oh hey Friday | #nospendseptember

Linking up with September Farm today for oh hey, Friday! 

ONE

Disclaimer ~ not my closet. 

Closet Remix ~ Monday, when I was traveling back from the beach I saw a few posts on Instagram on #nospendseptember, and it intrigued me. During a time of back to school sales and summer steals - how could I possibly stay away. But really, this is the perfect time to stay away from shopping. It's the end of one season - so one more chance to wear all your summer clothes, and the start of a new one - the first chance to unpack all your fall clothes. So, I started right then and there. Mission #nospendseptember is on. No clothes or accessories for the month or September. I'm also keeping track of everything I wear during the month and any summer clothes that don't get worn one last time {and those don't have any sentimental value}, out they go come October. So far, it's been fun to dig into my closet for new outfits each day.  We'll see how day 27 goes. I'll keep you posted! 

TWO

circa 2009

Wine Fest ~ Tomorrow is the annual wine festival here in town. It's always a fabulous time... and provides lots of good memories. I'm excited to sit back, relax, and enjoy the Pop Rivets - a local favorite. 

THREE

Weekend Special ~ If you're looking to get away for the weekend for cheap, Enterprise has started their fall $9.99/day weekend special. Grab a rental car for the weekend, get out and explore somewhere new!

FOUR

DIY Headboard ~ This project has been on our wish list for some time now. Even before we got married and J moved in with me, we has been wanting to make a headboard for J's King bed. Well, we are finally doing it. We picked up this guy a few weeks ago at the antique mall and it's been sitting out in the shed drying out for our DIY this weekend. I'm so excited that we may actually have a head board soon.

FIVE

Lime Kiln ~ One of my goals on my 30B430 List was to attend a concert at the Lime Kiln. Well, about half way through my 29th year, it closed. I guess that was my justification for not finishing the list. {ha!} Well, guess what's open again? The Kiln. We're going tonight for a free concert. I guess that means I can get back to my 30B430 list and call it the "NowUR30 list". Only a couple months to go until it becomes the, "ok, NowUR31 list."  

Have a fabulous weekend friends! Excited to see some of our besties {and my newest little goddaughter} in an hour or so for some tailgating at the kiln and a slumber party at the Lyons' Den. 

Sista Birthday

Sending the happiest of birthday wishes to my wonderful sister-in-law, Karen! I have never met someone more talented, crafty, loving and giving. Girl, you constantly amaze me with your talents and ability to keep three kids entertained for hours on end. There is no doubt how lucky they are to have you as a momma!!

Thanks for embracing our crazy rivalries and love for sports. 

...and our southern cooking and holiday traditions.

It's hard to believe that this was 7 years ago...

My how so much has changed, and how much better our life has been with you in it. You brighten our days and bring so much joy to our lives. Roberto, you certainly picked a keeper and I'm so lucky to have you as a sister!

Sword & Plough

Today I wanted to share with you a new shop that I love, Sword and Plough, founded in 2012. This company was launched by two sisters that affectionately call themselves Army Brats, after growing up on post at West Point, where their father spent most of his life. Emily, one of the sisters even become an officer in the U.S. Army and after many tours headed back to the states and started this company with her sister, Betsy. A little blurb from their site says, "The Nunez sisters wanted to create something that would emotionally and physically touch civilians in their everyday lives and remind them, in a beautiful way, of the challenges our country and servicemen face, and the power that every person has to help. Most individuals use a bag of some form throughout their day. By recycling and repurposing military gear with a fashionable touch, and working with veterans, we create sturdy and sophisticated products, whose sale will empower veteran employment, reduce waste and strengthen civil-military understanding. In this way, our bags are rugged, refined and relevant." 

Today, I thought I would share with you a few of my favorites. These would make great gifts - or even a nice investment for yourself!

Signature Messenger - Coast Guard Blue

Signature Tote

Signature Ruck - Coast Guard Blue

Dob Kit

Purchase a bag or read more of their story on their website, Sword & Plough.

Happy Wednesday Friends!

Labor Day Mango

I hope everyone had a fabulous Labor Day weekend! Sorry I was MIA on the blog last week, I took a full week-off for work travel, and spending time with my family and some of my besties at the beach. It was a much-needed break, but I'm happy to be back and share some photos of our adventures. 

I spent a couple days working from my parents house at the coast, which also meant evenings by the pool and lots of seafood for supper. We also celebrated my Dad's 65th birthday on Tuesday. My mom, dad, and I spent the day in the boat with open waters, a Blue Angels show, and some cold brews in our hand. Then we spent the evening by the pool with the rest of the fam... and some delicious carrot cake to toast Papa Sam. 

Perdido Key - heaven on earth. 

Wednesday, we even snuck in a special lunch with Pops and my two brothers while I was working in Mobile. Makes me wish we could meet for lunch more often, and I know my Dad certainly enjoyed it!

Our annual girls beach trip - MANGOFEST - started on Wednesday night on 30A. We soaked up every minute of our four days together. It was so awesome seeing these gals... and meeting our first two mango babies too! 

We toasted our third mango baby on the way {arriving in December} with a brunch for Momma Dottie on Saturday. She was so surprised, and we had a great time spoiling Baby Charlie. I can't wait to meet you, Charlie P!

Saturday we cheered on our Auburn Tigers and celebrated Collin and Allie's first Auburn game!

Matching Aubie onesies courtesy of Ale. 

We spent the rest of our days on the beach and by the pool. Sharing stories, playing with babies, and laughing at old times together. Here are few more fun pics from our trip. 

This was our eighth Mangofest... hard to believe that 2006 {we missed one year due to three engagements, two weddings, two b'ette parties and multiple showers} was so long ago. I guess time flies when you're having fun, right? It's been quite an adventure and so much fun to have these ladies by my side every step of the way. I couldn't imagine life without their love, laughter and friendship! 

Love you Mangos!

Five on Friday.

T.G.I.F  It's the weekend friends! Here are my five on Friday.

{one}

How darling are these Nagasaki Spoons. Perfect for condiments, tapas, jams, or any occasion! 

{two}

Brownie Brittle. One word - Beware. 

{three}

If you are looking for some new whimsical fonts, these are a great addition to your line-up!  

{four}

Tomorrow is our housewarming party and we have lots of yummy treats on the menu. One that I am super pumped about is the hotdog bar we have planned! We have a couple fun varieties on tap. 

{five}

How beautiful is this bouquet?  Pure happiness. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

What's in Your Cart?

Today I thought it would be fun to share a glimpse into our shopping cart {on most weeks}. This is a typical two week grocery run for us, with some small trips in between and usually some meat or veggies we have stored in the deep freeze. Also, during this time of year we depend on a lot of fresh produce from the garden. {I only wish it was ours.}

Dairy
Fat Free Milk {already in the fridge}
Greek Yogurt - Light & Fit Individual packs
Large Plain Greek Yogurt
Light Provolone Sliced Cheese
Light Feta Cheese

Whole Grains
Multigrain Cheerios
Whole Grain Waffles
Whole Wheat Bread

Fruit
Bananas
Plums
Blueberries
Strawberries
OJ {already in the fridge}

Veggies
Spring Mix
Kale
Avocados
Cucumber
Onion
Green Pepper
Red Potatoes
Diced Tomatoes

Protein
Natural Peanut Butter
Cajun Turkey Breast, Sliced
Boneless Chicken Breasts
Pork Tenderloin
Fiber One Protein Bars

Other:
Pickles  {do those count as veggies?}
Birthday Cake Oreos ...who doesn't need a treat?
Lays Mango Salsa Chips, so random.
Wine  ...lots of wine, and usually beer too.

What's on your usual shopping list? Grab the button above and share your cart with us.

House Remodeling: Open Coffee Cabinet

Out of all the renovations we have done to the new house, this one may have been my favorite! When we started the kitchen renovations, I knew I wanted something different... something to make it stand out, look new and most importantly - different than it was before. I think we achieved just that with opening one of the kitchen cabinets for our coffee service.

This is a peak at the old kitchen pre-painting, and with old appliances as well. 

Our first step was adding crown molding to the tops of the cabinets.

When our painter came, we asked him to leave the door off of the cabinet by the fridge.

Then it sat like this for the past 3 months, while we tried to decide if we wanted it open or not. 

We decided yes, and I'm so glad we did. With our housewarming party just days away, we decided to finally finish it up. Step one, spackle the extra shelf holes. 

I used some q-tips to keep the holes open and clean!

Next, we used Stix to get a nice base on the interior, since the cabinets are laminate.

We let the stix dry overnight and then used two coats of Valspar Superior in Fresh Cotton to finish it off. Bright and cheery!

We measured and ordered two pieces of glass from our local glass factory. It was a perfect fit!

I also replaced the plastic holders with some gold metal ones to dress it up a little.

The finished product. 

The cow is happy with his new home.

Now we are ready for coffee!  Countertops come on Today, so there will be more kitchen pictures to come soon. 

Have a great Tuesday y'all!