From Pinterest to Reality {Autumn Chopped Salad}

Who doesn't love a good salad? I mean the kind you order in a restaurant because everything is chopped so nicely and there is a plethora of veggies(where as at home I usually stop after one because I am tired). When I saw this salad on Pinterest I knew I had to try it.

espresso and cream via pinterest

Reality: very tasty and not too hard to put together. I added some chicken to mine for protein and also cut up a granny smith apple in with the pears. Very filling for lunch--and I ate it for a week. I loved the dressing and the tartness of the cheese with the cranberries. And still those dang pecans are expensive but I am hoping better for you than croutons! I never did get a picture of my own salad, so you will just have to take my word on it!

from Pinterest to Reality {wearing a scarf}

So I have been slacking on my posts or forgetting to take pictures of what I have done, and I realized the point was just to try the things that I like, so here is today's--a scarf upgrade!

basicravings via pinterest

Reality: again I have proved that bathroom lighting is not all that great. I didn't feel any different, but just wanted to try wearing the scarf this way. Perhaps it would have been better if I had a nice sparkly pin or something to add!

From Pinterest to Reality {A book Based Baby Shower}

What is better than a baby shower? 8 people at my school right now are expecting, I am staying away from the water. A colleague and mine threw a joint shower for 2 of the mamas this week.
From Pinterest:

Sources: decor, invites, cake

Reality:

I can't take all the credit on this! For the invite, I took a jpg of a library card and put it through photoshop to write on it. For the decor, I raided the home depot for paint chips, traced a sippy cup lid ad cut out circles and glued them on a piece of silver ribbon. I bought a 2" punch but it was defective and didn't work so I improvised. I ordered some monogrammed cookies from a local bakery for each of the mommas. And a dear and talented friend made the cake just looking at the picture I sent her!

from pinterest to reality {lasagna soup}

Ahh soup...
From Pinterest:

deen brothers via pinterest

Reality: Very tasty for a soup--does not really have the comfort food level of lasagna but this is probably better for you. Even elle liked slurping up the tomatoes, broth, and cheese--sausage and peppers not so much! And there is no way they only used 1/2 cup of cheese for the batch in their picture--I used over a cup and it still wasn't cheesy.

from pinterest to reality {roasted potatoes, peppers, and sausage dinner}

Ah daylight savings time and a cold rainy weekend conspired to keep us mostly homebound and looking for some comfort food. So I dug out this recipe...
From Pinterest:

skinnytaste via pinterest

Reality: perfect cold weather dinner, easy to make, tasty, and fairly light--8 points for a dinner is pretty good in my book. And while my hubby turned his nose up orginally at chicken sausage--I don't think he noticed in the finished product!

from pinterest to reality {southwestern egg rolls}

You know how sometimes appetizers just make better dinners...I have had these on my mind for awhile and so glad we tried it
From Pinterest:

tatertotsandjello via pinterest

To reality: very tasty. I ran out of cheese so used some queso dip we had--actually made it a little easier since then everything kind of stuck together in the wrapper. They were very filling and a fun way to get in some veggies(I will keep this in mind when Elle is older, she just picked things out and ate individual corn kernels). I also skipped making the dressing--a toddler climbing on you while you try to cook means meals need to be quick and easy to put together. Hill Valley makes a great spicy ranch that went with these beautifully!

From Pinterest to Reality {Baby Shower}

I am going to be an auntie again!! My sister who has been trying so hard for a baby and had an awful beginning to her pregnancy is finally almost enjoying being pregnant. Elle and I flew together out to CA to throw my sister a shower. Of course her baby has been uncooperative and her ultrasounds have been rescheduled(hopefully today we will find out if Baby Lopez is a boy or a girl). So we decided on a neutral jungle theme to match her nursery plans. My sister is not one for shower games or a big fuss so my co-host and I decided on...
From Pinterest

lilsugar via Pinterest

To Reality:



After searching etsy for cute designs that would fit our neutral jungle theme, I figured I could digi-scrap everything to coordinate much better. I bought this baby zoo kit from craft-tastrophic and had most things printed through Persnickety Prints(who I love!!). Plus I am thinking when my sister's baby finally makes an appearance I can use the kit to make a birthdate poster that can coordinate!

of course elle wore a theme dress!