Mid week treats!

Happy Hump Day, y’all!

When I leave work on Wednesdays, I always feel amazing, because the work week is already half over! Which means only 2 more mornings of waking up at 4:30am…yeah! I also usually try and treat myself to a Wednesday treat. Just a little something to say “congratulations for making it through the beginning, here’s a treat to hold you over until Friday..” Usually it’s a Starbucks Captain Crunch frapp {if you haven’t had one, shame on you} or maybe I’ll treat myself to a mani or pedi {or maybe pick up another one of the game-changing lip gloss from Walgreens…right, Katie?!} Do you guys have incentives to spoil yourself? I’m always looking for more excuses.

If any of you follow the “Pretty Little Liars” series, you know that every year there is a “between seasons” Halloween episode, and every year, my good friend Jaclyn and I watch this episode, cook an amazing fall meal, and carve pumpkins! Last night was the night of the episode, so this happened:

 

 

THE most incredible beef stew {made by Jaclyn} and the greatest chocolate chip banana bread {made by me!} to go with our pumpkins {our men helped us, and carved some of their own, such cuties.} Such a great time with great friends! Cholla and Milli wanted to help eat the pumpkins..Milli even ate a seed {I told her if she drank water now, a pumpkin would grow in her puppy tummy!}

 

If you’re going to do fall like activities, you have to dress like it. I give you my pumpkin carving attire: Steve Madden cognac boots, cheetah leggings from Rachas, a cute, local boutique, and an oversized zip cardigan from Old Navy. Helloooo, fall!

I’ve decided that now that I’ve got some extra time on my hands {wedding planning is done!!}, I need to get myself in shape! I used to do cross country running, so I decided I needed to start back up with my running! Now I’m not the type to have a ton of tennis shoes in my closet {I have one pair of baby pink Nike shox to my name}, so I had to go out and get a pair of shoes. After trying on what felt like half of Academy, I chose the FILA women’s memory therapy gradient training shoe. This shoe has great reviews and it is SO comfortable. It is also light, which is something I look for because I have very weak ankles. I’m excited to take these shoes out for a test spin, it’s always such a great escape to go for a nice run, and it’s even better when I’m wearing a shoe that doesn’t weigh down my foot.

 

I’m pleased to inform you that BBW is having their 2 for $22 candle deal starting again today. It only lasts a few days each time it comes around, so take full advantage! I need a few more fall candles to get me through November {on Black Friday every year, I go to BBW and stock up on holiday candles, and I start burning them on Black Friday while we are decorating for Christmas!} Be aware of Black Friday ad’s coming out. My sweet friend Jaclyn told me about the Black Friday app for iPhones that is already starting to post some Black Friday deals. You don’t want to miss out on the great deals J

This week, something on my mind is family. Charles’ grandfather became pretty ill, and his family is all coming in to see him. Some of the family I haven’t even met yet, so I’m pretty excited to meet everyone. Family doesn’t only apply to people you are related to. My parents best friends are people that I consider my family. They are all like aunts and uncles to me, and I’m proud that they are in my family. Charles parents also have similar friends who are like family to us. In fact, we are going to a bonfire at “Aunt Donna and Uncle Richard’s” house tonight {I’m so thrilled..what to wear, what to wear? And on a work night..I feel like a rebel. It’s good to break the rules every once in a while..}Bonfires are just plain good for the soul. The smell, the friends, the drinks..absolutely on my fall bucket list. I have “my family,” which consists of my parents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, etc. Charles also has “his family” consisting of the same. Now that we are married, it is becoming a reality that now, my immediate family is Charles, and will someday be our children. We have branched off to form a totally new family, which is a little scary to think about, but also excited. I can’t wait to start our own family traditions, and to go through everything in life with my greatest, most true friend. Marriage is NOT for everyone and it certainly isn’t to be taken lightly. When you know, you know.

 

 ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”  Mark 10: 6-9.

 

I hope you have blessed Wednesday! <3

 

A picture's worth a thousand words

You have all heard the saying "A picture's worth a thousand words," and it is amazingly accurate! This weekend, pictures more accurately explain my whereabouts and what I was up to better than I would ever be able to explain to you. So without further delay..



There were martini's

There were handsome dates..

 

Charles bought an Elf on the Shelf {he says he will use it to scare me during the holidays. I don't really think that's what the poor little guy was designed for..}

There was cooking...and watching my handsome man build a fire throught the window

Charles practiced being a dad..

There were s'mores with the sissy {I FINALLY got to wear the handmade poncho I got in Mexico..happy dance!}

This happened....holey moley

The dogs helped out a lot, plenty of this occurred.

The beautiful Monday morning rainbow I saw outside the office today. "Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the works thy hand hath made.."


It was a beautiful weekend filled with friends, good food, family, shopping, cleaning and organizing, and resting / pampering. How could you complain about a weekend like that?! I'll see you all back here soon! XO

Michele

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

DIY No Sew Dog Bed!

Hey, y'all!

I can honestly say yesterday wore.me.out. But I had such a wonderful fall evening at home with my babe! Homemade potato soup, a little decorationg, crafting, cuddling...Can't get any better! I know I say this in every single post, but THIS WEATHER!! <3 it! Can't get enough. Perfect "drive with the sunroof down" kind of weather {and trust me, I have been}. I was at the grocery store picking a few things up for my soup recipe, and saw the prettiest of mum's sitting out. I decided I had to have some. While perusing the aisles, I found a mini hay stack {only $7!} and some cinnamon smelling pinecones and mini pumpkins. Of course, I wanted needed all of these things. Here's what I created:

It's tutorial Thursday over here! I've been needing to make Cholla a little dog bed, because her and Milli aren't the biggest fans of sharing the razorback bed I made for them {I guess they didn't read the "sharing is caring" post from yesterday...}Anyhow, I figured I would use up some extra fabric and polyfil I had and make Cholla her own princess bed {because dogs are family, after all}. I won't keep y'all waiting. Without further delay, let's make a DIY No Sew Dog Bed!



You'll Need....

• Scissors {make sure they aren't dull or they will fray the fabric}
• Two layers of fabric {you can use whatever you'd like, but I've found that the fleece material or anyother kind of soft material works best}
• Polyfil

{Step One}: Place fabric evenly on floor, one layer over the top of the other. I usually pick two different colors, typically I go with black on bottom because it will be mainly sitting on the floor, and will get dirty.

{Step Two}: Once fabric has been perfectly aligned, Cut a square out of each corner. These don't need to be big squares, just big enough to make the edges. {Tip, one you cut one square out, use an excess square of fabric to make the other edges the same size}. Look at my handsome helper!

 

{Step Three}: Cut slits in the fabric approximately 1.5-2 inches wide. along the perimeter of the fabric.

{Step Four}: Tie the two slits together {I would double knot it so that your pups can't untie it and get all of the stuffing out. Our dogs just love stuffing.

{Step Five}: When you're tying the last row of slits, leave a few slits open and start stuffing the dog bed with polyfil {or, if you don't want to stuff the bed, you can continue tying and it will create a blanket}. Once you have stuffed with polyfil, continue on to finish tying the rest of the slits.

{Step Six}: Let your princess enjoy her new puppy bed!

We actually put this at the foot of our bed last night and she slept on it the whole time! They love the beds. I will be putting it by the window in the bedroom so that she can be comfy and cozy while she looks outside and waits for us to come home.

Stay tuned tomorrow for 5 for Friday! XO

Michele






Sharing is Caring

Hey, y’all! Today took a turn for the cold side here in the great state of Arkansas, so what better way to celebrate a chilly night at home than with a nice bowl of my mom’s 5 step potato soup! I am going to be crafting tonight {Cholla needs a new puppy bed..tutorial to come!}, and pajamas and a big bowl of soup sounds mmm mmm good. Sharing is caring, so let’s get right to it..

 

Ingredients<3

·         4 large baking potatoes

·         2/3 cup flour

·         ¾ tsp salt

·         4 green onions, copped

·         1 ¼ cups shredded cheese

·         2/3 cup butter

·         6 cups milk

·         Ground pepper

·         Pkg bacon bits {I usually cook bacon and chop it up}

·         1 cup sour cream

Directions<3

{Step One}: Bake potatoes at 400 degrees for an hour and 20 minutes. Cool. Scoop pulp into small bowl and discard the skins.

{Step Two}: Over low heat, melt butter in large pot. Stir in flour, cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

{Step Three}: Add milk gradually, stirring well after each addition. Cook over medium, until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper.

{Step Four}: Add potato pulp, 2 tbs green onions, ½ cup bacon bits, and 1 cup cheese. Cook until heated thoroughly. Stir in sour cream. Add additional milk, if needed.

{Step Five}: Sprinkle with remaining bacon bits, green onions, and cheese. Enjoy! <3

 

Having guests? Bonus points if you buy a few bread bowls from Panera and put the soup in them! Hope you all enjoy! 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

Hello, Friday! You're wonderful

Hey, y’all! Happy Friday =)

I hope you’re all as ecstatic for the weekend as I am. Big plans? I’d love to hear. I’m slowly but surely trying to kick the rest of this sickness in the booty {keyword: slowly. Painstakingly slow, in fact} in order to fully enjoy my weekend. Cheers for Friday!

Friday’s also mean 5 for Friday!! Here’s 5 things on my mind today:

{One}

My arm’s length to do list is on my mind this Friday. Albeit yes, my life has calmed down significantly since the wedding, I still have so much catching up to do. Throw in the holidays coming and us trying to fix up the house to sell, I’ve hit a point where I eat, sleep, and drink in to do lists in order to function like a normal and productive human being. No, I don’t want to be “that lady” who obsesses over list making. I’m not someone who makes lists to do lists, I’m not certifiably OCD, but the lists help me to remember what I need to do, and they remind me to stay on track. I really think it has more to do with writing things down. If I write something down {no, typing them into my phone calendar does NOT count as writing something down, it will never work,} I feel like I remember things better.  Surprisingly, my to do list for this weekend isn’t too terrible. My “to do before the end of the year” list is out of hand.

 

{Two}

If you know me, you know I’m not the world’s biggest red meat fan. Not that I don’t like it, not that I won’t eat it {because I will}, I just seem to always gravitate towards grilled chicken, fish, etc. Sometimes it’s difficult when Charles wants to grill a nice, big, juicy steak. He gets extremely excited, and I’m always sitting there thinking “Okay, I’ll eat this, it will be great I’m sure, so why am I not as excited as this guy?” I found my substitute for steak. It’s even BETTER than steak in my book. Get ready to go buy some immediately. Ahi. Tuna. Steak. SO GOOD. Yes, you can buy this at Wal-Mart of your local grocer {frozen…}, but it is SO much better to go get some fresh. Where I live, we have a local seafood shop that gets fresh fish flown in every Friday morning, and they have extremely reasonable prices {Shout Out to See’s Seafood!} You can prepare them however you’d like, but I like to keep it simple: a little olive oil, a little creole, some george’s seasoning {a special, secret seasoning that is pretty good fabulous that is made by a family here in Fort Smith}, and some lemon juice. Toss that puppy on the grill, it doesn’t take long to cook in the slightest. Enjoy a glass of wine while you wait {I know I will}. Anyhow, this is on my mind today because I have four of these beauties ready to throw on the grill tomorrow at the lake. Yes, I will be sitting on the deck enjoying a glass of wine while my husband grills the meat! This weekend’s weather will be amazing, I am SO looking forward to it.

 

{Three}

2 for $22 candles from Bath and Body works are never constantly on my mind, but especially today! These 3-wick candles run around $20 on a normal day, but in typical “always looking for a sale” fashion, I wait for these wonderful candles to go on the 2 for $22 sale, and then I stock up! I also save all of the $10 off a purchase of $30 or more, and then I get 4 candles {which on a normal day would run me $80} for $30! That ends up being $50 of savings. I’ll take it! Well as I’m sipping on my coffee this morning, casually scrolling through my email as normal, I saw the coupon for the 2 for $22 sale going on now. You better believe that I will be heading straight to BBW for some more candles, because honestly, you can NEVER have too many. Have extras? Save them for next year. You’ll always need them. Life is too short to not buy the candles. Right now I’m obsessing over “Leaves.” It’s always my fall favorite.

 

{Four}

The Children’s Emergency Shelter has been on my mind a lot lately, especially with the holidays coming up. This shelter in my town provides shelter, food, and care to children who found themselves in bad situations. This shelter is someone everyone needs to support when they can, find them on their website here, or on facebook! They often post what they need support with {whether it be food, laundry detergent, someone to stop by and fix a leak, etc}. If you have means to donate to a charity, please choose this one. It takes a special kind of person to run an organization like the one they are running. Please consider them when you’re at the store, or buying presents this holiday season! I know we will be thinking of them in the Alley household this holiday season.

 

{Five}

After work, I am headed to the beautiful and peaceful Lake Ouachita. Although I won’t be in a bikini sitting on a boat, I can’t wait for a peaceful weekend, sitting on the deck, and enjoying the cool fall weather. It will be SO nice to sit on the deck with a cup of coffee and a stack full of thank you cards. It’s hard to get things like that done at home, because I always feel like I should be cleaning something, or someone always comes over, or we want to get out of the house…I could think of about 50 excuses to do something at home, but when I’m at the lake enjoying some peace and quiet, I can get things done! Hopefully I can get finished early and enjoy a nap in the new hammock, and then enjoy some wine and a nice dinner on Saturday night. Ok, ok. The wine will happen regardless of me finishing. Let’s just be honest about that. In fact, it might be required just to keep me sane while I’m writing the thank you cards and doing various other things. Oh, and sleep is a priority this weekend! I have not slept well ALL week, and I really need to let my body rest and recover in order to kick this sickness. Here’s hoping I get some good naps in ;)

 

I hope you all have a splendid weekend, full of friends, family, and if you’re lucky, some peace and quiet! & don’t forget to come back around for a weekend recap in a few days! XO

Michele Alley