Five on Friday

The weekend is here!! Yay! What are y'all's plans? Anything exciting?

O N E
I recently picked up the new Essie Gel Couture line. Target was sold out of the top coat but I picked up this color and really like it. It has kept about a day or so longer than normal polish. It dries quickly and has good shine!

Color: Take Me To Thread

T W O

We celebrated our anniversary dinner a day late mainly because there were no openings for reservations. We went to Clark's Oyster Bar. It was SO good. I had the Redfish and B had the Grouper. We shared Brussel Sprouts...my FAVE!! It was soooo good!

T H R E E

I can't remember if I shared these or not but these are the most comfy booties ever. I literally wear them with almost every outfit. 

F O U R

Did anyone go get the Pumpkin Spice Glazed doughnut from Krispy Kreme this week? I picked up two and they were awesome.

F I V E
Can y'all believe Halloween is Monday?! Thanksgiving will be here before we know it and then Christmas. We are headed back east for Christmas so I am thrilled and ready to get the holidays started.

No Bull!

I recently found Shop Stella B which is an online boutique. I forget how I ran across it but am so glad I did. They have lots of cute pieces at great affordable prices. I picked up this tunic because I had been admiring the bull theme that I have seen in many places. The open shoulders make it flirty which I love. And really, flower crowns?! How can you not?? #ThanksSnapchatfortheObsession.

I paired this tunic with these awesome leggings. Seriously, they stay up and suck you in in all the right places! Oh, and they're reversible. And to kick it up a notch, I paired with over the knee boots. Really on another level when it comes to the flirt factor I think!

Shop Stella B actually sold out of this tunic, but they confirmed they are restocking so go ahead and get yours on order now. I am wearing a small for reference. This tunic runs large so DEFINITELY size down.

Tunic: Shop Stella B

Leggings: Nordstrom

OTK Boots: Nordstrom

Purse: Tory Burch, Similar

Earrings: Stella & Dot

Gold Bracelet: Stella & Dot

Wrap Bracelet: Old, Almost Exact

I hope y'all have an awesome Thursday. Today is my Friday. The hubs and I decided since our anniversary fell during the middle of the week we would just take a long weekend. And who doesn't like a Friday off??

A Toast to You -- 3 Years Married

Today marks Brian & my 3 year wedding anniversary. To be quite honest, it feels so much longer than that. Forewarning: This is a picture heavy post!

Brian, thank you for loving me unconditionally & always making me laugh at the silliest things & always being an encouragement & letting me know everything will be OK when I worry the most. I love you, boo!

Photos: Brooke Taelor Photography // Facebook

Dress: Red Dress Boutique

Booties: Target Similar

Hoops: Stella & Dot

Bracelet: Stella & Dot

I highly suggest Brooke if you are the the Austin/San Marcos area. She is the sweetest & as you can see does fabulous work. Thanks so much Brooke!!

Healthy Eats -- Turkey "Spaghetti"

In our house, spaghetti is usually on our rotating menu. However, carbs. We try to eat pretty healthy in our house...lots of chicken and turkey and organic vegetables/fruits. That's not to say we don't have ice cream in the freezer and beer/wine in the fridge. Or Halloween candy. I did the 21 Day Fix back in February and it really helped me to see exactly what I was eating and what I should be eating.

I found this recipe through Pinterest and it's now the only spaghetti sauce I will eat. It is SO good and SO flavorful. Also, it cooks in the crock pot. #Winning! And you can leave it on and let it cook all day if you want. Also, it makes a TON of sauce so we usually do freeze a container so we can have it later on.

Homemade Turkey Spaghetti Sauce

Prep: 30 mins give or take

Cook Time: 1 Hour

Ingredients

20oz Ground Turkey (Lean)

16oz Ground Italian Turkey

1 Large Sweet Onion, diced

16oz Mushrooms, chopped

3 Cloves Garlic, minced

2 -28oz can Crushed Tomatoes (low sodium/organic preferred)

1-14oz can Tomato Sauce (low sodium/organic preferred)

2 Tbsp Dried Oregano

1 Tbsp Dried Basil

1 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper flakes

1 Tbsp Chili Powder

1 Tbsp EVOO

Directions

Turn your crockpot on high & pour in your EVOO. Put in your diced sweet onion and cover. Let the onions get soft & stir every 5 mins or so. Then add in your chopped 'shrooms & minced garlic. Meanwhile, cook ALL the turkey until it is brown all the way through. Drain the meat and add to your crockpot. You can now add in all your spices + crushed tomatoes + tomato sauce. I like to mix after adding each ingredient so it is evenly distributed. (Note: This recipe needs a large crock pot. It makes a ton of sauce and will easily fill it up to the top.) Cover up your sauce and let it cook for atleast 1 hour. Mine always cooks for about 2-2.5hrs. 

Recipe adapted from here.

Bowls: Mikasa

As far as the actual "spaghetti," we use a spaghetti squash. I prepare it by cutting it in half (stem to tail), scooping out the seeds. I then drizzle EVOO & salt & pepper it. Cook at 400 degrees for 30-45 mins face down on a cookie sheet. Once done, you can scrape with a fork and voilà, SPAGHETTI! If you absolutely have to have the real stuff, I would choose a whole wheat pasta.

The sauce is so flavorful and provides lots of leftovers. I topped ours with fresh grated Parmesan I picked up from Central Market. Bon Appétit!

Five On Friday

Happy Friday!! I just love saying that...the weekend is HERE folks!

O N E
So it has been warm this week in Austin but yesterday was quite blustery. And with all that wind it cooled our night & morning today. Whenever it's cool in the mornings, I love to go and open up the sliding glass door to our balcony (#apartmentlife). Well lo & behold, this morning, our friends are back out eating. I love it. And then, this guy topped off my morning!

T W O
My mom sent me this picture this morning from their house in Boone. Jealous doesn't even begin to describe it.

T H R E E
We are headed to see NEEDTOBREATHE this Sunday and I am so excited. It is an outdoor venue & think the weather is going to be just perfect for a night concert

F O U R
Our anniversary is next week. LADIES, need your help! What are some ideas you have gotten for your husbands? Traditionally the 3 year gift is leather. Sorry but belts are boring & he doesn't want a wallet. What's something creative? Yes, I am behind on this. No judging.

F I V E
REMINDER!! I am offering up a $15 Starbucks gift card on my blog. You can find it here. Please do take a look. I mean, who doesn't like free Starbucks?!

I hope everyone has a great weekend & get that Fall weather you are craving! 

Sweater Weather

Well maybe not quite? I know parts of the country are experiencing actual Fall temps (which I am so jealous) but not here in Central Texas. Y'all it has been in the 80's. We got a taste of cooler morning temps maybe like a week & a half ago and then at night it would be cooler but it's long gone now. COME BACK!!

I don't know what it is but I feel like sweaters are making a huge comeback. You might be laughing but for me sweaters always reminded me of old scratchy wool that wasn't necessarily stylish or edgy. The tables are for sure turning. I have been stalking them a lot lately. And the only reason I haven't bought 10 of them is because of the above stated temperatures. So, I thought I'd give my readers a look at some cute ones.

Sweaters $50 & under

Sweaters $100 & up

As you can see, the "cold shoulder" trend isn't going anywhere. It's a bit comical to think about exposing your shoulders in a sweater when a sweater is meant to cover up and keep you warm. Or maybe it's for us girls who live in Central Texas and are still sweating at practically the end of October? I digress. I am loving the trend and think it adds some edge & sexiness to what could otherwise be a drab sweater. Do you like the cold shoulder? What about the mixed media sweaters?

I hope y'all find some things you like. Remember, I am giving away a Starbucks gift card here. Be sure to check it out. Thank y'all for reading!

Weekend Round Up & Roll Call + Starbucks

Happy Monday morning! How was everyone's weekend? I thought I'd share a bit of our weekend and then do a roll call.

We had a 5K this weekend at a local brewery & it was really fun. Both Brian and I placed in our age groups. It was definitely a surprise for me. I wasn't expecting it at all but was proud of myself. My finish time was 29:53. I am not fast by any means but I was happy with it. The hills and crazy humidity was not fun. #HillCountry

I also wanted to do a roll call & see where my readers are from & what they'd like to see as far as posts go on this blog.

{1}

Name

{2}

Where you're from

{3}

How'd you find me?

{4}

What kind of posts would you be interested in?

{5}

Follow me on Bloglovin, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest & let me know your username on there or if you are already following.

I will be verifying.

I will give away a $15 Starbucks gift card for those that answer and follow me on any of the above social media platforms.

Drawing will be  Friday, 10/21 at 8pm EST/9pm CST.

Five on Friday

Happy Friday! Hope everyone has had a wonderful week. Let's jump right into the five shall we?

O N E
I just picked up these Sam & Libby booties from Target. I swear they have the best bootie selection for reasonable prices.

T W O
Brian & I are running a 5K tomorrow. It will be our first race since our half at the end of August.They are having it at a brewery in a small town near us. The promise of beer and a cool tech shirt...we are in. The logo is pretty neat. Are any of my readers runners? I'd love to hear what you are running these days.

T H R E E
My husband sent me a delivery of warm cookies today. Y'all, I don't know about you, but to me, this beats flowers ANY DAY. I got a dozen cookies mixed of chocolate chip & chocolate chip with walnuts. It was awesome; maybe not so much for my waistline (YOLO). I think the best part was that they were still warm...you just can't beat it. The company is called Tiff's Treats. I got a text message that someone had purchased them for me and to please call to set up a delivery time. So genius. Here is the link. They are mainly in Texas and then some in Georgia. Hopefully they will expand.

F O U R
One of my girlfriends from college got engaged last weekend. Her and her (now) fiance had evacuated from Hurricane Matthew and he popped the question in the mountains. Quite an engagement story. They are perfect for each other and I know I speak for all of my girlfriends that we are SO excited for them. Anddddd, another bachelorette and partying. I can't wait to celebrate these two! How gorgeous is her ring? Rose gold...swooning!

F I V E
I have been jamming to some NEEDTOBREATHE lately. We go to see them in concert next Sunday. We saw them last year & they are so good. They are originally from South Carolina so seeing them in Austin makes it extra special. Their new cd came out this year and I love the song, Clear.

Hope you enjoyed this week's edition of Five on Friday. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

Current Wish List

It's no secret that girls have a never ending wish list...mainly all of these are on my Christmas list. Yes. I went there. Whether you want to think about it or not, it will be here before you know it. I am not rushing it by any means but seriously...it will be. I mean Hobby Lobby already has all the Christmas decor out. I just can't. So here are a few things that I am currently wanting.

And two things that can't be linked would be a gift certificate for a facial & photography classes. We have a Canon EOS Rebel T3i (similar cameras) which I don't even think they make anymore?? We got it right before our wedding as a gift from B's parents. That tells you how quick they update things...approx 3 years. I am dying to get into all the nerdy stuff that is photography. Currently, I just play around with settings but I think if I had an intro course it might allow me to have a better grasp on everything.

Happy Tuesday y'all!

Monday Vibes

Happy Monday Folks!! It is hard to get back in the groove after a longggg weekend. We celebrated the hubby's birthday by taking a half day Thursday and all of Friday off. It was awesome and a great way to just do whatever we wanted. I thought I'd just share some randoms on this Monday. Stuff that really doesn't require your brain to think much when it's still in weekend mode. Can I get an amen?!

one.
This is an oldie but goodie. It is a life saver when it comes to cleaning my brushes which now that I think of it, I need to do. It's a chore but it HAS to be done.

two.
We saw Mumford and Sons at ACL and I am now loving this song.



three.
This table is so pretty. You can totally do Fall in neutral colors. Clean & crisp!

via

four. 

A sneak peek from our anniversary shoot!

Photo: Brooke Taelor Photograhy

I am thinking about doing a video on how I curl my hair & what products I use. I have had a lot of people message me about how I do it and thought maybe I'd share. Is that something y'all would be interested in or no?? Let me know if it is.

Hope everyone has a wonderful start to their week.

Celebrating!!

Today is my husband's birthday so my weekend begins at 12 today!! We have lunch plans at Hop Doddy, drinks at a brewery and more drinks! So pardon, the short post while I'm over here doting on my husband. I love love love to give gifts or sursies as I like to call them. I'll be sharing what I got him next week and what all we did to celebrate his birthday weekend.

Hope y'all have a great weekend!!

Love is the answer - John Lennon

We saw this wall when we were out on date night on Friday. I loved it, and had B snap a couple pictures of this dress. It had been so hot that actually taking pictures got delayed unfortunately. I went to link this dress and of course it is sold out. But, Loft has some other wonderful and cute dresses right now. Especially since they are offering 40% off Fall Favorites and Sale items!

Dress: Loft

Booties: Target

Purse: Tory Burch // Similar

Necklace: Ferro & Fawn

Here are some of the current dresses I am currently loving at Loft.

Have a great Tuesday!!