Holiday Week of Chic: Coats for him and her and lip kit giveaway

Happy Sunday!

I hope you have all had a wonderful weekend and that you have been enjoying this Holiday Week of Chic Giveaway series as much as Lacey and I have.  Today we have partnered with Glo Minerals to give away a Lip Temptation Kit which makes for the most perfect holiday lip color!

We are exactly a week away from Christmas so today I am spending the day ordering the last of my gifts online to ensure they arrive on time.  With the amount of snow we have gotten over the past few days I have had coats on the brain as a great Christmas gift.  I snagged mine this summer (you know I never plan ahead, but this time I did and am so thankful!) and got this coat for steal! It is so incredibly warm and still on sale HERE and I also love this one and this one also on sale!  I found a very similar coat in four colors, I like the white, and 50% off ($89).

A person or two on my list have requested this coat (40% off with code Holiday).  I have this similar option in grey (worn here and here) and currently $134.  I also love this long puffer jacket very similar to the one I am wearing and $80.

Jonny always needs a new jacket (or two).  With the weather constantly changing and outdoor activities here in Colorado he always has a need for a slightly different layer (or so he thinks ;) ).  

Jonny gets the a ton of use out his Patagonia jackets and fleeces - he wears them to the office, after skiing and out with friends, so you can imagine he wears through them pretty quickly.  I love this plain one and this quilted one, and know he has eye on a patterned one like this .  For work I always think it is nice for a guy to have a classic pea coat and this one is 65% off!  I also like the idea of an updated fun parka like this one $199 that is nice enough for work, but warm enough for weekends in the mountains. 

Be sure to join today's giveaway and the other great giveaways that will be open for a few more days (we have two more coming your way!!) Have a wonderful Sunday!

Join the giveaway below!

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Holiday Week of Chic: Girl Boss Giveaway

Hi Friends!

Happy Thursday and day three of our Holiday Week of Chic Giveaway Series! 

This giveaway is for all the ladies!!  Every single one of us is a girl boss and we should own it on the reg (am I right?)! Today we partnered with Swoozies, one of my go - to places for gifts (read more about them here and here!) to bring you a whole bag of goodies for you or another girl you think is pretty awesome in your life (btw - we think you all are!).  

The whole bag of goodies comes in this adorable and festive reindeer tote.  I just love Lauren Conrad and this book is a guide on entertaining which I love... Lacey and I could have used a little assistance in the gift wrapping department, but we were proud we got the job done!  And I wish I could have a drink out of this "Hello Gorgeous" mug and this "Everyday I'm Hustling" water bottle all the time - such fun little reminders and pick me ups!

Join the giveaway below!

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Dressed in Holiday Style with MAX

Hi Guys!

I hope you had a wonderful week! I am so excited for some festive fun this weekend.  I love that there are so many opportunities to wear extra special dresses durning the holidays and that it is perfectly appropriate to wear sparkle, bows, and lace on just about everything.  

Last week I stopped in MAX Boutique in Cherry Creek (additional locations in Boulder and Aspen), which is at the very top of my list for for high end boutiques in Colorado!  Max, the owner is one of the friendliest people around and has amazing style! I can't wait to show you some other fun things I snagged while I was there.  They carry a ton of beautiful Self Portrait dresses which are perfect for the holidays!!  My dress is sold out online, but available at MAX and found some similar options (here, here, and here).

I wore this dress to Jonny's office holiday party earlier this week.  It was really snowing so I ended up wearing tights and these black pumps.  As for my new over the knee boots, as you know I was a little scared to try this trend, and now I can't get enough!  I always felt they would make me look even shorter than I already am, but it turns out they elongate and are incredibly comfortable.  My coat is one of my favorite hand-me-downs from my mom, but I found a similar coat (on major SALE here $159) and also here $449.  I've linked several similar dresses and the rest of my outfit details below!

What fun holiday plans do you have this weekend?!

This post is in collaboration with MAX . As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible!

Holiday Card Ready

Hi Guys!

I hope you are having a lovely week.  I put real clothes on for the first time yesterday - and today am back in my p.j.'s .... the doctor said this flu is lasting 10 days - 3 weeks and wow, am I red nosed vision in sweats.  My poor husband.  

Right before Thanksgiving we took pictures for our holiday card(s).  My whole family was in town so before Jonny, Stanley and I took our pictures we were able to take a few with my sisters, and their significant others and my mom as well which we haven't done in a long time.  Growing up we would take holiday photos every year, but actually getting the holiday card itself out was always a big task.

The past three years Jonny and I have used Minted and I am more amazed by the way they ease the process every year! I signed in to create our card and was trying to think of our list from last year and was happily surprised that they had it (and the addresses) saved.  They offer free pre addressing, with the cutest design options.  And you can even order personalized stamps or stamps that match your card (so easy!). We selected this design but were torn because we love this one too.

My dress is from Patterns and Pops $68.  I just love the sweet bows on the back - it is so comfy and would also be great with tights and boots as it gets colder.  Jonny's shirt is on major sale $25!  Stanley's bow tie is from a local doggy boutique (Two Pals and Pup), but in case you aren't in the area, I found a similar one here.  Shop the rest of my look and a few of my favorite red dresses (all under $100!) below.

Have a great day!

Gearing up for the Holidays!

Happy Friday!

I hope you had a wonderful week! It is finally feeling like November in Colorado.  We had our first snow yesterday (which is crazy late) so now I am officially ready for the holidays to begin.  Until yesterday there has been little need for coats or boots - or even sweaters which are usually standard attire during this time of year.

You guys all know that I love J Crew Factory, there is a location near our place in the mountains and Jonny and I stopped in last weekend and coincidentally were both decked out - head to toe in Factory apparel.  We always try and knock out some of our holiday shopping early there because they have fantastic sales and the good stuff always goes quickly! 

I got my coat ($134) on sale last year (also comes in festive red and black) and it so comfy and warm and is wonderful quality! It is pretty much an exact duplicate of the non factory version (I do love this plaid version on sale: with code Festive!).  I wear this shirt ($16.99) year round, with white jeans and skirts in the summer, and with tights/skirts or jeans and boots in the winter.  I think a scarf is always a lovely gift.  I bought this scarf in different patterns (like this one) for myself and my sisters and we are planning on wearing them for our family Christmas card this year.

What are you up to this weekend?! Hope its a great one!

V - Is for Vote!

Happy Election Day Friends!

My dad first ran for office when I was in first grade - so Election Day has always been a big deal in our house. I will never, ever discuss politics here, except today and only to remind you how important it is to vote!   You can find voter information here!

Campaigning has always been a family activity for us.  Tossing out candy at parades, knocking on doors to hand out literature after soccer practice... and making phone calls on election day - it is so much fun and such a big part of who my sisters and I are.  Fall during an election year, the campaign office was our second home.  And as a daughter, it is my right to put a little plug in for my dad and ask you to vote for him if you live in the 7th congressional district of Colorado :)!  

I wore this outfit to dinner over the weekend in the mountains.  It is pretty crazy that we can still go tightsless in the mountains in November, but I'll take it! I snagged this skirt $79 at J Crew Factory (love it there!) and am planning on wearing it tonight for election night festivities tonight!  I like that it is conservative, but still fun with the tie on the side.  It also comes in burgundy! This blanket scarf is my favorite for this time of the year and is perfect to carry through the holidays - and let me tell you, is so cozy (and under $45)!  I wear these booties All. The. Time. - so comfy and love that the neutral color goes with pretty much anything!  Also, I used to be a necklace and studs girl, but these earrings have changed that! They are a little heavy, but I have still been wearing them every chance I get!

I hope you have a wonderful Election Day! Follow Zoe and me along on some Election Day adventures today on my instagram stories.

Baked with Love

Hi Friends!!

Christmas and baking go hand in hand.  The two also remind me of my grandma.  She was the baking queen - so Christmas prep was very serious business at her house.  Growing up, baking days were always special days that all of the women in my moms family spent together.  My grandmother worked in a bakery so her house always smelled like fresh baked deliciousness.  She instilled in her seven children and twenty eight grand children (yes, 28!) a love of baking and spending time together (she absolutely loooooved to feed people).... 

Each year, at Christmas time, my sisters, mom and I spend the day baking all of my grandma's famous cookies.  There is plenty of Christmas music, and a finale of Love Actually.  It has become a favorite tradition in our house.  This year, mom and I spent the day baking together since my sisters are just getting in to town (yippeeee!).

Each year, at Christmas time, my sisters, mom and I spend the day baking all of my grandma's famous cookies.  There is plenty of Christmas music, and a finale of Love Actually.  It has become a favorite tradition in our house.  This year, mom and I spent the day baking together since my sisters are just getting in to town (yippeeee!).

Grandma's Sugar Cookies

InGredients:

• 1 1/2 cups butter (softened)
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 5 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• pinch of salt

Instructions:

• Cream together softened butter with sugar, beat in eggs and vanilla, stir in dry ingredients.
• chill dough 2 hours (or overnight if possible)
• thaw dough for 10 minutes before rolling - cut in 4 sections
• pre-heat oven to 400
• roll and cut dough on floured surface 
• bake for 8-10 minutes (on ungreased cookie sheet) - until edges are brown

Haystack Cookies (aka - the easiest/yummiest cookies you can ever make!)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 bags chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 bags butterscotch chips
• 1 large bag of chow mein noodles - I like La Choy (or 2 cans like this)
• 3/4 cup of any nut that you love (I use peanuts or pecans)

Instructions:

• melt chocolate and butterscotch chips on medium heat, add noodles and nut, mix together
• while hot, spoon large spoonfuls on wax paper
• cool
• (dog owners, keep out of reach of your pups... Charlie brown is sometimes a counter jumper and we have made one too many vet visits around the holidays due to his curious nose).

Thank you Corey Anthony as always for snapping these fun photos of my momma and me, and you can snag this adorable tray and personalized ornament or other fun entertaining items from White Elephant Designs - love their stuff!

A Very Merry Yogi Christmas!

Hi Friends,

I hope you had a wonderful weekend!! If you have visited my about me page you might already know that I LOVE yoga.  It is the one thing that I try to do every day to keep me sane and has changed my mind and body in so many ways.  I started visiting CorePower a little over three years ago (sign up for your first week free here) - before then, I didn't have a workout that I loved and did daily.  I would run sometimes or start a workout class, but nothing ever felt like a fit like CorePower did.  For me, it can be encouraging when when I need it, relaxing if I need to get my mind off things... or just a good workout.

Last week an instructor said something that really resonated with me and I thought was a perfect mantra to start the new year... "You must acknowledge where you are to see how far you have come."  I thought that was such an important piece of advice.  We all need to remember to acknowledge our little achievements because they have pushed us to where we are today.  Last year, Denver Darling was just a little idea in the back of my head and has grown so much in the last six months. Working on my blog and meeting all of you has been such a wonderful experience and achievement for me.

If you are looking for some last minute gifts, CorePower has some great Christmas items for the yogi on your list!  Starting with $100 gift cards for $80 to go towards classes or apparel (love that!).  Which is perfect to go towards these adorable holiday inspired tops and bottoms that are unique to CP.  The pieces below are so great for the winter season and can't help but put a smile on your face.  Fun fact: CorePower started in Denver!!

Find these fun pieces at most local CorePowers (find a location near you here).  Also, if you (or your loved one) have been thinking of joining you can sign up for a free full week of yoga and other fun classes here.

Thank you to one of my favorite instructors at Lohi, Kristal, for jumping in and making sure our poses looked 👌! And thank you to my partner in yoga and crime (Liz Ryan) for always being up for a fun shoot!

Hope your week is off to a wonderful start!

Namaste!

Holiday Card Ready

Happy Monday Friends!

I can't believe Christmas is almost here! It really hit me last night.  I had big plans to finish my Christmas shopping this weekend, but got hit with a nasty cold and ended up wrapped up in the house all weekend.  It turns out it was the perfect weekend to stay cozy inside since it was pretty snowy here.  However, I am rushing a little today to order the last of my gifts to make sure they get here before Christmas (here is a helpful guide for shipping deadlines coming up).

Jonny and I weren't sure that we wanted to do a Holiday card this year.  Last year we did our first card as a new family and it feels like I was so organized and ordered them almost immediately after we got our wedding photos.  This year, time got the best of me, and I was worried we missed our opportunity to order them (turns out they can still be ordered, we use Minted - they can still be delivered by 12/18 if ordered by the end of today with code SHIP). I also love that Minted gives you the option to have the envelopes pre-addressed and they have tons of adorable address designs (which saves a lot of time and is perfect for me considering I don't have the prettiest handwriting). 

• Abby's : Coat $139 (50% off plus extra 15% off and free shipping with code Jolly) // Shirt sold out - similar here and here // Plaid skimmer pant $49 (50% off plus extra 15% off and free shipping with code Jolly) // Minnie ballet flat $225 // Golden ball stud earrings $25 (40% off and free 3 day shipping when you spend $50+) 
• Jonny's: Fleece $128 (40% off with code getgifts) // Flannel lined chino $42 (50% off plus extra 15% and free shipping with code Jolly) // White button up $88 (30% off with code getgifts) // Bow tie old - similar here and here // loafers // socks similar here

I stopped in J.Crew Factory ( currently 50% off everything plus extra 15% off and free shipping with code Jolly) last week and saw these pants for Jonny which matched my pants from there that I had just ordered (I was probably a little more excited than the average person, but they are really cute!).  He has mentioned, more than once, that they are the warmest pants he has ever worn.  I have also been wearing this coat from there (also on sale) a ton!

My shirt is sold out, but also love this one and this one.  I tied a bow under the collar with some extra ribbon I had from wrapping to add a little more texture, color, and cheer to my outfit.  I gave Jonny his fleece (40% off with code getgifts) as an early Christmas present and he hasn't stopped wearing it since it is so cozy (I have even put it on a few times it is so soft I just can't resist!).

If you are in the Denver area over the holidays and looking for some fun photos of you and your loved ones, I often work with Corey from Corey Anthony photography... he always captures such fun moments of Jonny and me and I can't thank him enough!  Can't wait to get my whole family home and get a few more with everyone together!

Have a wonderful week!!

xo

Christmas Casual +Tory Burch Grand Opening!

Christmas wreath ($48) // Hello Doormat ($23) // //Tory Burch Multi Color Satchel ($495) // Tory Burch Minnie Ballet Flat ($225) // J.Crew Plaid Shirt ($78 - 30% off with code Thursday) also like this one ($38 - 50% off today) and this one ($58) // Sweater Loft - similar here ($59 - 40% off today ) love this one too ($39) or this one ($44) // Gold Ball earrings ($15 - 40% off) // Necklace ($34) // Jeans old from Zara - similar here ($88) and here ($199) 

Hi Friends!!

With just a little over two weeks until Christmas I am feeling the Christmas spirit.  If someone is screaming, "Merry Christmas" to you from across the street.... it might be me (I tend to embarrass my poor husband).  Last night Jonny, Charlie Brown and I took a few Christmas photos among the twinkling lights of Denver and then finished decorating our tree while listening to Christmas music - which is always one of my favorite nights of the year.  I have bought a new ornament for Jonny and myself every year since we got our first tree together four years ago.  It is so fun to go through each one and see how many memories have been made in the last few years (however, we were laughing at how many we have accumulated).

I am taking full advantage of dressing for the season these next couple of weeks.  Even for casual meetings and dates it is so fun to mix and match patterns, sparkles, and textures that you wouldn't normally during other months.  

I snapped up this adorable statement satchel that is so festive and perfect for the holidays from Tory Burch and these matching Minnie Travel Flats that are super comfy and perfect for adding a pop of color to an outfit! Tory Burch is celebrating their grand opening with 5280 Magazine and Colorado Children's Campaign at Cherry Creek Mall tonight from 6-8pm.  10% of proceeds from tonights event will benefit Colorado Children's Campaign.  Look forward to seeing you there!! You can RSVP here with code TBCHERRYCREEK. 

Hope the rest of your week is wonderful!

xo

Hello December!!!

Cape // faux leather leggings (here, here, and here) // White button up // Necklace // Sunnies // Hat

Guys!!

It's here! It's December!! My favorite time of year.  There has been snow falling the last few days and Christmas music playing non stop at our house.  (Jonny will only let this go on for about another day or so so I have to take advantage while I can).  Christmas is right around the corner, and I could not be more excited.  I have said before that I am really like a kid sometimes - and when it comes to holidays, I think my childlike qualities really shine through.  We are a little late with getting our decorations up this year, but the last few weeks were packed to the brim with Friendsgiving and family in town so that extra Christmas cheer will just have to wait until this weekend... I will share a couple of pics once we are finished!

Union Station is such a fun place to visit during the holiday season.  It is always beautiful, but during the holidays the decorations make it that much more inviting and beautiful! Fun fact: the owner of the Crawford Hotel's wife, loves holiday decor so much that she is in charge of all of the decorations and helps decorate the giant tree that stands in the middle of Union Station.

My cape is back in stock and is only $48!! Last week it was sold out and I was so bummed that I wasn't going to be able to share it with you.... I love that it can be warn multiple ways and is very warm.  It had actually snowed the day before these pictures and I was completely fine without a coat.  I paired it with faux leather leggings - like these (on sale) or these (on sale) or these (all under $50).  Also, my sunglasses are from Ditto which is an endless eyewear program that I have loved!! You can keep your sunglasses as long as you'd like or exchange them immediately (kind of like Netflix for sunglasses).  You can use code DenverDarling to get your first month free ($24 a month after that).

Have a wonderful first week of December!!

Photography // Corey Anthony