2015: Year in Review

Left one job. Got a new job. Got a second job. Celebrated my 26th birthday. Contemplated moving to Florida. Contemplated moving to California. Contemplated moving anywhere warmer than here. Went on vacation to Florida, South Carolina and Michigan. Contemplated moving to Michigan. Celebrated my niece's 1st birthday. Enrolled in school. Paid for school. Ouch. Got a 3.75 GPA. Holla! Broke up with my boyfriend. Made up with my best friend. Found out my best friend is pregnant. Found out my best friend is engaged. Went on a lot of dates. Started a blog. Got a little closer to finishing my novel. Became a fan of Manhattans. Rode a segway for the first time. Decided to keep my hair natural. Bought a really expensive computer. Bought an even more expensive sofa. Cried a lot by myself. Laughed way more by myself. Started two workout programs. Finished none. Signed up for a half marathon (yesterday). Quit my second job. Contemplated getting a degree in computer science. Stopped contemplating it when I realized I needed to pass a calculus class. Contemplated getting an MFA. Got the stomach flu for the first time. Gained a bunch of good friends. Ditched a bunch of shitty ones.

10 Random Christmas Thoughts

1. Does anyone actually like Mariah Carey's Christmas album or do we as a community just continually play her songs because we feel bad for her? 
2. The line say, what's in this drink? from "Baby, It's Cold Outside" makes me really uncomfortable.
3. Christmas would be so much better if Santa was actually real.
4. I know absolutely nothing about Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. 
5. Can anyone give me a legitimate reason for why the Christmas tree needs to come down? Is there a rule book I'm not aware of?
6. I just found out two years ago that the Santa in "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause" is the dad. Turns out mom isn't a ho ho ho. 
7. I've eaten so much cookie dough and haven't yet shown any symptoms of salmonella poisoning. #justamyth
8. Related: I will be one of the many fatties joining a gym come January 1. 
9. Why is no one else concerned that Home Alone traumatized Macaulay Culkin so much that he now looks like this?
10. I know that as a citizen of the world, I should be extremely concerned about global warming but I'm not gonna lie, I don't hate this 70 degree weather.

Merry Christmas Eve! I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday with family and friends!

Friday Favorites

Son of a nutcracker, there are only 6 days until Christmas. And I haven't even watched The Grinch yet. I am really slacking on Christmas this year. I'm short on like 3 gifts and I haven't gotten any stocking stuffers yet. Which are basically the best part of Christmas. I think stocking stuffers get a bad rep. I guess there isn't a lot of mystery surrounding them like the giant wrapped presents under a tree but they can be just as expensive and - 9 times out of 10 - more useful. Today's Friday Favorites consist of my favorite stocking stuffers. If you're having a hard time coming up with any good ideas, I guarantee these babies will do the trick.

Whiskey Rocks // iPhone Case // Kate Spade Studs // I Hate People T-shirt // Mobile iPhone Charger // Tinted Lip Balm // Tumbler // Amazing Grace  Rollerball

I need that t-shirt more than anything. I would wear that thing everywhere. Also, I don't have an iPhone, but both the case and mobile charger are so adorable, I couldn't not post them. Get me any of these items and I will love you forever. But for real though, mom - get me that shirt. 

Happy Friday! We made it! I'm taking a long week weekend and doing some Christmas celebrations with mi madre. I hope you all have a great weekend!

The One with the Chalk Paint

Can you guys tell I've been binging on Friends for the last 6 weeks? I. Can't. Stop. I'm basically dating my Netflix account. Yes, Yes, I finally broke down when the person who did not know I had their Netflix credentials refused to pay their bill on time. Alright, so there's a big fat elephant in the room. I haven't posted in quite some time. I was/am dealing with some personal issues that took a lot of energy out of me but I think I've gotten my groove back! Moving right along...

If you guys remember my Bedroom Design Tour post from October, you probably know that my style is a little rustic. Someone actually called it country the other day and I think I died a little inside. I'd say it's a fusion of industrial and rustic. Anyways.

So I have this leaning bookshelf I picked up from Craigslist this past summer for about $25. I'm really not into the whole leaning bookshelf thing - I'm not a fan of the lines and it's too modern for my look - but I didn't have enough money to purchase this beaut from CB2, so I made do. Which basically means every time I looked at it I got a little depressed.

So I tried out chalk paint for the first time. Okay, let me preface this with I have never painted a piece of furniture before. I've actually never really painted before, unless you count finger painting. So this was definitely an interesting experience. Alcohol was involved. So much alcohol. As well as a lot of cursing. And at one point I just stopped caring about getting paint on my walls and floor (sayonara, security deposit!).

It wasn't that bad. Chalk painting really is as easy as they say it is. Let me just emphasize a few things for you though. Dark pieces of furniture will definitely require more than one coat of paint. Also, different materials respond differently to the paint. My bookcase was as black as Donald Trump's soul, so I think I lost count of how many coats it took. My chair on the other hand, was a dark brown and yet it only took one coat. Riddle me that one. Also, when you've reached the point where you are getting ready to sand your piece of furniture and you're thinking to yourself, "how much dust could there possibly be?", slap yourself and then take your piece of furniture outside unless you also planned on whitewashing your wood floors.

So here is the end product. It's still not my favorite piece of furniture. I'm still not a fan of the whole idea of a leaning bookcase. But I like it a hell of a lot more than what it looked like before. I'd say it was a good test of my chalk painting skills and I'll be less terrified to try it again next time. 

Excuse the mess of wires! What do you guys think? Do you like it better than the original? Any chalk painting pros out there?

P.S. Man, it feels good to be back! I plan on posting on the regular again (crossing my fingers and toes) so make sure you check back soon! Thank you to those who reached out to me telling me how much they missed my blog posts. There aren't words to express how much it means. It sounds silly, but this blog is really an extension of me and my passion for words so anytime someone applauds it, it's just the best. ;) Love you all so very much!

A Turkey and a Tear Jerker

I'm really bummed I'm just now getting around to posting this. Work has been pretty crazy lately and I've just added yet another responsibility on top of all the other shit I have going on (more on that later). So I apologize, yet again, for being a really shitty blogger. But life happens. Anyways.

This year my family celebrated Thanksgiving a bit early due to busy schedules on the actual holiday. Related: does this mean we can put up our Christmas tree early too? My mom drove up for the weekend and we got to spend quality time playing euchre (it's a Michigan thing), drinking wine and stuffing ourselves with a delicious Thanksgiving feast. Em refused to touch her plate which just meant more for all of us. What a sucker. This girl doesn't even know what she's missing out on. I could probably eat an entire bag of stovetop stuffing by myself and wash it down with a couple spoonfuls of mashed potatoes. Sound like I'm talking from experience? You'll never know...

Alright, I know everyone does this and it's probably plastered all over your Facebook news feed right now but....I want to "give thanks." I too find myself getting annoyed reading posts about how thankful you are for your emotionally abusive boyfriend and shitty job but really, is hearing people being thankful such a bad thing? No, it's not. I'm just an extremely negative person. So here we go, if you haven't clicked "back" in your browser already...

If you know me well, you know that my family has quite. the. story. Seriously. It could be a Lifetime movie (I won't get into the specifics now, I'll save that for a slow news day). Yet, despite all of the really horrible things I've seen and felt and heard, my family is everything.

I have a sister that is truly more like a best friend who I can yell at on occasion and then borrow clothes from. We used to not get along at all. We're totally different. She's bossy and I'm overly emotional. She needs a plan and I'd rather wing it. Did I mention the bossy part? She's my cheerleader and a lot of the times my caretaker (because she's a way better cook than I am). She's always 100% honest with me and tells me exactly what I need to hear, even when I really effing don't want to hear it (i.e. "I don't like your hair blonde;" "Do you really need that shirt or do you just want that shirt;" "Stop dating assholes").

My mother is literally a saint. This woman has been through the fire and then five more fires after that. I don't know how she did it. I really don't know how she made it. She's the strongest person I know. The things she's had to live through are literally out of a nightmare and she is still the most selfless person I know. She will do anything for you, regardless of what it costs. All of those years that I was (yes, past tense) a total brat, she put up with me and surprisingly didn't kick me out of the house. Looking back, I would have kicked myself out for some of the things I did and said. I did not make her life any easier. Yet she's still here, taking my calls when I have the flu or just want to complain. I couldn't have been blessed with a better mother.

My father is probably the funniest man alive. We once drove through a Starbucks at night halfway through a 20 hour road trip and he ordered a "vagina macchiato." Alright, that is probably sexual harassment now that I think about it but it was the funniest thing I had ever heard at the time. I have always been a "daddy's girl." I remember watching him at his work bench doing whatever dads do at work benches and being in awe of him. He knew how to do everything. There wasn't anything he couldn't accomplish. He was my superhero and he still continues to amaze me.

We're not perfect. We've been the talk of the town. But we could have had it a lot worse. And I'm thankful that I get to say that I have a sister, mother and father. Not everyone gets to do that. I love you guys and I'm so glad that it was you.

Friday Favorites

I have been told that I'm a picky eater. Which I wholeheartedly disagree with. I mean, I eat more than chicken nuggets and pizza alright! There are two main areas that I have a problem with:

1) meat 

2) white creamy condiments and the like

Let me get into the details here. I am not a vegetarian. I LOVE a good bacon cheeseburger. I just have an extremely difficult time preparing meat. So, as long as it's cooked for me and as long as the texture of the meat doesn't make me want to gag, I'll eat it. 

The condiments thing is where it really starts to get complicated. Ranch, sour cream, mayonnaise, yogurt (sometimes there is an exception) are totally off limits and I am seriously sick just thinking about it. Basically anything thick and creamy makes me want to vom (go ahead all of you perverts, laugh - I've heard it before). The smell of cold ketchup that has been sitting out (think county fairs, baseball games, etc.) is also disgusting. There are caveats here and there but this is pretty much it. 

Alright, so that's not that picky...right?  Anyways. I said alllllllll of that to say this: I have some awesome recipes for anyone who has found themselves in a similar boat. Specifically the meat one. Ever heard of Meatless Monday? I do it about 6 days a week. It's caused me to get a bit more creative when it comes to protein intake. So for this week's Friday Favorites, I'm sharing recipes that are typically on my weekly roster.

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Asparagus & Arborio Rice

Arbor-what? Yeah. I had never heard of it either. Apparently it's the rice used to make risotto. Who knew? I seriously make this like once a week. This is a VERY simple recipe. In fact, I don't even use all of the ingredients it calls for because I don't like shallots and I don't waste my wine by cooking with it. 

Tomato & Mozzarella Salad

This is by far one of my fav salads. I just ate it for dinner every night last week. Trader Joe's make this salad prepackaged but it comes mixed with black olives and green onions (gag). So I started making it on my own. 

Ingredients
Your favorite greens (I use spring mix with spinach or kale)
Balsamic Vinaigrette

Grape, cherry, or heirloom tomatoes

Mozzarella (I just buy the sticks and open a package when I need it)

Raw Pignolias (pine nuts) 

Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

I love Mexican food SO much. Seriously, give me a burrito and a margarita and I will instantly perk up. Or just a margarita. Pitcher. I digress. So when I'm craving Mexican and don't have someone around to prepare the meat for me, I make this recipe. I don't usually make it with the corn because I don't need any extra starches in my diet but it's delicious either way. 

Coconut & Macadmia Crusted Mahi Mahi

Alright, so you thought you could go meatless but you can't. Try this mahi mahi recipe. Fish is like the only "meat" (I'm staying out of the "fish is a meat" argument) I can cook that doesn't make me want to lose my lunch. This recipe calls for quite a few ingredients that I don't typically have sitting around but I promise you it's totally worth it to go pick them up. This recipe is in Tone it Up's 8 Week Bikini Program. Yeah, remember when I did that? Ugh. The memory is painful. Anyways, make this when it's 20 degrees outside and you are trying to remember why you thought you were ready for summer to be over. It'll take you back to a better place.

1 cup of roasted & crushed macadamia nuts

2 tbs of coconut flour 

2 Tbs of coconut shavings, 

2 Tbs of coconut oil - melted

2 Tbs of olive oil

4 (6 oz) of fresh mahi mahi fillets

2 tbs coconut milk

salt & pepper

1 Tbs parsley

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the crushed macadamia nuts, parsley, coconut flour, shavings and coconut oil. 

3. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush it with olive oil. Place the fish on top and season it with salt & pepper on both sides. 

4. Bake it for about 5 minutes. Take it out of the oven and brush it with coconut milk, then dip each fillet into the nut & flour mixture, pressing it down to ensure it adheres. 

5. Return fish to the oven and bake 5-10 minutes or until golden brown.

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Happy Friday everyone! You should definitely try one of these recipes this weekend and let me know how you liked it!

It's Nothing But a Bunch of Hocus Pocus!

You guys. I love Halloween. More than any other holiday. And this year did not disappoint. I know you're all dying to know (probably not) what I was for Halloween. My brother-in-law says I went as myself but I was actually dressed up as a Basic Bitch. Yoga pants, dress shirt, Uggs, Northface fleece, and of course I carried around a Starbucks cup. Unfortunately, I did not get a picture of this awesome costume because I was having way too much fun with friends and family. Worst blogger ever. Sorry! I did however take lots of pictures of everyone else!

I went over to my sister's place to participate in some family Halloween festivities. My doggy nephew, Gus, is a Halloween pup. He was actually born on my favorite holiday. Tell me that isn't adorable! So not only did we get to celebrate Halloween, we also got to celebrate Gus's 3rd birthday (21 in human years). This pup is legal now. I made him a birthday cake to celebrate this special milestone!



We Amanda carved a pumpkin and got really really serious about it. For real though, I guess it takes one adult, one toddler and a golden retriever to do this right. Look how intense they are. It actually turned out pretty nice, surprisingly. Another thing I didn't get a picture of. #worstbloggerever

Then this happened. So on the rare occasion that I actually do my hair, I like to curl and set it (seen here). So when we decided to take a family walk around the neighborhood (a.k.a. start trick-or-treating early) I threw on a robe so it looked like I was in costume and not just a psycho walking around the neighborhood in curlers. Totally worked. Also, check out Em's furrowed brow. She was not feelin' the selfie with auntie. And Gus desperately wanted to be included, per usual.

I know I'm totally biased but isn't she just the cutest little witch? This poor thing was not feeling well at all but she was a total trooper and stuck it out til the end. We managed to hit up 5 houses before totally losing our shit and calling it a night. Next year, Em. I'm coming for your candy.

So after I hung out with mi familia, I went to Nightmare on M Street. It's a huge bar crawl full of cheap booze and girls in fishnets. Best moment: dancing with a stranger to a live band and totally clearing the dance floor. I kid you not, people were recording us. Whether that's because we were so amazing or so awful, I will never know. I'm probably a Youtube sensation right now, nbd.

Also, I would have loved to do a Halloween home tour but unfortunately I have neither the funds nor the square footage to REALLY decorate for this holiday. I basically just put out a fake pumpkin and lit a cider and doughnut scented candle. Bummer. Maybe when Navient Loans quits hitting me up for my cash?

I hope you all had a safe and fun Halloween with friends and family!

Friday Favorites

My bad for not announcing this sooner but Kate Spade is having a Surprise Sale right now. If you know what's good for you, you'll head over there NOW and spend some cash to save some cash (does that even make sense? YES!) For this week's Friday Favorites, I've rounded up my favorite Kate Spade goodies on sale now. Better hurry, this sale ends at midnight! Happy treating!

1. Call to Action #manipedi Terry  2. Beautiful Type Ampersand Spiral Notebook 3. Wellesley Neda Light Pink Wallet 4. Kennedy Park Honey Baby Bag 5. Newburry Lane Cassie Black Bag 6. Mikas Pond Lacey Hot Pink Wallet

Consider this my Christmas Wish List (I'll regift the baby bag unless...). What are you waiting for? #treatyoself  Happy Friday everyone! I can't wait to see all of your Halloween festivities! Check back next week for a recap of ours!

Happy Halloween!

My Life is a Series of These Moments

Last week I was waiting at the bus stop when I reached behind me to smooth out my dress. The blood basically drained out of my face as I felt my dress way higher than it's supposed to be. Like above my ass. Luckily, I was wearing both a black dress and super thick black tights so I'm really hoping nobody saw my goodies. Probably wishful thinking. So I sat down on a bench to wait where I would be safe from any further embarrassing scenarios.

Wrongo.

This old man next to me (who bless his soul, probably has dementia) says to me, "Excuse me," which I first pretended to not hear. He tries again so I acknowledge him. Then he throws at me "You have a big hook nose." Uhm...WHAT?! Thanks for pointing out my most hated feature dude! Wanna throw me some cash for a nose job? So instead I reply, "I sure do." Smile, Look away. Try to look busy. He's not done though. "I have one too but, *looks at me remorsefully* yours is worse."

Eff me, right? I swear this shit only happens to me.

My most embarrassing moment though - senior year of college. One day I wore thigh highs (without garters) to my internship and by the end of the day, they had gotten so loose that they were falling down my legs as I was walking down the hall. I tried to get to the bathroom by walking with my thighs clenched together to prevent them from falling any further. No use. They were goners. So I stopped and leaned against the wall trying to look like I was making a casual phone call to my best friend. I was looking for advice and moral support and all she was doing was laughing so hard she was crying. I couldn't bend down and lift up my skirt to pull them up without someone seeing me. I couldn't walk to a private place because they would be around my ankles by the time I got there. I was stuck. And mortified. My best friend stayed on the phone with me until the halls had cleared and I could pull them up without being seen. And laughed the entire time.

That was five years ago and I still blush thinking about it. This is my life though. Just going from one embarrassing moment to the next. Somebody, anybody - tell me something worse.

Friday Favorites

I feel like every female 18-30 dresses like a sloo for Halloween. Not judging. Totally been there, done that. But it gets so old and so boring. So for this week's Friday Favorites, I'm providing you with some of my favorite relevant and creative costume choices.

The "Hillary texts" memes were probably the greatest thing to happen to the internet. And although I fully plan on being her next year, I have no problem sharing with you the greatness of this DIY costume. I love Hillary. She is everything.

What you'll need:

1) Blazer

2) Hideous brooch (similar in your mother's jewelry box)

3) Hideous cheap necklace (similar in your little sister's jewelry box)

4) Sunglasses

5) Cellphone (similar in your hand)

6) A severe look of disdain. (Already got it!)

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You guys, it's handled. And hey Shonda, just so we're all clear, the front lawn of the White House does not look like that. I've also not once seen Barack hanging out on his balcony. Whatever. This costume makes me not want to even go out for Halloween. I'd just stay home with my bad ass self. And probably spill red wine all over my white clothing because I'm just barely an adult.

What you'll need:

1) Heaping bowl of popcorn

2) Crate & Barrel Camille wine glass

3) WINE

3) White sweater

4) White pants 

5) A super long, emotional, run-on sentence that is memorized which you should recite loudly and possibly even with tears.

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Amy Schumer is my spirit animal. I am so effing pissed I don't know her in real life because we would be best friends. I just really feel like it's the right thing - dress up as her character on Trainwreck. If you have not seen this movie yet, put your kid or your job on hold and do it now.

What you'll need:

1) Yellow dress

2) Grey nail polish

3) Brown paper bag 

3) BOOZE

5) A void where your moral compass is supposed to be. 

I hope you all are being creative this year. When all else fails, just drink some alcohol in your pajamas while binging on candy. It's basically what I do every day! Let me know what you're dressing up as!

Fall Festival Fun

This past weekend we took Em to Cox Farms Fall Festival. Best $17 dollars I ever spent. If you live in the area and you're desperate for child entertainment, let your kid run amok in this place. We ended up staying longer than planned because there was just so much to do. Em was a sponge taking it all in. Not going to lie, I was just as entertained as she was. It was absolutely freezing unless you were standing directly in the sun with no wind blowing but we still had a blast. What a fun place! See for yourself!

Em loved seeing all of the fall and Halloween themed objects that she's been reading about in her books. Including the farm animals! She is basically a goat whisperer. Seriously. How adorable is that? She kept calling them "Gush." Golden retriever. Billy goat. Same thing.

We also found out that llamas are fucking weird. Just look at this thing. It will never grow out of it's awkward phase. Ever. Yikes.

Not pictured is the 20 minute hayride that was absolutely. adorable. It was so interactive. All the kids and adults loved it! We also tried a 150 ft. slide and HATED IT. 

And then we found out that Em is almost half as tall as I am which means that I am abnormally short. We also contemplated the existence of apples and why they taste so good even after dropping them 2349834934 times in the dirt.

We finished off the day by stopping at Dogfish Head Brewery for some much needed libations. I taught Em the word "booze" and I hope it's only a matter of months before I can get her to start bringing me beers.

Also, it's been a rough couple of days for me. I've been fighting pharyngitis for about a week now and losing. Being sick is the absolute worst. I feel like a walking germ. One can only ingest so many cough drops and chicken noodle soup. To all of you back home in the Mitten who were able to enjoy yourselves at Spicer's Orchards, I'm totally jelly!

Friday Favorites

I don't know about where you live, but it's starting to get chilly here. When I say chilly, I mean we're in the 60's and that actually means it's freezing. But there is absolutely nothing better than being all bundled up in your favorite sweats and eating hot soup for dinner. Actually, the only thing better than that is coming home to the smell of that hot soup simmering in your crock pot all day. Yummmmm. So for this week's Friday Favorites, I've linked to a couple of my favorite soups below.

BONUS: I've included a super secret recipe to a copycat of Panera Bread's chicken and wild rice soup. Put on some stretchy pants and let's do this.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
This one is so easy, it's stupid. If you can just get past the fact that you're using a half brick of Velveeta cheese, I promise you'll enjoy this. I will be the first to admit that using a "cheese product" in anything is probably immoral. But selling your soul to the devil on this one is totally worth it, I promise. This is one of those "I have absolutely no time to make dinner, what am I going to feed my kids" kind of meals (as if I know what that's like). It's seriously so fast.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Pair this with a loaf of French bread and you'll be horizontal for hours trying to recover. Seriously, just unbutton your pants before you sit down at the table. Save yourself some time. Or just don't wear pants at all. This is another stupidly simple recipe. Are you noticing a theme here? If you're wondering whether or not I'm lazy, just remember that my nickname is "sloth." Alright, back to the soup. This is the perfect fall soup. Ya got your meat. Ya got your potatoes. If you've got a lumberjack boyfriend type, he'll be impressed with this. Guaranteed.

Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
The grand finale. You guys. This soup is everything. It's a little time intensive, but if you have a servant kid that you can trust with a knife, you can probably cut the prep time in half. There's a lot of slicing and dicing in this one. If you've ever had this soup at Panera Bread, you can appreciate this recipe. So creamy. So delicious. I credit my sister's father-in-law with this recipe. I'm pretty sure that's where this came from. If not, just take the credit Phil.**** Without further ado:

Ingredients
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 cooked, boneless chicken breasts (shredded)
1 (4.5 ounce) package Uncle Ben's chicken and wild rice w/seasoning packet
1/2 tsp. salt
12 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 stick unsalted butter
2 cups skim milk
1/2 cup chopped mushroom (I usually use more - love mushrooms)
1/2 cup chopped carrot (too much carrot will sweeten the soup - don't do that!)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cloves chopped garlic
*dry, white wine

Directions
1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine broth, water and cooked chicken. Bring just to boiling, then stir in rice, reserving seasoning packet. Cover and remove from heat.
2. Saute mushroom, carrot, onion, celery, and garlic in pan (with olive oil) until soft.
3. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, and flour. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in contents of seasoning packet until mixture is bubbly. Reduce heat to low, then stir in flour mixture by tablespoons, to form a roux. Whisk in milk, a little at a time, until full incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir cream mixture into broth and rice. Add vegetables to pot. Cook over medium heat until heated through, about 10-15 minutes.
5. *Finish with a dry, white wine. (Just enough to flavor the soup).
6. Enjoy! I always serve with a sourdough baguette! Perfect for dipping into the soup.

****UPDATE: Sister has informed me that this is actually her recipe. Apologies, I didn't know you were capable of making something this delicious. I mean that in the best possible way.

Please share your soup recipes with me! I always love adding new ones to my repertoire!

Trick or Treat!

Halloween is a pretty big deal in my family. So much so, that my brother-in-law claims that my sister, mother and I are in a coven. I wish. Because if I had magical powers I would cast spells that made me skinny and cure hangovers. Alas, I have no thigh gap and a residual hangover from Saturday night. 

I still get a really big kick out of Halloween even though I no longer drag an old, dingy pillowcase from house to house, begging for candy and wearing a princess costume inevitably covered up by a winter coat (I have an overprotective mother). 

To this day, I remember coming back with our goodies and dumping the contents of the pillowcase out on the floor between our legs. I'd always give my mom the Jujubes and Hot Tamales because they are absolutely disgusting, my sister would give me all of her milk chocolates (dairy allergy) and my dad would shamelessly steal the candy that we had worked so hard for. Opened or unwrapped candy had to be thrown out and our loot always had to be checked by an adult before we could begin our overindulgence. 

Last year, we gained a new addition to our coven. And now that she is more aware of her own existence than she was last year, I am SO excited to experience this holiday through her eyes. She has already perfected her "boo!" game. And she practices her shrill scream every chance she gets. What a pro. 

Also, I cannot wait to share my costume details with you guys. I REALLY wanted to be Hillary this year but I've decided to go in a different direction. I'll spill the beans soon! What are your favorite Halloween memories? Did anyone actually get a razor blade in their candy? I'm thinking this was a tactic used by our parents to steal more candy. Also, check out this Halloween contract you should 110% make your kids sign. 

Happy Halloween!

Friday Favorites

This week's Friday Favorites are my favorite fall everythings! Ten bucks says you'll catch yourself saying "Amok! Amok! Amok!" before the day is over!

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Watching the entire Harry Potter series over and over and over and over and over...

Pumpkin flavored hard cider, pumpkin flavored coffee, pumpkin flavored coffee creamer, pumpkin flavored biscotti, pumpkin flavored beer...

Stepping on crunchy looking leaves.

Finally being able to actually spend time doing my hair because the humidity is gone.

Wearing leggings as pants in public (wait, I do this all the time).

Cider mills, hay rides and haunted houses. Also, doughnuts and cider.

Alternating between Uggs (don't hate), wellies, and riding boots depending on the occasion and weather conditions.

Fuzzy socks.

The smell of burning leaves.

Pumpkin flavored waffles, pumpkin flavored Oreos, pumpkin flavored cream cheese, pumpkin flavored oatmeal, pumpkin flavored ice cream...

Buying shaving cream less frequently.

Free candy!

Watching Hocus Pocus and quoting every. single. line.

Taking an extra 10 minutes to get ready because I can't decide which of my 50,000 scarves go with my outfit the best.

Hot tea, cozy sweaters, and good books.

Halloween Pandora station.

You guys, just go to Trader Joe's. They have pumpkin flavored everythings.

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What are your fall favorites? Let me know in the comment section below! This Hocus Pocus drinking game posted by Little Baby Garvin might just be a top priority this month! Enjoy your long weekend - this is what Pip and I plan on doing. Happy fall everybody!

Bedroom Design Tour

Ever since I was a little girl, I have been mildly obsessed with home decor. I would rearrange my room every couple of months and would surprise my mom with a rearranged living room as well (reactions varied). Now that I have a place of my own, I find even more joy in personalizing my space. I am by no means a professional. I am more like an assistant junior novice low-budget hobby designer. The only people who have let me "design" their spaces have been my mother and sister. Both of them mostly begrudgingly. I actually tell both of them they aren't allowed to make design purchases without my prior approval (HA!). No but really...please don't guys.

So, this week I'm taking you on a short tour of my bedroom. This is really the only space in my apartment that I am mostly content with (if you have the design bug like me, you know what I mean). You guys, let me just tell you how much I am obsessed with Craigslist. It. Is. Everything. I troll that site like most people troll Facebook. Everyone in my neighborhood (except me) is pretty well-off so there is an abundance of quality treasures to be found. Almost everything in my apartment was bought from Craigslist. Mainly because I am so unbelievably poor (thanks Navient!). But also because some of these items are antiques and you can't buy them in stores. Let's get this thing started!

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Let me just tell you that my bed never looks like this. I used to make it every day before I left for work. Nowadays, I'm lucky if I wash my hair and walk out the door wearing the same shoe on both feet. Anyways, this space is my jam. I'm actually in the market for some new bedding and a new rug but until I marry someone rich can afford it, these will have to do.

Nightstands: Craigslist - $20 for the pair (originally Ikea - $70 each); Bedframe: Ikea - $180; Table lamps: HomeGoods (a.k.a. heaven on earth) - $40 each (similar here); Duvet: CB2 - $70 (similar here); Quilt: Target - $60 (similar here and here); Faux fur throw: Pottery Barn - purchased on sale for $80; Rug: Ikea - $20 (similar here); Antique bench: Craigslist - $15 (similar here); Antique mantelpiece: Craigslist (Surrendered Goods) - $90; Wreath: Target - $20

 

Here's a closeup of one of my most favorite Craigslist finds (it's a tie between the bench and the mantelpiece). Regardless of the fact that this thing is usually the keeper of all the clothes I've worn for the week and haven't hung back up or put in the laundry, I love it dearly. Just look at it - so pretty.

Also, can we talk for a minute about how to style a shelf? I don't care if it's a bookshelf, a nightstand, or the back of your toilet. For the love, will you please take five extra minutes and color coordinate the damn thing?! Thanks. I needed to get that off my chest. 

Let me tell you a not-so-funny funny story about this mantelpiece. It is being held up by screws that I hammered (yeah, you read that right) into the wall. Hey, I never claimed to be a handywoman (side rant: why does spellcheck recognize "handyman" but not "handywoman"??? #girlpower). 

I could just stare at this thing all day. You can bet your bum that I'll be throwing up a seasonal appropriate wreath on this thing for every season from now until forever. I have my eye on this magnolia wreath for the warmer months. 

 And here is my favorite home decor accessory, Mr. Pip. 

I'll be doing more tours once I am happy with my other rooms. The living room is almost there. Just waiting on my sofa :) Happy Monday, everyone! May your coffee be strong and your anxiety level low! 

How to Deal

I really do plan on keeping this blog lighthearted, but today's events have got my heart hurting and now I have these words burning a hole in my chest. I have to put them down. I hope you'll bear with me.

When I was 18 years old, I attempted suicide.

I was 200 miles away from home, living with strangers in an unfamiliar place and my long-distance boyfriend dropped the bomb that he no longer loved me. I had never felt so alone, so hurt and so incapable of dealing with my own emotions. You see, I had been struggling with depression and anxiety for years before this night. I had gone undiagnosed, untreated, and most importantly - uneducated.

I say "uneducated" because had I been told what depression is, I might not have decided to swallow two handfuls of pain killers in an attempt to end my own life. I say "uneducated" because had I known and recognized my own symptoms of depression, I might have gone to see a counselor instead of the emergency room doctor on duty that night. I say "uneducated" because instead of drinking a 16 oz. cup full of liquid charcoal to rid my body of the drugs, I could have been prescribed antidepressants.

Depression is so much more than feeling sad and I wish people would stop trying to make it seem that small and insignificant. For years I had felt emotionally unstable and unable to deal with the pressures and anxieties of my life. And one night, I felt that it would be better to feel nothing at all than to feel the pain I was experiencing.

Mental illness is not something you can pray away. It is not something that you can throw money at. And it certainly isn't going to go away on its own. Mental illness affects both men and women. You can be 18 or 85. Rich or poor. Single or married. Mental illness does not discriminate. Until we educate our society on the types of mental illness, the symptoms, and how to deal - we are going to continue to see days like this one. A day where someone is incapable of dealing with his emotions and it ends in tragedy.

I have been off of medication for four years now. I am confident in my ability to manage my stress levels and I know when it's time to get a "check up." I know what depression is. I know how it manifests itself and now I know how to deal with it.

Please know that my heart aches for these families and friends and even the complete strangers that are affected by today - another mass shooting. But my heart also aches for the forgotten victim, the person struggling with his or her mental illness that thought this was how to deal.

Please, please, please - if there is a war inside you, if you are questioning your own desire to live, tell someone. Tell anyone. Tell me. This is not something you have to deal with on your own. And it is certainly not something you need to be ashamed of.

Friday Favorites

A little late in the day for these Friday Favorites but I hope you'll enjoy them all the same! Now that the colder weather is blowing through, I thought it would be a great idea to round up some of my favorite boots this season. I'm a firm believer in the idea that you can never have too many pairs of shoes. So even if you think you're squared away for this season, check these out - because they are adorable.

1 Hunter 'Huntress' Boot 2 Sole Society Lylee Ankle Bootie 3 Sorel Caribou Boot 4 J.Crew Field Boots 5 Tory Burch 'Junction' Riding Boot

Alright, I'm probably dreaming with those Tory Burch boots but c'mon (*drools*). I posted two pairs of riding boots for individuals like me who have a hard time wearing black with brown. I know, I know. It's supposed to be okay. And I've been doing just that for the past two years (I own a pair of brown Michael Kors riding boots). But like I said, you can never have too many pairs of shoes. Looks like I'll be needing a black pair to complete my collection. 

I've been in need of a pair of Hunter boots for a while and I think this is finally my year! Unless my sister wants to give me hers, I'll definitely be purchasing a pair soon.

What do you guys think of the Sorels and ankle booties? I think they're both adorable and if only I had enough storage space.....

Next week I'll have to do a post on closet space because that is exactly what I'll be needing here pretty soon!!!

Have a great weekend everybody!

Be You

I have a very bad habit of giving people multiple chances when they really should have been cut off at strike #1. It's gotten me into a lot of trouble in the past. And I'm not just talking boyfriends. Relatives, coworkers, friends, you name it. A lot of the time, I care way more than I should about people. I'm an extremely empathetic person so I feel all the feels. Seriously, I watched the new Cinderella movie last week and cried when her dad died as if I didn't see it coming. It's a problem.

So when an old friend blew me off (this specific relationship has a bit of a dramatic history so it wasn't really that surprising) after an attempt to reach out, I said eff it! I'm done! Alright, I was slightly less dignified than that. I called my mom and bitched about it for 15 minutes while downing a glass of wine.

Here's the thing guys, not everyone is going to like you. In fact, some people are going to really, really, REALLY dislike you. Most of the time, there's not anything you can do about it. There isn't some rule book that states you have to like everyone you meet. And it's taken me 26 years to realize that I shouldn't take this personally.

I've learned that you can be "perfect" and still not be what someone wants. And it's their problem. Not yours. Surround yourself with people that are rooting for you just as much as you are rooting for them. That's the only way you're going to survive this place. You can't waste your time trying to fit some mold. So be you. And stop being so nice about it. Be unapologetically you.

I'm lazy. I hate working out. I love humor and I really love swearing. I cry a lot. I take a lot of baths. I don't like condiments. And I eat a lot.

If you don't like me, quit reading my blog.

Friday Favorites

First, let me apologize for skipping last week's Friday Favorites. We were in the midst of packing up and traveling back to Virginia. I was soaking up every last minute of time spent with family. And also the sun.

This week's Friday Favorites are probably the ultimate. There's a reason I work at Crate & Barrel part time and it's not because I need the money. I love that store and everything it has to offer. So this week, my favorites are coming right from Crate & Barrel. This is not a sponsored post. I am merely obsessed with everything Crate. Enjoy!

1 alpaca dove grey throw  2 fabian grey pillow  3 lounge II 93" sofa  4 switch coffee table  5 colin tray  6 ambrosia scented candle

Not kidding - that sofa will be mine in a few months and I can't wait to take Sunday naps on that thing! Did you check out the depth - 46"!!! Also, you don't even need to burn that candle, just take the cover off and your space will smell heavenly almost immediately. Totally worth the $30 price tag - I would know. I love the mix of metal and wood in the tray and coffee table. The combination of the cold and warm materials is a theme I have going on in my own living room.

Happy FriYay everyone! I have a weekend full of homework and exams so I hope yours is more exciting than mine!

Summer's Last Hurrah

I told you I wasn't ready for summer to be over and I meant it! I'm currently in Myrtle Beach typing this post from the comfort of my mother's couch with a toddler screaming "mooooo!!!!" in my ear (she's mastered the cow noise).

My sister, my niece and I took the whole week off to squeeze all we could out of these last days of summer at my mom's house. We've been going to bed early and sleeping in late (or as late as the Em Monster will allow), outlet shopping, pool and beach hopping, and only eating healthy foods when absolutely necessary (my sister did drag me to Gold's Gym on Sunday and then I got a migraine that put me out of commission all day which only further proves my theory that I am, in fact, allergic to exercising).

This morning, in lieu of working out, we dug our forks into some delicious french toast casserole. We had a loaf of french bread that went stale so instead of throwing it out, I found this recipe for overnight blueberry french toast casserole. I threw everything into the crockpot last night and turned it on early this morning. It was so quick and so easy. And obviously delicious because it put everyone to sleep.

After everyone has woken up from their morning nap, we're piling into the car for another round of shopping followed up by a late-in-the-day trip to the pool (my poor skin can't take any more sun after yesterday's beach outing). 

I'm putting work and school out of my mind for the next few days and only focusing on relaxation. It really feels like home here and I'm going to soak all of this up before it's back to reality on Monday!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend! Think of me while you're answering emails at work today! 

Friday Favorites

I know I just ranted for an entire blog post about how much I'm not ready for summer to be over, but there's something about being all bundled up that makes me feel comforted and safe. I've rounded up a few of my fall favorites here. You'll thank me, your wallet will not.

1 double hooded sweatshirt, 2 oversized plaid blanket scarf, 3 lightweight oversized scarf in white, 4 biker zip detail coat 5 boyfriend jeans

Buying casual clothes really isn't practical for me since I'm either at work or sleeping. But how can you not love that striped sweatshirt? It's so cute and I would totally pair it with my boyfriend jeans for a casual autumn outing. Perhaps a weekend wine tasting at Breaux vineyards? That's honestly my favorite place to be. I'm also in the market for a new winter coat and I'm thinking this one from ASOS is my golden ticket to getting through this upcoming (rumored) brutal winter in style. And I cannot get enough of these blanket scarves taking over the internet. I seriously need one in every. single. color. I'm getting more excited for fall already! 

What's on your fall style wish list? Follow me on Pinterest for more ways to go bankrupt! Have a great weekend everyone!

The Perfect Present

We've all been there. It's somebody's birthday, anniversary, retirement, etc. and you are drawing a big white blank on what to get them. And then you wait until the last minute, panic, and buy them a huge container of various flavored popcorn. I'm not saying I won't eat the popcorn, but c'mon!

I'm pretty picky when it comes to food, boys, life, etc. giving gifts. I don't like buying gift cards or something random that the receiver might like. I want it to be personal and I get a real good kick out of making someone cry. Mom at Christmas? Get her every time.

I can't be the only one here. There's nothing worse than giving the gift of an emotionless scarf. Dig deep people! Find out what makes them tick! What do they love? What inside jokes do you share? What's their favorite color? If you can't think of anything, you shouldn't be giving a gift in the first place. Save your money. Or give it to me. I'm always taking donations.

So (I can't believe I'm saying this) in light of the holidays coming up *cringe*, I thought I'd do a blog post on what I got my friend/boss for her birthday. She's Irish. So that was easy. Alcohol, obviously. And green. At a work lunch recently, I remembered that she had been talking about Moscow Mules. It was almost too easy.

Moscow Mule Mug, Copper Wire Storage Basket

So I made a cute little Moscow Mule gift basket. I purchased the mugs and basket from C&B/CB2, and used some tissue/wrapping paper to elevate some of the items for display. Then I purchased some cute mini vodka bottles and limes to add more green into the basket.

Voila!

It's a practical gift because she can reuse the mugs and keep the basket for her own storage and it's still fun because who doesn't like alcohol?

What are your gift go-tos? Anyone have that popcorn still sitting in the deep, dark, depths of their kitchen cupboard from 4 years ago?

P.S. my favorite blogger (Little Baby Garvin) posts Friday Favorites and I decided to follow suit. Every Friday I'll post some of my favorite things, whether it's clothes, recipes, furniture, boys, etc. Looking forward to finally having something to show for the hours I spend shopping online!

P.P.S. thank you to everyone who has shown me blog love! Your kind words mean the world to me and without them I probably would have stopped writing! Love you all!