Autumn Amelia

Hello everyone!

This Saturday is Chinese New Year!

And if you didn't know, Erik and I love to celebrate each year.

To help you get into the spirit, I am going to share our homemade fried rice recipe.

Make it this weekend to celebrate, or any night for a quick, delicious dinner. 

You will need:

3 Cups of Cooled Cooked Rice, We Use Brown Rice

1/2 A Tablespoon of Sesame Oil

1/2 A Tablespoon of Canola Oil

1 and 1/3 Cups of Frozen Peas and Carrots Blend

3 Green Onions Chopped

2 Gloves of Garlic, Minced 

2 Large Eggs

3 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce

Salt and Pepper, To Taste

In a large skillet, heat the sesame and canola oil over medium-high heat.

Once warm, add the pea and carrot blend and green onions, saute for 1 minute.

Add the garlic, and saute for an additional minute.

Push the vegetable mix to one side of the pan.

Add the eggs to the opposite side, cook and scramble.

Add the cooked rice to the pan.

Add soy sauce and stir until well combined. 

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm.

Enjoy!

We don't add any additional meat to our rice because one, I'm not a huge fan of meat two, we usually have this on the side of some teriyaki chicken and three, the eggs already add protein to the mix.

If you prefer meat in your rice, cook some diced chicken in the oil in the skillet and remove before sauteing your veggies.

Or add in some pre-cooked cubed ham along with the rice and soy sauce.

This recipe is simple and comes together quickly.

It also makes a good portion of rice.

Perfect to eat over a few days or enjoy on its own in a larger family.

We can't wait to enjoy fried rice this weekend!

Do you do anything for Chinese New Year?

All my love,

Autumn

Hello everyone!

Since the start of the new year, I have been reflecting over 2019 quite a bit.
I definitely let myself splurge more than normal (it was one of my resolutions!) and as a result, I discovered a few new things that quickly became my favorites.
I thought it would be fun to share these with you.
Maybe they will become some of your favorites too!

Nike Tanjun Shoes


For Christmas 2018, I received my first pair of Nike's.
I noticed a difference immediately.
They literally added a bounce in my step.
I am on my feet all day at work and these were a game-changer.
I am hoping to add another colorful pair to my wardrobe soon.

Goodfellow Crew Neck Sweatshirt

While shopping with Erik at Target I saw a simple sweater in the men's section that I took interest in.
I had wanted a cozy oversized sweater to lounge around in at home and this looked like it would do.
I bought one on a whim and now have almost every color!
The perfect sweater for lounging, camping and running errands in.
And SO affordable!

Your girl loves her some glitter...
So, I was pumped to receive these as a gift.
And let me tell you, they were made for me.
These eyeshadows go on wet and dry within seconds.
They give me the perfect glitter eye for any occasion.
I just added another color to my collection and am so excited to rock it in 2020!

CycleBar


I had been wanting to try out a cycle class for a while and was finally able to accomplish that last year.
I fell in love instantly...
It is such a good work out and I love the positive atmosphere.
I have gotten a few people to classes with me through the year and they have agreed it is awesome!

Jean Jacket

Scrunchies

I jumped on the scrunchie bandwagon last year and never looked back.
Why we wrote off scrunchies, I will never know.
They are so soft on my hair, unlike elastics, and add a fun pop to the simplest of hairdos.
I am sorry we forsake you, scrunchies.
I will not make that mistake again... 

Novelty Bags


I have wanted to purchase a novelty bag for years!
I have had my eye on quite a few.
Most of them, Disney themed.
Surprise, surprise.
Since we were going to Disneyland in 2019 I let myself buy one when it went on sale.
And that quickly led to another and another.
These bags add the perfect touch of whimsy to any outfit and make adorable shelf decor at home.
I can't wait to add some more to my collection this year.

Sincerely Us Shop



I found this shop at a home show and it was love at first sight.
The whole booth was my aesthetic.
They have the cutest prints, blankets and candles.
I have only added one print to my collection so far but, have my heart set on a dozen more.
Plus, when you buy from them you are supporting a small business.
Who doesn't love that?

Bando Planner



I finally splurged on my first Bando Planner in 2019.
These planners come with everything.
Stickers, posters, and even coloring pages!
It was so fun that I had to get another one for this year.
I can't wait to fill it out.

Max Pillow

Even though this pillow has only been with me for a few weeks, the amount of joy it has given me is unmeasurable.
I became OBSESSED with it as soon as I saw it announced with the Oh My Disney dog collection.
I added it to my Christmas wish list and my sister made my dreams come true.
Every time I see him I can't help but get a smile on my face.

I'm so proud of myself for indulging a little more last year.
I can't wait to discover and play with new things this year.
What were some of your favorite things in 2019?

All my love,
Autumn

Hello everyone!

Happy New Year!

The older I have gotten, the less into resolutions I have been.

Resolutions are great, don't get me wrong, but when I don't stick to them I tend to spiral.

So, I don't regularly make resolutions anymore.

I do love me a fresh start and any excuse to organize though. 

As we head into the first full week of the year I thought I'd share a few things I have done or will be doing to help me feel refreshed for the New Year.

Update A Space

We all have a space we spend the majority of our time in.

Maybe it's your desk at work, a desk at home or even your car.

No matter the space, start the year by giving it a little refresh.

Organize the clutter, throw out what you no longer need and add some fun new items that make you happy.

I decorated my desk at my seasonal job with some washi tape, illustrations and quotes.

It took no time at all and made all the difference.

Now my little desk is brighter and a lot more fun.

Enjoy Some Uplifting Content

I love bad TV.

I mean LOVE it.

It's one of the things that helps me turn my brain off.

That being said, I do notice a difference when I binge hours of bad TV rather than intake some good content.

So, turn off that bad TV show, put down that gossip magazine and get some uplifting content in your life.

You know, the stuff that motivates you to do better and be better?

I have loved watching Reese Witherspoon's Shine On series.

It highlights women in different career fields that are making a difference.

You can find it currently on Netflix.

I also love listening to the Awesome with Alison podcast.

She is a girl that lets her freak flag fly while sharing advice on how to live your best life.

You can find it wherever you stream your podcasts.

I have heard amazing things about Rachel Hollis' books Girl, Wash Your Face and Girl, Stop Apologizing.

I haven't had the chance to dive into them just yet but I am excited to devour them this year.

Switch To A Reusable Product

If you are like me, you have at least one thing that will help you go green you keep meaning to do.

For us, it was buying reusable shopping bags.

Every time we go to the store and add another plastic bag to our plastic bag family the guilt would get real...

We finally bit the bullet and used some Christmas cash to invest in a few reusable bags.

I am excited to finally be helping the environment in a small way and to also get a drawer in my kitchen back.

So, whether you have been meaning to buy a reusable water bottle, add a second trash can for recycling or get some of them fancy aluminum straws, invest in it now and feel good that you are doing your part in some small way. 

Schedule Those Appointments

The holidays are officially over which means it's time to get back to the real world.

Boo...

A few of my least favorite things happen during the first part of the year.

Taking down Christmas decorations, my yearly trip to the doctor and tax day...

We try to get these taken care of as soon as possible so we don't have to think about them until the following year.

It's such a simple thing to do but it makes me feel hella accomplished and adult AF.

Schedule your doctor's appointments, schedule your tax appointment and then if you are like me reward yourself by scheduling something fun.

This year I scheduled a stay at my favorite hotel for my birthday.

Now that's one appointment I am not planning on missing.

Clean Out A Cluttered Space

We all have those small areas in our lives that collect clutter like crazy.

Bathroom cabinets, mail cubbies, nightstand drawers.

For us, like most homes in America, it's the dreaded kitchen junk drawer.

These spaces are so small but collect random junk like crazy!

Take a few minutes out of your day and organize that space!
It really doesn't take that long and will make finding things SO much easier.

These are just a few simple ways I am starting the year feeling accomplished.

They are all easy and took me less than an hour to do. 

Do you set New Year's resolutions?

If so, what are some of yours for 2020?

All my love,

Autumn

Hello everyone!

Are y'all ready for a new decade?!

Because it's basically here...

To help us celebrate I made this fun DIY disco ball piñata.

I have made a few piñatas in my day.

They aren't hard but, are a little time-consuming.

Make sure to give yourself a few days to complete this project.

You will need:

36 Inch Balloon

Newspaper

Scissors

Flour

Water

Silver Crepe Paper

Fringer Scissors, Optional

Tape
Silver Ribbon

Start by inflating the balloon to your desired size.

I inflated mine about halfway, 18 inches.

A 36-inch balloon is rather large...

I'm lazy and didn't want to decorate the whole thing but still wanted it to be large enough to make an impact.

You can blow it up to the full size if you prefer.

Cut your newspaper into 1-inch strips.

Cut A LOT because you will need it.

Once your strips are ready to use, create your papier-mache.

Mix 1 part flour to 1 part water until a paste is made, it should be a thick glue-like substance. 

1 and 1/3 cups of each is the amount that worked for me.

You will need to make more or less depending on the size of your balloon.

Dip the strips of newspaper in the paste and slide off any excess with your fingers.
Add the wet strips directly onto the balloon.

To help keep the balloon in place, set it in a box.

Repeat until the balloon is completely covered.

Let dry completely.

I recommend 24 hours but, have gotten away with 12 when I was in a hurry.

Once the first layer is completely dry, apply another layer in the same manner.

Let dry.

Add a third coat to make it extra sturdy.

Let dry.

Once the final layer is completely dry, poke a hole through the papier-mache to deflate the balloon. 

Cut a small flap in the top of the papier-mache, large enough to fit your hand into so you can stuff it with your goodies.

Open the flap and remove the deflated balloon.

Cut long strips of crepe paper.
With the fringe-scissors, fringe one side of the crepe paper leaving about an inch of space at the top to attach to the piñata.

You can fringe the crepe paper with regular scissors as well but, the fringe scissors will save you quite a bit of time.
I'd highly recommend investing in some! 

Starting at the bottom of the piñata, add a layer of the fringed crepe paper.

Use small pieces of tape every few inches to secure into place. 

Continue adding strips of the crepe paper up the piñata until it is entirely covered.

Poke two slits in the top of the piñata and string one end of the silver ribbon through.
Tie the ribbon into a knot on the inside of the piñata.
Repeat with the other ribbon end to create a loop in which to hang the piñata from. 

Open the flap and fill with your goodies.

 Seal the flap with tape.

Hang and enjoy!

I love how this piñata turned out!

The size and metallic silver make it the perfect pop of fun every party needs.

I am planning on using it as decor for our New Years' Eve at home.

It's too pretty (and took too long) to wreck!

Maybe next year?

How are you spending your New Year's Eve?

All my love,

Autumn

Hello everyone!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Erik and I love to celebrate every year.

Erik attended an authentic Chinese New Year at his friends house when he was a kid and it holds a special place in his heart.

It's a tradition we plan on sharing with our kids someday.

This year I thought it would be fun to try my hand at homemade fortune cookies.

You will need:

3 Egg Whites

3/4 a Cup of Sugar

1/2 a Cup of Butter, melted and cooled

1/4 a Teaspoon of Vanilla

1/4 a Teaspoon of Almond Extract

3 Tablespoons of Water

1 Cup of Flour

Paper Fortunes to fill

Prepare your paper fortunes.

They will need to be ready to place in your cookies.

I found mine via Pinterest.

Preheat oven to 375o.

Mix egg whites and sugar on high until frothy.

Mix in butter, vanilla, almond extract, water and flour one at a time.

Make sure each ingredient has been well combined before adding the next ingredient.

With a tablespoon, spoon the batter onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. 

Spread the batter evenly into a 3 inch circle. 

Only do 2 or 3 cookies at a time.

The cookies set quickly and you will not be able to fold more than 2 or 3 before they set.

Bake cookies for 8-9 minutes or until the edges start to brown.

If you overcook them they will break when folding.

If you undercook them they will tear when folding.

Remove cookies from the oven and quickly remove from the sheet with a spatula. 

Cookies will be very hot!

Use gloves or a thin towel to help you shape them so you do not completely burn your fingers.

Fold the cookie in half into a semi circle.

Slip in your prepared paper fortune.

Place the semi circle onto the edge of a cup and fold the edges down and into the shape of a fortune cookie.

Hold the cookie down to let set and move to a muffin tin to let cool.

This will help them keep their shape.
Enjoy!

After the cookies had completely set I used melted white and milk chocolate and sprinkles to decorate.

Since we were making these for Chinese New Year I decided to add some decorations for the festivities.

Erik and I have held onto this fortune for months.

We loved being told beaches and water were in our future.

Our five year wedding anniversary is coming up later this year.

Erik has been asking if we can go on a cruise.

Little does he know I already booked it...

I decided to surprise him and tell him tonight.

 I took the fortune off of the fridge and slipped it into one of the cookies.

I am going to give it to him tonight and tell him we are going!

I am so excited to surprise him.

Do you celebrate Chinese New Year?

How do you celebrate?