Monday, May 31, 2010

The 365 Project: Day 150

This was the scene bordering the parking lot of the hotel. Awesome! It's a big ole herd of sheep and goats, and a couple herding dogs (not to mention the tallest jack rabbits you've ever seen). Also includes the strong smell of a farm animals! It was so random to see this herd sandwiched between a hotel and a strip mall, but I was happy to share the space with them.

Side note: Can you believe we're 150 days through the year and that tomorrow will be June?!?!

Sunday, May 30, 2010

The 365 Project: Day 149

I set up a little sewing shop in the hotel room this weekend. I was actually quite productive! I love crafty escapes. I finished this baby blankie (LOVE these Heather Bailey fabrics) and got half way through 3 more. Go me!
Also got to spend some time with Kaylie, including seeing the new Sex and the City movie. YAY girl time!

Saturday, May 29, 2010

The 365 Project: Day 148

The cutest cousins ever making some fab fruit salad. Was so great to spend some quality catch-up time with the fam this weekend!

Friday, May 28, 2010

The 365 Project: Day 147

I must really love my husband! Not only am I willing to drive 2 hours to spend the holiday weekend in a hotel simply to share breakfast or a few midnight snacks with him (it's year end), but I even baked him brownies! Spoiled guy.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

The 365 Project: Day 146

Finally cleaned out the fridge. Never fun, but OH! how fabulous it is to open a clean and orderly refrigerator. Found this asparagus hiding in a drawer, and needed to eat it before leaving for the weekend. Ash & Leo made baked asparagus for our last Supper Club and it was super tasty, so I decided to give it a shot! Yummy! How-to found via the Food Network here.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

The 365 Project: Day 145

The other item I spoiled myself with this week. I've been really wanting a glass pitcher with a cap and a space-saving shape. Go figure, it's been at Wal-Mart all this time.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

The 365 Project: Day 144

More super cute baby wear from Nena. Making sure this baby develops Poly pride right from the start!

Monday, May 24, 2010

The 365 Project: Day 143

Spoiling myself after Jam-a-Thon, part 1. Just think of all the canning recipes I can explore with the Ball Blue Book!

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Saturday, May 22, 2010

The 365 Project: Day 141

The ladies' side project turned out great! Thanks girls! Everyone loved them today...in fact, they want a ton more for Relay day. Who's ready for another project party??

Jammin!

Strawberry Jammin, that is!
This was my very first homemade jam making experience, so I decided to invite some girlfriends over to join in the fun (aka: serve as my worker bees!)
Rachelle, working hard!
Jules, takin a break.
Jars are boiling, but there's no rest for the wicked! I put them to work on favors for a Survivor Celebration on Sunday!
The finished product! Good thing we made 2 batches--Raf is already whining about the number of jars left for him.
Look at how pretty it is!!
The first tasting...
The initial reaction..uh-oh!
Good thing he has a terrible poker face!
It's SOOOO yummy!! Recipe and directions can be found on the Intimate Weddings blog here. Now go make your own fabulous jam!

Friday, May 21, 2010

The 365 Project: Day 140

Baby gift from my sister. Or maybe it's more for me. Fraggle Rock is my FAVE!

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Happy Birthday, Little Sister!

Love you! Hope your birthday was full of nothing but the most fabulous things! xo

The 365 Project: Day 139

Shower floors fully grouted. Woo Hoo!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

The 365 Project: Day 138

Brand new dinner recipe on the fly. Good news--it's a keeper! And it only takes about 15 minutes to throw together. Orzo with Feta & Tomatoes, courtesy of Rachel Ray.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Monday, May 17, 2010

The 365 Project: Day 136

I'm not much of a homemaker. (I can just imagine Raf reading that with a belly laugh...talk about understatement of the year!) For me, cooking is a chore, and cleaning...let's not even go there. I don't. That's the problem!

I figure, with a little one on the way, I should probably start working on that. While perusing a crafty mom blog this weekend, I came across a note about her starting on the FlyLady system. I remember discovering FlyLady a few years ago, but never really got into it. The website/emails are are a bit confusing and overwhelming, but I think if you can decipher it all, it's probably a fairly manageable system. Once you commit to becoming a cleaner, that is!

Well, I'm working on it. Baby Steps, as the FlyLady puts it. It all starts with shining your kitchen sink. Everyday. If you know me, you know this is probably the hardest starting point possible. I don't do dishes. Raf does dishes. I hate dishes. But for the last 6 nights, I've done piles of them. All of them, so that at the end of each night I can wipe the counters and sink clean.

I can see the method to the madness. It does feel good to wake up to a gleaming sink each morning. And there's a lot more motivation to control the chaos throughout the day when you know you're going to have to spit shine it by the end of the night.

Now cross your fingers that I can make this (and about 2,000 other tasks) routine!

Sunday, May 16, 2010

The 365 Project: Day 135

After using up all the oranges for last week's cake, I still had this bowl of lovelies from the in-laws tree begging to be squeezed. We had Supper Club on Sunday and I was tasked with dessert (first time ever), and we were also stopping by a family BBQ on the way. So, I made a couple dozen of these!
Cupcakes seemed like the best option for splitting amongst parties, hence, Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting. And boy, were they lemony! Unfortunately for Raf's fam, I learned too late that you can't bake on the bottom rack of the oven, so theirs were a bit burnt on the bottom. Oops! The ones we had at Supper Club, though, were pretty yummy--as long as you were warned that they were lemon, not vanilla!

You can find the recipe here, once again via Your Homebased Mom.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

The 365 Project: Day 134

Almost to the top!

Magda's Baby Shower

The belly face off! Magda totally wins, no contest. Abby and I joined in the fun at Magda's Baby Shower on Saturday--good times, good food, and virgin margaritas!
This was definitely the last day I was going to fit in this dress. I think I'm going to finally have to start doing some serious maternity clothes shopping soon. Ugh.
Abby & Mags. Isn't she adorable?! 1 more month to go!
This was, by far, the HUGEST baby shower I could have ever imagined! (This is only half the party!)
And the loot! My goodness, the loot! Craziness. Congrats Magda! Can't wait to meet the little one!

Friday, May 14, 2010

The 365 Project: Day 133

Putting finishing touches on the belly blankie for Magda's baby shower. I'm going to miss having this one in the house, it had really grown on me!
And a little fishy onesie to match! This was my very first attempt at applique. I think next time I'll try a loose zig zag. I know it doesn't look as polished, but I don't like the bumpy affect that happened with this tight stitch around corners.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

The 365 Project: Day 132

Gina's planning a new Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event in Walnut Creek, so I joined the kickoff breakfast for some fun times. This is the only photo I took that's post worthy. Surprise, surprise....it's food.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

The 365 Project: Day 131

Mmmm! Doesn't get any simpler than this. Trader Joe's goodness here. Thai red curry sauce, with some bamboo shoots and frozen peas. We left out the chicken this time and it tasted SO much better! I don't know why I even bother eating chicken. Throw in some garlic naan from the freezer, smothered in butter, and I'm one happy girl!

This super quick meal finally encouraged me to start an Everyday Recipes list so I don't have to rack my brain for dinner ideas every evening. Now I just need to store that list someplace other than the post-it note on my MacBook.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

The 365 Project: Day 130

Ouch, a week behind! Fear not, the 365 project is still alive and well...I'm just slow on the posting front!

This lovely postcard was placed on Raf's car at the golf course. Everything about it was hilarious, including the fact that it isn't just a promotional tool--it's also a recruitment tool! Ha! So if any of you lovely ladies are looking for some side cash, here's a quality opportunity for you--you just need to be prepared to clean houses nude (and goodness knows what else)!

Monday, May 10, 2010

The 365 Project: Day 129

An almost-a-mother's day card from my mom. Freaking hilarious!! I laughed SO loud when I opened this!

You know, Mother, you do have many *much smaller* circle punches...!!! xo