my new obsession

i love cake stands. and i’ve decided that i will start collecting them. because i love them so.  i’m sure ryan’s reading this right now and saying “no way jose” (probably not jose, that’s my addition), but i’m not saying right this instant, but when i finally have a nice, bigger place. and collections aren’t (usually) amassed all at once, but rather, throughout time (though i am pretty impatient).

#1 reason for my obsession and desire to collect? parties!

{via sweet and saucy supply}

what a beautiful sight! you know i love me some dessert, and this is what every party needs. a beautiful table of cake stands filled with scrumptious desserts.

my collection is at one right now. i currently own this clear glass domed beauty from crate & barrel (thanks to my mother-in-law).

(not my actual one. i’ve never made a cake so perfect…yet)

hopefully one of these beauties will be #2 (and 3, 4, 5, 6…) in my collection…

{via etsy}

{via sweet and saucy supply}

{via amazon}

{via sweet and saucy supply}

{via ebay}

if you see any lovely cake stands while thrifting/ebaying, keep me in mind do you have a collection of something, or want to start one?

{justine}

p.s. congrats to my cousin jenny & her husband justin, on the birth of their gorgeous daughter jillian joy on tuesday. can’t wait to meet her (and hope she enjoys her blanket and burp cloths)!

weekend recap

weekend #13 of the year is over. and as far as weekends go, it was a good one.

there was relaxing on friday night with homemade pizza and season one of modern family.

saturday included working out (a zumba class – man do i feel uncoordinated. but it’s the effort/cardio that counts, right?), cleaning for our second showing ever (fingers crossed, but not holding our breaths) and a girls night since our men had fantasy baseball draft.

we had apps and wine and then went to fiorentino’s, a yummy italian place (i ordered ricotta stuffed gnocchi in a pesto sauce – mmmm).

i couldn’t find my camera to take a group pic, but brooke and holly helped a girl out and took pics of the lovely ladies sitting across from them…

{rita & holly}

{me & brooke}

we had good convo, good food and good fun – girls night need to happen more often in my opinion. even though we see each other plenty, it’s just something about the men not being there that makes it more…special. or something.

on sunday there was another zumba class (yup, still uncoordinated) and dinner at my grandparent’s place to celebrate my grandma’s birthday. it was quite the ordeal to plan it (let’s just say wonky hearing ads and not the best memory) but in the end it was so great to see them and other family members (another thing that has to happen more often).

aren’t they the cutest?

and now it’s back to the grind. but next weekend starts a day early for this girl as friday (and the rest of the weekend) will be spent in st. louis loving on my nephew who i haven’t seen since thanksgiving. i cannot wait.

hope your weekend was a good one too.

{justine}

p.s. congrats to melissa and jeff on their new baby girl! i cannot believe you have a baby (my gosh we’re getting old) and i can’t wait to meet her! (maybe someday i’ll post about the shower gifts i made for her, before she’s a year old…maybe)

recipe reco: crispy bourbon (rum) glazed salmon

folks. i made and ate salmon for the first time last night. this is huuuge. as i’ve heard that salmon is a “fishy fish” and i only just started eating fish (tilapia), i figured i wouldn’t eat salmon, at least for a long time. but then. then jessica at how sweet it is posted a recipe for crispy bourbon glazed salmon.

i made it. and i ate it. and i actually enjoyed it. this may be one small step for man but it’s one giant leap for justine (i apologize. that just came out).

here’s my craptastic iphone photo taken at night (no computer still peeps):

(served with a side of kale chips)

and here’s jessica’s one million time better photo:

yes, now you want to make it.

i made a half recipe since it was only ryan and i, and there’s still half of the glaze left, despite my many applications throughout my meal. i could drink the glaze if i wanted to (it’s that good) but i’ll probably just save it for my second helping ever of salmon (since i’m sure i can’t get a buzz of it), or it would probably be great on chicken or pork chops.

this recipe calls for broiling the salmon, which makes a crispy, delightful crust (and a fun popping sound).

tip: if you are all out of bourbon (the travesty!) use dark rum (which never ever runs out in my house). i did and it was still amazing.

i do have to be honest and say that salmon is still not my favorite – i enjoy tilapia a lot more – but i will be eating it again and again to soak up all those omega-3′s and other healthy things, thanks to this recipe.

so yea. salmon. try it!

and have great weekend!

{justine}

p.s. if you love food, especially desserts, you should follow how sweet it is. it’s ridiculous. i do warn you, you may gain 10 or 20 pounds (i have been having lots of self control, though it’s very hard).

a few things…

1. i suppose i owe an update on the biggest loser stuckenschneider fat camp: i have lost…0 pounds. nada. nothing (and ryan has lost 12 lbs. of course. men. really though, it’s great for him).

while i’m not suprised, i’m still disappointed and discouraged. why have i been eating fish and quinoa and brussel sprouts and ridiculous amounts of asparagus when i could be eating cupcakes and fried things and cheese and cookies and red meat? ok, so i may have eaten some or all of the above, but, in moderation and waaaaaay less than normal. like, my weekday diet has totally changed (weekends…i’m still working on the dinners.)

i’ve also started working out (so wtf scale?). i bought a living social deal of one-month unlimited membership to a “fitness studio” (indigo studio) and have been going four times a week for two weeks now. which leads me to my next point….

2. this is my workout schedule for the next couple days:

those three classes three days in a row are in addition to the two classes i’ve already taken this week on sunday and monday. if i make it to one on saturday, that will be six workout classes in one week. that may be a lifetime record for myself. booyah.

unfortunately my month ends april 7 and i can’t afford the regularly priced classes, so i will have to motivate myself to do fitness dvds at home (borrowed from a neighbor–thanks deb and from netflix). hopefully the weather will remember that it’s spring now and actually warm up so i can also take long walks with beck and walk to/from work.

regardless of my big fat flop of losing weight so far, there’s still two months until i have to be in a bathing suit, so i am hunkering down and will lose weight. if i think i can, i can. if i think i can’t, i won’t. (um, yea, we’ll see.)

3. i just bought these:

{grey stone-washed canvas}

i’m so excited for these to arrive so i can wear immediately (you know i love packages)! i’ve heard really good things about toms shoes and these will be my first pair, of probably many. bonus – for every pair you buy, they donate a pair to a child in need (similar to my warby parker glasses. except they donate glasses, not shoes, obviously).

4. the new march/april issue of rue is live! go forth, read and be happy.

so those are my random four updates/thoughts/ramblings for today. hope you have a good rest of the week. mine will be spent working, working out and trying not to eat anything.

{justine}

p.s. in may i will be walking the american brain tumor association’s path to progress 5k  in memory of my father-in-law. i have added a button to my sidebar in case you would like to walk with us or you are able to donate any amount, big or small. i don’t want to push it on people, but it’s for a great cause and it’s there if you need it….