All Or Nothing Day -- July 26th

I recently was emailing with a reader who has an incredible story of survival and passionate activism. Heather was diagnosed with a dangerous and aggressive form of cancer, mesothelioma, when her baby girl was just three months old (I cannot even imagine). She was given a short 15 months to live. Now, 10 years later, she is a passionate fighter for what she has dedicated her life to ... beating this cancer and spreading awareness. And, of course, living every day like its our last.

Here's a note from Heather that will certainly get you thinking:

All or Nothing Day is July 26th and it's all about celebrating those moments we thought were impossible and also living each day like it's our last.  When I was given this diagnosis almost 10 years ago, I wasn't going to let this disease beat me. I've been fighting for years to have my story heard as well as working for asbestos to be fully banned (it's still used in the US and in countries around the world!). This day is such an awesome opportunity to remember why we work so hard for what we have and want!

Heather challenged me to share this: what are my passions, successes, and goals?

I am passionate about a strong family foundation. I am passionate about seeing the positive in situations. I am passionate about being a good friend and a friendly person to those I don't know.

I feel successful in the way that I have balanced work and home life. I feel successful when I think of the strong networks of friends I have built. I feel successful in being good about saving money and working hard to build my own investments.

My goals are to spend even more time with my family. I want to spend every day with Camille yet retain my sense of ME. I want my friends and family members to feel like I am connected, present, understanding, and loving. I want to approach each day with optimism.

Okay, now that I've made myself a little vulnerable (it's not easy talking about yourself!), I am passing on this challenge to you. Sometime between now and July 26th, I'd love for you to comment here with your passions, successes, and goals -- or, if you are a blogger, please feel free to blog about this and post a link to your blog in the comments.

You can read more of Heather's amazing story here or here. 

Thanks, Heather, for being an inspriation to all of us!

+++++

Lastly, for all of you Charlotteans, I hope to see you at Kendra Scott at South Park Mall TONIGHT!

Mountain Weekend

We had another great weekend in the mountains. Even though Ian's family's house there is larger than our Charlotte home, we spend way more time together and in the same room. And I definitely like that.

Friday night we rolled into town and caught an early dinner at Mellow Mushroom in downtown Boone. Check out the pretty mountains in the background!

The next morning we had breakfast down at the gas station (no lie -- they have a great little griddle) and picked some berries right off of the driveway to the house. 

After Camille's morning nap, we drove into Blowing Rock and let her go wild at the playground!

We all had lunch together at Blowing Rock Alehouse, where Ian and I tried the summer ale, and Camille stuck to her brew of choice, organic whole.

At 1:00 they offer live music and brewery tours, so we did that before making our way to head home. Camille fell asleep in the car, so we decided to head to Boone instead and let her nap in the car. We took the long route and drove around for a bit, and she woke up right as we pulled into town.

We walked around, popped into some shops (including my favorite antique store), and enjoyed a pretty -- but hot -- Boone day.

That night we had an early dinner at a Mexican restaurant, and I was asleep by 9!

We enjoyed our time in the mountains so much and definitely appreciated a (slight) break from the summer heat!

Spicy Corn Dip (In The Crockpot!)

Mom and I raved the other night about this simple spicy corn dip that I made in the crockpot, and I just had to share the recipe!

I adapted it from this recipe that I found on Pinterest -- not because I thought it could make it better, but just because I wanted to rely heavily on ingredients I already had on hand! So, here is my version.

Spicy Corn Dip

2 (15.25-ounces) cans whole kernel corn, drained 

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced 

1/2 cup sour cream 

1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 

8 ounces cream cheese, cubed

Add corn, diced jalapeno, sour cream, Pepper Jack cheese, and salt and pepper to a small slow-cooker (the 1.5-qt size is perfect -- like this stainless one, or this version on Amazon). Stir to combine. Top with cubes of cream cheese. Cook on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Our dipper of choice wa the Bearitos Sea Salt pita chips -- I picked these up at Whole Foods. 

This dip packed a little bit of heat and was so good! 

I can't recommend enough using a small slow cooker for this dip. We have a 1.5-quart size and it is just small enough to hold a dip perfectly. We get so much use out of it -- a small batch of soup, cocktail weenies, homemade hot chocolate, et cetera. It's one of my favorite and most-used kitchen gadgets.

Happy dipping, y'all!

Those Shoes!

I fell in love with the Halogen flats from the Nordstrom sale immediately.

Too darling. Way too darling.

Of course I am now justifying the purchase with a moodboard. #standard
(oh, and all of these items are currently on sale at Nordstrom -- free shipping & returns)

Outfit One

jersey wrap dress // semiprecious stud earrings // wide cuff bracelet // flats

those semiprecious stone studs are less than $18!

Outfit Two

black blouse // kendra scott elle earrings // skinny jeans // flats

Outfit Three

yellow and white blouse // stud earrings // black ankle pants // stone bangles // flats

Hover over links below for prices on all items.

Sidenote, both of those blouses are less than $50, AND the semiprecious stone stud earrings in outfit one are such a steal. They are $17.90 currently and are available in five different stones (here). With free shipping, this is the type of little gift I love to pick up to save in my "gift drawer" for a girlfriend's birthday that pops up on me.

So, I'm thinking the spotted flats are pretty perfect, no? Versatile and inexpensive ... my favorite combo.

Which outfit above is the most like your style?


This moodboard saved on my MY STYLE Pinboard if you'd like to repin!

Five On Friday

It's time for another edition of Five on Friday and I do hope you'll join along!

Remember, all you have to do is post about five things on your mind, add our logo (found at the bottom of this post), and join the party using the linky tools below. Easy, and a great way to find new blogs and be found. :)

O N E
Mom came to town yesterday and we had a great dinner while Ian had wing night. We started off with an incredible slow-cooker spicy corn dip with pita chips. Another star of the show was the lettuce-wrap shrimp burgers. I got the patties from Whole Foods and they are fantastic. We coated the sides in breadcrumbs first and then baked them. So delicious.

T W O

Oh! Another fun thing Mom and I did last night -- we watched the first three episodes of Odd Mom Out. Hilarious! I'm not usually a lover of scripted comedies but we were just loving it. Anyone else watching it? It's currently On Demand on Bravo.

T H R E E

There's a teeny tiny little sale going on now that opens today to all shoppers regardless of whether you have a Nordstrom card or not. There are actually some good deals. My picks (hover over for price):

I'm especially in love with that floral robe. For only $44.90, it's a steal!

 

 

Josie Happi Coat

F O U R

I have a hair appointment today which makes me SO happy. I am going to get a cut and color. Much needed. 

F I V E
We finally bit the bullet and bought the convertible carseat that will for Camille a LOT better. I'll update next week with my thoughts on it after its inaugural ride to the mountains! Spoiler alert, after a lot of research, we went with THIS one. Love that it didn't break the bank, either.

TGIF y'all, and hope you will join in on Five on Friday this week! Cheers to the weekend!

Come See Me!

Next week can't get here soon enough because I'm so excited for Thursday evening's event at Kendra Scott in South Park Mall!

I am hosting a Summer Soiree along with Sarah from Sarah Sofia Productions and we have lots of GREAT vendors also coming out. Sip, shop (15% off that night!), braid bar, face spray-bronzing, swag bags, giveaways, yummy treats, an event photographer ... lots of fun planned!

I hope to see you there ... if you plan to come, please RSVP to Sarah or to me (in the comments section below or by email) so we can plan out the swag bags!

So much eye candy in the store! And if you can't join us that evening but are looking for some cute earrings at a steal,  THESE Ellie studs are currently on sale for $33 with free shipping/returns!

Hunt For The Elusive "Cool" One-Piece

Last night I sat on the couch with Ian previewing the items that are part of Amazon Prime Day. This day boasts "more deals than Black Friday" -- okay Amazon, you have my attention now.

Amazon Prime is worth every penny ... especially in those newborn days, it certainly has proved its worth. As a new mom, running errands (something I always enjoyed) suddenly seemed near impossible and not worth the hassle. But, during a 2am nursing session, making a quick decision to try out a different brand of baby wipes or a different bottle brush suddenly seemed E-A-S-Y. All I had to do was click "add to cart" and my items were shipped free to me and on the doorstep in two days -- sometimes even the very next day.

So, if you are not an Amazon Prime member, but want to take advantage of some of the Prime Day deals today, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial HERE. If you don't feel like you'll keep it, order as MUCH as you want within that trial to reap the benefits, and then cancel. But, if you're like me, justifying the yearly membership will be a piece of cake. We order so many things using our free 2-day shipping ... coffee, diapers, baby wipes, paper towels, trash bags, toilet paper, diaper genie refills, phone chargers, books, baby gear, etc!

Amazon also has a rocking apparel department. Currently I'm on the hunt for a "cool" one-piece suit. Something that is sassy and sophisticated, but something that stays put. A suit that says I still care about fashion but a suit that says I am a mom ... of a busy toddler. No Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunctions at the neighborhood pool, no sirree.

I'd love your vote on the below options that are all part of the sale today. Today (July 15) only, they are an additional 30% off of the Amazon price, applied at discount. Plus, I can try on in the comfort of my own home (NO flourescent lighting) and send back -- for free -- the ones that don't fit. I am definitely taking advantage of the sale today to pick out a few suits. Not going to let this great sale and free shipping/returns pass me by!

1: Ted Baker // 2: Ted Baker // 3: Ted Baker // 4: Ondademar

5: Nanette Lepore // 6: Trina Turk // 7: Trina Turk // 8: Kenneth Cole

I also just spotted this incredible option ...

Maaji Ride At Night One-Piece Suit

Comes with a removable strap, too.

Oh, and for a coverup, I am loving this cute option from Tbags. Made in the USA!

And, not from Amazon, but at more than a TENTH of the price, this cute option from Choies.

  

So, what's your pick from the Prime Day Sale?

1: Ted Baker // 2: Ted Baker // 3: Ted Baker // 4: Ondademar

5: Nanette Lepore // 6: Trina Turk // 7: Trina Turk // 8: Kenneth Cole

Which one do you think looks the most like me?
Which one would you pick for yourself?

Two Movie Non-Reviews

We have watched two movies in the past five nights which is pretty amazing for us. Life gets in the way and 2 hour movies are a rarity these days! One of the movies we saw was even at the theater ... whoa, nelly.

Here's what we've seen recently if you are looking for some thoughts on movies. This is definitely not a formal "review" because I'm just not that fancayyyyy.

In The Theater:

Jurassic World was surprisingly entertaining and good! If it were left to me, our Thursday night date nite probably would not have included razor-toothed raptors, but Ian and I were shocked at how much we enjoyed this flick. It had some fun throwbacks to the original movie, and it had some parts that were quite funny. Some pretty cheesy lines, too, but that was okay with us.

And I mean.... HEY NOWWWW.

If you get a chance to see this one, I'd say go for it!

At Home:

We saw the previews for Maggie and figured we'd give it a shot. We checked it out from Redbox Saturday night. It has Schwarzenegger in it, and it's safe to say that Ian is a fan and I am just lukewarm about him (if that). But we both enjoyed seeing him in a more gentle, protective, soft-spoken role where he's not crushing metal with his bare hands. It was refreshing to see this side of him. And Abigail Breslin (of Little Miss Sunshine fame) was very good in the role. Certain parts were slow and quiet but overall we thought it was a pretty interesting movie. Nothing crazy good or life-changing, but just entertaining for a low-key evening.

Hit me up with some movie suggestions ... whether it's in the movie theater or rentable, we are always looking for something worthwhile to turn on!