Manicure Monday - Monday Blues

So they lied last week when they said that Spring was here. It snowed yesterday! At this rate, I keep telling people that I'll get snow on my birthday too (in May, haha!). Of course, you know I'm kidding right? Anyway, the studs that I ordered finally came in the mail and I just couldn't wait to try them out. I swear, looking at the bag, it didn't seem like I got 300 pcs. as advertised. BUT! After counting out 100 pcs, maybe I did after all! I swear small bags with tiny items in them, they totally play tricks on your eyes! (haha!)

Healthy Snack - Crabmeat Avocado filled Cucumbers, NOM!

Best snack ever! Just like a California Roll except way healthier! The crab meat and avocado sits in a hollowed out cucumber boat! How cute is that? It's refreshing, tasty and can serve as a great snack between meals. The creamy texture of the avocado mixed with the natural saltiness of the faux crab meat and the crunch of the cucumber makes this snack to die for! This can even serve as a fancy appetizer for when you have guests over! It's easy to prepare and you will only need 3 ingredients and probably less than 10 minutes. If you are interested in learning how to make this super easy and delicious snack, please keep reading below!

Review - Betsey Johnson Litzas

I'm so excited! These babies came in the mail today! These are the Betsey Johnson Litza boots, size 7 in taupe. They are combat boots with a girly edge, check out the cute ruffle trim! They are very rustic with a vintage look and I couldn't be happier! I'm looking forward to wearing these with tights and dresses this Spring!

I actually ordered these on Sunday and received them today via FedEx. The shipping was super fast and they came in before 3PM as guaranteed. I was fortunate enough to get free next day shipping being a premier customer. Did I mention what a steal I got these boots for on DSW.com (you can find them here)? Being the avid shoe shopper that I am, I had rewards and a free $5 dollar coupon. They were originally $119.95, but I got them for $74.95! Win!

Manicure Monday - All Fired Up with a Little Bit of Bling

As I have hinted and promised from last week, Manicure Monday! Same color theme as before, but this manicure is holding up much better than the last! Loving the Sally Hansen All Fired Up (think blood orange) and Guilty Pleasure (my all time favorite gold polish!).

It seriously feels like summer on my fingers! Summer cannot come soon enough! Wait, Spring isn't even here and we're expecting snow again in New York today. Bummer!

Anyway, I ordered more studs from Amazon last week, woohoo! I can't wait to get them in the mail to create some more nail art! According to the tracking info, they aren't due in for another week though. Hopefully they come in sooner!

P.S. OH! Forgot to mention that I also used a little bit of black polish to accent the thumb! There was no label on the actual polish, but it did come form my nail kit from Fingr Edge!

Happy Monday with much love from our family to yours!

Cooking Steak to Perfection!!

Apparently, yesterday was "White Day," a holiday that some people celebrate in Asia. (You can learn more about it here.) It generally is a holiday equivalent to that of a Valentine's Day and differs in the countries that do celebrate it. Anyway, coincidentally, I did make steak last night because the fiance asked for it.

It was cooked to perfection with a little help from this recipe that I found online at Steamy Kitchen. She basically describes the secret to a tender, flavorful, perfect steak. All you need is a little bit of time and a lot of sea salt.

Happy Friday - New Blog Cover and Updated Theme!

I finally updated my blog cover/banner. What do you guys think? I changed the theme colors around too because I know it was a little hard to read prior to this.

On another note, Happy Friday and enjoy the weekend! I'll leave you with this. I love this quote and find it so motivating. I hope you do too! (Yes, job hunting has been difficult this week, but I must keep trying!)

Happy Weekend with much love from our family to yours!

Soups and Salads Galore, Yellow Split Pea Soup Recipe Included!

With Spring coming and bikini season shortly after, I've really been trying to eat clean and healthy. Let me tell you, I actually gave up rice and have been doing super well! So far, I've lost 3 lbs, I know a small success, but I'm so, SO excited to do more. We're even looking into getting a treadmill so that I can exercise at home as well! You might wonder, why not just run outside? I actually have really weak ankles and have a tendency of rolling them a lot (yes, A LOT!) outdoors on unlevel pavement so I'm doing what I can do strengthen them and be healthy!

Hurry Up Spring!!

What a tease... it was beautiful in New York for the last couple days. Then, it was only 30 degrees outside this morning, not to mention windy as hell too! It's supposed to be Spring in a week and I already see snow in the forecast for the weekend and rain on Monday & Tuesday. This weather really sucks and Spring is not looking likely.

Diamond Candles, Yay or Nay?!!

I don't know if I've mentioned this, but I purchased 3 new candles from a place that I've never tried before. I'm normally a Bath and Body Works or Yankee Candle Outlet kind of girl. Heck, I figured that they're just candles so why not check them out too.

This new place that I tried was actually online, so I wasn't able to smell the candles prior to purchase. Different, right? I had to go by the reviews on the website of what other consumers whom already have purchased this product have thought about that scent. I normally purchase fruity or clean smelling scents, so I didn't get too adventurous there. I actually came upon this link through a friend whom had posted it on Facebook as candles with a hidden diamond ring, who wouldn't want to check that out? There's a chance for you to win a diamond ringworth anywhere from $10 to $5000. Yes, I'm a sucker for mysteries and games so I had to buy one, two no actually three (haha!).

Perfect Soup Weather - Cheddar Cauliflower Soup, YUM!

I'm walking my dogs this morning in this wet, nasty snow mix and all I could think about was how perfect it would be to have a nice, hot bowl of soup right now. It's cold and wet, not to mention super windy outside too. Rogue E Bear definitely was not having it and did not want to go. We trekked around for about 45 minutes before she would let me come inside to make that awesome bowl of soup!

Because it's nearing the end of the week, our fridge is a little more bare than usual. I knew we had a half a head of cauliflower left, some onions, potatoes and string beans. Then, there were some porkchops, probably what I'll make for dinner tomorrow night since I have plans with the girls tonight. I also found some cheese, garlic and that was it. I know, it sounds like a lot, but we are always stocked in potatoes, onions and garlic - 3 of the things that bub (the hubs) would never say no to. I figured why not whip up a cheesy veggie soup? It was the best opportunity since the hubs doesn't like cheese (I know! Who doesn't like cheese?!) and won't eat anything except pizza with cheese on it.

So there we have it, Cheddar Cauliflower Soup! So good, so easy and you don't even have to break a sweat making it. If you are interested in trying this recipe out, please keep reading below! Note that you can omit the cheese if you don't like it - it'll taste just as great!

Sweet and Tangy Garlic Lemon Chicken Breasts

I made dinner last night and it was awesome! So awesome that I wanted to share it with you guys. Seriously, nothing like a healthy, succulent, mouth watering sweet and tangy chicken breast for dinner. It wasn't dry and it was so tasty! Even the hubby loved it!

This meal is easy and requires no prep, making it a perfect week night meal. It is also so versatile that you can make it with any number of sides (i.e. mash, steamed vegetables, rice, etc.). I made this last night with a side of snow peas and steamed cauliflower with garlic butter. It was refreshing, tasty and at the same time filling. If you are interested in learning how to make this, please keep reading below. I promise even the pickiest of eaters will like this meal! If you decide to make this, please let me know how yours came out too!

Hautelook - Orly Nail Polish Haul!!

Woohoo! Last week, I finally received my Hautelook package in the mail. I ordered on February 8th and I got the package last week on Friday, March 1st. It took a whopping 3 weeks to get my package! I'm assuming that everyone else is willing to wait since they offer such great deals?