strawberry shortcake

Good Morning!  One of my dear friends had a birthday yesterday and she LOVES strawberry shortcake.  Growing up, she always requested a fresh strawberry shortcake for her birthday cake, and when we were both living in Charlotte, I tried to recreate this tradition for her.  It has been several years since we lived in the same town, but since we were home this weekend close to her birthday, I attempted to make her a strawberry shortcake.  I'm sure I still fall VERY short of the delicious homemade versions she had growing up, but I thought I would share this recipe with you all here in case you want an easy version to try at home.

Strawberry Shortcake

recipe from Real Simple

Ingredients:

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1/3 C. vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 C. sugar + 3 Tbs.
• 3 pints strawberries, stemmed and sliced
• 3 C. heavy whipping cream
• 1 Tbs. vanilla (I added this to the whipped cream for a little extra flavor.)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350.  Grease two 9-inch cake pans and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, oil, eggs, and the amount of water called for on the cake packaging.  Beat until well combined.  Divide the batter between the pans and bake for 20-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let the cakes cool completely.  (I baked mine the night before to let them completely cool.)
3. Meanwhile, sprinkle 1/2 C. sugar over the strawberries.  Let sit for 30 minutes to release the berries juices.  About fifteen minutes before serving, combine whipping cream, remaining sugar, and vanilla (if desired) in a bowl.  Beat on high with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.  (Make sure the cream is stiff- otherwise it will melt off the cake.)
4. Place one cake on serving platter.  Spread whipped cream over cake and top with half of the strawberries.  Place the other layer on top of the first cake and ice entire cake with whipped cream.  Top with remaining strawberries.  

Enjoy!

xo,

weekend round up

What a weekend!  It was another FULL whirlwind, but it was wonderful.  Here are few happenings...

josh, annie, simmons, and russell

Friday night birthday dinner with Russell and Simmons at Orsay.  Delicious dinner and such a fabulous time to catch up with some of our favorites.  Simmons and I have a birthday 9 days apart and Josh and Russell are sweet enough to help us celebrate together most years.

josh, annie, dad, rebecca, mom at black sheep

After dinner with Russell and Simmons, we headed over to Black Sheep to meet my family while they had a late dinner.  While we didn't eat at Black Sheep, I would highly recommend it for a fun, hip atmosphere.

rebecca, annie, josh 5K

 In an attempt to "run off" the night before, Josh and I met my sister for a quick "5K Fun Run" through our neighborhood.  While the 15K National Championship (River Run) was going on across town, we decided to have our own run.  Despite wishing we had the water stops that come with an actual race, we had a great time and finished our run with celebratory pancakes.  (So much for running off dinner!)

house hunting in my improvised ruby slippers

If you follow me on instagram you will know we spent most of the weekend house hunting.  We have a few front runners in the mix so far, but we will see a few more before we make any final decisions.  Fingers crossed!

reagan, annie, charlye

Saturday night we met Reagan and Chad and Charlye and Matt for a quick pizza dinner.  We tried a new place and while it has a few "kinks" to work through, the pizza was good and the company was excellent.  Reagan and Charlye have been my closest friends since high school and they were my maids of honor in my wedding. Such a treat to see them together and for a whole meal!

shagreen clutch

I did get to squeeze in about 10 minutes of browsing at one of my go to boutiques for gifts.  I didn't get this beauty, but I thought I would share it with you all here in case you are still looking for a touch of shagreen to add to your life.

you guessed it...

Saving the best for last....our house is under contract!  We put it on the market on Friday afternoon and we had an offer Friday night.  Talk about another whirlwind of contracts and papers but we are thankful.  We have loved our little house and we are thrilled for our buyers to get what we consider to be such a great home.  Now the pressure really is on to find ourselves a new house!

Did you all have a great weekend?  Anyone know of any great houses for sale?

xo,

house staging round 2

Good Morning!  We have spent the last 72 hours packing up extraneous items, cleaning, cleaning, cleaning, and getting our house ready to go on the market...TOMORROW!  It has been a blur and I am still not certain that I didn't just make a major mistake in sending my warm jacket off to storage, but we will see...

A few weeks ago, I shared my "house staging tips."  Most of these were centered around organizing and cleaning, but today I want to share a few more quick ideas for when you actually have a showing.  I think Josh and I will keep this list handy over the next few months while we are on the market and can have showings at almost a moment's notice.

1. Open the blinds.  It is amazing what natural sunlight can do to brighten up a room.

natural light

2. Light a candle in the morning while you are having coffee and then blow it out when you leave the house.  When you have a showing later that day, the smell will be faint and pleasant rather than overpowering.  It's also a great idea to take out the garbage on your way out in the morning- nothing ruins the beautiful scent of a candle more than your chinese take out from the night before!

acquiesce "pink peony" candle... smells divine!

3. Turn on your lamps.  I think lamplight is much more flattering to a room than harsh overhead lighting.

lamp light 

4. Fluff the pillows on your couch and on your bed.  You are going for a crisp, but inviting look.

fluffed, fluffed, fluffed old couch and pillows

5. Put away any drying dishes, hair straighteners, stray dog toys, etc.  It is important to leave the house looking neat and clean so potential buyers aren't distracted by your belongings.

mac's toys

Cross your fingers, say a little prayer, and let the offers start rolling in!  Do you all have any other great tips I need to know?

xo,

wedding registry: price ranges

Hello!  It's finally Wednesday which means we are half-way to the weekend.  My last spring break starts this weekend so I am super excited...

For today's wedding registry post, I want to discuss a more sensitive topic...price.  While my previous posts have encouraged you to find a fine china that you love and think outside the box in terms of registry items, not much has been said about the costs of these items.  While you should definitely register for fine china, silver, crystal, or anything else that you love and will cherish, it is also important to register for items that are just as special but may be purchased at a lower price point.

image

The idea in creating a registry is to create a balanced registry.  This means having your fine china listed along with a can opener, spatula, and bath towels.  This is especially important if you anticipate guests attending pre-wedding showers or other events where they may purchase you multiple gifts.  This concept applies equally if you are getting married at a young age when your friends may have less disposable income than they might have once they are a few more years into a career.

image

I think a good rule of thumb is to have your registry items clumped into thirds.  One third should be $40 or less, 1/3 between $40 and $100, and 1/3 in the $100 and up range. This will give your guests lots of options in a variety of price points.  Also, it is important to monitor your registry often.  If you find that all of the gifts in one range have been purchased, it might not be a bad idea to add additional items in that price range.

towels / baking dish / china

The most important thing to remember, however, is to be gracious and thankful for any gift you receive.  Thank you notes are a MUST, and I suggest starting them as gifts begin to arrive.

xo,

pantry meal

Good Morning!  Whenever we arrive back in town, I tend to try and avoid the grocery store for as long as possible.  Maybe it's the idea that I am still catching up (laundry, school work, etc.) and this makes for a good excuse to get takeout...or maybe it's just a bad habit.  Regardless, last night left me scratching my head and getting creative with my pantry.  After a few minutes, this "pantry meal" of orzo, chicken, spinach, and artichokes was born- and it was yummy!  Do you have any good "pantry" combinations for those times you just can't make it to the store?

Chicken Artichoke Orzo

Ingredients:

• 4 C. chicken broth
• 2 C. water
• 1 lb. orzo
• 1 tsp. garlic
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 package of pre-cooked chicken
• 1 can artichoke hearts
• 1 bag spinach
• Salt and parmesan cheese, to taste

Directions:

1. Combine chicken broth and water in a large pot and bring to a boil.  Add orzo and cook according to package directions.  (My directions were to stir, reduce to simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes.)
2. While the orzo cooks, heat garlic and olive oil in a pan.  Add chicken and artichokes and saute, about 5 minutes.
3. When the orzo is done cooking (liquid will be absorbed), add spinach to the orzo (still in the pot) and stir.  Cover for a minute or two to help the spinach wilt.  Add chicken and artichoke mixture and stir to combine.
4. Sprinkle with salt and/or parmesan cheese as desired.  Serve warm.

Enjoy!

xo,

weekend in florida

Good Morning!  We arrived home from a whirlwind trip to Florida last night (a little more than 48 hours) and I am one tired girl today!  So, I thought I would let my pictures from the weekend speak for me...

Reinhold Family Reunion Service Project, Annie and Josh

Reinhold Family Reunion Service Project, Peggy and Neely

Reinhold Family Reunion Service Project, Klare and Maggie

We were in Florida this weekend for Josh's Family Reunion.  We did a family service project at BASCA, an incredible organization dedicated to improving the lives of mentally and physically handicapped adults.  Our projects involved building garden boxes, hanging bird houses (made by program participants!) and doing general planting/grounds clean up at their women's home.  The entire family participated and we had representation from age 1 to age 74!

Lunch with the Adams Family at Havana Jax!

Lunch with the Adams Family at Havana Jax

I got to sneak away on Saturday for lunch with my family at Havana Jax Cafe.  Cuban food is one of my favorites and sweet plantains are the best way to end a meal if you ask me!

Got to see Reagan!  Unexpected surprises are the best!

After lunch, we went to a few open houses in the neighborhood.  While I love looking at houses, the best surprise was when we ran into not just one, but two of my best friends in Florida!  Our friends Claire and Ed are looking for houses and we just so happened to pull up to the first open house right behind them.  AND, one of the open houses was right by a house that one of my dearest friends recently bought with her husband.  We were thrilled when we drove by and saw she was home.  Sweet Reagan was nice enough to let us come see the amazing progress she and her husband have made on their house and interrupt her weekend house chores.  I hadn't called anyone since we were only in town for a quick trip and we were committed to the family reunion, but getting to see two friends was one of the best surprises of the weekend.  (I forgot to snap a picture with Claire...next time!!)

Reinhold Family Reunion Dinner

Reinhold Family Reunion Dinner

On Saturday night, we had the Reinhold Family Reunion "official dinner."  It is a wonderful time where everyone gives a speech with the highlights of their year.  While it is usually a little stressful to think of something to say, it always turns out to be one of the greatest parts of any family weekend.

Birthday Celebration!

Birthday Celebration with Josh

Birthday Celebration!

Birthday Celebration!

Birthday Celebration with Mom and Dad

After a jam packed Saturday, I came back to my parent's house and celebrated my birthday with my parents, sister, Josh, uncle, and grandmother.  I had my favorite chocolate cupcakes, got to make my wish (or four), and felt so special and loved.

How was your weekend?  While ours was FULL, I wouldn't have it any other way.  We had busy days with meetings, hellos and goodbyes, and flights on Friday and Sunday, but being home for Saturday and seeing both of my families made lots of travel and a quick turn-around absolutely worth the trip!

xo,

hello march

Happy Friday and hellooooo March!

via

I hope you have a fabulous weekend and you do something to celebrate what this Florida girl marks as the official start of SPRING.  March always feels like a tease- sometimes warm, sometimes chilly, but it is when I start to believe that warmer weather, lighter sweaters, and longer days are ahead.  Wouldn't this be the cutest for one of these first spring days?!  Love the turquoise with the red...

via

Back on Monday with weekend updates (including a birthday celebration!)  Enjoy the weekend!

xo,