Category Archives: the saturday evening post

the saturday evening post

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can you believe it is almost april?  what is happening folks?  wasn’t it just christmas?  jeepers.

also, it is 90 degrees here.  ninety.  nothing much more to say about that…

hubby and i went out to a totally crazy dinner last night at cb&cb [cold beers & cheeseburger].  it was everything that we dreamed it would be…lots of meat and cheese and toppings and fries.  so good.  i took plenty of snaps of the glorious food and our extreme happiness while consuming said food.  these pics will appear on the blog on monday but keep in mind that if you are the kind of person who enjoys instant gratification…you can follow our adventures on instagram. snap by snap.  find us @swankyanddapper.

in addition to the fun dinner outings, we will mostly stick to our weekend usual – groceries, a good long run, a saturday morning coffee run, church, spending time with family, and just take it easy.  doesn’t get much better than that.

the saturday evening post

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another week has whizzed by!  i can’t believe that the weekend is here!  it has already been full and fun…with much more in store!  my sweet hubby volunteered to play “back up” on the violin for a youth concert at our church last night [he is a good man] and then we were able to spend the remainder of the evening relaxing and enjoying some down time together [with our cute little furry critters].

today started with a trip to the market to stock up on our goodies and ingredients for the week. we’ve also been munching on some goo-ood food.  all in all, not too shabby for a saturday!  we have big plans for a movie night at home tonight because tomorrow we will be busy buzzing around town from church to home to the whitehouse family’s house.  whew!  lots to do and lots of fun to be had!  i am looking forward to sharing some time with ben’s family since it has been weeks since we’ve seen his mom and we have much sharing to do.  speaking of travelling mothers…yes, my mom is still up north in the motherland.  geez.  it has been for.ev.er.  not to worry, my dad is gallantly joining her next week to visit my grandma, help out, and then bring her home to us on easter sunday.

busy busy.  but oh so good.  i will fill you in on all the delicious details come monday.

toodle-oo for now!

the saturday evening post

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this is actually a fairly accurate portrayal of the scene when ben and i arrive home with shopping sacks in tow.  those furry babies of ours always think we are bringing home the goods for them.  silly buddies.

this weekend, we got a lot of good stuff at the store.  today, i am busy preparing a hearty and festive steak and guinness stew in honor of st. paddy’s day.  it is going to be decadent.  and, there will plenty of leftovers so we can let the rich, cheesy, meaty goodness spill into next week!  yum.

lent update:  all i want right now is a big ice cream cone, preferably from jeni’s.  they just released a hummingbird cake flavor that is drool-worthy.  hang in there rachel.  are any of you giving up something for lent?  how is it going?

okay, on a non-sugar-deprivation note…i hope you all have some fun plans for the day.  hubby and i have been spending time with our families who are finally back in town from their travels.  and since the weather is going to turn cold tomorrow [come on, spring!  what's happening?] hubby and i will have to get a rain check on our outdoor sunshine by the pool plans in favor of a cozy day indoors with an old movie and some comfort food.  maybe even a big bowl of popcorn.

the saturday evening post

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nope.  i will not be gardening this weekend.  if i did have a garden, i’m sure this would be the ideal weekend for gardening.  but, i know better than to create a garden.  any garden of mine is sure to become a gravesite for shrubs, foliage, and herbs.  no thank you. i would just kill everything with my very un-green thumb.  however, i will be spending some time munching on snacks with my hubby while taking in an afternoon movie at home, cooking some meals, and listening to a whole lot of music.  ben was asked to play for a couple of chorale concerts this weekend so i will be enjoying his violin practice at home and at the actual performance on sunday afternoon.  we might even make it a date and grab some grub afterwards.  it is shaping up to be a pretty swell weekend.  i should have plenty of snaps to share…

the saturday evening post

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oh man.  does that picture make you want an ice cream sundae [or float or milkshake] or what?  ahhh…old fashioned ice cream parlors.  but alas, i still have 35 days left of sugar-free-ness [but who's counting?]

on a more positive note, it is so warm and amazing here!  the sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy.  in fact, i am even trying to plan some pool time in the coming weeks.  i might as well embrace the warmth by sitting poolside while listening to music and reading a book.  yet another part of the year when i am reminded of how blessed i am to live in arizona.  we get to wear shorts while others are wearing snowshoes.  i take my desert existence for granted.  we have it pretty good.

this weekend, i have big plans to cook some good food, do some laundry, go for a run with ben, and give the dogs a bath.  ahhh…the simple wonders of the weekend.  it isn’t all about fêtes and feasts. sometimes the swanky and dapper life [nice blog name dropping, rachel] is just about enjoying the little things.  the mundane tasks.  the weekly chores.  the domestic doings that make up a big part of life.

join me in savoring all the little bits of your weekend and finding adventure in the ordinary.

the saturday evening post

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a very happy saturday to you.  and a very merry unbirthday to you as well.  it is simply glorious outside!  i can feel a spring in my step because spring is in the air.  we are only a few short weeks from the official start of the new season and i am ready!  in addition to some outdoor and culinary pursuits…i am hoping to tackle my closet and begin the seasonal switchover this weekend.  i will be saying toodle-oo to my tweed and wool and welcoming bright colors, lighter fabrics, and even some floral prints.  farewell warm wardrobe, you have served me well.  but, the time has come, the walrus said, to talk of many things – of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings and why the sea is boiling hot and whether pigs have wings.  it has been too long, spring fashion pieces.  too long, indeed.  welcome back to my closet, my fantastic friends.  how i have missed you.

what a lovely time of year!  it almost makes one feel giddy.  while i do enjoy the cooler air, i am ready for the warmth to return.  but please, arizona, not too hot.  keep it pleasantly tepid for a while.  none of that hundred degree nonsense.  don’t let’s be silly.

so here’s to a weekend filled with laughter, family, friends, food, fresh groceries, a spot of tea, spring-cleaning, relaxation, and a dash of silliness.

* for some reason i was in a lewis carroll, alice in wonderland sort of mood during the writing of this post.  it just happened.  [i suppose this is that dash of silliness that i mentioned]

the saturday evening post

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it has been a busy week.  this gal is ready to relax…thank goodness for a long weekend.  now we can really kick back.  yippee!

we went out on our valentines-date-night-out last night.  and boy, was it good.  and yes, i plan to provide a pictorial review next week.

the rest of the weekend is shaping up to be an enchanting combination of outdoors, the couch, reading, buddy-cuddling, groceries, cooking, laughing, learning, and relaxing.  that’s the stuff that great weekends are made of folks!  plus, i do plan to carve out some time for a project that requires my creative attention…

since we have been experiencing some delightfully cool weather ’round here i am hoping for some rain this weekend.  [pretty please...?]  rainy days are just the best and since they are rare for us in az, i try to especially cherish them when they arrive.  and i would particularly cherish some rain this weekend.  you see, hubby and i just got our hands on season 1 and season 2 of downton abbey so some dreary clouds would actually serve as a picturesque backdrop.  watching masterpiece just isn’t as enjoyable when it is sunny outside.  you need some of that british gloom to get the full effect.  here’s hoping for some clouds and raindrops to accompany our down time with downton.

…

happy saturday!

the saturday evening post

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what?  what’s that?  what’s that you say?  you say today is…saturday?  goodbye.  i’m going out to play!

sick by shel silverstein

…

hurray for saturday!  it is such a delightful day, isn’t it?  i like when i get to spend an entire day with my hubby.  he is pretty swell and we get along famously.  sitting on the couch, sipping coffee, going for a morning run, grocery shopping, cooking, eating, watching movies, listening to music, driving around the city, wandering, and just playing.

so, toodle-oo!  i’m off to hang with my hubby.

the saturday evening post

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the above image should really be the snapshot of my weekend…

cleaning house, scrubbing dishes, and polishing our copper pans

but, what it will really end up looking like is…

relaxing with the hubby

beginning the master bedroom redecoration-palooza project [many ideas to unfold over the coming weeks...wahoo!]

and, eating a pile of queso with the family in honor of football

happy weekend!

the saturday evening post

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isn’t it so much fun to get together with friends?  especially ones that you have known for a long time…

this week, i was blessed to be able to do just that.  betwixt all of our busy schedules packed with work, appointments, husbands, home, tasks, errands, travel, and children [eek! my childhood friends have children!] we were able to carve out a bit of time to spend being girls.

first, i met up with my dear friend kate.  she is a NH girl but traveled to TX to attend baylor [sic 'em bears!].  we spent four years together in waco.  studying, laughing, learning about life, and having a blast!  then, she got married and ended up in the desert – with me!  kate and i enjoyed a leisurely afternoon lunch date at chloe’s.  then, it was off for some browsing [and let's be honest - buying] at jcrew.  we chatted and giggled and had a splendid time.

then, i met up with hallie.  a childhood friend who still likes being my buddy – even after all the weird years of pubescent drama followed by high school growing pains and then college growth.  she is married now and has an almost four-year-old! [again, eek!]  a darling little man named peyton.  we munched on yummy food at picazzo’s while reminiscing, sharing our lives with each othe, and discussing the future…i can’t believe our 10 year hs reunion is this year.  [yikes]  what a great day.

the lovely fresh, organic gardens at picazzo’s + the lovely hallie [who is a total crossfit stud-ette, by the way.  AND an incredible mama to a four-year old.  she is so impressive.  what a rockstar friend, have i] + a very tasty italian chopped salad with meat and cheese and garbanzo beans and pepperoncinis [yum] + bbq chicken pizza on buttery garlic crust

thank God for friendships and new memories with old friends.