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Showing posts with label Fashion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fashion. Show all posts

Thursday, April 4, 2013

We Pulled a Switch-a-roo and Love Sam Steele Ponder Too!


I've come to the conclusion, that upon first glance, my Thursday posts titles will NEVER make sense and I'm okay with that! With that being said, I'm ridiculously stoked about my guest today!!! I know I've shared that I've made many blogging buddies through Instagram, but this gal and I share a unique IG friendship! We met through Samantha {then Steele} now Ponder. Don't know who she is?! Well, she has my dream job and is an ESPN broadcaster! She also married Christian Ponder, the Minnesota Vikings QB on my birthday this past year! If you want to know the rest of the story, you'll have to wait till the end of the post because I'm dying to introduce Taylor to you!!!! Enjoy this girly girl! She's a fashionista who shares my love for classic pieces, her furrbaby, Princess Kate and a cute pair of Hunter Wellies too! 

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Hi friends!

I’m Taylor from The Taylor Diary! I am a non-profit fundraiser during the day and am fashion and beauty obsessed by night…well, during the day too! I am a newlywed and a dog mom….a really obnoxious dog mom. I was a Fashion major in college and after graduation I worked as a shoe buyer in St. Louis, Missouri for a large online shoe retailer called shoes.com. It was a wonderful job but being from Kansas City originally, I decided to head home and be a little adventurous. Okay, A LOT adventurous. I opened my own boutique in downtown Kansas City and worked…and worked…and worked for three years straight. Overworked. Needless to say, that is why I am doing what I do now. (non-profit fundraising and event planning)

I decided to start my own blog after I got married (who doesn’t these days?!?) just to keep my creative juices flowing. My job is so much business during the day that I needed a little bit of fun and flirty on the side. When you visit my blog, you will see my ramblings, your typical outfit of the day posts, and lots and lots of beauty reviews. I’m serious. I love trying new beauty products and am always dying to share the latest and greatest with my readers.

However, now that spring is here and the days are longer (and much warmer) there will be a lot more fashion and a little less gabbing. Kansas City had one of the worst winters in a long time and it is really hard taking outfit photos in 24 inches of snow. You wouldn’t have been able to see the shoes! And those are sometimes the most important! Right?!?

I love new Instagram friends. (Just ask Lauran. It is how we met!) So stop by and follow me @THETAYLORDIARY.

I decided to put together a fun, spring outfit for y’all today. I love a girlie lace top, printed pants and statement extras because they make for a totally unique mix of pattern and texture, coincidentally one of spring’s hottest trends.











What I’m wearing:
Lace top: Karlie
Printed pants: asos.com (Vila Clothes)
Shoes: Emilio Pucci
Clutch: Sondra Roberts
necklace: Anthropologie

I want to give a huge thanks to Lauran for letting me take over her blog. It has been a blast being an honorary Real Young Housewife correspondent today! Head on over to my blog and see what Lauran has to say. We swapped! 



Xoxo,


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Is she not super adorable?! I know without a doubt if we lived closer we would be the bestest of friends!! I definitely could use her help in the fashion department, that's for sure! I've even used some of her IG posts as inspiration for my own outfits {I'm still working on finding my inner fashionista}! You really have to pay her blog a visit now, especially, to find out more about our initial meeting!!! It'll give you a chance to check out some cheaper cosmetic alternatives that I've come across recently too!!! Head on over and pay me a visit! 

Hope you darlings are having a bright and happy Thursday! Almost to the weekend! 

XoXo,

Monday, March 4, 2013

Spring is Near & March 2013 Mini Goals are Here!

March is always an exciting and LUCKY month to me because it means Spring is right around the corner!! Warmer days will be here before we know it {at least in my area of the world} and I'll be able to enjoy driving around with the sunroof open and the warmish breeze in me hair! Ohhh it's so close I can almost reach out and touch it! As usual, with a new month comes new goals and new sponsors, so be sure to check out the side bar {if you are interested in sponsoring I am currently booking for April and May for FREE}! I really excelled last month and have to say I'm proud of what I was able to accomplish! Some goals were carried over in hopes to continue improving upon them! I hope March is just as stellar and productive as February.

Via
1. Continue to purge and organize the house, one room at a time and donate all to Goodwill. As I've said since January, this is a continuous task throughout our home! I hope to pack up a car load and drop off quite a few things to Goodwill Thursday evening! Our dinning room is a bit junkie since I have a HUGE donation pile building in there! I'd like to have my dinning room table and room back to normal!

2. Finish reconstructing my resume. This should really be a top priority to me and I hope to finalize it as much as possible, but also, to design it so that I can easily change information to fit specific career applications. I know once I finish this, I'll be more eager to search and apply to job opportunities that fit what I would like to do for the rest of my life!

3. Arrive on time to work, every morning! This will be continuous until I learn to get up on time, get myself moving and out the door and to work on time! I'll be honest, it has turned into a joke at my office but I enjoy going out for my hour lunch break and when I'm late for work I usually don't take that hour to leave. I'd like to power walk more during the week on my break or even sit in my car and read a book just to regroup and get out of the office for some personal time.

4. Stay off of the phone and computer on evenings we are both home. It is so easy to be distracted with the computer and our cell phones when we are sitting down and relaxing in the evenings together. I really want us to give one another 100% of our attention in the evenings when we are talking about our day's events, our schedule for the upcoming week, or plans for the weekend! It gives us time to unwind and connect daily without outside distractions. We can use cell phones and computers all we want when the other person is not home, is sleeping, or is not in the same room, however, when we are sitting together, talking in the same room, technology is off limits!

5. Update our iPhones. To say we are techno- illiterate is an understatement! I try to keep up, teach myself, and learn the ins and outs of the technology products we use regularly, however, for the most part it's all completely over my head! We both have had our iPhones for over a year and a half and while I did update mine once, about a year ago, the hubby has not updated his, AT ALL! He can't even access the Twitter App on his phone because it needs to be updated! I've been apprehensive to do the updates because I hear people always complaining about losing their contacts! That makes me more paranoid than it probably should! Seriously, if anyone knows how to update the iPhone without losing contacts, I'm going to need you to give me a play by play on how to perform the update! Please and Thankyou!

6. Keep a better track of our expenses. I used to be really good about keeping up with my bank account and account register but then I started using online banking and realized I could have my balance at my fingertips. When I started utilizing the online banking {and opened joint checking with the hubby}, I slowing stopped using my register, therefore I stopped keeping track of all the money I was spending. I'd like to get back to writing it all down and keeping track of it, penny for penny. It may sound a bit particular, but it'll give me a better idea on how much is going out, on what it's going out to, and what we may could cut back on to save more! I hope we can save all our receipts and I can log what we have spent daily. By the end of March we should be able to tell more about our spending habits and how to control the frivolous unneeded purchases!

7. Work on my own reactions when others are rude to me. I don't know about you but it seems here lately we've run into really rude people. People who push through doorways when you are trying to walk through the same door {and they don't say excuse me}, people who don't hold doors open for you when your hands are full or you are a few feet behind them, people who bump into you and don't say excuse me, folks who are blatantly rude and sarcastic in emails or other forms of communication, folks who cut you off in traffic and don't get the thankyou wave and when people are rude when first meeting you to the point that my husband even makes a comment at how rude the person was. Yes, the last one was definitely personal. If my husband says something about the rudeness of the person... well then... you're freaking rude! Normally when I feel I've been slighted or disrespected I am quick to make a sarcastic comment like "Really? There are 5 other doors and you want to walk through the one I am walking through?" very loudly so I know the person hears me. It's not totally nice on my part, however I think it should be brought to the attention of the person that they are, in fact, being rude! Because I know my reactions aren't always nice, I am working on not reacting and keeping a smile on my face! It keeps me from sweating the small stuff, like the person's rudeness. I do believe today will welcome my first test, wish me luck!

8. Find a cobbler/shoe repair shop to spruce up some of my damaged heels and to put life back into my Tory Burch's. For some reason I am extremely hard on my shoes. I plan to show y'all this in a post all it's own of how damaged the majority of my shoes are! My TB's are no exception. I've had them a little over a year and it looks as though they are ten years old! The leather is worn off on the toes, on the sides and on the heels, the insoles are starting to lift, and I have a tear on the inside heel of one shoe! I've loved them and worn them to death! Considering the price tag they come with it's not an option to just to go buy a new pair so I'm hoping to have them repaired and looking like new sooner rather than later! Hopefully some of my shoes aren't too far gone and they can be saved including my Tory's.

9. Keep writing honest and true posts for my readers! Last month I noticed a lot of bloggers posting about how they needed to get back to posting "real.honest.true-to-themselves-posts". While, I feel I haven't strayed from this, I do feel the need to share more of these kinds of posts! From the ones I have written and shared I have received some great feedback and support and I have made some great connections because of it! I want to continue those connections, those friendships and the support! It is inspiring to me and I hope my honest posts and ramblings are inspiring to others too!

10. Try to arrange at least one family lunch/dinner. Our family is huge! As I've shared before we both come from divorced parents where everyone has been remarried. Therefore, instead of four immediate families, we have close to eight! To have Sunday family dinner's is not something I could host, but I would love to have at least one or two families over a few times a month for dinner or afternoon lunch, starting this month! We aren't promised tomorrow and that is becoming more and more evident to me every day! I want us to spend as much time with our families as possible for we never know what the future will bring and how much time we have left with all of them!

I am really excited to have added some new goals to my list this month! I hope I haven't set myself up to fail as some of these are a bit harder than others, but I feel with my persistence and determination I can really accomplish these! Positive thoughts lead to positive results right?!

Hope you darlings are having a fantastic start to the week {I'm not going to say the dreaded "M" word}  and if you have goals for the month of March, please feel free to share!!! I'd love to form a little cheerleading group for one another!!  I am finalizing details on my Favorite Things give-away! It will be occurring this month so stay tuned! XoXo!

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Betsy's Great Advice for Y'all Daydreaming of Summer!

I'll be honest, I have no idea how this sweet little lady and I became blogging buddies! Isn't it funny how some people enter your life and you simply can't recall how or when? Yep, that's pretty much how it rolls with Betsy and myself! I'm crazy excited to share her and her post with you today, as I have no doubt the majority of us are daydreaming on the regular of the warmer months that lie ahead! Sit back, sip on a pina colada {or pretend to} and enjoy this southern gals advice and be sure to visit her and say hi! She's currently planning her wedding and trying to juggle life while doing so! 

Hello everyone! I'm Betsy and I blog over at Simply Southern! I'm so happy to be over here in Mrs. Lauran’s corner of the world today.

 

Today I am going to talk about summer…I am so ready for it to be here, now!

We are going on vacation {to the beach!!} in about two months and I can barely stand the wait.

I am going to show you some of my must haves while at the beach.

First up is Burt’s Bees Chap stick – I love this stuff. I have it on me at all times, especially when out in the sun.  It does the lip wonders.



Next is a hat. Now not just any hat, you need the cute floppy one. There are all different styles and colors to choose from when picking out a hat. Here are some examples that I like…



Then of course, you can’t forget the monogram ;)



If you’re like me, you bring a lot of stuff with you to the beach, and you don’t want to be lugging all that around in your arms, so you need a beach bag, a cute beach bag. I found these two on Etsy {love that place!}



Large Chevron Beach Bag



Love the color of this one too.


Canvas Beach Tote Bags



I also carry this little thing with me too.

ID Case


It is easier than carrying a whole purse along too. And it has enough room for your ID, your debit/credit card, and some cash too. 

Then of course you need something to lay on…and you don’t want some measly old towel that you have had for forever. You need something that will withstand all that sun bathing you will be doing, ha!

I love this color combo and size of this towel from Target.



I found this website that will monogram just about anything on their website for only $5. And yes, that includes beach towels.

{ See a theme here? What can I say, I am a southern girl, and we southern girls like our monograms! }



Now wouldn’t this one go perfect with that chevron beach bag? I’m just sayin’.

Here is another must have in my book…a cooler.

Beach Cooler


You will need something to keep your snacks and water beverages cold while you are out having fun on the beach.

You might also want a pair of sunglasses to shield your eyes from all the…hotness. 



I have a pair similar to this by Steve Madden, and I love them! I have had them a few years now and they are still my favorite pair.

Now when I head to the beach, I will also have my Nook in tow with me, as well as some magazines and anything else that I will need to keep me entertained as well as WJ too. He is so not a beach person, but loves me so much that we are getting to vacation there! 

Now I know I probably got your hopes up with this post and you are probably ready for summer as much as I am not. Sorry not sorry. C’mon summer!!!




Thanks for having me Lauran, I really appreciate it and ladies feel free to stop by anytime! :)
 
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Isn't she just a doll?! I'm pretty much obsessed with everything she posted especially the floppy hats and the monogrammed beach bags! As she stated, monograms are a must for any southern gal but you other nationwide gals can and should join in the monogram fun too! What are your must haves for the beach, pool, lake, or river?! I pretty sure Miss Betsy covered it all except one thing!! Don't y'all forget that sunscreen ;) Keep that skin safe and beautiful! Be sure to visit Betsy's blog, she has a fabulous give-a-way going on with all of her favorite things! You will definitely want to enter to win it!  XoXo! 

If you missed my post Tuesday, please take a a moment to read it here! We are still accepting donations and would love for you to assist in helping us raise money to help find a cure for Alzheimer's! Follow this link and just click on the green donate button!  Every little bit helps! Even if it's $1.00! 

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Four Favorites - Link Up!



I'm linking up today with Let it be Beautiful and Fancy Things for the four things I am obsessing over this week! It's a random mix of awesomeness that I think y'all will be obsessing over too! Allow me to just cut to the chase!

Macaroon Ring Box*Jennifer Lawrence*Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pastry Crisps*Fascinators

1. This Macaroon Ring Box! How flipping precious is this?!?! And what a fun gift they would make for your gal pals! I'm simply dying over their cuteness! Ordering one is definitely on my agenda. Now, if only I could decided on what color to choose?!

2. Jennifer Lawrence is most definitely my girl crush! She's actually been a girl crush of mine since I watched her in The Hunger Games back in October! She is so laid back and humble! I love love love her Hollywood innocence! She really has no idea how huge of a star she is and I believe her fabulous gold man won't even allow her to realize that she's made it to the big leagues! Love the girl! She can do no wrong in my book! And falling while walking up stairs?! It makes me love her even more! She's real and honest and flawed and she's not afraid to admit it! She is genuine to the bone. What's not to love about her?!

3. Kellog's Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pastry Crisps. I am a huge fan of Pop-Tarts but they are not the most healthiest treat to eat! My most favorite flavor is Brown Sugar Cinnamon and I literally jumped for joy in the middle of Harris Teeter when I found this box of Pastry Crisps next to the Chocolate flavored ones I was looking for! I feel like I've hit the jack pot! Brown Sugar Cinnamon 100 calorie pastry treats that taste JUST LIKE POPTARTS!? Talk about guilt free!!! Pick your own up at your local grocery store!

4. I've always loved the English. The accents, the Monarchy, and the hats! I would love nothing more than for American women to start wearing hats and fascinators to formal events and not just the Kentucky Derby! I'm starting the trend or at least trying too by wearing one to the YAAA! event on Saturday! I can't wait! If you love fascinators and hats as much as I do, you should start wearing them as well! Take photos, lets blog about wearing them, and start the American trend!!!!

Have a fantastic Hump Day my dears!!! Just think, half the week is already finished and we have half to go until the weekend! Wooohooo! XoXo!

If you missed my post yesterday please take a read of it here! We are still accepting donations and would love for you to assist in helping us raise money to help find a cure for Alzheimer's! Follow this link and just click on the green donate button! 



Thursday, February 14, 2013

My Lovely Lil Valentine, Kelly - Sponsor Style!

Holy Mother of everything Pink, Red, and Girly today!!! It most definitely is Valentine's Day and I have a lovely little bit of sweetness for y'all today!!! Kelly happens to be a close friend of mine and former roomie and co-worker!  She also happens to be a fabulous wife, mommy, and fashionista which you will get to see today! Kelly is most definitely one of those friends in my life I can go weeks without talking to and years without seeing {she still lives in NOVA while I'm back in SOVA} but we pick up right where we left off without skipping a  beat! I hold her dearly to my heart as she is one person who has literally seen me at my worse in a time when life wasn't so beautiful! I hope you enjoy meeting her because I am extremely excited to be sharing her with all of you!!! 

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

My name is Kelly, and I blog over at Mrs in Training.  I’m a working mama, full-time student, lover of beer Diet Coke, and a wannabe fashionista.  I'm also Lauran's former roommate, so it shouldn't be any surprise that I would beg her to let me come visit for the day ;)


My motto is that I never quite got over playing dress up.   I love occasions for getting all dolled up and going out somewhere special, and so anniversaries, weddings and Valentine’s Day are some of my favorite times of the year!  There is something so wonderful about putting on a pretty dress and spending the evening with people you love.

But then, the night is over, and you have to pack your pretty cocktail dress in the back of your closet, knowing you might wear it maybe once more, but by the time the next occasion rolls around you’re dying for something new.  Right?!

Well, stop it.  I am a big fan of maximizing my closet to its biggest potential and making as many outfits and options with the clothes I have.  I don’t believe that anything should be tucked away for sporadic use and I try to pull out my favorite pieces as much as possible.  So today I wanted to show the four ways that I take a cocktail dress and make it daytime fabulous!

1.      Wear it as a shirt.
This is one of my favorite little black dresses, and its perfect for nice dinners with my husband.  But when I add a circle skirt over the dress, it gives a fun strapless top look.  Add some sandals and you’re all set for a Sunday brunch with your girlfriends!  (Tip: The black dress was longer than the yellow skirt, so I just folded it up!)

2.  Add casual accessories.
This peach lace dress is one of my favorites with gold accessories to wear to night weddings or work events.  But when you add a denim jacket, sandals, and a hat, it is perfect for a day of shopping.

3. Layer underneath.
The layered look is "in" in a big way right now, and its very easy to create tons more outfit combinations from your closet.  This could also be worn to the office with heels, but I love this for other events - a baby shower, a baptism, or even Easter dinner.

4.      Wear it as a skirt.
Remember #1, wear it as a shirt? Try it the other way around!  Add a blouse and a blazer and wear it as a skirt.  I’ve done this several times when a pencil skirt I wanted to wear wasn’t ironed, and this is a great way to expand your work wardrobe.  Just make sure the skirt is an appropriate length for your office environment!

The easiest ways to dress it down:
  •         Swap tiny clutches for large tote bags.  Bigger bags definitely bring a dress out of “wedding wear” realm.
  •         Lower your heels.  4” stilettos are perfect for the dance floor, but flat sandals really help a dress become practical for daytime.
  •         Swap out jewelry.  Sparkle and glitter are great for evenings, but when it comes to accessories for casual events, think chunky wooden necklaces, longer length strands, lots of bracelets and stud earrings. 
  •         Add accessories.  Belts, hats and scarves are all awesome ways to bring it down a notch.  Even sunglasses say “sunshine” (unless, of course, you wear your sunglasses at night). ((Sidenote: OMG Lauran, how many millions of times did I play this song on the jukebox back in our bartending days?  It now will forever remind me of BWU days!))

So I hope all you lucky gals with a special Valentine have a wonderful time tonight in your party dresses, and I hope you find ways to wear them more often!  I’d love to know if you have any other ideas for stretching your wardrobe – leave Lauran a comment below!

Seriously, how adorable is she?! She is definitely one gal pal that I look up to in the name of fashion! She has a way of pairing things together that I would never ever think to combine. Now if only we could live together again and I could have her daily "what to wear" advice! I hope you visit Kelly and fall in love with her spunky self! She puts it all on the table and never leaves you guessing! Be sure to stop by her page and leave her some love on this sweet lovie day! 

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Four Favorites - Link Up!



Today, I'm linking up with Let it be Beautiful and Fancy Things for Four Favorites! Check out what I am digging this week!!


4. Katy Perry's Grammy Dress

1. I am a huge fan of fur coats, well allow me to rephrase that, I am a huge fan of faux fur coats. Not that I am an animal activist but I do become overwhelmed with emotion when I think about being draped in rabbit fur! Therefore I think faux fur is the way to go! I am dying over this faux fur beret! I'm not sure if it's worth the splurge considering it doesn't get THAT cold here, but it's still adorable for winter! 

2. We purchased the Nikon 1 J1 Compact System Camera this past weekend! I am really excited to learn to use it! I've already snagged some great photo's of Baby Reef! I am also pretty stoked that I now have a camera small enough to fit in my purse again! 

3. I finally purchased this Remington Curling Wand after not being able to find the one here after Christmas! I played with it tonight and I am thrilled that I now have a wand to give me waves in no time at all! 

4. Katy Perry's Grammy Dress! I've heard mixed reviews about this dress, but I have to say I LOVED LOVED LOVED it! Despite the excessive cleavage it still looked classy because the rest of her ENTIRE body was completely covered! If she had any inch of skin showing in any other place it would have looked inappropriate, but the fact that she covered everything gave it a smooth sophisticated look! I would seriously love to know what kind of spanx she had on as not one little dimple, roll, line, or imperfection showed! She looked simply fabulous! 

Wishing my darling fans a wondering Wednesday! The weather is less than stellar today so I have to forego my power walking today! Boo. This does leave me some extra time to take care of other obligations! Baby Reef is at Doggie Daycare and dinner is already in the crock pot at home! I have a feeling tonight will be one relaxing evening with a pooped out pup and an easy dinner! Very much looking forward to the relaxation! Happy Hump Day! XoXo!

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

More vs. Less

Do you like shoes?!? I know one thing is for sure... I LOVE shoes! All kinds of shoes! I'm certainly not biased! I'm certain that women are born with shoe love but I also believe it was bred in me! I've always known my mother to have more shoes than I could ever keep up with. She literally has boxes and boxes and boxes of all sorts of shoes and I'm pretty sure she has two closets full stacked almost to the top.

I can sit for hours perusing through Christian Louboutin's website, drooling over Jimmy Choo's, and swooning over Manolo Blahnik's! What girl wouldn't? Honestly though, I know my finances and our budget and unfortunately I can't just run out and buy the latest pair of Louboutin's. If I save for months, it's probably doable so maybe I'll start working on my first pair of Loubs! Regardless, I still love when I run across "look alike" shoes that I can afford! Check these out! You'll be crazy impressed!

More:
Christian Louboutin Summerissima $995.00 {No longer available}
Less:
Gianni Bini Emily Platform Sandals $89.99

More:


Yves Saint Laurent Tribtoo Platform Pump $825.00
Less:
Gianni Bini Lilli Round Toe Pumps $89.99

More:
Manolo Blahnik Terry-Trimmed Suede Driver $495.00
 Less:
Sam Edelman Jones Suede Loafers $90.00 

If you can't tell I am a huge Gianni Bini fan! I think they do a fantastic job at creating girly luxury shoes for very reasonable prices! They also do a great job at providing both classic styles and trendy styles as well! I have a feeling I'll be purchasing a few new pairs of shoes for my closet here soon!

Hope you all have had a fab start to the week!!! XoXo!

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Four Favorites - Valentine's Day!

As much as I love having my normal go to blog posts throughout the week I've been wanting to mix things up for a bit to prevent myself and my readers from getting bored with my content! Last week I was asked to join in this week's Link Up with Fancy Things and Let It Be Beautiful and I am quite excited! Each Week these ladies host a Link Up showing four of their favorite items pertaining to a certain category! This week is Valentine's day and these are my Four Favorites! 


I am drooling over the rustic yet classic valentine decor! I love the simplistic romantic feel and the silhouettes are an added bonus! You can't go wrong with a classic pale pink nail polish! I own several shades of pale pinks; mattes, shimmers, sparkles, you name it, I probably have it! Something about pale pink screams girly and Essie supplies many many girly pink shades! My next manicure will most definitely consist of pale pink in honor of Valentine's Day! Kate Spade is one of my all time favorite classic designers! All of her details are simple, clean, and concise and can be worn for years to come. I considered her pieces an investment! These Karolina Bow Pumps are to die for! They can be perfectly paired with a black pencil skirt or ivory slacks and can be worn year round! Lastly,  what gal doesn't love a bouquet of pink peonies?! I wouldn't mind coming home to a bundle of these for lovely ole Heart Day! *hint hint hunnie* 

 

Happy Hump Day my loves! I will be enjoying the 70 degree weather today and gearing up for the end of the week and an eventful weekend! XoXo!

Friday, January 25, 2013

Friday's Letters!

Boy am I happy to see today! I thought last week was a long week, but this week totally topped it! By golly I thought today would NEVER get here! It has been a rough week for me. I haven't been in the most stellar of moods and the weather has been far to cold for my liking. Side Note: I hate complaining about 32 degree weather when some of you readers think that is warm. Kind of like how I laughed last week when all of California was freezing at a nice 55 degrees! Are you kidding??! I had to sit back and tell myself that they just aren't used to those low temperatures just as I am not used to 20 and 30 degree temps for an extended amount of time! Anywho, I've been highly annoyed this week and have a feeling I will be posting about it on Monday. So if you are at all curious - stay tuned! As for today, I'm trying to stay positive and look toward the weekend - the blistery cold weekend! Joy!

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Via

Dear Organizational and Get Things Done thoughts, Yes- I think up all these great plans to organize the house, purge all the unneeded crap, and clean, yet my mind can't seem to actually make my body do it! I usually think the weekend would be a great time for such projects and then the weekend arrives and I'm lazy as {insert 'f' word here}. My mind is crazy motivated but the rest of me? Not so much! I've made lists, I've filled in calendars, I've put reminders in my phone and yet still can't seem to get much done! It's enough to drive me bat shit crazy! I really do believe I will be working on motivation as a February goal. Dear Lush Fresh Homemade Cosmetics, I am beyond thrilled that we have your store in one of our local malls! Not that I am some huge advocate for using all natural handmade products, however I am becoming more conscious of what I put on my face, skin, and in my body! I already use the Oil Cleansing Method to clean my face but I felt something was lacking, like a mask and spot treatment. That's where you come in my dear Lush. With your Mask of Magnaminty and Grease Lightning cleansers, you have added more to my skin care routine! More cleanliness and clearness! All without harsh chemicals and ingredients! Dear Gym, I am finally motivated to come visit you twice a week and you thank me by not having my weight class last night. You thanked me even more by allowing the employees I spoke with to have NO clue about what was going on nor did they seem too eager to find out for me either! I am extremely disappointed that I woke up able to walk this morning and make it down the stairs easily {unlike last week}. Now I feel as though I didn't work out on my own very hard. Do you know how long it has taken for me to get to the point of actually coming to see you regularly and enjoying it?! 28 years! Don't ruin it for me now by skipping classes I actually come to take! Dear Marshalls off of Independence, You are the best dern Marshalls in my area! Seriously! I am so glad I was able to buy some new work out gear from you yesterday! Two pairs of yoga pants, two bright tank tops, and two neon sports bras! I, no doubt, will look like a human highlighter while rocking out in Zumba! I wore one ensemble last night and LOVED it! Knowing that I saved a few bucks on the Nike and Jockey gear rocks even more! Oh yea, and I appreciate that you had some killer pieces of clothing on display, yet I was strictly there for gym attire, therefore I could not partake in your fabulousness! Maybe next week, maybe next week. Dear Hubby and Puppy Child, Is is possible at all for Momma to have some room to sleep in our King size bed????? I might as well be sleeping on a two by four with the way y'all hog the bed! And don't even get me started on the covers! I understand it's cold outside but do y'all need to cocoon yourselves up in the blankets and leave me with a square inch of sheet? I don't even want to talk about when I try to nudge either one of you, you both are dead as door nails. Awesome. It makes me super comfortable knowing someone can move you and you not wake up. I guess if someone were to ever break into our home I'd have to protect us all since you both would sleep through it! Must be nice to sleep like a rock!

Hope you darlings {I told y'all I was going to use this word more!} are having a fantastic Friday so far! No big plans for us this weekend however I am looking forward to the snow that is supposed to give us an inch or two! Plenty for Baby Reef to experience his first snow! Definitely will be working on a few things I will be sharing with you all later and of course gathering that motivation to get some serious organizing and purging completed! I'm going to leave you with this quote I came across last night! The Lord must have known I needed some encouragement and support! More on that Monday!! XoXo!


Thursday, January 24, 2013

One Jewel Toned Momma - Meet Sarah!


Thursday has arrived and the cold weather too! Yesterday I don't think the temperatures rose above 35 degrees! I did head out at noon to take my lunch time power walk - bundled up with gloves and a hat to boot! You will greatly appreciate today's guest post as it may add some heat to these cold cold days! Sarah and I met on Instagram {I'm getting pretty famous at making IG friends these days}! We bonded over the fact that we both lived in Virginia and then later learned we were both bloggers! We've been following one another ever since! I hope y'all enjoy Sarah and her mouth watering retake on my recent post of Cheesy Jalapeno Popper Baked Stuffed Chicken! 

Sarah also just became a Stella & Dot Consultant! If you are interested in booking an on-line party be sure to contact her for more info! If you haven't seen their new Spring preview, you are missing out! Take a look below at a few new pieces!  

Visit Sarah's Stella & Dot Stylist Page

Now presenting Sarah and all her Hot Mess Mommie glory!


Hey Y’alL!
I’m Sarah and I blog over at Hott Mess Mommie! I’m so excited Lauran is having me today!

I’m a 20 something’s stay at home mama..soon to be heading back to work (SCARY)..to my almost 1 year old Oliver.

I spend most of my days, and nights, covered in snot and cheerios and I wouldn’t trade a second of it!

Beyond taking care of O, I loveeeeeeee crafting, cooking, interior design and hanging out with my girlfriends (when I get the chance).

I thought I’d share one of my favorite recipes with y’all today to enjoy! Pre-apologizing for the butter content (HA) I know those New Years Resolutions are in full force ;) I hope you like it and stop over anytime and say HI! I love meeting new people in blog land and can’t wait to see all your pretty faces :)
This recipe has been floating around pinterest for awhile, but my mama first made it when I was in elementary school. So for that..we call it Mama Stone’s Jalapeno Chicken.

What you’ll need:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
(1 for each person eating, or 2 if it’s for a man)
Tub of Phillidelphia Cream Cheese and Chives
Stick of Butter, melted.
Jar of sliced jalapenos
Package of Thick Sliced Bacon
Toothpicks

1. Preheat your oven to 375
2. Beat chicken with a mallet to tenderize, making it still look like a chicken breast (don’t go overboard) but it needs to be pretty flexible.
3. Dip chicken breast in melted butter.
4.Spread a generous amount of cream cheese inside each breast.
5. Place jalapenos on top of cream cheese
6. Roll up breast (this part gets kind of messy).
7. Take a piece of bacon and wrap around the chicken. I like to lay the bacon down and place the chicken in the center, then fold in each end of bacon while pulling tight!
8. Secure with tooth pick.

Bake for 45 minutes at 375 and ENJOY!

Thanks for having me Lauran, I hope to come back soon!


Sarah must have secretly known that this recipe has quickly become one of my favorites! I am excited to try this way of preparing and cooking it! I mean anything WRAPPED in bacon  has to be like heaven in your mouth! Would you not agree?! I hope you all head over and say hello to Sarah and get to know her a bit more. More so, I hope you all check out her Stella and Dot page! They have some gorgeous pieces to spruce up any wardrobe and I have no doubt Sarah would be more than willing to be your personal S&D stylist! Happy Thursday darlings! Stay warm! 

Monday, January 21, 2013

Teeny Tiny Obsession!

Call me crazy, I don't really care, but I may have a teeny tiny obsession with the Duchess of Cambridge! Oh you do too?! Fabulous! That means I'm not so nutty! Anywho, I'm always reading and searching the latest news on her and Prince William! The Daily Mail UK is a great source for all things royal! 

Kate is just a classic beauty. She has style and grace and, for crying out loud, she's a commoner who became a Princess {Cinderella story much?}. I am always obsessed with her shoes, her hats, and well really, her entire wardrobe! I think it's fantastic that she wears more "affordable" pieces of clothing AND wears them more than once! It gives us commoner's something to relate to!

Via

I was just recently {last week} introduced to this blog What Kate Wore and holy moly it's my new favorite read! If you are looking for a pair of shoes, a certain gown she wore, or even a necklace, this site is the site for you! It breaks down her ensembles and gives you the stores and links on where you can purchase the item! Many of the pieces sell out quickly and are no longer available but it gives you an idea of the designers and stores that she enjoys! They also give you similar options of the item!

The even better part is, if you can't actually purchase the item Princess Kate has worn, you can file it away for safe keeping and look for similar styles at your convenience! For instance I don't really want to spend $350 on a pair of nude patent leather heels, however, I've been on the lookout for ones that look like Kate's! The same goes for her clothing choices as well! In a way, this website is similar to that of Fashion Bloggers, showing off what they are wearing and where it came from! It's up to you to either buy that item or find something similar!

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I can't wait to keep up with this blog on a regular basis! Scoring some duds like the Princess would make me one happy lil commoner! Happy Monday love bugs!!! XoXo!