a few updates and a bit of housekeeping

There’s no recipe today, folks. As many of you know, I get my best cooking done on the weekends. Saturdays and Sundays are really the only time I have the leisure of spending the day in the kitchen, without the pressure of time constraints, and in the daylight. And, since we were out of town the past two weekends, my cooking and baking have fallen by the wayside.

My sweet husband has handled most of our weeknight cooking of late, but he’s had some help from this slow cooker, an updated version of the ancient one I used to use. I’ve cooked several things from this slow cooker cook book, and we’ve both been pleased with the results. I highly recommend the cassoulet recipe; we’ve made it a few times already.

Two weekends ago, we went to Las Vegas to celebrate the wedding vow renewal of two of our good friends [hi, Julia!]. I’ve had several requests for photos of the gold stilettos I bought, the ones I mentioned in this post.  Here they are, in all their painful-toed glory:

I’m still not sure how I walked in them.

This past weekend, there was no cooking because we celebrated my daughter’s eighth birthday at Sea World and Disney World. My husband and I were forced to ride roller coasters that neither of us had any business being on. The trip was not perfect — there were at least a handful of tantrums, one lost stuffed dog, a painful splinter that caused tears upon extraction, late nights and too-early mornings — but snuggling in bed with both kids while watching The Polar Express on Saturday night made up for all the not-so-nice parts of the weekend.

If you’re still hunting gifts for those you love, be sure to check out my gift guide, parts one and two, for ideas. Also, if you have not done so already, please enter the giveaway for a beautiful Eat Boutique jams gift box. Entries are open until this Friday, and I plan to select the winner on Saturday morning.

And last, but definitely not least, I am guest posting over at unstitchedblog.com today. Lillian is the author/editor/publisher of unstitchedblog.com, and her blog is just gorgeous. She asked me to share a little bit about my kitchen style — at which I first burst out laughing (style? what style?), and then collected myself and said yes, graciously.

Style is Lillian’s thing. Practicality and comfort are mine. Regardless, check out my kitchen over at unstitched.  You can be the judge.

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Update 3/13/2014: Lillian’s blog isn’t there any longer, so I’ve removed the links. Sorry about that!

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13 Responses to “a few updates and a bit of housekeeping”

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    Paula — December 13, 2011 @ 9:13 pm

    Thank you for posting a pic of your shoes. They are as pretty as I had thought they’d be. I don’t know how you or anyone walks in a stiletto heel…I know I can’t though I wish I could sometimes (5’2″ could use all the help:) Happy belated birthday to your daughter. What a lovely birthday present for her! Going to check out your guest post now, I like your kitchen *style*

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    Adrienne — December 13, 2011 @ 9:27 pm

    Those are gorgeous. But look oh-so-painful!

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    Winnie — December 13, 2011 @ 9:59 pm

    OMG. Those shoes are crazy beautiful, MJ! Thanks for keeping us posted as to what you’ve been up to, and I will check out the guest post now 🙂

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    Brian @ A Thought For Food — December 13, 2011 @ 10:18 pm

    Who needs food when you have such fabulous fashion to post about? 🙂

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    Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction — December 13, 2011 @ 10:47 pm

    Those gold stilettos are GOR-GEOUS, MJ!! You will definitely rock them. I am all for fashion over comfort. 🙂

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    DessertForTwo — December 13, 2011 @ 11:06 pm

    Oh the shoes! Oh my! Gorgeous! (just like you!)

    🙂

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    Denise @ Creative Kitchen — December 13, 2011 @ 11:28 pm

    We love Disney!! Glad you got away as a family. Love your kitchen…we also have an island and love it!

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    Lillian (Unstitched.) — December 14, 2011 @ 3:06 am

    Aw, thank you so much for the sweet words! 🙂 And, of course, thank you SO MUCH for sharing your lovely (and yes, STYLISH) kitchen!!

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    tina — December 14, 2011 @ 6:49 am

    So focused on your shoes that I don’t know what dish you wrote about. My calves hurt and I am dizzy, but those shoes are gorgeous!

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    tina — December 14, 2011 @ 6:50 am

    Just realized you wrote about about Brussels Sprouts on Unstitiched.

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    Rachel @ Not Rachael Ray — December 14, 2011 @ 8:47 am

    Wow, those are seriously amazing shoes! They would make me at least 6’2″ so I’ll live vicariously through you and your hot shoes 🙂
    Love your kitchen too, btw!

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    Nicole — December 15, 2011 @ 9:56 pm

    Those shoes are hot! Love them.

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    Anneliesz — December 30, 2011 @ 7:52 pm

    Those gold stilettoes are glorious & fun! Perfect souvenir from
    Vegas.

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