Hey, y’all! I’m linking up with Shay, Sheaffer, and Mel for another edition of What’s Up Wednesday!

I will be answering these questions…

So, here we go!

WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK… 

Well, Monday I picked up Rudy’s on my way home. Picking up barbecue (smoked turkey and brisket) is so easy, it is great when you get it home (as opposed to other take out that gets soggy), and it is great leftover (plus kind of healthy, right?). Tuesday night, we tried cilantro lime chicken (with black beans, corn, and Rotel tomatoes and peppers) over rice. I am planning a few more recipes for the rest of this week. Saturday night, we are having dinner at the Temple Medical Education Alliance Gala, and Sunday, we are dropping Ruger and Gump off at retriever training near Dallas, so we are debating whether we are going to eat our feelings at Pappadeaux’s or Babe’s. The good news is that we are going to be going to visit them about every other week, so we have plenty of chances to hit the other one up.

WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT…

We had such fun last weekend and I was sad to see Monday!  We drove up to Waco (about 30 minutes away) Saturday night after Steven finished up work to see Aaron Watson, one of our favorite Texas country artists. It was actually Steven’s first concert ever… It was pretty low-key, and we were able to sit and not be overwhelmed by a crowd (neither one of us really love being in crowds all that much).

On Sunday, we decided to go on a spontaneous afternoon adventure that started out by picking up a few birthday cards and then down I35 to Georgetown and Round Rock, and then back up through the country to check out Granger Lake.

We drove home, and packed up the dogs to head out for a park adventure. This was our first time to let everyone sit in the back seat (using a seat cover!), and they seemed to be okay. Ruger was pumped to be going, Gump decided to take up half the seat by laying down, and Boudreaux just looked worried. But Boudreaux always looks worried. 🙂

They did pretty well, but we agreed that this is a set up for short trips (around town) only. For our safety (and sanity) and theirs, they will continue to be kenneled for longer trips.

WHAT I’M LOVING… 

I’m loving this warmer weather, and that the days are slowly getting longer again! We’ve been in the 70s (nearly 80!) for the last few weeks, and we finally still have a little daylight each evening when we get home. This lets us have fun with the pups when we get home from work for a little bit before it’s pitch dark outside. Any time they can spend getting wiggles out outside means less wiggles they have in the house.

WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO… 

Haha, well, I think I recapped a lot of it earlier in our weekend… And on the broader scale, Steven has been studying to get ready for STEP 3 in about a month. I’ve had to start weekly ironing again 😐 (I think we only have a few more weeks before we go back to a few months of scrubs. God bless scrubs.) We’ve been getting the labs ready to drop off at retriever training on Sunday for five months. Which brings me to….

WHAT I’M DREADING…

Dropping our babies off for five straight months. 🙁 We know that they are going to be amazing when they come home, and Steven is so stoked for next hunting season (and I am too, really. I’m planning for a lot of action hunting photography), but it is so hard to think they will be gone for so long. We’ll still have Boudreaux (and he and his little stubborn self will benefit from a lot of one-on-one time and training), and we’ll still see Ruger and Gump about every other weekend, but it’s going to be so different.

WHAT I’M WORKING ON… 

Oh, a little of this, a little of that 🙂 Working on every day life, and doing a little redecorating around our house.

WHAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT…

I am SO excited to get super dressed up this weekend and hit up the Alliance gala for our local children’s hospital! I tried something new for my dress and if it works out, I’ll be super excited to share that with y’all. And say a little prayer that Steven doesn’t get any late admissions on Saturday- he has to work all day, and technically he gets off at 5, but if an admission rolls in up until 4:59, he still does all the work-up and gets them tucked in (because he’s awesome at what he does), no matter how long that takes. So, long story short, hopefully we get there on Saturday night! 😉

I am also SO SO excited about our anniversary trip coming up! {Side note: I CAN’T EVEN BELIEVE we’ve almost been married a year. A YEAR. It seems much shorter than that, and much longer all at the same time- you know what I mean?} Steven is taking STEP 3 (the last of his board exams) in San Antonio at the end of March, and I’m going with him. We are going to stay an extra day or so after his testing for a little anniversary getaway [Hello, Spurs game!!]. We went to San Antonio for a short honeymoon right after our wedding and it was so fun to check out the Riverwalk, and drive around to all the places Steven remembered as a kid (his grandparents lived there, so he grew up going there often). I’m looking forward to relaxing while he is taking his test, and then relaxing together once he finishes up! (And then being DONE with STEP tests!).

WHAT I’M WATCHING/READING… 

I don’t have anything new that I’ve been watching, really. I think the season of This Is Us is about over, so that will be one less to keep up with. Honestly, I’ve been looking for a good series that I can watch while I iron, so if anyone has any suggestions, hit me up! (Something on Netflix or Hulu that I can binge would be preferable!)

As for reading, I started A Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling earlier this week after finding it at Barnes and Noble for about $5. I’m a huge Harry Potter fan, so I am interested to get into some adult fiction with her. So far, it’s interesting! On my nightstand, I’ve also got Hidden Figures, The Flood Girls, The Unveiled Wife, and Nobody’s Cuter Than You (reread), along with my daily Bible reading and Bible study.

WHAT I’M LISTENING TO…

We’ve been mainly jamming to Texas country lately. Aaron Watson’s new album is coming out Friday, but five of the songs have pre-released and it is so good so far! We are also loving Zane Williams. He opened for AW on Saturday, and we really enjoyed him, so we’ve been checking out his music on Youtube.

I am also loving the pre-releases from Ed Sheeran’s new album coming out next month. Steven knows to stop when he comes across “Shape of You” when scanning the radio stations because that is my jam right now!

WHAT I’M WEARING…

Y’all. Target has been on point lately! They have all these bright, rich colors and pretty, flowy fabrics right now. Most of these are Target brands, but I think one or two are the Knox Rose brand, which I love as well.

 (And my selfie game is not on point. I need a floor length mirror in our house.)

I love this deep green and all the ruffles! It has a ruffle around the bottom, and ruffles on the bell sleeves (and the sleeves are why I took the picture on the left, even though it looks a little ridiculous). You can’t tell unless you are close up, but the entire top has tone-on-tone tiny polka dots, which I think add an extra nice detail. This day, I paired it with micro houndstooth skinny slacks (New York and Company), a black tank and black heels for work, but I have also worn it with denim trousers, a cream tank and chunky brown leather Mary Jane heels that are adorable and terribly uncomfortable.

I’m not really sure why this is so blurry, but this top is probably my favorite. It is Knox Rose, and was on the clearance rack. It has a flowy bottom, but doesn’t seem to billow out and make you look way bigger than you are (which I appreciate). It is a mix of all the good deep colors- navy, dark red, gold, dark green. I wore this with jeans and navy wedges to the Aaron Watson concert and it was perfect!

This gold/ mustard dress is probably one of my favorite things I own right now, and this picture doesn’t even begin to do it justice. It has the prettiest lace detailing on the top, and then a tone-on-tone diamond pattern on the skirt. It is flattering, and looks so much more expensive than it really was (I would never guess this would be a Target original!). The lace detailing is also on the back, but it doesn’t have an underlay back there. I did not realize this the first time I wore it; I wore a nude colored bra thinking all that would be visible would be the straps, and then realized later in the day that my entire bra was visible in the back (womp womp!). So, the second time I wore it (pictured) I wore a nude colored slip under it. Cheers to wearing the appropriate undergarments! The other kinda weird thing about it is the sleeves. I did not realize when I bought it that they are fly away sleeves (sewn together at the top and bottom and nowhere in between). I don’t hate this, but I am definitely contemplating sewing them up. It just seems awkward (like this picture with my hand on my hip) because my elbows pop out all the time. I’ve paired this with black printed pantyhose both times I’ve worn it, and then once with black booties and a black pendant necklace, and then once with glasses and brown leather booties.

And now heavily featured in my life are my new Warby Parker glasses. I used to think I had to have an outfit that “matched” my glasses, but I feel like I can wear these new ones with anything. If you need new glasses, definitely check them out!

WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND…

We are (hopefully) going to the Alliance Gala on Saturday night to support our local children’s hospital. I never turn down a chance to get dressed up! We are also going to Dallas on Sunday to drop the labbies off at retriever training school (which is the trainer’s house), and probably meet up with my brother and sister in law since they live up there. Our weekends have been fairly hectic the last several weeks with Steven only getting one day off a week because we end up needing to cram a lot in that one day (which has been Sunday the last few weeks). On Saturdays, I also typically go to barre and yoga, and then run any errands I need to, and do any housework I need to do.

WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH… 

Our one year anniversary! Time flies when you’re having fun with the one you love 😉

And our little anniversary trip to San Antonio!

WHAT ELSE IS NEW… 

I think we’ve covered most of what is going on around here! I’m working to start getting really good at meal planning, so wish me luck! My goal is to get a little more organized here in the next few weeks since our spare time is fairly limited. We are officially on the downhill and back end of the first year of residency, and for that we are thankful!

BONUS QUESTION: WHAT BEAUTY PRODUCT(S) I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT… 

Well… I’m trying hard to think of one thing that I consistently buy because I’m really bad about trying something new each time I run out of something. I consistently buy Maybelline Volum Colossal Lash mascara because it is the best, and I hated the five others I tried about six months ago. I love Maybelline Baby Skin Pore Eraser as well. If anyone has anything they swear by, let me know! I love trying new things! 🙂