#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨
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Food and Life

Got Allergies? Ok, how ’bout a $100 gift card giveaway instead?

April 16, 2012 · Narrative

The weather in New Jersey is a little crazy. Last week, our UPS man said we have two seasons: summer and winter. He wasn’t too far off. A few weeks ago, it was in the 80s, and I was asking Mystic ever so nicely if he would put the air conditioners in the windows. I wasn’t planning on using them yet, but I wanted to be ready.  The following week?  23 degrees.  Today it hit 92, and the school nurse’s office started seeing kids with heat exhausting.  I think the kids just weren’t ready for it to be so hot, so soon.  It seriously drives me crazy. I don’t care what season it is; I just wish Mother Nature would pick one already. I never know how to dress the kids. Or myself. And allergies? Forget about it.

Even though my asthma is pretty much all but gone, I still suffer during the change of seasons. Sniffly. Sneezy. Wheezy. It’s like the Seven Dwarfs have taken up residence in my nasal passageways.  What’s a girl to do?  Pretty much just suck it up and muddle through. Years and years ago, when The Ex and I were first married, my asthma and allergies were so bad I actually went and got tested to see exactly what I was allergic to.

“Well,” the doctor started out. “You’re allergic to everything but cats and dogs.”

Wonderful.

The past few weeks have been the worst I remember it’s ever been.  I’m a sniffling, red-faced mess.  Even though there isn’t too much I can do to cure the allergies and occasional asthmatic reaction, I can do things to take the edge off. We do huge bursts of spring cleaning, vacuum out all the filters in the air conditioner units (and that’s a money saver in terms of energy efficiency too), and try to reduce our morning activities during high season, when pollen is at its worst.

The folks at Similasan recently sent their Nasal Allergy Relief my way. Its homeopathic mist is supposed to help runny noses, sneezing and other allergy-related annoyances. Sign me up. I hadn’t used it before, but I like that it is a chemical and preservative free, all-natural mist. It works by stimulating the body’s natural ability to relieve nasal allergy symptoms which means that I don’t have to worry about any rebound effects or reliance.

Do I think it’s the magical cure-all that elicits sightings of rainbows and unicorns? No. But I think using it during some of my worst times recently, along with some of the other tips I mentioned above, helped alleviate a little bit of what was going on.

And I’m all for that.

Another bonus? It’s easy to find – Similasan is available at your local Walgreens and at all the major online retailers.

Now it’s your turn. I’d love to hear how you get ready for Spring.  Share in the comments section below for your chance at a $100 Visa gift card. That’ll buy you lots of boxes of tissues!  (See rules on how to enter below)

April 16, 2012 – Bonus Photo
get in mah belly
First dinner on the grill, courtesy of dinner at a friend’s house. I miss our grill. It bit the dust nearly three years ago and my paranoia about flames and gas has prevented me from replacing it.  But I do so love friends that have grills that invite us over for dinner. Melty cheese? Oh yes, please.

Tomorrow? Easter pictures. I know, I know.
Wednesday? New recipe for super simple, healthy meatballs.  And a double post – a (free) perk to visiting Walgreens.
Thursday? A Spring 2012 bucket list item crossed off.
Friday? Book review
Saturday? Something special happened a year ago.

 

…

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨

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