i have died and gone...

...to idaho. yes, you read that correctly, idaho. this is what my heaven would look like, a rustic home at the foothill of snow covered mountains with a stream running right through the property. the color palette makes my heart race, the comfortable textiles bring a smile to my face, and the decor, well, it makes my palms sweat with excitement. the best part is it's a mother/daughter collaboration, although i think my mom and i might kill each other before the house would be completed.

yes people, this home, in elle decor this month, is my dream home...i would die and go to heaven for this house. read about it here...

the gift of a wild animal...

i know i've said this a million times before, but i LOVE LOVE LOVE sharon montrose, i'm sorry, i just do. if i could hire her to photograph my fur babies and my real babies someday i totally would, that's how much i LOVE her. her animal prints are the perfect holiday gift, and her shop is having a sale now thru december 10...so get on it people. i own 2 of her rooster shots myself, have given 2 some my lovely girlfriends as birthday gifts, and i just bought one as a gift for christmas for someone. fyi, if you have any friends who are pregnant her 'baby animals' would be a great gift for a nursery. i can't stop looking at them, i would buy them all, in large format if i was made of money....

sunny citrus bars, yumm...

not sure if i mentioned this, but i started a book group. we officially begin in january, fresh start in 2011. anyway, i'm the first host so besides making a few appetizers to munch on i was also thinking about trying this recipe, which i saw in coastal living, for the dessert. how yummy do these look? i am quite the baker these days...just call me betty, as in crocker...

advent calendar...

i don't have an advent calendar but have always wanted one. i think this would be the one i want. it's simple and to the point and i like that you get to wrap up the little gifts and place them in their respective day. saw it today on oh happy day, yup, that's the one i want...

last night...

...like every night, she slept in bed with us, like this...

holiday gift ideas...

as usual i am a total nerd on a friday night and have been watching hgtv's 15 fresh handmade gift ideas. i have to admit, i'm glad i stayed in tonight to watch this...some seriously great ideas, all from etsy, my favorite place to shop these days...

lip gloss from flourish bath & body

DIY wool felt rosette pillow from tadaa studio

dog beds from bow wow beds

wine stoppers from the small object

DIY cheese kits from urban cheese craft

she's a turkey lover too...

happy thanksging...

image courtesy of delish

there is much to be thankful for this year...

1. my friends and family
2. having a career i love
3. owning the most loving pets
4. having a safe roof over my head and good food to eat
5. keeping good health
6. finding love

and the list goes on...

mark your calendar pet lovers...

my new favorite store on newbury street is the fish and bone, seriously, can't get enough of this place. they have tons of super cool and fashionable collars & leashes, toys, outfits, gadgets & gizmos and beds galore. but what i love about it most is that they have an actual photobooth in the store so you can take pictures with you & your pet...genius! make sure you stop by on sunday, december 5th to have your pets picture taken with santa, penny and i will totally be there!

check out their facebook page for all their updates!

meet erin...

have you ever had a friend that you were so close to that you often considered them family? well that's erin to me. we are friends from high school, so friends for over 16 years to be exact. in fact, we tried to become legit family once by setting her single mother up with my single dad...we thought we would have the most amazing wardrobe of clothes between us and each of our sisters...but that didn't work out. so she made me her first child's godmother instead, and now we're related (sort of)!


erin's the kind of friend who tells you like it is, doesn't sugar coat the hard stuff, but will support you in any decision that you ultimately make. she's dealt with a lot of crap in her short 30 years on this planet, so she's tough as nails on the outside, but soft and gooey in the middle. she's a super wife, mother, daughter, co-worker and friend...sometimes i don't know how she manages it all. she'll definitely be my private authority on being a wife, mother, house owner, etc since she knows EVERYTHING ABOUT EVERYTHING. seriously, once i thought my dogs eyeball popped out because i couldn't see it in her head and i was about to take her to the animal hospital when erin says 'oh, that's just her inner eyelid'....what? inner eyelid? how come i've never heard of such a thing? wouldn't i look like a total asshole showing up to the ER with my dog if she hadn't told me that? and how the hell DID she know that? see, she knows EVERYTHING.

i don't see her, or my goddaughter, enough. i think that's going to be one of my new years resolutions for 2011. but i am thankful that she married a guy who lived in massachusetts so that they are less than an hour away from me. i probably don't tell erin this enough, but i am proud of her, and hope that someday i am half the woman she is. i love her for all that she does for me; listening to me vent, offering me sound advice, trusting me to love her child as much as she does, making the effort to stay in touch, allowing me to listen to her troubles, and just in general knowing that she will be there no matter what. i'm looking forward to growing into old maids with her, having our children grow up together, and knowing that we will be friends for eternity...hence our matching tatoos on our backs!!! i love you e!

Home town? Waccabuc, NY

Where did you go to college and what was your major?

Plattsburgh State University, Elementary Education

University at Albany, Graduate School, Reading

Current job? Daycare Director, The New England Center for Children

Dream job? Don’t have one. Every job has its’ pros and cons.

What website(s) do you check daily? Facebook

Best piece of advice you were ever given and by whom? Not sure – I give and take advice so often that I forget.

One word your friends would use to describe you? Dependable

What has been your greatest accomplishment? My daughter

What is your least favorite thing about yourself? My ankle

What is the first thing you notice about other people? Friendly or not

Outfit you feel the best in? Jeans and a comfy sweater

Beauty product you can’t live without? Moisturizer

Is it easier to forgive or forget? Forgive

Biggest pet peeve? Cheap people who have money

If you were a crayon what color would you be? Brown

If a Hollywood movie was made about your life what actor/actress would play you? Julia Roberts

What book are you currently reading? Does US Weekly count?

If you could live anywhere in the world for one year where would you live? Australia

Who has played the most influential role in your life? Mother

Favorite Quote? Treat others how you would like to be treated.

holiday shopping in boston...

if you're around boston between now and christmas, looking for some good shopping, check out the downtown crossing holiday market...check it out here...

'king', aka: grandpa...

i am the oldest of 10 cousins on my mothers side; i am 30, the youngest is 8. many of the younger ones took to calling our grandpa 'king' for some bizarro reason. i think this picture from my cousins wedding this past october sort of makes him look like a king surrounded by his grandchildren, don't you?...


speaking of my cousins wedding, how wonderful is this picture? they went to barcelona on their honeymoon...

can't wait to see it...

a movie with both tim mcgraw and gwyneth paltrow, now that's my kind of movie. i can't wait for country strong to come out in january! haley and i are already planning our date to see it...




seriously, i heart gwyneth when she sings...

try the pie...

since i've not mastered the art of the apple pie i thought i'd try to make these two for thanksgiving this week to bring to our hosts...

blueberry pie

pumpkin pie

i'm a cooking machine...

yesterday i decided to try to be a little more domestic in the kitchen arena for football sunday, so i made the boyfriend some awesome pulled chicken nachos to munch on during the day and then tried my hand at pulled pork sandwiches...and they were incredible, and we both probably gained about 5 pounds that day. here are the recipes in case you feel like getting fat too...ps- these are not my photos, but you get the gist...


pulled chicken nachos
ingredients:
1 pre-roasted chicken from your local grocery store
1 bag of corn tortilla chips
1 can of sliced jalapeno wheels
2 bags taco blend shredded cheese
sour cream
guacamole
fresh salsa (i like 'fresh salsa' from stop & shop, found in produce area)

prepare:
1. pre-heat over to 350
2. pull apart chicken into long 'pulled' strips
3. lay out tortilla chips in a single layer on a baking sheet
4. layer with chicken & jalapenos, then sprinkle A LOT of cheese over the whole thing
5. bake in oven for about 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted
6. top with sour cream, guacamole & fresh salsa



pulled pork sandwiches
ingredients:
2 lbs of pork tenderloin
2 liters of root beer
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt & pepper
18 oz bbq sauce (i like sweet rays)
1/4 buffalo wing sauce
rolls

prepare:
1. place onions, garlic, pork loin in slow cooker and cover with enough root beer to submerge the meat. add cider vinegar and salt & pepper
2. cook on high for 5-6 hours, or until meat is falling apart
3. drain liquids in collander, keeping the onions and meat
4. pull meat apart with fork so that it is all 'stringy'
5. put meat and onions back in slow cooker and cover with entire bottle of bbq sauce and the buffalo wing sauce.
6. cook on low for 45 min- 1 hour
7. serve on roll with any fixin's you like

getting organized for the holidays...

there are parts of me that love christmas; like the sending & receiving of cards, decorating the house, white christmas lights strung on the trees on my street, holiday cookies and wrapping presents. but what i totally hate (besides the annoying carols playing in every store) is the pressure to get the perfect (and usually very expensive) gift for everyone...that's why i think thanksgiving is a far more superior holiday in that sense. i also happen to hate holiday shopping crowds, they make me claustrophobic, so it should come as no surprise to you that i've already done 3/4 of my shopping online...that's right, i'm awesome.

to keep yourself organized this holiday shopping season head over to design crush and download this free holiday gift list template...it's good for keeping you on budget too, which i have mega problems with...

client thanks...

today i received a little treat in the mail at work from a client...i can assure you, i NEVER receive gifts from clients! it was a little box full of fresh product goodies (umm hello, how did she know i love, love, love fresh?) and a sweet note that read:

"thanks for being so helpful this past year blair! it definitely takes a
good temperment to deal with panicked clients day in & out!!!"

as much as i complain (every single day) about needy clients, some of them aren't all that bad...and it's nice to be thanked every once in a while...

lighten up...

as the holiday gift giving season rolls think about these super sweet candles...for a co-worker, a friend, a neighbor, a family member. i love illume candles new monogram collection, i'd like my initials please (hint, hint)...