Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Simple Valentines


This year, our only Valentine's decoration is a simple bouquet of carnations. I really love the way they brighten up our table. One bloom fell off, and I couldn't bear to let it go to waste, so I put it in a mini vase. 


This year for Valentines, we will probably go out for dinner as a family. How are you celebrating heart day this year?

Friday, February 8, 2013

Snow is...


A white blanket to cover the earth while it rests...

A moment of peace in a hectic day...

A chance to slow down, to breathe, to let beauty fall softly onto your heart...

An excuse to stay inside, to experience the true meaning of refuge...



A sign that every part of life is just a season. Within all of life's difficulties, there is always something beautiful to be found.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

A Living Room Facelift


I'm super happy to announce that our living room is going to get a much-needed facelift. We aren't really the kind of people who go out and buy furniture on a whim, but last week Josh and I (in a moment of insanity) ordered two of these chairs from World Market online.


Mwahahaha (that's an evil laugh). Our tired, baby-toy-strewn living space isn't going to know what hit it.

Of course, it won't end there. It never does. I plan to whip up some new pillow covers and change up some accessories for a fun "new" space, using things we already have of course! So please stay tuned...

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Mini Succulent Garden


I've been wanting to buy some succulent plants for a while, and finally got around to doing it a couple weeks ago! I went to Linders Garden Center and found that they had a great variety of them, in the perfect little containers. I didn't even have to replant them, they fit so well into this little vintage cheesebox. 


I love seeing this little "garden" on our coffee table- it's definitely a day brightener (especially here in the midst of winter). Plus, I've heard that these plants are practically impossible to kill. I'm really hoping that's true...

Each plant was only $2.99- so I got all three for around $10. A fun, easy, cheap project! I'm all about those kinds of projects these days.

Do you have any succulents around your home?

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Sweet Potato Fries


Yum. That's all I have to say about these. Ok, maybe not all. I thought  that sweet potatoes were disgusting for most of my life, then I tried sweet potato fries and instantly fell in love with this vegetable from down under (under the ground, that is, not the Australian Outback...). 

These fries are just the perfect amount of crispy and salty on the outside, with a chewy gooey texture and sweet flavor inside. Plus, sweet potatoes are super good for you, or so I am told.



We've been making these on a weekly basis! The recipe is pretty easy and straightforward, adapted from The Art of Doing Stuff. They also have a good recipe for sriracha mayo dipping sauce that I'm sure brings the health factor down a bit (but of course the yumminess factor skyrockets).

Ingredients: Sweet potatoes, cornstarch, olive oil, salt. Oven @ 400. 

Here's the basic idea: cut potatoes into fry slices (how big or small they are depends on how crispy you want them to be. I like mine a little bigger so the inside stays gooey!). Let them soak in some warm water for a few minutes (I usually can only do five or so because I'm so impatient). After drying off the slices a wee bit with a paper towel, plop them into a gallon sized ziploc with a few spoonfuls of cornstarch. Shake until the fries are coated. Then, lay them on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt (I use seasoned salt- yum!). You can mix them up with your fingertips, I've found that works the best. The olive oil should be enough to make the cornstarch "disappear" on the fries. Arrange the fries on the cookie sheet so they are not touching one another. Then, bake them for about 15 minutes. Flip them over, and bake for another 5-10 minutes or according to your crispiness quota. I like mine super crispy, almost burnt.

Enjoy!


Monday, February 4, 2013

Little Things I'm Loving


Just for fun, here's a few things that are making winter more bearable this year...


1. New sunglasses from Anthropologie (similar here), and a crocheted cowl made my mother-in-law.

2. Homemade candles, my sister Elsie and I have been doing this lately as a new hobby and it is really fun!

3. Starbucks Spiced Vanilla Lattes- kind of like chai with coffee mixed in. Amazingly delicious and life-altering.

What are you loving these days?

Friday, February 1, 2013

A Day Out

Going on dates is even more fun now that Josh and I are parents! The giddy feeling that precedes each date (all four of them that we've had since Evie was born) just can't be compared. We get to dress up without fear of being spit upon, and venture into the world without the shackles of a diaper bag. It is, to put it succinctly, glorious.

On this particular day, we went all around the city for the simple reason that we could. The weather was frigid, at -13 degrees with the windchill, but we didn't care. We went to lunch at a wonderful place called Moscow on the Hill. Pure Russian comfort food. And coffee. What more could you ask for on a wintry day? 


We made a pit stop at a Chocolate shop, a few boutiques, and then made our way to the Como Conservatory. Stepping into a misty, 80 degree garden on a winter day is pretty amazing. And, as Josh can testify, it really fogs up the glasses for quite a while. 



It was so wonderful to smell the freshness of the plants and admire their beauty. I saw a few people sitting on benches and reading, what a great way to fight the winter doldrums!


 So to sum up, dates without the baby are the best, winter in Minnesota is cold, Russian food is good, Conservatories are amazing, and my husband rocks my world.


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