When it gets cold outside and the holidays are near, I love throwing some aromatics into a pot to make our whole apartment smell like heaven. You can make up your own or change the measurements however you like, but this is how I make mine:

Ingredients:

• One or two clementine peels (you can use oranges if you have them)
• A couple slices of lemon
• One or two cinnamon sticks
• A palm-full of whole cloves
• Several cups of water (or more, depending on the pot you use) 

Instructions:

1. Put all fruit and spices in a pot and add water. Turn stove to medium.
2. Get it to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer. Leave as long as you like, refilling water as it evaporates. (I usually just have it going when I'm anywhere near the kitchen.) Don't forget about it!

Happy Monday! Rob and I are back from a great weekend away--we stopped at my parents' house Thursday night before heading to Farmville to visit two of my favorite college professors at Longwood on Friday. My brother met us for dinner and spent the night in town so we could hang out together on Saturday for a little Hampden-Sydney tailgating before the game. Then we headed back to Charlotte on Saturday night so we could wake up in our own bed on Sunday and have an entire day to unwind at home.

I thought I'd share some photos from my phone with you today, since it's been a while since I did that. Here's what life looks like lately, according to Instagram:

1. Sunday hikes in North Carolina. This was yesterday at Lake Wylie.
2. Rob and I on the field at this weekend's football game. My first time back as a wife!
3. Grainger Hall, where I took all of my English classes at Longwood University.
4. Post-grocery shopping last Monday afternoon (in my favorite boots). I had to go to the dentist later that evening for some work and thought that the flowers might cheer me up. They kind of did.
5. My new favorite verse/mantra: "Be anxious for nothing." Easier said than done sometimes.
6. What most Friday mornings look like these days--we've been traveling so much!
7. My best friend Emma and her sweet boyfriend Bryan came to visit a few weeks ago and we had the best time.
8. Autumn in Charlotte comes later than in other places I've lived, but I'll take it.
9. The view from an Asheville parking garage.

What has life in your world looked like recently? I want to know.

Life Lately According to Instagram is a once(ish)-monthly feature in which I showcase my favorite Instagram shots. You can collow along with me in real time if you'd like--I'm @mflynnpete.

We're in Farmville this weekend for the Hampden-Sydney vs. Randolph-Macon game on Saturday. Going to two different schools in the same town was such a perfect situation for the early years of my relationship with Rob--we both had our own space and our own groups of friends, but it was so easy to see each other, and it's so fun now to go back and visit Longwood whenever we're in town for a Hampden-Sydney event. I like sharing a college town with my husband.

Last year we missed lots of fun weekends like this one, but all throughout our college years and right after graduation, we were always tailgating with friends for HSC football games. My twenty-first birthday party was actually a tailgate at Hampden-Sydney!

To prepare for The Game (and because I can't resist any excuse for wine and food), I put together an early tailgate for La Crema--because whether you're at the game or just in your backyard, you can throw a quick, easy, and beautiful party. Even the neighbor's dog, Bentley, couldn't resist showing up and begging for a chicken wing or two.

This post is sponsored by La Crema. For tips on throwing a great tailgate of your own, check out my post on their blog today!

Photos by Sarah Gatrell of Photo + Love.