Home Sweet Home//Sophia's First

A quick post after a few weeks in hiding. It's been a stressful few weeks but times are looking up and decisions have been made. Plus we have lots of exciting times ahead! October is right around the corner and its my favorite month, I love Halloween. Grandma Oonagh is coming to visit us all the way from Australia in October!!! Then we go to Ireland in November to visit Grandad Oli!! We are very excited indeed for the next two months, then it's Christmas Time! 

A few photos of our home for the last three and a half years, this was Sophia's first home, where she was conceived, where my water broke and where I tried for 23 hours to have her but she had other plans in mind. It is where we brought her home to and it will always be her first home. 

NFL Kickoff//

Yesterday was the kickoff to football season and I love some football! I'm a New York Giants fan, last year I was chosen to be the Giants style ambassador. The picked one fan from each NFL team, flew them to New York City, where we stayed at the Marriott in Times Square for three nights had a photo shoot for us, party and Q&A with the commissioner of the NFL and NFL legends. It was an incredible experience to say the least. 

I was 6 weeks pregnant at the time, I was tired, sick but still had a great time. I had my turn off episode from social media so I never blogged about it, a year later is the perfect time to post the photos from the photo shoot. I had my own stylist, hair and make up person! I wouldn't mind having them around every day of my life! 

Congrats to the Denver Broncos on their victory against the Baltimore Ravens last night! We are Manning Brothers fan in the Crowne home!!

                                                          Happy Weekend!

The Giants gear is all by Nike, the stud jacket is DVF, the peplum is Zara and leggings Nike. 

Summer Squash//

I love going to the farmers market on Saturdays and getting fresh produce from our local farmers. We went on Saturday and got a bunch of vegetables and fruit for the week. I usually buy vegetables that Im familiar with, but last Saturday I bought a summer squash, a vegetable I had never tasted. I made a vegetable soup and threw some summer squash in it, it was delicious. So this Saturday I got two, made the same soup, froze it and wanted to make something different with the other one. I looked on the Internet for some ideas and came across a potato and squash gratin! I didn't have all the ingredients for  the one I liked, so I improvised a little with what I had. I made a potato and summer squash gratin with mozzarella and tomato sauce, it was sooo good! I forgot to take a picture of the end result, I was starving and just wanted it in ma belly!!

                             Here's my summer squash Italian gratin recipe:

Ingredients:

Summer Squash ( I used one big one, use as many as you need)

Potatoes ( I used one big one, use as many as you need)

Fresh Mozarella 

Tomato Sauce ( I used a half a can of diced tomatoes)

Salt and pepper

Set the oven to 400. 

You will need a casserole dish, slice the potato and squash in thin slices. Make a layer with the potatoes and squash (see picture). Season with salt and pepper to taste, add the tomato sauce, then the fresh mozzarella. Make another layer of potatoes and squash and repeat the process of sauce and cheese. Top off with potatoes and squash and season with salt and pepper. 

Put the dish in the oven covered with aluminum foil for 30 minutes. Uncover and let it sit for another 15 minutes. 

Enjoy!!

For my daughter//

Its been a few days since I've blogged, it's hard when you have a 4 month old who fights her sleep, barely ever naps and wants to cuddle mommy all day long! But I don't mind, I love cuddling you and if its all day long, even better. Our days consist of sleeping all morning, getting out of bed around noon, playing in bed, cuddles, walks around the neighborhood, cuddles, playing in bed, cuddles, bath time, playing in bed, cuddles, laying in bed while cuddling and finally you falls asleep while nursing around midnight. In between all those cuddles I nurse you, find time to eat and clean the apartment. It's a full time job being a mommy, and the most rewarding job, wouldn't trade it for the world! 

You are 4 months and almost sitting up on your own. You are not a pro yet and don't have complete balance but you sit up for a few seconds and with the boppy pillow you sit up just fine. It's incredible to watch you grow, every smile, every face and every movement is simply the most beautiful thing in my life. The other day you slapped me in the face and I laughed histericaly and called your daddy to tell him. It's the simple things that fill my life with happiness now that you are in it. I love every waking moment next to you, when I look over and you have a big smile on your pretty face. I change your diaper early in the morning, some mornings you wake up really hungry and cry on the way to the changing table, but when I put you down I talk to you and then you give me a big smile! I love those moments, but my favorite moments, are when we go to bed and you latch on to me, to nurse. They are such tender moments, and when I look in your eyes looking at me, my heart melts. I love you with all of my being, love your face, your hair, your smile, your hands, love your everything Sophia Harper. You also have the cutest yawns, since you were a newborn you have been making the noisiest yawns I've ever heard! LOl, it's like you are so stressed and had a tough day at the baby office. Every moment with you gets better each and every day, I'm taking it day by day, but I look forward to your kisses, hugs and when you call out for me, mommy!!!

I write this while you are asleep next to me, you fell asleep at around 1am. It's raining out. As I hear the rain fall, I pray to God that he watches over you and sends his blessings our way, that he keeps you healthy, good hearted and out of trouble. I trust you God! Amen

       2 Days Late, But...

Be Good to All of Us, that is my wish. 

DIY//Tassel Garland

Happy Friday!

So I started planning Sophia's First Birthday Party, 8 months in advance, that should leave me enough time to throw her a fabulous party! While looking for inspiration I must have seen 100 tassel garlands, and I'm in love with every single one of them. They can be very pricey tho, so I looked some more and found different blogs with DIY tassel garlands! And what do you know, I had some extra tissue paper, scissors, ribbon and tape, so decided to make my own! 

You will need:

Tissue paper// One sheet equals one tassel. 

Ribbon// To hang the tassels. 

Tape// To Tape down the tassels on the ribbon. 

Scissors// To cut the tissue paper. 

Step One: Fold the tissue paper in half, then sideways. Start cutting strings leaving about an inch from the top. 

Step Two: Open up the tissue paper and start rolling it up. 

Step Three: Once you have rolled the tissue paper fold it in half to make the tassel. 

Step Four: Start putting the tassels on the ribbon and tape them around to hold in place. 

Four simple steps to make a beautiful garland that you can hang anywhere. I hung it on Sophia's crib, I think it looks awesome! 

Not bad for my first one, next one will be sleeker, these tissue papers I've had for like ever in my closet, but they sure came in handy!