comfort zone and a "little" updo.

I've been thinking a lot about comfort zones lately and have come to the conclusion that mine is decidedly not very comfortable anymore.  In fact, it's down right making me nauseous.  So I'm kickin' it to the curb.  With that in mind I decided to switch it up Wednesday night when we went out to dinner for my mother in law's birthday. I've recently discovered Beth Jones (a fellow resident of OC) at B. Jones Style.  She's got these fun "hair tutorials" where she videotapes* herself showing off her cheapest accessory--a cute hair style.  These are styles that I wouldn't normally consider for one or more of the following reasons--A) I'm too old.  B) I'm not stylish enough.  C) My ears and/or head are too big.  D) My hair is too fine/straight/fuzzy/damaged.  E) Who am I trying to kid?  No way I can pull that off.  

Well, when your comfort zone is speaking such negative smack to you it's time to put some duct tape over its mouth and just go for it.  So I watched this and did.

P.S. *Is "videotape" even the right term anymore????  (Child of the 80's much?)

P.P.S.  I've been eating too much and spending far too much time in the kitchen doing dishes so I decided that we were all eating cereal for dinner this week (not really) but here are some yummy recipes from the fabulous ladies participating in Pretty Mommy's Fall Recipe Exchange.  Have a fun filled Halloween weekend!

Oct 25th - Tina - Bull In A China Shop 

Oct 26th - Kim - Lighter and Local 
Oct 27th - Elaine- Mama Seasonings
Oct 28th - Jess - Shades of Sunshine
Oct 29th - Michelle - Studio Surface, The Blog 

hair today, gone tomorrow.

In the last year I've gone from this--

to this--

Quite a change for me, my friends.  There were a few colors in between.  Some carefully placed caramel highlights.  A not so carefully applied home dye job (which I highly do not recommend!)  Finally, I got the courage to do what I've been wanting to do for the last 10 years--become a brunette.  Why did it take me so long?  Why did I allow a hair color to define who I was for almost 20 years? (Yep, I started coloring my hair at eight. =)

The truth?  I AM a blonde.  A dirty dishwater blonde.  A color that seems to work well on so many other women. But not me.  When I was a child, well, I looked like this--

And I think I've spent the last decade and a half of my life trying to somehow find a way back to that hair color. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective,) that hair color doesn't exist in a bottle, it only exists in my memory and in my parents' photo albums.  So I decided to lovingly leave it there and try something new. I'm not sure if the new venture has been successful.  And honestly, I don't really care.  I am simply happy that I moved out of my comfort zone and evolved. 

cheater cheater, pumpkin eater, bake sale + block party.

My weekend is full of fall fun.  The school pumpkin patch is Sunday morning, and I'm helping host a block party for our street the same evening.  I need baked goods for both.  And well, you know how I feel about baking.  I've got four boxes of spice cake mix sitting in the pantry.  (They were on sale for 99 cents.)  And of course, a few cans of pumpkin.  But honestly, I'm over the original "cheater pumpkin muffin" and want something a little different.  Who knows why given that I'm making these for other people.  And am not going to eat any myself. Really I'm not. Except I have to eat one,  it is a new recipe after all.  Can't just expect people to eat my muffins (or buy them for that matter!) without tasting one myself.  Maybe I'll just have one bite and then give the rest to Ava.

So here's what I came up with:

1 box spice cake mix
1 cup oatmeal
1 can pumpkin
2 snack size containers no sugar added apple sauce (because that's what I've got in the panty-- about 8 ounces)
1 cup white "chocolate" chips

Mix it all up.  Portion into muffin pan with really cute liners (this is completely necessary.)  Bake about 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until completely cooked through.  Let cool a bit, but best eaten slightly warm so that the white chocolate chips are all melty and still gooey.  What?  I can tell that from one bite.  I can.

P.S.  These are about a thousand times better than the original cheater muffin.  And I can tell that from one bite too. 

a quote + my justification

A perfectly kept house is the sign of a misspent life. 

MARY RANDOLPH CARTER

fall recipe exchange, part deux: app! dinner! or dessert!

How to have a good night:

How to make it better.  Add:

and two *pop* loaves of Pillsbury Crusty French Bread.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bread is golden and cooked through.

Eat a lot.  With someone you love.

fall recipe exchange, part one: dinner!

i deface books.

sadly, the last of my homegrown basil 

my new favorite shortcut

Crock Pot Chicken Spezzatino or Chicken Zoooooop (as the two year old calls it)
*adapted from an original recipe by Giada de Laurentiis in Everyday Italian, one of my favorite books.  Buy it!

4 tablespoons olive oil
4 celery stalks, cut into bite sized pieces
2 carrots, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspons salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon pepper, plus more to taste
32 ounces low sodium chicken broth
1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 chicken breasts with ribs (about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds total)
2 (15 ounce) cans great northern white beans, drained and rinsed

Saute the celery, carrots, and onion in olive oil over medium heat in a large heavy pot until the onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute another minute.  Dump this mixture into a slow cooker set at high.  Add salt, pepper, tomatoes, broth, basil, tomato paste, bay leaves and thyme. Stir well.  Add chicken and press to submerge.  Cover slow cooker and cook on high for one hour.  Reduce heat to low and cook for 6 to 8 house.  About 30 minutes before you are ready to eat, remove the chicken and let cool about 5 minutes. Discard the skin and bones and shred chicken.  Add beans to stew and heat through (about 30 minutes.)  When ready to eat, return chicken to the stew.  Add salt and pepper to taste and garnish with more fresh basil.  Serve with warm crusty bread to soak up the yummy broth.

Cook's notes:
1. Honestly, I have no idea how much broth I add.  I pour in "just enough."
2. Sparky and I like things spicy but our girlies aren't quite ready for it.  I've found that swirling a tiny bit of Sriracha into our bowls right before eating adds a nice amount of flavor and heat.  (Where as when I add straight red pepper to the finished stew, it tastes like straight red pepper and not a part of the dish.)
3.  Al dente pasta is a nice addition.
4.  I'm sure you could cook the stew for 8-10 hours on low without the first hour at high.

yum!

Thanks to the Pretty Mommy Michelle for organizing the fall recipe exchange and allowing this newbie to take part!

insomnia + the best laid plans + some weekend photos

When I started this blog, I sought out Joslyn for some advice.  I asked her how she found the time to write her wonderful blog Simple Lovely, given that she has two beautiful daughters, a husband, a career, and what appears to be a very full time LIFE.  She graciously responded, telling me that the biggest "game changer" for her was getting up an hour before her girls did.  She said that she does 90 percent of her blog writing in the silence of the early morning, drinking a cup of coffee.  A fabulously simple but genius idea.  And yet, I was immediately turned off by it.  Here's why.

Sleep is a hot commodity around here for me.  Even though I am quite gifted at teaching my children how to sleep well (I actually refer to myself as the "nap whisperer,") I'm personally not very skilled at it. I wake at the slightest noise (read: girlie cough, giggle, cry or sigh, Sparky snore, dog whimper.)  You'd think that in itself would be great for blog writing.  I mean, I'm up in the middle of the night for hours at a time with nothing to do, many many minutes of uninterrupted Stephanie time.  But, sadly, no.  It seems my middle-of-the-night brain has only the capacity to a) watch reruns of my beloved Law and Order (the original,) b) shop, c) create imaginary to do lists and d) read other people's stories in blog land.  My sweetest sleep is usually between the hours of four and six thirty a.m. when I somehow find dream land for a few hours before my girlies wake for the day.

However, in an effort of good faith and because it's quite clear that Joslyn is doing something seriously right, I decided that at some point I would give her idea a try.  Well, today was the day.  Mainly, because I woke up at 4:45 and thought to myself, "Some people get up at this time everyday.  It's morning.  Sort of.  I'll just get up." And then I got excited.  Yes!  I'll get up.  Make some coffee.  Drink it.  And WRITE.  An entire hour and half of quiet solitude.

Well, friends, within 5 minutes of those lovely first sounds of coffee percolating, G was calling for me.  No joke. "Lay Momma.  Lay Momma."   And really how does one say no to that?

Early morning writing: Major F to the AIL.

Early morning cuddle session with Georgia: Epic WIN.

artist at work

dance party and the tutu that won't quit

rocking the 80's inspired side braid (Ava's current signature hair style)

shopping at Jonathan Adler. "mommy, I'd like this chair for my room, please."

"yes, Ava, well I'd like this one for my room. please."

dressed up for church and a lovely lunch.  (what's missing here? the color gray is a hint.)

what the table looks like after sweet husband walks girlies over to gelato so mommy

can sit quietly enjoying her Sunday lunch glass of Justin cab