pumpkin patches & a winner

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The last few weeks we've been house hunting, which has left little time to enjoy some of my favorite fall activities. Have you had the chance to visit a pumpkin patch, play in leaves or spend the day baking lately? If so, please do tell. I'm living out my autumn dreams through friends and Pinterest. One autumnal thing I have done, is enjoy the most delicious spiked apple cider. Have you tried Smirnoff Kissed Caramel Vodka in hot apple cider? I'm not one for vodka, but boy oh boy this drink sure will get you warm and toasty.  

In other news, we have a winner for the 3-Day Suja Juice Cleanse:

Congrats to Jane in London! I will contact you for your address... expect yummy juice delivered to your door next week.

Suja Juice 3-Day Cleanse

I love juicing fresh fruits and vegetables - whether for breakfast, a post-workout snack or even a healthy dessert. Juicing makes it easy to eat a handful of raw kale with a cucumber and orange, all in one glass.

Sunday Currently Vol. 1 {w/ life}

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Reading The Light Between Oceans and finding myself nervous for what will happen next.

Writing this post and finishing one for tomorrow about juice cleanses.

Listening to the sound of the t.v. my husband is watching. I love spending time with him, even when we are doing different things.

Wearing a grey tunic dress with burgundy leggings. It's starting to feel a little bit cooler around here so I jump at the opportunity to wear anything warm and seasonal.

Drinking chai tea....mmmm.

Feeling warm and snuggly, especially as my pup nuzzles me.

Clicking on recipes for pumpkin everything. I think I will make pumpkin risotto, pumpkin soup and more pumpkin muffins today.

Dreaming about my upcoming trip to Kauai and the relaxation, adventure and fun that will be had.

Linking up with Lauren at Siddathornton.

Inspirational Photo Collage Wall {w/ decor}

We've said goodbye to our house, but I still have projects that I thought would be nice to share here. So bear with me and let's pretend I just finished this project and am a good blogger who posts about it a few days later, instead of a few months. OK, now that we've got that cleared up. 

Recently, I wanted a way to visually display inspiration. Simple words, pretty pictures. I had some blank wall space that could use some life and decided a photo collage would be perfect because....

• Photos could easily be swapped out over time, or by the season. 
• New frames could be added over time, if I wanted. 
• The idea of a collage is feminine and whimsical, but neutral enough for the main room of the house. 

blush. {w/ style}

Light pink, or blush, is often reserved for the early months of spring. But lately I think it looks fantastic for fall.

Falling into Autumn... Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

It’s coming, or it’s already here for many of you. The air is a little crisper. The leaves are beginning to turn. And suddenly cinnamon, cloves and pumpkin are all you can think about.

Autumn. or Fall. Whatever you call it, this cooler season is upon us. 

Boots. Sweaters. Scarves.

Pies. Cookies. Mashed potatoes. Soup. 

Pumpkin patches. Apple picking. Giving thanks. Turkey dinners.

//

Baking is one of my favorite ways to celebrate the cooler months.

These pumpkin muffins sure did hit the spot.

Emerald City Adventures

When I think of Seattle a few things come to mind.

1// Sleepless in Seattle. I adore this movie. I love the sweetness of Meg Ryan's character and how Tom Hanks' character loved his wife sooo much and how they find love with each other. I am a sucker for a good romantic comedy.

2// Boats. I visited Seattle as a child (I was either seven or eight) and we traveled from Seattle to Victoria, Canada with my aunt and uncle on their boat. It was an incredible trip. We explored the port towns and I vividly remember seeing a deer for the first time in my life. There aren't many deer in San Diego.

3// Rain. Of course, an obvious come to mind. Seattle is known for it's rain. But the byproduct of rain is an abundance of green. Everywhere. No wonder it is known as the Emerald City.

House Hunters {w/ life}

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Ideas for decorating my home have been pouring out of my brain like crazy lately.

New color combinations, patterns that captivate my attention but aren't too busy to be vetoed by my other half,  clever tricks and tips for organization, the list goes on.

Husband and I sold our condo in August and are now living in a 5 bedroom, 3 bath house in a great neighborhood.

One thing about that, though. The homeowners - my in-laws - live there too.

Olive Oil or Vino? {w/ travel}

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Olive oil or wine? How does a food blogger choose?

Some of you would say wine without hesitation. The subtle complexities that make their way from the bottle of merlot to your tongue are just too much to deny.

But oh, have you ever tried a good olive oil?

This is just one of the dilemmas I face as I prepare for next week.

Because you see, next week - Friday to be exact - I will attend my first-ever food blogging conference. Eeek!

Devilishly Deviled Eggs {w/ recipes}

The right deviled egg recipe can turn you into near celebrity status in one perfectly planned summer picnic. Ok, maybe that's an exaggeration. But deviled eggs, when done right, are a crowd-pleaser. When wrong, well... you're more likely to become infamous.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Chorizo Sausage and Pineapple Jam {w/ recipes}

I'm not a vegetarian - 

I love bacon.

And a good steak.

And oh boy, a roasted chicken? Yes sir-ee and more gravy please.

- but lately I have been cutting a lot of meat out of my diet. And I like it.  

I used to think that you had to have meat to make it a meal, but there are so many other ways to have a balanced, protein-rich diet.

I have embraced flexitarianism.

It’s like Food Network Star contestant Nikki Dinki says, “I like my meat on the side.”

hellogoodbye {w/ life}

2013 has seen many changes in the With household, most notably, a change of scenery.

Last month we sold our condo. The condo that we spent countless hours renovating. The condo that we bought while engaged, and moved into after our wedding. The condo that saw us laugh, cry, rejoice, mourn and celebrate. The condo that was our first home. 

Needless to say the experience has been bittersweet.   

More changes are ahead. A new home, someday soon hopefully. But for now, we're enjoying this in-between stage of life. 

. 

Loaded Baked Potato Salad {w/ recipes}

There's something you should know.

I don't like potato salad. 

It's true. I've never cared much for the stuff. At family reunions when my grandma tried to force feed me her famous potato salad, I respectfully declined with excuses of not having enough room on my plate or that I'd have some later. And in instances when excuses weren't accepted (Grandma is very persuasive), I spooned a little on to my plate and ate it. But not willingly.

Adventure is Out There {w/ travel}

Are you a planner when it comes to your vacations? Or do you take spontaneous get-aways? I've always been a planner. As in, tickets are booked 6 months in advance. But sometimes its fun to just get up and go.

***

Steven and I recently celebrated our fifth anniversary (June 21). Five years went by incredible fast, and this particular anniversary came up even faster than the others, at least it felt that way. We started talking a few months ago about how to celebrate, but didn't make any plans.

I wasn't sure if I could get away from work since I'm still fairly "new" to my new position and a coworker had already requested time off. We thought about having a "staycation" in downtown San Diego or flying up to Napa for the weekend, but we knew those would be great options because we had already done them. And five years felt like it deserved something original. Something we would remember on our 50th anniversary. A true adventure.

Independence Day Festivities {w/ entertainment}

Heading to a BBQ tomorrow? That's the plan for many Americans. And maybe just now you're realizing that invitation also asked you to bring something to share. Whoops.

Not to worry, here are some simple sides and desserts that are sure to please.

Salted Caramel Butterscotch Pudding

a hidden oasis... {w/ travel}

I know this isn’t a very new trend, but man, succulents are really popular right now.

If you told me this ten years ago I would have chuckled, 

and silently wondered how boring cactus plants could ever be interesting enough to be trendy.

You see, I’ve grown up in Southern California, where cacti and succulents abound.

I never thought of them as beautiful or unique, 

but only as dry, dull and pokey. 

Interesting how opinions can change.

Now I absolutely love them and have half a dozen little pots around my house and backyard. 

I wonder if my opinion of them has truly changed (I am 10 years older now) 

or if I’m just jumping on the bandwagon. 

My thought is probably a little of both. 

But somewhere along the lines of life and trends and style and what is “popular”, 

someone decided that succulents were cool. And that someone was pretty smart.

I Won!

Well folks, I won my first giveaway.

Starbucks and a cute octopus necklace... definitely unique and a fun conversation starter! Thanks Sarah!

greek yogurt & almond butter breakfast {w/ recipes}

It all started in high school. You see, until then I had never thought of yogurt as a breakfast food. Strange, I know. Yogurt was always a lunch item in my house, but high school sleepovers at my friend Amanda's house introduced me to yogurt and granola - one of the best breakfast combinations ever (and I LOVE breakfast).

Then came Greek yogurt. Thick, creamy and slightly tangy. At first I was sure I was eating sour cream. But all the labels said it was of the trendy and nutritious, Mediterranean cultured variety.

Kristin Lately...

indoor gardening...

& outdoor gardening...

New York Eats {w/ travel}

According to USA Today, there are more than 3500 restaurants in Manhattan. Allow me to share some of the amazing ones I visited, in what I am calling, A Very Incomplete Guide to NYC Eateries.  

Part I

Keste
Like many restaurants in Manhattan, Keste is a physically small restaurant with big flavors. This Neopolitan pizzeria also has incredible service - the host brought out a hot "pie" for us to sample while we waited for a table.

ate: the Margherita and Kesté pizzas, wine.

Alice's Tea Cup
In case you don't know, I have a thing for tea. My blog's name? It's the way I take my tea, with milk and a little sugar. I love everything about tea, especially tea parties. Alice's Tea Cup, a quaint tea shop and restaurant, did not disappoint.

ate: Alice's tea, Vanilla Almond tea, chocolate walnut scones, mixed berry scones, ham and cheese scones, Croque Monsieur sandwich, smoked chicken breast sandwich with granny smith apples and herbed goat cheese {<-- I will be replicating this someday soon}.

The Loeb Central Park Boathouse
A New York tradition, the Boathouse sits on the water's edge in Central Park. When we arrived the bar and restaurant were closing early for a private event, but we quickly ordered at the to-go station and sat outside, sipping Chardonnay while watching the boats on the lake.

drank: a California wine (oh, the irony!)

New York State of Mind {w/ travel}

It's hard to believe my trip to New York was over a month ago - the time since then has gone by so quickly!

I've already shared a few pictures in my last post about the trip, but I have yet to introduce my dear friends that made it so special. These ladies have been my best friends for 10 years!

Amanda, Erica, Ashley & me. 

Cherry Pie Fruit & Nut Bars {w/ recipes}

Keeping with the health theme this week (I'm partaking in the 7 day green smoothie challenge), today I'm sharing a new favorite recipe. 

I absolutely love the cherry pie LÄRABAR®. They are perfect to satisfy my sweet tooth and curb my hunger before a workout. One day I looked at the ingredients to see:

dates

cherries

almonds

That's it. How simple! The next day I picked up the ingredients at the grocery store and got busy with my food processor. 

Green Smoothie Challenge {w/ health}

Lately, my fitness and eating habits have been slacking. Between job interviews, travel, and actually starting the new job, I have let my once good habits slide into laziness. And they really were good habits, for months I was eating right (80/20, because there's no way I'm giving up indulging every once in awhile) and working out several times a week. But now? Um…. Not so much. It didn’t help that I stuffed myself with the most incredible food on my trip to New York, but now that I’ve been home it hasn’t been much better either.

Tube Tuesday {w/ fun}

Poetry, Journey, and Space Jam. My favorite things come together in this inspirational video. I know, I know...  I am about 3 months late on this YouTube phenom. But to me it is brand new. My besties always update me on the fun videos when we hang out, so needless to say our NY trip had many a nights ended with silly videos. We spent plenty of time quoting the video below, this one, and this one.

New York, NY {w/ travels}

Just a week ago I was sitting on an airplane, somewhere over Ohio, on my way home from an incredible trip. Incredible is truly the best word to describe it. Four and a half days of exploring and enjoying the remarkable city of New York.

Day one started early. I mean, very early. The three of us California girls took a redeye flight Wednesday and arrived at Newark before 6:00am. Off the plane and onto a train, Manhattan bound. We had a traditional breakfast: bagel and schmear.

After breakfast our dear New York friend had work and school, so the California girls headed to Times Square.

California Love {w/ travels}

hello friends! Today I am in New York City! I absolutely LOVE New York. There is just something about it! 

As much as I love to travel and see as much of this world that I can, my heart and home is in California. So it only seems suiting that my dear friend Katie from Unwritten is here today to share with you about California and her favorite places.

... 

Hello!

I am Katie and I blog over at Unwritten where I talk about my life, my guy, the amazing things I find on Pinterest, my love for coffee and lots of other random things.

Bird's Nest Treats {w/ recipes}

hello friends. Today I am so happy to have Sarah from To Be Mrs. Collier guest posting. She is sharing some delicious Easter treats.

It's easy to get caught up in the fun of Easter - egg hunts and candy, ham dinners - but the real reason for Easter is plain and simple. 

For God so loved

the world

that he gave

his one and only Son,

that whoever

believes in HIM

shall not perish

but have eternal life.

- John 3:16

***

Birds Nest Easter Treats

Busy. {w/ life}

hello friends.... allow me to introduce myself. I'm Kristin, the writer of this blog. You may not remember me because it's been so long.

It's true, this little blog has been neglected a bit over the last few weeks. Hopefully you forgive me.

My mind has been elsewhere. A good elsewhere though.

Last week I landed a new job (woohoo!). Since then my mind has been preoccupied. I will also use this as an excuse for my neglect in the preceding weeks, since I was in the process of interviewing.

Here's a little of what I've been doing besides work:

Enjoying the Carlsbad Flower Fields. My new position is actually within the same company so I don't have to give up the great location. I get to see the thousands of flowers each day at lunch from March through May.



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Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes {w/ recipes}

Top o' the morning to you!

Happy St. Patty's Day! I thought I'd share one of my favorite cupcake recipes:
Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

If you're not familiar with the drink, an Irish Car Bomb is a Guinness beer with a shot of Jameson Irish Whiskey and Bailey's Irish Cream. In "bomb" drink fashion, the shot is dropped into the beer and then you basically chug it.

If you're in the mood for something sweet and want to celebrate your Irish pride (because everyone's Irish on March 17th), these cupcakes will do the trick. The cake is a dark chocolate stout  (the Guinness) and the frosting is a basic butter cream with a little Bailey's and Jameson Whiskey, just enough for an insane frosting flavor. {Since the alcohol in the frosting is NOT cooked off, please be sure you only make these if you are of the legal drinking age.}

belly flops {w/ kitchen stories}

Did you know that Jelly Belly sells its wonky shaped jelly beans at a discounted price? The same jelly beans, just misshaped or stuck together with another. Essentially, the rejects. The flops. 

Of course they still taste the same, so long as you don't mind the aesthetics you get to enjoy yummy jelly beans at a discount. And Jelly Belly still gets to make money on their "mess-ups". 

Too bad there's nothing to save my own kitchen flops. You know, those times you try a new recipe and nothing turns out right? You've seen my successes - my favorite dinners and desserts, my kitchen tips and tricks. But what I have yet to share, thus far, are those belly flops. Until now. 

Cranberry Orange Scones {w/ recipes)

There's something to be said about tradition. It gives stability and structure in times when things can be in array, which seems to be the norm in this world we live in. And while some could say that tradition can hold us back, I like to believe it roots us, and give us the foundation for our branches to grow tall.

Take the tradition of afternoon tea. A time each day to take a step back, sit down, enjoy some hot tea and a quick bite to eat. Sounds lovely to me.

So let us embrace tradition, particularly the tradition of tea time. Whether you drink coffee or tea or just water, come three o'clock, let's gather and sip away, chatting about our day, and nibbling on these delicious Cranberry Orange Scones.

San Diego Bloggers MeetUp

Have you ever been to a Meetup? No? Up until last Thursday, me neither. I had heard of Meetup.com, an online community connecting people with similar interests to literally “meet up” throughout the community. There are Meetup groups for people who love hiking, motorcycles, writing, videogames, and more. If you can think of it, there’s probably already a group meeting in your community. If not, you can start it.

A few months ago I joined the website to hopefully meet more bloggers in my area. It’s been amazing going through this whole blogging journey with one of my best friends, Katie from Unwritten. But I also know it’s important to network and meet other similar bloggers, as well as bloggers with a completely different agenda. It’s always refreshing to get a completely new view on something. Especially when you can meet in person. As much as I love this world wide web, there is nothing that beats meeting face to face with someone. Shaking their hand and looking them straight in the eye.

Channy-boo-boo {w/ pet life} & a GIVEAWAY

Chan. 

Chanerino. 

Chan-Chan. 

Chan Man. 

Channy.

Channers.

and, finally Channy-boo-boo. 

I am embarrassed to admit, 

but these are all nicknames I have for my puppy, 

whose real name is Chandler (Bing).  

Baby Beet and Blood Orange Salad {w/ recipes}

I love my husband. 

I love him more than I love any other person on this planet. 

I love and care for him more than I love or care about myself. 

I love how he understands me so well and how he can seriously read my mind sometimes. 

And I love how we can spend hours upon hours with each other, without doing anything "fun", 

and still have the best time of our life, just sitting, talking, laughing, and dreaming. 

But, there are times, when I enjoy being alone, i.e., without him. 

The times when he gets together with "the guys" and I stay home, alone.

I can blast Taylor Swift on the stereo, 

watch tv and read (at the same time), 

catch up on my favorite blogs, 

and spend hours editing HTML 

so that those little social media icons will actually work. 

Those times alone, by myself, I can also eat whatever I want. 

Wine Barrel Garden Planter {w/ gardening}

Spring is {almost} here!

Well, maybe not for everyone. But we had gorgeous summer style weather on Saturday. And although it only really lasted a day (Sunday was 20 degrees cooler), it got me in the spring spirit. Which meant getting my hands dirty and going to town on my garden.

Last year my garden was awesome. Not to brag, but it was incredible {ummm, that sounds like bragging}. I had more zucchini and tomatoes than I could handle. But with the colder months, I kind of just let it go. So, after the glimpse of summer that showed itself on Saturday, I decided to get things ready.

I weeded and tilled my garden bed, swept the deck, and wiped down the table and chairs. An hour and a half, 1 blister, 2 calluses, and a sore back later, and my little backyard was ready. But I still had to wait until real spring to plant my vegetable garden.

So.... I decided to get a head start on my container gardening.

High 5 for Friday {w/ life}

 

1. Sunday morning breakfast. Fresh papaya, greek yogurt, and granola.

2. Monday night dinner in my new ombre mint sweater with black skinnies.

l.o.v.e.

Let us spend today celebrating LOVE.

Whether with your special someone, family, or dear friends.

Remember that love doesn't only love when it's convenient

but also when it's difficult, and even when you don't want to.

Love is an action.

{it's what you do and what you say}

New Glasses... again!

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Hi friends! If you've been around my blog for awhile, you may remember a post I did a few months ago about my new computer glasses.

Recently, a company emailed me to see if I would be interested in receiving a pair of glasses and sharing my honest thoughts about them with you guys. The company is Firmoo, an online retailer of prescription, fashion, and sunglasses. They have so many great glasses to choose from. It's crazy how much a new pair of glasses can completely change your style and look. And while it may seem risky to buy glasses online (and not be able to try them on in person) thanks to technology you can now try them on digitally by uploading your picture to Firmoo.

How to.... fight the flu {w/ life}

load up on Vitamin C. 

get plenty of sleep. 

drink lots of water.

eat a balanced diet. 

disinfect.

This has been my mantra the past week, trying to fight the flu germs in my house. And, {knock on wood} so far, so good. Of course now that I've posted it on the internet, I am sure I will get sick. God certainly has a sense of humor, and I think He would think it quite funny.

**GIVEAWAY** Valentine's Day Love

hello friends. Valentine's day is 1 week away and LOVE is in the air. All around people are making construction paper hearts, hanging red and pink bunting, baking sweets, and buying gifts. And speaking of gifts, this is one you will not want to miss.

I don't know about you, but I LOVE Victoria's Secret. The lotions, the scents, the comfy sweatpants, the other things. But I hardly ever shop there because it can cost quite the pretty penny.

Well, what if you had a $250 gift card? hellooo, Victoria's Secret! I would be there in a heartbeat.

I am so happy to be participating in this giveaway hosted by Liz, at The Pepper and her Pups.

Homemade Noodles & Chicken Soup {w/ recipes}

The title of this post is no mistake. While normally people may say Chicken Noodle Soup, with this recipe, it's really all about the noodles.

And how could it not be? The noodles are homemade with love and worth the extra effort, because there are some things that simply cannot be replicated from a package.

Don't stop reading. Homemade noodles may sound scary, but really they're not. Plus it is the perfect way to show someone that you care about them enough to make homemade chicken noodle soup {I mean "noodle and chicken soup"}.

Jiffy Pudding {w/ sweets}

hello friends! Today marks the first day of my blog-o-versary month!

I started this little blog on Leap Day, February 29th, 2012. To celebrate I have lots of fun things planned this month, including treasured secret family recipes and a giveaway (or two).

Starting off this anniversary month is a recipe for a favorite dessert in the w/ household. This is a classic from Steven's family. He made it for me on one of our first dates {I guess he knew the way to my heart was showing me he could cook}.

It's home-baked goodness, and so easy (it's ready in a "jiffy", hence the name). This is super easy to throw together as you're making dinner and then it's ready for dessert.

long. distance. friendships. {w/ life}

We've all been there. College. A new job. For some reason or other, life changes and the people in it, suddenly aren't.

So how do you keep a friendship going strong, when you're on other sides of the country?

Today I'm over at Unwritten, guest posting on how to keep a friendship close, even when you couldn't be farther away. I'm sharing a few of the things I do to keep my long distance friendships strong. So go say hi to Katie (she's one of my long distance friends) and please let me know, what do you do to keep your far away friends close?

circa 2007

my baking obsession {w/ cupcakes}

So, I kind of have a thing for cupcakes. You can find the evidence here. 

I can't help it - they're easy to make, simple to decorate, and no plate or fork necessary.