I know that I mentioned these slides in my Christmas Wishlist, but when I saw them at Target for only $25, I couldn't help myself.  I thought these shoes were SO ugly when I first saw them, but then I saw how bloggers and even celebrities wearing them and I thought... okay.. they're not that bad.  I have already worn them so much this season already and they're not only super stylish, but also really comfy.  It's like appropriate to wear slippers to work basically.  You can get these slides in so many different styles from so many different places.

I paired mine with my favorite pair of leggings from Wet Seal and this burgundy sweater from Charlotte Russe.  For accessories I kept it simple with my Cartier ring and bracelet set and then I also wore these gold hoop earrings which I originally had bought to go with my Halloween costume, but I ended up really liking them in general.  You can also pair these shoes with skinny jeans or work pants, a big knit sweater. The possibilities are endless!

What would you pair these shoes with?  Let me know down below!

xoxo, Michele

One of my favorite things to do in the fall time is baking!  I guess you can do this any time of the year, but there's something about the fall time that just makes baking more fun.  Last year for Thanksgiving, I decided I wanted to make something from scratch, which I've never done before.  I attempted probably one of the hardest things to bake too, which was apple pie.  It was a lot of work, but it was also a lot of fun.  The process of making it wasn't as pretty as I might have liked it to be, but it was still a lot of fun.  It was all hands on deck, because like I said... it wasn't easy.  My grandma, my mom, Ana and I all helped with this and it was totally worth the wait.  There are a ton of recipes out there and I can't find the exact link that I used, but if you Google "apple pie from scratch" most of the recipes are about the same.

Ingredients:

Pie Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup vegetable shortening

1 egg

2 tablespoons cold water

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Apple Filling:

5 apples

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon of cinnamon (we ended up using way more cinnamon than this though)

Again, can't find the exact measurements but I know we also used nutmeg and brown sugar too!

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Mix sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, and salt in a large bowl.  

3. Mix in the shortening really well.

4. Beat egg, water, and vinegar together until it is all blended.

5. Pour all of the liquid evenly over flour mixture.  Stir until the mixture is moistened.

6. Divide dough in half shape each into a ball.

7. Flatten each into circles, wrap and chill for 15 minutes.

8. While the pie crust is chilling, peel, core, and cut the apples.

9. Mix apple slices with sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar.

10. Smash the apples really well, they should almost look like mashed potatoes.

11. Switch back to the pie crust and with a dust rolling pin, roll dough into about about an inch bigger than the pie pan you're using.

12. Carefully place the dough circle into the pie plate and gently press into the plate to form it.

13. Carefully place the apple mixture in the pie shell.  

14. Then place the second pie crust on top and form to the edges of the pie plate. 

15. Cut slits in the top crust to allow for steam to release in oven.

16. Bake for approximately 30 to 40 minutes, until pie is fully baked and apples are tender.

17. Enjoy!

If you attempt to make an apple pie from scratch then you have to let me know by leaving me a comment down below.

xoxo, Michele

I did this post last year too with some ideas on what to get the special guy in your life and now I'm doing it all over again!  Each year new products come out and it can be hard to think of how to top the year before, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try!  Here are a few ideas I have in mind.

One. Favorite Sports Team //  You can always get him his favorite team jersey, but sometimes a nice sweater, Nike shoes, or even pajamas of their favorite sports team can be a really nice gift.

Two. Wireless Headphones // Maybe your guy goes to the gym or maybe they have a new iPhone.  Whatever the reason is, wireless headphones seem to be the way to go.  I think wireless Beats are nicer, but these air pods have gotten a lot of buzz lately.

Three. Custom Gamer Controller // I don't know about you guys, but Omar loves his Xbox.  Playing video games with his brothers is his favorite thing to do on his days off.  Show him that you really love him, but getting him his very own customized Xbox controller!

Four.  Dress Clothes // This sounds super odd, but dress shirts, suits, nice shoes, it's just not something guys typically spend money on unless they have to.  Think of it as a win-win, because now you get to pick out something you actually want to see him in!

Five. An Adventure // This probably sounds confusing, but when you think about it the things that guys like more than gifts is a good adventure.  Before Omar left for training I wanted to take him on a fun weekend getaway.  Not that Scranton is romantic by any means, but it was a fun trip that we both loved so much.  It can be so simple, but plan a trip versus material items.  They'll appreciate it more.

Of course, everyone's boyfriend/husband is different, so take into account what they really enjoy doing and show them that you can enjoy it with them!  Any other ideas?  Let me know by commenting down below.

xoxo, Michele