Cocktails at Dusk

This Spring Break we stayed local while it seems EVERYONE ELSE went out of town to some where fabulous.  Oh how I am itching for a tropical vacation.  Because I did not actually go away, I have dreamed up what I WOULD HAVE worn had I been having cocktails at sunset on a tropical island.    I paired this DVF dress with two sets of accessories that could really be intermixed and still create a fabulous look.  Though I love them all, I am partial to the Marc Jacobs crossbody and the Rebecca Minkoff cuff.

Just click on the items to find out where they are from!

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There are some moments that rarely happen with three children in the house.  The picture above is one of them.  No one is hitting, wrestling, screaming, jumping on another, and overall, trying to attack.  Three siblings, quietly watching a movie, TOGETHER.  It happens so rarely that I immediately grabbed my phone and took a picture, not knowing when I would ever see this again.  Don't get me wrong, I love the chaos most of the time.  I would not have had three children if I didn't (not sure if you know this but pure chaos comes with three).  But I cannot tell you how AMAZING it is when the house falls quiet for a short period of time, they are all getting along and I am able to simply catch my breathe.  Plus, it is super cute to see them all sitting on the floor together like this, isn't it?  I would love to tell you that this moment lasted HOURS and I was able to read a magazine, paint my nails and make a phone call.  The reality of it is, it lasted until I snapped the picture and then Baby Girl heard the camera, jumped up and wanted to see the photo, middle man wanted a snack and instantly, wrestling began seconds later.  I had just enough time to sit down before I was up again.  Oh well.  Such is life here at our house.

Now that Spring Break has come to an end, we are back to the craziness of life around here.  This week in particular is really busy but with all fun things.  Last night it was a Little League game, tonight I will be attending a VIP Spa event at Burke Williams and Thursday night the hubby and I will be celebrating the one year anniversary of the Brunello Cucinelli boutique at South Coast Plaza.  I will definitely share all the photos with you so keep an eye out!

A Night in Provence

Saturday night the hubby and I hosted a dinner party with friends at our home.  Because I cannot do anything "normal", I decided that we were going to have a theme and considering all that we have been talking about over the past few weeks is how much we want to go back to the French countryside, we decided that a French-themed menu would be perfect.  I had such grand ideas for this post too.  Beautiful pictures showcasing each item for your viewing pleasure.  Unfortunately for you this became one of those "Sarah might have taken on more than she realized" nights and instead of taking pictures I was running around with my head cut off for a bit while my hubby was dropping F-bombs over the dish that I swore was going to be easy to make that may have been slightly complicated (did I mention he was cooking too?).  Oh well.  In the end, the food was amazing (if I do say so myself) and we had such a great time catching up with friends that we have not seen in far too long.

The Menu

Appetizer

Fresh Herb Fondue served with salami and French bread

Recipe courtesy of The Fondue Cookbook by Williams Sonoma

First course

Spinach, strawberry and almond salad

Main Course

Filet of Beef Bourguignon

Recipe courtesy of Barefoot Contessa

Dessert

Lemon Yogurt Cake

Recipe courtesy of a previous post

I am sorry I do not have pictures of all the dishes but I promise you that if you try any of them, you will not be disappointed.  I was able to grab a photo of the cake since it was made prior to the rest of the meal.

I also got a picture of the French wine we served which complimented the meal perfectly.  I HIGHLY recommend it.  Delish.

It is obvious that next time I will need to simply hire a photographer so that I can cook, chat, look after my children, drink wine and still create a beautiful post.  Why didn't I think of that before?   

Mr + Mrs

I am kind of obsessed with these Mr. + Mrs. Muse Salt and Pepper Shakers by Jonathan Adler.

I wish it was Valentine's Day again because the hubby would totally be getting these.

I am sure he would be super excited about it too.

Just what I would he would want.

Happy Weekend!

Green, for Real

After today's post, I realized that some may not be as excited to bring green into their wardrobe as I am.  To convince you otherwise, I created a style using the Gap khaki's to prove that ANYONE could pull off this color with just a few simple staples in your closet.  This look is not only mommy-approved (a.k.a kids cannot ruin anything you are wearing) but also keeps a little style in your -day-to-day.  Love it.

Summer Staple by sarah-jih featuring long sleeve shirts

Interested in any of the items?  Just click on the picture and you will be provided all location options!  Welcome to my Polyvore addiction!

Green

My obsession with green seem to continue as the weeks go by.  I cannot get enough,  which is weird because I do not have a ton of green in my closet.  It is almost as if my mind is overwhelmed with how many items there are that I want and I cannot narrow it down.  Why do I love this color so much?  I have no idea.  I just do.

Definitely a "Wish List" item
Yigal Azrouel Pleated Silk Crepe Skirt

Gap broken-in straight khakis

Marc by Marc Jacobs "Finch Flight" Print Silk Top

Rebecca Taylor "Catch the Bouquet" Dress

A Little Lavender

One thing that I am a sucker for are bath products.  I just ADORE them.  Well, I really adore baths and everything else that goes with them, including their products.  This It's Just Darlin' lavender scrub was given to me as a little gift from a friend.  I liked it so much that I did two things.  One, I decided that I needed to tell you all about it and two, I purchased 12 more to put into the goody bags for my Best Friend's bachelorette.

This scrub is equal parts luxurious and effective.  It makes your skin incredibly soft and also moisturizes it with essential oils.  It is made with all natural ingredients including fresh lavender and there is no way to describe how good it smells.  The icing on the cake is that this 4 oz. jar of scrub retails for $6.00!  Such a perfect little treat for yourself (or I guess others) for such a small price.  

This scrub is not the only item It's Just Darlin' sells.  They have numerous scrubs (though I have not tried them) but also carry some fun vintage finds as well.  The shipping gets cheaper when ordering an additional item so it might be just perfect to get one (or two) for you and one for a friend.  These will now be stocked at my house for hostess gifts or upcoming events I need "a little something" for.