Brighton.

My Brighton Bracelet

I adore my Brighton! It all started thanks to Jennifer. I was visiting her in Alabama when I saw a couple of charms her mom had gotten and I thought it was adorable. I have always loved charm bracelets simply because they can tell so much about a person. Corey added to mine for my birthday coming up this Sunday so I thought this was a great time to share. 
What charms do I have and why?
1st - Breast Cancer Awareness Ribbon. I lost my mom to breast cancer in 2005. So pink ribbons are something I have a lot of. It's always a constant reminder of my mom, the disease, and all of the fighters/survivors out there. 2nd - Camera. I love the camera. I found a lot of peace taking pictures while dealing with a lot through high school. I had to deal with my moms sickness and moving to Memphis during my Junior year. Taking pictures eased my mind and it still does to this day. Photos are priceless. 3rd - Bee. This is always the one to throw everyone off. (-: Melissa means "Honey Bee". Simple as that! I've always loved that about my name for some reason. 4th - M. I don't think we need an explanation. 5th - Turtle. I have a serious obsession. Hints to "oh my turtles" thing. It's a story for another time but there is an interesting story behind my turtle love. 6th - Engagement Ring. Corey got this for me shortly after he proposed.  7th - Lighthouse. We spent our Honeymoon in Savannah/Tybee Island, GA. Our wedding pictures have a lighthouse in the back and it means a lot to us. This was the newest addition for my birthday courtesy of the husband. <3 .="." nbsp="nbsp" span="span">
My bracelet is just about filled up so I plan on starting a keychain soon. A cute local boutique (I like to support the small local stores versus the department stores) has my keychain ordered so hopefully I can get started before long.
Until next time ...

Pinterest {one}

I love to browse Pinterest for ideas. Anything from beauty, projects for the boys, dream home (that we all know will never be owned), down to recipes.
I am no Paula Deen y'all. I can't cook worth a dime. That's what Chef Hubby is for, didn't you know? Lucky for me I got a crock pot as a wedding gift. Lemme just say that is a total must for everyone to have in their home. I don't know how I have gone so many years without one.
So, I came across a recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup in the crock pot and immediately hit REPIN. I will share the recipe but I can't take credit guys. Great recipes here! 
Seriously, this recipe is so easy that anyone with a brain can make it. 
What You'll Need:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 10oz cans of Ro-Tel (I tried Lime & Cilantro)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn
1 onion, chopped
2 14.5oz cans low-sodium chicken broth
1-2 cups of water
1 Packet of Taco Seasoning

Top it off with:
tortilla chips
sour cream
Mexican blend cheese
fresh cilantro 
Are you ready for the easiness of this? Chop your onions. I have to admit I was excited to use my KitchenAid Chopper because this was probably one of 3 times. 

(yep, told you I was too excited.)

Then just add in all of the canned goods, water, and seasoning. 

Put your chicken in and make sure it is almost submerged in everything you have in your pot. Cover and cook on high 6-7 hours or low for 8-9 hours. Luckily my chicken shredded itself for the most part. If it doesn't, just take it out and shred it yourself and throw it back in. Grab yourself a bowl, I suggest a big one, and scoop some of this deliciousness in it. Top it off with your favorite toppings and dig in. Fresh cilantro made mine extra tasty.

Here is my bowl:

Let me just say that my husband is NOT a fan of leftovers and it's like getting a cat in water to make him eat any. Not this dish! Ladies, he ate on it for 2-3 days. We definitely decided to add this to our meal list. A must try and nothing better on a cool fall or winter day. 

Overall review: 10/10. Thank you, Pinterest.

List of Thoughts

I am going to label this a "brain dump" as my SIL likes to call it. I thought it was a cute way of just throwing out what's on your mind.

1. I am obsessed with Pinterest. I'm not sure if it's more fun to look at and dream or actually try some of the things I've pinned. But anything I try I will blog. Fall is in the air and I thought some sort of crock pot soup would be good. I will post the recipe on my next post. It was a total success.

2. I can't wait until Halloween! More like the 27th for us bc that is when Canyon is having his Halloween with us. Can you guess what he will be?

3. Speaking of that little booger, he had his first field trip Wednesday! He went to a pumpkin patch and got to pick a pumpkin. We weren't able to go to this one but hope our turn is next!

4. We won a free photo session! Our little family of 4 will finally have pictures of all of us. Absolutely can not wait.

... I guess this will be all for now. Don't worry, I'll be back tomorrow! I will share Pinterest Recipe #1.

Erin Condren

My Erin Condren Planner finally got here! It is so pretty and perfect. I have been wanting one for what feels like forever but just couldn't see paying the money. Lucky for me, I could use a coupon, and the husband said he wanted to get it for me. I love that you can make it so customized for yourself! I have always been a firm believer of planners but I also use mine as a daily journal. I'll just jot down things I did or how I felt that day.

So make sure you go check out www.erincondren.com and order your own planner soon. I promise you won't be disappointed.