Happy Wednesday!

Time to link up with Jamie this week for another round of WILW! Gotta love Wednesdays!

I'm LOVING (and missing) my college sistas! I couldn't head back east for homecoming this year and was definitely sad about missing such good quality time with the gals. My sweet friend Alex sent me one of the shirts they had made for the tailgate with a precious card! It made my day!

Cronies <3 Hokies

and because they are beautiful...

I'm LOVING that we had some trick-or-treaters! It was so much fun to hand out candy and see all the costumes. It was more fun to watch J pick out and set aside candy every time someone came to the door so they wouldn't get his favs! We had the cutest little boys that jumped out and tried to scare me at the door..they were definitely hopppppped up on sugar!

I'm LOVING my new fav place to have a drink, Gulfstream!  It's across the street from our house and it has the BEST outside patio with fire pits and adirondack chairs ...we got some drinks with our friends A &R before passing out candy and it was so incredibly relaxing!! 

I'm LOVING LOVING LOVING that one of my oh so fabulous sisters-in-law Katie is coming down from San Francisco for Thanksgiving! It's one of my fav holidays and having more family here will just make it that much better!  I can't wait to eat, drink, and visit!

(Katie and Kelly on the trolley at the wedding)

In addition to my 3 sisters, I definitely got blessed with 2 more!

and as always I'm LOVING my incredible hubby!

Christmas Card Cheer!

      So its not quite time to break out the Christmas lights but I have been thinking about all things holiday! One of the things I am most excited about is christmas cards!!! Literally, since the day we got married I have been browsing for the perfect picture card to send to all our fam and friends.. I read on Taylor's blog about a great Shutterfly promotion and decided to check it out! Right now they are  offering 20% off all holiday cards.  There are hundreds and hundreds of super cute ones to choose from but the one I've decided is my fav is....

I love the font, the colors, everything! Plus, its fairly holiday neutral if you've got some friends or family who don't celebrate Christmas specifically

Some more of my favs...

If we wanted to use a bunch of pics or had kids, this card is to die for!

The possibilities are endless!! If you are in need of a cute holiday card check them out here...

 http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards

 http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery

 http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/thank-you-cards

Happy Card Shopping!

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

Im linking up with  adorable Jamie again this week for a little WILW! 

This week is pretty simple...Im LOVING that its holiday season! Hubs pointed out last night that he's super excited to be heading into our first holiday season as a Mr. and Mrs!  So am I! Im so excited to start new traditions and celebrate together! Living 3000 miles away from our families is tough this time of year but Im so so thankful for everything we have been blessed with out here in California. Yep, definitely lots to be thankful for this year.....

Just looking at these pictures makes me so so so happy!  My birthday has been on Thanksgiving a couple of times over the last 26 years so that makes it even more exciting! 

And just because it doesn't snow here, it doesn't mean we don't do holidays! 

Darn, now I have to go bake some cookies...all this holiday talk and all :) 

Top 2 Tuesday!

I love these T2T's! Im linking up with Taylor again this week for top 2 Halloween or fall crafts/decor/party ideas....so fun! 

For a fall dinner party, it's perfect to use squash and pumpkins for soup bowls! 

What an awesome centerpiece or table decoration! I love the different shapes and patterns

How cute are these being used as tea lights!

I love this! Its fall but a little different..( I have a thing for white pumpkins haha )

I always end up cheating because I can never choose just two!!! 

Have a great Tuesday!

Menu Monday!

Mondays are not my favorite days but the weather is picture perfect so that helps! We had a great weekend with lots of relaxing for me, cocktails with friends and unfortunately lots of work for J! He got a time sensitive client call on Friday at 5:20 pm! Who does that? When things like that happen apparently attorneys don't get weekends :(  But we compromised and while he worked last night, he ordered "Did you hear about the Morgans?" for me on demand..( he can't stand SJP but you know she's one of my favs..)

I seriously love menu planning for our weeks..its weird how much I like it. I also love spending forever in the grocery store...even though I love going with J, its better I go alone....I try to buy everything on Sunday then play it by ear depending on mood throughout the week...

Sooo thats what we have on tap in the kitchen! Hope everyone is having a great start to their weeks!

Happy Weekend!

I love the weekends! Hubby and I don't have a ton planned and thats just what we need!  Some errands, some football, some relaxing! Plus, it's really feeling like fall out here and I am really loving breaking out my riding boots!

  We are both meeting friends for happy hour drinks so I wanted to get something prepped for dinner before I headed out..( since I know after a glass or two of wine its better if I can just stick something in the oven when we get home!) I have been craving poppyseed chicken, like thinking about it all the time..funny thing is I've never had it!  I saw this recipe on Kelly's recipe blog and I just NEEDED to make it...please tell me that happens to someone else?
Plus, you tell me to crumble ritz crackers  and pour some butter on top and I'm sold. Good old fashioned comfort food!

Poppy seed chicken

2 or 3 chicken breasts, boiled and cut in small pieces
1 16 oz sour cream
2 cans cream of chicken
2 tbls of poppyseeds (I don't measure - I just shake a ton in)
Ritz crackers
1 stick of butter

Mix the first 4 ingredients and put in a baking dish. Cover with crushed up ritz crackers. Melt a stick of butter and pour on top. Bake for 20-30 minutes at 350.

photo courtesy of Kelly's recipes...

PS. The adorable little boys across the street are running back and forth across their driveway howling like ghosts and pretending to ride on broomsticks.. glad we picked up some serious Halloween candy for trick or treating!

Obsessed.

 Warning! I am going through a BIG neutral phase. I want everything white, not boring, just white ( with some pops of color). Ask my poor husband, everything and I mean everything, we registered for was white. White dishes, white china, white towels and when we got to CA he bought me some white furniture. I think I have a problem. There was no color at our wedding except for the long black bridesmaid dresses. White flowers, linens, all white cake etc etc.  I swear it's not because I hate color or can't make decisions on color, I just find neutrals really calming and classic. Here are my latest obsessions....

designfabulous.com

I honestly die over this dining room.....

mabeslor.com

pink but still neutral

designfabulous.com

decorpad.com

kraftmaid kitchen

PS. I also believe you can NEVER have too many chandeliers...

Dreamy Whites

You must go here. She has such amazing style, has five kids, a cowboy husband and an all white house!

See what I mean? It's bad people, really bad :) 

Cleaning up and Cleaning out...

Shhhheeeeesh!

 I am embarrassed even writing this post hahah.. In our house we have two good size bedrooms both with closets built in and the master closet is really large (Not to mention 2 dressers in there as well)...now with all this space my hubby still has to go to both rooms every morning to get dressed for work because his clothes wont fit in our room :( ...haha yes I feel bad about this. I counted this morning, I have 72 pairs of shoes stuffed in my room!

      I also have things like  two drawers and bins full of heavy winter sweaters...I used to live in Blacksburg and New York City so I can see where I accumulated them but in SoCal they realllllly aren't necessary are they? Yikes. Sounds like I need a closet overhaul so my sweet hubby can live in our room :) I'll be overhauling and making some serious donations today while he's at work.... wish me luck! Maybe I'll get them looking like this......

P.S Im hoping my mom doesn't read this post because she always ALWAYS tells me the amount of clothes and shoes I own are " Sinful, just sinful"....welllllll then maybe we shouldn't have ransacked the J.Crew sale together :) ...hahaha she's a funny gal!

Happy Wednesday!

Here are a few things I am absolutely LOVING on this (finally) beautiful Wednesday.....

1. I'm loving that the rain is temporarily GONE!!! It has been cloudy and misty for about a week now and it was getting a little old :) BUT I did like the cooler temperatures that def made it feel like fall.... 

We can finally see the water again!

2. I'm loving our cute new neighborhood and how great it is to walk to the parks, beaches and so many great restaurants...even if it means we haaaaave to walk and get frozen yogurt every night :) It's starting to feel like home...

3. I'm loving that I got to spend 5 days with some best friends that flew alllll the way across the country to visit. I have known these gals for 15 years! Even though it was a little dreary we definitely made the best of our time... lots of cooking, wine, dancing and beach walking...doesn't get better than that

Lizzie exploring the caves.....

Protecting the beaches from the life gaurd stands... with our future home in the background obviously

Did I mention we did a LOT of eating.....

Engagement photo in the vineyards...haha not sure why we did this, keep in mind we were at a petting zoo/winery so anythings possible

 Road overlook on the way to Temecula wine country....

Apparently we were really cold in the wine cooler areas...

Walking the hundreds of steps down to thousand step beach..

Liz. me and Maria 

I had such a blast with my gals! Hubby was very sweet and accommodating with three girls running wild all over the house......it can't be easy coming home after a 12 hour day to old friends already deep in a bottle of wine..... AND for that reason plus a million more...

4. I'm loving my wonderful husband and how blessed I am to have him......