Photo of The Day!

Throw back from my early days of posting hair pics!

Lunch Date at Bonnie Ruth's!

DH and I love to go on lunch dates and on this date we dined at Bonnie Ruth's located within the Shop's at Starwood.  A friend of mine treated me to lunch here a while back and I absolutely loved both the atmosphere and the food.  I returned with my favorite lunch buddy to introduce him to my new find!

Free Offers on Veterans Day!

I love finding good deals and wanted to pass this along to you!  Link for each deal can be found highlighted below...enjoy!:

Vitamix in the house!

Every year we visit the State Fair of Texas we always make a stop in one of the pavilions to sample the wonderful goodies made during a Vitamix presentation and for the past four years we would always say at the close of the presentation, "okay, we'll get one next year".  Well, this year we finally took the plunge and made a purchase.

When my DH stood in line to make the purchase, I couldn't stop thinking about how I was going to use this device and if I could recreate the same soups, smoothies and ice cream the "Vitamix Man" whipped up during the presentation. You know, it looks easy, but can it really be that simple?   

I've had the Vitamix for a week now, and I've made soups, juices and smoothies with ease, all the while, getting in fruits and vegetables for me and my family.  This product is simply the best!  I absolutely love my...uh..."our", Vitamix! 

Luckily, we made our purchase towards the end of our visit to the fair because, it would have been a struggle to carry it and the extra container (separate box) while walking (and being stopped by people asking about the Vitamix) at the fair.

Our visit to the fair has become a family tradition.  We don't ride rides, but we do love to attend the shows, presentations and to play games.  Our favorite thing to do while visiting is to eat!   Fried turkey legs, fried corn on the cob, fried bubble gum, fried jambalaya, fried butter, fried Nutella,  fried, fried, and some mo' fried food is what the fair is known for.  So Vitamix to the rescue!  ha ha ha!

Family pic

The infamous ladder!  We haven't won yet...:(

Who doesn't love a massage?  Great way to take a break from walking for hours.

The new Big Tex!

Not everything is fried.   We do love cotton candy!

DH and Son sitting on the rail/ Old Big Tex/ Fireworks

We stay long enough at the fair to view the Illumination Sensation light show!  It's a water, light and fireworks show put to music and a GREAT way to sum up and end a fantastic family day!

Little Black Sweater Dress!

Jessica Simpson Sweater Dress

I wake up to cooler temperatures in the morning now here in Texas, but it still gets a bit warm by noon, so I haven't been able to wear any fall outfits as of yet (sad face).  However, I found this little number to wear with my Sam Edelman "Sutton" over the knee boots last fall and can't wait to bring it out to play!   I love my Jessica Simpson Sleeveless Button Down Sweater Dress in black!

Although I purchased it last year, you can find it here in a size medium on Ebay!  

Jessica Simpson Black Sweater Dress Medium M Cable Knit Ruffle Mock Neck

Happy Shopping!

Faux Real Finds!

Okay, I've been on the hunt for faux leather leggings and have been able to find two different styles at my local TJ Maxx and Marshalls stores.  My first pair is a faux leather trimmed legging by Philosophy Clothing Republic and the other is a faux leather legging by Will Smith.  I tried on and purchased the pair because (1) I loved the way they fit and (2) they only had these in my size left in the store!  I'm not one for ordering clothes on-line because I'm terrible when it comes to returning items if I don't like the fit; however, I did find a few leggings on-line that may make me want to chance it!

Left:  H&M Imitation Leather Pants On Sale Now!
Right:  H&M Super Stretch Treggings

Trouvé 'Powerplay' Leggings @ Nordstrom On Sale Now!

Arden B. Faux Leather Jegging  On Sale Now!

I can not wait until it gets cooler here!

Happy shopping!

On the Hunt for Leather Leggings!

Even a faux  pair will do!

Comfort food...Crawfish Pasta Casserole!

This is a family favorite that I discovered within my Southern Living recipe book! Whenever I long to eat crawfish, I look this up and it becomes "what's for dinner"!   I promise you that if you try it you will love it!

7 ounces medium egg noodles, uncooked

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 large green bell pepper, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup half-n-half

1 (16 ounce) loaf pasteurized prepared cheese product, cubed

1 pound frozen, peeled, cooked crawfish tails, thawed and drained

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

1 cup round buttery cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1.  Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, and set aside.

2.  Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add bell pepper and next 4 ingredients; cook 10 minutes or until tender. Gradually add flour, stirring until well blended, and cook 1 minute.  Gradually add half-and-half, stirring until smooth.  Add cheese cubes, crawfish, and parsley; reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 3 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring constantly.  Stir together pasta and crawfish mixture in a lightly greased 11x7 inch baking dish.

3.    Combine Parmesan cheese, cracker crumbs, and 2 tablespoons melted butter in a small bowl.

 Sprinkle over casserole.

4.  Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until casserole is thoroughly heated.

Quick Shot of My Do!

Out grocery shopping and stopped to take a few quick shots of my current style.  I wanted a break from wearing my hair in fat twists, so I opted for medium twists (small for me) this time around.  It took me four hours to wash/condition and twist!

For the past few months I wore my strands in fat twists and I couldn't quite get into creating the smaller twists, because during the entire time I was styling, I kept thinking about the amount of time it was taking me to finish.  I would say to myself, "why are you creating small twist again?!" Fat twists take anywhere from 30 - 45 minutes to finish. My hands were cramping and my arms were getting tired.  Before styling my strands in fat twists (four months) it would only take me 1 1/2 - 2 hours to w/c and create the smaller twists.  Could this style for me be a thing of the past?  I hope not!

Quick Shot of my do!

I mentioned in an earlier post that my staple style for the summer was fat twists.  Here is a quick shot of my twists removed and worn out.  Wash day for my hair is long overdue, but I didn't have time to wash and re-style for the event I was attending, so I "made it work" for my twist-out!

What I see is not bad, but I know that it could have looked better. My ends are a bit limp and dry (this Texas heat!!).  Sometimes you have to make do with your do.  Wash day is this Friday, so in the mean time, I'll try to create styles to get me through until I wash.

Wash Day!

Washed day couldn't have gotten here any sooner! The pic on the top left is what my twists looked like after a few nights of not covering my strands before retiring to bed.  I would tell myself, "I don't need to tie it up tonight cause I'm gonna wash it tomorrow."  This was going on for four nights in a row!  Ugh!!!

As I mentioned in a previous post I have been wearing my strands in fat twists since the beginning of summer.  Also, I recently decided to make things even easier on myself on wash days by washing and conditioning my hair while it is still in the fat twists!

After the hair (twists) have been washed and conditioned, I begin to re-twist each twist after gently detangling with my fingers followed by a comb through to smooth strands prior to twisting.

This wash method has worked wonderfully for me.  Detangling my strands is a breeze (a plus) and I can complete detangling and re-twisting all of my twists with minimal hair loss, which includes
hair loss due to shedding (another plus)!

This method is a keeper for me and so will wearing fat twists...until I get bored with the fat twists that is.  BTW, I've come up with a new way wearing my fat twists and will post the new style soon!

On Sale Now!

Mural Faux Leather Vest

I just purchased this faux leather vest today!  You can find it at Nordstrom.  Happy Shopping!

Chicken-Fried Steak...It's What's for Dinner!

With a house full of men this meal became an instant hit and it's easy to make too! When in a rush to get dinner on the plate give this southern dish a try!

Recipe:

Makes 4 servings
Prep:  10 Min; Cook: 30 Min

1/4 teaspoon salt                                            1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper, divided                                  
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper                     1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper              
4 (4 ounce) cube steaks                                  4 3/4 cups Milk, divided
38 saltine cracker (1 sleeve), crushed               2 large eggs          
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided                 3 1/2 cups peanut oil ( I used canola oil)       
1/2 teaspoon baking powder                                              
2 teaspoon salt, divided      

1.  Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over steaks.  Set aside.
2.  Combine cracker crumbs, 1 cup flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper,
     and red pepper.
3.  Whisk together 3/4 cup milk and eggs.  Dredge steaks in cracker crumb mixture; dip in milk
     mixture, and dredge in cracker mixture again.
4.  Pour oil into a 12-inch skillet; heat to 360 degrees. (Do not use a nonstick skillet.) Fry steaks 10
     minutes.  Turn and fry 4 to 5 minutes more or until golden brown.  Remove to a wire rack on a
     jellyroll pan.  Keep steaks warm in a 225 degree oven.  Carefully drain hot oil, reserving cooked
     bits and 1 tablespoon drippings in a skillet.
5.  Whisk together remaining 1/4 cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon back pepper, and 4 cups milk.
     Pour mixture into reserved drippings in skillet; cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly,
     10 - 12 minutes or until thickened.  Serve gravy with steaks and mashed potatoes if desired.

Recipe found in The Best Of Southern Living cookbook.

Hair Babble...

Wanted to post a quick shot of my do before I shampoo and condition my strands.  Fat twists have been my staple style as of late.  Also, I've adopted the technique of washing my strands while in twists.  I find that the time it takes to wash and detangle has shorten quite a bit and I LOVE IT!

I also lose less hair with this technique when I detangle which is always an added plus.

1...2...3...Purge!

My closet is like any other closet in that it is filled with clothes, shoes, handbags and accessories! However, recently my closet has become too dense with all these items for my liking.  I have so much stuff that I'm literally having a hard time finding room to make everything fit and sometimes can't find a particular item that I'm looking for because I can't readily see it among the mass.  I sometimes feel as if  I'm looking for a needle in a haystack when searching for some pieces to wear.

So, in an effort to relieve myself (and my DH) of this dilemma, I decided to begin the process of purging my closet. I purchased the hangers above at Ross (I believe $8.99 for 18)  because not only do I want to purge my closet, I also want to improve the presentation of my clothes.  The idea I have is to make it look like a little boutique, thus I will also purchase other items to organize  and decorate my closet as well.

Maxing it out in London Times

London Times Keyhole Neck Blouson Maxi Dress

Found this beauty at Ross!  It was the only one left in the store and thus I had to have it. Didn't have time to put it on and take pics, so I thought I'd share in case you may want to visit your local Ross store and get your shop on!  

I can't wait for the opportunity to wear this dress and take pics!  When I do, I'll be sure to create a new post to share.

What "We" Wore!

I've included my DH in this post, because I love his sense of style and hopefully you will too!  Had to give him a kiss before we started, because he is so supportive in helping me with my many projects including this one.  Love you boo!

Kimono Top - White House Black Market/ Skirt - Ellen Tracy/ Shoes - Chinese Laundry

Visited a local thrift store and picked up this beautiful Kimono White House Black Market top for $8!  I also picked up the ring and bracelet.  I love to find good deals and I scored big this day!

Suit - Joseph Abboud Custom Made/ Shirt - Calibrate Slim Fit/ Shoes - Magnanni

DH is wearing a Joseph Abboud custom made suit.  He is also wearing a Calibrate dress shirt that features a slim fit throughout, and is distinguished with a classic gingham pattern in pink. He completes his look wearing a white silk pocket square and Magnanni "Santiago" Cap Toe Oxfords in cognac. The shirt and shoes can be purchased at Nordstrom.  BTW, Nordstrom is currently having its men's half yearly sale!

Now that my DH has gotten use to being photographed, my blog will include a section for men's fashion.  

Closing this entry with lots of love!  Thanks for stopping by and for reading. 

What I Wore - Boca Raton

Armani Exchange Sweater T-shirt/ MODA International White Sweater Pants

I know, better late than never and I am so late, but anyhow, here is what I wore on day two of our trip.   For breakfast we dined outdoors.  That morning started off a bit chilly, so I opted for my Armani Exchange sweater t-shirt and a pair of light weight sweater pants.  

Repair Denim Cardigan/ Nautica Jeans/ Gap T-Shirt/ Guess Leather Skate Shoes

It began to warm up quite a bit by mid morning, thus we changed into much lighter clothes (swimwear) before heading to the beach.

Upon returning from the beach we rested a bit before heading out to dinner at the resort's Sea Grille.

Dinner at Sea Grille

For starters we had their Thinly Crisped Lobster Bites with sour orange cocktail and mustard sauce.  For our main dish we ordered their Banana Leaf Baked Black Cod.  The fish was miso glazed and served with edamame and bok choy.  Each bite of the fish just melted into our mouths.  I must find a recipe to recreate this dish at home.  I know it will be family favorite!

You can't see it in the images, but we dined next a window overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

Dress W118 by Walter Baker

I rocked two strands twists that evening.  See, you CAN rock this style and be stylish!

The day we were to leave we learned that the city was expected to receive thunderstorms and lots of rain.  We were so thankful that the weather was nothing short of just beautiful our entire stay!  We enjoyed our stay and our much needed time together.