Ready for Black Friday!

So, I know Black Friday is still a little over a month away, but I already have my shopping trip on the brain. Every Friday after Thanksgiving, like everyone else, I go Black Friday shopping. I usually use this day to focus on buying fall and winter clothes including long sleeved tops, hoodies, sweaters, jeans, scarves and any other accessories that I come across. I go shopping with a budget, and I usually get a lot for my money. If you go early enough, you can swing some really great deals, so it makes getting up super super early all that much worth it. I always find myself shopping at the same stores too. I always go to American Eagle, Kohl's and Macy's. I've already been searching those stores online trying to get an idea about what I want to purchase that day. Below is my Black Friday wish list!

 

From American Eagle:

AE Artists Jeans. I love them so much that I want three more pairs in all the basic jean washes.

Pointelle Loop Scarves. I am beginning to have a scarf addiction. I like to have a variety of different scarves for whatever the weather may be.

 

From Kohl's:

Sweaters from LC Lauren Conrad. I have always been a fan of Lauren Conrad, so when she brought her clothing line to Kohl's, I fell in love with her designs. There is nothing from her line that I don't like, honestly.

LC's 3/4 sleeve tops. If you know me, you know I have about a billion 3/4 sleeved tops in my closet. I don't know why I love them so much, but I do. I guess it's because they are perfect for the times when the weather is so back and forth you don't know whether to wear a long sleeved shirt or a short sleeved one. Just throw on a 3/4 sleeved top and you'll be ready for whatever!

 

From Macy's:

I love the brand American Rag. They can be pretty expensive for the most part, but when they put their clothing on sale, they really put it on sale.

 

Okay, now that I've posted all of these pictures I want to go shopping really bad, but I'll just have to wait and save my money for Black Friday! :)

 

Katie<3

Another dachshund please!

I'm really surprised that every single blog post isn't about Leo. He is literally the best dog ever and I could talk about him and his cuteness all day long. I never thought I could love an animal this much, but I really do. I just love dachshunds period. I told Jarrett the other day that we could just have a farm full of dachshunds and no children, and I would be a happy camper. Just kidding though. As much as I would love to have a house full of adorable dachshunds, I do want real children too haha! I'm pretty sure my obsession as stemmed from my mom's obsession with them. Ever since she got her dachshund Sophie, I knew Jarrett and I had to get one too. Jarrett wasn't as obsessed with them as my mom and I are, but now Leo has stolen his heart and he is an avid dachshund lover.

 

I just can't get over how fast puppies grow up. Leo has gone from being able to sit in my hand to this bigger and much longer puppy. He is finally crate trained, completely potty trained with no more accidents, he sits for treats, he listens when we tell him "no", he goes in his crate when it's time for bed without us telling him to, and all in all, he's amazing if I do say so myself. Here are some pictures of him when we first got him leading up to now.

Leo at 8 weeks I believe. What a cutie pie!

Laying on his car blanket at the breeder's house. Such a little boy.

Sleeping on Jarrett when we first got him back to my mom's house. He was just a tad bit worn out.

Sleeping with dad after he just got home from deployment. This is by far my most favorite picture. If I'm having a bad day, I just look at this and I'm all better.

My two happy boys!

Happy sleeping puppy! He literally melts my heart when he smiles in his sleep.

 Every time we're eating a meal, this is what he does. He's so good at standing on his back legs. I feel like putting a sign on him that says "Will do tricks for food"! Haha!



My mother in law sent me this picture of him the other day looking out her window. So freaking precious!

 

So, it's not official or anything yet, but I'm hoping that once Leo is a year old or so that we can get another dachshund. I love having a little boy, but I NEED a little girl doxie. I've already picked out her name, that's how bad I want another one. Her name will be Madeline and we will call her Maddie for short! I want a little girl that I can dress up in cute little pink and purple outfits and show her off to the world. Yes, I'll be one of those owners that dresses her up in cute frilly little outfits. We bought Leo a rain coat the other day and he loved it, so we'll probably buy him more clothes soon since he'll actually wear them. I really want a long haired dachshund this time. The long haired ones are so gorgeous. I just want a dachshund that looks a little different than Leo.

 

Leo won't be a year old until April, so I'm trying to already budget and plan again like I did before. I'm hoping we'll be ready for another one by April because I really want Leo to have a companion. It's just hard because one puppy is definitely enough most of the time, and I feel like I might lose my mind with two puppies. It doesn't take much for me to get overwhelmed, and that was certainly the case when we brought Leo home. Now that he's much older, it's not so hard anymore, so at least I know it gets easier over time. I'm sure we can handle it. At least this time the planning isn't so hard being as we'll probably get her from the same breeder we got Leo from. Plus her prices are very reasonable and she's awesome to work with.

 

So stay tuned for when and if this happens! Also be prepared for more dachshund posts in the future! :)

 

Katie<3

Weekend stuff!

This weekend was filled with saying goodbye to a co-worker at Hallmark, a crazy grocery shopping trip by MYSELF, good cooking, an awesome Ravens game and me actually getting to spend time with my husband for a change. We have such opposite schedules so it gets hard to spend quality time together. Plus, he has worked the past two weekends, and not short shifts either. Sunday is usually the only day that we might have off together, so we make it count.

So this lovely picture above is of Rachel and I modeling our awesome Halloween witch hats. I met Rachel when I started at Hallmark a little over a year ago. She has literally become my first real friend since I moved to Virginia, and I am so thankful for her and our friendship. I seriously don't know what I would do without her. I usually meet people and obtain friends really quick when it comes to new situations, but when I moved here, that was not the case. Yes I met a lot of military people of course, but nothing really turned in to Army Wives like I thought it might. Having to go back to retail because I just couldn't find the right full time job was so hard, but meeting her made it all the better. I wouldn't trade how things turned out for anything. Anyways, Rachel was in the same boat as me when it came to looking for a full time position, and she found hers. Saturday was her last day at the store and although I'm sad, I'm so excited for her and all the amazing things that she'll accomplish at her new job. No one deserves it more. Don't worry though, this changes nothing about our friendship. No matter if we work together or not, or if Jarrett and I get stationed somewhere new, we'll always be best friends. We always seem to get in to something together, so stay tuned for future posts about our escapades! :)

 

The pictures below are of the gifts and things that we got her for her last day.

 I saw this adorable picture frame at TJ Maxx and just had to get it for her! I inserted my favorite picture of us in it so she never forgets all the crazy times we had there! :)

While I was checking out at TJ Maxx, I saw this cute little owl note pad. Rachel loves owls so I figured this little nick nack would go perfect with her picture frame. She loved both gifts.

Our Manager, Diane, had this all set up for her when we came in to work yesterday morning. She didn't suspect a thing. Flowers, balloons, a chocolate cake, a book of friendship and a card signed by everyone at the store was just the way to send her off to her new job.

 

Today, the husband and I had a lazy morning at home just hanging out with our awesome puppy and then we had a delicious lunch at Firehouse Subs. After lunch it was football time. I'm not sure if I've mentioned it before, but we are die hard Ravens fans. Actually, we are die hard any Maryland team. It was a weird game because the Ravens played the Cowboys. My mom was rooting for the Cowboys while we of course were rooting for the Ravens. Don't get me wrong, I do love most Texas teams because I'm from Texas, but I have lived in Maryland practically my whole life, so I want to root for my Maryland teams. We almost lost the game like two times, but we got lucky today and won.

 

While the game was on, I made a peanut butter pie by Paula Deen. Ever since Jarrett brought me back her dessert cook book from Georgia, I have been reading through it a lot saving the recipes I want to try. I actually would love to bake my way through the whole cook book just like in Julie and Julia, but I'm not sure I'm that brave. I LIKE cooking, but I LOVE baking. I'm not a real skilled baker, but I still try, and I love it every time. Below is my yummy peanut butter pie along with the recipe. The recipe is Paula's, but I decided to add on the peanut butter chips and Reese's cups to make it my own a little!

 

Laura's Peanut Butter Pie

 

CRUST:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons milk

 

FILLING:

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 5.1-ounce box instant vanilla pudding
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1 8-ounce container frozen whipped topping thawed

 

• Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie pan.
• Blend all crust ingredients together in a bowl with a spoon and press into prepared pan.
• Bake crust 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and allow to cool.
• For filling, using a fork, mix peanut butter and confectioners' sugar until crumbly.
• Sprinkle peanut butter mixture into bottom of baked pie shell.
• Beat pudding mix with milk for 2 minutes, using a handheld electric mixer.
• Pour mixture on top of peanut butter mixture. Spread with whipped topping.
• Add peanut butter chips and a few Reese's cups to the whipped topping.
• Refrigerate several hours before serving.

All and all it was a great weekend. No complaints here! Now, after the season premiere of The Walking Dead with the hubby, I'll be ready for another busy week.

 

Katie<3

Current obsessions and wishes!

 

I have decided to start a new entry called Current obsessions and wishes. It seems as if I'm ALWAYS obsessed with something. There is always something catching my eye. It could be a new fashion trend, getting a good deal on an item I love, stumbling on a new brand or new store, a specific food or new restaurant opening, or of course, any type of home decor tip. Whatever it may be, I somehow become obsessed, so I thought I might periodically share them with you.

 

Also, I am constantly making lists of items that I want. I seriously plan out what I'm going to buy each paycheck. Sometimes I feel as if I'm too materialistic because I buy way too many things for myself, plus the husband does too! It's hard to be a woman these days though. There are so many adorable things out there, and I can't help that I like nice things. Lord knows all the things I might purchase once I have a real full time job and a real salary! Ahhh be afraid, be very afraid!

 

Current Obsessions:

 

1.) Camouflage Under Armour hoodies

I have been wanting the pink one for about a year now of which Jarrett was going to get it for me last Christmas. Bass Pro was completely sold out of it and so was Under Armour online. Instead, Jarr ended up getting me the black one. I had been dying for a pink camo hoodie, but I loved the black too because it still had the pink camo in it. Bass Pro is one of our favorite stores, so we're in there quit frequently. This past week we visited like we always do and low and behold, they had my pink hoodie. They had four left of which they had one small. Jarrett bought it right then. I was so excited. I love unexpected surprises.

 

2.) Mudd smocked tops from Kohl's

I absolutely love smocked tops, especially Mudd ones. Mudd has always been one of my favorite affordable brands at Kohl's. I always lean towards the smocked tops because I love that banded feel at the bottom of a top. If you're not a fan of baggy tops, smocked ones are the way to go.

 

3.) Purses from Kohl's 

My purse obsession has become larger over the past couple years. I love my Vera Bradley, Coach, Dooney and Burke and all the typical high end brands. I also love the purse brands at Kohl's. These two purses were actually given to me by a family friend. One is Simply Vera Vera Wang and the other is Dana Buchman. I just love them.

 

4.) Dollar Tree nail polish

I have come to learn that nail polish can be expensive. I walked out of Ulta one day and had spend about $30 on three bottles of OPI. Seriously? Whoa! I love my OPI, but this dollar tree brand called L.A. Colors worked just as good as a popular brand. My co-worker Jillian steered me towards this brand because it actually does work better than my other brands. Hmm $30 for three bottles or $3 for three bottles? I wonder which is the better deal? :)

 

5.) Pocket bacs, large hand sanitizers and mini candles from BBW

I love Bath and Body Works so much! When they run their sales on these items, I go crazy. For $5 I can get five mini hand sanitizers or two mini candles and for $15 I can get five large hand sanitizers. They usually run these deals for a good while, so I always try to get in there and stock up. I'm so funny. I have to have each of these three items for each season and holiday. I can't help it! Ha! :)

 

6.) "Love" votive holder from Yankee Candle

I love living so close to the Yankee Candle Factory Outlet in Williamsburg. They have so many other cute things that the small stores don't have. This votive holder caught my eye so quickly and I knew I had to get it. I'm not usually a votive person because I love the jar candles and tarts better, but I just had to get this. I am currently burning sparkling apple in it, and it smells so divine.

 

Current Wishes:

 

 1.) New Coach purse

This is the new Madison Metallic tote. It is gorgeous, and I think I will make it part of my Christmas list!

 

2.) New Vera Bradley purse

It has been forever since I got a new Vera Bradley! This print is called Rosy Posies and the purse is called the Laura tote. I'm in love.

 

3.) Cowgirl boots

Ahhhh I have been wanting cowgirl boots for forever now, and these are definitely the ones I must get. These are called the Old Gringo Sora boot and they are from this amazing store I just discovered called Country Outfitter! Being as I am from Fort Worth, Texas, how in the world do I not own a pair of these bad boys, or should I say bad girls?

 

4.) Sanuks

My younger brother works at an awesome shoe store back in Maryland called Vernon Powell Shoes. He owns like a billion pairs of Sanuks and has urged me to get a pair. I may just have to ask him for a pair as his Christmas present to me.

 

5.) Beaded bracelets

I have always loved beaded bracelets and I had no clue that you could get such cute ones at Bass Pro Shop. I didn't even know they sold jewelry to begin with, so when I saw these, I became a very happy girl.

 

6.) Rain boots

 

I really really need to invest in some cute rain boots. I'm the stupid girl who refuses to take her Uggs off when it rains, therefore nearly ruining every pair of them. Argg. Now that I have a puppy, I'm outside a lot regardless of the weather so I need to be prepared for when it rains. Plus rain boots are easy to slip on for when my little guy has to go potty!

 

Well that's it for now. Stay tuned for more posts on my obsessions and wishes. You might find yourself feeling obsessed and wishful too.

 

Katie<3

Blog facelift!

Standby! I am in the process of re-doing this blog to make it just a tad bit more presentable. Although, I am starting to notice just how picky I am seeing as I've been working on this blog change for about three to four hours now and it's 1:10 in the morning! Nuts much? I think so. But hey, don't you want to come to a more adorable and less boring page? Yes, you do. I am not the most savy when it comes to stuff like this, but I'm surely learning. I look at all these other gorgeous blogs and I want the same look for mine, but my own spin on it. So, stay tuned. At the rate I'm going, the way it looks now may not be the way it looks tomorrow. Any feedback is also welcome! :)

Katie<3

Remember what is most important...

Since I started this blog, I have incorporated a lot of quotes and poems within it. I may have mentioned them in a previous post, but these quotes are from my Blue Mountain Arts fridge calendar. Yeah, it may seem silly to dedicate a whole post to a quote on a refrigerator calendar, but it's not. The whole calendar is about giving inspiration each month. I bought the calendar at my store and have been in love with its words ever since. It gives me hope every day, and by sharing the quotes on here, I also plan to give you hope whenever you need it. The following quote is by writer Vickie M. Worsham.

 

It's not having everything go right;

it's facing whatever goes wrong.

It's not being without fear;

it's having the determination to go in spite of it.

 

 

What is most important is not where you stand,

but the direction you're going in.

 

It's more than never having bad moments;

it's knowing you are always bigger that the moment.

It's believing you have already been given everything

you need to handle life.

It's not being able to rid the world of all its injustices;

it's being able to rise above them.

It's the belief in your heart that there will always be

more good than bad in the world.

 

Remember to live just this one day

and not add tomorrow's troubles to today/s load.

Remember that every day ends and brings a new tomorrow

full of exciting new things.

Love what you do,

do the best you can,

and always remember

how much you are loved.

-- Vickie M. Worsham

 

Although I have never heard of any of the writers on the calendar, they are amazing all the same. I love walking in to my kitchen every day and having a calendar like this on my fridge. I just love calendars plain and simple. You turn the page to a new month and there is either a cute picture, a picture of something you love, or words that enter your thoughts. Whenever I'm having a bad day, I just look at the quote of the month on my calendar and smile knowing that tomorrow will be a better day. So go out and buy a new calendar. Buy one that inspires you to better tomorrows. Whether it has quotes on it or just a cute picture, you'll be glad you did.

 

 

-Katie