Blue Apron Review: Seared Salmon & Sauce Gribiche

Seared Salmon & Sauce Gribiche

w/Mashed Potatoes, Summer Beans & Cherry Tomatoes

2 skin-on salmon fillets

1 farm egg

3 oz. cherry tomatoes

3 oz. summer beans

1 clove garlic

3/4 lbs. red potatoes

1 bunch fresh tarragon

1 oz. cornichons

1 shallot

1 T. white wine vinegar

1/4 cup dijonnaise

I always love the salmon!! I pretty much loved everything about this meal, except the sauce gribiche. It consisted of a boiled egg (mashed), the cornichons (spicy pickle that I had never tried before), and dijonnaise (I am not the biggest fan of dijon). This was supposed to be the perfect sauce for the meal, but i ended up scraping it off. :O( Overall though, another delicious meal!!

{guest room bedding}

The bedding inspiration for the guest room make-over actually comes from Pottery Barn. Of course, we all know how pricey PB is, so I had planned to start looking around for a more affordable option. 

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Pottery Barn Pia Medallion 

Quilt - $199.00

2 shams - $100.00

+ s/h

There was no way I was going to pay $300+ for a quilt and 2 shams, but I was really hoping to find something similar (an indigo/white print). 

A few nights ago, while ordering a few items from Target, I hopped over to bedding just for fun. I was thrilled when I saw this one.....

Maroq Quilt And Sham Set Navy - Mudhut™

quilt & 2 shams = $62.99 

(plus 10% 0ff & free s/h)

:O) :O):O)

I know this one is quite different, but I think I can achieve a similar look. It is the perfect color, I love the print, and I really love how the shams tie! I like that it is a quilt/coverlet like the PB one too. And.....less than $60 compared to over $300...yes please!!! :O)

Guest Room Re-Do Checklist

Bedding 

{guest room inspiration}

It started with this pillow.....(color not truly captured...think darker...think indigo!)

I found it on sale at Marshall's last spring and decided it would be the inspiration for our "future" guest room.
Well, that came a bit sooner than I had hoped, and Nathan's once wall-to-wall-sports-filled room is now empty! :O(

This room actually started as Logan's room when we moved in back in '91. Logan was only 2-1/2 but requested "airplane walls". I copied an idea from a magazine and made a stencil tracing a cute airplane picture from a coloring book. I painted big, red airplanes flying across one wall. Later they were painted over, and the walls became covered with posters of his favorite bands. He loved black and grey, hence the tiles and wall color. When Logan moved out in '11, Nathan moved in the very next morning. He wouldn't let me paint, but did completely change the look of the room because it was now wall-to-wall Chicago Bears, Baltimore Orioles, Calgary Flames, pretty much anything sports related. The saddest part of him packing up, was peeling that life-size Jay Cutler fat head off the wall!!! :O(

So now...an empty canvas.....time to get busy decorating! I had a few color palets in mind, but decided on navy (indigo) + white + dark weathered wood. {{LOVE!!}}

The pillow was a start, but I needed an inspiration photo. I wanted something with a hint of coastal, farmhouse, & bohemian all rolled into one....I think I found it!!!

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I LOVE this room!!! 

Right now, not much going on. We have a carpenter coming in October when I finish up with work. He is going to put a wood floor in and new plank ceiling tiles. In the meantime, I'll start shopping!! :O) :O)

More guest room updates coming soon....

Blue Apron Review: Summer Veggies & Queso Tostadas

Summer Vegetables & Queso Tostadas 

w/ Fairy Tale Eggplants and Spicy Crema

I really liked this dish, but really, 

what's not to love about fried cheese????

4 flour tortillas

6 oz. queso para freir

2 fairy tale eggplants 

2 cloves garlic

1 ear corn

1 bell pepper

1 lime

1 bunch cilantro

2 T. grated cotija cheese

1 shallot

1/2 oz. pickled jalapeno 

1/4 cup mexican crema

laundry room / home office obsession

A few days ago, I stumbled upon Mix & Match Mama's blog and was immediately hooked!! One of my favorite posts so far...read HERE. Shay shares pics from her laundry room / home office and I am absolutely in love with it!!

First of all, I love that she has her own personal space - it's just hers. I love that it is pretty - that wallpaper - LOVE!!! and I love how she keeps her cookbook collection, special personal items, special framed  photos, etc. displayed on the open shelves. 

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and this desk - what an awesome space!! 
The perfect spot for morning quiet time, or to do your bills, or of course, work on blog posts!!

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oh, and of course, the most gorgeous place to do laundry!!

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So, while this will obviously never happen in our home, a girl can dream about pretty laundry rooms and having your own little get-away space!! :O)

Here are a few more laundry room/home offices that I love....

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I guess you really don't need a huge room to do this, especially if you stack your washer/dryer. I would also opt for open shelving instead of closed cabinets just so I could display pretty stuff like cookbooks, photos, keepsakes, like Shay did. 

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love the wallpaper and the french door in this one!!

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and this one....what a pretty, happy space!!

Banana Cream Pie Smoothie

~Banana Cream Pie Smoothie~

2 frozen bananas

1 cup almond milk

1/3 cup vanilla yogurt

drizzle of honey

dash of cinnamon

dash of nutmeg

1 tsp. vanilla

4 ice cubes

Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg.

Makes 2 servings.

This tasted wayyyy too good to be healthy!! 

#smoothies #smoothiechallenge #banana 

#bananacreampie #pieinaglass #healthy

photo dump friday: aug 20-25

8.20.16

{summer days}

8.22.16

{evening stroll}

8.23.16

{that smile}

SnoBiz + Pizza + birthday visit w/ Pop Pop Robbie

Mommy Snuggles.....

and Daddy snuggles....

in just 4 short months this happened.............

{august day book}

August 26, 2016

outside my window.......more HOT HOT HOT temps!! Really looking forward to FALL!

I am wearing.......my usual, capris & a tee!!

a favorite quote this week......

in the kitchen.......baked pork chop & roasted squash

in my backyard.......my flowers are beautiful! Some that I planted last year, are coming up all over the back patio too!! I also bought seed packets from Dollar Express earlier this spring and most of them grew. :O)
I have had to really be on task with the watering though because it has been blazing HOT!! My pumpkin patch (was) huge, so we cut it back, now it looks dead!! :O(

from the board room (Pinterest)......my next project: command center for bills. I've had one before but it slowly turned into just throwing everything in a drawer. I'll post on this soon.

one of my favorite things.......IPSY BAGS!!

my calendar....

-AUGUST-

- 8/11-13 Homecoming CANCELLED

8/19 Logan's Diaper Party-

-SEPTEMBER-

8 days - 9/03 Logan's birthday

10 days - 9/05 Labor Day

 

-OCTOBER-

36 days - 10/01 Last night B&B :O)

66 days - 10/31 HALLOWEEN

-NOVEMBER-

90 days - Thanksgiving

-DECEMBER-

121 days - Christmas

[august book club: the girl on the train]

week #1 - pages 1-100

Wanda and I started a book club!! 

She had just bought The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, so we are starting with that book for our August selection. I had read it already, but am much more excited reading it this time! I am anxious to get another person's take on this twisted story - if it actually real and is just part of Rachel's make believe world?? 

 We are breaking up the book: read 100 pages then discuss. Today was our first discussion, so after our walk, we stopped at Four Brothers for a treat {Pumpkin Spice Iced Coffee} and chatted a bit about the book so far.

We both agreed that this book is a bit (well, a lot) dark. We both have no favorite characters so far, although Wanda seems to like Rachel's character more since finding out that Emily Blunt will be playing her in the movie. 

The movie is scheduled to be released in October, so we are planning to see it to compare. 

[Kamry's First Visit]

Kamry made her first visit to TI today!! Logan, Lindsey, & Kamry took the cruise over on the Steven Thomas (her first boat ride!!). They picked the most gorgeous day of the summer for their outing over. We only had two hours, but everyone gathered here to see them, including great-grandmother - Mom Mom Lois!! :O) I just want to note here that there are very few people that can get Mom Mom Lois to go anywhere these days.....her last visit to our house (in 2 years) was Christmas time when Nathan asked her to join in, and today, when little Miss Kamry showed up!! {side note: she lives right next door!!!} They were soooo happy that she came over and got to hold her and spend some time with them. 

And some snuggles with her other great-grandma - Gran!!

And like Lois, not just anyone or anything warrants a visit from Derek either

...except little cousin Kamry, of course!! <3

some Nana time!! :O) :O) :O)

We ordered food from Lorraine's and crab melts from Four Brothers for lunch. The two hours passed much too quickly and soon it was time to head back home. It was an awesome day and I can hardly wait for them to come back. It was nice having the family all together today (even though there were some that were missing). :O(

Lindsey sent this pic of Kamry when they got home!! 

...all worn out after her big day!! <3 <3 <3