Currently. {Vol. 1}

I am joining a new link-up today because I am feeling reflective and just feel like writing. I found this one by Jenna and it seemed right up my alley. So here we go.

Thinking about// My face. Ugh. I cringe even as I write this. About six years ago this odd growth thing (gross, I know) popped up on my cheek. Luckily I was able to get in to see my derm and get it removed ASAP. It ended up leaving a tiny scar that I don’t mind. Well, lo and behold I woke up Sunday morning and there it was again! My doc said that could happen and of course it decided to 4 days before my makeup trial and 4 months before our wedding! Oye. I booked an appt. for a few weeks from now for the only dermatologist I could find in the CNY area that could accept me before November. So fingers crossed they can get rid of it again!

Listening to// “Young Folks” by Peter Bjorn and John This is an oldie but a goodie. It always makes me wish I knew how to whistle.

Watching// Parks & Rec We are late on this bandwagon but we have done some serious binge watching lately. Amy Poehler is amazing and Ron Swanson. Seriously. Need I say more? This show has made me laugh more than most I can remember in a long time!

Thankful for// My Fiance We had a scary incident this weekend with our pup (all is well, thankfully) but it really threw us for a loop. However I am proud to say we both handled it really well and were a great support system for each other. It reminded me of why I am marrying this man in November and how lucky I am to have him.

I will be traveling for work this week so won’t be blogging too much but I hope you all have a wonderful week! xo

oh hey Friday! NEW linkup

Excited to have the opportunity to link up with Karli today for a new Friday linkup she is co-hosting with the farmer’s wife! I’ve missed the 5 on Friday posts but understand the hostess’ need to take a break from it. Yet, every Friday I have to say I have missed it! Make sure you check out these girls’ blogs – I love Karli’s writing in particular, she always makes me laugh. But – without further ado – on to the five!

1. I usually end with a quote, but am starting with this one. So many blogs I’ve been reading this week have dealt with themes of worry, anxiety and depression. We all struggle with it on some level and all three are something I am not ashamed to admit I’ve struggled with my whole life. I’ve always loved this quote and saw it again last night. It is a nice reminder.

 

2. On a lighter note, I also saw this on Pinterest last night and it made me laugh out loud. Can totally see Bri doing this with our kid one day!

 

3. I saw this recipe on Real Simple yesterday and it looks amazinggg! Such a fresh and easy summer recipe. Totally going to try it soon.

Mozzarella, prosciutto and melon salad with mint

4. I just recently discovered Lulu’s – have you guys heard of it or ever bought anything from there? A friend recommended it to me for honeymoon garb and I have been perusing. I am a little wary – it says it’s for juniors (um I am almost 30). But I did fall in love with this dress and may get it. What do you think?

 

5. Last but not least, I leave you with a picture of a Corgi. Because why not?

Wedding Wednesday – bridesmaid gifts

Happy Hump Day, y’all!

As usual I am pulling from my Pinterest board (it’s hidden, otherwise I’d link you to it 🙂 ) Lately I’ve been thinking about all of the different things I want to do and/or get for my maids. I like the idea of giving them jewelry to wear the day-of but I also want it to be practical and things they may use later on. The dresses are a rich purple/eggplant color, long, v-neck with a lace back. So I like the idea of dangly earrings. Anyways, here is some inspiration I’ve been feeling lately!

Betsey Johnson Antique Gold-Tone Fireball Drop Earrings

I love the idea of us all getting ready in the same outfit. Since our wedding is in November, robes are a little tough. I found these super cute fleece monogrammed PJs on Etsy that I just love!

Monogrammed Women’s Polka Dot Fleece Pajama Pants

I have hundreds of ideas Pinned, but I am narrowing it down to earrings, these pants and a bracelet of some sort. Not finalized on earrings, there are so many I like! What do you think, what did you get your bridesmaids?

xo

Wino Wednesday {Link Up} | 2012 Cline Zinfandel, California

I’m so excited to link up with my girl Amanda from Kids and Cabernet  again for Wino Wednesday!

This week I am reviewing a great red zin we bought a couple weeks ago. I popped it open this weekend and had it with steak tacos. It was light enough for the summer but still dry – just the way I love my reds! My friend’s uncle is a distributor for Cline and I’ve had a lot of their wines. This is by far my favorite.

Tasting notes: This Lodi Zinfandel is a challenging and rewarding wine to produce. Strict selection criteria and master blending show in the final product, which showcases dark berry flavors including black cherry and strawberry. Spice notes, a lasting finish of vanilla from oak aging, and firm, supple tannins add complexity.

Food Pairing: With its smooth structure and rich, berry flavors, the California Zinfandel pairs best with bold-flavored foods such as penne putanesca, grilled steak or chili con carne. (success with the steak tacos!)

Can’t wait to read about what others are sipping on this week!

June Stitch Fix Review

I am coming out of my blah-ging funk a little, so thought I’d post my Stitch Fix finds for this month!

You know the drill with Stitch Fix (referral link) – after filling out a detailed style profile, a personal stylist picks out 5 pieces she feels will best suit you. Last time around I kept EVERYTHING, let’s see what the verdict was this time…

1. Ronda Crochet Detail Button Up Tank
Price: $48
Status: Kept!

The broom makes its appearance again. I loved the color of this and I don’t have anything that looks like it. It was super comfy and lightweight and a great addition to my summer wardrobe! I already wore it to work on Friday and got a ton of compliments. Success!

2. Ezra Ritz Mixed Pattern Front Pocket Knit Shirt
Price: $44 (I think, I honestly don’t remember)
Status: Returned

I loved the idea of this shirt…mixed prints/patterns, the pocket. But it made me look pretty boxy. And slightly pregnant when I turned to the side haha. It just wasn’t the right fit for me.

3. Fun2Fun Winchester Chevron Striped Henley Tank
Price: $48 (again, I think? All the shirts were in the 40s)
Status: Returned with a frown

I did like this tank a lot…it reminded me slightly of Fruit Stripe Bubble Gum haha but I liked it nonetheless. This was a tight budget month for me so I had to say no to this one because I didn’t love it.

4. Jo Maxi Skirt
Price: $58
Status: Kept!

I asked for a maxi skirt in this fix and Patrice delivered again! I don’t own any so this is a great staple. I am trying to figure out the best way to style it, but I love it.

5. Colorblock Maxi dress (don’t remember designer, sorry!)
Price: $78…I think. or $68. I clearly wasn’t on the ball this time 😉
Status: Returned

Buzz, your girlfriend, woof. I hated this dress, hah. Which is quite an accomplishment because I haven’t hated anything yet. But these colors are so not right for my pale skin, and the fit was all wrong. Loose/baggy on top and then not long enough for my height. I couldn’t take it off fast enough!

I had Patrice again this month and still think she did a stellar job. I was a little more strict with what I kept due to a tight budget from summer activities. But I am still happy with my two choices!

If you’re interested in trying Stitch Fix, you can click on my referral link here and get started!

Blah-ging

Hey all – sorry I have been so MIA lately! I titled this post blah-ging for that specific reason. As a new blogger, I’ve been pretty good about staying up with posts and whatnot. But I haven’t participated in 5 on Friday in a couple weeks, AND I have a Stitch Fix review ready to be written and just haven’t felt the inspiration for some reason. Do you ever get in blogging funks?

Bri and I are doing a “stay-cation” at home this weekend. We’ve just been so busy – between work and me being in grad school part-time and family stuff and wedding stuff and other people’s wedding stuff…we need a BREAK. So we scheduled this weekend two months ago to just unplug and do NOTHING. Catch up on DVR, stay inside and order pizza. It’s supposed to be a beautiful weekend and we don’t even care, hah!

Hopefully after this weekend recharge I will feel the blogging love again and hop back on the bandwagon. Until then, I’ll be reading all your lovely posts and trying to find my mojo again!

xo

Wedding Wednesday

This is my first Wedding Wednesday link-up and I am very excited to be participating! I figure as a soon-to-be-wed I may as well hop on the train.

As usual I am pulling from my Pinterest board (it’s hidden, otherwise I’d link you to it 🙂 ) Lately I’ve been thinking about what I actually want to WEAR – for my shower, the bachelorette and rehearsal dinner. I’ve been pinning like a mad woman all different sorts of dresses in white, ivory, lace, chiffon, etc. Yesterday I finally pulled the trigger on one off Zulily (referral link) because it was marked down to $27.99. How could I not?! I figure if I don’t like it on me I’ll donate it. But I am thinking for either my shower or rehearsal dinner. What do ya think?

Trisha Tyler dress

I would show you the millions (ok, exaggeration) of other dresses I’ve pinned but they are all pretty similar. This one was unique. Any suggestions on where to get some great shower/bach/rehearsal pieces? I love me some Rent the Runway but feel like I need a plan b for such a big event.

Keeping this post short since I am sneaking in a quick post at work – but would love to hear your thoughts! Happy Hump Day!

xo

Happy Monday + guest blog

Happy Monday everyone! Today I am guest blogging for Lauren at Peach State of Mind. It’s all about love and mushy stuff 🙂

And don’t forget about our $375 cash giveaway that is still going on until June 30th! I’ve teamed up with an awesome group of bloggers to give our readers a chance to expand their wallets a little bit. Who couldn’t use some extra cash?

Hope your week is off to a great start!

xo

$375 cash giveaway is now open!

Good morning all! It’s Alma’s first blogiversary birthday bash and we’ve teamed up with fellow bloggers to give away $375 via PayPal! Head on over to A Conquered Mess to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway now!

Disclaimer: Sweepstakes ends June 30th, 2014 at 11:59 PM CST. Open worldwide to anyone with a verified PayPal account who is 18 and over. Void where prohibited by law. Alma Lopez of A Conquered Mess will fulfill the $375 US Dollar cash prize via PayPal money transfer. Neither Alma Lopez, nor A Conquered Mess will be responsible in any way for any fees and/or taxes associated with prize fulfillment, including but not limited to money transfer fees and/or currency conversion fees. If applicable, these fees will be deducted from total prize amount. Taxes related to the winnings will be the sole responsibility of the sweepstakes winner. Alma Lopez and A Conquered Mess reserve the right to use the first name and last name initial to announce the sweepstakes winner. Winner may also be announced, in the same format via social media, including but not limited to: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ and http://www.aconqueredmess.com. Giveaway co-hosts will not be responsible in any way for prize fulfillment. If you have any questions regarding prize fulfillment you can direct them via e-mail with the subject line “Prize Fulfillment”.

Monday updates – birthdays, guest blogs + giveaways

Good morning loves! First I want to wish a VERY happy birthday to my mama 🙂 We are celebrating tonight with dinner out. I am so grateful to have her and my dad 5 minutes away. Brian and I are very blessed!

 

Mom, Tucker and me on Mother’s Day 🙂

Next, I am so excited to be guest blogging for Miss Lauren over at Peach State of Mind while she is away on her honeymoon next week! She just got married over the weekend and I can’t wait to see/hear all about it. I’ll keep you all updated on when that post will be appearing.

And also coming up this week, I’ll be participating in my first ever giveaway! I’m hooking up with Alma over at A Conquered Mess and fellow bloggers to give away some cold hard cash. The contest opens up on June 11th – look out for an announcement!

Hope you all have a fantastic week! xo