cleansing and decorating.

Happy Friday!  Well last night marked the end of my three-day blueprint cleanse and I must say, it was a breeze.  I honestly did not feel hungry (my biggest concern going into it).  All in all I think what I got out of it is what I can best describe as a restart...a restart to healthy eating.  Not that I was eating horribly right before, but I did indulge in lots and lots of food while on vacation and I felt like it was time to get back to some healthy eating habits.  This weekend I will be searching for some yummy and healthy recipes.  I will also continue my holiday decorating.  Yeah yeah, I know I'm a little late to the game this year, but I'm excited to continue my crafting.  I started with a little diy ornament painting project yesterday that I'm loving.  It's looking like a very minty holiday season around here. 

cleansing.

Have you ever tried doing a cleanse?  I for one have not until now.  I've had a few friends do the blueprint cleanse lately and all of them raved about it, so I thought, why not....I'll give it a try.  Well I'm on day 2 of the blueprint 3-day renovation cleanse (aka the "beginner cleanse"), and honestly, I am completely loving it.  Granted I'm only on the morning of the second day, but so far I haven't felt hungry AT ALL.  And I feel pretty energized.  I will definitely let you guys know how I feel by the end of day 3.  Wish me luck (or rather yet wish my husband luck...as I'm not sure how happy I'll be by the end of Thursday, ha).

snack time.

I've been on the hunt for simple and easy recipes to try out.  Ummm and when I say easy, I mean like 3 steps with very little ingredients...ha!  G & I have become brussel sprout maniacs and are always ordering them up at restaurants.  I found this little gem of a recipe on a beautiful mess and now I'm itching to try it.  I mean, come on, brussel sprout chips sound like they will be pretty much amazing!

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yountville.

Wow, what a weekend.  G and I went up to Yountville on Saturday for a little day trip.  I love love love living so close to wine country.  The fact that we can drive up for the day, eat an amazing lunch, then head back in time for dinner in the city, is a dream.  We ate the most delicious meal at Bouchon, walked around the quaint little town, then relaxed for a bit at Bardessono.  Ummm, can we talk about this place?  It was SO pretty!  We were trying to figure out a way to sneak up to their pool for a bit, but home was calling, so we headed back and chatted about how we'd definitely make a return visit.

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vacation in pictures.

Our trip to Charleston, SC for my aunt's wedding was unbelievable.  I really can't say enough great things about this magical little city, so instead of trying to convey it in LOTS of words, I'll let the photos and my short descriptions do the talking.

{1} A pretty little gate tucked within the city. {2} I lost count of all of the gorgeous homes we saw. I seriously wanted to live in every.single.one of them! {3} G and I enjoying a family night at my aunt and uncle's beautiful house. {4} We pretty much ate our way through our vacation, and one of our favorite meals was at Hominy Grill. It was unbelievable, especially the shrimp & grits!

{5} We drove down to Savannah, GA one day and I gotta say it did not disappoint. The place is seriously gorgeous with tiny little squares littering the city and of course more of those to-die-for southern homes. {6} Not gonna lie, it was a bit humid during our trip, but G found this park bench to sit and relax by the water. {7} My dad also decided to take a seat (that day was pretty darn hot)! {8} One of the most charming parts about Charleston are the prety little alleyways. G and I spent one morning walking the quaint little alleys just in awe of the cobblestone streets.

{9} Our last full day of vacation was Labor Day and we headed down to the beach with my aunt, uncle, cousins and their 2 daughters. A wonderful way to end our trip. {10} Here are G and I fresh out of the Atlantic (on Sullivan's Island). It was my first time swimming in the Atlantic and I couldn't get over how warm the water was. {11} A shot of G and I at my aunt's wedding. My aunt went all out and crafted up some amazing decor (can't wait to see the pro's pics). It was such a wonderful celebration with my family. {12} A gorgeous little garden maze at the Magnolia Plantation & Gardens. {13} Wandering around the streets of Charleston again, taking in the amazing buildings.

Ok, I lied, I have a few more favorites to write about!  I must mention the culinary tour we took on our first day in town (thanks Mollie for the recommendation).  It was awesome to hear about the history of Charleston, while eating up some southern favorites (like grits, fried green tomatoes, and sweet tea).  Ummm and eating was one of the many highlights of the trip.  I already mentioned Hominy Grill (insanely good), but my dad, G and I all agreed that our favorite restaurant was Magnolias.  We highly recommend it.  Oh and I can't forget to mention Dixie!  Get the grits there...A-mazing!  I really truly can't wait for our next trip back.  Thanks to my aunt Susie and uncle Pete for hosting a wonderful week!