TGIF: Fall Perks & Quirks ~ Tacky Sweater Weather Edition

Don’t these *Holy Cow Cats* just warm your ♥heart? Both Belated Bday Girl Stats Cat & almost-decade-old Grad Cat do mine! Almost reaching our ultimate goal: PhD for Dr. D …

To stay in the spirit for this season, I decked out with a little bit of my autumn aesthetics ~ ringing in the old with the new!

My little splurge to bring me cheer this time of year: this rad-in-plaid deer because plaid is on-trend (this one somewhat resembles Burberry) + it’s deer season (not that I’m a hunter) & reindeer season‘s just around the corner ~ so I’ll adorn it with special ornaments! Just to add to my eccentricity, I named this bad boy DOC to keep me motivated as I keep trucking along (more in high-speed) toward my doctoral degree! Along with Doc are A&A‘s *Dallas Cowboys* TD toy for football season & my classic Halloween decor ~ including Badtz-Maru pillow ~ on this plaid spread that accompanies autumn yet also is appropriate for winter as we approach CHRIS†mas in red & green!

Here’s more info on my fall favorites to take yours truly through this sweater weather & before the snow hits our neck of the woods …

☼Sunset☼ Selfie: I’m double-cheesin’ (at least without a double-chin) and have a Kool-Aid smile (without the Kool-Aid) because I had a superb dentist visit & cleaning! Coffee stains: gone! {My 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Paper Floral Shirt Dress works in any season & I ♥adore♥ these Smithsonian Cherry Blossom earrings with Swarovski elements from Mami Aya as the perfect color for Breast Cancer Awareness Month + I’m dolling Dulce Candy‘s fall braid-framed bun}

13 Pre-Howl-o-ween Fave Fall Things

1. What’s the best fall memory you have? ~ football games, both when I was in h.s. & when I’d see my *Dallas Cowboys* live (everything’s BIGGER in TX)
2. What’s your favorite book you’re reading (or have read) this fall?~ Guts Grace & Glory (football devotionals) that I received during Lent & am reading through football season
3. Which makeup trend do you prefer: dark lips or winged eyeliner?~ both (winged liner above in Exhibit B)
4. Best fragrance for fall? ~ Bath & Body Works Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin (above in Exhibit A)
5. What is autumn weather like where you live? ~ we’re still as ☼sunny☼ as Indian summer but anticipate a cool-down soon
6. Most worn sweater? ~ my tribal cardigan by ♫Maroon 5‘s ♪Adam Levine♪
7. Must-have nail polish this fall? ~ Sally Hansen‘s Miracle Gel to top off color because it seriously lasts a long time (I’m just barely removing my color after 45 days)!
8. Football games or jumping in leaf piles? ~ BOTH! (see No. 1 for football & Exhibit B for leaf piles)
9. Skinny jeans or leggings? ~ either or, as long as I don’t have a muffin top in the denim or camel toe in the tights
10. What is something that nobody knows about you? ~ I don’t mind digging into Ramen even if there’s other food in the panty (especially as comfort food now that we’re entering a colder climate), which I actually ate for lunch this afternoon while watching Wong Fu‘s major cook-off!
11. Combat boots or Uggs? ~ bringing on my Docs, baby!
12. Is pumpkin spice worth the hype?~ ¡Claro que sí!
13. What song really gets you into the fall spirit? ~ oddly enough, ♫Taylor Swift‘s ♪Wildest Dreams♪ because it could describe any desire (i.e., “tall” could be a tall order of Starbucks Salted Caramel Mocha), fulfilled or fantasized about

1st Friday of Fall Y’all: TGIF

Thank GOD It’s Fall!

Facing east for the moon rise from my backyard garden … Just another West Texas Friday night!

As much as ☼summer☼ is my favorite season (after all, that’s when my birthday takes place), I’m making the most out of autumn ~ especially going outside for crisp, fresh air!

I’m also all about Starbucks seasonal flavors* ~ from ☼summer’s fruitiness to these comfy delights:

• Pumpkin Spice Latte 

My latest Starbucks Gold Card reward redeemed: Salted Caramel Mocha Frappuccino!

• Salted Caramel Mocha 

My venti cold cup always comes in handy … for a discount & a drink to last me all ☼day!

• *NEW* Toasted Graham 

Apparently, I was my local barista’s 1st customer to order a Toasted Graham Frappuccino! #StarbucksLovers ♥ #trendsetter

Furthermore, football has kicked off into full swing!

I refreshed my ♥heart♥ & ☼soul☼ with ♥Adoration♥ †Chapel† holy hour at †Church† & with this ☼spirit☼ book + my bod with this Graham Goodness! (Even though I’ll cover up more, I’ll definitely still tone up with whatever energy I still can muster in the midst of working on my dissertation!

Here are a few of my favorite things for fall …

Trunk or Treat: ☼Sunshine☼ (my truck) tailgate was decked out with festive decor that featured ♥A&A♥ when we gave candy to my †Church† students last Howl-o-ween!

Nine Fine Fall Flaves

1. Favorite Candle: my Bath & Body Works‘ Salty Caramel that I used to light up my *Dallas Cowboys* jack-o-lantern and Advent †cross† (I’m also all about BBW‘s Pumpkin Pecan Waffles/White Barn‘s Thanksgiving Morning)
2. Favorite Lip Color: toss-up between my red Ardency Inn ♥Love♥ Cat lipstick from Sephora or purple Vera Wang *Rockstar* lip gloss from ULTA (c/o my Bestie Evie)
3. Favorite Drink: please view above {Exhibits B-E}
4. Favorite Blush: the ones from my KleanKolor Double Rainbow palette, plus I think that I’ll try Dulce Candy‘s tip on lip colors in a pill box for cheek colors!
5. Favorite Clothing Item: my birthday gifts ~ specifically the scarf/shawl ~ and my recent online finds plus my Target scores ~ particularly the jeans and booties!
6. Favorite Fall Movie: no new releases, so I’ll go with classic football flicks: Varsity Blues (came out my sr. yr.), Friday Night Lights (with a cameo of my h.s.), Remember the Titans, Any Given Sunday, The Longest Yard (including the original)
7. Favorite Fall Show: Grey’s ♥Anatomy!!! I’ve been counting down for the Season 12 premiere since the Season 11 finale ~ as a loyal fan for over a decade since the very beginning with the previous seasons on DVD
8. Favorite Thanksgiving Food: I’m not going to lie –> my Cranberry Pie #DISPObustAFlow
9. Favorite Halloween Costume: now how about I have y’all pick? My personal faves include when I rocked out my abs live, No. 5 … I won our contest in 2013 as Lone Ranger‘s Tonto and in 2014 as my Nurse Mom who was fine in 1969! Will I make a 3-peat??

Actually, please allow me to add a 10th item:

Sweet Annie

My #1 Favorite for Fall: my ✌two✌ ♥cute, cuddly companions♥ with whom to softly snuggle for cozy comfort plus who keep me company while hard at work and welcome me home after hard at play!

Sassy Asia

CHEERS to this time of year!

Foodie Friday: Cuckoo for Cookies!

These cookies are coo-worthy for being both healthy and tasty! Let these nutritious and delicious photos speak to you, just as the cookies that appear in them called my name…

Macaroons in Caramel Sea Salt by Hail Merry
* Gluten-Free, vegan
{I tried the Chocolate-flavored in my Welcome to My Kitchen on Pretty Fit}

Grace’s Best Petite Sunflower Seed Cookies
* Bite-sized, light and crispy

Flourless Chocolate Cookie from La Boulange of Starbucks
* Melt-in-your-mouth meringue

What’s better than these cookies flying solo?

Savoring a little bit together!

Added Bonus: Top them on the Tiramisu Gelato that I featured last Foodie Friday!

Nothing beats Cookies & Milk! Try this Almond Breeze Blend of Almond & Coconut Milk for a new nutty twist!

CHEERS!!! Let’s clink our frosty mug of milk or fist cookie bump!

2 for Tuesday: Sweater Weather Tag before I Ring in Spring!

Let’s hear it for the Sweater Tag!

Like my sweater and snake scarf?

My family and I went to Rattlesnake Roundup in Sweetwater (approx. 45mi NW of Abilene) ~ which supposedly is the world’s largest!

Now here goes… [Questions are in italics; my answers are in bold.]

Yours truly’s SWEATER TAG

1. Favorite candle scent? Bath & Body Works Salty Caramel

BBW Salty Caramel

True Blue Jack-o-Lantern w/Salty Caramel Candle

2. Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate? ALL of the Above
3. What’s the best fall memory you have? football ~ most recently Dallas Cowboys 

GO, ‘BOYS! True Blue, through & through!

4. Which makeup trend do you prefer: dark lips or winged eyeliner? neither; cat make-up: my red lips in Ardency Inn Modster Long Play Supercharged Lip Color in Love Cat and cat eyeliner by M•A•C 

Tried to pull off Cat Eye & Cat Lips at Christmas Party

5. Best fragrance for fall? COACH Legacy

COACH Legacy Stripes in bag, fragrance and Gabrielle glasses

6. Favorite Thanksgiving food? my Cranberry Walnut Pie

My THANKful Cranberry Walnut Pie

7. What is autumn weather like where you live? bipolar: sunny & warm 1 day, snowy & frosty the next

Sunny Abilene

Snow Day

8. Most worn sweater? my Kardashian Kollection white Open Knit Sweater because I could layer it over any color and wear off-the-shoulder 

My fave Sweater Weather sweater that I can wear everywhere, including the beach!

9. Must-have nail polish this fall? Nicole by OPI® Kardashian Kollection Disco Dolls for the gold glitter and Follow Me on Glitter for the dark glitter

Kardashian Kolor from Nicole by OPI®

10. Football games or jumping in leaf piles? BOTH

Dallas Cowboys on the field! I’d like to play in the leaves with them!

11. Skinny jeans or leggings? BOTH … or how ’bout jeggings? (e.g., Sofia Vergara Lurex Jeggings in Gold Foil, Indigo & Jet Black ~ like the glitter effect from #9)

These Gold Jeggings pair well w/this Snake Scarf, along w/my Cowboys Boots!

12. Combat boots or Uggs? neither; I’ll go for my Kenneth Cole knee-high zip-up black stiletto boots, Corral Cowboy boots or Sketchers Tone-Ups camel boots w/ faux fur

Jeggings + Sketchers = Match Made on Snow Day

13. Is pumpkin spice worth the hype? he**-to-the-YEAH

Starbucks Pumpkin Spiced Latte

I asked for Salted Caramel & Whip to top off my PSL!

Salted Caramel PSL in the house!

Enjoy like yours truly at a Starbucks near you!

14. Favorite fall TV show? I’d say Grey’s Anatomy for the rainy weather, ’til it went on hiatus before the holidays, but now it’s back to ring in spring! 
15. What song really gets you into the fall spirit? Katy Perry’s Eye of the Tiger brought me school spirit because my alma mater, Cooper H.S., was a finalist in her music vid contest

Katy Perry ~ Hear Me ROAR!

Katy Perry Challenge Finalists

Katy Perry Challenge includes CHS, all right, all right, all right!

Cooper Cougars ROAR to Katy Perry!

5:55 ~ make a wish!!! 

Grub Glory! Eat Happy!

Happy Hump Day the Healthy Pretty Fit Way!

Today, I’ll feature food, as a perk to my freelance writing.

When I visited AM Donuts, I was pleased to photograph around the storefront and bakery, as well as to try the main menu items that I intended:

AM Donuts‘ Bubble Tea & Maple Bacon Bar

The added bonus was that the owner packed his personal favorites for me to take home!

AM Donuts & Croissants Care Package, including *exclusive* Cherry Chocolate Fritter & Red Velvet Cake Donut

Then, when I covered the Claudie C. Royals Banquet on Claudie C. Royals Day, I chowed down even more!

Claudie C. Royals Banquet Main Course & Sides + Beverage: Lasagna, Fried Chicken, Corn, Salad, Sweet Tea

Claudie C. Royals Banquet Desserts: Special Strawberry Shortcake Banana Nut Pudding, Lemon & Chocolate Nut Cupcakes, Chocolate Sugar-Dusted Brownies

Today, I wrote about how I ate healthy a week ago then rewarded myself the next day in What I Ate Wednesday and Thursday. 

Pretty Fit Elaine‘s Chunky Monkey Sweet & Spicy Soft Serve Ice Cream

Moral of this story:

A good day can lead into another one!

And because I love y’all so much, here’s  how I packed my sweets for the sweet from the sweet on VDay ♥

Valentine’s Day 2014 ♥ Banana LOVE Berry Much Abunch

Now that I’ve gone bananas with good grub and am armed with study food, I’ll get back to working on my dissertation…

3:33 ~ make a wish!!!