this view never gets old.
soul sisters/best friends 
beautiful bridesmaids
the happy couple
my handsome groom – almost 4 years and counting!
dad and I being sweet. 
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.
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!
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!
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?
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
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!
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]
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!)
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!
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!
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!
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!
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
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:
did we just have a 3 day weekend? i'm asking because my memory is just a big blur. our memorial day weekend was spent celebrating birthdays, babies, beer, and burritos (actually, all junk food, but burritos fits best here).
friday: i drove down to my parents house to spend the night halfway to danville. i enjoyed some sweet jack snuggles, delicious dinner at lucky 32, did some design work and called it a night around midnight.
saturday: drove down to d-ville with my mom to celebrate my gorgeous mom-to-be bff, lauren. she’s in her 3rd trimester already and, i swear, the gal is in better shape than me. headed back to charlotte saturday evening to nurse my week-long head cold with a tall beer and salad with my boo at big daddy's (i like the old name better).
sunday: up early to celebrate sweet chelsea with brunch at peculiar rabbit and some a moderate amount of day [and night] drinking. oh! and gnarley kitty snugs.
monday: spent the day sleeping until noon, eating fast food, posted up on the couch in front of the tv, vowing to get back in the gym this week, and having my body hate me for the sunday’s activities.
i'm so excited, a few of my blog gal pals (here and here) are hosting a new link up: 5 on friday, and i'm so pumped to join the partay! here are a few things that i'm super excited about:
1 | we went out last night to celebrate one of andrew’s coworker’s (and good friend’s) bday. we ended up going to VGBG and had a ton of fun playing trivia and eating cake. we made our way over to an invite-only concert next door at the fillmore. this was my first concert there, but it won’t be my last! what a great place – such an intimate setting! the free booze provided didn’t hurt either! andrew and i ended the night lounging on the couch, listening to jack johnson and o.a.r. reminiscing about the good ol college days. ahhh.
2 | NO. i am not with child. i'm NOT preggs. one of my very best and long-time girlfriends is flying in from dallas for HER baby shower this weekend! i'll be going to danville on saturday to celebrate her and rub her little bump! one of my go-to baby gifts right now is a wubanub – which might be the cutest little thing ever. i know i would have been all about this as a child – seeing as how i didn’t let go of my tiny stuffed rabbit friend, “beans”, until i was in middle school.
3 | memorial day is monday and the unofficial start to summer. this means short shorts are IN season! last year, i did a little tutorial on my american flag cut off shorts for the NASCAR race, and i might just be brining them out of retirement!
4 | how gorgeous are these kate spade earrings? they would have been perfect for a cinco de mayo bash!
5 | i've been using this face wash for a week now and think i've found my second life partner. i've mentioned before that i have horrible skin - actually, i'm pretty self-conscious about it. i have really deep pores (damn genetics) and i rarely feel like my face is really clean – even after washing with a clarisonic every night. i can honestly say that my face is softer and brighter and i could tell a difference after just 1 use. -- plus a $7 price tag certainly beats what i've been desperately throwing away at sephora.
look at me! back on the blog-wagon!
HAPPY [HOLIDAY] WEEKEND!
click here to download and print the pdf
