Simply Taralynn | Food & Lifestyle Blog https://simplytaralynn.com Food & Lifestyle Blog Thu, 15 Jun 2023 20:32:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.2 https://simplytaralynn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/cropped-Blank-250-x-250-32x32.jpg Simply Taralynn | Food & Lifestyle Blog https://simplytaralynn.com 32 32 I Started a Business & Attended My First Farmer’s Market! https://simplytaralynn.com/2023/06/15/i-started-a-business-attended-my-first-farmers-market/ https://simplytaralynn.com/2023/06/15/i-started-a-business-attended-my-first-farmers-market/#comments Thu, 15 Jun 2023 20:23:17 +0000 https://simplytaralynn.com/?p=79974

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]]> I can’t believe I’m finally writing this post. I’ve somewhat kept you in the loop with my career shift (but still blogging when I can, don’t worry!), especially if you follow me on TikTok.

I am officially open for business, and my new company, Little Brittle™, has formally launched! I have been pouring all my time, heart, and focus into this, and I am so excited to be doing this finally! 

Over the past year, I have been working night and day in between being a full-time mom to create a brand, organize my new business, get insured, build a website, dive into marketing, become certified, get my license, and sign a lease for a commercial kitchen space. It has been more work than I expected, but it has finally paid off, and the fun part has started. As a mom, I do most of my work during the early mornings, nap time, and after bedtime. It’ll be easier once we dabble into daycare next year. 

For the past few years, I have been baking for locals on the side. I’ve made themed cakes, cookies, brittle, and sourdough loaves, and I do local cinnamon rolls almost every Sunday. It brought me so much joy that I decided to finally take the next step into doing this full-time. 

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I was incredibly nervous about this career shift, primarily afraid of what others would think, but that’s silly. I’m glad I decided to follow my dreams, and I don’t think I’ve been this happy in a long time. I felt like I was missing something, and I feel incredibly full right now. Before I started this blog, I made cupcakes and cakes for weddings in college. Some of you probably remember those days I used to share on Tumblr. The blogging world took off, and I had a shift in goals.

We just circled back to what I always wanted to do. I love to bake. I will jump to the occasion when anyone asks on our neighborhood forum for a dessert or for somone who can make something for an event. I bake like a maniac when family or friends visit, which I never get tired of doing. During the holidays, I made a dessert board for a client that had over 1000 items on it. I stayed up until 3 am completing it, and baking is the only thing I’ll willingly stay up for (aside from my child.) I’m just so passionate about it, and I would regret not following those dreams.
One day, I was sitting on the couch, and my husband said, “You know, you really should start your own company for your baking and brittle.” that’s how it started. The next day we started talking about names, a plan, the look, legalities, and our goals. About ten months later, here I am! 

I will sell my baked goods locally, offering baked goods for nationwide shipping, creating custom corporate boxes, and selling my brittle flavors online!  During the holidays, I will offer festive gift boxes filled with seasonal treats. I will try to do as many pop-ups and festivals as possible, too! If you are local, follow our social media to stay updated on when we are at a market (like this weekend!) I have spent the past months creating over 65 brittle flavors that I will rotate throughout the year! In the fall, I’ll launch all new seasonal flavors, which are so good! I can’t wait for you to try them. 

Now that I’m in a commercial kitchen space, I can produce higher volumes of brittle, sourdough cinnamon rolls and other baked goods. We are working right now on the logistics of shipping the cinnamon rolls, which will be amazing! 

My recap posts will be so much fun now that I can take you along on this new journey of mine as a mom and business owner! If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments. I will check them this evening! 

Below, I’ll share some Little Brittle™ photos from the past months! 

Thank you all for the support over the past 14 years, I can’t wait to share this new chapter!
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I wake up on cinnamon roll mornings at 3 am. They need a double rise and so much time to prepare, which was no different on the morning of my first farmers market. I wanted the cinnamon rolls to be fresh as can be! I made all of my brittle bags and cookies the night before and woke up early to start the rolls. If you follow me on TikTok, I often share vlogs of the process. 

If you are a fan of peanut brittle or know a family member, that is, you’ll have to try mine! I spent countless hours perfecting the consistency, and after years of making it with my my mom, the recipe is finally in its perfection era.
starting a business, little brittle llc, little brittle peanut brittle, little brittle, taralynn, owner of little brittle, moms starting businesses, how to start a business, my first farmers market, farmers market fort mill South Carolina, working, bakery, peanut brittle company, brittle company, the best brittle ever, maple cinnamon pecan brittle, marketing, business branding, cottage, business aesthetic, South Carolina business, South Carolina farmers market, town of fort mill, fort mill south Carolina, sourdough cinnamon rolls, commercial kitchen, best brittle in South Carolina, starting a business as a mom  When I was trying to design the brand, I wanted something that felt cozy, classy, and inviting. I started drawing peanuts, and somehow I ended up sketching a cottage. And maybe if I have a brick-and-mortar one day, this cottage I drew for my logo will come to light! I love how my branding turned out, and I almost went the black-and-white or beige route, but I felt as if the color was needed. It just felt more like “me.” The market was a success. We sold a lot of brittle bags, sold entirely out of cinnamon rolls, and most of the cookies, and even made some online orders after it. I can’t wait to be back there this weekend with my cinnamon rolls and a new dessert menu! We will also have our classic peanut brittle and maple cinnamon pecan.
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It was cool having my son there and showing him that his mom set a goal and went after it. He is what motivates me to do it all. I’m sure his highlight of the farmer’s market was having Grandma feed him pancakes from the Flipped truck. They are some of the best!
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My favorite local coffee shop, Humble Cup Coffee Company, also attends the Fort Mill Farmer’s Market, which is fantastic when I need the mid-morning pick-me-up!
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Our sourdough cinnamon rolls were a hit! They sold out entirely, along with the Nutella cinnamon rolls. This weekend, I’ll have Father’s Day boxes for the rolls. I’ll also be selling on Sunday morning in my neighborhood, which is also super fun. Getting up at 3:00 am on the weekends is tough but worth it! After the coffee sets in, it’s relaxing since the house is so quiet and everyone is alseep. 
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I wanted to eat all of these cookies, and so did my little one.
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I also had classic almond sugar cookies with blue almond frosting, a lemon blueberry cookie with lemon meringue buttercream, oatmeal cream pies, and chocolate chip cookie sandwiches that almost sold completely out!  I made the cookies ginormous!   starting a business, little brittle llc, little brittle peanut brittle, little brittle, taralynn, owner of little brittle, moms starting businesses, how to start a business, my first farmers market, farmers market fort mill South Carolina, working, bakery, peanut brittle company, brittle company, the best brittle ever, maple cinnamon pecan brittle, marketing, business branding, cottage, business aesthetic, South Carolina business, South Carolina farmers market, town of fort mill, fort mill south Carolina, sourdough cinnamon rolls, commercial kitchen, best brittle in South Carolina, starting a business as a mom starting a business, little brittle llc, little brittle peanut brittle, little brittle, taralynn, owner of little brittle, moms starting businesses, how to start a business, my first farmers market, farmers market fort mill South Carolina, working, bakery, peanut brittle company, brittle company, the best brittle ever, maple cinnamon pecan brittle, marketing, business branding, cottage, business aesthetic, South Carolina business, South Carolina farmers market, town of fort mill, fort mill south Carolina, sourdough cinnamon rolls, commercial kitchen, best brittle in South Carolina, starting a business as a mom
I will offer local pick-up for these cinnamon rolls three days a week at my kitchen space and other pop-up locations. You can find out more about that on my website! Hopefully, soon, we’ll be shipping nationwide.
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The Nutella rolls are a game-changer!
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I will also be shipping Little Brittle™ chocolate chip cookies! This recipe has been in the works for almost seven months and is to die for!
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Coming up with the brittle flavor calendar was one of the most fun parts! Executing the recipes was the biggest challenge, but I cannot wait for you to try these new brittle flavors! We have Root Beer Float, Gingerbread, Pumpkin Spice Latte, Citrus Lavender, Mocha, Raspberry Cheesecake, and so many more on the lineup!
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We’ve also been shipping out corporate boxes, which has been incredible!
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Above is the caramel cashew, one of my favorite flavors!
 
  
 
Pistachio almond lovers!
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I can’t wait for you to experience Little Brittle™! I have so much more in the works, and the fun is just getting started.
 
I hope you all browse the website, and let me know what you think! xo

WWW.LITTLEBRITTLECO.COM

INSTAGRAM- @LITTLEBRITTLECANDY

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]]> Happy Monday! Today was one of those afternoons where I just couldn’t resist the temptation of a third cup of coffee. Usually, I’m pretty good at sticking to my two-cup limit, but today I needed that warm, comforting drink to help me power through the rest of the day.

I have 30 minutes before Bugs wakes up, which allows me to focus on this recap blog. Even though I should be preparing the house for our family’s visit this weekend, I work best under pressure and tend to procrastinate until the deadline.

A few Fridays ago, we met up with one of my good friends who has a boy around Bug’s age for an afternoon by the pool. Even though it’s chilly this week, I’m excited that our neighborhood pool has officially opened up. I look forward to early morning swims and coffee by the pool since Bugs loves the water. 
On Saturday morning, after our Costco run, we went to Sunflour Baking Co for lunch.
 I ordered an oat milk cappuccino and a blueberry muffin! 
Kyle and I split a club sandwich on multigrain bread and ordered a grilled cheese for Buggy.
 I still haven’t potted my plants this year or added much to the garden, but look at the roses! I’m taking a little break from adding flowers this year since I wanted to focus on my backyard vegetable garden, which is thriving!
 
Kyle’s mom got Bugs a water table for his birthday, and we put it in his playpen since we had days of rain, and it’s been a hit! I’m thinking we need one just for the playpen. 

On Saturday afternoon, I made a light version of banana cream pudding, which was so good. 

We had roasted vegetables, grilled chicken Caesar salad wraps, and blueberry mint Kombucha on Sunday night.
 
I bought these fun climbing shapes on Amazon! HE LOVES THEM, and swapping out the toys I keep in his playpen has been super helpful for keeping him entertained at home. 
 We went on a super long walk on Sunday evening!  We met up with Lulu and Sam on Monday morning for another long walk! It’s so nice to have a walking buddy a few days a week! It keeps me motivated to keep moving. 
We love the sprinkler!
 
I did four nights of Peloton last week. I’m hoping I can do that again this week. I did 20 min, 20 min, 20 min, and 30 min. I’m trying to ease back into it, but I have a tight hamstring right now. I’m trying my best to rest. I am excited to hop back on for tonight’s ride tho! Once Bugs gets out of the bath, Kyle takes him to play, and I get my workout in before we take a night walk. That has been the routine for the past few weeks. It changes based on his schedule. 

Sourdough French toast for breakfast!!
 
These popsicles have Stoneyfield smoothies, yogurt, and smashed bananas! They’re good! 

Bathtime is the best time!
 
These two are going to be trouble! They are so funny to watch when they play. 
 After doing a live class on Thursday, I headed to our Clubhouse to catch the food truck! I was so hungry and didn’t feel like cooking; so delicious Jamaican food it was!  The guys running this food truck were incredibly nice. I had rice, cabbage, stewed chicken, carrots, and the best french fries! It tasted so good!
  
On Saturday morning, I made snack cookies to take to the Jurassic Quest! They had bananas, peanut butter, cinnamon, and oats! 
 Before we left, I fed my sourdough starter to make the dough in the evening for Sunday cinnamon rolls.  Rainy day boys begging for some eggs! Oh, and you know they got them. Dinosaur, Jurassic Quest, Charlotte North Carolina, Charlotte Moms, motherhood, lifestyle blogger, Charlotte blogger, fort mill blogger, day in the life, weekend recap, weekly recap blog We headed out on Saturday morning to Jurassic Quest because we have a dino lover! 
Dinosaur, Jurassic Quest, Charlotte North Carolina, Charlotte Moms, motherhood, lifestyle blogger, Charlotte blogger, fort mill blogger, day in the life, weekend recap, weekly recap blog  Dinosaur, Jurassic Quest, Charlotte North Carolina, Charlotte Moms, motherhood, lifestyle blogger, Charlotte blogger, fort mill blogger, day in the life, weekend recap, weekly recap blog
He loved it and kept laughing at the scary dinos. I think he thinks they are dogs, which he also loves.

We grabbed lunch at Oh My Soul before heading home, and this spot is always delicious and adorable!
 
 
I had their oat milk lavender latte, which was amazing, the spring rolls, and a Buckeye brownie!
 
When I got home, I started the dough for the cinnamon rolls and the sourdough bread. I absolutely love baking and always have! If you’ve been around since 2010, you probably remember all of the baking I did when first starting a blog.

Recently, I decided to get certified and a business license to start making baked goods to sell since I love it so much. I spent weeks studying my courses and passed my exam. I found a commercial kitchen that I’ll be joining in June, and I’ll keep you all posted on all of the upcoming projects and the big one I’ve been working on since December! I’m just really excited to do something I’m passionate about! I’m selling my baked goods locally for all the sourdough lovers. This doesn’t mean I’ll stop blogging at all; just a fun addition to the blog! More about this later, I promise! 
 I pretty much eat this daily.  The peach roses! 
Cinnamon rolls require a few hours to rise, so I get up around 4:30 to roll them out, fill them, and let them rise. 

I made many sourdough cinnamon rolls, and they sold out in five minutes! 

 
 I need to film a video of all my climbing roses in the back, but these orange ones are more beautiful than they’ve ever been!  
After all the crazy baking on Sunday, I headed to Belmont for lunch with my good friend, Emily! She’s expecting in late summer, and I cannot wait! 
 
We had the yummiest lunch at the Everyday Market, and the quiche was to die for!

Little explorer!

He is a big fan of dogs, and he loved her little ones.
 SO CUTE!!! 
I ended Sunday with a long walk, sparkling water, and unhealthily scrolled through TikTok until I fell asleep. 🙂

I can’t believe my sweet boy turns one this week! I’ll share some photos from his little celebration this weekend in the next recap! xo 

Questions for you!

  1. How was your weekend?
  2. What is one goal you have for this month?
  3. Is it pool season where you live?

]]> https://simplytaralynn.com/2023/05/01/visiting-dinosaurs-a-rainy-week-baking-and-lunch-dates/feed/ 23 Easter Weekend, Gardening, and Life https://simplytaralynn.com/2023/04/10/easter-weekend-gardening-and-life/ https://simplytaralynn.com/2023/04/10/easter-weekend-gardening-and-life/#comments Mon, 10 Apr 2023 17:52:12 +0000 https://simplytaralynn.com/?p=79222

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]]> Hey everyone, Happy Monday!

We had a weekend filled with cold weather and rain! Thankfully, the skies cleared up just in time for Easter on Sunday. It was nice to see the sunshine in the morning. I threw the bread in the oven for our dinner later, cleaned up the house a little bit, and then set up all the goodies from the Easter Bunny. I had such a special time celebrating Easter as a mom this year. Last year, I was heavily pregnant and super uncomfortable, so it was a blessing to enjoy it fully this time!

Now that my bug is down for his nap, I’m going to share some photos from the past few days! 
I had a blast putting together my son’s Easter basket; he even got some extra gifts from our family. Let’s be honest; the gummies and trail mix were for Kyle and me. Easter Sunday, Baby's first easter, easter basket, baby's first easter basket, baby spring, motherhood, springtime, big fat easter bunny, South Carolina, North Carolina, blogger, motherhood We found him the chubbiest bunny! He loves it and keeps giving it hugs. He enjoyed crawling all around the grass, picking up the Easter eggs. Sunday Easter, Easter Sunday, Sunday Brunch, Easter Lunch, EASTER brunch, healthy easter food, healthy easter meal, healthy easter holiday brunch, chicken salads, hard boiled, deviled eggs, roasted carrots with balsamic, sourdough breadI whipped up a delicious and healthy dinner last night – a garden salad with balsamic and oil dressing, along with some toasted sourdough slices, grilled chicken, and roasted carrots drizzled with a balsamic glaze. Yum!
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I made Hop Water mocktails with lemon, cucumber, and strawberries.
Sunday Easter, Easter Sunday, Sunday Brunch, Easter Lunch, EASTER brunch, healthy easter food, healthy easter meal, healthy easter holiday brunch, chicken salads, hard boiled, deviled eggs, roasted carrots with balsamic, sourdough breadI changed things up this Easter and decided to skip making a cake, which I usually do. Instead, we went for some delicious strawberries, vanilla pudding, and whipped cream. It was a tasty and refreshing dessert option! It is strawberry season here, and they are so juicy and flavorful.


After dinner, we headed out on a family walk, and then once Bugs went down for bed, we caught up on Love is Blind. I’m not sure how I feel about this season! 
Doing this recap backward, but oh well! 

Last weekend, some of my friends and I decided to put together a basket for a friend who has been going through it. I cooked up a batch of gluten-free creamy garlic pasta with sweet tomatoes and arugula, served with some garlic green beans on the side. And for a sweet finish, I baked my classic chocolate chip cookies, but with gluten-free flour. Hopefully, the care package brought some joy and comfort to our friend! I have to share with you all how gorgeous my tulips look this week! The tulips are still in full bloom, and I can’t believe how late some of them are still flowering this spring. 
I love these little mornings with him! I usually have about one second to take his photo before he tries to eat a rock. I put him in the outdoor playpen when I need to work outside. Today, I have a few trees I will plant, so I plan to put him out there with me! He loves being outside, making it a little easier to get things done.
 We have some strawberries! 

Now that it’s warmer in the mornings, we’ve been going for a walk once he wakes up. We do a quick mile and then come back for breakfast! 
We both love having banana egg pancakes with blueberries and peanut butter!  

 
I told you this recap was so out of order and backward. On the rainy Saturday, we had lunch at Chopt, then stopped by Sumac Coffee to grab oat milk cappuccinos and a carrot cake! 🙂 

Questions for you! 

  1. Did you have a good Easter Sunday?
  2. What is your favorite thing to make on Easter?
  3. Did you do anything fun for Spring Break this year?

]]> https://simplytaralynn.com/2023/04/10/easter-weekend-gardening-and-life/feed/ 9 Planting 1500 Tulips, A Week of Baking, & Christmas Markets https://simplytaralynn.com/2022/12/15/planting-1500-tulips-a-week-of-baking-christmas-markets/ https://simplytaralynn.com/2022/12/15/planting-1500-tulips-a-week-of-baking-christmas-markets/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2022 11:34:05 +0000 https://simplytaralynn.com/?p=77271

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]]> Hello! Can you believe Christmas is in 5 days? Why is time flying by so fast lately? I hope you all are finished shopping, baking, and have been enjoying all of the holiday things! This will probably be the last recap post until after the New Year (but who knows since I don’t have much of a consistent blog schedule these days!) I throw these together when I have enough content or find a good nap session to write. I so appreciate all the patience with the changing of the content lately ♥ 
It has been so cold here the past few weeks. We used to have mild December weather, but it’s been in the teens in the morning and hovering in the 40s in the afternoon. The winds make it feel colder, and we even have a chance of snow on Christmas! That would be pretty cool for the south! Despite the cold temps, we have still been doing our daily walks. Tux gets his in the morning with Kyle, and Leo gets his in the mid-morning with me and bugs.



We had to bring Tux to the vet to get his blood panel for his upcoming teeth cleaning. The poor pup has some pretty dirty teeth that will take going under to get cleaned. It’ll help him so much with gingivitis and prevent him from diseases. Aside from that, he’s been AMAZING lately. He runs all over the house, jumps all over us in the morning, and has the energy of a puppy. Lately, he’s been lifting his leg for belly rubs, and it’s so cute! I can’t believe this is the same doggy we brought home over a year ago. He’s completely changed. He still doesn’t like strangers, but he’s finally come around with my mom. 
We saw this huge Grinch on our walk, and I just had to take this photo since Leo looks just like Max. I need to make this into an ornament. 

Last Saturday, I planted 1500 new tulip bulbs into the ground. I purchased them all on black Friday, and since we are in the south, we can still plant them in December. I cannot wait to see what they look like in the spring. It’s going to be so magical! 

After spending the afternoon planting bulbs, we ordered Naf Naf for dinner. I get their rice/salad bowls with chicken, cabbage, falafel, and garlic sauce. It’s amazing. I have to stop myself from wanting to eat there every day.
tulip garden, planting bulbs, tulips, tulip gardening, cottage garden, planting tulip bulbs, tulips around tree, tulips in garden bed, tulip bulbs, holland bulb farm, tulip world review, where to buy tulip bulbs, fall planting, tulip bulbs in the ground, South Carolina gardening, fort mill gardening, fort mill South Carolina, South Carolina gardens, North Carolina gardens, Charlotte North Carolina tulip gardens I placed the tulips around my trees, my pots, and on the border of my garden bed. I clean the space by removing the fallen leaves and mulch, then place them pointy side up, add six inches of garden soil on top, and a few inches of fresh mulch. They were pretty around my tree last year, but I added many more this year! (last year’s tulips)
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I added twenty different tulip varieties. I tried to place them all over, so they are blended. I took photos of the names by where I planted them to remember what was what.
tulip garden, planting bulbs, tulips, tulip gardening, cottage garden, planting tulip bulbs, tulips around tree, tulips in garden bed, tulip bulbs, holland bulb farm, tulip world review, where to buy tulip bulbs, fall planting, tulip bulbs in the ground, South Carolina gardening, fort mill gardening, fort mill South Carolina, South Carolina gardens, North Carolina gardens, Charlotte North Carolina tulip gardens Luckily, we don’t have a squirrel/chipmunk issue in our yard, so I haven’t had to deal with them eating the bulbs. Bugs sat on the porch in his bounce chair and watched. He’s so content when he’s outside. He loves watching cars, people walking their dogs, and getting fresh air. tulip garden, planting bulbs, tulips, tulip gardening, cottage garden, planting tulip bulbs, tulips around tree, tulips in garden bed, tulip bulbs, holland bulb farm, tulip world review, where to buy tulip bulbs, fall planting, tulip bulbs in the ground, South Carolina gardening, fort mill gardening, fort mill South Carolina, South Carolina gardens, North Carolina gardens, Charlotte North Carolina tulip gardens In late January and early February, I’ll prune my roses and clean out the rest of the garden beds. I’ve been begging Kyle to help me with my vegetable garden this year, so we will start the building process in January!  After hours of planting, I treated myself to a hot shower and a cup of coffee.

On Sunday, we picked up Momos donuts and drove to my parent’s house to say hello. Their old-fashioned donuts are the best things I’ve ever had. They melt in your mouth.
 For dinner, I made our favorite turkey meatloaf recipe.  We had the meatloaf with butternut squash, brussels sprouts, and salad.

I’ve been eating the same thing for breakfast almost every day for the past three weeks. I have a muffin with peanut butter and coffee at 5 am and then a breakfast sandwich at 10 am after our walk. I make it with an O’doughs bagel, egg, avocado, and maple chicken sausage. Eating the same thing has made grocery shopping and my morning routine much easier.
 
Last week, my baking never ended. Kyle had a cookie exchange at work, so I made gingerbread oatmeal cookies with a chai latte buttercream filling. And the following day, I made a giant dessert charcuterie board for another work party. I LOVE to bake, so I was totally in the zone.
dessert charcuterie board, dessert board, Christmas dessert board, Christmas baking, holiday cookies, christmas party, christmas desserts, baking, holiday party desserts, baked goods, sugar cookies, linzer cookies, peppermint, gingerbread, partyI can do a separate post with the details of this board if you’re interested! I spent the entire next day cleaning the house, watching Christmas movies with bugs, and then ordering Naf Naf for dinner. They accidentally gave me steak instead of chicken this time, but it was really good!
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On Saturday morning, we decided to be festive and visit a few Christmas markets in Charlotte. We started at OMB because we wanted to grab coffee and food first. We started our lunch with two hot coffees and a pretzel. I gave bugs a few bites of the insides of the pretzel, and he loved it. He’s starting to eat more solid foods like banana egg pancakes, sweet potatoes, and chicken. I need to get a food blog up soon on that journey!
old mechlenburg, brew, brewery, christmas market, Charlotte uptown christmas village, clt, christmas village in Charlotte, holiday events in Charlotte north Carolina, omb brewery christmas market
old mechlenburg, brew, brewery, christmas market, Charlotte uptown christmas village, clt, christmas village in Charlotte, holiday events in Charlotte north Carolina, omb brewery christmas market For lunch, I ordered a Chicken avocado club. It had chicken breast, avocado, bacon, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and sriracha aioli on a pretzel bun. It was massive! The side salad was so good, and the croutons tasted like they were coated in pesto. old mechlenburg, brew, brewery, christmas market, Charlotte uptown christmas village, clt, christmas village in Charlotte, holiday events in Charlotte north Carolina, omb brewery christmas market old mechlenburg, brew, brewery, christmas market, Charlotte uptown christmas village, clt, christmas village in Charlotte, holiday events in Charlotte north Carolina, omb brewery christmas market We visited the Charlotte Christmas village at Truist Field in uptown. This was such a fun spot, and there was so much to do!
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It was freezing, so we started with hot apple cider and cured our sweet tooth with an apple strudel. Charlotte christmas village in uptown Charlotte christmas village in uptown
Bugs loved seeing all the fun lights, set-ups, and fake snow. We finally got our crying picture with Santa 😆
Charlotte christmas village in uptown Charlotte christmas village in uptown
When we got home, I made chocolate hazelnut Linzer cookies for a cookie exchange. These are one of my favorite Christmas cookies. 

And after putting bugs to bed, I headed down the street for a much-needed girl’s night.
Charlotte christmas village in uptownMy friend, Samantha, who lives a few doors down, put together this stunning charcuterie spread and made all of us Jack Frost drinks (the recipe is somewhere on TikTok). It was a super fun night!
On Sunday, I started making my bags of peanut brittle for Christmas! Kyle brings them to work, and I drop some off for neighbors with our Christmas cards. I have a few more batches today, and I’m done for the season! 

I hope you all have an amazing holiday! Thanks for stopping by to read 🙂

]]> https://simplytaralynn.com/2022/12/15/planting-1500-tulips-a-week-of-baking-christmas-markets/feed/ 15 Full Christmas Mode, Photos with Santa, & Decorating the Home! https://simplytaralynn.com/2022/12/05/full-christmas-mode-photos-with-santa-decorating-the-home/ https://simplytaralynn.com/2022/12/05/full-christmas-mode-photos-with-santa-decorating-the-home/#comments Mon, 05 Dec 2022 23:35:33 +0000 https://simplytaralynn.com/?p=76899

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]]> How is December already? I can’t believe the time is flying this fast. I have a lot of posts to catch up on this week, but I wanted to share my recap blog before I get too far behind. I’m in full Christmas mode this year, and I’ve been enjoying all the baking, Christmas movies, and decorating. We took photos with Santa this weekend, visited a tree farm, and decorated outside! 

I will try to fly through this recap post since I only have a few more minutes left of nap time! I try to find little windows to get some blog work done, but it’s been tough!
While Kyle’s mom was visiting, we headed to the Union Exchange to grab a coffee and walk the farm. We also took our Christmas photos! 
This is one of my favorite spots.

They just opened up a Naf Naf by my house, and I’m so excited! Kyle and I are obsessed and have already been there three times. I get half salad/half rice with chicken, cabbage, falafel (the best falafel I’ve ever had), and a side of amazing garlic sauce!

After trying Naf Naf, we headed to Knowledge Perk for cappuccinos!He’s still my little Mozart and obsessed with the piano!
 
We did lunch at Living Kitchen with Kyle’s mom. I had been craving LK for months! We had oat milk cappuccinos, the bruschetta, a fire and brimstone burger wrapped in collard greens, and a kale salad. Everything was delicious!  
After lunch, we shopped at Anthropologie, grabbed sweets at Suarez bakery, and headed out on a walk with bugs. 

Bugs and I made the yummiest frosted gingerbread cookies together! I tried to do that cute baking photo set up but all he wanted to do was eat the bowl. Most of the photos on my camera roll are him licking the bowl and grabbing the cookie dough. It was so funny!
One of our favorite things to do in the afternoon is swing. After lunch, we always hit a hyper wall, and swinging (or going on a walk) is the best solution! 

So I am in full crazy tulip lady mode this year. I planted over 400 tulips and hyacinths around my front tree last week. Well, I just ordered 1500 more bulbs on black Friday for the rest of the garden beds. I cannot wait to see what it looks like this spring! Luckily, we can plant later in South Carolina, so I took advantage of the black Friday sales. I’ll keep you posted on the tulips! They were so pretty last year!  
I love my new reindeer! I added it to my amazon shop. I needed something by the fireplace to hide the cord and even the look. And the stockings are from Anthropologie.

We had to set up our playpen because the Bug is on the crawl and repeatedly rolling to get across the room. It’s crazy! It takes up a lot of space, but it’s worth it. He can play around safely without bumping into anything and without the dogs running around him. I have the links to the playmat and the playpen in my amazon shop. 

Chicken noodle soup night! Here’s the recipe! Finally started decorating the porch! ♥ On Saturday, I had my friends over for a cookie-decorating lunch party. I am doing a separate post with all the details and photos from the day. We had so much fun, and we are making this a yearly tradition!  
We took photos with Santa on Sunday. I thought Bugs was going to cry, but he LOVED it. I will put his photo on a tree ornament for this year. He was so cute with Santa! I hear it’s when they are over a year it becomes scary for them. Belmont, bakery, Charlotte nc, coffee, honeycomb cafe, breakfast, food, shopping, mom life, motherhood, recap blog, lifestyle, mom, family, Charlotte blogger, taralynnWe did a brunch date in Belmont with my mom and dad after Santa photos.  
We ate at Honeycomb Cafe. I had the avocado toast with the BEST BACON EVER (i want to go there just for the bacon) and eggs on top. I shared my grits with Bugs, and he loved them. It’s fun watching him try new foods. 
 
After our meal, we headed to The Everyday Market for cappuccinos and pastries. 
I finally get the “this is the best we could do” comments parents say when posting photos. 😆
I ended my Sunday with a bowl of soup, Swoon lemonade, and we watched White Lotus!

Thanks for stopping by to catch up! ♥ Hoping to have my cookie party posted tomorrow! 

Questions for you!

  1. What is your favorite Christmas cookie?
  2. Do you have a tradition you do every Christmas with your friends?
  3. Favorite Christmas movie?

]]> https://simplytaralynn.com/2022/12/05/full-christmas-mode-photos-with-santa-decorating-the-home/feed/ 15 Our Wedding Ceremony at Greystone Inn Lake Toxaway https://simplytaralynn.com/2022/01/14/our-wedding-ceremony-at-greystone-inn-lake-toxaway/ https://simplytaralynn.com/2022/01/14/our-wedding-ceremony-at-greystone-inn-lake-toxaway/#comments Fri, 14 Jan 2022 13:16:55 +0000 https://simplytaralynn.com/?p=71864

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]]> Happy Friday!

I hope you’re all staying warm during these January temps. We expect our first snowstorm in the South this weekend, and I am so excited! This will be Tux’s first time playing in the snow, and I can’t wait to see it. Before I log off for the weekend, I wanted to share my wedding photos from our outdoor ceremony at The Greystone Inn in Lake Toxaway!

I have always dreamed of an outdoor wedding. Being obsessed with greenery and flowers, it couldn’t be more fitting. I was a little nervous since it had been raining all day, but just a half-hour before walking down the aisle, it stopped raining, and while Kyle and I were exchanging vows, rays of sunshine came poking through the trees. It felt so magical.

Thank you, Amanda Castle, for capturing our wedding day! 📷
wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor weddingOur ceremony was at 6 pm on a summer night on June 9th. We had our intermediate family there to celebrate with us, and everything was so special. Our wedding ceremony overlooked Lake Toxaway, and it was simply dressed with white rose petals down the aisle and gorgeous bouquets designed by The Blossom Jar. I purchased these beautiful large honeycomb vases at Ballard Designs to go on the pedestals my dad had built.
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wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding These photos of Kyle made me smile so hard while looking through the album. Our photographer, Amanda Castle, shot our wedding so beautifully. wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography  wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding
This was such a happy moment! My dad was such a champ helping me straighten out my train before walking down the aisle. My dress is from Winnie Couture in Charlotte.
wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography All of the women wore a beautiful blush pink. Because I didn’t have bridesmaids, I thought it would look so nice if the guests were matching, and everyone looked amazing. Kyle and I bought blush ties from The Tie Bar for all the men and put them in the welcome bags. With an intimate wedding like this, the matching guests made the photos turn out stunning.wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography We had the sweetest officiant, and I can’t recommend her enough! She was such a blessing to work with, and she made our ceremony so special. She sent us the script of our ceremony so we could have forever. I highly recomend asking for this so you can print it in your wedding album. wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography  wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography   wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography  My husband ❤ wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography
wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography   After the ceremony, we dove straight into family portraits. wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography

wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography  wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography
Before heading to the reception, we spent some time taking portraits with our photographer. It was so nice to get a moment with Kyle alone beore celebrating the rest of the night.
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 I love these photos so much. It was a dream day.  wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography  wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography  wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photography lake toxaway wedding, the greystone inn, mountain wedding, lake wedding, Amanda castle photography, Winnie couture, intimate wedding, lake elopement, wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by 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Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photographylake toxaway wedding, the greystone inn, mountain wedding, lake wedding, Amanda castle photography, Winnie couture, intimate wedding, lake elopement, wedding day, lake toxaway wedding, North Carolina wedding, the greystone inn, intimate wedding, rose petals wedding aisle, flowers white wedding, lake wedding, wedding by the water, simply taralynn wedding, blush colored wedding, black tux, golden doodle tuxedo, wedding details, wedding ceremony, micro wedding, outdoor wedding, dog in wedding, Winnie couture dress, blossom jar floral, Amanda castle photographylake toxaway wedding, the greystone inn, mountain wedding, lake 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And then we were off to our dinner! I’ll be sharing all of the photos from our dinner and night of celebrating in the next wedding blog.

Questions for you!

  1. Did you have rain on your wedding day?
  2. What were your wedding colors?
  3. If you had to get married again, what would you do differently?

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]]> It’s been a very long time since I’ve written a recap post. After doing it for so many years, I needed a bit of a break. With Grumples passing, the wedding, and traveling, I thought it would be a good time. Now that things have finally slowed down, I’m ready to get back into the swing of things again. We have a whole lot of catching up to do.

I’m sharing today’s recap post a little backward. I’m sharing a few things from before the wedding all the way up until now. I’ll fill in all the gaps with my Scottsdale travel guide and my wedding blogs in the next few weeks. I also have all the Disney blogs to share! Leo, dog walk, goldendoodle, fort mill, masons bend trail We’ve been putting a lot of energy into Leo the past few months. We wanted to do everything we could to prevent him from grieving, and keeping him in a routine and keeping him busy has been incredible for him. It has helped us as well. We take him everywhere we can, daily walks, and so much playtime. He really is doing great, and we’re happy he’s his normal silly self.
is Lowes dog friendly, stores that are dog friendly Starbucks, baxter village, fort mill scpiano room decor, black piano room, black walls, office walls, piano, I will do a full post on this room once we are done, but we ended up painting the piano room black, and I’m obsessed! Actually, we painted it green, but it looked horrendous, so we painted it black the next day! I love sitting in here at night with tea and playing the piano.
southwark mall, dillworth coffee west Ballantyne animal hospital
Before the wedding, Leo was so sick. He couldn’t keep food down for three weeks, and his stomach was a little inflamed. We had bloodwork, x rays, and every test possible but didn’t have any answers. The good thing is that he’s back to normal now, but that was so stressful and scary to go through, especially after losing Grumples. Having a sick pet is absolutely one of the worst things.
uptown coffee, Queen City grounds, Charlotte nc uptown coffee, Queen City grounds, Charlotte ncA few days before the wedding, I had brunch with my friends at Queen City Grounds in uptown Charlotte. I used to go there all the time when Kyle lived uptown, and it’s so delicious. I had avocado toast, a mango smoothie, and black coffee.
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I had stopped out at my parent’s house later in the afternoon to pick up the stand for the flowers, and I could not get over how tall my mom’s cosmos and lilies were! They were as tall as me, and I’m 5’8. Porch time with Leo ♥ morning coffee, hydrangeas, masons bend, fort mill south carolina, trails, sunsetvegan food in Charlotte North Carolina, best vegan restaurant, vegan, plant based restaurant, oh my soul, oh my soul noda, Charlotte eats, clt vegan food in Charlotte North Carolina, best vegan restaurant, vegan, plant based restaurant, oh my soul, oh my soul noda, Charlotte eats, clt vegan food in Charlotte North Carolina, best vegan restaurant, vegan, plant based restaurant, oh my soul, oh my soul noda, Charlotte eats, clt
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My mom and I picked up my brother and his girlfriend from the airport a few days before the rehearsal dinner and took them to Oh My Soul in NoDa. I had wanted to try out this place forever, and I can’t believe I waited so long. It has definitely gone on my list of favorite places in Charlotte to eat at! YUM! 😋 I can’t wait to go and try even more of their dishes.
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I did hot yoga three times a week for the entire month of May/early June to help with stress and strength training. I need to start it back up again, but it was amazing. I did it the day before heading up to the wedding and then had breakfast at First Watch!

We had Kyle’s sister staying with us one night before the wedding trip, and it was so fun to have our niece at the house. We love her so much, and so does Leo!
I will be sharing more details on the wedding soon! If you missed the first blog post with details and photos, make sure to check it out! wedding, taralynn, greystone inn, doggyJust a cell phone shot on the wedding day, but I love Leo in this one! ♥ post wedding meal, turkey meat loaf
bagel honeymoon airport scottsdale travel guide, honeymoon in scottsdale, sanctuary resort, romantic, luxury hotel, spa, hotel, scottsdale Arizona travel guide, paradise, travel blogger, travel blog to scottsdale Arizona, where to stay in scottsdale ArizonaKyles’s mom had a flight out of Charlotte the next day, so she came back with us, and I made meatloaf, and we did some shopping before Kyle, and I headed to Scottsdale (I’m almost done with that travel guide! I cannot wait to share that with you all!) We had the best time!! We were happy to be reunited with Leo when we got home.
Kingsley, epic chophouse, fort mill South Carolina Kingsley, epic chophouse, fort mill South Carolina Kingsley, epic chophouse, fort mill South Carolina
For fathers day, I took my parents out to Epic Chophouse in Kingsley and made my dad a homemade almond cake (tried to remake our wedding cake)ice cream, gelato, pool, summer, masons bend, fort mill South Carolina tiktok, peach pie, low calorie dessert, peaches, mini peach pies tiktok, peach pie, low calorie dessert, peaches, mini peach pies
I am officially entering summer mode. It feels good to have nothing coming up on the schedule and being able to relax at home.

85-calorie peach pie bowls

Greenville South Carolina, underground coffee, downtown,  Greenville South Carolina, underground coffee, downtown, green fetish Greenville South Carolina, underground coffee, downtown, green fetish , river street pralines, savannah
Kyle and I had lunch and coffee in Greenville, SC (the cutest town), on Saturday morning. I want to make a weekend trip there (I went a while back when I took my mom to a musical, but it’s changed so much). There are so many restaurants, coffee shops, and things to do. It’s crazy that it’s only an hour and a half from the house. We had coffee at the Underground Coffee shop and salads at Green Fetish.
pet friendly places, is home goods pet friendly, bring my dog to home goods, tjmaxx allow pets Leo and I went shopping together on Sunday morning. Did you know that TjMaxx and Homegoods are pet-friendly??
strawberry pretzel dessert forth of July recipe strawberry pretzel dessert forth of July recipe
We had my parents and the neighbors over for the 4th of July. I made my mom’s strawberry dessert and it’s always a delicious go-to. 4th of July party, 4th of july spread  We did not feel like grilling and doing a bunch of cooking, so we picked up burgers at Hobos in downtown Fort Mill! We are totally doing this again. It saves the stress of grocery shopping, cooking, and they were not expensive at all. 4th of July dog bandana My mom was so cute and made matching bandanas for Leo and his little friend Charlee.
4th of July dog bandana 4th of July party, 4th of july spread 4th of July party, 4th of july spread 4th of July party, 4th of july spread  4th of July party, 4th of july spread I filled my big drink jar with lemonade, frozen berries, and ice. It was so refreshing and the perfect 4th of July beverage!
4th of July, fort mill South Carolina, masons bend, best fireworks 4th of July, fort mill South Carolina, masons bend, best fireworks
Our neighbors always put on the most incredible firework show in our backyard. I’m talking Disney World quality. He hooks everything up to a computer system. It is absolutely insane.
akahana fort mill South Carolina sushi
Kyle and I did sushi for dinner on Monday night. I had cucumber spicy tuna and the cherry roll. We did a sunset walk with Leo and it was the perfect way to end the long weekend.
I made the most delicious airfried salmon for dinner last night with my sesame green beans 😋

It feels good to be back in the routine of recaps again! ♥

Questions for you!

  1. What have you been up to this summer?
  2. What are some blog topics you’d like me to write about?
  3. I’m going to make ice cream tonight. What flavor should I make?

]]> https://simplytaralynn.com/2021/07/07/my-recap-posts-are-back-4th-of-july-weekend-more/feed/ 25 A Week of Home Projects and Preparing for Spring https://simplytaralynn.com/2021/03/18/a-week-of-home-projects-and-preparing-for-spring/ https://simplytaralynn.com/2021/03/18/a-week-of-home-projects-and-preparing-for-spring/#comments Thu, 18 Mar 2021 17:05:20 +0000 https://simplytaralynn.com/?p=67647

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]]> I wasn’t going to post a recap this week, but I hate when gaps and photos are left unshared. I like being able to use these as a referral when people ask me where I got something or if I’ve blogged photos of a project yet. I have so many new recipes and garden posts to blog, but I’ll get those up throughout the next couple of weeks. I have a comment sitting in my inbox that says, “your recap posts are my favorite part of the mornings while drinking coffee.” That sweet comment was all the motivation I needed to edit the week’s photos and hop on here to write. And if the rain holds off, I’ll be heading out to plant my 10,000 petunia seeds this afternoon. That’s right, 10,000. I had a busy day on Monday.

I had a dentist appointment at 8 am (but had to drive the dogs to my parent’s house at 7 am because we had the home inspection for our warranty), a door consultation as soon as I got home from my dentist appointment. Then I headed out to pick up the dogs and drive all the way to Charlotte for my second tattoo removal.

In the afternoon, I made my recent go-to salad. It had kale, garlic vinaigrette, cranberries, honey goat cheese, pecans, and avocado. I’m on week two of this salad and still addicted. Sometimes I’ll add some sauteed shrimp to the top. I’m still going to write up a post after my final tattoo removal appointment. I like to update you in real time as well. Who knows how long it’s going to take (I think i was a little misinformed when purchasing my sessions.)

I headed in for round two of the removal on Monday, and it hurt a lot worse this time. I didn’t know they made the laser more powerful, but this time my post-removal has been extremely itchy, and my tattoo has risen. I’ve been applying a ton of vaseline but hoping it’ll start to fade soon. I have a feeling it’s going to be an expensive process. I’ll discuss more on everything later down the road. I’ve had a lot of you share your experiences with me on Instagram.

When I got home, I headed out for a late-night walk with my neighbor. We did four miles to contribute to our 70-mile monthly goal. We are currently at 43 miles for the month. Somehow we are going to have to fit in 30 more miles in the next twelve days. I think we can do it! I spent about six hours on Tuesday planting more bulbs and putting twelve more rose bushes in the yard. I ripped out some ugly yellow bushes the builders put in and replaced them with these. I usually transplant the replaced plants to the backyard. My neighbor and I headed out to get our nails done on Wednesday. I didn’t do gel this time since it’s impossible to keep my nails looking good when they’re constantly digging in the dirt. Even though these are gorgeous, they lasted a day. We stopped at the Suarez bakery to get some treats to bring home. They have the best gluten-free macaroons! Of course, when you’re in the area, you have to get lunch at Burton’s Bar & Grill. I’m SO  SO SO obsessed with their general Tso’s cauliflower and superfood steak salad. I could eat here daily!  For the drive home, we picked up coffee from Not Just Coffee. I hadn’t been there in a while, but they always make the best cappuccinos! I ordered an oat milk cappuccino with a splash of chai concentrate! 😋  Later that evening, we knocked out another four miles. The weather was absolutely perfect last week! It was in the ’80s! Nothing better than a sunny morning on the porch!  I attempted the famous feta TikTok pasta on Thursday afternoon. WOW, was it amazing!!!! I’ll do a full post on it this weekend.  For dinner, we did jalapeno pepper jack turkey burgers with a side of the feta pasta. Remember when I planted my tulip bulbs last month? They’re all coming up!!!! I can’t wait to see them. I purchase many of my bulbs from eBay, and I’ve had a lot of luck with them so far. Also, I just realized there is a nail next to my tulip. I’ve been finding these everywhere from when they built the house. Luckily, I havn’t stepped on one yet. On Friday morning, we did another four miles! After we stopped at our neighborhood’s clubhouse to pick up Donut, I Love U food truck. I love that we get food trucks in the neighborhood! I just had to pick some up for the dogs, too. I brought back the mini gluten-free powdered, glazed, and cinnamon. 😋  After a few mini donuts, I had to get in my greens. I made a protein shake with avocado, spinach, peaches, water, protein powder, and mango. My mom and I spent the day together shopping around for wedding things. That evening, I made my homemade cinnamon sugar chips! Kyle and I headed to Lowe’s bright and early on Saturday morning. We picked up paint for the back patio to give it a fresh coat for the warmer season! Last year, we painted the patio Autumn Fog, but we made a small change this year and did Courtyard Shadow. It definitely turned out a little more blue than the paint card, but I still love it. Saturday breakfast consisted of apples, peanut butter, an o’doughs bagel, and cream cheese! Wreath, carrot wreath, seasonal, spring wreath, diy, eggs, easter, home decor, front porch, hobby lobby, minimal, inexpensive, ghingam, carrot decor, spring diy, home projectsI did a little DIY wreath on the door to spruce it up for Easter. The photo frames I ordered came in, so we hung those! We spent an hour putting three different console tables under them until we thought of the bench we bought that was sitting up in the loft. I think out of all the consoles, and the bench looks the best! I added some new fresh pillows from Home Goods and Target! I will do a separate post just on this area and share where everything is from and updates on which photos I use!  Trying to keep up with TikTok. We decided to rearrange the front porch and the back porch. We swapped out the chairs, and everything looks so much better! I still need to do a blog post for the porch, but I’m waiting until it’s all complete! We had dinner and sat on the porch Saturday night after finishing up the projects. I made my favorite go-to salad. I also had some leftover meatloaf. I bought these amazing tiki jars at Target, and they work amazing! I placed them on the candle holders that I purchased at a thrift market. Sunday morning ♥  Tulips are coming up!  My camellia trees are in full bloom right now. They are my absolute favorite part of the garden right now. I can see them from my living room window, and it makes me so happy I could cry.  I have four of them, and I’m getting ready to plant two new white ones to the mix. I headed out for a little three-mile walk on Sunday evening before kyle made steak for dinner! The dinner was so good; I didn’t even remember to take a photo of it. And we ended the evening with homemade walnut brownies! ♥

Questions for you!

  1. Do you have any goals this month?
  2. What shows are you currently watching?
  3. Did you watch the Bachelor finale?

]]> https://simplytaralynn.com/2021/03/18/a-week-of-home-projects-and-preparing-for-spring/feed/ 30 Dinner in an Igloo, Super Bowl Weekend, & Food Last Week https://simplytaralynn.com/2021/02/17/dinner-in-an-igloo-super-bowl-weekend-food-last-week/ https://simplytaralynn.com/2021/02/17/dinner-in-an-igloo-super-bowl-weekend-food-last-week/#comments Thu, 18 Feb 2021 00:00:27 +0000 https://simplytaralynn.com/?p=67200

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]]> Happy Wednesday, everyone!

I wanted to hop on here today to share a little recap from the past few weeks. Sometimes, I skip recaps and never publish restaurants or random photos because they are way in the past, but I’m going to try to get over that and start posting them anyways. If I leave moments out, then who’s going to try my orange chicken recipe or check out a restaurant we enjoyed? I find that I get out of my routine when we travel, and ever since getting back from New Jersey, my work schedule has felt so off. I know it’s been a few weeks, but I’m trying to find that groove again. I’m hoping this week of blogging every day helps. Friday, I’ll be sharing my summer peachy-mango frosé recipe!
The Goodyear Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte, Noda, Restaurant, Igloo, dining in the igloo, A few weeks ago, I made dinner reservations in the Igloos at The Goodyear House in NoDa.

I have wanted to try this place out for a while, and when I saw that they were offering outdoor igloo dining, I just had to go! I made the reservation about a month in advance since they’ve been pretty popular. The Goodyear Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte, Noda, Restaurant, Igloo, dining in the igloo, It was pouring and freezing out outside, but the igloos stayed pretty toasty! I want to get an igloo like this in my backyard now. The setup was really fun, and I always appreciate it when restaurants offer unique experiences.
The Goodyear Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte, Noda, Restaurant, Igloo, dining in the igloo, I started with a Davis Bynum Chardonnay. The Goodyear Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte, Noda, Restaurant, Igloo, dining in the igloo, They served the table complimentary rolls with honey butter. The Goodyear Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte, Noda, Restaurant, Igloo, dining in the igloo, I ordered the chicken salad and the brussels sprouts salad. The Goodyear Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte, Noda, Restaurant, Igloo, dining in the igloo, Kyle had the WINNER WINNER. It was a half smf chicken with butter beans, miso-mushroom broth, chow chow, and cornbread. His dish was the best! I had a bite of his, and I should have ordered that. I would highly recommend it. The burger looked excellent too! We all split a Horchatta pie! 😋 For super bowl Sunday, I made homemade cranberry white chocolate chip cookies and my mom’s famous cheeseball recipe! My mom surprised me with the SWEETEST birthday decorations when we got to their house for the Superbowl. We didn’t get the chance to celebrate since I was out of town. She made a delicious cake, dinner and put together little picture boards. It was such a sweet surprise! On Monday night, I made roasted salmon with a honey mustard aioli, shishito peppers, and a sriracha salad mix. On Tuesday, I made creamy shrimp over zoodles!

The shrimp was cooked with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil, one tablespoon of cream cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, sea salt, and roasted tomatoes. We had orange teriyaki chicken on Wednesday! I cooked chicken breast with Kevin’s Teriyaki sauce, freshly squeezed oranges, soy sauce, garlic, onion, black pepper, and a tab; a lesson on gluten-free flour. I am going to get this recipe up on the blog soon! I’m still on my yogurt and berry kick! I have been using the low-carb Nola Granola, and it’s amazing. On Saturday, I went to Napa with Caitlin for a Galentine’s Day lunch. The food was amazing (like always). I ordered the salmon with broccolini. It was cold and rainy that afternoon, so we grabbed chai lattes and took a stroll around some of the pretty neighborhoods. Anyone else loves doing that?

I know this recap was so quick and random, but I always say…a random blog is better than no blog. 😉

Questions for you!

]]> https://simplytaralynn.com/2021/02/17/dinner-in-an-igloo-super-bowl-weekend-food-last-week/feed/ 21 Saturday Christmas Shopping & Local Coffee Shops! https://simplytaralynn.com/2020/12/21/saturday-christmas-shopping-local-coffee-shops/ https://simplytaralynn.com/2020/12/21/saturday-christmas-shopping-local-coffee-shops/#comments Mon, 21 Dec 2020 13:47:50 +0000 https://simplytaralynn.com/?p=66064

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]]> Happy Monday!

I’m excited to get my blog up early this morning before doing a few last-minute Christmas shopping errands. We aren’t doing gifts this year, but my mom and dad are coming over for our Christmas dinner and game night. We will watch the church stream, eat an abundance of crab legs, and end the night playing fibbage. I’m also going to be baking when I get back this afternoon! I have such a fun Christmas cookie menu, and I can’t wait to put them in cute boxes as they do on the NYT cooking channel. I’ve been watching way too many of those videos!

I know the holidays are different this year. Turn on your favorite holiday movies, order Chinese food, bake some cookies, and do everything you can to find joy. We will zoom call a few of our family members that won’t be home for Christmas this year, and there’s so much light in knowing that normalcy will be here before we know it. ♥ Hang in there.  On Saturday, I headed to the town of Belmont. It’s such a cute and festive Christmas town, and I was excited to explore it a bit. I’ve been trying my hardest to keep everything I purchase this year local and from smaller businesses. They are the ones that have taken a huge hit this year, unlike the superstores, which have skyrocketed in sales.
After picking up an almond milk cappuccino from Mugshots, we headed over to Belmont Specialty Foods. It was the CUTEST little market I’ve ever seen. It reminded me of this grocery store I used to stop at when I was working in the Hamptons during my summers in college. It hit me with nostalgia. The best part was that their upstairs was an entire Christmas store! I picked up some small wood crates to pack my holiday cookies in, a few packages of their macaroons, and ribbon.  I cannot wait to visit again. Before leaving Belmont, we stopped into The Everyday Market. It’s a cute little bakery/coffee shop. They were so friendly in there, and I picked up a GF Almond Tea Cake to take home with me.  We also stopped in Rockhill to visit The Mercantile! If you haven’t been in there yet…OMG! It’s a dream gift shop. I always find the perfect stocking stuffers in there. I love the little flower bar, and I still find unique items for my house.  We ended the day at Killington’s in Baxter Village (MY FAVE) for lunch. I had their grilled shrimp salad, and it was so delicious! 😋 Kyle and I watched a movie and had a cup of homemade almond milk hot cocoa! It’s just stevia, cocoa powder, almond milk, sea salt, and allspice. The rest of my days have been recorded on Vlogmas! I’ve been cooking up a storm over there! 😊

I hope you all have a great day. I’ll be on the blog a few times this week before Christmas is here, and I’ll also hop on with a post-Christmas recap! Have a great day!

Questions for you!

  1. Has your holiday plans changed this year?
  2. What are you doing to bring you joy this holiday season?
  3. What is your favorite hometown store to shop at?

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