{weekend notes}

Good Morning + Happy Monday!!  I love Monday’s – it’s a fresh start to a new week with new goals.  I wake up pumped, but that might have something to do with the fact that I go to bed Sunday night realllly early, like 8 pm early.  If you’re not a Monday person like myself and totally not feel’in it today, this is for you –

source

I hope everyone had a great weekend. We sure did.  The next couple weekends we are on the gooooo, so it was nice to have a weekend home with minimal plans.  Friday night we whooped it up at Dk’s Place for a birthday party.  This place makes killer pizza.  Have a mentioned that pizza is my guilty pleasure and I never get sick of it?  Yeah, it’s bad!  We were able to catch up with friends over pitchers of beer while the kids dropped quarters in the arcade contently for hours.  What more can you ask for on a Friday night?!?!  Then you have to “check-in” on facebook for extra prizes….it’s a brilliant marketing tool.

Grabbed True Story from Redbox.   Creepy but kept my attention at 10pm.  If my eyes stay open, then the movie gets a good review from me.  The Wedding Ringer was hilarious.  We were due for a good movie since the last two were awful.  Hot Pursuit – super cheesy.  Boulevard received good reviews.  Maybe it just wasn’t what I was expecting, but we were not fans of this movie at all.  Bailey gave Barbie Rock ‘N Royals two thumbs up.

We had a very nice relaxing day Saturday.  The type of Saturday where you can kick it in your pj’s, sip coffee, search jcrew.com and make breakfast without feeling rushed.  Ahhhh – these are my fave kind of mornings.  I pinned a huevos rancheros recipe a few weeks ago and literally have not had a single weekend where making breakfast was even an option, so I finally got to whip it up.  It’s light, easy and delicious.  Make this for your significant other next weekend and they will worship the ground you walk on all day 🙂

huervos rancheros recipe

Bailey, Joe (my nephew) and Dad hit the dirt bike track.  My dad picks up the kids every weekend, for the last 6 months and they ride all morning long.  Bailey LOVES her time with Papa and zipping around the track on her 110.  She said she smoked all the kids out there today…haha.   This Mama also loves it – I get time to run errands and a quick trip to the carwash.

I headed downtown to grab some birthday gifts.  Wearing yoga pants + nikes, pretending like I went to the gym, when really the thought of picking an outfit seemed like too much work but I wanted to pretend I have my shit together…lol.  Anyone else rock workout clothes with absolutely no intention of making it to the gym?  I’m guilty!!  Anyway, I stopped by Well-Stocked Kitchen & Home, it’s a new store I’ve been wanting to check out since it opened.  You will die – beautiful displays of kitchen goodness and the aroma of the lemongrass candle burning throughout the store.  When I opened the door I felt as though I was in a different town.  The shelves are filled with any cooks desire.  Fall décor is beyond gorg as well. They are even stocked with gifts for the men in your life.  I wanted to pull up a chair and just hang out:)

Well-Stocked is hosting a Wish List Event on Sunday, November 8th from 11-3pm.  You can create or shop others Holiday Wish Lists.  The icing on the cake – complementary champs will be served while you browse….ummm, yes please.  This is my new gift buying destination!!

Next door is a quaint little vintage shop, The White Barn.  I walked around in circles trying not to miss anything.  It’s pure eye candy.  The initial sign (below) can be customized to order.  What a great wedding gift, right?  I can’t wait for my girlfriends brunch and downtown shopping date coming up.  It’s refreshing to see downtown filling up with new restaurants, shops and fun events.  I love being able to dine and shop in my very own little hometown.  Looking forward to what these shops have up their sleeves for the Holidays.

The rest of the day was spent meal prepping.  This is basically the ONLY way I survive cooking meals for my family throughout the crazy hectic work week.  My goal is to plan a menu and shop every Friday on my lunch break, for the following week.  I’m all about maximizing my time and groceries.  I spend a of couple hours on the weekend cooking, making marinades + dressings, washing + chopping veggies.  Once I’ve put this kind of time into my meal plan, it makes it easier to stick to it. I will get into more detail about this topic next week.  Here’s what’s cooking in our kitchen this week:

Burgundy Tri-tip with cucumber red onion relish + GG’s twice baked potatoes (it’s a classic family recipe)

I made my own burgundy marinade:

1 cup red wine

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons honey

lots of black pepper.

Mix ingredients and place with meat in zip-lock.  Chill in the refrigerator overnight.

Lasagna stuffed spaghetti squash…made this before and it is yummo.

Taco Salad (I add turkey) easy crowd pleaser and Turkey Burrito Bowls for lunches with the leftovers.  I always have a mason jar of Salsa in the fridge.  I plan to serve both recipes topped with  guac.

Friday is ALWAYS pizza night at our house! (I live for pizza)

Sacramento Antique Faire was this Sunday.  It’s the second Sunday of each month.  Over 300 vendors set up all their antiques for an outdoor marketplace.  I always feel so inspired after visiting the Faire.  I scored a fruit drying rack and a metal flower basket.  I plan to paint one side of the drying rack to use as a photo background.  Check out some of the vendor displays from todays Faire.  Mark your calendars for the next Antique Faire on Sunday, November 8th.  $3.00 admission and so much to see.

As soon as I got home, I pulled out a project I have been wanting to work on for some time. Like I said, It’s inspiring to see what people have done with some of the items you have at your very own home.  These 60 year old windows below, came out of my family cabin in Lake Tahoe last summer.  I knew exactly what to do.  Can of chalkboard spray paint ($3.50 at walmart) + painters tape + scrap paper.  I taped up the wood frame and sprayed a few coats of chalkboard paint.  I love the way they turned out.  I know a of couple family members that these will hold quite a bit of sentimental value with.

I even found a little time to catch some rays in the backyard…one of my favorite pastimes. My entertainment was cartwheel girl and Link (our pet rabbit) putting on a show in the trampoline.  It was such a nice afternoon – I couldn’t pass up catching up on instagram, facebook and emails while enjoying it.

PS – who says PTA committee meetings have to be boring??  Maria’s Cantina Jalapeño Martini – El Jimador Blanco + Cointreau + Agave Nectar with half a jalapeno muddled and shaken to absolute perfection.  Try it!!

#plainfieldmustangs

It’s my 1 week blogging anniversary friends.  I am still so nervous every time someone says “I read your blog and….”  I automatically cringe and think I’m about to get a negative review and I haven’t had one yet.  Thank you all so much for the thoughtful emails, gifts, comments – these all mean the world to me.  I always thought some day I’ll start a blog, and now I have a blog.  Still so surreal.

Have a great week peeps!

xoxo stacyb