New Years Eve is one of those special occasions where I think it’s totally acceptable to splurge a little bit on your look. You should buy something that makes you feel incredibly special, at least every now and then. If budget is your worry, there are tons of great party dresses out there at reasonable…
When it comes to makeup, I shy away from lipstick, but I’ve always been into playing up my eyes. I’m terrible at accepting compliments, but there is one that’s stuck with me for years. A friend in high school told me she loved my eye makeup, the way my lashes fanned out and how they…
A couple weeks ago, I started a new series called model mom style, to show you how working moms can look stylish and cool. This week, my friend Erin is our model mom. I met Erin about ten years ago while we were in graduate school. I noticed her right away because she always looked fashionable…
I’m always looking for new ways to connect with my Italian heritage—most of the time, that involves trying a new recipe. I first heard of Florentine lace cookies, while watching America’s Test Kitchen. I wasn’t sure I had the patience to make these because they seemed complicated—in reality, they are super easy to make, if you…
I’m a rule follower by nature. When Rocco turned one, I immediately switched him to whole milk, per the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and others’ suggestion. But when he turned two in October, I broke the rules. For once, their advice just didn’t make sense to me. Is there a right time when to…
My Christmas wish list almost wrote itself this year. I’ve been eyeing most of these items for awhile now. One of my favorite things about being a blogger is discovering brands and sharing what I love with my readers. It makes me feel like all my internet window shopping serves a purpose. Of all the things I’ve loved this year, here…
For me to choose a favorite Christmas cookie is nearly impossible, but one of my absolute favorite Christmas flavors is ginger. Gingerbread men and ginger snaps would rank up there near the top of my Christmas cookie list. I love those classics, but for a change, I wanted to try a new ginger cookie recipe…
If you asked me to wear snakeskin or animal print clothing, I’d scoff at you. I just don’t like it (my reasons why are for another post). I don’t like it in clothing, but I do like it in accessories. I am absolutely smitten with snakeskin shoes and handbags. I love snakeskin because it generally looks really lux,…
I love holiday parties because they gave me an excuse to wear a glittery, shimmery, ultra feminine dress. I hardly ever suggest buying clothes that aren’t versatile, but holiday party dresses do not apply. This is the one time of year where I think it’s totally OK to buy a dress you might only wear once or…
Whatever you call them, snowballs, Russian tea cakes, Italian wedding cookies, or even Italian Wedding Christmas cookies, these powdery nutty cookies are a mainstay on most Christmas cookie platters. Despite their popularity, I had never made them before. My mom didn’t make these at Christmas, and I only had them a few times when we…
Photography by Dane Wallace I’m so excited about our new series: Model Mom Style. I wanted to feature real women to show you how they dress for their busy, everyday lives and still manage to look stylish. I think a lot of women don’t take enough time to look their best. They think they are…
For me, the day after Thanksgiving isn’t just about scoring deals at the mall, it’s about getting out the Christmas decorations. I tend to put up the tree first because it just makes me happy. There’s just something about staring at the white lights and back-lit ornaments that gives me pure joy. So much joy in…
I don’t do my nails that often, but the holidays always entice me to try something a little shiny or sparkly. Last year, I wore this winter sparkle french manicure during the holidays. When I saw this half moon manicure tutorial, I thought it would be fun to try for the holidays this year. What I didn’t like…
Last week, our friends at Toyota invited us to the Phoenix Zoo to get a preview of ZooLights, and also check out a few of their new cars for 2015. During the day, Jade put a ton of miles on a sporty 2015 Camry. The kids and I joined him later to see ZooLights, pretty much…
As a kid, my Thanksgiving plate was basically white — turkey breast, mashed potatoes, and a dinner roll. It’s not that my family didn’t have more choices on the table, it’s that my midwestern palate just never got very developed. I never ate the cranberries, the gravy or the stuffing. Being the baby of the…