ARM SAWG SUNDAY....SILPADA and GLITTER...OH MY!

The acronym for my ArmSwagSunday isn't the greatest (A S S ) hence the lack of the use of the said acronym. BUT I like showing off that arm real estate (when I remember to take a pic) and share with you guys! Remember Emily Maynard from The Bachelor (season 15) had the STACK of bracelets on her arm?!?!

(images - google)

I have pretty much been obsessed with an arm party since then!! In fact after her appearance it became the thing to do, magazines were doing features on arms of bracelets, that look was no longer just for the gypsies BUT for mainstream America! 

My feature this week is pretty demure all things considered BUT that's because I wanted to show off the delicate Silpada bracelet (the skinny one).

Ring - Flea Market Find - LOVE the mix of the pearls and the multi color stones
JCM Monogram Bling Bracelet - Meijer (Back in the day maybe 2012)
Rhinestone Tennis Bracelet - Silpada (has a unique sliding clasp....which I have tried with some other bracelets and the dangly portion was always getting in the way- this one is the PERFECT length).

A DAY IN THE LIFE.....

Recap pics via my iphone form the past week.....

Making it my goal to increase my water intake...

Shopped Target's 90% off Christmas sale..picked up this SWEET #OHJOY! Salad Serving set for $1.99 - yep!!! It kinda fits into the fitness theme - right? Eating lotsa salad....beautiful salad service - how can I go wrong?!?!

Hit the gym! 

Twice this week (and then my car battery died so I've been home bound)

Tried a new recipe - DEELISH to me - the kids hated it! Spinach Parmesan Gnocchi

YEP!!! Down the hatch the water went!! 

 Did an at home facial mask....New Year makes me want to make everything fresh and new!!!

Wrote out a menu board for the week - stayed on course (except last night -made chicken instead of flatbreads - my body was craving protein)

What did the NEW Year week look like for YOU?!?!?

FOODIE FRIDAY....Guacamole Salsa TACOS and SALAD

If you like SPICE you'll LOVE this guacamole salsa! I usually buy Herdez Salsa Verde and saw this on the shelf next to it and figured I'd give it a try....BEST stuff EVER!!! Nice consistency - not too runny (can be used sparingly in a cheese quesadilla), dip for chips (perfect BUT crazy spicy) garnish on tacos OR as salad dressing (the newest way I tried it - see below for what I used). 

 This can probably be found in any retailer that sells ethnic foods - I found it once in Chicago in one of those fruit markets and recently I found it in Walmart.....

 For this meal I used the Salsa Guacamole to garnish my (EASY cheat-y) Chicken Tacos...Simply pick up a rotisserie chicken from the deli - shred your chicken, fill the tortillas and top with your favorites! Served with cilantro lime rice....

I am on this New Year New Me plan and that involves a LOT MORE veggies....so spinach is an EASY way to get my greens in! I thought how delish would the guac salsa be as a dressing?!?!? So I gave it a go and here is my salad....

The latest trick I have found in making a bomb-ass salad is to throw all the ingredients in a bowl (that can be covered) and shake it all together - gives that nice coating you get in the restaurants! For the above salad I used:

• Baby Spinach
• 1 Roma Tomatoe
• 1 Pesto seasoned Chicken Breast (what I had on hand - was a smidge worried about the flavors clashing BUT it was delish)
• REAL Bacon Pieces
• Flax Seed Tortilla Chips (you know all those broken bottom of the bag ones that you usually throw away?!!? PERFECT for adding a lil crunch to your salad). 
• Herdez Salsa Guacamole
• Shredded Cheese

Throw it all in the above mentioned bowl, and shake it til you make it! These opinions are all my own....no royalties or requests from Herdez...just thought it's something SO GOOD and worth sharing!! (my parents are hooked). Lemme know if YOU try it and how you used it! 

THRIFTY TUESDAY...MENU BOARD and the 6 P's

Have you heard of the 6P's?!?! For those of you who have - do you apply them in your every day living? If the answer is yes - how?!?! I always like to learn new things, so please share in teh comment section! For those of you who are going through all the "P" words in your mind trying to figure it out, they are :

• Prior
• Proper
• Planning
• Prevents
• Poor
• Performance

I think this lil reminder is SO CRUCIAL to success - whether it's in business, finances, getting fit, running a home or even COOKING!!! Being prepared saves you time, angst and MONEY!! (who doesn't like to save money?!?!). 

Several years ago I found a framed "painting" (really just a picture on a slab of particle board) at a flea market...the frame was GORGEOUS...it was the end of the day at the end of the weekend and I scored said framed "art" for $1.00 (sorry I don't have a before - I remember being so ANXIOUS to just get started on my treasure). 

I use a pretty permanent (it will come off with some elbow grease and a damp cloth) chalk marker that I got a Target in the dolla spot a few years ago....drew out a grid with the days of the week, added an Italian saying at the bottom : "Tutti a tavola a mangiare!" which translates to "EVERYONE to the table to eat!". There is nothing warmer than sharing a meal, breaking bread and having a full table! 

In theory each week I will plan out my menu based on the on-hand ingredients OR what may be on sale (I am a TOTAL saver and CHASE good deals)

 This weeks menu:
Sun - Chicken w/Brown rice and veggies
Mon - Leftovers: Lasagna, Ham, Pizza
(when cooking it's inevitable to have leftovers...SO why not make a night of it....we affectionately refer to it as "catchers can" night...everyone gets what they want - no cooking for me AND no waste!).
Tues - Pulled Pork Tacos
Wed - Parmesan Spinach Gnocchi
Thurs - Cheeseburgers, Tossed Salad and Fries
Fri - Flat Breads and Spinach Salad
Sat - Breakfast for Dinner - Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Below you will see I did my grocery shopping based on a list I made (from the missing items I needed from my weekly meal plan). Not only did I got with a list BUT I wanted to find the BEST prices. Target's meat selection has always been stellar AND I know I can usually get some kinda meat on the daily sales special...for example - the ground sirloin you see retails for $7.99/package - I paid $3.99 (Target's weekly ad had the meat priced at $6.99/package AND I picked the $3.00-off today packs) SO I got 96% lean ground sirloin for $3.99/package - STEAL!!!

The spinach salad is in my menu 2 days AND goes in the gnocchi SO buying the $1.00 OFF bags was a no brainer BECAUSE I KNEW I'd be using it this week (no matter how good a deal is IF it's something you aren't going to use it's NOT A DEAL).

The package of Chicken Breasts was $5.00 OFF (retailing for $9.99 I paid $5.99 and will get at least 2 meals from that package). The pasta's were on sale for $1.45 and I had a .55 coupon off 2...so I paid $2.35 for two boxes ($1.17 each) for Barilla pasta (which is my pasta of choice). One box is for a meal on next weeks menu and you can never go wrong having pasta on hand! 

While checking out my pantry/freezer staples I got a jump on next weeks menu - jotted it down on a post it and stuck it to the back of the menu board so I am ready for next week! 

What are YOUR meal planning tips? 

A DAY IN THE LIFE.....HOLIDAY REVIEW

I don't know if I've ever mentioned it but I grew up in Chicago....Lincoln Park to be exact....so when I go back to visit my parents it is like going home....I spent the longest time there! When we go home for the holidays the Macy's windows on State Street were on the agenda this year (since the time before that we were snowed in...ok ok that's probably a smidge dramatic BUT I don't do snow driving). 

My DREAM job is to be a visual merchandiser for Macy's State Street...so I definitely appreciate all the holiday splendor! 

Look at the GORGEOUS architecture!! 

The Marshall Fields Clock - a CHICAGO ICON

Hard to see in this picture - it's a gilded deer with the antlers dripping in pearls and beads - I may replicate something like this next year!! That's the thing - I SEE INSPIRATION every where I go!!

I've never noticed this clock INSIDE Macy's

The infamous tree in the Walnut Room

 I've been to Macy's downtown several times BUT never noticed the ceilings - look at the incredible work...it looks like the ceiling of a church....the craftsmanship of days gone by is so inspiring. The ceiling is Tiffany Glass made up of 1.6 million pieces of glass. This took 18 months to complete and designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany - largest Tiffany glass piece.

This year my mom went with us and it was neat to see and hear her expressions...she couldn't believe it was 8 floors. When we originally drove down there Friday (and it was a zoo, couldn't find parking, the driving made her crazy - and she was the passenger BUT the minute we stepped inside Macy's she says "I could do this..."). Macy's AKA Marshall Fields to us Chicagoans is MAGICAL....

The kids look like naturals!!! 

FOODIE FRIDAY....Mom's Lasagna and Homemade Garlic Bread

My mom is old skool - she makes batches of sauce at once and freezes them....its a twist on my great aunt's sauce with a few additions of my moms and very different from mine. My daughter and I like my moms sauce - my son not so much (there are mushrooms, pieces of garlic and pork). She sent me home with a few packages of her sauce and I had a hankering for lasagna...My daughters boyfriend came over and my guy came by impromptu so it was a perfect family dinner. 

I was excited to use my vintage pyrex baking dish....

 Even though the box says no pre-boiling of the noodles, I still like to pre-cook them....

 I put a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of the pan to prevent the first layer from sticking....add a layer of noodles, sauce and grated italian cheese blend (I also like to add ricotta BUT my grocer was out). Continue to layer until your pan is full or your noodles are gone.

I baked low at 320 for 20 minutes to melt the cheese and then turned up to 360 to get that golden crispy crust....

We are a waste not family....italian beef sammies for Christmas dinner left us with 2 long loaves of bread (dad likes to BUY a lot of bread - just in case) SO I turned that left over bread into homemade garlic bread....slathered melted butter on the bread, shook on some garlic powder and himalayan sea salt and baked until golden brown.

What do YOU put in your lasagna?

THRIFTY TUESDAY

I have an affinity for collecting THINGS!! And it's funny, when I'm thrifting I seem to choose items that go together...not intentionally, but probably self consciously. When you collect what you love, it all works together. Take my table setting below for example, 95% of what you see is thrifted...and that other 5% the items were less than $5.00. 

This year I wanted a black and white buffalo check theme (harder to find than you might think...the place I had the most success was Homegoods)

 Runner - Thrifted last year AFTER seeing Love the Coopers....I adore Diane Keatons style and thought I could use this as a sash (I never did that BUT thankfully I held onto it)
Placemats - Thrifted last month @ Salvation Army
Chargers - Michaels - June 2016 - they were clearanced to 70% off so I think I paid around $9.00 for 12
**** THAT IS THE BIGGEST TIP I CAN GIVE YOU - BUY OFF SEASON***
(it does mean you have to store it and remember WHERE you put it BUT it saves SO much money)
Plates - Picked up at various thrifts over the years - when you do white it can always be mixed and matched
My entire Centerpiece is various thrifted finds....I had planned to only do black and white BUT my kitchen theme is a candy colored christmas SO I added the pops of green and LOVED it. This year I layered, layered and when I thought I was done - added another layer!!

These gold glitter coasters were .75 for a pack of 12 at walmart a couple years ago after New YEars Eve...I picked them up because they were gold and GLITTER!!! The 6 pack of napkin rings were $2.00 at Marshalls and as I mentioned the place mats were thrifted and .69 / each

I'd LOVE to see your table decor for the holidays!!! Getting inspiration from fellow bloggers is always fun!! Leave me a comment with your link so I can see how you decorate!