A Dose of Motivation...

This weekend wherever I went I made sure I was tuned into NBC. I was so excited for the Olympics to start! I watched the opening ceremony Friday with my friend Megan (whilst enjoying some happy hour). Then Saturday I watched at home and while out to eat with the family. Come Sunday, I hung out by the pool and yes, we had a t.v. on the patio! I just couldn't escape it. It's so exciting and inspiring to watch these athletes (most of them who are crazy young) put all their years of training on the line in hopes of a medal. It can be life changing and heart breaking all in a matter of minutes, seconds even. And talk about some work out motivation! Now I've never been one to have a set work out schedule and I hate going to the gym. I'd much rather be out "doing something" (playing volleyball, hiking, snowboarding etc.) but recently I've been motivated to get myself in shape! I guess turning 28 soon can do that, (and having a friend finish an Ironman) eeek! Yeah, I felt reeeeal outta shape after that one! So I've been working out 3 times a week and playing volleyball once a week. I've been doing it with a friend and it's awesome to have someone who can push you and hold you accountable. It's been over a month and I feel so much better! Now I'm ready to step up my work out wardrobe. I'm in desperate need of some new running shoes but I have yet to be able to choose the Nike's over the cute leopard heels..or the purse..or the swimsuit...well you get the point. ha! I know, I'm terrible. But these fun, bright colored items are changing my mind! So I'm off to find myself the most obnoxiously loud pair of shoes possible!! Anyone have suggestions on a pair? And I'd love to hear what keeps you motivated?

 

 

 

A Dose of Wine...cuz it's Summertime.

What's more summer than white wine and fruit? Combined it makes for the perfect summer sip. It's super easy to make and an ideal choice for outdoor dining. When I came across this recipe I just imagined riding bikes with friends and ending the day with a refreshing pitcher of this on the patio. Can you see it yet? I hope to give this recipe a try and mark another item off my summer to-do list! What's your favorite summertime sip?

marthastewartweddings.com

White Peach Sangria

Ingredients

-1/4 cup brandy

-1/4 cup sugar

-2 firm ripe peaches, halved, pitted, and thinly sliced

-1/2 honeydew melon, seeded, peeled, cut lengthwise into thirds, and sliced thinly crosswise (4 cups)

-1 bottle white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, well-chilled
-1 can (12 ounces) or (1 1/2 cups) seltzer or club soda
-Ice cubes, for serving


Directions
1.In a large bowl or pitcher combine brandy and sugar. Let stand 5 minutes; stir to dissolve sugar. Add fruit and wine to brandy mixture; stir. Just before serving, add seltzer, and stir again. Serve over ice.

Enjoy!
Recipe via Martha Stewart

Be sure to head on over to Long Distance Loving to see more favorite summertime treats! 



Would You? Wednesday...

Oxfords or brogues...whatever you want to call them, there's no denying they're going to be the hot shoe for Fall. I'm personally loving all these fun and funky styles. It's menswear with a girly twist! You can pair them with boyfriend jeans and a blazer for day, or add some tomboy charm to a dress for a night out! What do you think? Will you be ditching your ballet flats for some oxfords anytime soon? My favorite are the mint pair from Topshop! You can find them here.

Oxfords for Day

Cupcakes and Cashmere

Oxfords for Night

Cupcakes and Cashmere

A Dose of Fall...

It's going to be quite a while before fall makes it appearance around here! Which explains the reason for my mid summer slump. I'm feeling very uninspired and not at all excited about dressing for summer anymore. I see fall clothing popping up in stores and I'm so tempted to shop...until I realize that those gorgeous tan boots will be sitting in my closet just teasing me for the next 3 months! You see my problem here? So in the meantime I figured I'd share some fall trends that are driving me wild.

- Leather detailing

 - Pointed toe heels

- Colored leather jackets

- Dressing like one of the boys (think oxfords and blazers!)

- Burgundy, navy and white

- Pajama inspired tops and bottoms 

-Military inspired jackets
I could go on and on!

What are some Fall trends your looking forward to?

A Dose of Travel...

Happy Friday all! I'm linking up again with Long Distance Loving and this week it's all about European travel. Now I've never been to Europe but Paris would have to be top on my list! Below is my idea of the perfect Parisian travel ensemble. A pair of comfortable flats for exploring, a classic trench for temperamental weather, black skinnies and of course, a gorgeous Celine handbag (le duh)! This look would give those chic French girls a run for their money don't ya think!? 

*Here's a lil extra European travel inspiration for ya:

This gorgeous gal just spent time in Paris and her pictures make me swoon!

This mama-to-be definitely has travel style down to an art form. Check out her adventures in France here. 

Hope you all have a great weekend.

Would You? Wednesday

I think by now most of us have embraced the power of a bright red lip. It adds a pop of color to any outfit and makes a statement. But come Fall we may be ditching our red lipstick and crossing over to the dark side. With dark lips that is....and I'm talking dark! Burgundy, blood red, whatever you wanna call it, it's fierce and totally sexy. So what do you think? Would you?

source

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I think with a swipe of gloss on top it softens the look (above) and I'd be open to trying this on a night out come colder weather!
Here are some suggestions if your up for the challenge!

Illamasqua Growl

 Make Up Forever #N50 Aubergine

Nars Fast Ride
*If you missed the first installment of Would You? Wednesday, check it out here!

A Dose of Wedding Style...

This week's Friday's Fancies theme is Wedding Guest! Sadly I haven't had the chance to attend any weddings yet this year, it's been all about babies around here! But I'm excited to share some ideas for those of you with weddings on the horizon. To me, it's all about dressing for the occasion. Whether it's a small rustic wedding taking place in barn or a large modern wedding at an art gallery, there is most definitely a perfect outfit for the event! Before deciding, it's important to know when, where, and the "theme" or "style" the couple has chosen. You can tell a lot about a wedding just from the invitation alone. Like they say, the invites set the tone for the wedding. So follow suit and you'll feel gorgeous and comfortable for celebrating all night long!

Backyard Bash by loux2 featuring nude pumps

A Formal Affair by loux2 featuring a party dress

Beach Fete by loux2 featuring aldo shoes

Would You? Wednesday...

I thought I'd start a new series here called "Would You?" Wednesdays. Every Wednesday I'll be featuring a new trend/style and posing the question "would you?" (Kinda self explanatory I guess..ha.) I'm definitely a trend follower but there are times when something may just be a lil too wacky or daring for my taste. But I'd love to hear what you guys think! So first up, flower halos! Now let me hear it, would you?

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unknown

Honestly WTF

tessa kim

This is a trend I am definitely on board with. I think they are gorgeous and can make a perfect outdoor wedding accessory (above). If you agree, how would you style yours?

A Dose of Stars and Stripes...

Most days you'll hear me complaining about the ridiculous heat here in Arizona, however lots of sunshine is to be expected come the 4th of July! Pool parties, lake trips, and tubing down the river are the standard around here on summer holidays. So you can imagine everyone's shock and slight disappointment when we all woke up to a cloudy, rainy day. Our pool party was a bust! So what did we do...? We had Mexican food and margaritas of course! Very patriotic, I know. How did you all spend your holiday?

At least I'm sporting my stripes...right?

We manage to con some nice gentlemen into buying us these ridiculous hats and necklaces! Haggling...it's the American way!

We ended our night with fireworks and some ice cream!

And I can't help but just laugh at this picture my sis sent me... how adorable is my nephew?? Poor Brinley just wasn't stoked about taking pictures...or that bow on her head. :(

*Because of the crazy mid-week vacation my days were all off! I didn't get to put together a proper Friday's Fancies post but you can check out some more Stars and Stripes inspiration here. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Attend an Outdoor Concert...Check.

 Miranda Lambert and Darius Rucker put on a great concert! I love that she rocked out on a pink guitar and microphone...she's girly and bad*** and I kinda love it! We got extremely lucky with the weather (thank goodness!) and it turned out to be a gorgeous night! The show ended with an awesome fireworks display! It was the perfect way to start my holiday. So that's another item crossed off my Summer Bucket List, woo whoo!

More pictures from yesterday to come!

A Dose of Country...

Tonight I'll be kicking off my mid-week holiday celebration with a Miranda Lambert concert! I'm super excited, and really, what's more American than cowboy boots and country music? Below are three country inspired looks. Tonight, with the temps around 100 degrees, I'll probably be wearing something similar to look #2! Which one best resembles your country style? 

Gone Country by loux2 featuring cowgirl boots

I hope you all have a fabulous and safe 4th of July!