life lately
{brunching in downtown Bentonville}
{reminiscing about college after finding our names on senior walk}
{celebrating}
{enjoying this awesome “congrats on your new job” card from a dear friend}
{corn mazing}
XOXO
five things
A few {almost} midweek perk-me-ups:
{RED released Monday. I can never get enough Taylor.}
{simply adorable}
{already dreaming of another summer vaca}
{but first, dreaming of Christmas parties}
{so.funny.}
great news & good television
Day 15: I’m thankful for clean sheets.
Day 16: I’m thankful for congratulatory support from everyone around me. I accepted a position with the Walmart social media team!!
Day 17: I’m thankful for the return of fall TV!
* * *
The Alderman household lineup:
Sunday – Revenge, new show – 666 Park Avenue
Monday – Gossip Girl, Castle
Tuesday – New Girl
Wednesday – Modern Family, new show – Nashville
Thursday – The Big Bang Theory, Glee
Friday – Community
Day 18: I’m thankful for a faaabulous hairstylist. I’ll post photos of the newest ‘do soon.
xoxo
life lately
Day 7: I’m thankful for a busy August and a quiet September.
* * *
{remembering this} a fantastic vacation
{loving this} with mom and bff
{eating this} crepes at Arsaga’s on Dickson
{enjoying this} one of my best friend’s getting married
{too excited for this} PSL + Razorbacks
{watching this} White Collar ❤
{having fun with this} at Crystal Bridges
{drinking this} great happy hour, great coasters
better when we’re together
Day 5 of the 30-day challenge: I am thankful for my co-workers.
Old and new, similar and different, with whom to learn, to laugh, to relate.
{our superhero team last Halloween}
* * *
Day 6: I’m thankful for my husband during a plan-less weekend.
It’s very rare when this happens, but it occasionally does … we have NO plans this weekend. Though husband loves this, it kind of stresses me out in its own way. But then it hit me, there’s no one else I’d rather have no plans with than Kyle. So, I’m thankful to have someone I love spending that much time with, no matter what our plans.
{Kiss a Pig Gala – March}
you are the peanut to my butter
Day 3 of the 30-day challenge: I’m thankful for friends who know me really, really well.
Case in point #1: I LOVE celebrity gossip. So when I heard about Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ surprise wedding (who I’ve previously blogged about here) I was shocked! I couldn’t believe it, like they were my bff’s who kept the secret from me. So when I got a text message from a friend about the topic with the perfect amount of shock and exclamation points, it made me happy to have someone who understands.
(P.S. They got married on The Notebook plantation. Could that be any more adorable?!)
Case in point #2: In the same night, I had another friend tag me in the photo below on Facebook. As a Diet Coke obsessor and one who loves a good advertisement, it was just too perfect for words.
* * *
Day 4 of the 30-day challenge: I’m thankful I have something worth waking up early for.
Every Wednesday I’ll be waking up 2 hours earlier than usual to get together with a group of wonderful women in a Bible study. The lack of sleep is completely worth it – to spend time with these Godly ladies, to dig into His word and to prayerfully learn about living out our faith in the workplace.
fall weather + good reads
Day 2 of the 30-day challenge: Today I’m thankful for B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L weather. J’adore!
* * *
I’m also thankful for good reads. The first of which my mother told me repeatedly to read, but I kept putting it off because in all honesty I thought it sounded kind of hokey. When I finally started it, I flew through it in 4 days – The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh.
Oh my goodness this is a must-read. The tale is a beautiful portrait of an orphan’s life and how flowers and the language behind them drove her well-being and ultimate happiness.Who even knew flowers had meanings?? I laughed, I cried, I wanted to read it again.
My current read is Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple. Though I’m only 50 pages in, it’s already a fun, easy read about a quirky mother and her family.
Now I’m off to end my Monday with the two things I’m thankful for today – sitting on our porch, book in hand.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
* * *
I’m giving myself a 30-day challenge. Each day I’ll share something on my blog I’m thankful for, but it has to be specific to that day. From an unexpected compliment to a perfectly weighted cappuccino to clean sheets – there are no bounds.
Follow me on this journey (sign up to receive emails and don’t miss a post) and/or share in this journey with me. I’d love to hear the little and big things you’re thankful for each day.
* * *
Day 1: I’m thankful on this gorgeous Sunday to belong to a church that believes deeply in missions and is willing and ready to spread the good news to the ends of the earth.
life lately: July
Traveled 1,732 miles
Found a new favorite place in Fayetteville, Tanglewood Branch Beer Co.
Celebrated husband’s birthday four times
Taste-tested for a new food truck coming to NWA
Wrote 8 articles for AY Magazine
Enjoyed my first family reunion
Books read: Fifty Shades Darker and started Fifty Shades Freed
Movies watched: Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Amazing Spiderman, The Dark Knight Rises, Moonrise Kingdom, People Like Us, Old School, Magic Mike
TV Shows watched: finished The Big Bang Theory, started White Collar
Re-connected with several old friends
Partied in Dallas for my best friend’s bachelorette party
Colored my hair ombre
Learned about a couple’s mission work in Jordan and how we can support them
Rejoiced that a dear friend moved home from across the country
Experienced my first mineral bath in natural springs
Ate: the best margherita pizza, grandmother’s grits casserole, bachelorette party cupcakes, baby shower cupcakes, birthday cake X2, tuna tartare, margarita popsicles
Joined the YMCA, and have successfully been … twice.
Danced, in a burlesque fashion
Weekend Getaway: My First Family Reunion
Family Reunion (noun): The awkward get together your parents make you go to where you stand around for hours with random relatives, some of which you either despise or don’t actually know. They come up to you and shout random things and kiss your cheeks. – via Urban Dictionary
Family Reunion (noun): The awesome get together you willingly go to where you eat, drink, play, swim (repeat) all weekend with fun relatives, some of which you know well and some of which you’re still getting to know, but all of which you love. – via Mille’s Dictionary
{the view}
{the mother-daughter stripes}
{the diving competition}
{the 25th birthday)
{the hot tub}
{the baby shower}
{the lake times}
{the 26th birthday}
{the boat ride}
{the sunset}
10 things you probably don’t know about me, but should.
1. I don’t like my food or drinks lukewarm. If it’s meant to be hot, it should be hot. If it’s meant to be cold, it should be cold, e.g. why I order my coffee extra hot.
2. My dream job from any time period would be an airline stewardess in the 1960s, wearing short shorts and go-go boots.
3. I’m a pessimist, and constantly need to have people telling me the positive side of things. (Luckily, husband is an optimist.)
4. I love airports and being in them by myself. One day I might write a book about everything I’ve seen in airports.
5. I hate cats. Even lolcats.
6. Every time I see a musical or play, I wish I was on stage performing.
7. If we’re good enough friends I will always ask to try your food. I’d rather eat something off of everyone’s plate than order something of my own.
8. Reading magazines is one of my favorite pastimes. Thus, if someone reads my magazine before me and tells me what’s in it, I’m not happy.
9. It is extremely difficult for me to chew gum without blowing bubbles. Despite my mother’s constant rebuking growing up.
10. I don’t ride a bike, I don’t ski and I don’t ride ferris wheels. And I have don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything.
life lately.
{drinking this} blood orange san pellegrino. YUM.
{watching this} obsessed.
{wearing this} Lily & Laura bracelets + arrowhead bracelet from Riffraff
{eating this} smore’s brownies via Pinterest
{sitting on this} new chair in our second room that was my grandpa’s; perfect for an afternoon read.
{believing in this}
{looking at this} cutest little poodles ever.
{excited for this} we got to taste test for this new nwa food truck.
{planning for this} my best friend’s bachelorette party in Dallas next weekend.
inspired by my good friend Erin’s blog posts around here.
Southern Glam
Saturday mornings are for daydreaming. Today’s topic: the perfectly decorated home. Here are some photos I’ve amassed via Pinterest onto my home board – Southern Glam.
Enjoy. xo
{office space}
{pool}
{high ceilings, large windows}
{outdoor getaway}
{lots of chandeliers}
{library}
{living room}
{movie room}
{secret attic}
{childrens room}
How One Tree Hill Saved My Marriage
Okay, so my marriage didn’t exactly need saving, but it got your attention, right? How about this – How One Tree Hill Made a Great Marriage Even Better.
1. Inside jokes from an absurd, but loveable teenage drama like One Tree Hill are probably the best there are.
2. Within a season we go through all the emotions together – ecstasy, admiration, terror, amazement, grief, loathing, rage, vigilance.
3. We weave into daily conversation nicknames for each other from the show, feeling like it’s our own little secret.
4. Their issues are our issues. Many a times I’ve cried about something in the show and we discuss how it would affect our life and how we would handle the situation.
5. Suspense of a plot line kept us up talking way past our bedtime, multiple times.
6. Our bonding over music has magnified – OTH is full of indie music, some we’ve heard, some we haven’t, and we’re constantly identifying the song in the background.
7. We have laughed ’til we cried because of multiple, singular lines delivered. A week later one of us says the line, and we again, laugh ’til we cry.
8. Through seeing broken relationships, one-night stands, loveless marriages – we are so thankful we found each other when we did.
9. We’ve learned the importance of not letting each other’s dreams disappear, but more so the importance that the dreams aren’t enough when we don’t have one another for support.
10. It has given us time to relax together from our busy schedules.
Oh, and a little inside joke just for K: “Whatever mom, just clean it up.”
P.S. For all you TV lovers out there, you might also be interested in my posts about Veronica Mars and Desperate Housewives.
January Getaway: Sundance 2012
Oh, Sundance, how I’ve grown to love you so. It all started 5 years ago for my 18th birthday…
{one of our best memories – gangsta parents}
{at Robert Redford’s Sundance resort for my birthday}
{beautiful.}
{best trip ever!}
{wish it didn’t have to end…}
We vowed to go back, and now that we have for my 23rd birthday we would LOVE to make it a yearly trip. Here are some tips for your trip to Sundance, because trust me, you need to plan one whether you’re a film lover, celeb obsessed, winter-weather lover or simply someone who loves a unique vacation.
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1. Plan early. Ticket packages start with a sweepstakes you must enter into in the summer, and resorts fill up fast.
2. Didn’t get a package of tickets? Or didn’t get a movie you wanted? You can still stand in the wait list line. Yes it’s freezing, and yes there’s no guaranteed chance you’ll get in, but there’s always a way to make things fun.
{entertaining ourselves with Rock,Paper, Scissors}
3. Recommended movie showings: one in the morning, one at lunch time and one at night. Unless you plan on renting a car, it’s almost impossible to get through the city to see more than that with the city shuttles or resort shuttles.
4. Where to stay: Want to focus on shopping, the nightlife and the constant buzz of the festival? Stay on Main Street. Want more of a relaxing vaca with fabulous spa amenities, beautiful views and close ski lifts? Stay anywhere off Main Street, like the Canyons or Stein Eriksen Lodge.
5. What to wear: Fashion + warmth necessities – Tall, warm boots with good traction (i.e. lace-up Uggs); thick, down jacket with a hood (i.e. black, to go with everything, and preferably with a fur hood); scarves, scarves, scarves – these are the one thing that can set you apart and add fun colors and prints to your bundled up outfit, oh and to keep you warmer; a large purse to hold earmuffs, hats, hand warmers, gloves, festival passes, festival books, shopping bags, bottle of water, chapstick, bus schedule, sunglasses camera. Because baby, it’s cold outside.
6. Where to spot celebs: (Yes, this is a very important topic.) Movies are the best place to celeb-spot. Premiere weekend they’re almost always there to promote their films. (Side note: we went to see Ice-T’s documentary The Art of Rap and he and Coco sat a row in front of us! Awesome.) However, they’re also all over Main Street, on the slopes and staying at resorts. So keep your eyes peeled everywhere!
{movie: Lay the Favorite, cast: Bruce Willis, Laura Prepon, Joshua Jackson}
7. Most importantly, there is a lot going on in the small town the week of the film festival – VIP parties and concerts, midnight movie showings, music cafes, bar specials – go out, see it all, experience it all. The atmosphere of a film festival is second to none.
{at the Day One party}
{Shopping on Main St.}
{Natasha Bedingfield}
Ready to plan a trip for next year? Call me.
2011: my year in pictures
{Sugar Bowl – January}
{Happy 22nd Birthday to me! – January}
{Wedding showers! – March}
{Randomly met Donald Glover (I thought it was a big deal!) – March}
{Bachelorette party to remember – April}
{Got a big girl job! – May}
{We’re college graduates! – May}
{First comes love, then comes marriage – May}
{Honeymooning in Aruba – June}
{Summertime at the Ranch}
{Got a second job – Associate Editor of NWA, AY magazine – September}
{Visiting the parents in Colorado – September}
{Christmas with two wonderful families – December}
{Celebrating 2011 – NYE}
Happy New Year, friends! I wish you peace, love and joy for 2012.
Saturday morning and who’s gonna play with me
{pressroom – new favorite coffee shop.restaurant.soon to be wine bar in downtown Bentonville}
{cappuccino + mocha + adorable tiny flower}
{fabulous homemade granola + vanilla yogurt}
{husband’s breakfast tacos – chorizo, eggs, avocado, cilantro, salsa, lime – delish!}
“Nothing’s ever gonna happen ’round here
If we don’t make it happen
Sleep away the day if you want to
But I got something that I gotta do”
C’est la vie
It’s been a crazy, fabulous, ridiculous, stressful, exciting, reminiscent, tiring week. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
This week’s recap in lessons learned.
1. You can sleep when your dead.
2. One text/phone call/email can make the world of a difference to someone.
3. Sometimes reconnecting with old friends is exactly what you need.
- 2007 – growing up with fabulous friends
4. Whether people come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime, cherish each of them.
5. A sunday dinner, whether with a big family or a lone newlywed couple, is the perfect way to start a week.
6. Risk it all and just say yes.
7. It’s always better to be overdressed than underdressed. *truly a life motto
8. Best friends are for life, no matter what gets in the way.
bridesmaids & best friends
9. You can have more fun at a janky bowling alley than a fancy party if you’re with the right people.
10. Don’t judge something simply because you don’t understand it.
11. Relax.
12. Never stop learning – about yourself, your significant other, your family, your friends, the world around you.
13. Don’t be complacent. Don’t be afraid to dream. Don’t forget your passions. Don’t quit.
14. To art enthusiasts and newsies around the world, Bentonville, Arkansas is no longer simply Bentonville, Arkansas.
- Crystal Bridges Museum of Art
15. “Success, people praising you, it all goes away.. and when that day comes, if you dont like who you’ve become, you’re done.” – Rufus Humphrey, Gossip Girl
05.28.11
Our wedding pictures have finally arrived! Below is a snapshot of my perfect day.
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“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
– Colossians 3:12 – 17
{Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks}
{story time with my girls to calm my nerves}
{BFFL}
{so darn cute}
{olivia + emma + zoe = most adorable flower girls ever}
{my new father-in-law}
{what a studly group of men}
{the best part of the bride walking down the aisle – watching the groom}
{so many emotions}
{maid of honor + best man}
{best bridesmaids a girl could ask for}
{so epic}
{“I’ve only waited 7 years for this!”}
{beautiful mother}
{first dance}
{I definitely get my dance skills from my dad}
{my new parents-in-law}
{most incredible speech I’ve ever heard}
{bromance}
{time to party}
{so much dancing}
{and it comes off}
{pink mustang getaway car}
{one of my favorite parts of the night}
{Aruba here we come!}
*
and finally the wedding video, which shows the entire evening so perfectly.
PSL, Boots + Candy Corn
Something happened —
fall, er, winter it seems, came quickly
and so did the busyness of the holiday season.
*
Life update:
*this week (and presumably next) has been a blur with work + finalizing media relations/scripts for the Charity Challenge of Champions next weekend
*a new second job that I am SO excited about: Northwest Arkansas Associate Editor for AY magazine
*PSL (Pumpkin Spice Latte) is back and boy is it exciting – but please don’t ask the husband how he feels about it
*a lot of my friends/family are following after their passions in an inspirational way, and though I admire and often envy them, God has given me contentment with where I am, which is a really wonderful place
*I’m starting a 3-day detox diet tomorrow in preparation for a new healthy living plan that includes no sweets for a month – so pardon my grumpiness for a few days, and please don’t tempt me
*husband bragging update: taught his first rock climbing class at the fitness center today; is now a buyer for L&C; and is just as adorable and fabulous as ever
*
Fall anticipation:
*Boots, boots BOOTS – I need new fall working girl boots, suggestions?
*Halloween – although it’s a month away I’m already terribly excited for pumpkin carving, hay rides, brainstorming couple costumes and CANDY CORN.
*Scarves – I just bought a fabulous leopard print one at BR today and quickly paired it with a thin crewneck sweatshirt, leggings and cowboy-esque rainboots to update my rainy day ensemble for dinner out with a girlfriend
*a particular October weekend that includes Ben Rector and Auburn at Arkansas
*oh, and fall TV that starts this week – Gossip Girl, Heart of Dixie, New Girl, Castle, Glee, Modern Family, How I Met Your Mother – so many shows, so little time!!
P.S. I’ve been watching High School Musical while writing this and it still makes me as giddy/unbelievably happy as it did when it came out, and yes I’m 22. (If you didn’t already know this about me, you have a lot to learn.)
“It’s a crowd favorite. Everybody loves a good jazz square.”
“It’s just dancing. Sometimes I think it’s cooler than homework.” XO
Fail Better
“Progress could be slow and frustrating. And, of course, that could make you angry. … we needed to fight for our rights and concentrate on the things we could control. And what you can control… is your own performance.” – Ken Chenault, CEO of American Express
“You’re gonna have trouble doing a lot of things in life, but they can be done. If you say ‘I can’t’ that means there’s no solution, you’ve given up, you’ve quit.” – Matthew McConaughey
“Don’t give up. Fatigue, discomfort, discouragement are merely symptoms of effort.” – Morgan Freeman
“Finding your passion will eventually get you to where you’re supposed to be.” – Katie Couric
“Follow your bliss… but don’t sleep with your boss. You will succeed.” – Barbara Walters
“Ever tried. Ever failed. No Matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” – Samuel Beckett
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m.davis xoxo 