Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!

My daughter (my baby girl!) had a birthday so my youngest son and I spent the weekend with her and her husband to celebrate. 

Of course, we came bearing her favorite cake, Raspberry Elegance.  It is one of my favorites as well.  She loves it so much her wedding cake was a bigger, more beautiful version of it!  Notice the candles?  That is what you get when the 16-year-old baby brother is in charge of putting them on the cake!  No, she isn't 62!

One of the treats we had was being able to go see my beautiful, smart, and talented daughter in action at her work. She also received some major brotherly love from the nefarious candle organizer!

The event we attended was sponsored by the hospital where my daughter works.  The day was kind of an end of the season/fall festival event which wrapped up with a showing of Beauty and the Beast during  "movie on the lawn night." It was fun to see my girl do her thing and see the results of her hard work.  Can you tell I am a little bit proud of her? 

The best way to describe what her birthday means to me is to say the day she was born, I changed...she made me a better person. She made me a Mom. I wouldn't trade that title or one single moment with my 3 amazing children for anything in the world.  I am blessed. 

Happy Birthday, baby girl!

You are so very loved!

Can you take your mask off?

Did you know Lilly Pulitzer Was Created After Leaving a Mental Hospital?

I have always love Lilly...the patterns, the colors, the lifestyle and attitude but also Lilly Pulitzer was an inspiration in more than just the fashion world.  She didn't have to do anything she didn't want to do but she picked herself up and she did what she need to do to be healthy, strong and bring joy to others. No matter what your struggles are...lets all be a little Lilly!

 

Be inspired!

Stitch Fix, Round 1!

I know a lot of people who have been on the Stitch Fix bandwagon for a long time but I never really paid much attention to it until recently when a friend ask me to give it a try.  Also, right now I have little to no time to shop for new pieces to add too my wardrobe so this seemed worth a try. 

Last week I received my first shipment.  I was surprised at all the fun that was packed into that little box!  The way it works is you fill out questionnaires on your style, size, wardrobe focus, etc. and each month (or what ever schedule you choose) a new shipment of 5 new, name brand pieces will be sent to you.  You have the choice of purchasing all 5 with a nice 25% discount on the entire purchase or you can keep just one item and sent the remainder back in the provided mailer, within a 3 day window. 

In my first shipment I received a maxi dress that was cute but too long and a bit more summery than I was interested in at this point (I want Fall clothes!), 2 cute tops, a pair of jeans and a necklace.  I loved the jeans but they were too big.  I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to log into my Stitch Fix account and request an exchange.  I also decided to keep one of the tops that was sent because it will make a great work or play addition to my wardrobe.  The rest I just popped back into the provided mailer and back it went. I also was asked to provide feedback for my stylist on this shipment and how it could be better,  as well as how I felt about the size, fit, quality and price of each item.  It was fun.  I was able to let my stylist know what my purpose in adding to my wardrobe is and how the items fit my style. 

I am not sure why it took me so long to try!  The great thing is, if you don't like any of items they can all go back or you can keep what you like.  I think the biggest benefit is it gives you the opportunity to add a piece or two a month to keep your wardrobe up to date and fresh without you having to step foot outside of your house!  Now, I can't wait until my next shipment arrives. 

If you would like to try it out just click here:  Stitch Fix, you own personal stylist

Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning

Never forget.

Who doesn't want to be Miss America?

Is there a little girl out there who didn't, at some point, entertain the idea of being Miss America? I mean, even if only for the crown?  Isn't that why it is so easy to conjure up the tune...."There she is, Miss America......?" 

When I was little, my best friend Sonja and I, would always make a big deal about the Miss America pageant.  Her Mom was sweet enough to build the hype quite a bit as well.  We always had a sleep over and little pads for scoring but mostly I remember during the commercials sashaying up and down their center hallway in what I think might have been her Mother's crinoline from her wedding dress.  It was long and flowing and to two starry eyed little girls, beautiful and just like the gowns the young ladies on TV were wearing!  If only we had a crown and scepter to complete the look!  What fun we had.   

Of course, this was well before today's world of pageants and pageant "systems" run amok. It was a time when it felt glamorous, very exclusive and elegant.   I think the reason I still enjoy the Miss America pageant is that it still holds on to at least a bit of it's original mission and flavor.  So tonight, you will find me watching and pulling for my state's lovely contestant, Suzi Roberts!  I find myself particularly big fans of our Southern girls in general, and love that we are usually well represented in the finals! 

Harvey threw a punch at Texas last week and Irma is making a mess in other parts of the South tonight but I know our beautiful Belles will walk the runway and make us proud because that is what a steel magnolia does when she is on the hunt for a crown.

Miss South Carolina Suzi Roberts

Go Suzi!!!!

Hurricane Irma....

Living an hour inland from the Atlantic, a lot of focus this week has been watching this beast, named Irma, churning in the Atlantic.  The endless guessing (forecasting?) of where she was going to go kept everyone on constant watch.  I can't count the times I have been asked this week if I was going to stay or evacuate. After weathering Matthew last year, who was a baby in comparison, I was more anxious than I would like to admit. Irma had me nervous and not wanting to go through a repeat of last year, and the flooding the year before.  To say our area has had a string of rough weather events over the last couple of years would be an understatement.  Also, seeing the devastation that Texas faced only a week or so ago made it feel even more frightening, not to mention the wild fires burning away the lives and land at a frenetic pace in the West.

For now, we seem to be totally out of the danger zone.  After a week of seeing the forecast track right at us, it is a relief to see it turn...sort of.  Either way, there is devastation coming and lives at risk.  Now it is tracking towards my daughter and son-in-law, my parents, many friends and family and that doesn't feel better.  It feels a lot like holding your breath while you pray a hedge of protection around those in Irma's path. 

A few days ago I did my hurricane prep and already gasoline was running low in some stations, bread was nonexistent and water?  You could forget it...and that was several days ago.  I think I was not the only person planning not to be caught off guard this year. Hotels and dog kennels are filling up now as people who previously never dreamed they would ever need to evacuate towards the beach are coming here.

I will admit, this week is the first time I have thought that maybe moving away from the coast might be worth it...and then Irma shows me it doesn't matter. There is some kind of risk everywhere.  I think the issue of having to ride these storms out alone is more the drive behind my internal debate on just picking up and leaving.  It is tiring.  But, here today....it is a gorgeous, not a cloud in the sky day...who would dream a monster is preparing an attack on the state of Florida at this very moment and heading northward towards Georgia? 

Praying God's protection upon everyone.  Stay safe.