31 Days of Spooky Movies - Rebecca (1940)

 Hey there princess!

It doesn’t even need to be spooky season for me to be completely obsessed with this movie. Rebecca (1940) is a year-round favorite of mine, inspired by the 1938 book of the same title by Daphne du Maurier.  This movie has everything: phenomenal sets, exquisite costumes, terrific actors, and Alfred Hitchcock as director. What more could you want?

The story follows a young woman as she embarks on the near-impossible task of becoming second-wife to her husband after his previous wife’s death (under mysterious circumstances) the year prior. She goes from being a paid companion to being immersed in a life of opulence and wealth, and struggles to find her footing along the way. 

This movie is such a classic and I highly recommend both it and the book it was inspired by. I am such a huge fan of Hitchcock’s work, and this has always been my favorite film of his (even if he stated not loving it too much).

To help keep things spooky at my house, here are some pumpkin chocolate chip muffins I made! They turned out delicious (I just used a box recipe from HEB) and put them in these cute cupcake liners with little bats that my mom gave me! They turned out so sweet and they were the perfect on-the-go breakfast for my family.

Spook on!

31 Days of Spooky Movies - The Haunted Mansion (2003) PG

 Hey there princess!

Today’s movie is a nostalgic one for me - The Haunted Mansion (2003). Now, is this the highest quality movie ever? No. Does it make me feel super nostalgic for one of my favorite Disney rides? Absolutely.

This movie was made during a time in Disney history where they were making all of the rides into feature films. Not all of them can be cinematic genius (Pirates of the Caribbean, 2003) and thankfully they weren’t all nightmare fuel (County Bears, 2002). I would rate The Haunted Mansion somewhere right there in the middle - full of ride references with some decent laughs in between.

Now, I know Disney did another Haunted Mansion movie in 2023 that was a little more horror-leaning but we aren’t going to talk about that here. We are going to pretend it didn’t happen. Hushhhh.

One of my favorite things about the 2003 Haunted Mansion movie is how incredible the sets were. This is such a beautifully done movie, and it looks (to my biased imagination) like if the house from Pollyanna became haunted by some silly spooks. 

I have dreams of this house. I dream about the library, the dining room, and the expansive grounds with private mausoleum access. What more could a girl want?

If you have any interest in the Haunted Mansion attraction, I would highly recommend this movie!

On a personal note - here are some cute photos of my family’s trip to Disneyland in 2023 where we actually got to ride on the Haunted Mansion! This was such a fun and special time, and I am so grateful that we were able to go. It was a bit daunting to wait in line in the August heat with my 1 year old, but I would do it again in a heartbeat.

The line for this attraction has all kinds of cool stuff to look at, and while there wasn’t much shade, the line did move quickly. 

I love all of the details put into the architecture of the exterior of the building. Especially after visiting New Orleans a few years prior, I felt like I could appreciate all of the authentic touches.

Bonus! The ride shut down during our turn and the lights came on, so I quickly snapped a photo of my little boy with the iconic wallpaper in the background!

Spook on!

31 Days of Spooky Movies - Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) G

 Hey there princess!

Today, we are taking a look at my absolute favorite Universal Monsters Movie - Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954). I was pretty young when I first watched this movie, and I remember being absolutely fascinated by the idea that deep in the jungle of South America lived a gill man who just wanted to be loved!

This movie has suspense, romance, and an abundance of costume changes - especially for a film that mostly takes place on a dingy boat. 

It’s been over 70 years since this movie was made and sure, the effects look a little hokey from time to time, but I think it’s incredible to watch when considering the tools that the filmmakers had at the time. I still hold my breath, I still feel something, and in my opinion the low-tech effects used are more impactful than some of the over-done CGI seen in some films today. The focus is on story and I love that!

What do you think? Do you think you’d fall in love with the Creature? 

For a little info on how I’m personally celebrating Halloween - here is my son’s bedroom book nook filled out with some spooky books to read before bed. These are just a few of my Halloween books, the rest are in my living room book basket (I could make a full list of my children’s Halloween books if you’re interested). Some of these books are newer, and some are from my childhood! 

I love passing down traditions, and books are a great way to do that. 

Spook on!

31 Days of Spooky Movies - Hocus Pocus (1993) PG

 Hey there princess!

Hocus Pocus was such a classic in my home growing up, and now that I’m a mom I love being able to share it with my own family. Hocus Pocus (1993) follows the young residents of Salem, MA as they accidentally awaken a coven of zany witches. 

This is a family-friendly movie with laughs for both kids and adults. 

For me, this movie is just classic Halloween. Strangely, it was released in the Summer of 1993, but it has stayed a fall classic in my home. Black cats, witches, cauldrons, zombies, and trick or treating - this movie has it all!

For a little something personal and fun - my local farmer’s market made Hocus Pocus macarons! These were so absolutely precious and they tasted amazing. I have always been a huge macaron lover - and it is so special to have something made so beautifully! 

Spook on!

31 Days of Spooky Movies - I Married A Witch (1942)

 Hey there princess!

Halloween is my favorite time of year, and this year I wanted to post every day of October - sharing a favorite spooky movie of mine. In full transparency, I don’t watch a ton of gory movies so you’ll see things in here that for sure lean more towards the suspense genre. I will include ratings (where relevant) so that you know if this is something you’d like to watch with your family. 

I wanted to start this month off with one of my absolute favorite Halloween movies - I Married a Witch (1942).

This movie was based on the 1941 novel The Passionate Witch by Thorne Smith and follows the story of a father-daughter witch duo who were burned during the Salem Witch Trials and have returned to exact their revenge. While this sounds quite dramatic, the film is a romantic comedy and is laughs and gorgeous costuming from start to finish. 

Veronica Lake is all kinds of fabulous in this movie and you can see nods of her performance all over the television show, Bewitched. If you’re looking for something fun, funny, and in the spirit of a vintage Halloween - I think this movie is a perfect choice. I never let the season pass without watching it at least once!

In addition to sharing a favorite spooky movie each day, I wanted to share something small that I enjoyed doing either this year, or in Halloweens past. Today, I wanted to share a little piece of a Halloween brunch set-up I did two years ago for my family. The Saturday before Halloween, I had everyone over for brunch and a movie and below you’ll see my little beverage station. 

The cups are from Natalie Chang on Etsy (here) but I believe they are currently out of stock? In the drink dispenser I made POG juice (equal parts passion fruit, orange, and guava juice).

I always have so much fun sharing my favorite moments with my family - especially with spooky snacks involved. 

I would love to hear about your favorite Halloween movies!

Spook on!

Table Grace Year 3 - 2025 - Nautical Theme

Hey there princess!

For the third year in a row, my mother and I participated in Table Grace at our church. This event invites ladies of the church to decorate a table for a luncheon and fellowship event. It has been such a fun opportunity to be creative and meet new women at the church that I wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to meet. 

When I became a mom back in 2022, my social circle shrank significantly - so having small opportunities like this has been great! I am able to be creative, make new friends, and strengthen the relationship I already have with my own mother. 

There aren’t any rules with Table Grace, and participants are encouraged to be creative in choosing the theme for their own tables. This year, we chose a nautical theme, and I had so much fun with it! My mom had the great idea to gift each person at our table with a mini boat and tote stuffed with a custom cookie, York peppermint patties, a cute scarf, and a bookmark with the name of a missionary for us to pray for. 

People who know me know that I have spent years collecting dishes and this event gave me the perfect opportunity to use these From the Deep dishes that I got from Anthropologie in probably 2014 (if I had to guess). I have used them for little dinners at home, but I was so happy to take them out of the house for others to see. The best thing about them? They’re dishwasher safe!

My mom has these amazing Arthur Court napkin rings in both the crab design and the seahorse that she brought from home. I absolutely love a cute napkin ring, and Arthur Court designs are made to last! If you’re looking to start collecting serve-ware or napkin rings for hosting they are such a great place to start. They are so timeless and durable.

To decorate the table, we purchased a striped tablecloth off of Amazon (click here), then we added a lighthouse to tie in the nautical theme (here), and then I painted a small illustration of a sand dollar for each attendee. The finishing touch was a seashell name card that I placed at each seat so that everyone would know where to sit (here).

My favorite part of this event is seeing what kind of themes everyone else comes up with! Below, please see some photos of my favorite tables from the event. I hope that they inspire you as much as they inspired me!

I noticed that a lot of tables had little gifts for their guests, so I’m really glad that we brought something for ours. If you have any questions about these table settings, please let me know.

I remember when I was younger I would pour through magazines and books about event planning, hosting, and tablescapes. I feel so lucky to be a grown-up and able to engage in this hobby with my friends.

Sparkle on!

Davy is Four! A Golf Birthday Party

Hey there princess!

For my son’s fourth birthday, we decided that the best option would be one where he could get his wiggles out! There is a driving range/restaurant near our home called Swanny’s so that was the perfect choice for our family.

My son’s favorite cake is coconut, and this one was absolutely delicious from Honey Baked Ham (they stop selling these after Easter, so I had to put it in the freezer for a couple of weeks, but it still tasted great). I purchased the cake topper from Etsy (click here) and the numbered candle from Amazon (click here).

Swanny’s had the option to book a private bay at the driving range, and then we were able to get a group of tables to sit at to eat lunch which made for a fun and relaxing atmosphere for guests at every level of golfing comfort.

One of the best things to add a little something special to a party or event is a custom napkin. They are so sweet, and are also a great addition to a scrapbook - if that is something you enjoy doing! I purchased my son’s polo and the napkins off of Etsy (click here and here to be directed to these items).

We had such a blast at this party, and with a beautiful venue, thankfully we didn’t have to do much work for everyone to have a great time. If you’re in the Houston area, I would highly recommend Swanny’s for any party or just a fun afternoon with friends. The staff were great, the food was delicious, and the atmosphere was fun, relaxed, and family friendly.

Sparkle on!

Sailor Moon Dessert Dreams in Houston

 Hey there princess!

Today I went on a journey with my sweet mom to recapture a precious part of my childhood at the  Popfancy Dessert Bar in Houston, Texas. Popfancy transformed itself into the Cosmic Heart Cafe - a Sailor Moon themed space. I have always been such a huge fan of Sailor Moon (and dressed in my costume for many Halloweens past), and when I saw ads online for this event I knew I absolutely had to go. Thankfully, my mom supports all of my whims and my husband was more than happy to watch our kids while I went out with her and had a blast!

Upon entry, the whole space is completely decorated to theme with hot pink neon and videos playing in the background of various Sailor Moon trivia and fan cosplay. 

Now, this space is not huge and for a typical day of business they probably have ample room to serve all of their guests. However, my limited schedule meant that I visited the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend at around 3:00pm. Now, I did reserve a FastPass like their website recommended (and shelled out $6.60 for it) but upon entry we just got straight in line and waited to order like any other guest and were never questioned about if we had reserved a FastPass. I never asked an employee about it since they seemed super busy and we were served in a timely manner anyway.

Once we placed our orders we made our way to a small table and set of chairs where we could watch the fun fan videos on the restaurant’s televisions, look at all of the cool decorations, and people watch. Some of the patrons wore really fun outfits in the theme, and I am so glad I wore my Sailor Moon shirt!

The menu had tons of delicious looking options, and we settled on Rainbow Moon Heartache, The Wood, and The Fiery. Honestly, everything there looked amazing and if I had a larger stomach or more people to share with I would have ordered more.

The Rainbow Moon Heartache was so deliciously fruity and tarte and was topped off with a rainbow Air Heads extreme. This was so yummy and had rock candy and a cute moon topper. Very fun in a picture and very tasty to drink - refreshing without being overwhelmingly sweet!

I got The Wood while my mom got The Fiery. Both came with cute playing cards that would look amazing in a junk journal if you are into that (maybe I should start?? I kept the cards) and both also tasted really rich and yummy! Each order was topped with your choice of ice cream and The Wood focused on a hazelnut flavor while The Fiery was more banana and caramel. I will say these were both very rich! I went into mine thinking I could easily finish, but had to throw in the towel halfway through.

If you are someone whose eyes are bigger than their stomach - you have been warned! The portions here are generous and very shareable. 

My closing thoughts on this experience are as follows:

If you are a big Sailor Moon fan and are in the Houston area, this is a must-do. I had so much fun and I know I will be talking about this experience for years, it was that good. 

This would also be a really fun experience for someone just looking for a really cool date spot, or even a cute passing of the torch for moms to bring their daughters to. There weren’t any alcoholic menu items, so this spot is easily family friendly. I saw lots of younger kids, and while it was a little loud inside the small space everything seemed really fun and welcoming to me. 

This was a 10/10 experience for me and I would love to go again on another fan night!

Fight evil by moonlight, win love by daylight!

Rush Bag Prep for 2024

 Hey there princess!

With Rush 2024 on it's way, I know that a lot of girls are prepping their Rush bags for the week. I went through Rush in Winter 2009, and became a Kappa Alpha Theta at Baylor University. My experience was incredibly positive, and I am aware that things today are different than they were back when I went through Rush. 

When I went through Rush we all wore our winter coats (Baylor Rush still takes place in January) and purses aren't allowed in the room. My solution was to keep a lipstick, pocket mirror, ID, and my Motorola Razr in my coat pocket and leave it outside of each room (Baylor also doesn't have houses). Below are some ideas of what I would use as a Rush bag if I were to go though Rush today, and some essentials I would keep in the bag. Please keep in mind that I am not being paid to advertise any of these items, they are just things I really like!

RIBBON STRAW ZIP-TOP TRAVEL TOTE

MONOGRAM MARY FRINGE BAG

ITALIAN CANVAS ZIP TOTE

CANVAS ZIP-TOP TOTE

These are just a few examples of some bags that I think would be great for Rush (and for college students in general) because they:

A. All have zippers

B. Are all customizable 

In a sea of girls tossing around a bunch of identical bags that they bought on Amazon Prime day all over the place, you want to make sure that your items are secure, and that your bag is easily identifiable. 

Now.... as far as things to put in your bag...

There is one item that I think is absolutely essential, and that I will recommend again and again and again, and that is this Chanel lip product (my favorite shade is Sensual Rose). I have worn these liquid lipsticks for YEARS, and I am not kidding when I say that they last ALL DAY. It is a great product, and is pretty much the only thing I will wear on my lips. 

LE ROUGE DUO ULTRA TENUE

Tide Pen Stain Remover for Clothes

Hand Sanitizer (this one is super cute and trendy)

Tic Tacs (I like these mini boxes - perfect for any purse/travel bag)

Band-aids (get your skin tone - this is not the time for Hello Kitty. You want your personality to stand out, not your blisters)

Cough Drops (you will lose your voice by the end of the week, DO NOT CHEW GUM)

I love Airborn - try your best not to get sick!

These claw clips are cute, and can keep your hair from getting frizzy/sweaty walking from one party to the next. Get this set of four so if someone asks to borrow one, they can just keep it and you'll still have extra!

LES BEIGES

l absolutely love this pressed powder. There is a mirror in there as well so you can check your makeup throughout the day. Keep in mind the coverage is light! 

Sparkle on!