It's Warming Up and So Are My April 2013 Mini Goals!

Greeting April means a plethora of things; warmer weather, opened toe shoes, opened windows, and more mini goals!! I really can't believe we are saying hello to the month of April! It seems just like yesterday we were celebrating New Years! I am beyond excited to see what this month has in store for the hubby and myself, hopefully a list full of completed goals!!

Via

1. Complete at least one Pinterest project that I posted about here! I'm hoping painting the front door will happen this month, however, I have some serious crafting to accomplish for my cousin's Bachelorette festivities at the end of the month. I know I will be busy trying to complete that, so I may work on something a bit smaller that will be easier to tackle and finish! I certainly do not want to set myself up for failure before I even get out of the starting gate!

2. Arrive on time to work, every morning. Y'all know about this goal, so no need to explain! If you are new to the blog you can read about it from March, February, and January! At least I know I'll get there on time this week as it is Spring Break and traffic was a breeze this morning!

3. Buy a scale. We have not had a workable weighing scale in our home since we moved into this house over 3.5 years ago! I don't like weighing myself because I am usually very disappointed by what it tells me! However, I've been working on my fitness since January and I really wish I would have started keeping track of my weight at that point. Now that I have added running into my fitness routine, I really am hoping to see a drop in weight and the only way to track that correctly would be through using a scale! It's not something I hope to use every day, maybe just once a week so I can see a significant change! Anyone recommend a good scale? I haven't done my research yet and would love recommendations!

4. Host at least one family lunch, dinner or activity. I have said it more times than I can count, how hard it is to divide time between all of our families. We don't do a lot of random, just because get togethers because there are often birthday celebrations or holiday's traditions we participate in! I wouldn't mind hosting a dinner or lunch for some of the family or even an activity of some sort, like visiting the local zoo! I'll have to get creative on the activity but you get the point!

5. Accomplish the 30 Miles in 30 Days workout plan. Nikki over at The Pink Growl did this last month and I think it's a BRILLIANT idea!! The point is to clock at least a mile a day, whether it's running, biking, walking or the doing the elliptical. If you miss a day or two, you have to make it up in another day! I am reeeeeeally excited about doing this and hope adding this to my fitness routine will help me see more good results with my body, energy levels, and stamina! I've already started clocking miles with running a few days a week but I love the option to use other methods to clock miles as well! I plan on hitting the bike or elliptical after my Pilates class tonight to clock my first mile!



6. Figure out if blogging is really something I want to do and stick with! I'm not going to lie, blogging is exhausting me. I stay up incredibly late creating posts the night before. I mean like midnight to 1 a.m. which has really taken a toll on me! I don't feel like I'm forming solid relationships either, because I can't seem to show many readers and other bloggers the attention they deserve! It's hard to juggle this with a full time job and an active home life! Seriously, I'm dying to know how some of you do it, especially those of you with children!! I hope to really reflect on this for April. I don't necessarily want to leave the blogging world, because I do love it, but if I don't learn how to juggle it correctly, I'm going to end up dropping balls in other aspects of my life and I just can't sacrifice those things for this little piece of the Internet world.

7. Start working on renovations in the kitchen. Being that we've been in our home for so long now, I have no idea why we really haven't tried harder to complete the kitchen! It really is the one room in the house where we haven't done ANYTHING, except for replacing the dishwasher and the oven. Our goal is to replace the flooring, refurbish the cabinets, add new hardware, paint the walls, add back splash, install new faucet, purchase a new refrigerator and replace the counter tops! It seems like a lot reading it but our kitchen is small enough that it's not going to be a crazy project to take on, as long as we do one step at time! First step?! Take the hideous 80's wall paper border down!

8. Try harder to prepare better for birthdays and other special events! I will always promise that I will never show up empty handed for a birthday or other special occasion celebration! However, I am HORRIBLE at waiting until the last minute to buy a gift! I would loooove it if I could think so far in advance that we can purchase something more sentimental and personal! I'm a lover of ANYTHING personalized, but I never seem to treat anyone to those kinds of gifts because I'm a crazy procrastinator! I also want to utilize Etsy for more unique and thoughtful gifts as well, which also involves thinking far in advance! I just need to reference my planner more frequently! What's the point of having that if I don't use it?!

9. Develop the attitude of "It is what it is". Here's your shout out Taylor! My little sister and the hubby have this mindset which is very different from my own! I tend to worry about everything, to over analyze everything, and to try and fix everything and sometimes that adds an unnecessary amount of emotional stress to my life! I don't want to adopt this attitude completely, because I feel that my personality allows me to express my compassion on a greater level, but I do want to rid myself of emotional stress beyond my control. It is what it is, there is nothing I can do to change it, therefore I must accept it.

10. Secret goal! As much as I want to share this, for my well being I can't. If things change from this goal I will, without a doubt, publicly tell you about it, but at this moment I have to protect myself and certain parts of my life. I'm including it on this list, because if I write it down, I tend to stick to it!! If your curiosity is getting the best of you and you would like to know what it is, shoot me a comment or email, I'm totally okay with sharing it privately!

As always, some of these are a bit easier than others! I brought a few over from last month but I am really excited to have added some new ones to the list! Any of you trying new goals for the month of April?! I'm looking forward to what this month will bring, including warmer weather, though the forecast for this week isn't looking too swell in the warmth department!

Be sure to check out my April Sponsors to your left in my sidebar!!! I am beyond thrilled to add them to TRYHOSOVA Family!

XoXo!

A Few of My Favorite Things Give Away!

Ohhhh yes, you read that title correctly, the give away I've been working on for two months is finally done!! I'm super excited because these really are products I use and love and I can't wait to share them with one lucky fan!! Ready for a looksie?!?! I'll stop rambling and get on with it!

Here's what this Give Away includes: 

 

*Out the Door Fast Drying Top Coat*

 

*8 J'adore notecards with matching envelopes*

 

*Soft Leather Journal*

 

*Philosophy Snow Angel Shampoo, Shower Gel, & Bubble Bath*

 

*Philosophy Time On Your Hands Exfoliating Hand Cream*

 

*Gold Bow Earrings with Pink Rhinestones*

 

*Lauren Ralph Lauren Home Coconut Lemongrass Candle*

 

*Kate Spade Graham Wellesley ID/Credit Card Holder*

Kate Spade Graham Wellesley ID/Credit Card Holder & Gold Bow Earrings with Pink Rhinestones!

Back Side of Kate Spade Card Holder! 

Lauren Ralph Lauren Home Candle {what it looks like outside of the box}


Just a tidbit on why these items are my favorite! Out the Door Fast Drying Top Coat is the next best thing to visiting a salon for a gel manicure! Not to mention it dries your polish in less than a minute! It keeps your polish shiny and chip free for an entire week! It's glorious and will save you money and trips to the nail salon! * I have a drawer full of notecards and thank you cards! You can never have too many! It allows you to send a quick hello to someone or a thank you for a nice gesture! I'm all about snail mail!! * I have tons of journals floating around our home! Most of the time I use them to jot down ideas {blog ideas} when they develop randomly! I've used one for tracking my health and fitness goals and another to keep track of future goals and dreams! Every girl needs somewhere private to write her thoughts out! * Who doesn't love bows? And on your ears no less? Enough said. * I adore Philosophy products! I do apologize that I didn't purchase a more springy scent {I bought this for the give away back in January!} but it smells divine! The exfoliating hand cream will help you skip those trips to the nail salon as well! Put it on at night and you will wake up with the softest hands ever! * I had to throw in something by Ralph Lauren {bet you didn't know I was named after him}! These candles smell absolutely amazing and will invigorate your entire home! I love the monogram holder that you can reuse once the candle has burned down! It's a class look you can't beat! 

So.... are y'all ready to enter?! Just follow the RaffleCopter rules below!!! Good Luck and have a glorious weekend!!!!!!! XoXo!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Weekend Recap!

Here we are, staring Monday straight in the face, again! Have you noticed how we all seem to live for the weekends?! Counting down the days starting on Monday, complaining how the week is so long and then moaning and groaning about the weekend flying by?! It's sad that we seem to live our lives for the weekend! Buuut why wouldn't we?! It's two days that we have off to jam in all kinds of "to-dos" "must-dos" and fun stuff! I want to try harder at not wishing my weeks away just to get to my weekend! Wishing it away is wishing time away and quite frankly I would like it to slow down just a bit! It's already the mid to latter part of March! Didn't we just celebrate New Years?! Anywho, enough of the serious philosophical thoughts... what kind of St. Paddy's Day shenanigans did y'all get into this weekend? Me?! Buying Bailey's Irish Cream flavored Irish colored French Macarons were about as crazy as I got for St. Paddy's Day!

Friday evenings for us, are usually relaxing nights in! We eat dinner at home, sip wine {for me} and beer {for the hubs} and chill out from our hectic weeks with the pup in front of the TV! This Friday was no exception, though I did grow a wild hair up my rear and decided it was time to tackle the daunting task of cleaning off our office desk. I kid you not, when I say, that there were bills {that have been paid, just needed to be filed} piled up on the desk since before Christmas! Ugh please don't judge! I've been procrastinating on buying a file cabinet and instead of putting everything in their designated folders, I've been piling it up on the desk! Well, I decided to pull out the folders and file it all away. While doing so, Baby Reef decided it would be a grand idea to nap... right in the middle of all my files. He even was brazen enough to move some folders and papers out of his way so he could make room for his napping spot! Silly Silly boy!

Baby Reef in the midst of all my organizing and filing! 

Saturday we slept in which was glorious since we had a morning rain shower come through and it was incredibly grey out. When we woke up, the sun was trying to peak through and the hubby headed off to baseball practice! Meanwhile I decided to accomplish a few things outside of the house since it was turning into a beautiful day! I packed up the car with stuff that has been taking over our dining room to donate to Goodwill and I grabbed my Tory Burch's and a pair of hard worn heels to take to the cobbler for some sprucing up and repairs. Mind you, I've never been to this cobbler, or any cobbler for that matter, and I wasn't sure if they would be able to fix the heels or my TB's. When I walked in the man at the counter stared at me intently, making me feel really uncomfortable. I explained to him that I had never been to a cobbler before and I wasn't sure if my shoes were fixable. He didn't say anything, just kept staring. At this point, even with how uncomfortable I was feeling, I felt I couldn't just turn around and leave. I pulled the heels out first and he paused and looked at them and said they weren't fixable; fine I'll just buy another pair. I then pulled out my TB's and explained that they were very special to me, and I just really needed them spruced up if that was possible. Meanwhile he is STILL staring and looking at me as if I am ET, himself. He took the shoe and said "I can polish them". At that point I was so eager to get out of there, I said OKAY, gave him needed information, took my ticket and ran! Once I got in the car all I kept thinking was I hope he doesn't hold my shoes hostage or something... I should've never left them with this dude! I mean he was just creepy. Thank goodness Baby Reef was tagging along in the car to help with my anxiety attack I was having! I will give the guy some credit! They did a nice job polishing them and they look very much to being almost brand new!!! I plan on taking them to another cobbler the next time they need some attention as to avoid the creepy guy, though. I'd rather not deal with the unsettling feeling again!

Once I dropped my shoes off, I headed to the grocery store to pick up some bread for the appetizer I was making for my best friend, Tatiana's birthday celebration later that night! Then with the windows down, music up, and a doggy hanging out the window, we headed to Goodwill! We dropped off quite a few things and I was immediately relieved to see it go! It was causing too much clutter in the house and needed to go months ago! I'm still purging and organizing so this will not be the last trip but knowing this batch is gone helps relieve some of the purging stress I have right now!

After dropping off the donations, Baby Reef and I headed into Old Towne Portsmouth to visit a local bakery, Artisans Bakery! I had inquired on their Facebook page last week if they sold French Macarons and they informed me that they would have St. Paddy's Day themed ones this weekend! They then commented to me Friday saying they were available for purchase during the weekend! I'd never been there before so I was really excited! Seriously.... cutest place ever! It's a full service bakery/cafe in a historically built home! Absolutely adorable and I can't wait to go back and grab lunch sometime, coffee, and more macaroons! I bought a dozen of them to take to the birthday party later that night! They were green, orange, and cream colored and Irish Bailey's flavored! Annnd they were tasty to boot!

Bailey's Irish Cream Flavored St. Paddy's Day inspired French Macarons! 

When we left there with the goodies we headed to Starbucks so I could use my gift card towards a Chai Tea Latte {my favorite!}. Once Baby Reef said his hello's to the Drive Thru girls we headed to an older neighborhood in the area to check out homes for sale! I love love love the Old Towne area with it's historic 18th century homes and gorgeous architectural buildings! I would love nothing more than to buy a home {renovated or we renovate ourselves} from the early 1900's! They have such character and charm and contain so much history! It's just difficult to find these houses in safer areas and in good school districts. Nonetheless it was really nice to just cruise with the pup and look at the beautiful homes!

Later, once we were all spiffy and ready to go, the hubby and I headed out to Tat and Kevin's house! Tat decided she wanted to have a "wine/cheese tasting" birthday celebration and she did not disappoint with the spread! Lots and lots of artisan cheeses, salami, nuts, olives, fruit, french breads, and even dark chocolate and of course more than a few of yummy wines for us to try! After all the girls caught up with their girl talk in the kitchen, we joined the the guys for a game of LCR. If you don't know what that is, check this out! I had NEVER heard of it but -oh my lanta- how fun! I'm not much of a gambler so it's not something I think would play ALL the time but it was definitely a good way to add some innocent fun to a party!

The Birthday Girl!

The amazing spread! 

Some of the delicious wine!

Tat and Kevin's sweet puppies Bosley and Kenya! They just so happen to be brothers and are the sweetest little souls! 

LCR

Tat and I have an appreciation for some of the finer things in life and we share an obsession for Louis Vuitton and Christian Louboutins! We also share an unhealthy obsession with Paris too! Neither of us have a pair of Louby's but we often chat about buying our first pair one day! Because we share this love, I haaaaad to buy her this wine bottle holder {this isn't the exact one but very similar}! She loved it and I told her that was the closest I could get to giving her the real deal!! I hope when we both can buy our first pair, it's an experience we can have together! And yes, it is that serious when it comes to Louby's and LV!

I had to but the polka dot gift wrap paper! 

Yesterday we did absolutely nothing! And when I say nothing, I really mean nothing! The weather was grey and damp all day which made if difficult to get motivated! I did manage to watch Why Did I Get Married? and Why Did I Get Married, Too? on TBS! I have to give Tyler Perry credit... he makes some movies that really pull at your heart strings! I haven't seen all of his work, but the ones that I have seen always move me, usually to tears, but they do make me laugh too! I did give myself my weekly manicure as well, but other than that and watching the movies, we literally did nothing!

My manicure - Essie Pink Lemonade 

How was all of your weekends?!?! It felt good to be somewhat productive on Saturday! The winter weather has a way of making me want to stay in bed under the covers so it was great to get out in the warm sunshine and accomplish some things! Hope everyone is having a stellar Monday so far! XoXo!

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

I'm currently in the process of brainstorming a new regular post for Wednesdays! As much as I enjoy, "What I'm Loving Wednesday" I want to create something more my own. Something that could possibly turn into a link up and something a bit more substantial. Until I can come up with the perfect theme for my future Wednesdays, here is what I am LOVING this week! What are y'all loving??!

1. I am, hands down, totally in love with this Subaru commercial! If the hubby and I have a little girl when the time comes for us to extend our family, I know he is going to be this kind of daddy! He tries to be so manly and tough now, but throw a little girl in his life and she will have him wrapped around her little finger! This commercial makes me a tad bit eager to see my soul mate as a daddy! This commercial also makes me cry!



2. Last nights season finale episode of White Collar. HOLY CRAP! As always they leave you wanting more and now I have to wait until THE FALL for season 5! Really?!?! 6-7 months?!?! Oh well, looks as though GraceLand may become a great substitute this Summer! White Collar may be over for now, but that's what seasons on DVD are for, right?! And what's not to love about that?!

3. The YAAA! Black Tie Bowling event this past weekend! It was a pure blast!!! I learned that I am a HORRIBLE bowler, old ladies love my hubby, and we seriously have some pretty stellar friends!! The hubby and I can't thank the rest of our team enough for joining us in helping raise awareness for Alzheimer's! How cute were we all?! If you are at all interested in YAAA!, Please visit www.alz.org for more information on how to join and/or start a chapter in your area!

4. That I am reverting back to my twelve year old self and attending a slumber party this Friday night! My girlfriend, Whitney is hosting a little girl night at her home and I am super duper excited! This has been written in my schedule for over a month and I've been counting down the weeks and days! I need some girl time and this will be perfect! 

5. Winning Baby Reef a BarkBox!!! A friend sent me an email notifying me of a give away a blogger was hosting last week! Rebekah received two Bark Boxes {think Birchbox but for a dog} and decided she wanted to give one away! Baby Reef was chosen randomly which made this my first blogging contest win!! The BarkBox arrived yesterday and Baby Reef made out with some fantastic treats and a few new toys! I may just do a post on the whole box next week! 

Hope you all are surviving this week well! Unfortunately, due to uncontrollable circumstances, I'm a bit bogged down at work but the fun of this upcoming weekend is getting me through it! If you could, please say a small prayer for a dear friend and co worker of mine, I would greatly appreciate it! XoXo my Darlings! 

It's Gettin' Sweet, Spicy, and Fishy Up in Here!

For one of my Bridal Showers, almost two years ago, the hostess arranged for each guest to bring their favorite recipe to add to a new recipe box for our kitchen! I made out with quite a few yummy appetizers {including 3 separate recipes for Buffalo Chicken Dip hehe}, some scrumptious main dishes, and even a sweet dessert bread! In all my kitchen gloriousness, I've only made one dish out of the recipe box in the two years that I have had it! I keep adding recipes to the box, I just hadn't taken a chance on cooking a meal already in the box! All of that changed this past week!

While meal planning for the week and sifting through recipes I decided to give the recipe box a try! I have also been on a mission to get the hubby to eat and enjoy salmon! I love, love, love this fish and want to incorporate more of it in our dinners however, the hubby is not salmon's biggest fan! That's where this recipe comes into play! I felt there was enough sugar, spice and everything nice to appeal to his tastes buds and I was about 95% accurate! He ate all of it which was a huge win in my book!

The Recipe Card

What You Will Need:

Salmon - Cayenne Pepper - Brown Sugar - Honey - Chili Powder - Sea Salt

Fresh Salmon Filets or Flash Frozen Salmon Filets {I used Frozen}

Chili Powder

Cayenne Pepper

Sea Salt

Honey

Brown Sugar 

As you can see from my recipe card there were no measurements so you basically have to eyeball it to your liking! For instance it called for a "pinch" of brown sugar but I used about a tablespoon on each filet to ensure more of a glaze for the fish. I also cooked this in a skillet pan on top of the stove instead of in the oven which allowed for the juicy glaze as well. 

Directions:

Place Salmon in pan skin side down {my frozen filets didn't have skin so I just placed them in the pan}

Cover both salmon pieces entirely with Chili Powder {pretty vigorous amount}

Then follow behind with a light sprinkle of Cayenne Pepper

 Lightly dust with Sea Salt

Drizzle entire filet with Honey

Top with Brown Sugar

I then covered the pan and cooked the Salmon until it flaked.

Cooking in the pan. The honey, brown sugar and juices made a sweet glaze to offset the spicy Chili Powder and Cayenne Pepper.


Once the fish is cooked thoroughly to your liking, plate it and serve with sides of your choice! I whipped up white cheddar mashed potatoes and fresh green beans as our sides! 

Honey Chili Salmon!

This was a super easy peasy meal to make and would work perfectly on any weeknight!! I didn't time it but I'm certain it didn't take more than 20 minutes to prepare and cook! Easy, Yummy, and the Hubby ate it! Certainly a successful dinner in my house! I'll for sure be using this one again! If you end up trying it be sure to let me know! I'd love to hear your thoughts!! 

XoXo! 

Four Favorites - Link Up!

I'm linking up today with Let it be Beautiful and Fancy Things for the four things I am obsessing over this week! It's a random mix of awesomeness that I think y'all will be obsessing over too! Allow me to just cut to the chase!

Macaroon Ring Box*Jennifer Lawrence*Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pastry Crisps*Fascinators

1. This Macaroon Ring Box! How flipping precious is this?!?! And what a fun gift they would make for your gal pals! I'm simply dying over their cuteness! Ordering one is definitely on my agenda. Now, if only I could decided on what color to choose?!

2. Jennifer Lawrence is most definitely my girl crush! She's actually been a girl crush of mine since I watched her in The Hunger Games back in October! She is so laid back and humble! I love love love her Hollywood innocence! She really has no idea how huge of a star she is and I believe her fabulous gold man won't even allow her to realize that she's made it to the big leagues! Love the girl! She can do no wrong in my book! And falling while walking up stairs?! It makes me love her even more! She's real and honest and flawed and she's not afraid to admit it! She is genuine to the bone. What's not to love about her?!

3. Kellog's Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pastry Crisps. I am a huge fan of Pop-Tarts but they are not the most healthiest treat to eat! My most favorite flavor is Brown Sugar Cinnamon and I literally jumped for joy in the middle of Harris Teeter when I found this box of Pastry Crisps next to the Chocolate flavored ones I was looking for! I feel like I've hit the jack pot! Brown Sugar Cinnamon 100 calorie pastry treats that taste JUST LIKE POPTARTS!? Talk about guilt free!!! Pick your own up at your local grocery store!

4. I've always loved the English. The accents, the Monarchy, and the hats! I would love nothing more than for American women to start wearing hats and fascinators to formal events and not just the Kentucky Derby! I'm starting the trend or at least trying too by wearing one to the YAAA! event on Saturday! I can't wait! If you love fascinators and hats as much as I do, you should start wearing them as well! Take photos, lets blog about wearing them, and start the American trend!!!!

Have a fantastic Hump Day my dears!!! Just think, half the week is already finished and we have half to go until the weekend! Wooohooo! XoXo!

If you missed my post yesterday please take a read of it here! We are still accepting donations and would love for you to assist in helping us raise money to help find a cure for Alzheimer's! Follow this link and just click on the green donate button! 

Friday's Letters!

Well, Well, Well, Heeeeellllllllllooooooo Friday! How fabulous it is to see you! It's nuts how short work weeks end up feeling like the longest work weeks of my life! I think I would prefer to work the normal five days than have a holiday because it just means I am going to come in on Tuesday to twice as much work and then have to play catch up all week! Regardless, Friday is here, the week is over, and I'm pretty excited to not have a loaded weekend staring me in the face! I think a beer tasting may be in the works tonight for a fun little date night for the hubby and I! Y'all know I am trying to be more creative with our date nights so we shall see! For now though, I just have some Friday Letters for ya! Enjoy my rambling thoughts!

Via

Dear Forever Young, Has anyone seen the advertisements for this? Probably not since most folks my age don't watch TV Land! Anywho, they put young twenty something-year-olds in a house with elderly folks and they learn to live and have fun together for a certain length of time! I think it looks pretty entertaining!!! I really believe we young bucks could learn some valuable lessons from the old and wise and I think the old and wise could learn to have more fun from us young bucks! I'm pretty sure that's the direction of this new show! I am quite curious to see how the two age groups handle one another! Dear U.S. Department of State, Do I really need to renew my passport if all of my IDs and my Social Security number are in my married name but my passport is in my maiden name? I am highly annoyed with myself that I've just realized this "problem" and I am supposed to be booking our Jamaican trip today! If the travel agent needs the "names as they appear on our passports" in order to book the flights, than does it really matter?! Ugh and to think I may have to pay the renewal fee too?! Hopefully, if I do have to renew it, it won't take the full twelve weeks to get it back! Dear YAAA!, I was really excited to join your organization and represent a group of young adults doing something insanely awesome for a great cause. Now,  I am even more excited to officially be serving you as your Social Media and Press Chairperson! This is an unbelievable opportunity for me and I can't wait to hit the ground running!! Dear Groopdealz, It is quite possible that I am addicted to you and your fun deals, especially when it comes to all of the costume bracelets and jewelry!!! I need my pay-pal account to disappear so it's not as easy to feed my new obsession! Dear Followers, I promise, promise, promise that I am still doing my favorite things give-a-way soon! I slowly keep picking up goodies and I am unsure of when to stop! I will tell you this, there are some fun items included and I can't wait to kick it off! I'm thinking early March, so be on the lookout!!!

Hope all of you pretties are having a fabulous week and that you have an even more stellar weekend!!! See you Monday!!! XoXo!

Our Colonial Williamsburg Weekend Get-A-Way!

I shared with you in my Friday Letter's that the hubby was whisking me away to a weekend get-a-way and if you follow along with my daily adventures on Instagram, you know that he took me to Colonial Williamsburg! I have a slight love affair with this historic place and have so, since I was probably eight years old! I will never regret falling madly in love with my American Girl Doll, Felicity, who was from Williamsburg in 1774 and the books that shared her life with me! This weekend was so special as it allowed me to experience a very nostalgic place with the person who means the absolute world to me!

The hubby made reservations for us at The Fife & Drum Inn, which is an adorable bed and breakfast right in the heart of downtown Williamsburg! We were adjacent to the shops and restaurants in Merchant's Square and right across the street from William and Mary. It was insanely convenient for everything we wanted to to do!

Inside, the inn was extremely quaint and the decor was that of the 18th Century. Breakfast both mornings was simple but delightful and pretty darn southern. Blueberry french toast casserole, egg and herb frittata, fruit, ham biscuits, bacon, biscuits and jam, milk, orange juice, coffee, and tea! Sharing it with you all now is making my mouth water! The main dinning room of the inn hosted the buffet style breakfast and we were able to join the other guests for simple dining.


Main entrance



Foyer

Entering the Dining Room

Another view!

Our room was a sweet suite consisting of a beautiful four poster bed, pine floors, and access to the back porch, where we got to watch the snow fall! The bedding was simplistic but insanely comfortable with the right amount of warmth and softness! It was one of those beds that was really hard to get out of!

First room with a twin bed.

Looking into the bathroom.

 

Gorgeous and heavenly four poster bed!

Another view of sink and shower!

Another view of that oh-so-comfy bed!

We arrived to the Inn Friday evening around eight! After getting settled we decided to grab a bite to eat at the Dog Street Pub! This pub is best known for it's casual cuisine with an English accent! The hubby dug into, what appeared to be a pretty fabulous Dog Street Burger. I, on the other hand, feasted on Chickpea Hummus with toasted croutons as well as Welsh Rarebit and we shared an Iceberg Salad topped with the best homemade bleu cheese dressing I've ever had! I'm pretty sure the food was fantastic, though I was so hungry, dirt may have been fantastic at that point! After dinner we made our way back to the inn and headed to bed!

Saturday we woke up early, 7:30 to be exact! We had breakfast, came back to our room to get ready, layered on clothes to prepare ourselves for the wintery mix of weather coming our way and then headed out to explore! Merchant's Square has amazing shops and stores including Williamsburg Home,  Binns, and The Silver Vault Ltd. All kinds of goodies to accommodate everyone! I did pass up a faux fur vest at a steal of a price at Binns, which I could kick myself for now! Sometimes I hate that I am not an impulsive shopper {I have to over analyze every purchase}!

Merchant's Square!

After visiting many of the shops in the square we headed down Duke of Gloucester to my favorite part of Williamsburg! We strolled under our umbrella, awkwardly trying not to trip each other up or poke one another's eye out with the umbrella tips, and popped into a few general stores! I'm quite sure one of my most favorite "smells" is that of the stores in Colonial Williamsburg! It's a mixture of the wood floors, rosemary lavendar soaps, and allspice! I need to work on creating this smell in my own home!

Literally my favorite place on Earth!

The Gentleman's Garden

Wouldn't be a trip without the Governor's Palace!

Colorful ribboned straw hats

Tavern's and general stores!

We hope to build a home with the same colonial architecture elements as many seen here!

 

When the rain really started to kick in and the temperatures began to drop we decided to grab lunch at the cutest but busiest sandwich shop I've been in! The amount of people in The Cheese Shop rivaled that of a deli in Times Square! We ordered simple smoked turkey sandwiches, with our choice of cheese {me: Havarti; the hubby: provolone} on french bread, chips and a beverage! A pretty basic lunch but it was delicious! After downing our meals and washing them down with our drinks we decided, with the yucky weather, to take a nap. Never in our thoughts did we think that little nap would turn into a 4.5 hour nap! I would like to assume that it was because we were so beyond relaxed we just couldn't wake up!

 

Once we woke from hibernating we got spiffy for our dinner date at Berret's Seafood Restaurant! Before heading to dinner we stopped into Aromas, a local coffee shop to have a drink! Maddie over at Tinge of Whimsy recommended that I try the Wine Smoothies, so that I did! It was so refreshing even with the snow outside! After enjoying our pregame beverages we headed on to Berret's where we really indulged ourselves! Talk about mouthwatering dishes! We had bacon wrapped shrimp stuffed with Gouda for a starter, I had salmon stuffed with lobster and crab meat, served over white cheddar mashed potatoes, and a vegetable medley while the hubby had a seafood trio of dolphin, shrimp, and a crab and crawfish cake served over dirty rice with a creole sauce! We then finished dinner off with a s'more dessert made of a rich chocolate ganache, graham crackers, and marshmallow cream! After filling our tummies to max capacity we headed out {in the snow} and made our trek back to the inn! Walking in heels on cobblestone streets, in a snowstorm, with a hubby who can't control an umbrella in the wind is quite entertaining to say the least! Luckily we made it safely to our destination unscathed!    

We clean up pretty well!

Close up - bad lighting - self timer - still learning my new camera!

Snow view from the Inn!

A little game of checkers?! The hubby kicked my booty at this game!

Sunday morning we had breakfast and really got moving as we wanted to visit the Williamsburg Outlet Mall on our way home! We perused the outlets and purchased a few items including some Underarmor work-out gear and head bands for me, the Oakley's the hubby has been coveting for, for baseball season, and a Kate Spade surprise for my blogging give-a-way! Once we were worn out from our shopping adventures we headed home to sweet Baby Reef and were greeted with lots of tail wagging and sloppy kisses!!!

We, honestly, really needed this weekend to distance ourselves from all our activities and responsibilities and just reconnect with each other! I think it is extremely important for couples to do this at least once a year, if not more! Get away from the job, the kids, the chores, the house, the normal everyday responsibilities and focus 100% on one another! Without reconnecting you eventually lose yourselves in all your other activities and that can do serious damage down the road. Taking some significant time for the two of you is crucial to your relationship and growth and I am beyond thankful I am able to spend time strengthening our marriage with trips like this! If you are ever looking to visit Colonial Williamsburg I would highly recommend The Fife & Drum Inn for your accomodations!!



Iphone Photos - Clockwise: The Blue Talon {an adorable French Restaurant}; The Restoration {Our Room}; Raspberry Flavored Macaroon from Aromas; Strolling the streets of Colonial Williamsburg; My Kate Spade gold bow ring and surprise for my blog give-way; New Underarmor head bands; a Peach Pizazz Wine Smoothie from Aroma's; The hallway of the Inn; An entire display of Macaroons; The view of the James River on the way home; Us waiting for our table at The Dog Street Pub!

Thank you again for all of your thoughts and prayers! I hope to update you soon on what is going on!! We still do not have many answers but are hopeful that all is well and it was am incident that hopefully did not cause more severe underlying issues! Please just continue to keep my family in your prayers... I know without a doubt they are working! Happy Tuesday or Work day Monday {if you had yesterday off! XoXo!



Friday's Letters!

I trust that all of you had a wonderful Valentine's Day yesterday! Some of you were popped a very important question that was accompanied but a shiny diamond, some of you were traveling to far away adventures, others of you were being pampered and spoiled by your one and onlys {thank you Instagram for allowing me to take peeks inside so many worlds}! We had a very quiet heart day that included cards for each other and a sweet little gift for Reef, dinner, and the hubby coaching his last basketball game of the season {now it's on to baseball season}! No roses, no candy, no bubble baths, no wine or bubbly, no fuss... only because the hubby {he planned this all on his very own} is whisking me away this weekend for some rest and relaxation at a Bed & Breakfast! I can't wait to recap you all on our trip Monday! For now though, enjoy my Friday Letters!

Via

Dear Weekend Get-A-way, I am beyond excited to spend some quality time with the hubby this weekend without sport practices, the furrbaby, or other obligations that ask for our undivided attention! I know you will provide us with some romance but please provide us with some decent weather too! I hear shopping will be involved on this trip as well! Alone with the hubby surrounded by romance and limitless shopping?! Sounds like a perfect Valentine celebration in my book! Dear Family, Friends, Fans, and Fellow Bloggers, I really enjoyed seeing all of your Heart Day gifts yesterday through Facebook, Twitter, Blog Posts, Instagram, and Vine! Your sweethearts sure did do you all right with the bountiful amounts of flowers, candy, dinner dates -both home and out, sweet gestures, and cards! I love that all of you were spoiled as you should be and that you all spoiled your significant other just as much!  Dear Monday the 18th, I am beyond excited that you are a holiday and I don't have to go into work! I foresee sleeping in past 8, more purging, organizing, and donating, a few errands, and the gym! Nothing crazy to say the least but the perfect time to get things done! Dear Health Insurance Company, I am really going to need you to get your act together. I don't see how my doctor moving to another practice is rocket science. I also don't understand how I was told 2 weeks ago that my information was updated yet when I called yesterday you informed me that no record of the request was in the system! Grrrr! Get it right Anthem, get it right!  Dear Brain, I am going to need you to either slow down OR start remembering EVERYTHING I think of!! There are moments when I have brilliant ideas and I fail to write them down and then I FORGET them! This is unacceptable! If I do not have a pen and pad available or my phone, please please please allow me to remember the genius idea I thought of! I'm pretty sure I've missed out on some fantastic opportunities because I just couldn't flipping remember!!

Happy Friday, Happy Weekend, and Happy President's Day!!!! XoXo!