weekend at home

i know, two posts in one day but i wanted to share what a perfect weekend at home i had! i got everything crossed off my list that i wanted to do, including spend some time by the pool! i love going home to see my mama and daddy and brother (and even the cat and dog)! i may be old-fashioned and an old soul at heart, but my weekends spent at home in the comfort of my family are the ones i love most! read on to see why this weekend was just fabulous!

• movie review: maleficent: what an excellent movie! the critics may have said it wasn't that great, but i, my mom, grandmother and even brother all thought it was great. not only are the special effects and cinematography amazing, angelina jolie plays her role amazingly well. i wasn't totally sure what the movie was really about but it exceeded my expectations!
• book review: where'd you go bernadette by maria semple: this book has been on my to-read list for quite some time and it did not disappoint! i actually read it in less than a week so that shows how good it was! the book was a great, light-hearted and funny read that follows a mother and daughter through different forms of correspondence as they narrate the absurd world they live in.
• i also got to do a little bit of DIY this weekend! i have always loved this antique telephone table that was my great-grandmother's, and this weekend i decided i wanted to clean it up and put some new (lilly pulitzer) fabric on it! i think it really looks good!

i can hardly believe that the month of june is halfway over! the fact that it has flown by so fast makes me sad! however, i do still have much of the summer to look forward to! this week is going to be a normal one, spending my days at LEONA which i enjoy so much. i am going to dinner one night with a family friend and i believe i may even get to see my parents again this coming weekend if they come visit me in nashville! have a wonderful week everyone and soak up some sun! 

xoxo,

clp

friday fun

well mom and i just had the most perfect friday! i came home for a much-needed break from knoxville yesterday and i am so glad i did. there is nothing a weekend at home can't fix! it was also nice to come home to what seemed like a brand-new kitchen! while i have been at school, mom and dad got marble backsplash installed in our kitchen, which we have wanted to do since we moved in! i absolutely love how the herringbone pattern turned out and think it makes our kitchen look fabulous!

today mama and i adventured to nashville! i truly had a major cheat day. i even took a day off from working out, which i know my body needs. though it still freaks me out to not workout at all, i know that my body has to rest every once and a while. i know some of my readers will be happy to hear that i am at a much healthier weight than i was a year ago and i am happy about it! my clothes fit better and i just look better overall!

this morning we started nice and early and made our way to the loveless cafe! nothing beats loveless biscuits and peach preserves, so of course my meal contained both. it is definitely a nashville institution that everyone needs to visit and worth the calorie splurge!

no trip to nashville would be complete without a trip to iveycake to bring home some cupcakes for dessert tonight. she has added some new flavors that look to-die-for, but i couldn't resist my usual "i do" flavor. mom got the lemon blueberry and we picked out the salted caramel for daddy! i have had many good cupcakes in my day, but none as good as iveycake!

we couldn't not go to green hills while in nashville, and a stop in j. crew was inevitable. the green hills j. crew just feels like home to me! katie, my personal stylist (which as i have said before, everyone should take advantage of) picked out some fabulous outfits for me and we had the best visit! she always knows what i will like and has the best taste! (notice how similar our outfits are... not planned at all!) 

i am also all ready for my sorority's carnation ball at the end of april! i have my dress, clutch, got my shoes today and have a hair appointment booked! now for the hard part: finding a date who will put up with me and my ways for a night!

tomorrow, i am breakfasting with both grandmothers, my dad and uncle at one of our favorites, goodness gracious. we are so sad to see it leave downtown murfreesboro but will definitely have to go when it reopens at the readyville mill. dad and i are going to have a daddy-daughter day until mom gets off work (someone has to see those sick kids on the weekend!) and then i am planning on relaxing at home! i am missing my brother since he is redneck-ing it this weekend at the daytona race. luckily i know i will get to see him soon! it is just three weeks until i am back home for spring break!

my friday was fabulous and fun and i hope yours was too! not every day can be cheat day like today was so i am glad mine consisted of the loveless and iveycake! hope your friday was as good as mine and don't forget to give yourself a cheat day every once in a while too!

xoxo,
clp

lilly pulitzer for the home

today is friday for me! as of 12:25, it was officially the weekend! i think i am really going to enjoy having no friday classes this semester... too bad jobs aren't just monday through thursday! but between yesterday and today i have been to all my classes, printed all my syllabi and bought my books so i am ready to roll for this semester. hopefully it will be a good one here on rocky top!

i posted some of my new year's resolutions previously but i wanted to add a more recent one that i did not share. another one of my resolutions this year is to put my self more on a budget and control my spending. so far i have done okay, but with the new resort and spring collections coming out, i know i am going to have a harder time! my mottos are going to be "spend less and wear more" and "quality over quantity." there are a few things i may treat myself to with christmas gift cards, but besides that, i am going to try to wear what i already have since most of it has only been worn once or still has the tags on it! i am lucky enough to be able to wear, in my opinion, fabulous clothes so i think they need to be put on display more and i believe i shouldn't buy something just because it is the newest thing! fingers are crossed that i can keep to this resolution y'all! 

as most of you know, i love Lilly Pulitzer. one of my favorite things about the brand is that they are not just clothing. they partner with other companies to produce items ranging from iPhone chargers to shower curtains. Garnet Hill is one of the companies that Lilly partners with and they just released their newest collection of Lilly bedding and bath! i can definitely see some of the following in my apartment next year!

perfectly printed percale bedding collection

well-connected cotton rug

sister florals towels

happy thursday y'all! tomorrow is friday which means it will be the weekend for everyone! have a good one! 

xoxo,

clp 

home again, home again & a recipe

i realize i have been majorly slacking on posting and i apologize! by the time i get everything done, i am usually to tired to come up with something that won't bore y'all to tears so i just call it a night. i have also been quite busy with today being the last day of classes and the semester wrapping up.

i came home today (long time away i know) since i don't have an exam until the 9th. with no job up in knoxville, i feel like i would waste a lot of time this week if i stayed in knoxville and by coming up, i will be able to study during the day while my parents are at work, as well as get some things done around here.

i can't believe that today was the last day of classes for fall semester. i seriously remember thinking "this is going to be the longest semester of my life" when i first looked at all my syllabi and now i have checked off everything but the final exams. i actually am completely done with my retail class since she gave the final exam today. just four exams next week and i will be home free for christmas. they don't lie when they say that junior year is hard but it hasn't been totally awful. i have learned a lot and actually enjoyed most of my classes so i am looking forward to next semester. i also feel like i have grown closer to my friends and grown as an individual. i went on my first away game trip and had more fun this season at football games than i have ever before. nonetheless, i am grateful for christmas break at home and it couldn't have come at a better time.

i loved coming home to a decorated house today! daddy finished up the decorations while i was in knoxville and our house looks gorgeous, both inside and out! my pink tree is also up and decorated in my room! i honestly don't think there is a room in our house without a christmas decoration!

tonight for supper i made ratatouille and served it over polenta with a side salad! it was so good and filling even though it was meatless. the recipe is super easy, serves about 4 people, and i just kinda threw together some ingredients and it turned out to be quite tasty!

ratatouille over polenta

1 yellow squash, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

1 eggplant, chopped

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic 

1 tbsp olive oil

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

1 8 oz can tomato paste 

1 tbsp each thyme, oregano and basil 

ground pepper

italian seasoning, to taste

1 package instant polenta 

mozzarella or parmesan cheese, for serving

1. in a large skillet, heat olive oil. add in chopped onion and garlic and sauté until translucent. 
2. add the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and spices and cook until softened. 
3. add tomatoes and tomato paste, stirring to combine. season to taste.
4. meanwhile, cook polenta according to package instructions. 
5. serve ratatouille warm over polenta garnished with a sprinkle of cheese. 

i am trying out some new recipes this week as well as making some favorites so i will try my hardest  not go MIA on here and keep you all updated. there is so much i want to do this month but i have to make sure i study during this trip home so i can't get too caught up in accomplishing my to-do lists. i can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but the semester isn't quite over yet! have a wonderful wednesday! 

xoxo,

clp 

first day of fall

happy first day of fall y'all! fall starts my favorite time of the year. from football, homecoming, halloween, my birthday, thanksgiving, christmas and new years, the last quarter of the year is always the best.

i am spending my first day of fall at home this weekend. i was in much need of a change of scenery from knoxville and this quick trip home was perfect. i came home friday afternoon to my beautiful house that i am so thankful for and it felt like i had never left. my mom knows me well because she made sure there was a bowl full of fruit and sweet tea in the refrigerator. she also had a flu shot waiting on me as well (oh the perks of being a pediatrician's daughter). nonetheless, this weekend has been a relaxing weekend. mom hosted a baby shower for one of her partners so i helped with that and besides that, we spent the weekend at home just catching up (and watching some painful UT football). i did go to mawsie's for supper last night because she made my favorite vegetable soup and cornbread. unlike many college students my age, i love coming home. the five hours total in the car are worth the 48 hours at home with my parents. i feel like my weekend trips home reenergize me and get me back on track. 

for the baby shower, mom made her strawberry cake. if i didn't get IveyCake cupcakes for my birthday, this would be the cake i would request. its definitely not a healthy cake, but you have to treat yourself every once in a while. there was some cake leftover from the baby shower so some of it made its way back to knoxville. 

strawberry cake

1 box duncan hines white cake mix

1 box strawberry jello (dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water)

4 eggs

1 cup canola oil

1/2 cup crushed strawberries

1. mix all ingredients together and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. let cool before icing. 

strawberry cake icing

3 cups powdered sugar

1 stick margarine

1/2 cup crushed strawberries

1 cup pecans

1 small can coconut (optional, we usually leave out) 

1. melt butter, add sugar, then add remaining ingredients. 
2. pour over cooled cake. 
3. store in refrigerator. 

this cake is a family favorite and i always go back for more when we make it! i have a hard time practicing self-control with this cake. its a great cake for spring and summer because of the fresh berries.

this upcoming week is a busy one, but i have much to look forward to. between school and other activities, i may not be able to post much this week but i will try my hardest! i hope everyone has had as wonderful a weekend as i have (thanks to my amazing parents). happy fall! 

xoxo, 

clp