Drip drop!

Happy Rainy Thursday!

 

 

And the rain came down

It's a rainy rainy day on the red deck today. Lucky for me, it's also ERRANDS DAY! I need to return a few things at the mall and pick up an item or 2 for our spring break adventure (more on that soon!)

A few things getting me through today:

• Gchat
• Chai Lattes (Oregon Chai's sugar free version is surprisingly good!)
• Purple rainboots
• Learning how to use Pinterest! Once my boards are up and running, I'll link them here
• Looking at my spring break forecast (we're finally in the 10 day range!)

oooh bring on the sunshine!

 What's on your mind?

Just when we thought we were safe...

February reminded us Spring doesn't officially start until March 20th.

Gimme Some Sugar!

After the "Big Freeze" comes the grossness of the "Big Melt". With today's 40 degree temps, I think I will be living in my Hunter boots and wearing my hair in a top knot for the remainder of the week.

To brighten my spirits a bit today, I've been slathering on Fresh's Brown Sugar Body Cream and spritzing their dually named fragrance.

What's your gloomy weather pick me up?

Snow Day!

I hope everyone in the north east has dug their cars out and can safely travel now! We got hit with around 10 inches Wednesday into Thursday. Since Delaware thinks snow plows are a novel idea, I'm surprised we're getting around without too many issues right now.

The good/GREAT thing about the snow? SNOW DAYS! I got lucky and had 2 (one early dismissal and one full out snow day), and I used them to their fullest. Snow hikes with Riley and the boy, lots of shoveling and car cleaning, drunk lunches with friends, fuzzy blankets and lots of home cooked winter meals. 

Here are a few shots of our winter hike along the river...

I will bend, but not break

my favorites :)

For dinner, I made 2 of the boy's favorite things: black beans and brussel sprouts. ok, I know, weird combo. Actually, it's a VERY dangerous combo (hehe)- but it was delicious!

I never thought I'd like brussel sprouts- but my mom turned me on to the trendy idea of roasting them with lots of salt and pepper. I used Ina Garten's recipe found here. {my alterations look like this}

Fresh cut sprouts! The finished product disappeared quickly :)

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts {for 2, I use a 10 oz pkg}
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt{or more!!}
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut off the brown ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves {I like to halve mine}. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt ( I like these salty like French fries){me too!!}, and serve immediately.

The black beans are insanely easy to make, and muy delicioso! Unfortunately, they go faster than Speedy Gonzalas. I have to remember to take a picture next time for the blog! I'll save that recipe for later :)

They're calling for more snow today... hopefully only a little. My shoulders are sore from clearing off the cars! Stay warm!

Slushy Streets: I need to rant.

the roads and I feel about the same today

I usually try to keep my posts and thoughts positive...but I'm simply overwhelmed this morning. With the snow and ice, we got a 2 hour delay! Perfect, I'll be able to work on my HUGE project with an even bigger deadline.

Except that the dog won't stop barking. And eating things (like bills, my W2 form, and gift certificates). And barking again. 3 walks through the sleet and freezing rain...she's still barking. Look in the mirror- ugh, what is my hair DOING?

I walk into the kitchen because it sounds like the faucet is on. Surprise! It's not on, but the window sprung a leak. A big leak. Almost as big as that project that should have been started a half hour ago. Half a dozen towels, a barking dog, and 2 phone calls to my Daddy, it's under control. My blood pressure isn't.

So now I'm hiding in a coffee shop down the street. A large chai latte and my laptop. I'll take another few minutes to refocus my energy-and then on to that project that's now 2 hours behind.


Thanks for letting me get that off my chest. Up next- I've done a few reviews on performance wear! I have to take pictures still, but they should be up and running by tomorrow (and they are FABULOUSLY positive)

Here comes the snow! They're calling for 5-8 inches, so I'm preparing myself for a snowday...fingers crossed! Things on my to do list: shovel the walkway, take Riley down to the river, finish a bottle of red with Kemi, continue to decorate/organize my dressing room, and spend a few hours catching up on reality tv :) I nest during snow days- I love cozy layers, endless amounts of hot tea, and wrapping myself in multiple blankets. The easy way to dress is in the boy's sweatpants and a huge fleece- but I try to keep myself moderately presentable!

Snowday Essentials by devonclaire

Perfect-fit boatneck tee in Dark Rosewood - J.Crew, $30
Gap Pure body leggings (true black), $30
Amazon.com: Smartwool Hiking Sock 10 130: Clothing, $15
Hunter Boots Original Welly Boot, $115
Amazon.com: Suncast SC5350 20-Inch Snow Shovel/Pusher Combo with..., $35
Gap Navajo Cardigan, Holiday 2009

I could live in this cardigan all winter. It's oversized, wool, and makes wearing leggings acceptable. For snow hikes, I throw on my Merrels, but Hunter boots are perfect for shoveling snow and walking the puppy through the slushy city streets. 

Do you have a winter uniform? If you're in the north east, stay warm and safe!

I drank the Crew'lade.

After seeing the Wool Bell Skirt on several JCA's and Jen over at Jen Loves Kev, I regretted not trying it on in store. Scouring the sale section over at JCrew- tada! The wool bell skirt was on sale! In a great color, henna (remember, I need more color)! 

But...crap. It's final sale. Friends don't let friends shop final sale....

Well, I threw caution to the wind and "drank the Crew'lade" as the fabulous Gigi puts it. And for once, Final Sale didn't bite me back!*

{For some reason, Polyvore isn't cooperating. Sorry for the lack of interaction!}

Welcome to my closet pretty red skirt! The color is a deeper rust red that goes beautifully with grays, navy, brown and black. I received the Loft Cozy Cable V-neck for Christmas (thanks, Mom!) in Galaxy and paired the two right away. Next, I want to try a girly ruffled blouse (like this new one from Loft) topped with a long charcoal cardi. It's so fun integrating a new piece with my neutral basics! I think this is definitely a "working piece" for my closet.

Any other styling ideas? 

*I'm pretty sure this is a once in a JCrew lifetime thing and will never happen ever again. 

Champagne, Fireworks, and Self Modification. Bring on 2011!

It's that time again...the New Year! A chance for us to leave all the bad things in 2010 and start fresh in 2011. I usually set lofty goals that I can only maintain for 2-3 weeks before getting burned out, but I want to change that this year. Changing too many things at once is just a recipe for burnout, so I want to make a few tweaks here and there to make me more rounded have a better year in general.

I'm sure you've read dozens of lists so far, but here's mine anyway :)

• Stay in touch better. My best girlfriends and I have come to the realization that we are far too comfortable not talking on a regular basis. My plan: take at least 20 minutes to email them each week. I write emails all day to my work colleagues, my mom, etc. I tweet a dozen times a day. Why not put some of that to good use?
  
  
• Eat out less often. This one was thrown onto the table by the boy. We have one "date night" a week where we go out, but we were buying lunches 3-5x a week instead of making our own. I love to cook, so I want to add in to this one "make a new recipe each week" to get me back in front of the stove. (Hopefully, that will translate to more/better blog content too! haha)
  
  
• Start working out again. My job pretty much requires that I be in good shape, yet I'm majorly slacking. The boy and I are joining the Y on January 1st (no signup fees!) and I'm getting back in the pool! I love swimming more than any other sport (yoga is a close second though) and want to start training for another triathlon asap.
  
  
• Make my closet a "working closet". I've mentioned KendiEveryday before, and now she's doing a series on making your closet work for you. My style has evolved a ton from high school through college to now. Ever have those days where there is just "nothing to wear"? I'm there. EVERY DAY. So it's time for a change. I've purged a ton, but there is more to do. If anyone is a size 4-8 in bottoms and a small-medium on top, let me know!

So 4 resolutions and 12 months to complete them (Well, 5 if you count this one!). I'm not going to donate my closet and go to spin class every morning come Jan 1st (let the hangover die down first), but I am going to work towards completing each and every one in little baby steps. What are your Resolutions for 2011? If you have any tips on how to keep them, share please!

photo credit: popstar

Bubble Bath!

Last night, I decided to do something I haven't done in 6 years: Take a bubble bath. It. Was. Glorious.

After living in college housing, sharing a bathroom with 2 roommates, and the awful peeling tub of the last condo, I finally had my chance. Aside from trying to keep Riley out of the tub and eating all the bubbles, it was total relaxation. I forgot about my mounting Christmas to do list and vegged for at least a half hour.

Relax and Unwind by devonclaire on Polyvore.com

I'm a little bit of an addict for "spa products", and these are the few of my favorites that made it out of the cabinet last night.

• Bliss Triple Oxygen Face Mask: I've never been to a Bliss Spa, but I live by their products. Using this mask 1-2x per week gives my skin a pick me up like no other. It's hydrating too- unlike heavy clay masks I've used in the past.
  
  
• Philosophy Vanilla Birthday Cake: mmmmm...I got this in a Sephora VIB reward pack. Not the best bubbles, but it smells just like the real thing!
  
  
• A Gel Eye Mask: Mine is from the Body Shop. Chill it, heat it up, whatever suits your need. The boy will pop this in the freezer for me if I have a headache and it works wonders.
  
  
• The Body Shop Spiced Vanilla Body Scrub: I had never used the Body Shop's scrubs until last night. They are more of an abrasive lotion than a salt scrub- which was a nice change of pace. The creamy texture did a good job on my knees and elbows while moisturizing at the same time. I'm not one for floral scents, so the warm vanilla tones of this fit my needs perfectly!
  
  
• Capri Blue Peeled Navel Orange candle: Every girl needs a little mood lighting :) and with the strong scents of vanilla in the products I used, the faint orange didn't overpower.
  
  
• The perfect fluffy white robe: enough said.

{Now, back to that Christmas To-Do list!}

Jingle Bells and Nothing to Wear

This weekend was amazing! The boy and I hosted our first "grown up" party and it went fantastically. Great people, good food, and a fun White Elephant (alcohol themed so everyone got something, and not a Chia Pet!) Of course, we were so excited, we forgot to take pictures :( I need to be better with that!

The only problem- what to wear?! I had been running around non stop for the past week trying to get the food, drinks, and house together and never stopped to think about getting MYSELF together. Luckily, my sister came over an hour early, took over the kitchen and I found something hiding in my closet. I wish it were more festive though!

Holiday Dressing, Beauty Go-Tos by devonclaire

So Sunday, with the post party letdown, I got to looking at everyone else's holiday outfits. Pretty sparkles, cheery colors, and lots of boyfriend blazers over party dresses! Why didn't I think of that? Oh I know...I don't have a blazer. Then out of nowhere- Kendi over at KendiEveryday posts the cutest (on her) black blazer from Target!

Immediately the "must get" voice went off in my head. And get I did. Unfortunately, I am still not much of a blazer girl. Instead of looking chic, it looks like the $30 it cost. And none too flattering outside the dressing room.

Back it goes... but it made me think. What's your holiday party style?

It's Snowing!

It's officially our first snowfall! We've had a few flurries here and there, but this time it's actually sticking. In true First State fashion, everyone is freaking out and has forgotten how to drive. So, instead of braving the elements, I'm searching for a new winter coat!

During a trip to NYC with the fam last weekend, I lost 2 buttons on my current coat- a great Guess brown wool number. Short, but warm with great details. For my next coat, I have a few guidelines:

• Long. Or longER. My last coat showed off the bottom of my long cardis, etc. This time around, I'd like to be completely covered up.
• Closed collar. I have a gorgeous dress coat from The Limited, but I have to wear 2 scarves to make up for the open neckline.
• A defined waistline. It's cold, that doesn't mean I have to look like a sack of potatoes!

Pretty simple, but I had a hard time finding some favorites. These might fit the bill though...

What do you think? The JCrew and DKNY are about the same in terms of styling, but I like that the DKNY trench comes in a deep hunter green. I'm the queen of neutrals- maybe it's time for some color?