Charisa Darling

Friday 5!

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Fri, 08 Feb 2019 14:27:00 +0000

Vaughn chose these Valentine's to hand out to her classmates this year, which just occurred to me that it's the first time in her school career that they haven't been handmade. (And I'm totally OK with that!) In case you're still looking, they're from Peaceable Kingdom and ship fast from Amazon! (Looking for Valentine's Printables? I shared a bunch on my last post.)

I finally decided to try these Dark Chocolate Oreo's that I've been hearing so much about and they live up to the hype! They're so good!! If regular Oreo's are too sweet for you, these might just be the right combination. Worth giving them a shot!

Spotted these socks in Target and they instantly made me think of spring and warmer temps being (hopefully) right around the corner. The pink ruffle detail at the top is adorable!

Did anyone else take advantage of Pottery Barn's 40% off Bedding sale? New bedding has been on my wish list and I couldn't pass up this deal. Looking forward to getting everything washed and put on!

The weather here has been nuts - early last week the kids were out of school due to extreme cold and by the end of the week it was in the high 60's. The temps are dipping again today and for the weekend, so I it's the perfect time to make Vaughnie's favorite soup. It's Chicken Pot Pie soup from Edie at Life In Grace Blog. Give it a try if you need a new idea!

Cheers to Friday! Have a great weekend!

Printable Valentine's and Classroom Activities Roundup!

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Mon, 04 Feb 2019 18:40:00 +0000

This will be Vaughn's last year of passing out Valentine's to friends at school and she hasn't decided exactly what she wants to do yet. While I help her out with that, I thought I'd share some of the Valentine's Day printables and classroom activities that I've made in the past. Hope these can help you out!

Fortune Cookie Valentine's

Spectacular Valentine's

Jewel of a Friend Valentine's
(two different variations)

Mindcraft Valentine's

Mustache Valentine's...again

Fortune Teller Valentine's

(Can also be used for classroom party activity)

"Kissing Booth" Estimation Jar Printable for Classroom Party

Fox Valentine Box

Friday 5

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 12:54:00 +0000

Friday 5

Valentine's Day is the carrot that gets me through dreary January and I enjoy putting a few little decorations around the house. I picked up the pink and white versions of these placemats last year but was excited to see the white and black ones this year! Target $1 spot never disappoints!

I've written about these cookies before and I stand behind that they're the very best you'll ever eat. The cookies are massive and each batch only makes about 16 cookies, which means I need every. stinking. one of them. I made two batches for Justin to take to work for his annual cookie competition and fought off the kids pleading to have one. I did give in and let them split one (again - they're big!) but promised to make another batch next week just for us. If you have some time, check the link for the recipe!

I don't know what these purple flowers are, but they've been a nice touch mixed in with the greens of the eucalyptus. I try to pick some up every time I go to Trader Joe's because 1. it makes the house smell like a spa, 2. each bouquet is only $2.99, and 3. I need touches of living color when it's so cold and gray out! It really does perk things up. Give it a try!

Vaughn started bullet journaling, something I admire but could never do or keep up with. She's worked really hard on it and I'm amazed with her creativity! Google 'bullet journaling' to see what it's all about!

It's been a tough week for Minnie the faux mini goldendoodle. Freezing temps and rain have really put a hurting on her walks and overall outside time so she's taking in out on us. What is pictured are my AirPods (I know because of the tiny purple dot on each of them - we have to tag everything because kids) after Vance left them out of the case so he could charge his. (He lost his case so needs mine to charge his.) (Again, kids.) Later on that day, Minnie found another pair of earphones and destroyed those, boosting her life total for number of earphones eaten to a healthy 5 pairs. Because of this, and all the other stuff she's destroyed this week, she spent yesterday at dog school, reviewing her commands, playing with buddies, and working some aggression out on the treadmill. She came home dog tired and napped until it was time for bed. Now, that's the dog we wanted! 😁

Hope everyone has a great weekend! Cheers!

Friday 5

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Fri, 18 Jan 2019 13:03:00 +0000

Friday 5

I'm absolutely loving these cute and oh-so dainty gloves! The temps are low here and these help keep my cuticles in check and dress up any winter coat. Such a fun touch!

These little (literally - they're just about 4 inches long) brioche breads have been the perfect thing to shake up Vaughn's lunch box. She gets tired of taking the same thing everyday and these have spiced up her sandwich game this week. I stumbled onto them in the bakery section of our grocery store. I don't remember the brand but they're imported from France. Oui! Ooh La La!

I finally made my first appearance at the gym this year! After a too-long hiatus, it felt good to get a workout under my belt. Getting there is half the battle, but it's always rewarding afterwards.

I'm on a mad hunt to find the perfect LED lightbulb! Does such a thing exist? I keep buying armfuls of different brands and different brightness levels but they're always too blue or too yellow. The hunt continues but let me know if you have a favorite!

A new season of Schitt's Creek started this week and I couldn't be more excited! I love these characters and this type of dry humor. You can catch up on previous seasons on Netflix and the new series on the Pop TV channel.

Cheers to the weekend!

Friday 5: Hello 2019!

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 13:04:00 +0000

Friday 5

These awesome bracelets from BuDhaGirl have been a staple on my wrist since I got them for Christmas. They're lightweight, soundless, but most importantly, serve as way to set daily intentions. In the morning, you set an intention as each bangle goes on. At night, when each comes off, remind yourself to be grateful for the day. The creators have a lot to share and I enjoy reading their blog. Check them out!

I keep hearing of more and more people being taken over with some sort of nasty illness, so until that comes to a halt, everyone in this house gets a daily tablespoon of elderberry syrup. We're too busy to let the germs win! Wiping down doorknobs and light switches helps too, but I like knowing I'm doing something from the inside to boost my immunity. As a plus, the syrup takes the bite out of apple cider vinegar and makes it more tolerable. Win-win! What do you do when you feel a cold coming on?

Surprise! We got a dog. Minnie is a mini goldendoodle, as cute as can be, and while I'm still on the fence about her presence, I vowed to always keep her in a cute collar. Here's her Valentine's Day collar that just arrived. Please share if you have any favorite Etsy sites for collars or slides!

I wanted to share one of my go-to dinner recipes. It's fast, simple, and everyone in this house gives it a thumbs up. The recipe is from the The Recipe Critic and is easy to tailor to your likes and needs - I use chicken thighs instead of breasts, sometimes follow her recipe to bread the chicken, sometimes not, and throw in some other roasted veggies. A little prep work, 30 minutes in the oven, and dinner is done with only 2 sheet pans to clean.

If you're needing something to watch this weekend, try Escape at Dannemora. I think it was fantastic! It's a true prison break story, Patricia Arquette just won a Golden Globe for her role in it, and was directed by Ben Stiller. They tried to keep it as true to life as possible, even filming at the prison and several other locations where the action really went down.

Forecasts are calling for a lot of snow this weekend and everyone is buzzing about it. I'm hoping they're right and wouldn't mind a snow day! What are your big plans? Whatever they are, hope you have a great weekend!

Cheers!

It's Time to Start Again

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Wed, 09 Jan 2019 20:36:00 +0000

Happy New Year!

One of my resolutions is to CREATE more, so I figured it was time to come back to blogging.

I miss writing.

I miss reading other bloggers.

(Can we start a comeback to what blogging was like 15 years ago?)

I'm still figuring out all the details, but I remembered my Blogger password, so that's a start!

Looking forward to being back!

Grateful & Thankful Printable

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 16:03:00 +0000

I know Thanksgiving is next week and my timing for this printable is a wee bit late, but nonetheless, if you're needing a little touch to your decor, here it is. Just print, trim, and place.

I'm in shock by how quickly November is flying by, but you better believe I cannot wait for next week to get here and spend time with family. Gobble, gobble everyone!

Click HERE to print.

Psst...If you're needing place cards - click HERE!

Pumpkin Watercolor Printable

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Tue, 19 Sep 2017 15:39:00 +0000

If your fall decor is lacking, here's an easy option to spice things up a bit. Just print and place. 😉

Click on the HERE to be taken to the link for the printables.

Happy Fall!

House Update: All Major Work is Done, Son!

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 12:15:00 +0000

The painters finished up on Tuesday around noon and I can't tell you how excited I am to finally have the house back. Morning coffee in the kitchen! Not eating breakfast and lunch in my bedroom! Explaining once again to the kids that they can't have friends over because of the toxic paint fumes! I can do laundry any time of day and not get in anyone's way! All reasons to be celebrated!

While there's still a list of stuff left to be done (lighting, rugs, door hardware, furniture)

I'm overjoyed to say the major work is complete and we couldn't be happier! The improvements make the house feel more like us, something we've never had in our past 3 homes.

While we couldn't make the island wider, we extended it to make it longer and who knew that a foot would have made such a big difference?! I love the having the extra work space and it's just as nice to have another place to tuck a barstool because even though the island is small, everyone ends up gathering there.

This middle area used to be a desk, which no one used and felt dated, so we opted to install another cabinet for storage. Still waiting on the doors to be delivered.

Before: orange and dark.

I couldn't find a before picture of the stairs, but they were the same orangey oak that matched the kitchen and stood out like a sore thumb next to the floors. We didn't want to undertake a whole stair redo (maybe in the future), so we chose to have them glazed. Glazing is much cheaper than stripping, and while it's hard to get a good shot of the color, they turned out great! No more orange and the brown tone blends with the new floors.

Another item to be refinished was the kitchen table. A square fits best in our kitchen and I couldn't find a new table that I liked as much, so I found someone who could bring it back to life. Again, out with the orange! Like the blue folding chairs?!? I'm still on the hunt for new chairs...stay tuned!

The table before is was refinished. Still going strong after 16 years!

Looking forward to the weekend! Hope you all have a good one too!

Cheers!

Kitchen Progress Pictures!

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 09:49:00 +0000

Over these past 3 months, I've learned that most things don't go right the first, second, or even third time around when it comes to remodeling. Surprises are always around the corner which leads to setbacks. What's been getting us through this stress? One, choosing the best companies and having faith in them. Two, having a really good sense of humor and three, copious amounts of alcohol. We've had more than our fair share of complications, but it's all working out and we're loving the end results. Since we're in the home stretch now, I thought I'd share some before/after pictures. Next up is cabinet painting, stair refinishing, and then wall paint! Can't wait!

Hope everyone has a great 4th of July!

Cheers!

Kitchen before:

New floors:

Old granite tops:

New quartz tops:

Old window before:

Old sliding door before:

New sliding door after:

New window after:

Here's a comparison. Not only does the new window let in more light, it fills up the awkward wall space. (Yes, the new one opens - awning style.)

New backsplashes:

There wasn't enough of the quartz slab left to do full height backsplashes here, so I opted for a 2" splash and then subway tile to the top.

.......

Friday 5: School's Out!

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Fri, 26 May 2017 13:10:00 +0000

Last weekend we were out of town for one of Vance's baseball tournaments. After being seated in the hotel restaurant for breakfast one morning, the waitress came over, looked directly at me, and kept saying, "Are you?...Are you?...Are you?" until I interrupted and said, "Am I what"? She stammered around for a bit before saying, "Are you their mom or their sister?" referring to the kids. Turns out she didn't know whether to offer me coffee or juice (because adults only drink coffee and kids only drink juice) and that's how she chose to go about it, not just ask what we'd like to drink.

I know I look young, but I'm feeling pretty O L D right now because as of yesterday, I'm officially the mom of a 7th and a 4th grader. Next thing I know I'll be planning a high school graduation party and that scares the bejesus out of me. They're getting older, yes, but the fact that they still can't seem to remember to brush their teeth and are at times scared to go to the basement alone, keeps them young in my heart and mind. I'm looking forward to not over booking them with camps this summer and to just enjoy time together. Party on, Wayne!

L O V E this new shirt.

I bought this hat to keep the sun off my face (because I'm old and have been noticing more sun spots), but turns out he keeps the rain off just as well. (See below)

Vance's tournament last weekend saw more rain than it did sun, but we made the best out of it!

I'm on a mad hunt for rugs and chairs! Let me know if you have a great source for either!

A friend from the bus stop made these awesome last day treats for all the mom's. (Thanks again, Jen!) On top is a shower bomb, which I can't wait to try out! Up to this point, I had only heard of bath bombs. Have you heard of them before???

Just like last year, we silly stringed the kids when they got off the bus, which is always fun. Thinking we need to switch it up next year with water balloons and squirt guns!

Vance's birthday is this weekend and I'm looking forward to celebrating, watching him play some baseball, and especially spending time with family over the holiday weekend. Hope you have a great weekend as well.

Cheers!

Friday 5: Week 3 of Construction

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Fri, 12 May 2017 14:57:00 +0000

The house has been buzzing with workers, so I've been trying to stay out during the day. I've basically been splitting time between running random errands (like having my wedding rings polished) and going to the gym. My arms are just now feeling normal after big ball day in Pilates on Monday, which I'm taking as a sign I need to keep it up at the gym even after construction is over.

What a difference bigger trim makes! Floors are mostly done and now trim and door casings are starting to go up.

Counters are in and look great! Waiting on backsplashes and cabinet painting now.

Construction isn't the only thing keeping us busy - the kids have had a full week of activities and games too. Vance was inducted to the National Junior Honors Society! There were only 23 kids inducted this year at his school and we couldn't be prouder of his hard work!

I didn't get any pictures of Vaughn at her softball games this week, but was lucky to catch Vance on the mound and the Flower Moon in this picture.

Another busy weekend ahead with softball and baseball games, but am looking forward to it! Happy Mother's Day to all the Mama's out there! Cheers!

Friday Five: The Past 3 Weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Fri, 05 May 2017 11:35:00 +0000

A little bit of what's been keeping me away from here lately.

Baseball games

Numerous trips to Home Depot

The floors are being redone at the house and we're constantly looking for reasons to get out of the construction zone, so brunch at a fun, new place.

A couple of hold-ups with the flooring has put us behind schedule, which has meant staying out of the house more, but we're back on track now. Smooth sailing from here, fingers crossed!

New stress reliever because of above mentioned hold-ups

Celebrating Vaughn's 9th birthday!

To add to everything, the kids have been off of school all week due to flooding in nearby areas. This has been the worst week to have the kids home because of the construction and not being able to move freely throughout the house. Things are looking up though - the water is beginning to recede, no more rain in the forecast, the sun is shining, and it's Cinco de Mayo! Gonna be a great weekend!

Cheers!

Friday Five: Easter Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 13:24:00 +0000

Another busy week with house and kid stuff! The kid's had a half day of school yesterday and no school today, and I'm looking forward to some downtime this weekend with the fam. What else has been going on? Well, picking a white paint color is always harder than it sounds, had to take back Vaughn's jersey to have it fixed since they forgot the 'n', Muffins with Mom at Vaughn's school yesterday morning, prepping eggs for dyeing, and looking forward to Easter celebrations including more cascarones. Messy but so fun! Hope you all enjoy the weekend too.

Cheers!

If Money Were No Object...

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Fri, 07 Apr 2017 12:32:00 +0000

We're getting ready to have some renovations done to our house and the word budget has been popping up a lot lately, so I thought it'd be fun to make a wish list of items that are just the opposite. Yup, all of these items from DECASO are out of my budget, but as a fan of the arts, I still love to look at these beautiful antiques and designer pieces. It's worth a look if you're looking for something unique!

1. Lichtenstein Poster

2. Champagne Prop Bottles (Used as a tool to show buyers the actual size of bottles)

3. Ceramic Planters

4. Bowles Painting

5. Green Lacquered Credenza

6. Bird Plate

Happy Friday, everyone! Cheers to the weekend!

Get a Grip!

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Tue, 14 Mar 2017 12:50:00 +0000

New hardwood floors are in our near future which has me thinking about rugs. I'm going to need quite a few area rugs soon, which also means I'm going to need just as many rug pads too.

My house sees a lot of action. There's always kids running around and seeing this drives me nuts:

This is the rug in the foyer and it's always out of whack, showing the ugly non-slip pad underneath. The current pad doesn't grip well and with more rugs in my future, I don't want a house full of this situation.

If you've been with me for awhile, then you know my history with smelly rugs. I have a very strong sense of smell and buying rugs and rug pads makes me nervous because so many have a chemical or rubber odor that I can't live with. However, I'm happy to say that I've found an answer. Which is a relief, because really, who wants to spend a lot of time on rug pads? Not me.

I tried a new company, RugPadUSA, that promised a rug pad without a smell. They use ethically sourced materials - no chemicals, adhesives, or bonding agents. The pads are made in the USA, can be trimmed to your exact measurements, ship for free, and the customer service team can help advise which rug pad that's perfect for your needs.

Since I've switched to this rug pad, I haven't had to fix my rug once and there's no smell. Win-win! While I'm still on the hunt for area rugs, I know exactly where I'll be ordering the pads from.

RugPadUSA is offering a 5% discount on top of their current sale with the code charisa123 for today only! I encourage everyone to get a grip and take advantage of this discount!

*I was given this product for free, but all opinions are my own.

Friday 5

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Fri, 24 Feb 2017 13:24:00 +0000

- 5 things from the week -

First things first, Happy Oscars to everyone! It's my favorite award show, and even though I'll miss most of the red carpet this year, you better believe I'll be right on time for the opening act with a glass of bubbly in my hand! Here's a printable ballot if you'd like to play along too.

I made Living with Landyn's Avocado Chicken Salad this week for a quick dinner and it was so good. Will definitely make it again!

Photo by: Living with Landyn

I was happy to find this all white candle, with a light citrusy scent, at Target. It's exactly what my coffee table needed.

Allergy medicine and eye drops have been my lifeline this week. I'm loving the warmer temps, but my allergies are definitely paying a price for the trees starting to do their thang.

In an effort to declutter, I'm finally throwing the kids baby bedding out and it's definitely pulling at my heart strings. Oh, how I loved these Dwell polka dots, but it's time, and they need the closet space.

We celebrated Vance and his induction to his school's National Honor Society this week. So proud of him and his hard work! (Kicking myself now because I didn't take a better picture that night!)

Happy weekend! Cheers!

Friday 5

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Fri, 17 Feb 2017 14:26:00 +0000

: 5 things from the week :

Kicked the week off with the Grammy's and a little champagne. Literally. These mini's are perfect for so many occasions!

Loving this picture by George Steinmetz, that was voted the best of National Geographic. Zoom on in.

I normally don't wear maroon, but this shirt grabbed my attention and it was a win. Bonus is that it'll be warm enough to wear short sleeves this weekend!

Anyone else fed up with Nike Free's? They never last long for Vance, but his pair wore out in record time - less than 3 weeks. ☹️

My traveling hubby missed Valentine's Day, so I'm looking forward to a re-do this weekend. I picked up bundtlet's for us, but hid Justin's in the fridge for when he gets home. Here's hoping the kids haven't found it and eaten it yet!

Hope you all have a great weekend! Cheers!!

The Best $15 to Spend in the Kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 13:53:00 +0000

Hands down, this is the best $15 that I've spent in the kitchen, and no, this is not a paid advertisement.

Years ago, I used to get similar boxes at Sam's, but they stopped selling them and since then I've been wrestling with plastic wrap. Uneven tears, sharp box lids, rolls falling out of the stinking boxes, and the unnecessary frustration that comes with it all. No more! This little slicer makes it so easy! Oh, and hold on to your seats, they make them for parchment paper and foil too. Treat yo self!

(It's made by Chicwrap and I got mine from Amazon.)

Valentine's Day Printables Roundup!

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Thu, 02 Feb 2017 19:00:00 +0000

Sharing a roundup of some of the Valentine's Day printables and classroom activities that I've made in the past. Hope these can help you out!

Fortune Cookie Valentine's

Spectacular Valentine's

Jewel of a Friend Valentine's
(two different variations)

Mindcraft Valentine's

Mustache Valentine's...again

Fortune Teller Valentine's

(Can also be used for classroom party activity)

"Kissing Booth" Estimation Jar Printable for Classroom Party

Fox Valentine Box

Gettin' Hygge With It

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 13:11:00 +0000

I first heard of hygge a couple of years ago, and since then, I've been hooked. I love the mindset and the practice of finding comforting ways of getting through the winter. Most activities are simple, like making a good meal and sharing it with friends and the intent is to give you something to look forward to so you're not focusing on the cold and the darkness. Hygge is different for each person, so today I thought I'd share how I get hygge with it.

{Actually, it's pronounced more like hue-gah, but it's close enough for me. Na na na na na na na nana...}

1. I put plants everywhere inside, since outside is so brown and blah. It makes me happy since to see the green.

2. I like to find new winter dishes to try. I'll be making this Veggie Chili from Running on Veggies this weekend.

3. As a family, we make the most of our Amazon Prime/Netflix/HBO Go accounts and explore new shows to watch and to look forward to. The kid's are loving Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events and Gortimer Gibbons (a plus, both are tolerable for parents!). I've loved Cafe Society, Lars and the Real Girl, and Schitt's Creek, just to name a few. I'm needing a new series to start, let me know what your fave is!

4. I find comfort in having the space around me tidy and cozy. Kids, clean UP your stuff! Fires in the fireplace, comfy throws, and my favorite candles.

5. The harsh temps and dry winter air wreaks havoc on my skin, so finding products that keep my skin happy is a must. Soothe 2 and 3 work miracles for the dryness and redness on my face, and I'm always within arms reach of cuticle cream and a good hand cream. This Tarte highlighter palette is great for adding just a touch of brightness, since who knows how long it'll be until we see the sun again. 😉

Here's hoping for an early spring!

Friday 5

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 13:22:00 +0000

Big hearts are back in stock, and today I'm working on little ones to add to the shop just in time for Valentine's day. They're the perfect little something to send.

Ice storm one day, mid 50's the next. It's typical St. Louis weather and yet I still can't get used to it. Thankful for the birds chirping this morning and the forecasted sun on Saturday.

Trying to decide if Bullet Journaling is for me...

Been battling a cold this week, so here's to a healthier next week!

cheers!

Lucky Foods for New Years Day

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Fri, 30 Dec 2016 14:30:00 +0000

Can't believe 2016 is almost over! It's been a great year, but I have a feeling 2017 will be even better!! To make sure luck is on our side in the new year, we always eat our lucky foods on New Years Day. For my family, that means pork, sauerkraut, and black eyed peas. This year pork carnitas, green chili corn casserole, jalapeño sauerkraut, Texas Caviar, and a great bottle of champagne will be on the menu.

Here's to a great another great year! Cheers, everyone!

Happy Holidays 2016!

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Fri, 23 Dec 2016 14:25:00 +0000

Hoping your holidays are filled with brightness, love, and light.

Wishing you the best as you cap off 2016.

Cheers!!

Santa's Magic Key Printable...Again

noreply@blogger.com (Charisa) — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 16:00:00 +0000

Reposting this from 2014. I love this idea to ease curious minds about how Santa will get in if there's no chimney or fireplace.

Here's the link for the printable and the how to.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!