Weekend Recap

Friday was pretty much a perfect SAHM day. These are RARE. Let's be honest: most of the time, my days are filled with raising a child, taking care of dogs, cleaning, cooking and just generally worrying about all things that didn't get finished. But Friday? Friday was a day off from the grind.

Little Junior woke up early, which was fine, but after his morning bottle we had a lovely cuddle / nap in bed. Blissful. Then I met my friend, Beth, and her son August, at Starbucks for a coffee date. Beth and I met at our first Garden Club meeting - we were both the super pregnant ones - and we've clicked since. We hung out at Starbucks and chatted, laughed, drank lots of caffeine and watched the babies coo and nap. After about 3 hours, we realized we probably should get going since she was leaving for Florida and still needed to pack. Otherwise, I think we could have spent the entire day there.

We came home for an hour and then turned right around, loaded up the stroller and walked down the street to our neighbors house to spend the afternoon with Kelly and her girls Charlotte and Sophie. Here's what I love about where we live: the neighbors! We never had anything like this in Pennsylvania and in only a few short months here, we've made some really good friends and they're all within walking distance.

Kelly and I sat outside in the backyard in the sunshine, drinking tea, sharing a piece of cake and watching the girls run around. When the sun started to set, we moved inside where we took one look at the clock and decided it was close enough to 5pm to justify opening a bottle of wine. I suppose the large glass of wine went to my head because before I knew it I was hiking the hill home with a fussy baby ready for dinner and I'd completely missed Stations of the Cross. Fail.

Friday night was low key with pizza on the sofa and an HGTV show about Extreme Log Cabins. Don't judge. It was just what we needed and we've decided we're going to retire to an extreme log cabin in Colorado to spend the rest of our days skiing. Escapism at it's finest friends.

Saturday was really low key. Mr. B let me sleep in to try to shake this never-ending cold and we spent the day cleaning and organizing. On Saturday night, we had friends Laura and Travis over for drinks before we went to the Cafe for dinner. They have a little baby two months older than Little Junior so that was fun to watch them....sleep(!!)....while we chatted, had some wine and ate nibbles. We went to dinner and got home way too late.

And, of course, Sunday morning came way too early. I woke up at 3am and could. not. go. back. to. sleep. Around 4:30, I gave up and got up to start a quiet morning by myself. By the time everyone else was up, I was ready for a nap, but it was time for church. It was a special mass for Lent and the Scrunities so I dressed Little Junior up in some spiffy Sunday best: blue checked button up shirt, red tie and his Gap 1969 jeans. (His khakis are still too big so he got a "jeans at church" pass.)

And then we had a meltdown. When it's time for a baba, Mama needs to get the camera out of his face and get to work!

Sunday afternoon was spent at the Just Between Friends sale. I was introduced to this by my friend Tiffany when I moved here and I am so glad she let me in on the secret. I'll spend an entire post recapping the deals we found there but let's just say I stocked up on the cutest outfits (about half brand new, half gently used) for next to nothing. Yall. A green gingham smocked (mallard ducks!) jonjon for $2. Vive Le Fete brand too. So, yes, I was on a total bargain high all Sunday afternoon.

Little Junior had some extra energy to burn off so we popped him in his new Johnny Jumparoo and he was so content to hang around and watch us. After about an hour, Mr. B caught this epic photo which just cracks me up. I mean, it's really hard work being so awesome.

Sunday night I took the girls to the ball field to play fetch and enjoy the last bit of warm, dry weather and take advantage of the extra daylight. Clem was worn out.

Sunday night, once Little Junior was asleep, Mr. B and I spent the evening organizing our calendars for the next few months and we've come to the realization that with the exception of one weekend, we're booked up through June. That's awesome. And, we decided to go ahead and spend all those Marriott points Mr. B's been racking up with all his traveling. We're headed to Vail in February 2014 for a ski vacation. Who cares if it's a year away? I'm already counting down.

Not so sure I can bear to leave this loyal friend for a week when we're off to London next month. Dear Clementine, you are too regal.

No More Crying in the Kitchen

Hello September! I hope yall had a fabulous Labor Day weekend. Ours was very relaxed and chilled out. Gloomy, rainy weather (thanks Isaac!) meant lots of napping (thanks baby!), chores around the house and LOTS of college football.

I realized when I was making dinner last night I don't often blog about my adventures in the kitchen. I'm, by no means, a gourmet cook, but I like to think I have some legit talents in the food preparation world. I enjoy escaping into my own little world when I've got the radio on, with a glass of wine (in my pre-preggo days - now it's a glass of sparkling water with lime) and I'm surrounded by lots of fresh food.

As I was planning this blog post in my head - I originally was going to share a recipe with you - it came time for me to dice a large white onion. Cue the scary movie music. Maybe it's just me, but my eyes water just at the sight of onions, let alone dicing an entire one. The stinging, the tears, the pain, the interruption and annoyance. I can't bear it. But we love onions. Un problemo, no?

But several years ago, I found the perfect solution. Wait, let's give credit where credit is due: Mr. B. actually told me about this tip. Do you want to know the secret to stopping onion-eye-crying forever?!

Have a peek into one of my kitchen drawers:

It's off center because I just couldn't cut out Miss Dixie and her impeccable hound senses pointing you in the right direction....

 



It looks normal on first glance: cutting boards, oven mitts, potholders and ski goggles. Wait, ski goggles? Ding ding ding!

Ski goggles. A Mrs. B. kitchen essential. (And friends, cross my heart, this is not staged. If you came over to The Anniversary Home right now you'd find the drawer exactly like this.)

Next time you need to peel, slice and dice an onion, throw on a pair of old ski goggles and you're eyes will be mist-free. Promise. Now, I never said this was a glamorous tip. In fact, be prepared for a dose of humility because you will look ridiculous. Mr. B. still laughs at me when he walks in kitchen and I'm in onion goggle mode. But I don't care. I'd much rather look like a crazy woman with goggles on than a crazy woman crying her eyes out over an onion. (Not to mention the crazy dance from trying to wipe your eyes without touching them!)

Now, go forth, slice and dice those onions, and report back to me ladies!

The best Christmas present EVER

Look no further friends. I have discovered the ultimate present for almost any occasion. Wait, let's give credit where credit is due: my DAD discovered the best present. And, he found it in the Wall Street Journal, no less. (So typical of my father.)

For Christmas, he had 15 bottles of various red wines shipped directly to our door. Best.present.ever. They're all from smallish, up-and-coming vineyards around the world (no offense America but other countries have really good wine too. Nothing peeves me more than a restaurant with a wine list comprised entirely of American wines) and it's been fun trying and comparing all the different bottles. And for the record, I'm not a wine-snob! I went through phase of buying cases of Charles Shaw (three-buck Chuck) at Trader Joe's but I also appreciate a really high end bottle of wine. Wine is wine.

Now, I know these wine club deals are all over the place, so perhaps I'm just more impressed with my dad's unbelievably insightful gift giving skills. It was beyond thoughtful of him and every time we open a bottle of wine, we think of him!

And opened bottles of wine we have. I save the corks (someday I'll get around to a crafting cork project!) and we still have plenty of bottles to last us, say, another week or so. Kidding. At least two weeks.

Just a heads up yall that my birthday is in June, so email me for my address to send my next case of wine.

Happy Friday! And don't forget it's five o'clock somewhere!