Birthday Beach Weekend

Happy Thanksgiving! I have so much to be thankful for this year and one of the things that I am most thankful for is all of the adventures that we have experienced this year. You may have noticed that we really don't sit still. I love my home but I equally love being on the go and discovering new places! Thankfully, I am married to someone who loves adventure just as much as I do. We are already excited about next year's adventures with a trip to Puerto Rico in our plans! 

This past weekend, my husband and I got to take a weekend trip, just the two of us. These kinds of trips are pretty rare because we do enjoy bringing our kids wherever we come so that they can experience things right along with us. This is very important to us but it's also super important to "date your spouse" and spend time together on your own as well. So, we took full advantage of our kid-free weekend and headed out of town. During the fall, I typically just want to go to the mountains but since we had already made a recent day trip to the North Carolina mountains, I wanted to go somewhere different. So, I picked Ocean Isle Beach. The beach is my happy place but I've never actually been during November. After a super busy week, it was just the place to go for some rest, relaxation, and lots of great food with my husband! 

W H E R E  W E  S T A Y  E D | When we visit Ocean Isle, we always stay at the Islander Inn. Ocean Isle is mostly houses so there really isn't a lot to choose from in terms of hotels. I found our accommodations via Expedia. I use Expedia to book all of my husband's business travel and most of our personal travel. I earn points by booking that can be cashed in to save on your trips. Both of our nights were free thanks to our points! We stayed at The Islander Inn and we were very pleased there last time that we decided to book there again (this was actually our third time there). We had an spacious room with a king size bed and an oceanfront view. The hotel has an outdoor pool (with a poolside tiki bar and a great view of the ocean, which is perfect during the warmer months), indoor pool, and jacuzzi (that's great for this time of year when it's cool outside). They also offered a free breakfast and lots of coffee! Overall, I would recommend this hotel to anyone looking for reasonable, clean accommodations that is located right on the beach. 

W H A T  W E  D I D | We relaxed! Haha but really, we took our time getting up each morning, drank hot coffee, walked on the beach, and went hunting for seashells. We went swimming in the indoor pool and enjoyed the jacuzzi. Other than that, we ate! Lots of great food!

W H A T  W E  A T E | Basically, we spent our entire weekend relaxing and eating! We went to a few brand new to us places and we loved everything. 

R O B E R T O S | We had planned to go to one of our favorite restaurants when we arrived on Friday night but it was closed for the season. My husband and I were both pretty hungry so we made a quick decision to try Roberto's and it was a good decision. The food was so good! I had the lasagna and it was delicious. The costumer service was also fantastic!

C A U S E W A Y  G O U R M E T | We ate here several times last summer and we had to get it for lunch while we were there this time. I got the shrimp and grits and the key lime pie is delicious (the graham cracked crust has chocolate chips in it) but really all of their desserts are super delicious!

J I N K S  C R E E K | The food here was wonderful but their location is the star of the show. It's located right on the water and the decor is gorgeous! The natural light and beachy, industrial decor were so pretty. The staff was also so courteous and polite! I had the fried chicken with mac and cheese. It was incredible! 

D R I F T  C O F F E E  A N D  K I T C H E N | This was a new to us place as well and it didn't disappoint! I had already heard great thing about it so I was excited to give it a try. I had a caramel latte and my first ever acai bowl. Both were amazing! We will definitely be going back!

M A K A I  B R E W I N G  C O M P A N Y | When we travel, we always love to try out new breweries. This is a relatively new brewery (they have been open for about a year). We got to chat with the owner while we were there and he was super nice plus very knowledgeable about his beers. We loved everything we tried here! So many unique beers.

It was an incredible trip! If you are looking for a fun and affordable fall or winter weekend getaway. I would highly recommend going to the beach! It isn't crowded, the rates are super low, and the beach is always a beautiful place, no matter the season!

Thanks so much for visiting! I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving!

S H O P  T H E  P O S T:

Instagram Roundup

Hey and Happy Wednesday! I am trying to get back into a normal blogging routine! Last week was so incredibly busy. I just didn't have time for much else besides family life and work but I am thankfully for the slower pace that this week brings. I am looking forward to some good food, time with my family, and of course, some adventure!

Today, I'm sharing my Instagram Roundup with outfits from the past couple of weeks. As I was going through these photos, I realized that I am basically living in this pair of jeans from Everlane, a brand that specializes in ethically made products that you can feel good about. I love the perfect dark wash and the high rise fit. I loved them so much that I had to buy them in black as well! I'm 5'5" and the regular length works perfectly for me. I also found the fit to be true to size. I can wear these all day long and they look just the same after 12 hours. No sagging or stretching out! 

This sweater is my current favorite! I've worn it twice in the five days that I've owned it. It's so comfy and it's leggings friendly. The fit is oversized; I got a size XS/S.

These heels are so perfectly festive! I don't really do traditional Christmas colors (I own zero red) so this fun glitter is the perfect way to add some holiday sparkle to my neutral style.

This is a typical mom uniform for me these days as a strive to look put together while remaining absolutely comfortable. These sneakers are comfy and cute! I sized down a half size.

Black overalls make wearing overalls so much more chic! I have gotten so many compliments on this pair. Even a fourth grader told me that they liked them! I call that a win.

This blazer has been one of my most worn pieces recently. I've also been throwing it on over my work t-shirts for a more professional look. You can't go wrong with a plaid blazer!

I think these heels were made for me! I love the color and the style so much. I think these also add a festive touch for the holidays!

My friend treated me to a Target run for my birthday and it was so much fun picking out things that I would normally not buy for myself. This v-neck sweatshirt is so super soft!

Pink on pink because why not?! I love these pink jacket paired with my new pink heels. I kept the look casual with a sweatshirt and jeans. I love mixing fancy and casual!

And, these jeans again. I have definitely already gotten my monies worth out of them! They retail for $68 but think about how many times a month you would wear a good pair of denim. I am all about the cost per wear ratio to help me decide if something is a good investment. These jeans were a great investment for me because I wear them 2-3 times a week!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a great day, y'all!

Hair and Beauty Bag

Hey y'all! I hope you are all having a great start to your week! Today, I'm sharing my latest cut and style as well as what's currently on rotation in my beauty bag. I have to get my hair colored on about an every seven to eight week schedule because I've had some gray hair since I was 18. Not fun and it seems like I have even more gray hair every time. My hair is naturally pretty dark so I've decided to embrace the dark hair. Instead of going light for spring and summer like most people do, I went darker and I have been loving it! Dark hair is definitely here to stay! My cut is long bob with some layers. I just get the ends trimmed because I am currently still letting it grow out. My hair has grown so much in the past year! I am loving the current length!

My stylist curled it with a 1.25 inch curling iron. To achieve this style she used Kenra Dry Texture Spray and the Kenra Working Spray. These are two of my personal favorite hair products and they are worth every penny. I wish Kahli could come to my house and style my hair for me every day so that it could look this good all of the time! She's the best! Honestly, I've never loved my hair more than I do right now! I wish I would have gone back to the dark side a long time ago!

You can also read more about my hair care routine and how I go four or more days without washing my hair in this blog post.

My stylist is Kahli at Renew and she's been doing my hair for over eight years! If you decide to let her work her magic on your hair, be sure to let her know that I sent you over!

H A I R  P R O D U C T S   I' M  C U R R E N T L Y  L O V I N G:

Now, on to my beauty bag! For the most part, my beauty routine has stayed the same because when I find what works, I keep doing it but I have added in a couple new product. Also, like I mentioned in this post, I totally switched up my skincare routine at the beginning of the year and I am loving my skin right now! You can read more about my budget friendly skincare routine in this post. My makeup always go on better and looks better when my skin is in good shape.

BB Cream | I love this super budget friendly BB cream! It comes out white but as soon as you put it on your face, it blends into your skin tone. It comes in several shades but I personally use the shade fair because I think the shades run a little dark. I have been using this product for over a year and half and I highly recommend it!

Concealer | I have been using for almost a year and I am still absolutely loving it! Such a great concealer and worth the extra pennies! This product is a game changer! I wear the shade "light sand" but I would recommend getting color matched at an Ulta store if you're unsure about which color to get for your skin tone.

Powder | I have been using this powder for over two years and I still love it. I discovered it from an Influenster box and have continued to purchase it. I use a layer of it on top of my BB cream and it leaves my skin looking flawless. It's such a great product and a great price! It's under ten dollars! I would recommend applying this powder with the kabuki brush at the bottom of this post instead of the sponge that it's included in the package. It goes on more smoothly and you can blend it better!

Color Palette | This palette is one of my splurges but it's also worth the price. I brush the bronzer on my cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead then I add the blush to my cheeks and finish off with the highlighter on my eye lids, nose, cheeks, and chin. This palette gives just the perfect amount of color! I always end up running out of the highlighter first (I love highlighter) so I picked up this super budget friendly highlighter (I'm using the shade moonlight pearls) to use since I still have plenty of bronzer and blush left in my palette.

Eyeliner | I recently tried on this liquid eyeliner because it was a free gift with the purchase of my favorite mascara. I have never really used liquid eyeliner so I was a little hesitate to try it out. I have been using it on my top lash line and I love the bolder look. I also love this eyeliner for the bottom of my eye because the liquid eyeliner just looked a little too intense on the bottom. It goes on smoothly and lasts all day long plus it's super inexpensive! 

Eye Shadow | This eye shadow palette is definitely worth splurging on! It lasts forever and the colors are perfect. My eyeshadow lasts all day when I use this!

Mascara | I have been using the L'Oreal Lash Paradise for over a year and I still love it (especially for the price) but this It Cosmetics Superhero Mascara is probably the best mascara I have ever used! You only need one coat of this magic mascara. It adds so much volume and length to your lashes instantly. It's my favorite!

Lipstick | This is the best lipstick ever! I am usually not a fan of lipstick because I feel like it drys my lips out but this one is different. My lips feel so soft after applying plus it lasts so long. My favorite shades are "Backtalk" and "Naked." 

Lip Gloss | My lips get so dry this time of year so I was looking for a product that would hydrate my lips plus give a little hint of color for everyday wear. I have been using this lip gloss for the past month and I love it! Super hydrating. I have the shades radiant rose and berry brown. Both are great neutral, everyday shades!

Brow Gel | A good brow gel is something that I have been personally on the for. I have tried so many different brow products but I still love anything. Until now! This brow gel does exactly what I want it to... it subtly fills in my brows and holds them in place all day without looking unnatural or sticky. I use the brown shade and I would highly recommend this product!

Makeup Tools | I use this blender for applying my concealer (it's the perfect size), I use this kabuki brush for applying my face powder, I use this brush for applying bronzer and blush, and I use this brush for applying my highlighter. Another great tip is to dampen your blender with water before using it. This helps your makeup blend it much more naturally and keeps it from looking cakey. 

Makeup Tool Cleaner | Also, keeping your makeup tools clean is a super important part of your beauty routine! When I was younger, I didn't do a great job at this and my skin paid for it in breakouts. I have been using this soap to clean my blender and brushes for a few months now. I love this soap because it's make out of all natural ingredients. It comes in a bar or liquid formula and can be used for everything from cleaning your makeup brushes to your body!

Thanks so much for visit! Have a great day!

S H O P  T H E  P O S T: