Currently ~ April 2021

I'm joining Anne today for this month's Currently link up. 

arranging// I have found the best flower wholesaler in our area and I think it's a secret hidden gem. Although their selection is sometimes limited, I've been very pleased with the purchases I've made so far this spring. Having said that, I've been doing some floral arrangements throughout our home as well as making small arrangements for friends and my desk at the office. One of my favorite arrangements is this one beside my bed. Years ago, my best friend gave me this unique vase and it's my favorite. These carnations are nearly four weeks old and STILL look beautiful and it brings a smile to my face everyday. 

craving// March has been the month for PIE and yummy salads. What a combination, right? I picked up a delicious strawberry pie on PI Day (March 14th!). On weekends we like to entertain or grill and eat outside by our pool and I have been trying all the Pinterest salads! So far, we have enjoyed them all, except for the Green Jacket Salad.  Wayne and Alise didn't like the dressing that went with that one. This one is still at the top of our favorite list and I even made it again on Easter when I cooked for us and my mom and dad. 

discussing// I'm trying to determine if my prayers need to be more specific or if God just has a really crazy sense of humor. Our family is praying earnestly for direction and guidance in regards to a situation that we're facing. And Wayne and I both feel that we have discussed the topic to death. So much so that we've both said we're sick of talking about it, yet we KEEP talking about it! Not in the sense that we don't know what to do, just the everyday turn of events. We trust that God's will is always perfect, even when we don't understand. 

enjoying// We visited the ranch in Texas mid-March. Such a fun and relaxing weekend for our family and plus one. Lots of fishing, ATV riding, reading, food, and March Madness. The weather was a little cool, but perfect! Wayne is actually taking his college group over there this weekend for a small retreat. 

preparing// We visited the vineyards this past weekend and I had a fun time preparing our picnic basket. The friends that went with us - who had actually never been before and so they didn't quite know what to expect - were amazed at all the food I brought (which really, wasn't very much!). Let's just say that even my charcuterie board made an appearance! Anyhoo, it was a fun night being outside with friends and listening to the band.  And the food was good, too! 

Prime Purchases ~ April 2021

I have to confess that March Madness and prime shopping do not mix well. Wayne enjoys watching the games, so I watch with him, but there were several games that sheer boredem sent me browsing and "adding to cart." 

I got so many comments about the "coasters," aka exfoliating pads from last month's prime post. I hope you decided to try them because it has been one of my favorite prime purchases so far this year. They work great and leave my face feeling so smooth and soft. 

Here are a few things I bought in March.

Shower Steamers// These are good y'all. The perfect aromatherapy pick-me-up that is not too strong or overpowering. Wayne even likes them. The key to them lasting even longer than just one shower, is not putting them directly in the shower spray. I've set the disk on the side of the tub and one lasted four showers! 

Bangle Bracelet Key Holder// Have you seen these because they are quite popular in my area. I bought this for a friend's birthday last month and stuck a gift card in the holder. She loved it! I loved it so much that I ordered three more for friends that I knew would enjoy them, too. The key holders come in a variety of colors and they make the perfect little happy gift. 

Letter Board Letters// I have a small letter board that my dear friend, Andrea, gifted me a few years ago and the letters I had were too big so I got these 3/4-inch size and they are perfect! 

Kitsch Satin Pillowcase// We got new sheets for Christmas so I decided to chunk my old satin pillow case.  I decided to replace it with this pillowcase because it kept showing up in my feeds and all the influencers were raving about it. It has a very luxurious feel and I love the leopard design, but my final verdict is still out because I'm not quite sure if it's worth the price point. 

Lounge Pajama Set// Love, love these pajamas! I use them as a lounge set and wear them lots of days to "work." Unfortunately, I can't wear them to bed. The material just doesn't work with my weighted blanket and peri-menopause, but they are leopard and so comfy that I decided to keep them anyway.

I hope your April is off to a wonderful start! It's going to be a great month! 

Happy Birthday, Andrea!

Woo hoo!! Blow up the balloons and bust open the bubbly, baby, because TODAY is THIS BEAUTY'S BIRTHDAY!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDREA!!

                          

If you've been reading my blog for a while, then I don't have to tell you that this Girlie is one of my favorite friends EVAH! She is the kindest and most thoughtful person and did I mention that she has a FANTASTIC sense of style?! I sure hope you're reading her blog and following her on Instagram (Be sure to follow her on stories!)!

Andrea is such an AH-mazing friend! Let's just say that she has talked me off the ledge several times! She also enjoys cooking and taking care of all those handsome men in her life. She has the best tiered tray designs and loves to make someone's day brighter. And I have to say that she certainly does mine!

Love you, Andrea! Hope you have the happiest birthday ever!! Celebrate BIG!!

Life Lately ~ March 2021

 Here's a post for the scrapbook.

Starting out on a sad note, but a few weeks ago, we found out that Wayne's college roommate passed away. Now, if you've been keeping up here on the blog, this is NOT the roommate I was dating when Wayne and I met twenty-eight years ago. This is the roommate with an addiction that bailed out of our wedding at the last minute. Do I sound bitter? I'm not. Unfortunately, his addiction ended up costing him his life in an elective surgery. He and Wayne lost touch through the years, but had spoken as recently as Christmas. It made me realize that when a friend you haven't spoken to in years calls you out of the blue, answer the call. It could be the last time you speak to them. 

We recently had a wonderful time in Texas at the lake house of one of our friend's. We took Alise out of school on Friday and she invited a friend. Other than being a little cool (my kid actually brought a bathing suit!) 🙄, our weekend was absolutely perfect! 

High school basketball awards (and compliments!) are not handed out like candy with our Coach. As a matter of fact, there are only three awards. Three. But I am happy to say that Alise received The Most Improved Award and we are so proud of her (I wish Wayne could have been there!). Alise joked that it was because she only got ONE technical this year instead of two last year. Thus, improvement. Ha! But, seriously, she only missed one practice the entire summer and season and gave 110% because she loves the game so much. Coach was very complimentary toward Alise and mentioned her improved ball handling, scoring, and leadership on the court. She had the most assists for the season. It was so fun to see Alise and her teammates all dressed up and not sporting pony tails. Ha! I know I've said this 1,000 times, but I LOVE watching Baby Girl play. I had this dream for her; I wanted her to cheer. But just like God says in His Word, His plans our not ours and after living my own mother's dreams, I was determined to not do that to Alise. And letting go has been more rewarding than I could ever imagine. When she beats the press, when she makes the high pass to her tallest post player and she scores, when she drives the lane and makes the layup, my heart could nearly burst. Yes, the season is long. Yes, there is still alot of drama and tears. Yes, I could buy an island for what we've paid in basketball expenses, but I would. not. change a single thing. Wayne and I both are looking forward to the next two years. 

In less than two months, we will have a new driver in da house! And after much arguing discussion, we made the decision to buy Alise a used vehicle (not terribly used, of course!) for her first pair of wheels. We purchased the car in Houston and with the help of Wayne's best friend that lives there, we were able to do the transaction seamlessly. We plan to surprise her in a few weeks. She is going to WIG. OUT!

We are now a four-eyed family. The day that I had hoped would never come arrived and now Alise has her own pair of glasses to keep up with. She blames her Spanish II class, but she only has to wear them in the classroom and to drive. Actually, she's pretty excited about them and this was a total daddy-daughter appointment because Wayne took her and she chose the frames that he liked (they were face-timing me from the eye doctor's office). Maybe she will let me post a picture wearing her new glasses a little later. 

Alise is being inducted into the National Honor Society today. We are so proud of her and her academic achievements.

I am taking a break from social media this week for Holy Week, but I wanted to be sure to document our month. 

Spring Favorites & Links With The Style Six

It's official! Yours truly has Spring Fever!!  Anyone else? Loved sitting out by our covered pool yesterday evening just listening to the wind chimes tingle in the March winds. I bet my Style Six sisters are ready for Spring, too!  Thanks for joining us today for our weekly link up!

This wicker bunny from Nordstrom Rack kept popping up in my social media feeds and we all know how I feel about that! Imagine my surprise this past weekend when I found one hiding from me at Kirkland's! So of course, he came home with me. Now I just need to find some ribbon to replace the one he's currently wearing. 

I shared this yummy salad earlier this week. It's so easy and is always a crowd pleaser. 

I absolutely love white dresses in the summer and this new website that I discovered has a plethora of them and just about every other style you can imagine for warmer temperatures. This white tiered midi dress is stunning, but unfortunately I have to keep checking back for my size. I love this simple, feminine maxi, too. I think this would be perfect for the beach! Throw on a denim jacket for cool nights. 

I tried this new mascara this week after I purchased the trial size for $15. The sales person hit me up as soon as I walked through the door and I got sucked in, but it's a happy sucked in if you can believe that. The key is  - just like she said! - waiting to put a second coat on after about five minutes. But you have to be careful with that second coat or it will make your lashes stick together. What I love about this mascara is that it makes my lashes longer, whispy-er, and feather-like. Totally recommend.

You will probably see this a little later in an Amazon post, but it's too good not to share. I am so surprised by this lip mask and balm from Andes Nature. And the best thing is that it's less than $10 bucks. I've been using it for about a week, and I just love it. So so good! I'm going to a favorite things party in a few weeks and I'm seriously considering this as one of my gifts. 

Have a wonderful Wednesday, Friends! I've actually been in the office working this week just because I've had so many deadlines and projects, and let me just say that wearing a bra and heels just aren't as fun anymore! Ha! 

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