Stephen Bonanno

 

Quick question ...

Did you order from the Bonanno anniversary sale? Have you received your shoes?

It's been 6 months now and I have yet to see my package on my door step.

I've called, left messages (when they accept them), emailed and no answers! Nothing!

To be honest, I'm really surprised by their customer service. I understand their sale was popular and they are busy but communication is a must!




 

Image not mine {although I wish!} but similar to what I ordered.

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Hello June!

 

                       I think I can, I think I can …..
 

                                                      finally catch my breath!

 

The month of May has been one of endless projects, obligations, programs and commitments since I began teaching and only intensified when my son began school.  When it rolls around each year I take a deep breath and jump in with both feet.  I know that it is going to be intense, but will also offer many highlights. This year it delivered just as promised and feared :)

 {love the colors for spring}

 

{a few of the baskets}

A good friend of mine was celebrated at school for her many talents and dedication.  I was asked to do the center pieces. I filled moss baskets with seasonal fresh flowers.  The baskets offered a bright pop of color on a very cold spring day.  The luncheon was filled with great conversation and an amazing display of girly foods {lots of salads and desserts ~ so yummy!}

 

{not the best photo but you get the idea}

 

 

In keeping with my Pay It Forward/ Do Unto Others theme this year, I altered a prom dress for a young lady who's family needed some help.  When I was asked, my response of “I’d love to!” slipped out before my brain engaged. I haven’t taken on a project like this in years and I’m more than a little rusty.  Working with satin (ie slippery) material is not my strength. I ripped out many seams more than once before I accomplished the task. When I delivered the gown I added a mani and pedi gift certificate to the package. After all, every princess needs a little pampering before her big night!   In the end, it was me who received the greatest gift. Her mother relayed to me that the young lady was SO excited with her dress that she put it on as soon as it was delivered! She treated her family to a preview of prom night with her hair and makeup in place because they needed the full effect! ;) 

 

I adore these over sized headbands so I was thrilled to make one for a friend.

Showering a friend at work wrapped up my fun filled month ~ a true highlight. Kaci is expecting a baby girl in late August. I had sooo much fun shopping for baby girl outfits. Who can resist a ruffled butt or a tutu in teeny tiny sizes?!  As any girly girl knows, you have to have accessories to complete your outfit.  I made a few bows and headbands to match her outfits. So many bows posed the problem of storage. Easily solved!  I made a monogramed bow board.  This was such a fun project for a special baby girl. 

The pace is slowing and I can almost smell summer in the air. I'm looking forward to a summer schedule and tackling a few home projects that I've put off due to lack of time.

As of today, we have 8 days of school left {not that I’m counting ~ ha!} in the school year.  If hurricanes and blizzards hadn’t visited our area we would be out of school … grrrrrr!

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Simplify

At the start of the new year I felt a great need to simplify. Many areas of my life have become cluttered, confused and bogged down by stuff. I would be an extremely rich woman if wealth was measured in excess amounts of clutter!



I kicked the new year off {literally the very first day} with the goal of filling 40 bags in 40 days. This is a task often taken on during Lent but I couldn't wait that long! I breezed by the 40 bags challenge within days. Yes, I have that much stuff! I've donated, recycled, and thrown out more than I care to admit. My husband thinks I may qualify for the Hoarders show. He's just kidding ... sort of!



The next task was to detox my thoughts, feelings and focus of my life. After the horrible tragedy of Sandy Hook I've lost a lot of faith in mankind. I read on a blog, shortly after the incident, that while this was an unthinkable event, we should focus on the good things in our lives and the world. Well, I can't. By doing so we simply desensitize ourselves and emotions. This is quickly becoming an epidemic that is spreading with vicious speed. The timing of You Version's soul detox in my inbox was perfect and just what I needed. It last for 35 days and the readings each day are very manageable.



Over the holiday, I was confronted with a health scare {why do these things always come up when you have absolutely no spare time deal with them?} that really jolted me. It was time for a major health overhaul. We've always eaten healthy, for the most part, and exercised when it fit into our schedule. After many hours of research, we are eating clean. This is a new path for us and I have a lot to learn. Cooking and baking are a true source of joy for me. It's actually my way of decompressing after a long day at work. My goal is to simply transform this into a healthier version. I have to admit that I feel so much better on this path and when I do fall off the wagon I really feel the effects! I've lost 10 pounds and have so much extra energy! Once I've perfected a few recipes, I'll share them with you.



Lastly, I'm trying {really hard} to observe the Sabbath during the Lenten season. Our pastor spoke a few weeks ago about "taking on" rather than "giving up" for Lent. He suggested acts of kindness, giving to others, and volunteering during the 40 days. He also expressed the need to observe the Sabbath. I've always looked at Saturday and Sunday as my catch up days to prepare the busy weekdays. The thought of giving up one of the days was just short of terrifying for me. I know that sounds ridiculous but it's true! Who knew it would be so hard not to do anything! With two weeks in, I think I'm doing rather well, with plenty of room for improvement. I've enjoyed some quiet unscheduled time with my husband, long talks with my son, and time just being in the moment!

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Heavy Heart

I just don't understand.

What took place today, not far from my own school, is beyond conceivable.

My heart hurts for all of those that were affected.

This is a horrific tragedy!

The families and staff memebers will be in my thoughts and prayers.

 

 

To all my family and friends, from states away, who were so worried for me, thank you!





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Join My Celebration

{Image not mine, but I'd be willing to sample :) }

Today is my birthday!

Yep, I'm one year older
and a little wiser.

I've decided to celebrate all week and I'm inviting you along for the fun!

It's going to be a week of giving

as in

Random Acts Of Kindness!

Join in, the more the merrier!

Kindness is contagious. 
{feel free to share with others. 
Let's how many smiles we can share}


Please come back and share.
I'd love to hear what you did 
to brighten someone's day.

Let the party begin! :)

  ~~~

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Artichoke and Mushroom Chicken Chili

I just had to share my new my new favorite chili for the chilly season ahead of us. This was a big hit when I served it in my home.

 It began as a recipe to combine some of my favorite items and a need to clean out my frig. It's hearty and filling but the flavors are light and blend very nicely. 

Ingredients 

2 tablespoons olive oil 
1 large onion, chopped 
4-6 garlic cloves, minced  {based on your taste}
2-3 large chicken breasts cooked and shredded 
2 tablespoons rosemary 
1 tablespoon fennel seeds 
1 tablespoon thyme 
1 tablespoon dried oregano 
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 
salt and pepper as desired
1 can artichokes, drained and chopped 
10 oz package baby bella mushrooms cleaned and sliced 
3 15oz cans white beans, rinsed and drained 
6 cups low-sodium chicken stock 



Directions 

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan heat the oil and add the onions and mushrooms and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. To this add the spices and chicken stock. Cook, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer on low for at least 45-60 min to allow flavors to meld.

Serve with a nice crusty loaf of bread.

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Land of Light and Power

It is SO good to be back! 
Who knew how lovely the sound of a flushing toilet and garbage disposal would be to the ears! In celebration of our liberation, I treated myself to Starbucks before heading out to accomplish a few errands. The sight of Christmas red and white threw me. Due to Hurricane Sandy's timing, I have been out of school for an entire week and Halloween has been postponed until next week. When I saw the season change via Starbucks I felt a little out of sorts... I'm behind a holiday! I'll try to catch up next week with a quick turn around for Thanksgiving. Whew!



Once we were up and running with power I was able to check my school emails and catch up with my other life outside these four walls. One of the messages was requesting support for those still without power and the reminder that the temps were dropping this week so there was a great need for blankets and warm clothing. Please remember that many families on the coast lost not only their homes but everything inside them. We were affected by the storm, we have been without power, several very large trees have fallen, and our yard looks like a world war was fought on it BUT we were lucky, the only thing we LOST was power and food items. SO, one of my errands was to BJ's Warehouse to purchase items for those who are still in need. There were a few more bags of food and clothing in the back seat. I need to go through our coat closet and donate a few jackets that we don't wear and can be used by others.



Back at home the clean up has begun ... sort of! As luck would have it, my husband's chainsaw thought this would be a good time to stop working! Ugh. He has a great friend that is coming over not only to loan him his but also help with the cutting and removing of the trees! There are plenty of small limbs, twigs and leaves to keep everyone busy in the meantime. 

The yard should be cleaned up and back to normal in no time with these two power house helpers!

Bentley is in charge of watching the leaves so they don't go anywhere. He takes his job very seriously!

Bozley is the official stick chewer. These are taxing jobs and not for the light of heart. Ha!

In keeping with my celebration of electricity, I made up a new recipe for dinner. This may sound off but I was rather excited to be able to cook and serve a meal. It represented being normal ... what a great feeling! My creation basically consisted of what I had on hand and a combination of flavors that sounded appealing. This evening White bean, artichoke,mushroom and chicken chili came to dinner.  It really needs a catchier name ~ I'll work on that later. I have to say that it was delicious! Both my husband and I agreed that is was keeper. In fact, he requested that I make another batch so we could take it for lunches next week. He's a sweet talker I tell ya ;) 

 I'm having issues with blogger {shocking, I know!} this evening so I'll post the recipe tomorrow.




Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers, they made all the difference! It's so nice to have such wonderful friends :)

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Change of Seasons

I know, I know, it's officially fall but I'm just not ready to accept this minor seasonal detail.

Remember when you were a child and everything was the best because you were young and carefree? Well, I had one of those summers. It was the best! 

I've been really bad about posting so I'll have to do a highlight of the season. Our summer was filled with fun times, great friends and family ~ a recipe for the best summer ever! :)

We spent a fabulous day at the Americas Cup Series. It was a gorgeous day. The weather was absolutely perfect! There was a light breeze, it was sunny and low humidity. It was so nice to have a laid back day with Kevin.

*I learned the hard way of the importance of good {as in not the cute and fun ones} sunglasses after spending the entire day in hazy sun reflecting off the water. I burned my retinas and am still paying for this many weeks later!*

We celebrated holidays and many special times. 

My sweet son surprised me with a package of Lilly goodies.  It was filled with all the important essentials for days at the beach! Yup, I raised him right :)

I'm going to miss dinners on the patio with fresh farmer's market goodies. Not to mention my favorite summer sipper ~ ruby red grapefruit margaritas. 



We were so fortunate to spend lots of time with good friends {welcome baby Graham} attended local events, and got away for a great vacation compliments of my husband planning.



Best of all, was the time I spent with my family! I love them tons. If only they didn't live so far away.  Nicholas wasn't exactly "feeling" like photos after his day of golfing {and they say girls are the emotional ones ~ Ha!}


The weather hasn't made too big of a shift towards fall yet so I'm trying to hold on to the warm sunshine filled days and ignore the reports that we are in for a cold snowy winter. 

Yes, denial is my best friend! :)

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Going Home

It doesn't matter how old you are, going home is a peaceful and comforting trip.

My entire family is in Michigan. Well, with the exception of one cousin. He didn't get very far though, he and his family live in Illinois. I'm the adventurer of our family ... moved all the way to the east coast! :)



Is it wrong that one of the highlights of my trip were the gas prices? I snapped this with my phone and sent it to my friends in Connecticut. I can't tell you the last time {if ever} we paid such low gas prices. Not only were they all jealous of my bargain, they asked me to bring some home to them :) 


I probably haven't shared this before but I am gifted. Not necessarily in a good way, but gifted nonetheless. We call it L****(insert last name) Law. If there is a way for something odd or extreme to go wrong, it will happen to me. Nope, I've never ever prospered from this gift. 


Upon arrival to my brother's home he informed me that the compressor in his central air had just bit the dust. No problem, it's only 98 and humid! Michigan was in the middle of a heat wave and it wasn't due to break in the near future. 

Are you catching on to my so called "gift?" UGH! 

I had a continuous "glow" my entire visit ... it wasn't pretty.



Like the fan? :) It was a cool 95!

My brother Henry, with his two girls Mia and Molly, my son Nicholas, and me.  Kelly was taking the photo and Will was off spending the night with a friend {who had air conditioning ... I almost invited myself to join the fun}





Fresh seafood isn't readily available in Michigan so I brought a New England feast home. We had lobsters, mussels, and oysters. I really, really, really don't like oysters.  However, my brother roasted them on the grill, drained them, and then put a little sauteed garlic and butter on them and served them in the half shell. They were amazing!

These sweet little ladies are my cousin's children. I spend a delightful day in Belleville with my Aunt and a few cousins. This is the worst part of living so far away ... I miss out on all the little things in life that add up to so much! Little Francesca {being held by her big sister Sophia) was born two weeks before I came to town. She is a total sweetheart at a whopping 6lbs at 16 days old ~ I was afraid she would break in my arms :)  

The last photo cracks me up! Out of nowhere came this adorable little firefighter. My cousin Michael, her daddy, is a fireman so she comes by the costume naturally.  I felt very safe knowing she was there to rescue us at a moments notice!

Nicholas was on his way out of town but made the time to stop in for a brief visit. This was completely his idea. No pressure or prompting from his mom!  I love that family is important to him and makes the time to connect even when he's on a tight schedule. 

Please take note pf my stellar photography skills ... put the subjects in direct sunlight so they have to squint!  

Nonetheless, I still like the photo of Nicholas and my Aunt Rose. After my mom passed away she quietly stepped into my life offering support even when I didn't know I need it ~ bless her!

My cousin Jackie and I {love the squinting!} Can you believe she just had a baby?! It was great to catch up with her. We are working on a girls trip out here next summer. I'm already giddy with excitement! My husband may need to find a place to stay with all the estrogen! Ha.




One afternoon we went to the farmer's market for some fresh dinner items. I love the faces on my brother and Mia!  Clearly she is begging and he is giving the infamous NO :)  I'm not sure where the rest of the family wandered off to. 

Our dinner was amazing with fresh veggies, meat, cheeses, and fruit! I miss having the market in my backyard.

I will miss these girlies SO much. During my visit we did crafts, hung out at the MAC and University Club, cooked, shopped and lunched! My favorite time together was late at night when we all climbed into my bed and just talked! 

Mia, the oldest, is not only bright but an amazing soccer player. She has such grace and beauty both inside and out. What I love most about her is that she is completely unaware of her gifts.  Miss Molly makes the most out of each and every day. She has a natural talent of spinning the negative into a positive. We could all learn a lesson from her. Will wanted no part of photos. He ducked and dived and in the end rode off with his friends. No worries, we'll get him in photos next time when he isn't expecting it! :)

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Another One Down

My idea of an ideal Friday night dinner!!!




My husband would think this was an appetizer with dinner to follow. Not tonight. It's just me.  He's off on a guy's weekend of sailing races.




This is actually a good thing. I really need to focus and gain control of my spinning out of control life! Beginning in May the pressure and chaos reaches an all time high with all my school and personal activities. There is only one speed during this time ... full blast!




I feel like I'm crawling to the finish line of a v e r y long race! I'd be giving myself a lot of credit if I told you my head was above water. It's not ... not even close! It's been a long {and rewarding} school year. My body and brain are telling me it's time for a little break.




This weekend my goal is to regain some control of our home. If all goes well, I hope to hit the farmer's market in the morning and the beach after church on Sunday. These are some major goals gals! :)




I'm about a year behind on posts but I hope to share soon. School is out in 4 days ~ woo hoo!


Have a wonderful weekend.

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Would You Please ...

Join me in wearing blue today in support of World Wide Autism Day. 


A few of my sweet kiddos {and their wonderful families} deal with the challenges of autism each and every day. 


To date, there are still so many unknown factors and the numbers rise daily. The autism spectrum is wide with puzzling effects and hidden answers.


Thank you!

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Weekend Routine

We began a weekly tradition of Friday night pizza when my son began elementary school. It was often enjoyed in conjunction with a movie. When we lived in Michigan, we had a group of great friends that gathered at the end of each week. It was something to look forward to and kicked off the weekend. I cherish those memories.

Friday night was greeted with homemade pizza. I love the flavors of Greek pizza ~ yum! To appease those that feel the need to have meat on their pizza, I made a spicy sausage pie.

Saturday morning brought my normal run around routine. I'm really feeling like my weekends are in a rut if you will. I spend the better part of the day dashing from one store to the other preparing for the upcoming week. This particular Saturday was no different. I donned my new favorite boyfriend jeans and flats. It's really beginning to feel like spring {for the north} around here. Yay!




Since I'm out and about for several hours, I need a snack {lunch} to keep up my stamina.

 


I do allow myself a little reward for all my hard work keeping my family healthy and home in order :) Yes, I'll say just about anything to justify spending almost $5. on coffee. 
It's ridiculous!


It was the perfect weather to break in my Christmas gift from my son. It was warm(ish) with a light rain. I thought I'd snap a quick photo to send off to Nicholas modeling my jacket he gave me. Why is it that something that should be so SIMPLE turns into a major project for me?! Ugh! I will admit that when I went through these photos, they provided a good laugh. There were many more but I'll spare you the pain :)


Thanks Nicholas!
I love my jacket and you're right ... it's exactly what I needed ;)
 

After visiting many stores, shops, and markets ... why can't someone invent a one stop shopping mart that carries everything I need? ... I returned home with my goodies. My favorite purchase were the flowers from Trader Joe's! Not only is their selection fabulous but the prices are amazing!
 

Feeling a little crafty and desiring some bright colors with some seasonal changes, I made a new front door basket and a sign for St. Patrick's Day.


 




I do try to keep up with my home during the week but, it never fails, by the weekend it too needs my attention. 


I took this one quickly as I was walking out the door. No, we don't keep the ottoman in the middle of floor but Bentley prefers it in this spot and moves it when we're not looking. He's a tricky one!

 


He looks innocent enough but don't be fooled! :) 


I had to laugh at his "smile" when I snapped this photo of him. I think he was really begging me to take him with me on my weekly tour of the city.





The new week is in full swing and I'm off and running. How do you streamline your weekends? I'm open for suggestions!


Hope yours is going to a be a great one!

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Cookie Exchange

I've been looking forward to this afternoon all season. This afternoon was my annual Cookie Exchange. It's always such a fun afternoon. I get to catch up with friends and neighbors, eat girlie finger foods, and in the end, I have an amazing platter of cookies to enjoy ~ yum!

I made chocolate covered cherry cookies for the exchange this year.




In keeping with my "low key" holidays, I didn't go overboard on the menu. No one seemed to notice and for the first time in years, I wasn't stressed. What a joy, I should have done this years ago.





I'm really blessed to have such a great circle of friends. Each of these wonderful women have such amazing talents. There is never a quiet moment when we are together.




My sweet friend and neighbor grabbed a few shots of me while filling my platter. She's a wife and mom too! {aka always behind the camera and never in a photo! :) } 


Our week ahead is going to be a crazy one and that's putting it nicely. We are in school until the bitter end :) I'm in charge of putting on our staff breakfast, we have have two parties to attend, and somewhere in all my (nonexistent) free time I need to squeeze in last minute shopping and prepping for Christmas Eve and Christmas.

Is it too late to hire an assistant?

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My Week

It's been a crazy busy week but I'm really enjoying the ever so slight hint of autumn in the air. I'm really stressing the word "slight" as it's been very hot and humid here in my little part of the world.




Dressing for school has been a challenge. I don't own many {read any} clothes designed for fall in the south. My fall wardrobe features heavy cottons, down, and wool. Since going naked isn't an option, I've had to get creative instead of cute. Not fun.



Anyway ...



My week in review has managed to bring about one of my favorite ingredients .... PUMPKIN!

Our neighbor recently lost his father. His life was celebrated as he enjoyed 94 amazing years of life full of adventure. It's so cute to hear his grandsons speak of him with such love and admiration.

After all the family had left, and their lives had quieted down a tad, {as much as it can with little boys and all their activities} I dropped off a dinner basket on their porch. I made my families lasagna, my friend Lori's amazing bread, and easy peasy, but oh so yummy, chocolate yam cupcakes. Yes, you read that correctly ~ yam. Pumpkin is at an all time shortage in my stores so I've resorted to using yams. You cannot tell the difference. Seriously! Give it a try {Susan :)} and you'll be delighted.

*Recipe listed at that the bottom*



On Sunday, before church, I warmed up the over and made pumpkin cinnamon rolls. These were good but didn't have as much pumpkin flavor as I had hoped for so I'll keep looking for a tastier recipe.

While strolling through Trader Joe's I spied one of my favorite treats. Figs! They don't make an appearance often here in the north but when they do, I take full advantage.

I'm making a fig and brie appetizer this evening to take to a friend's home for dinner. I'll let you know how it turns out. If it passes our strict panel of judges (ha), I'll share the recipe with you.

*anything with brie passes with flying colors!*

Chocolate Yam Cupcakes with Yam Cream Cheese frosting

Cupcakes
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 cup mashed yams {from a can}
1 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. cinnamon

Cream cheese frosting
8 oz. cream cheese {I use the low fat}
1/2 cup mashed yams
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1tsp. cinnamon

Cupcakes:
Mix all the ingredients together and beat for about 2 minutes on low.

Spoon into desired cupcake tin of choice {I like the mini}

Bake for 12 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Remove to wire rack and let cool.

Frosting:
Beat all the ingredients together until creamy.

Pipe onto cupcakes

Sprinkle with a little autumn sugar

Enjoy!

Happy October!

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