Laureen Loves - Sharing the things I love

August Rush

August 31, 2016

Not sure what happened to this month. It’s definitely been a whirlwind. There isn’t much of a point to this post, but I felt compelled to write it.

Why did I even start a blog to begin with? Because I really like to write. I have a lot of respect for bloggers because it takes a lot more time than I think people realize to plan and write a post and develop or shoot photos to accompany that post. Right now, I just haven’t been able to carve out the time to do that. I want to make time. I know the blogs that I like following the most are ones that have more writing vs. images. That’s just me, though. I’ll get it together soon. Promise.

So, all I have for you today are words. Mostly jumbled up thoughts really. A lot has been on my mind.

I’ve been experiencing a lot of guilt lately. Mom guilt, that is, because my work schedule has been insane the past couple of weeks, and I’ve missed more moments at home than I care to admit. The time I have before work or after work is precious. I don’t work out as much as I used to because I spend that time playing, reading and smothering Braden. But the leaving early and getting home very late and eating three meals a day outside of my home has really started to get to me. The guilt has been getting to me. I’m hoping to balance that out and get back into a better routine. This week has been better, but I feel like I’m recovering.

August has had some great highs but also some extreme lows.

My beautiful baby boy turned TWO. I can’t believe it. I just love him more and more each day. I celebrated my 11 year anniversary. We didn’t do anything particularly amazing to celebrate, but I’m okay with that. With the house building and work, things have been pretty jam packed so moments when we’re just at home with Chinese food and a Redbox are pretty amazing. I’m thankful to be at this place in life with a true partner.

Speaking of…

I have major appreciation for my hands-on husband who has really picked up the slack at home while I’ve been working a ton, especially the past two weeks. He’s a gem, and I’m very glad to have him by my side to be my sounding board, secret keeper and pretty much everything that balances me out.

Part of the blur that is August is that we lost someone very important to us. A close friend lost his battle with cancer. It’s made me think a lot about things, and it has pretty much broken my heart for his wonderful family. Cancer really sucks. I don’t know what else to say about it, except that it just really sucks, and family and friends are precious.

Tomorrow is a new month. A fresh start. I’ll be back with more. I promise. Maybe it’ll be light-hearted, or maybe it’ll be random thoughts again. I hope you’ll come back to read more.

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Food Healthy Living + Food

Skinny Chicken Parmesan with Zoodles

August 16, 2016

If you follow me on Instagram (reenlucas) or Snapchat (laureenlucas9) you may have seen me share my love of zoodles, aka zucchini noodles. Braden is pretty good about eating veggies if he’s in the mood (#toddlerproblems) but he won’t eat zucchini, which is something we roast or grill quite often. But, when we make zoodles, this kid wants to eat them up and will even eat them plain! When I discovered this, I felt like I hit the jackpot! Braden is a pretty good eater, but skeptical at first. However, he did not hesitate with the zoodles. He loves watching us make them, too and will often say, “Watch!” or “Braden help, Momma!” because he’s the best little kitchen helper in all the land and likes to be a part of the spiralizing process. Because of all of this, zoodles have been a weekly staple in my house since I received the Spiralizer as a Christmas gift. I know there are other spiralizer gadgets out there, but I am a big fan of this version. My friend Paige says she has a manual version of it, and she doesn’t love it so I say go with this one because I love it. 🙂

A recipe we make quite a bit is Skinny Chicken Parmesan from the Skinnytaste cookbook. There are tons of Skinnytaste recipes on Pinterest, too. This is such a great cookbook filled with easy and healthy recipes that my whole family loves. I would highly recommend it. The recipe in the cookbook doesn’t have zoodles paired with it, but I really love how it goes together really well and gives a nice portion of protein and veggies all in one dish.

Skinny Chicken Parmesan

Serves 6

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

3 boneless , skinless chicken breasts (8 ounces each)

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs

3 Tbsps grated parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons melted unsalted butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 cups Marinara sauce ( I used 1 28 ounce jar I had in my pantry.)

9 Tbsps part-skim mozzarella cheese

basil ( optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly spray a large baking sheet with oil.

Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally to make 6 cutlets. Season both sides with salt.

In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs and parmesan. In a small bowl, combine the butter and olive oil. Brush the butter and oil on both sides of the chicken, dredge the chicken in the bread crumb mixture, and put the chicken on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray oil on top of the chicken.

Bake until golden on the bottom, about 20 minutes. Turn the chicken over and bake until the center is cooked through and the bottom is golden, 5 to 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the the marinara sauce over medium heat until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.

In separate skillet, saute your zoodles. See instructions below.

The recipe from Skinnytaste says to next place the baked chicken in the skillet and top each piece with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mozzarella. Cover the pan and cook until the cheese melts, 3 to 4 minutes.* Serve hot.

*I prefer not to put the chicken in the pan with the marinara but rather just create plates with a layer of zoodles, chicken breast, then top that with marinara and cheese. I like to do it this way because there are typically leftovers, and I kind of like to keep things separated. I also add some chopped basil for garnish and added freshness/flavor.

Directions for Zoodles:

4 or 5 zucchini (Try to buy zucchini that are as straight as possible, as it makes it easier to spiralize.)

Cut off the bottom end of 4 or 5 zucchini. I used 4 medium zucchini for this batch. This is the perfect amount for this dish. Once spiralized, saute with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and salt and pepper in a large pan. I don’t think you can really mess this part up. I usually saute for less than 5 minutes but you just have to watch them.

***

What I love about this recipe is that it doesn’t really feel like a “skinny” dish. It’s flavorful and everyone in my family loves it. According to the Skinnytaste cookbook it’s only 174 calories per serving and 7 g of fat, too!

We make turkey meatballs with zoodles and even throw in yellow squash into the mix, too. You really can’t go wrong with zoodles or any veggie made with the Spiralizer. Do you have any zoodle recipes to share? Extra points if they’re kid-friendly! 😉

Enjoy!

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Fashion + Style

Fall transition: burgundy cold shoulder top

August 11, 2016

It’s hard to imagine, but fall will be here before we know it. In the meantime, we’ll continue to melt a little every time we walk across a hot parking lot. With all the fall clothing popping up everywhere, it’s hard not pick up a few pieces here and there. When I can wear items now and into the next season, I don’t feel so bad about adding a few pieces to my wardrobe. That’s exactly how I feel about this cold shoulder ruffle top. It’s a rich wine color, which to me just screams fall. The fact that you can still show a little skin makes it wearable now. It’s a great price point at $79, and if you sign up for emails or watch out for their in-store sales, which I talked a little about here, you’ll come across a 40 percent off deal pretty often.

This is a great date night outfit. All of these outfit pieces are staples in my wardrobe that I’ve had for awhile minus this top. Fall is my absolute favorite season for so many reasons, but one of the main ones is because I LOVE fall clothing and the rich jewel toned hues, chunky sweaters and boots that become everyday items during the cooler months. The countdown to fall is on!

Top | jeans (old) – linked to similar pair from the same brand | shoes | clutch (old from Banana Republic) but linked to similar version | jewelry (old from J.crew, which has amazing jewelry by the way!)

Windy day!

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Family Loving Lately...

Birthday #2

August 9, 2016

My sweet baby boy Braden turned two today. It’s hard to believe that I have a two-year-old. Sometimes I feel a little unqualified to be a mom to a toddler who is learning and growing daily. He’s such a little sponge, constantly counting and pointing out the shapes, colors and objects in every room. It’s hard to put into words how much I adore this kid.

So, on his birthday, I thought I would share the things that I love about him:

I love how he dances up a storm in our living room.

I love how he sings, “Hammer, where are yoouuuu?” when he’s searching for his favorite little accessory to his tool work bench.

I love how he crinkles his little nose and gets so excited when he sees cats on video.

I love how he kisses me everyday on the lips before he leaves to go to school.

I love how he gets a little jealous if he sees mom and dad kiss and then he wants kisses, too.

I love how he wants to wear shoes all the time. This is soooo much like Ben, who pretty much puts on shoes when he wakes in the morning and wears them all day long.

Sometimes I hate this, but deep down I kind of love it. When I’m putting him down for bed, he says, “Momma, lay down.” He wants me to crawl in his crib next to him. ( I may or may not have done this on a few occasions…)

I love how he constantly requests to go downstairs when we’re upstairs.

I love it when he says “Ben!” when he’s looking for his dad and he’s having a tough time finding his favorite human.

Braden is very much his father’s son, carefully evaluating his surroundings and resourcefully looking for solutions if he gets hung up on something. It’s so fun to see his little personality develop.

Now for the things he loves. At this point in his life, Braden definitely has likes and dislikes.

He likes to dip everything in ketchup. He loves marinara sauce, too.

He always gets really excited when he sees monkeys in books, on TV, etc.

He loves massages. After bath time when we’re changing him into PJs, he turns over on his stomach on the changing table and asks for a ‘sage – the massage without the “ma” on the front end of the word. So, we oblige and rub lotion all over his little body.

He loves construction equipment and constantly points out backhoes when we’re driving around town. He enjoys going to the ” ‘struction site” – where we’re currently building our home.

We recently gave him a soft tape measure, and he loves it. He’s always measuring things around the house. It’s pretty hilarious actually, as he legitimately looks like he is measuring with a purpose to fix something.

I could go on and on, but I’m honestly getting a little teary-eyed writing this. Of all the things that I’ve done in my life, I can undoubtedly say that I’m most proud to be his mom.

Baby boy, I love you more than I can truly express. Thank you for joining our family two years ago. Happy 2nd birthday, Braden!

XO,

Momma

Photos by Ailee of Snapshots by Ailee Petrovic

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Fashion + Style

White denim mixed with a soon-to-be fall shoe favorite

August 2, 2016

With summer winding down, I’m trying to get the most out of my summer favorites. White denim is definitely a spring and summer must-have piece and a closet staple that is so versatile. I’ve had my favorite pair of white jeans for more than three years, so I’m really getting a lot out of them since they were more of an investment pair. Since I work in a casual work environment, I can get away with wearing white denim and dressing it up with a blazer or cardigan to make it look a bit more polished. I ended up getting another two pairs of jeans this spring, and I rotate all three regularly. And, off-the-shoulder tops have also been pushed to the front of my closet during these warm weather months as well. I plan on sporting this top for a couple more months since it’s navy, which makes it easier to transition into fall.

Back to the denim. I thought I’d share how I’m wearing two of my summer staples — white denim shorts and jeans — right now.

I wore this outfit (the shorts version) to an early dinner on Saturday night with B & B. We tried the new Liberty Kitchen in Garden Oaks. It has the same great food as the sister restaurants (AMAZING lobster mac & cheese) and they have good options for kiddos, which makes life a little easier these days.

I recently picked up these fringe heels from Ann Taylor online (I’m a huge fan of AT shoes, as I’ve previously mentioned here) and they’re SO fun and comfy. They have the perfect heel height – 3.5 inches. The fringe plus the suede — just so fall. I can’t wait to incorporate them into fall outfits, but I feel like they can totally work now as well. Wearing them with white denim and these whimsical tassel earrings makes them very summer date night appropriate.

laureen loves Ann taylor fringe suede heels

Suede, fringe and the perfect heel height all in one. These shoes will be a fall favorite for sure.

Now a question I’m a little on the fence about: I don’t really believe in the “Don’t wear white after Labor Day rule” because it’s so hot in Texas you can still wear shorts through October most of the time. But, I typically retire white denim after September and move on to cream-colored denim. Sounds a bit ridiculous, I know.

Yay or nay to white denim after Labor Day?

Cold shoulder navy top from Ann Taylor no longer available, but I’ve linked to a few similar options: here, here and here. | Jeans: Joe’s jeans. I also have this more budget-friendly pair. | Shorts: Gap | Earrings: J.Crew (other great colors available and a similar blue version here) | Bracelet: Madewell cuff and cork bangle ( old from J.crew ) | Shoes: Ann Taylor heels and Dolce Vita flats

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Home Design + Decor

This little light I wish you were mine

July 25, 2016

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I mentioned in my last home post that we did a walk-through the house a few days ago to take a look at plumbing and electrical that’s been installed to date. In the bathrooms in particular, we have wire-only holes since I can’t decide at this point if I want overhead scones that have two, three or four lights vs. two single light sconces. I feel like I look at lighting online all the time, and I’m not only indecisive, but also overwhelmed by the choices, colors and options out there. I’ve also realized lighting can be quite pricey, so that’s a budget and mood killer. Womp womp.

During my hunt, I keep going back to a few that I really like, which tend to be lantern style. I already purchased this light for the mudroom, and it’s currently stored away in Ben’s closet. ( I can’t even fit another pair of shoes in my closet at this point much less a massive box with a lantern in it!) I also seem to gravitate toward non-traditional bulbs.

All that said, I’ve rounded up a few of my top lighting picks. I think a big part of my style is traditional and Southern, so maybe that’s why I love lanterns. They seem welcoming and remind me a bit of Louisiana and Charleston, SC, which have some of the most charming and beautiful homes in my opinion.

I am a big fan of these kitchen island lanterns. Picture found on Pinterest via decorpad.com/2013 Southern Living Show House.

I’ve gathered even more picks on my lighting board on Pinterest, so check that out if you’re interested in seeing more. If anyone has any suggestions for places to find lighting, I’m all ears! And, if they’re affordable, then that’s even better. 😉

More soon,

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Fashion + Style

Floral midi dress + some great sales

July 22, 2016

With summer winding down, there are tons of mark downs in stores right now. So, that means great sales on fabulous spring and summer items to make room for new fall inventory.

A few amazing sales at some of my favorite stores:

Banana Republic – many items are 40- 60% off including this feminine floral midi dress I picked up a few days ago. It was an extra 40% off the sale price so it was 66% off the original price at only $60. MAJOR SCORE. This sleeveless dress is a definite wear-now item, and I love how it has a bit of vintage feel to it. I can see myself wearing it to a bridal shower or other events in the next few months.

Ann Taylor – pretty much everything is 40% off including new arrivals. I love the wine colored, jewel toned pieces that are popping up everywhere, including in some of AT’s new fall pieces. I recently picked up this cold shoulder ruffle top. And, if you haven’t discovered Ann Taylor’s shoes – they’re awesome. They’re so well-made plus they’re stylish, classic and comfortable. I probably have more than a dozen pair. I totally have my eye on this suede fringe pair in tan. So perfect for fall. Just use the “Shop40” checkout code online and you get free shipping when you spend $175. I always buy more than I should then return the extra items just because it’s easier on me, plus they have a lot of tall sizes online. Online shopping is the best for tall gals like me.

Nordstrom – the annual Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is now open to the public. I received some packages in the mail yesterday with the goodies I picked up online, which I’m pretty pumped about. I shared a few of my picks here. Definitely take advantage of the #NSale if you can, as it’s just too good to pass up!

Gap – 40% off everything right now at Gap with the code HAPPY online. I don’t buy a ton from Gap for me, but I always get a lot of children’s clothes there. Right now it’s a wonderful time to buy summer items you can save for next season. I get a lot of everyday wear pieces for Braden here, and he’s currently wearing 18-24 month clothes I bought him last summer that were major clearance. I always pick up items from Gap and Baby Zara when they’re on sale since it’s easy to predict his sizing for the next season.

Enjoy these great deals, y’all! Let me know if you come across any worth checking out. I’m always on board to get quality items with a little discount!

Outfit pictured: floral midi dress, shoes, and necklace

Braden’s outfit all from Baby Gap

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Home Design + Decor

Lucas Family Home Update: Details that make a difference

July 20, 2016

I get a lot of questions from friends and family about the progress of our home. Well, this is the latest: Things are coming along nicely and a lot of progress has happened over the past couple of weeks. Almost all of the windows have been installed. As you may recall, we had a little window snafu, and we’re still awaiting a few of the custom windows. That said, the windows on the front porch are getting trimmed out to have more substantial molding around them, which makes a big difference from a curb appeal standpoint.

Another change that happened recently was the master bedroom ceiling got vaulted. This should have happened originally, but it got overlooked so it had to be redone. Vaulting the ceiling made a HUGE difference and it really made the room feel more spacious, so I’m pretty happy with that.

The plumbers came by this week and added in all the plumbing. It’s like a massive maze of pipes and tubes. The heart of the plumbing looks monstrous, and Ben tells me this is very important. (I just nod.)

We did a walk-through with our builder this week to go through the lighting and electrical plans. I’m glad we did this, as we caught a couple of little things that we forgot on the plans/sketches. For instance, I almost forgot to make note of a electrical outlet that will be housed within my vanity drawer for my blowdryer and curling iron. This seems ridiculous, but this is something I’ve always wanted so I can keep my stuff off the counters and keep things looking a little less cluttered. The details, y’all – they’re important!

More soon,

The windows in the front of the house needed a little “oomph” so framing them out with nice trim made a huge difference.

The heart of the plumbing. Each fixture has its own dedicated line and this helps with water pressure.

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Fashion + Style Shopping

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

July 16, 2016

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You know how hot it is outside, right? I thought you said you bought ONE rain jacket? How many jackets did you buy?

Silly, husband. Little did you know it’s Christmas in July, aka the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I made an appointment on the first day of the sale and swept in and bought a few things in-person. I also picked up some of my favorite items I thought would sell out quickly online earlier that day. He thought I was a little off my rocker when he saw my loot, but I like to call it proactive. I know many are with me on this one.

Early access started on Thursday (you must be a Nordstrom card holder to take part), but it’s very much worth it. Nordstrom has always been my go-to department store and this annual sale is just one of the many reasons. I have picked up a lot of staple items over the years including timeless work pieces, coats, boots, and cardigans that I wear ALL the time, so I just knew it would be worth it to take advantage of the sale again.

There’s more I could share, but decided I would edit things down for you. I’ve included my top picks for work, for everyday play and for working out, as well as a few things I picked up for the mini me. I thought having a boy would be a little less fun in the wardrobe front, but there are so many amazing boy options out there!

FOR WORK

I end up wearing shift dresses a lot to work for client meetings. Some of my classic dresses I purchased over the years during the Nordstrom sale. I’ll throw on a cardigan, blazer or vest depending on the season, and it’s a polished, timeless outfit.

FOR PLAY

Fall fashion is my favorite. I gravitate toward roomy sweaters, chunky knits, skinny jeans/riding pants and booties, so I love all the cozy fall staples in this year’s sale. I snagged this ivory knit with lace-up detail, a trend that’ll be on heavy rotation in the colder months for many, I’m sure. And, if you’re in need of riding boots or booties, I’m sure you can find a few pairs. I purchased this gray suede pair. I held back on the shoe front this year because I bought two really great pairs of boots during last year’s anniversary sale.

FOR WORKING OUT

My Saturday uniform is typically on the athleisure front, and this sale is the BEST time to get Northface or Patagonia pieces, since those are typically pretty pricey. This waterproof jacket will be perfect for running around on the weekends or neighborhood walks. I also picked up this rain jacket and this vest, which were such great deals if you look at what the normal price will be in a few weeks!

FOR THE MINI ME

My 23-month-old is growing like a weed, and I bought these Converse in his next size. I actually bought all of these things in his next size up. I forced him to try on the Northface fleece when I brought it home and it was just the cutest. Toddlers in hoods = heart melted. I bought the blue version, but it looks like that one is sold out. The red one is just as adorable. I’m sure it’ll make an appearance on the blog at a later date.

So, that’s that! I am still looking at a few other pieces that I may purchase online this weekend. What are your favorite #Nsale picks?

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Fashion + Style Local

Off the shoulder + a pop of red

July 12, 2016

We’ve been trying to make an effort to go on more date nights lately because…well, a toddler will do that to you. 🙂 I wore this outfit on Saturday to dinner and an engagement party. I bought this off the shoulder dress when I was in Cancun last month. Shopping in a different country is the best, especially when the exchange rate makes the dress an even better deal. This dress was a steal at $49, and it’s one of the most comfortable summer dresses I now own.

I didn’t see it at Zara in the U.S., so I’ve linked to similar Zara options here and here. I plan to embrace the off the shoulder trend the next couple of months since you’ll pretty much melt if you go outside lately. So, I’ll be wearing this dress and this one, too, until about November. 😉

We decided to make the most out our night out and hit up a restaurant in the neighborhood called Coltivare. I’ve been wanting to try this place since it opened, but we’ve never got around to it because they don’t take reservations, and I don’t like going places and waiting. I use my Opentable app like a crazy lady and pre-book places and just cancel a few days prior if I know I won’t make it. I decided to stray away from my reservations-only rule and try this Italian spot, which I’ve only heard good things about. I’ve been told you need to arrive early and the typical wait time is an hour. We arrived at 6pm – our typical, toddler-enforced eating time, and we were told the wait was, in fact, an hour. Eek. Instead of grabbing a drink in the courtyard and ~~melting~~ waiting in the lovely Houston humidity, we went right down the street to Gelazzi, a fabulous gelato shop that has this great mural to snap a few photos. We’ve taken many a photos in front of this wall, even some that made our first Christmas card with Braden. I love the Heights, and I’m a little sad to be moving away from this great neighborhood filled with some of the city’s best restaurants and photoworthy locales, BUT we’re basically moving to the next neighborhood over, so I know we’ll still be going to a lot of these places. I’ve just really enjoyed the convenience of throwing a bottle of wine in the stroller and walking to BYOB restaurants or trying out the row of great eateries such as Bernadine’s, Hunky Dory and Cane Russo, which are all a five minute walk from our house.

The one hour wait for Coltivare was actually about 25 minutes. Score! I think an hour wait would have been worth it, though. The pizza was AMAZING, and I had the BEST heirloom tomato salad ever. Everything is super fresh and made with herbs and veggies from their garden. Ben doesn’t even like tomatoes that much but he liked this salad. It was beautiful and flavorful. We also had some chicken wings that were super spicy yet tasty, but also a little messy. I let Ben choose the pizza (pepperoni, so adventurous) and appetizer since pizza is like his life blood. We had some yummy cocktails, too, including their version of the Gin and Tonic, which was minty and refreshing. I will definitely go back again soon. I highly recommend it if you’re in the area!

So, with my perfect pizza-eating dress ( I love a roomy dress after carb-filled meal), I paired it with some of my favorite summer heels for a nice pop of color. I picked these shoes up from Ann Taylor online recently. I buy about 95% of my shoes online because no one ever has my size. #Tallgirlwithbigfeetproblems I have a lot of Ann Taylor shoes — almost more than I care to admit — but they’re really well-made and have great heel heights. The shoes are “fire glow orange” but they look more red to me and punch up neutrals quite nicely. This J.Crew clutch is a few years old but still use it during the summer months.

Hope your week has started off great, y’all!

More soon,

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