Bites of My Life

Colorado in the fall, does it get any better? I’ve been lucky to visit the last weekend of September once before and to be there when the Aspens are turning yellow is truly unbelievable. It’s a scene that I kept finding myself just staring at the trees. I’m not a treehugger by any means, but you can’t help but relish in the serious beauty this time of year.

This Colorado trip was to celebrate my oldest friend marry one of my dear high school friends. They have been together for 10 years and their time finally came! There were a lot of tears, laughs, old memories shared and new memories made. Before dipping out of town I officially added pumpkin flavored things back into my diet, got a baking bug and celebrated two friend’s birthdays! I hope you all had a great week.

-First Pumpkin Green Smoothie of the season.
-On that note, you’d think I’d be diving into pumpkin bread, but I had some ripe bananas and a special request for my banana bread!
-Birthday twins (unknowingly by Caroline, planned by Kate - ha).
-Landed in Vail and got to hiking the rocky mountains with my momma. Photo cred/proof he was there: Dad!
-Mountain Standard, more specifically there warm pimento cheese with bacon jam, is a MUST on any trip to Vail.
-Found the bride kicking off the wedding weekend at The Red Lion!
-It’s so weird how life takes you in different directions. This is a reason I love weddings, because it brings so many special people back together, old friends and new friends. I loved getting to form friendships with Anna’s law school and DC friends through her wedding season.
-It doesn’t get more picturesque than this. Wade and Anna knew what they were doing when they chose this late September weekend and Piney River Ranch for their wedding.
-MOH for my bestie since birth.

Bites of My Life

Counting down until Christmas. I can’t believe that I’ll already be turning around to head back to OKC at the end of this week to settle in with fam for the holiday. Before we get there, I had a busy week catching up with friends and celebrating my two great friends Jordan and Wills on their marriage! The original plan was Alys Beach March 2021, but with covid changes and really not wanting to wait that long, they moved things up, downsized, and still had the most special winter wedding right here in Dallas. It was such a good weekend. I also caught the bouquet for the first time after attending mmm maybe 25 weddings.

-Made a v good indian spiced lentil and quinoa soup for meals last week. The recipe is from a friend, so I hope to make it again and get better photos to post the recipe!
-Spotted on a walk by my sister. Christmas decor that just makes sense. 2020: stink, stank, stunk.
-Christmas tini date to see Hudson House’s holiday decor.
-Love these black overalls with a turtleneck and booties or sneaks in the winter. So comfy.
-Barbie bride Jordan ready for her big weekend!
-Why must we look so ugly to get pretty? Loving these chin strap masks I finally ordered.
-Stunning downtown set up for a wedding at The Joule hotel.
-Pastel bridesmaids on deck!
-Post-wedding couch potato with Christmas movies all Sunday.

Annie

Bites of My Life

Last week was pretty slow. Wake up, workout, work, eat, sleep repeat. I was happy to be home for the weekend to recharge and see a bunch of people I love. I wouldn’t categorize myself as a homebody per se, but I always feel good after a few days back in Oklahoma City. 1. to see my fam and friends who I miss all the time and 2. to remind myself that home is always there and Dallas is an adventure I’m not done pursuing!

-Really really loving my new desk set up. If you are working from home and haven’t invested in a true work space, I highly encourage it for more mental clarity and better productivity.
-This breakfast on repeat last week. Ezekiel toast, almond butter, sliced banana, cinnamon, tahini drizzle and chia seeds!
-Leftover enchiladas made for a really happy lunch break.
-This morning detox drink inspired by my friend Lauren had me feeling so good last week. I would even make it after lunch sometimes or before bed per her suggestion. Recipe here.
-Have you started following my new passion project @confessionsofarentaholic? I rented this band tee (that I ended up buying!!) along with some other goodies last week.
-The same day my “What I Eat in a Day” post went live, I shamelessly indulged in the best ice cream ever. Felt great about it. Don’t miss the post, you can read it here. After posting a picture of Cookie Two Step, I had a handful of people let me know I needed to try the new Cookie Cake and Cookie Dough Overload. Anyone had them?
-Scooted up to OKC for a wedding, but made sure to make a stop at the new Bradford House while in town. Go for breakfast, cocktails or snacks, skip on dinner IMO!
-Some of the best!! I love my friends in Dallas, but I miss my Oklahoma gal pals on the daily.
-We love the maid of honor! Family friend weddings are always a blast with this crew.

Annie

Podcast bite: I don’t talk much about being single on the blog, but if you too are single and struggling or in a place of needing encouragement I wanted to share this podcast episode I was lucky to be on last week with my friend Dr. Julie Shannon.

Bites of My Life

I stayed in Oklahoma City between wedding #1 and #2. Since my work is based in OKC, I worked in the office during the week, before the festivities for Maddie and Cooper kicked off Thursday night and into Friday. The whole weekend was perfect and too fun from the start. I can’t believe that for what seems like a lifetime of planning, I mean truly have been planning these days since we were little, to then long engagements due to rescheduling, that both weddings for my best friends have already come and gone.

I’m having a little bit of post-wedding depression. I love a good birthday for myself and dream of my own big day, but there is something about celebrating the closest people in my life that truly makes me so happy.

-My co-worker Ashley got me hooked on this Good Culture cottage cheese last time I was in our OKC office. I picked up a few and ate for lunch with some chia seeds, raspberries and fiber cereal. Pro cottage cheese or does it make you gag?
-Chop chop chop! I have been needing to cut my hair for months, but my salon in Dallas is still closed. I booked an appointment in Oklahoma City while I was home and said take it all off! I had this personal crisis that I wanted to look different between the back to back weddings I was in so 4 inches of hair seemed like the only way to achieve that.
-Loved putting together the bridesmaid luncheon to kick off Maddie’s wedding weekend. Mom’s china, her plethora of linens, and my restaurant connections made everything seamless.
-This girl has been my go to since 2015. I’ve only been Maid of Honor for my sisters (which lets be honest I did nothing for, sorry Kat and Claire), so it was so fun to really play into that role for one of my nearest and dearest.
-Maid of honor speeches, check! The best weekend with this trio!
-Emily is Maddie’s best friend from growing up and I can’t imagine navigating post grad without Maddie. We got to share MOH responsibilities over the past year and I highly encourage having two MOHs. Made it sooooo nice.
-A dress too perfect for my Maddie girl, the giant bow is hiding in this pic, but it was everything.
-Look at that Mr. and Mrs (and groomsman and bridesmaid - ha)!
-Bandana masks and massive foam cowboy hats keeping us safe on the dance floor.

Annie

If you know me well you know I love a good wedding dance floor. A new Spotify playlist as a nod to one of my favorite past times seemed necessary.

Bites of My Life

A week at home staying healthy and safe before my best friend’s wedding. Round 1. Did I mention that my two very best friends are getting married back to back in the middle of a pandemic? I have soooo much respect for them for powering through the twists and turns the world has turned to finally get to these two weekends. Wedding #1 for Sarah Beth was all kinds of perfect. And Wedding #2 for Maddie is this weekend and will be equally as wonderful.

It’s not lost on anyone that now isn’t the safest time to get married, but as girls, you wait your whole life to get married and they’ve been through so much over the past few months to get here, it’s the least anyone who feels comfortable enough can do, to be there for them.

Once the wedding weekend kicked off if was party time, and a party it was. I slept on and off all day on Sunday and then all through the night. Beauty sleep is a must this week to gear up for another amazing friend filled wedding weekend. I feel so special to get to be apart of them both.

-Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Thins turned into mini pizzas. So cute and can’t stop making. I load mine up then bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
-Random clean out the fridge lunch deliciousness. Chopped tomatoes, avocado, turkey deli meat, salami, and white cheddar. Topped with salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar.
-Had a head of cauliflower I needed to use up, so I roasted the florets, covered in marinara and almond mozzarella and called it “chicken-less parmesan.”
-In-N-Out protein style burgers are vastly underrated and make for delicious and healthy road trip fuel.
-Monsoon rains and some humid hair, but kicked off the weekend with my Taylor celebrating our best friend SB!
-Rent the Runway was the name of the game for the weekend. Every piece of clothing I wore was RTR! More details on my new Instagram page @confessionsofarentaholic.
-Sarah Beth and I have been dreaming about our weddings since we were 7, so wild seeing those dreams come true for her this weekend.
-Favorite part of the weekend was seeing SB shovel down a burger in her wedding dresses, minutes before the ceremony. Too too good.
-Staying the week with my parents, because my other bestie gets married this weekend. This means cooking in their kitchen again, which is one of my favorite things to do!

Annie