An easy, affordable and fun kids’ activity that will keep them engaged is planning a cupcake-decorating project. It’s great for a kids’ party or even family time. So, when the temps soared into the 90s at a family party we hosted, I knew the little ones would welcome a project and air conditioning break. My grandkids and I are no strangers to decorating cupcakes with me. I started making kits during the early days of the pandemic when socializing was limited to our family bubble. Our first one was an Independence Day theme; I still cherish those memories and photos.
Continue reading
Getting away for summer weekends is always on top of my to-do list. Thanks to friends who shared their charming vacation condo in Killington, VT with us, we had the opportunity to unwind over the July 4th long weekend. It turned out even better than expected. Why? There was so much to do and relax and recharge with no hassle. No crowds, traffic or long waits.
Continue reading
If you’ve been reading my blog, you know that I’m enamored in trying new smoothie variations. Lately, it’s all about the color. While my first smoothie post with a banana, blueberry and kale concoction was totally delish, it certainly wasn’t very pretty. However, anyone who experiments with smoothies knows that color is the eye of the beholder. Even funky-colored smoothies can be quite palatable! My second smoothie post featured a glorious and tasty red sipper, thanks to adding in a small fresh beet.
Continue reading
How I wish we could bottle up this time of the year as we approach Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer. As a New Englander, you have to admit it’s one of the best times of the year as we get ready for the warm-season groove. Why not? The days are longer and warmer as we march into summer solstice. And where I live in Massachusetts, all the trees are finally in full bloom. It seems like overnight the world turned lush and green. Memorial Day marks a date on my calendar where I strive to check outdoor work off my list. I wonder … Is this true for others? Is it your personal prerequisite to have certain pre-summer preparations underway before Memorial Day to start your summer off on the right foot?
Continue reading
Turquoise, cobalt, sky, mint, chartreuse, flamingo, coral, peach, amethyst, goldenrod, candy apple, terra cotta … These are vibrant colors that bring me back to the Caribbean and especially my favorite island: St. Maarten/St. Martin. The beautiful colors of the island’s dwellings, structures and architecture stick in my mind long after I’m home. Which is why I paid homage to island color in one of the smallest spaces in my house.
Continue reading
As a stepmother, I can say without hesitation that I feel blessed. I am happy, love my life and wouldn’t change anything with my relationships with my husband, stepchildren and grandkids.
But I have to say, I’ve learned to grow into this role and find my place. And I know as much as I had to figure this out, my stepdaughters did too. Especially in the early years. It’s not our fault. It’s just how it how goes. Through mutual respect, love and our commitment to each other, we’ve found our way, and it works.
Continue reading
Vacations have a way to provide perspective about your life and how you spend your time. My recent getaway on the island of St. Maarten/St. Martin gave me the pleasure to check off to-dos under my 2022 goals. Most significantly, I consider myself fortunate to cross off items under the Pure Joy/Fun and Adventure/Travel categories in my Commit30 planner. Allow me to elaborate briefly on three goals in this pictorial post.
Continue reading
This is a go-to dinner at my house especially during the week. It’s quick, easy, healthy, never disappoints and makes great leftovers. It’s simple and genius cooking the broccoli and pasta in one pot. And the final step harmonizes all the ingredients when mixed with garlic-infused EVOO, a bit of pasta water and grated cheese. You can make it with chicken or sausage. No matter how you make it, it always comes out delicious.
Continue reading
I’m still adjusting to Benjamin Moore’s Revere Pewter. In a good way. After almost 20 years with wheat-colored walls dominating the kitchen, I still catch myself in moments of awe over the newness of the wall color. Even months later. When these fleeting moments of wonderment occur, I find myself smiling to myself. I love how clean, neat and crisp this color is with showcasing artwork, décor and furnishings. In this post, I’ll share how Revere Pewter looks in the kitchen and hallway areas to follow up on the living room reveal post, part one of the open-concept area of our main floor.
Continue reading
The onset of spring totally defines spiritual health in my eyes because it gets me outdoors to connect with nature. I have already taken advantage of some unseasonably warm March days to walk outside, a happy change from the treadmill. I’m very fortunate that I can take in the beauty of a walk along a wooded path with lake views right from my doorstep. Spring is also a time to refresh, which means activating my home goal: To begin the process to deeply purge and get better organized.
Continue reading
I’m not of Irish descent, but like many Americans, I enjoy observing St. Patrick’s Day. We always have my homemade Irish soda bread to accompany my oven-roasted corned beef and cabbage dinner (future post idea!). I didn’t experience soda bread when growing up. In fact, my college roommate from a very Irish family introduced it to me. It wasn’t for many years later that I made it myself, following my trusty Betty Crocker cookbook, and eventually tweaking the recipe so much, I developed my own that I now share with you.
Continue reading
As I continue on my journey to eat real food, I’m constantly trying new smoothie combinations and my newest incorporates adding in a nutritious, low-calorie beet. You really must try it just for the color alone. I’ve been testing recipes every morning for the past two weeks and now ready to share my two favorites. Adding to my go-to base of greens, banana, flax, almond butter and milk, I’ve tried beets with …
Continue reading
As promised in a recent post, I’m sharing room tours of of my home’s newly painted interior now that it’s put back together. Of course, this also gives me the shopportunity to pick of some new things to complete the refresh! The first step in this update is having the perfect neutral to go with my living room focal point and main floor open-concept space. The focal point of my cozy living room is a painting by friend and artist Robin Reynolds called Jill’s Garden III. An admirer of her work for many years, I indulged myself to celebrate a special occasion by purchasing one of her vibrant floral abstract pieces. A decision I have not once regretted.
Continue reading
I have an infatuation with Indian food from my days living in London; however, the downside to traditional restaurant Indian food is that it’s typically loaded with calories. This recipe complements a healthy way of eating. So, whether you eat dairy (or not!) or white carbs (or not!), this recipe should satisfy all curry-lover palates. Instead of ghee or butter, I’ve replaced it with a small amount of extra virgin olive oil and offer alternatives to heavy cream to cut down the fat.
Continue reading
Hello, February! It’s a new month and time to tackle another goal that I’m tracking through journaling with my Commit30 planner. This month my focus is on physical health. Of course, my plan was to kick that off in January, but that wasn’t in the cards with COVID-19 making a cameo appearance in my life. The upside of that is while I was in isolation for the days around the new year, I focused on setting up this blog and met my January goal.
Continue readingView More