birthday weekend recap

birthday #22 has come and gone, and i couldn't have asked for a better weekend at home to celebrate. friday consisted of christmas village with my mom and then meeting phillip and daddy at adele's in nashville for a nice birthday supper! it was fantastic - from the appetizers to the desserts, there wasn't a bad looking thing on the menu. we all ordered something different and not one of us was disappointed. the ingredients are fresh and local, with a daily changing menu. i ordered the roasted fall vegetables with polenta as a side and ate every last bit! it might have been the best polenta i have ever had. for dessert, we each ordered something different and sampled each other's! mom's banana pudding with banana bread (an award winning dessert) was delicious, as was my chocolate mousse with housemade whipped cream! the restaurant is located in the gulch and is a converted tire store, which creates a very cool atmosphere perfect for a downtown restaurant.

saturday was the annual family fiesta! we made ground beef tacos, homemade refried beans, blender salsa, a white chicken enchilada bake (recipe coming soon!) and guacamole. the birthday cake was iveycake "i do" cupcakes of course. it was a wonderful night filled with my closest family and friends. i am so thankful for those who were able to celebrate with me and missed those who could not!

yesterday, which was my actual birthday, was rainy and cold, but on the bright side i had a heart-warming birthday dinner with my best friends at cru in knoxville. their cheese plate and wedge salads are my favorite! i am so happy that they were able to take the time out of their sunday to come have dinner with me!

so what did i wear this weekend? since it was cold, i had to switch up my outfits a bit, or cover them outside with a coat, but i still tried to look my best for birthday weekend.

stella & dot sanibel pendant

j. crew regent blazer, j. crew silk top, j. crew lookout jean, ivanka trump booties

LEONA sweater, june rabbit fur vest, j. crew boyfriend jeans, ivanka trump booties

this week is a busy one, but there is a light at the end of the semester tunnel and its getting brighter! have a happy monday and stay warm!

xoxo,
clp

sunday's lust list

getting back into the school routine has taken up most of my time this week and i haven't been able to get a post in! the past few days have been filled with tweaking things in my apartment, going to classes (i'm in for a hard semester) and seeing my friends! still, i have found time to do some online shopping! i am dreaming about quite a few new things that i have found so here is the latest lust list!

topshop textured crop-top and full midi skirt

stella mccartney "the 70's flare" jean

kate spade "sabine" velvet flat 

tory burch regina calf hair bootie

tory burch collins fringe moccasin

tory burch fleming medium bag

halogen v-neck sleeveless jumpsuit

LEONA perfect party dress

today is another very special lady in my life's birthday: my grandmother. she is the reason i have red hair and my role model. if i am half the woman she is, i will be better than most. i am forever grateful for the close relationship we have. the redheads of the family have to stick together! today i am lucky to get to have lunch with her! after that, the online shopping will have to stop so that i can start getting back in the "you actually have homework now" groove. on the plus side of school starting back up, it will be football time in tennessee this time next week! go vols! 

xoxo,

clp

the new apartment

it was a long day, but the smoothest of all my move-ins! without the help of my daddy, brother and mom, it would just be me and a coffee maker up here in my new apartment! with them, we got everything unloaded and unpacked... which was quite a job (i'm not the best at deciding what i do and don't need when it comes to packing). we made the annual target trip, with phillip along as our comic relief. the finishing touches are still being put on, to the complex and to my apartment, but i am in love with my new place to live. it is going to be just perfect for me my senior year. there are still a few pictures to be hung and pieces of furniture to be added, but here is a peek into my new apartment!

it was also the least emotional of my move-ins. freshman year was a waterfall of tears that turned into a steady stream for months afterwards. sophomore year was similar and junior year was a little better. this year though, i teared up, but just because i am really going to miss my parents and brother (even if he does drive me crazy sometimes). i will always miss my home and my family, but know that this is where i need to be right now.

today though, i am missing something at home i love the most. it is my mom's birthday and i hate that i can't be home to make her day absolutely perfect! i am sending lots of love and birthday wishes from knoxville to her and hope she has a fabulous birthday! recruitment is winding down here at UT with bid night approaching tomorrow and school is gearing up as classes start tomorrow. i think life is about to get very busy!

xoxo,
clp

happy birthday daddy!

today is a big day y'all! it is my daddy's birthday! i have a father like no other. i always say that my mom is my best friend and i am my dad made over, which i couldn't be more proud of. i always call him "the mystery man" because i swear i learn something new about him everyday. he is unlike most dads in that he cooks, cleans, is a great bag holder when shopping, is the ultimate handyman, can build just about anything and even did my hair when i was younger ("no bumps daddy!"). he is the reason that my standards are set so high when it comes to men in my life. i will always be his baseball-watching partner, his Tennessee Volunteer, his red-headed, freckle-faced daughter and his little princess no matter what.

xoxo,

clp 

birthday weekend comes to an end

i guess all good things have to come to an end... including my birthday weekend. it was nothing short of perfect though, thanks to family, especially my wonderful parents. i know i say that often on here but you really have no idea how lucky i know i am to have parents as great as mine. mom and dad, i love you to the moon and back. thanks for 21 amazing years.

i spent my actual birthday doing whatever i wanted to do! we had pumpkin pancakes for breakfast, mom and i went to target and did some damage, stopped by publix and then hung out at home for the rest of the day. i had a few visitors and then the family came over of the annual birthday fiesta! on the menu was tacos, tamales, pinto beans, rice, guacamole and salsa! all of my favorites! dessert was of course cupcakes from IveyCake, my absolute favorite. i had the most perfect 21st birthday even though i didn't do what most do on their 21st birthday. it was exactly what i wanted.

the drive back in the rain today wasn't very much fun but i am ready to crank this week out. hopefully, i will be headed home for thanksgiving a week from tomorrow (my classes got cancelled on tuesday and wednesday luckily) and i am already looking forward to being back home. this time of year always makes me miss my family even more than usual. i think that is one thing that i will never get over. looking at my planner, this week doesn't look to crazy and i am thankful for that. hopefully it stays that way but you never know! lastly, i want to thank everyone for the birthday wishes, every person made me feel special! it is so strange to actually be 21 since it is something you look forward to for most of your teen years. i do feel a little bit older but not much different besides that. i am certainly looking forward to what 21 has in store for me.

xoxo,
clp

day before birthday recap, recipe & ootd

day two of birthday weekend! i am going to make this post short and sweet because i am exhausted but today was nothing short of perfect! i started today out with body pump and now i am ending it with an iveycake lemon blueberry cupcake! in between came lunch at goodness gracious with mom and phillip, a quick stop at green hills, and then mom and i went to christmas village in nashville! we came home to delicious buffalo chicken chili and cornbread so you could say that today could not have been better! posted below is the recipe for our chili and a picture of my outfit from today with my handsome looking brother, phillip, at goodness gracious! 

buffalo chicken chili

1 1/2 lb. raw boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved

1/4 tsp. each salt and black pepper
3 cups low-sodium fat-free chicken broth + more if needed
2 15.5-oz. cans cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups peeled and chopped carrots

2 cups chopped onion

1 tsp. chopped garlic

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 cup Frank's RedHot Buffalo Sauce + more if desired
crumbled blue cheese, feta, etc. for topping

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and place in a crock pot. Add all remaining ingredients except hot sauce. Stir. Set crockpot on low for 6-8 hrs or high for 3-4.
2. After chicken is fully cooked. shred with two forks and return to crockpot. Add hot sauce to chili and stir in crockpot. add additional chicken broth if needed.
3. To serve, top with additional Buffalo Sauce and cheese if desired! 

(slightly adapted from Hungry Girl)

green piko top, june rabbit fur vest, AG jeggings, j. crew mcalister boots,

j. crew statement earrings, louis vuitton speedy 30 and bandeau scarf 

told you it was going to be short and sweet and to the point! happy friday to everyone and happy almost birthday to me! 

xoxo, 

clp 

j. crew holiday style guide favorites & a throwback

i love getting holiday catalogs in the mail and of course, j. crew's is my favorite. as usual, its a work of art. just like with their last style guide, they debuted their holiday style guide on Pinterest. all the plaid, tartan, wool and cashmere is getting me so excited for the holiday dressing season! many items from this collection will be making their way onto my christmas wish list! here are a few of my favorites that hopefully i will be warm and cozy in this season! 

sleepshirt in bright cerise plaid flannel

plaid lodge moccasins

shirttail mini in sequins

crepe boatneck dress in modern red 

(a must for christmas eve!)

collection cashmere tunic, gold stripe mini skirt and the chevron checker snood

 boyshirt in deep ivy plaid, Collection trouser in royal duchesse and the Riviera earrings

jeweled starburst sweater, stretch perfect shirt and the Collection Café Capri in berry bouquet

boyshirt in rock salt plaid, stretchy toothpick jean and the colorblock wool baseball cap

(all images via Pinterest and jcrew.com)

today kicked off birthday weekend! i took some "personal absences" from two of my classes and headed home this morning after class. i got all my homework done before i left so i am really looking forward to a mostly school-free weekend. i was actually happy to see my cat and can't wait to sleep in my own bed tonight (not to mention happy to see my parents too). caroline came by so we could exchange 21st birthday presents (so strange that we are 21) and megan also stopped by! for her birthday, i got caroline a kate spade idiom bracelet. even though they market it as a bridesmaid gift, i think it is perfect to give someone that has been my best friend for literally my whole life. i am so happy i got to see both caroline and megan while i was home! i am glad i have been able to keep in touch with them after high school.

tomorrow is busy busy full of birthday weekend celebrations! i am going to body pump, lunch at goodness gracious with mom and phillip, green hills and christmas village! needless to say mom and i will be on the go all day long! i promise tomorrow's post will come with a full day recap, an OOTD and a recipe that has become a favorite here at the Parsley house!

xoxo,
clp

p.s. since my birthday is just 2 days away, here is a special throwback thursday picture from my very first birthday!

kick-starting birthday week & a recipe

today was the first day of birthday week! it is so strange to think that i will be 21 on saturday... feeling very old! i started out birthday week with lunch at aubrey's with my parents! it is one of my favorites and i had been craving their baked squash. it was delicious as always and it hit the spot!

yesterday started quite early since the football game started at noon! it made for a long day, but it was  fun nonetheless. the extended family came up for the game along with a few extras and we all went to the game together and then dinner. homecoming winners were announced at halftime and though alpha chi omega-phi mu didn't place, i still think we did a phenomenal job throughout the week competing. the game wasn't much fun to watch and it was quite chilly (you should have seen me all bundled up) but we stayed until the very end. i always love sitting with my brother at games and this time we had the added bonus of his friend travis who was entertaining to say the least. after the game we all went to ye olde steakhouse, a knoxville tradition, and had dinner a table away from Josh Dobbs and Marquez North. they were so nice to give autographs and take pictures with some of the little kids who came up to them! i had a steak kebab and steamed vegetables that were very good and of course finished dinner off by sharing a piece of peanut butter pie with my dad. ye olde's peanut butter pie really is a slice of heaven.

tonight for supper i tried out a recipe that i had seen floating around Pinterest: skillet lasagna. it is a different take on lasagna that doesn't demand the time-consuming layering and baking that traditional lasagna requires.

skillet lasagna

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 eggplant, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans Italian diced tomatoes

1/4 cup tomato sauce

3 basil leaves

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup skim ricotta cheese

1/2 c part-skim mozzarella cheese

about 6 ox broken lasagna noodles (fully cooked)

parmesan cheese, for serving

parsley, for garnish 

1. heat oil in large skillet. add onion and cook until softened over medium-high heat. add eggplant and garlic and cook until eggplant is softened and garlic is fragrant. add in tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil and pepper. cook until mixture thickens up a bit, about 5-10 minutes. 
2. add noodles to skillet and stir into the mixture. spoon the ricotta cheese into the mixture. add in mozzarella. cook about 2-5 more minutes, until thickened. 
3. serve topped with parmesan and parsley.

• eggplant could easily be swapped out for mushrooms or any cooked meat would also be a great addition to this recipe. 
• i modified the recipe a tad from The Realistic Nutritionist to use things i already had on hand. i didn't have any ricotta or mozzarella so i used a couple of wedges of Laughing Cow Garlic and Herb cheese and it was still delicious! i also topped mine with feta instead of parmesan! 
• this dish paired with a side salad full of veggies is the perfect meal! 

i am headed home thursday for birthday celebrations and i could not be looking more forward to it! i already have the whole weekend planned out and can't wait to spend time at home. mom and i also have tickets to christmas village so i am looking forward to that annual trip to nashville! this week is at school just consists of the usual schoolwork, tests, workouts and alpha chi meeting. nothing too stressful! lastly, a special happy birthday goes to the late, great, barefoot queen of pink queen, Lilly Pulitzer! may her prints be celebrated forever!

xoxo,
clp

the wishlist & veggie burgers

my birthday is coming up next month and i treat it like a national holiday. i even give myself the day off (this year i will be giving myself thursday, friday AND saturday off). i actually celebrate the whole month to be honest. this year, i am turning the big 21, even though what comes with the milestone doesn't matter much to me. however, it will be nice to simply be able to get in places that are 21 and up. being the untraditional college student that i am, i am going home for my birthday to celebrate with my family, a tradition that i love. each year i make a birthday wishlist so that people have an idea of what i would like (if you know me, i am really picky and bad about hiding my true feelings if i don't like something). it makes gift-giving much easier on my mom for sure. my wishlist has become a bit of a laughing matter because of some of the extravagant items that i include. so what made the infamous list this year? listed below are the main things i have been lusting after for quite some time now!

louis vuitton neverfull MM in damier ebene

tory burch coley knit slipper

kate spade girl about town scarf

vince camuto "karita" over-the-knee boot

tiffany and co. fifth avenue dessert plate

these are just some of the things that i would love to get the most! of course, items from j. crew, lilly pulitzer (especially the new alpha chi omega print collection!) and other things will be making the list this year! some of it i do include just on the off chance a family member or friend wins the lottery! 

tonight for dinner i had a meatless meal. i have been craving a good veggie burger (i promise they are delicious) and i found an easy recipe that i decided to try out. the results turned out great and i had it on an arnold bread whole wheat sandwich thin with regular burger toppings. i also had some baked beans and a cucumber tomato salad on the side! 

sweet potato and chickpea burgers

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) 

1 cup mashed sweet potato

1/2 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs

spices of choice (i used cumin, pepper and mrs. dash's extra spicy seasoning) 

1. Drain, rinse and roughly mash the chickpeas. Combine in bowl with all the other ingredients. Stir until mixture forms.
2. Form the mixture into 4 patties (if the mix is too dry and is falling apart then wet your hands when shaping them).
3. Spray grill pan with non-stick cooking spray and grill burgers until edges start to crisp. 

this week has gone well so far, especially since i haven't had much homework to do which has left me with free time i am not used to having. however, i am not complaining though because next week is quite busy before i go home for fall break! i am ending my wednesday with some modern family and nashville and then it is off to bed! 

xoxo,

clp 

an extra coffee friday

you know those days that just require an extra cup of coffee? well, today certainly qualified as one. actually, this whole semester has qualified for a whole extra pot of coffee. lately it seems as though everything is going the opposite way i need it to. however, i have to remember that things could be much, much worse and that my troubles are trivial compared to some.

so why did i need that extra cup of coffee today? to recover from yesterday. yesterday my little liberty decided to break down in the parking garage. so i got to take my first ride in a tow truck and the little liberty took a ride on the big tow truck. there is nothing quite like riding shotgun with the tow truck driver's dip-spit bottle riding shotgun with you. the kind people at the Rice Dealership here in Knoxville and Alcoa took the best care of me and i couldn't be more gracious. they hooked me up with a nice rental car and my car was fixed within 24 hours. needless to say, the whole process was a stressful one that i had not planned on but now that the little red rocket is back and working better than ever, i can breathe easier.

today is a special day! it is my big brother's birthday! unfortunately i couldn't be at home to celebrate the big two-four but i will see him tomorrow and shower him with birthday hugs. i don't know if he knows it or not, but i value our brother-sister relationship almost more than anything. i feel as though i can talk to him about anything and depend on him for everything and not many people have that relationship with their sibling. not many brothers would drive their sister around in a pink lambo, play dress-up or even put buckets on their heads. lucky for me, mine will. we have fun together and i enjoy spending time with him. though we have had our share of fights, i love him to the moon and back and can't wait to see what this year has in store for him. happy birthday phillip, i hope its fabulous!

one of my good friends from home is coming to stay with me this weekend and i couldn't be more excited! i haven't seen her since i left for school so i am excited to catch up. my dad, brother and uncle are also coming in tomorrow for the western kentucky game and even though i just saw phillip on wednesday and the other two sunday, i am looking forward to seeing them again. tomorrow will bring tailgating, football and lots of orange and white! 

xoxo, 

clp 

whirlwind of a week

well the first week of junior year (if three days qualifies as a week) has come to an end and i am glad it is over. it has been a whirlwind of a week. thankfully it is the weekend and i am hoping to let myself relax some and rest.

yesterday was a busy day despite having only one class. i would rather have none at all but one at 12:20 on a friday is nothing to really complain about. i did get to spend two hours of my friday afternoon at the genius bar getting them to install windows on my mac (oh the irony). though it took way longer than i expected, they did get my computer to run all the programs i need for class. i was there so long that i lusted over a kate spade phone case so long that eventually i convinced myself i just had to have it.

this morning i woke up and went to power hot yoga at Real Hot Yoga here in knoxville. i love going to hot yoga. not only do you sweat out all your body's toxins, but it also gives you a great strength workout and is a nice break from cardio.

i also made a trip to another one of my favorite places, Trader Joe's. i like grocery shopping at trader joe's because they offer healthy, organic foods at a lower price point than what you find the same products for at larger supermarkets. while they don't have absolutely everything on your shopping list, they do have a great selection of produce and their brand is top-notch. they also sell things that are exclusive to only their stores, such as their infamous cookie butter (which i have yet to try but am going to soon). today, along with many fruits and veggies, i picked up some of their frozen tamales, ravioli and their layered hummus, all of which i have heard are excellent. trader joe's is definitely one of my preferred places to grocery shop.

at the grocery store, i try to buy only what i know i am going to eat. i plan my meals out extensively so i don't waste any food, especially since i buy so much produce that will go bad. meal planning also helps to control your budget and helps with weight management. i find that i spend less because i buy only what i need. meal planning helps to manage weight because you see exactly what you are eating. though it can be time consuming and isn't as flexible, it has more advantages than disadvantages.

today is the last day of formal recruitment and i am quite excited for bid day tomorrow! not only will things get back to normal, but we will get our new pretty little lyres! since i have been on the setup committee i have not seen how the rounds are going firsthand, but i hear that alpha chi omega is a force to be reckoned with! i look forward to seeing who will be wearing our letters!

i made myself breakfast for dinner tonight! this was a quick and easy meal that came together in less than thirty minutes. i didn't want anything too heavy tonight so i fixed zucchini corn cakes with a fried egg, turkey sausage and added a sliced tomato and some watermelon and cantaloupe on the side. the recipe makes just enough for one, but can easily be doubled.

zucchini and corn cakes

1 large egg

2 tbsp + 1 tsp milk

2 tbsp + 1 tsp whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup corn kernels (i used canned)

3/4 c grated zucchini

1/4 c chopped onion

pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, etc. to taste

tabasco, if desired

goat cheese or feta cheese, if desired

1. Stir together all ingredients in mixing bowl until combined. 
2. Drop batter in 1/4 cup measures into heated skillet (sprayed with PAM!). Cook until browned on both sides. 
3. Serve warm, topped with cheese or tabasco hot sauce if desired. 

(adapted from Whole Foods Market)

today is one of my most favorite person in the world's birthday. my sweet, sweet grandmother is celebrating another year of her fabulous life. she, like my mama, is one of people i look up to the most. her life has been nothing short of admirable and i hope i can be half the woman she is. she is the source of my red hair which i am now and forever grateful for.

my mawsie, as she is affectionately known, has always been my biggest fan. the time i spend with her is time that i cherish the most. i know she is always just a call away when i am in knoxville or a five minute drive from my house in murfreesboro. so, happy birthday mawsie and here's to many more years of you! 

xoxo,
clp

p.s. coming tomorrow: favorite september arrivals from j.crew!

happy birthday mama!

i am my mother made over and i couldn't be happier. she is my best friend in the whole entire world and there is no way i would be the person i am today without her. i don't know if she knows it or not, but she is the woman i strive to be. she is my role model for all aspects of my life. she works extremely hard at her demanding job and still maintains a healthy marriage and family life, a challenge many cannot do. she always puts others before herself, especially her children and i couldn't be more thankful. i know i am the reason she has to color her hair because of the hard times i have given her but without her, i would not have made it through my first years of college. we have had our ups and downs, but if i turn out to be half the woman my mother is, i will be on the right track.

"all that i am i owe to my mother." -george washington

today is my mama's birthday and i hate that i can't be at home to celebrate. missing birthdays is one of my least favorite things about being away at school. so, from knoxville i am wishing my mom a very happy birthday with many more to come. may this year bring health and happiness to you!

xoxo,
clp