I've been meaning to show you guys around our new place for months now, but if you've ever moved across the country (or even just down the street) then you probably know how easily days become weeks when you're getting settled.

Our place in California is a lot smaller than the house we were in last summer, but it's close to the same size as our first apartment in Charlotte, so even though it initially felt like we were downsizing a bit, all of our stuff fits really nicely. We bought a new piece for the entryway (a nice tall white cabinet that holds all of our shoes) and some curtains once we arrived, but other than that we just stuck with the stuff we've been collecting over the past few years. The only things on our living room wishlist were an upgraded coffee table (we've had the same $10 one from IKEA for quite some time now), an area rug, and to somehow fit more seating in (other than the couch we only have my grandmother's/Ender's chair when people come over).

Early this year, Hayneedle was so kind as to send us a few lovely pieces to finish off the ol' wish list: this gorgeous chair with an ottoman, this beautiful and cozy rug, this sweet table set, and this super soft throw which I think ties everything together perfectly!

I've always gravitated toward neutrals when it came to furniture and decor, so the pops of color that kept coming through really surprised me as our living room started taking shape. Color-coding my bookshelf felt really silly at first but now I think it adds a really lovely brightness to the otherwise grey, white, and black space. I really like the combination of neutrals with a super colorful wall of books, especially next to my grandma Eileen's baby blue chair.

My cousin Ashley gave us the R&M wall hanging, which her husband made for us as a wedding gift; and my sister-in-law found that Where the Wild Things Are crown and sent it to me. I really love all the little details in our living room--they're what make it my favorite spot in the house for sure. (And let's not forget that sweet little pup who's always looking for an afternoon snuggle on the couch every day! Oh Ender--what are we going to do with you?)

Hayneedle sent me the items I linked to in exchange for a mention in this blog post. Thank you for supporting the brands that make content like this on Freckled Italian possible.

The other day I came across this post on A Beautiful Plate and it got me thinking about the 10 things I always keep in my kitchen. My grocery shopping trips often run the risk of being a little boring, but over the years I've gotten really good about getting in and out with the same main ingredients every week, so I thought I'd share a few things I always have no matter what.

1. Avocados: I always pick up 3-4 and put them on pretty much everything--scrambled eggs, taco salads, burger bowls, etc. Sometimes I just cut one in half and have it as a snack with a little lime juice, salt, and cayenne pepper.
2. Salad Mix: Usually a spinach and arugula mix from Trader Joe's, but sometimes I grab spinach only (I like being able to sauté it all quickly if it's about to wilt and we haven't eaten enough of it yet). I'll grab a handful of greens and add it as a side to pretty much every dish I make throughout the day.
3. Bacon: About once a week I'll bake a big sheet pan of bacon in the oven and save it for breakfasts or for topping salads. I also like to let the grease cool and then spoon it into a jar, which I keep in the fridge and use for cooking pretty much everything.
4. Eggs: Rob and I go through almost two dozen eggs a week--I like them fried but lately we've been having them scrambled with a little shredded cheddar on top.
5. Grass-Fed Butter: I've been completely obsessed with Kerrygold butter for a while now, and we always have it in the fridge. It's seriously good enough to eat on its own, and sometimes I dip sliced radishes in it with a little salt. So good.
6. Lemons and Limes: I love hot water with lemon at night, and we always use limes in our cocktails. I usually pick up 2-3 limes and 1-2 lemons. We actually just got a lemon and lime tree from Home Depot a few weekends ago and it's been really fun watching them grow on our back patio, although I think it'll be a while until we actually get any fruit from it.
7. Sugar Snap Peas: My favorite snack, and Ender's too! We use sugar snap peas and sometimes carrots (pretty much any vegetable) as dog treats because for some reason regular ones make him kind of itchy (we think it's a chicken allergy).
8. Garlic: Everything is better when it starts with sautéed garlic.
9. Onions: I like white and red onions and always have at least one of each ready to go. 
10. Hot Dogs: Maybe it's weird, but we always have hot dogs in the fridge. They're the easiest and we love them for a quick lunch or dinner when no one is in the mood to cook.

What do you always have in your kitchen?

I always feel bad when I let a few weekdays go by without a blog post, but if I don't have anything planned I'd rather just step away than throw something random up. But I'm always interested to hear from readers what they like more--would they rather hear from me every day or maybe less frequently with "better" "content" (whatever that means)? Either way, last week was really busy for us and by the time Thursday and Friday rolled around I was so ready to take a step back and relax that I ended up neglecting the blog a bit.

We had one of those weekends where you simultaneously get a lot done and still manage to find time to take a nap every day (those are kind of my favorite). We finally filed our taxes (woof), had a session with Ender's dog trainer, and did a lot of cooking and lying around. On Sunday I woke up early and went to barre and then the grocery store, so the rest of the day we just lounged around, watching basketball and Friends.

I have loved every season of Girls but this one is quickly becoming my favorite. I always feel weird that my favorite characters in the show are all men, but Elijah is wonderful and I was so into last night's episode featuring mostly him. I also loved Dill and hope he's back for good. Also I am Adam's #1 fan and thought I liked him and Jessa together but I am really rooting for him and Hannah to get back together. Anyone else watching this season?

I'm getting really excited about our trip to Charlotte in a few weeks--I always hate leaving Ender (especially because he has so many friends in Charlotte!), but it'll be really great to get back on the East Coast and see so many people we love. I'm also going to be on my friend Rémy's podcast!