Sweater + Jacket

Halleluja!  It was cold enough yesterday to wear a light sweater and jacket!  I'm really glad I purchased this jacket last year because it's such a versatile piece. The color is neutral enough to mix and match with quite a lot of pieces in my closet and I always get compliments on it.

I've raved about these pants before- but J.Crew's minnie pants are incredible. They are very fitted but fit TTS (I order mine in a 6T, for reference). I love that they zip on the side and that they can be machine washed (they say "dry clean" but not "dry clean only" so I wash them on gentle in cold water and hang dry them and it works great!)

On days where I'll be at my desk sending emails, making calls and writing (no meetings/going to the hospital), I'll dress more casually like I did the day I wore this outfit. I did throw on a pair of heels because my in laws were watching Harper all day so I didn't have daycare drop off.

jacket- banana republic, old (similar) | sweater- j.crew (similar) | pants- j.crew | shoes- banana republic

For casual Friday today, I once again wore my J.Crew Andie chinos and paired them with a heather gray v-neck tee and a classic navy blazer.

tee- j.crew | pants- j.crew | blazer- artizia | flats- gap (similar)

at lunch with friends...

I hope you all had a great week! 

A Delicious & Quick Dinner Idea

When my husband and I first moved in together before we got married, we were both pretty lacking in our cooking skills. We often ordered-in food and we ate the same things all the time, which included a lot of turkey tacos because they were easy to make.

As we got older, we both got better at cooking and currently my husband does 90% of the cooking in our house. (Score!)  But now that we have a baby, our dinner routine has become a little more challenging because we both want to maximize the time we spend with Harper after work instead of being stuck in the kitchen.  We like to cook things that are quick or than can be thrown into a pan and oven-baked so we can play with the baby and have our dinner practically make itself, save some prep time.

We've been buying Bertolli authentic Italian frozen meals for about five years now. We kind of discovered them randomly in the freezer section of our grocery store. It was one of those "these look good" moments and we picked up a few different meals.

Recently, Bertolli came out with new, restaurant-inspired, multi-serve Rustico Bakes, which promise to deliver oven-baked taste from the microwave in minutes. Already a fan of the stove-top frozen meals, I was excited to try something that would take even less effort (and no clean-up either!).

Nowadays, we cook a Bertolli dinner anytime we don't feel like really cooking or don't have the time to but we still want a tasty dinner that's a real meal (ie: not mac n' cheese or cereal). The new Bertolli multi-serve Rustico Bakes are available in 4 recipes-  Stuffed Shells Bolognese, Ricotta & Mozzarella Ravioli, Ziti Alforno and Manicotti Alla Vodka. You guys, they are SO good. I was amazed at how delicious they were and, confession time---when we made the Ziti Alforno, I took it out of the microwave and divided equal servings into bowls...and then, when my husband wasn't looking, added a little more to my bowl. (Sorry, honey.)

Sometimes we don't have the time or energy to cook or we just want to spend our evening taking a long walk with the baby and reading extra books. Having something quick and easy that we can eat and enjoy as a family is awesome (and lately, Harper likes to watch us eat too!).

All you have to do to make the Rustico Bakes is to pop it into the microwave for about 10 minutes. When it's all done I promise you will love the taste- just like what you'd order dining out, but you can wear sweatpants and don't have to leave your house.

 

Harper hanging out while dinner cooks...

 Here's what it looks like after we've served it up:

so much delicious melted cheesy goodness...mmm...

Bertolli also has a new line of Italian-inspired desserts and as someone who doesn't feel dinner is complete without a sweet treat at the end of a meal, I'm loving the Lemoncello dessert.  

Have you tried Bertolli dinners? What do you cook when you want a great meal that's quick? Leave me a comment below for a chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card!

Sweepstakes Rules: 
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: �#SweepstakesEntry�; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
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4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 11/7/2013-12/4/2013.
Be sure to visit the Bertolli brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers� posts!

It's All About the Pants

Lately I am all about pants. I used to prefer skirts and dresses, but I have seen the light and now all I want to do is wear pants all.the.time.  I think one of the reasons for this, besides extreme comfort is that pant silouettes have really changed over the last couple of years and options for work pants aren't simply a boot leg or flare. I like that all major retailers are carrying pants that have a slimmer leg and taper at the ankle. 

I wore my olive colored Andie Chinos from J.Crew for the first time today and they are definitely a must-have pant. I tried them on in store but wanted to order a tall which they don't carry (for reference, I went with the 6T). They were backordered online and took about 4 weeks to arrive at my doorstep. I was able to use the 30% off discount when I purchased them from the store on backorder, so that was great, and they were definitely worth the wait. I don't own any pants in this color so it was a nice addition to my ever-growing pant collection. You heard it here first, pants may be the new J.Crew No. 2 pencil skirt (for me at least). 

Please excuse the work bathroom selfie. Sometimes, it's my only option. I love the way the multi-colored tiles clash with my outfit ;)

Pants- J.Crew | Top- Anthropologie | Shoes- J.Crew Factory | Necklace- J.Crew | Cardigan- J.Crew |  

Next on my pant wish list? These gorgeous toothpick jeans in a rich green velvet (I'm waiting for a sale).

Have you been enjoying the slimmer/more tapered pant silhouettes? Do you wear them to work or do you stick with more traditional pants?

Guest Post: Jenn of Two by Two Mom on Time Management & Being a Mom to Two Sets of Twins!

Hi, I'm Jenn from Two by Two Mom, and I'm honored that Veronika asked me to be a guest blogger! I have been following her blog for years now, and just adore seeing pictures of her as a mommy to sweet little Harper! A little about me! My husband and I met back in college and now live in New Jersey. In my former life, I was a recruiter for a large hospital in our area turned wedding planner, and now I'm a stay-at-home mommy to my 4 little munchkins. I have 2 sons, 2 daughters and a little maltese named Bella. Oh yea...and my kids happen to be 2 sets of twins! Nicholas and Logan will be 5 in January, and our latest additions, Aubrey and Alexis, will be 1 a few days after Christmas. Needless to say, life can sometimes be a whirlwind!

Whenever people find out I have 2 sets of twins, the number 1 thing people say to me is, "I don't know how you do it." And my go to answer? "Well, I really have no choice!" But the real answer? I'm organized and good at managing my time. I always see the glass as half full. I make time for me. I realize it's not always going to be perfect. And most importantly....I really love it. I was an organized person even in my pre-baby life, but having kids has kicked that up a notch. I love technology as much as the next person, yet I still need to have my old school planner and a handwritten to-do list. (And yes...I am totally the person that writes things on my to do list even after I have already done them just so I can cross them off the list.) 

My boys have afternoon preschool Monday-Friday from 12:45-3:15, so my mornings usually are spent in the house . The girls usually wake up around 7/7:30am, have a bottle and breakfast and play until about 9am. Then they take a nap from about 9am-12pm. During the girls nap, I usually throw a few loads of laundry in (I have a system-sheets and towels Mondays, Boys Tuesdays, Girls Wednesdays, our stuff Thursdays. Rinse and Repeat. Literally.) 

I prep for dinner, straighten/clean the house, and have the boys do some kind of homework (either something they have brought home from school, a few pages from a preschool workbook, practicing their letters, etc.) When the girls wake up, I feed everyone lunch and we head off to get the boys to school. While they are in school, I run errands (and grab an afternoon coffee. Another essential part to my survival!). I pick them up at 3:15, and have everyone home and in bed napping by 3:30. Yup...you read that right. My almost 5 year old boys still nap, and don't think I don't thank the nap gods and my lucky stars every.single.day. 

From day 1 when the girls joined our family, my goal was to get everyone on the same afternoon nap schedule. Mama needs a break too! So yea, I'm totally high-fiving myself here, but I have 4 nappers every afternoon from 3:30 until 5:00pm. And in case you can't read between the lines....that nap totally saves my sanity! Some nights we have activities, we have soccer on Saturday mornings, I am a room mom...I just find time in the day to prepare for everything and make it work!

 

 I always see the glass as half full. I don't see any reason to be pessimistic about things. It doesn't get you anywhere. I'm not saying I'm Suzy Sunshine, but I also don't live my life in doom and gloom. Being a mom is tough whether you have 1 kid or 10. I've actually had people see that I have 2 sets of twins and say, "wow! I'm sorry?" or "Geez, better you than me." Sorry for what? And you're right...better me than you! I feel so lucky. SO blessed. I have 2 sons. Brothers. 2 daughters. Sisters. What exactly is there to be sorry for? The work involved? The exhaustion? I'm still trying to figure it out. I wouldn't trade my life for the world. It is an amazing blessing.  

I make time for me. Yup, ME....you hear that kids?? I am a wife and a mom first, but I'm still Jenn. I still like to do things that I enjoyed pre-kids. I love fashion. Mani's and Pedi's. Blogging. Working out (ok, I don't love it, but I do it!) Hanging out with my friends. Enjoying nights out with my husband. Reading. Going to target....ALONE! And I still make time to do and enjoy each one of these things. I am a better mom because I make time for myself. Better for myself. Better for my husband. Better for my kids. I change poopy diapers, play ninja turtles and am constantly feeding someone or wiping a hiney all.day.long. The least I could do for myself is grab a PSL and a pedicure. 

It's not always going to be perfect. Sometimes the boys are driving me crazy and I have things that need to get done. So they might watch a little more tv then I'd like them to. Oh well! Sometimes I have good intentions of a delicious homecooked dinner and 5pm rolls around and I'm wiped, don't feel like cooking and just order a pizza or feed them grilled cheese. Oh well! Sometimes someone is crying. Or 2 someones. Or 3. Or 4. Oh well! Sometimes (ok, usually) I have somewhere to be and I'm 10-15 minutes late. Oh well! Sometimes I lose my patience. Oh well! Oh freaking well. I'm not perfect. Life isn't perfect. But it goes on, and there's always tomorrow! 

This is my life and I love it. I mean, I really, really love it. No matter what happens, it's all worth it when you see those little faces smiling at you. Or telling you how much they love you. Or wrapping their arms so tightly around your neck. I never imagined having 4 kids, and now I can't imagine anything different. When I see the girls smiling and laughing at the boys, or the way the boys talk to and play with their little sisters...my heart could just burst with pride, joy and love. Having them is the single biggest blessing of my life, and I'm lucky to be their mommy. 

'Me Time' with the New Sonia Kashuk Bath and Body Collection at Target!

Now that I'm a momma, I can tell you that my spa day weekends are a thing of the past, my nails are always chipped, and I haven't seen the inside of a gym since I was pregnant. Harper is my biggest (and awesomest) priority so taking care of me like I used to has fallen by the wayside---and that's okay.

Though I don't have as much "me" time now, I do believe it's important to take 20 or 30 minutes each week to do something nice for you.  I think it makes you a better mom and a better partner if you take the time to do something that makes you feel good.  Even though your "new normal" is everything but having time for yourself (because even if the baby is sleeping, there's laundry to be done, lunches to be made, surfaces to be cleaned...and the list goes on and on) it's still crucial to schedule a little time to pamper yourself---even 20 minutes can recharge and reinvigorate you.

I've really focused on caring for my skin lately so I was excited when Sonia Kashuk debuted a new Bath and Body collection, available at Target (one of my favorite shopping destinations!)

Once a week, I step up my shower routine by incorporating products from the new line to keep my skin looking supple and moisturized. I don't always have the time to do the whole exfoliate and deep moisturizing routine, so this is just a weekly treat for now.

Before I get into each product, I want to rave about the beautiful packaging.  I love the luxe look of the black packaging with bold floral prints and the touch of gold on the label. The prettier the packaging, the nicer it is to have in your bathroom. Fact.

Sonia Kashuk's new bath and body line:

shower gel, body mist, hand cream, body polish and body butter

Okay, so back to my three-step routine. I start my shower with the Sonia Kashuk exfoliating body polish. It's grainy but not too rough and it helps slough off all of those dead skin cells to reveal fresh, new skin. It also smells great which is a huge bonus. If you're skeptical, test it on top of your hand first---your skin will feel as smooth as a baby once you rinse it off!

Once that's complete, step two is the body wash---it has a very strong herbal/floral scent and it kind of fills your shower with steamy goodness that feels luxurious like those fancy aromatherapy oils they use at the spa. Plus, the smell lingers a little while so you smell good even a couple of hours after your shower.

Once I'm all rinsed off and towel-dried, I apply the body butter to my entire body. The body butter is rich and thick---but also has a whipped texture which makes it easy to apply, non-stick and non-greasy. It makes my skin SO soft.

Taking that time once a week to spend a little extra time doing something nice for my skin is a good way to recharge and pamper myself a little.  It's something small that has a big impact on the condition of my skin.

How do you recharge or make time for yourself each week? Whether you're a busy mom or working gal, what's your go-to beauty routine, class at the gym or other activity that makes you feel good? Let me know in the comments below and you could win a $100 Target GiftCard�


Sweepstakes Rules:
No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: �#SweepstakesEntry�; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winner  will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 11/4/13 - 11/30/13.

Be sure to visit the Sonia Kashuk Brand Page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers� reviews and find more chances to win!

Baby Gap Picks (40% Off!) + Our Saturday...

Today I got an email from GAP with a promo code to get 40% off of my order. I had been wanting to pick up a few things but was, as always, waiting for a sale of 35% off or above (it's always worth the wait for how much you save). You can use the code DEALFORU for a percentage off of your order (I think it's between 35-40%).

Here is what I ordered for Harper (and one gray dress for myself that I saw in-store recently and thought was cute):

Bunny shirt | Chambray top | Intarsia bunny sweater dress | Holiday PJ set 

| Flower-print cords | Marled Knit Jacket | 

| Gray dress |

I've been trying to buy more "outfits" for Harper lately instead of just buying random things I like all over the place. I try to be more thoughtful now and make sure I know what I can pair the item with if I'm buying it. Honestly, it may seem silly, but babies have to wear clothes, so why not have fun with it? She's only this little once and one day she will want to pick out her own clothes so I might as well enjoy it while I can.

Everyone kept telling me to buy ALL OF THE ONESIES when I was pregnant because that's "all she would wear"---and for the first couple of months that was true--- but I like dressing her in dresses with leggings and little jeans and cords with cute tops now that she's a little older. So I have an overwhelming amount of onesies but didn't have much to pair them with. So I've been purchasing more tops, sweaters, leggings and pants to mix and match with everything since I was kind of low on things she could wear with the onesies. I also had practically zero colder-weather clothing. I even had to go out and buy tons of socks when she started daycare because I realized I didn't have that many and she needs to wear them daily.

So if you're pregnant and thinking about buying things--buy onesies, but don't go too crazy. Build your collection a little more slowly and assess your needs as you go. You may find, like I did, that you have too many onesies and not enough of the other stuff. 

Anyway, that was kind of a tangent, sorry.  I figured it may be helpful for some.  In any case, the clothes I didn't get to use will find a good home. I'm going to donate the newborn onesies that Harper never fit into as well as some of the stuff she never got to wear before growing out of it to a women's shelter or another organization who could use those kinds of items. Might as well make the best of it.

Here are a few other items we've purchased recently (sorry if you've seen some of these on Instagram already---I get a lot of requests to share my purchases and I love seeing what others buy too!)

Dot sweater leggings | Furry vest outfit | Indestructible book | Mamas + Papas Doll | Baby shoes- Target | Baby bow leggings

We started our Saturday morning with lots of cuddles (more like Harper cuddling her bunny and elephant):

Then I took Harper for a walk while I sipped my morning latte:

Then we got Harper dressed and went to look at high chairs. I've done a lot of research/reading reviews online and so far we are between the oxo sprout, the boon flair and the mamas + papas pixi. Let me know if you have any feedback. I think the boon may be the best fit for us since it can go higher and lower whereas the other two are fixed in their heights. We'd like something we can use at the kitchen island as well as at a normal height table.

It was the most beautiful day outside today and we enjoyed strolling along with Harper as we checked out some of the high chairs in person and tested them out (I think a high chair is one baby item that is tougher to order online).

When we got home, Harper really got intimate with her Indestructibles book. They aren't kidding when they say babies can pull, and drool all over these and they remain a-OK. She was on her mat but she loved the way the book would slide on the hardwood so I let her go at it. 

 ...and then Harper had fun with her new Mamas + Papas dolly. We are naming her Molly or Penelope. Yep, we name dolls. I make up songs about them, so they need to have a name, right? Her other doll is named Ruby. Ha. Ruby is a ballerina and I have a song that I made up about her dancing. Yep, I'm weird. 

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Outfits...

I wore my new BR bow skirt this week and I think I'm in love. Unfortunately, I was playing on the floor with Harper when I got home from work and when I spread my legs a bit to stand up, the front slit split and now I have to get it fixed---but I absolutely love it and can't wait to wear it again when it's all sewn up (I'd do it myself but I'm not a good enough sewer to where I could make it so the thread doesn't show.

tee- j.crew | skirt- banana republic | necklace- stella and dot, c/o | 

blazer- aritzia |shoes- gap

I love that this skirt can be worn with flats. As I mentioned before, I'm all about flats these days. I still wear heels, but I would say three out of five work days, I'm wearing flats. This week, I don't think I wore heels once. 

shirt- old navy | vest- j.crew(on sale!) | pants- banana republic | shoes- gap (on sale!)

This was my casual Friday outfit. No meetings today so I dressed down.

Wishing you all a great weekend!