Sunday, January 31, 2016

Month in Review: January

We of course kicked off the month celebrating the start of a new year, Cheers 2016.  It was a low key family gathering but a great way to celebrate.  A few date nights and plenty of bowl pool watching rounded out the first days of the month and the last days of Christmas break.  A getaway to State College for a hockey weekend was our first travel of the year and an enjoyable time.  Derek's parents visited early in the month to celebrate Christmas with us and we had both families over for a nice holiday party.  We also had some out of town friends visit as well.  The blizzard hit us hard but we enjoyed a weekend of being snowed in, eating all the snow food and a couple extra days off for me. We celebrated having Stella for one year and visited some friends in Hoboken for birthday celebrations to finish out the month.

At the start of the month when I looked ahead I had hoped to get our winter vacation trip planned and nail down ideas for other trips this year - which was completed, yay! Little things I was hoping for like more free time at night, making the bed regularly, hydrating and moisturizer were checked off too.  I had hoped to test out knitting but didn't quite get around to that.

Favorite Posts:
The Want List: Travel Edition
The Perfect Breakfast
Holiday Recipes: Appetizers and Desserts


Looking Ahead…
February is a quick one but I'm looking forward to lots of little things this month - some visits with friends here and away, ditching the snow for beaches on a little getaway, celebrating Mom's birthday, enjoying our second married Valentine's day and of course the Super Bowl.

I'd love to test out some new recipes this month and continue trying to have most of the weeknights be open for relaxing.

Friday, January 29, 2016

Friday's Feature {1/29}

Friday posts have been slacking lately, yes I know.  I've had the January lazy blues but things are picking up today lots to share I guess we could call it four for Friday (haven't done a five in a bit) because there's plenty...

Loving: Spring at Target
If I wait until I wear to share these beauties they'll probably be gone. I went into Target last Friday to grab some essentials for the blizzard (magazines, $$ section finds) before heading to the grocery store for snacks.  Funny that I went in for a blizzard and walked out with spring wear.  Oh well, I have two warm getaways coming up and spring will (hopefully) be here before we know it.  I only really do Target clothes shopping in the warmer months - I just never find winter things and love how easy their dresses are. (Fact my family and a certain husband used to make fun of me for target shopping but now they are amazed at what can be found - I don't like everything but when I do it's usually a love).

The bad news is  I couldn't find my favorite dress on the website (long sleeve florals) the good news is I found that off the shoulder dress that speaks to my style as well as a couple others that became an impromptu order last night.  Truth - I've never ordered Target online and I'm a big "tryer oner" so hopefully I like it when it comes. Maybe the dress just is not online yet? If i see it i'll share.

The black embroidered dress is lightweight and a style that differs from my usual taste - with so much in my closet, I'm looking for some different pieces.  These crochet shorts are right up my alley and with the matching top make a cute yet comfortable outfit.  In addition to the burgundy I even picked them up in black too because who can say no to shorts without a button??

Now for the things that I immediately thought "need" when searching for the favorite dress from the blizzard shopping.   Firstly the blue floral is the most similar AND it's currently on sale with another 20% off making it… just $16. This mint dress combines all my favorite things & just speaks my style and this off the shoulder look is a close second.

Fuller House & TV Talk:
I am counting down until the Fuller House premiere, anyone else?? We passed by the set when we were in California and had I of been thinking I would have tried to go to a taping.  Candace Cameron Bure shared this behind the scenes sneak peak this week to mark the one month countdown.  Something else I can't wait for, The People vs O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story which is getting a lot of buzz right now.  I am obsessed with a scandal when it hits, and usually get the book to read about it and am glued to the TV watching reports (OJ, Duke Lacrosse, Scott Peterson, Etc…).  Props to Bravo for bringing in the new housewife, Kathryn Edwards AND bringing back Faye right as the mini series is about to premiere.


Stella's One year Mark:
I think it goes without saying that we're obsessed with Stella and it feels like we've had her forever.  We've had our girl for one year today! I can actually remember the pickup clearly, Derek was going into work late, we drove about an hour to get her, her car carrier got delayed in a snowstorm so we used a laundry basket, all was well… and then Derek went to work.  I was the worst puppy mama and had no clue what to do…  I called my parents to come over! After that I got the hang of it and the rest is history - it's hard to think of life before Stella.



Other Happenings:

+ I'm a Bethenny Frankle AND Skinny Girl fan so I can't wait to get my hands on some Skinny Girl candy.  Although, I don't think I'm as big of a fan of her red her for the launch.

+ The blizzard might be over but Stella's love of playing with the snow certainly is not.  We've been spending a lot of time walking on the white powder and these snow boots have come quite in handy.

+ It's girl scout cookie time and this list of wine pairings is perfect.  What is better than wine and cookies???

+ Seeing how many steps I get on my fitbit each day is a huge favorite of mine.  You can enter here to win your own plus some other great workout prizes right here.  The giveaway ends Monday night at midnight, good luck!

+ After being stuck at home last weekend (which I loved) I'm looking forward to getting out and about this weekend.

Cheers to the weekend! Enjoy! 

Linking up today with the Friday linkups -

Thursday, January 28, 2016

Makeup Routine Part Two {Bronzers, Brushes and Blushes}


Today I'm continuing on sharing the second part of my (very few but true) make up favorites.  If you missed part one last week with storage, lipsticks, eye products and shadows, you can find that here.

Bronzers:
Like I said last week on the weekdays bronzer is one of the only things I wear.  I usually use a variety of a few but my favorites right now are a Sephora brand (#40, I can't find it online but it's a recent try and a little messy but I like it), Estee Lauder Bronze Goodess (in medium) - which I only got a bit back to be eligible for the free Lilly Pulitzer gift but ended up loving, and Physician's Formula bronze booster (in medium/dark).  I've also frequently throw Two Faced into the mix on occasion too.

Brushes:
The Bobbi Brown bronzer brush was a little bit of a splurge but it's so soft and perfect for bronzers.  For liquid foundations I really enjoy this Sephora brush.  For blush my favorite is a Sephora blush brush - it was recommended to me and I can't complain.

For the eyes my top three favorite brushes (other than the one in the Naked palette which I frequently use too) all come from Sephora - #13, #18 and #30.

Blushes:
Like I mentioned last week and loving mostly only YSL for lips, I am usually using Nars for my cheeks.  I've found so many I like I just don't really look further.  My overall favorites are Gaiety and Mata Hari.  Also in the rotation of favorites are Deep Throat and Luster.  When we travel I usually pack no less than four because I'm always changing them up.

Face Care:
One of my goals for this new year was to take better care of my face.  I used to just use a Neutrogena face wipe - the blue pack - and call it a day (I swear by these and out of all the face wipes I feel they get the products off the best).  Other than my newest obsession of the Clarasonic Mia (I don't use every night but a few a week) all my other products are Clinique. I use the moisturizer daily and occasionally the face wash and lotion.  I'm a Clinique girl all the way, probably because my mom uses all the products and I learned from her.  My favorite item is probably the eye makeup remover - I hate having mascara left on my eyes and this completely does the trick.

I hope this answers all the questions that I've been getting.  I'll go back to leaving the product sharing to the experts for now although it might be fun slowly to try out some new things.  Maybe…

If you missed yesterday's post, make sure to check back and enter here for a chance to win a fitbit and some great workout accessories! 


*Affiliate links used, see sidebar for more information


Happy TGIT!
Linking up with Thoughts for Thursday today.


Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Styling: Poncho {+ Giveaway}

I was on the hunt this year for a few ponchos I liked and it was a long hunt but I finally found some.  I love the wrap around style because it's more like a blanket (favorite style found at Nordstrom - one available here) and the over the head ponchos I fell in love with were found at… Old Navy.  I found two this year and in this recent very chilly weather, they've been so cozy.  In fact, the poncho below was also my outfit of choice when we went out Friday night as the blizzard was starting and I stayed cozied up in it even after we got home.

poncho: {sold out online BUT for you mama's to be, maternity version is available here - on sale - & I've still seen the standard version available in store} | earrings: here | rings: here | jeans: here

*I've noticed that all of Old Navy's ponchos fit similarly and are equally as cozy and this one is a similar option just without the pattern.  Or if you're looking for the geo pattern then this style should do you.  Same pattern and colors, just the wrap version.
**30% off your order with code ENJOY.

************

I got a fitbit for my birthday just before December and have been loving using it! I love seeing when I hit my 10,000 step goal (not everyday of course) but it's fun to track through out the entire day and not just during workouts which is what I usually do (and still do focus on)

I've teamed up with some great bloggers for a fun fit giveaway including a fitbit and some cute accessories to brighten up your workouts.  These great items can provide lots of motivation towards those New Year's resolutions - especially those fitness goals.  Enter via the rafflecopter below - lots of luck! 

Borrowed Heaven ||| To Travel & Beyond ||| Christina Lea Loves ||| Martinis & Bikinis
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Linking up with Jenn & Jessi for "What's Hap-pinning Wednesday"

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Super Bowl Eats

The teams are set for Super Bowl 50 so now it's time to set the menu.  We've enjoyed a small Super Bowl party the past two years and are looking forward to anther one this year (2015 eats | 2014 eats).  I feel like this major game of the season is best enjoyed with a group, right?

I love all the pre game hype leading up, I love the game, I love the halftime show and I love the food.  It should come as no surprise that I really love the food - I mean who doesn't love Super Bowl food?  Typically on Sunday nights it's back to clean eating to make up for weekend fun but not the first Sunday in February.  Side note - how is it already almost February and what are we going to do without football???

We have all of our traditional tailgate treats down (you can find most of them on the recipe tab above but some favorites that would be even better enjoyed at home are pepperoni pizza rolls, sausage bites and hot tailgate dip) but for NFL gamedays it's always fun to try something new.  My main point being that for tailgates you have to get the food down to the tailgates, for NFL we watch from home and have all the kitchen elements available to cook.

Some eats that I'd love to try and might just wind up on my menu next week…

Slow cooker buffalo chicken meatballs
We've been on a meatball kick lately (I blame it on the cold weather) and can anyone say no to something buffalo chicken flavored?? These look like a great combination of tastes.
Italian crescent ring
Our favorite hoagie type is hands down italian and I've been wanting to try a crescent ring for the longest time - I've also got my eye on buffalo chicken or pizza or taco rings too.
Philly cheesesteak sliders
Well, we are from the suburbs of Philadelphia so loving cheesesteaks is a must.  Plus I'm a fan of anything mini - it's cute and allows you room for more tastes - for one of the bowl games we did buffalo chicken sliders and everyone enjoyed.
Pizzadillas
Two of our favorite foods - do I need to say more.  Another one that's great for a group because quesadillas are a great appetizer for sharing.
Salami rollups
It's nice to have little items that you can just grab for a taste and get back to your spot on the couch.  Plus when you use toothpicks you can jazz them up.
DIY nacho bar
I'm a huge sucker for a party bar of any kind but I'd love to do this with a group.  Derek and I have done a scaled down version just the two of us because we always want different toppings but the setup for this looks fun.
Cocktail weenies
We made some on New Year's Day for the bowl games but I put in too much bourbon so they weren't as tasty as they could have been.  I like I like the sauce for this batch better.  We did plain weenies with cheese sauce last year and a hot dog bar the year before so I guess we need something to continue that theme.
Sweet potato bites with bacon and avocado
What's not to like about these? So many good tastes and only fifteen minutes of prep time involved.

No celebration is complete without dessert.  I'm thinking either one elaborate football themed treat or a couple smaller easy items.  I made cookie dough bites (which we're now obsessed with) for the first time during the Super Bowl a couple years ago so I guess I could test my luck with melting chocolate again and try to theme theme.

We did a homemade Stromboli while we were snowed in and I'd highly recommend that as a fun treat too.  I'd love to do one of those fabulous huge stadium displays but that looks like a lot of work! Have you made your game day menu yet??



Monday, January 25, 2016

Snowed In

What a weekend! We've been snowed in since Friday night and have quite enjoyed it AND it's another snow day here today.  Like most of the surrounding areas by us on the east coast we got nailed by the winter storm and enjoyed the blizzard all weekend long - it started snowing here Friday evening earlier than they thought and went until late Saturday night - about 28 hours total and about 28 inches - one of our biggest storms and the biggest in a long while.  Some hours we had two inches/hour coming down and as usual with winter/rain storms, I was addicted to the news broadcasts all weekend long.

We snapped these pictures Friday night as it was just starting and barely ventured out again until Sunday. I'm so glad we did, it was so quiet and the snow was gorgeous falling.

We grabbed dinner and drinks Friday night just as it was starting and thanks to the floor to ceiling windows we were able to enjoy watching while we were out.  About an inch fell in that short time and the roads were completely covered so we made our two minute drive home and hunkered down.  I baked some muffins for breakfast the next day, we facetimed friends who were also snowed in and enjoyed some cocktails.  We knew the snow the next day would be over Stella's head so we took her out for a little playtime late before bed and I'm glad we did - the snow was coming down hard and it was such a pretty sight.


Saturday was the ultimate snow day - we ate all the snow food (muffins & quiche, grilled cheese & tomato soup and then some apps and potato soup for dinner), binge tv watched, napped, etc.  We woke up like little kids running around to see all the snow that had come overnight - about a foot - we couldn't get out through our garage, deck door or back door so it was all up to the front door and with the snow drifts the snow was even piling up on our front porch! I caught myself many time just sitting and watching the snow heavily fall.  The wind was outrageous with the snow flying e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e. it was crazy.


Yesterday we finally got plowed out a bit but it was another day of being snowed in, enjoying the laziness and hanging out.  We're on the go so much that we had the best time just being "stuck" at home and enjoying each other as well as being so lazy.  Our foyer is a mess with old rugs and towels out, we lost Stella a few times out there because she's so little - Derek had to start just carrying her out to the street to potty and the snow would get matted in her fur so it took us forever to dry her each time but other than all that we've loved this whole blizzard thing.  Stella was in heaven playing in the white stuff too.

This very well might be the biggest snow we have while we're in this house so I had to document all the "snow" pictures.  Our neighborhood after plowing, Stella watching if fall and Derek and Stella taking a quick snow walk.

The snow drifts were insane - our deck has snow up to my neck in some parts, our covered front porch was even covered with snow and we quickly learned Saturday morning that we wouldn't be taking Stella out via the garage - this was just over a foot.

If the blizzard hit you this weekend, I hope you enjoyed it too and if not I hope you had a great weekend! Cheers to a new week and already a short one!


Linking up with Biana & Meghan this lovely Monday.