Merry Christmas from Mr. and Mrs. SE

Mr. SE and I sent our Christmas cards out nice and early this year (Nov 31st to ensure Dec 2-3 delivery). It's an interesting dynamic, considering the rest of my Christmas season seems smooshed together and rushed! This was the first of 3 Christmas orders I've placed with Tiny Prints! The hardest part of designing the card was picking a photo. Gray Photography did such an amazing job and it was difficult to narrow it down to just one. We decided on an image that captured all the joy of that day- recessing down the aisle as husband and wife! The cards arrived in three days, and I was shocked at the turnaround time for an essentially custom order.

Did you send out Christmas cards? Please post a link in the comments so we can see them!

Here's a funny card from Tiny Prints that made me laugh

Sequins for Christmas Eve

My quest for the perfect sequin skirt has ended. The ideal Christmas Eve outfit was pictured in my head and I was super determined to make it happen. Just mark this one down as a success! A sequin skirt, black tights/booties, and a plain black blouse. I like how the mostly black ensemble tempers down the "look at me" attitude of the skirt. And this skirt made its way into my life for a fabulous price, at the Banana Republic outlet. With back to back holiday trips (and two days to spare in between), you better bet I'm planning outfits ahead of time! Do you have any special outfits that you're looking forward to wearing for Christmas or New Year's occasions?

Top: Piperlime

Skirt: Banana Republic

Tights: JcPenney

Shoes: Jessica Simpson

A Winter Wedding

Mr. SE and I are headed to Atlanta for a evening wedding in January. This is the first winter wedding I've ever attended, and frankly I'm a little stumped with what to wear. I'd definitely like to wear tights and my new Jessica Simpson suede booties/pumps. So here's where I need your help- what would you wear (or have you worn) to a winter wedding? I'd like to be festive and dressed nice, without freezing!

Here's some ideas for the kinds of dresses I'm looking at....

all dresses from Piperlime

Similar to the style I got

Bachelorette Fashion

(the famous coat)

It's no secret that I'm a huge Bachelor/Bachelorette fan- especially from Jillian's season. Her clothes were to die for, and I was always excited to see what she'd wear in the next episode. One of my favorite pieces was this great olive green coat that she wore all the time. Well friends- I might be a year too late, but I've found a total look alike at American Eagle. Here's a chance to for all Jillian fans, or fashion lovers, to get a similar coat at a fraction of the price. Love! AE Surplus Anorak $69.50

Christmas Wish List

We're in the full swing of Christmas now! It's my favorite time of year: people are nicer (except in parking lots), food is richer, and homes are cozier. I love buying gifts for the special people in my life, and usually try and get them ahead of time so I know it's a perfect fit and not just a last minute fix. Although this year I'm having trouble coming up with a list for myself! At the risk of sounding corny, I feel like I have everything I could want this year: a home that we own, a wonderful husband, and two lovely furbabies! Because my family has been requesting a list with unrelenting passion, I turned to my favorite online source and whipped one up.



Here are some items that made my 2010 Christmas List...

Frye Jane Boot

Eat Pray Love BluRay

Baby Grace Shower Gel

Operation Beautiful Book

What are some special things on your Christmas list this year? Do you have one big ticket item or lots of smaller gifts?

Candles, My Love

Next to soap, candles are my favorite thing to purchase for our home. They can evoke all sorts of different feelings, and I love matching them to the season. For instance- in the summer I'm always using some sort of crisp citrus or linen scent. In the fall we burned "kitchen spice" and cinnamon candles. For a while I've been admittely obsessed with Bath and Body Works candles. They smell great, but they burn a little too fast for me. Considering I have them lit from 5 to 11 every night. So right now I'd like to introduce you to my new love, Woodwick. Oh my.

(new friend)

(old friend)

I've seen these candles before, but finally purchased my first one on clearance at Tuesday Morning. Now I'm wondering why something so fabulous could ever be on clearance. Anyways, this candle is the bees knees. The scent is called fireside glow, and it literally smells like a warm, cozy, ski cottage that has a fireplace going. Best of all- the wood wick literally crackles like a fire! I'm in love.

Not that I don't love my old favorite, but this new friend has really sparked my fancy. The only caveat for these Woodwick's is that they're so darn expensive! Does anybody know of a discount store that sells this brand (Ross, Marshalls, TJ Maxx?)


Is there any little thing that you love getting for your house? Does anybody else love matching their scents to the season? I'd love to know if you have a favorite candle brand I should try!

It's Christmas Time!

Yes, we did it. Mr. SE and I have already started decorating for Christmas this year. We're hosting a holiday party on December 4th and traveling for Thanksgiving, so this was our last weekend to get the house in shape. Our previous Christmas trees were either from college or hand-me-downs (we have 3)- so we were excited to buy one of our very own.

(all the lights are clear- but the picture makes them look somewhat colored)

We chose a gorgeous 9 ft pre-lit beauty from Home Depot, and scored a great price. The theme for our downstairs area is red, gold, and silver. I've been purchasing little accents to have around the floor, and I'm really happy with the look so far.

The tree still needs to be decorated, so I don't have any pictures to post now. But I'll be sure to document our first Christmas in this house, and our first Christmas as newlyweds. Have you started decorating yet? And did you do anything special to celebrate your first Christmas as a married couple? We're really looking forward to starting some traditions of our own!

Bathroom Makeover

Mr. SE and I are in the middle of updating our master bathroom. Luckily, there isn't anything wrong in terms of functionality- we're just bringing it into 2010. We have white cabinets and nickle hardware. I'm going to do a full reveal once we're all done. But here's a sneak peek.

Have you done any home projects lately? I'm on a big decorating and updating kick right now. Lots of room previews to come!

picture from Lowe's.com

Cooking Light Success

I recently subscribed to Cooking Light and I'm obsessed! The recipes are easy and taste great- we've loved everthing so far. Also, it's great to have seasonal menu options every month. Mr. SE and I have been expirimenting with different dinner meals, and this is what we made last night.

Pork Chops are our new favorite! We've made two Cooking Light pork chop recipes and loved it. Bonus? Pork is cheap! Both of these recipes called for tenderloin, but we made them with chops instead. A+

From the magazine "Sweet spices coat lean pork tenderloin, while apples get a savory treatment with shallots and thyme. Serve with a spinach salad."

Total: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut crosswise into 12 pieces (4 pork chops)
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons butter (Brummel & Brown spread)
2 cups thinly sliced unpeeled Braeburn or Gala apple
1/3 cup thinly sliced shallots
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup apple cider (mix of cider vinegar & orange juice)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Preparation
1. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Combine first 5 ingredients; sprinkle spice mixture evenly over pork. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove pork from pan; keep warm.

2. Melt butter in pan; swirl to coat. Add apple slices, 1/3 cup shallots, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; sauté 4 minutes or until apple starts to brown. Add apple cider to pan, and cook for 2 minutes or until apple is crisp-tender. Stir in thyme leaves. Serve apple mixture with the pork.

Are you inspired to cook seasonally? Let me know if you have any great fall recipes we should try!

Happy Veterans Day

Today is a day to remember and give thanks for the men and women who have served our country. Both of my grandfather's served in our military during several wars. Even though they're no longer here on earth, I'm still very proud of them.

Is there a special veteran in your family? Leave a comment and let us know so we can thank you for their service.

Ode To Old Navy Rockstar Jeans

Hi! Please meet the best thing that's happened for my legs, butt, and stomach. I'm not 15 anymore. Pants will never be purchased if they give me a plumber-caboose. So these were like a dream come true! The rise is high enough to be age appropriate, and they look great paired with boots or flats (haven't tried heels yet). They're easy to pull on because of the stretch, but tight enough that they feel just like Spanx! The best part is that these jeans only ran me $20 a pair.

I purchased them in black and dark indigo. Love.

Is there something you've picked up for fall/winter that you're just as excited about?

Random Tuesday Post

My cousin emailed me the link to her wedding pictures yesterday, and I just love this picture of me and my dad. He looks so proud!

Terra Andina Sauvignon Blanc is the best wine ever. If you live where they sell it, get some!

It's only $7 a bottle. Oh- and please mail some to me in TN?

Tonight is wine night with my two best lady friends! So excited to gap and sip with Jessica and Mrs. Smith.

Winter Coat Success!

My trusty black coat finally reached the end of it's life, which isn't bad considering I purchased it on clearance in 2001. I'd been on the hunt at several of the "usual suspect" stores: Banana Republic, J. Crew, Gap, and Old Navy, but nobody had anything that walked the line between trendy and timeless. Enter this fabulous number...

DKNY Julie Empire Waist

purchased from Dillards in black

I was ready to drop some cash on a new coat that would last a long time if it had the perfect fit. Oftentimes double breasted coats overpower my frame and seem to swallow me. Lucky for me this DKNY style was both stylish, form-fitting, and a great price. The hood is the part that takes this coat to the trendy side, but it's easily unzipped off for a more formal/traditional look.

What do you look for in a winter coat? Do you get something trendy at a great price or purchase an expensive staple that you'll have forever?

Costume Time

After passing out candy to the neighorhood kids, Mr. SE and I are going to a halloween party. Here's a hint what our costume is. Comment with your guess!

Clue #1

Clue #2

Wedding Pictures

Our pictures are up on pictage, if you'd like to see all 1500. But please visit Gray Photography and leave a comment in the blog post from our wedding. Mr. SE and I will get extra pages in our album if you do, and we'd really appreciate it!

Go to the bottom of the post on the Gray's site, and click "leave a comment".

Mom Cave

(Pottery Barn, le sigh)

Meet my dream desk. Now that the wedding is over, Mr. SE and I are settling into life as a married couple. Life that includes trying to cook healthy meals and turning our new house into a home. Our master bedroom, living room, and kitchen are perfection. Now I'm focused on the guest bedroom, office, and our bonus room. The bonus room will be a real kick to the wallet (hello projection screen and sectional), so I'm working on the office for now.

I've seen a lot of features online lately describing "mom caves", and that's exactly what I have pictured for this room. I'm thinking a crisp, white desk and a corner with a large armchair and a standing lamp. Nothing fancy. Some wispy curtains, and this room will be perfection. I'm looking forward to having a place where I can read and relax.

Do you have a special reading nook in your place? And what do you think of the "mom cave" idea? The man cave has really taken off, and I'm sure that's what our bonus room will end up being. So what's wrong with having a room for the lady of the house to relax in?

(Centsational Girl)

A Little Saturday Surprise: Wedding Pictures

This morning we had our viewing with Gray Photography. And I'll be darned if they pulled another fast one on us- the blog is already up! Click this link to see the amazing pictures (and please leave a comment on their post so we can receive some special goodies).

Update on 10/11/2010: Our gallery is now available on Pictage http://www.pictage.com/789359

*picture by the amazing Zach and Jody Gray of Gray Photography

Big Announcement

Exciting things are happening over here at casa SE. We're expecting! Mr. SE and I are headed out to Franklin tonight to pick up our new little girl. She's 5 years old, a mini schnauzer, and we've decided to call her Lucy. We are so excited for Duffie to have a friend!

This is her picture from the adoption site. We found Lucy through Little Bow Wow rescue of Tennessee. Mr. SE and I knew we wanted another dog, but weren't interested in potty training another puppy. We toyed around with the idea of a schnauzer since that's what my lovely husband had growing up. This little girl popped up on the rescue website and we knew it was fate. She's the exact same size as Duffie and aside from their hair color they look almost identical (although Lucy's ears are somewhat larger!) I'll be sure to post pictures of both girls together.

Have you ever adopted an adult dog? I'd love any advice on how to make her transition the best it can be. Also- any advice on bringing any age of new dog into a home with another dog is greatly appreciated.

The Jeggings Debate

Yes I bought them. And no, they're not acid wash like our lovely friend Sienna Miller is sporting. Mine are a dark shade and appear to have the "brown" seam up the side like genuine denim. They were a steal ($10 at Old Navy) and I can't wait to wear them. But there's a problem, I don't know how to wear them! I have the following types of boots at my disposal, but I'm at a loss for tops. I'd love to get some flowy shirts (that cover my butt) or come cute little tunics, but I haven't had much luck finding any.

Do you wear jeggings, or the more popular skinny-jeans-tucked-into-boots trend? If so- what do you wear on top, and where are you getting these shirts? Thanks!

*Both black and brown, flat and heel. These are similar styles, since mine are all from past seasons and I couldn't find pictures*

Stella & Dot Party

My Stella & Dot party yesterday was a huge success! I was so thrilled when my bff Jessica started selling the jewelry earlier this year, and I've looked forward to hosting a party for awhile. Here's some of my favorite items from their current catalog:

Charlotte Statement Necklace

 

Gilda Earrings

Delicate Drop Earrings

Charlize Earrings

Mimi Necklace

Hostessing was a breeze. I made several different snacks and sangria, and the atmosphere was super casual. There wasn't any formal speech or presentation. The best part was that we were all able to try on the jewelry and check ourselves out (in the falling-apart floor mirror I dragged out from our office). If you're in the Nashville area, and interested in hosting or purchasing jewelry, check out Jessica's Stella and Dote site.

Vendor Spotlight: Brittany Fuson Paper

I was bursting at the seams to share this with all of you, but had to keep it under wraps until the wedding. Now that my dress is no longer a surprise- I can show you the bridal sketch that my sweet friends Jess and Tami gave me as a shower gift. This gift was so special and I was so touched that they gave me such a personal gift.

Brittany is truely talented, and I am 100% obsessed with this sketch of the most beautiful dress I'll ever wear!! She can create all types of custom images, whether it's fashion, couples, or bridal.

Fall Fun

Mr. SE and I are enjoying life after the wedding SO much. Lots of people ask whether things have "changed" and I always reply with an enthusiastic "Yes! We don't have plans anymore!" And it's so true. Life before the wedding is running here, running there, and crossing items off an enormous to-do list. Now the only item on our list is to cherish each other and enjoy every day together! (and some to-do items that pop up from Bed Bath and Beyond, Target, or Lowe's)

September started off great with us enjoying lots of football, and cheering on our hometowns. Mr. SE is a Falcons guy, and I love the Redskins! Which brings me to my fun purchases over the past month....

Amazing NFL t-shirts from Old Navy; they're so soft and feel like you've owned them for 10 years. I bought both the Falcons and Redskins ones.

Sweaters! The #1 reason that I semi-enjoy cold weather. I love a good sweater, especially with some great layers of tissue tees underneath. This one caught my eye (dare I say) before September, and I swiftly picked it up.

OPI Russian Navy. There's already two colors (Bastille My Heart, Lincoln Park After Dark) in my fall/winter OPI rotation and I was pleased to add another.

 I first saw these boots on Piperlime but obviously bought through Zappos because I live for that company. The leather is so buttery, and I love that you can wear them up or down. These could potentially be worn with jeggings for winter. More on those later- but I'm definitely considering it.



That's all for me! Have you done any fall shopping yet? I'd love to hear what things you've picked up to make your transition into a new season!

Blog On

I promise to start blogging again...we're having an issue with Comcast and don't have internet at our house now. Ps- I hate you comcast...