Five on Friday!!

TGIF!!!  So happy it's Friday!!!  I hope everyone had a fantastic week :)  Since it's Friday it's my day to link up with all of the Five on Friday girls!

one:  How beautiful is this dress from Anthropologie?!  It would be perfect for a wedding or a fancy dinner.  I'm loving the soft pink color and all of the detail on the dress!  It's on super sale right now too only $79.95.

two:  How do you guys feel about knuckle rings?  I'm loving them on everyone else, but not sure how they'd look on me, I also worry that they would be uncomfortable.

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three:  Superbowl!  I'm so excited about going to our friends' house for the Superbowl.  Nope, I don't watch the game but I do like the commercials, eating good food, talking with all of the girls there, drinking some beer and of course the Halftime Show, which this year will be Bruno Mars so it should be good - I love all of his music!

four:  I'm loving this wine picture I saw yesterday at Target, I almost got it but I couldn't figure out where to put it here.  I'm still brainstorming though and if I can figure out where to put it I'm getting it.

five:  We're going to be out of town next week so I have some pretty cool ladies filling in for me with some awesome posts, so keep checking back - I also may pop in to say hi!

Have an awesome weekend everyone!

Easy Shrimp Fried Rice

Last week we were kind of in a slump for dinner, nothing really sounded good to us, nor had we taken anything out for dinner... has that ever happened to you before?  I hate it when that happens.  Well, I opened my fridge to see what we had so that I could come up with something and realized that we had stuff to make Shrimp Fried Rice. Anyone that knows me knows I love me some Chinese food, I can eat it pretty much any time/any day.

I whipped it up pretty quickly and I must say turned out pretty yummy!  It was one of those great, quick one pot meals; which really comes in handy for the days that you're running late, or didn't plan anything in particular for dinner.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked rice 
• 3 tbs sesame oil
• 1/2  cup frozen peas and carrots
• 1/2 cup edamame (out of pods)
• 3 scallions
• 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 lb shrimp
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes for a kick

Directions:

• Heat a large pan with 2 tbsp of sesame oil and sautee shrimp just until pink
• Take shrimp out and let rest on a plate
• Heat remaining sesame oil and add cooked rice
•  add soy sauce
• Push all rice to one side of the pan and pour beaten eggs in, scramble eggs and mix in with rice
• add carrots, peas and edamame
• Sautee all together 
•  add shrimp and mix rice together
• Add scallions mix in and turn off eat
• Serve immediately

Enjoy!

It's The Little Things (Link Up)

I'm SO excited to be linking up with Ashley and Jess for this sweet link up.  I think it's the perfect link up to stop and smell the roses in life!

Last night was so much fun our family along with our some of our bffs and their kids went for a spontaneous dinner on the beach!  We went to a taco place (gotta love Taco Tuesday), ate 2 for 1 tacos, drank beer and listened to some Mexican music.  Pretty much the perfect Tuesday night, good food and great company.  I love when we do spontaneous things.  Nothing is more relaxing than the beach, the sound of the waves and the smell of the saltwater - perfection!

Another little thing is my health.  A couple of days ago in the shower I felt a small round lump.  I immediately freaked out, as anyone would!  I had all sorts of horrible thoughts.  Thankfully I got an appointment at the doctor yesterday morning and she assured me that it didn't feel like anything "bad" but to be 100% certain to go in for an ultrasound.  I just got back and everything is fine, it was just a lymph node.  Words can't express the weight lifted off of my chest.

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Have a great day everyone!

Master Bedroom Inspiration

Hubby and I are thinking about purchasing a new bedroom set in a few months.  We've had the set we have now since we got married - almost 10 years, and it's really not our style anymore.  It's very clunky and big, not to mention we have a queen sized bed, and when you add a kid or two that hop in when they have a bad dream or don't feel good, there's just not.enough.room!

We've seen a lot of bedroom sets, nothing really wows me too much and for that reason we're thinking about getting the Hemnes set from Ikea.  The set itself is nice, and I like that I can tailor the pieces to our liking -ie: mix-match colors, build our own chest with drawers that would fit our needs - with the Stuva collection. This calls my attention because it wouldn't be a cookie-cutter set that I would get from the furniture store, not that those sets are bad, it's just that none have caught my attention and the ones that we've seen aren't made that great for their price.

Hemnes collection

Once we buy a new set, I'd like to make our bedroom more "cozy" feeling.  In all the years of being married, we've never had a well decorated room (at least not that I've thought so), or one that felt cozy or relaxing.  I think as parents with kids, toys, and chaos everywhere we should have a bedroom that we love and is relaxing to us.  Here are some bedrooms I'm digging:

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My fave!!!  via

Basically I think I'd like a light and airy feel, which is my style all over my house.  But I'd also like a cozy and romantic feel.  What are your tips and tricks for styling a master bedroom?

Weekend Recap + Giveaway Winner!

Good Morning!
I hope you all had a great weekend! Ours was a fun-filled one, wanna know what we did?!

Friday the hubby worked so the kids and I stayed around the house, did some cleaning and laundry (fun stuff) and went to the park.  I'm seeing that bringing them to the park really ensures a good night's sleep for the kids... I think I may bring them to the park in the evenings more often.

Saturday we lounged most of the day until our good friends came over.  We ordered pizza, wings and had a bonfire.  So much fun!  It doesn't get cool here too often, so when it does we enjoy every bit of it!

Sunday we decided to bring hubby's family who's visiting from Oregon to the Everglades.  I have never been either, which is sad since I've lived here since I was 7!  It was a beautiful day so we really enjoyed the airboat ride and seeing the alligators in their natural habitat. There was also an alligator show that's done by the guys who film the show Gator Boys on Animal planet, it was pretty cool, but man those guys are gutsy - there's no way I'd put my face in an alligator's mouth #nowayinhell.  It was fun seeing a little more of Florida, I think we should do touristy things more often!

Everglades - water and a mix of Cat Tail grass and Sawgrass

Gator Boys

Now on to the fun part... the winner of the Rodan+Fields giveaway is Staci M.  Congrats!! Be on the lookout for an email from Laura!

Five on Friday!!

Yay for Friday!  So happy for the weekend!  Right now we don't have too much planned,  we're going to my favorite restaurant, Rustic Inn on Saturday for some delicious garlic crabs with my hubby's family; besides that we'll take the weekend as it comes!

I'm linking up with Christina, Natasha, Darci, and April for Five on Friday today.  Here are my five....

one:  I love maxi dresses, they are so comfortable and look so cute on.  I came across this one and thought it was pretty.  I love the pop of color and the print.

two:  I just re-purchased a lipstick from MAC in Freckletone and I am in love again.  It was my favorite color when I worked, then when I started to stay home with my daughter I became more of a lip gloss only person. The color is great and so neutral.  You can spruce it up with liner or gloss or just wear it alone.  I think it is a great color for any skin tone

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three:  I am not a fan of Miley or Justin, but when I saw this picture of his mugshot alongside her picture I thought it was hilarious how much they look alike! 

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four:  Have you entered my Rodan+Fields giveaway yet?!  There's still time to win their awesome eye cream, it's a $50 value!!

five:  How delicious does this Chicken and Mushroom recipe look?!  Best part is that it's a slow cooker recipe, I'm definitely trying this one!

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Have a great weekend everyone!!

Thursday's Thoughts

Good Morning!

Currently I'm in my jammies, drinking a hot cup of coffee with white chocolate macadamia nut creamer - so good!  I don't really have that much to say, so I'll just fill you in on the few thoughts going on in my mind.

Dinner:  Yes, I'm one of those people that thinks of dinner as soon as I get up and I'm not even the one that cooks most of time.  It's cool here today (in the 40's) so I'm craving some comfort food - like eggplant parmesan or a hearty soup.  I've already planted the seed in my chef's aka hubby's mind ;)

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Kids:  Who knew that brother/sister fighting started so young?!  They both want the same toy.  J breaks his sister's Lego creations all of the time and all hell breaks loose... fun times!  Let's not mention the terrible 2 tantrums!

Pictures:  Our family pics were delayed again until the beginning of Feb, oy.  I decided to go into JcPenny for some pictures because there was a cheap Groupon, like $25 cheap - thank goodness because they did a terrible job!  The woman didn't even center the pictures and when I asked her to re-take a few, she couldn't because they book clients every 20 min and her next family was there.  She got a couple of cute shots, but needless to say, I'm glad I only paid $25!  I can't wait for our real family pics soon!

Gross! Well, the kids look cute - parents? Not so much!

Nails:  I painted my fingernails this week and I must say I'm loving having them painted.  I usually only do my toes, because since I wash my hands, wipe butts, do dishes, clean, ect. my nails always chip.  I did a light color and I think I'm going to paint them more often.  It makes me feel like part of me is put together and presentable at all times.

That's all folks! Have a great Thursday!

Veggie Breakfast Casserole

On Saturday morning we had an old friend of the family come over for brunch.  We hadn't seen her in over 10 years, so it was so great to see her and catch up.  It was a happy morning filled with good food, laughing and mimosas - because no big breakfast is complete without a mimosa or two ;)

We had so much food!  Fruit, bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon, bacon and I made the breakfast casserole that I mentioned on Friday.  I switched it up a bit since my sister is a vegetarian.  The casserole was SO delicious!  It was my first time making a breakfast casserole, and it definitely wont be my last.  It's so easy and there are so many ways to switch it up and keep it egg-citing exciting!

recipe adapted from keyingredient

Vegetarian Breakfast Casserole
6 cups frozen shredded has browns
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I used a mixed cheddar bag)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
8 eggs beaten
3 cups milk 

Salt & Pepper to taste

• Grease a 13x9 pan and add hash browns, cheese and green onions (or what other veggie you'd like)
• In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, mix salt and pepper
• Pour egg mixture on top of hash brown/cheese/veggies

Bake in 350 degree oven for about 55 min until the edges are golden brown

Next time, I think I'm going to crisp up some bacon and add it to the casserole and maybe add some spinach too.  Mushrooms would also be great in it, but the hubs isn't a mushroom fan.

Enjoy!

Have a great day everyone!

Rodan+Fields GIVEAWAY!

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend!  We had a nice one full of family, friends and good food!  I'll recap it later this week :)

About a week or so ago, the sweet Laura from Kitty & June contacted me to try out a few products from Rodan+Fields.  I quickly said yes because I have been reading rave reviews about the brand and because I might be turning 30 soon and need to start thinking about wrinkles.  Rodan+Fields has a great background -  it was created by the dermatologists behind Proactiv®, they are now doing for aging skin what they once did for acne.

Once I received my goody bag in the mail, I was so excited to try the products the next day.  Even with all of the wonderful reviews I have read I was still so impressed by all of the products that I was sent.  The products smelled great and my skin looks healthier, my pores are minimized, and my face is SO smooth - it feels as if I just had a facial!

If any of you are looking for a new face routine, I think you should give Rodan+Fields a try, you will not be disappointed!  For those of you that are hesitant in trying, Rodan+Fields makes it easy to try their products: all products and the business come with a 60-Day Empty Bottle-Money Back Guarantee. Also, For a one-time fee of $19.95, you can become a preferred customer and get 10% off and free shipping when placing an order. This will place you on an easy re-ordering program. Your order can be pushed back, changed or cancelled at any time, with no penalty to the customer - which is great news because you're not pressured or locked into anything.

Now for the coolest part, Laura is giving away an Anti-Age Multi-Function Eye Cream to one of Kids and Cabernet's readers.  This cream sounds awesome especially for some of us sleep deprived moms :)

Please enter the giveaway below, the contest ends on Monday of next week.  Laura will be in touch with the winner so that she can mail out your prize!

Have fun!

xo, Amanda

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Five on Friday!

Happy almost weekend!  I hope you've all had a great week!  I'm linking up with Natasha and the other Five on Friday girls.

one: I'm totally crushing on this Stella & Dot Citrine Yellow Perforated Double Clutch, I love the color - so perfect for Spring and Summer.

two:  I'm excited to make this loaded breakfast casserole this weekend.  I've been wanting to make one of these for a while - I hope it tastes as good as it looks!

three:  How funny is the E-Card I found on Pinterest?! Still makes me giggle!!

four:  I've been using Maybelline Volum' Express Falsies mascara for a couple of months now and am loving it.  It really makes my lashes seem a lot fuller.  If you're looking for a good inexpensive mascara you should give this one a try.

five:  I'm hoping we get to see Saving Mr. Banks this weekend, I've been dying to see it.  Have any of you seen it, did you like it?  I have always loved Mary Poppins, so I'm excited to see this movie!!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!!

Color Crush: Coral and Tiffany Blue

As I've mentioned before,  my brother-in-law is getting married and all four of us have the privilege of  being in the wedding.  The bride chose coral and Tiffany blue as her wedding colors, both colors together have been one of my favorite combinations for a long time.  I love how well they compliment each other!  I can't wait to see how everything comes together for the wedding... too bad I didn't choose this combo when I got married!  Can I just pretend this is my wedding?! ;)

I was playing around in Polyvore and made a set of the color combo -- what do you think?

Coral and Tiffany blue by kidsandcabernet featuring a white armchair

Essie summer nail polish / Tech accessory / Samsung tech accessory / Kenneth jay lane earrings, $59 / Chevron necklace / Aurélie Bidermann earrings / Kate Spade blue charm / River Island colorblock handbag, $28 / White armchair / Mint green Photography seaside boardwalk fun fair peach coral art for...

Wino Wednesday: The Blend | Primus 2010

It's been a long time since I've done a Wino Wednesday post, it feels good to be back!  A couple of days ago one of my bffs and I tried The Blend Primus 2010 and we both really liked it.  I'm beginning to see that blends are some of my favorite wines. The Bend is a combination of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Syrah and Merlot. It was pretty delish and easy to drink. The color was a nice deep red, which I love because to me it signifies that it's a good quality wine.

We had the wine alongside dinner which was grilled skirt steak, garlic rice pilaf, green beans, and a kale/brussle sprout salad. It paired nicely, I think it would also go well with a nice sharp cheddar and kalamata olives. Here are the winemaker's notes:"Red and black berry fruit flavors with hints of dried plums, fresh acidity and a long finish with fi ne, elegant tannins." We bought The Blend at Costco (I know, shocker - since that's where most of my wine comes from). If you like cabernets and merlots, I think you'd enjoy this wine a lot.

If you want to try Primus you can buy it here.

Have a wonderful Wednesday friends!