Crime Scene at the Hawkins' House

Had you visited our house over the weekend, you would have sworn a vicious attack had taken place. Complete with blood spatter and evidence of a sub-par clean-up effort. Upon further investigation you would have realized it was not blood, but my favorite shade of OPI: Dutch Tulips. My living room and kitchen had been transformed to a dutch wonderland crime scene.

[Let me preface this little story with the fact that Johnny was home alone with Jack. Clearly disasters like this don't occur in the presence of a mother.] 

Over the last few weeks Jack has discovered my vast OPI collection which I kept in the bottom drawer in the bathroom. He loved all the bright colors and would line them up side-by-side on the bathroom floor, push them around like little cars, and shake them like maracas to hear the little bead inside. I didn't mind because he was always under my supervision and it kept him occupied for 15 precious minutes so I could get ready for work in the mornings.

Johnny had the day off on Friday and the boys got to spend some man time together. I'm sure I'll never know the true series of events (in true crime fashion) but it must have involved some level of non-supervision. I received a frantic 10 second phone call that sounded something like this: "OH MY GOD! IT'S EVERYWHERE! EVERYWHERE! CARPET! SINK! JACK NO!" click. You can imagine where my mind wandered. About 20 minutes later I got a somewhat less panicked update. "Somehow" Jack got a hold of two nail polishes, wandered into the living room, and proceeded to beat them together like tambourines. By the time Johnny realized what was going on, there was a steady flow of Dutch Tulips running down Jack's arm. (Keep in mind the blood-like appearance of this color - I can only imagine Johnny's initial panic.)

By the time Johnny got a hold of the cracked bottle the damage was done. The coffee table, sofa, and rug had already received a healthy spattering. I'm not sure exactly which route he took to the kitchen, but I'm pretty sure it involved some type of bizarre chinese fire drill... and maybe a few cartwheels. The hardwood floors, kitchen cabinets, and counter tops all showed evidence of the disaster.

The clean-up was more successful than I thought it would be. In my nail polish remover induced altered state of mind, I forgot to take "before" pictures of the damage, so the few pictures I have certainly don't capture the chaos. Luckily, the nail polish remover cleaned up all the hard surfaces. The rug and sofa didn't fare so well. We flipped the cushions on the sofa as well as the rug. (Thank you Pottery Barn, for your genius braided jute rug and all of its reversible glory). Only small bits of evidence remain:

A nice splatter effect on the chair arm.

Smears and fingerprints all over the couch cushion. Good thing cushions have two sides!

Jack's new kicks now have a nice pink tint to them. He's man enough to wear pink.

 The worst of the damage was to the rug - which I made worse by trying to remove with nail polish remover... which was then made even worse by trying to cut out the stained fibers.... then (impossibly) made worse by trying to Oxyclean it away. I regret not photographing it before flipping the rug.

Needless to say, the surviving members of my OPI collection have been relocated.

Perfecting the Cinnabon

Weekends tend to be pretty awesome around here. Not only do I get 48 uninterrupted hours of quality time with my two favorite men (no, unfortunately I'm not referring to Bradley Cooper and Dennis Miller...) but we have some pretty phenomenal friends that live on our street and as of recently, right down the road (Welcome to the fam, McMelanie). Saturdays usually consist of drinking too much at the Shepherd house, followed by the most gloriously lazy Sundays. This week was no different, with a few outstanding additions:

1- Melanie and Adam have officially joined the P-ville crowd and all of our awesomeness. Melanie is one of my very best friends from high school and is marrying her long-time sweetheart in just a few short weeks. They just bought a beautiful new place exactly .79 miles down the road (NO, I didn't clock it one day in my car...). Adam fits in perfectly with the man-folk and we are all so excited to welcome them to the 'hood. 

My amazing (and stunningly attractive) new "neighbors".

2 - CINNABONS! I've been working on perfecting my recipe to resemble an authentic Cinnabon as closely as possible. I'm just a few batches in but we're getting dangerously close. They were the star of Sunday brunch, which was our turn to host. I've included a mouth watering photo of my latest batch as well as the recipe for those of you looking to pack on a few LBs.

Top with lots of ooey-gooey cream cheese frosting and enjoy :) Don't forget to chew.

3 - Fantasy Football Draft!!! Football season is finally here and we couldn't be more ready! Why must the best sport have the shortest season? Especially after having to suffer through NINE MONTHS of basketball - extending the season is the very least the football gods could do. We're in a league this year with the other P-ville couples (and one particularly cool couple from Ashburn) and Johnny and I are prepared to dominate. I got the second overall pick and chose.... (drum-roll please).... Michael Vick! I completely disagree with everything he stands for as a human being, but damn if he can't throw a football. Go Team Rudy!

Wipe that smug look off your face and earn me some fantasy points!

4 - Gamecock domination! My Alma Mater, the South Carolina Gamecocks, dominated over ECU on Saturday evening. The first quarter started out a little rocky, but we came back to clutch the win 56-37. After week 1 we're ranked at #12 - third highest in the SEC... Which says a lot amongst other greats such as Florida, Georgia, LSU and Alabama. This week we'll take on the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens - GO GAMECOCKS!! 

C-A-R-O-L-I-N-A! Goooo COCKS!

So for all you bakers out there (or anyone who just really likes awesome food) here is the recipe for my Close-to-Perfect Cinnabons. You don't have to have a bread machine, but it will make it a hell-of-a-lot easier if you do. 

Cinnabons

Dough:

1 c. milk

2 eggs

3/4 c. melted butter

4 1/2 c. bread flower

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast

Filling:

1 c. packed brown sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 softened butter

Icing:

6 tbs softened cream cheese

1 stick (1/2 c.) softened butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp salt

3 c. powdered sugar

Add dough ingredients to bread machine in the order listed and start on the dough cycle. If you aren't using a bread machine, you will need to google the best order to add ingredients to the flour. 

When the dough is complete, remove from the machine and allow to rise on the counter (covered) for another 10 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the filling. Mix butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Also, preheat the oven to 400. 

When dough is done rising, roll it out on a clean surface (really? who wants dirty counter dough?). It should be about 16x20. Try to keep the thickness even across the whole surface. Using the back of a spoon, spread the mixture evenly on top of the dough. 

Roll tightly into a log. Score dough with a knife to measure out 12 rolls (about 1 1/2 inches each). Slice dough rolls and place them into a lightly greased glass dish. I think mine is 9x13. Cover and allow rolls to rise for another 10 minutes or so. Bake for about 15 minutes or until barely golden. 

While buns are in the oven, whip the frosting ingredients together in a medium bowl. Top with frosting while warm and ENJOY!

Notice Anything?

So I've made some changes here at Perfectly Imperfect. Nothing major, moved some things around, made a few additions. The first is a mere follow-through on an old promise - I've finally created a new page to house my Website of the Month selections. Perhaps this will encourage me to actually select a new site each month? We'll see.

I'm actually pretty excited about the second update - "Currently Coveting" is my new place to catalog all the things I'm desperate to have. Some reasonable, some outrageous, all fabulous. Fashion, house wares, baby must-haves - if it's amazing (and not in my possession) you can find it here.

I've been feeling motivated recently to make more regular submissions to the blog, so let's see how long I can keep this up!

Mmmm... Goat Cheese...

I have two M.O.'s in the kitchen - the first is baking, the other is comfort food. Baking is easy because as long as you follow the recipe it's pretty hard to screw up. It's basic chemistry (odd, considering I enjoyed chemistry just about as much as I enjoyed 36 hours of unmedicated labor...) As far as comfort food goes, I grew up in a comfort food kinda house so those recipes are all very familiar to me - think meatloaf, casseroles, anything fried...

I always clip these fancy recipes out of Southern Living and Martha Stewart but when it comes down to it - my nerves get the best of me and I chicken out. Is the meat cooked well enough? How much exactly is a pinch? What in the hell is a reduction? There always seem to be too many uncertains. So I pull out my mixing bowls, whip up some brownies, and all is right with the world.

THREE YEARS ago I clipped this recipe from Southern Living, wiped the drool from my chin, and swore I was going to make it. Last week as I was rummaging through some cookbooks I saw this clip-out stuck between pages and decided now was the time.  I picked up some fresh spring onions from the local farmer's market and sent Johnny along to the store for everything else. I had just enough time alone at the house to really start to second guess my culinary aptitude. I considered backing out at the last minute. I could always make tacos.... tacos are always good. But no, I stuck to my guns, whipped up this fabulous recipe, and enjoyed every.last.bite. Seriously one of the most delicious things I have ever made. And the best part - it was actually EASY. I wouldn't lead you astray. Give it a whirl.

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Goat Cheese, Caramelized Spring Onion, and Thyme
w/ a white wine reduction

• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 1/3 cups thinly sliced spring onions (about 1 pound)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon fat-free milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken broth

• 1. Caramelize onions in skillet with 1/4 tsp salt and pepper - this will take appx 15 minutes. 
• 2. Combine cooked onions with another 1/4 tsp salt, cheese, parsley, milk and thyme.
• 3. Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket; stuff 1 1/2 tablespoons cheese mixture into each pocket. Sprinkle chicken evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• 4. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; sauté 5 minutes; turn chicken over. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 10 minutes or until chicken is done.
• 5. Remove chicken from pan. Add wine to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook until reduced by half (about 2 minutes). Add broth, and cook until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 9 minutes). Serve with chicken.

I never claimed to be a culinary photographer...

I served these beauties with sauteed whole artichokes and rice pilaf. Yes, I know brown rice would have been a more health conscious choice, but we're a white rice/bread/flour kind of family.

I can't wait to make this again as soon as possible, and neither can Johnny.

EARTHQUAKE! ... among other things...

For those of you who live under rocks and inside caves, we had a pretty significant Earthquake here in Virginia yesterday. I know, people joke about the lack of damage and the general chaos that ensued - but in reality, I think we're all very lucky the damage wasn't more extensive. It was a pretty crazy experience, especially considering the lack of seismic activity that generally occurs in this region. I won't drag on about it - that's what CNN is for - but I figured it couldn't go without mentioning.

Anyways - a few months back I mentioned a new segment I wanted to start: "Website of the Month". Well, needless to say, that was the last (and only) time I've posted a site so FAIL on my part. In an effort to make it up to you, I offer you Copy Cat Chic. Keeney turned me on to this site and it is my new addiction. The woman who owns this blog is a bargain hunting genius. To sum it up, she takes popular pieces from pricey stores like Restoration Hardware, Ethan Allen, Layla Grace (and sooo many more) and finds nearly identical pieces for a fraction of the cost. It's absolutely mind blowing to see the things she finds and the money that can be saved. She provides the links to each piece so you can compare for yourself, and purchase if you so decide. I haven't made my first Copy Cat Chic purchase yet - but I definitely will as soon as the perfect piece comes up. I've been on the lookout for a china cabinet or some kind of buffet table for the dining room. So here you go - August's website of the month... Copy Cat Chic

Bathroom Makeover

I'm so excited to announce the powder room makeover is officially under way! As most of you know, we bought our house from a total loser who basically destroyed the place. I guess I can't complain all that much because that's pretty much the only reason we were able to get the house - but it's been a lot of work restoring it to the beautiful house that it is. The only good thing about our former owner is that he did absolutely zero decorating, which means blank canvas for me! We had no ugly walls to paint over and very few holes to patch up. Painting is one of the few changes you can make for super cheap that will make a BIG impact on a space. Well, super cheap if you have amazing parents who own every type of painting supply on the planet and let you borrow it all - then all you have to do is buy the paint :)

So rewind back to a few months ago - I had a decorator come out to help us pick a wall color for the dining room. I wanted a color that would flow with the rest of our colorful rooms without making it look like Joseph's Technicolor Dream House. We settled on a beautiful coraly/rosy/pinkish color that would tie in with some fabrics we had chosen. All was great until I showed Johnny the swatch later that evening...

"PINK!? You want to paint the dining room PINK?!" ....(long pause of silence accompanied by blank stares)..... "No, I want to paint the dining room Hydrangea Flowers". Needless to say I got shot down. But it was too late, I was attached to the color and was determined to use it. So after some thought and deliberation, I decided to use the color in our downstairs powder room. I had been pushing the bathroom makeover off as a small project that could wait, but with the perfect color in hand, I decided to start.

I ordered a fabulous custom mirror on Etsy (otherwise known as the greatest place on Earth.) And some cute PB monogrammed hand towels. Stefani and I hit up the craft store and I'm going to make a cute candle tray for the the toilet tank, as well as a few shadow boxes for wall decor. I have an adorable idea for something I want to do on the main wall, but I don't want to reveal it until I know it will work :) The only thing I am having trouble finding is the perfect rug. The search continues...

Fast forward to the present. I've been procrastinating on getting the painting done because A - the mirror hadn't arrived and B- I suck terribly at painting. Lucky for me, my wonderful mother-in-law has been in town this week visiting from Tennessee. She flips houses for a living, so she is a total pro with a paint brush. She of course offered to paint the bathroom and even shut me down when I offered to help (probably because I had already told her the story of when I tried to paint Jack's playroom....FAIL.)

I don't have any before pics (imagine white, boring, builders grade bathroom) and I don't want to reveal after pics until it's complete - which should be about 2 weeks from now when my fab mirror will finally make its debut. So until then, I leave you with the swatch that got this whole thing rolling...

It's a little darker on the wall than it appears online, with a touch more coral. I can't wait to add all the finishing touches!

4th of July Fun

They always say a conservative's favorite holiday is July 4th (I'll let you guess what they say a liberal's is... I'll give you a clue, it's in April) and in my case, that is definitely true. I love the patriotism and the general brotherhood felt by true blue-blooded Americans as we gather to celebrate this significant day in US history. The flag waving, the fireworks, I love it all. It's even the one day of the year I can stand Toby Keith. Nothing says "America" like "We'll put a boot in your ass!"

I live in a small town, "Anytown USA" as some would say. We have two stoplights and an abundance of white picket fences. Americana at its finest. And like all the other great small towns across the country, the 4th wouldn't be complete without a local parade. So after a few celebratory mimosas with the Shepherd clan, we packed up the kiddos into their wagons and headed off to the Annual Purcellville Independence Day Parade.

Jack getting excited for his first parade experience. 

Everyone knows Uncle Sam drives a Deere.

Happy 4th of July!!!

We wrapped up the evening with your standard 4th of July BBQ, a few cold ones (several in my husband's case...) and some backyard fireworks. A great time was had by all.

In honor of Summer and all that it entails, I've included a great, easy, go-to recipe for your next BBQ or pool party. I got this one from Stef's husband's mom (did you follow that?) who brought it to Ethan's 3rd birthday. I probably ate half the bowl... and I know for a fact Jack ate the other half. As far as I know, it doesn't have a name, so I made one up in honor of it's founder (Josh's mom) and it's appearance (bright and colorful). I give you....

Roanoke Confetti Dip

1 can sweet corn
1 red onion, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 bell pepper, chopped (I opted for orange...)
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 avocado, diced
1-2 jalapenos, finely chopped 
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. white sugar (I imagine you could sub with Splenda....)
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar

Heat the EVOO, vinegar, and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat and let cool. Add all other ingredients to a large mixing bowl and toss with cooled sugar mixture. Chill for a few hours to let the flavors really absorb each other. Serve with tortillas, on tacos, or even as a side. It's lightly sweet and tangy and absolutely addicting! 

Enjoy! Happy 5th of July :)