Saturday Shoes didn't happen today.  I am visiting family and having way too much fun with them!  pictures to come next week.  In the mean time, here is something to warm you heart on this chilly spring day.

photo from pinterest

Need an invite to pinterest?  I am your girl!  Leave a comment with your email address and I will hook you up!

Always on the hunt for a good deal, giveaway to enter, or free sample to sign up for, I read a lot of "deal" blogs.  My three favorite by far are:






These ladies regularly clue me in to fabulous savings on things I would have purchased at full price.  Whether you buy into the coupon craze or not, I believe everyone appreciates a good deal.  Recently, Money Saving Mom asked her readers for tips to save $100 in a year.  Many of the responses overwhelmed me, didn't seem applicaple to my life, or appeared to be more time consuming than money saving.  For me, lifestyle, family size, and geographical location play a huge role in getting a good deal.  {Christie over at Hoot and Dollar may disagree because she has an innate ability to find a deal!}

My accountant husband would argue there is a difference between "saving" and getting a discount when you "spend."  Unfortunately, I tend to do the latter, get a discount when I spend money that didn't need to ever leave our bank.  But I digress...

The reason I am writting this post is because I want to hear from YOU!  What are the tricks up you sleeve for saving a few bucks?

We are moving a bit slower than normal around the house this week.  {actually, we are frantically moving faster, but with less time for things like blogging and photo editting.}  Mark heads off to his 6th residency for grad school, so I head to PA to be with family and visit dear friends.

Phew, now that our schedule has been shared, here is our Easter picture:


And for those of you were were wondering about the status of my pre-easter panic attacks about family traditions and lasting memories...  Easter went very smoothly.  Mark and I had a wonderful moment with Behr early in the morning to discuss the meaning of Easter.  Behr was attentive and well behaved.  My crisis was averted and the day proceeded peacefully.

Behr was fascinated by everything Sam would do.

Sam is kindly teaching Behr he doesn't need his paci...or he is trying to steal it.

I was so excited to learn how to make an animated gif.  Huge thanks to Lauren over at With Two Cats for sharing this with me (and all of her readers).  Now you get a wonderful view of the thin svelte Washington Monument and my lumpy curvy post-pardum body.  Good thing Behr is cute!

doing the tourist thing

We were able to enjoy the park in the evening after much needed naps.  This little gem is only a few blocks from our house.  We cannot wait until Behr is old enough to appreciate it more.  Clearly Sara and I had fun with the burst feature on her camera.





After the park, we took one more stroll around the Capitol.  It is so close, how could we not?  Passing these beauties is one of my favorite parts of living in DC and walking to work.  The evening sun casts a warm glow, making it my favorite time of day to go sight seeing.

Supreme Court

Back of the US Capitol {random DC factoid: the back is photographed more frequently than the front because the back over looks the Mall}

Overlooking the Mall from the steps of the Capitol

photo by sara

This delicious recipe is from Real Simple and is supremely forgiving.  Here is the recipe straight from the magazine:

Ingredients
12 ounces gemelli, fusilli, or some other short pasta
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 leeks (white and light green parts only), cut into half-moons
kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
3/4 cup heavy cream
10 ounces baby spinach (about 12 cups)

Directions
Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot.
Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks have softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and lemon zest and cook, tossing frequently, until the shrimp is opaque throughout, 4 to 5 minutes more.
Add the cream and ½ teaspoon salt to the pasta in the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring, until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the shrimp mixture and the spinach and toss to combine.


Cook's Notes: {that's me}
 - Feel free to be lenient with the measurements.  I used more pasta and shrimp and less spinach.
 - mix the spinach in with the pasta and cream when you add the shrimp to the skillet.  This prevents the shrimp from over cooking.
 - adding crisp white wine to the skillet and/or parmesan cheese to the pasta pot will only make this dish more fantastic.

Enjoy!

...like Dinner and a Movie, but better.



Several weeks ago I realized Mark was never going to leave Behr unless I "tricked" him.  So Behr's Uncle and I got chatting, picked a night and "forgot" to tell Mark about our plans.

Mark clearly knew something was up as I casually got dressed freaked out that no clothes fit me yet {it gets better.  it is getting better} and prepped for the evening.

Uncle arrived, picked up Behr and I walked out the door.  Mark followed asking what we were all doing.  Uncle and Behr stayed behind.  By the time we reached the car, Mark was thoroughly confused.

photo source

We dined at Smith Commons on H Street and loved it.  It is rustic charm, meets swanky lounge, and upscale dining with a casual outdoor deck and three floors of goodness.  Fortunately, it turned out to be one of the first beautiful evenings.  We enjoyed a beer on the 2nd floor deck while waiting for our table.  Our food orders were fantastic as we indulged on little neck clams, the mediterranean free range roasted chicken and seared scallops before heading home to our little guy....

I walk a lot.  At least 4 miles every day.  Sometimes even that much in the rain.

And so my shoes literally take a beating...as do my feet.  I try to justify pedicures but my baby daddy doesn't buy the reasoning.  Boo.  However, these babies, well, they definitely need to be on my serious wish list.

puma zandy

These days the moments with Behr are filled with...

First, I just want to thank the wonderful and lovely Shannon for having me on her blog! I'm Alex from over here at The Saga of a Twenty-Something. This is my first guest post ever (gasp!), and I was having a hard time figuring out what to say. And then while I was at the gym, it hit me: fitness. I do it a lot. But, beyond yoga, I haven't really written about it.

I try to exercise at least five days a week, shuffling between cardio, weight training and yoga. It's important for a healthy mind, body and spirit to make sure you're getting at least some exercise in every week. But here are some good pointers for getting your fitness on:

{here}

Cardio
One of the biggest things I have learned is that cardio is extremely important. Be it running, jogging, cycling, swimming or walking, it's important to get your heart rate up. I can't even begin to tell you the awesome benefits of a good, 30-minute cardio session. Your legs will thank you. Your bum will thank you. Your abs will thank you. It also lowers the risk of developing heart disease, certain types of cancer and can also prevent weight gain. It's suggested that you do 30-minutes worth of cardio 3-4 days a week.

Don't like running solo? Make a fun, upbeat playlist, or enlist the help of a friend to run with you. You'll be more accountable if you exercise with a partner. Don't like cycling by yourself? Find a spin class. It'll kick your tushy the first time around, but they're incredibly upbeat and I always leave feeling incredibly refreshed. And sweaty.

Weight training/toning
I've found that lots of women shy away from weight training. They don't want to bulk up and end up looking like some meathead. But in order to look your best all-around, it's important to work on all parts of your beautiful bod-ay. Start with lighter weights, between 5 and 8 pounds, and just do a few different reps. Here's one of my favorites, because it works both your arms and your tush, all at once :)

{here}

Stand with feet hip-width apart holding five-pound weights in each hand, arms bent, palms facing in. Bend knees and squat, as shown; pause, then stand and press arms straight up over shoulders. Do 8 to 12 reps.

Also make sure you're doing different ab exercises. Switching up how you exercise your abs will keep your body working hard. So maybe one day, focus on your upper abs, another day your lower, another day your sides...you get the picture.

Yoga
Ok, I know yoga isn't for everyone. So if you've already tried it and decided it's not for you, then you can just skip over this. But I believe yoga is a good practice to quiet the mind and bring your focus onto your body. You'll be amazed at what your body can do when you practice yoga.

{here}

I find it to be a good way to relax at the end of a stressful day. But if yoga's not your cup of tea, then replace it with something that makes you happy. Hike, play with your dog at the park, dance, take a zumba class. The happier you are when you exercise, the more apt you are to keep at it.

Extras
If you're looking for a challenge with your exercise routine, sign up for a road race. Find one that's just a little bit outside of your comfort zone, and push yourself to get to that distance. Try something you've wanted to try that you haven't before, like a kettleball class or a zumba class. Don't belong to a gym? Try finding a hillier route to run or bike. Drink lots of water during the day. Not only does it keep you hydrated during workouts, but it gives you better skin complexion and drinking water actually makes you less tired throughout the day.

Make working out fun for you by incorporating fitness into your life. Don't make it a chore, make it fun :) Your health is important, and fitness will help keep you healthy.

{here}

polyvore set

I have made my first etsy treasury because I have fallen head over heals for red stripes.  If you check out my pictures of Behr, it is no surprise that I think baby boys look adorable in stripes.  And although I have never fancied the color red before, these adorable finds on etsy makes a compelling arguement for red stripes.  I might just have to try them out.



via



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Here are a few of my baby faves, but there are plenty of options for you and your home too!  Be sure to check out my full etsy treasury, striped in red.



{At church last Sunday}



Logan High Heel City Sandal

We are going to be doing a little thing called catch up.  I am about to post pictures from early February.  In baby days, that was eons ago!  Behr has met a ton of very important people in the past two months, which I have neglected to blog about.  So amidst regular posts, we will flash back occasionally.  Do not fear, out little guy is not fluctuating developmentally.  It is just a case of a disorganized momma.

Some of the greatest moments since Behr has entered our life has been introducing him to great-grandparents.  Mark and I both have very special relationships with our grandparents, so these times have been especially sweet for us.  Here are a few of our favorite photos from when Behr met some of the "Greats" on his daddy's side of the family.  {isn't it incredible how much he has grown since then!?}

As the first major holiday/milestone/tradition making event of Behr's life, I am all spun up about Easter.  I am searching for traditions to begin with our little family.  I am striving for ways to ensure the true meaning of this seemingly randomly selected Sunday is conveyed to our children son.  Meanwhile, Mark keeps reminding me that we still have plenty of time.  Behr won't remember.  We only have one child.  An egg hunt is futile with a child that does not yet crawl or even grasp at toys.  And yet, I am still wound up.

from a boutique on zulily

image

In case you missed the weather forecast, Spring has been eluding the East Coast.  It is cold, dreary, and damp.  My mood needed a serious boost of joy, and I thought you might too. Bring on the rainbows!

ana candles from design/story how do you choose which colors to get?  they are all fabulous!

missoni rug found on modern design I might be lusting after this rug.

incredible bedroom via design*sponge sweet dreams happen here, for sure!

kids feet are cute. kids feet in furry rainbow socks top it all. found on flickr here.

bridget gets mom of the year for this cake.