NUMBER 214

BAH! the last 8 days have been nuts, and i'm feeling incredibly blessed. i've got some big design projects on the horizon, a special giveaway coming up, and a few new pretty things around the wyatt house!

andrew’s parents came to visit last weekend. while andrews mom and i were out shoe shopping and antiquing, the men were knocking holes in the wall….literally. we’ve been staring at electrical wires coming down beside our tv for some time now, and it was beginning to make my eye twitch. we decided that the ideal option for us would be to have a built-in shelf to store the tv receivers, xbox, etc., and since my father-in-law is a contractor, we knew he’d be just the man to do it for us consult.

i'm so incredibly pleased with how it turned out. every time i walk by i can’t help but make a comment like “it looks SO good!” “it’s EXACTLY what i wanted” …etc. the project will be complete once we put a coat of paint her this weekend! thank the good Lord for handy men!

our second pretty present came tuesday night. andrew and i have been a one car family since we moved to charlotte over 2 years ago (wow! i can’t believe it’s been 2 years). not only were we a 1 car family, our 1 car was a 2 door toyota celica that i've had since high school! it was really hot in 2002, trust me! the celi is an unbelievable car, SO reliable, and we still have her (no tears were shed yet!), but this will be a nice luxury that we both can enjoy. we picked up a 2011 jeep grand cherokee on tuesday night and have been joy riding ever since!

hope everyone has had a great week! my dad’s on a business trip in tokyo, so my mom and jack (the dog) decided to make a road trip down for a long weekend to do a little (more) antiquing, paint some more rooms in the house, and do some girl things. can’t wait!

NUMBER 213

please disregard the major mess i'm making while i redesign the blog [again]!

NUMBER 212

hey y’all! sorry i'm not sorry for the radio silence over the past week-ish. i've been having TOO much fun playing designer for sweet bri over at just bri. bri is the founder of the charlotte social – a networking site for charlotte bloggers. i was giddy with joy when she asked me to help out with the design because 1. i love blog design (obv.) and 2. i TOTALLY support her cause. i've met some incredible girls and real life friends through blogging and am SO excited to see what the charlotte social can offer these amazing women. below, i've featured some branding and design elements i developed and the final site design!


y’all stop by, and tell bri i said hi! if you’re interested in a fresh design for your blogspace, fill out a design request to get started!

NUMBER 211

tomorrow is valentines day, and i find that most people either really love or really despise the holiday. although i'm incredibly thankful for my valentine (and love receiving something sweet from him this time of year), i'm still on the fence. i don’t find myself itching to go out to a fancy restaurant or send my significant other a lengthy wishlist of luxury items. in years past, we’ve had dinner in and exchanged cards, and i'm expecting (and looking forward to) this year to be no different. the discussion so far has been: to get in a good workout (thinking the gym will be pretty dead), stop somewhere after to get some delicious takeout (tbd), and maybe indulge in a homemade treat for dessert (again…tbd). to me, valentine’s day is about spending time with those who mean the most to you: husbands, parents, girlfriends, close friends – and letting them know that they are appreciated and loved. it doesn’t matter how much you spend, what you wear, or how good you are at writing love letters. what matters most is love… and maybe, chocolate.

NUMBER 210

we tuned into the grammys last night, and i'll say i was SO pleased with the winners this year! all of my favorites won (carrie, fun., and the black keys), and i just went to bed feeling so happy!

so…lets get down to business. overall, i was a little disappointed with the fashion of the night. everyone seemed a little bored (and boring). maybe it was just the absence of those we love to hate: nicki minaj and lady gaga.

rihanna is probably one of my least favorite artists of all time (pink gets 1st runner up), but in my opinion, her red carpet look was the best of the night. her hair was perfection, and i love love love the shape and the movement of her dress. however, i do wish she would have covered up her goods in the front a bit more – there’s no question about it, that dress was sheer.

another best dressed was girls star: allison williams, and katy perry’s date for the night. i thought this was a really pretty, classic look – she’s not a nominated artist (or even in music, that i’m aware of), so wearing a show-stopping ball gown or some outrageous getup would be in bad taste (in my opinion).

honorable mention: taylor swift, adele, florence welch, jayz. i'm just glad to see adele in something other than black.

i wont go into a lengthy discussion about the worst dressed, kat dennings or carly rae jepsen. kat did a decent job of maintaining her ‘girls’ but the tie dye, sparkly, rouched, saran wrap look just isn’t working for me. i think carly rae chose a beautiful dress, but she’s swimming in it. it just seems to me that she picked this dress right off the rack and never had a fitting. her hair style, that signature mouth-open stare (not pictured), and the blue eyeshadow…just wrong.

honorable mention: beyonce, jennifer lopez, carrie underwood (performance outfit – didn’t like the LED dress in concert, don’t like it now), faith hill, john mayer

who were your hits and misses?

NUMBER 209

vday is right around the corner, which means there’s been a lot of that pink-red-white combo in our presence. i love these cookies for a quick valentines treat because they’re pink and festive (and more importantly easy and delicious).

strawberry cake mix cookies
with cream cheese icing

1 box of strawberry cake mix
2 medium eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 stick of butter, softened

preheat your oven to 350. mix all of your ingredients in a medium mixing bowl with your electric mixer until it’s doughy. if you feel that it’s not doughy enough, add a little water (a 1 tsp at a time). then, i used my measuring spoon to form uniform-sized little cookies, and found that, since the dough spreads when you cook, these are the perfect serving size. bake your cookies for 8-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack before icing.

i loaded up some store bought cream cheese icing into an icing bag, clipped the end to make a little piping tool, and drizzled the icing in zig zags across the top (and added sprinkles, obv). this was better for me because i had to transport them quickly to another location. i've seen other icing methods with these babies as well – in the middle for whoopie pies or just loading it all on top – either one works!

i store mine in an air-tight container in the fridge. cold soft cookie + cold milk = YUM!

NUMBER 208

thanks so much for the great responses to the "date my bro" post. keep 'em comin!

and in case you need a little pep in your step today...

being delivered to me, as i type.

love it in flame too!

i'm not a big pink girl, but if i was…

the lauralee is perfect for a night out on the town..or if your name is laura leigh (kate, you were so close).

diggin the red…

just gorgeous, but you’re out of luck – unless you’re a size 11.

these, on the other hand, are still in stock…. i would wear these beauties everyday.

i’ve already picked out my new pretties, have you?

and andrew, if you’re reading this, stop sweating, i didn’t buy all of these.

NUMBER 207

ok. so this post kind of started out a few months ago as a joke between andrew, my brother (john) and me. “why don’t you just set me up with one of your blog friends” was his request – verbatim. little did they know, that got the wheels turning. so when he received a list of interview questions last week compiled by alex and me, his response was “so this is really happening?” yes, john-boy. this is really happening.

ladies, after a handful of long-term-gone-wrong relationships, my brother is back on the market. and although he’s not rushing to the altar any time soon, he’s agreed to humor me and answer a few questions for inquiring single ladies.

time for a little q&a:

• What’s your most visited website? Barstool Sports
• What’s your favorite make-out song? Usher – Nice & Slow
• If you were forced to watch the same RomCom for the rest of your life, which one would you pick? Wonderlust
• What’s your favorite restaurant in Charlotte? Cowfish
• Have you ever cried during a movie? Yes… multiple times.
• If your life had a theme song, what would it be? Semi Charmed Kind of Life
• If you were stranded on a deserted island, what are 3 things you’d have with you? A Boat, Cooler full of Beer, a Beach chair
• What’s your favorite piece of clothing? Why? My khaki shorts, to show off these great legs.
• What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever experienced? Spraying my college roommate with a fire extinguisher inside our house
• What’s your worst pet peeve? Obnoxiously loud people
• What’s your favorite midnight snack? Anything leftover from dinner in my fridge with chocolate milk
• How many times have you seen The Notebook? 3
• What is your favorite thing about your sister? That she does cool shit like this for me… and has bailed me out of some tight spots. And she one of my best frannns his words, not mine.
• Who is your favorite actress? Why? Natalie Portman. Because she is wifey material!
• What is the best meal you can cook? BBQ Pork Ribs
• This or that?
  • iPhone or Android: IPHONE
  • chicken or steak: Steak
  • boobs or butt: Butt
  • city or country: Country
  • beach or lake: Lake
  • sports car or truck: Sports Car
  • Carrie Underwood or Taylor Swift: Carrie… sad to say. i gather that this was a difficult decision for him.
  • newspaper or books: Books
  • high heels or Toms: Toms
  • Biggie or Tupac: Biggie
  • salty or sweet: Salty
  • long hair or short: Long Hair
  • beer or liquor: Liquor
• If you were an animal, which one would you be and why? Panda, because in China they live the life of a king… and they get to hang out all day long
• Do you know what Pinterest is? Yes.
• Do you have a laundry hamper? How often do you do laundry? Yes. At least once every week and a half
• How long does it take you to get ready? 15 minutes from couch to cab.

some additional deets:
current location: charlotte, south end
gainfully employed
age: 24

and, just so there’s no pressure to deal with the obsessive/crazy/overeager sister, if you complete this form, the info will go straight to john. no need to even comment – unless you really want to, in that case, it’s encouraged!

go ahead, date my bro

NUMBER 206

today's the first of feb, and i just couldn't wait to get some pink in the mix! here's your new february calendar, because i know y'all were just waiting on pins and needles...

desktop | android | ipad | iphone 3/4 | iphone 5

if you don't see your device in the list below, or find that the sizes i've supplied aren't compatible, let me know about it, and i'll try my best to help you out!

happy weekend!

NUMBER 205

andrew and i had an amazing, low-key weekend. it was just what i needed! friday was gross, icy and wet. we took that as an opportunity to crash, eat what was around the house for dinner, and watch movies. saturday was spent running a few errands, picking up a new coffee table at nadeau, and grabbing some groceries for dinner/breakfast. one thing to know about andrew and me, if you don’t already know it: we love food, and if something stuck in our heads or we get a craving, you can be it’s going to be on the menu SOON.

the star of the weekend was the apple, walnut, and brie pancakes that my husband made sunday morning. i can’t take an ounce of credit (except for whipping up some easy peasy box pancakes). lucky you, he agreed to share his secret recipe:

apple, walnut, & brie pancakes

2 whole granny smith apples, peeled and sliced thin
2/3 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup syrup (mrs. butterworths is my favorite)
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup walnuts
few dashes of cinnamon
2 tablespoons of heavy cream (optional)
brie cheese

combine all of your ingredients (except for the cream and brie) in a saucepan on medium/high heat. keep cooking until the apples are soft and the syrup has begun to thicken back up. right before serving, add your heavy cream. serve on top of your pancakes, and don’t forget the brie – it TOTALLY makes this dish!

and if you have leftovers, cheese and granny smith apples make great crostinis! (cheddar and brie pictured)

NUMBER 204

2013 [so far] has been the year of an attempt at a healthier lifestyle and dinner menu. i've always been a bigger fan of carbs, starches, and sweets than veggies - it's no lie. so when i was perusing the pin' yesterday, i started thinking about new veggie options, amping up my culinary confidence, and no longer being a veggie virgin to some of these lovely...plants. enter: brussel sprouts. never have i ever tried brussel sprouts, and to be honest, they've never been placed on a plate in front of me. we just didn't have them in my house growing up. last night, i gave it a shot and was pleasantly surpised:

crispy brussel sprouts with bacon & garlic original

ingredients:
15-20 small brussel sprouts
3 bacon slices, chopped
2 garlic cloves, grated
thinly sliced ¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons rock salt, sea salt or "kosher" salt
salt and pepper

1. peel off any bad leaves from the brussel sprouts
2. bring a pot of water to the boil. add rock salt.
3. blanch brussel sprouts for 4 minutes then drain and refresh in cold running water.
   
   
4. cut sprouts in half lengthwise.
   
   
5. in the meantime, heat olive oil on high. add bacon and cook 1 minute.
6. add brussel sprouts and garlic and fry until they start to brown around the edges and the bacon crisps
7. drain brussel sprouts to remove excess oil. serve hot.
    
    

NUMBER 203

1  |  thanks for all the love shown over the May Book giveaway - and a special thanks to my blog girlfriends for helping spread the word! what? you haven’t entered? it’s not too late! contest ends TONIGHT at MIDNIGHT! hurry hurry!

2  |  for the first time in too long, i joined a new bible study. i've been seeking a change in my life, and i already feel God making a difference. super excited to get into this study and meet some new friends!

3  |  i've got a few DIY’s on the horizon: one in particular, this bar cart made from a baby changing table. genius, right?! haha this really shows where our family’s priorities are right now.

4  |  i purchased this dear stella fabric last year before christmas with the intention of making some roman shades for our kitchen. i'm feeling extra motivated this weekend to cross some items off my to-do list and this is at the top!

5  |   starting saturday, andrew and i are getting our buns back in the gym. i felt so awesome last year when i was working out more - i had way more energy and felt more confident. hopefully the new years resolution crew has died down a tiny bit! we shall see!

happy weekend!

NUMBER 202

1  |  the weather has been just plain crappy this week, and i'm desperately needing a manicure. i'm thinking that something bright like essie’s snap happy with lighten my mood!

2  |  i hit up the MASSIVE new forever 21 in concord over the weekend and got some awesome new trendy pieces including this sparkly number. i'm sporting it today with a classic grey crewneck sweater and skinnies!

3  |  i've been eyeballing the kate spade grove court maise for some time now, and although the cobalt may be a bit bold for me, the style is definitely right up my alley.

4  | charlotte’s restaurant week kicks off this weekend, and it’s something andrew and i look forward to year round! we’ve got a couple of friends coming to visit, and we’re looking forward to showing them one of our favorite parts of living in charlotte [the food!]. this year, our plans are to visit the capital grille [our RW tradition] and bistro la bon in plaza midwood [for the first time].

5  |  i’ve never been a lipstick girl [it’s usually just chapstick or maybe lip gloss if i'm feeling real fancy], but i've been trying it out lately. this bobbi brown nude is perfect for me – simply for the idea of getting used to wearing something a little heavier on my lips. the shade is almost the exact color of my lips [but prettier] and gives me that great nude look without being washed-out.

**if you haven’t already, don’t forget to enter the fabulous May Books giveaway happening NOW! giveaway ends TOMORROW at midnight!

NUMBER 201: May Book Review & Giveaway!

so… if you follow me on instagram, which you should (lauraleighwyatt), you know that i scooped up a super cute new planner recently. i first discovered May Designs a while back while perusing my favorite stationery store in charlotte, and i was blown away by their vast collection of adorable patterns, colors, and monograms.

after hearing several great reviews, i decided to start off 2013 with one of my own. after about 3 hours of deliberation, i settled on my design and placed my order. to my surprise, it arrived quicker than i expected – just an added bonus!

you can choose from several different inserts (meal planning, fitness, or a blank notebook), and as you can see, i went with a monthly agenda with the week-at-a-glance insert. the book itself is thin – no need to carry around a bulky planner, and this works perfect for me. personally, i don’t use my planner as a catch-all, and i don’t have a crazy jam-packed schedule to need 3 pages per day with a timed agenda for each.

i've had it for over a week, and i'm still in love! my favorite part (aside from the fun design) is the size, my past agendas have been too small or too large. this one, coming in at 8.5” x 5.5”, is perfect. my handwriting doesn’t have to be microscopic to fit in the boxes, and it doesn’t weigh my purse down (like the other 17 things i have in my bag).

want to hear the BEST news? you can get one too! today, i'm hosting a giveaway for a free May Book of your choosing! the rules are simple:

1. all entrants must follow “our life in the queen city” – this can be through google, bloglovin, feedburner, etc.
2. check out all the options and leave a comment with your favorite color/design combo for 2013

for addition entries, feel free to tweet about this giveaway, like OLQC on facebook, and like May Designs on facebook.

this giveaway will end friday night at midnight! thanks SO much, and GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NUMBER 200

i didn’t plan this one very well. tomorrow i have a special post in store for you, but my 200th post happens to be today. i just couldn't wait to share with y'all the amazing chicken pot pie i made last night. this is my go-to recipe and it never disappoints!

chicken pot pie (recipe via)

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cubed 1 cup sliced carrots 1 cup frozen green peas 1/2 cup sliced celery 1/3 cup butter 1/3 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon celery seed 1 3/4 cups chicken broth 2/3 cup milk 2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts the soft, rollout kind

1. preheat your oven to 425 degrees
2. in a med sized pot, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. remove from heat, drain and set aside.
3. in the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. simmer over medium-low heat until thick. remove from heat and set aside.



4. place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. pour hot onion/flour mixture over. cover with pretty top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. if you choose to not cover with a “basket weave” crust, you’ll need to make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.



note: i like to construct my “basket weave” on a sheet of wax or parchment paper, then carefully transfer it to the pie before baking.

5. bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. cool for 10 minutes before serving.

some people like their filling to be a bit more "soupy", if so, just add a 1/3 cup more milk to your onion/flower mix.
orrr just make more of it - we all know that's the best part!

NUMBER 199

in the new year, i've been paying more attention to the positive and keeping my outlook light (i'm a natural worrier). but, in all honesty, looking back on this week, it wasn't too shabby.

1 | yesterday i received my very first maybook planner. i'm so happy with the pattern i chose, and i've been busy filling that baby in. more details to come about this pretty gal next week!

2 | i had a nice little impromptu lunch date with my brother yesterday. we've been wanting to find some cheap mexican and lucked out at three amigos in plaza midwood. christina has raved about their guac, and it did NOT disappoint!

3 | the weather is supposed to be amazing this weekend, and i'm really looking forward to spending some time outside. the back yard is one of our favorite things about the new house, and we're planning on having some friends over to grill out - should be a great time!

4 | yesterday, i recieved my first shipment from influenster. i think this is the first time i've ever gotten excited about dish soap.

5 | i'm SO pumped. i'm getting my hair cut this afternoon - just a trim though. i've worked too hard to get my hair long, so there will be no drastic changes today. there's just something about a fresh haircut that makes a gal feel better about life. (disclaimer, this is not my hair. this gal is pinned here)

today, i'm linking up with lauren @ from my grey desk with her weekly "high five for friday"!

happy weekend!!

NUMBER 198

a while back, i deleted one of my old email addresses. little did i know that it was hooked up to my blogger account and with it, would go all of my images from previous blog posts. *insert sad face* i started my little blog 4 years ago to keep our wedding guests informed of events and my diy crafts leading up to our wedding day, and i've continued to blog (mostly on and off) since then. just thought i'd revisit our wedding day because i'm feeling a bit nostalgic:

our wedding was classic and perfect for us. i remember trying my best not to let the whole planning process stress me out. my top priorities (after the dress) was good food, pretty flowers, and live music – all 3 were present and accounted for. the whole day went by in a blink – it was perfect, and i'd do it all over again in a heart beat (with a little more hairspray).

NUMBER 197

i love a good bargain buy - the feeling that i'm getting something awesome for a low price, is seriously one of my favorite things. so again, i'm putting together some of my favorite beauty bargain buys as of late.

1 | suave keratin infusion dry shampoo ($4). i've tried each end of the spectrum on dry shampoo: first, testing the waters with the cheapo tre semme which left my hair powdery and clumpy. ain’t nobody got time for that. then my awesome hairdresser let me test the kenra dry shampoo, which just didn't have enough power for my thick mane and left me smelling too sweet. after seeing a review for the suave dry shampoo online, i had to hunt it down and give it a go, and i'm so glad i did. the smell is amazing - like that just left the salon, can't quit sniffing your hair, smell. AND it works - even for a gal like me who constantly has her hands in her hair - it's a flaw, i know. fyi: could only find this product at food lion.

2 | the nyc eyeliner pencil ($1) is probably the best known beauty buy out there. you can find these at your local drugstore, and for a dollar each, you can’t go wrong. i'm a gel eyeliner girl all the way, but pencil is perfect for those “gotta wear makeup, but not look made up” days. also, i always use pencil on my lower lashes – just smudged a bit.

3 | maybelline color sensational lipcolor ($5.50). recently, i’ve been testing the waters with red lipstick. i've NEVER been a lipstick girl, but i want to be! i love the look of a casual red lip, and this let me see if i liked it before i committed to a pricey brand. for longer wear, put on 1 coat, blot, pat lightly with loose powder, then apply a 2nd coat. or you could just wipe it off (like i've been known to do), realize that your lips are stained, and be stuck with red lips anyway. sidenote: minorly obsessed with tswift and her adorable self lately.

image via

4 | sally hansen hard as nails strengthener ($3). i change my nail polish pretty often, and i began to realize that my nails were actually drying out and splitting more than usual. i've been applying this goodness as my basecoat for some time now and have noticed less splitting and less chipping on my homemade manis! yay!

5 | i use the up & up makeup cleansing towelettes ($6?) every night before i wash my face. even though i use my clarisonic every night too, completely removing my makeup first really really helps keep my skin clear. no need to splurge on a fancy brand - these gals will get the job done!

see my other bargain beauty buy post here.

what’s your favorite beauty buy on a budget?

NUMBER 196

so i'm trying something a little new for the new year - hoping for a little feedback. as you can see below, i've designed a january calendar for your downloading pleasure! hope y'all enjoy! i tend to make these for myself anyway, so i just figured i'd share the love!

desktop | android | ipad | iphone 3/4 | iphone 5

if you don't see your device in the list below, or find that the sizes i've supplied aren't compatible, let me know about it, and i'll try my best to help you out! hope everyone has a great weekend!

NUMBER 195

holy hiatus! so as you can see, since december 21, i've pretty much been checked out. andrew and i took a whole week off (and then some) to play and spend time with our families over the holidays. this is the first year that both sets of parents haven't lived in the same town. we were a little worried at how the logistics would work out, but i think he would agree that it went off without a hitch. we came back to town this weekend - just in time to ring in the new year with some of our favorite friends!

i've been reading everyone's blog posts today about their new year's resolutions, and putting a lot of thought into what i hope for the new year. a new year seems so much to be a time for change. changes in health, location, finances, eating habits, etc. looking back at 2012, there was a LOT of change - mostly really good!

we moved in to our first home
my brother moved to charlotte
my parents moved out of my "hometown"
one of my best friends moved all the way to texas
and other not-so-major things

mostly only changes in scenery, and life continues on as it should. however, change alters routines and my everyday norm - which can sometimes make me feel a bit "off". SO, where am i going with this?

my hope for 2013 is LESS change! in 2013 i'll be...tweaking my routine to encourage a healthier, happier lifestyle (maybe getting up a bit earlier and eating a bit lighter), enjoying our new home with my awesome husband, staying in charlotte more weekends, living in the present, being more grateful, worrying less, and smiling more.

image via