Countdown till Europe: 14 days to go

I hope you are all having a wonderful week.  Today, I'm exactly two weeks away from my European trip which I am SO excited about.  Our itinerary consists of ten days in the French Riviera with a short trip to Barcelona and Milan, then seven days in Paris.  You see, I majored in European studies in college about 14 or so years ago and never set foot in Europe until two years ago when I went to Italy over Christmas and New Year.  It was an experience I'll never forget.  While don't make boatloads of money, I think smart shopping and prioritizing can afford you yearly trips to any destination that you please.

14 Days to Go

On my three-week European trip, I will be taking my little 4-year old and he is just as excited as I am.  We have been watching travel clips of all the places we'll be visiting and the one place he is most excited about is Italy.  According to the little guy, he plans to eat and eat and eat in Italy.  I, too, happen to have that plan!

Travel tip:  When traveling with a minor overseas and both parents are not accompanying the child, it is recommended that you obtain a notarized authorization letter from the non-accompanying parent to avoid any issues at immigration.  I found a good sample letter on www.singleparenttravel.net.

Photo via here

Monday Night Dinner: Salmon with Tomato Cream Sauce

Our dinner tonight: salmon with tomato cream sauce.  It took a total of 25 minutes to prepare and cook.  The dish was delicious and pairs nicely with the kid-friendly macaroni and cheese.  I love cooking versatile dishes that suits my adult palate while satisfying my four-year old's taste buds.  Happy cooking!

Ingredients:
3-4 salmon steaks
salt and pepper to taste
rosemary
olive oil
For the sauce:
garlic
fresh tomato
1/4 c heavy cream
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter

Heat skillet and cook salmon for about 3-5 minutes each side.  Remove from heat and place on dish.  To make the sauce, melt butter in olive oil and add garlic and tomatoes.  Cook on medium heat until sauce thickens.  Pour over salmon and serve.

Spring Elegance

Spring Elegance by dmariestyles featuring clutch hand bags

Florals at the Oscars

Florals at the Oscars by dmariestyles featuring clutch handbags

Bits and Pieces of What Makes a Home Your Own

Two weeks after the movers delivered our stuff from Dallas, our little place is slowly coming together. While I still have yet to put up frames, find (or make) table covers, and purchase more small yet cute storage containers; I'm happy to say that I have conquered the countless boxes that came.

Here are a few of my favorite little things in our home that make it personal and functional.

Wrought iron chair as a book holder

I don't have a TV but I do have my books!

Candle holders add a hint of fall...

My Mona Lisa

My bed...

Our dining table (table cover from Anthropologie) with the fruit bowl (bought at a store in Willow Glen) and silverware (from Target as handpicked by the little guy)

Hope you are having a wonderful new week! 

Our Little Apartment - The Before

So I finally got a call from the moving company letting me know that my stuff will be here tomorrow afternoon. YIPPPEEE!! For the past two weeks, my son and I have been eating over at my sister's house (lunch and dinner) and have been sleeping on an airbed; so I'm sure you can all imagine how excited we both are to finally have a bed to sleep on, a couch to sit on and a table to dine on.

I am itching to decorate my "little apartment" (as my son calls it). But I do face some challenges - how to make the apartment functional and how to make the larger pieces of furniture to work in a small space (less than 700 sq. ft).

Here's the challenge:

1) Living Room - While the color adds warmth to the space and the layout is open enough, I have large pieces of furniture that I'm bringing from my old house in Texas. I could easily buy a more streamlined, compact items; but I don't want to spend money on furniture.

2) Kitchen and Nook - Liking the glass on the cabinets and can't wait to put the colorful plates, pots and pans.

3) Bedroom - My one-dimensional bedroom.

Wish me luck! Will post pics of the place soon.