Baby, it's cold outside!

After a warm week last week, Mother Nature has brought us some chilly weather for the weekend.  While summer clothes are fun and flirty, there is something about winter clothing that feels so elegant and timeless.  These are two looks I saw on Pinterest that I am dying over.  They make me want this weather to stick around for a while!

Isn't this coat gorgeous?!  I would love to know who makes it if anyone has any ideas!!

Link

This look is so simple and so put together.  And her hair is spectacular.  

The other thing I love about winter is how cute Jane looks all snuggled up in her "Snug as a Bug" sack.  

Hope you find something stylish or snuggly to keep you warm!

Tasty Tuesdays: Lemon Wedge Jello Shots

Photo and Recipe Courtesy of E is for Eat

I don't know about yall, but all I can think about is the sports week ahead of us here in New Orleans.  It all starts tonight with the Sugar Bowl.  There are tons of Michigan and Virginia Tech fans swarming the city.  I love watching all of the coverage of sporting events hosted here.  The city always looks its very best.  

By this weekend, there will be black and gold as far as the eye can see.  The Saints take on the Lions Saturday  night on prime time in the wild card playoff game.  I spent the evening adding a little black and gold flourish to a gold sequin fedora I plan to wear to the game.  Who dat!!!!

And on Monday, the most hyped rematch in college football history will pair LSU against Alabama.  It'll be a home game for the bayou bengals.  Geaux Tigers!

With all of these visions of tailgates dancing in my head, I could not help but share a clever twist on a tailgating staple - the jello shot.  First of all, the presentation couldn't be cuter, and the thought of turning a traditional lemon jello shot up a notch by using sweet tea vodka or whipped cream vodka is just fantastic!

Lemon Meringue or Arnold Palmer Jello Shots

Use lemon peels as vessels for two delicious lemon jello shot combinations.

Ingredients

6-10 lemons (depending on size)
1 (3 ounce) package of lemon jello (I used sugar free)
1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup vodka (use whipped cream vodka for lemon meringue, use sweet tea vodka for Arnold Palmers, or use citrus vodka for classic lemon drops)**
1/4 cup cold water*
*to make stronger shots, use a full cup of vodka and omit the cold water

Instructions

Cut each lemon in half, and carefully juice them without tearing the peel. (Save the juice for another recipe or a marinade).

Hollow out each half, taking care not to puncture the peel. Place the halves in a muffin pan to help keep them stabilized while setting.

Make the jello according to package directions, except in place of the cup of cold water, substitute 3/4 cup of whipped cream vodka (for lemon meringue) or sweet tea vodka (for Arnold Palmers), along with 1/4 cup of cold water. Transfer to something with a pouring spout (such as a liquid measuring cup) to make for easier filling. Fill each lemon half and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Once the jello is completely set, use a sharp knife to slice into wedges and serve.

**(Note: the photos are of the Lemon Meringue flavor. Because of the "tea" color of the sweet tea vodka, the Arnold Palmers will have more of a golden/reddish hue to them).

Jane's Newborn Photo Session with Twirl Photography

Well, hello blogger!  I have missed you.  My computer decided to take a winter break and freeze (literally) to death.  You know when you see that rainbow circle swirling around that you're in trouble.  It was stuck in limbo for the last ten days.  We finally figured out how to solve the problem, and I feel so relieved to have access to the world of blogging again.  

I have been meaning to share some of Jane's photos from her newborn photo session with the lovely, talented, and wonderfully patient Jennifer Zdon of Twirl Photography.  Jennifer spent three hours with us on Jane's fifth day of life to help us document how sweet those early moments are.  Jennifer has a way of soothing a baby into the most peaceful and restful sleep and also making moms and dads feel completely at ease during the session.  She captured moments of Jane that we will treasure forever.  Jane has grown so much already since her session making me so incredibly grateful to Jennifer for the time she spent with our family.  I cannot wait for her to join us again when Jane turns six months old!!

This is Jane's birth announcement photo!

Jane in the blanket her Nana made for her.

Jane and her Daddy

Jane and her Mommy

I will never have to forget just how small her little finger were...

I could look at these all day!

To check out more of Jennifer's photos, please visit her website http://www.twirlphotography.com/

Tasty Tiger Treats

My sister has been busy in the kitchen baking up cake balls for some LSU Tiger fans who are already planning their tailgates for next week's BCS Championship.  

Here in New Orleans and looking for the perfect thing to bring to your tailgate?  Checkout her facebook page for flavor options and ordering information!!!  

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stephanies-Cake-Balls/161938160520601

Holiday Dishes: Sparkling Sugar Cranberry Brie Bites

Photo and recipe courtesy of Yummy Mummy Kitchen

I have found Pinterest to be the best holiday planning tool!  The number of amazing and creative ideas people post on there are too many to count.  I saw this one and thought it was a beautiful presentation that feels so festive!  And who doesn't love the decadence of brie at the holidays?!  

Just add a glass of champagne and you have a very fancy start to any holiday party!

Sparkling Cranberry Brie Bites 

makes about 16 

Sugared Cranberries 

2 cups fresh cranberries 

1 cup good maple syrup

1 cup granulated sugar

Rinse cranberries and place in a medium bowl. Heat syrup in a small sauce pan just until warm. Pour over cranberries when syrup is warm, not hot, or cranberries may pop. Cool, cover, and let soak in the refrigerator overnight. 

Drain cranberries in a colander. Place sugar in a large bowl or baking dish. Add cranberries in 2 batches and roll around until lightly coated in sugar. Place on a baking sheet until dry, about 1 hour. 

16 crackers

8 oz Brie cheese

cranberry chutney or cranberry relish

fresh mint for garnish

Assemble crackers with one slice of brie, a light layer of cranberry chutney, and 4 or 5 sugared cranberries. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs. 

Tasty Tuesdays: Pecan Sandies

I mentioned a few posts back that we have been thinking about ideas for traditions that we could start with Jane.  Traditions have always been very important in my family, and Mark and I are so excited to create new ones.  Recently, I saw on a blog post an idea that I fell in love with.  The blogger and her family spend Christmas Eve baking cookies for Santa.  Every person got to pick their favorite cookie to make for ole Saint Nick.  I love the thought of a family filled kitchen!!    

Even though we still have a few weeks until Christmas Eve arrives, I have been scrouing the web for cookie recipes that sound perfect for the occasion.  After going through several "cookie of the day" options on Martha Stewart's website, I arrived at one for Pecan Sandies that sounded delicious and easy to prepare.  Even more perfect, I currently have all of these ingredients in my fridge and pantry - and you probably do too.  I love a recipe that is full of flavor but has basic, always-in-the-cupboard, ingredients.  I think this might be my cookie choice for 2011!!

Pecan Sandies 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in vanilla and salt. With mixer on low, gradually add flour, beating just until combined. Fold in pecans.
2. Roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls, and place on two baking sheets, 2 inches apart. With the dampened bottom of a glass, lightly flatten each ball.
3. Bake until cookies are golden brown, 15 to 17 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer to wire racks, and let cool.

Do you have any Christmas traditions that you love?

Dear Jane: Welcome to the World

Dear Jane,

It has been two whole weeks since we welcomed you into our world.  In some ways it seems like just yesterday, and in others, its hard to remember our lives without you.   I thought I'd tell you the story of the day/night we welcomed you into the world.

On Sunday, November 20th, I woke up feeling not much different than I had the day before.  I felt achy in my lower back and hips, a lot of weightiness in those areas as well, and I was growing more and more anxious to deliver.  As we got closer to my 41 week mark, I was getting nervous that I would not go into spontaneous labor and would have to be induced.  There's nothing wrong with that, but I was truly hoping it would happen on its own.

So we woke up Sunday morning, and we decided to walk until I could walk no more.  When walking, I would actually have contractions.  Once I was rested - none!  So daddy and I walked for an hour and took a break.  Then grandpa, grandpa and your aunt joined us for a walk to Laurel Street Bakery.  More rest.  A little football.  Another walk around the neighborhood.  We threw in some spicy Popeye's chicken for good measure.

Finally, around five thirty, daddy and mommy went for one last walk.  We walked for a little over an hour, and I had random mild contractions throughout the walk but nothing constant.  So, we stopped into Whole Foods to pick up a few things for dinner.  About five minutes after we got home, I heard a little "pop" and felt a sudden gush of fluid.  I ran to daddy and shouted "I think my water just broke!"

At that point, we started rushing around to prepare ourselves for the trip to the hospital.  Daddy straightened up the house and finished packing his bag.  I showered, dried and straightened my hair, and put on make up.  About halfway through doing these things, my contractions were strengthening and increasing in intensity so I told daddy we had to go - NOW!!

Daddy very patiently drove us to the hospital after asking our friends and neighbors to look after Beignet.  By this point, my contractions were becoming unbearable.  I wanted an epidural more than I've wanted anything before.  Even though we had called ahead and gotten directions to get us to the ER, we ended up in the wrong garage and had to turn around in a hurry!  It was not funny then, but it's funny now to think about Daddy getting turned around.

Daddy dropped me off in the ER to get checked in around 8:15.  By 8:30, they had checked me, and I was four to five centimeters dilated.  Around ten to nine, they gave me my fluids and antibiotics and told me the epidural would be administered in about a half hour.  I could not imagine having to bear the contractions for another 30 minutes, but sure enough that time indeed passed and the second the epidural came, I felt the kind of relief I've heard other moms talk about.  Ahhhh...

My epidural had kicked in so I was feeling wonderful and very excited!!

I was checked again around 9:15 and was six cm and progressing rapidly, so we visited with grandma, grandpa, aunt S and uncle m.  By about 10:30 when they checked me again, I was 8-9 cm.  At that point, they showed me how to push and prepared me for what I would need to do once Dr. Champlin arrived.  It was all happening so fast, I couldn't believe it.

I expected to be laboring into the wee hours of the morning, and instead, I was preparing to push!  At around 12:15, I was complete, and I pushed through three contractions with the nurses.  By 12:30, Dr. Champlin arrived and administered pushing through one contraction.  Then I pushed through the next.  And just before the next push he said "Let's meet this baby."  It was a surreal moment.  In just seconds I was going to push for the last time and see your sweet face and learn your gender.

I took a deep breath and before you know it you had arrived.  What a truly magical moment.  To see you for the first time took my breath away.  Daddy said, "So...  what is it?," and the nurse, nurse's aid, and Dr. Champlin called out in unison, "It's a girl!!!"  We were speechless.  We were both convinced you were a boy.

Love at first sight...

After I held you, they took you away for a bath and then gave you to daddy.  To see him hold you was the most amazing moment of my life so far.  It was the purest love I've ever seen and made me love daddy more than I ever thought possible.  Neither of us had ever seen something as perfect as you, and we were in awe of your little face and fingers and toes.  To say that you are a miracle is nothing short of the truth.  We continue every day to be thankful for you, Baby Jane.  To watch you grow is the greatest gift in the world.

Daddy's girl

Love you more each day,

Mommy and Daddy