Weekend Recap

Image via

Can you believe it's Monday already? If you can't, we're right there with you. Our weekend has been jam-packed with activities while two of our college friends have been in town. If you've been following our Instagram, you've probably seen a couple photos of what we've been up to.

We're back at work today, but we're thankful to have had such a fun past few days. From yelling Roll Tide in Tuscaloosa to attending our first NASCAR race at the one and only Talladega, it's been a a weekend for the books. We're so sad it's over, and both of us are sitting at our desk today, coffee in hand, reminiscing on all the fun.

Here's a little recap of some recent happenings the past couple weeks:

Geico 500 at Talladega

Trivia winners at Otey's Tavern in Birmingham

Pure Barre love! The studio in Homewood, Alabama is gorgeous!

Katie and her pup Julian at Folly Beach

Julie and her mom in Cambridge, Maryland

Tailgate in Tuscaloosa

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

Special shout out to Katie's sister (also named Julie) for this delicious recipe. These muffins are so easy with minimal ingredients I can almost guarantee you'll make them after reading this post. With friends in town this weekend and coming of fall we wanted something fun and tasty to share with them. When you're craving something sweet and with the spice of the fall season, these are the perfect answer. Enjoy and happy Saturday!

Photo via

Ingredients:
Duncan Hines Spice Cake Mix
1 Can Pumpkin
Mini Chocolate Chips

Directions:
Don't prepare cake as directed on the box, simply mix in pumpkin with the mix using a mixer. Add as many chocolate chips as you would like. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Check regularly depending on size of muffins. Bake until poked with fork and fork comes out clean.

Destroyed Denim

One fall trend we're obsessing over is destroyed denim. Both of us used to have a pair when it was all the rage in middle school, but the look has grown up since that age (thank goodness). Although we can't exactly wear it during the work week, we love the casual, vintage feel of this worn-in look. Destroyed denim is perfect for the weekends, and a pair of these jeans can easily be dressed up or down. We are swooning over denim paired with a structured blazer and heels, as well as denim with cognac colored booties and an oversized sweater.

Some of our favorite places for finding destroyed denim currently? Check out Madewell, Urban Outfitters, J.Crew and Piperlime, just to name a few. Almost any store you go into these days is carrying the distressed trend!

If you want to DIY an old pair of jeans just to try it out, we also love this tutorial by Free People.

Subtle and flared
Image via

Black denim
Image via

Weekend wear
Image via

Dressed up
Image via

Tailgate attire, War Eagle?
Image via

For warmer temps
Image via

Paired with a cozy sweater
Image via

What's On Our October Playlist

A new season calls for a new music, right?

We think so. Here's our lineup of 10 new songs we're playing on repeat this month. We've got quite a variety of genres on this list - that we're listening to everywhere - the gym, in commute and at home at our apartment. Just click on the song and it will take you right to Youtube. Enjoy!

At Birmingham's Downtown After Sundown Music Series

John Doe (feat. Priscella) - B.o.B. (Saw him sing this in Atlanta. Love and love.)

Oblivion - Bastille (This song, y'all. Just download it.)

Old Boots, New Dirt - Jason Aldean 

I'm Not The Only One - Sam Smith, A$AP Rocky

Sippin' On Fire - Florida Georgia Line

Dangerous - David Guetta, Sam Martin

True Love - Coldplay

House Party - Sam Hunt

Girls - The 1975

The Days - Avicii

Craft Day - Accent Letters

Last weekend Julie and I were in search of a simple fun craft we could make to accent our living room. Our handmade wreath looks great above our couch, but we wanted something to accent the wall space on either side of the wreath. After much thought, we settled on each of our first initials. The entire craft was easy, and besides a little super glue on some fingers, relatively painless! Here's how we made these easy sparkly accent letters.

Supplies:
Letters - we used the large letters from Michael's
Spray Paint in color of your choice
Clear spray paint sealant
Painter's Tape
Modge Podge
Glitter
Super Glue
Ribbon
Nails

Instructions:

1. Lay letters on old sheet or newspaper. Spray paint completely. Use light strokes to lay an even layer of paint. 
2. Let dry completely
3. Lay painter's tape across letter at angle of your choice.
4. Modge podge lower half of the letter where the glitter will go
5. Pour glitter over modge podge portion
6. Shake letter to remove excess glitter
7. Let dry
8. Spray letter again with clear sealant - especially glitter portion
9. Let dry
10. Measure ribbon to length of choice for hanging
11. Super glue ribbon to back of the letter
12. Hang on nail on the wall

Travel Tuesday: Barcelona

Today's Travel Tuesday is  taking us to Barcelona, Spain! This uniquely beautiful city has some of the neatest architecture and craziest nightlife. The city is fun for anyone - the tourist, the sports enthusiast, the nightlifer, the foodie and of course the shopper. My time here was super jam-packed (it was also my first time on land after 10 days at sea), but with the hustle and bustle of the city we fit right in! Here are some of my best recommendations for a few days in Barca:

The Sights:
Sagrada Familia | Gothic Quarter | Park Guell | Montserrat | Santa Maria del Mar

The Food: 
Tappa Tappa | Las Ramblas | La Boqueria

The Nightlife:
Las Ramblas | Espit Chupitos | Taberna Espit | Opium | Ice Bar

Additional Must-Do's:
Magic Fountain of Montjuic at night | Watch a soccer game with locals | Make Paella | Beach it

Why We Race for the Cure

If you saw our Instagram on Saturday then you saw that we participated in the Race for the Cure here in Birmingham. WOW! This was our first 5K here in the Magic City and we were both so impressed with the race and the turn-out. The fountains were turned pink, the city was covered with runners dressed in their best pink attire and so many businesses and organizations joined in running for a fabulous cause. Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in women, and most of us either know someone close to us who has been affected by this terrible disease. Today's Monday Musing is in honor and memory of all of those who are fighting or who have fought a fight against breast cancer. You are not alone!

Why We Run:

Katie: In 6th grade, I lost my Nana (Mom's mom) to breast cancer. That was my first memorable experience losing someone so close to me to this awful disease. My Nana fought a long, strong battle against her cancer but ultimately lost her fight. Since then I have seen several others fight their battle, many of them now survivors. I cannot imagine what it is like to go though such an intense struggle, literally fighting for your life. These women are such an inspiration to me. They are mothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, and they still manage to live their lives after such a horrible experience. I run in hope that one day there will be a permeant cure for this and ALL cancers. I run to support the ground-breaking research that will one-day change medicine as we know it. I run for the survivors and those that are no longer here to tell their tales, but ultimately I run for my Nana. She still inspires me every day even when I can't see her.

 Julie: Although I don't have a close family connection like Katie, I believe that we all need to help raise awareness of why this cause is so important. Growing up, I had a friend in my ballet studio whose mom battled this terrible disease. It was heartbreaking to watch her go through chemo, but I saw firsthand how strong she was throughout all the treatment. Her battle inspired me to look at life from a different perspective, making me realize how valuable life truly is. Each and every moment is precious, and I race for those women who show strength and courage in the midst of this hardship. Birmingham has an incredible amount of support in raising money for this cause, and it is empowering to be around a community of people willing to give their time and energy to make a difference!