12 Days of Christmas [Picturebook]
[Husband’s company Christmas party at Barn at the Springs]
[First of several holiday movies watched – Love Actually]
[Team Christmas party, with our very own Snapchat filter!]
[Night on the Fayetteville square + dinner at Tiny Tim’s]
[Friend Christmas party with photobooth fun + telephone pictionary]
[Christmas Eve with the in-laws]
[Early Christmas morning || Very full hearts, indeed]
[Christmas Brunch at Mom’s || Have yourself a merry little cocktail]
[Christmas evening at the Aggus’]
[Sadly, our final Christmas shindig got cancelled thanks to rain/flooding/tornados the day after Christmas. Instead of a Family Christmas Cocktail Party of 20, Husband and I ate the prepared food, drank the purchased booze and had a perfect little party for ourselves.]
Other wonderful Christmas celebrations not pictured:
Annual Community Group favorite things party at Fred’s Hickory Inn
Weekend in Little Rock visiting two amazing families
xo xo
Book Reviews: Mindy, Mars + The Undersea
Why Not Me? – Mindy Kaling: In my humble opinion, Mindy Kaling can do no wrong, and if you follow my blog this comes as no surprise to you. Her second book wasn’t quite as entertaining as her first (which I gave an A+), but still a great, easy read that made me laugh out loud and gave interesting behind the scenes insight into the life of a comedy writer (and my celebrity spirit animal).
Grade: A
The Martian – Andy Weir: I started and finished this on the plane ride home from Europe. I was sick of movies and magazines, so I grabbed husband’s kindle and this was the only thing that looked remotely interesting. I loved this book! It was fascinating. It was written so well and in such a unique way that you were hooked from the beginning. The only reason I didn’t give it an A+ is because it got a little too scientific a few times, but you could easily skim those (as I did) and still understand what was going on.
Grade: A
From This Day Forward – Craig and Amy Groeschel: This was our latest couples Bible study read, and I think we were all disappointed. This book was SO cheesy. Let me say it again – This.Book.Was.SO.Cheesy. It literally made me cringe at times. There were some good points of discussion, but they could have easily been shared in an article (or a pamphlet, as someone in our group suggested). There were no marriage revelations, but we had some great group discussions on basic marriage principles, and so for that, I gave it a passing grade.
Grade: C+
(City on Fire – Garth Risk Hallberg: I started reading this and stopped about 100 pages in. I wouldn’t say it was bad per se, but it wasn’t great either, and it was 900+ pages, so I wasn’t going to waste that much time on something I wasn’t really interested in. The debut author is definitely a talented writer, but took too long to get the story going and could be a touch superfluous.)
Station Eleven – Emily St. John Mandel: This book has been on my list for a while and I’m glad I finally picked it up. As a post-apocalyptic story, it’s very different from my typical read, but I enjoyed it. I was a little bored at the beginning, but about mid-way through it takes on a whole new life weaving in stories of pre- and post- apocalypse and you see how they will all come together at the end. And it was, a terrific ending.
Grade: B+
Next Up: Me Before You – Jojo Meyes
You can read all my book reviews here.
xo xo
life lately
{obsessing over this || adorable baby E – in our matching sweats!}
{feeling thankful for this || wonderful families to celebrate Thanksgiving with}
{eating this || my first hanukkah dinner, complete with potato latkes, matzah ball soup, challah, lamb and rugelach}
{loving this || amazing guy – my holiday party partner-in-crime}
{learning this || how to play poker … remind me to tell you about that time I kept going all in (just so I could go home and go to bed) and kept winning … :))
{oohing over this || beautiful sunset, 60 degree december weather and my favorite puppy}
xo xo
Favorite Things: Gift Edition
- Bobbi Brown Lip Balm – Sephora, $20
I’m so obsessed with this lip balm. It feels amazing, has the perfect amount of shine, and comes in a cute tin. This is a great stocking stuffer. (Hint, hint..) - Magazine Subscription – Price varies by magazine
This is a great gift because you can choose a magazine based on the person’s interests, and it keeps giving all year round. I was gifted Real Simple for Christmas a few years ago, and thought it was such a great idea. It’s also so much more affordable than you’d think! - Plaid Scarf – Etsy, $20
This is the BEST scarf. It’s big, cozy and perfectly plaid. I’ve seen these in local stores for $40, so this is a great deal and I can personally attest the scarf is great quality. - Personalized Mug – Etsy, $14
This is another great gift you can personalize! For example, this one is perfect for me, but if you just search Etsy, you’ll definitely find one for anyone on your list. You could even fill it with candy, coffee, a gift card, etc. - Zodiac Necklace – Sequin NYC, $48
My mom got me this for my golden birthday this year, and I’ve loved it. I get compliments on it every time I wear it because it’s so unique. This would make a perfect gift for the accessory lover or sign-obsessed. - “Why Not Me?” by Mindy Kaling – Walmart, $15
Books are always great gifts. (If you need more recommendations, check mine out here!) And this is a great new book that will keep you laughing all the way through. Have I mentioned before how much I love Mindy?!
xo xo
How to Throw a Star Wars Watch Party, By a Non-Star Wars Fan
Until last night, I had never seen a Star Wars movie. (Well, supposedly I saw one in the theater with Husband, but all I could tell you about it was that Natalie Portman was in it. And I didn’t know until last night that she isn’t Princess Leia…)
Well, now I’ve seen three. But it took about 6 months to convince me to watch them.
Here’s the secret – turn something into a themed party, and I’ll watch anything. I was inspired by this Buzzfeed list – 17 Foods Guaranteed to Excite Any “Star Wars” Fan – so I gathered the troops for a watch party. Star Wars themed attire encouraged. Star Wars themed food required.
Guess what, it was a success! Themed food and drinks are always so much more fun, as you’ll see below. The movies, well … I can’t say I’m a big fan, but I will absolutely be re-wearing my Star Wars shirt to the premiere. (And maybe sneak in some themed food …)
[We made it through 2 movies – Episode IV and Episode V]
[Just a few of my pun-y names, that I thought were hilarious.
Not pictured: Boba Fett-uccine and (my personal favorite) 5 Leia Dip]
[This drink was EVERYTHING. I still don’t know who Qui-Gon Gin is, but the drink sure is delicious and looked so awesome.]
May the Force be with you.
xo xo
Homemade Alfredo Sauce {Recipe} + How Index Cards Will Make Your Life Easier
Often I get in moods to bake. Sometimes I get in moods to cook. Rarely I get in moods to meal plan.
This weekend I did all three, and I’m so glad I did. Mostly the last one. Keep reading and you’ll see why.
B A K E – Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
I’d already spent a full day in my pajamas – watching TV, cleaning the house, reading magazines, organizing my closet, watching more TV – and by 5pm I was done. I needed to get out of the house or do something. (It was 40 degrees and raining, so I chose the latter.)
Pumpkin bread is one of my favorite things and I typically make it every fall. I posted a recipe here last year. This year I tried a new recipe and added mini chocolate chips. Turned out fine, not great, but it kept my idle hands busy, and now I have a loaf to share with some friends later this week.
C O O K – Homemade Alfredo Sauce
Next up was dinner. Of course we had no food, and of course I didn’t want to go to the grocery store. (Reminder: it was 40 degrees and raining!!) I decided to raid the pantry and refrigerator and force something to work. I found half a box of pasta and chicken in the freezer … but no sauce.
Then it hit me. How do you make alfredo sauce? It can’t be that hard, right? Or have that many ingredients, right? Y’all. I’m never buying jar alfredo sauce AGAIN. Okay, I never bought it in the first place, because I’m not really an alfredo fan, but seriously, now I am. It was SO easy, and SO delicious.
Ingredients:
1/2 c butter
8 oz. cream cheese (which we happened to have leftover from our bagel bar)
2 c milk
2 teaspoons garlic powder
6 oz grated parmesan cheese
black ground pepper
dash of nutmeg
Directions:
- Melt butter in a medium, non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with wire whisk until smooth. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked too long. Toss with hot pasta to serve.
M E A L P L A N
Meal planning for the week is the worst. Can I get an amen?? It just seems so difficult to decide what to eat for dinner every single night. And cook it. And clean it up. And do it all over again the next week.
Well, husband had a great idea. Write down all of our recipes on index cards, then each Sunday choose from the stack for the week, add all ingredients to Walmart Pickup-Grocery (seriously, life changing) and that’s it!
I spent several hours Sunday going through recipes on my blog, on Pinterest and cookbooks. I wrote the name and ingredients on one side, and the location of the recipe on the back. Maybe someday I’ll write the full recipe on there, but this was a good start. I also added asterisks to the top right of foods that are whole 30 approved.
You could even take this one step further and pin it somewhere in the kitchen so the whole family can see what’s for dinner for the week.
I love this idea, and I think it will make meal planning so much easier, and the great thing is, I can keep adding to my index cards when I find more recipes I enjoy!
Do you have tips for meal planning? Or a favorite recipe you want to share, so I can add it to a card?
xo xo
Weekend Picturebook: 3rd Annual Cabin Getaway
I cannot believe it’s been three years now that we started one of my favorite traditions. The weekend before Thanksgiving our community group rents a cabin and has a relaxing kid-free/puppy-free weekend doing whatever we please – eating (abundantly), napping (occasionally), laughing (constantly) – and just enjoying each other.
This year we had two new couples join us, and had so much fun and made so many memories we will never forget. (Well, thanks to my blog, that is. :))
[Started the weekend off right with Lagavulin and hanging by the fire]
[and a surprise baby shower for Garrett + Rachel with these ADORABLE cookies]
[Each couple was responsible for a meal. We had breakfast and did a bagel bar, complete with schmear, lox, prosciutto, cheese, fruit, pb, nutella, etc. etc., and mimosas, of course.]
[There was time for crafting … ]
[time for napping …]
[and time for exploring.]
[Saturday night, we watched the Razorback game, made s’mores at halftime,
[then mended our broken hearts with some telephone pictionary, where we all ended up crying from laughing so hard.]
[Our favorite part of the weekend was all of the hilarious lake signs hanging around the cabin, and working them into conversation all weekend, including this one, which was our favorite – The trout, the trout, and nothing but the trout, so help me cod.]
[I seriously don’t know what I would do without these people in my life. I am so thankful for their friendship and such an incredible weekend.]
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Cabin Getaway 2013, Cabin Getaway 2014
life lately
{staging this || our Harry Potter and the Golden Snitch Halloween photo}
{visiting this || a Frank Lloyd Wright house uprooted from NJ and brought to Crystal Bridges}
{cheering on this || high school football with mom}
{drinking this || cider tastings at Black Apple Crossing with husband}
{obsessing over this || macarons + cappuccino from the newly opened Onyx in downtown Bentonville}
xo xo
Oh, Baby
Let’s go ahead and get this out there – I’m not pregnant. But that’s exactly what this post is about.
Here are the facts: I’m 26, Husband is 28. We’ve been married for 4 1/2 years. We always had a 5 year plan – Go on a big, two-week European vacation (done), then start trying to have kids.
If you had asked me two months ago if that was still the case, I would have said yes. I had baby fever like you wouldn’t believe. One of our dear friends had her adorable baby boy several months ago, and of course that made my fever skyrocket. Everyone around me was getting pregnant, and I thought I was so ready. There was just one little problem, Husband was not ready. (That might be a problem, right?)
I fought it. I knew I was right, that we were ready, there was no time like the present, we weren’t getting younger, etc. etc. I was devastated that I so desperately wanted a baby at this moment and Husband wasn’t quite there yet.
Then I got some wise words of advice – Pray for God to align your hearts.
So I did. And you know how they say, “Be careful what you wish for”?
A month ago, we went on a trip of a lifetime. We enjoyed every minute of the trip and every minute with each other. Then we came home and I realized something, I wasn’t ready to have a baby. I was enjoying this precious time with Husband so much, and there were still so many adventures for us to go on.
God sure did align our hearts, but He aligned mine to Husband’s, instead of the other way around which I was POSITIVE would be the case. God’s pretty funny, yeah? I know this was His plan all along.
It’s easy to get frustrated when people around you want you to have a baby, and talk about it or ask about it a lot. But then I realized something, we are SO lucky to have those people in our lives because they love us and are just excited for us. We are SO lucky to have two incredible families within 20 miles of us who will be there for us every step of the way once we do get pregnant and do have a baby.
So no, we will not be having a baby soon, but you can keep asking. Because I will not get frustrated, but instead, with a genuine smile will say, “Not right now. I’m enjoying time with my Husband.”
xo xo
Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup {recipe}
I’m currently dealing with a split personality.
I’m obsessing over Fall – the gorgeous weather, the vibrant leaves (see below, oooh ahhhh), the pumpkin spice lattes everything, the boots, the scarves, I could go on and on.
But I’m also SO ready for the holiday season – the merry music, the red Starbucks cups, the festive parties. (I might have already decorated our house this weekend, and I have no shame about it.)
However, I’m still holding on to a piece of the current season, and with the dip in temperatures this weekend, I turned to a new recipe that is so perfectly Fall. Enter Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup.
I’ve never been a big soup fan because they just aren’t hearty enough, but this one is quite the opposite and has just as much flavor.
Seriously though, I didn’t even get a good picture, but I just had to share because it is so damn good and so damn easy. Enjoy!
I T A L I A N S A U S A G E T O R T E L L I N I S O U P
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 lb Italian Sausage – we used sweet sausage and it was perfect
- 1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 medium sized onion)
- 1 tablespoon garlic
- 1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1-32. oz. box of vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil (I used basil powder since I couldn’t find fresh in my store)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 package tortellini
- 1 cup packed fresh spinach
- Topping: Shredded parmesan – the real, good stuff!
Directions
- Heat a large, heavy bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Heat vegetable oil and add diced onion. Saute until onions are soft.
- Crumble Italian Sausage and garlic with the onion. Cook until sausage is no longer pink.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover. Let soup simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- Add tortellini and spinach and simmer for about ten minutes, until pasta is tender.
- Serve with shredded Parmesan.
xo xo
You might also enjoy: One-Pan Balsamic Chicken Recipe, One Pot Chicken Lo Mein
TV Reviews: Fall 2015
Calling all TV show junkies like me, below are my mid-mid-season reviews of my shows too far. If you’re judging me for how many shows I watch, you’re clearly not the target audience for this post, so just stop now and keep your mouth shut. If you’re loving me for how many shows I watch, we should clearly be friends and we have a lot to discuss.
5/5 Stars
The Walking Dead – Oh my gosh, this season has been phenomenal. The best in a while. (Note: This rating is purely under the assumption my boy is alive.)
Jane the Virgin –Binged S1 on Netflix, and I’m so in love with Jane and Rafael and this show. And now Mateo, awwwww! [pictured]
iZombie – This is the most underrated show ever. I feel like no one is watching it, and everyone needs to! I need it to stay on air!
*NEW* Quantico – From the first episode I’ve been totally hooked. It’s so intense and the main girl is so gorgeous you can just stare at her the whole show.
4/5 Stars
Nashville – Good season so far, but so ready for Scarlett and Gunnar to get back together already and for Juliette to stop being ridiculous.
Mindy Project – This show started out so hilarious I couldn’t take it. However, the last few eps have been duds, so hoping it can come back strong. [pictured]
3.5/5 Stars
Scandal – FINALLY Olivia and Fitz are together together. Good season so far, but still not where it used to be. [pictured]
How to Get Away With Murder – They’ve kept me more hooked so far than I thought they could, but I’m still concerned about how sustainable the show really is.
Big Bang Theory – I laugh out loud every time I watch the show, but I hate how they married Penny and Leonard after all they’ve been through, so I guess I’m still a little bitter.
3/5 Stars
Empire – I think I gave myself too high of expectations. The first season of this show can never be beat, and that’s very clear this season.
*NEW* Blood & Oil – Okay, to be honest, there are only three reasons I’m watching this show:
1. Chace Crawford aka Nate Archibald (Gossip Girl) [pictured]
2. Wilson Bethel aka Wade Kinsella (Hart of Dixie)
3. Scott Michael Foster aka Cappie (Greek)
*NEW* Blindspot – I would have given this even less of a rating if not for the last two episodes. It has potential, but they need to remove the cheese factor a bit.
2/5 Stars – Officially CUT from the watchlist
Scream Queens – I watched the pilot on the plane to Europe and thought it was hilarious. Then, it went downhill so fast. I don’t know if it’s a comedy/horror/both/neither, and I can’t waste my previous TV watching time while they figure it out.
What are your favorite shows this season?
xo xo
Life Lately [post-Europe]
[snuggling with this || as much as possible – we missed our baby!]
[doing this || basic white girl fall activities – pumpkin picking, corn mazing, pumpkin carving + haunted houses]
[loving this || date night + celebratory dinner at Mister B’s steakhouse]
[enjoying this || amazing game day tailgating + calling those hogs all the way into 4OT. WPS!]
[eating and drinking this || oktoberfest with friends, complete with sausage + sauerkraut, german beer tasting, games and of course, german chocolate cupcakes]
xo xo
Life Starts All Over Again When it Gets Crisp in the Fall
Fall feels like change.
Fall 2014: My mom tells me she’s getting re-married.
Fall 2013: I spend some wonderful last weekends with my dad (Halloween, Thanksgiving). Unbeknownst to me the change that is to happen soon.
Fall 2012: I get a new job, and a change in my career I will forever be grateful for.
And this fall, I came back from a wonderful vacation with more change at work than I could have ever imagined. It was all good news for me, but still a lot of change.
I’ve written before about the only constant in life being change, focusing specifically on my Fall 2014 change. But for some reason I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately.
As much as I love fall, it also makes me melancholy and nostalgic, probably due to Fall 2013 change. And also because fall brings in the season of holidays, a wonderful time of year, but also a time of year where we really miss the ones who are no longer with us.
I miss my dad. I really, really miss him. I really missed him this weekend when husband and I ate at Waffle House and I remembered the first time I ever ate at a WH was in high school because my dad was appalled I’d never been and insisted we go. I really missed him when we got back from vacation and I couldn’t tell him all about Oktoberfest. I really miss him every.single.time I see a Jeep Grand Waggoner “Woody” because he thought his was so cool and I thought it was so embarrassing.
Change is hard. But the thing is, you can’t stop it from happening and you just have to deal with it. You are where you are for a reason. Whether it’s opening up to a new family, dealing with grief or learning a new job, you have to accept the change and be determined to make the best of the situation you’re in.
Or you can just follow my new life mantra –
That works pretty well too.
Either way, YOU determine how you feel and YOU determine how change will affect you. No one else can do that. So I say, embrace whatever change fall has brought you.
Or, just drink a lot of wine.
xo xo
Aldermans Go Global: Munich
D A Y 1 – O K T O B E R F E S T
[Wilkommen to Deutschland! What an amazing surprise from my friend Bobbi Joe, waiting for me at our hotel. Dirndl and all here we come, Oktoberfest!]
[I can’t even describe how amazing of an experience this was!! Something we will never forget!]
[So much food! Pretzels, two hens, pork knuckle and the best potato salad I’ve ever eaten!]
[We were in the Augustiner beer tent for 5 1/2 hours, and by the end, everyone was standing on their tables dancing and singing, without a care in the world.]
D A Y 2
[Beautiful day exploring the city – Glockenspiel and Marienplatz]
[Viktualienmarkt – basically a huge amazing farmers market! And I just wanted to buy all the flowers all the time!]
[Michael Jackson memorial outside the Bayerischer Hof Hotel, where he stayed several times and other celebrities stay in Munich.]
[When in Munich … eat pizza? Strange I know, but it was incredible because the meat is just so good on anything you put it on.]
[Early night in after a late night previously and a long day of walking. But of course, still laying in bed drinking beer.]
D A Y 3
[Lunch at Hofbrau Haus!]
[Another beautiful day walking around the city and enjoying beautiful gardens.]
[Delicious meal at Cafe Tambosi – pumpkin and brown sugar ravioli in a honey truffle sauce and dessert: fresh pineapple with pistachio ice cream and real cream. Drooling now just thinking about it.]
D A Y 4
(We were supposed to take a trip to Austria our last two days of vacation, but unfortunately trains were suspended due to migrants, so we made the best of our extra time in Munich!)
[Rainy days are for museums – first up, Museum Brandhorst with an amaaaazing Warhol exhibit!]
[Next museum, Pinakothek der Moderne filled with everything you could imagine such as furniture, the first Apple computer and Dali’s!]
[The BMW Museum was so cool, inside and out! And of course the MINI exhibition was my favorite.]
[We were looking for a place to eat dinner, and we just couldn’t pass up the meat cooking in the window. It was seriously the best thing we ate in Munich (and as you saw, we ate some great food). The pork knuckle and sauerkraut was incredible, and the flaming apple fritters were awesome.]
D A Y 5 – Last day in Munich
[Our last day in Munich we spent shopping in the morning, and then relaxing and drinking beer all afternoon at our now favorite beer garden Augustiner-Keller.
Then back to the hotel, watching the Scream Queens pilot on the iPad and figuring out how to pack everything to take it home…]
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Aldermans Go Global: London, Aldermans Go Global: Paris
Aldermans Go Global: Paris
D A Y 1
[Arrived in Paris to a beautiful day and another adorable (Rick Steve’s recommended) hotel – Hotel Des Grandes Ecoles. This was the cobblestone pathway that led to the hotel behind closed doors from the street, and the adorable patio/garden where everyone sat and drank wine every afternoon. To say I could get use to this would be an understatement.]
[6-course French wine + champagne tasting]
[Dinner at Louvre Ripaille – mushroom risotto + beef bourguignon (and a creepy husband)]
[Moonlit stroll home with Notre Dame + Love Locks]
D A Y 2
[Musee d’Orsay was incredible – highly recommend it! And the special exhibition was amazing. Pictured: At the Moulin Rouge by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec]
[Our favorite thing about Paris was just walking around, exploring and these gorgeous views.]
[One of the last remaining original metro signs]
[We didn’t go in the Louvre, but we did stop by for some photos]
[Wine in our hotel patio/garden. Like I said before, I could get use to this.]
[It was a looooong walk to the Eiffel Tower after an already long day of walking, but these views sure were worth it. <3]
D A Y 3
[Cappuccinos + croque monsieur at Le Descartes]
[Strolled through the gorgeous Jardin du Luxembourg]
[Laduree was a dream! And the macarons were amazing! From L to R: Iced Mint, Salted Caramel, Pistachio, Coffee (our favorite!), Rose Petal, Marie Antoinette]
[We stumbled upon this pop-up art museum and had to go in. Turns out it was an Hermes exhibition that was one of the coolest things we saw in Paris. We felt like we were in Alice in Wonderland!]
[This hole-in-the-wall bar in Montmarte served us the best duck we have ever tasted. It seriously melted in my mouth, and was my favorite thing we ate on the trip.]
[Loved seeing a show at the Moulin Rouge! So much fun!]
D A Y 4 – Last day in Paris
[The Hall of Mirrors at Versailles was stunning!]
[And so were the grounds – wow! Versailles was so impressive. There aren’t even words to describe it.]
[Another adorable side street with Shakespeare and Co. bookstore + take-away crepes. It doesn’t get more French than walking the streets with a crepe.]
[Dinner on Ile Saint-Louie was so romantic! A perfect end to our Parisian adventure.]
[We loved you, Paris! We will definitely be back!]
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Aldermans Go Global: London
Aldermans Go Global: London
D A Y 1
[First impression of London – I mean, WHY can’t our taxis be this adorable?! I already love this city.]
[Kensington Palace and Gardens was huge and gorgeous. We spent our first afternoon strolling the park, people and swan-watching, and finding the Peter Pan statue! #NeverGrowUp]
[Then, the unthinkable happened. I took this picture literally minutes before a drunk homeless guy came over and spilled his alcohol all over my pants. Like, I’m not kidding you when I say I reeked of alcohol and my pants were drenched. Long story short, it led to new pants from Zara and … ]
[… finding this place, The Cockpit. We ended up missing our pub tour we’d booked, but instead we found this pub that was so quintessentially English it was amazing. There were no tourists, Rugby World Cup was on the TV and most importantly, the beer was flowing. Probably our favorite place from the entire trip.]
[Pub stop #2. We just decided to make our own pub tour.]
[After a few beers, we were more than happy to take these cliche pics.]
D A Y 2
[Our Rick Steve’s recommended hotel was so adorable. I would highly recommend it to anyone. Not to mention we had a full, traditional English breakfast every morning. Not pictured: The baked beans that came with this and were SO good. (For breakfast! IKR!) Pictured: The most amazing bacon and grilled tomatoes you’ve ever had.]
[Tower of London, Crown Jewels and adorable husband – check!]
[And awesome views of the Tower Bridge – check!]
[My favorite thing we did in London was the Sunday afternoon church service at Westminster Abby. The choir was PHENOMENAL. I’ve never heard anything like it before in my life. Also, I couldn’t stop thinking about how Will + Kate got married here, sooooo that was pretty cool.]
[Favorite photo from the trip! Thanks random strangers from Chicago. <3]
[Next up – The London Eye. Which I did not like. So I promptly rewarded myself with ice cream. And as mom later reminded me, she always use to reward me with ice cream too.]
[After a loooooong day of walking, we decided to stick near our hotel for dinner. Come to find out the restaurant literally right next door was highly rated on Yelp. We both had great meals, but it was the dessert that left an impression. This orange creme brulee was TDF. Tiny, but TDF.]
D A Y 3
[Waiting with thousands of other people for the changing of the guards!]
[And the wait was totally worth it. Next time I have to go in Buckingham Palace!]
[Churchill War Rooms was Kyle’s favorite thing from London. It was literally the secret, underground bunker Churchill used during WW2, and it was fascinating.]
[Not Pictured: The National Gallery museum – highly recommend!]
[Lunch at Red Lion Pub and our first fish and chips, which we LOVED.]
[Tower Bridge selfie on our hop-on, hop-off tour bus! We loved this. It was a great way to see the city and fun to sit on top!]
[Dinner: The Thomas Cubitt
This may sound crazy, but this was the best soup I’ve ever had in my life – white onion + thyme with wilshire truffles and croutons. Like, I can still remember exactly what it tastes like, and I’m not even a soup person. Also, our appetizer got messed up and instead we got smoked quail, and surprisingly it was delicious.]
D A Y 4 – L A S T D A Y I N L O N D O N
[Kew Gardens was just gorgeous, and the weather was so perfect. My pictures don’t do it justice (and of course I took like a million.) But I had to share this one of the peacock that just walked right in front of me on the path – it was incredible! We were like, where are we?!]
[Mid-morning cake + cappuccinos.]
[Not Pictured: Victoria + Albert Museum – also highly recommend!]
[One thing we did not get to do that I really wanted to was go to Notting Hill (I will just have to re-watch the movie and go back!). This was the closest we got – Churchill Arms, a famous pub full of flowers and plants inside and out that also served delicious Indian food.]
But before we headed to Paris, there was one more thing we HAD to do …
[JK, we’re not going to Paris, we’re headed to Hogwarts!!]
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Aldermans Go Global: There’s No Place Like Home
Aldermans Go Global: There’s No Place Like Home
We’ve been home from vacation for approximately 72 hours, and I would already take the next plane back if it was offered to me.
Ever since we got married (4 1/2 years ago), we’ve talked about a two-week vacation to Europe just the two of us. It finally happened, and it was even more amazing than I could have even dreamed.
I’ll be doing a series of blog posts over the next week or so, sharing photos and details about our trip. (In case you just didn’t get enough following me on Instagram. 🙂 )
But first, a few thoughts after re-entry:
[FROM EUROPE] I M I S S …
Full English breakfasts served steps from our room.
Staying out until midnight, and sleeping in until 10am.
Being fully present in the moment because our phones weren’t pinging us with texts, emails, notifications, etc.
Mine and husband’s squabbling over maps and which direction to go.
Stopping at a cafe for a glass of wine (or two) at 2pm, because we can.
Walking everywhere.
The laid-back dining culture, where waiters don’t harass you and you can properly enjoy a meal.
European cappuccinos.
(with full-fat milk! and if you asked otherwise they looked at you like you were crazy)
Being around so many different cultures with different stories, and meeting new people.
Learning something new every day.
The laissez-faire attitude.
Quality time with just husband, every single day, learning more about him and enjoying him.
[FROM HOME] I M I S S E D …
Ice water. Seriously. Some of you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Snuggling with my fur-baby, Olli.
Understanding everyone, and all menus, at all times.
My mom. No matter how old I get, she’ll always be my Lorelei.
My TV shows.
(I’m sure that sounds lame, but we did leave as Fall TV started back, and we know how much I love my Fall TV…)
Mexican Food. Give me some chips and guac and queso and margs, please.
Group texts. I have two groups I communicate with on a daily basis, and I missed my dear ones.
My own bed, with my own pillows, and a FAN.
The indescribable feeling of being home.
xo xo
Fall TV: 5 Season Premieres I’m Dying To Watch
After my Friday Night Light binge, I had a TV hangover. I was distraught over the loss of my Dillon, TX family and had nothing else to watch. I searched and searched, but couldn’t find anything to fill the void.
I’ve been pining over my Fall TV Shows to come back, and now that it’s September there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Here are the shows I’m most excited to see back on air.
T H E M I N D Y P R O J E C T
Premiere: Sept. 15
Anyone who knows me, knows I’m obsessed with Mindy Kaling. This is one of the few comedies we are watching, and I’m hoping Hulu (who picked it up after Fox crazily cancelled it) doesn’t screw it up. As long as Danny keeps dancing, Mindy keeps being Mindy and Danny and Mindy keep being Danny and Mindy, I think we’re safe.
E M P I R E
Premiere: Sept. 23
“Welcome back to the Lyon’s den.” This show shocked me last season at how much I enjoyed it, though I don’t know why since it’s basically the hip-hop version of Nashville (which I LOVE, see below). I listened to the soundtrack on repeat, so I’m looking forward to more great music and of course, more Cookie.
N A S H V I L L E
Premiere: Sept. 23
Ahhh, I love this show. And they cannot kill Deacon! They wouldn’t! He and Rayna are finally a couple and adorable (and I love Connie Britton even more now after FNL). I can’t wait to see more drama, more music and hopefully a Scarlett and Gunnar reunion.
T H E W A L K I N G D E A D
Premiere: Oct. 11
I don’t even know what to expect from this show anymore, except that it keeps me on the edge of my seat every.single.episode. I absolutely cannot wait for October 11 (which, by the way, is the weekend we get back from Europe, and this is a perfect coming home gift).
P R E T T Y L I T T L E L I A R S
Premiere: TBA
I don’t even know if this show is coming back in the Fall or next year, but I couldn’t leave it off the list because I’m ridiculously obsessed. We finally found who “A” is, but of course that doesn’t mean it’s over. Fast forward 5 years and there’s a new mystery that brings all the girls back from Rosewood. The biggest question in my mind though – Who is Hanna married to? And is that a baby bump?!
[Also on the Alderman TV Lineup: The Good Wife, How to Get Away with Murder, iZombie, The Blacklist, Big Bang Theory, Scandal
NEW shows: Blood & Oil, Limitless]
What show are you looking forward to the most?
xo xo
Life After Whole30
I officially finished Whole30, and it changed my life.
Okay, that may be a little dramatic, but really, it changed a lot. I’ve been writing weekly updates about Whole30, and you can see how my thinking has changed over just 3 weeks.
At this point, I honestly feel like I could be an infomercial for clean eating – it makes you feel so much better, your cravings will decrease, you’ll lose weight, you’ll have more energy, yada, yada, yada.
I’ve been slowly adding in some more foods, and a few strange things have happened since I’ve finished Whole30 –
Some foods haven’t tasted as good. I had my first cappuccino and it wasn’t as amaaazing as I thought it would be. As I was drinking it, I honestly missed my black coffee. Granted, husband and I have become a coffee snob – only drinking high quality, locally roasted coffee with an aeropress, but I was still surprised. But, I will, of course, have to drink a PSL when Fall decides to show.
I haven’t missed some foods. Like, bread or beans or rice or pasta. Some bread, yes, like Sister Schubert’s rolls, but a basic sandwich? Never again. I’d much rather eat a good salad for lunch. I looove me some mexican food, but I could easily skip the beans and rice and just eat tacos (all day, every day). And of course I will eat some really good pasta, but it just seems so heavy thinking about it, which leads me to …
I’m not eating as much because I know when I’m full. I’m not eating just to eat anymore. I’ve learned more about my body and what I need. We had pizza last night for the first time, but instead of over-indulging because it’s so delicious, I ate some salad with my pizza and was happily full.
Some things I HAVE missed though … wine, pizza, desserts, cheese … and I will eat and drink those things to my heart’s content.
Overall, I am so glad I did Whole30, and could definitely see myself doing it again if I ever strayed too far away from my current habits of mostly clean eating. I plan on continuing to share good, clean recipes on this blog and would love to hear any tips or recipes from you as well!
xo xo
Book Reviews: Chills, Thrills + Skills
Before I Go To Sleep: This book creeeeped me out, but I really, really enjoyed reading it. It’s about a woman who has amnesia, and wakes up every morning and can’t remember anything – who’s sleeping next to her, where she is, how old she is, etc. She starts keeping a journal of everything she learns about herself that day, so the next day she can read it and get caught up on her life. We are reading the journal as she is, so it’s like we’re learning alongside her … eek! I found out it was turned into a movie with Nicole Kidman, so watch the trailer to see if you’re interested: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtSzAEvBIK0
Of course, the book is always better than the movie.
Grade: A
My Sunshine Away: This book’s been on my list for a while, and sadly it was a disappointment. The characters didn’t compel me enough to really want to keep reading. I did though, mostly to solve the mystery in the book, but I could have easily put it down and not cared too much about it.
Grade: C+
[Dropped book: I’ll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson – Another one I’d been waiting to read for a while, and I’m SO surprised I didn’t enjoy it. I read about 70 pages and stopped.]
The Smartest Kids in the World and how they got that way: After a few duds, I was so glad I picked up this book at the library because it’s FASCINATING. You follow three American kids going to school in other countries and you learn their cultures and why they are performing better than Americans. If you have any interest at all in the school system, this is a must read. Also, my kids will go to school in Finland.
Grade: A
The Good Girl: Oh.My.Gosh. I cannot say enough good things about this book. It’s definitely one of my top books of the year. The character development was phenomenal, and it is so so suspenseful. I wanted to keep reading constantly, but also didn’t want it to end! Speaking of the ending, I did not see it coming at all. If this is the author’s debut novel, I can’t wait to read her next one.
Grade: A++
You can read all my book reviews here. What’s your current read?
xo xo
[Follow along with what I’m reading on Instagram @milledavis and checking out my hashtag #mdavisreads]
life lately
{celebrating this || an 80’s themed birthday for this beautiful lady #madeinthe80s}
{enjoying this || gorgeous weather + an art installation on my sunday afternoon walk}
{eyeing this || cute husband during happy hour}
{obsessed with this || perfect FNL mug, made even more perfect while watching little league practice from my porch}
{savoring this || wonderful girl time + delicious wine}
xo xo
Whole30: Week 3 Recap
It gets easier.
Week 3 was far and above easier than week 2, when I felt like I was constantly craving things I couldn’t have. I still want things (like gooey-cheesy-goodness macaroni and cheese from The Tavern, thanks to a friend’s picture on Instagram…), but I’m not obsessing over it or thinking about it as much as I was a week ago. Yeah I still want a cappuccino some mornings, but I’m very content with my black coffee. Yeah I still want some chocolate after dinner, but I’m very content with eating some fruit instead if I’m still hungry.
My relationship with food has changed dramatically. I use to think about every meal almost obsessively and about how I could make it as delicious as possible with cheese and butter and sister schubert’s rolls and more cheese. But now, I’m just thinking about what to eat that will fill me up and give me good nutritional value. Of course I still want it to taste good, but dinner doesn’t have to be phenomenal every single night. I think that will make those cheat days even better, right? (I can’t say because I haven’t had one in 3 weeks, but that’s what I’m thinking…) But it’s not like we’re eating bad food. Last week I shared a recipe we both loved, tonight we’re making steaks, and check out husband’s breakfast from yesterday! It was pretty damn delicious (and healthy!).
I’ve really learned a lot about myself and my body, and I’ve learned to say no. My willpower has shocked the heck out of me. I honestly didn’t know I had it in me. This is our final week of Whole30; however, we’ll be changing what we eat quite a bit even after the 30 days. I’ll share more about that in next week’s recap.
Hope you all have a wonderful week! (Enjoy some mac and cheese for me)
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Whole30: Week 1 Recap, Whole30: Week 2 Recap
Fall, are you listening?
I’m ready for you.
I’m ready to drink this.
I’m ready to see this.
I’m ready to watch this.
I’m ready to decorate like this.
I’m ready to eat this.
[pumpkin smore cupcake … and everything pumpkin for that matter]
I’m ready to wear scarves and boots and hats like this.
I’m ready to cozy up by this.
Fall, I’m ready for you.
xo xo
See more Fall posts here.
10 Favorite College Memories
For some reason I’ve been reminiscing about college lately. Maybe it’s because school is starting soon, or because I’ve now been out of college for 4 years now and it seems like it was so long ago.
A couple years ago I wrote about my 10 Favorite High School Memories after attending my sister-in-law’s high school graduation. It was fun to go back and look at the pictures and pull it together, so I decided to do the same for college. As they say, it was truly one of the best times in my life and I’ll never forget the all the wonderful people I met and the relationships I made.
1. My first pep rally and Razorback game as a student. Go Hogs!
2. My first camping trip in probably 10 years and the boys tricked us into an unexpected river crossing to get to our campsite. Thank goodness for those headlamps.
3. Standing outside in the freezing cold all night for Foo Fighters tickets. (Okay, I didn’t stay ALL night, but some other kind people did for me.) And of course, Dave Grohl was AWESOME.
4. Living life with this amazing group of girls in our community group for 3 years.
5. The Ice Storm of 2009. All I’ll say is, 10 people stayed in our little apartment for 1 week. There was a lot of Super Mario and a lot of cabin fever.
6. Studying abroad was one of the best college decisions I ever made for so many reasons. My only regret is that I only did it once in my 4 years.
7. These people. My time writing for the UA newspaper, The Traveler, was so much more than a job. We were a family and had so much fun together in the newsroom and out.
8. My 21st birthday – so much snow, so much dancing, so much drama, so much of a typical 21st birthday party. Thank you to my amazing bestie and roommate Kira for doing it all!!
9. Traveling to NOLA (for the first time) for the Sugar Bowl with these two. I’ll never forget husband’s late night binge on beignets after we lost the game.
10. And of course, the dearest memory of all, was the night we got engaged in Gulley Park. ❤
xo xo
m.davis xoxo 