Drink of the Month: Michelada

With Summer winding-down I am moving on from the citrus cocktails of summer and into fall-spiced ones.  But, Texas is still hot, so I can't help but crave Micheladas.  

A Michelada is the product of a beer that married a bloody mary.....but so much better.  With a small addition of bloody mary mix, lime juice, worcheshire, and hot sauce, it gives the beer a tang and a kick.  

Served over ice, a Michelada is refreshing, spicy, and too easy to chug within two minutes of making it.  

Michelada, serves one

• 12oz beer, preferably a Kolsch, Lager, or Mexican Lager 
• 2oz Spicy Bloody Mary Mix
• 1oz lime juice
• 1/2 oz worcheshire
• 1/2 oz hot sauce 
• ice
• garnish: lime wedge

Date Night Style: Lace & Zippers

Let me start by saying, I have not loved an outfit this much in years...

Who doesn't love a good romper in the summer time?  Especially when it is one as comfortable and cute as this one.  I found this gem of a piece on one of my weekly trips to Target.  I couldn't believe how lucky I was to find such an adorable, sexy piece for the price.  

With the lace detail front, and the zipper back it's the perfect combination.  Plus, it's navy blue, which is my favorite color to wear.  

I love how high-up the lace neckline goes.  With all the details, very little accessories were needed.  I wore my new favorite jacket (two-in-one) earrings, and my navy blue and gold bracelet to match.  

THESE SHOES!!!  I found these perfect brown booties at Target as well, with zippers on both sides to match the romper.  They are seriously one of the most comfortable pair of shoes I own.  I will be wearing these all the time this fall.  

Affordable (thank you Target),

cute,

sexy, 

comfortable,

and

the perfect summer-to-fall transition outfit.  

Summer Festival Style

Something always on our schedule is beer festivals, especially since we own a brewery.  In the past I have worked our booth at festivals so I was always wearing a brewery shirt of some kind. 

 Ever since my little boy made his appearance I rarely get to festivals, but when I do, I am not working them; which means I get to wear whatever cute outfit I want.  Hooray!  

It's no surprise that Texas Summers are brutal and being outside can sometimes be excruciating.  That is why I am loving rompers right now!  I wore my first romper purchase of the summer back in May for UnTapped Fort Worth.  This romper is so lightweight, you can barely feel that you are wearing anything.  The drawstring around the waist gives you plenty of room to move around in, and it's easy to use the restroom (romper lovers you know what I mean).  

I picked-up this little number at Old Navy (big surprise, my favorite store these days).  I was timid to buy it wondering if I would wear it, but I am so glad I did.  I have worn it just about once a week for the past two months.  I paired it with my brown boho sandals (to match my sunglasses) for the perfect festival look.  

You can never go wrong with a black and white romper; perfect for a summer heat wave.

Drink of the Month: Tropical Red Sangria

I love Sangria!  Not the nasty stuff you find in a plastic bottled labeled, "Sangria," but real hand-made Sangria prepared with a good bottle of wine.  

White Sangria has always been my Sangria of choice.  I like Red Sangria, but I always found it to have a weird flavor that I just wasn't a fan of.  I finally realized what the flavor was, it's Brandy.  It seems like most Red Wine Sangrias call for Brandy, and I do not like the stuff.  So I set-out to make one that didn't involve Brandy.
  
It took a couple years, and a few failed attempts that went down the drain, but I finally concocted the perfect Red Wine Sangria for me.  

Most Sangrias are comprised of four main ingredients: wine, liquor, sugar, and fruit.  
*Wine is the easy one, I prefer a dry-spanish wine in Sangria, but most any red wine will work.  
*For the liquor component I used spiced rum instead of brandy.  
*The sugar was no sugar at all, it was Simply Tropical by Simply.
*The fruit was slices of orange and lime (because it's what I had on hand at the time).

Finally, a Red Sangria that I can drink all Summer long.  

Plain White Tee

I have always been a fan of plain white t-shirts, but only if I can find one that doesn't get tattered and faded in the wash.  A few months ago I picked-up this adorable slouchy one from Old Navy for just $12, and it has been my best friend ever since.  

Not only do I love how it drapes, but the material is a thicker, more course one, so it isn't see-through or too delicate.  

Lately, I have been wearing this tee with shorts and sandals, but my favorite way to wear it is with blue jeans and pointy-toe flats.  

The jeans, a steal from H&M, have quickly become one of my favorite wardrobe items as well. (They stretch and have a higher waist, which is perfect for chasing a baby).  

I added my Aventine Collar Necklace, Heirloom Crystal Bracelet,  and a teal Kate Spade bag, and I was ready for a dinner date with my two favorite people.  

*Dinner was Mexican, and somehow I managed not to get any salsa on the shirt.  Outfit for the win!* 

Woodland 'Onederland' Camping Birthday Party

I am pretty sure I was pregnant just yesterday, but somehow my perfect little boy just turned one.  All the sayings are true, you blink and time has passed you by.  It wasn't a sad moment for me though, it was a happy one.  Seeing how much my baby has changed and grown over the past year has been so much fun, and I can't wait to see how else he astonishes and amazes me in this coming year.  

Of course being the party planner that I am, I went crazy planning his first birthday bash.  It wasn't about him remembering the day (we all know he won't), it was about giving me the satisfaction of knowing I did what I could to make the day special; and for theme to really shine through.   Plus, I had a lot of fun with it.  I could go into so much detail about everything I did and how I did it, but i might bore some readers.  If you have a question, ask it, and I will answer.  

THE THEME

It started out as a Lumberjack party, but that seemed to not fit a May birthday; with the flannel and all.  Then it changed into a Teepee party (since one of his gifts was a teepee from his mommy and daddy), but I felt like it needed to be more centered towards boy.  His nursery is Woodland themed, so a Lumberjack-Teepee party morphed into Woodland Camping!  It was perfect. 

The backyard was scattered with hand-painted wood signs and arrows.  We had blue and teal streamers were swinging in the trees, with camping signs all around.  A "fire" was started to roast some melty marshmallows.  And a wall of pallets greeted you as you entered the party.  

We set-up our camping tent full of balloons for the kiddos to play in, had a 'ball and can' toss game, and a coloring station for younger ones.  The theme was very obvious to say the least.  

THE SMASH CAKE

Yes, I am one of those moms that doesn't want to feed their kid a sugar-filled cake on their birthday.  That doesn't mean I won't let my boy have a sweet thing every once in a while, but I didn't feel that it was necessary for his cake to be that way.  

After searching through dozens of recipes, I finally found one where I was mostly happy with the ingredients, so I took the recipe and changed it to my liking.  A simple mixture of flour, baking soda, salt, egg, and coconut oil.  To add the flavor; a bit of vanilla extract, pineapple pieces, banana, and cinnamon.  Then for the icing: creme cheese whipped with 100% pineapple juice.  The cake was actually quite yummy for no sugar-added.  It took my little guy a few minutes to warm-up to it (probably because it was being stored int he fridge so it wouldn't melt in the heat), but once he started to pick it apart it kept him occupied for about twenty minutes.  

THE BIRTHDAY BOY

I knew I wanted pictures of baby T scattered around the party to show how much he has grown and changed over the past year, so I decided to do "A Year of Tucker" from Day 1 to Day 365.  I printed all the pictures in 4x4, attached them to string with clips (so I didn't ruin them), and strung them across a pallet.  

I also put together a board of all of his monthly sticker pictures.  Ah, a bittersweet image to see.

THE FOOD & DRINKS 

You can't go camping without beer, and luckily we knew exactly where to get a keg of Mr. Green Pale Ale.  I personally like to 'camp' with sangria though; a giant mason jar full of Sparkling White Berry Sangria.  

We had your typical camping food: Smoked Hot Dogs, macaroni salad, and beans.  We also had some snacks to appeal to all age groups: twigs, campfire flames, fish bait, bear poop, etc.  Then we topped it all off with S'mores Cupcakes. 

THE ATTIRE

This one was easy for me: jean shorts, HAPPY CAMPER t-shirt, and Chaco's.  The hubby wore a camping themed shirt as well.  Baby T had three different Camping/Woodland themed outfits for the day and pretty much ruined all of them.  :) 

THE GOODY-BAGS

So the party guests would, "Take a Hike," I made S'Mores trail mix.  It was a delicious combination of Teddy Graham's, mini marshmallows, and chocolate chips.  It was hard not to eat it all while stuffing the bags.  (Note: The cereal and Teddy Graham's went stale really quick, so stuff the bags the day of the party and encourage guests to eat it that day as well).  

Overall my baby boy had such a fun day and so did we.  Hmmm, is it too soon to start planning birthday #2?  I don't want him to be two yet, I just want to plan another party.  

Overalls

Yep, I said overalls.  You know those things your parents made you wear when you were a kid that you needed help unclipping so you could use the restroom?  Ahhh, memories.  

The adult overall trend has been on the horizon for a little over a year now, and I have been wanting to get myself a pair since then.  When I was pregnant I thought it would be so cute to sport a pair with a big ol' baby bump; but I didn't want to spend the money on them when I wouldn't be in them very long.

Lucky for me I found a kickass pair at Old Navy about six months after my little guy was born, so I immediately got them.  They hung in my closet for a few months before I mustered-up the courage to wear them, but I am so glad I did because I seriously love them.  

I've worn my overalls a few times with different colored tanks underneath; I think sleeves look goofy with overalls.  On this particular occasion I paired them with a simple black tank, a colorful wrap bracelet, and some cute periwinkle slip-on sandals.  We were walking around downtown for an arts festival, so comfort and minimalism was key.  

I am definitely looking forward to wearing these again before it's too hot to do so.  

Curious how others wear their overalls?  Head on over to Fizz & Frosting to see how Lauren styled hers.  

*I have to brag, I got these overalls for a STEAL.  They were on sale for 30% off....and since they were apparently an on-line purchase return, I was given an extra 30% off the sale price. I had no idea Old Navy did that but I lucked out.  So I only paid $12 for these!  #shoppingvictory #bargainshopper

Drink of the Month: Blackberry-Lime-Tequila

I am not a huge fan of Tequila.  The whole, "One Tequila, Two Tequila, Three Tequila, Floor," thing is pretty accurate.  However, I do enjoy a nice margarita on the rocks when I am chowing-down on delicious Mexican food here in Texas.

The problem with all the margaritas you find at restaurants is they are loaded with fake ingredients and tons of sugar.  You can order a 'skinny' one, but they seem to give you a tiny drink with no more than five sips involved.

So, make yourself a margarita at home and you will not only be happier with the taste and flavor, but you will be happier with the calorie count as well.

Blackberries are in season right now and are plump and juicy, so when I bought a package at Sprout's I knew they were going to be used in my margarita.

Like all margaritas you have to start out with a nice silver tequila.  We had Patron at the house, so that is what I went with.

Next you need limes, duh.  Fresh-squeezed of course.

Then you need a sweet component.  I like to use local honey or agave nectar in my drinks, and I just so happen to have some Spicy Honey on hand (a gift I received from a friend).  Perfect!

Lastly, the blackberries.  Blackberries have so many seeds so you will want to toss them in a blender and then strain them so you get all the seeds out.

Now you can combine all of your ingredients.  The ratio of each is totally up to you.  Do you like it more tart?  Add more lime.  More sweet?  Add more honey.  Fruiter?  Add more blackberry puree.  Or if you had a rough week at work, just add more tequila.

I personally like mine balanced with an equal amount of sweet and tart.  I did go a little heavy handed on the blackberry puree though.  :)

Cheers!

Date Night Stripes

Hooray for date nights.  This past Friday was just the fourth time in nearly eleven months that the husband and I were able to go out for a date.  The weather was perfection, and there was a festival going-on downtown, so it was a wonderful night for walking around.  

The evening started and ended at Fort Worth's only Prohibition Cocktail bar, Thompson's Bookstore, which opened while I was pregnant.  Finally, a good cocktail bar in town.  

For our casual, yet sophisticated night out, I wore a new striped tank-top.  The mix of horizontal and vertical stripes with spaghetti-straps, and a v-back, was the perfect amount of cute, with a little skin showing.  

My navy blue wedges tied-in the navy from the top, while my turquoise purse added a pop of color. 

The neck-line on the tank-top was perfect for a collar necklace, so I wore my new favorite Howlite, Crystal, and Gold one.  

A simple, cute outfit for a fun Friday on the town.  

Necklace, Chloe and Isabel

Tank, BP by Nordstroms

Jeans, Loft

Shoes (similar), Target

Bracelet, J Crew

Purse (similar) Kate Spade

Baby, Mine :) 

Decorating an Entryway on a Budget

When we moved into our house we thought we would get it decorated and stocked with nice furniture within a few years.  Well, seven years later, aside from some new paint on the walls, it looks exactly the same.  No hardwood floors, no master bedroom set, no new kitchen table or couch, etc. Life happens, money happens, and before you know it, time has passed.  We have recently hit a rut with our home and are ready to get the ball rolling on making it look how we always wanted it.  But, we have to start small.

One of the smallest areas in our house is the one that drives me the most crazy.  It is the first thing you see when you enter the house, the last thing you see when you leave, and well...you always see it.  It's our entryway!  A small space of ugly tile flooring with the front door and the garage door.  I have always hated having the garage entrance there; it belongs in the kitchen.  With two swinging doors we have one small space to actually decorate.  Up until now this space either housed hand-me-down faux leather ottomans, or a small table.  I have tried to change it up dozens of times with different pieces throughout the house, but I could never get it right. 

When I set out to re-decorate this space, I knew I wanted three things:

1- a bench

2- a place for shoes

3- wall hooks

A few months ago as I was wandering Michael's looking for Valentine's decor, I found these wonderful metal baskets.  They screamed Magnolia to me, and they were Buy 1 Get 1 Free.  Of course I bought them.  They sat on the floor in my entryway for nearly two months while I tried to decide how I was going to incorporate them into the space.  

Finally, while strolling through Target one weekday with my baby, I went down the wrong aisle looking for closet organization and found this gem of a bench. I looked the mix of wood with wire, plus it was the perfect size for my space, holds shoes, AND within my budget. 

A few more trips to Target and a month later; to return and exchange things as I tried to make the space look perfect, I was ready to decorate.  

In the end I decided to use only one of the hanging baskets, with a family photo, and command center.  I didn't exactly get a row of hooks; but who wants ugly jackets hanging there anyway?  

The piece de la resistance; this beautiful rug.  It ties in the grey from the walls, the teal from the door, and the coral and yellow touches from the rest of the house.  

It's not perfect but it's a million times better than it was before.  

Spring Showers

It was this week last year that I was crazy pregnant enjoying the spring weather at my outdoor baby shower.  Here we are a year later already, but now I am enjoying spring storms and showers.  

Thankfully, instead of having a giant belly and penguin-walk like last year, I have an adorable 10 month old and am slowly working on getting my pre-baby body back.  I gained a lot of weight during pregnancy, we are talking 50 pounds, but I am proud to say that I am just 8 pounds away from my pre-baby weight right now.

With that being said I don't dress like I used to.  Adorable cute clothes are hard to find, especially since I am a larger size than I was once was.  In a desperate attempt to add some clothes to my wearable collection, I gutted my closet to see what would still fit me from before baby.  That is when I found this little polka-dot number.

This shirt has been in my collection for a few years; the ruffled bottom and zippered back attracted me to the shirt years ago, and seeing as how ruffles are huge right now, I knew it was perfect.

For a stormy Spring day I paired the top with my black skinny jeans and Hunter rain boots.  I didn't feel like a lot of accessories were necessary with this ensemble, so I kept it simple with a pair of stud earrings.

Hopefully I will be back to my pre-baby weight by swimsuit season, but for now I am pretty proud of myself for how much weight I have lost so far.  Now to prepare for today's predicted thunderstorms.  

Drink of the Month: Champagne Cocktail

As much as I love brunch we don't make it at home; it's typical scrambled eggs for breakfast daily around here.  I decided to try to elevate our egg breakfast at Valentine's Day by making a brunch beverage...The Champagne Cocktail.  

A Champagne Cocktail is one of those things that isn't a set recipe.  There are dozens of ways to make a Champagne Cocktail, there is just one rule, it must have Champagne.  

Step 1: Find the right Champagne.  I went with a Cava, much more affordable than champagne, and easy to find.  (I personally like a drier Champagne, not a sweet one).  

Step 2: Add a splash of juice.  I like grapefruit juice because it adds a nice tartness and pucker without the sweetness.  But, you can use any juice you like.  

Step 3: Add a raw sugar cube to the bottom of the glass.  If you like your cocktail sweeter, you can stir it until is dissolves.  If you are like me and prefer just a hint of sweetness, you can leave it on the bottom and let it dissolve just slightly.  

Step 4: Top with a little more Champagne and a cute garnish.

Cheers!