Weekend of: All the Emojis

This weekend (well, week), one of my besties is in town from New England.  A week ago, as she was flying into Charleston, she sent me this text...

Yeah, it pretty much described our (long) weekend perfectly.  Here's what we were up to... manis (in Essie's Chills & Thrills), another fantastic blogger event at Bob Ellis Shoes with Cupcake, rooftop drinks, donuts, stand-up paddleboarding, a couple breweries, my new favorite taco obsession (coming to the blog later this week!), brunch at Poogan's Porch with Erika and company, and a trip to the Tea Plantation!

Today we're headed to go jet skiing (hopefully the weather will hold up after we got cancelled yesterday!).  Have a great Monday!  I'm linking up with Ashley and Biana today!

Fall Finds For Your Feet

Alright, so I know I said on Wednesday that I'm not ready for cool weather, and I still promise that I'm not, but when I can give my readers a fantastic shopping deal, you know I'm all about it!  This week (through Sunday) is Member Appreciation Week at ShopatHome.com!  That means that tons of your favorite shops are offering double cash back.  All of the shoes below are from Macy's and you can get 8% cash back just by shopping through your ShopatHome account.  Seriously, how awesome is that?  And it only takes a minute or two to sign up for an account and start racking up that extra money.  I thought I'd share some fall favorites since by the time you shop and they arrive, it will be time for Labor Day, (AKA International Switch-Your-Closet-From-Summer-To-Fall Weekend).  

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9

• What are your favorite shoes for the fall season?
• Do you still find any excuse to go "Back to School Shopping" even if you're not in school, like me?

#FirstWorldProbz: I miss my winter wardrobe

(Disclaimer: I love hot weather more than anything in the world and am not ready for it to drop below 80 ever.)  
Anyone else have this problem with their wardrobes? Yes, I love summer dresses as much as the next girl, but oh man do I miss my blouses and jewelry from the winter.  (Do statement necklaces make anyone else sweat? No? Okay, I guess I'm strange.)  Well known fact, it's a million degrees all the time in Charleston, but it's been 3+ months since I went out of the house in anything but a sun dress or golf clothes.  So finally, I went for it; I took a favorite shirt, rolled up the sleeves and traded the jeans for a really cute pair of Mossimo lace shorts from Target (on sale for $8 - woo!).  It was surprisingly comfortable and the flowy material wasn't very hot at all.

Factory Cut-out Blouse // Factory Floral Clusters Necklace

Knot bracelet // Nails // Shorts (similar) // Sandals

Thanks to Mike for these photos as we strolled around the peninsula the weekend before last.  Stops at Callie's Hot Little Biscuit, the Farmer's Market (for King of Pops and fresh pasta), and the waterfront are always musts!

Museum Weekend with Mom

My mom was in town this weekend, and we had a great time (Sorry, Dad! He had to work and couldn't make the trip.)!

Saturday started like every other one of recent weeks: Callie's HLB and the Farmer's Market.  (Spoiler: There was a huge line at HLB this week, so I actually took a bunch of photos and can't wait to FINALLY share my favorite breakfast and late night spot with y'all soon!)  My mom looooved Callie's (who wouldn't?!).  After that, we walked the few blocks, across Calhoun, to the waterfront to board the boat for a Fort Sumter tour.  We have been to Fort Moultrie countless times, but when my mom brought up Fort Sumter, we thought a cool boat ride in the middle of a summer day sounded perfect.  To be honest, it was a lot like Fort Moultrie, but the views were wonderful, and I learned a lot about the Fort and Charleston.

Returning on the boat, we started talking about the SC Aquarium next door, so we made that our Sunday adventure.  If you follow me on snapchat (megatronnn27), you probably already know this, since I posted a few too many videos of my favorite animals.  Come on, they were so awesome!  I was really impressed with the aquarium.  They didn't have the big whales or dolphins that my hometown Mystic Aquarium has (apparently it's illegal in South Carolina for them to be "on display"), but there were tons of fish, sting rays (we got to feed and pet them!), sea turtles, (my favorite) moray eels, and otters as well as non-traditional aquarium animals like snakes, lemurs, a bald eagle, and parrots.  I loved the aquarium and definitely want to bring friends who visit back in the future!

On top of all that, while my mom was here, she made us SO MUCH AMAZING FOOD.  I kept trying to tell her that it was her vacation, but you know how moms are!  Homemade pasta sauce (recipe coming soon), meatballs, stuffed shells, and devil dogs.  Oh man, food heaven!

Only a couple of months until we're back in New England for a weekend and get to see her and my dad again :)

I hope you checked out my sponsor, Amanda's guest post yesterday! There is craziness going on with this blog and not only is she kind enough to be hosting a giveaway this week, but there are also another day left of Amy's giveaway!

Now onto this week: last night (yes, like 5 hours after my mom took off), my bff arrived in Charleston for a week.  Last fall, she was here for a week for my birthday, and we did SO MUCH, and this time will certainly not be any different.  I'll be around, but please excuse a bit of blogger silence :) Have a great week, everyone!

Six on Monday with Amanda

How was your weekend?  Mine was great - my mom is in town through tonight, so we are having so much doing touristy things with her.  Today I'm so excited for Amanda to take over the blog!  If you haven't clicked on her button on my sidebar, you definitely should!  She is a Jamberry consultant and has been so much fun to work with over the past few months!  She has definitely converted me into a Jamberry lover, and if you want to give these awesome nail designs a try for yourself, you should definitely stick around for the whole post ;)  Alright, here's Amanda: 

1. How did you get started with Jamberry?

I was introduced to Jamberry by a close friend from high school. I thought the designs were pretty, but I was skeptical. When I received my Jams in the mail and was able to wear them for a solid week through diaper changes, laundry, cleaning, and tons of hand washing I was sold. Polish would have been done the day I painted them. Plus, I loved getting a 30% discount on cute nails!

2. What is your favorite design?

It's hard to narrow down my choices to just one design, but I would say one our Commitment to Charity wraps, Autism Awareness always gets pushed to the top of my list. Being the Mom of two amazing kids on the Autism Spectrum, I love that they are represented and I also love that Jamberry gives back $2 of every sale back to the Autism Society of America.This is such an important cause to me and I love being able to help support it.

3. Now about you: Tell us about yourself:

I was born and raised in the suburbs of our Nation's Capital, but now live in the Sunshine State. I have been married to my best friend for almost 7.5 years and we have 3 gorgeous children who are 5 years old, 2 years old, and one month old. I love Jesus, spending time with my family, football, reading, British things, all things geek, watching movies, sports, and laughing. Sadly, we have no pets right now, but I love Corgis.

4. What is one really cool thing about you?

I'm extraordinarily ordinary, so this is tough. If I didn't have the tendency to be shy, I could be a professional voice actor. 

5. What's something no one else knows about you?

I wanted to be a famous singer growing up, but the thought of performing in front of people instantly makes me queasy. Being in the spotlight is not my thing.

6. What would you like my readers to know about you?

I can be pretty introverted, but I am one of the nicest people you will meet. I think this world could always use more kindness. I am not the best driver. I do not have a poker face and tend to be blunt. My kids mean the world to me. I have the attention span of a corn flake. One of my worst habits is procrastinating and every time I want to stop, I just tell myself that I can stop. My spirit animal is the Leslie Knope.

And now, Amanda is graciously giving away $25 to her Jamberry shop - that means you can treat yoself to some beautiful wraps!  Good luck!

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You Never Stop Learning...

They (not sure who "they" are, but I digress) say that no matter how old you are, you are always learning.  I feel like I've learned a pretty good number of practical things this summer, and I thought I'd share them with you in hopes that some of them can make your lives better:

- Apply sunscreen before leaving the house.  Mike actually taught me this one, and I have definitely not been as burned this summer.  Basically, sunscreen over sweat is useless (yes, even the sweat-proof stuff).  It can't absorb and you'll burn.  Instead, put on sunscreen before you leave the house so it has time to soak in as you're walking to the pool or driving to the beach.

- How to catch a kickball.  Okay, so this one won't apply to you, but I am pretty damn proud of myself.  I made Mike kick ball after ball at me, and now I'm not afraid of the ball.  Win!

- There are such things as yearly "modern" wedding gifts?  I know about traditional (paper, cotton, leather...), but modern?  "Clocks" is first anniversary, but I gave him a watch for our wedding, so I think I'm going to skip that line of gifts.

- Put deodorant on before you go to bed.  Apparently deodorant needs time to block your sweat ducts (sorry if I'm grossing you out), and if you put it on before bed, it'll work all night to do its job.  Even if you're a morning showerer, it'll only wash off the excess, and the deodorant should work for a full 24 hours.  It's been working for me!

- Another thing to do at night: dry shampoo. I used to use it in the morning, but here's another thing that can benefit from working all night while you sleep.

- All the words to "Rapper's Delight."  Okay, another one that just pertains to me, but if you want to join me for a sing-along, here you go!

- Disclaimer: I don't know if this one is true, but I'm going to share it anyway.  I heard that if you're super, super hungry, the first thing you eat is what your body will start to crave.  So, whenever I need a snack (Yes, it's been all carrots.  I'm trying not to confuse my body and I actually feel like this could be starting to work!).

Alright, that's everything I've learned this summer.  Yes, I know some are way more useful than others for y'all, but hey, sharing is what blogging's all about, right?

PS. Before you go, make sure you check out my Scentsy giveaway!  Have a great weekend!

Stop and Smell the Scentsy

I was provided with compensated in exchange for this honest review.  All opinions are my own.

I am so excited to team up with a fellow Rhode Islander, Amy of My Life as Amy, today!  Not only is she a blogger, but she's also a consultant for Scentsy, a direct selling company offering a variety of personal and home fragrances.  If you know me, you know I am SUCH a candle person, but I am also a forgetful person.  I panic if I think I left a candle lit (especially with two cats running around), so Scentsy is the perfect solution and, in my opinion, it has even more scent options and fragrance than your traditional candle.

There are close to 100 scents to choose from in different forms from room spray to laundry liquid and scent circles (perfect for your car or luggage) to body butter.  You can see a full list of all the scents here, and click on the scent to see what's offered in that variety.  My favorite way to scent a room is with their warmers and Scentsy bars (my candle alternative).  When it melts, the wax is not hot to the touch, and it's completely non-toxic.  I chose the Frosted Shade with the Abbey Shadow insert, and it perfectly fits the decor of our living room.  My scent of choice was Watermelon Mint, very fresh for spring and summer.

I've been using the warmer for about a month now.  We actually connected the Scentsy warmer to a lamp on a light switch in our living room, meaning that every night when we turn the light on, the Scentsy warmer goes on, too.  It's the perfect way to remember to use it everyday!  I am very impressed with how long the bar is lasting.  For me, typical candles burn about 20-30 hours, and I've been burning two of the eight segments of the Scentsy bar for a month now, or close to 50 hours - crazy!

Now, Amy wants you to give Scentsy a try, too!  Enter below for a chance to win a $35 gift card to her Scentsy shop.  Even if you do not win, you should definitely still check out her shop, and for good reason: almost everything in the catalog is 10% off through August 31st.  To shop, click here and go to "my open parties."  Select "order here" and you're good to go!  If you're interested in hosting your own party or hearing about special offers like free shipping, you can email Amy directly.  Good luck and happy shopping!
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Mocha Chip Frozen Coffee

I hope everyone had a great weekend!  Ours was another great one filled with our favorite summertime things: Callie's Hot Little Biscuit (post definitely coming soon on this place!), Farmer's Market, Taco Boy, beers and games at Palmetto Brewery, and golf, of course.  I didn't take a lot of photos, so instead, I thought I'd share a fun coffee beverage I've been enjoying, perfect to start your week.  

Mike and I love going to Charleston Coffee Exchange on our way home from the golf course.  They have tons of regional fair trade coffees from all over the world, and each week, they have a different "Coffee of the Week" for only $9.99 per pound.  Recently, Mike brought hom Nicaraguan coffee.  It has a distinct chocolately flavor, and I love it.  I got inspired and decided to try my take on my favorite almost $5 coffee beverage.  After a couple of adjustments, this drink is the perfect mix in that you can still taste the coffee, while also adding some delicious chocolate flavor.  

Ingredients:

- 1/3 cup coffee beans

- 1/2 tablespoon sugar

- 1/3 cup milk
 - 2 cups ice
- 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
- small handful or 2/3 tablespoons chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Make the coffee!  We love our Aeropress, but any method that can make very strong coffee.  With the Aeropress, I ground up 1/3 cup beans medium-fine and Aeropressed them with 6 oz of boiling water.  

2. While the coffee is still hot, mix in the sugar so it can dissolve.

3. Once it's dissolved, add in the milk and pour coffee, ice, chocolate syrup, extract, and chocolate chips into blender.

4. I used the ice crush setting for about 15 seconds for the perfect milkshake-like consistency.

5. Pour into a glass and top with whipped cream and more chocolate syrup!

There you have it!  I hope this perks up y'alls' weeks!  I know I needed it this morning for the Lilly After Party sale.  Anyone get anything good?  I got a white puffy vest and I'm happy as a clam :)

Link Love

I am a link hoarder.  Anytime I see something that makes me smile, laugh, or happy, I have to save it.  Here's what I've been loving lately...

How awesome is this "His, Hers, and Theirs" wooden sign?  I'd love to get one for our three states: Connecticut, Rhode Island, and South Carolina.

My Pandora station of choice recently has been "Taylor Swift radio," but through lots of thumbs up and down, it's turned into a Sara Bareilles-Ingrid Michaelson-Taylor Swift-Regina Spektor-Rachel Platten hybrid.  I am loving Sara's "Little Black Dress" and "I Choose You" on repeat from YouTube, too.

Did you grow up Catholic?  If so, I hope you get as many laughs out of this Buzzfeed article as I did.

How has it been two years since Mike proposed?

I love finding new and pretty IG accounts to follow, so Biana's post this week was perfect.

And lastly, Jillian posted this link, and I think these brownies will definitely be made this weekend.

Charleston Eats: Early Bird Diner

True Life: I Watch WAY TOO MUCH Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives.

Whenever I see a Charleston restaurant on the show (and there are a good number!), I need to try it.  One of the first episodes I saw after moving down here featured the Early Bird Diner, which is only a couple of miles away from where I live.

Every weekend, there is always a line outside, so I knew it had to be good.  They also have A LOT of hours.  They're open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner everyday (brunch on Sundays, duh!) but also late night - until 4 am - Saturday and Sunday mornings!

After watching their Triple D segment (you can watch it here), I knew I HAD to try their chicken and waffles the first time I went there.  They did not disappoint!  Pecan-crusted chicken and cinnamon waffles with maple syrup and honey mustard - amazing!  Since then, I've had shrimp & grits, pancakes, and my all-time favorite corn cakes benedict.

As you can see, no matter what hour of the day, I always have to have their breakfasts.  Mike, on the other hand, is all about the dinners, especially the chicken-fried steak.

If you are in Charleston and looking for some great comfort food, day or night, I highly suggest Early Bird!