From The Kitchen: Weekends are for Family, Friends, and Food

"A picture is worth a thousand words, but friends are priceless..."

We are back to warm weather in Wisconsin, but I'm not going to complain. These days won't last long and then comes the cold Midwest winter. Labor Day Weekend was jam packed for the family - we had two house showings, an open house, and of course, family parties! I wouldn't trade all these crazy moments for anything. So among all the craziness, I tried a new recipe that I absolutely love and the boys couldn't stop eating it. That's an obvious sign it must be quite tasty!

Recipe Originally Posted by The Preserves Project on Her View From Home  - Savory Tomato Basil Tart

I added 3 eggs to the original recipe for an increase in protein. 

I have three growing boys!

Fresh basil is the best!

I can't get enough of fresh mozzarella.

Enjoy!

Grateful Beyond Belief

Written By: Danielle Silva Heckenkamp

Thank you! Thank you to everyone who has touched my life, even in a small way. Too often we go through life wishing for the next best thing. That's a tendency of human nature; the grass is always greener. It's unfortunate, because we forget to examine our current situations and the amazing gifts we have been given. With the start of summer vacation and three months of wonderful one-on-one time with the kiddos, I thought it was perfect timing to contemplate my life and those who have made an impact on me.

This morning I was in an area of the city that isn't the best, but I saw the most beautiful thing that almost made me cry. A father was holding his child (about 4-5 months old) and wrapped in a blanket with only his face showing, because it was chilly and rainy, while the dad was carrying a large bag, it might have contained the only items they owned. I didn't know where he was going, but he looked like he was on a mission. The father was very lovingly watching the child to make sure he was o.k., while also trying to not step in puddles and slip. This might not sound like much, but it was such a beautiful sign of love between a parent and child. A love that is missing in this world or hidden. We are so used to a love that only shows itself when it is self-serving. It didn't matter the economic or social conditions of this child and father, because they showed enough love and trust between the two of them.

Credit: Mother Letters

It made me think on the drive home, through the dreary weather, that the old cliche saying is true. "All you need is love". I know, I know, me of all people who doesn't care for the corny quotes. But I think we all have those moments in life when everything is going wrong, we aren't able to control or solve the problems, and have to wait for slow fixes. Then suddenly, something happens to show how each of our lives are intertwined with one another. We don't understand it all now and won't probably until after we die. It leaves us in a state of pure confusion, but also relief, knowing that everything has a reason and purpose. It truly does, because if it didn't, there would be no point to any of this.


Little does this father know that by walking down the street at that exact moment would create such a profound affect on another person. With that thought in mind, our every action is an example of good or hurt. How do we want to be perceived in the world?

After these deep reflections, in a quiet car before picking up the kids from school and the start of spring break... I knew that it was time to think more of others, and less of myself, which of course is hard with our natural self tendencies. To do more for others in small ways, ways that we won't see the effects, or be able to promote on social media, but ways that will create a better world for all. Then maybe someday, those actions will be shown to us like a puzzle, many little jumbled pieces put together to create a wonderful masterpiece.

I am grateful for a lot of things in life, but I am most grateful for my life and those near to me. The life that has been given to me with all the happiness, sorrows, thrills, adventures, friendships, family, and unsolvable problems. Because without each and everyone of these bits and pieces, it would not be my life. It might not make sense when I am going through the heartache or the celebrations, but no matter the event, each and every one of them have a sincere and utterly beautiful effect on my life and I am grateful that they have helped me develop a love and trust for myself, friends, family, and my children. Because what else matters in life than love?

When Times Get Tough, It's Time For Summer!

Written By: Danielle Silva Heckenkamp

It’s time for summer love, summer vacation, and summer adventures - to let loose without looking back. Who doesn’t want to have fun in the sun? We long for those brief summer months here in Wisconsin, no matter how brief they may last. As cold weather Midwesterners, we crave the sun and heat after several long months of winter, and of course, we are ridiculously jealous of our Southern friends. But for some reason, we keep coming back for more - how have we not learned yet? It’s about time to move to a warmer climate, right? Take me to Charleston! Maybe Midwesterners prefer this self-inflicted torture. 

After months of intense dreariness, dark clouds, and dry winter temperatures dipping below zero, the thought of warm sun, beach sand, and not having to bundle up lifts our moodiness and brings a smile. Those foreboding winter months force many Wisconsinites to retreat into a warm house, sip hot chocolate, and read the latest issue of Vogue sitting before a roaring fire. This may sound enticing, but after several months, the monotony begins. Yes, those Instagram pictures are a bit overrated. Honestly, how much hot chocolate can one person drink?

Sometimes it’s difficult to believe we have four seasons in Wisconsin. Spring is only a slightly warmer version of winter. So we anxiously await those days of sun, when it doesn’t take an additional twenty minutes to leave the house because a mitten is lost, again. Those warm carefree days when we can spend any extra moment with friends, family, and working on our slightly embarrassing Northern tan. Yes, we aren’t as austere as some may claim, we can laugh at ourselves. It’s that one time of year, no matter where we live in this beautiful country of ours, that we can have fun and enjoy life. Summer gives us an excuse for a vacation, for making family memories, a time when we no longer focus solely on working, but on enjoying the simple pleasures of life.

Summer is that amazing time when the beach welcomes us no matter how cool the water may feel, a blended strawberry daiquiri tastes much better while lounging next to a pool, and a pair of sandals become a wardrobe staple. It’s the heat, the sweat, and the sunshine that somehow have us wanting more, the months are just too short. Maybe it’s because living in Wisconsin brings too many months of winter and not enough months of summer love. Everyone loves the freshness of spring and the anticipation of warm weather to come, but summer brings something extra special. Summer brings a place for new beginnings, a time for creating lasting memories, unlike any we have previously experienced. The summer months have provided some amazing, out of this world exploits. The type of memories that mold us into the people we are or who are about to become - similar to a true friend. Summer is a good lasting friendship. It forces us to take a step out of the norm, and enjoy this unknown world.

Friendship and summer have much more in common than anyone could imagine. The type of friendship we search for our entire lives, but oftentimes never find. We may have plenty of acquaintances, and even a few people we feel confident enough to share some of our deepest secrets. But finding that true everlasting friend, is like finding a needle in the haystack. Summer is full of confidence, unforgettable moments, adventures, and with an intense desire to indulge. It doesn’t matter how long one is parted from a true friend, the strong bond will return. Summer gives us promises of acceptance and forgiveness - those overwhelming hot days are cooled off by an intense evening thunderstorm.

There have been many great summers in my life, ones that involved goofy high school friends, others that included many late night college parties, but one of the best was shared with a good friend, actually a “best friend”. I have always felt a bit silly saying “best friend” since the term was used so freely in grade school, but maybe it’s also a bit odd because once we reach adulthood, a “best friend” is almost impossible to find. Luckily, I have been blessed with such a gift!

This “best friend” knows when to give a hug, when to make me laugh so hard I’m crying, and even though she may know my flaws, for some reason, she still chooses to overlook them. But friendship isn’t a one-way street. It involves a commitment, a lack of self-interest, with the desire to be a part of this person’s life through thick and thin. Just like the season of summer. After months of struggling through the doldrums of winter, the summer sun shines through those gloomy clouds, and all is well.  But if we don’t take a moment to enjoy the sun and venture outside, it is only another day. Everyone needs a best friend, especially women. We go through life judging ourselves, looking at every minute detail in the hopes of reaching ridiculous expectations. We are often the hardest on ourselves and this is where a best friend steps in, she knows when it is just too much and calms the storm. 

The season of summer may bring the expectations of swimsuit weather and all that comes with it, but it also gives us a reprieve from the storm - the winter storm. Somehow, just when we think it’s too much to live through another cloudy day, the summer sun finds its way through the clouds to lift our spirits. As my “best friend” often says, “When tough times come, you will find your true friends.” 

Sunshine is My Favorite Accessory!

It's a little bit miserable here in Wisconsin.  It has been raining for over a week, with a few short days of sun but no warm weather.  How did we miss the heat wave sweeping through the East Coast?  Well, it's raining again today, actually Flash Flood Warnings, YUCK!  So just praying our power doesn't turn off, otherwise our sump pump will stop working and our basement will flood.

I thought it would be best to do a blog post with lots of color, inspiration and sunshine to help us get through these dreary days.  There better be a lot of beautiful flowers in May since it has been raining all April!

So on these dreary days of rain and clouds, put a smile on your face and see how many people you can make laugh!  Enjoy the day!


                          How do you wear your sunshine?

Credit: Life of Brian

Credit: Sunshine and a Daisy

Credit: Theodora & Callum

Credit: Friends

Credit: Pinterest

Credit: Citrus Sunshine

Credit: Morning Sunshine

Credit: Dress in Yellow

Credit: Sunshine

Credit: Sunshine Cupcake

Hat Fabulousness!

Time to go Shopping for my gal pals!

For Oh la la's

For Annie

Nana!

My Niece, Darma!

Mine!

For my Friend, Cha Cha for Sure!

Bridget Bardot's Hat would be Amazing on Lady Lux

Are You Busy? Or Are You Efficient?

Renoir: Dance at Bougival (1883)

Have you ever thought about this?  Are you a "busy" person or are you an "efficient" person?  Something to think about, right?  Life is full of moments where we just run, run, run and never stop to think about what we are doing.  We have become a society that can never say "no", everyone feels the pressure to have it all, do it all, but at what cost?  The cost of advancing in our careers?  The cost of our morals and traditions?  Or most importantly at the cost of families, relatives and close friends?

Credit: Sister Fiction

Life has become the ultimate competition, but unfortunately very few people understand the prize.  We work and slave to be the best at everything, to be known for everything, to attain the highest achievements and to reach the ultimate goals, but for what?  Why is it absolutely necessary to be the BEST at everything?  If you think back centuries ago, people were not motivated to be the best at everything, they were motivated to be the best in their specific area of expertise.  We no longer have top-notch writers like Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Alexandre Dumas or Mark Twain.  We now have writers who just want to be known and recognized.  Not necessarily known for amazing literature, but solely to make their name a "household name" and have those 15 minutes of fame.  And where does that take you in the end if your writings won't surpass the test of time?  What about the great artists, the Rembrandts, the Caravaggios, the Vermeers or the O'Keefes?  Yes, we have a few reputable artists currently, but I bet you can't name more than five who will make it to the future art history courses.  Believe me, I'm not saying we don't have any artistic or literary talent, because that is not the case.  My only point is that not many people are satisfied at being the best solely in our areas of talent.  We are drawn, pulled and almost dragged into becoming machines of excess.

Credit: Inspire Me

So all this rambling does lead somewhere...it leads to my original question.  Are you a "busy" person or are you an "efficient" person?  Are the activities, decisions, dreams, goals and achievements in your life a result of working to become a better person, to further the love and growth of your family or career?  Or are your actions solely reliant upon achieving a societal expectation that is completely unrealistic and almost detrimental to our well-being as individuals?

Here is my challenge presented before you.  Begin to Question.  It's not a bad thing to stop and meditate upon our lives, our motives, our achievements and of course future goals.  Have you become the person you dreamed?  Stop being cynical, try for optimism instead!  Do you love what you see in the mirror each morning, or are you upset with your behaviors, intentions and priorities?  If you are searching in life, this is the place to start, with YOURSELF!  Without changing yourself, it is impossible to change others.

Credit: Life

Make yourself an "efficient" person.  Love your passions, your dreams and your intentions and above all love life and those around you!  Stop being a "busy" person.  If you don't find a certain activity worth your time or attributing to your life in a solid good or healthy way, then drop it!  It isn't worth your time just to fill up your schedule because everyone else does!

All this rambling leads to a final point: life shouldn't be a complete void of empty activities or goals that don't lead you to where you are going.  Life is about becoming truly fabulous at what you were born to do.  This may take time, days, weeks or even years to comprehend your worth but it will happen and that will be the moment when you will be grateful you didn't waste your time being a "busy" person instead of being an "efficient" person.

The Initial Perception is Often Critical: IPO

We all know that First Impressions Count!  But how much?  Oh, much more than you think!

The initial perception is often the most critical part of a work meeting, a date, a charity event, etc.  Whether we like it or not, people judge based on that first impression.  Everyone does it, so don't get upset when we say it!

Enjoy your Morning Coffee!

 

Now, what do we judge?  Well, as women, we judge everything and everyone!  Don't get us wrong, judging someone doesn't have to be mean or uncharitable, it is human nature to form an opinion.  Everything from the head to the shoes, their personality, their behavior, we even concentrate on their words (how do they speak or respond to certain things).  All this being said, what is one to do?  Be on your best behavior and always have your best foot forward.  This sounds simple, but it does take a conscience effort.

Welcome to a world where people don't care what others think of them, a world where everyone wants to be an individual but unfortunately they end up being part of the crowd...  Unless you prefer to blend in, give yourself the opportunity to be independent, unique and fabulous!

Put Your Best Foot Forward In a Fabulous Pair of Heels!

Now, how do you put forward a great first impression?  Don't focus on your flaws and don't worry about them, use them to your advantage!  Try to fix them, it's your daily challenge.  Love who you are, life is what you make of it!  So, make every attempt to take of yourself, whether that means having a manicure once every few months, or getting a new hair cute, or even putting aside the time to sit each morning with a cup of coffee and an inspirational book.  Use each day as a new day!

Fun times with Fabulous Girls!

After putting aside moments to rejuvenate yourself, take the time each morning to get ready for the day.  Whether this means choosing your clothes the night before because you are extremely busy in the morning (this doesn't include sweat-pants and a t-shirt) or spending a few seconds applying your makeup while the children eat breakfast.  This is plain and simple, FIND TIME FOR YOURSELF!

We guarantee that it isn't easy to find this time, but if you make it your daily routine, a good habit, you will never leave the house without putting your best foot forward!  And as you know, that initial perception is often critical: I.PO.!

Work Like An American!

Written By: Danielle Marie

Here's my little rant, with a patriotic flare...

What has made America great?  Well many things, but one of the most important traits is the value of hard work.  We all want to be successful in our jobs, with our family, in our social circles, while also finding true eternal happiness.  Unfortunately, that underlying push which was so vivid in America 50 years ago has begun to unravel.

Rosie

Have we become too accustomed to the easy life?  Some Americans are afraid of hard work, they want everything at their finger tips, instantaneously.  Others, no longer have the drive to succeed, they only want to be told what to do and in the end receive a paycheck, because, for them, it's all about the money.  However,  there is a group of up and coming Americans who are ready for the hard work, they want to earn their success, they have a heart full of passion and can't stop their drive to succeed.  These are the people who will help turn this economy around!  It's not the current politicians or the old American families, such as the Rockefellers, the Carnegies or the Morgans.  No, these people already had their time in history.  We thank them for their contributions but it is now time to advance forward.  

Andrew Carnegie

Who are these passion-driven Americans?  These are the average men and women you encounter everyday, they understand the important things in life: faith, family, friends, and work.  They want to make their way in the world, they want to be true Americans!

So what type of American do you wish to be?  Do you want to be told what to do everyday, as long as you get that solid paycheck every other week?  Or do you want to take chances, risks and work hard to help America become a nation of value again?

American

Being Fabulous is the Best Revenge?

To continue of theme of the week of "Being Fabulous," is being fabulous the best revenge?...sure the heck is!

Listen, we don't condone revenge, but let's be honest if someone hurts us and it makes them a little uncomfortable because we are so fabulous, hey that's on them!

Five Fabulous ways to Be Fabulous....and a little vengeful without being..hehe!

1. Dress the part...fabulous shoes, fabulous outfit, even fabulous amount of fabulous perfume..after all you want to make sure that they even have to breathe you fabulousness.
2. Fabulous confidence is key! Strut, ooze, and breathe confidence!
3. Don't "act" busy.. be busy! Finish all your work with diligence and grace. 
4. Blindsight them! Buy them a fabulous cup of coffee or do a random act of kindness...not only does it confuse them...but you are"killing" them with kindness;)
5. Have a fabulous social calendar! Don't have one? Create one...go to the latest museum exhibition, art show, cooking lessons, etc. 

Either be fabulous or be boring....

Some Fabulous Peeps

Bridget Bardot...Fabulous Frenchie

Adele's Fabulous..well everything!

Bethenny Frankel is a pretty fabulous mom, wife, and entrepreneur!

Luci and Rosie are the most fabulous of course!! (Our daughters)

"You Can't Take It With You"

Written By: Ooh La La (Danielle Marie)

Those of you who are lovers of old movies I'm sure the title of this blog post brought back memories of Jimmy Stewart, Jean Arthur, Lionel Barrymore and of course the amazing Director, Frank Capra, but for those of you who haven't seen the movie (or play) go rent it!  No excuses just because it's in black and white, that's what makes it even more endearing. 

"The film is about a man from a family of rich snobs who becomes engaged to a woman from a good-natured but decidedly eccentric family." ~Wikipedia

The moral of the movie is to learn that life is short, do what you love, enjoy what you do and money isn't the be all end all.  Somehow we always make it through, the good times and even the bad times!  Unfortunately, so many of us waste too much time worrying about money and only focusing our energies on material items, which in the end doesn't make us happy or fulfill those empty voids.

How much do we rely on material items, instead of time with family, friends and experiences?

Do we work only to provide extravagant items, or do we work because we have a passion, a love for what we do? If you don't have that passion, or enjoy your career, then find one you do!  You may be surprised how much more successful you will be at something you love, because now you put your whole heart and soul into it!

Now I'm not saying that beautiful items are not fun to have and enjoy, but don't let them be your undoing!  Because in the end, "you can't take it with you".

When was the last time you told your parents you love them?
How often do you give your children hugs and kisses instead of yelling?
When was the last time you held your spouse's hand? (you better not say since you were dating!)
Are you generous with the material gifts you have been given?  Would you give the coat on your back for someone in need?
When was the last time you took a family or couple vacation and spent quality time together?
How often do you volunteer your time at a nursing home, church, a homeless shelter or to a friend or lonely neighbor?

So, Word To The Wise... Love life, do what you love, care for others and be generous, because remember, "You Can't Take It With You"!

I Believe...Audrey Hepburn Style

We linked up with Erin from "Living In Yellow" for the "I Believe" post!

Written By: Va Va Voom (Katrina)

I believe in "dirty men".

I believe in curvy red dresses.

I believe in the aroma of amazing food.

I believe in sensational perfumes.

I believe in high heels and strutting with confidence.

Written By: Ooh La La (Danielle Marie)

I believe in the color red.

I believe in yellow roses.

www.earlystories.worpress.com

I believe life is a dance, so dance!

I believe that everyday is a new beginning.

I believe that women look and feel their best when they are dressed with a feminine edge.

I believe that our life experiences make us who we are, but we need to take advantage of those experiences and learn from them and embrace them!



WE BELIEVE...

We believe in wine, several glasses if need be!

We believe in comfort food!

We believe in love and the need for hugs!

We believe in birthdays!

We believe that when we anticipate having a bad time, we end up having the best time of our lives!

We believe that life has enough crosses, so smile more, enjoy life more and be the person people want to have as a friend!  Don't miss out on friendships.