Lucky Number 13!

Thirteen years ago today Hubby and I got married. Without a doubt that was the smartest thing I have ever done in my life!

So far spending my life with my best friend has been such a joy and I know it will only get better!

Thunder

The weatherman lied! The sky did not stay sunny and a thunderstorm chased us from the pool. But if that is the worst thing that happened to us, I would have to say it was still a great day!

Hope you are loving summer as much as we are!

"The Tao of Martha"

I believe the first time I heard about author Jen Lancaster was from the blog Summer is a Verb which is totally fitting because Jen Lancaster started out as a blogger herself. Jen has turned the art of blogging into a wonder career as a New York Times bestselling author. (I may or may not be a little bit jealous.) So when I saw her latest memoir at my library I knew I had to check it out.

According to Goodreads:

One would think that with Jen Lancaster’s impressive list of bestselling self-improvement memoirs—"Bitter Is the New Black"; "Bright Lights, Big Ass"; "Such a Pretty Fat"; "Pretty in Plaid"; "My Fair Lazy"; and "Jeneration X"—that she would have it all together by now.

One would be wrong. 

Jen’s still a little rough around the edges. Suffice it to say, she’s no Martha Stewart. And that is exactly why Jen is going to Martha up and live her life according to the advice of America’s overachieving older sister—the woman who turns lemons into lavender-infused lemonade.

"The Tao of Martha" is a great summer read. My own home is far from "Martha Organized" but I am trying so I found it quite humorous to rad alone as Jen takes one year to get her home perfectly organized. I also truly loved reading all about Jen's beloved dog, Maisy and the little life lessons one can learn from their pets. 

I am be bias since Jen is a former Jersey-girl, like myself but if you are in the market for a good read I would have to recommend this one!

Perfect Summer Salad

There was a time when my girl friends and I would get together and try and have conversations while chasing our toddlers. We all said "this will be so much easier when they are older". Um what were we thinking!?! Between the worst winter and all of our children's different sports teams we have not seen each other in forever. Honestly I would pay good money to run after a wee-one if it meant I could have a chat with my friends in person more other. We really didn't know how good we had it!

So when a friend sent out a text saying lets have a little happy hour before the 4th, we were all in! All we had to do was bring something to share and something to sip. So simple yet so perfect. I will admit that I just brought some cupcakes, nothing worth blogging about. But Former Blogger A brought a salad that was so good I asked for the recipe. Being the wonderful friend that she is she said I could past the recipe along to you!

Asparagus, Tomato & Cumber Salad (from Prevention Magazine)

8 ounces asparagus, trimmed and roughly chopped into bit sized pieces

2 cups sliced english cucumbers

1 large tomato, halved and thinly sliced

1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced

3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Place the asparagus in a pot with a steam basket. Steam for about 5 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Immediately plunge the asparagus into a bowl of cold water, drain, and lightly pat dry.

Place in a large bowl. Stir in the cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and feta.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oregano, oil, mustard, and pepper. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables and toss well.

Trust me, you need to try this salad!

Small Town 4th

We might have been teased by a family member or two when we moved out to the western part of our county but on days like the 4th of July I say tease all you want! The 4th of July parade is one of the awesome perks of small town living. Main Street is always lined with neighbors and friends and the parade is also filled with friends and neighbors. It really is a whos-whos of small town living!

While I might love the 4th for its small town charm, my kiddos love it for the candy! All of the floats in the parade throw candy at the spectators.  What child would not love that!?!

It really was a wonderful way to celebrate America. And B must have felt the same way since she even took a picture with me. She might have even let me hug her in public. That is what I call "winning" when your daughter is a tween!!!

I hope you and your family had a safe and wonderful 4th! God Bless America!!!!

Prioritizes & Accessorizes

I don't think that I am alone in my love of Instagram. What started as a fun way to share pictures with friends and family has also turned into a way to see a little bit more of some of my favorite bloggers. Lately, for me, it has turned into much more! Instagram has turned into a great place to find unique buys.

Via

 As you know I do love taking pen to paper but who knew that Instagram would help me make sense out of all of my lists. And how could I not think the Lemon Drop "Priorities" Notepad is something that I need in my life!?!

Via

And if that find was not enough, I also found High Street Market on Instagram. High Street Market seems to love Blue Willow china as much as I do. Don't you just love the idea of your pens being stored in a Blue Willow cup? High Street Market is also having a sale! All of their "vintage" pieces are on sale until midnight on the 4th of July. Just enter code "VINTAGE25" and enjoy 25% off.

What unique finds have you found via Instagram? 

Before & During

I bet you thought B and I just sat on the sofa and eat bon-bons while the boys were fishing. Maybe you thought we were at the spa getting pampered. Or reading John Green books poolside but you would be wrong on all accounts.

B and I spent our Sunday giving her (and the boys') bathroom a little make-over. It all started because all three of my children seemed completely incapable of using their towel rack. All of the damp towels that I was picking up at the end of the day was starting to give me a nervous tick. So my grand idea was to take the offending towel rack down and replace it with three hooks. Easy right?

Before

After Hubby took the towel rack down I repaired the holes in the wall. As I was sanding my patch job, I was reminded of how much I dislike white walls. And since I was going to have to re-paint the walls anyway, why not re-do the room? I have a feeling this line of thinking is the reason Hubby rolls his eyes every time I say "but it will be a little project."

During

While I made a huge mess during the process I think the kiddos' bathroom is coming along nicely! The holes have been repaired and painted. The brass hardware was replaced so it now matches the faucets and the new shower curtain has been hung.

Now I just have find some nice accessories and hang those hooks!

You can also find me at A Stroll Thur Life