terrain...by urban outfitters.

i just spent some much needed time, daydreaming about all the new things at Urban Outfitter and Anthropologie's outdoor store, Terrain, and how great they would look in our backyard.

the white attic...

i cannot explain to you how i love this store and how upsetting it is that they do not offer shipping. i have called twice, juuust to be sure they haven't changed their policy.

this stacked with all my white dishes and milkglass collection would be a dream come true.

i have been looking high and low for a secretary desk to store all the kids artwork, in the drawers and supplies, on the desk. let me know if you see one.

i would love to have one refinished like this store does in a really fun color.

medium tone wood floors...

resource conservation group

i have a thing for dark-dark wood floors, herringbone parquet if we are being particular. i love the contrast with a good white molding and great beautiful natural light. but, everyone i know who has had them said they are the most beautiful things in the world freshly "swifered" but you can see every speck of dust and every streak from a broom...so since i have young children i am trying to wrap my head around a more practical finish.

these images from desire to inspire just might do the trick...maybe, if i try really hard i could let go of my dark wood dreams. if not aren't these gorgeous to look at anyways?

but for right now we just want to refinish our flooring until we can redo the kitchen.

anyone know any wood flooring specialists?

aunt cyndie's amazing spaghetti sauce...

i love italian food. i mean really really love it. during this pregnancy the thought of cooking meat, smelling meat or touching meat makes me sick so we have been having LOTS of pasta. this basic sauce is my favorite. i remember eating it at my aunt cyndie's as a child. a few years ago i asked her for the recipe and in typical aunt cyndie fashion she had the book, all marked with her notes, made a copy and off i went. it is so simple that you can easily get as fancy as you want with it. although i like to make a big ol' batch of it just as is and freeze and use as needed... a few times a week.

Spaghetti with Italian Meatballs

SAUCE

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 garlic clove (minced)

1qt. (4 cups) water

28oz. can tomatoes, cut up

2 cans (6 0z. each) tomato paste

1 Tablespoon of sugar (makes all the difference with acidity of canned tomatoes)

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon oregano leaves

1/2 teaspoon basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 large bay leaf

MEATBALLS

i have never used veal before last week. i always felt so odd about it but i have to say it was so yummy. instead of topping the sauce with meatballs which i knew my kids wouldn't eat i made the meatballs as instructed but ended up crumbling them in to make a meat sauce. they lapped it up.

3/4 lb. lean ground beef

1/2 lb. ground veal

2/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs

1 small onion finely chopped

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 egg

1 Tablespoon oil

2 pkg. spaghetti

In dutch oven (which i do not have) cook onion and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in remaining sauce ingredients. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered 1 hour.

In medium bowl, combine all Meatball ingredients except oil, mix well. Shape into 1 1/2" balls. In large skillet add oil. Roll meatballs in oil to coat all sides. Cook Meatballs over medium heat until brown on all sides. Drain excess fat; add Meatballs to sauce; simmer an additional 30 minutes or until Meatballs are done and sauce is thickened.

so this week i am trying manicotti, one of my favorites.

if you love italian like i do and live around here you have to try:

Padri's Restaurant on Agoura Road (this is where dyllie took me for Valentine's Day on Wed.)

their tomato sauce always reminds me of my trip to italy

the bruschetta they serve with the bread is divine, short ribs and chicken parmesan...wow.

Farfalla in Westlake Village

although it is cougar town at night the food is fantastic and you are guaranteed to have some pretty funny people watching.

know any other yummy italian places?? i would love to try them too.

truffle oil pasta, salads, pizza, never disappointed.

this fall i am loving...

all things slouchy and comfy but not messy, i don't do messy very well, much too short . but this year, i am spending all my money on our home, not my clothes. so i did a little online searching to find things i would love to wear this fall:

i wear these leggings in black... with everything.

like this dress and this dress

if i were 6" taller i would wear this jacket.

still loving these boots from last year and even more now that they are all scuffed up.

but... i try to find a way to wear these whenever i can with cuffed skinny jeans and a white t-shirt, cardigan and lots of bangles...

i have been wanting these since august...

am jonesing for these pumps and these pumps which remind me of the color i am painting my interior doors.

i am loving all different shades of lipstick like

this one (perfect red for someone so fair like me, but careful does leave big fat kissy marks all over baby cheeks)

this one

this one wore 415 all summer and just switched to 420 for the fall

and i still never leave home without this one.

i am still looking for the perfect dark, browny, mauvey matte lipstick...let me know if you have any suggestions.

i love almost all the fragrances from fresh but this i wear everyday...

fifi is sleeping, mookie is playing cars and i am reading Harry Potter book 5. we took a break to play on the computer a little...

that is a kiss mark on his face, he is not going to be happy when he notices them.

he is trying so hard to wait for it...one of the only ones without a pretzel mouth sticking out... i love this little "orange head"

we are headed off to the desert tomorrow for our fist moto trip of the season. i am so excited. i think fifi is going to be in heaven!

walking the streets of portland...

okay, so how bad to i hate pictures of myself...pretty bad, maybe i look a little quasimodoesque here but let me tell you.
1. had so much fun with my boo.
2. this is the most comfortable soft sweatshirt that has ever graced my skin. maybe i have already worn in 3 times in the last 10 days. its clean. don't judge me. i really wanted it in gray but this is my big branching out with color. i have been wearing it with leggings and boots and you just might see me in it if you see me this winter, there is no sign of my stopping.
3. and yes, hus' hand is there...it kinda always is... sorry if it offends you.
4. portland is the first city that both dylan and i agree we could move to. we fell in love.
i read this blog and this blog regularly and both the writers completely inspired me to spend some time in portland, so when dylan said he was traveling to portland i JUMPED...it did not disappoint!

it was so fun to tag along on his business trip. he worked all day and i shopped and walked the streets all day. the nights we spent having dinner with new friends and cousins at some great restaurants. i spent one day with my darling cousin and her precious baby, ate tons of yummy food and enjoyed the overcast weather, which i am a complete sucker for.
i am moving in exactly 7 days...yay!! so i don't think i will be able to do another post before the move about the fun hotels (this one and this one) we stayed in and the darling stores i found (this one, a great mix of amazing housewares and the nicest staff) and this one (with a great mix of local artists) or the yummiest street vendor ever.

i am thinking i am going to get one of these on a plywerk...so this one or...

first person to guess what this little forest reminded me of gets a 5x7 of any print of their chosing...go!

this one? i love the dreamy yellow colors

really? how sweet of this cafe to make a table just for me, in one of my favorite colors with all the graphic holes and perfect dings and scratches.

i walked about 20 blocks, 11 of which were on streets just like this. i stopped every few houses to look at the paint colors they had chosen, the gorgeous trees and if i was lucky a great fence or even better an "urban garden" ahh...

can i live here? with its perfect fence and gorgeous blue house.

so i guess i loved all the moss. the texture, the color.

in my dreams...

so maybe i obsess...just a little. as i am recovering from surgery at my mom's house my sleep has left something to be desired. i am sharing a bed with mookie (which i love, just not when he kicks me in my healing places) and the fifi is sleeping pretty soundly in the crib next to us. they are not the issue. i cannot sleep on my tummy (dr.'s orders) and i cannot lift my children, hence the reason i drove 6 hours to recover at my mom's house. the issue lies in the lovely neighbors next door who have decided 1 a.m. is the appropriate and necessary time to get their parties started. i mean i am all for people having fun but when i am trying to heal, and am sharing a bed with my beeb and have all the possibilities of our new house floating around in my, thats when things get dicey.
i have been cursed. cursed with a mind that cannot stop thinking about things until i
A. write them down or B. figure them out.
i am on my third night of laying awake thinking of how i want to furnish my new home when i decided, forget it. i am going to get it out of my system and make a collage...like i said, i am obsessive.
see, we have found a house, a wonderful house that we could stay in for 20 years. it has a dream backyard and i am thrilled about so much of it...except the architecture and style of the home. the other home we had put an offer in on was really great 70's modern lines and huge windows and although smaller i could just see us there...no problem.
the house we have is a different story. so i am tossing and turning all night trying to figure out how i can incorporate my more simple with slices of modern, monochromatic, semi-androgynous style into this very traditional home.
i think i came up with somthing i could love. now mind you, this is with no budget in mind... the turquoise lamp is the low low price of $4500. but the idea is there on paper, and now i am off to sleep. i just hope their partying doesn't get me started on the dining room.

the worlds most beautiful, lovely, fun, wedding. walnut grove.california . m&m