Monday Inspiration

Thanksgiving Week Challenge

Yesterday I had a tough day visiting a loved one in a place I wish that no one would ever have to go. It made me think about how many people I see everyday who are completely unaware of all the blessings they have in life. That's why this week I challenge each of you to not complain and to find a reason to be thankful instead. For instance, this morning I was running late to work due to circumstances out of my control. But instead of being frustrated and angry, I thought, "At least I have a job." I'm thankful to be able to work each week doing something I find useful and interesting. Everyone has problems to deal with in life, and odds are someone else has problems that are bigger than yours. So whenever you find yourself thinking that things couldn't get any worse, try to be thankful for what you have. I'm thankful to have a roof over my head, to have food to eat, family that loves me, friends that support me, my health, and my general happiness. Remember, somewhere out there some children are going hungry, some people are unable to help themselves, and some people feel like they are at the end of their rope with no one to turn to. This is the time of year that reminds us to be appreciative and to lend a helping hand to each other and those in need. Hope you all have a wonderful week.

Friday Style

Good morning Readers! This week's 'Friday Style' post is all about...... Hair! Since I am trying to grow my hair I don't like to use hot tools such as curling irons, straightening irons, and blow-dryers too often. Of course I love to curl my hair so it can be a bit of a challenge to choose between styling my hair or just putting in a ponytail to avoid using a curling iron. My solution is to use a no-heat method to curl my hair overnight. There are a few of these you can find around the internet, but the easiest one for me based on my hair length (slighlty longer than shoulder length) is the Headband method. It is super easy and you can see a full video tutorial by clicking on this link: No-Heat Headband curls. The way it works is to put an elastic headband around the top of your head and wrapping sections of damp hair around it. I usually just wet a brush or comb to make my dry hair damp enough. Here is what the finished wrapping should look like:

                   

I also secure this with a few bobby pins because my hair is very smooth and it slips out of it easily. Now comes the easy part...... go to sleep! Or you can also use a decorative headband and use this as an updo for a day! The next morning simply remove the headband, comb through your hair with fingers to untangle any knots, and TA-DA!

Curly hair! Today I wore my hair up since the curls are easier to keep in place than my normal straight hair.

What do you think? Tres-chic no? I am still experimenting with different updos so let me know what you think! Happy Friday!

Only a Week Until Thanksgiving!

Just one more week until my stomach's favorite holiday! I'll be cooking up a storm this week to get ready, but here are a few recipes I'll be using this holiday and some I have used before that are to-die-for! My compliments to The Pioneer Woman from whom many of these recipes originate. What can I say, she knows how to cook a Thanksgiving feast!

Cornbread Dressing with Sausage and Apples

Cranberry-Pomegranate Sauce

Creamy Mashed Potatoes (Shh! The secret is CREAM CHEESE)

Emeril's Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Ellie's Green Bean Casserole

Whiskey-Glazed Carrots

Pecan Pie

Strawberry Shortcake Cake - special for my Dad

Pumpkin Cream Pie- perfect for everyone!

Dear readers, what are your favorite Thanksgiving dishes? Will you be cooking this holiday?

This Week

I was on the hunt for a quality pair of leather boots this past weekend. I found these Veronica Slouch Boots from Frye and they are amazing! They're extremely versatile, have great quality leather, and the calf portion fits very close. I am still working on breaking them in since they fit snugly and I would like to be able to wear them with thick socks as it gets colder. 

How cute and comfy does Paris look laying on my bed? I may be biased, but she is the perfect dog!

                  

Today was a nice sunny November day in California.

Dear Readers, how has your week been so far? 

A Fashionable All-American Wedding Dress

Vogue finally printed Lauren Lauren's (nee Bush) beautiful wedding dress designed by Ralph Lauren himself! Doesn't she look gorgeous? I absolutely LOVE the lace! What do you think?

'Nuff Said

How can you resist the puppy face of this little puggle? You can't, she get everything she wants. Do you spoil your dog? I can never seem to resist giving this little one and my Paris love all day.

A Gossip Girl Wedding

One of my guilty pleasures is watching Gossip Girl each week. I especially enjoy Blair's witty banter with the other characters and her personal style. How beautiful does she look as a princess bride in an upcoming episode? Happy Hump Day readers!

Castles

Mont Saint Michael in France

Lichtenstein Castle in Badem-Wurttenburg, Germany

Swallows Nest Sea Castle in Crimea

Bojnice Cityof Slovakia

Creative Photography Ideas

Studious Sunday

I'm spending this Sunday finishing up my weekly work assignment while watching the last season of Gossip Girl, yes I am a multitasking princess. How are you spending your Sunday? Are you also getting ready for the work week? 

November Style

Winter Projects

These are some knitting and crocheting projects I came across on Pinterest (also known as the best website to waste time on) and I can't wait to try some of them!

Rainy Days and Sundays

Whenever it rains, I always like to stay in to watch movies, have some soup, and cuddle with Boyfriend. Today is no exception and we are enjoying the most epic movie marathon of them all: Harry Potter! I have always loved Harry Potter since I began reading the series when I was twelve. Now that all the films have finally been released, this is the perfect time to have a movie marathon! It's also incredible to see how much the actors have grown throughout the whole series.

Do you have a favorite Harry Potter film? Have a warm and cozy weekend!

Discovery of a Temecula Winery

Boyfriend and I went to this lovely winery in Temecula last week on hump day. It was such a nice break from the hectic work week! The wine was delicious as were the appetizers and entrees. We tried the cheese trio, calamari (which was so fresh it made me want to jump for joy!), duck, and pizza. One of the most fun surprises was the rock candy stirrer that came with Elliot's latte instead of sugar packets. The atmosphere was so breezy and peaceful, it felt like a little mini-vacation. I would definitely recommend it to all southern Californians and visitors! Happy Hump Day!

A Spontaneous Trip to Disneyland

Since I finished all my work early today, boyfriend and I decided to have a meet up date at Disneyland! They were just starting to put the Christmas decorations on the castle up so I snapped a quick picture to share! Hope you all had a fun day!