Snow in the City

"Let it Snow, let it snow, let it snow." Its absolutely gorgeous here in NJ/NY. We had a huge snow storm last night -just one day shy of making it a White Christmas but thats ok - if it came earlier our guests and family wouldn't have been able to celebrate the holidays with us so I'm glad it worked out the way it did.

Now my whole family is home, including baby Gabe, we're all in our pajamas relaxing, watching movies, baking, eating, laughing.....everything that reminds me of home.

If i were to guess we had about 10 inches last night and everything in sight is pristine white. Love it. I've already seen snow in MN - they had 20 inches afterall, but nothing beats the first snowfall of the year. Its when everybody still appreciates the snow. After this though, when it prevents people from going to work, when kids stay home from school, and when the roads are slippery, people are going to start coursing this weather. So for now, I'm enjoying it with everyone.

Stay warm everybody

Happy Holidays!

(Gabriel - 6 months)

Happy Holidays!!

Merry Christmas!!

Happy New Year!!!

Here's to another fabulous year - cheers!!

Late Latte

I'm getting my latte on late this afternoon :) and i'm loving it. I tried the caramel brulee from Starbucks -its a good substitute for my normal caramel macchiato.

Don't you love hot coffee in cold weather?

This little piggie

Gabe's my little piggie. As most of you know, Gabe has an extensive pig collection (courtesy of his dad's love for all things round and pink.) So, it was only right that Gabe have a piggie hat for the cold weather. here we are with my sister visiting Athen, GA this past week. Its a great college town where the University of Georgia is located. It has cute boutiques and pubs in its downtown area. Gail's boyfriend Jim went to Supply training there for the Navy years ago so we decided to visit it for the day. It was a nice day trip for us. Gabe had a great time showing off his hat :)

I'm wearing an H&M turtleneck sweater with my David Yurman ring. Gabe's wearing a graphic tee with a Carter's l/s onesie. I ordered his hat from etsy.com. Gail is wearing an American apparel top with a United Colors of Benneton scarf.

Gabriel - 30 weeks

Gabriel 30 weeks

Its starting....he's transforming into a little boy. This week a huge week for Gabe. Not only did he start sitting up on his own, but he started crawling! I wasn't ready for that. I knew he was going to start sitting up at some point but i didn't expect him to start crawling! I can't help but hold him a little tighter at night- he's just growing up so fast - i wish i could hold him forever.

You better watch out

(Gabe - 28 weeks old)

...You better not cry, you better not pout i'm telling you why...Santa Claus is coming to town!!!

We took Gabe to see Santa at the mall last week. I'm telling you, Christmas is a completely different world once you have a baby. I know he's too young to understand or know what's going on, but i can't wait for those christmas's when he'll wait for Santa to bring his presents.

The mall was beautiful, it was nicely decorated with gold trim and deep red velvet ribbons - they had Christmas classics playing in the background. They had a pretty set for the "North Pole." My absolute favorite part was they had a mini train that went around the mall that kids could ride. i'm sure Gabe would love to ride it next year.

I loved seeing Gabe next to Santa Claus, but i do have to say i wasn't impressed with the Santa Claus at this particular mall - i was hoping he would be the jolly big santa with a big red suit. This one was a bald one with a brocade type vest - i guess they were going more for the St. Nick look. Not my fav. But still, he was Santa - none-the-less.

I meant to have Gabe in his cute elf hat but i didn't have it with me at the time so he was in his bear suit instead.

Anyway, here are some tips for those going to see Santa to ensure its a smooth experience:

- make sure your baby is well fed and rested so they're in a good mood

- if possible have 2 of you with the baby so one of you can take a pic with your own camera while the other one is trying to make the baby smile

- make sure to bring your baby's favorite toy so you can use that to make them smile

- make sure you're slightly dressed because there's a possibility you'll be in the picture too if baby gets fussy

- you don't have to buy a picture package so don't feel forced to

- make sure your Santa smiles (for some reason mine didn't feel the need to be jolly)

- to avoid long lines go early in early December - the closer to Christmas you go the more crowded the mall will be

- try to go during the weekday during the day while everyone else is at work

Chocolate Chip Cookie Stuffed Cupcakes

I made the most amazing treats to celebrate Gabe's 6 month birthday and I wanted to share the recipe with you. I got it from:


http://picky-palate.com/2009/08/17/chocolate-chip-cookie-stuffed-cupcakes/

Chocolate Chip Cookie Stuffed Cupcakes

1 box butter/yellow cake mix

1 small box instant chocolate pudding mix

4 eggs

1/2 Cup water

1/2 Cup vegetable oil

1/2 Cup sour cream

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

8 oz softened cream cheese

1 stick softened butter

3 Cups powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, oil and sour cream into a stand or electric mixer. Beat on medium speed for close to 2 minutes or until well combined. Scoop into 24 paper lined cupcake cups just over 1/2 full. Next, press 1 Tablespoon prepared cookie dough into the center of each cupcake batter. Bake for 18-24 minutes or until toothpick comes out mostly clean from center. Let cool completely.

2. Place cream cheese and butter into mixer, beat until well combined. Slowly add in powdered sugar until good frosting consistency then spread with cream cheese frosting or chcolate ganache.

Enjoy this tasty treat!!

Lazy Moments

Hope you're all having a great week! I spent the last week in Minnesota and LOVED it. It was so nice being around friends and family and especially having people to watch Gabe for awhile. Of course I loved every second with him, but its also nice to just be lazy and bum around for a bit without having to worry about the baby. Wil's parents were eating Gabe up like candy. He was always smiling and laughing with them. I know they wish they could see him more often. Trust me, with the rest i get when they're there to help me, i wish we were there more often too!!

Let it Snow

Its starting to feel like Christmas! Wil, Gabe and I are in snowy Minnesota to see our out of town family from Australia. Its Gabe's first time seeing snow! And its his first time seeing a Christmas tree, and its even his first time being in the COLD! I have to say, i don't miss this weather at all. While it definitely feels more like the holidays, its tough being in this weather with a little one. But its ok - i like hibernating in our pj's drinking hot cocoa, and watching cartoons all day long :)

Pictured is a famous landmark sculpture here in Minneaplis of a spoon and cherry - covered in powdery snow.

Stay warm everyone!

Half a year of Happiness

I can't believe I'm even saying this but our little Gabriel is now 6 months old!!! Where the heck is time going?? People always say it flies by fast but you really don't realize it until it passes you by. He's growing right before our very eyes. Every morning when i pick him up from his crib i swear that he grew overnight.

He's doing so many fun things now:

- he can sit up on his own now for a few seconds

- he grabs for things on the table or toys that are farther than arms length

- he giggles all the time

- he sits in his highchair and eats his rice cereal

- he bounces around in his Baby Einstein jumper

- he can hold his baby bottle

- he loves being tickled on his tummy or being kissed a million times on his cheek

- he can squirm from one of the room to the other in less than a minute (i don't think i enjoy this very much though - lol)

- he loves reading books

- he talks and babbles all the time

- Wil and I think he says mama and dada but we have no clue if he knows what it means or if he's just saying jibberish

Its been a half year of learning so much from such a little person. But we can't wait to see what the other half of the year will bring.

So in honor of Mr. Gabe's birthday I baked CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE STUFFED CUPCAKES. They were amazing. I'll post the recipe for them as soon as I can.

Happy 6 months to my son Gabriel. Words can even explain how much i love you. Thank you for being our angel.

Leftover turkey

image courtesy of 5magazine.wordpress.com

While I didn't have any turkey this thanksgiving, I know how it is to have tons of turkey leftover from Thanksgiving. In fact, that's probably what i look forward to the most - since i'm not a big fan of baked turkey, i do look forward to the recipes afterwards that we use the turkey with.

So incase you need some fresh ideas here are a few for you. Enjoy!

1) Sopas - this is my absolute favorite filipino soup - but trust me - you don't have to be filipino to enjoy this hearty, flavorful soup. It brings back childhood memories of after we would play in the snow, warm, steaming bowls of sopas would be waiting for us on the kitchen table.

ingredients:

3 servings turkey
1 potato cubed
1 pack (500 gms) elbow macaroni
6 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup milk (I usually use fresh milk, but creamcheese can be used)
chopped green onions (or you can use a regular onion)

- Pour water in a big pan. Add the turkey and potatos and bring to boil. Simmer for at least 10 min. (if you have the bone place this in the broth to make it extra tasty)
- Add the macaroni. Cook for 10 min or until al dente. Season to taste.
- Pour in the milk, and bring to near-boil. Do not let the milk boil because it will curdle at the side of the pan.
- Serve into soup bowls and sprinkle with lots of chopped green onions.
- Serve piping hot!

2) Turkey salad - instead of chicken salad on a sandwich, you can use pieces of turkey. This recipe is for Dijon Turkey salad but feel free to use your favorite chicken salad recipe.





Ingredients:

4 cups chopped leftover turkey
1-1/2 cups chopped celery
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper





- Mix all of these ingredients together
- on 2 slices of bread place some lettuce and a scoop of the turkey salad.
- Enjoy!





3) The loon omelete - this is courtesy of one of my favorite date places in the Twin Cities - the Keyes Cafe. Wil and I would go there on Sunday mornings after church - right before he would take me to the airport to fly back home to NJ. Those were bittersweet dates but the food was still yummy :)





Ingredients:





3 eggs
bits of leftover turkey
wildrice (so minnesota right?)
mozarella cheese
mushrooms
cream of mushroom





- beat the 3 eggs in a large bowl
- mix in the turkey, rice, cheese, and mushrooms
- place in a large frying pan and cook
- once its done serve on a plate in a trifold and top with the cream of mushroom sauce

So Thankful

Sorry for the lack of posts - Mr. Gabe and I were sick with the flu! What a horrible feeling. I haven't had the flu in a long time - a cold, yes, the flu, no. It wouldn't have been so bad if i just had a simple cold but taking care of a baby when you're feeling naseuous, achy, and tired is not fun - especially a sick baby. There was nothing we could really do but rest it out and drink lots of fluids. Luckily, we're A LOT better. So i learned with adults the flu bug lasts only about 24 hours but with baby's, it can last from 3-5 days. I'm fine now and Mr. Gabe is about 90% better. yey! Wil and I have been waiting for him to feel better for awhile! He had a cold for a few weeks and he just ended his flu bug. I'm hoping these boosted up his immune system. we'll see.

Anyway, we were able to celebrate our first thanksgiving as a family. It was so nice having the 3 of us together to start our own traditions. It was nice and quiet. We had Christmas music on, Wil played with the baby, I wrapped Christmas presents and cooked a nice dinner.

I haven't conquered the turkey yet so i was going to bake some cornish hens for us. I even got Gabe some sweet potato to try as his first baby food :) But since he was still under the weather, I held off. Anyway, Wil's not a big fan of thanksgiving food (neither am I) and so we had a Thai Thanksgiving. I cooked thai basil beef and chicken pad thai. Yum - it was soooo good.

This thanksgiving was also special because Wil and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary. I can NOT believe its been 4 years since our wedding in Aruba. I still remember it like it was yesterday. It was a vacation for everyone - including us.

This year I'm so thankful for everything in my life. I know how lucky I am. I have an amazing husband who would do anything to give me the world. I have wonderful friends and family. We're so lucky my husband has a job that allows us to see the world. And the best part, is our adorable son - Gabriel. We've been waiting so long for him to come into our lives. And its still so surreal that he's finally here. Our lives are finally complete.

Hope you all had a wonderful and special thanksgiving.

The wow factor

I've been obsessed with chandeliers these past few weeks. As you know, I've been decorating my home like crazy and the one thing i've been lusting after is a gawwgeous chandelier. I love all things shiny and it would give my home that wow factor.

Here are a few ideas i saw online:

image via rebornhouse.com

image via shoponline2011.com

image via gallery84.net


image via directchandeliers.com

And so, without much further ado, here is my very own CHANDELIER!!!!!!! Wil and I picked it out today - its my anniversary present - we're celebrating 4 years in literally a week. This baby arrives in 2 weeks so i'll have to post pics of it at home. Woo-hoo!!!!!!!

Book Report

I just finished a wonderful light read called, "Hope in a Jar" by Beth Harbison. I've been itching to read since its been a while since I've had the time to do it. I've been looking for suggestions on light reading because i just don't have the mental capacity and energy at this point to concentrate on anything too deep. So I came across this novel and I have to say I wasn't disappointed. Its about 2 girlfriends who have been friends since they were in diapers, they have a falling out and reunite at their 20 year class reunion. One of the girls was losing hope because her life wasn't how she planned it to be. Of course she visits the Sephora counter and gets some Hope in a Jar to boost her self esteem.

Anyway, I think i liked the book not necessarily for the plot but more so for the nostalgia the book brought on. They mentioned a lot of beauty products in this book that brought back such great memories of my childhood. Remember Love's Baby Soft? Remember Smackers Chapstick in all the different flavors - Coke, watermelon, etc.... It brought me back to my gradeschool days with Lee presson nails, Scrunchies, LA Gear sneakers with hot pink laces, Swatch watches, Z Cavaricci pants, Banana clips, Best friend necklaces, jogging/tracksuits, mood rings, spiral perms.

That time definitely consists of a LOT of blackmail pics.

Ahhhh, the good ole days - can't wait to tell Gabe stories of life way back when.

Another Era

After we put the baby to bed, my husband follows a few shows - one of which is "Boardwalk Empire." I have NO clue what this show is about but let me tell you - i am mesmerized whenever i watch it. I LOVE the fashion - i love the fringe, the single strand pearls, the clochet hats, the lace, the bob haircuts....i love it. I did a little more research and found out the series takes place in Atlantic City (yey for NJ) - during the Prohibition Era which is basically the 1920's - or the "roaring 20's" as its referred to. Most people know this era for its flapper dresses. Here are a few pics i came across.

image from mamapop.com




image from myseedfactory.com





image from nypost.com

image from srslyliz.com

image from 1920s-fashion-and-music.com




image from bigread08.wordpress.com

image from the conde naste store

image from pastreunited.com

image from harlowdarling-elegantlywasted.blogspot.com (scene from Boardwalk Empire)

image from designersblock.blogspot.com



image from artdecoblog.blogspot.com

image from stylehive.com



image from fashionart.onsugar.com

image from pastreunited.com

A Whole New World

I was on my morning walk with Gabe yesterday and I came across a garage sale here in my complex. Keep in mind that i haven't been to a garage sale since i had the baby so it was a whole nother world when i saw their baby stuff. I literally felt like i hit the jackpot!!!!! My neighbor has 2 boys - 3 and 5 years old so she's just a step ahead of me. Honestly, if i had the cash i think i would've bought her whole lot. The one thing that originally caught my eye was a jogging stroller. Everytime wil and I take Gabe for a walk we always talk about how we want to invest in a jogger. How lucky was I that there was a jogger there for $20!!! How could i pass that up?

image via www.ibabycouture.com

We got some other great deals, i got the cutest seersucker kenneth cole suit - perfect for Gabe next year. Did i mention it was $3??? I got some toys for Gabe that are bigger than him. I got him a 10 pack Baby Einstein DVD which is perfect since he loves his baby Einstein DVD that we currently have.

I got him a froggie pool for next summer since we don't have a pool. I got tons of stuff.

It really opened my eyes to a new world.

I can't wait to look for more garage sales. As much as I don't mind splurging on my little baby, I know that he's only going to be using these things for a few months so why not get them secondhand?

Exotic Inspirations

I've been on a decorating kick these past few weeks -partly because I went to a fab party in a gorgeous NYC condo and it totally inspired me to kick my decor up a notch.

I don't want to do anything too drastic since i'm still renting but when i go back to my house i really want to infuse some serious exotic influences. Right now, i'm really inspired by Morracan blues and lapis's. I love the intricate details of tiled walls, jewel toned colors, and gorgeous mirrors. Although I've always loved this look, it hit me headstrong this week when i saw an episode of "Divine Design" on the HGTV channel. A couple wanted to renovate their drab patio and the end result was amazing. It went from being a room covered in dark brown wood from floor to celing to being a great lounge area with comfy seating, lots of plush, luxe looking pillows, gorgeous Turkish looking lamps and lanterns, blue tiles on the steps, etc.

I also saw my share of Arabian nights styles in the new "Sex and the City 2" movie that just came out on DVD. Picture ladies in silk flowing fabrics and turbans riding camels into the desert. Well it looked fab but i'm sure its not realistic. Anyway, enjoy these Moraccan inspirations.

Nailpolish splurge

ok - since the colder months call for less frequent trips to the nail salon for pedicures i decided to treat myself to 2 new Essie colors. Love them. They're just screaming out fall colors.Essie nail polish in Mink Muffs Essie nail polish in Chinchilly

Score!

Happy Monday!

yey! i just went on a shopping spree at H&M. Well - i don't feel as guilty because I returned a few things i previously bought and exchanged them for some great finds from their sale rack. Not only did i leave with more garments but i got some money back. Score! My fav buy is this skirt I've been eyeing since the summer. It looked even more appealing when I spotted that very style on Kourtney Kardashian. She's absolutely a style icon for moms. Told you i'm loving my stripes!

Gabriel 24 weeks

Gabe has grown up so much these past few weeks. i love it but don't. i want him to stay little forever - so selfish - i know.

Here he is at 23 weeks with his little pumpkin.

Some of his milestones:

- he's rolling over from back to tummy and from tummy to back

- he's sort of crawling - well, more like slugging along like a worm - but boy does he travel. i swear i leave him alone for a minute and he's on the other side of the room!

- he's teething

- he's talking a lot more, his syllables and more defined

- he can follow an object - if it gets dropped his gaze follows it

- he's a professional traveler. Gabe has flown back and forth from NJ and MN back to Atlanta

And for your viewing pleasure, here Gabe is in his first Halloween costume!!!

Sisters

One of the best parts of being in NJ is spending time with my lil sis. Of course nothing beats being with both my sisters - which I'm sooo looking forward to this Christmas - but I'll take one for now :)I'm wearing a blouse from H&M, necklace from my Designs by K Cayetano line, Zara belt. My sis is wearing a dress from BCBG

Stripes

I'm all about stripes. I think my whole wardrobe i packed for my NJ/NY trip consisted of stripes - even Gabe's wardrobe and blankets had a lot of stripes - lol.

Here, Gabe and I are, at Mitsuwa in Edgewater, NJ with my close family and friends. It's one of my absolute favorite places to go. Its a large asian grocery store with various japanese food stores/stands next to it. You can get sushi, Udon, teriyaki, fried icecream. My new food for the day was black sesame icecream. Don't knock it til you try it. It was amazing. I'm wearing a cotton top from H&M. Gabe's in a Giants onesie - of course he couldn't get away with without wearing it - he's in Giant's/Yankees teritory.

Here I am with baby Gabe at Burger Palace - great burger joint in Bergen NJ. I'm wearing a wool jacket from Tommy Hilfiger, grey pashmina, David Yurman cable bracelet. Gabe's wearing a l/s onesie and jeans from Old Navy

Here I am at Pinkberry (big smile) with my great friend, Cheryl, and my baby sister, Christine. I'm wearing a dolman striped sweater from H&M.

Here Wil and I are sitting like an old married couple. It was a beautiful fall day for pumpkin picking with our friends in NJ. The trees there were gorgeous - nothing beats fall in the northeastern part of the country. Wil's in a button down shirt and shorts from Banana republic. I'm wearing Marc by Marc Jacobs sunnies, Club Monaco jacket, striped shirt from H&M, oragen pashmina, Michael Kors watch.