Engagement Photo Inspirations

So as much as I would like to dive head first into wedding planning, for my sanity I need to take it one step at a time! In a few weeks we will be getting our engagement pictures taken. Our photographer is not only my good friend, but an amazing photographer. You can check out her Facebook page here.

Today I have sort of an inspiration board for our session.

great outfit ideas!
here

for my hair, obvs
here

here

here

love her shirt and sweater. both of us wearing plaid might be a little much though
here

here

just died
here

cute sitting shot
here

pretty much lol

outfit idea for Jeffry

cute up-close shot

love their outfits. this link has all sorts of ideas on what to wear
here

I can't wait to get a couple things locked down, then I will start feeling more accomplished. Especially once we have a date/venue!

Halloween Decorations

The Halloween spirit is out in full force around here, and a few weeks ago the Halloween decorations were put up at our house. I thought I would share with you some of my favorites.

This little ceramic jack-o-lantern I got at Bath & Body Works probably 2 or 3 years ago. It sits in our bathroom and it has a little tea light in it.

I love holiday hand towels. It's a thing. In the bathroom I have a green one with spider webs on it.

This is a wreath I made maybe 2 years ago. It is just a grapevine wreath that I had Jeffry spray paint black, and the snakes are from Wal-mart. They were $1 each I think, from the toy section, and I had Jeffry spray them also. The spiders came in a 2 pack and were in the Halloween section. They weren't more that $5 for both. Once everything was painted and dry, I just attached it all with black wire. Piece of cake!

Of course I had to share my love of  window clings. These are from The Christmas Tree Shoppe. Super cheap!

This is actually a card that I got from Flying Seal Press over on Etsy. The frame is from Hobby Lobby.

Once everything was put out, it allowed me to see where the "holes" were, and I came up with a couple craft ideas to fill in those holes. I give you the Spooky Bat Garland.

This project was a little laborious, but was still easy. I googled "bat template" and printed off one that I liked. I cut it out, and then traced it onto a piece of card-stock, so it would be easier to trace onto the felt. I think I used 4 pieces of black felt. I used a pen to trace the template, which showed up nicely on the felt when it was time to cut them out. I got about 5 bats per sheet of felt. 

Cutting them out was the worst part, just because it took a little bit of time, and you have to pay attention to what you're doing. Oh yeah, I used glow in the dark puff paint to dot on some eyes.

 

I picked this ribbon up out of a clearance bin, so they were like 60% off their original $1.99 price tag. I ended up deciding on the black ribbon so there wouldn't be as much contrast. I cut the entire spool into about 2" lengths. ( I totally eye-balled it) Then I just hot glued the ribbon onto the back of the bats in the middle of the wings.

And that's it! Super easy, no sew bat garland. I use small clear command hooks to hang it. I actually leave those up year round because I hang other holiday garlands there, and you don't even notice them when there is nothing up.  I love how it came out!

Oh yeah, here is the bat template that I used. I actually ended up enlarging the largest bat just a teeny bit. I used PowerPoint to do it so you don't even need anything fancy like Photoshop. 

And of course I would be remiss if I didn't share my all time favorite Halloween decoration:

And I couldn't not take a picture of Ruby in her matching collar either.

Happy Halloween!

It's Not Time For Dinner Yet, But I'm So Hungry!

Since Jeffry doesn't get out of work until later (usually 10 o'clock), we don't eat dinner until later. It's totally worth it to me to be able to eat together, but it does pose a problem around 7:30/8 o'clock. Because by then I. AM. STARVING!

It's a problem because I know that I am going to be eating a full meal soon, but I still need to eat something. Normally I'm craving something terrible like nachos, but what I really need is something healthy.

Yesterday I made this salad recipe from Real Simple. Kale Salad with Sweet Potatoes and Apples. It was a great choice because I felt really good about getting my greens in, and the sweet potato and apple are high in fiber and nutrients also. It was easy to make too.

Another staple lately has been green smoothies. You may have seen this pic on my Instagram yesterday:

I shared one of my favorite green smoothie recipe a couple weeks ago. Since then I learned a great tip! To avoid leafy chunks, blend your greens and liquids before you add the rest of the ingredients. I've been doing it ever since!

Lately, along with my green smoothie, I have been having a string cheese just for a little more protein. I was given a chance to try Sargento, and I chose the sharp cheddar jack flavor. So yummy! I mean who doesn't love cheese?

Look at all that protein and calcium! Great for me, since I don't ever drink milk. And under 100 calories.

They also gave me this cute insulated carrying case so that I can bring my string cheese snack to work!

We Interrupt Your Previously Scheduled Content....

For an engagement announcement!!!! I couldn't be more happy to share with you guys that Jeffry and I got engaged over the weekend!

photo cred goes to my bestie /MOH, she was all like "you'll thank me later!"
Thanks Bestie :)

Here's how it all went down...

You kind of have to know Jeffry, but he is a bit of a treasure hunter. He always has his eye out for things, he's always finding things, and he loves shows like Gold Rush and Diggers. I know I don't get it either. But when he told me about a week ago that he was getting a metal detector from his cousin, I didn't think twice. We live in a pretty old house with a good sized yard, and he has found really old coins before without even trying. So I thought nothing of it.

So Saturday morning, while I'm lounging with my coffee, he tells me he is going to go metal detect the yard. Ok, great, have a good time. After maybe 40 minutes (really no idea on time but it was a little while) He comes inside and calls for me to come see what he found. (This is where I'm like uhhhh can't you just come show me on the couch?? lol) So I get up and go into the kitchen, where he has a lunch pail, with what I assume is a bunch of old stuff in it.

The lunch pail is zipped up so I can't see what's in it. Jeffry is kneeling on the floor and I am standing, and one by one he pulls out an old spark plug (whoopie!) an old window latch (hooray) and a rusty old screwdriver (crazy, I know). And then he pulls out the ring. I say "OMG shut up!", he says "will you marry me?", I say "is that real?", he says yes, I say yes! and then we hugged it out. So romantic right?! Lol.  Neither one of us really have a romantic bone in our bodies, but I love the way he did it because it was so him, ya know?

Oh yeah, did I mention I was in my pajamas? And unwashed hair? Oh well!

And of course I love the ring! It's a 6-prong solitaire with a skinny band, just like I wanted :)

I am so excited to start planning, and so excited to be marrying this man. I love you babe :)

Weeknight Dinners

Who couldn't use more dinner ideas, amiright? So I thought I would share what I have planned for this week, plus something easy that I made a few nights ago.

Here's what I have lined up for this week:

White Bean Soup with Bacon

I love bean soup. It is so comforting and filling. I plan on making this on Friday since it's going to be rainy all day. I just have to remember to soak the beans tonight!

Smoked Sausage Pasta

I made this pasta last night and it was sooooo good! I made a few changes. I added a chopped tomato because we had one, I omitted the spinach, and I added a slurry of 2 Tbsp. cornstarch and 1/4 c. water, to turn the broth into more of a gravy. It was perfect! Seriously soooo good!

Pork Chop Supper

These pork chops are on the menu for tonight. I love pork chops for a change up from chicken, which I can get bored with pretty quickly.

Salsa Chicken Casserole

This will probably be Saturday or Sunday. We don't have much of anything planned for this weekend (except for sleeping!) and I'm on call so I will probably be around the house a lot. I'll probably be at my parents house on Sunday night to watch the Dallas-Redskins game though! Go Cowboys!

Here is an easy chicken dinner that I made last week. I was given a coupon to try Land O Lakes Saute Express. They are basically like compound butter, that you use to saute anything from chicken to fish to veggies. (I'm dying to try lemon pepper broccoli or green beans! Yum!) There are a lot of flavors, like garlic and herb, Italian, and savory butter and olive oil. I chose the lemon pepper because Jeffry loooves lemon pepper chicken.

Saute Express is so easy to use! You melt one pat in a pan, then add your veggies or protein.

As the chicken was cooking, the Saute Express turned into this delicious looking glaze and the chicken got a nice sear on it.

I served it with peas and with these Parmesan noodles that Jeffry likes. This is me being a weirdo and using every dish in the house so that none of my food touches each other. It's a thing. And yes, I am also using my laptop as a place mat. Don't judge.

I can't wait to try other flavors, or to try the lemon pepper with veggies. I bet it would be so good with fish too!

Sunday Social

I almost forgot about Sunday Social!

1. What were you like in middle school and high school? In middle school I was a little shit. No, seriously. I could have turned out really bad if I didn't have parents that kicked my butt. I was better in high school. Still very assertive though. It's the red hair, it's in my nature.

2. What were your favorite pastimes? Hanging out at my friends houses.

3. What songs were you obsessed with? I loved the Spice Girls! (they're still my favorite Pandora station)

Spice up your life!

4. What fashion statement do you look backing and cringe? In middle school I was such a tomboy! Oversized shirts and JNCO jeans were not a good look!!! I was so skinny back then though, I miss that!

Sweet puka shell necklace! Said no one ever... -_-

5. Who was your celeb crush? Ryan Phillippe

I die.

6. What was your favorite movie? Cruel Intentions. "Colorblind" by Counting Crows was "our song" lol

Fall, Locally

It is finally starting to feel like fall here in CNY, and the weather has been gorgeous! Here are some pics from a walk we took on Sunday.

Starting our walk. This was out first time walking the new-ish creek walk in Chittenango, my hometown.
Note the "yellow brick road"

Such a gorgeous sunny day!

You know our girl likes to swim!

There's no filter on any of these pics. I could have stayed out here all day!

All the sticks that Ruby "saved" She likes to pull them out of the water and deposit them on shore. She saved a leaf too.

After our walk we stopped over at my parents. Another one of Ruby's favorite places.
Here she is about to jump for her toy!

Oh my goodness I love these two!!

Watch out daddy here she comes!!