Weekend Recap

Another fun packed weekend for the Bradfords. We started off this fun filled weekend at dinner with Mark's good friend Sammy. We barely ever get to see him because he lives in Rhode Island so this was a special treat. He's such a sweet guy and we had a blast chatting with him over burgers and beers. Miss you already!
Lauren and Chase, Mark's mom and brother, were in town to visit this weekend as well. We started the weekend by running some quick errands before dinner. We (as in Lauren and I) went to Ulta and to return a couple things at Old Navy. I picked up the PSSSSTT dry shampoo because I was out of my Batiste dry shampoo and wanted to try something new. So far it seems to work pretty well. I also got a sample size of the Kenra Perfect Hold Hairspray, the new L'Oreal mascara, and the NYX HD concealer. I have been wanting to try the concealer for awhile but it's never at my Target. I'll update you on what I think about these products soon. While we checked out the new items at Ulta, Mark and Chase were in Golfsmith... per usual lol. Then we had dinner at Gordon Biersch with the Wooster fam. I love spending time with them!

Collin, Mark, and Kathy

Collin, Chase, Lauren, Mark, Uncle Mark, and Kathy

The next day we woke up early to head out to DISNEYLAND! Woohoo! We got on the road a little later then planed but made it to the park by 9:30. It was a great day and the park wasn't too crowded. I feel like the pictures will better tell the story of the day. 

So picture dump in 3, 2, 1...

Oktoberfest... mmm 

We had a blast! Can't you tell? :) Mark surprised me with a cute Minnie hat and had my name embroidered. So sweet of him! We left around 7:00 and headed home. We were exhausted from our early morning wake up call and being in the sun all day. Hopefully we can go again this winter when it's decorated for Christmas!! 

On Sunday, I got up early to head to the store so I could make bacon wrapped dates and the corn dip to take to the Wooster's house. We went to their house to watch the Chargers game and to eat some delicious Mexican food. Yum! I was too invested in my book (yes, I was reading during a football game) to take pictures... whoops! The night ended with us dropping Lauren and Chase off at the airport and then sushi for dinner. Yum! We also watched Big Brother. It's so close to the season finale now! I hope you all had a fantastic weekend! This is a 4-day work week for me and then we are heading to Half Moon Bay. Yippee! Have a great Monday!

Five on Friday

Happy Friday everyone! Whoa this week went by crazy fast! We have another busy weekend coming up because Mark's mom and brother, Chase, will be in town. We have dinner tonight with his aunt and uncle and then a very special something tomorrow! Woot woot! The picture below basically describes me every weekend. I want to do a million things but at the same time I want to park my booty on the couch and veg out. I'm soaking up all these weekends with Mark because he will be out of town for most of October. I hope you all have a great day!

Photo source

One- Disneyland!!!!

From our trip in June

We are heading to Disneyland tomorrow and I can't wait! I LOVE Disneyland! Seriously, how can you have a bad day when you're there? Mark and I went for the first time together in June so I'm THRILLED that we are able to go again so soon! Lauren (my mother in law) also loves Disneyland so I'm glad that we are able to take her while she is in town. Plus, the best part is that it will be decorated for Halloween! YAY! I made a reservation for dinner on the California Adventure side and we plan on eating lunch in Disneyland. I can't wait to ride Indiana Jones, and the new Cars ride. Ahh I'm geeking out right now!

Two- New Dresses

Dress here |  #1  |  #2  |  #3 

I mentioned in my weekend recap that I found a dress for an event we have next weekend and also my friend's wedding. I love that it's not tight-fitting but also gives me a shape. The flare and swing of the dress adds a fun element and I love the floral print. This is definitely out of my comfort zone because of the color and print but that's what drew me to it. I'm usually a neutrals kind of girl. I'm planning on pairing it with black heels and some fun bracelets. Target has some super cute black heels so I'm going to try and find them in store on Sunday. Option #3 is not something I would normally choose but I think they would be super cute with the dress. Which are your favorites?? 

*The spot in the middle of the dress is actually on the mirror
Buy it here

I bought this dress from Old Navy during their super cash sale. I had $20 in super cash and wanted to spend it before it expired. I love the material of this swing dress and I think it's a great transitional piece for fall. I was a little worried that it would make me appear larger than I am but I think it still gives me a shape. Anyone who knows me can testify to the fact that I LOVE the whole relaxed fit look. I pretty much repel form-fitting clothes lol. The dress was on sale for $15 when I bought it and I saw that it's now back to the regular price of $29. If you use the online code of "YOUSAVE" then you can get 30% off. 

Three- Wish List

Buy it here

If you haven't guessed already I love clothes and I LOVE to shop. I have been on the hunt for the perfect green utility vest. I've seen a few vests that other bloggers have posted but I don't want to spend too much on this trendy item. I love that the one above synchs at the waist to provide some shape.  I purchased a green utility jacket last year from Old Navy and I wore it a ton. The military green color is such an easy color to pair things with and I especially love to wear it with black and white stripes. 

Four- A Praying Life

Buy it here

I recently ordered this book from Amazon after hearing my friend Heidi speak about it during devotionals. My prayer life hasn't always been the strongest and I find myself at a lost for what to say or even pleading/ bargaining with God at times. I manage to find time to pray everyday but I don't always feel connected to God while in prayer. The parts of the book Heidi shared left me intrigued and wanting to read more. I quickly ordered it from Amazon and it was on my doorstep on Wednesday. Gotta love Amazon Prime! I'll update you guys on my thoughts soon!

Five- The Light Between Oceans

I finally finished The Light Between Oceans this week. I've wanted to read this book for so long and even tried to get our book club to read it almost a year ago. My friend Emily brought it to me a couple weeks ago and I started it immediately. This book was hard to get through, which I feel like has been a common theme of all the books I've been reading lately. I hunkered down this week and read for several hours to finish it. I ended up really liking the story, despite the constant heartbreak present in each part of the book. **Spoiler alert: the fact that Isabel had three miscarriages on her own made me so sad. Not only was she losing a child but she was on an island away from any kind of doctor or hospital. Then when a child seems to fall in their laps they make a decision that will forever change their lives. I like how it ended but I found myself irritated through half of the book. Do you guys ever read books that make you feel that way?

As always I'm linking up with April, Natasha, Christina, Karli, Erika, Narci, and Andrea :) Happy Friday everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Barbecue Tri-tip with the Against All Grain Rub

The "Cast" of Characters

A couple weekends ago I made a barbecue Tri-tip with a seriously delicious rub. I found the recipe in my Against All Grain- Meals Made Simple cookbook. I talked about this book in my Crazy About Cookbooks Part 1 last week. To read the post click here. The rub was super simple to throw together and I already had everything in my pantry. YESSS! I love when that happens.

Here is the recipe:

1/3 cup coconut crystals

1/4 cup paprika

1/4 cup chili powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon coarse sea salt

1 tablespoon dry mustard

2 teaspoons ground oregano leaves

2 teaspoons ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.

Just combine all the ingredients together. She says it keeps for up to 3 months which is awesome because it makes a TON of rub. I halved this recipe and I still have so much leftover.

For the tri-tip:

1. Spread 1/4 cup of barbecue dry rub on the tri-tip roast and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Sear all sides of the trip-tip and reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue grilling, covered, for 20-30 minutes until done. 

3. Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest for 15 mins. 

4. Slice the steak against the grain. 

**We drizzled a smoky barbecue sauce on top and served it with roasted red potatoes topped with rosemary and garlic. We also had steamed asparagus. YUM!

Hope you enjoy this recipe and if you try it out for yourself leave a comment and let me know :)

Crazy About Cookbooks Part 2

Thank you for joining me on this journey through my cookbook collection and the books I'm dying to own. See the first post in the series here.

What I have my eye on...

Buy it here.

Around the Table by Martina McBride

Around the Table is not only a cookbook but also an entertaining guide. Martina has tons of ideas for throwing parties all throughout the year and gives great tips for what to stock in your pantry for last minute get togethers. She also has a game plan laid out for prepping and setting up a party. This is such key advice because timing is not my strong suit. Once again the pictures are beautiful which is such a selling point for me! This book is so well put together and just screams grace and poise. Love love love it!

From my collection...

But it Here

Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist

This book is actually an assortment of essays with recipes included, not just a regular cookbook. She writes about family, friendships, faith, and the struggles in between. It's endearing to read something so honest and open. You can't help but to want to be Shauna's best friend when reading this book.  She shares the joys and pits of life all while encouraging the reader to have faith through it all. I identified with many of the emotions she was sharing and even some situations she has been in. I loved feeling like I could be encouraged by her life by reading this heartfelt book.  She has a real passion for cooking and the way she writes makes everything sound delicious. I tried several of her recipes on the very same day that I read them. They were scrumptious! I make her bacon wrapped dates all the time and I also love her risotto! Everyone who wants a quick read filled with scripture, quirky stories, and go-to recipes should pick up this book. 

Ankle Bootie Love

Starting from top left- Click name to go to link
1. Vince Camuto Franell Western  2. Strike Your Heart   3. Sam Edelman Hannah Belted Chelsea
4. Sole Society Lyriq Bootie   5. Terri Lace Up  6. Sole Society Hollie Bootie
7. Lucky Brand Yoniana Wedge  8. Forever Fringe  9. Sole Society Lyriq Bootie (in Khaki)

**Correction: the Vince Camuto Franell booties are actually $158.95 now

 I'm not really what you would call a heels kind of girl and I only wear wedges on occasion. Flip flops and sandals are my faves during the warmer months but in the fall/ winter ankle booties are my jam. I love ankle booties because they immediately make an outfit look more put together. They are pretty effortless in the sense that they don't kill my feet and I still feel stable. Plus a little bit of heel always makes my legs look longer. It's the little things right?? :)
 Here is a round up of some of my current faves. I purchased the Altar'd State Forever Fringe booties last year and I LOVE them. I think the fringe detail is so cute and makes them look a little more country and even a little boho. I have been lusting after the Sole Society Lyriq Bootie though. The navy blue and the khaki suede are both calling my name. That mossy green color is one of my favorite colors to wear and it will go with a ton of things this fall/ winter. The navy blue is just so different from everything I own so I'm drawn to them as well.

 Decisions, decisions... What are your favorite ankle boots??