Weekend

I hope you all had a great weekend!  We had a three day weekend with the observance of Veterans Day yesterday.  It all consisted of clothes and furniture shopping, a pedicure, seeing Skyfall, two dinners with friends and a dinner with family, and also roasting marshmallows and making s'mores (I only set one on fire! ha).

I also made this chocolate chip pumpkin bread Saturday morning using this recipe.  I tried another recipe last week but it was a soggy mess.  This recipe however was a lot easier and it turned out pretty well.

How was your weekend?  Have any plans exciting plans for the week?

I hope everyone's had a great day! It's freezing here once again today and I've been eyeing some new accessories to bundle up in.  It can be hard to look cute and coordinated when having to wear so many layers but I think these items will help with that.

Cold Weather by thedulynoted featuring fleece lined pants

Boden / Fleece lined pants / Hunter socks / Hunter socks, $45 / Isotoner stretch glove / Burberry scarve / Cashmere Scarf / Cashmere Scarf

Today wasn't the best day for Josh or myself, to say the least but probably not in comparison to many who are suffering right now due to the storm.  These words of wisdom help bring peace to mind...

Hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday!  Any plans for Halloween tomorrow?  We're planning on having dinner with some friends at our usual spot and I might happen to pick up a bag or two or three of candy :)

Chills and Thrills

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!  It was overcast and dreary here thanks to hurricane Sandy so I spent most of the weekend inside.  The past two weekends were gorgeous so I guess it was time for a dreary one.  It has also turned bitterly cold here today (which to me is 40's or below)!  We had what seemed like an unusually warm October and I was just in shorts a week ago so this definitely feels like a shock.  I thought this would be a good chance to share some of my "warm-up" essentials.

I love having coffee and hot tea to warm up.  We got a Keurig machine when we got married and it's one of my favorite appliances mainly because it's so easy to use (plus less expensive than going by Starbucks or Caribou all the time).   I can only drink decaf beverages and for a while the options were limited but lately there are lots more to choose from!  Here are some of my favorites along with some that I want to try...

I also like to snuggle up under my faux fur blanket.  I had planned to get one from Pottery Barn but came across a much cheaper one at Home Goods.  I've had it for about 3 years now and it's held up well and traps in the heat well.  A must for cold days!  

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The hubby and I were also just saying how today's weather is perfect for grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup (my favorite!).  How amazing does this grilled cheese look with avocado and tomato slices?!  I've made grilled cheese before with jalepenos which is also great.  If you like pimento cheese, that is a must-try as well.

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What are your cold weather comforts?

Pumpkins

I hope everyone is doing well! I know I've been MIA for a little while and I don't really have a good excuse.  We've been working of course, spending time with friends and family, and taking some time to rest.  We have some projects that we've been working on too that I'm excited about and I will share soon.

I've also been on pinning pumpkin overload lately.  Here are some of my favorites that I'm planning to try...

Don't they all look so good?!  The links can all be found on my Pinterest page here.  Do you have any pumpkin or fall treats that you like to make?

Sunday Shares

Another week, another weekend.  My house has the smell of homemade spaghetti sauce right now and the weather is perfect.  I did a little bit of shopping this weekend as well.  It's been a while and I desperately needed some jeans and fall/winter shoes.   I also picked up a few things from the JCrew sale.

We're also anxiously awaiting our new ottoman and I have been searching for the perfect tray to have for it, you know for drinks and what not.  I'm leaning towards a lucite tray but some can cost upwards of $150-$200.  I've found a few less expensive options below...

Gold?

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Solid Lucite?

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Faux croc?

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I love the styling of this large tray...

Hope you all have a great Monday!

Products

I hope y'all had a great weekend!  Back during the summer I posted a few times about how a goal of mine was to live a healthier life and have a healthier environment, meaning my home environment and the outside environment.  I wanted to share some of the products that I have found that I like that are free of sulfates and other harmful chemicals.  It took me a while to get around to sharing this information because I wanted to take the time to use them for a while and get a true opinion.  These may not be the very best to use but they are much better substitutes to what I had been using.

                               

Natural Body Products by thedulynoted featuring bare escentuals

Bare Escentuals / Burt s Bees face toner / Burts Bees body moisturizer, $11

I really love all of these skin care products.  The only complaint I have is with the foundation primer because it has a stubborn pump.

Natural Household by thedulynoted featuring body cleansers

Body cleanser / Natural Laundry Detergent / Arrow / Seventh Generation Dish Soap / Rinse Aid

 I also use Bounce free and clear fabric softener sheets.  I haven't been able to find any by Seventh Generation.  Vinegar and baking soda are also wonderful to use on countertops, fridge and sink.  Do you have any products that you can recommend as well?

Sunday Shares

I hope you have all had a great past week and weekend!  It's been busy but good for me.  My dad flew into town a few days ago.  He lives in Tokyo and I haven't seen him since Christmas.  Friday night we went to dinner with him, my stepmom and grandmother.

Saturday I went to Wrightsville beach with a friend and her sister.  The weather was PERFECT while we were there and it was definitely the relaxation I needed.  The weather today on the other hand, is dreary and icky.  We went over to my grandmothers for a lunch and to visit with other family that came into town to see my dad.  We're now having a quiet Sunday evening at home doing laundry, watching football, spending some time with Pinterest, itunes and maybe some Hulu for when I get tired of football.

Perfect day at the beach

Photo by Heather Griffin

We also ordered our ottoman this week (here) and picked out the Trina Turk fabric shown below.  This fabric is indoor/outdoor so it should hold up well.  We can wait to get it in about 6 weeks or so!

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I then came across this picture below of more Trina Turk fabrics.  Aren't these colors great?

 I hope you all have a fabulous Monday tomorrow!