Rain

The boys and I weathered the "storm" on Saturday.  More of an inconvience during potty breaks and the necessity to stay indoors. We braved the weather to cure our cabin fever with the help of our neighboorhood dog store; they were nice enough to let us shed our rain gear and play with all of their fun toys (off-leash) for a good hour.

Photos Courtesy of Dogma.

The rainy weather was also eased by my trusty rainboots, Cereal milk ice cream from Buzz, homemade Mac n' Cheese, and freshly made Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart bread.

Perfection

Perfection might be my biggest hurdle in life.  I desire perfection in my home, appearance, job, etc and lets be honest, it just doesn't happen.  I need to let go of an idealized life, roll with the punches and be happy with how things happen.  Case in point, my sour cream poundcake last night broke apart before releasing from the pan.  Instantly I was disappointed but then realized that it's no big deal and it all tastes the same going down.  Crisis averted and lesson learned.

Milo Turns One

Photos Belong to the EverDay diary.

Over the week we celebrated Milo's 1st Birthday, complete with presents and doggie cupcakes.

Trending: Colored Denim

Photos Courtesy of ShopBop.

As a hip 6 year old, I rocked colored denim up and down the halls of my West Virginia elementary school; believe it.  The trend has now come full circle and I'm skeptical of the trend.  So I ask, would you dare to rock colored denim?

Watching (& loving): Secrets from a Stylist

Photo belongs to HGTV.

Photo Belongs to HGTV.

Photo Courtesy of Oh Joy!

Saturday nights I'm typically not parked in front of the TV, unless its watching a movie with G and the boys.  But while G was away I fell in love with Secrets from a Stylist on HGTV.  I've watched all the back issues and can't wait to catch all of this seasons episodes as well.  Many of her clients have similar tastes as G and I, so I've been picking up many ideas.  Plus, how cute is Emily, feels like she could just be your best friend.

Messy

Photos Belong to the EverDay diary.

The other night I was cooking up ground beef for enchiladas, I set aside some cooked, unseasoned meat for the dogs.  I placed the meat at the bottom of the bowls, underneath their kibble.  I learned never to do this again, Milo pushed the majority of his food out of the bowl to reach the meat.  Of course making a mess in the process.

Subway Stop

Photo Courtesy of Pottery Barn.

I have been on the hunt for a vintage subway sign for awhile now.  I can't seem to find them around DC.  I have found them online but I have an issue buying one for over $1,000 online without seeing it first.  This rug might just have to do the trick until I can find the desired sign.

Lepidopterology

Photos Belong to the EverDay diary.

Recently my family was in town, my niece is around that age where she is fascinated by animals, insects, birds, and butterflies, of course.  We headed to the the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History's butterfly exhibit, although small we spent quite awhile watching the winged creatures.

Eating: Strawberry Icebox Cake

Photos Belong to the EverDay diary.

I discovered that I had purchased more strawberries than I could humanly eat before spoilage so I whipped up one of my favorite summertime recipes, Strawberry Icebox Cake.  And boy was it good, sadly it didn't last long in the house; did I mention it's super easy to make?  I might just have to make another for the weekend.

Strawberry Icebox Cake

* 2 pounds fresh strawberries, washed
* 3 cups whipping cream
* 1/3 cup confectioners sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 4 sleeves (about 19 ounces, or 24 to 28 whole crackers) graham crackers

** Take out a few of the best-looking strawberries and set them aside for the garnish. Hull the remainder of the strawberries and slice each berry into thin slices.

1.) With a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, whip 3 cups of cream until it just holds stiff peaks. Add the confectioners sugar, and vanilla and whip to combine.

2.) Spread a small spoonful of whipped cream on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan. Lay down the graham crackers to cover the whipped cream layer in the pan. Lightly cover the top of the graham crackers with more whipped cream, and then a single layer of strawberries. Repeat three times, until you have four layers of graham crackers. Spread the last of the whipped cream over the top and swirl it lightly with a spoon.

3.) Refrigerate for at least four hours, or until the crackers have softened completely. Garnish with additional berries (if desired).

(Recipe originally borrowed from ApartmentTherapy: Cooking)

Farmer's Market

Photo Belongs to the EverDay diary.

What I will miss most about summer ending has been all the fantastic breads and produce I have been snatching up this season.  The sweet cherries, strawberries, and watermelon have been my favs and I have been eating them like mad, knowing my time is limited.