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I LOVE cooking from recipes, and making up meals, I LOVE spending time with my boys (all three) and entertaining my family and friends, I LOVE bargain shopping (vintage stores included), I LOVE flipping through fashion and design mags, I LOVE the smell of libraries and how often I could get lost there, I LOVE scanning realty websites, I LOVE Trader Joes and LUSH, I LOVE fresh flowers and all four seasons, I LOVE Cincinnati and am always ready to travel, I LOVE stationary and stamps, I LOVE diamonds and pearls, tulle and lace, I LOVE smelling coffee and drinking tea, I love marshmallows and chocolate, I LOVE cozy sheets and morning sunshine, I LOVE me and I love GOD!

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Tuesday, May 31, 2011

AFRO CITY A Must!!! Gushing: Hair inspirations and beautiful, positive black women ...


I must say I didn't get a chance to see the new series Single Ladies, but from the looks of some fellow bloggers, I didn't miss much! A quote that "it set black women back" makes me happy I didn't waste my time! I did however run across this fabulous new webshow, AFRO CITY, that I am pleased to share with you! Their acting and storyline, I hope will improve but overall it is positive, it is beautiful and goodness I love their hair and fashion!!! I love that the cast is a rainbow of natural beauty. They display positive sisterly love and support of each other. These women are fierce!!






Check out Episode 1



 
Enjoy
xoxo,
Ronita

Laughed so hard I cried!!!!

This weekend I had the pleasure of spending time with my BFF for a girl's day out and my hubby for a little us time!!



Bridesmaids was the perfect movie for our girl's day out!!! I walked away with tears in my eyes! Megan was my favorite character!





I loved the monkey!!!

If you haven't seen them and you need a good laugh go immediately!!! Sometimes you just need a good laugh even if it is stupid humor!!!

*****
UP NEXT...ONE I WANT TO SEE WITH MY MOM!!!!
THE HELP

HAPPY TUESDAY!

xoxo,
Ronita

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Friday Night lights and tacos

The boys and I had a wonderful time in the city last night
First STOP!! Taco Azul food truck for their delicious chicken tacos, a steak burrito and Jarritos for the hubby and I!

Second stop- Final Fridays POP SHOP (an once a month crafters shop who pop up a various store fronts through downtown Cincy) on Main where I spotted these beautiful threaded bracelets! At $2.00 each I had to get them!

We tried a new food truck cafe de wheels who serve delicious sandwiches and the best sweet potato fries I have ever tasted!

The boys faces after I told him they wouldn't get any french fries if they didn't behave...LOL

Hubby all smiles after enjoying his burrito!

We had a great evening together and it was an awesome way to kick off the weekend!
Family time is the best time!!! Be sure to spend quality time with your family on this long weekend!

HAPPY SATURDAY!!
xoxo,
Ronita

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Monday, May 23, 2011

Weekend in pics!!!

The boys and I had a fabulous weekend even with the hubby working (we missed him dearly)!!!

Friday we met up with our cousin and shared pizza at a local restaurant and went for yogurt afterwords!!!




Thanks to one of my fabulous coworkers we set up our new to us turtle tank and introduced Leo to his old new home! Thanks Ann...the boys are in love!!!



Saturday was a blast and oh what beautiful weather! We slept in, did a little yard sale hopping-where I found a wonderful pile of vintage children's books, a beautiful silver dessert server, some delicate yet super fabulous hand stitched tea napkins and pillowcases.

After yard sale hopping we ventured into town (downtown) where we met some work friends for the annual OTR (Over the Rhine) Summer Celebration! We went to support another coworker with her first debut of STREETPOPS, a gourmet popsicle company... we tried the grapefruit tarragon and the strawberry mint both fantastic!!!








We ended the weekend with church and a cookout!!

What a great way to start the Summer!

xoxo,
Ronita

Friday, May 20, 2011

My new fav place in Cincinnati...


You all know how much I love to cook, bake and entertain...well the hubby did an extra awesome job this year with my Mother's Day gift. He purchased me a GROUPON for a 4-week basic cake decorating class at a local company, Cincinnati Cake & Candy Supplies! Let me just tell you I am thrilled!
 Just in time for all the birthdays this Fall.

Class Description: A class that teaches you the basics of cake decorating. The class will meet the same night each week for 2 1/2 hours, for four consecutive weeks. You will be shown how to ice and border cakes, how to torte a cake with fruit fillings, basic flowers including a rose and rosebud, chocolate molding, writing, basketweave, simple figure piping including a clown, lacework, use of colors, etc.

EXCITED!!!!!




Oh the joy!!!

I even scoped out a fun class I am going to sign my mom and I up for to celebrate our birthdays together in September!!! Perfect night out...just the two of us!

Thanks babe.

xoxo,
Ronita

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

DIY: Forever Friends

(via)

What a chic and updated friendship bracelet. Reminds me of the ones I would make for my friends in middle school or Summer camp except with a grown woman twist. I wouldn't mind wearing one of these!!

I am going to try making on this summer!
xoxo,
Ronita

Strawberry Mini Muffins



Ingredients
1 cup strawberries slightly under-ripe diced into quarter-inch pieces
1 squeeze of lemon juice
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking power
1/4 vegetable oil
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 tsp. powdered sugar

adapted from Nigella Lawson

Directions
Preheat over to 400F. Line a 24-cup mini-muffin tin with paper baking cups. Put diced strawberries into a bowl spritz lemon juice on them and stir gently to combine.

In a medium-size bowl, stir together flour, sugar and baking powder. In a small bowl, beat together oil, sour cream, vanilla and egg. Pour mixture over dry ingredients, stirring to combine with a wooden spoon. Fold in strawberries.

Divide batter evenly among the paper cups in the mini-muffin tin. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Place tin on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Take out the muffins and continue cooling them in the paper cups on the wire rack. When muffins re completely cool, place the powered sugar in a small sieve . Shake sieve lightly to dust the muffin with sugar. (I did a large amount of powdered sugar clearly :) )Serve.

They turned out delicious!!! I couldn't keep my hands out of them...the boys even loved them.
ENJOY
xoxo,
Ronita

Monday, May 16, 2011

May flowers!!!

I guess all this rain is paying off. Rose bush right outside my front door!

xoxo,
RONITA
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Saturday, May 14, 2011

From Soil to Jar....

Last Spring, after visiting a strawberry patch, I came home and realized I didn't know what I was going to do with all the strawberries we picked. My dear Sorority sister suggested I make strawberry jam and I have been hooked on canning and preserving ever since.

Here are two beautifully written well, organized, easy to understand books about growing your own fruit and vegetable garden by pairing them with their soilmates and then canning and preserving them to enjoy months down the road!!!




HAPPY SATURDAY!
xoxo,
Ronita


Wednesday, May 11, 2011

My Desk Makes Me HAPPY!!!

My desk is making me very HAPPY right now. I am surrounded by all the things I love! Pictures of my family, flowers and bright color!!! I make sure to have ample supply of stationary, sharpies, fun post and my blinged out stapler and tape dispenser!!!


What are some of the things you like to have at your desk?

HAPPY THURSDAY!!
xoxo,
Ronita

It about that time!!!


It's about that time!!! This Saturday will mark the beginning of my yard sale/garage sale season! I'm so excited to see what treasures I come across this Spring/Summer/Fall.

Take a look at some of my most recent finds.
Vintage cast iron milk can
Very beautiful rare aqua blue Mason jars from possibly the 1970's!! These are adorning my country inspired tablescape right now in my dining room!!

Oh boy oh boy I'm so excited. I already have my eye on two this Saturday!! I'm on the prowl for a vintage possibly pink or mint green rotary telephone, old suitcases, and a vintage bike!

I can't help myself!!!
xoxo,
Ronita

Prints I LOVE!!



HAPPY HUMP DAY
So true!!!
xoxo,
Ronita

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Mother Tested...Big Kid Approved!





A Well Mixed Super Healthy Snack Station: What a perfect idea for the big kids that can go in the refrigerator and grab for themselves. I am headed to get some Tupperware to recreate this in my fridge!!!

HAPPY SNACKING!!!
xoxo,
Ronita

Style Watch: WOW


Loving this style minus the cig!!! Perfect color combo. Perfect hair. Perfect for Spring.
xoxo,
Ronita

Monday, May 9, 2011

Cute Idea: FAMILY SUMMER LIST



I found this on one of my new favorite sites, Pinterest.
What an awesome idea to do with the kiddos...create a fun Spring/Summer checklist on a BIG piece of paper and try to map out some fun activities for the warmer weather coming our way!!

Oh how I love to do lists!
xoxo,
Ronita

Scenes from Last week/end in pictures!!!

Blowing bubbles...

Goodbye dinner for a dear friend...

Birthday cupcakes to send to school...

Visiting family...MILO BEAR and AUNT MiMi!!!


Baseball themed birthday party with his own baseball card....

Vintage floral print skirt for Mother's Day brunch....

We had a jammed pack week/end!! I was lucky to catch up on my rest yesterday and woke up to a delicious homemade dinner, flowers and card from the hubby! How did everyone spend their weekend?

xoxo,
Ronita