Baby’s 1st Birthday Party

Happy Tuesday beauties! My weekend was a busy one that I’m still recovering from. It was my cousin’s little girl’s first birthday and they had a big party for her on Saturday! It’s been a while since our whole family had been together so it was especially a good time for all of us. My cousin did an amazing job planning her daughter’s party (she’s quite the party planner!) Everyone really enjoyed the celebration and how much time and effort went into making it special.

She chose pink and gold for the color scheme and lots of sparkles! Her baby girl wore a darling little tutu and pink onesie for the occasion. A pretty strand of pearls was added for photo-ops. A fun addition to her party was the candy bar in the dining area complete with chocolates, rock candy, jelly beans, and lollipops!

There was also the most delicious cookies in the world on the dining table, personalized for baby girl of course! I love watching bakers make these amazing cookies on the Food Network. There’s so much detail that goes into the decorating!

My cousin also had a cake smash for her little girl. It was so funny to watch her very delicately put her fingers in the cake. She was such a lady and didn’t want to make a big mess. Finally, after a while she got her tiny fists in there and started eating her cake.

For the adults, there were beautiful strawberry cupcakes to indulge in! My aunt also made a strawberry spinach salad with crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, crushed bacon pieces, almonds, and a vinaigrette. Delicious chicken salad sandwiches on croissants were served as well! Told you my cousin knew how to throw a party!

It was a fun event for everyone and a great birthday for the birthday girl!

-Liz

Birthday Festivities

Thanks to everyone who wished me a happy birthday! I’m always overwhelmed with the amount of kindness I’m shown on my birthday from friends, family, and my fabulous readers. It motivates me to keep going. Sometimes life just burns you out, but being reminded of the support system that backs you up breathes life into an otherwise tired spirit. Thanks for the breath of life guys!

Anyway, I had a really nice birthday despite visiting the doctor to be tested for this and that. My parents took me out for Italian food and then we came home and had my favorite ice cream cake! I also treated myself to a few goodies such as these adorable navy blue stiletto Ann Taylor heels I found on sale. They make my legs look amazing! Then I went into Aldo and scored some cat eye sunglasses for the summer. I was also gifted a lovely Kate Spade sequin watch and Abercrombie tee with a scarf from two really special people in my life.

I spent Easter Sunday enjoying the spring weather by the water. My mom, sister, and I sat on a dock and let the sun warm our backs. We watched the ducks dip their heads under water while their little feet were in the air. Some creatures just do the most adorable things. The Easter Bunny also came and left me with some cute notecards, chocolate, socks, nail polish, and gel window clings for decoration. Smart bunny!

Tomorrow I’ll be writing about my progress in the gym, my favorite exercises, and a few other tips. Don’t forget to join me!

Turning 22: Outfit Inspo

Remember that Taylor Swift song “22”? It was popular a few years back when her album “Red” debuted. I’ve been dying to sing this song for the last month because I’m turning 22 next Friday! Being born in the spring is the perfect testimony to the rebirth of nature and beauty that stems from it. April birthdays are the best birthdays!

Because I love the spring so much and my birthday is next week, I created the perfect little outfit to accompany this special event in my life. Like I mentioned in a previous post, I love the midi skirt and graphic tee trend! After Lent is finally over, I’ll be shopping for the perfect spring midi skirt to wear! I’m also all about the statement jewelry. My bestie, Lindsey, bought this gorgeous J Crew necklace and I’ve fallen in love with it. I’m also considering investing in some cute kitten heels. Since I’m around 5’8″, I typically don’t like to wear stilettos because I hit 6 foot and it’s awkward. Any tall girls out there who get what I’m saying?

Anyway, happy early birthday to me! I hope 22 is kind to me. 21 seemed to have a bit of an issue with me. Here’s to another year!

Outfit details:

Zoe Karssen Tee

Glam Rose Midi Skirt

Belle by Badgley Mischka kitten heel

J Crew Posey Necklace

 

Turning 21: Diamonds and 4 Things I did for My Birthday!

There are several milestones an individual has to reach before they are considered a full fledged adult. Turning 16 means getting a license, 18 you can vote, and 21 means you can legally drink alcohol. Each milestone comes with a new responsibility. My 21st birthday was a few weeks ago and I truly feel like an actual adult now. I have all the rights of being one and the responsibility.

The best part of turning 21 for me? Diamonds. My dear, sweet boyfriend gave me a beautiful diamond ring! Besides being totally shocked and feeling very spoiled, I felt like a lady and a little girl at the same time. Not many gents can do that but he pulls it off!

4 Things I Did for My Birthday

Besides receiving the ring, here’s 4 others things I did for my 21st.

1. Went to Florida

My boyfriend lives in the Sunshine state so every few months I hop a plane and go down for a visit. Since the mid-atlantic region is still chilly by the beginning of spring I decided to spend my birthday with him, who also happens to have the same birthday as mine. 

2. Took Myself Shopping

I am a shopoholic. The movie Confessions of a Shopoholic was made with me in mind. Given that Florida is a touristy area they have more outlets than any other place I’ve been. Part of the birthday money I received from my parents funded my day of shopping, which by the way, was very successful. I spent about 8 hours trying on shoes, dresses, and things that I simply couldn’t afford. But it was my day, so I figured I’d try it on anyway. 

3. Tried My First Drink

A good friend of mine took me out to try my first mojito… which I ended up not exactly loving. I think alcohol is similar to coffee, you have to acquire a taste for it. Yikes that stuff was strong! When I was in my late teens, I figured my 21st would be like Jen’s on The Hills. All my friends and I would go out and lightly sip cocktails at a nice city lounge and chat. However, when most of your friends live all over the country and not in one place its hard to get everyone together. Additionally, I simply do not have a taste for alcohol. Something tells me that the ladies of The Hills had already acquired a love for drinks prior to their 21st birthdays. Our night out was still quite enjoyable though. 

4. Went to Busch Gardens

Not sure what to do for our day, my man and I decided that we (and a few friends) should go to a theme park. We spent our time flipping upside down on roller coasters, feeling sick, and making memories. I finally understand what it means to get older, crazy rides are no longer your friend but a thing that makes your brain want to fall out. 

Each birthday I have I realize that I’m drifting farther and farther from adolescence and that’s truly scary. Childhood, for some, is the simplest time of their lives and saying good bye to it is a soft reminder that nothing lasts forever. But the older I get, the wiser I become. Age, in my opinion, is viewed entirely wrong. With increasing days comes increasing knowledge. Google doesn’t always have all the answers, but time does. 

Comment, like, and share!

-Liz

Girl’s Night Out- Wine and Design!

My birthday was last week and as a special treat one of my best friends, Lindsey, took me to an awesome place called Wine and Design! We painted on canvas with an instructor showing us different types of brush strokes and techniques. Such a fun night out and a really nice memory!

The Event

We sipped delicious wine and nibbled cheese and fruit throughout the class. I never realized that those two simple things (wine and cheese) could make you feel so at ease! It was such a low stress, fun evening! Everyone was laughing and making a lovely mess with paint. We wore aprons luckily as I was a bit too dressed up for the event (better to be over dressed than under though). 

We were given orange, red, yellow, and black to work with originally but I asked for a bit of white to mix with my red to make a nice pink. It turned out really well for the sunset I was painting. The little catbird was adorable to do because I added a whispy tail for him. 

I was talking to the instructor and apparently Wine and Design is a nationwide franchise! I had no idea things like this existed but apparently they do! I live in a real southern style community (and by southern I mean redneck) and cultural activities that involve the arts are not so easy to come by around here. 

This type of activity is just so fun for everyone! They do bachelorette parties, kids birthdays, date night themed sessions, fundraisers, and so much more. I just went to a regular session but while we were there another private event was going on in the studio next to ours and it sounded like they were getting a little tipsy! 

Anyway, it was a great time and a nice memory! Here are our finished paintings!

-Liz