TV Console Ideas?

So right now, our laptop, dvd & vhs player sit on a sofa table that is against our wall under our mounted tv. If you don't know what a sofa table is, it is skinny tall table that typically sits behind a sofa or sits in an entry way.

Sofa Table on Overstock
ours looks just like this but white.

 We have 6 decorative boxes filled to the max with dvds that sit underneath said table. They are pretty wedged in under the table so Chloe is not able to pull them out... until now. And she loves to play with these boxes, and pull herself up using them and try to climp up them. I am really afraid she will pull one out and land on her.... And she has gotten tall enough to reach ontop of the table and grab at the laptop and almost reach the dvd player. YIKES!

We got these boxes from Ikea
Although they are super great for storing dvd, not so great for baby climbing.

 SO now we are on the hunt for a tv console.... the reason we waited this long is because I really haven't found anything I like. I am looking for something that has doors and cabinets so that way we can "conceal" everything. Less clutter for me = less stress.

Jessica at Tart's tv console
I really want something like this.

 We need to find one that will look good with our 2 tall bookshelves that flank the side of the tv and the soon to be console cabinet.

This was from our old apartment set up... I loved it!

Can anyone give me any ideas of where to look? I have tried Ikea, Overstock, Target, Cb2. I want one that looks a little more modern than traditional. And I don't want to shell out the big bucks for as I hate to spend money on something that I am not sure I will be able to take with us when we move to Portland. (you never know what furniture will fit where when you apartment hop as much as we do).

Date Night

It's funny before James and I had Chloe we really didn't have "date nights" it seemed that most nights were a date night. Now, I realize how precious those 2 little words really are. My mom will be taking Chloe over the 3 day weekend to see my Grams in Phoenix, AZ. Leaving James and I to catch up on those much needed "Date Nights". I am so excited, but also kinda bummed that I will be missing Chloe's first flight. Oh well... I can't experience every one of her "first".  I know this is good for Chloe to have some special bonding time with my mom and my Grams, so I am super excited for her too.



Tonight, I get a date night with MYSELF. And I am quite looking forward to it! I have so many things I want to do that I don't think I will have time for.... take a long bubble bath, catch up on a book, work on some sewing projects I have been not finding time for, playing with my hair and watching hair tutorials on you tube. Actually getting a chance to shave my legs... haha I guess I could have left that last part out... but it's true! I took for granted all the time I had to actually do things before I had Chloe and it is so nice to get some ME time in! YAY! Who knows... I may catch up on some blogging as well... :)

Then I get to go on a date night with the hubs. We are going to Sushi, strolling around Balboa Park (our fave place), going shopping (finally using my gift card from my birthday 10 months ago) and watching 50/50. And getting some quality face to face time in (my love language). So stoked !!!!



Hope you all have a good weekend and try to get some quality time with yourself and your other half too...

Fall/Holiday Treat (Recipe Included)

Since marrying James, I have been privy to 3 amazing family tradition foods.
1) The best mashed potatoes I have ever EVER had. And I LOVE mashed potatoes
2) Chocolate Mousse Pie. James dad will not reveal his recipe just yet. But someday I will get it. It is seriously AMAZING. This is the single most exciting food that I look forward to for the Holidays.
3) Wassail. seriously, this drink makes me feel like I actually get to experience fall and winter.

These foods are always expected around the holidays. And although they can be made all year round, it just isn't the same. It's the same reason Starbucks waits to have Pumpkin Spice, it's just not the same if you were able to have it all the time.... although, these foods would definitely not be taken for granted if I were to have them more often throughout the entire year. These foods just make me feel like "ahhh, the holidays are here!"

After getting James approval I am going to share our wonderful Wassail drink recipe. And although I am sure you can probably find this recipe on the world wide web. I have not tried all those recipes, and I can't suggest something I haven't tried... So take my word, this Wassail recipe is THE BEST and you should definitely try it out! It's simple and hearty and just ohhhhh sooooo goood!

Schmitz Wassail Recipe:
Ingredients: 
1 32 oz Crandberry Juice
2 32oz  Apple Cider
3 Cinnamon Sticks
1 Orange
Whole Cloves

Directions:
Pour cranberry juice and apple cider into a crock pot. Turn crock pot on medium and let sit.
Take 1 orange and slice it it, leaving the peel on.
Push whole cloves through the peel on each slice. 
Put  orange slices into crock pot.
Put cinnamon sticks into crock pot.
Heat for 15 minutes. Then Enjoy!

It's super easy and ridiculously yummy! Let me know if you get a chance to make it!

Halloween Decorating

Halloween is hands down James favorite holiday. He usually gets free rein to do whatever he wants to our house for Halloween. He usually goes all out with scary (and I mean scary) figurines, wall, window and door hangings, skulls that drip red blood candle wax, full size skeletons, all the works...

Spooky Couch Cover from Target
If it were up to James, our house pretty much would look like this

 hand from Target
usually we have things like this

Spider Skeleton from Target
I am sure if James saw this there, he would have tried to convince me we needed it.

Zombie from Target
I know James would have loved this!

 However, now that we have a baby, things have changed. We have to be careful not to make it too scary for her and we have to make sure that everything is put up on tall shelves and countertops that she cannot reach. We can't put out a spooky table cloth or fun spider webs all over the place because I know she will find a way to 1) pull them down and everything else with it or 2) eat it.

  This year we had toned it down quite a lot and have gone more the cutesy "Martha Stewart" route instead. And you know what, I like it. James thinks it looks more like a "moms" Halloween and it looks cheesy and I am a-okay with that. I for one, do not love being scared every time I have to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom or get a drink of water. Plus, I really do like the cutesy stuff.  This year we just ended up going to Target to get additional Halloween Decor. I was surprised that there was a lot more there that I wanted then I would have expected.

Candelabra from Target
We put a bunch candelabras like these around our house with orange and yellow candles

Orange Berry Wreath from Target
I don't know why I really like wreaths hung on front doors.
And this one would work for both Halloween and Thanksgiving!

Frankenstein Nutcracker from Target
This would looks so cute on my bookshelf!

Vintage Wall Hangs from Target
Target even has vintage designs that they made with real wood. I LOVED these!

So it got me wondering, did anyone else changed the way they decorated for a "scary" holiday like this when they had kids? Also, anyone have any ideas for cutesy Halloween decor that James might like? Can anyone give me some suggestions of other places to get some fun Halloween decor?