NUMBER 262

i'm well aware that i've been neglecting my little blog, but i am still alive, well, and busy! here's a little recap in pictures of the last whirlwind week. not pictured: me + the boo celebrating our 4th wedding anny eating ice cream straight out of the carton.

new birthday boots! y'all might remember my wishlist post a while back. well, andrew came through in the clutch this year!
i think i’m good-to-go on shoes for the next 17 years.

playing dress up in the cliché birthday sombrero at cantina 1511 on friday night.

too much mexican food = pj party with anni-mal after din.

me, whitney, mason, and alexa.
saturday morning blogger brunch at toast with some lovely ladies!
i'm so so glad whitney put together this little outing! it was wonderful meeting you gals!

cute little coordinated family at mellow mushroom saturday night! [only ate 1 dinner at home last week, oops]

lastly, our weekend project. and by “our” i mean, the men. my dad and andrew spent saturday [and most of sunday] routing the gas line and installing new gas logs! we broke them in last night during the finale for breaking bad [which was ahhmazing]. our living room is quickly becoming my favorite place in the house!

HAPPY MONDAY, Y’ALL!

NUMBER 261

image via

today i am 28 years old! in the past few years, i feel as if i've been struggling with some sort of quarter-life crisis. i wasn’t feeling like the happy, carefree, girl i had known in years past. i was insecure, moody, and just not very fun [in my opinion]. late in my 27th year, i've truly felt a transformation. i'm on the rise again! my heart is happy, and i am content [and no, i'm not pregs]. here are just a few things that are keeping my spirits high:

• think positive!
  only i am in charge of how i feel.
• stop comparing.
  there will always be someone prettier, smarter, more talented, etc. be thankful and enjoy the many gifts and blessings that God has given me.
• count your blessings.
  [they greatly outweigh the negatives that can seem so huge at times]
• keep a clean home. 
  am i crazy? having a clean house makes me genuinely happy!
• stop putting happiness on a pedestal.
  i'm starting to realize that i don’t have to have 10/10 items checked off on my “list” in order to be happy. i have a good life.
• just do it.
  [not like nike] for me, this doesn’t mean going skydiving or moving to nashville to become a country music singer. it means going to coffee with a new friend or picking up the phone to call an old one. i walk around with the fear of rejection so often and don’t realize the opportunities that can pass me by. once i just “do it”, i'm so happy i did.

and a few goals for the next year:

• wake up earlier.
  i'm usually up by 9 on the weekends which is definitely progress. now if i could just swing 6:30 on a weekday, we’d be in good shape.
• eat better.
  i think i've eaten enough taco bell in my lifetime to feed a small village for a year. i wish i were kidding when i say that i love fast food and think it tastes really good. time to make some changes.
• be active.
  for me, this is a more realistic goal than “work out”. let’s start with a walk around the neighborhood a few times a week. baby steps.
• show love.
  i want to make a more conscious effort to think of others more often: call someone when you’re thinking of them, send more birthday cards, help out a friend who’s going through a hard time. i spend a lot of time thinking about doing these things and saying “i don’t have time”, when the reality is…. if i didn’t surf pinterest for 17 hours a week, i could spend more time doing meaningful things for other people!
• know God.
  learning to not think of God as some abstract being but rather someone who is actually in my life - day in and day out. our relationship is definitely something that needs tending in the next year [and then some].

the past year has brought a lot of enlightenment for me, and i know 28 will continue along the same path. thanks for reading and following my little journey!

NUMBER 260

last weekend we traveled to smith mountain lake to spend some time celebrating our sweet friends, marc and lori beth, and their engagement! we were fortunate enough to have our engagement party here just 4 short years ago, so it was so much fun to go back and relive the excitement with our good friends! the girls were too busy gossiping about the bachelorette party to snap pics, so these were stolen from marc+lb – which explains why they’re awesome, and not cell phone photos. thanks so much to their families for hosting this perfect event and for including us!

this view never gets old.

soul sisters/best friends
my dress is from francescas, lb’s is from gap

beautiful bridesmaids

the happy couple

my handsome groom – almost 4 years and counting!

dad and I being sweet.
andrew, brad, and mom perfecting the photo bomb.

we’re so lucky to have such great friends…who throw great parties…and invite us to them! can’t wait for that beautiful wedding in june!

NUMBER 259

it’s friday!! i haven’t been the best blogger lately, but i'm staying faithful to my favorite post each week – five on friday! i'm linking up with some of my favorites: april, christina, darci, and natasha for their weekly link up! you should too – all the cool kids are doing it!

1  |  earlier this week, alex was raving about pottery barn’s mercury glass pumpkins. what’s a girl to do when you don’t want to pay the pottery barn price tag? find them cheaper at kirklands, duh. and you can light these up if you’re feeling extra spooky.
2  |  although the weather isn’t quite cooperating with my state of mind, i put together a little fall crockpot meal this week. one of my go-to favorites is red beans and rice. i've been using this recipe for years, and it never fails. the only bad part? my hands smelled like chopped onions all day.
3  | we’re headed to virginia for the weekend to celebrate our good friends’, marc and lori beth’s, engagement. the party will be at marc’s parents’ picture perfect home on smith mountain lake, one that andrew and i have been lucky to be guests at too many times to count. so excited to celebrate the beginning of married life for these two love birds!
4  |  last weekend, mom took me on a little pre-birthday shopping trip and just couldn’t leave francesca’s without this gorgeous dress. i'm wearing it to the party on saturday and can’t wait to sport it when the weather gets cooler with some tall boots!
5  |  lastly, being in danville for the weekend wouldn’t complete without some niece snuggles. these little girls are growing so fast into young ladies, and our time with them is so so precious! looking forward to some delicious home cooking and a beautiful virginia weekend!

HAPPY WEEKEND!

NUMBER 258

it’s always so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day routine. take a minute today to reflect on the event that rocked our world 12 years ago. my thoughts and prayers are still with those who lost loved ones on 9.11 and who continue to hold strong today. we’ll never forget where we were on this day, and we’ll never forget the sacrifices that have been made since.  image via.

NUMBER 257

so i'm full of empty promises and haven’t had a sec to put together my vacay-wrap-up post! instead, i'm dropping by today for a little five on friday action with darci, christina, april, and natasha!

1  |  alex and i received a little surprise text yesterday from our good friend emily with some very valuable information. apparently we’re the carrie underwood fanatics in our group – who knew?! mrs. fisher is coming out with her very own opi nicole line which debuts in january 2014. can’t wait to try some of these new hues!

2  |  yesterday was my dad’s birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! we’re driving up to greensboro tomorrow for a little beer brewing [and beer drinking] in honor of the birthday boy! i love this old throwback picture of my dad and me! it’s so fun/creepy to look back at old pictures of him and see the extreme resemblance to my brother now!

3  |  i'm feeling incredibly thankful for my little fur babies this week. it’s a well-known fact that i'm approaching the “crazy cat lady” title [if i'm not there already], so it’s no surprise that andrew and i both got really freaked out [ex: me, in tears] when we almost OD’d our cats on flea treatments this week. lesson to be learned: don’t just go for the cheapest brand of flea prevention [hartz, sergeants], they can be incredibly hazardous to your pet’s health. go ahead, splurge on the good stuff at the vet if you want to keep fido and fluffy around for a while.

4  |  i'm not a tried and true PSL gal. *gasp* i know! i'm more of a chai latte lover. i'd love to whip up this homemade chai vanilla latte creamer! i think it would be a nice little transition into fall!

5  |  although i'm not crazy about a PSL, i do love a great spiced donut! i had my first little pumpkin muchkin from dunkin’ donuts last week, and i know it won’t be the last. i've never made homemade donuts before, but i'm thinking i might add that to my fall bucket list! image via

HAPPY [ALMOST FALL] WEEKEND!

NUMBER 256

phillip lim for target (coming soon!)  |  naked 2 palette |  frye paige boots | essie cashmere bathrobe, skirting the issue, after school boy blazer

according to pinterest and every blogger/instagrammer out there, fall is in the air! nevermind that it’s currently 86 degrees outside. it’s definitely by far my favorite season: the season of football, hearty crockpot soups and chilis, chai lattes, boots and leggings, and MY BIRTHDAAAY! i've already started compiling a little wish-list. last year, i [we] got a house for my birthday, so i'm not sure this year will pack as big of a punch [or pricetag]!
i'll be back later this week with a vacay recap! we had a perfect time – i could not have asked for better weather, food, and company!

NUMBER 255

IT’S FRIDAYY! i thought this day would never come! y’all know the friday-before-vacation feeling? oh yeah, i'm there! i can only imagine how productive the rest of my day will be. for starters, i'm linking up with christina, april, darci, and natasha for their weekly five on friday link party! here’s a roundup of my week and couple of things i'm looking forward to…

1  |   as we discussed last week, i'm headed down south tomorrow for our annual family vacation to the florida panhandle. mom and i usually take a girls day to explore 30A – everywhere from grayton to rosemary beach! my favorite is stopping in seaside for lunch and perusing the shops! buy the jersey here
2  |  we gave a new restaurant a try last year and wanted to eat there every night after! stinky’s fish camp in santa rosa beach is our new go-to favorite! i've spent the past year trying to replicate their shrimp and grits! if you’re in the 30A area, it’s well worth a little bit of a drive to get there!
3  |  i put our jeep in the shop on monday for some maintenance before our trip, and chrystler set me up with a pretty badass rental. we’ve been cruising the queen city in a 2014 jeep grand cherokee – fully loaded, black, with a killer panoramic sunroof. it almost makes up for the fact that they’ve taken all week to get 1 stinkin’ part in stock. we’ve lovingly dubbed it the “batjeep”. maybe it wants to join us for family vacay, yes?
4  |  last night, april hosted christina and me for a little girls’ night action! we enjoyed some delicious little appetizers, a few bottles of wine, and a whole lot of laughs and girl talk! i'm always on cloud 9 after i get home from a night with these gals – everything is just so easy and natural! christina brought us both a little bottle of the organix coconut milk shampoo that darci’s been raving about, and april tied the cutest little nail polishes on our wine glasses as a little treat. i can’t wait to give them both a try next week!
5  |  last but not least: my best friend from high school, lauren, is being induced for labor today! she and her hubby, adam, are having their first little baby boy! it’s such a surreal thing, when friends start having babies! i could not be more excited for them, and i can’t wait to meet their new addition.
as of tomorrow, i'll be off the radar and on the beach! follow along via instagram, and try not to be too jealous!

HAPPY [VACAY] WEEKEND!

NUMBER 254

romper  //  wedges  //  knot bangle  //  w. bangle  //  bellini recipe

it was so fun seeing everyone’s lilly sale picks yesterday! admittedly, my only shopping was of the “window shopping” variety. too bad too because this adorable romper could have been accompanying me on my upcoming vacation next week! if you’re shopping the sale today, you’ll see that the majority of the best lilly items are sold out, but if you look hard, you’re sure to find some lingering sales at other retailers. i found this romper for sale at zappos and a smaller LP boutique.

speaking of sales, piperlime is has a HUGE selection of wedges on sale now! i spotted quite a few steals for around $30-$40. there’s definitely something to be said about planning a vacation at the end of summer – end-of-summer sales = great trip wardrobe!

NUMBER 253

this week BLEW by, and i'm so thankful for that! it seems as if fall is here already – we’re in the high 60’s/low 70’s all weekend [but in my mind, it’s 85 and sunny, and i'm at the beach already]. linking up today with april, darci, christina, and natasha for their weekly five on friday! here we go!

1  |  i scored the cutest cover-up that i've ever seen a new bright bikini for vacay at marshall’s this week – all for $37. i was completely giddy over the fact that the original pricetag for the cover-up said $96 and it only cost me $10! don’t you LOVE when that happens!
2  |  this time next week, i'll be packing my bags for vacation. if that’s not reason to celebrate, i don’t know what is! my family is originally from arkansas, so we’ve been traveling to destin,fl for vacation since i was little. we moved to the east coast when i was in middle school,but  it only took us 2 vacations to the atlantic to decide there’s nothing like that white sand and emerald waters of the gulf! we’ve decided the 12 hour drive is worth it!
3  |  last weekend we celebrated my mom’s birthday. i stopped by the farmer’s market and grabbed these beauties for the birthday gal! $10 will buy you this gorgeous bouquet, and 20 will get you one twice this size! can’t beat it! i'm planning on heading back today for more to brighten up the abode for my little houseguest [see #5]!
4  |  we’ve lived in our house for 10 months now and i'm JUST now getting pictures hung. i used wrapping paper to map out my little “gallery wall” and hammered away! it’s not a perfect science, but it gets the job done! this project took about an hour from start to finish!
5  |  andrew’s away at a golf tournament which means i'm having a girls’ weekend! one of my best friends, lori beth is bringing her skinny bootie to charlotte, and i couldn’t be more excited! on the agenda: makeovers at laura mercier [along with free champs], cowfish [duh], bridesmaid dress shopping [she’s a bride-to-be!], ikea, and forever 21. looking forward to spending some quality time with this gal!

HAPPY WEEKEND!

NUMBER 252

in exactly 10 days, i'll be headed to the florida gulf coast for our annual family vacation! we’ve taken a family vacation every year as long as i can remember, and it’s a tradition i look forward to year-round! this past october, my parents bought a brand new house, WE bought our first house, and my brother wrapped up his first year living in the big city – we were all feeling like vacation was going to be put on the back burner this year. lo and behold, my dad decided in may that he just couldn’t settle for a beach-less summer, and we all agreed that it’s something we'd rather not miss out on either!

*tip: waiting until the rates drop in mid-august is our go-to saving secret! we might have to fight a hurricane or two, but it’s worth it to save at least 50% on a condo….right?

so since i've obviously got this beach trip on the brain, here are a few essentials that i'm adding to my beach bag this year:

1  |  a monogrammed beach towel: i'm obsessed with this bright and funky ikat print from haymarket designs. pop a monogram on it and it’s that much better, in my opinion! beach towels should be going on sale any day now, if you’re budget saavy like me, score one of those, and drop it by your local monogram shop. you’re likely to score a custom monogrammed towel for under $20!

2  |  an insulated mason jar: i have my trusty tervis prepped and ready for the beach, but this cutie looks like she needs a home too! i would love to make a big batch of cucumber water to sip on all day, and the insulated plastic would make sure that beverage is coooold – a MUST!

3  |  c.wonder tortoise shell sunglasses: traditional tortoise meets glam goddess. these oversized shades would look great on anyone!

4  |  ihome portable speaker: if you invest in anything for the beach, this would be $20 well spent. andrew got one of these portable speakers for christmas this year, and we’ve used it so much! smaller than a coke can, the ihome plugs right up to your cell phone or ipod [using the headphone jack] and pumps out HOURS of music – and high quality sound too! it’s easily re-charged through a usb cord! you can bet this guy will be spending a LOT of time by me!

5  |  vineyard vines gingham whale hat: i love a white ball cap at the beach. there’s just something about a salty ponytail and a baseball hat that makes me feel effortlessly beach-chic. ok, maybe not “chic” maybe just like a college gal again. hah!

6  |  tory burch flip flops: something to slip on, so the sand doesn’t sear the bottoms of your feet. there’s always that 1 time when i attempt to make a mad dash to the pool/trashcan/my towel and end up gracefully skipping leaping in strides like a mad woman across the sand to get there. flip flops, laura – not to be neglected!

7  |  neutrogrena cooling sunscreen: i was immediately intrigued by this when alex blogged about her beach necessities a few weeks back. i'm hoping to score some of this on sale at cvs soon to test it out myself. this might be my first summer ever that getting a black bear tan isn’t a number 1 priority. the older i get, the more i'm thinking about my skin. it’s by no means perfect at this point, but i've gotta keep the good stuff in place! it’s the only skin i've got! this vacation it’s spf 35+ all.week.long.

what are you favorite beach essentials? anything i left off my list?

NUMBER 251

happy friday, friend!!! i'm linking up for five on friday with christina, darci, april, and natasha. [you should too, because these gals are awesome]. let’s begin, shall we?
1  |  TODAY is my mom’s birthdayyyy! my mom is the sweetest person i know and has a southern accent that sounds like she “just fell off the turnip truck” –as my dad says. if you’re in town, you’re welcome to stop by and tell her happy bday. she’d like that. tomorrow, she and big john are headed into town to celebrate! plans include: getting our hair beautified at t.reid, dinner at cajun queen, and drinking my dad’s home-brewed keg beer all.weekend.long. whew! happy birthday, indeed! in lieu of a birthday cake, i'm planning on making a lemonade pie….with a candle on top. alltogethernow:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

2  |  my new fancy curling iron arrived on tuesday! i've been prepping for this occasion by watching as many youtube tutorials as humanly possible. i think it’s paying off. and in case you were wondering, i'm getting really good at snapchat seflies. you’re welcome.
3  |  cookie butter. it happened. as andrew so eloquently put it, “i'm gonna demolish this whole jar on the way to get another jar at trader joes.” i'm eating it now, and i'm not ashamed to say it.
4  |  there are weeks when i really have my ish together and make meal plans and adorable printables. and then there are weeks when i go to the grocery store 3 times and we have turkey burgers with eggs on them and it rocks.
5  |  i just got even more excited about this top from target, for the fact that it’s $18 online, but i scored it for $5 in-store wednesday. naturally, i sported it to work yesterday and it might be my new favorite. it’s super soft, long enough to cover my booty, and it’s got shoulder studs which automatically make me a badass. no? mk.

HAPPY WEEKEND!

NUMBER 250

every 5 years or so, i through one of those "chop it all off" hair funks. about a month later, i'm totally regretting it and longing for my long locks again. my hair is longer now than it's been since high school, and i attribute its health and happiness to a few of my favorite products [and my awesome stylist, chelsea].

emijays  |  loreal repair system  |  biotin  |  mythic oil

i'm really hard on my hair - i rarely have one of those natural, i-just-woke-up-and-my-hair-is-gorg days. so, constant heat and frequent washing were, and is still my go-to routine. heat and bleach had dried out my ends so so bad. last fall, i decided to hop on the ombre’ bandwagon, and i'm so glad i did. we went with a subtle gradient so the blonder locks on the end blend seamlessly with my natural root color. since my initial ombre-ing last september, i've only been to the salon 1 time for color, and that was only to get it a bit brighter for spring/summer [i’ve been in for a few trims in between]! i've never been happier with my hair, and it's never looked healthier, in my opinion.
chelsea introduced me to the loreal intense repair system and mythic oil combo last fall and i havent looked back since! i use the shampoo and deep conditioner once every 3 washes so it lasts longer, and i've barely put a dent in the mythic oil. both products smell like sunshine and kittens [aka: AMAZING] and make my hair so shiny and soft! i'm not totally convinced of the biotin game, but hey, it can’t hurt! and the emijays ensure that i'm not doing any irreparable damage to my tresses on those rare days when i sport a hoodie and ponytail to work. [sad but true]. so there ya go!

what are you favorite tips/products for growing long, healthy hair?

NUMBER 249

so this little nugget of information popped in my inbox this morning…

click the image above to visit the sale, or if that’s too tempting, just stay here for a few and check out my picks. click the images below to be taken directly to the sale item! disclaimer: *i'm all talk, i'm not buying a single thing from the sale on account of me saving every penny for vacay.

HAPPY [WINDOW] SHOPPING

NUMBER 248

woo. i thought summer was supposed to be a time for rest and relaxation? i don’t know about you, but for me, it’s been the busiest summer ever. work has been crazy and we’ve been going and doing LOTS on the weekends. those few and far-between weekends that we're actually home - in charlotte - are so precious and makes for a relaxing and welcome weekend! i'm starting this one off by linking up with some of my favorites for five on friday. shall we?

1  |  we have a visitor coming this weekend!!! our friend and fellow crazy cat lady, jessica, is coming to see the new house and play in charlotte! i'm planning on making my spinach and bacon quiche which is my go-to impress-the-guests dish. i'm SO looking forward to devouring cowfish tonight and doing girly things tomorrow while the boys are golfing!

2  |  i scored a new curling iron this week and can’t wait for her arrival. for years and years, i've been using a 1.25” barrel conair curling iron. after using alex’s 1” one a few months ago, i was amazed at how long my curls stayed and how much more i loved my hair. when i saw the hot tools curling iron for $25 on amazon, i just couldn’t pass it up!

3  |  a gorgeous friday morning calls for iced coffee! i swung through dunkin’ this morning and picked up a butter pecan iced coffee and man, i'm glad i did. i'm sure it has everything to do with my incredible amount of productivity today. AND it’s delicious!

4&5  |  i've become obsessive lately about making my genetically ginormous pores smaller. this combination has worked better than anything i've tried yet. i first invested in the pore refining toner, and not too long after, decided it couldn’t hurt to get the cleanser as well. i use both nightly with my clarisonic, and in the morning i use the cleanser before applying my makeup. i've read lots of articles about how much better it is to apply makeup to a clean face in the morning, and it only took me 13 years to make it a habit. my makeup goes on SO much better and actually has more staying power. not to mention, my complexion definitely thanks me for a morning wash. now, my next thing to master: any advice on anti-aging for oily skin – send that my way as soon as humanly possible!

HAPPY [AUGUST] WEEKEND!

NUMBER 247

tonight, friends, i won the lottery…but only if “winning the lottery” means already having everything in your pantry to make cookies. it never fails: after dinner, i want something sweet, just to finish off my meal. because of this little craving, there’s been an unsuccessful stream of mug cakes and eggless cookie doughs. enter: the small batch. tonight, i [successfully] whipped up a small batch of 8 chocolate chip cookies from scratch. the real big deal is that i only ate 2…for now. follow these super simple steps for a sweet midnight [or 8:00] snack.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES: SMALL BATCH
[makes 8 cookies]

1. preheat oven to 375*
2. in a small bowl combine 3 tablespoons of each: softened butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar
3. add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract to your sugar paste/mix
4. mix up 1 egg in a small bowl. add 1 tablespoon of the egg to your sugar mix. save the rest for tomorrow night’s batch!
5. in another small bowl [or your measuring cup, if you’re lazy like me], combine 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1/8 teaspoon baking soda, 1/8 teaspoon salt. add this to your sugar mix.
6. lastly, throw in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.
7. roll or plop your dough into 8 individual cookies, and try your best not to eat the dough!
8. bake for 10-12 minutes.
9. ENJOY!

the 2nd best part: i only dirtied up 1 bowl, 1 cup, and 2 measuring spoons! [the pan doesn’t count if you use aluminum foil] the only tragedy in this story is that we were fresh out of milk!

NUMBER 246

1/3/5  |  if you follow me on instagram, you know that i spent last weekend [and then some] in dallas, texas visiting my best friend from high school and one of my favorite cousins and her family. it was hot, fun, and high-energy [with 3 little ones running around]. I spend half of my trip with my long time bff, lauren, prepping for her baby [coming in august] and just having some girl time! the last half was spent making up for lost time with my cousin, jacqueline, and playing/napping/coloring/snacking with her littles. jac spent many of her teenage days with me in diapers and pigtails – it was so fun/sentimental to finally spend a few days to make memories like that with her children! i can’t say that i didn’t come back with a hint of baby fever after snuggling with those sweet sweet babes! we took a trip to the awesome new perot museum of nature and science in downtown dallas – definitely worth a trip with or with out little ones! i'm so glad i had the chance to take this long-overdue trip this summer!

2  |  i've been raving about old navy all summer and for good reason! they’ve got their shorts [and more] on sale right now – head over and getchoo some! these pretties are only $10 – can’t beat it!

4  |  i'm really excited about something….ready? part custom, part pre-fab. the new “mini-design” template option is now available. i'll design a custom header based on design elements you love, and you choose from a selection of pre-designed navigation bars and social media icons. click here to read more and get started!

link up with me [almost] every friday for april, christina, darci, and natasha’s five on friday!

HAPPY WEEKEND!

NUMBER 245

ohh la la! check out the new design for happily ever parker!! we combined laura’s love for ombre, glitter, and blue hues for a gorgeous, fresh, and happy design! laura is new to the blogging world, so be sure to stop by and show this sweet girl some love!

NUMBER 244

summer is here and the air is HOT. even though we've seen mostly cloudy skies in the queen city, having a cold drink in hand makes bearing that humidity a little easier. here’s what’s keeping me cool [and hydrated]:

1  |  after sampling the barefoot refresh wine “style” [whatever that means] at the teeter last friday, i decided it would be the perfect beverage for a hot summer night. once i got home, i remembered christina raving about this fabulous libation, and for $5.99, you should be too! my favorite is the crisp white – reminds me of a tastier champagne!

2  |  nothing beats an ice cold diet coke on a hot hot day. [or a cold, wet day for that matter – i don’t discriminate]. i've been watching my DC intake lately and trying to opt for water whenever i can. so only having one every now and then feels like a little indulgence and makes it taste that much better!

3  |  every morning, i throw my VT tervis into my bag, and after i've downed my morning coffee, i'm on a water binge for the duration of the day. in a previous life, it would have been a large diet coke or tea in the cup beside me, and i'm happy to say it’s been an easy adjustment to have something a bit healthier by my side.

4  |  on a quick errand to the teeter yesterday, i was having a craving for that afternoon DC. instead, i grabbed this ICE sparkling water [in grapefruit] for $1. i'm usually not a sparkling water fan, but that grapefruit flavor really pleased my palette. i like to think i did my body a favor by choosing this over my beloved soft drink.

WHAT’S YOUR SUMMER SIP?

p.s.: in case you missed it last week, hop on over to the good life blog and be sure to enter the giveaway for a custom blog design by moi!

NUMBER 243

it’s friday! which means i'm linking up with my favorite ladies for five on friday! head on over and link up with darci (or christina, april, or natasha) and while you’re there, enter the faaabulous giveaway going on NOW -- a blog design by yours truly! now that’s worth a #1 spot in this list!

1  |  what? you just skimmed my paragraph above and missed the GIVEAWAY reminder? better get over there now! i'm so so thrilled about the overwhelming positive response from this giveaway! i can’t thank darci enough for this opportunity! YAY YAY YAY!

2  |  j.crew, you jerk. don’t you know that we’re on a shopping hiatus right now? how dare you send me coupons and sale announcements for ridiculous discounts. ugh. daydreaming about these sandals and this gorgeous necklace. for those of you who AREN’T on a financial restriction: j.crew factory is having a 50% off sale PLUS 10% off with the “VIP” discount code. (code is: VIP)

3  |  andrew came home yesterday with a sweet treat in hand. every night after dinner i get a craving for just a little something sweet – it can be 1 dove chocolate or an entire ice cream sundae. with these at 100 calories each, it’s no longer a guilty pleasure! these skinny cow chocolate truffle ice cream bars satisfy my sweet tooth without sacrificing my waistline!

4  |  this weekend is 1 of 2 forth of july weekends! since the holiday falls on a weekday, it’s only natural to start celebrating early at 5 o’clock today. how festive is this scarf?! i'm pretty sure we wont have one of those mild mid-seventies weekends (it is the south, after all), so i think a scarf is out of the question. bring on the cutoffs and tank tops! ‘MERICA WOO!

5  |  we’re hitting the road this weekend (what? i know, we never do that! psh.) to play with my college girlfriends and christen emily’s house with a cronie celebraish! i was blessed with a crazy huge group of college girlfriends (who mostly live in northern virginia and richmond, and who i don’t get to see nearly enough). i'm so so excited to celebrate the 4th, several birthdays, and fabulous friendship all weekend! oh, and emily and her hubs recently got a golden retriever puppy – do i really need another excuse to go?

HAPPY WEEKEND!

NUMBER 242

well hello there! so you’ve GOTTA check out the good life blog today where i'm teaming up with sweet sweet darci to give away a BLOG DESIIIIGN! get your butt over there and enter!

orrrr you can enter below (but still go check out darci’s super cute blog!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NUMBER 241

we were traveling last week for father’s day, so i missed the chance to link up with some of my faves for five on friday. [faves – in no particular order: 1, 2, and 3] well ladies, i'm not missing it this week:

1  |  YES, i'm featuring a vacuum cleaner on the blog, but y’all it’s THAT good. this little baby arrived on monday, and andrew can vouch for my level of excitement when the UPS man arrived. i've already used it twice this week! it does a great job of getting into the grooves of our older hardwood floors and sucks up the kitty hair that has a tendency to accumulate like tumbleweeds overnight. if you have hardwoods and need something quick and light, i highly recommend this vacuum [over sweeping] – AND it’s cheap!

2  |  today’s the official start of summer which means i’ve had a tan now for 2 months in preparation. false. working indoors every week and traveling lots on the weekends leaves little to no time beside a pool/lake/any body of water. fake bake to the rescue! i ordered my fake bake earlier this week and have done 2 applications so far. the transition is a lot quicker than the lotions i've used in years past and doesn’t streak or leave me orange one bit! [or maybe no one’s telling me….] ANYWAY! i used this awesome fool-proof self tanner tutorial to ensure a flawless summer glow.

3  |  wednesday, i shared my new meal planning printable. what? you didn’t get that. here you go, friend. having this plan early on in the week made cooking a breeze! i actually looked forward to cooking my new recipes, and we ate a lot healthier than usual [bonus!!] here are some new recipes we tried: parmesan baked tilapia [YES!], skinny grilled buffalo chicken salad [YES!], zucchini cakes [eh…no, because i burnt the breadcrumbs], sweet corn, bacon and greek yogurt chicken salad [YES!]. as long as i can get my act together on sunday, this will hopefully become a weekly routine!

4  |  since andrew’s been watching a lot of basketball this week, i've had a lot of time to myself to take care of some girly things [hence the new vacuum and self tanner]. i scooped up essie’s FIJI polish - only to paint my nails that night, decide i didn’t like it, and exchange it the next day. [did you know you could do that at CVS!?] SECRET STASH came home with me in its place. i'm not usually a pink gal, that’s alex’s department, but it’s such a fun color and looks great on [after 3 coats: step up your game, essie].

5  |  with the sun shining and warm temperatures in the air, i'm craving something cool and refreshing – and i don’t mean ice water. i know i talk about blood orange margaritas on the reg, but they’re always on my mind...always. we really love cantina 1511, a mini-mexican chain here in charlotte. the tijuana taxi margarita is my go-to, and i think it might have to be added to the weekend’s agenda!

HAPPY [SUMMER] WEEKEND!

NUMBER 240

yesterday i talked a little bit about the transition from college eating habits [binging on taco bell] to being an adult and taking care of your body with a healthy diet. i am NOT one to stand on a soapbox and be high and mighty on the subject. i wouldn't even go so far to say that i try my best to eat healthy. it would be a lie.

after a hard day at work, or when i'm feeling stressed, i find comfort in delicious food [homemade biscuits, ice cream, anything super cheesy]. in the future, i want to emphasize more that delicious food can [and should] be healthy too. by planning meals at the beginning of the week, it gives me a clear plan of what’s ahead, a stocked kitchen, and reduces the risk of letting my inner fat kid join us for dinner.

click here to download and print the pdf

feel free to download and print the meal planning pdf above. i'm starting mine this week! at 27, i guess i have to be an adult now, so it’s time to eat like one!

NUMBER 239

i still haven’t gotten this whole “eating healthy” thing down to an art. i thought that was something that automatically happened when you became an "adult" - you stop craving mcd's and taco bell and start wanting a glass of water and quinoa for dinner. apparently not.

well get excited! i'm sharing a very unique and one-of-a-kind healthy "recipe" with you today. who am i kidding? everyone probably has this dish (in some form or another) at least once a week. am i right? andrew and i are huge mexican fans (of the tbell variety and homemade). actually i could probably just integrate avacado into anything and everything i eat, and be just fine with it! avocado ice cream? sure! avacado chocolate milk? yeah man! give it here! ok, so maybe not everything.

i threw this salad together a few weeks ago and was so pleased with the look and taste. that deserves to be documented! here are the ingredients that went into my fine, fresh, salad:  spinach, diced tomato, canned corn (drained), black beans (drained), avocado, a little red onion, a little leftover grilled chicken, just a touch of cilantro lime dressing from the new teeter.

and my notes: the avocado was mixed with lime juice, salt, garlic, and the red onion – guac makes everything better. which means the salad really didn’t need the dressing.

so, this recipe definitely isn’t pin-worthy. it isn’t one you’re going to scribble down because you HAVE to make it right-this-very-minute. BUT hopefully it inspires you to put a healthy twist on an old favorite, use a little more veggies and a little less filler, and start eating like you love yourself!

NUMBER 238

boots |  phone case |  bag  |  umbrella

mother nature has apparently decided she wants to give charlotte a daily downpour. there i am shopping [usually at the grocery store], and while i'm enjoying delicious deli samples and perusing fancy cheeses, i hear the massive raindrops start banging on the tin roof. at this point, i know i should be prepared for a quick “sprint” to the car – only to arrive there drenched, humid, and mad. i use the term “sprint” loosely, because c’mon, i've got groceries [and we all know physical activity running is not my forte]. today, i've put together a little list that would make my rainy day running-around more enjoyable!

NUMBER 237

it’s friday! which means i'm linking up with my favorites for five on friday – FOOD EDITION! ok, maybe it’s just me thinking and talking about food [what’s new?]

1  |  as i'm picking up my bi-weekly cup of coffee at dunkin' donuts this morning, the man at the register asks me if i want to add a FREE donut to my order? the huge smile that immediately spread across my face just couldn't say no! today is national donut day and they're celebrating in the BEST way possible - FREE DONUTS! my favorite is the sour cream donut, and although she’s not the prettiest, it’s certainly veeeerrry tasty!

2  |   i made crock pot chicken last night and not ashamed to admit that we’ll be eating it all weekend. just 3 chicken breasts is enough to feed andrew and me for a while and we usually still throw a little out. just throw the ingredients in a crock pot for 6 [on high] or 8 [on low] and you’re good to go! i've been adding a little water to the pot too, so the chicken doesn’t dry out. [find those super cute recipe cards here]

3  |  i stocked up on fresh fruit this week at the new teeter, and i've got a boatload of strawberries just begging to be piled on a cake with fresh whipped cream. via

4  |  breakfast is my favorite meal, and throughout the work week, it’s definitely not the most glamorous. weekday breakfasts usually consist of yogurt and a piece of fruit or breakfast bar. weekends are saved for pancakes, eggs, and their friends. i saw a great post earlier this week about mixing cottage cheese with your eggs and i'm excited to give that a go! there i go again, getting excited about food.

5  |  i've been making a conscious effort to drink more water [and less diet coke]. i'm thinking of getting one of these infuser water bottles to liven things up a bit. does anyone have any suggestions of combinations that have worked really well? i might just stick to cucumber, lemon, and mint to boost my metabolism from gorging myself on all of the above. whoops!  [similar]

HAPPY WEEKEND!

NUMBER 236

you may have noticed this gorgeous necklace from my post last friday. that beauty comes straight from my most recent client, madeline, of poppy style. poppy style is an online boutique that has a gorgeous mix of trendy and classic pieces, and the best part is that it’s wallet friendly! you’ve seen poppy style talked about by some of the big time blog gals like hello happiness and julie leah, and i know it’ll be many more soon! madeline and i took her current logo and gave it a bit of a modern twist with some metallic gold stripes and white space. i honestly can’t stop staring at this design! love!

NUMBER 235

zta formals 2007 - back when we were babies.

not too long ago, some of my favorite blog gals did a q&a with their lover-boys. since i'm a big fan of q&a’s, [see my brother’s, here], i thought i’d give the boo a shot:

how long have you been married?
he said: 3 and a half years
she said: 3 years, 7 months [or, if you’re asking me in a conversation, i usually just say “almost 4 years”]

where was your first date?
he said: poor billy’s in blacksburg
she said: poor billy’s in blacksburg, va

where was your first kiss?
he said: in her sorority house bedroom*
she said: in my sorority house

who first said, "i love you"?
he said: i did
she said: he did, at a diner in radford, va

what were your wedding colors?
he said: black, green, and white
she said: black, white, lime

what is her most commonly used phrase?
he said: “it’s okay”*
she said: “i'm hungry”

who is her celebrity crush?
he said: part of me wants to say carrie underwood, another part says ryan gosling
she said: michael buble, jude law

if she was ordering drinks for both of you what would you each get?
he said: she’d get me a bourbon and coke, she’d get a beer
she said: makers and coke, fat tire

what is the best meal she has ever cooked you?
he said: man, probably the fried chicken
she said: fried chicken

what is the worst meal she has ever cooked you?
he said: maybe meatloaf?
she said: meatloaf

what is the most-played song on her ipod?
he said: i know it’s carrie underwood
she said: all american girl – carrie underwood

what would she say is your most annoying habit?
he said: being loud
she said: i can’t think of one [honestly!] maybe his occasional late-night smoke?

what is the last thing she does before she goes to bed?
he said: kiss me goodnight*
she said: set the alarm, snugs

if you could throw out one item of her clothing what would it be?
he said: those raggedy socks, the blue ones [the hole-y ones]*
she said: granny panties [i know i’ve got some in there]

what would you say is your favorite thing about her?
he said: her personality or her butt
she said: my smile

what's her go-to drink at starbucks?
he said: chai latte
she said: grande nonfat dirty chai

what's her blog's name?!
he said: our life in the queen city
she said: our life in the queen city

*he was right
i had to dock his points for forgetting mr. buble, but he got a little extra credit with the carrie underwood answer(s). i'd have to say that he definitely gets a 98%. i'm beginning to think he knows me better than i know me – especially with the socks. i love those holey socks.

thanks for playing along, boo! you’re a good sport! xoxo

and another, because you know you love ‘em.

NUMBER 234

so, per usual, this weekend was awesome and went by entirely too fast. we had an unforgettable time staying up late night [friday] with old friends and backyard grillin' [saturday] with new ones. these summer weekend nights are what keep me going during the daily work-week grind [surriously] – that, and the occasional after-dinner cookie.

i just wrapped up a super cute blog design with sweet katie, otherwise known as miss dixie. if you haven’t stopped by to see this lady and her sweet family, i highly suggest you stop and go take a look! katie came to me seeking a fresh design and a love list that includes: pink, gold, stripes, simplicity, and her sweet baby boy, weeks [duh!]. here’s what we did: