Declan's Dedication >>>

A couple of weeks ago we had Declan's dedication ( Where you dedicate your child to the Lord - sort of like a Christening). We decided to do it a my Mom & her husband Bob's house. Bob was ill and we really wanted him to be there to see Declan. He has been such an amazing "grandpa" to Dex and was so supportive during our pregnancy & during Dex's NICU stay.

 Unfortunately, we lost our dear Bob to cancer this past week. However, we take comfort in knowing that he is no longer suffering and he is in the hands of our God :) You will be very much missed, papa Bob! We are so happy he was able to see Declan and spend a little time with him at his dedication. 

Here are a few pics from the beautiful day. We decided to only have our family and keep it really intimate >>>>

Declan slept through the entire thing! Ha!

Just a few paper lanterns ( didn't really want to decorate too much )

Our beautiful print from Grace for Grace 

Our teething little froggy 

Meeting his new cousin, Simone ( with Great-grandpa's help )

My handsome hubby & me

New Pin- Loves..

**A new newsletter will be coming out soon; don't forget to sign up over on the right side of the page**

So, Pinterest has been taking more of my time, haha, surprise surprise! So I thought I would share some of my new P-loves >>>

What a cool idea! I would love to do this to the inside of our front door. 

I bought some paper lanterns for Declan's Dedication ceremony. I thought instead of throwing them away, I would perhaps put them up in his room. I saw this idea and loved it!

I love over-sized lighting ( you guessed it, I totally want to switch out our chandelier now!)

Tell me, what are your favorite Pins lately?

Cumin Chicken Salad >>>

So, MB & I have really been trying to change our diet and get back into shape. Pre-wedding shape & Pre-baby shape. Along with exercising, we've been scouring the Internet for good recipes to make during the week. Of course my first place to check is Pinterest, and I came across this recipe from Real Simple for Cumin Chicken with Black Beans. 

( Here's a tip: plan out your meals for the week and buy everything at one time. That way you wont have the temptation to eat out or grab a quick fattening bite to eat. Just a little suggestion :D ) 

Seemed simple enough, and it was! 

Serves 4Hands-On Time: 15mTotal Time: 25m

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• WE USED 1 BREAST CUT IN HALF SINCE IT WAS JUST THE TWO OF US
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 3 cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1 1/4 cups cherry tomato halves
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• kosher salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Place the chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Pound with a mallet to ½-inch thickness. Combine the cumin with the cayenne and rub over the chicken.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the chicken for 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board.
3. Return the skillet with the pan drippings to medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeño. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
4. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, and 3 tablespoons water and cook, stirring, 1 or 2 minutes, until just heated through. Remove from heat.
5. Toss with the scallions, cilantro, and vinegar. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Slice the chicken and arrange on top of the beans.

It was so good!

The Handsome Chef :) 

Pillows!

This post is long overdue! 

A new Homegoods opened up near our neighborhood a couple of months ago and I couldn't wait to visit. I love when new stores open; they are always fully stocked and you always find something. 

I have been looking for inexpensive pillows to add to our not so pretty couch anymore ( thanks to a certain chocolate lab ) and I wanted bright colors to add to our home. I thought Homegoods would be a great place to start. 

While browsing for pillows I came across a few things that caught my eye >>>

Pillows galore, great mirrors, and fantastic lighting! 

I came home with two new pillows & I love them!

Ikat & Chevron

I thought they looked great added to the couch 

I can't wait to add more! 

What do you think?

OK Love >>>

 Our prayers are with our fellow Americans in OK. May God give you peace and provide you with what you need during this difficult time.

Here are a couple of ways we can help.

Here is another, stylish way we can help. I thought this was a great idea from Hello Apparel and all proceeds are are going to the Oklahoma Red Cross >>>

God Bless you all !

Newsletter >>>

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you all enjoy a fantastic weekend. We will be continuing my hubby's birthday celebration, I'll be making more totes & having a yummy glass of wine. What are your plans?

If you have some time, I would love it if you sign up for our newsletter. It goes out only once a month and it gives you an update on our shops, new people to meet and occasional discounts! All you have to do is sign up to the right of this page >>>>>>> :) 

Also, remember the What to Expect giveaway? No winner was chosen, so there is still time to enter! Just click here!

What to Expect Giveaway!

Hey Everyone! It's a new week, and why not start it off with a giveaway!

Having a four month old at home I sometimes find myself scouring the internet or books for information on caring for babies. I'm always telling my husband about some new thing I learned. One source that I really thought was useful was the What to Expect series of books. MB & I read it while pregnant and now I am currently reading " The First year." As usual, this book has helpful information. Even though every child is different, just having something to read gives me some sense of control in the midst of baby chaos ha!

I am on the Fourth Month chapter and learning so much about milestones & not to worry about every little thing. 

Why am I sharing all of this you ask? Well, WTE wants to give two of you awesome readers a copy of their series of books! They have so generously teamed up with One Simple Place for this great opportunity!

All you have to do is:

1. Leave a comment telling us Why you want to win!

For Extra entries:

1. Follow the One Simple Place blog >>> leave a comment telling us

2. Tweet , post to Instagram or Facebook >>> leave a comment telling us which

We will randomly choose two, that's right two, winners on Friday!