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happy vietnamese new year!
Chúc Mừng Năm Mới!
it’s the year of the snake! best matches for the snake: ox, rooster, and the dragon {moi}.
tết is a huge holiday in vietnam. to grasp how big it is, think about how exciting it would be if new years, your birthday, and christmas was combined into one day?! now that’s a whole lotta celebrating!!!
it’s all about a fresh start, newness, family, and lots of good luck!!
xoxo
[fill the little red envelopes with moolah and gift them to children! i received these as a child every year…such fond memories!]
lovely lazy day
coffee and quiche.
after a day and night of being icky sickly, i awoke to a doting hubby charming! voila, breakfast was awaiting me. he had prepared a quaint breakfast spread {coffee, mimosas, quiche, and fruit}. i was still feeling a bit under the weather but it was quite nice to be able to sit together; spend our time talking, eating, and relaxing. i love spending quality time with him since he’s been traveling so much for work {insert sad face}.
broccoli quiche // 6 servings
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, minced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
4 eggs, well beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 onion, minced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
4 eggs, well beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon butter, melted
directions
* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
* Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large saucepan. Add onions, garlic and broccoli. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft. Spoon vegetables into crust and sprinkle with cheese.
* Combine eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in melted butter. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese.
* Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until center has set.
later that day: i was feeling much better, thanks to the meds [although i’m not a meds type of gal]! anyhoo, i pulled out my new shoes {love!} they are soooo comfy! i am not a sneaker kind of girl but i love how it has the hidden heel [love the height], it’s a little bit funky, and the street feel of these shoes are rockin’. it was a part of my ‘click and buy’ streak of late. prancing around in these chaussures makes me smile.
[some delicious, spicy stew // not for the timid tastebuds]
we wanted a cozy night in and the hubby charming really wanted to cook up something to eat. he put together a beef stew in our fabulous slow cooker. we debated on just a vegetable stew but we succumb to the cow :p
slow cooker beef stew
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon paprika [we replaced this with cayenne!]
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups beef broth
3 potatoes, diced
4 carrots, sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped
directions
*Place meat in slow cooker. In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and pepper; pour over meat, and stir to coat meat with flour mixture. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, onion, beef broth, potatoes, carrots, and celery.
*Cover, and cook on Low setting for 10 to 12 hours, or on High setting for 4 to 6 hours.
we both want to abate not so good foods from our diet and strive to balance out a healthier palate {cross our fingers}. i am in awe of folks who are so resolute with always eating healthy, organic, and fresh! i love sweets, although i have somewhat diminished my intake by the pounds/per year {heh}. i think ordering the 20 boxes of girl scout cookies might negate the above positive thinking {yikes!}.
double, double toil and trouble
being sick is absolutely no fun. when hubby charming and moi are sick, it’s double trouble! we are such a mess. coughing, tired, and runny noses oh my! i’ve been going strong for the past week and a half {not one drop of medication} but that sickness bug really bit me in my butt today. i’m quite resilient when i get ‘sick’ but when i get a fever, all bets are off. i was down for the count. shivers, sweats, cold chills over took my body like an alien baby. ugh, i absolutely hate being sick!
![[bleh]](http://tandeminlove.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/image13.jpg "via www.tandeminlove.com")
[bleh]
hubby charming
thank you to my hubby charming for taking care of me even when he wasn’t feeling so great either! he went to the grocery store, cooked me dinner, AND cleaned up!! all whilst i snuggled under the blankie trying to calm my fever. xoxo…love him!
for the love of mr. kagann
farewell mr. kagann. my beloved 2nd dad. i remember days of shopping with you, copious amounts of girl scout cookies in the cupboard {gotta love the tagalongs! i would devour a whole box in a sitting!}, yummy dinners you cooked, helping you with your campaigns, woodridge fairs, and just hanging out. growing up with carol, in your household, led to many adventures and many, many memories i hold so close to the heart. you were such a great part of my life and i will always be thankful for all that you did for me.
being there at the very last moment to be able to say goodbye was surreal, a blur, so clear, overwhelming, unexpected, intense, and complete closure. i love you and i will miss you so dearly.
r.i.p mr. kagann 2.7.13
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted…” Matthew 5:4
don’t be mundane
sometimes work clothes, for me, can be so mundane. my utilitarian uniform is your basic black. for some, it’s their staple color; for me it’s sooooo boring. i know it’s a classic, stylish choice {i do think black can be so sophisticated} but when it’s a forced everyday option, it can be quite trite versus putting in the effort to be creative. i try at times but usually fail. i was particularly loving this shirt. i don’t wear it often but when i put it on today {i usually don’t wear flow-y type tops}, i was feeling like it was going to be a good day! throw on an accessory and bam! you’ve got yourself an outfit.
so, at the end of the day…it was a great day. thanks to my nifty, flow-y top and necklace. sometimes, it’s the little things, huh? you made me feel a bit more chic today, merci.
you’ve got mail
![my new cubs hat [yay!!!]](http://tandeminlove.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/image9.jpg "via www.tandeminlove.com")
my new cubs hat [yay!!!]
i love getting mail. whether it’s a letter, card, invite, or the best mail of all…packages!!! i never use to be an online shopper but this past holiday, i’ve gotten hooked! i typically love shopping within a store, feeling the merchandise and trying on {so much fun!}. much to my hubby charming’s dismay, i have been on a roll with the clicker button on ‘place my order’. honestly, it’s really random stuff i’m buying; shoes, clothes, cupcake liners…
so, i was quite excited to walk up my front door and ta-da, a lovely package waiting for moi! i eagerly ran upstairs and tore into it. i was filled with anticipation, knowing it would be the fabulous buy from ebay! yup, it’s an awesome knit chicago cubs hat! it’s my new favorite thing! sometimes it’s just the little things that can put a little twinkle in your eyes. a little pep in your step.
falling fluffy cotton balls
it’s pretty much has been a snow-free winter here in good ol’ chicago up until this past week! {whoa, snow} i must say, though, it’s nothing like the snowpocalypse we had a few years back! that was cray.
anyhoo, i’m loving my sorels in this weather! they’re just tough…and i like tough and little fuzzy at the same time.
snow, snow, snow
my valentine
i heart oliva
well, i was super duper excited to be able to host miss olivia at our place. {hubby charming is away making some dough, so a little company is always welcomed!} i cooked pasta, we had some wine, and talked non-stop {we loooooooove to talk}. i just love girl time and catch up time and just about anything time. she came over with the cutest homemade valentine’s day card *sigh* and homemade cake pops! what a gal! it just got me all excited for the holiday! i’m so sure the little cupid is looking over my shoulder right now 🙂
super bowl sunday = super snack sunday!
to be honest, i’m not into football. i mean all the technical talk…all the rules [blah]. i love parties, friends, food, beer, wine, fun. so when this goes hand and hand with football, hells yes! marina + corey hosted a few friends at their house and cooked up some good snack grub. and so the mindless eating began!
bowl XLVII // ravens vs. 49ers
fact: first time ever two brothers coach against each other at the superbowl
fact: the lights went out! ooooohhhh, somebody got in trouble!
fact: i ate too much [burp]
cold, cold go away
sooo, cold, cold weather like this in chicago//10 degrees fahrenheit!// makes me want to be somewhere warm + on the beach! a girl can only dream right now {meh}. so, next best thing? reminence on past holidays! here are some pics of us in miami from 2010…we had just gotten engaged 6 months prior! we relaxed, slept, explored, ate, sunned, + drank…what a vacay should be about! well, my only hope is that punxsutawney phil predicted an early spring! yaaaaayyyy!