lifestyle Archives - Page 19 of 26

Holiday Target Haul from Home to gifts for her.

Holiday Target Haul from Home to gifts for her. All at very affordable prices. I purchased all items, used them in our home, gave them as gifts, or purchased them for myself. (let’s face it, we all add a little something in the cart for ourselves while shopping. Right? Don’t tell me I am the only one that does that!

MTV Sweatshirt $17.99 2. Tie-Dyed sweatshirt $17.99. 3. Rolling Stones Sweatshirt $19.99 4.Cable knit sweater $20.00 5. Pearl Sweater $27.99 6. Ruffle Sweater $25.00 7. Puffy Jacket $25.00 8. Faux Fur coat $ 40.00 9. Plaid Jacket $40.00

Slipper Sock $10.00 2. Hair clip sets $10.00. 3 Plush slippers $10.00 4. Jewelry Holder $25 5. Mini Waffel maker $10.00 6. Knit Scarf $17.00 7. Emergency gift set $7.00 8. Multirow Pearls $19.99 9. Knit Beanie $15.00

Holiday Target Haul from Home to gifts for her.

Shop the photo below:

Hot Cocoa and Coffee Tiered tray. Are you on the hunt for some very cute festive Mugs to serve your Holiday drinks in? I found some very cute ones at Target along with some yummy treats to dress up those Drinks. I’ll have the Shopping details for the tiered tray along with more of our home decor on my Saturday morning Holiday Home Tour, Blog post, and IGTV Home tour Round up. ( Make sure you tune into Instagram on Saturday morning…Because I’ll be posting a full Home tour along with 5 of my fabulous friends who love to decorate as I do. And let me tell you they have outdone themselves. Shop the post below.

I hope you loved some of my gift ideas and home decor picks as much as I did. Have a beautiful week, and make sure to come back on Saturday.

If you enjoyed this post, I think you might also love these:

Holiday Gift Guides

Mother’s Gift-giving Guide

Holiday Outfit’s Fox 13 News Segment

This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I only promote brands that I truly love and believe in! Thank you for your support!

Build Your Own Pizza Bar for a Fun family Meal

Build Your Pizza Bar for a Fun Family Meal

Build Your Pizza Bar

On pizza night … we were using some leftovers and homemade ingredients.

Use up those leftovers and create a Pizza night your Family will love. They can make their own and get creative to try new things. So if you plan your meals for the week and have a pasta night a few nights before, it works out great. Because I like to space out Italian food a couple of days apart, this helps to use up those little bits of leftovers you may have had.

What you need to build a pizza bar:

Rhodes rolls

Homemade Alfredo sauce recipe here

Homemade marinara or your favorite Jar

Asparagus (leftovers)

Sautés Mushrooms (leftovers)

Ham ( leftover Easter) That I had thrown in the freezer

Fresh sliced tomatoes

Mozzarella, Asiago, Romano, Parmesan cheese (leftover from this week’s Fettuccine night)

Chopped Garlic

Fresh Rosemary

Fresh Basil

Green onions

Olives

Italian seasonings

Garlic powder

Onion salt

Sea Salt

Balsamic glaze or vinegar

Olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 unless you have a pizza oven. We cook them for 10 or 12 minutes, depending on the range! It also depends on how crispy you like your pizza.

Tip using Rhodes Rolls to make the mini Pizzas.

These make individual mini pizzas. Ensure you do enough rolls per person; I did 2-3 per person. (for the rolls, follow the directions on the bag) Then after they’ve risen all day, each person flattens and pulls theirs out to shape and top with desired toppings. Some family members made little calzone instead of a mini pizza.

Building the Pizza Bar

Part of Building Your Own Pizza Bar’s fun is getting as creative as possible and trying different things on your pizza. My Family loves this interactive meal; it’s fun to hear them chat, joke, and talk their way through creating their pizzas.

For fun kitchen Gadgets, check out my Amazon Shop HERE.

Blogger Friends:

This week I joined some of my Blogger girlfriends in a recipe share because It’s always fun in the kitchen. So please check their blogs and see what was cooking or mixing up in their kitchens.

Rosemary = Distinctly Southern Style

Gwen= Gwen Live well

Kim= For a Good Life

Rebecca= R You Ready to Organize

LeNysha= Fifty Fab and Traveling

Sherri= A Woman Thing

Heidi = Simply Our Society

Here are a few more recipes I thought you would like:

Ben’s Heavenly Homemade Fettuccine

Easiest Bruschetta & Toast Recipe

Best Homemade Salsa Recipe

Thank you for stopping by this week. I hope you enjoyed our recipe share!

Have a beautiful day, pretty ladies,

This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I only promote brands that I genuinely love and believe in! Thank you for your support!

10 Summer Favorites I Can’t Live Without!

10 Summer Favorites I Can’t Live Without! I hope you won’t be able to live without them either. Summer is one of my favorite seasons, being outside enjoying the weather, dining outside, enjoying the gardens, and the long days along with pool & lake time and entertaining outdoors. With all the fun things to do, you’ll need to look good doing them, right? Here are my 10 Summer favorites I can’t live without!

Shorts, I love every length short, but the Bermuda shorts are one of this seasons biggest trends. In every shade, style, and color, you can’t go wrong with a Bermuda short. They look great paired with a blazer too. Easy to wear and even easier to style. Anything goes with a cute pair of Bermudas. Here are some of my favorites.

Sandals are making my top 10 Summer favorite’s. I can’t live without, and I found some adorable ones I have been wearing to death. My picks are sandals you’ll wear all Summer long and truly are some classics you’ll be able to wear for several Summer seasons.

Summer dresses are one of my top Summer favorites. So comfortable to wear, easy to style, and keeps you looking Chic without a lot of effort. Here are some of my favorites and so affordable.

Summer Cover up’s, and I adore this built-in Spf cover-up by Cabana Life. Stylish, true to size, and made of terry cloth.

One of My Summer’s favorites I can’t live without is grabbing a Summer read it’s perfect for catching some rays and soaking up the pages poolside. I am CURRENTLY reading Life gives you LULULemons. You’ll always catch me with an Ice tea in my hand, it’s my favorite for every season! This Summer I am so happy I have Sunnies that are readers too! HERE Shop my photo below.

Coola Self Tanner is a must along with sunscreen for your Summer days. This self-tanner gives you such a beautiful glow and natural-looking tan. I love the face tanner and Oil mist too. Shop my picks below

Summer means BBQs and family gatherings, and I have found Butcher Box home delivery makes it even easier to entertain for the Summer. Delicious 100% grass-fed beef, free-range organic chicken, heritage-breed pork, and wild-caught seafood. An unbeatable value with an average of less than $6 per meal. Great -tasting, high-quality meat you can feel good about, delivered right to your doorstep. (Free Shipping) My family loves this meat and said it is the best meat they have eaten. (remember I am a mom of boys and they are big foodies) Our Vacations are planned around where they want to eat! Comes fresh frozen in dry ice packs and ready for your freezer. It’s a must for my TOP 10 Summer Favorite’s, and it will be for yours too. I love it to help build up my food storage too. (I am a Butcher box partner) Shop HERE

Making the 10 Summer Favorites you can’t live without! Summer Salads and one of my favorites would-be my Greek salad, So refreshing and light, I could eat it every day. This salad is so easy to make and you’ll love how tasty it is. You can eat it on a bed of romaine lettuce and a side of grilled chicken or just plain.

Greek Salad:

4 on the vine tomatoes cup up

1 English Cucumber cut up

1 cup Kalamata Olives

1 cup red onion chopped up

Italian dressing of your choice

Feta cheese (if doing whole30 leave off) use the amount you like

Add all items together and mix with dressing (I leave the cheese out and top my salad when I serve) As this makes enough for 4 servings. I like to make a batch and have it for a couple of lunches. Serve as is or on a bed of Lettuce of your choice, also great with grilled chicken.

I really enjoyed sharing with you a few of my Summer favorites and I have a few friends that are also sharing their favorites today as well. I hope you’ll go check them out. Have a Beautiful Summer day. OX, D’Arcy

Heidi =www.simplyoursociety.com

Gwen=www.gwenliveswell.com

Sherri=A woman thing

Michele=Hot Flash and Sass

Lerysha=www.fiftyfabandtraveling.com

Rosemary=Distinctly Southern Style

Melanie=Mels 2nd act

Kim=For a good life after 50

June Instagram Recap

June Instagram Recap: Summer dress outfit had all of you in love. Paired with some of my favorites, you guys love Summer dresses, and I am listening. Shop this look HERE

Summer linen is one of my favorite things and yours too. You guys purchased a ton of these pants HERE, and I wasn’t surprised because they are one of my favorite things, easy to style, and were on SALE. SHOP look HERE

Summer dresses Affordable Summer tee shirt dresses perfect for Summer. Comfortable to wear and even easier to style. Wear plain with your favorite flip flops or tennis shoes or wear as I have in the above photo paired with a hat, denim jacket, sandals and, a summer bag. Shop the Look HERE This was a TOP look you loved on Instagram. Below I have featured several affordable and comfortable to wear tee shirt dresses. #teeshirtdresses

This Outfit and Caption from Instagram had you all laughing, and that was my point! We sure needed this lighthearted and funny post. If you missed it, read it HERE and shop it HERE.

June Instagram Recap: Instagram story’s favorite and one of my personnel favorites as well. These Splattered paint cropped lounge pants are so comfy and super soft sweatpant material. I’ve been living in these and you will too. I love that the comfort of these pants could be styled and chic also. Shop the look HERE

Summer linen is a perfect Summer fabric. Nothing say’s Summer like a cute pair of linen shorts. These $13.50 shorts were such a great deal you guys bought them up. They came in several colors, and at these prices, you can grab a couple of pairs. I sure did:) Pair with your favorite tank, denim jacket, and your set. It even looks cute with a concert tee. Shop my look HERE

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My New favorite Beauty tool, and you guys love the tutorial on Instagram View HERE. The Hollywood Browser Dermaplaning kit is a must-have tool for your make up bag and is very affordable. Shop HERE and get 20% off with code DARCYMVANDENBER

MY TOP SELLERS FOR JUNE

Homedecor: Adding a pop of Boho Summer designer pieces to your home. Here I used some high-end designer pieces to decorate for Summer and shared with you the DUPES you could purchase to get the same look at a fraction of the cost. SHOP HERE

Sangria Recipe: I shared this Sangria on my stories, and My DMS were flooded for the recipe. I did say how to make it in the stories and saved to cocktail highlights, but I know a lot of you like a written copy. White Sangria recipe: is a Moscato wine, one bottle of your choice 1/4 jar lemon-lime soda (sprite) 1/4 jar lime La Croix and cup chopped pineapple, cup Strawberries, 1/2 cup blueberries. Add all to a glass pitcher or serving jar… The measurements were based on the jar 1/2 the pitcher was the wine, then 1/4 soda 1/4 sparkling water ( hope that makes sense) I did the same for the Red Sangri, a bottle of sweet red wine, 1/4 soda, 1/4 Sparking water and for the fruit I used one apple chopped, 1 cup of grapes cut up and 1 cup blackberries mixed. The best flavor is to make a day ahead. I hope you guys enjoy it because this #sangriawine is a winner in my book.

Charcuterie Board The Instastory that gave me more DMS then I could handle:) My festive Charcuterie Board that has something for everyone and can feed a large gathering. It’s effortless to put together, and many of you asked for a shopping list. Here is what I used this time:
Grapes
Strawberries
Raspberries
Blackberries
Blueberries
Zucchini bread
Crackers (3) types
Carrots
Cucumbers
Hummus
Verity of cheese
Nuts
Chocolate
Crostini
I like to use little dishes on my board to give hight and keep the fruit from making the crackers soggy. Also great for cheese spreads and Hummus. There are so many ways you can create a great Charcuterie board, really no wrong way to create one. Below are a few of my favorite items to help you create a great board

June Instagram recap: Baked goods June was the first month. We started using Wildgrain bread, pasta, and pastries made fresh than fresh frozen and delivered to your door. Ready for you to bake or cook when you need it. You guys loved my stories and wanted to try the service out for yourself. Some of the best Bread, pasta, and pastries my family has ever had. With this foodie family, that is hard to say. We felt like we were in a bakery in Europe, right in our own home. You won’t be disappointed. Get $10 off with code DARCY_10 Shop

Date-Night. June took us on a much-needed date night out at The Gateway in Salt Lake. We had dinner at Midici’s Neapolitan pizza company than A drive-in Theater experience. If you haven’t been to The Gateway in Salt Lake and live in Utah, you need to make your way down there. The outside dining, beautiful wall art murals, interactive parks, water features, window displays are so pretty and inviting. They have some unique shops and entertainment as well.

I hope you enjoyed my June Instagram Recap, sharing all the things you enjoyed in my stories, top sellers, and items you wanted more info on. I plan to do a recap at the end of every month, as this seems to be something you have been requesting. Please leave a comment below if there is something you would like me to write or share about. Have a Beautiful 4th of July. OX, D’Arcy

Ways to Entertain and Dress Festive for 4th of July

Can you believe the 4th of July is a little over a week away! Seriously Summer just flies by, and I love to soak up every minute of it. This year the 4th is going to look a little different for all of us. Many of the activities we all love and enjoy May be canceled, For instance, parades, festivals, firework displays, and breakfast in the parks. however, this doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate American and this great Country in a little different way. (Did you know Utah is the number 1 most patriotic state?) Family BBQs, Backyard pool parties, or a lake day, little sidewalk fireworks, or even a small neighborhood firework display (if allowed in your city). Family and friends are what makes a Holiday special, So put on that American the great playlist, Plan the grocery shopping list and pull out all the stops on your Home decorating.

Our front porch welcomes & celebrates America, and I hope it gets you excited for what’s beyond the front door. I wanted to share with you a red, white, and blue nautical Bar cart perfect for serving drinks, a festive snack table to keep guests happy and tummies full before dinner, and our Stars and stripe dining table perfect for entertaining a small crowd. I hope they will inspire you to entertain this 4th of July and maybe make some new traditions.

Tip for creating an eclectic and festive tablescape for entertaining is to gather up all the items you have in the colors theme you are using, here, of course, is red, white, and blue. Don’t worry about the patterns. A mix is part of the fun. Place all our items in your workstation, take inventory and see what your missing (plates or glasses, etc.) This act will allow for easier shopping. Another tip would be to collect items that can quickly work for other occasions (think solid colors, patterns not necessarily the Holiday pattern.)

Try to think of other Holidays or events you could use items to decorate with. Say the Red polka dot bowl. The item could be used for Christmas, Valentine’s day, 4th of July, and even a Birthday. Layering is also another tip, layering tablecloths, placemats, ribbon, chargers, etc. Layering adds texture, for instance, if I removed the mesh ribbon from the center of the table below, The centerpiece of the table would look flat and not as interesting. Layering creates texture. Play with the items you’ve collected and remember to group in odd numbers, use dishes as risers to give your display height dimensions, and use some unexpected things. Using denim pockets from old jeans for the silverware holders is unexpected and useful.

My inspiration was all things red, white, and blue, days of Summer from the past. Coke and cherries remind me of hot summer days and add a little nostalgia to the tablescape. I created easy shopping for you below. Some of the items I have used are vintage and some I have been collecting for years. I did find a lot of similar items or pieces that could easily be substituted. Mixing things collected, vintage and new gives it that fun pop. For more Idea’s and products Shop my Amazon shops HERE

Now that we have the entertaining covered, let’s talk dressing festively. You could use the same concept I used for entertaining/ creating a tablescape, Collect all the Red white and blue clothing items and accessories, and create your outfits from the pieces you collected from your closet. You’d be surprised how many festive outfits you could put together from what you already own. Below you will find I created five 4th of July outfits from pieces I have owned for years. White Jeans HERE a Summer staple and my RED Tory Burch Miller sandals HERE are pieces I wear all supper long. Pair them with a Gingham top below and festive jewelry for that perfect Summer night outfit/BBQ. I added an easy shopping bar below to help you find a piece or two that works for all of the Summer season and perfect for the 4th of July. Shop the outfit HERE

4th of July perfection says the dress below, unfortunately, it sold out. Still, I listed some adorable alternatives below. The straw bag is perfect for the Summer season, and I added this cute designer dupe bow pin to make it perfect for the 4th of July. Shop the look HERE or shop the post below

Easy peezy outfit that says 4th of July without having a flag or saying 4th of July. Pulling red white and blue pieces out of your wardrobe that you wear all summer and pairing them together creates a Holiday look without actually purchasing a 4th of July item. Stripes are one of my favorite things, and I love you can mix a bold stripe and small stripe. Shop the look HERE or shop the page below

Chic and festive pulling basics out to create a Holiday look everyone can wear. Navy blazer, classic white button-up shirt, distressed jeans and could also be worn with Bermuda shorts add festive accessories, and you’re ready to celebrate. Show the look HERE or Shop the page below

The easiest dress to wear and style multiple ways for Summer. Here we’re shooting for 4th of July and celebrating America, so I paired this polka dot maxi dress with a denim jacket, a sun hat, and a patriotic star bandana. Easy and festive. You could also swap out the denim jacket and wear a striped sweater over your shoulders. Swap out the sun hat for a festive headband. Shop the look HERE or Shop the page below

Welcome to our Home. Remember, your entryway tells the story of what your guest should expect when they enter your home. Make it as festive as your tablescape. I’ve been collecting items since owning my Home decor store “Pages of tyme” back in California starting almost 24 years ago. Some of these pillows are a treasure from those days. The lady that hand made them from some of the prettiest fabrics. This flag and rose pillow are hand embroidered. Remember to collect things that bring you joy. They’ll always work in your home when you love them.

I hope your Holiday week brings you joy and your ability to make fun memories, although they may look different this year. Happy fourth of July! OX,D’Arcy

I have three blogger girlfriends that are sharing 4th of July inspiration over on their blogs! Please go check out their post:

Rosemary= Distinctly southern style

Gwen= Gwen Lives Well

Heidi=www.simplyoursociety.com

Michele = Sooo Boca

Spinach & Tortellini Soup Recipe

Spinach & Tortellini Soup topped with Parmesan cheese & served with a slice of homemade garlic Bread. So delicious, your Family will love it.

Tortellini soup

1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 14.5 oz can tomato sauce

1 15.5oz can butter beans rinsed

2 cans water (rinse out tomato cans)

1 14.5oz can chicken broth

1 16oz bag chopped spinach

1 8oz bag cheese tortellini (save until about 15 min before serving)

1 tablespoon garlic herb seasoning

1 Tablespoon dried chopped onion

1 teaspoon of salt & pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

Parmesan cheese for topping

Add all ingredients to a soup stock pan and simmer on med-low until boiling (except Tortellini and Parmesan)…. turn to low add tortellini let simmer 5 -10 min or until Tortellini is cooked. Dish up and top with Parmesan Cheese.

Serve with a loaf of garlic bread or crusty Bread

I created this soup a couple of years ago with items I had in my pantry, trying to create a yummy fast dinner. It’s been a quick go-to meal ever since. My Family loves Pasta and soups which make for a great combo. This soup makes a great comfort meal and is a great way to add some nutrients. It makes a big pot and is great for leftovers as well. I serve it with my Cheaters Homemade garlic bread! Recipe below.

Cheaters Homemade Garlic Bread! This Bread is so dang good I have to Make two loaves for this Family of 7!

Cheaters Homemade Garlic Bread

1 Loaf Rhodes Frozen Bread

1 cube butter

1 tablespoon of minced garlic

1 tablespoon Garlic Seasoning

1/2 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning

NOTE: This Bread is not for someone on a diet 🙂

First, Place the frozen loaf on a cooking sheet lined with a parchment paper, cover with a linen dishtowel.

(or cheesecloth) let rise. (follow directions on bag) Bread rising usually takes ALL day. I’ll get this ready at about 9:00 am to make for dinner around 6:00 pm. When risen bake at 350 until golden brown. (follow the direction on packaging.) While Bread is baking melt cube of butter in the microwave, then add garlic and seasoning and mix. When Bread is out of the oven, brush on a heavy coating of the Butter mixture. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes slice (Bread will still be warm and will sink, it’s ok), then coat each slice with more of the butter mixture. Serve hot and almost gooey

This Bread is a family favorite, and when my Family sees it on the counter in the morning, they literally jump for joy. They’ll eat two full loaves and if I would make three that would get eaten too. It’s so rich, soaked in butter and garlic it’s heavenly! I serve this Bread with soups, Pasta, and even salads. If you watch my instastories and I hope you do, you’ve seen me make it several times while stay at home was in place. ( heck probably one of the reasons I’ve gained 10 pounds!) 😛 How did it get its name? Well…Cheaters because well, your cheating and not making the loaf from scratch! Nobody’s got time for that! Insert Giggle! Hince, I named it My cheater’s homemade garlic bread.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s blog post, and I would love for you to leave a comment below if you tried this recipe or are going to try it. Have a beautiful rest of your week! OX, D’Arcy

The 10 Positive Things in the Storm a Brightside Challenge: Quarantine 2020

A little front porch shot, wearing a cute tee saying, “Straight out of quarantine”! Outfit Details Here

The 10 Positive Things in the Storm, a Brightside Challenge.

The hidden blessings in the storm of STAYING at HOME. This week I got together with some of my midlife blogger friends to help share some of the Brightersides of staying home. Each of us is sharing our thoughts on what we felt was a positive or the Brightside of staying home while being Quarantined. While some of our states are slowly starting to open back up, each state is doing it at a different rate and following a slightly different path to opening back up. Something unknown to all of us is how long we will be keeping our distance, not gathering in a large group, having events, the uncertainty of starting school in the fall, or having sporting events. Through all of this uncertainty, we all have experienced a “BRIGHTSIDE.” Here are a few of mine and make sure to check out my girlfriend’s blogs listed below to read their thoughts and “BRIGHTSIDE’S.”

#1. More family time, Although we have always had nightly dinners, (it’s always been important for me to have my family sit down around the dinner table, share a meal and catch up on the day.” in this time it seems even more important, even though we’re all home 24/7 I think it helps me feel more secure.

#2. Time to organize, I have had projects on my lists I’ve wanted to get done for a long time. Clean out our home storage and food storage area, tackle my gift-wrapping room, clean out, and donated items in multiple closets. Add shelves and make some areas more functional, Just to name a few. This blessing of time has helped me to accomplish my list. Check Check Check!

#3. To do projects… I haven’t made time to do it. This included a few of the items above but also some craft projects, some fix-it projects (like jewelry that was broken) Sew on some buttons, finish my Jewelry wall, etc. (My hubby had a honey-do list that got completed too.)

#4. Share more of my recipes on the blog as this was always something people asked for from my instastories. I never had the time to actually write down the recipe as I was cooking. With “Stay at home”…I could plan out meals earlier and make the time to write down what I did through the process. Helping me to have a collection of our family’s favorite meals written down for me to be able to share. (more recipes coming soon!) Hope you tried a couple of these HERE HERE HERE

#5. Self-care and testing products, one of the reasons I started Dear-Darcy was to be able to share how I like products, what they did, and how they worked. Doing the work to help save you time and help you to not waste money on products that’s weren’t worth it. As you know, I love self-care Sunday, but having more free time allowed me to test out more and give you more reviews. I hope you checked out yesterday’s on Instagram. HERE

#6. Putting the time and effort into my business, blogging consistently, researching, and making connections. Having the time has helped me to see I can succeed in making a career out of sharing what I love and what works in “making life Chic at any age!” I have always loved chatting with clients in the shops about tips and tricks that help you in beauty, entertainment, our health, and ways to wear Fashion… I was always shocked that people would come to me with How to or what works? Then I realize If I share what works for me, it might work for you… this is how I started this adventure in blogging and social media….. I even sold our stores to move into blogging full time… then life happens, and I didn’t devote enough time to what I wanted… To have a full-time career in blogging and social media. This gift of time… has helped me to evaluate, set goals, refocus…. put all my efforts into this business, which is paying off. I have NOW learned in this time where we don’t know what’s going to happen next, and we aren’t sure of the future. That if you push yourself, even in an uncertain time, You can still achieve GOALS!

#7. Take the time to write handwritten notes. It does mean more than a text. Happy Mail is something everyone could use.

#8. Supporting Small … As a former small business owner, I’ve always known how important it is to our communities to support local and small businesses. They are the heart of this country and what gives to our communities. Having my platform has been a blessing to help promote so many small businesses at this time.

#9. That it’s OK to relax and have a full day of binge-watching Netflix. To read or to just lay in bed! Everyone needs a day of doing nothing and that it’s ok! I am normally on the go go go and use every minute I am awake to achieve something. Work, kids, home, cooking, decorating, planning, etc. It’s OK to chill! Moving forward, I believe I will be more relaxed because: REALLY what’s important? YOU are important, your state of mind is important, and the health of your family is important. A rest day is good for you, your health, and your family.

#10. That I love my husband’s company, and I really can be around him 24/7! Quarantined with him and my boys work for me. OXOX … NOW can we please go out for DINNER!!!

One of my favorite quotes ….”When you focus on the good, the good gets better.”

Some of my talented Blogger friends, sharing their thoughts and Brightsides

Melanie Silk @ Mels 2nd act.com

Heidi Suydam @ Simply Our Society

Nancy Weiss @ A Two drink minimum

Michele Bellisari @ Soooboca.com

Rosemary Davis @ Distinctly Southern Style

Michele Linton @ hot Fash and Sass.com

Merry Lynch @ Braving Midlife

Gwen Gottilieb @ Gwen lives Well

I hope some of my Brightside were also some of yours! Have a beautiful weekend. OX, D’Arcy

Mother’s Day Gift Giving Guide

Call your Mom… That’s what she really wants.

Mother’s Day is this Sunday, which means it’s prime time to shop online for a gift and still time for it to arrive on time. Shopping for my mom is honestly one of my favorite things to do because even though it can be a little tricky (doesn’t it seem like moms already have everything?!), I love being able to have a day to celebrate her, give her a thoughtful gift and thank her for everything she’s done for her family. She’s seriously the best –I love you, Mom!!

I also have to call out a few of my gift ideas below because although they’re all great options, I do have a few that are indeed my favorite. I asked for these earrings by Kendra Scott to go with the ring I purchase at Valentine’s Day. Also, this mask is perfect for any mama needing a moment of self-care and seriously beautiful skin! This Candle is one I had been wanting. My hubby surprised me with one a week ago or so as a just because gift… Seriously so good, I can’t stop burning.

I hope you find one of my favorite things for your mom and maybe grab something for yourself. I know you’ll both be happy. Happy early Mother’s Day to all the mamas out there!! You’re all fantastic and deserve the love!

1. Uncommon James Candle= Nashville citrus is one amazing scent and burns over 300 hours. Shop HERE

2. Earrings= Uncommon James earrings, I love a hoop, and this is a fun take on a hoop. Shop HERE

3. Kimono= What mom wouldn’t love this kimono to finish off an outfit or to wear over a swimsuit. Shop HERE

4. Lollia Perfum set= A great way to experience the variety of Lollia’s beautiful scents. Shop HERE

5. Fresh flower Bouquet= What mom wouldn’t love a sweet, beautiful Bouquet. Shop HERE

6. Love bracelet= A perfect way to show mom how much you love her. Shop HERE

7. Fun sipper cup= If your mom is like me, she can’t resist a cute travel cup or sitting poolside. Shop HERE

8. Co2 Lift face mask= A medical Spa facial without the downtime, seriously the best results. Shop HERE

9. Capri Blue candle= Volcano scent has been a best seller for years. Number one when I had my boutiques. Shop HERE

1. InvisiCrepe Body balm= This balm seriously gives excellent results for crepe skin. Shop HERE

2. Kendra Scott earrings= A classic Kendra Scott earring that she’ll wear all Summer long. Shop HERE

3. Lounge set= Tiedye is all the rage, and this lounge set won’t disappoint. Shop HERE

4. Peepers Glasses=The best reading glasses that your mom can’t live without. Shop HERE

5. City Beauty Matte Lip= You know this is my favorite lip stain, and it will be your mom’s too. Shop HERE

6. Organizing Book = With Stay at Home, Moms have been organizing like crazy, and she’ll love this Book! Shop HERE

7. Summer Bag=, A bag mom, will use all Summer long and affordable. Shop HERE

8. Nuface= A beauty tool every woman should own. It helps fine lines and tones skin. Shop HERE

9. Slippers= Cozy and chic, these cute slippers are a must for moms. Shop HERE

Ben’s Heavenly Homemade Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe

Ben’s Homemade Fettuccine Alfredo! “This is so good it’s dangerous:)” say’s my mom. Thank goodness it’s so filling you can’t eat a full bowl…. Unless you’re a Vandenberg boy! 🙂

Bens Alfredo

For a serving of 4

1 cube of real Butter

1 heaping tablespoon garlic

1 Pint Heavy whipping cream

1 cup Asiago shredded cheese

1 cup shredded Romano

1/2 cup Parmesan

Salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in sauté pan when melted, add garlic, then cream, bring to a slow boil then start to add 1 cup of cheese at a time, first Asiago, the Romano lastly Parmesan cheese, and it gets to thick you can add a little more cream. Salt ad pepper to taste.

1 box Fettuccine noodles cooked per box direction

Dish up and serve with Asparagus or a salad and garlic bread. My garlic bread recipe is coming to the blog soon, it is on my Instagram in the highlights.

From our home to yours, Ben’s Heavenly Homemade Fettuccine Alfredo, You’ve been asking for it, and it’s finally made it to the blog. Rich, and creamy Alfredo, made with the best ingredients. Real Butter, heavy whipping cream, and tasty cheeses. Ben Started making this dish for me when we started dating. He learned how to make it from a friend, his family-owned, an Italian restaurant in Del Mar California that was known for making the Best fettuccine. Ben then started playing with the recipe and found this combination is the winner. This dish is decadent, rich, and oh so good. It’s a BIG request at our home, and if we have family in town, they request it as well.

With Quarantine in place, I know you have all been cooking way more than you usually do, I know I have. Hopefully, this will be a fun new recipe for you to try and maybe a little something different that can become a family favorite at your home. Quarantine has been the perfect time to share some of my favorite recipes with you, and I still have a couple more of your request to post. I promise I’ll get them up in the coming weeks even though it looks like we’re going to be getting relief from our kitchens as we start to see part of the country opening up if you’re like me you’ll still like to cook for your family just not as much. I sure am looking forward to a break.

Please let me know if you plan on trying this recipe below or if you do make this recipe, please come back and let me know how your family liked it.

Love this recipe? Try our oldest sons Bucca de Beppo’s copy of Spicy rigatoni Here.

Mother’s Day is less than two week’s away, and I’ve been sharing gift idea’s over at my LIKE TO KNOW IT, Here

Stay tuned for a Mother’s Day post next week. Have a beautiful day! OX, D’Arcy

3 Easy Soup recipes and 1 Hearty Comfort Recipe

3 Easy Soups and 1 Hearty Comfort Recipe

Our Family favorites. You guys asked on Instagram for me to share these Soup recipes with you. I love sharing things that our family enjoys, and that brings us comfort. Thank you for being a part of my following and caring for me to share a part of our family favorites soup recipes.

Food is just some of the things that are helping our family get through these emotional times. With STAY AT HOME in place cooking, I am sure that every meal has been a consistent thing in our home and yours. So I can help by sharing a few of my personnel recipes that my family enjoys and brings some comfort. Mealtime has always been important to our family and now more than ever. So hoping you want our favorite go-to soups, let me know below if you try one of the soup recipes. Even better, these are easy Crockpot soups, with items you probably have on hand to make a delicious dinner your family will love.

Easy to make Hearty Vegetable soup! I love you can use any veggies you have on hand with this soup.

Easy veggie soup Recipe
One box of chicken broth
One can of tomato sauce
1 cup of water
2 Lg potatoes
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrots
Two chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup peas
One tablespoon seasoning salt
Two teaspoon onion powder
Two teaspoons salt & pepper
One tablespoon real butter
One tablespoon chicken garlic Bouillon

Place all in a crockpot on low Stir occasionally. I prepare in the morning, and it’s ready for dinner when we get home. Serve with warm rolls or a grilled sandwich.

(You can use whatever veggies you have on hand.) Green beans, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, etc. Make it a Minestrone by adding a kidney bean and a small noodle.

Homemade Cheesy Potato Soup! One of My boy’s favorite soups.

Homemade Cheesy Potato Soup! One of My boy’s favorite soups. I served with Homemade rolls or Rhodes rolls.

Cheesy Potato soup Recipe

Three cans of chicken broth

One can milk ( I use chicken broth can) I use a little more if it looks like it needs a little more liquid

Five large potatoes chopped

One can of cheese soup

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cup shredded cheese

1 1/2 cup chopped carrots

1 cup of chopped onions

1 cup of chopped celery

1/2 cup green onion (can add more as garnish)

One tablespoon Pepper (or to your taste), my family likes heat!

One tablespoon no-salt seasoning salt,

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons of dried chopped onion

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 of Wondra quick-mixing flour (save until you emulsified)

Throw all in a crockpot on High for 3-4 hours, then emulsify with a mixer, emulsifier, or meat chopper! ( I keep it pretty chunky, so I use the pampered chef meat chopper)

Add flour (important to use Wondra). It thickens without clumping! Then turn on low and let simmer another hour or until dinner time.

Garnish with more cheese and green onion, some like a dollop of sour cream! Salt and pepper again to taste:) Ps: It’s so good the next day, you’ll need to add a touch more milk to thin it out before heating up.

Homemade Cheesy Potato Soup!

Easy to make Chicken pot pie. Comfort in a bowl so easy to make

You’ll put this yummy soup on your go-to list.

Easy chicken pot pie

2 14.5oz chicken broth

2 cups shredded Chicken

12oz peas & carrots (frozen)

1cup of chopped onions

1 cup of chopped celery

2 cup milk

1 Tablespoon onion salt

1 1/2 tablespoon salt seasoning

Salt & pepper

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup flour (for thickening)

Salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cube of butter

Two cans of buttermilk can biscuits

Optional one pie crust shell

Throw all in a crockpot on High for 3-4 hours or longer (except the biscuits & flour). Stir every so often. After an hour or so, whisk in flour to thicken (if you need more flour, add). You want it to have a gravy-like texture. Place mixture in a casserole dish (buttered or sprayed) or pie crust shell. Top with the biscuits placed tightly together. Cook in the oven at 350 until biscuits are golden brown. Depending on the size of your casserole dish, you could have enough for two dishes. (one for a neighbor)

Tip: I like to double my recipe and make four and freeze the extra pies. When I make double batches, I make traditional pies with pie crust bottoms and tops; a great recipe HERE or a quick cheat is buying a pre-made one.

Tip; When making freeze, let completely cool, wrap well in foil, and then place in freezer bags, marked and dated. When cooking, take out defrost cover top in foil cook at 350 for 35-45 min and uncover for about 10 min or until crust is golden.

Add in and Alternative: You Can add 3-4 potatoes chopped. I often do this, and the boys love it!

I have also used pie crust and puffed pastry topping for variation, depending on how much time I have! The above recipe is excellent if you want to let it simmer all day and need to have a yummy fast meal when arriving home.

The pie crust and puff pastry topping make for a delicious alternative!

Homemade Chicken noodle soup. Hearty and full of flavor, this easy crockpot soup is always a home run.

Easy One-Pot Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

2 14.5oz chicken broth

2 cups shredded Chicken

12oz peas & carrots (frozen)

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 cup finely chopped celery

2 cups of water

1 Tablespoon onion salt

1 1/2tablespoon salted seasoning

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 chicken bouillon cube

Salt & pepper to taste

1 tablespoon dill

2 handfuls noodles I like Country pasta (large bag at Costco)

I place all in my crockpot except for the noodles. And let simmer on low all day about 30 min before serving. I’ll add the noodles. This soup is a rustic recipe I created years ago, and my family loves it! I’ve even substituted out some of the veggies for others I happen to have on hand. The Dill is the secret ingredient to this soup and truly makes it!

I hope you enjoy some of my family’s favorite go-to dishes. Would you please leave a comment below and let me know which one you’re trying?

Build Your Pizza Bar

On pizza night … we were using some leftovers and homemade ingredients.

What you need to build a pizza bar:

Tip using Rhodes Rolls to make the mini Pizzas.

Building the Pizza Bar

For fun kitchen Gadgets, check out my Amazon Shop HERE.

Blogger Friends:

Here are a few more recipes I thought you would like:

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