fun wrist watch

this would make a fun christmas gift.

{watch, $39 urban outfitters}

first day

the first day at a new job is never easy. but when you come home to a handsome husband & a house that smells of garlic & fresh herbs, all the stresses of the day just melt away.

{tossing veggies & potatoes}

{the most delicious roast chicken}

{my favorite cupcakes from our local bakery}

a fresh start

after 6 1/2 years of working at the same advertising agency, I have decided to move on. I took a job in a different field in the corporate world. it's quite a change & while I'm excited about the new opportunity, I will always be grateful for my time at the agency.

see, my first job was pretty special, in that it lead me to meet the man of my dreams. I never would have imagined that the good-looking art director would have ever glanced at the kid-out-of-college creative assistant. but sure enough, it quickly turned to love. I've been blessed to have had the opportunity to work with robert on commercials in some amazing cites, share lunch with him everyday in the lunch room & always have a fun date to sit with at employee-only staff meetings.

I'll miss working with my coworkers & all of the fun, but mainly I will miss my favorite art director husband, robert.

{the best  dance partner in the agency!}

thankful

I love thanksgiving & all of the traditions that come along with it. this year robert & I made some new things for the feast at the lakehouse. I love getting together with my whole family every thanksgiving. I have so much to be thankful for!

{ina's cranberry fruit conserve} 

{prepping the honey glazed carrots} 

{prepping the roasted garlic mashed potatoes} 

whoopie!

do you remember when I visited maine over the summer & tried all of the delicious whoopie pies? well I decided to make some for my agency's thanksgiving potluck, using this recipe. they were easy & so cute. next time I'll be more generous with the creamy peanut butter filling.

{the batter is pretty simple to make. then just drop it onto a cookie sheet}

{this is what they look like once they've baked & cooled}

{pipe the peanut butter frosting onto a bottom}

{top it with a lid & squish}

{add sprinkles if you're feeling festive & enjoy}

amelia island

my sister & I just got back from a mini vaca in amelia island, florida. we stayed in a cozy little motel on the beach & laid in the sun & drank champagne. it was lovely.

{the famous palace saloon}

{we did a lot of walking up & down the cobblestone streets}

{the sunsets were amazing}

saverio truglia

today robert forwarded me a link with work by a photographer named saverio truglia. the images are so beautiful I thought I'd share. reminds me of a modern-day norman rockwell.

farmers market

a few weekends ago we visited the dekalb farmers market in georgia. this place is absolutely fantastic. we left with some rosemary focaccia, fresh chocolate chip cookies, gnocchi, pumpkins & several different kinds of beer & wine. I wish we had a place like this close to home. I think I'd be a much better cook if I was constantly inspired by all this beautiful food.

{lots o' pumpkins}

{fresh brussel sprouts}

{the brightest purple eggplant I have ever seen}

{extra credit if you know what this fruit is. hint: it's found in asia & is extremely smelly!}

fall wedding shower

these photos are actually from a wedding shower that my mom & I threw last fall. my lifelong friend eric finally got engaged to his high school girlfriend, megan. eric & I were always close, but when he started dating megan, she quickly became my favorite. sorry, eric. 

we wanted to throw megan a fall shower with delicious homemade food. on the menu was a harvest salad with smoked turkey, apple chips & spiced pecans, a carrot zucchini muffin & pumpkin curry soup. 

{the invite- a fall & bird theme}

{in the south, we love using china for showers}

{the "kids table," a.k.a. people under 30}

{we made mini carrot cake "pumpkins" for dessert}

{"wedding advice from the experts" tree.  I later put these into a book for megan}

{"sweet tweets". I made fabric bird labels & put homemade meringues into treat bags for the favors}