Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Snack Time

Well it has been just over three months since my daughter was born and I'm still trying to lose that extra 5 lbs of baby weight (plus 10 more). I have always had success with Weight Watchers and I'm following their diet plan again this time around. During the last two weeks I've enjoyed trying a bunch of new recipes from Skinnytaste.com and I've been really happy with all of their meals.

I try not to snack that often  but as long as I'm counting the points I should be fine, right? Here are some snacks that I'm currently loving.



I love almond butter. MaraNatha's all natural Maple Almond Butter is delicious! I eat it on a whole wheat sandwich thins with sliced banana. So good!

I also really like Nature Valley's Roasted Nut Crunch snack bars. They are filling which is great while dieting.  Not to mention, they taste great and offer a nice little crunch in every bite.

The Chili Limon Tortilla Pop Chips are awesome! I had them for the first time while I was on vacation and I was hooked (as was my two year old).

And last but not least, the Spicy Regatta wine from Linganore Winecellars. Okay, I know that wine isn't considered a snack but after attending the local Wine Fest last weekend, I have a lot of this on hand. I actually like most of the wines made at this particular winery. This is a good thing since I have enough to get me through the rest of the year!

What is your favorite snack?

Friday, October 5, 2012

Python-Print Happy

When I came across these Tory Burch flats, while doing my usual mindless surfing of the internet, I was instantly hooked. I love the python print and have been trying to figure out how to add it to my wardrobe (without laying down $250 on these shoes). 




I found some great budget-friendly options at Target for under $20.





In the end, I settled on these HOT shoes from Nine West!



What do you think of this trend? Do you have a favorite python-print staple? Would you add it to your wardrobe?








Thursday, October 4, 2012

Move over Lemon-Drop...

My favorite cocktail is the Lemon-Drop Martini and it has been since I grew out of my Long Island Ice Tea stage (*cringe*)  in college.  However, I've recently met a strong contender that may be moving in on my love affair with this tart and tangy drink. Enter: Cool as Cucumber.






The first time I had this drink was just last week while on vacation in Myrtle Beach. Fortunately for me, it was served at the beach bar in our hotel so I was able to enjoy it a number of times. This is the perfect drink  to indulge in while laying on the beach. It is made up of Hendrick's Gin, St. Germain ElderFlower Liqueur, Cane Syrup, Muddled Cucumber and Sour Mix. So yummy and fresh!

Now I just have to learn how to perfect this tasty concoction at home. It looks like I've got some research to do!


Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Pumpkins, Pumpkins and more Pumpkins

I'm excited that Fall has returned! The leaves are changing colors, the weather is cooling off, and pumpkins are everywhere. I love me some pumpkin! Some of my favorites are pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin patches, carving pumpkins and of course cooking with the ever so versatile squash.

Today I'm trying out this recipe that has my mouth watering. It is the Crock Pot Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chili over at Skinnytaste.com. If you haven't been to her blog you should definitely check it out. She has a ton of yummy recipes and for you Weight Watchers fans she always includes the points for each recipe.

*Photo from Skinnytaste.com

Some of the other pumpkin-inspired dishes that I want to try from this site are the Pumpkin Pie No Bake Cheesecake, Pumpkin Pie Dip, Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Shake, and the Roasted Pumpkin Coconut Curry Soup.

Do you have a favorite pumpkin dish?

Monday, October 1, 2012

Monday Madness

I've been away from my blog for the last week because we were away on vacation! Which means that this Monday has been filled with cleaning, unpacking, laundry, menu planning and adjusting to being alone with the girls again. I will have more for you tomorrow but for now I'll leave you with a scene that I'll miss waking up to tomorrow morning. Ahhhhh...





Thursday, September 20, 2012

Currently Enjoying

Yesterday was my birthday and my husband surprised me with this gorgeous ring. He has such great taste in jewelry and always finds unique pieces.


I just received this yummy treat from a friend. I love me some dark chocolate and salted caramel!


As our summer days are coming to an end, I will enjoy a few more glasses of my go-to warm weather wine (I typically like a good red Malbec in the winter). Umberto Fiore is my favorite brand of Moscato. 


I'm loving these nail polishes from Essie. I need to decide which color I want to use while on vacation. The grey is perfect for fall but since we are headed to the beach the coral and turquoise are calling to me. It is ok to ride these last few days of summer out, right? Do you have a favorite nail polish you're wearing right now?




Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Drool-Worthy Diaper Bags


While I'm in the midst of trying to spruce up my wardrobe with fun fall items and accessories I have to come to terms with the fact that I'm not in the market for cute little clutches and handbags. I am stuck with toting around large and bulky diaper bags. But who says they can't be fun and stylish?

My Sister in Law just bought this Black and White Chevron Bag. It is on sale at Amazon right now. I love it!


These are super cute as well:


                                                          1. Potter Barn Kids $149.00
                                                          2. Etsy $59.00
                                                          3. Zappos $159.99
                                                          4. Zappos Couture $418.00


Do you have a favorite diaper bag?




Monday, September 17, 2012

Recipe: Balsamic Chicken

I really do enjoy cooking but I prefer to cook fancy meals when my husband is home and is available to keep the kiddos entertained. When Mike is at work and we are running from playgroup to playgroup I usually end up making our meals in our handy little Crockpot. When I ran across this recipe for Balsamic Chicken (first seen here) I just new that I had to try it out. The recipe mentions adding it to pasta but I paired it with some yummy veggies and it was delicious!



Ingredients:
  • 4-6 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts (about 40 ounces)
  • 2 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 medium onion thinly sliced (Not chopped)
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp each: dried oregano, basil, and rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • ground black pepper and salt to taste












Directions:

Pour the olive oil on bottom of slow cooker, add chicken breasts, salt and pepper each breast, put sliced onion on top of chicken then put in all the dried herbs and garlic cloves. Pour in vinegar and top with tomatoes. Cook on high 4 hours. 



Friday, September 14, 2012

Friday Random Roundup

I haven't been on top of the blog this week as I've been dealing with two little sick girls. It is such a heartbreaking and helpless feeling to watch my daughters suffer through runny noses, croupy coughs, fevers, and a lack of appetite. Fortunately, we were able to rule out Strep after a visit to the doctor. They are both on medicine now and I'm hoping we are on the upswing.

I just tried the Peanut Butter Cookie LARABAR this week and loved it! All natural ingredients and super delicious! Do you have a favorite snack bar or LARABAR?



I always wear my Polar FT4 Heart Rate Monitor while working out. It is a great form of motivation as I'm always trying to burn more calories with each new workout. Monday I burned 569 calories between a cardio and cardio abs video!


I'm so excited about the arrival of my Madewell Chambray shirt  first seen here on the Designer Bags and Dirty Diapers blog. This is one of my favorite sites. I love Natalie's style so when she recommended this shirt I knew I had to get one for myself.

Below is a picture of my first attempt at making cake pops (or as my daughter calls them Pop Sticks).  My friend Kim from Busy Mom From Southern Maryland brought over a large bouquet of them after I gave birth to C. They were delicious and super adorable! I just had to try making them myself.


I hope you all have a fun weekend planned! We are going to hit up the annual Artfest in our area, if the girls are feeling up to it, that is.




Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Currently Craving - Necklaces


I'm currently loving these necklaces from A-Thread, INPINK and Target. They are all very affordable. I can't wait to get my hands on some of them! 


        1/2/3/4/5/6/7


What fun jewelry finds are you currently obsessing over?




Monday, September 10, 2012

Tough Mudder? Not Nearly Tough Enough.

Saturday we took the girls to stay in Frederick, MD for the night so that my hubby, Mike, could participate in the  Tough Mudder Mid-Atlantic event with some of his co-workers. If you haven't heard of this event it is a grueling 10+ mile race filled with crazy obstacles like swimming in ice water, running through fire, army crawling through mud under barbed wire, you know...that sort of thing.

We had dinner Saturday night with his fellow co-workers and their significant others at the Macaroni Grill just down the street from our hotel. We then headed back to the hotel to get a good night sleep before the race. Unfortunately, we woke up to an onslaught of texts and emails telling us that the race had been canceled. I felt awful for Mike because I know how excited he was but I also felt relief from having to take my 2 year old and 2 month old daughters to this all day event. Apparently, it took some of the racers from the day before hours just to go half of a mile. That paired with sitting out in the sun for 5 or more hours and then having to fight our way back home through the traffic wasn't sounding very appealing.

The next morning we met up for breakfast with the rest of the crew and then we parted ways. Instead of heading home, we chose to go shopping at the nearby outlet mall. I scored some great sweaters from JCrew while we were there but oddly enough I think my husband had better luck and as always...so did my girls.

 It was kind of an expensive way of going out to dinner with friends but, all in all, it turned out to be a nice weekend away.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Twinkle Toes


My oldest daughter had her first dance class this morning. It is a creative music class for 2 year old kids but I'm hoping it is only the beginning of her journey with dance.  I participated in ballet, tap and jazz while growing up so this was a particularly special day for me.

In case you were wondering, yes, I was one of those moms that dressed her child up in a leotard, tights and an oversized tutu. I couldn't help it.  I actually told myself that I would just bring the tutu along and if the other little kids in her class were also wearing a tutu then I would pull hers out. Who was I kidding? As soon as I put it on for pictures I knew it wasn't coming off! 


N did such a great job! She followed along for the first 20 of 30 minutes which was much more than I'd hoped for. We are both looking forward to her next class!

New Girl on the Blog


I’ve finally done it. I’ve entered the Blog world and I’m obsessed. Who knew? Apparently, millions of active bloggers and all of their followers. But anywho… Ok, so I’m a little late to the game. I’ll admit that I began  following a couple of blogs that belonged to close friends of mine a couple of years ago. But that had been the extent of my participation in the blogging world. Until now. It started off with a single pin on Pinterest that led me to a blog that talked about all of the things that I like to spend my time dreaming about: fashion, home decor, recipes, travel, etc. I’m officially hooked. I’ve since started following 18 new blogs all within the last two weeks.  I can’t get enough.
You may ask where I find the time to read almost 20 blogs in a day.  Well, I have recently given birth to my second daughter. I’m home a little more often nowadays and as I work my pregnancy weight off I am interested in healthy and delicious recipes and current fashion trends. So many blogs out there offer great tips on fashion such as styling, good deals, and unique finds. I hope to pass on some of these great finds with you as well as yummy recipes, home decor updates, current obsessions, etc.
Enter blog name: “Diamonds and Pearls for My Girls”. My oldest daughter N was born in April and my youngest daughter C was born in June. They sure lucked out in the birthstone category!
I hope you’ll join me in my newest adventure into the blogging world.
Sincerely,
Amanda