Recipe: Grilled Sweet Potato Fries.

If you all hunt the web for everything like I do - then you may have already tapped into the weath of food knowledge that can be located on about.com. I've previously shared my obsession with grilling everything from pineapple to burger to side dishes on my grown girl birthday present. But I HAD to share this recipe for homemade grilled sweet potato fries. They are delish, healthy, and easy to make.

I've recently been exploring their steak topper ideas as Auburn and I will be changing up our Christmas dinner tradition and cooking in, instead of going out this year. Auburn is an incredible cook and I want to be like her when I grow up. But I've offered to grill steaks for our dinner this year, so I'm trying to take a page from her book and do it up right. I'm leaning towards a topper that involved blue cheese. Mmm.

Anywho, hope you enjoy my new favorite recipe. Let me know if you give it a try!

Love,
B

Bargain Huntress.

You all know I love a bargain more than the next wanna-be-fashionista and fall/winter really brings it out in me. I don't believe in store credit cards, which I've probably shared is a direct result of my taking the Dave Ramsey course a few years back BUT I have to say I'm a huge supporter of stores who are not issuing rewards debit cards and Nordstrom is the one that got my vote. I signed up for the Nordstrom debit card, which comes directly out of my normal checking account but I still get points as if I had their credit card - cha-ching. This way I'm never tempted to spend money I don't have BUT I still get rewarded for being a more than faithful Nordie Rack shopper.


Since the Tampa Nordstrom Rack is just around the corner I peruse the sale racks fairly regularly, hunting for buried (clearanced) treasure. This week I found this fabulous jacket market down from 158 to 38 AND thanks for my Nordstrom debit card, I had $20 in 'Nordstrom Notes'...so for $18 I got a jacket I can't wait to wear in North Carolina this week.


Please excuse the makeup-less face cell phone photo, I will try to be more prepared in the future.


Anyone participating in Black Friday this year? I have a few friends that make this a tradition and I admire them but as for me and my house? We don't fight crowds an early hours in the cold. We watch the pre-black-friday specials online and strike while the irons hot and sans tent, hot choco, and crowds. This year I diligently hunted for a petite TV for my bedroom. I'm not a huge TV watcher but since my roomie moved in, in May, the idea of having a second TV in the house, in my bedroom started to appeal.


So I present you, my new darling...

Don't ask what's on the TV, there was a commercial on at the time, ok? And that weird glow on the wall is because my accent wall (located directly behind is magenta. But I had to show you my first ever Black Friday purchase. : ]

Love,

B

Creating Space - 2012.

Photo.

In 2010 I shared all that I learned from my church's 'Creating Space' series and the steps I would take to create space in my own life. Well, 2011 came and went with purposeful busyness that has accomplished many new goals and while I'm thankful for that, I realize that it's time to revisit creating space as 2012 is quickly approaching.

While I'm not one for new years resolutions I do find that the new year lends itself to reevaluating where you're spending your time and how you're using your resources. What needs the boot in 2012 to create space for new opportunities? What good things can go so God things can come?

I hope to find a quiet spot over Thanksgiving to really start muscling through these areas so that I can streamline and begin this new year with purpose and poise. Anyone else worried that if they aren't intention this holiday season will leave them exhausted and uninspired? I want to use the time I get off work and out of town to regroup and redouble my efforts towards my long term goals/five year plan.

Anything getting the boot in your lives for the coming year? Anything you want to create more space for? Any advice you want to give me for 2012?


Love,
B

My Style: Banquet.

I miss when Lindsay did My Style Monday's even though when they were going on I couldn't always get my act together to post. Oops. Since I asked you all for advice on what color shoes to wear with my dress for my work's banquet this past Thursday I wanted to make sure you got to see the finished product.

The dress was a traditional gift from my Momma who helped me pick it out back in September - which I was visiting her in Indiana. I took Autumn's advice and went with nude heels - although I opted for BCBG wedges instead of heels, because I wasn't sure I could hack it in heels all night on my feet (13 hour work days are intense, after all).

Are you all feeling a little spoiled by getting two blog posts in one day? Well that merriment just might continue for the rest of the week! We.shall.see!

If you haven't already, please do make sure you sign up to give and get some holiday cards this year - here.

Love,

B

Generous.

'if I am content with little, enough is a feast' - Isaac Bickerstaff

My Tampa bff and accountability partner, Aubs, and I served this weekend at our church in the 'holiday helpers' booth. We worked both services so a good 6-7 hour shift of selling turkey dinners for church members to buy that will feed the needy in our community. I am always excited to see my church, Grace Family Church, meeting the needs in our community and this Christmas they are on it. We worked the food booth as I called it, but there was also the opportunity to adopt a family, adopt a child, etc.

The reason I share this is because I went to give of my time, something I find I tend to be selfish with - but what I received was worth far more. I was blown away my the generousity of my church family. There eagerness and excitement to give blessed my heart more than you know. I was most touched my a single Mom who came to me and said that while she couldn't afford to adopt a whole family - she thought we could pair her and her son with another single mom and kid and they would give them a Christmas. Wow.

The quote I shared above was from our message this week which really got to the heart of keeping life in perspective. We keep Christmas pretty simple in our household but this year more than ever I'm excited for the holiday season to be about giving. Of time, resources, and sometime even money. God is so good.

What are you all doing this Christmas to bless others? I love hearing your ideas!

Love,

B

For the Love of Snail Mail.

We all know how much I love snail mail and how much I love the holidays so I'm teaming up with Krystal and Meghan to make sure we all get enough holiday snail mail this Christmas season! We know the holidays can be chaotic AND expensive so we're giving you the chance to spread some holiday cheer without breaking the budget! The three of us are hosting a holiday card swap!

Enter your information below and we will pair you up with 4 other bloggers to exchange cards! You're welcome to include fun photos or little extras but please keep it simple - this is a one stamp kind of deal!

This is a win win friends - so get on it.

Love,
B

Bold.

Cred.

So I made a bold move this year and put my blog address on my Christmas cards. The big debate amongst bloggers seems to be - how much privacy do you keep as a blogger? Many bloggers don't share their blog with their 'real life' friends and enjoy the privacy of being able to share openly without judgement. Clearly, that is not the case with my blog. There's nothing anon happening here (not even comments!). BUT even though my blog is public via facebook - there are quite a few people who will receive my cards this year who don't know about the blog yet.

I decided though this would be a great way for them to keep up with me. Despite my diligent letter writing and forced phone call making (I am not a phone talker) - it's hard to keep up with everyone and even when I do, it's hard to remember to relive all that's going on. I have a busy life, in case you haven't noticed. ; ]

So tomorrow night is our banquet for work and I'm excited to wear my cobalt blue dress my Mom bought me (that I previously shared on the blog). Hopefully I'll get some pictures up Friday morning.

Wednesday (one week from today) I will be headed to North Carolina to see my sweet family there as well as hopefully meet my niece (if she arrives in time). It will be a whirlwind Thanksgiving with my flying in Wednesday night to Raleigh, driving to Winston Salem with my sister and bro (if no baby) for thanksgiving and a 10am departure Saturday morning to head back to Tampa. Saturday I land at noon and I have a wedding at 2:00 out by the beach. So I will be in a sprint to get my bags, collect my car, assemble myself, and drive out to the beach for my former coworker and sweet friend Joy's wedding festivities.

Then back to this side of the bridge for another engagement by 6. Never let em see ya sweat, right? Even holidays are manic for me.

I've got 50 christmas cards printed and read to address so I figure I'll take those along to the Carolina's with me next week and knock them out - then they'll be ready to ship in mid Decemeber. I bought those cute disposable goodie boxies to deliver Christmas baked goods to my favorite neighbors (have I ever mentioned how much I love my 'hood?). My Christmas presents are more than halfway bought AND I wrapped 3 of them already.

After Thanksgiving the official countdown to Christmas begins folks.

Let's do this.

Love,
B