costumes

happy (almost) halloween! i thought, in the spirit of this weekend, i would show T and i's costumes from years past to gear up for the festivities to come. hope you enjoy and have a great time celebrating whether it be a haunted house, a costume party, or a themed festival.  

2011: the 1920s paperboy and the flapper. since T and i had only just started dating in 2010, we didn't coordinate our costumes. so, this was our first year and we went with a classic. our story was that T sold newspapers but, on the hush-hush, sold moonshine to keep up my lifestyle of being a flapper. 

2012: mr clean and the 1950s housewife. our story this time was that mid-cleaning, mr clean appears in my kitchen...just like all the commercials say he does ;) this was also the most comfortable i've ever been on halloween. normally, like most girls, i wore something on the smaller side that wasn't conducive to the traditionally cold weather on this holiday. 

2013: peas and carrots, from forest gump...and we had to say it just like tom hanks did in the movie. "jenny and me, we was like peas and carrots". this one was pretty fun because it was something that most people wouldn't think of doing. plus, it made everyone laugh when we said the quote.

2014: T and i were a part of a group costume, the addams family. but, the two of us together were uncle fester and thing. this one was fun but, not my favorite since it was less involved, as it only required my hand on T's shoulder. 

can't wait to show you T and i's costume this year!

recap

[mail call]

have you ever had one of those weekends where there is so much good happening, you need a weekend from the weekend? this is by no means a complaint, far from it. this is pure amazement and surprise at how much great news/events happened all at once! to properly explain, i thought i'd take you through it starting with friday...

[all the fall colors]

friday:

i came home to find one of my most beloved care packages to date from my mom. she recently cleaned up my old closet and found several personal mementos. being the sweet mom she is, she forwarded them my way. the contents? art prints, an old spanish newspaper, tour guides, and an itinerary from my very first trip abroad. i was sixteen, and my school was going to france and spain for a week. i'd always dreamed of traveling abroad after hearing all my mom's stories growing up. and, soon enough, i found myself on foreign soil, drinking everything in. i couldn't have been happier to have those reminders back in my hands again. bonus? an old birthday card i'd kept from my now passed great grandmother, with an appropriately-timed note. cue all the warm fuzzies and good tears.

after we raised a glass to my great grandmother's memory, T and i took the pups to the pumpkin patch. they were quite the hit :) 

[my boys]

[congrats!]

saturday:

my best got engaged!! larry popped the big question at her family's tailgate for the homecoming game, surrounded by family and friends. the setting was beyond perfect for these two football-obsessed love doves and, (bonus) they're going to have a tv cameo because of it. one of the main network's tailgate crews came by moments after and, of course, they had to feature them. how amazing, right? we love these two and couldn't be happier for them. ...and, i'm sorry, i can't help myself. my best is engaged!

[happy, happy parents]

[pinterest ideas]

then, i had to high-tail it to my m.i.l's house to co-host my s.i.l's bridal shower bringing the cupcake wedding gown i'd made. i was so excited to get to be a part of her shower and celebrate her upcoming nuptials. there were loads of delicious food and drinks, great company, and some hilarious moments with her shower games. i can't say i won at who knew the bride best but, i at least made her laugh with my answers...that counts for something, right?

[the cupcake dress]

[a 'welcome to the world' gift for a cute little one]

sunday:

then, our two friends (matt & julia) had their baby! he was born late friday night and, we finally got to meet him sunday morning. he has to be the most adorable newborn i've ever laid eyes on...and don't even get me started on the hair :)

plus, it was so great to see our friends breaking into their new roles as parents, covered with that new baby glow. we couldn't be happier for their growing family.

so, see what i mean about a packed weekend? so many beautiful moments filled with so much love, leaves a very happy me.

sunday on the farm

last weekend, T and i met up with m+j (with special guests, michael's dad and stepmom, rob and heather!) to try our luck at a local corn maze. the farm itself was a bit crowded but, given how adorable and picturesque the setting, understandable. ...i mean, how can you not fawn over those bright red barns (see below)?

[hayrides to the maze because, why not]

[hay there...get it?]

this time around, we opted to play one of the maze games where we had to look for hidden clues. it was really fun looking for each one while getting a little lost along the way. plus, getting lost is half the fun ;)

[we found one!]

also, thanks to jana, i now think all waiving corn fields look like car dealership windsocks. 

then, we walked over to their pumpkin patch to scoop up a couple (read: four) teensy pumpkins. not only am i a sucker for the little ones but, there were some really cute baby pictures being taken. tiny pumpkins + babies, could it be any cuter?

thanks so much orr family farm for such a fun, fall-themed afternoon!

homeowners: year one

[backyard views]

it has officially been one whole year we've lived in this sweet little home of ours. and while we have only just begun making it our home, it feels all the more cozy; full of meaning and intention. even though T and i are still novices in home-ownership, we have learned a few things along the way. so, i of course thought i'd share :)

• measure, measure, and measure again: you really cannot measure enough. also, you may want to write it down in more than one place.
• making your house your home doesn't happen overnight: unless you make bank (and have no budget), save your money and take your time to find what you really like. this way, you don't needlessly spend extra funds on things that are quick fixes. 
• you will go to home depot and/or lowe's at least once more than intended and it is completely okay
• there will always be a project or area you'll want to work on: it never ends, in the best way. as you change, your needs for the house change, so you'll inevitably find a new project to work on. this is a good thing. 
• know when to diy and when to hire someone: this one will save you in the long run. there are no heros when it comes to these decisions. plus, your back will thank you. 
• messes & knicks aren't a bad thing: when something is new and fun, it's natural to want to keep it that way. messes mean a home has been lived in, loved, and cherished. that being said, you should still look after it, and maybe clean spills. 
• get a second and even third opinion: while it may feel like it is rude, it really isn't. in fact, it is completely normal, and unoffensive to companies or contractors. this truly was our lifesaver when it came to a plumbing problem that turned out to be a small inconvenience as well when our den flooded and we were initially told we'd have to tear up the whole room.     

[our well-loved kitchen]

[one of my favorite momentos + a teensy pumpkin]

[a comfy spot for someone to chew their bone]

[succulent window box]

food in movies

next up, in food in movies, was T's pick. he mulled around a couple of movies before deciding on underworld evolution. now, i know you may be thinking, wait, that's not a movie about food. well, according to T, there is one scene in particular where the hybrid, michael, hasn't accepted he is no longer human. he runs away to a nearby town to find food and tries to eat at a tavern. the food he orders looks like potatoes, meat, and sauerkraut...german food, essentially. since he has seen that scene, he's craved the food in it. so, after lots of searching on pinterest, i found the closest recipe that mimicked what T liked about that movie. 

[so many choices]

  

now, T and i aren't too keen on sauerkraut so, i left it out. but, i did make homemade bread just to add to the rustic, tavern-vibe. 

the result? a very happy T who felt like he was eating the food michael ordered in the movie. and while, i wasn't seeking to reenact this scene, the food was so good! a win-win in my book.

cositas

[hide and seek...i can still see you]

happy hump day! the air is crisp, we've used the crockpot twice, i am this close to turning over my closet to my cooler weather wardrobe, my favorite apple cider is stocked in the house, and i couldn't be happier. there's so much to get excited about with the holidays, themed parties, and local festivals that it's easy to see why it's so revered. 

[grilled cheese corndog with tomato gravy]

[fried oreos]

[a sweet friend's baby shower...can't wait to meet baby G!]

[middle spoon]

[taking a peek at dinner]

[dreamy backyard movie ideas from southern living]

hair of the dog

last friday, T and i brought the pups out to stash for their hair of the dog oktoberfest event. tickets gave beer lovers access to sample local breweries while benefiting the bella foundation, an oklahoma-based animal rescue. and while, beer isn't my cup of tea, i love supporting all things local as well as support rescue animals (a cause that is near and dear to me).   

[flower power]

[i'm a sucker for classic cars]

[waiting in line with these two]

so many beers to sample, so many other dogs (and people) for boba and solo to meet, and such a great way to ease into the weekend. our pups did really well even though it was jam-packed...they were quite the hams posing for photos and eating up all the attention. although after awhile, solo was getting tired so he kept laying down where people were walking. i guess, he was ready to go home.

[camille harp, one of my favorite people and musicians]

T's favorite picks from the night? the trae-pa and grapefruit sour from 405 brewing co.

[love these two]

at one point, a really sweet woman gave our pups homemade dog treats which i could barely snap a photo of before both were pulling at my arm. how is it that they always know when something is for them? i swear, some things never get past these two.

stash, thanks for getting all of these amazing sponsors, breweries, and the bella foundation together for one killer turnout. it was a great time had by all, especially our two furry boys!