- Part 104

September 25, 2014

Not Always Lovely

My apologies for not having a substantial post for you today. It’s been a busy week and I managed to come down with something that was accompanied by a relentless, piercing headache. Those are always fun aren’t they? I was thankful that my son was headed off to school yesterday, but my 2 yo was by my side all day. Even during my unfortunate moments of sickness (I’m sorry, TMI here), she stayed right by my side and attempted to slam the lid on my head multiple times during the process. It was anything but pretty as I continued to push her away. When I was texting with my sister later in the day she said, “you need to share this on the blog, that way they’ll know you aren’t perfect!” So there you have it, just incase I had anyone fooled. Sure, I’m here to offer ideas to make your life a bit lovelier, but no, I’m in no way perfect. Life gets messy and ugly, I just choose not to share those images. I’m sure you appreciate that as well ;) I hope to be back with you tomorrow, fingers crossed!

September 24, 2014

Egg & Sausage Casserole

I haven’t shared any breakfast recipes for a bit now, so I wanted to pass on this Egg & Sausage Casserole that I have been turning to for years. During the week we eat fairly light breakfasts, but on the weekends I enjoying preparing something a bit more substantial. This recipe can be varied by adding any of your favorite veggies as well. Sometimes I throw in some mushrooms but I didn’t happen to have any on hand this particular morning. Add a side of fresh fruit, a cup of coffee and breakfast is served!

Egg & Sausage Casserole:

Ingredients:

6 slices bread, cubed
1 lb sausage, browned and drained
1 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese
8 eggs, beaten
2 C milk
1 tsp salt
pepper to tase

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Cube bread and place evenly in greased 9×13 pan or baking dish
Sprinkle evenly with sausage and cheese
Mix eggs, milk, salt and pepper and pour in pan
May cover and chill overnight (if left overnight, remove from refrigerator 20 min before baking)
Bake for 45 min or until set

September 23, 2014

Dots, Leopard, Denim, Oh My!

I gave you a peek at these pants before on Instagram, and they have been getting a ton of wear lately. They have the look of denim but they are the stretchiest, most comfortable pair of pants with a flattering fit nonetheless. I’ve worn them with t-shirts and converse as well as light sweaters and heels just to give you an idea of their versatility. This particular day I threw on some chambray, a leopard belt to add a bit more interest, and my Blair Ritchey bag to finish off the look. This likely won’t be the last time you see these pants on here, so I hope you like them as much as I do ;)

*Note that my shirt does not have bleach marks randomly splattered on it, the sun was doing its best to peek through the leaves on this particular afternoon :)

Details: JCrew shirt / JCrew Factory pants / Blair Ritchey bag / JCrew Factory necklace / Target belt / Anthropologie bracelet / Michael Kors watch / BCBG heels (similar here and here)

Linking up with Style Elixir for this week’s Style Sessions.

September 22, 2014

Loving Lately

Hi friends! I hope you all had a great weekend. The weather was perfectly gorgeous which I always appreciate. I’m currently with my husband in NJ meeting with a new Lyme specialist that he was referred to. I haven’t updated you much lately on his condition, but there unfortunately hasn’t been much that has changed. Don’t get me started on what a frustrating disease this is! If you would, keep him in your thoughts/prayers today. This guy sure needs some relief. While we’re busy with all of that, I’m keeping my mind preoccupied with pieces I’m loving lately and sharing them with you all. Not much rhyme or reason to any of it but I’d happily add ~~any one~~ all of these items to my closet! Anything strike your fancy?

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10

September 19, 2014

High Five for Friday

Happy Friday, all! We had another busy week around these parts, but overall it was a great week. Jack and I celebrated 8 years of marriage…let me rephrase, Jack and I had our 8 year anniversary and we’re working on the celebration part! I’m always surprised to hear how long we’ve been married and I’m even more shocked to remember that we dated for 10 years prior to that, yikes! High school sweethearts, we were. Celebration or not, I am so thankful to have this guy as my partner for life. There’s much in this life to look forward to and there’s no one else I’d rather have by my side.

Here’s what I captured this week:

1) Some pretty mums to brighten our front porch. This would also be the commencement of fall decorating, I really need to get on the ball!

2) One of the many items that fell into my cart in Target this week. Dangerous, very dangerous. You’ve been warned.

3) I got to view some of my 5 yo’s work during his first few weeks of Kindergarten at Back to School Night. He was to draw a picture and sound out the words to describe the image. I should have known Ninja Turtles would be involved!

4) Fall comfort foods have entered our home. This Mac & Cheese continues to be a favorite.

5) This post wouldn’t be complete without at least one shot of my children. This cheesy face will have to do ;)

Have a fantastic weekend!

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

September 18, 2014

Fall Maxi

It seems that maxi dresses find most of their love during the summer months, but I am just as big of a fan during the fall. The length that can often create too much warmth in the summer is the perfect insulator for chilly weather. I also enjoy trading in the sandals for some cute booties (or shooties) which take it up just a notch. This dress has been in my closet for a few years now and I’ve turned to it numerous times due to the fact that it’s the only maxi dress I own with sleeves. I’m potentially on the hunt for another cool-weather maxi so I’ve gathered a selection for you to browse with me below.

Details: Splendid via Anthro dress (similar below) / DV by Dolce Vita shooties (options) / Cookie Lee earrings c/o / Francesca’s cuff (similar) / Michael Kors watch

Shop Maxi’s:

September 17, 2014

What’s for Dinner: Chicken A La Gloria

Today I’m sharing with you a recipe that I tried a week or so ago for my family. It’s a great, hearty chicken dinner, perfect for the fall/winter months. Some evenings I hate baked dishes because it means I need to prep earlier than usual, but on the other hand once I get it in the oven I am able to get all of the prep dishes cleaned before we even sit down at the dinner table. For some reason that brings a smile to my face :) I served this dish with rice which complemented it perfectly and everyone highly approved!

Here is the recipe via Cooking with Sugar:

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Start to Finish: 1 hour
Servings: 6

Ingredients:

3 skinless boneless chicken breasts, trimmed and filleted in half lengthwise
1/3 cup of flour
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of butter
1 (8 oz) container of sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup of sherry wine
1 small can of condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup whole milk
6 slices of Muenster cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper, dredge lightly in flour to coat both sides. Shake off excess.

Add oil to frying pan and brown chicken in batches on both sides. You don’t need to cook the chicken completely. It will finish cooking in the oven. Transfer the chicken to a 9×13-inch baking dish.

Add the butter to the frying pan and let it melt over medium high heat. Add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and brown mushrooms until golden. Then add the sherry wine and cook for another minute or two. Add the creamy mushroom soup and milk and mix well.

Pour sauce over the chicken breasts, cover with foil and bake in oven for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and top each piece of chicken with one slice of Muenster cheese. You can fold the cheese in half if it is too wide for the breast.

Place chicken back in oven uncovered and broil for 1-2 minutes to brown the cheese. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Top with chopped fresh parsley and serve.

September 16, 2014

New Takes on Your Wardrobe

I recently had a question from a reader that I thought more than a few of you may relate to. This busy working mother found it difficult to pull outfits out of her closet and wondered what ideas I had for switching things up and finding new outfits within her own closet. I found myself relating all too well to this question as well. How many times have I stood in my closet as my eyes glazed over and inspiration was no where to be found? It happens to all of us, trust me.

So what did I suggest? I recommended that this busy mom start by seeking inspiration. Many times I flip through magazines, browse blogs and scroll through Pinterest and Instagram only to see pieces that are in my own closet being worn in ways that never crossed my mind. I make sure to Pin the images or snap a pic on my phone otherwise that outfit has very little chance of ever making it out of my closet. I also suggested she search Pinterest for some basic items like a navy blazer or a white blouse so she could see the array of ways these basic pieces can be styled.

In an effort to take this one extra step and give you some examples, I’ve put together three different outfits all based around a classic navy blazer. My hope is that this may open your eyes to some pieces you may own and shed a whole new light on your closet!

Blazer / Scarf / Shirt / Pants / Booties

Blazer / Dress / Boots

Blazer / T-shirt / Skirt / Necklace / Booties

September 15, 2014

Bows

I love the femininity of bows. They’re so fun to wear on everything from delicate jewelry to exaggerated collars. When worn on a blouse as this one is, I let the bow make the statement and kept everything else rather understated. I don’t get to enjoy the pleasure of getting dressed for work these days (I know, some of you cringe thinking I got please out of that!), but prior to having my children, this is an outfit I definitely would have turned to. I love sticking to classics, a blouse and trousers for example, but I play them up by adding fun and slightly unexpected details like the large bow and leopard loafers. I love the tailored, ladylike outcome.

Details: Polo Ralph Lauren Factory top (shop similar options below) / Gap pants / Boden loafers (similar here and here) / Kate Spade bag / Kate Spade Outlet ring and bracelet (similar) / Michele watch / Ralph Lauren sunglasses via TJMaxx (similar)

Shop the look:

September 12, 2014

High Five for Friday

Looking back over my week and the busyness of it all, I can see why time flies by. I am enjoying it all (the classes for me and the children, the practices, the lunches, the blog writing, the errands…ok I don’t love the errands) but man have I been ready to hit my pillow every night! Many people told me as time was leading up to our wedding day to stop and enjoy the day because it’d be gone in an instant. I made it a point to step aside a few times that evening and do my best to take it in. I need to figure out a way to make that happen during this season of my life as well. I guess this blog does an okay job of documenting certainmoments for me. Thanks for letting me share a bit of it with you every Friday ;)

What went on this week:

1) I joked on Instagram this week that my feed was filled with posts from #NYFW and this is what my life looks like. I don’t think it’s too shabby ;)

2) Two purchases this week. A vest for me and a vest for my mini. Seriously, if you have a daughter or a niece or a granddaughter or know someone with a little girl, this vest from Target is adorable!

3) Back into the swing of things at music class. She surely marches to the beat of a different drum.

4) I purchased these pants at JCrew Factory a few weeks ago while we were at the shore. I finally got around to wearing them this week and they are the most comfortable pants ever! Sure to be on a weekly rotation in my closet (at least!).

5) I’m still getting used to sending this little guy off to Kindergarten. I don’t like sharing him ;)

Hope your week was lovely! Have a great weekend and I’ll see ya Monday!

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

a lovely living

Archives

Not Always Lovely

Egg & Sausage Casserole

Dots, Leopard, Denim, Oh My!

Loving Lately

High Five for Friday

Fall Maxi

What’s for Dinner: Chicken A La Gloria

New Takes on Your Wardrobe

Bows

High Five for Friday