Five on Friday

Happy Five on Friday!! I'm am absolutely looking forward to a fun weekend ahead - and thawing out a little too! We're hoping for a high of 50 today - woo, hoo!! I probably got over eager this morning and left the house with no scarf, no gloves and ballet flats on my feet... a little chilly, not gonna lie. I'm willing it to warm up!! Here's my Five on Friday this week:

one. Yoga.

I'm heading to yoga tomorrow morning and I am so looking forward to it. Along with bronchitis comes a week of zero cardio and very little working out. Not a bad break to tell you the truth, but my butt needs to get back in the gym. I'm starting to feel it! Plus, some relaxation time to start the weekend won't be too shabby either.

two. Chalkboard Fonts.

This was my Christmas gift from my sister-in-law and I am in LOVE!! This cartridge has the best fonts, the cutest cutouts and so many fun projects just waiting at my finger-tips. Can't wait for my crafting day tomorrow for Miss Ava!

three. Leggo my EGGO!! 

Who doesn't love an Eggo every now and again?  The hubs and I watched a great Eggo commercial last week and it made me pick up a box at the store on Sunday. We've tried them with PB & Bananas, berries, syrup, powdered sugar... all delicious!  A quick easy {and relatively healthy} HOT breakfast for these cold days.

four. Map my Run.

I stumbled upon this gem earlier this week trying to map out a 5K course for our events this summer. You can create your on course, path, etc. and save it for others in your area to see too! It also tells you about hills, turns, rough terraine and lets you go "off-road" with your course. Pretty handy!


five. Jaycees Happy Hour. 

Heading to the Palms at 5 for happy house with the local Jacyees. Looking forward to a fun night of drinks and VMI Basketball!!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.  Join the link up today with April, Christina, Natasha and Darci. Just grab the button below and place it on your blog, write about 5 things you love this week - anything goes - and link up via one of their blogs. Enjoy!!

Happy Weekend!!

Super Bowl Snacks

I'm not the biggest fan of professional football, but who doesn't love the Super Bowl! I may actually be watching just for the commercials as apposed to the actual game, but still... good food and cold drinks is a must!

I am excited this year because I'll actually get to be home to watch. For as long as I can remember I've only caught glimpses of the game {or commercials, let's be honest} while running through the airport between planes. 2014 is going to be a good year, I can tell. Travels are already slower, which means more time with good friends and great food!  The Hastings are having us over Sunday and she's making a big pot of red beans & rice and a big batch of wings. So we get to make finger foods to go along!  Here are some of my ideas for Sunday...

Mini Andouille Dogs

Baked Potato Dip

BBQ-Ranch Popcorn

Tequila-Lime-Coconut Macaroons

What are your favorite Super Bowl snacks? I heard on the radio this morning that one of the players eats skittles for good luck between plays... maybe i'll have to bring a bowl of skittles just for giggles!

House Remodeling: We're Moving!

Today, I wanted to start in on a new series for this spring - House Remodeling!  I guess once I write it on the blog it's official {at least in my mind, right}, but we are moving on June 1st!! That's right, you read it first here. When we got married in 2011, J owned the house he lived in and another in town that we rent to students. However, at the time it made more sense for us to move into my house, rather than the other two. I know it sounds crazy - we own two houses and don't live in either - but, the house we rent in right downtown, so close to everything, and the perfect size for our little family of 2. I LOVE our house and I know I am going to miss it terribly, but I think this fall finally hit the wall {literally} when it comes to space. We don't have a guest room, we don't have storage space - no dishwasher, no counter space... we don't even use our everyday dishes because the kitchen cabinets are too small. It's not a cardboard box by any means... but I think we're past our days of tiny living. So begins the house remodeling to shall we call it, the "New Lyons' Den".


The house is a simple 3 bedroom house with an open living room/kitchen floor plan. It has a large deck out back and best of all, it's still right down town! The house was build in the late 80's, so it's up-to-date {insulated!} and has good bones to worth with. The majority of our work is going to have to be done in the kitchen - which also happens to be the most expensive room to re-model, but it's also where we spend the most time - so I'm ok with it. 

Here is our to-do list:

I plan to keep everyone updated on each project as they progress, so stay tuned.

New Kitchen Appliances

Island in the Kitchen

New Countertops

Kitchen cabinet re-fresh!

Lighting for Kitchen, Living Room, & Hallway

Fresh Paint

Middle Bath {let's call it a major facelift}

Office

Outside Storage

Window Treatments

Master Bath 

Landscaping

Outside Lighting

We've already started on the list... starting on the purchases now so come June we can actually move in. I have a feeling once we get to work the list above is going to grow...

Wish us luck! 

Bows for Lil Girls

Everyone knows that every little girl needs a bow or two {or ten or twenty} in her closet. You may not have been "that lil girl" with your bows, but I most certainly was. And let's be honest, this lasted until I was 18. ha! I'm not joking either... my Dad still tells a story of 3 year old Pete and how I refused to leave the house but would not say why... so he called my Mom and she said, "Did you put her matching bow in?" ha. 100% rotten. that was me! Hey, a girl needs her bow to be ready for the day!  And the 18 bit... I still have a bag full of ribbons from high school {many of them to match my navy and white uniform} that I wore every day. I even remember "the secret ribbon store" out in Theodore that I would beg my mom to take me too. Man, those were the days! Can't a girl just get a little ribbon?

Well, that is one area of my life that hasn't changed. I still can't make a trip to Wally without taking a peak at the $ ribbon bins in the back. I might also have several tubs of ribbon in my craft room. Shh... don't tell.

Well, since I have a very dear friend who is having a little girl in just a few short months, I decided during my not so busy days on the sofa {aka - sick days}, that I would learn how to make some bows. They seem really easy, but I wanted to really know what I was doing so they looked somewhat professional. I found this short YouTube video that gives you an easy step by step of how to make a loop bow - perfect for babies and little girls.

What you'll need:

Ribbon {8-10 inches for your bow and 4 inches for your middle loop)

Hot Glue Gun & sticks

Needle & thread or Craft wire

Alligator clip {I bought these in bulk online -much cheaper}

Thin ribbon to cover your clip

First, I covered my alligator clip with a thin ribbon and hot glue. Next take your short ribbon and tie a knot. This will be your centerpiece. To make your loop bow, I would watch this video. It's the easiest way to learn, I promise! 

The finished product!  I made 6 bows in a little over an hour. Once you get the hang of it it's pretty easy! 

I think the pear bow turned out to be my favorite... but the ballet slippers and the 

"bah, bah, black sheep" were pretty cute too! 

Happy Crafting! 

Renegade Art Glass

Happy Monday Ladies!!

Today I wanted to share a fun new place we have in town for crafting!  It's called Renegade Art Glass and is SO MUCH FUN! Last Friday, we had the entire studio to ourselves for a girls night to celebrate Alecia's birthday.  She was super surprised too - which made it even better. The place is really neat, you get to make your own glass projects... plates, bowls, coasters, you name it, and, you even get to cut all your glass. So fun!

via.

Above you can see the studio with the kiln's and work tables. You pick your object/project and then help yourselves to all the glass and decor you want. They also have a neat lobby for snacks and drinks. We brought a cookie cake, snacks and lots of vino!  

A glimpse of some of our projects above. I tried a mosaic piece {in the top left corner} - we'll see how it turns out. I feel like I could have spent hours working on my piece alone. {Of course, I was the last to finish too.} We get to pick up our art on Wednesday. I'll post some latergrams for all to see! 

All and all, a super fun night and great place for a girls night out or party. The couple that owns and runs the place is so nice and super helpful too. I will certainly be back! 

Hope everyone is enjoying a Happy start to the week!

Five on Friday

Happy Friday Friends!!! This has been a very different week for this gal. For once, I can say that it certainly hasn't flown by, but I guess when you only move from the bed to the sofa and never leave the house - time does sorta move at a turtles pace. ha!  Officially, I have bronchitis. 6 days of sicky and I am still coughing like a 70 year old smoker. No fun. I certainly wouldn't wish this on anyone, so please, take care of yourselves... bundle up, get your rest, and take your vitamins!

Other than being sick, we had an awesome snow this week and the ground is still covered. It's so beautiful! {cold, but beautiful!} I have definatly caught up on sleep... racking up a solid 10-12 hours a day and have almost finished by book I started last week. All an all a pretty solid week on the sofa!

Wanted to join in the Five on Friday link-up today! You may notice a trend in my favorites this week...

one. Honey Vanilla Chamomile Celestial Tea.

This flavor came in the holiday sampler pack we got for Christmas from a vendor. It's hands down my favorite {and believe me, I tried them all this week}, so I'm on the search for a single pack.

two. Vinyard Vines Sleep Pants.

I picked these cuties up in C'ville last week from the new Vineyard Vines store. They are on sale now for $44 and an additional half off - yes please! If you're buying online, you can use the code WHALE5014 for 50% all sale items. Stock up on your favorites today!

three. L.L.Bean Fleece Socks.

I have 4 pairs of these guys and I have lived in them this week. They are so warm and cozy - perfect with boots or around the house. $15.95 each, and they also come in really fun colors! The hubs has a couple pairs too that he loves.

four. The Melissa Button Boot.

This was my Merry Christmas from J and I am in LOVE!! I didn't fully believe that Frye's were worth the investment, but now I'm a believer. If you're considering them - do it! You won't be disappointed!! 

five. The Scrunch Down Vest.

Love this vest! It's the perfect mix of dressy and outdoors... just wish the price was a little better. Waiting for a sale, so I can snatch one up for myself. Now I just need to pick a color - I want them all!!

As you can see, I've been trying to stay warm and get well. Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend. I'll be laying low and trying to kick this bronchitis. Stay Warm!

Tasty Tuesday: Quick Red Beans & Rice

We're enjoying a winter wonderland snow day today! Hope everyone is staying warm. I thought I would share a quick and easy weeknight meal {and one of the hubs favs}, quick Cajun red beans and rice.

First things first, when I have time, I'd just assume make this from scratch. But during the week, I'm always looking for a quick meal. I used Louisiana Fish Fry  Red Beans & Rice Mix for this batch. It has great flavor and saves you a ton of time. What else you'll need to trick it up:

1 piece bacon

1/2 chopped onion

1/2 chopped green pepper 

1 tsp. minced garlic 

4 cups water

1 pd. smoked sausage (I used turkey butterball) 

Worcheshire Sauce

Louisiana hot sauce

Cook one slice of bacon is your pot {I used my LeCruset Dutch oven} until crispy. Remove, leaving drippings in pan. {Treat your hubs or pup to the bacon, you won't need it for the recipe.}

Add onion, pepper, and garlic to pot; sauté 2-3 minutes. 

Slice and add sausage to pot; sauté another 2-3 minutes or until slightly cooked. 

Add 4 cups of water and package contents to pot. Bring to a boil and cook 2-3 minutes, before turning to simmer.

Add a dash of worchstershire and hot sauce. Stir and cook on low for 22 minutes. 

Serve with garlic bread and enjoy!! 

Weekending!

Happy Monday! I hope some of you are enjoying a day off today. I'm feeling a little under the weather, so I am home catching up on sleep {and the bachelor}. Ha! Feeling much much better after 2 days on the sofa. But, besides my Sunday on the sofa, we did have a really great weekend!

Friday was a beautiful drive up the road, and a few work errands. Including picking up these cute lil samples:

I love the gold glitter and sprinkles, but I'm thinking the logo needs to be gold too. 

Don't you agree? 

And...A tasty treat from a local farmer...

So yummy!

Friday night we enjoyed a fabulous night out in c'ville with the Hollomons. Always so much fun catching up with great friends! Here's a glimpse of the beautiful drive home Saturday.

     The mountains were coating with      

    snow and so pretty in the distance. 

After a fun baby shower for a local gal-pal, I enjoyed an afternoon nap {hinting at my Sunday on the sofa} and then a low-key night out in lex. 

Sunday, we did get out for mass, followed by coffee and doughnuts at Pure Eats. 

Love me some Pure Eats! 

After our coffee date, J looked at me and said... You don't feel so great do you? Of course, me trying to suck it up denyed it, but all I wanted to do was curl up in my Jammie's. So he took me home and that's just what I did. 

J cooked me a yummy Sunday supper... Sliders and sweet Tator fries {my favorite}

And that's that. A great weekend at home with the hubs. Hope yours was great too! 

Five on Friday

Happy Friday!! Who is ready for the weekend? This girl most certainly is. Sharing my five on Friday with you today...

one. The All-Girls Filling Station's Last Reunion

My goal to pick up a new book this year finally came to reality this week. My mom gave me this book for Christmas and so far, I'm loving it. My mom and I both love Fannie Flagg, {maybe because she's from our part of the deep south, or because she's so darn funny} but I can always count on her to pick me up the latest book.

two. My new Honeypot!

The Hubs got me it for christmas and I am in love. How precious is this little diddy!  I think it makes me want to have hot tea every night just to use it.

three. My gold iPhone 5s.

Man, I didn't know what I as missing out on. This sucker is so fast, so crisp, so clear. I had no idea what I was dealing with before. I also picked up this cute cover at the J.crew outlets over break for less than $10, a steal. Let's just say, I'm hooked!

four. Blog Planning.

Thanks Fried Green Pickles for blogging about this last week. Em for Marvelous created this fabulous template to help with blogging. If you are anything like me, I either have too many topic sot blog about, or nothing. I think this may help me out! Thanks for sharing. 

Click here to download the free PDF.

five. Mini road trip for work/play.

The hubs and I are heading to c'ville this afternoon for me to do some work and also to have a little fun too! We've both been looking forward to some down time together, since the past two weekends one or the other has been outta town. Best part of the trip... catching up with old pals tonight! Can't wait.

Happy weekend friends!

Be Kind.

We are most defiantly back in the swing of things, to-do lists are piling up, projects are pilling on, and emotions are running high. I am constantly reminding myself to take a breath and be kind. This is a small little reminder that I'm going to need to live by over the next 6 months.... just get me to June! 

I'll be linking up with April, Darci, Natasha, and Christina for Five on Friday tomorrow.  

Be sure and join us in the link-up. Write about five things on your mind, grab the logo via my blog and link up on one of their pages. Can't wait to read what you got this week!