sunday afternoon checklist

i know i have shared this before.

but every sunday,

this thought is always confirmed.

i just love sundays.

a day with family. a day of relaxing. a day of getting off the week to a fresh start.

what is not to love?!

if you are anything like me, 

you will appreciate this post very much. 

i am not a morning person.

never was. never will be. never want to be.

i happen to love sleeping in. 

nothing outrageous. maybe 9. maybe 9:30. 

that feels good to me. 

so you can imagine, 

on a work day, my morning routine is a whirlwind.

alarm goes off at 6:30, and then finally by 7:15 i leap out of bed.

throw together an outfit, scramble for some bobby pins, 

and search all my purses for the keys. 

no breakfast. no morning coffee. no packed lunch. no good.

i go to bed with every intention of waking up without pushing snooze,

it just doesn't happen for me. 

somehow, i have trained myself to ignore my alarm clock until the very last minute.

then i force myself to be out the door at 7:30 on the dot.

{i have timed it out. leaving at 7:30 sharp gives me exactly enough time to grab my medium diet coke and make it to school by 7:45. but only if there is a short line}

needless to say, my mornings are frantic. 

and i know that is not how mornings should be.

even early mornings should be enjoyable. 

so.

i have recently adapted a sunday afternoon checklist.

this little list makes my life {and my mornings} so much easier. 

it allows me to prepare for the week before the rush starts.

i go to the grocery store. 

i put away all of my groceries.

i wash all my fruits and veg.

i keep my fruits in a pretty lime green colander at the front of the fridge.

this makes them a beautiful & easy go-to snack.

see for yourself. 

i cut and marinate my raw veg.

again, a pretty & easy snack.

keeping these front and center in the fridge is a great way to ensure you grab

 a healthy snack when you come home starving after a long day of work. 

i also plan out my lunches for the week. 

mind you, i spend my days with first graders, so i am surrounded by 

animal crackers, cookies, chips, and everything else that i should not have for lunch. 

if i do not bring a lunch,

i will snack all day long. 

this week i am packing egg salad.

flax chips. a snack bar. and an apple with peanut butter. 

these sammi's bakery mille&flax chips are a staple in my pantry. 

they are delicious.

they are super healthy.

and they are local. 

the plain chips are great with hummus, pesto, and even just plain.

but here is the real kicker...

sammi also makes cinnamon millet&flax chips.

i love sammi for this. 

i literally eat a bag in one sitting. 

you can find these little treats at rollin' oats or natures finest. 

i promise you will be hooked. 

it is definitely my go-to snack. 

i keep a bag in my purse. a bag in my desk at work. and 2 bags in my pantry at all times. 

knowing that my lunch is planned out and packed together

makes my morning routine that much easier. 

and my days much healthier. 

i have also started planning out my outfits on sunday afternoons. 

this makes getting ready a breeze.

each outfit planned. shoes, too. 

i am all ready for my work week to start.

i welcome monday with open arms,

adorned with carefully selected bangles and jewels.

maybe now i can even sleep till 7:20?

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a view from the front row.

today.was.fantastic.

my mom and i spent the day indulging ourselves in the fall fashions.

with a little tim gunn on the side.

yep, thats right.

allow me to introduce you to my new friend.

my new friend, tim gunn.

isn't he just dapper?

get this. 

my sweet friends at kate spade new york surprised me with 

two vip tickets to the tim gunn fashion show at international plaza.

i am not quite sure what i did to deserve such a gift, but i am so grateful!

thank you, thank you, thank you kate spade!

my mom and i certainly got the royal treatment today.

upon check in, we were given a gift bag with tim's new book.

autograph and all.

{and yes, we are on a first name basis. but we will get to that in a bit}

we were then escorted to our seats.

our front & center seats.

how sweet is this view?

i have to admit, 

i felt a bit like olivia palermo. 

well, i guess i just wanted to be like olivia palermo.

she is the ultimate fashionista.

hey, a girl can dream. 

after great anticipation, the show started.

the energy was sky high.

it really made me miss living in new york city.

working in personal shopping at bergdorf goodman.

fashion will always have a huge place in this girls heart.

{i'll just say sorry for the bills in advance, lovie}

tim was so great at giving helpful fashion hints. 

he gave secrets on proportion, body types, and transitional pieces.

he truly understands that not all fashions look good on every body.

but boy does he know how to make it work one way or another. 

as each model sashayed down the runway, 

he would give tips on how to achieve the look for various body types.

he was brilliant.

i was simply dying over some of these little get-ups. 

take a peak and let me know which ones you love.

this pink number. 

i love everything about this coat. 

the length of the sleeve. the oversized cuffs. the buttons. the bow collar. 

love. love. love. 

i am loving the monochromatic gray-on-gray.

i would love to wear this hat. 

really, i would. 

these pants are new at kate spade. 

and i am pretty sure they belong in my closet. 

these shoes were the bees knees. 

who doesn't love fluffy puffies on their pointy toe heels?!

{ps those are timmy's little shoes on the left}

this polka dot dress was just so stinkin flirty. 

take a closer look at that pop of color. 

this is kind of hard to see. 

but just trust me on this one.

the sweater is camel and black. thick, bold stripes.

and the camel jacket is adorned with the most perfect buttons.

i love the edgy over-the-knee boots,

i would wear opaque leggings, too. 

i am seriously coveting this cape. 

i have been coveting it for a few weeks now. 

everything is right.

the angles. the colors. and again, the buttons.

this paired with black riding pants and over-the-knee-boots

would send it home for me!

the jillian dress at kate spade has always been a fave of mine.

i just love the feminine fit. and the big bow at the waist.

it comes in all colors and prints, depending on the season.

i was surprised to see so much pink in this fashion show,

but i was actually quite fond of the pop of color when worn with black. 

after the show, tim opened the floor for questions.

this was his co-host leah. she was adorable.

and her kate spade lbd was just as adorable.

of course, i just had to ask him a question.

but what was the perfect question to ask the perfect style advisor?

"thank you so much for hosting this show. this has been such a treat. i was hoping you could give me some advice. i have a great fall bag. its Bordeaux. burgundy. i always feel the need to wear denim or black when carrying this bag... could you give me some other options? jewel tones?"

"oh, yes. jewel tones. in fact, what you have on now would look nice......

you look like you already know what you are doing."

be still my heart.

i am pretty sure i just got a compliment from the tim gunn.

"well, thank you. thank you."

{giggles}

i was just over the moon. 

i love fashion and i always try to look my best.

i was so humbled to get the ultimate compliment from tim.

it made my day. 

to make this day even sweeter, 

we were able to get a picture taken with tim. 

we spoke to him for a few minutes and i was blown away at how kind he was.

he was gentle, holding my hand the entire time we spoke.

he looked me in the eye the whole conversation.

he asked me my name, and my moms name.

i have a new found respect for tim. 

he is genuinely sweet.

i am looking forward to reading his book. 

before the show started i had a moment to skim the first few pages.

much of what he talks about is treating others with kindness and respect.

what a great mean.

i love a man with great fashion.

but i love a man with great fashion and a great heart even more. 

tim gunn, you have a new fan!

me, tim, mom

friends forever.

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twice blessed

i am blessed.

twice blessed.

when i was born, God gave me a wonderful, loving mother.

and now He has given me a second mother-to-be.

equally as wonderful. equally loved. 

this is why i am twice blessed. 

and twice sure is nice.

we celebrated my mother-in-laws birthday this evening.

september is her birthday month.

and i love the way she thinks. every girl needs a birthday month.

so, this month {and every other month} we celebrate her.

a woman of faith. a woman of love.

a woman of kindness, thoughtfulness, gentleness.

a woman that gave me the greatest gift i could ever wish & pray for.

she raised the most tender & loving man. 

my lovie. my husband-to-be.

happiest of birthdays to a most wonderful mother-in-law-to-be.

i couldn't be more thrilled to be a part of your family. 

*** this little pic was taken just minutes after my lovie proposed. 

we were happy. genuinely and insanely happy. 

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a french love affair

i have two great loves in life.

my lovie, michael.

and everything french.

french toast. french kisses. french fries. 

french bread. french le creuset. french skillets. 

french music. french movies. french kisses. french books.

french press. french roast. french doors. french decor. french fashion.

french kisses. french art. french designers. french horns. 

oh, and french kisses.

frenchie. frenchie. frenchie. 

whatever it is, if it is french, 

j'adore. 

i fell in love with france six years ago.

my family of six took the most wonderful trip to europe. 

and that summer, i left a piece of my heart in france. 

the lights. the romance. the femininity.

i couldn't get enough of it.

ever since then,

i have dreamt of roaming the streets of paris.

chocolate croissant & vanilla latte in hand.

locked arms with my greatest love.

dressed to the nines.

speaking the lusty french language. 

i have dreamt of spending hours in the louvre.

sitting under black and white striped awnings at the french cafes.

strolling in the misty drizzle. 

rosy cheeks. rosy lips.

hair swept up in a messy bun.

looking chic in this little get-up...

and after that most lovely afternoon, 

i would then primp for our night in the city of lights. 

i would likely wear something like this...

or possibly this flirty little number.

this reminds me of the most loveliest of all lovely ladies,

audrey hepburn.

she said it perfectly. simply. 

"paris is always a good idea."

i have a longing to be able to speak french.

to be able to surprise friends with this hidden talent. 

jackie o style. 

{quite possibly another love in my life}

i keep promising myself, and my equally french-loving-dad, that i will learn.

and i really think i will. 

really, i do. 

until then, or until i visit the streets of paris again,

i will continue to enjoy the local & simple delights of everything french.

if you are a frenchie lover like me, 

here are some of my favorites.

indulge yourself.

cassis. chocolate croissants. croque madame. nicoise salad. the darling philippe. 

beau rivage. the soundtrack to somethings gotta give. christian louboutin shoes. the movie   a good year. the movie its complicated. the soundtrack to julie&julia. coralie clement. louis vuitton. kate spade style. restoration hardware. hermes. french cooking. lavender candles. lavender vanilla and peppermint tea. polished silver. chanel make up. yves saint laurent handbags. the name eloise. opi you dont know jacques. 

try them all.

i promise you, c'est si bon. 

*photography courtesy of harpers bazaar. thepursuitaesthetic. megsplorations.

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dapper duds

i love a man in a suit.

seeing a polished, suited up man just makes me smile. 

growing up in the brett house, i saw my daddy get ready for work every morning.

sleek suit. snazzy shirt. sharp tie. shined dress shoes. silver cuffs. 

{all in size stud, of course}

i think that seeing my dad dress for work this way 

has certainly raised the bar in the mens fashion department.

so, naturally, one of the many reasons why i love my lovie so much is that

he wears a suit to work.

everyday. 

and, does he look handsome.

i especially love when he comes home after work & his tie is undone.

its still around his neck, but its untied. 

the true sign of a successful work day in the big, bad, corporate world. 

a true sign of a stud muffin. 

now knowing my affection for a well quaffed gentleman,

you can imagine the joy i had when we went to find my lovies tuxedo. 

yep, you heard me. 

tuxedo. 

be still my heart.

our big day is quickly approaching

{68 more days. but who is counting?}

and he was ready to buy his new duds, and studs.

we jumped in the car, grabbed a cup o'jo, and made our way to hyde park. 

brooks brothers, to be exact. 

i have always loved browsing in brooks brothers.

everything is so crisp. so organized. so preppy. 

these pinstriped suits sent me over the moon. 

well made...

from start to finish. 

top to bottom. 

i am a big fan of the old fashioned tuxedo shirt & bow tie.

check out this stunner.

the collar. the pleats. the french cuffs. 

now, get ready ladies... 

this is one dapper dude...

yowza. 

{yes, these pants are gray. they did not have his size, size stud, in the tuxedo pant}

hey, hey cover your eyes! 

my lovie looked so very handsome in his tuxedo.

i fell in love with him all over again. 

i can hardly wait to walk down the aisle with this great man. 

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signed. sealed. delivered.

we got a special delivery yesterday afternoon.

our wedding invitations have arrived! 

i may be a tad bit bias,

but i happen to think they are 

the most beautiful invites i have ever seen. 

it may be the envelope ribbon. the design. the calligraphy.

but i think its more so the beautiful union that this paper represents. 

we are getting married. 

in front of our Lord, our family, and our dearest friends. 

now, that is a beautiful thing. 

mom and i had a ball picking out the invites. 

the moment we laid eyes on these invites... we were sold. 

they are just the loveliest we have ever seen. 

{i have to admit, the invites we selected were one of the first we saw}

much like everything else with our wedding, 

every bit of planning has been a blissful breeze. 

the dress. the flowers. the decor. the music. the food. the location. 

it has all been a piece of wedding cake.

i truly feel that the Lord is blessing mike and i beyond belief. 

He is blessing our marriage. 

we are grateful for His grace & favor. 

we have waited with sweet anticipation for the invites to arrive 

and we are beyond thrilled with the turn out. 

perfection. elegance. chic style.

c'est si bon. 

i was so excited to see my mom and dads 

excitement when i showed them the invites. 

their expressions say it all. 

i think they like them. 

ok, they love, love, love them.

the packaging was even perfect. 

a great big box 

{remember, i love presents}

filled with popcorn

{i love popcorn, too}

with each component of the invitations individually wrapped

{and i especially love great organization}

this was like six little wrapped presents within one!

a little sneak peak.

i adore the envelope ribbon.

this is a face of pure & utter excitement.

we love the invitations more than words can say.

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squash that thought

i found a hearty, fall recipe that i have been dying to try.

chickpea. red lentil. carrots.

and squash. 

this girl happens to love squash.

squash soup. squash ravioli. squash any which way.

delicious.

my lovie... not so much.

he made up his mind years ago that he does not, will not, cannot eat squash.

forget about liking it. 

this may be breaking the rules

{i asked for forgiveness}

today i was dishonest by omission. 

"lovie, whats in this stew for dinner?"

"oh, you know... lentils, carrots, chickpeas. you're going to love it."

i did not like doing this,

but i had to. 

i did it for him.

purely for him. 

he really should eat more veg. 

so the moment he left for his morning gym session,

i grabbed that giant butternut squash and got to work. 

peeling. seeding. cutting. cubing. 

and literally throwing the squash from the counter into the slow cooker. 

i was working as fast as my little hands would go. 

this is just 1/4 of the whole squash.

these babies are not the easiest to cut.

phew. the squash was done.

lovie got home just as i was throwing in the chickpeas, lentils, and carrots. 

the perfect little cover-up for that yucky squash. 

next came the onions & chicken broth.

organic and low sodium, naturally. 

the spices are what make this great stew even greater.

salt. pep. cumin. ginger. turmeric.

{i added a little heat by throwing in a pinch of cayenne} 

my all clad slow cooker cooked this to absolute perfection.

the consistency was divine. the flavors were melded. 

my house smelled like spice&fall. 

a bike ride, picnic, and two dozen baked cookies later...

i could hardly stand it. 

the anticipation was killing me. 

i felt like i was in on a juicy secret & could not hold it in one more moment. 

there were about 43 minutes left on the slow cooker, but i just gave in. 

"lovie, dinner is ready."

 first bite. oh man!

YIPPEEE!

when he made his way back to the table with helping #2 i gently broke the news to him. 

"oh, lovie. i forgot to tell you the main ingredient..."

his eyes narrowed and he knew i had just got him good. real good. 

he has always promised that he will never, ever, ever like squash.

... looks like he better squash that thought. 

i just giggled and planted a big kiss on his cheek.

every ounce of guilt in my heart is now gone.

i know that i did something really good for him. 

but i do have to admit...

the stubborn woman in me wanted to be able to convince him that he 

could, in fact, love squash. 

this recipe truly was fantastic. it was hot, hearty, and healthy. 

i did add more salt and pepper than the recipe called for.

i find that you can never have too much salt.

 and the cayenne added a great kick. 

i topped it off with sour cream and a pinch of cheese and a few flax chips. 

Better Homes & Garden 

Squash, Chickpea, and Red Lentil Stew 

1 lb butternut squash, or pumpkin

1   15 ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup red lentils

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon tumeric

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

4 cups chicken or veg broth

Throw all ingredients into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours. 

Enjoy each and every bite! 

• 
  

***just in case you may have a man in your life who is squash intolerant.

 after the first bite my little skeptic said, and i quote, 

"i love this. absolutely a repeat recipe." 

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