Grable Tales

What I Wore Wednesday

2012-02-15T07:28:00.000-08:00

Happy Wednesday! So a little story --- I really tried to be better this week and take a few more outfit pictures than last week, but for some reason, the outfits I was selecting were just not working out as well in real life as they were in my mind. Some of the blame is due to the lack of creativity I've been feeling lately and some is just me falling into my usual rut of wearing the same thing over & over again. When I start to feel like this, I tend to want to go shopping, but maybe with the help of Pinterest I can find some new ideas using what I already own {and save some money!}. I'll keep you all posted :)

I did want to share my little Valentines outfit from yesterday, featuring my new DOTS shirt I picked up just for the occasion:

{sweater: Eddie Bauer; tee: DOTS; jeans: Nordstrom; shoes: Toms}

As for our Valentine's Day plans, we spent the evening at home and made homemade macaroni & cheese for dinner {my favorite!}. It definitely wasn't anything extravagant, but just right for us!

How was your Valentine's Day?

#febphotoaday Week 2

2012-02-13T19:00:00.000-08:00

Another week down! This week, I had a friend {hi Sherlai!} who mentioned how much she likes seeing my 'photo a day' and that honestly made me happy! I know I'm doing this little challenge for myself, but with each like + comment I receive, I smile a little bigger. So thank you to all those who enjoy my photos too!

+ Day 6 - dinner
+ Day 7 - buttons {on my way to a meeting}
+ Day 8 - sun{less day, of course}
+ Day 9 - front door

+ Day 10 - self portrait
+ Day 11 - makes me happy {wrapped gifts for my SIL that I know she'll appreciate}
+ Day 12 - inside my closet

If you'd like to follow along daily on Instagram, check out my feed here!

Love... Valentine TOMS!

2012-02-10T07:28:00.000-08:00

{here}

Most people around me know that I'm a big fan of shoes. And lately, TOMS have been my shoe of choice. So when I saw this pair, I had a hard time keeping my online-shopping trigger finger away from the 'buy now' button. But gosh, I can't stop thinking about them!

Happy Friday everyone!

Edited to add - Thanks to the best husband, these shoes are now on their way to me!

Our Story {Link Up}

2012-02-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

One of the {many} blogs I follow, I Love You More Than Carrots, shared a link up yesterday that I couldn't resist - What's Your Love Story. And since I don't recall sharing a lot of these details on the blog, this hopefully will be new information to most of you! Enjoy!

1. How long have you and your significant other been together?

Sam & I officially met back in the Fall of 2004, but didn't start really dating until March of 2005, so that would make it almost 7 years!

2. How did you meet? {What's your "love" story?}

Sam & I met in college, through mutual friends. He was a senior and I was a sophomore. He lived in a house on-campus with a few of my guy friends and since my roommate and I found ourselves over there often, Sam & I eventually met. At first, I didn't really notice him, but thanks to the power of IM {instant messenger}, we slowly got to know each other better. And before I knew it, I was going over to see him more than my other friends.

3. If married, how long have you been married?

This June, we'll have been married 4 years!

4. If you are married, where did you get married at? Big or small wedding?

We were married in Bend, Oregon at Aspen Hall {a place I had wanted to get married at years before meeting Sam}. We had about 250 people at our wedding and it seemed just right for us because we had everyone we loved their in attendance with us!

5. Do you have any nick-names that you call one another? Do share!

I think Sam has more nicknames for me than I do for him, but one that he calls me often is 'Meag-train' and I usually reply back with 'Sam-face'.

6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey.

*His devotion to his family + faith.
*His sense of humor.
*His ability to fix almost anything.

7. Tell us how he proposed?

Two years {to thedate} after Sam officially told me how he felt about me, he got down on oneknee to ask me to be his wife. We haddecided to spend Christmas together early, since we'd be apart for the actualholiday, and we went up to Portlandto spend the day together.

Iknew he had picked out the ring a couple months back, but had no idea when hewas planning on proposing. Before the date, I had mentioned to myroommate that she should take her phone with her "just in case somethinghappened". Little did I know that my roommate was already aware ofSam's plan the whole time.

After a drizzly day in the city, myapartment was our final destination for the night. This completely threwme off because I was sure if Sam was going to propose, he would have done itsomewhere during the day. But once we were on our way back to myapartment, I was sure it wasn't going to happen that night. {But I was wrong!}

When we got to my apartment, Sam asked ifwe wanted to exchange gifts. I gave him his present first, which includedSeinfeld season 7. Then Sam gave me mine - a new Bible engraved with'Meaghan Grable' {my name-to-be}, which oddly didn't give me any cluewhatsoever. At least not until Sam turned to me and said "there'smore..." and got down on one knee and pulled out the ring! I wasshocked and before he had completed "Will you marry me?", I hadalready said yes!

8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne, and rose petals?

I'd say he's definitely a 'flowers' guy. Even when it's not Valentine's Day, he'll still surprise me with a pretty bouquet of my favorite flowers!

9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or pop a movie in and relax on the couch?

Hands down, I'm a 'pop a move in and relax on the couch' kind of girl. Nothing makes me happier than being cuddled up with Sam!

10. Tell us one thing you'd like to do with your significant one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere?

Sam & I didn't get the chance to go on a real honeymoon after our wedding, so one thing I'd love to do with him is go on a trip, just the two of us. All of our other travels have been to visit family and friends {which is great!}, but I dream of a vacation where we can just just relax and enjoy each other's company no matter where we decide to go.

11. Tell us what you plan on doing on this Valentine's Day.

I don't know of any plans for Valentine's Day, so my guess is we'll probably just treat it like any other night.

12. Are you asking for anything this Valentine's day?

I did drop the hint that I'd like 'Twilight: Breaking Dawn part 1', but I may just end up having to get that for myself.

13. Give us one piece of advice of keeping a relationship strong and full of love.

Remember to be open & honest and not let the little things get you mad. Also, laugh a lot!

14. Show us a picture of what love means to you.

What I Wore Wednesday

2012-02-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

Well hello Wednesday... you kind of snuck up on me. Since my mind was elsewhere this week, I only have two pictures this week. Hopefully I can catch up {and take more pictures} before next week rolls around...

{sweater: Anthropologie; shirt: J.Crew; jeans: Gap; flats: Clarks}

And here is my Pinterest pick for the week:

Source: polyvore.com via Meaghan on Pinterest

And my inspiration using items from my closet:

{sweatshirt: hand-me-down from Kristi, shirt + jeans: Nordstrom; shoes: TOMS}

#febphotoaday Week 1

2012-02-06T19:25:00.000-08:00

I'm back with February's photo challenge! {to read more about this challenge, check this out}

+ Day 1 - my view today {morning meeting}
+ Day 2 - words {from my 'Truth' board on Pinterest}
+ Day 3 - hands {perfect fit}

+ Day 4 - strangers {in a coffee shop}
+ Day 5 - 10am {kicking my feet up before my day begins}

If you'd like to follow along daily on Instagram, check out my feed here!

Loving Yourself First

2012-02-02T09:30:00.000-08:00

When I was younger, I remember being told that I must first love myself if I wanted anyone to love me back. Of course, I didn't know what that meant back then, but through the last several year, this phrase has taken on a whole new light. I've realized, through trial & error, that in order to love myself, I must be just that... myself!

It's definitely not easy to be your true self in a world that feels like it's judging your every move. But through a lot of quiet times by myself & many heartfelt conversations with some of my closest friends, I have found that I really do love the person I have become, no matter what anyone else says or thinks.

And, in turn, by loving myself, I have surrounded myself with people who I feel most comfortable with and who are happy to be around me. Again, this all seems simple, but without loving yourself first, I believe you won't find others who truly love you back, at least not the real you!

Do you love the person you have become? Have you found that by loving yourself you attract love & happiness from others?

Check out the Love and Happiness post on BlogHer & read other's comments on accepting & loving one's self.

And don't forget to enter the Life Well Lived Sweepstakes for a chance to win a Kindle Fire!

What I Wore Wednesday

2012-02-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Wednesday!

Sorry for my absense last week, but the outfit pictures just didn't happen. This week was a little better, so here's what I have to share:

{necklace: Anthropologie; tee: Downeast Basics; jeans:
borrowed from Kristi; wedges: Target}

{jacket: Gap; dress: J.Crew; boots: Target}

{sweater + tank: Anthropologie; jeans: borrowed from Kristi; wedges: Target}

And lastly, I decided I wanted to try to utilitze my Pinterest a little more & actually recreate a few of my favorite looks. So my interpretation of this photo:

Source: beautifuljourneyblog.com via Meaghan on Pinterest

Resulted in this outfit {using items I already had in my closet!}:

{scarf: gift; sweater: Target; jeans: Nordstrom; flats: Land's End Canvas}

I hope to be able to do at least one outfit inspiration each week, but we'll see what happens. Some weeks I'll just be happy to get an even one photo up :)

#janphotoaday Week 4

2012-01-31T08:00:00.000-08:00

I did it! I completed the January Instagram challenge! To be honest, I was a little worried that I might grow bored somewhere during the month, but I actually found this challenge to force me to take more pictures of my life and reflect on the little things around me.

Here are my submissions from the last week {plus a couple days}:

+ Day 23 - something old {passed down from my grandma}
+ Day 24 - guilty pleasure {peanut butter and chocolate ice cream}
+ Day 25 - something I made {iPhone sleeves}

+ Day 26 - colour {my pinks may clash, but I love it!}
+ Day 27 - lunch {my weekly date with Sam}
+ Day 28 - light {Saturday night at home}

+ Day 29 - In our fridge {not particularly clean, but as-is right now}

+ Day 30 - nature {from earlier in the month when our creek almost flooded}

+ Day 31 - you again {goodbye January}

So, while January may be coming to an end, I'm hoping these pictures will not. There is already a February challenge created and I look forward to continuing this weekly post with you all!

If you'd like to follow along on Instagram, check out my feed here!

Leap List #1 - Check!

2012-01-29T08:30:00.000-08:00

Happy Sunday! Just a quick post to point out that only two days officially on board with my Leap List and I've crossed off my first item!

While the new design for 'Grable Tales' is quite plain & simple, that was my plan the whole time. I have loved my last couple blog designs {thank you krameymartin designs!}, but the time had come that I felt like I wanted this space to be a little less 'busy'.

I decided to go the easy route by picking a template off Blogger and added a new header that I customized myself. I also added a widget that would share my Instagram photos as I post them. And if you've been following along over the last month, you know that about 90% of the photos I take are posted there, so check that out if you want to see what I'm up to from day to day.

It feels good to be able to cross the first Leap List item off and I'm already working towards crossing a few more off! Until the next one...

Leap List

2012-01-27T08:00:00.000-08:00

Recently, a close friend of mine was talking about her Leap List and she really inspired me! Her list was beautiful and full of dreams & goals, specific to where she is in life, and I found myself relating to {and loving} the idea of this type of short-term list.

So I created my own. And to be honest, it's pretty scary to hit 'post' and put this list out there for all {who read this blog} to see, even if it doesn't seem like it to others. Posts like this tend to make me feel more vulnerable than I like, so I am hoping this will make me more confident in the end.

As for a timeline, I don't have really have one. Since the next 'leap' for us is starting a family, I am hoping most of these items will take place before that event occurs. But while I like to have everything planned out according to my schedule, I have realized how little control I actually have on when things happen to me. So without further adieu, here's my Leap List...

1. Update 'Grable Tales' blog design.
--- It's been since August 2010 since the look was last updated, so I think it's time.

2. Change my passport to show my married name.
--- I've been married for almost 4 years and haven't had a reason to, but now it's on my list.

3. Get a massage.
--- Never had a professional massage and would love at least one in my lifetime.

4. Run a 5k.
--- This one is scary to put out because I'm not a big runner, but I do think it might be fun.

5. Take a real vacation with my husband.
--- We never took a honeymoon and all our other vacations have been to visit family or friends, so I think we deserve a trip just our own.

6. Install new flooring in our house.
--- Our house came with a lot of carpet and we're ready for a change.

7. Write at least one handwritten note each month.
--- In the age of emails & texts, handwritten notes just feel more special. And who doesn't love getting mail!

8. Make a quilt.
--- I have a sewing machine & enjoy the art of sewing, so why not!

9. Have professional family pictures taken.
--- I love being able to see our life at a particular time in our life through someone else's lens.

10. Learn to play the piano.
--- One of my best friends is an awesome piano player, so I'm hoping some of her skills may rub off on me.

Although ten items on paper might not seem too daunting, I am just hoping I don't fail miserably at accomplishing some of these. Wish me luck & I hope you'll join along while I complete {& document} my Leap List.

What are some of the items on your Leap List?

#janphotoaday Week 3

2012-01-23T19:30:00.000-08:00

Ready for week 3? Here you go!

+ Day 16 - morning {this sleepy head could sleep all day}
+ Day 17 - water {this water bottle helps me get my needed amount every day}
+ Day 18 - something I bought {this haircut}
+ Day 19 - sweet {one of my favorite chocolates}

+ Day 20 - someone I love {more today than our wedding day}
+ Day 21 - reflection {with Sam in the kitchen window}
+ Day 22 - shoes {these boots have been worn a lot lately}

One more week to go {+ a couple days}... but I just found out there is another challenge in the works for February. So you know what that means, right? Get ready for more pictures!

If you'd like to follow along, check out my Instagram here!

What I Wore Wednesday... is back!

2012-01-18T07:00:00.000-08:00

It's been a little over a month since I did a true 'What I Wore Wednesday' here, but I decided I just couldn't stay away :) I've been compiling some outfit shots from the last couple weeks that haven't made their way to the blog yet, so enjoy!

{sweater: J.Crew; tee: Modbe; jeans: Gap outlet; boots: Target}

{necklace: Anthropologie; sweater: Gap; jeans: Gap outlet; shoes: Clarks}

{cowl scarf: Land's End Canvas; tee: Anthropologie;
jeans: Gap outlet; heels: Clarks}

{sweater: borrowed from Kristi, Nordstrom;
top: Ann Taylor Loft; pants: Calvin Klein; boots: Target}

{sweater: J.Crew; tee: Downeast Basics; jeans: Gap outlet; heels: Clarks}

{necklace: American Eagle; sweater: borrowed from Kristi, Nordstrom,

tank: Anthropologie; pants: Gap; heels: Clarks}

{vest: Anthropologie; tee: Downeast Basics;
jeans: Gap outlet; boots: Target; pup: our Lily!}

#janphotoaday Week 2

2012-01-16T18:21:00.001-08:00

I'm back again to share week 2's #janphotoaday submissions.

+ Day 9 - daily routine {morning}
+ Day 10 - childhood {best friends Shelby, Krissy, & Karlee}
+ Day 11 - where we sleep {and yes, it's made almost every day because I'm a little OCD}
+ Day 12 - close up {my Erin Condren iPhone case}

+ Day 13 - in my bag
+ Day 14 - something I'm reading {The Tiny Twig's The No Brainer Wardrobe}
+ Day 15 - happiness {spending any time with my niece!}

Half way through the month and I'm still enjoying this challenge. I love the prompts and the ability to translate it however I'd like. I also look forward to seeing what others post every day.

If you'd like to follow along, check out my Instagram here!

Why Women Need Fat #BHBC

2012-01-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

When I was younger, I don’t remember worrying about getting enough exercise because my parents did a good job kepping us active and involved in sports. And as for food, I was always fed and happy, so I never thought anything of it. It wasn’t until I entered college {and was on my own for the first time} when I realized how important those two things actually are for your body and health.

Now, almost 8 years later, enter “Why Women Need Fat” by William D. Lassek, M.D. and Steven J.C. Gaulin, Ph.D. This book was a big eye opener for me because between college and now, I was under the impression that dieting was the only way to lose unwanted weight and become “healthy” again. Boy was I wrong!

At first, I didn't know if this book was for me – I wasn’t dieting and I felt like I was in good shape – but the more I read, the more I learned. From chapters about why and how we got fatter to even more about achieving your natural weight through food & exercise, this book seemed to cover it all. And before I knew it, I was thinking of ways to change my current, so-called healthy lifestyle to one that may actually benefit me in the years to come.

To see what others had to say and join in the discussions, head over to BlogHer’s Book Club now!

While I was compensated for this BlogHer Book Club review, all opinions expressed above are my own.

#janphotoaday Week 1

2012-01-09T18:00:00.000-08:00

To those already on Instagram, I apologize for bombarding you with more #janphotoaday photos. But to those who aren't, you can find a little background here.

I was initially drawn to it because I hoped to take more pictures in 2012 and so far, it's really helped. In addition, it gives me a different subject to post each day, so hopefully others learn about me as I am learning about them. Win-win, right?

Here's the first week {+1 day} of my #janphotoaday, with details below:

+ Day 1 - me + New Years flowers!
+ Day 2 - one of my favorite cereals for breakfast.
+ Day 3 - something I adore + the only pieces of jewelry I wear every day!
+ Day 4 - our {rainy} letterbox

+ Day 5 - what I wore {today}

+ Day 6 - something that makes me smile {Sam's nicknames for me}
+ Day 7 - favourite {wearing a comfy old sweatshirt with memories}
+ Day 8 - your sky {foggy morning}

If you'd like to join along, my Instagram username is 'littlemeaggs'. And if you're participating in #janphotoaday, let me know because I'd love to follow you!

Hope for 2012

2012-01-04T18:00:00.000-08:00

{necklace: hand-me-down from mom; top + boots: Target; skirt: Land's End Canvas}

2011 was a pretty good year to us and I have even more hope for what 2012 has in store for Sam + I! I don't recall setting any resolutions last year and don't really plan to this year, however I do have a few hopes for this upcoming year:
So there you have it. Some of these may be simple, while others may require some hard work on my part. But by the end of the year, I hope to be less stressed and more happy with the person I am, inside & out.

Here's to 2012!

Farewell 2011!

2011-12-31T12:00:00.000-08:00

Well, it's that time again! Time to bid another year adieu and look forward to what the new year has in store for us. But before we do that, let's look back at how 2011 treated us:

January - What I Wore Wednesday, a.k.a. WIWW, continued into 2011 {a fun way to look back and see how my style has evolved}; all of the kids in Sam's family treated his parents to a Portland Trailblazer game for Christmas, which we attended in January; and we spent quality time with family & friends.

February - I bragged about my brother's accomplishments; some Valentine's baking occurred; and more WIWW posts.

March - You got to know me a little better; we celebrated our SIL & MIL's birthday and a baby shower for our niece; I fell in love with the cute town of Seaside, OR; neither of us get Spring Break off, but we still enjoyed the weather with friends + family; and, of course, Kristi kept us well fed.

April - Sam built us {+ the Weathers} raised beds for our garden, which turned into a complete backyard makeover; Lily got a new Molly Mutt bed; my SIL's church through her a beautiful baby shower; and we spent Easter down in Eugene so we could listen to our SIL sing one last time at her church down there.

May - Kristi & I went to see Something Borrowed after reading the book a couple years back; Sam turned 29 & we celebrated both his birthday + Mothers Day in Sandy; and Linnea Elizabeth finally made her appearance {a little over a week late} & we all fell in love instantly!

June - I hoped on a plane to see one of my best friends in TX; there was some quality time spent with my college roommate; my brother graduated from college; I continued to read more books thanks to the BlogHer Book Club; we moved my BIL & SIL up to Portland; and Sam & I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary!

July - 4th of July was spent with friends + sparklers; I saw Sara Bareilles in concert with friends; and Sam & I went to the east coast {his first time + I haven't been back in 5+ years} to visit my dad, attend my cousin's wedding, + celebrate my 26th birthday.

August - thanks to Kristi & Sherlai, I attended my second concert this year - Gabe Dixon {+ we got to meet him!}; Sam's family came down for a 'staycation' at our house; and Sam built himself a backdrop for my WIWW photos.

September - I shared how I was feeling lately; we remembered 9/11 - 10th anniversary; and I participated in a scarf swap.

October - Sam & I visited the Oregon Garden for the first time {and are already looking forward to using the membership we purchased}; I played catch up - hair color change, breakfast date with Sam, exploring Portland with Kelly, family photos, and a trip to Redmond to see Michelle + the kids; and we all got together for the 4th annual pumpkin carving party.

November - Sam created a moving picture of our adorable niece that I had to share; I bragged about my talented friends - Jon & Rachel; another 'about me' post; we took Lily to her first dog park; Thanksgiving was spent with Sam's family this year + I shared what I was most thankful for!

December - lots of highlights - more dog park visits, fun with friends, watching my BIL do what he loves, seeing family, & selling my car; I participated in another swap - this time gloves; went to the theatre for a holiday performance; Christmas cards were sent out + the house was decorated; and we managed to see both families this Christmas season.

Overall, I would say this year was a good one for us. We traveled, spent some good time with family + friends, and welcomed our first niece. Even with 2011 being so good, I'm still excited to welcome 2012 and see what it has in store for us. So until next year... :)

Christmas 2011

2011-12-30T17:50:00.000-08:00

I know this is a pretty late recap, but for memory sake, I want to be sure to remember that we spent Christmas with my mom & brother down in California this year. Our five days down there were filled with food, fun, & family {a few of my favorite 'f's :)}. We were also lucky that Sam's family was able to postpone their Christmas by one day so we could be there to celebrate with them. It's often hard to juggle two families, especially around the holidays, but both of ours are very supportive & understanding, so we just consider ourselves blessed to have a chance to celebrate with both this year!

How was your Christmas?

OOTD: Holiday Cheer

2011-12-24T09:00:00.000-08:00

Outfit breakdown:

headband + necklace + wedges: Target, {headband borrowed from Kristi};

glasses: Coach; sweater: Loft; jeans: Gap

Our house has been decorated since right after Thanksgiving, but last weekend, Sam brought out his camera to document this year's decorations. I'm not really one to change things up each year, but I still find it fun to have it documented. I also enjoy seeing Sam's creative eye expand each year.

Tree: a fake tree we picked up 3 years ago during our first Christmas together.

Ornaments: a combination of our childhood ornaments and ones we've picked up since getting married {a lot of G's, which has become a tradition for me}.

Nativity set: Willow Tree; both my MIL & SILs had this nativity and for each Christmas since getting married, I have received a piece to add, which is almost complete!

Happy Holidays, from our home to yours!

2011 Christmas Card

2011-12-22T12:00:00.000-08:00

This year's Christmas card is one of my favorites ever! The picture was an easy choice thanks to Jonathan David Photography & our family photo session in October. And for the card, I turned to one of my favorite photo printing sites - Shutterfly.

And for a little surprise, we were sure to include our our favorite pup, Lily, on the back of each card!

My only regret is not ordering enough cards in time to mail them out. There were quite a few people who I wasn't able to send cards to this year and to those people I am really sorry, but hope to do better next year!

Do you send Christmas cards out? Do you enjoy receiving them?

OOTD: A Night At The Elsinore

2011-12-21T11:00:00.000-08:00

Outfit breakdown:

sweater: Francesca's Collection; tank: Anthropologie; jeans: Gap; boots: Target

Last week, I was invited to a holiday music performance put on by a couple of the churches at the Historic Elsinore Theatre. The full orchestra and choir did an amazing job on some classic Christmas songs, as well as a couple new {to me} songs. As for my outfit, I had to work during the day, so I needed something that would go from day to night easily and this one did just that.

{my dates for the occassion!}

Have you been to a great Christmas concert this year?

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-12-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Wednesday! Lately, I've been thinking about my WIWW posts - I've really enjoyed linking up with The Pleated Poppy each week and showcasing some of my favorite outfits, but since this is one of the only posts from week to week, I'm toying with the idea about going back to posting single-outfit posts again. No decision has been made quite yet, but to those who aren't big on change, I'm just warning you there might be some in the coming weeks :) Until then, please enjoy this week's outfits!

{scarf: NYC vendor; tee + flats: Land's End Canvas; pants: Gap}

{jacket: Shade Clothing; jeans: Gap; boots: Target}

{top: Eddie Bauer; jeans: Old Navy; shoes: Toms}

Cold Hands, Warm Hearts 2011

2011-12-13T08:00:00.000-08:00

Back in October, I signed up for sandyalamode & muchlove, illy's annual mitten swap, Cold Hands, Warm Hearts. I eagerly awaited my swap partner's information and when I finally received it, I was so excited to start picking out some mittens + a few extra goodies for Molly. {Check out what I sent her over to her on her blog later this week!}

As for me, I feel like Molly spoiled me!

First, check out my new gloves!
I love the color and they are unlike anything I would have picked out
myself, yet I think I will get so much use out of them this winter!

Then look at what she filled the rest of my package with!
Just a few of the items: brownie mix + a cute holiday oven mitt,
Burt's Bee's lip gloss {a favorite!}, a couple soaps, and
a beautiful scarf that matches my new gloves perfectly!

And finally, check out the sweet gift she sent over for Lily! So festive!

So, thank you Molly! I love everything you sent over to us & I really hope you enjoyed your Cold Hands, Warm Hearts package as well!

And thank you to our hosts, sandyalamode & muchlove, illy - I'm already looking forward to next year's swap! :)

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-12-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

I'm drawing a blank on what to say this week, so I'm going to leave it at this - to find more inspiration, head over to The Pleated Poppy!

Happy Wednesday!

{necklace: Allora Handmade sweater: J.Crew; tee: Modbe; jeans: Old Navy; shoes: Toms}

{tee: J.Crew; jeans: Banana Republic; heels: Clarks}

{sweater: Gap; top: J.Crew; leggings: Hue; boots: Target}

{sweater: Anthropologie; jeans: Banana Republic; flats: Land's End Canvas}

Weekend Highlights

2011-12-05T16:00:00.000-08:00

To be honest with you, I actually tried to make an effort to document my weekend with pictures so I had something to post here. Sad? A little. In reality, I love taking pictures, but most of the time I forget to take my camera {or iPhone, usually} out to capture life as it's happening. I do enjoy being able to look back at past posts, even it doesn't pertain to anyone else, so I will continue to post, pictures or not.

Here's a couple of this weekend's highlights:

We took Lily to the dog park again and actually let her

off the leash for most of time. I think she had a great time because

she slept for the remainder of the weekend :)

My Saturday night was spent celebrating Kiley's {Sherlai's husband}

40th birthday party! This party was straight out of Pinterest -

there was live music, barbecue, and a photo booth {above}

all taking place in an old barn! Simply amazing, if you ask me!

On Sunday, we drove up to Sandy to see Sam's family.

We've been following along with our brother-in-law's weekly class at church

via the internet and we're so happy to get to see his teaching in real life!

We also drove up to see this cutie!

I wish she'd stop growing so fast, but I do love seeing

her personality change each time we see her!

And finally, it was the end of an era...

I said goodbye to my faithful New Beetle on Sunday afternoon.

The car that got me through college, my long distance engagement,

and the first few years of marriage, all with very little trouble.

But I was happy it is going to another young girl who will

{hopefully} enjoy it as much as I did!

Happy Monday!

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-11-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

Last week, I was feeling like it was too early for Thanksgiving and now that it's passed, I'm pretty sure Christmas will be here before we know it. One big thing off my plate is that I completed out Christmas shopping last weekend and we decorated our house so we can enjoy the next month and remember the true meaning of the holiday!

{I apologize that this has little to do with outfits, but for that, see below :)}

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy!

{sweater: Francesca's Collection; necklace: Anthropologie;
top + boots: Target; jeans: Old Navy}

{sweater: Loft; pants: Calvin Klein; boots: Target}

{top: Eddie Bauer; pants: Gap; heels: Clarks}

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-27T16:00:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you just need a good family-filled evening to put you in the holiday spirit and that is just what we had! Here's a few snapshots from Thanksgiving with Sam's family:

The three of us were so ready to eat all day :)

And I got in a lot of baby snuggles!

While I didn't get a picture of all the food, we did get a picture
taken with all 30 of us in attendance for Thanksgiving this year!

So thankful for this man!

Love these girls! I definitely lucked out in the sister department.

Following Thanksgiving, the girls {+ my BIL, Matt} ventured out for a little Black Friday shopping, then we all went back and partook in pizza + games. I managed to complete out Christmas shopping on Saturday and rewarded myself with decorating the house {see below}. Now I hope to be able to sit back and focus on the true meaning of the Christmas season!

Thankful

2011-11-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

While this post isn't going to be terribly unique {my Google Reader has been full of "thankful" posts all week!}, it's still important to me to share some of the most important things I am thankful for this year:

My brother graduating {with honors} from college
+ the time we all spent together this year.

The Grable family's constant love for each other.

And this beautiful baby who has changed all of our lives!

Our opportunity to go see my dad, step-mom, & brothers back East
and the positive changes that came after the visit.

Friends who have become some of the most important people in my life!

Lily, our crazy pup that appears calm, but definitely keeps us on our toes.

And this man, who has never made me feel anything
but loved since the day I met him!

Lastly, I'm thankful for all that God has shown me this year. It hasn't been easy to trust in Him, but the outcomes have been better than I ever imagined!

I hope you all can take a moment to reflect on all the blessings you have to be thankful for this year. Happy Thanksgiving!

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-11-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy week and it's only Wednesday. Thankfully, today is my last day of work for the week and then it's off to eat ourselves silly & enjoy family - hooray!

Linking up to The Pleated Poppy!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

{sweater: Ann Taylor Loft; tee: Gap outlet; jeans: Old Navy; flats: Land's End Canvas}

{top: Anthropologie; leggings: local boutique; boots: Target}

{sweater + pants: Gap; top: Anthropologie; heels: Born}

{top: Ann Taylor Loft; jeans: Old Navy; shoes: Toms}

Sea Change #BHBC

2011-11-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks to BlogHer Book Club, this month was spent reading Sea Change by Jeremy Page - a story of a man, Guy, whose past continues to haunt his future.

Initially this book was hard to connect to, but the more I read, the more I realized how much of myself I saw in Guy. There have been quite a few moments in my life that I wondered how things would have turned out if they had gone differently. While I have never gone as far as re-writing the past in so much detail as Guy, I do admit I have thought about the different outcomes on occasion.

After reading about Guy’s heartache for most of the book, the last 30+ pages were a nice change and actually my favorite part of the book. If you decide to pick up this book, I would urge you to stick it out through the tough parts and finish the book!

If you’d like to read more reviews or join in on the book discussions, check out BlogHer’s Book Club page.

While I was compensated for this BlogHer Book Club review, all opinions expressed above are my own.

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-11-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

Goodness, is it really Wednesday already? While I am thankful for it {almost} being half way through the work week, I kind of have a lot on my to-do list at work and not enough time to finish it. Here's to hoping time might slow down just enough to get things done!

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy for WIWW fun!

{scarf: Target, gift; sweater + tank: Anthropologie; jeans: Banana Republic; heels: Clarks}

{sweater + tee: Gap; jeans: Old Navy; shoes: Toms}

{top: Anthropologie; tank: Downeast Basics; jeans: Banana Republic; wedges: Toms}

Lily's First Dog Park

2011-11-14T08:00:00.000-08:00

Since Friday was a holiday for both Sam & I {thank you to all the veterans out there!}, we took advantage of the free time to take Lily to her first dog park!

We'd both been a little hesitant to take her in the past because she's a small dog and is still learning to listen to us when we call. So when we arrived at the park, instead of letting her run free like most of the other dogs there, we decided to keep her on her leash and slowly get her used to the large number of dogs she'd meet there.

There was one trail around the dog park that was almost deserted, so we let Lily run leash-free for a little bit, making sure we weren't too far away from her though. This might have been her favorite part of the day - dog & leash-free :)

We already have future plans to get Lily out to the dog park again, in hopes that she'll become more socialized around other dogs & people. She's really a sweet pup, but can just be a little protective and sometimes skiddish around others. Here's to more dog park visits!

Friday Fluff

2011-11-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Veterans Day! Since I'm off work today {and hopefully out enjoying the beautiful Fall weather we've been having lately}, I thought I'd post a little get-to-know-me here today {questions found at Loves of Life}.

Guilty pleasure?
I'm a little embarrassed to say this, but I can't stop watching 'The Secret Life of the American Teenager'. It's crazier {and more ridiculous} than what I remember as high school, but I'm hooked and continue to watch each season.

Recent splurge?
I try to buy as much as possible on sale {I love a good deal!}, but my latest splurge has to be my new iPhone! While some may say it's a lot of money, I stand behind this purchase 100%!

In bulk, I buy?
Everything I can! The place we shop for groceries the most is Costco {'bulk headquarters'}. We can find almost everything we need and at great prices!

My go-to flower?
Easy - pink gerber daisies! They were the only flowers used in my wedding & always remind me of special times.

Comfort food?
Macaroni & cheese.

For breakfast?
Bagel + cream cheese has been a favorite of mine for many years. So simple, yet so good!

For dinner?
Hmm... my initial response would be macaroni & cheese, but another favorite - pizza!

Love/hate relationship with?
Having patience. I hate waiting for anything, but love seeing what patience has got me in life thus far.

Currently craving?
My favorite candy - Sour Patch Kids!

Every girl should have?
A pair of 'make-you-feel-good' shoes!

My style in five words?
Simple, Basics, Petite, Color, & Layers.

I love wearing?
Jeans + a top.

Dream job?

I've had a hard time answering this question for years... It'd be nice to be able to stay home, but still work, like running my own business or doing the books for someone else's business.

And what about you? Care to join by answering some of the questions? :)

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-11-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

Sometimes while I'm writing this weekly post, I wonder what people will think of me posting my outfits yet again. But then I remember how much I enjoy these posts and how much I enjoy reading other WIWW posts for new ideas that I can recreate with the items in my closet. And my worries float away {at least until I hit post and then they come back again...}.

This week's outfits were some of my favorites. I love the scarfs {and finding new ways to wear them}, the boots, the sweaters, all of it! Also, I love the guy who popped in my third photo - he's my favorite!

If you are you like me and also enjoy seeing other people's outfits, you should click over to The Pleated Poppy for weekly inspiration. It never fails that someone's outfit has me saying, "that's so cute!" :)

{scarf: NYC; top: Ann Taylor LOFT; tee: Land's End Canvas; leggings: Hue; boots: Target}

{top: Old Navy; jeans: Gap; boots: Forever 21}

{top: J.Crew; jeans: Banana Republic; heels: Clarks; husband: mine! :)}

{sweater + pants: Gap; top: Anthropologie; heels: Born}

{pin: Anthropologie; sweater: J.Crew; top + boots: Target; jeans: Old Navy}

Friday Love: Jonathan David Photography

2011-11-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

This isn't the first time I've sang the praises of Jonathan David Photography {and honestly, it probably won't be the last}, but yet again, they've out done themselves and I'm in love with the pictures that took of the Grable family!

It was no easy feat to get all 9 of us to find a day that worked for all, coordinate outfits {so we matched, but weren't matchy-matchy}, and smile for the camera, but with the help of Jon & Rachel, we succeed in all of the above and have some beautiful pictures to show for it, in my opinion!

Thank you again to some of my very good friends, Jon & Rachel, for making an out-of-season exception for me & my family. I can't wait to work with you again!

And thank you also to my Grable family for putting up with my crazy organizing self. I know it wasn't easy and I hope you all still love me :)

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Dancing Linnea!

2011-11-02T17:47:00.000-07:00

Resize image

A little hump day humor courtesy of our adorable niece!

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-11-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

Happy November!

While I find myself enjoying each season when it's here, for some reason, Fall seems to be my favorite. Maybe it's the layering I can do without being so bundled up I look like a snowball. Or maybe it's the beautiful colors of nature that surround us. Or maybe it's all the holidays, filled with thankfulness and Christ. No matter the reason, I'm just a fan of Fall!

I'm linking up with The Pleated Poppy + hundreds of others for outfit inspiration from all over.

{vest: Land's End Canvas; tee: H&M; jeans: Banana Republic; wedges: Target}

{sweater: Gap; denim top + boots: Target; pants: Calvin Klein}

{top: Anthropologie; jeans: Banana Republic outlet; heels: Clarks}

{sweater: Gap; top: J.Crew; jeans: Banana Republic; wedges: Target}

4th Annual Pumpkin Carving

2011-10-30T19:30:00.000-07:00

For the last 3 years, Sam's family has gotten together to carve pumpkins {see 2008, 2009, & 2010} and this year was no different!

My favorite pumpkin was this cutie, of course! I can't wait until next year when she might be able to participate a little herself.

Sam + I's finished pumpkins!

The rest of the afternoon was spent celebrating my SIL, Laura {Happy Birthday on Tuesday!!!}, eating pigs-in-a-blanket, and playing with our favorite baby! Can you tell I can't get enough of her?

Happy Halloween!

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-10-26T06:50:00.001-07:00

Last weeks feels like a blur... not necessarily because we had a lot going on, just hard to remember. Despite that feeling, I did manage to take two outfit pictures last week {hey, that's better than none!}, so at least something to see this week :)

This post is actually something I look forward to each week because I love linking up with The Pleated Poppy and seeing all the other WIWW posts. But more so, I find this post keeps me accountable to wear more in my closet and I really feel like it's working each week {which helps me keep posting week after week}. A win win for all!

Happy Wednesday!

{sweatshirt: J.Crew; pin: Anthropologie; tee: Gap outlet; jeans; Gap; boots: Target}

{top: J.Crew; jeans: Banana Republic; heels: Born}

Catching Up

2011-10-23T17:00:00.000-07:00

I might be the only one who cares, but I have been slacking when it comes to this blog. I've been posting my WIWW's regularly, but when it comes to other life happenings, the blog posts are sparse. I apologize for that! Please take this post as a quick catch up to our life:

*With the help of Kristi, I did my first at-home hair dye. I didn't do anything too drastic, just a shade darker and I'm really enjoying it!

*Due to the economy, Sam & I both have a handful of furlough days throughout the year. While most aren't on the same days, a couple are and we've welcomed the extra day off together {like with breakfast at one of our local favorites - Word of Mouth}.

*Since graduating college, my college roommate, Kelly, & I have been trying to get together at least once every couple months and even though life has been busy, we've been mostly successful. Our last visit was earlier this month and we took full advantage of the new season and indulged in apple cider & pumpkin cupcakes - both so good!

*Last weekend, Sam's family got together for a family photo shoot. The last time we had pictures all together was for Matt & Krista's wedding, so these were much overdue. We had Jonathan David Photography do them {they did our couple pictures last year} and I can't wait to see how the professional ones turned out!

*This little pumpkin is growing so fast and I just want to keep her little forever! I anticipate lots of fun this holiday season with her around :)

*Last Wednesday, I took the day off work to go to central Oregon to visit my friend, Michelle, from Texas! She and her kids were visiting family and she kindly made time for me to come visit. I forgot how tiring a high-energy 2 year old & a teething 5 month old can be, but boy are they too cute!

And that brings us up-to-date! Hopefully my future updates won't be so far in between...

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-10-19T06:30:00.000-07:00

A few things to note this week:
*Fall appears to have me reaching for the darker clothes.
*With the temperatures dropping, you'd think I'd want to spend time under the blow dryer, styling my hair {to keep warm in the morning}, but I'm finding myself wanting to stay in bed as long as I can, which results in a pony tail at least 3 days last week.
*Someone picked up 5 beautiful scarfs from NYC for me and I can't wait to rotate them in to my basic wardrobe. I love accessories!

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy {as usual} - Happy Wednesday!

{sweater: Anthropologie; tee: Target; jeans: Banana Republic; heels: Seychelles}

{sweater: J.Crew; dress: Ann Taylor Loft; socks: Target; boots: Target}

{scarf: NYC; sweater: Ann Taylor Loft; top: Anthropologie; leggings: Target; flats: Land's End Canvas}

{sweater: gift from MIL; tee + pants: Anthropologie; boots: Target}

{sweater + tee: Anthropologie; jeans: Banana Republic outlet: shoes: Toms}

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-10-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

You know what's awesome? The fact that with the changing seasons, I feel like I have a whole new closet with all the options. It's really a low-stress feeling to wake up and have a handful of ideas of what to wear! However, I know the time will come where I'm bored with my closet again, but I'm going to continue to enjoy this feeling for as long as I can :)

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy for continuous inspiration.

{scarf + boots: Target; sweater: Ann Taylor Loft; tee: Land's End Canvas; jeans: Gap}

{top: J.Crew; jeans: Banana Republic; heels: Clarks}

{sweater: Anthropologie; tank: Old Navy; jeans: Banana Republic; wedges: Target}

{top: J.Crew; jeans: J.Crew outlet; boots: Target}

Field Trip: The Oregon Garden

2011-10-10T07:30:00.000-07:00

This weekend, we ventured out to The Oregon Garden for the first time {thanks to an awesome Groupon} and enjoyed a perfect Fall day surrounded by nature's beauty!

We started the day off with a 30 minute tram ride that took you throughout all of the gardens and told you a little about why they were formed, what type of plants grow there, etc.

Following the tour, we took our time and explored a few of the gardens ourselves.

There was one point when we were walking around that we saw a momma + baby dear dart out {less than 10 feet away} in front of us, through a couple of the gardens. It was a pretty cool site!

Towards the end of our exploring, we found some cut out displays that I knew Lily had to get her picture taken with her head in a pumpkin :)

And just to prove, Sam was there {he was behind his camera most of the time}:

I love when we can find a hidden gem so close to home and after such a beautiful day, I can't wait to go back. And the fun thing about a garden is it will be different every time you go back, thanks to the always-changing seasons!

How to Be an American Housewife #BHBC

2011-10-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

One of this month’s BlogHer Book Club selection was “How to Be an American Housewife” by Margaret Dilloway. At first, I thought it was going to be all about a Japanese woman learning how to become a housewife in order to make the best home for her American husband. But as I continued reading, I found the connection between mother & daughter to stand out more than the housewife aspect.

As I was reading, I found that I resonated a lot with how Sue, the daughter, felt towards her mother. Through the good & the bad, I kept saying to myself, "I've said the same thing" or "I have felt that way too" - not because we had similar backgrounds, but more from the point of view that a mother & daughter bond is generally universal, no matter how you were raised.

This book was a fun read and another one I thoroughly enjoyed. If you'd like to read more reviews or join the book discussion, check out BlogHer's book club page.

While I was compensated for this BlogHer Book Club review, all opinions expressed above are my own.

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-10-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hooray for sweaters & boot weather! It's always funny to me how I'm ready for summer weather when it rolls around, but Fall weather is even better because, as I've said before, I'm a fan of layering. And in case you were wondering, when asked if I'd rather be too hot or too cold, give me too cold any day!

Once again, I'm linking up with The Pleated Poppy for WIWW inspiration!

{sweater + tank: Anthropologie; pants: Old Navy; heels: Born}

{sweater + top: Anthropologie; jeans: Banana Republic; heels: Clarks}

{top + pants: Anthropologie; flats: Land's End Canvas}

{tee: Ann Taylor Loft; pants: Gap; wedges: Target}

{jacket: hand-me-down from Kelly, Gap; dress + boots: Target; tights: Hue}

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-09-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

The weather around here has been toying with whether or not it's Summer or Fall. You'll see {below} I'm trying to keep up with the decision, but every day right now feels like a gamble --- I may wake up and it's raining, but by the end of the day, it's warmed right back up or vice versa. Crazy Pacific Northwest weather!

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy for inspiration!

{tee: Anthropologie; jeans: Banana Republic outlet; wedges: Toms}

{shirt: J.Crew; capris: Abercrombie; sandals: Kohl's}
{tee: J.Crew; jeans: Banana Republic; wedges: Toms}

{scarf: swap; sweater + tank: Anthropologie; jeans: Banana Republic; heels: Clarks}

{sweater, tank, + jeans: Gap; boots: Target}

{scarf: swap; sweater: Downeast Basics; tee: Gap outlet; pants: Calvin Klein; boots: Forever 21}

Scarf Swap

2011-09-25T18:51:00.001-07:00

Back in August, Meredith announced her 3rd annual scarf swap and being a fan of accessories, I signed right up. A couple weeks later, I was paired up with Marie and was equally as excited to pick a new scarf out for her as I was to see what she picked out for me!

I forgot to take a picture before I mailed off Marie's scarf, but here is a product shot from the website:

A beautiful olive green & baby blue infinity scarf from Old Navy's Fall line.

As for what Marie sent me, take a look:

A navy blue scarf with a subtle floral pattern throughout. Plus, she included a pretty lipgloss {which a girl can't have enough of, right?}!

Thank you Marie! I hope you like your scarf as much as I like mine!

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-09-20T21:00:00.000-07:00

Another Wednesday, another outfit post. Sometimes I feel silly posing in front of the camera, but I truly do put time & effort in to my outfits {most days} and appreciate being able to look back and see some of my favorite combinations. So, here's to this week's WIWW link up with The Pleated Poppy...

{top: Anthropologie; jeans: Banana Republic outlet; wedges: Target}

{sweater: Downeast Basics; Tee: Gap outlet; Jeans: Banana Republic; heels: Clarks}

{tee: Anthropologie; jeans: Banana Republic; Wedges: Toms}

{top + pants: Anthropologie; boots: Forever 21}

{scarf: American Eagle; Tee: J.Crew outlet; jeans: Abercrombie; sandals: Clarks}

{sweater: Old Navy; tee: Downeast Basics; belt: Anthropologie; jeans: Eddie Bauer; shoes: Toms}

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-09-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

Well look at that... I remembered to take more than one outfit picture this week. Plus, I really liked how a lot of these outfits turned out. Success!

{dress: J.Crew; belt: Anthropologie; sandals: Kohls}

{top: Anthropologie: jeans: Banana Republic outlet; wedges: Toms}

{top: Anthropologie; shorts: Abercrombie; sandals: Clarks}

{dress: Old Navy; sandals: Kohls}

{sweater: Macy's; dress: Ann Taylor Loft; sandals: Kohls}

Remembering: 9/11/01

2011-09-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

{via}

Sadly, there really are not many worldly events that I can remember exactly where I was and what I was doing, with one big exception --- September 11, 2001.

I remember getting ready for school, like any other day, and my mom calling us into the living room to see something on TV.

I remember the next few hours were spent glued to the news reports and crying along with the rest of the country.

I remember calling my dad almost immediately because at that time he was flying from coast to coast and all I could think about was that he was on one of those flights. {He wasn't flying that day, fortunately.}

I remember wondering how we, as a nation, could move on past this terrible event.

It's hard to believe it's been 10 years already {still feels like yesterday in some ways}, but that day in our history is etched in my mind and I hope I never forget!

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-09-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

Only one outfit this week {and there is a good chance it's a repeat}, but it will have to do. The temperatures have been rising and my motivation has been dropping --- a tough combination to work with. Hoping I'll find some late summer inspiration by linking up to The Pleated Poppy.

{sweater: Urban Outfitters; tank: Anthropologie; jeans: Gap; wedges: TOMS}

Weekend Highlights

2011-09-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

The weather, lately, has been beautiful! It may be September, but it finally feels like Summer around here.

Saturday brought Target, local orchards, and some flea markets. Luckily, the flea market was the only bust.

I'm not a huge sports fan, but I do love the local teams, so we propped ourselves in front of the TV on Saturday night to watch the Oregon Ducks take on LSU. While it was fun to have football season start, the ending was not as we hoped {better luck next week, Ducks!}.

I got to spend all of church holding my adorable niece and, as usual, that made all other worries melt away.

Sleeping in is always a blessing, but there is something about sleeping in on a typical work day to make it a little bit sweeter.

My productive side went into overdrive on Monday --- gym, haircut for Sam, catching up on past TV shows, photobook making, pant alterations, and more.

Then we ended the day where we're always at on Monday nights, the Charles & Kristi's house. Good food, good conversation, and trashy TV {Bachelor Pad}!

Overall, a quality weekend. And while I love a long weekend like anyone else, I'm finding it makes for a longer work week too {perhaps it has something to do with cramming 5 working days into 4...}. Who knows, maybe this week will surprise me!

Happy Tuesday!

Lately...

2011-09-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while I find myself pondering where I’m at in life and, in turn, usually find myself asking these same questions, so take a peek into what I’m thinking lately…

I am thankful…
For some friendships that have become more special to me than I ever thought possible.

In the kitchen…
Sits some neglected appliances/gadgets. However, I hope to change that once I find some inspiration. I miss baking!

I am wearing…
Jeans + a tee --- my go-to outfit :)

I am creating…
A strict budget that I hope we {of course, I am really most worried about me} can stick to.

I am going…
To lunch with my husband today, a Friday tradition I look forward to every week!

I am wondering…
About what the future holds, because {per usual} I have a hard time being in the moment.

I am reading…
Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond {The Pioneer Woman}

I am hoping…
I can continue to learn & improve in my job as another school year begins.

I am looking forward to…
Boots & scarves, although I’d take a few more weeks of 85* weather before.

I am hearing…
Gabe Dixon {through my headphones}. Thanks Kristi & Sherlai for getting me hooked!

Around the house…
Are all the projects that I can’t wait to get started on. {Thus one of the reasons for the strict budget mentioned above...}

I am thinking…
How nice it is to have a roof over our heads, a job to pay for said roof, and family & friends who love us through the good & the bad.

Happy Friday!

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-08-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

Another successful week!

A couple things to note:
*We've been having some beautiful weather and although it's practically September, I'm hoping we haven't seen the last of it for this year.
*I got a question last week on my new background and it's actually just a backdrop my husband created for his love of photography and I am just lucky enough to get to use it for my outfit shots as well!
*I have to admit, I love looking back at my week's worth of outfits and knowing that I bargain hunted for most of these items. Makes me feel good :)
*And lastly, I'm linking up with The Pleated Poppy!

{top: Anthropologie, shorts: Abercrombie, sandals: Clarks}

{tee: Anthropologie, shorts: J.Crew, sandals: Kohls}

{tee + tank: Downeast Basics, jeans: Banana Republic outlet, wedges: TOMS}

{sunglasses: Coach, dress: Anthropologie, sandals: Reefs}

My First eBook + #BlogHerBookClub

2011-08-26T10:00:00.000-07:00

I'm not new to BlogHer's {awesome} Book Club, however I hadn't read a book on an eReader until I read Rules of Civility by Amor Towles. And what a good book to get me hooked on the eBook phenomenon! You can read my review about the book here.

Happy Friday!

Remembering My Skin

2011-08-25T15:00:00.000-07:00

Every since I can remember, I've been told how lucky I am to have my great skin. However, being my biggest critic, I tend to see things a little different. While I don't spend to long on my makeup routine every morning {read: usually none}, I do remember to find time to take care of my skin each and every morning by simply spending time cleansing first, followed by moisturizing. Doesn't matter if I'm rushed or have all the time in the world, these two steps allow me to continue to give the allusion of great skin that others notice without much work at all.

Do you have a secret to remembering to take care of your skin when you have zero "me" time?

Let me know in the comments and be sure to check out some more great secrets from busy women out there.

And as an added bonus, if you share your best Life Well Lived Moment with BlogHer, you can also be entered to win $250 gift card!

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-08-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

This week I stuck to my word and tried to not slack on taking my pictures. See, I do get out of my pajamas most days, but it's remembering to photograph is the hard part. But I'll keep trying! :)

Here are a few outfits from the last week:

{sweater + top: Anthropologie, jeans: Banana Republic outlet, sandals: Clarks}

{top: Anthropologie, tank: Downeast Basics, shorts: Abercrombie, sandals: Clarks}

{necklace: Allora Handmade, top: Macy's, jeans: Banana Republic outlet, sandals: Clarks}

{tee: Gap outlet, jeans: Anthropologie, sandals: Clarks}

And one last photo from someone who isn't new to Grable Tales... Kristi!

{dress: Nine West, belt: Old Navy, boots: Target}

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy!

Sunday Randoms

2011-08-21T20:11:00.001-07:00

Last week, we had the Weathers over for dinner + games and Kristi and I gave the guys a run for their money by getting '100 aces' while playing Pinochle. It was a great moment for us!

I attended a two-day work training up in Portland this week, which resulted in a change in my commute from less than 10 minutes to over an hour+. While I gained a lot of knowledge and information, I can definitely do without all that traffic every day!

A few posts back, I mentioned I was finding my crafty side again. And while my first project wasn't anything too complicated, it was the perfect gift for a teacher's classroom. {thank you Pinterest for great ideas!}

I've heard the praises of Chipotle for a while now, but never tried it until a couple weeks ago. And this weekend I introduced Sam to their delicious food. I think we'll be going back again really soon!

This summer hasn't been a very warm one up until this last month. Now we're experiencing 80*+ days and I hope it sticks around a while. We took advantage of it today by walking around the neighborhood a bit.

Here's to another week of friends, food, and good weather!

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-08-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

What is my problem lately?

I could blame it on Sam leaving for work before the sun is up {and I am not the slightest bit ready}, but in all honestly I could set up the camera and take my own picture, right? So it's my fault. Sorry.

While I work on getting my act together for next week, please enjoy this {one} outfit...

Top + Tank: Downeast Basics
Jeans: Gap
Sandals: Kohls

Linking up to The Pleated Poppy!

Because it's Monday...

2011-08-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

And apparently I haven't posted for almost two weeks {oops!}, so today I bring you some random thoughts to catch you up a bit.

Last weekend, we hosted Sam's family at our house as a little staycation. In addition to his immediate family coming down, we also had his aunt & uncle+ their children. The main reason for the trip was to get a visit to the beach in this year, but we also had our share of relaxing around the house {read: taking turns holding my niece :)}.

Speaking of my niece, it's so fun to see her smile & recognize you. I'm not lying when I say I could just stare at her for hours!

Lately, I've been blessed with some quality time with friends and have become thankful for the relationships that are growing all around me. Now if only I could spend my days hanging out with these friends instead of working :)

Other than time with family & friends, I have also reunited with my crafty side and spent some time with my sewing machine {mainly just alterations}, as well as trying some ideas I have bookmarked on Pinterest. Maybe if some of them turn out, they'll make an appearance on here soon...

We recently purchased an iPad and are both really enjoying all that it has to offer. Especially when it comes to reading books {for me}. Over the last couple years, I've found that reading isn't as boring as I once thought, but that with the right story, I can really enjoy reading. Well enter the iPad + it's many book apps and I can pretty much read anything I want without the burden of carrying a ton of books around with me. I'm a fan!

With the end of the summer approaching, Sam & I have begun to think about some of the projects/goals we want to complete by next summer, which ultimately means that we need to start saving as much as we can. Hold me!

So I apologize for the silence here at Grable Tales and hope that things get back to normal here soon.

Happy Monday!

Love: Gabe Dixon Band

2011-08-05T15:00:00.000-07:00

You might be wondering "who is Gabe Dixon", but if you've seen the movie The Proposal, then you've heard Gabe Dixon before (hint: first song in the movie is his). And prior to last Monday night, I hadn't heard much more than that, but after the concert*, I can now say I am a fan!

Best part of the night though? Definitely getting to meet him after the show! Thanks Gabe!

*I'm not usually one who attends a lot of concerts {I could probably count all that I've seen on one hand}, but I love hanging out with the two lovely ladies above and will gladly tag along to any concert they're going to!

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-08-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

Just a couple outfits this week {due to laziness, I suppose}, who depict the two extremes of my closet. I'd usually classify myself as a jeans + tee girl, which I mentioned before, but occasionally, I don't want to wear anything but a dress and due to the rise in temperatures we've seen lately, the dress side of my closet saw some use this weekend. Sometimes I just forget how easy it is to just put on a dress and then I remember what Kristi always says, {something along the lines of...} "a dress is the easiest outfit", which is so true!

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy as usual.

Necklace: bridesmaid gift from Kelly
Tee: Gap outlet
Jeans: J.Crew
Sandals: Forever 21

Dress: Anthropologie
Wedges: Toms

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-07-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

It's been a long week. My outfits are sort of plain this week due to a couple of late nights last week & a lack in creativity. I'm hoping both {sleep + creativity} return very soon!

As usual, I'm linking up with Lindsay @ The Pleated Poppy.

{Wednesday}

Tee: Target
Tank: Downeast Basics
Jeans: J.Crew
Shoes: TOMS

{Thursday}
Top: J.Crew
Jeans: J.Crew
Wedges: TOMS

{Friday}
Sweater: Urban Outfitters
Tank: J.Crew outlet
Jeans: Banana Republic outlet
Shoes: TOMS

{Monday}
Tee: Gap
Jeans: J.Crew
Sandals: Target

{Tuesday}

Top: Downeast Basics
Jeans: Gap
Sandals: Forever21

Love: Sara Bareilles

2011-07-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Some time ago, I was hanging out with Kristi while she was making dinner {something I look forward to every week!} and she asked me if I had heard of Sara Bareilles. While I could tell her yes, I had really only knew of her hit "Love Song". So I got her CD {and listened to Kristi play her songs on the piano} and familiarized myself with her beautiful voice as quick as I could.

Being the big fan that she is, Kristi was totally on top of buying tickets for this summer's concert in Portland right when they came out and I was lucky enough secure one of her tickets. Fast forward to Tuesday night and there we were - listening to Sara in person! And I can honestly say I am now obsessed with Sara Bareilles and want to listen to her all the time. Thanks Kristi!

{Kristi, myself, Allie, & Sherlai}

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-07-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

Since getting back from our trip, I've felt like I've been playing catch up. So since I missed last week's WIWW, I thought I'd share the outfits from our time in New Hampshire. Enjoy!

{Thursday}
Sunglasses: Coach
Tank: Anthropologie
Shorts: J.Crew
Flip flops: Reef

{Friday}
Top: J.Crew
Shorts: Levi's

{Saturday}
Dress: Anthropologie
Wedges: Toms

{Sunday}
Top: Anthropologie
Shorts: J.Crew

{Tuesday}
Dress: Target, borrowed from Kristi
Tank: Downeast Basics

Scenes from New Hampshire

2011-07-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

Last week, Sam & I hopped on a plane and flew across the country to the beautiful state of New Hampshire to visit family & attend my cousin's wedding. Here are a few of the {photographed} highlights from our visit:

{The one I couldn't have traveled without!}

{A couple of nights at a beautiful bed & breakfast,
courtesy of my dad & step-mom}

{The bride + groom and the main reason for our trip}

{2 out of 3 of my brothers on my dad's side}

{My step-mom & step-brother tearing up the dance floor}

{Sierra & I first met back at my wedding - 3 years ago -
but we seemed to pick up right where we left off :)}

{A long overdue picture of my dad + I}

{Me + my swim buddy}

{Wilson, the pup, finally warmed up to me}

{On the way home after a long day of travel}

Other highlights not pictured:
*Finding an job I'd love to work in someday - wedding planning!
*Enjoying the old feel to the New England towns
*Learning to play the Wii
*An Italian birthday meal with the whole family
*Spending hours just talking with family I haven't seen in 3 years!

While I spent many summers back east when I was growing up, this time felt different {in a good way}. I can't wait to go back and sincerely hope it's not as long between visits until the next time!

Love: Sparklers + Kristi

2011-07-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

I don't recall ever being into fireworks as a kid. Of course, I watched them from afar every year, but I was not the kid in the driveway, ready to light something that will explode just feet away from me. However, this Fourth of July I was shown the fun one can have with sparklers, especially with Kristi!

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-07-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

Just a few things to note this week:

Sorry about the over-abundance of TOMS this week - they are just so darn comfortable!
My patriotic colors came out through out the weekend.
Pulling my hair back into a french braid is quickly becoming my summer go-to hairstyle and I love it!
The temperature is rising, therefore less layering for me, which I am welcoming at this time :)

{Wednesday}
Top: Anthropologie
Jeans: Banana Republic outlet
Wedges: TOMS

{Thursday}
Scarf: Downeast Basics
Tee: hand-me-down from Kristi
Jeans: J.Crew
Shoes: TOMS

{Saturday}
Necklace: bridesmaid gift from Kelly
Dress: Gap
Sandals: Forever 21

{Sunday}
Necklace: Allora Handmade
Tee: Eddie Bauer
Jeans: J.Crew
Shoes: TOMS

{Monday}
Sunglasses: Coach
Tee: Gap
Shorts: J.Crew
Shoes: TOMS

More #BlogHerBookClub Reviews

2011-07-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Since the introduction of the BlogHer Book Club, I have found that I am broadening my reading horizon and really enjoying the art of reading itself.

I read & reviewed Deborah Harkness' "A Discovery of Witches" in May and wasn't sure what to expect after seeing the size of the book {over 570 pages}, but found myself within a world of vampires & witches. Check out the review here.

I also read & reviewed Sarah Dessen's "What Happened to Goodbye" earlier this month and couldn't put it down {I finished in just three days, which is unlike me} and instantly knew what I was going to write about. Check out the review here.

Happy Friday!

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-06-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

{Wednesday}

Sweater: Gap
Tank: Anthropologie
Shorts: Abercrombie
Sandals: Clarks

{Thursday}
Sweater: Urban Outfitters
Top: Anthropologie
Jeans: Gap
Wedges: TOMS

{Sunday}
Dress: Anthropologie
Sandals: Kohls

{Monday}
Earrings: Allora Handmade
Sweater: Anthropologie
Dress: J.Crew
Sandals: Kohls

{Tuesday}
Top: American Eagle
Jeans: J.Crew outlet
Shoes: TOMS

#3

2011-06-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe it was only 3 years ago today that we were standing in front of our family + friends promising to love one another forever. Still feels like yesterday!

Happy 3rd Anniversary, Sam!

{Previous posts about our wedding day details, our 1st anniversary, & our 2nd anniversary!

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-06-22T06:30:00.000-07:00

There is a small change in my photos this week due to my husband {/photographer} working longer hours, which means I have resorted back to my iPhone + mirror technique like the early days. :)

Of course I'm linking up with Lindsay at The Pleated Poppy today!

{Wednesday}

Tank: Anthropologie
Tee: J.Crew outlet
Jeans: Banana Republic outlet
Sandals: Seychelles

{Thursday}
Necklace: Allora Handmade
Tee: Eddie Bauer
Jeans: J.Crew
Wedges: TOMS

Close-up of Allora Handmade's Mini Modern Pearl Statement Necklace

{Monday}
Sweater: Ann Taylor Loft
Top: Anthropologie
Jeans: J.Crew outlet
Sandals: Clarks

{Tuesday}
Sweater: Nordstrom
Top: Anthropologie
Shorts: Gap outlet
Sandals: Seychelles

Weekend Highlights

2011-06-20T16:00:00.000-07:00

This weekend mainly involved three things: moving, babies, & Fathers Day.

My BIL & SIL have been planning {and saving} for their big move to Portland since last summer and this weekend it finally happened! It's crazy to see their apartment loaded into a moving truck and then unloaded shortly after into a whole new space. I'm excited to hear about all their new adventures in their new city!

My niece isn't new to this blog. Unfortunately, we've only seen her a handful of times, but this weekend felt like it made up for it {at least a little bit}. I'd love to see her every single day, however an afternoon of gazing at this little beauty definintely does my heart good!

Since the whole family was together for the move, we also had a small Fathers Day celebration for my FIL & BIL. How can you go wrong with Costco pizza + Home Depot gift cards? :)

Happy Monday!

Love: #BlogHerBookClub

2011-06-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year, BlogHer came out with their first book club and I was instantly intrigued. Over the last couple years, reading has become a fun activity for me {a big change from how much I dreaded it all throughout my school years} and I have been reading books left & right, one after another. So when BlogHer sent out an email to join their book club, I couldn't wait to join in!

Currently the BlogHer Book Club is giving away one of the books I read {& reviewed} for five lucky people who comment on this post at BlogHer. And the best part is that you can enter as many times as you want until June 24, 2011!

Check it out & sign up with BlogHer to receive the next book club selection!

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-06-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can't believe it's already Wednesday! Between my brother graduating last weekend and work being busy, time seems to be flying by. There are a few new items rotated in this week thanks to a shopping trip with my mom and my attempts to dress for this always-changing weather we're having currently.

As usual, I'm linking up with The Pleated Poppy for one of my favorite weekly feature!

{Wednesday}
Necklace: gift from Sam
Sweater: Anthropologie
Tank: Anthropologie
Jeans: Banana Republic outlet
Wedges: Target

{Thursday}
Necklace: bridesmaid gift from college roommate, Kelly
Tunic: Anthropologie
Jeans: J.Crew
Sandals: Kohls

{Friday}
Top: Anthropologie
Jeans: J.Crew outlet
Shoes: TOMS

{Saturday}
Sweater: Urban Outfitters
Flower: Anthropologie
Dress: J.Crew
Wedges: TOMS

{Sunday}
Jacket: Coldwater Creek
Top: J.Crew
Jeans: J.Crew
Sandals: Clarks

{Monday}
Sweater: hand-me-down from Kristi
Tank: Downeast Basics
Jeans: Banana Republic outlet

{Tuesday}
Top: J.Crew
Jeans: J.Crew
Shoes: TOMS

College Graduate

2011-06-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

See the guy in the middle? Yeah, the one in the cap & gown. That's my younger brother and he graduated last Saturday {summa cum laude, I might add} from Oregon State University and we couldn't be more proud of him! My mom came up for the occasion and I couldn't get over how good it felt to have my family together for the first time since Thanksgiving.

My brother's next plans include working through the summer and then heading right back to school to complete the Pharmacy program at Oregon State University.

Way to go Dan! We can't wait to come back in four years for your next graduation :)

Scenes from Austin, TX

2011-06-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

I imagine this wasn't what you thought you'd see after reading the title of this post, but these were the scenes from my recent trip to Austin, TX and I loved every minute of it!

See, one of my best friends recently moved to TX to chase a dream her & her husband had and while I was very excited for her, my heart was sad because I wouldn't get to see her as often. However, when I got the call that said best friend was pregnant {with baby #2}, the best excuse to visit her had now appeared.

So that's what I did, I boarded a plane over Memorial Day weekend and arrived just days after baby Selah's arrival! Simply put, my days were mainly spent running errands, playing in a band with a 2 year old rock star {who's "Auntie Meaghan" sounded more like "Handy Manny" :)}, and holding the baby whenever I possibly could. If you ask me, it was {honestly} my kind of vacation!

Thank you James & Michelle for opening your home to me, espcially during this huge change in your lives, and I can't wait to come back! Maybe I'll see some of the real scenes of Austin next time...

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-06-08T07:00:00.000-07:00

The last weeks feels like it's been a whirlwind - flying back from Texas, working two days {after being gone for a week}, seeing my college roommate, cleaning the home in preparation for special house guests this weekend, then more work in one of the busier times of the year. Makes me tired writing it out!

The {unintentional} theme this weeks seems to be geared toward the darker side of my closet, with the exception of Sunday, when I went with the total opposite.

As usual, I'm linking up with The Pleated Poppy!

{Wednesday}

Tank: Banana Republic outlet
Tee: J.Crew outlet
Pants: Old Navy
Flats: Urban Outfitters

{Thursday}
Tank: Old Navy
Top: Anthropologie
Jeans: J.Crew outlet
Flats: Payless Shoes

{Sunday}
Glasses: Coach
Sweater: Anthropologie
Tank: Anthropologie
Pants: Anthropologie
Sandals: Clarks

{Monday}
Tee: Anthropologie
Tank: Downeast Basics
Jeans: Banana Republic outlet
Wedges: Toms

{Tuesday}
Tee: Eddie Bauer
Vest: Anthropologie
Jeans: Eddie Bauer
Heels: Privo

Because it's Monday...

2011-06-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

And I got to spend part of the {beautiful, 80*} weekend with my college roommate! I love that we can go months without seeing each other, but the minute we get together it's like we were never apart. That's magic, if you ask me :)

Also, another book review is up!

Love: Personalized Gifts

2011-06-03T15:05:00.000-07:00

Head on over to my review blog to see where I go when I need personalized gifts & cards! {hint: I've talked about them before}

Thursday Randoms

2011-06-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed yesterday, I missed my weekly "What I Wore Wednesday" post mainly due to lack of photos. However, I did snap one with my iPhone before I left for work on Thursday and I had to share one because I was wearing one of my favorite tees from Anthropologie - it has typewriters all over it!

Tee: Anthropologie
Jeans: Banana Republic outlet
Wedges: TOMS

Another reason for my lack of outfit pictures was because I took my first {of many, I hope} trip down to Texas to visit these two cuties below. One has been featured on the blog before {see more about him here, here, & here} and the other just made her debut a week ago, thus the reason for my trip in the first place! {more to come...}

And while we're on the topics of babies, I couldn't fly into Portland without making a trip to see my beautiful niece. And boy was she bright-eyed today! My SIL said that most of the time she's sleepy when people have come over to visit, so I was happy to get to see this side of her. It's hard to believe she is 3 weeks old today! Time certainly flies!

I did another book review for BlogHer, which you can check out here.

Two birthdays this week: my brother's is today & my FIL's is tomorrow - Happy Birthday to the both of you!!!

Although it's technically Thursday, it's my first day back to work since last Thursday, which means I'm going to have a lot to do in the two days remaining in the work week... boo! That's definitely the downside of vacation - coming back to a lot of work :(

Happy Thursday!

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-05-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

Another Wednesday, another What I Wore! And as usual, I'm linking up with Lindsey @ The Pleated Poppy {with hundreds of others with the same idea!}.

{Wednesday}
Sweater: Macy's
Tee: Gap
Jeans: J.Crew
Heels: Privo

{Thursday}
Sweater: Anthropologie
Tee: Anthropologie
Jeans: J.Crew outlet
Sandals: Kohls

{Friday}
Sweater: Nordstrom
Tank: Anthropologie
Belt: Anthropologie
Pants: Anthropologie
Sandals: Target

{Monday}
Necklace: Anthropologie
Tee: hand-me-down from SIL
Jeans: J.Crew
Wedges: Toms

Girl in Translation for #BlogHerBookClub

2011-05-23T08:30:00.000-07:00

After a lot of barkdust consuming the last couple days, I have little to say about the rest of our weekend. I do however have a book review I did for BlogHer a few weeks ago to share, so check it out!

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-05-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

I apologize for missing a few days this week, but Thursday involved a before-sunrise trip to the hospital and Saturday + Sunday were spent in lounge wear. However, 4 out of 7 isn't a complete WIWW fail, in my opinion.

As usual, I'm linking up with Lindsay @ The Pleated Poppy.

{Wednesday}
Top: Anthropologie
Jeans: J.Crew
Heels: Privo

{Friday}

Scarf: Land's End Canvas
Tee: Downeast Basics
Jeans: J.Crew
Flats: Payless Shoes

{Monday}
Tee: hand-me-down from SIL
Tank: American Eagle
Pants: Anthropologie
Boots: Target

{Tuesday}
Top: J.Crew
Tank: Downeast Basics
Jeans: J.Crew outlet
Wedges: Target

Love: Linnea Elizabeth!

2011-05-13T10:00:00.000-07:00

My neice has finally arrived! Welcome Linnea Elizabeth!

I was fortunate enough to be able to go to the hospital yesterday and join in on the excitement of this first grandbaby/niece on Sam's side of the family. She's beautiful + perfect in every way & I'll tell you right now, this is probably not the last you will see of this precious face! Already counting the days until the next time I get to hold her...

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-05-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

I might have said this before, but I really like this feature every week because of a couple reasons: {1} it allows me to keep track of what I'm wearing {and what I'm neglecting}; {2} it provides a venue for feedback from others; and {3} it also allows me to look back on how creative my mood was throughout the past week. Most days a tee + jeans is just perfect for me {see below & most of the past WIWW's}, but some days I find myself in the mood to pull out some less-basic pieces and layer them with my go-to favorites. Simple to many, but fun for me!

{Wednesday}
Top: Anthropologie
Jeans: J.Crew
Shoes: Toms

{Thursday}
Necklace: American Eagle
Tee: Downeast Basics
Jeans: Gap
Flats: Naturalizer

{Friday}
Necklace: high school graduation gift
Tee: Downeast Basics
Vest: Anthropologie
Jeans: J.Crew
Wedges: Toms

{Saturday}
Tee: Downeast Basics
Jeans: Gap
Shoes: Toms

{Sunday}
Sweater: Anthropologie
Tank: Downeast Basics
Jeans: J.Crew
Shoes: Toms

{Monday}
Tee: Gap
Sweater: Anthropologie
Pants: Calvin Klein
Boots: Forever 21

{Tuesday}
Sweater: Ann Taylor Loft
Top: Anthropologie
Jeans: J.Crew outlet
Wedges: Toms

Over the Weekend

2011-05-09T20:00:00.000-07:00

Something Borrowed was good {different from the book though}.
We became a composting household thanks to the city of Salem.
I fell asleep in the middle of the day {which almost never happens, so it was a highlight}.
Due to boredom, we had Lily try out some of the baby toys at my in-law's house.

Sam turned 29!!!
And we honored both mothers + mothers-t0-be for all their hard work! {missed you mom!}

Another good weekend spent with family, but I am beginning to feel like a broken record every time I say "we're still waiting on our niece's arrival..." {she's about a week past her due date at this point}.

How was your weekend?

Two Things

2011-05-07T07:30:00.000-07:00

First, I want to wish my husband, partner-in-crime, & best friend {above} a big happy birthday today! I can't wait to spend many more birthdays with you!

Secondly, happy mother's day to all the mom's in my life. I wouldn't be where/who I am today if it's wasn't for you all, especially my own mom! And a note to my niece who still hasn't made her appearance: Let's give your mom a mother's day to remember!

Something Borrowed

2011-05-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

Despite the not-so-favorable reviews, I'm still very excited to head out and see this tonight with my good pal {& the one who introduced me to this series}, Kristi.

Happy weekend to you all!

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-05-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

This week's happenings: a couple work meetings, helping at a resource fair, taking two trips to the dump {outfit not pictured}, and a whole lot of sitting at my desk. I wish there were more exciting events in my life, but alas there aren't. I will tell you that my first niece is set to make her appearance any day now, so I would say she is big event we're waiting on!

{Wednesday}
Top: Anthropologie
Tee: Downeast Basics
Jeans: Gap
Flats: Privo

{Thursday}
Tee: Land's End Canvas
Tank: Costco
Jeans: Banana Republic outlet
Heels: Born

{Friday}
Top: Anthropologie
Tank: Downeast Basics
Jeans: J.Crew outlet
Shoes: Keds

{Saturday}
Tee: Downeast Basics
Pants: Anthropologie
Shoes: Toms

{Sunday}
Sweater: Gap
Tee: J.Crew
Jeans: J.Crew
Flats: Privo

{Monday}
Top: Ann Taylor Loft, hand-me-down from SIL
Jeans: J.Crew outlet
Wedges: Target

{Tuesday}
Sweater: Pleione
Tee: Downeast Basics
Jeans: J.Crew outlet
Wedges: Toms

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-04-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the week - another installment of WIWW. And by the looks of it, this week's theme was {mostly} patterned tees + jeans, which I will be the first to admit is about 75% of my closet so this should be no surprise to anyone.

{Wednesday}
Jacket: Gap
Necklace: Anthropologie
Tee: Downeast Basics
Pants: Anthropologie
Flats: Privo

{Thursday}
Sweater: Nordstrom
Tank: Banana Republic outlet
Belt: Old Navy
Jeans: J.Crew outlet
Flats: Urban Outfitters

{Friday}
Top: Anthropologie
Jeans: Banana Republic outlet
Wedges: Target

{Monday}
Top: Anthropologie
Pants: Calvin Klein
Boots: Target

{Tuesday}
Top: Anthropologie
Jeans: J.Crew outlet
Heels: Privo

Over the Weekend

2011-04-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

This year, we spent Easter down in Eugene with my BIL & SIL one last time before they move up to Portland. We were privledged enough to hear my SIL sing again {above}, and of course the message brought tears to my eyes. We ended our time together with lasagna, homemade bread {courtesy of my BIL}, conversation & reflection.

I know as Christians our focus should be on Jesus' death & resurrection every day, but it continues to amaze me every time I hear the story & reasons behind the amazing gift He gave us through the cross.

Hope you all had a blessed Easter!

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-04-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

Normally I prepost this feature on the blog, but somehow last night got away from me {could be that I was preoccupied with the Portland Blazers game + hemming some curtains for Kristi}, so I'm in a little bit of a rush this morning. Regardless, here's {most of} the past week's outfits:

{Wednesday}
Sweater: Gap
Tank: Anthropologie
Jeans: J.Crew Outlet
Shoes: Toms

{Thursday}
Top: Anthropologie
Tee: Anthropologie
Belt: Old Navy
Jeans: J.Crew
Boots: Forever 21

{Sunday}
Top: Anthropologie
Pants: Calvin Klein
Wedges: Target

{Monday}
Top: Anthropologie
Tee: Downeast Basics
Pants: J.Crew
Shoes: Toms

{Tuesday}
Sweater: Pleione
Dress: J.Crew
Wedges: Toms

Over the Weekend

2011-04-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

First off, sorry for the lack of pictures. I'd like to blame it on the inability to lift my arms {see below}, but I'm pretty sure I just forgot. Regardless, I do still want to document the weekend for the blog's sake, so here's a few of the highlights:

Due to the state of our economy, Friday was a furlough day for myself. Sam had planned ahead and worked four 10 hour days so we could have the day off together!

I purchased a Groupon for Willamette Burger Company last Fall and knew it was expiring soon, so our {weekly} Friday lunch consisted of burgers + the best tots ever!

Remember the raised beds Sam made a couple weeks ago? They have started an unexpected backyard makeover, which continued this weekend with the removal of more sod.

Almost four hours later, we were finished. In other words, "ouch" courtesty of my arms + legs.

Next step: barkdust {and giving our bodies a little time to recover}.

How was your weekend?

What I Wore Wednesday & a thank you!

2011-04-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

Another typical week. I did miss a few days due to my photographer {husband} going to work earlier than usual & taking a little long getting ready on Sunday, but 5 out of 7 isn't too bad in my opinion. After each WIWW post, I find myself looking back at the past outfits and noticing a couple things - {1} I have some definite favorites & {2} it's time to get rid of some pieces in my closet. Plus, I find myself thinking about my outfits more, which keeps me out of a slump. I suppose I have Lindsey @ The Pleated Poppy to thank for this awesome idea she had to keep us accountable!

{Wednesday} Sweater: Ann Taylor Loft Top: Anthropologie Jeans: J.Crew Heels: Privo

{Thursday} Jacket: Downeast Basics, hand-me-down from Kristi Tee: Downeast Basics Pants: Calvin Klein Flats: Naturalizer

{Friday}

Jacket: Anthropologie Tee: Downeast Basics Jeans: J.Crew Wedges: Toms

{Saturday} Jacket: Gap Tee: Anthropologie Jeans: J.Crew outlet Shoes: Keds

{Monday} Top: Land's End Canvas Jeans: Banana Republic outlet Heels: Born

Over the Weekend

2011-04-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

This weekend brought another baby shower for my SIL, Laura {this one thrown by her church family} and we headed up just for the occasion. With hosting duties off my plate, I acted as photographer and as you might not be able to see from the pictures I selected for this post, believe me when I say my niece is going to be one styling little girl thanks to all the cute clothes she received!

"My auntie loves me" onesie. Very true!

One of three {handmade} quilts for the baby!

The spread.

The haul.

And the beautiful momma-to-be!

Love: Molly Mutt dog beds

2011-04-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Our pup, Lily, was recently in need of a new dog bed, so where did I turn? The Internet of course! I searched through my Google Reader and came across Molly Mutt dog beds and knew I had found Lily's new bed. With different sizes & patterned covers {we went with the small Mr. Postman duvet}, this bed can change with your decorating needs. And I love the stuff sack you place inside the cover for the sole purpose that it keeps everything together inside!

I think Lily may still be getting used to her new sleeping quarters {she had her previous bed for almost 3 years}, but I can tell you I'm already a big fan of the style & quality!

*FYI: I was not compensated for this post, I just love to share what I find!

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-04-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

Another week, another group of pictures. Not much to report happening this week, except maybe a haircut {see Saturday's post}, but without fail, this weekly post does serve the purpose of not allowing me to wear the same couple items from my closet day after day.

{Wednesday}
Sweater: Macy's
Top: Anthropologie
Jeans: Banana Republic outlet
Wedges: Privo

{Thursday}
Top: Anthropologie
Tank: Downeast Basics
Pants: Calvin Klein
Flats: Urban Outfitters

{Saturday}
Top: Anthropologie
Jeans: J.Crew outlet
Shoes: Keds

{Sunday}
Vest: Land's End Canvas
Tee: Downeast Basics
Jeans: Calvin Klein
Flats: Privo

{Monday}
Top: Anthropologie
Tank: Downeast Basics
Leggings: Hue
Boots: Target

{Tuesday}
Top: Ann Taylor Loft, via SIL
Pants: Gap
Flats: Privo

Over the Weekend

2011-04-03T22:00:00.000-07:00

Looking back at our weekend, we definitely took advantage of the nice weather. Between building raised beds and tearing out grass, it is also easy to say our bodies need a couple days to rest {which unfortunately isn't going to happen since it's Sunday night and we've got a full week of work ahead of us}. However, it is nice to see a vision for our yard and we can't wait to find more time to work on it.

Our first of two trips to stock up on lumber for the raised beds.

A {pre} shot of where we tore out the grass for our new raised beds.

Kristi's parents picking up the raised beds {5 in total} that Sam made for them.