cara.b.b.

spring wish list

Published on March 31, 2011 by cara.b.b.Leave a comment

i am really, really ready for it to warm up around here. we have been teased with 70-degree weather a few times in the last month, but i want it to stick around. it’s another gray and cool day here, so i’m daydreaming about green things and getting outside as soon as we can. here are a few things on my wish list for spring.

top row (l to r):

chairs – i would like to curl up in this very setting with my stack of magazines
dress – this is screaming garden party to me
ring – i would wear this every single day
glasses – picturing these filled with pink lemondade

bottom row (l to r):

skirt – loving gingham right now

shirt – i think i could wear this chambray shirt about a million different ways

herb pots – would love love love to have all these pots full of herbs to pull for dinner

tote – to pack everything we need for a day at the park

easy dinner

Published on March 29, 2011March 29, 2011 by cara.b.b.1 Comment

i wasn’t in the mood to make an event of dinner so i threw together taco soup. this is a go-to recipe when i’m not feeling creative, and we love it in this house. i hope we’re enjoying a few of our last cold days here in kc, and i’ll happily table my favorite soup recipe until the fall.

taco soup

1 lb ground beef

1/2 small onion, diced

1 can ro-tel

1 can black beans

1 can sweet corn

1 32 oz bottle v8

1 pkg taco seasoning

brown ground beef. once beef is cooked, add diced onion and cook until onion is softened. add remaining ingredients. bring the soup to a boil and then bring down to a simmer for 1 – 2 hours.

celebration

Published on March 28, 2011 by cara.b.b.7 Comments

if you’re wondering where i’ve been (all three of you) i’ve been in denver celebrating my brother’s marriage to the lovely lindsey. we had a great time and cried tears of joy every single day we were there. the short guy did great on the drive, which i was worried about, and we are all trying to recover from a fabulously busy weekend.

{the groom}

{the bride}

{the original four}

nell hill’s

Published on March 23, 2011March 23, 2011 by cara.b.b.4 Comments

i went on a quick little field trip today in search of a gift, and the place i went to is my idea of heaven. the store is called nell hill’s and it is filled from floor to ceiling with gorgeous furniture, accessories, and everything in between. i love that you can spend anywhere from $5 to a few thousand – she meets every price point – and they have an amazing fabric room as well. mary carol garrity is the owner of the store, and i think she’s a genius. she has impeccable taste and a super-fresh way of mixing classic and more modern items. if you’re in kansas city, or anywhere remotely close, it’s worth the trip. for now, you’ll have to settle for my dodgy iphone snaps. here are a few things that caught my eye today.

{love these wingbacks flanking the fireplace}

{all the books on the mantle are wrapped in old maps – brilliant}

{these pictures do not do the fabrics justice. they were gorgeous in person.}

on another note, thanks again to julie over at milk & honey for featuring our kitchen today!

i heart white woodwork

Published on March 22, 2011 by cara.b.b.3 Comments

when we moved in this house, i knew that one of the first things we would do is paint the oak woodwork. i’m sure i’ll come back around and wonder why oh why we painted all of our woodwork, but that’s not today. don’t get me wrong, i like oak in the right place, but it wasn’t on our built-ins. it made such a difference in our family room. what was once dark and a bit cavernous is now light and bright. i love how painting the woodwork white brought so much attention to the brick fireplace. julie over at milk & honey was kind enough to feature our mantle on her blog a while back. thanks julie!

{yikes – everything looks yellow!}

{and the room breathes a sigh of relief!}

on a side note, we’re preparing for a road trip to denver on thursday, and i’ve turned our guest room into a staging center for all our stuff – it’s a sight to see, people. have you packed for a baby before?? oh my! if anyone has any hot tips on traveling in a CAR for NINE HOURS with a SEVEN month old, pipe up!! i’m equal parts excited and terrorized for the drive.

dining room refresh

Published on March 21, 2011 by cara.b.b.6 Comments

a few years ago, we bought a gigantic piece of art (we’re talking 5ft x 3ft) for our dining room. we loved it at first, but soon realized that it was just too overpowering for the room. i took the piece down one day a few months back, and the wall has been blank in hopes that i would be struck with an idea. well, i was. and here’s the result.

i started with these. i taped them off and spray painted them gold.

i really love our ‘new’ dining room. the light is reflecting all over the place, and i often pass through the room just for the heck of it.

the many faces of beckett-man

Published on March 18, 2011March 18, 2011 by cara.b.b.Leave a comment

you know the photos that you think are bad? they’re not. sometimes they’re the best of the bunch. i thought this was too funny not to share.

{notice the river of drool in 5 of 6 pics. way to go little man!}

quick remix

Published on March 17, 2011 by cara.b.b.1 Comment

per usual, i was getting a little bored…this time with our china cabinet. so i decided to mix it up a bit and completely reorganize. i haven’t decided if i like it any better, but it’s different, and i do love to change things up.

getting all the china and crystal out and dusting it off made me remember how much i really do love it, so i pledge to use it this year! what am i waiting for!?!

happy st. paddy’s day!

{before}

{after}

6 months

Published on March 14, 2011 by cara.b.b.2 Comments

we took advantage of the warmer weather and sunshine this weekend and had a little photo shoot to mark our little mister’s 6 months. here are some of our favorites.

week in review

Published on March 11, 2011 by cara.b.b.Leave a comment

a few quick pics to illustrate the week. it’s been a good one, and the cherry on top is a sunshiny and warm friday and mexican with great friends tonight!

{beckett and miller discuss who produces more saliva}