Monday, My Day

Tomorrow kicks off an incredible month of travel for me. I'll be up bright and early to head to Alt Summit for the second year in a row, and I cannot wait. The event is in Palm Springs, and I am pumped to be immersed in chic and colorful mid-century mod architecture and decor for a few days. Be sure to follow along on Instagram because I am sure you'll be in for a treat. In the meantime, I'm sharing some of my favorite links and happenings from around the web. A fun kick-start to the week if I do say so myself! 

Links & Happenings

Is anyone else always on the hunt for healthy lunch ideas? Goop's article on favorite lunch ideas by Chef Dads had my head spinning. How lucky are these kiddos?!

This list of 15 places telling tourists to stay home was fascinating. From Santorini to Venice, tons of popular destinations are facing issues with their economies and ecosystems due to tourism. Needless to say, it is an interesting read. 

As I choose finishes for our house, I keep referring back to this post about mixing finishes. I ALWAYS have it open on my phone for easy access. I keep telling people our house is like a Rolex - if Rolex can mix silver and gold, so can we. ;) 

Mardi Gras season is underway! We're headed to Mobile later this month where my second cousin will be KING of his crew...such a fun moment for the fam! Need to get your own Mardi Gras fix? Here's SL's favorite mail-order King Cakes. 

In preparation for tomorrow's trip, I'm headed to Cherry Blow Dry Bar this afternoon for a blowout. Getting a blowout is my absolute favorite form of pampering! What's yours? 

Last week, I started freelancing with Parachute by MapQuest. My first article is up, and I am super proud of it. I get to be a little sassy with these which is fun. Take a peek to satisfy your French sweet tooth! 

Monday, My Day

I don't know about you guys, but I was GLUED to social media all weekend. Despite your stances (or football teams), I think we can all say that we witnessed several historic moments. I typically stay out of the political scene on the blog and IG as well. If you're curious about my opinions, you can find me freely giving them on Twitter. For some reason, Twitter has always felt like a "safe" place for me to get a little more down and dirty with opinions. Maybe it's because we're all on an even playing field there - there's little room (or patience) for long-winded rants. I will say two things: One, I am proud of the thousands of people (both genders) who came together to express their beliefs. Two, it is my fervent hope that respect plays a key role in everyone's agenda. Let's make it a point not answer disrespect with disrespect. 

And now...onto more flippant things...

Links & Happenings

How about them Falcons?!?! The Falcons haven't been to "the big game" since I was THIRTEEN!! This is a huge deal for everyone in Atlanta (aka. district 5). 

Ever since the ice storm a few weeks ago, we've been hooked on Bloodline. Have you seen it?! So. Good.

While I don't agree with every sign I saw from this weekend's protests, a lot of them were incredibly clever. This is a good round-up of some of the best ones.

I picked up a copy of Jesus Calling last week. One of my oldest friends has been going through a tough time, and I know that the only thing she would request that I do to help is pray. This book has come highly recommended for years, and I'm glad to incorporate a one-pager into my routine. 

If this picture is any indication, I'm still having daydreams about my trip to Rosemary Beach a few weeks ago. 

I finally got my act together and made a spreadsheet of some of our favorite healthy meals. You can find alllllll of my healthy food recipes on Pinterest. 

I can't even talk about these pom pom flats. NEED.

Monday, My Day: Happy 2017

Happy 2017, y'all! I hope your last few weeks have been filled with love, laughter, friends, family, and a few cocktails. I've had a relaxing time away from the blog, but I'm excited to get started and see what's in store for 2017. I know the new year brings my BFF's first child, another BFF's wedding, an improved home for yours truly, and I am sure a ton of other exciting things for everyone. In the meantime, let's kick off the year with my first installment of Monday, My Day! 

Like many of you, I'm on that healthier habits train. This archived post has some of my favorite easy and healthy recipes for any meal. 

Not only am I all about eating healthier, but I'm also making an effort to make my environment as happy as possible. That means lighting my favorite candle from Candlefish every morning, taking a stroll with my dog around the block, and making my bed every day no matter what.

Sometimes, that also means binge-watching tv...like The Crown. Have you guys watched yet? We've got one episode left, and I'm already looking forward to season 2! 

Speaking of tv, Girls comes back next month...the same weekend as Valentine's Day. Coincidence? I think not.

I finally got a pair of Tieks for Christmas, and I've been wearing them non-stop. I'm still working on breaking them in, but something tells me that these are going to be my new go-to shoes! 

Monday, My Day

Monday, we meet again! After a weekend complete with several hearty meals (and time well-spent with friends I might add), I'm spending this week trying to get on some sort of healthy track as we head into the holiday season. Is anyone else trying to make an effort before it all goes out the window for Thanksgiving? I usually attempt to get everything in order, so I can indulge a little through the holiday season, but this year, it's not going as well as planned, so this is the week I take life by the horns! Since there are just two weeks until Turkey Day, I think that's a good little goal to give myself. 

Besides making an effort to be healthier, this week is one step closer to starting our renovation. Last week, I sat down and made decisions for all of our plumbing fixtures, and this week, I'll be choosing our lighting. Besides that, we're still working out exterior paint colors and deciding brick for our fireplace. It's definitely exciting, but it's also definitely overwhelming! I'm hoping to share an update soon! 

In the meantime, here are my favorite links and happenings for this week:

I went to two fabulous fall group lunches this weekend. One with some of my favorite blogger gals hosted by Luisa, and one with my BFFs - our friendsgiving. I contributed this salad and these potatoes, respectively. Both were a hit! 

I've been working on little holiday photoshoots for a client, so my house has basically thrown up Christmas. If you're in the market for holiday decor, Michael's can hook you up! I scored a pre-lit Christmas tree for $20.

Is anyone else absolutely pumped up for Beauty and the Beast?! Those costumes and sets though...

There are tons of new restaurants coming to Atlanta in the coming months. I tried out Taco Cowboy in Virginia Highland and LOVED it. You can never have too much Mexican. 

One of the cool things about blogging is meeting over bloggers...and discovering you live in the same neighborhood as each other. Tierney and Ashley both live just down the street from me. Meg used to live in the neighborhood, too, and since she's just around the corner, she basically still does. Fun, right?!

I'm trying really hard not to buy all the things this fall, but I'm kinda loving this dress and this poncho. I think I might need both, right? Right? Right. 

Annnd even though I'm trying not to jump ahead to holiday gifts and what not, this mug is pretty freaking awesome. 

Monday, My Day

Happy Monday, everyone! How was your weekend? We were in Auburn with some of our friends enjoying birthday parties, tailgates, and a big Auburn win. While the weekend was super fun, I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty pumped about this week. October is my favorite month (have I mentioned that once or twice?), and this week is full of wrapping-up work for the month, getting started on next month's client content, and celebrating everything from Halloween to my birthday. Woo! 

Here are a few of my favorite links and happenings:

Birthday months mean tons of birthday coupons. One of my favorites to use every year is my Kendra Scott 50% off. What should I get this year? I think I'm deciding between a statement and a classic. 

Speaking of birthday coupons, I also love love love getting an extra percentage off at Anthro. Has anyone tried these?

I'm over on Annette Joseph's blog today sharing a spooky and downright beautiful Halloween floral arrangement. You'll never guess where my vase is from...

Hunter and I are heading to the Atlanta symphony this weekend to see Nightmare Before Christmas. Our symphony shows the movie and plays the score live. Such a neat introductory way to experience the symphony. 

Speaking of Halloween fun, I've gotten back into my favorite seasonal podcast, Lore, over the past few weeks. Have you tried it? 

What's your favorite magazine subscription? I'm LOVING my Cooking Light (thanks, Linds!) recently and the double holiday issue is on point, y'all. Totally worth picking one up at the grocery store. 

Monday, My Day

Greetings, y'all! Happy Monday. Today's post is kinda cheating. If you're reading this ON Monday, chances are that I'm over in Alabama visiting Pursell Farms and trying my hand at clay shooting. I'll be giving the full report soon, don't you worry. In the meantime, let's get to some links, shall we?

Favorite Links and Happenings

We can't live without Tervis tumblers in our house, and thankfully a brand new Tervis store just opened in Atlanta at Atlantic Station. If you're in the area, check it out! 

I snagged my first pair of Loeffler Randalls last week. I have to admit, I kind of love them, and after years of searching for a stylish black flat, I think I finally found one. 

I made this last week as one final nod to summer, and y'all...why didn't I think of it?! It's kinda healthy, right? Right? 

Did you catch me and my friend & Atlanta stylist Mireille on StyleBlueprint? We're chatting tips and tricks for big tatas. 

We're headed to one of our final Auburn games of the season this weekend. I'm wearing this sweater and will be rocking an Empire State Finery necklace with it (fun fact: one of ESF's founders is one of my friends and neighbors)! 

Monday, My Day

Good morning, everyone and happy October! It's been a minute since I posted a Monday, My Day, so I decided it was about time for me to bring it back. How was your weekend? I spent mine knee-deep in remodel research while relaxing on my sofa. Of course there was a little football involved (how about that UGA vs UT game?!), and I had to take some time to flip through the latest Southern Living. It was, in a nutshell, a great weekend. Here's to the week ahead! 

Favorite Links and Happenings 

I've always loved a great horoscope, so the latest news about the zodiac has been a little perturbed. Scorpio4eva. 

Fall brings back hefty glasses of deep red cabernet. Anyone else switch their wine ways when the seasons change? 

I don't know about y'all, but even as an adult, I look forward to the 13 Nights of Halloween on Freeform (formerly ABC family). Here's this year's schedule.

Would you dare spend the night in one of Williamsburg's haunted historic homes? I adore Williamsburg, but I'm much too scared to ever test my luck on Halloween night. 

This simple meal has been on regular rotation in our house. Delicious and easy! 

Yesterday was the last game ever at Turner Field in Atlanta. These photos brought tears to my eyes. 

I'm so excited to be helping with social media for a great Atlanta event, Spotlight on Art. This year's Neiman Marcus pop-up gallery is going on now and has a TON of fantastic pieces of art for sale. If you're in the area, don't miss it! 

Monday, My Day

Good morning! I am refreshed from a casual weekend in Atlanta where we didn't stray too far from our hood. Dinner at Treehouse and a neighborhood gathering with OITNB is my sort of weekend. We also did a little bit of house research (i.e. turned on all of the faucets at Pirch). All in all, a good one! How was your weekend? I'd love to hear about it. In the meantime, let's hop to it:

Favorite Links and Happenings 

So excited that my brother and sister in law's wedding was featured on Style Me Pretty last week! Talk about a dream. Find all of their lovely wedding details & sappy love story here.

Last week, I met some of my best friends for taco Tuesday at Bar Taco where we each tried the secret taco. Did y'all know Bar Taco introduces a new secret taco each month? This month's taco is seasonal and yummy...but you'll have to go to Bar Taco to try it.  :)

One of my favorite books that my book club ever read was The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. I was thrilled to learn that it's being made into a movie by Oprah's production company. The nonfiction book is all about HeLa cells used for medical research. Seriously fascinating! 

And along those same lines, please tell me you've seen the Gilmore Girls trailer?! 

Can't decide if I'm excited or appalled by these. Thoughts?

Last night I whipped up Annette Joseph's fig tart. So good and so easy. 

Don't forget about my Coton Colors Agenda Giveaway - anyone can enter and SHOULD! 

Monday, My Day

Whoops - the weekend got away from me a little bit, then work got in the way, and now today's Monday, My Day is a bit delayed. But I figured late is better than never, right? Here are a few links to get you through the afternoon slump. 

Links & Happenings

Last night, I hosted a Beautycounter party. Curious about Beautycounter? Take a peek at their site here. I'm picking up their mascara, this lipstick in Twig, and one of their charcoal products, too! 

The Waiting on Martha Warehouse sale is coming up this weekend. I'm hoping to get over there on Friday to scoop up anything I can get my hands on before the crowds. Up to 80% off? Yes, please. 

Hunter and I have been watching Roadies, and we finally got to a place where we feel like the show is getting really good. Have you watched?

I tried my hand at sweet potato toast last week. Thinly sliced sweet potatoes with peanut butter and cinnamon? Yum. 

When we were in Auburn this weekend, I picked up a bag of Mama's Secrets Cookies...and OMG. Addicting!! 

Tupelo Honey just started their bottomless mac-and-cheese bar. Yes, you read that right. Full report on the blog coming soon! 

My girl Maggie Griffin Designs has been posting some pretty incredible client photos recently. I can't even talk about this bed, y'all. Lacefield and pineapples, oh my! 

Monday, My Day

Whew. I need a vacation from vacation, y'all. After an absolutely whirlwind trip down to 30A, we're back. Seriously, this year's family vacation flew by. I have to say it was a great trip, though. We tried some new restaurants, explored some new neighborhoods, and spent all day every day basking on the beach (okay, I basked in the shade, but you know...). This week, it's all about getting back into a routine and really kicking off July. What does your week ahead look like?

Favorite Links & Happenings

If you're making your way down to 30A, I highly recommend checking out Chiringo in Grayton Beach. It's directly across from the infamous Red Bar, has an equally awesome atmosphere, but without the wait. Winning! Order the Blackened Grouper Bowl and a Tsunami cocktail. YUM. 

And while I'm on beach eats, I can't recommend Perfect Pig for breakfast enough! 

As I mentioned, we're in the thick of planning for our renovation. Right now, I am super focused on learning all about bathroom finishes and am crushing hard on this tile. Mark my words: you'll see this somewhere in my house!

I'm sad to report that I didn't read any books on vacation, but I did read a ton of magazines and, I had good intentions with this book! Definitely still planning to read it. 

We had a great time playing Tenzi. It's such an easy game to learn; kids love it, too. 

I can't wait for this week's happy hour with Coton Colors. They just sent me their new 17 month agenda, so stay tuned - planner reviews are coming to the blog soon! 

Have y'all been watching the Olympic Trials? We have, and it's been so much fun to see our future athletes. Here's a full schedule of this year's Olympic Games! 

Enjoy your week!

Monday, My Day

What a weekend. Let me start by saying that the violent events in our country over the weekend are terrible and shocking. I spent a lot of time reflecting, and my hope is that hate becomes less a part of our culture across the board. Whether that is in something as ghastly as mass shootings or as simple as caddy behavior, there is no place for hate. 

All of that being said, I have a few happenings and links to share with you to start this week off on the right foot. I hope these events and links find you well! 

Favorite Links:

Forgive me if I become obnoxious about heading to the beach, but I'll be sitting my happy butt in the sand exactly three weeks from today. We're making our annual trip to 30A, and I can't wait! I'm pumped to check out a few new restaurants including Chiringo. 

Speaking of the beach, I've had my sights set on a GiGi Pip hat to take with me. Which style do you think? 

Ponce City Market is still one of our favorite places to take out of town guests. We dined at The Mercury on Friday, and enjoyed it from start to finish. Their classic cocktail menu is awesome! Check it out if you get a chance. 

Don't forget that you can get 15% off of your new set of Perfect Linen sheets with the code: PolkaDots15. 

Favorite Happenings:

D.Geller and Son just launched their latest Tacori styles for summer. I never knew Tacori did anything other than beautiful engagement rings, but after having a ball at #blingforbloggers, I'm making a list of pieces from the Sonoma Mist collection to add to my repertoire. And if you know someone in the market for an engagement ring, D.Geller and Son has some incredible incentives right now! 

My BIL and SIL were in town this weekend, and we spent the majority of Saturday at the Braves game. While the Braves didn't bring home a win, we did get to rub elbows with Dale Murphy (a former LEGENDARY Braves' player), Bill Murray (he sat 2 rows behind us) and Jason Bateman (!!!). I totally do not play it cool around celebrities. 

I booked my ticket and room for Alt Summit last Friday. You might remember my review here, and I can't believe I get to go again (special thanks to Annette!). Unfortunately, this year's Palm Springs conference is completely sold out, but if you're looking to learn more about blogging, consider attending Haven, Create & Cultivate, or the Southern C (all of which I hope to go to!). 

Monday, My Day

After a fantastic weekend, I'm moving a little slow this morning. We had a spontaneous weekend out with friends on Friday to be followed by a lazy day Saturday. Easter festivities on Sunday consisted of a mid-afternoon brunch at The Southern Gentleman and a family style dinner later that night complete with a smoked ham on the Big Green Egg. It might be my favorite thing that Hunter has ever made on the egg. Ever. I whipped up a batch of deviled eggs and asparagus (Easter staples) and my sister contributed some delightful scalloped potatoes. Needless to say, we ate well!

Today, I'm bringing you some of my favorite links and happenings from across the web, and I'd love to hear how your Easter was! What was your favorite food of the weekend? Share! 

Favorite Links:

A sweet blogger and friend, Mea, had the absolute cutest gender reveal on Instagram this week, and it involved everyone's favorite pastry shop. Seriously, you'll swoon! 

Have leftover Cadbury eggs? Don't let me stop you from making a big cup of this today. Eggspresso anyone?

My book club meets this week, and we're reading The Arrangement. I'm ashamed to admit that I just started it yesterday, but I'm intrigued! 

I'm in a wedding next week (!!!), and I'm still working on finding the perfect shoes. The wedding is outside as are all of the festivities, so I'm looking for a wedge or block heel. I can't wait to get these in the mail to see if they'll work - business in the front, party in the back. 

Don't forget to pin my 5 resources for stock photography. I'm sure you'll need it one day! 

In addition to the deviled eggs for Easter, I also made this incredible lemon tart. So. Good! 

Favorite Happenings:

I've been focused on learning as much as I can about blogging and small business recently, so I loved attending Brand Shop last weekend. 

Atlanta's first cidery, Urban Tree Cidery, officially opened on Saturday. I joined some other media friends last week for a sneak peek, and I can't wait to go back. More on the blog soon! 

The Kentucky Derby is a little over a month away, and I am considering hosting my friends for a Sunday afternoon shindig and the race. It's an easy sporting event to have a party for because it races around 6 PM. Plus, who doesn't love Mint Juleps? 

I sent my Smile Brilliant molds off last week, and I can't wait to get my trays back to get my teeth whitening on. Stay tuned! 

2016 Word of the Year

A few years ago, my blogging friend Mandy, started a tradition for her new years resolutions. Instead of listing several resolutions, she committed to having a word to guide her throughout the year (you can read her most recent post about it here). At first, this idea seemed way too broad for me. I thought I needed specifics that I could hold myself accountable for. But then, after some reflection, I thought about how much easier it would be if I just had one word to manage and to take into consideration as I entered a new year. 

While I am doing somewhat of a combination of specifics and generalizations, I've decided to use one word to guide my year, and therefore, guide my new years resolutions. Like Mandy, I made a list of words that I felt like matched what I was going for: I wanted to spend more time reflecting, pare down my commitments, try to be more positive when my first thoughts are usually negative, and of course, lose a little weight. After looking over my list, I decided that I wanted a word that was active, not passive; a verb that encouraged me to think before acting...so my word for 2016 is: consider. 

Consider reaching for the fruit over the cookie.

Consider donating some of my vast book collection to Goodwill (or even a charity). 

Consider volunteering some of my time. 

Consider saying no to that event. 

Consider making smarter wardrobe purchases. 

I was amazed how "consider" really represented everything I wanted to try to do in 2016. So far, I've used the word a ton to guide my decisions. I think this will be a great way for me to stick to my resolutions! 

Do you do traditional resolutions or choose a guiding word? Both? Would love to hear! 

photo via

Weekend Update & Five Things

Whew. It has been one crazy week around here. Last week, I spent Wednesday-Friday traveling down to Mobile for a funeral. While the reason for the visit was not the best, I so enjoyed being able to spend time with my grandparents. I just love their house, and I am totally spoiled while I am there. AND! My grandmother and I were able to plan for one of my wedding projects; I cannot wait to get it started.

Today I'm sharing a little bit of my time in Mobile as well as what we were up to this weekend (registering!). Oh, and I'll be giving you my 5 things. I was tagged last week by Emily and have been wanting to write this one up, so I'm glad to share it with you today!

Mobile: Grapefruit without the "white stuff" (thanks, PopPop!) / Silver at an antique store - my favorite patterns are Chantilly & Tara / Lunch in Fairhope @ Panini Pete's / Hair accessory for the wedding. The plan is to turn this vintage brooch and pair of earrings into a hair comb a la this (the earrings are held on either side...you can't even tell, right?!).

Weekend Update: I spent LOADS of time on Macys.com registering. Do you catch a glimpse of one of my patterns? / Best burger in the world @ Holeman & Finch at Turner Field. This is a real treat to Atlantans as the restaurant famously only serves 24 burgers per evening / A little Etsy treat from Bip & Bop for our engagement pictures (on Wednesday!) / FREE Zac Brown Band concert for the Final Four.

5 Things: 

1. I'm on spring break! I am cheating with this one, but it's just too exciting of a thing not to share. :) 

2. If I were to choose any job in the world, I would want to be a wedding planner. Ironically, I am struggling making decisions for my own big day. Things like a dress, venue, photog, etc, are done, but the smaller details are really bothersome! I'd love to have a Style Me Pretty wedding in which every little detail is covered, but I'm so far from that right now, I don't know if it will ever happen.

3. I studied abroad in London during college and hated every second of it. Truly, I was miserable. It turns out that I like seeing new places, but I'm not so good at being away from home. I learned to deal with it about a week before we left. I will say that London is a very neat place...although Paris will always have my heart. Paris, je 'taime.

4. I am terrible at both geography and math, but I could find my way around a city I've never been to without any problem. I have an awesome sense of direction that I pride myself on. I do not, however, know how to distinguish between my right and my left. I give directions by saying "turn at McDonald's towards the BP." I am thus terrible at directing another driver. Yes, I teach school...writing, though, people!

5. I love to read, and I have a HUGE book collection, but I have never read a book twice. Not my thing. I feel like it was too good the first time, so a second glance wouldn't do it justice. Don't tell my students. :)

So there ya have it: weekend update & 5 things! I'm tagging Sara (duh), Jenn (duh), Bri, Amy, & Laura.

Linking-Up with Leann for Monday Morning Gossip!

Weekend Update

I cannot believe it's Monday, and I'm back to work already! This weekend FLEW by in a blink, but it was still a good one. It's been a while since I updated you with some IRL images, so I thought I'd kick off the week with a few as well as a new link-up!

I spent Saturday over in Athens teaching, but on the way home I stopped by the best TJMaxx I have every been to out in the burbs. I must confess that I am NOT a Maxxinista. TJMaxx stresses me out, but I'd seen some great jewelry on instagram and wanted to see if I could find some bargains of my own. It was filled to the brim with great pieces, and I tried on so many things that my arms actually hurt (can ya tell it's time to get back to the gym?). Although I didn't walk out with it, I loved the heart top below. It is the doppelganger to this one that Liz wore on Valentine's Day from J.Crew. I'm tempted to go back and get it! 

Later, I spent some time with my Julibox goodies. I cannot wait to share more info about this unique subscription box with you soon. Let's just say that I totally agree with their sentiment "May we never be out of spirits." 

Sunday, I wrote a few thank-you notes on my new note cards; then, I spent a few hours with my friend Sara working on an exciting new project we are itching to share with you. While it didn't feel like spring outside, I captured the spring spirit with this outfit!

OLD NAVY chambray / TARGET lace skirt / ETSY bubble necklace

I hope you all had a relaxing weekend, too! I'm linking up today with LeeAnn for Monday Morning Gossip. Go see what all of the other bloggers out there were up to this weekend!