I'm Talkin Pedicure on our Toes, Toes

You know- if I owned a black leotard and a pumpkin head I would be very happy to distribute candy to unsuspecting trick or treaters in this get up.  It's probably best for all involved parties that I don't!  Happy Halloween!  xo, Brie

Serendipity Books

Not sure WHAT made me think of these books today but they were my all time favorites when I was little.  Just looking at the covers make me happy in a nostalgic way.  Did anyone read these in the 70's?  I can't wait to see if the library has them!  My favorites were the Gnome From Nome, Hucklebug, Creole, The Muffin Muncher, and The Wheedle on the Needle.  xo, Brie

Post it Notes

Again, I'm so late to the 21st century... but do any of use the desktop post it/sticky notes?  You can make little reminders and stick them all over your computer desktop - I have two versions, one you have to hand write with the mouse (which I hate) and one you can type (love it!)  It has truly changed my life for the better!  I just searched it out on my computer and it was there!   Check it out... xo, Brie

An Easy Fall/Winter Dinner

Making a dinner that everyone likes in this house is no easy task.  One young man in particular (who shall remain nameless but he knows who he is) hates EVERYTHING!!!
Believe it or not, this is one dinner in my house that everyone likes and looks forward to.  I've created some easy shortcuts too so with a little planning in the morning, it is very possible to get this on the table even on a busy sports night.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie (this recipes serves 6)

4 chicken breasts
box of chicken broth
1/2 cup flour
4 tbsp butter
splash of heavy cream
bag of frozen peas/carrots
pepperidge farm puff pastry shells (or sheets)

The morning of, I put 4 pretty much frozen solid chicken breasts in the crockpot and go on my merry way for the day. 

4 hours later they are fully cooked and falling apart

I transfer them to a bowl or something b/c some weird juices accumulate in the bottom of the crockpot and want those out :)  I clean the crock pot and put the chicken back into it (crockpot is off now or you can put to warm if you want to assemble the rest later)  and shred it all up with 2 forks. 

Start preheating your oven to 400 to cook the puff pastry

In a pot on the stove melt 4 tbsp of butter and then add flour - stir it around a bit to "cook" the flour

Add the whole box of chicken broth and whisk until thick, add that splash of cream for color and richness now

You can pop in your puff pastry now if the oven is preheated (please don't focus on my gnarly cookie sheet)

Add your chicken and about half a medium bag of the frozen peas/carrots and stir until everything is cooked through and no longer frozen.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Beep, Beep, Beep - puff pastry is done in about 20 min (again no looking at the gnarly cookie sheet)

Scoop and serve over the puff pastry shell and put the puff pastry hat on top if you are feeling fancy :)

Bon Appetit!  xo, Brie

Holy Flashback

This song just came on my ipod - I had totally forgotten about it!  I had a flashback to my old college workplace Saxa Sundries :)  xo, Brie

Complete Salon Manicure

It's been 10 days since my last blog post?  Yowza - I'm in full production mode for Keeks and Brie as we are about to enter the trenches of back to back to back to back boutique shows.  We need to arrive with lots of product that we will hopefully be saying "goodbye" to ;)   Each year I vow I will build up tons of inventory during the summer and can never seem to make that happen! 

Have you tried this Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure?  It's amazing and I give it my highest recommendations!  Only $7.00 a bottle and lots of nice colors!  My current fall selection - Pedal to the Metal.  Love it!  xo, Brie

Sending you on a Blog Field Trip

A friend of mine posted a link to this great blog on facebook today.  In the wake of these bullying/suicide cases that are all over the news and most recently right in our neighborhood at Rutger's University, I can't help but be troubled.  I feel like the pressures on our kids are so much more than the pressures I certainly felt growing up.  I feel like it's bigger than me and often overly complicated.  

As troubled as I am by any kind of bullying in general and all the mean girl crap- I've sounded off about it before and I'm sure I'll do it again.... I've got zero tolerance for it.  I am equally, if not more troubled that so many teens are turning to suicide as their way out/answer to their problems.  The real problem lies there, we need to assist our kids with coping skills and seeking out support.... I love what Vicky Bell so simply and so beautifully. xo, Brie

Halloween Costumes

I hesitated whether or not I should share this due to its seedy underlying subliminal message but I have decided to throw caution to the wind because it's one of those stories I don't want to forget and I need it in print.

My 10 year old was browsing through one of the Halloween costume catalogs that came in the mail. He's been walking around with it in his clutch like he does every Sept/Oct as he changes his mind every other day.

His original suggestion was this

yeah RIGHT - I am not interested in raising a young Juggalo (that's a devote follower of Insane Clown Posse) even if it's only for a day.   I can't even believe this sort of thing would even appeal to him but I think they are at that weird 4th grade age where they want to be "cool" and certainly don't want to be mistaken for being a "baby".  Suspicions were confirmed when I suggested a normal clown which was met with a sneer and a "are you kidding me?"  I will take your concerns into consideration but please know, you are not being an Insane Clown.   Even your run of the mill circus clown is high on my creep meter and this guy is just off the charts.  It's a NO, end of story, moving on.

Now he's back to the catalog, intently leafing through and asks if he can be a banana.  A banana?  A somewhat odd choice but certainly an improvement over Penny Wise up there.  He tells us he has seen other bananas on Halloween and he really thinks this banana has a funny face.   Before the big reveal I really want you to know he has NO IDEA that there is anything odd about this banana costume.  The name of this costume is the Nasty Banana.......... so without further ado, I give you, the Nasty Banana

I wish you could have seen my husband's face when he showed him.  Again, an emphatic NO.  My son goes to our local catholic school and on Halloween they have a big parade in the front.  To make matters worse, because he is in 4th grade and an "older" kid, he will have a little kindergartner in tow as his buddy in the parade.  The thought of Nasty Banana parading around school escorting a little one sent me into a fit of laughter at least 3 or 4 times yesterday. 

So it's back to the drawing board - can't we go back to simpler times when being Santa and Ronald McDonald were "cool"?

Show and Tell

I have been having a very hard time keeping Ms. C out of my closet.  She loves shoes, the higher the heels, the better.

Early this am we all got to enjoy the smooth sounds of her clomping through the foyer in her school uniform and my old heeled short black boots.   She announces she will wear them to school in the name of show and tell.  I sadly had to break it to her that that was not happening.  She pleaded with me to change my mind about this, which I did not.   Her biggest argument was - I just want to show my class the boots daddy wore when he got married!

I came very close to letting her bring them in after that :)  xo, Brie

another "surprise" self portrait found on the camera