Visiting Charleston, SC

Happy Monday!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend.

Richie and I took full advantage of the bye week and went down to Charleston, SC.  One of my favorite magazines, Southern Living, has featured Charleston so many times I had been longing to go for a visit.  It possessed all of the charm, style, and beauty that I had hoped for. The European influence was evident as we walked along the streets and our bed and breakfast experience was straight out of a movie.  I hope I can convey just a glimpse how wonderful our trip was through these photos.  

My heart melted the moment we pulled up to the Cabell House.

 

 

If you are planning a visit and looking for a bed and breakfast, I highly recommend this beautiful house. It was just like staying with relatives whom we had never met.  There were two retired couples staying there as well, who we quickly got to know.  We sat on the porch, chatted, and drank wine in the evenings before going our separate ways for dinner.  It was lovely!
 

 

 

Each morning a large breakfast was prepared and all of the guests ate together in the dining room. Richie and I enjoyed getting to know the other couples staying at the house and hearing about all of their travels over the years.

 

 

I adored all of the beautiful China.  It is now my mission to find a set for our new home.

Did I mention that the Cabell House was just a few yards from the water...

We visited Fort Sumter on Thursday.

 

Thursday night we took a Pedicab to Peninsula Grill for dinner with a few of our friends who were also in town for the weekend.  The food was impeccable and the restaurant was very fancy.  I'm positive I set a record for myself for the most forks used in one night!  They are known for their coconut cake and we quickly found out why...it was so yummy!  After dinner we all took Pedicabs to the Gin Joint for drinks. We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends.

Friday we spent our day shopping King Street and took a carriage ride through the residential areas.

 

 

I'm sure you have noticed by now that our dog is very spoiled, well traveled, and gets to experience more than most children do.  We love her!

 

Tomorrow I will post pictures all of the beautiful sights we saw on our walks. 

Xoxo,

Whitney

 

Apple Cider Chicken

Fall has me craving all kinds of foods; anything pumpkin, cider flavored, or sweet will do!  Today I tried a new recipe which was recommended by Rachel's Nest.  If you haven't read her blog, you should head on over.  She has great DIY ideas and the cutest little family!  You can find her blog and the original link for this recipe here.

Rachel was right, this recipe is perfect for fall and oh so yummy!

What you will need:

1 onion, sliced into eighths (I used a yellow onion)

1 lemon, sliced into thin rounds

2 cups of apple cider (I used the Trader Joes Spiced Cider)

1/4 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons of dried thyme

2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2-4 chicken breasts (I used 6 chicken thighs)

2 large apples, sliced into chunks

1 pound small potatoes, cut into chunks (I used small red potatoes)

Place all the ingredients except for the apples and potatoes into a gallon sized Ziploc bag.  Gently shake the bag to mix the ingredients and set in the refrigerator to marinate for 4-24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place all of the ingredients from the bag, potatoes, and apple slices into a large baking dish.  I baked this for one hour but the potatoes where not completing cooked so I would recommend about an hour and 15 minutes.

The one thing that I will do differently next time is to throw it all in the Crock Pot and let it be for a few hours.  It was a bit stressful knowing that it had to cook for a complete hour!  Time is precious on Saturdays and starring at dinner though the oven door is not how I like to spend my time.  

Lilly (our dog) and I are currently in the midst of a girl's night in.  We are sitting down to watch a girly movie, drink a glass of wine (Pancake from Trader Joes is my absolute favorite), and eat some delicious dark chocolate.  Perfect!  

I hope your night is fabulous!

Xoxo,

Whitney

OOTD

Yesterday was the women's luncheon for the Panthers.  It is a great event where the coaches and players wives get together at the beginning of each season to mingle and gain more information from individuals who work for the organization.

I apologize for the awkward photos.  I realize the lighting in our bathroom is terrible and the mirror is far to small for taking selfies.  I did the best I could with the resources I had.

Shirt, Skirt, Belt, and Shoes: J Crew // Purse: Louis Vuitton // Watch: Michael Kors // Bracelet: Madewell

Xoxo,

Whitney

Fall is Almost Here

I cannot tell you how excited I am for fall, it is my absolute favorite season!

Much to my surprise, when Lilly and I exited our building onto the street this morning we were met with crisp cool morning air.  It made me instantly crave...

Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes

 

                        I'll admit I have already indulged in a few of these this month.

Football Games

Boots

I have been coveting these little beauties for far to long! They can be found here.

Changing leaves on the trees

This was our view last fall...soon to be ours again.

Evening walks through the park

...and Lilly's favorite.  The squirrels out gathering nuts.

I hope you are out enjoying the weekend!

Xoxo,

Whitney

A Quick Meet with Billy Currington

Monday night Richie and I had the pleasure of attending the HEARTest Yard Concert featuring Uncle Kracker and Billy Currington.  All of the door proceeds benefited The HEARTest Yard.  A great program founded by the Olsen's to provide families of babies affected by congenital heart disease with services such as in-home nurses.  To read more about the HEARTest Yard and the Olsen's story click here.

My outfit choice:

Jeans JCrew// Tank Gap // Shirt Target // Purse Coach

We arrived early to allow ourselves plenty of time for dinner, drinks, and conversation with our friends.  Before Billing Currington hit the stage for the night we were able to get a photo with him.  It was a very quick visit but he seemed really nice.

We made our way down towards the stage, it seemed appropriate since we love all of his songs.

 

Xoxo,

 

Whitney

Game Day & Great Friends

Yesterday was the season opening game, the stadium was packed with Panther fans filled with the hope that this is our year for a winning season.  Oh, how we all wanted to hear the song Sweet Caroline ring out through those stadium speakers at the end of the game.  Unfortunately, we didn't win.  The boys played hard and they played really well, but the end result just wasn't what we had hoped for.  It was just another reminder that Richie isn't playing in college anymore.  Every NFL team is good!  You have 2,000 top athletes competing against each other and the final score is almost always very close. Everyone wants to win and no one likes to lose.  

 

Hopefully, next week our winning streak will begin! 

After a little sulking, we moved on from the game and met our friends at 300 East in Dilworth to celebrate a friend's birthday.  

Photo via their website

 

The food was so... yummy and the atmosphere was great too.  The place was filled with charm.  The menu also had a HUGE variety, everything from hamburgers to stuffed filet mignon.  Our group was large so they seated us upstairs where we had the freedom to be loud and chatty.  Sunday also happened to be "half price bottles of wine" night.  Win!!  We spent over two hours chatting, drinking wine, and eating amazing food.  It was a wonderful reminder of why we love our life in the NFL.  We have made the most amazing friends during our time in Charlotte.  They have become our family when we aren't able to spend birthdays, weekends, and holidays with our own.  

Needless to say, Richie and I went to bed feeling very blessed and thankful.

Happy Monday! Not as good as happy Friday, I know. 

Xoxo,

Whitney

It's Game Day

Go Panthers!

I'm praying for a win!

An Ordinary Day

Injuries.  The most dreaded aspect of football.  Every single time Richie gets caught in, what I call, a dog-pile I cringe!  Last night he came through the door limping with a bandage on his knee.  Oh no!  Luckily it was just a contusion, which is fancy term for a bruise.  He spent the evening nursing it (resting, icing, compressing, and elevating it).

All of his hard work paid off because he was in much better shape today.
I give credit to the kiss I gave to his owie.

While Richie was busy ricing (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) away in the living room I was busy making dinner in the kitchen.  I tried a new recipe which turned out fabulous!  We had Quinoa & Sweet Potato Chili with cornbread.  It was not only delicious but actually filling enough to make my hubby happy.  I highly recommend it.  You can find the recipe here.

 

 

Xoxo,

 

Whitney

 

A Place to Come Together

I have been obsessed with decorating our formal dining room since the moment I first laid eyes on our new home.  I have so many ideas that I can't even narrow down exactly how I want it to look but here are a few thoughts...

 

 

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I bet you are wondering, why the formal dining room has caught my attention first...

Well, to me it's the most important room in the house!

Six o'clock!  Come hail or high water, that was dinner time at my house growing up. My mom was a homemaker and my dad farmed for a living.  He has always been extremely hardworking and my mom learned early on in their marriage that if she wanted him home for dinner a rule would have to be set.  It didn't matter what you were doing, the family met in the kitchen at 6 o'clock, and my mom had a home cooked meal on the table. It was our time to visit about our day and spend time as a family.  As an adult, I look back and cherish every single one of those meals.  I have even made it a rule in our household that when dinner time arrives we turn off the television and eat at the table.  Even though it is just Richie and I for now, it is a nice way to spend time together.  

I didn't go in search of a house with a formal dining room.  It didn't even cross my mind but I find myself dreaming about all of the Sunday dinners and holidays we will spend in that room.  I want it to feel cozy and warm so that each person who sits at our table wants to stay and eat for days.

Xoxo,

Whitney
 

Home Sweet Home

We bought a house!

I can't wait to share with you all of the ideas I have for our new home.

I hope you are having a wonderful day!

Xoxo,

Whitney

Making the Roster

When it comes to the NFL there is one aspect that is true for everyone.  It is a temporary career.

This year we survived our third year of cuts with the Panthers.  With each year we have learned to stress a little less and celebrate a little more.  We had a wonderful weekend.  Richie's mom, uncle, and aunt flew in for the last preseason game and we had a wonderful time catching up.  I was able to use our new espresso machine and serve lattes to our guest.  It was just as fabulous as I had imagined it would be.  There is something magical about sitting around and chatting with a cup of coffee in your hand.  It may be one of my favorite luxuries in life.

Last night we went bowling with a group of friends.  We opted for the party package, complete with two hours of bowling, pizza, and a pitcher of lemonade.  It was so much fun to relax and be silly while we bowled.

I am so very proud of my hardworking husband and looking forward to another football season.

I hope you are having a nice weekend too!

Xoxo,

Whitney