tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77970163858215183992024-03-19T05:03:33.378-04:00Marissa Says... | A Lifestyle BlogA lifestyle blog with insight on all things food, fitness, life in Philadelphia, entertaining, fashion, design, and more. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.comBlogger302125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-31164250844473094832018-03-05T13:43:00.002-05:002018-03-05T13:43:25.727-05:00Living Room Refresh<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLKDQbMXED-XbqyU9DGiFNR5swFio-GXSUe13KI0_SR8q-Xxet_YRD7cOecmWPjewn2-VC1F3PmmXPm_iLDMwzvL-gGBNKu_i1LYCiMuWqmc-SYudHIK8-6QHtC6Bk-8VPQF3bELObWBwQ/s1600/IMG_9238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLKDQbMXED-XbqyU9DGiFNR5swFio-GXSUe13KI0_SR8q-Xxet_YRD7cOecmWPjewn2-VC1F3PmmXPm_iLDMwzvL-gGBNKu_i1LYCiMuWqmc-SYudHIK8-6QHtC6Bk-8VPQF3bELObWBwQ/s640/IMG_9238.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Without making any big promises, I'm happy to inform you that I have a few pieces of content lined up that will be making their way to this dusty old blog. The first of which is... my refreshed living room (see photo above)!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was really time. I mean honestly, we had been living with the same sad taupe couches for like 10 years, and while they were a great deal when I bought them (many many moons ago) they definitely left much to be desired in terms of "style." So after a <i>year</i> of looking for couches that would meet our space and style needs without costing us our full retirement savings... we settled on the Urban Sectional by West Elm and the Sloan Apartment Sofa by Interior Define. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />Check out more photos below. Also a "before" shot for comparison purposes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Grey couch from West Elm, blue velvet couch from Interior Define, coffee table from Overstock, rug from overstock. Woven leather accent chair from TJ Maxx. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVaBOOuAmsMvwnkFfSKf6AMFcXhBN_QvHpQCVK9QLfNu88EahukDlsQfxYGMlpy807WOfk0i7BnZGN4s-xT22nweCH0pibYMbD3mGQX4zmfmXmmgw5wNrIErD7BIWksAE_CkA25TgFApZ/s1600/IMG_7473.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVaBOOuAmsMvwnkFfSKf6AMFcXhBN_QvHpQCVK9QLfNu88EahukDlsQfxYGMlpy807WOfk0i7BnZGN4s-xT22nweCH0pibYMbD3mGQX4zmfmXmmgw5wNrIErD7BIWksAE_CkA25TgFApZ/s640/IMG_7473.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This little shelf that my dad made for us is one of my most favorite parts of the new living room. It seems silly but losing an end table was a concern for me, where would people put their drinks when they were lounging in the oh-so-comfy chaise? So we came up with this idea that if we created this small little shelf there would be a place to put your drink and then we could run a little extension cord up so that there was also outlet access in the event you needed to plug in the computer or your phone. Pretty brilliant right? Otherwise it was sort of this dead space where the baby would just throw all of her toys like some sort of cruel game of fetch for mama. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS6YVNaE_V1YxY91RHFYWw2lrHtZ7IiR-9PTTId0dnjGnxNSgbXcMGWTFvp1bh96e6cBHPufq51OHxejoh3nbquCh_Pwt7fOu5OpBcl3MlrG2ill1nGl45DxunYFHsvlYETB9ubsJ6NInf/s1600/IMG_9252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS6YVNaE_V1YxY91RHFYWw2lrHtZ7IiR-9PTTId0dnjGnxNSgbXcMGWTFvp1bh96e6cBHPufq51OHxejoh3nbquCh_Pwt7fOu5OpBcl3MlrG2ill1nGl45DxunYFHsvlYETB9ubsJ6NInf/s640/IMG_9252.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh, oh, oh! I forgot to mention that we also had our stairs carpeted. So I'm usually not the biggest fan of carpeted stairs, especially when the carpet covers up beautiful hardwood. However, the practicality of carpeting is that people don't almost die on your stairs when they walk down in socks... so the possibility of a lawsuit made me rethink my no-stair-carpeting policy and we picked a simple wool style and had it cut as a runner so as not to totally cover the wood stairs. I really love how it came out and it looks great with the bench on the left and then the new couch to the right. </span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-17190635136973076882017-11-20T14:23:00.001-05:002017-11-20T14:23:14.225-05:00Surviving a Toddler with a Broken Leg: What You'll Need<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last week, I shared the story of <a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2017/11/feeling-like-really-bad-mom.html" target="_blank">how my daughter ended up in a full leg cast</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She is two years old (will turn three in February) and she is VERY high energy. In fact, we have a rule in our house that on the weekends we plan a morning outing, head home for a nap and then usually plan another late afternoon outing--just to keep her from getting bored and stir-crazy in the house. So you can imagine, that upon finding out that her tibia was fractured, and she would need to be in a full leg cast for 4-6 weeks... I started to wonder, "How the hell are we going to survive this?"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Luckily, my mom is an occupational therapist and immediately sprung into action around accommodations that would make Lu more comfortable and as independent as possible. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So here's my lists of must-haves when dealing with a toddler in leg cast:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. <b>A jogging stroller</b>. This is going to be the best way to transport your youngin' around. Jogging stroller seats are angled in a way that your child's leg can be stretched out comfortably without putting pressure on his/her cast, plus it's protected from banging into things. If you don't already own one, check out Craigslist or Facebook Yard Sales for a good deal on one. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2a. <b>A cast cover for bath time</b>. Wet casts are a big no-no. I mean I've heard this before, but didn't realize how serious it was. Basically, if the cast gets wet it turns to mush and you will have to go and get it re-casted... so... no. While a garbage bag and some rubber bands will keep it dry for a sponge bath, I recommend investing in a real cast cover. I opted for the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WLCR43G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1" target="_blank">Limbo waterproof cast cover</a> and it feels much more secure and so far has kept the cast very dry through several baths. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2b. <b>A baby bath seat</b>. Depending on how big your kid is, this may or may not work for you. But I've used the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Angelcare-ST-01-AUQ-US-Bath-Support-Aqua/dp/B008VWVS14?th=1" target="_blank">Angelcare Bath Seat</a> for both of my babies and it's coming in handy now for my toddler. This keeps her butt off the bottom of the tub, and I have her prop her covered cast up on the edge of the bath or on a step stool that I put in the bath. This way I can fill the tub up a few inches and she's not freezing while I wash her hair and body. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. <b>Fun socks</b>. You can store away some of the cute shoes you have for your little one because he/she wont be able to be wearing them for a while... at least not as a complete set. If your kiddo is in a cast in the colder months, fun socks in their favorite theme will keep their toes warm. I bought two packs of Ana/Elsa socks, one in her current size and one two sizes up and then I just pair up a small and big one from each pack for the day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. <b>Wider leg pants or cheap leggings</b>. The time of year/climate will dictate what you need in the wardrobe department, but since it's pretty chilly outside, we headed to Walmart and purchased some wider leg sweatpants (for boys) and a few pairs of cheap leggings that I could cut to the knee so they would fit over the cast. If it was the summer, you could probably just get away with shorts and dresses and might not need to buy anything. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. <b>A breakfast tray</b>. This is most helpful for the first few days when your kiddo is feeling uncomfortable and not mobile yet. A breakfast tray allows them to sit on the couch for a meal or for some coloring time and keeps everything contained. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6. <b>A soft, low chair </b>that tucks under the coffee table. For the first few weeks, Lulu's <a href="https://www.potterybarnkids.com/shop/kids/furniture/anywhere-chairs/" target="_blank">Anywhere Chair</a> was the best way for her to be able to sit at the coffee table for crafts/coloring and be able to push herself out to scoot around. Now she can get on and off the couch, but she still likes to sit at the coffee table for coloring and snacks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7. <b>Arts and crafts.</b> If you haven't picked this up from the previous two items, to keep your kiddo engaged and entertained, you're going to have to pull out all of the stops in the arts/crafts category. Play-doh, Goop (cornstarch + water), floam, kinetic sand, watercolors, crayons, markers, puzzles, stickers... you name it, you should try it. It's going to make a mess, there's no doubt about that, but put a good vinyl table cloth down, cover the floor and chair if you have to and just let the kid go to town. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">8. <b>A cast shoe.</b> During our appointment with the orthopedist, he mentioned that kids Lulu's age will eventually put weight on the cast. He said it can't do any damage to the fracture, but to watch out for irritation on the top of the foot from rubbing and to keep an eye on the bottom of the cast for breakage. So during that first appointment we had the bottom of her cast reinforced and we were given a soft shoe that velcros around the cast and keeps it from wearing down. This has been helpful because it makes the cast less slippery on hardwood/tile. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">9. <b>A small wheelchair (optional)</b>. My mom being an OT and all, immediately reached out to med supply companies to inquire about wheelchair rentals. Under my insurance plan, I was able to get a rental on a 12" wheelchair (it's truly adorable) for no money out of my pocket with a prescription from the doctor. It was our hope that the wheelchair might give Lulu some mobility around the house, but the truth is, it actually ended up being most useful when she is at preschool. Since her classroom is located upstairs and the playground/gymnasium are on the ground level--the teachers can take her from her class to recess in the elevator and not have to carry her up/down the stairs. Now, we leave the wheelchair at school and have the jogging stroller for any trips that we need to take during the week or weekends. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So those are my tips. Hopefully, you never find yourself in the situation that you need them! </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-66597036636216084692017-11-12T21:19:00.002-05:002017-11-13T14:29:35.221-05:00Feeling Like a Really Bad Mom<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have been thinking long and hard about if/how to share this. But I'm going to do it, because I believe that vulnerability can lead to healing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>The Story.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Let's start at the beginning... it was a beautiful fall afternoon. I picked up my kiddos from their school and we headed to the park. It's the park that's just around the corner from our house and one that we go to often to burn off some toddler energy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My oldest, Lulu, has her favorite spots in this park--primarily the swings and springy ducky. After that, she'll explore the playground structure, but she's fairly timid about it. One day when we first went to the playground she went down the large slide, but since then she hasn't seem interested. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Long story short, I haven't thought much of this slide except I knew that my kiddo wasn't into it. I've seen a few kids go down the large slide and there's a weird turn at the bottom that has a tendency to catch a shoe and bring them to a jerky halt. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So on this particular day, I decided that maybe I'd try to persuade her to try it again. I started by going down the slide myself, she watched me and laughed and said, "Mommy, go again!" So I did, and this time at the top of the slide I said "Lulu, you should come with me! And she said, "Okay!" and climbed up the jungle gym to join me. She sat on my lap and off we pushed, and as we came to that same curve I've seen countless kids get their feet caught on... in the blink of an eye, Lulu's shoe hit the side and her leg twisted under her little body, wedged between her and me...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">She immediately cried out in pain. I wasn't sure if it was just a rolled ankle or something more serious, but my mommy instincts said to take her to the hospital. And low and behold, after several hours at urgent care and many x-rays, tears and lollipops later...we learned that sweet little Lulu had a spiral tibial fracture and would be in a full leg cast for 4-6 weeks. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytQ3xQIF3VP0T7GFhFevzn73NGnt80s0qBdqonnoLzJp1U2V3wWYwgFIifsANI-KDAML6sN0Y-JBOiXclSkj1s7p9MMKUEEimbF-51Xw3AP5P7IfjWxDTwcvoO_Khga5zijeYX-JEdAKp/s1600/20171104_165036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1539" data-original-width="1206" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytQ3xQIF3VP0T7GFhFevzn73NGnt80s0qBdqonnoLzJp1U2V3wWYwgFIifsANI-KDAML6sN0Y-JBOiXclSkj1s7p9MMKUEEimbF-51Xw3AP5P7IfjWxDTwcvoO_Khga5zijeYX-JEdAKp/s320/20171104_165036.jpg" width="250" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So of course, as if there isn't enough mom guilt in this world... I'm over here feeling completely responsible for my daughter's broken leg. We've seen quite a few doctors over the last week and everyone one of them asks how it happens, we tell them it happened on a slide and then before I can get out the next sentence, they say "on someone's lap." Just like that, a statement, not a question.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Apparently this is one of the most common injuries for kids that are 1-2 years old. In fact, they call this break the "toddler fracture" and it most frequently occurs from kids going down slides on a parent's lap. Kids can go down slides alone and if their shoes/legs catch, their own body weight isn't enough to cause them serious injury in most cases. But when you put the force of a 100+ pound adult behind the foot catch, it's too much for their little bones to bear. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Why is this not a more known thing? Is it, and I'm just the only one that didn't know?!? Shouldn't this be just one of the many parenting no-no's that you hear about...like never put blankets in the crib, never let a baby sleep on his/her stomach, never let babies play with things that fit through a toilet paper roll (choking hazards).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Lessons Learned. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Long story short, don't put kids on your lap to go down slides. Tell your friends. Tell everyone. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The first week with the cast on was tough...I'm not going to lie. Tough for Lulu who was suddenly stripped of her independence. Tough for us to watch her get frustrated and have no way to release her energy but to just scream. Tough to not dwell on the guilt and the "what ifs." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Thank God for my parents who were so incredibly helpful, either watching the baby or staying unbelievably patient with Lu. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There are a couple of things that Lulu has taught me this past week...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1) Kids are incredibly resilient. Within a couple of days Lulu was finding ways to get around. She started crawling and scooting around, and then started trying to lift herself up to standing positing by leaning on furniture and now, she'll stand straight up without even holding onto anything. </span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyvdWfJLz7CME2GAmmrvhUd5PEuDhO2zNbNGWbeQKBmQjV3o7yyj9kzRqI6ClFKC8t0GJlTqseA7EJpXG-Mvw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2) Children have no sense of feeling sorry for themselves. If I had broken my leg, there's no doubt I'd be having a freaking pity party for myself for weeks straight. Lulu on the other hand doesn't know what it means to feel sorry for herself. Does she get mad that she can't do what she wants to do, exactly when she wants to do it? Yes. But she was like that before the broken leg.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We're counting down the days until Dec 7 (cast removal day). It's going to be a long few weeks to get there, but we will make it through and I'm excited for her to be cast-free for Christmas. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'm going to follow up this post with another one that's more focused around how to survive a two-year-old with a broken leg and all of the things you need to buy/have. But I didn't want to post that first without explaining the full story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pray for us. Lulu was a tough toddler before the broken leg...but now she's really giving us hell! </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-30600645668986811602017-10-20T11:07:00.000-04:002017-10-20T11:07:55.981-04:00Nursery #2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij_6FHowOm1Nn9rhXv0R8XoKKTZBr77kEXnCmSFeJX0kJNXPGoGdKBJ0F_aUA0DIcvIje8getrGkZwpDs0Fb7Q2ZTXQ9RXPHk18LawIU66EJDeFbME64A5M9w0cQUJ0NiTPGWcP43OurUl/s1600/IMG_8942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij_6FHowOm1Nn9rhXv0R8XoKKTZBr77kEXnCmSFeJX0kJNXPGoGdKBJ0F_aUA0DIcvIje8getrGkZwpDs0Fb7Q2ZTXQ9RXPHk18LawIU66EJDeFbME64A5M9w0cQUJ0NiTPGWcP43OurUl/s640/IMG_8942.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our second baby (yup, we had a second baby) is experiencing the joy that is being a second child. Which means that her nursery wasn't complete until she was about two months old. I started prepping the room before we knew that our she was a she, so I wanted to keep it neutral--but also a little fun. I wanted it to feel adventurous/global, but since the room also doubles as storage for my own clothes, I didn't want it to be too babyish. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So here's where we landed. The finishing touch on the room was when I ordered the huge print of Tajiri, the beautiful giraffe baby that was born to April the Giraffe back in mid-April. Many of my friends and co-workers are aware that I was glued to the live cam of April and felt a special bond with that giraffe as I approached the end of my second pregnancy. It was only natural that I received a bunch of giraffe-themed gifts when Cori was finally here. Check out more photos from the nursery below. </span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-17543850876881807262017-08-10T10:43:00.002-04:002017-08-10T11:04:42.909-04:00A Front Porch that Screams "Sit & Stay A While"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When we first bought our house, I had a <a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2015/05/southern-porch-inspiration.html" target="_blank">vision for my front porch</a> that I shared on this blog. I wanted to create a calm and peaceful sanctuary that would transport me to Charleston or Savannah--where life moves at a slower pace. Well, I'm happy to say that it's finally complete! Just last week, my amazing father installed the pièce de résistance--the ceiling fan. On the most amazing of southern porches, you'll find a ceiling fan or two that provide the required breeze to keep you cool and make you feel like you're not far from the beach.<br />
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Since we first bought the house, we've made a bunch of updates to the exterior. We updated our house number, installed a new porch light, added faux shutters and painted all of our exterior trim a glossy black. In addition, my talented father (as previously mentioned) built an awesome planter that helps to create more privacy between our porch and the neighbor's porch. While we love our neighbors, it's always nice to feel like you have a little privacy when you're sitting out there with a glass of wine or cup of coffee. Check out more photos of the porch below!<br />
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As seen: <a href="https://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Safavieh-Indoor-Outdoor-Veranda-Black-Cream-Rug-67-x-96/8398530/product.html" target="_blank">Rug - Overstock</a> // Porch light - Home Depot // Wicker chairs, love seat and end tables all scored on Craiglist // <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/Hunter-Builder-Elite-52-in-Indoor-Outdoor-Matte-Black-Ceiling-Fan-53294/207012275" target="_blank">Ceiling Fan - Home Depot</a> // <a href="https://www.etsy.com/transaction/1276595517" target="_blank">House Number - Etsy</a> // <a href="https://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Harper-Blvd-Corbin-Black-Porch-Rocker/6558575/product.html" target="_blank">Rocking Chair - Overstock</a> // Lanterns - At HomeAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-50264843057355424382017-03-27T16:06:00.000-04:002017-03-27T16:30:47.724-04:003 Things I Learned While Sleeping on the Street <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-vRMaHzFq_NLSPowJheVxzgsbOaL4jgwm7z1Dh2zlW5Z-Q6HKXR540JhAi2HNSbRLfnaQeK_vLtYygrDAbhJWql7DD0dG1sx56UwXPaydTKizPd3-HUnMelD83hIx8GDY0nkoSR6OQ8V/s1600/17458130_10103392557194999_2691021032967268181_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-vRMaHzFq_NLSPowJheVxzgsbOaL4jgwm7z1Dh2zlW5Z-Q6HKXR540JhAi2HNSbRLfnaQeK_vLtYygrDAbhJWql7DD0dG1sx56UwXPaydTKizPd3-HUnMelD83hIx8GDY0nkoSR6OQ8V/s640/17458130_10103392557194999_2691021032967268181_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I've done a lot of reflecting since the Sleep Out for the <a href="http://covenanthousepa.org/" target="_blank">Covenant House</a> on Friday night. First and foremost, I want to say thank you for everyone that donated to the Covenant House or shared words of encouragement! Your generous gifts and your words of appreciation and enthusiasm were such an inspiration to me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I know a lot of people (even if they didn't mention it) were concerned about me sleeping outside at seven months pregnant. To be honest, the accommodations were unbelievably safe. While the "Sleep Out" event is designed to raise awareness and provide a small sampling of the experience--it is in no way meant to put anyone in danger. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">During my fundraising efforts and on the evening of the event, I kept thinking about the young women that seek out the Covenant House services because they are pregnant and don't have another bed to sleep in. The may spend countless nights on the street--fearing for their and their baby's safety--and I had to spend a measly five hours sleeping in a locked courtyard that was patrolled by security.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I want to share a few reflections and key learnings from this experience:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It became undeniably apparent <b>how much in my life I have taken for granted.</b> I have been fortunate enough to not have to worry about fulfilling my basic needs for food, water and shelter since the day I was born. The young adults that end up at the Covenant House were not as fortunate--by no fault of their own, they were just dealt a particularly bad hand in life. No one deserves to be born into poverty, or have parents that are suffering with mental illness or addiction. No baby/child/youth/adult asks for that or chooses that. Hearing from these individuals and understanding their stories not only broadened my perspective but made me incredibly aware of my unearned privilege. While I've always known that proximity and exposure create empathy, that sentiment was never clearer than on Friday evening.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The most notable characteristics of the young people that spoke during the event were <b>strength and hope</b>. Despite all of the unfairness they have faced in their lives, each of them showed incredible strength, resilience and hope for a brighter future. I was dumbfounded by the amount of optimism and gratitude that the kids demonstrated and all I could think is that if I had been through half of the things they have been through, I'm not sure I could be as courageous or optimistic about my future.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>One night is not enough.</b> It's not enough in terms of fundraising or awareness. It's not enough in terms of listening. It's not enough in terms of making a difference. I'm not sure what my involvement with the Covenant House will be in the future, but I have been really touched by this organization and the young people that they serve and I want to find a way to continue giving back. I'll try to keep you all updated on my involvement, while respecting the fact that you likely don't want to continue being harassed for money. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So last but not least, thank you! Thank you for being my community, for supporting me and loving me unconditionally. Those are just some of the things that I have truly taken for granted. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://covhou.convio.net/site/TR?px=2694250&pg=personal&fr_id=1839&et=9M9eejjlXAU1yawuzlywIw&s_tafId=20656" target="_blank">My fundraising page</a> will stay open for another month or so, and if you're so moved, I'd encourage you to give (or continue giving) to an amazing organization that is transforming lives!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-85756876196411311392016-09-01T11:01:00.000-04:002016-09-01T11:44:41.660-04:00All Aboard the Blue Apron Bandwagon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">About six months ago, Bry thought it would be a good idea to ask why I wasn't </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">cooking as often as I used to (free advice for husbands, this is not a wise decision...) While my mind was racing with all of the things I wanted to say, "I'm taking care of a baby!" "Work is crazy!" "I'd rather go to the gym!" and so on. Instead, I simply said, "I'm not feeling inspired in the kitchen, but if you are, I would love if you would take care of dinner one night a week." We had a good chat about how he likes to cook but doesn't feel comfortable improvising and how grocery shopping for new/more adventurous recipes can be a hassle. We have some friends that have used different dinner kit delivery services and most of them have nothing but positive things to say, so Bry did some research and we settled on giving Blue Apron</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">a try. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After a few months of Blue Apron deliveries, I can truthfully say that I'm a fan. Not only does it relieve the burden of planning three dinners during the week, but the food is really delicious. Below are some pros and cons, and I'd guess that most of these are true for most meal delivery services. Read the pros and cons below:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Pros:</b></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There's a </span><b style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">good variety</b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> of meals and it </span><b style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">allows me to cook/eat things I normally wouldn't buy</b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> for myself. Like fish. I like fish, I just never buy it to cook for myself. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The <b>flavors are really good</b> and some of the meals have <b>inspired me to use new techniques/seasonings in my every day cooking</b> as well. For example, they use a lot of citrus to season vegetables that are lightly sauteed. Lime juice, lime zest and on some string beans that are just slightly softened from cooking with garlic...so delicious. </span></li>
<li><b style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">The price is reasonable.</b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> If you had to buy all of those ingredients yourself, or if you ordered takeout or went to a restaurant instead, you'd spend at least $10 per person. So for 60 bucks a week which gets us 6 meals (3 meals x 2 people) I'm okay with the cost. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You don't have to go to three different grocery stores on the hunt for a specific ingredient. <b>Everything you need is included in the box</b> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(with the exception of olive oil, salt and pepper)</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. </span></li>
<li><b style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Novice cooks can easily follow the recipe cards.</b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> I'll be honest and say that I had a hard time putting this in the pros category. The recipe cards are good, but not great. Things are written in paragraph form (which is not ideal for a recipe) and I've found things missing in some of the recipes. Ultimately, the recipe cards are good because they give you images along with the instructions, and you can't royally screw up the recipe, but they could be better. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you're comfortable improvising <b>you can easily bulk up the meals</b> by adding protein, additional vegetables, etc. Sometimes I'll have a rogue veggie that's on it's last leg or some kale that I need to use up, and I'll toss those into the recipes along with the other veggies. Or opt for one of the vegetarian dishes and add some chicken to it. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>You can skip weeks.</b> No delivery is mandatory, if you know you'll be out of town for a particular week, you can cancel. I think you just have to decide to cancel at least a week before the scheduled delivery. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Cons:</b></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The </span><b style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">portions are all over the place</b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. There are some times we'll make something and we end up having leftovers. There are many times (most) that we still feel a little bit hungry, especially given that Bry is a hungry dude who eats A LOT. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The </span><b style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">calorie count on the meals seems high</b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> to me. Especially since the protein portions tend to be smaller, I'm surprised that the meals average around 700-800 calories. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There's still a </span><b style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">decent amount of prep work needed</b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. I understand that most of the convenience in this subscription is that I don't have to meal prep and go out and shop for all of the ingredients. However, many recipes require mincing garlic, cutting veggies, zesting fruit. I've started to cut corners and reduce my prep time by just using my jar of minced garlic instead of the fresh cloves they send me.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There's a <b>limited selection of substitute meals</b>. Online you can look at all of the meals that are going to be delivered in the next couple of months. It also gives you the option to sub out any of the meals that might not appeal to you. The issue with that is that the only substitute options are vegetarian, and I just know that's not going to be filling enough for Bry. However, I will say that some of the meals that didn't look that great to me on the recipe card ended up being some of the most delicious meals I ate. So I guess it's a bit of a blessing that I wasn't able to substitute those out for something else. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There seems to be <b>a lot of packaging waste</b>. Everything is always delivered in great condition but there are two large ice packs that you have to dispose of each week, the box which can be recycled and then lots of little plastic/cardboard containers and compartments that hold the herbs, eggs, oils, seasonings. I feel a little guilty about my environmental footprint every time I unpack one of those boxes... </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I realize I have a lot of cons there, but I want to be honest about all of the things I like and don't like. And ultimately, I would recommend it to a friend. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXSGqqRiGB5WI6NvlQfu7JMKaNe2oud_TXsreliC5uyfqt2J0-LIqrrQd5HFwYFSjKf69tJmp0Tlod7aWg82p92DQc1cpYuE6BpfqnkgvC8Q-uY48McmxvDWduMWfu9nnX-A_18rH1gz77/s1600/Cubano.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXSGqqRiGB5WI6NvlQfu7JMKaNe2oud_TXsreliC5uyfqt2J0-LIqrrQd5HFwYFSjKf69tJmp0Tlod7aWg82p92DQc1cpYuE6BpfqnkgvC8Q-uY48McmxvDWduMWfu9nnX-A_18rH1gz77/s640/Cubano.jpg" width="638" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fJYu70f_ZGNs_8qfHKqbxPg8aXJC_PvIU6ZfEpIGdkh6HpoE1Pw-8j1FWoMvHKMnfVW5XNFL-j-UZ0aY4FGtfGgZB-dIqgHSQbSyxm-9NiQQrKw_tJ8tsY2c9dpBn2Q1HMcQNCC2_aUA/s1600/Pork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fJYu70f_ZGNs_8qfHKqbxPg8aXJC_PvIU6ZfEpIGdkh6HpoE1Pw-8j1FWoMvHKMnfVW5XNFL-j-UZ0aY4FGtfGgZB-dIqgHSQbSyxm-9NiQQrKw_tJ8tsY2c9dpBn2Q1HMcQNCC2_aUA/s640/Pork.jpg" width="636" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Through our subscription, <b>we have some free meals to give away</b>. If you're interested in trying it out for no cost, shoot me an email (marissasaysblog at gmail dot com) and I'll send you a coupon for a free week of deliveries!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Has anyone else tried Blue Apron or another meal service? Let me know what you think or if I missed any pros and cons. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-42625582472863754602016-07-13T16:46:00.005-04:002016-07-14T08:35:01.265-04:00The Perfect Lake Vacation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSE9qGsJAe71PXHfJ_y7PKJhwT4Icp4pCCmyvy7ob52GQVb0pcRyf8I2D0ghNsGQiK2fwLmR9w-PpDVF1sZfwWiQvs70un6sI1FEPi1GM_C2ka0BKzyn53YsQr6pGcZjSfCqY_lI_Oli9/s1600/IMG_0250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSE9qGsJAe71PXHfJ_y7PKJhwT4Icp4pCCmyvy7ob52GQVb0pcRyf8I2D0ghNsGQiK2fwLmR9w-PpDVF1sZfwWiQvs70un6sI1FEPi1GM_C2ka0BKzyn53YsQr6pGcZjSfCqY_lI_Oli9/s640/IMG_0250.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I can't remember the last time I took a summer vacation. Usually my husband and I take a week-long early spring vacation (right when I've hit the peak of Seasonal Affective Disorder) and then we use the summer to do some long-weekend trips and whatnot. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This year, however, we've really thrown all caution to the wind and planned not one, but TWO, week-long summer vacations. The first was during the Fourth of July holiday (last week) and it was absolutely glorious. While we weathered some tumultuous uhhh...weather on our way up to the Adirondacks, once we got there it was nothing but blue skies and sunshine. Seriously, we lucked out with the most amazing weather ever--seven continuous days of sunshine and boating! I realize that this likely means our August beach vacation will be laden with precipitation, but whatever, I'm still riding on the high of my last trip.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My parents have a pretty sweet pontoon boat and my sister's fiance owns an amazing speed boat, so it's the best of both worlds out there on Great Sacandaga Lake. Last year was the first time Lulu was on the boat and her life jacket was like the most ridiculous thing ever on her little five-month-old body. This year, she was queen of the pontoon--dancin', playing DJ, walking around, eating PB&J sandwiches, splashing in the water--she was in her glory. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We had a lot of quality family time on the boat, playing games, hanging out by the fire, eating s'mores... you know the drill. The best part of all was being pretty disconnected to the rest of the world. The wifi was spotty and the cell service sucked, and my phone decided to give up on life the first full day we were there. So, it made for a fairly "off-the-grid" vacation, which is the best kind in my opinion. I had just enough connectivity to be able to upload some killer content to Snapchat and post a few photos on the gram, other than that, I just sat back and relaxed. We had some great visits from family and friends throughout the week. Check out more photos from our lake vacation below! </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-14947341820520344672016-06-03T10:35:00.000-04:002016-06-03T10:35:27.599-04:00One Year of Lulu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Yesterday was June 2, which means Luisa is officially 16 months old, or as I like to say when people ask how old she is, "uhhh... a year and a few months...?" </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Since we're not <i>totally</i> terrible parents, we did throw her a little first birthday soiree with a small group of family and friends. I refused to put a lot of money or effort into a day that she wasn't even going to remember, but my mom and sister came to the rescue and made sure the party wasn't a total flop. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">However, since I <i>AM</i> a totally terrible blogger, (and there was that <a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2016/05/back-back-back-back-it-up.html" target="_blank">small little incident with all of my photos going bye-bye</a>) I'm only just getting around to posting pictures from her first birthday party. You can't quite make out the banner but it says "Winter ONE-derland" Clever, huh? Thanks Pinterest. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I used all of the monthly photos I took throughout the year to make a Lulu gallery. I loved looking back at how she's changed so much in such a short period of time. The three, four and ten month photos totally crack me up! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Special thanks to my parents and siblings for all of their help in prepping and to our friends and family that came and made her first birthday so special! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This last group of photos is a little series I call, "Oh, you're here for me?! Ooooo, fire! This is not bad... ABORT, ABORT!" </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-89041799879090418912016-05-04T09:47:00.003-04:002016-05-06T16:20:50.699-04:00Back, back, back it up. <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Yesterday, my husband said, "You should just write a blog post. It doesn't have to be anything great, just write from the heart." First things first, <i>husband</i>, it does have to be great--because I have standards. And secondly, my heart doesn't have anything special to say right now! As some of you may know, I've been struggling to keep this blog going. Not due to a lack of desire, passion or content, but mostly because other priorities are just that, taking <i>priority.</i> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Also, there is this one super infuriating thing that happened to me (and it's totally my fault) and if one more person gives me sh*t for it, I'm going to scream. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">...My hard drive crashed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The hard drive that held all of my photos and videos of Lulu's first year. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The one that had the album of all her "firsts" so I could make a Year One photo album right after her first birthday. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The one that I hadn't backed up to my external hard drive in over, oh.... 11 months or so. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So, on the morning of Luisa's first birthday, when my computer wouldn't boot up and there was a horrible clicking noise coming from the hard drive </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">(*gasp* platters were off, for you techies.) And </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I lost it. Tears, shaking, clenched fists, the works. Then, because I was afraid to find out that I did actually lose the photos and videos that were most dear to me, I proceeded to do nothing with my laptop for three solid months. Three months of no photo editing software or a computer that would accept my SD card. Three months of not taking my nice camera places because I couldn't do anything with the photos anyway. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In some ways it was liberating. We took Lulu to the aquarium for the first time and while I snapped some cell phone pics of her, I wasn't distracted playing with the settings on my fancy camera trying to capture the perfect shot. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Well, I finally bit the bullet, I followed a lovely YouTube tutorial instructing me how to remove my hard drive. I ordered a new solid state drive (thanks friends, for all of your sound advice during this process) and sent my sad HD off to a recovery company to see what files could be restored. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">About two weeks and $800 later, it looks like I'll be able to get most of my stuff back. I really wouldn't wish this experience on my worst enemy and if you learn anything from this blog post, it's that backing up your files is important. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I can tell you from experience that you won't realize just how important it is until your stomach drops to the floor and you think everything is gone.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-76200789700461003952016-04-01T11:42:00.001-04:002016-04-01T11:42:06.995-04:00My First B&E<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">All my life (okay, since I was nine) I wanted to get into this house. My camera phone doesn't do it justice, but when I was a young kid running around in the woods at the end of my street, It seems like a mansion. Something about it was mysterious but approachable, and I always had the secret desire to peek inside. It wasn't always in this state of disrepair. In it's glory days, it had a perfectly manicured lawn and smoke from a warm fall/winter fire billowing out of the chimney. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The house sits on a nine-acre estate with another farm house and was owned by the late Judge John E. Holt-Harris. It's been uninhabited for quite some time, and both time and weather have taken their toll on this once stoic residence in the woods. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Well, the university near my parent's home recently purchased the estate and with that, they are demolishing the homes (there's a barn house on the estate as well.) Upon hearing the news, I saw my childhood dream of sneaking a peek inside, flash before my eyes. So I did what any law abiding citizen might do, I planned a little B&E (breaking and entering, for all of you squares.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I won't go into the logistics of the "breaking and entering" so as not to self incriminate, but what I will say is that I caught wind that the local fire department had been granted permission to practice search and rescue and begin interior demo. I <i>SO</i> wish that I had this brilliant idea prior to the interior demo, but unfortunately, that's not how it went down. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here are some photos I took while snooping around. While it might look like something out of a horror flick at this point in time, I could appreciate what this residence would have been like in its heyday. The great room with the gigantic fireplace, adjacent to the three season room with windows all around, a wood-paneled piano room with built-in bookshelves. I can only imaging the sunlight flooding through the huge living room windows on a spring morning, sitting in a big leather chair with and a cup of coffee and a good book in hand. If only I could turn back time, win the lottery, buy the property, restore it and bring it back to it's full potential... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Alright that's enough of my daydreaming, check out more photos below. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Guys, the hardwoods... honestly, the amount of money in this flooring alone and it's in perfect condition... someone needs to get in there and salvage this place</span>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEted4f3Rr4fqFR759KnDkCOhbAx6JlDj2WqrJb8keIXCofsQWxoa_YNNbC-A6a93dRN5UGvCd2nnZQHdguQBjUkoEmWCmx64SVEoAmsvlkWCJVbFFHy0bSnJkdwhJmm-1L_GrwrWndZ-G/s1600/IMG_0292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEted4f3Rr4fqFR759KnDkCOhbAx6JlDj2WqrJb8keIXCofsQWxoa_YNNbC-A6a93dRN5UGvCd2nnZQHdguQBjUkoEmWCmx64SVEoAmsvlkWCJVbFFHy0bSnJkdwhJmm-1L_GrwrWndZ-G/s640/IMG_0292.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is what a lot of the ceilings looked like. Time, moisture and humidity had lead to peeling and dangling paint throughout the home. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The creepiest deep freezer to ever exist. No, I did not have the courage to look inside...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I think the most surprising thing about this exploration was the amount of personal "stuff" still in the house. I couldn't believe the clothes, shoes, paperwork, books, etc. that still remained there. In my mind ,all of that would've been cleared out years prior, but no, it just sat there... waiting. I found the uncontrollable urge to grab some pieces of history from this place, just so that after the building was gone there would be more than just faint memories. I found some old photos, some art, I grabbed a few leather bound books and an old liquor bottle. None of these things are worth anything, but for some reason taking them, instead of leaving them behind to be crushed, destroyed and shoveled into a dumpster, seemed like the best plan. Here's a toast of cognac to my first successful B&E. </span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-25708991395421739632016-02-25T08:38:00.001-05:002016-02-25T08:38:30.909-05:00Turkey Mango Picadillo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhey4fvqFM_9gSOApMC27JukOq8kEVxBr6sxOPdRxZQYQoaizfrIs6YQVuqhOSr6CKpaQ0CjvB7aGUM_lU5NieM6AHR_yuqCMOIvydryEEmXqou1csveV06UCH0881fmDFnFObDqrcBQwtU/s1600/IMG_7292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhey4fvqFM_9gSOApMC27JukOq8kEVxBr6sxOPdRxZQYQoaizfrIs6YQVuqhOSr6CKpaQ0CjvB7aGUM_lU5NieM6AHR_yuqCMOIvydryEEmXqou1csveV06UCH0881fmDFnFObDqrcBQwtU/s640/IMG_7292.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This meal is everything. It's comforting, hearty, flavorful, fresh, easy-to-make, it's just damn near perfect. Which is exactly why it's become a part of my regular dinner rotation. Seriously this spice combination? Bomb dot com. This version of the recipe uses ground turkey although the original recipe called for ground pork. I've tried it both ways and you can't go wrong with either. Get the full recipe below. </span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Please note, I </span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">always </i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">double this recipe. It makes a lot but it's also the perfect meal for leftovers. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Turkey Mango Picadillo </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Adapted by <a href="http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/pork_mango_picadillo/" target="_blank">Simply Recipes</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Serves: 4</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2 Tbsp olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1 lb ground turkey</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1/3 cup thinly chopped onion</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2 cloves garlic, minced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1 teaspoon ground cinnamon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1 teaspoon ground coriander</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1 teaspoon ground cumin</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2 cups of chunky salsa (I recommend <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Newmans-Own-Black-Salsa-16-Ounce/dp/B004V65NPQ" target="_blank">Newman's Black Bean and Corn Salsa</a>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1 mango, peeled, pitted, cubed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2 Tbsp toasted almonds, chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2 Tbsp cilantro leaves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hot cooked white rice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Directions </span></b><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Add olive oil to a large skillet and bring to medium high heat. Add small chunks of ground turkey to the pan, not stirring, so that the meat has a chance to brown. Once one side is nicely browned, use a spatula to flip the pieces to the other side, again stirring as little as possible. Once you have some nice browning, you can stir and cook the turkey to cook through and no longer pink. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lower the heat to medium. Stir in the onions, garlic, cinamon, coriander, cumin, oregano, and thyme. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more. Gently stir in salsa and mango pieces.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lower the heat to low. Cover and heat through, about 2 minutes. Spoon into serving dish on top of hot rice. Sprinkle with chopped almonds and cilantro.</span></li>
</ol>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGNmAmNBjwhb5uZs0VUNP2EAVO6okITj0xgvSJwezKIRYn6QdXvrc1mVVoVjaGSR3u_9P0woTZJs2YMEj9HUtCkVjxl6VXRQ3FCFrcBgCKVUFHG89n-XPmYWXdyAEzZZ5vrsDYZ1WLEcWR/s1600/IMG_7294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGNmAmNBjwhb5uZs0VUNP2EAVO6okITj0xgvSJwezKIRYn6QdXvrc1mVVoVjaGSR3u_9P0woTZJs2YMEj9HUtCkVjxl6VXRQ3FCFrcBgCKVUFHG89n-XPmYWXdyAEzZZ5vrsDYZ1WLEcWR/s640/IMG_7294.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-36048472245131823562016-01-28T10:05:00.000-05:002016-01-28T10:08:33.648-05:00My living room statement wall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2LiBS858QEZZx6LXRypBE39D8wBj1ksJqWz3kA6GNGcP10wFqenuSIpFH6dI0OoNXysMi2f-1aYmxDzu2Rm6Y0kzH6MK0lIVfy0dQ3uLWB9VhZatoKQQbe9rPyOz9SKTjigyA1Qm9Sb-z/s1600/IMG_7473.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2LiBS858QEZZx6LXRypBE39D8wBj1ksJqWz3kA6GNGcP10wFqenuSIpFH6dI0OoNXysMi2f-1aYmxDzu2Rm6Y0kzH6MK0lIVfy0dQ3uLWB9VhZatoKQQbe9rPyOz9SKTjigyA1Qm9Sb-z/s640/IMG_7473.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Gallery wall?!? That's so last year. Statement wall? Totally on-trend. So, we had this wall. This big plain white (well actually, <a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2015/05/we-bought-house.html" target="_blank">Ivory Mist</a>) wall. Our full sofa sits against this wall flanked by two very old and beat up side tables that actually belonged to my father-in-law back when he had a bachelor pad in college. I had it in my mind that this wall needed to be filled with a collage of our most prized and selectively chosen framed works of art and photographs. Well, do you know how hard that is to actually pull together? It's damn hard. I suppose if you're a person that doesn't care about planning ahead you could just nail up your first frame and gradually build it out as you went along. But this girl? Hell to the no. I needed to have all of the pieces picked out and the layout determined before the first screw was drilled into the plaster. So after four months of careful thought and deliberation I have assembled...the living room statement wall. Horray for no more big blank wall! Check out more photos and product info below. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepOVwyRvzT2sJoZmUvY6Y5pSRpnMeiV4EXXylvktg9WxVATr0jEXo1YE5fOjmHJEMwHrNI3VvRf8cxQbG_3RbnPVDIzW5xVufKQRzCgE2wClNUBCHSe3P1-fMVx4nuobwIozn2G69hNz4/s1600/IMG_7481.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepOVwyRvzT2sJoZmUvY6Y5pSRpnMeiV4EXXylvktg9WxVATr0jEXo1YE5fOjmHJEMwHrNI3VvRf8cxQbG_3RbnPVDIzW5xVufKQRzCgE2wClNUBCHSe3P1-fMVx4nuobwIozn2G69hNz4/s640/IMG_7481.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I really love this room. During the day it's so bright and flooded with light and in the evening it feels warm and cozy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So my husband isn't really crazy about that ottoman, and I'm not either. It's like a super cheap thing that came from Bed Bath and Beyond. But let me tell you, that thing stores baby toys like a champion. So it's sticking around for a little while. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi12_Di8qEkq_ebwYAW-g-3eD_GS49Tyk_ma4wMoadlXG_lT88AC1NlmmPJ1-ing2G108-d02mQOCFRKeA7ZB6uazNxgSomxZu0EcnvjEkDhvP8MF6G2uas2xQDhgAYIkd_5-_Nn9WL49xn/s1600/IMG_7483.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi12_Di8qEkq_ebwYAW-g-3eD_GS49Tyk_ma4wMoadlXG_lT88AC1NlmmPJ1-ing2G108-d02mQOCFRKeA7ZB6uazNxgSomxZu0EcnvjEkDhvP8MF6G2uas2xQDhgAYIkd_5-_Nn9WL49xn/s640/IMG_7483.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This entertainment center is everything. Not only does it have a simple design, those panels you see on the front? They are made of metal mesh, which means that the cable box can be stored out of site but you can still use the remote. Genius! I seriously hate cable boxes and cords. So. much. hate. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholpYNbZJTX067zUuhQv-LbM70ZxKOgfyBMw_LeUzLb7Rg1vevKSRB0gtX0I3awW_NwLPWeQM8-lj_nR-0LpCAyWyAu9ZtvfE3PcK61-wlCeMhblBqmAXVfnOL1bJRQbEO0pfbXuB_mL8Q/s1600/IMG_7485.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholpYNbZJTX067zUuhQv-LbM70ZxKOgfyBMw_LeUzLb7Rg1vevKSRB0gtX0I3awW_NwLPWeQM8-lj_nR-0LpCAyWyAu9ZtvfE3PcK61-wlCeMhblBqmAXVfnOL1bJRQbEO0pfbXuB_mL8Q/s640/IMG_7485.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjagdptQpjh31dBW9L9mTSgds-15Yzc1QWGkIltFf2DwWkJxNS_r09uwSI8keSl5A22qvYC7T1rlkTPjcf98UKVDw4Ys3y35l7y3BlodPAmf93ILfXuAgHCa1aYVgbRDOQ5RUEpk4RwHsMl/s1600/IMG_7475.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjagdptQpjh31dBW9L9mTSgds-15Yzc1QWGkIltFf2DwWkJxNS_r09uwSI8keSl5A22qvYC7T1rlkTPjcf98UKVDw4Ys3y35l7y3BlodPAmf93ILfXuAgHCa1aYVgbRDOQ5RUEpk4RwHsMl/s640/IMG_7475.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A quick run down of the statement wall items: Albany pennant (<a href="http://www.fortorangegeneralstore.com/" target="_blank">Fort Orange General Store</a>) | Rattan sun shaped mirror (<a href="http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=26634113&category=A_FURN_WALL" target="_blank">Urban Outfitters</a>) | Pheasant sketch - vintage) | Small bird watercolor (Etsy) | Surfer photo (<a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2014/07/friendcation-in-ocnj.html" target="_blank">my photo</a> taken in Ocean City) frame from Ikea | Watercolor floral print (<a href="http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=36750149&category=A_FURN_WALL" target="_blank">Urban Outfitters</a>) frame from Ikea | Hurry Up With My Damn Croissants image (my own creation) frame from Ikea | Gold diamond wall hanging (Urban Outfitters - sold out) </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilaDQas2g5hvOxBW-bKH7atZmXaQ08-5e9a5Oijnr3fRR6eANIJloS-CErhVPzu764xxqrORRx_oux1X2T-MZQ0Jl7EegHwTFtY_FxgxJ6WByQMpeWDtig1C-WBdPAqUycoGzqgeRWN3MS/s1600/IMG_7490.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilaDQas2g5hvOxBW-bKH7atZmXaQ08-5e9a5Oijnr3fRR6eANIJloS-CErhVPzu764xxqrORRx_oux1X2T-MZQ0Jl7EegHwTFtY_FxgxJ6WByQMpeWDtig1C-WBdPAqUycoGzqgeRWN3MS/s640/IMG_7490.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Rug (<a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50168285/" target="_blank">Ikea</a>) | Coffee table (<a href="http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Elements-Cross-design-Reclaimed-Look-Coffee-Table/5217958/product.html?recset=7236d18c-8c24-4df7-9bbf-8b97137c6f94&refccid=XCQNMWJBBDUKE4SMSLZLRBFXYQ&recalg=828,512&recidx=1" target="_blank">Overstock</a>) | Striped pillows (<a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60260764/" target="_blank">Ikea</a>) | Diamond print pillow (<a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00281892/" target="_blank">Ikea</a>) | Leather and bronze chair - TJ Maxx (<a href="http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/home-furniture/36271575.jsp#/" target="_blank">similar</a> | <a href="http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=34156398&category=A_FURN_FURNITURE_CHAIR" target="_blank">similar</a> | <a href="https://www.chairish.com/product/131569/woven-leather-chair-and-ottoman" target="_blank">similar</a>) | Entertainment center (<a href="http://www.target.com/p/klyne-tv-stand-brown/-/A-15056995#prodSlot=medium_1_21&term=entertainment+center+perforated" target="_blank">Target</a>) | Floor lamp (<a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90231303/" target="_blank">Ikea</a>) </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-44220052372012943992016-01-04T14:54:00.002-05:002016-01-04T14:57:49.508-05:00Happy 2016!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQduBHr7KdRAlXJqjtIM-QM2a0mI7aNLJpLfi6QNXGIXEIKjuJ5fO9MK_sGg9UvBpwKdkdDBoWEzzhjvbR5KRaLWplt52zAnUIjnp3cqmmDbQ_zg3NTqr8SoXERb4HmK9vefgfLp4U2sK/s1600/FB_IMG_1451667473907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQduBHr7KdRAlXJqjtIM-QM2a0mI7aNLJpLfi6QNXGIXEIKjuJ5fO9MK_sGg9UvBpwKdkdDBoWEzzhjvbR5KRaLWplt52zAnUIjnp3cqmmDbQ_zg3NTqr8SoXERb4HmK9vefgfLp4U2sK/s640/FB_IMG_1451667473907.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well we did it. We've survived another year. It was a wild one. Shall I dare say the wildest one yet? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">New baby. Check. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">New house. Check. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">New job. Check. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Was it tough, you ask? Um, hell yes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Would I go back and do anything differently? Hells to the no. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am SO looking forward to 2016 for so many reasons. Lulu will be turning ONE soon, she's probably only a few weeks away from taking her first steps so, watch out everybody! I'm so excited for her first birthday. While she will have no recollection of the affair, I'm throwing her a birthday party. And if I'm being completely honest, it is really a party for me. To say, "Congratulations Marissa! You survived year one of parenting. Here's to many many more."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am so excited for the spring and summer with a toddler (holy crap, I'm going to have a <i>toddler.</i>) I can't wait to see all of the fun things she learns and discovers and I can't wait to run around with her at the playground or on the beach. Fingers crossed she likes the ocean a little bit more than she did last year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, I don't have any grand resolutions for the year. I have some little changes or priorities that I have been focusing on over the past few months. So I'll continue to work on those and soak in all of my wonderful baby cuddles while I can still get them. It sounds so cliché but the biggest change or "resolution" I'm making is to take some time to focus on me. I spent much of 2015 catering to the demands of a needy baby and in 2016 I need to free myself of some mom guilt and take some time to do the things that make me feel good about myself. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I want to wish you a fabulous 2016. I also want to thank you for reading this blog. Whether this is your first time or whether you read every post that I put up (do those people exist?) I appreciate you taking any time out of your busy life to tune into mine. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cheers! </span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-37646427305534858692015-12-09T12:54:00.002-05:002015-12-09T12:54:19.747-05:00The baby's "new" room<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimKePRoeahtkHZ0Rl71RJvw8rIwdbigj0r96wKCrNBDR1A-XbNmg1gSgd_Q3ZZhJfsFIY6VkSsZpcJCHPUgniWUPTW5GVXFky1ng3cA8FwyufTamouN2NoxPEBg1opD4LwGkWpR8W8jMdd/s1600/IMG_7266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimKePRoeahtkHZ0Rl71RJvw8rIwdbigj0r96wKCrNBDR1A-XbNmg1gSgd_Q3ZZhJfsFIY6VkSsZpcJCHPUgniWUPTW5GVXFky1ng3cA8FwyufTamouN2NoxPEBg1opD4LwGkWpR8W8jMdd/s640/IMG_7266.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You might remember the <a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2015/01/the-nursery-reveal.html" target="_blank">nursery reveal</a> from earlier this year. Well, about three months after <a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2015/02/the-birth-story_10.html" target="_blank">the baby was born</a>, we bought a <a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2015/05/we-bought-house.html" target="_blank">new house</a>! Unfortunately, that meant that she spent very little time in her nursery space in our former house (she basically took like one nap in that room.) However, in the new house, she received a serious upgrade in space and I'm so excited to reveal her new-ish room! I think this room is one of my favorites in the whole house. It gets great light all day long and it is spacious and airy. I loved the color that the former owners had painted the room, so we kept it and it totally worked with all of our existing furniture. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is pretty much the one room in our new house that is "finished" for all intents and purposes. All of the other rooms are sort of a slow evolution and need a few pieces of furniture or a project or two. I'll be sure to provide updates as we actually get the other rooms throughout the house more finished. Check out more photos of the baby's room below. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You might also be interested in: </span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2015/01/the-nursery-reveal.html" target="_blank">The nursery reveal </a>(full list of items and links) </span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2014/11/diy-pom-pom-baby-mobile.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">DIY Pom pom baby mobile</span></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2015/08/my-southern-front-porch.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My southern front porch</span></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2015/06/bathroom-makeover.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bathroom makeover</span></a></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2014/09/nursery-inspiration.html" target="_blank">Nursery inspiration</a></span></li>
</ul>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-36054847155771108982015-11-05T08:14:00.001-05:002015-11-05T09:16:59.947-05:00Marissa says...not much<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's been quiet on here for a while, and I'm sorry. I don't have a good excuse. I have plenty of lame excuses like, "I have a baby. I'm still trying to get settled into my new home. I just started a new job. I haven't been cooking because of items A, B, and C above." But I really believe that you make the time for the things that you love to do and I haven't been making time for this. I love this blog, I really do. I love having a place where I can go all "stream of consciousness" and no one seems to mind. (Well, at least you don't tell me if you do.) But over the past year, sometimes it has felt like a burden. Like a thing I <i>have</i> to do, instead of something I <i>want</i> to do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Three years ago when I started this thing, (good Lord, I can't believe I've had this blog for three years!?) I had no idea how it might turn out. Of course, I had grandiose dreams of turning it into a sustainable career with awesome paid advertisers and free merchandise coming to my front door. But in reality, I knew that was unlikely. While I have been approached by various companies/individuals over the years inquiring about paid content and advertising, I've never been tempted by an offer that seemed too sweet to pass up. Plus, I always kind of felt that if I went down that road that I would taint this thing that is perfectly mine. This sacred space that is completely and utterly in my control. I don't know, maybe I'm just being dramatic. Maybe I'm just scared about what would happen if I really actually tried to make money from it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Anyway. I don't know where I'm going with this...with this post and with this blog. I'd love to say that I'm recommitting, that I'm promising to post X times a week moving forward, but I'm not going to do that. What I will say, is that even though it's been quiet on here, it still matters to me. I still take photos that I want to share with you, I still cook delicious food, I still want this to be a safe space for me and I really don't intend to let this blog die. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">That is all. XOXO, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">M-Dubs</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-73450369080469109672015-09-10T14:20:00.003-04:002015-09-10T14:20:57.992-04:00Marissa's Best of Philly List<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbI9SP7kbAcsYszT9HY17dL-AldYofTdDL_P-nBs0IBwBCTSljAIPSZgdjKZUaNmJgO0XXI2k6-q__IggwNikW3fCNeNhSQgD1tSQE0NkKNRWYkeZm8fQQ4CijOg1I6QCOdsBoC5DOJ9pm/s1600/marissasays_bestoflist_2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbI9SP7kbAcsYszT9HY17dL-AldYofTdDL_P-nBs0IBwBCTSljAIPSZgdjKZUaNmJgO0XXI2k6-q__IggwNikW3fCNeNhSQgD1tSQE0NkKNRWYkeZm8fQQ4CijOg1I6QCOdsBoC5DOJ9pm/s640/marissasays_bestoflist_2015.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I love eating (and drinking) around the city of Philadelphia (and it's neighboring suburbs) so I thought it would be fun to keep track of my personal favorites in a variety of categories. I realize you may disagree with me, I realize that you might think I'm totally bonkers for my "Best of..." list, but I don't care, because this is my blog and I'm entitled to my own opinions. So, without further ado, ***drumroll*** I now present my <i>Marissa Says</i> 2015 Best of Philly list... </span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Best Gourmet Burger</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCAQFjAAahUKEwibsvegiO3HAhVF2T4KHdj5BfM&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jakesrestaurant.com%2F&usg=AFQjCNF2_NXQmJzt_zL81dgji3ELkanFkw&sig2=5s-TraeJlXNEfiN73f6eqw" target="_blank">Jakes & Coopers</a> (Manayunk) </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Best Fast Food Burger </b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="https://www.shakeshack.com/" target="_blank">Shake Shack</a> (Center City and King of Prussia) </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Best Ice Cream</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="http://www.custardcakescreamery.com/ccc/Home.html" target="_blank">Custard & Cakes Creamery</a> (Manayunk) </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Best Coffee</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/lacolombetorrefaction" target="_blank">La Colombe Torrefaction</a> (Center City) </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Best Breakfast Sandwich </b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="http://tradestonecafe.com/" target="_blank">Tradestone Cafe</a> (Conshohocken)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Best Cuban Sandwich</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="http://www.fooderybeer.com/craft-beer-manayunk/" target="_blank">The Foodery</a> (Roxborough)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Best Salad </b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="http://pietrospizza.com/" target="_blank">Pietro's Coal Oven Pizzeria</a> (Multiple Locations)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Best Pizza </b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="https://pizzeriabeddia.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Pizzeria Beddia</a> (Fishtown)</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.8px;">Runner up: Pietro's Coal Oven Pizzeria</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Best Bar for Fancy Cocktails</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="http://www.oysterhousephilly.com/" target="_blank">Oyster House</a> (Center City) </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Best Happy Hour Specials (for food)</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="http://www.sampanphilly.com/" target="_blank">Sampan</a> (Center City)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Best Dive Bar </b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Oscars-Tavern-187176721252/timeline/" target="_blank">Oscar's Tavern</a> (Center City)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Best Brunch </b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="http://cafelift.com/" target="_blank">Cafe Lift</a> (Spring Garden/Callowhill)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Best Tacos </b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="http://www.lacalacafeliz.com/" target="_blank">Calaca Feliz</a> (Art Museum/Fairmount)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Best BBQ </b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="http://rubbphilly.com/" target="_blank">Rubb</a> (Manayunk)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Best Cheesesteak </b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="http://dalessandros.com/" target="_blank">Dalessandro's</a> (Roxborough)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Best Date Night BYO</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="http://www.biboubyob.com/" target="_blank">Bibou</a> (Bella Vista)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Best Fried Chicken</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="https://www.sbragadining.com/fatham/" target="_blank">Fat Ham</a> (University City)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Okay, it's technically hot chicken but it's fried and amazing. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">So what did I miss? What other "bests" do you want my opinion on? Tell me in the comments if you disagree with any of my selections, I'm always open to a side-by-side taste comparison if you want to prove me wrong! </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-26089962935967705922015-09-08T14:02:00.002-04:002015-09-08T15:13:27.117-04:0010 memorable moments from our third year of marriage<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDsxuh6NGSpAPAC04ANyWpRVkGvm_MqUyXidUqqh6ZsDtHSHRi0ttrTIV0ljQjDYdX_NXnJY5mIrx4Fu1jtpl7PlCG5C3cOYVCRGPfRG62LAhWlsZtcJHuzqh6eFw5C7zwHOY765XykGH9/s1600/11952863_10205114441356523_662748171754211440_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDsxuh6NGSpAPAC04ANyWpRVkGvm_MqUyXidUqqh6ZsDtHSHRi0ttrTIV0ljQjDYdX_NXnJY5mIrx4Fu1jtpl7PlCG5C3cOYVCRGPfRG62LAhWlsZtcJHuzqh6eFw5C7zwHOY765XykGH9/s640/11952863_10205114441356523_662748171754211440_o.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy 3rd anniversary to my one true love! It's hard to believe that it has been three years already since we said our vows and began our journey as husband and wife. It seems like just yesterday when we were <a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2013/01/our-wedding-photos-have-arrived.html" target="_blank">running around in the rain</a> on our wedding day. Three years goes by in a blink but at the same time, each year is filled with hundreds, if not thousands, of beautiful moments and memories, and I wouldn't trade them for the world. Here is just a list of 10 memorable moments with you in our third year of marriage. I hope you know how much I love you, because it's impossible to express in words. Without you, my life would be lonely and sad and full of trash and recyclables (because that's your thing) and the grass would be overgrown and the mailbox overflowing. See? I'm acutely aware of all the little and big things that you do for our family and I am thankful every day to have you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10. Hanging <a href="https://instagram.com/p/6-j-3QR5Py/?taken-by=marissawsays" target="_blank">a new ceiling fan</a> in the living room. Man, I know this seems like such a small accomplishment, but it was tough and it was frustrating and at points we almost killed each other. However, as a team we were able complete the task at hand, both picking up the slack and staying positive when the other was feeling frustrated, and because of that, we have a beautiful new fan and get to enjoy the outcome of our hard work every day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">9. Our <a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2014/10/a-birthday-world-tour.html" target="_blank">trip around the world</a> (in Philadelphia) Rodin Museum, Pizzeria Vetri, High Tea at the Four Seasons, and dinner at Marrakesh with friends - it was an awesome way to celebrate my birthday and we got to try a bunch of new things in Philly that we've never done before. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">8. A <a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2014/10/camping-and-oktoberfest-2015.html" target="_blank">camping trip in freezing cold</a> weather. While I was a little anxious about doing this when the temperature in the Adirondacks were going to drop below freezing, I had such a wonderful time with you and our friends. There's nothing like a campfire, s'mores and an old school R&B sing-a-long to warm you right up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7. Witnessing <a href="https://instagram.com/p/7Od-PFR5G1/?taken-by=marissawsays" target="_blank">the marriage of our wonderful friends</a> in Charleston, South Carolina. It was so awesome to see the joy (and a few tears) on their faces and join with them in celebration. Charleston is definitely a special place and we'll have to get back there to see more of it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6. Our <a href="https://instagram.com/p/tLpv6wR5OP/?taken-by=marissawsays" target="_blank">visit to Boston</a> to see our friends and meet Baby Guy. This was such a special trip because we were able to celebrate new engagements, a healthy baby boy, and a baby on the way, <i>plus</i> Boston blessed us with unseasonably warm weather! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. Our <a href="https://instagram.com/p/wUVjvxx5Bj/?taken-by=marissawsays" target="_blank">winter weekend in Cape May</a>. We have been talking about getting to Cape May in the off-season for a long time now and we finally did it. We had an amazing dinner, and witnessed a lot of inebriated people singing Christmas carols.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. The long <a href="https://instagram.com/p/xCJAi2x5L1/?taken-by=marissawsays" target="_blank">holiday break spent in New York</a>. I loved that we both had an extended break of sorts at the end of December. While it was filled with some stressful moments it was also filled with a lot of laughter, joy and quality time spent with our families. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Our <a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2015/09/more-sunset-photos-from-cape-may.html" target="_blank">family vacation in Cape May</a>. It was awesome to have my parents there to help us with the baby and see all of the wonderful reasons why we've fallen in love with this quaint shore town. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. <a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2015/05/we-bought-house.html" target="_blank">Buying our first home</a> together. This was something that I could've never predicted would happen for us this year and I feel so blessed that we found this house and that all of the stars aligned for it to become ours. It's the perfect place for our family and I truly feel at peace coming home to that residence every day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">*Drum roll please* And the number one memorable moment is..... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. <a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2015/02/the-birth-story_10.html" target="_blank">The arrival of our little Lulu Bug</a>. This one is pretty self-explanatory but it has been an amazing experience to bring a baby into this world with you. You were a wonderful husband and supporter during my pregnancy, a wonderful cheerleader during labor and you are an amazing father to her each and every day. </span><br />
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I love you. Happy Anniversary! Cheers to three years of great memories and for many many more! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>You might also be interested in: </b></span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2013/01/our-wedding-photos-have-arrived.html" target="_blank">Wedding photos</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2013/09/happy-anniversary-bryguy.html" target="_blank">Happy Anniversary BryGuy - Year One</a></span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2014/09/happy-anniversary-my-love.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy Anniversary My Love - Year Two</span></a></li>
</ul>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-21546356689740809422015-09-02T13:19:00.002-04:002015-09-02T13:24:24.057-04:00More sunset photos from Cape May!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2NypEF64qYMbMNxGqdXJ5tbumi0k70WLGqXiKEL7ZVEj5uj16QVAE2_g6rwy2ibq9hyphenhyphentjPbBfFDqW6WDrygjzK4tPr_7JRnIc_sRlp5gWuhMW3NbqOXf2mufkhRLTuaZ9x_DjyEIuNVjQ/s1600/IMG_6428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2NypEF64qYMbMNxGqdXJ5tbumi0k70WLGqXiKEL7ZVEj5uj16QVAE2_g6rwy2ibq9hyphenhyphentjPbBfFDqW6WDrygjzK4tPr_7JRnIc_sRlp5gWuhMW3NbqOXf2mufkhRLTuaZ9x_DjyEIuNVjQ/s640/IMG_6428.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In my opinion, you can never have too many sunset photos, so prepare yourself, you're about to see a boat load of 'em. We had a long weekend in Cape May but this one was a bit different from our last few trips (<a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2013/07/a-long-weekend-in-cape-may.html" target="_blank">this one</a>, <a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2013/08/things-to-do-and-see-in-cape-may-nj.html" target="_blank">this one,</a> <a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2014/05/cape-may-for-memorial-day-weekend.html" target="_blank">this one</a> and <a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2015/07/toes-in-water-ass-in-sand.html" target="_blank">this one</a>) because... my parents came with us! It was awesome to show them around this cute little town that has become our annual summer vacation spot. We brought them to H&H for all-you-can-eat crabs and gave them a thorough lesson in crab eating. We laughed over martinis at The Mad Batter happy hour where we stood outside for a good 30 minutes because of a fire alarm mishap (my dad was the only smart one in the group that brought his martini with him!) We showed them our favorite breakfast spot and our favorite late-night cocktail spot and BryGuy and I even got to sneak off for a solo dinner to celebrate Bry's birthday! It was an awesome weekend with gorgeous weather and even better company. We can't wait to go back again next summer! Check out more photos below. </span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-87818468624985443962015-08-25T11:50:00.000-04:002015-08-25T11:50:01.842-04:00Peach flatbread pizza appetizer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't lick your screen. Don't you do it! I know it's tempting... but it's really better if you don't. The story behind this flatbread is that I had purchased a bunch of peaches from a farm stand. I had some girl friends coming over and was trying to think of an easy appetizer where I could incorporate the peaches. So I came up with this plan, melty mozzarella cheese, slices of perfectly juicy peaches, served on a crispy flatbread with a sprinkle of fresh basil and a drizzle of balsamic. And there you have it, the Peachy Flatbread. Truth is, I never ended up serving it to my friends because we ate our weight in cheese and funfetti dip (yes, that's an actual thing.) So, I got to enjoy this yummy pizza all by myself! It's so easy to make and only requires a handful of ingredients; it's a winner in my book! Get the full recipe below. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Peach, Mozzarella, and Basil Flatbread Pizza</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This recipe is for half of a flatbread which can be cut into about five appetizer-sized slices. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ingredients</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 flatbread, cut in half lengthwise</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 tablespoon olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 peach, sliced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/4 cup balsamic vinegar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 tablespoon honey</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5-6 basil leaves, thinly sliced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Instructions</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Preheat toaster oven to 425 (or regular oven to 400.) You can also cook this on the grill as well for a nice crispy crust. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brush the flatbread with olive oil. Spread out cheese and peach slices on flatbread and place in the toaster oven. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted and the flatbread crust has browned. If desired, you can turn on the broiler for the last 2 minutes of cooking to get the top a little toasty. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While the flatbread is cooking, add the balsamic vinegar and honey to a small nonstick sauce pan over medium heat. Allow the mixture to reduce and thicken (approximately 5 minutes) and then remove from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When done remove flatbread from the oven, sprinkle sliced basil and drizzle the balsamic reduction over the top. Slice and enjoy! Bon appétit! </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-6568031855100206782015-08-18T14:49:00.002-04:002015-08-18T16:35:45.714-04:00Bacon wrapped water chestnuts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNWR2LBcuJiv7XIErulEx2QoHiTFvMMNNmiVAhChXnjkr3URbaFsUYIeX3hFXYerGgYwDDFQRD3LL6RPWrDkNe_lhHi3pZLm4joWPBvX9tSAC15p2GSue1Om-eQzb6rtDleh9yJInYR5xo/s1600/baconwrappedwaterchestnuts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="606" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNWR2LBcuJiv7XIErulEx2QoHiTFvMMNNmiVAhChXnjkr3URbaFsUYIeX3hFXYerGgYwDDFQRD3LL6RPWrDkNe_lhHi3pZLm4joWPBvX9tSAC15p2GSue1Om-eQzb6rtDleh9yJInYR5xo/s640/baconwrappedwaterchestnuts.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This appetizer is</span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> everything</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. It has been a staple at family parties for as long as I can remember, in fact, it's always a challenge to try and get your hands on a few before they are all gone. I've continued that tradition and have brought them to a few parties with friends and I instantly become the most popular guest at the soiree. Bacon wrapped water chestnuts are essentially the cheap version of the bacon wrapped scallop but </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">BETTER</i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> because there's an awesome crunch in the middle of your bacon instead of a mushy scallop. If you're not serving these in your home you can precook them in the oven then just bring them to your destination in something microwavable and give them a quick 30 second zap in the micro before you put them out. Make sure you grab one or two for yourself before you leave the kitchen because otherwise, you'll blink and they will disappear. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Makes approximately 50 appetizer bites</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b><br />2 lbs bacon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3 cans whole water chestnuts (8 oz. cans)- usually found in the Asian section of the supermarket</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 cup brown sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 tablespoons (approximately) soy sauce </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 tablespoons (approximately) Worchestershire sauce</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Directions</b></span><br />
<ol style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.4969086747150868"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
<li style="list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Preheat oven to 375</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Take a water chestnut (or cut them in half if they are big) and roll them in half of a piece of raw bacon. Stick the roll with a toothpick </span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Line up your bacon rolls in a casserole dish with the toothpicks pointing up </span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sprinkle liberally with brown sugar</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shake soy sauce and Worchestershire sauce over the top of the bundles. (Give a quick sprinkle over the top making sure that each little roll gets hit with a dash of soy and Worchestershire)</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bake at 375 for 30-45 minutes or until browned and cooked through (this might take a little longer if you use thick cut bacon) </span></li>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-42446349815027603352015-08-12T11:22:00.000-04:002015-08-12T14:24:39.243-04:005 Tips for Shopping on Craigslist<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzjkVlgLjFvwyTrRAIlFGUq7zxP52hhVT-bOb6zTXq-yXFPI1Un01JEPBkOLPpPDkTEJDvRxPM3K7CHZZHjWbFvnO5DxchttZy_quFKdOpLyRdn4rINeRIgVETLqZ5NU307cGr-IT0On31/s1600/Craigslist+shopping+tips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzjkVlgLjFvwyTrRAIlFGUq7zxP52hhVT-bOb6zTXq-yXFPI1Un01JEPBkOLPpPDkTEJDvRxPM3K7CHZZHjWbFvnO5DxchttZy_quFKdOpLyRdn4rINeRIgVETLqZ5NU307cGr-IT0On31/s640/Craigslist+shopping+tips.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">People always tell me, "Wow, you find such great deals on Craigslist! How do you do it?" And it's true, I'm a master Craigslist shopper. I've bought dressers, a dining set, patio furniture, end tables and lots of other awesome stuff through <a href="http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites" target="_blank">Craigslist</a>. I thought that instead of selfishly keeping all of this wisdom and insight to myself, I should share it with you so that you too can fill your home with beautiful recycled things! Check out five tips for shopping on Craigslist below.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<a name='more'></a><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Shop for the right things</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And by "right things" I mean non-upholstered furniture and home decor. Just kidding, it's not that limited. Craigslist can be great for baby registry-type stuff (strollers, pack 'n plays, exersaucers, etc.), cars, televisions, and more. But I find it <i>MOST</i> useful for furniture purchases, for a couple of reasons: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">a) furniture is low risk - unlike a car or electronics purchase, it's unlikely that there are "hidden" issues with that dresser or desk. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">b) there's a lot of furniture in this world to go around, so there's a lot of inventory and prices are going to be more competitive.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The reason I mentioned "non-upholstered" is really because I'm just grossed out about the idea of sitting on fabric that someone else's butt or bodily body-ness has been on before. So, I would never buy a used mattress, couch, or even rug. However, I might consider a cute accent chair that has the potential to be reupholstered. But, if that kind of stuff doesn't bother you, then Craigslist is your oyster! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When you start to get into other products, make sure you do your due diligence. For instance, you probably don't want to buy a car seat on Craigslist unless you're certain it hasn't expired (yes, these things have expiration dates), you're certain it's never been in an accident, and you're certain it hasn't been recalled. I've never bought a car on Craigslist, but I have sold one on there, that's also a little shady. You need to test drive a car you're planning to buy but now you have to get into a car with a stranger and drive it around listening for weird noises and stopping abruptly to check the brakes? Hello, awkward! Make sure you bring someone along with you just for safety purposes. Actually, that's just sound advice in general, <i>always</i> bring a friend with you when purchasing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>2. Narrow your search criteria</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is a BIG one. It's probably the most important tip of all. Great search inquiries yield great results. So here's what you're going to want to do, <b>get. specific. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Maybe you like to browse "shop" and maybe you're furnishing a whole new apartment so you need a lot of stuff, I still recommend that you search by the individual piece, and here's how:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">a) Go to the "For Sale Section" if you're specifically searching for furniture you could select only that category as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">b) Filter your search by selecting "Owner" and "Has Image"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">c) Set a max price that you'd like to spend</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">d) Enter the name/category of the item you're looking for</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt58j6I2vMkTdVdG8uLtse0qlQJaGscb5uaOts8VO0khIerZDnFdKA3HO5sJ54bw8H7qsl2R4IoRweKvhbrON0ZGbUZtZY8FLLhJsgOg5ldslKs6sxQmQ6PDbyu5YuUnyvAx2uHjoLRYVH/s1600/craigslistsearch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt58j6I2vMkTdVdG8uLtse0qlQJaGscb5uaOts8VO0khIerZDnFdKA3HO5sJ54bw8H7qsl2R4IoRweKvhbrON0ZGbUZtZY8FLLhJsgOg5ldslKs6sxQmQ6PDbyu5YuUnyvAx2uHjoLRYVH/s640/craigslistsearch.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This image above is a quick example. I'm looking for a dresser for our guest bedroom and I'd like to pay less than $50 for it. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Hmmm... actually that $35 dollar one in the top right corner is pretty nice, I might have to get that tonight.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't be too limiting or specific in your search terms. For instance, when looking for a dresser I'll do a quick search with the word "dresser" and then another one for "chest of drawer." I'm also looking for some new side tables for <a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2015/08/my-southern-front-porch.html" target="_blank">my front porch</a>, so I'll often search "Tables" instead of searching for side tables, end tables, and night stands. When I was looking for a love seat for the same front porch I bumped my max up to $100 and would use the search terms "wicker" "rattan" or "patio" to help narrow the field. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another quick search tip, which is helpful if you don't have a truck or big vehicle. Search by neighborhood. If there's something just a few blocks away from you, even if it's big, you might be able to secure it to the top of your vehicle with rope for the short trip or have a friend help you transport it with a dolly. Here's a quick search I did for all furniture priced under $50 in my old neighborhood "Manayunk"</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcA_y9XLQVrmfxU7y9j2YcxiS99zxl24fZfV_gVbF3YdueY0mx7D7QH2bMUQivXUeeTi0N8NCFJ1yIL0BQN2to4fFlxKls2KLKxltrz-HAqprGFItI0Ol766It0uxFI2C6w_b6uDT2xzwC/s1600/craigslistsearch2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcA_y9XLQVrmfxU7y9j2YcxiS99zxl24fZfV_gVbF3YdueY0mx7D7QH2bMUQivXUeeTi0N8NCFJ1yIL0BQN2to4fFlxKls2KLKxltrz-HAqprGFItI0Ol766It0uxFI2C6w_b6uDT2xzwC/s640/craigslistsearch2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>3. Move quickly</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When you see something you like and you think the deal is good. Send an email or call right away. Use the handy "Reply" option at the top of the post as seen in the image below. With that write something along the lines of, "I'm interested in the dresser posted on Craigslist. Can you provide the dimensions? I'd be willing to pick it up this evening if it's still available." </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMqD59wvb7dRgkCXLwSURJk5_J9ovDEwohdvcVOfcWQS6d39KpQkTkJ7vena6dCzhsJHTyMw6UvoS4f5iFCn9xBrcAOlYavqbng7ekLPFupLIvpJwhq_H1nNhRW6jpj6m2Aj35K_cvLen/s1600/craigslistsearch3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMqD59wvb7dRgkCXLwSURJk5_J9ovDEwohdvcVOfcWQS6d39KpQkTkJ7vena6dCzhsJHTyMw6UvoS4f5iFCn9xBrcAOlYavqbng7ekLPFupLIvpJwhq_H1nNhRW6jpj6m2Aj35K_cvLen/s640/craigslistsearch3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well-priced items in good condition sell quickly, so you want to be one of the first to raise your hand and express interest. In that first email, ask all the questions needed that will help you make your decision. Do you need dimensions, do you need to know about any particular features (is it solid wood or laminate?) Ask these questions early to eliminate a lot of back and forth via email. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now, if you see a deal that you think is a little more than you had originally wanted to spend (like my porch love seat and coffee table was listed for $100. That initial email is the place to throw out a counter-offer, I think I said something like, "I'm interested in the coffee table and love seat listed, would you be willing to take $80 for it? I can pick it up tonight at 8 p.m." The seller got back to me right away and said, "Yes, I will take $80. My address is..."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>4. Look carefully</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When you go to pick up the item, you still have an opportunity to back out of the deal, but that should only really happen if something is seriously wrong and wasn't disclosed. (FYI obviously the rules are different if we're talking about a car purchase.) If you're buying electronics or a child's toy that requires power/batteries you have every right to test it out and make sure it is functioning properly. If you notice a ding/scratch/etc. that wasn't noted in the original post, you could offer a little less money to compensate for that, but don't be a dick and try to play hard ball at this point. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>5. Follow basic Craigslist etiquette</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Be responsive to emails or phone calls. If you're no longer interested don't just ignore the email, respond to the person so they can move onto the next interested buyer. BRING EXACT CASH. The seller is not going to have change for you so bring exact cash for the transaction, and don't even think about bringing personal checks or other forms of payment. I mentioned before that you shouldn't pick up items alone, but this is especially true if you are buying a large item. Bring an extra set of helping hands with you to transport it because sometimes the seller is unable or unwilling to help you get it to your vehicle. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you have any other tips for shopping on Craigslist? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm thinking of also doing a post about selling on Craigslist...would that be helpful to some of you? </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-89756449895470888372015-08-11T14:36:00.004-04:002015-08-11T14:39:33.160-04:00My southern front porch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiblDZHStZMgyynIzD3L_wr52G1K_mmYheB5A86Mo1NMn6b3qQ7vHcPl7rxUfvY5seLX-P6QbnFqv4cbGmoqtWw0-1YxcRP_fYCnBNtEe-CIsF6xX1jU5wG_7Zfj8Q-zkIJ33pwtFCIeuXs/s1600/IMG_6317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiblDZHStZMgyynIzD3L_wr52G1K_mmYheB5A86Mo1NMn6b3qQ7vHcPl7rxUfvY5seLX-P6QbnFqv4cbGmoqtWw0-1YxcRP_fYCnBNtEe-CIsF6xX1jU5wG_7Zfj8Q-zkIJ33pwtFCIeuXs/s640/IMG_6317.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Remember when I shared some <a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2015/05/southern-porch-inspiration.html" target="_blank">inspirational photos of beautiful Southern porches</a>? Well, mine is coming along quite nicely, if I do say so myself! It's a bit of a work in progress but I scored the two large wicker chairs on Craigslist for $25 each (and they came with the cushions) I just needed to spray paint them a glossy black. Then I found the love seat and coffee table also on Craigslist for $80 (also included the cushion)! I already had the two mismatched small tables, so I threw them out there and then I purchased the <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20203563/#/20203563" target="_blank">rug from Ikea</a> for $50. So basically, I stuck some plants and candles out there and now we have a living room of sorts on our covered front porch. It's the perfect place for a Saturday morning coffee or an evening cocktail. How did I do? Who's coming over for a bourbon cocktail on the porch?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I thought about providing a tutorial on how to spray paint wicker chairs but there's really not much to it. Buy the spray paint color you like and cover your lawn or driveway with a large sheet of plastic and get to painting. If I recall correctly, it took almost three cans of paint per chair to cover them completely. There are so many nooks and crannies in a wicker chair, so just be prepared to keep looking at it from different angles and finding new spots that need to be painted. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- <a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2015/06/bathroom-makeover.html" target="_blank">Bathroom Makeover (Before & After Photos) </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- <a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2015/06/finding-right-real-estate-agent.html" target="_blank">Tips for Finding the Right Real Estate Agent</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- <a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2015/05/we-bought-house.html" target="_blank">We Bought A House (And Painted Lots of Rooms!)</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-28584107898393612652015-07-22T11:52:00.003-04:002015-07-22T12:01:27.548-04:00Toes in the water, ass in the sand...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0gtHrkyehZxzgc-ZeL8ohnK2Krn5e1ZPcN2qPP3UOzM8kCMKiC9u9vUXS3XDnq0AvMc44Xspf_efroQopYc59tqXcnb0G5aenaQDhLbeJGhaRqsGrCYPcOd4RiN2XMbCfsz9WK63zgEkS/s1600/IMG_6160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0gtHrkyehZxzgc-ZeL8ohnK2Krn5e1ZPcN2qPP3UOzM8kCMKiC9u9vUXS3XDnq0AvMc44Xspf_efroQopYc59tqXcnb0G5aenaQDhLbeJGhaRqsGrCYPcOd4RiN2XMbCfsz9WK63zgEkS/s640/IMG_6160.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span id="goog_115163742"></span>We spent a long weekend in Cape May earlier this month and Lulu got to experience her first time on the beach. While she seemed to enjoy the sand and breeze, she was not a fan of the ocean water. I had some major concerns about bringing a 5-month-old to the beach because of the sheer amount of "stuff" needed, but we purchased this <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shade-Shack-Instant-Family-Shelter/dp/B002KRZQMS/ref=aag_m_pw_dp?ie=UTF8&m=A4R3KHHGSOY2X" target="_blank">sun shade tent thing</a>, and that was a breeze to set up and take down, and mostly Lu just chilled out under it and took some naps and woke up to eat from time to time. In August, we're heading back to Cape May again with my parents, which will be fun! I'm hoping Lu is more open to dipping her feet in the water next time. Check out more photos from our trip below. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is Luisa's "Daaaad... why did you do that to me?" face. </span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2013/08/things-to-do-and-see-in-cape-may-nj.html" target="_blank">Thing to do and see in Cape May</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2013/07/a-long-weekend-in-cape-may.html" target="_blank">A long weekend in Cape May</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.marissasays.com/2014/05/cape-may-for-memorial-day-weekend.html" target="_blank">Cape May for MDW 2014</a></span></li>
</ul>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01704505383868375522noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797016385821518399.post-36527397686808706962015-07-15T13:50:00.001-04:002015-07-15T13:50:38.980-04:00The breakfast sandwich SALAD<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTMFIq4m7RJUMAMAiJkMBUHFO_1QjyQ89bqX9CaIjO_EXZgS7iyVzcUpvASomK2y1_z6oiR3vq_o3bxvEk8urIoa1UVKdUTLbVu1DSn6O3nLLQ91F1KHGNJmfJ2OS7p_qIPtYCcnE5FAT/s1600/IMG_6110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTMFIq4m7RJUMAMAiJkMBUHFO_1QjyQ89bqX9CaIjO_EXZgS7iyVzcUpvASomK2y1_z6oiR3vq_o3bxvEk8urIoa1UVKdUTLbVu1DSn6O3nLLQ91F1KHGNJmfJ2OS7p_qIPtYCcnE5FAT/s640/IMG_6110.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Guys...this salad. <i>This</i> salad! I keep making it because honestly it's like a restaurant-quality salad but you can make it at home in about 10 minutes. Do you see it, semi-runny egg yolk, melty cheese, perfectly ripe avocado, crispy chunks of bacon and then under all of that deliciousness is the some fresh peppery arugula dressed every so slightly with the tangy juice from a lemon. Yum yum gimme some. Get the full recipe below.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The Breakfast Sandwich Salad</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Serves 1</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3 strips of thick cut bacon, diced</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 tablespoon butter or oil (for frying the egg)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 eggs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1-2 cups of arugula</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 avocado sliced</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 tablespoons cheddar cheese, grated</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/4 lemon cut into wedge</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">salt and pepper to taste</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Directions</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Crisp up your bacon chunks in a nonstick pan over medium heat, drain on a paper towel when done.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Place the arugula on a plate, squeeze a little bit of the lemon juice over top.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Add butter/oil to a frying pan and bring the pan to medium heat. Add eggs to the frying pan, flip when firm and slightly crisp at edges, continue to cook until whites are firm but the yolks are still slightly runny, remove pan from heat. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sprinkle half of your avocado slices and half of your cooked bacon over top of the arugula. Place the cooked eggs on top of the arugula and add the remaining avocado and bacon on top. Sprinkle grated cheese over the whole thing and squeeze the remainder of the lemon wedge over your egg. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Add salt and pepper to taste. </span></div>
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