In the Mood

Lately, I've been so stressed out that I've just been in the mood to surround myself with stuff I love, whether it's lunch with a dear friend, an extra long game of fetch with Heaven, or things that just bring a smile to my face. This weekend I took a little time to do some self-imposed art therapy. And what more perfect way to brighten my mood than sketches of my little girl and my favorite indulgence?

{Heaven & Cupcake -- oil pastels}

{Cupcake study -- oil pastels}

What's your favorite way to de-stress?

Lip Service

I have been hopelessly obsessed with makeup since I was a little girl, and I still get giddy with excitement when I discover a product that I don't know how I ever lived without. I truly believe that a girl can never have too many lipsticks or eyeshadows. I am currently addicted to lipstains and the Burt's Bees lip shimmers collection, so much so that I just may have purchased 3 more lipstains today.

What beauty product has you obsessed?

Weekend Musings

Now that I'm finally home from 2 months of traveling, I've been in rehab mode...trying to put my apartment and myself back together again. After a long week of catching up on patient reports, dissertation paperwork, and cleaning, I was eager to indulge in a relaxing, low-key weekend. Here are some snippets of what has brought me joy over the last few days:

{Florida strawberries that were promptly turned into a strawberry pie}

{Fleur de lis bookends I found on a quick trip to Home Goods}

{A fresh box of oil pastels}

{Spending time with my sweet baby girl--I love her demure little pose}

{New books I can't wait to devour}

What brought you joy this weekend?

learning to love winter

To a southern girl such as myself, "winter" has always meant temperatures that hover in the 50's, with an occasional bout of sleet every few years that knocks out the power and closes things down for a few days. Since moving to Florida, "winter" means 80 degree days, and panic ensues if the temperature drops to 30. So traveling the country during this time of year has been a totally new experience. I went back to Utah last week and had a blast in the snow. I think I'm falling in love with winter!

{View from the top of the K-120 ski jump at the Olympic training park in Park City}

{Opening night of Sundance Film Festival}

{Bliss on a stick in Park City}

{Sundance posters}

What's your favorite thing about winter?

A Belle in the West

I've been jetting all over the country in an attempt to determine where I'll be moving this summer. It's been quite an experience as I'm getting to explore cities and states I've never visited before. Although I'm a Southern girl through and through, I must confess I've become quite enamored by the West. I absolutely fell in love with Utah's crisp cool air and breathtaking scenery.

{Stunning view of the Rockies}

{I couldn't figure out what this odd little contraption was doing in my rental...so I texted a pic of it to hubby and he informed me that it was for scraping snow and ice off my windshield...what?! I'm definitely not in the South anymore!}

{The ultimate comfort food...after discovering a sweet little 50's style diner, I knew I could definitely live in this town for a year}

{Maybe the best part of my trip...this was the diner's idea of a "chocolate shake"...mmmm}

I also had the opportunity to explore the Sundance Resort and drive up into the snowy mountains, but didn't get to take any good pics because it was getting dark. I never realized that Utah was so amazing, and even if I don't end up moving there, I'm so glad I had the opportunity to spend a few days there.

What part of the country are you eager to explore?

Happy New Year!!

{image credit: Bill Watterson}

2010 was one of the busiest, most stressful, years of my life thus far...hence my absence from the blogging world for the majority of the year. The year seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye. I am a bit overwhelmed by 2011 being that I will be traveling across the country the entire month of January and won't find out where I'll be living the rest of the year until late February. It will be a year of great change as I start a new chapter of my life, one in which I'm no longer a student and can finally bear the title "doctor." I'll be moving across the country and starting a new adventure. There is so much uncertainty that lies ahead for this year, so I'm going to spare myself of any lofty resolutions. Instead, I'm just going to set a few simple goals:

1. Ensure that God remains the top priority in my life by actively studying His Word.

2. Find joy in the simple things, like the perfect cup of coffee or kisses from my precious pomeranian.

3. Make a conscious effort to wear bright lipstick more often because, let's face it, there's just something about pretty lipstick that can bring a girl much bliss.

4. Buy less, make more.

5. Actively seek God's Will in my life and be a light in this world for Him.

6. Try not to neglect my blog :)

Wishing you all a very happy new year...I hope that 2011 is the best year yet for all of us.

xoxo

A Recessionista's Guide to...Beauty

A couple of months ago, I started doing a little series of recessionista date night ideas (here and here). But recently I've become a recessionista when it comes to beauty products as well, so I thought I'd share a few of my favorite finds of 2010.

Sonia Kashuk Radiant Tinted Moisturizer

I really didn't think it was possible to find a tinted moisturizer that could hold it's own to the one from Laura Mercier. But I must confess that I like this version from Sonia Kashuk even better (and who wouldn't love the $13 price tag compared to $42 for Laura Mercier's?!). It gives the perfect amount of coverage and doesn't make my skin shiny at all. Bonus -- it includes SPF 15 to keep your face protected from the sun's mischievous rays.

Proclaim Argan Oil Hair Treatment

I had been contemplating buying a bottle of MoroccanOil for quite some time when I discovered this version from Proclaim at Sally's for only $7. After reading multiple reviews (and discussing personal opinions with friends), the consensus seems to be that it works just as well as the $40 argan oil from MoroccanOil. Sally's even had it on sale for $5 a few weeks ago, so I stocked up! I use it on my hair wet and dry to help with frizz and shine. It also smells wonderful. Definitely one of my favorite recessionista finds of the year!

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

Mascara has always been one of my department store spurges. I have naturally long black lashes, and

I'm always looking to take them to the limit. Unfortunately, drug store brands usually don't do the trick. I don't know what possessed me to try this mascara (I was probably just drawn to the fat purple tube), but I'm sure glad I did. It makes my lashes just as long and voluminous as my favorite department store brands. And $6 a tube certainly beats $25!

Neutrogena Brightening Eye Perfector

What girl hasn't read rave reviews for the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat? Many make-up artists and celebs swear by it, but I just can't bring myself to pay $40 for an eye brightener. So when Neutrogena came out with their version, I just had to try it. I love the stuff so much I'm now on my 3rd tube! It's definitely a must-have for anyone with dark circles or tired eyes. I even use it on my lips (which are naturally very pink) to create a blank canvas prior to putting on lipliner. I'm really not sure how I ever lived without it.

What are your favorite recessionista finds?

lobsters are really just overweight crawfish

A few weeks ago, hubby and I drove over to Orlando to kick off my birthday weekend. Being that I'm a huge seafood/water-creature lover, we decided to grab a bite to eat at Lobster Feast. When eating crustaceans, I ALWAYS choose crawfish over anything else. But since they're not in season right now, lobster was a close substitute.

So the gist of this place is that it's all you can eat lobster and other types of seafood. After sampling a lobster, the first one I've had in years, I decided that lobsters are really just big crawfish...but not nearly as tasty. Something about the smaller size of a crawfish just produces tastier meat. Sorry Lobster...I'm sticking with your smaller cousins from now on.

We still managed to stuff ourselves on crab legs and mounds of fried goodness. Plus the people watching at buffets is always fantastic. I watched a lady at a nearby table consume at least 10 lobsters and at least 5 heaping platters of crab legs. I would have to be rolled out on a gurney if I ate like that! Although this coming from a girl who can easily pack away pounds and pounds of crawfish.

What food can you eat seemingly endless amounts of?

No longer M.I.A.

Oh my goodness, I have been going through such Blogger withdrawals! I mentioned a while back that this semester has been crazy, but the craziness has just seemed to never end. The month of October flew by without so much as one trip to a pumpkin patch or one afternoon of Halloween baking...doctor school has consumed my entire life! But on Friday I finished a monumental task that I have been working on since April, so hopefully I will be a good little blogger throughout the holiday season =)

Just wanted to tell you that I've missed reading your blogs and can't wait to get caught up now...and I should be back soon with some posts from my fabulous weekend!

xoxo

Beach Romance

Last weekend, one of my dear friends got married in a gorgeous sunset ceremony. The evening actually got off to a crazy start. My car wouldn't start when we went to leave, and we were running a little behind schedule when we finally made it to the town were the wedding was being held. As we were crossing a bridge over to the beach, traffic came to an abrupt stop. Everyone started getting out of their cars, acting like nothing was wrong. One of the locals informed us that the bridge was closed because some movie was being filmed. We sat there waiting and waiting and waiting. My friend Kristen and I were devastated because we had been sitting on the bridge for 45 minutes and the ceremony had already started. Then we got a text from one of our friends who was already at the wedding site, informing us that our friend, the bride, was stuck on the bridge as well! So we all made it to the ceremony, which was gorgeous. The bride was absolutely stunning, the food was exquisite, and the band was fabulous. So even though the night started off rocky, everything worked out in the end.

{The bride and groom taking pictures on the beach}

{Salad of Florida tomatoes, mozzarella, and arugula}

{After sitting on the bridge in the sweltering sun, Kristen was excited to find this spray at the beach club}

{Doctor school besties}

{The gorgeous bride and I}

{Candy bar}

{Sunset}

Women of Faith

I have always loved a good girls' weekend. I'm definitely what you would call a "girl's girl", and my relationships with other women have become even more important to me as I grow older. Well, this weekend, I got to experience the ultimate girls' weekend: Women of Faith. Two full days of worship, fellowship, and inspiration with thousands of women. We got to hear phenomenal speakers, including Patsy Clairmont, Lisa Whelchel, Andy Andrews, Mary Beth Chapman, and Marilyn Meberg. We laughed until we cried with Anita Renfroe. And we sang our hearts out with Sandi Patty, Mandisa, and Steven Curtis Chapman. AND I got to spend some much needed quality time with my dear friend Karla. She and I went to Guatemala together and became life long friends on that mission trip. The conference left me feeling inspired and restored. If you ever get a chance to attend Women of Faith, GO!

{once upon a time}

"Once upon a time, there lived a girl in Louisiana who studied very hard but loved to play hard as well. She loved music, going out dancing with her friends, and dreamed of meeting her Mr. Right. One day, a very famous musician happened to catch a glimpse of the girl and thought she was very beautiful. They shared mutual friends, so he decided to send her a message, which quickly turned into many long chats on the phone. The boy and girl lived very far apart, and the boy was often flying all over the world to play. However, they both knew right away that they had found "The One", and were determined to make their fairy tale come true. The girl occasionally toured with the boy but the distance between them was hard, and they missed each other very much. But the school year finally ended, the boy proposed, and the girl started doctor school with the boy at her side. On a warm October evening, with the sun setting on the beach, the boy and girl said "I do" and have been living their happily ever after ever since."

Crazy that tomorrow will mark our 3 year anniversary!! I was looking back on old pictures and reminiscing, so I thought I'd share some with you.

{Our relationship was still in the baby stages here but we already knew we were going to get married! We were in Mississippi for one of his shows}

{He flew me to New York for his show on New Year's Eve...it was the first year we rang in together and my first (and only) snow}

{My first visit to see him in Florida}

{At Ampersand in New Orleans for one of his shows}

{I think this may have been the last show I attended before he popped the question and I moved to Florida}

{Traveling was fun, but I much prefer our lifestyle now!}

Hope you enjoyed this little peek into how hubby and I became Mr. & Mrs. We've had an amazing time together, and I'm looking forward to many, many more years of fun to come!

A Recessionista's Guide to Date Night: Vol 2

As many of you know, football season in the South is epic. Growing up in Louisiana, everything revolved around Friday night high school football and Saturday college game day. And it's a well-known fact that you do NOT schedule your wedding during game time. Hubby and I have been seriously missing our teams, which are a thousand or more miles away. Since flying to Louisiana to support our home teams isn't really an option right now, we decided to "adopt" a local high school team and check out one of their games. Cheap tickets and concession stand goodies made for a really fun night that didn't break the bank. And there is just something about the atmosphere at a high school football game that brought back so many wonderful memories. Hubby played high school and college football, so this gave him a great opportunity to do some coaching from the stands (ever notice that all guys seem to love doing this?). And being that I danced, twirled flags, played in the band, and was drum major in high school (and marched in the largest band in the South during college), I ate up the half-time shows and longed to be out on the field strutting my stuff.

{Awful attempt at a self-portrait during the game}

{Gaither High School band...loved their Amelia Earhart themed show}

{Plant High School band}

We ended our fun little date with a late-night supper of burgers and chili cheese fries at Steak 'n Shake with all of the other football fans. The night definitely made me homesick, but also blissfully happy. Gotta love those Friday night lights.

Bachelorettes and Wedding Bells

For me, October is the start to the best three months of the whole year. Not only has fall always been my favorite season, but these months hold my favorite holidays, my birthday, and my wedding anniversary. Alas, living in a state that only has one season (i.e. summer) causes me to get a bit depressed this time of year when I begin longing for chilly days, turning leaves, and the smell of chimney smoke in the air. But knowing that this is the last "fall" that I will have to endure in smoldering weather considerably brightens my mood.

October also tends to be the start of wedding season in the Deep South...hurricane season is almost over, you can finally sit outside without being drenched in sweat, and the humidity graciously drops below 80%. My fabulous friend Carolyn will be getting married in a couple of weeks, so we celebrated her final days as a bachelorette with a fancy night out.

{Dinner with the girls at Bern's Steakhouse, a Tampa landmark}

{Me and Jennifer waiting on our desserts of strawberry shortcake and bread pudding...she is a fellow Louisiana girl and we share in our homesickness together!}

My own anniversary is in a couple of weeks as well, so this time of year always brings back memories of my own bachelorette party and wedding. I will share some of those with you as the date gets closer =)