A Blog for dog lovers

You will quickly learn that I am obsessed with my dog and practically all dogs, to be honest. If I see a dog I have to stop and say hello.

My husband and I got our golden, Emma just about a year ago. She is the most precious girl ever and we are so lucky to have her as part of our family.

I stumbled upon a really cute blog yesterday while I was doing my nightly perusing through Pinterest (pssssst follow me here) called Pretty Fluffy which is a blog all about life, style, and pet friendly living.

What really drew me to this site was their shopping section (surprise, surprise). As a dog lover I will definitely be buying one of their prints....how cute are they? Pretty Fluffy also has a ton of awesome DIY tutorials with everything from DIY leashes, doggy snacks, and doggy travel blankets.

I hope you have fun checking out this site!

An afternoon in Charleston

Guys, I can't tell you enough how much I love this city. I had a great Saturday shopping, eating, more shopping, and more eating.

I landed in Charleston around 11am on Saturday. My mom and I did some shopping then had lunch at Husk. AH-MA-ZING. The best burger I've ever had. We completed the day with dinner at The Obstinate Daughter - hands down some of the best food I've ever had.

Love the pink walls in Charleston! 

Shop the look:

Sweater | Blanket Scarf (similar) | Jeans (similar) | Shoes | Bag | Watch | Sunglasses

I just love the colors and the architecture in Charleston.

Mom and I at dinner.

Stay tuned for a recap on Sunday's activities including a delicious homemade Oscar dinner.

xx

a weekend in Charleston

I'm so excited to be heading to Charleston today to visit my mom and my friend, Sarah! Some good food, shopping, and relaxation is exactly what I need right now.

Make sure to follow me on instagram to follow along on my trip.

Recipe: Zoodle Spaghetti

I don't know about you, but I've totally hopped on the zoodle bandwagon. I've never been a huge fan of pasta so this is a great alternative for me.

What you'll need:

• Spiralizer, click here to purchase.
• Zucchini, one per person.
• Protein of choice (ground beef, chicken, turkey, etc.)
• Pasta sauce
• Parmesan cheese
• Parsley (garnish)

Once your zucchini is spiralized put in a microwavable bowl, add some salt and pepper, and heat for 1 minute (do this right before you want to serve). 

Cook up your protein and pasta sauce and voila! You have a healthy and filling meal in under 20 minutes. My husband is not a huge fan of zucchini so I just make pasta for him and we are both happy campers. Tonight we paired it with a simple salad of avocado, tomatoes, salt, pepper, EVOO, and vinegar. I've linked to a few more zoodle recipes that are on my "to make" list.

What's your favorite way to make them?

Other Zoodle Recipes to Try:

• Kung Pao Chicken Zoodles
• Apple and Cabbage Slaw
• Sweet Potato Latkes
• Shrimp Scampi

All photos by me

my inspiration

For years I've wanted to start a blog. Not knowing really where to begin, what content I wanted to create, and being uncertain if I had the time to commit, it has taken me a few years to finally decide to go for it. I read TONS and TONS of blogs, all of which are really inspiring to me. I find it so amazing that people can create a brand for themselves, learn the ins and outs of marketing themselves and their brand (read: growth hacker marketing), and actually make a profit from their blogs. All of that is eons away for me (if at all), but that is my ultimate end result. I know that it will take a lot of time and effort on my part, but I really do feel like this is my passion and that I have the determination to make something happen.

I'm still working on my blog plan (content, design, social media strategy, gaining a following, etc.) so thanks for bearing with me as I start to develop this blog.

I wanted to link to a few of my favorite bloggers who have really inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and take on this challenge. Thanks for all of your wonderful content and for being an inspiration. 

Poor Little It Girl - DC based fashion, beauty, and travel blogger who is oh so fun to follow on instagram. Her outfits and styles are usually very affordable and she's great at putting pieces together that you might not think would work.

Sequins & Stripes - Chicago based blogger who has impeccable taste. She is a new mom and might have the cutest family I've ever seen.

My Style Vita - Atlanta based blogger who has tons of great content ranging from interior decorating, wellness, food, and fashion.

Cupcakes & Cashmere - The first blog that got me hooked 7 years ago. She is perfection.

xx

Trendy Tuesday: Winter Whites

My favorite pair of pants are my white jeans, hands down, BUT that has been an unacceptable color in the winter months until now.  The winter white trend is one that I’m loving. Add in a white chunky sweater, some statement earrings, and nude heels and you're ready to go. Below are some of my favorite winter white looks. What one is your favorite?

Image Source: Pinterest

Recipe: Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

You'll learn quickly that I LOVE to cook. I often feel like I'm in a cooking rut so I've decided to branch out from my "usuals." What typically draws me to a recipe is one that is healthy, won't take a ton of time, and something that I could alter if I wanted.

Part of my new years resolutions (surprise, surprise) was to be more conscious about what my husband and I eat. We are typically pretty healthy, but on busy weeknights it's so easy to get something to-go on the way home or order take-out.

Yesterday, I made a delicious Quinoa Enchilada Casserole. I'm not always a huge fan of quinoa unless it has lots of flavors within the dish and this one didn't disappoint! What I like about this dish is it's easy to make ahead and put in the fridge and then pop in the oven when you're ready to eat. I also like this dish because it's easy to add anything additional you might want like protein or some other favorite veggies.

Click here for the recipe.

A sunday morning in the mosaic district

My husband and I spent the morning in the Mosaic District in Northern Virginia. Let me back up a bit by saying that we just moved to NOVA from Maryland for my husband's job. We LOVE it and have made it our goal to try check out new areas around us on the weekends.

The Mosaic District is a hip, trendy area not far from where we live. I got a delicious and pretty coffee from Mom & Pop Coffee Shop and then we got some breakfast from Ted's Bulletin. Move over Founding Farmers, Ted's Bulletin might be my new favorite breakfast place! Not only do I love the interior and the 50's vibe, but they make their own pop tarts. Nothing can beat that right?

Below are a few pictures from our morning at the Mosaic District.

xx

Photos by Me

Here we go

First, I’d like to say thank you for clicking the link to my blog and for also staying on this website long enough to read my FIRST blog post. I promise I will try to entertain.
I have always loved anything having to do with technology, website design, and social media. When I was in high school I became obsessed with learning HTML, so I taught myself the basics and built my own site. I think it was titled something like “Sparklie Angel” (true story). I don’t even remember what was on this website of mine, but I remember spending hours and hours trying to make my page right and becoming so satisfied when I finally figured out how to code it correctly.
Ever since then, I’ve loved blogs. I read all sorts of blogs. You might even call me obsessed. I have 4-5 favorite fashion and lifestyle blogs that I read every day and spend more time than I'd like to admit following these bloggers on instagram and snapchat.
Over the past few months I’ve been doing more and more reading and finding more and more blogs that I love which has led me to the decision to start my own blog. I’ve done a bit of planning and brainstorming. I’m sure things will continue to evolve as I write more, but for now my main focus will be on; fashion, cooking, and decorating. These are three of my favorite things so why not write about them?
I hope that you continue to check out my blog. I probably won’t be posting new content daily until I start getting a hang of things. I always appreciate feedback (positive or negative) and if there is anything in particular you’d like me to write about I am all ears.
Thanks again for stopping by as a start this new journey. xx