Friday faves

Posted on February 10, 2017 by tomorrowstodos

bestteacherever[the cutest V-day tumblers for Ev’s teachers from Hobby Lobby]
similar items: teachers gonna teach // metallic heart // dream big

Guys, I’m that person that prepares her coffee maker the night before going to bed and have dreams about that first warm cup in the a.m.! So it should come as no surprise that I love finding a good local coffee shop to frequent. My current faves are Zanzibar’s and Twisted Bean, but I can’t wait to check out a few that will be brewing (HAR HAR) soon: St. Kilda Cafe & Bakery, DSM Brew Coffee Company and Horizon Line Coffee.

Kids + heels usually = a disaster, so I’ve had to pick up a few pairs of more manageable heights and this stylish pair from Sole Society has been on repeat. It can go from work to a night out with the hubs in a flash!

It’s supposed to be in the 50s today and I am celebrating by allowing myself to start thinking about summa-summa-summatime. I’m a huge fan of the Cat & Jack line at Target, but I think they’ve outdone themselves with these cactus swim trunks. They are a must for the boys!

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Big Night VII: setting the table

Posted on February 9, 2017 by tomorrowstodos

One of my favorite parts of the Big Night experience is setting the table. I love coming up with something different each year and spending time with my bestie Molly to create the vision.

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The look from this year can easily be replicated and would be perfect for a baby shower, bridal shower, dinner party or even scaled down for a romantic dinner at home.

Like the look of the tablescape? Here’s how you can make it yourself!

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Williams-Sonoma Hotel Hemstitched Dinner Napkins, Set of 12
One Kings Lane Vintage Silver Plate Napkin Rings, S/6
Vista Alegre  Harvard Charger Plate
Mela Artisans Monroe in Brass Lantern
World Market White Metal Taper Candleholder with Gold Tip
Pottery Barn Antique Silver Sentiment Napkin Ring, Set of 4
Godinger Lighting by Design Large Metal Candelabra
Target Threshold Terrarium Gold Large
Anthropologie Faceted Votive
CV Linens blush tablecloth
Anthropologie Assemblage Candelabra

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Big Night VII: Finale

Posted on February 8, 2017 by tomorrowstodos

It’s back and bigger than ever as this is the last year we will be indulging in the Big Night feast. Without a commercial kitchen at the chefs’ disposal moving forward, feats such as this just won’t be the same. We hope to continue the tradition on a much smaller scale in the future, but for now, we are signing off.

Take it away Chef Marcus…

The seventh and final installment of the Big Night. What a ride. It all started with an idea to recreate an incredible meal we saw in a movie and has ended with the exact same meal! Some of you might think that is lame, but have you seen the movie? Nate White, Kevin Spellman and Peter Larkin are my best friends and somehow we get along in the kitchen and actually have an incredible amount of fun. That in and of itself is amazing as I don’t even get along with my own mother in the kitchen (or my wife).
The team started cooking days ahead of time making stocks and sourcing the ingredients we would need. Friday was full of craziness, as we all have full-time jobs and still needed to accomplish hours of grocery shopping. You can imagine how many stores we had to visit…
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The guys and I started cooking around 7 p.m. making whatever we could ahead of time (namely: hand-rolled penne pasta, the sauce, the risotto – 3/4 of the way, pesto, the Italian crème cake, brine the pig, the meatballs, the list goes on and on). We shut ‘er down around 1:30 a.m. Saturday morning, just to crank the ovens and stove back up at 9 a.m. to try to beat the clock before guests arrive at 5 p.m. Whew, did I mention we have to shower and change in there too?
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The guests arrived promptly at 5 p.m. to be welcomed with appetizers, champagne and cocktails. Apps included toasted focaccia with chevre, caprese skewers and countless Italian cured meats and cheeses.

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After what seemed like five minutes but was nearly two hours, we sat down to enjoy our first of many courses; Italian Wedding Soup. Homemade mini meatballs, pasta, carrots and spinach in a savory chicken stock.

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Next on the list was risotto three ways! Did you watch the movie yet? Pesto, parmesan and seafood (scallop, clams and shrimp).

bignight17_1Game hens with Italian sausage and oyster stuffing, served with asparagus.

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Palate cleanse – grapefruit and basil sorbet with a splash of prosecco!

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Oh sweet timpano! Look at those layers…sausage, egg, meatballs, salami, cheese, hand-rolled penne, and that sauce! Holy cow!

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Roasted trout with beets, artichokes, and roasted garlic.

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As if you weren’t full already…the suckling pig gets carried in. Brined overnight, stuffed with onions, garlic and citrus fruits, prepared with a citrus glaze and the standard red apple in his mouth.

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Lastly, the Italian Crème Cake that Peter Larkin is world-renowned for.
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There was coffee and grappa, dancing and singing, and of course, more wine consumed as we wound down the last greatest night we will ever celebrate in Terrace Hill.
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Friday faves

Posted on February 3, 2017 by tomorrowstodos

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[Big Night 2017 is tomorrow night – follow along on my Instagram stories]

So while Marcus was out of town on his annual ice fishing trip last weekend, we decided to hunker down at my parents house because mommin’ ain’t easy. While there, I borrowed from all of my sister’s products and absolutely loved the way this scrub felt. It’s for dudes, but who cares!

Sometimes Sunday dinners are a drag because you know the weekend is coming to an end, but crockpots always help. Last week on the fly, I did a quick search and came across this local blogger’s Crockpot White Chicken Chili recipe. When Marcus raves about how good it is, I know I can claim mealtime victory!

Instead of working out one day this week, I made a beeline for my nearest Target to pick out a special Valentine’s Day gift for myself – these beauties in red! #obsessed

 

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Fitz // six months

Posted on February 2, 2017 by tomorrowstodos

fitz6months

Fitz’s favorite things:

talking to Everett
pulling mommy’s hair & daddy’s beard
unassisted sits with occasional tips
his banana teething toothbrush

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All the heart eyes

Posted on February 1, 2017 by tomorrowstodos

I know a lot of people groan about Valentine’s Day, but I’m the exact opposite. I love this day dedicated to just that, love. It’s not that I need to be showered with gifts, but I like the extra recognition I get on February 14th. Especially since I live in a house full of boys.

Bring on the slew of kisses, hugs, ugga muggas (for all you Daniel Tiger fans out there!) and maybe some flowers…

Do you exchange gifts on Valentine’s Day or is it more one-sided? I’d love to hear how you celebrate or if you skip it all together.

ttdfaves_valentinesday2017

1 // Eberjey sketchy spots short pj set
2 // Applepear XO earrings
3 // Nuxe huile prodigieuse dry oil
4 // Cuyana leather laptop sleeve
5 // Target Gilligan & O’Malley mesh hipster
6 // Whispering Angel rose
7 // J.Crew relaxed heather turtleneck sweatshirt

 

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Friday faves

Posted on January 27, 2017 by tomorrowstodos

Fitz's friends[cousins are the best]

I have been waking up with a sore neck lately, and while it could be contributed to the following things: sinus congestion, poor nursing form, new workout regimen — I decided that it must be my years old pillow. After a 4am Google search, I ordered the Coop Home Goods Shredded Memory Foam Pillow. So far, so good!

Ever wish you could make it through a Target trip with a toddler in tow without an epic meltdown? I just ordered this Snap & Shop Tray after a few recommendations from other moms. The true test will most likely come this weekend. We shall see…

With the recent addition of snow and a cold forecast ahead, I’m really needing more indoor ideas for Everett. Our local Get Air is for sure on the radar. I was a little worried about Ev jumping with the big kids, but they have a separate area for kiddos under 46″. Jump up, jump up and get down.

 

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TTD DIY: celery rose stamp

Posted on January 24, 2017 by tomorrowstodos

During a recent day off of work and preschool, Ev and I sat down to do a little painting. The night before I had done a little meal prep for the week (#resolutions) and was cleaning and chopping some celery stalks. I remember seeing somewhere, most likely Pinterest, that you can save the end of the stalks and create a stamp out of it that resembles a rose.

With Valentine’s Day coming up, I thought this would be a perfect time to have Ev make some cute prints for his grandmas and teachers. Ooly to the rescue!

I first featured Ooly (formerly International Arrivals) in my most recent round up of holiday gift guides. They have the perfect fun and functional products that inspire creativity in people of all ages. Seriously, I’m not sure who had more fun painting, Everett or me!
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I was obviously expecting a disaster scene, but I was pleasantly surprised how well he worked with the poster paint pods. And the prints turned out perfectly. I can’t wait for him to give them out in a couple weeks.

This post was created in collaboration with Ooly.
Thank you for supporting the brands we love at Tomorrow’s To Do’s!

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Friday faves

Posted on January 20, 2017 by tomorrowstodos

MarcusBirthdayCake.jpg[Marcus’ favorite: champagne cake from The Bake Shoppe]

This weekend is Marcus’ 33rd birthday and while we already celebrated as a family last weekend, I’m hoping we can do something fun on Sunday in honor of him. The boys and I got him a new dress shirt from Thomas Dean and he already was raving about it the other day. If you know him, he loves a good shirt/tie combo and this new one fits the bill. Score!

Have you heard of hygee yet? If not, are you living under a rock? This buzzword has been showing up literally everywhere this month, even in The New Yorker. It’s funny because one of Everett’s favorite things to do is “get cozy.”

Local and looking for a good date night idea? Look no further than the Des Moines Register’s Storytelling series. They recently released the 2017 line up and I’ve already forwarded it to Marcus to get him on board. Date night alert.

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Little looks: Valentine’s Day 2017

Posted on January 16, 2017 by tomorrowstodos

Confession: I feel like I cling to Christmas a little too long every year. There, I said it.

We just took down our tree and so I’m willing myself to move on. Enter my little obsession with Valentine’s Day. Trust me, I smother my boys with love every day, but I still get giddy when thinking about February 14th.

Since the holiday falls on a Tuesday this year, we’ll probably keep things lo-key. Possibly a heart shaped pizza (like last year) and a sweet treat baked in these uber cute springform pans I picked up on clearance at HomeGoods the other weekend.

And you best believe my little dudes will be decked out in some festive gear.

littlelooks_valentinesday20171 // Target Star Wars R2D2 tee
2 // June & January hoodie jumper
3 // Gap graphic onesie
4 // Carter’s Valentine pajamas
5 // Old Navy gingham shirt
6 // Hunter rain boots

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