I never have a hankering for sweets more than October through December. Hold me back! Today’s dessert recipe is from the talented Lauren of Love Lola Blog.
One of my favorite fall activities involves getting in the kitchen and baking. There’s nothing like playing some soothing music, lighting a fall candle, and filling the house with the smell of pumpkin baked goods. I’m feeling happy just thinking about it! 😉
As much I love pumpkin muffins and pumpkin bread, I thought it would be fun to experiment with some other ways to incorporate that blessed pumpkin flavor. Cheesecake is surprisingly simple to make, yet feels very decadent and extravagant. If you’re planning your menu for Thanksgiving, this is a must-make dessert! Read on for the full recipe! VIEW FULL POST
I don’t know if we will be able to pull off a family themed Halloween this year, but we are brainstorming non the less! Any ideas? We might just use the best one! I realized I never posted our family Halloween costumes from last year. Veronica really wanted to be Tinkerbell and since Gabriel and Max think swords are pretty cool, we went for the whole crew…. VIEW FULL POST
A little over a year ago we visited Rosemary Beach and the Emerald Coast. It has been calling our name ever since. It lives up to its name with the clearest waters, white sand, and blue horizons. The whole place looks like it has a perpetual saturated photo filter. Needless to say we were so thrilled to head back for our dear friend’s wedding….this time to Destin, FL. We took little Rocco with us and my sister and brother in law stayed with Gabriel, Veronica, and Max. We can’t wait to bring them back here.
I don’t think there is anything that makes me feel as feminine as a dress that compliments personal style in a flattering way. I loved getting to try out the fall line from dressbarn, and find a few looks that work well with every occasion. I think these price points are more relatable and easy to style. It helps that these pieces are on trend, but classy enough to keep around for more than a trend season lasts. Here were a few favorites!
The Go-To Dress – Sometimes you need an effortless dress you can grab from your closet without thinking what to put together. This dress is savvy on it’s own. No layering required! I put on a pair of my favorite booties and a big hat to run errands for the day.
The Slinky Sweater Dress – A little edgy, and fuss-free. This soft sweater dress material is form-fitting, but doesn’t wrinkle, so it is a perfect option for travel and all day wear. I paired it with a leather moto jacket to compliment the lace and checked pattern. Swap out the heels for tennis shoes for a more sporty casual look.
The Date Night Dress – Marsala is my color choice of the season. This ultra feminine and flattering cut was begging to be pulled out for date night dress. With a bold jewel tone, you can go easy on the color compliments such as a long jacket vest, nude heels, and a monochromatic tote.
The Fit and Flare Dress – A weekend ready dress that is both comfortable and fun to layer. A neutral toned patterned makes it easy to swap jackets in and out, and works really well for both business casual or every day attire. A pair of black heels and a trench coat was my Saturday morning look for a little coffee and curb side reading (and people watching;))
So what do you think? Favorite look of the 4? You can check out all the dresses here!
When we were in Florida last weekend for our friend’s beachside wedding, I ran out of time to get ready (due to a sweet little boy who was exceptionally hungry;)), and was left with ten minutes in the car to do my hair. Sooo, this is the solution I came up with using a handful of bobby pins!
Simple steps for ten minute hair: half-up double top knots
1. Pre-curl your hair into loose waves.
2. Gather a thick portion of your hair from the top forehead area of your head, and pin back, using a teasing brush if you want more volume.
3. Pull thick sections from each side of your head and twist together. Curl around into a top knot and secure with bobby pins.
4. Repeat a second time underneath the first knot, and you are done!
If you give this a try, I’d love to see it!
I’ll share some more pics of this trip soon. It was such a sight for the eyes, so I can’t resist!
No pumpkins yet here. Just some highlights (and outtakes!) from my iphone and camera reel of the very fast blurry month of September. It’s a slow rainy day here and I am thankful for that. I welcome those types of days with open arms! As we are adjusting our sails with four little ones, our lives at home and outside the home take on a new kind of adventure. Always counting heads to make sure we have everyone with us, and that they all have shoes on their feet at the same time. So our first family outings were close to home in my sister’s backyard for a campfire, at our local fairgrounds for a rodeo, apple orchard, and lakeside for some muscadine grape picking and rock skipping. I wish I could wrap this month up and put it in my pocket….
I could not wait to share with you all about this new to me line of clothing – NYDJ. As you know, I have been trying to build a smarter wardrobe with pieces I will wear more than a few times, and that are high quality (and ethically made if possible!).
NYDJ offers a range of styles in activewear, work wear, and everyday wear. I can’t get over how well made the pieces are. Super feminine, flattering, and with the extra details that leave your jaw to the floor. For instance…
The button downs and skirts have built in shapewear that are more than welcomed after having a baby;) It’s a lightweight and form fitting layer that you soon forget is even there. Another favorite detail is the double collar in this Fit Solution Blouse. A very stylish parisian element that completely changed my perspective on the basic button down. The checked cardigan is double sided with a reverse black and white pattern on the inside. It makes for a super soft and thick material built to last much longer than a season.
NYDJ has a patented criss cross panel inside their denim line. which I found to be intuitive to a woman’s natural shape. I have rarely found a high-waisted pair of denim that doesn’t completely swallow me whole. I find their sizing more accurate than the common industry standards, which was very refreshing (go a size down in their denim! ;)).
For activewear, I look for pieces that are both breathable and supportive, which I loved about these active and loungewear pieces. The City/Sport Yoga Leggings have a higher panel than most activewear pants so it gives abdomen support in a comfortable way. That being said, I have worn them non-stop over the weekend.
I had so much fun getting to style a few looks to share, and completely fell in love with their comfort level and modern classic vibe. You can check out the rest of the NYJD line here.
(My plaid shirt from 
(Wearing the 
