What's Up Wednesday

What's up with y'all on this fine {SPRING BREAK} Wednesday?

Today I'm joining some of my favorite bloggers for a WUW linkup, and if you're a blogger you should join in too ;)

Let's jump right in and see what everyone has been up to so far this week...

What We're Eating this Week. . .

Well, I guess I shouldn't have let my Spring Break flag fly too high, y'all will expect too much from me!

On Monday, I made a roast in the crock pot with pasta salad, cheesy rice, creamed corn, and ciabatta rolls. (So good!)

On Tuesday night, we kind of fended for ourselves with leftovers from the weekend and Monday night.

Tonight, I have class in Jacksonville (my last class ever!) so I'll probably be bringing home Mata's pizza to celebrate.

And I'm thinking Thursday I'll do something casual because Friday is going to be Shrimp Boil night!

What I'm Reminiscing About. . .

I'm kind of soaking up this last Spring Break, because although as a teacher I will still have one...it just won't be the same as a college student!

What I'm Loving. . .

I am loving wrapping up all of my college stuff and I'm also loving being in my own classroom with my own kids-it's so busy and hectic, but also rewarding!

What We've Been Up To. . .

Chris and I have both been so busy!

I've been using this week to get caught up on household chores and lesson planning.

What I'm Dreading. . .

I am dreading going back to school after Spring Break, but hey as of today we only have 58 days until summer!

What I'm Working On. . .

Today I submitted my last unit plan and reflection and tonight I'll turn in my PDK application, so there has been tons of school stuff being worked on.

Lesson plans are also taking up a ton of my time, but it's worth it.

What I'm Excited About. . .

Well, I have graduation coming up in just a few weeks.

My PDK induction (professional honor society) and banquet are sooner than that.

I'm just thrilled about graduating (with honors!) and celebrating with my family!

What I'm Watching/Reading. . .

Since it is Spring Break, I've been taking advantage of some extra time.

I've been watching Hulu while I iron and fold laundry and Heartbeat (new medical drama) is my new thing, along with Scandal!

What I'm Listening To. . .

I pretty much only listen to country music; some recent faves of mine have been T-Shirt by Thomas Rhett, 80's Mercedes by Maren Morris, and Came Here to Forget by Blake Shelton.

What I'm Wearing. . .

This week has been ALL about the comfort for me.

I'm cleaning and working around the house in my favorite sweatpants from my junior college days, a v-neck Piko top, and only the coolest fox socks from Old Navy.

What I'm Doing this Weekend. . .

Well, these plans are still up in the air, but I'm hoping Friday will be a shrimp boil with either my parents or some friends.

Saturday will most likely be a grilling night out with Chris and maybe watching Farmland on Netflix (I highly recommend that documentary!)

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month. . .

As if I couldn't say it enough, but I'm looking forward to my PDK induction, graduation, and celebrating with family and friends. 

(Oh, and picking out some adorable grad announcements too ;)

What Else is New. . .

Honestly, I think I've shared all the new/exciting things with y'all today-which I'm thrilled about!

Come back by tomorrow and I should have my first Empties post of 2016 put up...so you can see what I'm loving and hating as far as makeup, skincare, haircare, candles, etc. go!

Question of the month is:
What Spring Cleaning tips do you have?

Lists, lists, lists!

I make a master list of everything I want to get done, say in a week.

Then every day I cross of what I do accomplish and then just focus on what's left (& add in new things if I come up with them).

It really helps keep me focused and I love being able to cross things off!

Until next time. . .

xoxo, 

Little Bit of Life {No.3}

Hey y'all!

I'm so glad to be posting this "Little Bit of Life" post, even if it is no longer the weekend.

I decided to take this weekend off because of Easter festivities and I'm so thankful that I got to be surrounded by family and enjoying the real reason for the holiday-our risen Saviour!

Today I'm rounding up a few things I love, sharing some things I've bought, and letting y'all in on just what this post is called...a little bit of my life!

So I went shopping on Saturday and wandered in Kirkland's because I had a 15% off coupon (which I ended up spending on plate holders...which you'll see soon!)

But these two entry/accent tables stole my heart & I'm really wishing I had a space to put them because they are very much my style!

I also headed over to Bath & Body Works with my 20% off coupon & found out that they were having buy one/get one free candles...so of course, I had to buy one and get that free one!

Sugared Peony is a little bit sweet and a little bit floral-perfect for Spring

White Sand Beaches is a musky scent, but also light. It totally reminds me of a beach vacation!

The L'Oreal Advanced Haircare Extraordinary Oil Nourishing Shampoo & Conditioner has been a God-send from Influenster. I've never, ever felt as though a hair care product was made just for me until I found this one.

I took a survey to decide what kind of hair I have and they sent me products for very dry, curly hair which is exactly what I have.

I've been using them for about a week now and I have to say that they make my hair much more hydrated, manageable, and nourished!

My song favorite of the week is this find from Sirus XM The Highway

80's Mercedes by Maren Morris is such a fun driving song!

It's the perfect tune to take on Spring Break, or just to roll your windows down and play while running errands.

Sales:

Check out two of my favorite online shopping places sales today-

Knitted Belle Boutique is one of my FAVORITE online boutiques and today they're having 25% off all shoes with the code SHOES25

This pair and this pair are two of my faves!

Shutterfly is having free shipping on all orders over $39 with the code SHIP30 and 101 free prints with the code 101Easter!

Y'all know I have been all about trying out new hair/beauty/skincare products lately and this week was no different. I reached back into my stash and pulled out these two beauties (seriously, check out that packaging!)

These are both by Kenra Platinum and are part of the Revive System.

The whole line comes with Shampoo, Conditioner, Revive Treatment, Revive Oil, and Revive Complex.

While I have tried and loved ALL parts of the system, the Oil & the Complex have been my faves.

The Complex is like a serum that you put in the ends of your hair and then style like you normally would. It is designed to smooth and fortify dry, brittle hair which I have lots of.

The Oil is used either used before shampooing, during conditioning, or as a finishing product.

I love this product because it helps prevent breakage, and since my hair is pretty long I would like to prevent breaking as much as possible.

If you haven't seen Heartbeat yet, it's an awesome new tv show.

Definitely geared toward those that love Grey's Anatomy or other medical dramas (that are also funny at times) I watched the first two episodes on Hulu and now I'm hooked!

Easter 2016

Isn't my little family so adorable!

My niece was wearing one of her Lilly dresses this Easter, so of course we had to take a picture together!

I'm wearing my OTBT Bushnell's in Pewter and my dress is the Ophelia Swing Dress by Lilly Pulitzer in the print Iris Blue Deep Dive Little Fish Engineered.

It's not available online anymore-but they do have two new prints in the Ophelia!

I seriously was not being photogenic this weekend, but I had to take a picture with my sweet man on our first married Easter.

I hope y'all had an excellent Easter weekend and found a few new things to love over here on the Southern Stylista!

Until next time. . .

xoxo, 

A big thank you to Kenra via BrandBacker and L'Oreal via Influenster for providing me with product in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.  Thank you for supporting brands who support The Southern Stylista.

Target Beauty Box

I mentioned in my Little Bit of Life post that I recently grabbed the March version of the Target Beauty Box. I've done a review of this box previously when I was able to snag them when Target had two versions for one month.  

This month it was only one box called "Vacay Vibes" and it did not disappoint.

Like every box, it's a great value-this one only cost $5 and was over a $17 value!

Here is a link to where you can purchase all the individual products and see what others got in their boxes :)

Their packaging is always on point, of course.

I love the simple black box with the different colored tissue for each edition of the box!

You Are Amazing; Hello Beautiful Skin Body Lotion in Juicy Grapefruit

I LOVE this product, it was the very first thing I pulled out of the box and began using.

It's a very light lotion and sinks into your skin quickly, and the scent is super fresh and fruity.

Caress Adore Forever Body Wash

This is a unique kind of body wash, they say that the scent is released after you wash it as your skin is touched over 12 hours.

I love the musky scent so this one will be a great addition to my travel product bin.

Hair Food Moisture Shampoo/Conditioner with Honey Apricot Fragrance

I was able to try out the Hair Food hair mask in this same scent a while back and loved how it left my hair feeling.

I always use my travel size and packet sized products when I go on trips, so these will be put to good use on my summer travels.

Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray

I'll be honest, I have this in travel sized and regular sized (it must be a popular product for subscription boxes?) and I'm not it's biggest fan.

There's only one time of the year when I really use this and it's when I'm at the beach (or a rare day by the pool/lake).

The scent is nice though, very much a coconut-ty/beachy scent that I like.

Banana Boat Sun Comfort 30 SPF Sunscreen

I wasn't thrilled to get a sunscreen in my box because we have a closet full of it (& tend to not wear it like we should!)

But when I saw the "Sun Comfort" tagline on the tube I was intrigued.

Basically, this kind of sunscreen allows sand to brush easily off and is hydrating your skin like a moisturizer so it's a trip whammy.

I'll definitely be packing this little guy for our beach trip this summer.

Sinful Colors Nail Polish in Hush Money

This product confused me as well, because wouldn't you think a beach/vacay inspired box would have nail polish in a bright color?

I do like the formula of Sinful Colors polishes though and I know I'll get some use of this for sure, although it might be more in the fall than now.

Laneige Water Sleeping Mask

I was SO excited to see this product in my box because I love any kind of mask.

This is a night mask and apparently you put it on before bed, sleep through the night, and then wash it off in the morning.

I haven't tried it out yet because I'm afraid I'll forget to wash it off on my busy mornings and I don't know what happens if you forget.

So I'm going to try it out on a weekend and get back with y'all.

Nudge Face Mask in Revitalizing

I'm so excited to test this product out because like I said above, I LOVE face masks.

There is something so luxurious about taking those 15 minutes for just yourself.

This one is made with 94% natural products and is supposed to revitalize and plump dull, tired skin for a radiant look.

Sounds perfect for a student teacher!

Well, what do y'all think...which was your favorite product?

Have you been able to snag the Target Beauty Box yet?

Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time. . .

xoxo, 

A Little Bit of Life {No.3}

Hey y'all & welcome back to my "Little Bit of Life" series.

It has been a crazy week & weekend (hence the reason why this post is going up on a Sunday afternoon).

Last night, my husband and I got a call that my dad's precious "Little Dog" had been hit by a car.

We are so sad at losing her because my daddy loved her more than he had ever loved any other dog.

She would always "defend" him when anyone playfully hit him, she had a personality unlike any other.

If y'all will send some positive thoughts to our family as we miss her, we would appreciate it!

Now onto happy things!

Spring time in Alabama means growing baby calves, I love spending the afternoons with my husband checking our herd. The calves are so curious and playful, so fun to watch.

My husband and I went to the SLE Rodeo in Montgomery last night and had a blast.

I mean, if cotton candy is involved, how can you not have a good time?

When you watch rodeos, are you rooting for the bull or the rider?

I can never make up my mind!

I recently checked out the March issue of Marie Claire and y'all, there is a mini article in there called "Is That a Shondaland Show?"

1) Someone is Dead

2) You Know Nothing

3) "Oops, I Slept with My Boss"

4) It's Going Down in an Elevator

5) Everyone Sleeps with Everyone

6) Booze, Booze, Booze

If you watch Scandal, Greys, How to Get Away with Murder, etc. then you know exactly what I'm talking about.

If you like country music, but you also like John Mayer then please do yourself a favor and listen to this song.

Slow Dancing in a Burning Room is one of my favorites, and Granger Smith does it well.

Read this article on how seven successful female's start off their workday, it will either totally change your approach to your workday or it will let you know that you're on the right track to being a lady boss ;)

I hope y'all enjoyed this week's little round up, it wasn't as meaty as it usually is because like I said-busy week (more on that later ;)

Until next time. . .

xoxo, 

Spring Skin Care

I talk about skin care often on this blog, but it's because I'm so passionate about taking good care of the skin God gave me-because He only gives us one chance to care for it!

My skin changes with the seasons, during the winter it's flakey and dull.

For the summer months, especially down in Alabama, it become oily and shiny.

But the hardest time of the year to tame my skin is the in-between months; especially Spring.

I'm in school every single day and I have to wear makeup which tends to dry my skin out.

But the weather warming up and the humidity rising seems to make the oils in my face come to life.

I've found two products that make the difference in my combination skin and I want to share them with y'all!

Valentia Royal Rose Hydrating Serum

I'm a fan of drug-store beauty & skin care, but sometimes you have to splurge & if you're going to splurge, do it on facial products!

This serum is so deeply hydrating, has Vitamin B to fade away acne scars and hyper pigmentation, and smoothes your skins tone & texture.

The biggest reason I love it for Spring?

Because it smells like roses!

Check out that gorgeous packaging?

The packaging gets me every single time.

And since you can't just pick this up from Target, the good news is that you can just order it with Amazon!

My next favorite spring skin care item was a natural choice for myself, it's by my favorite skincare brand-Exuviance.

Exuviance Gentle Cleansing Creme

I'm a sucker for all of Exuviance's products, they all just work so well-especially when used together.

I swapped this out from my St. Ives cleanser that I used to use every morning and night & I can already tell a difference in my skin's texture.

I love that this is a cream & not a soapy consistency, and it works so well as a makeup remover!

I used to have to use a face wipe all over to remove my makeup even after my shower, but now I just use my wipes to remove eye makeup-it's a serious game changer. 

If your skin changes as the seasons change, I hope you consider either or both of these products.

My skin is so important to me and I feel so much more confident when my skin looks good!

Does your skin change as the seasons change?

What products do you swear by for Spring?

Let me know below!

Until next time. . .

xoxo, 

A big thank you to Exuviance and Valentia via BrandBacker for providing me with product in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.  Thank you for supporting brands who support The Southern Stylista.

A Little Bit of Life {No.2}

Welcome back to my weekly "Little Bit of Life" post!

Y'all, big things are happening in this girls life-I can't wait until I can finally share with everyone!

But getting back to what I can tell y'all, I am getting so so excited about Springtime and graduation, all fun things.

I spent this past week getting in my teaching days for internship, attempting to keep the housework at bay, and picking up a few cute additions to my wardrobe and our household!

I bought these OTBT Bushnell's last summer and have absolutely loved them.

I got mine in Pewter and they match so much, they're SUPER comfortable (& if a teacher says something is comfy, you know that it really is), and the quality is great.

I'm planning on buying the all black pair for my graduation shoes.

I wish I could link this outfit for y'all because it's one of my absolute faves!

I wore this Umgee plus embroidered dress on Monday with black tights & my Ariat Hacienda boots and received so many compliments on it.

If you want to hear my favorite song; it's this one. . . Tuxedo by Clare Dunn.

I was lucky enough to get the Target Beauty Box for March, I loved almost every single product in the box and can't wait to share it on the blog this upcoming week.

Have you checked out Lunch With Lilly?

It ends tonight, but there are still fab gifts with purchase...if I could swing it, I'd be spending the $1400 to get the First Impressions weekender bag!

Speaking of Lilly, check out this fun shot I took with the dress I wore last Friday!

I talked about Gingham on the blog this week, and now I'm loving this top from Old Navy-need to add it to my closet asap!

I recently got the opportunity to try out Pure Goodness Hemp Protein in Vanilla

I tried it today by turning it into a peanut butter protein smoothie and it was delish!

I added 1 cup of milk, 1 scoop of Pure Goodness Vanilla Protein Powder, 1 scoop of PB2 peanut butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and enough ice to make it to the consistency of your choosing.

I blended it all up in my Ninja and it was SO good.

Plus, it's 100% vegan, paleo friendly, non-gmo, dairy, gluten, and soy free.

So if you have special dietary restrictions or just want to feel a little bit better about your protein powder this is a great option for you!

And on top of all that, 1% of their sales go to fight hunger across the U.S. and that's something you can feel good about supporting.

(Check out their social media as well!)

https://www.facebook.com/mypuregoodness/

https://www.instagram.com/mypuregoodness/

https://twitter.com/MyPureGoodness

https://www.pinterest.com/puregoodnes0051

/

This video speaks SO much to me.

Girls should never feel limited, I would love to see more emojis and everything else that reflects how able women are to do anything they put their minds to!

I hope y'all enjoyed this little bit of my life and I'm so glad y'all are loving these posts!

Until next time. . .

xoxo, 

A big thank you to Pure Goodness via BrandBacker for providing me with product in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.  Thank you for supporting brands who support The Southern Stylista.

Gingham is a Girl's Best Friend

Y'all, my inbox has been flooded with one trend for Spring that makes me want it to be sunny and 70 degrees...

That's right, the checked pattern made with white and a bold color-the epitome of spring-time fashion.

swimsuit/heels/button up/sunglass straps/bag/shirt dress

This pattern is gorgeous in everything, as you can see above.

My favorite pieces are the bag (of course!) and the lavender button up.

The sunglass straps are also an affordable option if you're just testing the waters with patterns-plus they would make a great gift!

Which piece is your favorite?

Do you love gingham?

Until next time. . .

xoxo, 

A Little Bit of Life {No.1}

Happy weekend, y'all!

I have looked so forward to this weekend all week long and so far it has been a great one.

Last night, C and I visited a new restaurant and made a Target run.

This morning I cleaned, ran a few errands (& found two absolute steals at Kohl's today!), and then I came home and did a lot more cleaning.

Tonight, we're planning on celebrating a friend's birthday and just enjoying each other.

But for now I want to share with y'all a new series I want to start on my blog. . .

"A Little Bit of Life" is going to be a post that will go up somewhere between Friday-Sunday, unless something comes up.

I'm going to include some favorite products, videos I'm obsessing over, new (or old!) music, links I'm loving, and anything else I find over the course of the week that I think y'all should absolutely know about.

Let's get started!

This post is so relevant for me, since I graduate college in just 55 days! It's 10 tips for recent college grads & it's a quick read, but so helpful!

This next link is a favorite, the HASK Almond Oil Shampoo, Conditioner, and Thickening Spray.

Y'all have seen me talk about HASK on the blog before so y'all know how I feel about them.

They are so well priced and smell delicious-plus, what good Southern girl doesn't need more volume?!

If you drink coffee every single morning like I do, then this link is for you.

How to Clean Your Coffee Maker

I'm used to cleaning the pot, but I've never cleaned the inside of mine!

If y'all haven't been keeping up with Joey+Rory, she recently passed away after fighting a difficult battle with cancer.

I've been listening to their music a lot lately and this song is a strong favorite.

You have to look at This House that Southern Living styled in Nashville, TN.

I have to brag on my new entry-way design.

I like to refresh it for every season, and even though the lighting down there isn't great, I still love to see something new & fresh when I walk in every day.

Plus, isn't decorating for Easter/Spring so fun?

If you aren't a member of Influenster then what are you doing?

It's free to sign up (tip: use the link above!) and they send you free products to try out.

You don't have to be a blogger or anything, and the products range from household products, food, to makeup.

My favorite show lately has been Fuller House on Netflix!

What do y'all think, are you loving it to?!

Well that's it for this week, below will y'all please let me know what you think of this new series idea?

I would love to keep it up if it's something y'all like.

Until next time. . .

xoxo, 

A big thank you to HASK via BrandBacker for providing me with product in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.  Thank you for supporting brands who support The Southern Stylista.

March To-Do List

Can y'all believe that it's already March?!

In just two short months, I will be a college graduate and I'm so anxious and excited about it!

Today as we kick off a new month I want to share with y'all my to-do list for the month.

The pictures that I used can be found here!

Buy Coffee For a Stranger

I love doing random acts of kindness and this is one of my favorites!

Next time I'm in the drive-thru line at Starbucks I'm going to pay it forward and pay for the next guest's order.

Get Moving

As the weather warms up I want to move a little bit more!

We have lots of property that I could hike on, or a great local park-many of places to breathe in some fresh spring air!

Stop & Smell the Flowers

It may only be early March, but in Alabama we're already having some flowers bloom-just the other day I spotted my first daffodils!

I'm going to make an effort to slow down and enjoy the blooms this spring for sure.

Find a Four-Leaf Clover

It is March, after all!

And who doesn't want to be a little more lucky?

Go Horse-Back Riding

This is the most perfect weather for horse-back riding,

and going riding is the best way to enjoy the Spring sunshine.

Visit a Butterfly House

At Calloway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia there is a butterfly house

and I have been begging C to take me there.

There's no better time than spring to enjoy the beautiful butterflies!

Plus, a weekend trip is a perfect idea for my Spring Break week.

Finish my Last Unit Plan

I'm actually working on finishing this today & I cannot believe this is my last unit before I graduate.

I have loved every minute of student teaching, even the hard ones and I'm sad to see it come to an end!

What do y'all have planned for this month?

Leave me a comment below and let me know!

Until next time. . .

xoxo,