Hannah Morrison

The Renaissance Birthday Staycation

This is a paid partnership with Marriott Hotels for The Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West. Though the room and some services were provided to us for free, my review of the experience is an honest opinion. You will see noted in our itinerary what was provided by the hotel vs. what we paid for on our own. 

If you follow me on Instagram, I am sure you noticed this past weekend we had a staycation at The Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West. This is one of our absolute favorite places to go for date nights or just to get me out of the house during the day. I mean, there’s a Sprinkles Cupcakes and a Starbucks Reserve… What more in life do you need? Am I right?

So when The Renaissance reached out to me about coming for a stay, it was really a no-brainer. Of course I want a staycation at our favorite spot! I was excited to experience their beautiful hotel, eat enormous amounts of food at our favorite restaurants that are all in the Legacy West shopping center, and *most of all* celebrate my sweet hubby’s 29th birthday! We couldn’t have had a better stay, and we are so grateful to The Renaissance for their incredible hospitality and for inviting us to come stay. I cannot wait to show you guys their beautiful amenities as well as our full itinerary for your own stay! Whether you are local and looking for a great place to have a little getaway at, or are from out of town looking for a fun place to travel to- Legacy West is the perfect spot!

Plano is booming, right next to Frisco where the new Cowboy’s practice facility is, and tons of new companies are coming to the area (like Toyota HQ!). The overall feel of the city has changed immensely over the last few years alone that we have lived in the area, and it’s exciting to watch unfold. There’s SO MUCH TO DO, but especially in the Legacy West center. You literally can just come and never leave during your staycation. Everything you need is here. I am not going to lie… We had a classic parents of a baby getaway and slept literally the entire time other than a couple outings for food. But, for real, The Renaissance had Netflix and Hulu, which blew my mind. I have never stayed somewhere that had smart tv’s for you to login to your Netflix account. Soooo… that was a game changer IMO. We watched New Girl ALL. FREAKING. DAY. and slept. Day 1… I literally thought I heard Knox crying and had to get into “staycation mode.” But once I did, I was all in! 😉

The Renaissance provided us with, no joke, the best room in the entire hotel. We had the top floor king suite that looks out over the entire city. It had a living room + a room suite, they delivered us cheese and fruit night 1, and the shower had a bathtub INSIDE it. The rooms have Aveda products, which I really appreciated. It was absolutely above and beyond anything I ever expected, and they treated us like royalty our entire stay.

Our Itinerary- Where we ate, what we did!

Thursday

3 PM Check-in (Explored the hotel a little, napped, got ready for dinner)

6 PM Drinks at Del Frisco’s Bar- This is our favorite fancy date night steak house and it’s literally across the street from The Renaissance!

7 PM Dinner- Paul ordered a Filet Mignon + Brussel Sprouts, I got their Medallions with mashed potatoes and green beans. We also ordered their bacon appetizer, which we had never gotten before. It was to die for, and you should 300000% order this if you go. They also had allergy friendly bread for us, which rarely happens. Allergy friendly means gluten-free, dairy-free, and corn-free. Sounds like it’ll be horrible, yeah? Haha, But it was fantastic!

Friday

10 AM Woke up *FREAKING YES! 10 AM!* Breakfast at Up Inspired- This is the only place we drove to our whole trip, but it’s our favorite breakfast spot and was only about a 5 minute drive from the hotel so we went. We get the GF granola acai bowls here. They’re huge and so delicious. The honey has a unique flavor that they drizzle on top, which makes the bowl, in my opinion. Their coffee is also BOMB.

12 PM- Back to hotel to hang and watch more New Girl

1:30 PM- Lunch at Mesero’s and Shopping- Mesero’s is by far our favorite date night go-to. It’s the best Mexican food! Their drinks are fantastic, their salsas are incredible, and the service is honestly unbeatable. We have never once had a bad experience here. We order the Carne Asada plate with corn tortillas and a side of chicken. They don’t do a true “fajita” plate, but this is their way to give you fajitas. It comes with rice and beans, guac, and pico- just like a fajita plate. I ordered the bean soup for the first time for a lighter lunch option, and it no joke was the best bean soup I have ever had.

We then walked around Legacy West, which is curated with the best shops! It’s a very unique curation of shopping and a lot of stuff that you won’t find just anywhere. There’s a Fabletics store, a huge LuluLemon, a Madewell, Filson, J Crew, MAC, Credo, Sugarfina… And like a zillion others.

We made it back to our hotel for, alas, a nap and more New Girl (For real… I think we did at least one season while here!) We now understand people who told us before we had a kid that they slept for fun when they went on vacation… Like, we are those people now, too.

6 PM- We got dressed up and went downstairs to the Whiskey Moon bar in the lobby before dinner at 7 next door. Our second night was packed at the hotel because tons of people were staying at The Renaissance for the Seahawks/Cowboys game AND a college football championship game. There were fans everywhere from all over the place, and it was so fun!

 

7 PM- *paid for by Marriott* The Renaissance treated us to dinner next door at Bulla Gastro Bar, which was such a fun experience! They are a Spanish restaurant, which was new to us. They do Tapas, Paella, Steaks… I mean such a variety! We both ordered their Margarita and the hummus dish to start. The hummus was incredible, and they were so careful with our allergies. The chef even came out to talk to us before preparing any food for us that night!

For dinner, we both ordered the ribeye and OH MY GOSH. First of all, the plate came with TWO RIBEYES. I barely made it through the first, but of course Paul ate both. They catered to our food allergies and brought us different sides than what the dish on the menu says it comes with. I also ordered the Paella, because I had never tried it before. I ordered the seafood one, so it was rice with mussels, shrimp, chicken, and octopus. Okay, so the octopus totally threw me off. HOWEVER, the rice and shrimp were out of this world good.

Saturday

9 AM- *paid for by Marriott* Breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant OMA. This place was SO. DELISH. And, the overall aesthetic was so cute. There was a whole wall of plates, which I really appreciated. We are very into “the feel” of places, if you haven’t noticed. It is honestly 50% of our opinion of a place. The other 50% being their food, of course. OMA delivered 100% for us between the two! I had their egg white omelette with gluten free toast and jalapeno turkey sausage (OMG SO GOOD), and Paul ordered the steak and eggs + a side of bacon (LOL, my husband is a carnivore).

 

We had such an incredible trip and are so grateful to The Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West for everything they did for us. This hotel would make a great spot for an incredible wedding night, wedding guests spot to stay, staycation, babymoon, bachelorette party, birthday party… I mean really anything!

This trip, we didn’t go to Legacy Hall. However, we’ve been a trillion times and absolutely LOVE it. It’s 3 (maybe 4?) floors of Artisanal Food. Think a mall food court x’s about 100 haha. It’s incredible food, like Austin food truck type food, all packed into one massive building. There’s live entertainment, a beer garden, a brewery… It’s seriously amazing! I have had Greek, Pizza, and Tacos there, just to name a few. I have also had acai bowls, popcicles, coffee, and -if I could- I would be first in line at the waffle place. The minute they make a GF one, though, count me in!

Recreate the Outfits You See! 

Some items are different than the exact one I am wearing, but I linked very similar ones!

Check-in: 

Night 1:

Day 2: 

Night 2: 

Final Morning: 

All photos for this post edited with Presets by MG

Claiming Victories

Heya! Today’s blog post is from this past Tuesday’s Sweet Thoughts devotional that goes out every week to my inner circle’s inboxes at 6 AM. I hardly ever share on The Cake what I send out to my Cake Community via email, because I keep that exclusive to those of you who have signed up to receive my devos. However, this one seemed to resonate with a lot of you. Like… I got so many DM’s and shares on your stories, showing me just how alike so many of us are! None of us are alone in the struggle. And because of that, I wanted to share it with all of you.

And, if you would like to receive these kind of emails every Tuesday then you can sign up here! Maybe your hope for 2019 is to grow closer to God but you don’t know where to start. Start with Tuesdays! This week’s email was a little different- more of a letter than a devotional. But, usually you receive a scripture at the top to read followed by a quick piece about it afterward. I share my rawest and more vulnerable self in these emails, and I am thankful for all of you who already receive these and do life with me through this online community there. You will laugh, you may cry, and I can assure you you will grow to know God more by diving into His word.

 

Sweet Thoughts Devotional from Hannah: 1/1/2019

And just like that, the holidays are over and a new year has come.

Every year, without fail, on this day I feel just a little sad, just a little nostalgic, and just a little anxious. It’s partly because I can feel the weight of the hustle from the last month finally catching up with me. Even on a year where we truly took it slow and I am very pleased with the space we allowed ourselves to walk in- saying “no” to things that didn’t fill us or make sense for our schedules- I still feel oddly sore, emotionally drained, and incapable of processing what I even want for breakfast. It’s also partly because I am sad to see my family all leave, sending off my parents and siblings once again to their own corners of the country. I ache deep within my belly, wishing for them to stay just a little a longer and hating my two greatest foes: time and distance. Processing these emotions, my introverted self finds herself sitting on the sofa in a people coma, book in hand and a cup of coffee, and a whole lot of nothing to do pencilled in on the calendar.

Does this sound at all eerily familiar to your current situation?

I promise, this all gets happier. 

Read on with me. See, with my usual mix of emotions I have on the 1st of every single new year, I feel more hope today than ever before. I feel anxious, but more so in a good way than I have in a long time. It’s an excitement rather than fear. It’s a realization deep within my bones that I, contrary to what I have told myself for years and years, do not need to nor will I ever make this “my year.” Follow me here… Because my goodness, what pressure we place on ourselves over and over to perform for a crowd for 365 days! Telling ourselves that this is the year we will indeed operate at our finest, most well-tuned self. This is the big one! “This is the year I am going to ___________.”

Hear me: You will not make this “your year.”

For years, as that ball drops and the new year rolls in, I have found myself feeling that odd and all too familiar mix of emotions: a little sad, a little nostalgic, and a little anxious. And, I am guessing you do, too. But why? Because we set ourselves up for failure 365 days before, and spent the following 364 trying to measure up to and please others in order to prove this was “our best year.” We told ourselves lies and made promises we knew we couldn’t keep, and we find ourselves disappointed in ourselves more than anything or anybody else. It’s truly a gross cycle we are caught in, and social media only makes it worse. Our short-comings are on full display for all the world to see, or so it feels. Year after year, one thing after another, disappointment surely follows a list of goals and resolutions we couldn’t perfectly achieve. We feel, despite the fact people really do care a whole lot less than we make ourselves believe, like we let a slew of people down, ourselves at the top of that list, because we didn’t nail perfectly all the things we said a year before that we would do.

And then, as I always hear after the impossible task of perfection… “failure” lingers like a distant echo in our thoughts. 

Failure is the word that haunts me most in the back of my mind. Not just at the start of the year, but in my day to day. Failure is what I believe about myself when I do not achieve “perfection.” And, because perfection is impossible for me to grasp -no matter how hard I try or how close I might get- I hear the lie of “you failed” whispered in my ear often.

But not this year.
I hope the same for you.
I am done believing I didn’t do enough.
I am done believing that I can make things happen. 

See, as a Christian, if it’s true that my life is not my own… Why do I think I can make this year my own? Why do I honestly think I can shape and form my life for the next 365 days? I am not sure about you, but I am done with the cycle of taking my life and my year into my own hands. I will disappoint myself if I think I can make this my best year.

BUT GOD.

God can make this my best year. God can give me joy in the midst of disappointment. God can fill me, tell me I am victorious, and make me whole.

God can make this my best one yet when I bring Him my best and believe that He has the best for me. That, no matter what this year brings or what I do or don’t do, it was all for my good and all for His glory.

Don’t hear me wrong… I believe in setting goals. I absolutely believe in these. I am as goal-oriented and “write it out to cross it off” as they come. But, here’s the difference for me this year, it’s a simple perspective shift. I am done believing I am my Creator. So, this year, rather than making a list of things I will do in 2019, I am counting my victories from 2018 and allowing those to lead me into the new year. What victories do I wan to see this upcoming year?

I want victory over anxiety when people don’t like me, because I know whose I am what I was created for.
I want to have victory over feeling like I am not enough, because I know through Christ I am enough.
I want victory over insecurity, because in Christ I find a firm foundation built upon the Rock.

See, rather than starting at the bottom of the barrel and creating a list of goals I must do in the next 365 days in order to feel “more accomplished” than the one before, I am starting on top. I am looking back at what God did, not me, and how I handled the situations that the Lord gave me this past year to grow. I saw disappointment this past year. I was far from perfect. I wanted to quit time and time again. But with disappointment is the opportunity for hope and growth. That is why, with a perspective shift, I feel hope today more than anything else. The gift of disappointment is that we would not see just how much we need a perfect God if it didn’t exist. I couldn’t recognize growth I experienced in a year if all I do is aim for perfection and get frustrated when I fail to achieve it.

This year, I am letting myself walk in freedom. I am no longer pleasing others. I am no longer setting goals I feel I have to achieve solely because I think I will let other people down if I don’t do it or nail it perfectly. Because let’s be honest. When that is what drives me, more often than not, I am stuck in crippling fear with my feet plastered deep in the ground out of fear of what others might say about it. I am done with it all. I am setting goals for my character, my relationship with God, and the territories I want to claim victory over in my mind and sphere of influence.

Sure, I have had some disappointments in 2018. I have things I want to grow in personally and I have goals for my business. But I have had a hell of a lot of victories over where I wasn’t enough but in Christ I was more than enough, and that’s what leads me today. That is why I have hope today. That is why today feels a little different than other January 1st’s that I have sat in a people coma on my couch.

I pray today you choose to list the victories. I pray you ask God to go before you and show the new places you can claim victory over in 2019. I truly believe the other things on our list of goals we would like to see take place this year will naturally fall into place when our perspective shifts. Our efforts and hard work, that business you wish to start, that fitness goal, or that dream you want to finally chase will truly not be for man when we recognize that our dreams are simply God’s heart for us. Not for us, but to His name, His glory, His victory.

Happy New Year, sweet friends. Go claim victories.

xoxo,
Han

Momma’s Christmas Breakfast Casserole

You know those things that absolutely HAVE to happen or else the holidays just didn’t feel quite right? That’s what this breakfast casserole is for me. It’s just not Christmas morning without it. For as long as I can remember, every single Christmas morning in my memory begins with a waft of spicy sausage sizzling in the skillet from the kitchen as mom gets it ready to place in the oven for us to devour after gift opening.

I am so excited to partner with Samsung Appliances today to share this easy yet absolutely delicious breakfast casserole, packed with cheesy goodness, for your own Christmas morning that has reigned a staple in our home for decades. As a bunch of you know, Paul and I moved into our first home last year. I have been slowly but surely knocking out projects room by room, but one of the things we were most excited about was that the previous owners had purchased a new oven and microwave before selling! Not having to worry about appliances was such a relief when we purchased our home. Sleek and clean appliances are a big deal to us, and I was so excited about this Samsung duo in our home. Plus, it meant one less thing we had to buy or replace! I know for a fact I can count on my Samsung Oven to cook my favorite family recipes perfectly, and that they will last a long time for us.

Momma’s Christmas Breakfast Casserole

Begin with a casserole dish and spray with a nonstick oil. I tend to use our smaller square dish for a fuller and fluffier final dish!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients

8 eggs

1 lb ground sausage, browned in the skillet (I prefer “hot” for more flavor!)

1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (This is just a base… I poured in the entire bag for this specific casserole pictured and it was the BOMB.)

1 loaf of bread (I used 18 for this dish – 3 x 3 rows x’s 2 layers of Udi’s smaller slices. Depending on your loaf of bread used, it will vary due to slice sizes! The end goal is two layers of bread.)

8 eggs

2 cups of milk (we used almond, but any kind is perfect!)

1 tsp. mustard

Steps:

Brown your sausage in a skillet and set to the side. Layer the bottom of your casserole dish with the first layer of bread. Mix together your eggs, cheese, milk, and mustard. Pour half of the mixture on top of your bread and add half of the sausage atop the bread and egg mixture. Repeat for a second layer and top with shredded cheese.

Place in oven for 35 minutes. Remove and let cool. EAT UP! If you like spicy, you can even add salsa to the top of yours. We often do this, but make it optional for people who, like my grandma, think everything is too spicy. 😉

I told you it was easy! There is nothing better than sleepy eyes around a beautiful Christmas table in pajamas and usually a new toy in hand while devouring this casserole. It just says “Christmas for me”, and I hope it does the same for you!

Merry Christmas!

Check out our amazing and affordable stove here! 

All photos by Cottonwood Road Photography for The Cake by Hannah x Samsung Appliances

Advent: LOVE

 

If you receive my weekly devotionals in your inbox, Sweet Thoughts, then you’ve been going through the weeks of Advent with me. We have read more about Promise (the promise the Lord gave to save his people through the words of the Prophet Isaiah), Preparation (Preparing our hearts to remember what Christ did for us and will do), and Joy (the joy that the Lord brought to a dark world, and how we can live in a state of joy by knowing Him).

Because there are technically FIVE weeks of advent and the next Sweet Thoughts would send on Christmas Day, I am mixing it up a little for these final two. Today, week 4, is on love. I hope you know how cared for and loved you are always, but are especially reminded of it today. If you enjoy today’s blog post but aren’t signed up for my weekly devos that hit your inbox at 6 AM every single week… You can sign up right here to join my inner circle community. Being part of my emails means you not only get my weekly devos, but you get first dibs on any new products in the shop or for exciting news!

Today’s Scripture: John 3: 16-18 (ESV & The MSG versions are my favorite!) 

Random fact about me: I was a dancer my entire life- from age 3 all the way through college where I danced on the team at my university. Performances were my favorite thing, and knowing people I loved were there in the audience was so special to me. I would always try to find them in the audience before making my way onto the stage, giving a wave and blowing a kiss. As much as it truly meant for them to be there cheering me on, I wanted them to know I saw them. I wanted them to know that their showing up to my performance meant the world and I felt honored, cherished, and loved because of it.

My mom and dad, no joke, missed not a single performance my entire life. Y’all… That’s a lot. We are talking every single one. Every recital, every basketball game, every football game, every show in college. They were there. Usually somewhere right in the middle, because they would get there early enough to assemble themselves in the best seats. As I write about this, it actually makes me cry. They showed up. Their love was shown to me by always being there. On my best days and my worst. The days I hit that triple and the ones I stumbled out of it… they were always there clapping, smiling, and -if you’re my dad- crying more often than not. I absolutely get my cry at the drop of a dime from my daddy, which I think is so sweet. My dad is the epitome of a hardworking man to me, yet he has the most tender, gentle spirit bundled up inside of him. I love that about him.

Anyways, it has been 6 years since I have done any kind of a performance, yet I am brought to tears even now when I think about how much effort it took on their part to be present and show me how much they loved me by being at EVERY. SINGLE. PERFORMANCE.

In that same way, God sent Jesus to us to prove His love and faithfulness. He had promised His people for hundreds of years that He had a plan. But as we know, God’s timing is perfect and they were longingly waiting for it. They waited for dozens and dozens of generations to see the promise fulfilled. And, honestly I cannot blame the Israelites for starting to wonder if they messed up one too many times or if He had changed His mind. But, no no, God didn’t change His mind. He waited until the darkness was too dark to deny -the perfect time- to send His light that would save the world. The darkest of darks needed the brightest light of promise, hope, joy, and love! Isn’t it true that when the light is shown in the darkest part of the night, its light is appreciated most? A light at dusk isn’t as necessary as 2 AM. God waited for His 2 AM, if you will. He showed up in the dark in a most perfect, gentle, graceful, peaceful way to prove His love once and for all. And, not because He has to prove His love. I mean… He is God. But, love shown is love received, and He came for His people so that they would receive His love as a promise fulfilled and doubt His love no more.

Just like my parents showing up, planning ahead of time to make certain they got the best seats, it’s bonkers to me that God loves me even more than that. He loves you, sees you, and celebrates you. On your best days and worst of days, He loves you with a love that cannot be denied. He doesn’t show up to condemn you or accuse you of your wrong-doings as this scripture says, but to prove to you -despite your shortcomings- that you were worth showing up for.

Aren’t you grateful for a Savior who came down, put on flesh, lived a life you couldn’t live and died the death you deserved in order to prove just HOW MUCH He loves you?

Merry Christmas, my friends!

Our Merry Knoxmas Celebration!

This last weekend we had our now 1 year old’s birthday party! It wasn’t because our kid was going to remember this party or because I wanted to put together a “Pinterest-Worthy” occasion -although, it was a little selfishly because I really do love any reason I can get to put together a good party. But, rather, it’s because I wanted to gather together our closest community who have helped us survive this first year of parenting and celebrate the fact we’ve all three made it out alive.

There was a reindeer cake, there were hot cocoa mug cupcakes, there was a hot cocoa bar, there were streamers and balloons. But, most importantly, my home was packed full of people I love and am so thankful for. People who I have texted to ask if I am feeding my baby enough. People I have asked the most detailed questions about breast feeding and postpartum recovery. People who have watched Knox for us so that we can have a day together. People who have watched Knox in the nursery at church every single Sunday, and people who pray for all of us often.

No, I didn’t throw a party for Knox. I mean, I did… But, not really. It was a party to celebrate a joyous year as a mom and dad to the sweetest little boy with the best friends and community around us that a family could ever ask for. That’s what I was celebrating. And, our community’s love and overflow of generosity was on full display when very much to our surprise Knox had dozens of sweet gifts to open. Like, I am not kidding, we legit thought we would be opening family gifts afterwards and maybe a few others. But, wow. Just… WOW. I was so overwhelmed by the outpouring of love on our sweet bubba.

For our Merry Knoxmas theme, it honestly was really easy considering I deck my home out for Christmas as is. I kept things really simple. I am not a great baker, so I bought a plain round chocolate cake at Market Street, and I purchased this antler cake topper. I put a Cherry Sour for the Rudolph nose and done! I then used this idea from Pinterest for the hot cocoa cupcake. We are talking boxed cupcakes people and they were a hit! 😉

We set up a cocoa bar with cute little odds and ends from the dollar section at Target, and I used my cake stands I already own.

For the streamer back drop, I intended on doing a supposedly “cheap DIY” project I had found on Pinterest. I am serious, it was to purchase big crepe paper and cut hundreds upon hundreds of little slits into the sides… for an “impressive” $30…. Well, I got to Party City and found these white ones ALREADY with the slits and the perfect width… for $3.99 a piece. I bought two and it was the perfect amount. I am not kidding y’all. I saved about $20 and at least 3 hours of my life by getting these pre-made crepe paper streamers.

I cut them in roughly 4.5 foot long pieces. I then taped the top, twisted down- all done in the same direction for each piece- and then taped the bottom. That’s it y’all… SO. FREAKING. EASY.

For entertainment, I set up a table with blank pages to write letters to Santa with crayons. And then, I had a cupcake decorating station where I had frosting, sprinkles, candy bars, and marshmallows. The biggest hit of the party was a $3 inflatable penguin bowling set from the dollar section at Target that the kids legit played with almost the entire time. Best $3 I have ever spent haha.

Our cute wooden truck out front to greet people was made by our sweet friends, Kristen and Brian, and it was seriously too perfect! Such a fun photo backdrop for people.

Frankly, the most money I spent to go a little “extra” on this party was on the balloons. But, I think every party needs balloons and it was $40. I didn’t break the bank, but it transformed the whole room! These letters were only $2.99 a piece and are self-inflate. It was way easier than I expected and went fairly quickly.

All in all, Merry Knoxmas was simple and so fun with people we love! I had such a blast putting together this party for our sweet miracle!

LET’S GET SOCIAL