Cocktail Hour: Blueberry Vodka Spritzer

I'm starting to accept that summer is winding down.

We will soon be saying goodbye to our sprawling summer garden (insert intense sarcasm here), our many hours clocked at the park and pool - and will be saying hello to a sure-t0-be gorgeous Colorado fall. Hopefully followed SLOWLY by winter. IE: more fall, less winter. Got it Denver?

I'm getting all sentimental about savoring the last of summer. So I say, let's go out with a cheers!

Lately I've been craving not wine, but a refreshing, fruity, light, spritzer-like  blueberry vodka cocktail.

I think it's been years since I've actually bought a bottle of vodka, and it felt a little...scandalous with a toddler in tow. Alas, it was time!

When it comes to making cocktails, I like simple and low-calorie. There were a lot of homemade simple syrup recipes on Pinterest, but REALLY, who has time for that?! I threw this together over the weekend it was so delicious. Whoever invented flavored vodka is a genius.

Blueberry Mint Vodka Spritzer Cocktail

Ice in glass

1 ounce blueberry vodka

Sparkling lime water to taste

(Very picky on this. Finally settled on our Safeway brand.)

1 slice lemon halved and squeezed in glass

Few leaves mint

Handful blueberries

Blueberry Mint Vodka Spritzer Mock-tail

Replace the vodka with a splash of grenadine or cranberry juice

Voila! Isn't it pretty?

Yum! If it wasn't 9 o'clock in the morning I'd totally be down for one of these.

Cheers!

xo

Lauren

Happy half-birthday Coop!

Today is Cooper's half-birthday!

I took some snap shots of this sweet boy today to commemorate the occasion:

18-months ago:

Celebrating his first half birthday:

Nowadays he has MUCH more hair and teeth, thank goodness, runs fast and prefers his dad, his grandparents, his golf clubs, and your purse over his mom. I'm now considering therapy.

He has a touch of a temper, looks super cute in red and blue and gets really frustrated when he trips and falls.

He likes to brush his teeth, steal tissue and hide it in our decorative objects, and put things in bags and carry them around the house over his shoulder. He likes to wave but won't do it on command, and he secretly swats at the dogs but when I catch him he acts like he's hugging them.

He has my heart.

Happy 18-months little buddy!

South Pearl's blog site...

South Pearl Living's web address is:
www.southpearlliving.com

Thanks for stopping by!
-L

Five-on-Friday

Friday is here! Friday is HERE!

I am excited to be linking up with other bloggers this week again for 5 on Friday! 

There are several things I am loving this week. And y'all, SORRY, a lot of it revolves around the 20 pounder in diapers running around this house.

{one}

Ralph Lauren Navy Heath Sweatshirt.

I snagged this bad boy at the outlets for the winter, and I mean, seriously? Seriously.

It feels just like a sweatshirt but looks like a handsome sweater.  I die.

I can't wait to see Coop wear this once the temps start dropping again. My husband keeps telling me that the Kauffman boys aren't preppy, and I say? Do you KNOW who you married? Hush now.

{two}

Spinach/Kale Smoothies.

My 17 month old won't go near vegetables. I have to hide them in things to sneak 'em in. But this bad boy? He is always wanting more.

 

Relaxing with my veggie smoothie in my chair. The life.

It's full of SO much good stuff that I can't help but pat myself on the back as I see him guzzle it down.

Here's my recipe (serves 2, we split):

Two generous hand-fulls of fresh spinach (not out of the bag)

One handful kale

1 1/4 cup almond milk (unsweetened, unflavored)

1 1/4 cup frozen berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries)

1 scoop of protein powder (this is safe for the little one)

The smoothie is a little runnier than the average smoothie but this works great because he is able to sip it easily through his little straw.

{three}

Morning Sun.

For those that don't know we live in an adorable Victorian Style house built in 1914. So much beautiful character, but  a very different layout than your typical house. Our living room, eating space and kitchen share a long, narrow space.

Yesterday morning (and often, really) I walked downstairs and saw the sunlight pouring in the room and lighting up the space. It made my morning.

{four}

A finished entryway table!

Speaking of that particular space I finally finished an entryway table re-do. It makes me happy.

Table - Weirs Furniture, Dallas (old)

Sconces - World Market

Mirror - Hobby Lobby

Vase and plant - Home Goods

I also spray painted a wooden K block chrome colored spray paint from Home Depot. I like the way it turned out!

 

The shoe collector.

And this gem, also from Home Goods, might be my favorite new addition. It's where all the flip flops that collect on the floor throughout the week go. Glorious! (This could all be changed next month, P.S.)

{five}

Francesca's.

Now, I'll be honest, it's been years since I've shopped at a Francesca's, but they recently opened a store in one of my favorite areas in Denver. I popped in and found a couple of items I love.

I've been looking for a mint necklace and just couldn't find one I liked. This one is simple and pretty. I also grabbed a mint and navy chevron shirt- it's super comfortable, airy, and goes great with the necklace.

Francesca's is a fun spot, and I feel like some of their necklaces are very Bauble Bar-ish sans the price. Cheap way to accessorize an outfit.

Happy weekend y'all!

-L

WW: Routine.

Happy Wednesday friends!

After a week of the sickies over here (stomach bug in August?) we are up and running again. Oh happy joy.

Today I was thinking about how happy I am that I finally feel like our home, our days and weeks, are falling back into our normal routine.

 

Cute, right?

I mean, if you have a little person at your house your worst nightmare is a missed nap. Or a late nap. Or an early nap. I have such a love/hate relationship with the word nap.

I love summer, but it can throw a good routine out the window.

And for the stay-at-home mom, routine equals sanity. Am I right? We love knowing what to expect. 

What a stigma! It basically infers that a routine person is boring, non-progressive and stuck. And I get it- professionally, too much routine is a yawn. In relationships, yeah, you don't want to get too comfortable or things become stagnant.

But for the life of a toddler?

Can I get an Amen?!

Routine in exercise? A win! In an educational setting? An 'A'!

So I say, routine can be a good thing in the right setting. It creates order and the allusion of control. Which, after all, is exactly what we Type A's need.

Now all I need to do, is incorporate more of that "routine" thing into my weekly workout regimen...

Happy wife happy life, y'all,

Lauren

Sunday-Funday.

Happy Monday y'all!

Well I have news. My fabulous in-laws took my sweet boy for a visit at their house thus we are toddler-less  for a few days. I have no idea what to do with myself.

On many occasions, the hubs and I will look at each other, usually when we're on home from dinner by 7pm on a Saturday night, and say "remember, when we used to be cool?"

And we WERE y'all, we went to dinner AT 8PM, sometimes to a trendy bar for a drink; but mainly, we did whatever we wanted whenever we wanted to.

Oh, the days.

So what did we do with our first day of freedom? Here's a little peak into our day in pictures

First, I rode a bike. My bike. 

To REI.

To buy hiking shoes for a 14'er that we are hiking in a couple weeks.

How very Colorado of me.

Then we ate lunch on the Ale House patio in The Highlands neighborhood.

And drank a beer (Colorado brew obvi):

What a view:

And finally, we walked the couple blocks up to my favorite street, South Pearl Street, (blog name-sake woot woot), for dinner at the newly remodeled Izakaya Den.

It seriously feels like you are walking into a New York City restaurant. Amaze.

And check out this sunset on the walk home?

Does the picture capture it?

And now, back to reality.

I have a list as long as the third book of the Twilight series that I need to get done around here before I get my little nugget back.

"Making time for ourselves is a necessary aspect of human function. Without taking time to regroup, rejuvenate,  pamper and collect our thoughts,we will not be a help to the people who depend on us." -Audrey Busciglio, The Happier Life

I am so thankful today for time to regroup.

For family that Cooper just adores, who also offer to watch him and who I completely trust. On both sides of the fam.

Now please send good organizational vibes my way! Project Get Your s*&t together is underway at mi casa! And it starts with the kitchen.

xo

Lauren

Five on Friday

Happy weekend y'all!

This weekend we have plans of date nights, time spent with friends, swim lessons, golf and such activities. I hope you have a nice weekend planned too! I love weekends for a variety of reasons but lately because it gives my hubby a good couple days break to relax.

Here's five all-things-fabulous...and domestic-ish.

(1.) Curious George.

Somehow Curious George appeared on my iPad, and somehow Cooper has figured out how to play it. If you know me you know I'm determined that my children be active and outdoors as much as possible, and on electronics and indoors as little as possible. But, y'all, this gives his momma about 20-minutes of uninterrupted coffee time, which has been SUCH a gift.

(2.) Coffee and cream.

Speaking of coffee, I am ex-TREMELY serious about it.

These two are partners in crime during my morning routine.

I'd like to thank my nutritionist friend Caroline for introducing this creamer to me last year. And my in-laws for having this coffee.

It's Costco, it's super bold, and it WORKS.

(3.) Finish Quantum.

[caption id="attachment_1799" align="aligncenter" width="500"] The best dishwasher detergent that ever was.[/caption]

My husband makes me buy a lot of things in bulk. He SAYS we save money but I'm just not sure this is true in all cases.

Are you married to someone like this?

After cursing the Costco dish detergent for the umpteenth time I bought this to try it out. And it's pretty much changed my life.

(4.) These two.

My mom and dad married 38 years ago today.

Happy Anniversary you little love-birds!!!

[caption id="attachment_1804" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Good looking couple right there...[/caption]

And, I'd be remiss to not mention my mother and father-in-law, married last month for 39 years (I hope I got that number right)!

[caption id="attachment_1803" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Another good lookin' pair.[/caption]

How lucky are Jeff and I to have such wonderful examples?

(PS- these pics are super professionally taken from framed photos in the house. But how could I resist?)

(5.) Throw-back pic.

I'll leave you with a little pic of my munchkin when he was just a wee nuggett. Around 7 months old. I mean, those cheeks, seriously? I die.

Happy Friday friends!

Lauren