Rough days and puppies

Hey guys, I am so sorry but I had a rough day yesterday. Just completely and emotionally drained. My boyfriend lands at 7:30 this morning, I say that with a sigh, I just need him right now. So today's post is probably going to be nonexistent but I will leave you with a video of puppies, they made me smile.

Fall Decor

Happy 2nd day of fall!!  I am relishing in the high 60s and the beginning of boots season. With the change in seasons, I like to do a small change in decor. For the past two years, I was decorating a house, changing accents, etc. Now that I have downsized into my apartment, I still try to rotate out summery colors for fall accents. In my apartment, this includes packing up the candles in 'Honeysuckle' and 'Summer Breeze' in exchange for my Bath & Body Works 'Leaves' and 'Banana Nutmeg Bread Pudding", rotating flower color schemes, and an accent pillow or two.

Here are few other ideas for fall decor:

And... A few fall candles that are to die for! 

Bath & Body Works 3 Wick Candles $22.50 

Rewined Spiked Cider 

$28; found at West Elm or Rewined's Website 

Happy Fall!

xoxo

Weekend Recap

Friday 
My boyfriend gave me some 'not so great' news Thursday night, but I woke up to a email with a gift card to Starbucks for my morning coffee. He knows how to put a smile on my face. I spent the day at the labs and worked at the country club on Friday night. It was a rehearsal dinner for a 'Big Fat Greek Wedding'. Lots of adorable babies, lots of Manolo Blahniks and Christian Louboutins, and lots of scotch and cigars. It was definitely a fun event to work. And being able to take home a bottle of Chardonnay at the end of the night made my 17 hour work day worth it. Getting locked out of my parents house later that night, not so much.

Saturday

I spent my morning drinking coffee, helping my dad build a railing on our new deck, and pulling weeds around the pool. Then as a family, minus my brother, we headed to the Cardinals game for the game against Cincinnati. Awesome seats, six rows behind the Cards dugout, I spent the game ecstatic to be so up close to the action but nervous a fast foul ball was going to hit me. We won 8-4 and played a great game. During the 5th inning, the guy in front of us turned around to tell us that he was going to propose to his girlfriend. Once she returned from the concessions, he got down on one knee and with lots of tears and smiles, she accepted. My sister recorded for him. It was sweet, not something I would want, but I loved it just the same.

Sunday 
Woke up early to help my dad pull a few pork shoulders that had been on a smoker through the night. Did some organizing and cleaning and drove the 15 minutes to Purina to watch my 9 month old in the show ring. Ran some errands with my mom and came home to pull a few more pork shoulders for the barbecue competition next weekend. So excited, we just found out Joe Nichols is singing at the competition! But my favorite part of my weekend was the little things my parents did for me to make my life easier. Like my dad filling up my tank when he went out for his morning coffee, and later, he washed my car for me. My mom made me some soups like chicken chili and chicken corn chowder, and froze them for meals this week. She also picked me up a loaf of wheat bread. It's always the little things that means the most.

Hope yall had a great weekend!

XOXO

This is Where I Leave You

A few weeks ago I was chatting with my mom when she said there was a new movie coming out that we had to see. "Jane Fonda is in it!" was all I got out of the recap. So I did some searching on Google and found the trailer for a movie coming out called This is Where I Leave You. All star cast with Tina Fey, Jason Bateman, Fonda, Rose Byrne, looked hilarious. Fast forward a few days and I saw the book at Barnes and Noble, ok... I was kind of looking for it. Well I read the book, and I plan to see the movie. Something I NEVER do. If I read the book, I refuse to watch the movies because it ruins the book. If I watch the movie, I can't read the book because it's not like the movie. Only saw the first Harry Potter movie because of my crazy rational. Either way the book was awesome! I really enjoyed the dysfunctional family story with dry and witty humor. Definitely recommend the book and I can't wait to see this movie! It is in theaters today!

Comparisons

 Wherever you are in life with whatever you're doing- 

you're going to be ahead of some and behind others.

 That's okay. Own where you are. Take time to embrace and celebrate that. 

Continue moving forward.

      Truth be told, I am definitely guilty of doing this. Maybe it's a bit of insecurity, jealousy, or the "grass is greener on the other side" complex, but I sometimes compare myself to others around me. Facebook takes this to another level. (Thank you social media for allowing us only to project our "best" self or who we want to be perceived as) I scroll through my newsfeed and there are normally baby announcements, engagement pictures, wedding pictures, promotions, graduations, etc. Life is happening! And sometimes those little nagging thoughts come sneaking in like "she is a year younger than me, how is she engaged?!" (I'm 24 btw) or "they got into John Hopkins med school?!, how the hell did that happen?!"  And it doesn't have anything to do with my path or my plans, do I want to be engaged (not right now), did I want to get into Hopkins for med school? Nope, sure didn't. But it's the fact that they are taking another step in life, progressing forward. 

      I see friends buying houses and going on fabulous trips and I long for the days when I can just pick up and go somewhere for the weekend or paint my kitchen, in my house, that I own. Here is the difference, while I am becoming a lifetime student, they were working their asses off at a job. To earn money to buy the house, the car, and the trips. Something I plan to do in 3 years but until then, I am happy for their trips and the pictures so I can add the locations to my bucket list.

     There is no reason for me to compare myself to someone a year older than me that just finished med school and is doing residencies. Just like there is no reason for me to compare myself to someone almost finished with the PhD program I am currently in. They have a few more years of dissertation work on me and a half written manuscript. It would be like a masters program comparing themselves to a doctoral program, apples and oranges- and speaking from experience, definitely different levels. 

      I have been in a 9 month relationship, that doesn't equate to friends that have been in six and seven year relationships. It doesn't take away from my relationship either, its just a different stage. I have obviously been in relationships before, and so I know from experience and watching new couples come together and fall apart, that your relationship and timeline is yours together and alone. Do with it what makes you happy. All comparing yourself to others does is add pressure, self doubt, and unhealthy self confidence. This quote is a simple reminder that I am not on the same path as others are, the speed of my plans is conducive on how/ when I accomplish certain steps, everything will happen in due to time, so there is no need to force things. If I should compare myself, it should be to the person I was yesterday, I hope I am better than I was. I hope I learned something, I grew and improved in life. I shouldn't compare myself to other people's middle but focus on me, a better me. 

XOXO

Sweet Treats

My weekends are for slightly sleeping in and enjoying late breakfasts. If I'm not feeling an omelette or egg whites, I steer towards something less healthy. I am a fan of Nutella crepes, croissants, and cinnamon rolls. Here are some of my favorite recipes for quick and sweet breakfast/ brunch treats. 

Trader Joe's ($3.99)

Take the frozen croissants from the box the night before and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Leave out on the counter to proof overnight. Preheat the oven to 350F, bake 22 minutes (20-25), and let them cool outside the oven for 10 minutes. Prepare for the most amazing chocolate croissants of your life.. 

Using a store bought canister of cinnamon rolls, just set in waffle maker and close for 3-4 minutes. Using a fork, remove the cinnamon waffles and top with icing! 

Ingredients:

1 1/8 cups flour

1 tbsp sugar 

pinch of salt 

3 eggs, beaten 

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tbsp butter, melted and cooled

Nutella 

1 tsp vanilla 

Instructions:

1. Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt 

2. In a seperate bowl, beat together eggs and milk 

3. add the eggs to the dry ingredients

4. stir until batter is smooth

5. fold in melted butter 

6. let batter rest for 2 hours in the refrigerator 

7. Heat a 5-6 inch round skillet or frying pan over medium-low to medium heat until very hot 

8. spray pan with nonstick cookie spray

9. add a tablespoon or two of batter, quickly rotate the pan to cover pan bottom 

10. cook crepe until it looks dry 

11. flip the crepe and cook for a few seconds 

12. flip crepe again onto plate 

13. spread nutella across crepes 

14. add whipped cream

(I like to add strawberries or bananas to my nutella crepes)

Enjoy your sugar high with a cup of coffee!!

XOXO

What to wear to a Cardinals Game...

I got my dad tickets to the Cardinals game tonight! Super excited! I love sports and being from St. Louis, we sleep, eat, and breathe Cardinals baseball (and Blues hockey). In the summer, I like to wear sundresses to beat the heat, but since the weather is supposed to be on the chilly side, I will probably opt for pants. Here are a few cute ideas to wear to early fall baseball games! Go Cards!

You can never go wrong with any of these easy options that you will probably have in your closet. And if you are going out after the game, all the pant options would be perfect, just carry a pair of nude heels in your purse or in your car.

Go Cards!

XOXO

Fall Haul

I previously wrote a post "fall lust list" about a few key or fun pieces I wanted to add to my wardrobe. Well thanks to some labor day sales and a few restockings, I picked up a few pieces for the fall that I cannot wait to wear! I have a few events coming up, weddings, a ball, etc that I am diligently searching for, so I wanted to snag some everyday looks that I can dress up or dress down.

Splurge: J Crew $88 (current discount 25%) 

Steal: Target: Merona $22.99 

I picked up the Target top in black and white. Perfect to wear with black skinnies and flats..

My ideal outfit for apple picking, fall festivals, etc. Wear with a bright lip..

Lauren James Co. The Fox Hunt Sweet T (long sleeve) 

$36 plus shipping 

I love LOVE love Lauren James Company and their adorable shirts. I just ordered this shirt and got the box two days later! They also sent me a complimentary koozie, but I should have ordered the matching koozie. The shirts are a little bigger than the actual size but that is on purpose. I have a long torso so I am ecstatic about the length and soft material. I love this southern line! 

I made an order on Forever 21 for a few items, I had an awesome discount code and free shipping. I wanted some fall pieces: a new black beanie, a burgundy scarf, a tartan plaid button down, etc. I have a true obsession with stripes and plaids. I had to get this scarf and it was only $6! 

 I ordered both the striped double hoodie and the lounge raglan sweatshirt in pop of neon. I got the lounge sweatshirt on a pre-sale so I am still waiting on this order to be filled and sent. I am excited to see the quality of Mindy Mae's Market. I have been hearing rave reviews!

Workout clothes and running shoes are my achilles heal. I adore anything bright and fun. It motivates me to get moving. I just picked up these lightweight running shoes from DSW. If you are not part of DSW's rewards program, you need to join! I get awesome discounts and deals and I got $10 off these $65 Saucony's. They come in many colors but I loved the coral! 

Until next time! 

XOXO

30 day beach body challenge

On top of my work out routine, I took on a 30 day challenge I found on Pinterest. See my progress below. This was definitely a physically tough challenge but really took my body to the next level in training.

Day 1 (Super pale) 

Day 15 

Day 27 

Good luck! This was my planking Everest! 

XOXO

Shirts I should own..

An accumulation of shirts I have found on pinterest or online shopping that should be in my closet that perfectly describe me.

XOXO

DIY: Homemade Biore Strips

I love the biore strips but they are so expensive. Here is an at home, DIY. 

Thanks to barefootblonde.com for this recipe. 

1. Mix 1 TBSP Knox Unflavored Gelatin with 1 1/2 – 2 TBSP of milk  in a plastic cup or something you can throw away after.

2. Microwave concoction for 10-15 seconds and apply to face immediately (it hardens quick!)and if you don’t have a microwave or something you can always heat up the milk in a pot beforehand and then add it to the gelatin.

3. Wait til the mixture on your face has dried completely and then peel off!

Enjoy this DIY! 

XOXO

The Essential Guide To What To Toss (And Keep) After Labor Day

It's that time again.. transitioning from summer to fall. Southern Living put up an amazing article on their website with helpful tips of what to put away and what to continue wearing.

Put Away:

1. Seersucker. It’s the universal symbol of Southern summer. We must respect it and tuck it away at the proper time.

2. Strappy sandals. We wear open toes until the holidays, but the skin-baring, strappy numbers go back in the box early September.

3. Rosé. Time to switch to Chardonnay, girls.

4. Linen. Unless you’re headed to the beach this fall (and all rules are off at the coast), get your linens cleaned, pressed, and put away until Easter.

5. Fruity beers. So long, cucumber-infused saison. Hello, ales and porters.

6. Shimmery pastel lip gloss. Time for those luscious plum and red mattes.

7. Watermelon and peaches. No offense to our down-farther-south friends in Chile, but we really prefer certain summer produce to be fresh and local.

8. Lawn sprinklers. The grass stays green until November, but we get less obsessive about our turf after August.

9. Sundresses. The fashion mags tell us to layer them with cardigans and long-sleeve T-shirts underneath, but the truth is we’ve worn these things to death and we are ready to move ON.

10. White bucks. No explanation needed, fellas. It’s just done.

Keep!

On the flip side, some summery things never go away in the South—even on the most frigid 50-degree day:

1. Outdoor furniture. Stoke the fire pit—it’s football season!

2. Flipflops. Unfortunately, yes.

3. Gin & Tonic. Our fave cocktail doesn’t hibernate when temps drop, it just moves to the side of the bar to make room for more bourbon.

4. White jeans. I personally struggle with this one (that Southern drawl inside my head), but I do love them on other gals with chunky sweaters and jewel-toned silk blouses. Even with boots (gasp!).

5. Shorts. Runners and other fitness junkies don’t have to pull on the universally unflattering exercise tights until February—thank goodness.

6. Grills. It’s a widely known and accepted cliché that we barbecue all year. And we do.

7. Pedicures. Can’t have unpolished toes in yoga class, or anywhere else.

8. Convertibles. Actually, convertible season begins on Labor Day down here.

9. Garden shears. Those September roses need to be clipped and brought inside to enjoy.

10. The beach. Our coasts are a short drive for most of us, so off-season beach weekends are easy and frequent—and warm.

Check out the full post at Southern Living's website!! 

Relationship Series: I'm emotional slutty

I talk too much. If there is a quiet lapse in a conversation, I will fill it. It's been like this all my life, getting me into trouble with my chatty ways. I tend to be very open about my experiences and my life, having no issue sharing. I find myself oversharing too soon in relationships, like word vomit that I can't stop, and knowing that I went too far, too soon. I know my boyfriend reads my blog, and I know he is probably nodding reading this post. When I first met him, I was in a rough emotional state. And for some reason, I thought it was a good idea to share everything. I was emotional slutty. I wanted him to know everything as quickly as possible so that he would leave me then, instead of later. Because not only was I emotional slutty, I was also emotionally damaged, unsure if I was ready for a relationship. Our first time skyping, I didn't wear any makeup (yikes!). I told him about past relationships faster than I should have, but it was more to prewarn him why I was gun-shy. I was completely 100% honest, but all the while knowing that I was sharing way too much way too soon. My mom even prewarned me to not share so much, but I obviously didn't listen. Thank God, Steve has taken it with stride, knowing that I am usually trying to explain why I am, the way I am. If I could go back, I would listen more, hold more in, sharing when the time was right. Don't make my mistake, don't be emotionally slutty.