Going on a little trip

Wish I had a cute overnight bag like this one:

I'll be sure to pop in and say hello! Enjoy the weekend!

♥ Shannon

Oh. My. Goodness.

I just made blueberry cupcakes with cheesecake filling--and guess what: there was spinach in the cupcakes and squash in the filling (not to mention the blueberries!). Yes. Vegetables.

They were delicious. Even Matthew ate them up (and he's onto me when it comes to sneaking him healthy foods!). The recipe was courtesy of Deceptively Delicious, a genius cookbook from a brilliant woman: Jessica Seinfeld (Jerry Seinfeld's wife!).

I didn't take any pictures of the cupcakes because they were not pretty. It turns out that I don't know how to make pretty cupcakes...I guess I'll just have to keep practicing!!

♥ Shannon

I've been keeping a secret...

I'm engaged! Matthew proposed when we were in Italy and it was a complete surprise to me (I had had about 50 false alarms in the months before and finally gave up hope for the time--ever been there, ladies?). So far all we know is that it's going to be a party with food, drinks, and dancing!

I hope you're ready for some wedding inspiration posts!

♥ Shannon

Good Practices: Warm it Up!

I have had it in my mind to start writing a bit about good practices for living a healthier lifestyle. Hopefully, dear reader, we can learn a little something together! So, for my first installation, I'd like to chat a bit about hot tea.

First, let's talk about flavonoids; these little guys work as anti-oxidants, which help to prevent free-radicals from corrupting our cells, tissues, and organs. We are exposed to these free-radicals through pollution, contaminants, and the natural aging process. Flavonoids, especially the ones found in Green Tea, help cleanse our bodies (1).

Green Tea also shows an ability to fight against cancer (2) and obesity (3). Chamomile Tea is linked to boosted immune systems and even bolstered reproductive activity (4).

And if that wasn't enough, trends show that people are happier when the consume hot drinks, especially as the weather gets cold. According to John Sicher of Beverage Digest (told to LiveScience), "People in general are responding to beverage products with health and wellness benefits."

I love my routine of caffeinated tea in the morning, like a strong Green or Black, and something caffeine free in the evening, such as Mint or Chamomile. I suggest spending the extra buck for organic teas, and drinking out of a gorgeous cup!

Enjoy!

♥ Shannon

Happy Monday

Mondays can be tough, so I love starting out the week with bright and inspiring images. Here are the latest few I've been obsessing over. Friends of Katie Day Photography threw her the cutest baby shower I've ever seen. Not only was the decor adorable, but there was a crafting station to make little bows for the baby girl!

 Check out more of these bright images here and have a fun week!

♥ Shannon

Flowers + Fashion = Fun!

You might not know this about me, but I have just completed a tour in the US Air Force. Now, this post is not about service in the military--this post is about my new found fashion freedom. For the past four years, I have worn camouflage cargo gear and boots. Now it's time to play a little dress up!

The dress is from Express, the shoes are Jessica Simpson (love her shoes!), and the flower DIY is from yours truly.

Here is to a fashionable New Year!

♥ Shannon

Five Things

I am a very goal-oriented person. This year, I have five goals for myself; I have given them much thought, I have wanted them for quite some time, and this year I will focus on them. Five very simple, but very challenging, personal goals:

1. Write a book. (Just one! Though I have many buzzing around in my mind, keeping me up at night, there is one that demands to be written.)
2. Open an etsy shop. (This will, of course, mean focusing in on a few related crafts, and trying less to dabble in all of them--wish me luck!)
3. Do the splits. (I had hip surgery last spring--I'll need the whole year for this, loves.)
4. Earn my Yoga Teacher Training certificate (11 months, but it will be very worth it--and look, it will help with #4!)
5. Cook more. (Eat well, live well.)

So there they are. A bit ambitious, but I like that.

Happy New Year, everyone!

♥ Shannon