Hey y'all! I hope your week is off to a great start! Today, I'm sharing a fun project in collaboration with maurices. They sent me six dress to try to find the perfect dress (or dresses) for spring and summer! I put these dresses to the test over on my Instagram Stories over the weekend and I loved getting your feedback on which ones you loved the most. Honestly, I really loved them all and it was so hard to pick a favorite. Keep scrolling to see me test the dress and to find out which one I picked as my top favorite out of the six dresses!
And my favorite dress was... number two! In the polls on Instagram stories, this dress was almost a tie with number six but the stripes and the slits on the sides won me over. This dress also felt very Grecian to me and I absolutely love everything about Greece (especially the food)! The off the shoulder style is so pretty but I love that it can be worn on the shoulder as well if you need some extra coverage. This beautiful, lightweight maxi dress is going to be a closet favorite all summer!
Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a great day!
SHOP THE POST:
Striped Maxi Dress | c/o maurices(shop all maurices dresses here)
Happy Monday! Last weekend, we took a break from reality and escaped to the North Carolina mountains for a quick overnight getaway! We stayed in Sapphire, North Carolina, a small community in Transylvania County. Our adventures were focused in Sapphire, Cashiers, and Highlands, North Carolina. We visited the this same area back in October and I have been wanting to go back every since. I randomly decided to plan a quick getaway and two days later, we went. I am a planner so going on an impromptu trip isn't something I typically do but my husband was on board so we decided to just go for it. We love adventure!
In today's post, I'm sharing where we stayed, what we did, and where we ate. This was such a great getaway for a family with children but it would also be perfect for romantic trip for two!
I discovered Brook Trout Inn on Expedia, the travel site I typically use to book all of our travel accommodations. We stayed here during our last visit to the area and we were so happy to go back! The staff is incredible! I have honestly never had better customer service at hotel/motel/inn before and we have stayed in a lot of places! We stayed in an apartment this with with one queen bed and one kind bed, which was perfect for our family of four. We realized our couch was a pull out bed so we could have brought even more people with us. The apartment was super spacious, it had a full kitchen, large TV, couch, comfortable beds, a newly renovated bathroom, and the softest towels I have ever used. There's a fire pit on site and they provide materials to help you start a fire. My favorite part of the Brook Trout Inn was the breakfast experience. They keep a kitchen fully stocked with every breakfast item you can think of to prepare you own meal. You can eat in a gorgeous common room that included a large fireplace. The price was very affordable, especially considering all of the wonderful amenities. There's also an in ground trampoline that my kids love! I would highly recommend the Brook Trout Inn and we plan to stay here every time we are in the area.
What We Did | Chasin' Waterfalls and Hiking
The main reason I wanted to go back to this area, was to visit Dry Falls. It was the original reason I wanted to visit this area. A short and easy walk takes right to this breathtaking waterfall. You can literally walk underneath the waterfall! It's such a fun experience and it's absolutely beautiful! We also visited Bridal Veil Falls that was just down the road from Dry Falls. The next morning, we woke up to nonstop rain but we decided to make the best of it and find some rainy fun anyways. We stopped by Scotlyn's Yard Nursery to get direction and advice from the locals because cell reception in this area isn't very good. While we were there, I had to check out their beautiful flowers and I found some of the prettiest flowers I have ever seen. Next, we headed to Silver Run Falls. It was a short hike to see this gorgeous waterfall. There's just something so peaceful about waterfalls. I love them! Then we decided to be even more adventurous and take an almost three mile round trip hike up Whiteside Mountain with our two kids in the rain. Overall, it was a great experience and the rain wasn't too heavy until we were on our way back down the mountain. Unfortunately, it was so foggy that we couldn't really take in the views like we wanted at the top of the mountain so we will definitely try this hike again on a sunny day.
We were literally only in the mountains for about 24 hours but we did manage to squeeze in a lot of fun and food, of course. We found this great Mexican restaurant in Highlands after we visited Dry Falls. The food was delicious and the customer service was great. The next day, after our Whiteside Mountain hike, we were starving and thankful that Slab Town Pizza (which we went to the lake time we were in the area) was pretty close by. We got the House Salad and Duke Pizza again. It's so good! They also have beer AND wine on tap. It was another great visit!
Happy Friday and Happy First Day of June! After tomorrow, I think my busy season will finally slow down, at least for a few weeks. I'll be helping to host a end of the school year dance as a fundraiser for the PTO tonight and then I am leading STEM Saturday at work tomorrow morning! I can't believe next week is the last week of school for my girls. It's always bittersweet and even more so this year because my girls will be going to a new school next year. But I am looking forward to a little more sleep and lots of fun with my kiddos this summer!
Which of this week's picks is your favorite?!
1. Swimsuit | When I put together this post about Budget Friendly One Piece Swimsuits, I ordered a couple of them to try for myself and this was one that I personally picked. I spend a lot of time in a swimsuit at the pool, splash pad, and beach with my children so I wanted something modest and full coverage while still being flattering. This suit holds you in and covers appropriately!
2. Blue Light Glasses | I spend a lot of time staring at a computer screen or cell phone screen. This puts a lot of strain on my eyes so I was excited to give these blue light blocking glasses a try. So far, they are definitely helping with eye strain plus they are super cute. They are available on Amazon but if you don't have Prime (like me), I order a lot of items from Walmart. They aren't always actually items that Walmart sells in store but it's kind of like Amazon where there are many retailers plus the shipping is often free and pretty fast, too!
3. Gingham Top | I bought this top while we were shopping on Monday! The pretty gingham and the tie detail immediately caught my eye when I walked into the store. I usually wear a small in this brand and I found the size 6 to fit me best in this top. The color says "bright red" online but it's definitely more a coral pink color in person.
4. Denim Shorts | I recently purchased these shorts and I'm waiting for them to come in so that I can give you a full review but the reviews online are great! I was looking for a dark pair of denim shorts with light distressing so I'm excited to try these out.
5. Dress | Another item I've had on my list is a little white dress. I have several black dresses but I don't own a white one. I love the boho chic style of this pretty one plus it's budget friendly!
6. Floral Kimono | I also purchased this while we were out shopping on Monday and I love it! Pairing a kimono with a white top and denim is my favorite. I have already worn this and I got so many compliments on it in while I was grocery shopping!
7. Graphic Tee | I am currently loving graphic tees! I love the color and the positive vibes of this one. I try to be on Team Optimist, always!
8. Straw Bag | How many straw bags is too many?! I am seriously thinking of adding this one to my growing collection of straw bags. This one can be carried by the handles or a crossbody. So perfect for spring and summer because it will go with everything!
Thank you so much for visiting! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
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