Eleven Questions

The lovely Stephanie tagged me in a fun little post called Eleven Questions. I was so happy she tagged me and thought it was the perfect way to jump back into blogging after an unintentional two week break! I'm ready to be back at it, so here it goes...

1. What was your favorite cartoon growing up? 

If you can believe it, we didn't have cable until I was going in to high school, so I didn't spend too much time watching TV. No single cartoon stands out, but I do remember watching The Smurfs and Scooby Doo at my Grandma's house. 

2. If you could live anywhere in the world for just one year, where would you choose?

This is an easy question. Italy. I think anywhere in Tuscany, a small village where I could learn the language and become part of the community. On weekends, I would travel all around Europe. I try to convince Andrew we should do this all the time, he hasn't agreed...yet

3. Who (or what) inspires you the most?

This is a tough one. But at the moment I will say my Dad. This weekend we were home visiting my parents. My Dad recently had a bunch of his old slides and pictures made into digital files and was showing them to us. He has pictures from traveling all over the world; hiking, climbing, & camping. The Abraham Lincoln quote: "It's not the years in your life but the life in your years." comes to mind. Andrew and I were talking about how we want to live our lives not just content in our little "corner" of the bay area, but to travel all over and have new experiences and meet new people. 

4. What accomplishment are you most proud of?

I'm proud my myself for moving to San Francisco. It was scary leaving the comfort of my small town filled with friends and family and my great job in Sacramento. I went against the advice of nearly everyone important in my life. But, I followed my gut and knew my desire for adventure (see above) was worth the risk. And I knew, I could always move back if it didn't work out. It turned out to be one of the greatest decisions I've ever made. Plus, it led me to start this blog, something else I'm proud of. 

5. What advice would you give your 16-year old self?

Don't try to grow up too fast. At 16, all I could think about was graduating high school, hurrying off to college and starting a career. I wish I took the time to enjoy being young and carefree. Soak it up a bit more and enjoy each stage for what it was. Don't get me wrong, I had a great time in High School, but I was always looking ahead rather than living in the moment.

6. What super power would you most like to have?

Teleportation. That way, we could go visit our families easily anytime! It would make traveling much easier, faster, and cheaper! :) 

7. What is your favorite junk food item (you know, the one you definitely shouldn't eat but you just can't resist)?

Do I have to pick just one? - I'm not the girl who craves candy and sweets. I LOVE cheese, in mass amounts. Like, don't leave me alone with a wedge of brie and a baguette. And I can't resist Mac n' Cheese or Nachos either (see everything involves cheese)! 

8. What is your hidden talent?

I'm not sure if I have a hidden talent. I can't even roll my tongue or whistle! But I am really crafty, so I guess that's something? I wish I had a better answer for this one, I'm so boring! 

9. What is the weirdest thing you believed as a child?

Hmmm...the first thing that comes to mind is a trick my sister played on me. We loved the movie Steel Magnolias at our house. My sister and I can both quote the entire thing, I couldn't even tell you how many times I've seen it. We always relate things back to the movie. Anyways, my sister told me that Julia Roberts had to die to film that movie! (Spoiler, her character dies). And of course I believed anything my big sister told me. So I thought, if an actor dies in a movie, they die in real life too. Kind of a mean trick, sister! I'm so gullible. 

10. If you won the lottery tomorrow, what are the first three things you'd do?

Invest. Travel. Buy a house.

11. Beach or Mountains?

Mountains. Hands down. I love being in the mountains hiking, camping, & exploring. I love the crisp, clean mountain air, it's so peaceful and beautiful. The trouble is, Andrew loves the ocean. Luckily he also loves the mountains. But I guess we better find somewhere in between. 

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The rules say I need to tag eleven other bloggers to play along with a new set of questions. So I'm tagging: Kasey, Chantal, Cara, Laura, Erin, Kathleen, Kristin, Brooke, The Lane, Amanda and Brandi. 

1. When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

2. What is your most prized possession? 

3. What is the best vacation you've ever taken? Why?

4. What did you do last weekend?

5. Do you remember your dreams? 

6. If there was a movie made about your life, what actor would you want to play you?

7. Where is your favorite place to travel to?

8. What is the best dish you make? (bonus: add a link to the recipe)

9. What is your favorite room in your home? Why?

10. If you could have lunch with a famous person, who would it be?

11. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card if you never had to pay it off?

Let me know if you decide to participate, I can't wait to read your answers! :) 

Farewell To Fall & A Winter To-Do List

Since I was enjoying time with family at home last week and didn't get a post up Friday, this is sort of a two-for-one deal. Hopefully that's okay with you guys!

Remember way back when, when I did a post on my Fall To Do List? Well, here it is, December 4th! The leaves have fallen, and Baby It's Cold Outside! I know it's technically still fall, but we've said farewell to the Pumpkin Spice Latte's and hello to the Red Cups, so it's only fitting the blog moves on to Winter as well! I thought it would be fun to take a look back and see how many things I was able to accomplish. Although it wasn't everything, I think I did pretty well!

Pumpkin Patch

We didn't make it to a pumpkin patch this year. That's partially my fault because I wanted to go to a "real" pumpkin patch where you actually pick them, not just a lot in the city. But, we did buy pumpkins at Safeway, so maybe that counts for something?

Carve Pumpkins

We missed out on the pumpkin carving festivities. Our friends got together on my birthday to carve pumpkins, but since we already had dinner reservations and I was looking forward to a night out with Andrew, we missed it. Next year!

Dress up for Halloween
We didn't actually dress up on Halloween, but had an amazing time in costume at my "T" Party! 

Bake with Pumpkin and Apple

This, I was 100% successful with! I made Apple Bread, Morning Glory Muffins with Apples, Apple Sauce and Pumpkin Pie at Friendsgiving and at my Moms for Thanksgiving last week!

Craft Project

I'd say my DIY Christmas gift was a pretty successful craft project! There are also a few Christmas theme crafts coming to a blog near you soon :) (Sister, don't click the DIY link, it's a secret)!

Try a New Restaurant

We tried a few new restaurants! For Andrew's birthday we had carnival inspired food at Straw. On my birthday Andrew took me to Wayfare Tavern. And we had a date night at The Tee Off a couple weeks ago! 

Tourist in SF For A Day

Although I did make it to Golden Gate Park for Hardly Strictly, I'd say I failed at this one. And we did spend a day on Haight St. walking through shops looking for Halloween costumes, so that was a fun SF activity. I am pretty sure there is a never-ending list of activities to do in San Francisco. 

Read Two Books

I'm reading this book right now, and I love it so far. I also read 3 books on Vacation in Cabo, but I think that was technically still summer. 

Friendsgiving

Our first Friendsgiving was a huge hit! The turkey was amazing, and the company was even better. I'm already looking forward to next year!

Snail Mail

My wonderful friend sent me the sweetest note in the mail, and I have failed miserably at returning the kind gesture. I need to fix that asap! 

Island DIY and Paint/Decorate Kitchen

We finally finished our kitchen island, just in time for Friendsgiving! It turned out so great. I'll be posting a step by step process soon! 

Decorate for Fall

In my Friendsgiving posts, you get a peek at my Fall decorations. I didn't go crazy, but I love having the mantle decorated and a centerpiece on the table. It makes the house feel so warm and cheerful. 

Pick Apples

I picked apples right in my back yard! And best of all, made a few apple dishes with our own apples! We have our very own apple orchard with 4 trees! 

Wine Tasting/Napa Trip

We didn't make it to Napa, but I'll be keeping this one on the Winter To Do List! 

Since I tend to overdo it with my goals and lists, I'm keeping my Winter To-Do List short and sweet! Ask Andrew, I always think there is more time in a day than there actually is. I've narrowed it down to a few things that I really want to enjoy during this Holiday Season and the upcoming Winter months...

Brave The Slopes

Since I tore my ACL/MCL and had surgery, I haven't been skiing. This year, I hope to brave the slopes and go to the snow with Andrew and our friends at least once. 

Decorate For Christmas

I LOVE the holidays, and I can't wait to make our house feel festive. It's our first Christmas living together, so I am even more excited than usual. I can't wait to put on Christmas music & movies and decorate our tree!

Get a Christmas Tree with Andrew

We went to my favorite tree farm while we were at my parents last weekend and helped my parents pick out their tree. It was so much fun! But we decided to wait until we got back to the city to get one for our house. 

Go to Napa/Sonoma Wine Tasting

I really hope we can plan a day trip up there with our friends! I know we can convince Corrie and Erica, any other takers? 

Experience San Francisco at Christmas

I hope we can go see Christmas lights around the city, and even make a trip to Union Square to see the tree and do a little holiday shopping. 

Have friends over for dinner

We had so much fun hosting our friends on Friendsgiving, I really want to have everyone over again soon. Just a simple dinner or potluck to celebrate the holidays! 

Enjoy Living in SF

We are so busy, always going from one place to the next, and it seems like we're hardly in the city. I'd like to really take some time to appreciate where we live, and take advantage of all this city has to offer! 

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In hopes of making this the longest post ever, here is a little Instagram recap from November. It was my slowest Insta month yet, I need to get on my game in December! 

// Celebrating at our friends wedding // Date Night at the The Tee Off // 

// Making the brine for our turkey // Homemade pie for Friendsgiving // 

// Wearing my Thanksgiving apron with Gram's recipes in honor of Friendsgiving // 

// My beautiful friends // So thankful for this guy // My sister and I on Thanksgiving, love her! // 

// My Thanksgiving #TBT of Andrew reenacting an old photo of his Dad with the turkey. Priceless! //

I can't believe we're halfway through the first week of December! I am starting to feel the Holiday pressure! So much shopping and prep left to do, so little time! I'm going to try and slow down, and just appreciate the next few weeks! After all, it's my very favorite time of year!

Never Have I Ever...

I thought this was such a fun post topic that Amanda came up with, I knew I wanted to participate in her link up!

Of course we all remember the old game, Never Have I Ever. I remember playing with my girlfriends in high school, and typically I always lost (or won?) because I am such a rule follower, and didn't get into much trouble.

Originally I planned to do a travel/adventure edition of Never Have I Ever, but then I decided it would be more fun to use more traditional answers. So here it goes...

I've never been skydiving

I've always wanted to, but I am a total chicken at the same time. It's definitely on my bucket list to try someday. And when I do, you can bet it's going to be somewhere beautiful like Hawaii! 

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Extended Travel Abroad

I've always wanted to live abroad for at least a few months. Before my best friend and I went to Italy for 3 weeks back in 2010, I discovered an awesome website called Work Away. Basically you get free room and board in exchange for 5 hours of work per day. So you can work on a lavender farm in France, make olive oil in Italy, work at a B&B or at a yoga retreat, literally anything you want anywhere in the world. I recommended it to a friend of mine, and did a work away in Tuscany for a few weeks. He helped with some building and cooking, working a few hours a week in exchange for meals, housing, and living in a charming Tuscan town. Sounds incredible! I hope I can make this happen someday...please, Andrew?

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Broken a Bone

This was a popular one. Although I've had knee surgery, I've never had any other major injuries or broken any bones! I've pretty clumsy too, so I must have strong bones! Probably all that cheese I eat, good calcium ;-) 

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Lived Alone

Since leaving home for college, I've always had roommates. When I moved to San Francisco I considered living alone, but since it was a new city, I felt like I'd be more comfortable with roommates. It's also REALLY expensive to live alone in the city. This is a bit of a regret for me, because I think I would have learned a lot about myself, and had a lot of fun living on my own and being truly independent. But, then I wouldn't have the amazing apartment Andrew and I now live in, so everything happens for a reason. 

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Gotten a Tattoo

I used to think I wanted one, but the truth is I am way too indecisive to pick something I want on my body FOREVER. Andrew has one, which I really like, but I've just never felt the need to get inked! 

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TP'd a House

I feel like I missed a childhood right of passage on this one. But I was just too afraid of being caught and getting in trouble. I remember at a friends birthday party in high school, a big group of girls left to go TP a neighbor, and I stayed home. What a chicken! I totally regret this :( 

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This was fun! I loved reading everyone's posts today :) Thanks for having us, Amanda! 

Birthday Wish List

I don't know if it's the change in seasons, or maybe because my birthday is coming up at the end of the month, but I've been bitten by the shopping bug! Either way, I'm coveting a few things I've seen around the interwebs. So, I figured it couldn't hurt to compile a little list in case anyone was curious what things I have my eye on (hint hint, wink wink)! If you follow me on Pinterest, the majority of these items will look familiar...

Most of the items are clothes and accessories, but there are a few fun items for the home I've had my eye on too. Since I've started blogging I've found my love for food photography. I love the colorful bowls from Anthropologie and this marble pastry slab to use as props in photographs. And both Andrew and my previous roommates had this Cuisinart mixer set, which we used all the time. He makes amazing salsa, and I like to use it for pesto or various sauces when cooking. So, that's been on our "want" list for months now. The other items are just fun things I'd love to own, but don't necessarily need and can't justify buying for myself.

Talk about a random mix! That's what happens when I have time to kill online, the internet is a dangerous place! Thankfully, I've been resisting the "buy" button. For the most part, these items just hang out in my cart until they expire :)

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Thank goodness it's Wednesday, this week is dragging on! 

Bea's Birthday!

Happy Friday friends!

Today is one of my very best friends birthday's, you may recognize her, Erica Bea aka Nannypology! Tonight, we're celebrating Erica and her twin brother with a party in North Beach including apps, cocktails, and life size Jenga! I'm pretty pumped!

Happy birthday to one of my dearest friends! She's the one who actually encouraged me to finally start this lil' blog I had been talking about for years!

we do fun things together :) 

I was feeling a little unmotivated today and then I saw my friend Kasey's post, and figured I should go to confession as well...

// I confess I haven't been to the gym once this week! I know, it's bad!

// I confess I went to Nordstrom on my lunch break and got this cute top on sale!

// I confess I have big calves and I've been struggling to find a cute pair of riding boots for fall that will fit. But thankfully, I finally found a pair that work!

// I confess I'm looking forward to a low key weekend in the city.

// I confess I reaallly need to do laundry!

// I confess that I'm really jealous of Serena for going on the adventure of a lifetime!

// I confess I'm kind of over fantasy football this year.

// I confess I got really behind on responding to comments after vacation...but I'm back on track this week! Thank you so much for all of your sweet comments, they always brighten my day!

// I confess it's only October 3rd and I'm already really excited for Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Thanks for letting me steal your idea Kasey :)


What are you all up to this weekend? Mine is pretty low key, not much planned besides the party tonight. I'm looking forward to relaxing and getting stuff done around the house.

I hope you all have a great weekend!

Goodbye Summer

Good morning my friends, and happy Friday!!

This weekend officially marks the end of summer. Although it's a little bittersweet for some, I welcome fall with open arms! It's my absolute favorite season. I love the crisp, cool air, pumpkins, scarves, and boots. It also means birthdays, Halloween and Thanksgiving are near. Time to celebrate! 

But before we dive into fall, I wanted to take a look back on our jam-packed summer. Remember this post, when I listed all of the things I'd like to do this summer? Well, we actually managed to scratch a few items off that list. 

go camping at least twice

We managed to go camping three times this summer! We went to Tuolumne Meadows, Lake Clementine, and Shaver Lake!

Monterey (Santa Cruz)

Although we didn't make it to Monterey, we got close! Andrew and I took a day trip to Santa Cruz and had a great time! Looking forward to going back with my new camera!

go wakeboarding

When we went camping at Lake Clementine with my sister I was able to go wakeboarding! I would have liked to have gone more than once, but once is better than nothing! I love boating, hopefully we'll make it out on the lake more than once next summer!

Big Sur

We didn't make it to Big Sur this summer, but maybe in the fall! 

read 2 books

I'm almost finished with my third book of the summer! Which, I'm pretty proud of, since I had gotten out of the habit of reading before bed. 

plan our vacation

Not only did we plan our vacation, we spent a wonderful week in Cabo soaking up the sun!

complete our DIY island project

Sadly, we still haven't accomplished this one...

explore a new area of San Francisco

We were so busy this summer, it feels like we barely spent any time in San Francisco! We did make it to the Treasure Island Flea Market though, and I hadn't been to Treasure Island since I was little when my Aunt and Uncle lived there. 

float the river with friends

I'll have to make sure this happens next year!

spend time with Phillip

Although I did get to see Phillip a couple times, it wasn't nearly enough. I love FaceTime, it has become a new favorite way to keep in touch. I want him to recognize me! I miss him so much, and it's really hard for me being so far away and missing this time with him. But, they're coming down to the city next week, so I'm really looking forward to getting some snuggles in!! 

plan a trip home to see friends

Although I haven't done it yet, I am going home in early October to see and spend some time with friends (and Phillip)! I can't wait! It's been too long, I'm trying to squeeze as much in to two days as possible! 

try a new restaurant

I have a feeling this will be accomplished early fall...

go to a country concert

Sadly, I didn't make it to a country concert. But we did go to Guster and Dispatch at the Greek Theater, so that's something! 

lots of hiking

While I wouldn't say we got lots of hiking in, we did some. Especially on our trip to Tuolumne Meadows. We also managed a few urban hikes here in the city. 

host brunch or dinner for friends

I really hope to do this SOON! Maybe I'll host a joint birthday dinner for Andrew and I or a Sunday Football brunch! 

While I didn't accomplish everything I'd set out to this summer, it was a great few months! We managed to escape the fog and get some sun! Weekends in San Diego, celebrating with friends on their wedding day, Giants games, 4th of July in Tahoe, enjoying our city by the bay, and so much more! We made so many wonderful memories with family and friends during our first summer living together in San Francisco. 



 Are you ready for fall, or mourning the loss of summer? 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! We're heading to San Diego to celebrate Andrew's Grandpa's birthday. Getting all we can out of the last few days of summer! 

My Colors are Blush and Bashful

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Name that movie!

My sister and I used watch Steel Magnolias over and over. We can both recite the entire movie. If you haven't seen it, add it to your Netflix queue immediately. It's a classic!

I've never really been a huge fan of pink. There are a handful of pink items in my closet, but I generally gravitate towards black and jewel tones. Although lately, I've been noticing more and more pink showing up on my Pinterest boards. Everywhere from home decor, pretty pictures and my wardrobe inspiration. Usually, they are soft pink and blush tones, nothing too bright.

I know we're heading into fall, and most of these items have a summery feel, but with our trip to Cabo around the corner, I can't help myself! As much as I love fall, I'm looking forward to getting as much as possible out of these last few weeks of summer! 

I hope your week is off to a wonderful start!


xoxo,


Theresa

June via Instagram

We made it halfway through the week! 

I can't believe it's already 10 days into July, seems impossible! But, even though it's a bit late I wanted to do my monthly Instagram recap, even if it's only my parents who appreciate it! They don't use Instagram so these pictures will be new to them! 

June was a busy month! We were gone almost every weekend, but we had a lot of fun! 

my new Hunter Pence official MLB World Series jersey

girls trip to Las Vegas

Fresh picked blueberries from Mom's garden 

my adorable nephew snoozing on his momma

Andrew and I at my good friend Nicole's wedding

Our obsession with geode's continues

free juice from the new pressed juicery on Union St.

Guster and Dispatch concert at the Greek Theater

Happy Fathers Day to the best Dad around

my fro-yo craving was finally satisfied

traditional Magliozzi Sunday dinner 

my tribute to Grandma Norene

Andrew and I at the Zimmer wedding in San Diego

obsessed with Jeweliq

my favorite seaweed salad

enjoying a bloody mary at off the grid picnic in the Presidio 

squash blossoms from the farmers market

I love looking back to see what we did each month. It's a good reminder to be thankful and appreciate all the little memories that might otherwise get overlooked. We're only 10 days into July and it's already shaping up to be so fun. I have a lot to look forward to. 

I love following along with all of your Instagram accounts, so leave me a comment with your username so I can be sure that I'm following you! And you can follow me here! 

I hope ya'll are having a great week so far! 

xoxo,

Theresa

A Taste of Independence

Hello friends! 

Today is my Friday, so it's been a great day so far. We're heading up to Tahoe tonight, but we're not really in a hurry. The traffic in the Bay Area has been horrendous this week due to the BART strike. So in addition to the usual Friday traffic, you can add holiday traffic and the increase in commute traffic due to the lack of public transportation. We plan on eating dinner at home and taking our time getting out of the city. Hopefully that way we'll miss the peak traffic times. 

For all of you last minute planners like myself, I've complied a few fun recipes that will be great to bring to a party or pot luck tomorrow! I can't wait to try a few of them myself, the goat cheese crostini looks especially delicious. 

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For all of my Bay Area friends, here is a link to the best spots to see the fireworks around the Bay. 

Bay Area Fireworks

I also saw this on Outside Magazine, a great resource for some of the best Firework shows. Something to keep in mind when planning for next summer...


I hope you all have a wonderful and safe holiday tomorrow! I'll see you all back here on Monday! Enjoy the long weekend!

xoxo,

Theresa

Cheers, America!

Cheers! 

What better way to celebrate the holiday than an ice cold cocktail? Even better is sipping said cocktail in the warm sunshine with great friends. I'm so looking forward to relaxing in Tahoe with our friends this holiday weekend, and I wanted to find a festive cocktail to help us celebrate! And man, there are SO many great summer cocktail recipes out there! I figured I would share them with you all so I'm not drinking alone on Thursday!

All of them would be perfect to serve at a BBQ or brunch on the 4th. I especially love the champagne cocktails, what a fun twist on the expected mimosa. And with fresh, summer berries in season, it's easy to add a touch of red, white & blue to any drink. Adding festive paper straws, or serving drinks in mason jars would also add a celebratory flair! 

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For those of us that prefer to skip the alcohol, there are so many fun mock-tail recipes out there! Infused water is one of my favorite summer drinks. It's important to stay hydrated in the heat, but plain water can be so boring. Adding some fresh fruit or mint to sparkling water makes it feel like a treat. 

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What are your favorite summertime drinks? 


Cheers!


xoxo,


Theresa

Sunshine and Summertime

It's officially summer! Even though San Francisco hasn't really caught on to what this season is all about, I plan to take full advantage of my weekends to experience at least a little bit of sunshine!

We're starting our summer off with a trip down to San Diego for, you guessed it, another wedding. It's going to be a longggg drive but I'm looking forward to laying out and relaxing a little before the wedding tomorrow. Hopefully we'll make it to the beach, but I'll settle for some pool time too! 

I decided to make a list of things I'd like to do this summer, in hopes that we'll actually check some of them off the list! What are your summer plans?

go camping at least twice

Monterey

go wakeboarding

Big Sur

read 2 books

plan our vacation

complete our DIY island project

explore a new area of San Francisco

float the river with friends

spend time with Phillip

plan a trip home to see friends

try a new restaurant

go to a country concert

lots of hiking

host brunch or dinner for friends

Happy Summer my friends! Get out there and enjoy it!

xoxo,

Theresa

A Letter to My Lovely Readers

 Day 28, A letter to your readers.

Dearest Readers,

I can’t begin to express my appreciation for you. It seems crazy that I’ve only been blogging for a few months, and I’ve already started building relationships with some of you. I wanted to thank you for being patient with me, as I learn more about the technical side of blogging and find my voice as a writer.

Everyday I look forward to sitting down and reading other blogs, and now that I have my own, it’s even more meaningful since I’m a part of that community I always admired. Thank you so much for all of the sweet comments and emails. I LOVE hearing from you. I still can’t believe it when I see your names in my inbox, and I get a little start struck to receive comments and tweets from the bloggers I follow and love so much. All of you mean so much to me, and I am so appreciative of each and every one of you and the support you've given me during the first few months of my blogging journey. 

I’m still surprised that it’s not only my family members reading my blog everyday. And I want you all to know just how much it means to me to know that you continue stop by my little corner of the blog world. I feel like I’ve really found a niche for myself and I am so thankful you’ve all been so welcoming to me.

With love,

Theresa