My Darling Days

Date Night: Fishing off the Pier

I have a tendency to label any activity that Zac & I do together as a date.

Grocery shopping together? Date.

Breakfast & picking out lawn fertiziler together? Date.

Going for an evening run & then pulling weeds together? Date.

It sounds silly really, but we have such busy lives (I know, along with 90% of the population) that I have to cherish the moments we spend together, just the two of us. So I find that whenever we're together, I usually document the time with photos & call it a date.

In my book, dates don't have to be fancy & expensive... cue, fishing.

A recipe of deep-fried cheese curds, beer, & two fishing poles are the perfect ingredients for a simple & fun summer date night.

We've been pier fishing fairly often lately & we find it very relaxing, even if the fish aren't biting.

This particular night we were fishing for walleyes & ended up with a sucker fish. Oh well, it was still fun & completely worth this sunset...

The best part about fishing date nights? They are usually followed up with ice cream for the drive home.

What's an ideal date night for you? I'd love to hear!

Happy Sunday.

We're back from a whirl-wind trip across Italy & France. It was amazing & I will share more in the coming weeks. I've got about 2,000 photos to sort through & jet lag... it's a real thing.

Today, we're celebrating my parent's 35th wedding anniversary with brunch & family time.
Wishing my mom & dad the happiest anniversary & for many more years filled with love!

Now, for your Sunday web pursuing....

Zooey Deschanel's $2.1M home is for sale... and just as adorable as she is.

Find out if high heels really are bad for you?

I love what Sarah did with her small pantry organization.

"Friends" quotes that will make you giggle.

Better mood foods -- coffee & dark chocolate make the list!

Au revoir!

Currently, we're in route to galavant around Italy & France!!!!!!!!

So, the blog will be quiet for a bit, but you can keep up with our European adventures on Instagram (that is -- if we can find free wifi...)

This trip has been a long time comin'.... it all started about 11 years ago when this boy (now my husband) went to Paris & brought me back a keychain of the Eiffel Tower. Since then, I've become slightly obsessed with the structure; I collect them, I read about it -- heck, I even wrote my Art History paper about the Eiffel Tower. So naturally, Paris has been a "gotta check that city off my bucket list" goal, & it's finally becoming a reality!

And Italy... ohhhh Italy. So much history. So much pasta. So much goodness.

Honestly, I sorta fell in love with Venice after our wedding photographer, Heidi Lee, photoshopped the below image of my husband & I from our wedding day. She sent me an email about a month after our wedding and said, "I didn't know you guys went to Venice for your honeymoon???!!!"

Photo by De Le Teja Studio

So naturally, Venice became city #2 on my "gotta check that city off my bucket list". And then I took World History & Art History in college & learned so much about Italy, that it quickly became a place both my husband & I wanted to explore.

Our itinerary is as follows:

Rome | Venice | Florence | Nice | Paris -- I'll be sure to share lots of photos upon our return.

Au revior!

Make: Baked Chicken Fajitas

Are you wanting the easiest weeknight meal in all the land?
An entire meal that requires only ONE dish... a meal that is ready in 30 minutes from start to finish?
Well you're in luck because I'm gonna share a favorite staple dinner that we consume often.

Baked Chicken Fajitas

The recipe originates from one of my most favorite cookbooks ever, Taste of Homes Most Requested Recipes, circa 2011.
Seriously, this cookbook is loaded with yummy, practical recipes that we make again & again.

You can find the original recipe here (or in the book below), but I'll share my tips to make this recipe even more easy.

The recipe calls for one onion, one green pepper & one red pepper, but I've found this lovely melody in the freezer section at the grocery store which has everything you need & is already prepared.

Once your chicken breasts are diced (1 lb. worth of them), throw them in your baking dish, add 1 can of diced tomatoes, add veggie blend, & drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil (I use extra virgin olive oil).

Then add your spices (2 t. chili powder, 2 t. ground cumin, & salt to taste) -- stir it all together so everything is evenly coated & bake uncovered for 20-25 mins. (or until chicken is no longer pink & veggies are tender) at 400°.

*I like to add a little seasoned salt, pepper, & crushed red pepper flakes for extra flavor.