happy list.

Don't you just despise Monday?
I really, truly do.
Especially after a sunny weekend spent relaxing with my best friend aka hubs aka my Mr. P.
The reality of Monday morning hit me hard this am and I might have popped in Edwin McCain and cried all the way to work thanks heavily in part to torturous P.M.S symptoms!

Here's a few things helping to put a smile on my face:

1. Saving over a $100 on these boots (I saved another 10% on top of the sale price thanks to retailmenot.com)

2. Make-Up is one material item I spend very little on and as an obvious result own very little of. Thanks to E.L.F. I now own everything from bronzer to eyelid primer for under $30.

3. Mr. P purchased a Domo shirt recently and tonight he was wearing it. He said to me at one point "Doesn't Domo make you happy?" and you know what? He does! and so does my sweet husband. Very, very happy!

4. Our newest QCBC (Queen City Book Club) book is a page turner.

5. Would you have ever believed that they could improve on Snickers? I tried this for the first time a week ago and it was divine.
Today I set out on my lunch break with every intention of returning with a pack of snack well cookies, but instead returned with my new favorite candy bar.
I don't for one minute regret that decision. Yum!

See you tomorrow loves. Tuesday may be my second least favorite day of the week, but hey, it's not Monday!

weekend photos.

P.S.-You may have noticed a few posts are missing. My apologies. Blogger was giving me issues and I was forced to.
Fortunately my incredible husband helped me figure out the problem.
He also baked a cake for me (to use for baby cakes) this week while I was out jewelry shopping.
He's pretty wonderful!
xo

books and friends.

Do you remember Chelsea?
She was behind this former favorite blog and now she blogs for Skirt! Find her here.

Chel Belle, as I usually call her, has helped orchestrate the book club I now proudly call myself a member of.
I'm in the process of reading our first book and I have to tell you that it's made workouts and bedtime way more exciting than before.
When I used to work uptown I'd take the bus to and from work and the biggest perk of not having and driving my own car was not that I lived 1+ years road rage free, but that I was constantly engaged in a great book.

Anyways, I digress...
I constantly find myself thinking about how lucky I am to have such an amazing group of ladies in my life.
Just last night after a quick shower I somehow ended up in deep thought and feeling very grateful for the women who inspire me daily.

For instance:
I have one friend who is the most organized person I know and I strive to be more like her in this way and many others, another friend owns her own very successful boutique, another her own design company, a long distance friend of many years has moved from one successful job to another and just finished up a stint working 4 days in NYC (my new favorite city) for a few months, one best friend is ALWAYS thinking of others and doing unbelievably sweet things, another recently started working with a new company and is already one of their most requested stylist, one of my loves is an amazingly talented writer and will without a doubt do big things...in fact I'm certain they all will.
I could go on and on. I really could.
You all know who you are and I love you with every little part of my emie heart and I just wanted you to know.

Oh and if you'd like to read along with our book club, Chelsea will keep you informed.
xo

weekend photos.

december 2010.

Did I say that November was the busiest month of 2010?
I was wrong.

December started with the ACC Championship taking place here in Charlotte, NC.
Our beloved Hokies beat the Florida State Seminoles, 44-33.
We were incredibly happy to host one of our favorite couples, The Diemars (expecting their first little girl in a couple weeks), at our house.
It was a perfect kind of weekend...football and best friends.


The following week our favorite Italian mama, Nicole, hosted Dinner Club at her house and prepared an Italian feast fit for a queen...err the Pope maybe.
It was the perfect way to finish out dinner club for the year 2010.


This year's Annual Teague Christmas Party was certainly one of the best! The theme was FaTeagued (get it?). Everyone came dressed in Military inspired duds and offered up a donation of $10 that went to a military group stationed overseas during the Holidays.
A good time for a great cause!


A week later we headed home to Norton, VA for a white Christmas with my family
We are all horrible at remembering to take photos, but thanks to my Stepdad we did get this group shot with my sister and James superimposed.
Yep, they weren't really in those positions when this photo was snapped because they had already left town.


This year ended with us surrounded by an amazing group of friends in a beautiful log cabin outside of Asheville, NC.
We ate lots of Digiorno pizza's, drank way too many Redbull vodkas, spent an entire day in our pj's and toasted to new memories and exciting things to come in 2011.


So that about catches us up I would say.
I'm certainly excited to share 2011 with you.
See you here tomorrow loves.
xo

november 2010.

I think I can safely say that November was the busiest month of the year for us.
Every weekend was filled to the brim with fun and football, lots of football.

Did I tell you that while in Savannah I dropped my cell phone in an unknown pool of water and I also left our camera charger?
Fortunately for me many moments were captured on camera by my wonderful friends.

A big highlight was Gay Bingo.
An event in which we dressed up in sparkly, colorful duds, danced and played bingo, all for a good cause...RAIN (Regional Aids Interfaith Network).


The second weekend of November was quite a whirlwind.
Hubs and I traveled on Thursday afternoon to watch our Hokies beat Georgia Tech.
Early the next morning we headed back to my hometown, Norton, VA, to watch my brother and the JIB Raiders beat their rival, the JJ Kelly Indians.
Finally the next morning we headed back home to meet up with best friends for November's coed dinner club hosted by the hostess with the mostest, Leigh Teague.
We spent a good two hours trying to navigate a local corn maze and then headed back to the Teague's for a hearty fall meal.


I think my favorite trip taken in all of 2010 would have to be our trip to New York.
I've always known I'd love New York, but I had no idea just how much.
I was left speechless (something that happens whenever I'm in awe) multiple times during that 3 day trip.
When we first returned I day dreamed of New York multiple times daily. Now I still think of it often and cannot wait to return (and take LOTS of pictures)


Sadly these are the only two pictures taken during the entire trip and they were snapped using my hand-me-down blackberry.
Ridiculous! Right?

The month ended with our second Friendsgiving at the Barzee's. This year Sarbear and Johnny joined us and I can honestly say that it couldn't have been a better day/night.
The ladies wore coordinating aprons, we made a perfect meal and drank/ate way too much.
We are all already looking forward to next year.


So we are now half way through this game I call catch-up. I'm looking forward to sharing the present...there are some pretty exciting things happening.
But first we must tackle December...see you tomorrow.

Nitey nite.
xo

30 for 30.

This is Kendi:

I stumbled upon her blog Kendi Everyday one weekend evening when I was blog hopping. I love her style, I love her sense of humor, I may love her.

Kendi came up with an idea to take 30 pieces from her closet, shoes included but accessories are not, and she remixed them for 30 days to come up with 30 different outfits.
I love this concept despite how challenging it sounds.

She is getting ready to start the winter edition of 30 for 30 and I've decided to join in.
I currently work a job that requires I dress myself in an exciting array of khakis and polos.
However, lately I've been blessed with a busy social calendar and I will use these events as a chance to participate in this tricky undertaking.


Want to learn more about 30 for 30? Click HERE.

Want to participate? Click HERE to sign up.

Until this evening my sweets.

xo

catch up....part I.

Last time I decided to break up a post into multiple parts I vanished on you.
Withdrawal set in and I imagine therapy sessions were sought and some of you must have abandoned the blog world completely.

This, my darlings, is a chance for me to win back your trust.
Your therapists would probably call it a breakthrough...you know, for those of you able to continue on.

Okay, I kid. You know it. Let's move on, shall we?

The last 3 months of 2010 were busy. Insanely busy, yet oh so fun.

After Mr. P and I returned from our 1 year Anniversary in Savannah, Sister and I headed home to Norton, VA to watch my brother in one of 3 football games I was able to see him play in this year.


With the end of October came my favorite holiday.
I adore Halloween...it's magic and make believe and I love everything about it.
We were invited to spend the weekend at my dear Sar Bear's cabin.


We spent 90% of the trip outside, drink in hand.
Needless to say, it was an amazing time.


Now let's back up a bit. You must be wondering who Sar Bear is.
This is Sar Bear:


She's funny, she's stylish, she's smart, she's oh so pretty and she's now one of my bestest friends.
Sar Bear is dating Johnny, a great friend we've known for a few years.
Together they equal one incredible couple.
Just when I thought life couldn't get better Sarah came along and although it's only been months since we've meet I think we all feel she's been a part of our lives for years.

Want to get to know Sarah better? Of course you do. Check her out here.

And I'll see you all back here tomorrow for a quick tour through November.

a sticky bribe.

Well I can honestly tell you that I was so ashamed of myself for disappearing on you yet again, that I thought about staying in a permanent state of blog hibernation.
I couldn't though. I missed it too much. I missed you.

We could pick up where we left off but that seems foolish now, doesn't it?

Instead I'll try and win you back with a quick and easy, yet very scrumptious recipe.
It's the perfect remedy for those rainy, dreary, Monday night blues.

Here's what you need:
Graham Crackers (warning: I bought the generic brand recently and it tasted like paper. Nabisco is the way to go!)


3/4 Cup Butter
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
Milk Chocolate-go crazy or don't, just use as much as you'd like. If you really wanted to be fancy you could use dark chocolate here. I had mini Hershey kisses and chocolate chips so that's what I used.
3 Cups of Mini Marshmallows

Line your cookie sheet with aluminum foil, spray that with cooking spray and line up 12 graham crackers side by side.


Heat butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
*Hubs and I both agreed that these did not need the caramel sauce. What's funny about that is that without it, I'm basically telling you how to make s'mores in your oven.
That's right folks, after a 3 month hiatus, I bring you nothing but the best!

Next you want to poor this lovely sauce over the graham crackers. I think a less is more approach is appropriate here. Lesson learned.


Bake the graham crackers in your oven, preheated to 350 degrees, for about 5 minutes until the caramel is nice and bubbly.

Now top with marshmallows and chocolate, continue to bake for another 3-4 mins.
I also turned my broiler on for about a minute so that the tops of the marshmallows were nice and browned.



Lastly, enjoy!


Now here is the part where I tell you that me and my new fancy computer have big plans for this blog.
Then you tell me that you'll believe it when you see it.
So to that I say fine, just promise me you'll stick around.

Until tomorrow my sweets.
xo

Yep, I'm back...again.

Guess who ordered a new Dell Inspiron laptop?
Guess who's husband tracked down the UPS man today, met up with the poor driver whose truck had broken down, all so that his wife wouldn't go one more day using an old mac that is slow as molasses?
Guess who will be back blogging FULL TIME next week?

The same girl who promises to never desert you like that again.
See you on Monday.