I am obsessed with florals, so valentines day is definitely one of my favorites. I pick up usual weekday flowers from the local farmers market and the grocery store (Trader Joes, where else!), but v-day steps it up a notch and the blends are always gorgeous.  

Since my "Wonderland" board is my favorite and the my popular on Pinterest, I thought I would share this years bundle. The reds mixed with purples isn't something I would have ever put together, but I love how it looks with the green and white mixed in! Not too spring-y with some holiday red mixed in.

I love them, they are the center of the kitchen right now! Thanks Cam!

xo, 

Natalie

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I get so caught up in the fall and then the holidays that I forget just how much I love February, it always sneaks up on me every year. The extra pink and red always remind me of days spent in a classroom slaving away over detailed valentines for all my classmates. Valentines Day has always been one of my favorites, and I try my best to celebrate the love of everyone involved in my life. 

It always cracks me up when someone resents this holiday because they are currently romantically single, because usually they have tons of people around who love them. Parents, siblings, friends, and even perfect strangers all often merit a thoughtful Valentine. Just my way of thinking.

The cutest mini acorn necklace!

What to wear in February always depends on the occasion, but for me its always filled with chilly days spent in casual wear. By the time Valentines Day rolls around I'm usually so over dresses because of one too many christmas parties. This year (and last year!) I went for something casual and comfortable. 

Anthropologie is always my go to for unique scarves and this light fluffy pink one did not disappoint. I spotted it during the holidays but was preoccupied with gathering gifts for other people that I passed on picking it up. Now its on sale and I am so glad that I snagged it! Perfect for this time of year!

Outfit Details: Scarf (on sale!)/ Striped Shirt/ Watch (c/o)/ Denim/ Cardigan/ Mini Acorn Necklace/ Ring (vintage, similar options here)/ "Roshe Run" Sneakers

In Oregon and looking for a good restaurant recommendation for V-day? I try to update my Oregon guide regularly, check it out here. 

XOXO

Natalie

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If you spend more than ten minutes with my boyfriend and I, you will quickly learn that we are huge Trader Joe fans and we try to convert everybody who doesn't already know about it. For the most part, it is the only grocery store we go to! We love the witty creative packaging, organic selection, but most of all the moderate pricing. 

So it always surprises me in conversation when someone says:

"I don't really care for/like/love/need Trader Joes! I can never find what I need and I can't tell where everything is!!"

Woah, What!? You mean not everyone drinks the TJ kool-aid?

Grab a seat and a cup of coffee because I am about to lay out exactly why I shop at Trader Joes and how to make it work for you. 

Wearing: Rain Boots/ Leggings/ Watch (c/o)/ Patterned Sweater/ Tee/ Earrings (c/o)

1. All products are the stores own brand, and its great!

There isn't a choice between coke or pepsi, because the only cola available is Trader Joes brand. While initially it might sound like taking competition out of the situation makes things more expensive, all the pricing is generic which saves you $ in the end. The packaging of all the products is  also adorable, which is a random bonus in my book. 

2. They don't take coupons but the prices are low to begin with

Clipping coupons is a waste of time at Trader Joes since all products are generic which frustrates some folks. If you need to find a deal they do release the "fearless flyer" seasonally but for the most part, the prices are super reasonable to begin with so this is rarely a problem. 

3. There are always samples to snack on while you shop

I love Costco as well for this very reason, samples are thebomb.com! They always have one or two things to try in the back along with a sampling of coffee. It is my favorite part once I reach the back of the store to try something new and get a quick jolt of caffeine while I finish shopping. 

4. The stores are usually small, and packed tightly

The benefit of this is that I have never lost someone in the aisles. Everything is densely packed, organized well, and it doesn't take much to browse the whole store. 

5. Produce often comes in a "pre-chopped" option

Some people prefer to do the chopping themselves and save the money, but I do like that when I am in a rush is grab the packaged "pre-chopped" veggies to throw in the crockpot. In the fall they have a butternut squash bag that is all chopped and ready to be made into soup, it is the best.

6. The appetizer, pre-made meal, and dessert options are unreal

Going down the freezer aisle is tricky because of how delicious everything is, which is not usually the case with frozen food. Cheesecake, cream puffs, pizza, pot stickers, smoothie in a bag, croissants, seasonal items, orange chicken, falafel, meatballs, and its all delicious without tasting like it came out of a freezer.

Other things to keep in mind: 

- Personally I love the Pumpkin selection available at Trader Joes, everything arrives in mid September and sticks around till just after the holiday season. The holiday selection is awesome too, but make sure to stock up because these items are seasonal.

- If you have kids and find the hidden resident stuffed animal in the store, your kiddos can get a fun sticker upon checkout. 

- One of the best deals is the greeting cards! They are always .99 cents and are oh so cute. Other great deals are the coffee, tea, and wine!

Looking for some recipes to fit your newfound Trader Joes knowledge? Here is an easy crockpot idea and a cookie recipe using their products!

PS. this post was not sponsored in any way by Trader Joes I just really really like the store :) In general I try to share products I truly love and all opinions are indeed my own!

Have a wonderful weekend! 

xo, 

Natalie

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The happiest place on earth is oh-so wonderful but also oh-so costly. With ticket prices rising every year every last dollar gets a little stretched when visiting Disneyland. We are planning a trip with our friends for spring break and going over the plans as a group I realized just how many freebies I pick up each visit. Park maps, buttons, stickers are all little things make me feel like I'm picking up itty bitty souvenirs with no cost. 

They are so cute!! How can I resist?? 

1. Park Maps/ various park maps are a great item to take home with you! They can make for really cute wrapping paper and DIY project inspiration (see here, here, and here) but above all the park changes so much over the years that its so fun to look back and see whats different from when you last went.

2. Buena Vista Bugle/ This is a daily newspaper that you can pick up in the entrance of California Adventure aka the "Buena Vista Street" area. The headlines and stories are absolutely adorable and the paper is free of charge. 

3. Souvenir Tickets and Magic Bands/ I love the way disneyland tickets look and if you stay at a Disney resort property they usually have your name printed on them. Another thing to save if you are on property is your "key to the magic resort" card!

4. Jungle Cruise Map and Mark Twain Certificate/ You have to ask for these at the individual attraction and they are kind of a rumor, but none the less fun to take home!

5. Bread and Chocolate/ So you read this one and probably checked that you read that right. Yes! DCA has free bread and chocolate samples at Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Boudin Bakery in the Paradise Pier area of the park. Great to know if you need a quick snack between rides!

 

6. Celebration Buttons/ The most well known freebie of them all! These are given out for birthdays, on your first trip, for park events, and even just because. You can ask a cast member for one, the hotel, or go to city hall on Main Street and request one!

7. Art Lessons/ Head over to Animation Academy in California Adventure for an in house drawing lesson from a Disney artist, you can keep the work and learn how to draw a Disney character. Super fun for kiddos!

8. Cute Hotel Things/ Coasters, notes, shampoo bottles, pens! It is all fair game for me when I am staying in a resort hotel. One of the benefits of a Disney hotel is the constant yet subtle branding. Everything down to the tile has Mickey ears and integrated character branding. If you are thinking of staying in a Disneyland Resort hotel, I have a dedicated section in my travel guide!

9. Mickey Stickers/ Cast members keep these on hand to hand out throughout the day and it is really magical when you are lucky enough to get one, even if it is just a sticker. Looking to find one and not having luck? Just ask!

10. Fast Passes/ With these you have to keep the "extras" because you actually have to hand them over to cast members in the line queue to redeem them, but they are so so cute for scrapbooks or on a cork board at home.

Did I miss any good ones? I would love to know of more!

xo,

Natalie

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My name is Natalie and I am a cookie-a-holic.

But here is the problem with that, my boyfriend and I also like to try to eat clean and cookies are quite frankly the "uncleanest" of all foods. They are absolutely delicious and absolutely out of the question post holiday season. I am still in a sugar coma from all of the holiday cookies we consumed this year.

This is our favorite recipe for cookies that are dairy free, butter free, white flour free, and don't contain white sugar. Oh! and they taste amazing, which I didn't think was even remotely possible. If you are a no-nonsense type of person looking for just the recipe, its at the bottom of this post. 

 we were supremely worried that our friends would mistake them for the "real deal" and spit them out once they realized, but by the end of the night the entire plate was empty and everyone went back for seconds and thirds. Which at first was a major success until I realized there were none left for me during the week!

Here are a few tips with this recipe:

1. This recipe calls for oat flour which is such a great tool for healthy baked goods. But before you go run out to the store to buy it, realize that oat flour is just ground oats. If you have a high powered blender or food processor (I use this one) you can just buy regular oat meal and make your own oat flour super fast.

2. Being exact is extra important in this one, the right consistency and ratio of coconut oil really makes them work well. Make sure you are measuring your coconut oil in liquid form and then allow enough time for the dough to chill to turn it back into solid paste.

3. Substitute dark chocolate chips for milk chocolate chips to make them extra healthy!

4. Use a cookie scoop (like this one, try an ice cream scoop if you don't have one on hand!) to avoid the oil in the dough melting with the warmth of your hands.

I have the recipe below in a "pin-able" and printable image simply because I rely on Pinterest heavily to keep my own recipes organized. Another tool we have been using to share recipes with each other besides our Pinterest board is this monogramed recipe binder that we keep in our kitchen. We are on a spending freeze before spring break which means no eating out for a whole two months :( The binder is an easy way for us to keep new crockpot recipes that we both liked for future reference!



Happy healthy baking! Let me know if you try this, they are SO good! I have included some of the helpful tools I mentioned in the widget below :)

xo,
Natalie

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