All Things Cherish

Determined

2012-01-19T11:08:00.001-05:00

The current state of our dining room table. Eating is overrated, right?! If you can't tell, I've got a one track mind these days; to finish decorating our home.

If you haven't seen the new Golden Days collection at Target go check it out. Lots of aqua, gold and blush pink home goodies.

Weekend Recap

2012-01-17T17:30:00.001-05:00

We took full advantage of the holiday weekend with a a jam packed schedule full of fun. And I even managed to sleep in until noon on Saturday.

Friday night we met our old, and favorite, neighbors and their babe Luc at Cava for dinner. They’re expecting TWINS in June which we are SO excited about. We noshed on our favorite Greek foods of zucchini fritters, FRIED cheese, tzatziki, lamb chops, scallops risotto and grilled octopus. Yum! Hubs and I are late dinner eaters so we didn’t know what to do with ourselves when we were home by 8. We usually haven’t eaten by then. So we watched Moneyball. I’m not a sports girl but it was a great movie and perfect to watch with your beau.

Saturday we went furniture shopping. Again. But this time we finally found chairs for our living room and got them ordered – success! I can’t wait until they arrive in 4 weeks. We then rushed into DC for the Sixers/Wizards game. Hubs is from Philly and is a diehard sports fan. His cousin’s husband works for the Sixers and was able to get us tickets to the game. Without being completely contradictory to my statement above, can I just say how much fun basketball games are? There’s always a contest, free t-shirts or Chipotle being tossed to fans during the timeouts. SO much better than NFL games. It was an added bonus that the Sixers won and we scored free Chik-fil-a.

Sunday afternoon we went with a group of friends to a 1k Wine Walk. It was SO much fun, a must if you’re a wino like me. The walk was a 1k course, complete with a start and finish line, through an indoor mall with 10 wine stations scattered along the way. We even got bibs like it was a real deal race, without the running! The wines varied from local VA wines to wines from South Africa, CA, Italy, etc. We tasted over 20 wines so by the end everyone was a bit crazy. I will most definitely be on the lookout for more wine walks, if you’re in the DC Metro area be on the lookout for this event next year.

Monday night we had friends over for a little impromptu dinner that was planned towards the end of the wine walk, ha! Hubs grilled filet mignon, which was delicious. While dinner was grilling we munched on oysters on the half shell and bacon wrapped scallops. It was such a fun night with good food and friends and it was fun to host our first dinner in our new home.

Did anyone else have a fun-filled weekend?! I’m looking forward to a short work week!

Deal Alert

2012-01-11T12:47:00.001-05:00

If you live you in Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church or any other DC neighborhood make sure you check out today's Living Social deal. It's for my favorite wine & cheese store, Arrowine, and this little mouse just bought 3!

http://share.livingsocial.com/deals/229166?ref=iphone-conf-jp&rui=2343757

Happy Wednesday!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The Month of Organization: Planners

2012-01-05T09:55:00.001-05:00

Ahh January, the month of organization. I'm busy getting our house back on the straight and narrow, purging clutter and getting back to some normalcy of life. The Fall threw us some unexpected curve balls and a few big changes including a move, a new business venture for my husband and way too many holiday events to even think straight. The craziness, good and bad, had us eating out 4 to 5 nights/week, laundry accumulations the size of a small country and general organization being non-existent. So I'm more than excited to welcome in not only a new year but also a much more lax month that will allow me to catch up, get back to being organized and even give me time to do some things I enjoy like cooking, baking and craftiness.

With that being said, I've been on a cleaning, organizing and reorganizing spree since we took our tree and Christmas decor down this weekend. Can I just say that with a yummy Starbucks drink all things are possible!

Anywho, the time came to fully transition from my old planner to the new one. No more using both depending on the need. This got me thinking, what should I do with the old planner? Planners contain a lot of personal info and even personal info about others; friends, family, careers. This means addresses, email addresses, and sometimes even medical info. So should I just throw it out? Rip the pages out and shred them?

So I'm curious, what do y'all do with your outdated planners?

And for a quick update: I transitioned from the My Agenda Planner I've been accustomed to for the past 5 years or so to the much hyped and coveted Erin Condren Life Planner for 2012. If you follow me on Twitter you know I was quite skeptical and even critical when it first arrived. But after using it for a couple months, I got mine in November, I will eat my words and admit that I was wrong in my first impressions and I do love it now! I'm pretty sure that this loyal My Agenda girl has been converted and will not be returning to My Agenda anytime soon -- unless of course they add the Ziploc-like folder to their agendas!

Hello 2012!

2012-01-03T10:00:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year! Our Christmas/trip to Colorado was quite eventful, which I'll recap later this week, but for now I want to get my 2012 goals down before 1. I forget them and 2. so I can hold myself accountable.

But first, a quick recap of our New Years -- I don't think I've ever been so excited to welcome in a fresh start and a new year. We had a great, low-key night welcoming in 2012. This was the first New Years in two years that we weren't traveling and were at home (2010 - Wintergreen, 2011 - beloved Nashville). We enjoyed a romantic night, just the two of us, that started with a delicious dinner at a favorite, neighborhood restaurant, Circa. I chowed down on the new years special, surf and turf and the hubs chose salmon. We splurged and ordered the most amazing dessert, key lime creme brûlée. It.was.to.die.for. Totally worth every last calorie! Since our wedding cake was key lime flavored we're partial to anything key lime. And hubs' favorite dessert is creme brûlée so this was a double whammy of goodness.

I digress. After dinner we grabbed after dinner drinks before heading home with about an hour to spare. We flipped back and forth between Carson Daly's new years celebration and the country music new years special, which was awful! Earlier in the day we hit up one of our favorite local wine store for some cheese and charcuterie to snack on while waiting for the ball to drop and enjoying the last bottle of our favorite wine.

The night ended in a dance party and hashing out our resolutions as a couple before calling it a night around 2:30 and sleeping for 14 hours! Yes, 14 hours!

Okay, goals.
1. Continue working out and eating clean/healthy. Hubs and I have done pretty good with working out 4-5 times a week. The struggle I have is when life gets busy, the gym is the first thing that gets dropped from my schedule. I hope to find the balance and make time, regardless of how busy I am, to work out.
2. Finally sit down and put together our home management notebook. I bought this cute binder this past summer and have yet to do anything with it.

3. Make a list and pull coupons before going to the grocery store. I am a chronic grocery shopper. I make lists, off the top of my head, but my lack/failure to plan meals results in visiting HT and T. Joe's multiple times a week to pick up the forgotten items. Such a time suck. I also fail to grab coupons for my shopping trip, when I'm in a hurry, even though they're already clipped!
4. Buying lunch no more than once a week while in the office. This should be fail-proof since I telecommute two days/week and am only in the office 3 days. We did pretty good with this the first half of 2010 but then lack of planning/laziness resulted in many bought lunches.
5. Get back to blogging regularly.
6. Remember the resusable totes for grocery shopping! Again, something I did for half of 2010 but failed to make a habit. I'm guilty of bringing groceries home in reusable bags but then for some reason the bags never make it back to my car for the next trip!
7. Get back to sending my grandmother a weekly card or note. I love getting mail and sending mail/cards/notes and I get at least one card or letter from her each week -- which I love reading. I know she is equally excited when she receives my notes/letters and this year I slacked on this, bad.
8. Volunteer more. Since 2006, I've volunteered a lot with St. Jude. It's definitely a charity that is near and dear to my heart. I hope to continue giving back to St. Jude and find one or two other organizations to get involved with this year.

Favorite goal for us as a couple: make dinner together one night each week. The recipe has to be a new recipe that we've never made. This is two-fold since it will allow us to spend quality time together and will mean saving money by not dining out.

Here's to an amazing 2012!

Christmas Card

2011-12-22T08:18:00.000-05:00

Merry {early} Christmas from our family to yours!!

Happy Birthday!

2011-12-15T08:01:00.001-05:00

Happy 25th Birthday to the most amazing sister in the entire world!!

I am so incredibly blessed to have a sister and the special bond that only sisters have! Although, growing up we may have had our moments of fighting over clothes and the phone, I wouldn't trade those moments for anything.

I love you so and cannot wait to see you next week!

Happy Birthday ALB!!

Love,

Your {proud} big sis

Wordless Wednesday: Favorite Ornaments

2011-12-14T08:28:00.001-05:00

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Friday Favorites

2011-12-02T09:37:00.001-05:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, I hope you did too! We headed to Central VA Wednesday afternoon to spend Thursday morning/early afternoon with my parents. We started the morning off with a delicious, home cooked, southern breakfast and followed it up with a hike along Skyline Drive. It was beautiful morning, sunny and in the 50s, and the perfect activity before pigging out. Late afternoon we headed to my in-laws for the Thanksgiving meal with hub's family and our niece and two nephews.

Saturday we ventured to the mall just before midnight for about a half hour. Just long enough to see all the crazies lined up around the buildings waiting to be let in. I swear that's the best part, forget shopping, seeing all the crazies was a hoot. That's not to say I didn't take full advantage of the Cyber Monday, or Cyber Week, deals. As of today I am more than half way done with my Christmas shopping -- yay!

I plan to tackle Christmas cards and wrapping the gifts this week and then I'll be done(!) and able to fully enjoy the Christmas season.

Here's a few of my favorites of the week.

Douglas arrived!

We have become OBsessed with this lately.

My Thursday morning working from home.

Thursday = a GREAT mail day for Christmas gifts

Skinny Taste's Sante Fe Chicken - a favorite in our house

Weekend Inspiration. Decking the halls and decorating our week-old tree that is still undecorated.

Happy weekend!

Cute {Cheap} Loot

2011-11-23T09:30:00.001-05:00

Just a few cute things I picked up in the dollar spot section at Target on a recent shopping trip.

(For the niece)

Happpy Shopping!

cBv

Weekend Recap

2011-11-21T09:30:00.001-05:00

The weekend kicked off with hubs walking through the door Friday night with a beautiful bouquet of pink tulips {my favorite} for me. It was a total surprise, but a welcomed one!

I made my mom's crabcake recipe for dinner. It was the first time I'd made them, not sure why because they're super easy and quick to make. They were delish -- no filler! And it was an addded bonus that hubs was able to eat them since he can't chew anything for a few more weeks. They will definitely be added into our regualr dinner rotation.

Saturday was a lazy day full of cleaning the house, laundry, a few errands followed by a date night in. I indulged in some long, overdue vino and a cheese plate and hubs chowed down on peach cobbler while watching Horrible Bosses. Have you seen it? It was one of those stupid, funny movies but man is Jennifer Anniston's character vulgar! I'm pretty sure I need to go to church all week after watching it!

Oh but the best part of Saturday?! Learning our good friends, actually our old neighbors, spilled the beans that they're pregnant....with TWINS!! They have a little guy, Luc, who is 15 months. Needless to say we were SHOCKED by the news and SO incredibly excited for them. I can't wait, twins are so much fun!

Sunday was filled with a morning of church, much needed after missing the last 3 Sundays, followed by an afternoon of shopping at the outlets.

We did a little damage! : )

We were excited to find out the outlets now have a Vineyard Vines -- with amazing prices!

It was a nice, lazy weekend. One of the lasts for quite a while until all the holiday craziness is over.

Happy Monday and yay for a short week!

cBv

Trash to Treasure - Living Room Ottoman

2011-11-17T09:30:00.001-05:00

When we moved and gained more space I knew right off the bat that I wanted a round ottoman for our living room to use in place a traditional coffee table. We shopped around at a few home décor/furniture stores such as Arhaus, Ethan Allen, etc. but I refused to spend $1,000 on a coffee table that wasn’t e.x.a.c.t.l.y what I wanted. So I started watching trusty old Craigslist and after a couple weeks I found this eyesore.

Although the fabric was hideous, it had great bones and was from a smoke-free environment and was in excellent condition, structurally. It was listed for $60 but I low balled the seller since they were moving {and I assumed eager to get rid of things} and snagged it for $40. I knew there was endless potential to reupholster.

I started searching for a fabric and scoured the interwebs for local upholstery shops, reading reviews and getting estimates. I stumbled upon a super nice, older man with a little shop that offered free pick-up and delivery AND was a third of the price as the other two estimates I received. Even better, the few reviews I was able to find online claimed he did great work and the clients were thrilled with the outcome.

I decided to take a chance. Mr. Upholstery Man picked up the ottoman and two weeks later delivered what looked like a brand spanking new ottoman.

I am more than thrilled with the quality of work and the way it turned out overall. So pleased, in fact, that I’m considering buying two used accent chairs and having them reupholstered instead of buying brand new in order to achieve exactly what I want. I’ve been giddy like a kid on Christmas morning every time I walk into our living room and see it. It is by far my favorite piece in our house.

If you live in the DC Metro area and are looking for a great upholstery shop please email me and I’ll be more than happy to share the info with you.

In the end we ended up saving about $600 and ended up with a custom piece.

Total Cost: $450

Breakdown:

Ottoman $40

Reupholster $290

Robert Allen Fabric (5 yards) $120

I'm thinking a cute tray is the perfect finishing touch.

source

Review: Target Frye Look Alike Boots by Merona

2011-11-09T09:02:00.001-05:00

Lately there just aren't enough hours in the day and sometimes I wonder if I'll ever get back to blogging, regularly. I've been busy playing nurse to my wonderful, amazing and hero husband who underwent some unplanned surgery last week.

Anyways, the Target Frye wannabe boots by Merona arrived last week and I finally got around to trying them on this weekend.

The verdict?

Meh.

They had lots of potential but both pairs, cognac and brown, ended up being returned to Target.

Ignore the jeans, they went back, too. I'm striking out lately w. fashion.

Although they were extremely comfortable on my feet, they just looked cheap to me. The other thing I wasn't crazy about was they were a bit tight on my upper calves, I wasn't blessed with chicken legs, and they slouched (already) on my ankles. I don't want to be walking around with cankles. And I totally forgot to take a picture of the brown ones but you can see a smidgen of the color in the corner of the pic.

And while we're talking footwear, does anyone else have this problem?

No matter what brand or type of footies/liners I buy to wear with (any pair of) flats they always show. So then I end up just wearing flats barefoot, which I hate because I don't want them smelling funky.

Do y'all wear footies with flats? If so, where/what brands do you buy? And do they show?

Driving.me.crazy.

Hope everyone is having a good week.

CVB

DIY Halloween Treat Bucket

2011-10-26T10:35:00.001-04:00

For the past five years we’ve lived in a condo building which meant no trick or treaters at Halloween. Boo! Which in my opinion is the best part of Halloween! So you can imagine my excitement when we moved to a townhouse in the middle of a great neighborhood. I’m so excited to have an actual real Halloween this year complete with trick or treaters. I hope we see lots of kiddos, Lord knows I bought about 15 bags of candy so I hope they don’t disappoint and force the hubs and I to eat all the candy ourselves.

Anyways, I started searching back in August for the perfect treat bucket to use to pass out Halloween goodies. I came across this one but then I saw the $32 price tag I did a double take.

source

Any other year I’d pay that in a heartbeat, but this year we have way too many furniture/home decor purchases to justify that price for a bucket I’ll use once a year. So I headed over to Pinterest confident I could find something just as cute that I could make for half the price.

Of course, Pinterest had no problem providing me with more than enough inspiration.

source

I ended up using this picture to recreate my own.

source

And came up with this.

Quick, easy and best of all cheap. The entire project cost $16 and was completed, start to finish in under 30 minutes. If you have a Cricut and can make your own decal, you'll save a few extra dineros.

Here’s what you need:

Ribbon – I bought one 3-yard spool from JoAnn’s at 50% for $2.00

Bucket – I found the perfect sized plastic one in the Halloween section at Target for $6.00

Decal – Ordered a custom decal from an Etsy shop for $8 (two parts: pumpkin & text)

Drill – borrowed the hubs’

The only real effort was drilling the holes in the bucket for the ribbon. This actually took real muscles so I had the hubs drill the holes with the biggest bit (about a 1/2 inch) that he had.

Choose how far or close apart to drill the holes; I drilled mine about 2 inches apart. Weave the ribbon through the holes and then tie a big ‘ole bow. Place the decal on the bucket.

And voila! Fill with candy and you’re ready to greet trick or treaters.

So far I haven't given in to the chocolately goodness, but the hubs has!

CVB

P.S. - I ordered the boots I mentioned here in both Cognac and Brown so I'll be sure to give you a full report when they arrive later this week.

Frugal Fashion: Frye Boots

2011-10-21T10:30:00.001-04:00

I am head over heels, gaga over the Frye Melissa Button boots. But I'm not so in love with their price tag.

So I started searching for a more wallet-friendly alternative to the droolworthy Frye and stumbled upon this lovely.

Enter the Merona Kasia Boot at Target.

It comes in Cognac, Dark Brown AND Black.

It's leather.

And the best part?

It's only $69.99.

With free shipping.

Too good to be true? Quite possibly -- the reviews are mixed on Target's website. But with free shipping and easy in-store returns what's a girl got to lose?!

Has anyone purchased these? If so, what's your take?

Happy Friday!

CVB

Why Hello! Catch Up in Pics

2011-10-20T12:54:00.000-04:00

Let's just forget I've been MIA for the last 8 months or so and get on with it, shall we? Here's a brief recap of the goings on before I dive back into regularly scheduled blogging.
April - we visited Seattle and Vancouver, BC for almost a week. It is by far one of our favorite cities, right behind Nahsville of course. And if you are a seafood, sushi or mac n' cheese lover like myself, Seattle is a must!

Grouse Mountain - Vancouver, BC

Beecher's Famous Mac n' Cheese

May

Annual family vacation to Duck, NC (in the Outer Banks), hubs and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary with one heck of a celebration at the Washington Monument(!), and we put the final touches on our condo in preparation for putting it on the market.

June

Weddings, birthdays, summer fun and putting our teeny, tiny, under 700 sq. ft., condo on the market FSBO!

July

Under contract on our condo and a surprise birthday trip to the beloved city of Nashville complete with a scavenger hunt around town to reveal surprise visitors

My little sis

The. best.bananas.foster.french.toast.period.

The big 2-8 at one of our Nashville favorites, the Stock Yard

August

Hubs' last birthday before the big 3-0, closed on our condo (!), found a new, much bigger, home, moved our stuff to storage, wedding

September

Football season! Pumpkin spice lattes, lots of home/furniture purchases, winery visits, and best of all the arrival of our 2nd nephew!

I'm excited to get back into the swing of things and document our life! Happy fall y'all!

CVB

Yum Endorsement

2011-02-03T09:48:00.002-05:00

Run, do not walk, to your Trader Joe's store and pick up a box, or 10, of these. I was looking for a small treat to satisfy my nightly sweet tooth cravings and man did I hit the jackpot.

We've already almost finished the box I bought on Monday. If you don't have T. Joe's I'm really, really sorry! I would mail you all a box if they wouldn't melt!
cBv

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Deal Alert

2011-02-01T09:56:00.001-05:00

Are you like me, almost to your 5 year wedding anniversary and still staring at your wedding pictures in the book instead of beautifully hanging somewhere in your humble abode?

Well not anymore and it wont cost an arm and a leg.

Zulily, just like Groupon, LivingSocial, One Kings Lane, Rue La La, etc. but primarily geared towards moms, babies and kids, is featuring Image Canvas.

You can get a custom 16x20 canvas and a 5x7 canvas for $39. It gets better. Me being the cheapo that I am found a coupon code for $10 off. So make that $29!

Need an invite?
http://www.zulily.com/invite/cberna509

Coupon code: 'babies10'

Looks like I'll finally have a wedding pic hanging by our fifth anniversary!
cBv

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Snow Day Warmth

2011-01-27T11:28:00.000-05:00

If you're in the Northeast you're more than likely snowed in and {hopefully} enjoying a snow day. I didn't manage to get a full snow day but did managed to get off early yesterday and a delay this morning. I had grand plans to clean, organize and declutter our house but I'm just thankful we didn't lose power, many in ARL did, and I got to sleep in a little.
Here's one of my newest favorite song, by two of my all time favorites, the perfect pick-me-up to beat the winter blues.

Knee Deep

Zac Brown Band featuring Jimmy Buffett

And a hearty, easy recipe to warm your belly.

Chicken Pot Pie

(adapted from Bisquick's recipe)

2 cups frozen veggies, thawed

1 cup cooked chicken (I cheat & buy a rotisserie chicken from the store)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

3-4 potatoes, washed, peeled & diced

For veggies: I use 1/2 can of corn, 1/2 can green beans, frozen peas, frozen okra, fresh (cooked) celery and carrots, 3-4 medium potatoes

Instead of using the Bisquick, which is good, I use 1 can of Pillsbury Grand bisquits bc they're more flavorful than Bisquick.

*if you're not using Bisquick you don't need the egg & milk.

Cook chicken & fresh veggies, if using.

Drain veggies.

Place the chicken and all veggies in large bowl.

Add cream of chicken with 1/2 can of water and mix together.

Pour mixture into a casserole dish to bake.

Seperate/peel apart the bisquits (I seperate 1 bisquit into thirds) and layer on top of the veggies & chicken.

Bake at 400 degrees for 35-45 minutes.

*You may need to cover w. foil towards the end to avoid burning/browning the bisquits/Bisquick.

DC Ladies - I didn't think it could get any better but Fornash is having an even better sale, this week only, the entire store is 40% off!
Stay warm & cozy.
cBv

Amazon Deal Alert

2011-01-19T09:37:00.001-05:00

Living Social is offering a $20 Amazon gift card for only $10! And it doesn't expire. Get it before it's gone.
cBv

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sale Alert

2011-01-12T14:46:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite local boutiques, Fornash, is having a big sale this week (through Saturday).

Fornash is having 30% off everything, including sale items.

It's one of favorite stores for cute and fun jewelry, handbags, accessories and gifts. Check them out and while you're there grab a Georgetown Cupcake. Happy Shopping!
cBv

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Cleaning Out the Pantry Part 2

2011-01-10T09:30:00.001-05:00

After taking inventory of our ‘pantry’ this weekend, which is really one cabinet and shelves hanging on the inside of our teeny coat closet, I realized one imporant thing: I buy way more gallon-sized Ziploc Freezer bags than we could EVER use.

Here’s the inventory:

Pasta
2.5 boxes whole wheat spaghetti
1 box whole wheat rotini
1/2 bag egg noodles
1 box manicotti
2.5 jars Ragu Sauce

Veggies
Black Beans – 1 can
Black Olives – 1 can
Green Beans – 4 cans
Corn – 2 cans
Cream Corn - 1 can
Chicken Broth – 3 cans
Mandarin Oranges – 1 can
Chestnuts - 1 can
Green chiles - 1 can
Rotel - 4 cans
Cranberry Sauce - 1 can
Pumpkin - 1 can
Cream of Chicken Soup - 4 cans
Stewed Tomatoes - 3 cans
Velveeta Mac & Cheese

Freezer/Fridge:
Ricotta Cheese – 2 containers (manicotti)
Venison Roast – hello, crock pot recipe!
Ground Venison – Lasagna? Meatballs? Burgers?
Chicken Tenders – easy, lazy weekend lunch
Lean Cuisines – lunch @ work
Sweet Potato Fries – 2 bags, easy, lazy weekend lunch
5-Cheese Tortellini – easy, quick weeknight dinner
Frozen Shrimp – Shrimp tacos, of course!
Frozen Okra – Brunswick Stew
Frozen Peas – Pastas
Frozen Green Beans – Soup
Whole Wheat Tortillas - shrimp tacos
T. Joe's Organic Brown Rice
Chicken Breast (3)

Sauces, Etc.
T. Joe's Pineapple Salsa - 1 jar
T. Joe's Bruschetta
Hooter's Wing Sauce
T. Joe's Tapenade
BBQ Sauce
Spicy Dijon Mustard

And here’s the breakdown of how it'll all be used:
Gina’s WW Baked Chicken w. Dijon & Lime
Gina’s Chicken & Pineapple Quesadillas (tortillas, pineapple salsa)
Mom’s Brunswick Stew (okra, corn, chix broth, frozen green beans)
Spinach, Tomato & Mushroom Manicotti (manicotti, ricotta cheese)
Shrimp Tacos (shrimp, black beans, pineapple salsa, tortillas)
Tortellini w. broccolini & peas (5-cheese tortellini, frozen peas)& salad
Venison Pot Roast w. potatoes & carrotsShrimp w. Spaghetti (spaghetti, shrimp)
Chili (black beans, stewed tomatoes)
Chicken Pot Pie (cream of chicken, canned & frozen veggies)
Shrimp Stir Fry (shrimp, chestnuts, mandarin oranges)

Saturday we had chili for dinner.

Sunday I made chicken salad for lunch and tomato, mushroom & spinach manicotti with Greek Salad for dinner.

Recipes will follow. Look at this adorable craft room I stumbled upon this weekend at Ikea. I want one!

I'm praying the snow makes its way to DC tonight and gives me a snow day tomorrow!

cBv

Cleaning out the Pantry Part 1

2011-01-07T09:45:00.001-05:00

With every New Year comes resolutions, cleaning, organizing and simplifying, and re-establishing healthy eating goals. And so in keeping with the theme I thought now was as perfect a time as ever to clean out the panty {and fridge & freezer}. This means only grocery shopping for the necessities; produce, milk, meat & eggs and using, cooking and eating everything we have on-hand, with the exception of the bulk-sized containers of sea salt, spices and the like. I’ve wanted to do this for a while now but every time the thought crossed my mind it was just wasn’t good timing. Now that things have calmed down, I finally have the time to actually go through our pantry and take stock of what we have and choose recipes to ~~get rid of~~ eat all the food.

Enter the 3 ‘family size’ jars of pasta sauce, that were buy 2 get 3 free at the store, that have made a permanent home on the counter because they don’t fit in the pantry.

I’m curious to see just how long it will take us to clean out and start afresh. I’m hoping to buy even more organic this year and eventually transition to all organic. Thanks to Trader Joe’s (love that place), this will be pretty easy and even easier on my wallet.
Stay tuned for the inventory and some recipes; who knows what random foods we’ve accumulated.

cBv

What's for Lunch?!

2011-01-05T10:54:00.001-05:00

In an effort to get back on the healthy train, post-Christmas, and keep my resolutions, I'm wondering what y'all eat for lunch? Do you leave the office for lunch everyday or pack your lunch?

My lunches are pretty boring and semi-monotonous. I'm limited to a Subway, Perfect Pita, or deli within walking distance from my office. And lately I've been on a Subway kick.

If I pack my lunch it's either a Lean Cuisine or a turkey sandwich, occasionally I'll eat tomato soup. For snacks I usually pack carrots, cucumber slices, goldfish and Greek yogurt.

Is there anything fun, easy AND interesting I'm completely missing out on?! Suggestions welcome!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Here Comes 2011

2010-12-30T16:45:00.001-05:00

Once again, I’ve deserted this blog when life got crazy. Here’s to hoping 2011 will bring about a blog recommitment. In addition to documenting our life more frequently and being better about posting pictures, here are some of my hopes and exciting events we have to look forward to in the New Year.

Hopes & Wishes:
To successfully sell our condo
Travel to at least one – Napa Valley, San Fran, San Diego
Revisit Charleston and make it an annual girls’ trip
Attend a Bama football game at Bryant-Denny stadium
Run at least two 5k races, for fun & exercise, one with my mom
Cook more during the week
Adopt some new Crock-pot recipes
Conquer the art of my mama’s Italian Crème Cake & Apple Cake
Master the Nikon D5000 – that’s been sitting in its case way too much (Project 365?)
Finally have a canning weekend w. my mom (hello pasta sauce)
Read more. I’ve collected some amazing reads this year and read none of them!
Be more disciplined about washing my face before bed
Add to my workouts by adding a class 2x week
Spend a day or two hiking at the cabin w. my dad (his 2nd love)
Grow in my relationship w. God
Lose control and live a bit more spontaneously
Host a holiday dinner!
Visit a DC museum, monument, attraction monthly

Looking Forward To:
Annual family beach trip in May
Celebrating our 5th year of marriage in May
Relocating to a new city (agreeable by both parties!)
Charity Galas, specifically Artini (if you’re in DC/NOVA, go!)
Volunteering w. the USO and St. Jude
More girls’ dinners
The safe return of my bro-n-law from Iraq in April!
Winery weekends w. the hubby – King Family, Sweely, Horton, some of our VA favs
Traveling

*I'm a day late and a dollar short. I had this scheduled to post yesterday as we were en route to Nashville but it didn't cooperate.

I hope you all had a fabulous new years and wish you blessings in 2011.
cBv

LBDs for the Holidays

2010-12-06T11:16:00.001-05:00

This weekend I scored not 1 but 2 cute dresses for upcoming holiday parties! Not only are they cute but I can wear them to other events, weddings, etc. we have coming up in 2011. And the best part? They were $62 and $65 each thanks to a "sweet treat" promo that the Limited was offering in addition to the 30% off. If you need a fun dress I would highly suggest checking out the Limited. Happy Monday!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Christmas Cheer!

2010-11-23T15:00:00.002-05:00

Christmas prep is already underway in our house. I've managed to pick up some cute new ornaments for the tree and have been scrouring the interwebs for steals and deals. There is one area though where I've been slacking - our annual Christmas card. Since getting married in 2006 we've sent out a photo card each year. I like the idea of a photo card because there's something warm and cozy about seeing your friends, family and favorite kiddos faces when you open up a card. It's especially fun to see pics of loved ones that you don't get too see that often due to distance.

This year I've got my eye on quite a few adorable cards from Shutterfly. In fact, I'm having a hard time choosing which card to use! I tend to pick something traditional but this year I'm all over the board. I always send a folded card because they stand up easily, and I love how Shutterfly offers both folded and flat photo cards.

Here are a few I have my eye on.

Shutterfly has hundreds of holiday cards to choose from. You can check out their full collection here. In addition to cards they also have photo books, which make great gifts, calling cards, stationery such as gift tags and tons more. They're also offering free shipping for orders over $25, score!

Now I just have to coax the hubs into doing a photo shoot for the perfect photo to adorn our cards.

cBv

Swooning for KS

2010-11-23T10:45:00.002-05:00

I've been on a never ending search, for what feels like forever, for the perfect black bag. I want something that's trendy but classic, leather, functional and has pockets. My last couple of trips to Nordy's and the like have left me feeling hopeless.

Until Friday rolled around. And I got a bit bored at work. So I decided to venture over to Kate Spade dot com. A week prior I went to the KS outlet feeling confident that I'd find the perfect black bag and was mistaken. But lo and behold KS didn't fail me twice.

SWOON!!!!!!!

I'm so in love. But heartbroken over the price tag. I need a friends and fam discount stat.

I'm just praying Santa surprises me because it's taking every bone in my body not to give KS my credit card and bring this baby home!!

cBv

Amazon's $5 Mags Are Back

2010-11-22T11:49:00.000-05:00

Amazon is offering $5 magazine subscriptions again this year! This makes a perfect stocking stuffer.

So far the following mags are included in the sale. Hopefully more will be added like last year.

More magazines can be found here.

Happy Shopping!

cBv

Bloggy Break

2010-10-07T09:30:00.002-04:00

Life has been uber crazy for me. Lots going on in my little world and to add to it some travel for work. I'm going to take a little hiatus from blogging but don't fret. I'll still be reading and commenting. Actually I'm not sure what I'd do w. out all the reading material and good company!

I shall return. I'm leaving w. a snapshot of a banner I recently made. The 2nd strand that says "Treat" but I don't have a pic of the finished product but you get the idea.

Have a fabulous fall and enjoy all the perks that come with it, like Pumpkin Spice Lattes, fall festivals and my personal favorite comfort, my Uggs.

cBv

Sneak Peak

2010-09-28T10:56:00.001-04:00

I'm so sad the wedding weekend is over, it was absolutely A-mazing! But it has freed up some time for me to focus on other things that have been on the back burner. I've fi

nally started uploading and organizing our pictures from Greece and now the wedding.

Here's a preview of what's to come.

More to come! Have a fabulous Tuesday lovelies!

cBv

P.S. - Bloomie's Friends & Fam starts today (online). Promo code FALLFRIEND at checkout.

It is Written!

2010-09-22T10:37:00.000-04:00

My maid of honor speech for my sister's wedding on Saturday is FINALLY complete! I've been sweating this task for months and after many tears, prayers, sleepless nights, Tylenol PM and deleted drafts it's officially printed, packed and perfected.

Thank God!! Now I'm just freaking about speaking in front of a huge crowd {can we say panic attack?!} Hello liquid courage!

I'm hoping to avoid this reaction at all costs.

I'm on my way home to spend the next few days with family and sister enjoying our final days together before she becomes a Mrs and moves to Colorado w. her beau to begin their new life together. I can't believe MY little sister is getting married!!!

Wish me luck and say a little prayer for me. I'll be back next week with a full recap and pictures!

cBv

I Puffy Heart Tarjay

2010-09-17T11:10:00.000-04:00

This morning I ran into Target on my way into work to grab a few things and I couldn't help but take a detour enroute to the card section to get a glimpse of the new fall fashion. And oh my! I never have a problem finding one or two cute pieces but this time I found at least ten items that are now being added to my must have list.

I'm leaving work today and heading right back to Target to snatch up these favorites before they disappear!

Merona Ponte Tab Waist Dress - Oxygen Blue

Merona Balson Dress

This one has a really cute chain detailing, which you can't really see in the pic.

Glaze by Adi Faux Suede Platform Bootie

Target makes it uber difficult to save pics to upload to Blogger so you'll just have to take my word on the cuteness. The best part? Nothing was over $39.99!

I'm thinking a trip to the pumpkin patch may be be on this weekend's agenda, that is, if I can manage to knock out my speech for my sister's wedding next weekend. I'm itching to recreate this super cute polka dotted pumpkins that Imperfectly Beautiful made last year.

Have a fabulous weekend!

cBv

Blog Sale!

2010-09-16T08:56:00.001-04:00

I've been cleaning out my closet to make way for some new fall items. That means blog sale! Smoke-free, pet-free home. All items must be paid for within 24 hours of receiving email confirmation or it will be offered to the next bidder. Shipping is a flat rate of $6 and I will combine shipping for multiple items. Email me at cherishberna {at} gmail {dot} com to purchase. Payment via PayPal. All sales are final. Questions, please ask.

Citizens of Humanity Kelly #001 Boot Cut Jeans

Size 28

Retail $180, Asking $70

NWT Banana Republic Cropped Jacket

3/4 Sleeves, Size XS

Retail $69.99, Asking $20

NWT Banana Republic Dress (navy, orange, brown)

Size 8

Retail $89, Asking $30

SOLD - NWT Lulu's Elsey Dress

Size Medium

Asking $20

Express Black, Strapless Cocktail Dress

Sweetheart Neckline, Worn Once

Size 8 (runs small)

Retail $90, Asking $40

Old Navy Stretch Pinstripe Blazer

3/4 sleeves

Asking $10

Lilly Fillies for Lillies Ruffle Skirt

Size 6

Asking $20

NWT Lilly Pulitzer Adley Skort

Multi Louie Print

Size 8

Retail $138, Asking $35

NWT Lilly Pulitzer Worth Shift

Size 6

Retail $178, Asking $95

Lilly Pulitzer Fountain of Youth Strapless Dress

Size 4

$35

Limited Black Knit Shirt

Size XS

$10

NWT Limited Black Tube Top (knit)

Size S

SOLD - Forever 21 Pencil skirt w. bow - worn once

Size Large

Aqua Seersucker Blazer - Steinmart

3/4 Sleeves

Size

$10

NWT Limited Ruffle Cami

Size M

NWT Nine West Aqua Clutch

Retail $24.99, Asking $12

NWT Vera Bradley Jazzy Clutch

Loves Me Print

Retail $45, Asking $15

Coach Monogrammed Clutch - used once

Retail $98, Asking $25

Down to the Wire

2010-09-15T09:15:00.001-04:00

See this crazy, cute, cool chick?

She's getting married to this guy in oh T-10 days!

And this freak, hot mess of a Maid of Honor is spazzing out.

{I can't believe I really posted this!}

You see I blog and write for my job and they're fully aware of both, and are expecting one mamma jamma of a speech on Saturday, September 25th at approximately 7pm. And what do I have?

I'm losing sleep and constantly focusing on it. So if you think of it, say a little prayer for me and my lack of speech writing material. I even went home this weekend to jog my memory by going through old photo albums and I'm still scrambling!! Whoever thought that writing about your best friend and someone you've known for 23 years would be so hard!

Side note - that scary self portrait is me trying out the Boscia Black Mask that Pretty In Pink Megan raved about here. So far, I love it.

Don't forget, blog sale here tomorrow!!

cBv

Review - Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure

2010-09-14T09:25:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago while perusing the cosmetic aisles at Tarjay I stumbled upon Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure system. The polish claims to offer all 3 steps of a traditional mani {base, color, top coats} in one redesigned bottle.

Sally offers a color almost identical to OPI's Bubble Bath and Sweet Heart so I decided what the heck.

When I sat down to paint my nails the first thing that made me do a double take was the brush.

Unlike regular polish brushes Sally's brush is a bit shorter and thicker. It also has a tapered, rounded edge and wasn't as flexible. I overcame the shape and painted on.

The end result was a craptastic paint job leaving me wishing I had left my You Don't Know Jacques color alone.

Pros:

- my nails do feel slightly stronger (the Complete Manicure polish claims to have a strengthener in it)

- price is comprable to a bottle of OPI or Essie polish ($7)

- good variety of colors

Cons:

- tricky rounded brush makes applying polish a pain in the bootie, ending in a redo

- left my nails with a spotty, unsmooth finish

- finished color looks like a matte polish, clear top coat needed

Have you tried out the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure? If so, what did you think? I'm curious if I should give this another go, maybe in a different color.

Don't forget about my blog sale on Thursday! Be sure to check it out.

cBv

Come and knock on our door

2010-09-13T11:42:00.001-04:00

This has got to be one of the THE most random blog posts ever. My husband is constantly amazed at how random I can be. And because I amaze him so much he often makes me 'retrace' my thoughts to explain to him how on earth I ended up on said topic. And what on earth made me think of Three's Company?!Anyways.

Being a 'condo' owner versus a 'home' owner severly limits home decor, landscape opportunities, etc. We can't deck the halls w. holiday lights or those tacky plastic moving reindeer unless of course we trimmed the hallway, something I'm sure my neighbors wouldn't appreciate it. One way that I can express myself or our home is through wreaths. Good old wreaths.

And since I'm kinda a scrooge when it comes to fall I thought maybe if I found a pretty, fun fall wreath it might make me welcome fall a bit more instead of shooing it away.

I know the humidity is not enjoyable, but I really love the heat and sun beating down. What can I say, I'm a summer girl.

This last one is by far my favorite. How fun for a house full of kids or a teacher? Someday...have I mentioned my hubby wants 6? Yes, 6. That will not be happening!

I still haven't found the one yet. I'm hoping I can find one wreath that can span the entire fall season. All of these creations can be found on Etsy. I didn't add the links but I did add them to my Etsy favorites so if you're dying to know where to buy, email me.

In other news, 3 days before we left for Greece our washer broke. And it was going to cost $500 to repair. Not worth it. So we used our neighbor's washer to get us through and finally had time to price and shop for a new one. A new washer & dryer turned into replacing all of our appliances. We were planning to replace all but not this soon and not after a month of travel. But it was too good of a steal to pass up.

Yay for a fifth burner on the stove to cook giant pots of soups, chili and stew! We're one step closer to getting our place ready to sell in the spring. All that's left are hardwoods.

Greece was absolutely, hands-down amazing. I need to get my pics in order and then do a recap, or 20. The food was slap your mama good. I ate enough olives and greek salads to last a lifetime. The views and sunsets were out of this world. We are so blessed to experience it and will definintely be going back.

Stay tuned for a mega blog sale later in the week! Including Citizen for Humanity jeans, Coach, Lilly, Banana, shoes (NIB), etc.

cBv

Crushin'

2010-08-23T10:19:00.000-04:00

Charleston was absolutely amazing, except for the insane humidity {and I thought VA was bad!} but we didn't let that get the best of us!! It was such a fun girls trip and my sister was totally suprised.

We started off our morning on Saturday with pedis and I discovered two new polishes that I just had to share.

Essie Saint Lucia Lilac

Essie Saint Barths Blue

I'm not normally and purple and blue polish kinda girl but these two colors won me over.

I also discovered this amazing band while in Charleston. They. rock. and play everything from rapping Nelly to belting out Springsteen. Total crowd pleasers.

Very sad I'm no longer in Charleston but excited for Greece in 4 days!

Hope y'all have a good week!

cBv

Charleston Bucket List

2010-08-20T10:45:00.005-04:00

I'm en route to Charleston for my sister’s bachelorette weekend. Next up, Greece in 6 days (If my passport ever arrives, God willing)!! I’m so looking forward to a girly weekend full of gallons of sweet tea, non-existent in DC, ~~w. or w. out Firefly~~, southern cuisine, shopping, cocktails, pampering and sun galore. Just for kicks I’ve put together a bucket list for this sweet city.

Try fried green tomatoes
Get my fill of hushpuppies…nom nom nom
Take a cheesy tourist pic in front of the pineapple fountain at Waterfront Park
Sip cocktails at the rooftop bar - Market Pavilion Hotel
Take a ride in a pedicab
Soak up some sun at Folly Beach
Find the best shrimp n’ grits around
Retail therapy at Affordables & Palm Avenue
Eat my way through the city by way of Macaroon Boutique, Magnolias, Fleet Landing, Hyman’s and Cupcake
Visit Magnolia Plantation

I leave you w. a picture of the cupcake toppers I made last minute to adorn the Funfetti cupcakes (my sister’s favorite) we’ll be enjoying.

I'm not even going to talk about how sad I am that summer is almost over. Unlike everyone else, I so CAN wait for fall to arrive. I like my flip flops, barefeet, sundresses, crab feasts and tomato sandwiches far too much to welcome cool temps and turtlenecks. Have a great weekend!

cBv

Catty Cat

2010-08-19T16:28:00.001-04:00

I tweeted this earlier today but it was too good not to share via le blog especially for anyone that shares my dislike for RHODC's British-bitty Cat, which is probably the majority of you.

could her face be any more frozen?

Dear Cat

via the Washingtonian
By Sophie Gilbert Published Thursday, August 19, 2010

Dear Ms. Ommanney (or should that be Davies, since you’ve split with your husband? Or can I dispense with the formalities and just call you Cat?):
When I first read that there was going to be a British character on the the Real Housewives of Washington, D.C., I was very excited. Because there aren’t that many British people in Washington and I didn’t have anyone to watch the World Cup with, and frankly it’d be nice to have someone in the cultural zeitgeist who knows about things such as cricket and Pimm’s and the importance of keeping one’s voice low while discussing things such as marital discord and hemorrhoids in public.
But now that I have actually made your acquaintance (i.e., seen you twice on television), I have begun to doubt that you are, in fact, an authentic Brit. Here’s why:

1. You’re horribly, unforgivably rude. Any well-raised Brit would rather spend a whole evening drinking battery acid than question his or her host’s quality of beverage (out loud, at least). My father once opened the same present (an excruciatingly boring book about airplanes) three times at a birthday party and never said a word to any of the givers. You know why? Because we’re raised to be polite, and politeness means that when you’re invited to sweet Aunt Frances’s house, you don’t swan in, demand a drink, and then make a face when your wine looks more like Salahi Chardonnay than Château Lafite. You accept what you’re offered and say thank you.
2. You’re unbelievably boastful. Common practice, when one is British, is to be humble about one’s achievements. This is something I admittedly found tricky when first moving to the United States. If someone compliments you on your appearance, you don’t smile and talk about how people mistake you for Angelina Jolie’s younger sister all the time. A more appropriate response would be “Me? I’m an absolute pig. My acne’s terrible, this sweater has a chocolate stain on it, and my husband calls me Plumpy.” When people ask you about your husband and the President, you don’t brag about how it was all thanks to Charles that Obama was elected, and how 43 actually responded to an invitation you once sent him. Instead, you embrace discretion. Which leads me to . . .
3. You don’t kiss and tell! It’s tacky. When you’re trying to persuade people that you’re an upper-class Brit who was raised properly and knows that the correct term is “riding,” not “horse riding,” don’t sell a story to the Daily Mail (the tabloid for rich people who are too stupid to read a broadsheet) about the time you snogged Prince Harry. It makes you look like a lush and, even worse, a cougar. Nobody likes the slovenly aunt who hangs around at family weddings and tries to grope the 17-year-olds—it’s embarrassing. And nobody likes a 34-year-old woman (I’m being generous) who tells the world about the time the six-foot-three prince took said fragile (98-pound) woman in his manly arms and kissed her. And don’t brag about the fact that you weigh only 98 pounds, because if this is true, I’m Cindy Crawford and Michaele loves Tareq for his personality.
Granted, there are a few authentically British things about you, such as your overwhelming passion for alcohol, your generic blond highlights, and your seeming inattentiveness to your children. But I’m disturbed that the above discrepancies mean that you’re giving British women a bad name. So please, hold off on the booze, be nice to people, and cut out the snotty attitude for a week or two. It’ll be better for everyone in the long run.
Kind regards,
Sophie Gilbert

I couldn't have said it better myself!

cBv

Help, please!

2010-08-11T10:00:00.003-04:00

So behind on life right now.

Last weekend the hubby surprised me with a trip to Boston for my 27th birthday! We had a great time and between the two of us we managed to plow through about 8 pounds of lobster while we were there. Needless to say I’m a bit over lobster for a while. But it was the most delicious lobster I’ve ever had and the weather couldn’t have been more perfect, sunny, 80s and no humidity! And it was the one time I didn’t bring a pashmina, cardigan or long sleeve shirt and actually needed one, go figure!

This weekend my mom, sister and I made the dreaded trek to New Jersey. I can confidently say that all three of us will never, ever be visiting that deplorable state again. My sister’s shower was nice but aside from that the entire trip was astonishing. The only good thing New Jersey has going for it is full service gas stations. Someone needs to send some southern manners and etiquette books their way. Thank God I was born with a mother who taught me how to act like a civil human being. The other humorous thing about Jersey is apparently black is the new blonde. My sister and I were pretty much the minority w. our blonde locks; to be cool in the dirty jerz you need black hair, fang-like neon nails and tattooed makeup, wowza! The only picture I have to show from the weekend is the Welcome to Virginia sign reassuring me I was back in my neck of the woods and boy have I never been so glad to be back on VA soil!

We leave for Greece in 16 days and I’ve yet to begin packing, organizing or compiling anything! I’m starting to freak. To complicate matters I’m out of town the next two weekends leading up to our trip so all of my packing and prepping has to be done during the week in between the gym, appointments, dinners, etc. Aye yi yi! I’m really hoping y’all can help me with this and give me some tips for packing. As I’ve mentioned before I’m a bit of a ‘heavy’ packer, usually stuffing a large suitcase for 3 days. Clearly I’m going to have to be extra efficient in how and what I pack.

So PLEASE help a sister out! I’ve been googling and reading various websites for packing tips and so far I’ve jotted these down:

• Pack extra Ziploc bags (in various sizes)

• Email myself a list of all the emergency/stolen credit cards #s to contact in the event a CC gets lost or stolen

• Email myself our travel itinerary and deets

• Use the roll technique for all clothes to maximize space

• Split up valuables - cash, travelers’ checks and credit cards in different pockets, bags and wallet. In case you do get robbed, at least you won't be strapped for cash (unless you have all your bags AND your wallet stolen of course!)

I’m not sure how I feel about the last one. I feel like it’s the perfect way to misplace valuable items. Thoughts on this one??

Seriously if anyone has any travel tips please send them my way! I’m trying to get my butt into gear for a blog sale to make space in my closet ~~for some new fall items~~ period, so stay tuned. I hope you’re all having a fabulous week!

cBv

And Now I'm Starving

2010-07-19T09:51:00.002-04:00

This weekend was huge in the B household. Not because we did anything uber exciting but we set 2 new records for ourselves.

1. We managed to eat e.v.e.r.y. meal at home this weekend, with the exception of Sunday brunch courtesy of my parents.

2. We went to the gym every day this weekend. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. AND on top of that, I had 2 of the best workouts ever.

Both of these things never, ever happen. You see we live within a 2-mile radius of at least 50 amazing, non-chain restaurants and we can walk 2-3 blocks in any direction to at least 20 or so of these. Therefore eating out is quite a temptation and normality for our lifestyle.

We've decided that in preparation for Greece we're going to eat out less frequently (with the exception of restaurant week) and hit the gym extra hard and watch even more so what we eat. Below are some of the yummy, but healthy, things we noshed on this weekend.

Shrimp Tacos/Fajitas

Yum, yum, yum! These have become regular weekly meals in our house because 1. they're healthy and 2. they're quick and easy. The original recipe came from Gina and is actually a Weight Watchers-Friendly recipe. Trust me, you'd never know it. We've tweaked it a bit for our liking.

Cilantro & Lime Shrimp, brown rice, black beans, cilantro, fresh pineapple, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, salsa = low-fat, high protein taco!

Healthy Substitutes:

avocado instead of guacamole

brown rice instead of white rice

whole wheat tortillas instead of flour tortillas

Homemade Mozzarella, Proscuitto & Tomato Pizza

This recipe originated from VA Belle and it is delicious, I'm so glad she shared. The best part is that we saved time by using T. Joe's whole wheat pizza dough.

T. Joe's whole wheat pizza dough, fresh basil, EVOO, mozzarella cheese, homegrown tomatoes (fresh from my granny's garden), proscuitto.

Healthy Substitutes:

whole wheat pizza dough instead of regular pizza dough

non-fat mozzarella cheese instead of mozzarella cheese

extra virgin olive oil instead of veggie oil or canola oil

4-Cheese Tortellini w. Alfredo Sauce

This was definitely the least healthy meal we ate this weekend, but it was quick and easy and I spruced it up w. some sauteed veggies and a salad.

Fresh cheese tortellini (store-bought)

Alfredo Sauce (light)

Healthy Additions:

added: sauteed peas, tomatoes & broccoli

When cooking pasta we only buy/cook whole wheat pasta so this is a splurge, however, I've had zero luck finding pre-made/fresh whole wheat pasta in stores. Has anyone seen pre-made wheat pastas?!?!

As for exercise and working out, currently I'm loving these things at the gym.

cBv

My Big, Fat Vacation!

2010-07-16T10:12:00.000-04:00

Well, it's official! In 41 days the hubby and I will be here

Our flights are booked and we're finalizing all of our accomodations and activities. I cannot wait! If you have any recommendations on place to see, stay or things to do in Athens, Santorini, Crete & Mykonos I'd welcome them.

My biggest fear...how I'm going to pack everything for this trip. The last time I flew, was for a business trip, for 3 days, to San Antonio, by myself, and my luggage was 4 pounds over the weight limit!! Let's just say I have a little problem with packing the essentials and not my entire closet!

Speaking of my closet...the Nordy's sale this morning was a success. Have a great weekend!

cBv

Watch Out!

2010-07-15T10:37:00.001-04:00

Umm, is anyone else as excited as I am for Nordy's Anniversary Sale that starts tomorrow?! There are quite a few pieces I plan on snagging from the catalog and of course I'm sure there will be plenty of unplanned purchases as well {I know my hubby will be oh so thrilled...}.

My birthday is at the end of the month and I've been trying to decide what I want to mark my 27th year. I'm trying to be rational and pick something that 1. I need and 2. will use or keep for years to come. Lately I've been on a watch kick. I definintely hit phases and will wear one everyday for months and then go without for months. I've always had fashion watches but never a really nice dress watch, but not too dressy. I want it to be versatile enough to wear on a daily basis. Of course, I'd love a Michele or TagHeuer but that just won't be happening so I've moved on and am considering these.

love this {now} but somehow it doesn't seem very practical

And just because

oh my...

As you can see I'm not partial to any particular shape. I feel like it might be wise to get a two-toned watch so that it matches all of my jewelry but I'm not sure. Does anyone have any recommendations on brand, style, color, etc.? I'm all ears!

Thank God it's Thursday, I'm looking forward to the weekend and dinner tonight w. friends!

cBv

Let's Talk Paper

2010-07-14T10:23:00.001-04:00

So you know I have just a teeny, tiny obsession with paper, stationery, penmanship and everything in between. And I'm a firm believer that there isn't an excuse in this world for not taking the time to hand-write a thank you note, no, an email does not suffice. But there are times when, even in my old fashioned mind, an electronic note or invitation is acceptable for certain things. For example, that last minute barbecue you're having next weekend or brunch with your best girls. If I had it my way, I'd send a traditional paper invitation for every dinner, barbecue, crab feast that I host/plan but my hubby might just ring my neck for spending money on "unnecessary" things.

Enter two of my favorite electronic stationery sites, Paperless Post and Pingg. Both sites offer free online invitations and stationery for all occasions. Paperless Post and Pingg both focus on bringing traditional paper stationery into today's fast-paced world to allow members to send thoughtful, cute and personalized correspondence.

I often use Paperless Post to send a quick card to friends and family when it's last minute, unexpected or I don't have a card on hand. PP offers classic casual and formal cards for all occasions, cocktails to save-the-dates. I especially love PP because they offer personalized stationery, envelope liners in a rainbow of colors and designs, and when the recipient opens the card it looks like a paper card.

How cute is that?!

Pingg is a favorite for sending invitations, specifically. You can set up the invite so that you are emailed each time a guest responds, making it easy to track numbers and details. I often use this for impromptu dinners, cocktail parties, Mother's Day, Father's Day, girls' day, etc.

The next time you're in a pinch to send out a card, note or invite, don't fret, Paperless Post and Pingg have got you covered!

Completely unrelated - Banana Republic is offering 40% off today only, online. Enter code N1DYXWT1YYQ3 at checkout.

My sister's bridal shower was amazing and a huge success! I'm still sorting through all the pictures and will do a post in a day or two showing you all the girly, monogrammed details! For now, I'll leave you with a picture of the cake, which was probably the most delicious cake I've ever eaten, and the favors, monogrammed cookies!

cBv

Scrambled...

2010-07-09T09:12:00.000-04:00

I have a busy weekend ahead, unfortunately, I can't give details because sometime's a certain someone checks this blog and reads up. And my luck would be that today is that day! But I can promise there will be plenty of pictures and nitty gritty details to share next week. Lots of sweat, stress and tears have gone into tomorrow and I hope it all runs smoothly and one person in particular is pleasantly surprised. I can't wait!!

I had an appointment last night to get a new gel mani. This time I opted for the CND Shellac french mani. The salon I go to has both OPI & Shellac. I'm curious to see how the french holds up and to see if I have a preference for one over the other.

please excuse the blurriness!

Did anyone watch Big Brother last night? With Mr. James' drama I'm not sure if it was actually on or not. I hope not because Mr. Tivo didn't record it. Have a great weekend!

cBv

Time Flies When You're Having Fun

2010-07-08T10:03:00.000-04:00

Literally, I can't believe I've been MIA from blogging for 2 months, give or take. Well not completely, yeah I haven't blogged but I have been keeping up with my favorite blogs. It would take me a good month to bring you up to speed as to where I've been and what I've been doing. Let's just sum it up with it's been an insanely, crazy, busy, family-filled, party-planning, memories-made, amazing two months and a few pictures of the first bit. Of course, my beach pics have yet to be uploaded.

My sister's graduation, my soon-to-be brother-in-law's commissioning, two trips to NC, a week at the beach, lots of wedding & shower planning and the world keeps spinning.

In other news, I managed to squeeze in an OPI Axxium Gel Manicure a week and a half ago and have another appointment tonight. There's definintely pros and cons to these bad boys.

Pros:
- durability
- no chipping
- no breaking

Cons:
- quick nail growth

Although I love the bright colors and matching my toes, my suggestion is to stick with natural colors like Bubble Bath & French Manicure to extend the life of the mani and reduce your chances of looking like you haven't tended to your nails in months. Afterall, the whole point, in my opinion, of paying a bit more for the gel manicure ($30 at my salon) is to prolong the time between manis. I love the gels, but it's going to have to last more than 11 days to convince me to stick w. it instead of reverting back to traditional manis.

I promise more pics to come! I can't wait to get back into routine blogging & bring you up to speed with our summer happenings.
cBv

Day of Silence for Cohen!

2010-07-01T08:49:00.000-04:00

Sending thoughts, prayers and hugs to Megan, Brent and their family today!

cBv

2010 St. Jude Give Thanks Walk

2010-06-04T12:04:00.000-04:00

If any of you lovely readers live in the DC Metro area, I would love for you to join me to serve on the 2010 Give thanks. Walk committee. We are gearing up to plan another successful walk with high hopes of exceeding last year's inaugural efforts of raising $65,000! The Give thanks. Walk will be held on Saturday, November 20th. If you're interested contact me! I guarantee you will not only have lots of fun but it will be good for your heart, too!

Give thanks for the healthy kids in your life, and give to those who are not - Marlo Thomas

Have a wonderful weekend!

cBv

Almost Wordless Wednesday...Where in the World Am I?

2010-05-26T15:49:00.000-04:00

I shall return, promise!

cBv

Derby Day 2010

2010-04-30T10:01:00.000-04:00

What's not to love about Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby?

Good food, good company, excitement, big hats, pretty preppy sundresses, beautiful horses and mint juleps! Oh and crazy hats, too!

I LOVE betting on horse races. And w. no educated method to my madness, I'd say I do pretty well. As ridiculous as it sounds I base my bets on 3 things; the horse's name, the jockey's silks and how the horse actually looks. And I rarely pick the favorite.

So who's my winning horse for the 2010 race?

Noble's Promise

Here's to good southern food and good times! For you all you VA'ns that are headed to Gold Cup tomorrow, have a fabulous time!

cBv

New Man

2010-04-28T16:47:00.000-04:00

Did you hear about Sandra Bullock's exciting news? There's a new man in her life.

She's the proud mama to this beautiful baby boy, Louis. Good. for. her.

Take that Jesse James!

cBv

Steals and Deals

2010-04-28T10:36:00.000-04:00

Life hasn't slowed down a second...yet. Real quick, here are a few good sales you may want to take advantage of.

J. Crew

Monogram Chick

Buy 2 get 1 set FREE on all personalized recipe cards! Ends FRIDAY!

I totally took advantage of this sale!

Old Navy

15% off any purchase. Enter code ONGET15 at checkout. Ends Thursday!

One Kings Lane is featuring Waverly {through Thursday} and Three Designing Women {through Friday}!

How cute are those!

Some seriously good steals on stationery! If you need an invite to One Kings Lane, email me!

Made this last night for dinner and once again Gina didn't dissapoint.

Cilantro & Lime Shrimp

Hope y'all have a happy hump day!

cBv

Quickie

2010-04-26T13:06:00.000-04:00

Bullets seem to be a popular way to go lately as I seem to have limited to no time to do anything that is leisure or fun. Despite the gloomy forecast that was supposed to loom over NoVA all weekend it turned out to be quite an unexpectedly nice weekend. Here's a quickie.

Met the hubby for an early Mexican dinner at one of our favorite neighborhood spots, Mexicali Blues. Ate outside and enjoyed an overdue pina colada, good conversation & nice weather.
ignore the random dude
Fat and happy I went to bed, by choice, at 9:40pm on a Friday, while watching RHNY. It. was. amazing!
Saturday - ventured to horse country, aka Leesburg, to do some shopping. It was a huge success and I managed to get lots of cute things for myself and some things for Mr. CPA.

Was pleasantly surprised to learn that Banana now offers organic cotton. Is this new or did I totally just miss the boat?
Saturday night we ate sushi at another favorite place and then checked out a new hangout in the 'hood.

Yesterday, we did boat loads of laundry, played tennis and I actually got some sun(!) and then I made a yummy delicious and nutritous new recipe, Baked Chicken w. Dijon & Lime.

photo courtesy of Gina

For such a crappy forecasted weekend, it sure did turn out nice. Did anyone run the GW 10-miler yesterday?!? Nashville pics are coming soon, I promise!

cBv

Cameras and Bling

2010-04-20T09:31:00.001-04:00

Last week Mr. CPA and I gave in and purchased a real mamma jama camera. I decided to settle (ha!) on this as my early anniversary present with the hopes that maybe, just maybe, the Lilly Cruiser will be waiting for me at the beach. Hey, a girl can dream, right?!

After exploring our options we felt that this baby was the one for us. We also seriously considered the Canon EOS T1i. As newbies to DSLRs, our trip to Nashville provided plenty of opportunities for pictures of memories made on our trip. The camera also was quite beneficial when we arrived in Nashville and I was surprised with tickets to Paula Deen's book signing (!!!) at Davis-Kidd Booksellers. I. was. ecstatic! I not only met Ms. Paula but I also met Michael as well. The hubs certainly knows how to make me smile. Pics to come, gotta figure out how to upload them! Our trip to Nashville was definitely a trip to remember!

Does anyone have a DSLR or Nikon? I'd love to hear any tips or tricks for mastering this fine piece of machinery and the secret to achieving gorgeous photos.

On a side note, Banana Republic is offering 40% off their jewelry for TODAY only! Enter "BRBLING" at checkout.

Also, Tervis Tumbler extended their sale through TODAY and is offering $2 off individual tumblers when you buy 4 or more. Code: EARTH. (Doesn't include sets!)

Happy Tuesday lovelies!

cBv

I'm Back!

2010-04-19T14:24:00.001-04:00

Well, I survived my Board meeting and made it back from Nashville, I'm actually sad I had to leave! I have a ton of blog reading to catch up on and I look forward to sharing my trip with y'all. Lots of exciting things happened in the past week, including meeting a Southern icon! Stay tuned! Hope you're having a fab Monday!

cBv

Tennessee State of Mind

2010-04-15T09:00:00.001-04:00

Have you seen Lady A's (Antebellum) take on Easton Corbin's single I'm a Little More Country Than That? I must say I was digging the original but I'm also loving Lady A's preppy rendition.

I love all kinds of music but my go to is county. Afterall, you can take the girl out of the honky tonk but you can't take the honky tonk out of the girl. Surprised? If you haven't checked out Lady A's new cd Need You Now, it's A-mazing! One of my favorite tracks is Hello World.

Happy Thursday! I'm out enjoying Music City and sipping on some sweet tea before my boring meetings begin!
cBv

ABCs of Me!

2010-04-13T09:44:00.000-04:00

I needed a mental break from work but didn't have much time to write a real post so I thought I'd enlighten you to 26 random facts about moi. I stole this from Brown Eyed Belle! Thanks lady!

A. Area Code: 540 - cell phone, residence - 571

B. Bed Size: Queen

C. Chore you hate: Cleaning le bain

D. Dog’s Name: Still begging & trying to convince the hubs but when the time comes his name will be Zappato

E. Essential “start of the day” Item: Hot Shower

F. Favorite Color: Navy & Pink

G. Gold or Silver: 90% Silver 10% Gold

H. Height: 5’7
I. Instruments you play: I played the piano by ear and quit (so mad at myself!)

J. Job: Event Planner, Philanthropist
K. Kids: Not yet but the magic number is 3 and I pray there's a set of twins!

via

L. Living Arrangements: NoVa craziness in a way too cramped condo!
M. Mom’s name: Annette
N. Nickname: Dear, C Bear, Willis
O. Overnight Hospital Stay: Never
P. Pet Peeve: pot holes (there's more holes than pavement around here), being called sweetie or honey by girls that are my age or younger!
Q. Quote from Movie: "We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup."

R. Righty or Lefty: Righty
S. Siblings: 1 younger sis
T. Time-you wake up: alarm is set for 6:40 but I snooze until at least 7:10
U. Underwear: Victoria's Secret
V. Veggie’s you dislike: lima beans
W. Ways/reasons you are late: I have nothing to wear

X. Xrays you’ve had: dental x rays & a bone scan
Y. Yummy food you make: Ribs, chocolate chip cookies (thanks to K. Belleicious)
Z. Zoo animals you like: monkeys

Brilliant me just checked and found out that there's a Hobby Lobby in the Nashville area. I'm most definintely making a special stop. Hopefully it lives up to all the hype!

Gap.com is having a 2 day sale and offering 25% off sale items. Checkout code is GAPSALE25.

cBv

Why Am I Complaining...Please Pray!

2010-04-12T13:34:00.000-04:00

I've been grunting and groaning since last week because work totally sucks right now prepping for this Board meeting in Nashville I have later this week (thanks to stupid staffers who can never meet a deadline!). Then the hubs got violently ill so I played nurse all weekend. Seriously though, why am I complaining?

I love when things are not going exactly my way God reminds me just how blessed I am. A childhood friend of mine's baby girl has been having trouble breathing since last week. Bless her heart she's been in and out of the hospital and they still aren't sure what's wrong. Why am I complaining?

Isn't she the cutest thing you ever did see!?!

Please say a prayer for Miss Sutherlynn Grace's quick healing and for her parents!

I hope all of you lovelies have a fantastic week.

cBv

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. - Proverbs 3:5-6

Anniversary Gift

2010-04-08T08:59:00.000-04:00

12-14 hour days at work have not been conducive to faithful blogging. I leave for a huge meeting in Nashville on Tuesday. The stress and craziness will officially end on April 18 and it can't come soon enough. In the meantime, I'm overdosing on lots of Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts egg white english muffins {which are delicious, who would have thought?!} and drooling over eye candy.

I'm thinking the hubby should forego traditional fruit and flowers for our wedding anniversary in May and instead treat me to one of these limited numbered beauties. It's the perfect gift since our anniversary is 3 days before our beach vacation and it still ties in the whole flowers thing.

Lilly Pulitzer never ceases to amaze!

I hope you're all having a much slower, less stressed week!

cBv

It's About Time I Show My Face

2010-04-02T10:13:00.001-04:00

I had no intention of being MIA for a week but life got crazy. Time to play catch up.

Artini was fabulous! We had a great time catching up w. friends we hadn't seen in a while. Here's a few pics. The cocktails were absolutely out of this world with creativity, deliciousness and absinthe (insert Edvard Munch's The Scream). And of course, the Corcoran's architectural beauty never dissapoints.

Should have listened to the hubs when he said I needed to go tanning...

Work has been crazy, I'm knee-deep prepping for a meeting in Nashville (T-12 days). But I did manage to get my hair did, indulge in a piece of heaven

(pineapple shake from THE best place to get ice cream)

make 1,259,349 trips to Tarjay to complete Easter baskets, take full advantage of outdoor dinners w. the hubs at fabulous restaurants and even win an award(!).

Much love to Pippy for thinking of me and spreading the love! You're too sweet, gotta love warm fuzzies, thanks lady!

1. Who is your style icon?

2. What is your favorite socialite lit. book?

Social Climbers by Beth Dunn

3. Favorite party theme?

via

4. Go to halloween costume

me, myself and I

5. Extravagance you can't live without

6. Living person you admire?

my parents

7. Greatest fear?

my mom leaving this world before me

8. Traits you deplore in yourself?

not being outgoing enough

9. What talent would you most like to have?

the ability to sing

10. What is your greatest achievement?

Running the St. Jude half marathon

Passing the love onto these fabulous ladies

Kitchen Belleicious

Brown Eyed Belle

A Classy, Southern Bride

Sweet Simplicity

Southern Cinderella

Short Southern Momma

Imperfectly Beautiful Life

If I Can't Wear Heels...

Barefoot in the Park

Monogram Chick

I hope all of you lovelies have a fabulous Easter weekend! Thankfully my office is closing at noon so I get to start my weekend early!

cBv

L.L. Bean and Baby Kenzo...Quite a Combination

2010-03-26T09:18:00.001-04:00

I'm not a big fabulosity fan but I find it mind boggling how I completely missed the fact that Kimora Lee Simmons is not only remarried but she also had a baby {boy} Kenzo! Did anyone else completely miss this(?), tell me I'm not alone! Sadly, I check out People.com almost daily for my dose gossip and still missed this. Had I not been channel surfing last night and glanced at her show I could have very well never known.

On a completely unrelated note, has anyone seen the "summer" L.L. Bean catalog? LLB has really stepped up its game and has quite a few things I just have to order. I'm really impressed and surprised.

I swear I'm not crazy and that these two items were pink, green and navy in the catalog...only 57 days until the BEACH!!

Take off an inch and we have a deal

I'm so glad it's Friday, this has been a long week. It's the first 5 day week I've worked in quite a few weeks. I know I live a hard life. We have two great events to look forward to.

Tomorrow night is Artini 2010! One of my favorite events to attend. The gala features 12 of the best mixologists in DC that compete to make the most artistic martini inspired by current works at the Corcoran. Dancing, cocktails, and great friends all while benefitting a great cause.

This weekend is also the Junior League of Washington's Tossed & Found event. Drink your cup of Martha Stewart and get ready to bargain shop.

Any exciting plans for you?!?! I hope all you lovelies have a fantastic weekend!

cBv

Gotta Love a Good Sale!

2010-03-25T14:28:00.000-04:00

Here are a few sales worth mentioning.

Kate Spade - extra 25% off all sale items through April 4th. (Applied at checkout.)

Bloomingdale's - Friends & Family started yesterday. 20% off almost all sale & regular priced items. Code: FFMARCH. Through March 28. In store & online.

South Moon Under - 20% off all swimwear & swimwear accessories. Code: SWIM20.

Does anyone use Groupon? If you've never checked it out I highly recommend it. You can get excellent steals on all sorts of things in your area, from restaurants to fitness classes.

Hope you're having a fabulous Thursday!

cBv

Paper, Paper Everywhere!

2010-03-24T10:04:00.001-04:00

I have a serious addiction that I've mentioned before. Paper. Anything paper. So much so that this weekend I opened a drawer to grab a thank you card and found my drawers overflowing. For some women it's shoes or bags, for me it's paper. Cocktail napkins, tissue paper, gift bags, gift tags, wrapping paper, place cards, the list goes on and on. I find myself always checking out the "sale" shelves at Tarjay, Hallmark, the Paperie, Papyrus, etc. and always snatching anything that is cute and a good deal, needed or not. My thought process when buying paper: it doesn't expire, doesn't go bad, and rarely goes out of style! The hubs just shakes his head. I think my addiction started as a child when my mother would pay me to wrap beautiful presents. A few Christmas seasons I even had my own little "business", wrapping presents for neighbors. So I guess my hubby can thank my mama.

For me, it's all about the presentation. It's as important as what's inside the box. I love making people feel special and to see them smile at the sight of a beautifully wrapped gift.

Here are some of my favorite stores and boutiques for all things paper.

The Stationery Studio
- love it because there's always a sale going on

Namemaker's

- love them for their personalized gift wrap and ribbon

Gifts In 24

My go to for these adorable notecards and personalized napkins

These in blush pink are a staple. Timeless, classic and super affordable ($35). Awesome gifts!

Great for showers & hostess gifts!

Papyrus

One of my favorite places to buy cards. Cards are always buy 3 get 1 free. {Target stores also carry a small selection of their cards.}

The Container Store

This place is heaven for lots of reasons, not just gift wrap. My go to for holiday wrapping.

And if you live in a shoebox, like I do, this store will be your best friend for maximizing space, hello Elfa!

Hallmark

LOVE their gift wrap! They have some really cute burlap, pink and green pieces right now in addition to super cute baby gift wrap.

I stocked up on the red & green houndstooth a couple of Christmases ago and use it year round.

And since I live in a shoe box, I'll dream about beautiful spaces to house my paper addiction until the day comes when I have space.

What are your favorite places to shop for stationery?!?!

Hope your Wednesday is fabulous!

cBv

Scent of a Woman

2010-03-23T09:06:00.000-04:00

Every girl has their trademark scent. For me there are two. I intermix them depending on the mood I'm in or the occasion.

Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey

{my original trademark scent}

Bvlgari's Omnia Crystalline

I love these two perfumes because they're light enough for everyday, yet fragrant enough that I stand out, in a good way, not in a OMG her perfume is making me gag kind of way. I also love them because I don't really know anyone that wears them, so they're unique. What's your trademark scent?

cBv

Winner Winner...

2010-03-22T09:45:00.000-04:00

The winner of the Garden Party Giveaway is....

Barefoot in the Park!

Congratulations! Email me with your initials and mailing address so I can get your tray personalized and send you your loot!

Sorry I didn't post the winner on Saturday, I was a bit preoccupied because of the gorgeous sunny weather!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2010-03-22 13:32:19 UTC

Happy Monday!

cBv

Sweet as a Cupcake!

2010-03-19T09:37:00.001-04:00

I'm anxiously awaiting when the clock strikes 4pm because my weekend will officially begin. The weather has been gorgeous here in VA all week and this weekend the sunshine and warmth will continue in the 70s! We have RIC friends coming into town tomorrow to visit and we are most certainly taking a trip to Eastern Market while the boys hit the driving range!! This will be the first for 2010 and my favorite shopping partner will be with me to kick it off. I can already taste the sweet lemonade! Yum!

This afternoon I have a date with these guys.

I have quite a few pieces around my house that need a new look and a few planters that I have to paint white to hold the ribbon topiaries for my sister's shower.

Since the hubs can't it meat, on Fridays during Lent, I plan on making this delectable dish for dinner

Spinach, Mushroom & Tomato Manicotti w. ~~Red~~ White Sauce

Sunday we're heading home to Cville! My mom and I have an appointment to finalize the venue for my sister's shower. Then it will be lots of family time and my mama's down home southern cooking. I have no idea what my mom has on the menu but I should be receiving an email or text in the next few hours asking for my requests. She's like a personal chef, constantly catering to everyone's wants. I swear the woman is Paula Deen's twin. Most definitely on my list will be my mom's homemade mac and cheese and sour cream biscuits.

After thinking about it it seems I have the perfect weekend ahead full of my favorite foods, good shopping and QT with my favs and the family, including my sister!!

Don't forget to enter my Garden Party Giveaway! I'm closing it tomorrow at noon (EST) and will post the winner shortly after.

Last night I babysat for my 2 favorite little guys. Along with lots of laughs and fun, the family always pays me well. But last night I was paid amazingly well. Not only was I paid in money but also in sweets. I was smiling ear to ear when she handed me cash and these 2 little boxes that make my heart skip a beat.

I was perfectly happy with 2 GC cupcakes but it got even better when I opened the box and my favorite was inside...Red Velvet!

I hope everyone has a cheery weekend and enjoys the sunshine!

cBv

All Over the Place

2010-03-18T10:06:00.002-04:00

Warning, this post is all over the place so don't fret if you're not seeing a pattern! Lots of little things to share with you that weren't worth a post of their own. Here we go.

Gap Give & Get Starts TODAY!! I love this program that Gap does each year. It's here again for only 4 days so get to it ladies. Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy are giving you 30% off your purchases until March 21st. And it gets better, 5% of your purchase will be donated to the charity of YOUR choice! The offer is good in-store and online. Unfortunately the online code is only good for one use but the in-store coupon is for multiple uses so if you're interested email me and I'll send you the coupon.

Yesterday I headed to the mall, St. Patrick's Day for me has a completely different meaning...shopping in peace! The mall was super quiet because all 1,397,324 other people were out drinking green beer. The trip was quite a success. I managed to grab my new spring bag and a bunch of clothes from The Limited, oh and some Cold Stone for dinner!

JPK Paris Pleated Satchel in Straw

I really want a bag that pops with color but because this bag was so functional that I decided to go with a neutral so I can wear it with everything. I'm hoping that the Kate Spade outlet has something bright for me.

Heads up Nordy's is offering TRIPLE reward points through March 21st!! Before heading out to the real mall yesterday I did some virtual shopping and managed to snag some great shoe deals at Nordy's.

Have you been to Target lately? How cute are these?

reminds me of

Love the new Park collection of melamine dishware.

Anyone a fan of the new Liberty of London collection? I wasn't that impressed with the clothes but some of the home goods were cute.

Don't forget to enter my garden party giveaway if you haven't already. I've decided to close the giveaway Saturday at noon (EST time)!

Have a fabulous sunny Thursday!

cBv

Garden Party Giveaway!!

2010-03-16T21:42:00.001-04:00

Are you as excited as I am?!?!
As promised, sick or not, it's time for my first giveaway in celebration of 100 posts (almost)! While trying to be original, incorporate a few of my favorite things and celebrate that spring is almost here, I decided what better theme to run with than a garden party giveaway! Below is the loot that will set you on your way to hosting a fabulous garden party w. your besties.

Garden Party Giveaway includes pink monogrammed serving tray, green lattice stationary, Caspari polka dot plates, Lilly Pulitzer Taboo Lunch Napkins, Table Cards & Drink Umbrellas.

Note: the tray will be MONOGRAMMED for the winner w. their initials.

Picture your mongram!

There's only 3 stipulations. 1. You must be a follower. 2. Leave a comment telling me who you'd invite to you garden party, what one must-have food must be served and if you could invite a celeb who would you extend an invite to. 3. Tell me what you would like to see more of on my blog. I'm keeping it easy, everyone will receive 1 entry. The giveaway will close when I post my 100th post (which technically will be in 2 days, i.e., 2 posts, but if you know me at all you know that you may very well have a week since it may take me that long to reach the 100th post!). Don't wait, get your name in now!

Thank you again to all you lovely ladies for hanging with me and getting to know me as I share a little glimpse into my life with y'all. I've truly enjoyed getting to know each of you through your blogs and I look forward to many more laughs, conversations and friendships!
Good luck!
cBv

Under the Weather

2010-03-16T14:14:00.000-04:00

I've been under the weather fighting off some virus since Saturday night. This is a pretty accurate interpretation of me, since I still sleep with my bear! That's a whole nother story for another day.

Not to worry though, I'll be back after my nap to post the giveaway!! Get excited!

cBv

Like a Rock

2010-03-15T09:11:00.001-04:00

This weekend we stepped out of our comfort zone and bucked up to the challenge of rock climbing with our neighbors. Let's just say our neighbor is a wonder woman. She's extremely athletic, so much so, that it was her idea to rock climb, 3 months preggers. It never phased her. I especially love hanging w. her because she challenges me to try new things that I would otherwise never dream of attempting. Here are a few pics of our adventure and my newest favorite exercise. It's too bad it was a little pricey because I could definintely get used to this as a normal activity. We had a great time, followed by a fun lunch. Many thanks to "baby momma" as her hubby calls her for showing us the ropes, literally!

Baby Momma...climbing the highest of any of us.

Stay tuned this week for my first EVER giveaway to celebrate 100 posts and for you lovely ladies for sticking with me!

cBv

A Big Piece of My Heart

2010-03-11T09:39:00.000-05:00

Warning: Overload & Sappiness Ahead!

As my IRL (in real life) friends already know, there is an organization that holds a very dear place in my heart, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. I normally try to steer clear of all things political and potentially controversial on this tiny blog; however, this is a cause that I am so passionate about all stipulations go out the window.

I became involved with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital my sophmore year of college. No, I didn't know someone that was a patient (thank God!), nor did I know anyone that worked for St. Jude. It was merely a car ride. A car ride that forever changed my life for the better. As I was driving to class one morning I was flicking through radio stations, trying to find something good to listen to. I stumbled across K95, the country station in Richmond, and immediately became completely engrossed in what I was listening to. It was a radiothon for St. Jude. It was my first encounter w. the organization, one at the time, I knew nothing about. The only commonality we shared was my love for kids. I absolutely adore kids, have been babysitting since I was 11 (yikes! looking back I can't believe parents left their children with an 11 year old!!) and still do (even though I have a full-time career!). There's just something so special about children and their unconscious ability to create such a positive and appreciated outlook on life, especially the small things us adults take for granted or all together completely overlook. I'm often asked why I still babysit and the God honest truth is not because I need the money (ok I do enjoy the extra funds to fuel my shopping addiction), it's honestly because the little munchkins make my day. They make me smile, laugh and forget all about stupid little problems or annoyances that make their way into my daily life. They put everything into perspective and remind me of what really matters in this crazy world. Okay, back to the story...so as I was listening to this radiothon, patients and families were sharing their stories, struggles and miracles. And I lost it. completely. I started bawling my eyes out and couldn't turn it off. As a "poor college student" I thought to myself what can I do?? I had to do something. I didn't really work in college, I nannied for a couple of families sporadically but I knew that even my measley earnings could contribute something. I immediately called in, on my caveman like Nokia phone, and became a Partner in Hope. I figured one less shirt a month wouldn't kill me. And Lord knows it was actually good for me! From that day on there was no turning back. I was hooked. The next year I emailed the radio station to find out how I could get involved with the radiothion. I volunteered to answer calls and take donations and it was truly an amazing experience. Yeah, I had to be there at 5am but it was so worth the feeling I had knowing that I'd done my small part to help those amazing kids who were suffering and fighting for their lives in Memphis in order to bring about awareness and raise money so that the lifesaving work at St. Jude could continue.

When I graduated and moved to Arlington I was sad thinking that my St. Jude days were over. Oh did God have a plan! We purchased a condo that is ONE block from the St. Jude regional office! ONE BLOCK! I couldn't believe it. And I was pysched to be able to get involved again. I started volunteering at the celebrity golf tournament, radiothons and joined Friends of St. Jude for DC. I loved every minute spent raising awareness and helping those precious kids. But my heart was itching to do more. Looking into other possible opportunities I stumbled across a St. Jude marathon and half-marathon. Oh H#*% no! There's no way. But there was. I put myself up to the challenge of running the St. Jude half and running it as a St. Jude Hero. And I hired a trainer, a good one. You see I. don't. run. period. My dad laughed, my hubby laughed, my friends chuckled and every odd was against me, heck I even laughed and doubted myself. But I believed that my passion for the cause would get me to race day and help me cross the finish line. It wasn't easy. To this day it was the hardest thing I've done in my life. When I started I had never run more than 1 mile in my entire life, and to run 1 mile nearly killed me. But through the pain, tears, temper tantrums and slacking off I made it to December 5, 2008.

Half way through my training was my 25th birthday. I decided what better way to celebrate a milestone birthday than to see one of the greatest places ever made, St. Jude. I told the hubby all I wanted was a trip to Memphis and to tour the hospital. July 30th was one of the best birthdays I've ever had. We arrived in Memphis with 2 large suitcases of toys and such that friends and neighbors had donated to the hospital for the kids. The tour was absolutely fascinating. I swear to you I was in awe. The entire time we were there I never once got a whiff of any hospital smell, which amazed me. Every person we passed in the hall had a smile on their face and aside from the sick kiddos being wheeled around in Radio Flyer red wagons it was the cheeriest place on earth. You don't even feel like you're at a hospital. It is amazing how they have transformed a place that can be so gloomy and sad into a comfortable and happy place for those kids. The trip was all the motivation I needed to finish out training and make it back to Memphis for the big day.

December 3rd we packed up and headed off to Memphis for my big moment of truth. My parents went with us as this was going to be a momentous moment for me. 5am came bright and early on December 5th and with it came cold and wind. What was expected to be a sunny day with mid-40 temps turned out to be a windy day with a kick-off temp of 31!!! I was freaking. But I peed 12 times, tied and retied my laces and got in that corral. Off I went. 3 waterstops, numerous texts to and from my trainer, multiple pictures of the scenery as I passed by, hugs from mom, dad and hubs, lots of runners jelly beans and 2 hours and 49 minutes later I ran into the Memphis Redbirds stadium and crossed the finishline. Yeah, my time sucked, I know. But you see all I wanted to do was finish. I didn't care how long it took. So I was a happy girl!

This year I was blessed to be a part of two wonderful committees, the Friends of St. Jude committee and the Give Thanks walk. The walk was a huge challenge as it was the inaugural year and DC was expected to do great things. Great things we did on November 21st. We ended up exceeding our goal and raising $61,000 and exceeding our participation goal of 400 people.

I tell you all this not to brag but to hopefully raise awareness about the wonderful things that the doctors and researchers at St. Jude are doing. When St. Jude opened in 1962, the survival rate for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common form of childhood cancer, was 4%. Today the survival rate if 94%!! And families at St. Jude are never asked to pay for treatments that are not covered by insurance, families without insurance are never asked to pay. The hospital and the organization are amazing. They do miraculous work and save lives everyday. I hope that I could offer just a glimpse into the miraculous place that St. Jude is for so many precious children!

For those of you that live in the DC metro area, today is day 1 of a two day radiothon for St. Jude. WMZQ 98.7 is hosting it and it will go through tomorrow. I urge you to tune in via the web or radio. The stories will touch your heart and make you really appreciate everything you're blessed with!

Give thanks for the healthy kids in your life, and give to those who are not. - Marlo Thomas

Love & Blessings!

cBv

Big Fat Baby LiLo

2010-03-10T09:09:00.004-05:00

I've never been a fan of Lindsay Lohan's and these days her antics aren't helping the recruiting effort. For those of you who haven't been tortured by this latest PR stunt, LiLo, ~~firecrotch~~, Lindsay, whatever her name is this week, is suing E-Trade for $100 MILLION dollars claiming they used her name in their latest baby commercial that aired on Superbowl Sunday. Give. Me. A. Break. Her argument is that the ad violates her rights under New York state's civil rights law. Could you be any more vague Miss Lohan? Perhaps every other Lindsay in the world should call their attorney and take legal action too. Because Lord knows they could have been referring to them. Sorry Lindsay, but this lame attempt for funds to fuel your cocaine and shopping addictions doesn't stand a snowballs chance in hell.

Quit being a mean girl and go back to being the cute, likeable Hallie/Annie.

BTW Amanda @ Serenity Now is hosting a progress party for decorating dilemmas. Even if you're not participating the party offers tons of decorating ideas and inspiration. Check it out!

cBv

So Close I Can Almost Taste It...

2010-03-09T12:37:00.000-05:00

+ =

cBv

Presto Pesto!

2010-03-08T09:03:00.000-05:00

This weekend was amazing! The sun was shining and it was in the 60s. Doesn't get much better than that. Well except for the delicious cupcakes the hubs and I devoured. They were SO worth the 30+ minute wait!

In pure St. Patty's spirit the hubs went for the Irish Cream and I tried the Lemon Berry. Both were fantastic. And of course we couldn't leave without the staples, Red Velvet and Chocolate Ganache. Yum!

We're doing a "clean out the fridge" week, or however long it takes, so I've been digging through my recipe box for lots of recipes, old favorites and some new ones I've yet to try. {Does anyone else do the clean out the fridge thing?} One of my favorite recipes that is quick, easy and delicious is pesto. Homemade style. Another reason I love it is because it freezes really well. {I'll make extra and freeze it in ice cube trays then store in a plastic container, and then you can just grab and go!} Here's the lowdown.

4 cups tightly packed of fresh basil leaves

1/4 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves of garlic (more or less depending on how much you like garlic)

¾ cup to 1cup of pecorino romano cheese (you can use parmesan, but it really just isn’t as good)

tew twists of fresh ground black pepper

dash of salt

Throw it all in the food processor and ta-da!

Speaking of food processors, does anyone have this little guy?

I L-O-V-E this thing. It's so easy to store because its teeny, yet big enough to do most jobs. I have a regular food processor but this is my go to. I love it and highly recommend it to anyone, especially you ladies that are soon to be married, add it to your registry. You'll love it, I promise!

I hope everyone has a great week! Yeah it's Monday, but at least the sun is shining!

cBv

Bunny Hop Swap From the Terrible Blogher

2010-03-05T15:26:00.001-05:00

I've been a horrible blogher this week and last. Work has been just a little crazy prepping for our upcoming Board meeting in Nashville and the fact that I've had nothing fun and exciting to talk about. Here's a run down of a few eventful things from the past week or so.

Found out my sister is moving to Colorado in October! Happy for her, but not happy about this at all. My fam is very tight-knit and this will be the first time our fam will be on two different coasts! We a 2 state family, VA & NC. Needless to say I've been a little down and out about this and pouting quite a bit. I love my future brother and my country but this MIL stuff is just not for me.
Spent last Saturday with our niece and my hubby's brother & sister in-law. It was great catching up w. them since our original plans for Superbowl were interrupted by the dreaded "S" word. Highlight of the day: we managed to peruse 2 floors of Crate & Barrel without having to pay for any broken items by a 2 year old!
My sis' save the dates were mailed out and the bridal shower location confirmed. Appointment w. the florist was quite interesting...we'll leave it at that until the next florist appointment!
Amazing girls day w. my mom and sis followed by a delish lunch and girl talk.
Found out my niece doesn't need surgery as originally thought, thank you God!
Snagged 5 new Lilly skirts & dresses in time for the warm weather and sunshine!
Reserved a fabulous suite complete w. terrace at the French Quarter Inn in Charleston for August!
Bought super cute stuff at Tarjay to begin filling my niece and 3rd cousin's Easter baskets.

I lead an oh so exciting life, I know. I also signed up to participate in the Bunny Hop Swap that Pippy's Perspective is hosting, thanks to Kitchen Belleicious for the heads up. I'm very excited about this! It's about time us adults get an Easter basket. Lord knows I hook my niece up w. fabulous goodies! Hopefully some of you lovelies will join in the fun too! You can get all the details by clicking on the pic in my sidebar.

I'm off to start my weekend a little early. I can't contain how excited I am about the gorgeous weather we're going to have this weekend! We're headed to a St. Patty's day party to watch the parade in Old Town courtesy of these adorable faces and their dad's prime real estate location for his office.

Then its off to Georgetown to stroll, shop, dine and devour one of these

I hope all of you have a fabulous weekend and are able to enjoy some of the beautiful weather that VA is getting! Thanks for sticking around even in my moments of complete disconnect and humdrum. I promise I'll be fun and exciting next week!

cBv

Takes the Cake

2010-03-03T09:27:00.000-05:00

My sis has tasked me with recreating this table for her wedding. Simple, yet stunning.

I will happily oblige.

cBv

Anything for Money

2010-03-02T10:33:00.000-05:00

Kate Gosselin's latest gig...

You've got to be kidding me! I used to enjoy this show.

As for the Bachelor, boo Vienna but yay for Ali being the new bachelorette!

cBv

Lilly Love and Sunshine

2010-02-25T11:19:00.001-05:00

I am on top of a pink and green rainbow right now! I snagged this dress for $108!!!! Yes it is authentic, yes it has tags, yes its brand new and yes 108 U.S. dollars! I've been eyeing it since the moment Mrs. LP introduced it for spring.

I've just totally gone and made my own week.

Other things I'm digging for my most favorite season of sun, fun, Firefly sweet tea and sand

And since I'm dreaming I'll take some new stationery too!

I think I have a thing w. wellies and rain because I found the most adorable polka dot rainboot vases at Homegoods for spring. Wish I had a snapped a pic! And I snagged this bargain from Garnett Hill.

What are y'all swooning for this spring?!?!

I think I'll go for a walk outside now the summer sun's callin my name...or work is!

cBv