What Happened?!

I used to be known as a "Fashion God" in High School, I aptly went straight to L.A attending F.I.D.M for my degree in Product Development and Marketing. I have worked in retail and beauty since my first W-2, I love to sell clothes, skin care, lifestlye... it's what I know, it's what I DO! My closet used to get "shopped" in by friends, I used to love to get in there and get creative, the better I looked the more I sold, the more I sold, the more money I made, the more money I made, the more I shopped. It was like the food chain of fashion.

Doesn't help that I went from a walk-in closet to this!
I don't have time to dig

 I used to gawked at mothers out and about with their kids who looked less than put together, and I'd think Wow! really?! you couldn't take 5 minutes?! Fast forward to two kids, sleep deprivation, un-ending piles of laundry, and a suffering wardrobe. 

My funds are spent on kids clothes(not complaining...it IS still shopping)diapers, binkies, and small pieces of Nick Jr. memorabilia(everywhere). This fashionista now finds herself in wash and go cotton(that's been washed too many times), jeans if I don't feel fat, but mostly black leggings(which I swore I'd never succumb to) Okay, so I don't wear mom jeans but what happened?! Am I now "That Mom". I took a long hard look at my closet today... it's pitiful. It is filled with mostly black, as I worked in a salon for the past two years and the rest is a hodge podge of maternity, shirts that need to be ironed, t-shirts stretched to an unflattering fit, things I hope to look good in again(within the next 6 mo.), and a broken fashion spirit.

 As of late, I have been devoured by blogs; fashion, baby, DIY, anything and everything. My new girl crush of the moment is Kendi of Kendi Everyday. She is cute, has great personal style and has inspired the Goddess in this Fashionista to wake up. My email isn't "fashionistamommy" for nothing dammit! I mean don't get it twisted, when I need to pull it together, you bet your ass I'm one of the cleanest there! But along the way I got lost and Kendi smacked the shit out of me and then she shook me a little bit and you know what?! This weekend is Step 1: The Purge... I'd call Step 2: The Revival. Step 2 kinda falls right in line with my Birthday, couldn't have worked that better myself(wink wink). I'll be posting my process, my purchases, my inspiration and my everyday "parks and playdates" style; comfortable, chic, and fresh. The things I get rid of are up for grabs before I send it off to GoodWill or Buffalo Exchange. I'll snap pics and details and if you want it email me, I'll send it to you!(just pay for postage) if you wanna swap(Linds) I'm down with that too ; )

This just might be exactly what this Mommy needs to scratch that itch!

Slurpee Runs and other occurences...

These are a few things that happened today...

I called Rick and asked if he'd be interested in a little sky rockets in flight, afternoon delight? He responded with,"I like the cut of your gib!" (he often has middle aged white boy come backs) 

When he walked through the door(slurpee in hand, my reciprocated gift, I suppose ; ) ) He had this shit eaten' grin on his face. I said, "You look like a little boy and the ice cream truck just pulled up!" We had the best laugh. I enjoy those moments.

Berkely played with Avery so well today...she is getting so big so fast. Last night lying in bed Rick brought up the fact that Averys' first bath experience started with a tub inside a tub(until she could crawl out, and we thought, well... fuck it) Berkely on the other hand, it's like...if you can sit..you can tub. She's also eating crackers, Avery was def. not eating crackers at 7 months. How comfortable we get with our second child... no more jumping and running and half the worry of all those bumps and bruises along the way. 

Avery's last day of school was today... her teacher Mrs. Sheetu gave Avery a hug and said she really enjoyed her in her class and she can visit anytime...it was very sweet. We are going to sign her up for swimming, we feel like this Summer will be her most adventurous in the way of water. She is my higher, faster, "Again Daddy" girl and coming up on 4, I know she'll be pushing the limits.

I Love her in these Skinny Jeans! She wanted to wear her "farkle" shoes today and I couldn't have picked a better shoe for this look! My Little Budding Fashionista.

Averys Wearing: Basic Tank from Old Navy(remember that $2 tank sale over the summer) Cardigan and Skinny Jeans from BabyGap. Jeweled leather flat from Nordies.

Check Out J'ai Faim for all things culinary! I like that word" Culinary" I could have just said food, I also could have just said I'm Hungry instead of J'ai Faim...but it makes me feel cultured!

Stepping It Up

I love to watch the food network, any channel showing food really! Some of my favorite shows are; Giada @ home, Avec Eric, diners, drive-ins and dives, Top Chef, and Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. I want to be Samantha Brown on the Travel Channel, galavanting around the world experiencing different cultures and foods, staying at the best places! I can see it now...(((Que dream sequence))) Camera Pans out and there I am in a little Rachel Roy Spring 2011 number at some bistro on the French Rivera. I'm eating the "Peace de resistance" of duck with the best glass of wine the Travel channel would afford. Just as I start to talk about how this place is the locals diamond in the ruff, from the outta nowhere "baby rabbit" hits the side of my head and here I am sitting at the table with my Tilapia with rice pilaf and asparagus...hold the wine. Oh well...A girl can dream can't she?!

Here was last nights dinner...It's no country side bistro dish, but my husband was moaning from across the table! Works for me ; )

4T of Tomato Paste is mixed with 1T Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper, Oregano, Garlic(all to taste) and 1/2 chopped onion, I threw in a little crushed red pepper for kick

Spread over your fresh tilapia fillets with thinly sliced green onion

I am totally into blanching my veggies(thank you food network)
I steam my asparagus for 3-4 min and then throw them straight into ice cold water to stop the cooking process and keep that brilliant color!












TaDa!!! Tomato Herb Tilapia with Rice Pilaf and Asparagus!

Last Night's Dinner

So on Sunday I made a delicious Beef Loin with a 7 spice rub, Fingerling Potatoes(the new "it" potato), and balsamic vinegar sauteed carrots. In the words of Rachael Ray YUM-O! I didn't take pictures of that meal but usually I make a steak salad the next night from the leftovers and I did take pictures of that. This steak salad has become a favorite of my hubbys and last night Avery tore it up! A 3 year old eating salad and liking it... sometimes they do surprise you. After an evening of rubbing and sauté-ing, this follow up meal is quick, easy and surprisingly fulling(add a piece of crostini for a carb fix). We love fresh baby spinach and field greens, but just baby spinach is also fine. I cut up the steak, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and if we had it, some fresh feta or parmigiano reggiano to top it off. I can't have dairy right now because Berkely has a milk protein allergy(I'm nursing), so unfortunately the rest of the family suffers! For salad dressing, I just use olive oil and lemon. It's light, compliments all the flavors of the salad and saves you some calories. I toss that together and serve it up..

The Blog Blues

I just looked at the calendar...it's been a minute since my last post. I think I was putting too much pressure on having something to write about. In my rare blog reading adventures, I realized I was putting to much on it. Just write about anything, somedays people didn't really have much to say, but instead showed what they are in to. I like that, okay I can do that...we actually do a lot of little things that I could blog about! We have been pretty active since christmas, I am finding my rhythm, my momma mojo...it's getting easier. I have been on time this whole month, and really with two kids that's pretty amazing! Well let's be honest for me on time at all is AMAZING! Here's a recap: Avery started back to school, loves it; she's also back to dance class, rick says she has his rhythm...ummm no! Berkely is crawling(everywhere), she's loves to laugh and grab hair, and eat and sing on faces. She LOVES Avery, it's adorable! She screams back at Avery, and I'm already knowing she's not gonna be putting up with her shit! Because I'm here to tell you right now, Avery gives you shit...I actually smirk/laugh sometimes when she's giving it to me. I know it's wrong but I just can't believe I'm being punked by a 3 year old...It's laughable! I'll tell her, "I don't know if your friends talk like that, but I'm not the one."(I sound like my mother) I've been doing a lot of talking, and explaining... Why? Why? Why? that's the question of the day! We have been more active in our playgroup and I'm teaching signing classes. It's so nice to get out and Avery plays with girls that are the same age as her with siblings around the same age as Berkely, so it's been nice to relate to other mothers who are going through terrible 3's and infant sleep issues at the same time.

I've been cooking and baking a lot too, who knew the girl that never wanted to get in the kitchen would actually love it! The satisfaction I get from watching Rick and Avery eat good food that I've created gives me a sense of accomplishment and that comes few and far between these days. Actually I take that back, I accomplish quite a bit these days...last Monday I started, finished, and put away all the laundry! Say what?! Yes!  and had dinner on the table okay, there is an art to this shit and it's not for the faint or weak of heart! I now find heros in women who have multiples or 3+ kids. I was talking to a friend of mine and she said, "I'm so tired of these women who act like parenting is a breeze and they never get tired or frustrated and that dinners on the table without drama." I gave her a high 5! Is it taboo to say it's work? Must discuss this topic at a later time. On another note, the weather has been beautiful! I said on our walk to the park yesterday," Ugh! just bottle it up!" Rick said with a look, "We don't have to bottle it up!" Oh yeah! huh?! Thank God! Every 5 minutes I had a huge smile on face, I'm just so happy to be here. So I'm really not for New Years Resolutions, but I just had an idea; In 2011 I'm going blog my life! I know you're probably like, well no shit Naoj! that's what a blog is(in a sarcastic whisper) but now that I understand that blogging is whatever it is... there's no pressure to have a story to tell but to let my everyday success' and failures be my story. Things I bake, dinners I cook, projects that start but don't finish. So I'm going to give it a shot, no pressure, just blogging.