Let's get this show on the road.

I keep thinking I'll have time to upload pictures, edit them, and write a few lengthy blog posts. With a busy & stressful week, I don't think that's going to happen.

We had the best, relaxing weekend away which was wonderful for easing my stress (although it didn't eliminate the sickness I've been battling for going on three weeks now). For the time being, I'll share a few quick iPhone pics of our cabin getaway weekend!




Greeted by a sweet card and homemade cake!



Pups keeping us company. Always nice to be able to bring them along!



We spent a fun day beer tasting and hanging out in Asheville, NC (which is apparently comparable to Portland, Oregon).



We spent another day eating, drinking, relaxing and reading. Finally finished this book!

City living.

While technically I live in a city, I don’t consider Raleigh a “real” city.  I do really love Raleigh and think it was the best, most logical transition from Athens.  There is just something I adore about big cities.  

The only “big” cities I’ve visited were Philadelphia (and here) and New York City (and here).  

I adore that there was so much within walking/biking distance in Philly.  They have a great beer and food scene going there.  D maintains that it’s also a city where everyone still knows everyone.

 [The ease of walking from our apartment to the downtown spots was amazingly easy]

[Perfect craft brews at the bar near our apartment]

I adore the subway and the easy access it provides to the plethora of activities in New York City.  I love that on any given day there are a million and one things to do or see in NYC.  

[Subway in Times Square]

There is something that just draws me to a city.  Based on my love of Philly and NYC, I feel confident I’m also going to love these other cities:

Portland

Source: destination360.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Source: cupcakesandcashmere.com via Alicia on Pinterest

Chicago

Source: cupcakesandcashmere.com via Alicia on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Jennifer on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Rose on Pinterest

London

Source: google.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Maybe…Seattle, Austin?

I have a dream of one day living in a big city.  I do LOVE having a back yard and not having to walk our dogs, which is a major drawback to city living for me.  If I ever find a job where I don’t work the typical 7-4 schedule I have now, I’d die to live in a big city (although I still think a dog walker could be crucial to city living).

Let's show we actually live here by decorating.

It's no secret that I don't have much of an eye for design.  I would also rather spend my money traveling to the ends of the world with D.  We did buy this adorable little house that I'm sort of in love with, but I haven't really taken the time to decorate it.  It's time to make a change on that front.

It makes the most sense to start in the room that everyone sees: the living room.  D and I have thrown around the idea of buying a new couch, and he is dying to have his own comfy recliner.  Currently we have this dreadful ivory colored, hand-me-down, couch and chair.  Those bad boys have followed us through college and four pets; you can imagine the hell they've seen.  A new couch is first on my agenda (and probably second on D's after his recliner).  Since I'm not too picky, nor one to search forever for anything (I'm pretty committed to the first thing I fall in love with...shoes, a particular dress, etc.), I fell in love with a couch at Ikea the other weekend.

Source: ikea.com via Kristin on Pinterest

[Ektorp, Gray, $699]

I'm not committed to the long end on one side since eliminating it will save a bit of money, but I actually love it.  If D gets a recliner, shouldn't I have a method of reclining as well?!  I've sat on it and know it's comfy.

I'd love to use this piece and build around it.  I can't imagine what color/kind of recliner D could find to match this theme, but I hope we can try.  Aside from that, I'd love to work our living a room around darks and lights.

Source: ikea.com via Kristin on Pinterest

[Ikea rug, I'm really loving the black and white]

Source: todaysmama.com via Kristin on Pinterest

[Instagram wall]

Source: urbanoutfitters.com via Kristin on Pinterest

[A little table for throwing our keys on...only in black or white]

Source: decor8blog.com via Kristin on Pinterest

[Over the "key table" a chalkboard or mirror plus an animal head, like Caitlin's horse head]

Now I just need a little motivation (and money) to follow through with my redecorating endeavor!

Housekeeping...but not that kind.

[weheartit]

I've gotten some wonderful comments within the past week and I greatly appreciate them!  Many of you have asked me questions or inquired about things.  I love to reply to your questions and comments, but I get TONS of comments linked to noreply-comments via blogger.

Lots of bloggers using Google Blogger will email a reply to your comments.  If you're interesting in making this easier for us, just link your email with your own blogger profile!  It's super simple:

1. Go to your blogger dashboard
2. Click the arrow by your name and picture in the upper right-hand corner 
3. You'll be transferred to what others see when they click your name from a comment
4. Click the orange "Edit Profile" button in the upper right-hand corner
5. Under the Privacy heading, click the box beside "show my email address" (and you can see the email address where comment replies will be sent to
6. Under the second heading of Identity, enter the email you prefer comment replies to be sent to (note, it does not change your email you use to log in to Google or Blogger)
7. Then make sure you scroll to the bottom and click "Save Profile

The next time you view your Blogger Profile page, you should see the Email under Contact Me as a blue hyperlink.  Oh, and while you're at it, get rid of word verification on your own blog comments...it's super annoying and makes it 10x harder to comment from phones (or anywhere for that matter).

And now I can regularly reply and chat with all you lovely followers!  Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

We'll just call this our little escape.

I'm absolutely thrilled that D and I have our second anniversary coming up on March 8.  It's starting to become a tradition that we make a little escape to a cabin in the mountains.  We escaped last year to Boone, NC where we had a wonderful, rain-filled, chilly weekend of doing nothing.

Fast forward one year later and we're headed out to what's been dubbed a "hacienda" in Hot Springs, NC.

[I hope the weather is this beautiful next weekend]

[Mandatory when booking a mountain cabin :: hot tub!]

Since we usually plan our vacations or even weekend trips around a beach, it's nice to escape to the mountains for a bit.  We're able to take the dogs and just be for the weekend.  After my 2012 at work so far, I'm desperately looking forward to a four-day week next week and spending a long weekend with D for our anniversary numero dos.

While I'm at it, I've got a second year gift to plan.  The second year is cotton (or china), and I doubt it could equal up to last years' homemade gift.  I have some ideas that I think will appease a husband of two years though.  

Veggie living :: Overnight Oats

Back in January I threw around the idea of trying Overnight Oats.  D and I finally hit up Trader Joe's and I stocked up on ingredients.  I looked at a couple different recipes and think I've settled on my own recipe.  I used Something to Chew Over's and Kath Eats Real Food's as basic starting points.

[This is what I started with on my first go-round]

The very best thing about overnight oats is the flexibility you have with them.   I rarely use PB jars for my oats.  I typically just throw everything into a mason jar and add a dollop of PB in the morning if I feel like it.  Here's what usually goes into my jar:

• 1/3 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk (only 45 calories!)
• 2 tablespoons greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon flax seed
• 1/2 tablespoon honey
• Shake of cinnamon

In the morning:

• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/4 cup granola

[Sure doesn't look as good as it actually is]

On my first try, I didn't have greek yogurt and used less almond milk.  I found the mixture to be way too dry.  It was perfect once I added the yogurt and additional almond milk.  I also didn't feel the vanilla was necessary.  I'm not the biggest fan of bananas, but D loves to put in a mashed banana in his.  I didn't think D would be an overnight oats lover, but I've converted him.  He will often ask me to make them for him.

If we're running low on fruit, I'll throw in the dried cranberries as well as any fresh fruit we have.  Sometimes I feel as though the dried fruit adds a bit too much sweetness to my oats.  I usually don't add PB due to the fact that this ends up being a higher calorie meal for me (about 360 calories).  If you opt for peanut or almond butter, I would suggest a quick heating in the microwave and mixing everything.

My advice?  Mix up these oats however you like and grab them on the go in the morning!

Let's spruce things up.

I’ve been pondering a new blog design for a bit now.  Seeing as how my photoshop skills are nonexistent, I can’t do it on my own.  You know all about my financial woes though, so I’m left in a bit of a conundrum.

I absolutely adore Meghan’s new design, but Lulapalooza is a bit too pricey for me (although $120 for an entire re-design is starting to look on the cheap side of things).  Meghan did suggest a couple of other  options for me:  Creative Index actually has the same rate for a full blog re-design, and unfortunately Wonder Forest's work didn't really align with my style.  And point being, I just didn’t love any of them as much as I love Lulapalooza.

This brings me to a few questions for you lovely readers…

1. Is it worth it to spend money on a customized blog design if I a) I have a difficult time consistently posting and b) I don’t actually make any money on my blog?
2. Based on speculation, will a customized/better design attract more readers (not that my basis/goal for blogging is to have tons of readers)?
3. Tell me who you’ve used for your blog designs!