IHeartOrganizing Pretty Play Food Storage Feature!

I was so excited to be featured over on IHeartOrganizing today! Jen is THEE organizing guru in my opinion. Most of my organization ideas have come straight from her and her site! So as you can imagine I was pretty excited to partner up to show her and her readers a quick play food storage solution! A huge thanks, Jen,  for featuring me! :)

Head on over there to check it out!



If you are one of her long time readers like me, check out her nominations for Apartment Therapy's "Homies" Awards! You can find all the details over on her blog, she is up for THREE (DIY, Family, & Home Design)! If you would like to show her some  love  pop on over to vote on Apartment Therapy if you get a chance! :)

I also wanted to say hello & thank you to my new readers and followers! I will apologize NOW for the randomness of this blog you are about to see! This blog started as a "photo journal" for my family and I. So here, you will find random snapshots of my family, our projects, our meals, our vacations, our shopping, basically anything you can think of...it's here. I apologize for that, it's quite random, I know. But, that's part of me, and what keeps me going! I appreciate all your sweet emails I've been getting! As always if you have any questions or comments about anything on here just go ahead and shoot me an email! I love reading them! ♥

Giveaway Time! ♥

Well, after seeing all the cuteness Martha Stewart had to offer at Staples. It was impossible to leave empty handed! I got the notepad & tabs and sticky notes to keep in my handbag and I just love them! For me, it is the perfect size to keep in my bag and it's big enough to stand out when I need to grab it to jot something down quick, etc! I chose a cute pink notepad....and I picked up another set of "goodies" in blue for one of YOU!

aren't they adorable?! :)


my favorite little detail on this particular notepad was that the back has a cute little pocket! It's perfect to keep receipts, etc! Also, since we're in the beginning stages of party planning, it's also nice to keep little swatches of the colors we're using and stuff like that too! Oh the little things! ♥ simple things like pockets always get me! :)


I'm keeping this giveaway simple! You don't need to do anything! Just follow the blog if you haven't already! If you already have, you are good to go! Please click the "Read More" link below for the giveaway form & info! :)

Frozen Yogurt Bites! A quick snack idea!

Here's a quick snack idea for your little ones, or even for you! :) You can also use the same method in ice cube trays for your smoothies and it's really nice and convenient!


All you do is take the yogurt of your choice, we used some greek strawberry, and drop it by little spoonfuls onto a Silpat or wax paper if you don't have one. Then just pop it in the freezer until they are frozen! I let them set on the silpat then later transfer them to a ziploc freezer bag. I give the girls just a couple at a time because they do melt somewhat quickly!



Note: I saw this idea on pinterest, but, it didn't link to a source, just a photo that said frozen yogurt bites! Sooooooooo if you happen to know the source go ahead and leave a comment below and I would be more than happy to link up to it! :)

Some Sunday Snapshots!

Today we started off our Sunday eating some delicious Sushi with some friends! We had such a great time! No sushi photos :( that's how you know it had been far too long because right into my mouth it went, no time for photos!



then after that it was time for some errands and shopping! We got some things we needed...and some things...we not so much needed! Of course, lol. But it was a fun day! The girlies got spoiled and mommy finally got her rose gold belt that I "needed" ;) Then we ended the day with some yogurt--Ava's fav! ♥

and look at these beauties! My high school friend, Amy, went to FIDM and she is just amazing, to put it simply.  She MADE these for Ava! Who can make ballet slippers?! Amy can, lol! We met up with her for lunch today and she was sweet and brought these and some other little goodies with her for the girls! Thanks Amy! ♥ Ava can't wear them to ballet!! :)

Pretty Spring Clothes for my girlies!

I've been having some fun on etsy spring/summer shopping for the girls! We got Ava's ADORABLE skirt from Babeagogo on etsy today! She does such gorgeous work! These photos do it no justice! But Ava was excited to put it right on, can't wait to see her running on the beach in this! ♥

Things I'm ♥ ing Friday!

1. Anthropologie's Perpertual Bloom Towels! I will admit I've been kind of a diva when hunting for new face towels. I just use the smaller size to dry off once I wash my face.  But I like for it to be 1. Pretty 2. Soft. 3. Different from the rest of the towels so they don't get mixed up. & Yes, I'm aware that I think about stuff to much  :) Anyway, these ones look like they might be a match for me.

2. ASOS's Chevron Enamel Bangles! I love how colorful these are!

3. Martha Stewart's Home Office Line at Staples! Yes, I'm a Martha fan...and I really like her home office stuff at Staples! This weekend I am running in to pick up some notepads, sticky pads, etc. because I have a birthday party that I need to plan and with just under a month left....I should probably get started! I plan ahead on just about everything...but parties, has never been one of them, I always do things last minute. But with under a month left, I need to get on it! I am old school when it comes to parties I just simply jot stuff down, ideas, lists. etc!

4. FREE DIY Popsicle Memory Game over at EatDrinkChic! I think this idea is so cute! I can't wait to make a set for the girls!

5. I Had A Favorite Dress! This book is so adorable for little girls! Especially with our generation of DIY'ers! It is the story of how the mother changes up the dress so the little girl could continue wearing it as she grows.  It goes from a dress to a tunic, etc! I picked ours up in Anthropologie one day but it's cheaper over on amazon!

And lastly I'm  I am ♥ ing that I get to spend the weekend with my family and also with two of my old friends from High School! A little fun fact about me, is I'm originally from Ohio..so the chances of all three of us being in LA on the same weekend is rare and we're all really excited!!! Hope everyone has a great weekend too! ♥

Roasted Soy Beans (Edamame) with Soyaki & Sesame Seeds!

Ok, first. I have a confession to make. I had coffee today. For the first time in a LONG time. But it was just sooo nice out and we were on the way to a play date and I figured it was okay, us mommies deserve play date treats too right?! :)


Well, anyway, that lead to what is up next. We do play dates every Thursday--the girls really love it and I do too! Normally after play dates the girls are so exhausted that I am lucky if we make the 5 minute drive home before they are sleeping. So, as soon as we get home they basically nap and I get my quiet mommy time. Normally, I enjoy the quiet with a work out and some...pinterest. :) But today I did my workout and I think the caffeine kicked in for a bit because I couldn't sit still. So, I decided to mix up my usual plain soy bean (or edamame) snack. Here's the recipe!

Roasted Edamame with Soyaki & Sesame:

2 cups cooked, shelled edamame
2 tsp Soyaki Sauce (ours is from Trader Joe's but I think there are similar kinds out there from other brands!)
1 tsp Sesame Seeds

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Start with your edamame in the bowl and simply add the soyaki and sesame seeds and mix!


2. Spread the edamame in a single layer onto a baking sheet.


3. Cook in the preheated 375 degree oven for 15 minutes, flipping about half way through! That's it, you're done! :) Enjoy!



Quick note on Soyaki Sauce: I know lots of you that follow are very healthy eaters! Soyaki, just like Soy and Teriyaki sauce can be on the high side depending on how much you use! As you make this, you'll notice it doesn't totally "stick". So, you won't even use a full 2 tsp! While wasting some sauce :( you'll be saving some sodium as well!

Jukebox!

Quick pic of Ava playing us some tunes after ballet tonight! :)

Sweeties!

This sweet fam of mine truly makes me feel like the luckiest woman in the world. ♥

No Knead Bread!

minimal work again, just making sure to pull it out in time for dinner!

Sunday: Prep Day! The power of just 15 minutes!

You all know how much my family & I love our homemade bread and pizza! I think a lot of people assume I am in the kitchen working on it....for way longer than I actually am! You would be surprised that BOTH of these are done in just.....

14 minutes!!!

and cleaned up in 17!
The best part is I can do them both Sunday and they are ready for the week! Tomorrow I will bake the bread and we will probably use the pizza dough later in the week! I love meals that you can make ahead of the time...and these are both amazing recipes for that! I really highly recommend them both!!!!

The bread is the New York Times No-Knead Bread. I know at first glance, I thought really almost 24 hours to make some bread?! But the best part is that for me...that just means you can make it ahead when you have time...and have it ready to pop in the oven when you're ready. It literally takes no time at all to put together, the long part is just the waiting--but that's okay because that's all you need to do...is wait!


Then the pizza dough is amazing as well! I use this recipe over at Annie's Eats. This is kept in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours, making it another make ahead recipe, but the nice part about this is that you can leave it in there for up to 3 days!

Another part of my Sunday afternoon is normally making up a couple pb & j sandwiches! I make a couple and put them in ziplocs and freeze them! I know these are not the healthiest things for  kids to be eating, but, they're really convenient and much better than some fast food or lots of the frozen junk I see in the freezer aisle. I can make these using healthier ingredients and  for a much lower price than the "uncrustables" they sell at the store! And, since my girls don't have them often they think they are the greatest things in the world, lol.

(cute cupcake shape courtesy of the lunch punch! :)

Sunny Saturday! ♥

Ava ready for some shopping in her (mommy's) sunnies! :)

Things I'm ♥ing Friday!

1. Z Gallerie's Rize Garden Lite! How adorable are these?! I love the little pop of color they would add to our backyard/garden!

2. Deborah Lippman's Glamorous Life Polish (images Temptalia)! It's described as "Rolex Rose Gold", added it straight to my wish list! :)

3. Victoria's Secret Strapless Ruffle Maxi Dress! There are way too many things to love about this dress! Ruffles, polka dots, it's a maxi, it's black, I'm in love! ♥ Now if they would do sale on it, I would love it a little more!

4. Melissa & Doug Cutting Food Box! This is a family favorite of ours! We got it for the girls for Christmas and it is so cute to watch them use this set! It comes with a little cutting board and everything! It is crazy to see how coordinated Ava is already, chopping up just like Mommy does in the kitchen!

5. Sushi. Enough said, I am really craving it right now and I'm thinking I need to work some into our weekend. This photo here is one of my many favorite rolls!

Anddddd, ♥ing that it's a long weekend! Hope everyone enjoys it! ♥

Baby, I was born this way! ♥

 It's always pretty moving to sit and listen to such little kids singing some powerful words. I love this video and dance around with it with my babies! I wrote out some of the lyrics to print out and figured I'd share them! There will be more (different colors) over in the free printable section!! I think these are perfect to set right beside your mirror to remind yourself!  ♥

right click for full size!

Quick Bed Bath & Beyond find!

Sorry for my phone pic, I am out running errands with the fam but I just wanted to share this with you all! Some of you had asked about our Ikea Ung Drill frame and were sad that you didn't have an Ikea close and I saw this and thought of all you! It is smaller than the Ikea one, this is something like 12x16 ish, but it is mirrored and really cute!! $14.99! Think I might have to go back and pick some up ;)

♥

Happy Valentine's Day! ♥

Woke up to this pretty bag! Henri Bendel always gets an A++ for their packaging!

My loves got me the Rose Gold Henri Bendel bangles I've been eyeing! ♥  them! Find them here!

Miss Ava helping make Daddy cookies for Valentine's Day! ♥

♥ that goofball! Now off to make some heart shaped pizzas, yummy! ♥

Simple Play Food Storage!

A quick peak into our new play food storage--more to come on this later! ;)

Sunday Night Dinners! ♥

One of my favorite times of the week. I get to cook dinner in peace as the girls finishing napping, there is something so relaxing about cooking with good music and then sitting down to relax and enjoy it with my family! ♥

Sunset.

As we were getting home from shopping tonight Ava declared we take a picture of the sun going "nighnigh". So, we did!

Things I'm ♥ing Friday!

1. West Elm's Stripe Favorite Throw! I love the stripes and colors of these! Perfect for a little "pop" of color on the couch!

2. Greek Yogurt & Honey. Yes, please! My favorite snack lately (and Ava's too)! Photo Credit

3. Aren't these little dust caps adorable?! You can find them here!

4. Mac's Tour De Fabulous lipglass! I think this is such a fun yet subtle color for Spring & Summer! I've been wearing it quite a bit lately! Photo Credit

5. J. Crew's Twill Short in Coral! Another item added to my spring wardrobe list, classic yet fun!

Have a great weekend everyone! ♥

Awww ♥

Poor little thing was that wore out from her play date that she didn't even make it to her bed for her nap! ♥

So ready for Spring! ♥

I've been eyeing some Sam Edelman's & after getting my bag I decided to go with the Rose Gold to match, love them! ♥ They got here just in time for some nice weather, I am feeling oh so ready for Spring this week!

Where has my baby gone?!

My little Lex is turning into quite the big girl now! Time, please slow down! Thanks! ♥

L♥VE

Keeping it Real. & Our Giveaway Winner!

    I am honored by all the emails I got this past week by all of you lovely people! You all had such kind words to say, asking how I manage to keep things in balance while being a good mommy & wife. I was truly touched, especially when most of you, I have never met!
    One of the biggest questions I get is how I feed my family only healthy food and how I manage to make so much homemade while keeping up with other mommy & wife duties. Well, my answer for that is quite simple. I do what I can! I think that's what all of us do. I really do try my best to do everything I can.
We eat generally healthy, yes. But. I eat this too. Not every pizza I consume is heart shaped and homemade! I promise! ♥
 


and a big congrats to Destini W! You won the HappyBaby Giveaway!! :)

There's a New Bag in Town! ♥

Well, many of you know I am a sucker for handbags. My Hubby got spoiled with "man" toys...so after some saving, he spoiled me in return this weekend by getting me my "dream" bag, a Balenciaga!


We actually went in last weekend with intentions of getting a neutral grayish brown. I was comparing sizes and for some reason (perhaps fate) :) the sales associate handed me one size in a pink, the other size in the brown. The size was a quick choice, but...my face just lit up with the pink. My hubby saw it, the sales associate did, I didn't even say a word, because I didn't plan on a pink bag. A little disappointed, I put back the brown, I knew I wasn't as excited about the color as I should have been. Ava....was actually the first one to say it..."Mommy, get the pink!!" Thinking that it was silly, I shrugged it off, yet could NOT stop staring back at the bag. My hubby and the sale associate chimed in too that it did seem "me" and I agreed 100%. But, I am not much of a person to do things on a whim, so we left.

Well, all week, I could not stop thinking about this bag. The hardware, the color, the feel of the amazing leather. While I knew it wasn't the MOST practical choice, it did feel right, and everyone I showed was like Holly that bag is "YOU!". And, they were right, after fighting it, I surrendered, I got a PINK bag! I don't regret it for even a second, lol. Now that I have it, I know it was the right choice!  Yes, me getting a pink bag after planning on a brown one is being a total wild child to me, not joking at all! Lol! I plan things. I organize things. Even the thoughts in my head.  Most of the time it works in my favor, but sometimes it holds me back a bit, so...this bag will remind me to not let that happen!

We upgraded to the gorgeous "giant" rose gold hardware, which is discontinued now, so it feels extra special and unique!  You kind of have to hunt around the boutiques to find what is left of them, so I lucked out to find one in the color I wanted! The color of the bag totally transforms depending on what color it is by, making it quite neutral after all! I love love love it! ♥  ♥ I still can't believe it is actually mine! :)




it is the perfect shade of dusty pink!

Things I'm ♥ ing Friday!

1. Colored denim! I'm loving all the pastel colored denim out right now! I ordered some pretty light blue ones and now I am on the hunt for some pink ones! AE has some cute ones online!

2. Rose Gold! Rose gold...anything basically.  I'm dying to get my hands on a pretty bracelet or some bangles! I really like this Marc by Marc one!

3. Josie Maran Bear Naked Wipes! These are my favorite makeup removing wipes, they are so gentle on your face and they remove eye makeup well too!! I need to go repurchase some this weekend because I'm almost out, but I never think twice about rebuying them, great product!

4. Bumkins Bibs! Our family loves these things. Unfortunately, after like..what years now?! Of Ava's....we had a casualty and one of hers got ruined :( So, when I ordered some more, I realized they needed to me added to my list this week because we were sad without it, lol.

5. No Knead Bread Words cannot express my love for this bread, lol. I made a loaf again last night and it just feels like the ultimate comfort food, love it!

And as always, I'm loving that it's Friday! I hope you all have a great weekend!!! Don't forget to enter the giveaway if you haven't yet! ♥

Playdate fun!

Had a great playdate today!

♥ ♥

Ballet Night is always our busy night! So just a quick photo from class tonight! Hope you're all having a great week! ♥