Cranberry Almond Cookies {Recipe}

To be completely honest with you, cookies are not my forte. I think they take a lot more work than a cake, for example, because they have to be attended to individually. Every year, I leave baking the Christmas cookies to my mom and sister. This year with so many things being different in my life (the new house and baby), I wanted try baking some cookies. Why not? It turns out it's easier than I thought. And what's better than sharing delicious baked goodies with some friends over cup of tea? Christmas Cookie Exchange Party idea was born. I send out some invites, baked a few different kinds of cookies and the girls night was a success. Since then, I had couple requests for this recipe and only now have gotten a chance to post it. Here it is. Nice and simple for ya gals! 

(The recipe is adopted from here with a few of my changes)

Ingredients:  

½ cup unsalted butter, room temp. 

½ cup  sugar 

1 tsp. vanilla extract

pinch of nutmeg 

big pinch fine sea salt

1 large egg

1¼ cup flour 

½ cup dried cranberries 

½  cup sliced almonds

Process: 

Beat butter and sugar until light and creamy, ~2 minutes

Beat in the egg and vanilla.  

Finally chop the cranberries with a very sharp knife (they will stick to it)

Combine flour and salt (omit salt if you don't want any saltiness in your cookies). Toss a tablespoon or so in with the fruit and nuts and toss around. 

Gradually add the rest of the mixture to the wet mixture.  Fold in the cranberries, and almonds. Turn mixture out onto a sheet of foil and form into a log.  

Twist ends together and put into freezer for an hour, or in refrigerator for 3 hours. You can leave the dough over night and finish baking the next day

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Line baking sheets w/ parchment, cut the dough into ¼" slices (mine were a little thick) and place at least an inch and a half or so apart on the lined sheets.  

Bake for ~12 minutes, or until they just start to turn golden around the edges depending on your oven.

Enjoy! 

More Red

turtleneck: Land's End, blazer: Banana Republic, jeans: H&M, booties: Ann Taylor, bag: thrifted

Since I already have an outfit with a red skirt, it only makes sense to have an outfit featuring red pants. I think.

First let me let out my frustration with H&M! The sizes in that place are getting smaller by the day (or my behind is expanding by the minute). Let's talk how sizes affect our moods. I know that I'm usually size 4-6 in bottoms but when I tried on size 8(!) the other day, I couldn't even get my one leg into it. I decided to go up a size and although I was able to (barely) fit into the pants, I walked out of the store feeling fat. I know, I'm not a skinny girl but I am a no size 10 either. So what up with that H&M?

In other news, Christmas shopping is so much fun this year, as I am making thoughtful and valuable gifts. Mostly, I'm done and ready to get wrapping. It's my favorite part, but my ribbons always get tangled up and I loose the scissors. Go figure. Hope you are getting ready for the holiday season and having fun with it!

It's a Holiday Season

dress: Target, coat: DKNY, booties: Guess

Black is definitely my go-to color, for any occasion. It's elegant, it's formal and it's slimming (something we ladies appreciate). Even though it's a great color to have, how many LBD can one have? That's why for the holiday party season I'm looking for fun yet classy dresses that I can still keep wearing the rest of the year. This dress was a great clearance find and although it doesn't have the body-hugging shape, it's still a nice version of LBD. The relaxed fit and the colorblock sleeves make this dress my favorite (for now) and I'm looking for more ways to style it. Do you have any ideas or suggestions?
Have a great day and thanks for stopping by! 

Real Parenting

We had a taste of 'real parenting'. Jonathan has been an easy baby every since he was born - sleeping through the night right away, no colic, no ear infections or major spit-ups (thank God) and we've been spoiled. His bottom teeth came in without a cinch and we were thrilled. 

Fast forward two months and he was cranky, didn't want to eat from the spoon, constantly wining and wanting to be on hands. Once we realized that his top teeth are popping through, at least we could take some measures, stocking up on baby Tylenol and finger foods. As it would happen, hubby was working nights that week and I was alone holding down the fort. 

Jonathan had it rough with sleepless nights, bleeding gums and no solids. He didn't want the spoon because it hurt his gums, so he only ate the stuff he could pick up with hands. We were getting frustrated because he was practically living on formula, super cranky and needy. The teeth finally cut through and we were relieved to have the happy and easy-going baby back. He is sleeping through the night, eating as he supposed to and loving his independence again. 

Those hard times, sleepless nights and cranky baby really proved our marriage. When neither of us wanted to get up to get Jonathan in the middle of the night, when we were snappy and irritable, it took a lot more effort not to kill each other. Glad we didn't because I still kind of like this guy. Scratch that, I love him  and our life together. 

One Outfit :: Two Ways

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shirt: thrifted, skirt: Loft, vest: Land's End, booties: Old Navy
watch: Target, blazer: Banana Republic, hat: Gap

Who said you can't wear your favorite outfit more then once? Or twice? If I find a color combination or just put together an outfit that's perfect, I want to wear it over and over again. I've had this skirt and shirt in my closet for a while now but one day I put them together and whala! Wearing the same outfit by remixing it and making it look like a totally new one is a winner in my book! Plus changing up the hair adds that something special to each look. Thank you for stopping by and have a great weekend!

Look Book: Mad for Plaid

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This holiday season and all winter long, plaid is making a full come back. I'm loving the print and can't get enough of it. I wore my plaid sure more times in the last few weeks than in the entire year. Here are some of the best looks I found on Pinterest and really, can't wait to style and mix it up more. Have fun with it and enjoy your day! 

10 Ways To Get Ready For Winter

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Technically it's not winter yet, although it definitely feels like it.  Here in Northeast, we hibernate from October to March so warmth, comfort and peace of mind are very important. But no matter where you are, here are some things to consider before the cold hits ya.

1. Stock up on canned goods, snacks and cereal. You never know when a blizzard is going to force you stay home instead of going grocery shopping. Maybe there will be another Sandy (God knows we don't want one) but you won't be frantically running through Walmart, scouting for canned beans. It's wise to have things prepared for bad weather (especially if you are in north east)

2. Go through your winter wardrobe and make sure your winter clothes are clean and ready to be used with the first frost. If not, get your coats, and wool items dry cleaned.

3. Get a good lotion that isn't glycerin based as it tends to give more break outs with constant use. Winter months always leave my skin extra dry. I use pure, food-grade almond and jojoba oils, as well as Shea butter by NOW Foods. All of their oils are unscented so you won't get sick of the smell after a while. The almond oil is my favorite because it's thin, does not leave a nasty residue and absorbs fully.

4. Make sure you have plenty of accessories - things like gloves, mittens, hats and scarfs are essential during winter. They add stylish touch and keep you warm. Also, thick shoe inserts will help keep your toes warm, even if your shoe soles are a little on a thin side.

5. Set your thermostat (if at all possible) according to your daily schedule. Programming the thermostat will not only allow you to save money but make sure that you come back to a warm house every time.

6. Clean the vents, if you have forced air heat, and wipe the dust off radiators to make sure you have clean air. Plug in air freshers and maybe even get a humidifier to make sure that your air stays pleasant.

7. Prepare your vehicles. Get them inspected, rotate/change tires, get enough wind washer fluid. Besides that, ask your husband/boyfriend/father/mechanic for help.

8. Stock up on candles, because no matter how many you have, it doesn't ever seem enough. Nothing feels better then a cozy, warm house that smells like apple pie (or whatever you smell you like).

9. Get comfortable and warm everyday footwear with thick soles and low heel. Also, wool socks are absolutely amazing for those cozy winter nights snuggled up with a cup of hot coco. Your grandma will be happy to make you a pairs (or Land's End).

10. Last but not least, you want to make sure it's safe for you to walk outside your house. Get enough salt and the shovel ready for the ice and first snow.

Anything I forgot, please comment and let everyone know your ideas!

Been An Angel All Year (Smh)

top: H&M, jacket: LOFT, skirt: TJMaxx, booties: Guess

Every year around this time of year, I like to incorporate red, black and sparkle into my outfits. Also, I cannot stop listening to Christmas music (especially this) and smiling. Really, a yacht is not a lot ;-) Christmas time really is the best. It's all about spending time with family, eating lots of delicious food, going to parties and giving gifts. I love giving because when I have put extra thought into someone's gift and they like it, it's the best feeling in the world. And speaking of gifts, I'm all done with my Christmas shopping (talk about early) which makes my life so much easier from now on. Are you gifting or focusing on unworldly gifts? 

Thank you for stopping by and have a good day!

November {Budgeting Series}

skirt / blouse / booties

I cannot believe that the year is almost over. I think 2013 was the most eventful and fastest year of my life. After my birthday (in October) I got some cash to spend and wasn't sure what I needed the most for this winter. Option1- colorful winter coat or Option2 - black booties. I ordered J.Crew Lady Day coat and was very disappointed when it arrived - the color was way off. I loved the color that was on the screen but it turned out to be a Christmas tree green and I didn't want to remind everyone of Christmas for the rest of the year. So I returned it. And then yelled at complained to costumer service about their color representation online. All they did is apologized and waived my return shipping fee.

The idea of Black Friday is becoming obsolete, as all the sales were in effect days before Thanksgiving and some stores were open Thanksgiving day. Lame! Who wants to go out in the freezing cold after a day of cooking, eating and then cleaning up? Not me! I was curled up under a blanket with hot tea and some chocolate, doing Christmas shopping online. That's the best way to do it without taking away from the family oriented day.

Technically my November spending is $0.00 as I used my birthday gift money to splurge a little. But I'm sure what I didn't spend will come in handy this month as I'm buying Christmas presents left and right. 

Let the holiday craziness begin. Hope you have a great day! 

A Thankful Heart + Inspiration Monday Link Up

With Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas in full swing, my heart is just so full. I'm thankful for so much in my life that it's hard to express in words. I'm so thankful for this life I've been given and the countless blessings in it. I'm so glad for the tradition to set this day aside and just rest (although some of us have to cook all day long which takes some work;-). It is so good to get together with family, eat lots of deliciousness, see all the children run around (and get a little bit cranky) then take a nap (or two). The best part is sharing it with the ones we love, focusing more on meaningful things in life and less on materialistic.

In the spirit of thankfulness, I challenge you to an attitude of gratitude. Each day from now until the end of the year, choose one specific thing to be thankful for every day, write it down and thank God for it. Make it a priority to be grateful wherever you are, no matter what the circumstances may bring. Live it everyday, choosing not to worry and stress out, instead focus on the good things in life, Count your blessings and as a result you will gain a thankful heart.

Winter Essentials

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I'm going to be taking the rest of the week off to focus on family and friends, to give God thanks for all that we have! Honestly, Thanksgiving is such an understated holiday (except the food gorging, of course) in a way that we really don't take the time to be thankful. Running errands, doing black Friday shopping, cooking the bird and entertaining guests all gets in a way of the true meaning of this day. So when you are enjoying your time with your family and having an abundance of food, remember to be thankful from the bottom of your heart and let everyone know. Go around the table and say one thing you are thankful for, I'm sure it will bring more holiday cheer and leave you with awesome memories.

With the holidays approaching and the temperatures dropping into single digits, the clothes have switched from glam to cozy and warm. Let's face it, in winter the outfit details aren't very obvious because we are bundled up under layers of coats, scarves and gloves. So the main outfit details for the winter are a coat, great looking booties and a killer handbag. These are some my favorites, raging in prices from bargain to expensive. Beat the crowds by doing some online shopping earlier in the week and have fun with it, don't stress because it's not worth it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Color Scheme

blouse: Vince Camuto
skirt: from Belarus
shoes: Guess
coat: DKNY

For different seasons I like to stick with a single color scheme. For summer it's pastels and whites and for fall it's deep reds and yellows. Now that we are in full swing winter here, I'm all about blacks and greens. But before Thanksgiving is over this is the last outfit in fall color scheme. Thank you for stopping by and have a great day! 

Priorities + Inspiration Monday Link Up

We all have priorities in life and it's really easy to determine what they are. Just take a look at your life and examine it. What do you do everyday? What do you spend the most amount of time on? That's it. That's your priorities. I've been thinking a lot about this lately. Frankly, I'm trying to get better at time management, and that's where knowing my priorities comes in handy. 

I've been focusing on the baby, then my blog, then the church ministries, then the house, then my DIY projects, then myself, then my family, then my friends... and then my husband. And that's just not right. In the very beginning of our relationship, there was this unsaid feeling of high importance. We were important. He was (very) important to me. And although I'm doing all these things (supposedly for him) like cooking, cleaning the house, taking care of our child, spending time on a date night (maybe once a week), really I have put him last in my train of thought (sorry babe). I've made excuses; I got angry, blaming him for our relationship's pitfalls. 

Yes, I know he's a grown man and very capable of taking care of himself. But it's not about fear of spoiling my man, it's about the love I want to nourish and keep for years to come. He is the most important person, my best friend and the love of my life, so it's only logical that in order for me to keep the fire burning and have a lasting relationship with my other half, I need to put more effort into our relationship. 

The lesson of the day is, that if you think something is important, you will find time, money and opportunity to get it done. That's just a fact. So if there is anything in your life that you let take a back seat and haven't paid so much attention to, listing countless excuses - stop it. Decide today and make a conscientious effort to improve things, figure out what will get you (and keep you) motivated... and then make things happen.