a saturday hike

i've been itching to hike for quite some time, and on saturday we finally got to! we were in the mountains of montreat for a wedding, so saturday morning was the perfect opportunity to hit the trails. not to mention the weather--oh.my.goodness. it was perfect. as you can see, i opted for pants over shorts, and even needed a jacket for a bit. at the top of the mountain, it felt like a glorious fall day. the sun was warm, but the breeze and outdoor temperature was cool and crisp. i could have stayed up there forever. but of course a shower and a 4:00 wedding was calling our name.

we're already planning our next hiking trip. can't wait!

#NatureCelebrates with Deer Park® Brand Nature’s Blends™ Fruit Flavored Beverages

i've partnered with deer park® natural spring water to share how i celebrate naturally, and how nature celebrates right along with me. as fridays are a natural day of celebration after a long work week,  deer park® brand nature’s blends™ fruit flavored beverages is inviting you to share your personal stories of celebration on their facebook page every friday.

this friday, it's raining over here in south carolina. it might seem dreary, but really it suits. it's been a looong week, and i think nature is crying tears of joy right along with me. "the weekend is here! we made it!" i plan on celebrating getting through this week with some rest, all weekend long. we are heading to the mountains for a wedding, so i'm hoping for some good sleep and a quiet saturday afternoon in the extra fresh mountain air.

happy friday friends!

*This post is sponsored by Deer Park® Brand Nature’s Blends™ Fruit Flavored Beverages, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting my sponsors!

h&m 50 states of fashion contest: final call

outfit details: dress h&m c/o; belt h&m c/o; shoes similar

today is the last day to enter the h&m 50 states of fashion contest. "why should i enter?" you ask. well let me remind you... a lucky winner from each of the five regions [we are the southeast] will win a $250 gift card to h&m, and a grand prize winner will win a $1000 shopping spree and a trip to new york fashion week. so join me, as south carolina's ambassador, on this last day of the contest! and don't forget to vote for your favorite outfits at hm50statesoffashion.com.

#HMShopOnlineSC

see my other two h&m posts here and here.

we're halfway through the week--happy wednesday!

saturday market

i've been itching to go to the downtown market all.summer.long. and now that we are at the end of summer, we finally made it! this summer has been a whirlwind to say the least [a wonderful one, of course], so we haven't found ourselves with a lot of free saturdays. with an open slate over the weekend, we slept in until 9 [since when did 9:00 become sleeping in!?], geared up, and headed out to the market. the weather was bizarrely chilly, but it worked perfectly [in my opinion] because i got to enjoy my cup of coffee without sweat dripping down my brow. it was a bit of a tease, though. i got home and thought about making pumpkin muffins. then, i quickly came to my senses and thought "no no no no no." not yet. we will soak up these last days of summer for all its worth.

we hope you had a lovely weekend!

around here.

as far as decor goes, our home is still a work in progress (i feel like it always will be), but i am happy with how far its come. we snuggle up and settle down in our love seat (and just about the only seat) in the living room and feel right at home. scofield got to display some of his favorite books, and favorite action hero movies, on our new bookshelf, so he is a happy camper. i'm not too much of a brisinger or fantastic four fan, but it's all about compromise, eh? and really, i'm just happy we have a bookshelf.

hope your weekend is lovely! happy friday!

parmesan and celery cauliflower rice

if you're like me, you are always trying to find ways to incorporate more vegetables into your diet. at times, this goal can take bizarre twists...like beets in your cake or avocados in your brownies. but these dishes always taste delicious and leave me feeling satisfied and healthy...like this cauliflower rice i made for a dinner meeting. sure i love rice, but sometimes i'm looking for something that is not so starchy, but is still filling. with dishes like this, it's a piece of cake to get your 3-4 servings of vegetables a day.

parmesan and celery cauliflower rice

ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 2-3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• dash of celery salt
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

first, add the garlic and diced onion to 1 tbsp. olive oil on medium high heat. next, rinse the cauliflower, remove the stems and chop small enough that it can fit into your food processor. Using the food processor, chop it until it has a rice texture. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the garlic and onions and transfer the cauliflower to the pan. using a spatula, mix the cauliflower around as it cooks and softens, about 10 minutes. as it is cooking, add the chopped celery and another tablespoon of olive oil. to finish it off, season with the garlic powder, onion powder, s&p, and celery salt. finally, stir in the parmesan cheese to give it an extra kick. 

easy, right!? i especially love how the celery adds a crunch to the soft cauliflower. serve it alongside grilled salmon, and you've got yourself a quick and easy dinner. enjoy!

falling forward

i know i'm getting a little bit ahead of myself here, considering it is still very much summer. but stores start coming out with their fall line and i just get absolute boot fever. what can i say...fall is one of my favorite seasons. and that's pretty much because of the clothes. well, that and the apple cider. 

the best part of august is that you get to start looking forward to fall, while still incorporating summer patterns and lengths..

1-h&m plaid shirt // 2-sole society smythe sunglasses // 3-h&m pumps // 4-ruche printed pants // 5-urban outfitters fall hat // 6-sole society shorts // 7-ruche floral print dress // 8- forever 21 black wedges // 9-target brown booties // 

you can also find me today over on reva's blog, daughter zion designs. check it out and show her some love.

H&M 50 states of fashion contest: outfit II

this sweater is by far my favorite item in my closet right now. i've always been a sucker for chunky, cozy sweaters, and this one is no exception. 

it's one of those sweaters that you feel super cute in SO you want to wear it out to dinner [helloooo adorable fringe]... AND when you come home you decide want to keep it on when you change into your sweats, because it's that comfortable. THEN exhausted, you crawl into bed with the sweater still on. at that point, let's face it...you're probably going to continue wearing it through the morning as you drink your coffee and read your book. it's not coming off..

this is a perfect outfit for those seasonal transitions. soon, evenings will get chillier, so the sweater is spot on. but, you still keep the look, and feel, of summer with the floral patterns and wedges.

in case you missed it, you can find my first outfit post here, along with more information on the contest.

hope you are having as much fun as i am with the h&m 50 states of fashion contest. there's only two weeks left, so get to instagrammin'! 

don't forget to vote for your favorite outfits here, and to check out h&m's online shop at: hm.com/us

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outfit details:

sweater: h&m c/o; pants: similar; wedges: shoemint; glasses: urban outfitters

as of late.

cupcakes balanced by brussels sprouts // running balanced by yoga // dinner dates balanced by movie dates.

life is good.

around town || e-city java

over the weekend scofield and i house/dog sat for his parents. on saturday we got up and headed to our favorite coffee shop in our hometown. ya know...just the place we spent hours upon hours talking and hanging out in high school when scofield was trying to date me ;). it's only full of a huge bulk of our earliest memories together.

i want to take home all of their furniture. the mix-matched vintage couch and chairs are a dream.

thanks for all of the great memories, e-city. and, of course, all of the great coffee!

H&M 50 states of fashion contest

calling all you fashionistas out there...

today i have the privilege of announcing to you the "H&M 50 states of fashion contest." as you may have heard, H&M is launching their e-commerce here, in the states, today (!!!) august 1. with the launch of their online shop (now open at http://www.hm.com/us/),  you have the chance to win a shopping spree at H&M and a trip to NYC fashion week.

across the U.S. each state has their own H&M style blogger ambassador, and i am super excited to represent south carolina! i read a quote once (on pinterest, i believe): "fashion is a beautiful form of politeness"...i have to agree. the older i've gotten, the more i've come to appreciate fashion and it's expression in simplicity. this is one of the things i so appreciate about H&M...their clothes have an elegant simplicity about them. Plus, nearly all your fashion needs can be met at their store!

How to enter and win!... upload a photo of yourself wearing H&M clothing to instagram using the hashtag #HMShopOnlineSC. when you use this hashtag, your picture will be directed to the official microsite for the contest: hm50statesoffashion.com (if you are not from south carolina, you can go here to find your state's style ambassador). browse the gallery of entries on the site and vote for your favorite outfits by "liking" them. after the three week submission period, the 5 most liked pictures from each state will go on to the next round.

next step: a panel of style blogger judges will pick one semi-finalist from each of the five US regions: northeast, southeast, midwest, southwest, and west. from there, H&M will choose the ultimate grand prize winner. you can find the set of the official contest rules here.

for my first outfit, i decided to spice up a lace dress with a leather jacket. 

this outfit is just perfect for a night out on the town, especially as we get closer to fall and the nights get a bit chillier. I'll be honest, my friends and family don't typically think of me as a fierce person...i'm more prone to a smile and a giggle. but no matter who you are, a leather jacket just screams "fierce!"... add to that some aviators...(a leather jacket totally calls for aviators) and you've got ferocity in the bag! 

outfit details:

leather jacket: H&M c/o; lace dress: similar; black pumps: similar

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you can also follow along with my H&M outfits on instagram, here

don't miss this chance to express your own personal style. go ahead...start posin', and shop at H&M!

what yoga means to me.

my yoga journey started in high school. during an extremely hard time in my high school career, yoga became a safe place for me. i learned that i have control over my thoughts, and through breathing deep i learned to find and live in peace. of course, i brought my own spirituality into all of this, letting yoga be a stomping grounds for me to work through scripture in my mind and meditate on the sweet words. the whole process was very healing, so when i got to college i continued my journey with a level 1 certification through yogafit. i started teaching at the gym on clemson's campus and fell in love with it even more. two years later i got my next yoga certification through yogafit and kept teaching until i graduated.

for now i'm not teaching, although i hope to be again in the future. as much as i miss teaching, this little break has been an opportunity for me to come back to my yoga roots...

a yoga session can completely turn my day around. sometimes i have those days where i just feel down. maybe i'm tired and am having trouble being productive...or i'm ancy from working in the house all day and eat ice cream for lunch (whyyyy???). all it takes is a 60 minute yoga session to release endorphins, balance my hormones, and completely transform my mood. my crappy turns into happy...

yoga causes me to stop and be still. other days i'm up at 7 running around at the hospital...then i'm spending the evening trying to get everything checked off my to-do list. yoga causes me to take a break, slow down, and be still. it helps bring my focus back to the joys of life rather than what i can accomplish in a day's time.

yoga increases my confidence. there is nothing that can make you feel good about yourself like getting that difficult yoga pose you've been practicing for months. once, i was looking at a yoga picture thinking, "wow, i hope i can do that pose one day." the next month, i was doing the pose! my body is constantly surprising me with things it is capable of, and i'm reminded that i am much more equipped than i realize, on my yoga mat and off.

yoga is one of the ways i take care of myself. when i think of taking care of my myself, i think about cooking and eating healthy meals, running, bubble baths, massages, and yoga...when i practice, i know i'm not just taking care of my body, but i'm taking care of my mind too. i'm not just stretching my muscles, but i'm strengthening them. i'm not just balancing my thoughts, but i'm balancing my hormones. i know that through my yoga practice, i can be a better wife and partner and to my husband. i can be a better sister, a better daughter, and a better friend...ultimately, i can be a better me.

yoga demolishes my stress and anxiety. stress...gosh. i've had my experiences with that junk....especially through college. i swear yoga is what kept me sane most of the time. i've often found myself thinking "if i can just make it through this, or just get through that, the stress will be over." but whether i'm in college, moving and unpacking, or starting a new job, the stress is all the same! no matter the season of my life, it seems to follow me....if i let it. i've learned it's not about "surviving" and until the stress passes, but it's about managing it. learning that i have a choice in how i handle anxiety, and that i am not bound to it.

one of the coolest things about yoga is that it has different effects on every person. every body needs something different, and your body is one of the greatest tools in telling you what you need. it will tell you and lead you there, if you let it. it might be through yoga, it might be through cooking, it might be through running. but what ever it is, i encourage you to listen to it...

do you practice yoga? i would love to hear what it has meant to you!

cranberry and chocolate chip cheesecake cookies

and here we are with another food post. this time: cookies...cranberry chocolate chip cheesecake cookies. i followed a recipe for cream cheese cookies a few weeks ago and LOVED them. scofield and i devoured them. i thought i'd make them again for a little family get together, this time with a few twists to the recipe. once again, they didn't last long...

cranberry chocolate chip cheesecake cookies

adapted from how sweet it is

ingredients:

• 2 sticks butter, room temperature
• 6 oz. cream cheese
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg, 2 egg whites
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

preheat the oven to 350 F. while the oven is heating, cream together the butter, cream cheese, and sugar using a hand mixture. once there is a smooth texture, add the eggs and vanilla extract and continue to mix. in a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and mix just until combined. fold in the dark chocolate chips and cranberries. scoop the dough onto a prepared cookie sheet and bake for 9 minutes. remove from the oven and let cool about 10 minutes before transferring.

for utmost flavor, store the cookies in the refrigerator :) enjoy!

some call it frittata. we like to call it egg pizza.

one word sums up a frittata: simple. It's a quick and easy dinner that anyone can make. seriously. i am the queen of burning dinners (just ask my husband), but this recipe always comes out perfect. it's a miracle every time. or maybe, it's just a super easy recipe.

 it's also a great way to get a mega-dose of vegetables. you can add as much of your favorite produce as you like: spinach, kale, tomatoes, even asparagus. for this frittata, i decided to use butternut squash and brussels sprouts. it was a big moment for me, considering butternut squash typically intimidates me. but it was a success and i finally feel like i can call butternut squash my friend.

butternut squash and brussels sprouts frittata

ingredients:

• 7 eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 1/2 cup chopped brussels sprouts
• 1 cup chopped vidalia onion
• 3/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp. dried oregano
• garlic powder, to taste
• salt and pepper, to taste

heat two tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat. split the butternut squash in half, lengthwise. using a spoon, scoop out the seeds. next, using a sharp knife, "peel" off the skin of the squash. now you are ready to cut the butternut squash into cubes. unless the squash is relatively small, use about 3/4 of the butternut squash. add it to the skillet and cook until soft, about 15 minutes. while it is cooking, chop the brussels sprouts and the onions. when the squash is soft, season with oregano and add the rest of the vegetables. to keep the vegetables moist, add two more tbsp of olive and oil and mix continually. 

next, whisk all of the eggs together being sure to whisk in a lot of air (makes for a fluffier product!). add garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the egg mixture. transfer the cooked vegetables to the eggs and mix in the parmesan cheese. the oil from the vegetables should be left behind ( to keep the frittata from sticking ) so add the egg and vegetable mixture back to the pan. cook on medium low heat for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. you will know when it is ready when you shake the pan and the middle does not jiggle. 

finally, put the oven on broil and place the frittata into the oven. let it cook for about 10 minutes longer to brown the top of the dish. remove and let cool..

dinner is served!