Blogging Loves

Can you believe that tomorrow is the last day of September? It feels like this month has flown by. This also means that this year's Blogtember Challenge with Bailey from Brave Love Blog is almost over. I definitely missed a few prompts but I think i'll do them in October so stay tuned for that.

Today's prompt is one that is so sweet because it's all about showing the love for some of my favorite bloggers. I truly want everyone to succeed and believe in cheering each lovely lady along so please go read these lovelies blogs and show them some love.

Your Fab Five
Share your favorite bloggers/besties and tell us what you love about them! Share a link and give a shout out.

Mamas Blessed
Ashley is one of those sweet ladies you want in your tribe. She's always cheering you on and helping you along.
She supports you 100% and never asks for anything in return.
I met Ashley through another blogger and it turns out we only live about 20 minutes away from each other.
We're planning to meet up soon but in the mean time, we chat every day. Wether it's just popping in to say hi or talking about blogging and Jamberry related things. She sells Jamberry ya'll and if you ever want to host a Facebook party she's the girl for the job!

Hall around Texas
Crystal is another one of those ladies you want in your tribe. Okay, let's be honest, every lady i'm talking about in this post is a lady you want in your tribe. Crystal is a Texas girl who loved her family and Jesus more than anything in the world. She inspires me to strengthen my relationship with Jesus and to be a shining example of Him through all things I do. Her little boy reminds me so much of my son when he was that age and I smile when I look at her pictures and read her stories about him because of that. Being a boy mom is full of adventures and fun-her blog reflects that.

Sarah Emily Blogs
Sarah is like my sister from another mister. Yes I went there! I swear it seems like we were separated. She's full of happiness and her life definitely reflects that. She's always there to help you along when you're having a bad day or need a friend to talk to.
She's the kind who will take time out of her busy life to send you a care package because she knows you've been struggling.

Vintage Simply Love
Janelle is such a sweet soul. Her blog is one of those that is full of comfort and little snaps of life that just inspire you.
When i'm feeling blue I hop on to her blog or instagram and feel so happy and inspired again.
If I had to describe her in one word it would be, Joyful. She can take the hardest of times and make it look so beautiful.
She always finds the happiness in everything. I can tell you she's one of those people who just makes you feel content,
like you've known her forever.

Sweet Tea and Hydrangeas
Mistle is just a doll! She's always so happy and inspiring.
She's got ideas and she's not afraid to share them. She's seriously the sweetest.
If you need anything you can run to this girl.
She's one of the ladies I can always count on to leave love on my posts and interact with me.
And in fact, she and I have talked about doing a collaboration link up.


If I had to sum up my blogging tribe these fabulous five ladies are it. Of course there are others that I interact with but these ladies are the first ones I run to their sites and instagram feeds to see what they're doing now. All of these ladies are going places y'all because they are genuinely themselves. They work hard and love harder. They're always cheering everyone else along and realize that there is room for all of us to succeed. These are the ladies that I would consider friends outside of the blogging world, too because they are everything I want in true friends. So please, go check out their sites and leave them some love, too.

Top 5 Pics

"Take love, multiply it by infinity and take it to the depths of forever and you still only have a glimpse of what I feel for you." -Meet Joe Black

Today's Blogtember prompt with Bailey from Brave Love Blog is a fun one. It's Top 5 Pictures. Since this week is my First Anniversary I thought I'd share my top 5 favorite pictures from our wedding.

Top 5 Pictures

Nobody in the World (You & I)

Good morning loves. Ever have a happiness hangover? Thats where I'm at this morning after last night's amazing anniversary celebration with my husband. Funny thing is, we only had one glass of champagne. So it must be a happiness hangover and it calls for coffee in cute mugs + chocolate covered strawberries and staying snuggled up until full recovery.

With it being our first anniversary I knew exactly what to share for today's prompt for Blogtember when I read that it was to share a recent memory that made you laugh or cry.

The pictures is blurry but it feels right in that moment. The song we danced to was John Legend's Nobody in the World (You & I), it fit perfectly. Dancing around with you as your new wife felt like a dream. It still does and to be honest, I hope it always does. In that moment it felt like there was nobody else in the world. You still make it feel like there is nobody else in the world but you & I.

I know you find me beautiful whether i'm dressed up or wearing one of your tees and sweat pants and you are proud to tell everyone you are happily married. You make sure I know how loved I am and that makes me one blessed wife. You've made my dreams come true and I can't wait to dance through life with you.


You fix your make up, just so
Guess you don't know, that your beautiful
Try on every dress that you own
You were fine in my eyes, a half hour ago

If your mirror won't make it any clearer I'll
Be the one to let you know

Out of all the girls
You my one and only girl
Ain't nobody in the world tonight

All of the stars, you make them shine like they were ours
Ain't nobody in the world but you and I
You and I
Ain't nobody in the world but you

You stop the room when we walk in
Spotlights on everybody staring
Tell all of these boys, they wasting their time
Stop standing in line, cause you're all mine

And this evening I, won't let the feeling die
I never wanna leave your side

Out of all the girls
You my one and only girl
Ain't nobody in the world tonight

All of the stars you make them shine like they were ours
Ain't nobody in the world but you and I
You and I
Ain't nobody in the world

You keep wondering if you're what I'm wanting
You don't even have to try

You don't have to try
Don't try
Don't try
You don't have to try

Out of all the girls
You my one and only girl
Ain't nobody in the world tonight

All of the stars, they don't shine brighter than you are
Ain't nobody in the world but you and I
You and I
You and I
Nobody in the world tonight
Ain't nobody in the world but you and I

One Year

There are moments in life that take your breath away and stay etched on your heart forever. One year ago today is one of them. I remember taking one big breath as I headed, barefoot down the beach, to you. When my eyes met yours a calmness came over me and everything was right in the world. You still make me feel that way today. You are my calm. You are my safe place. You are my happy. You still make everything right in the world. The last year of our lives have been a rollercoaster of emotions. We've lost loved ones. We've dealt with things that we never would have imagined. And at times we've struggled but the bad times brought us closer together. They made us unshakable and gave us a stronger connection. We learned that marriage isn't always easy, even if you were friends for 13 years prior but I'm proud of the people we've become, the relationship we have now.

Someone close to me once told me that to really know someone and know how your relationship works you have to go through all the seasons with them. Not just Summer, Winter, Fall, and Spring but the seasons of life and death. The seasons of struggle. I can tell you without doubt that we've been through all the seasons together and they have made us stronger and at times, they've even pushed us to chase our dreams.

When my brother asked me what the best part of being married is I had no hesitation when I said it's knowing that I have you beside me no matter what. It's knowing that I always have someone to celebrate life's happy moments with and to cry to through life's hard moments. It's the freedom to be my silly, weird self and knowing that you love me anyway.

So as we celebrate our first anniversary I want you to know that I've seen everything you've done for us. All four of us and I appreciate it every single day. We've made our house a home and filled it with so much love. We share that love with everyone around us. We got a puppy, which has been a learning experience in itself, we've bought land and are building our dream home. We've created so many memories that will last us a lifetime and we've celebrated new marriages and babies in our family. I love that it's not your family or mine, it's our family.

They say the first year of marriage is the hardest, little did I know just how right they were but we've survived all the seasons together and I can say without any doubt that we can survive anything.

I could ramble on but I want to share some of the many reasons I love you.

I love you because...

♡ You know the perfect way to make my coffee. I don't know how you do it but it's like magic. It's always Heaven in a cup. Honestly my week day coffee isn't the same because you aren't here to make it.

♡ You dance with me in the kitchen, even though I laugh at you and tell you how crazy you are. Secretly I enjoy it. Love it actually.

♡ When I'm upset you sing Bob Marley's Three Little Birds to me and I smile. I smile from the inside out.

♡ When we order Chinese food you know how I like my sweet and sour chicken/pork (not too much sauce) and you make my plate perfect.

♡ You make even the most mundane chores, like grocery shopping, fun.

♡ When i'm singing the cheesiest 90s songs you join right in. You don't even mind that I sing horribly off key.

♡ You find it hilarious that I talk to you in my sleep and you always call me from work to tell me what I said to you that morning.

♡ You find my blonde moments charming. Like the time the printer told me to put the paper I was scanning face down on the glass. I wondered how it knew we had a glass table.

♡ You are honest with me about my cooking. We can both laugh at the pledge soup I made. We've discovered that cooking with citrus is not my thing.

♡ You understand my love animals and even allowed us to get Willow pup. Turns out she loves her daddy more. I don't blame her though.

♡ You always tell me how beautiful I am even when i'm wearing one of your tees and sweatpants.

♡ You cover my eyes when something scary comes on t.v.

♡ You understand that Peanut butter & raspberry chocolate bars are my jam and surprise me sometimes by bringing me home 3-4.

♡ When I get in my crazy cleaning moods you just sit down and let me do my thing.

♡ You have adopted Dylan as your own son. The way you are with him always gives me butterflies.

I fall in love with you more every single day. I love waking up to your good bye kisses in the morning and coming home to your love each day.
I love knowing that even if you forget your wedding band at home you're still going to tell everyone proudly that you are happily married.
I love knowing that you have pictures of our human child and fur child displayed on your desk at work. I love family game nights and our un-controllable fits of laughter. I love every thing we are together and this life we are building together.

You complete us. You made us a whole family and that's more than enough for me.


"You be the anchor that keeps my feet on the ground, i'll be the wings that keeps your head in the clouds"

Dream Closet+Make Space

"I like my money right where I can see it. Hanging in my closet."

Every fashionista lady knows that infamous Carrie Bradshaw quote and we all dream of an apartment sized dream closet much like hers.
I dream of lavish dream closets with cases filled with sparkling jewelry, lush fluffy rugs, plush chairs, white shelves for days, a huge floor length mirror, a vanity for getting glam and those bright lights that make everything look amazing. If I had a closet like this it would be my favorite spot to hang out in.

I have serious #closetgoals

Photos via pinterest



If money weren't an issue i'd have that closet and with the new app, MakeSpace, it would be a breeze to keep it looking stunning.
Make Space is an app that helps manage storage solutions for your belongings. They'll even pick up your clothes, store them for you and bring them back to you at your request. I bet Carrie Bradshaw wishes she had that service. Just think! That means more room for more stunning clothes, shoes, and accessories.

For more information on the MakeSpace service and app go to their website, Make Space, and make your closet dreams a reality.

Ten Dollar Target Challenge

"I enjoy long romantic walks down every aisle of Target" because Target is my happy place. It's rare for me to go in Target and only leave with what I went in for. Candles? I need them! Make Up? Give it all to me! Clothes? Take my money! But my absolute favorite part of Target is the dollar spot. It's my kryptonite. It's just a little bit of happiness that's all $5 and under and I can afford that any day of the week so when I saw my sweet friend Crystal from Hall Around Texas participate in a $10 Target Challenge on her blog I knew I had to jump in.

The goal is to spend only $10. Pretty simple, right? This particular Target run I had to get some essentials. Anniversary card for my hubby, a gift, and some other toiletries but I bent the rules and allowed myself $10 to spend on whatever I wanted. {Hi hubby! I did NOT do that for real.} But really, it was harder than I thought it would be. I picked up two ELF lipsticks and a candle then I put all that back and ended up with all this.

Burlap Chevron Pumpkin//$3
Sip It Like Its Hot Mug//$4
Hush Money Sinful Nail Polish//$2.50

Total=$9.50

This $10 challenge was a success and I have a new favorite mug, an adorable new pumpkin on my coffee table and a pretty new pedicure out of it. Win! Win!

Do you think you could do the $10 challenge? What would you buy?

Grandma Approved Family Recipe

The kitchen is the heart of the home and for me it holds so many memories. So many of my memories revolve around food.

I remember when I was just a tiny little girl and we'd go visit my great grandmother on the weekends. She always had a home cooked meal ready. It was never a small meal either, it was a full blown southern meal. I think this is where my love of food began. I remember being in her tiny kitchen filled with the smells of food and all the love in the world. She was an amazing cook. And all those times I'd spend the night with my Grandma and she and I would bake cookies. And the holidays spent in the kitchen cooking for hours with my parents. I especially love baking with my mom during the holidays.

Food brings people together but to me, a great meal is so much more than that. The laughter and stories shared and the memories created are what it's all about. So today's Blogtember Challenge with Bailey from Brave Love Blog is one that I absolutely adore.

A family recipe (if grandma allows, of course)!

My Grandma's Coke Cake

This recipe is one of my favorites because Coke-a-Cola is a staple in the South and this cake is so amazingly delicious.

MIX IN LARGE BOWL

2 CUPS PLAIN FLOUR
2 CUPS SUGAR
3 TABLESPOONS COCOA

IN A PAN, BRING TO A BOIL THE FOLLOWING AND POUR OVER ABOVE DRY INGREDIENTS:

1 STICK MARGARINE
1/2 CUP WESSON OIL
1 CUP COKE

THEN ADD REMAINING INGREDIENTS:

1/2 CUP BUTTERMILK
1 TEASPOON BAKING SODA
1 WHOLE EGG
1 TEASPOON VANILLA

BAKE IN 9 X 13 PAN AT 325 DEGREES UNTIL DONE (ABOUT 30 MINUTES)


"ICING"

1 STICK MARGARINE
6 TABLESPOONS COKE
3 TABLESPOONS COCOA

BRING TO A BOIL AND ADD

1 TEASPOON VANILLA
1 BOX POWDERED SUGAR

VARIATION: 1 CUP CHOPPED NUTS (BLAKC WALNUTS OR PECANS) MAY BE ADDED.

POUR OVER COKE CAKE WHILE STILL WARM.

Ya'll this post made me feel all kinds of warm, fuzzy nostalgia. So feel free to share one of my family classics with your family and post a picture on Instagram and don't forget to tag me in your post. Use #peachyfamilyrecipes

Cozy Fall Favorites

Today is my most favorite day of the year! Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration but this day is one of my favorite days of the year because it's the first day of fall. I love so much about this time of year. I love the colors of the leaves changing, the cool crisp air, apple dumplings with vanilla ice cream, pumpkin decorations, sweaters, boots, and plaid scarves. Actually all the plaid. Something about autumn feels cozy and I think that's why it's my favorite time of year. Don't get me wrong, I love summer just as much when it's time for it to roll around but fall is my jam. What I absolutely love the most about it are the celebrations. My husband and I's first anniversary is this coming Monday (9-26) then we have Halloween, Thanksgiving, my Dad's Birthday, and the Christmas season. I'm all about togetherness and cozyness and celebrations!

Today's prompt for Blogtember with Bailey from Brave Love Blog is fall favorites.
Share your must-haves for this season.

Enjoy the pictures

Willow loves all my fall favorites.

What are your fall favorites?

We All Scream for Ice Cream

I scream. You scream. We all scream for ice cream. There is something about this frozen sweetness that is hard to resist. I remember when I was younger and my daddy would make my brothers and I ice cream. The way he did it was super special because he didn't just scoop it out of the carton into a bowl. You see, he had a special twist on it. He put our ice cream in a coffee mug and added milk. I still eat my ice cream like that and so does he. It wasn't long ago my hubby, son & I were at my parent's house and my dad pulled out the ice cream and we ate it in our mugs with milk.

My mom always had her things that made ice cream special, too. She has everything from fancy bowls to all the toppings you could ever want and she always made sure there were waffle cones in the pantry, too. I only like my ice cream in mugs or waffle cones. Picky much? Yeah, I kinda am and I blame my parents for that one.

You can see that ice cream holds all kinds of memories for me and so it was super special to be able to start the next chapter of my life with my now hubby by having an engagement photo shoot in my Aunt and Uncle's vintagey ice cream parlor.

My world may actually revolve around ice cream so today's prompt for Blogtember with Bailey from Brave Love Blog is
If you were a flavor of ice cream, which flavor would you be? Why?

Since an ice cream cake it's a flavor, i'd be birthday cake flavored ice cream because who doesn't love those fun little colorful bursts of extra sugary goodness inside an already amazing sugary treat? It's like confetti in your ice cream! I imagine that i'd be served at all the parties, making everyone happy and sugar filled or i'd make someone's sad day happy with my colorful sugary-ness. I think that happiness is a mug full of birthday cake ice cream with milk and since I believe everyday should be celebrated birthday cake ice cream is the way to do that!

Who can be mad or sad when they're eating confetti filled, cake flavored ice cream?

Favorite Blog Posts

When it comes to blogging we all have our favorite posts we've written so I was super excited when today's Blogtember Challenge was to share your favorite posts you've written. There were a few that came right to mind when I was thinking about this post but I looked back on each and every post i've written (391) over the last three years to pick out my all time favorites. In my favorites I cover everything from make up, to my word of the year, to grace, bravery and courage and my love story. So get comfy and get ready for some seriously fun and inspirational reading.

A list of your favorite blog posts you've written.

+Bravery and Courage

+History was Made

+Filling Your Confidence

+Cleaning Your Make Up Brushes

+It's A Love Story, Baby Just Say Yes

+My Word of the Year

+Grace Upon Grace

+Stress Relief

+Hey Shabby Me

I hope you enjoyed reading these posts as much as I enjoyed writing them and looking back on them. These are some posts that are truly near to my heart.

Hey Shabby Me

Hi Peachies! Happy Sunday. I hope you're snuggled in with your favorite mug of coffee reading this post. If you aren't then I have the perfect fix for you because today I'm sharing one of my most favorite Etsy shops, Hey Shabby Me. I fell in love with her adorable coffee mugs when I was looking for a new daddy one for my brother.

I ended up buying him this Best Dad In The Galaxy one. When it came in the mail and I opened it up I couldn't wait to get my hands on my own Hey Shabby Me mug so I ordered myself the Mind Your Own Biscuits mug and from there it was a snowball effect. I couldn't stop so I also ordered myself this I'll Be In My Teepee mug.

As I sat on Hey Shabby Me's Etsy shop liking all the pretty things I decided to reach out to her and see if she would be interested in being featured on my blog and guess what y'all? She said yes so now is a good time to go grab that mug off coffee and get ready to read my Q & A session with Karla from Hey Shabby Me.

Hi Karla. Welcome to my blog sweet blog. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Well let's see, My name is Karla Butvidas. I am from Puerto Rico. Fell in love, got married and now have the cutest little fur baby and human baby.

How did you pick your Etsy name?
When I started my store, I named it Totally Love It, then with my husband started a little blog called heyshabbyme.
It was just a roundup of recipes, tutorials and such. After we thought of opening our mug shop we decided to keep it.

Does it have any special meaning?
Not really, sometimes I want to change it but hey now it's too late lol

What inspired you to open your Etsy shop?
Everything started when I started to plan our wedding, I wanted to customize everything..... #bridezilla

What makes you most excited about owning your shop?
Making people smile, knowing that a little message in a cup can make you giggle is the best reward.

What inspires you to create new products?
My inspiration is all the people around me, family and friends.
All of our products were created thinking of our clients.
I always think if I can make you giggle then my work is done.

What is your favorite item in your shop?
I have to say, everything. I feel I can own every little thing we have here.
If I don't love it I wont sell it.

What is your best selling item in your shop?
Funny, "I'm not Always a Bitch" mug is our best Etsy seller.

Can you share any sneak peaks of items coming soon?
We will be adding a bunch of seasonal products and I am dying for the
weather to cool off to show off some sweater swag!

Do you have any special promotions currently?
All clients can use our heyshabbyme code for a 15% off your order or free shipping over $75 or more.


I can tell you from talking with Karla and shopping through her Etsy shop that she is such an inspirational, kind hearted person and she creates the most beautiful, great quality products. I really can't say enough wonderful things about Karla. Any questions or problems you message her with she's right on them. Her products are not only swoon worthy (seriously, you'll want to display your mugs because they ARE that cute!) they are high quality and are a nice size, too.

I dare you to run to her shop and purchase one mug (they're 15% off!) and smile every time you fill it up with coffee.

Stress Relief

Hi Peachies! We made it! It's Friday! I'm sooo excited for sleeping in and coffee with my love in the morning. That's my favorite part of the weekends. You know what else I love? The Blogtember link up with Bailey from Brave Love Blog. Today's prompt is...

How do you de-stress/take care of yourself?

I'm such a huge believer in taking care of myself because if i'm not good for myself then how can I be good for anyone else?

I have so many ways I love to de-stress and relax and I want to share them with you and hopefully help you find some inspiration in my favorite ways to do just that.


+ {Get Outside}
There is no better way to de-stress and relax than to get outside.
Sometimes my Willow and I will take walks around the yard and enjoy the beauty of nature.
Other times we sit out of the front porch and soak in the sun.

+ {Baths}
Now, of course, this is a go to for every girl.
Light a candle, drop a bath bomb in the water, and relax.
I like to up my relaxing bath with facial masks, too.


Speaking of facial masks...


+ {Nightly Facial Routine}
Slipping upstairs to do my nightly facial skin care routine is another one of my favorite ways to de-stress.
In the last couple months I've really started to enjoy 20 minutes of taking care of me.
I love the feel of going to bed with a fresh face.

+ {Turning off the t.v.}
I won't lie. I've become a t.v. junkie during the day.
My hubby is at work, my son is at school and it's just me and the dog.
I blog and watch so much t.v. Sometimes I even Netflix and chill.
But one of my favorite ways to de-stress is to turn of the t.v., open all the blinds, light candles and blog and listen to podcasts.

+ {Make-Up}
I love playing in make up but it really de-stresses me to create different make up looks.
This is a fairly new love of mine but it has become a de-stressing method for me.

+ {Coloring}
This craze has caught on lately and guess who fell victim? That's right. This girl!
I love grabbing my pens, pencils, and books and sitting down to color away the stress of the day.

+ {Dancing with my Hubby}
There are times when he'll just grab my hand and dance with me in the kitchen, in our bedroom, the office, the back porch.
I always roll my eyes and laugh uncontrollably while he spins me around but I love it more than anything.

+ {Pinterest}
I have a board of funny things called Laughing Out Loud. When i'm stressed I look at all the pins i've pinned on this board and feel so much less stressed.

You can see the board here.

+ {On Line Shopping}
I love zoning out and shopping on line. I mean, what's better than sitting on your couch in yoga pants and your favorite tee shirt with a glass of wine and no bra? Nothing, right?
Sometimes I even fill up my cart with all the things I would like to buy from a shop just to see how much it would cost.
Answer always equals more money than I have but it's a great stress reliever.

+ {Blog}
This blog is my escape y'all. It's my happy place and a place I definitely check in to to de-stress.
When i'm working on my blog I zone out and am so focused on my work that it leave me feeling accomplished and relaxed.

+ {Get out of the house}
I'm such a homebody y'all and I'm usually very content that way but sometimes I find that just getting out and smiling at strangers and
interacting with other humans really helps me de-stress.
Some of the worst days i've had evened up being better all because I was out
of the house and striking up conversations with other people.

I'm working on adding meditation and yoga back into my daily life because I find that helps me de-stress and un-wind so incredibly much.
Share with me some of your favorite ways to relax and de-stress.

Fall Is In The Air

Hi Peachies. Autumn is my absolute favorite time of year. I think I said that back at the beginning of the summer, too but I really do love fall. There is something about the cool, crisp air and the vibrant colors of the leaves changing that feels so refreshing. I love pulling out all my favorite boots and scarves and spending time snuggling outside under blankets. Fall makes me feel so content.

Today's Blogtember Challenge with Bailey from Brave Love Blog is to create a mood board so naturally I had to make mine all about what i'm most excited about-fall!

I'm ready for hot apple cider, cozy sweaters, vibrant leaves changing colors, plaid everything and pumpkins everywhere.

What's on your bucket list for fall?

Switching Lives

Hi Peachies! If you could switch lives with anyone for a day, who would you choose? There are so many things I think about when I think who i'd like to switch lives with for a day. She's got to be someone who is strong, independent but loves hard. Someone who has talent and is a good person. Someone who is true to who they are and seems like the girl next door type. Someone you can imagine spending girls days with doing mani/pedis and coffee dates. She's got to have a strong sense of self and caring for others. Someone whose life is like mine but more glamorous.


There are no less than 10 people i'd love to switch places with just for a day. Rebel Wilson, because she's hilarious. Pink because she's strong, beautiful and confident. Ellen DeGeneres because she's very kind and giving. Reese Witherspoon because she's a southern belle like me and she's a fighter for women. Sophia Amoruso because she's the ultimate #girlboss. JoAnna Gaines because she's all about family, faith, and helping others.

But there is one lady who fits the standards for someone I'd like to switch places with, Jessie James Decker. She's a Southern girl who can sing, has an incredible marriage and two beautiful kids. You can tell she loves her family unconditionally and supports her husbands dreams, too. What I love most about her she's un-apologetically herself. She's the kind of person who is so gorgeous but I don't even think she sees it. Her family is her #1. She seems so down to earth and fun. She's basically #lifegoals. Oh, and if I was Jessie James Decker for a day I'd be belting out some tunes, for sure.

Her Lights Down Low video is everything.


So if you could be anybody just for a day, who would you choose?

Come Away With Me

Hi Loves! How special do you feel? You get a double dose of me today because I decided to participate in today's Blogtember post with Bailey from Brave Love Blog.

Today it's all about where you'd love to travel.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why?

For me the answer is easy and it's kinda, maybe cheating a little bit because it's somewhere i've been. If you've been around me or my blog in the last year you've heard me rave about Kauai, Hawaii. It's heaven on earth and I would live there if I could. My husband & I went there last September/October on our honeymoon and fell in love. Well, more in love with each other but in love with the island itself. It's a tiny island and from the resort we could drive 45 minutes to an hour either way to the either end of the island. Yes, you literally drive until the road stops. It's not like you can drive off a cliff into the ocean or anything, because that's what my worried mind thought. The road just ends right before a mountain. It was the most marvelous sight i've ever seen.

As you drive along scenic highways you can see everything from the beach to the mountains to fields and crops. They even have their version of the Grand Canyon, which was an amazing sight to see.

Several days on our honeymoon my hubby and I did just that. We got in our car and drove until we found sights we wanted to see and little old towns we stopped and visited. Mingling with the locals was the best part of the entire trip. Everyone there seems so happy and friendly and would talk to you for hours on end. I can't say enough amazing things about Kauai. The atmosphere is so relaxed and laid back. No one gets in a hurry for anything. Their rush hour traffic is literally about 20 cars and roads only close if there is an accident. In the older town there are some of the best hole in the wall restaurants you have to try. It's such a small, safe town that the kids walk to and from school.

One of the days we were eating lunch at the smallest hole in the wall when a young girl, maybe 12, walked down the street to her parent's restaurant that we were eating at, after school was out. She changed into a sports uniform (soccer I think) and walked back up to school for practice. I think that's when I was hooked. I want so desperately to raise my kids in that kind of environment.

I would 100% go back to Kauai tomorrow if someone said lets go.
We're planning a trip back with our son in a few years.

If you want a laid back place to go, Kauai is it. And if you do go, spend as much time with the locals as you can. They know how to live.
I can promise you this. It's the kind of place that gets in your soul and leaves you longing for it long after you're gone. To me this is the epitome of wanderlust.

Oh Hey, Friday!

Hey Peachies! Happy Friday! Can I just tell you how excited I am for this weekend? It's been one crazy week and the weekend doesn't look like it's slowing down but I'm so ready for snuggling with my husband and sleeping in. Weekends are what my heart lives for. I love the quietness and productivity of the week but more than that I love the togetherness and wind down of the weekend. I get to celebrate my sweet "newly wed" cousin Saturday at her wedding shower and Sunday is eye doctor appointments for my guys so we're still busy but we get to be busy together and that fills my heart.

Before we all get started with our weekends i've got to share my Oh Hey, Friday post with the adorable Karli from September Farm.
Here's how the link up goes:
1 | grab this here snazzy summer-themed button and link back to Sept. Farm.
2 | link up your post at the bottom of Karli's post.
3 | tell all your friends + have a fantastic friday.

Oh Hey, Friday!

1. This week we welcomed a new member to our family. I now have a nephew! Wednesday we welcomed Baby Luke to the world. He wanted to make his appearance a little early (6 weeks). Baby and Mama are both doing wonderfully though. Our family is beyond blessed for a happy, healthy mama and baby. Sadly I don't have any pictures yet. I didn't think he was ready for selfies only hours after he was born but I assure you, he's seriously the cutest.

2. Social Media. Social media is wearing me out these days. I find myself only posting blog posts and checking in on my Sunshine Snail Mail event on Facebook lately. And checking for new pictures of Baby Luke. Facebook is a downer and I just don't have time for that in my life.
I have fallen back in love with Pinterest lately though.

3. T.V. Shows. I used to not be a tvaholic. I still don't think I am but I am so into Too Close To Home and I Love Kellie Pickler.
They are on two totally different ends of the spectrum-one is a Tyler Perry show about an Intern in the White House from a small town in Alabama (I won't give anything away-just watch it. It's awesome!) and the other is a reality show about former American Idol turned country star, Kellie Pickler. The Big Bang Theory starts back soon, too and i'm so excited about that. It's a show that I sit down with my guys and watch.

4. Happy Mail. Happy Mail is the way to my heart. I love opening the mail box and seeing fun packages. It just brings such joy to know that someone took time out of their day to think about you enough to go shopping for you and send you some sweet mail. Yesterday was happy mail day for me because my sweet friend Sarah sent me a care package because she knows that my life has been pure chaos since my son started back to school and she thought I could use a little pampering. She's truly a doll, y'all. When I opened my package with face masks, nail polishes, lip sticks, a yummy smelling candle and the most adorable to go coffee mug I felt like I had won the lottery. I wish this girl and I could get together and meet in real life because we're basically sisters. She knows me so well!

5. I'm doing my best to participate in Bailey from BraveLoveBlog's Blogtember Challenge. This week I've been posting a lot, I just haven't had the opportunity to share any of my posts on social media, other than through Buffer.

Here are my week's posts.
Blogtember:September's Goals
Joyful
In The Quiet Moments


Feel free to stop by my posts from this week and leave some love there, too. I hope you all have a lovely weekend. Happy Friday.

In The Quiet Moments

You know those moments when everything around you is quiet but your mind is so loud? That's where i'm at. I've turned off my tv and all I can hear now is the ticking of my kitchen clock and the soft hum of my diffuser. I was working on one blog post but I stopped because I couldn't concentrate on writing that one so here I am writing this one.

In The Quiet Moments

I enjoy my sweet puppy's sleepy snuggles and how cute she is when she's curled up next to me.

I wonder if I'm doing okay at this wife thing and this mom thing. And being a daughter and friend and granddaughter and sister.

I really miss my brother that I haven't talked to in a few years.

I think about how proud I am of my other brother and sister in law as they embark on their new adventure in life. Parenthood.

I realize I am content with what I have.

I'm ready to be snuggled up in my hubby's arms.

I wonder what my sweet boy is doing at school right now.

I smile because I remember going to lunch with my best friend Friday.
And shopping with another friend Tuesday.

I am excited about the Sunshine Snail Mail event I put together with my friends.

I feel inspired because I was able to get back into the groove of blogging today.

I look at Instagram and smile at all the love and comments I need to respond to.

I pray for the happiness of all my family and friends (real life and blog).

I am thankful for a husband who supports all of my crazy ideas and dreams.

I am blessed.


Sometimes loves, you just need to be still and quiet your mind.

Joyful

Hi Peachies. Happy Wednesday loves. We're half way through the week and what better way to celebrate than sitting on my couch with the sun shining through the windows smelling the most lovely Relax scent in my diffuser and working on today's Blogtember post.

Today's blogtember challenge is to share five things that bring you joy.

Of course my family and friends bring me joy. Being a wife is my dream come true. So is being a mom but I want to share five other things that bring me joy on a deeper level.

+ one. shopping small. I love supporting small businesses because I love making other people's dreams come true. I'm all about cheering everyone on because there is enough room in this world for us to all succeed and I want that for each one of us.

+ two. being a wife. I dreamed for 30 years of being a wife. I prayed for the man that would love me and my son and make us a complete family. Little did I know he was in front of me the whole time. I've learned a lot about myself through this first year of marriage
and I have grown a lot, too. Little did I know what a ride this year would be but I wouldn't change any of it because it had brought us closer and made us stronger. I know now what it truly means to have someone beside you in good times and bad and that's a feeling I can't explain.

+ three. coffee. I’m a coffee-a-holic. I can’t function in the mornings without it and i’m a Mama Bear until I have it. I started drinking coffee while living at home and my dad, brother, and Grandpa would drink it. A lot of mornings started off by having a cup of coffee with one of the men who I adore.

Now I love coffee on the weekends the most. I’ve usually slept in and as soon as my husband hears me stirring he comes and asks me if i’m ready for a cup. He makes it the best and i’m not even sure how (marrying a former barista is a dream come true) and we enjoy our slow mornings, sipping coffee together. Even though my Grandpa has since passed, my brother got married and moved away, and I no longer live with my parents, I still get to enjoy my morning coffee with one of the men I adore most.

+ four. the sky. I'm always enamored with the sky. I can't help but look at the sky and feel completely overwhelmed knowing that I am one small person in this huge world. And that I can still make a difference. I like to think my loved ones who have passed are looking down on me from Heaven, smiling.

+five. peonies. They're my favorite flowers ever but this year I was able to grow one beautiful one of my own.
My love of them grew even more.


Share with me loves.
What brings you joy?

Blogtember: September Goals

Hi Peachies! Happy Monday. I hope you are all having a relaxing, labor free, Labor Day. I've been enjoying spending time on our back deck with my husband while he smokes a roast. It's a gorgeous day here and i'm enjoying this weather and convos with my hubby. It'm also enjoying getting some blogging done.

I'm getting caught up on the Blogtember prompts so i'm sharing my September Goals.

September Goals

Complete the Blogtember Challenge

Conquer my fear of vlogging

Plan the month out in my planner

Get ahead on blog posts

Spend one hour a day outside

Drink more water/yoga everyday

Have date night with my hubby at least twice

Open an etsy shop

Take the week of my first anniversary off from everything

Spend more time showing the love to my blogger friends

Do one act of kindness for someone else

Keep simplifying my life

Spend 15 minutes a day doing something for myself

Finish reading Amy Poehler's Yes Please

Work on more featured posts

Spend more days at home than out shopping/running errands

Finish the #simplystyledseptember Instagram challenge

Celebrate Women's Friendship Day

Let's help cheer each other on. What are some of your goals for September?

Blogtember:Currently

Hi Peachies! Happy Sunday. I hope you're all enjoying an extra long holiday weekend. Holiday weekends are my absolute favorites because three days of sleeping in and having fun are always the best. I also love that it's the time of year to link up with the sweet Bailey from Brave Love Blog for the Blogtember Challenge.

The Blogtember Challenge is a daily challenge that begins September 1st where you write a post about the prompt of the day then link up on Bailey's page. This is such a great way to meet new bloggers and get to know more about each other. I made friends from this link up last year and it was so much fun.

There are no real rules, just use #blogtemberchallenge when you share your posts on social media.

Today it's all about my Currently

Enjoying...knowing that I don't have to turn my alarm on in the morning.

Wishing For...fall weather. I'm beyond ready to pull out my sweaters, scarves and boots.

Loving...that my house is clean and my family is all together.

Looking Forward To...a low key, lazy day tomorrow. The house is clean, my honey is going to smoke something for dinner tomorrow.

Smelling...a sandalwood candle.

Wearing...nike shorts and a PCB tank.

Feeling...drained but blessed.

Bookmarking...Farmhouses, video work out to Meghan Trainor's Me Too, September daily scripture writing, how to boost your blog traffic.

Reading...I'm still trying to finish Amy Poehler's Yes Please but I'm ready to start Sophie Amoruso's #GirlBoss.

Watching...nothing and it's glorious.

Listening (to)...my hubby sitting next to me, carrying on a conversation.

Eating...nothing right now. We just got done eating dinner though. My daddy sent over some homemade bbq and brunswick stew.

Cooking...nothing yet. We just got done eating.

Drinking...Water. I'm trying to get better about drinking water again.

Texting...no one right now.

Pinning...fall nail colors, adorable owls, blog tips, cute puppies and tips on how to do make up like a pro.

Instagramming...The #simplystyledseptember posts
Instagram

Snapchatting...i've been quiet on Snapchat this weekend.
Snap Chat:georgiapeachy82

Tweeting...my blog posts.
Twitter

Starting...to make and sell jewelry again!

Finishing...This post.

Loving these purchases...my Hey Shabby Me coffee mugs.

Happy Mail Days are the best. Especially happy mail Mondays. I'm in love with my new mug from @heyshabbyme. In fact, I already have another one on its way to me. Go check out HeyShabbyMe on etsy & shop away. #heyshabbyme #photosinbetween #syblbloggers

A photo posted by {Leslie Soto} (@georgiapeachy31) on Aug 29, 2016 at 12:18pm PDT

I'm in love with etsy lately. So much so that I've had to disconnect my payment method from my account so I can't just "accidentally" shop. Hey Shabby Me is my go to place for the cutest mugs. If you need me today I'll be in my teepee. #heyshabbyme #coffeeiseverything #illbeinmyteepee #saturdayvibes

A photo posted by {Leslie Soto} (@georgiapeachy31) on Sep 3, 2016 at 7:33am PDT

Using these essential oils...tension is always a lifesaver and lately i've needed my energy/grapefruit oils a lot. Last night I had to use lavender on the dog to calm her down.

This Is My Jam...pretty much all of Britney Spear's new Album, Glory.