8.27.2015

Nine years





Well, today is a special day.  It marks our 9th year anniversary of dating.  Boy does time fly.  I couldn’t imagine my life without Jack.  We have gone through so many life changing challenges together,  shared so many big and important moments with one another, seen each other grow into the who we are today. 




It is an unexplainable feeling to know that I will be marrying him next year- that I will be his wife.  Maybe I am bias here, but he truly is such an incredible guy.  It is such a privileged feeling to know that he chose me to be by his side, to be his one and only, to cheer him on, and support him on our life adventures.  

If you haven't read it already, last year on our anniversary I put together some pictures of us through the years of us dating. 


8.26.2015

Wedding Instagram Accounts |you should be following|


Thank goodness it is Wednesday.  I don't know about you, but for me this has been a long week already.  I think because I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my little niece.  This past Friday, I got a text from my sister saying she thought she was in labor.  It was a false alarm, but I was ready to jump on a jet plane to get to her.  She is but 3-4 hours away from me.  I obviously don't own a jet plane, but when the "actual" labor happens, I am going to wish I did. Based on her symptoms I am/was convinced it was going to happen this week, or in the very near future.  Another exciting event this week is tomorrow. It is mine and Jack's 9th year anniversary of dating.  Yes, 9 years. Where does the time go?  And I am super excited for Saturday. I am going with some of my bridesmaids to try on dresses, ekk.

I just wanted to share some of my favorite wedding insta accounts that I follow. I am loving the pretty pictures of inspiration they post!


| The Knot |
Have you checked out The Know app or website?  I love them both and have found them to be extremely helpful in the planning process as far as what I should be doing in what time frames.  I also found some of the vendors I am using for our wedding from the reviews on the website.  I encourage you to check it out if you haven't already!  I also created a free wedding website for Jack and I's wedding. There are a lot of cute templates to choose from and it is really easy to update.



|BHLDN Weddings|
I love the pretty vintage-inspired pictures that are posted on this site.  Another plus is if there is something you like on the insta you can fine the link to purchase it, I do caution you though that I have found the prices of items on their website to be pricey.  But we all have different budgets!  I do encourage you to at least skim through the pretty pictures and get inspired!





|SMP Weddings|
Style Me Pretty is full of loveliest images of just about everything wedding related.  I often find my self on their website because they have so many "real weddings" to look through. And at the bottom of each "real wedding" they provide the vendors name. So if you found a bridesmaid dress color or style you could easily find the designers name or location to buy it.  Which is amazing, because seriously how many times have you been on Pinterest or any app or even looking in a magazine and see a picture of a dress you love and can't find anywhere the designer or color or any information on where you can find the dress?!  Well, worry no more because this website will solve your problems :) They also have "DIY Project" section on their website.  It's amazing, I have found so many easy DIY ideas for our wedding!



|Loverly|
My absolute favorite.  I love everything about this insa account and their app. Mostly because of the pretty pictures of flowers they post ;-)  But also, their app lets you create "bundles", kind of like a board on Pinterest.  And you can create a bundle each items of the wedding (i.e. decor, ceremony, dress, cake, flowers, and so on). I like it more then a Pinterest board because 1) the pictures are easier to scroll though and they are from real weddings 2) similar to Style Me Pretty, if you click on it, you will be directed to the real wedding which the picture came from and it provides you with all the information you will need/want.  Another thing I love about Loverly is I get emails from them (you don't have to if you don't want) that include cute articles about different wedding related things.



What insta accounts or wedding apps do you use? Would love to hear about them!

To Travel and Beyond

8.19.2015

Engagement Pictures with Dogs



Engagement pictures have been on my mind a lot lately. Mostly because they're scheduled for October. I l-o-v-e the fall, and would have chosen a fall wedding but fall dates just weren't in the cards for us. So fall engagement pictures it is!

I really want to include the dogs in some of our engagement pictures. I know what you're probably thinking BUT they are a huge part of our lives so it only seems natural to include them :)

I have doing a TON of pinning on Pinterest for some engagement picture ideas, poses/props and such.  I need to book an entire day with our photographer to get all the shoots I want. I am still trying to decide if I like "save the date" signs. Or "daddy asked and mommy said yes" to put around the dogs necks. I am not sure if it is cute or tacky. I tried doing some shopping on Etsy, but found that anything I liked was more expensive then I thought and more then I really want to spend. I need to buy two- one for each dog to wear and it would be signs for one picture and then what do you do with it? Can't see spending close to $60 for engagement picture props. 


I have had in mind something similar to this for our Save the Dates. 
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I like signs that are this color and font.  Sign is from HeartcreaftedCo on Etsy.  I really like the saying on this and may even decide to purchase this.  We could always hang it in our house after the engagement session. 

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I considered just forgetting the whole sign all together. You can get some really cute shots with no signs, and design a save the date with text when printed.

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Would love to hear what you think!

8.17.2015

live.laugh.love

Well, the weekend didn't start off quite how I wanted it to.



One of my pup's, Regan, suffers from a not fully developed immune system resulting in a continuous skin condition.  We have been battling with it for the entire 2 years we have had her.  We have tried just about everything, from a raw food diet, to a holistic approach, to even acupuncture.  But unfortunately, we came to the realization that she is going to battle with this her whole life.  We do everything we can do to keep it at bay and make her comfortable. 

She has had a wound on her side that just won't heal, mostly because it is on a spot where she can reach and lick it, and her back leg can reach to scratch it.  I was cleaning it multiple times a day and bandaging her up, making her wear a t-shirt -- nothing was really helping.  When a scab would start to form she would somehow get to it.  So Saturday morning, she scratched it so badly, there was blood everywhere. I felt helpless and defeated because I had been trying everything I could think of to help it heal. I knew we needed to make a visit to the vet.  She is always such a good girl at the vet.  I mean for a while there it was like a second home, as we were making weekly visits.  



We left the vet with some good news.  The short story is she just needs to wear a cone for some time, and bandage up her foot so she can't scratch and open the wound.





Luckily she is such a good sport about things.  She's always been a trooper.  She is a true klutz though, very very clumpy.  She walks into everything, the cone really wasn't helping. When she was fixed she wore a blow up ring around her neck.  She loved it, used it as a pillow.  So we stopped at the pet store to get her one of those.







Got to add some pictures of my sweet Sadie girl too :)  It is so hard to get good pictures of her!  She is so dark she blends in! She is so hot in this pictures, it was a scorcher this weekend.




The rest of Saturday we spend hanging out.  I lounged in my friends pool with the gang and then we all went out to dinner at a Chinese restaurant - two words: so. good.


He is thrilled about taking a picture, can you tell?

Sunday was another relaxing day.  We went for our normal "Sunday morning" drive.  We usually go to Dunkin' Donuts, and then ride around town we love to drive around and look at the houses in the different neighborhoods.  We usually stop somewhere and people watch.  On our drive this weekend we saw this really different looking house, I couldn't help but take a picture. It kind of looks like something out of a book.



We spent most of the afternoon hanging with the dogs.  Jack washed the fence. While I lounged out reading my book.








We ended Sunday night with a visit from my dad. Cooked on the grill, and stopped at my absolute favorite place, the Ice Cream Barn.  They have all homemade ice cream with delicious flavors.  Last night I got, Kahlua Brownie and Grape Nut, ummm delicious!  (one of my favorite things about this ice cream shop is when you get sprinkles, they put some on the bottom, middle, and top! Perfection at its best.)


They also have this picture hanging in the shop, Jack says we need one for our house.  






8.14.2015

|friday favorites|

Hello Friday!

We don't have too much going on this weekend.   I say that now, but I am sure it will get filled up with plans soon enough :)

We thought about going to a little fair that is in town just a short drive away.  There is all kinds of activities to do, including live country music (about the only reason I want to go).  It is supposed to get steamy hot around here starting this weekend and going into the early part of next week.  So not sure we'll make it to the fair.  I am not a fan of the heat.

Some of my favorites on this beautiful Friday:

Favorite summer dress: love floral, and love pink!

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Favorite nail trend: love so many things about this trend. 1| love neutral tones, 2|love the look of the ring finger slightly different then the rest, 3| love the stripes and anchor.


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Favorite reminder: I love this. I have always loved it.  It short, but powerful, and so very true.

What are you're Friday favorites?



8.12.2015

Vintage Window + Rustic Ladder

So, it's Hump day.  That's refreshing to know.  After today, only two more days to get through and it's the weekend. Seems like everyday is a countdown until the weekend, anyone else feel that way?


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These last few weeks I have been having a blast planning our wedding.  Once we locked in the essentials |venue, photographer, videographer, DJ| it has become all about decor and making our vision for our wedding day a reality.

Like many brides we are on a tight budget, yes it is our big day and we are splurging a bit, but I am trying hard to stay on budget. With that being said, I have been trying to find cute/fun ways to cut down on the costs.  Would love to hear about any tips + advice if you have any to share.

I stumbled across, what I call an awesome find.  Jack usually just laughs at me when I come home with another DIY project to do for the wedding.  But you wait, he will love all of my ideas once they're complete!

Here is my favorite find so far:  Vintage Windows.  I found these online for only $5.  The possibilities are endless on what I can use them for.  


I think for the wedding my favorite idea is to use them for the seating chart.  Not only does it have a vintage + rustic feel it is also affordable.  If I was to use these for the seating chart we would save a $100+ on seating place cards.  Jack said he will be able to make me an easel stand like the one below to have it sit on.  I'd love to add some fresh flowers to it, probably baby's breath (because I am obsessed with baby's breath).


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If we don't use an easel I do like the idea of it hanging.  The venue has amazing wooden beams we could hang it from. In fact, that may be the less expensive way to go, and still looks heavenly.

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Not to mention we can re-use these after the wedding.

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I also scored this ladder and white lights for $20.  Jack literally died laughing as I carried this treasure into the house.  You can't tell from the picture, but it is a really old ladder, with lots of splattered paint on it.  Jack though it was just so funny that I paid $20 for it.  In his words "I could have gotten you a ladder and splattered paint on it for free"... oops.

In all honesty, it was a pain in the neck to get the ladder.  I drove over an hour away to pick it up. The women left it outside her house, and I left my money in the mailbox.  I didn't realize before getting there that it was going to be so "old" looking. But I had driven all that way and gone back and forth with the women, there was no way I was leaving there with out it. 

Andddd I already had the letters "K", "&", "J".  I got them at A.C. Moore when I saw them on sale a few weeks back. And I had a 50% one item coupon. Scored big on that purchase. I love the look of the letters, but had no idea how I was going to display them when I purchased them. Came across this ladder online and knew it was perfect.

Any who, I think I am going to use baby's breath to decorate a bit more, and probably won't use the lights. But nonetheless, I say it was a good find.






8.10.2015

Monday Blues

Monday Blues, we all have them, especially after such a beautiful weekend.  You can hear the sighs of your co-workers across the cubicles.  

A few things to help avoid, or at least help, with those Monday Blues:

|Caffeine|  

Enjoy a nice large cup of coffee, maybe an extra cup.  As a coffee lover myself, this is my favorite part of any morning.  I get up a 4am everyday, ah yes, I've been told I'm crazy, but it is a routine I have been in for years.  I am much more an early morning person, I am useless in the evening!  Have your coffee in your favorite mug.
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|Exercise|

I know I know, probably the last thing you're thinking of on a Monday morning as you hit the snooze button 10 times.  But, if you exercise it will help you wake up and get you ready for the day ahead. And you will feel accomplished before you even step out the door.  Try Shaun T's T-25.  A quick workout leaving you feeling great. If you don't have T-25, there are a lot if at home exercises that you can do.  


|Wear a new outfit|

Yes, yes, yes. What better way to feel great about yourself (and look good!)?  Maybe you don't have a new outfit, try pairing a blouse with a skirt or pants you normally wouldn't.  Or dig out an old favorite heel you haven't worn in a while. 


|Take a break|

Take 10 minutes out of you day to get out of the building for a quick walk.  Even if it is just a walk around the building. Do it!  A little fresh air will be just what you need to get your head back into the game and get you through that afternoon slump.


And my favorite....


|Monday night television|

Anyone else a fan of ABC Family's Chasing Life? If not, check it out

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What do you do to get through the Monday Blues?

Happy Monday!


8.09.2015

If only every weekend was endless

Sunday evening, you came far too quick, but this weekend was a fun one.

Friday night was spent celebrating a friend's birthday.  We were at an Ale House that had about 100 beers on tap, it was pretty cool.

We had a family cook out at Jack's father's on Saturday which was so fun. His father has an annual summer cookout.  Always a good time filled with love and laughter.

Today Jack spent the day helping a friend work on his new house, gave me time to do a little bit of shopping, cleaning, blog lovin'.  I stopped into Bath and Body Works | I love the wall flower plug ins | They already had their fall fragrances out! I had to do all that I could do to refrain from buying "Harvest Gathering" my absolute favorite fall sent! This past weekend you could really feel a hint of fall in the air!  AH,  I can't wait. Bring on the fall, hoodies, boots, candles, vets...

I ended up trying a new scent from Bath and Body Works: Endless Weekend, seemed fitting to buy on a Sunday morning while wishing every weekend was endless.




After cleaning the house today I gave my self a mani/pedi.  One of my favorite things to do is my nails.


Recently started using Essie's "good to go" rapid dry top coat. A friend recommended it. I love the fact that it dries fast, but I find that it chips easy.  Any other suggestions for a long lasting top coat? I am not a fan of gel polish.






After errands, cleaning, and mani/pedi I spent a majority of the later part of the afternoon finalizing my new blog layout. No 100% finished, I want to add some "pages" and "labels" to each blog post. But I just love the new design, would love to hear what you think of it.

It is a layout I purchased from Bella Lulu Ink. Be sure to check out her Etsy site.  Her work is absolutely amazing. Not to mention she provides free tutorials when you purchase a layout. 


8.06.2015

Stich Fix!

Friday! Hallelujah! Whose with me here?

Anywho, normally on Fridays I wanted to start with Friday favorites, but I received my StixhFix last night and I love every single item. I just had to share!

Have you heard of StichFix ?  It is pretty cool, it's like having your very own personal stylist.  You go to their website and sign up, set up your profile with styles you like, your budget, and how often you want to receive a "fix" and voila you get 5 pieces in the mail to try!  Keep what you like and send back what you don't like!

There is a $20 styling fee, but the best part is this can be applied to your purchase if you decide to keep any of the items sent!  As if that wasn't good enough, you get a 25% discount if you decide to purchase all five items. Pretty awesome, right?

Item 1: Liana Maxi Dress. Just can't get enough of this long maxi dress.  My fiance loved this on, so this is definitely a keeper! 


Item 2: Rebekah Contrast Detail Blazer, and Item 3: Sofia Hammered Square Collar Necklace. The skirt and under shirt are pieces that are mine that I added to make it an outfit. I love the gold chunky necklace!  Majority of my accessories are silver so this is a nice change.  


Item 4: Jafar Peplum Back Cardigan  



How cute are the ruffles on the back?! Can't get enough of this.


Item 5: Alona V-Neck Dress. This is the perfect mix of classic and glam.



Would love to hear about your Stich Fix experiences, or any other monthly subscriptions you enjoy!