Stop by 6th Street

There is a gorgeous home tour featured on 6th Street Design School today. You're welcome. ;)

I don't want to steal the entire post since that would just be weird, so head on over there and get inspired!

I love all of the white, and pops of gold, and lovely patterns. 

West Elm just came out with some brass window hardware that I really want to get for the living or the bedroom. Just adds a touch of glamour don't you think?

Speaking of pattern, just saw this bolster pillow at Target, yes Threshold again!

This bad boy might be living on my couch very soon.

Have a great Easter weekend!

Passion Week

I'm looking forward to Easter this Sunday!  

While the egg coloring and hunts are fun, its so important to keep the focus on Jesus 

and not the Easter bunny.

Seriously, what is up with that thing...the ones at the mall give me the creeps!

In a way, every Sunday is sort of like Easter for believers, in that we're remembering what Jesus did on the cross, why he did it, and of course, how He rose from the dead! Its what our faith is based on, without the resurrection, there would be no faith, no hope. I also love to read all the articles that circle around with evidence for the Resurrection which is just fascinating to me, like this one.

I'm excited for my family to come over after church on Sunday and celebrate. While the eggs are being hidden, the last couple years I've done a Christ-centered activity with all the cousins.

We've done the classic...Resurrection Eggs, which I love because they link the eggs directly with the Easter story.

Last year we made Resurrection Rolls which are really cool...and delicious. Basically you tell the Easter story and the kids roll up marshmallows in crescent rolls, and when you bake them, the marshmallow disappears.

Another idea is to make your own "grace garden" in a large basket...this is so great! Tutorial here.

So then in my search to find even more activities, I found this link on Pinterest which had so many good ones I might as well just direct you on over to The Alabaster Jar...

I especially like the cookie recipe that explains the steps of what Jesus went through for us and the paper plate tomb craft!

His love always amazes me!

Food, Glorious Food!

Are you like me and have tons of recipes on your Pinterest board that are yet to be tried?

Well I am trying to go through them, slowly but surely. Every week I'm trying at least one new recipe.

Oh, and I also did something else new! I made a page dedicated just to recipes I've tried that I know for sure are good. Its right on the blog header next to my About Me page. So check it out if you're looking for something new to make for dinner. Or you can just click here.

Now to the Pinterest goodies:

Oven Tacos = Awesome! I made these bad boys twice in 2 weeks. Total score.

But, next time I'm going to make them with those flat bottom shells so there is more room for the toppings.

This pin caption said it was "the BEST crockpot meal ever."  Umm, not so fast there, that is a big statement!

Granted it was very good and super easy...a definite pleaser for kids, and my husband liked it. But best ever? I think not.

Prosciutto, Asparagus and Parmesan Angel Hair...I really loved this, it was easy and it looked pretty on the plate. Make sure you use good prosciutto!

I just pinned this green smoothie from Yummy Mummy.
Its just almond milk, spinach, frozen pineapple and mango....the best green smoothie I've tried!



linking up...

Over the Threshold

I'm sure if you are reading this blog or are a blogger than you are familiar with Threshold at Target. Blogs and Target go together like mac and cheese, we are one, let no man separate us! 

But I am kind of obsessed with the new style of the Threshold items. In my opinion it features some of the best, cleanest design yet from Target. Often I feel like Target stuff will have just a bit too much going on. Or is that just me? I'm weird. You know what else is weird? The word "threshold"....anyway...this stuff looks a lot more expensive than it really is...

Diamond throw pillow, $35

Ikat window panel, $30, comes in 6 different colors...the same look as a certain
West Elm Ikat curtain for much more $!

Red Lattice mirror, $30....hello fun entry way!

Honeycomb vase, $13-20...Again, West Elm has similar for twice the moola

Floral Pitcher, $20...would make a great vase too!

Lovin' Portland

Wow, its only been a month since we went to Portland and I am finally posting about it. We flew from Long Beach (where we live) directly there. (Confession: I love airports. For some reason they just make me feel cool when I am walking through the terminal with my bag slung over my shoulder and coffee in hand. I don't know what it is, the excitement of going somewhere...the hustle and bustle...the free pretzels?...who knows). On this particular occasion, my friend Andi who is an amazing photographer just happened to be on the same flight as us, so she took a bunch of awesome pics with her giant camera. I love her...she shares the same affinity for airports. Check out her blog post about it here.

Carys & Nathan

People probably thought we were celebrities, haha

Love this shot...

We actually first went to the Sandy/Estacada area which is about 45 minutes outside of the city to visit family. We stayed with Nathan's cousin's family...they have 5 kids, homeschool, and if they drink milk, its directly after being milked out of a cow...or a maybe a goat. So, anyway they are pretty much awesome! They have 2 girls who Carys had never even met before and she immediately disappeared with them, even sleeping in their room the night we got there!

Caroline, Nora, & Carys

Not too shabby of a view for a bath....

Then we stayed in the city for 2 nights. I just love the vibe of this place, and it didn't hurt that all the food we tried was amazing. Their motto should just be Portland: Come hungry. I also love how they had easy mass transit so that renting a car wasn't needed at all.

Food truck heaven

Here's Nathan and Charlie walking. We walked everywhere.

We stayed at the Hotel Vintage Plaza, that red building up ahead. It was a good central location and was really nice...plus they had these moose heads below in their lobby....

They have a pretty awesome Nike store where I wish I could've bought out the whole womens section. 

It featured this interactive wall that was kind of rad.

We had one breakfast at Le Petit Provence (above)  where they serve freshly made croissants instead of toast, and on top of that everything else was divine. They serve butternut squash mixed in where their home fries...genius!

The other breakfast we had was at Mother's Bistro, which everyone said was the spot to eat breakfast, aaand yes it didn't disappoint. They had fresh squeezed apple juice that was wonderful.

Then we had our anniversary dinner at Noble Rot, a restaurant/wine bar that has an amazing view of the city from across the river. Again, the food was fresh and delicious.

Oh, and here's a travel with kids tip......bring glow sticks for the hotel room and they will be entertained for quite a while!

Portland is famous for Powell's Books, the biggest bookstore pretty much anywhere I think. We escaped from the cold to read some books.

 One lunch we ate at a joint called Lardo, described as a modern sandwich shop, where we had an amazing burger (below) of grass fed beef with pork belly on top, and some perfect fries topped with parmesan and thyme.

Across the street is ice cream shop Ruby Jewel, where they serve fresh, hand crafted ice cream, waffle cones and ice cream sandwiches. By the way, Charlie was fighting a pretty bad cold the whole time, but she was such a good sport being lugged around everywhere.

Ice cream fixes everything.

The only bummer is that it was such a short trip, we only scratched the surface. 

So we are happy to be going back in September for a friends wedding. Until we meet again PDX!

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Faux Fun

Anyone who has been to my house cannot miss the rather large African animal head on my living room wall, so I do have a special place in my heart for taxidermy...

A very stylish friend of mind just got a faux deer head from this Etsy shop called Mahzer and Vee. You guys, this shop is insane, I can barely decide what my favorite item is! Their things are quirky and colorful and modern, awesome for your living room or a cool kids room. 

You know, if you're into that sort of thing....

It's a pistachio green David bust, I have a thing for mint, what can I say.......$54

This might be my favorite, moose antlers are pretty rad, and they are gold.....Moose head, $105

This would be fab in my daughters room, she is an Idaho girl at heart after all......Deer head, $109

Then again, her favorite color is purple, so this one is even better!....Deer head, $109

 They have lots of animal statues too, this would be great on a book shelf or the mantle....Horse head, $49

They have about 200 items to look through, have fun!