Good books, TV addictions, and a steal of a deal!

Hey, y’all!

It’s a wonderful morning here in Arkansas. I'm on my second cup of coffee! The mornings are cool and crisp, and they are reporting that by mid next week, temperatures are expected to drop and the humidity is expected to take a dramatic dip. There are no sweeter words to a southern soul than LOW HUMIDITY! Isn’t it the TRUTH?

The best part of my week so far is without question the birth of my first nephew! I am a first time Aunt to Thomas Patrick Marsh, the most beautiful 6 pound, 12 oz, sweet baby boy ever! Unfortunately, my precious little nephew lives farther away than I would like, so I won’t be able to officially meet him until Christmas! I could just love on him every. single. day if he was here. Naturally, this means I am looking forward to the holidays all the more this year!

Ok, so is he not THE CUTEST thing you have ever seen in your entire life? I'm in love!

 

In other news, I am on the hunt for a few nice reads for my Cancun vacation! This time next week, I will be sitting on the beach with my kindle in hand, enjoying a margarita and enjoying the company of my husband! I’m really looking for a few “feel good” books for the twentysomething woman {no, I’m not talking about Twilight; no, I’m not talking about 50 Shades of Grey, no matter how much I enjoyed that book…} I’m talking about a good for the soul book. I will most likely end up perusing through the Kindle bookstore to find a few good reads this afternoon, but if you have any suggestions, PLEASE let me know!

I thought it was about time to share my TV obsessions with you. During the summer, I don’t get the opportunity to sit back and catch up on juicy shows as much, because for some reason, I am CONSTANTLY busy. Anybody know the feeling? I’m sure you do. It’s summeritis in its best form. Fall slows down a little bit, I have a chance to breathe and relax! If we aren’t watching the Razorback football games {yay}, I’m probably doing chores and watching Netflix on the iPad. I LOVE that you can watch Netflix / Hulu on your phone and iPad, because when I’m cleaning the house, I can watch as I go. It makes cleaning all the more enjoyable. Just grab your iPad, click on Netflix, and start folding that laundry, doing those dishes, making the bed, etc. It gives you something to do while you do chores, which makes the time fly by. Here’s what you will catch me watching this fall:

Revenge. I cannot express how much of an addiction this show is to me. I. Am. Obsessed! I have gotten several friends hooked on this show {for which they love me greatly}, and we always compare notes. If you’re looking for a darker show that will keep you on the edge of your seat in every single episode, this one is for you. Seasons 1 & 2 are on Netflix and Hulu Plus, and season 3 starts at the end of this month {so I suggest catching up and quick.}

Nashville. Need I say more? I live in the SOUTH people. Anything with the name Nashville on it, I feel obligated to watch. It’s funny, dramatic, musical, all thrown into one! Not to mention, Hayden P. does a fabulous job in this! I found this show on Hulu Plus…not entirely certain that it is on Netflix.

Mistresses. If you want a scandalous show about four girlfriends who all find themselves in rough spots with their marriage…this show is for you. I didn’t think I would like this show as much as I do, but it’s absolutely fabulous! This one is also found on Hulu Plus.

 

Parenthood. Okay, so I’ll admit it. I {along with thousands of other people, I’m sure} started watching this show because I was OBSESSED {still am} with Gilmore Girls. I literally watched every episode at LEAST 3 times, some even more than that. If you weren’t obsessed with GG…HOW?  It’s one of the best shows I’ve ever watched. Lorelei from Gilmore Girls {aka Lauren Graham} plays a major role in this show, so naturally I had to watch. This is a family show about all of the children in a family growing up and raising their own families. It’s got drama, humor, family fun, and everything you can think of in this show. I’ve been drooling over each new episode. There are currently 3 seasons of it on Netflix, and each season is about 21 episodes or so, so it keeps you busy for a while!

 

Orange is the new black. WOW. This Netflix original has taken me by storm. It’s about this woman who got busted for a crime she committed nearly 10 years earlier. She had completely turned her life around, gotten engaged, etc and then she was caught and sent to prison. Not only that, but she was sent to the same prison as the person who got her caught. It follows her around and documents her experiences as well as her fiance’s experiences with her being in prison. So. Addicted. It’s a problem.

 

 

Sitting here talking about all of these television shows that I am “addicted” to makes me feel even more strongly that Charles and I need a hobby. We are thinking that once we get married, we are going to take up bike riding. That way, we can get some exercise, spend quality time together, and get some fresh air! What do you guys do for “married people” hobbies? What do you do for your date nights? I truly believe that keeping your marriage alive and fresh and not getting into a rut can be one of the best ways to stay active in your marriage {says the girl who isn’t even married yet and knows nothing, haha!}

Well it’s Friday, 8 days before the wedding! It’s time to start the pre-wedding pampering! This afternoon when I get off of work {at 3pm, who doesn’t love that?!} I am getting my hair done, because nobody wants to see a bride with dark roots! It’s just plain unflattering. This weekend will be spent running various errands and lots of cleaning and sleeping in {crossing my fingers, because I can’t ever sleep in}. Sunday afternoon, my friend Angela and I are making a venture across the river for a “final fling before the braces go on” event for my friend Katie, over at www.gloriouslyreallifexo.blogspot.com! I can’t wait to spend a fun night, catching up with girlfriends and forgetting about the wedding week stress! Monday night I’ll be getting a facial with my momma {mother daughter bonding time!}, Tuesday, the girls from work are throwing me a shower, and Thursday at 10:00 am starts the vacation time from work for picking up family from the airport, setting up the reception hall, and a big family cookout! Then Friday will be the day for mani / pedi’s, massages, the rehearsal, and the rehearsal dinner. FINALLY, Next Saturday I get to marry the love of my life! I cannot even stand it. I know you all must be utterly sick of hearing me mention it all the time, so don’t fret, because it’s coming to a close!

Some things I’ve been loving:

 

My Custom dress hanger! Want one? $6.99 and this precious hangers is YOURS for the taking. Go here!

 

My Instagram sign for the wedding, modeled by the fabulous Charles. I picked up a $3 frame from the clearance section of Hobby Lobby, got some chalkboard paint and painted the glass, then glittered the edges and used a clear spray over that. I then took some “Chalk paint” and wrote the words. Chalk paint works so.much.better than chalk, I kid you not. Go to your local Hobby Lobby or Michael’s and try some out. The only downfall is, there isn’t a big collection of colors, you are more limited than if you use regular chalk.

I’ve been using VistaPrint like CRAZY lately doing some cute personalization items. I love this site, but at times it can get expensive. Need some new business cards? Want a custom iPhone case? Want a cute new travel bag? Check out this Living Social deal here! This gets you $60 dollars worth of items for only $16! You just can’t beat deals like that, y’all!

 

Ok, all. I promise, promise, promise I’ll keep you updated on my whereabouts this weekend / week. Have a great weekend. Be a blessing, be a friend. Use your words to heal, not to hurt.

The smorgasbord of all posts

Hey y'all! I'm glad you're back!

I figure you might get sick of me this week. I'm going to try my hardest to do a "blog overload" this week, since for about two weeks after this one, I will probably be a woman in hiding due to the wedding festivities!

I have no theme to this post {hence title, the smorgasbord of all posts.} This past week, I have just had a TON of things I have wanted to share with you all. Charles has been making fun of me because of my constant blog talk. Whenever he see's something he thinks is neat, he says, "Oh honey, you better blog that!" What an adorable man! I can't get enough.

As always, I hope you have had a fabulous pre-fall weekend, full of family, friends, football, coffee, and relaxation {and puppy snuggles, we cannot forget the puppy snuggles!} Something I'm always interested in is finding out people's Sunday evening routines, because everyone is SO different. How do you typically wind down your weekend? This weekend, I have opted to end mine with a glass of red wine {yes, Katie, RED, can you stand it?}, a face mask, and some Netflix.

Now, where to begin on the smorgasbord...

For all of you Keurig lovers out there, I HIGHLY recommend the Folgers K-Cups in the flavor Vanilla Biscotti. I ran across this while I was perusing the aisles at Wal-Mart and thought it would put a twist on my typical french vanilla. It is a bit sweet, but not overpowering. I sipped on it on the deck this weekend in the cool weather and enjoyed some much needed "me" time.

Introducing Vanilla Biscotti by Folgers! You better run grab some <3

I also spent my afternoons trying to prep for the honeymoon! When thinking of where I should go to find travel essentials, of course I thought of Target! Hands down, they have THE best travel section around, although I still can't stand how the body wash and the shampoo and conditioner is sub-par at best. On trips, I really like to have my day to day essentials {my sunflower oil body wash, my moroccan oil shampoo and conditioner, my Macadamia oil deep conditioner, my leave in conditioner, my heat protectant, and my Olay moisturizer.} The problem with these products is that they are SO bulky and not in travel sizes {for shame.} I wanted to bring all of my favorites with me so I feel like myself in Mexico, and Target has the CUTEST TSA approved containers. I still haven't decided if I am going to check these products or not, but the fact that they are small and not bulky was the major selling point for me.

These come in a variety of shapes and sizes. I used the green and pink bottles at the top for shampoo/conditioner, and the pink bottles on the side for various hair products and toner. The small, round, blue containers are used for moisturizer, etc.

Since Target is located right next to Ulta, I thought, well why not? I had a 20% off coupon, which I used to purchase two travel sets of new makeup brushes that I absolutely adore! These brushes are the "Real Technique" brushes and were created by a YouTube makeup guru. They are AWESOME. Check these brushes out right here! They are very affordable and are hands down the best brushes I have ever owned. Plus, Ulta is always running some kind of promotion or special deal, so look out for those for an easy way to save a few dollars on your purchase!

Ta-Da! The wonderfully soft brushes that your face will thank you for! Get yourself to Ulta today {or for you savvy online shoppers, head on over to the website with the handy link above!}

Naturally, you have to smell good on a vacation, right? So it only make sense that I had to buy a new perfume for the trip {make that a perfume set..} You guys, I just couldn't resist this deal. Once again, I had a coupon for Kohl's, and "Princess" by Vera Wang was sitting there on a beautiful center display just taunting me, YES, taunting me in all of it's glory. The bottle alone was $50, yet they had a set with the perfume, the body lotion, and a body gloss for $45. I wonder which one I chose? No contest. This is a great scent for those days you just want to feel like a Princess {what can I say, they hit the nail on the head when they chose the name.} If you haven't smelled this perfume, I highly encourage you to go to your nearest perfume counter and check it out. Once I smelled it, I knew I had to have it. Plus, who can beat the packaging?

Here she is in all of her glory! I am beyond thrilled with this purchase! And LOOK at that packaging

The weekend consisted of cleaning and fall decorating! We had about ten friends over Saturday night to watch the Razorback game, so I got to go into hostess mode, which is one of my most favorite modes! I prepared my favorite spinach dip and jalapeno puff pastries for an appetizer, and we had ribs, baked beans, corn, and okra or the main meal! What a wonderful {albeit, a little too hot} evening with good friends! It was a fabulous pre-wedding cookout. The jalapeno puff pastries were a huge crowd pleaser. If you want the recipe, follow this.

Who doesn't love a little fall decor? I went to Hobby Lobby {I know, I know, we have all experienced the Hobby Lobby shopping experience, where "I'll only be there for a few minutes" turns into "Oh my, how did I end up in here for two hours."} I ended up leaving with glitter pumpkins, glitter acorns, pumpkin trays, fall kitchen towels, an Autumn yard sign..the list really just goes on. No matter that I spent too much time at Hobby Lobby when I have about 100 things left to do for the wedding, my house is much appreciative for the festive makeover!

Well, guys, it's been great, but it's time for me to log off for the day! My brother and his wife just had a baby! That's right, I am now Auntie M for the FIRST TIME! I am thrilled beyond words that my sweet nephew is a healthy 6 pound baby boy! I will annoy you with a million pictures next time. Until then!

Michele

Things I wish I knew in high school

It’s that inevitable time again. The start of school! Now I have graduated college, so I don’t have to worry about all of the back to school shopping craziness (although I must admit y’all, when I walk in to Wal-Mart and Target and see all of the adorable new locker decorations, notebooks, pens, lunchboxes, etc. I can’t help but wish I was back in school…I mean, why didn’t they have all of these awesome things when I was in school?) I still can’t help to get nostalgic about my high school days. In typical fashion, there are SO many things I wish I could change about my high school days. Especially with the wedding coming up soon, I have been particularly nostalgic and thinking about my childhood. I have been thinking about this a lot, and I came up with some advice for people starting high school, things that I more or less wish I knew, wish I did, or wish I believed.

1.)    Live your life for yourself, not some guy. Chances are, the guy will NOT stick around, especially at that age. You need to do what makes you happy, not what makes him happy. Always always ALWAYS be true to yourself. I wasn’t.

2.)    You will get your heart broken more than once, and it will be ok. Heartbreak is natural. After all, don’t they say if you never experience it, then you will never truly appreciate the blessings in life?

3.)    Work hard and learn as much as you can. Knowledge is powerful. Knowledge is sexy. Success is an attraction.

4.)    Make healthy choices: in your food, in your life, in your relationships, for your soul. Good (and bad) choices stick with you for the rest of your life. Choose wisely. Stop eating all of that garbage, stop choosing the guy who is causing you grief, stop hanging out with friends who have bad ideals, and stop thinking negatively about yourself.

5.)    Take that make-up off EVERY NIGHT. I struggled with that and now I have some lines and unattractive dark circles. Take care of the temple that God created.

6.)    Less really is more (except when it comes to your clothing, girls, cover yourself up). Quit wearing so much makeup, you don’t need that much. You’re beautiful. Quit eating so much! You need enough to make yourself full, but you don’t need to be gluttonous. Less perfume, you don’t need to smell up your whole classroom. Less television. Less hanging out with your boyfriend. Try cutting back and see how much happier you are!

7.)    Listen to your parents. They have your best intentions at heart. They want the best for you, and they are most likely right in what they are saying. They really have been your age, too.

8.)    Stop complaining, just do it. If I could count the number of fights with my parents that I could have prevented by just doing what they asked when they asked it, you would be shocked. I wasn’t a bad child by any means, but no kid wants to empty the dishwasher or do their homework all the time.  Just get it done, then you don’t have to avoid doing it and you don’t have to argue about it.

9.)    All that worrying won’t make your problems go away. Trust me. I’m a self-prescribed worry wart. But worrying about everything doesn’t make you feel better, it just makes things worse. Plus, most of what you worry about, doesn’t even occur! Just let it be.

10.) Karma does come back around. Trust me. Karma, good or bad, comes back to you. Don’t worry about that. Might as well have the good karma come around instead of the bad.

11.) Gossip reflects more poorly on the person speaking it. We all love a good, juicy story. Who doesn’t? but spreading or even just repeating a rumor that you don’t even know it was true, just to have something to talk about? Who has time for that? That is just bad character.

12.) Don’t be afraid to take off your rose colored glasses. The world isn’t perfect. There is pain. Don’t get stuck thinking life is some ideal world where everything is perfect. The small imperfections are where you will find beauty, peace, and your true self.

13.) Get involved! Join a club, join a youth group, be in student council, support a charity, go to the school football games, be on the dance team, just get involved! It is not only good for social and spiritual reasons, but it is also good looking on resumes, and I promise you won’t regret that.

14.) Think before you speak. Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary? Are you saying this out of anger? They say never to make promises when you’re happy, never reply when you’re angry, and never make a decision when you’re experiencing sadness. Do not become a victim of your emotions. Emotions shouldn’t control your words, and if you let them, it will lead to regrets.

15.) Be contented. This goes back to the commandments. Don’t covet! Be happy with what you have. Be content with who you are. Don’t wish you had more, be happy with yourself.

16.) Ask for help. Don’t fear being ridiculed. Don’t feel like you’re “stupid” for needing help. It’s a sign of maturity to realize when the problem is bigger than something you can handle. Always ask for help when you need it, you won’t regret it. I cannot stress this enough. I always feared asking for help, and now, in retrospect, I realize I needed help with much more than I realized.

17.) They will still love you. Your parents will still love you if you mess up. They’re your parents! I never fully grasped this. No matter how badly you mess up, they will still love you. Your friends will still love you even if you don’t go to the party they are throwing when you know it’s not a good environment for you to be in (or else they aren’t really your friends.) Your significant others will still love you if you don’t want to take the next step, or else they don’t really love you at all.

18.) Draw your OWN conclusions. Even if your friends don’t like someone, draw your own conclusion about the person. Make up your own mind about where you want to go to school. Create your own fashion sense. Be your own person, and not just the clone of your friends or what is “popular” at the moment. Individuals are far more fabulous!

I really hope the high schoolers out there are more savvy and suave at high school than I was. It’s a very impressionable time, and it can shape people into the young men and women they are going to be for  the rest of your lives. I hope this advice is something you all would agree with, and if you’re going into high school, give this a shot. You might just have a more positive experience than most!

Until next time,

Michele

Fall Bucket List

It’s your lucky Friday, I’ve decided to share with you all my “Fall Bucket List!” Now as I previously mentioned, Fall is my favorite! Who doesn’t love fall? Fall to me means Razorback football, cider, pumpkins, crisp air, walks, yummy smelling candles, bonfires with friends, and just a happier Michele! There are several things I would like to do this fall, so why not make a bucket list and share with you? Sound good? Great!

Tailgate at numerous Razorback Football Games. Okay, now this is a given. Who doesn’t love putting up a few EZ Up tents, having a few drinks with friends, enjoying beautiful weather, and firing up the grill while waiting for the game to start! It’s the best time! If you haven’t ever tailgated before, you should give it a try. It’s a great way to show your team spirit and get outside for some fresh fall air! Plus, you never know the friendly people you will meet when you tailgate. Whether you go with family or friends (or both,) you’re sure to have a wonderful time. Check out my recipe for an easy tailgating dip that’s sure to make you the life of the party!

 

Feta Dip!

1 can SHOEPEG CORN (drained)

1 can BLACK BEANS (drained)

1 container FETA CHEESE

4-5 green onions, chopped

green and/or red pepper, chopped ( I like to throw in jalapenos for a kick!)

 1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon Cavenders

 

Mix it all together and enjoy! Can serve with fritos, tortilla scoops, or whatever you’d like!

Here is our Razorback Tasilgate! This is my brother in law and his girlfriend, and my future hubbie and I! WOO PIG!

 

 

Build a Bonfire. I absolutely LOVE a good fire. Who doesn’t like getting in a cozy sweater fall sweater (that I probably will get from Suite One…), some good music, and roasting a good ‘mallow? Because as we all know, first you take the graham, you stick the chocolate on the graham. Then you roast the ‘mallow. When the ‘mallows flaming you stick in on the chocolate. Then you cover with the other end. Then you scarf. For those of you who know that this is from the Sandlot, props to you! You’re okay in my book. For those of you who didn’t know what that was from, you’re killin’ me smalls! In all seriousness, I love the sound and the smell of a good bonfire. Even though I smell like smoke for a good two days, I love it!

 

Go to a pumpkin Patch. Okay, I know this sounds like something a little kid would do (and it is,) but who can argue that pumpkin patches are awesome places to take pictures? My plan is to get up in the morning, grab some coffee (maybe a White Chocolate Mocha, or maybe a nice chocolate chai tea latte, and head to the pumpkin patch with my soon to be husband! A lot of pumpkin patches have things for children to do (for example, face painting, hayrides, etc) and can be a lot of fun for the whole family! Grab a pumpkin to carve while you’re there and bring it home to have a carving party! Charles and I love having people over to watch football and carve pumpkins and it’s always so fun!

Our pumpkins from last year!

 

 

Have a photo shoot in a leaf pile. I know this may sound odd, but I’ve always wanted to do this! Again, it is great for pictures and I would love to make a collage of fall pictures to hang in the home. Fall is fabulous, and I just know we would have a blast taking photos in the leaves with our puppies!

 

 Read an entire book sitting on the deck at the lake house.  This one should be easy to accomplish! The view from the deck at the lake in the fall is just spectacular. Nothing would beat sitting with a cup of coffee and a blanket while reading a book and enjoying the peace and quiet! It’s a great thing, having alone time!

Here is the view from the deck at the lakeh house in fall! How could you not just LIVE here? Stunning, God's wonderful creations.

 

Decorate my home with fall decorations. This is a given. After going to Kirkland’s yesterday and stocking up on all of their fall candles, I can’t help but want to decorate my home with fall items! I’m pretty much obsessed with Kirkland’s currently; they have some amazing prices and really beautiful home décor. If you’re as obsessed as I am, check out their sale going on from today until Sunday. It is the perfect time to stock up for fall and get the best pick of items before everyone clears them out. Also, Bath and Body works has their 2 for $22 3-wick candle sale going on this weekend, so check that out (because paying $20 for one candle is ridiculous.)

These are the candles I purchased at Kirkland's the other day. They are $7.99 for this large size, and the scent payoff is wonderful. I also like the Bath and Body works 3-wick candles, but these are more cost-friendly!

 

 

Make an apple crumble, apple cobbler, etc. When fall rolls around, the delicacies change. I enjoy getting to make things like cobblers, pies, etc. that I don’t make all year round. It is not only delicious, but it’s good for the soul and y’all, it makes your house smell DELICIOUS.

 

Lay under the stars in a truck bed full of pillows and blankets. I have to admit y’all, I saw this on Pinterest (I have a not-so-slight addiction) and fell in love. Basically, you fill up a truck bed with pillows and big blankets and then lay outside and look at the stars. Charles has a truck, so this is perfect to try! Done. SO excited.

 

I have a lot more things I am looking forward to accomplishing in fall, but these are the things I’m really wanting to try! What is on your Fall Bucket List? I’d love to hear, maybe I can get some fantastic new ideas? I hope you all have as fabulous of a weekend as I plan to!

 

Until next time,

Michele

Relaxation comes to an end

Hello my friends! I’m back again in full force. I can’t believe the weeks are flying by so fast! This girl is in need of a massage and a mani/pedi, and maybe a day of lounging in my pajamas relaxing and catching up on my favorite television shows (Nashville, Revenge, Parenthood, Mistresses…..Just to name a few!) Unfortunately, after a nice, semi-relaxing weekend at home cleaning the house and working in the yard, I am back to busy every day and running around doing every day chores and wedding prep! We are down to the wire, we only have one month and counting until the big day (and only 9 days until HOG FOOTBALL!)

Last week, I spent trying to play catch up. We have had wedding showers, lake trips, friends weddings, family in town, family gatherings, etc. filling up our schedules since two weekends before Memorial Day! I had laundry I needed to get out of the way, a sink full of dishes, a messy room, carpets that needed to be steam cleaned and vacuumed, sheets that needed washing, wedding presents that needed to be organized and put away, thank you cards that needed to be written, and I still had to find time to work, sleep, shower, grocery shop, cook dinner, love on the puppies, and love on my fiancé. The point I am trying to get across to y’all is that I led an absolute bore of a week last week, but it was SO needed. Sometimes you just need to be a little boring (most of the time if you’re like me ;D.)

When the weekend finally came along things got interesting! Charles and I spent Friday night resting and not doing housework. We marinated some ribs on Friday night and stuck them in the fridge to wait for grilling the next afternoon. I really find that marinating meat for grilling the night before is a MUST if you want to lock in that good flavor. What can it hurt, right? Right. We then cooked a nice supper and rented “The Admission” which was absolutely hilarious. I did fall asleep in the last twenty minutes however because I was absolutely exhausted.

Delicious Ribs and grilled veggies that I made in my Pampered Chef grill pan!

 

Saturday morning I finished up some more chores around the house (guest bedroom cleaning, kitchen cleaning…the normal…) and went and saw my parents and had a nice visit at their house, which is about 10 minutes away. Afterwards, I went to Wal-Mart to get a few things to make the side dishes for the cookout we were having that afternoon and ran into this STUNNING Better Homes and Gardens rug that I have had my eye on for quite a long time. When I saw that it was the last one they had in store, I knew I had to snatch it up. I got 1 full size rug for our room that leads to the French doors out to the patio and one for the room leading to our bedrooms. I also snagged one for right by the sink in the kitchen (it’s so plush and comfy!) Nothing quite makes you feel like having a new, fresh home than having a new, fun rug! It also makes the house retain the good smell from my 50 scentsy warmers I have throughout the house.

Relaxing with my babe and one of the pups on a gorgeous Saturday (cute adirondack chairs from Home Depot)

The amazing rugs I scored from Wal-Mart..left is the big one for our area leading outside, top right is the new kitchen rug, and bottom left is the one for the entrance to the hallway.

 

Speaking of which, did you know that Febreeze and Glade now have the wax inserts for Scentsy? They also make their own warmers. I particularly like the Glade warmer because it does not require a lightbulb. Now, I will have to admit, the Scentsy warmers / wax are better quality. The smell lasts longer and they have more scents to choose from, but they are difficult to get your hands on. Once you find someone who is selling Scentsy products, you have to wait weeks for them to come in, which is just plain inconvenient. Plus, the light bulbs they run on can only be purchased through Scentsy, and they don’t last very long. I currently have about 3 Scentsy pots that I can’t use because the light bulbs are out. It’s a tad frustrating. I haven’t experimented as much with the Glade scents, but I have tried one that I love and it is called “Fall Hayride.” It smells heavenly, like a nice, crisp fall day! I pretty much like all of the Febreeze scents that I have tried, although I feel they don’t leave a strong enough scent and it doesn’t last too long. But it is well worth the $3 to go buy one when you need it instead of having to spend 3 weeks ordering Scentsy. I also obsess over Bath and Body Works 3-wick candles (especially around fall, my favorite season of all time) but I like to wait until they are having their 2 for $22 special. Normally they are $20 a piece, which in my mind is a tad outrageous.   

Well gang, it’s been so nice having a few days to play catch up and relax, but I’m afraid next week up until the wedding will be completely and utterly insane and crazy hectic. I am already booked with a commitment every single night! Not looking forward to that, but it is officially only ONE MONTH until the big day, and then my life can go back to its semi-normal state =) I hope you all are having a fabulous end of summer, and I hope everyone is looking forward to fall as much as I am! Let me know what your favorite season is! Tune in next time to see my newest project—the conversion of an old wood crate!

“No beauty shines brighter than that of a good heart”

Until Next Time,

Michele <3

Running on coffee and fumes!

Is it really Monday again? I promise y’all, Mondays come around sooner and sooner every single week. I feel like I have completely reached my limit with all of these crazy and hectic weekends. Being gone every week sure is fun; however, it is finally catching up to me! I’m exhausted and Charles and I are living out of travel luggage – not ideal. Not only am I exhausted (and a little crankier than normal...Oops!) but I feel like my housework and my appearance are suffering because of it! I kid you not; I have boxes among boxes of wedding gifts from our three showers just sprawled out on the floor of our guest bedroom, living room, front foyer, dining room, etc. It’s hard to even move around! Plus, the house could just use some all-around TLC, and so could my body! When you’re always on the go, you don’t have time to cook a proper meal, so you end up heading out to your favorite fast food restaurant (hey Chik-Fil-A, you’re looking tasty…) for quick and easy meals. I also have been struggling to stay awake long enough to take my make-up off before bed (HORRIBLE).

Even though right now the only thing on my mind is a nap, I’ve decided to dedicate this week to getting my house in order and getting caught back up! I really believe that a clean house can make all the difference in your stress levels and your life. People need to be surrounded by a calm environment. I am all about making lists, as I’m sure you already know, so I have been searching the ever so wonderful Pinterest to find some good cleaning lists and cleaning ideas to help keep me on track! Here is the list I am going to try to follow this week, since for once I have NO set in stone plans for any nights this week:

I think sticking to a cleaning schedule it a very good way to not get behind. I know that with everything that people in their twenties have going on, sometimes life gets in the way and things such as doing the dishes seem miniscule, but at least with a schedule, maybe I won’t get AS behind? One can only hope! In the midst of blogging this, I’ve already made plans for two nights this week (maaaaybe this cleaning schedule won’t work after all…)

So the past weekend was the bachelor / bachelorette parties! The future hubs and his friends went to Dallas! What a great time they had. I went to Wal-Mart and stocked up on Water, Gatorade, Granola bars, band aids, gum, roto, BC Powder, tums, etc. I wanted to make sure they had everything they were going to need for three days since I wouldn’t be there to baby my baby! He had an absolutely fab time, I couldn’t be more grateful for the friends that he has! I truly believe that absence makes the heart grow fonder, because these past few days of having him home makes me truly appreciate him and we have been loving on each other non-stop!

Here's Charles and a few of his buddies on the way to Dallas! He had 14 friends go!

 

My bachelorette party was also this past weekend! We started out the morning with some to –go coffee from Sweet Bay (a locally owned coffee shop that is THE best, what have I told you about shopping, dining local?) Then, we ventured on to Tulsa, where we did some light shopping and a light lunch at The Cheesecake factory (their pomegranate mojitos and chicken caesar salads are to DIE for!) Afterwards, we got ready and headed to dinner at an Italian hole in the wall called Ti Amo, which was heavenly! Unfortunately, it was right by the BOK center, which just HAD to be hosting Rascall Flatts and the concert started right when we were going to dinner. Parking was a nightmare, let me tell ya! We then ventured out to some bars and started our night, then drove back the next day! Now that all of the showers and parties are complete, the WEDDING can happen! We are into the 30 day range, y’all! 38 days until I get to marry my sweetie! It’s insane the amount of emotions I am feeling right now. Here are a few pictures from the low-key trip!

Started off with some Sweet Bay!

Per usual, our sisters before the bachelorette picture

Koozies I made from www.totallyweddingkoozies.com! I also ordered our wedding favors from this site, highly recommend!

 

 

 

Well, everyone, it's been great, but it's time for me to get back into the swing of things! Hopefully my life calms down this week and I can get into a better routine (fingers crossed, not holding my breath!) Until then!

 

Michele 

Back to Business, Sunday Evening Lull

Hello, y'all! I hope your weekend has been fabulous thus far! I know mine has. It is Sunday evening, I'm sitting on my couch under a cozy blanket (I don't know about y'all, but I have a tendency to keep my house on the cooler side...), snuggling up with the two cutest doberman (Cholla, the Min-Pin and the mommy's girl, and Milli, the Doberman pincher, and the daddy's girl), and sipping on a "larger than the restaurants will allow" glass of wine. In my world, you can't really beat that. Oh, and of course, my fiance is sitting next to me watching Mountain Men, we can't leave him out!

On Thursday, I blogged mainly about how excited I was for the weekend, and the plans I made for myself. Now that the weekend is drawing to an end, let me just tell you the turn of events. I honestly don't know why I set myself up to believe that a weekend will go a certain way or according to plan, because it NEVER goes how I mean for it to (no complaints, I like the little unexpected twists and turns)!

Friday night actually turned out just like I planned in my head. I came home from work, relaxed for a little while, got ready, and went to 21 West End. My work colleagues and I had great conversations and a great overall night. If you don't mingle with your co-workers outside of work, I HIGHLY recommend making the effort. It gives you a chance to get to know people in a casual environment, and you might end up viewing someone in a completely different light. I had the pomegranate martini (DIVINE, I tell ya) as well as the Chicken Oscar. I should have made an effort to get pictures to show you all, however time completely got the best of me. I wore a long sleeved black Piko top to dinner, with a pair of high waisted, loose black shorts with a gold chain design to dinner, and I paired it with a pair of rust colored wedges (again, I wish I took a picture for show and tell)!

Saturday morning I woke up and went to our local Farmers Market with Katie, and I'll tell you what, I was impressed!  I ended up purchasing some great items, including cucumbers, onions, garlic, pepper jelly, habanero mustard, and blackberry jam! I also picked up some sunflowers and a bouquet of fresh flowers while I was there. The sunflowers have been placed in my kitchen to brighten things up, and Charles is a sucker for sunflowers! My first farmers market experience was a great one and I know I will be back again, and SOON, if I can keep my butt in town for a weekend! When I got home from the market, I cooked breakfast for Charles and I, and then we went and completely cleaned out our cars inside and out. I can't speak for you, but I feel a LOT better when I start my week when I have a clean car. I think cleaning my car out on Sundays should become a new routine for us. We then spent the rest of the afternoon lying around lazily at the house, until it was time to get cleaned up for the wedding. After the wedding, we rented the movie "Movie 43" (NOT recommended, it was too odd for words) and got some Tassanee's (our favorite Thai place in town) and had a lazy night in.

Farmers Market Haul! ADORE!

Breakfast I made with the delicious blackberry jam from the Farmers Market

Today, I woke up, drank a cup of coffee and tore up Pinterest! I'm so addicted to that site, it helps me pick out my clothes, plan my weekly menu, etc. After that, I spent a little bit of the morning cleaning up (laundry and dishes) and completely cleaned out and re-arranged everything in our fridge! It is so much easier and more pleasant to open up the fridge and know where to find things, and to have everything clean, and all of the old items discarded. I had mentioned how I wanted to re-arrange the furniture, but Charles surprised me on Thursday night and re-arranged the living room, which I adore! After cleaning up, I got ready for a Bridal Fair at Inscriptions, where I was given a free Vera Bradley bag, SO cute! I have a slight Vera Bradley obsession, but I'm convinced this is ok, because all women have a small Vera obsession...right? ;) Charles and I then went to might parents to relax by the pool and grill out. The musician for our wedding came over and we chose the music for our wedding ceremony. It absolutely BLOWS my mind that it is only 54 days away! I can't even stand it!

Vera Bradley bag I scored at the Inscriptions Bridal Event!

I've mentioned several times in this post some local treasures I visit frequently. Shopping local is something I highly encourage to you all, get out there and make the extra effort to find where your local farmers, boutiques, restaurants, etc. are and support them! They take great care of you and you usually get more bang for your buck. If you live around here, I'll share with you some of my FAVORITE local places. For all of you fashionistas and shopping addicts out there like me, go to Suite One! I shop there and follow them religiously, I rarely find myself anywhere else when I'm in search of the perfect outfit. A favorite local place to dine of ours is Ralph's Pink Flamingo barbecue! They cater events, and they have the BEST barbecue (and potato salad...=D) around. Check them out if you live around here! If you're looking for one of a kind, unique gifts for any occasion, or invitations, etc. then check out Inscriptions! They are also a supplier of Vera Bradley bags, which helps my Vera obsession!

I think this is going to be all for me tonight, folks! I start my new work schedule tomorrow (6am-3pm..oh the life of a Freight Broker) and I really need to get myself on a new sleeping schedule! I PROMISE I will be back again, sooner rather than later!

Until next time, xoxoxo

Michele

Dog Days of Summer

Well we are officially in full swing summer in the south, which means long days, muggy afternoons, no rain, frizzy hair, and busy weekends, but it can also mean sunny days, barbecues, lake weekends, and tan skin. There are many ups and downs to the summer in the south, let me tell you!

Something I like to keep in mind during the summer is the theory that less is more (unless we are talking about clothing, ladies. Keep it covered!) When doing my hair in the summer, I use less heat (air dry that hair, ladies, and cut out that straightener, I know it’s tough but you can do it!) When I am doing my makeup, I don’t like to use heavy foundations, powders, etc. It’s too much for your skin, especially in the humidity of the great state of Arkansas. For the most part, this is proving to be a very cost effective sacrifice; I don’t have to dish out $40 on my Make Up Forever HD foundation like I do in the winter.  I also have to change my skin care routine (My oily skin gets worse in the summer, I can’t seem to shake it!) This summer I have been blessed to find very inexpensive alternatives to my usual beauty routine that are perfect for beating that heat! Here are some of my latest finds (a few are splurges, but most are very inexpensive every day options.)

 

I’m not sure if any of you have hopped on the bandwagon for the BB/CC cream frenzy, but if you haven’t, you should run to your local drugstore, Ulta, Sephora, etc. and pick some up. I started my love for these creams with a BB cream that I picked up at Wal-Mart. I really liked it, it did not feel cakey on my face and I felt like my skin could breathe, although it did not provide as much coverage as I would have liked. When I heard about the new CC creams, I knew I had to try it (similar to a BB cream, only a step up in my opinion.) They have sunscreen in them as well as they moisturize and provide color correction. I picked up two CC Creams from my local Ulta. The first one I picked up was the Almay Smart Shade CC Cream complexion corrector. I really like this CC Cream; it provides good coverage and has incredible shade matching. I highly recommend using this, especially for days when you’re going to be in the sun. It runs approximately $8.99 at Ulta. The next CC Cream I am obsessing over this summer is the L’Oreal Paris Visible Lift CC Cream. It has a scent to it, but it’s a pleasant scent. It creates a flawless finish and is extremely light. It runs about $12.99 at Ulta. I have really been enjoying mixing together a little bit of the Almay and L’Oreal CC creams together on the back of my hand and then using my Real Techniques Stippling brush ($9.99, Ulta) to apply to my face.  The stippling brush has become my new favorite way to apply foundations, it creates a flawless finish with minimal effort and it does not make your face greasy!

The next summer must have for my daily routine is the Olay Fresh Effects Shine Shine Go Away cleanser ($5.97 at Wal-Mart.) Y’all, let me just tell you, this cleanser is incredible and I don’t know how I went so long without using it. As previously mentioned, I have incredibly oily summer skin, and this cleanser takes away the shine in one wash! I am beyond thrilled with this product. Another benefit to this face wash is the fact that it has a pleasant scent, which is hard to come by for most face washes that are available. I use this daily and it keeps the shine at bay for a good 10 hours.

I was a little surprised that I even picked up this next product to try. I never seem to gravitate towards the Rimmel section in the stores, but I had heard good things about the Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in translucent ($3.99, Wal-Mart or Ulta.) I am so glad I decided to give this powder a shot. I am not a big fan of pressed powders in color, but some of the translucent powders out there are just too ghostly white, and instead of showing up translucent, they cast a white sheen on your face. With this pressed powder, it is not the case. It mattes your face while not adding any color. Absolutely spectacular for a day of fun in the sun to keep the oil at bay, even if you get a little bit sweaty!

 

My next summer essential is one I was shocked I took to so well. Maybelline Color Tatoo in the shade Bad to the Bronze. I am typically not big on cream shadows (oily skin includes the eyelids, y’all!) This shadow is easily buildable, so it can be used to create an easy day to night look. The shade is hard to imitate, so it’s an added bonus. I’ve been using it all summer and can’t get enough.

 

We have to protect our hair too, right ladies? I don’t know about y’all, but I have put my poor hair through a LOT! Finally, three years after all of the bleaching and absolute mess I put my hair through, my hair is finally starting to grow (hallelujah!) A BIG thank you goes out to my splurge product that is well worth dishing out the dough. The Macadamia deep repair masque ($18-30 dollars, depending on the size at Ulta) has been a Godsend. Not only does it smell absolutely divine, but it has restored my hair! It protects it from damage and it has been my go to whenever my hair starts feeling dry or brittle.

 

Ok, y’all, now that you know my summer must have’s, I want to hear about all of yours! I’m always, always, always on the hunt for new products that make my life easier, especially being in my early twenties, planning a wedding, and juggling career and family life.

Until next time! Xoxo

Michele