Order Your Christmas Cards in November! Paper Court Press Card Sale!

Seriously you'll be glad you did!

For YEARS I have been using Courtney from Paper Court Press to do my Christmas cards. She is a genius and always gives me EXACTLY what I want!!


I chose color and style and she goes to town! Remember last years? Orange and navy was the theme.



 This year we are doing navy and pink and it is looking amazing!!!!!!!

She's having her HOLIDAY sale right now! 20% your order of $100 if you use the code HOLIDAY. If you don't see something you like on her site just email her info@papercourtpress.com and design your own!

Now go order! This is part of the Christmas Pledge! Now please excuse me I have to go wrap some stuff!!!

The Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes From Proud Italian Cook


Thanksgiving is here people!

We are going up to Lake Arrowhead for Thanksgiving with a bunch of family. It will be fun!

Every Thanksgiving I can HARDLY WAIT for my Mothers Broccoli Casserole! I had posted the recipe before so just click the link!


I think Proud Italian Cook has some new, interesting and YUMMMMMMY sides she's suggesting for Thanksgiving. (I'm obsessed with her posts. Cannot wait to get them each week!)

1. Cippolini Onions Bathing In Creamy Parmesan and Thyme:



Are you DYING? I am!!! This is a MUST MAKE and I am adding it to my yearly traditions!

2. Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad



This looks so light and yummy it would even be good for a lunch after Thanksgiving with turkey sandwiches!

3. Stuffed Shells with Butternut Squash and Ricotta.



I mean please. I am about to jump through this picture! Delish! Proud Italian cook ROCKS. All her recipes are available at the link above. Of course I have already pinned them to my Pinterest so you can repin there as well! What are your favorite Thanksgiving Side Dishes?

The Christmas Pledge

Have you heard of the Christmas Pledge?

So many things are going on over the holidays it's hard to really enjoy it and really feel what it's all about. The idea of the Christmas Pledge is so brilliant I can't take it. The idea is by The Art Of Doing Stuff but I read it on: 3 Peanuts.

You do the WORK of Christmas in November so you can ENJOY CHRISTMAS! WHAT A CONCEPT!!!



I am doing my best to get EVERYTHING done in November, attacking a little day by day. The wrapping will be my toughest challenge to make myself get done but I need to do it so the gifts look amazing. Sometimes at the end of my marathon, end of December wrapping sessions things look nutty! LOL

How about you? Want to take the Christmas Pledge? How do you handle all of the holiday craziness?

The Best Thanksgiving Ideas From Pinterest! My Friday Five!

On to the next Holiday! RIGHT? (right about now I am dreaming on January where there is NOTHING TO DO).  I thought my Friday Five should have a Thanksgiving Theme!! I know Carolina Charm will love it. (Isn't she the cutest pregnant person!?)




Anyhoo....Here's some things from my PINTEREST board: "Thanksgiving Fabulous" that I am loving:

 1) I love to make my Mom's pie crust but my friend at Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes took it to a whole other level!


Don't you love the acorns!!

2) This pumpkin roll by Homemade by Holman looks amazing.



3) Might have to try to find this shirt on Etsy for Coco!



 4) I want to make these hat place cards for this years meal. A pilgrim hat place card holder from Tip Junkie!


5) And.....I am so doing this veggie platter this year!!! Gobble Gobble!

Feeling Fallish at Underwood Farms! (even though it's 80 degrees)


One thing I will say about Los Angeles, we just press on with fall despite it being 80 degrees! We try to "dress" for Fall to feel the part. We trek out to Underwood Farms because it's simply the best!


I love this picture. She really loved this tractor! Does she belong on a farm?


I love the "cow train" and I love the view.


These were too good to believe....


As were the pig races! (who's head is that!)


A great fun family time!!! How's your Fall going?

Veterans Day Kid Activity- Write a Letter!

Don't we always teach our kids to say thank you? Well no better person to thank than a SOLDIER! Operation Gratitude has a flyer to show you how! I think this is the perfect Veterans Day Kid Activity! Please pass this on to friends and family.


Five On Friday Halloween Recap- Candy, Casts and a Cake from Bite Sized Chef!





This is the Friday Five Halloween Edition! Make sure you link up with a.Liz, Carolina Charm, hello! Happiness and the good life!

1) It was a great night despite having to get a cast THAT DAY and RACING back to HOST a PARTY! Can you feel my EMPHASIS!?

The kids loved their Mummy Pizzas and Mac n Cheese.


2) Loving the new fire pit my husband built! The men sure loved it!


The women drank wine...


3) The menu I planned went off smashingly! Try White Chicken Chili and Frito Pie ! The KIDS however WERE READY!


Super Man Landon was loving all the loot.


And 4) Coco was just happy to be able to make Halloween!




5) We were glad to come back! Everyone was excited for the cake from Bite Sized Chef!


I Fell In Love With New York Again- What to do in NYC

My weekend away in NYC for my High School reunion was eye opening to say the least! I loved seeing all my old friends and catching up. There was a lot of talk about what things are like when you've been married 10 or 15 years. I mean what it's REALLY like. That's for another post. I'm still processing all of it!

I grew up mostly outside of NYC so it was a surprise to me when I fell in love with it all over again! Especially the meat packing district where we stayed. We stayed at the Hotel Gansevort (which I thought was okay but not great) but nearly died when I caught site of The High Line NYC Standard!


It's literally right on the Hudson river and the meatpacking district is so cool. Cobble stone streets and cafes everywhere!

We looked at this restaurant and nearly died. So cool.



We stopped for lunch.



The weather was perfect and so was the company. I had forgotten the history of New York. All the little shops have been around a while and the architecture of the new and old buildings together is stunning. The High Line, where you can walk and see stunning views, is a completely different side of New York. I am definitely staying there next time!

We also had brunch at Pastis:



and dinner at Gemma at the Bowery Hotel:



It was the perfect Fall New York Weekend!





And how was YOUR Halloween?

Well we almost had an awful Halloween, but that's not really our style. Nothing gets us down. Not even this!


I mean have you EVER seen anyone more excited about a broken elbow on Halloween? I have not.

We still soldiered on and trick or treated and rid the neighbors of their candy stash. It was a good time.


Thanks to Johnson & Johnson and their Cherry Childrens Tylenol for making this moment possible!