With snowflakes swirling about and fairy lights twinkling in windows, winter is the perfect time to cozy up to sweet treats and yummy eats. And just because it’s too cold for a sundress doesn’t mean fashion has to go out the window! I’m a very visual person, and I feel like photographs add a nice element of texture to the stories of our lives.

So, here are some of my favorite sweets, eats, and outfits from this winter, and the stories they accentuated.

Salted caramel mocha: Dear Husband and I like to go on coffee dates every couple of weeks. It is a ritual of ours dating back to the days when we first met, at which time I was working as a barista in a quaint little independent coffee shop.

Christmas eve fashion in navy and white: While my home is decorated in a rustic country feel, my fashion style personally is full on preppy. This outfit combines my favorite winter colors: navy and white. While I normally would wear my black Michael Kors riding crop boots with this outfit, I decided to go on a limb and pair the outfit with my newest Tory Burch boots, these gorgeous maroon babies with sky high chunky heels.

Christmas day salad: I am a notorious veggie fanatic. Like, I probably consume far more than the recommended daily value of vegetables each day. So for Christmas lunch, which my mother-in-law and I split in terms of who made what, I chose to do a side salad to go along with all the unhealthy (but oh so delicious!) things we were also having. This salad was shamefully simple to make. Pop some walnuts in the oven to toast, shave up some reggiano parmigiano, and whisk together some dijon mustard, EVOO, balsamic, and pepper for the dressing.

Spice cake: For our annual Christmas Eve party at my father in law’s house, I brought spice cake cupcakes with vanilla frosting. I’m a sprinkles freak, as you can see below.

Homemade mac & cheese and apple pie: Remember how I said above that the salad was meant to counterbalance all the unhealthy fare at our Christmas dinner? Yeah, well, see below. Baking a pie always reminds me of my Memaw (my maternal grandmother). I can still taste her pumpkin pie if I close my eyes and think back to childhood Christmases.

Holiday bread and cocoa: Our sweet neighbors down the street left us this loaf of holiday bread. To be honest, it was a tad sweet for my taste, but the thought behind it meant so much to me.

xoxo, Charlotte