like our new Nate Berkus runner rug? Target sales are the best. Best part, that you can't see, is that the rug actually helps hide Tucker hairs since there is white yarn mixed throughout the black wool portion of the rug.

2. This happened on Sunday. And it was amazing. Thank you darling husband, this was much needed after back to back late nights!

3. More puppy snuggles. He's the sweetest.

4. We bought a car! Our first car at that. Yes, I'm in my late 20's and was still hanging on to my college car. But when that college car sold on Craigslist in less than 24 hours (for cash!) we were in a pinch sooner than we thought we'd be. I'm in looove. If you've been reading for a while, you may recognize this car (here). Don't judge me on my gas guzzler, I drive maybe 30 miles/week.

Ok, I lied. 1 more fact.

5. I am so grateful for good friends. I've know some of these lovely ladies since the ripe age of 2, others by 6. How did I get so lucky?! Drinks on Friday night to celebrate a birthday!

Any weekend plans?

We're heading to a wine tasting event in the city tomorrow (here's last year's recap). And I'm sure there will be a few home projects - painting the master bathroom for one!

Have a fantastic weekend!

If you like this post please let me know by leaving a comment or liking my Facebook page. You can also follow along on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Let's stay in touch!


Linking up with H54F, That Friday Blog Hop, Friday Favorites