Stella & Dot Party (and a surprise for you!)

Tonight I hosted a Stella & Dot party for some girlfriends. Enjoy the following images of my dining room dressed up in all the sparkly, blingy, goodness:

 

I love how my awesome party stylist, Tammy used vintage suitcases and stands to accessorize.The dining room looked like an adorable boutique!

As for the food, I told you yesterday that I would go for the low key wine and cheese vibe. It worked out fabulously...

And now for my surprise! Stella & Dot is fabulous jewelry and makes a wonderful Christmas gift (or just a purchase to treat yourself!). Right now until the end of the year, Stella & Dot is offering 20% off any one jewelry piece with your first online order. All you have to do is use the promo code SHARE10. You can browse their amazing selection right here on Tammy's stylist site. All jewelry is shipped directly to your home (or your recipient's home) and it's all even more beautiful in person. Please be sure to mention that you heard about the promo from me, Trish @ This Life of Ours!

Happy Shopping and if you have any questions, shoot me an email at ThisLifeofOursBlog@gmail.com.

This Table's a Hoot!

Well hi there! Sorry I've been MIA the last few days, life's been crrrrrazy! But who doesn't love a little crazy? I do and the hubs sure does- I think that's another reason he married me.

I've got so much to share with you all: a fancy shmancy military ball, a new mirror project to reveal, even a trip to the farm...but this week will be dedicated to one thing and one thing only; Thanksgiving! Why? Simply because it's my most favorite time of year. And, I'm happy to share that tonight for dinner and every other night this week, we are eating Thanksgiving leftovers. Take a peek into our fridge:

All of those containers are leftovers. Every.single.one.

But it's not Thanksgiving yet, Trish, how can you have leftovers?

Weren't you listening?

That dear hubs of mine will be off somewhere in the world flying his plane on the real Thanksgiving Day so we gobbled (hehe) up our Thanksgiving feast last night along with some friends who will also be separated on the big day.

I have so many deets about the big day to share, but this post will be dedicated to one thing, and one thing only; our table centerpiece.

Feast (I'm on a pun roll) your eyes on this:

I absolutely adored our lovely little centerpiece. It was a mix of thrifting, shopping around the house, and splurging for some new accessories and fresh flowers. Care to take a little tour? Keep reading.

I did not want the centerpiece to scream Thanksgiving, or stick with the traditional turkeys or, brown, red, orange, and yellow decor. My goal was to switch it up a bit. So instead of going traditional, I used oranges and teals to show I give a hoot about this day of thanks.

Speaking of hooters, I know owls are all the rage this fall season but I just had not hopped on that branch bandwagon. That is, until I saw these three lovelies. The large gal in the back was $8 at TJ Maxx, and these adorable salt and pepper shakers (shaking hooters...hehe) were $5 at Pier 1. Gotta love 'em! They stood out beautifully against the fresh flowers behind them.

 

I am so lucky that a great little flower shop recently opened up about 1/3rd of a mile from our home. I went in with the intentions of buying some white hydrangea and orange roses, and walked out with gerber daisies, some beautiful thistle, filler and these amazing flowers that look like hanging jack-o-lanterns. Aren't they so neat? Only mother nature could provide something like it. Props to her.

As for the rest the table, I used a mixed of gold and silver chargers and napkin rings, along with teal and orange napkins. Best part? I already owned them all! It's not often I pull together a table that I love, and since it was Sumner's debut, I had to do her justice.

The best part of the table setting? Well, I think this picture speaks for itself. She stayed under that table the entire time I worked and reworked it.

And she's one thing I'm truly thankful for.

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

You may not know this, but I'm obsessed with Thanksgiving. If I had to forgo every other holiday, birthday, and anniversary celebration just to celebrate this one glorious day of thanks, I would. I wouldn't even bat an eye. I love Thanksgiving so much that I plan for it all year round. I scout out new recipes and perfect my existing "classics." When I start getting antsy around mid-August to make our Thanksgiving plans, the hubs has to remind me on a weekly basis that it's not time yet.

Well...tie me up, get out your basters, and stick a pop up thermometer in me because it's finally time for Thanksgiving!

The problem with Thanksgiving this year is that Paul and his squadron won't be home to celebrate. So I've taken matters into my own hands and declared a Sunday in early November our Thanksgiving. Afterall, it's about the people, food, and time spent together, not the actual day right? Technically, it could be Thanksgiving everyday if I really wanted to try, but too much a good thing is....errr, too much.

I haven't even started shopping for the perfect centerpiece and table settings to dress up our new table but the menu has been set for quite some time. Usually, I make everything myself and don't ask for contributions, but since we're a little crunched for time, I have asked friends to bring a couple of side dishes and desserts. Here's what I'm whipping up this year:

Appetizers:

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Pesto and Bruschetta on a Baguette

One more TBD-suggestions?

Soup (tentatively):

Poor Man's Garlic Soup 

 Main Course:

Brined Turkey

Ham with Apple Glaze

Home-made Gravy

Home made biscuits (recipe in the works)

Cranberry Sauce with Orange Zest

Orange Infused Asparagus

Crock Pot Stuffing

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

 Dessert:

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I haven't been this excited about something since....well, last Thanksgiving. What makes it even more special is that it will the first time the hubs and I will host Thanksgiving in our very own home, which makes it all the more special.

What are you favorite Thanksgiving dishes? Any past successes (or failures) hosting this oh-so-special holiday. Do you share in my enthusiasm or think Thanksgiving is just a day to eat and watch football? I'd love to hear your recipes, experiences, and opinions on my very favorite day of the year!

Cream (cheese) of the crop

Tonight I attended my monthly Officer's Spouse Club (OSC) meeting. During these meetings, we discuss  upcoming deployments, balls, meetings and other events. But, like most social gatherings, the most important aspect of our meetings is the food. Social glue if you will.

When I know I have to bring a dish, I always put a lot of thought into what to make. I try to compensate for what I lack in social grace with my developing culinary skills. In other words, I cook to impress. Unfortunately, during the week, I don't have a lot of time to devote to cooking so I end up keeping it simple. Sometimes simple works, just like tonight! I want to share my super yummy, and simple appetizer that is sure to impress every time!

Trish's Super Simple Wraps

Here's what you need (note: I usually use shrimp but I was being a cheapo and used imitation crab)

 
Mix cream cheese and 1/3ish cup of ranch (more or less to your liking )

Dice up veggies and break up crab into small bits

Follow the 5 "S's"


Splat the cream cheese spread
Spread the cream cheese spread
Sprinkle the toppings and roll up wrap

(refridgerate until firm, then )

Slice

 Serve.

Yummy, colorful delishness in every bite! What's your go to quick and easy appetizer?

Getting Manly

After a walk and a game of fetch with the pups, I am done being Debbie Downer for the day. Life ain't always sunshine and puppies, even in our sweet little neck of the woods 'burbs.

I'm sooo excited to reveal the manroom to you finally! It has become my favorite room in the house. I'm trying to rename the room to make it a little more female friendly, but Hubs is insistent that it's his "manroom." Fortunately for me, he let's me in even though I'm not a man. It's one of his favorite things about me, actually.

But, before we get to the good stuff, there is always a before. Warning...it's not pretty as most befores usually aren't. For the record, every room in our house had the gorgeous blue trim and dirty white walls when we moved in. It's been a blast covering it all...I type this with the most sarcastic tone I can conjure up.

  

How was that? Painful right? It looked even worse in person than in photos.

And now...the after. Far less painful and way prettier manlier:

 The hubs loves vintage Navy posters and had bought of these when we lived in Florida. They work perfectly in the room and we both love them!

 The TV entertainment unit was well worth the two trips to IKEA in subsequent weekends.

A manroom is not complete without a beer fridge.

 A view from sitting on the sectional.

 My favorite little man modeling the new digs.

 You can see the new car through the window :)

We made this sign together at our local pottery shop.

And there you have it, Paul's our manroom! I gotta be honest, I can't wait for the hubs to have a guys night so I can watch him enjoy the room they way it's really meant to spent...with the boys. He deserves a room all to himself (but I love that he likes to share it with me).