New Year, New Resolutions

 

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Get ready everybody - tonight we turn the page from 2015 onto 2016. This past year has been a good one for me. I managed to land a summer internship, worked myself hard both semesters by taking the max amount of class credits, and also made being more active a priority. 2015 was possibly the first year that I really did succeed with my resolutions.

With the new year just hours away, I think I have finally settled on some solid resolutions for the next 366 days - it's a leap year! I had not thought about it too much until my mother told me about her plans to go all-organic this year. I liked the sound of this and decided that maybe I could pursue an all-organic diet as well. In order to do this, I'm going to have to do a lot of research and commit more to meal planning during the week. Additionally, considering that this is my senior year and I am coming up on my final semester as a student, I would like to work toward getting a job. The real goal is to have a job for graduation - but that's everyone's goal, right? I do have a lighter schedule this semester though, so the hunt is certainly on!

<3 Ashley

What is your resolution? How do you plan on executing it?

Post-Christmas

 

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We made it. Another holiday is done and now it is time to wind down 2015 and prepare to kick off 2016. More on the New Year later this week - for now, we need to fight our ways through the remaining food coma effects and put Christmas away for another year. Taking down the Christmas decorations is always the hardest. This is the most wonderful time of the year after all...why would we want to put it away so quickly?

The days following Christmas are for finding places for your gifts, getting rid of leftovers, and slowly taking down decorations. Of course, if my mother had her way I think all of our decorations would have been down two days ago! We were sent home with many cookies and candy from family and I am pretty sure that I am the only one in the fight to consume it all before the New Year because, you know...fresh start.

Note: I started writing this post like a million hours ago and got distracted by the Military Bowl featuring my Pitt Panthers. Spoiler alert - we are losing and I am an emotional wreck. NBD.

<3 Ashley

Are you in the process of de-Christmasing? 

Kick Up Your Heels

Loafer heel | Bow Flat | Bow Pumps | Bow Kitten Heel | Striped Heel

When it comes to holiday parties, while the dress is certainly important, I personally spend too much time fixating on what dancing shoes I will be sporting. Above are just a few styles that I love this time of year - featuring plenty of bows, the boldest of reds, and the classic black and gold. I have a pair of black, bowed kitten heels from White House | Black Market that I will be hitting the town with.

<3 Ashley

What shoes do you sport for holiday parties?

Recipe Box: Gingerbread Cookies

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As Christmas draws near, I find myself facing the panic of searching for gifts for my friends. Considering our very meager college bank accounts, I am of the opinion that none of us should feel compelled to buy gifts. A dinner together is what I am content with. However, each year we get the message in our group text, "We need to hang out. I have your Christmas gifts" and I go into cardiac arrest. You can't receive and not give a gift for Christmas! So in recent years, I have resolved to combat this by baking a bag of cookies for each of my friends. Last year was sugar cookies with homemade icing. This year, I have been in the mood to bake some delicious gingerbread cookies.

Turning to Pinterest, I've discovered the recipe from The Parsimonious Princess. The recipe is simple and contains just a few ingredients compared to some of the other recipes I considered. I am not baking until Tuesday, but I wanted to share with you now in the case that you too are searching high and low for a Christmas cookie recipe!

What you need:
- 1 1/2 c. (3 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 c. brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 c. molasses
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
- 2 tsp. ground ginger
- 5 c. all-purpose flour

What to do:
- Combine butter and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Incorporate eggs on at a time.
- Add molasses and mix
- Combine baking soda, spices, and flour in a separate bowl. Add the wet mixture. Mix until smooth
- Let the dough chill for a couple of hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Roll out on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness
- Cut into desired shapes and place on lined or greased cookie sheet
- Bake 10-12 minutes
- Cool. Decorate. Enjoy.

<3 Ashley

What is your go-to Christmas cookie?

The Busiest (And Most Wonderful) Time of the Year

Hello, remember me? It's been a few days yes? That silence is over now that...I AM DONE WITH FINALS! That's right; it's all celebrating and relaxing for a few weeks. That is at least after tomorrow's job/internship interview (it could go either way!) I am heading back home Thursday morning for just a couple of weeks to spend the holidays with my family and friends.

 

While this month has been busy between preparing for finals, getting things organized for the new campus late night show, and minor panics at becoming an adult; it is also a beautiful month of celebration and joy. Here, we managed to take a few steps back from the productivity to enjoy the holiday in the 'Burgh just for a little bit. One of my roommates and I went Saturday night to Phipps Conservatory to walk through all of the beautiful flowers, trees, and Christmas lights. This year, we witnessed for the first time a very long line going into Phipps - never have I seen a line! We followed the trip with Thai takeout, because nothing is complete without glass noodles with chicken and veggies...right?

Last night was also a big night, because Pitt Tonight finally premiered. Since September, I have been working as one of the heads of marketing for a student run monthly, late night broadcast. After a few stressful months dealing with social media, promotions, and other tasks we could finally take a breath and let everything we have worked for unfold. It went fabulously! The link for the episode will be live tomorrow night and I cannot wait to share it!

<3 Ashley

Are you taking in the holiday festivities?

Gift Guide: Stocking Stuffers

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Is anyone else of the opinion that stocking stuffers sometimes make the best gifts? Even after opening the big gift boxes under the tree, there is always the excitement of finding a surprise in that little sock hanging from the fireplace or bookshelf. For all those gifts that are a little small to warrant extravagant wrapping, deliver them together--like nice happy holidays care-package. I've taken the liberty of searching the internet for a few ideas if you are stumped about what to put in your loved one's stocking.

Her:

Notebook | Gloves | Candle | iPhone case | Rollerballs

One big thing that I especially love in a stocking is make-up! Small, travel-sized items like fragrance rollerballs, mascara, or lipstick are welcomed gifts! Also, if the woman you are shopping for is anything like myself, candy is not a bad stocking stuffer either. ;)

Him:

Watch | Scarf | Cologne | iPhone case | Book

While men remain a mystery to me, I think that these gifts are a good jumping off point when it comes to ideas. I laughed out loud when I stumbled across the Pocket Ref book--it holds answers to all! 

<3 Ashley

Do you have any go-to stocking stuffers? 

Recipe Box: Peppermint Crunch Dark Chocolate Cookies

Image: here

This past Saturday my roommates and I spent some time at our friend's house baking with her mother (spoiler alert: that friend is studying abroad currently! Haha!) Last year, her mother came to our apartment and we knocked out 11 types of cookies in 6 hours. This year we did not boast the same stats, but only because we were under an actual time constraint. But we did manage a solid 8 cookies between 10 AM and 2:30 PM! One of them, I will share with you today. The peppermint crunch dark chocolate cookies are everybody's current favorite I believe. What's not to love? Dark chocolate + peppermint = holiday happiness.

What you need:
- 1 box dark chocolate cake mix
- 1 bag peppermint baking chips (note: we bought Hershey's peppermint candy bars and just broke them up)
-  1/2 c. vegetable or canola oil
- 2 eggs

What to do:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Combine mix, oil and eggs in a bowl
- Stir in peppermint chips
- Chill in the refrigerator for one hour
- Roll into balls and drop onto ungreased, non-stick cookie sheet
- Bake 7-9 minutes
- Enjoy!

<3 Ashley

What are your favorite kinds of Christmas cookies?

Life of the (Holiday) Party

NY&Co Lace Flare Dress | Francesca's Shift Dress | Kate Spade A-Line Dress | White House Black Market High-Low Dress

I love this time of the year because it is one holiday after another. We move from Thanksgiving to Christmas to the New Year in a pretty short time. During this month of celebration we fill special evenings with family dinners and gatherings, nights out with friends before going home for the holidays, and holiday parties. For that reason, one must enter the season armed with fun, festive, and versatile holiday ensembles. I've scoured the internet and compiled some of my favorite holiday looks for you here! 

<3 Ashley

Is you schedule lined with holiday parties? Do you have a go-to dress or outfit?

Oh December!

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There is one thing that I have been waiting for this semester, and it is the beginning of the end. Once December starts, the work starts winding down and we start giving presentations and submitting final papers. Yesterday I gave my first presentation, there is one tomorrow, and Monday is my last. Sunday I night I will submitting a final paper and next week will submit my last...and I'm done. Hallelujah!!

While for college students it marks this wind down, December is also the heart of the holiday season! Hanukkah begins this Sunday for many to celebrate and Christmas is just around the corner. This month, I will try my very best to be your friendly neighborhood blogger and help your shopping with a few gift guides to help you find the perfect surprise for the people in your life. Also know that this month the cookie recipe game will be strong. I will also be sharing my favorite winter fashions. I hope your are all as excited as I am to jump right into all that this month has to offer!

<3 Ashley

Black Friday

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I hope that everyone enjoyed Thanksgiving day with family, food, and football. My family abandoned the football games on TV--not everyone was satisfied with the outcome--and started our own family football match. I do admit that I was not the MVP for my team, but I did have fun! After everyone left, I spent my evening getting focused for Black Friday shopping with one of my longest friends. We stepped out at midnight to take advantage of lower prices as Target, where I picked up some pillows and towels for my apartment...because apparently I am an adult now. We were then promptly disappointed to find out that the mall closed at midnight and would not be opening until 6 AM. So I'm going to break that down for you: they were open on Thanksgiving but closed once Black Friday started...this makes sense how? We then had to re-establish our attack plan for the night and agreed to take our shopping trip a little further from home to the outlets at Hershey.


While the outlets did not feature our intended stores (New York & Company and Forever 21) we did have successful visits to Rue21, Yankee Candle, and Bath & Body Works. I'm not usually a Rue21 shopper, but with puffer vests at $10 and a handful of tops priced between $3-$7 I could not resist. I walked away from the evening with everything I had on my list and even a bit more. I also took advantage of the time and spent some time eye some of the higher priced stores and their deals. They may have still been out of my budget but J. Crew and Ralph Lauren also had some great sales with the stores going 50-75% off.

Before this Black Friday ends, I did log on to NY&Co's website and get what I wanted to last night--pants. As someone whose pants size is always changing it seems, I am currently in the market for a new pair. The entire site (and store!) is up to 75% off today with the chance for an additional 10% off on select items. Also free shipping on all orders! I'm now waiting on this pair of leggings and this pair of pants. These will be great for the extensive job search I will be embarking on in the coming semester in preparation for graduation.

Also another great sale that I wish I had the budget for is the one over at Kate Spade. 75% off there too...unfortunately I still can't afford most of it. :( I hope that you all have had a fruitful Black Friday and were able take advantage of some of these great sales.

<3 Ashley

What does your Black Friday haul look like?

The Most Wonderful Time

This weekend truly kicked off the holiday season for me (Thanksgiving too...because I'm an inclusive person!) Friday night in Pittsburgh was Light Up Night, when I swear that every individual in Allegheny County converged on the downtown area. While I have only gone once before, I can honestly say that it was not nearly as packed as it was this year. When I was not angrily shoving my way through crowds or coping with the rude teenagers cutting right in front of me in the line to see the gingerbread houses--am I sounding like an old lady yet?--I was quite filled with holiday spirit.

We missed the lighting of Pittsburgh's answer to the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, but we were sure to make that our first stop. I really do love all of the lights and Christmas decorations that are in PPG Place from now to the end of the season. My roommate said it very aptly when she looked at the tree in the middle of the ice skating rink and said, "I just gives me the happy, warm fuzzies inside."

Back home for Thanksgiving! After a 4 hour drive, this was a nice and familiar sight.

I do feel the warm fuzzies on the inside, I must say. But just the inside...externally I am freezing because temps are finally dropping to characteristic levels and as poor college students we are pushing the limits on when we should cave and turn the heat on. Edit: the heat is now on. Wearing gloves in the house was a good hint that it needed to happen, I guess.

<3 Ashley

Are you ready for the holidays? Also, Happy Thanksgiving...probably will not be online tomorrow. Enjoy your families!

Photo Diary: Fall Vibes

With temps dropping outside, my roommates and I are seeing how long we can go without cranking up the heat. Current status: blankets on blankets.

The sweaters are unpacked, placed, and ready to go!

This is this photo's second appearance on the blog, but it's a favorite of mine. Photo creds go to my girl, Michelle on this one. This is from a very well spent day at the apple orchard and pumpkin patch.

A delicious butternut squash and sweet potato soup that I will be posting the recipe for soon!

(photo credit: Pitt Alumni Association)

Also, I cannot say more about how beautiful this campus is in the fall! I love walking through the leaves on the sidewalk and seeing the Cathedral poking out behind the colorful trees. 

<3 Ashley

Are you enjoying the autumn? What is your favorite part of the season?

How Early is Too Early

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Recently--about a week ago--my roommates and I decided that we could officially start going holiday crazy. We are planning our roommate Thanksgiving for before our break, making plans for Light Up Night in Downtown Pittsburgh this Friday to see the Christmas tree in PPG Place, making gallons of hot chocolate, and also listening to Christmas music. Yes, Christmas music started a week ago and has all been downloaded to my phone. We are all on the same page with the holiday schedule and it is wonderful.

However, there are mumblings of people getting frustrated with the early Christmas excitement. I know one girl my friend is acquainted with loves Thanksgiving and feels that we are skipping over the day of thanks completely. So the question I pose to you all: How early is too early for Christmas?

Here are my thoughts. For me, the winter holidays are not really systematic to me. To be perfectly honest, I lump Thanksgiving and Christmas together as the holidays. Both are spent with family, sharing time and stories around the table together. They are only a month apart anyway, so both make-up the holiday season for me. For that reason, I do not feel a shred of guilt for starting the Christmas tunes in early November (not the first day...I do have some self-control.) I respect the rights of others to rage about my level of joy in mid-November, but please also respect my right to wrap myself in Christmas lights and belt "Silver Bells." ;P

<3 Ashley

How early do you start Christmas music/decorations? What is too early?

Book Club: Dead Wake

Good morning everyone! Before I get into my little review (and I mean little...sorry...time crunch!) I wanted to just send out a "Thank you" to all of our veterans on this Veteran's Day. Thank you so much for your bravery and sacrifice. You've made getting up everyday and pursuing good things possible!

Now, in an unexpected turn I finished reading a book during the semester. *pause for gasps, passing out, and utter chaos*

That book was Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson. As minor in history with a focus in U.S. history, this kind of book is what speaks to me. It is not necessarily historical fiction. Larson pulls from a number of sources--seriously, a good chunk of the end of the book is endnotes--to tell the story of those who were on the ship when it was attacked by a German submarine.

Not only do we get the accounts of those on the boat, but also chapters devoted to President Wilson, Churchill and Room 40, and even Walther Schwieger--the submarine commander who initiated the attack. Through researching letters, notes, video, and photograph Larson was able to pull together a convincing account of day-to-day life on the ship and the mentality of the British and American governments as the signs of an attack grew even more obvious.

After finishing the book, I was left with many questions that would be interesting to research--this is the history student talking! If this is the kind of reading that you enjoy, or find yourself particularly interested in the World War I period, I definitely recommend this book to you. I can't wait to read it again.

<3 Ashley

Have you read Dead Wake? What did you think? 

Holy Moly!

Research for my final ad campaign. Hire me, Kate Spade?

Sorry for the absolute silence last week guys! It appears that this is the time when college comes at me at warp speed because I have been doing nothing but work, work, work! While I enjoy being busy, having so many projects due at one time has really knocked the wind out of me. I was up late last night, and woke up early this morning to put the finishing touches on an ad campaign project so that I can make final edits throughout the day before it is due at 3. You can tell that I really like to push it to the limit. However, since this campaign is figuratively for Kate Spade (thank you, prof for letting me follow my dreams on this one) it wasn't all a horrible experience. :)

I was able to break up with work a little bit with some fun in between. We had our home football game against Notre Dame this weekend. Spoiler alert: we lost. It was a great game though and the most packed the stadium has been in my time here--kind of incredible to be a part of!

Hopefully this won't be the last you hear from me this week! I will try to have a post set up Wednesday. xo

<3 Ashley

How was your weekend? 

November is...

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...long hikes through fallen leaves

...a tall mug of hot apple cider

...a cozy cable knit sweater

...evenings baking with roommates

...large family meals
...breaking out your holiday best
...buying decorations

...impromptu coffee shop stops

...early nights in bed

...early mornings to attack the day

<3 Ashley

What is November to you? 

Spotted

Spotted on the Pitt campus, Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen popping champagne to commemorate their final college Halloweekend. Chuck and Lonely Boy no where to be found. What fun lies in store for these Upper East Siders? I'll never tell. xoxo Gossip Girl

That's right! Happy Halloween everybody! Last night was full of fun times and great costumes. My friend and I went as Blair and Serena from Gossip Girl. This was a natural pick for us since we OBSESS over the show. I was Blair...because of course. It was great to step out dressed as TV's best dressed duo; everyone else's costumes of course paled in comparison to ours. :)

<3 Ashley

How are you dressing up for Halloween?

Sunday Brunch: Pumpkin Pancakes

Well well well...here we find ourselves enjoying yet another lazy Sunday morning. I really hope these never end. I need my sanity days. Now, my intention was to post this on Friday (really!) but that clearly never happened. So welcome to an actual Sunday Sunday Brunch brunch post. See what I did there? Low-cal calzone zone, anybody?

Anyway. I mentioned early in the week how I am basically obsessing over all things pumpkin and one of the newest and most frequent fixtures in my diet are pumpkin pancakes. Sometimes these appear with chocolate chips, sometimes they fly solo. The recipe is super easy and is actually the recipe that I posted before for single serving whole wheat pancakes, just with pumpkin and spices added!

Ingredients:
- 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- a few shakes of cinnamon and nutmeg
- 1/3 c. milk
- 1 egg
- 2 tsps. maple syrup
- 3 tbsps. pumpkin puree

What to do:
- Mix up your dry ingredients first. Then add in the rest. When it comes to the spices, you are free to do as you please. This was an experimentation for me one morning so I do not actually have measurements for you.

- I usually add about 3 tbsps of pumpkin puree to my mixture because I am only doing the single serving amount. You should probably adjust accordingly if you are making more. Also, the pumpkin will make the batter a little bit thicker so I pour in a touch more milk at the end to thin it a bit.

- Ladle batter onto hot skillet (medium low heat) and let brown on each side. Add chocolate chips at your discretion ;)

- Serve with butter and maple syrup. Enjoy!

<3 Ashley

What are your favorite pumpkin recipes? Share below!

All Night

This is what last night's study session looked like. At least I cram in style!

One of the trademarks of college that people always warned me about was exhausting all-nighter. You know, the fabled study sesh that you mentally and physically have to prepare yourself for. Typically happens when you have procrastinated far too much and the deadlines have stacked up on you or when finals hit and you hunker down in the library with a blanket and gallon of coffee. This is the part of college that I was not looking for as a young freshman-to-be. Having to commit yourself so hard to your studies that you lose sleep? I'm all about being a good student and working hard, but that just seems like too much!

Typing this as a senior I can tell you that...I have not had to do this even once. There was the one time that I really thought I was going to have to! I had a history paper due and a philosophy exam on the same day. I put my PJs on, grabbed my work, draped a blanket around my shoulders, snagged some snacks and made my way to the upstairs lounge--dorm living!! In reality...I was done and back in bed by 2 AM. In my defense, it did feel like an all nighter because my history class was at 8 AM.

This year already there have been a few times where I probably could have repeated this (last night, for example!) My tip to my fellow collegiates: just prioritize and focus. Honestly, you cannot afford to lose sleep in college. You need so many hours of sleep to help you store the information for that exam that you have put off studying for. You also need that sleep to maintain a halfway friendly demeanor and positive relationships...at least I do!

<3 Ashley

Have you been known to pull an all-nighter or seven? How were able to be a functioning human? (serious inquiry)

Photo Diary: Embracing the Fall

Delicious Pumpkin Spice Sugar donut!

I'm writing to you from the couch in my living room today...notice how I am not frantically getting ready for class. It's Fall Break (aka...a three day weekend!) Instead I am lounging in our actually kind cold house, wrapped in a fleece, sipping on coffee, and enjoying a plate of pumpkin pancakes--recipe coming later this week!

This past weekend has been a blessed on, which I spent with friends and family. On Saturday, one of my friends and I took a half hour drive to Wexford, PA to spend the day at Soergel's Orchard. Let me tell you it was the BEST day to be there. Perfect weather + Amish donuts + all of the apples, pumpkin and cider a girl could dream for = a very contented Ashley. I got to show off my very impressive apple and pumpkin picking skills and we even took some cute snaps throughout the day.

One thing that we were sure not to leave without was our own bottles of the orchard's apple wine--sampled that night...it was very crisp!

Sunday I spent the (very cold) day with my dad at the Steelers v. Cardinals game. Thank the Lord we won that game despite a very depressing start. I don't know how this city would be consoled otherwise. Haha!

With the weekend fun winding down, today will be spent doing all the work that I should have maybe started earlier. This will be done a lot easier now that I am in the early stages of a cold and refuse to leave this house! >.<

<3 Ashley

What did you do this weekend? Have you fully embraced the season?

Leather Look

Ted Baker Bag | Charlotte Russe Boots | H&M Pants| Chicwish Skirt |River Island Vest 

Hello and welcome to another installment of "I'm Not a Fashion Blogger, But How About An 'A' For Effort!" I'm your host, Ashley and today we are going to discuss the wonder and glory of the leather fall look. But really...it's a great look right? Now understand that by "leather" I am referring to faux, of course...I can't afford the real deal. Plus, if someone is just looking at you and not touching your outfit all over (stop them if they do because that's weird) then who will really know? 

I think that leather is just so sleek and chic especially this time of year as we begin layering and making efforts to keep the chill from directly touching our skin. Plus, how sexy is a pair of leather pants and some leather boots? Very! That is the answer. In reality, I don't own much myself. Just a few pieces with leather panels in them--which is just as great! I have found a number of pieces that I want in my closet right this second. Check 'em out! ^ 

Real or fake, you gotta get on board with this look!

<3 Ashley

Do you love the look of leather pieces like I do? What's your favorite way to wear it?

Weekend: Homecoming

Friday night fireworks and laser show to kickoff a successful homecoming!

Gooooooood morning friends! All it takes is one solid weekend and I am ready to take on the week. This past weekend was homecoming week here at Pitt and this place was packed with families and alumni. Saturday this household was up bright and early and in the parking lot the football stadium by 9:00 with containers of breakfast in hand. Side note: if you are ever in Pittsburgh, brunch at Pamela's is the way to go; their breakfast potatoes are the bomb!

Super amped to finally be able to tailgate with all of my friends before the games.

The game itself was amazing! The stadium was packed, the student section was full and loud, and we won--take that, Virginia! After the game, one of my best friends from home arrived to spend the rest of the weekend with us. We spent a lovely night out touring the bar scene around the campus. Sunday morning we took a drive down to the Strip District for brunch at Deluca's, which claims the "best breakfast in the 'Burgh." After waiting in line for a whole hour to get seats, we could verify that claim--all of our dishes were delicious! I would like to go back and try their crepes sometime since I got an omelette this time.

We also celebrated a friend's birthday last night. Per Taylor Swift, he is definitely "feeling 22!" This weekend was definitely great, however, I now have to deal with the feeling that maybe there was school work that I should have been working on! Uh oh!

<3 Ashley

How was your weekend?

Get SET

Yes, yes, yes it is that time of the year! Temps get cooler, I leave my window open just a hair to let some cool air get into my heat trap of a room, and I bust out the de la Renta set to keep me from getting too cold at night. Are there people who do not like PJ sets? Why? They are so cute and comfortable when there is a bite to the air--what is not to love? 

Over the past few years, my grandmother has become the supplier to this addiction of mine. For the past few years, a new set gets added to my collection at Christmas. Thanks, Grandma! This one, however was gifted from my parents last year. At $30 at TJ Maxx, it was the one item that was highlighted as mandatory on my wish list. 

Below are some favorites that I have stumbled across on my Internet travels. Click on the images for full size on the retailer website.

                      

Happy sleeping!

<3 Ashley

Are you a pajama set fan? What style do you tend towards?

Go Deep

We are still in the beginning stages of fall, which means I still walk outside in the morning and treat South Oakland with the excitement of being in Disney World. Spoiler alert: South Oakland is NOT Disney World. I am in the blissful stage of being thrill that temps are dropping a bit to accommodate my jeans and boots. We are getting just a little preview of fall and with that fall fashion.

One thing that I love about fall is the deep hues that tend to make an appearance. Don't get me wrong--I do love me the bright colors that spring and summer bring us. However, there is a time and place for more subdued colors and that time is now. Deep shades of red, green and even a burnt orange here and there give me life this time of year. There's just something about fall colors, right? A few of my favorites are above with links below...there are some cozy looking fall collections out there!

Long Cardigan || Forever 21

Dress || Francesca's

Knit hooded dress || H&M

'Rust' Skinny Jeans || Charlotte Russe

<3 Ashley

What colors do you sport in the fall?

First Day of October

Happy October, folks! The weather in Pittsburgh is starting to feel a lot more like autumn now! With highs in the 60s I really don't think that I could be an happier. Today was not only the first day of October, but also a day of seasonal firsts. Today was the day that I deigned to finally sample the new an improved Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. Boy, was it good! What are your opinions on it? I can definitely tell a difference from last season--read: I like it a lot better.

Upon waking up this morning, I threw open my window to let some cool in come through to my teeny-tiny, heat trapping room. I made the mistake of looking back as I headed downstairs for breakfast and saw my warm and inviting bed beckoning me to come back. How I said no to that coziness is beyond me.

As I type this now I am in the process of freezing a batch of butternut squash, which I will likely mix up in a soup in a few weeks--once I get my hands on a nifty immersion blender. The blender we have now is just no match for soups!

Today was also the day I busted out the scarves. They are all lined up and ready to go!

<3 Ashley

Does it feel like fall where you are? What are you looking forward to this month?