Scenes From Our Weekend

How is it November 2nd already??  I am already starting to get stressed out thinking about Thanksgiving which we host every year, Frances Moon's Birthday, a fun get away we have planned and Christmas.  We have alot to pack into the next 2 months!

Friday I had a ladies lunch at Xao Bao Biscuit.  I can't tell you how much I love their cabbage pancake.  I had a request to try and make it at home so in the next few weeks I will try it out and report back.

 Friday night we went to a really fun Halloween party at the Yacht Club.

I tried to get get festive with black + white + rust.

This is the Loft Blouse I mentioned last week.  Mine arrived in the mail and I love it.  I am wearing size XS.

Dot Tunic | Jeans | Booties

It was so nice that Halloween fell on a Saturday this year.  We always go to our good friend's house for a fun party and to trick or treat over there.  This will be our last year though because they are moving to our neighborhood- YAY! 

Frances Moon was a cupcake. I had to basically bribe her to keep her costume on.

Sterling went as a great white shark.  He is shark and ocean obssessed these days.  That is his best friend Oliver as the dinosaur.

The crew minus Daddy who snapped the pics.

I love these pictures of Sterling and his friends.  They are sadly all at different schools this year but pick right back up when they get together!

 I have to share these pictures of my nephews.   Finley went as James Bond and Maxton is a NC State Football player.  They both look so adorable!

Halloween Outfit Details

Blouse | Jeans | Candy Shop Necklace | My Gigi Tote I designed :)

 

I made one of my favorite and easiest dips for the party. 

Loaded Potato Dip

Sunday I took the kids to church while Matt worked on staining our pergola. I always like to snap pictures after church because there are so many good locations downtown near our church.

We ended the weekend our favorite way with a golf card ride around the neighborhood.

and we made the best crab cakes!

Happy November and Happy Monday!

Life Lately

Who else is excited for Halloween?  I for one am ready to pack up all our Halloween decorations:)  So over it.  I am such a Christmas girl at heart. I love my white lights and sparkles.  I am excited to see the kids get dressed up and how excited they are about Trick or Treating. 

I caught the most beautiful sunrise this morning.  I will never get tired of living so close to the water.

Last weekend Matt and I had a date night with some good friends.  We tried out a new restaurant on James Island,  Stereo 8.

Wearing Mara Hoffman Dress

I have to say I walked in expecting to be disappointed but it far exceeded my expectations.  The Tuna Tartare and Thai Ceviche were incredible. The Kale chips were also amazing.  I will certainly go back.

Last Saturday our local DNR station hosted the coolest open house.  It had so many fun activities for the kids.  Sterling had a blast.

Frances is trying hard to convince me we need a small dog.  She and Sterling love taking care of my parent's Maltese.  The little star top she is wearing is such a cute fit and style,  I bought it in the penguins print too.

Wearing: Star Top (use code STYLE for 30% off) | Leggings | Native Shoes

Not sure how this guy would do with another dog in the house he has such anxiety issues.  But he is such a sweet dog.

 This Cabernet is a new favorite. It is under $20 and both Matt and I loved it.  We are super picky about red wines but this one was excellent.

I cooked Penne A La Vodka for the first time last night.  My brother in law passed the recipe to me.  Now typically I am not a Rachel Ray Fan but this recipe was awesome and so easy.    You can get the Recipe HERE.

Our planter finally arrived for the dining room.  It had been backordered for 2 months.  I am still waiting on a few more pieces to arrive hopefully before we host Thanksgiving and I can do a full room reveal!  I am off this morning to get some moss filler to go around the plant.

Planter + Stand

Frances Moon enjoying some Bojangles.  

Enjoying Happy Hour in my cute new cups Paper Snob sent me:)  You can see all her "happy" cups HERE. 

I just ordered this Mara Hoffman Sweater.  I love the bright colors and fringe and it was just reduced.  I will share pictures when it arrives.

Mara Hoffman Sweater

My new favorite boots.  

SM Boots (55% off) | also in black

 

And because it's Friday and who doesn't love a little eye candy.  I mean Blake Lively is one lucky lady.

Have a great Halloween Weekend.

A Halloween Treat, Halloween Cocktail and Recent Outfits

Happy Thursday!  Today I wanted to share two fun ideas for Halloween one for the kids and one for the adults!

LITTLE BATS

These could not be easier and the kids loved helping to make them.  I found the recipe on Pinterest.

-1 bag snack sized reeses cups

- oreos

- icing (I bought the kind in a small squeeze tube)

- edible eyes

Break off the tops of the oreos and break into halves.  Use the icing to secure the oreos wings on the reeses cups and then use the icing to glue the eyeballs.  

HOOCH RITA

If you are not familiar with Hooch, you need to be.  It is the perfect cocktail mixer to have on hand.  

It is a bubbly limeade mixer and we love it.  It is not super sweet which I like.  It is great mixed with vodka or tequila.  If you are pregnant it also makes a great mocktail, my sister likes to sip it on ice with no alcohol added. 

It was created locally here in Charleston and is carried in several stores in the Southeast but for those of you not local you can order HERE

This is what the bottle looks like if you are trying to find it.

You can make this rita with either vodka or tequila.  Just add Hooch, a little fresh squeezed lime, a dash of triple sec if you have it on hand and fresh sliced lime for garnish.  Serve over ice and we like to salt our rims with pink Himalayan sea salt!

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RECENT OUTFITS

 Banana Republic Dress | Booties (also in black)| Barrington Tote | Candyshop Rice Bead Necklace| Waffles and Honey Necklace

I love this simple black dress.  It is great to dress up or down and is now on sale.  It also comes in a really pretty gray color.  Several of you asked about the booties and I found mine at TJMaxx but after scoring the internet I found them Here for 55% off!. They also come in black which I am so tempted to order I love my other ones so much.

This top is another score I found at Banana Republic.  If you love a good comfy knit shirt this one is a winner.  On sale now for only $20.  Comes in 6 different colors too.

BR Knit Top | ESN Necklace 

You might remember this blouse from my Gigi New York Photos.  It is on constant rotation these days.  Runs on the large side I am in XS. Also carrying my black Gigi Crocodile purse!

Free People Blouse | Jeans | Harrow Booties | Gigi Tote

My mom ended up buying the same Mara Hoffman dress I had and we decided to trade colors for awhile.  I love the red for Fall.  I bought the Madewell Pumps 2 years and they have quickly become my favorite go to pumps.  They are  super comfortable.

Mara Hoffman Dress | Madewell Pumps| Boho Beads Necklace

I ordered this dress from Loft last week during the sale and I was so pleased with it.  I love the pattern and the fun ruffled bottom.  Everything at LOFT is currently 40% off with code SWEET.

Medallion Dress | Booties

I also ordered this Floral Blouse (it is the same style as the coral blouse I shared Friday)

and this Dot Blouse, my store didn't have my size in stock.

This is the blouse I ordered during the Shopbop Friends and Family sale.  I love the mustard color and criss cross front detail.

D.Ra Blouse | Julie Vos Necklace

  Have a fabulous Thursday!

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Asparagus, Mushrooms and Brie + Terrafirma Pieces on Sale!

Lately I have been trying to branch out and try to cook new veggies.  I often get in a rut and don't try new things.  This recipe is a first as I have never actually cooked an acorn squash before.  Spaghetti squash plenty of times but never acorn squash.   A few weeks ago I had a stuffed acorn squash for lunch while my mom was visiting and it totally inspired me.  I made up this combo but the possibilities are endless.  If you don't like quinoa use white or brown rice and any combo of veggies you love.  This would also be killer with some ground sausage added in.  I personally love the combo of the asparagus, mushrooms and brie.  They really pair together perfectly.  You get the crunch of the asparagus, the earthiness of the mushrooms and the creaminess of the Brie.  It is a great combination. This actually made enough filling to stuff another squash but I only bought two.  You could save the filling to have as a quinoa salad or make an extra squash, they save and reheat great.  It was also a very filling meat free dinner.  I wold serve this with a salad and some tasty wine for a tasty weeknight dinner.

Enjoy!

|| S T U F F E D   A C O R N  S Q U A S H  W I T H  A S P A R A G U S + M U S H R O O M S + B R I E ||

- 2 acorn squash, cut in half and seeds removed

- 2 tablespoons butter

- 1 bunch asparagus

- 1 cup sliced baby bellas or really any mushrooms

- 1/2 white onion, diced.

- 1 cup quinoa, cooked

- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

- sliced brie

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.  Cut acorn squash in half and remove all seeds.  Melt the butter and brush on the flesh side of the squash.  Season all with salt and pepper.  Place the 4 squash halves on a baking sheet flesh side up.  Bake 50-60 minutes until inside is tender.

Cook quinoa according to package.   I did one cup dried quinoa in 2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer about 15 minutes.  Then fluff with a fork and season with salt and pepper.

Chop asparagus into about 1 inch pieces.  Coarsely chop mushrooms.  Heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet and add onion, mushrooms, and asparagus.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add in red pepper flakes.  Remove from heat and stir the veggies into quinoa.

Stuff each cooked acorn half with the quinoa veggie mix and top with about 2-3 thin slices of brie.  Bake another 5 minutes or so just to melt brie.

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I had a sweet reader who was nice enough to alert me that several terrafirma pieces were on sale at JCrew.  You all know I LOVE terrafirma pieces.  They are hands down my favorite serving dishes.  Best part is they are dishwasher safe.  These are on sale + additional 40% with code FALLSALE. They are never on sale, trust me!

The dish above is a terrafrima platter and actually for the most part all of the dishes I use in my recipes post are:)  I ordered a few of the dessert bowls for entertaining!

Rectangle Dish

Bread Tray

Dessert Bowls