Week/Weekend Favorites

1.     Getting to see this cutie all weekend (Beau my boyfriend’s roommates)

2&3. Hiking the Refuge with Jay

4. Cooking Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken(recipe to come soon) with/for Jay for dinner

5. Jay carving our initials into a bench on the Refuge

6. Local Culture frozen yogurt after a long hot day at the Refuge

7. Movie night with Jay

8. Restaurant Tyler for blue plate lunch

9. Baking Chocolate Chip cookies with Oreos in the middle

10. Getting to spend the weekend in Starkville (not pictured)

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Simple Chicken Salad

Yummy Yummy Chicken Salad! This is my aunt’s recipe that she has come up with over the years. It is honestly not really a structured recipe but I promise it is very easy. I mean if you can boil water then you can make this chicken salad!

First, you are going to need to go buy all the ingredients:  boneless skinless chicken breast, chicken broth, lite miracle whip, green grapes, chopped walnuts, celery seeds (or you can use celery), poppy seeds, and black pepper

Second, you will need a large cooking pot. Then, wash your chicken but please don’t pull an Adrienne Maloof. If you don’t know what I am referring to please watch this little clip! (Adrienne washes Chicken)  But if you are like me and love the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills then you know what  I am referring to.

Now, pour your chicken stock into the pot and add a little water, salt, and pepper. Then, bring that to a boil for about 15 to 20 minutes. While that is cooking be cutting up your green grapes and walnuts.

Once, your chicken is done cooking let it cool before you begin to cut or shred it up. Personally, I like to cut it into cubes and then use my hands to shred the chicken.

Also, let me mention that if you have a dog like me then they will for sure be somewhere close by just in case you drop some chicken. Case in point Mozart.  

Now to finish it up just combine all your ingredients into a large bowl and mix with your hands.  

 And there you have it! Yummy Yummy Chicken Salad! Enjoy!

Lots of Love, Natalie

Olympics Opening Ceremony 2012

Today I am very excited because tonight is the 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony! I have always loved to watch the Olympics but this year I am even more excited and have been anticipating it for months now. The main reason that I am very excited for these Olympic Games is because as all of you know I traveled to London back in May. While I was there they were getting everything ready for the Olympics and for the Opening Ceremony. This is the first time that I have ever traveled to somewhere where the Olympics have been held before or will be held in the near future. During my trip to London I was able to go see all the arenas that will be used in the games, which I found very cool and exciting! Also, to make things more exciting and build the anticipation they had the countdown clock in Trafalgar Square!   

When I was there the Opening Ceremony was still 64 days away. But, finally it is here! I know people are probably thinking that I am so weird and a little too excited but I love watching the Olympics. The summer games are my favorite mainly because I used to run track. I love watching all the running events even though it makes me wish I hadn’t turned down my track scholarships. I also love watching the women’s gymnastics. For these games I am really rooting for Gabby Douglas on the USA Women’s Team. 

This will be her first Olympics and I really hope that she does well! Also, of course I love watching Ryan Lochte and Micheal Phelps. Ladies, if you do not know who Ryan Lochte is well you have been missing out, not only is he an amazing swimmer he is also pretty attractive! For those of you who dont know who he is don't worry because I have provided you pictures below! Enjoy!

Well of course I always like to see what every different country wears for the Opening Ceremony. I usually like what the USA team wears but this time I am not so crazy about it. If you haven’t seen what our team will be wearing tomorrow night here it is:

They just seem so stiff and stuffy. Plus, the beret I mean really that is what the French team should be wearing not us. While the Opening Ceremony outfits may not be too cute the little Olympic characters are!

I know this has been a long post so I will go ahead and finish it up by leaving everyone with the pictures I took of the different arenas that will be used for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London! Thanks for reading!

This image should help explain what the arenas are in the image above

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Part 2 Purchases/Fashion

First off, let me apologize for the pictures in advance. Normally, I like to take pictures of new clothes when I am wearing them instead of just on the hanger but I had a busy day and didn’t get around to this until late. I promise though everything you see in these pictures will be worn again in different posts! Anyway, for now here are the pictures of all the clothes I got on my Dallas trip!

Dark Green Skinnies ~ Zara  / Chambray Shirt ~ Forever21 / White Button up ~ Forever21

Black Peplum Shirt ~ Zara / Scarf ~ Target

 You are probably thinking that I really didn’t buy many clothes. Well, yes that is true I didn’t but there are two reasons for that. Reason number one is because all these pieces can be wore many different ways. Lastly, reason number two is because I will be going to New York in August!! I am so excited to go shopping in New York!!

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Part 1 Purchases/Fashion

This is mainly the accessories that I purchased or wore on my Dallas trip. So, really this is just a preview to what is to come in my Part 2 post tomorrow! Enjoy!

New DKNY watch

Just a little Henri Bendel & Wine at the play

New Steve Madden Leopard Smoking Slippers

P.S.  Remember be sure to check in tomorrow for Part 2!

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

DALLAS

This trip to Dallas, Texas was amazing and much over due. I got to spend a lot of time with my two favorite cousins! These two girls really are like the sisters I have never had! They are both amazing and very fashionable. Along with getting to spend tons of time with them I also got to relax by the pool and go SHOPPING!! The shopping on this trip was very successful!! I got lots of pieces of clothing that can work for the summer but transition into fall also. Plus, Christmas came a little early for me, I got a DKNY gold watch that I wanted thanks to Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale! Anyway, while I will cover all my purchases and fashion in another post here are some pictures from my trip! Enjoy!

First night having the Blue Margs at Blue Mesa Grill

From Cake Balls to Macaroons this adorable little bakery has everything

All of us before the play 

 

My mother and I before the her first play

Girls Night! Drinks at RA in the Legacy

After dinner the last night

Lots of Love,  Natalie

 

K-Dash

One of my favorite shows is Keeping up with the Kardashians. I love this show because they are always so crazy and you never know what they are going to do or say next. I started watching it because of Kim K but within the last few years my favorite of the Kardashian sisters is now Kourtney! Kourt is so clever, funny, and very stylish. I also love the fact that she is a business woman. Plus she has the cutest little boy with Scott Disick. Scott and Kourt have been together for a few years now and I must admit I used to really dislike him but since she has had Mason I have gotten to where I like him better now that he is a dad. He has grown up just a little bit since then. As all of you know Kourtney just had her second child with Scott and it was a little baby girl named Penelope Scotland Disick. While I am not completely sold on the name I cannot wait to see what she looks like because I am sure she is going to be just as adorable as Mason is. We all know she is going to be extremely fashionable like her parents and brother. Let’s just say I would love to be a part of that family or at least hangout with them for just one day! Here are some of my favorite pictures of Kourtney, Scott, and of course Mason!

Hello Mr. Fabulous

Obsessed!!

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Lonestar

Cowboys, Country Music, Boots, Horses, and Longhorns you know what that means, I am on my way to Dallas, Texas! I am glad to have a few days off from work to go to Dallas and spend time with my cousins! I will be there for five days, which means SHOPPING!! As you all know I love to shop! I can’t wait to go to Zara and H&M and spend my hard earned money. While everything may be bigger in Texas unfortunately my bank account won’t be. I am hoping to find some great summer clothes that can be wore into the fall that fit into my budget for this trip. Yes, you read that right I have set a budget for this trip. Now, keeping it will be a different story! Since my mom is coming with me of course I am hoping that she will pay for some of the stuff that I find!  Of course the main point of this trip is catching up with my two cousins! I can’t wait to get there and catch up on the past year with those two girls!  They are pretty much like my sisters since I don’t have any. Anyway, make sure to keep checking in everyday because even though I will be in Dallas I will still be blogging.

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Strange Effective Packing

Everyone I know thinks the way that I pack is so weird but I thought I would share it with you. The reason everyone thinks it is weird is because I try on different outfits and take pictures of them. I do this because it makes it easy to see what exactly I need to pack instead of just throwing lots of different items in a suitcase and hoping that I have cute outfits when I get there. Also this makes it easy to pick out all the accessories I would need to go with each outfit. When I am picking out the outfits I try to have versatile pieces that I can wear more than once to make lots of different outfits so that way I won’t over pack (or at least try not too). This method of the pictures and versatile pieces works get when I am going to be flying because I want to be able to have a light and almost empty suitcase when I get to my location. I want my suitcase light and almost empty so I can do a good bit of shopping and not have to worry about overloading my bag or making it too heavy. I would much rather spend $100 on something other than a baggage fee. Anyway, I am sure everyone is wondering where exactly I am traveling too. Well my destination is Dallas, Texas!! I am leaving Friday morning to visit my cousins for 5 days and of course go SHOPPING!! Since I will be there for 5 days I know that means lots of shopping, laying out, and even a little going out. This means that I need casual cute outfits for the day and some that can be dressed up for the night! Here are the outfits I have come up with for my 5 days:

Here are those leopard skinnnies

Expect to see many pictures from my trip! Also hopefully a lot of pictures of all the purchases I will be making! So make sure to check back in for that next week!!

P.S. Don’t worry even though I will be on vacation there will still be daily posts!!

Lots of Love,   Natalie

Welcome to the Jungle!

I have never really been one who is big into animal print clothing. I have always like a little bit of it in home décor as long as not too many different ones are mixed. Personally, the two I like are leopard and zebra. I decided I would try adding a little leopard into my closet since it has recently been a fashion trend. My first addition of leopard print was a J. Crew leopard print iPhone 4s case. I have absolutely loved this case and have gotten many compliments on it! The next addition came from a J. Crew leopard print spring/summer scarf. I have worn this with simple outfits many times to give them a more fashionable look! I can’t wait to wear it in the fall with lots of cute denim. Since then I have bought a few more leopard things.

I guess you could say I have decided I really like leopard print. The leopard print skinny jeans are probably the biggest step for me in incorporating animal prints into my closet. But, honestly I love them and they are actually very cute on!

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Design Re-Do

I am absolutely obsessed with decorating and interior design! Once I got back from London I

decided I was ready to redo my room at my parent’s house in Jackson. It was a robin’s egg blue

with chocolate brown and light green accents. I decided I was ready for a more grown up look and

something a lot more neutral. Anyway here is what I came up with:

If anyone is interested in the gorgeous abstract paintings they were done by my best friend

Anabel. She would love to paint some more for anyone!

Lots of Love,   Natalie