winter squash

i love vegetables. i really do.
so i was pretty excited to figure out a simple, but delicious way
to prepare acorn squash.
it's a bit intimidating to figure out what to do
with odd vegetables like winter squash,
but this paula deen recipe was quite scrumptious:
{and quite simple as well.}


cut the squash in half and pull out the seeds and pulp.
{but don't throw the seeds away! you can roast these in the oven with a bit of salt & pepper for about ten minutes for a really great snack!}
mix together 2 tbl spoons butter, 2 tbl spoons brown sugar, and 1-2 tbl spoons maple syrup
{i only used about 1 tbl spoon syrup to keep it from being too sweet}.
to make a paste, and spread over the squash cavities and rims.
bake at 400 for an hour.

the squash will come out a golden color,
and mine had melted butter/sugar mix pooled in the center,
which solidified into a yummy, sweet glaze.


sometime this weekend i plan to try a recipe
from one of my favorite chefs,
giada's roasted acorn squash and gorgonzola pizza
{i am convinced she and i would be friends if we met in real life. don't laugh.}
i think it will be another addition to my growing list of wonderful recipes.

i'll let you know how it turns out!
xoxo



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variations {on a ragamuffin theme}

between the cool, wet, dreary weather

and my ridiculously large pile of schoolwork,

i feel like lately i have been living in variations of the same outfit:

cardi and tee, Target; scarf, Ann Taylor Loft; jeans and earrings, F21; boots, Rack Room Shoes

let me talk about this scarf for a minute...
it's from the loft, and i am in loooove with it.
so soft, so colorful, and from my bestie.

for rainier days spent indoors studying
i substituted black cotton leggings from my ballet days
and sweater boots for an even more cozy look {and feel}.

i am also quite attached to this headband.
it's a great way to pull off a quick up-do
without looking too much like a ragmuffin.

variations were always among my favorite

pieces to dance to as a young ballerina,

and my recent obsession with tights, long cardis, and sweater boots

must have something to do with my missing the dance studio.
lately i have been reminiscing about my ballet days,

and these outfits are a fond reminder.
i really think it's a comfort thing.

dancing was always my safe haven,

so dance-inspired clothes put me quite at ease.

what do you wear when you want to be your most cozy self?



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softie

we all know that i have a soft spot for cynthia rowley,

especially when it comes to dresses,

so it is so surprise that i have quite a few favorites in her spring 2010 collection.

british vogue says that

"bleeding neckline dresses, slashed pants, shattered sequin sweaters,

purposely threadbare tanks and shredded canvas belts and mules

made it feel like we’d just stumbled into a Tim Burton movie,"

but i must add that it is a very glamorous
and feminine tim burton movie,

and one in which i would gladly play a starring role.

images courtesy of cynthia rowley


i love the shorter but full skirts,
the asymmetry of the dresses,
the layering and broaches,
the bleeding of colors into white ,
and the ruffles and tiers of fabric.



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halloween 2009

this year husband and i spent halloween with two of our faves:
my girl kindredly and her husband JG.

husband, JG, and i know each other from high school,
and kindredly and i are like two peas in a pod,
{as my grandmother would say}
so it's always a good time when the four of us are together.

JG smoked a pork loin and made bbq sauce from scratch.
it was heavenly!

then they handed out candy to very few trick-or-treaters.
i think their doorbell rang a total of seven times.
it was a weak showing this year, i have to say.
{don't worry, that's not JG's real hair}

i tried on the creepy mask, but i wasn't too convincing,
so i left the majority of the spooking to JG.

it was a really fun night,
although, i wouldn't recommend watching the strangers
at midnight on halloween.
it tends to make ones imagination run wild....

i hope you all had a spooky but fun halloween!



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coloring {inside} the lines

i am absolutely dying to paint the walls in our apartment,

but unfortunately, it is very much against the rules.

still, i am so inspired by these lovely images

and wish that i could paint our walls turquoise.

in a living room or den:

image credit

image credit

in a bedroom in combination with chartreuse:

image credit

in a vintage kitchen with pops of red:

image credit

behind the sofa with a "keep calm and carry on" print:

image credit

in an office with black and white contrast:

image credit

or perhaps a turquoise door somewhere?

image credit

definitely in our next home.

the only problem would be deciding which room....

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happy happy halloween!

Boo!, originally uploaded by Dimpleicious.

husband and i are spending halloween
with some of our favorite friends...
watching the ga/fla football massacre,
grilling out some delicious food,
and handing out candy, of course.

what are you doing on this haunted holiday?



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driving tunes

my daily commute totals a bit over two hours each day

along lovely country roads,with no traffic

and plenty of adorable farm animals to look at.

{last week i had to stop and let a group of roosters cross the road. no joke.}

considering that it is usually dark outside when i begin my commute,

i often need some really great music to pick me up.

i like things a bit more upbeat in the morning,

{to prevent me from falling asleep}

and i often use the drive home to unwind a bit.

here's my list of recent favorites....

in the morning:

flyleaf

kate herzig

manchester orchestra

devotchka

in the afternoon:

rilo kiley

william fitzsimmons

a fine frenzy

amos lee

what are your favorite driving tunes?

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back again

this week i have been enjoying one of my favorite holiday indulgences:

it reminds me of early winter mornings at my parents' house,

sitting on oversized couches on the sun porch,

drinking coffee and talking with my mom.

i know it is a little soon to think about,

but i am really looking forward to the holidays.

speaking of other things that are "back again"

.......

i promise i will be back very very soon.

{lately i have been swept up in a whirlwind

of sulfonamide antibiotics, adrenergic blocking drugs,

pulmonary disorders, and chronic kidney disease.

second year rx school is like finals week, every week.}

xoxo

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a peek inside

i love seeing where and how other people live...

what their living rooms look like,

what foods are in their pantries and cupboards,

whether they have messy closets or neat ones,

what they carry in their bags on a daily basis, etc.

that is why i adore this project:

persona by j. trav on flickr

he takes a portrait shot

and then a shot of what is in the person's bag.

i love it.

my lovely friend lesley wrote about it on her blog. check it out!

i looked through all sixty pictures in the set last night,

and i was intrigued by every one.

it's so interesting to see what we all deem necessary daily items.

check out the collection, and let me know what you think!

images courtesy of j. trav on flickr

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jimmy choo, i want you

so, in case you somehow haven't heard,
jimmy choo is designing a line of accessories and clothing
for select h&m stores, including the one in atlantic station!
{get excited atl people!}
the line is set to debut on november 14,
and the price points for the shoes are $99-$129.
{read more on h&m press site}

images courtesy of h&m

so i know this is kind of old news,
{i think i found out in june?}
but i just couldn't let myself get excited until it was really real,
you know?

even still, i don't want to get my hopes up too much.
we all know that the lower price point collections
are usually not quite as glamorous as we wish them to be,
but jimmy choo?!
yes, please.


we all know where i will be shortly after november14.
i think i'll drag my girl kindredly with me for a second opinion.
she's got a good eye for shoes ;)
keep a look out for a follow up post!


xoxo



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frogtown trail challenge

last weekend husband and i ran in the
frogtown trail challenge,
a 4 or 10 mile course through the woods,
over streams, through lots of mud,
in the streams {an entire mile of husband's course was in the water}
up and down the stream banks,
over fallen trees, up and down a mountain....

and it was a blast!

making breakfast -- scrambled eggs and steel cut oats

the race began at 8am, so we had to leave ridiculously early.
it was dark outside for the majority of our drive to north georgia,
and we saw a very lovely sunrise once we arrived.

this was the first year we ran in this event,
so, not knowing what to expect,
i took the easy way out and only ran the 4 mile race,
but husband was a stud and went for the 10 miles!

crossing the stream on a fallen log
{this was the one and only time we didn't have to actually go through the water}

the last section of each course was nothing but mud.
it was slippery, wet, and a little bit smelly,
but it was really really fun.

since my course was much shorter, i finished earlier
and waited near the finish line for husband.
he was {understandably} pretty tired when he got to the end,
so i ran the last little bit with him.

we were incredibly muddy and
our shoes were completely soaked,

and it was the most fun trail run i've had in a while.

next year i will definitely be going for the 10 miles with k.
like i said before, it's just not as fun unless you get muddy!




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i like the way you hung the moon...

happy birthday, husband.

there is no one else i would rather...

eat ice cream with,

grocery shop with,

pick pumpkins with,

go camping and hiking with,

run trail races with,

drink strong coffee with,

be ridiculously silly with,

crunch leaves with,

bake cupcakes with,

explore the world with,

share my life with.

i kind of think you're pretty wonderful.

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happiness {is}

one of my favorite songs by one of my favorite musicians,

drew holcomb and his lovely wife, ellie:

hung the moon uh huh

image credit

i love the song,

i love drew and ellie,

i love how much they are in love,

and i love her voice.

husband and i first saw drew and ellie holcomb a couple years ago

at one of my favorite venues, eddie's attic, in decatur.

i am so sad that i missed their recent show

and definitely plan on seeing them in december.

{i think we'd be friends if we met in person}

they are too precious and so very talented.

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09. 05. 09 {i walk the line}

i keep a close watch on this heart of mine

i keep my eyes wide open all the time

i keep the ends out for the tie that binds

because you're mine
i walk the line
as sure as night is dark and day is light
i keep you on my mind both day and night
and happiness i've known proves that it's right
because you're mine,
i walk the line

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.
~ Jeremiah 29.11

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