Five on Friday

Happy Friday!

I'm excited for the weekend!  We have a couple of fun things planned that I'm looking forward to.

Today I'm linking up for Five on Friday... my fave!

one: I've been looking for something to organize my make up and I came across this baby and I love it!  I love how organized and in plain view everything is - I need this on my counter!  I need to find out where I can buy it!

                                               via

two- How beautiful is this bracelet?  It would look pretty stacked or alone.  It's so dainty and elegant, I love it.

via

three - The newest member of our family, our dog Jake!!  We just got him yesterday and the kids are IN LOVE!  We've never had a dog before and they are having a blast.  He's a Morkie (Maltese and Yorkie) he's all black with a little white patch on his chest.  He's from the same litter as my friend's dog so it will be cute to have the brother and sister in the "family".  Anyone have any potty training tips?

four-  My crazy son!!  I love him to death, but boy is he leaving my nerves shot these days!  He's climbing on EVERYTHING, he's fearless... the picture below was last night.  I was looking at Jake and Elyse play for one second, turn around and see him in the water table!  Oy!  How did he get up there so fast?! Boys will be boys I guess.

five -  We are organizing our pantry and this gives me some inspiration on using baskets to organize that oh so scary closet of ours.  I doubt ours will look this pretty, but one can dream right? ;)

via

I hope you all have a great long weekend!!  

xo,

Amanda

Toy Organization

Lately I (we) feel like toys are everywhere!  We don't have a designated playroom, although I wish we did so the toys are in our family room.  What I do enjoy about this is that the kids are in our sight.  The downside?  When company comes over they also hang out in the family room which means the adults, kids, toys, noise and MESS are all in the same spot. My husband thought of relocating the toys to the living room. At first it was a big fat no to me because our living room is located right at the entrance of our house, and I didn't want it to look like a kid zone and a toy mess! After thinking about it, I thought that if we put the toys in two Expedit shelves from Ikea behind a wall that isn't noticeable when you walk in - it would be ok because at first glance the room would still look "grown up", it wouldn't be until they walked into the living room that they'd see the Expedit shelving.

Here is how the toy situation is now for us

(sorry for the glare)

Here's the view when you first walk in

We're thinking of getting rid of that chair you see on the bottom right (it's huge and serves no purpose) and putting the shelving there - here's a better view of that

(More glare and an empty frame that needs pics ASAP!)

I'd love for the toys to be in one place and organized not just a bucket with toys thrown in them.  This is some inspiration for our space, I still don't want it looking "kiddish" so I think these rooms are a happy medium:

via

via

What do you guys think?  Do you have any shared kid/adult spaces?  How do you organize toys?  Suggestions NEEDED!

Wino Wednesday

I hope everyone had a great Tuesday.  Mine was ok, full of laundry, organizing, cleaning, visiting hubby's granparents, and dealing with crazy over-tired kids which is always a blast!  Housework is never done I tell ya... does laundry ever end?!

Anyway on to Wino Wednesday,  my sister-in-law came over on Saturday and brought this really good wine.  It's called Petite Petit.  She is as much of a wine lover as I am and she had ranted about this wine to me before so I was excited to try it.  It didn't disappoint - so good!  The first thing I noticed about it was it's beautiful deep red color.  It tasted "jammy" and had a semi-sweet berry taste to me.

This is the winemakers description: Like elephants whose size is imposing, Petite Petit is large!  A  blend of 85% Petite Sirah and 15% Petit Verdot, offering a joyous explosion of color and fun!  It is a substantial, dense, full-bodied, whopper style of wine loaded with pure black fruit and vanilla flavors that coat the palate. It reveals remarkable richness with a finish that is slightly dry and seems to linger.

This wine is a definite try!  If you can't find it at your local store you can purchase it here

Have you tried this wine before?  What were your thoughts?  Are any of you caught up on laundry? ;)

"A" is for Autumn

All of these posts around blogland have me excited for Fall to come.  We live in the south though so cool weather is not around the corner for us unfortunately.  I'm looking forward to it though.  Cooler weather usually brings a lot of fun things our way, things we can only enjoy for a very short period of time because it's usually so hot!  We definitely savor the cooler weather.. some of my favorites are

Bonfires
We typically do a lot of these once the weather gets a little chilly.  We have friends over, drink wine and get out our blankets and light a fire in our fire pit.  It's so much fun!  The kids love it too, especially when s'mores are involved!!

Starbucks Creme Brulee Lattes
Do I need to say anything else?  YUM!  They are my favorite!  I love the bits of caramelized sugar on top... I'm one happy girl when Starbucks starts selling them!

Evening walks
Such a simple thing, but it's so nice to take walks and not get overheated or have mosquitoes biting you.  We have a great time as a family.  We walk, talk and there aren't any distractions.


Warm clothes
I often wish I lived in a state where there was an actual "fall season" and I could wear sweaters, boots and scarves -- typically here fall means kinda cool in the mornings and kinda cool at night... days are still hot so you're not really wearing your sweaters and scarves all day.  Here are some outfits that I think are cute:

Cinnamon brooms
Publix sells them --do all supermarkets sell these?  It smells up my house with the most amazing warm cinnamon smell, I love it!

Pumpkin Pie
One of my favorite pies...

What are you looking forward to most of all when fall comes around?

Our Weekend

I'm trying to convince myself of the above... even though I'm home with the kids Monday-Friday there's something still pretty awesome about the weekends.  How was everyone's weekend?  Ours was nice. I'm still tired from the weekend, not because of anything exciting though, my son (J) has his molars coming out so he's been waking up once during the night then up for the day at 5:45!  Ugh!  I thought he woke up early before when he was waking between 6:30-7, but this just brought it to a whole new level. Hopefully once his molar comes through he'll go back to his old schedule.

On to this weekend...

Friday my mom, sister, and I had a great time at the Marc Anthony concert.  He puts on a great show every time without fail.  It was nice to hang out the three of us and do something fun without the kids.

On Saturday I was so tired from the not being able to sleep and from J awakening at 5:15 that I stayed put at home.  My sister-in-law came over in the evening and we drank a really good new wine, I can't wait to tell you guys about this one on Wednesday!

Yesterday my husband had a guys only Fantasy Football draft and after it was over all of the families got together, went to the pool and had a barbecue.  I left J with his grandma and just brought E with us. It was nice getting together with everyone, there must have been 20 kids - it was crazy, but they had a great time playing and that's all that matters.

What did you go this weekend?  Is anyone part of a Fantasy Football League?  I hear there are a lot of girl leagues.  I'm not in one, I don't understand football.  I'm going to need hubby to teach me!

-Amanda

  

Five on Friday

One - This necklace
I was on Pinterest the other day and found this beauty.  Wouldn't it look great as a day-to-day necklace?  I already wear a simple necklace daily that has my kids' names on it and I think this would make the perfect layering piece. I love it in the champagne or gold color so it's just a slight shimmer on my chest.

source

Two - Blogging

I'm having such a blast blogging!  I'm meeting some really nice people and am enjoying my new creativity outlet.  I look forward to writing many more posts and gaining more readership.  I found this quote the other day and it made me think of my new venture as a blogger:

Three - our new water table

I don't know what's taken us so long to get a water table!  We got one a few days ago and the kids are LOVING it!  They've gone outside and have been more than entertained for about an hour with it, and if your 1 and 3 year old are anything like mine that's HUGE! 

Four - This office space

I keep staring at this picture of this desk.  I love the colors, I love the desk, I love the window shades, I love the natural light... basically I love everything about this space.  The only thing that's missing in the picture is me sitting there writing this post with a cup of coffee :)

Source

Five - Marc Anthony

Last, but not least I'm going to see Marc Anthony tonight in concert.  I have loved his music since I was nine years old!  He puts on such a great show and when he comes to town I try to never miss him.  I'm going with my sister and mom, we're making it a girls night out of it - I don't remember the last time the three of us did something fun together without the kids.

I hope you enjoyed my Five on Friday!  I can't wait to read what yours are! Have a great weekend!

xo,

Amanda

All About Me

Since I'm one of the newer "kids on the block" I figured I would tell you a few things about myself so we can get to know each other a little better :)

one:  I'm 29... I cant believe I'm in the last year of my twenties - crazy!  And for the record, when people ask how old I am I just may be 29 for a few more years ;)

two:  If I could go anywhere in the world on vacation it would have to be Santorini, Greece.  I mean, have you seen how insanely gorgeous it is there? I would love to spend a good 10 days there going in the ocean, seeing the sights and eating the amazing food - totally soak it all in because it would probably be a once-in-a-lifetime thing.

three: I have been married for 9 years.  We got married during a hurricane (fun right?) it was chaos but it definitely gives us extra memories and stories.

four:  My favorite show of all time is Friends.  I still crack-up every time I watch the show and can even talk some of the parts out.  The show is a classic, I never get tired of watching it.  Some close runner-up's would be How I Met Your Mother, Parenthood, and Gilmore Girls.

five:  I'm a girly girl through and through.  I love purses, nail polish, and makeup.  In fact, the one of the things that I really miss about working,  is getting dressed and putting cute clothes on with makeup and a matching purse.

I'd love to hear a few things about you! What is your dream vacation spot?  Did you have any natural disasters during your wedding?  What are some of your favorite TV shows?

Wino Wednesday

Uno Malbec has been one of my favorite wines for nearly a year.  Not only is the bottle pretty awesome with a copper number 1 on it; the taste is  pretty awesome too! I loved this wine so much that I may have bought a case of it and am finally drinking up my last glass while I type this {no worries I'm typing on Tuesday night, not Wednesday morning ;)}

This is the winemakers description of the wine for those curious: Intense red color with violet tones.  Aromas of wild berry and dark plum with a hint of coffee.  Berry and plum continue to the palate with smoke and vanilla joining through the persistent finish.  Pairs well with red meat entrees, Beef Wellington, roasted leg of lamb, grilled vegetables, and semi-firm cheeses.

 

 

For those who are red wine lovers I highly recommend this wine. If you can't find it at any stores (we got ours at Costco) you can go here and purchase a bottle.

Does anyone have any wines that they recommend?  I'm always looking for a new favorite :)



Xo,
Amanda

Indonesian Pork Tenderloin & Garlic Rice Pilaf

Yesterday marked the first day of school here where I live.  I loved seeing all of the pictures of my friend's kids first day of school on Instagram, they all looked so adorable in their uniforms and backpacks!  It made me realize that pretty soon it will be my daughter's first day - ugh, so sad.  I'm totally not ready for her to grow up and be a "big girl" that goes to school Monday-Friday.  Thank goodness I still have some time.  They really do grow up so fast, it's incredible!

Anyway, on to this recipe that I made the other day - I'm not really the cook in my house.  I'm fortunate that my husband loves to cook and does most of the cooking in the house.  Every once in a while Pinterest gets the best of me and I get inspired to make a dish. I found a pin for an Indonesian Pork Tenderloin and a Garlic Rice Pilaf  This pork was AWESOME! My husband loved it, and in my book that means that it was a winner!  The flavors went so well together, and the kids cleaned their plates! It's a definite must try.


Source

Indonesian Pork Tenderloin
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound)
1/4 cup apricot preserves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Combine preserves, garlic, coriander, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, peanut butter, lime juice, orange juice, crushed red pepper and black pepper in a small bowl. Whisk well to combine, paying attention to break up the peanut butter.  Place pork tenderloin in gallon sized Ziploc bag and pour the marinade on top. Squeeze out the air, and seal, using your hands to squish bag and distribute marinade evenly. Place in refrigerator and let marinade for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours.
Preheat oven to 425. Heat  the vegetable oil in large oven-proof skillet (I like cast iron) over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the pork tenderloin, and sear on all sides, until it’s nicely browned – about 7 minutes or so. Place the entire skillet into the preheated oven, and cook until a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees – about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.
While the pork is in the oven, pour the marinade into a small saucepan. If it seems too thick, add a splash or orange juice or water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute, then turn off heat. Pour sauce over the sliced tenderloin and sprinkle with chopped cilantro for garnish.

Taken from Tide and Thyme


Source

Garlic Rice Pilaf
2 tbsp. butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 1/2 cups chicken broth, divided
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Squeeze of lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 375 F.  In a saucepan or skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and rice to the pan and cook until both are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.  Stir in 1 cup of the chicken broth, salt and pepper; bring to a boil.  Pour the mixture into a 2 qt casserole dish, cover, and bake for 25 minutes.
After 25 minutes, remove from the oven and stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups chicken broth. Re-cover and bake for another 45 minutes.  About 15 minutes before it is finished baking, stir in a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Taken from Tide and Thyme

What did we ever do before Pinterest?!


What are some of your great Pinterest recipe finds?  I hope you all have a great Tuesday!

Weekend Recap

I hope you all had a great weekend.  Our weekend was a nice one, nothing too crazy but fun! 

On Saturday we went to one of my bbf's house so that the kids could play and we could hang out.  They just got a new puppy - that I fell in LOVE with; I mean, just look at that face!!!  It almost makes me want to get one; but we already have a cat and I think it would just be too much.

On Sunday, we went to a Bridal Shower of some good friends.  We had a great time and it was so nice seeing people we hadn't seen in years :)

The beautiful couple

What did you do over the weekend?  Was it a relaxing one or a busy one?  I'd love to hear from you!

TGIF!!

 

 

I wanted to share a few things we've been loving around here lately...

 

UNCENSORED  Wine

As you may have guessed, I'm a little bit of a wino.  I found this wine at Costco and am totally loving it.  It's a red blend and it's slightly sweet and has a smoky finish.  I figured I'd try it because they had it on sale and it's now one of my favorite wines!

 

Bath & Body Works Eucalyptus Spearmint Candle

 

 

If you haven't tried this scent you MUST!  It's so good.  It's such a relaxing (not over-powering) scent and literally just lighting one candle smells up my entire house - downstairs and upstairs! Everyone that comes over always comments on how good the scent is.

 

I Can Read -- Beginner Reading Books

 

 

These books are awesome!  My daughter is 3 1/2 and loves when I read them to her.  The stories are a little more grown up, yet she's able to follow along perfectly.  Every time we read her one of these stories she has us read it to her at least twice because she enjoys them so much.

 

I'm SO excited it's Friday.  Weekends are always fun, even if we don't do much.  It's nice to hang out with the family and enjoy each other's company.  This weekend should be fun; we have a bridal shower for some close friends of ours.  It's coed and it's a Hispanic party so there is sure to be LOTS of dancing and good food! I'm sure the kids will have a blast (ok, and mommy too).

Do you have any exciting plans for the weekend?  Anyone else tried the wine, candle or read these books to your kids?  Have you enjoyed them as much as we have?

Have a great weekend!