One girl's guide to a healthy, loving, & tasty life.
This is a sponsored conversation from Mums the Word Network and The Stork OTC. All opinions are my own.
Romance is so important- whether you’re newlyweds or have been married for what feels like forever. But romance isn’t everything if there isn’t fun. Getting out of your comfort zone & trying something new can be incredibly refreshing! Check out my 10+ ideas for fun dates on any budget!…
It has been a rough couple of months. Moving & then unpacking has been monotonous & just plain making me bonkers. It is the same thing day after day. & did I mention expensive? Because I definitely should have. So “fun” has needed to be on the cheap. Enter….Movie Date Night….
Thanks to Lindt HELLO for sponsoring today’s post! All opinions are my own. #ItStartedwithHELLO 
Our love story definitely started with hello…over the internet! Completely unexpected when I wasn’t even looking I found the love of my life chatting with me over Facebook. Minutes turned to hours & hours into day then we met & definitely were both head over heels. At 19 (& him 23) we eloped…& have been married ever since! Sometimes I can’t help but wonder though…what if he hadn’t said hello? What if I hadn’t responded? What a sad story that would be indeed! 
Lindt’s “It Started with Hello” campaign introduces tasty premium chocolates sure to get a conversation going! Lindt has an amazing new collection called Lindt HELLO– a variety of premium chocolate options inspired by classic American Treats! Say “Hello” to someone you’ve been wanting to talk to…a new possible friend at work? A seriously handsome cutie on the bus? Share your favorite Lindt HELLO stick, bar, or mini stick to get the conversation rolling! Lindt HELLO is available in stores nationwide, Lindt Chocolate Shops and Lindt.com. You’ll see flavors like Strawberry Cheesecake, Cookies & Cream, Crunchy Nougat, Caramel Brownie, & more! Ryan & I are so enthralled with the Strawberry Cheesecake flavor that I’ve already ordered more to pickup from Target!
From September 12th through October 9th, you can visit the “It Started with HELLO” Youtube page to view new episodes of “It Started with HELLO” weekly and share your opinions on who you’d like to see paired up next. They partnered with Ashley Tisdale for the series who I personally find charming! The first teaser video will introduce the cast & each week a new episode will premiere, showcasing the romantic stories between different couples. You can actually choose the ending to each episode as well! Plus Lindt is holding a SWEEPSTAKES to make new connections of your own! To enter, visit the Lindt HELLO Sweet Connections Sweepstakes Landing Page and enter your email address. Entries can be made daily for additional chances to win prizes that are awesome!So what is your HELLO story? If you’ve tried some of the new Lindt HELLO options– which was your favorite?
When it comes to holidays Thanksgiving has always been a wacky one. Growing up we didn’t really have a traditional meal…in fact some years we traveled through Thanksgiving on mini vacations. My husband always had very traditional holidays. When we came together we kind of had a whole new situation! Keep reading to find out what we try to do every year!
Together we first started having Thanksgiving in a weird way. The first Thanksgiving we spent with his family, the next he was deployed (mys husband is in the Air Force currently), & then the third we spent with my family. This was a pretty decent rhythm! Then we got stationed in the middle of Nebraska far from family. What to do? Then it dawned on us: We can do whatever we want!
I made my first turkey (ew ew ew so gross to get used to honestly!) which was actually quite beautiful! We had traditional foods that I made myself & we try to open our house to other enlisted military (usually Airmen) who are away from family & can’t get home for the holidays. I love being able to give them a home cooked meal, I know how hard being far from home can be during the winter!
While being on the road or with family for the holidays was fun, we’ve really learned to love our own little Thanksgiving. I make the cranberry sauce the night before (Ryan then eats at least half of it) & plan out my recipes all month. I try to serve on nice platters which I collect all year to make me feel more grown up 😉 We sit around drinking hot chocolate (he drinks eggnog, yuck!) & have a really calm evening. Often on Thanksgiving we already have snow on the ground so it is nice to be cozy & warm inside! Plus we miss all of that traffic!
When it comes to being in public for the holidays, I like to look nice. I love to shop for trendy metallics, winter weather prep accessories (like those adorable leather gloves from Target!), & things I can sprinkle throughout my wardrobe. Honestly, I just love to shop & have new things constantly! Black Friday is my favorite time to seek out items usually out of my price range or things I don’t need but really want! So what does this have to do with Thanksgiving? Well Black Friday is the day after! I count it as being part of the holiday 😉
By the next day, I’m already in the Christmas spirit. I love how sparkly & stunning all the displays are & digging for treasure. Ryan is amused by this so he allows me to buy just about anything my heart desires when I’m in a festive mood. Our house would be so incredibly gawdy if he wasn’t around to reign me in some. I love Thanksgiving because it has become OUR holiday, something we do together as our own little family. It is really special to me.
What are some of your holiday traditions? Don’t forget to tag #MyKindofHoliday & check out Target for some great holiday finds this season!
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Please remember that all photos, projects, opinions, & recipes (unless otherwise noted) are mine & mine alone.
If you would like to use a recipe or photo, please shoot me an e-mail here: Stephanie-louise@live.com Thanks!
