we be jammin

As I mentioned last week I got the homemaking bug and decided to make jam. And bread! because what good is homemade jam without homemade bread?

The results....

 • Even if you put raspberries and cherries in your jam if the majority of the fruit is strawberries it will taste like strawberry jam. Lesson learned.

• Using this article and this article was helpful and I am now a believer in Pomona's pectin.

• What is Pomona's pectin? A natural pectin that allows you to use honey or sweetner in your jam instead of sugar. Good stuff right there. (Can be found at Whole Foods for around $5).

• The calcium water it calls for comes IN the pectin packet. Learned that lesson the hard way... after asking two different people in Whole Foods where I could find calcium water and then calling up Orchard Supply.

• Side note... Whole Foods is a BEAUTIFUL PLACE. My grandfather owned a grocery store for 50+ years and we take our grocery stores seriously. Its what my dad likes to do for fun on a Friday night, just ask my mom.

• Whole Foods breaks the budget times ten. For that it turns me into a jealous teenage girl and I want to call it ugly behind its back (out of pure envy of course).

• I will be making more jam... soon I hope! And this time I want to do a little more experimenting with flavors. I grew up eating huckleberry-peach-strawberry jam and I'm not sure if there is a flavor that can top that right there. No sir.

• The bread turned out ok. My oven is fickle and I think I overcooked it slightly. But I have had it at its best and it was DELIGHTFUL! (thank you Elyse). It is easy to make and has a nice hearty feel to it because it is made with oatmeal. You can find the recipe here.

• You can make jam too! It really wasn't that hard and if you are super nervous then try making freezer jam. Its simple as pie...or jam.

ps. I am moving where//there to tomorrow for this week. Stay tuned!

Rule breaker

 I guess I broke the cardinal rule of not wearing white before memorial day when I wore these pants to the farmers market yesterday. What can I say, I am a rule breaker. Like the time my friends an I took an abandoned T.V. drove up the steepest hill in my home town and pushed it out the back. In the middle of the night mind you. I about had a heart attack when I saw a car come upon us from behind. Surely there would be some life altering damage when they hit that T.V. and it would be all my fault. Let's just say there was a lot of hoot'n and holler'n on my end and it wasn't because I was the life of the party. Rule breaker for sure.

On the agenda for this weekend....
• Making homemade jam with all the goodies we got from the market
• Swimming
• Going 3 for 3 on my running this week
• Cleaning house
• Naps

Lots of exciting things going on over here. What can I say... we are taking our R&R seriously these days.

(BTW these pictures are for you Chelse. Turns out posing isn't really my thing and photography isn't really Alden's thing so take a good look because this might very well be the last of its kind haha)

wear | there | paris

Paris isn't a real contender for our trip but I'm dying to go there. It's at the top of my list and watching Jordan from Oh Happy Day spend the last year there may have just secured it as numero uno.

glasses | dress | scarf | purse | shoes | photo

all tied up

Want a simple solution to spice up your wardrobe?... it might be kind of knotty (I couldn't help myself)! Hop over to Say Yes to Hoboken and check out my post!

ps. I didn't mean to leave you all high and dry over here...I've been swamped with life and have high hopes of committing myself to at least three posts a week. Don't forget to stop by tomorrow for a wear//there post!

wear//there//new zealand

dress | shawl | necklace | bag | glasses | hat | boot | photo

My brother and his wife Chelse are off to New Zealand next month so I asked Chelse to send me some of her dream pieces to wear there. Don't you love the look she put together? It is totally her and totally New Zealand. If it weren't for the long flight I might try and sneak in their luggage. Have fun you two! Can't wait to hear all about it.

Kelly Green Crush

This spring its all about color and my favorite right now is kelly green. Hop over to Say Yes to Hoboken to see some of my favorite pieces from around the web.

weekly review

My mom and sister came to visit for the week and you better believe we did it all. Shopping in the city, eating, farmers market, swimming, garage sales, Alcatraz, fruit ninja on the kinect, movies, and more. I am so grateful that they were able to come and I could spend mothers day with my mom. It's been at least three years since that has happened. I am one lucky lady to have such an amazing, strong, hard working mom. I love you Mom and Nae! Come back soon :)

It was a relief to see this picture yesterday while shopping in the city with my mom and sister and know that I am staying ON TREND! Hop over to Say Yes To Hoboken and see today's style post on floral shorts.

A Hairy Situation

one // two // three // four // zooey

A year ago I pinned this picture of Zooey Deschanel and her beautiful LONG hair. This was my goal. This was the look I was going for. Fastforward a year, turns out my hair grows SUPER slow and as of late it feels thinner than usual, more dry than usual and just slumpy (you've all had these hair periods right?). So then of course you think about chopping it off and a girl starts to wonder, maybe I shouldn't have long hair anyway. Maybe it isn't my "look" after all. Right now I am kind of into these shorter looks... like A LOT! Which is so ironic because if you have ever grown your hair out you know that this is the length that tries your patience, the awkward stage if you will. But maybe it wouldn't so awkward if it was on purpose. What do you think? Keep growing? or give it a chop?

wear//there//greece

picture by Georgio R. sweater // dress // necklace // glasses // hat // sandals // bag

The first time I decided I could marry Alden is when he said he wanted to go to Greece on his honeymoon (we were only dating then). The thought of being whisked away to starch white cliff homes surrounded by blue waters was very appealing to me and if marriage was the way to get there then I was IN! So we got married and honeymooned in Hawaii but we still dream about going to Greece. Sadly with all the unrest going on in that area we've decided now is not the time. But someday we will make it there. A second honeymoon perhaps?

*Just to clarify, I did not marry Alden just at the possibility of going to Greece, although it did draw me in.

Check out my other wear//there posts and help Alden and I decide where to vacation this year!

Thailand // Ireland // Switzerland

Hot Pink

Are you feeling brave enough to wear HOT PINK this season? Check out my post on Say Yes to Hoboken for how to wear hot pink and keep it subtle or be the show stopper.

Grilled Pizza

I love this recipe because it's the marriage of two of my favorite things; the grill and pizza. With summer around the corner I think its the perfect time to bust it out. Gather your favorite toppings. Make sure the toppings are thin because this pizza cooks fast. Whip up your favorite pizza dough recipe. I like to go to Trader Joe's and pick up their pre made dough. It runs for about $1.50 and makes two pizza's. You can't beat that! After you roll out your dough, brush it with olive oil on both sides, a nice good coat. Heat your grill on low on one side and high on the other side. Start the dough out on the high side till it gets golden brown on one side. Flip the dough onto the low side of the grill. Cover the cooked crust with cheese, sauce and toppings and put the other dough down on the other side. Close the grill and let everything melt together. Make sure you turn the high side down after you flip your second pizza. Cooked till melted and golden brown. Take the pizza off and enjoy!