Favorite Things.

In honor of  Oprah's "Favorite Things" I thought I would share a few of my favorites...

Unlike on Oprah's show, no one will actually be getting any of these items today.

Sorry. Very. Sorry. Mean it.

Truth be told, I won't be getting them either.

Well, maybe I will get one or two of these items...



ClaireBella Monogram iPhone cases

LOOOOVE these sassy iPhone cases.



Anthropologie "Rustic Romp" Candelabra

This candelabra is so weird that it is awesome.



Frye "Jane" Boots

Ree Drummond ( http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/) has these. She just gave away three pairs on her blog. Sorry that I am not Ree Drummond. Also sorry that I did not win any of the afore mentioned pairs.



Ann Taylor LOFT Striped Mohair Tunic

 This looks so snuggly and not too stuffy

(a.k.a. I won't sweat in it while drinking wine).



Max & Chloe Monogram Pendant

Classic. That is all.

Nixon "42-20 Chrono" in Tortoise

I don't think I need to explain to you why a link-style tortoise band is cool.

Just look at it.



Ugg "Abbie" Clog in Vintage Brown

These look comfy. Just slip them on and run out the door.

Dr. Loosen Riesling

This riesling is DELISH. Good luck finding it...



Hawaiian Sweet Maui Onion Potato Chips

These are like French Onion Soup in chip form.

Again, I don't think I have to explain how awesome that is.

 

Potterybarn Grand Chenille Throw

These are SUPER soft. You will never leave your sofa. Again. Ever.

Anthropologie Aestival Zenith Cardigan

Pretty cardigan. It's the detailing that makes this one a needful thing.

Anthropologie Capri Blue Candle-in-a-Jar

Looks vintage. Smells great.

And there you have it.

Buy or lust...or tell Santa.
 

Piece of Cake.

Cheesecake that is.

Double-Chocolate Cheesecake to be exact.

Some of my high school friends that live in Montgomery have invited husband and I over to eat dinner. So, being the southern young lady that I am, I offered to bring dessert. I found this recipe in my Cooking Light magazine on a Philadelphia Cream Cheese ad...ironically, it is NOT "light"...which means it is SURE to be tasty!

Let's get started...


Crush 18 Oreos.




Pour 2 Tbsp melted butter.




Press Oreo/Butter mixture into 9" springform pan. Bake at 325 for 10 min.



Mix 4 blocks Cream Cheese, 1 C Sugar, 2 Tbsp Flour, & 1 tsp Vanilla.



Heat 8 oz. semi-sweet morsels in a "double boiler"...




Until melted.




Add melted morsels into cream cheese mixture.




Mix. Then add 4 eggs one at a time while mixing.




Pour over crust and bake.



Done baking. Into the fridge for 4 hours. It will fall....Don't remove the springform!!!



Meanwhile in the backyard....the cows are getting rained on.



Four hours later. Remove springform--ring and bottom.
Move to cake stand. Sprinkle powdered sugar.



Enjoy!

 
Complete Recipe:

Double Chocolate Cheesecake

18 Oreos, finely crushed
2 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted
4 8 oz. packages of PHILLY Cream Cheese, softened
1 C sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp vanilla
8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate morsels, melted, cooled slightly
4 eggs
1 Tbsp powdered sugar

Heat oven to 325. Mix Oreo crumbs and melted butter; press into bottom of 9" springform pan. Bake 10 min. Beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add melted chocolate; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each egg until blended. Pour over crust. Bake 55 min. to 1 hour or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refridgerate 4 hours. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

On a side note, this post could be retitled: "Ways I continue to sabatoge my weightloss efforts."

Winter Wonderland.

My sister doesn't know it, but I just made over her family's "extra room." This is a GREAT room. It has newly painted paneled walls and pretty hardwood on the floor. BUT, it currently is home to some random furniture and other crap stuff. So dear Sister (and family), here is what I have pulled together for you in mere moments of internet browsing.



Similar to existing wall color

My starting place. Anthropologie, 128- (per panel)



An "interesting" media piece. Potterybarn, 699-



Seagrass Rug for contrasting texture, Ballard Designs, 139-

 Don't you have a rug like that, rolled up in the corner?!? Just saying....

Coffee bench, you already own this!

Sofa, World Market 499-



Crazy Pattered Pillow, PierOne 8-



Solid Pillow, PierOne 20-



Large Scale Patterned Pillow, Etsy 56-







End table, you already own this!





Any of these glass table lamps with shade, Potterybarn 99-, 49-



Above the Sofa, Etsy 36-

With photos like these...

 Now, we need a place for the little lovelies' things...

Storage Bench with cushion & three baskets, Potterybarn 299-, 75-, 89-

Wall shelf over storage bench, Potterybarn, 349-





Floor Plan

 

Ok, so, some of those things are kind of *pricey*. If I am good at anything, it's digging through things at Homegoods, TJ Maxx, the Flea Market, Goodwill, etc., etc.

 

So Winters...shall we?





House.

I want one.

Everything that is "newly built" is SO cheaply and carelessly built. I don't think I could bear to spend our money on that. It just seems wrong, especially since I know what I know. Not to mention that your neighbor's house is practically touching your's--which is ONLY ok if you live in the actual city...but I digress.

So...
I WANT to build a house. I NEED to build a house. Not a house in the middle of a cleared field in a pre-fab neighborhood (I would rather live in an apartment or die), but a cozy, comfy cottage/bungalow style house on a few, tree-dense acres.

I want new that feels old and loved.

I want to be "Sara" on Sara's Cottage (watch on hgtv).

Scratch that.

I AM a Sara...sans cottage.

Sad, huh?

Welcome to the Harris's Cottage...



Let me make you something delicious.



No cats allowed in here.



This is your room.



This is where we will have everyone over for "wine nights."


You say, "Is this going to be built by spring?"

No. It's looking like one more apartment, isn't it?

Rats.

Latelies

So, here's a list of "latelies" (ok, not a real word..which means I spelled it correctly).

1.COUPONS! I have begun "couponing." Anything to save "grocery store money" to be able to donate to Feed the Children go out to eat! I have not become completely psycho, but if I had a big family and pantry, I would! Last week (my first time) I saved $30 and spent $97...still a little work to be done! I did get TWO free French Onion Dips...be jealous, and then come over for chips and dip!

2. Last night, husband did not get home from work until 11:55. I may personally start looking for an assistant manager for him.

3. Nemi ACTUALLY PURRED OUTLOUD last night while snuggling in my lap on the couch licking water from the tub faucet. I'm the one that turned the water on, so that really means she was purring AT me, right?

4. I got on the treadmill TWO WHOLE DAYS in a row. We will go for a third time today.

5. "Weigh Day" is tomorrow--I can only hope Meghan my friend was "better" than me this week...which I am quite positive she was! (Refer to "item 1" and the free french onion dip.)

6. I can't let her beat me. (Anyone want my other French Onion dip?)

7. We are heading to Birmingham this weekend for some "Harper and Brookes" time...and the others aren't so bad. (Maybe I will take a dip home. Harper loves dip.)

8. I have a purring cat in my lap...not Nemi.

9. My mom got an iPhone 4 this week. She now was better technology than anyone in the family. How ironic and unfair cool!

10. This time last month I was on my way to Hawaii. In just a bit, I will be on my way to the Montgomery County DMV. Somehow not the same.

Rainy Day

On such a yucky, rainy day, my sister always has SUPER cute photos of this big girl playing in the rain...

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

This is all I have to offer on a rainy day...not quite the same.

Exhibit C

Track 'em...

Weight Watchers "Points" that is! Today is THE day. The day that myself and one of my best friends, Meghan Westbury who shall remain nameless,  embark on a "Weight Watchers" journey together. It is a very hard road to go it alone, so I am EXSTATIC to be able to share in each other's journey to health! Below is some photographic motivation for my "friend", myself, and others...






Heaviest 2006

 


Still going...October 2010

I am currently sitting at -50 lbs. A few more to go--Stay tuned!!