Happy Monday, sweet friends! With Thanksgiving almost here and the official start of the holiday season just days away, I thought it would be fun to share five holiday date night ideas with the hopes that it will get your own festive ideas flowing and excited for the upcoming season! Without further ado —
1. Decorate your space for the holidays! Whether it’s your own home, your bedroom of even your family’s space — decorating together can really get you into the festive spirit and is the perfect way to spend an evening together.
2. Take a drive to see the holiday lights! Scout out the best neighborhood(s) in your area and take a drive with your loved one to see all the festive and colored lights your neighbors have put up to celebrate the season. Bonus tip — make a fun holiday playlist + bring a thermos full of hot coco to sip on while you drive.
3. Bake Christmas cookies together! This is by far one of my favorite holiday traditions ever, and baking cookies with your loved one feels that much more special. Bonus tip — this is my favorite sugar cookie recipe!
4. Visit your local tree farm (or lot for all you city dwellers) + bring home a tree (even if it’s a mini one)! Picking out the perfect tree is a fun way to spend a chilly, holiday evening! Don’t forget to bundle up and pack a hot drink to sip on while you pick out “the one.”
5. Have a holiday themed movie night! Love Actually, Elf, The Holiday, A Charlie Brown Christmas, etc. — pick a handful of favorites and settled in for a night of holiday goodness! Snacks are also a must, so don’t forget the candy cane joe’s joe’s and hot coco with whip cream!
I would love to hear your own holiday date night ideas! Or even your favorite holiday traditions! Please share, sweet friends! And happy holidays! I hope ya’ll have an amazing week!
It’s official — the countdown is on for when it’s socially acceptable to put our Christmas tree up, haha! I feel like this fall has gone by in a flash, and with Thanksgiving nearly here — I find myself already dreaming of the holiday decor that will soon hang in our home. We’re pretty traditional around here, as we love our tree with the colored lights, handmade ornaments and favorite pieces from the past, along with knitted stockings and fresh garland, of course. However, Scott and I do love to switch things up and see what’s new in the stores + find inspiration in different styles and colorways that seem to be popping up for the holidays nowadays. With all that said, I know that holiday decor can be a very personal choice, but if you’re like me — browsing the new-in holiday decor feels extra exciting and it’s the perfect way to start to get into the holiday spirit! Oh, and a little inspiration never hurt anyone — right? 😉
In case you’re on the hunt for new holiday home decor, or just feel like browsing through some pretty bits and pieces, here’s a few of my favorite shops to browse + buy holiday home decor from —
I would love to hear if you have any favorite stores for shopping holiday home decor! Come Friday, our home will be in full on Christmas mode — but until then, I’ll just keep browsing + planning every inch of our holiday home decor. Anyways, I hope ya’ll are having a great weekend and I’ll be back soon!
Hello! I’m back with the final part of our South Dakota travel guide! In case you missed part 1, part 2 and part 3, Scott and I partnered with the kind folks at South Dakota Tourism to venture around the eastern part of their beautiful state in early October! Today, I’m sharing all our last full day in SD, which includes a diner breakfast date, sight seeing in Brookings, lunch + sweets in Sioux Falls, more apple picking and of course — sunset at the Falls Park!
Scott and I woke up early on our last full day in South Dakota and headed downtown for breakfast at Cook’s Kitchen — which we quickly learned was the hippest place to be on a Sunday morning! After a few hot coffees + a classic diner style breakfast, Scott and I hopped in the car and took a little drive through town before we started our trip back Sioux Falls. Among our stops along the way — Coughlin Campanile, a 164 foot fall chimes tower on the South Dakota State University campus, and a rad “Brookings” mural that caught our eye as we were driving on by!
After a few stops and a drive around town, we hit the road and headed back to Sioux Falls for lunch and an afternoon of exploring. Once we made our way back into town, our first stop was lunch at the Bread & Circus Sandwich Kitchen. This cute eatery was nestled away just down the street from our hotel and was the perfect place to enjoy a little lunch date on an autumn day.
Scott and I both opted for specials off of their season menu and were super excited with how quickly they came out (we were starving at this point, haha). Both meals were super delicious and we were only sad that we weren’t going to have the opportunity to come back here again during this trip — everything on their menu seriously sounded so good! Until next time, B&C!
After lunch, dessert sounded like a must — so we headed back to downtown Sioux Falls to check out a local favorite, CH Patisserie! Opened by a world champion pastry chef, this sweet little shop gives off all of the Parisian vibes and served up some amazing macarons, puff pastries and tiramisu! Scott and I had a hard time choosing just one dessert, so we ended up getting three and splitting them — best decision ever if you ask me!
It also didn’t hurt that their building was too cute on the outside and definitely fit my color palette of the day, haha! Anyways, after dessert it was time for coffee and we had heard that Coffea Roasterie was the the place to go — so we made the chilly walk through down the street and grabbed a couple of coffees to warm us up (well, one at least — I swear, you can’t take our iced coffee away from us, even in cold temps!).
After we sipped our coffee and spent a little while warming up, we decided to take one last stroll through downtown to peek through the shops — Unglued being one of our favorites, and then to head on back to our hotel before our next adventure, one more apple orchard that I just couldn’t get off my mind!
The quick drive down to Hoversten Orchards felt like something out of an autumn filled movie — colorful with signs of fall everywhere, old barns + fields of corn as far as the eye can see! We didn’t have a lot of time to spent at Hoversten’s since we wanted to be back at Falls Park for sunset, but the time we did spend there felt pretty special with rows and rows of every kind of apple you kind of think, along with the nicest staff and two sweet gals that so kindly snapped a non-selfie photo of us together! I plan on sharing more about our time there soon, but for now — just imagine you were apple picking with us in the photo below. 😉
And for the last big stop of our trip, we made our way back to Falls Park for a view of the falls at sunset! The golden light peeking through the trees gave the whole area a warm glow that really helped set the mood for our last night in Sioux Falls. Scott and I both couldn’t be more grateful for this opportunity, and would highly encourage everyone to add South Dakota to their travel list soon! This state is SO beautiful and has so much to offer!
And before I go, Scott and I filmed a vlog while visiting South Dakota! I hope ya’ll enjoy it, as we had so much fun filming it!
Well friends, that about wraps up our time in beautiful South Dakota! I have a few more photos + stories that I plan on sharing here soon (mostly about apple picking, haha), but I just want to thank everyone who sent us suggestions and rooted us on along the way — Scott and I love traveling SO much and we’re so thankful that we get to experience new places together and share our photos and stories with ya’ll here! If you would like to see more travel content around these parts, be sure and let us know!
And lastly, a massive thank you is in order for our friends over at South Dakota Tourism for sponsoring this post and inviting us to their gorgeous state during my favorite part of the year! Scott and I are SO grateful for opportunity and can’t wait to go back again one day soon!
Oh, Saturday — I see you right there! How’s it going, friends? I know you don’t typically see me around these parts during the weekend, but I wanted to pop by to share a comfy + classic outfit that I’ve been rocking this fall. While denim is my go-to year round, it’s really the top + accessories that pull together this whole look for me! My beloved Sezane blouse was a cheeky purchase one late night/early morning when I just couldn’t sleep (and the new collection from Sezane just happened to be coming out that day, haha), and the bag is a Sezane souvenir from our time in Paris — both of which help lend a hand in giving this #ootd a very Parisian vibe.
Aside from feeling/dreaming of those Parisian vibes, which I’ve been posting more about on Instagram this week, Scott and I are spent our day beating these nasty colds and working on a few fun projects that I’m excited to share more about soon! The holidays always have this way of making the days seem so slow and fast all at once — with a million things going on, but all at a winter’s pace – slow and steady until Christmas day. With a handful of holiday markets coming our way, Scott and I are trying our best to really prioritize our time and leave space for work, play and rest — something we’re not always great at, but something we’re dedicate to working on this year (and the rest). Let me know if you can related — there’s no need for the holiday blues around here, but things sure can get busy (and overwhelming) quick!
I’m off to finish the day the way it started — lounging in bed and sipping on some hot (decaf) coffee! Hope ya’ll have a wonderful weekend and I’ll be back soon!
Hi friends! I’m so sorry for the crickets around here the last few days — Scott and I both got hit with a nasty cold that seems to still be lingering, much to our dismay. However, we are in good company with our furry friends by our side and lots of hot tea + move nights happening around here. We’ll be taking the weekend to rest and catch up on a bit of work that we weren’t able to get to earlier in the week, but until then — here’s a few thoughts + things that came across my mind/caught my eye the last few days as I endlessly scrolled the interwebs while lying in bed (true story – eck, haha):
— Molly of Almost Makes Perfect is one of my favorite gals to follow on Instagram — I love her easy + simple approach to home decor!
— The new Madewell x No.6 collab is SO good! This piece is making its way to me as we speak!
— Phoenix Flea is just around the corner, folks! Will Scott and I be seeing you there this year?
Happy November! Last week brought the first day of a November and the last day of the Halloween season. While i’m sad to see October go, I am excited for all that the new month will bring. We kicked off the month by taking a quick flight to Sioux Falls, South Dakota! Scott and I had never been to South Dakota together before (and he not at all), so getting to explore such a beautiful place together, and during the fall nonetheless, was such a treat! After we spent four days exploring the Eastern side of South Dakota, we headed home to start a few whirlwind weeks — which included celebrating our 11th dating anniversary, Scott’s 29th birthday, the opening of Mezona Market and All Hallows’ Eve! October is also a month full of celebrations, and this year wasn’t any different! Ready for a few peeks into our home during the month of October? Here we go —
— The bats are (were) back! I picked up these velvety bats last year from Target on a whim and they have officially been my favorite Halloween decorations two years in a row! I love how they can subtly add a little spookiness and Halloween spirit without overpowering the space.
— Raise your hand if you’re constantly changing the throw pillows on your bed — guilty as charged! The rust beauties in the back were a recent Target purchase and are adding so much warmth to the space. Mixed with two West Elm pillows and one vintage kilim piece, this set is giving off all the autumn vibes.
— Pumpkin carving is a must in our home and this year Scott and I carved this beauty together! While I love a good, complicated design — I’m also all about the simple pumpkin faces that feel so classic and remind me of my days carving pumpkins when I was a kid. What about you — are you into simple designs or more intricate ones?
I hope ya’ll have an amazing week! Scott and are on the mend after both catching a nasty cold, but we did have an amazing time at the grand opening party for Mezona Market and Pineapple Triangle over the weekend! Happy Tuesday, friends!
Hi, friends! I’m back today with part 3 of our South Dakota travel guide! In case you missed part 1 and part 2, Scott and I partnered with the folks at South Dakota Tourism to explore the eastern side of their gorgeous state in early October! Today, I’m sharing all our trip to the Country Apple Orchard! Visiting an apple orchard was high up on our list of things to do while in South Dakota, so we were very excited when we found out that there were two orchards less than 20 minutes away from Sioux Falls (both of which we visited!). First up on our list — the Country Apple Orchard for their annual Harvest Fest, complete with apple picking, hot apple cider and pumpkins galore!
We arrived at the orchard post-farmers market and pre-drive to Garretson, which we quickly realized was the perfect time to pick apples because we basically had the whole front half of the orchard to ourselves! The last time Scott and I went apple picking was a little over two years ago, but if you take a peek at those photos — you’ll see how different apple picking in the desert really is, so we were both very excited to have a real autumn, apple orchard experience!
Even though it had been raining the night before, we ended up having the most beautiful, breezy day at the orchard! The sun was out and the apples were ripe for the pickin’! So we enjoyed the sun, the sweater weather and picked a bag full of apples to take home to our family. We may have also had a little juggling fun during the apple picking process, but one apple was about all I could handle, haha!
Scott and I had the best time picking apples and quickly decided that we would need to check out the other local apple orchard before we headed home. There’s just something about being at an apple orchard that gives you ALL the fall feels — which is exactly what we were on the hunt for during this trip!
Before we headed out of the orchard, Scott told me that he brought something he wanted to take a picture of while we were there — a South Dakota ornament that he made before we left home! Scott and I very passionate about our states (in fact, we’ve built a whole small business around our passion for them), so bringing this ornament and snapping a photo of it in its own home state felt pretty rad! Now every time I see someone picking up an SD ornament at our markets, I’ll be able to share that we spent some time there in the fall of 2017 — it’s those special stories that I love sharing and connecting with our customers on, and I guess you can say that it’s kind of like blogging in that aspect! It’s those special stories that really bring us together at the end of the day!
I’ll be back soon to share part 4 of our travel guide, which will be all about our last full day in South Dakota — including our morning in Brookings, lunch + dessert back in Sioux Falls and a peek at the glorious falls themselves! Friends, don’t forget to share your South Dakota adventures with me! Have you ever been to Mount Rushmore, or gone to the Badlands National Park to see the bison? Let a gal know! Would love to hear your experiences!
A huge thank you is also in order for our friends over at South Dakota Tourism for sponsoring this post! Scott and I are SO thankful for opportunity to visit their gorgeous state and can’t wait to go back again soon!
Happy Halloween, friends! I hope ya’ll are having the spookiest of days! Scott and I are gearing up for a fun night out with friends and hope ya’ll have a great one as well! We don’t really see any trick or treaters around our home, so we’re headed out to help take our friends’ little ones trick or treating for the evening! Halloween is one of my most favorite holidays, so getting to see everyone enjoying the All Hallows’ Eve spirit makes me SO excited! Oh, and if you’re wondering — yes, Scott and I are dressing up this year! We’re going to be Elsa and Woody, respectively! Promise to share photos via Instagram, but until then — happy haunting, friends!
Hello, sweet friends! I’m back today with part 2 of our South Dakota travel guide! In case you missed part 1, Scott and I partnered with the kind folks over at South Dakota Tourism to explore the eastern part of their beautiful state in early October! Today, I’m sharing all about our second day of our getaway, including a farmers market date, a beautiful garden and lots of autumn colors that left this desert gal in a state of awe! Anyways, on our second day in SD, we woke up to a chilly morning in Sioux Falls. After packing our bags for our next destination, we bundled up and headed to Josiah’s Coffeehouse for breakfast! Josiah’s came highly recommended, so we knew we were in for a treat.
Josiah’s was a quick drive from our hotel and had the coziest space — a perfect spot for sharing a hot breakfast and a couple of iced coffees before heading to the Falls Park Farmers Market! Scott and I try to go to a local farmers market in every town we visit, so getting to see Sioux Fall’s very own was right up our alley!
The Falls Park Farmers Market was a short drive from Josiah’s and was bustling with people when we arrived! Filled with fresh flowers, fall goods and all the fresh fruit you could hope for, Scott and I decided to take a stroll around the whole market before making our purchases. Truth be told, I could have bought something from every booth — flowers, fresh produce and all the baked goods we could eat!
After making our purchases, including this autumnal floral arrangement, we jumped into the car and headed to a local apple orchard for some apple picking! We have SO many photos from our time there, so I’m planning on sharing those separately, but after the orchard we were off to our next destination — Palisades State Park in Garretson! This state park is a truly unique area, with a flowing creek that’s lined with Sioux quartzite formations — varying from “shelves” several feet above the water, to 50-foot vertical cliffs! I can tell you from our experience that this place is so, so gorgeous and definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area!
Next up on our list was grabbing lunch at “O” So Good! This charming restaurant is nestled along main street in Garretson and offers comfort food with a Southern flair. By the time we got there, Scott and I were both pretty hungry — so we split a mushroom melt and a veggie pizza! Both were delicious, and filled us up — a perfect situation for our next mini road trip to Brookings where we would spend the evening!
The drive to Brookings was quick, easy and filled with autumn colors. Once arriving in this bustling college town (which was extra packed for dad’s weekend at South Dakota State University), we headed straight for the first stop on our list — McCrory Gardens!
McCrory Gardens, named for a beloved professor at SD State who helped kickstart the project, was envisioned to be a research garden for trees, flowers, shrubs and grasses that were or could possibly be a part of South Dakota’s landscape. This same vision is still the main focus for all the work done at the Gardens today and the results are truly breathtaking!
Scott and I spent about an hour walking through the gardens and taking in each vignette of scenery — each unique and oh so beautiful! There were also two weddings going on this day (what a beautiful place to get married in!), so we tried or best to stay out of those areas while exploring each section of the gardens! Our favorites were the butterfly, mum and red gardens!
The sights surrounding the gardens are equally as gorgeous — these trees that sat right outside the garden gates were unlike anything I’ve ever seen before! This desert gal was having a complete shock and awe moment — there’s just so much beauty in seeing the leaves turn and feeling that chilly air on a sunny, autumn day! South Dakota autumns will always hold a special in my heart now!
After working up an appetite at the gardens, Scott and I headed to the Old Market Eatery for dinner! This spot came highly recommended and felt definitely our speed! We loved how airy and light their front room was, including a chilly breeze that was blowing in from the open windows, and were really excited about their delicious sounding menu!
Scott and I were pretty hungry at this point, so we started with their black bean and corn salsa — which was SO good! For dinner, Scott ordered the special of the night (a fried chicken burger!) and I had a grilled chicken sandwich on GF bread. Both were delicious and super filling — but don’t worry, we definitely saved enough room for desert! 😉 Homemade cheesecake with raspberry sauce was calling our name and was the perfect way to end the evening — full bellies, a cool breeze and the best dinner date in such a beautiful place!
I’ll be back soon to share part 3 of our travel guide, which will be all about our time at the Country Apple Orchard! And if you’ve been to South Dakota before, don’t forget to share your favorite places and spaces you visited with me! Scott and I are hoping to go back one day soon to visit the Western side of the state!
A huge thank you is also in order for the folks over at South Dakota Tourism for sponsoring this post! Scott and I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to visit their beautfuil state!
Good evening, friends! I just wanted to pop in here to say I hope ya’ll had a wonderful weekend! Scott and I celebrated his 29th birthday and had a booth at a local vintage market! I was actually hoping to get this post up yesterday, but alas — it was for sure a busy day! But with that said, happiest of birthdays to this sweet husband of mine! I am so incredibly thankful for your kind heart, gracious soul and the way you’ve looked at me for the last 11 years! Here’s to an incredible year, my love! I have a hunch its going to be an amazing one! PS how are we almost 30? Where has the time gone?!
