she's back...

every once in a while, i get to missing this little old blog and the desire strikes to sit down and have at it like old times.

so, here goes....

i guess you could say i was getting a bit bored and running out of things to say or felt like my life was not interesting enough to keep reporting back here.  so i took some time away (but still continued to read my blog list daily, duh!) not quite sure what it is that is bringing me back here on this day, but it just felt right i suppose! i don't plan to keep any sort of schedule to my posting, other than when the mood strikes...or else i may disappear for a year and a half again ;)

what have i been up to? well, it seems like a lot and then not a lot at all, all at the same time.  the biggest highlights are probably the purchase of our first home (!!!) and the addition of Daisy, our perfect and very active little fur baby.

other than those two things, life has been busy and happy as we try to balance work life and our desire to stay home with D and complete DIY projects/drink wine and make new recipes ;)

in other news, 2015 has been off to a wonderful start.  shawn and i have made a promise to ourselves that we celebrate this year and make it "our year" . . . we both turned the big 3-0 in december.  i may or may not have had a minor anxiety attack over what "30" sounds like vs. what i feel like, if that makes sense? 30 sounds like adult and mature and major life decisions and, dare i even say it, OLD?!? but i feel like that 25 year old that still wants to go to happy hour and sleep in and pretend that i didn't just hit "start" on the dryer for the third time just to avoid folding the laundry.
and then, on the morning of december 19th, i woke up feeling so grateful & excited to be living this life that shawn and i have created.  and all those worries seemed so silly.

fast forward to december 31st, new years eve and also shawn's 30th birthday.  and as the clock struck 12, shawn whispered to me, "this will be our best year yet!" and i don't know how he knew, but he knows these sort of things. (that last time he said that was 2012, our wedding year and also the year i landed my dream job).

a few days later, shawn begin a lengthy interview process (that lasted over a month and a half!) of which eventually he accepted a job offer! he starts that job (his dream job, his big time job!) today!!!!

shawn and i have always lived with the perspective of dreaming big, praying hard, and always ALWAYS staying positive.  while it's not easy, this has helped us through some of our toughest times.  with that sentiment in mind, we are living our 2015 to make it our year.

and with that, i'm off to start my to-do list before leaving for work this afternoon..

have a wonderful day, xo

weekend get-away

this weekend, my husband and i are heading to vermont for a long weekend away visiting a friend.  i have never been to vermont, but in my mind i imagine this weekend to be filled with warm, cozy sweaters, scarves + boots, hiking & taking in amazing views, apple picking, and lots of good food, drinks, and conversation.  have you been to vermont? our friend lives 5 minutes from burlington; if you have any recommendations please let me know!

my mood board for vt:

images via pinterest

will also be bring home lots & lots of maple treats :)

our 1st anniversary

last week, on september 14th, shawn and i celebrated our first anniversary! we planned a short getaway to florida to visit with my in-laws and get some sun.  it was the perfect way to see our family that we haven't seen since the wedding one whole year ago.  we soaked up every second of the family time and left with full hearts and tears in our eyes.  goodbyes are so hard and this trip was especially meaningful. here's a peek into our little anniversary getaway...

this weekend, my mom had us over for dinner to continue the anniversary celebrations and to indulge in the top of our wedding cake.  i have to say we didn't have high expectations, but it did not disappoint! it was still as good as we remembered it from our special day!

***

i cannot believe this photo is from one whole year ago.
that day will forever be the best & happiest day of my life.  one year down, one million bazillion to go!

in the kitchen

lately i have really been into making special meals at home and trying out new recipes.  shawn and i have loved cooking together and rating whether or not our creations are "restaurant worthy"...

this weekend i selected a recipe from one of our "newly wed" cookbooks and put it to the test.  the result was too fabulous not to share.

Creamy Langoustine Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce

recipe from: The Newly Wed Kitchen by Lorna Yee & Ali Basye

you will need:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup (about 2 medium) finely diced shallots
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
one 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
3 tablespoons dry white wine
1/ 4 heavy cream
1/2 pound langoustine tails or shrimp, peeled and deveined, defrosted if frozen
1/4 cup fresh basil, roughly torn (optional)
1/2 pound pasta, cooked and drained

you will need to:
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.  Add the shallots and sauté for 7 to 8 minutes, or until they are golden brown.  Add the garlic, oregano, canned tomatoes, red peppers flakes, salt and pepper.  Then add the cherry tomatoes, wine, and heavy cream.  Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the sauce for 5 - 6 minutes, until it reduces and thickens slightly.

2. Add the langoustine tails (or shrimp) and cook for 2 - 3 minutes, until warmed through.  (if you are using fresh, uncooked fish, cook an extra 2 minutes).  Add the basil, then add the cooked pasta, mixing thoroughly to coat with the sauce, and serve.

our adaptations:
I used whole wheat linguine and fat free half and half to make our meal slightly less caloric haha.  I also used fresh shrimp because that was what I had access to.  The verdict was still absolutely restaurant quality & we are looking forward to making this amazing meal again.  It could not have been easier and really only took about 20 minutes to prepare.

i recommend pairing it with your favorite wine and topping it off with a piece of chocolate :)

enjoy!  xxoo

pushing through the funk

after the wedding, i admittedly put working out on the back burner. i had that frame of mind that it was more important to spend quality time with my husband than spending time in the gym.... silly, i know! and while it is most definitely important to spend time with your husband, it is all about balancing time and setting priorities.
recently i have been trying to incorporate workouts (specifically running) back into my daily routine.  I've been waking up earlier and hitting the pavement..and thinking to myself, why did i waste almost a whole summer of not taking advantage of the awesome trails and scenery in my neighborhood?  it's been a rude awakening to see that my times and endurance have obviously taken a hit with my time away from running, but i am really excited to get back at it- and! - with some new goals in mind ;)
thought i would share of my recent inspirations for anyone who is also looking to be inspired...

all photos via pinterest

tell me, where do you find your inspirations for working out?

xxoo

soaking up summer

i know i am not alone when i say i am feeling slightly heavy hearted about it being late august.  summer fills me with happiness - and there is something about the gorgeous weather and happy sunshine that just makes me want to be a little more adventurous.  as much as i lovelovelove fall, i am not ready to say goodbye to summer.  i thought i would create an end of summer bucket list to help soak up every last second of this sweet summertime...

1. {wine tasting} 

i have always, always wanted to do a wine tasting and think that a late summer winery tour would be a perfect time to do it! i also think it would be so fun to host a wine tasting where each guest brings their favorite bottle of wine for sharing..

source for photo

2. {boat}

self.explanatory. 

source for photos

3. {pack a picnic}

as long as we have lived here (almost 4 years!) i have wanted to pack a picnic and enjoy an afternoon along kelly drive (location for our engagement photos).  this will probably have to wait until temps cool down a bit.  but how fun would it be to pack some good wine, a good book, some good food, and a cute boy & cozy down along the river for a few hours?

4. {just beachy}

spend as much time at the beach as possible and soak up as much sun as i can.  i could lay on a beach all day if you let me.. the beach is a little slice of heaven as far as i am concerned and i can never get enough.  shawn and i have been making day trips to our favorite spot in LBI (beach haven) throughout the summer and every time we pack up to head home, i feel sad to have to say goodbye.  i'm hoping we can squeeze in a little weekend getaway towards the end of the summer when the crowds head home to go back to school ;)

what are you doing to soak up every last drop of summer?

xxoo

oh...hi...it's me again

i don't know where to begin SO i will just say that life has been B U S Y... and i have been just enjoying the ride! it's been a while since i have blogged and i can honestly say that i have missed it! what started out as "bloggers block" then turned into hesitation (or, laziness)....etc.... but there has been more than one occasion when i have thought to myself, "ok, time to get back to it".... and then, again,  hesitated for some reason or another.

anyway, let's briefly sum up what has been going on around these parts for the past few months:

lots of date nights

 (my favorite thing ever) 

+

 a few day trips to the beach 

(another one of my favorite things ever) 

+ 

trying new recipes 

+ 

trips to NYC 

+ 

my new bike!

i'm off to enjoy a three day weekend & i hope you enjoy yours as well!

xxoo