Happy Halloween!

I am sad October is almost officially over :( Its been such a lovely month!

Eric was gone for yet another Halloween, its one of my favorite holidays & I had in mind a cute couple costume that would've been perfect, but that will have to wait for another year :( I went into the weekend kind of bummed because of all the fun stuff going on & no kiddos or hubby to enjoy it with really.

Saturday morning I met my sister for a manicure---I gave in and got one because its "shellac"..aka hard as a rock polish that won't chip. Hooray! I finally have a french manicure that won't be peeling in a day!

Then we went to Anthropologie for a while so I could use my gift card that was burning a hole in my purse! I had several things in mind I wanted, but settled on these for our guest bath because I've had my eye on them a while! I am happy with my decision :) If anyone has any creative ideas on what to put in them other than cotton balls, I would appreciate it :) Hopefully I can come up with something fun.

Then I'm going to get this knob to replace the boring ones that are in the bathroom now.

We ate lunch at Queenie's in Utica Square & I got a pumpkin cookie, it was delicious. Next, Lauren found out a friend of hers couldn't got to the event she was planning on for Saturday night, so I was able to tag along with her. She has been my Halloween backup the past 3 years, and its always at the last minute :) It was a masquerade ball, so we had to go find a mask. It was a really fun evening and a fundraiser for the March of Dimes, so definitely a good cause!

As for today...Halloween itself, I went to church and then I had to work on decor for my Junior League event that starts Thursday. I made a Christmas music playlist that is 4 hrs long. And I have more where that came from! :) So I got in the Christmas mood on Halloween, ironic enough.

Eric's Halloween involved playing golf on a PGA, super nice course in Princeville (Kauai), HI. He said it was hard, but he shot a 102, which is still good I think!

I stayed home tonight to see what kind of trick or treater turnout we would get at the new house. I've been good all week and not broken into the bags of candy I bought.

Here is what was left at 10 pm:

This will be going to work tomorrow instead of straight to my thighs.

Hope everyone had a safe & fun Halloween & here's to November! :)

Make this!

I have always loved sweet potatoes. I first remember really liking them when we would visit my (Great) Aunt Ruby in Muldrow and she would make them, I always looked forward to our Thanksgiving visit. My mom makes delicious ones as well. My dad uses Dr. Pepper in his recipe. They are all similar--cut up in pieces, whatever seasonings you want to put on them, and bake in a casserole dish, then add marshmallows all over at the end.

Eric didn't like them when we first got together, which I thought was insane---now he loves them as much as I do!

I love all of these versions & would eat them every meal! But my personal go-to recipe that I started making a couple years ago is my favorite to actually cook.

Its courtesy of Pioneer Woman, of course!

She featured it on her site today, even though it was already on there. It is YUMMO. I've made it for several events & people really love it. Its more of a sweet potato casserole, which I was never a huge fan of. I do not normally like nuts in anything. Including sweet potato casserole. I think this one is good because the nuts are so fine, and they are mixed with brown sugar. And brown sugar makes all things perfect!

I would highly recommend this for any fall gathering! Another fun variation on it is to sprinkle rows of the nut topping diagnally with space in between, bake as normal, then the last 5 min or so sprinkle mini-marshmallows on the rows in between the rows of nuts. Makes for a pretty presentation :)

Here is the recipe, enjoy & Happy Fall!

Christmas in October

You can ask anyone that knows me well & they will say I'm obsessed with Christmas music. (And all things Christmas really!)

In high school I would make mixed tapes off the 24 hr Christmas radio station. Yes, I'm a dork & just make mixed cd's now, ha!

**Speaking of mixed tapes, RIP Walkman, which has officially been retired.

I usually can't wait to start listening to it & can always somehow justify it in October. I realize its not even Halloween yet :)

So I was playing on Amazon tonight & wanted to see what new albums might be coming out that I could add to my huge selection of Christmas tunes. There isn't much I don't have already, so anything new is a plus! Although I have yet to be able to find a downloadable or even on cd version of Christmas Vacation by Mavis Staples. Makes me crazy that I'm missing this song! Its a classic.

Here are several albums that just came out or are coming out & I'm very excited to download them!

Christmas with the Puppini Sisters

This is one of my favorite trios, it makes me happy a modern-day Andrews Sisters exists, since the 1940s is a decade I would definitely like to time travel to :) Love, love this music & so excited they have a new album!

Pink Martini- Joy to the World

I like this one because its super relaxing, more jazzy Christmas music if you're in a more laid back mood. And I've always liked the name Pink Martini, its fun :)

Olivia Newton-John Christmas Collection
Um its Olivia Newton-John, hello. She is still cute as ever & I like her voice. She will always be Sandy to me :)

Indigo Girls-Holly Happy Days

Its the Indigo Girls, enough said! And the album title is right down my alley :)

Glee-The Christmas Album

A Glee Christmas Album??? Yes, please.

Random

These recent pictures make me happy, Capone hasn't been featured in a while & he is pretty darn cute these days :) I took him to a local fundraiser for the Humane Society called Paws in the Park this last Saturday at the Jenks Riverwalk. The was every breed of dog there I think, its like dog watching instead of people watching at this event. We did a 1 mile fun walk & then had lunch on the patio at Los Cabos. He loved it & had to nap for the remainder of the weekend to rest from all the excitement.

One of the trees in front of our house started turning kind of early, and my favorite color--bright orange! I'm so sad the leaves are dropping now! They are so pretty! It smelled very fall-ish today when I was out with Capone, so I got some pics of him taking it all in as well :)

More cupcakes in Tulsa....

Just heard about a new cupcake shop opening in Tulsa, yay! Check them out on Facebook or HERE :)

Dancing at the Movies

Here's a fun little video for anyone who likes some good dancing. My mom sent this to me.

Specifically, if you're like me and LOVE Dirty Dancing (RIP Patrick Swayze)....

and Grease

and Saturday Night Fever

and Footloose (I used to listen to this tape on my purple boombox)

and Singin in the Rain

and a whole bunch more :)

Enjoy!

33

I am now the ripe age of 33, or 25 for the 9th time as I prefer to reference it :)

Despite my dislike of getting older, I did have a lovely birthday weekend thanks to my fantastic family!

Things I like in general about my actual birthdate:

• October is pretty much the greatest month
• It ALWAYS falls during the Tulsa State Fair, one of my favorite events
• The weather is usually really nice
• Leaves are changing
• Pumpkin latte's are available
• Pansies, mums & pumpkins are available
• Football season has begun

So, Friday night Eric & I went to the fair. We saw the infamous Donut Burger. Didn't partake in trying it after we saw the people who were waiting in line for one.

Saw the pregnant pigs in the birthing center, had a cinnamon roll, pumpkin fudge, roasted corn on the cob, and a sirloin/potato/mushroom/green bean dinner, commented on the rides but rode nothing. People watched & saw entirely too many people eating turkey legs like cannibals. Saw several mullets. Went in the petting zoo & I immediately started sneezing so we left.

Saturday morning my sister took Eric, mom & I to have breakfast at Wild Fork in Utica Square. Delish as always & it was a lovely morning, perfect weather. Thanks to her I got my first gift card to Anthropologie, woo!

Mom & I went back to the fair to see the Sugar Art Show which I had always wanted to go to but never had. Its very cool & you'll have to watch for the special show about it on the Food Network!

Eric & I then went & bought some pansies & started on the yard work in the front yard. Lots of clearing needed. So happy to have that done! I just need to plant my tulip bulbs next :)
Saturday night we had dinner at my grandma's house with my mom & stepdad. This consisted of mom's delish lasagna, Pioneer Woman's "The Bread", salad, & spice cake with caramel icing. Yummo! Mom got me so many things I had been wanting & admiring, I love all of it!! Including a new necklace from Vintage Pearl, 3 of the Jane Austen books I've been wanting from Anthro, a personalized cake pan from The Cake Pan Lady, and Scrooge's house for my Dickens Christmas Village :) And Eric's mom & stepdad sent me a new piece for my village also, its the cutest thing ever!

Sunday we had church & then finished up some more yard/house work which I actually enjoyed just because the weather was so nice! Sunday night my dad, Kristen, Lauren & Jayson brought Hideaway over & we had a casual birthday get together. Dad got me the OSU "posse" metal cutout, we have to find a good place for it!

I have so much to be thankful for & feel very blessed after this weekend!

New House Pics, Pt 1: Dining Room Update

Here some before & afters of our dining room. We still want to replace the light fixture, but haven't found one we like in our price range, so the one we have will do for now :) We also want to get a china cabinet eventually & will put something on the walls, but we like it plain right now anyway. We also will eventually continue the hardwood laminate that is in the kitchen & main hall into this room & the living room. Makes it more formal we think.

It is such a nice improvement in general that its my current favorite room at the moment!

I am so excited to have a formal dining room, it was one of our requirements in a house. We love the molding on the walls & the bay window. I remember how much I loved eating Christmas/Thanksgiving dinners in the "formal" dining rooms at both of my grandparents & parents houses growing up. It always seemed like such an event!

Updates:

• Unhinged a random door that was not needed & filled in where the hardware was in the frame
• Removed ugly light fixture in the bay window & filled in opening
• Scraped off popcorn ceiling
• Sanded ceiling
• Primered ceiling
• Sanded ceiling again
• Primered again
• Painted ceiling white & install lighting medallion
• Primered walls grey
• Painted walls Red Velvet
• Installed new dimmer light switch
• Brought in new-to-us dining room furniture (yay estate sales). The table has 2 leaves which are in & can seat 8, I just have to get 2 more chairs :) p.s. ***Love, love, love the buffet!! :)
• Found buffet lamps
• Fall decorating began :)