THE announcement

I feel like whenever female bloggers have a big announcement to make they always have to begin the message by saying and no I'm not pregnant just to clear the air, because whenever you see "big announcement!!" you automatically think BABY! In this case, there's no disclaimer. This is it. It's THE announcement.

I'm no longer beating around the bush or changing the subject or resisting the urge to be cheesy. I'm cheesy and happy and a little bit sick because I'm having a baby!

I had this all-consuming fear of a super lame pregnancy announcement, because most of them are so cheesy and terrible, but when it all came down to it I realized that sometimes corny is okay. I'm looking for corny in my life. My wonderful sister-in-law (of Amy O'Neil's Photography) took the photos for us. We went to Starbucks and we used a Mini Frapp baby like total pros, and then we drank the baby.

I'm going to have a human. Correction, I have a human, growing inside of me. It's all very sci-fi, really, and we've never been more excited in our lives! We just bought a house, we're having a baby to put in that house, and it's all going to be a very merry Christmas.

hooked on a feeling

Sweater (remixed 1 / 2): Francesca's, Lace Top (shop!) (similar 1 / 2 / 3): Ruche, 

Leggings (similar!) (remixed 1 / 2 / 3): Vera Wang (from Kohl's) 

I've become a really big fan of big, comfy sweaters lined with lace. I've been eyeing a few sweaters that fit the bill, but when I saw this really fluffy lace-trimmed tank top on sale over at Ruche last month I decided that perhaps I could create the look for a bit cheaper! I can also now apply this frilly layer to multiple sweaters in my closet.

This fun layering couldn't come at a better time, because we finally had our first supremely gorgeous Fall day yesterday. It was crystal clear and glorious, bright-aired and stunning. It was a high of 72 degrees which is straight-up cold for us Arizonans.
My mom was hosting a horse clinic this whole weekend, so the stables were swarming with happy horse riders, learning and laughing and socializing. Dustin and I brought our coffee out to the barn house porch to watch for a little while, and we were all shivering in the breeze! It was such a wonderful sensation. There's something in the air, a certain scent of chill. I'm hooked on that feeling of Fall.

To really up the ante, Starbucks released their red cups this weekend! Most states have already been enjoying cold weather for a while (even snow, which is mind-boggling), but these festive red cups which signify so much holly jolly could not have come at a better time here in Arizona. It's time for sweaters and sandals, which is the Arizona way.
Dustin and I made our first voyage to the red-cupped Starbucks in town and took celebratory photos as part of their #redcupcontest to win a sterling silver Starbucks card. It seems like a pretty absurd thing, to have a sterling silver Starbucks card, but now I need one. 

November is a thrilling time. I wish I could be spending my entire day outside on the porch, sipping from hot mugs and reading a good book. (Jane Austen's Emma, to be precise, which is my book club's selection this month!).

summer mint recipes

Have you ever had something define your summer?
Maybe a certain scent, or a particular playlist, or even a group of people.
I love summers because every single one is totally unique. Sure, you could say that about every season, but there's something about summer that is different. I think probably because summer is the season of play.

Maybe it's because I'm from Arizona, but summer is the most creative, most inspirational, most exuberant season of all. The heat is so intense you have to be innovative to enjoy your days; it forces you to dress differently, plan your days differently, break out new ideas. Some of those ideas include travel and road trips to better weather, which means a lot of beach and mountains and road trip music. Pool parties, sunflowers, iced drinks, bubbles, bikinis, bright colors, new sunnies, outdoor misters, porch lights, movie nights.
Summer also brings with it a host of new recipes and for me, this summer has been all about mint. 

My favorite mint recipes this summer have been the mint watermelon appetizer with goat cheese, the grilled zucchini and walnut salad with mint from M loves M, and of course a few yummy drinks from Starbucks, like the low-calorie cool lime refresher (ask to get it fizzed! yum!) and the blackberry mojito iced tea lemonade. 

You can also get really creative with infused water! I love cucumber/lime/fresh mint water. If you wanna kick your water up a notch, fill up your glass with ice and infused water and add an herbal tea bag to the mix. I added a raspberry tea to my cucumber/lime/mint water this morning, so refreshing!

I'd highly recommend trying out a watermelon and mint combo. I'm going to share with you a really simple and delicious recipe that my dad created after having something similar at an upscale restaurant in Phoenix.

Mint Watermelon Appetizer with Goat Cheese Ingredients: ·         Watermelon, cut into bite-sized cubes ·         Goat Cheese ·         Citrus Ponzu Sauce ·         Fresh Mint ·         Toothpicks for serving! Directions: Easy peasy! Grab a bowl and toss the watermelon, goat cheese crumbles, and fresh mint (lightly shredded/torn) together. Then lightly spritz the concoction with ponzu sauce, and hand out the toothpicks! You could also serve them a bit fancier on a platter, separated into individual portions. Watermelon cube topped with the goat cheese and a leaf of mint, finished off with a dash with ponzu sauce.  Get fancy with it!

I'd love to hear more tried and true mint recipes. If you have any, send them my way!

Also let me know if you try any of these minty delights. They all have my stamp of approval.

Hope you're having a uniquely wonderful summer. It's quickly coming to an end!

afternoon dates

I think there's something about 2pm that just gets to me. 

It's that time of day where uneasiness settles in, boredom maybe. Extreme fatigue. All I want to do is fold up under my desk like human origami, and eat a bar of extra, extra dark chocolate. (Which, by the way, is my new favorite thing. Chocolate has always been meh, which as a woman I've been ashamed to admit - but super dark chocolate is basically the extra bold coffee of chocolates. Score.) 

Whatever you're doing at 2pm, time is against you. It's the afternoon curse. It's some strange alternate universe that swallows you up and wants you to fail at everything you're doing. 

For all these reasons and more, Dusty and I came up with afternoon dates.

Because eureka, coffee solves all my 2pm problems.

We began to figure out that we needed that bit of a break, that little extra time together. 

A time to run outside and jump in the car. Sunglasses on, music up, sigh of relief. 

A spontaneous treat in the hot morbid dead center of that awful, no good portion of our everyday lives. 

2pm. 2-freakin-pm. 

Top/Necklace (shop!): Ruche, Skirt: Modcloth, Sweater: Banana Republic 

Naturally, because we are the way we are, afternoon dates often include picture-taking.

And here, in the Sonic parking lot, was a completely irresistible red tree. You wouldn't even know you were near fresh cheddar poppers and tater tots, by the look of it. Completely wild and on fire with fall. 

On a side note, if you've never owned a true cashmere sweater -- invest in one. Today.

Spoil yourself! You deserve it.

Dusty got this one for me from Banana Republic for our anniversary this past January, and true story, it feels like I'm being kissed by angels all over my arms.