Glominerals is a brand that is newer to me, but so far, I'm loving it. Glominerals is a mineral based makeup line that promises to cover, correct and protect. The innovative technology is used to transform the skin to rejuvenate and refine your skin tone and texture.  

The Contour and Highlight Kit is a palette that I grab for every day. I have the fair to light kit but was really torn between that and the medium to dark kit but I figured mine was a safer bet for my paleish/ivory skin town. Oxymoron? I can get pretty dark in the summer but it definitely fades come fall and winter. The kit is definitely a buildable product and doesn't take a lot. It applies smoothly and isn't blotchy at all. 

I am also obsessed with the double ended contour/highlight brush. The highlight end fits perfectly under my puffy and dark circled eyes. I use the far left shade to "set" my concealer and it does a great job of brightening the under eye. The far right shade is more of a shimmer and looks beautiful on the top of my cheekbones. 

The top right shade is what I mainly use to contour. It is a warm but cool shade so it does a great job of creating a shadow to make my face look thinner. I will occasionally use the warmer/more red shade to enhance the contour. 

This informational sheet is exceptionally handy and sits right inside the palette for guidance. Tip: Apply with a light hand because you can always add more, but you can't take it away!

If you are local to Greenville, you can purchase this kit at Advanced Cosmetic Surgery. Be sure to check out their website and see all of the services they offer. Hair removal? That is calling my name. Double Chin removal? Yes please. 

Also, on November 10, they will be hosting a contour event so be sure to sign up! They are offering 30 minute sessions to teach you how to properly contour and highlight using this kit, and you actually get to take home your own contour/highlight kit and brush, too. Spots are filling up fast. Exciting news if you attend! One of Bobbi Brown's former makeup artists will be in attendance and may be showing some of her own tricks!

** I won this kit and brush though an Instagram giveaway via @advancedcosmeticsurgery and therefore was provided the products. However, all thoughts are my own.

Linking up with Annie for Thoughts for Thursday!

Fall Crockpot Recipes

Do you ever get in a rut and run out of dinner ideas? Me too. You all know I really enjoy cooking, but sometimes it can be difficult to come up with new and exciting meal options. My requirements of a week-night meal include something that is easy, somewhat healthy and affordable. I look to my favorite chefs for inspiration but when all else fails and you just don't feel like buying a thousand and one ingredients to make a dish that will be gone in .2 seconds, I resort to Pinterest. 

Have I had success with every dish I've made from Pinterest? Not exactly. But, I will say that they haven't been the worst either.  I've definitely had more success dinners than not, so that's a win in my book. 

When I was searching Pinterest and saw the link for Fall Crockpot Recipes, I thought "winner." This can get me through the fall without having to struggle with finding recipes that will make my husband and myself happy. 

| Over the Big Moon | 

From soups to chicken to side dishes to dips to desserts, the crockpot is a wonderful thing. If you are like me and totally not a morning person, then prep the night before. Wake up, turn the crock pot on, come home and dinner is ready. How easy is that? 

| the frugal girls | 

I can't wait to try these recipes out and will let you know how they turn out! 

What are your favorite fall dishes…any crockpot ones you are willing to share?!

Weekending

We did weekending at its finest. 

I like to call it the 3 "F's." 

Food, Friends, Football. 

The majority of our fall weekends consist of exactly those three things, but I don't mind the repeat. At all. 

This weekend was extra special because one of my best friends and bridesmaids came into town from Charleston to stay the weekend with us and I was able to meet her sweet, sweet baby for the first time. I really enjoyed getting to spend time with them and seeing her daughter at her first Clemson game!

#5 ranked Clemson played Boston College and won 34-17. This exact time last year, we enjoyed playing BC in Boston…one of our most favorite trips and we will most definitely go back!

Tailgating is our favorite.

Love spending my Saturdays with these girls! 

Since we had a night game, the fans decided to try something new. All of a sudden the entire stadium had their flashlights on their cameras on and it turned out pretty cool! 

Brunch is my favorite and Tupelo Honey is a restaurant we always enjoy taking out of town guests. Can you see why?

Linking up with Biana for Weekending so be sure to check out her blog! 

Exercise...

Is totally not my thing. Like, at all. To be completely honest, I loathe it. 

And, I totally complain about it…just like I am doing right now just thinking about it.

I have friends that work out every day and truly enjoy it and make the time and effort to do it. 

Me? I'd rather sit my fat butt on the couch and eat potato chips. And watch trashy TV.  That's right, you heard me. 

But, I came to the realization that I need to exercise.  Why? "Because it's good for me." But, I honestly think I'd feel a lot better about myself. Not only about my appearance, but I would physically feel healthier. The older I get, I can't eat cheeseburgers and drink milkshakes like I used to. I literally look at a doughnut and the calories go straight to my thighs. Don't believe me? Check the scale. It doesn't lie. 

I grew up dancing my entire life. For fifteen years, I danced 4-5 days a week. To say I was in shape was an understatement. I look back at pictures from when I was in high school or college and see a six pack. I look at pictures from last week, and all I see was yesterday's dinner. I have literally gained 15 pounds since I got married three years ago and I cry about it probably twice a week. I'm not lying. It's so depressing and I'm tired of looking in the mirror and being so unhappy with my body.

My point to this is that as much as I don't really want to work out or exercise, it isn't an option anymore. Once we have kids one day, I want to be healthy and active and feel young and physically in shape to keep up. 

I worked out last night with a group of girlfriends at a pop-up Pure Barre class, and I literally couldn't sit on the toilet today. How pathetic is that? The thing I'm more terrified about is that tomorrow (the second day) will be even worse. But, I did enjoy the way I felt after the workout. Who cares if I did have a few glasses of wine afterwards… I deserved those calories! 

I need motivation and I need accountability. We used to have a membership to the YMCA but canceled it after not using it for like a year. I'm really interested in starting 9Rounds or Pure Barre on a regular basis. I need a class that I can be held accountable for and not just show up to the gym and expect myself to work out. If I'm in a class being told what to do, I will do it. But, show up to the gym and just walk around on my phone and not work out…that's something I'm good at. 

What are your thoughts? What is your favorite type of exercise and what can I do to get motivated and stay motivated? 

How's that for a Friday's post? 

Have a great weekend! Don't mind me over here, I'll be eating my weight in dips this weekend. Diets don't count on the weekends…I'll leave that to Monday.

Baby Sister's Wedding Shower

This past weekend was a total whirlwind. With Fall for Greenville going on and Andrew going to the Clemson football game and a round of golf, I forgot to mention that I traveled to my hometown of Columbia for my sister's shower. We've done the bachelorette party thing and I think she is so ready to get married next month. Or, maybe just go on the honeymoon. Ha! 

I am so extremely proud of her and so excited that she'll get to spend the rest of her life with her best friend and husband. Celebrating her this past weekend was so much fun and it was so refreshing to see her with the biggest smile on her face.

Thanks to Blue Flour bakery for providing us with the most delicious cookies everrrrr. I may or may not have have snuck a few in my purse to take Andrew some home because we love them so much.

All of the delicious dips and snacks.

Can't believe she's going to be a bride in a few short weeks! 

I try to forgive her for being a South Carolina fan, but she'll figure it out on her own one day…

How gorgeous is her fine China, Love Story? 

I had such a great time and I hope she did too. I'll be meeting her on the dance floor (or giving a matron of honor speech…whichever comes first) in a few weeks and I can't wait to see her in all of her blissful glory!

Fall for Greenville Recap

Fall for Greenville is a local event that I look forward to every October. 

It is a food centered event that showcases over 40 local restaurants and over 150,000 people are expected to attend over the three day weekend. The intent of Fall for Greenville is to give the locals a "taste of Greenville," where small portions are given (with tickets of course) of some of the favorite items on the menu. Over the course of the weekend, there are judges that score the foods based on taste and presentation and at the end of the weekend, the restaurant with the highest points wins. Not sure if a gift is awarded, but at least they get bragging rights until next year.

Beer, food, live music and people watching at its finest.

The above picture was taken on Friday night. Greenville keeps lights up year round and I just love how it makes downtown feel so quaint. 

Mmmm, fish tacos with all of the sauces. 

Remember how I told you that there are judges that go around and have to taste all 40 tents? One of my coworkers was actually the head judge for the weekend so we got to walk around with him and try a lot of the foods that we wouldn't have necessarily tried. 

The score sheet…ahh! 

We actually went Sunday as well. We typically go on Friday for dinner and then Sunday for lunch.  

And for the grand finale and honestly the main reason I come…

It definitely didn't disappoint and I'm sad it is over, but I can't wait to try a few new restaurants that we have never been to! 

I hope y'all had a wonderful weekend! Linking up with Biana for weekending. 

Favorite Fall Candles

Fall is my favorite time of the year and while it is still 80 degrees here in the south, it has been harder for me to jump on the fall bandwagon this season. Don't get me wrong, I've already put up my fall decorations, had my fair share of pumpkin spice, obsessing over dark nails and have lit candles pretty much all night long.

 Bath and Body Works have some of my most favorite scents and I think they are pretty high quality, but sometimes spending $22.50 on a candle can be a little much especially when you want like 3 or 4. However, I always use coupons when purchasing from Bath and Body Works, so I will include a few of my favorites from them.

Rewind candles are my go-to candles when I have guests coming over and I want the house to smell extra special. Rewind candles are actually more expensive than Bath and Body Works and will run you about $28 each depending on where you purchase it. However, I think it is totally worth it. For fall, my favorite scent is Merlot. I am the worst at describing scents, but the website describes it as "medium bodied varietal, bold aromas of violet and rose, pomegranate, plum and cool vanilla."

I was perusing the aisles of Target last week and was in search of a few affordable candles that I could buy several and not break the bank. I ended up buying just two but have fallen in love with them. One of them is very "fally" and other is very "spa-like." Pretty much complete opposite scents, but there is a reason I wanted both! We recently went to Mexico, and the entire resort smelt like the spa. Literally, every time Andrew and I walked into the lobby, we just stopped and dreamed a little bit that we were at the spa. We loved it so much that we even asked the resort how they get it to smell so good! They have diffusers dispersed throughout the hotel. Obviously we can't do that at home, so a candle was the next best thing. Enter "White Tea and Mint." Even though it is not spring or summer, I still want my house smelling very clean,  so I put this in my small powder room.



Because it is fall and I do want my house smelling very warm and fall-like, I put this in our main guest room. It is called "Snuggly Sweater." Need I say more?

Anthropologie candles are the same price as the Rewind, but again, so worth it. You know that smell that as soon as you walk into any Anthro store? Yup. It's the Capri Blue Volcano candle you smell. You are welcome. My absolutely favorite…and my husband's! He never complains about picking these up for me and actually buys them on his own because he enjoys them as much as I do!

What are your favorite candles that I need to try out? 

September Favorites

As usual, I am a little behind on my monthly favorites, but here they are! I know I will have a lot more favorites this coming month that will be full of all "fall" things but I've got a few things I wanted to share that I loved this past month.

| 1 |
Dried Apricots have been my go-to snack. I know this is weird but I've oddly been craving dried fruits. I think I kind of got addicted while in Mexico, but these are a healthy snack to grab during the day.

| 2|
Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in #08
I have seriously worn this lipstick for the past three weeks straight. It is the perfect fall color and can be as light or as dark as you want…very buildable!

| 3 |
Kat Von D Tattoo Eyeliner
This isn't necessarily a new item for me but I did re-purchase it this month and thought I'd mention how much I love it. It is so easy to apply and I love how black it is.

| 4 |
Sigma F40 Brush
I've always loved Sigma Brushes but didn't have this blush brush. I love how angled it is so that it fits well into my cheekbones to get the perfect swipe of blush.

| 5 |
Dash Dolls
Kind of a silly favorite, but does anyone else wash this show? It is a spin-off of Keeping up With the Kardashians but is pretty entertaining!

| 6 |
Sally Hansen Barely Hug
Obsessed. For under $3, this is the perfect taupe grey. It is a great transition color going into fall and I've been loving it so far.

| 7 |
La Croix Blackberry Cucumber
You know my obsession with La Croix so every time they come out with a new flavor, I have to try it! This has been great to drink at work because it is carbonated so it feels like I'm drinking a soda but saving all of the calories. I've been mixing it with vodka for tailgate games and guess what…no hangover for me!

What were your September favorites? I'd love to hear them!

Rainy Weekend Recap

We had been looking forward to this past weekend for a while. Fun fact: Clemson had not played Notre Dame since 1977 and this game happened to fall on the 1,977th week. What a coincidence. 

Anyway, we are into our 5th week (4th game for Clemson since we had a bye week) of college football. Playing number 6th ranked Notre Dame was going to be a challenge for my 12th ranked team, Clemson. I'm not going to lie, I've been kind of nervous about it all week! 

When hurricane Joaquin decided to make his/her? way down south, we were told to expect anywhere from 2"-18" of rain. Hard rain. Rough winds. Did we ever second guess if we were going to skip the game due to a little bit of rain? Absolutely not. We might be a little crazy but we weren't going to miss the big game. 

Our plan slightly changed Friday night when we were told that our tailgate lot that we park in (that has assigned spots) was no longer assigned and was first come first serve. When Clemson eliminated a couple of hundred spots due to the rain and drainage, we knew that we needed to get there earlier than we had planned so we could get our three spots together. 

Because we claimed our spots early, we were able to walk to Bowman to catch the end of Game Day! This was the first Game Day I've been to since being in college, so it was a bit nostalgic. 

| Stephanie and me totally embracing the hurricane and all it's glory |

No heater to keep warm? That's okay. A boiling pot of low country boil will do the trick. 

Speaking of low country boil, yum! 

How cute are these two…twinsies! Yes, those are waterproof pants. Smart boys.

Our personalized tailgate cups that Caroline and I designed a few seasons back. Oh, and we were lucky enough to FaceTime with her and Lucie at the game! 

Flowers make everything better. Especially orange and purple flowers to coordinate with your table scape. 

The most delicious tailgate cookies everrrrr. 

Oh, did I mention that Clemson won?! It was a total nail biter towards the end of the game, but we came out with a W in the end so that's all that matters. It was a great game and we were all great sports and totally embraced the weather and actually had a fabulous time despite all of the mud, cold and rain. 

Cheers to being in the top 10!! 

I was supposed to drive to Columbia for my sister's bridal shower but they ended up having to cancel and reschedule it because of the hurricane. My hometown is in a state of emergency and has totally flooded part of the town. Interstates are shut down and at least 3 people have died. So, so sad. Please keep everyone in your thoughts and prayers!

Linking up with Biana for Weekending!