Columbo Recap

Hello, lovelies! I am finally getting around to posting about my Columbus trip. Some of the pictures were on Bryan's phone and I have kept forgetting to send them to myself. Honestly, there really weren't many good pictures taken. None of the pictures of us people were worth sharing. Either they were blurry, someone's eyes were closed or some other blurp. If I had posted all of this right after I came home it would probably have been much better, but instead you are going to get the gist of things.

First, and foremost, the food. Ahhh, so much wonderful food was consumed along the way. I was beyond excited to get some almond milk bubble tea. The "bubbles" at the bottom are really tapioca. Our breakfasts/brunches each day were amazing. My favorite was probably the day I had pancake balls stuffed with nutella--oh.my.goodness. For Em's birthday meal she really wanted to go to Barrel 44, a whiskey bar and restaurant. My tuna salad was cooked to perfection and the birthday girl was giddy about the drinks. To top it all off, we had Jeni's ice cream--yummm.

We saw bands play three out of the four nights that we were there. On Thursday we saw The Infamous Stringdusters and Yonder Mountain String Band, both of which are bluegrass. The Stringdusters had incredible talent and were probably the most entertaining. Friday night we saw a local band, The Floorwalkers, who were also good. Sunday night we saw The Black Keys. I heart them. I may or may not rock out to them in the mornings as I start my day. Due to the lights, not a single picture from their show turned out. For those of you who have always wanted to see my backside, here's your one shot. How cute are the buttons on the shirt I wore?

It's sad, but these are really all of the pictures worth showing. Our trip was lots of fun, minus the straight 13 hour drive back home on Monday. We went from driving in snow to wearing shorts the next day! Crazy weather.

{Storytime} Wednesday

Good morning, friends! Part of me feels like this week is going by quickly, while the other part of me can't believe it's only Wednesday. Sunday night Bryan and I stayed at my parents' house, and the next day I decided it was so warm that I could put on a bathing suit and sit by the pool. Oh yeah, it's close to hitting 80* every day this week.
{awkward face and pose}

Though I don't like the dark mornings, I am thrilled that it stays lighter later. Bryan and I are finally able to do something fun together outside after he gets home from work. Lemme tell ya about yesterday.

One. I timed my ab workout to finish right before B walked in the door. I drank a lot of water because it was so hot, even with the door open.

Two. Bryan gets dressed in bike attire and loads up our bikes to head to the trail.

Three. My bike comes off first, so I ride the warm-up loop while B gets his things together. As I circle back around, I see him peddling towards me sans helmet. He forgot his shoes. I am sure some of you are wondering why he can't just ride in the shoes he has on his feet. Well, my hubby is one of those nuts who clips into his pedals, so no bueno.

Four. We decide to drive 15 minutes back to our house, find his riding shoes at the back door and decide to go to a park so that I can run and B can play with Ivy. Get to the park and it is thugville. I'm talking big time, no bueno.

Five. After driving around the whole park we decide to go to a walking/running/biking trail that runs behind a few neighborhoods. Bryan realizes he has no phone so I am going to have to stay relatively close.

Six. There are a few people out walking, which is no biggie, and Bryan begins throwing Ivy's dummy for her in a side patch of grass while I run back and forth along the pavement. Upon my third time around, I notice that there is a cop talking to Bryan. Apparently the old man who smiled at me every time I passed him decided that it was his duty to protect everyone in the viscinity from the vicious dog that was fetching and not wearing a leash, but was wearing an electronic collar. No lie. At this point I was having to go to the bathroom so badly from the gallon of water that I had gulped down that I was about to die. Mr. Police Man was super nice, said he had dealt with the old man before, but it was actually a city ordinance that all dogs had to be on a leash {I guess an invisible one that can shock doesn't count} and then basically said there was no place in town for me to run in a safe environment and where Ivy could play at the same time. Redic. Tell me, does this girl look like she is going to hurt anyone?

If you are still reading after that tangent, then I applaud you. I know that it seems like all I ever post are IG pics, but my phone camera isn't the best and I think that the app makes them look better. Let me know if you are on IG and we can follow each other. My profile is sweetteabelle.

In my inbox this morning I received an email about a flash outlet going on at Piperlime right now. There is a ton of cute stuff on major sale. Go check it out!

That's all I've got for you today, folks. Have a great Wednesday!

Spring Wish List

These are a few of my favorite things that are on my Spring wish list. I could live in dresses every single day, but all of the colorful denim is making me consider splitting time between the two. Floral is everywhere, and I really think a blazer would be a great asset to have for chilly mornings and evenings. What is on your wish list?

 

Friday Five

Happy Friday, loves! It has been a short week this week for me--busy and rushed. Last night we had new friends over for dinner for the first time. Nothing says "fun" like good food, a bottle of wine and Catch Fraze Phrase, right? (I just had a serious brain fart for a moment--notice scratched out word.) Not a single picture was taken, but you must go check out the links for the food that was served. The "Man-Pleasing Chicken" was very easy to make and was incredibly flavorful and tender. Good ole' Pioneer Woman's Crash Hot Potatoes were a mega hit. And I might or might not have found a new salad to love. Sorry that I have not gotten all of my pictures together to do a post on our Columbus trip, I promise it is still going to be posted! I've missed the past two Friday's Fancies because I simply have been too busy to get them together. Therefore, you have my Friday Five today.  

1. Fresh flowers are some of my favorite things. When I went to the grocery yesterday I looked for some to put on the kitchen table, but came back empty handed. Upon pulling into my driveway, I looked up and saw these beautiful, free flowers blooming!

2. Thank you all for your comments on regarding a dress for my bother-in-law's wedding. I found a dress that I was hoping would work, only to realize it was sold out everywhere. This morning I awoke to the sweetest message from a FB lady who said she found it and that it was on sale today! I am not quite ready to share, but it is the same color of the dress in this picture. I'm calling it seafoam green, not mint. Also, if anyone knows where to find the dress in this picture, let me know. I heart it, too.

3. Staying on the dress track, I think this Lauren Moffatt one screams ice cream and Easter dress to me.

4. Did you know that scallions (green onions) could be regrown after cutting them? Check out April's how-to post on them over at A. Liz Adventures.

5. This made me laugh. Have a great Friday!

Dacquoise with Mocha Sauce

One of my favorite things to do is share food with others. It makes my heart happy to make something that other people can eat and enjoy. Last night I made these delicious individual dacquoises to take to our couple's small group that Bryan and I attend on Wednesday nights. The recipe I will share actually is for making a large one, but I chose to make them in single-size servings. One of the best parts of these heavenly treats? For a dessert, they are light and healthy!

Dacquoise with Mocha Sauce

Meringue:

5 large egg whites

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

dash of salt

2/3 cup sugar

Filling:

3 cups vanilla low-fat frozen yogurt, slightly softened

1 tablespoon

Mocha sauce:

1 cup strong brewed coffee

3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa

1/2 cup light-colored corn syrup

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 275°.

Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Draw 2 (9 1/2-inch) circles on paper. Turn paper over; secure with masking tape.

Place egg whites, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Divide the egg white mixture evenly between the 2 drawn circles. Spread egg white mixture onto the circles using the back of spoon. Bake at 275° for 1 hour or until dry. Turn oven off; cool meringues in closed oven at least 1 hour. Remove meringues from oven; cool.

To prepare filling, beat yogurt and coffee granules until smooth. Carefully remove the meringues from paper. Invert 1 meringue onto a serving plate. Spread filling evenly over meringue. Top with remaining meringue. Cover and freeze several hours or until firm.

To prepare mocha sauce, combine brewed coffee, cocoa, corn syrup, and cornstarch in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate chips and vanilla. Remove dacquoise from freezer, and let stand for 5 minutes. Cut dacquoise into wedges with a serrated knife. Drizzle the mocha sauce over each serving.

Dress Options

Bryan's brother is getting married in June, thus the search for a dress for me to wear to the wedding has begun. While I was talking to my mother-in-law last night, she asked me what I planned on wearing. Can you believe that I haven't actually given it any thought? My mind has been going a million miles in a completely different direction while I've been brainstorming with her over rehearsal dinner ideas and decor.

Here are a few of the details to keep in mind. The wedding will be at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. I am not in the wedding party, but Bryan is the best man; he will be wearing a tan suit. The bridesmaids' dresses are a crinkle chiffon fuchsia-watermelon-pink color, with straps and ruffles around the neckline and a short a-line skirt. Since it is an early afternoon wedding, it is not necessary to be extremely dressy, but I feel as I should be since I am family. I want to go for a stylish, yet classic look since the pictures will be around forever.

Of course I had to start the hunt online this morning since I haven't even begun to look for a dress and the days are drawing closer. I am a huge planner and this sort of thing needs to be taken care of and hung in my closet. This dress is my first option. I love, love, love it. The best part is that I found it on huge clearance! Everything about it is exactly what I want, except that it is pink. I'm really wondering if it is too close to the color of the bridesmaids' dresses. The last thing I want to do is step on anyone's toes over the issue, though I am sure nobody would think twice about it. Thoughts? Please give me some feedback.

My only other option right now is this Tibi dress. The color is perfect and I love the style. I think the shoes only add more to the outfit. What's the problem? I will not be splurging on both.

The search has only just begun, but I do want to hear some of your opinions on these dresses or other possibilities. Thanks, ladies!



Zappos Outlet

To say that I am groggy this morning is a bit of an understatement. Bryan and I drove 13 hours yesterday, in time to make it to my parents' house just before midnight last night. Ivy Belle is one happy girl with her mama and daddy home. There was a slight bit of concern that she might be getting left again as Bryan walked out the door to work this morning. No worries, she is curled up at my feet as I sit here and blog with my coffee cup in hand.

Our trip to Columbus to see my sister was wonderful. Bryan mentioned last night that one of the highlights was getting to sleep in every morning. I have five days worth of things to share, but that will have to be tomorrow. Not too long after we got on the road yesterday, I mentioned to Bryan that I had heard there was a Zappos outlet somewhere around Louisville, Kentucky. Bless his dear heart, but my darling's reply was, "Look it up and let's go." I contemplated cleaning my ears and wondered who had suddenly stolen my husband's body. It was a nice stop along the way, and I highly recommend a visit if you are anywhere in the area.

Everything in the store is an automatic 50% off the price on the bottom, which is already reduced from retail. Then there are items that are reduced 60%-70%, too. All clearance shoes are shelved by size on the far right, then the rest of the shoes go in order across the store according to size. There is a small men's section, which can be a hit or a miss. Bryan found one pair of shoes, but commented that there was a man he saw who had two pairs of nice shoes that Bryan would have purchased had he found them in his own size. The clothing section was small and limited, and I was a little bit disappointed in it. Behind a counter there were a few Halston Heritage and Trina Turk dresses for a steal, but nothing in my size. I almost purchased a Patagonia down jacket for $60, but saw that there was a rip in the lining. Bryan saw Hunter rain boots for a steal and searched high and low to find a pair in my size, but ended up having no luck.

As far as basics go, there were tons of black pumps, sandals and boots. I certainly could have done lots of damage, but instead I looked for a few pairs that I knew I really needed. In comparison to Zappos.com, there is a very small percentage of what is shown online. Don't let that discourage you though, just know it going into shopping there. At one point Bryan rounded a corner to find me sitting on the floor trying to squeeze my feet into these babies. I really wanted to make my feet shrink half a size. They almost fit, but I agreed that I was trying a bit to hard to make them work.

These pretties caught my eye, but were not practical at all. I think Badgley Mischka has beautiful shoes to wear for parties and more formal affairs.

Please excuse my lovely feet, they had been traveling in socks and tennis shoes. I could not resist prancing around in these as I browsed an aisle. I think Bryan might have been slightly embarrassed to be seen with me wearing them with my black yoga pants.

Those are all of the pictures that I snapped, as I had my head spinning and my eyes getting all googly eyed at the rows of shoes. We both walked out with some new goodies to put in our closet, which sadly were all  practical. It was a perfect place to stretch our legs and take in some pretty scenery. ;)

*While out of town, I got some very sad news that a college boyfriend passed away. Please keep his family in your prayers as they go though this difficult time.