weekend favorites.

it's always sad seeing the weekend go. especially since the anticipation for it is so lingering. but it always seems as soon as friday afternoon gets here, monday morning is quickly lurking its ugly head around the corner.

luckily, monday morning for me means hanging out with this stinkin' cute face. . . . .


so i really shouldn't be complaining. but it's fun to complain with the rest of the dreadful monday crew. so i do it anyway.

i took the day off last thursday to run some wedding errands with kara. we headed into the city of brotherly love to do a hair trial, chat with the florist and ponder around her wedding venue. i was really excited to finally check out the very talked about cescaphe. i've heard a lot about this place through my buddy jonathan after his brother got married there. it really was everything he said. {and perhaps more!} the food. ohhh the food. and needless to say, kara is truly going to SHINE in that place come june 16th!

the hair trial was a major success and once we actually found the right street to turn down for the florist it was non-stop thumbs up from there. minus a teeny tiny glitch in the plans-but all ended up working out. we even found a delicious cafe to have some breakfast.

friday was rather quiet. went to work. came home and watched many episodes of the big bang theory. thanks, katelin! it really is all that and a bag of chips.

i'm a wee bit obsessed

saturday i spent the day over my brothers. hung out, drank coffee, played with the girlies, talked to my sister-in-law, ate a delicious chicken/cornflake/cheesy casserole dish and watched laney make a pumpkin pie. {with some assistance}

today was pretty awesome.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!

side note: i kind of can't say enough good and positive things about my dad. he really is the greatest and one of the best people i know in life.

i gave my dad his birthday gifts, we ran some errands, i watched a few more episodes of the big bang theory and i went to trader joe's.

i guess i wasn't the only one with the idea to head to TJ's because it was soooooo crowded. the parking lot was a mess and the aisles were INSANE! i was on the hunt for a few specific items-one of which was impossible for me to find. christina had mentioned a certain product that jumped out to me. a sugar chocolate coffee grinder. even the font on the grinder is so cool. sadly, i couldn't find it ANYWHERE! and i looked {frantically} EVERYWHERE. i should have asked. i wanted to. but the lines were long and the customers were antsy and i didn't feel like being a nudge. so i left without the grinder. but thanks to x-tina, i'll be back with a vengeance and looking in the right place!

but no worries, i didn't walk out empty handed!

-lemon pappardelle pasta
{thanks for the recommendation, girl!}
i've been really pumped to give these noodles a try!

-corn chile salsa
this is some of my FAVORITE stuff. ever. in the world. i could eat it straight from the jar.

-flaxseed tortilla chips
i really love the taste of these things. and the colors.

-lobster ravioli
i dig lobster. i dig ravioli. i totally dig the combination.

-edamame
'nuf said. i always like to have a bag on hand.

-luna chocolate peppermint stick
nom nom nom.

-chocolate chip dunkers
perfect for dipping with my coffee in the morning.

-snap peas
love these crunchy suckers as a snack, in my salad or on the side of a sandwich.

-chicken shu mai
frozen quick meal! and soooo tasty.

-greek pomegranate yogurt with granola
i like anything pomegranate. this cup is nothing short of amazing.

we had a birthday dinner for my dad. my mom made her famous meatloaf. it's one of my dad and brother's fave dinner. laney told grandma she no likey meatloaf. i had to agree with the two year old on that one. my taste buds just don't love it, either. so instead i had a bowl of ramen noodles chicken flavored. {flashback to college-whoa!} i was also lectured by my big bro of how much sodium is in a pack of ramen and how unhealthy it is and blah, blah, blah. i NEVER eat ramen. even in college i didn't. i never put salt on anything. and my brother doesn't even eat anything the color of green. as in, no veggie, ever! and he's preaching to me? har, har, har!

my sodium-filled meal was delish, thankyouverymuch.

after dinner erik fell asleep and laney took full advantage of her daddy's opened canvas.

mmm, princess stickers suit him well, no?