Friday Five

In starting the week off with strep to working till 11 last night... this girl could be happier that it is Friday. I am so excited to have the weekend off and NO plans. I can't remember the last weekend I was in Richmond with no plans and can't wait to do some serious relaxing. Thank you again for all the well wishes this week, I believe I am finally feeling back to normal and will most definitely be taking it easy this weekend. Let's take a look at a few things from this week...

{one}

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, on Sunday night I decided to spend the night in D.C with my girlfriends watching the Grammys and eating pizza. It was such a small simple pleasure but had me feeling like we were back in college. I am so fortunate to have such an amazing group of friends and being that we all live in different cities, I cherish every minute I am able to spend with them! 

{two}

Here's a glimpse of my view earlier this week while dealing with strep. I absolutely lived off Halls and Gatorade. The only positive that came out of this experience was making serious head way on my Gossip Girl obsession on Netflix. 

{three}

The past 2 weeks I have really fallen off the band wagon on meal planning, cooking, and working out. Earlier this week I was reading Simple Life of Delta Daisies and absolutely inspired by her life change and the results she has had. If you have not checked out her blog, I highly suggest you do so- it is absolutely amazing. From reading her various posts, I found that she gets a lot of her recipes from Gina's Skinny Taste. Y'all these recipes look so delicious and I've already made my shopping list for next week! Here's a few I am most looking forward to

Asparagus and Swiss Cheese Frittata

Mixed Berry Whole Wheat Muffins

Tuscan White Bean and Roasted Garlic Soup

{four}

As promised earlier this week, here are the amazing leather leggings I scored last week before heading out of town. They are a serious steal for under $30 and I know they will become a quick staple in my wardrobe.  Do yourself a favor and RUN to your closest Nordstrom to pick up these beauties!

{five}

In the spirit of being in Richmond with no plans this weekend, I plan on really having the weekend to myself. A Barnes and Noble trip, sleeping in, movie watching, a good glass of red... I could not be more ready for a little me time this weekend. 

Yours truly,

Emily

Recap of D.C and Atlantic City!

Thank you all for the sweet comments Monday and yesterday, I am starting to feel like myself again and will hopefully survive a full day at work tomorrow. Here in Richmond we have quite the bit of snow but thank goodness the roads are much better this time around. I'm pretending I'm reliving last weekend all over again, as opposed to being sick and in the snow this week. Last weekend I had the pleasure of getting together with a group of girls from college to celebrate Jenna's 25th birthday! It was so much fun and I am already looking forward to seeing every one again!

Friday night I arrived in D.C and immediately headed to Trader Joes to get a few essentials, aka birthday cake, wine, and supplies to make a yummy cheese plate. Everyone came over around 9 and it was champagne and shots for all. 

Jenna, Myself, Elise, and Ellen

I finally was able to find myself some leather leggings and am utterly obsessed with them! Link to come in this weeks favorites!

Shirt: Forever 21

Leggings: You'll see soon!

Necklace: House of Harlow

Pumps: Nordstrom, unsure of brand

Lipstick: Sephora, Sexy Game

Saturday we slept in a bit, grabbed bagels. and then braved the snow storm for the drive up to Atlantic City. We had a few more people meeting us in Atlantic City and once we got there we began getting ready and popping more champagne. 

Not the best picture but that's all the gals. Clearly I missed the memo on wearing black, noted for next time!

We went to the Borgata and watched the boys gamble for a bit before hitting the dance floor at Mur Mur. 

Sunday wouldn't have been complete without grabbing breakfast hoagies and gatorade at WaWa and doing some serious nap recovery in the car. Little did I know I wasn't just feeling slightly hungover but was also developing strep...double whammy. Sunday night I wasn't feeling up to driving back to Richmond and opted to stay in D.C for the night to watch the Grammys with the girls and order pizza... a perfect ending to the weekend. 

Throughout this year many of my friends, including myself will be turning 25 and have already started brainstorming where they would like to celebrate. After reading April's post on Airbnb I am thinking that may be perfect for a girls getaway for mine in Charleston!

How did you spend your 25th celebration or how do you plan to?

Yours truly,

Emily

Currently...

Unfortunately I am still sick in bed but just returned from the doctors to find out I have strep. Looks like there will be soup, Netflix, and Gatorade on the agenda for today. However in all my down time, I have had some time to do a bit of online perusing and found these goodies...

Currently... by ead0724 featuring travel tin candles

Handcrafted jewelry / J.Crew tortoise shell glasses / Nordstrom square scarve / Clarisonic face care / Essie pink nail polish, $18 / Essie nail polish / World Market travel tin candle / Essie Nail Color Warm Toasty Turtleneck

Yours truly,

Emily

Sick Day

Here's a glimpse of today...

Sick Day by ead0724 featuring Juicy Couture

Juicy Couture robe / J Crew pajamas / Ugg Australia Womens Chestnut Scuffette Ii Silkee Suede Mule Slippers, $115

Yours truly,

Emily

Friday

 I truly did not think Friday would ever get here, definitely one of those weeks that every day seemed to get longer and longer. Now that the week is over and I have the day off I am eager to get started on my intimidatingly long to do list and then will be heading out of town for the weekend! Tonight I will be traveling to D.C to celebrate one of my best friends 25th birthday, a few friends will also be traveling in town and it will be great to see everyone and catch up! Saturday we are heading to Atlantic City to really do some celebrating for Jenna's special day!


 Now on to a few things from this week...

I swung by Target last night and obviously couldn't walk away without spending too much money and picked up this lip gloss and mascara.

I read this post earlier this week and could not have loved it more. I am turning 25 this year and am already thinking about compiling a similar list. Mackenzie's post was honest and real and I felt like I could already relate to things she has learned.

Given that I have the day off and need to get the birthday girl a little something, I will be heading to Nordstrom and hopefully getting these babies for myself! I have heard nothing but wonderful reviews and can't wait to try them out in the cold weather this weekend!

Pretty sure this desk will be making its grand debut in my room in the next few weeks. Bonus its on sale but I love the simplicity and the X slat detail.

Looking forward to making this recipe next week.

An good guide to different makeup brushes and what to use them for.

Unfortunately this sweet bow shirt is no longer available but I am loving the different ways it could be worn!

Loving this U.S Army Captain's home tour featured on Every Girl. Her style and chic detailing is amazing and leaves me wanting to give my room a little face lift. 

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

Yours truly,
Emily

Tuesday Eats- Breakfast for Dinner

Breakfast is by far my favorite meal. It is a constant struggle for me each morning what I am going to have because the possibilities are endless- smoothies, eggs, oatmeal, protein pancake, cereal... the list could go on. Quite frequently I have breakfast for dinner, especially eggs because their easy to whip up and are a good source of protein- not to mention after a long day at work something simply but yummy is comforting. My normal go to is an omelet, filled with various fillers from feta and tomato to salsa and black beans. This week however I stepped a bit outside my comfort zone and make gooey eggs over easy with roasted potatoes and asparagus... holy yum. Check out the recipe below for an easy quick and healthy meal to prepare during the week or even lazy Saturday morning!

Ingredients: 

1 small potato

1 red potato 

A bunch of asparagus

2 eggs

Olive oil

Salt and Pepper

Start by slicing potatoes into bite size portions, toss with olive oil and salt/pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and cook at 400 for 25 minutes. 

While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the asparagus but cutting it in small portions- should end up to be 3 small pieces from 1 stem. Toss with olive oil and salt/pepper.

Once potatoes are finished, add asparagus and cook for an additional 12 minutes. 

Top with some yummy gooey eggs over easy and you have a delicious meal!

Yours truly, 

Emily

Monday's Mantra

Mondays are never fun, but their definitely tough after a sad/ emotionally exhausting weekend at work. This morning I had to head into work for a 7:30 A.M meeting but fortunately have the rest of the day off and will be working on school work as well as babysitting this afternoon then hitting up a spin class.  After a tough weekend at work this quote particularly hit home with me and I am hoping for a much better week!

Yours truly, 

Emily 

Five On Friday- Miami Edition

Last weekend I took a few days off work and headed to the warmer weather and beach for a little getaway with my best friend and to celebrate my cousin's wedding! Work has been insane lately and this was exactly what I needed to unwind and relax. For this week's Five on Friday, here's a bit how the trip went...

{one}

Before taking off we obviously had to kick off the trip with mimosas at the airport bar. They were delish and got us in the right mind frame for a relaxing few days off!

{two}

Once we landed and made it to Miami we made a quick trip to the beach for a walk. The weather was overcast but with that view we did not care one bit!

{three}

For our hotel we stayed at Hotel Catalina, an amazing hotel with complimentary happy hour! Before getting ready for a night out on the time we obviously needed to indulge in a beverage or two. 

{four}

Alison and I before heading out for the night!

{five}

Saturday was all about Jim and Tom and we could not have had a better time celebrating the newlyweds!

Jill looked absolutely gorgeous and everything from the church to the very last toast was perfect!

It was an amazing time and I am already missing not only the sun and the sand but my family! It was so great to spend time with everyone and catch up. 

As far as today and this weekend goes, I am off today and will be spending the morning day part of the day relaxing and cleaning around the house then out for a run and a few errands later. I will be working Saturday and Sunday but have plans to meet up with some friends Saturday at one of my favorite Richmond spots- Hardywood Brewery! 

What's on your agenda for the weekend?

Yours truly, 

Emily

Thoughts for Thursday

Ever have one of those weeks where you just can't seem to catch up no matter what you do? Currently having one of those this week and truly struggling. Here's a bit of whats been going on...

- I woke up this morning to a broken phone.. lovely.

- I have yet to make to the gym once this week... gross.

- I also woke up to snow this morning which made my drive to work somewhat of a nightmare.

- I did this drive with my gas light on because I refused to stop in the snow to get gas.

- I've worked a lot of late nights this week and would be lying if I said I haven't come home and crashed by 10.

- I promise to post about my trip to Miami I had last week... it was amazing!

- Not thrilled to be working this weekend but looking forward to some relaxing once I get off.

- Excited to be going to Atlantic City next weekend with some of my best friends to celebrate Jenna's 25th birthday!

- Need this to get me through the week...

As you can see it's been a bit of a week and I am definitely looking forward to my day off tomorrow before working Saturday and Sunday. I am thinking a trip to spin, relaxing around the house, some laundry, and TJ Maxx run are in order! 

Yours truly, 

Emily

My Favorite Product Of The New Year and What Changed My Skin

Last year I went to a new dermatologist to get some recommendations for my skin, just general breakout and uneven complexion problems. She didn't tell me anything I wasn't shocked to hear, basically that I had sensitive skin and had to be really careful with how I washed and cleansed my face. She recommended a few products, one of which being using Head and Shoulders as a facial cleanser... crazy but I actually could tell a difference. I asked her about using a Clarisonic because I had heard how wonderful they were and the results people had seen but she insisted it would be too much for my skin. 

Fast forward a few months and I was able to use my mom's Clarisonic when I was home for a few days and man was I hooked. Just the next day after using it my face was softer, brighter, and my pores looked smaller. I could even tell a difference when I left home and headed back to Richmond and wasn't using it anymore. Lucky for me, Santa was good to me this year and I got one for Christmas! 

 

I use my Clarisonic about 3 times a week and have absolutely loved the results I am seeing in my skin. Like I said before my skin is softer, brighter, and nearly breakout free! Various stores sell the Clarisonic and they frequently have deals and markdowns. I would highly suggest investing in one of these amazing tools and seeing the benefit it can offer to your skin. 

Yours truly,

Emily

Changes and Improvements

I was realizing yesterday that I have yet to post anything about my goals and plans for the New Year! A bit late, now that we are 7 days into the New Year but hey, better late then never! When it comes to making resolutions, I've always had a bit of a different approach, a more flexible one if you will. Don't get me wrong, I am all about having a few things in mind that I would like to work on but I've always gone with the want to just make each year better then the last. 

Looking at the year ahead I am looking forward to a great number of changes- mostly professionally including a new assignment at work and the start of my graduate program. While I could not be more excited for these new opportunities, I know they will require a lot of time management. Meals will need to be planned, hours at work will need to be kept as close to 40 as possible, and workout sessions will need to scheduled and kept. 

Personally, I also have a few changes and improvements I would like to focus on. These include focusing on myself as a person and becoming more comfortable in my own skin and displaying this confidence in my every day interactions. So far my 20's have been far from glamorous, but blessed none the less. This year I would like to focus on what makes me happy and healthy, what brings me joy, and how I can transfer this into my every day living. Sure I'm going to have days where I'm grumpy or want wine for dinner but on those days that OK because life would be incomplete without bad days that make you thankful for the good ones and lord knows we need wine! The only thing anyone can do is to try, try to be the best version of their self and that is exactly what I am dedicated to doing this year. 

Here's to getting this year started off on the right foot! 

Yours truly, 

Emily

Monday Musings

Happy Monday loves. 

I am currently enjoying a day off due to working so much last week and over the weekend and it could not be more needed. It's the perfect rainy day to do some cleaning, run some errands, and of course indulge in a little relaxing. This morning I was able to sleep in an extra hour and even whipped up a yummy breakfast...

Hope everyone has a great start to the first week of the New Year!

Yours truly, 

Emily

5 on Friday

What a crazy week this has been! From getting back in town last week, working last weekend, New Year's in middle of the week, and having to work again this weekend I've found myself in a bit of a whirlwind! Just a few more days stand between myself and another day off and then a long weekend spent in Miami! Yep, that's right... this time next week I will be enjoying the sun, sand, and a drink in my hand! I could not be more excited for a little getaway and even more excited to see some of my family for my cousin's wedding! Here's to a crazy week and making it through another one...

{one}

This week even with a crazy schedule I managed to make it to 3 spin classes and am so happy I did! Shannon's class this morning was amazing and left me feeling energized and ready to get this Friday over with!

{two}

This year for New Years I headed to The National to this catch this amazing bluegrass band with my roommate and a few friends. The night was so much fun and I would be lying if I said I haven't been listening to them on repeat every since!

{three}

As I mentioned earlier, next week I am heading to Miami to celebrate my cousin, Jill's wedding! I am so excited to see my family and will also be dragging my best friend along with me for the trip. 

{four}

Last night I finally got a chance to meet Ms. Allie from Sundresses and Smiles! I have followed her blog for some time now and have always enjoyed reading about her travel adventures and chic home styling. We met at great restaurant not too far from where we both live and got to know each other over wine and some yummy snacks. I have always loved reading her blog and can honestly say she is just as sweet and down to earth in person as you would think she is through reading her blog! It was a lovely night spent with great company and I am already looking forward to our next wine night!

{five}

In the spirit of the new year...

Yours truly, 

Emily

A Look At 2013...

It's hard to believe it's already January 2nd of 2014! I was looking back through pictures for today's post and could not get over how this year flew by. This year was a year of transition and getting more comfortable in my career and also starting to create a life for myself here in Richmond. I have so much to be thankful for over the past year and I can't wait to see what this coming year has in store for me! Let's take a look back through 2013...

January:

Last year I rang in the new year with my best friend, Jenna at the Inner Harbor in D.C! 

February:

February I celebrated this special couple and had a wonderful time at their engagement party!

March:

Fun get togethers with friends at Hardywood!

April:

The weather in Richmond finally started warming up in April and made for some amazing morning runs throughout Maymont!

I also completed my first 10k for the Monument 10k and can't wait to do it again this year!

The end of April I also took a girls getaway weekend and headed to the beach! It was such a fun trip and definitely needed!

May:

May was spent enjoying the Richmond weather and lots of porch time with my friend Patty.

I also traveled down to Charlotte to spend some time with my old roommates and had a blast catching up with old friends. 

June:

June I headed down to Raleigh to catch a Widespread Panic concert and had so much fun seeing these girls! The concert was amazing and it felt great to be back in the South!

July:

July might have been my favorite month because I took a trip with my best friends from college to the beach for the 4th of July! We had an absolute blast and I am already looking forward to next year!

We also had a reunion in Raleigh planned for that month so I got to see these girls twice in one month! 

And let's not forget my family trip to The Outerbanks!

August:

August I moved into my new apartment and have loved living with my 2 roommates! I am so thankful for the opportunity to live with them and all of the friends I have met through them.

September:

September marked the start of Pirate football! 

So great to be back with my best friends in our old favorite stomping grounds.

October:

In honor my good friend Lauren getting married, we headed to the beach for her bachelorette party and had a great time and got lucky with amazing weather!

November:

Lauren and Scott tied the knot!

Another Pirate game spent with all of my best friends from college!

December:

Getting home to spend some time with my family was just what I needed and I am always thankful for these two!

What a wonderful year 2013 was! Here's to hoping 2014 is just as great and more!

Yours truly, 

Emily