Gifting

Some easy gift ideas.

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Spooky Spider

Hi all!  OK, real quick...I'm gonna share with you the spooky spider my son and I created last week.  Leave it to Better Homes & Gardens to inspire me!  I mean, how many pages need to get 'doggy eared' before I just say, "DAMN!  This is a good addition this month :)" October 2018 issue…

Kids Bathroom

Quick tutorial on how to stencil your walls to look like wallpaper!

Pumpkin Painting

customizing your pumpkins with spray paint

One Bowl Banana Bread

Easy, one bowl muffin recipe

Almond Streusel Blueberry Muffins

It's July 2nd and I am down in California at my parents' house.  Every morning, I climb out of bed, roll into the kitchen and see my dad, sitting in his same oak antique chair in the family room, coffee on his side table, newspaper in hand and watching the news.  I go about my…

Margarita Mama’s 2018

Margarita Party

She’s my cherry pie!!!

Do you have a group of gals that you get together with every month?  Whether it’s book club or wine night or just a mom’s night out?  Well I am fortunate enough to have moved into this beautiful neighborhood 9 years ago, when my youngest was 2 weeks old. (Oh yes. That’s a WHOLE OTHER…

Let’s Celebrate!

Lemon Blueberry Cake with Cream Cheese frosting...YUUMMMM!

Infusion Time!

So, I don't know about you, but there are a LOT of get-togethers in the the spring: Memorial Day,  Cinco De Mayo, dinner parties, end of year parties, ...and on and on and on!  We are all trying to squeeeeeze in time with our friends before everyone is off on their summer vacations with their…

Back on a health kick

We are right in the middle of baseball season and man, our food choices have gone RIGHT OUT THE WINDOW!!!  Frozen corn dogs, microwaved bean and cheese burritos, just ANYTHING quick with a little protein to scarf down in 10 minutes before we head out the door and are gone for 3+ hours! Something had…

It’s how I Cinco De Mayo :)

Any other Irish girl LOOOOVE Cinco De Mayo like me?!!!  Maybe it's the street tacos I dream of!  Or the live music of a fabulous mariachi band playing!  Or even the fresh, "made-at-your-table" guacamole that you dip your freshly salted chips into.  Aaaahhh! How can you go wrong with live music, fresh appetizers and a…

Thank You Gift

Thank you's are important.  You can't say thank you enough and the written thank you is a life skill that I am hoping to pass down with my children and hope they will continue to do so with their children.  Our world is filled with so much technology that takes us away from these intimate…

Wallpaper Accent Wall

Holy hello, my little blog!  I have been neglecting you!!!  It is not that I have been sitting on my buttocks, watching Soaps all day and eating Bon Bons!   With dance competition season and baseball season (hubbie's the coach), school auction and art project deadlines, traveling to LA, etc., our lives have been in a…

An Egg-cellent Easter Activity

YAY! It's spring break!  And what do the Manos' do on spring break?  Chill out and get ready for Easter, of course!! 🙂 After seeing Hamilton (YES!  WE GOT TICKETS!!!), we headed to our Sunriver home Sunday morning.  Whenever we come to Sunriver, we have lots of together time: walking to the village, having hot…

TGIF: Green Cucumber

Well it's almost St. Patties Day!!!!  Time to pull out all the green in your closet!!!!  I love green but I don't tend to purchase things that are green.  In grade school if I (heaven forbid) forgot to wear green on March 17th, I could always use the excuse that I have GREEN EYES (so…

Delightful Veggie-packed Dinner

I love a challenge.  I DON'T love to challenge people!  I am referring to when I hear someone say, "Oh, that can't be done." or "Only she can pull that off" or "I have no idea how that would be created."  It sparks something in me that takes it from "No you can't" to "YES…

TGIF: The Bubbly Grape

Valentine's Day is long gone but the pink bubbly lives on! Today for TGIF, I am bringing to you a lovely light beverage that will tickle your taste buds and enlighten your mind.  Today, I bring you The Bubbly Grape. It is an infused drink (I just love an infusion, don't you?!!!) topped off with…

TGIF: New Orleans Special

Have you been to New Orleans?  I have!  ONCE! It was with my parents and my little sis. I was only 12 years old.  I remember going to dinner at Brennan's, this super fancy restaurant where the men were required to wear a suit jacket to be seated!  Well... my family and I had been traveling…

Frozen Party

Does your little one LOVE Frozen, the movie?!!! With all this snow in Portland, I thought I'd share my daughter's FROZEN birthday party from a few years ago.  If I asked my daughter today, she would say this was "soooo 3 years ago" but looking back, it was such a fun party to pull together.…

The Search for a Dresser

Have you ever sold something on Craigslist?  My husband has been very successful doing so but I have not.   Not that I have tried.  I'm a little scared :).  I leave him to deal with the strangers.  But... I've looked...oh have I looked on Craigslist!  I can think of one piece in our house, the…

Sunday Morning Griddle Cakes

In my freezer, I had one cup left of our fresh frozen blueberry pickings from last year.  The 2017 season was not the best for blueberries in the Northwest.  It just did not get hot enough to produce an abundance of berries and so we have been cherishing every last blueberry we picked.  So...what better…

The BEST Chocolate Granola

OK, kids.  It's baking time!!!!  This gal, McKel Hill over at Nutrition Stripped gave me a challenge.  In her book, there is a recipe titled "The Best Chocolate Granola" and merely because of the title, I HAD TO TRY IT OUT!  Will it truly live up to it's name?  We are setting out to find…

Easy $12 Bouquet

Valentine's Day is next week---WHAT??!!! How did this happen?  *sigh* I have always told my husband, "DO NOT get me flowers for Valentine's Day!"  Seriously.  They hike up the prices just for that one week. Come February 15th, that $50 bouquet is now back to $14.95.  It's so absurd. Once again, I have a trick…

TGIF Cocktail: Crimson Kiss

It's FRIDAY COCKTAIL HOUR!  And today I am bringing to you a sweeeeet sensation for you and your valentine!!!!  It's called the Crimson Kiss. One word that sets this adult beverage apart from the rest: AMARETTO!  Holy cow.  Amaretto elevates this little tasty little number to a whole new level. Note: they sell Disaronno Amaretto…

Last Minute Valentine Idea

Do you make your own Valentine's Day cards?  I think we have always made our own.  It's fun.  My kids, especially now, love to cruise thru Pinterest looking for fun creative ideas.  Of course, my oldest insists on giving away candy.  My youngest still loves something to play with like a ball or origami fish…

Auction Art—oh what fun! ;)

Oh my gosh, you won't even believe what I am doing right now...copying outlines of umbrellas.  And it's not working quite right with my printer.  I am having to print one at a time, and then flip the odd sized paper over and reprint and... ugh! It's such a PAIN!!!  I just keep telling myself,…

Dinner for Two (or more!)

As we all know, Valentine's Day is coming up in a few weeks.  Do you have any traditions?  Other than baking my mom's recipe for red velvet cake in our heart-shaped cake pan, our plans change depending on the year. This year,  I thought I would stylize a table for my kids and their friends. …

Costume time!

Designing a custom costume without starting from scratch.

Baby G’s Shower

It's rain, rain, and more rain over here in Portland, Oregon!!!  The sun is TRYING to poke it's head thru the clouds. In fact, WAIT!  I have to run out and grab that ray of sunshine right now!!!! Ahh...I'm back! 🙂  Crazy Oregonians drop whatever they are doing in order to enjoy their outdoor time! …

A little sip of Paris

I had the best weekend last weekend and I think it's because it all started with this delicious and simple cocktail! 🙂  (Isn't Winston the cutest in the background?!  I had to include him in the photo!  In fact, I think he's eyeing my cocktail!!!!!) As always, I was browsing the "NEW ITEMS" section at…

Tasty Breakfast Options

I am a HUUUUGE fan of breakfast!!!  French toast oozing with syrup, Mimi's dutch babies, Eggs Benedict with fresh avocado, fried eggs with bacon, power pancakes, ... I could go on and on and on.  I am to breakfast as Bubba is to shrimp.  I love every option on that diner menu.  But during the…

How to hang a door wreath

I love a wreath.  I really do!  It's the easiest way to add freshness and uniqueness too the landing of your home.  It says, "Welcome" like nothing else can (except for your smiling face answering the door!).  The tricky part is how do you hang the wreath? What To Use to Hang Your Wreath There…

Weeknight Meals

Ok, so did it take anyone else a while to get back into the swing of life with school-age kids?  Man I was out of sorts last week!  BUT!  I did manage to meal plan a little last week and had some HITS as in Ed Sheeran hits (have you heard Perfect with Beyonce?!  LOOOVE!)…

Designing (for someone else!)

Designing for yourself...that's pretty easy.  But designing for someone else...it can be pretty challenging!  There's pressure: what are they going to like?  What are their tastes and wants and desires?  It may or may not be the same as yours. I have a friend who called last week with a frantic message, "Please!  I need…

Putting Away Christmas

Well, we made it home safe and sound from our 2+ week holiday travels.  Although we had the BEST break, it felt so good to be driving into our neighborhood.  A bit of embarrassment poured into me as we pulled into our driveway, Christmas wreaths and swags adorned with holiday bows and lights still swinging…

Getting healthy starts with breakfast!

Anyone on the heath-kick new year?!!!  Me too!  Well not totally.  I always see January 1 as a way to start FRESH!  No mom, I am not doing the Whole Life Challenge again. (She said she’d disown me if I did it again!  Not really…but she said when I was participating in the WLC, “...that’s…

Walking “The Avenue”

There is a little town in the big silicon valley called Willow Glen.  It is not where I grew up but it is home to my parents whom moved there when I was in College.   I grew up in a track home in South San Jose that fit our family just fine, with my dad…

Holiday Lights at Mimi & Papa’s

Happy holiday break, y'all!  How's it been?!!! We have traveled, ate a LOT, walked a LOT, shopped a LOT and are now about to bring in the new year. I just can't believe it.  Time...slow down!!! Every other year we are in California for Christmas.  My parents live in a little town called Willow Glen,…

Homemade Gift Idea

Homemade granola: a tasty treat for your family or for a lovely homemade gift idea!

The Perfect Christmas Dessert

Hey Ho!  Christmas is just around the corner people.  Can you believe it?  Presents are purchased and dinner plans are a-brewing.  Last week I went to our annual Christmas bunko night.  It's a fun and festive evening with neighborhood ladies that have been gathering for TWENTY YEARS!  Isn't that amazing and so special?!  I feel…

Advent Calendar

There are so many traditions around this time of year.  Most of them, I truly enjoy!  But the kids LOVE THEM ALL!!!  When I was little, I remember having an advent calendar at home with little ornaments that you velcro'd to the felt tree and by December 25th, that felt tree was decorated from stump…

Cheers to the Holidays!

I love love LOVE a signature cocktail!  It sets the mood for the evening, whether it's a girls get together, a family gathering or just a dinner party with friends. I don't know about you but I have been pinning away ideas for ages and was a bit stumped as to what I wanted to…

The “Halls are decked” for 2017

Aaaahhhh!  *Sigh of relief*  I have officially put the holiday boxes away and what is out is out. What didn't make it out, isn't coming out this year, and I am OK with this.  I am REALLY OK with this!  I am so OK with this that the birds are chirping and the angels are…

One room done!

Hello and welcome to our house!  *sigh*  I can thankfully say, *another sigh* I can welcome you into at least the entry and the front room of our home!  *teehee*  The rest of it is still a big heaping mess!!! (aaaahhhh!!!!)  But, I can officially say we have made it past the boxes!  Wooohooo!  Let's toast…

Check it off your list!

Thanksgiving is done and whether we are ready or not, the holiday season is here!!!  I love it.  I really do.  All the fun traditions bringing you closer to your family and friends.  It's a time to rejoice, a time to be thankful (wait!  didn't we just do that?! teeehee!), and a time to appreciate…