November

We have now entered into November, one of my favorite months of the year. I truly come alive during crisp, cold weather. This fall has been so beautiful in Middle Tennessee. The past couple of years have been drab and the trees don't really make much of a statement but this year they are breath taking.

I assume its due to the "mild" summer with plenty of rain. Does that make a difference in the changing of the leaves? I'm not sure...I'm not a scientist, totally just guessing here.

I hope you had a lovely weekend, I sure did :) 

The Mr. and I spent lots of much needed time with our families and celebrated the first weekend in November with a cozy breakfast at The Country Boy in Liepers Fork. If you ever pop in, you must try the Backwoods Benedict. It's officially Monday and it's  back to the bump and grind- 

I'll talk to you soon...

xoxo bd

Original photo taken by Anastasiya Belik

The Great Outdoors

It’s that time of year again when I get the itch to go into the mountains. After living in Western North Carolina (near Asheville) for 4 years, my heart had grown to love the scenic surroundings and misses them often.  Since moving we would visit at least once a year to spend time with my grandfather but now he is living with my parents and our “vacation home” is no longer. This is what happens as the leaves change, the air becomes crisp and the days grow colder; I want to be in the mountains.

This morning I pondered the idea of driving back to Asheville for a weekend getaway. I start totaling up the cost of gas, hotel, food, Starbucks of course…and well…it got a little steep. So I figured we may start planning a trip closer to home but in the smoky mountains. We are thinking of camping in Cades Cove; some place serene and beautiful. We don’t own a single camping item so we will have to round up things here and there…if all else fails, I would like to rent a bare bones cabin with a wood burning stove. Think flannel blankets, board games, hot chocolate, warm fire....

If ever there was a time of year for camping, it’s now. Though most might count me out as a rustic gal, I sure do love sleeping under the stars and cooking breakfast over an open fire. {Read: Once in a while}

I hope this is keeping you cozy and possibly fueling a fire to go camping yourself.

Talk to you soon...

xoxo bd

{Photo Credits: This Rustic Life}

Date Night: Fall Edition

If I were to give advice to anyone that is married or in a relationship in general, would be to do your best to get to know your partner and encourage what they love. If you can have any part, big or small, in their interests then take part! But believe me, I’m no saint, I’m still working on that whole golf thing my husband loves.

If you can’t already tell, I am a huge fan of fall and Adam is as well. We spoke with each other for the first time on Halloween night and truly met for the first time in November. It’s just our happy season…literally and figuratively.

I have had a plan for a while to have a full on date night full of goodies, our favorite Halloween movie, cozy blankets and warm candles. When October 1^st arrived, I knew my plan was ready to fall in place. Operation fall date night surprise was going to be in full effect. 

I purchased beans and filled vases that had candles in them throughout

With an assortment of out favorite movie candy, bowls of chili and get this, Zombie Sun Drop, we had a pretty great date night in watching Hocus Pocus. If you were a 90's kid, I'm sure you understand our fascination with fall and Hocus Pocus...they just go hand in hand.

I hope you have a great start to October like we had.
I'll talk to you soon...xoxo bd

First Day of Autumn

That's right, its the first day of Autumn!

We have already been drinking apple cider on the regular and have mums placed on our front porch and walkway. We're just a tad bit fall obsessed. 

Last night I ran into  walked around Hobby Lobby for an hour to gather wreath supplies. I swear, you can't walk into that place without getting sucked into their 50% off sales and discount seasonal decor. Oh those sneaky sneaky people!

I thought I'd share a few of the items around the house that have made an appearance in the last week prepping us for this glorious season. 

1. The parking lot in front of my work has leaves falling already! {That's pretty much the only tree I've seen around doing so...but it works for now.}

2. Pumpking Spice Latte Starbucks VIA packets {They're quite tame compared to a piping hot espresso and milk, but there's some flavor}

3. 'Leaves' candle from Bath and Body Works.{ My all time favorite fall/winter scent which has been wafting through our home every night. You must, at the very least, head over to B&BW to smell it! We also own this scent in the oil for our lamp rings.}

For inspiration? Well if you would like to inspire yourself with images of crunchy leaves, pumpkins and warm blankets, check out some of these Tumblr's:

Hot Apple Cider

Sweater Weather

Good Old Fresh Air

and if you would like even more options for Autumnal/Halloween/Fall tumblrs:

Fall Blog Network

I hope this helps to start your season off right!

Have a lovely and cozy Friday night, I'll talk to you soon...

xoxo

Green with Envy

As fall approaches, the newest trends and seasonal colors are making their way to the stores.

I love a deep dark emerald green and was to the moon when I saw that Essie polish above in the store tonight. That's right, even nail polish lines have their own seasonal collections and for 2012 they brought out Stylenomics.

I am definitely green with envy for this shade and am on the hunt for the perfect forest/hunter/emerald hued leather piece of luscious arm candy.

Until then, you are welcome to drool over Elie Saab's gown, YSL's to-die-for clutch and of course, Stylenomics.

I hope you have a wonderful night! I'll talk to you soon....

xoxo bd

Pumpkins and Date Night

Hello again, friends I don't know about you but I am oh-so ready for fall. This past weekend I had the urge to watch Hocus Pocus. If you were a kid in the 90's, or maybe a parent to one, I'm sure you're familiar. Let's talk about pumpkins...I love them. Pumpkins on your front porch, pumpkin patches where you can pick your very own, pumpkin spiced lattes, pumpkin loaf, you name it, I love it. Fall just feels like home to me. I'm sure if you were to visit my blog(s) or diaries from the past 10 years or so, I always have an "I love fall" post. August flies in at the end of summer and my heart wants crisp air again. Can you blame her/it? So here I am lusting after a Season. I know I shouldn't lust but by-golly I'm tired of sun dresses. 

 Now let's talk about last night. Yesterday at work everyone gathered around my desk as they typically do, because let's face it, I'm the bomb dot com  close to the candy bowl. Anyway, my boss starts to speak sweet words about someone in our office and how hard they've been working then begins to mention some of the tasks I took care of. Lo-and-behold out of his mouth comes, "And so I hope you and Adam can find a night to treat yourselves to dinner on us." 

Really? Me? Us? Dinner? Dinner we don't have to pay for? Dinner at a restaurant I've been dying to try?

Yes. Please. and Thank You!!

They were kind enough to give us a gift card to Mack and Kates with a hefty sum giving us the opportunity to have two special dinners. Thank you everyone!!

I should have taken more pictures of our time or at least their decor; so cute and rustic! But you can only get a glimpse of what we ate.

I had the seared scallops over a cheesy quinoa and shaved brussell sprouts while the hubby had Lobster Mac'n'Cheese. Both of us really enjoyed our meals and are excited to go back again. I would love to try their brunch menu on an upcoming weekend. Today I've been sipping on green smoothies and chopping on apples to make up for our indulgent meal. Ohhh sooo yummy!

I will update in the next couple of days with photos from the baby shower this past weekend!

I hope you have a wonderful Wednesay! Talk to you soon...

xoxo bd

A Warm Get Together

It is 4 days to halloween and tonight I have a fun fall dinner planned with my family!

Has this month flown by or what?! 

We do very little entertaining but find that the colder it gets, the more we want to have people over.

Last year we held a party with all of our friends and even had some spiked cider; so good!

As we have finally settled into our home we are having my parents and grandfather over for some Shrimp Etoufee, a Davis family favorite!

Today the weather has been gray and cold so I think a warm soup will make the night even better.

Hopefully I can document the night ahead of us and share it with you soon.

Have a lovely evening!

xoxo bd

{Photo Credit: Martha Stewart}

Bonfires and Cider

Our weekend was filled with classic Autumnal favorites like bonfires, apple cider and cozy blankets as we went over to an old family friend’s home for their annual bonfire get together. It was so nice to be with people I hadn’t seen in years and catch up while sipping on hardcore cider and warming our hands by the fire.

Saturday was busy from morning to night with Adam spending time with his law school friend Zack and myself with my good friend Lisa! While the boys were having lunch and talking football us girls were all about Nashville trying to find the perfect dress for Lisa's brothers wedding in Tahoe this December. You would think with the many stores we have at our fingertips that something would be amazing but 6 hours later and 30 dresses back on the racks, there was nothing. Both of us were worn out from the shopping and ended the night by trying and failing to craft. Exhausted, I fell asleep watching my current obsession, Pan Am. 

Sunday was surely relaxed as we went to a new church we've been visiting and doing Mexican with my parents for lunch! Every Sunday we make it a point to spend time with them to catch up on each of our lives.

Did I mention I made them watch my above mentioned obsession, Pan Am? Yes, of course I did! Now I realize I must do a little post to coerce you all to catch up with the episodes on Hulu.

It is Beverly Hills Housewives time so I must bid you a bientot!

Here's to a classic autumnal week... xoxo bd 

{Photo Credits: Books-Cats-Coffee}

Don't you just love the colors of fall? I'm currently obsessed with burnt orange and antique-y bronze shades.So rich and luxurious! At the mall last weekend we purchased an oil to go in our lamp ring which I prefer to candles. Don't get me wrong, I have a candle obsession that can never be beat but if I want a smell to permeate quickly I choose an oil. Bath and Body Works was having a great sale on candles {2 large for $20} but I was still reluctant to spend that much. If I'm dropping money on candles it for Tyler candles hands down. All of that jargon to say, we bought the scent Leaves. Oh my word our house smells so scrumptious! Please please take a moment if you have a B&BW to take a whiff

Our weekend has been quite tame with spending most of our time in front of the tv watching Netflix movies.

Our close friend Holli was supposed to visit but unfortunately some things came up last minute and she was unable to make it. Boo on that but she promises to visit soon. Yay! 

We also had a bit of a set back concerning those pesky tax issues from a while back. Just when we feel redeemed something else comes up. Uggh. I'm so ready for it to be over with.

Moving on to other subjects.... last weekend we saw the movie "Life As We Know It" with Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhmel. Definitely something to go catch in theaters if you can! Because of that movie I was inspired by some very cute kids items and photos. A post on that soon.

Well I hope that you've had a splendid weekend filled with apple cider and falling leaves. 

Have a lovely day...

xoxo .bd

{Photo Credits: Dress Design Decor and Sweet Paul via Everything Fab }

Yesterday marked the first day of Autumn! Don't you just love school supplies, like a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils. 

To be quite honest, our weather here is rather toasty and humid at a high of 98 for today. The forcast for this weekend says it should be in the 70's a temperature I've forgotten about. 

A few weeks ago we bought a couple of fall scented candles and can't stop burning them. The warmth of the cinnamon is just so cozy, they make our house feel like a home, you know?  Next few things on the to buy list are pumpkins and fabric to make an orange,yellow, and brown bunting to hang on our porch for Halloween.

Here are some photos that have recently gotten me into the spirit of fall...

Tomorrow after I get off of work we'll be driving back to Nashville for some needed family time. I loved seeing them as often as we did back in the summer so it's due time.

Off to watch Thursday night shows. I'm so glad everything has started up again!

Talk to you soon,

xoxo bd

Isn't Kate Bosworth stunning? An absolute representation of what a lady looks like to me. Classic, beautiful and clean. I  have an obsession with all things lady like. I used to read etiquette books for fun for goodness sake. There's something about Jackie O. and Audrey Hepburn that all women seem to gravitate towards and I think it's because they had the utmost class. They were put together at all times, something my Mamma taught me :) . My desire is to be gracious and elegant
 

Having quite a girlie night while hubby is at a friends apartment watching the Saints game!

Sometimes I need a little alone time to watch one of my guilty pleasure shows, like Housewives of DC and do my nails. Oh and on top of my pampering I made some pasta with alfredo sauce and peas, I mean can you get more girlie? Okay maybe a glass of wine....yes that would be perfect.

Our week hasn't been too exciting like usual it's school and work. The weather has started to lighten up and the leaves are slowly changing.

I'm excited for fall to come for a visit, a long long visit I hope. This summer has been oh so brutal not to mention brutal on our wallets. Our MLGW (Memphis Light Gas Water) bill was astronomical that has lead us to cutting back like crazy. But as I said, I'm looking forward to fall not only for the cooler breezes, chai lattes, and scarf wearing but also for our bills to go down. Can I hear an amen?

Tomorrow will begin a wonderful weekend , have a lovely nights sleep!

xoxo .bd

{Photo Credits: Pretty Stuff & Kate Arends}

A Day At The Zoo and Some Good Cooking Too

Can you believe it's already Wednesday....and how about this, November! Still shocked, now I'm just ready for the super cold weather to come our way. *70 degrees outside today*
Despite our Spring/Early Summer temperatures the trees are starting to change the beautiful colors of fall. Yesterday Adam, our good friend Allison and I took a trip to the Memphis Zoo to see the newest addition, The Tetons Exhibit. The sidewalks were lined with trees of burnt orange and bright yellow, perfect for pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today:
A few minutes ago we finished dinner which took me about an hour to make. Granted I was roasting a chicken in the oven which is what took up the majority of the time, but still!  There are definitely days when all I shoot for is heating up leftovers and then there are days where I get inspired to make an actual dinner. Having my mom tell me about stretching a whole chicken for around 3 separate meals I knew it would help our budget and my creativity. Score!
Having spent $3.42 on this splendid poultry friend I embarked on roasting it in the oven!
Simple ingredients:  fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, butter, onions, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Instructed to baste with the juices every 10-15 minutes made it so juicy and tender, Adam kept complimenting me so I'll take it!! Just roast for 1 hour at 400 and voila. Side dishes were corn on the cob and homemade creamed spinach. (Wonderful creamed spinach recipe by the way!)

{Before}

{After}

 Have a lovely Wednesday evening.

betsydavis.

{Top Photo: Perfect Bound}