To those who may not know me that well, here is a little insider tip on the young Melissa: I've always wanted to be a writer. My family jokes that I would always have my nose buried in a book, but looking back there was always a book at my side; at school, in the backseat of our mini-van, even while brushing my teeth (actual photo evidence). While I feel like my career has taken me a different path, I still always aspire to be a published author one day.

So looking back at my old blog from college (yes Melissa Grace//In Progress is a still a thing of the internet..), I stumbled upon one of my very first fictional short stories from YEARS ago. And as cheesy as they are, my heart always beats a little faster when I'm brainstorming a new story idea or creating little movies in my mind.

So without further ado, I present to you a re-write of my fictional short story from college-Melissa. If you're a fan of cheesy Hallmark movies and chick-flicks, then this is for you. Highly recommend a cup of chai and fuzzy blanket for optimal cozy-ness #trustme

Saturday Tradition

Every day of the week, I make my own cup of coffee.  But Saturdays are different.  On Saturdays I let him make it for me.

Every Saturday is the same.  I wake up at six o ‘clock sharp, a ridiculous hour for most high school seniors.  I fumble around in my dark bedroom, trying to find my glasses, which are of course piled under a mountain of novels from the usual late night reading.

My fingers finally locate them and I proceed to change into my standard uniform of jeans and a flannel top.  I open up my shades and relish in the sight of fresh snow on the windowpane.

I quietly bound down the steps, grab my backpack and keys, and head outside to my car.

The snow has already covered my neighborhood street, creating a quiet and magical peacefulness as I brush the blanket of white off my car windshield.

As I continue driving the familiar route, autopilot kicks in and my mind wanders back to when this weekly tradition began.

I had just completed a pretty stressful week at school and I couldn’t wait until Saturday would come. I would spend the morning sipping coffee from my favorite café, and burying my nose in a book that I actually wanted to be buried in. While Aristotle was good for my mind, John Green was good for my soul.

I entered through the front door and shook out my coat from the snow dusting outside, already walking up to the counter with the usual order on the tip of my tongue.

As I removed my hood and looked up to recite my drink, my heart took a leap into my throat and I could no longer differentiate between a tall and a veni size mug.

The new barista returned my stare with the smile that had already captured the hearts of the entire female senior class.  The most popular, cutest, well-liked (scratch that) LOVED boy of the 12^th grade.

And here he was. In my café. Serving me coffee. At 7 in the morning.

I was barely able to squeak out my order and I quickly found my traditional spot in back recliner by the indoor fireplace.

And here began my secret weekend routine.

Saturdays were mine.  This café was mine.  And the quiet mornings shared between him and I; they were just ours.

Not that we exchanged anything beyond my recited lines of “medium hazelnut latte, please.”  But he always returned my order with a smile and a firm “Yes, ma’am.”

It was more than enough.  From the quiet corner of the café, I was able to truly see the boy most girls couldn’t comprehend beyond his smile and eyes.

I saw him banter back and forth with the usual customers, always making everyone feel welcomed as soon as they walked through the doors.

I saw him secretly pull out his own wallet and grab some change while an old lady embarrassingly rummaged through her purse for her last 25 cents.

I saw him bring out drinks to the table with the older gentlemen, who must also have the weekly tradition of coffees on Saturday.  Always taking a moment longer at their table, they would exchange a laugh or two, usually ending the conversation with a couple of slaps on the back.

But we kept our distance.  As I felt we should.

My mind focuses back into the present as I park in my usual spot and hustle through the heavy snow into the front door of the café.

The bell rings and he emerges from the back room, with a smile warm enough to evaporate the snowflakes stuck to my coat.

I walk up to the counter and before I could get out a single syllable, he already sets down a steaming cup of coffee in front of me.

“Medium hazelnut latte?  Got it right here for ya!”

My mouth closes and the shock temporarily freezes all communication aspects of my brain.   Finally, I utter out a small laugh, reach out my hands for the warm cup and retort, “Well I actually going to try something new today, but I guess this will have to do.”

He chuckles and hands me my cup, shaking his head in mock disappointment of himself.  “Maybe next Saturday?”

I look up and our eyes lock in a knowing exchange.  And suddenly it dawns on me. Maybe I’m not the only one who looks forward to these early Saturday mornings.

I take my coffee and walk back to the far end corner of the café.

I quickly glance back at the counter and see him helping the old lady order a new drink today, nodding his head, and pointing out all the different coffee varieties.

But, as swiftly as possible, he glances back at me and returns my stare with another warmhearted smile.

I turn back around and glance down at my newest novel sitting in my lap.

I open up the cover, skim the first page, but then close it back up and place it on the coffee table in front of me.

I relax into my chair, a goofy smile plastered across my face and I lift the brimming cup to my lips.

Maybe today I don’t read.  Maybe, instead of losing myself in a fictional story, I savor in this unbelievable piece of reality called Saturday.

sweater// Nordstrom (from fall anniversary sale)

necklace// old (gifted)

jeans// AE jeggings

booties// Target

It's that time of year again - where every Midwest blogger gambles the chance of catching hypothermia for every outfit post set outside #worthit

Luckily we were just in our backyard to swoop into the house for a quick warm-up between shots. 

Is anyone else in denial that it's already November? I feel like I blinked and this entire year has flown by. I'm a little uneasy going into the next two months since working in retail creates a love-hate relationship with the holidays. However, I am looking forward to some snowy mornings at home, curled up with some hot coffee and decorating the house for Christmas (anyone else resisting the urge to put up the tree until after Thanksgiving?! It's literally an everyday battle in our home...)

Another favorite part of this season is full-force sweater weather. Gone are the 30 degree mornings and 80 degree afternoons. Sweaters are here to STAY. And this one has been itching for a night out since I bought it back in July during Nordstrom's anniversary sale. I love the open sleeves and it's beyond soft. Like coming-home-from-a-long-day-at-work-and-falling-asleep-on-top-of-the-bed-in-this-sweater-comfy. Plus it's easy to throw on over some leggings when lounging around the house or paired with jeans for a date night out.

So here's to November, its wonderful chilly evenings, insanely comfy big sweaters and counting down the seconds until Christmas season officially begins. Who's with me?!

(Finally taking the time to wrap up this Nashville diary...oops.)

On our third and final day in Tennessee, I woke up feeling a little sad already. Kind of like the feeling you get on Christmas morning, reminding yourself to take in every moment since it won't be my favorite holiday again for a while. We took our time getting ready and enjoying every bit of our cozy AirBnb. (Let me know if you're curious about the loft, I will send you a direct link!)

We decided to start our drive back towards Atlanta by taking a detour to Loveless Cafe. Along the way, we drove through Belle Meade again. Now, this may seem silly, but I've always wanted to experience a foggy morning in the rolling hills of Tennessee. Before we left, I prayed for just a little bit of fog to please my senses. And boy, did He deliver. We just made it in front of the Belle Meade mansion when I had Tom pull over and we took in some pictures to document the moment (and the outfit, of course. Duhhh.) It was a beautiful morning and I was so content looking at the grassy hills and listening to Russell Dickerson's album that dropped that morning. Here's a little snippit from our perfect commute <3

We arrived at Loveless Cafe around 9:30am on that Friday and there was already a 45 minute wait. I was a little concerned at first that it was just a big tourist trap and we were trap-ees. However, after 45 minutes of perusing around the shops, the wait was WELL WORTH IT. First off, THE BISCUITS. They were no joke. I wasn't kidding when I posted on my Instagram about the copious amount of biscuits I ate on this trip. Loveless Cafe is to blame for about 3/4 of them. Tom ordered a very many breakfast with brisket, eggs and photos. I opted for the farmer's omelet (since I was already getting full from all the homemade biscuits/jelly I had previously inhaled.)

The food was phenomenal and I understand why there was such a weight at the beginning, since it took about 20 minutes for us to get out of our seats. Tom and I busied ourselves with some of the kids crossword puzzles while we waited for some of our food to digest a bit. If you ever find yourself debating on making the drive to Loveless, I will personally meet you in Nashville, drive you to the cafe and sit you in the sunny porch area. I can be compensated with half your table's biscuits ;)

After we finished brunch, we took the long way to Atlanta by driving through Brentwood and Franklin. Brentwood, TN is no joke. Tom and I meandered through so many neighborhoods where our entire house could fit in their front yard...a little overwhelming at times, but still very cool to see!

Once we got to Franklin, we parked our car along Main Street and walked through their plethora of shops and cafes. There were so many cute boutiques full of beautiful home decor items, I was smacking my head again for not bringing along an extra suitcase. Y'all (just gonna start pretending I use that in my everyday vocabulary) and the houses were so cute! Everyone had a front porch, white shiplap, black shutters and all dressed up for the autumn season. #WasSuperCreepyAndTakingPicturesOfMyFavoritesAlongTheWay

Once we left Main Street, we headed made one final stop at The Factory in Franklin, full of *surprise* cut boutiques and shops that we perused through. It was built back in 1929 and had a cool industrial yet chic atmosphere about it. Note to self: Drive entire U-Haul to Tennessee next time we visit in order to shop our hearts out.

We stopped at the Frankin Juice Company on our way out for some much-needed vitamins after a few induldgent-days in Nashville. We then proceeded to make the trek back to Atlanta for the evening so we were close for our 10am flight. Sadly, we forgot to pick up any food before dropping off the car for the night, so we made a delecable snack-supper from the hotel's shop, while catching up on Riverdale's season 2 premiere episode (Thanks, Tom ;))

In the morning, we had a quick hotel breakfast and then headed to the airport to catch our morning flight back to the good ole' state of Minnesota. While I love the Midwest, Nashville will always hold a special place in my heart and we plan on making this trip an annual occurrence. Cause where else will you see Thomas Rhett, eat delicious 100-layer donuts and shop in the cutest little boutiques ever?!?
#OnlyinNashville

Day 2 in Nashville was going to be jam-packed, so we got an early start to the day and headed to the one of our highly-anticipated stops: The Frothy Monkey. We headed to the 12 South location since we were literally five minutes from our AirBnb. It was a cloudy and drizzly morning, so the rustic and cozy atmosphere of the cafe warmed us right up. Tom and I stood at the front, clearly looking very lost, so the barista was kind enough to walk us through the menu. I ordered the California which was over-easy eggs on avocado toast and sprouts. #basicgirlsdreams Tom got the Farmer's breakfast of eggs, toast and ham.
We also ordered two of their specialty drinks the Turtle Latte and the Monkey Mocha. While the Turtle was delicious, the mocha won hands down. It's a chocolatey coffee treat with a touch of banana syrup; I have to admit I was skeptical at first, but was hooked by first sip. HIGHLY recommend this drink to any visiting friends in the Nashville area.

We then strolled around the area to kill time before my hair appointment. We stumbled upon the cutest pumpkin patch and took some pictures. I felt a little odd taking pictures in front of the cafe/walking pedestrians, but Tom met another #InstagramHusband around the corner and all was right with the world.

We also made a point to stop at the infamous "I Believe in Nashville" mural. There was a small line to get your photo taken, but it went by quickly. A small wait is nothing for an Instagrammer checking off a huge bucketlist item on her shoot list ;)

After pumpkin picking and mural stalking, we stopped at Starbucks for *surprise* more coffee. I just wanted a little something to sip on before heading to The Dry House. If you haven't heard of this fabulous salon, please follow them on Instagram. Their well-known for their everyday blowouts at an affordable price. They also aren't shy to many well-known celebrities stopping by on a daily basis and I was crossing my fingers Lauren Akins would make an appearance. (Sadly...no :()
The salon has such a cool atmosphere to it, with lots of sassy quotes and cute decor throughout the place. I had an appointment with Crystal, who killed it with some bouncy curls in my hair. It felt so nice to have someone else style my hair for the day and I can now appreciate the occasional blowout necessity ;) (sorry Tom)

After the hair appointment, Tom and I drove around town looking at all the cool houses in the Nashville area. We like to dream big for fun, so we were trying to come up with a way to own a house both here and in Minnesota. (Still a work in progress hahaa) We then parked and decided to take in all of the boutiques in the area. One of our favorites was White's Mercantile. It was built in an old gas station and was filled with so much rustic TN home decor. I had to remind myself our luggage was already tipping the scale at the airport, so a large candle, pillow, mural and necklaces were out of the question ;)

Another mural, another Instagram <3

We also went in Draper James, Reese Witherspoon's shop, a southern girl's dream boutique, Savant and Vinne Louise to just name a few. Again, my wallet was just burning in my purse, but my already-stuffed luggage thanked me later.

Around noon, we started to get hungry again. And what better way to re-fuel than stopping by Five Daughter's Bakery for a 100-layer donut. That's right folks. 100 layers of sweet goodness. The staff there was super friendly and helped us make a couple of choices to try out their top treats. We ended up with the maple, vanilla cream and vegan pumpkin spice. My taste buds are still craving these small bites of heaven. Definitely a good-enough reason for us to buy that second home in Nashville one day. #AnythingforDonuts

After more shop perusing, we drove towards downtown Nashville and had a late lunch at the amazing Biscuit Love restaurant. Another one of our pre-meditated food choices, it did not disappoint. I honestly was waiting until one of our choices was going to be less than delicious, but honestly everything single thing we ate in Nashville was drool-worthy. Tom got the Princess Chicken Biscuit *insert crying/laughing emoji here* and I got the East Nasty. It was honestly southern comfort food at its absolute best. I refrained myself from licking the plate at the end. #CleanPlateClub

After lunch, we headed back to the loft for a little bit and I took a much-needed nap from all the shopping and eating we were doing. What can I say? It's vacation. We changed and decided to check out the downtown scene for the night. Both Tom and I aren't huge crowd people, but it was still fun to see all Broadway light up at night. There was a home Predators game that night, so there were much more people there than on a typical Thursday night. We stopped in a few shops and candy stores to look around and try to find some souvenirs to take home. After that, we strolled to the Pedestrian's Bridge to get some night-life shots of the city.

 
Once we were done downtown, we decided to stop at The Pharmacy for some burgers. The wait was about 30 minutes, but worth every second. The food was phenomenal and we got to eat in their cool patio section filled with trees and patio lighting. The burgers had homemade buns and the sweet potato fries were out of this world. We headed back home with full bellies and each fell asleep into a burger coma. Like I said, it's vacation.

Don't miss part III of our Nashville diary on Friday!