What’s better than cake? How about cake that’s super easy to make? I think that’s why I’m so drawn to poke cakes, they’re just so easy. I remember having my first poke cake as a teenager and it’s been love ever since. I’ve taken cake decorating classes and I’ve made really complicated cakes before. I think I’ve proven to myself I can do it, so I’m just all about making easy cakes now. After all, it’s just going to get eaten right?
Poke cakes aren’t just easy, they’re also messy, sloppy, and delicious. This Strawberry Shortcake Poke Cake is perfect for hot summer days when the strawberries are ripe. It’s strawberry shortcake in a pan!
After the cake is baked and cooled slightly I use the end of a wooden spoon to poke holes, anything similar sized will work.
You can certainly buy frozen strawberries in syrup for this recipe, but it’s so easy to make your own topping out of fresh strawberries. Just slice them up – I use this strawberry slicer and it’s awesome – and add a little sugar and jelly, and that’s it! It tastes so yummy, and you could use this strawberry topping for anything.
How easy is that? Cover the cake and let it chill in the refrigerator for a few hours. There may have been a few times we tore into it before we let it chill. Either way it’s strawberry goodness, but the cake honestly tastes better cold!
3/4cupstrawberry syrup (use pancake or ice cream syrup)
1(8 oz)container whipped topping, thawed
3cupsfresh whole strawberries, thinly sliced
1/4cupstrawberry jam
2tbssugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° and spray a 9x13 inch pan with baking spray.
In large bowl, beat cake mix, half-and-half, oil, and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then at medium speed 2 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally.
Pour into pan and bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes.
Poke cake every inch with tines of meat fork or the end of a mixing spoon. Pour syrup slowly over cake, allowing syrup to fill holes in the cake.
Cool completely, about 35 minutes. Spread whipped topping over cake.
In medium bowl, gently mix strawberries, jam, and sugar. Refridgerate cake and strawberry mixture separately until ready to serve.
Add the strawberry mixture to the top of the cake just before serving.
Let’s talk about my bright summery home accents today! First of all, I can’t believe how long it took me to get this blog post up, June’s been such a busy month that I just kept forgetting to take pictures. The light in our house can be super tricky, but hey… I’ve finally got photos! I always like to tweak and freshen up our home along with the changing of the seasons. So when summer started setting in naturally I was craving a light fresh summer look for the home – tones of pink, gold, and other fun summer accents.
But with summer trip expenses approaching I was determined to do everything on a budget! Not all, but several of our new summer updates are from Amazon. I came across an article the other day saying that Amazon was the new IKEA. I have to say I agree! Amazon has always been awesome, but I’ve had amazing luck at find great affordable items for my home lately.
I was ready for an update with the shelves in our formal living area. I wanted a cleaner modern look and I had my eye on some gold shelves from a favorite store of mine, but they were nearly $600! I happened to check Amazon and wouldn’t you know I found these identical looking shelves for $160, they even have the exact same measurements as the expensive shelves! I love this fresh new look!
I’m a little bummed to say I think World Market has discontinued the Cute as a Button Turfted Loveseat. Those who love the look Pier One has a very similar loveseat model. I’ve seen it in person and size-wise it’s nearly identical, and the Flax color is very similar to what I have. I actually prefer their version over mine.
Anyone watch the show Revenge? If so you probably recognize this chair. Victoria Grayson would sit in her perfect little chair and each week I would drool over how fabulous it was. The day I found out I could have a custom chair made from Ballard Designs to look just like Victoria’s was the best day ever. It’s really fun to play with the custom options and design chair looks. Try it, it’s so fun!
The cat pillow is perfect with our pink summer accents, and the other side has a cat sleeping with a blue pillow. So two looks in one pillow. Finally I have a new kitty I’m not allergic too. Can we talk about how awesome this gold hammered bowl is too? It definitely deserves a moment!
No, our living room windows aren’t filthy I’m pretty sure thats a problem with your computer monitor and you should probably get that checked out. That’s so weird, I hope your computer’s okay!
I decided to give our Cognac Monet a little rest and ordered this print to switch out to update our fireplace. I’ve gotten to be a pro at switching out our wall art, if I ever run across a problem the framing department will help me out for a very small charge. A tip – if you can’t find the exact size print to fill your frame then look for a print that can be cut down without destroying the image. I ordered up a size and simply trimmed off the excess poster to fit perfectly. This is actually supposed to be a horizontal print, but I think it works vertical. Come fall, I think Cognac Monet will make a return appearance.
The fireplace looks fresh and summery with our candles and snake plants – seriously you can’t kill them! Candles in the fireplace are a summertime favorite for us. For ease and safety I use LED candles, in the evenings it gives the room such a warm glow. Oh, a tip – this candelabra along with many others had a spike in each candle spot, those who are familiar with LED candles know that won’t work. With wire cutters I was able to cut off the spikes, it took a little muscle but wasn’t that hard.
And the winner for the most difficult, impossible area to photograph in our home is our mudroom! It was so hard to get this photo, you have no idea!! Those who may not have seen this very old blog post, this is a hallway turned mudroom. I’ve always had mudroom jealousy so this little hallway outside our laundry room was put to work as a faux mudroom. This previously wasted space now works hard for us.
If you’re wondering about the Wifi thermostat it’s freakin awesome! I’m trying to get Brian to write up a post about all our smart home devices we love. Maybe when things settle down this fall he will. This is just one of our little fun home devices we love.
I wish I could of put together a full summer home tour for the blog, but with our trip coming up in a few days I just ran out of time. Tomorrow I’ll be sharing a yummy cake recipe that’s not only super easy to make it’s also perfect if your looking for an easy dessert for the 4th.
I want to share our travel favorites with you today. I don’t know about y’all but travel can be a little stressful sometimes, and you can bet I’m always on the lookout for items to make things easier. I think that should be the goal with every trip, to bring things along that help you be more organized and relaxed so you can just enjoy yourself.
Since we’re about to jet off and I have travel on my mind I thought this would be a great time to share with you some of our travel favorites we always use. Bonus, these are all from Amazon and priced at $50 or below, with Prime shipping you can quickly gather things you need without panicking.
This adjustable tablet stand rocks! It’s useful in so many ways not just for travel but also for everyday life. You can use it at home, in a hotel, or on an airplane for your tablet or phone. I sometimes use it to watch movies on my iPad in the bathtub and to hold my iPad in the kitchen while reading a recipe. The stand is completely adjustable to accommodate any size phone or tablet too. It’s definitely a travel must for us!
Another multi-purpose item I love. Have you ever flown in the bulkhead or exit row? Yeah, the extra leg room is awesome until you realize you can’t relax your legs and sleep. I once flew to Paris in the bulkhead row and I was miserable with my legs folded up the entire time. From now on I make sure to fly with one of these! This helps with the dreaded leg swelling I sometimes get. It also works well with small children in cars or airplanes when their little legs do not reach the floor, even in the smaller rows. This inflatable footrest makes long trips much more comfortable for adults and kids! You can adjust the size to tailor your needs and simply deflate once you’ve reached your destination.
So you’re probably seeing a pattern, I love traveling with inflatable stuff! I don’t always use a neck pillow when we’re taking a road trip or flying, but I definitely want the option and I can’t loose precious carry-on or car space! After a few too many times of wrestling my neck pillow into my carry on I decided inflatable was the way to go. After arriving at your destination, just deflate and put it back in the pouch, which I promise takes up much less space than a regular neck pillow.
This is such a great item! We’ve used it so many times over the years! Up to 5 users can plug in their headphones or earbuds to listen to the same music or movies. This works great with kids on road trips or when flying. I use it a lot with my husband when flying, we use the above tablet stand and this headphone splitter so we can each watch a movie at the same time on my iPad. I highly recommend this!
I like to take a travel pillow & blanket with me on all trips, whether road trips or air travel. Another multi-purpose item, I use the pillow for lumbar support because I’ve learned the hard way the airlines hardly ever pass out pillows and the seats kill my back. It’s also the perfect back pillow for long road trips. I love how if I get cold at any time I can quickly unzip and remove the blanket, and afterwards it easily folds back up. Sometimes we even use it in the hotel room when we are low on blankets. I also love this leopard one (not from Amazon), it’s always with me!
These are an amazingly affordable alternative to other expensive headphones! At around $40 these babies do a great job of reducing noise and they sound great. We’ve tried out so many headphones over the years and these are the clear winners, and bonus, they fold up after use, saving travel space.
Is it just me or does everyone else gag at the thought of putting dirty shoes in their suitcase? If you’ve never thought about that I bet you are now! This isn’t ideal just for germaphobes but also protect your shoes from scuffs and damage. That’s another bonus for me, I’m always worried about my shoes scratching or scuffing.
OMG we’re obsessed with traveling with hooks! We’re major hookers, haha – you know I just had to say that. It seems like when we stay in hotels there is never enough counter space or hooks. So our solution is to buy over the door hooks and we can easily hang everything from bathrobes and towels to almost dirty but still usable clothes and toiletry bags. You can use the over the door hangers with multi hooks but I find they take up a lot more travel space than singles. We just stack several singles on a door, just remember to pack them when you leave. We’ve left a few at hotels before, it’s very easy to do. I may spray paint the tips or add a colorful ribbon for this trip, we can’t leave them again!
Like I said above, there seems to never be enough bathroom countertop space when we travel, especially when we bring all the kids. And there have been a few times we’ve just had a pedestal sink in the hotel – I’m talking about you NYC – and there is literally nowhere to put anything! Just find a towel rack or bring your own hooks and this hanging toiletry bag will save you! Brian and I each have our own for toiletries, and I have a separate one just for organizing my jewelry and accessories. This larger version can accommodate full size bottles for longer trips.
I’ve noticed from reading so many hotel reviews that people like to complain a lot about noise, whether it’s outside traffic noise or thin walls. It’s such a simple solution to bring a sound machine. Because Brian snores I’m just in the habit of always bringing one with us. There’s a high and low setting and the sides rotate to get the exact white noise sound pitch your looking for. It’s also very useful when traveling with kids who wake up easily. I keep one in our guest bedroom too.
I love having a sleeping eye mask that gives me freedom to blink and move my eyes without smashing them down! A huge plus for the ladies who don’t want mascara smeared onto their face and for those with eyelash extensions.
How many times have you gotten to the hotel room at the end of the day with a bunch of dead devices and not enough chargers? This one charges 4 devices at once, and it comes with international plugs too so you can take it overseas! We use this charger every time we stay in a hotel.
And speaking of charging your devices, I’m sure you know what I mean when you’re on vacation and you’re using your phone or tablet to take pictures and videos, look up restaurant reviews, or direct you to your destination but your battery dies before it’s even noon. And you don’t want to have to go stand next to a plug for an hour while you get a recharge. This portable battery charger is a lifesaver, providing over 4 complete charges at a time, and you can’t beat this price!
Lint happens and I recommend keeping a lint roller on you at all times when possible – especially for traveling! This roller retracts keeping it clean and preventing it from sticking to anything. It comes in other colors and there are refills too.
OUR DAY TRIP TO CHABLIS & VEZELAY FRANCE WITH VIATOR
I was going through our old photo collection and I ran across these trip photos that I wanted to share with you! Not to confuse you, this trip is from 2014 when we were staying in Paris, but I still remember it like it was yesterday. The blog was just a tiny seed back then, but luckily we’ve always snapped lots of photos while traveling, although the quality of the photos is hit or miss unfortunately. Another thing I wanted to share is our love for Viator Tours. Sometimes planning day trips and side activities while on vacation can be overwhelming, especially when you’re in a foreign country and don’t speak the language. Depending on where you travel you can almost always find an amazing assortment of half-day, full-day, and sometimes overnight trips. The day tours usually have little fun extra stops that I love, and we find ourselves in charming little places that otherwise we probably wouldn’t have ever known.
Below, here we are in the adorable little town of Chablis.
It doesn’t look like the exact tour that we took from Paris to the Burgundy wine region is still available, but there are some very similar ones. I remember when we booked this day tour we were so torn whether to head to Burgundy or Champagne. Obviously Burgundy won, but I still can’t wait to visit Champagne too…we love the bubbly wine.
When we first arrived in Chablis, our tour guide took us on a charming walking tour of the town, it was so quiet and peaceful. Afterwards we stopped for a small lunch in a quaint, little cafe included in our tour and then it was off to tour Domain Laroche Winery. Here we learned about the family wine making business, toured vintage wine making tools, and then explored the underground cellars.
We then got to tour the underground cellar and have a glass of the most incredible tasting Chablis wine! We love framing our travel photos, I usually black and white them. Framed travel photos are the perfect souvenir! You can see an example of this in The Formal Living and Dining Switch blog post. All the black and white photos are from our trip to France, if you have a good eye you can spot some photos from our Laroche winery.
After exploring Chablis, we went to the charming little town of Vezelay. When we stepped off the tour bus we saw the adorable Le Compostelle Hotel, we took this photo promising to one day stay there. It’s still on our list and one day we will do it. Look at their website, can you tell how dreamy Vezelay is? We continued through the town up a big hill snapping photos of these cute little restaurants and shops along the way. I remember taking this photo below thinking, wow this looks too perfect to be real!
At the top of the hill was the stunning Vezelay Abbey, it was being restored but we were able to tour the inside and it was lovely! Over from the church there was a lovely garden high up that overlooked the beautiful French countryside.
Aren’t these photos of Chablis and Vezelay dreamy? Honestly without Viator Tours these are 2 places I’m sure we would have not ever visited on our own. We leave for Europe in a few weeks and we have several more tours booked, 1 in Switzerland, and a few in England and Scotland. I can’t wait to share our new travel adventures with you!
Are you planning a trip soon and are curious about taking a Viator tour? Click the link at the top or the banner below to search all the activities they have to offer.
Hey friends, I’m so excited to review the PMD Clean device today with you! I’m obsessed with new beauty products, and let’s be honest if I think it will make me look better I’ll try anything. Although I’ve had many at home beauty products flop on me, when I discovered the PMD Clean I was so excited to try it out.
Let me start by saying although it’s similar to the Clarisonic, it’s also different in many ways. The PMD Clean has 2 sides, an exfoliating brush head that is used to cleanse, massage, and exfoliate the skin, and the other side is for an anti-aging massage that helps with the absorption of serums and moisturizers. It has 4 vibration settings, the first 2 are for cleansing with the brush side and the other 2 settings are pulsing vibrations for the anti-aging massage.
This brush head is a huge bonus for me, I was so tired of replacing brush heads on my Clarisonic. Plus I had several instances where the brush wouldn’t dry, and it would grow bacteria and actually cause breakouts. The brush head on the PMD Clean is silicone, anti-bacterial, and dries almost instantly. The downside is it won’t give you the deep scrub feeling of the Clarisonic, but the PMD still leaves my skin feeling clean, smooth, and exfoliated. I often found the Clarisonic too harsh to use every day on my skin, even with the gently brush. I’m able to use the PMD twice a day, every day.
A huge plus for me is the PMD Clean takes batteries. I’m so sick of cords and needing to charge devices that this is a huge win! The silver portion of the PMD unscrews and takes 1 AA battery, and one is include with purchase. It’s so great to be able to use a new beauty device immediately without having to charge overnight first. If the battery thing throws you off just know I’ve used the PMD twice a day for about 3 weeks and it’s still going strong, maybe just keep a spare battery around.
HOW DO YOU USE IT?
I like to use cleansing wipes first to remove heavy makeup before using the PMD Clean. To cleanse start by rinsing your face with water, apply cleanser to your face, and massage the skin with the exfoliating brush side using modes 1 or 2 in a circular motion. Rinse and pat the skin dry. For the anti-aging benefits use smooth side of the head and modes 3 or 4 to massage serums and moisturizers into the skin. You can do this by directly applying the product to the smooth side of the brush head, but I found this wasted too much product. I just apply directly to my skin in that area and massage in, the 4th setting is my favorite.
While using the massage feature I made a point to use upward motions, being gentle and not causing any pulling to my skin. The massage feels really good on my face, with maybe the exception of my forehead. I didn’t read in the directions where this device can’t be used around the eyes, but instead of a sweeping motion I used more of a slow tap to avoid pulling. After cleaning and massing my skin with the PMD my skin seriously feels soft, plump, and amazing.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO THE CLARISONIC?
The PMD retails for $99 and the Clarisonic retails for about $130 with brush heads needing to be replaced every 3 months. I love how the PMD is lightweight, soft and flexible. It’s really easy to use along the contours of my face and it’s gently enough that you can go over certain areas of your face longer if needed, there is no timer like the Clarisonic.
PMD CLEAN PROS
No brush head to replace
Silicone brush head does not grow bacteria
No charger cords to clutter up your bathroom
Light weight flexible head and body are easier to store and travel with
Smooth massage head stimulates blood flow and aids in product absorbtion
PMD CLEAN CONS
You need to buy batteries
The brush head is one size and can’t be changed
I have to say I really love this tool. It’s going to be a great item to travel with this summer, and I don’t have to worry about packing charger cords, yay! I love how the brush head doesn’t hold water and grow bacteria and I love the bonus of the skin massage. With the gentle exfoliation and the smooth massage head, skincare products will definitely absorb easier into the skin. Facial massage increases blood flow to the skin, increasing collagen and creating a glowing lifted effect as well. It’s also waterproof, stands up on the end, and comes in 2 other colors. This is such a fun beauty tool to add into your skincare routine! See you next week.
Hey there friends! Hopefully you’ve had some time to poke around my new website. I’m thrilled with the change!
I’m also celebrating because it’s patio season! Well, I say that now, the week before I took these photos we had unbearable heat. I’m talking hundred degree weather with rainforest humidity the first few days of June. I was about to hand in my Texas card, telling everyone we we’re moving to Alaska and I wasn’t joking this time, then luckily the heat and humidity calmed down. We’re back to the 90’s with dry air – hey I’ll take it! When the weather cooperates where I live, usually mornings or evenings the patio is my happy place, so today I’m sharing photos of my happy place with you. I think we could all use a bit more happy, don’t you?
What can I say about patio life, other than it is good! I still get a ton of traffic and some questions on my Pottery Barn Sectional, I have a full review of it on the blog. It’s been hands down one of the best investments we’ve ever made, and the fact that you can buy washable slipcovers is just pure genius. These slipcovers get down right filthy too, and everything washes out, sunbrella is such a tough fabric! We did the build your own outdoor sectional just because the other sets didn’t fit our patio well. So I was able to measure each piece and get the perfect size, but after the sectional was delivered I realized we did have a bit more room so I ordered another seat to add on. For patio furniture it’s pretty comfortable too, if I wasn’t so afraid of bugs I could sleep on it.
The $5 bookshelves I painted last year did bite the dust, indoor furniture just won’t last as long on a Texas patio facing west clearly. I was actually a little excited it fell apart because I had my eye on this herb storage cabinet. Again, it’s indoor furniture but it’s just so perfect for the patio, so I’m hoping it holds up. The owl wall arthas done surprisingly well the few years it’s been outdoors. It’s indoor wall art from Pier 1 but it has’t faded one bit. In fact we get severe storms and it sometimes blows out into the yard and I laugh because it still doesn’t have one scratch.
When I designed and decorated our covered patio my goal all along was to have it feel like an outdoor living room, and I think we definitely achieved that. I was also adamant not to have our dining table on the main patio. I knew the majority of the time we would be having a drink and lounging more than eating a full meal outdoors, although I did add a bar height bistro table just in case. I wanted the dining area to feel charming and secluded. So we built a separate pergola for our outdoor dining room and planted vines growing on the pergola. I am very impatiently waiting on these vines to grow, so far we’ve not had the best luck.
Serving drinks and light snacks are a breeze with the bar cart though, plus it serves as storage. I had the hardest time finding a bar cart and actually returned several until I happily settled on this one from Ballard Designs, and this thing is sturdy!
Life is just a little bit better on the patio. From the fountains, to the music played from our bluetooth rock speakers we’ve just had some of our best moments out here. Facing west it can be intense when the sun sets sometimes, but that’s what the outdoor curtains are for! Again the curtains are made from sunbrella fabric and are very stain resistant. I hope you’ve enjoyed a peak at my happy place, its a great place to escape from it all. Where’s your happy place?
If you’re curious about any of our items, I’ve either linked everything I can find above or below in the shop carousel.
Happy June everyone! The travel season is upon us and I am so pumped! We’re counting down less than a month until our European vacation begins! My girls also have separate school trips this month, Ashley is going to Washington D. C. and Haley is going to Japan. You might say we’ve got travel on our mind!
When we aren’t traveling, or planning new travels, we love to watch movies that inspire us to explore and motivate us to try new places. There are so many travel movies out there, but we’ve narrowed this list down to our top 10 favorite travel movies. These are movies that make us happy, that make us laugh, that make us think, and they inspire us. A good travel movie will make you want to drop everything and explore our beautiful world.
This is such an inspiring movie. If you found out you just had weeks to live, where would you go? How would you act and what would you do? Everybody has a place they’ve always dreamed of visiting but never got around to it. In this movie you’ll see the stunningGrand Hotel Pupp nestled in a little mountain town in the Czech Republic. With lots of amazing food scenes I’ve gotta say it will also inspire you to eat! But vacation and eating definitely go together! I think this charming movie has a great message and I encourage anyone to watch it.
Thinking of going to Paris? Or maybe you’re just missing Paris. Either way this light hearted comedy is for you. This movie features stunning scenes of Paris as well as Versailles and Giverny. From the Arc de Triomphe to the cobblestone streets and charming outdoor street cafes, this movie has plenty of motivation to clear your calendar and book airfare. If you haven’t already fallen in love with Paris you definitely will after watching this movie.
Set in Rome, this movie is a real treat to watch! In this movie you’ll watch several couples exploring life, fantasies, and love. It’s also pretty funny, and we especially loved the mortician turned opera singer who can only sing in the shower. Whether Rome is on your bucket list or you’re a regular, this movie will have you ready for a Roman vacation.
Stop dreaming and start doing. If you aren’t living the life you want to live then this movie will encourage you to. It shows amazing scenes of Greenland, Iceland, and the Himalayas, and it will inspire you to leave your bubble and explore. It’s a terrific movie that will motivate you to be brave, be bold, and believe in yourself. It also made me put Iceland on our travel list!
I’ve fallen in love with Venice from watching this movie. We’ll be spending a lot of time in Europe, some in Italy, and I’m kicking myself that we can’t squeeze in Venice. I’m hoping we can manage a trip next summer for sure. Until then I’ll just have to watch this movie over and over because the scenes are just amazing. From the canals to the architecture you’ll definitely get a good dose of Venice in this movie!
This cute movie shows incredible scenes throughout Ireland. In the movie Anna travels to Dublin to propose to her boyfriend on Leap Day. Irish tradition says a man must accept a woman’s proposal on that day. However things completely fall apart for her as she navigates the land. The stunningly green scenes take me back to our trip to Ireland years ago. Whether you’ve never been to Ireland or you just miss it, it will inspire you to take a trip!
I remember very vividly watching this movie in the theater when it first came out. It was magical then and it still is. I think a lot of us have fantasized at some point about just dropping everything and starting life over in a far away place. After a sudden divorce Frances suddenly buys and restores a villa that’s falling apart. This sweet and charming movie features beautiful scenes of Tuscany that will have you ready to pack your bags.
The story starts with the tragic death of a family member of an Indian family who owns a restaurant. Ready to start a new life they unexpectedly end up in a charming little French village. In this movie you’ll see beautiful scenes of France and incredible scenes of French and Indian cuisine. This is also another movie that will inspire you not only to travel but to eat delicious food.
This is absolutely one of our favorite movies. A busy Chicago family who are out of touch with each other inherit a sailboat in less than perfect condition. They decide to renovate the boat and hire a captain to teach them how to sail. I’m not sure I’d want to set sail with Captain Ron, but Kurt Russell is hilarious as well as Martin Short being the uptight dad. This movie shows lots of island scenes along with gorgeous views of blue Caribbean water. All problems aside this movie always makes us want to set sail for a Caribbean adventure.
Here is another great movie that will have you longing for a getaway to the French countryside. Max, a powerful London investment broker, suddenly inherits his uncle’s chateau and vineyard in France. Determined to sell the property, he travels there to make arrangements, but is overcome with such pleasant childhood memories as well as the charm and beauty of the estate that he changes his mind. The story expertly moves from past to present times, and it’s gorgeously filmed showing scenes of the vineyard and French countryside.
As inspiring as travel movies can be we came up with a few movies to avoid. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles is pretty hilarious, does it inspire me to travel? No. Although it makes us laugh it also makes me want to rip my hair out in frustration. Titanic is gorgeously filmed, but if you’re planning a cruise you may want to avoid that one. And Snakes on a Plane, do I even need a reason for that one??
A while back I did a post on why I love decorating with trays and how they provide instant style. You know what? Books fall into the same category. The right kind provides instant style but, also helps to anchor objects that would other wise not work or seem lost. Using books in your home decor will not only save storage place, it will encourage you to think and dream. I think those are things we could all use more of! I like to use books to tell a story about what I love, and you can do the same.
Books will provide visual interest, pattern and color to your home. Although most of our books on display fall heavy into the picture category I still read and thumb through them often. Sometimes I’ve had an awful day and it just feels good to pop open a bottle of wine and thumb through a good book. Nothing beats being transported into a story… a beach, vintage celebrity photos or stunning couture, it’s good for my soul.
The little pink macaron pill boxes I’m in love with! My girls gave them to me for Mother’s Day, they actually found them months ago at Hobby Lobby bought them and had hid them from me. So sweet!
Smaller books look so cute on trays, and I especially love stacking small objects on top of books. It gives great texture and visual interest doesn’t it? I’m always on the look out for small objects to decorate with and this bronze hand from Pottery Barn certainly fit the bill, and it’s holding my husbands grandmothers earrings. Not only are they do they look beautiful, they enhance the story I’m telling with the fashion books. I love using small objects around my house of family members who are no longer with us, it brings their life into our everyday life and I love that.
I think this plant above on the shelf is a perfect example of how a book can anchor objects. Without the book the plant looked stark and boring. Gotta love it when the camera picks up the dust on your shelves – LOL!
Elements of Styleis hands down my favorite design book EVER! It’s full of great home design information and HELLO – this book looks incredible everywhere! Black and white stripes just do it for me! Here are more of my favorites, if you’re interested. If not go out and find books that represent you and make you happy!
I’m constantly tweaking our house and moving this around from room to room. So when you see a book and think wait didn’t that used to be on your desk? Yeah, probably so… but remember I suffer from I can’t leave my house alone. I’m not just styling a blog photo, I’m constantly rearranging. I call it shopping my own house!
My Mom will vouch I’ve been doing this since I was probably 7 or 8 years old! It would take me literally all day to clean my room because I would have to perfectly stage all my toys on my book shelf. What can I say? OCD starts young.
Ugly old books an be spray painted, they look fabulous gold! Use painted books as risers under objects that need height or to be anchored visually.
Use one large book for a simple but bold statement, or create stacked groupings of books. Vary the size, placement and direction, and add fun trinkets on top for style and interest.
Let the books you decorate with represent you and what you love. If you love science and nature that should play into your choices.
When buying books online don’t assume you know what size it is just by looking at it! Especially if you’re creating a book display. Be sure to measure, use other books or magazines for size reference so you have an idea size wise if your books will stack well. I have a few books I just love together, but they aren’t sized right, so nope!
I like to look for books that I love but ones that have covers that will make a statement and style beautifully. In this case sometimes I do judge a book by its cover. After all when a book is on display it’s closed most of the time!
Sometimes books you love aren’t the prettiest and no LOL you don’t have to always spray paint it. Simply stack a nicer coordinating book on top and let that book do all the visual work.
I feel like I haven’t posted a recipe in forever! I can’t think of a yummier recipe to post to get me back into my rhythm than this Thai chicken salad with peanut dressing, and bonus you can make it in about 20 minutes!
We have a serious thing for Thai food in our house, there is a Thai restaurant 2 minutes from our house that we order from way to often! I’ll tell ya, it’s giving Mexican food some serious competition lately! We just love Thai food, especially this salad in the summer, it’s so healthy and refreshing. Combined with our other serious love for peanut butter and this recipe is a total win.
I start with a whole cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, you can certainly roast your own if you’re willing. Our grocery store has organic rotisserie so I’m good with that. The recipe calls for 2-3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken. I never measure this out actually, I just add what looks to be enough to feed everyone. As for the peanut butter we used Earth Balance Creamy, and for the coconut milk we used Thai Kitchen Lite Coconut Milk in a can. Save any leftover coconut milk for your coffee, so yummy!
Most of the salad veggies you can get pre-sliced, but you will need to slice a few on your own. Yeah, veggie slicing is boring so I like to have a glass of wine and crank up some Frank or Ella tunes to get me through it. Another secret trick I’ve learned is to invite your husband or significant other for a “couples cooking date night”, then I assign all the horrible tedious stuff to him… like mincing garlic. Ugh… that’s my least favorite thing to do in the kitchen!
Due to the boring veggie slicing I was drinking wine, therefore I didn’t get a picture of the dressing. It’s the wine’s fault, it makes me forget things! So just close your eyes and imagine a light brown liquid in a blender. Great job! That’s exactly what it looked like. Seriously the dressing is so easy! Just throw all the ingredients in and blend for a few seconds, until smooth.
Hey there, Happy Weekend! Brian and I just spent a fabulous day hiking the Lighthouse Trail in the Palo Duro Canyon. For those who aren’t familiar with the Palo Duro Canyon, it’s located about 30 minutes outside Amarillo, Texas, near the town of Canyon. The Palo Duro Canyon is gorgeous and looks like a miniature Grand Canyon, it’s actually the second largest canyon in the United States.
Now this isn’t our first time to the Palo Duro Canyon State Park, last year about this time I wrote a blog post on our visit with the kids. We hiked all the way to the end of the trail, but bringing teenage girls with us it didn’t go so well, so once we got to the end of the flat trail we had to turn around and go back, without climbing up to the Lighthouse. It was nearly 6 miles without seeing the prize. I was really disappointed but my kids were hurting, actually we were too but we still enjoyed the hike. You can read about our experience in my Palo Duro Canyonblog post, plus find other cool activities we did in the canyon, and see some highlights of things to do in Amarillo and the area.
On this trip we didn’t take the girls with us, haha we learned our lesson the first time! But honestly they didn’t want to come hike this trail again anyway and it worked out great because Brian and I need a break from 2 teens anyway! This time I was determined to fully conquer this trail.
In the intense heat this trail can make people seriously ill, a few deaths have occurred over the years from hikers being unprepared in the extreme summer heat. There is very little shade on this hike. In the summer temperatures in the canyon reach well over 100 degrees, so please go prepared or wait until cooler temperatures. If you do hike this trail in the extreme heat, this news article recommends to take a gallon of water per mile per person. I’m not sure how it’s possible to carry that much water, but that’s the recommendation.
We hiked mid April, the temperature was a high of 68 and ideal. Our backpack was packed with 4 liters of water and we had some snacks. The trail is open for bikers as well but most people walk it.
Pretty early into the trail you descend into the canyon and you’re surrounded by gorgeous rock formations. There are mile markers along the way to help you stay on the trail and keep track of your distance.
Those with smaller children who want to explore the Lighthouse Trail but can’t make it the full way I suggest hiking to this spot about a mile into the trail. You’ll see a sign that says scenic point to your left. Here you can get a view of the canyon and the Lighthouse in the distance. Kids can play around on here. You’ll get good feel for the trail if you can’t keep going.
We crossed 3 dry creek beds and another creek bed that had a little water. We didn’t encounter any snakes or wildlife, and except for a few big flies buzzing around our heads the bugs weren’t too bad either.
FYI there aren’t any bathrooms, water fountains, or trash cans anywhere on the trail, you will occasionally see a small wooden bench to rest on, although there are not many of them.
The trail itself is long, but pretty easy until you get to the end. It’s mostly flat like you see on the left, but even in the flat areas you will occasionally encounter some uneven ground or small rocks to trip over so it’s important to pay attention as you walk. Once we crossed the wet creek we encountered more hills and rocks.
Once you get to the end of the trail it just stops. There is a picnic table, a few trees for shade, and a place to chain your bike. We walked a very brisk pace but we did stop quite a few times for photos. I timed it and we made it to the end of the flat trail in 57 minutes. Remember this is where my kids gave up from exhaustion and we had to turn around and head back.
We took a 5 minute rest on the picnic table, drank some water, and had a few handfuls of peanuts to give us some energy. From here you have to climb. We encountered an older couple here, the lady was resting next to us and her husband with his camera attempted to make the climb up to the Lighthouse but pretty quickly came down saying it was too steep for him.
So we journeyed up the narrow pathway and I’m thinking this really isn’t that bad and then wow, does the path change!
I suddenly see the extreme rock terrain in front of me and think seriously?? Suddenly it’s like a rock ladder and we were crawling around like toddlers. I did find that my regular althetic shoes worked well until this point, hiking shoes with traction are ideal from here up, but even though I slid a lot we made it work. Just be careful, sliding on gravel isn’t fun.
As we near the top the rocky trail gets much easier. We were told once we reached the Y in the trail to go right it was easier. So this was us going right, doesn’t look so easy. So I’m not sure what they meant, possible the left side was longer distance wise? Maybe they tricked us? Not really sure. We stopped plenty to catch our breath and take in the stunning views.
We made it to the top and it was pure joy! The views are beautiful and the Lighthouse is stunning! There is a small bench to rest on, from this point you can turn around and go back or keep on climbing. Can you guess what we did?
Once up on top we lost track of time, I stopped timing so I can’t tell you how long it took to climb and look around. We had lots of fun taking pictures and playing around so I’ll just let you see some of our photos…
A tip, you should try to hike during the week. I know this isn’t possible for everybody but weekends get very crowded. Last time we visited this trail with the girls people were everywhere. It was noisy, crowded, and hard to pass people on the trails. This time we did encounter a few people here and there but for the most part we were alone, it was quiet and it was very peaceful. Because of this we were able to get so many great photos of the Lighthouse without crowds of people.
Speaking of kids, I’m sure many have done this hike. If your kids are tough and used to hiking go for it, just be prepared – don’t go in the summer. If you have girly teens, or kids that aren’t real outdoorsy I wouldn’t, they’re are shorter, easier trails in the canyon.
On the way back we were pretty tired but we still walked at super speed. I timed us and we beat our time, made it back in 52 minutes this time, so I guess the photos did slow us down.
The views walking back were just as beautiful. The red rock canyon was stunning against the blue sky. These photos had minimal editing, the colors looked exactly like this in real life.
There are several other trails, but this one is very popular, there is also a 16 minute scenic drive through the canyons, and entry into the State Park is $5 per person. They have several campsites, and cabins are also available. You can find more information at www.palodurocanyon.com. The Texas Outoor Muscial performs in the amphitheater in the Palo Duro Canyon June-August. The show is spectacular, with amazing special effects. You will be hot, but just drink water and make peace with your sweat because it’s an incredible experience, and my kids loved it. You can find more details at www.texas-show.com. We plan on taking some different hikes in the Palo Duro Canyon this fall when the temps cool off again.
Overall this hike did wear us out at the end though. I do pilates reformer 4-5 days a week and my Brian does Orange Theory, yet the next day we woke up so sore!
Today, we’re back on the road heading back to Fort Worth and stopping in Wichita Falls to pick up the girls from Grandma’s house. I hope you enjoyed coming along with us on our Lighthouse Trail adventure. Enjoy the weekend, see you next week!
When it comes to home decor we all want simple and affordable ways to add style and flair to our home. Today I wanted to share with you one of my favorite items to decorate with – TRAYS! Growing up having trays in our household either meant we were sick or giving Mom breakfast in bed. I love how something so useful and incredibly ordinary has exploded in the world of home decorating and for good reason!
In our home I pretty much use trays for everything, I constantly play around with them, and while some stay stationary others I’m constantly moving around. A tray that might be on my coffee table one week could be on the kitchen table or in the guest room another week. I’m always on the lookout new interesting designs to add to my collection and I find most trays are affordable. It’s incredibly satisfying arranging useful or pretty objects on them, items that otherwise without a tray might look lost, too small, and out of place.
Below let me show you some of my favorite ways I’ve used trays in our home. When you’re looking at these photos imagine the objects without a tray. In nearly every situation it doesn’t work because not only do trays enhance your home they help anchor the objects on them and please the eye.
REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD USE TRAYS IN YOUR HOME DECOR
They cut down on clutter – This is a huge positive for me. My nightstand especially used to look so cluttered, but now with those same exact objects on a tray it looks organized and nicely styled. Trays work beautifully in kitchens and bathrooms too when you need to keep bottles and useful objects nearby. Just moving those everyday cluttered counter objects to a tray visually calms the eye and creates a pleasing look. Coffee table magazines look amazingly organized in trays as well.
They protect surfaces – Trays are more than just decorative, they protect furniture and sensitive stone surfaces. There is no fear of objects moving around and doing damage. A tufted ottoman with a tray is protected and now useful as a coffee table to hold items that would normally be impossible. Another plus is that it is much easier to dust furniture, just move the tray to clean instead of moving a bunch of small objects.
They anchor objects and add style – It can be very frustrating decorating a space that you just can’t get right. I’m sure you know what I mean, you move stuff around, tweak it, and it’s still off. This is where trays come to the rescue. Sometimes those items just need to be anchored with edges or contrast. A picture frame, vase of flowers, or candle that looks plain or lost can suddenly look stunning with the right tray.
They tell a story – Sometimes you need a tray to contain your clutter, other times they’re purely for decoration and joy. Use a tray to set up tiny objects to tell a story or reflect on the season. Display small souvineer items, such as bowls of stones, shells, pinecones, or books. Create groupings of family heirlooms, display jewelry, or create a wine, coffee, or tea bar in your kitchen.
They’re so versatile – They can be used over and over, moved around to pretty much any space, and bonus you can actually use them for their original purpose serving! We spend a lot of time outdoors early in the summer and I’m always using trays to serve drinks and snacks outdoors, and yes let’s not forget the ol’ breakfast in bed – a true luxury!
STYLE TIPS
Opposites attract, so mix up the elements when you’re decorating a space. Metal, glass, and stone trays add great visual interest to wood surfaces. Using wood trays on glass, metal, or stone surfaces adds warmth to your environment, mirrored trays will reflect light and add a touch of sparkle. Consider natural fiber trays such as rattan or hyacinth to add texture to any surface, including wood or stone, for a charming effect. Fabric ottomans or benches become so much more useful and stylish with trays.
Be sure to have fun with different shapes as well. A round or freeform tray can soften any harsh lines or angles from a square or rectangle surface, while square or rectangle trays can add visual interest to any round surfaces. Of course there are always exceptions to every rule, sometimes round on round or square on square looks best. The point is to just have fun coming up with different style combinations. You can add a little pizazz to your home with bright colorful or patterned trays.
When it comes to styling the objects on the tray the sky’s the limit. There are no rules, but try using items of various shapes, textures, and heights for an interesting look. Small bowls and decorative boxes do well to add more interest and contain small items. You can create a bold effect by using a group of similar objects such as candles or vases.
If you’re unsure what kind of tray to use, take inspiration from the objects you’re going to place on it, working with the same concept. If you have an old ugly tray and it’s just being used for decorating purposes then try spray painting it. Oh, how I love my spray paint, especially gold! So go have some fun and style a tray for yourself with some favorite or useful objects. Enjoy the rest of your weekend and I’ll see you next week!
Hey everyone, we just returned from an amazingly fun trip to New Orleans. When you hear the name New Orleans what’s the first thing that comes to mind? For me it’s always food, and yeah jazz also comes to mind, but let’s talk food! When it comes to mouth watering cuisine you just can’t beat good ol’ NOLA! New Orleans is filled with so many culinary temptations, and I’m excited to share with you our favorite eats and restaurants.
Warning: These foods below may cause serious side effects, such as clothes suddenly feeling tight and pants not zipping up.
RED BEANS AND RICE
Red Beans and Rice from Fete au Fete inside the St. Roch Market
Starting with the classic red beans and rice. You just can’t beat this classic dish and I love how every restaurant puts their own spin on it. This is from the St. Roch Market, a place you must visit! Complete with sausage and a cornbread muffin it was so yummy! St. Roch Market reminds me of a miniature version of the West Side Market in Cleveland. Here inside the market you can find a variety of foods from Cajun to Thai food. It’s a sure bet if you can’t decide what to eat.
When it comes to NOLA food, shrimp and grits is #1 in my book! Also called similar names such as barbecue shrimp with grits….it’s all good! In my opinion if you aren’t a fan of grits then you’ve never had them prepared the right way. I’m very passionate about my shrimp and grits and I love getting people hooked on them! I’ve gotten my husband hooked on them and now during this trip my daughter Haley…and she doesn’t even like shrimp….haha. When it comes to shrimp and grits in NOLA every place puts their own style and I usually love them all! All 3 places had fabulous shrimp and grits in their own way, so you can’t go wrong.
Um…you can’t go to New Orleans without having some gumbo! You can’t go wrong with any gumbo, seafood gumbo is certainly a delight but the chicken andouille gumbo from The Gumbo Shop has a cult following. It was pretty incredible and definitely lived up to the hype. For those unfamiliar with andouille it’s a spicy cajun sausage. Seafood gumbo along with many other cajun classics are on the menu as well. It’s a popular place so be prepared for a little wait during peak times, the patio is also lovely during nice weather.
The Jambalaya Risotto was another huge win. This classic cajun rice dish can be made with chicken, sausage, or seafood with a rich spicy tomato flavor. We stopped into Kingfish for a quick bite at the gorgeous wrap around bar. Once inside we saw a walking food tour come inside and I knew we were in good hands! We also had another favorite here, the boudin balls….I’ll get to those in a sec.
Left – Turtle Soup | Center – Crawfish Gnocchi | Right – Pecan Crusted Gulf Fish
For years we wanted to eat at Commander’s Palace. It was my Father-in-Law’s favorite restaurant, who visited New Orleans often. We would hear stories how wonderful it was but we would always forget to pack for the dress code. If there is the smallest chance you want to eat there check the dress code and pack accordingly. Some of our favorites were the turtle soup, and yes it’s made from real turtle! The turtle soup is a classic at Commander’s Palace and once you get over the mental block of eating turtle you realize it tastes delicious! Another long time favorite on the menu is the pecan crusted gulf fish, the crawfish gnocchi was pretty incredible too! The service and food at Commander’s Palace were impeccable! Be sure to make reservations.
Yep, this was our other delight while eating at Kingfish. So those unfamiliar with Cajun food are wondering just what the heck boudin balls are. They’re a mix of sausage, rice, and pork. Then rolled up, battered and fried into little balls of deliciousness often served with remoulade sauce or creole mustard. I’m not a huge mustard fan but I still found these to be incredible! They’re a perfect snack, appetizer, or side dish.
There are many variations of etouffee but crawfish is definitely a classic around New Orleans. It can be hard for tourists unfamiliar with cajun food to understand the difference between gumbo and etouffee. Gumbo has a soupier texture and starts with a dark roux. Etouffee is thicker and made with a light roux, and it’s shellfish based whereas gumbo can be made with a wide variety of meats. This crawfish etouffee from The Gumbo Shop was rich and delicious. You don’t want to miss out. The Gumbo Shop is very popular and peak times will have a wait, but it’s worth it!
Louisiana seafood is a true delicacy with flavor and quality like no other. Minerals from 2 major fresh water rivers combined with the salt water from the Gulf creates one of the most productive natural habitats in the world, giving their seafood a unique amazing flavor. It’s truly a seafood paradise. All the seafood we experienced above was excellent, we especially enjoyed the truffled crab claws, which were marinated in a white truffle vinaigrette, and served chilled with black truffle shavings. Yum.
Crescent City Brewhouse is a long favorite of ours in NOLA and the seafood cheesecake did not disappoint! We couldn’t pass up this creative starter. This savory cheesecake is a blend of imported cheese, crawfish, shrimp, and local crab topped with crispy fried onion and bread for serving. It was a true delight and we were tempted to order another!
You can’t visit good ol’ NOLA without eating po’boys y’all! Created in 1929 these sandwich favorites come in a variety of ways and can be filled with seafood like fried shrimp or oysters and meat like ham or roast beef. We had the fried shrimp & oyster po’boy from Mother’s. Mother’s is very popular with locals and with the tourists. The inexpensive counter service restaurant usually has a line out the door, but it moves pretty quick. If you aren’t near Mother’s restaurant no worries, you can find po’boys all over the city. Those who aren’t big seafood fans try a roast beef po’boy, my daughter devoured it so fast that I couldn’t get a picture.
Don’t knock it till ya try it! Louisiana is filled with gators so naturally you’ll find them on the menu at lots of places from casual to fine dining restaurants. You’ll find there are many ways to prepare alligator but you’ll easily find it fried in many places, and fried is a great way to ease into eating it if you’re a little unsure. Our family, including the kids, actually found gator to be pretty tasty. Don’t feel bad about eating them either, given the chance they’d love to eat you!
When you think of New Orleans food I’m sure beignets come to mind. When freshly prepared these warm soft doughy nuggets covered in powdered sugar will melt in your mouth. Café Du Monde is an open air coffee shop that originally opened during 1862 in the French Market. It’s a big hit with the tourists but I was curious where the locals went, so given the chance I chatted up with the locals about where to get the best freshest beignets. Sure enough every answer was Café Du Monde, sure there are other places but nothing beats the freshly made taste here. No trip to NOLA is complete without a visit here so be sure and plan a stop. Just a warning the lines can get pretty long, if you ever see no lines don’t walk….run and grab a table! If you’re in a hurry a to go line is available too.
PRALINES
Being from Texas we call them “pray-leans” but the locals say “praw-lines”. However you say the name be sure and eat one. You can find La Belle Creole pralines in many local gift shops around NOLA, you won’t have trouble finding them. I had a sample and they tasted amazing, but you know me after we purchased these I asked a local are these the best pralines? The response I got was they’re pretty good but the locals only eat freshly made ones and I was directed to Nola Sugar and Spice. These fresh made pralines just melted in my mouth they were so good! I can’t find a website but they’re on Yelp and the address is 237 Royal Street in the French Quarter.
If there is a macaron store around you can count on me to find it and Sucre did not disappoint! How do you make macarons even better? Um….pair it with gelato which is another huge favorite in our family. This was the cupcake flavored gelato, with amaretto and a rich buttery flavor plus chunks of cupcakes blended in, you could say it was the most delicious flavor I’ve ever had! With 2 locations in New Orleans and tons more creative combos to try this place is a must!
Left – Strawberry Cheesecake Stuffed French Toast | Right – Oysters Sardou Benedict
Breakfast atThe Ruby Slipper Cafeis a must with so many creative menu options. Like s’mores pancakes – hello! We were lucky this was across the street from our hotel. Get there early because wait times can get long, if you do have a wait you can kill the time by sipping on one of there very generous sized mimosas! We’re both huge fans of eggs benedict and this version had a fun twist with a fried oyster on a buttermilk biscuit. The girls devoured the French toast and I was fighting them for bites the entire time!
DRINKS
NOLA is definitely a drinking town, and with that comes plenty of bars, pubs, and breweries. Be sure and sample some local craft beer, those dining at Commander’s Palace will find an exciting list of creative cocktails as well as many other places. The Hurricane (shown right) is a must have while visiting New Orleans, being served all over, but the original is claimed to be from Pat O’Brien’s. From upscale bars to dives on Bourbon Street you won’t go to far without a drink in your hand.
So there you have some of our favorites, each time we visit we like to eat some faves and try new things as well. New Orleans is definitely a place for foodies! Be sure to check out some of the amazing tours through Viator, they make activities so fun and easy!
Hey there, Happy Weekend! Brian and I just spent a fabulous day hiking the Lighthouse Trail in the Palo Duro Canyon. For those who aren’t familiar with the Palo Duro Canyon, it’s located about 30 minutes outside Amarillo, Texas, near the town of Canyon. The Palo Duro Canyon is gorgeous and looks like a miniature Grand Canyon, it’s actually the second largest canyon in the United States.
