Autumn Review

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Good Morning Everyone,

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. It is still horrible hot here, but I recently heard about some terrible storms around the country. I hope everyone is safe. This morning I decided to try something different. It has been years since I have walked. I normally work out on my elliptical but I have been craving some walking recently. I have a lot of neighbors that walk around the neighborhood so this morning I decided to get up and walk two miles. It went great and I hope to keep it up for the next several months.

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I recently watched Jennifer L. Scott’s video about Fall Wardrobe Planning and thought, “well great minds think alike” because I was already planning on going through my wardrobe here shortly. Even as a glance at my closet, I already see several pieces that I will be donating to charity. I have so many items that I have not worn in over two years. It’s time… 

 

The boutique’s new cardigan arrival. 

 

I am very much looking forward to the autumn this year. I love those crisp mornings. Goodness, I always feel so good going to the office on those days or running errands. I am excited about my grass turning green again and being able to take my dogs on evening walks. It has been way too hot the last few weeks. 

As I glanced at my closet this year I realized that I am prepared for autumn. I have everything I need. I have TONS of dresses. I purchased so many dresses this year and last. I found so many that I loved and that would be great transitional pieces. The area that I am struggling with is skirts. I can not seem to find decent skirts. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I have searched high and low for skirts and can not seem to find any that I like. I checked Ann Taylor, J Crew, etc. I even checked Amazon and still had no luck. But I will continue to search. I like for my skirts to look a certain way and trying to find what I want feels like a needle in a haystack. Very hard…..

The other item that has been on my list is black heels. So I ordered a pair from Ann Taylor Loft and they are way too tight. I wanted to return them but they were clearance so I couldn’t at that point. I am still on the hunt. I don’t own a pair of black heels but I did find a pair of studded black kitten heels from Poshmark. Those just may have to do. 

 

 

I will be working on my closet the weekend of Labor Day. We get that Monday off so having that extra day will give me time to go through everything. I will also be putting out my autumn decor that day. I will show you guys the process then. Let me know in the comments section below if you are preparing for autumn as well. Have a great Monday!

Also please send me an email if you would like to be added to the blog’s weekly emails. Every week, I send out an email with recent blog posts, new arrivals, boutique news, discount codes, recent internet finds, and favorite Youtube videos. Please email me at ahomeforelegance@gmail.com with your info. If you have a friend that you think would love my emails forward them to her!

 

 

 

 

 

Friday Night Salmon

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Oh, it has been a long week! We had three golf matches this week and it was so hot. The golf match at the Brickyard was very nice. The scenery was beautiful and the other teams were pleasant. Today I will be leaving the office early to take care of a few things and start my weekend early. I do have some news. I am working on getting international shipping added to the boutique this weekend and I wanted everyone to know that my new arrival is available for purchase. Fingers crossed that I can get this accomplished! I have had a lot of interest in international shipping so we will see….

Now on to today’s post…

You guys know that on Fridays or one day a week I have my weekly salmon meal. I thought I would share it today with you all. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

So I start off by spraying down my pan with this Simple Truth Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cooking Spray. I love this spray! It keeps everything from sticking and gives my meals a nice flavor to them. 

 

 

Next I pull out my salmon and it already has this dill butter on it as well as the herbs. I get my salmon from Costco. They have the best salmon if you ask me. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

I do add a little more seasoning to it. I add this zesty lemon pepper seasoning salt, regular salt, and McCormick’s Organic dill weed. This combination is so yummy! I then place it in the oven for about 40 minutes at 375 degrees.

Once the salmon gets close to being done, I then sauteed my spinach in the pan. 

 

 

I add a little extra virgin olive oil and a little bit of salt and then I cook my spinach until it wilts down a bit.

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

 

After a few minutes of cooking my spinach, I check my rice steamer to make sure that my rice is finished. Once done I plated my wonderful food and enjoy it! It really does not take me long to prepare this meal and it’s one of my favorites. I love this dish and look forward to it every week. 

What’s one of your favorite dishes? What do you look forward to making and eating every week? Please share in the comment section below. We would all love to know. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Challenges in the Office ~ An Update

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Hello Everyone,

Today is our third golf meet for this week. I only pray that Lauren is enjoying this season. We are trying to keep her involved but that’s been a chore on its own. I ordered some new vintage Weiss earrings on Etsy. I sure hope that they are as lovely in person as they were in the picture but we will see.

In today’s post, we are going to get a little serious. Well, I can’t really say that. I am going to give you all an update on the “classless co-worker” situation at my office. Some of you probably remember my post from 2016 called, “Challenges in the Office.” In that post, I discussed a classless co-worker that I work with who has been “Petty Patty” for years. You have to read that post in order to understand this situation. 

 

photo credit: Pinterest

 

Okay, so now I hope that you have read that post. What’s interesting is that when I read it I just smiled. I mentioned that I wanted to be a paralegal supervisor and I accomplished that goal in April! I still can’t believe it! I am a supervisor. I am so glad that I stayed the course and ignored her. So the environment for me has changed. Since I am in management now my office was moved. I am now far away from her and it is so great! I know some of you have been wanting an office tour but I don’t feel quite comfortable doing one now. Maybe in the future. 

 

photo credit: Pinterest

 

Since I am a supervisor I now have staff to train, keep track of workloads, attorneys to communicate with, trials to prepare for, meetings to schedule, so I really don’t have time for her shenanigans. She still rolls her eyes every time she sees me which has become comical because I think goodness, it has been about 6 1/2 years and you still have not grown up. I mean honestly, there has been no growth in her! I think she is almost 50 which is really sad. 

I have also talked with other staff who have said that she did the same things to them and all of them have said that they just ignore her. Honestly, it’s the best thing to do in this situation. The good thing is that she is not in management and probably never will be because she can’t get along with people and everyone knows it. It’s a little sad. 

I continue to paint my Sistine Chapel and just ignore her. I know she was not happy when I got promoted. You could see it and you could tell. I just continue on with my path and run my race. It has been hard dealing with such a petty person but I knew that somehow and in some way the Lord would work it out. I prayed constantly that I would not fall into the trap with her and that I would eventually get to the “snake line”. 

Have any of you heard of the “snake line”. There is a line in the mountains that poisonous snakes cannot live. Below that snake line, you are subject to all kinds of deadly reptiles. Above that snake line is clarity and peace. Nasty people live below the snake line. Sometimes in life we have to live in that environment and deal with all of the attacks while we are there. But if you keep your eyes on the Lord and on your path eventually you get above the snake line and the snakes cannot live there because they are not meant to climb that high. I finally reached above the snake line. She can’t be where I am because she isn’t built for it. With the Lord’s help, I will continue to climb. Keep climbing, you’ll eventually get above the snake line. 

Have a great Wednesday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What’s in My Bag?

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Good Monday Morning,

I hope everyone had a good weekend. It was finally cool in Indy! Oh my goodness the weather was so much better. I was not sweating at all. It was so nice. On Saturday we went to HomeGoods to get the last few items for my step-son. He will be returning to campus this week. I hope he does well this year. He has a new roommate. Oh, fingers crossed they get along!

I am actually teleworking today for the first time since April. Boy, I have forgotten how much I miss it! But it will be back to the office tomorrow. I have been able to get a lot of projects done since we have not fully returned to the office yet.  

In today’s post I wanted to do a What’s in My Bag post. The last time I wrote about this was in 2017. During that post, I was carrying my LV Neverfull. I still have it and love it. What’s incredible is the price increases! They are beginning to skyrocket and I don’t understand why.

I have been wanting the Louis Vuitton On the Go tote for the last 2 years. I went last year in April to look at it in person and it was $400 cheaper then! 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

I don’t know what’s going on. I was wanting to buy it used because all of my other LV’s are used but buying it used was horrible! It’s $1,000 more if you buy it used because everyone knows that they are sought after! It’s cheaper if you buy it from Louis Vuitton yourself! Anyway, enough complaining. I got my dream bag. It was an early birthday gift and the last one in the store.

 

 

It is beautiful and I do love it.

 

 

This is the inside. There is a zipper pocket, inserts for your phone, and tons of space. It does have two shoulder straps as well. 

 

Not much has changed as far as items inside my bag. I have been carrying the same cosmetic bag, eyeglass case, and I did just get this new wallet from Coach. It has so much room and space for my cards. I love it! I do still carry my face masks in my Coach drawstring bag. I shared this last year in my Covid Essentials post.  I just ordered two new face masks from Etsy. I ordered this blue Shabby Chic face mask and this pink antique garden Shabby Chic mask. I can’t wait to see them! 

 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

 

I have had my tote for about a week and love it. It truly was my dream bag and I intend on having it forever. Have a great Monday! Also, check out the boutique. A couple of dresses are on sale and we should have some new arrivals coming soon!

 

 

 

Please note: some links are affiliate links and if you make a purchase through this link, I will receive a small commission for referring you to the product. Thank you so much in advance if you decide to make a purchase through my link.

 

 

Books I Return To…

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Hello Everyone,

Our daughter’s golf meets have been kicking our butts! It has been soo hot lately. Oh my gosh! I hope it cools down next week, geez. I quickly wanted to ask everyone what their favorite books were. I was inspired by Victoria Magazine’s recent article called, “Our Top 10 Favorite Books”. I already shared three new books that I found on Monday. I hope you got to read that post. I have a few books that I just keep going back to and I wanted to share my list.

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

 

The first on my list is my bible. I use the Life Principles Bible by Dr. Charles Stanley. I have been listening to him for over 15 years. I love his teachings and his sermons. My second book or favorite health book is my Woman’s Herbal Apothecary book. I wrote about this some time ago and I still love this book. It’s so informative and I have learned so much about my body from it. 

 

photo credit: Mr. Shockley 

 

For decor inspiration, I always go back to my books by Aerin Lauder. I love her Beauty at Home book. Estee Lauder’s home is such a dream to me, and to read about it and see the photos is a real treat. 

 

 

For cleaning and organizing, I love these two books. I love the Butler Speaks and Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook. Both books provide education as well as tips for cleaning. I talked about the Butler Speaks on my blog before. 

 

 

 

The next set of favorites are the Madame Chic series by Jennifer L. Scott. Most of us know and love Jennifer’s books. I have gone back to these books time and time again. They are great to read if you want to take a refresher course in being a lady and living beautifully. 

 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley

 

This last book is a new addition to my library. I have not had a chance to read it yet. It is called Wine Folly: The Essential Guide to Wine. It is a great introductory book to wine if you are a beginner which I am. The entire book is filled with pictures so it is a pleasure to look at. I will be diving into this soon. 

What are your favorite go-to books? Do you have a few that you just keep returning to? Share what they are in the comments section below. We would all love to know what they are. I hope everyone has a good weekend and remember there are a few sales going on on the boutique’s page. Enjoy!

 

 

Please note: some links are affiliate links and if you make a purchase through this link, I will receive a small commission for referring you to the product. Thank you so much in advance if you decide to make a purchase through my link.

 

In the Garden with Jane Austen ~ New Book Find

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And Good Morning Everyone,

It was SOO hot this weekend. Good Lord! The humidity was insane. I am dreaming of brisk mornings and cool evenings already. The air conditioning in our daughter’s school went out over the week so they are e-learning until they get it fixed. I am a little relieved. My mornings won’t be as hurried for a few days. 

I had a pretty good weekend. I came home from work on Friday and made my favorite salmon, dill, and lemon pepper dish. I love it so much. I always have brown rice with it and sauteed spinach. It is so good! I also opened up a bottle of Oliver Lemon Moscato wine. It was so cold, crisp, and delicious. I especially enjoyed it in my Wedgewood wine glasses that I picked up last month. I sat on the porch and watched my butterflies. 

 

photo credit: Mrs. Shockley 

 

Isn’t he beautiful? I loved watching him this weekend. Okay on to my new book find. So I was on Pinterest this weekend looking for inspiration and trying to fill my boards when I stumbled on a book called “In the Garden with Jane Austen”. 

Now I have never heard of this book before. Have any of you?

 

photo credit: Pinterest

 

I had to look up this book to see what it was about and it discusses the gardens that Jane would have known. It also talks about her gardens and gives you a sample plan of flowers grown there now. 

As I am reading the book’s description, I then see a second book with a similar title called, “At Home with Jane Austen”. This book tours the homes and settings of Jane Austen. With gorgeous photography and illustrations, this book explores the world of Jane and her physical surroundings. 

So then a third book is suggested to me. This book is by the same author and is called, “Tea with Jane Austen“. 

 

photo credit: Amazon

 

 

And this book shares the secret tea rituals of Jane. This book also discusses how Jane took her tea, what times, and it also gives recipes. All three of these books sound like they would be a real treat! Please let me know in the comments section below if any of you own any of these books or have read them. 

I do hope that you all enjoyed these new book finds. I love finding books like this. They provide so much substance and joy in a chaotic world. 

 

 

 

Please note: some links are affiliate links and if you make a purchase through this link, I will receive a small commission for referring you to the product. Thank you so much in advance if you decide to make a purchase through my link.

 

 

Julia Child’s Sole Menuiere

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Good Friday Morning,

I am ready for the weekend. I have not slept well this week. I have been getting to bed two hours past my bedtime! It is catching up with me because I am tired! I am also “itching” to take a day off. I really want to take a day and go look at some beautiful expensive luxury items. I don’t want to buy anything just look. I am trying to plan that day now. 

I also wanted to tell everyone that the accessories sale for the boutique has begun. Everything is 20% off and you don’t need a coupon code. Even the Stella Bow Satchel is 20% off. I only have one ivory and pearl cardigan left and only one Claire midi dress if anyone is interested. I am starting to look at a few items for fall. There are some cardigans that I want to order for the boutique as well as some holiday dresses so we will see. 

Well on to today’s post. I have been craving my dill, lemon, and butter salmon all week and that got me thing about the sole meuniere recipe from Julia Child. Have any of you ever cooked that? I would love to try it. 

 

photo credit: Pinterest

 

I especially love this video from the movie Julie & Julia. 

 

 

I feel like I am eating this with her every time I watch it. My goodness, food should always make you feel this way. We recently went to Culvers for dinner. Now there is nothing wrong with Culvers but after I finished my meal I had this feeling of not being satisfied. And that’s when I knew that I wanted to eat to satiate my palate not eat for the sake of eating. 

Has this ever happen to you before? You ate something and it did not hit the spot? I have been having those feelings more and more lately. I am trying to learn to say no to a meal that I know will not satiate my palate and it is so hard because I have a 16-year-old and my husband eats like a 12-year-old. Wish me luck everyone. I am going to need it!

Have a great weekend!