Saturdays on the Porch #62

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Check out the most recent Saturdays on the Porch.

Saturdays on the Porch

I wore this outfit out to dinner last night. We went to Costco and strolled Nordstrom Rack before our dinner reservation at Firebirds.

My Define Me denim jeans aren't available any longer. I got them on clearance in January. My favorite Chico's denim is the girlfriend fit.

Fit Tip: I wear a size .5 across the board in Chico's pants and jeans. The blazer is a size small and the flats are my true. to size 8. If you are very narrow with shoes, they may be too wide.

Happy Spring, Happy Saturday!

I can't believe that the last Saturdays on the Porch was in early February. I've been very busy plus I just needed a blogging break. I am a one-woman show over here. I do everything for my website. I struggle when I start working on house projects with the mojo to work on the blog.

I have picked back up with painting the house. It is so time-consuming and just zaps me with any energy for much else.

I have been working in the master bedroom + Ashlyn's old room. I've tackled much of the trim work in her room. Still so much to do.

Recently, I have devoted much of my painting efforts to our bedroom. I have been painting all of the trim + the ceiling. Y'all that ceiling was a job! I'll be sharing a post on all of that soon.

My hubby knows that this has been a big undertaking. I hate giving up the painting reins because I am such a perfectionist about it.

We just had the exterior side and back of the house painted. The guy did a fabulous job! Hubby suggested that we have him come and quote us to finish the 2 upstairs bedrooms. I agreed happily! The painter is coming on Wednesday. I am excited to just get it done so that I can do the fun part….decorating them. Both rooms are empty so a clean slate.

Recently on the Blog

Recent Outfits

I have had this floral tee from Chico's for a couple of years and love it. I wear it in fall and spring. It's such a perfect weight with their Touch of Cool line.

Fit Tip: I LOVE these jeans and have had for several years. I am wearing an 8. My tee is a size 1, but could have gone with a smaller size. Its a bit big in the shoulders and body. The flats are my true to size 8.

Fit Tip: I love my Brigitte line crops from Chico's. I wear them year round. I wear a .5 in them. They are comfy and pull on. The blazer is a size small and a perfect fit.

In the Kitchen

I just ordered my second Half-Baked Harvest cookbook. We Have yet to have a recipe that we did not like. Some are actually on repeat. Here are the two cookbooks that I have:

• Half-Baked Harvest Every Day (my first one)
• Half-Baked Harvest Super Simple (the newest that I have)

Below are the recipes that I have cooked for the 2 of us from the Super Simple one. I adapted each one for 2 people except the pot pie. We were able to enjoy leftovers.

This is the first pot pie that I have cooked that was actually great!

This was so good! It actually called for Halibut, but I couldn't find any. I used Mahi Mahi instead. It has sweet potatoes, kale, chickpeas, lemon, and apple. All cooked on a sheet pan for the win!

This salmon and veggie dish was baked in the oven in individual parchment pouches. You layer potatoes and zucchini under the salmon. This was very good. In the future, I will microwave the potatoes to soften them before slicing them. I had to cook this longer than the recipe called for and the potatoes still could have used a little longer cooking time.

The Mediterranean Diet has really been in the news a lot lately. I found this cookbook for 2 and have been using it this week.

We have enjoyed each and every recipe this week and the portions are perfect.

I purchased the spiral-bound book The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Two.

This one was a surprise! The chicken and pasta ended up being a one-dish meal. I added the French green beans. I cook the green beans by boiling them for several minutes in a saute pan in water. I then drain off any excess water. I add either a little olive oil or butter to saute them with salt, pepper, and garlic. They are a family favorite. I'll also add some herbs.

Pets

Jack is such a hoot! He jumps in our bedroom window or goes to the front door when he wants to come back inside. We have a very large bird population in our yard. We feed the birds year-round. Luckily, Jack isn't a hunter. He goes outside in the early morning, then comes inside and sleeps much of the day. He goes out again for a few hours after dinner but is always inside at night. We added these discs to the windows last year. We were losing too many birds to hitting this sheet glass window. While it's not the most attractive thing, we haven't had a bird hit the window since we added them.

Sully is spoiled rotten! He is doing so well. Ashlyn and Tim bring him over on Sunday afternoons for lunch. He is obsessed with Jack. Luckily everyone gets along. He absolutely loves going outside in his backpack carrier for walks. Tim typically carries him with it on his chest so Sully can look ahead. His eyesight isn't the best in one eye, but he gets around just fine and plays like a crazy cat!

Latest Reels

What I'm Reading

• I have a list of 12 books to read physically this year (1 per month) in addition to my audiobooks. You can find the complete list here.
• I am currently on my March read which is Hotel Nantucket. I love anything by Elin Hilderbrand!
• My January read was Lessons in Chemistry and absolutely loved it! The setting is the early 1960s and centers around a female chemist and her navigating a man's world. It's fun with a bit of romance and heartache. It is so worth a read!
• My February read was Not a Happy Family. This is a murder mystery. Parents are murdered, and we will try to solve who did it……their kids are suspects!

What I am Listening to on Audio Books

• I am all caught up on listening to the Peachtree Bluff Series and really enjoyed it! Here is the list in order of the series.
  • Book 1: Simply South of Simple
  • Book 2: The Secret of Southern Charm
  • Book 3: The Southern Side of Paradise
  • Book 4: Christmas in Peachtree Bluff

• I am currently listening to The House Guest.
• People We Meet on Vacation
• The Blue Bistro
• Wrong Place Wrong Time

What We've Bought

• the real-touch faux pink tulips
• blue and white striped dress (size 8)
• striped sweatshirt for spring/summer in a medium
• set of 2 faux ferns for the porch
• wedge pillow
• Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for 2 (spiral)

Since January, I have bought several pieces from Chico's for spring and summer!

• light wash trouser jeans in a .5 petite because I wanted to be able to wear flats with them.
• Ikat print tee in a size 1
• Cropped light wash denim in .5
• Green Ruffle Tee– comes in multiple colors. I did purchase the 0 in this so it would not be too big under the arms.

My new favorite…..J Crew and J Crew Factory

I find J Crew true to size. I ordered my knit blazer from them and was sold! Ashlyn loved the blazer so much that she ordered one as well. J Crew Factory has cheaper prices. I am not a shorts person, but I purchased these longer-length shorts and love them! They are a sleeker fit and not so baggy for Bermuda shorts.

• Knit school boy blazer in a size small
• 9-inch Bermuda shorts in a size 8 ( I ordered 3 colors)
• White gauze button-up in size small. I regret not getting the medium.
• Basic v-neck white tee in a size medium (more fitted)
• Girlfriend Crewneck Tee in a size medium
• V Neck Gauze Blouse in orchid in size small (LOVE)
• Green 7-inch shorts in green size 8
• Wide Leg Linen pants in green in a size medium

It's time to get your spring wardrobe and kitchen together! Whether you are looking for the perfect recipe to bring some extra zing to your meals or new looks to reveal your unique style, it's time to be creative and have fun. Spring is about opportunity and spontaneity, so don't hesitate to think outside the box with your fashion ideas or experiment with flavors in the kitchen. We are loving adding new meals to our rotation. It's easy to get stuck in a rut when cooking for two. Sometimes the most exciting journeys start with letting go of what we know and embracing something brand new.

Thank you so much for being here today with me! I hope your weekend is joyful.

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Thanks for sharing!