Thanksgiving Gingerbread House Tradish

One of my FAVORITE traditions my family does happens on Thanksgiving after the wonderful turkey, hash browns, and broccoli salad has been consumed. Before we all get the chance to clean up our dirty dishes, the aunts and the kids rush down into the basement for Christmas Gingerbread House decorating!!!

Last year was by far my best gingerbread house I have ever made! And oddly, what I did on my house last year ( Lilly Pulitzer) is still my obsession this year. And I DO NOT double up years. So I decided to channel my inner creativity to another one of my favorite things this year... my boys. Also if I channel it towards them, it will look quite nice in the middle of their apartment.

You see, living with boys can be quite fun and rewarding. Maybe not for most girls, but I actually enjoy sports and I learn more about baseball from them on a daily basis. (I already know everything there is to know about football. wink wink) My boys are very passionate about baseball and VERY passionate about their St. Louis Cardinals. And I have learned an ungodly about of knowledge about the Cardinals this year. (my Atlanta Braves loving Great Grandaddy is currently rolling over in his grave) Which is what I've chosen as my theme for my house this year!

This is the beloved Busch Stadium which is what I will base my design off of. The main color will obviously be red, which lucky for me most Christmas candy is red! I cannot wait to make Cardinals, the St. Louis Arch, and a baseball diamond come to life in the form of a gingerbread house!

BUT UNTIL THEN! How about you kids enjoy my awesome gingerbread house from last year! Lilly Pulitzer was my inspiration as you will see. And I must admit, I STILL have it. I just couldn't find the heart to throw this glorious creation away! It was mostly made of colored icing so it's just hard now. 

From the top!

And obvi Santa in a Lilly Pulitzer shift dress!

Can't wait to show you guys how it comes out on Thursday!!

Stay tuned!

xoxo Princess Lacey

Christmas 2013 Wishes!

With Christmas quickly approaching, I suppose you all need to know what to get me ;)
Below is a list of a few things I hope to get for Christmas this year!

Chevron Crockpot: As I explained in my last post, I am OBSESSED with my boyfriends Crockpot. So much that I just have got have one for myself. And why not throw a little personality in there with it??

101 Things To Do With A Crockpot: My mom has this cookbook and she's made a few things in it, two of which are my favorite recipes she makes so I need one to go along with my Crockpot so I can find a few more new favorites!

Kate Spade Coffee Mug: I've been drinking coffee alot lately and Kate Spade makes it even cuter to drink!

Black Boots: This is the specific pair I asked for, though any will do! I have a perfect pair of brown boots I seem to wear everyday. A black pair would give me the perfect new option!

Kate Spade Phone Cases: I have a Tory Burch phone case and I just love it! Kate Spade's are alot like Tory Burch's phone cases. I need to add one to my collection.

Those are just a few cutesy things I asked for. I honestly cannot believe that I am at the age where I actually WANT a Crockpot and recipe book for Christmas... I guess that means I really am getting old.

Every year, my favorite gift and for some reason the most exciting gift is the calendar our grandparents get us. It's also the last gift we receive on Christmas. Last year, the favorite grandchild (me) just so happened to get me a LILLY PULITZER calendar and I have just absolutely fallen in love with it. I really REALLY hope to get it again! For anyone else that wants it, it cannot be found on Lilly's website, but Lifeguardpress.com carries it!!

Isn't it beautiful?? Plus the front is my new favorite print Lulu! Plus this year, each month contains a cardboard punch out card that slowly throughout the year spells "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" How cute!

What are you asking for for Christmas??

xoxo Princess Lacey

Kate Spade Keds

Or as I like to call them; Perfection south of my ankles.

Kate Spade is one of my favorite and most brilliant designers this world has ever known (behind Lilly Pulitzer of course!) And she has recently put out a line of Keds tennis shoes which I have just absolutely fallen in love with! The only thing that I could not handle about them is their price tag. For a whopping $75 (EEEK) These babies can be yours!

OR For a whopping $19 THESE pretties can be yours!!

Literally almost identical...or maybe i'm just biased because I MADE THESE! Yes you are entitled to your wrong opinion if you don't agree but they are basically identical!

After falling in love with the originals, I remembered that almost year round Target sells plain white Keds looking shoes so almost immediately I took a little trip down there. I managed to pick up most of my supplies there.

Mossimo white tennis shoes: $15

Gold paint pen (Hobby Lobby): $3

Hott Pink Sharpie: $1

First I removed the shoelaces.

Then I started on the pink stripe that goes all the way around the bottom of the shoe.

This step was the biggest pain. The rubber of the shoe DID NOT like the pink Sharpie.

Then I started on the gold dots! Make sure they're very random.

Then to add a little extra flair I decided to color the end of the shoelaces gold just like Kate Spade had done.

And just like that you're all done! Move over Kate Spade! There's a new girl in town!

These pictures don't quite do them justice, but I am just beside myself over these! They make me squeal!!

P.S. Starbucks just released the most ADORABLE coffee mug and I just HAD to have it!! It has so much Kate Spade in it. For goodness sake it has a TUTU!! Also since my boyfriend just got a knockoff Keurig coffee maker I needed something to drink my warm drinks in!

Please try and tell me this isn't the cutest thing you've ever laid your pretty little eyes on (besides my shoes of course)

xoxo Princess Lacey

Crockpot Fever!

Oddly, I decided to start up my blog yet again randomly, and as I signed on I saw that the last time I did  a blog was one year ago yesterday! SO WEIRD! This calls for a celebration, HERE'S A POST!

So with many events going on in my life and me basically almost living with my two best friends, (my boyfriend and his best friend) I have grown a very fond liking to their Crockpot. I have never owned a Crockpot before (GASPS) I know I know! I am a 22 year old woman and Ii have never owned a Crockpot! My name should be cursed! That just means I have alot of making up to do! My awesome mom also let me use hers which is a little bigger ( since the boys eat more than cows) and sometimes it's harder to squeeze all the food I'm making for the three, four, or five of us. (depending on it the neighbors are eating) Five boys + One girl = ALOT OF FOOD! And alot of opportunities for opinions! And I love opinions other than my own when it comes to cooking!

And hopefully after Christmas I will officially have my very own Crockpot. I've got my eye on this beauty from Target that just screams "LACEY!"

Anyways! Now that I'm in the process of becoming the Crockpot Queen, I've been trying out various recipes. (All of which have been successful so far!) This one however is great for a chilly fall/winter day like today here in Tennessee!! Here we all sit snuggled up by the Christmas tree (yes its November 19 and we have our tree up) watching basketball on TV and eating this amazing Crockpot Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup! I got this recipe from pinterest! Here's the original post!

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/56224695321687727/

Without further or due, here it is! Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup!

First I chopped up four stalks of celery, one whole onion, and a bunch of little baby carrot minis!

Aren't these colors just breathtakingly beautiful???

Next I added three large chopped chicken breasts.(but I could've added more)

And one container of chicken broth. (also could've used more)

We added some salt, pepper, and a little crushed red pepper. 

We let it set on high for about three hours until the chicken was almost done, then we chopped up the chicken even more, almost shred it. And let it cook for three more hours on high. 

THEN

Add three cups of extra wide noodles and let set for thirty minutes before you chow down on this beauty.

I don't like my soup extra soupy so this one turned out almost like a stroganoff. MAN was it a good stroganoff! If you wanted it soupier, there was soupier parts at the bottom. This recipe is HIGHLY recommended, and has been approved by my boys! 

xoxo Princess Lacey