Our little shaggy-haired almost 6-year old celebrated with his safari-going friends yesterday at an amazing local wildlife rescue center.
Our weekend has been WILD, but so wonderful…..lots more pics to come!
Thank you to all who came out into the beautiful olive grove to help Holden greet a new year.
XOXO
Ahhhhh, this weekend was one of those action packed weekends that you look forward to, have so much fun during and are exhausted after.
It started with Jay’s birthday on Friday…he took the day off and we {including my brother-in-law and his girlfriend who are visiting from NYC} had a quick lunch at The Habit before picking the kids up at school.
{Jay shares his birthday with Pearl Harbor Day}
Anuja and I stopped for our first Gingerbread Latte of the season before taking Elliott to dance class…
{polishing the routine for next weekend’s recital}
After dance, we clinked margarita glasses and toasted the birthday boy at our favorite Mexican restaurant here in town {for all my SD people, this place reminds me of Tio Leo’s}…
{nothing like a margarita on a Friday night}
On Saturday morning, Anuja and I treated ourselves to a spa pedicure, hit the mall for a bit and then grabbed Chick Fil-A and took it home to the hungry troops…
{had to go with this RED for my holiday toes}
The younger, single ones headed to Hollywood for the night while Jay and I went to his holiday party at The Ronald Reagan Library in Simi. Always a good time…
{fun, cheesy pics in front of the green screen ~ first stop, Paris}
I love that the attire is business casual…for me, it makes for a much more comfortable evening. I found this jumpsuit at Macy’s on Black Friday for around $17. It needed to be hemmed and instead of taking it to the tailor, I attempted to hem the pants myself with fusible bonding web…note to self: next time make the trip to the nearest tailor. My jimmy-rigged hem held up through dinner and dancing so all was well…
{we returned to the nation’s capitol and posed in front of The White House with Jay’s co-worker and his wife who we enjoy the party with each year}
{as the night progresses, the props come out in Times Square}
All that traveling worked up an appetite…we had appetizers, buffets and desserts from around the world, too.
My fave were the French desserts.
Of course.
{croquembouche & macarons ~ lemon, pistachio & coconut}
{Gangnam Style under Air Force One ~ oh goodness! So sorry, Honorable Mr. Reagan}
Then God’s grace took us from getting “Low” with FloRida late Saturday evening to our beautiful parish early Sunday morning…
{amazing homily from one of our deacons}
After church, we headed to Hollywood to spend some more time with Rodney & Anuja before they returned back to the East Coast today.
{from the SCV to the W}
We like to joke and say that my BIL has achieved Baller status…he travels a lot for his job and as a result accumulates a lot of points. When I have the opportunity to hang at the W for a bit, you better believe I do. And the house Bliss toiletries may or may not have jumped into my bag…
{no shame in this girl’s game}
The kids love to visit hotels….not that Hollywood loves when kids visit their hotels, but they were pretty well behaved. I may’ve had to give a couple of stern looks and warnings spoken through clenched teeth in the lobby, though…
Yes, this is over the lounge area in their suite…I said a few prayers that the sheer curtain was still intact after we left. White leather couches scream at the littles to jump and climb all over them…
Sitting still….
We then wanted Anuja to experience The Grove so we headed there for lunch and a stroll…
We had lunch at The Farmer’s Market then did some browsing.
{Dylan’s Candy Bar}
I spent some alone time in Anthro and wrote a letter to Santa, adding something to my list around every turn…
{just the tip of the wish list iceberg}
Reminding myself the whole time that it’s better to GIVE than receive….
*****
See, told you it was one good thing after another this weekend! Good thing we have five days to recover before next weekend hits. Elliott has a dress rehearsal on Friday night, her recital on Saturday afternoon and we’re seeing The Nutcracker with Gramma on Saturday evening.
Until then I have 150 cards to address and some baking to do….
Did I mention that I LOVE the holidays?
Happy Monday!
XO
Turkey Day came and went and this morning I packed up the last of the dark meat and mashed potatoes & gravy for Jay’s lunch.
We hosted this year and were grateful that everyone came to us. Our long holiday weekend was filled with adventures and now we’re back to our normally scheduled routine with soccer practices, homework, religious ed classes and dance this week.
Here are a few bits and pieces of the last several days…
{simple decorations ~ a clearance vase from Target and a branch & pinecones from my morning hikes}
{kosher, Pioneer Woman brined bird on the grill}
{centerpiece from our backyard}
{our feast ~ 1. turkey {before cranberry orange relish!} 2. candied yams 3. cornbread stuffing 4. Ina’s parmesan mashed potatoes {before gravy!} 5. green bean casserole 6. maple glazed carrots ~ yum! desserts not pictured ~ sweet potato pie and Grunc’s pear ginger upside down cake}
{Black Friday CB&TL date}
{Saturday lunch at Irv’s}
{gingerbread house at The Grove}
{Sunday tree shopping}
{…and trimming}
{Sunday supper ~ crock pot beef stew}
*****
It was a treat to have my dad {Popsi} here from Seattle, my mom {Gramma} here from San Diego and Grunc {great uncle Larry} and Auntie Jill here from Yosemite/Marin County. We all joined together to get the food on the table and consequently ate too much! Now all that’s leftover are happy memories of Thanksgiving 2012…
…and I’ll take those leftovers over a turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce any day!
Pinterest is home to all sorts of fun party themes, recipes, craft ideas, DIY, etc. If you’re not on it yet, you need to be. {Pretty please} You can check out my profile here.
My Favorite Things parties are popping up on pin boards lately and two of my friends have hosted them ~ here and here.
The idea of the party is to share your favorite things with other guests and vice versa. You bring 3-5 {based on how many guests} of your favorite goodies and go home with the same amount of fun new treats. My friend, Vicki, hosted a small mama’s night on Saturday night and we sat around getting caught up, noshing on some yummy eats, sipping some mama drinks and passing around our favorite things.
I brought BBQ chicken pizza…
…and the makings for mango micheladas!
We also had homemade chicken enchiladas, Texas Trash dip and a fruit and veggie platter.
For dessert I brought my new fave, Sugar Cookie Bars…
Vicki pinned this cute idea to use cut citrus fruit in a clear vase with her favorite flowers as the centerpiece…
Here’s how it all goes down:
Choose one or two of your favorite things {we kept it at $5 or less} and buy how ever many the hostess requests. Some ladies brought 3 different items which is fine, too! {I brought three of the same thing}
Wrap them up.
At the beginning of the party, write your name on a little scrap of paper 3 times {or the same number of times as the goodies you brought} fold them up and place them into a bowl or basket.
When you’re ready to exchange, pick out the same number of names that you put in, making sure not to pick your own name or any duplicates.
Sit down and go around presenting your treats to the names you’ve picked.
Have everyone open them and talk about why it’s your fave, where you can buy it, etc.
By the end of the night you should go home with a few goods and ideas of other stuff you want to buy yourself!
Here are a few of my favorite things…
{a big sugar cookie bar slab, sweet notecards from Michaels, Seventh Generation Lavender Floral & Mint dish soap and a bonus sampling of some Emergen-C and a little iced tea packet}
Each mama got one of the cute notecard packs, just wanted to show you the different ones ~ aren’t they adorable? Again, Michaels for $1.50!
I made some little goodie bags for my loot with some plain gift bags that I doctored up with little felt flowers, a tag and some washi tape…
{here is a tutorial for making the felt roses}
It was so fun to sit around and see what everyone brought. I came home with some B&BW Country Chic body spray, See’s Candies Scotch Kisses, Dove Dark Chocolate and Ghirardelli Mint Squares!
{The See’s Scotch Kisses? To-die-for. How have I never had those ’til now?}
Love it all, but will have to do an extra 100 miles on the elliptical to make up for all that chocolate. And at least I have my body spray for after my workouts….another scent I haven’t tried ~ Country Chic {key fragrance notes: sparkling lemon, bright wildflowers, and spring wood}!
A couple other fave things that went around on Saturday night…Red Velvet candle from Target and the ever favorite Starbucks gift card.
{you need this!}
*****
So, you need to host a MFT party! A Fall or Christmas inspired theme would be so fun…yes or yes?
Do it.
Thanks again for hosting, Vicki.
Happy Monday!
This year we’re attempting a more healthified Fourth of July. Lately I’ve been feeling a little {off} and am hoping that dedicating July to establishing a healthier lifestyle will alleviate some feelings and anxiety I’ve been having about my well being lately.
I have decided to bow out of a Cupcake Wars that I was invited to attend…for now, I need to step away from some cooking and baking things that I love and start focusing on lighter, less sugar meals and snacks. I’m making little tweaks with the daily eating habits, but not being unrealistic and saying that I will {never} eat ice cream again. Or cutting carbs out once and for all. Forever. No, just making better choices…fresh choices…and taking the time to prepare them and the time to sit down and ENJOY them. Eat to live, not live it eat, I guess you could say.
Yes, I will still bake indulgent goodies, but certainly not as often as I was. But I know that I also need to learn that just because I make or bake something, I do not need to eat it, but I think we all know that it’s easier said than done! For now, I am just better off not making these sweet treats at all until I can get some good focus and momentum with this new lifestyle change.
I am proud to say that I hit just over 40 miles in June and am shooting for over 45 in July. Join me on Instagram {@aaspiras} or just start your own daily log ~ it’s equals out to a little less than 1.5 miles a day. Last night alone I started the month off with 4.75 miles and wasn’t even feeling 100% so I know I got this 45 mile thing wrapped up. YOU do, too. I prefer getting out there at night when it cools off rather than an early morning outing. C’mon, let’s go!
All that said…..
Tomorrow we’re planning on hooking up the bike trailer and going for early morning Starbucks {for Jay and me} and donuts {for the kids} to kick off our Fourth.
A couple breakfast options are:
Red, White & Blue steel cut oats ~ Oats topped with raspberries, blueberries & coconut
R, W & B smoothie ~ Ice, 1/2 cup almond coconut milk, 1/2 cup low fat plain yogurt, raspberries, banana & blueberries {with a festive straw, of course!}
The Fourth isn’t complete without some burgers and fresh sweet corn…
R, W & B Turkey Burgers {protein style} ~ Fresh summer tomatoes, sweet vidalia onion and blue cheese wrapped in big lettuce leaves
Fun Grilled Corn Disks
{via}
To wash it all down a little drink that was inspired by an IG post from {@baxtronlife}:
Pseudo Mojito
Add some fresh muddled mint, raspberries, a splash of sparkling water and some rocks and hopefully you won’t miss the rum!
For dessert I thought some individual angel food trifles with fresh berries would finish off the day before fireworks…
{via}
And I can’t wait to wear my new chevron skirt from Old Navy that I picked up for about $10!
Just pairing it with a simple navy tank and red rosette!
*****
I’m actually looking forward to not overindulging this year. It’s definitely time for a change.
How are you celebrating Independence Day?
XO
May 29, 2005
May 26, 2012
*****
The happiest of birthdays to you, Elliott Elizabeth Aspiras!
Our hip hoppin’, orange chicken lovin’, cartwheelin’, picture drawin’, chapter book readin’, mermaid swimmin’, knock knock joke tellin’, brown eyed girl is {seven} today.
We’re so lucky to have you in our lives and we hope that your birthdays are happier and happier with each passing year ~ that is always our wish for you!
We love you to the moon and back a million times,
Mama, Daddy, Holdy, Riggs & Rascal
XOXO
Phew.
Another birthday party down in the books…this makes party number twelve between the two kiddos. I LOVE planning their little parties ~ this year for Elliott we decided to do a small sleepover to celebrate turning SEVEN.
She decided on a mermaid theme and I was immediately on board! Give this mama a theme and she’s immediately in action…scouting out little goodies, trinkets and treasures.
I found the invites at Marshall’s for $3.99! They came with 8 invites and 8 thank you notes…since we were keeping party small this year, these totally worked.
Elliott wanted to go to the pool with her friends which totally made sense. The weather here had been HOT for weeks, but the day of her party was supposed to be in the high 60s/low 70s! I thought about canceling the pool, but the mermaids suited up and spent about 2 hours swimming, jumping, splashing and diving.
{Matching nightgowns from Target for 50% off were part of their goody bag…they showered, shampooed and got in their jammies before we headed home}
{I also found some cute shell bracelets at our local drug store for 75% off months ago}
{The seahorse bowls and plates were from a random Kmart visit ~ 75% off before Christmas. These also went home with each guest}
{Above the table, on a big branch, I hung some Dollar Tree paper lanterns and a few jellyfish made and handed down from my friend, Mia}
{my mom made these seashell jars last summer and I filled them with Dum Dums}
The food was fun and easy…
{eating sushi after the pool}
{my four-legged [octodogs] didn’t quite look like the ones on Pinterest}
I invited the mamas over for drinks and appetizers, too. I threw together a quick 7-layer dip and picked up a sushi platter at Trader Joe’s. My neighbor, Sun, brought some Korean BBQ on a skewer ~ yum!
The mama mermaids sipped what I called Mermaid Tail Martinis ~ Vodka, Malibu, pineapple juice, blue curacao {shake that in a cocktail shaker and pour into a martini glass} add a splash of Sprite and float a mango mochi on top. I premixed a pitcher of the drink and then shook it with ice as needed. Do not add the Sprite before shaking because of the carbonation. Ratio: 2 cups vodka, 2 cups Malibu, 2 8.45 ounce cans {or the equivalent} pineapple juice, 1 ounce blue curacao. Makes 8-10 servings. The mochi can be found at Trader Joe’s and is like a little ball of ice cream.
The mochi sort of melts into the drink and makes it creamy. One mochi lasts for about two drinks…there are only six mochi to a pack so I needed to stretch them out and it worked perfectly for each guest to have one.
The cake was just a four layer cake with vanilla cream cheese buttercream. The girls also had Elliott’s favorite cotton candy push pops.
{candy sushi made with halved powdered donuts and rice krispie treats topped with a Swedish fish and then wrapped with a strip of fruit by the foot [I used Market Pantry brand from Target]}
{they drank blue lemonade out of little plastic coconuts from Dollar Tree}
The mamas left around 9:00 or so and then we were on our own to get the girls to bed! I cleaned up the kitchen while they watched their favorite Disney Channel shows and all four were asleep by 11:00pm ~ I was shocked.
7:00am wake up call courtesy of Holden!
I told Elliott she could choose any cereal she wanted and she decided on Fruit Loops…a special birthday treat. She also wanted monkey bread, but wanted to call it {mermaid bread}.
After breakfast, they lined up and I did glitter nails with polish from her friend, Emilie…
I also borrowed a mermaid cardboard cutout that my friend Mia also did for her twins’ recent mermaid luau party and we took some fun pics before the girls headed home…
*****
Not gonna lie…I was exhausted at 11:00am Sunday morning when the little mermaids swam back to their mamas!
But it was the perfect little homespun birthday celebration and I loved every minute of the planning.
Screaming/giggling/singing/dancing first graders are lots of fun.
Jay & I survived our first sleepover!
Tomorrow is the REAL birthday for my {almost} Memorial Day baby.
Where do the years go?
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, friends!
It’s a cold, rainy day here today ~ much like Ireland, so it’s perfect.
The kiddos started out the morning in their Old Navy {lucky charm} jammies from last year and had Lucky Charms and green milk for breakfast…a must for leprechauns!
I braved the storm and went to gather ingredients for this evenings dinner with neighbors ~ Steak & Guinness Pie
Spotted this on Pinterest and thought it’d be fun to do a little something different than the usual corned beef and cabbage.
We’ll have it with a little {green salad} and Jalapeño Popper Dip as an appetizer.
The beer glasses are in the freezer and the food coloring is ready and waiting to tint our pale ale a festive shade of green.
For dessert, I’m going to make some Lucky Charms marshmallow treats…
{via}
Just prepare as you would regular Rice Krispie Treats, but sub Lucky Charms for the rice krispies and add a couple drops of green food coloring to the marshmallow and butter mixture!
Done.
*****
Off to do some food prep and take a look in my closet for a green somethin’ to wear.
Slainte!
Erin Go Bragh!
The circus came to town this past Saturday {Holden’s actual birthday} and it was nothing short of chaos ~ beautiful chaos.
We packed almost 60 {59 to be exact} clowns, big & little, into our circus tent and I think everyone had a grand time.
The day started off with Jay taking Holden to get donuts in the trailer…
*****
The invites were just thank you notes that I flipped over so the {thank you} was on the back.
{The cards are from Target and the stickers from CVS}
I fell in love with the detail on the envelopes.
This theme was so fun to plan ~ stripes, polka dots and LOTS of color are right up my alley. About a year ago I found these little monkey flags at Kohl’s for like 49 cents and used them to start the circus craziness.
A huge orange star greeted the guests on the front door…
My friend, Hollie, made this cute “Happy Birthday” sign for the front yard.
If you’re local, you can rent it and have it personalized for your special birthday someone. Contact me and I can put you in touch with her! So fun.
Gramma threw together this “5” banner…
I picked up a rainbow of fabrics and made a little bunting to hang across the fireplace…
{just get 1/4 yard of fabric, rip into 1 inch strips, cut those strips in half, loop around a long piece of twine ~ voila!}
My mom found some polka dot paper lanterns at Pier 1 and I hung 2 of them above our big dining room table…
I love the way they look and want to get some solid colored ones to leave up permanently!
I filled my sconces with bubble gum and stuck rolls of tickets on top…
The large ticket sign is from Kohl’s for cheap…
Gramma Kathy got the clown piñata at Party City {this was the first piñata we’ve ever had!}
{I stuffed with Dum Dums, Smarties, Mott’s Medley gummies and Florida’s Natural Fruit Nuggets}
What’s a circus without popcorn?
Circus animals with sprinkles are also a must…
I made myself a gum ball necklace based on this tutorial.
Gramma schlepped her sewing machine up here to make this shirt for the birthday boy…
Of course we had to feed all the circus-goers…
I found Cotton Candy Liqueur and made this sangria…
I made a 5-layer ombre cake in cotton candy blue…
I found cotton candy sherbet push-ups at Target {Market Pantry} as modeled here by our darling neighbor Miss Nataliyah and her beautiful mama…
Singing…
Making a wish and blowing out the candles…
I wanted to set up a photo booth backdrop in the backyard, but it was too windy…the kids bounced in the jumper, hit the piñata, played Wii and ate WAY too much sugar!
Our little clown friends were sent home with some practical party favors ~ socks! Striped for the boys and polka dots for the girls…
I also made little bow ties for all to take home…if you didn’t get one and would like one, please let me know and I will whip one up.
The bigger boys {that are too cool for striped socks} got to take home a box of Bottle Caps…
A huge THANK YOU to the following:
Mia for the props and photo booth stuff
Hollie for the Happy Birthday sign
Karen for the popcorn machine
Alina for the jump house
Sun for her face-painting services
Cheryl & Janet for being my sous chefs
Gramma for her sewing skills
Jay for his photography
Here was my {pin}spiration for this party.
*****
I love putting these parties together for my babies ~ it truly is a labor of love.
Thank you to all who came and helped us celebrate our little clown. He loved having all his buddies there and is such a lucky boy!
*****
This was my happy view from the couch the next morning…
*****
I didn’t think I ever wanted to see another paper plate or plastic fork, but I’ve recovered.
When’s the next bash?
The spectators crammed into the circus tent, lined the bleachers and had a smashing time at Holden’s 5-ring circus celebration!
It was {the greatest show on earth}, but I feel like I’ve been hit over and over with a stick.
Party wrap up and Holden’s belated 5-year birthday countdown to come!
{You can read Elliott’s 5-year countdown here, here & here}
*****
Happy Sunday, friends!
XO