I'm loving Spring and an update on Dad ♥

Today is a beautiful Spring day.  I have all my windows and sliding doors open.  The sun is shining and there is a warm breeze going right through the house.  It's blissful. I don't think I've every appreciated Spring so much as I do now.  

Here are some things I love about Spring: ♥

*line drying laundry - smells so good! 

*open windows - I love the fresh air so much despite my allergies

*bunnies in the yard - they are the cutest and I want to hug them

*planning for summer - hopes and dreams

*switching to lighter clothes and springy pajamas - YESSSS 

*blooming flowers everywhere - a natural mood booster

*planting an herb garden - make me excited to cook 

*evenings getting a bit longer - I somehow don't feel as tired 

I certainly miss the coziness of winter but I'm learning to live in the moment and appreciate where I am. I think I'm OK if Spring stays around for a little while : ) 

Today I'm grateful for days like this.  I'm also grateful for really GOOD coffee which feeds my soul like you wouldn't believe.  And most of all I'm grateful my Dad is home!!  It would take me too long to tell you about his rehab experience - which wasn't the best to say the least.  On Sunday we went against the rules (rebels that we are!) and left the rehab without proper discharge.  Walked right out the door.  He couldn't take it any longer and that's all I needed to hear.  Sometimes the best medicine is your own bed.  On Monday he saw his own doctor and got his staples removed.  Yesterday he started physical therapy here at the house.  He's up and walking now and doing better and better every day.  Today I took him to the ear doctor to pick up new hearing aids.  After the appointment we went out to lunch. He was craving a big juicy cheeseburger (still mooing) and who and I to deny him that?  We are home now.  He's icing and elevating his leg per doctor's orders.  Things are progressing as they should and that's such a relief. He's got one more follow up appointment with his primary care doctor tomorrow.  After that he's good for a while.  And so am I : )

We were joking over lunch how one LONG week ago he was in the hospital and now here we are out to lunch.  Thank God!  Not bad for an 85 year old. Not bad at all! 

Have a lovely day friends! I am wishing you a beautiful spring day wherever you are.

We are halfway to Friday! ♥

XO

10 Things I Love (plus a few more) : Winter Edition ♥

Hello Friends! Happy Tuesday! ♥

I hope you all had a nice weekend and a lovely Valentine's Day!  My eggplant parm was delicious and we spent the rest of the weekend cozy at home by the fire, watching movies.  I organized our pantry on Saturday afternoon, which sounds quite boring but let me tell you - it was so satisfying!  When you make the conscious decision to look at every expiration date you would be amazed how long some of the items in your panty have been hanging around.  Scary.  I threw away so much stuff.  Also, I organized all the pots, pans, bowls, utensils, books, and various other things in there.  My pantry is now a work of art!  All that's left are a few drawers and then lay down some pretty Susan Branch shelf paper and then I'll give you a tour : ) 

A snowstorm came rolling in on Saturday night which was totally fine because we had no plans for Sunday.  I never mind the snow when it happens on a weekend! I can simply look out the window and enjoy it. It's currently FREEZING here and any snow that was left on the ground has turned to ice.  Oh spring....where are you??  My thoughts are gently drifting to April and May and all the pretty spring flowers that will be blooming.  They are there somewhere under all that ice just waiting to make their grand entrance.  I'm ready to roll out the red carpet.  This winter has been brutal.  So cold and grim.  Even I, a certified lover of the colder months, am wishing them away and that's very unusual for me. 

Whenever I feel myself going down the path of complaining and being grumpy, I like to list things that make me happy. It sounds silly I know, but it's a little exercise I do to remind myself that good things can be found in little places, even on bad days.  For example - doing my taxes is no fun, but having a little square of dark chocolate and cup of earl gray tea while I do it somehow makes it bearable.  Yes, it's a cold grim winter, but cozy socks and a blanket keep me warm and happy.  See what I mean?  That's why I started the 10 random things I love posts.  It's a nice reminder.  I was thinking today that I haven't done one of those posts in a while so let's go for it.  

On a very cold and gray February day, here are 10 random things I love: winter edition.

♥

Also here is a recent selfie of me headed to a baby shower.  I was dressed up and had jewelry on so I thought I should document it : ) 

Ok, back to the list... ♥

1. Getting coffee with friends.  A few weeks ago I met my friend Julie for coffee at a new bakery that opened up in town and it was so fun.  Getting out of the house for a little while and chatting with a girlfriend over hot drinks and almond croissants was so good for my mental health.  It was freezing that day as well, but all I felt was the warmth of the oven in that little bakery and I was so happy to sit with Julie to talk about her recent trip to Ireland.  Mark my words, someday I will get myself overseas ♥

2.  Wearing hats.  I have always felt that I was not a hat person.  I don't have a "hat face" and I feel silly in them.  I feel like I stick out in a crowd for looking so ridiculous.  I'm sure most of that is all in my head, but nonetheless, I've never felt comfortable in a hat.  Recently I've discovered that wearing a warm knitted winter hat (yes, with a pom-pom ball on top) actually does keep me warm and since I've turned 50 I no longer care if I have a "hat face" or not, something my mother was telling me my entire life. Just another thing she was right about. 

So I'm wearing the hat! It's cozy, it keeps me warm, and I love it!!!  (side note - I have no photo for evidence, but my hat is blue, the pom-pom is white and I have no shame.  In fact, I'm looking into getting more hats for next winter in more colors. 

 

3. Creating moments.  One of my favorite YouTube channels is Nicolas Fairford.  If you've never heard of him, I encourage you to check him out.  One thing that Nicolas always stresses is to never save anything "for best." In other words, don't save things for only special occasions or holidays.  Make every day special and use your things!  I love having tea or coffee in a pretty China cup, so I make a moment for myself.  It's a treat and reminds me to take time and enjoy things, or else why have them.  My mom gave me this little tea set for one years ago. 

 I've been enjoying using it ♥

4. Embracing the simple life.  I'm learning every day.  As I get older, I realize the less stuff I have the better.  It's easier to organize and keep track of.  When my life is simplified, I feel at peace. 

This book says it all...♥

5. Making things from scratch.  I'm trying to live up to my new year's promise to make more things from scratch.  So far, it's going well.  I'm having fun and saving money at the grocery store too.  Bread, marinara sauce, baked goods, etc.  And every time I feel like I want to order take out I stop and think about what I could make at home first.  Not that we don't ever treat ourselves (trust me we do!), I'm just trying to cut down on it a little bit.  It's just as easy to make pizza at home than order out if I already have the sauce made and ready to go.  And you all know how I feel about dough... that's a pleasure to make!  Or egg and cheese sandwiches.  Why go to the drive through when we can make them in 5 minutes at home.  Cooking is therapy for me.  It's crucial in my life. Also, cooking in winter is best because it warms the house and who doesn't love comfort food?! 

6.  My Charlie Brown Christmas water bottle.  John gave it to me for Christmas.  I love it so much I didn't want to put it away.  Why can't I use it all year? In fact, I think I will...: ) 

7. This perfume I got from my mother-in-law for Christmas. I've mentioned it before, but I have to mention it again because I'm so over the moon for it.  She got it in Italy last October, but you can get it on Amazon - here. It's called Essence of The Park.  It smells like the perfect spring day.  I'm obsessed and will probably wear it forever ♥

Plus I love the bottle.  She's so pretty ♥

8. Ogunquit, ME.  We have officially booked a long weekend in Ogunquit in August, and I cannot wait to return.  We visited last year for the first time (I wrote about it here) and I fell in love with it.  I truly felt at peace there and have been thinking about it ever since.  The seaside, the shops, the lobster rolls! YES PLEASE.  It's so nice, in the dead of winter, to have something to look forward too. We'll be there over John's birthday weekend so that will be a treat too.  18! Oh dear, can you believe that?! I can't! 

9.  Shamrock Shakes! It's that time of year again. I have to get one once a year and the time is now! So yummy and something I most certainly cannot make at home : ) 

McDonald's also has really delicious French vanilla coffee...just sayin~ 

10. Grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches, big band music, Freida McFadden books, weekends, drinking my first cup of coffee in bed while still under the covers, car rides with John, strawberry chap stick, Alfred Hitchcock movies, thinking about Christmas when it's not Christmas, brunch, cozy pj's, cute little bunnies in my yard (I don't care that they eat the flowers), not dieting, The Mary Tyler Moore Show (which I've always loved and have recently been watching on YouTube - such a great show!), wallpaper (let's bring it back- enough plain white everything...:), crafts, blog friends, scrapbooks, homemade soup, warm blueberry muffins, book stores, libraries, Yankee Candles, white twinkle lights around the kitchen window, stars, Hallmark movies (I'm still watching Christmas ones! - no shame), cardigan sweaters (I wear one every day - for life), vintage cards, and more and more but I will stop now.....♥

So there you have it - 10 random things I love (plus a few more off the top of my head) to think about while I plug away during this long dark winter.  I'm noticing the days are getting a bit longer which is indeed a good sign.  

There's #11! : ) 

Have a great week, my lovely friends! Life has been hectic for me lately so please forgive my absence.  I will be visiting your blogs soon.  I'm so grateful for our little space on the internet.  Isn't it wonderful?! 

(#12).

Stay cozy friends! ♥

Be back soon! xoxox 

Yup! 😊

10 Things I Love: Today ♥

 

Hello Friends! Happy Saturday! ♥

I usually don't blog on Saturdays but this afternoon I am finding myself cozy at home instead of car shopping, which was the plan.  It turned out to be a very rainy morning and do you want to know what's worse than car shopping? It's car shopping in the rain.  The good news is that we have it narrowed down to what we like, now we just need to find the best "deal."  It's progress.  And so it continues.  Stay tuned...(and pray for me:)

So last week I ended up having a busy work week.  I spent most of it at my desk, frustrated, with my face buried in my computer. Not exactly what I love, but sometimes you have no choice in the matter. I found myself complaining more than usual about the littlest things.  After a good night sleep last night and the decision not to go car shopping this morning I had the idea of doing a "10 things I love" post because it reminds me to appreciate all the little things in my everyday life that make me happy.  There are certainly more of those than there are things to complain about.  Its an exercise in gratitude (of which I have a lot of).

 So without further adu, here are 10 very random things I love, today:

1. Weekends! Ok that's a given.  Everyone loves weekends. But after a work week from hell you love them even more!  A slow Saturday morning is something I dream about.  This morning I drank 2 cups of coffee on the couch with a blanket while watching a Reelz documentary on Marilyn Monroe.  The rain made it extra dark out so I lit a candle and plugged in my twinkle lights and it was blissful.  

2. 80's sitcoms.  I love an 80's sitcom.  There were so many! Lately I've been watching The Facts of Life on Tubi.  I love it. It's better than the news, that's for sure.  It takes me back to when I was kid and for every night of the week there was a TV line up. Remember that? And you had to be home or you would miss your show.  I loved watching Cheers, Taxi, Family Ties, Threes Company (which was slightly inappropriate but I never noticed back then), Happy Days, and Lavern & Shirley. It feels very nostalgic to watch these shows again and reminds me of my childhood.  It's the same reason why I love Peanuts and I Love Lucy.  TV shaped me and it wasn't a bad thing.

Plus they all had catchy theme songs.  Especially this one.  I know you know it....: ) 

3.Walking.  I'm still going on my daily walks.  It's usually after dinner with John.  Twice around our neighborhood is one mile and usually takes us about 20 minutes.  Sometimes after a big meal or if we feel extra energetic we go four times, that's 2 miles, which is big for me.  I often think of my mom who was in a wheelchair for the last few years of her life and who would have loved to have been able to walk just a few steps.  I feel privileged  to be able to do it.  John and I also have some of our best talks while walking which I am also very grateful for. 

4. Cottage cheese and avocado on an English muffin.  Oddly specific, yes - but I've been having this for breakfast lately and am thoroughly enjoying it. I know some of you may have an aversion to cottage cheese, but personally I love it. It's a nice alternative to yogurt in the morning.  I've been sprinkling it with Everything but the Bagel seasoning and YUMMMM is it good : ) 

5. Otters.  Ok, another one that's oddly specific and maybe just plain ODD, I know.  But have you ever looked up otters? They are so cute! I made the mistake (or maybe it wasn't) of liking a video on Instagram of a mama otter hugging her baby otter and now my "for you page" is loaded with Otter content! I'm not mad at it.  The videos and pictures make me smile and naturally I forward them to John who likes them too!  Treat yourself and search Otters on your Instagram.  

You're welcome : ) 

6. Spring in New England.  Color is starting to appear.  Buds are budding and my whole neighborhood is yellow from forsythia bushes and daffodils in peoples yard.  The trees are starting to turn green and in a few weeks we will have tulips.  In the early mornings (when it's not raining) I am happy to see rays of sunshine in the kitchen as I pour my morning coffee.  We like this time of year.  It means summer is coming too, which if fun to think about.  I've put away most of my heavy sweaters and pajamas and am dressing a bit more lightly.  I can get away with just a cardigan when I go out and you know how much I love a cardigan.  LOTS! ♥

7.  Real butter on toast, very sharp cheddar cheese with Ritz crackers, my Dad's homemade brownies, take out eggplant subs from the place down the street, pink grapefruit fizzy water, and chocolate covered pretzels.  You think these things mean nothing but they really mean something when you're hungry.  That is all : ) 

8.  Cookbooks. I love my cookbooks.  I read them like books.  I enjoy flipping through the pages and looking at the pictures.  Would I ever consider making my own Cheezits? Of course not.  But Valerie Bertinelli says I can and it looks so easy!  This week I pulled out a stack of my favorite cookbooks, some new some old, and bookmarked a bunch of recipes I want to make in the coming weeks.  It will be fun to blog and video them for you.  Stay tuned for that! 

9.  Visits to the library, going to Panera Bread with Rob & John, listening to podcasts while I'm working, cracking the windows on a cool day and letting the fresh air come in, working on my puzzle (same one, I'm determined to finish), and taking my first cup of coffee back to bed with me and slowing drinking it while I wake up.  It's a nice way to start the day.  I love all those things. 

10.  The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh.  I adore this painting.  I can't remember when I first saw it, but I just know that I've loved it forever.  I love the way it looks and the way it makes me feel.  And then one day I heard a song by Don McLean called Vincent and the first line was "starry starry night, paint your palate blue and gray...." and I almost cried because it was so beautiful.  A few years ago I visited the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston when they were showing a Van Gogh exhibit. I saw so many of his paintings, including Irises, but not The Starry Night.  Where is it? The last time I googled it, it was located at the Met in New York. 

 It's a wish of mine to see it in person one day, and I will ♥

And there you go. 

 10 random things (plus a few more) I'm loving today and I feel grateful for each and every one ♥

I hope you are having a lovely weekend.  We are off to 4:00 mass tonight and then I'm making pizza for dinner.  It looked like the rain has stopped so maybe I'll get my walk in tonight after all.  

Hopefully. 

Stay cozy friends! Enjoy your Sunday. Byeeeeee...xoxo 

10 Things I Love ♥

Hello Friends! Happy Friday!  ♥

Before I get into this post I wanted to give you a little update.... My mom came home from the hospital on Wednesday night.  She's being treated with antibiotics and doing much better.  She has a physical therapist, occupational therapist, and visiting nurse that have been coming to the house for checkups and therapy.  So far so good! We have a long road in front of us, but we are heading in the right direction. Thank you for all your blessings.  We have felt them!

With that being said, I am full of gratitude this week.  I was trying to think of something to write about today and it seemed only fitting to do a "10 things I love" post.  I always say it's the little things in life that bring the most comfort and joy.  A really big chocolate chip cookie.  A warm, soft blanket.  Your favorite movie on TV just when you need it most.  Those things are the best things.  What would life be like without them? 

Here are ten VERY random things I currently love:  ♥

Dark chocolate.  I have one square a day.  It's delightful...especially when I dunk it in a cup of tea. I look forward to it every afternoon. Yum. 

Amazon, QVC, or any home delivery service.  It's hard to remember a time when Amazon didn't exist.  I currently have a cart full of Christmas presents ready to be ordered.  What a feeling to know packages will come right to my door and I never have to leave the house.  No crowded stores or waiting in long lines. RELIEF!  I'm even considering ordering a Thanksgiving dinner this year (fully cooked and ready to eat). What a time saver.  Our grandmothers may not approve, but I do : ) 

The Libby App.  Have you heard of this?  I'm sure I've talked about it before.  It's an app that hooks into your local library.  You can get books, magazine, audio books, all for free.  All you need is a library card.  I am obsessed with it!  I am constantly listening to audio books while I work and it's wonderful to be able to get them for free through my library.  I just downloaded a book called Don't Let Her Stay.  I love thrillers and so far this one is really good! 

Hot Cider.  Every fall we make hot cider.  I take store bought apple cider, add orange juice, cinnamon sticks, and cinnamon.  I heat it on the stove and pour it into my favorite fall mug.  Its the most comforting drink on a chilly October or November afternoon.  It's fall in a cup. And it makes the kitchen smell good too.

Baking Bread.  I've talked a lot of my love of bread making on this blog.  I have a deep love of dough. LOL  This year for Christmas I'm treating myself to a Food Nanny dough hook.  There is nothing like homemade bread. It's better for us and the act of making it is almost as good as eating it.  I find it very therapeutic and it brings me joy.

Panera Bread's Autumn Harvest Soup. Run to Panera and get a bowl ASAP. You're Welcome! 

Words With Friends.  I'm back on this app again.  I do my words throughout the day.  I'm currently in three games.  Let me know if you want to play : ) 

Neutrogena Hyaluronic Acid.  I've been using this on my face under my moisturizer for the past few months.  It adds extra hydration to the skin (something I really need!) now that the weather is changing (and my aging skin is changing!).  Don't let the name scare you.  It's very gentle and I've notice my makeup is looking a lot better since I've been using it.  Sharon left a comment on my blog a few weeks ago about doing a fall/winter makeup and fashion post.  Thank you Sharon, it's coming!  ♥

Vintage Jazz on Spotify.  There is something so nice about jazz music.  It creates the perfect background and sets the mood for a fall day.  I've been listening to a Spotify playlist called " Autumn Vintage Jazz" all week.  It's beautiful and brining peace to my days.  There are also some really nice ones on YouTube too.  In a few weeks I'll switch to "vintage Christmas Jazz"....haha

And speaking of Christmas...

Hallmark has started it's Countdown to Christmas.  All Christmas movies all the time.  I know some of you are rolling your eyes.  Yes they are corny and predictable but I like corny and predictable.  We need more if that in our lives.  Better than real life I say.  My favorite movies are the Lacey Chabert ones.  If I had to pick an actress to play me in my life story, she would be the one.  And you best believe it would be set in the cutest Christmas coffee shop or bakery you can imagine.  I love her and I love Hallmark.  IYKYK  ♥

Watching Hallmark Christmas movies is getting me excited for the holidays but I still have a lot of fall left in me to enjoy.  The next few weeks are some of my favorite of the year.  The stillness of early November is something to appreciate before the rush begins. You know what?....my decorations don't have to go up on a specific date.  And I've decided to allow myself to accept help when I need it.  

I am going to try to take it slow this year  ♥

Thank you so much for visiting me today.  I'm off to put a lasagna in the oven for dinner tonight.  I'm so glad the weekend is finally here.  I'm praying for good health and strength for my mom this weekend.  And John has a band concert on Sunday afternoon that Rob and I are looking forward to attending as well.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! xoxo 

10 (ish) Things I Love!! ♥

Hello Friends!  Happy Monday! ♥

I hope you all had a nice weekend!  As usual, it went by too fast.  We relaxed most of the weekend.  We did manage to fit in the Panera run on Saturday I told you about.  It was nice to get out and treat ourselves to coffee and a couple of chocolate croissants.  Panera has the best ones!  For the rest of the weekend we relaxed, I baked cookies and bread, repotted two plants, did some housework, and that's about it.  The weather was (and still is) hot and humid, so we have pretty much been hibernating indoors which is ok by me.  Today it's back to work and here I am at the computer in my cozy little home office.  I bet you wish you lead as exciting a life as I do! hahaha! 

My friend Jen is traveling with her husband through Europe this summer (ha...but is she going to Panera like me??? Nope : ).  A few minutes ago she sent me this gorgeous picture from France.  She's in a lavender field somewhere in Provence.  Is this even real??  I'm swooning.  I told her I could practically smell the lavender from here.  It got me thinking, is it possible to love a place you've never been to? The answer is yes.  I love this place.  And I've never even been there.  

I think it's time for a "10 Things I Love" post.  It's been a while since I've done one and it's been on my mind lately.  I enjoy these posts because they are strictly off the the top of my head.  I'm going to call this one "Ten Things I Love: Old Lady Edition". I mean that in the most loving way and only because sometimes I feel like my likes are way beyond my years.  And to be honest,  I love that about myself!  

So here we go.  Here are 10 Things I Love: Old Lady Edition! ♥

1. Lavender fields in France (you knew that was coming!) and other far away places like London, Paris, and Venice, that I've never been to but dream of one day.  I'll get there ♥

2. Typewriters, rotary phones, old fashioned sugar & creamer sets, salt & pepper shakers, cast iron cookware, long dresses with buttons and pretty collars, aprons, wooden spoons, cannisters that say "coffee" and "tea" on them, old fashion radios in the kitchen, café style curtains, anything with a blue & white pattern, classic Disney films ♥

3. Libraries with card catalogs, going to museums by myself, antique stores, flea markets, general stores with creaky wood floors, little coffee shops, going to my local farmers market with a cloth bag over my shoulder and filling it up with fruits, veggies, and cheese, cherry vanilla ice cream ♥

4. Floral pattern dishes, wallpaper, bouquets of flowers in the kitchen, toast with honey and a cup of tea on a rainy day, lots of blankets, candles, piles of books, old tv shows, vinyl records ♥

5. Quilts, table runners and table clothes, embroidered doilies like my grandmother made, tea towels that say "tea time" on them, anything British, the FALL, pumpkin everything, afternoon naps, pancakes, pearl earrings ♥

6. Puzzles, crossword puzzles, Wordle (my new obsession), card games, board games, trivia, The Game Show Channel/Buzzer, old game shows like Match Game and Family Feud (Richard Dawson edition).  I also love that I know who Richard Dawson is AND recognize pretty much every old timey star who's appeared on Match Game and Hollywood squares (I grew up watching TV : ), snow days, Halloween candy, whip cream in my coffee  ♥

7.  Cooking things from scratch like bread and pie dough, making homemade pasta and sauce on a Sunday after church, feeding my family makes me happy, decorating cakes, making cinnamon rolls and how the smell when they are baking reminds me of Christmastime.  The best. Cardigans, cozy socks, twinkle lights around my kitchen window, pink lipstick and makeup that makes my skin look glowy, Loves Baby Soft (yes, it still exists!!) ♥

8. Road trips to see our friends, going out for ice cream, sipping coffee on the deck, telling stories around the fire, making smores in the summer, feeling grateful ♥

9. Evenings at the beach (see my previous post :),  having hot tea before bed, watching my favorite YouTube channels and getting inspired, songs by Dean Martin, Perry Como, & Doris Day, the golden age of Hollywood, pressed flowers, hand written thank you cards, journaling ♥

10. This blog which holds a special place in my heart, all the friends I've met here and on Instagram - we are kindred spirits and my favorite of all!! ♥

Wow. Ok that was way more than 10 things but once I started I couldn't stop! And I realize not everything on here is "old lady-ish" but being the nerd that I am, I like to think that it is! 

 Reading this back I realized this is pretty much my entire personality in one post! 

In a world of absolute madness, it makes my heart full to make these list and be reminded that even the smallest things can make me happy.  A simple life full of simple pleasures is all I need.  

Have a wonderful day, my friends! Thank you for being here! xoxo 

Current Favorite things! ♥

Hello Friends and happy Monday! ♥

 I hope you all had a great week and a restful weekend.

 I had a long to-do list of chores to get done around the house this weekend and guess what? None of it got done. My heart wasn't in it and that's ok.  That's how it goes sometimes.  Taking John to the movies was more appealing than washing the bathroom floor.  I have no regrets.  So I'm starting this week off still looking at Valentines Day decorations (because they didn't get put away) and a mound of laundry that's going in the wash as soon as I finish this post.  It will all get done.  Eventually : ) 

 I was thinking about what to post today and I had a thought that I haven't done a current favorites post in a while.  

So without further adieu here are 10 of my current favorite things:

 1. Homemade pasta ♥

Recently I've started making my own pasta.  It's so much easier than people think and tastes so much better than store bought.  All you need are eggs, flour, salt and a little time.  I have a stand alone "crank" pasta maker, not an attachment to my stand mixer.

It takes very little time to mix up the dough and crank it through the machine.  Something about that last step where the dough is cut into spaghetti is so satisfying!  My love language is feeding my family and this method certainly fills my heart with joy!  Here is a the basic pasta recipe I've been following.  I think I'm ready to move on to raviolis! 

(link to recipe)

2. Walking ♥

The weather has been unseasonably warm here.  Here we are in February and last week it was 60 degrees!  I'm not sure what's going on...  I've been taking advantage of the warm days and trying to get out for walks when I can. It's still chilly, but no where near where it usually is in February.  I like to walk this beach that's near me.  I'm not a fan of exercise but knowing I get an ocean view motives me to get out of the house.  I always feel better when I get home. I'll put on a podcast or my current audio book and walk for 30 minutes.  It ends up being a lovely experience.  

(and before you ask, there are plenty of other walkers there like me so it's completely safe:) 

 

3. Neutrogena eye cream ♥

Taking good care of my skin has always been a priority for me.  I have very dry, sensitive skin and I break out easily.  Because of that, I have a morning and evening skin care routine that I follow religiously (or try to anyway:).  Over the past year I have noticed a lot of changes to my skin.  The natural process of aging is happening and that's ok.  My eye area is a particular concern of mine.  I have dark circles that even the strongest Columbian coffee can't fix.  Also crows feet and fine lines.  We all have them.  It's just life.  Keeping my skin moisturized is vital.  I use an exfoliating cleanser, face serum, eye cream, and moisturizer. I would like to do a whole post on skin care sometime, but for now I need to tell you about this eye cream.  Because I love it. It's transformed my eye area and makes the makeup around my eyes look so much better.  I use it twice a day.  Definitely a holy grail beauty product for me.  

Love Love Love! 

Trader Joes Flowers ♥

I think everyone already knows this by now, but just incase you don't - if you have a Trader Joes near you, you must stop in for a dose of spring! They have the best selection of cut flowers at the best prices!  I stopped in on Saturday to get blueberries (for Sunday pancakes :) and I couldn't resist coming home with some beautiful carnations (see picture above).  They have so many beautiful bouquets to pick from.  Note to self: I think I'll go every week. 

PS here's a picture of the pancakes I grilled in my cast iron pan (another favorite thing).  

SO YUMMY! 

4. Evening Tea ♥

I've mention before how much I love my afternoon tea time.  Lately I've been pushing it to later in the evening.  It's wonderful to wind down with a cup of tea, especially on a winter's night.  I'm also trying to have my herbal teas without sugar.  So far so good : ) 

Here's the one I'm currently loving from Bigelow ♥

I have an idea to do a future blog post on my favorite teas and favorite coffees so stay tuned for that : ) 

5. Twice Bake Potatoes ♥

Just like with the pasta, I'm learning to try things that I have always assumed to be too difficult.  Especially with recipes, just because there may be a few more steps than I'm normally used to, I can manage it.  For our Valentines Day dinner John requested twice baked potatoes.  He'd had them once in a restaurant and loved them.  I gave them a go, and guess what?! I did it and they were delicious! A big hit for all of us!  I will definitely make them again.  Here's the recipe I used (I left out the bacon)

(link to recipe)

6. Breaking Bad & Better Call Saul ♥

So what have you been watching?  I just finished watching the entire series of Breaking Bad and it's prequel Better Call Saul.  AMAZING!!! Both had me on the edge of my seat.  For a certified lover of Hallmark movies this was big stretch for me and do you know what? I couldn't get enough of this world. I can't decided which series I loved best because they were both so good.  The acting is phenomenal!  Both are available on Netflix! Highly recommend! 

 

7. Chicken Piccada ♥

One of the easiest recipes I know and still one of our favorites.  I've been making this alot this winter and we haven't gotten sick of it yet.  If you use the thin chicken breasts you won't need a knife to cut them! 30 minutes is all it takes.  It's my go to recipe for when I have no idea what to make.  In fact, it's what's for dinner tonight! LOL 

(blog post with recipe linked here)

8. The Body Shop Boost Hand Lotion ♥

I purchased this hand cream for myself at Christmastime.  My hands get SO DRY and cracked that sometimes they actually hurt.  I've been using this hand lotion at night (it's on my nightstand so I remember) and it's helped so much!!  I rub it on my cuticles and in the morning my hands feel soft and pain free!!! Whatever is left on my hands I will rub onto my heels as well.  Heavenly!  

The citrus scent is also very nice :) 

9. I Love Lucy on Pluto TV ♥

Pluto TV now as an I Love Lucy channel (under classic TV).  Finally!!! 

Now I can watch my favorite show anytime I want, 24 hours a day!  Whenever I need a little Lucy, she's there for me.  It's been my favorite show since I was 12 years old.  I love it so so much.  

10. This quote which has stuck with me this past week...

#quoteoftheweek

It's so true! Thanks for the reminder, Your Majesty ♥  

And there you have it! 10 current favorite things.  

What are some of yours? 

Have a wonderful week, friends! Thanks for stopping by today! 

Stay cozy!! xoxoxo