only by the night

tonight we carved pumpkins...

my pumpkin = the happy pumpkin; hubby's pumpkin = snaggletooth pumpkin. i forgot how much i love carving pumpkins, getting my hands all sticky with the pumpkin goo. more importantly, i like baking the seeds and eating them.

xoxo,

pilar

on fire

to celebrate the end of the weekend and the start of the work week, i decided that we should create a new tradition: pizza sunday! usually we order in or pick up a few frozen pizzas. this week i decided we should re-instate another old tradition (and by old, i mean something that we did more frequently when we were first married... 4 years ago) homemade pizza. it's so simple, and really delicious. the best part is that you get to pick your own toppings! this way you can control the ingredients, flavors, and calories!

ingredients: 

store-bought pizza dough (i highly recommend whole foods' fresh dough - it's so yummy!)

olive oil

pizza sauce

shredded mozzarella

favorite toppings for us: sliced onions, chopped spinach, and turkey pepperoni 

preparation:
pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
let dough sit out at room temperature until soft
spray pizza pan with non-stick cooking spray
stretch dough across pan, add 1 tbsp of olive oil to coat top of dough (it adds a lot of flavor!)
assemble pizza: sauce, cheese, toppings
cook pizza for 17-20 minutes until cooked through

serve:

i love cheese, so i add freshly grated parmesan while it's still hot

red pepper flakes are also a great way to spice up a slice

... perhaps the most perfect way to top off the meal: a glass of wine. 

(this is one of my favorites: the naked grape's pinot noir)

happy work week!

xoxo,
pilar

what's up? holla!

over the weekend, we went to an apple orchard in southern wisconsin, about an hour north of the city. the apples were really picked over, but nevertheless, it's such a fun atmosphere. this was probably the most "commercialized" orchard i've ever been to. they had lots of family activities, a cover band playing johnny cash, gold mining, hayrides, a pumpkin patch, and a petting zoo. all cheesy activities aside, it was so much fun! i always say that i could never live in the country, but visiting the country is perfect for a city girl like myself. i had a 'legally blonde' moment while deciding my outfit for this excursion. i wanted to totally "look the part" of a country girl. haha.

 

in lieu of the golden gate bridge, they have a "golden goat bridge"
where you can feed the goat on a pulley system! of course, i had to partake.

this was my favorite goat!

if you feed one, you've got to feed them all.
or they get their heads stuck in the fence...
which they did anyway, but at least they weren't hungry.

the classic head shot farm photo.  

(chris, me, momma)

mom made it out of the corn maze minutes ahead the rest of us.
then, she rubbed it in our faces. 

(dad, momma, me)

there was also a very large pig, which we believe may or
may not have been pregnant.
also: note the sign. poor goats.

 paul bunyon's chair! gee, i look small. 

(shirt & jeans - gap | scarf - target | boots - urban outfitters)

while i was searching for a pumpkin, hubs was taking photos of the vegetation. 

i like this photo!

i found a perfect pumpkin!

and hubs had to carry it home! 

we ended the adventure with fresh cider (yum!) and donuts (double yum!). i love autumn activities!

xoxo,

pilar

you got to be free

i thought it'd be fun to share my biggest sources of inspiration for my life. i draw inspiration from various places, mostly via artistic expression through music, film, photography, and fashion. instead of jamming so much into one post, i think it will be fun for me to do a series of posts about my various sources of inspiration.

(me, sister, dad, sister)

i thought i'd start with what will be my cheesiest source of inspiration...

inspiration source: dad

this past weekend my dad ran the chicago marathon for the 7th time. how can i not be inspired by him?! running 26.2 miles x 7?! this year was the first year that i ran with him for part of the race. it was such a blast! and so fun for me to be able to encourage him to finish strong. my dad is one of my biggest sources of influence. he has always encouraged me to be the best possible version of myself; he's encouraged me to make good decisions, learn from the bad ones, and make better choices for the future.

is there a person that inspires you? 

xoxo,

pilar

she's got a ticket to ride

(dress - tucker for target | leggings - target | boots & earrings - urban outfitters | 

necklace - family hand me down | gym & work bags - fossil)

i'm so glad it's friday. (now, i say this every friday, but it somehow makes me feel better.) today is one of the most beautiful days in this city. i may even say it's the most perfect day of the entire year. hmm...

today was a terribly busy day. fridays always are, and this week even more so because the program that i run was being audited. i hate audits. i needed something especially fun to wear to work today to keep me positive. i purchased this dress a few weeks ago from the tucker for target line. i absolutely love it! i paired it with a pair of leggings and boots, and i was good to go.

what worked: this dress is so comfortable! and it has pockets! i love pockets! i also love the detail on the buttons (see close up below)

what didn't work: i have no complaints. this was a great outfit. i'm definitely going to wear this or a very similar version of this, again.

happy weekend!

xoxo,

pilar

i was carried to ohio in a swarm of bees

(dress, scarf, and jacket - target | cardigan - gap | boots & sunnies - family hand-me-downs)

autumn is here. evidenced by the changing leaves and brisk fresh air in chicago. i've said it before and i'll say it again: i love this season. if i could live in one season for the rest of my life it would be autumn: crisp air, enough, warm sun, and lovely colors. okay, okay, you get the idea.

in other news, i've been working on one of my "2010 goals" - training for my first 5k run! i've never been a runner, but i like having a workout routine set out for me, so i started the couch-to-5k-running program. sidebar: i've skipped a week or two because it was too easy, so it's really flexible to meet you wherever you're starting at. it has been awesome. every workout i think, "there's no way i'm going to finish this". and then i do, and it feels so good! i'd highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in running.

today i wore this shift dress with a cardigan, boots, and a scarf. this pretty much sums up my wardrobe staples. it was too warm for tights today, so i opted for my tall boots with bare legs. i was not disappointed.

what worked: i really loved how comfortable this outfit was, this dress has pockets (yes, pockets!) which i adore. what didn't work: the cardigan was a little short in relation to the length of the dress. next time i will opt for a longer cardigan.

xoxo,
pilar


ps. here's a photo of my adorable hubby who took these today!