It's that time of the week again...

Happy, happy, HAPPY Friday, y’all! <3

This week flew by, which is surprisingly welcome due to the fact that the past three weeks have just continued to drag on. I am so excited for a weekend at home to enjoy this wonderful fall weather, work on the house {I got most of the cleaning done last night so I can relax on the deck tomorrow morning with a cup of coffee…yeah!}, and enjoy friends and family. Oh, and football, lots and lots of football and snuggles. Insert cheesy grin here.

Isn’t it funny that your idea of a “fun weekend” changes with age? A fun weekend to me used to mean a party on Friday AND Saturday. Maybe a big show in Fayetteville. Now? A fun weekend is sitting at home, cleaning house, cooking food, reading, maybe getting some shopping in {I plan on doing ALL of these things this weekend, by the way…} Even though Charles is about to be 27 and I’m about to be 24, I feel as if some of the people we associate with feel like we are “old and boring”. Well, maybe we are. But I’d take that over young and reckless any day of the week, I’ll tell ya.

I hope my Friday passes quickly. This girl just has a few hours and an afternoon meeting to make it through until my weekend begins! 3pm, I’m longing for you!

Since it’s Friday, let’s hop right in to 5 for Friday! Here’s what’s on my mind this Friday!

{ONE}

Good deals! When I’m shopping, I try to look for the best deals around in order to get the most bang for my buck. I got incredibly lucky this week with some of the deals that I stumbled across. First, I made the trek to Old Navy, where I found 2 zip front oversized cardigans, 2 cozy, lounging shirts, 2 pairs of the most adorable boot socks, the cutest mustard yellow sweater, and 2 pairs of super cute funky flats! That’s 9 items that would have totaled well over $150 dollars. I scored ALL of these items for $62 dollars. Old Navy is having a KILLER sale going on right now, so I highly recommend scooting on over to your local store and getting your fall “must haves.”

Another place I stumbled upon that had killer deals was JC Penney. Now, I normally always find amazing deals at Penney’s but this time took the cake. I got the about 6 tops and sweaters and two scarves, which, before all of the sales, would have been over $200. Of course everything there is typically on an extreme sale, and this time was no different. With all of the sale they had going on, it brought my total down to $110. Then, after all of the coupons they emailed me and sent to my home {y’all, I CANNOT stress enough how important it is to subscribe for email updates and mailing coupons from stores…it only works to your benefit}, I spent only $68 dollars! I mean, could I have gotten any more lucky with that? You best believe I was thrilled. Of course, I made my weekly visit to Suite One on new arrival day {wild horses couldn’t keep me away}, and got a few cute pieces as well, so I’m just all set! Want to get a JC Penney discount? Go to JC Penney and say “BOO” to the cashier. You’ll score 20% off of your total purchase! So worth it.

My final deal of the week comes from my beloved TJ Maxx! I scored a Columbia jacket for Charles AND one for myself. These puppies were only $24 dollars, and they had all kinds of styles, colors, etc. Way to top off my week right, TJ Maxx!

 

{TWO}

Crockpot Recipes! Crockpot recipes tend to always be on my mind around the fall / winter. Warmer weather means warmer food, and crockpots just make my life SO MUCH easier. I know Charles doesn’t like it if I continually make the same thing {he loves variation and trying new food}, so please send me your favorite crock pot recipes my way!

{THREE}

Holiday Parties! I was out for drinks with Charles and his bosses, and the topic of their company Christmas party came up. Naturally, this got me into holiday party mode: What will I wear? Where will it be? How will I accessorize? What scent should I go with? Dressy or casual? The list really goes on. I LOVE planning for holiday parties, I love the atmosphere around the holidays. This year, my girlfriends and I are toiling with the idea of a special “holiday” girls night. More info on that later, I’m sure it will deserve a whole post dedicated to the occasion. What do you like most about holiday parties? Holiday season please hurry hurry hurry!

Here's Charles and I on Christmas last year!

{FOUR}

I can’t believe that tomorrow will be a whole month since I married my best friend! It feels like yesterday. Where did the time go? How bittersweet. I should be getting my pictures back within a few weeks, and I promise, when I do, I’ll do a post on the wedding AND on the honeymoon. Married life honestly hasn’t changed my life drastically like people said that it would {granted, I’ve only been married a month, so what do I know?} but everyone made it seem like as soon as I said I do, everything would just feel different, and they were right. It feels SO much better. Charles and I lived together for 2 and a half years before we got married {yes, I know, I’m a heathen, but I don’t think it’s bad to test drive the car before you buy it..}. We know each other’s bad habits {he leaves his clothes, shoes, and dishes everywhere, he doesn’t clean his bathroom and it’s gross…and I nag him and take up all of the closet space…} Being married was an easy transition for us, since we have been “Playing married” for a few years. I agree I am young, and most people might not think I am fit to be married, but I think I was born to be a wife at an early age. I always knew I would marry young and have kids young, and cook, clean, and take care of my husband. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about women working {I love my full time job and wouldn’t trade it for ANYTHING}, but there is something so fulfilling about taking care of the ones that you love. I feel very blessed to have Charles as my family, and I will never take him for granted.

 

{FIVE}

Weekend plans! They always seem to be my #5 on Five for Friday! It’s going to be a great weekend! Tonight, we are meeting up with one of our favorite couples for a dinner at 21 West End {chicken Caesar salad and pomegranate martini, y’all are calling my name!} It will be so great to catch up with friends we haven’t seen since the wedding. Saturday, we have decided on cooking out, football, and a backyard “bonfire,” since the weather is supposed to be divine. I couldn’t be more excited for a fall weekend here in Arkansas {I wonder what I’ll wear…} =) I'm ready to put this week in the rearview!

 

Isn't Cho the cutest pumpkin you've ever seen?! She just loves her mom.

 

What’s on YOUR agenda for this coming weekend? And what’s on your mind this Friday? I hope you had as wonderful a week as I have had. Until next time! XO

Michele

Why must the weekend end?!

It’s official, Monday has come around once again! Monday’s are just not my favorite. In fact, Sunday afternoons aren’t my favorite either, because it just feels like a pre-Monday! I feel horrible complaining about Mondays, because if I dread Mondays, I have a job. A good job. A job that I love and am proud of. Yet I still dread Mondays..

Even though I haven’t fully hopped on the Monday bandwagon, I’ve decided to embrace this Monday. It’s a nice, chilly morning, I’m wearing my favorite fall leggings and my olive Piko top {both from Suite One…go figure} and I’m enjoying a nice cup of coffee. This Monday just isn’t so bad afterall, it’s all in your perspective.

How was your weekend? Mine was a much needed lake getaway. Friday, right after the husband got off work, we headed straight down to the lake and cooked a nice dinner and enjoyed the beautiful sunset on the deck, and we hit the hay early {which is typical for me anyways, getting up at 4:30 every morning for work doesn’t make staying up until midnight quite so appealing..}.

I woke up at about 4am on Saturday morning to the sound of pouring rain and thunder, and saw a beautiful lightning show at the window. Needless to say, that put me back to a peaceful sleep for another 2 and a half hours. When I woke up, it was still sprinkling, so I opted to write thank you notes inside with a cup of coffee, half watching “Almost Famous” while I worked. Finally the weather cleared up, and  Charles and his brother and father worked on various tasks around the lake house, as well as Charles removed a bunch of oxidation from the back of the boat, as well as changed the boat name and put a metal looking Razorback on the back of the boat, what a handy man!

 

After piddling around for a little bit in the afternoon, and having a few cocktails with the neighbors, we started working on dinner, which was incredible! Ahi tuna steak, grilled asparagus, and pasta. Delish! And the best part? Charles cooked it all. He’s a man of many talents, but sorry ladies, I snatched this one up and he is off the market! After baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies and watching Home Alone 2: Lost in New York {the best Home Alone in our opinion..} we hit the sack early again! Married life, I tell ya!

Sunday morning Charles and his brother helped their dad with a few more projects, and I packed up and cleaned up as much as possible, and played puppy wrangler to make sure they didn’t get in the boys way. We headed home and unpacked and did some chores at home {it never ends} and then met up with my family for dinner at Olive Garden. I knew I didn’t wanted a big glass of Sangria, and lo and behold that’s just what my parents ordered. They are people after my own heart. If you are ever at the OG, try their Berry Sangria. It’s amazing, just what I needed to wrap up a nice weekend!

 

Now I’m usually not too big on the country music fad, however, there are a few songs you just can’t keep out of your head. I’m starting to become more of a country music fan {as long as it’s not that honkytonk, way too country music. That is not ok.} Here’s a few songs I’ve been singing along to in my car for weeks!

 

Sunday was also made wonderful because of the text I got from my dear friend Katie, and it went a little something like this {see below}. In summary, MAC cosmetics is coming to our local Dillard’s! I know, I know, how could it have taken this long for a MAC to come to our mall, and trust me, I’ve had similar thoughts, and often. Just in time for the holidays, my birthday, etc…looks like I know what to put on MY wish list! Hint: All Things MAC.

 

She also made my day by informing me that Old Navy is having a boot sock sale, and I’m in desperate need of some good boot socks, because you can never have too many, and for $3.50 a pair? Can’t beat that and you can’t say no. She made the great point that these would be great stocking stuffers, or maybe part of a small gift for a friend!  Maybe even a dirty santa gift, the possibilities are endless. I’m going to raid this sale right after work {and you should, too!}

I’m pleased to report back that I completed ALL of my thank you cards {it took forever and I had a sore hand and a headache, but they are done}. I accomplished most of my “to-do” list, with the exception of the Christmas lists! That’s going to be my primary focus for today. Charles has a board of directors meeting for the Blues Fest this evening, so I’ll have some time to get some work done on the lists after work. I’ve started working on them early enough that I’m not in panic mode trying to get it completed.

The Christmas Cards I created and ordered via VistaPrint have ALREADY shipped, y’all! Jump on the bandwagon and get yourself some. Mine should be in today, which gives me optimal time to address them and get them out to people and not be in a rush. How great is that?! I’ll probably get them addressed and ready to send out in the next few weeks, so that I don’t have to worry about it closer to the holidays. Getting ahead of the game is kind of a rush for me, if you hadn’t noticed.

I hope you all make the most out of your Monday! Go check out the amazing Old Navy sale! XO

Michele