a lovely living

Monthly Archives for October 2014

High Five for Halloween!

Happy Halloween! We have had a week full of everything Halloween. From parades, to pumpkin carving, gingerbread houses and trick or treat, we tackled it all! Here’s a look at everything that went on:

1) A Transformer watching a firetruck in a parade that hands out candy. It doesn’t get much better for this 5yo!

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2) We leave the messy part for the boys. They seem to enjoy it.

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3) Our very first gingerbread home. Think it tastes any good?

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4) We trick-or-treat a day early around here. Little piggy got the hang of things pretttty quickly last night!

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5) Safe and happy halloween to you all!

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Linking up with The Lauren Elizabeth for High Five for Friday.

Perfectly Fall

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I found this coat at LOFT last week and fell in love immediately. It’s lined and although it won’t be quite heavy enough for our northeastern winters, it’s absolutely perfect for the fall weather. Shortly after buying this coat, I saw this post from Cupcakes and Cashmere and was totally inspired. Granted it’s nothing out of the ordinary, but I love the look of the green and plaid with such a perfectly casual feel. Granted, Emily styled her outfit with some beautiful Valentino heels, but Converse were more appropriate for my day….oh right, and I’m missing those Valentino’s in my closet!

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Details: LOFT coat / JCrew flannel (similar here and here) / AG denim (similar) / Monrow t-shirt / Converse sneakers

Chicken Pot Pie

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I love the way foods can be nostalgic. There are some that due to a past experiences I can never look at again (like banana popsicles that I had one too many of as a child) and others that bring back wonderful memories. This Chicken Pot Pie was brought to me one day shortly after I had given birth to Madelyn by a sweet friend. During those post-birth, early nursing days I remember being ravenous and slowly rather quickly working my way through the dish over the next few days. My love for it has stuck ever since. Do you have a particular food that’s nostalgic to you?

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Chicken Pot Pie adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts – cubed
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen broccoli
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 can chicken broth
3/4 cup milk
2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F

In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, broccoli, corn, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes (you can use chicken broth in place of water to add more flavor). Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Loving Lately: Winter Coats

Alright gang, last week we discussed the way winter boots can disappear from the shelves by the time you’re in actual need of them. Well, the same holds true for your winter coats. Should you wait for the frigid weather to arrive, you just may be out of luck finding a coat that you can fall in love with. With that being said, I’ve gathered a few I’ve had my eye on myself to share with you all.

I’ve been loving fur detail more are more over the years, but you have to be careful when making your selection because fur can tend to look cheap and ruin the whole look of the coat. All of the options with fur below look luxurious and enhance the overall look of each of the coats. You know me and my pastels, I couldn’t not add one or two, and blush pink is most definitely what I’ve had my eye on for the last few years! Regardless of whether you’re looking for a parka to bundle up in or a tailored wool coat, I’ve got you covered. Have a look and let me know what catches your eye!

 

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Faking Layers

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Fall layers are great because they allow you to add more elements to your outfit and enable you to create countless looks. What’s even better is when layering is made effortless. I had been admiring a few sweaters with attached shirt tails from JCrew here, here and here but then I ran into this one at LOFT and loved the addition of the attached collar. What you get is a polished, layered look without adding any unnecessary bulk.

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 Details: LOFT top / LOFT pants / Zara shoes (similar) / Cookie Lee necklace c/o / Kate Spade bag (similar) / Kate Spade sunglasses

Linking up with this week’s Style Sessions and Celebrate Southern.

High Five for Friday

Hey guys, happy Friday! After a week of dealing with a head cold I’m finally starting to feel like myself again. It’s unfortunate that as a full-time mom I’m unable to call in sick. My boss simply says, ‘not a chance’. My 2 yo came down with something similar as well but it amazes me what little fighters they are. I’m laid up on the couch and she continues to zip around the house sneezing, coughing, dancing to Frozen and building blocks. I guess in a way she’s making me look like the baby!

Sick or not, our week didn’t slow down all that much:

1) Over the weekend I was able to visit one of my best friends and reunite this crew. Her two in the middle are actually a year and a half apart, despite looking like they could be twins! Future linebacker on their hands I believe.

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2) As you may have seen on Instagram, here are a few things I picked up at LOFT this week. I already had a few friends grab this jacket as well and it’s totally worth it. Even better if you catch it on sale (40% off today)!

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3) Typical lunch with my little sweetheart. I share my veggie soup and she shares her mac’n cheese :)

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4) Speaking of my sweetheart…can’t get enough of these eyes.

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5) And my sweet guy. Wearing a nostalgic cap that belonged to my husbands’ grandfather.

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Hope you all enjoy your weekend!

Linking up with The Lauren Elizabeth for High Five for Friday.

 

The Sweater

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I’m pretty sure I’ve found the sweater. And by the sweater, I mean the one I am going to turn to time and time again this fall/winter. This cardigan is soft, warm and has details that I love including a shall collar and a double snap closure. This was what I decided on during last week’s ShopBop sale, but if you didn’t happen to grab one I’ll keep an eye out for it to go on sale again for ya! Here I threw it on over a red tartan shirt and wore my polka dot pants that I still can’t get enough of. Next will likely be a graphic tee and boyfriend jeans, oh that sounds nice!

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Details: Madewell sweater / JCrew shirt (similar) / JCrew Factory pants / Frye boots (similar) / Cookie Lee necklace (similar)

Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup

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I realize it’s not St. Patrick’s Day nor am I Irish, but I just couldn’t hold off on making this Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup. I love the traditional corned beef and cabbage dish and this soup took it to a whole new level. With a handful of vegetables and a ton of flavor this soup received an A+ plus from everyone in my family. Although this may not be as practical during the week due to the fact that it requires approx 4 hours on the stove, it would make a perfect weekend dinner. Prep it before the football game and have your home full of fragrance come dinnertime!

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Corned Beef and Cabbage via Skinny Taste:

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil
2 leeks, chopped (whites and light green only)
2 cloves garlic
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 lb lean corned beef brisket (yields 9 oz cooked)
6 cups of water
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
1 small head cabbage, cored and chopped
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
fresh pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium low heat. Add leeks and sauté until soft, about 4-5 minutes; add garlic, carrots and yellow pepper and sauté about 2-3 minutes.

Add corned beef, peppercorns or seasoning packet that comes with the corned beef, bay leaves, parsley and water; cover and bring to a boil. Simmer covered on low heat for 3 hours, until the meat becomes tender.

Remove the corned beef, set it on a cutting board and shred with a fork. Return it to the pot then add the cabbage and potatoes, taste for salt and pepper and adjust as needed. Cook until the potatoes and cabbage are tender, about 45 more minutes.

It’s true that I’m barely settling into fall and then I go and throw a ‘winter boot’ post at you. Although my hope is that we have a bit more time until the cold weather apparel needs to be broken out, there are some things that should be tackled sooner than later. Winter boots and coats are two things that you risk missing out on should you wait until the frigid weather is actually upon us. Or rather, you risk losing the good picks! I’ve heard from friends and am guilty myself for eyeing certain pieces until they are gone or making the mistake of waiting until I actually need those boots and I log on to find my size is already sold out. Boo. Well, that’s why I’m here to keep you guys on the ball. This week I’m showing you my favorite cold weather boots and perhaps next week we’ll tackle coats?

Here I have for you boots that will keep your toes warm and dry through freezing wind-chills and slushy street corners. I’m tempted every year to invest in a pair of Sorel boots. I suppose one reason I never take the plunge is because I can never decide between so many eye-pleasing options! I do however always turn to my classic Hunter boots with the liners for extra insulation. I’ve been wearing Uggs for more years than I can remember now. To be honest, I was doing my best to be over them the past two years but it’s just not happening! They are the only thing I want to grab when I run my son to school in the mornings or head to the gym (most of my classes do not require sneakers). And when the temps drop below 30 all my feet want are the cloud-like softness and unbeatable warmth. Since my Uggs are on their last leg a new pair may be topping my Christmas wish-list this year. Have a look for yourself and don’t wait too long to make your move!

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Blanket Scarf

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I have a few scarves in my closet…..well, more like 2 baskets full, if I’m being honest. From lightweight cotton scarves for the summer to heavy blanket scarves for the winter and everything in between, they are the perfect accessory to have on hand. This scarf was purchased from Zara last year and after it blew up (in the blog world at least) it sold out very quickly. It’s popularity must have been made known however, because you can now find nearly perfect matches here, here and here!

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Details: Zara scarf (similar here, here and here) / Madewell vest (similar) / Madewell shirt (similar) / JCrew jeans (similar) / Seychelles booties / Madewell tote

Linking up with this week’s Style Sessions and Bless Her Heart Ya’ll

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