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Friday, March 30, 2012

Mega Millions

I've never been a lottery player. My family wasn't into it when I was growing up and I've just never seen the point in wasting money on pure luck. It may be because I'm also not the "luckiest" of people haha! Anywho, I'm not going to lie, I'm playing with several people in my department at work. There are 8 of us to be exact. Rule is we will split it evenly if we win, no questions asked. It's basically written in stone so no one can say otherwise.

Yesterday while in my boss's office we got to chit-chatting about what we would do with ALL that money! How overwhelming it is to think about! Even with the 640 Millions split 8 ways, it's still 80 Million per person and then of course subtract about half of that for taxes and what not, and you're still looking at about 40 Million PER PERSON! How insane?! What would I do, little ole me, with 40 Million dollars? I can't even fathom it, seriously!

Of course I would pay of all outstanding debts the hubby and I have, the house, the student loans, and the measly little credit card. We would of course both purchase new vehicles, I guess I'd finally get that Range Rover I've always dreamt of! We would put money away for all of our siblings, especially to make sure their college is completely paid for! Then there are our parents and grandparents. I have no doubt we would pay off their houses and debts and buy them new cars! I'm pretty sure we would be generous to our close friends as well! It's so much money, why wouldn't you?! Then there is the travel fund! We would definitely put money away for traveling purposes. Hello Tahiti and Fiji! Shoot, maybe we would even buy a home there and a plane to get there! Oh the dreams we have! And we can't forget the future baby Harrell fund too! None-the-less, we would definitely make sure we wouldn't have to work for money ever again! I think I would find something fun to do, but working because I HAVE to wouldn't even be an option!

It is definitely fun to think about but the odds are extremely thin! Needless to say, this whole playing the lottery thing isn't something I'll continue to do, only maybe until it gets large again! Whoever is the lucky-son-of-a-gun, I sure hope they spend it wisely!!

I'd love to hear what y'all would do with it if you won all the loot!! Feel free to share :)

Hope all of you have a fabulous weekend!!! See y'all Monday!!

Xoxo,

Thursday, March 29, 2012

The Cab Ride

I'm skipping Throw Together Thursday to share an email I recently received. I hope we all can take a little something from it! A few days ago my momma sent me this beautiful story. We don't know who wrote it or who created it, but none-the-less it's a bit of a tear-jerker, so have your hankies ready!


I arrived at the address and honked the horn.
after waiting a few minutes
I walked to the
door and knocked. 'Just a minute', answered a
frail, elderly voice. I could hear something
being dragged across the floor.

After
a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in
her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a
print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned
on it, like somebody out of a 1940's
movie.

By her side was a small nylon
suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had
lived in it for years. All the furniture was
covered with sheets.

There were no
clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils
on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard
box filled with photos and
glassware.

'Would you carry my bag
out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase
to the cab, then returned to assist the
woman.

She took my arm and we walked
slowly toward the curb.

She kept
thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I
told her... 'I just try to treat my passengers
the way I would want my mother to be
treated.'

'Oh, you're such a good
boy, she said. When we got in the cab, she gave
me an address and then asked, 'Could you drive
through downtown?'

'It's not the
shortest way,' I answered
quickly.

'Oh, I don't mind,' she
said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a
hospice.

I looked in the rear-view
mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have
any family left,' she continued in a soft
voice. 'The doctor says I don't have very
long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the
meter.

'What route would you like me
to take?' I asked.

For the next two
hours, we drove through the city. She showed me
the building where she had once worked as an
elevator operator.

We drove through the
neighborhood where she and her husband had lived
when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in
front of a furniture warehouse that had once
been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a
girl.

Sometimes she'd ask me to slow down
in front of a particular building or corner and
would sit staring into the darkness, saying
nothing.

As the first hint of sun was
creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm
tired. Let's go now'.

We drove in
silence to the address she had given me. It was
a low building, like a small convalescent home,
with a driveway that passed under a
portico.

Two orderlies came out to
the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were
solicitous and intent, watching her every move.
They must have been expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to
the door. The woman was already seated in a
wheelchair.

'How much do I owe you?'
She asked, reaching into her
purse.

'Nothing,' I
said
'You have to make a living,' she
answered.

'There are other
passengers,' I responded.

Almost
without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She
held onto me tightly.

'You gave an
old woman a little moment of joy,' she
said
'Thank you.'

I squeezed her
hand, and then walked into the dim morning
light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound
of the closing of a life.

I didn't
pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove
aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that
day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had
gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient
to end his shift?

What
if I had refused to take the run, or had honked
once, then driven away?

On a quick
review, I don't think that I have done anything
more important in my life.

We're
conditioned to think that our lives revolve
around great moments.

But great
moments often catch us unaware-beautifully
wrapped in what others may consider a small
one.




If you are drying tears I sincerely apologize! It was not my intention to make anyone tear up on this gorgeous Thursday! I pray you all took something from this post, I know I did :) Hope all of you lovely friends are having a fabulous day!!!

Xoxo,

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

Here is what I'm currently loving today and this week!!!

1. OPI's My Address is "Hollywood". I am currently rocking this gorgeous coral pink color on my tootsies! Now that the weather is warm and the toes are starting to make appearances in open toed shoes, I figured I needed to primp them a bit! The color screams fun loving!!!


2.  The endless support people have shown pertaining to my blog! In order to get viewers, followers, and traffic to my page, I post the link to my Facebook and Twitter accounts! The comments I have received through Facebook are so uplifting and motivating! It's really nice to know people enjoy my daily ramblings and my writing. It is something I've really enjoyed doing! I've always loved writing and I'm extremely thankful I've found an outlet for it! I can't thank y'all enough for being so awesome!

3. Peonies! Who doesn't love these gorgeous flowers?! I trying to resist buying bunches from Trader Joe's and putting them in every vase I own around my home! Aside from hydrangea's these are my other favorite flower!!


4.  Snuggles with Baby Reef. I think I've pretty much given yall my morning routine here so I won't bore you readers with it again, however Baby Reef and I have added snuggles to that routine! After eating his breakfast we hid upstairs to get "snuggles and rubs" for a few before I have to rush around and get prepared for work! He is seriously the most lovable furrbaby EVER! I love giving him his "snuggles and rubs" just as much as he likes receiving them! He is momma's sweet sweet boy and Daddy has a soft spot for him too!

5. The Breaking Dawn Pt 2 teaser trailer!!! Holy Moly just watch it!! Can't wait!!


Hope you lovely ladies and dashing gentlemen (I found that I have some male readers and fans) have a wonderful wednesday! Only a few more days till the weekend!!!

Xoxo,

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Need a Blog Facelift

I'm not the most computer savvy person. Crazy right? I can work my way around the internet and I know how to use certain programs, but when it comes to designing my blog I am CLUELESS! I have scoured countless blog template websites and I'm never satisfied with what they have to offer nor am I satisfied with my current blog design!

Since I've started to blog regularly, I've been reading lots of other blog as well, and their templates and layouts are fantastic! So much more appealing to the eye than mine! I need HELP!!

Are there any recommendations from my readers?? I've looked into a personally designed blog, but I'm not sure if I am prepared to make that kind of purchase right now! If I can start gaining followers that decision may change (meaning FOLLOW ME :) ). Those jokers can get pretty pricey but I know I would enjoy blogging even more if it was something that screamed ME!

I'm also contemplating changing my blog name! What do y'all think? I want something creative and fun but that incorporates all of the things I love! Being a wife, being southern, being real, etc. My creative juices just aren't flowing right now and I can't think of a single unique title!

This is where I need y'alls help! I would like to do a little contest to see who can come up with a new blog title for me! It has to include something about me being southern and a wife! Whoever can come up with the best title will win a prize and I promise you I'll make it worth it!! Just put your idea in the comment section below! If I choose to use one of them, I will make my announcement in two weeks!!

I'm really excited to see what y'all come up with! Hopefully my creativity will get rolling here soon and I can start to work on a more appealing layout that shows who I am!

Hope you lovely housewives have a fabulous Tuesday! Much love and happiness to you all!

Xoxo,

Monday, March 26, 2012

Weekend Recap

Once again it's Monday and we have flown through another weekend! Seriously, I need time to slow down!! This weekend was rather busy as most and I'm already counting down the days for the upcoming weekend!

Friday evening consisted of just relaxing! We ordered Chinese, cuddled with the pup, and watched the NCAA tourney. I had to exit the room for a bit of the UNC game because of the intensity of both the game and my hubby's reaction to the television. When he is watching his Tarheels, I try at all cost to preoccupy myself with something outside of the T.V. room! Needless to say Carolina won and he was one happy hubby! Baby Reef even showed his excitement and support in one of his daddy's Carolina tee shirts! Too bad they couldn't pull off the win last night! Our household was rather quiet after that game!


Saturday, I spent the earlier part of the morning at the hair salon. My dark hair didn't take the blonde coloring like we had hoped so my wonderful hairstylist who happens to be my stepmother corrected it! We both were much happier with the final result! It's a safe bet, that when you are as dark haired as I was, it's better to go blonde gradually instead of all at once! While at the salon I was even paid a visit by my momma and Nanna! I always love seeing those two fabulous women!!

After my salon visit, I stopped off at the hubby's high school where he coaches baseball. Goooo Saints!! They had a game scheduled but with the rainy dreary weather it was only a matter of time before it was canceled. Sure enough an hour after I arrived home, the hubster was headed home himself! Once he was home we snuggled up for a rainy day nap before getting ourselves prepared for our Dinner/Game night at the Hill household! 

The Hills totally out did themselves for dinner! Tatiana had an amazing spread prepared of shrimp and flank steak tacos, homemade guacamole, quesadillas, and yummy toppings and fixins! My golly that gal can cook! Not to mention she can make a KILLER margarita! When we got there, their 11 month old was still awake, so I got to steal TONS of her baby kisses! She is the sweetest most adorable baby! She wanted to be up in the mix and socialize with everyone with her little smiles and waves! I could've literally eaten her up! After dinner was over and the baby put to bed we pulled out Apples to Apples! Such a fun game and the hubby and I swept both rounds! Yay Harrells! I don't win games often so I was pretty proud! After playing we relaxed for a bit before deciding to head home and face (for me) what would be an extremely long sleepless night!

Neither of my boys were feeling well once we got home. Todd headed to bed while I let baby Reef out. I could tell something was off with the pupster but just thought he was overly tired. Within thirty minutes of being in the bed, baby Reef started convulsing, obviously I didn't want him to throw up all over our bed so I got him down on the floor where he proceeded to vomit! Meanwhile the hubby slept through it. Once I got it cleaned up we went back to sleep only for me to be awoken in 3 hours to my sweet child convulsing again. I cleaned up his mess again and took him downstairs to let him out and make him drink some water. He wasn't interested in going potty or drinking which was making me nervous, so I hopped on my phone and started googling! BIG MISTAKE! I pretty much diagnosed my pup with every disease known to mankind! So much for getting any sleep at that point! I woke up with the pup around 8:30 and fed him breakfast. He seemed to be feeling better! Much more spirited and lively! We are still keeping a close eye on him but he seems to be back to his old self. I'm praying for a serious sleep session tonight! 

As for the rest of my Sunday, my Mother-in-law, Grandmother-in-law, Aunt-in-law, and myself went to see the Broadway hit "Wicked"! One word to describe it? FAN-FREAKIN-TASTIC! When I was little I was obsessed with The Wizard of Oz! I had my very own ruby red slippers, I watched the movie over and over again, had the character barbie dolls, and was even Dorothy for Halloween one year (thanks to my Nanna's awesome sewing skills). It was so neat to see how the witches became good and wicked before Dorothy ever arrived in Oz!  The actors and actresses were sooo talented and had amazing voices! The finale moved me to tears!!! If this production is EVER in your area... GO SEE IT! You won't regret it I promise! Not only was the show amazing but so was spending time with the women in my hubby's life! It's always nice getting together with them, especially for girl time!!



I hope you all had wonderful weekends as well and I hope you all have amazing starts to your week!! Thank goodness the dreary weather has moved out! The sunshine is good for my soul!
Xoxo, 

Friday, March 23, 2012

Tackling the Front Yard!

Now that the weather is warming (not that it ever got COLD), the grass in the yard is starting to grow... FAST! Needless to say, I am not proud of the lack of care we have given to our front yard! Since we moved in I have hated the three azalea bushes lined under the first floor windows. They bloom for maybe a month and the rest of the year they look a mess, but we have not been able to decide on what we want to put in their place or what we want the landscaping to look like, period. It is something we would like to do ourselves, but I am seriously contemplating hiring a landscaping company to do it for us!

This is what the front currently looks like:
As you can see it just lacks curb appeal and that drives me nuts! I've been googling the heck out of "landscaping ideas for small front yards" and came across a few (very very similar) ideas that I liked.

**Please forgive me in advance, as I have NO IDEA the names of bushes and trees! Y'all will have to bear with me! **
I really like the smaller round bushes underneath the windows with the pops of colored flowers lining the front of the bushes. I also really like the topiaries, however since our door is not centered in the middle of the house it would look silly with just one. I'm all about symmetry.

This is pretty much along the lines of the first idea. I am really in love with the lush green grass! If only we could get our yard this perfect!

With how small of a space we have I know it won't be difficult to do or expensive, which is a total win win situation, it's just finding the time (hence why I wouldn't mind hiring someone else to do it)! The backyard is a whole other project in itself. Since that is Baby Reef's playground we have to make sure we don't plant anything that is poisonous or that he would be tempted to dig at or up! Every now and again he gets a wild hair up his behind and decides he wants to dig holes! Daddy doesn't like that one bit!

For now I think I have a very doable idea for the front! Now I am really excited to, hopefully, get my ideas rolling, and tackle this to do!

Hope you ladies have a fabulous Friday and a wonderful weekend!!! I'll see  you gals on Monday!!!

XoXo,

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Throw Together Thursday

Today, in honor of Throw Together Thursday, I went back into my closet and browsed Polyvore.com to create my work day ensemble. Check it out below!


Black and White




Now here is my ensemble that I put together! Don't judge me for taking this in the ladies room ;)

Black and White blouse (Actually a dress!) - Apt 9 {Kohl's}, Black A-Line Skirt - Merona {Target}, Black Heels - Studio HD2 {The Shoe Department}, Silver Chain Necklace - Premier Jewelry Designs


Hope all of you housewives are having a great week! Tomorrow is Friday! Woohooo!

Xoxo,

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

Today’s, What I’m loving Wednesday goes South of the Mason Dixon Line! With sunshine and spring time filling the air, I just can’t help but love and appreciate all things Southern! Here ya’ll go!

1. Charleston, South Carolina. We have never been there but plan on changing this so very soon! We've even talked about possibly moving there if we were to ever find a great job in that area! I love every bit of the Southern charm it exudes. It has everything we love; water, palm trees, warm weather and "Hey Y'alls"! Seriously WHAT IS NOT TO LOVE?!
2. Southern Living Magazine. My mother in law loves to read all kinds of magazines and I'm lucky enough to get them when she's done! One that I really look forward to is SLM! They have yummy recipes, awesome decor (which channels on the likes of Pottery Barn) ideas, and fabulous fashion finds! It reeks everything Southern and brings so much joy to my happy little heart!



3.  Grits. What southern gal does not LOVE grits?! My absolutely favorite is grits with cheese, but honestly I'm happy with ANY kind! My all time favorite thing to do with my breakfast when it includes grits, is to cut up my sausage and mix it all up with my eggs! It might sound unappetizing to some, but it is delish! You also can't be a southern gal and not love Shrimp n'Grits! So comforting and good for the soul!

4. Floppy Hats. I am assuming you can thank the Kentucky Derby for Floppy Hats, but regardless of who or what event started the trend, I can't thank them enough! Floppy Hats are PERFECT for beach days and outside events such as graduations, weddings, bridal/baby showers, bridal luncheons, etc. Just keep in mind you may block someones view at a graduation or wedding, so you may want to avoid sitting directly in the midst of people or choosing an overly large floppy hat! Overall, they are a must for my beach days! They are superb at blocking sun-rays on your face and neck and can keep your hair from flying in the ocean breeze. Plus, they are cute to boot.


5. Sippin' on Sweet Iced Tea. Now that the warm temperatures we have had are on the rise (87 degrees last week! Really?!) my need for sweet iced tea has gone up five notches! I drink sweet tea often, but it seems that the sunnier and warmer it gets, the more tea I'm downing! It's so refreshing, it helps my sweet tooth, and by golly it's just plain SOUTHERN! Here's to making a big pitcher of it when I get home this evening!


Hope you lovely housewives are having a fantastic hump day! And by no means is this post meant to offend any of my northern loves... in fact, if you are from the North, PLEASE share you favorite Northern things :) I'd love to hear them!

Xoxo,

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Window Woes

As I posted last Monday in my Weekend Recap, y'all know that I am now looking for window treatments for one of our two guest rooms. I thought this would be a simple task, my how I have been proven wrong! I am trying to keep this on a budget, but from the looks of it, I may have to spend more than I really want!

Sunday afternoon I visited a total of 6 stores and yesterday on my lunch break I popped into another. How difficult is it to find white grommet panel window treatments!? They either looked too cheap, didn't have them in stock, or were just more than I wanted to pay ($60.00 for one panel...really?? I need 3!). 

My dear friend Kelly, who I referred to yesterday, told me to try Ikea AND an hour later my step-mother in law showed me her WHITE GROMMET PANELED curtains she bought from.... you guessed it... Ikea! The only problem is, I would love to see ALL that Ikea has in person, too bad I live 2.5 hours away from the nearest store. I was thinking I may just have to bite the bullet on this one and order them on-line, however their on-line selection isn't giving me much to go on. I may just have to make the trip, not to mention Kelly has tempted me with the idea to come crash her sweet abode if I drive up! It has been way overdue for me to pay a visit and see her precious baby girl! 

My other predicament is actually deciding if I want them to be a sheer fabric or not! I know sheerness will add an airy feel to the room, but I feel it already has that with the paint color and beachy decor, not to mention once I change the bedding to all white with the turquoise accents it will be airy and clean. I think going with a heavier fabric would add a crispness to the room. I may have just decided, while typing this to buy both, try them to see what I like best, and then return whichever I don't like! Hehe! I love writing out my thoughts! 

I seriously never thought decorating my home could be soooo difficult! I love so many different things and hate settling on something because I may change my mind later! I really think that is why I have to limit myself to "one room at a time", although I did buy some pretty artwork yesterday from Kohl's for the dinning room, since it was on sale! If I limit what I am looking for to what it is I want for that exact room, I can't be distracted by other decor and ideas! At least that's what I'm going to try to keep doing! We will see how it pans out! 

I love love love the look of this room and I am pulling inspiration from it! Hopefully I will love the end result! I'll be sure to keep y'all updated on the progress!! 


Hope you sweet ladies are having a lovely sunny Tuesday!!! 

xoxo, 

Monday, March 19, 2012

A Wife's Perspective

My old roomie and mother of a precious 9 month old, Mrs. In Training, shared a post last week titled "A Mother's Perspective".  Although I may not be an actual mother (to some, puppy momma's don't count) I still wanted to post about how my life and perspective has changed in the last 5 years since I have matured and become a wife.

An Hour
5 years ago: sleep 9 hours and then add an hour to that!
Now: The time I give myself each night to make dinner and have it on the table.

Ten Dollars
5 years ago: I never thought about money 5 years ago and had no problem spending it!
Now: That's pricey for accessories and costume jewelry!

Running late
5 years ago: Never occurred to me since I only usually worked evening shifts and had plenty of time to get ready and get where I needed to be!
Now: I get up 5:30 am, walk the dog, feed the dog, get myself ready, make my coffee, get my lunch together, pull something out to defrost for dinner, put the pup in his crate, head out the door, and then get stuck in traffic! No matter how early I get up and how early I leave the house, I'm at least 5 minutes late for work!

Bad Hair Day
5 years ago: My flat iron wouldn't straighten my hair perfectly straight
Now: Who cares if its curly or straight, I'm not trying to impress anyone at work. Praise the lord for the Sock Bun!

Late Night
5 years ago: Working or staying out till 3 a.m. and waking up hugging the toilet
Now: Late is staying up to see the 11 o'clock news


I know it's not much for today, but after a busy weekend I couldn't come up with anything more creative!! So thank-you Mrs. Kelly for inspiring this post today :)

Hope you lovely housewives have a wonderful Monday!
Xoxo,

Friday, March 16, 2012

For My Lovely Housewives To Be!

Within the last year my Facebook feed has completely blown up with Engagement announcements! It is sooooo exciting to see so many people who have been a part of my life, in one way or the other, heading down the aisle! Some I see regularly, others I haven't seen in 5 years, but regardless, I can't help but be excited for this adventure they are embarking on!

Nine months ago, June 11, 2011 to be exact, I walked down the aisle to my soul mate! Wow, nine months, where is the time going?! I still remember the whole planning process, the fun and the stress of it all. And while I would love to marry my husband EVERY year, nothing can replace that day where we officially became one united couple in front of all our family and friends! 

There were plenty of people (past brides) who gave me invaluable advice and now that I, myself, am a past bride, I want to pass some of it a long! Some of it I used and some of it I wish I had used! I've been there so I hope you really take a moment to listen and apply it if need be ;)

* Learn to say what you think and how you feel. This pertains to EVERYTHING. You will have a lot of people giving you their opinions and ideas. If you don't like those opinions and ideas that is OKAY! The wedding is about you and your significant other. If it does not involve details that y'all both want it won't be original to y'all! Obviously you should be kind about it, but let people know that you appreciate their input but you believe "such and such" (which is what you and your Mr. want) would be best. Not only does this apply to people's input, it also applies to how people are making you feel in general. If someone in your family or bridal party is making you feel as though "they just aren't into it" for you both, talk to them about it! It is so much better to speak and express how you are feeling than to keep it all bottled up. You never know, their inability to be genuinely excited could be a result of feelings they may be bottling up, or they may not even realize they seem less than excited for such an important day. The point is, communicate how you feel. No one can hate you for that, and if they do, well that's their problem. 

* Take a breather during your reception. The day of your wedding is a whirlwind, and because of that, I completely understand the importance of hiring a fabulous photographer, and in our case a videographer! It is insane how much you miss! During your reception take your groom and sneak away! Preferably where you can see everyone from afar! Relax, Breathe, and take in everything that is going on! ALL those people... they are there for y'all (possibly the free booze too). They are there to celebrate this wonderfully awesome day for just the two of you! Taking that breather really gives you a sense of appreciation for all of your family and friends who are there. 

* Don't sweat the small stuff... SERIOUSLY! This is where I may not have taken the advice like I should have! Point blank, I am a type A perfectionist. So I do stress the small things, however since being married I've actually improved greatly on this.  I won't go into detail about all the things I was freaking out over, but needless to say there were a few moments that I would have rather forgotten. In most cases I have forgotten because in the grand scheme of things our wedding was still perfect even if there were some behind the scene meltdowns! Not to mention, my pictures remind me constantly of how insanely perfect it was... thunderstorm and all! :) Even though I can look back on that day and still see it as perfect, I wish I wouldn't have let the small stuff bother me, because thinking about it all now, I'm reminded that it was sooooo pointless! No one is going to remember the small stuff, so seriously, what is the point in stressing it?! No point at all! So give yourself a break! 

* Don't be afraid to ask for help. I HATE asking for help! I am extremely independent and would much rather do things myself.  I also feel like I am bothering someone or being needy when I need assistance, but during the wedding planning process you do NEED those extra hands and help AND it's very much OKAY to ask, especially if people have offered! The majority of the time, they will drop what they are doing to help because they want to!! If you are stuck doing everything you will run yourself ragged! You will get exhausted from tying bows, hot gluing, painting, putting together favors for numerous guests, etc. by yourself! I promise you that! While I did have help (and I'm sooo grateful for that) I probably could have used more, but I didn't want to feel as though I was inconveniencing anyone. As I stated before, if they are willing to help it's because they want to, so take their help and run with it! 

* Create/Buy a wedding planning binder. This will keep you insanely organized. I had a binder, that my awesome photographer Dana Duncan gave me, stuffed with dividers and page protectors. I had ALL of my ideas organized into sections: Dresses, Groom and Groomsmen attire, Bridesmaid Attire, Flowers, Cakes, Wedding Decor, Reception Decor, Food, you get the picture. I also made sure I had all of my vendor contracts in there as well, so that they were easily accessible when needed. This made my life soooooo much easier! It was so nice to be able to pin point my ideas and wants when I had it all together in one spot! 

I really hope you gals take this to heart and use it during your planning process and on your wedding day!!! I wish all of you pure bliss and happiness as you make the best decision of your life! Being married to your true love is such a blessing that every gal should experience!

Happy Friday!! Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!! I'll leave you with one of my favorite photos from our wedding day!



Xoxo,


Thursday, March 15, 2012

Throw Together Thursday - Food Edition

I'm beginning to lose steam on writing my posts! I feel as though I can't think of anything creative or interesting enough to post about! Granted I have few ideas, I'm just unsure if they are blog worthy. So, for today I'm going to post a recipe I made Tuesday evening for dinner! Perfect for Throw Together Thursday!

This is the third year the hubby has coached baseball at NSA, his Alma Mater. During the spring we don't see a ton of each other during the week. During practice evenings he rolls in about 7ish and game nights are even later, so I try to do easy quick dinners! We are getting low on groceries (which means I need to make a stop at the market soon) so I have to get creative with the meals!

The hubby is a huge fan of Lloyd's BBQ and since that was still in the fridge I figured that would be "what's for dinner"! We had mashed potatoes the evening before so I wasn't in the mood to load up on carbs again and remembered that I had a frozen bag of cauliflower in the freezer. I decided to make mashed cauliflower, steam corn, heat the BBQ and make a type of "bowl" meal out of it, kind of like the "bowls" at KFC. I then topped it off with cheese!

After looking up recipes for mashed cauliflower, I decided to just wing it myself. So here is what I did and what you will need if you feel the urge to make this!

What you will need:
1 bag frozen cauliflower
2 medium sized potatoes (cubed)
Salt
Pepper
2 tbs. of butter
A splash of milk (your preference)

I boiled the cauliflower and potatoes for about 10 minutes in a large pot. When the potatoes were tender I strained it all and put into a mixing bowl. Once it was in the mixing bowl I added the salt, pepper, and butter. I then used my hand mixer (you can use a food processor, which I have, I just didn't feel like dragging it out) to whip the cauliflower and potatoes together. I added a splash of milk, but think I will leave that out next time since it was not as thick as I had hoped. After they were all whipped I put a few large spoonfuls in a bowl and topped with the BBQ, corn, and cheese! That was it! Not hard at all and we were both completely full!

It ended up being a great substitution not to mention its very low in carbs compared to actual mashed potatoes! I will definitely be doing this more often!

I apologize for not having a photo of it! I've got to remember the camera next time ;)

Hope y'all are enjoying this beautiful Thursday!! Only one more day till the weekend!! Woohooo!

XoXo,


Wednesday, March 14, 2012

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

I think I'm going to make What I'm Loving Wednesday a weekly post, unless something major happens that I feel I should share! So here goes for this lovely Wednesday!

1. Sleeping with the windows open. Granted, later in the spring, this makes cleaning twice as hard because that yellow "fairy" dust that appears A.K.A. pollen shows up everywhere! For now though, sleeping is so much more peaceful with a slight cool breeze flowing through the room!



2. Walking the pupster in the morning. I have a hate hate relationship with the gym! I hate going, period. It's not that I am lazy, I've just never really been a gym person. So, since I've put on a few post wedding pounds, walking the pup in the morning has become a huge priority! It not only keeps me a bit more active but it is needed exercise for Baby Reef! We both really enjoy those quiet mornings together! I hope to add an evening walk to the routine since the weather is starting to warm and the sun is still up when I get home from work!

3. Bethenny Ever After! Need I say more?! This show is a hoot, not to mention the hubby is actually a fan, so it's something we can watch together! I've been a huge Bethenny fan since she was on the Real Housewives of NY, so I had no doubt that I would be a fan of her own show! The hubby even remarked Monday night how "real" she is as opposed to those other "wives shows you watch". Haha! That is why I love Bethenny so much, she doesn't hold anything back. She is extremely honest. Sometimes it seems as though it's a bit much, but it's honest. I appreciate true honesty!



4. Wearing dresses to work without tights or hosiery! With this lovely weather my legs are FREE! I love that I can sit in my office in a dress with no leg coverings and not freeze to death! GLORIOUS!

5. This Colette Paisley Duvet Cover and shams from Pottery Barn! We are contemplating replacing our Queen bed with a King, so of course, I'm already searching for a new duvet and bed linens! I think this would match our color scheme perfectly and add a bit of elegant flair! We just need to make a final decision on the mattress before I commit to the fun stuff!



Hope all of you lovely housewives are making today a fabulous one! I know this weather is helping my day!

XoXo,


Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Must Haves I Can't Live Without

1. Vita Bath Spa Lotion – I was given this amazing lotion as part of a bridal shower gift last April! It is by far the best body lotion I have ever used! It’s not greasy feeling, moisturizes continuously, and has the most amazing aroma! I purchase mine locally at Bowman's Garden Center but ULTA also carries it!




2. Blistex Deep Renewal Lip Protectant – This stuff goes on so silky smooth and keeps my lips moisturized all day! You can find it at any drug store or supercenter!



3. Pashminas – You can find these ANYWHERE! Ranging from Nordstroms to Target. They come in any color you could think of and work perfectly as a wrap or scarf! Every gal should have at least three: black, a neutral color (camel or grey), and a fun color to add a pop of color to any outfit! Personally I have more than I can count! But hey… who’s actually counting?!

4. Thick Fuzzy Socks - I love wearing these around the house. I should probably invest in some new slippers but I just love how soft and comfy these are! Plus, you can find them ANYWHERE!! The hubby knows I like them so much he even included a pair with my Valentine's gift! The funnier part, is I'm not the only one in the house that loves them! Baby Reef is a HUGE fan of my soft socks! I CAN NOT leave them on the floor (ie: by the bed when I go to bed a night). I have to hide them from him and if I don't, he will without a doubt grab them and run! He LOVES to suck on them! He also sucks on his soft lovies and I think he likes the feeling of the fuzziness of my socks! It is to the point that I gave him his own pair of fuzzy socks so he would leave mine alone!



5. A HUGE Purse - For some reason I feel the need to carry everything that I think I may need with me... at ALL times. This calls for BIG BAGS! The hubby does not understand the need for multiple BIG BAGS, but I don't understand his need for multiple surfboards, so we call it even. A purse I have been  coveting for (for some time now) is the Louis Vuitton Never Full. Yes, it's a bit more than what I would spend on a bag, but it can serve a TON of purposes and I know I would get great use out of it. For now I'll continue to carry around my large Coach's but upgrading is in the near future!


Hope you housewives are having a wonderful day!!! Glad the sun is peaking out from the clouds, makes for a brighter Tuesday ;)

Xoxo,


Monday, March 12, 2012

Weekend Recap

Heellllloooo Monday!!! Seriously though, where do the weekends go?! I feel like I go to bed on Friday nights and wake up on Monday mornings because our weekend goes by in a flash!! I really wish time would slow down a bit!

This weekend, like many, was spent with friends, family, and the furry child, not to mention a few errands/ projects thrown in there some where!

Friday evening was relaxing. I got home from work, headed out to run an errand, and then came home and threw together fixings for tacos. Seasoned ground turkey, sauteed onions and peppers, homemade guacamole, warmed soft tortillas and ALL the toppings! What I love most about taco night in our house is that its EASY to make and EASY to clean up! The hubby and I lounged around with the pupster and headed to be at about 10pm! Goodness, we are getting old!

On Saturday mornings, Todd heads out to coach baseball practice from about 11 - 2 so that gives me plenty of time to devote to my new business, Something Old, Something Borrowed {Vintage Event Rentals} that I co-own with my Momma (I'll do an entire post soon, introducing yall to my new endeavor). I had a meeting set up with a local and FABULOUS photographer, Rebecca Keeling Studios, and wholly moley, what a sweetheart! Loved her from the moment she got out of the vehicle with a grin from ear to ear and gorgeous curly locks! The meeting went so well that we ended it with a HUG! I love when you meet people and become instant friends! She is one talented momma!!

After the successful meeting, I stopped by my Nanna's to visit with her and my momma! They had not seen the pupster nor myself in several weeks and I knew my Momma (Gigi to Baby Reef) would be upset if we did not stop in to say hello! I love those two women more than I think they will ever know! They are so much a part of the woman I am today and I can't ever begin to repay them for all they have taught me!

After our little visit, the pupster and I headed home so I could get ready for GIRLS NIGHT! One of my bridesmaids and close friends from ODU got engaged several weeks ago and a few of us wanted to get together and hear all the details and celebrate! Not to mention we hadn't ALL seen each other together since my wedding, so we knew dinner was a must! We headed to Waterman's at the Ocean Front and started the evening off right with their infamous Orange Crushes (YUUUUMMMMOOO). The drinks were great, the food was great, the conversations were great, and the company was fabulous! I miss girls night and really think we need to do this MORE OFTEN!


Such a great time with these lovely ladies!

Sunday was deemed house project day, once we were able to get up and out of bed! The hubby and I have decided that each month we will work on one project in our home. For March, I decided that I am going to FINALLY hang new blinds and window treatments in both guests room! Today we hung blinds in one of the two rooms (the other room is completely piled with donation items that I need to pack up and take to GoodWill). These blinds are really awesome! I have them hanging in the rest of the house! They are easy to install and the best part is, I found them at Wal-Mart for around $21.00 per blind! You seriously can not beat that! They are easy to clean and I find them absolutely gorgeous! The previous owners had installed sliding blinds (in which I find completely hideous) so I am really excited for the new look! Check out the before and after:



Before with the terrible blinds


Now with new pretty blinds!
I'll be looking for window treatments throughout this week and into the weekend! I'm actually in the process of changing the look of the room, well at least the BRIGHT colors. I'd like to find a white duvet, white shams, and then accent with turquoise pillows. I do believe I'll probably end up purchasing white paneled window treatments to make it more crisp! I really LOVE white, however I'd rather do it in a room that is barely used for the sake of becoming dingy from daily use. 

Now, that the weekend is over with the countdown has begun for the upcoming weekend ;) Is that not terrible?! I can't help it, I'm looking forward to sleeping in and getting my hair done!! This Daylight Savings Time has me in a bit of a wack and a nap under my desk sounds pretty awesome right now!

I hope you lovely housewives had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed some down time! It's so nice to have weekends to regroup after a crazy week of work. If only they lasted a tad bit longer!

Xoxo,

Friday, March 9, 2012

Going Back to My "Old" Roots

I am naturally a brunette and currently have had chocolate locks for the last three years and for a small stint when the hubby and I first starting dating over 5 years ago! There was a time, however when I was blonde. From my sophomore year in high school to the time I was 24, I was one hellacious blonde bombshell (totally kidding on the bombshell part). I colored it myself most of the time once I was in college, but after a few mishaps I started to have it professionally done again. After about 3 years of “getting my hair did” every 6 weeks, so that my brown roots wouldn’t show too terribly, I said to heck with it and just went full blown brown. Boy was that a nice relief on the wallet, but after 3 years of my natural color I am so ready for a fun change!

So on good ole St. Patrick’s Day I will be visiting the salon to transform back to my blonde self, roots and all ;) Yes, it requires a bit more maintenance but I’m looking forward to the change! I really can’t wait to reveal it to ya’ll once I make the change!

I want to make this super fun so I need ya’lls help to determine HOW blonde I want to go! I’m going to post a few photos of celebrities who have several different shades of blonde that I really like and THEN I am going to post several different photos of myself from years past in different shades of blonde! I would LOVE for ya’ll to comment and give me your opinions on what shade you think I should go with!



Lauren Conrad - Dirty Blonde, a mix of high lights and low lights
kristin cavallari - Bright Blonde
Reese Witherspoon - Bright Blonde Highlights


Now, take a look at these photos of me and my different blonde shades and let me know which one you think looked the most stellar!

Bright Blonde

Dirty Blonde - a mix of low lights and highlights
 
Bright Blonde Highlights
Super excited to hear everyones opinions!!!!

See ya'll on Monday my lovely housewives!! Have a beautiful weekend!!!

XOXO,



PS: Totally rocking my Pink Hunter Galoshes today! At least there is one thing that can bring me joy on this gloomy wet day ;)







Thursday, March 8, 2012

Throw Together Thursday

For the past several months I have been totally disgusted with my closet! I want nothing more than to take every item of clothing (this does not include my shoes) and donate it all! Now, you may wonder, “Why not just go shopping and pick out some new pieces”? Allow me to explain further why that is not a simple task for me.

Shopping for clothes stresses me out, and when I say stress, I mean leave-the-mall-75-percent-of-the-time-in-tears! I don’t have the type of body that allows me to just pick up things without trying them on because I know, regardless of the item, it will not look good on me! Because of this slight problem I have to try on clothes in the store, which in those awful dressing room mirrors, always looks like…crap. Pants tend to be too tight around my middle and too loose in the thighs or vice versa and I constantly have to battle with blouses that don’t show off the “gals” too much but also don’t make me look like a nun! I think this is why the majority of the time, my “go to” are dresses, but who wants to wear a dress in the middle of winter?! Not I! Needless to say, shopping inhibits me from loving my body and I usually leave the mall in a state of depression that can last several days!


Here comes Pinterest and Polyvore to the rescue! I try to post inspirational outfits that include pieces I may already have in my closet! It has helped me greatly when I’ve been in a pinch of “I don’t know what to wear”. It helps me appreciate my clothes when I can find new ways to wear them!

For today’s Throw Together outfit, I created an outfit in my head from pieces I had in my closet, found similar pieces on Polyvore, created a board and WA-LAH, Throw Together Thursday’s work attire to the rescue! Check out my Polyvore board below!
What Im wearing Today


Now check out my own outfit! (Don't mind the lack of makeup and hairstyle)
Magenta Cardigan – George Line {Walmart}(Bought so long ago when I was on a tight budget that I don’t even know if Wally World carries the line anymore), Ivory lace Camisole – Apt. 9 Line {Kohl’s}, Black Capri Slacks – {Express}, Zebra printed belt – {Rue21}, Black w/ Silver Logo Reva Ballet Flats – Tory Burch {Nordstroms}, Fossil Watch – {Fossil}, Sterling Silver Ball earrings – {Bought them so long ago I can’t remember where}, Diamond Solitaire Earrings – {Gift from the Hubby}, Ring – {Premier Design Jewelry}, Necklace – {Leslie Jewett Design}, Black Leather Purse – {Coach}

Hope you lovely housewives are having a oh-so-lovely day!!!

Xoxo,