Tell It Like It Is

Thoughts occupying my mind these days...

I'm having a terrible lack of creative ideas for fun posts...any ideas from my loyal blogging friends out there? Based on feedback, I am working on a baby registry post {which could take months at this rate}, a return to Fashionable Friday featuring absolutely nothing related to babies, my favorite blogs/sites, and how to find your "happy place" when it comes to how you look {tips on what I do for workouts/eating/etc}. I am open to any and all suggestions I promise so come one come all!

One of my favorite local happenings returns here in town...it's our own version of Restaurant Week from January 16-22! Sounds like the perfect excuse for a random date night to me--some of my most favorite places are on here that you must try if you've never ventured before--Boundry, Cafe Nonna, Germantown Cafe, and Red Pony just to name a few. We made reservations for Holland House and I am excited to finally try it out.

I'm starting to slow down a bit these days--my planner is booked with all sorts of fun events and happenings, yet I am finding myself having to say "no" because of my tiredness and general lack of energy. Sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day isn't the best way to deal with lower back pains, leg cramps, and constant potty breaks...a little more than 9 weeks to go, so there is light at the end of the tunnel!

Whoever created Etsy should be given a standing ovation..if I am ever needing to find a hostess gift, baby shower present, random art prints/quotes for frames, jewelry, or any combination of fun items, I know just where to turn! I can't get enough and my PayPal account knows how much I frequent some of my fav sellers' shops, too ;)

As much as I loathe Target's revamped poorly uodated website,  I cannot help but love this new collection of home decor goodies, cleverly entitled "Golden Days". A few of these goodies just might be taking up residence in Caroline's nursery.

This past week, I received two very important cards from two of my bestest friends asking me to be bridesmaids in their weddings...can't say I didn't get a little emotional at the thought that I get to be there to celebrate their special days, just as they did mine. Not to mention this gives me wonderful excuses to plan parties again-yay Candice and Lauren!! 

And because we all need life mottos, I think this is superbly fitting:

The Nashville Native...Tidbits and Things To Do

I am frequently getting emails from readers and friends about my favorite city, Nashville, Tennessee {and yes, I am partial}. It seems like my beloved Music City is quite a fun little destination for weekend adventures and short holidays. With that, I thought I would devote a post to anything and everything Nashville to help you plan your getaway--things not to miss, great eats for amazing food, must see attractions and such, and of course the most important thing, the shopping. We may not be New York or LA, but we're moving on up in the retail ladder I tell you. Here is a brief synopsis of some of my favorites:

{Local Attractions}

• Arrington Vineyards-- perfect place for wine tastings, evening picnics, and live music
• Frist Center for the Visual Arts--museum featuring all types of fascinating exhibits
• Country Music Hall of Fame--devoted to all things country and the evolution of the genre of music
• Grand Ole Opry--sit back and sing away for weekly concerts featuring some of country's best and brightest stars
• Opryland Hotel and Convention Center--hotel, inside attraction with boatrides, restaurants, shopping, and gardens...a great place for a fun date!
• Cheekwood-- botanical gardens, lush landscapes, the famous Pineapple Room Restaurant, and seasonal attractions
• Bicentennial Mall/Farmer's Market-- outdoor mall celebrating Tennessee's history; fountains for the kids to play in, and a fabulous local farmer's market open daily

{The Favorite Food Locales}

• Margot--best restaurant in Nashville; great atmosphere, ever-changing menu, perfect for a romantic date night, infamous chef, you won't be disappointed
• Boundry--bar/restaurant in Midtown; great ambiance, incredible food, and fun for a group get together
• Loveless Cafe--the epitomy of Nashville fare; famous biscuits and country cooking
• Germantown Cafe--in the heart of quaint little Germantown, a perfect setting to get together for simple, but gourmet meal; brunch and dinner are tasty treats!
• Tin Angel--my place to brunch! a local favorite, so be sure to get there early
• Virago--hands down, best sushi; just relocated and even trendier than before; you walk in and think you've ventured to NYC; fun night to dress up! they make my favorite cocktail as well--the Lychee Martini
• Mafiaoza's--if you're craving pizza, this is the place to go; don't forget to get the fried ravioli sticks as an appetizer, too
• Taco Mamacita--tex-mex; gourmet tacos and great for girl's night or an evening drink on the patio

{Honky Tonks and Must See Nightly Activities}

• The Bluebird Cafe--local hangout for aspiring songwriters and such; never know who you may run into in this local dive
• Broadway...Tootsie's, Paradise Park, Legend's, Big Bang--if you're looking for authentic Music City fun--and total tourist bars--look no further, these are the best; located right on Broadway for the epitomy of everything Nashville has to offer
• Midtown...Loser's, Red Door, Winner's, Corner Pub, Broadway Brewhouse--need cocktails with laid back fun? these are all places we love to go and mingle!! never a dull moment ;)

{Saved the Best for Last...The Shopping}

• Hill Center...Whole Foods, Anthropologie, H Audrey, Posh, Francesca's, Monkee's, Vineyard Vines, Paper Source, West Elm, Lulu Lemon, Hemline
• Green Hills Mall...Nordstrom, Dillards, Z Gallerie, Macy's, Tory Burch, Michael Kors, BCBG, Kate Spade, JCrew, David Yurman, Gap, Sephora, Restoration Hardware, Tiffany & Co
• 21st Avenue/Hillsboro Village: Posh, Social Graces, Pangaea, Cosmetic Market
• Blush Boutique
• Muse

As always, feel free to shoot me an email for other suggestions and such... there are so many places, favorites, and fun things to keep yourself occupied that I didn't include if you're trying to think of trying other outings! I promise, Nashville has so much to offer and you won't be disappointed.

Blessings All Around

Oh friends...this week I have a VERY happy heart--another one of my great friends got engaged this past weekend! Julie and Jon, what an incredible couple...so full of energy and life and we all just know they are absolutely perfect for one another! Congrats dear friend--so excited for this next chapter in your life--it's going to be a GREAT one!

More fun blessings going on...tonight I am hosting the ladies at my house for bunco! I haven't had the girls over for entertaining fun in quite some time so I am taking advantage and getting uber excited about a fun and relaxing night--ready to roll those dice and hopefully win some $$.

Next week, I have my first small group meeting/dinner as a provisional member with Junior League Nashville. Some of my friends have participated in JLN and I am so happy to now be joining and putting more time and energy into volunteerism and helping support our community...and hopefully meeting some fabulous women in the process, too!

It's Wednesday, meaning the work week is 1/2 way over...ahhh thank heavens! This weekend, Meg and I are taking a little roadtrip to Memphis to visit with The Fields Family! I cannot wait to get my hands on Little Baby P and spend some quality time with Cami--it's going to be fun fun fun!
Like I said, lots of little blessings... hope you all have a fantastic day!! ;)

I Haven't Seen You All Week!

For my first actual real life blogging post this week, I've got all sorts of good little lovelies to share with you...afterall, it's Wednesday and I have to get through the "hump day" heavies.

I have seen a good amount of blogging going on recently about home organization notebooks...is anyone else wanting to jump on the bandwagon to make one of these books to keep you "in the know" with your personal self and on top of all your lists? I am totally making one and will let you know how my ideas turn out.

I am loving that someone at work just happened to bring in cake and cupcakes from a birthday party they had leftover...thank you much, that slice of funfetti cake was my "morning snack".

I FINALLY finished my gallery wall last night. Big pat on the back! It looks fabulous and I promise to show the end product ASAP.

Jeff is taking off from work most of this week and I have him with an itemized "honey-do" list to knock out some little tasks here and there...ahhh this is the life!

I am having a craving for cucumbers in vinegar...does anyone else love this summertime treat? Saw this post via Eat at Home and thinking this will be on the menu tonight for dinner.

Next week, I am hosting bunco at my house and cannot wait...being the entertaining nerd that I am, the menu is planned and I know us girls are going to have a GREAT time!

Can this weekend get here soon enough?? So many exciting things going on:

• The ever famous Wilson County Fair is starting--yes, I love fair food in all its fried greasyness...and then will make sure I hit up the gym the very next morning
• The weather is supposed to be in the mid-80s, which means I may just need a light coat because that sounds almost chilly ;)
• Jeff is heading to the lake for a "sales meeting" with guys from work...otherwise known as leave your wives and kids for wakeboarding, drinking, eating, and acting inapprpriately for whole 2 days--haha
• So, what's a girl to do when the boy goes away and the friends are busy? Spending the weekend with Mom and Dad of course! Cannot wait for some downtime, and I'm taking Mom to see The Sound of Music at the newly restored historic downtown Franklin Theater...so fun!!

Feeling Good Friday!

Can you believe how quickly this week just floated on by? This girl is grinning due to the fact we have a FREE weekend...yes, you read that correctly. And what do I plan on doing? A whole bunch of nada.

But before I jump any further, I wanted to say a big thanks to everyone for all their sweet sentiments about my bridal portraits...and for those of you who emailed me about the particulars, here are the specifics:
Dress: Watters Style Torreon via Arzelle's {if I could wear this dress everyday for the rest of my life, I totally would...that's the way you're supposed to feel, right?}
Shoes: Badgley Mischka via Piperlime 
Earrings: via Arzelle's {loved them, though for the big day, the hubby surprised me with antique diamond baubles--will post those beauties, soon!}
Flowers: Caprice via Enchanted Florist
Brooch: my sweet Daddy bought me a beautiful brooch to commemorate this special day...it's by PARIS by Debra Moreland via The Bride Room

Ok back to nothingness...the only action items we have planned are a stop to the Farmers Market to stock up on all those fresh fruits and veggies I'm craving, movie time on the couch since this week's nightly activities have worn us out, cleaning out the LAST closet and then the mister is taking me to Loveless Cafe for date night tomorrow.

Scared to admit this since I am born and raised in Nashville, but I've never eaten at the local favorite...shocked, huh? This will be my first experience with their famous fried chicken and biscuits and my stomach is already growling in anticipation! Then on Sunday, we'll be heading to church and hopefully finding a way to sneak in  pool time because our honeymoon tans are officially gone...if that appears to be unsuccessful, this lady isn't opposed to venturing to Target to purchase a wannabe kiddie pool--haha. Hope you have a marvelous weekend!!

P.S. loving all of the incredible blog name suggestions ladies...you are VERY creative and really seem to like anything with Nashville and "southern"!! Keep them coming and I can't wait to share with you what I pick ;)

Thoughtless Thursday...Dog Days of Summer

Thoughtless...perhaps, only you can decide:

 

1. With us deciding to stay at home this weekend and forego the sunny beaches of Seaside with the bestest, her hubby, and family {honestly, what are we thinking?}, Jeff and I have some time to get to work around the house and I am hoping to start and finish some projects...in no particular order, we're going to embark on these "fun" assignments:

• Work on gallery art wall for our downstairs--a.k.a man cave/family living room

• Organizing storage areas--upstairs closets, cabinets, and basement space to make sure everything in our house has a place so that things actually get put up

• Searching for new bedding for the master...such a tedious chore and a hard one at that. Bedding stores in Nashville are few and far between, but hoping I can find something fresh and fun to change up our room and add some fun new colors

• Buy new outdoor patio umbrella and outdoor pillows and accessories to bring in some added color for summer entertaining...so wishing we could get new furniture, though that is on the list for next year

2. Getting an email from our fabulous wedding photographers entitled "Image Premiere" last night may have made my entire week...sure, our meetingisn't until July 29th, but that means we are inching closer to getting our wedding pictures!

3. With so much going on in Nashville this weekend, Jeff and I are hoping to venture to the Farmer's Market to stock up on local produce, head to Franklin to partake in the 4th of July Main Street Festival and Fireworks, perhaps take a little afternoon/early evening picnic to Arrington Vineyards for some wine tasting and live music, and spend as much time relaxing as possible...not to mention grilling out a traditional holiday meal is already in the works...I need a hamburger and hot dog like yesterday

4. Recently, Jeff and I have been ordering catering and food for family and friends from personal chef and health counselor Callie McMillin...her local business is fantastic and it's perfect for people on the go who want homecooked food, but can't always make the time to do it with such hectic schedules. 

5. I hate changing my name--there, I said it. It's not that I don't love my new name and hubby, but the whole process is just draining...first the government stuff, then the work stuff which has turned out to be much more extensive, then come the bank accounts and will changes and insurance coverage, and all my emails and such...I want a fairy IT guru/godmother to come get this done for me.

6. My new favorite summertime cocktail is Crystal Light Strawberry Lemonade with vodka and a splash of pineapple juice...amazing and light--perfect for hot weather!

Enough mumbo jumbo for today...what all is racking your brain and keeping you occupied today?? I am anxiously watching the hours because I'm mroe than ready to get home early this afternoon to say hello to something new--woo hoo!! Happy Thursday friends ;)

The Best Day Ever...Out of Town Gift Bags

Finally, right? Another wedding recap...I'm hoping I can get through at least one of these a week or until I receive all of my fabulous wedding pictures!! I'm hoping I can swoon my photogs with some baked goodies or something of that nature ;).
When I started thinking about OOT gift bags, I knew I wanted something that screamed Nashville...also known as Music City USA. I had very specific items I wanted to include, and started off on my quest to purchase fun items to make these unique for guests that were sweet enough to travel to TN for our big day. Without further adieu, here they are:

The finished products...all lined up and ready to be delivered to the hotels

Now backing up to the assembly and what items were in each takeaway tote:

Goo Goo Clusters--a Tennessee staple

Mini Jack Daniels bottles--no explanation needed

Goody's Headache Powder Packets--for the day after ;)

Music City Mix CD made by Dad--check out the CD label

Bottled Water with personalized labels

 Homemade Late Night Munchies Mix--popcorn, M&Ms, peanuts, and coated with melted almond bark...so addictive

Homemade Mini TN Jam Cakes--made by Mom and the perfect sweet treat!

Trident White Gum

Spirit of Nashville Postcards

Custom Wedding Itinerary--complete with a listing of our favorite places to eat, shop, and visit as well as detailed directions to the church

The weekend before the wedding, Meg/Aaron, Mom/Dad, and  Jeff and Igot to work on baking/mixing, and getting the items ready to be packaged and then Mom and I made ourselves a small assembly line Wednesday night...we were a machine making sure everything was just perfect and I just loved how they turned out!

For the custom water bottle labels, munchie tags, stickers, and itineraries, I worked with the fabulous Mekala from Tie That Binds.

She helped me achieve the exact look I was going for to tie these small details into the overall color scheme and look of our invitations. Ladies, she is WONDERFUL to work with and you can see more of her designs on her blog here.  {P.S. I'll have more to show you from her when I recap the rehearsal dinner, too!}

As for the other items, I found these all around Nashville and online:

Kraft tote shopping bags: Michael's

Bright yellow tissue paper: Hobby Lobby

Cello bags for munchie mix/mini jam cakes: Nashville Wraps--available to purchase online

Raffia ribbon for mix: Nashville Wraps/Hobby Lobby

Retro Nashville postcards--Spirit of Nashville

Goo Goo Clusters: Cracker Barrel

Do Good...And Other Nonsense

My sorority's creed--haha. Random, I know. And other nonsense...this is Thursday's topic of delight. For some reason, this morning I woke up and must have felt patriotic because I am most certainly sporting a navy striped skirt and a tomato red springtime sweater...God Bless America, right? 

On another fashion note, I finally did it--I broke down and purchased my very first romper the other day. I almost walked away with one last year, but couldn't give in to spending $100 on what I thought would be a one-season trend. Well, they're back this year, though I only shelled out $20 at Le Target and I am impressed by my budget-savvyness--it's really cute on, too! {no picture though, I can't seem to find it online}

So, we finished our first book club ready "Crazy Love" the other night--1 down, bunches to go. I think overall we all enjoyed the book, though we definitely needed some reflection time to deal with the themes and key takeaways from the book. Next on our plate? "Same Kind of Different as Me" by Ron Hall and Denver Moore--I can't wait to get started on this. The reviews sound really good and this should take us in a different direction this go-around.

Do any of you collect cookbooks? I am becoming obsessed with these lovely reads {yes I consider them to be reading books} and cannot wait to add more to my collection. Some recent gifts include Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade Comfort Foods, 101 Things to Do with a Cake Mix, and a Gourmet Cupcake Cookbook--look out, these people know I love a good sweet, or two.

The Lady Gaga concert is here in Nashville next Tuesday and I'm going with 2 of my best friends...we cannot wait!!! I know it is going to be quite the spectacle and so much fun to sing along to each and every song...yes, we'll be acting like teeny boppers, too ;)

Need a good excuse to treat yourself to a night out to dinner? I found this event at Nashville Scene and it's a WONDERFUL cause going on throughout the nation in major cities. It's called "Dining Out for Life" and its an annual fundraising event involving local restaurants. More than 3,500 restaurants donate a portion of their proceeds from this one night of dining to the licensed agency in their city. Nashville is participating on Tuesday, April 26th and I was happy to see so many restaurants are joining in to raise money for such a worthy event...here is the lineup!

Alright, it's official--I am ready for the weekend...wedding crafting, shopping around town, and then celebrating my friend Leslie's birthday with good friends at Arrington Vineyards Saturday night--cannot wait for some much needed downtime!! Happy Thursday

A Little R&R

Alright, I have to give props to my company for giving us MLK day off...yesterday was divine in my book and made my weekend so much more enjoyable knowing I had an extra day to take care of the necessities that had to get accomplished. Even better, I am back at work this Tuesday morning and grinning from ear to ear because it's a 4-day work week--this week has my name written all over it!

So much to share and recap: this weekend, it was all about spending time with Jeff before he leaves for his bachelor party... he is over the moon excited like a kid on Christmas morning and I am so happy for him--they are venturing to Costa Rica for sail fishing, ATV riding, ziplining tours, and anything else they can get their hands on!

Saturday morning, we hit the gym hard, drove to Bass Pro so he could stock up on "pastel preppy fishing gear" as I like to call it, and then I begged him to chase down The Grilled Cheeserie truck...low and behold, we found in lurking next to the Green Wagon in East Nashville and the waiting was MOST certainly worth it... I got the Croque Madame sandwich and I assure you it was the best grilled cheese I have ever had! We will be back again SOON!

Later that afternoon, Jeff gave in and took me to see Black Swan--he knew I really wanted to see it and after our friends Lauren and Andy gave it 2 thumbs up he agreed to take in the matinee... now I know I am by no means a professional movie critic, but all the fuss about this tale is well worth it--Natalie Portman {swoon she is gorgeous!} is incredible in this role and she deserves EVERY award she is winning. Definitely an adult-themed movie, but keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time!! After the movie, we were on our way to eat Mexican when Jeff suddenly said he had a "craving" for Red Lobster--random I know--and that I should call my parents to see if they wanted to join us... my Dad taunts Jeff every time they go with those cheddar biscuits--haha! Funny enough, we called my Dad and guess where they were at 8:30 on a Saturday night? YES--it was like ESP, they had just put their name in at Red Lobster... so needless to say, we wined and dined and Jeff got his fill of seafood that night.

Sunday, I woke up not feeling too well--yes, I am thinking seafood was the culprit--so we took it easy. We ate breakfast in bed, I did hoards of laundry, did the weekly grocery shopping, cooked dinner, and then watched the Golden Globes like everyone else in America. In a nutshell, I think Ricky Jervais is lude and I LOVE IT--I think it is hilarious how he calls everyone out and most of the time it's true stories and people should be able to take a joke every now and then. My best dressed ladies were Claire Danes in that gorgeous pink, Anne Hathaway in that sequiny showstopper, Mila Kunis in emerald green, and Eva Longoria in that incredible Zac Posen gown... and for the lows of the night--Halle Berry in the see through mini dress, Helena Bonham Carter for wearing 2 different shoes, and Tilda Swenson because that woman is wacko and just scares me.

Monday morning started with my morning workout, making lots of coffee to get us going, and then I headed out for a day of shopping... made a little rendezvous lunch stop in Franklin to meet Mom for lunch at HR Dumplins and then hurried home to tackle a southern style dinner for the boy... my first shot at Homemade Chicken and Dumplins which turned out to be a HUGE success, and a Banana Pudding Trifle for dessert {recipes below}. All in all, a happy weekend spent at home and ready for loads of girl time this week--woo hoo!

Chicken and Dumplings via Southern Living {Shannon and Chelsie, this is for you!}

Ingredients

1 (32-oz.) container low-sodium chicken broth

1 (14-oz.) can low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups shredded cooked chicken (about 1 1/2 lb.)
1 (10 3/4-oz.) can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup
1 (10 3/4-oz.) can reduced fat cream of celery soup
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 (10.2-oz.) can refrigerated jumbo buttermilk biscuits
Salt and pepper



Directions
1. Bring first 6 ingredients to a boil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high; return to a low boil
2. Place biscuits on a lightly floured surface. Roll or pat each biscuit to 1/8-inch thickness; cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips (I use a pizza roller which works very well!)
3. Drop strips, 1 at a time, into boiling broth mixture. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent dumplings from sticking.