Preseason Spirit

It's that time again, my dears...when I get in the holiday spirit leaps and bound ahead of the rest.

If you're generally the bahumbug type in November, and oppose any signs of Christmas spirit prior to Thanksgiving, click away now.

I am completely obsessed with the {skinny} Peppermint Mocha at Starbucks again this year. It's chocolately, minty and stacked with caffeine. {What more could you possibly ask for in a to-go beverage?} 

This is my go to Nov. 1st - Dec. 25th.  I consume massive amounts of lattes in the weeks leading up to Christmas, probably because I'm amped about holidays approaching and want to sustain my energy for a good 60 days. This is just the first step in my premature celebration of the holidays.  If you're like me and want to spread the Christmas cheer all day every day, you'll need a few staple items:

1. The Starbucks app on your phone to track and accrue points for all of the Peppermint Mochas you will be consuming over the next two months

2. This Voluspa candle, much more chic than a bowl full of pine cones

3. Pumpkin pie spice, to sprinkle on coffee grounds prior to brewing, your daily bowl of oatmeal, and anything else you could possibly imagine

4. A fabulous Christmas CD, I'm still stuck on this one from last year, but can always switch to my old stand by {Ol' Blue Eyes himself} or this fab Christmas album I still swoon over from my youth {Merry Christmukkah, y'all}

5. {Optional} Watch this childhood favorite, this family staple, or this funny flick which is quickly becoming a classic in my book

And there you a have it. A full proof, holiday-riffic game plan for becoming a Christmas in November ambassador for years to come. You're welcome.

Happy Fright Night!

I'll be the first to admit that Halloween is not my favorite holiday. Don't get me wrong, I really do understand the hype. But it tends to sneak up on me every year leaving me with an incredibly lame costume and last minute plans.

Last year I actually planned for Halloween, I even had two outfits!

One for Friday,

and one for Saturday.

This year it was back to normal - the details fell into place completely and utterly last minute with little thought put into plans or attire.  I'm hoping to redeem myself with lots of candy for tonight's trick or treaters and possibly an orange and black wreath on the door. And hey, there's always next year, right?

P.S. I'm laughing thinking back at the year that my dad went to Sam's Club to buy Halloween candy for the neighborhood kids. He literally bought a box of 100 king-sized Snickers bars. Needless to say, it was a huge hit.

Get up, stand up

{I'm taking this Saturday morning to post a shameless plug for one of my favorite companies. But don't click away now, you're going to want to see this video...}

BOTE is a stand up paddle board company based out of Destin, FL that has it going on. The company was started in 2009 by Ross' cousin Corey and his wife Magda.  In just a few years BOTE has evolved into a major player in the fastest growing sport in the United States. 

The brand was recently featured in a promo for Fly Nation TV, showcasing the versatility {and beauty} of the boards.

{Featuring Intro by The XX}

Fun fact: Most people refer to stand up paddle boards as YOLO boards, when in fact YOLO is just another brand.  I like to refer to BOTE as the Apple of the stand up paddle board world. They're sleek, attractive and just better than the competition, no matter which way you look at it.  So hats off to YOLO for coining the term {you only live once}, and cheers to BOTE for taking the stand up paddle board industry to the next level.

It's 5 o'clock somewhere.

I'm just a little excited right now thinking about what will be happening today 5:00pm.

Ross and I have a hot date at The Boathouse, tossing back oysters and a pitcher or two of beer to kick off the weekend.

{ oh the perks of living at the beach... :) }

Pita Pizza

It's so simple. The perfect portion. The salad goes on top.

It takes no more than 15 minutes from start to finish.

Oh yes.

Spoon your favorite smoky chipotle salsa {or bbq sauce} onto a pita and spread to the edges. Top with shredded rotisserie chicken then sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake at 350° for 5 or 10 minutes {until the cheese has melted}, then top with arugula salad {arugula + a splash of greek salad dressing}.