A Week in Pinterest Meals: Tuesday + Life!

Hello There!

Tomorrow I have a little fun wedding post from our big day that I am SO excited to share but for today, I have a photo heavy post and there is another day in Pinterest meals!

One would think I may gain a few extra lbs from this, but not when Pinterest is filled with yummy healthy bites

The last couple days I've had some major blues

I am thinking they are some honeymoon blues that finally showed up or maybe a few factors:

1. My best *friend/cousin/sister, Kendra left from being here for two whole weeks

Her and her son drove with her parents and brother and his girlfriend from Bentonville on the 29th of June, plus she was here for ten days for our wedding

We spent a lot of quality time together, basically catch up time in person rather than on Facetime or on our daily phone sesh

Having her in-person is the best feeling ever, even if we are at Trader Joe's stocking up on dark chocolate covered berries for her

*Sidenote: do you find yourself having to give a "low-down" of who someone is in relation to you when you start a story about them? Clearly I do! 

I miss you, Kendra!

Kendra and I by the bird sanctuary after sushi dins

2. We had the most incredible and relaxing honeymoon EVER and I have had a lot of family manners to attend to moments after stepping off the plane

-One of them being my handsome nephew's high school graduation

-Two being my cousin Michelle's high school graduation as well

-Three being my Mother's 65th birthday

-Four being our best friends little one's 2nd Birthday Party

-Five, playing tourist and taking my cousins senior portraits in SF

Last evening overlooking the Bali Hai in Princeville, Kauai on our honeymoon

Congratulations, Zachary!

Zach and I at the lonnnnng ceremony

Congratulations, Michelle!

The beautiful graduate!

Happy 65th Birthday, Mom!

Me, Mom, Dad, and my sister Melissa

Happy Birthday, Sweet Man!

The birthday boy himself!

The two proud parents made it another two years, congrats you two... plus baby #2 is on his merry way!

Tourist and Senior Portraits - Class of 2013

My sweet and handsome cousin on "our" pier!

My has he grown so fast!

Handsome cousin at Stow Lake

Beautiful Golden Gate Bridge

3. The Fourth of July!

This is one of my favorite holidays of all time

We watch Alameda's Annual Fourth of July Parade outside of BRS' parents home

I swear the 4th of July just flew by this year... I am so bummed it's over already!

Brad and I on the Fourth

Great friends and three sweet (but nutso) pups at a BBQ at our house after the parade

CJN and SAF with Elenor or "Ellie" to her closest friends, watching the parade

4. Finally, I miss my handsome husband!

BRS was off work for almost a month for our wedding and honeymoon

We got into a nice routine that I just loved and miss

With his schedule, he works four days on and four days off, but he works midnight's - this means I see him for 15 minutes a day on those days

With family manners to attend to, his icky schedule plus court, we're lucky to get a good hour together on those days off

This guy makes me laugh and loves me to pieces, I love my sweet pea

I am so fortunate to have all these wonderful friends and family around me, I guess I am just trying to get used to my daily routine again

Not that that routine is at all lack luster, it's just always nice having something big and fun to look forward to

BRS mentioned a team trip to Las Vegas last night, and I reminded him that we've never been before so we are planning one for us the end of this summer (huge brat, I admit it!)

Also, the plans are now in the works for us to visit Kendra and family come this late Summer or early Fall

I am DYING to show BRS Bentonville, for him to meet their friends, and soak in a little Southern Hospitality!

I am sure a few more long walks with the pea pups, starting back up running, and good ole married life will help with my moody blues... but until then, cooking perhaps?

I hope everyone has a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by!

Bon Appetit! 

But most of all... stay healthy!

xo,

Tori

A Week In Pinterst Meals Continued:

Tuesday

Breakfast: Skinny Green Smoothie

I decided to give this green smoothie a try this and it was just, eh

I usually have a version of this on any given morning, but with fresh ground flax seed added

My newest obsession is adding peanut butter, will share that soon - delish!

I would recommend adding a teaspoon of raw agave nectar, another overripe banana, or maybe use sweetened coconut milk

I used plain unsweetened coconut milk from T.J.'s and it was a bit blase

Skinny green smoothie - HERE

My result just to gross you out:

Lunch: Salmon Salad Sandwich
(Found by typing in: "Protein Sandwich")
This was delish!
Add some dill to add extra flavor (hey, it's calorie and fat free, yay!:)

Salmon Salad Sandwich - HERE

Dinner: Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos

Ummm... HEAVEN!

I freaking love cilantro, and this was a fun way to get use out of my food processor we just got

I make "tacos" at least once a week, but with out the tortilla - don't ask, it works!

I guess Chipotle would call it a 'Buritto bowl', I call it 'Tori's Mexican Night'

Since my Dad had his stroke, we've been cooking with very little to zero salt

Lime is a FABULOUS way to season things with out salt... give it a go, you'd be amazed!

Never too early to start heart health!

Check out What's Cooking Chicago's blog for more fun recipe ideas, I love this!

Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos - HERE

V is for...

With this one exception, V is not for Victoria... 

V is for Von Trapp!
I bought myself a little something for my birthday...

Available - HERE

Yes! 

This awesome book and...

On DVD - I'm moving up in the world!

My double tape VHS is still holding strong but we got rid of our tape player fianlly, I was so bummed last time I needed a cheer up sesh

Available - HERE

The Sound of Music is one of my all time favorite movies, even BRS has been subjected to this a number of times

And shhh, he doesn't mind it!

It instantly brings my mood up

When I was little my American Girl dolls were named Brigitta, Marta, Gretl and Louisa. 

I always played Liesl as I was the oldest of course - we sipped tea and watched the tape for endless hours

 I saw the musical at our local theatre when I was about seven and will NEVER forget it.

We had aisle seats and during the part where the soldiers search the convent, they had Nazi soldiers run up and down the aisles with flashlights

Let's say, I didn't sleep well for days!

It was quite the production!

The gold frame fell victim of my gold paint extravaganza on Easter...

Speaking of which, the naughty Logan managed to get a hold of the eggs, so they are, let's say... vintage now.

Must be the egg scent? GROSS

This print hangs on my closet wall, the V print I picked up in this adorable print shop in Firenze

Since BRS works midnights and it's been rainy, I may have to have a marathon movie night weekend soon, with all of the faves:

-The Sound of Music

-Sabrina (old)

-Sabrina (new)

-Pollyanna

-Father of the Bride

-Mary Poppins

-Troubled with Angels

-My Fair Lady

-Grease

-The Parent Trap

-Roman Holiday

Clearly I had a thing for Hayley Mills or my Mother had a thing for movies with attractive men as the leads...

So long, farewell!

xo,

VRB

(Liesl)

Image - HERE

Twenty-Seven Years...

My twenty-seventh year on this good green Earth God created is here... 

I have loved every year, hands down

There have been ups and downs, but mostly memorable ups

I can almost remember every scraped knee, game won, family loss, friend gained

I am the most thankful person to be who am I am, and be from where I am.

Thank you to my pea, family and friends who have been there for me, my birthday is that day I remember you most!

I love you

xo,

VRB

(and as BRS noted five times already today, my last year as VRB)

Many special years!

Wish I could find the teen years, then again, I am sparing the humility.

Think: unibrow, buck teeth, awkward teen years, late bloomer - you get the picture!

One - my Winona Bray look according to my Mother

Two - with my sissy

Three - with my mama

Four - with a cake the size of my body

Five - with the bestie, CJN, my MOH

 Six - at my favortire restaurant, Chin's Garden.

I cried when they closed when I was in college, like absolute gushing tears

I miss Mei and the wonton chef that we visited in pre-school

My mother and her mother ate there when she was pregnant with me!

 Seven - looking super

Eight - My First Holy Communion - couldn't find a b-day shot, but May?

 Nine - eek getting towards the awkward years!

Ten!

Eleven - bangs hiding the uni...

Twelve!

This is the year I woke up and Mother pretended she forgot my birthday and that night my best friends through me a surprise Jelly Belly Birthday party

Thirteen - my watermelon obsession years begin...

Need to find 14-19!

Twenty - Kauai year 

Twenty-three - year 

Twenty-four at the A's Game!

Twenty-six

What I'm Good At

I'll be the first to admit I am horrible with money.

It's always as if it is literally burning a hole in my pocket.

It was only fitting for me to go into an industry where you get to spend other peoples money...

And I am darned good at it!

Makes me also think I should also be someones personal shopper?

I think I have great taste in food, literature, and once I get to know someone, their clothes and style.

Maybe because I am not "allowed" so spend any money, Brad I hope you're not reading this I shop for my friends...

It's like playing make believe

Pathetic I have memorized all my best friends shoe and clothing sizes.

Just today at lunch I found this that EMH MUST own:

Anthropologie Vase - $28

Available - HERE

Found this later online that she MUST have as well!

Available - HERE

A little must have for CGK...

Paper Source

Available - HERE

This dress with a faltering cut out in the back for ACM to wear to my shower:

Anthropologie Dress - $118

Available - HERE

Great contemporary woven floor mats by this awesome company, Chilewich

Would love these in front of my cousin's kitchen sink:

Chilewich Woven Mats

Image from Chilewich and Available - HERE

Also sold at The Garden in Berkeley, The Ferry Building and in Healdsburg

All this on my quick lunch break on Fourth Street in Berkeley...

Can you imagine what I would get accomplished if this were my full time job?

Holy moly.

Off to go spend someone else's money on carpet... til then!

xo,

VRB

My Unique Easter Sunday

Since my Easter plans changed last minute, we (the pea pups and I) had an impromptu Spring cleaning day - garden style!

Yes, it was a tad random, we spruced up the front porch with some pillows, a new wreath jazzed up with a little plaque someone gave me at my shower last week, too cute, right?
All while listening to the lovely Madeleine Peyroux, I just love this song:

We moved the topiary out, soaked up some sun, planted the impatients finally barked at neighbors, and tidied up a bit.

Once BRS was off, we painted blown eggs... Shelby stared at those eggs like a cat ready to pounce, maybe she thought they were Cadbury's?

I sipped a blueberry and tonic and got a little gold happy and went to town on some frames... get the paint brush away from me, BRS may have come home to a gold accent wall if I didn't start to have a craving...

Finished off the night with a quick trip with MNS to Viks Chaat in Berkeley for some traditional Easter Indian dins... doesn't everyone have Indian for Easter??

Mad Men, a half pint of Three Twins Cookies and Cream with some sparkling pink bubbly topped my night off in style!

La Pura Vida!

Happy Easter to all, and to all a good night!

xo,

VRB