O' Christmas Tree

This past Saturday husband and I started a new tradition for our little family. We spent the afternoon at a local tree farm picking out our perfect Christmas tree. The past three years we have used a hand-me-down artificial tree, but with this being our first Christmas in our new {to us} home, we wanted it to be special. We also want to start traditions now that we can continue when there are little ones in the picture. 

The farm was so lovely! Trees, small and large, were arranged in perfect rows. There were old farm buildings, tractors and even old gasoline pumps on the property, and everyone was so friendly. It is a 'cut your own' farm, and husband almost ended up helping a lady and her young sons cut their tree down. While he was loading the tree into the truck, I went foraging for the cypress branches laying on the ground*.

It was a fun little adventure. This guys is going to make a great Christmas tree!

Happy Christmas!

xoxo

*I have big plans for these branches.... boxwood + cypress wreathes, filler for our clear glass ball ornaments, and displayed in a good old-fashioned vase

Paleo Favorites: Gremolata & Mushroom Stew

I made this gremolata and mushroom beef stew last week while I was feeling under the weather. It was hearty and comforting and paired wonderfully with a side of gluten-free wild rice. {Unfortunately, despite its tastiness, it didn't cure my cold.}

I followed this recipe from one of my favorite paleo sites, Health-Bent. I used a 2lb grass-fed roast, so I cut down on some of the measurements:

3 garlic cloves

3/4 of a small onion 

2 carrots, peeled & diced

1 celery stalk, diced

8 ounces of mushrooms, roughly sliced

1 cup organic vegetable stock

1 small can of organic fire-roasted diced tomatoes

a little less than 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1 small orange, sliced

2 small rosemary sprigs + more for garnish

I cooked the stew in the oven for about 1&1/2 hours, and it was slightly overdone, so I would recommend about an hour in the oven.

Happy {paleo} eating.

xoxo

Life

October and November were somewhat tumultuous over here. Between growing career pressures and husband being out of town, it was honestly a little overwhelming. For two months we only saw each other on weekends, during which we tried to pack in home improvement projects, trail runs with Sambo, downtime on the porch, meals with our families, and all the little things that need to be done around a household. Let's just say that I'm glad December is here. 

Here's a peak at what the last couple months looked like around our house.... 

 

We hired professionals to paint our vaulted-ceiling living and dining room, rearranged furniture and created a meaningful collage on the wall, hung garland for hosting Thanksgiving, and snuck in a little fun at the a Georgia v. Georgia Tech game. I had to work the day after Thanksgiving, and since we weren't busy, we put up a Christmas tree and decorated the store. That same day Sambo sneakily ate the stuffing out of his bed, and curled up by the fire with a full belly. Guess what he's getting for Christmas?

xoxo

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Signs of Fall

 Changing leaves viewed from the front porch {coffee in hand} and miniature pumpkins on the dinner table

My favorite fall candle making the house smell divine, colorful leaves from the bushes outside, and a Thanksgiving-themed BHG

How are you embracing the cooler days, changing leaves and upcoming holiday season?

xoxo

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Weekends Around Here...

... start off with coffee on the porch and a scrumptious breakfast {scrambled eggs, chia muffins or paleo biscuits, fresh fruit, turkey bacon, etc.}

... usually include a mid-morning run and a few minutes on the porch swing

...as well as a house project or two, like building a farm tablet {details coming soon!}

 ... and end with a fierce game of scrabble by the fire.

xoxo

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Emerald Envy

Although crimson is the color du jour, my current go to for fall is a deep emerald green. Paired with denim, dress pants or simply on it's own, the saturated hue has certainly caught my attention. I have worn my peplum tank repeatedly -- with dark skinnies, a leopard print pencil skirt, and black flared dress pants -- and currently have my eye on a few other emerald selections as well. Here are some of my current favorites.

 

 Forever21 Longline Jacket

Topshop peplum tank

Topshop knit pointelle dress

Green Trillion Cuff 

Kate Spade Post Street Sonia

Madewell Ticketstub scarf 

Deco Forest Bib

xoxo

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A Quiet Celebration

On the 7th day of this month I turned thirty years old. I woke up buried in blankets on that cold Sunday morning with my pup snuggled at my feet and my sweet husband by my side. We made coffee and sat by the campfire. My family drove up for the afternoon and we grilled hotdogs and ate pumpkin mousse pie. My thoughtful parents gave me the most wonderful gift - a lamp they created out of my old symphony clarinet. There were plenty of hugs, kisses and puppy dog licks. Husband and I walked along the river and talked about life, love and friendship.

Something about starting a new decade has made me contemplative as of late. I've been thinking about who I am and who I want to be. About the legacy I want to leave and the people on whom I spend my time and energy. I feel myself changing, shifting my priorities and re-focusing on things I now value.

Here's to another decade - one filled with love. friendship, laughter, and health. To one that includes challenging myself and facing more things that scare me. It's going to be a great year.

xoxo

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Redefining Beauty

Admittedly, when I started Crossfit I was expecting to obtain 'model-thin' results. As I've grown and changed over the last year, my perception of beauty has begun to take on a different shape. This video exemplifies how beauty isn't just having a small waist or skinny thighs. Beauty is about working hard, building strength, and pushing yourself farther than you ever thought possible. 

There is beauty in strength.

video via Crossfit.com

Weekend Getaway

Last Friday husband and I took the opportunity of a three day weekend to spend some time in the mountains. October is by far our favorite time of year -- changing leaves, cool temperatures, both of our birthdays. So after debating the weather and our schedules, we decided that a few days in the woods would refresh our spirits. We packed up our truck and headed to North Carolina, to Standing Indian Campground.

  

While the weather didn't exactly cooperate, the weekend was a much needed escape from the business of our lives. Saturday was gorgeous, so we hiked to Picken's Nose - a quick in and out hike that afforded incredible views. We stopped at Mooney Falls on the way back to our campsite, and spent the remainder of the afternoon reading by the campfire. It rained overnight on Saturday night and stayed cool and wet for the remainder of our trip. Sunday my family came up for a small birthday celebration, complete with pumpkin mousse pie. Monday morning we attempted a sunrise hike, only to be met by a wall of fog. Nonetheless, it was still so peaceful to sit on the side of the mountain, bundled against the cold and share hot coffee with my one and only.

The scenery at Standing Indian is simply breathtaking. From the changing leaves to the grey skies and the mountaintop views. Standing Indian is by far one of my favorite campgrounds. There's something magical about the Nantahala National Forest that speaks to my soul. The natural beauty, the history. I'm not sure what it is, but we left Monday morning with refreshed souls and lighter hearts.

xoxo

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DIY Industrial Sconces

 

One of the things I am excited to share with you is the process of recreating our new-to-us home. Admittedly, the place is dated and a little too country for our liking, but it's nothing a few gallons of paint and some elbow grease can't fix. So, I've come up with a 'This Young House' series which will highlight some of the things we are doing {or having done when it's beyond our skill level}. Naturally, we have a laundry list of projects, large and small, but we've decided to start with the small ones and work on just a couple rooms at a time... but more on that later.

One of the first areas we decided to tackle was the master bedroom. We want the space to feel calm and almost cave-like while still seeming airy and welcoming. For us that means a neutral color palette, layers of linens on the bed, and a few meaningful, dramatic details.

As for lighting, we decided on sconces versus table lamps to save precious bedside real estate for books and water glasses. Most of the sconces we liked were on the pricier end, so we decided to recreate a version of these. The process was really quite simple once we figured out what supplies we needed. 

Supplies:
two steel brackets {not shown above}
two lamp sockets
two lamp cords
a pack of steel nipples {no snickering}
a back of hex nuts

Other master bedroom projects:
- WALL ART: I'm waiting for the autumn/winter collection of these decals. I want to place the decal on a piece of old wood stained the same color as our imaginary bench.

- PAINT: While we've already painted the walls what we thought was a silver grey, a darker slate grey will be going up in a few weeks.

- A BENCH: We are building a bench for the foot of the bed out of some leftover wood and hairpin legs.

- HARDWOODS: As I've mentioned before, the carpet in this room is heinous. Simply heinous, people.

- {FAUX} COWHIDE RUG: We're envisioning a unique, dramatic rug to place under the bed after our hardwoods make their appearance.

More home improvement projects are on the way. There are so many!
Happy Friday.
xoxo

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Let There Be Life

When I was little some of my favorite days were spent in the garden with my mother. I loved trips to our local nursery where I would help her choose flowers, ferns and trees for our yard. We would pick out colors based on the season, grouping them together like making new friends. She was so patient with me, teaching me how to correctly pot the plants, and I had my own pair of child-size gloves and a set of garden tools. Our house was always filled with garden life, from potted house plants to vases of flowers from the gardens outside, so it's no surprise that I fill my own home the same way. I love being surrounded by elements of nature, beautiful living things that bring so much happiness to a room. 

 What is special to you that you bring into your home?

xoxo

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Good Things

September has brought slightly cooler temperatures to the south, with daily highs in the low 80s and lows in the low 60s. The days have been gorgeous and filled with just a hint of summer. I am overly excited for crisp fall days and the upcoming holiday season, but this Indian summer is oh so lovely. So as I feel the season coming to a close, I've been spending most of my time trying to soak up as much of the summer as possible.

Also, still obsessing over chambray. I'm obsessed this top. And this one isn't too shabby either.

Happy weekend.

xoxo

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Girlfriends

A couple weeks ago two of my girlfriends and I took a long weekend trip to Florida. After so many years of being in school and being unable to have girls trips, this was definitely a treat. My girl Kindredly and my college bestie Erin hung out for basically the first time on this trip, and it was so fun to have the two of them together. 

It's funny how much the three of us have in common, from superficial interests to deeply rooted character traits. We talked about fashion and style {naturally}, recipes and favorite foods, marriage and relationships, religion and family. We shared our favorite blogs, books and bands, and spent the majority of our time sunning and sipping from bubba kegs on the beach {when in Rome...}. It was a perfect girl's getaway, and I think it's safe to say we are all looking forward to next year's trip, {especially since this lady will be joining us!}.

xoxo

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Beautiful Mess

So I unintentionally took a break from this space, but I'm not apologizing. I will, however, spare you the laundry list of things that have been overwhelming me lately. Suffice to say that I've been learning the art of patience and grace under fire these past few months, and I am finally realizing that my life needn't be perfect at all times. My house may be messy {but clean}, the bed may remain unmade. I might miss a workout to make a deadline or just because I want another hour of sleep. My outfit might not be perfect, and my hair may always be a bit messy. But it's okay.

Our messy bedroom at the end of the day. The carpet is heinous, and the walls are more blue than grey, despite my choice of a silver paint. I have too many ideas about what to hang over the bed, and new curtain rods are definitely in order.... but I'm learning to see things differently. I honestly love this space. It's where we seek solace, say I love yous, lay our heads each night, and welcome every new morning. Despite the room's shortcomings, I love it. We have years to recreate it, to mold it into something truly ours. 

I'm learning to let the small things go so that I don't miss out on the bigger, more important things. 

My life is a beautiful mess sometimes, but it sure is beautiful.

xoxo

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Weekend Happiness

This past weekend husband and I took a lover's jaunt over to Athens to see one of our favorite artists - Alison Krauss and Union Station. Their songs remind me of early morning drives to North Georgia -- warming the truck in a pitch black morning, frost on the windshield and steaming coffee in hand, bleary-eyes from just a few hours sleep but so excited about the adventure ahead. They remind me of when we first realized our love for each other, the moment we decided that this was a forever thing, and they way love can be so simple sometimes, and so complicated at other times.

The show was incredible, simply put. There was no opening act, no frills. Just the band, the stage, and the packed theatre. The sound was crisp and pure, and amazingly, their voices sounded exactly like their albums. Had I not been able to see the stage so clearly, I could have been fooled into thinking we were listening to a CD. After the show we wandered around downtown Athens, reminiscing of our days in school there, my recent graduation, and our first 'official' date that occurred on a very similar night, so many years ago. We stopped at our favorite low-key hangout to watch the rest of the opening ceremonies, then made our way over to the inn where we stayed on our wedding night.

 Saturday morning we had breakfast at one of our favorite places {our other favorite didn't open til 10... apparently we're early birds} and made a quick Trader Joe's run before coming home to pick up our sweet pup. Honestly, I think we both missed him a little. It was good to be back home, even after just one night away.

What did you do this weekend that made you happy?

xoxo

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