Friday Favorites: Valentine's Day Edition!

Andrea, Erika, Narci

Happy Valentine's Day Eve, y'all!

I love a theme, so today's Friday Favorites just has to be about all the lovey, mushy goodness that is Valentine's Day!!

1. Sexy Soundtracks

Shay introduced me to Diana Krall's new album, and it's all about some sexy slow jazz. What's not to love???

Sounds like sex on a stick to me! (Sweet Home Alabama reference for y'all, in case you didn't catch it). This album is all cover songs, and she makes songs I've heard for years and years suddenly sound completely new and different. There are a couple songs that aren't really romantic, but the overall tone of the album is very much so. I'm enthralled. 

And, obviously, the Fifty Shades of Grey Soundtrack. I've been listening to it on Spotify, and it really is all it's cracked up to be. The only downside is that the new version of Beyoncé's Crazy in Love isn't available on Spotify. Grrrrr. (there is a version by Sofia Karlberg, though). 

2. My "Date Night" perfume

When I was planning my wedding, I read somewhere that you should have a perfume that you wear during your wedding events, and then wear it every year on your anniversary, and you'll start to associate that scent with that special time in your life. I did that, and it's one of my very favorite wedding tips! I wore Cashmere Mist on my wedding day and honeymoon, and I immediately go back to that time when I smell it again.

Last year at Disney World, Steve and I did our usual EPCOT date night, and wondered into the Italy pavilion. I started smelling the perfumes, and fell deeply, madly in love with Bulgari Jasmin Noir. I miraculously walked away from it, but then walked completely around World Showcase smelling my own arm. I couldn't stop! It was meant to be mine, and now I wear it on our special date nights. It makes me feel fancy, and I'll be wearing it tomorrow night!

3. Doing something "fancy"

Steve and I, for the past two years, have been attending a local charity gala for Valentine's Day. We get a room in the hotel that hosts the gala and have a little staycation. We get gussied up, dance, high roll on some auction items, and have no worries about having to drive home. We sleep in, have brunch, and pick up the girls from my parent's house. It's glorious. I know this isn't something everyone is going to be able to do (or even want to do necessarily), but I think putting in a little extra effort on a day made for love isn't a bad thing. Seems to make everything better when it's presented nicely, even if it's sloppy joes on the good China and Two Buck Chuck out of your grandmother's crystal. 

4. Champagne and roses

It's cliche, but I like it anyway. I'll drink champagne to celebrate a day that ends with "y", so I suppose it's only fitting that I have a bottle handy on the high holy days of champagne drinking: New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day. And Tuesday. #nojudging

And there's roses. Because, roses. 

5. Having the best forever Valentine ever!

I couldn't be happier to call this stud my Valentine!

Always and forever my favorite! 

Hope everyone has a wonderful, fantastic, love-filled Valentine's weekend! 

XOXO, 

Andrea

Friday Favorites

Another week is coming to an end!

Caroline is out of school today (Ella Kate's preschool never goes on Friday), and we had planned to spend the day off at Dollywood, but the weather changed our minds. It's icky and rainy here, so we decided to stay close to home. Teagan has a ballgame tonight, though, so I'll brave the weather for that for sure, and if it clears up, Steve and the girls will come, too. 

After the ballgame, the girls are spending the weekend with my parents so Steve and I can go to Abingdon, VA for Octoberfest. We plan on visiting Wolf Hills Brewery and having a traditional German dinner at the Tavern. We hope to walk around downtown and explore some while we're there, too. Abingdon is a beautiful historic little town, and I'm so excited to spend the weekend there! 

On to my favorites this week! I'm linking up with Andrea, Erika, and Narci again!

1. Jersey Belle

Am I the only one watching this show? I sure hope not, because I'm obsessed with it! I think it's a truer representation of Southern women than the Real Housewives of Atlanta train wreck, although it's still a bit of caricature of us. Still, I see many more bits of myself and my friends in these women. And I'm saying it right now, Danielle Yancy is America's answer to Kate Middleton Cambridge. She's so lovely! 

2. American Kids by Kenny Chesney

I absolutely CANNOT get enough of this song!! It just makes me so happy when I hear it! Tell me your foot doesn't start tapping when you're listening to it! 

3. New shoes

Who doesn't love new shoes?? My sweet husband bought me a new pair to replace the ones I ruined at the Warrior Dash we ran back in May. I promised myself I would buy them myself when I lost the 5 lbs that had been nagging me, but when I finally accomplished that, I never got around to getting them. He just up and did it himself late last week and I got them Wednesday. Wore them for the first time yesterday to run the first 5K I've ran in FOREVER and they're all I hoped and dreamed they would be! Love me some Nike Frees! 

4. tarte BB Tinted Treatment 12-Hour Primer

This is a product that I've had for the longest time, and the only reason that I can come up with as to why I haven't been using it is that it's a darker color that I normally need. There can only be that reason, because this stuff is the bomb.com, ladies! I have very oily, acne prone skin, and most BB creams and tinted moisturizers make me way too shiny. This stuff covers amazingly well and stays as matte as any full coverage foundation that I usually wear (the only one that may edge it out is CoverGirl Ready, Set, Gorgeous). It's definitely a current fave! 

5. It's not a favorite. Yet. 

But I'm getting me a new blog design! This one is awful. Absolutely hideous. Hopefully by the time you read this, it's already been changed. 

Friday Favorites!

Happy Friday, y'all! 

Are you ready for the weekend???

My weekend will consist of lots of teenage girly screaming because of this little cutie:

I'm taking my niece and 2 of her friends to see Austin Mahone in Nashville. We got my niece meet and greet tickets, so she will get to meet him (for the 2nd time) and have her picture made with him (again). She loves Austin Mahone, but she's also starting to outgrow the hysterical craziness kind of fandom she used to have. Makes me a little sad. 

I'm linking up with Erika, Andrea, and Narci for my favorites this week!

1. Surprise, surprise. 

My first favorite has to be all the fall B&BW scents I've been grabbing up! I devoted a whole post to it Wednesday, but I went back yesterday and loaded up on some fall body creams and shower gels, and ended up buying more hand soaps. I'm going to have the cleanest hands in the South! 

2. It's football time in Tennessee!!! 

My beloved Vols played an incredible game last Sunday against an expected-to-be-tough Utah State. Either I overestimated Utah or underestimated my Vols, but I was THRILLED at the end of that game!! I think this really is our year to turn things around!

Unfortunately we weren't able to go to the game, but this video was released showing a new tradition called the "Circle of Life". Just watching it gives me chills! 

Here's the link. For some reason the video won't embed. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7WvX_MzFQM

I expect another awesome game against Arkansas State this Saturday!!

It's also high school football season, and my nephew's team is struggling this year. He's playing great, but most of the rest of team are very young, and these first few games are really testing them. Tonight will be another tough game against a good school, so we just hope and pray for good sportsmanship and good health. 

I'm so very proud of my nephew and the leader he is on the field and off!!

BTW- This is a pic from a couple years ago. I took one of the two of us after the first game this year, but I look hideous. Not that this one is great, but it's an improvement. I'll see if I can get good one of us, because I'm sure this will be a frequent Friday Favorite! 

3. PSLs are back, baybay!!! 

Need I say more??

4. More pumpkin overload. 

Hope you're not getting tired of it, because I feel like I'm just warming up!!

My pumpkin spice grocery haul yesterday

The quality of these photos is astounding, huh?

5. The new Starz show, Outlander.

Is everyone else watching this? I watched the first episode and liked it so much I bought the first book. Read that (even though it's Harry Potter sized) and am halfway through the second one. There are 8 in the series, so I guess I'll be living halfway in 18th century Scotland for the foreseeable future! 

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!