Author: sweetestmami

I’m a romantic at heart, married to a foodie who shares my love of new wave music and different cultures. I'm a sweet mama to twin girls and a silly boy, who light up my life and keep me on my toes! I love brunches and spa days with my besties and jet-setting around the world - my fave travel spots are Paris and Italy! I love making things pretty while keeping it simple, and finding excuses to gather and entertain at home. I love to share inspiration for a beautiful life and support other sweet mamas and bosses struggling to do it all while maintaining their identity and sanity. xoxo Haydee (iDay, like Friday!)

All you need is love; Love is all you need. {one weekend, two cakes}

September 4, 2012

I am refreshed from the long weekend. Glad I got to do so much, and enjoy time off with my sweet family.

I baked two cakes this weekend — Banana Fosters Rum Cake for my friend’s birthday on Saturday, and Natural Red Velvet Cake {Recipe courtesy of Sophistimom} for our Labor Day BBQ on Sunday. The girls helped me along the way, and it took three days to complete both cakes from start to finish!

The weather was beautiful on Sunday. We entertained, ate good food in great company and the girls and Lucas had a good time too!

The girls had so much fun, playing with bubbles and getting nice and dirty in our backyard.

It was a long weekend, all right, and we were grateful for the extra day of family fun. The girls weren’t ready to go to bed after all the fun, but eventually they gave in. The joy they had is written all over their face on Monday evening.

I hope you found a fun way to celebrate the long weekend, too, and enjoyed good food and company. Even though summer is officially over for many of you, there are many more good times to come in the future!

~the sweetest mami~

ps The title of this blog is a fun and loving quote we posted at home this weekend. We want to post a new one each week. Hope you enjoyed it. {courtesy of the Beatles}

Do you speak {Ikea}?

August 27, 2012

{i heart ikea}

We were at a small get-together last weekend, and I immediately spotted many IKEA pieces in the hostess’ home. I loved the way she created such cozy and kid-friendly spaces in her home. We immediately got to talking about how we both loved IKEA so much, and it was funny that we referred to the pieces by name! When she told me to make myself at home, she said I could nurse Lucas in the POANG chair in her little boy’s room and I replied I had the same chair in our nursery at home!

I find it interesting that so many people are IKEA-haters, yet I continue to find their pieces in so many different places, ranging from small apartments to large homes, and even in restaurants and bistro cafes. Personally, every time I buy something from IKEA, I tell myself it is temporary, until I can afford the ‘real thing’, so to say, but having said that, I still have some pieces in use that are *gasp* over ten years old!

In time, though, I hope we can complete our transition to more durable, life-time furniture. Over the most recent years, we have added a Crate & Barrel Dining Room set and Pottery Barn entertainment center to our collection of furniture, but the Wish List keeps growing and our budget cannot keep up with it yet!

So, I find myself wondering…how many other people are in this situation? Do you love IKEA, too, and plan to keep it forever, or dream of upgrading one day? Do you have any pictures to share of how you’ve made IKEA furniture your own? There’s also a great blog for people who like to reinvent IKEA pieces; it’s called Ikea Hackers and has great ideas to share!

Here’s an ode to the most-often seen and used pieces from IKEA. I wonder how many of you recognize these pieces, ALL of which are in my home. Can you tell me where I’ve used these items? Which ones do you own, or covet?

{Happy Decorating}

~the sweetest mami~

love at {first} sight

August 23, 2012

Loving my life. This is Lucas in his first pair of swim trunks enjoying his first of many days out with the family at a resort pool, in lovely Palm Beach. We stayed at the Breakers resort and loved every minute of it!

Life is good.

{the sweetest mami}

{America, the beautiful}

August 16, 2012

I’ve been away from home for less than a week, and am so grateful I get to return home today. Oddly enough, this was my first domestic trip I took since the flight from Phoenix to Fort Lauderdale nearly two years ago, when I moved to Florida with my dear family.

I’m in Madison, Wisconsin, and have to admit it is one beautiful town. Very picturesque and small-town feel. Driving through downtown, it is nice to see virtually no big-name stores or restaurants. It’s full of one-of-a-kind shops and eating places. I’m grateful to be here in the summer, because I hear the winters are brutal. The weather has been warm and sunny, and only today has it started to rain a bit here and there. The landscape is ever so green and hilly; I’d really hate to be here during an ice or snow storm!

@Rocky Rococo’s – home of best pan pizza in town!

I was tempted to try this soup, but passed!

home made frozen custard, less than a mile from the office..dangerous!

Well, I’ve enjoyed my stay here and made the most of my ‘free’ time away from home. Caught a couple of movies and enjoyed some frozen custard and local cheeses too. The time has come to return to my lovely family, which I’ve missed dearly.

~the sweetest mami~

{Summer Brights} Fun ideas to brighten up your home.

July 13, 2012

creamsicle — Classic Dominican Creamsicle – “Morir Sonando”
Courtesy of ‘Dominican Cooking’

I’m on a decorating high from all the little changes I’ve slowly made in my home, and all those that are yet to come. Here are a few quick tips I hope you can use to liven up your home during these summer months. It’s amazing how far your dollar can go, when you make a conscious effort.

Bring fresh flowers into your space. For less than $10, there are many single-bloom bouquets you can buy at your local grocery store. My favorites are sunflowers and pink roses, depending on the mood I’m in. If you want to make an impact with a small amount of flowers, simply place individual blooms into small bud vases (or wine bottles, even) and display them grouped together or spaced out evenly on a larger surface such as your dining room table or a shelf.
Frame a few of your favorite photos and make a statement. I’ll bet there are plenty of great memories you’ve got stashed away waiting to be displayed. Select a few of your most fun and colorful shots, and group them together in simple white frames to bring some joy into your world. If you have spare frames lying around, but are different colors, just spray paint them all in white for a more uniform look.
Make your own art. Go ahead, embrace the artist in you. Buy a canvas board and scribble a quote that is meaningful to you. If you dare, do it in your own hand writing. If you want it to be picture perfect, buy a stencil and fill it in with paint once done. I have so many ideas for boards I want to create, I almost don’t know where to start. Here are some I am considering for somewhat of a ‘family wall’ I am going to create near our entry: “Home is where the heart is”; “Love lives here”; “Duarte Family, established 2008”; “LOVE” in block letters, much like the famous sculpture. In our kitchen, I am going to make our own “Eat, Drink and Be Merry” sign(s). The possibilities are endless. Start off by painting the background, then adding your own lettering in a complementary color for a nice pop.

Here are a few images I hope will inspire you.