Monday, January 25, 2016

Scenes From Our Weekend

First of all thank you all for the sweet comments on the blog and instagram wishing my kids a speedy recovery.  Thank goodness by the weekend and a solid 4 days on medicine they both seemed to be feeling much better! 

Friday morning I awoke to a nasty scene in Frances Moon's room.  She had taken off her diaper (a common occurrence these days) with a poop that was everywhere!  She then proceeded to tell me her baby doll did it not her.  I took this picture after I had stripped her bed of her cleaning her baby because "she pooped".  I could not stop laughing!

Friday I picked up lunch from my favorite spots Dellz Deli.  It is a must if you have never tried it before.  I love their black bean hummus wrap (pictured below), pita pizza, veggie tacos, and nachos!

Friday we took it easy and ordered pizza.  We used to order pizza every Friday night but I don't think we had since before Christmas!  I was missing it!  I made Matt and I dirty martinis with olives I stuffed with blue cheese.  We don't have them often but it is our guilty pleasure.

The kids have been into building pillow forts in the den.  I thought this was so sweet of them snuggled up with Matt.

Saturday I spent much of the day prepping food for my in-laws birthday party that night.  I did manage to sneak in a much needed Barre Class. I made two tried and true favorites :

I fell in love with this dress because of the colors and knew it would be perfect for the Birthday Party.
I ended up wearing knee high boots instead of the pumps because it was so cold Saturday night.

Matt and I happy to honor his sweet parents and celebrate their 70th Birthdays.

The Birthday boy and girl:)

We had our good friend Ann paint this beautiful picture for them of the 4 grandkids.  You can shop her Etsy shop HERE.  She takes custom orders too which is what we did.  We were thrilled with how the painting turned out!

How adorable are my in-laws?? Btw that cake was off the hook good.  It is from a shop in Mt Pleasant and all they do is Bundt cakes.

Sunday we all went to the County Park.
I think Rodney enjoyed it the most!
Cuddling with my little man because it was cold!

Ready to cheer on the Panthers Sunday night.

We were so excited The Panthers won!  Ready for The Super Bowl!  Frances must have sensed the win too because we found her dabing in her sleep:)

Have a great Monday.






Sunday, January 24, 2016

The Best Weekend Deals

Happy Sunday!  
It is so cold here in Charleston so we staying warm inside!  Today we are going to make some fun treats to enjoy while we watch the Panthers play tonight!  I have had a little time to browse the internet and there are some awesome deals this weekend.  

Take extra 25% off all sale.  
Use code EXTRA25 to get 25% off sale until tomorrow.
It is no secret I love my Rag and Bone Newbury and Harrow booties.  They are hands down my favorite booties.   They are on sale in a few colors and you can take 25% off making them less than $200!

I love this tan color, it would go with everything!  Only a few sizes left though.
They are also on sale in black as well although not quite as cheap as the tan color. I will say my black ones are my favorite and I tend to wear them the most.
I LOVE this purse!  Great neutral colors to go with everything.  
Rag and Bone tees are the best.  I really like the style of this one and it would around $40 with the discount!


20 % off bedding and bath including sale items!  Use code NEWLOOK
I love nothing more than fresh white towels.  I like the subtle detail on these and they look like they would be so soft.
I love the idea of this shower curtain in a kid's bathroom!  It is on sale and then you can take additional 20% off.
We have the Serena and Lily crab sheets in Sterling's room and the quality is amazing.  They are super soft and wash and wear well.  Sterling is boat obsessed these days and really wants these sheets next.

Lots of great new Zella workout gear was reduced.
These Zella Pants are amazing.  I love the fun print. 

also love this print as well.


I own this tee in black and really love the fit.  I think the detail on the front makes for a flattering fit.  ON sale in all colors for only $19 now.


I own this jacket style in plain blue and it is a great fit.  


Buy one sweater or top and get the second one half off.
This fringe cardigan reminds me so much of a Joie one.  Super cute.
I always love a classic stripe cardigan/sweater. This would be great in Spring too paired with white jeans.

I mentioned this Swing Sweater before but is a great fit and you can't beat the price.  It comes in so many great colors!
The perfect gray cardigan to toss on with anything!



Julie Vos makes some of my most favorite jewelry pieces and many are on sale right now.  They are such great pieces for everyday wear.  Any of these would make great gifts too!
I love layered with a few different colored ones.
These come in 3 different colors. They make such a pretty statement earring.



This is great deal at 60% off.  Also comes in 3 different color options.

Happy Weekend and Happy Shopping!







Friday, January 22, 2016

Thoughts for Friday + R Kitchen + Huge Mara Sale

I am so glad it's Friday!  Both of my babies have been home sick this week.  It has been a long couple of days and I have major cabin fever.  Hopefully they both are on the mend and we can enjoy our weekend. 

This was us at the doctor's office Wednesday morning. Poor little babies.  Sterling ended up having bronchitis and Frances Moon had some sort of a virus that manifested itself with a rash across her face. We ended up buying a nebulizer which has been a life saver!

We got in the Valentine's spirit and made the cutest Heart shaped Rice Krispie Treats.  Just add sprinkles and cut into heart shapes:)   I found heart shaped cookie cutters at Crate and Barrel but sometimes TJMaxx gets them in.

Thursday night I went out for my monthly girl's supper club.   
I picked up the blouse I am wearing below at Beckett Boutique a local shop here in Charleston.  They have such a great selection!   Plus how gorgeous is the interior of the shop?


I really love the style of the blouse.  It is also available online Here in several different colors.   Sizing wise it runs TTS.  I am wearing a small.  I loved this Camel color, I figure it will look great with white jeans and turquoise jewelry in the Spring.


We tried out R Kitchen and loved it. 
It is a small little building on Rutledge right across the street from Fuel.  They only offer 3 seatings at 6:00, 7:30, and 9:00 for 16 people each time.   It is a 5 course meal for $30 and they cook everything right in front of you.  We had so much fun!! The menu changes everyday, this was our menu.

I snapped pictures of all our courses.  I loved every single one, seriously delicious. 
Pictured below is the pasta, pork sandwich, and chicken cordon bleu.




These were the cute chefs and our server! We had so much fun we went ahead and booked the whole place for a couple's dinner next month! 

Over the holidays I ordered some new stationary to help me get organized.  Pretty paper makes everything more fun.
Both are from Pretty Smitten Etsy Shop and another new cookbook I am loving filled with beautiful healthy recipes.

Loving this off shoulder dress I ordered from Loft.  I know I know it is only January but I have summer on the brain. Runs on the large side order down a size, I am wearing XS.


I am beyond obsessed with The Girlfriend's Guide to Divorce.  I wish it came on every single night, and I want to friends with all the ladies. It is hands down my favorite show on tv right now. 

Little confession I have never had a facial before but I want to get one.  Any Charleston readers have a recommendation of where to get a really good one??

Lastly for all you Mara Lovers like me, check out her site today she is running a major sale (75% off). You can view all the end of season sale HERE
This cute tee dress is half off.
I own this bright colored dress and LOVE it!  Currently 70% off!

and this one piece is only $62.  Such great deals!


Happy Friday and to all you readers up north stay warm and dry.  Saying a pryer your weather doesn't get too bad.





Thursday, January 21, 2016

Winter Beauty Favorites

I used to be very plain in my Beauty Routine.  I always used the same products most since high school and never trying new ones.   Over the past few years I have really tried to branch out and try some new products.  Some I have hated and some I love and then add to my daily/weekly beauty routine.  Below are a few current new favorites on heavy rotation.  I have been using them all for awhile now and can truly say they rock.
Any other beauty favorites I should add to my list to try?? Do share!

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I mentioned this on here several weeks ago and I am still obsessed with it.  I even got my mom and sister to order one as well after they saw me using mine over Christmas.  I first thought this brush seemed really unnecessary.  I mean why do I need a brush to spread my tinted moisturizer when my fingers work fine??  But trust me you want this brush.  It really applies the tinted moisturizer so much more evenly than your fingers.  It makes your skin look even and almost air brushed.

I am very fickle when it comes to perfume.  I like a floral, fresh scent but not overpowering at all.  This perfume smells heavenly, plus I love the bottle design:) If you want to sample all her perfumes I love the idea of this test size set.

I love any and all It's a 10 Products.  I usually use their regular leave in spray to detangle and condition my hair but decided to try the Keratin after reading an article about it.  I love it, it gets my tangles out and makes my hair so much smoother. I use this every time I wash my hair.  I also use it on the kids too. All their products smell amazing too.

I decided to try these out after hearing rave reviews and the fact that every single other Beauty Counter product I have tried and loved.  These did not disappoint, first of all I love the fresh clean scent.  Secondly, they made my hair feel clean, not greasy or weighted down. I also use the shampoo to clean all my make-up brushes as well, which is an added bonus.

Charcoal is all the rage these days and for good reason, it works wonders on your skin.  It helps remove toxins and impurities from your skin. I like this for a daily cleanser.  I usually use it in the morning, and I keep it in my shower.

I usually use the Chanel eyeliner pencil but when I went back in for a new one the girl there talked me into trying this one and I love it.  It stays on so much better than the regular pencil and it is easier to apply.  My eyes water frequently because of my contacts and the pencil kind would smear and this one doesn't.  I have the black but I may try out the dark brown for Summer and a lighter look.

I use this mask once a week.  It is my Monday night tradition I slather this baby on and watch the Bachelor.  It looks crazy on but I really feel like it works.  It stings a lot at first and then when I take it off my face is red and flushed but the next morning my skin looks so good.  I really think it detoxifies my skin and pulls out impurities.

It is no secret my hair is damaged from coloring it.  I have fine hair anyways and the color makes it even more brittle and easily breaks.  I have been trying hard to take better care of it and that includes letting it air dry most days and using this mask twice a week.  I leave it about 10 minutes and then rinse and let my hair air dry.  I can already tell a difference in my hair.  It is softer with less breakage. This is on the pricey side but it will last forever.  You only need a small amount.  If you want to try it out first I recommend the travel size. I did that and then loved it so much I splurged for the full size.

I have been using this for almost a year now.  I don't use it every night but I always use it after I do any of my masks.  I like the slight exfoliation after my treatments. You can't go wrong with any Tata Harper products.

I got some of this lip gloss over the holidays and have to say I love it.  What I like most is it is not sticky like other lip glosses.  I love the peony color.  It is great alone or layered over lipstick.

I have come to really love the Aerin lipsticks.  All the colors are so pretty.  They go on well and stay put.  I have the coral sands color and it is such a beautiful color. 

I am hooked on these coconut oil wipes.  They work so well for removing make-up and are great for travel. A little tip to make them last longer is I cut the sheets in half and save the other half for the next night.






Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Thai Lentil Lettuce Wraps


Since cutting back on meat I have relied heavily on beans as a substitute.  I still just can't get down with tofu and soy products yet.  The texture gets me every time. I love lentils and after I had them as the "meat" in my taco salad at Gnome Cafe it got me thinking they would make a great lettuce wrap filler.  I honestly loved these and they are guilt free, nothing bad in them at all! I used dried beans and cooked them but if you are feeling lazy just pick up a box of the pre-cooked lentils at Trader Joes (they are in the fridge section where the produce is).  I use those lentils in salads all the time.  These babies are great alone but drizzle them with some dipping sauce and it really sets the flavors off.  Next time I may even add in some water chestnuts for extra crunch. Save a few extra of the grated carrots and green onions for garnish. The lentil filling part for the wraps and the dipping sauce can be made ahead of time.  Just reheat the lentils or bring to room temperature and serve.
Enjoy.



|| T H A I   L E N T I L  L E T T U C E   W R A P S ||

- 1 cup dried lentils
- 3 carrots shredded
- 3 green onions sliced
- 1 large shallot diced
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- 1.5 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1.5 tablespoon soy sauce
- Romaine or bibb lettuce
- hot sauce for drizzling 

Cook the lentils according to the package.  I used one cup dried lentils to 2 cups water and had to add some more water in while they simmered.  Bring to a boil and then let simmer.  I cooked mine about 40 minutes. 
In a large skillet saute the diced shallot with olive oil for about 5 minutes.  Add in the green onions, carrots, and ginger and cook another 3-5 minutes blending the flavors. 
Add the lentils back to the large skillet with the veggies and stir all together.  Add in soy sauce and rice wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper if needed.

D I P P I N G   S A U C E 
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce or siriacha
- sesame seeds optional for garnish

whisk all together and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.