#Wifey Diaries: Christmas Jewelry

This Christmas season was so special.  It was our first Christmas as a married couple, as a family of two.  We had the best time with both of our families - and I massively enjoyed my ONE day off of work!  Working the holidays just makes you appreciate the little bit of time off with loved ones that much more, I've decided.  I also may have decided this because it's better for my sanity, but thats besides the point.  I know Christmas seems like it was a longggg time ago, but I still have some pretty details to show you!

As a newlywed, I got a couple very special & fun new pieces of jewelry that I wanted to share with you!  They are PERFECT - and would be perfect gifts for any newlyweds in your life.  I squealed for joy with each and every one.  They were thoughtful and simple and very ME.

First - my #Wifey necklace!  I already shared this one with you here, but it's worth sharing again. My littlest sister Sara got it for me - it comes in silver or gold, and they've added a few different fonts...but I'm obsessed with mine!  The swarovski rhinestone "i" is the perfect little touch.

Next up is the necklace I just shared on Tuesday - my Friction silver state necklace!  Katie got this for me in New York, at one of the many holiday markets!  We go shopping at them every year together, and this year she specifically led me away from this particular shop, so I was completely surprised when I opened up this beautiful necklace.  This one kills me - it is all of my homes in one place.  There's a miniature Rhody, CT, and an "M".  The first pic below is a little awkward, but it shows each individual charm the best, so I'm leaving it for ya.  The second one is a more accurate image of how the necklace hangs.  You can also get this necklace in silver or gold, with any combination of states you'd like!!

The last piece of jewelry is this bangle bracelet my MIL got for me.  It is a simple silver bracelet with an engraving inside - "the joy is in the journey."  When Ant proposed to me he talked about the journey we would be embarking on.  I referenced this is my vows back to him during our ceremony...so the reference to the journey is a special one for both of us.  It was such a thoughtful gift!!  This exact bracelet is from Lia Sophia and you can't get it online anymore, but MantraBand has some similar styles, if you like this one!

Aren't they perfect??

xoxo

The Little Things: Pearls and Pastries

TGIF!!!

This week started out nice and normal - work has finally slowed down after the holidays, and Ant and I have had a chance to get back into a slightly more normal routine.  We got to see my parents this weekend, and his mom yesterday...I caught up with my BFFL for a girls night on Tuesday - all sorts of lovely normal things! and then today happened at work.  and I'm ready for a TGIF relaxing night at home.  Soooo, I'm opening a bottle of wine and waiting for my husband to get home with sushi, and I thought I'd share something sparkly with you! 

Enter Pearls & Pastries.

I found her on instagram through my ongoing search for all things fun and wedding related.  I immediately loved all of the sparkle she has, and thought it would be the perfect little detail to add to my wedding day!  She often runs sales if you follow her - so one day when she was running 20% off, I ordered a hanger for myself!

When it came in the mail it was packaged with a pinch of confetti - so much fun! 

In the scheme of things, it was SUCH a small detail of the day, but when I look back at these pictures of my wedding dress it adds a totally beautiful touch! {also, can we just reflect again on those walls??? sighhhhh}

The gold was stunning, but if we're being honest.....this black and white photo is my absolute favorite.  Talk about timeless!!

I bought her standard hanger, but she has so many other fun options if you are looking to make your closet sparkle a bit!  Below are a few photos from her instagram of some of her other hangers for sale....never mind gifts for myself, I think these would make some amazing bridesmaids gifts!!  Who doesn't love some sparkle?  Or a personalized hanger just for them??

The little things may not make or break the day - but they sure do add some fun!! What was your favorite "little thing" from your wedding day??

xoxo

#Wifey Diaries: Mix and Match Mama

I told you my first #Wifey Diaries post would be about my crock pot....so now that you're all thoroughly excited...here we go!  This post is more specifically about Mix and Match Mama.  and how Mix and Match Mama makes me feel like a #SuperWifey.

Mix and Match Mama is the "foodie blog" of Shay Shull.  Shay is the sister of Sean Lowe {as in Sean from the Bachelor}.  I pretty regularly read both of her blogs, and recently Mix and Match Mama has become my favorite spot to go to for recipes, especially crock pot recipes!  They're sort of her thing.  Ant and I discovered the joys of crock pot cooking when we lived in our apartment but horribly underutilized it.  Since moving into our home, we have learned just how incredibly valuable it is!  There is NOTHING better than crock pot meals - especially in winter, which also happens to be one of my busiest times at work!  Crock pot meals are almost always comfort food...warm, and delicious and EASY.  Ahhh the easiness is unreal.  Even when I feel like I have zero minutes in my life, I can still find the 10 minutes it takes to prep the food for the crock pot, throw it in and hit start!  By the time we get home after a long day, dinner is ready.

She changed my life with this particular recipe for Sweet Corn Chili. {click the link for the full recipe!}  The shopping list was this:

Shopping List
1 pound of ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 (6 oz) can of tomato paste
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14 oz) can of creamed corn
1 (14 oz) can of diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Salt and Pepper
Sour cream and/or shredded cheese to garnish, optional

The first thing that stood out to me was that it was SIMPLE.  None of those ingredients looked at all complicated.  Ground turkey was a win for my *trying to eat healthy* husband.  I then decided to use her slogan "it's more about the method than the recipe" and ad lib it a bit.  I don't love onions, and I HATE jalapeños, so I skipped them entirely!  I stuck to ground turkey, chili powder, frozen corn and all of the canned goods! Talk about an insanely simple shopping list! {and if you know me and my grown woman grocery store temper tantrums, the more simple the list, the better}....I brought it all home, cooked it up....and had dinner waiting to surprise the hubs when he got home! and guess what?

It was amazing.  By far one of the best crock pot recipes we've made to date!  We eat it as chili...we eat it as tacos with sour cream and cheese added....we eat it as a nacho dip with tortilla chips...you name it, we've tried it!  It's good as dinner, it reheats well for lunch at work. It's a win/win/win.  

Yup.  That's right.  #SuperWifey speaking.

The same can be said about many of her other recipes as well - if I'm looking for something simple and delicious, 100% of the time I search her site first.  We had dinner with two other couples the other night, and I was bringing a side dish.  Something simple and delicious AND easy to transport?  Mix and Match Mama to the rescue!  I tried out her Mashed Potato Casserole.  I was able to do all the pre work at home, and when we got to our friends house I just threw it in the oven for 20 minutes and it was done! 

The thing I love about Shay is that she doesn't pretend to be too fancy or over the top.  Her recipes don't make me nervous about whether I'm going to screw them up or present them properly!  She uses disposable baking dishes for parties so clean up is easy, her dessert recipes often include boxed mixes as a starting point...she isn't worried about anything other than a delicious end result!  I may not have 3 kids, but my life is still pretty busy and it's nice to know that I can still feel like a wonderful hostess and wife without losing my mind in the kitchen! {besides, the reality of the situation is Ant is still a better cook than me....Shay just helps me hold my own!}

There are so many delicious recipes on her site, I occasionally browse to get an idea of what I might try next...I think this one is at the top of my list for next summer!

What sites are your go-to for recipes?? I'm always looking for new ones!  Do you have a favorite crock pot recipe?  Share, please!!  This girl will take all the help she can get :)

xoxo