Casual

Dressier

Thank God for skirts and dresses. They hide a multitude of sins.

Forgive me Facebook friends for repeating this, but it just must  be said.

I bought this little dress yesterday. It was one of those moments in the dressing room that I mention in my book where you  have that AHA moment, that YES! twirling around moment where you know with absolute certainty that you are buying the item.

So I stroll out and over to the counter, but alas, no credit card — part of my frugal strategy to spend only cash that I conveniently forgot about in that moment.

The two wonderful, helpful salesclerks took my personal info (including address for future mailings) and then told me that I could call in with my credit card number when I got home and they could do one of three things in leiu of packing up the kids in car seats again and then unloading them back into the store to get the dress:

1. have it shipped to my house for free

2. call and they will meet me in the parking lot with my package so I can keep kiddies in the carseats

3. DROP OFF THE DRESS at my HOUSE since they see I live on the way home for both of them!

WHAT!???

Yeah, the name of the store is Hot Mama and they can also be found online. Have I told you those two clerks are my new BFF? Love them and that store.

I opted to just head back to the store and bring the kids inside again where they spent a few more moments playing with videogames, crayons, coloring books and munching goldfish.

That store is a mama’s dream!

Menu:
Breakfast: 3 tablespoons whole milk yogurt with granola; cafe au lait
Snack: latte
Lunch: romaine salad with blue cheese crumbles, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper; small square of dark chocolate
Dinner: olives, small wedge of cheese; tacos; wine

Vacation did me in. So did winter. So did falling off the wagon with my good eating habits. My jeans are too tight.

I am carrying way too much weight on me right now, so I need to do some recasting.

This blog is very helpful because it makes me accountable to track my eating. I also spent the weekend re-reading The Fat Fallacy by Dr. Will Clower. Love this book. It has simple tips that really make a difference in taking off and keeping off weight. I also walked for miles this weekend, which made me realize my Target or Urban Outfitter flipflops are really not working in this area.

I’ll try to start back regular posting soon. I am going through a bit of a metamorphis in how I spend my time and have been evaulating my blog. I still want to keep it, but may do something different with it in the future. Thank you to everyone who reads this and gives such great feedback and shares inspiration and other ideas. If you have any thoughts on what you would like to see or if you would like to see it remain the same, I would appreciate hearing from you, either in the comments or by email: mammaitaliana23@gmail.com.

I’m not sure how many outfit posts I’ll do because frankly, only this skirt and two other ones fit me — I will be wearing them A LOT until I get some weight off. My goal is to fit comfortably into my jeans again.

Thanks again.

Menu:
Breakfast: small dish of whole milk plain yogurt with banana slices; cafe au lait
Lunch: bowl of leftover taco salad; pellegrino
Dinner: spaghetti with pesto (finally have some basil in my garden); corn on the cob; snap peas cold; green salad; wine; small sliver of gruyere

Rebecca Beeson Tee (thrifted)
Apt. 9 skirt (thrifted)
Urban Outfitters sandals
Silver cuff
Silver Virgin Mary pendant

It was fun to be in California, but I’m so glad to be back home.

When I arrived, I had my half of the CSA farm share waiting:

There are lettuces, turnips, kohl rabi, sweet snap peas, broccoli, bok choy.

Last night for dinner I made a stir fry using a bit of everything except the lettuces. I added olive oil, plum sauce, korean bbq sauce and soy sauce and served it over brown rice. I had a glass of wine with it, as well.

Today:
Menu:
Breakfast: 2-3 tablespoons whole milk plain yogurt with 1/4 banana sliced, blueberries and strawberries sliced; black coffee (out of milk)
Lunch: 1 piece of pita bread with about 3 tablespoons olive hummus and a green salad with oil and vinegar
Dinner: To be determined. I thought I would just get this post out early. I’m going to a fun fish cafe with my husband to celebrate our 15 year anniversary. I looked online at the menu and this is what I will probably have:

starter: prince edward island mussels in champagne cream sauce
entre: blackened diver scallops served with blue cheese mashed potatoes and topped with pico de gallo
dessert: creme brulee
wine: Zemmer Pinot Grigio

The two Italian cookbooks on the ends really don’t get much use. The workhorse is the Joy of Cooking. I use it constantly and think it is the best present for any newlyweds who want an all purpose cook book. I use its pancake recipe every Saturday morning.
I adore Robert Arbor’s book for its recipes, but more for it insight into French life. Also ditto for Viana La Place’s La Bella Cucina — terrific insight into life in Italy.

The white binder is where I keep all of my recipes — a must grab in a fire. It contains family recipes passed down and my tried-and-true well-loved recipes.

DC,

I forgot, I have a bunch of spices/herbs in jars in the drawer underneath the other spices (I put those old Bonne Maman jars to use with my bulk spice purchases):

SUNDAY

Menu:
Breakfast:
(There is about 2 tablespoons of yogurt underneath the fruit):

Lunch:
Some summer sausage slices, pepper jack cheese slices; wheat thins

Snack:
I had some slices of parmiggiano reggiano

Dinner:
Rigatoni with Italian sausage sauce; green salad; wine

Fixins:

1 1/2 pounds Italian Sausage
1 can 28 oz whole tomatoes
6 oz can tomato paste
16 oz tomato sauce
1/2 onion diced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon worchestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/3 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Brown onion, sausage and garlic in olive oil, taking care not to burn garlic (I usually put it in last).
Add other ingredients and simmer.

Serve over rigatoni noodles.

Rebecca Beeson Top - Apt. 9 skirt (thrifted) - Franco Sarto heels (thrifted) -Target belt

Some of you might remember I sold some red heels a bit back because I never wore them and yet, found myself picking these up at the thrift store this week because they were cute and on super clearance. I justified breaking my “no ankle strap rule” thinking I would wear them with jeans where the ankle strap didn’t show, but here I am wearing them with a skirt.

Unfortunately, now I know why they were brand new at the thrift store — I nearly have chunks of my ankle missing from the damn strap …. I took them off halfway through the day. At least they were only $7. My husband also weighed in, saying they didn’t do anything for him. Live and learn.

Menu:
Breakfast: Banana and cheese hunk; cafe au lait
Snacky Lunch: salami, crackers, pepper jack cheese; four oreos
Dinner: We didn’t have our traditional Big Sunday Dinner today. Instead, we had some scrambled eggs with spinach and salsa wrapped in tortillas. We had a big dinner last night at my SIL’s house and just decided to do something easy and light today.

JCrew Top - Apt. 9 Skirt (Thrifted)- Target sandals - Silver Hoops, chain

I can never fit the description of what I am wearing in the photo caption spot.
I almost daily wear a large or extra large pair of silver hoops and a small diamond pendant on a silver chain. Today I also wore one of my prized possessions: a vintage Mexican Opal silver cuff.

Menu:
Breakfast: leftover fish tacos with guacamole; cafe au lait (I’m just not much of a traditional breakfast person and without some of my homemade bread for toast or yogurt, I don’t care for most breakfast food)
Lunch: salad with lemon juice, olive oil and blue cheese crumbles
Dinner: Made a stir fry with some bok choi that came in my CSA share. I bought some inexpensive steaks, sliced them thinly, added canned water chestnuts, brocolli, the bok choi and marinated them in Korean BBQ sauce, plum sauce and soy sauce with chunks of smashed garlic and thinly sliced red onion. Then cooked them in some oil in a skillet and put over white rice; wine

Cha Cha Vente Top - Apt. 9 skirt (thrifted) - Urban Outfitter sandals - silver hoops, necklace

Menu:
Breakfast: homemade bread toasted with butter; cafe au lait
Lunch: snacks leftover from book club last night (cheese, crackers, carrots, celery, peas and dip)
Dinner: Broiled Yellow Tail; brocolli; brown rice; wine

BR top (thrifted) - Max Studio skirt - Gabriella Rocha wedges

I had a school meeting today that I was really apprehensive about so I wanted to dress nice. For some reason having really high-heeled shoes on gave me a boost of confidence that I needed. I love these shoes.

Menu:
Breakfast: small dish whole milk yogurt; banana; cafe au lait
Lunch: bagel crisps; two stalks celery with peanut butter
Dinner: Wendy’s bacon cheeseburger; fries; lemonaide*

This is the first time I’ve had fast food in forever and I actually thought the burger tasted really good. It was a treat for our kids who sat quietly through a school meeting we had to attend.

Rebecca Beeson Top - Skirt and Sandals (Target)

Menu:
Breakfast: greek nan pita bread with baba ganoush and red pepper hummus (is this wrong? i think not); cafe au lait
Lunch: gardettos; wrap (tortilla with salami, wasabi mustard and pepperoncini); pretzels
Dinner: pizza slice with mushrooms, pepperoni, jalapenos and olives; wine

Charlotte Russe Top - Max Studio Skirt - Urban Outfitters Sandals

Back of Top

As many of you know I am obsessed with lace, crochet, ivory, cream and white right now.

My other style obsessions: denim and gold! (not together)

Menu:
Breakfast: small dish whole milk yogurt; banana; cafe au lait
Lunch: small bowl leftover taco salad; nan from the holy land deli with red pepper hummus and baba ganoush
Dinner: bean, rice and cheese burritos with tomatoes; wine