Spotted this confetti inspired nail color from Deborah Lippmann, and I have to admit that I'm quite smitten. I usually steer clear of any sort of gild when it comes to nail color - stick with solid high gloss or mattes. But this one has got me on the glitter train! Trying to decide if this party in a bottle would end up coming off a bit more trashy than trendy...? I mean I'm only in my 20's - I think I can easily pull this off... way too fun to pass up attempting!
A few weeks ago I posted a picture of a chai tea latte in my For the Love of Winter post, and got some questions as to what "that foamy tea" was.
Chai (or, Masala Chai) is a sweet and aromatic black tea originating from India. It's traditionally made of Assam or Darjeeling tea, spiced with star anise, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, fennel and ginger. Today, chai tea is consumed worldwide primarily for the taste, but the spices used in chai tea, as well as the brewed tea itself, have long been used in Eastern medicine; believed to be a powerfully natural anti-oxidant, stress reliever, mood elevator, immune and circulatory system stimulant and breath freshener. This stuff really delivers! I lived on Chai Tea lattes during my pregnancy with Freida when I opted to forgo coffee consumption. It lent me a fair amount of caffeine to get me through those pregnancy days, and now I really enjoy using it in the evenings when I'm in the mood of a "coffee break" sans late-night jitters.
You can use Organic Chai Tea bags, or you can go with the Original Oregon Chai Tea Latte boxed beverage. The boxed version is super delicious, but loaded with sugar. If you use the tea bags you can add a teaspoon of honey or even some calorie free sweetener. A "chai tea latte" is basically made up of 1 part chai tea, 1 part steamed/frothed milk. You can use any kind of milk you want, just froth it until it is hot and foamy.
Even Freida enjoys taking little sips of this sweet and spicy foam.
(I'm sure she likes to fantasize she's finally allowed to drink some coffee...)
This Babushka sure got a modern makeover!! Being seeing an overload of Matryoshka themed gimmicks on the market - some may be a bit more cuter than the next, but either way, these are most definitely not your Bubby's russian nesting dolls! 1. Ninja/Robot 2. Play Quilt + Wooden Teether 3. Babushkups
4. Bento Box 5. Bath Mat 6. Measuring Cups
7. Tape 8. Modern Graphics 9. Crochet Pattern PDF
10. Stamps 11. DIY 12. Gift Tags
13. Throw Pillow 14. Pantone 15. Buttons
16. Tea for Two 17. Nesting Birds 18. Pepper Grinder
I think the whole theme is really fun and charming, don't you?
(For those of you ladies skilled in needle-work - those crochet PDF's would be so lovely made with a rattle inside. What an adorable handmade baby gift!!)
Wishing you all the happiest of new beginnings, and a fresh start to one of the most important aspects to a mom: the Calendar. Be it a life-sized family-shared wall calendar that keeps track of ballet recitals, soccer practice, PTA meetings, and the birthday party that you thought was this Sunday but was (oops!) last Tuesday, or your own personal planner filled with weekly meal plans, an abundance of "to-dos", preschool performance dates, a year's worth of work meetings, and way too many lists... 2011 is bringing us a fresh page, making us feel (even just a teeny-tiny bit) more organized than yesterday.
Just don't forget to squeeze yourself into all that family planning!! From a simple pedicure, to a girls weekend beach getaway, to unwinding after bedtimes with a glass of red wine; taking care of ourselves is an integral part of being a good mother and a good wife. A bit of tweaking to the scheduling and you won't believe how much you can fit in for you!
Dr. Christiane Northrup is most famously quoted for having said, "Healthy caregiving absolutely must include the mother herself.", and I think that is the most timeless of advice.
Here's to resolving in setting aside time for us this year...!
Firstly, how cool? Also, honestly speaking, what really made me look was the little "pear" logo in the backside of the laptop! :) http://vimeo.com/17303749
Wishing the best of luck to all you jetting around the country during this holiday break - especially those of you who have been stranded on the islands of NYC!!!! Traveling with your brood is bound to be difficult, check out some of my favorite in-flight necessities here.
