Adios September

Well. The weekend is over and today has been such a Monday. I woke up with a headache that blossomed into full blown nausea and left me sitting in the floor of the office bathroom for a little while thinking I was going to be sick. Combine that with miscues and miscommunications from clients and the gray and gloomy rain - it's been a day. 

However - the focus of this post is the weekend. I got off work on Friday around 3:00 and ended up going home and doing a whole lot of nothing. I watched the movie Book Club, a couple episodes of The Americans and walked around the neighborhood with the pup a couple times before getting into bed to read. It was a very lazy Friday night and it was a really nice way to spend the evening...

Saturday mornings on the deck...

Autumn leaves!

Saturday morning I woke up and had coffee out on the deck with my sweet pup and then got myself together and headed over to West Virginia to meet up with my friends Danielle and Meridith for a wine tasting and pumpkin painting at a winery in WV! And what a winery it was - certainly unique and different - to say the least. The little building was located in the couple's backyard with a horse pen right next to the building... and a Port a Potty to the left... which was later confirmed to be the "restroom". The wines had unique names (one was called Banana Hammock) and delicious tastes - even if the winery itself was a little... different.

After our samples (I had Banana Hammock, Vine Diesel & Devil's Punchbowl) we sat down to work on our chalk pumpkin craft under the guidance of the Chalk Couture consultant Charlotte - it was fun, easy and I ended up with two really cute pumpkins to add to my Autumn decorations! I will admit that I had to re-do my Hocus Pocus tab three times before I got the hang of it - ha-ha!

It's craft time!

The finished product!

 After decorating pumpkins and sampling wine paired with macarons, we decided that since none of us had eaten much for breakfast - getting lunch was probably the best idea. We cruised over the Shepherdstown, WV and had lunch at The Bavarian Inn - which is fabulous and usually quite fancy, but you can eat there for lunch without needing "proper attire". I had some of the most divine French Onion Soup and a club sandwich while we watched the staff putter around putting together the finery for an evening wedding at the Inn. We made a final stop at Black Dog Coffee and I grabbed something called a "chili dog" - iced coffee with peanut butter, butterscotch and toffee syrups added in. It was delicious!

Yes please - divine!

Once I got home, I spent a good bit of time relaxing on the back deck and reading while Watson snacked on his pup treat and lazed in the sunshine; I also watched my Nationals play baseball. I had delicious red beans and rice for dinner and took a really nice bubble bath before watching some more episodes of The Americans and getting some shut eye.

This tastes pretty good to me!

Blanket hog!

After coffee, church and a quick lunch I took Watson over to the Virginia Arboretum to see how the leaves were coming along - and the answer is: they really aren't. It was HOT on Sunday and everything just had a slightly scorched look to it... and there was no gentle breeze while walking around: it was just really hot and unpleasant. We didn't stay too long...

Where we headed? I'll drive!

This picture just looks hot to me....

I spent the rest of the afternoon doing some house things (laundry, organizing, etc...) and watching the Nationals final game of the regular season - they won. I had dinner, took a nice bath and after watching an episode of The Americans, I curled up on the couch to watch Poldark on PBS and then I crashed into bed... where I flipped and flopped. *sigh*

Living on the edge.

So - that was the final weekend of September. And I don't know about you but I am ready for this Monday to be about done. *sigh*

Five on Friday

It is the last weekend of September and I absolutely feel like this month has sped by in the blink of an eye! Granted; I think I'm starting to feel like each subsequent month (and year), speed by even faster than the first. Five things I'm thinking about on this final Friday in September....

One. Let's Get Wild - My Washington Nationals clinched a spot in the NL Wild Card game on Tuesday night and there were celebrations all around. Mid-May the Nationals were 19-31 and had something like a 3% change of making it to the post-season... and on Tuesday night, they beat the Phillies and will be playing the Wild Card game on Tuesday, October 1st. Do they still have a long way to go? Sure! But you can't say they haven't stayed in the fight!

Two. Autumn Things - I'm not sure what all I'll be doing on this final weekend in September but tomorrow I'm going to the Rusty Nail Winery for some wine and pumpkin(s)! I'm joining my friends Danielle and Meridith to make a chalk paint pumpkin decoration and likely sip some wine in the process... I also think I'll go check in on the Gingko trees at the Arboretum - they might be starting to turn that perfect golden yellow! 

Three. Impulse Decisions - Wednesday was sort of a wild day! I woke up and thought about cutting my hair... and then around 10 AM I called my hairdresser and she just happened to have an opening... so I went through with it and chopped off about two inches of my hair! I cannot lie - when I updated my iPhone and created my Memoji - I gave it the hairstyle that most matched mine. I thought I needed a few inches taken off to truly match, and so I did just that! And I kind of love it!

Four. Chicken Enchilada Soup - I made some really delicious and crazy easy Chicken Enchilada soup for dinner last night and it was both easy and crazy good! Shall I share the recipe? I shall!

What You Need

• 1 (10 ounce) can of red enchilada sauce
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can of Rotel
• 1 (15 ounce) can of chili beans; drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can of black beans; drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can of corn; drained
• 2 cans of white meat chicken; drained
• 2 cups of chicken stock/chicken broth
• 1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese; softened
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon season salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

I'm not even kidding - you literally throw everything in the soup pot, bring it to a boil and then turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes. It is so delicious and seriously - it can't get much easier than that!

Five. Friday Funnies - Last but not least, a couple funny things that made me giggle this week. Two of them inspired by the Emmy's last weekend... and then... one that is just too funny! Ha!

And that's all I've got for this final Friday of September! I hope everyone has a wonderful Autumn weekend and is looking forward to October! 

Watson Wednesday

The smiling face of a pup who has had a good vet visit and told he's still healthy as a (small) horse! Not sure how my Mom actually managed to capture a smile - but I love it.

Emmy Fashions (or Mostly Game of Thrones fashions)

Y'all know I love to share all the fabulous dresses that caught my eye at awards shows and while the actual Emmy broadcast was pretty much a complete snooze fest - there were several absolutely fabulous dresses that caught my eye for all the right reasons and a few that made me cringe. Of course - I am in no way some sort of fashion forward know it all - these are just my personal favorites!

Yes Please.

Emilia Clarke - Valentino

Gwendoline Christie - Gucci

Lena Headey - Brock Collection

Phoebe Waller-Bridge in Monique Lhullier

Rachel Brosnahan in Elie Saab

Emily Hampshire in J. Mendel

Why yes - the first three women are from Game of Thrones - you are correct. Emilia Clarke looked absolutely stunning...that dress and those earrings are fabulous. Gwendoline Christie's Gucci look was custom made for her (of course it was) and I feel like you probably have to be a 6+ foot tall goddess of a woman to pull something like that off. I love Lena Headey's dress too - the color and the florals work so well for her. Love my Game of Thrones ladies!

Have you watched Fleabag? I just watched both seasons last month and while the first season is just so-so, I did love the second season! Phoebe Waller-Bridge's dress is like a floaty dream or something.. it feels like something I'd pick out. I also love Rachel Brosnahan's metallic dress; it looks like molten platinum... and lastly, Emily Hampshire's red dress is just phenomenal. It is definitely the most like something I'd chose for myself and she looks stunning.

My Men(s)

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

Kit Harington

Yep. I just loved the Game of Thrones men. Nikolaj looked flashy and fabulous, while Kit looked traditional, dapper and downright gorgeous. Sure - there were other attractive men there, but I feel perfectly justified in only highlighting "my mens" from Thrones.

Nope.

James van der Beek

Zoe Kazan

What even are both of those options? I cannot even with that weird burnt peach fuzz blazer and no one needs that many bows or bows that large. Yikes!

I leave you with the nominated cast members of Game of Thrones - I also liked what Maisie had on but I could take or leave Sophie and Carice's dresses... and Peter Dinklage and Alfie looked fine as well. I'm glad they won Best Drama... and I'm also glad they did NOT win best writing or directing, because that final season was a hot mess. The actors deserve to be awarded for acting the devil out of terrible writing - but let's not actually award the terrible writing anything. Hehehe...

There's A Sink in my Living Room....

Having said that...

I am seriously not sure how it is already Monday - I swear this weekend passed in a haze of gin, power tools and IKEA boxes. That sounds wrong... sort of. There was only one gin cocktail and perhaps only one power tool but plenty of other tools that required human power. There were (and still are) IKEA boxes though... and there's a sink sitting in the gray armchair in my living room. So - how did your weekend go?

I got off work early on Friday (thank goodness) and was able to get in some exercise before going to see the Downton Abbey movie - which was absolutely fabulous! The movies was where the gin cocktail came into play: gin, Earl Grey tea, mint & lemon - it was divine and paired especially well with the Dowager's Biscuits (walnut & pineapple cookies). After a last minute Lowe's run and some tense Nationals baseball - I went to bed!

Saturday morning was a day. Whoosh. After coffee and breakfast and more coffee, it was time to get down to pulling up carpet and putting down wood flooring for my kitchen(ette) area and let me tell you - it is not as easy as you might think. I mean...pulling up carpet is not terrible but look out for carpet tacks, they'll stab you in the finger! A straight razor was found just lying under the carpet - obviously left behind by the diligent builders.

The carpet came up, the flooring went down (not as easily as the carpet came up - let me tell you) and every time I helped my Dad use the circular saw, I prayed to the Lord that neither of us would end up losing a limb or finger(s). I'm pleased to say the only injury was my slightly sliced finger courtesy of the carpet tack. Well; that and some severely sore muscles, when I woke up on Sunday morning I was feeling some struggles - maybe sitting on the hard concrete on my knees was not a great idea?

We had some pretty tasty Brunswick Stew for supper and I took a much needed bubble bath complete with Epsom salts - which maybe made a different where the sore muscles are concerned? I have no clue. I know I was really happy to hop into my bed on Saturday evening.

Sunday morning we changed our plans up some and made our way over to Manassas to grab brunch at City Tavern before popping into IKEA for kitchen shopping! It was not nearly as crowded as it was about a month ago and I think we managed to get the kitchen cabinets sorted, pick up a few accessories and get out relatively unscathed - although the Vinterfest section did derail my Mom and I just a bit - because it was just all so cute and affordable.

The rest of the afternoon was passed putting together IKEA furniture (so far it's not quite as insane as advertised), watching the Nationals fail at baseball *sigh* and having some delicious pizza for supper. I also watched the Emmy's which were way too long, way too dull and Game of Thrones only won two of the multitude they were nominated for... *sigh* again. Granted - I didn't think they were deserving of anything in the writing and directing categories because the final season was... grim... but the actors/actresses are all absolutely stellar.

Oh well - that's all. I guess I have to figure out about that sink in my living room at some point soon...

Five on Friday

It's almost the weekend - yahoo! It's also the second to last weekend of September; which, what in the world? The official start of Fall is on Monday but I could see my breath billowing out in front of me in little clouds when I walked the dog this morning... so that's enough for me to declare that Autumn has arrived! Granted - it's supposed to be the seventh circle of the sun this weekend - but I'll hold on to today's weather for now. 

One. Downton Abbey - The Downton Abbey movie comes out today and I have tickets for a 6:00 showing tonight at the Alamo Drafthouse... I can't wait! However, I don't think I'm quite as excited as my Dad is - I can say with 99% certainty that Downton Abbey is probably his favorite show ever. I love that the Alamo will be offering themed food and drinks, which I will definitely be taking part in! I can't wait to see where the movie takes all the characters - but mostly Lady Edith - I've always been a fan!

Two. Weekend Things - I know so little about doing home projects...but I do believe this weekend I will be learning how to put down flooring in my wee home - flooring for my kitchen! The supplies are purchased, we just have to pull up the carpet and put down the floor. It sounds so easy but I feel like it can't be that easy... I'll report back after the weekend is over and let you know, ha-ha!

Three. Chick Fil A Things - Earlier this week I met my Mom, our friend Jen and her kiddos at Chick Fil A for lunch and I finally tasted the much talked about macaroni and cheese - which was fabulous. I enjoyed my chicken, I enjoyed snuggling my sweet girls and listening to them tell me about Disney World, Sesame Place and Great Wolf Lodge with all the wonder that only a five year old can conjure up... and it's always nice to eat something besides a Lean Cuisine for lunch!

Funny faces are our favorite.

Contemplation... maybe about chicken?

It's that good y'all...

Four. A Moment in Time - Did y'all realize that yesterday, at 9:19 in the morning (and again in the evening) that is was 9:19 on 9/19/2019... whoa! I made sure to snap a shot of my screen to capture the moment in time. I suppose that won't come around again until 3019 - and I won't be here for that!

Five. Bookworm - A friend sent me this picture below and I couldn't agree with it more. It speaks to me on a deeply personal level and I just thought I'd share. 

That's all I've got for this Friday! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend - I certainly plan to!

Watson Wednesday

A little flashback to September of last year & my pup - taking in the sights and exploring the Shenandoah National Park!

Fab Fit Fun - Autumn 2019

Autumn 2019

It's that time again - time to share with you all about my Fab Fit Fun box for Autumn of 2019 - and this box was an excellent one! Who am I kidding? All of my Fab Fit Fun boxes have always been excellent and this one was no exception. 

Amika Strand Perfect Ceramic Styler ($80) - Have a good hair day, every day. The 100% ceramic plates generate safe and even heat for shiny, smooth hair. 

How exciting to see this in my box?!? I have a straightener with titanium plates but I was so excited to see this straightener with ceramic plates. Did you know that titanium has the fastest heat transfer for more immediate results while ceramic eliminates frizz - so now I have the best of both worlds!

Kut from the Kloth Slim Striped Wallet ($60) - With seven credit card slots, an ID window and one full-length bill compartment, this wallet is just as functional as it is chic.

How cute is this wallet?? I wasn't in the market for a new wallet but I love this slim style but I pretty much immediately reorganized all my things into this wallet and popped it into my purse. I love it and I also love how I could just grab it out and carry it on it's own - like a little clutch.

BaubleBar Farah Ear Crawlers ($34) - From the intricate crystal embellishments to the modern silhouette, these earrings are absolute showstoppers.

These earrings are beautiful and so delicate - I can't wait to pop them in and wear them!

Afterspa Hair Towel Wrap ($18) -  Wet hair, don't care! This towel is specially designed with an elastic loop and button to comfortably dry and hold your hair up. 

These little towels are great - I already have one and I love it. So, I passed this one along to my Mom and she's been enjoying the benefits.

AVEDA Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair ($30) - Instantly repair and protect your hair from heat styling (up to 450 degrees) with the power of quinoa protein, macadamia oil and soy.

I'm always looking for products to hep with keeping my hair looking soft and healthy since I use heat related products on my hair so often. I'm sure this will be a great addition to my arsenal of hair products!

Harper + Ari Exfoliating Sugar Cubes in Juice Cleanse ($16) - These delightful sugar cubes are a great way to exfoliate and cleanse yourself in the shower - all while leaving a yummy scent.

Oh. My. Goodness. These smell absolutely amazing! I could just sniff the jar on the daily and it would make me happy... however, they are also fabulous to grab out of the jar and just gently scrub skin to a soft, smooth and deliciously scented state.

Human + Kind Body Souffle ($18) - Lather yourself in a souffle blend of apricot oil and shea butter. Your skin will be incredibly soft and moisturized. 

Yet again - can I just say that this smells like the most amazing thing ever. It smells divine, feels so creamy and leaves my skin feeling incredibly soft! 

SKIN&CO Roma Truffle Therapy Face Toner ($30) - Designed to cleanse and deeply purify the skin, this toner is jam-packed with natural extracts of truffle, calendula, rose and rosemary. The result? Healthy, youthful-looking skin.

One more time - smells amazing! And so far, it makes my skin feel so soft and wonderful. I am definitely loving this but I don't want to fall in love with it because... I don't know about $30 for toner, ha-ha!

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Fab Fit Fun is a quarterly subscription that cost $49.95 - but each box has at least $200 worth of goodies inside. There is a box for each season and my Autumn box had a value of $286! I have done several subscription boxes and this is hands down my favorite. If you'd like to give it a try, you can use my link: https://www.talkable.com/x/cGzKdR and get $10 off your first box!