Lately 11/29/2017

Plaid Blazer 

Hi everyone! You may be surprised to find the weekly 'lately' post a day early! I had a gift-guide scheduled for today and have a sponsored post tomorrow, so I was planning on doing 'lately' on Friday this week. But, I feel like I haven't chatted with you guys in a while so I decided to rearrange things a bit!

Between my (incredible) trip to Paris and the Thanksgiving holiday, I haven't had a moment to update all of you on what's been going on in the world of Sydney. Grab a cup of coffee, and stay a while, the update is going to be a bit of a long one!

I got back from Paris last week and it was truly the best trip I have ever taken. I will share all of the details with you soon. I took so many photos and we did SO many things, it has taken me a while to go through everything. I want to make sure I give you all the best details I can because I received a crazy amount of DM's during my trip with so many questions.

Part of the reason it's taking me a while to go through the Paris photos is that post-Thanksgiving, I had a bad cold. I always get sick after traveling on long flights and go figure, I got sick! It hit me hard Friday and Saturday. It was the kind of bad cold that I could power through and do things, but I was miserable and just wanted to sleep the entire time. Luckily, on Saturday I was able to do just that. I just now started to feel 100% better. 

My Thanksgiving was lovely and I was able to spend a lot of time with my family. You can see our Thanksgiving table in the photos above. Each year, I plan and execute the tablescape. This year I wanted to go for silver and white- very simple and elegant. I just loved the way everything turned out! 

It was so nice to have Callie home for the holiday, too! She just got the cutest pup named, Bean, and I can't wait to meet her over Christmas! I have been wanting a pup for so long now and her cute dog has made me have dog fever even more! I have been looking for months now, so hopefully someday soon I'll adopt a cutie!

This week, I'm glad that Cyber week is over- who else is with me?! The deals were AMAZING this year. I really think there was a lot of money to be saved with the sales and I'm so glad I got most of my Christmas shopping done while saving some money. But, as a blogger, it can be overwhelming and exhausting. I'm so glad to now be able to get back into a routine and the swing of everyday life again! 

Watching: I watched the A and E Elizabeth Smart Autobiography and it was insane. I was too young when it actually happened to realize the story, but now watching it is horrifying! I definitely recommend watching it but don't watch it before you go to bed- it's that creepy!

Watching II: My love for Frank Sinatra runs deep, so when I saw 'dad and son singing Frank Sinatra', I knew I had to watch. It is too cute and the dad is actually pretty good! If I ever have children, I hope that they love Sinatra as much as I do! 

Listening: I shared my Christmas playlist and you can find my November playlist, here. 

Loving: These navy suede bow heels are just gorgeous. I can't believe they are under $100. They're such a subtle and elegant statement, don't you think? I also love these satin mules- they're unique and the yellow color is really eye-catching.

Loving II: I came across this bag organizer and absolutely love it. Don't you think it would make a really great holiday gift for the person who has everything?!

Wanting: I just loved these nordic boots last year and never got around to buying them. I'm thinking of purchasing this year. What do you guys think? I already have L.L. Bean boots that I wear often, but I feel like these are a bit more of a stylish option that I can wear in the city. I feel like my L.L. Bean boots are more appropriate when skiing or when out in the suburbs/country.

Look for Less: Have you seen these ginger jar smoking slippers?! They look SO much like my favorite Stubbs and Wootton pair but for a fraction of the price (under $100!). 

Pittsburgh-ing: If you are in Pittsburgh, have you been to Granpa Joe's candy store in the Strip District? It's one of my favorites. You can fill up an entire box of candy for just $5. There's a whole wall of candy to choose from. It's so much fun to get such an assortment to snack on!

Smelling: I am obsessed with this holiday spruce candle that's just $15. It smells very similar to the Nest holiday candles! 

Traveling: Next up is DC this weekend to visit one of my best friends! I am just going for one night, but I'm excited to see her- it's been about six months! 

Quoting: 'Do your future self a favor and work hard, now.'// See more of my favorites, here.