my new sweet carolina

best vacation ever {part one}

2012-01-25T15:24:00.001-05:00

A and I went to the island of vieques in puerto rico for our honeymoon. it's a pretty empty island and we stayed at the only resort on vieques. it was such a perfect way to wind down from the craziness of our wedding. we were there for 10 days and had such a wonderful time.

first off, let me show you where our little island was located. see our little island to the right of the main island?

{map link}

i'm going to write this post like a travel journal. i want to remember all that i can about our honeymoon so going to write little details along the way.

this picture is one of our first nights on the honeymoon. they had these round big beds with pillows galore up at the main building of the resort. this was our view from one as we were lounging.

this was a little attraction on the island. we found it when we were out driving. it's the oldest tree on vieques. look how small A looks compared...it was ginormous.

pardon the hair. it's going to look like that in most pictures. humidity + what felt like a billion degrees means ponytail 99% of the time.

this was our little island rental that we had for 24 hours. a brand new jeep wrangler. it was so awesome and perfect for driving around the island. you'll see below how crazy all the roads are...and only a few of them are paved.

there are wild horses all over the island. it blew my mind when we first saw a herd. they are everywhere. out in the middle of nowhere. in one of the two towns on the island. walking in the middle of the road. everywhere. i was kind of in heaven.

the US navy had this island up until around 2003 i think (part of the reason why it is so untouched). there are still remnants of our navy around the island. we found a bunch of bunkers out on one of our drives.

remember how i said the roads were kinda crazy looking? here is an example. they were so narrow - i hit a lot of branches! these are obviously paved. some of the others were just mud with the biggest potholes ever.

one of the first secluded beaches we found.

at dinner at "el patio" in isabel II one night. not our favorite but it was nice to visit this town and eat out on their little patio. i'm pretty sure i had rice and beans and A had steak. as you can tell, he didn't really like it. :) excuse the poor lighting - like i said, we were out on the patio which didn't have the fanciest lighting.

i'll be back with two more posts full of honeymoon pictures and adventures!

guilty

2012-01-22T21:49:00.000-05:00

have y'all seen these videos? pardon the language in the titles but i couldn't not share these with you. they make me laugh out loud because they are so true. i can't tell you how many of these things fly out of my mouth daily.

enjoy!

are any of you ladies guilty of such things? do tell!

if any of y'all are on twitter, there is a twitter account to go along with these. i've retweeted a few that are things i say all the dang time. how can these not make you laugh? {twitter here}

working it out

2012-01-18T19:29:00.001-05:00

over the last year, i have really gotten into a healthier lifestyle of going to the gym and eating better. since it has become a big passion of mine, i figured i would start talking a bit about my favorite exercises as well as maybe share some of my favorite eating tips with y'all. so here we go...

i have grown to love going to group classes. i feel like i push myself a lot harder in group classes because i have a trainer hollaring at me to go harder. my usual rotation during the week includes abs class, intense body, and yoga. however, i have found a new favorite. have y'all ever tried spinning? i tried it for the first time back in december and i have to say that i am absolutely hooked. i don't think i ever sweat as much as i do in spin class (TMI?) it's definitely my new favorite class to take at my gym.

{link}

lately, i have been looking online for some new workouts to do if i want to change it up and exercise on my own. i also met with a trainer for a few sessions (too bad i can't afford to meet with one all the time. thank goodness the few sessions i had were all free!) ever tried burpees? {described here} i absolutely hate them but they really are such a great thing to incorporate into a routine. definitely have to add the pushup in there to make it harder.

i found this quote on pinterest awhile back that i repeat often in the gym. over and over again when i have to run, do burpees or anything else that pushes me hard. i promise it works!

{pin}

this is a good one too...

{pin}

have y'all tried any workouts lately that you love? i love chatting about this stuff so feel free to share!

resolutions 2012

2012-01-12T12:57:00.001-05:00

i just wrote a post about how unmotivated i am recently and then erased it. i feel like i was just complaining about things that don't matter to anyone but me. however, if you have any tips or comments on how to get out of an unmotivated or lazy slump in one's life (that is really quite annoying to me), feel free to comment :)

anywho...back to the resolutions. i created some resolutions in 2010. and at the end of 2010, it was awesome to look back and see all of the things that were accomplished that year. i didn't do it for 2011 and wanted to kick myself on dec. 31st when i had no resolutions to look back on to see if i completed them. so here i am, formally writing down some resolutions for 2012.

1. glam myself up.
i couldn't quite figure out how to put this resolution into words. and then DON went ahead and took the words right out of my mouth when she shared {this resolution}. i would say this is one that is directly connected to the little blip above when i talk about being unmotivated and lazy. i have gotten into a routine of waking up 15 minutes before i have to leave for work. this results in shan not looking very put together for the day. not that i need to be a glamorous person everytime i step foot outside my door. but more like i just want to be presentable and actually look like i am a grown up.

{pin}

2. continue with the gym
i would say one of my biggest accomplishments in 2011 was joining a gym and immediately getting myself into a routine of going 3-4 times a week (the wedding lit a fire under my butt to actually get in shape). i'm still going strong a year later and want to continue this throughout this year.

{pin}

3. be more organized
menu planning. a cleaning schedule. waking up earlier. i need to write stuff down and stick to my resolutions!

4. eat well, try new things, take a cooking class and cook more

self explanitory but i want to keep eating better and better, push myself to try new things and cook for us more. menu planning has to be a part of this one too. i need to stop putting it off so much and actually do it. i know we will save time and money if i make myself do it!

{pin}

5. take a one year anniversary trip with A
haven't even discussed this yet but it is a must happen.

6. wear my hair 30 different ways in a month.
anyone else get absolutely bored out of their mind with wearing their hair the exact same way all the time (it's either hair down, my bangs pulled back in bobby pins or a pony). this will be a challenge and a stretch but i think with all of the good ideas on pinterest, i might be able to accomplish it.

7. be super intentional about spending time with the lord. and praying.
to be completely honest, i have slacked on this major. i am not a morning person at all and then being married and living in a small place, i have yet to really make it a priority to step away and spend some quiet time with the lord. this has to change because i need it. i can so tell in my day to day life, my thoughts and the way i react to things when i haven't been making time for a quiet time. it's amazing how quickly and how much it affects your heart. this has got to be priority over everything else.

8. wear more lipstick

{pin}

9. learn to sew
don't know how i will learn or who will teach me but it needs to happen.

10. save money and budget well
i created a budget last year and am hoping we can continue utilizing it this year.

what are some of your resolutions and goals for 2012? would love to hear if we have any of the same or if you have a good one to share!

wedding week: the details

2012-01-07T09:15:00.000-05:00

some of the little details that made our wedding day extra special...

and that, my friends, is all the wedding i have for you. it is so fun to look through all of these pictures again. it was such a special day for A and I and we had all of our dearest loved ones all in one place. it was so amazing and we are so blessed to be able to celebrate our marriage in such a beautiful way.

all of these pictures were from our wonderful photographer, jeff hall {here and here}. he was so great and captured everything i wanted in the photos he took. if you are in the greenville area and looking for a wedding photographer, we would recommend him over and over again. he was a pleasure to work with.

wedding week: bride & groom

2012-01-05T22:07:00.000-05:00

some of my favorites of us...

wedding week: bridal party + family

2012-01-04T08:53:00.001-05:00

all of our dearest loved ones..

our awesome friend who married us. we love him...

my wonderful parents

and a bunch of A's family...

wedding week: the reception

2012-01-02T20:52:00.000-05:00

our reception was held at a historic home downtown. to me, it was the perfect setting to celebrate with our loved ones after we said "i do".

now onto a billion pictures...

that picture above is one of my favorites. i may have pelted that bouquet straight to jenna. on purpose. and this was the celebration after she caught those flowers.

and of course, there was lots of dancing...

the picture below makes me so dang happy. our awesome friends may have staged a little rodeo dancing right in the middle of the reception (including our friend ryder calling out all the moves). one of my favorite memories from the reception for sure. our friends are so dang amazing!

a makeshift tunnel for us to run through as we were leaving...

wedding week: the ceremony

2012-01-01T10:57:00.001-05:00

onto our ceremony (our favorite part of the whole day).

(i LOVE the look on my dad's face in this picture)

wedding week: getting ready

2011-12-31T09:28:00.000-05:00

christmas eve marked our 3 month anniversary. i teased y'all with a picture stolen from facebook awhile ago but have been accidentally hoarding my wedding pictures for about a month.

so i thought i was about time to share with you some pictures from our big day. i'll share a bunch of pictures this week. hopefully you are ready for wedding overload!

first up? getting ready.

next up? the ceremony.

merry christmas

2011-12-25T23:27:00.000-05:00

taken this christmas morning

our first as husband and wife.

hope your days were merry!

tis the weather

2011-12-17T11:17:00.000-05:00

for soup.

i *lurve* soup. it's one of my favorite things ever. however, i am the type of person who can only eat soup when it is fall/winter. eating soup in the heat of summer just doesn't feel right to me. but on a day where the high is 50 degrees and it has been gray all day...now that is the most perfect day for soup.

a few weeks ago, it was that type of day. and so i gathered my ingredients and set out to make broccoli cheddar and potato soup. and oh it turned out so good.

broccoli cheddar and potato soup
recipe originally from here. my adapted version is below.

1 small onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup fat free milk
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced small
salt and fresh pepper
4 cups (about 2 heads) broccoli florets, chopped into small pieces
1-1/2 cups 2% shredded sharp cheddar
1 tbsp parmesan cheese

Chop onion, carrot, and garlic.

In a large soup pot, melt butter. Add chopped vegetables and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add flour, salt and pepper to the pot and stir until smooth.

Add vegetable broth, milk and potatoes and set heat to high until it comes to a boil, then cover and cook on low until potatoes are soft, about 10-15 minutes.

Add broccoli florets, parmesan cheese, and stir well. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Cook uncovered until broccoli is cooked, about 5 minutes. Add cheddar cheese, stir well and remove from heat.

Using an immersion blender, quickly blend part of the soup for a quick second or two. If you don't have an immersion blender (like me!), remove about 1-2 cups of potatoes and broccoli, place it in your chopper, then add it back to the soup. This helps thicken it a bit.

A and I really enjoyed this soup. I served it with some yummy bread and it made for a perfect meal. Enjoy friends!

girl christmas

2011-12-14T20:34:00.000-05:00

we counted. this is girl christmas #10. i can't believe we have held this tradition for 10 years. it is truly one of my most favorite traditions that comes with this season and i love that we just keep going. we will be 80 year old ladies one day and will all be at girl christmas. i just know it. we all cherish it way too much to stop the tradition anytime soon.

this year was one for the books. perhaps one of my favorites yet? it was so special to spend time with these girls and see what everyone crafted. we chatted it up, opened gifts, squealed, ate gouda bites and sweet treats and hung out all day long. it couldn't be any more perfect.

this year (as we have done the past 3 years), the rule was that everyone would make a little something for each girl. and those little somethings have to be crafted (which make them extra special).

my craft this year was little picture magnets made to look like polaroids.

each girl got 6 magnets. some had jenna's gorgeous pictures (like those above), some had pictures of weddings, babies and families. they turned out wonderfully and i was so happy that each girl felt the same.

i originally got the idea from {here} which links up to {this tutorial}. i followed that tutorial completely. she even has a template to use in photoshop (which was the most helpful thing ever). I had some trouble finding the perfect backing for the pictures. i tried foam board (don't even think about it) and also tried artist drawing board. neither worked well and were super hard to cut. i ended up using the back of 2 notebooks. they were thicker cardboard but not too thick where i had a lot of difficulty cutting them out.

that is all i will say about that. i will let you follow her tutorial if you ever give this craft a whirl but feel free to ask any questions. it was a lot of trial and error for this girl.

the rest of the weekend was spent eating yummy food, shopping, staying up way too late, watching a christmas movie and squeezing baby parker.

it was such a great weekend. went by so so fast but A and I had such a great time. my goodness we are so blessed with such awesome friends in lexington.

until next year...

our first christmas home

2011-12-12T22:16:00.000-05:00

so the last time we left off, we chatted about birthday dinners and other things. then thanksgiving came and went and now we are fully engulfed in the christmas holiday. i have been visiting with loved ones, shopping for wonderful gifts, listening to hours and hours of christmas music and crafting for girl christmas. i thought it was about time for a blog update. shall we?

our christmas tree is up and lit every single night. it makes me so very happy.

i went with a red/silver/gold theme this year for our little tree. we also picked up some little felted animal ornaments from crate & barrel last month. i love our tree. it's colorful and sparkly. love lighting it up every night.

one of our favorite little felted friends (you can see a little moose in the background too)...

since we moved to a new place, we now have a FIREPLACE. and although we don't ever use it (dang high gas prices), doesn't mean i can't jazz it up for the christmas season. i just put some mirrors up that i already had, put up my wreath i made last year and hung our new stockings. one for A and one for me. and one for a puppy. he needed a stocking too.

these little guys hang out up on the mantle too. love them. they were originally ornaments but i knew i wanted to cut off the string and put them on display. and now the two hang out on a christmas book on the mantle.

so there is our first little place all decorated for christmas. i love that we are about to experience our first christmas as a married couple. can't wait to make our own traditions and wake up on christmas morning together. oh what fun...

lately {according to my iphone}

2011-11-13T21:44:00.000-05:00

so my birthday came and went and it was wonderful. i took a 1/2 day off of work just because. no one wants to sit at a desk for 8 hours on their birthday. so i didn't and it was perfect.

for my birthday night, A and i went to my favorite restaurant downtown. i know i have written about going here before {here and here}. i guess i'm predictable like that. i don't switch it up for my birthday. i want my favorite and so off we went.

and i actually paused before chowing down to take a picture. i told you the food was delish and now you can see for yourself.

also for my birthday, i knew i wanted to try a bold lip. i have seen a few bloggers + lots of inspiration on pinterest with bold lip colors and i knew i wanted to try it. my birthday dinner seemed like the perfect time to go for it.

let's just say i am now obsessed with a bold lip, found a new favorite lip product and immediately ordered a red one to try over the holidays. life is too short to not have pretty lips.

A and I had to run to charlotte this weekend and spent a little time at the mall there. does anyone get completely inspired by the visual merchandising at anthropologie? i do and i took this picture to DIY it someday just because it was that awesome.

yes...those are plastic spoons.

and last but not least, tonight i bought a couple of birthday treats for myself...

that is enough randomness for one post i think!

happy birthday to me....

2011-11-10T10:50:00.000-05:00

{birthday balloons}

welcome home

2011-11-09T19:47:00.001-05:00

so A and I have been in our new place for 10 days now. we absolutely adore where we are now. the location is perfect and we have so much more room then we had in my tiny one-bedroom apartment. we are loving our little rental home.

10 days later....and we are still unpacking. i didn't think i had that much stuff to move but i guess i do. i would say we are about 70% unpacked and settled. it has been so great to be able to make this house our home. i felt like when A moved into my other place (even though it was just for a month), i still felt like it was "my" place. but now it feels different and we love it.

i figured i would let my iphone pictures do the talking. we are more unpacked and the boxes aren't completely taking over anymore (although we still have a good amount to unpack). i will do a little house tour once we are all unpacked. there are definitely things we want to get to fill our house a little more but that will have to wait. it takes time and dollars to make a house what you want it to be. little by little i am sure we will get there.

onto the pictures...

moving day. my little car was packed to the brim.

our new kitchen filled with boxes

a small part of our living room. ignore the hideous curtains. can't wait to get our own.

bought the prettiest tulips ever at whole foods. flowers instantly make a house feel more "homey"

can't wait to give you a little tour soon!

what i've been up to lately...

2011-10-26T08:06:00.000-04:00

packing, packing and packing...

wedding thank you notes...

finally upgrading my phone...
isn't she a beauty?

beyonce

2011-10-24T21:20:00.000-04:00

so this past weekend, i met a beyonce.

sorry for the reflection

if this means nothing to you - go read all about it {here}

be warned - there is a lot of cussing. and for me, it only makes the story funnier.

enjoy :)

back

2011-10-16T23:01:00.000-04:00

hello dear friends.

i am sitting here on a sunday night thinking about how i want to be better about posting on this blog. i love blogging and documenting my life and thoughts. right now, i'm sitting on the couch with my hubby, puppy sleeping on the floor and pumpkin chocolate chip muffins cooling off on the stove and football on tv. it's the perfect time to update you on my y life as of late.

three weeks ago this weekend, i married my best friend. sounds so cliche but it is so true. we had a glorious wedding day. the weather was absolutely perfect and we were surrounded by our dear loved ones. our good friend eric married us that day and i can't even begin to describe how much we loved everything he said to us. we were so encouraged as we said our "i do's". the reception was everything i had pictured in my head for so many months before. twinkle lights strung above a little garden area made for the most perfect setting. we had such a wonderful time but my goodness it goes by so quickly.

monday after the wedding, we were whisked away to our 10-day honeymoon. off to vieques (an island right off of puerto rico). it was absolute perfection. gorgeous resort, wonderful tropical island, perfect sunny weather and the most relaxing trip ever. it is such a blessing to spend such precious time with my new hubby. pictures to come soon...

last week was our first week back in the "real world". it is bittersweet. nice to be back home but i still miss the beach and our view from breakfast every morning. but being home and having a hubby in the apartment is such a sweet experience.

and some fun little news...2 weeks from today we are moving to a new place. such an exciting time for us. we live about 20 minutes outside of greenville right now and we are moving up to the city. we are so happy to be closer to everything and have a bigger place. we are a little crammed in my one-bedroom apartment with a girl, a new hubby, a puppy who isn't little and a bazillion wedding boxes. i have already begun getting things ready to be packed up and getting rid of things that don't need to come with us. i love moving (true story) so i am excited for the next two weeks to happen.

that is all for now my friends. hopefully will stay committed to blogging more often. i made a list of things that i wanted to blog about so hopefully that will keep me on track.

and of course, i will blog wedding pictures (when i get them) and honeymoon pictures soon. i know there are some ladies out there who are antsy to see our pictures.

happy sunday night sweets.

thursday travels

2011-10-13T10:13:00.000-04:00

{photo}

vieques island, PR

made for a wonderful honeymoon....

sneak peek

2011-10-09T18:19:00.001-04:00

showered

2011-09-08T21:58:00.000-04:00

a few weeks ago, a few girls from my work got together and threw A and I a shower at a restaurant downtown. it was a glorious night with fun times had by all.

one of our hosts brought a homemade peanut butter chocolate cake. it was so delicious. i had to indulge and have a few bites. YUM.

a few of the girls got together and gave us a digital camera. sweetest thing ever (we don't have a camera) and i may or may not have started crying immediately after i opened it. A was super excited to get something electronic as a gift.

my lovely coworkers. i am super lucky to work with such wonderful ladies!

vino and van gogh

2011-08-31T10:04:00.001-04:00

here in my wonderful city of greenville south carolina, we have recently had a few artsy places pop up. they are all the same idea - you pick a painting off the website and sign up. then you go paint the fancy painting with friends and bring your own wine and munchies. it's a really fun idea and one that i was definitely on board with.

one of my friends and i decided it was time to pick a painting and go. we ended up picking vino and van gogh out of the 3 places in greenville that offer it. we picked a fancy monet painting of a bridge over water. i wish they still had the picture up so you could see what it looked like when they painted it but alas - they have taken it down.

on second thought, i'm happy they took it down. now you have nothing to compare ours to and maybe that is a good thing? we are amateurs people. NOT ARTSY.

so our finished product after two hours of painting:

mine on the left. my friend jaime's on the right.

excuse the blackberry picture. neither of us brought a camera to take pics.

overall it was a super fun experience. i definitely didn't have a perfect painting at the end but i still love it and we really had a great time. i am not artsy at all but it was therapeutic to sit there for two hours while the teacher (who was absolutely fabulous might i add) walked us through what to do next. and it was great to spend time with a friend and chat about life. while having a little glass of wine.

a fun little evening for all.

fluff

2011-08-24T13:48:00.000-04:00

cutest puppy in the whole world.

thursday travels

2011-08-11T09:03:00.000-04:00

photo from my {pinterest} via {here}

switzerland

bbq succotash

2011-08-09T11:57:00.000-04:00

i have discovered a little dish that is oh so perfect for summer (or really anytime of year for that matter). i'm pretty sure my friend purdy made this for dinner one night and then we rediscovered it when she was down visiting earlier this year. it's perfect for shan since it is a vegetarian dish but i promise you will love it just as well. it really is the perfect succotash and super easy/quick to make (and healthy to boot!)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin or vegetable oil, 1 turn of the pan
1/2 red onion, chopped (i use a whole onion because i love it)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 (14-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10-ounce) box frozen corn
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup smoky barbecue sauce (i use sticky fingers memphis original)
2 tablespoons chopped chives, parsley or cilantro leaves, for garnish (sometimes i do, sometimes i don't)

Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and peppers and saute 5 minutes.

Add beans and corn and season with salt and pepper.

When corn heats through, add barbecue sauce. Stir to combine and serve succotash with chopped chives, parsley or cilantro to garnish.

Finished product (absolutley horrible iphone picture. i need some food staging classes stat).

this dish made me fall in love with red peppers. i was kinda "meh" about them before but now i *lurve*. do share some new recipes you have discovered. or some staples that you always make.

ps: i can't wait to have new dishes/cookware.
pps: i need a camera stat.
original recipe found {here}.

weekend plans

2011-08-05T11:35:00.000-04:00

i have some visitors this weekend...

mama and sister are coming down for a little weekend visit and to help me with some wedding stuff. we are only 7 weeks away so i need all the help i can get.

happy weekend blog friends!

parties in kentucky {part two}

2011-08-02T10:02:00.001-04:00

the day after the bachelorette party, my MOH hosted a shower at her lovely abode. i know a lot of girlies chipped in to help and it made the day feel super personal and special. i know they worked hard (and the MOH was sick and still made a wonderful hostess).

one of the games the girls planned was to dress friends in bridal gowns using toilet paper. it was hilarious to watch and fun to judge. mandy and katie won since their dress looked like something that you could literally buy.

a fun little treat (mishap?) happened right when everyone was being decorated with tp. our sweet innocent gilfedder may have caught herself on fire from a candle that jen jen had burning on the coffee table. jenna was fearful. i may have cried from laughing. (gil was not hurt and the flames were little. i promise it was funny. see? even gil was laughing after just a few minutes)

the next "game" was not really a game but something that made me super excited. the girls got together and decorated 2 serving dishes for A and i to have in our house someday. the girls were super creative and the end results were adorable. i can't wait to get my hands on them soon!

we may or may not love to take "fake" laughing pictures that always result in real laughter.

together since high school freshman year...

sister and mama bear.

A even snuck in at the end to take a quick picture with his bride. (sidenote: when going through all the sweet gifts we received, he picked up the glass tupperware and exclaimed "this is my favorite gift". who knew he was so easily pleased?)

parties in kentucky {part one}

2011-07-31T19:53:00.000-04:00

so i am a little behind on posting this. the past few weeks have been busy with wedding stuff. less than 2 months to go and we have kicked into overdrive.

a few weeks ago we drove up to lexington for a few days to celebrate the wedding. my sweet bridesmaids put together a super sweet bachelorette party and a lovely bridal shower. it was a jam packed weekend but it was wonderful to celebrate and spend time with friends that i love with my whole heart. and being back in lexington for a few days was definitely time well spent.

for an all day bachelorette party on saturday, we laid by the pool and went out to dinner (at a fantastic restaurant downtown that was delish). after that we were off to a little party back at our friends townhouse where hilarity ensued.

it was a fabulous day of being a bachelorette and hanging out with people i love dearly.

i'll be back soon with {part 2} all about our fun bridal shower (where fire may have been involved). until then...

outdoorsy

2011-07-13T21:09:00.000-04:00

i'm not really an "outdoorsy" kinda girl. i don't like to hike or camp. just ask the sweet friends who tried to take me camping. i doubt they will ever ask me again :) thank goodness.

however, there is one way (other than taking me to a beach or pool) where i dream of being outside for a long time. i can't wait to be able to have friends over and host a little dinner party outside. i've noticed that i have pinned a lot of inspiration lately on pinterest.

how can these pictures not make you want to have a dinner party every single night?

{all images from pinterest}

do any of you dream of entertaining friends in a fantastic backyard one day?

76 days to go!

2011-07-10T20:48:00.001-04:00

{horrible at remembering where images are from but most likely it's

style me pretty, southern weddings and snippet and ink}

just a few inspiration pictures to keep you updated!

four

2011-07-07T21:29:00.000-04:00

in june, A and i celebrated our four year anniversary. seems crazy that it has been that long. so we celebrated. he let me choose where to go for dinner and of course i pick my favorite restaurant downtown, pomegranate. it's a little pricey so we save it for extra special occasions and my birthday. but it is worth the wait because i love it.

i meant to take a picture of my food for you so you could see the yummy goodness. however, i completely forgot and began chowing down before i thought to stop and photograph the food. i always get the veggie kabobs. just trust me - they look beautiful and they taste even better.

after dinner, A and i walked around downtown. he planned a little (free) surprise for us so after dinner he finally told me what we were doing. among the many wonderful things downtown greenville has, they have a little game that you can play on main street called "mice on main". basically, they hid 9 different bronze mice along main street and you get the clues to find one after the other. we walked all the way down main street (opposite of the restaurant) to start our hunt.

there are 9 to find. we found 8. although we think the missing mouse was hidden behind some construction that they are doing on main street. so technically that one doesn't count right?

and to top it all off, A bought me some beautiful sunflowers as a little gift.

it was a great night. perfect for us. this next year is going to be the best yet. we are getting married in 3 months, going on a fantastic honeymoon, and beginning our life together as newlyweds. that is weird to type out now but in 3ish months, it will become reality.

pinspiration

2011-06-20T22:16:00.001-04:00

i'm sure by now you have heard about pinterest. if not, then i suggest you go right over here and get on the bandwagon. it is absolutely amazing and there is inspiration galore.

i have pinned quite a few things that i love. i want to try to take some inspiration from pinterest and bring it into my life. what's the fun if it just lives on a board and you don't ever do anything with it?

so i give you....pinspiration in my life #1.

pinterest photo {here}

shan's photo

i loved the look of those nails. having that ring finger different definitely gives my nails some new flair. and although i didn't have that pretty pink sparkly nail polish, i used what i had and made it my own. i really love this look and will have to try it again with a different color combination (doesn't just have to be sparkly!)

engagements

2011-06-17T19:56:00.002-04:00

hello friends. my goodness it has been a busy few weeks. but it has been fun and i'm here to share a little adventure with you from last weekend.

on sunday, we headed up for asheville. packed the car with fancy clothes, change of outfits and a puppy. what for? to meet two of my sweet besties for our engagement pictures. my SUPER talented friend jenna was taking our shots and jen played assistant for a day (and a mighty fine assistant she was!) we had a ball. first off, it was so so great to see them. and it was fun to take pictures.

so here we go. i'll tell you up front that i included a bunch (not even all) of my favorites. so i apologize in advance for picture overload!

and how could i not include this next one? we love gilly...sorry. (SNL reference)

here is a picture of the three besties. i could've included a more normal one but this is just so us. a framer for sure. i love them so much and am so blessed to be surrounded by girls who are beautiful, strong and an encouragement to me daily.

(tickling gilfedder - she loves to be tickled)

jenna did such a great job taking our pictures. she is so talented. and jen jen was so great and brought so many sweet ideas with her.

thanks sweet girls for making the trip down. it was so much fun seeing you and i can't wait to celebrate lots of things in the next few months.

for those of you in kentucky who want some fabulous pictures taken for yourself, head on over to jenna's blog to see more of her work and for her contact information!

meal planning

2011-06-06T17:38:00.001-04:00

i am not so good at this. but i am going to try. maybe putting it out there in blogland will help me be more accountable on doing this every week. i won't start big and pretend i am going to cook a meal every night. but i am going to try and plan out my meals a little better. i am a little sick of getting home from work and ~~thinking~~ asking A "what should we have for dinner?" i'm sure he loves coming to visit me and getting that question over and over again. so here i am - trying to plan a little better (and inspired by a blog i love - christi over at burlap and basil)

so here it goes. my hopeful meals for this week:

-tortellini or ravioli with homemade marinara (thanks jules!)
-roasted white corn & shallot pasta (recipe found here)
-black bean taquitos
-large salad with a side of sweet potato fries
-strawberry flax smoothie (for breakfast)

i'm not going to assign them to different days. i'll wait and see what sounds good on the day of. but let's hope that i can stick to it and fix some good, healthy and homemade meals this week. and if i can stick to this, maybe this can become a regular feature on the blog - not only to keep me accountable but to share ideas and recipes with friends.

date night

2011-06-05T12:23:00.000-04:00

it was long overdue. we hadn't had a fun little date night in months. little trips, sicknesses and other little things prevented us from heading out as a couple. but we finally planned and made it happen last night.

we started off the late afternoon by running a few wedding errands. off to michael's, target and world market to pick up things for our reception. it always feels so nice to get a few things checked off your wedding to-do list. or any to-do list for that matter. but we did. and my little convertible was packed full of fun little things.

next up? off to see a movie. i mentioned we had a few groupons/living social deals to use so we planned our date night around using some of these deals (cheap!!!). we each bought a deal a few months ago to get 2 movie tickets for $9. and since we both bought the deal, we had 4 tickets to use. and for some reason, we decided to wait until the very last weekend before they expired to use them. so last night - off we went to see the new "x men" movie.

(photo)

we both enjoyed it. x men movies are always good (at least in our book). definitely recommend.

after the movie, we went to a new (for us) restaurant downtown. it is a little restaurant tucked away on a side street known for their tapas and wine.

(photo)

we each tried new things that were hit or miss. tempura asparagus? my absolute fave of the night. A loved the ribs he ordered.

and just because little girly things make me happy - i got to wear a new nars lipstick (nars barbarella) i ordered from sephora a few months ago. a peachy coral color that is oh so perfect for summertime.

(prettiest little photo of lipstick from this sweet blog)

we definitely need to be better about taking sweet date nights like that more often. our 4 year anniversary is coming up this month and you know what that means? another date night and another excuse to put on some lipstick? AND we get to go to my absolute favorite restaurant. it ain't cheap so we reserve it for special occasions (shan's bday and our anniversary). so i am super looking forward to it.

happy date nights!

updates

2011-06-02T18:59:00.000-04:00

hello sweet bloggers.

i do believe it is time for a little list.

1. two days after my previous blog post, i woke up at 5am to watch a wedding. as a girl planning her own, how could i possibly miss the royal wedding? it doesn't hurt that i think kate middleton is adorable and has a great sense of style. i couldn't miss seeing the dress she choose to marry a prince.

(photo)

2. our wedding is less than 4 months away which makes me want to pass out. i have a lot of things to do. i need to print out every picture that i call inspiration and hang them on a blank wall in my apartment. i feel like that will help me focus.

3. in the beginning of may, i had a sweet bestie come visit. it was julie's first time to greenville and so we definitely had a jam packed weekend filled with good food, long talks, wine and adventuring downtown. i feel so blessed to have the friends that i do. (ps: did we take any pictures to show you? of course not. i am such a good blogger)

4. i took a little trip to kentucky a few weeks ago. it was in the works for sometime but it was a super secret. i went to surprise this little lady....

since she had just had this little guy....

isn't he just the cutest? i couldn't wait to go see her/meet him any longer. the fun part? she had no idea i was coming.

rachel - i so wish i could've captured the look on your face when i walked into your house. your hubby did a good job of keeping you in the dark. it was the best weekend to be able to be with you and love on you and E for a bit. i just wish it could happen way more often. kiss parker for me :)

5. and to update you on this past weekend - it was lovely. A and i went to the lake house and spent two days with A's family. it was great to relax and be out in the sun. i went as the pastiest (its a word) girl ever (my skin is see-thru) and came back a little less pasty. i need a summer tan something fierce (#whitegirlproblems).

6. i'm hoping to have a little date night this weekend with A. we need to use up some groupons/living social deals that we have bought in the past few months. i'm thinking we will use the groupon for a tapas restaurant this weekend. that sounds delish.

7. do y'all groupon or living social? if not - you definitely should. they are great sites that send (really good) deals out everyday. usually they are 50% off or more deals to local restaurants, salons and adventures. we heart it.

8. so it's june and it is already 75 billion degrees outside. is this happening to everyone right now or is it just us lucky south carolinians that get punched in the face by heat everytime we walk out the door?

i have much more to discuss with you but i will leave it at that for now. happy thursday my sweets!

the venues

2011-04-27T22:00:00.000-04:00

i promised a little more detail on the bulleted list i left y'all with and i am back to deliver. i figured i would start off with the venues. essentially, they were the first thing we got checked off the list (right after i choose the date). i picked my september 24th date and stayed there. i didn't want to move it. from the get go, it seemed like our day.

like i said before, the ceremony will be held at a beautiful church about 10 minutes away from downtown. its a pretty big sanctuary, updated but still holds that traditional charm that i love so much. its definitely not modern. it's beautiful in my eyes. perfect. center aisle. stained glass everywhere. and i'm not talking stained glass that has pictures of the Lord in it - i'm talking just a bunch of different colors put together for a glorious window (or 12). i can't wait to show you.

the reception is where my heart lives. it is being held at a historic home in downtown greenville. perfect location for my guests - since downtown is so dang precious. the house it tucked away back from a busy-ish street. and behind the house is a little secret garden with a pond. and a lawn perfectly made to hold a wedding reception. since i've decided not to spill the exact locations or show you exact pictures of the places, i figured i could go ahead and share with you some inspiration that i've picked up over the last few months.

from top left: younghouselove and then i can't remember.

probably a combination of style me pretty, southern weddings and snippet and ink.

the reception will have lights overhead (a tent will be used only as a backup for inclement weather), poms tied to the trees and quilts for some friends to sit on.

it's going to be a fabulous night that will hopefully be a great party. can y'all tell i'm just a little bit excited? because i am...

playing {wedding} catch up

2011-04-20T22:46:00.000-04:00

wow it has been awhile. life has been a little crazy and the blog has been neglected. but i am back and hopefully for a good long time.

i left off with an engagement and then i just left you. we have been in full wedding planning mode over here and a lot has happened since we last spoke. i have had visitors galore (purdy, jen, family and then gil). two weeks from now, sweet jules is coming to visit. her first time to greenville and i am oh so very excited. it's so wonderful to live in a city that you know will excite your guests. any of you who have visited know how much charm our downtown holds. and i am excited to show it to jules.

so a little wedding update...shall we? i'll just give you a little list of things that we have accomplished in the past 4 months.

the date - September 24th, 2011. which will go down as the best day of my life.
the city - Greenville, SC
a place to say "I do" - a pretty church with stained glass galore. can you imagine the pictures?
a place to party after the ceremony - a historic home with a backyard to die for.
my dress? check.
bridesmaids dresses (for all 8 of my gorgeous girls)? double check.
a fantastic photographer that will document our best day? perfectly selected.
honeymoon - 10 days of glorious vacation booked in the caribbean.
things to chow down on and pretty flowers - in the works.
registering (i will go ahead and sound selfish - we had so much fun. you shoot a laser gun and boom - you have a chance of getting it as a gift) registries are complete!

so there is a little update for you blog stalkers out there. that is...if you haven't abandoned me. i wouldn't blame you. it's been ages people. ages.

i will do a blog post on each of the bulleted items above and delve into more details than you probably care to hear soon. a wedding inspiration board and pictures galore will be coming your way soon!

it's good to be back my friends. it's good to be back.

snow day

2011-01-12T15:55:00.000-05:00

i haven't had a snow day since i was in college. which really wasn't a snow day...i just decided to skip classes if i didn't feel like walking in the snow. but, as i am sure you have heard, the south got dumped on this week and i have had 3 snow days from work. that's right - i wake up in the morning to check my email and get all excited when i see "office closed today". it's just like when you were in high school and you wake up to watch the school closing run across the bottom of the tv. 3 snow days from work. i mean how fabulous is that?

this means that i have been doing a whole lot of nothing. i haven't changed out of my pjs. i keep them on all day. i mean - it really is a treat. i have watched tv, cleaned my apartment (some), played with K and caught up on my blog reading.

speaking of K - somebody is obsessed with the snow. OBSESSED people. i have seen my puppy throw tantrums because i don't let him go outside to run in the snow for hours on end. how i wish i had a backyard!

so i will leave you with my absolute favorite one of K in the snow...

happy snow days my friends :)

a white sand christmas

2011-01-05T20:48:00.000-05:00

while my christmas was quite unfortunate and uneventful (i got pretty sick over the holiday), it was still great. great because i got to spend time in florida with my family. and although i am 25 years old, it feels pretty nice to have your mama around when you don't feel good.

even though i was under the weather and mostly in bed, it was nice to have a christmas that looked like this...

i hope y'all had a very merry christmas and celebrated with joy.

engagement

2011-01-03T20:38:00.001-05:00

hello dear readers! well, i teased you with a little picture and then left you hanging. if you read any of my besties blogs you definitely read a little bit about the big engagement party {here, here, here or here}. but from the bride to be's perspective, i can honestly say it was the most perfect day.

after leaving work a little early, A and i began the trip up to lexington. we stopped up at windy gap (the younglife camp that we met and where we work a few weekends a year). i was under the impression we were stopping to visit a dear friend. while that was true, we were also stopping so A could pop the question. WG has a little island with a big old willow tree and a wooden bench. surrounded by a winter wonderland, A got down on his knee and asked me to marry him. it was so great. i couldn't have been more excited.

moving along - we got back in the car for the 4 hour trek up to lexington. i was so very antsy to get there, as one can imagine. we ended up getting to lexington at about 10:30pm. upon walking into jen's house, i was greeted by all of my loved ones. a handful of dear friends and my mom and sister (dad couldn't make it) were all there for a surprise engagement party. it couldn't have been more perfect and i couldn't have been anymore surprised.

i'll let the pictures do the talking.

the most perfect engagement story ever. :)

wishing and hoping and thinking and praying...

2010-12-13T00:27:00.000-05:00

12.10.2010 - A and shan get engaged.

details to come...

birthday girl

2010-11-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

{photo}

birthday girl = me.

best day of the year. celebrate with me will you?

hello to you again

2010-11-07T18:55:00.002-05:00

it has been like 3 weeks. should we discuss? there really isn't much to say other than i haven't felt very inspired to write. and everytime i think about blogging, i don't know what to say. or i think "i need to take pictures and write that post" and it just doesn't happen. so here we are. 3 weeks later...with no updates. which is unacceptable in my blogging book.

so let's get a little update on shan, shall we?

1. the besties came in town for a weekend. if you are a friend IRL, then you have probably already read about it here, here, here or even here. we're (read: they're) dedicated bloggers like that. to say the weekend was perfect would be an understatement. i feel incredibly blessed to have these women in my life and to have them visit me for a weekend. we got to celebrate birthdays, babies and friendships.

{all of these gorg photos from my friend jenna}

2. i love my city. see above pictures.

3. it is officially fall here in SC. it has been pretty warm up until 2ish weeks ago and then it started to feel like fall. i've been wearing my jeggings and new boots. and i *lurve* it.

4. speaking of *lurve*, i have fallen into *lurve* with fro yo. there is a little place downtown that is perfect. organic and healthy. i would definitely say it is an acquired taste but my taste buds acquired it pretty quickly.

5. halloween weekend was pretty low key around here. on friday, my company participated in a little event here in town for special needs kids. my friend from work, cc, and i got to dress up and give out candy to little kids. CUTE.

the rest of the weekend was spent hanging out with A and my pup. on sunday (halloween), A and i went to the movies and saw "the town". it was very much a shoot 'em up, bang bang kind of guy flick but i still really liked it.

{photo}

and then we went to chipotle. in past years, i have dressed myself as a giant burrito (wrapped myself in loads of aluminum foil) and gotten a free burrito. this year, chipotle changed it up a bit and you had to dress up as a scary processed food and you got a free $2 burrito/bowl/salad. you can bet i participated and i dragged A along as well. with my craftiness and construction paper, i dressed up as a piece of pizza. A was a french fry. and we ate delicious food for all of $5. i know you are jealous.

6. this weekend i finally finished up "eat pray love". it was good. however, as a girl who loves the Lord, you definitely need to take it with a grain of salt. i definitely didn't believe everything that she believes/wrote about. however, it was still a good read. now onto the movie...

7. this weekend, my mama and sister come into town for my bday weekend. i couldn't be more excited (especially since it has been 4 months since i have seen them). too bad pops can't come along but we will all be together for christmas (which is so soon and i still refuse to accept it).

8. my bday is in 3 days. get ready to celebrate the best holiday of the year my friends :)

until next time (which i promise will be soon)....

sunday musings

2010-10-10T20:59:00.000-04:00

wow. it has been about 2 weeks since i posted...maybe the longest i have ever gone neglecting my little ol' blog. but i have been busy and am ready to share what's going on in the life of shan.

1. last weekend, i scooted out of town for a little trip with two of my besties. julie and laura are two of the most wonderful girls in my life. we all led on the same younglife team in lexington. it was beyond perfect. exactly what i needed. we had been talking about taking a little trip and it finally happened. we all met up in destin for 5 days of girl vacation. i can't even begin to tell you how much it was needed for me. girl time. all we did was talk and eat and layout and relax and spend time just the 3 of us. and the only pictures we took were the ones "make the most ugly face that comes to mind" kind of pictures...and all on julie's camera. but the last day we were there, i did sneak out on our balcony and take a picture of our view.

2. and this weekend was a fabulous one too. have i mentioned to you that downtown greenville is absolutely fabulous and they have lots of fun events in the fall? this weekend was "fall for greenville". a little food tasting event where all the local businesses come out and you go to whatever tents you want and score some grub. it wasn't that expensive and was oh so fun. that will definitely have to be a yearly tradition.

{photo}

3. i discovered a new blog. one that is teaching me little by little how to save dollars and go from couponing beginner to couponing queen. {this blog} is fabulous. crystal teaches you about how to coupon right and gives you deal after deal. i started off reading "31 days to a better budget" series and am hooked. she teaches you ways to save and (my favorite) teaches you how to play the drug store game. it really is a great resource and i am slowly learning how to save dollars.

4. it is fall outside. although, SC weather is a little confused. its like 50 degrees in the AM and by 1:00 in the afternoon it turns into 80 degree heat. this makes it hard to dress to go anywhere. and this is the first year i have really had trouble transitioning into fall. and it is SUCH a problem. (note the hint of sarcasm in that sentence).

5. since it is fall, i may as well make my apartment smell like it. i decorated for fall this weekend (aka: put two fall-ish decorations out...hence "decorated" shouldn't be used very strongly). glade has a limited edition candle out right now and since i have a "buy one get one free" coupon, i have been on the hunt for this specific scent. cashmere woods. smells amazing. but i can't find it anywhere. so i suggest you go get your hands on one quick. unless you live in the greenville, sc area. then ignore this and scroll on down to number 6.

{photo}

6. UK football needs to get it together. that is all i have to say on that subject. moving on...

i'm going to make a great wife someday

2010-09-27T08:10:00.000-04:00

wanna know why?

because i am GREAT in the kitchen.

in high school, i set toast on fire in the toaster oven. so i freaked out and threw water on it. yep that's right. i threw water on the electric toaster oven.

in college, i set toast on fire again (in a toaster oven). i learned my lesson and blew out the flames this time. however, i did this in the morning when i was rushing out the door for work. i'm preeeeeety sure i left a note on the whiteboard that said "roomies...i'll explain the smell later". (remember that rach and shave?)

last week i added to my fabulousness in the kitchen. i was making something on the stove and accidentally turned on the wrong burner. you know....the burner that i had set my most favorite colander on. a few minutes later i smelled burning plastic....

and of course....

notice the perfectly placed burner marks on my colander. my favorite colander that was mint green that matched my little kitchen. may you RIP.

i'm sure A is very excited to have me as a wife someday. i've got some serious skills in the kitchen.

thursday travels

2010-09-23T13:46:00.001-04:00

{google images}

portland, oregon

puppy favorites

2010-09-22T10:58:00.000-04:00

how adorable is this pup? and now...a list of his favorites.

1. science diet advanced fitness food
definitely not the cheapest. probably more middle of the road. but one that we like and K has been on it since he was at the humane society.

2. natural choice pet treats (blueberry)

3. chew toys
rubber toys are king in this house. only because we have the most powerful chewer of all pups. i. am. not. kidding. rubber toys are less messy and just as good for our pup.

nylabone

kong

his favorite (and the one that has lasted the longest) is the first toy we got him (the same night we brought K home). it's from publix. he likes to sleep with it in his mouth just to be sure no one takes it while he is sleeping.

yes..that is how my pup sleeps. inappropriate and oh so freaking hilarious.

4. treat toys
this is what i call them...not the actual name of them. we have had 2 in the past. both are made to be able to put different "treats" in them for your pup. we give K all natural peanut butter as a treat once or twice a week. all we do is swipe a layer on the inside of our toy and puppy is happy as a clam and distracted for about 20 minutes.

premiere busy buddy twist 'n treat

5. stuffed animals (but not anymore)
K loves stuffed animal toys. we used to get them for him. however, we have learned our lesson and now only do the rubber ones. K loved them. but he would eat them. i'm not just talking like ripped them apart. i mean HE ATE THEM. i think he was chewing and he was so excited to have a stuffed toy that he didn't stop to spit out the stuffed animal as he was ripping it. he just ate it to save time. (have i mentioned our pup is downright insane?)

ones we loved before we learned the lesson...

go dog

kong braidz

6. the puppy park
oh. my. gosh.
we DIE. everytime.
100% K's favorite thing in the whole wide world.

7. car rides
when we first got K, i said to andy "i want him to be used to car rides. we should try to take him on adventures so he gets used to it". well...i created a monster. he is obsessed with going on a car ride.

8. a gentle leader
K hates this. we love it. it kind of looks like a muzzle and it is used to help train your dog not to pull when you walk him. how it works: when your dog pulls too much, it pulls his head back (to the side) in order to stop him from yanking (instead of pulling his neck like a normal collar would). therefore, he stops because he can't see where he is going. we are still learning but K has definitely gotten better about not pulling when we walk him.

gentle leader

for the past 5 months that we have had K, we have learned what works for us and him. these are the things we love and definitely recommend!

this is what we have found that works for our pup. i have not been paid by petsmart or any of these brands to say any of the above. these are just my opinions :) all photos courtesy of petsmart.

a gleeful favorite

2010-09-19T20:51:00.001-04:00

now i know i told you before how much i love glee. i also included them in my "i'm so excited that all my fall shows are coming back i could scream" tv lineup last week.

A and i finally finished up season one this weekend. we had just a few more episodes to watch (one being the famous gaga episode that i heard so much about). and although most people raved about the poker face number, my absolute favorite was the bad romance performance.

please watch it below. if that doesn't encourage you to be a gleek, i don't know what will.

this upcoming season will be EPIC. an entire britney episode (judge me...i will forever be a britney fan) and a "time warp" performance from the rocky horror picture show? umm...yes please. i am absolutely ecstatic.

thursday travels

2010-09-16T11:08:00.000-04:00

photo from {here}

amsterdam

fall tv lineup

2010-09-14T13:16:00.001-04:00

september brings with it a lot of fabulous things: one of my favorites being that many of my favorite shows come back on. i can't even begin to tell you how excited i am.

without further ado... my fall tv lineup.

gossip girl

glee

modern family

i actually watched to pilot episode again last weekend. this show literally makes me laugh out loud and brings tears to my eyes. it is by far my favorite comedy show on tv.

chuck

biggest loser

so you think you can dance.

not sure if SYTYCD is coming back this fall...but a girl can wish right?

and i realize it's not coming back. and it has been over for about 4 months now...but i am still in denial. and it just felt wrong leaving this show out.

guess this means i will rent the lost dvd's and rewatch them all. yes. *logs onto netflix*

so there you have it friends...my fall tv favorites. i am so excited for everything to start backup. does anyone out there have the same favorites? what are you looking forward to watching this fall?

all photos courtesy of yahoo images.

i heart spade

2010-09-12T14:05:00.000-04:00

if i could pick one place to shop from (money not being an issue) i think i would pick kate spade. to me, it's the perfect combination of chic and preppy with a little trendy thrown in. but it is classic...oh so classic.

this fall, i want to add a pair of colorful tights to my wardrobe. paired with a fall shift dress and pretty heels, i feel like it would be the perfect look for fall of 2010. kate spade has a perfect pair for me and i have my eye on them. but after ~~drooling~~ browsing the website, i came across their "fall looks" section. and i fell into love. or maybe lust. i feel into something and i would like to wear each of these fall outfits this upcoming season.

each look has a quirky but oh so appropriate name to go along with the outfit.

ordered a baker's dozen as a mid-week treat.

started a sketchbook while people-watching at lunch.

ordered a latte as she considered 12 across.

popped into the strand for a quick pick-me-up.

watched la vie en rose and brushed up on her french.

listened to a new playlist on her morning commute.

signed up for a dance class at the 92nd street Y.

on a lark, brought a kite to the park.

chic right? and i am loving all of the color choices!

see more of the fall looks here. and tell me...if you could choose a store to shop in (without considering money) which would you choose?

and of course, all images are courtesy of kate spade.

thursday travels

2010-09-02T17:42:00.000-04:00

{photo}

bermuda.

2010 emmys

2010-09-01T10:31:00.001-04:00

first off we must start with glee. in recently declaring our love for glee, we were so happy that they won a few right off the bat. and the glee girls didn't disappoint.

lea michele. this girl can rock a red carpet. and rock it she did. fave of the night.

navy was it for the glee girls and i must say that jayma's dress was absolutely stunning.

my favorite funny show, modern family (who won so many awards i was so happy) also made me proud on the red carpet.

julie bowen (more navy...swoon. new fall color perhaps?)

sofia vergara looked stunning in carolina herrera.

claire danes absolutely killed it. 2nd fave of the night.

heidi klum chose an unexpected mini for such a fancy event. but that necklace just brings it. loved this look.

jennifer carpenter (dexter). unfortunately you can't see the one long sleeve of this dress. unexpected but a show stopper.

those were my best dressed of the night. jimmy fallon did a great job hosting (he always makes me laugh). but i will say this...glee won. modern family won. lost got screwed. and for that, i was ~~extremely~~ slightly sassy.

all photos courtesy of google images.

gleek

2010-08-31T09:33:00.000-04:00

{google images}

A and i are now gleeks.
i will proudly wave my gleek flag forever.

we are catching up on season 1 thanks to my dear netflix (oh how i love thee).

do any of you watch this show? because it is absolutely fabulous. FA-BU-LOUS.

lazy-ish sunday

2010-08-29T16:30:00.000-04:00

9:30am - wake up for church.

the church that we attend has switched buildings this summer to accommodate the number of people who attend the downtown service. now, it is held in an old baptist church building (although our church is not a "baptist" one). it is absolutely beautiful. smells old (which is one of my favorite smells). looks old. stained glass lining both sides of the sanctuary with big front steps leading up to the building. it's beautiful.

11:30 - out of church and hungry.

A and i decide to try a new (for us) restaurant downtown. i have heard they serve a good brunch. perfect....exactly what i want on a sunday. we make our way down the street to have brunch outside. (have i mentioned yet that it is the prettiest day ever? because it is. sunny and not "smack you in the face and make you want to pour iced water on your head over and over again" hot. which it has been all summer so it is a nice change.

brunch is delicious. we sit outside and eat yummy yummy food til our hearts are content.

1:00 - done with brunch. off to go drive through our favorite neighborhoods downtown and dream of owning a house there one day.

find about 8 different houses i want. maybe 10. almost all will more than likely always be out of our price range but a girl can dream of getting one for free one day right?

2:00 - drive to the habitat restore. it's closed. drive to favorite antique store. closed too. boo hiss.

2:30 - go home. where a lazy sunday begins. i blog. A is in my living room playing video games. and that is where we are right now.

told my pup i would take him to the puppy park today. must go soon so i can be back in time for the emmy's. i heart awards shows and am excited to park my butt on the couch tonight and watch as all my favorites (hopefully) win.

happy sunday dear readers.

miss jenna nicole

2010-08-23T21:57:00.000-04:00

one of my favorite people in the world. a bestie and a roommate of 3 years.

she is becoming quite the talented photographer. and i wanted to share some of her photos here. (aka some of my absolute favorites so far.

starting off with my favorite (because it is one of my favorite streets back home in lexington)...

isn't she so talented?

find jenna's photography page of FB here.
and read her blog here.

all photos courtesy of jenna nicole photography.

a clemson wedding

2010-08-16T10:19:00.000-04:00

last week, A and i were invited to our dear friends wedding.

daniel and laura were married in a garden on clemson's campus. outside. which was beautiful but oh my freaking goodness was it hot. but it really was perfect.

after, we celebrated their marriage at a little restaurant in downtown clemson. it was such a good time.

dang smudge on the iphone camera. but still cute :)

side story: daniel was a YL kid when i led at a school in lexington. daniel was part of a group of 4 boys who always came around and who ended up loving the Lord and growing like weeds. 4 years later and they are all still great friends of mine. so the other 3 boys came for the wedding and it really was so fun. hanging out with some lexington friends really made for a joyful night.

looking back, A and i both had a fabulous night celebrating our friends. and now, A is puppy-sitting for their girl, Riley. Riley and Kentson love each other. love. so i had to leave with a sweet little picture of the happy fur couple.

they look so much alike right? my little k is on the left. riley roo (his gf) is on the right.

both friend and puppy love.

thursday travels

2010-08-12T12:14:00.000-04:00

photo from {here}

austin texas.

spot on

2010-08-11T10:37:00.001-04:00

it's no secret that target is amazing.

so when i spotted these glasses on a recent trip i thought "i must have those!" they are perfect.

i got the white ones. one pack of white striped and a pack of white dots. SUPER CUTE. i love them. and they are glass (bonus points!). and $7 for a pack of 4. i'm definitely not trying to be an enabler....i'm just saying that i love them and you should too.

and because we are talking about glasses, i will share a little tidbit about shan with my readers.

have you seen the movie "signs"? well, there is a little girl named bo in the movie. she is probably 6 or 7. she is known in her house for leaving half-full (i'm an optimist here) glasses around the house. everywhere. well kids...that is me. in real life. no character here....just shan. i admit that i leave glasses everywhere around my apartment. andy sometimes likes to start calling me bo so that i realize my problem quirk.

saying all that, sometimes i run out of glasses. mostly because they are lying around everywhere. and then i add all to the dishwasher and then have to wait. but now, i have 8 more glasses that i can fill up and half drink before i need to run my dishwasher.

and they are cute. which is why i got them. definitely didn't just get them so i could have 8 more glasses to half drink. definitely not.

flo-rida

2010-08-09T09:54:00.000-04:00

last week, A and i took a little vacation to florida. pensacola to be exact. we visited for 5 glorious days with my grandparents who live in that wonderful little city.

and we did nothing. the highlight of most of our days was a run to starbucks. one day was target. but other than that we stayed at their house and played in the pool. and layed out. ate fabulous food cooked by my grandmother and spent quality time with the grandparents. it was kinda perfect.

our days were spent here...

perfect right?

one day we did skip over to the beach to snack at a restaurant and see the condition of the beaches (pensacola was one of the cities affected by the oil spill).

but i am happy to report that we saw no oil. no tar balls. nothing. just a few booms near a little cove. how wonderful is that? i was so happy.

and while on said beach, A and i took a few pictures. just so we could actually show we had been on vacation. because i am so bad at taking pictures.

excuse the wind...

and one really pretty one for good measure.

the worst part of the vacation was coming home. we both were so relaxed and it was such a great vacation that both of us were kicking and screaming at the thought of coming back.

hopefully, we will have a florida trip part 2 in our near future.

my friend {libby}

2010-08-05T20:08:00.001-04:00

i have a dear friend libby.

we were blessed to get her in lexington. she met a boy named justin (who i went to hs with) on summer staff at young life camp. not long after, she moved to lexington and became such a wonderful part of our community there. she was in our bible study and is a good friend.

she married justin. they moved to VA. they had a sweet little baby.

and last week, sweet libby found out that she had cancer. lymphoma. she is 26 years old.

i want to encourage each of you to follow her blog as she shows us how to go through something so hard and do it with such grace. it's incredibly hard not to feel sad. but libby is going to be an example for all of us. she already has taught me so much about faith and it has been a week since the news came.

please please pray. pray for my friend. pray for her and her husband. pray for their daugher, ava. pray for strength.

i also pray that eyes will be opened, walls will be broken down and hearts will be pointed to the Lord through libby's journey. i know she will not waste her cancer.

{libby's blog}

thursday travels

2010-07-29T19:20:00.000-04:00

so last week, i said i was going to start taking you on travels on thursdays. and i was going to share a list that A and i put together of places we would love to go to someday.

and then last week i didn't.
blogging fail.

but here i am. with a place we want to take an adventure to together.

photo from flickr {here}

costa rica.

i want to be her

2010-07-26T21:14:00.001-04:00

maybe just so i can live in this house.

have y'all seen the movie "it's complicated"? it's a cute little flick that has one of the most fabulous houses i have ever seen. i was literally drooling the entire time.

or how about the amazing little store/bakery that the character owns in the movie?
sure...i'll take that too.

photos courtesy of here

definitely recommend the flick. and anyone who wants to buy me the house...it would be greatly appreciated.

moving on...

on sunday, A and i had the chance to go over to my boss' house with a few other co-workers and their significant others for a day on the lake. my boss is a fabulous lady and her and her husband were fabulous hosts.

also, her house was breathtaking as well. an old cottage that had been renovated with some rooms added on. my favorite part of her house was the back porch. a huge porch (not screened in) with a long rectangular table (homemade by her hubs) and a sitting area with a fireplace. a perfect place to eat dinner and unwind every night. she said they spend most nights out there...i can see why.

i felt like i was surrounded by beautiful houses this weekend. first in the movie and then at my boss' abode. and although i completely believe that true joy doesn't come from worldly things (like beautiful houses), i still get excited to think about having my own little place someday with A. a place where i can paint, decorate and renovate to my little hearts content.

everyone loves a list

2010-07-19T17:55:00.005-04:00

1. i made my apartment my you know what this weekend. kicked its tush and made it clean. finally. and then i had a "pamper shan" day as well. it was a long time coming.

2. i have been living on a budget for the past month. to be candid, i was sick of not really knowing where my money went (after all my regular expenses were paid). and i needed to start saving some serious dollars. so i did. and it has been good. a strict budget can make you feel so free.

3. i bought some cork at staples this weekend and am trying to figure out what i want to do with it in my house. kitchen perhaps? i also bought some fabulous fabric while home in lexington a few weeks ago. those will be made into a window treatment for the living room. i, of course, will share pictures upon completion. don't hold your breath. i need to become very brave.

4.
every once in awhile, i venture out and try something new. like nutella.

and then i wonder why the frick i have waited so long and how many good pieces of toast i have missed out on.

5. A, his brother and I went and saw the movie "inception" this past weekend. drop everything you are doing right now and go see it. now. go. you will thank me later. it is AMAZING.

6. i just now thought "i wonder if you are supposed to put nutella in the fridge after you open it? because i haven't been doing that. i hope i haven't poisoned myself. updated to add: no refrigeration needed. i am safe :)

7. i have a tired little puppy laying at my feet right now. life doesn't get much better folks.

8. have i mentioned on this blog before how obsessed i am with thunderstorms? because i am. and it is thundering out right now. and i love it. LOVE.

9. i never thought i would say this....but i love twitter. there. it is out for all to see.

10. i am ready for a long summer vacation. a trip to florida is planned next month. might not be a week but it will still be a vacation. where i can finally become tan. (edited to add: i am pasty white and i am a pissed off little girl. dang 8-5 works days are hampering my laying out style in the summertime).

just call me samantha brown

2010-07-18T13:57:00.000-04:00

i have been bitten by the travel bug. and i want to go to so many fun places. to explore all over this world of ours and adventure my little heart out. hopefully over my life, i will get to some of the places that are on my list. probably not all but some.

in the beginning of the year, A and i made a list of places that we want to travel to together when we get hitched. someday in the future. it is a big list. and i keep adding. i am so anxious to get on a plane and adventure. road trip. take a train. just go.

i figured i would start to share these place with you, my sweets. thursday travels sounds like a fun little title to be had. a post where i reveal a place on our list. a place that we want to go.

it will be like a "tuesdays 10" (started by my friend brit) or a "lovely friday" (started right here on the homefront of MNSC). some weeks i'm sure i will forget. but i will keep you updated as often as i can of showing you our list we put together.

what do y'all think? looking forward to this thursday to see my first place of travel? i need to pick a good one..start out with a bang bang.

happy first {of many}

2010-07-14T22:04:00.000-04:00

on june 24th, we celebrated our fur baby's birthday. with cupcakes {for us}, special treats {for him} and a whole lot of love.

and to top it all off, we sang happy birthday to this sweet man.

oh yes we did.
happy birthday my pup. happy birthday.

who knew A was a {design} star?

2010-07-13T23:26:00.000-04:00

as brought to my attention by my mama...

A never told me he was going to be on HGTV's design star. secretive man that he is.

ok so he is not. but his twin is. tell me these two do not look alike?

and here is dan. contestant on design star.

photo courtesy of hgtv

of course, A is much more handsome in my eyes. {cheesy? sure. true? oh yes}

good call on the twin stardom mama. what do y'all think?

sidenote: i refuse to pay for cable. which is nice most of the time. but let me tell you something.....i miss my hgtv like whoa. it should be on basic (read free) cable. that is all.

lovely friday

2010-07-09T21:04:00.001-04:00

it has been quite sometime since we have had a lovely friday post. i love a lot of things. a lot. but the pressure to think of something to blog about does make it harder. strange? hmm...

anyway, with summer upon us, i have a new obsession. turquoise jewelry. oh. em. gee. i am obsessed with turquoise jewelry. i have added 4 new pieces to my jewelry box recently. and i rock them almost everyday.

{anthro}

{stella and dot}

{anthro}

{forever 21}

{stella and dot}

aren't all of these pieces just perfect? i like to use turquoise to jazz up an otherwise boring outfit. or use it as an accent color (blush pink? coral? gray? yellow?) which makes the turquoise just pop.

do y'all have any turquoise in your jewelry box? i'm thinking you need to get some stat.

and your welcome for the justification.

this is how you do shabby

2010-07-08T10:00:00.000-04:00

shabby chic that is.

i think this is what fairytales are made of.

i fumbled across this article the other day and was immediatley drawn to the cottage. a NY woman (who wears pink rainboots so you know she is a precious lady) worked some magic on a little cabin. she took an old fishing log cabin and turned it into a dreamy, shabby chic, "i-could-sleep-in-that-loft-for-the-rest-of-my-life" abode.

now please please droll over these 2 photots with me.

you can check out the article {here} where there is also a link for a bunch of pictures (that i could not, for the life of me, figure out how to get them onto my blog. they are ~~steal~~ borrow-proof. so please...go look and you will understand why i want the loft bed.

i mean, is this cottage not what every girl dreams of?

close to the heart

2010-07-06T23:19:00.001-04:00

the recent BP oil spill has hit close to home to me. well, close to my heart.

i spent all of my life visiting the florida panhandle and it's prestine white beaches. my grandparents live in pensacola and many of my childhood memories involve family trips to that wonderful city. and to think that the oil is ravaging those beaches feels like a punch to the gut.

it breaks my heart in to a billion pieces to hear about this manmade disaster. the gulf coast beaches are supported by the tourism industry and to know that so many people will be canceling their plans to vacation elsewhere will be a major hit to the economy and people of our gulf coast.

i read an article the other day {that i can't find now...dang it} that talked about ways to help. unfortunately, since it is a toxic waste that needs to be cleaned up, one has to be specially trained to help clear the beaches. but the article did give one huge way to help. visit. she encouraged people to keep their vacation plans to the gulf. go support the people and businesses there. go to your favorite beach haunts and support them like you would without the impending oil spill disaster. i couldn't agree more.

in a time where all we hear of is how bad the oil spill is and how much it is destroying the environment, i have felt so helpless. but we can all definitely do our part....but not canceling vacations. by visiting our favorite cities in the gulf and supporting our neighbors down there who are feeling the effects of the oil spill everyday.

my family and i are visiting in august. i know by then, the beaches will be worse. we won't be able to walk along the beach and we won't be swimming in the ocean. but we will be vacationing, relaxing and supporting our beloved city. and i would encourage you to do the same.

i have found two other ways to help and i just love both of these ideas. one etsy artist is donating 100% of her sales from one of her photos to help the gulf.

and one of my favorite girls who designs stationery is helping too.

so my sweets, whether you take a vacation to your favorite gulf city or buy a photo or stationery, i would encourage you to help where you can. because our favorite gulf cities will be hurting this summer. lets help our neighbors.

a few other links to find out how to help:
nature squad | visit south | volunteer louisiana | volunteer florida

true story.

2010-07-01T17:32:00.000-04:00

A: "are you afraid of snakes?"

me: "no. why?"

A: "well i saw one the other day. over where we take kentson to go to the bathroom. and i was just wondering if you would've been scared."

me: "i mean, i wouldn't have screamed. but i would've gotten kentson away from it fast. what kind of snake was it? an anaconda {cue smart tone}"

A: "well, it kind of looked like a pet snake."

me: "what makes you say that?"

A: "it didn't look threatening."

me: "it didn't look threatening? a snake? so that makes it a pet snake? was there anything else that made you think it was a pet snake?"

A: "yeah. it was tan and green."

by this point, i was literally crying with laughter.

gems

2010-06-30T11:59:00.000-04:00

remember when i shared this picture of my baby self awhile back?

yes...wearing a clemson hat. coincidence?

well...enter stage right...
the most precious of precious baby pictures. of A.

look. at. that. hair.
swoon.

i can't wait to get my hands on more. so i can look at that every single day.

a weekend at the beach

2010-06-29T09:59:00.000-04:00

A's family had a celebration for his grandparents last weekend in Cocoa Beach, FL. it was a nice little trip to the beach.

but oh my goodness was it hot. i'm talking like you don't gracefully walk across the sand. nor do you walk swiftly. the only way i can describe it is you haul your butt as quickly as possible to get to the ocean. no care in the world other than getting to that shade/ocean as quickly as possible.

it was a great day though. some laying out time. followed by a little trip for A and S to orlando to go to one of shan's favorite stores {h&m}. then back to see toy story 3 with the fam {recommend it of course. not in 3D though. there was not really one part that was very "3D". plus one doesn't feel very glamorous in those goggles. not that one really needs to be glamorous in a dark movie theater. no matter people. 3D goggles = not pretty.

moving on...

a little picture of A and i on the beach. don't let the smiles fool you. we were cranky because (did i mention?) it was blistering warm. fa-reaking hot outside people.

but i did get to wear a ruffly bathing suit. which did make it better.

9 years ago

2010-06-28T11:09:00.001-04:00

9 years ago today was the day that i gave my life over to the Lord. i remember it exactly and it has been such an amazing journey since that day.

amazing, grace-filled journey. full of bumps and bruises. and joy and tears. and learning. so much learning. that will never ever end.

hebrews 10:32-36

"remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. you sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions."

"so do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. you will need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised."

i remember what it was like when i first started following the Lord. so fresh and new. and exciting. i was such a child of the Lord. in my ways of thinking. but i leaned on Him so much in the beginning because it was so new. i just ate everything up and learned so much.

i often think of how i want my life to reflect how i once was when i first really learned what it meant to be a Christ-follower. not that i want to revert back and forget all that i have learned along my journey. more so, i want to automatically depend on the Lord without even thinking of it. i find myself putting other things in the forefront of my mind so often. and i want nothing more than to have that child-like faith of trusting my Father and leaning on Him because you know nothing different. it's what children do...rely on their parents. to take care of them. and to teach them. and to discipline and correct them. to mold them.

so as i think back today, sitting in a bunk bed 9 years ago on june 28th, i can't help but think of all that i have learned. but also wanting to not lose that child-like dependence on the Lord. that fresh outlook on my walk with my Father.

happy Jesus birthday shan.
keep fighting and pushing and being molded in a woman of Christ.

french + j.crew

2010-06-27T14:37:00.000-04:00

so i went to browse the j. crew website today (browse only. the prices on that website make me want to punch something. if you could divide all of those $$$ by 4 then i will maybe consider you j.crew. maybe.)

back to the point of this post...

upon entering their website they have a sweet little video for you to watch. so i did. and i loved it. so j. crew. so preppy meets chic. so paris. (rachel...you will love it, i'm sure).

check it out {here}.

now that is how you do marketing. (spoken like a true marketing/public relations major). that is how you get my attention.

i'll take all of the looks featured in the video. and i would like the song to be added to my itunes stat. if only i could figure out who it is by.

what do you think?

happy anniversary my A

2010-06-21T21:56:00.001-04:00

A and i celebrated our 3 year anniversary last wednesday.
june 16th.

it was a fabulous night. we tried a new (for us) restaurant downtown. Pomegranate on Main. persian food. oh my goodness. stop it. it was AMAZING. definitely returning there for sure.

and no. we did not sit on the same side of the table. we are not that couple.

oh how great these 3 years have been.
and it's only going to get better from here.

short and sweet

2010-06-17T09:10:00.001-04:00

a few weeks ago, my mama and sister went down to FL to visit the grandparents. on their way back, they paid a little visit to me. got here on tuesday night and left on thursday morning. so short but very sweet time spent with two of my favorite people ever.

aren't they beautiful? two fabulous women in my life.

there were many laughs and fun moments. they got to meet new fur baby Kentson. Auntie mo mo fell in love and Kentson recipricated that love right back to her.

look how different K looks before he was groomed and got a summer haircut!

and to top it off, we played with the photobooth feature on morgan's mac. oh yes...this always makes for a good time and laugh til you cry or quite possibly pee your pants moments.

so i might as well share a picture of the group with very beautiful faces.

you're welcome friends. you're welcome.
my family is awesome. and A fits right in. my goodness i am a lucky girl.

minty love

2010-06-15T21:23:00.000-04:00

it's no secret that i have a big obsession with all things minty green.

so when i headed over to high heeled foot in the door blog last week, i got my fix of minty love. camila featured rooms chocked full of my fave color. yes please. YES PLEASE.

in case you don't follow her blog {which i seriously recommend}, i thought i was share the minty goodness with you.

i pink puffy heart minty green goodness.

a pup weekend

2010-06-13T20:51:00.000-04:00

this weekend was a great one. it was one of those no plans, do whatever you feel like doing kinda weekend. it was great.

this weekend was all about the pup. well, really everyday is about Kentson. but this weekend, we went to the dog park for the first time saturday. and then again today. Kents loves it. LOVES.

guess who has a new obsession with said park?

this guy. and just in case you need more witness to this cuteness called Kentson...

look. at. those. eyes.
and ears. oh those ears get me every single time.

it has been a fabulous month with Kentson. he is my little sidekick. my buddy.

if you have a dog park near you, you should definitely take your pup. it wears them out. and lets them just run and run and wrestle and wrestle to their hearts content.

here's to good weekends and sweet pups.

harry potter love

2010-06-11T19:03:00.001-04:00

the wizarding world of harry potter at universal studios is opening soon.
and i would like someone to take me there.

i love harry potter. i am re-reading the books and i just soak it all up. and this park looks fabulous.

can i be 7 again just to have a reason to go?
or maybe i will ask A to my 24-year-old self down so i can feed my love for all things potter?

all pictures from {here }

umm...yes. that last picture is butterbeer. call me a nerd but i would drink a butterbeer (non-alcoholic for all you non hp folk. c'mon people...this is HP. we keep it classy and kid-friendly!)

oh please please please will someone (*cough* A *cough*) take me?
someone out there...back up my HP love?

fact: pretty faces are my specialty

2010-06-09T22:17:00.002-04:00

i love to take a pretty picture.
many times it's just me and my face.

sometimes i like it to be a surprise.

but most of the time, i like to take pretty pictures with all of my friends {or even A}.

oh yes jen jen. that last one is my favorite one of you.

pretty pictures indeed.

obsession: magazine

2010-06-08T21:49:00.000-04:00

i am addicted. to {home decor} magazines. i didn't know it until i looked around.

and i always wish i would get elle decor and house beautiful.

what is wrong with me folks? i have a stack of about 12 that i haven't even gone through. they just keep piling up. and i am totally ok with that.

am i the only one?

{thumbs up} chuck

2010-06-04T16:00:00.000-04:00

i had heard very little about this show.
and then A started to watch. which meant i started to watch.
and we are hooked. beyond hooked.

it is amazing, hilarious, clever and good fun.
do you watch? because you should.

we have been catching up on the 3 seasons. and it is gooooood.

cooking 101

2010-06-03T19:51:00.001-04:00

i promised myself that i would try to cook a little more. and by a little more, i mean start. start cooking. because i don't.

so this week, i started. whipped out this little puppy...

and menu planned. wrote down what i needed from the grocery.

started out with this recipe. for me only because A is a picky eater. so more for me.

southwestern chicken lettuce wraps with spicy chipotle dipping sauce
*this recipe calls for chicken. i omitted that since i am a veggie and it was still delish. so you can try it with or without!

1 (8.8oz) package whole-grain brown rice

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

3/4 cup fresh salsa

1/3 cup chopped green onion (i used white)

1 (15ox) can reduced-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained

12 iceburg lettuce leaves

Spicy Chipotle Dipping Sauce (recipe below)

Prepare rice according to package directions. Place rice in a large bowl. Stir in chicken and next 3 ingredients. Spoon chicken mixture evenly in center of lettuce leaves. Fold in edges of leaves; roll up and secure with wooden picks. Serve with spicy chipotle dipping sauce.

Spicy Chipotle Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp chili powder

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

It turned out delicious. i would definitely recommend. like i said, i omitted the chicken per my vegetarian diet, and it still turned out perfect!

yummy dish.

lake time

2010-05-28T17:49:00.000-04:00

we are off to the lake for the weekend.

spending some time with A's family.
taking the boat out for a spin.

this little guy is coming along.
his first road trip. his first trip to the lake.

i will leave you with some pictures from trips past. lots of memories at this house. at this lake.

i'll be taking some more pictures this weekend and sharing this weekend with you. promise.

happy memorial day my friends. enjoy your holiday.

garden party

2010-05-26T12:19:00.000-04:00

do you remember a few months ago when i told you how obsessed i was with the new h&m garden collection {refresh here}. it is so girly. so dainty. perfect for shan. i am a girly girl. ask the besties. its a well known fact.

so it was only fitting that when A and i took a little trip down to ATL, we drop by the h&m store there. and oh yes...i found some little garden pretties.

i love just love h&m.
check out the collection {here}.

simply

2010-05-24T19:11:00.001-04:00

organic.

so even though i don't really cook, i have more than enough cookbooks for when i do pick it up. i have every intention to. however, i don't really have some of the things that would make life in the kitchen a little easier. crockpot. electric skillet. a big ol' pot. no excuses though. i really need to start soon.

anyway...back to the cookbooks. i have a ton. lots. and i keep collecting. i want a lot of places to pick out food when i do pick up cooking as a hobby.

menu planning.
finding fun little meals.
trying new things.

it all sounds so fun. a lot of work but a gooooood reward.

this little cookbook i got at tjmaxx last week. i really like it. it is a guide for local, sustainable and organic cooking. it is broken up into different seasons. early spring. late spring. early summer. late summer. and so on. and the recipes reflect what is in season for that particular time. taking some of the guess work out of eating locally and learning what is in season.

i really like it. unfortunately (just for me) it is not a vegetarian cookbook. so a lot of the meals involve some sort of meat. however, there are some i can definitely leave the meat out of. and i'm sure they will be just as good.

i recommend this cookbook...so far. i mean...i haven't cooked anything out of it yet. but i love the concept. teaching me how to use ingredients based on the season. love that.

i think it is originally like $24. amazon has it {here} for $16. i picked it up at my local tjmaxx for $6. heck yes ladies and gentlemen.

that is how i roll.

math

2010-05-21T17:35:00.000-04:00

plus

= the most perfect perfect snack.
yum.

rock

2010-05-20T08:42:00.001-04:00

photo from {here}. a besties blog

the Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom i take refuge.

He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and i am saved from my enemies.

Psalm 18:2-3

i want to live this out. everyday.
written on my heart.

summer style

2010-05-18T22:19:00.001-04:00

i would really like a fedora for this spring/summertime. they seem like a perfect summer casual to me.

perfect to throw on for a day at the beach.
lunch with a friend.
walking around downtown.

this is the style i would like to find for me.

{urban outfitters}

{google images}

have y'all seen any cute ones around. i have searched target...they should have a simple one like these above. but so far, no luck. i am hoping to find this little treasure in time for memorial day weekend.

here's hoping.

a congrats is in store

2010-05-14T09:20:00.001-04:00

last friday was A's graduation. A has been so excited for this day and i couldn't be more happy to celebrate with him. his family came into town and it ended up being such a great time.

a few pictures from the day...

yes. i had to listen to every single name out there being called out. one by one. for 2.5 hours.

my happy graduate.

out to dinner to celebrate after graduation. habachi grill (A's favorite). it was delicious.

A- I loved celebrating with you. I couldn't be more proud. Love, S.

emptying my obsessions

2010-05-13T15:01:00.001-04:00

i have a folder saved on my desktop where i save all of my design/decorating inspiration. lots and lots and lots of pictures.

and it is about high time to dump some favorites onto my little ol' blog here.

enjoy the eye candy.

{design sponge}

{robyn karp}

{anthropologie}

{design sponge}

{domino}

{design sponge}

{domino}

do you now understand my obsession? i mean...i'll take all of these rooms please.
just gorgeous.

addition

2010-05-12T10:50:00.000-04:00

i would like to introduce to you a new special guy in my life. he came into it pretty unexpectedly. i had no idea he would be coming into my life so soon. but it just seemed perfect.

his name is kentson (i graduated from kentucky. A just graduated from clemson). Kentucky + Clemson = Kentson.

A and I are in love. He is such a fun little guy.

so far so good. i will definitely be sharing my puppy adventures with bloggy friends soon!

tuesday's ten: ten books to read this summer

2010-05-11T08:50:00.000-04:00

tuesday's ten comes every now and then. usually when i can think of 10 things i can group together for you. and today, it's 10 books to read this summer. they range from simple, girly beach reads to books that will encourage and {hopefully} challenge my faith to grow.

in no particular order...

are there any must-read books on your list for the summertime? i LOVE getting book recommendations from friends so please share!

mama love

2010-05-09T11:23:00.001-04:00

happy mothers day mama. i love you to pieces and miss you like crazy.

can't wait to see you in like a week or so. even if it is for only a few days. our visit will still be perfect.

i am excited to celebrate this day with you.

love,
shan

southern city

2010-05-08T17:43:00.001-04:00

i love my saturdays.
and i love this new city of mine.

today we went down to the farmers market. then walked around downtown. ended up here with this pretty little view.

it was perfect.

happy saturday friends.

one man's junk is another man's treasure

2010-05-05T11:58:00.000-04:00

photo from {here}

last weekend, A and I went on a little trip to visit his family. i also got to participate in a neighborhood yardsale. his grandparents (step grandparents) neighborhood hosted a yardsale. so i took a bunch of junk that i didn't need anymore and sold it. or some of it. the rest of it was hauled off to goodwill. it feels good to get that stuff out of my apartment.

one thing you will learn about me. I am a purger. do y'all know that show "hoarders"? i am the exact opposite of them. i am a purger. 110%. i just love the feeling of no clutter.

it was fabulous getting rid of junk.

and did i mention that i love yardsales? love them! however, i didn't find anything that i wanted at this one. disappointing. i did score some teacup saucers and an old gold frame from A's grandparents. but i wanted some fun little serving dishes. or some furniture that i could eventually redo. you know...take other people's junk and make it my little treasures.

next time maybe.