A Mid-century Christmas

The mister and I have never mailed out Christmas photo cards.  Unless you count the card Sir Chester posed for.

This year though, we didn't have a reason not to.  All because some friends had a vision.  A vision of a mid-century styled photo shoot.  With era appropriate furniture and clothing!!  A vintage-themed photo shoot?  Yes please!

I was so excited that BR Photography asked us to be included in the fun!

And speaking of fun, Funtiques in Ozark, MO was the perfect venue for a shoot such as this.  Funtiques had little mid-century vignettes staged, annnnd they had already decked the halls!

This was also my first chance to wear the vintage dress of my dreams that had been hanging in my closet for two years...... 

The mister was such a good sport!!!

And between you and me, he was really pleased with the outcome.  So much so, he was on board with the whole Christmas photo card idea......

So a huge THANK YOU to BR Photography who totally made this possible and had a perfect idea of a stylized Mad Men-esque shoot.  We had so much fun.

And I got the mister on a Christmas card!  #winning

Merry Christmas!!!

Linking up with:

Two Thirty-Five Designs 
Still Being Molly

Find BR Photography:

On Instagram

On Facebook

Naples, Florida

For the last few summers, I have longed to take a vacation.  But we are terrible planners.  And it just didn't happen.  This summer started off no differently.  Then one Monday morning we got up, went to the Allegiant website, and booked a trip.

Finally beaches and palm trees would be in my future.

I was a little skeptical of booking everything (down to the car) on one site, but after the fact, I would do it again and again.  Everything went so smoothly!  We even got a free upgrade on our rental (and it happened to be a brand new Challenger ~ which is my current car crush).

Naples, Florida was everything.  

Dolphins, alligators, pristine white sand beaches, dinner on the beach at sunset, sailboat excursions, airboat swamp tours.....

We enjoyed lots of beach time with our pick of spots (it wasn't crowded), lots of great food, the pier, and a few fun boat excursions.

I could go on and on. 

We will definitely go back.  And we would definitely use the Allegiant site for booking again.  This trip cost less than one plane ticket to Hawaii (which is where we went on our honeymoon).  We had no issues with reservations or flights.  Our hotel was amazing too!

This trip went beyond my expectations.  It was more than I could have hoped for.  I am so thankful we were able to go.

We love Naples, Florida (hit play for more photos)........

(You can find my bathing suit in the slideshow HERE.)

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Linking up with......High Five for Friday, Friday Favorites, Insta-Friday annnnd....

Happy Things (via Instagram)

Recently, the mister and I celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary.  I had but one request that day.

To document the milestone.

The mister said yes.

I wanted to visit our wedding venue and recreate a wedding photo.......

Five years to the day.  Same spot.  This side-by-side makes me all kinds of happy.

So does the mister's way with kids.......

He visited my classroom last week.  He is the child whisperer. 

Something else that makes me happy......

Playing with the parachute on our rained out-plan b-field day.  It just never gets old.

Neither does packing up the classroom for the summer.........

Good-bye work!

Hello summer!!!!

Time for pools and reading til midnight and sleeping in.

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Linking up with......High Five for Friday, Friday Favorites, and Insta-Friday.

Instagram Roundup

Recently: 

The mister did a great job surprising me on Valentine's Day.....

Some of my favorites:  SanPellegrino, the new spring Escada scent and flowers.  

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Speaking of the mister, we've been together ten whole years!  This was our very first photo ever.......

This deserved to be revived for #tbt.  I mean, he used to wear earrings. 

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The car got a good washing on a warm day!  The mister cleaned all the winter grime off as the pups basked in the sun and watched.....

(While I probably should have been cleaning the grime off the front door.  WHOA!)

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But I was too busy baking.........

I made my favorite red velvet cookies for work.  Work ate them all.

Which is good, because I still have a sleeve of thin mints laying around here.

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Finally, some thrifting went down.......

This all went to the booth.  Even though I wanted to keep every last item.

I may be making small strides in my "no hoarding" resolution.

Baby steps.

Although parting with that end table was more like one giant leap for mankind.

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Linking up with......High Five for Friday, Friday Favorites, and Insta-Friday.

Lately (via Instagram)

In the last week or two, you could find me:

Attempting to pattern mix......

Putting new items in the booth......

Exploring downtown with the mister.......

Curled up by the fire whilst watching Downton Abbey and the Bachelor Wedding.......

Downtown (again) for a super fun girls' night out with my new girl crush........

On a school night, no less!

So crazy and wild.

(I was home by 9:30.)

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Linking up with......High Five for Friday, Friday Favorites, and Insta-Friday.

Meet Gizmo

As if life weren't crazy enough right now, we went and made it a little crazier............

Sir Chester got a brother.

It all started with a photo on Facebook that a friend shared..........

This little baby was available at a shelter.........named Gizmo..........and about three months old.

To make a long story short, the mister surprised me by calling the shelter and arranging to adopt him on Saturday.  We are definitely pro-shelter-adoption people, and the folks of Tastc were lovely.  They even switched his neutering appointment for us, so it could be done prior to bringing him home.

And aside from a sleepless night (thanks to our giddy firstborn, not our new baby) we are smitten.  We think Gizmo sums up that face perfectly.  So Gizmo it will stay.

Now for the million dollar question..........

How many and what types of breed make Gizzy so darn precious?

What I Wore (to a summer wedding)

I know I asked for your help in styling a dress for a wedding awhile back.

I know that most everyone liked a particular dress.  A dress I specifically bought to wear to the wedding.

But then, I just didn't.

The whole having to shop for a necklace and shoes thing.  I didn't want to.

I decided to go cheap.  Free actually.  To wear an dress that I had, with accessories and shoes that I already had............

Old Gap dress, old Urban Outfitters belt, and old, old Aerosoles shoes.

Really, it worked out perfectly, as the mister and I sort of matched.....

Not that that's what we were going for.

But I think I like how it all turned out.

Now, to keep or return the other dress???  That is the question.

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy,

Two Thirty-Five Designs, Rolled up Pretty, and

Lately (on Instagram)

As usual, in the land of Instagram, I captured some randomness from this week.

Like....airplanes on a dock......

And he didn't toss me into the lake afterward (as I had expected).

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Another item got checked off my summer list........

Mom taught me how to make her homemade biscuits.

Next up, her perfect pie crust!

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I did try cleaning the special room a bit.  And discovered that I have way too many vintage dresses.......

Should "way too many" ever be associated with vintage dresses?  

Only when you don't have closet space for them.

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I got flowers from my mama and a frapp from the mister on the same day!

 

For no reason, they said!  

(I was skeptical too!)

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In an attempt to drink more water, I fancied it up.......

I heard cucumbers made water more tasty.  Crisp.  I thought using a vintage pitcher might help too.

And guess what?  I drank the whole thing.  Then I bought more cucumbers.

Am I turning into a water drinker?

My New Year's Resolution will be happy!

Now if there was a magical trick to get me into running......

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Linking up with......High Five for Friday and Insta-Friday.

Weekly Recap (in Instagram)

School is out!  Summer break is h.e.r.e.

This week I spent some more time at the lake....

My second trip and school wasn't even out yet.  That's a pretty good record!  Must keep that up.

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I hosted our third annual Bachelorette Premiere party........

Every year, my favorite ladies gather at my house to eat, chat, watch the show, and chat.  

And eat!

Some new recipes and some tried and true party staples.

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School dismissed on Wednesday.  By 4:00 that day, this was what my classroom looked like........

Until August sweet classroom.

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My first day off was obviously yesterday.  A darling friend decided I shouldn't sleep in.........

Ten.  Texts.  In.  A.  Row.

Yes, I woke up.

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Four years ago today, the mister and I said, "I do!"

I loved our venue, our photographer.  

All of it, actually!

And we only had a week to plan the whole shindig!!!!  He proposed on May 22nd.  We decided to pull off a wedding by May 31st!   

Which turned out to be a very good day.

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Linking up with......High Five for Friday and Insta-Friday. 

Weekly Recap (Instagram Style)

This week........

The mister took me to Pheona's monthly sale as a birthday week bonus.  This is the only evidence I could get that it really did happen....

I swear that is the lawn at Pheona's.  

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The mister's family threw a surprise birthday party for me.  Can you guess the theme?

I was quite shocked.  They really did a great job of completely catching me off guard.

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I won a giveaway over at Because Shanna Said So and I picked out a vintage inspired necklace from t+j Designs.......

 

That ring might be a new purchase too.  Vintage marcasite from an antique jewelry case at Relics.  

Hey, I had birthday money to spend!

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Every time I visit my booth, I have to walk by this.....

And even though I do have one window from that space, I want every last one of em.

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A trip to Lowe's always results in a walk through the tile area.......

These are my top two picks for a laundry room redo coming this summer.

I know my favorite.

What sayeth you?

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Linking up with......High Five for Friday and Insta-Friday.