Happy St. Patrick's Day

via

I'm not planning on spending my St. Patty's day at a crowded bar (*sigh* I guess I'm just getting old) Instead I am doing homework, cleaning house, and scouring the internet in an attempt to find a vegetarian friendly traditional Irish feast for myself, Mike and a good friend who's joining us for dinner. Afterward, I think we'll enjoy a nice Irish coffee

P.S. Missed me? I've been crazy busy with school and work and life and what not. Be back soon.

Nursery Design

Periodically, my biological clock ticks louder than usual. I tend to spend hours some time reading parenting blogs, perusing baby gear and watching birth videos. Anyway, sometimes I find some inspiration that I just have to document and share. Here are some color schemes and accessories that I would love to incorporate into my (future) baby's room.

via

via
I love the wallpaper on the ceiling

I also have a wonderful vintage handmade wooden rocking horse with zebra stripes on the seat (hand painted by my Grandma)

Hopscotch Rug from CB2

Firefly pendant from CB2

Number hooks from Pottery Barn

Number pillows from Pottery Barn

Fairest Set of Mirrors from Z Gallerie

Blackbird from CB2

Office Design Inspiration

This color palette...

with this desk...

with this wallpaper...

with these clean lines...

with this pin board...

and these accessories.

Favorite Kitchen Gadgets

OXO Good Grips Garlic Press

The best if you don't want to worry about taking a big bite of garlic

Zyliss 4 in 1 Slicer Grater

Makes great french fries and vegetables like in Zucchini Ribbon Pasta

Dual Citrus Squeezer

Awesome for getting out every last drop of juice without the seeds

OXO Silicone Potato Masher

The silicone sides help scrape the sides of the bowl for even mixing

Microplane Grater-Zester

Great for citrus zest, nutmeg and cheeses

Silpat Baking Mat

Especially useful at keeping anything from sticking to the pan such as french fries or baked chicken

The Bumbling Husband

This is something I've wanted to talk about for awhile. Something that has bothered me for years. The media, well tv actually, protrays husbands as bumbling, messy, lazy idiots. Here is a nice example, I saw a commercial for god knows what cleaning product, saying how you need their product because of "kids, pets and husbands". Proclaiming this while showing a man using a blender with the contents spilling everywhere. Really? Do people think men are this stupid? Are men this stupid? Not my husband. He cleans, cooks, helps with laundry, grocery shops with me, snuggles with our little puppy. He's not some idiot who makes a mess in the kitchen and says "uh -oh!" while shrugging stupidly. He's the one cooking homemade salmon picatta, while I help clean up. He's the one saying we should try the Puttanesca sauce at the grocery store.

He doesn't downplay his happiness in our relationship either. He doesn't pretend that he's "the man" fearing that his friends will think he's whipped. He's happy to be happy and doesn't care what they think, he's not going to complain about our sex life, or my cooking, just to look like he's the boss (we're more of a team, but he's still the man of the house). He helps me decorate our house and tells me when clothes don't look good on me.

I have no fears for him as a father either. I know he will be giving baths, wiping butts, kissing tears, and babywearing, all while being a tattooed, gun-toting, badass (don't worry he's a cop).

I hope this post doesn't give the wrong idea, I'm not bragging about my husband (well, maybe a little) I'm just trying to prove a point that men don't have to be bumbling, messy, lazy idiots to be men.

Inspired by a wonderful post by Ryan, a diaper changing, wife loving husband over at Pacing the Panic Room - When a Man Feels like a Woman.