LOVING SPRING AND SOME EASTER TREATS

I've been away awhile.  This cold really did a number on me.  I had so much to do last week, like everyone, and I alternated between lying in my bed moaning and then pushing myself to get the littlest thing done.  I would think, "Maybe if I just chill today I'll feel better tomorrow."  And that wouldn't happen.  Then I would berate myself and say, "Pull yourself up by the bootstraps!" I just couldn't decide which little voice in my head to listen to.  Why do we women place this sort of pressure on ourselves?  And to add injury to insult, The Husband arranged to have a new roof put on mid week.  So for 2 solid days I listened to the thuds, bangs and hammering above me, as if my head didn't ache enough.  The dogs were totally freaking out, Milo is protective by nature and he was so confused by the commotion and where it could be coming from that I was really worried about him.  He kept trying to wedge himself into small places, similar to what he does before he has a seizure so I tried to keep him as calm as I could.  

My daffodils always bloom first, and after rain on Monday they seemed to just burst.  And these are long established daffs, I planted all sorts of other bulbs last fall because I had so many daffodils already.   

As much as I love daffs, they don't make the best looking cut flowers to me.  I really enjoy just looking at them bobbing their little heads in the breeze outdoors.  :)

So everything came out just fine on Easter.  I made it to the store and found a beautiful ham.  I cleaned the house and decided on dishes and napkins.  I thought I would have to cut corners on the menu but I did make all the side dishes that I had planned on.  On Saturday I was actually humming a little tune as I made the potatoes and salads and sweets.  It reached almost 70 degrees, we couldn't have asked for better weather.

When we had the roof done the men removed the satellite dish and then The Husband got the brilliant idea to change companies.  That resulted in no television for about 5 days.  Our home without baseball blaring all day long for 7 interminable months is a rarity.  Most of you know I never really watch TV but for the occasional Lifetime Channel marathon, but The Husband was missing his Fantasy Baseball players and his friends at MSNBC.  Saturday evening I went in the bedroom to invite him to join me in coloring Easter eggs and breaking open a bottle of wine and he was under the quilt sound asleep!  It was 6:00!!  And that screwball slept until 9 the next morning!  Emily and Mike stopped by that evening (Saturday) and she was like whoa!  It sure is dead around here!  Welcome to my world, Em!

I broke my 14 week record of absolutely no sugar!  Of course I did.  I'm not crazy!  We had 12 people for dinner and then more came for dessert and we had quite an array.  I tried a little of everything.  And then I got up in the middle of the night and had a few more nibbles.  And then I had a little plate with my morning coffee.  I'm a beast, I can't be stopped once I start!

It looks like Ina Garten is photobombing this picture!  Ha!  I found the greatest recipe on Pinterest for Salted Caramel Pretzel Brownies (if you like shortcuts).  Just make a regular brownie mix, pour 1/3 of it in a 9 x 13 pan, make a layer of those small sized pretzels, pour the remaining brownie batter on and then pour a jar of caramel sauce over.  Sprinkle with sea salt and bake.  Oh!  You will think you went to heaven!  The next time I cheat on my diet, I have a date with those brownies!

I did not have a tablescape.  We had so many appetizers, I needed more then the coffee table to hold them.  I just had everything stacked up and ready to go when the food was ready.  I crammed so many people at the table that I didn't even use place mats.  Now I think I should have at least used round ones, this sort of looks like a picnic!

If you do have space for some festive Easter decorations, you can make a tablescape easily by checking at companies like Shutterfly.  Their home decor area has customized items like placemats and table runners.  How's that for fun?!

I do have to say that I paid for my overindulgence in the desserts.   I was sick as a dog most of Monday, all that sugar did not agree with me at all.  Comcast was here most of the day setting up our new TV service and once again I was relegated to the bedroom with the barking, quivering dogs, a horrific stomach ache and the same old cold that wouldn't quit.  It wasn't my finest hour.  

Yesterday I woke up with resolve.  I tossed out all of the leftovers including a half dozen cookies and the remains of two cakes, scrubbed out the fridge, put away the bunnies and the candy dishes and then I saw my little baby looking forlornly outside...

...and that's where we spent the rest of the beautiful day.  Playing in the backyard, cleaning up, chasing sticks, taking pictures of flowers, listening to the birds chirping and  sunning ourselves in a single chair set right in the middle of the patio.  I wish I could say my head still isn't all stuffed up, that my stomach is no longer queasy, that I never again want a Salted Caramel Pretzel Brownie, but for now I'm good.  And I'm ready to keep moving!  Bring it on Spring!

I wanted to mention that I am doing a guest post over at Laura's blog, Decor To Adore.  She has a Friday feature called My Favorite 5.  I am sharing my latest and greatest beauty products.  I'd love for you to stop over at her blog on Friday if you have a chance.  I'll be back soon! :)

XO,

Jane

AS RANDOM AS RANDOM CAN GET

I am sick as a dog but I wanted to get a post in because the days are only going to get busier now that I've lain in bed for days.  I'm sure Abby brought it home from school, a hacking cough and head pain, then The Husband got it.  I didn't think I would catch it as my hands are always in some sort of soap or disinfectant pretty consistently throughout the day (one of the perks of my job).  Friday I was out enjoying my new found freedom of having a car again, now that the weather is (was) cooperating and I started to feel it coming on.  So, I'm living on tea and honey and if I had the energy, I'd go out and get a good chunk of ginger to grate in this.  Don't you love this mug?  Son Kevin brought it home from Ireland for me last year,  Inside it says, "Wooley Jumpers"  Ha!

By Sunday I didn't bother to get out of bed.  Fever and chills, hot and cold.  Head filled and aching, chest gurgling and burning.  Okay...I'm getting gross.  I tried to read but the pressure in my head made my eyes hurt.  I slept a lot with my warm little companion on top of me.  Aren't pets great?

Friday, before I fell ill, it was 65 degrees and sunny.  I was walking on air.  First I headed to Target to exchange a few things.  I had bought The Husband some nice lightweight athletic pants.  After his two surgeries, he took to wearing his pajama bottoms and a T shirts around the house a lot.  And now when he comes home from work, he changes from the suave guy in the nice suit to...I don't know, a stranger in pajama pants and a two day old T shirt.  I also found a nice pair of khaki cargo shorts and a light cobalt blue button down shirt with the sleeves stylishly rolled up and I thought he would look fantastic in it.  Got it home and he's barely looked at it.  He's stubborn like that.  "I like my Tommy Bahama shirts."  he said.  "But you're living in the 90's"  I pleaded.  "I liked the 90's"  End of conversation.  So there I was, retuning these fashionable clothes, but I consoled myself by taking a nice leisurely stroll around the store and spending my credit on whatever pleased me.  A new book, a pedometer to track the 10,000 steps I will never take in a day, a straw hat for vacation, and a new purse.  I was very pleased with myself.

Have I ever shown you how different our Target is.  You know, in the city, everything is built up up up.  Space is a commodity.  So is parking so we have underground parking and you take an escalator up to the store.  Now this may make you wonder, well, how do you bring your cart and purchases back down?

Easy.  There is an escalator just for carts that rides right alongside you as you can see from the picture I snapped.  Yep, that's my cart.  Going a little quicker than me I'd say.

And then there it is for you at the bottom.  Genius!  I thought you might like this.  Or not.

I've been on a quest to find the perfect grocery store since January.  The major chain in the Chicago area that I shopped at for 28 straight years closed 

shop and left loyal shoppers (and employees) scrambling.  So I have been going from store to store for weeks; Mom and Pop stores, Big Box stores, and one other chain.  None were as nice as the one I loved.  It had a little Starbucks in it, a wonderful bakery, really nice employees that were familiar with me and the kids (from when they were little!!).  I was really sad!

So I finally settled on this market.  I've been in it before just to pick up a few things but I thought it was expensive.  Much of the inventory is cultural and I can't read the labels.  But they have the best produce department, meats and bakery.

 

It's a fun sort of place and the people are very nice.  A little small but okay.  I'm just mourning the old store.

Look at that cheese display.  And they make many, many delicious take home meals; wraps, enchiladas, fancy salads.  They marinate meats so they're ready to pop on the grill.  They have some different cuts of meat that I have to get used to.  And I have figured out that chicken is pollo.  And it turned out that my bill was smaller than any of the previous stores I'd been to.  So I'm pretty happy.

And while I talk about my fun Friday, whizzing to and fro in my very own car, I promised some of you a picture of the precious roadster that sits in the warm garage all winter.  After The Husband rightfully returned my keys  back to me, I proceeded to clean out the candy wrappers, empty water bottles and old newspapers.  He in turn took his little rodent of a car for a wash and wax.  Something's not quite right about that scenario.  And you know what?  We had snow yesterday, yes, in April, and he was back in my car with Precious in the garage.  Thankfully I was too sick to care.

  

But he made it all up to me.  He stopped off at Costco for his weekly supply of pies, cakes and cookies and he brought this home to me.  It's a whole bag of plants, 65 of them!!  Purple Coneflowers, Liatris and Kniphofia (which I'm not familiar with). I almost cried!  It was so thoughtful!  He knows the way to my heart.  I haven't been able to plant seeds of any kind but these can go right in the ground (after the snow melts). Wow, isn't he sweet?  All was forgiven about the car. :)

These arrived in the mail from Amazon.  I was perusing my bookshelves and I felt that my little collection of gardening books was a bit outdated (if that's possible).  And I wanted to celebrate my renewed spirit of getting back into the gardening so I treated myself to these.  I can't wait to sit down with them.  I have a diagram of all the perennials I planted last fall, thank goodness because right off the top of my head I can't remember, so I'm going to read up on those and highlight them.  The Internet is wonderful, but nothing beats books like these.

And in a bit of a different direction, if any of you ladies follow Susan at Between Naps On The Porch, she has a weekly feature of taking you into her library to have a look at a particular book she loves, most of them decorating.  She wrote about this one a few weeks ago and I promptly found it and it arrived with the gardening books.  

I would say I am more of a neutral decorator and that is more of what this book is about although the title doesn't imply that.

I love this living room.  It's interesting but not cluttered, it's classic but has some modern elements.  It seems to be made up of pieces the homeowner loves, not what fits.  And it stays pretty neutral with just the pops of yellow in the flowers and orange in the pillow.

And these bedrooms.  Can you say dreamy?   When my living room started to look too neutral, I asked a really great designer/blogger what I could do without messing around with bringing in a color (and what color?).  She advised me to bring in textures and a variety of tones in neutrals.  I think these rooms are perfect examples.

End of my decorating lecture.  I have no expertise or credentials whatsoever as you all know.  I wonder where this post would have gone if I had added a shot of whiskey to my lemon/honey tea as my dear daughter suggested.  

So lastly, and I'll try to keep it brief.  Remember me ordering these napkins from Pottery Barn?  A few days later I caved and decided to order the matching dessert plates.  And they were unavailable.  Just days after the catalog arrived.  I kept checking the website and they just disappeared.  A trip to a PB store didn't change anything.  Friday night I happened to check out the website just to see what was new and a little survey popped up with a section for comments so I took advantage of that to tell them about my disappointment with what happened, basically having 3 sets of napkins and no matching dishes.  

I was really pleasantly surprised to receive an email the next day from Judy, a representative of Pottery Barn.  She wrote to me directly regarding my problem and gave me a viable explanation as to how they estimate what to keep in inventory, etc., and then how sorry they were that this occurred.  Since it was not possible for me to return the napkins since it had been 30 days, she offered me a merchandise card of equal value to use at the store.  I thought that was wonderful!  And I told her she had me looking at Pottery Barn in a whole new light.  I also said I was going to rave about this on my blog and I gave her my link.  She said they loved when bloggers shared what they (PB)offer on their website.  So thank you, Judy.  Now doesn't that make you want to run out to the nearest Pottery Barn (outlet??).

Thank you all for reading this far if you have.  I now have to get a good night's sleep and get out tomorrow with my shopping list and hunt down a ham for a crowd.  Thankfully I got this bug this weekend and not next.

I wish all of you a happy and blessed Easter.   Enjoy what will hopefully be a beautiful spring day with the ones you love.  :)

XO,

Jane

SPRING, SPRING & MORE SPRING (AND A TABLESCAPE).

Hi guys!  I'm starting with my girl Abigail.  It was her 23rd birthday Monday and we all went out for dinner to celebrate.  She looks pretty sophisticated with her glasses on, doesn't she?  I don't know if I've you told you that Abby, my last baby, was just 5 pounds when she was born 3 weeks early.  They took her right away from me although she scored 10 on the Agpar.  I waited and waited to see her and finally after 5 hours they said I could go down to the preemie unit.  As I had had an epidural and my right leg still felt numb, I was told they would bring a wheelchair in.  And that they did.  Well, it gets embarrassing after this.  I waited and waited and no one came to take me to see her.  Finally I called the front desk on my little thingie by the bed and told them I was still waiting for someone to wheel me down to the unit.  And the reply, "Oh, Mrs. B, we gave you the wheelchair to push and maintain your balance, no one is going to bring you there."  Oh my, I was mortified!  I limped down there in my goofy gown and even goofier hospital socks, pushing an empty wheelchair and oh boy, the looks I got!  Ha!  Short story made long, as per usual.  

We had a great time.  Here's Papa.  85 years young.  He has a great time wherever he goes.  He really has an inspiring way of focusing on the good.  I remember many many years ago trying to involve him in my tales of woe and he always held up his hands (still does) and said, "S*** happens.  Nothing you can do about it."  Just love that attitude.  And another one for prosperity  sake, "You're talking to the wrong person."  Love that one.  

So this is where we had dinner.  All hand crafted beer with unusual names (wish I had jotted a few down).  Excellent food. The whole family came (Abby's Tom is on spring break), so there were 12 of us.  We brought our own ice cream cake and just had a great time.  I took pictures with my phone and they came out terrible.  At least you can see the birthday girl!  

My first snowdrops!  I was ecstatic!  I have been trying to take things slow, do the right things in order.  As many of you have experienced,  my front and back yards are a terrible mess from this crazy winter we had.  I'm really fortunate that I've had a lawn service for the past, hmmmm., maybe 8 years.  Before that I did it myself, any excuse to be outdoors.  So this year with my renewed spirit in getting my butt in gear and getting my veggie garden going again,  putting some time and effort into this home as opposed to the lakehouse, I hired a new service (the last one wasn't all that great), and I opted to have them only do the lawn cutting.  I will go back to the weeding and feeding and babying the lawn on my own (on top of my gardens).  I am so excited.  I love being outside and I'm so glad I'm over this slump I've been in that goes a long way back, which is a story for another day.

My daffs are pushing their way out.  I have a lot of them but last fall I planted many, many tulip bulbs because they make better cutting flowers to me.  My daffodils get spattered with mud, droop and die off pretty quick when cut for a vase.  Not so tulips.  

In explaining a little more of the above mentioned  "getting out of my slump"...you might remember my oldest son giving me the encouragement/lecture last summer to stop making excuses and get back to the things I love.  His words were really magical...okay, in the real world, a catalyst for me to realize that the things we love to do really do give us a respite from so many problems and nagging issues.  I just enjoy getting my hands in the dirt, feeling my muscles work, and then feeling so much gratitude and amazement that my efforts actually create something that is beyond beautiful!  He is wise beyond his years!  Here's to a great year of growing the things we love!  And if gardening isn't your bag, get back to the other things you love...they don't drift too far away.

We had the kids for dinner.  At least Kevin and MC, and Abby invited Tom.  Daughter Emily has been working hard designing rooms and selling furniture.  I am praying this is a sign that the economy is improving.  I made a red velvet cake with a vanilla whipped cream topping for dessert.  I have been doubling cake recipes and making them in springform pans.  I think they look prettier. 

I love these little pastel sprinkles.  Actually, I just have a deep, deep love for sprinkles :)

A simple spring~like table.  I used two types of dinner plates (if you look close), and alternated pink and white bowls.  I also alternated 2 different types of napkins and rings.  You know, I'm really trying to get organized.  I don't have a ton of dishes, maybe more than some but not at all like others.  And my home is small.  The other day I got so fed up with seeing them here and there, wanting them close but out of sight, I had a light bulb moment.  I totally cleared out a glass front cabinet in my kitchen that was filled with mismatched wine, martini and beer glasses we would never used.  And I fit a good number of dish sets in there.  Sometimes the obvious is staring you in the face. 

Everything was right there at my fingertips to set this table.  My kids, and especially MC and Tom, know that I like to have fun...that this is not a pretentious thing I do.  The Husband and I certainly were not raised using real silver and damask napkins!  In my mind, I work hard on the meal and I want a wonderful table to go with it.  I think everyone feels a little spoiled.

I obviously don't stage things very well.  Ha!  Nothing here is expensive.  The placemats, both these little birdy ones from Target and the woven ones from Pier 1 weren't much.  The bowls I've had forever, and I collect vintage silver and silverplate....you will find an abundance at the estate sales here in Chicago.  And let me crab for a minute.  I have a thing for napkins...I've never met a napkin I didn't like.  But I'm a weirdo, sometimes I buy them in sets of four, or six, or eight...etc.  I'm never consistent. And I have them pretty much organized in a large basket in that old vintage cabinet between my LR and kitchen.  Well, it just drives me crazy.  Today.  Looking for six matching napkins.  Taking the easy way out and doing three of two types.  I vow  I will sort these napkins.  Organize them, press them and put them in zip lock bags marked with the number of them on it.  Sounds good?  No more digging and scrounging and mixing and wasting time.  If you have a better method, please share.

And this is what I face next.  I simply asked that the girls rinse and stack and I would get to it tomorrow.  Ugh!  Can you see that serving platter with the carrots?  I had a great dill dip in the center and sliced celery and cucumber around it.  We also had pretzel chips with a melted cheese dip.  My family converges on appetizers like nothing you've ever seen.  It buys me time in the kitchen thankfully, because nothing ever comes out on time!

I apologize for a lengthy post.  It has been a few long days, hasn't it?  And I so wanted to mention that I met an fantastic blogger the other day,  Cathy from My 29 Year Old Charmer.  She has been blogging a long time but we just didn't cross paths until recently and it turns out we live less than 10 minutes from each other.  So Tuesday we met up for coffee and believe it or not, we sat and talked for just under 4 hours!  She is so down to earth... she has the greatest  laugh that makes me smile.  She is so interesting...a degree in Microbiology and worked in a lab at one of Chicago zoo's (and I believe the largest)for many years.  She went on to culinary school and started her own business as a personal chef.  And I think for kicks, she became a certified Master Gardener.  Oh, what I will learn from this gal.  You won't be able to live with me!!!  We will be meeting up again soon and I really encourage you to go to her blog if you aren't a follower already.  What a sweetheart she is.  Did I say she lives less than ten minutes from me?  :)

I'm typing this a little bit late because I am determined to get out early tomorrow for a long walk...no excuses, and then finish up some projects in the house.  I promised you some spice rubs and I want to get on that.  I am super psyched by getting into this because so many of our liquid BBQ sauces have so much sugar in them, and as you know, I gave up sugar.  This will be fun.

So, I'll let you off the hook now.  Happy Hump Day and I will see you after the weekend! :)

Joining Cindy  at Dwellings, The Heart Of Your Home for  Amaze Me Monday

&

Courtney at  French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

XO,

Jane  

SOMEBUNNIE'S IDEA OF A GOOD POST

Hi everyone!  We are having a gloomy rainy day here in the upper Midwest.  I woke up around 5:30 a.m. to thunder and lightening.  And believe it or not, that's a sign of spring to me, just like seeing the robins and sparrows and watching the daffodils poke their little green heads up out of the wet soil.  I am so dreaming about gardening.  I was sorting the books on the shelves in the den and I leafed through some of my old gardening books.  Though I use the Internet so much now for quick referencing of different flowers and plants...these books are my old friends.  And while I'm paring down; in fact I'm trying to really clean out the clutter in this den, I couldn't help but look at some of the new gardening books on Amazon.  And yes, gulp, I may have ordered one or two.  I will always love gardening books as much as I love cookbooks and decorating books.  I gobble them up.  It's my nature to find out every little thing I can about whatever interests me at the time.  And nothing beats curling up with one of these books and a mug of coffee and getting lost in ideas.  There will always be new recipes, new decorating trends and new ideas in gardening.  I want to stay on top of it all!

I wanted to make a spring banner.  And I did as you can see above.  I still had my stencils from my Christmas banners and a nice variety of fabric paint colors, so I made a trip to Michael's because I wanted just a little bling and also decided to use clothespins this time.  

I think it looks pretty sweet.  The blingy thing is a little round piece of silver with a glass blob on it.  It's a brad so it poked right in.   And I didn't have to monkey around with fabric tape or glue with using the clothespins (they're already painted like this, isn't that cute?).  And I'll remind you, this is about as crafty as I get! :)

The banner got me excited about bringing out a few bunnies.  This little gal sits on the bed.  I love her bunny slippers.  Every night when \The Husband is getting ready to go to bed, he flings the throw pillows all over the place.  But I did notice that he has been carefully placing Bunny Girl in the same little plant stand in the corner.  I think I see a little TLC here!

This guy weighs a ton.  I think he might actually be made for outdoors.

I've had this one for a long time.  He's pretty tall.  And it's always the ears that get me.

I've used this pretty one as part of table centerpieces.  

When I was at Michael's Monday I tried really hard to walk by this one.  Really, really hard.  Oh, it was love.  He's made out of a nubby sort of linen and I think he's filled with beans or something.  Very cute.

The tray I showed you recently has made it to the coffee table until I use it to hold desserts on Easter Sunday.  That's a little bird sitting on a cage with a tealight inside.  And that's just a bowl of candy that The Husband devours every evening and I refill the next day.  

No recipe this time, just one of the little tricks up my sleeve that I use to make a quick dinner that looks and tastes like I fussed a lot.  I'm a big fan of spice blends...I buy the McCormick and Lawry packaged seasonings all the time.  Is that cheating? The chili ones are great, and they are all simply herbs, spices, salt and pepper,  Nothing weird.  I have a nice spice selection because I use them all, but the combos are great for someone that may not use a certain spice more than twice a year.  Why invest in a whole bottle (and any spice you have over 6 months needs to be tossed out)?  And lately I have been looking at some of the blends right there with the individual spices.  I came upon this one and thought it might be fun to play with.  I didn't realize how versatile it is.

I put a generous amount of the blend on both sides of chicken breasts and browned them well in vegetable oil  (which really heats up higher than olive oil).  This seals in the juices.  They are peeking out of the middle of the dish above.  In the same oil  I tossed around some onion and green and red peppers just to pick up a bit of the flavor and soften the outside of them.  Into the oven for 1/2 hour on 350 and it was good to go.  And...I didn't take a picture, but I made a pot of brown rice and when it was almost firm, I added a teaspoon of the seasoning and about 1/2 cup of jarred salsa.  It was a great Mexican meal.  And even though I used the same spice in everything, you never would have known it   Sometimes it's all about quick and easy, right?  Do you have any spice mixes you like?  I've been poking around at the ones by Mrs. Dash.  That woman has expanded her line of salt free seasonings!  There is one for green salads that really takes it up a notch.  I've also been experimenting with my own spice rubs and I'm going to do an upcoming post on some of them with some cute ways to store them.

I wanted to end with some great info I picked up in a magazine last night about a very helpful App for IPhones.  If you don't have an IPhone...just borrow one for a second to check this information out.  First, let me tell you that as of January 1, we started a new health insurance plan with a very high deductible we had to reach before the savings would pass on.  So until then we are paying full price for our prescriptions.  Gulp.  Our broker suggested we shop around for the best prices as they vary from one place to another.  Well, how time consuming is that?  So I read about an App called GoodRx.  It's free.  You simply type in your zip code so the little satellite can locate you.  Then type in your prescription name.  Up pops a screen with every Walgreens, CVS, KMart, Target...you name it, in your immediate area and the price they have for that particular drug.  Some are a few cents different and one of mine actually had a $40.00 difference between 2 pharmacies.  I'm not planning on running all over town, the majority of my particular prescriptions were the least expensive at Target (Now, I will have to go in with blinders on if I don't want to blow the savings on something else!).  Anyway, I wanted to pass that on.  

Tomorrow is Friday.  I don't know what our weather forecast is and I don't want to know.  Have a great weekend and I will see you back here next week! :)

XO,

Jane