five on friday

Linking up with April, Christina, Natasha, and Darci

 My life has been slightly consumed with home decor lately (as if you haven't noticed). There are just so many options and fun things to look at! Well, thanks to one of my lovely co-workers I found my newest obsession: Joss & Main. Have you heard of it? Maybe I'm way behind on this, but if not and you haven't heard of it either, let me be the first to tell you-- this site it awesome and dangerous. Every day they release events (that's their word, not mine). And each is specifically geared toward a certain style or theme. So if you're looking for a specific type of style decor you can scour through the groups to find one you like. Oh, and they're discounted items, did I forget to mention that?

Like I said-- awesome! Plus, everything is a little different and there are a limited amount of each item, so it's not likely that any of your friends are going to have the same pieces. It's awesome and you should definitely check it out. And since I like to be a little different, today's Five on Friday is my top five wish list if I had unlimited resources and could shop at Joss & Main all day.

{one} this ottoman

{two} these side tables

{three} this fabulous yellow chair

{four} this sign-- probably for the man cave

{five} And these cute burlap trees for the holidays

And that's just a very small taste of all the goodness they offer. I seriously could decorate my whole house with just this site.

Happy Friday to you!

five on friday

Hey guess what? It's Friday again and that means I'm linking up with Christina, Darci, Liz and Natasha for Five on Friday.

 {ONE} Although it's already been a week, it was still a big highlight. Last Friday, I finally got to have lunch with two of my oldest friends. I have been friends with these two for a long time and since we live hours apart now our visiting is more limited. But Sara, Sophia (Sara's sweet baby girl), Kelly and I spent a few hours at lunch catching up and talking wedding plans for BOTH of them!

{TWO} Speaking of friends, this weekend I am heading to Indianapolis for a baby shower for a friend from college! I also get to meet another friends new baby boy and see some of my best friends from college. Babies, babies everywhere! So so so excited!

{THREE} Our apartment is back to looking like this...

which is totally ok, because that means we're moving into our house soon!!! Words cannot express my excitement!

{FOUR} Not sure if this counts, but I am tremendously pumped for next week. We close on our house on Wednesday!!! AAAH! I can't believe it. It's hard to believe it is actually happening. I'll be sure to share pictures soon!

{FIVE} Shhh...don't tell anyone, but I some how managed to find the first episode of Season 4 of Downton Abbey this week. And of course, I watched it. I am not going to say anything else just in case you are still in the process of catching up (like my mom and aunt). But I just love this show and can't wait until it premieres in the States!

Happy Friday to you!

five on friday: fall favorites

It's Friday. It's 65 degrees and I'm cozied up with a sweatshirt. Life is pretty good. Today I'm linking up with Christina, Darci, Liz and Natasha for Five on Friday. Since it s really starting to feel like fall, this weeks list is the five things I am looking forward to most this fall!

{ONE} Sweaters and boots season-- need I say more.

{TWO} Candy corn. I realize these are cookies with candy corn in them, but I have a minor obsession with these strange sugar candies. So anything that includes them is good in my book.

via Pinterest

{THREE} My Birthday. I'll turn the big 2-7 this October :) Birthdays are a big deal to me, so I always get excited when October rolls around.

{FOUR} Football season is here, which also means fantasy football is upon us. Last week was the first week of games and it wasn't a fabulous start to the season but that's ok. It's early.

{FIVE} Pumpkin flavored everything-- except coffee. I am not a PSL fan but I am a fan of pumpkin bread, scones, ice cream and pie. There will be lots of pumpkin cooking in our house this season.

via Pinterest

What are you looking forward to most this season?

Happy beginning of fall to you all and have a great weekend!

five on friday

Welcome to Friday again. Today, I am linking up with Christina, Darci, Liz and Natasha for Five on Friday.

I'm not going to lie, I don't have much to report today. Actually, it has been a pretty uneventful week. I spent all of yesterday curled up on the couch with a sore throat and fever. I'm pretty sure somebody on the plane sneezed on me and got me sick. Ok, probably not. It's probably just from being exhausted. I have no idea how my husband manages to work all week after traveling. He's a rock star. Anyway, here is my five for this week.

{ONE} Confession-- yesterday wasn't the only day this week I spent on the couch. The hubs surprised me on Tuesday by coming home a little early and we watched movies for the rest of they day. Much needed relaxation time together.

{TWO} We have been waiting for some final inspection information and quotes on the (hopefully) new  house. We got our final info sent off and are waiting to hear back from the sellers. Prayers and fingers crossed! 

{THREE} Even though our anniversary was last weekend, we are finally going to enjoy our one year cake tonight!!! I am super excited! We didn't save the cake from our actual wedding day because it needed to be cut, but our baker offered to make us another one on our one year anniversary. I looooove wedding cake and I can't wait to dive into this one!

 

{FOUR} My first fantasy football player played last night. Projected to get 8 pts. and he came away with 16 pts. That's a good start, I'd say. And as much as it pains me to say it, I am grateful that Peyton Manning is a good quarterback and likes to throw to Wes. Ugh...that hurt a bit.
 

{FIVE} Last week, I tried my hand at canning dill pickles. I have done a good amount of canning in the past but I've never done pickles. We tried them this week and they actually tasted like pickles!! It was a very exciting day. I've also got a five gallon bucket full of fresh, delicious smelling apples to make some applesauce and apple butter with. Needless to say, I am beyond excited!

Happy Friday to you all! Hope your weekend is filled with lots of goodness.

five on friday: anniversary edition

Sunday marks Jake and I's one year anniversary. I can't even believe that it has already been a whole year. It seems like it was just yesterday but also seems like so long ago, all at the same time. I am so thankful every day that I married such a wonderful man. We will be celebrating our anniversary in Austin, TX at a friend's wedding. We have never been to Austin so we're both excited to have a reason to go and to celebrate with my friend Christin on her very special day.

And since it's Friday, I am linking up with Christina, Darci, Liz and Natasha for Five on Friday. Also, in honor of our anniversary, today's five are my five most favorite things about my husband.

(1) There is never a dull moment with my husband. Whether we're starting a new project, he is rough housing with Winnie or one of our random conversations,  it is always a joy.

(2) He is a very strong worker. He is very dedicated to his work or whatever task he is doing. He doesn't do anything half way. He is a great example of how hard work pays off and I know that he blesses our family by being a person of such diligence.

(3) His faith. He is always striving to be a better person. He encourages me and guides our relationship to be one which honors God. This was one of the most important qualities I wanted in a husband and he does it well. And for that I am eternally grateful.

(4) He is tall, dark and handsome. I don't feel that I need to dwell much on this. But he's pretty easy on the eyes.

(5) He is my best friend. I never really understood what that was like until I met Jake. Life is just better with him by my side and I couldn't imagine life any other way. He brings so much goodness to my life and is a better husband than I could have ever hoped for. I am beyond blessed.

Happy One Year Anniversary J! I love you and can't wait for many more years together!

five on friday and some exciting news

It is a happy Friday in this house. There is a lot of good things going on today. To share those things with you, I am linking up with some lovely ladies for Five on Friday!

I don't have a lot of pictures for today but I think this one is pretty cute.

 

 {ONE} The hubs had a very successful week at work. Long story short. He's a stud. It was a very important and stressful week for all the staff, but they came through it with awesome results. So thankful!

{TWO} We're leaving for Florida today. We're going to celebrate the hubs grandparents 50th wedding anniversary. We are truly surrounded by wonderful examples of marriage and we are thankful for it. We're excited for a weekend away with family.

{THREE} I am not sure if I told you or not but the hubs has brewed his first batch of homemade beer. Last night we bottled it and it will be ready in a week. So we have 42 of bottles of beer on the wall-- just kidding. But I am really excited to try it!

{FOUR} We are currently doing a book study at our church on the 5 Love Languages. We're really enjoying taking this class together and to learn more about one another and how to strengthen our marriage. It's also great to meet other young couples in the area. If you haven't heard of or read the 5 Love Languages, I would encourage you to do so. It is helpful not just for marriages but with all people.

{FIVE} And the most exciting news of the day-- WE BOUGHT A HOUSE! We signed the dotted line and got ourselves a house! Well, at least we signed the counter offer and so now we're in the process of going through inspection and financing details. So, it's not officially a done deal, but we're definitely on our way. We are SO SO SO excited. There will be lots more details to come once we get the process more finalized.

It has been a very emotional/scary/exciting/stressful/joyful week. And at the end of the day, I am just so thankful for God's faithfulness and mercy. But for now, I have to get packing because we leave in a few hours and there is nothing in our bags.

Happy Friday, all!

five on friday: afternoon edition

I full intended on writing this blog this morning, but frankly I was just too exhausted. So you are getting an afternoon/early evening edition. I am linking up with some great ladies for Five on Friday!

1. We're still trying to catch up on sleep from last week, but it has been a good but busy work week. So we're both thankful for Friday. We're ready for a little relaxation together.
2. The boutique is having it's biggest sale of the year right now, so there is a whole lot going on there. Seriously awesome shopping deals!
3. My mom visited yesterday to do some blueberry picking. We walked away with 43 lbs of blueberries. They are my favorite so I am super excited to finally have some yummy fresh berries.
4. I finally got this cook book in the mail this week! I've already tried one recipe and am extremely please with how it turned out. I can't wait to make more recipes. I feel like I just keep flipping through the pages with excitement.
5. Lastly, we're going on our first round of house showings tomorrow!!! I cannot tell you how excited I am to actually visit the houses I've been looking at online. Eek! 

That is all for today's edition of five on friday. Now I'm off to spend some much needed relaxation time with the hubs!

Happy Weekend!

five on friday

It's Friday, so that means I'm linking up with Carolina Charm for Five on Friday.

1. My baby brother (and by baby I mean 17 year old) spent the day with us yesterday. He is a pretty busy dude, so for him to have the day off and time to visit was a real treat. We spent the afternoon by the pool, watched the hubs play ultimate frisbee, ate some fro-yo and just talked. I love being around my siblings so it was a great way to spend the day.

2. We have a strange love for cutting boards in our house. I really have no idea why, but apparently we collect them. I really want to add this one to our collection. So now I just have to think of a reason to justify buying it.

3. $12 tank top from Express. I love stripes and I love tank tops. Awesomeness right here.

4. My wonderful hubs read this post and helped mark one off the list! We went on a long walk along the river with Winnie this week. We ended up walking a lot longer than we had planned but it was great night for a walk. We managed to jump in the car just as the storms rolled in. Two points for good timing.

5.  I seriously love this nail polish. I think it is perfect for summer. Fun and bold. Perfect for poolside laying.

Lastly--

I'm also linking up with a blog hop.

Click on the button above and check it out to meet some really great bloggers!

five on friday

Happy Friday once again-- today I'm linking up with Carolina Charm for Five on Friday.

It has been a busy week around here. We had a big birthday party and fashion show at the boutique last night, which was a huge success. I'll share more in a bit. But for now, here are my five from this week.

1. I am a sucker for candles. And good ole TJ Maxx never lets me down. I found this little gem this week and it is awesome. I am not typically one who enjoys coconuty scents, but this one is an exception. It's like vacation in a jar. Seriously.

2. I also finally ventured out to the local farmer's market. I had heard good things about it but hadn't taken the time to go. I was quite pleased with my experience. I managed to get some great veggies, cheese, and these gorgeous flowers. Fresh flowers are so welcoming in a home. And I love that the market is open during the week and not just on Saturdays. I will definitely be heading back soon. 

3. I got this sweet chevron scarf from our boutique. You can never had too much chevrons, right?!? I'm very excited to add this one to my collection.

4. Tomorrow the hubs and I are heading south to visit with some of my grad school friends. Plus, I am going to my dear friends baby shower. I am so excited to see these two ladies this weekend. I haven't seen either since our wedding (we all live pretty far apart) and it seems just entirely too long ago.

5. As I mentioned above, the boutique where I work celebrated it's 5th birthday this week! This celebration is a true testament to our owner and her dedication to the store. She managed to not only survive, but grew her small business during a time of economic chaos. It was a fabulous night filled with all things pink! There was a fashion show which featured our newest summer items and it was so beautifully put together. We had a DJ, food, cupcakes and pink champagne. The whole night was such a huge success and we had a incredible turn out of guests!

If you haven't checked out Flourish Boutique, you definitely should. The clothes are adorable and the ladies who work there are truly wonderful. So, really, go check it out. Here are just a few pictures from the evening of fabulousness!

 

I hope you all have a great Friday and first (official) day of summer...woo hoo!

five on friday

Can you believe that the first week of June is already over? I can't believe how fast time seems to be going. But, for today, I'm linking up with some great ladies for Five on Friday.

1. I'm so happy because our plants are actually growing! We don't have any flowers yet, but at least they are getting taller every day. I cannot wait until there is some color on our back deck.

2. We've been planning summer travels and finally got our tickets for a friends wedding in August. It also happens to be our one year anniversary, so we decided to make a weekend of it. Neither of us have been to Texas so it will be a first, but I'm super excited to be traveling to a new place.

 3. I just can't help it, but this picture cracks me up. Jake put a bro tank on Winnie and she was less than thrilled. Dressing your dog like a human may be a slight form of dog torture, but we sure got a kick out of it.

4. I tried a new work out this week. My cousins loaned me the dvds a while ago but I had been hesitant to try it out-- mostly because I didn't really want to have to work that hard. Sad, but true. However, when I did try it out I really enjoyed it. The work outs are between 30-40 minutes and had three phases: burn, push and lean. Hopefully, I will actually stay motivated to continue doing this workout.

5. I'm SUPER excited because today we're meeting with the bank to begin discussing mortgages. We've been talking about buying a house and we're going to be making the first steps today. It's scary but we're really excited to finally begin putting some roots down. Wish us luck, I know it can be a long and stressful processes but we're putting our best foot forward.

Happy Weekend!

Five on Friday

Happy Friday! Today I'm linking up with Carolina Charm for Five on Friday!

 

1. our kitchen table is graced by these beautiful peonies which I picked up this week. they're blooming and smell so wonderful. peonies are my favorite flowers and having fresh ones on the table makes every day better.

 

2. we have been eating entirely too much frozen yogurt in our house, but thankfully the meijer brand of fro-yo isn't as bad (calorie wise) as typical ice cream and it's delicious.

3. you can read more about this here, but i love finding new uses for something that you already have in hand. plus, it's much more budget friendly than buying a new pair of shorts.

4. on a recent trip to the book store, I spent the afternoon reading each page of this cookbook. I cannot wait to actually purchase it so I can have it on hand all the time.

5. this weekend-- I'm very excited for this holiday weekend. I actually have four days off and we're planning to spend the weekend with family and friends enjoying good food and cocktails and working on my tan poolside. It'll be a welcome weekend of relaxation for both of us.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend to you all!