March | 2014 | Home Is Where The Haggis Is

Monthly Archives: March 2014
- Top 5 Spring Must-Haves
  
  Posted at 11:50 am by Lisa Cavallari
  
  Mar 21st
  Hooray! The sun is shining and it finally feels like spring outside which gets me thinking about bringing out my warm weather clothes.
  
  I am known among some to ask the same question each fall and each spring over a glass of wine or maybe a mimosa if it’s brunch, “What are five clothing items that you want to buy this season?” It’s fun to hear the responses. It makes me update my list with items I may have overlooked.
  
  Here are my five items that I want so far this spring:
  
  One- White jeans
  
  I know they are impractical, especially since my days are mostly filled with chasing after my three and five-year old, but I don’t care. They look great with a tan in summer.
  
  I blame my mom for this one. She loves this look as well. In fact, when she shops for my girls each spring she always gets them a white pair of capris, shorts or cute sundress. Not that might be a tad bit more impractical, but hey, we love what we love.
  
  Two- D ‘Orsay flats
  
  These remind me of Audrey Hepburn.
  
  They look classy without trying too hard. I can imagine wearing them with boyfriend jeans or a floral skirt paired with a crisp, white shirt.
  
  Three- Canvas sneakers
  
  I already found these last month at Old Navy in a slew of colors. I picked poppy to add some color to my neutral outfits (or white jeans!), but I might have to go back for the navy and mint green. For around $20, the price is right.
  
  Four- Toms
  
  I must be on a canvas kick. These shoes look so comfortable for the mom-on-the-go, a frequent traveler who needs to slip them on and off quickly or bumming around on the weekend to run errands.
  
  The options are positively endless. They come in every shade and print imaginable.
  
  Five- Cropped Top
  
  This one might a little too trendy and risky for me, but I am tentatively adding it to my list.
  
  Paired with the right pants-high waisted and loose, it looks cool and modern.
  
  Or with a skirt. The key to getting this one right is showing just a hint of skin.
  
  I am still not completely convinced, but it’s worth trying on in the store at the very least. Maybe it’s more of a vacation top.
  
  Thoughts? What are your five items this spring?
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  Posted in Shopping | Tagged clothes, fashion trends, shoes, spring fashion
- Chocolate Mint Brownies
  
  Posted at 9:00 pm by Lisa Cavallari
  
  Mar 13th
  These chocolate mint brownies are nothing like drinking a dark, smooth Guinness in Ireland, but they are a festive and decadent option to serve around St. Patrick’s Day.
  
  Chocolate Mint Brownies
  
  Ingredients:
  
  Brownie base:
  
  1 box brownie mix (I used Betty Crocker)
  
  Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box
  
  Filling:
  
  3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  
  1/4 cup butter, softened
  
  1/4 cup whipping cream
  
  3 ounces cream cheese, softened
  
  1/4 tsp mint extract
  
  4 drops green food color
  
  Topping:
  
  1/2 cup whipping cream
  
  1 bag (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
  
  1/2 cup butter
  
  Directions:
  
  Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom of 13×9-inch pan with cooking spray. Make brownies according to directions on the box. Cool completely after baking, about an hour.
  
  In large bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread over cooled brownies. Refrigerate 1 hour.
  
  I dolloped the frosting on first to allow for easier spreading. I also used an offset spatula, but a butter knife works just as well. In the end, it doesn’t matter how smooth you get the frosting because the third layer will cover any flaws.
  
  In a 2-quart saucepan, heat topping ingredients over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth. Cool about ten minutes.
  
  Pour topping over filling; lift pan and tilt from side to side to allow the topping to spread evenly. It will look smooth and glossy. Refrigerate uncovered about 2 hours or until set. Before cutting into bars, let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. For easier cutting, clean knife often to prevent crumbs. Store covered in refrigerator.
  
  Enjoy one…
  
  …or two. Slainte!
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  Posted in Baking | Tagged mint brownies, St. Patrick's Day
- Movies We Watched As Kids
  
  Posted at 9:31 am by Lisa Cavallari
  
  Mar 2nd
  The other day a rare moment occurred while the moms were waiting to pick up their little ones from preschool, many of us actually had time to sit down to converse! Not only that, a conversation about the movies we watched as kids developed. Some were movies that actually came out in theaters when we were kids and others were classics that our parents watched. There were many, “Oh! Good one(s).” Or an occasional sigh as if we were reliving a bit of the past. The list we compiled is by no means complete because it was off to the races in no time and all of us needed to pick up our child(ren). Soooo, I am asking all of you to throw out some of your favorites as well.
  
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  Pop some popcorn, pass the rope licorice and watch these movies with your own kids or significant other.
  1. Annie (1982)
  2. Adventures in Babysitting (1987)
  3. Babe (1995) Not as old as most of these, but still so good.
  4. Back to the Future (1985)
  5. Batteries Not Included (1987)
  6. Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)
  7. Big (1988)
  8. Black Beauty (1946)
  9. The Black Stallion (1979)
  10. The Boy Who Could Fly (1986)
  11. Charlotte’s Web (1973)
  12. Flight of the Navigator (1986)
  13. Freaky Friday (1976) The original before Lohan soiled the title.
  14. Ghostbusters (1984)
  15. The Goonies (1985)
  16. Harry and the Hendersons (1987)
  17. Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)
  18. The Jungle Book (1967)
  19. Lassie (the t.v. show started in the 1940s, but the 2005 movie received good reviews)
  20. Little Monsters (1989) Gotta love Fred Savage!
  21. The Monster Squad (1987)
  22. The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)
  23. Milo and Otis (1986) A pug and a kitten. Every animal-loving child will be hooked.
  24. The Neverending Story (1984)
  25. Old Yeller (1957) A tear-jerker, but a rite of passage nonetheless.
  26. The Parent Trap (1961) Again, stick to the original. 🙂
  27. Pete’s Dragon (1977)
  28. Pippi Longstocking (1969)
  29. Pollyanna (1960)
  30. Popeye (1980)
  31. The Princess Bride (1987)
  32. The Reluctant Dragon (1941)
  33. The Sandlot (1993) Baseball and rambunctious boys versus a giant dog nicknamed “The Beast.”
  34. The Secret Garden (1993)
  35. Splash (1984) Didn’t every girl want to be a mermaid when this came out? I certainly did!
  36. The Sound of Music (1965)
  37. Spacecamp (1986)
  38. Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
  39. The Yearling (1946)
  40. Where the Red Fern Grows (1974) Bring out more tissues. Truly one of my all-time favorites.
  Have I forgotten one? Let’s hear some more!
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  Posted in Kids | Tagged children's movies, kid's movies
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