Hey friends, happy Monday! Well the Eagles did not win so I guess I won't be getting that free cup of Dunkin' coffee, or so I thought! I've never been so concerned for football outcomes in my life…now you know that coffee is the true captor of my heart and not football :) The good news is that it's National coffee day so they're giving away free medium cups of their new dark roast anyway! Go have a cup on me :) This is a nonsense holiday I can celebrate happily!

Here's whats on my mind this week…

1. I confess that I am WAY late to the party but I just got hooked on watching The Voice! Who is with me on this? I already knew Blake Shelton was adorable and now I am starting to see what all the fuss about Adam Levine is. I have to say that I adore Gwen Stefani and Pharell also. I think the reason I never got into it in the past was the Christina Alguilera factor, just couldn't watch her. I am so excited to watch tonight as the blind auditions continue!

2. Speaking of fall TV….who is ready for Zombies?! We are inside of two weeks for The Walking Dead to return on AMC. Who remembers where the gang left off? I get freaked out just thinking about it!

3. In other pop culture news, Gone Girl the movie comes out this Friday with Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck. I really have not covered up the fact that I did not like the book but I definitely wonder how they will pull it off as a movie! Rosamund Pike played Jane Bennett in Pride and Prejudice, which is pretty much the sweetest character there is so I have a hard time imaging her as the vengeful character in Gone Girl. So the question is friends, are you going to see it? Let me know what you think!

4. I am getting a hair cut this week and I cannot wait. I can't decide if I want to do something different or stick to the longer hair I've been rocking for a little bit…decisions, decisions. It's hard to commit to new hair, but the same old thing can get boring too!

5. I am dreaming of baking pumpkin chocolate chip muffins one day this week. My favorite recipe for them is here. I usually cut the oil and sugar a bit though. The pumpkin helps keep the moisture like the oil would. Yum! What's your fave fall treat to bake? I am working on "healthi-fying" things when I can! (that's a new word, when you have your own blog you can make up words if you want!)

6. I confess, I found an awesome pair of gray jeans at Forever 21 (Yes, I know I am over 30) for less than $10 that I LOVE!! I might investigate if they are in other colors. I want to see how they hold up to their first washing and see if they still fit right. Sometimes cheap things aren't bargains if they don't last or fall apart, but I do love going cheaper on a trend item. I think these jeans will be a solid part of my wardrobe this fall.

7. Speaking of wardrobe, have you heard of such a thing as a "capsule wardrobe?" It's this idea that you really only wear so many different items at once. Here's an explanation "For Unfancy purposes, it’s a 37 piece wardrobe that includes tops, bottoms, dresses, outerwear, and shoes. Why is it so great? Ever buy some fun new clothes, but end up wearing your old favorites anyway? Me too. Ever go to your closet and feel like you have nothing to wear, even when your closet is filled with clothes?" This explanation is from Caroline on the UnFancy blog. I am intrigued by this idea because I think we tend to think, "more is more" in the wardrobe world, but don't tend to wear it all. I weed through the excess in my closet only to wear tried and true faves. Anyone else read up on this idea or what do you think about it?

This is my other fave purchase for the fall wardrobe…a mustard colored cardigan from Target!

8. Are you looking for that healthy alternative to the Pumpkin Spice Latte in the fall craziness? My pal Somer shared this last fall and I got hooked, you order a blonde roast with just one pump of the pumpkin spice flavor syrup and you end up saving both $$ as well as calories! You can add in a little fat free milk and stevia if you want some creaminess and sweetness.

9. Have you ever heard of pound cake from Stock's Bakery in Philly? Our sweet neighbors are from Philly and occasionally bring us a pound cake when they are passing through. I saw a friend post about this bakery this week and I have been dreaming of their pound cake ever since! Maybe our neighbors will go visit their family soon… yes, it even comes with vanilla frosting!

Ok friends, I realize that this week wasn't as deep with my chat about tv, wardrobes, and food but I know the last couple weeks I have really been putting myself out there. I am just like any other girl with all different sides to me that I want to share with you inter web friends! I hope that my deep posts affect you on a more personal level and the rest of my confessions just share a little bit of me with you!

I will leave you with a verse I found great encouragement in the last couple weeks, "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." Romans 12: 12

Have a great week!

Emily Troutman Photography