Goldenrod

So yes, it is almost October and I am super excited because Halloween in my favorite holiday and we have a few other fun plans up our selves. Clark and I are excited. The weather is almost perfect here, autumn weather is really nice in NC let’s not talk about the summer weather. Also the wildflowers seem to be in full bloom, which I find odd. I remember last year in late September the same thing happened and I thought it was weird that these wildflowers seemed to be thriving as the weather cooled down and by cooled down I mean going from 95 degrees with 80% humidity to 75 degrees and 60% humidity. These awesome yellow wildflowers are called goldenrod. 

This weekend was also a really fun one, on Saturday we went bowling with some friends and then had Red Robin and for some reason I was craving a chocolate milkshake for 3 days and I finally had the chance to get one. YUM. And on Sunday we went to a BBQ that Clark’s new sergeant was having. He switched companies back in July and we have meeting a hole new group of soldiers/wives. Which has been fun. 

This outfit is a simple one. It’s nice to be able to wear pants and sandals. I love weather were you can wear pants and sandals or shorts and long sleeves were it’s not to warm but not to cool. This day was a little on the cooler side but still a nice one. Also it’s funny but this cardigan has a weird yellow greenish tint to it (which you can kinda see in these photos) Clark says “I hate the color of that sweater.” Oh well. haha At one point I was thinking about bleaching it and dyeing it another color but I am not sure if it would work well. Maybe that is a DIY for the future. Happy Monday.
love, Carlee

Pants: Marshalls

Sandals & Shirt: Old Navy

Cardigan: American Eagle 

Feels like fall, looks like summer

So it is officially fall and the weather here has even cooled down which has been very nice. Seems like the leaves have started the processes of turning with the yellow tips starting to emerge. Also, it is nice to be able to wear cardigans again. I have been wanting to wear pants but have held off because I am nervous about the humidity still.

It’s funny because once I uploaded these photos to my computer I realized that my back drop didn’t look like fall at all. I was like “wow, I could be wearing cut off shorts and a tank.” and it would look like summer and 95 degrees. So I guess in the area that I decided to take photos didn’t look like fall at all. I will do better next time. Hopefully. 

I picked this cardigan up at Target a couple of weeks ago on sale for 9.99 I thought it was funny that it was on sale since it is the perfect burnt orange color and fall was coming up. It was my size so I snatched it up quickly. I also realized that the last time I wore this dress (on the blog at least) I also worth this hair style. If it’s not broke don’t fix it. 

Is it really Thursday already?
love, Carlee

Boots & cardigan: Target

Dress: Macys

Duke Football

The first time we visited Duke University was back in July we walked around campus and saw the chapel which was amazing. Like I said in the post my family have always been big Duke fans and loves Coach K. I was looking for a college football game to get tickets to for Clark’s birthday and Duke just seemed like the right fit. The game was last weekend against Tulane and we even got to see Coach K in the flesh as he received an award for winning the FIBA world cup again. So that was pretty darn cool.

The game was at 12:30pm and we got to the campus around 11 so we had some time to explore some more and I heard that the Sarah Duke gardens were gorgeous so we walked around them for a bit and I bet at peak bloom they are amazing. There were still quite a few flowers in bloom and Clark and I were both just amazed at all the different types of plants. I am guessing that with the humidity in North Carolina a lot of different plants can grow. After we got done we headed toward the stadium and my was it a sit to see. I had kind of forgotten what college football game day looked like on campus and it was fun. 

It was also cool because Clark and I looked like college students so we fit right in. We headed into the stadium and I got to say that the stadium food (while expensive) was a lot better them I remember in WA. They had everything greek food, mexican food, BBQ, pulled pork, hamburgers, pizza, hotdogs, lemonade, sweet tea, italian ice, dip and dots, corn dogs, etc. Lots and lots of choices. 

The game was good. Duke won 47 to 13 and we did a leave a little early. We also forgot to wear sunscreen so we were both rather sunburnt but oh well. It was a good day. 
love, Carlee 

Organic Olivia giveaway

Today I am really excited to bring you a giveaway. If you have been following my blog for a while now you will know that I don’t do giveaways all that often, only when it is something that I am really excited about. And I am really excited about this giveaway. I get to promote an awesome Etsy shop (and since I run an Etsy shop, I love promoting other handmade businesses) and also I get to promote some truly awesome ladies from around the internet.

One lucky winner will get to select any necklace from Organic Olivia which includes free shipping. All you have to do is enter the Rafflecooper giveaway below.  And now it’s time to meet the lovely ladies that I am collabroating on this giveaway with.

Hannah from The Braided Bandit // Elizabeth from Book of Leisure // Leah from Eat Pray Wear Love  // Jenna from A Beautiful Heart // Iris from Love, Iris  // Karissa from Karissa & Company // and me. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Arsenal Park

We visited Arsenal Park here in Fayetteville last week. It is nice to keep discovering new places here that are full of history and richness. We first learned around Arsenal Park when we visited the Cape Fear Museum and the Poe House. I knew I wanted to come back and explore Arsenal Park more. Most of it has been destroyed (story below) but the foundation still stands and there is even a ‘ghost’ tower which represents were the towers stood at the 4 corners of the arsenal. 

After the War of 1812, the U.S. wanted to expand its defenses and commissioned the construction of five arsenals. Fayetteville, NC was chosen as a site for one of those new arsenals.By 1858, just three years prior to the Civil War, the arsenal facility was just about complete. When North Carolina seceded from the Union in April 1861, local militia took the arsenal, turned it over to the State of North Carolina, who in turn gave it to the new Confederate States of America.The Confederacy used the arsenal to produce rifles, ammunition, and gun carriages. Union troops, commanded by Gen. William T. Sherman, destroyed the facility in 1865. (All information from here)

I picked up this dress at Target a couple of weeks ago. I had a coupon for $5 off $25 in the apparel department and it was expiring soon. I have been wanted a dress with a little bit of sleeve. Believe it or not all the dress I own are just tank straps or sleeveless. I kept trying dresses on with a little sleeve but they all seemed to ‘baby doll’ on me but this one was perfect and felt different to me. I think maybe because I liked the forest green color (which I thought would be perfect for fall/winter) and also the fit was rather flattering. I can’t wait to wear it with tights/boots/ sweaters and other dark rich colors. 

We had a really great fun-filled weekend which I will be sharing more of later this week. 

love, Carlee

Dress: Target

Sandals: Old Navy

Happening 9.19.14

After the holiday weekends Shutterfly has been sending out promo codes for 101 free photos so after labor day I took advantage of it. 

I just finished reading Blueprints for Builing Better Girls it is a sad, emotional, gets a woman thinking kind of book. 

I am already busting out my Halloween decor. Right after September hits I think it is totally acceptable.

Clark at the fair we went to last Friday. Wanted to share this photo. I like it. 

This photo was taken in Central Park in September of 2012 my family and looking like total tourist and paying to take photos with Elmo. #fail

My guys. 

How are you all today? I have been liking these happening posts. They let me tell you what is actually happening in real time with my day to day life here on the blog. Also let’s be show photo and outtakes that wouldn’t necessarily fit into any other blog post and I like that. Blogging is weird because stuff is usually not happening in real time and some stuff could be weeks or months old. That is why I like writing these post.

This week Clark has been taking a training class for this job and the class is only 5 minutes from our home instead of the usually 15-20 minutes that it takes him to get to work on base. So he has been coming home everyday for lunch which has been nice. If I am being honest thought it does through off my routine a little bit. But Clark is good about letting me do my thing and finishing blog/business stuff or projects and they we get to enjoy each others company.

Also we have been watching The League on Netflix there is 5 seasons I think and it is hilarious. We were looking for another show to watch periodically and Clark heard the League was good so we gave it a shot. It’s about a group of friends that have a fantasy football league and since football season just started back up it is the perfect show.

Knox went to the vet yesterday for his one year check up and heart warm test and everything came back great. He even gained a couple of pounds. Knox actually loves the vet and gets WAY to excited when we pull up in the car. I usually think he is a really good dog but after visiting the vet I always think we need to take him to obedience lessons because he is just to excited and will pull really hard to see the other dogs or people. So yeah looking into that. A lady I met at the dog park recommended a place and I looked into it, it cost $90 a session for 6 sessions. $540 seems a little much to spend on a dogs obedience... idk. 

Happy Friday and cheers to the fricken weekend!
love, Carlee

Homemade meatball italian subs

I am pretty sure I started craving homemade meatball italian sandwiches after watching all the episodes of Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares on Netflix. Whenever a place didn’t make homemade meatballs Chef Ramsay would be so pissed! He would say it was the easiest thing to make so I figured if Chef Ramsay said it was easy then I could give it a try. And Clark was totally on board and now he has requested them again and again so I’ll probably be making them sometime this week.

You’ll need
1/3 cup bread crumbs (the really small crumbs not the stuffing)
1 lb ground beef
1/8 cup really finely chopped onions
salt and pepper
1 egg
1/8 cup milk
1 tablespoon ketchup
Mozzarella cheese
olive oil
2 hoagie rolls
garlic salt
1 cup spagetti sauce

Directions
1. Set oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix in a large mixing bowl beef, onion, salt, pepper, egg, bread crumbs, and ketchup.
3. Shape into balls should make 7-9.
4. Bake in a pan for 20-25 minutes or until cooked thoroughly.
5. With 5 minutes left start warming the spaghetti sauce over medium heat.
6. Brush small amount of olive oil on sliced hoagie rolls and sprinkle with garlic salt.
7. Put hoagies in oven for 5 minutes.
8. While hoagies are in the oven place the meatballs in the spaghetti sauce.
9. Smash down the inside of the hoagies so the meatballs fit better. 
10. Place the meatballs on the hoagies about 3 per sandwich top with a little mozzarella cheese.

These turned out so good and are pretty simple and easy to do. 
love, Carlee

Brick and White

Just a old ol’ what I wore today outfit post. A perfect simple neutral outfit. I got these fake Birks at Payless in the early summer for $13. The first time I wore them they gave my feet little blisters and I was sad about it. But this time I wore them they were perfect and I guess I just needed to be broken in a little bit. I also didn’t expect to much because I only spent $13 but they I am super stocked to wear them with socks and skinny jeans in the winter. Is that weird? People might give me funny looks but this is the look I am going for. 

Hope everyone is having a good day.
love, Carlee

Shirt: American Eagle

Shorts: Target

Sandals: Payless

DIY Artsy Jewelry Hanger

Most of my jewelry it tucked away in little boxes or in a small jar in the bathroom. I don’t wear jewelry very much anyways but even less since it is not organized very well and stored in odd places. But, I got some inspiration when Les posted this DIY on her blog. Obviously mine DIY jewelry hanger is totally different but I took the initial inspiration and come up with something I knew I could make with things I already had. I actually had all the material to make this except the main branch (which I found in this wooded area by my apartment.) Also the DIY I made fits into the aesthetics of my bedroom way better and that’s why I chose super bright and fun colors.

You’ll need
A branch or stick
2 dowels
Paint
Hammer
Nails
Ribbon/rope
Painters tape or steady hand
2 Command stripes

Directions
1. Peel off all the bark from the sticks and get all underneath dirt off.
2. Rinse of in sink and scrub down with an old sponge and let dry.
3. Decided where you want paint and put painters tape around area so you get sharp clean lines.
4. Paint and let dry completely (I was going for something like this, I don’t think I am patient enough)
5. Paint dowels next and let dry.
6. Next nail dowels to the stick. I used really small nails and still have to be careful the dowels didn’t split.
7. After both dowels are nailed on, wrap burlap ribbon around the dowel in order to cover the nail.
8. Wrap tight so that the dowel feels even more secure. Cut with scissors and tuck excess ribbon into itself in the back.
9. Now it’s ready to hang. I used two command strip tabs to secure it to the wall.
10. It has now been hanging above my bedside table for 3 weeks and is still going strong.

This was a super fun DIY to do and now that my jewelry is nicely displayed in a organized manner I have a feeling I will by more likely to grab a piece or two to wear (once in a while).
love, Carlee