#Friday Favorites

This was a week of testing boundaries.
Mostly, this consisted of an adorable almost-four-year-old locating my boundaries and then busting through them like the Kool-Aid man. #nannylife
For example, B is playing with these toys in his playroom, swinging them wildly over his head and growling at me as I stand nearby drying dishes.
I say, “It would sure be a shame to lose those toys if you are using them as weapons.”
To which he starts thrusting them towards me (not really close, but just in my general direction) making noises that can only be described as what toddlers think ninjas sound like in the throes of battle.
I say, “Gosh, it has just been so long since I have had to take a toy away from you for not playing nicely, buddy.”
And he says, “If you take my toy, I will take your husband.”
#ShotsFired

Can my initial point of not using toys as weapons still be validated if I am choking back laughter?

fail

I’m not complaining. Next to having my very own child, I have the best job EVER.
If you follow along with my Instagram posts, you’ve seen some of the pearls of wit and wisdom I get from my little man and his sassy, sweet older sister. Every day is a new adventure. I am so lucky to have them in my life.

FLICKS: Peace, Love & Misunderstanding

Catherine Keener (Begin Again / Please Give) is Diane, a lawyer from Manhattan getting out of a marriage and seeking solace. She trades her bustling NYC life for a bit of respite in the quaint and quirky town of Woodstock. Initially, staying with her eccentric mother, Jane Fonda (Monster-in-Law / Barbarella), is just as wacky and off-putting as Diane expected, but in a small country town, there isn’t much to do except reflect on the decisions that have shaped your life, which proves edifying for her and her children.

This was a fun film with a great cast. The struggle between Diane and her kids is not always examined in films of this genre, but it is one that bears significance. The film explores the conflict between parents and children that can often plague our lives no matter what we do or where we go, while also recognizing the reconciliation that we don’t always realize we need.

“Sometimes in art, like in life, you have to accept the fact that your things aren’t going right, and you don’t quite know where you’re going, and you have to accept that. Because that’s when transformation can happen.”

TUNES: “Sink” by Iwan Rheon

Any Game of Thrones fans out there? Anybody? Anybody?
I’ll admit, I wasn’t a fan of all the… shall we call them, “Rated R themes” in the show at first.
But then, before I knew it, the story grabbed hold of me like a vicious dragon and engulfed me in the flames of the characters’ fate.

*nerd alert*

Wait, what does all of this have to do with this delightful song??
Maybe you didn’t recognize him without the deranged smirk on his face, but Iwan Rheon, the beautiful man singing before you, is none other than DJ Doom Meister himself, Ramsay Bolton from GoT.

Okay, okay I have carried on enough about the show, let’s talk about Iwan.

The man is a native Welsh speaker, or didn’t you notice his accent? *swoon*
Having been singing and songwriting since he was sixteen, he fronted the Convictions before eventually leaving to pursue acting.
He released his first solo record in 2010 and his second, from which this song originates, in 2011.
Check out his Youtube channel if you like what you hear (or see 😉 )!

EATS: 4-Ingredient Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas

photo by Kevin & Amanda

I know enchiladas, ya’ll, and these are IT.
I am usually a traditionalist when it comes to enchiladas. Red sauce, loads of cumin, cilantro, etc, etc.
These salsa verde chicken enchiladas from Kevin & Amanda have totally changed the game for me!
Typically, making enchiladas the way I was taught (and the way my mother was taught by her mother) is an entire afternoon/evening affair. It takes hours and is such a mess.
Its not that big of a deal if I am cooking for lots of people and plan for hurricane enchilada to hit our kitchen, but most evenings, I’m just looking for a quick, low-maintenance meal that is going to be as yummy as it is satisfying.
Only 4 ingredients. How simple is that??
Check out the recipe over at Kevin & Amanda for a scrumptious, speedy supper you can brag to all your friends about!

BLURBS:
Can I get an “amen”??

Until next week, cheers!