Friday Favorites

Welcome to Friday Favorites: a series of posts to share my favorite recipe, blog, design items, and general stuff I love from the week.

sarah carter

Nope, I did not forget to give you a recipe this week, I just love this new piece from Sarah Carter.  If this image doesn't brighten your day, then I don't know what will.  I could stare at this all day!
  

I have been doing so much cooking this week while visiting my dad and extended family.  It turns out having two little boys does not allow you to be very helpful with things like cleaning out a house full of furniture.  But I can cook!  Plus, this way I make sure we don't eat brats on the grill for dinner every night. :-)  So far, I have cooked so many of my favorites: chicken spaghetti, deviled eggs, BBQ chicken salad, carrot cake, and chicken enchiladas.  I think today I will make Pioneer Woman's "summer stir fry."  Yum.  

I cooked this at home last week, and at first Jay was disappointed I had not made PW's "comfort meatballs", but when this meal hit his lips, he forgot all about the meatballs!  She really should have named it shrimp scampi with a few vegetables, but no matter what you call it--call it delicious.  The only change I would make to the recipe is to switch the zucchini with asparagus, or some other green veggie that you love.  Zucchini tends to soak up the oil, and then I lose the flavor of the actual squash.  If you know a way to prevent this, I'd love to hear from you!  (Let's be honest.  I'd love to hear from you even if you don't know how to prevent this!)


Looking for a few DIY decorations for the 4th of July?  These projects from Better Homes and Gardens are just adorable, and simple.

I am a fabric junkie.  If I have the option of leather or fabric, odds are I will pick fabric.  Check out this sad chair that was given new life on this "before and after" from Design*Sponge.  

You MUST check out this truly spectacular Tiny Toddler Room that was, as they say, "taken from drab to fab." It's truly a stunning makeover, and it was all done on a very small budget!  Take a look at the transformation here.

Facebook is such an amazing medium, and I love this story of a couple, who after years of trying to conceive,  were able to use Facebook to find their birth mother.  You can read their story here.








What are your plans for the 4th of July?  We will be celebrating halfway between the equator and the north pole.  Really.  This sign is just down the road from where I grew up.

Here is a great ad for my home town.  "Pure Michigan": Alpena style.  

Finally, I want to sincerely thank all of you for your incredibly kind comments over the past few days.  Although I haven't responded to each one, you have warmed my heart incredibly during this season of loss.  Have a safe weekend celebrating our freedom!