Hello, Pretty!

Ok, I must admit that I am not Internet savvy, so please excuse the fact that I have to provide you with the link as opposed to the actual picture of this adorable shoe I found while perusing one of my favorite shopping websites, Piperlime. The Kate Spade "Kimmy" is the shoe of dreams for me at the present moment.

http://piperlime.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=78867&vid=1&pid=291999002

A mix of beige and black patent leather, the 3.5 inch wedge heel would be the perfect go-to shoe for work and it's versatile enough to wear with skirts, pants (both skinny and regular), and dresses. The shoe is a little above my price range, though, at $298. I might be making excuses, but I have not made a major individual splurge in a LONG time. What do you think? Should I pull the trigger and order? XOXO M

It finally arrived!

Due to popular demand, this beauty was on back order for close to 5 weeks. Late last night after arriving home from what seemed like the longest baseball game in history, I noticed the area rug I ordered from Crate&Barrel finally came in. Before I even unrolled it I though that I might need to exchange it for a smaller size. However, much to my astonishment the 4x6 fit PERFECTLY in the main "work" area of the kitchen. I can't begin to describe how much better this rug looks in place of this ugly placeholder I was using until I found something nicer. The color is called Harper Maize and its a a nice blend of gold and creme. It seems to be pretty heavy duty so I'm sure that it will wear well. Next purchase: matching 5x7 runner. Happy Saturday!

XOXO M

Yes please!

Yes please is exactly what I said to myself when I saw these adorable Bandolino flats on clearance at TJMaxx. I tend to wear a lot of neutrals and I love the pop of patent leather coral on the heel and toe of these shoes, though these pictures don't do the color any justice! I think these will look adorable with a pair of cropped skinny jeans, what do you think?

xoxo

      J

Natural Beauty (face edition)

Hi all! This is the next post in my ‘Natural Beauty’ series- in search of paraben free products! I love St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Cleanser and I interchange that a few times a week with St. Ives Fresh Skin Make Up Remover and Cleanser. I adore the Green Tea cleanser more than anything as it helps combat redness which I tend to get with my crazy sensitive skin! I swear, my skin is crazier now at 30 than it was when I was a teenager! I’m going to blame some of it on stress….thanks to my hubby being deployed. Way to go Michael ;) haha no, but really I’ve always had sensitive skin and I find using more natural products have helped.

As far as lotion goes, I have a bit of a regimen I recently started and it seems to be so far so good! I wash my face with the above mentioned products. Sometimes I use Say Yes to Blueberries Pre-Moistened towelellets first to get the initial gunk off my face. I then follow up with c. Booth Tea Tree toner, and either Say Yes to Carrots SPF daily moisturizer or Say Yes to Blueberries night time hydrating cream and I use Avalon Organics Vitamin C eye cream because I am noticing the slight start of crows feet creeping in. Damn it for being 30 and damn it for always being out in the sun and squinting when I was younger!

I was just given a sample of Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil that I’ve heard wonderful things about so I will be adding that into the routine at some point and I’ll report back!

Comment below and let us know what your skin care routine is like! What works, what doesn’t?

xoxo

      J

What we’re lovin’ Wednesday

What I’m loving today is this adorable pair of stud earrings! I got them at Taxico Sterling (you may recognize that store name from seeing it in airports with some gaudy giant silver leopard sculpture out front) I think I got mine at the Philadelphia airport, but I’m not certain. I know Taxico Sterling is at the Philly Airport, Miami, Dc/Reagan and Dulles and I’m sure at others! I’ve had them for over 3 years and used to wear them religiously when I worked in an office in DC. I totally forgot about these little gems until I went through my jewelry to pack up for Germany. I haven’t worn them the last 2 years since I haven’t been working in an office, but I decided to rekindle my love affair with them because I think they’re just too cute not to! What are you loving today?

xoxo

     J

So what I'm loving this Wednesday are my sunglasses. This is the first new pair I've purchased in, probably, a half decade so they're pretty special. When I look at them I can't quite place them in a category other than to say they are a hybrid of Wayfarer and maybe cat eye? Not only are they comfortable, they look good on a variety of face shapes. When I went to buy them online (like so many of my other purchases) they were sold out. I ended up tracking them down at a local Sunglass Hut and am so glad I did.They are quite lovely....

xoxo

     M

I caved...

Hi all! So I recently caved in and hopped on the Toms shoe bandwagon. I don’t normally like to buy things I see so many people wearing, but after reading the reviews and loving the fact that every pair purchased supplies a pair of new shoes to a child in need…I caved, for a good cause :) The truth is, I think these shoes are awkwardly adorable and like all the reviews said, they are super comfy and pretty much molded to my feet after one wear! If you are thinking of possibly purchasing a pair at some point, be aware they do stretch a little and they don’t sell half sizes. I wear a 7.5 normally and I got a 7 after reading they would stretch. They are still a tad snug but definitely stretching a little more with each wear! Pretty soon they should fit my foot perfectly! What are your thoughts on the shoes? Love them, hate them? Leave a comment!

xoxo

       J

Roasted Corn Salad

Hi loves! I’m back with another non-recipe (I don’t have any exact measurements again) but I promise I will have some recipes with measurements at some point! This salad is delicious and pretty simple to make! Hardest part is chopping the ingredients, and that’s not even that bad! Hope you enjoy!


Ingredients:

-Corn (I’ve always used on the cob, this would probably work with frozen/thawed and pan roasted though)
- Red Pepper chopped
- Jarred Roasted Red Pepper chopped
- 1 can of black beans or black eyed peas rinsed and drained (or both!)
- Onion chopped
- Avocado chopped
- Lime Juice to taste
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Splash of rice wine vinegar
- Cilantro (I use tons of cilantro because I love it!)

　
Roast corn on the grill or in a cast iron pan until lightly charred. You’ll hear the corn popping a little and you should start smelling a hint of popcorn smell when its ready. If you are grilling it, you can lightly rub canola oil on it so it doesn’t stick to the grill. Take it off the grill and let it stand and cool while you throw the beans, some chopped onion, chopped red pepper, and chopped roasted red pepper in a bowl. After its cooled, cut the corn off the cob, add it into the bowl, squeeze on lime juice to taste, add a splash of rice wine vinegar and as much cilantro and you like, mix it all up, season with salt and pepper to taste then add the avocado in last and fold gently to keep the chunks from breaking. Put in the fridge for a little while to cool down and let the flavors combine then enjoy!

　
As with all of my “non recipes” I don’t use measurements… I do it to taste. If you don’t like a certain ingredient, find a substitute for it that you do like or leave it out all together. I love anything with lots of lime and cilantro so I’m liberal with it! This salad is great for hot summer days! Let us know if you have an easy summer recipe we should try!

xoxo

    J

Pretty Amazing...

Yesterday was a pretty awesome day in East Tennessee. For the past week forecasters we calling for temps in the 90's and, indeed, their predictions were correct. Mark and I were fortunate that two of our friends asked us to come over and spend the day at "the lake." Though Mark is just 3 weeks fresh out of surgery, we were not going to pass this opportunity up as we both love being with our friends and enjoying the outdoors. With the sun shining and the water clear and warm, we spent all day enjoying lifes little pleasures. I must admit, I felt like a kid again eating popcicles, playing with our friend's dog "Harley," and kayaking around the dock. I can't help but smile as I write this because the memory is still fresh in my mind. How do you all or "ya'll" spend your summer? Lounging poolside? At the beach? Lakeside? May the rest of the summer be this magical! XOXO M

Sunshine and Sangria

Hi All!  I hope you’re enjoying your weekend! I’m spending this beautiful day sipping on some Sangria at my parents house and video chatting with the hubby. It’s my last weekend in the states and it’s nice to be able to sit back and relax (even though I should be packing!) This sangria was super easy, we just threw some Pinot Grigio, Prosecco, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries in a pitcher and it’s delicious!

xoxo

J 

Hello World!

Tyrone is looking out the window and Lucy is being dramatic.

Good Morning! Michelle introduced you to Duke and Dylan, so now you can meet their cousin’s Tyrone and Lucy! Unlike Michelle, I will admit that I can be a crazy cat lady! I love these guys! My cats have traveled more than most humans, and for the simple fact most cats don’t really like change I am extra lovey with them when we have to move with the military. We are actually gearing up to fly back to Germany next week so the cats have their ‘pet passports’ in check!

I adopted Tyrone back in 2006 when I was living in a tiny studio apartment in DC. A year later I convinced Michelle to move down to DC into what could possibly be labeled the best apartment ever. I was nervous for her meeting Tyrone because I knew she didn’t really like cats, but like Duke and Dylan, Tyrone is more dog. I like to think living with Tyrone for a year got her on the cat bandwagon! After Michael and I married in 2009, he was about to leave for the military and he thought Tyrone would get lonely so we adopted Lucy. The two are best buds now! Lucy is definitely all cat, she is super clingy and can be somewhat dramatic (see picture above!) but Tyrone's mellowness cancels her clingyness out. I promise I won't post any more cat related posts...unless its super funny! Hope you all have a great weekend!

xoxo

     J

Real love is...

Front: The Disposable Heroes Project

Hi Everyone! So if you know me or you read the “about us” section, you know by now that my husband is in the military. He is currently deployed and we are getting close to the end of a year long deployment!!! Only a few months and he’ll be home! YAY! Anyway, I wanted to share the awesome racer back tank I just got from The Disposable Heroes Project. I make donations yearly to various charities, but obviously anything supporting the troops hits close to home for me. The fact that I can help support them and buy a cute top all at once is a bonus! I bought this top thinking I’d workout in it, but it’s a great quality American Apparel tank! I might have to rock it with a cute outfit too! We’ll see if I can work it into an every day outfit and I’ll post some pics! Can I just add that I ADORE the little dog tag print on the back that says “Real Love Is Trading Your Pearls For His Dog Tags.“ What do you think of it?

xoxo

      J

Look how awesome they are!

Look how awesome they are! Let me first preface this post by saying I am NOT a cat lady, I swear. In fact, I get the distinct feeling that they are dogs but in cat bodies. Initially, I was all about adopting a puppy. That was until I dog sat for a friend and needed to scale back my ambitions. A few weeks and petfinder.com searches later, and I was all "meet your new mommy" at Petsmart. Because Mark had recently moved to Knoxville and I was in Pittsburgh I thought that a cat adoption would make or break our relationship. He ended up LOVING the cats.  In fact, I often find all three sitting together on the couch watching SportsCenter. So World, meet Duke and Dylan. Good night.

XO M

Quick Quinoa Recipe

Hi All! So I’m actually going to call this a non recipe and more of an idea because I don’t have/use any exact measurements and I tend to make this differently every time depending on what I have in the fridge!

If you haven’t tried Quinoa yet, you should! Its super delicious and good for you. If you currently use couscous, try and swap it with quinoa to see how you like it. Quinoa is gluten free, high in protein and provides 9 essential amino acids. What’s not to love?!?!

I usually use Bob’s Red Mill Organic Quinoa, but there are plenty of other brands on the shelves, so scope them out!

　
Ingredients:

-Bobs Red Mill Organic Quinoa (or any Quinoa of your choice) follow instructions on the back of the package to prepare-- usually just involves boiling it for a set time.
-3 Tbs of Newman’s Own Olive Oil and Vinegar dressing (you can use more or less to get your desired taste)
-Halved grape tomatoes
-Pitted and chopped Kalamata Olives
-Chopped Cucumber
-Crumbled Feta Cheese
-Chopped Artichoke Hearts

　
Cook the quinoa according to the package directions, let it cool in the fridge once its done cooking. Then add some Newman’s Own Olive Oil and Vinegar dressing, as many halved grape tomatoes, kalamata olives, cucumbers, artichoke hearts and feta cheese as you want and enjoy! I don’t normally add salt or anything since the olives and cheese are salty enough. The beauty of this dish is that it is super simple and you can tailor it how ever you like! Don’t like olives? Omit them! Love them? Add more!

Do you have a favorite recipe using quinoa? Comment below and let us know!

xoxo

      J

Natural Beauty (body and hair edition)

Hello loves! This post is one of a series of posts I will be doing about my make-up/skin care/hair care routine using products that are paraben free. No, I’m not a crazy hippie and no, I’m not an expert in natural products. I do, however, know a few things that have driven me to make my routine about 98% paraben free, and as free from added chemicals as I can get. You do not need to spend a ton of money to find paraben free products. Sure, some products are pricey, but throughout my “Natural Beauty” posts I will explain why I will pay a little more for certain products and what brands I’ve come across so far!

Parabens are common preservative used in cosmetics that are thought to mimic the hormone estrogen, which some studies show plays a role in the development breast cancer. The FDA believes that we should not be concerned about the use of parabens in cosmetics because they're applied at low levels. However, as someone who has dealt with cancer in my family that is one reason I look for my every day products to be made paraben free. Another reason being I have pretty sensitive skin and would like to avoid putting tons of chemicals on my skin to cause any further irritation. Again, I am not an expert, this is just my opinion.

As far as hair and body is concerned I’ve hunted down some great paraben free body washes, lotions and shampoos! I use St. Ives body wash in whatever fragrance looks and smells good! St. Ives has great body lotions as well but since this is now the summer season I’m on a kick with Tree Hut Coconut and Lime shae butter lotions. They smell AMAZING and are super hydrating. Hair wise I use Organix shampoo and conditioner or Alba Botanica shampoos and conditioners and since I have pretty rough water in Germany I use Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque once or twice a week to try and combat how dry my hair gets here!

Between the St. Ives, the Tree Hut and the Organix, they are all great products under $10! The Alba products are under or around $15 and the Macadamia products run under $30 usually, but I think its fine to splurge since its not something you use daily and it works really well.When shopping for paraben free products, read the labels- most will say Paraben free! All of these brands can be found at Target, CVS, Ulta and other similar stores in their natural section. Comment below if you have any favorite products or new ones I should try!!

xoxo

       J

What we're lovin' Wednesday

Hi loves! I’m currently slightly obsessed with the new Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain that I recently stumbled upon in Walmart! Coming from someone who pretty much only wears chap stick, this is a big deal! This product is amazing! It goes on like a chap stick but leaves a great hydrating stain that last a long time. Not to mention the range of colors offered leaves a little something for everyone. I had purchased chubby lip stain balms in the past from some high end brands and they were $30...at only around $8 you really can’t beat this product from Revlon. I currently have Lovesick (a bright pink) and Rendezvous (a coral/orange) and I plan on going to get more! If you’ve tried these too, leave a comment and let me know you’re favorite shade!

xoxo

      J



Hi and Happy Summer Solstice, everyone! In honor of the best time of year to dive into a good book while relaxing by the beach or pool, what I’m loving today is: “Fairy Tale Interrupted: A Memoir of Life, Love, and Loss” by Rosemarie Terenzio. The book provides a look into the real lives of John F. Kennedy, Jr. and his wife Carolyn from the perspective of John’s personal assistant, Terenzio. Given my love of politics and fashion, this book was on my list of must-reads and it did not disappoint. Fashion, you may ask? Why yes, Carolyn helped lay the foundation for my love of good style. Though I’m no expert in giving literary critiques, Terenzio excelled in personifying two public figures that led very private lives up until their untimely deaths in the late 90’s.

The pressure John was under as editor-in-chief of the monthly political/lifestyle magazineGeorge, and the challenges Carolyn faced in maintaining her own identity once linked to John, created friction between the two; something I know we have all experienced in different ways in our own work lives and relationships. What I love most about the book: it’s told through the eyes of a girl from the Bronx. She’s a hard ass, which I can see why John and Carolyn made her part of their inner circle.

xoxo

      M