Wednesday, May 15, 2013

wear sunscreen + do what you've always wanted to do

The first moments of your day are just so pivotal. After first finding my sweetheart of a boxer dog asleep on our brand. new. white. couch. this morning {grrr!!!}, I feel like I have been bombarded with goodness. I think it's going to be a good day :)

2 things I must share before we dive headfirst into the day: 


1. Baz Luhrmann's 'Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)' song was on the radio. Seriously, I haven't heard that gem since it's 1999 birth, but wow was it refreshing and relevant! I may need to add it to my iPhone and listen to it once a week. 

It's long. But it's worth a read {or a listen}:


Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99 
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be 
it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by 
scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable 
than my own meandering 
experience…I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not 
understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. 
But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and 
recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before 
you and how fabulous you really looked….You’re not as fat as you 
imagine.

Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as 
effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing 
bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that 
never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm 
on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing everyday that scares you

Sing

Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with 
people who are reckless with yours.

Floss

Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes 
you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with 
yourself.

Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you 
succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your 
life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they 
wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year 
olds I know still don’t.

Get plenty of calcium.

Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone.

Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children,maybe 
you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky 
chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don’t 
congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your 
choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s. Enjoy your body, 
use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people 
think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever 
own..

Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.

Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.

Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for 
good.

Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the 
people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you 
should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and 
lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you 
knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live 
in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will 
philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize 
that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were 
noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, 
maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one 
might run out.

Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will 
look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who 
supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of 
fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the 
ugly parts and recycling it for more than 
it’s worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen…



2. Please 'meet' Lara Casey. Motivational speaker, Christ follower, branding expert, magazine editor {the list could go on}. I discovered this lovely lady {whom I will not actually meet until this July} on the one and only Instagram by way of Southern Weddings Magazine. She is a wealth of inspiration and honesty. Read her blog...follow her journey


Wear sunscreen. 
Do the things you've always wanted to do. 

Have a great day :)

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

to my mom

A special shout out to my blog's #1 fan....


Happy Birthday, Mom! You are the most beautiful woman I know, inside and out {cliches be gone}.  I hope you know that I consider it a great blessing to have a mom whose heart is truly made of gold and filled with love and hope for everyone. Even though I probably don't show it {blame Dad}...I am honestly inspired by the way you approach each person you meet with care, encouragement and kindness. 
I love you and can't wait to celebrate with you this evening!


Josh and I have a special family dinner planned tonight in honor of mom- fingers crossed it goes well and maybe I'll blog about it! :) 



Friday, April 26, 2013

ramblings: green drinks, good books + great dishes

Hello, I love you, I miss you. 

But really...its all true! I love this little blog of mine but living my life {the horror!} has been sucking up all of my time.

How about some random Friday ramblings?


Did you know that mornings are like so way totally more awesome when there are homemade green drinks and bible reading involved? Tis true. Try it out :)

 Today I even did a super shot of wheatgrass, lemon, ginger and other goodness. Who wants to come over and grow wheatgrass in my yard? Thanks
{rawesome juicery, sweet auburn market, atlanta}

If you've been around me for more than a minute in the past month you've probably had to hear me rave and rave and raaaave about this precious book, Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist
I stumbled upon a mind-altering/life-changing quote {yup, that dramatic} from the book earlier this month and immediately bought every title Shauna Niequist had ever written. Shauna's words bring you to a place where you instantly feel yourself just sitting next to her on the couch with a big glass of red wine or hot tea; she is teaching you, sharing stories and offering up wholesome advice, walking with you through this thing we call life. Its good stuff. 

This book truly found me and I am so glad it did, there are parts of it for everyone and every stage of life-{and/or minute of life}. I know it will be a book that I turn to for years to come, lend to friends and family, write down quotes and dig into for a little 'life eye-opening' session. 
Here's a little teeny peek:
“Life sneaks up on us every once in a while and gives us something we didn't ever know we wanted, and lights within us a love we didn't even know existed.” 
― Shauna NiequistCold Tangerines: Celebrating the Extraordinary Nature of Everyday Life

Told you I could talk foreverrrr about that book! :) Moving on! 
I sold two orders on Etsy- it was so fun creating 'Hallmade' frames for people that I didn't know! 

So friends, we are going back to Shauna Niequist and...FOOD! {this is all I can talk about.}
Her most recent title Bread & Wine is delicious. It's recipes are delicious and it's words are even more delicious. Each chapter brings a warm, thought-provoking, inspiring and comforting story and....a crazy tasty recipe for something scrumptious that Shauna has had at a restaurant or made herself. 
Double delights! 

I tried my hand {and bicep....jeeze} at her creamy parmesan risotto recipe. 
Best thing...I think I actually made it right! Soft with a little bit of a bite. 

With some coaching from the Hall household's egg frying champ, I fried my first egg last night. Then I topped that delicious thing on a stack of Quinoa, Sauteed Onions and Chicken Apple Sausage. 

The flavors are deep, they love on each other and bring a taste of sweet and super savory. The quinoa reminds you of its presence with a little crunch, the onions practically dissolve on your tongue and a fork full of crispy sausage, tender egg and runny yolk reminds you there is a reason that sausage and eggs sit side-by-side so often! 
{recipe from Bread & Wine, I know you saw that coming :) }


Well, I think I have rambled on enough for one post. 
Off to enjoy a weekend of whatever we want to do....as long as it involves one of these guys:
Don't you think its time I used that donut pan again? I do. 
Recipes {and breakfast visitors!} welcomed :)

 {P.S. I promise we will go back to recipes and diy projects and organized posts real real soon!}

Monday, April 15, 2013

a peek at our patio!

oh hello there little blog of mine. how i have missed you! 
Well spring has sprung and it brought with it new commitments, celebrations and time-suckers. Hashtag I'm Not Complaining! :)

{back to our regularly 'scheduled' programming}

I've gathered inspiration and we've begun purchasing...our patio is beginning to come together! Although it's not ready for a full reveal {will it ever be? stop. raining. atlanta} here are some little peeks! 



my mr. amazing husband hung our cafe lights- a little piece of paris now lives on our patio. 



this happy green pattern adorns our seating and as a bonus, it makes for a cheerful backdrop to a glass of celebratory champagne. 


my job has led me to appreciate floor coverings- even if they are sewn together by own two hands. 


here's to hoping this weekend is full of free time and sunshine!

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

draw near


-hebrews 4.16-


A powerful and constant reminder that we are never alone and can always find comfort in the love of our Lord. 

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Baked Lemon Honey Donuts: the recipe


Ya know, us southerners really have a lot going for us. Hashtag proud. 

Near the top of that list is being the birthplace of sweet sweet Krispy Kreme donuts. When the city glows with red indications of hot & fresh rings of love ready for consumption my heart skips a beat {and my car pulls in to the drive-thru...} My love for donuts grew on me early and was quite possibly the #1 reason I attended Sunday School. 

My oh-so-trendy mother encouraged me to try making my own version using a donut pan. What? No deep fryer? Sad face. 
Hot fatty oil aside, I acquiesced. 
Duh.

{Baked Lemon Honey Donuts recipe after the jump}

Monday, March 25, 2013

wear it everywhere: the ankle bootie

If you've seen me in the past couple of weeks, I've probably been wearing the same brown fringe ankle booties every single time {well maybe I was wearing my black pair ;) }.  To say I am obsessed with them is a massive understatement. I've decided they are more comfortable than heels and more attractive than flats {sorry Tor}. 

So here is some 'fashion-spiration' that will keep my booties wearing strong well into spring: 

 Personally I think the ankle boots make these looks feel a bit more pulled together even though they are casual, comfy and weekend-ready. 

Right now my booties go hand-in-hand with a pair of skinnies. The looks can be as casual or pulled-together as you would like.  

I love a pair of ankle boots with a dress- it is just too cute! This look will be on rotation the second it gets warm. {please happen soon!}

hail to the ankle bootie!

{I wear the Kinley boot in tan and black from Target}