Obsessions + In My Closet

{JOIE FORI MAXI DRESS}

Joie is one of my favorite lines and this dress proves why.  It is just perfect.  I have really been into tie dye lately and I am smitten with this maxi.

{HIVE AND HONEY DOLMAN SHIRT}
This top is only $34, enough said!  So darn cute.  Looks great with jeans or shorts and I think it could be worn well into the Fall.

{TRADER JOES SALSA AUTENTICA}

This is quite possibly the best salsa ever.  It tastes just like the restaurant kind.  Thank you Patti for the recommendation I just went back today and bought three jars and it is under $2.00!

 {MADEWELL EMBROIDERED PEASANT TOP}

Love the boho look of this top.  I could see myself rocking this daily with cut off jean shorts.

{REBECCA TAYLOR STRIPPED DRESS}

This is such a cute dress and I love that it is Jersey.  It would be so easy to wear all the day because jersery is so comfy!  It comes in black too but I really like the red.

 {BLACK TASSLE CURTAINS}

Been loving these forever.  They are gonna need to make an appearance in Baby Mason's nursery.

{SAM AND LAVI RYAN DRESS}

This dress is the most gorgeous color.  I am all about nudes and blushes.  They look so good with a tan.

Lastly I am also over at Gaby's fabulous blog The Vault Files participating in her "In my Closet Series."  Check out my post HERE!

La Senorita Jolie

I am so excited to introduce you girls to a fabulous super affordable line called La Senorita Jolie, that I just found out about.    If you love James Perse, Splendid, Ella Moss, and Vince then you will be smitten with this line like I am.  The line is designed by North Carolina native Jennifer Dixon- who also created the line Hunter Dixon. One of my friends from college works as rep for the line and emailed me about the company and sent me a few pieces to try out and I was blown away.  This line is so comparable to the expensive lines but most all of it is under $50. Such a steal!  It is all cotton/knit wear which I love because that is what I live in on a day to day basis. Everything is super soft and well made.

These are a few of my favorites but you can check out the whole line and shop online HERE.

Side note for any of you who are pregnant these clothes are great for before and after, I have been rocking both the dresses lately.  They have some stretch in them which is really flattering and forgiving.

 

They also have two different men's tees that would make great Fathers Day or Birthday Gifts for the men in your lives!

 This is probably my favorite dress, I wear it all the time.  Perfect for running errands or to throw over your bathing suit and head to pool!  I swear it looks identical to a $200 dress I looked at recently and this is only $55.  Their clothes do run true to size, I ordered smalls in everything and it fit accordingly.

{TORY TUNIC}

 A few other things of note about the line:

1) Receive free ground shipping, anywhere in the USA

2) Receive one of our Eco-Totes ($5 retail) with purchase of $99 and over

3) Receive one of our lip glosses ($19 retail) with purchase of $199 and over; make sure to include the lip gloss color choice in the "comment" section during checkout

**In order to receive these offers, simply enter LSJ-CBP-FS in the "discount code" section at the very end of checkout. You will be prompted to enter a code.**

The line is not carried in stores only online and through pop up shops.  Additionally, we are looking for the perfect Charleston "Pop-Up Stylist" and hostesses; please contact Christy Pope for more information and details about hosting or styling. Email: christinabpope@gmail.com

You must check out the line HERE!  I promise you won't be disappointed, you will want to live in these comfy chic clothes!
xoxo

Fridays Randoms

TGIF Friends. I am so ready for the weekend. I know what I will be doing, watching Downtown Abbey.  Matt and I finally started it this week and we are hooked. I have to admit when I heard all the hype about it,  I thought PBS and a period show no thank you.  I don't really like TV shows with accents or set in the past.  I really had no interest in. However after watching episode one Matt and I were both pleasantly surprised and engrossed.   Can't wait to get sucked into more of the drama.  Still not as good as Breaking Bad, the best show ever.

Remember my favorite BB Dakota Dress from last Fall- the Noland Dress??  It sold out in like a day before,  but right now you can preorder it for Fall in the new colors black or hunter green.  Plus Social Dress Shop is graciously offering 20% all full priced purchases with code DRESS.  That brings the dress to $63,  such a steal.  I lived in my red one and now I preordered a Hunter Green one for Fall:)

You can preorder HERE.

Anyone as big of a fan as the book (and movie) The Devil Wears Prada as me?  Well Lauren Weisberger just came out with a sequel to the book called Revenge Wears Prada The Devil Returns.  I downloaded for my kindle Tuesday (the day it was released, I am such a book worm) and I have been flying thru it.  It is such a good and entertaining read so far!

While at dinner the other night, Jess from Bare Beauty Blog was raving about Coconut Oil and how great it is for your skin and removing eye make-up.  I usually just use olive oil but now I am going to go pick up some Coconut Oil to try out.  Anyone else use Coconut Oil for other purposes, supposedly it is a great hair mask too!

I need some input on strollers, that is really the only thing new I am going to buy for this baby.  We had the Bugaboo with Sterling which I liked- but we bought the floor model and it is just not in great condition, I would not want to put a newborn in it.  Plus as much as I liked it, I didn't love it. It was not easy to fold down and then put back together.  It is great for now, as I leave it assembled on our front porch and use to stroll Sterling around the block but not ideal for newborn use.  I am not going the double stroller route, I think Sterling is old enough to walk in places now and I will use it for excerise while he is in school.
 I am thinking about the Uppa Baby, The Bob, or the City Select.   I want one I can exercise with (mainly walk but lightly jog), and one that is easy to snap together and put an infant seat in.  Any advice or other strollers I should check out?

I have said it before but I am a repeat offender when it comes to outfits.  If I am seeing different people I frequently wear the same outfit two days in a row.  It is easy I just lay it from the night before and can get dressed quickly.  This is my repeat outfit this week that I wore three days in a row:)
[ Rebecca Taylor Misty Gardens Blouse | Old Navy White Cut-Off Maternity Shorts ]

Now that I am not really drinking alcohol I have really gotten into lemonade.  Its funny I never really drank it not pregnant but now I can't get enough of it.  I like the fresh kind with bits of lemon pulp and not too sweet.  I came across this recipe and can't wait to make it especially since peaches are in season and so good right now! 
[ RASPBERRY PEACH LEMONADE ]

Have a great weekend!  

The Gift of Siblings

Now that I am pregnant the most frequent question I get is are you going to find out the sex of the baby?  Immediately followed by what would rather you a girl or a boy? 

I am most definitely going to find out the sex, I am a type A planner and I want to know what is going to come out of me in 5 months.   I like to decorate and shop way too much not to know.  I have no idea how people can wait nine months to find out!

As for the second question if I am being honest, all I want is a healthy baby, I could care less if it is a boy or a girl.  Most people say to me " I bet you are hoping for a girl, since you already have a boy."  It got me thinking did any of you have a preference what you wanted your second child to be?  Same sex or one of each?

Truthfully when I was pregnant with Sterling, I was secretly hoping for a girl.  I was actually convinced it was a girl and was shocked when we went for the ultrasound and they said "look there is the penis".  I was like what???  It took me a few days to accept the fact that I was indeed about to have a boy.  I am such a girly girl and I am so close with my mom and my sister I wished for a girl for that reason.  I wanted to have that same bond.  I had the girl stuff down, I love to dress up, paint my nails, shop, read fashion magazines,  all things I pictured doing with my daughter.   I was young and clueless about the world of babies.  I had no idea how much I could or would love having a little boy.

Then Sterling was born and he changed my life.  I never for a second looked back and wished that he had been a girl.  The moment I laid eyes on him for the first time my heart melted and I fell in love instantly.  There is just something so sweet about boys.  Being the mom of a little boy is the best thing ever.  Yes everything they say about boys is true, they are dirty,  sneaky,  pee everywhere, spill food everywhere, track dirt all through you house, bring bugs inside, snore, and are loud and smelly- all typical boy stuff.  But it is also true they also love their Moms more than anything.  Sterling is 100% percent a Mama's boy and I love it.  He always wants to hug and kiss me and cuddle and it just warms my heart.  There is nothing better than being a mom to boy.  I have fully embraced spiderman, batman, dinosaurs, cars, and sports plus I am pro at shopping for boy clothes now.  I adore having a boy and all the things that come with it. 

As for our next baby, I promise all I want is a healthy baby because that is the biggest blessing of all.  I see pluses to either sex.  I want a boy because I would love Sterling to have a brother.  I sometimes feel like same sex siblings are closer.  A boy would also be easier, I have so much boy stuff already and I have this boy thing down, plus I would be the only woman of the house.  Sterling insists there is a boy in my belly and whenever we ask him if wishes it were a boy or girl he says boy.   But I want a girl for the same reason I wanted a girl with Sterling.  As they say a daughter is a daughter for life and a son until he meets his wife.  Girls are so much better about calling their moms and staying in touch.  Plus not gonna lie I love all the little girl clothes it would be fun to shop for girl stuff.   This time around I feel like it a win win no matter what I have.  I am just so thankful for this pregnancy and can't wait to have another baby boy or girl.

Here is one thing that scares me with the next baby- I wonder how in the world I will ever love it as much as Sterling.  Will Sterling always be my favorite?  I just can't understand how I will love another child like him.  Your firstborn is just so special.

We should find out in about 3-4 weeks what we are having so humor me and take a guess do you think we are having a boy or girl?

Also if you have not read the article in the NY Times "The Gift of Siblings"  floating around, please do, it is so true and an excellent read.  I am so blessed to have my brother and sister and no matter what sex this baby is I am so excited to give Sterling a sibling,  because lets be real the main reason I am having another child is for him.  I want him to grow up having a sibling, because Siblings are the best!   The bond I have with my brother and sister is for life!

Leopard vs Stripes

 I found two dresses I am obsessed with!  I obviously can't buy both so I need your help.  Take a vote and tell me which one is the best option.  They are both comparable in price.  I love different things about each of them and hoping I can wear both pregnant and not pregnant. So tell me leopard or stripes? 

JOIE DAWNA TANK DRESS

vs

EQUIPMENT OWEN DRESS

BLT Dip

Get ready for the best appetizer ever.  We made this over the weekend and demolished the whole thing.  I found this recipe in a church cookbook my Mother-in-law gave me.  Aren't church cookbooks the best?  I swear they have the best recipes.  This recipe is super easy.  A few tips if you can use fresh farmers market tomatoes- they make it taste so much better.  I used a mandolin to slice the iceberg lettuce super thin but you could also just buy the pre-shredded kind. The recipe didn't call for it but I added chopped green onions to the top and I think they really added to it.  I will always add them when I make this recipe.  We served ours with Fritos and I thought it was the perfect combo but you could serve with any chip you like!
 Enjoy!

:: B L T  D I P ::

- 1.5 cups sour cream

- 1/2 cup mayo

- 1 pound bacon cooked and crumbled

- 1/2 head iceberg lettuce finely shredded

- 2-3 tomatoes diced

- 2 green onions sliced
- Fritos or Corn Chips

Combine sour cream and mayo, put in bottom of dish.   Put bacon, lettuce, tomatoes (season this layer with salt and pepper), and green onions on top.  Cover and chill.

*If you make ahead I would recommend leaving the tomatoes off til right before serving because they will make the dip watery.  I mixed up the mayo, sour cream and layered with bacon and lettuce and let sit in fridge 1-2 hours then added tomatoes and green onions before serving. *

Citrus Lane, Best Idea Ever for Kids

Have you Moms heard about Citrus Lane? About a year ago my friend Katie got a box from here and showed to me and I thought wow that is so cool.  Her son is Sterling's age and Sterling was enamoured with everything in the box.  Then I promptly forgot about it til I saw an ad on FB recently.   

 What Citrus Lane does is send you a box each month with toys and items designated for your child's age.   Sterling absolutely loves helping me get the mail and whenever a package comes he always asks is this for me?? I think he is going to be so excited about getting these packages every month.  You can sign up for one month or up to 6 months.  We get our first box in July and I will report back then with what is in it and if we love it, but for now you should try it out and take advantage of the promo.  If you click HERE you can get $10 off your first order!  That brings your cost to $15, such a steal!

Here are a few samples of monthly boxes for different ages.  You enter your child's age and sex and then they design the box based on that.  Such a cool and fun concept!  I also think this would make an incredible shower gift- the gift that keeps on giving!  

Get your box HERE!

** I am not being paid for this post I just think it is a really fabulous idea!**