Lil Loretta Stole My Heart

and she is keeping it with her in Boston. Definitely noticing a difference back here in Carolina. Good thing I have a sudo heart at my fingertips;)

I was shopping with Wiki and the parentals on New Years and since Target had hit 70% off and I had a gift card burning a big ole hole in my pocket...we made a day of it quick stop there. I found a smorgasbord of goodies, but my absolute favorite was this sweet sweater w/a big heart on it. The idea hit me immediately that I wanted to wear it when we got to Boston to finally snuggle my new niece. 

at the hotel, ready to hit the road

 my boots and favorite leg warmers

new scarf I got from Wiki for Christmas

sweater $12.48 (target)

tank top $2.74 (target)

jeans $7 (Ross, clearanced)

boots $22 (shoe Metro)

Leg warmers $3 (payless)

total...$47.22

and then we hit traffic. and after that a quick lunch in the cutest little town turned into 3 hours later...and we got to Boston after she was asleep. I am not gonna lie and pretend I didn't have a few...shall we call them, moments(?) in the car. I was the opposite of a proper Southern lady. haha I was so upset!

and so instead...lil miss got to meet me in this next outfit instead. I am sure she was impressed. Especially by my shoes...she is my niece after all;)

 I hate mirror pics. haha

 still hate them

 my shoes...I die over them!

gotta keep my ears warm!

She makes this outfit look good!

ok...please excuse "the girls" in this picture. I try to keep them contained, sometimes they just have a mind of their own;) and yes, by this point I was frigid and had changed back into my boots. haha Style can only beat being cold for so long...

Sweater $11 (NY & Co) after coupons

shirt $5.68 (target)

Belt $2.99 (NY & Co)

jeans $7 (ross)

shoes $20 (payless)

hat $12 at some boutique in Raleigh, can't remember.

Necklace free (selling Stella and Dot)

total...$58.67

 I am sure the heart sweater will make a resurgance around say the 14th of the second month of the year?!

Hope everyone is finally getting back in the swing of things!
linking up with
Fashion Favorites
Rolled Up Pretty
Followers to Friends
The Pleated Poppy
Because Shanna Said So

Peppermint Oreo Trifle

My last peppermint recipe of the season. This is sad. But I am still whipping them up at my house and will continue to do so through Valentines. You best believe it.

I made this for a gathering. I had some friends over to watch movies and be girls and so giggly gossip and catching up happened more than the movie...but I like that part even better. We were all nibbling and I brought out the trifle, one of my besties got up to take a bite and then quipped "this is terrible, so I am just gonna eat the whole thing to save everyone else" and she acted like she was gonna sit in the corner and hold it hostage. Pretty funny...but it really was that good.

In case you haven't gathered it from these posts: peppermint oreo whoopie pie or peppermint oreo mudslide....I am kinda a fan of the peppermint oreo combo thingy. and I am not one bit sorry.

Ingredients

1 box choc cake mix(and ingredients to make cake)

2 box oreo pudding mix

1 1/2 cup peppermint mocha creamer

1 1/2 cup whipping cream

1 package peppermint crunch(or 1 cup crushed candy canes/peppermints)

8 oz cream chhese(softened)

optional

1 packet peppermint hot choc packet

1 cup peppermint marshmallows

crushed oreos

see notes for quicker cool whip version.

This may seem more daunting than it is, due to the amount of ingredients, but it really only takes about 20 min to make the whole thing(not including baking cake) and the end result is so worth it, promise!

Bake cake according to directions, adding half a pack of oreo pudding to batter. Once it has cooled, cut in small, bite size chunks and place a layer in the bottom of a trifle bowl. In a separate bowl, Make the pudding(and remaining half of other packet) using the mocha creamer, put in fridge to set up for 5 minutes. Add in cream cheese and beat together till fluffy, add in a cup of peppermint crunch, mix till combined. Then add in the whipping cream and beat til peaks form. Add a layer of the oreo peppermint mix on top of the cake layer, add some more peppermint crunch and continue layering to top of bowl. Then top w/crushed oreos, peppermint and or peppermint marshmallows.

Cover and keep in fridge for at least an hour or until ready to serve. 

Notes*

the second time I made this, I added hot cocoa mix to the cream mixture. I also made the pudding w/peppermint kahlua and baileys. If you want to make a quicker version, make the pudding using 2 cups of the creamer and after it set up for 5 minutes, fold in peppermint crunch and a tub of cool whip.

I hope you get to make this and I hope you live near me and want me to come taste it. you know, just to make sure it tastes like it should;)  

linking up with

Your Girlish Whims

Buona Befana

I am miserable. No really. in a good way. We celebrated befana or known to some as, Little Christmas. I should have known better than to eat breakfast before having any kind of gathering at this house. Food, yummy, yummy food. and now I can barely move. I am so uncomfortable. I am drinking my 3rd cup of green tea to just detox myself. And, as of tomorrow morning, I am officially back in pre Thanksgiving meals. 

This is where I have spent the last few days, I love this house. Looks almost storybook perfect

I have had the best time up here in Boston. I have gotten to love on my niece and she is a doll. I just die. she is so cute and chubby. But now my heart mourns as I am headed back to Raleigh. I won't be able to see her for a few months. She was crying when I left. I doubt her being hungry had anything to do with it...more so she sensed I was leaving and will miss me immensely as well;)

We left home Thurs night and stayed a little past Richmond and took our time coming. We had the most underwhelming breakfast at Denny's. (Let's all take a second to be shocked) Our only other option was a truck stop. We did not choose wisely. Ech. 

Then Wiki needed a coffee break and took what we thought would be a quick jaunt, only for it to be 10 minutes off the highway and it led us to Harve De Grace. I was beyond ravenous. It had only been 3 hours since I had eaten ..but since my pancakes were...not delectable, I wanted food. What a cute town. We have never stopped here before and I loved it. We had lunch at this cute grill and bar. Ok. hands down, best. burger. ever. Oh. No words. Never has a burger won me over a steak, this one... did the trick. My mouth is watering now. How is this possible? As I stated earlier, I am so full I can barely move. Ugh. I wish I had taken a picture...but really, I was interested in only one thing; Squelching the monster living in my belly.

Anyways, we stumbled upon this adorable macaroon shop and indulged in a few petit ones. The owner was such a sweet lady. I love it when you can see the pride in a small shops face. Makes me happy.

And then, finally, after a long drive. I got in my baby love! I could kiss on this baby cakes for days. Oh, I love me some Loretta. I was so excited to see her and hold her and if I am honest, nervous. I wondered if I would hold her and have a lump in my throat. If the desire to have my own would get in the way of me simply loving her and being happy for my brother and sister in law. I am relieved to say that, while I did have feelings of longing and wondering if this is what our baby would look like...I simply just enjoyed this sweet girl. But now I miss her so...

I am headed back to Carolina in the am, I hope everyone had themselves a delightful weekend and I will leave you with some pictures of our trip and my chubby Loretta Elizabeth...or as her Auntie Maddie refers to her...My lil 'Etta.

 Dinner for Befana. So good.  

All prepped and ready to go. Decorations always stay up through today.

 Auntie Maddie loving on my 'Etta!

 Holding our favorite girl

 Uncle Tony and little Miss

I miss you baby girl!!! You made my whole year start off perfect!

Linking up today with
Sunday- Monday Meet Up
Still Being Molly
Take a Look Tuesday
GFC Blog Hop

Fffffriday already?!

linking up with

life rearranged

and

from my grey desk

 My high fives of the week.

1) I finally have my first niece! She was born on the 2nd and we are headed to Boston to love up on the little fatty! Baby love.

2) I got to spend time with so many of my favorites the past few weeks! My heart overdosed on good times(my stomach may have also...but let's not dwell)

3)The 'Skins beat the Cowboys!!!! HTTR. Long time coming. Sorry to all you Cowboy fans, but I was excited. I really hope they make it to the SB this year. and then I hope they lose to the Patriots;) haha I may root for the 'Skins, but I feel you can only be a true fan of one team. and for me...it's the Pats.

4)I got my first pair of Sperry's and so did my mom. She was so excited and so was I. Even better, I paid $21(read this post to see them) Now I just need to get used to flats. We shall see. Fingers crossed.

5)Playoff football starts this weekend...Yes

and some of my instagram photos from the week.

 My littlest nephew...Tyty, doing what he does best:

Hamming it up!

 Wiki and I took a break from all the "Holiday" food and indulged in some BBQ!

 My immediate family had out get together at my sister in laws.

 We somehow managed to fit in working some basketball games at Duke.

 Being photo bombed by the siisy in law, me and my girl Rhonda.

 Cupcakes at my favorite place in the "Burg, Sassafrost. Yummmmm.

 Fried Green Tomatoes at Market on Main.

 What is Christmas without some ice cream?!

  Woke up to this from Wiki on NYE, left it for me while he went to work.

My new shoes from Wiki...I love these. Like loooooovvvvveeee. 

Hope everyone has a great weekend. 

Cranberry Peach Mimosa and Ringing in 2013

We have been going and going lately. Since the end of November we have spent 10 days in Boston for Gobble Day and a baby shower, two days in the Yadkin Valley Wine Trail, five days in Virginia and tomorrow we head back to Boston to meet my new main squeeze, my niece! She is brand spankin' new. as in less than 24 hrs old. I am ecstatic!
Therefore, when we were deciding upon NYE plans...low key was the word! Plus, Wiki had to work till 5. Can you say "blah?" haha He has a good job, so I will not be starting off 2013 whining!

I cooked some chili and we ordered Chinese food. Wiki kept mentioning how it was a tradition to order take out didn't understand how had I never heard of it. Then he googled it and it is a tradition...in New England. And like all New Englanders, he just assumes everyone is like him;) haha But he kept mentioning how it was one of his favorite memories of childhood...how his parents, brother and nonni and nonno would come over and they would eat take out. It has been 3 years since our precious nonni has been dancing it up with Jesus and I can sense, even more lately, how much he misses her. It was fun to partake in this with him and am hoping we can translate it into our own yearly version. I did "Southern" it up a bit, lest you worry. haha 

My parents came down from Virgina and our really good friends, Elliot and Nicole came over w/their little guy, Blake. We watched Duck Dynasty and Pawn Stars. Hahahaha Keepin' it classy, folks, 100% classy. Nicole is my ASU friend I mentioned yesterday. They head back to Florida soon and are preparing for Spring Training and the upcoming baseball season. I kinda hate not seeing her as often:( Nicole is one of my all time favorite people. We have lots in common; We love green tea, dessert, shopping, reading awesome books and drinking gobs of a little wine;)

And for any future get togethers you may have, a perfect bubbly mimosa! And the cranberries made it festive...obviously.

white cranberry and peach juice
champagne/sparkling wine
fresh cranberries

 Drop a few cranberries in bottom of glass and then fill champagne glass 1/3 way with juice and top with the popped bubbly. Tip glass back and have yourself a grand ole time! You could also mix this up a bit, add peach schnapps or cranberry vodka, maybe peach sparkling wine. Really...I mean, how wrong can you go with any version?!

I used a moscato, yummy!

 

Cheers or Salud!!!

Da Mamma and me.

My Rachelle came by for just a bit

Da Mamma...so excited to get her first Sperry's

$24!

 I got in on the action too!

$21

Hope everyone has had a fabulous start to their New Year!