Last week when I met the owners of the new French Last week when I met the owners of the new French bakery in town, I told them how happy I was that they were opening … because now I had an endless source for gifts for my mom’s future birthdays and Christmases. She was born in Paris and we’ve grown up with a healthy appreciation for French things … starting with their pastries and baguettes, but so much more. My daughter took her first trip to Paris last year and thoroughly enjoyed the croissants there and she deemed the ones at @chocolatinenj just as perfect. No surprise there since the owner is a French pastry chef! If you’re local and haven’t been, do make a point to stop in and visit. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and have a wide selection of sweet and savory items and a few French retail selections as well. We’ve tried the macarons, the Croque Monsieur, the croissants, the tomato tarts, the baguette … basically we’re working our way through their display case in due time. Don’t miss this one - enjoy!
People complain about how much time is spent on ph People complain about how much time is spent on phones sometimes, but if it wasn’t for phones. I wouldn’t have these awesome little snippets of them growing up. I only wish I had more. Appreciate and document the little mundane things, for they are the very fabric of your life.
happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’v happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’ve been waiting for the seasons to change and I’m so excited that Mother Nature was on board today! ☀️ There is nothing like the energy from the sun and it makes me happy. Hope you got some today!
Weekend photos in review, old school style. Contex Weekend photos in review, old school style. Context: 1) saying goodbye until Easter, 2) sending him back with good bagels, 3) sunlight charging station, 4) the sun was out all day yesterday and it was glorious, 5) hitting the farmers market for my favorite garlic butter, 6) make a wish, 7) sun patterns, and 8) my sous chef
I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I’m going to make it count. Doo Wop Eats opened a few months ago in downtown Denville and their fries are LEGIT. They are hand cut and taste the way fries should … like potatoes! I add a sprinkle of salt and dunk them in a side of their special sauce and they are pure perfection. You can order a small bucket or a large one (better for sharing!), or as a side item with one of their other delicious menu items like their cheeseburgers, fried chicken sandwiches or cheesesteak. I do believe they’re the best fries in town. I said what I said. Doo Wop’s menu celebrates all your favorite Jersey shore boardwalk treats, including Fried Oreos, clam strips and milk shakes and has a fun vibe for kids and families. 😍
The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that takes all of your favorite ingredients from a grinder (or sub) sandwich and makes it into a delicious chopped salad. It’s as easy as putting everything in a bowl and chopping it up. Perfect for busy days and lazy nights, light meals and warm weather choices. Ingredient list below. Enjoy!

One bag or arugula
One container of cherry tomatoes 
Quarter pound of hard salami
8 Oz of fresh mozzarella
One small red onion
1/3 cup banana peppers 
Handful of fresh basil
Half cup Italian salad dressing
3 T Kewpie mayo
2 T red wine vinegar 
Sea salt and black pepper

Chop it all up, add a half box of ditalini pasta, cooked. Mix to combine.

Recipe from GrilledCheeseSocial.
We had a fun little board party this week and the We had a fun little board party this week and the delicious whipped Brie I shared earlier was front and center. If you haven’t heard of board parties, it’s when every guest makes a different type of food board and brings it - so much fun noshing ensues! With toasted baguette slices, cornichons and local honey, this was mostly a French-inspired board. So simple to pull together and totally my kind of meal.
Lunch date with one of my favorite people. 😍 We Lunch date with one of my favorite people. 😍 We popped into Cafe Crevier downtown and I finally got to try one of their burgers. It was thick and juicy and cooked to perfection. Love that the lettuce was shredded, and that the bun was toasted and slightly crispy. If you’re local, pop in and give them a try - don’t miss the fries!
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Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Ten on Thursday {+ Babble + Pinterest + DailyBuzz Moms}

June 7, 2012 · Narrative

Or maybe more than ten.  We’ll see how it goes.  So I have some randomness to share, some items more noteworthy than others, and instead of doing different posts on each, I’m going to throw it all together and see what sticks. *And I also added a couple random pictures as well.

Last Friday, the folks at Babble released a Top 50 Parents on Pinterest list.  And guess who was on it?  Me!  In the #8 spot!  Very chuffed at the honor, but beyond that, it’s a great collection of others who use Pinterest like I do.  They wrote a short bio (without input from me) about each person they featured, and they said, “Cate’s Sweetnicks blog reflects her two main passions in life — her children (Nicholas and Madeline) and food. She’s also one crafty mama, selling her adorable hair barrettes on Etsy.”  How sweet are they?  I love that, and couldn’t have said it better myself.  Whether you’re looking for recipe or decorating inspiration, or want to plan your wedding or find motivational quotes, Pinterest is an awesome resource.  Not following me yet?  I’m right here.  Do check out the others on Babble’s list when you get a minute.

* * *

Thank you to those that checked out the new O’Malley’s Pop Up Shop, and those who did some shopping.  Seven items already sold and will be shipping out tomorrow.  It might seem like something small to you, but to me, it’s big.  Very big.  New items listed today.

* * *

Remember my recap on our visit to the Thomas Edison Museum?  It got included in a recent DailyBuzz Moms Today’s Top 9 feature on kids and museums, so if you’re looking for fun places to visit (either with or without kids), do check it out.  And when I went to grab the Daily Buzz Moms link, I noticed that Today’s Top 9 is “Veg Out,” and includes the Smashed Chickpea and Avocado Salad Sandwich I made the other day.  Visit the link for more vegetable options to help you take advantage of a new season of produce!

* * *

This morning I came downstairs to find Madeline crouched on the washing machine.

“What are you doing?

Trying to get the lunch boxes down.

“Ok, but I’d rather you just ask instead of climbing onto the washing machine.”

This is how I did it yesterday.  I need help getting them, please.

“Ok, here you go.”

And I need helping getting down, please.

She is too much.

And yes, after having Nick watch her, I went to go get my camera.  Tuesday, she packed my breakfast and lunch, Nick’s snacks, and her snacks.  We are very lucky to be in her world.

She “graduates” from her school in just two weeks.  She went to the same school that Nick went to for 2-1/2 years, so this is a final good-bye.  Although I’m sad that she’s growing up and is the last baby (I keep telling Mystic I need another one!), she’s ready for a new chapter.  She’ll be going to summer camp for a few weeks this summer, and then starting a completely (new to us) school in the Fall.  Cue.the.tears.

This morning on the way to school, Nick said, “Thank you for letting me stay home these past two days.”  The school nurse called me a little after lunch on Tuesday to pick him up because he wasn’t feeling well.  He didn’t start rebounding until after lunch yesterday.  First time I’ve ever seen him lie on the couch for hours and hours and hours on end.  That’s when you KNOW he’s sick.  I was touched that I got a thank you.  After all, I was just doing my job as his mom, but it’s always nice to be appreciated.

luv tubs-001
(advertisement for a hotel … get wet in luv tubs. If that doesn’t get you there, I don’t know what will)

Are any of you watching The Bachelorette this season?  Did you see the suitors mangle the pronounciation of quinoa (and its accompanying definition) on Monday’s episode?  I mean, really.  I am, however, impressed that they knew it was quinoa.  I would have been even more impressed if they actually ate it instead of pushing it to the side.

Nate (looking at the dinner plate): IS THIS QUIN-NO-AH???

Emily: It looks like quinoa.

Nate: IT IS QUIN-NO-AH. DO YOU GUYS LIKE QUIN-NO-AH?

John Wolf: I don’t think I’ve ever had it.

Nate: It’s a very good fiber.

Nate and John together: But we’re not going to eat it. We’re good. It looks like a great meal. We’re not really going to eat.

*ridiculous but authentic quotes, found on this blog

I can’t decide who I want to see in the end.  Ryan needs to go.  I’m on the fence with Doug.  I can’t tell if he’s for real or not.  And Arie, so sweet.  And that’s all I’m going to say about that.

sunlight-001

Last night, Mystic’s oldest took it upon herself to organize my pantry where all the table linens are kept.  That task might be reason enough for sainthood.  She found some place mats that had the multiplication times tables on them, so we put those out for the kids.  Nick practiced his 12 times tables (the one he can’t commit to memory), and then Madeline got interested.  He taught her the times tables for 0 and 1, and she now knows them perfectly.  Color me a proud mom.  Don’t be jealous.  He wanted to try the 5 times tables on her, and I put the kibosh on that, because I knew it wouldn’t end well.  Do you know about this new method for remembering the 9 times tables?  Nick learned it a year or two ago.  It only works for the 9s I think, and it involves your fingers, and pulling them up or down, and I swear it just confuses the heck out of me.  Nick and his friends have got it down pat, but for me?  Strict memorization, thankyouverymuch.

* * *

Our iPod is in constant use on a daily basis.  Whether it’s keeping us entertained while we do kitchen chores, or keeping me occupied while walking a few miles by myself, it’s a must-have.  Sadly it’s full, so we’re going to need to upgrade to a larger one this summer.  My current stuck-on-replay song is Adam Levine’s “Payphone.”  It just might have to be my new ring tone.  Madeline’s favorite is still “We Are Young” by the band Fun.  She shushes us when it comes on, and knows every word.  I am telling you, you have not lived until you have heard a four-year-old sing these words:

“So if by the time the bar closes
And you feel like falling down
I’ll carry you home”

And even better if it’s YOUR four-year-old.

driving me crazy

Do not ever, I repeat ever, buy the Sinful Color line of nail polish.  I think it’s only at Target, but didn’t research it.  Last Friday, I put on a fun sea foam green type color, which I thought was perfect for a dress down type of day at work.  After an hour of soaking my nails in remover over the weekend, I still can’t get it off.  I have been slowly chipping away and it, and it’s driving me crazy.  I don’t know if it’s just this color or the whole line, but just trust me on this.

Alright, that’s it.  Those are all the fun things I’d tell if you if you came over for a cup of coffee or some brownies.  As long as you don’t mind the dog jumping on you or the kids racing through the living room.

Tomorrow?  I think we’ll talk Jenkinson’s.

xoxo

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Posted In: Narrative · Tagged: Babble, DailyBuzz, Pinterest, Sinful Color, Target, The Bachelorette

Comments

  1. christy says

    June 8, 2012 at 10:42 am

    Great post! I do watch the Bachelorette and also found that ridiculous they didnt eat their meals!! I dont know many of them by name yet, but I agree that a few need to go. They’ll probably stay on for ratings though.

    Reply
  2. Kavs says

    June 8, 2012 at 6:49 pm

    “We are young” is my favorite too! Would love to listen to Madeline’s rendition. :)

    Reply
  3. Tracy says

    June 9, 2012 at 9:59 pm

    I have many of the Sinful colors (admittedly not the green you have on!) but I have had different experiences with each different color/style. Some are hard to get off, others peel off on their own, others come right off with nail polish remover. Also, all of the colors are different consistencies, go on differently etc. Where I am, Walgreen sells them for $.70 . . .guess we can’t expect TOO much from that !!!!!

    Reply
    • Cate says

      June 11, 2012 at 9:59 am

      You are right in that the same problems don’t exist with all the colors across the line, which is weird. The pale pink was hard to get off too, but nothing compared to the green, which I have finally managed to get off 8 out of 10 fingers. 70 cents is a bargain! Checked when I was at Target yesterday, and it was $1.99.

      Reply

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Last week when I met the owners of the new French Last week when I met the owners of the new French bakery in town, I told them how happy I was that they were opening … because now I had an endless source for gifts for my mom’s future birthdays and Christmases. She was born in Paris and we’ve grown up with a healthy appreciation for French things … starting with their pastries and baguettes, but so much more. My daughter took her first trip to Paris last year and thoroughly enjoyed the croissants there and she deemed the ones at @chocolatinenj just as perfect. No surprise there since the owner is a French pastry chef! If you’re local and haven’t been, do make a point to stop in and visit. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and have a wide selection of sweet and savory items and a few French retail selections as well. We’ve tried the macarons, the Croque Monsieur, the croissants, the tomato tarts, the baguette … basically we’re working our way through their display case in due time. Don’t miss this one - enjoy!
People complain about how much time is spent on ph People complain about how much time is spent on phones sometimes, but if it wasn’t for phones. I wouldn’t have these awesome little snippets of them growing up. I only wish I had more. Appreciate and document the little mundane things, for they are the very fabric of your life.
happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’v happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’ve been waiting for the seasons to change and I’m so excited that Mother Nature was on board today! ☀️ There is nothing like the energy from the sun and it makes me happy. Hope you got some today!
Weekend photos in review, old school style. Contex Weekend photos in review, old school style. Context: 1) saying goodbye until Easter, 2) sending him back with good bagels, 3) sunlight charging station, 4) the sun was out all day yesterday and it was glorious, 5) hitting the farmers market for my favorite garlic butter, 6) make a wish, 7) sun patterns, and 8) my sous chef

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Last week when I met the owners of the new French Last week when I met the owners of the new French bakery in town, I told them how happy I was that they were opening … because now I had an endless source for gifts for my mom’s future birthdays and Christmases. She was born in Paris and we’ve grown up with a healthy appreciation for French things … starting with their pastries and baguettes, but so much more. My daughter took her first trip to Paris last year and thoroughly enjoyed the croissants there and she deemed the ones at @chocolatinenj just as perfect. No surprise there since the owner is a French pastry chef! If you’re local and haven’t been, do make a point to stop in and visit. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and have a wide selection of sweet and savory items and a few French retail selections as well. We’ve tried the macarons, the Croque Monsieur, the croissants, the tomato tarts, the baguette … basically we’re working our way through their display case in due time. Don’t miss this one - enjoy!
People complain about how much time is spent on ph People complain about how much time is spent on phones sometimes, but if it wasn’t for phones. I wouldn’t have these awesome little snippets of them growing up. I only wish I had more. Appreciate and document the little mundane things, for they are the very fabric of your life.
happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’v happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’ve been waiting for the seasons to change and I’m so excited that Mother Nature was on board today! ☀️ There is nothing like the energy from the sun and it makes me happy. Hope you got some today!
Weekend photos in review, old school style. Contex Weekend photos in review, old school style. Context: 1) saying goodbye until Easter, 2) sending him back with good bagels, 3) sunlight charging station, 4) the sun was out all day yesterday and it was glorious, 5) hitting the farmers market for my favorite garlic butter, 6) make a wish, 7) sun patterns, and 8) my sous chef
I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I’m going to make it count. Doo Wop Eats opened a few months ago in downtown Denville and their fries are LEGIT. They are hand cut and taste the way fries should … like potatoes! I add a sprinkle of salt and dunk them in a side of their special sauce and they are pure perfection. You can order a small bucket or a large one (better for sharing!), or as a side item with one of their other delicious menu items like their cheeseburgers, fried chicken sandwiches or cheesesteak. I do believe they’re the best fries in town. I said what I said. Doo Wop’s menu celebrates all your favorite Jersey shore boardwalk treats, including Fried Oreos, clam strips and milk shakes and has a fun vibe for kids and families. 😍
The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that takes all of your favorite ingredients from a grinder (or sub) sandwich and makes it into a delicious chopped salad. It’s as easy as putting everything in a bowl and chopping it up. Perfect for busy days and lazy nights, light meals and warm weather choices. Ingredient list below. Enjoy!

One bag or arugula
One container of cherry tomatoes 
Quarter pound of hard salami
8 Oz of fresh mozzarella
One small red onion
1/3 cup banana peppers 
Handful of fresh basil
Half cup Italian salad dressing
3 T Kewpie mayo
2 T red wine vinegar 
Sea salt and black pepper

Chop it all up, add a half box of ditalini pasta, cooked. Mix to combine.

Recipe from GrilledCheeseSocial.
We had a fun little board party this week and the We had a fun little board party this week and the delicious whipped Brie I shared earlier was front and center. If you haven’t heard of board parties, it’s when every guest makes a different type of food board and brings it - so much fun noshing ensues! With toasted baguette slices, cornichons and local honey, this was mostly a French-inspired board. So simple to pull together and totally my kind of meal.
Lunch date with one of my favorite people. 😍 We Lunch date with one of my favorite people. 😍 We popped into Cafe Crevier downtown and I finally got to try one of their burgers. It was thick and juicy and cooked to perfection. Love that the lettuce was shredded, and that the bun was toasted and slightly crispy. If you’re local, pop in and give them a try - don’t miss the fries!

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