Lunch Recipe

Good morning (well, maybe for you....for the SLPS family, less Lolly, we had a ROUGH night with H.G. up from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. due to teething.  Poor baby.  Lolly was a dream teether compared to H.G!).  

But for the rest of you, happy Friday! :-)

I don't have much time to blog today due to work and the fact that I want to go home and get some quick shut-eye (*wink, wink*) but I will post this fabulous recipe.

I've made this a couple of times for Husband's and my lunches and it's pretty darn yummy.  I found it in either Health or All You Magazine, I can't remember which one. It's great with a little salt, pepper and oil/vinegar dressing.

Enjoy and Happy Friday Y'all!

H.G. Thinks Everything is Better with a Bow and Monogram....

.....especially swinging....

....and dining on sweet potatoes!  

Happy Wednesday Y'all!

Weekend Hodge Podge and St. Patty's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day y'all!  

Love that chunky, happy face!  Her shirt says "Kiss Me for Good Luck."  Who wouldn't?
Husband has been bugging me to get my hair done, this picture proves it.  I'm the weird one who loves skincare, fashion etc., but really hates getting my hair done.  So I procrastinate as long as possible.  I just hate sitting there, bored out of my mind, while making chit chat with the hair stylist that I don't know all that well.  And I inevitably always end up next to someone who's into weird stuff like emu oil ingestion, is a breastfeeding expert and only showers once a week because it's "good for the skin."  Yeah, that happened last time I went.  So, can you blame me?

We had fun with hair this weekend.  I'll highlight on this more later.  But notice anything missing?  Yep, three teeth out so far.  Had to have one extracted by the dentist on Thursday because the adult tooth was growing in behind the baby one!  Lolly found the whole thing exciting and it wasn't because of the tooth fairy (which she boldly proclaimed the other day that she knows the tooth fairy isn't real and that Daddy and I are the tooth fairy.  My baby girl has grown up.  She's getting adult teeth for crying out loud!)

I have little green in my closet and this picture makes the dress look blue, but it is green. It's the Lilly Pulitzer Gretchen dress with my Tory Burch Camilla flats for St. Patrick's Day.  Hey, at least I won't get pinched!

Remember how I said we had fun with hair this weekend?  Lolly thought of many different ways she could fix her hair.  Here's one way, with a single braid and then pulled back into a bun.  That braid she wanted to leave in overnight to see what would happen.  She discovered her hair crimped and she decided she wanted her whole head to be crimped.

So last night after her shower, we braided her hair all over her head.  My hands hurt.

And this is the result.  She's a happy camper but for the sake of my hands, this will be an ever-so-often type thing as I know she'll want this to be a fad for the next few days.

As you may or may not know, the SEC Championship was yesterday and Kentucky played the Florida Gators in what was a very tough game right up until the end.  We had about 14 seconds on the clock with possession of the ball and we were one point down.   We could have won if it weren't for an unfortunate slip and fall by the possessing player.  It was sad but you have to feel bad for the guy.  I have no idea how he is feeling right now, but I'd say, pretty rotten.  It was a great game and we are proud to sport our Kentucky blue in Gator territory and are very proud of our Kentucky Wildcats!!  They played very well!

Lolly greatly enjoyed science night at school.  She LOVES going to this event every year.  It's a must-not-miss occasion in her book.  Of course, having an engineering science nerd for a daddy helps make the experience that much more fun!

We love feeding H.G.!  This weekend we introduced sweet potatoes.  Seriously, this kid can EAT!  A very BIG difference from Lolly who doesn't eat a thing (from day 1).

Last but not least, I LOVE Smocked Auctions.  Seriously, how adorable is this bubble?  Since H.G. has so many hand me downs from Lolly, I don't mind buying an outfit here or there for her as my pocketbook isn't broken down like it was the first time we had a baby (thankfully, I had the foresight to keep everything....I mean EVERYTHING).  I just wish it would stay warm long enough for H.G. to start wearing all these cute things.

Happy St. Patrick's Day Y'all!

5 Year Blogging....Then and now.

I didn't realize that is was my blogiversary until another blogger posted about theirs.  On March 6th, I marked my fifth year blogging!  Five whole years!  Wow, a lot has happened in five years.

Clearly, Lolly has grown up and has become the most beautiful 6.5 year old I've ever known or met!  And this past year, we added another sweet daughter to the litter.  Along the way, we lost our furbaby, U.K., a sweet animal that will never be replaced. We sold our first house and moved into the second of I'm sure what will not be the last.   We've owned and sold boats (a pastime hobby in South Florida).  We've traveled from the Keys to Illinois (but no where north or west) and everywhere in between.  Lots of things have happened and not a single thing would I change.

Lolly at Home Depot during my love of Vera Bradley phase, learning how to scribble (with a pen no less, gasp!)  Never would that happen now.  :-)

So, where will the next five years take us?  Well, outside of gymnastics, dance, school, girl scouts, Montessori (and the recent request for piano lessons)....who knows?

For now, we have a summer planned for North Captiva Island, Kentucky and Apalachicola and in the near future, we'd like to go out west to introduce the family to the mountains (where I've frequented throughout my life but my family has yet to see).  We also have plans to take a European river cruise for our 40th (or 40 plus if you're Husband) birthdays.   Other than that, and outside of Husband's massive 50 year long retirement spreadsheet, we'll just go where the wind blows us.  The mystery shall be exciting!  

Happy Friday Y'all!

H.G.'s First Bike Ride and OOTD

Thanks to a fabulous friend who found a carrier at a yard sale, we were able to take H.G. on her first bike ride!  We've recently become biking enthusiasts (more so Husband than I) for reasons mentioned below. Husband already has his new bike, a Trek Verve and my Trek Shift is on order!  Lolly also received a new bike more suited to her current height and we've been gallivanting about the neighborhood for a few weeks now.

Husband also has an older Giant that he purchased off Craig's List. He has something else he can fix up now, just like his two project cars (old older Suburban....great for hauling stuff! And the BMW Z3).  Thus the more enthusiasm in biking for him than I.  :-)

Until now, one of us has always had to stay home with H.G. since she can't sit upright by herself in an on-the-bike carrier yet.   Enter the pull-behind bike carrier. With the assistance of Lolly helping keep her stable, the four of us went on a four mile long bike ride Sunday night after dinner (yay, daylight savings time!).  Much fun was had and we look forward to many, MANY bike rides together in our family!

Here's my Work OOTD.   Tory Burch Camilla Pink flats (they are a light caramel-ish nude color, not pink) and Ann Taylor necklace.  The coral and tan/light caramel dress is from That Cute Little Shop in none other than my home state of Kentucky! 

 

Happy Wednesday Y'all!

Giveaway Winner! My Little Florida Girl

And the winner of the My Little Florida Girl giveaway is.....

LISA H. - Entry # 13

Congratulations Lisa!  I have emailed you and ask that you respond within 48 hours to claim your adorable flip flops!  

Weekend Hodge Podge: First Solid Foods, 5 Months and OOTD

This is a little bit of a photo dump but we've been busy!

We've always seen Lolly in Lilly.  Now we have H.G. in Lilly.  Lolly actually wore a matching dress but she swooped in from church to change so quickly that I didn't get a picture.  She wanted to ride her new bike immediately!  H.G. and I just hung out on the grass watching Lolly.  H.G. loves being outside.  What child doesn't?

We introduced solid foods and H.G. can't get enough!  The first couple of nights we tried plain organic rice cereal.  She's had rice in her bottle for a while (due to her GERD reflux) so I wasn't worried about any allergies.  However, it was a familiar taste to help her get used to the spoon and thicker food.  She caught on very quickly!

We've been making our own food with butternut and acorn squash are the first things we've tried.  I wish I had made my own baby food with Lolly.  Between the acorn and butternut squash, we must have a month's worth of food for H.G.  A mere $4.00 versus approximately $25.00.  And it's healthier as it's homemade.

I've also made the decision to continue nursing for as long as possible.  It's going very well and pumping at work has been very easy.  This whole process was not so easy with Lolly, unfortunately.  So, we will continue forth due to ease, convenience, cost and of course, health.  I'm very pleased about this as is H.G.!

 Goodness, I love these girls!  Lolly is SO good with H.G.!  She plays with her and comforts her all the time.  Here they are looking at themselves in the mirror.  I'm amazed by their relationship and how unbelievably patient Lolly is with H.G.  That will come in handy with H.G. is about three and wanting to be just like big sister and into all her personal things! 

Another sweet little outfit.  H.G. is growing so fast though.  I have to hurry up and get her wearing all of these sweet things that people gifted her!

 

H.G. turned five months old on Saturday!  Time is just flying by.  I can't believe she's been with us this long.  With two kiddos, the time is flying by much faster.

H.G. is approximately 16.5 pounds (up 2 pounds from a month ago) and she's now rolling over both directions.  She's also very close to sitting up on her own.  

I love my beautiful girls!  (See the adorable bubble necklace...another adorable item from My Little Florida Girl....quick plug).

See the dress Lolly is wearing? I made it when she was three.  It was a design test for the flower girl dresses for Ashleigh's wedding.  I made it in 2011 and she's still wearing it!  She has proclaimed that when it gets to short, she needs me to make her another one.  I love that she's gotten so much use out of it.

And the five month picture with a big drool spot.  H.G. is teething something awful and having a REALLY hard time with it.  Lolly was an easy teether.  H.G., not so much.  She's awake all hours of the night, stuff and unusually cranky (she is NEVER cranky).  Poor baby girl.

Just a quick little shot of me and the girls.  Apparently Saturday was daughter's day.  Who knew?

And last but not least, a fun OOTD.   Lilly Pulitzer Worth jeans (side zip), Lilly Pulitzer belt, I.N.C. t-shirt and Old Navy (spy it, buy it J. Crew knock offs) flats.

That's all for today!

Happy Monday Y'all!

GIVEAWAY and Weekly Randoms (Sugar Diet, 17 LB. Baby and Tooth Duty)

First off....please, PLEASE don't forget about the My Little Florida Girl giveaway!  How adorable are these sandals?  You must have some for your little Florida girl.  CLICK HERE!  

In other news, check out this sweet H.G.!  She's nearly 17 pounds now.  By comparison, Lolly was 12 pounds and much shorter at this age.  H.G. is now officially HALF the weight of Lolly, currently.  Yep, we have a skinny minny and a chuncky monkey.  

They couldn't be more different but we love them each all the same!

The outfit below was worn by Lolly when she was walking.  H.G. will be 5 months old tomorrow.

Other fun facts....this is what we take with us to work, school, montessori each day.  Lolly's lunchbox, backpack and gymnastics bag that says "Got Chalk."  My purse, H.G.'s diaper bag (the straw bag currently), H.G.'s school bag with diapers, clothes, bottles and my green Ballard Designs jute tote with all my nursing/pumping gear. 

It's like we're going on a five day trip, for a few hours, every day!

Recently we put Lolly on a sugar diet.  Every year, between October and February it's just candy, candy, candy every time we turn around!  And then after Valentine's, I purge the house, and spend a brutal week getting Lolly off the sugar.  It's not that she actually EATS the sugar every day, it's the fact that it's there and when I say NO, there's a total meltdown.  So a few weeks ago, I purged and now there's nothing for Lolly to see and ask for.  The result....THIS!  Lolly coming home and asking for a healthy snack of mini cucumber, celery and peanut butter and cheese and crackers.  So what that it's only an hour before dinner.  When your skinny mini barely eats a thing to begin and she asks for a healthy snack, you give in.

And last but not least and pardon the dirty sink, tooth duty.  Lolly went to the dentist this week (she has a loose tooth with the adult tooth growing in behind it....ACK!) and she also had a visit from a dentist at school.  So all of the sudden she has three tooth brushes, different types of floss and extra toothpaste and tooth chests.  The result is an extreme amount of time brushing teeth because she's also arranging everything "to look pretty."  Hey....she's brushing and we have ZERO cavities!  Yay!

The loose teeth on the other hand?  I'd rather pick boogers from my children's nose than even LOOK at the loose teeth.  Talk about heebie geebies!!  Husband and I actually had to discuss who's on tooth duty (I figured him since I'm pretty much on diaper duty all by myself).  Thankfully, Lolly has been pulling her own teeth so we haven't had to worry with it.  Phew!

Happy Friday Y'all!

My Office - Quel Nightmare (I need an office makeover!)

I am a neat freak at home.  I can't stand to sit down without my kitchen sink clean (thanks Flylady), the house de-cluttered and everything in its place.  I'm the type to make the bed at 7 pm, just because it's unmade, even though I'll be getting into it a couple hours later.  It's kind of driving me nuts that I have baby gear out but what can one do....I have a baby!  

All that being said, last week I had to send the office Computer Guru to my office to complete some updates.  Since he couldn't be there until 7 pm, during the girl's bedtime routines, I sent Husband over to meet him.

The response I got from Husband about the condition of my office was hysterical.  I can't exactly remember what he said, but I'm sure these (bad quality) pictures will give a glimpse.  Let's just say that my work and home life are drastically different, in both personality and apparently....cleanliness / organization.    

I would like to call this Organized Chaos.  And I will say that I'm not the only one at my company with a disastrous office.  In fact, the administrative assistants say that if our offices are clean and a couple of us (including moi) aren't ranting or raving over something or other....then be looking for a new job.

But really.....HELP!!  I need an office makeover!  Anyone want to come give me one (for free....hint, I like pink).  

Goodness, this is actually embarrassing now that I stand back and really take a look.

That random hanger has been there for about two years.  Actually, since just before Ashleigh's wedding on April 14th, 2012 as I hung Lolly's flower girl dress on that particular hanger to take a picture.
The broken computer monitors:  I'm too busy to carry them out and my maintenance supervisor is too busy to get to that work order and well, I guess I'm waiting for Computer Guru to come get them.
The random knick knacks: I have nowhere for them at home, but don't want to get rid of them, so they end up on my very poorly decorated shelves.  Hey, this was a law office at some point so I'm assuming these were built for all those massive, huge, heavy books that no one uses anymore because of the Internet.
The t-shirt boxes are filled with XXXL company shirts.  Ummmm, no one here wears that size.
The boxes: 'm still closing out 2013 and will be for the next oh, 6 months or so ;)

Oh yes....that's only Picture #1!

The two end tables and picture: Add it to the category as mentioned above about the computer monitors.
The boxes of air filters:  I actually do use these and they are just much more convenient to get to from here than walking upstairs (once a quarter).
I like the plant.  It's pretty, so I found a corner for it and stuck it there.

Candi, our office admin assistant, is so nice to clean my desk off of empty coffee cups once or twice a week.
The winter coat should be added to the pile of things I was supposed to take home three weeks ago.
My files are actually organized.  Really they are!
The lamp in the background doesn't work and I get so much light, I don't need it.  Add it to the pile of things to put into storage along with the end tables and picture (this picture doesn't include the other non-working lamp shoved into the corner underneath the ugly, fake, dust covered tree.  What can I say?  The tree hides the non-working lamp!)

Oh  yes....there's more!

The rug was down for a long time before I started tripping on it because I couldn't see my feet when I was 7 months pregnant.  So that means it's been rolled up since last August.
I'm not sure about the restroom towel dispenser.  I had to pull it out of the box to figure out what it was and of course, then just left it there.  Why it's there, I do not know.
The plans: I use those for work, I just haven't had time to roll them and store them in an upright box.
And that is Lolly's corner when she's with me in the office.  I really need to dump out the cup of water.  I did finally organize her coloring books.  They were all still open to her last project from the afternoon of January 13th (along with all the little bits of confetti pieces of paper.  She's was making me miniature Valentine's to hand out to my office friends.)

And last but not least.
Do you see the non-working lamp shoved under the tree?  It's there.  I did clean out this corner a few months ago.  It had some random things in a bag like some old budgets, a J. Crew belt, one panel of Company Store pink curtains and a large swatch of Virginia Tech fabric.  Again, you may ask why?  I don't know.

I need to find a place for my tea.  It's my new thing (another blog post).  Maybe I could use the Longaberger Basket I found shoved in a drawer a few months ago and set out with the thought that I could use that somewhere.  It's been sitting in that spot, unused, since at least October.

So that's it.  I clearly need some help.  Or a massive shop vac.  Yes, I admit it.  I'm an office hoarder.  HELP!!

Happy Wednesday Y'all!

GIVEAWAY!! My Little Florida Girl

You may have seen Lolly wearing these fabulous, frilly, girly, preppy and definitely colorful flip flops in various pictures and posts over the past couple of years

. 

That's because outside of the tennis shoes that she must wear to school, these are the ONLY shoes, rather, flip flops she will wear.  Adorned with the most gorgeous and perfect bows, layered in colors and style, every little girl, Florida to California, should be wearing these this spring and summer.

Lolly's newest flip flops, designed by My Little Florida Girl especially for her!

So, let's make the introductions shall we?  

Introducing My Little Florida Girl and its fabulous owner, Kristie!  Kristie is one of my very good friends and she has been making these simply delightful flip flops, bows, headbands and now, bubble necklaces for the past couple of years.  She started out making them for her daughter, who is very good friends with Lolly, and the fad instantly spread.  Lolly and her sweet friend can't go anywhere without getting complimented on their flip flops!  Not only do I love Kristie as a good friend and person, but I certainly love getting to experiment with the designs and try out new ones.  In fact, Lolly and I have been customers since before she opened her Etsy shop and we've had lots of fun helping Kristie grow her business.  I'm pretty sure she'd say we're her biggest advocates!

Some of Lolly's other designs, specific to certain outfits.  For example, the green and red ones matched a summer red and green watermelon themed dress.  She has a hair bow to match!

The best part about this shop....I can design each pair to fit Lolly's specific closet, especially all her Lilly!  Actually, I usually leave the creativity to Kristie and she has never disappointed!  All I have to do is email a picture of a particular Lilly pattern and Kristie designs the perfect flip flop!  

Even more fabulous, even H.G. has a pair!!  

Seriously, how cute are these teensy, tiny little flips?

And now for the exciting news!  Kristie at My Little Florida Girl has offered to give one of my readers a custom made pair of flip flops for the Little Florida (Texas, Kentucky, or New York) Girl in your life.  Made to order and to fit your particular sweetie, these are sure to put a smile on anyone's face and I further guarantee a lot of compliments.   For the giveaway, Kristie has designed these hot pink and green, whale adorned flip flops for the giveaway.  How adorable are these?

There are several ways to enter so good luck!  And in the meantime, Easter is right around the corner.  Wouldn't these make an adorable addition to your little girls' Easter basket?  I'm pretty sure Lolly and H.G. will be getting pairs to match their new seersucker, smocked bathing suits for our upcoming summer vacation.  Oh, my mind is already churning over the possibilities! 

Winner will be announced Monday morning March 10th. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Monday Y'all!