God is love. Rev Run

What's for dinner?

I hear this question typically by  10:30 am from my husband.   When I was working my answer was " oh maybe chicken marsala or coconut shrimp".  Those dinners took some thought while shopping and some decent time in the kitchen.   Times have changed kids.

Don't let this sweet face fool you

Since being laid off last month my day to day life has changed.  These days I have my 3 yr old son with me when I grocery shop( or shop anywhere)  so my " what's for dinner" answer is more like " oh I picked up a package of chicken a potato and onion".   Yup.  That's what I managed to get.

When we really grocery shop I find myself eating chips or cookies that I have let the toddler pick out so he will sit in the carriage and eat.   Awesome, now grocery shopping that was a good 1000 steps on my garmin vivofit is now + 400 cals.   

Not funny Kurt, mumma needs to keep the downward trend of weight!

HA HA MUMMA!!!

 The chicken, potato and onion was my purchase yesterday at Brant Rock Market.   My  3 yr old  was asleep so there was no way I was going to the real grocery store( I was driving my mom home so the market was my only option)   Have you ever tried to wake up a sleeping 3 yr old and drag them into the store?  If you have , like me, you will never , ever, try it again. 

Kurt we don't need orange juice..we have the one mumma made " OK MUMMA"

It was 4:30 on a Thursday.   Quick run to Target.   Toddler is in his car seat dressed like a eskimo which makes him toasty warm.  Yup.  Warm  = Sleepy.  Every parent knows the trick.  Take a tide in the car with the heat on and instant nap to be had:)    So we pull into Target, I finish my phone call, unbuckle sleeping toddler and head in.    When we hit the doors he realizes where we are and starts the meltdown.   The rubber band body.   You know the one.  You cant pick them up because they go limp, flop and arch their back.   

So cute when sleeping

Then you try the " do you want legos?" NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

" do you want cookies?"

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

NOOO NOOOOOOOO

Game over.  Thanks for playing.   You grab your " kicks" at least from your Shopkick app since you made it in the door and walk right back to the car with screaming toddler.    Screaming like you just kidnapped his bunny ( bunny= security toy) and tore its head off. (dowload shopkick, it rules because you get free gift cards)

http://get.shopkick.com/crescent32597

Need a refresh on coupoing...go re read my coupon blog here... http://luckyladylafrance.blogspot.com/2015/01/couponing-lucky-lady-styleconsider-this.html

Finally get back in the car and by the time I put my seatbelt on he is happy and saying " home mumma!!"

Really?  Really?  Thanks dude.   You made me look like a kidnapper while sweating to death trying to scrape you off the floor not to mention out of breathe since my lungs dont work. A-w-e-s-o-m-e topped with awesome sauce.

So when my husband asks why I bought 1 stick of butter and 1 package of chicken thats why.  And when I say I'm going  to Target at 8:30 at night, thats why.  Well sorta, Target at night rules.  You can browse the clearance end caps and the holiday clearance section all by yourself.  Everyone else is home putting kids to bed.  Man, I hit that section right last week and now I wont need to buy valentines for a decade:). Nothing beats 90% off 

Just buying toner and I hear in a little voice " UH OH"

Shopping for anything is harder with a toddler in tow.  But with that said, I can still whip up a great meal from buying a pack of chicken, 1 sweet potato and 1 onion.     Here is the recipe which is  a one pot meal and amazing on a cold night( well  you add it all into one pot, you cook 2 things outside the pot)

Tri Color Quinoa with Root Veggies and pan fried chicken tenders

Saute 1 large sweet onion with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter , salt and pepper

Dice one cooked sweet potato and add to the onions

 

Mix then add  1 cup tri color quinoa, mix again

This quinoa is from good health but whole foods has one that is cheaper!

Add in 2 cups water or chicken stock with 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon yellow curry, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes

Add in 5 cut and cooked carrots

I love the color orange:)

Once done add in the pan fried chicken tendersii that were cooked with olive oil, salt and pepper.   

I must say, for 3 items purchased, I managed to make a healthy, paleo and gluten free meal without even trying. Not bad.   Not bad at all.  

Anything I can make and eat in a bowl is fantastic in my book.   I love rice, beans and chicken or rice, beans and veggies.  

My little kiwi was my appetizer.  Did you know that this little kiwi has tons of vitamin c!   ( I eat them because one medication I take I need more potassium and bananas get boring)

Maybe next time we grocery shop, Kurt  can bring his binoculars again :)

Hats off to all you moms and dads out there and anyone that brings small children to the grocery store, give yourself a high five!

Do you have a great one pot meal to share?  Simply email it to : ericalafrance@gmail.com.  

Your recipe might be shared on here!

 As Rev Run would say

"When your grateful you have no time to become mad or hateful". 

God is love.  Rev Run

( i have been soaking my legs this week and as Im soaking and writing my blog all I can think about is rev run in his bubble bath typing wicked fast on his blackberry)

Happy Hump Day!!!

Xoxoxo

Erica

My new website is up!

Www.luckyladylafrance.com

Snowsquall on my beach walk. Shocker.

My favorite tree, now my favorite picture.

My favorite tree looked amazing today.  The water capturing the reflection, the ity bitty icebergs and the ducks.  Perfect.  Tomorrow I will print this for my dear friend for her desk at work and one for my house and maybe I will add it to the note cards I am selling on my website.  Yes, I will.  That will make a beautiful card.

Snowaquall: is a sudden moderately heavy snowfall with blowing snow and strong, gusty surface winds. It is often referred to as a whiteout and is similar to a blizzard but is localized in time or in space and snow accumulations may or may not be significant.

 

A snowsquall during my walk today

Since we are blanketed in over 58.765 inches in snow, I have not been out to the beach to walk in a while.  If you read my blog you would have seen my attempt last Wednesday getting on the beach to walk.   Today I drove over the bridge and I felt like I was in a movie.  The Powder Point Bridge was covered in at least 6 inches of snow with just one track from other cars going over. 

Powder Point Bridge  2/19/2015

After 2 blizzards and 1 big snow storm, Duxbury Beach is covered in snow and has taken a beating but is still standing.  All the fencing and posts can be replaced and the back road was worked on from the first Blizzard but I am sure they will need some help this spring.  I took some pictures today and the only thing that came to mind was Lobster Trap Alley.  I must have seen 18 traps washed up.  I'm sure there is more and that is probably $2,000 in gear lost by fisherman which stinks but is part of the job.

Lobster Tray Alley

I got out of the car with the intentions of climbing over 4-5 feet of snow to get to the beach and much to my surprise, the path to the beach was packed down and I walked right on.   Mind you, I walked right on at the top of the fence.

Walkway onto the beach from parking lot, walking next to top of fence

Cool line at the ocean edge

Even looking into the parking lot from coming off the beach looks like a scene from The Day After Tomorrow.    I guess you could say I am totally mystified about this snow as I have been for the past two weeks just watching it accumulate and take over everything.. 

I'm standing at the highest point walking off the beach

So I took my walk.  My boots are pretty old and one is blown out in the back making it easy for snow to get in it so within 5 minutes my feet were soaked and cold.  Oh well, life could be worse and eventually they would get better, right?  No.  Time to retire them.

A Large Sea Clam...lunch for friends with wings:)

My little bird friend.  I think I see him on all my walks.   He's a hungry little fellow.

He never moved.  He just kept eating.  I guess we all would.

Today was good for photos.  Here is a few things I liked.

Amazing sea glass. light blue bottle bottom.   looks like a bird or dolphin?

Lobster Trap Alley

Blue Lobster

Aqua Sea Glass Marble

Walkway to beach

The ocean is beautiful anytime

cool ice patterns

Amazing, the walkway full to the top

Purple Crab

 Who knew the beach would have so many pretty colors on my walk in February.  Fascinating.

Heart shaped quahog shell

cool mussel shell

I typically walk from the parking lot out to the 4 wheel drive section.  I have watched the poles, they mark where the 4 wheel drive section starts, and today we lost one.  Man Down.  That must have been some big waves to take this down.

posts that mark the 4 wheel drive section

this is the walkway from the beach rd to the start of the 4 wheel drive section.  It's now a 6-8 foot drop.  It's going to be tricky with a cooler and chair!

It's snowing. 

Orange Ball

Gurnet Light

On my way out to the beach I took a few shots that caught my eye.  Glad to see the seagulls making the best of the mini icebergs.

Seagull Island

Gurnet from Powder Point at very high tide

Considering the elements and my wet feet, I enjoyed my walk today and all it had to offer. You never know what you will come by on the beach since it changes every tide.

This summer I will have to take some similar photos and compare and by then the copious amount of snow will be a memory we will all be laughing about.  Fat chance right?!  More like hope we never get a month of snow this bad ever again!

Feel free to use any photo, just make sure I get some street cred for it.

thanks all and have a good night..
xoxoxoox  erica

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www.luckyladylafrance.com

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Remember:  What you put on your skin is just as important as what you put in your body:)

i adore stationery and the mail for that matter

 

Griffin & Sabine: An Extraordinary Correspondence.  This is one of my favorite books ( trilogy), it makes you feel like you are reading someones letters. I love letters, note cards, cards and just plain old letter writing:)  Just typing that brought back loads of memories from my early twenties.  I was living in Amherst "attending" college and working at a very cool store,The Cedar Chest,  in Thornes Marketplace.  I wish there was a Thornes near me, sigh.

I would buy this rug and these socks at The Cedar Chest.....a girl can dream..............

 

During the time I was living there, my close and dear friend Elizabeth was living in London while studying European History.  Letter writing was all we had at this time.  We didn't have smart phones or email, we simply used our home phone or wrote letters with our hand.  Yup, sat down and wrote a letter.  I LOVED letters, cards, stationary in general.  I still do.  I called Elizabeth " Lizard" so I bought loads of Lizard stickers and a stamp.  Every letter or card I sent, which was multiple times a month, had a lizard sticker or the stamp for her name.  I loved looking through all the cards and stationery, even pens!

Sea Glass Heart Note Cards / lucky lady stationery

 

 

  If you find yourself in Barnes N Nobles or any book store, look for Griffin and Sabine.  I guarantee you will not be able to put it down. Most likely you will sit in one of those comfy chairs and finish all 3. It's a fabulous gift for someone, especially the person that has everything.  There are 3 books, so that is 3 gifts.  Look, you just nailed down 3 birthday gifts for your mother in law!  Your welcome. 

Letter writing.  I love it.  I love to write letters.  I still have my to do lists on paper.  I use my yearly planner everyday.  I write alot down.  Some people are paperless.  Some reply on their iwhatever for everything.  I love paper and pens.  It's that simple.  Paper products are my weakness.  The One Spot at Target has been amazing lately!  All the paper, stickers, planners and more!  

lucky lady stationery

When I went to write down a few goals for 2015, I looked at 2013 and 2014,   Both had the following,," Write 1 letter per month"   Wow, that is sad. A reminder to do it.  Do something I love.  I actually wrote on my goals to write a letter.  Times have changed.  I can count on 1 hand the people that send a brithday card or card for any event to my house.  Everything these days are evite, email, facebook event..the list is endless.  

The only invites I have seen is from my sons pre-school class and they come in his backpack mostly premade from mygym and it's just has the time and date on it.   His valentienes that he brought home were all store bought.   I was so excited to make valentines!!  I had round red paper, heart stickers, foam stickers, you name it I had it!  Kurt "helped" me make them  and his dad "helped" write everyones names on them.  It was a family event, VALENTINES!!!!!!!  Just kidding, it was all me.

Griffin and Sabine

 Have you written a letter lately?  Have you sent a nice card?  Thank you notes do not count.  That falls under " if you don't, that's rude"  I kid, I kid, but really, sit down and write one.  It feels good.   Go to your local book store or gift shop.  They typically have some great stationery and cards.

As I learn more and more about photography, I have been designing and making my own note cards and stationary.  I love it.  I can use the amazing photos and turn them into keep sakes.

Personalized note cards I made for myself

I just made myself note cards and thank you cards with some sea glass pictures I took this summer/fall.
Today, I uploaded a few note cards on my website for sale with the option to customize them.  Take a look!  Order some today or for that special friend.   lucky lady stationery.  

I do not have ecommerce set up on my website just yet, so I will be able to process orders via paypal or credit card.  Simply message me and I will contact you!

Have some fun with writing a letter or a note.  Imagine that persons face when they open the mail and see a pretty envelope with their name on it.  YIPPEEE!   Imagine your mood when you open the mailbox and you see a letter for you!  It's fantastic.  Ant it's not like you have to go to the post office to mail it, simply put it in your mailbox and put the red flag up!





Care package.  I wish I had a care package to open.  Remember getting those............I do.

thank you ....xoxoxoxoxoox
erica
www.luckyladylafrance.com

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