Friday Loves.

Happy Friday!!

I am so glad the weekend is just 8 hours away! Well, technically my weekend will start at 10:30pm tonight since I have an event, but I don't have an event tomorrow or Sunday which makes me VERY happy! 

Tomorrow morning I'm going to a baby shower for Cameron's cousin's wife then heading to the fair with my favorite group of girls!

Here are some of the things that have made me happy this week...

 

-These beauties (in taupe) are being delivered to me today. I hope I can pull them off!

source

-First fire of the Fall/Winter 2013 season! Not much is better than sitting by the fire with a glass of wine, snuggled up to your sweetie, watching tv (or reading a book - but that's not me).

-Beautiful sunsets on the way to work.

-Will Hoge being nominated for the Song of the Year Award on the CMA's for writing the song "Even if it Breaks Your Heart." He didn't win, but the fact that he was nominated is awesome!! Also just found out that Lady Antebellum is recording one of his songs and it may be on their next album! So exciting!!!

-This sweet picture of Marcus Lattimore. He seems to be in good spirits despite his injury and that makes me so happy for him! :)

What are yall getting into this weekend??

Adopt a Shelter Dog Month (October) - {Brady's Story}

I learned from Betsy on Tuesday that October was Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. Since I already had posts lined up for Tuesday and Wednesday, I figured I'd go ahead and post my shelter dog "story" the first day of November. Better late than never, right? 

I say "story," because Brady has hardly lived the hard knock shelter life that unfortunately many dogs do/will. 

Here is how Brady came into my life...

 One random Friday during my senior year of college (February 2006), Emily, Jenny and I were out to lunch since we didn't have Friday classes and as we were leaving, had the idea to go visit the dogs and cats at PETS Inc.! Senior year was when pretty much everyone in our pledge class got puppies. I was feeling the itch. We walked in, made our rounds and made some furry friends, but it wasn't until we were walking out the door that my life was about to change forever! 

A lady walked in with two fuzzy pups under her arm. We squealed, pet the two pups and as we were leaving (for real this time!) she mentioned to us that the runt of the litter was in her car. She said that the puppies were golden retriever / lab mixes and were 9 weeks old. Where did her car happen to be parked? Right next to mine. We rushed over to her car and found the cutest little white puppy I've ever seen! I was done. I knew my parents would initially be upset with me...but they'd get over it, right? Right! I picked him up, brought him inside to complete the paperwork and brought him home with me that day. 

That's why I say he didn't live the hard knock shelter life. The only time he was actually in the shelter, he was held in my arms and only inside there for about 10 minutes.

Adopting Brady has been one of the best decisions I've ever made! He has brought me so much joy and laughter, and I honestly get so sad when I think about him being gone one day (a long, long, long time from now). I mean, if you're friends with me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter or Instagram (meganlsmith3), you know how obsessed with him I am. :)

So, if you're thinking about welcoming man's best friend into your life in the future, please consider adopting a shelter dog!

Now you can see why I couldn't say no to this face!

Emily bought him his first collar - yes, a pink one.

And a more recent photo..

Wedding Wednesday: Guest Post!

Spring 2013 Wedding Trends

Hi everyone, my name is Priti Patel and I am so exciting to be guest posting for Wedding Wednesday today!  Unfortunately Megan is making us wait to see which beautiful dress she chose but I’m here to bring you some great wedding fashion trends for the spring.

 Choosing a dress for a spring wedding is the perfect occasion to take advantage of the freshness of the season. Designers have embraced bold new shades and silhouettes for brides who want to look timeless and beautiful yet utterly unique.

 Pretty in Pink

For a bride who wants something other than a traditional white or ivory gown, there is a palette of colorful dresses from which to choose. One of the most popular alternatives to white is blush pink, an unmistakably feminine choice. Even Hollywood A-list celebrities are following the trend; top actresses including Anne Hathaway and, most recently, Jessica Biel were pretty in pink when they tied the knot. This ethereal, soft pink strapless ball gown from the White by Vera Wang collection at David’s Bridal will have you feeling like Hollywood royalty. Alternatively, a dress in a champagne color offers both the uniqueness of a color other than white and the sophistication of a neutral shade.

360 Degrees of Beauty

Just as important as what your wedding dress looks like from the front is the detailing in the back. Whether you are walking down the aisle or having your first dance with your husband, the rear view will take center stage. A lace keyhole back is an elegant way to show off a little skin and look just as beautiful going as you do coming.

New Silhouettes

Peplum dresses have taken over the runways, and wedding fashion is no exception. Peplum styles emphasize the waist and enhance curves while maintaining a sense of sleekness. This column gown is the height of sophistication, while the peplum silhouette adds to the femininity factor.  Expect to see dramatic dresses with an architectural feel this spring.

 Fresh Florals

There is no better way to celebrate spring than with beautiful flowers. Floral details are an ageless wedding classic that are feminine and add drama and texture to a dress, yet allow it to remain light enough for spring. Whether it is a floral print, 3 dimensional floral appliques, or a floral sash, there are several ways to incorporate flowers and add freshness ideal for a spring wedding.

Spring Shades

Pantone, the world-renowned authority on color, recently released its Fashion Color Report  for Spring 2013.  This report is released during fashion week and is created based upon the use of  colors in the upcoming spring collections of top designers.  These fresh and bright colors are perfect for spring weddings, whether as part of the overall color scheme or for bridesmaid dresses. 

What is your favorite style for the spring? 

I can’t wait to see if Megan’s dress features any of these trends!
David's Bridal coupons

Tasty Tuesday: Mustard Fried Venison

When I think of mustard fried venison, I think of Thanksgiving in Olar, South Carolina (basically Bamberg) with Cameron's family. When we arrive around 11 or so, we immediately make our way to the pick-up truck in which the bed of the truck is filled with the makings for bloody marys. We greet everyone (which can take a while because this is not a small family), chat about what's been going on since the last time we saw them, and then some of the men start walking around with plate fulls of fried goodness as a snack before the big meal. The fried goodness is called mustard fried venison.

I asked Cameron for his recipe...but he wasn't a very big help, so I looked online. None of the recipes seem as simple as they way Cameron makes them (and they are still just as tasty, I'm sure) so I found one that sounded similar and almost as simple. So simple that it's just a few sentences and you just eyeball the ingredients. 

"Lay out your steaks on a cutting board, sprinkle on a little garlic powder, and use the edge of a saucer (like cubed steak) on both sides. Pour a jar (again, just eyeball it) of mustard in a stainless bowl and add about the same amount of water. Soak the steaks in this overnight. (We don't leave them soaking overnight.)
Now......the important part! Take the dripping steaks out of the mustard/water and flour quick. Lay the steaks on a cutting board and let the mustard/water soak all the way through the flour. Deep fry quick so they don't get too dry inside."

 Recipe found here.

Would love to know if you try this and what you think!

Two One + Menu Monday.

Unless you've been living under a rock, or maybe you and your significant football just don't watch football/ESPN, you probably heard about our (South Carolina Gamecocks') beloved Marcus Lattimore getting hurt in the game on Saturday against Tennessee. As Cameron and I were watching the game and saw what happened, as it was happening, we were shocked,  and if you've seen the video, you'd understand as to why we were also a little disgusted. It was not pretty. I'm not going to post a video or photo of it, because believe me, you don't want to see it. Through all of my years as a Carolina fan and our ups and downs, I've never shed a tear. Until Saturday. The look on Marcus' face as he was lying on the field, the support by both his teammates and the Tennessee players, and him being taken off of the field, visibly upset, just broke my heart. This was a guy who had just recovered from a knee injury (opposite knee) that happened last season. Why was this happening to him again??

Rumors were swirling Saturday evening and Sunday morning of a broken femur, broken patella and all four main ligaments in the knee torn. Luckily, that rumor turned out to be not true. Reports are now that he hyperextended his knee, which caused injury to several ligaments in his knee. I believe an MRI is scheduled for today.

Caroline's post pretty much says it all, regarding how much of a team leader and all around amazing person he is.

On an upbeat note, today is Marcus' 21st birthday! Happy Birthday, Marcus!! You have a world of support behind you!

(Sorry for all of the random, jumbled thoughts that were inside my head.)
 

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Finally a normal work week, which means a normal cooking schedule!

Monday - Katie's baked ziti and caesar salad

Tuesday -  Cajun stuffed chicken with spinach and pepper jack cheese, tomato pie

Wednesday - Pork chops, bacon wrapped green beans, cinnamon baked apples

Thursday - Pumpkin chicken enchiladas

Friday - Working until 11pm

Saturday - Fair with the girls!

Friday Five.

-My bridal portraits yesterday were SO fun! My photographer, Juliet, is amazing. My mom, sister, bff Emily and pup, Brady, joined in on the fun, too! I'm so glad that they were there to help me and I can't wait to see the results!!

-We received our first wedding present yesterday! What a nice surprise!

-I don't get to celebrate any Halloween fun this weekend because surprise, surprise, I'll be at work, but I can't wait to see what everyone dresses up as! Today, Emily and a couple of her teacher friends dressed up as "Candy Rappers." She may kill me for putting this pic on my blog, but I think it's hilarious!

-Can't wait to try Katie's baked ziti next week!

-Tonight my event is a welcome party and I am LOVING the decor!

 

 

 

 

 

Happy weekend, friends!!

New favorite snack!

A co-worker left some tasty treats called Somersaults in the break room last week with the note, "Be careful, these are addicting," stuck on them. Well, she was right! Luckily, the bite size nuggets are pretty filling, so you don't find yourself eating the whole bag. 

Somersaults are made up of mostly of sunflower and sesame seeds...along with a few other natural ingredients. 

They come in the following flavors:

-Pacific Sea Salt

-Cinnamon Crunch

-Dutch Cocoa

-Santa Fe Salsa

-Salty Pepper

Health benefits:

- As much protein but less fat and calories than many popular nuts including almonds, walnuts, pecans, and macadamias
- Six times more vitamin E than peanuts
- Seven times more folate than almonds, cashews and pecans
- More fiber than an apple, and a comparable amount to a serving of bran flake cereal 

They are great by themself or dipped in Trader Joe's Roasted Garlic Hummus!

 

Charleston readers - you can find these at World Market & Earthfare!

*I was not paid or asked for this review. I simply like them a lot!*