A Case of the Monday's.

Monday morning was doozie.

The term "doozie" can mean something that is extraordinary, difficult, troublesome or problematic. In my case, I would say my Monday morning was more along the lines of problematic.

I first woke up and realized I had an eye doctor appointment that morning. To make an 8:30 appointment that means I need to leave my house around 7:45 in order to drop John off and make it on time. Everything was going smoothly and we were in the car on the way when I suddenly spilled extremely hot coffee down the front of my blouse. And when I say extremely hot, I mean I poured an entire cup of freshly microwaved coffee down my thin, lace shirt. I started screaming in pain and thus John started crying. I pulled over and took my shirt off as fast as I could but it was too late. The hot coffee had already started burning my "negligee."

We were just down the street so I turned around and headed back to the house to change clothes and asses the damage. John had calmed down by now and was reading a book. My good little man! We pulled into the driveway and I left John buckled in his carseat and I headed in to change. Note: we live in the country on a gravel road. I don't recommend ANYONE leaving their toddler in the car unattended in the city! Plus, I pulled up right into the garage and was only going to be inside for about 60 seconds.

I changed shirts and headed back outside. My skin was a bit red but nothing serious thank goodness! I went over to John's side of the car and opened his door to check on him and give him some love. That's when I noticed that John's carseat wasn't strapped into the backseat! John was strapped into the actual carseat, but the seat itself was not attached to the vehicle! My in-laws had used John's carseat Sunday afternoon when he went over to their house to play. I had completely forgotten to re-attach the seat after they left!

I really believe God was trying to "wake me up" with the coffee. It would have been horrible to drive any further than we did without John properly strapped to his carseat. Thank you Lord for your protecting hand!

I definitely need to be reminded to slow down every once in awhile. Obviously I didn't make my eye doctor appointment that morning, but that's alright. John and I went to Starbucks and relaxed for a few minutes before I went into work. That little guy is my whole world and God knew I needed to get that carseat buckled in order for him to be as safe as possible.

Here's my "throw on and go" outfit I wore on Monday. I always throw on a blazer in a pinch; it makes everything seem much more put together.

This will probably be the last chance for me to wear this velvet blazer before Spring sets in. See you next fall, blazer!

Dinner Tonight: Lahmajoon Pizza + a Meal Plan

I hope you all enjoy seeing my food creations every once in awhile. I do like sharing them and honestly it is nice to have an online record of recipes I've tried! I'm also going to incorporate into these foodie posts my Meal Plan for the week. I've talked before about how important I think Meal Planning is for my family, but I'm not perfect and some weeks don't always go as planned. Having a weekly menu takes the guesswork out of dinner and the stress of deciding what to cook at the last minute. Plus, if you don't like what Mama's fixin' tonight, then too bad you're not eating! (wink wink)

Here's my plan for this week and part of next:

Monday 2/27: Meatloaf w/Broccoli.Check!
Tuesday 2/28: Leftover Chicken Wings and Pork Steaks from Sunday (I'll cut the pork up and mix it with some eggs and rice)
Wednesday 2/29: Happy Leap Day! Lasagna, Salad and Homemade Bread
Thursday 3/1: I'm out with the girls, and Daniel wants to take John to dinner at the Bayou.
Friday 3/2: BINGO night at church, so we'll eat Crockpot Chicken Taco's before we go!
Saturday 3/3: Selling tickets for RCP, so dinner for free at Port Cape!
Sunday 3/4: Crockpot Honey Asian Chicken and Rice
Monday 3/5: Spicy Curry Pork and Rice (I'll throw in any leftovers of Honey Asian Chicken too)

Sounds like a plan! I find myself to be a pretty free-spirited person, but man I do love a good list. Sometimes it feels good to have things planned out. These recipes are all based on ingredients I already have stocked in my fridge and pantry. I won't need to shop again until probably the 7th or 8th, which is right around pay day. Perfect timing, huh?

Last week I made homemade pizza that was AMAZING if I do say so myself :) Hope you enjoy!

LAHMAJOON PIZZA

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound of ground lamb (it's expensive, but worth it!)
1 cup of feta cheese
1/2 cup of sun dried tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup of black olives
1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese
1 cup of tomato sauce
1 pre-made pizza crust (Bertolli brand is my favorite!)
a few dashes of oregano

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400. Cook the lamb meat thoroughly, like you would ground beef. It is pretty fatty so drain off any excess grease. Assemble the pizza, starting with spreading the tomato sauce onto the pre-made crust. Add mozz cheese next, followed by lamb meat, sun dried tomatoes and black olives. Top with the feta cheese and a few dashes of oregano. Bake until the crust starts to turn brown, about 15 minutes. **NOTE** the feta cheese does not really melt, it will become soft so make sure you don't burn the crust thinking that the cheese hasn't melted enough and needs to cook longer.

A fun, non traditional style pizza that my family loved! Let me know if you try it at home!

Potty Training Fairy, Family Celebrations and More!

Hello friends! Hope everyone had a great weekend. Here's what we've been up to the past week:

We're having some potty training issues. John turned 3 last month and I'm really feeling the pressure to get him out of diapers for good. He has good days and bad, and almost always goes pee pee on the potty, but he definitely is not willing to go number two anywhere except in a pull up. I set a timer and pretty much force him to go into the bathroom every 20 minutes and at least try to go.....but it's getting exhausting for both of us! We also can't go out in public in underwear because he seems to always have an accident no matter how many times we go to the restroom. If there's a potty training fairy out there for hire, please send her my way!



Here's John wearing some "plastic panties" as I like to call them. These did NOT work at all for him! John thought they were too much like a diaper. I'll spare you the gory details but let's just say we had a mess.....everywhere.



But he sure looks cute wearing them huh? :)

I have really been trying to limit John's exposure to television. We only have basic cable, so that limits his viewing to only PBS and TCT which helps, but he loves DVD's and would watch one constantly if I'd let him. John's current favorite is Lady and the Tramp (it's probably my favorite too!) I'm only letting him watch TV while I'm cooking dinner, and as soon as it's time to eat no more TV. After dinner I want to focus more on reading or working on our word pronunciation. Please pray that I can be consistent with this, because it's far too easy to just turn on a movie and be done with it.

We have a new baby in the family! Daniel's brother Perry and wife Lauren welcomed Perry Clifford Hazelwood V into the world on Sunday, February 19. We waited for that little stinker for about 9 hours!



They had a big open playroom next to the hospital waiting room and John spent the entire afternoon goofing off with his Uncle Mitch who was home from West Point to see the new baby.



Nap time with Grandpa in the hospital waiting room.

He's here! Perry Clifford Hazelwood V, 9 1/2 pounds, 21 inches long! Great job Mama Lauren!



I am a proud Aunt!!



Daniel and I also celebrated our 3rd Anniversary on February 21st! We celebrated with a Fat Tuesday inspired dinner of raw oysters, homemade jambalaya, crab cakes and fancy bloody mary's!

Dinner was sooo good! Those are our Anniversary cards behind the food there :)

Our fancy bloody mary's :)

John had a special drink too! Non-alcoholic of course!

I hope you had a fun week too!

Style Icon: Ellen Degeneres

Hey Happy Readers! Thank you so much for all the kind comments on yesterday's post and on my facebook page. You are all so sweet :)

I want to start a new series on Friday, called "Style Icon." I'll feature either a celebrity or an everyday, stylish person that I know! If you or your blog are interested in being a part of this series, email me! I'd love to feature you!


Today's Style Icon is Ellen Degeneres.

While I don't really keep up with her show (it comes on before I get home from work!), I love seeing pictures of Ellen on the weekends. She always looks effortlessly chic! Ellen's clothes are always rocking, but the real reason I think she is an icon is because she's not afraid to be herself. Ellen seems like such an authentically fun person!

Ellen's boyfriend jeans and button up shirts are perfect for a Saturday running errands. Here's my take on Ellen's laid back style!

Style Icon: Ellen Degeneres by lifetoldbyles featuring a double chain necklace

What do you think of Ellen's style? Have a great weekend everyone!

A Personal Announcement.

Sorry for the unexpected break from posting. I've been thinking of the perfect way to announce to all of you the big change that has happened in my life, a change that will affect my personal life and this blog. I have been focusing on my school work, family and my job situation, which ultimately comes before this blog. I think the best way to tell you what is going on is to just spill the beans completely!

I'm very excited to announce that I have resigned from my job at Major Brands and will soon begin working as Media Manager/Stylist/Manager of a new retail business opening in Cape Girardeau called Two Ravens!

You can read the press release here!

Several months ago, I crossed paths with an amazing woman named Bridgett who has a dream for a women's retail store that introduces the concept of giving back through purchases. Every item purchased at Two Ravens will donate 10% of sales to charitable organizations or Christian missions. We believe that through Christ and Two Ravens we can make a difference in this world and in the lives of women in Cape Girardeau. Two Ravens will have women's clothing, accessories and home interiors that are like nothing Cape Girardeau has ever seen before! Two Ravens is a sister store of Philanthropy Fashion located in Franklin, TN. Check out Philanthropy's website and you'll have a better understanding of what Two Ravens will be like!

Since Bridgett approached me about coming to work for her full time, God has pieced together the details to make that happen. Christ has been behind every move I have made and I believe that this job is what He ultimately wants me to do. I'm so excited to be working in an atmosphere where I can talk about my one true love, Jesus Christ, every single day!

We will soon have a Facebook page and Website for Two Ravens that I will be managing. I will be posting and styling outfits on the Two Ravens blog just like I do on Life Told By Leslie. So, where does that leave this blog?

Life Told By Leslie will continue to feature more personal aspects of my life, like cooking, family, personal organization and outfit photos. Basically I plan to keep things the same around here, but I can't guarantee I'll be posting every single day. I will reserve my styling advice and wardrobe consultation for Two Ravens, which will be a major part of my new job! I'm so excited!

Life Told By Leslie has helped me to get to where I am today, and I am so thankful for all of you out there who take the time to read into my little world every day. I hope you'll stand by me and support me on this new adventure, and follow me through Two Raven's blog and facebook page. I'll be sure to let you know when they are both up and running!

I'm so thankful for the four years I spent at Major Brands. I love all my "boys" in the office, and I know they'll eventually be fine without me. Change is always hard, but sometimes it's necessary in order for us to be happy and live life to the fullest.

Please pray for me and my family as we transition both financially and emotionally to this new avenue in our lives. I am excited and nervous as you can imagine!

xoxo,
Les

"The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it." ---Steve Jobs

"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. Plans to prosper you, not to harm you. Plans for a hope, and a future." ---Jeremiah 29:11

Dang You Groundhog!

I've talked before about having sort of a seasonal depression when it comes to my wardrobe. I just feel a bit uninspired and not at all excited about styling outfits together right now, which is not normal for me! I'm blaming that little hairball Punxsutawney Phil for seeing his shadow and the extra days of Winter. Blah.

One little trick to incorporating some Springtime into your wardrobe is by pairing colorful Spring pieces with Winter necessities, like tights and boots.

We had a bit of snow the other day, and this is what I wore. A shorter, Springtime dress with my warm tights and Winter boots.



Mustard Cardigan: JCPenney. Dress: Francesca's Boutique. Tights: Wal-Mart. Boots: Target.

 This outfit is going in the record books as one of the most comfortable and fun outfits ever. I love it!

Have any tips for getting out of these winter blues? Happy Wednesday everyone!

Quote of the Day: "Let's move to Montana. Mountains and snow and cabins? Score!"

Love xoxo

Happy Lover's Day! Whether Valentine's Day was invented by the Hallmark Card Company or not, it's fun to take a break in the middle of the cold, dreary winter to celebrate those around us that we love. We're staying home tonight; warm by the fire with a good movie and some yummy pot roast. Here's what I wore to the office today to show a bit of my Valentine's Day cheer!




Blazer: Kohls. Floral Blouse: Francesca's Boutique. Red Jeans: NY&Co. Boots: Steve Madden via Macy's.


I had planned to wear a sweet little skirt, but the snowy/slushy weather made me reach for warm boots and red jeans.

What are your plans tonight?

I hope you all have a lovely evening! xoxo

What to Wear: Valentine's Day Options.

While I'm stuck at home watching all the beautiful snow falling, I wanted to share with you a few ideas for the big V-Day tomorrow. No matter how you feel about Valentine's Day, it's fun to incorporate a little pink or red into your outfit, right?!

Valentine's Day: at the office. by lifetoldbyles featuring a sheer button down shirt

Gotta work tomorrow? Here's a subtle way to show your love of....well, love! Pair a pink or red pencil skirt with a silk blouse and a few fun-loving accessories, like a floral watch and heart shaped studs. Black pumps would be more appropriate for a conservative office, but I'd pair this outfit with black ankle booties to add a little punk to the predominantly sweet outfit!

Valentine's Day: Dinner at Home. by lifetoldbyles featuring a mini skirt

Skip the crowded restaurants for a night in with your sweetie. A warm, cozy sweater with a deep v-neck highlights your chest for a "sexy but not trying to be" look. Pair with a sweet pleated skirt and comfy, sparkly wedges so you don't look like you're ready for bed quite yet. Though, I'm sure you'll slip them off under the table :)

Valentine's Day: Out with the Girls by lifetoldbyles featuring gothic jewelry

Hitting the town with friends? Opt for funky and fun accessories like an unexpected studded clutch and cocktail ring. Your red skinny jeans and a silky pink tank will be perfect for dancing, and throw your blazer on as you head out the door!



What are your Valentine's Day plans? We're spending a low key night at home watching "Lady and the Tramp" and eating pot roast. I know, boring right? I honestly wouldn't have it any other way!

I'm thinking about wearing a mix between "Dinner at Home" and "Out with the Girls." Check back tomorrow for what I decide!

If you have a big event coming up and need some suggestions on what to wear, I can help! Email me at hazelwoodservicecompany (at) gmail (dot) com and I'll make a set like the onesc above specific to your taste or items you already own!

Monday Happiness.

I think talking about happy things on Monday's just makes the day feel not so horrible. Here's what I'm happy about today!

Yep. I made that cupcake. My inspiration came from pinterest, with the original recipe found here. We are pretty low key when it comes to Valentines day, but I wanted to make these cupcakes to show a little love to my family tomorrow.

The boys have peculiar sleeping habits, but it always makes me smile :)

Blogger makes me crazy when it uploads my photos sideways. Grrr! Anyway made this little shirt for John to wear to the Monster Truck show Friday night. We had a blast!

I'm a big fan of outfits like this lately. An oversized tunic, skinny jeans and boots are perfect for running errands and doing housework. Someone even told me I looked like Taylor Swift in this....Score!

Finishing off my Monday Happiness with a little puppy picture. Have a great day everyone!

Go Get Yourself Loved.

Have you seen the movie Happythankyoumoreplease? Chances are you haven't because it's not really well known. I have this thing about watching a really quality flick. I think about the movie and its meaning and the complexity of the characters for days after watching it (I know, I'm a dork!). In Happythankyoumoreplease, my favorite character was Annie.



Source.

 That's Annie on the left. Not only did Annie have a great sense of style, but she cared about one thing and one thing only: Love. While she didn't always make the best decisions, at the end she finally found the best possible person for herself. Just goes to show you that sometimes, the person you least expect will be the one that God designed for you.

Just watch the flick, alright? You'll like it.




Scarf/Headwrap: Talbots. Floral Shirt: Target. Navy Cords: Kohls. Booties: Old Navy.

 My Annie inspired outfit. Not as bold as Annie, but I'm working up to being as comfortable and playful as she is.

"Go get yourself Loved." -Annie

Dinner Tonight: Avocado Fries and More!

I once read an article about the eating habits of a really famous designer from California and now I can't remember her name. Anyway, this designer said that she eats one avocado per day. I thought two things when I read this:

1. Oh that's the reason she has a great complexion!

2. She's obviously rich because that's an expensive snack.

Avocado's usually run about $2-$4 EACH. Yowza. But get this: Schnucks is having a 10 for $10 sale on Avocado's right now, score! So last night I declared it Avocado Night in the Hazelwood Household and we made Baked Avocado Fries for an appetizer and Crock Pot Mexi Mix for the main event.

Best. Night. Ever.

Now, onto the recipes!

BAKED AVOCADO FRIES

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup flour


1 tsp kosher salt

2 large eggs, beaten

1 1/4 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs, found next to all the other bread crumb varieties, NOT in the Asian section)

2 firm-ripe medium avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced into 1/2-in. wedges
 
DIRECTIONS:
 
Preheat oven to 450.


Coat avocado slices in the four, then egg, then panko. Place on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Spray the top of the wedges with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, then bake for about 20 minutes at 450, or until they are golden brown.




The finished product! Sorry for the bad picture, it was taken with a phone. The Avocado Fries were better than I could have imagined! Crispy and buttery on the inside---delicious!!! Is it bad that I'm considering making them again tonight??



CROCK POT MEXI MIX

This is what the mixture looks like before you put it in the crockpot over the chicken. Kinda gross, but delicious!! Have I ever mentioned that I hate pictures of food? I just find it helpful when blogging about recipes. If you hate pictures of food too let me know and I'll try to be more discreet :)

INGREDIENTS:

Four Boneless, skinless, frozen chicken breasts

1 container of whipped cream cheese

1 can of corn

1 can of black beans

1 can of rotel

1 Crock Pot

Cooked Rice (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all of the ingredients except the chicken together in a bowl. Place the chicken in the crock pot. Pour mixture over chicken. Cook in crock pot on LOW for 8-9 hours. Shred chicken with fork, and enjoy over rice or as a taco. Enjoy!

Thanks for the recipes, Pinterest! And thank you Schnucks for the Avocado Sale!
 

Bookish.

I love people watching in Barnes and Noble. I think it's interesting to see what kind of book people pick up.

Here's what I observed yesterday afternoon at B&N.

A Grandma scanning through a  "GED for Dummies" book.

A pimple faced teen reading in the "Anime" section.

Two college girls drinking iced coffee and flipping through fashion magazines.

A woman about my age in the "Romance" section.

A Hipster-looking couple in the "New Age" section.

An unsupervised Hispster-looking child playing with Lego's.

And the tallest man I've ever seen reading a bathroom remodeling book.

The neat thing about people in a book store is that they're all there for one general purpose: To Read. No matter what kind of book they're interested in, I think it's just awesome that they're interested in reading, period. I would never judge these fine folks by their reading material, because who knows, maybe the Grandma is trying to help a friend finally get a High School degree. Maybe the kid in the Anime section wants to become an artist and is studying technique. And that super tall man is probably trying to remodel his bathroom for his lovely wife before Valentine's day.

I'd say, if you are looking for a new friend, probably the best place to find one is at a book store. You can't go wrong with a friend who likes to read.




Shirt: Old Navy. Scarf: Target. Jeans: Kohls. Bag: Target. Glasses: Warby Parker. Wedges: JCP

 Wondering what section I was reading in? That's a secret my friends. You'll just have to wait and find out.

Monday Happiness.

I've stared at the computer for about 15 minutes now trying to figure out a way to tell you that I have nothing to say. Let's start fresh and just talk about some happy things, shall we?

1. Drinking coffee from a beautiful coffee cup and reading magazines. Coffee cup borrowed from a loving and supportive friend.

2. John playing in the bathtub. This kid is so entertaining! If you look closely, you will see that there's a grey army man on top of the water spout. His alligator kept biting the army man and knocking him into the water. Hilarious!

3. Easy outfits. I've been having a lot of those mornings where I can't find anything to wear to work. Black pants + patterned blouse + blazer + flats = instant outfit no matter what color combination. I promise!

Blazer: Kohls. Blouse: JCPenney. Black Pants: Swapped from a friend. Leopard Flats: Target.
Me With No Makeup: Because I'm Lazy.

4. Easy Dinners. Are you seeing a recurring theme here? Easy is the word of the week.



Yes, this is exactly what it looks like. Hot dogs and sauerkraut. The boys love it, I love it, so I'm making it. A lot.


5. Old Navy is also really making me happy lately. They're usually hit or miss for me, but this Spring Old Navy has come out with some really cute basic pieces that I'm loving.



This Denim Jacket would look adorable with maxi skirts or dresses this Spring!



I've been eyeing This Polka Dot Dress too! Then on Friday What I Wore pushed me over the edge.



What is making you happy this lovely Monday morning?

What to Wear: Super Bowl 2012.

I plan to spend my Super Bowl Sunday either A. Shopping, B. Sleeping, or C. All of the Above. My husband would like me to make an appearance at a Super Bowl party he's going to, so here's what I might wear. If you're excited about the big game on Sunday, then please share what you'll be wearing! The good thing about the game is that both the teams are pretty much the same color. So stick to all American Red, White and Blue and you'll be good to go!

Option A: Cute, But Not Trying To Be:

Super Bowl 2012 by lifetoldbyles featuring woven jewelry

The woman wearing Option A is at a party but probably would rather be doing her nails. She's wearing a knit hat to hide her Saturday night hair, and she packed some reading material in her oversized bag in case she gets bored. Which is inevitable.


Option B: All Out Hardcore Fan:

Super Bowl 2012 Hardcore Fan by lifetoldbyles featuring short sleeve tees

The hardcore fan's got the best dip "Found it on Pinterest, duh!" and she's got one thing on her mind: Winning. If her team loses you can bet her husband isn't getting any cuddle time tonight. And if her team wins; hold onto your drink because you're getting body slammed.

*******************************************************************

In my opinion, both ladies are stylin! Personally, I don't have any team t-shirts so I'm probably leaning towards look number one for myself. What are you wearing Super Bowl Sunday??

Spicy Curry + Happy Shoes.

Funny how a great recipe and some new shoes can bring you out of your seasonal depression.

Last night I made Chicken Curry for dinner and it was delish---and I invented the recipe myself! To be fair I have seen some chicken curry recipes that call for cream cheese, but nothing quite like what I made. I wanted to make something with a container of butternut squash soup that I've had in my cabinet for ages, then I though to add the cream cheese to make the dish a bit thicker. Here's the exact recipe, try it and let me know what you think!

Crock Pot Chicken Curry with Butternut Squash

YOU WILL NEED:
1 Crock Pot
4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (throw em in frozen, even easier!)
1 container/can of butternut squash soup (I used V8 brand)
1/2 a container of whipped cream cheese (reg. cream cheese will work too!)
3-4 tablespoons of spicy curry powder
a few dashes of garlic powder
a few dashes of salt

A snapshot of the main ingredients

DIRECTIONS:
Lay the frozen chicken breasts into the bottom of the crock pot. Mix the remaining ingredients together in a bowl and then pour over the chicken. Cook on low for about 8-9 hours. Shred the chicken with a fork right before you're ready to eat, and serve over couscous or rice. Enjoy!

I can't believe how great this turned out. My little man even loved it! If you're not a fan of spicy, regular curry powder should be fine. In my opinion, Indian food requires a bit of spicy-ness!

I can't wait to eat the leftovers for lunch today---yum. I'm also wearing my new shoes today, and an outfit that really feels like "me." When you wear someting unique to your specific personality but also that flatters, I think it makes the day go that much smoother.



Floral Top: Target. Wool Skirt: J. Crew. Tights: Borrowed from Peter Pan. Shoes: Old Navy.

I have been wanting a pair of flat oxfords for awhile now, I just haven't been able to commit. This pair is on sale right now at Old Navy for $13 so I took the plunge. 
Does your wardrobe choices sometimes effect your day? Are YOU having a good Wednesday so far?