Bon Appétit + InstaCloset Sale

Meals we'll be enjoying this week:
Click each meal title to view the recipe.

Grilled Tilapia Bowls with Chipotle Avocado Crema (Gluten Free meal!)

One Pot Pasta (I will add grilled chicken breast for a little extra)

Lemon Poppyseed Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting 

We'll also have our usual Sunday/Monday night pizza and taco Tuesday. What are some of your go-to meals during the week? I always go to my favorite food Pinterest board for meal inspiration before each grocery trip. Check it out for inspiration for your own meals! |E A T - Favorite meal ideas|

---

P.s. I'm having an Instagram closet sale HERE! Make me an offer on your favorite items!

Get Pretty With It

I'm torn on my favorite part of watching the Golden Globes. I love the fashion, but I also love watching the stars sit in the same room and socialize. They are just like us! Except their clothes cost a million times more than ours. Little details people! 

Here's my quick list of favorites from the 2014 Golden Globes. Who were your favorites??

Kate Beckinsale - Zuhair Murad

Margot Robbie - Gucci

Olivia Wilde - Gucci Premiere

All pictures from E!Online.

Ramble On...

If it was ever the right time to ramble, it's now...I am SO in the mood to relax and just put all of my thoughts in one place. Hence I have a BLOG! haha Here's what's been on my mind lately... ------- Planning a wedding = stress, right? I expected that. What I didn't expect? Major (like, SUPER major) heartburn. I have been so uncomfortable lately, all because of the stress. I am trying not to let it have a negative effect on me. Hoping it goes away the closer we get to the wedding! *Fingers Crossed*
I haven't been able to find the PERFECT wedding shoes in person...so Ryan talked me into ordering a few of my favorite pairs online. Which I never EVER do. I hate ordering shoes online. The good news is I LOVE both pairs :) Now, to just make up my mind.
Speaking of shoes...since having ankle surgery last November, I haven't really been able to wear heels or high (3+ inch) wedges. I've been working my way up to my regular shoes (I even had to buy kitten wedges haha) and I'm finally back into my regular wedges!! I still take flats to work with me just in case my ankle starts to hurt, but I'm so excited to be back in my regular shoes. This means my ankle will definitely feel up to the task of walking in pretty and high shoes for the wedding!
I feel terrible about finding someone to do my wedding hair. That sh*t is expensive, and I just don't think it's worth it to pay someone $100 to do what I can do. I just want someone to do my hair while I sit an relax the morning of my wedding, but paying that much isn't relaxing to me. Anyone know of a good wedding hair person in Nashville that doesn't cost a small fortune? I'm looking for myself and at least one other bridesmaid. (And yes, this makes me seem cheap. Guess what? I am cheap! It doesn't hurt me when I try to save money.) 
I've been trying to determine what makeup I'll need for the wedding (to have a good photo-ready look), but since I don't wear much to begin with, I've had a hard time figuring out where to start. I only wear eye makeup, blush, and maybe some concealer and/or primer when I need it. I've only figured a little bit out so far...I'm definitely going to wear a good primer (photo finish Smashbox), and a good concealer for under my eyes (leaning towards Erase Paste). I've still got a long way to go it seems :) Any suggestions or wedding day makeup pointers are welcome!
I finally get to cash in on one of my favorite Christmas presents next Monday---laser hair removal for my legs! I can't wait to not have to shave my legs, especially with the honeymoon coming up. 
I know everyone else is loving Jennifer Lawrence as much as I am, but I've had a major crush on her for a long time. I am so excited to see her finally hit the mainstream and to be getting so much love!
I've had a terrible case of the Mondays this week, especially today. It seems like every thing I try to do turns out wrong or backwards, etc. I just can't get ahead and I don't enjoy that feeling. Since it's been such a long week, I was ridiculously happy to hear that Ryan wanted to grill out for dinner tonight and that our friends were getting together for trivia. The day really started looking up after work. Except after dinner I put my comfy clothes on and got sleepy. and here I am on the couch, folding laundry, catching up on PLL and blogging. I can't complain because I'm finally feeling relaxed. Thank the heavens!
Remember this post? It's probably the best pep talk advice I've ever given myself and I'm glad I blogged about it. It's a really nice post to go back a revisit. Those words helped me get past something that I am SO GLAD to be past. I'm so much happier now because I decided to let myself change what wasn't making me happy. Thank goodness for having the freedom to make my own choices (and the guts to change)!

Talk about making good choices...I've tried so hard lately to NOT each junk food. I've made some changes and I've cut down on my bad-food intake, but I just can't seem to kick it all together. What's wrong with me?!!? haha I just love a good snack, I guess... :(
We kinda-sorta inherited Ryan's grandmother's china cabinet/hutch and I can't wait to re-do it with Ryan! I think we are going to do an all white makeover, similar to this, this, and this. Thoughts? Have you ever redone a hutch?
------- Alright, alright. That's it for today! If you made it this far, I hope you have a great day! :)

Wedding Wednesday + Engagement Photos

Alright ladies, it's time for a little Wedding Wednesday update. 

Before I get into the nitty gritty {aka wedding checklist}, I have a little something to share with you. A few of our engagement pictures!

What do you think? I am just head over heels with them {and my guy}. Our photographer, Photos by Alex, is amazing and so fun to work with! -------
Now for the Wedding Progress Update!
Things We've Done.... Picked the date : May 18th 2013 Picked our bridal party! Picked our colors! Picked our ceremony and reception site! Picked a caterer! Picked a photographer! Picked our ceremony and reception musician! Had our engagement party! Started Finished the wedding website! Picked Sent our Save The Dates! Picked out our invitations! Bought THE DRESS! Picked the bridesmaid's dresses {a few are ordered}! Working on the mother's dresses{one ordered, one to go}! Picked the rehearsal dinner restaurant! Finalized our guest list! Started Finished our registry! Picked our cake baker and cake style! Purchased our wedding bands! Finalized shower invitation list and bachelorette party invitation list. Picked our day-of point of contact. Bought a few items for decoration (twine for bouquets, burlap for banner, etc.). Meet with our officiant and scheduled pre-marital counseling! Took our engagement pictures!! Called the rental place and finalized all of our rentals! Finalized a block of rooms for our wedding guests!
Things We Still Need To Do.... Finalize our reception menu. Have our invitations printed. Find a way to print special maps for invitations. Order the rest of the bridesmaid's dresses. Pick shoes for bridesmaids. Pick ceremony shoes. Schedule one dress fitting/steaming. Pick out ceremony accessories (for the BMs and I). Decide on my something old, new, borrowed, and blue. Finalize ceremony music. Decide on ceremony readings. Pick the mother's dresses (1/2 way there!). Order groomsmen suits. Place the wedding flower order (I found the perfect vendor!). Pre-marital counseling (scheduled). Work on wedding hair and makeup ideas (for everyone). Book our honeymoon (at the end of January!). Finalize our hotel plans (getting ready rooms & wedding guests). Pick rehearsal dinner invitation.  Finalize rehearsal dinner menu. Decide on shower and rehearsal dinner decorations.  Decide on + order bridal party gifts (40% done). Decide on + order groom gift. Decide on + order parent gifts. Print + assemble program fans. Finalize our guest book alternative. Create banner for wedding reception. Finish cake topper (twine wrapped E!). Decide on cake/cupcake stand. Yarn wrapped letters for reception decoration (initials/Mr+Mrs). Finalize and work on reception table decorations. Finalize aisle decorations. Work on aisle decorations (DIY!). Finalize ideas/materials for ceremony/reception signs. Decide on + book day-of transportation.  Marriage license. Finalize a day-of schedule. Decide if we want special ushers. Decide on out-of-town guest goodies. Purchase dresses for bridal events, rehearsal dinner, and bachelorette party weekend! ------- Do you have any wedding advice? Fill me in if you do!
P.s. Check out the rest of my wedding posts {here}.

Thanksgiving Week + Weekend Recap

Holy Wednesday! I can't believe it's already the middle of the week. I thought for sure this week would creep by after the holiday weekend. But sure enough, here we are in the middle of the week. Thank goodness!! I love it when the weekends are slow and the weeks go by quickly.  Who am I kidding--we all love that, right?!

Working for the weekend!
via

I have a ton to catch you up on.  Let's start with Thanksgiving week, shall we? ------- On Wednesday might we headed to our favorite bar down the street to catch up with friends, including some from out of town. 

Before heading out.

It was an unusually warm Turkey day this year, so I had to opt for an outfit that wouldn't completely make me melt while I spent time in the kitchen. I definitely had fun putting this outfit together!

Thanksgiving Day #OOTD

It's a simple Old Navy dress {with a fun skirt} paired with a Banana Republic button up and skinny leather belt. I don't know what brand the black boot is...I might have to look into that for y'all ;)
Thursday was a special day for me. I made my very first Thanksgiving turkey all by myself! And it turned out really well! Wahoo!

I used Trisha Yearwood's family recipe {found here}.
It's super easy and it creates a very juicy turkey (no crispy outside though).

I also made my first, but not last, sweet potato casserole. Check out the recipe {here}. I'm not a fan of sweet potatoes, but I plan to make this again soon!

It has maple syrup and half&half in the sweet potato
mixture and is topped with brown sugar and pecans. Noms!

I also made this bomb.com cheese ball. It had bacon it in and was a big hit!

Pumpkin and Pecan pie.

My sweetie!

Naturally we ended the day with some college basketball!

-------

We did not spend Friday shopping black Friday sales. No way, no how. We've been out for a few in our years together, but we're not big on the crowds. We are just not cut out for that drama. We heart Cyber Monday though!

Our craving for turkey and ham leftovers lasted about 24 hours. We made our way across town to meet up with my Dad for a short visit, and while we were out we stopped at Noodles & Co. to fill our bellies with non-thanksgiving food.

I tried the truffle mac. It wasn't anywhere near as good as the penne rosa.

While we were close we had to stop at Trader Joe's
 to pick up our favorite snacks and beer.

Trader Joe's has all of their holiday snacks out now--I suggest you stop by and try a few. These peppermint pretzel slims are perfectly light and not too peppermint-y.

We spent Saturday afternoon at one of Nashville's beautiful parks with our wedding photographer shooting our engagement pictures. It was a lot of fun {even with my brace and crutches}. I couldn't ask for a better time or photographer!

What did you do Thanksgiving weekend? Did you travel at all? It was our very first of not having to travel at all!

------- P.s. I'm linking up with Sami for the weekend update blog hop!

Friday's Fancies {yummy treats)

Happy Happy Friday! The weekend is almost here!! Do you have any fun plans this weekend? Going anywhere? We're going shopping for Thanksgiving food, shopping for Christmas decorations, and I might be adding a few things to my Etsy shop!
Today I'm linking up with Alison over at {Long Distance Loving} for Friday's Fancies. It's been WAY too long since I last linked up, so I'm definitely excited about putting this week's outfit together! This week's theme is Autumn Faves.

I picked a treat that I indulge in between fall and winter--peppermint hot chocolate! I love adding a little pizzazz to my hot chocolate with everything from {peppermint to white chocolate bailey's}! I found this pretty picture of a peppermint hot chocolate to use as my outfit inspiration.

via

And here's the outfit I came up with!

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6

I paired a nice pair of dark skinnies with a cream sweater {like the whipped topping}, chocolate brown riding boots {like the hot chocolate}, and a pop of color with a red infinity scarf {hello peppermint!}. I also had to throw some fun gold accents in {my favorite metal to wear in the colder months--they pair well with browns!}. ------- What's your favorite treat? Can use it as outfit inspiration? Check out the rest of the treat inspired outfits {here}!

Thrifty Tuesday {Fashion Cents}

Today I'm taking a different approach to Thrifty Tuesday. I've decided to recreate an outfit that I'm obsessed with {and} I'll show you an affordable way to do it yourself!!
I saw this outfit in person the other day and I can't get it out of my head. I am in LOVE. It's also making me super antsy to get back to wearing normal outfits+shoes. 

via

I decided to use items from Forever 21 to recreate the outfit in order to keep the costs down as much as possible. Also, Forever 21 is easily accessible for most people. PLUS they usually have a few different versions of each item, so you'll have some freedom to find pieces that match your personality the best!  
Outfit #1 This outfit would be great for a girls night, business casual office, a weekend day date, or even church! You can create this whole look for under $85. Also, each of these items can be used again & again in your wardrobe!

Dress // Shirt // Tights // Boots

Outfit #2 Look two has it's own flair, with the gingham print shirt. This outfit would be great for work, date night, girls night or even tailgating!

Dress // Shirt // Tights // Boots

------- What do you think? I love that you can accessorize each of these looks in tons of ways! Which look do you like best?

{Wedding Wednesday} Shoes!

Happy Wednesday ladies! Did y'all stay up late to watch election results? It's been a whirlwind the last few days with all of the election coverage!

  Don't worry, I'm not here to write about politics today--I'm sharing another Wedding Wednesday post with you! This week it's all about shoes {specifically for the bride--me}! 

Because of the length of my dress, the material of my dress, and the color of my dress it's been somewhat challenging to find the perfect pair of shoes. Not to mention that it's an outdoor wedding, so no high heels for this girl! I am one of those girls who loves when a photographer captures a great photo with the bride and her shoes (whether it be by herself, with her bridesmaids, or with the groom), so the shoes are important to me!   Check out these sweet shots...

via

via

via

via

 See what I mean?  Not only are the shoes important in the photos, they also add to the overall feel for the bride! I feel like a princess in my wedding dress, and I expect to feel the same way about my shoes.   I think I've narrowed my ideas down to these four options: Sparkly sandals with little or no heel. Flats with good detail (nothing too plain). A not-too-tall wedge in a navy or a grey with a little detail. Cowboy boots (I already own).   Here are a few examples of what I've had my eye on:

via

 

I LOVE the detail on this shoe--I'm trying to find a similar style in a wedge.
via

Aren't these gorgeous? I would like them better in silver or a cream, instead of gold.
via

I absolutely LOVE these, but I think the height is too much.
via

Relaxed Steve Madden sandals...
via

My FAVORITE pair...aren't they gorgeous!? Kate Spade, of course!
via

------- Thoughts? I know it's tough picking a pair without knowing what the dress looks like, but I think any of the above would well. Wish me luck with finding the perfect pair!
P.s. I'm hosting a link up today with Mary at {A Happy Wife in New Orleans} for Wedding Wednesday posts! Swing by and check out all the wedding posts and make a few new friends!

Election Day Coverage

You might have been put off my the title of this post.... A BLOGGER covering the election right on her blog? Well, don't worry, I'm posting a different kind of election day coverage...the type you wear out to the polls to vote! 

via

 Since I'm stuck in my cast and unable to wear jeans or boots, much less a matching pair of boots, I thought I'd put together an outfit that would resemble the outfit I might have worn today had I been able to dress up like a normal person.

Tee // Sweater // Scarf // Jeans // Boots // Purse

 ------- 
What are you wearing today?  Are you having an election watch party? We are having a girls dinner and Pinterest party for the first part of the night. I'll be home right after in order to watch the election coverage. I can't wait!  Hopefully y'all are just as excited!