Five on Friday

It's been a crazy week at our house - glad it's finally Friday! My husband started his new job in Greenville, I finally got back to a workout routine, and started making some progress on getting this house decorated! It's amazing I managed to crank out a few blog posts :) So, Five on Friday, here we go!

{1.} Coconut La Croix

This is BY FAR my favorite La Croix flavor. It reminds me of summer, Florida, warm weather, and pina coladas. I can't get enough of it. And the best part? My husband HATES it. #allmine

{2.} Slathering Sauce

I sampled Slathering Sauce at Costco, and of course I bought it. (They get me every time...) Created by a Chef in Charleston, this sauce is a mix of sweet and spicy and goes on almost anything. Its like a jazzed up barbecue sauce mixed with a tomato type sauce. At Costco, they put it on meatballs and I thought it was a great football appetizer that would be SUPER easy, and SUPER fast. Last week I was in a pinch to make a fast dinner and used it to liven up some sauteed chicken breasts. Either way, it's a win - try it out!

{3.} Donald Trump's Behavior during the Debate

As I watched this on Wednesday night I repeatedly was shocked by The Donald's behavior. It was like he was trying to be funny....but he was being serious....

Trump Acts Like An Immature Baby
How to act like an immature baby, by Donald Trump.
Posted by The Huffington Post on Thursday, September 17, 2015

{4} Garden and Gun's "Good Dog" Contest

This week I entered my sweet girl, Reagan, into the Garden and Gun Good Dog contest. I love Garden and Gun, (if you've never read it, try a copy, you won't be disappointed) and especially their "Good Dog" columns each issue.  I rescued Reagan from the Greenville Humane Society 5 years ago, and she has been a faithful and loving companion ever since!  I would so appreciate your taking the time to vote for this happy go lucky hound dog! :)

{5} Miss Adventure Episode 3

I love Anna Kendrick, and I love Kate Spade. These videos ares so cute and I love watching them everytime they come out!

Thoughts for Thursday - Down Time in the Mountains

I have been on the road more than I have been at home this summer. 4 weeks spent at the beach and one at the mountains - I am surprised my child still is prefers his crib to a pack and play. I always had grand intentions to try to use my fancy phone and the blogger app to keep you all updated -- but, I can't figure that app out and I gave up.

Today my thoughts are, again, a throwback to this time last week. We spent a week at our family mountain house in Wolf Laurel, NC. The weather was chilly and fall like - and I. WAS. FREEZING. Really, I'm scared for winter to come. It rained almost every day, but not all day, so the weather stayed rather cool. Luckily we had just enough breaks in the rain to make for some fun afternoons in Asheville, and some great hikes up to the Appalachian Trail and Big Bald. After two years in Florida I had forgotten how much I love the mountains. To anyone interested in a mountain get away (truly, this is a getaway - there's nothing but a gas station off our exit) I highly recommend Wolf Laurel.

View of Big Bald from our backyard (ish)

Walking around Asheville

An adorable art feature my mother in law put in the family cabin - a painting for all the family dogs - past and present.

The Appalachian Trail 

Views from the trail

At the top of the mountain

Feeding the baby before the hike down

Newsday Tuesday

I haven't done one of these posts in awhile, and frankly its because most of the news these days has been awful. However I have noticed that most people I know don't really know many of the candidates or what they stand for. Of course they know the name Donald Trump - but do they know his platform? (Don't worry, he doesn't seem to know it either.) If we do choose to go down the route of electing and 'outsider' with no political experience, the least we can do is know who they are and what they have done. The good, the bad, the ugly.

The thing that irks me about politics is not the underhandedness, or the backroom deals. It's the way the people are used as a pawn. It is easy to woo the people. It's easy to get in front of a crowd and say the things that people want to hear. And that, is how Donald Trump is leading. That, is how Barack Obama is President. Pretty words are great to hear. I love a moving speech. But here's the thing - it gets you no where when rubber meets the road. Barack Obama has had a battle of epic proportions with Congress at every turn because of his refusal to really work with the GOP. Do you think Donald Trump will somehow have an easier time? When you're President you can't just call congress 'ugly' or a 'loser' and get what you want. If anything, partisan politics will turn into defcon 5.

The candidates that would make the best Presidents - the Jeb Bushes, Mitt Romneys - are the ones that understand how governance and policy work. They know that simply building a giant wall isn't going to solve immigration. They understand that it would cost a lot more to send 11 million people home than it would to naturalize them, and make them tax paying citizens (hello, someone's gotta help pay for ACA!) They aren't going to try to sell you some ocean front property in Arizona. They're going to tell you the truth. Its hot, and its a desert. But that's not sexy. It's not pretty speeches. It's not gum drops and candy bars. It's reality. So, I'm doing this series in the hopes that you see a candidate for who he or she is, and not the media hype. We don't have to elect a DC insider. But we can't elect a clown. Or a Democratic Socialist (SERIOUSLY, how does he win elections with that label?!)

To start off I'm going to post a series of videos to get you caught up on where we are...

"Trump ignores Policy, Talks Trump during Speech" 9/15/15

"Jeb in Brawl for Presidency" 9/15/15

"Hillary Loses Lead in Iowa" 9/10/15

Baby Clothing Favorites

The vast majority of Beckett's wardrobe is made up of Carter's onesies. As a new mom, I didn't really know of any other brand and so I just stocked up on those. Also, I knew he'd be growing voraciously, in the dead of summer. It seemed like the perfect option. The cut was perfect for him, long and not too wide. However, as he has grown I have gotten a few hand me downs and have found some reallly great brands I wanted to share with you. I loved these because they were just as easy to wear/wash, but were a tad trendier -- and I didn't see every baby on Facebook wearing it. Some are a little pricier - but its nice to have a few outfits for outings that aren't as dressy as a bubble and won't wrinkle - and your child will look precious without sacrificing comfort. I will say, most of these brands ran small for Beckett. He is about 5 mos old (18 lbs) and wearing at least 6 mos in these but more comfortable in 9 mos.

1. Little Giraffe - Nordstrom

I got the shorts version of this onesie from my Sister in Law - so soft and cute!

2. Le Top - Amazon

Beckett in his 4 month shoot wearing his Le Top romper. (size 9 mos, I might add...)

3. Zutano - Nordstrom

4. Kissy Kissy

 (Purchase at Neiman's, Sak's Amazon, etc)

This is one of my favorite brands - it's all SO soft. It's a little pricey - but worth it.

5. Tea Collection - Nordstrom

This would be perfect for learning to crawl with those knee patches!

Friday Five

Happy Friday!

 I'm linking up today with April, Christina, and Natasha for Five on Friday
 and
September Farm and the Farmer's Wife for Oh, Hey Friday!

1. #PlaneBreakUp

I'm not sure why I found this so entertaining. Perhaps I'm just a glutton for drama. I would been all over this too. @keegs141 is kind of my hero.

While stuck on a plane on the tarmac, this girl witness two people having a mega blowup/break up. She live tweeted pics and some classic lines. It's pretty hysterical. Here are a few snippets...to read the whole story - check out Keegs141 twitter account, or look it up on the Huffington Post.

Hysterical.

2. Donald Trump's response to Bush's critique of his Mexico-America relationship. Classy. And reaaalll intelligent-like.

3. Archipelago Candles - Birch

I can't begin to dscribe to you how amazing and wonderful this smells...just trust me. Its rustic, but fresh, and doesn't smell *too* girly or *too* manly. Perfect for a married couple (and if your husband hates scents like lavender, clean linen and vanilla). If you're unsure, my second fave is their soy candle excursion line - Havana. Dreamy.

4. Home Decorating... 

So I think I found a rug for my family room! Currently its a total blank slate with nothing but 3 random chairs, baby toys, and a tv credenza we are no longer using. I hope having a rug will 1) provide a place for Beckett to play without fear of breaking his nose and 2) make the room look like someone is actually attempting to decorate it.

Here are a few snaps of what's currently going on here...

 Pretty much a blank canvas.

To incorporate the blue from the kitchen and the background of the built-ins I'm looking at this rug:

I'm a big fan of more traditional prints, but I don't want it to look too old fashioned...I think that's whats drawn me to this one. Here are some pictures from the store - which I think better shows the colors.

5. Napping

Naps are hard. At least for my baby. My child does not seem to want to nap longer than 45 min- 1 hour. WHY?! My doctor says to pick my battles since he's been sleeping 11 hours at night since has 10 wks. (He has NEVER EVER woken unless I was feeding him. One time he took an hour to go back to sleep...he was about 3 days old. When he was eating at night, he'd wake up, eat and then he'd immediately pass out.) He used to sleep 1 - 1.5 hours at all 4-5 of his naps. What gives? Any tips??? His wake time is 1 hr 30 min, and he eats every 3 hours. If I extend wake time he either will not go down, or he sleeps only 30 minutes. I've tried moving him to a 4 hr schedule and consolidating naps - but then he will wake 2 hours before his feedings and its totally screwed up. I've tried cry it out, and he just escalates and even when he does pass out, he will sleep only 30 minutes. Do I just deal with the short naps? I need help! What gives?

Have a great weekend y'all!

Thoughts for Thursday Playing at Pawleys

It's Throwback Thursday, and so my thoughts have revolved around Pawleys Island. I'm remembering the three weeks I've spent at the beach this year, and how relaxing it was to get away from moving, and all the stress of getting settled in the new house (it. has. been. awful).  The days we spend at Granny's Beach House are ones that I remember fondly each year, and I never get tired of being there. The beach is such a special place, and I love that we are able to share this with Beckett -- even though he doesn't remember it yet. I feel like each time we go he's "so much bigger" and ready to hang on the beach...but in reality, he isn't. We are heading back down to Pawleys next week, and I can hardly wait!

So here are a few snaps from our trips...

Beckett and Daddy on the porch hammock - 3 months

 Our annual "Dune" picture - Beckett is 3 months

Mommy and B in August - 4 mos

Mommy and B in August - 4 mos

The whole family at our July Family Week

Passed out on the beach - 3 mos

Weekending: Sister Celebrations

So, that was perhaps the shortest weekend EVER.

Starting on Friday night, my parents, my sister and her fiance, and a close family friend all came over to our new place to have dinner. It was a really fun night, full of stories, laughter, and baby snuggles. Luckily, Beckett was in a good mood and was the life of the party. The real success? Beckett didn't cry when my Dad held him! I think he's finally over his fear of the beard...

On Saturday, I helped host a wedding shower for my sister, who is getting married in October. We held it at a local club, and it was so pretty!

Me, the Bride to be, and our Mom

Cute napkins

the Bride and some of her maids..

And on Sunday, my sister became an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church. We are so proud of her and thrilled that we got to see it! Unfortunately I couldn't snag a picture of that, and afterward things were too hectic for photos. But, here are a few I caught before the ceremony.

 Beckett with his Great Great Aunt Louise

Daddy and Baby