London's Nursery Reveal

There you have it! London's nursery is finally finished, and-- although I'm sure it'll be rearranged due to the realization that things aren't where they serve the best purpose-- I am completely smitten! We were supposed to go to England this year to celebrate my and Elissa's 30th birthday in London and then explore the countryside for 2 weeks, but with the pregnancy we had to put that trip on hold. When the time came to name the baby, Brad and I loved the idea of naming our second son after the trip. So, I ran with the name and carried it into the nursery theme. 

My three favorite pieces in his room are:

1. The gallery wall with London-themed emblems that I printed out from Google and had framed.

2. Navy ottoman bench from Target paired with a Union Jack pillow from Etsy.

3. His Loulou Lollipop London-themed muslin blanket! 

Not pictured are his marble grand DockaTot (thanks E!) and his wingback rocker-- which we temporarily moved into our master bedroom to make the nighttime feedings more comfortable. 

All in all, we are ready and so excited to welcome London home and into our loving family. Here's hoping Apollo is welcoming!

Xx

D

Family Fall Fest

Every year since we've had Apollo we have had a family day in which we go to the pumpkin patch followed by an evening of fall activities! We have rightfully called this day 'Family Fall Fest' and it is easily one of my favorite days of the year. This year we went to Ritter's Cider Mill and Apollo loved feeding the animals, the hay barn, and riding on the horses! We also stopped by our Uncle Dave's to visit the two new baby goats and the girls (my 4 chickens that now live there).

While walking through the corn maze, I just kept thinking about how blessed we are and how grateful I am for all that we have and all that we do. Nothing makes me realize this more than spending time with my family. 

Once we returned home we decorated our front porch and Apollo played with bubbles. Then we made homemade applesauce from the apples at Ritter's and enjoyed way too many cider donuts! We also had my two favorite fall treats, candy apple and apple slices with caramel dip.

All in all it was the perfect fall day and we are looking forward to welcoming London into our little tradition next year!

Xx

D

Life update

It's been awhile.. still trying to get in the groove of a blogging schedule. So much has happened since I've last posted. Brad and I are due in 9 days with our second child, & we couldn't be more excited. Apollo is adjusting decently (at least I like to think, we'll know for sure once the baby arrives). We welcomed a baby Great Dane named Duchess into our home back in July- her and Lady are getting along perfectly. Hopefully I'll be able to stick to a better schedule this time around, life tends to just carry us away-- don't you agree?

Xx

D

Rome part 1

So about 2 months ago we ventured to Europe and it was beyond amazing! I finally have gathered all the photos from everyone that went and have sorted through to find my top 20 pictures (HARDEST JOB EVER!) I'll be showing you guys some of my favorite places that we visited split between two posts. I hope you enjoy!

Here we have the Colosseum! It was the most amazing experience being able to wander in this beauty and learn all about it's impressive history. We never knew about the shops & markets or the farms and housing that used to be established here. I know it's a bit cliche but it's definitely a must see.

A view from inside the Colosseum- simply majestic!

I really enjoyed the atmosphere at the Spanish Steps. Everyone was laid back and just hanging around without anywhere to go. However it was a little bit more crowded than the last time I visited here. 

Here's a photo from the Piazza at the Spanish Steps. Loved all the architectural beauty this shot had to offer.

After visiting the steps, we headed up the hill towards Villa Borghese gardens. The view was absolutely breathtaking. (you can see St. Peter's Basilica in the distance) We had such a nice time at this park and it was honestly the best weather the whole trip. 

We sat and enjoyed a few prosecco's at a little cafe in the park and Apollo got to ride on a carousel. All in all it was a lovely day.

Naturally everyone must see the Trevi Fountain! No words can describe the feeling that overcomes one upon setting your eyes on this beauty. 

It's even more amazing at night.

This was a fun Piazza over by our Airbnb and had such a chill nightlife. We returned here one night for some low key drinks before venturing out to some great bars.

That's all for now! Check back in a few days for part deux & recommendations for off the beaten path places to visit. Thanks for stopping by.

Xx

D

p.s. if any of you have been to Rome, I'd love to hear about your trip!

New Year + New Plans : my 2018 resolutions

First off- Happy New Year! Not only is it a brand new start to another exciting year, but it's also starting off on a Monday.. how perfect! I figure for my first post in 2018 I'd tell you guys my 10 resolutions I set for myself that are really meaningful to me. So here goes:

1. Waking up at 6am, even on the weekends.

 This one is big for me.. I currently wake up everyday at 7, but I would love to get up 1 hour earlier so that I have some alone time to get ready for my day before Apollo wakes up. I miss having my mornings to myself when I wasn't rushed to put on makeup, quick get ready and then chug a coffee.  Here's hoping this one will stick!

2. Working out 4-5 days a week.

I currently work out 3 days a week, and would love to bump that up a bit to see better results. If I can wake up at 6 it gives me the perfect opportunity to do this. I prefer working out in the morning because it gets my whole day started and then I don't dread having to do it after working all day. Plus it's a great source of motivation throughout my whole day. 

3. Cooking a new recipe every week.

Both Brad & I are really excited about this resolution. We recently have gotten very serious about cooking and have updated our tools so we need to make that worth while. We currently are hooked on Binging with Babish and love every recipe we have tried. We purchased his cook book and can't wait to challenge ourselves with new meals to make.

4. Spending more time with Lady Dior.

Sometimes it's easy to get caught up with how busy we are, but this past year we learned the hard way on how important it is to slow down and appreciate your pets. After losing 3 of our beloved fur babies we now have just Lady Dior & Vienna. Unfortunately our cat is not the friendliest and would prefer to be left alone (still love her!) but Lady is the sweetest giant you'll ever meet so I want to make sure we spend more time with her and show her how important she is to us and Apollo.

5. Quiet time in the middle of the day.

Everyday I want to make sure I take 10-15 minutes to just sit & relax. Most days I find myself going nonstop & I get burnt out by the end of the day. By taking a small break it'll help me recoup my thoughts, and allow me to just take a breather. Plus maybe I'll be able to enjoy a nice hot cup of tea- my favorite!

6. Staying organized.

This one is high up on my list of priorities. With everything I have going on it's important to stay on track and to stay focused. I need to live by my planner and stick to it, this way I can avoid that awkwardness when double booking myself & missing appointments. I'm usually on top of these things but since having Apollo, I've gotten a little lazy with it. Need to fix that! 

7. Weekly spa night.

Pampering myself is one of my favorite things, so I figured why not do it more often. I'm looking at either making Sunday or Wednesday night my weekly spa night. I want to take a long hot bath, do a body treatment and a face mask! It'll be so nice to just sit and relax while feeling & smelling good.

8. Burning my candles.

This one sounds silly but I have serious FOWAC! (fear of wasting a candle). I literally have hundreds of candles in a closet categorized by season and then by scent, which you think would make it easier for me to use but NO! On top of that, I keep buying more.. must stop. So I have decided that this will be the year to change all of that. It's time to light a match & enjoy these beauties. 

9. Reading 1-2 books a month.

Reading is one of my favorite things to do, however since having Apollo, I have no time to read. Now that he is getting older (can't believe he is going to be 2!) and more independent I'm really looking forward to some quality reading time. There's a list of books I've been meaning to read and I can't wait to share them all with you. I have decided to start first with Crazy Rich Asian which so far I'm absolutely loving. At this rate I might have 4 books read this month- one can dream!

10. Mommy & me time.

This resolution is most important to me. Apollo is growing up so fast and I hate all the missed moments I've had because I've been too busy. It's easy to get caught up in everyday life and use electronics as a 'babysitter' but no more. I want to make the time and actually play with him. He is so creative and inspiring. He literally can bring a smile to anyones face (even though he himself NEVER smiles). He is my greatest joy and I want to show him all that the world has to offer. So this year Brad and I have decided to put our family first & do the things we always talked about doing and that's mostly traveling more with the dude. We are going to be doing a lot more weekend trips & even some renovating in our backyard so it's more kid friendly. I honestly can't wait for this resolution to play out, it's going to be amazing.

Well that's it! Sorry it was such a long one, I just wanted to share all my reasons for each one! I hope this year is spectacular for all of you. Just remember, life is what you make it! 

Thanks for stopping by.

Xx

D

Toasting the New Year!

Cheers to the New Year! 

What better way to ring it in with none other than our favorite cocktail. For those of you who don't know, gin is our top drink (tied with prosecco that is). There's nothing like having a stocked bar cart in ones home that's on the ready for whenever you're looking to quench your thirst! At this moment we are LOVING gin with strawberries, black pepper and tonic. It has such a refreshing taste and the pepper while muted still gives off a hint of spice.  We tend to do low key parties for NYE so this drink will be an easy one to make without having to take time away from hosting to whip up a cocktail. All you'll need is:

- 3 ice cubes

- 2 fresh strawberries

- 1 pinch of black peppercorns

- 1 oz gin (we prefer Hendrick's)

- tonic (as much as you'd like)

Fill your glass in above order, and enjoy!

 Here's hoping 2018 will be all that you wish for! See you in the new year lovelies.

Xx

-D

Living Room Christmas Decor

Calista couch & ottoman

Wing chair

Plaid pillow

Fa la la pillow

Lanterns

Tray

Mercury vase

Vanille candle

TV stand - custom made

Voluspa candle

Blanket ladder- antique

Love more sign

Bar cart

It's no secret that my favorite holiday is Christmas! I know it sounds crazy but I decorate every year on Nov. 1, mostly because I love the the general spirit of Christmas. I love how everything looks, and more importantly, how everything feels. People in general are in a lot better moods around the holidays so it's nice kicking that off early. I tend to keep my decor more traditional for Christmas, and I love the feel of the coziness it brings into my home. My favorite thing to do is curl up on the couch under a big blanket with a hot mug of chai and watch my top Christmas movies while the coal stove roars in the background-- it's simply peaceful! How do you guys decorate during the holidays?

Thanks for stopping by!

-Xx

D