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True Grit{s}

It’s a rare lazy Saturday in our household. One to cherish before Thanksgiving. The house is clean, reminding me of the relaxation that comes along with tidiness. The coffee is brewing, eliciting smells of vanilla nut and awareness of autumn comfort. The morning rain stirs suddenly and briskly, adding depth to the muted gray skies.

Faintly, I hear the sounds of husband and his ritualistic Saturday morning video games in the other room, but I sit peacefully alone thankful for the open day ahead.

Rustling through the kitchen to find something to subside the hunger pains, I find a leftover batch of 5-minute grits from the parents’ visit a few weekends ago. As we always say, if you don’t like grits, then you just haven’t had them cooked right.

So, I decided to cook ’em right.

To make grits less, well, gritty and more delicious, you just need five ingredients: salt, garlic, butter, cheese and a southern palate.

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I don’t have a recipe to share, because I don’t quite know how much of everything goes in the recipe. This is where the southern palate comes in. But if you don’t have a southern palate and want to give it a try, I’ll give you this tip: Go sparingly on the garlic and heavily on the butter. (Did I grow up watching Paula Deen???)

Something my grandmother does with her grits, that I did not do this morning, was put the cheese on top, put it in a casserole dish and bake it in the oven for about 20 minutes. #DoesntGetBetterThanThat

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From my southern family to yours, I hope your Saturday is just as restful and your grits are just as tasteful.
xo xo

Thankful.

I’m writing this post mostly for me. In no way am I trying to “humbly brag” about the amazing things in my life that I’m thankful for. Instead, I’m using this as a reminder to myself of how blessed I am even though it is so easy to forget.

Last year around this time I did daily posts about what I was thankful for each day, ranging from good food to clean sheets to “a busy August and a quiet September.” But this year I want to focus one thing I so easily take for granted: my job.

I have been at Walmart for a little over a year now. If you work at Walmart or know people who work at Walmart, one of the most common phrases people say about Walmart is that they get their moneys worth out of their associates, meaning it’s quite often long days, nights and weekends. We work hard for the money.

It’s often hard and stressful and frustrating, but as I’ve been looking back on my last year at Walmart I have been blessed in so many ways by this job. Now, I might have drank the kool-aid here, but bear with me. I’m not saying Walmart is the best company in the world to work for and I’m not saying I’ll work there my entire life, but I believe the experience I’ve gotten from one year of working there is unparalleled.

Let’s recap –

I’ve gotten to meet Drew Barrymore, Trey Songz, Kori Robertson and Steve Harvey. I will be meeting Garth Brooks and Ree Drummond (Pioneer Woman) next week.

I’ve gotten to see Miguel, Jill Scott and BEYONCE perform at Essence Festival, and Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Hugh Jackman and John Legend perform at Shareholders.

I’ve traveled to New Orleans, Cleveland, Cincinnati, West Palm Beach, Nashville and San Francisco – including spending a day at Facebook Headquarters, which was just as amazing as you’d think it is.

I LAUNCHED WALMART’S INSTAGRAM. I was given the opportunity and the support to develop the strategy and content to launch the hottest social channel for the Fortune 1 company. I will forever be thankful for that opportunity.

I’ve been more challenged than I ever have been and ever thought I would be, whether making presentations to senior executives or managing 21 women on a day to day basis.

But most importantly, I’ve built some incredible relationships. I truly love the people I work with every day, and I strive to make a positive difference in their life. I started a women’s prayer group on our floor that gives me so much hope every time we meet because the ladies are just so inspiring.

I could not be more thankful for where I am in my life right now and the job the Lord blessed me with a year ago. I have no clue what my future holds, but for now, I’m content.

xo xo

10 Reasons “The O.C.” Was The Best Teen Drama Ever on TV

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After the show’s 10th anniversary a few months ago and after reading this Buzzfeed, I started reminiscing about my freshman year when I binge-watched the four seasons of The O.C. I immediately became obsessed. Coincidentally, I spent the following summer in California and visited Orange County for the first time. Since then, The O.C. has been one of my favorite shows of all time.

Just recently I started re-watching the series from season 1 and was reminded all over again why I LOVE the show. Below are 10 reasons The O.C. was the best teen drama ever on TV.

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1. Seth and Summer – This has to be number one in every list. They are the perfect couple. Their relationship taught me a lot, namely that there’s so much more to a person than looks and it’s okay to have your own passions and go your own way. If you’re meant to be together, it will happen when it’s suppose to. Just recently, a friend told me and my husband we reminded him of Seth and Summer. #biggestcomplimentever

2. The O.C. Mix soundtracks and most importantly, the iconic theme song by Phantom Planet. I’m almost positive this is when indie music became mainstream (Death Cab, Spoon, Rooney, Imogen Heap – I could go on). Watch these 21 Most Important Music Moments From The O.C. and you will be transported back to the show.

253084_1245085608938_full3. Chrismukkah – Christmas + Hanukkah, the perfect Cohen holiday
4. Remember when Marissa’s mom slept with her ex-boyfriend, then married her current boyfriend’s kinda grandfather?It doesn’t get more scandalous than that.
5. Every season finale made me cry. That’s a pretty darn good show.

Ryan-Seth-Kirsten-Sandy-seth-and-ryan-2167236-1555-10396. Sandy Cohen is literally the perfect father figure on TV
7. The O.C. is the most beautiful, perfect place to live – if you have a trust fund, a dysfunctional family and a beach house
8. Things the show made cool: sailing, bagels and schmear, indie bands, comic books, being an outcast, white muscle shirts, plastic horses as best friends – we love you Captain Oats and Princess Sparkles!

c5083ff5106e26e406e0769e703e44ba9. The original bromance: Seth and Ryan ❤ ❤ ❤
10. Seth Cohen, a walking one-liner who spoke fast and furiously, doling out pop culture references and witticisms faster than Ryan could throw a punch. (I did not write that, but it was too perfect not to share!)

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“Welcome to The O.C., bitch!”
xo

You might also enjoy: How One Tree Hill Saved My Marriage

Weekend Picturebook: Halloween, Birthdays & Football

This weekend was a BUSY one, rolling right off of a busy week for Halloween. (Fun fact: Walmart Home Office does Halloween like you’ve never seen. #amazing) I’m pretty sure every weekend will be busy until 2014, but this one was special in that we had 5 guests in town none of which had never been to a Razorback game. My parents invited some of their friends they’ve been working with in Ohio to Northwest Arkansas for the weekend – coming in from Ohio, West Virginia and Texas. It was a great weekend with lots of laughs, good food and beautiful weather. (We won’t mention the Hogs’ loss.)

As our guests were coming in town Friday, we also had another commitment that night – my mother-in-law’s surprise 50th birthday party that turned out just perfect. Enjoy some photos below from the weekend!

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IMG_0976{Started the weekend off with a bang for Halloween – at work and home}

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IMG_6043{SURPRISE! What a beautiful birthday party for my beautiful mother-in-law!}

1452503_258991214248125_778835856_n{Saturday am: had to take our guests to Crystal Bridges, 21c and Downtown Bentonville}

1454576_258722324275014_137521911_n{The girls ready for the game!}

IMG_2388{Second surprise of the weekend – our “bus” to Fayetteville was a limo!}

1385346_679874062037471_643151559_n{LOVE this photo of my parents! Happy to have them home for a few days}

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Hope you had a great fall weekend! Our next weekend adventure features a 1-year-old birthday party and a wedding!
xo

You might also enjoy: Weekend Picturebook: Little Rock, Weekend Picturebook: St. Louis

My Weekend Was:

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the opposite of last weekend

spending time with friends

a successful October girls happy hour

random, in a great way

finding a new nighttime hangout

celebrating our favorite brewery’s first birthday

touring Texans around Bentonville

eating lots and lots of tacos

beautiful

jumbling towers + blockus + more beer

excitement for a friend and her world tour

doing something for someone simply because it will make their day

relaxing on the couch with my old friends in the O.C.

xo xo

Dolce Far Niente

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This weekend was quiet.

I mean, so quiet that at one point Husband and I tried to take a nap (without success) because we didn’t have anything else to do.

The musings of my blog are typically all about our busyness. Busyness at work, busyness traveling, busyness with this event, that birthday party, this dinner with friends.

But this weekend was a collective breathe out. There was no busyness. We still had specific things to do at specific times Friday, Saturday and Sunday night, but the days were filled with nothing.

I cleaned. I cooked. I read magazines, I read books. I worked. I went on a run. I went grocery shopping. I watched a movie. I looked at the clock and wondered how this was happening.

The sad thing about our culture is that we equate busyness with happiness and success. We don’t think we deserve to have a moment without being busy and if we do, we feel guilty about it.

All weekend I kept trying to think of more things to do. I never have this much time, so there’s definitely things I should be doing. Not once did it cross my mind to just sit. Relax. Pray.

Next time you have a moment to spare, take a deep breath and remember dolce far niente.

Enjoy the quiet. Enjoy the peace. Enjoy the sweetness of doing nothing.
xo xo

Pumpkin Cheesecake {recipe}

Catharsis:  the act or process of releasing a strong emotion or tension, especially by expressing it in an art form

My art form this week has been baking. I enjoy baking when I have the time and a specific reason, and I had THREE specific reasons this week. Yes, my kitchen has been a disaster all week, but I’m very happy with how all of my desserts turned out.

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{Red velvet cupcakes for our Walking Dead premiere party}

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{Pumpkin + cream cheese cupcakes for our community group fall festival. I won’t tell you what happened to them in the car on the way over there … let’s just say I was glad I took a picture beforehand.}

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{Pumpkin Cheesecake for a dinner party … and a leftover piece for breakfast}

This recipe is so quick and easy and tastes delicious. In all honesty, it tastes more like pumpkin pie than cheesecake, but it does add a little creamier texture than traditional pumpkin pie. I’ll definitely be making this again for Thanksgiving.

P U M P K I N  C H E E S E C A K E

Puree 1 c pumpkin, 8 oz. cream cheese, 1/2 c sugar, 3 eggs, 1/4 c each sour cream and maple syrup, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and a pinch of salt into a food processor or blender.
Pour into 9-inch graham cracker crust.
Bake at 350 until set, 45 minutes.
Serve with whipped topping.

Enjoy! xo

You might also enjoy: Pumpkin Lovin’, PB&J Bars, {Almost} Better Than Sex Cake

life lately.

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{traveling // to San Francisco for work, including a trip to Facebook HQ}

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{enjoying // BEAUTIFUL Fall weather during a walk on the Crystal Bridges trail}

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{wearing // a new sweater from H&M on a day trip to Tulsa to see Gravity}

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{working // our Walmart Mom blogger event, Christmas in October}

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{drinking // Ole Shiney Apple + X-Rated Flirtini}

xo xo

Sundays are DEAD to me.

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Last night was the premiere of one of our favorite TV Show – The Walking Dead. Around this time last year at the start of the season, I wrote a post How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse. There’s some good tips in there you definitely need to read, because if you ask my husband the apocalypse is a very viable option.

To commemorate the occasion, we decided to host a small get together with some other zombie lovers. We had eyeball cupcakes, gummy body parts and even a 15-question trivia that I facilitated, complete with a zombie-themed prize. (Sample question: In season 3, which character kills a walker using a car trunk door?)

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We screamed, we held our breath, we covered our eyes in disgust – it was definitely a successful premiere. And at the end of it all, we zombie-fied ourselves. It doesn’t get much better than that.

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Hope your Sunday evening was just as scary! xo

fall favorites

 

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{pumkin spice L A T T E S, long walks, vivid leaves, dark polish, O V E R S I Z E D scarves,
leather jackets, N U D E S, pastels, reds and oranges, calling the hogs,
sleeping with the W I N D O W S  O P E N,
the perfect breeze, the S U N between the trees, B O O T S, chambray,
F I R E S I D E chats, hayrides and corn mazes, camping,
C O M F O R T,
falling for fall all over again}

xo xo