Resolutions: Financial Responsibility
Posted on January 17th, 2016
It’s mid-January. Not so long ago, you may have set some New Years resolutions, promising yourself that this would be the year it would all change. First of all, good for you! Every day is a great day to chase down your dreams and become the person you want to be. But it’s another thing to take those broad dreams and translate them into everyday routines. I’m not an expert of pretty much anything, but wanted to offer my take on some of the most popular resolutions.
Check back throughout the week for the rest of the series, but we’ll kick it off with everyone’s favorite topic: money.
Want to be smarter, or at least more conscientious, with your money in 2016? Same.
I used to have a monthly budget with a bunch of line items. How much I could spend on lunches, car insurance, household items, clothes, manicures… you get the picture. But I found that, despite my best planning, each month was a little different, and I was constantly moving money around. There was no line item for “Airport Parking for That One Weekend Trip” or “Dry Cleaning,” and “Haircut” is a quarterly thing, and I felt pinched when I was borrowing money from other parts of the budget to cover these sorts of expenses.
A few months ago, I switched to a flat budget. When I receive each paycheck, I immediately move the amount budgeted for savings into my other accounts, I pay my rent, and then I have one set amount I can spend on everything else. I actually find it really empowering. If I choose to buy $300 shoes, that’s my decision, but it may mean eating cereal at the end of the month because when the money is gone, it’s gone. Savings are for the future/a rainy day, so I always keep that separate.
My top quick tips for cutting back:
- Dine, but don’t wine. Having a drink with dinner is an easy way to tack $15 onto your bill. Have a glass of wine at home before you go out, or skip it altogether—it’s probably better for your health, too!
- Walk. (Or use public transit) Another one that has dual health benefits! When I moved to New York, the one way I was most committed to saving money was by never taking taxis.
- Split it. Entrée portions are huge at restaurants, but dividing into two meals will allow you to share with a friend or save some for later. I look for menu items that can easily make two healthy (sometimes) meals since it is almost always cheaper to split an entrée than to get one smaller thing.
Two of the three center around my favorite activity: eating out. Go figure.
In terms of logistics, I track my accounts through an account on Mint, and set aside time every week to look through every item and make sure it all makes sense. My credit cards are all set on autopayment, so that removes the chance that I might forget.
As with all things in life, you have to figure out a system that works for you. As long as your spending generally aligns with your priorities and you’re still building for a stable financial future, you can’t go wrong! But if carefully documenting and categorizing every transaction isn’t working for you, try a general fixed budget– you might be surprised how easy it is to stick to it.
Run Disney
Posted on January 12th, 2016
After the New Year, most people wind down and take it easy. They try to fall into healthy routines, and have a little recovery following holiday festivities.
Instead, we went to Disney World.
We had been planning this trip since the summer, when Ian and I signed up to fundraise for Team JDRF through running the half marathon during the Disney World Marathon Weekend. JDRF is our most important cause, we had super special memories of our first trip to Disney World together a few years ago, and we have been looking for a half marathon to run together. Conditions were perfect.
We took the red eye on Thursday night (woof), but arrived at Disney World bright-eyed and bushy-tailed on Friday morning. By which I mean we were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed after we got coffee in the Magic Kingdom.
We dropped off our bags at the Grand Floridian (the best!!), and once they found out about our engagement they gave us the sweetest buttons, which we were happy to wear throughout the weekend.
Friday we got in some time at Epcot before meeting up with some special friends for a pre-race Pasta in the Park dinner… They could not get over my ring!
Saturday morning we were up at 3am to head to the race. The course starts at Epcot, runs around the lagoon and through the Magic Kingdom, past the Polynesian and Grand Floridian resorts, and back to Epcot. Disney does a fantastic job making it fun, with marching bands, characters, choirs, and numerous other spectacles to entertain you as you go by. There were so many special moments during the run, but for me, the best was turning the corner during mile 6 and chasing my Prince Charming towards the castle up a Main Street lined with cheering spectators as the sun rose.
Saturday and Sunday were filled with more park hopping, and I discovered a new favorite ride (looking at you, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train!). It’s certainly not our usual behavior, but with our new medals Ian and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity for a little matching action.
If you’re wondering why I look so tired that I can barely keep my eyes open… it’s because I was.
Sunday night I had the chance to get drinks with Shelby of Lucky Day Blog! Shelby and I have been pen pals for a year (she just gets my love of paper!), and it was amazing to finally meet in person. If only we didn’t live 3,000 miles apart…
We left on Monday, but we know we’ll be back soon. Although Ian is trying to talk me into running the full marathon next year… help!!
We’ve been so lucky to already have several fun adventures in 2016, and can’t wait for more on the way. The only thing that is really up in the air is how long we can continue to use the excuse “we just ran a half marathon” to justify all of our nutritional excuses.
Too pretty to eat? No such thing.
California Dreaming
Posted on January 5th, 2016
Following our Rose Bowl adventure, we met up with some of our nearest and dearest for a weekend in Santa Monica.
Basically there were…
- Lemon trees
- Puppies
- Fierce front doors
- Leisurely lunches
- Cozy dinners
- Palm trees
- Smiles
- Happy hearts
Gone Bowling
Posted on January 4th, 2016
Great gifts are given when you give someone something they really want but would never buy for themselves. The very best gifts are given when you also get to benefit from the present. #selfless For Ian’s Christmas gift, I covered all of those bases and more.
Going to the Rose Bowl is something Ian and I have both wanted to do forever and ever (it’s on my Life List!). We love football, and the Rose Bowl could not be more steeped in tradition. It’s in California, which has been pretty inconvenient for us in the past, but with our new West Coast location and New Years Day falling on a Friday, I realized the timing could not be more perfect. Stealthily, I bought tickets and flights.
From a planning standpoint, I didn’t want to completely spring the trip on Ian only a few days in advance, so I actually orchestrated the reveal a few weeks ago. I got a bunch of red roses delivered and worked with the concierge in our building so they would be strategically placed on our dining table when we got home. I loved the look on Ian’s face when he read the card and realized what it meant!
We were so, so excited for our trip… even though it meant waking up at 2:15am on New Years Day for our flight to Los Angeles. The sun came up as we landed! (Rose Quartz and Serenity, anyone?)
A huge part of the Rose Bowl fun is the parade, and while we did miss the beginning, we found a great sunny spot along the route to watch. I loved the massive high school marching bands from all over the country, but as a good St. Louis girl of course my favorite part was the clydesdales!
It was a classic Rose Bowl day– sunny and high 60s, and incredibly luxurious for us Seattleites! Between the parade and the game we watched the other football games on TV and had an early lunch at Slater’s 50/50, but pretty soon it was time to consume large quantities of espresso go to the stadium!
I had purchased the tickets a month before it was announced what teams were even playing, so but it turns out we were seated in the heart of Iowa Hawkeye territory. In the beginning it was fun because they were so excited to be at their first Rose Bowl in 25 years…
But it became slightly less fun when they were on the losing end of the most lopsided in the Rose Bowl’s 102 year history.
We’re already debating which bowl game to go to next year. (I vote Fiesta!) Crossing off a Life List item on the very first day of 2016? Not bad.
Wedding Wednesday: Engagement Party
Posted on December 31st, 2015
When I called my parents to tell them Ian had proposed and we were engaged, they did not bother feigning surprise. They expressed their joy, shared their best wishes… and told us that they had already booked an engagement party for December 26. So we’ve been looking forward to the engagement party since before we had a wedding date to anticipate.
First things first: I needed a dress to wear. I emailed Lydia, my Nordstrom stylist, who pulled a whole bunch of options for me.
To be on the safe side, I needed to try on every dress Nordstrom carries. I liked this polka dot dress and this jeweled shift that matched the colors of our wedding, but I wanted to wear something a bit brighter. This green ruffle dress didn’t fit quite right, and as much as I wanted this red Ted Baker dress to be my favorite, it really needed to be hemmed, and I couldn’t quite fit alterations into my budget. I also considered re-wearing a scalloped dress I loved, but again, the whole dark colors thing…
Online, this pink dress didn’t look like much… But in person, it was perfect! And my parents loved that at the party, they could say, “look for Helen, she’s the one in pink!” Plus POCKETS. I paired it with the most fun glitter shoes (#bowsontoes), and a Perry Street necklace I bought from a Rocksbox.
I don’t have as many photos of the party as I wish I did because I was trying to just enjoy the moment– and the moment was truly magical. The room was still entirely decorated for Christmas, so there were tall trees, twinkling lights, and fragrant garlands everywhere, with a roaring fire to keep us warm on a rainy night. As it was a pre-dinner cocktail party there wasn’t a full meal served, but the buffet featured a raw bar with crab, shrimp, and tuna, and the most delicious beef tenderloin sandwiches. My parents also surprised us with delicious passed canapes, including slices of bacon caramelized in sugar. Probably not a health food, but certainly a delicacy!
The eighty guests included all of my cousins, and since none of us live in the same city, it’s always extra special when we’re in the same place.
Many of our bridal party and friends live out of town and were not able to join, but we were so happy to have some of our favorites join us. I got to share the excitement of being engaged with one of my oldest friends…
…and was so lucky to have some of my bridesmaids keeping my champagne flute full, too.
To be honest, though, at times I found the experience to be kind of overwhelming. I didn’t get to visit with each of the guests the way I wish I had, and the whole thing felt like it went by in a flash. When I think about having 300 guests on the big day, I can’t even really conceptualize the emotional magnitude. There’s 100% a part of me that wishes we could have an “elopement” with our very closest friends and family in Napa, followed by a nice dinner party. But at the same time, we really do feel so lucky that so many people want to share in our big day.
So I took a minute to let the weight of being engaged sink in…
…but at the end of the day, I was just happy to stand next to my incredible partner, enjoying the massive amount of love in every corner of our life.
I’ll enjoy every minute of being engaged, but I’ll admit I’m looking forward to August, too.
Hummingbird Cake
Posted on December 29th, 2015
For the past bunch of years, Christmas Eve has been a quiet time for my parents, brothers, and grandparents to go to church and have peaceful dinner before the chaos of the Christmas Day madhouse. My dad makes a delicious mushroom bruschetta, risotto, and butternut squash, but dessert is always my domaine.
The past few years we’ve indulged in a pound cake. If you’ve never stopped to wonder how a pound cake gets its name, allow me to enlighten you: it’s because the recipe uses a WHOLE POUND of butter. Yummy. We’ve served it with berries, homemade whipped cream, caramel sauce… whatever toppings our little hearts desire. But this year, I got a little bee in my bonnet and decided this would be the perfect occasion to bust out the hummingbird cake.
Hummingbird cake has a little bit of everything– spices, fruits, and nuts which are protein so this cake is extremely healthy. Duh. It also happens to be the most popular recipe on Southern Living of all time, so I felt comfortable giving it a go.
Except…….. I burned the first cakes and had to make them again. Whoopsie. Lesson learned. So definitely check your cakes after twenty minutes. For what it’s worth, I might also add more pineapple the next time, too, both for flavor and for texture. I also would have loved to throw in a quarter cup of homemade applesauce, too!
In the end, the flavors were delicious. Because of the range of ingredients, I could see this cake being served at any time of year (ahem, New Years). With different sprinkles, naturally. I normally shy away from the effort of layer cakes (bundt cakes are the lazy girl’s dream), but this one was so easy and so worth it!
My birthday may not be for 8 more months… but I already have the recipe all ready to go.
Made Well for Everything
Posted on December 28th, 2015
‘Tis the season to be grateful for versatile pieces. At this time of year, you’re running between errands, work, happy hours, and family gatherings, and one thing is for sure: you need to be comfortable, yet prepared to look cute at the drop of a hat. Enter knit dresses.
I know, hardly an earth-shattering declaration, but often in life it’s best not to overcomplicate things. The right knit dress keeps you warm on its own but could be layered with a cardigan, is the right length to be worn with flats or heels, can be dressed up with bling and heels or dressed down with booties and a delicate necklace, and holds up into the early spring when you ditch your tights.
The Madewell Gia dress checks all the boxes and then some. It comes in a marled gray, but I picked mine up in this seasonally-appropriate yet understated burgundy. It was the perfect choice for our family festivities on Christmas Day!
I’m new to the world of adventurous tights, but it was a good way to make this look a little more fun. And I can’t claim credit for planning to match my manicure, but it certainly worked out nicely…
How great is this Loren Hope cuff? It came in my latest Rocksbox (promo code helenbff51 for a free month!), and I’ve basically worn it every day. May not have the heart to send it back.
While I certainly give the Madewell dress the highest marks, I rounded up a handful of other options for your outfit inspiration and scrolling pleasure:
Presents Prime for the Giving
Posted on December 20th, 2015
Hey there, procrastinators. Greetings to all of you insanely busy people. Welcome to those of you who just realized you forgot your sister-in-law.
Admittedly, I don’t leave anything to the last minute. I rush through my weekend errands and chores first thing Saturday morning so I can cross things off the list as quickly as possible– I’m usually done by noon. Ditto my Christmas shopping, which I wrapped up on Cyber Monday.
Nevertheless, I’m here to help if you’re not cut from the same cloth. Christmas is soon. On Friday, in fact. As the Grinch would say, it’s practically here. Your inbox is being hammered with emails from companies who promise to deliver your packages by Christmas Eve– for a small shipping fee of $40, or for an order over $300. But you shouldn’t be punished for trying to give gifts to those you love! Behold, a solution: Amazon Prime.
This post does assume you are able to take advantage of Amazon Prime because 1) everyone should have it and 2) if you don’t, that should be your Christmas gift to yourself. A Prime membership is a purchase that will never, ever give you buyer’s remorse.
Here are a whole bunch of options for every possible person on your list– all under $60, and will be shipped to you by Christmas Eve for the low low price of free:
- Candle– hostess gift, stocking stuffer, whatever you need!
- Nail Polish Gift Set– I love all of these shades! A pretty gift box set for only $13
- Gold/Pearl Earrings– if she’s anything like me, she’ll wear them every single day
- All the Light We Cannot See– this book is a little bit of a heartbreaker, a little bit of a thinker, and totally gripping in all of the best ways. Definitely gender neutral, too.
- Acrylic Letter Tray– For their fancy, important desk. Feel free to add one to your cart for me, too.
- Tile– a little tracker for all of the important things that never seem to be where you left them last. Like Find My iPhone, but for your stuff. Such a great gift for literally anyone.
- Blue/Pearl Drops– Even prettier in person!
- Fancy food– Tate’s cookies are great, but there are many wonderful options. No one hates food.
- Coffee Table Book– With Poolside with Slim Aarons, they’ll be dreaming of a white hot Christmas
- America Sock Hat– Only $12!! Your college brother told me he wants this.
- Christmas Ornament– Lots of ways to make this gift personal, but I love this option for the Star Wars lover. Very topical, no?
- Kendra Scott necklace– pretty, neutral colors to go with everything
- Waterford barware– I love all things Waterford, and these highball glasses come with gold foil cocktail tutorials
In case you doubted that Amazon can literally be your whole life, fear not. They both have everything, and know everything. But you should probably actually order. Today.
Gift Wrap by @GiftRapp
Posted on December 17th, 2015
I don’t mean to alarm you, but the clock is ticking and Christmas is around the corner. Hopefully by now you’ve accumulated meaningful gifts for the loved ones in your life– but it’s time to put on the finishing touches!
I take gift wrapping pretty seriously for several reasons: 1) It’s my name. 2) It’s your present’s first impression, and it shows you care. 3) Beautifully wrapped gifts can double as holiday decor in the days leading up to your gift exchange. My brothers wait until the last possible minute to think about wrapping (and presents, for that matter) and then stuff their loot into plastic grocery bags. Frankly, it’s tragic. Take my advice and don’t get caught off guard because there are SO MANY cute choices!
For my primary paper, I ordered this Kate Spade option. Given my somewhat limited apartment storage capabilities I wanted to find gift wrap that I could use throughout the year without just having to store for next Christmas, but was still festive during the holiday season. This roll is reversible, and has a nice Tiffany blue shade on the other side. With a pink ribbon in the spring or summer, no one will think of this as holiday paper, but our big red bows are all jingle this month.
But if you’re looking for…
Snowflakes // LLAMAS!! // Gold Stripes // Winter Tableaus // Vintage Elements // Pinecones // Cozy Hats // Festive Bears // Holly // A classic Kate Spade look // The prettiest floral // Sophisticated marble // Party Girls // Polka Dots // Leaves // Navy & White Spots // Something a little cheeky
…I’ve got you covered!
I want to give a special shout out to the Sugar Paper for Target collection– they have everything you need! Pretty paper is the crux of gift wrapping foundation, but toppers like gift tags, bells, ribbons, bows, and even mini ornaments really seal the deal. They even have fun tape! And if wrapping is a little out of your comfort zone (looking at you, little brothers), might I suggest a pretty bag or keepsake box?
So put your elf hat on! Open a bottle of wine, put Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You (Extra Festive)” on repeat, and get to work!
Recent Recipes: Holiday Edition
Posted on December 16th, 2015
Since moving to Seattle with a reasonable kitchen and someone who will share my cooking, I’ve had so much fun trying new recipes. I’m not saying I am some kind of gourmet goddess who whips up all my own meals, but we’re in a pretty good pattern, particularly during the week. (If you think I’m cooking Friday night, you’re dead wrong.) It’s a big world of food bloggers out there, so I thought I would share a few of the festive recipes with which I have found success in the past month!
Croissant Sausage and Egg Casserole
We had this croissant sausage and egg casserole on Thanksgiving morning after our Turkey Trot, and I’m definitely rooting for it to return while we’re home for Christmas. With their make-ahead construct, egg casseroles are so perfect for the chaotic holidays. We dressed up this recipe with extra vegetables like mushrooms, and subbed in a healthier sausage option.
Matzo Ball Soup
Our little household is a multi-cultural one, and this month I enjoyed celebrating Hanukkah with Ian. What better way to fully immerse myself in his traditions than by making a big Hanukkah meal for some of our Seattle friends? Matzo ball soup is a classic– I actually ended up getting sick a few days after making it, and the leftovers were the best medicine. We also made latkes with homemade applesauce. I took a risk (read: cop out) by using frozen shredded potatoes instead of doing it by hand, but we all agreed we couldn’t tell a difference. HUGE timesaver, big win.
Sausage, Bean, and Cheese Dip
I served this sausage, bean, and cheese dip to friends who had come over to watch football with carrots and tortilla chips, and it was a huge success. This was another one I lightened up with chicken sausage, which was definitely a good substitute. Will definitely be breaking it out at upcoming football parties this winter!
Now on to the real fun… COOKIES! I’ve baked almost every day this month– here are some highlights:
Flourless Fluffernutters
I was super skeptical when I put these fluffernutter cookies in the oven, but they were delicious. I did sub marshmallow fluff for the mini marshmallows because of what I had on hand, which worked fine. Peanut butter + sugar gives me life.
Mexican Wedding Cookies
These have a jillion names– snowball cookies, Mexican wedding cookies, Russian tea cakes– but let’s not overcomplicate things. These are ground pecans wrapped in sugary goodness. Simply delicious.
Classic Christmas Sugar Cookies
I think these were the winners, you guys. Normally when I think about decorating Christmas cookies I think more about applying the sprinkles than eating the final result, but these simple sugar cookies changed my mind. A perfect, classic texture, and the almond extract makes it pop. Note: ours did not look this pretty…
And because we’re all among friends here, I feel like now is a good time to mention that last night I had Christmas cookies for dinner. No regrets.
