Summer eats and DIY treats!!

I picked up this cookbook somewhere recently ( I seriously can't remember! Costco maybe?) and have found some reeeeally awesome easy recipes in it! I mean come on, it's summertime and 8 million degrees outside and all I want to do is GRILL GRILL GRILL!!!
This recipe for rum-glazed shrimp and mango was AWESOME!!

The sauce was sooo easy to make but I would suggest doubling it so there's plenty for pouring over the rice:) Then it's just cut up mango and skewer them and the shrimp, grill it up and VOILA!!

I served mine over rice and made a simple salad of arugula dressed with olive oil and sea salt :)

But the reeeal reason I love simple dinners so much? So I can do the things that I really love:) I bought this little beauty at The Salvation Army Boutique here in Cali. Yeah I know, It really has the word "boutique" in the sign! Which just means they can charge ridiculous prices for things that suckers like me HAVE to have :)

A few coats of paint and some flashy hardware and she's a stunner :)

Oh and that beautiful GLASS hardware? $14 freaking dollars a piece from Restoration Hardware. And when I bought it, the cashier made sure to remind me that whoever does the installation of this hardware must be verrry careful because they can break verrry easily. No problem I said! To which she replied, "well you know those construction men, they just man handle everything!" Hahaha I giggled, and went on my way.

Weeeeell, I'll have you know that not 2 minutes after I warn the hubbs about my fragile glass knobs....this happens :(

Yep, manhandled and broken :( His punishment? He has to accompany me back to Restoration Hardware tomorrow and buy a new one. Which if you know my hubby, is complete and utter torture :)

Green and white? Or white and green?

The house is FINALLY back on track! I ordered wood windows and it put our schedule back 6 weeks! The beautiful windows are to be here this week, so I'm realizing that I need to make some decisions on a few things cause after window install things are going to be moving fast! So this is my latest dilemma. I have wanted green cabinets FOREVER! But then I see white kitchens with green walls and I'm seriously confused!!

Green walls?

Or green cabinets????

The floors will be walnut if this helps in your decision making. Would love to know what you think????

Dining al fresco... :)

"You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces- just good food from fresh ingredients." - Julia Child

I'm completely convinced California has the BEST weather! With the sun in the sky and a cool ocean breeze, you can't help but want to eat outside. This last week the hubby and I enjoyed the best turkey burgers EVER! They were so quick and easy and verrry tasty!

I made a ranch chipotle dip for my sweet potato fries. Deee lish!!

I cut whatever flowers I had in the backyard (jasmine, calla lilies, and gardenias) and put them in a vase. Yeah, I know! Another reason to adore California! These flowers would last about 2 torturous minutes in the inferno otherwise known as Phoenix!

And here ya go! Yummy dinner for 2 :)

**no bun you say? we do the gluten free thing :)

And the best part? PAPER PLATES! I have a slight obsession with pretty napkins and paper plates, thanks to my sister! She had an adorable paper store and carried brands like Caspari, IHR, and punch studio. Such a great invention!

We finished our evening with a movie in the park. Sooo much fun! Watching a movie overlooking the ocean....awesome :)

If trees could talk what would they say?

This amazing carob tree resides in my front yard. This big guy is very very old. Within weeks of purchasing our house, my lovely and oh so informative neighbor was quite eager to give me the "history" on my tree. Apparently waaay back in the early 1900's 3 men were hung from my tree by some vigilantes who caught them shortly after they shot the local sheriff. It was the last hangings in Mesa. Ummm wa wa wa wa wa what?? Wow. Ok. Welcome to the neighborhood. While I was freaked out at first I was also strangely intrigued.

I started to read up on it and yeah, it's true! In my research I also found out why there were so many birdhouses in the tree when we bought the house. They say that if you keep living things in the tree, the bad energy will stay away. Don't know if I totally believe this but I'll tell you what, I'm not about to disturb what has been there for years to find out! The birdhouses are all still there as well as many happy beautifully singing birds. And I like it that way :)