happy weekend.

now that saturday is already here, what are you doing this weekend? jeff and i had an impromptu date last night. we stayed local and went out for a quick bite of sushi, which always reminds us of our earlier dating days. my mom picked up the kids late in the afternoon and wanted to keep them for the night. i loved taking my time to get dressed and i was ready to go before jeff even arrived home from work. it just started the evening out right.  it kind of reminded me this relationship tip to keep the sparks flying. thanks mom!

this weekend is also the beginning of spring break for us and this year, we've decided to simply stay at home. maybe, i am being a little selfish, but i am really, really happy to have a whole week off at home! we haven't made any true plans so i am happy that our whole week is open.

whatever plans you have for the weekend, i hope you are having a good one. here are some things i've seen that i thought you might enjoy too.-

i would love to have these french alphabet stamps in my collection

great idea: diy leftover bag

love these eggs

twelve pages of free easter printables

a must-try this week while the kids are off

a very charming pocket full of posies party

hope you are having a happy weekend!!!!!

{image via paloma's nest}

sweet & tart.

i know it's finally springtime, but no matter what season it is, i never tire of cranberries and oranges together. and this morning, i had a craving for the combination of the two.  there is something about the tartness of cranberries and the sweetness of an orange that tastes so good to me.  so luckily this morning, i had a bag of cranberries in the freezer and oranges in the refrigerator to mix up and bake a batch of cranberry-orange muffins for breakfast.

cranberry-orange muffins

2 cups of flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen)

1 egg

3/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon orange zest

coarse sugar for topping

combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.

stir in cranberries and orange zest.

next, in a small bowl, beat egg, orange juice and oil together. add to dry ingredients. stir until just moistened. spoon into muffin cups and fill 3/4 full.  i like to use a ice cream scoop. it seems to be just the right amount and all cups are filled equally. sprinkle each with coarse sugar.

bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes til lightly browned. 

and, enjoy!! yum... they are so, so good!!

happy spring.

i love the brightness that emerges with spring. 

it's time to celebrate!

enjoy the first day of spring and be happy!!

{image via marthastewart}

happy monday + our weekend.

how was your weekend? i can hardly believe how warm it is here. i totally did not expect the warmer weather that has quickly come upon us. my kids were very excited to be wearing shorts, summer dresses and flipflops. and they spent the entire weekend outside. riding scooters and roller blading have been their favorite outdoor activities lately.

jeff went away for the weekend and i was reminded of the weeks at a time he was once away from us for three years. needless to say i was very happy to have him back at home today helping me with my monday chores and starting a few new projects around the house. having him home was almost like an unexpected surprise and a great way to start my week. i hope your week has started out happy and it's a fabulous one too!!  happy monday!

happy weekend. and some things.

do you have any fun plans for the weekend? for us, it's baseball season again, so we will be on the bleachers both today and tomorrow cheering on slade. i'm looking foward to spending some time in the sunshine! it seems like spring is just around the corner now and i am anxious for the warmer weather to arrive! i think i will find some time this weekend to push spring along by cutting some branches and forcing them to bloom inside. have you ever tried it? i love idea of having a burst of spring in our home before it even emerges outside!

whatever your plans, have a happy weekend. here are some things you might enjoy too-

perfect way to hurry spring along

love, love, love this dress

i don't think i would rest easily in this paris hotel room

i'll never tire of these

mint + chocolate

or, raspberry + oatmeal 

printable wine glass tags

three extra minutes, what would you do?

hope your weekend is happy!

{image via holiday with matthew mead}