Fashion Inspiration

I came across this picture recently and LOVE this look!

So much in fact that I would love it for myself :)

(I could not find the source, if you know please share!)

So...my little fashionista and myself decided to try and duplicate this look with what Lucy already has in her closet!

Fashion Inspiration

I stumbled on this image and LOVE this look!  

To me...this is Lucy's style!

(or maybe it's mine:)

(if you know where this photo came from..please share!)

So...since Lucy is having a SNOW DAY! (the boys had school 2 hours late :(,

we thought it would be fun to try and re-create one of these looks with what she has in her closet....

Why 2 blogs???

well..."and Lucy makes 6!" is our family "scrapbook". 

 It is here where I share milestones, vacations, celebrations, our everyday. 

 I want to eventually one day print this blog into books so that we will always have them...I didn't want to fill up our family blog with fun beauty finds :), decorating ideas/inspiration, or fashion related posts.

So...Ciao Bella is a place of my own!

Hope you'll come visit!

I think this is all I am going to get...

I don't know, call me crazy...but I have been craving just a little more winter.

I know my friend Catie doesn't think I'm crazy :)

I love a gorgeous sunny day...but I love when it snows...hunkering down, fire going, hot tea, wet clothes hanging off the hearth trying to get dry by the fire, tripping over piles of boots in the foyer...ok, maybe not the last two :)...but I have been hoping for a snow day.

but

today is looks like all I am going to get is a little hail!

I ♥ My Valentine {and my Hunters!}

I have joined the masses, and now have my beloved Hunter Wellies!

My sweet Hubby gave them to me as a gift this Valentine's Day...I love that he knows me so well...(or maybe it was my incessant chatter for the past few months of my huge NEED for this lovelies!)

I know they come in a bazillion different colors and styles these days, but all I have ever dreamed of were the classics...original tall green wellies...the kind Princess Di wore....and I think green goes with everything...at least now it does :) 

 When I went to get them I thought I would cave and choose a cool color, but nope, when I saw them...I knew♥

Do You Ever??

...set up a Hot Cocoa Station?

This is one of my kids, and well MY favorite little places.

I set out a tray with jars full of hot cocoa, marshmallows, gourmet sipping chocolate and a few pretty mugs...and it seems to just call you over to make yourself a cup.

(this was a little dressed up for Valentine's Day)

(My DARLING mugs and sipping chocolate in the cutest tins ever...were a gift from a very sweet friend, Diane,  whom I only know from "blogland".  She sent these to me along with a wonderful candle and a book about Chinese New Year for Lucy after we had our little ER visit a few weeks ago.  She knew just what these Girls needed!)

Diane, thank you so much for taking the time to do this for us...you are a treasure! xoxo

In My Kitchen {Artisan Bread}

My friend Lori shared this easy recipe for Artisan Bread

It truly is EASY and does it not look like I just ran to the bakery???

It is from the cookbook...Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.

6 -1/2 cups all purpose flour (or bread flour)

1 - 1/2 T yeast (2 packets)

1 - 1/2 T kosher salt

3 cups warm water

mix together yeast, salt, and warm water.(no need to let the yeast sit)

add in flour and mix...this is a "no knead" dough

mix well and let sit covered (but not air tight) in the bowl for at least 2 hours or better yet, make the dough in the morning and bake in the afternoon ...you can also do it overnight in the fridge

then divide into 2 large loafs or 4 grapefruit size

place each dough on floured parchment paper and shape into loafs

(I did the dutch oven method)...so preheat oven to 500 degrees, and place dutch oven in to heat up for 20 minutes (my dutch oven is a "le crueset" style with a metal knob on the lid...if your knob is not metal, I read you could cover it with foil to make it ovenproof to 500.  there are other methods which you can read about HERE

once heated...take one of the loaves, flour the top and slice across the top (4 or so times)....CAREFULLY take the dutch oven out of the oven and remove the lid, and place the dough ON the parchment paper inside and cover...place back in oven for 15 min....let additional loaves just sit while one bakes

after 15 min...remove lid, turn oven down to 450 and bake another 15 min...remove and place on cooling rack.

before you bake the next loaf put the lid of the dutch oven back in at 500 to pre-heat

YUM!

Valentine Weekending~

purging 

sorting 

shredding 

recycling
no Dr visits

artisan bread

oatmeal scotchies

beef daube provencal

red velvet cupcakes

valentine dinner 

candlelight 

family

In My Kitchen {Yogurt Parfait}

This is my new FAVORITE breakfast!

nonfat vanilla yogurt
blueberries
nonfat plain greek yogurt drizzled with honey
blueberries
a "little" more nonfat vanilla yogurt
homemade granola
{all served up in a french jam jar!}

A very LONG week!

This has been the longest week ever...let me break it down for you....

Monday -
Got a call from the school, Lucy was in the nurses office again.  I of course was at the grocery store with a cart FULL again.  I panicked because 2 weeks ago when she was in the nurses office we went straight to the ER.  She had been diagnosed with a kidney infection the week prior, test results came back negative, then a week later she is having tummy pain, vomiting...go to ER...do a CT scan, xray and leave with a diagnosis of Messenteric Lymphadenitis an abdominal virus that mimics appendicitis.  She seemed to recover from that..so why was she in the nurses office again???  Turns out...it is 5th grade buddy day and she just didn't want to go, her reason, "it's just too much writing" :)

Tuesday -
Blake goes to get his drivers license...and PASSES!!!!!

Bennett had been sick the past week, missed school with an ear infection and bad sore throat.  Monday night he gets hives.  Take him to the Dr. and decide to stop his antibiotic and see if they go away, or possibly it could be an allergy.

Pick up Lucy from school...she starts saying that her tooth hurts...get her to the dentist for an xray, and decide it is her 6 year molars coming through.

Wednesday -
Lucy is on Tylenol and Motrin alternating to stop the pain, poor baby.  Pick her up from school, she is in EXTREME pain, just about jumps throught the ceiling when I touch a tooth that had a HUGE filling a month ago..YIKES...call the Dentist, we think the tooth is going to need a root canal, but for now we get her on antibiotics to stop infection.

Thursday -
Powell starts his new job!  Well, actually outside of some summer work, this is his first real part-time job...very cool!

Poor Lucy is taking her medicine but still needs Tylenol to curb the pain!

Friday -
So far so good!
Lucy gets to go to her Best Friend Camryn's birthday party.
Blake takes the car (for the first time by himself!!!!) to go see a friend...I am a mess!
oh wait....
Bennett just came to show me he has red splotches ALL over his face.....really?????

( I share all this since it is our family scrapbook...not for your sympathy...well, maybe a little sympathy :)

Have a great weekend!

Lucy's Valentines {?/365}

These are the Valentine's Lucy chose for this year 

Yep...she lives in a house with teenagers :)

(?/365 means...I am sooo behind I have no idea what photo this should be :)

♥Lucy's Valentines♥

Well, I guess it is pretty obvious Lucy has 3 teenage brothers with cell phones!

She has inherited our old phones, and always "upgrades" to one that actually will at least stil take pictures :)

So...when she saw these Valentine's....she knew THESE were the ones!

{we found the idea here}

Chinese New Year!

We have celebrated Chinese New Year every year since Lucy joined our family.  

I put up decorations, have a big bowl of mandarins, red envelopes for the kids and I always have a little gift for Lucy.  I seem to have run out of the little things I picked up in China, so this year I went to the local asian market and bought Lucy a BIG bag of her favorite crackers!

Lucy wore her Chinese dress to school, brought a book about CNY for her teacher to read to the class and fortune cookies!

We all love it and love that it makes Lucy feel so special...not that she is lacking in that! :)

The past couple of years we have gone to a local Chinese restaurant, had dinner and seen an authentic Dragon Dance.  This year our friend's the Brown's hosted a wonderful dinner at their home to celebrate our Girl's heritage.

I brought home so many dresses for Lucy from China.  She was SO excited when we pulled out the size 6 this year and it was this gorgeous fuschia/hot pink...it is her favorite color right now!

The boys are so great...the love celebrating this tradition with Lucy and make a BIG deal over her dress every year!

Faith has been home one year.  It has been so fun to be able to watch her grow, blossom and bond with her wonderful family.  Lucy and Faith are both Hunan "Spicy" Girls!!

Dawn worked so hard and set two fabulous tables, made tons of food, and made these cute rabbit cookies for Year of the Rabbit!

Dawn & Lucy

Faith's Jie Jie, Kylee....Lucy loves Kylee!

Lucy sets a Kid's table {Video}

Xin Nian Kuai Le! Happy Chinese New Year!

Year of the Rabbit

Happy New Year!

We will be celebrating with our good friends tonight the Brown's!

Mt Rainier {30/365}