Reasons why today is AMAZING!!

Posted in Life As A Wife by

1. It’s the first day of Spring!!! Yay to outdoor decor and gardening!!! Yay to warm weather and maxi dresses!!! Yay to no more snow!!! (Fingers crossed)

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2. Free Rita’s water ice!!! Yay for obvious reasons!!!

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3. This amazing bag I received from Mr. H!!!! I love the color! He did a GREAT job!!

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4. Reason why I got this bag….It’s my Birthday! Only one exclamation point here because I’m now 27… and in my late 20s…I have mixed feelings about this as you can imagine.

I am so thankful be another year older and for all the wonderful things I hope to have in store. But common, what girl is happy about turning 27? I’m too old to become a Playmate, too old to be Miss America, and according to an article in my Drs office I have three years left before my ovaries begin to shrivel up. (Ok, the first two things were never actually goals of mine and I have plenty of friends who have had children well into their late 30s) But it’s the principle of these things!!

But another year older, another year wiser, right? Well so far, I’ve learned that if you pluck grey hairs, they come back twice as thick. I’ve also learned that 10pm is a respectable bed time and anyone who feels the need to stay up later is foolish.

But I think that the most important thing I’ve learned, is that it’s ok! All of these things I say I dread, I secretly love. I am becoming a woman who is establishing her place in this world with a wonderful husband, family and friends who love and support everything I do. Life is the best adventure anyone can take if you just stop and embrace the moments along the way.

So cheers to you, 27!!! Just save the wrinkles til next decade, ok??

Spring has sprung!!

Posted in DIY Renovation, Family Room, House Tour, Living Room by

Spring is here and I couldn’t be happier! I’ve made my first (of many, I’m sure) Homegoods run to deck the place out 🙂 I always luck up at this store…remember my amazing Homegoods find for my dining room? Get ready for pastels, flowers, and pops of fun!

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The family room is the center of our home, so I had to give our fireplace mantle a little TLC.

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For this Spring, I wanted to bring the outdoors in. I can almost hear the birds chirping!

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It’s amazing what switching out a few accessories does for a room. It makes it feel brand new!  

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New pillows and a few spots of Easter charm warms our living room.

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My favorite spring accessory didn’t come from a store…

photo (7)These little surprises just popped up in my garden 🙂

Happy Spring!

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Linked up with Coastal Charm,  A Stroll Thru Life, Cozy Little House, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Foodie Friday: Roasted Chicken with Vegetables

Posted in Recipes by

Roasted Chicken has become one of my cooking staples. One of the reasons I didn’t try it sooner was because I often found roasted chicken to be dry and lacking  flavor. But last Christmas, I decided to put my new roasting pan to use and perused the internet in search of the perfect chicken recipe. Well I’ve found it and want to share it with you. It’s  AMAZING! The chicken is soooo juicy and flavorful, but I think the real reason I love this dish is because of the caramelized vegetables in the bottom of the pan.  I could eat a plate of them alone!  

Roasting Perfect Chicken

Don’t let roasting a chicken intimidate you. Just remember these 4 basic Tips:

1.     Play with your veggies. Not only do you have an automatic side dish, but the juice from the chicken runs right into your vegetables resulting in outstanding flavors. Plus, your house will smell incredible!

2. Season generously. Go heavy on the salt and pepper- freshly cracked works best. This brings out the natural flavor of the bird. Also, don’t be afraid to play with other spices and herbs.

3. Add fat. Butter that bird up! You want that baby to look like it spent way too much time on an exotic beach when you’re done.Plus you want that skin nice and crispy. Olive oil also works here too.

4. Layer the flavor.  Don’t forget to stuff the cavity with lemon halves, onion, garlic and a big bunch of thyme. The flavors will reach every piece of meat and have your family asking for more!

With these tips in mind, you’re ready to tackle the best chicken recipe EVER! This recipe comes from Foodnetwork.com. Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients

  • 1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
  • 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
  • 1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
  • 4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges
  • Olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.

raw chicken

Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top. *Tanisha’s Tip: Cook the chicken breast side down so that all the juices run down into the white meat which can tend to be dry.

vegetables

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

Happy Cooking!

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