Camping in a Box

I am totally into DIY gifts this year, especially when I need a quick hostess gift or something simple for a neighbor or friend. 

I found this super cute idea on Kelle Hampton's blog, Enjoying The Small Things, and just had to share!

Indoor Camping Party in a Box!

via

Decorate a shoe box or empty photo box, wrap ingredients (2 Hershey bars, a bag of marshmallows, a bag of graham crackers) with pretty ribbons, make a few cute tags, throw in a few fondue sticks and a can of Sterno (enthanol gel), and Voila. 

 There you have it!  Party in a Box!

Too Cute and Too Simple!

Love it!

Gobble Gobble Gobble

I am spending Thanksgiving Day this year here in Charlotte with "Charleston's" family and then heading home to Kernersville probably EARLY Friday morning (before the traffic gets insane at Concord Mills Outlets) to spend the rest of the weekend with the fam. 

Although I am missing Thanksgiving Day with my family, I am SUPER excited for our Thanksgiving plans this year.  "Charleston" and I are running together tomorrow morning in the Charlotte Turkey Trot 8K.  Something about the race sets it apart from any other and if I had to put my finger on it, it would be the sense of family at the event.  Many people run with their families as an annual tradition before they all sit down and veg out the rest of the day.  It's neat.  (It also gives me a good excuse to get an extra serving of all things good that night!)

Thursday afternoon we will head to "Charleston's" parents house to hang out and have a late lunch/early dinner for Thanksgiving.  Like I have said 1000 times, I love "Charleston's" family and am very thankful we live so close to them.  We have also invited our friends Adam and Alicia to join us.  Their families are in Iowa and they can't make it back for every holiday so...the more the merrier!

The rest of the weekend in K-ville I have plans to hang out with Sister and help her decorate her house for Christmas (aka - play with Olivia!) and MAYBE do a little Christmas shopping with my Momma.  "Charleston" and Dad have plans to go hunting so I will squeeze in every bit of quality time with them when they are not playing in the woods with their four legged animal friends.

I know the weekend is going to go by so fast becuase it always does, but I simply love the holidays and can't wait to try and make time stand still.

I will leave you with one of the most amazing recipes that you have to have on your table this year.  Besdies my family (obviously), it is other thing I will miss from the Higgins Thanksgiving gathering:


Grandma's Sweet Potato Casserole
by Grandma Elaine Frost

3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
½ cup milk
2 eggs
½ stick butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla flavoring

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs, milk,
potatoes and vanilla flavoring. Pour into
13x9 baking dish.

Topping:
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup flour (can add ½ cup coconut too)
½ cup pecan pieces

Sprinkle topping on casserole.
Dot entire mixture with ½ stick
butter. Bake at 325 for 35-40 minutes.

 
 

Raleigh Reunion!

There are two numbers that are very important to this weekend : 37 and 13

Yes that's right.....

The score to the NC State vs. Clemson game and the 37 belongs to my WOLFPACK!!!

LETS GO PACK!

It was the cherry on top of the weekend with my amazing friends!

We arrived in Raleigh on Friday night to Lori's NEW house!  Miss Carson is officially a homeowner and I was so excited to stay for the weekend.  Her place is awesome!  Congratulations little girl!

After settling in, the weekend got kicked off with a night out to the grand opening of World Of Beers!

Jennifer, "Charleston", Brian and Lori

Carter and Lori

Saturday morning we headed out to tailgate at Carter Finley at 10:00am; can't waste a minute of daylight!

Love Them Dearly

Jennifer, Lee Ann, Me, Lori, Catherine, Laura, Leslie

The game started at 3:30 and I can honestly say I sat on the edge of my seat the entire time.  Several times I caught "Charleston" staring at me as if I was a crazy person but I honestly couldn't cheer loud enough! 

When Sunday came it was no fun at all to get in the car and leave.  I can't go that long again without going back to play more often! PROMISE :)

The Need For A Christmas List??

It's always kind of awkward when someone asks you what you want for Christmas...especially when you are twenty-seven.  I don't have a Toys-R-Us flyer laying around with Crayola Marker circled items on every page like I did in 1990.  Can I just say a new car, bedroom furniture, bedding for the guest room, a house?!!!  Um no. 

Therefore, it always catches me off guard when I get the "what do you want for Christmas question" from a family member who really wants to know some ideas of things they can get me for Christmas...realistically.

There are always things I "want", but I never can think of them on the fly. Sometimes I also feel selfish rattling off a list of wants even if I do have one or two things in mind.  Anyone else feel this way?

But I know, no matter what, that my grandmother or "Charleston's" mom, for example, because they are too sweet, are going to get me something for Christmas whether I like it or not and, like my grandmother said, she REFUSES to buy a gift card (which I don't blame her, I take after my fabulous Grandma. Giving gift cards is no fun at all on Christmas!)

So I have started to collect my thoughts on how I tackle this question and how I should respond.  I HONESTLY never need anything for Christmas and now that I have a niece, we can finally take the majority of the Christmas giving attention back to a kid!  Sister and I are no longer the "kids" in the family YAY.

But if someone were to ask, I would include some of these items: 

They are things I want but just don't buy for myself because I am frugal and do not see them as a NEED right now.  Always trying to watch my wallet.



I bought a juicer about a month ago and LOVE it.  I use it almost every other day.  I would like a couple juicer recipe books to go along with it!

The Big Book Of Juices

The Juicing Bible

Me and cheap red wine go hand-in-hand.  With this aerator I can always step my $3.99 wine up a notch! Until you have tried this nifty little tool you will never understand the difference it makes!

Who International Vinturi Red Wine Aerator 

I wear it everyday.  Have worn it everyday for the last 10 years.  Honestly.  And I am almost out.

Chanel Chance Eau De Parfum Spray 

OK, so these puppies are on the VERY expensive side but...it's a good picture of what I like.  I wear studs all the time to work and do not have a pair of good gold ones that are not plain balls.

Love Knot Stud Earrings

HAPPY HO HO FRIENDS!  WELCOME TO THE HOLIDAY SEASON!

Jeans Versus Genes

I think my parents have always been a pretty good pair, especially since they reproduced so well ;) My parents made me ME and I love ME. I love who I am in all ways and wouldn’t change a thing....

EXCEPT ….

The length of my legs. Now, I love being 5'4". I wouldn’t trade that for the world. I love never having to worry about being taller then a guy and always blending into most crowds but…I would definitely shave a little off my torso and add it to my legs.

I say this because I was stuck in the dressing room at Nordstrom Rack yesterday laughing at my inability to purchase normal people jeans.

This happens EVERY TIME:

a view looking down on my feet

Please tell me this also happens to 9 out of 10 of you. I am screaming right now for some sympathy!

There was honestly AT LEAST 9 inches of “extra” fabric hanging below where the jeans should have stopped.
Not cool.

This was the case on every pair.

Usually my next step is to purchase them and get them hemmed and I considered this route, but honestly, every pair was so long that if I were to hem them, I would turn them all into boot cut. There was just so much excess fabric that if I were to cut it out, the jeans would completely lose their intended shape.

I walked away empty handed and amused. These jeans were made for a girl with 48 inch legs, not a girl with these genes.

Holiday Candles In The Home

Mom and I were shopping at Kohls this past weekend and it came to my attention that I am VERY picky and VERY sensitive when it comes to holiday candles in the home. 

In high school and college I always stayed away from the vanilla Bath and Body Words lotions and the cupcake/cookie flavored chap sticks.  Make me gag.

Well some things NEVER change.

I cannot stand "sweet" flavored holiday candles either.

My nose always turns towards the christmas tree and wreath smells over the cooking scents.

Yankee Candles are my favorite and I think I found just the one that will burn in my home this year:

Simply Home Yankee Candle in Christmas Magic

When it comes to Yankee Candles...

 Say Yes To:

Balsam & Cedar

Balsam Fir

Christmas Eve

Winterland

Deck The Halls

Fireside

Christmas Wreath

HollyBerry

Christmas Tree

Say No To:

Christmas Cookie

Almond Cookie

Hot Buttered Rum

Pumpkin Pie

Macintosh Spice

Maple Pancakes

Milk & Cookies

Oatmeal Cookie

Buttercream

Biscotti

Christmas Cupcake

But hey, that's just my opinion!

Layered Autumn Quinoa Salad

I haven't been in the kitchen at all this week.  Between being out of town for work and having dinner plans with family and friends....it hasn't really left much time to experiment but ....last week I did find a little gem on How Sweet It Is that proved to become a staple in my Healthy Eating Plan! 

It was easy and awesome! 

Layered Autumn Quinoa Salad

2 cups spring greens
2 cups cooked quinoa
2 medium apples, chopped
1 pear, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 pomegranate, seeded
1/4 red onion, chopped
1 small bunch of cilantro, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cook quinoa according to directions, then toss with tomatoes, red pepper, apple, pear, pom seeds, onion, cilantro, salt and pepper. In a bowl, layer about 1/2 cup of spring greens then top with another 1/2 cup of quinoa. Finish by drizzling vinaigrette over top.

Citrus Vinaigrette
1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper

In a bowl, whisk vinegar, lemon juice and zest, mustard, salt and pepper together. Stream in olive oil while constantly mixing until dressing has emulsified and thickened. Drizzle on quinoa.

via

Mentally Exhausted

Mentally, I have been exhausted.  There is a lot going on right now at work that just has me worn out and tired of thinking. 

Therefore, I took this weekend as recovery. 

I slept, relaxed and honestly didn't lift a finger on anything that I really did not want to do.  I had dinner with family and friends, watched the Wolfpack pull out a win over the Tarheels and gave myself a "princess" status for several days! 

It was the perfect cure and along with several picture texts over the weekend of what my cutie-pa-tootie niece was up to, I am back in business and ready to tackle another week!  Bring it on!

Exhibit 1:  Sister was so proud to get Olivia's hair in a little ponytail!

Exhibit 2:  A backside view of her little pony!

Exhibit 3:  Saturday morning cartoons with sleepy eyes.

Exhibit 4:  Olivia absolutely loves bath time. 

Exhibit 5:  She just wanted to send me a pic to say whats up to her Aunt Blain!

I am honestly the luckiest and proudest Aunt on the face of this planet!  I don't care how bad my day is, if I get a text from Livi, my world just flips right side up!  I hope one day she knows and feels every second how much I love her!

Laid Back Halloween

I am a single girl this week and as much as I LOVE "Charleston" to death, I am very-itty-bitty-slightly enjoying some quiet laid back time to myself.  I think its healthy for a relationship every now and then, don't you?

"Charleston" is in New Mexico this week hunting elk with his Uncle.  He left last Friday and will return on Thursday night.  It has allowed me to spend some quality time with the girls last weekend at Leslie's wedding and catch up with life this week. 

Yesterday (Halloween) I wasn't feeling all there after a long weekend and I was just physically exhausted.  I opted to spend the night at home, by myself, handing out candy to the neighborhood kids and hitting the bed early; exactly what I needed!

So while I was enjoying the scene from my couch, "Charleston" was enjoying this view from the-middle-of-nowhere-New-Mexico!

Him and his uncle have two Elk tags this year.  They have killed a coyote but have yet to take down an Elk.  They still have a couple more days so my fingers are crossed. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for him so I hope it goes well!

In the meantime, while I was checking out the cute costumes of the neighborhood kiddo's, I decided to whip together a pot of chili for lunch this week.  Let's just say I went a little overboard:

I doubled my original "recipe" and made enough chili to take to lunch AND freeze for the rest of the season! I love getting ahead on easy meals!

It was a wonderful Halloween night and I woke up this morning feeling 100% refreshed!