Friday Cocktail Goodness ...

As we all know I am a lover of all things bourbon.  I used to just enjoy it in the fall and winter months and stick with vodka and gin for the spring and summer.  Lawyer is such a connoisseur of bourbon that he has changed my view on the matter.  I would say most days when I enjoy a drink it is bourbon related.  Especially if we are out and about, a bourbon drink on the menu will tempt me every single time. My new favorite bourbon is Gentry Bourbon from South Carolina.  Truly so good!

#yesplease

Fall Done Right ...

 
As I am easing into the beginning days of fall I am loving the idea more and more.  I admitted I am not a girl who jumps right into fall, its more of a slow crawl for me. The end of summer is always a hard thing for me to swallow so I am slower to embrace the new season.  A few mornings of crisp temps does help quite a bit to warm me up to the idea of a new season.  I know its silly but I truly love summer so very much!!

White House Wednesday Vol.

It's been quite a while since I posted a White House Wednesday post and it was high time I rectified that.  I don't want you thinking my love for a white house has dwindled.  Let me promise you that will never ever happen. 

I have some amazing images for you today, each of which is so fantastic along with a tour of an incredible home at the end. Sit back, relax and enjoy! 

Outfits On Repeat

Top || Jeans || Earrings (all on sale!) || Bag (vintage)

Remember this post when I was doing some fall shopping?  Well, it all arrived and I picked out my favorites and they are showing up in rotation already.  With a busy fall schedule I put some pieces together so I would be ready when I needed them.  Pairing outfits together is something I love to do and an easy thing to make sure you are prepared for the last minute decision to do something fun that requires more than my homebody outfit of leggings and a comfy tee.

The Magic of Wonder

Last summer my youngest child was instructed to read the book Wonder for part of her summer work. I had no previous knowledge of the book but reading the back cover I realized it would be a book that changed her perspective on so many things. What I didn't know was how much she would absolutely love every single page she read.

Fall Break 2017

Bag || Sweater (similar)

I have been looking forward to this week since the kids started school way too early.  As I was kissing our middle child goodbye as he headed to school on July 31 I just kept telling myself that Fall Break was coming soon.  I could literally see it in the future.

Dinner Party 101

I love to entertain.  Absolutely love it.  I love having people over, deciding what to serve them, setting the table and choosing the appetizer ... truly every single moment of it.  When the weather turns nice in the spring I start thinking about alfresco dinners and porch parties.  When the weather turns cold in the fall my mind immediately goes to pumpkin carvings and crock pot get togethers.  If it involves having people over I am one hundred percent all in.

Little Bit is a Teenager!

I am quite possibly in shock that on this day at 12:20 pm thirteen years ago we were blessed with a tiny baby girl.  She was so much smaller than her brothers, quite possibly the size of a large Kleenex box when she was all swaddled.  The spitting image of her Daddy and her oldest brother she entered this world with a bang. So tiny, yet so mighty and truly a sweet baby.

Introducing Art By O'Neill

I had the pleasure of meeting Jessica O'Neill a few times over the last year at various events but I never truly had the opportunity to chat with her one on one.  I was thrilled to learn she would be creating a capsule collection for Waiting on Martha as the new artist in residence and they would be hosting an event so close to home.  I sharpied the date in my calendar and counted down the days until it appeared.

Fall Decorating ...

via Hazen & Co. 

We all know I am a huge fan of summer.  I need to admit I mourn a little when summer ends. I feel like summer means lots of quality time, new adventures without busy schedules, wonderful alfresco meals and long nights of movies and games.  Fall is so busy and you have to hit the ground running when a new school year begins and it takes me a while to get into it.  I will admit I have a smidge of a bad attitude while I am adjusting.

Deep breath ... 

Shopping For Fall '17

Mug || Planner || Slay The Day Plaque (Michaels)

As I was calendaring things for late September and October I was a little shocked at how many things I have booked.  Between events and photo shoots and a video appearance I may have taken on a little much for this girl. It is high time I start deciding what to wear for each so at least that part is off my plate. Oh, and any volunteers to go along with me? 😳

Candlefish For Two

My outfit ... Top || Jeans || Sandals

His flops

As I mentioned before Lawyer and I celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary on August 26.  To celebrate I organized a day for the two of us from the moment we woke up to a wonderful dinner for two at one of our favorite dinner locations.  I truly believe that dating your husband and enjoying adventures together is the key to truly enjoying your marriage.  It is so easy to get bogged down in the day to day schedules and kids needs as they get older and forget all about each other.  I have committed myself (and him) to more adventures and weekly date nights and we have enjoyed each one.  I truly love and adore my husband and its so much fun to carve out time for just the two of us.

Introducing Dress For Cocktails

You know how you are scrolling through Instagram and something stops you in your tracks?  Anyone else do this and then spend forever down the rabbit hole of someone's feed.  I do it all the time but most recently when I discovered Dress For Cocktails.

Gathering Silver

I shared last year that I started collected a silver pattern for our youngest. Since she is the only girl I am thrilled to be collecting something she can use in her home one day with her family.  I have put other things aside for the boys, as they also are truly sentimental.  But for her I have started a silver collection.

I originally started the collection with just a few random pieces and over the last 18 months I have been able to locate and collect quite a few more. This weekend after two trips to Scott Antique Market I snagged even more.  It is exciting to hunt for her pattern and then come home, wash and polish the new pieces and add them to her silver chest. She even gets excited when she sees me pull out the chest and wants to know what is be added.

The pattern I selected for her is Grosvenor by Community and it is a silver plate pattern from 1921.  I love that it is silver plate for two reasons, she can use it every single day and it frees her up to collect a sterling pattern if she chooses later on.  The pattern is elegant yet classic and she can add a monogram to it if she chooses.  I truly do love the pattern.

At the moment she has 12 dinner forks, 8 dinner knives, 6 luncheon knives, 6 gumbo spoons, 2 teaspoons, 2 salad forks, 12 cocktail forks, 1 tomato server, a few butter knives and butter spreaders and a lemon fork. This weekend I also found a ladle and this morning I found a carving set and a pair of ice tongs. Along with antique shops and Scotts I have perused Replacements.  Their prices are a bit higher but they do stock hard to find pieces and sometimes the prices are truly perfect.  As I said before, it is all about the hunt for me. At the moment I am also looking to find a silver chest with more than two sections as her chest is beginning to fill up and you truly can't see what is inside.  We own Lawyer's grandmother's silver and it is in a rather large chest but I am noticing these are harder to find.  I am on the quest for something similar.

As I find pieces I don't always know what they all are.  The lemon fork was a tough one to identify.  I originally thought it was a pickle fork, but I was incorrect.  This guide is so useful and I printed it out to keep in the chest to help me identify what I find.  The knives and spoons are the most difficult for me since there are so many of each.  At the moment I am hunting more salad forks and teaspoons which seem to be the hardest to locate outside of the internet.  I will find them, it will just take some time!

What I love most of all while I am collecting is how involved Little Bit has become.  Every single time she sees me pull out the chest she is excited to see what I have found.  She knows I am saving it all for her and it is fun to see her enthusiasm as she sees me wash and polish each new piece.  Maybe one day she will even want to help me hunt.

Well, that is if she ever decides it is more fun than making slime with her besties ...

Happy Tuesday!!

Random Thoughts ... #09112017

via

Happy Monday to you all.  I have been rather quiet on the blog, but I am back and ready to make this week the best ever!!! I just needed a little time to process all of the goings around me and to hunker down with our family and friends.  I feel fabulous this morning, highly caffeinated, music playing and ready to tackle the week!

#letsdothis!

Last Call #801

I have eluded to being off the blog the last week or so for personal reasons but I didn't give any details.  Today as I sit here at my desk the week weighs on my heart, not in a bad way but instead in a way full of love and purpose.  The story I have for you is one I will never forget.  I write today with full permission of the parties involved and can tell you this post will inspire you beyond words.

Random Thoughts #09012017

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Happy Friday loves!  It has been a long week and I have neglected the blog for most of it.  I apologize but when my family needs me the blog, sadly, is the first to go.  I will share this much. Life is short, relationships are everything and we are all incredibly blessed!  Hug those you love, pray for those who need us and take a moment to help someone in need every single day!

Oh, and a smile and a hug makes everything better!