Steph's Pick - a Christmas List

Ready or not - that time of year is just around the corner! Like usual, I've already been asked by a few people what I want for Christmas. Generally I have such a hard time trying to think of things that I want for Christmas. However, this year, thanks to a suggestion by my friend Michelle, I've been keeping a Christmas list in my purse for the past few months. That way anytime I come across something that I want I add it to the ongoing list. It's great! Much less stress.
That's why I thought I'd add this tip as my "Steph's Pick" for the week. Anything to help the holidays be less stressful and more joyful!

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Home from our cruise!

Well we returned safe and sound on Monday night from a great get-away weekend. As I said in my previous post, Jess and I have been talking about taking a vacation together for the past two years but just got around to doing it last weekend.
The weekend was filled with a ton of great memories - the best being the amount of rest and sleep that we got! It was unbelievable how exhausted both of us were. With an inside cabin room (no lights) you would have easily found us asleep at 9 pm each night!!!
We did have one stop - Ensenada, Mexico. Although we did get off the boat for a total of 45 or so minutes, the city itself wasn't much to write home about. The other days were spent poolside with a book in hand.
On Monday we were able to disembark around 8 am so we made arrangements to sit down at the Long Beach Starbucks while we waited for the LA traffic to die down. After waiting a couple hours we were off to UCLA to meet up with some old friends, Josh and Rochelle. While in Westwood we relaxed some more and enjoyed the last few hours of conversation before Rochelle and Jess dropped me off at LAX to fly home to Phoenix.
It really was an incredible weekend. Jess - thanks for taking time out of your crazy schedule to spend a weekend with me! You're the best!

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a cruise...

We've always talked about it - but we're finally doing it! My dear friend, Jess, and I are leaving from Long Beach, CA tomorrow morning for a short 3-day "Girls Weekend" cruise. It is sure to be a great time!!! I'll be sure to post photos as soon as we're back. Bon Voyage!!!

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Steph's Pick - Nutty Peanut Butter Caramel Bars

Add this one to your holiday baking file.... mouth-watering Nutty Peanut Butter Caramel Bars. Don't they look heavenly :)

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups pecan halves
14 ounces unwrapped caramels
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 ounces milk chocolate chips
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter. Beat in egg until well combined.In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Pour into sugar mixture and beat until dough forms.Scoop out dough into a 15x10" baking pan and press it out to fill the pan. Scatter pecans evenly over dough. Bake for 10 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Set on a wire rack.In a heavy small saucepan, add caramels and milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.Drizzle caramel mixture over pecans. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let cool completely and cut into bars

If any of you make this treat - comment below. I haven't had a chance to try it yet. :)

(Recipe by Desert Culinary and Photo by Hostess of the Mostess & Desert Culinary)

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we're going to be an aunt and uncle!

I realize most of you know that Alan's brother, Nick and his wife, Abby are expecting in January. However, I thought I'd make the official "Flies Blend" blog announcment! Nick and Abby were in AZ this past weekend spending some time with us before the baby comes. I got a chance to take some maternity photos of the couple. These are just a few - but aren't they cute!!!
We can't wait to be an aunt and uncle. Nick and Abby - we couldn't be more excited for you two. You will be incredible parents.
(I'll post more photos of our weekend later this week)

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Steph's Pick - the Hotel Del Coronado

Please excuse the cheesy picture above (I just had to get that off of my shoulders before I go further). A couple weeks back Alan and I were privileged to be able to stay at one of the most beautiful resorts in this country - the Hotel Del Coronado. We loved it so much I just had to highlight it as my pick of the week.

Nestled on a beautiful beach in Coronado, California, this resort, built almost 120 years ago, has incredible history. Now I have to admit - I'm generally one to prefer new resorts with contemporary style; however, the Hotel Del is a totally different story. The entire property is immaculate and provides the perfect venue for fun, rest and entertainment. Check out their website: http://www.hoteldel.com/ for more information.

Although it may be a bit more expensive than staying at the Super 8 down the street, I can guarantee you that it is well worth it. Next time you find yourself in the San Diego area, splurge for a room at the Del (maybe even just one night?), you'll love it - I promise!

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I've been Tagged

I've been tagged and have answered the below questions with one-word answers. Enjoy.

1.Where is your cell phone? close
2. Your significant other? patient
3. Your hair? fro-like :)
4. Your mother? encouragement
5. Your favorite thing? coffee shops
6. Your dream last night? non-existant
7. Your favorite drink? wine/coffee
8. Your dream/goal? travel
9. What room are you in? living room
10. Your fear? God
11. Where do you want to be in 6 years? midwest
12. Where were you last night? Edmonton
13. Something that you aren’t? quiet
14. Muffins? chocolate
15. Wish list item? new jeans
t16. Last thing you did? napped
17. What are you wearing? t-shirt
18. Your TV? small
19. Your pets? none
20. Friends? faithful
21. Your life? exhausting
22. Your mood? Same
23. Missing someone? family
24. Your car? Highlander
25. Something you're not wearing? shoes
26. Your favorite store? BR
27. Your favorite color? pink
28. When is the last time your laughed? today
29. Last time you cried? last week

Now I'm tagging Laura and Abby.

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Welcome Luke Henry

Some dear friends of ours, Jeff & Kristina, just recently welcomed their first baby into the world this past Saturday. I had the priviledge of taking some photos of the little guy and am in the process of designing his birth announcement. Isn't he just too precious??!! I'll post his announcement on iDesign upon completion.

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Alan's Two Cents - Extra money?

Some friends of mine and I have been talking about the economy and the recent volatility of the stock market. People are very concerned with the stability of the economy and the market. A lot of people are moving their money around from more riskier stocks/equities to bonds and CD’s, which are more “safe.” My question is…Why? My friends and I were all in agreement that if we had some extra money we would throw it into the market like now, yesterday, last week. Buy low. Sell high. Right? Well now is pretty low! You are getting a lot more bang for your buck right now! So if have some extra cash under your mattress or something…invest it! Don’t just take my word for it…how about Warren Buffett’s?! Read his recent Op-Ed in the NY Times http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/17/opinion/17buffett.html

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Mackenzie's Bridal Shower

I spent this past afternoon co-hosting a bridal shower for a dear friend of mine, Mackenzie. She, and her fiance, will be married at the end of November and this shower marks the beginning of all of the wedding festivities.
Didn't everything turn out great? I chose the "Something Blue" theme awhile back and just started adding components together throughout the past few months as we planned each part of the shower.

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Steph's Pick - a night of peace and quiet

Isn't it incredibly interesting how as a nation we worship the hurried lifestyle but at the same time so dislike our fast-paced lives? In one second we're encouraged to be involved in the church, community, politics, friendships, family, our careers, leadership, etc but at the same time our hearts yearn for just one night a week where we can be home and just relax. I'm often caught in the middle of this as I do like to have a fairly packed schedule (I'm weird - busy schedules a lot of the time energize me) but there is also an imaginary line that if I ever cross it - I just break. It's too much to handle.
In an effort to combat this tendency for our home to be too busy we started doing one night a week of peace and quiet. It's just one night that when we're home, we don't watch TV; we don't listen to music; we just be still. We enjoy one another's company and relax without having all of the noise in the background. It's been so incredible - so great that I would highly suggest that you implement this in your own home. You won't regret it. Hmmmm....Peace & Quiet - most definitely a Steph's Pick!

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steph's pick - DIY heating pad

Awhile back I was given a home-made microwavable heating pad from my dear friend, Nealy. It was one of the best gifts and I've used it so much since receiving it. (if you really want to know - I'm using it right now!) In light of how much I like it, I thought I'd post a step-by-step guide to making your own.

Microwave Heating Pad Directions:
No pattern is necessary, simply cut two pieces of cloth in the size/shape you wish your bag to be. Make sure to leave a seam allowance for yourself (about 1/2″). Some prefer regular square shape bags, others prefer tubes or more rectangular shapes. Experiment, whip up a few different sizes and shapes to try. These are really easy to make as well as cheap!

Filler Options:
Uncooked rice
Wheat
Feed corn ** (what Nealy used in mine)
Barley
Oatmeal
Beans
Flax seed

Fabric Options:
Cotton: (plain, prints, flannels, denims)
Alternate ideas: old socks (sew or knot end closed), washclothes, old towels
You can also choose to make cozy, removable & washable outer pouches. This is especially nice to do when giving as gifts.
Fabric Ideas: use old towels, fleece, velour knits, pretty fabric prints and flannels (don’t microwave anything other than cotton fabrics). The softer & fluffier & better!

Instructions for Making the Heating Pad:
Cut and sew the fabric for the heating pads the size and shape you want. Leave an inch or two open on one side so that you can fill bag with your choice of filler. Fill the bag about 1/2 to 3/4 full, more or less as you prefer. Don’t fill too full though, you want the bag to mold itself around your body when you apply it. Once bag is filled, sew opening closed either by hand or machine.

Directions for use:
Place in microwave and heat for 1 to 3 minutes, depending on size of bag.

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Steph's Pick - Girls Night Out

I recently organized a "Girls Night Out" at a local Mexican restaurant for a bunch of girlfriends. Every Wednesday they feature what they call "Margarita's and Manicures" for $12. It's a great deal.
We gathered together and had so much fun. So much that our plan is to do it at least a monthly basis.
The reason why I chose this for my "Steph's Pick" is because I've come to realize recently how important it is to value time with the girls. (or if you're a guy - maybe football?). It doesn't have to be anything crazy - maybe just meeting at a local coffee shop or taking a walk around the nearest park. Just anything to get together with your girlfriends.
If you haven't had a chance to get out of the house recently, make arrangements to do it soon - you won't regret it!

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Vegas or Bust!

Whenever my parents come into town, we're in for a real treat. They're always eager to take some sort of road trip. This visit our road trip took us to Vegas to see the sights and cheer on the ISU Cyclones as they played UNLV. Although the Cyclones did not pull away with the win (heartbreaking finish in OT), we still had a great time with the family. Erik, my brother, even met up with us (although he took a 27 hour bus ride to get to Vegas). We visited some of the major resorts on the strip, tailgated with ISU alumni, and even played a few penny slots.

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Steph's Pick - Party Secret #2

Whenever I'm asked to host a party, the first thing I do is begin to think about a theme. Now a theme can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Often times a piece of scrapbook paper inspires me and other times an entertaining blog post. There are so many options out there - which is exactly what makes hosting a party so much fun!
Upon coming up with a theme I begin looking for all of the parts needed to put together the perfect party. Whether that is theme oriented favors, decorations or food - I filter every decision through my "party theme glasses."
So whether you decide on doing a simple color theme or going with something a bit more elaborate, I can guarantee, you will have such a great time planning the party. You may even be a bit sad when it's over with. I know I am.
I've included a few of my favorite idea's below. All of which I found on Hostess of the Mostess, one of my favorite entertaining blogs.

Kids Birthday...Candyland Birthday

Bridal Shower... Bling Bride

Baby Shower...Bubbly Ducky Brunch

Christmas...Berries and Branches

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kitchen renovation complete!

Back in June we had an unfortunate accident happen in our kitchen. Unknowingly, our dishwasher started leaking and managed to seep through our floors, cabinets and our downstairs neighbor's ceiling and walls. It was a mess to say the least. And a very messy situation to figure out. Between insurance, our contractor and our time out of the state it took much longer than we ever could have expected to complete. Thankfully everything is complete!!! Hurray!

I thought I'd post a few pictures of the process. The first photo is of our kitchen before everything - well not so much before b/c as you can see at this point we already had fans working to dry up the mess. The second is after our dishwasher and countertops were removed (an in-process photo) and the last is of the final product. We just need to upgrade the fridge and we're done for awhile! I think it looks pretty good if I do say so myself.

Before:

In process:

After:

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Surprise - Happy Birthday Amy!

This past weekend I was privileged to be able to fly out to New England to surprise one of my favorite people in the whole wide world, Amy Brill! For those of you who don't know, Amy and her husband Greg are dear friends of ours who have spent the past year in Ecuador. They recently returned and have been with their families in Rhode Island and Connecticut for the past few weeks.

I knew that Amy's 30th birthday was coming up and thought it would be fun to surprise her and fly out for her birthday celebration. So early this summer I made a few phone calls and booked the ticket. And I couldn't have asked for a more welcoming/surprised scream from Amy when I walked in and yelled "Happy Birthday" this past Sunday. It was priceless!!! She was shocked. Thanks Steve, Linda, Candace and Mike for helping me pull it off!

After the shock wore off we made plans to visit Boston on Monday where we took in all of the incredible history and beautiful scenery and got a chance to see our friend, Margo, who is attending MIT. Then on Tuesday we sat Oceanside and chatted about this past year. And there was a ton to talk about. All in all it was a fabulous time!

We can't wait for Greg & Amy to be back in AZ. We've missed them a ton.

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Steph's Pick - Party Secret #1

So I have to let you all in on a little secret - when I started "Steph's Pick" I never thought it would be hard to come up with a new "pick" each week. But this week I was totally stumped!!! I feel like I'm losing my passion for totally random things. I was honestly a bit discouraged.

Fear not - in the middle of my panic attack over not being able to come up with a new pick for this week, I thought of starting a "Steph's Party Secrets" series where I'll share some of my favorite party idea's. For those of you who know me well, you know I love throwing a good party. I'd be happy camper if I could throw a party or help plan a party every week :)

This weeks Party Secret isn't much of a secret for those of you Flies Blend blog readers, as I'm sure you've seen that I use lanterns for a ton of my parties. But honestly, chinese lanterns are the BEST way to decorate for a party. I've used them for wedding receptions, baby showers, bridal showers and will probably find plenty of other uses for them. When I use them for parties I try and buy at least 3 different sizes of lanterns - just to give a little dimension. I use them in place of balloons outside to designate which home is hosting the party, I use them on the food table or just around for a little added color and to pull the theme together.

I've found these at various locations. A great place to find some unique lanterns is Cost Plus World Market. I've also found some great small one's at Oriental Trading Company. Just to give you a few idea's.

So for your next party - plan on picking up a few lanterns - they're great!!!

Note: For "Steph Pick" readers (which may not be many of you - I have no idea) - I need your help! I need your idea's for future Steph Picks. If you have any idea's - comment below!!! Thanks

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a new blog

Since entering the blogging world, I'm always looking for a new blog to read. Just last week Nick & Abby Flies started their own blog - Yipee!!!! Check it out!

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Steph's Pick - a Fall Treat

The entire time I was in the mountains this past week, I couldn't help but get excited about fall. I love the changing of colors, the cooler temps and the great food!!! Especially the treats! (Note: although this doesn't really happen in AZ - I still get excited about this season) In light of this, I thought I'd post one of my favorite fall dessert recipes (thanks to Jess)

Butterscotch Pumpkin Cake
Ingredients:
1 2/3 cup Butterscotch chips
2 cups flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup 100% pure pumpkin
3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp. powdered sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 and grease bundt pan. Microwave 1 cup butterscotch morsels for 1 minute.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt & nutmeg. In a separate bowl stir melted morsels, pumpkin, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla with wire wisk. Then combine two combinations.
Bake for 40-50 minutes.
Optional: Butterscotch Sauce: Bring 1/3 cup evaporated milk to boil and then add remaining butterscotch. Return to boil & remove from heat. Pour over slices upon serving.

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