It is an exciting day over here for sure as it is my first now...or, shall we say, ICE...day! I am enjoying some time to relax in my jammies and get things done today!
Those who follow along on Instagram know that one of my very favorite Christmas presents was this tray:
If you recall, one of the last remaining details for the sun room was a tray for the coffee table. Once I discovered this one, no other tray had a chance! I was head over heels! When my parents surprised me with it for Christmas I was beyond giddy! It is from one of my all time fave shops, Furbish, however the pink version is no longer available online. It is available in a very chic gray (here) and also black (here).
As you can guess, I got to styling the pink beauty pretty much as soon as I brought it home. Styling is one of my favorite aspects of decorating. It usually involves a lot of "play" and me walking all over the house looking for trinkets and knickknacks to fulfill my mission. In today's post I'll share my process with you...
This was my first attempt, very close to the final version, I must add...
I loved the first look, but thought it felt a little bare.
I went upstairs and grabbed the little orange Tory box,
While the first look felt bare, this one felt cluttered, so...
I rearranged!
This still didn't feel right, and while I knew I wanted a candle on the tray, I decided the one above would be best returned to its spot in the bathroom. I did, however, remember some other tea light holders I hadn't used in ages...
I put larger floating candles in them to make a bit more of a statement.
We were getting closer, but the purple packed too much punch...
So I swapped them out for a clear version I also had,
Mine was so nice. Bryce and I had absolutely nothing on the agenda and barely left the house all weekend. We had a fire going and spent lots of time on the couch reading and watching movies. I am hoping that 2015 has more weekends like these in store! I love the hustle and bustle of a packed weekend, but I equally love time to just "veg out."
Last Monday night I posted the picture below and got several recipe requests:
As I mentioned in my resolutions post, I am trying to get back on the healthy eating/meal planning train and this meal was a great start! While the creamy mushrooms are not the lightest option, I am all about indulging a little when putting together a healthy meal. I have shared the recipe for the mushrooms below and I will explain the rest of the meal at the end!
Creamy Mushrooms (adapted from this recipe) Ingredients
2 tbs unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups mushrooms
1/3 cup half and half
salt, pepper, Italian herb seasoning
2 tbs grated parmesan
~2 tbs balsamic vinegar
Directions
-Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Sautee garlic and mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned (~5-6 min).
-Stir in half and half, season, and bring to a boil.
-Reduce heat and let simmer until slightly reduced and thickened (~5-6 min)
-Stir in parmesan and balsamic vinegar (Balsamic was not a part of the original recipe, but I felt it needed an additional kick of flavor. When adding, I did not measure, so am just guess with the 2 tbs listed. I would add until you get the flavor you like!).
-Serve immediately and enjoy!
I served this over grilled chicken thighs (marinated in olive oil, salt,and pepper) and quinoa with a side of blackened asparagus.
And now a bit more about quinoa. The first time Bryce and I tried it, we hatedit and it was quite some time before we cooked with it again. Since giving it another try, we really love it and it is a great alternative to pasta or rice as a starch. That being said, if you're not a quinoa person, I have a few tips for you to give it another try. The first being, try sprouted quinoa. In my experience, it is a bit more flavorful and is also said to be more nutritious. Also, when cooking, use stock or broth rather than water: The end result is a bit creamier, and also, more flavorful. Finally, be sure to spice it up. I always add plenty of butter, garlic, salt and pepper. While, this may make it a bit less healthy, it is still better than eating rice or pasta with the same fixings!
I am proud to report my first week back at school has gone swimmingly! 2015 sure is looking good so far!
First of all, a giant thanks and hugs to all of you! The blogging community has been a part of the support network that has been so valuable to me in the last year. Blog friends have never failed to show they care through comments, emails, texts, and even snail mail. Y'all are awesome!
While Monday's post was a bit tough, I don't want y'all to think 2014 was all hard. It certainly, like all years, had its good and bad. I wanted to take some time to share "The Best of 2014" with you today!
BEST OUTFITS
First up, I bring you my favorite outfits of the year, via none other than My Instagram!
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
BEST TRIP
Without a doubt, the best travel of the year was Bryce's and my Spring Break Charleston trip. It was at the height of some of our stress and provided a much needed getaway. We also were fortunate enough to get to meet and enjoy dinner with fellow blogger Cambron and her now fiancee! Read the full "Charleston Getaway" post here as well as my "Charleston Eats" post here. We'll also reminisce a bit right here in this post...take me back, now!
BEST RECIPES
Despite being a tough year, 2014 did involve a lot of really good food! We discovered several delicious new recipes that have become go-tos in the last year. You will find my absolute favorites below.
(you might notice I had a hard time narrowing it down)
While searching for something in the attic, Celia comes across a letter written by her husband to be read upon her death. When she confronts her husband about the letter he insists it is nothing, but when she opens it a long kept secret is revealed that could alter her family's life forever. Moriarty interweaves this story along with others, that all connect with a fateful twist at the end. And a funny tidbit, the story takes place around Easter and all through the first portion of the book I was confused as to why they were describing the cooling weather...only to dawn on me that Australia, the book's setting, is in the Southern hemisphere, thus placing Easter in the fall!
Based on a true story, this historical novel shares the journey of the Grimke sisters, two of the first female abolitionists of the early 19th century. I loved this book, because while it described the history and culture of the pre-Civil War South, it also was a true coming of age novel beginning with the story of Sarah as an 11 year old, spanning nearly 30 years and her growth into adulthood.
The thought of this book just makes my heart happy. Lou, a young woman with little vision beyond tomorrow, forms an unlikely friendship with Will, a wealthy ex-playboy. How did they meet, you ask? Lou, out of a job, is hired as Will's companion. A freak accident has turned the man who once was so full of life into a paraplegic. The relationship that develops is life changing for both and will tug at your heartstrings. A movie is in the works, so read this NOW, before it hits theaters!
So there you have it...my top picks for 2014!
Can't wait to see what the next year has in store.
And...on a fun note the Warby Parker Make-Your-Own Annual Report was recently shared with me. It's a short, silly survey which will generate a personalized annual report for you. You can see mine here...apparently my spirit animal is the hedgehog! It took about 2 min and made me chuckle, so I thought I'd share!
First things first, today is the start of the Lilly After Party Sale! Click here to shop ah-mazing deals!
Wow, I took quite the break from blogging these last few weeks. School has been so demanding this year, that I needed this break more than ever before. Little did I know that would mean a break from, well, everything, including the blog.
I also will admit, I've been hesitant to sit down and write this post. I knew that my next few posts would reflect on the past year and also look forward to the new year ahead. That task has been more daunting than in years past. As I've mentioned before, 2014 has been a tough year. It has been the hardest year of both my and Bryce's lives. As I've stated previously, I don't feel at liberty to share the details of our challenges from the past year, but I will share that what has made this situation unique is that most of the challenges we have faced have been largely out of our own control. Our relationship (and sanity at times, ha) was put through the ultimate test, yet it was not due to something either of us did to the other. Rather, it was a series of outside struggles and stress that put a huge strain on our relationship.
I've done a lot of thinking about the past year. There are so many sayings about the tough times in life--"What does not kill you makes you stronger," "Everything happens for a reason," "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain," "Yada, yada, yada!" I don't mean to sound cynical (and maybe I am), but while I think these words have meaning, I also think sometimes bad things just happen. I don't think there is some divine ultimate reason for everything. I wouldn't even say that I am necessarily stronger than I was a year ago; in fact, in some ways I am probably weaker. I would say the "positive" from the past year has been assurance. I now can say with complete assurance that I am strong, that my relationship with Bryce is strong, that my relationships with friends and family are strong. Does that make me better though? I'm not so sure.
All that being said, my motto for 2015 is "Do your thing." So much of my past year was spent trying to ameliorate and control the situation I was in...a situation that was largely out of my control. Throughout much of the year, I felt like I had lost a sense of myself. I developed anxiety. I was unhappy and I was a glimmer of the person I believe myself to be. The last few months have been much better, and moving forward, I am vowing to simply do my thing. To be myself, and focus on what is best for me...in some ways, regardless of others. That may be selfish, but after the past year, I think I need some time to be selfish. To expand on my motto a bit:
And now to not sound totally cynical, and self absorbed, I'll do some reflecting on last year's resolutions and share my other goals for the year ahead. To read in detail my goals and resolutions for last year, click here.
In short, below you will find my goals for 2014 and a brief reflection:
REVAMP MYSELF AS A BLOGGER
All in all, I would say that this goal was largely successful. 2014 was a bit of a rebirth of my blog. I recreated myself as "Alexandra Bee Blog" and got a pretty new design courtesy of Laura Wyatt Designs. I also largely maintained my goal of posting 10x per month. I missed the mark in both September and December, posting only 8 times those months, however, life was busy and I posted more than 10 several months so I think it all comes out in the wash.
MAKE OUR HOUSE A HOME
This goal was largely about focusing on my relationship with Bryce and the new step we took by choosing to move in together at the beginning of last year. Because of the year we faced, I can honestly say that the exact particulars of this goal were not my focus. Much of our focus in our relationship over the last year, was really, for lack of a better word, survival. We had to fight to stand by each other's side for most of the year. It was tough, but ultimately, we prevailed and our relationship is now stronger than ever. And honestly, I'd say that has been the ultimate success.
TAKE CHARGE OF MY OWN HAPPINESS
Well, you can probably infer from my reflections at the beginning of this post, that I didn't totally succeed in this goal. I set out with high hopes for 2014 and the first short six days were great. I was proclaiming the benefits and power of positive thinking and confident moving into the year ahead. Then on January 6, that all changed. I've learned a lot though and feel confident I can find more success with this goal in the coming year.
I would say that goal was hugely successful. I consider myself somewhat of a reformed picky eater and will eat most anything these days. I'm still not the biggest fan of fruit, though, haha!
And now for 2015. I was tempted to make no goals and just say that my resolution for the year ahead to make it a better year than last, but that's just not in my nature.
FOCUS ON POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS
If the past year has taught me anything, it's how important a support network can be. I am so lucky
to have the unwavering love, friendship, and support of Bryce, my family, and some seriously amazing friends. There is no way in hell I would have gotten through the past year without my support network, so my goal moving forward is to really focus on continuing to cultivate positive relationships and to pay it forward. I want to make sure the people that have helped me so much know just how much their appreciated and loved by me.
I am so proud of how far this blog has come, but over the last year, I have really struggled to find the time to read, comment, and connect with other bloggers. I have tried hard to do a better job of emailing readers in response to comments and questions, but I can most certainly do better in the new year. Additionally, I am constantly inspired by others and miss reading blogs regularly. That being said, I am hoping to be able to carve out some additional time each week to connect with all of you beyond my posts.
GET BACK TO HEALTHY EATING
Womp, womp, womp...this is the boring goal, but it's a necessary one. In the last year, as I've become less and less picky, Bryce and I have really become foodies. Richmond's food scene has also been booming and we've had an influx of amazing new restaurants at our fingertips. All that being said, we've probably been doing a little to much eating, drinking, and being merry, haha! I am hoping that the new year will bring better meal planning and more healthy eating.
BUILD UP MY SAVINGS
Another boring, but necessary one here. This year, I really want to work hard to spend less and save more. I am very fortunate to have little educational debt which my parents are helping with and no credit card debt. I also am proud to say that I already put away for retirement each month. That being said, there is plenty of room for improvement in terms of saving. I had the habit for a while of putting a huge chunk of my paycheck into savings at the beginning of each month, however, I got out of the habit over the last few months. I plan to make it a habit again and focus less on material, more on meaningful.
So there you have it! My goals for 2015..the year of doing my thing! New year, I'm ready for ya!
And just because I am saving, not spending, doesn't mean you have to! Shop some of my Lilly favorites that may be included in the sale below. I will also tune back in after school this evening with more!
