everyday inspiration

Latest

breakfast with penguins

Mom and I got up to the cold, snowy morning to go explore the lastest Bentonville has added to the square – 21c Museum Hotel. 21c is a luxury hotel with contemporary art and there are only 3 in the country – Louisville, Cinncinati and Bentonville. It has been incredible for me to see how Bentonville has changed over the last 20 years. With the introduction of Crystal Bridges and now 21c, we’re quickly becoming a tourist destination for more reasons than the Walton 5 & 10. If you’re in the area, you must go to 21c whether just for a drink and art browsing or for dinner at the restaurant The Hive.

Enjoy a sneak peek at some of the distinct details of 21c.

IMG_1013 IMG_0005 IMG_6986 IMG_9154 IMG_8721 IMG_8280 IMG_5939 IMG_5262 IMG_0162

Happy Saturday! xo xo

life lately

IMG_9256{quick trip to West Palm Beach was all work & no play, but at least there were palm trees}

IMG_8861

{monthly girls happy hour, Ruth’s Chris}

IMG_4065

{Olli wore these girls out on their Saturday night playdate}

IMG_6435

{a gorgeous Sunday afternoon calls for open sunroof + ice cream}

IMG_2376

{beautiful expression of love from my husband on Valentine’s Day}

* * *

We have a busy weekend ahead including celebrating Valentine’s Day with home-cooked steak, exploring a new Bentonville hot spot, catching up with friends in from out of town and a Sunday chic flick matinee.

What are you up to this weekend?

xo xo

Sit. Breathe. Enjoy.

Do you ever have those weeks where you feel like you’re going nonstop? Nonstop 8-5, nonstop after 5, nonstop for as long as you can see in the foreseeable future? We’ve had one of those weeks and they can be so draining. (We haven’t even caught up on Revenge for goodness sake!) In honor of this week and many more to come for us and you, I’ve compiled a few tidbits be they interesting, funny, enlightening, heart-warming,

because sometimes you just need to sit. breathe. enjoy.

rules-to-new-girls-true-american

Rules to New Girl’s True American

Must watch for anyone who uses Instagram

Giving up gluten for Lent & this article solidifies why – NYT

Big Bang Theory Flash Mob

Binge -TV watch much? Yes.

Cute puppies.

Oscar party menu inspiration.

Keeping up with New York Fashion Week here.

14 hotel restaurant views worth dining for.

xo xo

7: Possessions

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21

As I mentioned in a previous post, husband and I are starting our first ever couples Bible study with a book called 7 – An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess. It is a challenge to cut down areas of excess in life: food. clothes. spending. media. possessions. waste. stress.

Our first challenge starts today: possessions. Give away 7 possessions every day for two weeks. 98 possessions total.

A few additional conditions we added on ourselves:

– Clothes/shoes can only count for 3 days, because you know you could go through your closet and find several bag fulls of things to give away that could easily count for the whole time.

– No purchasing any more possessions in the two weeks.

– Be intentional about where you’re giving. While giving to Goodwill or Salvation Army is good, you’re not seeing the need when you drop your bags off in a drive-thru. We are looking for specific organizations in the area that need specific things like clothes, home goods, electronics, etc. so we can actually see where and who our possessions are going to.

This will definitely be a challenge, but I’m already excited to see what happens and where God takes us. I’d love for you to join the journey with us or just pray for us. I’ll be blogging along the way, so if you’re interested in hearing how it goes sign up to get emails every time I post on the right side of the screen under “Don’t Miss a Post.” Also, if you know of a deserving cause in NWA with some specific needs please please let us know as our group will be on the lookout.

Now, off to purge for day 1…

xo xo

Olli’s first puppy shoot

Okay, so he didn’t have a real puppy shoot with a real photographer and real background choices and real costumes, but don’t put that past me. He did however have quite a few pictures taken of him this morning as he was just being so sweet and giving me that “model” look. You’ll see what I mean. Anyway, my baby turns 6 months tomorrow so happy almost half birthday to him.

Enjoy some puppy cuteness.

IMG_4128

{the Saturday morning}

IMG_0979

{the lazy lounge}

IMG_8120

{the zoolander}

IMG_8692

{the suspicious one}

IMG_9703

{the sleepy eye}

IMG_0807

{the ninja}

IMG_9716

{the couch cutie}

How did I get so lucky?? xo xo

You might also enjoy: Puppy Love

#throwbackthursday

Throwback Thursday – When people post photos from the past on social media channels, most commonly Instagram.

* * *

I love Throwback Thursday. I love sharing my own photos and I love seeing everyone else’s – the older the better, and funnier! I thought I’d share some of my favorite #throwbackthursday photos I’ve posted on Instagram so you could join in the fun.

IMG_4882

{high school sweethearts}

IMG_2930

{Go Tigers!}

IMG_9800

{Bentonville’s Next Top Models}

IMG_1016

{age 3}

IMG_8296

{first trip together, Canada}

IMG_6907

{mother-daughter trip to San Diego}

xo xo

just a few things.

After a whirlwind Vegas weekend two weeks ago, this week I headed to West Palm Beach, FL to experience my first ever commercial shoot. It was challenging, but interesting and always fun to do something different. Next month I’m off to Cleveland!

IMG_2777

* * *

During my travels, I found this via Lauren Conrad. What a great idea to give up something different every month?? I wish I’d found this sooner, but nevertheless I’m starting No-Fried February! So look forward to the aches, pains (and hopefully positives) that come out of this experience. Husband and I are also working on an exercise plan I’m going to share with you and see if you will join us in our journey. More to come on that.

IMG_0461

* * *

Books, books, books. I’m trying to read more because when I do read and finish a really good book, it is just so gratifying. I recently finished Where We Belong and Where’d You Go Bernadette, both of which I’d recommend. However, I made an impulse buy in the West Palm Beach airport knowing I had a 2 1/2 hour flight ahead – Bossypants. I finished it on the plane and absolutely loved it. Every page was hilarious, and if I hadn’t been on a plane I would have been laughing out loud the entire book. Tina Fey does a tremendous job of providing hilarity, wit and advice. As if I didn’t already love her before thanks to Mean Girls, SNL and 30 Rock, now I adoooore her.

IMG_6924* * *

The second book is one I just picked up that husband and I will be reading together as part of our new couples Bible study. 7 – An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess is a challenge to cut down areas of excess in life: food. clothes. spending. media. possessions. waste. stress. I hope to share our challenges with you and inspire you to do the same.

* * *

Oh, and if you don’t follow me on instagram, (first, you should: @milledavis) here’s another tidbit you missed…

1360105540_adam-brody-leighton-meester-lgAdorable Adam Brody from The O.C. meets fashionista beauty Leighton Meester from Gossip Girl = cutest new couple ever!

xo xo

life lately.

life lately: bi-weekly posts that give you a peek into my world of late.

IMG_9357

{celebrating // with the in-laws, at work, with the girls}

IMG_2333

{marveling // at Crystal Bridges for an innovation conference}

IMG_4946

{playing // Sunday Funday with the pups + hubs}

IMG_6113

{inspiring // new favorite quote}

IMG_8870

{eating // mini chicken + waffles at work Super Bowl party}

Screen Shot 2013-02-01 at 12.46.28 PM

{enjoying // personality profile via}

* * *

After finishing my Three Week Cooking Challenge, I’m determined to challenge myself in other areas as I’ve realized blogging is a great accountability partner. But what should I do, fitness? fashion? reading?

Let me know what you think!

xo xo

HAPPY WEEKEND.

Beach Marilyn Monroe

Laugh a little. Relax a little. Learn a little.

xo xo

The Three Week Cooking Challenge // Conclusion

WHEW. It was a long three weeks. In part because we were cooking every single night (a rarity in the Alderman home), but also in part because I was so eager to get to my birthday weekend in Vegas! In all honesty, I have no clue what we ate for Week 3 of the challenge, but we held on strong and ate in every night.

By the end of the three weeks, we were craving eating out (are we the only ones like that?? is that strange??) and luckily we were headed to a city with some of the finest and most diverse food you can find within a 2 mile radius. As I ate other people’s creations, I was reminded how much I love food and why I love eating out so much. It’s not the fact that cooking is difficult (sometimes it is) or that you have a lot to clean afterwards (usually it is) or that you have to plan ahead every single day what you’re going to cook (yes it is), but the fact that my cooking isn’t nearly as good as others. There’s not much fun in my cooking or much “brava.” It’s just food. But aren’t we supposed to really enjoy food? Well, I really enjoy food when it’s cooked by someone else.

All that to say, I don’t think I’ll ever be a master chef, but I have realized it’s not as difficult as I thought it was and it’s doable to cook every night. It also helps that I got a PERFECT new cookbook for my birthday from a dear friend – Robin Takes 5: 500 recipes, 5 ingredients or less, 500 calories or less, 5 nights a week at 5:00 pm – I mean, is there a more perfect cookbook for me?!

* * *

Now, enjoy some food porn from our Las Vegas vacation …

IMG_9013

{sausage balls, XNA}

IMG_5958-1

{vanilla + nutella creme puffs with banana gelato, Scarpetto}

IMG_0039

{arugula + parmigiano reggiano salad, sausage + peppers pizza, Otto Enoteco – Mario Batali}

IMG_1696-1

{housemade beer brat, Public House}

IMG_2338-1

{brunch, The Wicked Spoon}

IMG_1912

{decadence, Jean Phillipe Patisserie}

xo xo

You might also enjoy: The Three Week Cooking Challenge // Week 1, The Three Week Cooking Challenge // Week 2