Home...For A Day

Hello, friends! I'm back from my trip to Florida and am trying to get rid of these bloodshot eyes, dark circles under my eyes and that feeling of pure exhaustion. First of all, none of my posts or guest posts that I had planned on you all reading while I was gone worked, except the one talking about sunny Florida on Saturday. Let me clarify, I did not get to soak up any rays or enjoy any nice weather at all. I went to Jacksonville for the biannual Kappa Kappa Gamma convention. I thought we were going to be on the beach--no, we were on the river and stared at the blue bridge. Ok, at least I could enjoy the pool and sunny Florida--no, the weather was miserable and I was constantly busy. Other than that, my trip was wonderful! I met so many incredible people, learned valuable information, reunited with old friends and got a little sister time in with Emily when she got a {30 second} break from working for the foundation.

My phone decided to really be the piece of junk that it is and take horrible pictures. Most of them are grainy or were taken in bad lighting, and I really didn't take just a ton anyway.

Two of my pledge sisters were there, one which I didn't know was coming until I saw her walk through the front door and into the lobby. We just might have both screamed and caused a small scene.

{Katie, Me, Roo}

My chapter, Gamma Nu, Arkansas, won the Most Outstanding Chapter award!! Only one chapter in the country is given this honor. It was quite exciting!

The chapter I advise is Zeta Rho, Colgate, in New York. Two of my girls were there and we were able to spend a good amount of time together. They are such fun girls!

{Sarah, Me, Hannah}

I have a few other pictures, but they really aren't good at all, so I'll spare you and the people in them the pain of seeing them. Yellow, anyone?

{Roo, Me, Em D}

The sweetest woman kept trying to take a picture of me with Emily under the balloon arch, but bless her heart she took about 10 and something was wrong with all of them. This is the one that survived.

On my way home I met this adorable little lady. She was traveling home to Colorado with her new mama. We played and played until she curled up between my leg and purse and crashed.

I averaged about five hours of sleep each night, thus I am trying desperately to get revived and refreshed before Bryan and I head out of town tomorrow for his brother's wedding. Today I'm watching the kiddos, but then I have a million and one errands to run, laundry to wash and packing to do before we leave. The pictures from this coming weekend are guaranteed to be better. ;)

Lovely Day

Hello, lovelies! I'm popping in from sunny Florida. I hope you are enjoying the guest posts and the wonderful bloggers behind them. Sister and I are having a great time together and I've met some amazing people. Have a great weekend~I can't wait to share my trip with you! 

Lust List

1. Tibi striped tank

2. T by Alexander Wang dress

3. Pink pastel clutch

4. Tortoise earrings

It is time for a new bag in my life. There are a gazillion out there that I would love to own, but this Robinson tote would go perfectly with just about any outfit since it is neutral. Le sigh.

What's Going On

Last week I ended up watching the kiddos only two days, which left me the rest of the week to get everything together before I leave for Florida this week. I ran around to probably every store in town getting everything from a new carry on suitcase to toiletries that are within airport regulations. Thursday I went to my normal salon, which is out of town, so I spent the rest of the day at my parents' house after I got a cut and color.

On Friday the new Sephora here opened and I braved the crowd to pick up a few essentials. I am super excited about the Urban Decay Naked 2 eyeshadow palette. I want to get on and watch a few You Tube videos about different ways to wear it.

That night, Bryan and I went with Nick and Nicole to eat sushi. It was delish! They came back over to our house since we had eaten at happy hour. Nicole and I grabbed a bottle of wine and she played dress up in my closet and found the perfect dresses to take with her to her sister's wedding festivities in a few weeks.

Three of us girls decided to take a little road trip on Saturday, so we headed to Shreveport to do a little shopping. I had lots of fun helping the girls pick out outfits and put pieces together. Mollye has a new hottie and we found some great things for her to wear when they visit each other.

Bryan and I got in a little pool time yesterday and had a very relaxing day. The weekend was just what we needed, since the next two weeks are going to be crazy. Tonight I have a surprise birthday party to attend and then tomorrow I head out of town. So much to do and so little time to do it!

Blackberry Sweet Tea

It came to my attention recently that I have not posted how to make the perfect Southern Sweet Tea, which seems to be quite terrible considering "Sweet Tea" is part of my blog title. In my opinion, there is no such thing at too much sugar in my tea. I like it nice and sweet {which is the only way to drink it}. It is key not to let your tea bags steep too long or it will leave your tea bitter. Lipton is my brand of choice, but everyone has their own personal preference.

Southern Sweet Tea

3 cups water

2 family-size tea bags

3/4 cup sugar

7 cups cold water

1. Bring 3 cups cold water to a boil in a saucepan; add tea bags. Boil 1 minute; remove from heat. Cover and steep 10 minutes.

2. Discard tea bags. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Pour into a 1 gallon container and add 7 cups of cold water. Serve over ice.

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There are many different variations of tea, blackberry being on of my favorites. This recipe is absolute perfection!

Blackberry Sweet Tea

3 cups fresh blackberries

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint

pinch of baking soda

4 cups boiling water

2 family-size tea bags

2 1/2 cups cold water

1. Combine blackberries and sugar in a large container; crush with a wooden spoon; stir in mint and baking soda.

2. Pour 4 cups boiling water over tea bags; cover and steep 5 minutes. Discard tea bags.

3. Pour tea over blackberry mixture; let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Pour tea through a wire-mesh strainer into a large pitcher, discarding solids. Add 2 1/2 cups cold water, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cover and chill 1 hour. Garnish, if desired, with blackberries or mint.

Funday Monday

Happy Monday, sweets! I hope each of you had a fun-filled weekend. Bryan and I were able to spend a full weekend at home, which was just what we have needed. Friday night we went to our favorite hot wing spot and watched Tyler and Brittany participate in The Newlywed Game, which was absolutely hilarious. Saturday I fixed a large brunch and Bryan's brother and fiance came over to eat with us in between moving stuff out of her house. Yesterday we relaxed and in the evening went to a local park for Bryan to fish and me get in a hot run. I've got some great posts planned this week! I'll be sharing great summer t-shirts and how to make the perfect blackberry sweet tea. Have a fantastic day!



A Good Night

Last night dinner with our friends, Brittany and Tyler, was wonderful. They will have been married two weeks this coming Sunday and it was our first time to get to hang out together, apart from our small group on Wednesday night. Brittany made the perfect concoction of sangria in her pretty new "M" drink dispenser.

One of the best things about getting married is all the gifts that are bestowed upon you. Bryan and Tyler tried out all of the new grill tools and toys. If you don't have a grill pan, you should really look into purchasing one.

Bryan was the sucker who got caught by a liquor store taste-testing the other day and purchased this wine. It went nicely with the steaks and we will be getting it again.

This was by far the best meal I have eaten in a while--steak, grilled veggies and tomato, peach and goat cheese salad. The weather was perfect for an outside dinner on the back patio.

Brittany and I have so many things in common and always have a wonderful time together. I am very thankful to call her my friend!

After purchasing fresh, homegrown produce yesterday I immediately wanted to make something with peaches. This salad is the perfect addition to any summer meal.

Tomato, Peach and Goat Cheese Salad

2 ripe peaches, sliced

4 heirloom tomatoes, sliced

1-2 raw corn on the cob, kernels removed

4 ounces goat cheese

10 basil leaves, chiffonade

1-2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

salt

pepper

1. Arrange peaches, tomatoes and corn on a platter.

2. Distribute the cheese even across the top.

3. Sprinkle basil over the salad.

4. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar across the top.

5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

*Due to the very ripe peaches I purchased, it was much easier for me to chop the fruit and veggies and toss in the vinegar.

Head Spinning

My sister and I try to get a morning chat in each day while she is getting ready or on her way to work. This morning when she called I told her I had already cooked two breakfasts, folded laundry, stripped the bed and put sheets into the washing machine, unloaded the dish washer, re-loaded the dish washer, washed dishes by hand, cleaned the bathroom and taken out the trash...that was all before 8:00 am. She said I was nuts.

This week I kept the kiddos from 7:15 am until 5:15 pm, which has made for very long days and little time for me to accomplish my every day tasks at home. We went bowling, ate shaved ice, watched Duck Dynasty and played hopscotch--and that was only the beginning.

Today I have about a million and one things to do before we have dinner with friends tonight. Dr. Ash's parents are coming into town and her desk that I have been working on has got to be finished and the painting room cleaned. This is the start of my Target list...it's going to be one of those kinds of trips where you need everything.

Call me crazy, but do you do this? I take pictures with my phone of things I want to remember or recipes I want to cook. I cannot tell you how many pictures on my phone are like these. I saw this in the newspaper earlier this week and clicked away.

I take screen shots of outfits I like on Instagram...

And even pictures of doo-dads like this clear organization box.

Maybe I should enroll in an I Take Way Too Many Pictures and Only Use Part of Them class. Bryan and I have postponed date night until tomorrow night because tonight is the only night for the next month that we can eat with our newlywed friends. I'm already dreaming about the yummy steak that Bryan is going to grill; it's been so long since I've had red meat. Peaches are starting to be ready and since I've seen lots of delicious looking peach recipes I'm hoping to find some at the Farmer's Market this morning. Have a great day!

Healthy Snacks

Let's be honest, we all get hungry between meals. It does absolutely no good to sit and listen to your tummy growl just because you don't want to eat anything until your next planned meal. If you are trying to be healthy, there are tons of options of things you can eat without having to eat something with lots of salt, sugar or fat.

Get the smallest size of plastic baggies and split up fruit, veggies, nuts, raisins and other nutritious things you might like to enjoy for a snack. Take these with you to work, keep them in your purse or even your child's diaper bag. {Obviously I wouldn't leave fruit or veggies in a bag unless they are going to be eaten soon.}

via

Steer clear of foods with lots of simple carbohydrates (sugars) like candy bars or soda. Look for foods that contain complex carbohydrates like whole-grain breads and cereals and combine them with protein-rich snacks such as peanut butter or low-fat yogurt or cheese.

via

Make your own healthy trail mix. This is easy to keep in a sealed container on your counter or in your pantry. Grab a handful and drink a glass of water. Just don't have too many handfuls.

via

This cashew-strawberry crunch is a gourmet version of an adult peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

A perfect snack for summer is fruit dipped in Greek yogurt and then frozen. After it hardens, put them all together in a plastic bag so you can take them out a few at a time.

via

Have you tried kale chips? Of course they aren't like normal chips, but they are very healthy and have a little crunch to them. Daph posted a recipe a few weeks ago, too.

Check out these other links for other ideas for healthy snacking.

30 Healthy Picks
Healthy Kid Snacks
Healthy Toddler Snacks
88 Snacks Under 100 Calories
77 Healthy Snacks

Silk Maxi Dresses

Silk colorblock maxi dresses are high on my list of favorites for this summer. Both of these top two are beautiful, but are also pricey.

 Madison Marcus

Tibi

These two Gracia dresses are also stunning, but are much more affordable. All you need to do is spend a little time searching online and there will always be a cheaper version of what you want.

Do you immediately purchase something when you see it and like it or do you take time to do a little research and find out what else is out there? If it is a piece that I am going to spend a significant amount of money on, I normally search the Internet for the lowest prices, search for coupons and check out how much cash back I will get through Ebates. I'm always looking for the best deal! 

Monogram Monday: Shoes

Being the Southern girly girl that I am, you know how much I love all things monogrammed. From pillow to necklaces to koozies, I have it all, but what I do not have is a pair of monogrammed shoes. I saw these last week on Pinterest and knew that I must investigate further.

It turns out that there is a site called SWAGSTAMP that makes interchangeable monogrammed magnets to go on Tory Burch Eddie Ballet Flats or Vince Camuto Ellen Ballet Flats. {Surely they could go on other flats, right?} They come in different colors, fonts and icons.

You can either purchase the shoes and magnets together or the magnets by themselves. It gets even better, because they also sell Havaianas with SWAGTAGS.

Want your Hunter rain boots customized with your monogram? They do that, too. You can buy new boots through their site or send them a pair that you already own.

I am not a converse kind of girl, but I think that some people pull them off wonderfully. The monogram adds a little bit of a girly touch to these super-casual kicks.

What do you think? Would you purchase a pair or send some you already own in to be personalized by SWAGSTAMP? The flats are simply too cute!

All images via.

*I was not asked to write this post nor is it a sponsored post. I'm just sharing because of my love of monogrammed items.