Friday Favorites: It's Fall!

Happy Friday!  Happy Fall!  Two of my favorites things!  It's hard to believe it is officially fall now, especially since it is hot as heck outside!  Yuck!

1.  To kick of my favorites and the first day of fall, I thought it was only fitting to talk about fall.  You know I have been in the fall mode for the whole month already.  Sarah & I just finished up our Fall Favorites link up series.  If you missed it you can click on the titles below and see my post and the link ups!

Fall Favorites: Drinks 

Fall Favorites: Fashion 

Fall Favorites: Home Tour 

2.  This week has been a super busy one for me.  Monday I had book club, which was a ton of fun.  I made Mix & Match Mama's Pumpkin Spice Latte bundt cake and it was so delicious!  Everyone loved it, and I was super happy to unload some leftovers on the host so that I didn't have to bring it all home with me.  Tuesday night I had a women's church meeting.  We did a potluck at one of the member's home and was it fun!  The night started with visiting and then once everyone arrived we dug into all the delicious food and desserts.  Post dinner we got down to business.  Since I am newer to the church, it was neat to hear all of the things they do - just some really lovely women who give back.  As an ice breaker, we had to share a story about ourselves, and it was a great way to get to know people a bit better that way.  Wednesday, brought another event, this time with the Humane Society of Missouri.  A co-worker invited me to attend, and at the last minute a few people backed on her, so I was able to invite one of my friends, which was so nice!  There were drinks and a little bit of food, with the main event being a presentation by an animal behaviorist.  It was super interesting, and a great time!  The event was hosted by the women's leadership group and it sounds like they do some really amazing work for the humane society.  While everything I had going on the first half of the week was super fun and really enjoyable, I was happy that Thursday was a night spent at home!

3.  Every year my employer offers biometric screenings to its employees that have a company health insurance plan.  While these aren't necessarily my favorite thing (because you have to fast, have your finger pricked and of course get weighed), I do really appreciate being able to have a quick check in and see some numbers regarding my health.  Especially when they are all within the recommended levels, which mine were!

4.  One of best friends from college sent me this text yesterday and I had to laugh out loud.  Having VS Pink brand sweatpants that you would wear scrunched up was SO cool in college.  We both had them in multiple colors (along with everyone else at that time) and would rock them on the regular.  Apparently they are making a come back.  Kind of wish I had my old ones still - now those were the real OGs!  Vintage, even!

5.  Some girls love flowers, some girls (like me!) love food.  While I would never, ever be against getting flowers, coming home to a box from Sherri's Berries this week was the best surprise!

As an extra favorite this week, I wanted to share an upcoming event, Love a Little Louder - A Musical Mental Healthy Rally on Saturday, September 30th, for anyone that is local.  I have included the flyer below for details, but if you have any questions, feel free to send me an email!

                    
Linking up with Andrea, Erika, April, and Katie.

Book Review: August 2017

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I totally got my days mixed up last week and missed the Show Us Your Books link up, so today I am sharing what I read in August.  A slower reading month for me (as this month is shaping up to be, too!), but I had some good ones!

Whiskey Beach by Nora Roberts.  This was an interesting book.  It's about a guy whose soon to be ex wife is murdered and he is a suspect.  He is not charged, but still wants to clear his name.  To get away from it all, he heads back to his family beach home, where he meets the quirky housekeeper and ends up finding himself again.  There is lots in between that of course, more mystery on top of his soon to be ex's murder.  I liked this book, as I do almost all Nora Roberts books.  The characters were good and I honestly wasn't sure how it was all going to play out.  The ending makes sense and it wraps up the whole thing nicely, which is something I always appreciate.  If you are a Nora Roberts fan, and enjoy her books like The Obsession and The Collector, I would suggest adding this to your list, too!  

The Host by Stephenie Meyer.  I really enjoyed The Chemist (and all the Twilight books), so when I realized there was another Stephenie Meyer book out there, I picked it up.  It was a little slow for me to get into, and I was a tiny bit worried that it would be too sci-fi for my person preference with the aliens taking over human bodies, but I ended up really, really liking it.  And I loved the ending.  The only thing I will say is that it is a longer book, so it can take a little more time to read (at least it did for me).  I do think it is worth it, though.  If you like her writing, and don't mind a little sci-fi (and some romance!), then definitely get this book.  

Southern Charm by Tinsley Mortimer.  I actually read this a month or two ago, but totally forgot to share it!  I picked up this book purely because Tinsley Mortimer is on RHONY.  It's a cute book.  It goes through the ups and downs of moving to NYC, and her relationships - both with work life and personal.  If you are looking for a light-hearted, easy read, this would be a good one to pick up! 

The Breakdown by B.A. Paris.  This book was so good!  I really liked Behind Closed Doors, so I was excited to read this book.  It really threw me for a loop and while I had a small inkling of one of the people involved, I really didn't think it would end how it did.  The breakdown kind of refers to two things - a woman passes another woman on the side of the road.  Thinking she is broke down and needed help, she pulls over, but the woman never gets out of her car, so she just drives on because it was storming really bad.  Come to find out, the woman was murdered.  The second thing it refers to, is the woman thinks she is losing it.  Weird things happen and she is super paranoid about the murderer coming after her, and her possibly being ill.  I feel like I can't say too much, but read this book.  It's a good one!   

Fall Favorites 2017: Fall Decor

This post contains affiliated links.  

I said this yesterday, but today is my favorite of the fall favorites link up Sarah and I have been hosting this month.  Before I get into this week's topic I thought I would do a quick recap of the last two weeks.  First up - fall drinks, my favorite being, of course, a pumpkin spice latte.  You can see my post here, and I would highly recommend checking out the blogs linked up - there were some yummy recipes in there!  Next, it was all about fashion.  You can see my post here, where I share some of my favorites for the season, going from head to toe.  And now, onto fall decor! 

Fall kicks off the start of my favorite time of year, and part of what I love about it is how warm and cozy things feel due to all the decorations.  I've been accumulating decorations for awhile now - since right after I graduated college, and my collection just grows and grows.  This year I feel like I added quite a bit and I love how it turned out.

Plaid pillows: Pottery Barn

Wooden charger: Pottery Barn

I picked up these plaid pillows this year and absolutely love them.  I was able to get just the covers and use the inserts I already had.  Switching my orange pillow around to show the buttons makes it seem a bit more fallish, and the new lumbar pillow ties it all together!  My cloche plate was seeming a bit small, so I picked up a charger, which I love and much like the pillows will probably find its permanent home here.  The wreath is old - I took a grapevine wreath and with my mom's help jazzed it up a bit with some faux berries and added a bit of color with the orange ribbon.

I love this free printable I found online - it says 'there is always something to be thankful for', which is so true, even on those tougher days.  I grabbed 3 of the little orange mercury candles in Target's dollar spot, and one made it's way under the cloche.  The velvet pumpkin is another new add this year from Home Goods - I just love the shape and the stem!

I love sitting on the couch watching TV and looking down to a pretty fireplace area.  Everything you see here is old, and how it came together is a big thanks to my mom.  We had it set up differently and it was ok, but just wasn't really there yet.  I left to run and errand and came home to this!

A closer look.  Side note - I picked up the grapevine pumpkins at Crate & Barrel years ago, and just love them so much.  At the time, it seemed like a silly purchase, but these guys are some of my favorite things to pull out year after year.

Tray: Kirkland's

A little drop area!  I love how this tray gives me a contained space to decorate, while also being functional.

Pumpkin bowls: Pottery Barn

I got this tray last year and just love it so much.  It's always fun to figure out how to decorate it, while making it functional.  It can be a bit of a process.  And I absolutely LOVE those little pumpkin bowls (there is one on the other side, too).  I wish I had gotten more than just the two!

I have developed somewhat of an obsession with seasonal plates.  I actually bought turkey plates earlier this year at the Pottery Barn outlet store.  I was just going to use them all season, but when my mom and I went shopping, we saw the pumpkin plates and that was it.  I wanted a full candle ring to add some color, and this one fit the bill!

I used to store some of my cookbooks on my bar top, but it was just too cluttered.  Under this stool is the perfect spot and they just so happen to all be pretty fall colors!  Also, a little side note.  The berries in the basket with the pumpkins are actually just a bunch of small candle rings.  I had them from when I had a light fixture they could be used on, and never knew what to do with them until now.  My mom stuck them in the basket and viola!

Pumpkin plates: Pottery Barn

Napkins (in Terra Cotta): Pottery Barn

A closer look at the tablescape.  The napkins aren't a true orange, the color is more of a compliment to the orange in the plates, which is really pretty.  And they will match my turkey plates come November!  

I really enjoy having this shelf space to decorate.  We changed it up from previous years and this is probably my favorite yet!  The banner my mom made, using leaf cutouts and twine.

That's a look at my fall decor!  I pretty much only linked items that were new to me this year, but if you have any specific questions about where anything comes from please feel free to ask!

You can see pasts fall home tours below - including my parents' house from last year!

Mom's Fall Home Tour 2016 

Fall Home Tour 2016

Fall Home Tour 2015 

Italian Beef

Hey all!  Today I am sharing with you a super yummy recipe for Italian Beef.  And surprise, surprise, this is another recipe of my mom's.  Which I found out originally came from my Aunt Kathy - a true family recipe!  My sister in law absolutely loves this recipe and often makes it.  It's even made its way to her side of the family and is high on their favorites list!  Funnily enough, this is one of my mom's recipes I have never made myself.  After hearing my sister in law rave about it so much, I need I had to change that.  And while I still haven't quite made this myself (my mom and I made it together in the pictures below at my parent's so I don't quite count it as making it on my own), it's definitely one that will be added into the rotation going forward.  This Italian Beef super easy to make and one of those great make ahead dishes.  You can cook it while at home, cut it up, store and then eat on it throughout the week for a quick, but warm and delicious meal.  I am going to change things up a bit and explain by picture, and then share the steps (sans pictures) below.

First, you need a rolled rump roast, or some type of thicker beef roast.  And about 3-4 cloves of garlic.  Cut about 6-8 slits in the roast, fat side up.  Cut your cloves of garlic in half, then insert into cuts.  

Place inside roaster at 275 degrees.  My mom uses a Nesco roaster for this, but you could also roast in your oven, using a dutch oven.  Another option is to use your slower cooker.  For that, you would place in slow cooker on low for 8-10 hours, or high for 4-5 hours.  Note: Slow cooker times are courtesy of googling - once I actually make it in my crock pot, I will adjust times if necessary!

Add enough water to come up half way on roast.

Sprinkle dry Italian seasoning mix (2 packets) on top of roast and in water.

Add in 2-3 beef bouillon cubes.

Sprinkle with just a bit of Italian seasoning.

Cook covered for about 5-6 hours in a roaster / oven.  For the slow cooker, cook on low 8-10 hours, or high 4-5 hours.  For some reason that is where my photos stopped.  However, to summarize the next steps (which will again be down below), you take the meat out, refrigerate in a covered container, and in a separate container, pour in the liquid and store in the refrigerator.  Once meat has cooled in the refrigerator, you will want to thinly slide it, against the grain.  As for the liquid, the fat will form on top of it in a thin layer, which you can skim off.  To eat, heat the liquid on the stove to a low simmer, then add the meat and warm.  This will keep the meat from drying out!

Now for the condensed version.

Italian Beef

Rolled rump roaster or some type of thicker beef roast

3-4 cloves of garlic

2 envelopes of Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mixes

2 or 3 beef bouillon cubes

Italian seasoning

Make 6-8 small cuts in the top of the roast, fat side up.  Cut garlic cloves in half, then insert into the roast.  Put in Nesco roaster / dutch oven / slow cooker.  Add enough water to come halfway up on the roast.  Sprinkle both packets of Italian dressing mix on top of the roast and in the water.  Add beef bouillon cubes, and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning.  Cook covered - Nesco roaster 275 for 5-6 hours, dutch oven in the oven at 275 for 5-6 hours, slow cooker on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours.  Once done, remove meat from pan and refrigerate.  Remove liquid from pan and refrigerate separately.  Once roast is cooled in the frig, slice thinly against the grain.  Again, store separately from the liquid in the refrigerator.  To eat, heat the liquid on the stove to a low simmer, then add meat and warm through.  Enjoy!  

A few things to note - my mom likes to cool the meat in the frig because she said it is easier to cut that way.  The reason you warm the liquid first, is to avoid drying out the meat.

You can serve this pretty much anyway - as a sandwich, by itself with potatoes, or on top of rice or anything other grain.  No matter how you serve it, you cannot beat the taste.  And let me tell you, the smell is amazing.  Your mouth will be watering while this cooks up!    

Reminder: Tomorrow is my favorite of the fall favorite link up topics - fall decor!  I absolutely love seasonal decorating, and this time of year is one of my favorites to share!

Linking up with Erika, Ashley, The Blended Blog, Lindsay and Whitney.

Weekend Recap: The Middle of September

How is it Monday already?!

Friday ended on a high note with a happy hour.  And to make it better, the service was actually pretty attentive, which was a nice change!  I was in between my DVR and the news Friday night to see what was going on with the protests in St. Louis.

My new weekend obsession is the pumpkin bagel from Panera.  It is seriously so good and makes for the perfect weekend treat.  I honestly didn't do much at all Saturday - it's a bit embarassing to say exactly how lazy I was!  I did clean, but that was probably the most productive I was the entire day.  

Sunday I was up and ready to go early!  Since I did so little on Saturday, I had big plans for my Sunday.  I was able to knock out a few things before it was time to head to church, and then had a spontaneous lunch with some people from church.  The restuarant we went to was super behind, so we ended up walking over to the grocery store and getting food from the salad bar.  It was just kind of funny, we all stuffed into a small booth at the store to eat, and just had a lot of fun.  I think it's going to be one of those good inside jokes because it was so random, but really good at the same time.  I headed to the grocery store afterwards, which I was happy to see wasn't completely picked over.  I have gone there in the afternoon and sometimes it i just like all the food is gone, but that was not the case, thankfully!  I ended up having to run into work for a few hours, which was super unexpected and threw a little kink in my plans to get everything single thing on my list done (always over ambitious when it comes to that dang list), but I am going to use it as a reminder and motivation to not procrastinate going forward and get all the things done on Saturday, to clear up my Sundays a bit.  Let's see if that actually works.  As I type this now, my bundt cake for book club tomorrow is baking and the red carpet for the Emmy's is on, so I am taking in all the fashion.  Here's to finishing the weekend with a little award show watching and organizing for the week ahead! 

*Update - a few people have commented they were thinking of me this weekend with everything going on in St. Louis, which is super nice!  I really appreciate that!  If you are unaware, protests have been going on in St. Louis since Friday.  For the most part, the protests have been very peaceful.  One of which actually happened pretty much in my backyard.  Unfortunately, once night hits, things go from peaceful to violent.  So far none of the destruction has happened in my specific area.  However, it's really sad to wake up each morning and hear about the destruction in other parts of the city, which in my opinion, takes away from the message and all those that have been exercising their right to peacefully protest.  The news is focused on how many windows were smashed, if chemical were released, etc., rather than focusing on the issue at hand.  If you could send a few extra prayers to St. Louis, it would be much appreciated!  

Hope you all have a great start to the week!  

source

Linking up with Biana.

Friday Favorites

As always, happy Friday!

1.  My dad was on TV!  I am pretty sure I was more excited about this than any other member of my family, but I thought it was pretty darn neat.  A teacher from my hometown was selected for this show, Garage Squad.  For the show, the 'garage squad' was helping him restore his grandfather's old truck.  To set the scene for the reveal, he reached out to my dad to see if his car club would be interested in coming out.  That way they would have a ton of neat old cars in the background, and car enthusiasts, as well!  It was cool to me the fact that someone from my hometown was going to be on the show in the first place, but then the fact that my dad could potentially be seen just took it over the edge.  I watched and sure enough, at the end of the episode, during the reveal, you can see my dad in a few different scenes.  In the picture below, my dad is the guy in the gray hat.  I just thought it was so cool you could see him and some other people I knew from town!  I text my dad and told him he was famous, haha!  

2.  I had lunch with some old coworkers this week and it was so nice to catch up.  We actually all still work for the same company, but everyone is in different positions than when we were all together.  It's silly how much time goes by before we all get together, but I think it's just one of those things you get kind of in your routine and before you know it, it's been months since the last time we all met in the cafetorium (at work, we call the cafeteria cafetorium, because it also serves as a meeting place for company-wide meetings).  Definitely something we need to work on!

3.  Sharing my favorite fall recipes yesterday (see below for the upcoming Girl Chat link up topics!) has left me wanting to spend some quality time in the kitchen this weekend.  I have book club and a church potluck next week, so I am already scheming ideas on what to make.  I want to try something new, so on deck is Mix & Match Mama's Pumpkin Spice Latte bundt cake.  Broccoli, Cheese & Rice Casserole just makes me think of a potluck (probably because that is what my mom always brings to dinners during the holidays), and I am going to try my hand at that for my church potluck.  While I have helped my mom make it a million times, I think I have only made it myself once, so fingers crossed it turns out well!

4.  I have been hooked on Pinterest lately.  I think this happens to a lot of us, but I go through phases with pinning.  Right now I am all about it!  I don't know if it is the changing of seasons, or what, but I can't get enough recipes pins, especially crockpot meals.  Fall decor and scenes (which I can definitely attribute to the seasons) is two others that I just have been loving lately.  You can follow me here.  And if you are all about Pinterest, too, please feel free to leave your username in the comments so I can make sure to follow you, too!  

5.  I know I am not the only one who is ready for fall fashions.  Unfortunately the weather doesn't seem to want to cooperate (it's supposed to be 90 this weekend!!!), but hopefully we won't have to wait much more longer.  I shared some of my favorite on Wednesday.  Even with the warm temps this weekend, you can bet I will be rocking my open toe booties - I keep saying this, but they are the perfect thing when you want to be fallish, while still dress appropriately for the weather.  Don't forget, Sarah and I are sharing our fall decor on Wednesday and we would love it if you'd link up with us! 

Hope you all have a great weekend. 

Linking up with Andrea, Erika, April, and Katie. 
     

Girl Chat: Favorite Fall Recipes

It's so funny - normally I think these posts sneak up on me, like where has the time gone, but for some reason, this month it seems like it's been forever since we have done a Girl Chat post!  Today is all about fall recipes.  

To see previous Girl Chat posts, click on the links below!

Valentine's Day Plans

Lucky

Easter Traditions 

MakeUp & Beauty Favorites 
Summer Staples 
One Million Dollars
Dream Vacation 

As I was saying, this week is all about fall recipes.  I have actually shared a ton of my favorite fall recipes already, in this post here.  I debated on just copy and pasting it, because, (for the most part) not much has changed.  But I did want to mention a few new ones, so a new post it is!

French Oven Beef Stew.  If you are ever in need of something that is delicious and makes a ton, this is it.  My grandma said this is one of her favorite recipes, if not her favorite, I love it, my sister in law loves it - basically I have never heard anyone say that they don't enjoy it! It's so good.

Pumpkin & Sausage Ravioli Bake from Mix & Match Mama.  I made this last year and just loved it!  I may have even made it twice in a short time span, because I really loved it.  The perfect savory pumpkin dish!

Other favorites shared last year:

Mom's Meatloaf 

Beef & Noodles 

Beef Fasolia 

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup 

Nacho Cheese Dip 

Pumpkin Squares 

To link up - just grab our graphic, link up and let's get to chatting!  Make sure to stop by a few others linked up for an extra bit of girl chat!

And don't forget to follow your hosts!

Danielle - Bloglovin' | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter 

Emily - Bloglovin' | Instagram | Pinterest 

Lindsay - Bloglovin' | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest 

Lizzie - Bloglovin' | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest 

Sierra - Bloglovin' | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

Fall Favorites 2017: Fashion

Today's Fall Favorites link up is all about fashion.  Fall and winter are by far my favorite seasons to dress for.  I love all the comfy sweaters, jeans and cute boots / booties.  The colors are richer and the fabrics are just so warm and soft.  Today I am sharing a few of my favorite fall finds - all things I will be wearing as soon as the weather cools down!

*This blog post contains affiliated links.  Click / purchases may result in a small comission, at no additional cost to you.

1.  Floppy Wool Hat.  It's time to break out the wool hats.  I picked one up from Nordstrom a few years ago and have loved it since.  It's perfect for apple picking, pumpkin picking, going to flea markets, wineries, brunch / lunch out - the list goes on!

2.  Classic Plaid Top.  I will never say no to plaid, especially in the fall.

3.  Cardigan.  Cardigans are staples for me year-round, but I love being able to layer them in the fall.  Whether on top of a simple t shirt, or over a plaid, they always look so cute and add that extra bit of warmth needed on those crisp fall days.

4.  Cozy sweaters.  I love slimmer sweaters for work and looser fit sweaters for the weekends.  Both are comfy and cozy!

5.  Jeans.  I cannot tell you how much I love these NYJD jeans.  They are high rise, which I love more and more, stretchy and the perfect length for heels and booties.  If you are shorter, I would suggest getting the petite (like I did), which makes them the perfect length without having to roll or cuff.  Also, they are not distressed, which makes them work appropriate, too!

6.  Booties.  I LOVE booties.  My collection just grows and grows.  I have a few dressier pairs that go well with skirts and dresses for work and church, as well as more casual ones that I am constantly wearing on casual Fridays or on the weekend.  Most recently, I picked up a pair of open toe booties, which I just love so much.  I will be honest and when they first came out, I thought how silly, why would I want a bootie that is open toed?  Doesn't make sense for the weather.  But the reality is that as much as I want it to be fall weather, it doesn't get that way for awhile, and these shoes help me feel fallish, while still being weather appropriate.  And they are comfy.  I also picked up a pair gray booties in July, which will be perfect for when the temps do get warmer.  I was shocked at how comfortable they are with the heel, but I cannot wait to wear them!

7.  Boots.  Ironically two my favorite pairs of boots are both UGGs and they could not look any different.  I love the classic UGG boots.  I have had mine since college and I continue to wear them each season.  They are just too convenient and comfortable!  I also have a pair of heeled UGG boots which are one of the most comfortable pair of boots I owe.  They are weather proof, too, which helps to keep the suede looking nice.  Another must-have pair of boots, in my opinion, are Hunter rain boots.  While these are something you can wear year-round, they definitely look adorable with jeans and a plaid top or sweater when out and about in the fall.  Think muddy pumpkin patch or flea market - these babies will keep your feet dry and leave you with no worries about ruining a favorite pair of shoes.  

Can't wait to read about your fall fashion favorites!

Linking up with Shay & Erika, too!      

   

How To Transition Your Summer Planters Into Fall Planters

When I think of fall plants, I always think of mums, as I would assume most of you do, too!  Due in large part to my mom, I also think of kale!  When my mom was here over Labor Day Weekend, we transitioned my summer planters into fall planters, using those two things, mums and kale.

We headed on over to Lowe's to stock up on some plants and get a little extra dirt, too.  Instead of getting the big, beautiful mums, we opted for the smaller, individual ones.  I learned a tip from my mom while shopping for these - buy the ones that just have the little buds and are not flowering yet.  While they aren't quite as pretty at first, they will last you a lot longer throughout the season.  My mom was thinking the ones we picked up would last me until November.  That sounded great to me.  They also were on sale and you could get 5 for $5 - pretty much half off!  Between those, the kale and some dirt, this little refresh was done for under $20.  A good deal if you ask me!  We purchased the plants the night before we actually planted them and gave them a little water that night.  Since we were planning on using one of the plants from my summer pot, we also gave that a bit of water.

The next day we were ready to plant.  My mom pulled all the plants out, except for the spike plant, which we were planning on using still.  Since I have two pots, I chose to do just mums in the smaller one, and then three mums, with the kale in the bigger pot.  Since all the dirt was still in the pot (minus what came out when we pulled the old stuff), we just dug some holes until the new plants could fit in.  Another tip I have learned over the years from my mom - when you pull the new plants out of the container, break up the bottoms with your hands.  This helps to loosen the roots and grow better once planted.  We added a bit of the new dirt in places we were lacking, and before we knew it, I had two fall pots done!  I gave them a good watering (until it came out of the bottoms) and now they are good to go.  I have already seen a little growth on my mums, and I know once fall really hits, they will be perfect!

If you are looking to start from scratch, you can check out my first planter post, which takes you through the process step by step!

Linking up with Lindsay and Whitney.

Weekend Recap:2nd in September

Happy Monday!  Can we go back to the weekend?  Because this one was so nice!  (Aside from Hurricane Irma - I hope everyone is safe and sound!  And people still recovering from Hurricane Harvey...let's be real the list could go on and on - just so many devestations across the world!)

Friday was a little crazy at work.  Our United Way Silent Auction opens today, and since I am the chair of that committee, I feel like I was running around doing last minute things for that.  I am excited though, because I really think this will do well.  Keep your fingers crossed for me!  Post-work was nothing too exciting.  I finished the book I was reading and that's about it!

I started off the next day with some cleaning (yay for a fixed vacuum!), a trip to the gym and a stop at the library to return the book I read on Friday.  I snapped a picture of the statue outside of the library - I just think it is so neat.  And obviously perfect for a library!  Breakfast was a pumpkin pie bagel from Panera (yum!!) with honey walnut cream cheese.  I hadn't had one of those in ages and it was delicious.  I had to get one more thing to make my fall decor complete, so I headed to one of my favorite shops, Three French Hens, to pick up a candle ring.  I also checked out a new place, Cocoon, which is a furniture / decor consignment shop.  They carry 1803 candles, which I really like!  I picked up the Vintage Harvest scent and I LOVE it.  I am still obsessing over pesto, this time mixing it with tiny mozzarella pearls, halved grape tomatoes and pairing with a burger.  I caught up on a lot of shows, ran to the grocery store and finished up my cleaning.  I went into a bit of a crazy organization kick and decided to go through my pantry bins, my freezer and my spice cabinet, clean them out and catalog them.  Yes, I have a spreadsheet listing ALL the items.  It seems a bit ridiculous, but since I have limited storage, it really is no good when I end up with three bags of rice because I couldn't remember if I needed it or not.  This will help for those times I run to the store straight from work and I don't have an opportunity to look through things at home prior to shopping.  I also realized I have a lot of random spices, like Poppy Seed...why in the world did I buy that?!  It had yet to be opened.  So as you can tell, I had a wild Saturday night!

Another early morning gym session followed by my first small group at church!  I am really glad I went and am already looking forward to next week.  After service, I went out to lunch with one of my favorite church ladies.  She is going to be out the next few weekends and I am sure going to miss her!  I went home and meal prepped, making one of my favorite meals, Beef Fasolia, and zoodles for lunches this week.  I picked up an Italian spiced ground turkey at the store because it was on sale, and I think it's going to be great with the zoodles.  As I type this, my evening consists of a movie, Home Again, and relaxing.

As a quick link up reminder - Wednesday is Fall Favorites - Fashion Edition and Thursday is Girl Chat - Favorite Fall Recipes.  I'd love it if you'd join up with us!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Linking up with Biana.