jillivictorio@gmail.com /

It is a Monday for all, but for us it’s a big, big day.

Today, our first born son Jonah turns TEN. Double digits.

I feel like 10 years has really passed in the blink of an eye.  I know that sounds cliché.  I remember the first moment I saw him and held him.  When they laid him on my chest, I remember the fussy expression on his face upon entering the world. I remember how the late summer sun felt beaming on my newborn and me as we sat outside the back deck while I held him skin to skin as he nursed.  His first steps, his first words, his constant chattiness as a toddler, yet with an independent spirit, I remember it all so vividly.

Going home day! September 10, 2009

I, like many new moms, didn’t know what I was doing.  NO CLUE.

But I did know that this boy was very special, that only after having him did I know actually what being a mom really entails.

Although this is more a lifestyle blog, this is in my heart right now and I really feel the need to write Jonah a letter here on my blog.  I hope you’ll read it too.

TO MY SON ON HIS 10TH BIRTHDAY

Dear Jonah,

Wow!  10 years!  As I write this I have tears streaming down my face and that ball in my throat, not because I’m sad but because I’m so very happy.  Happy Birthday to you. I am so very proud that you’re my son.

I thought to celebrate an incredible decade together that I’d write you a letter.

I really can’t believe you’re 10!  It seems like only yesterday that we brought you home from the hospital.

Newborn portraits, 1 week old

In many ways, I feel like we’ve learned how to be parent and child together.  In the early days I learned to feed you, comfort you, change your diaper and you learned how to do so many things – talk, walk, run.  You would also spend a lot of time with your lolo and lola and go on walks at Alki to breathe in the fresh salty air and dip your tiny toes in the water.

Alki days with lolo and lola

 

During the first days at home together we’d sit outside underneath the trees, listening to the birds, while you nursed all day, and I’d be waiting for daddy to come home.  I remember telling friends that the days seemed to go slowly. I was always told how fast you’d grow up, and everyone was right – I want those early days back.

First home in Seattle (the treehouse!)

Camping trips, Deception Pass

We wanted you to grow up in the city where mommy was born and raised. God had different plans for us and we ended up moving to one of the most beautiful mountain towns outside of Seattle because we wanted the best schools for you and to raise you surrounded by nature. Our home in Issaquah was walking distance to the park and trails where we spent many hours outdoors, playing at the park, riding your bike and walking the trails. To this day, I believe you were born to be and raised outdoors, just like your daddy. You’re also a great camper and traveller!

Riding through our new old neighborhood, Issaquah WA

Hiking trails in our backyard with the dogs (RIP Gir)

CA Redwoods

 

For the first four years of your life, the afternoons consisted of mostly just you and me. We would have so much fun together exploring the town, running our errands, and going on adventures. I’ll cherish these memories as my focus was solely on you!

 

Then the arrival of Baron brought a new role for you!  Big Brother!  We actually made a bigger deal of you being a big brother than of Baron being born.  You took this in your stride and have been the BEST BIG BROTHER Baron could have asked for.  You play with him, you read to him and you help him. You were never jealous of a new baby but a brother brought out more play and more love in you.

First Disney World family trip

 

In math, art and technology you’ve found a passion. You are also creative.  You can see solutions in everything.  Please always use this creative side of yourself. It is good for your mind and your soul to tap into it, and I know it makes you happy.

Beyond your amazing creativity, you have an amazing mind.  One which takes in so much, like a sponge, but you retain it too.  When you were a toddler you knew so much about tractors and trucks and at preschool you were telling the teachers things they didn’t know.  I’ve learned so much from you about nature and the environment and science. I hope you’ll put all you’ve learned in these subjects into good use.

Boating, Lake Granbury TX

Our move from Washington to Texas was the biggest change for me, but you taught me that new environments and change shouldn’t be feared, but rather embraced. You took our move with such tenacity and treated it as a fun new adventure, which I now understand and agree it has been that all along, and I would not have wanted it any other way.

Stay who you are! You are perfect just the way you are.

One day in the not to distant future, your ideas; your brilliant mind will create solutions to problems.  Your ideas will speak to so many and touch them as it has us and your family and friends.

The last thing I want to tell you is that wishes really do come true. I dreamed of starting a family.  You made my dream come true.  So when you blow out the candles on your cake dream big and make a wish. I know it will come true.

Hartstene Pointe, Harstine Island, Shelton WA

I realize as I write this that in 10 more years you’ll be twenty and you’ll be well on your way to being a man and you may not even be living at home, you may be at college.  That is so hard to think of!  My heart hurts knowing soon (hopefully not too soon!) that you’ll be starting a whole new path and journey that won’t always involve me.

But know that daddy and I will always love you every step of the way and be so very proud of you.  No matter what.

Colorado trip

Happy 10th Birthday to our Jonah Boy!

Love,

Mommy

 

jillivictorio@gmail.com /

Two years ago when we bought this house, we knew we would eventually make some updates to suit our style and make it our own. The house had great bones, a large lot, with a pool, mature landscaping, and had the extra storage space we wanted. I made a wish list of the areas of the house I wanted to update, and at the top of my list was the kitchen. Nothing wrong with the kitchen as it already had many upgraded features that our previous homes never had such as a farmhouse sink, a wood hood, a pot filler and a food prep sink.  However, the finishes and colors just weren’t our style and the layout left more to be desired.

My dream was to have an updated and open kitchen renovation but with two young kiddos and other household expenses, it wasn’t feasible to gut and demo everything for a full studs out remodel. It especially wasn’t feasible to spend the budget-blowing average cost of a kitchen renovation, which is around $45,000. So, taking matters into my own hands, I researched and designed the layout, set a budget goal, sourced the stone, materials, and finishes and hired a trusted contractor and fabricator to keep the costs under $10K (this included marble countertops and tile), with the renovation side only taking 12 days from start to finish! From what I hear, that’s minor in terms of renovation downtime which was a huge plus since I have two active boys on the run and it being summer break.

Here’s what it looked like two years ago:

And today

 

And a few more angles:

 

Some of you followed along on Instagram during the renovation – thank you! (I saved the whole process in my story highlights, start with Kitchen Reno) but in case you missed a few details, here’s a brief rundown of how we went from this:

 

to this:

Our kitchen renovation was fairly simple in scale and with just small details that made the biggest impact.

What we did:

  1. Removed upper cabinets and wall
  2. Repurposed lower cabinets into a second island
  3. Moved microwave to pantry
  4. Replaced tile backsplash
  5. Replaced countertops
  6. Replaced light fixtures

 

Removed Upper Cabinets and Wall

The wall never really bothered me until it really started to bother me! The little cutout arch bothered me even more! I envisioned that the upper section of the wall could be knocked out to open up the kitchen more, allowing in more nature light, while saving the lower cabinets and repurposing it into a second island for double kitchen islands. We did this by removing the upper cabinets, the odd window arch and the side wall arch and laying on a new slab with an overhang to create the countertop seating and finishing off the lower cabinet panelling on the newly repurposed second kitchen island.

 

Moved Microwave to Pantry

We rarely use a microwave and I originally wanted it integrated into our cabinets somehow. We couldnt find an optimal space for it, so I decided at the last minute to have it moved and installed in the pantry. It fits perfectly in there and I love that it’s out of sight!

 

Tile Backsplash

I partnered with The Builder Depot and found a beautiful white cararra marble subway tile backsplash that paired beautifully with the marble countertops. Along the way, I learned that there is a technique to installing tile backsplash and that it’s recommended to first lay out all your tiles and select and place each tile individually. I had no idea and am so glad I was advised to do this. Within the grouping of tiles, there was one tile that had a natural heart shape in the marbleing. How lovely! I had this tile placed in the center of the backsplash above the cooktop so I could see it every day and be reminded of the love we’ve poured into our home.

 

Countertops

After many visits to several stone yards throughout DFW, we found “the one” at MGX Stone Dallas. I always had marble on my mind. I just love the look and timelessness of marble. We replaced all the original black granite countertops on the perimeter and on the center island for a white Cararra marble in a polished finish.

After 12 days, our kitchen is updated, open, beautiful and bright. Just removing the wall alone totally changed up the sight lines of the house and the way we use the kitchen, making it so much more functional for our family. The upgraded finishes reflects my style better and the end result is exactly how I envisioned and what I wanted. The look I went for was traditional classic — with lots of white, brass, and marble, a glam version of a French country kitchen, warmed up with natural wood and woven bar stools.

 

This was a budget we set for ourselves knowing what tools, supplies, materials, cabinets, appliances, dishes and decor we already had. We encourage you to look at what you already have and see how you can build on it!

 

Sources below (note: Most of the accessories we’ve had, so I’ve linked what I could!):

Range Nook

Clock (sold out, similar here)

Vase
Round Wooden Tray

Faux Stems

Bread Board 

Utensil Holder
Copper Tea Kettle (vintage) similar linked

Islands

Pendants
Large Wooden Bowl w/Gold Handles
Footed Serving Bowl
Large Vase

Floating Shelf

Olive Tree

Faux Floral Stems 
Stools

Rugs

jillivictorio@gmail.com /

I recently returned home from a weekend trip to Las Vegas with girlfriends whom I haven’t seen since moving to Texas. It was a fabulous reunion of sorts and an even more more fabulous weekend celebrating a milestone birthday for three of us turning 40 this year! (August, September, and October), so a weekend girls trip was in order.

It’s been 5 years since I last visited Las Vegas!  I’m not much of a nightlife’er/clubber these days, nor do I gamble much, I’ll try the slots!  But I do love food and can appreciate the culinary scene. So many new exciting restaurants and dining experiences have opened in Las Vegas in the last 5 years and you really have to pick and choose your itinerary if you’re only there for a brief time.

A few highlights of my 24 hours in Las Vegas:

 

The Venetian and The Palazzo are good options because every room is a suite and can easily sleep 5+ girls. As a perk, these stunning hotels are reasonably priced so it’s a good excuse to treat yourself. The cabanas and pool at the Venetian have been remodeled and just reopened so if you have time, definitely reserve a shaded spot early before the crowds.

It’s always fun getting ready for a night out with girlfriends with the Venetian rooms’ bathrooms large enough for everyone to get ready together and a large mirror for selfies and the perfect #ootd!

Sequin Night!

Want The World

Lots of photo ops around the Venetian and lots of friendly people willing to take your photos!

 

 

As the world’s tallest observation wheel, at 550-foot-tall the High Roller is an unforgettable experience. The Happy Half Hour ticket gives you a thirty-minute ride with an open bar. We opted for the cabin without a bar and just bought drinks at the lobby entrance.

Tip: Go just before sunset for the most amazing cotton candy color skies as the Las Vegas lights illuminate the landscape. Bonus if you remember to look down to watch the Bellagio fountain show!

Outfit Details | Sequin Bralette: (sold out) For Love & Lemons | Sequin Jacket: LPA | Pants: Zara |  Sandals: Sam Edelman

You’ll definitely have the best view of the Strip!

 

The Dorsey at The Venetian: Dance the night away to one of its DJs, or chill on the sofas and chat with your besties over drinks at this local spot.

 

 

My favorite day of the week, or my favorite meal of the day: BRUNCH!

Brunch Look…

Outfit Details | Cropped Knit Top: Zara | Pleated Pants with Belt: Zara (sold out), similar here | Purse: Rebecca Minkoff |  Sandals: Sam Edelman | Sunglasses: Le Specs Lolita

 

A girls trip isn’t complete without brunch. Opened in 2015, Bardot is Chef Michael Mina’s latest restaurant at Aria Resort & Casino. To create the brasserie’s menu, Chef Mina and Executive Chef Joshua Smith drew inspiration from travels to Paris. The menu offers classic French fare executed with a modern twist.  Bardot is the American take on a French brasserie—the beautiful yet contrived variety.

L’atmosphere

The space is stunning: a gorgeous glass square bar, beautiful wood paneling, stunning floral arrangements, and of course marble and brass everywhere. If this is the Las Vegas take on Paris, I’m OK with that.

 

Bardot’s version of the Croque Madame… The Double Decker Ham & Brie

One my favorite things to order at any French cafe is the Croque Madame or Croque Monsier. BARDOT’s version of a Croque Madame is piled high with Paris Ham and Gruyére Fondue then topped with an over-easy organic egg – yum! So glad I changed my order at the very last minute. If you’re going to have one meal with carbs, have it here and with this.  So. Worth. It.

Short Rib Bourguignon Croissant Benedict

I had a bite of my friend’s Short Rib Bourguignon Croissant Benedict – puffy, flaky, housemade croissants topped with poached eggs, sauteéd kale and short rib Bourguignon. So delicious!

 

 Toasted Marshmallows

Toasted Marshmallows birthday treat from the kitchen!

That said, I will return to Bardot each time I’m in Vegas, as you can’t beat a beautiful French brasserie for brunch.

 

Hello Kitty Cafe Las Vegas

To walk off brunch, we strutted our full bellies over to the new Hello Kitty Cafe at The Park, just opened in July, located on The Strip between New York-New York and Park MGM.

The Mini Cafe Pop-Up offers a fun outdoor cafe experience that celebrates all things Hello Kitty and Las Vegas, along with collectible merchandise and themed treats. The pop-up is the first of its kind in Nevada, following the success of its sister locations in California, which include the Hello Kitty Grand Cafe in Irvine, and Hello Kitty Mini Cafe in San Jose CA.

Our final afternoon together sharing Hello Kitty’s global message of friendship and happiness, before I parted ways with the girls and as we head back home to our families, kids, and our daily lives at home.

I had to pick up some cute sweet treats for my boys!

Do you have any travel tips for visiting Las Vegas? Let me know down below!

jillivictorio@gmail.com /

Here it is! Early Access Weekend of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and I’ve found so many good pieces in this year’s sale. I’ve narrowed down my favorites and only included what I loved. I edited it down to the basics with a minimalist approach – classic pieces that can build upon my wardrobe and can be worn through several seasons. I’m especially excited to see the best big cozy blankets and pillows, and home decor pieces  included in the sale!  Happy Shopping!

What’s your favorite thing from this year’s Anniversary Sale?


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Tips to shop the 2019 Anniversary Sale

SHOP EARLY

Nordstrom cardholders can shop a week before in the early access sale from July 12-18. The sale opens to the public on July 19th, and prices go back up to full price on August 5th.

TAKE INVENTORY BEFORE THE SALE STARTS

Take a look at what you already have in your closet before shopping the sale. This is helpful so that you aren’t just buying things because they are marked down and are actually searching for pieces that are missing from your wardrobe.

THINK FALL

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is made up of mostly brand new essential items that will go back to full price in August. Go ahead and get a new pair of boots or a classic sweater while they are marked down.

STOCK UP

Many beauty items are included so I always stock up on multiples of my go-tos and gifts.

AVOID THE LINE

I personally like to order online to avoid the crowds!

KNOW THE DATES

Icon 7/9 Pre shop in stores only

Icon & Ambassador 7/10 Pre shop in stores only 7/11 Pre-shop online before early access

Early Access 7/12 – 7/18 Only Nordstrom Credit and Debit Cardmembers get to shop 7 days early before public access

Public Access 7/19 – 8/4 For non-cardholders, the sale opens up to the public

8/5 Prices go back up

jillivictorio@gmail.com /

  1. Traditions & Something New

Peonies (our wedding flower) on every anniversary, June 21

For our ten year anniversary, we renewed our vows in Hawaii and took professional photos. A year later on our eleventh anniversary, John and I woke up excitedly that we didn’t have to work this day as we both took the day off, and beautiful peonies (our wedding flower) greeted me on the breakfast table. I also got a text from our contractor that he was on his way to our home to start demo on our kitchen that morning – exciting times! (More to come on our new reno project). John and I exchanged the traditional wedding gifts. We usually have an idea of what we’re getting each other, but it’s still fun choosing and shopping for the gift. The traditional gift for an 11th wedding anniversary is Steel. We knew exactly what we wanted to gift each other as it is also something we’ve needed for the house and that we’d get a ton of use out of. I’ve wanted these steel Yeti wine tumblers for quite sometime to use at the pool, or while traveling/camping. Yeti makes really great high quality ones so I got John a black steel wine tumbler and he got me the pink steel wine tumbler. Cheers!

 

2. Anniversary Trip

We finally broke away from the kids for an overnight trip to San Antonio to stay at one of my bucket list hotels, the Hotel Emma.  John and I don’t get many date nights so it was nice to be out without kids for once. If we really wanted to, we could ask my dad to watch the kids and make date night a priority, but because he already watches Baron during the day, Monday to Friday, which is a huge help to us, we don’t want to take advantage of his time and we respect his time. But for  special occasions such as John’s and my wedding anniversary, we do make special arrangements in advance for childcare and we are so grateful for the extra time for John and myself.  I assume this may be a challenge with balance that many married couples with children face and understand that we could improve on this area in the following year. More on this later.

So today I want to recap our 11th wedding anniversary.

First things first- we NEED talk about this hotel. We first discovered Hotel Emma last winter on our first visit to San Antonio. We didn’t stay at the hotel, but we dined and drank around the Pearl, and toured the property and grounds. I just knew John and I would have to come back for a weekend getaway without the kids. As our 11th anniversary was approaching, we booked the last River Terrace room! It really might be the most gorgeous hotel we’ve ever had the pleasure of patronizing. You step onto the grounds and you feel as if you’ve been transported to Europe. Just look at this place-

Lobby

 

Lobby

Lobby

For starters, the attentive staff welcomes you with their signature cocktail La Babia, in their amazing library. For any fellow bibiophiles, this library needs to be on your bucket list asap.

Hotel Emma Library

The rooms are gorgeous. We opted for the River Terrace Room because this balcony!  The hotel was definitely a splurge but we don’t go out as often and we love treating ourselves on our anniversary so we went for it. Man was it the right decision. We’ve never felt to utterly spoiled at a hotel. This terrace was my favorite feature as it was our own private little sanctuary to enjoy a glass of wine, or morning coffee with a cozy fire and overlooking the river.

So in love with the bathroom design – vintage mixed with industrial and old world charm and all. the. brass. accents.

To our delight, a beautiful plate of chocolate covered strawberries that John had arranged was on our table upon arriving to our room. A surprise bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice and a handwritten note was left by the Culinary Concierge.

We headed up to the rooftop pool to check out the views before getting ready for dinner.

Outfit Details:  Jumpsuit: A New Day |  Sandals: Teva

We eventually pried ourselves away from the hotel and headed out to dinner and explored the Pearl District. The hotel shuttle will take you downtown but since our dinner reservation was so close to our hotel, we wanted to walk to dinner and enjoy the sights around the Pearl on this beautiful first day of summer.

Coincidentally, J-Lo was also leaving the hotel lobby at the same time as she was headed out to her concert that night. I don’t usually get starstruck, but I thought it was cool that even a-list celebs love the Hotel Emma.


For dinner we enjoyed a beautiful dinner at Cured, just a few minutes walk from the hotel.  We’ve always enjoyed going to out special restaurants in Seattle and the Eastside for our anniversary dinners, and we were looking for a comparable experience in San Antonio. We believe we found just the spot at Cured. At first glance, the building reminded me of one of John’s and my old favorite date night restaurants in Madison Park, Madison Park Conservatory (RIP) with its cozy atmosphere, reclaimed and exposed wood and brick interiors.

Cured specializes in charcuterie boards and house-cured meats. Overall food was delicious, ambiance was beautiful with warm exposed brick, ornate details and elevated updates throughout the interior in a historical atmosphere. The building used to be the Pearl’s Administration Building built in 1904 and has been lovingly restored. As you enter the building, a large charcuterie case shows off hanging meat in the dining room; it’s stocked with options like smoked vealwurst, smoked duck ham, and jalapeño sausages.

I loved everything we ordered, but favorite dish was the Beet, Avocado and Citrus Salad.  The flavors and textures just remind of the delicious farm to table foods we enjoyed in the PNW.

Aged pork belly, bresaola, smoked double barrel cheddar, pink lemonade jam

 

Avocado, Beet & Citrus Salad

 

Wagyu Beef Short Ribs

After dinner we ended the night with a gorgeous stroll at sunset along the famed San Antonio River Walk, followed by more champagne, macarons and turndown service.

River Walk

Outfit Details | Crop Knit Top: Zara similar here | Blazer: Wild Fable | Shorts: Prologue |  Sandals: Sam Edleman, similar here

 

When we returned back to our room, THESE were waiting for us. At Hotel Emma, turn down service comes with macarons. Every. Night. Winning.

Turn Down Service with Macarons!

We made ourselves right at home lounging in these amazing lightweight cotton Guyarobes by Dos Carolinas made exclusively for Hotel Emma.

 

In the morning, you can ring downstairs and hot, freshly brewed coffee magically appears in your room, or you can head down to the Library and enjoy the same freshly brewed Merit Coffee at the coffee cart with an assortment of continental breakfast pastries.

We opted to do both because the library is just so fabulous – had one cup of coffee there and brought more coffee up to our room to enjoy on our terrace.

I find that the best time for truly experiencing architecture during travel and resort amenities is very early in the morning before the crowds come down or arrive. Since becoming a mother I’ve been an early riser and just can’t sleep in. I am a morning person and love quiet mornings exploring hotel grounds without any distractions. The stunning Southerleigh is a hidden gem tucked in the Hotel Emma. Truly a treat for the senses, we got to admire all the rich architectural and design elements that went into this building and had the place pretty much to ourselves.

Pearl Farmers Market

I’m so glad we made plans to visit the Pearl Farmers Market. This has got to be one of my favorite farmers markets I’ve been and we’ve been to a lot!  The Pearl Farmers Market is held every Saturdays and set up along the beautiful outdoor space through the Pearl grounds, which is also just outside the hotel, hosting local produce, meat & cheese producers, fresh flowers, fresh baked goods, live music & cooking demos. It is also very family-friendly with a splash pad for kids in the middle of the plaza. This is the perfect spot to grab breakfast or lunch and a bistro table while the kids splash or run around the park.

Outfit Details | Dress: A New Day |  Sandals: Teva

 

Before checking out of our hotel, we had to stop by the gift shop to pick up a bottle of the most wonderful scent we experienced throughout the hotel during our stay – Milagros by Soular Therapy designed and produced this exquisite room fragrance exclusively for Hotel Emma. The spring and summer aromas of amber, sandalwood, oakmoss, and citrus greeted and followed us throughout the property and we wanted to experience the same aromas at home. I never knew ‘scent marketing’ was a thing but I’m now a believer!

Scent Marketing definition by Air Aroma: By using scent, brands are able to connect with consumers on a deeper emotional level, resulting in a more memorable experience. Scent can attract new customers, increase sales, heighten value perception, and expand brand recognition and customer satisfaction.

 

After a weekend of being wooed by Hotel Emma and her gorgeous architecture, attentive staff, macarons, champagne, and coffee, we were refreshed and ready to go home to see our kids and how the demo was coming along. Besides, isn’t that one of the best things about getting away? At the end, as much as we love a luxurious getaway, we’re ready to go home. And we’re reminded of how special home is and how much we love being at home with our little family.

3. Notes on 11 years of marriage

Over the years, each person learns that marriage isn’t all about spending every waking moment together, it’s more about discovering our individual dreams, talents and challenges and growing together and as one as lovers, best friends, partners, and companions. As a family.

Marriage is a time of constant learning and adjusting. It’s the time of endless self-discovery and growth. The journey continues, but every year there is something new. That, is my reality of our marriage in the 11th year.

What does your marriage look like today?