Four Eyes Firmoo Giveaway!!

So this post was originally scheduled for Friday + opened with a sassy sentence about how I had my act together, then it didn't get posted soooooooooooooooo ANYWAYS. I went to the eye doctor on Saturday (can someone explain to me how I pay for specific vision insurance but it doesn't cover the annual visit?) So I'm really glad I came across the fantastic folks at Firmoo!

So obviously I was on board when they reached out to give one of my lucky readers a FREE! pair of glasses! It's super easy to win too! Just head over to their special collection for bloggers here + comment below telling me which pair you would choose! HOW easy is that? I'll pick a winner at random on Sunday night! This pair is my favorite.. obviously after the pair I have already! I'm also seriously considering this pair of sunglasess.... So which pair would you choose?!

A little bit of fine print about the prize: one pair of Firmoo glasses with free shipping to US from this page. Glasses include the frames, standard 1.50 index single vision lenses. Upgraded lenses and add-ons will be charged for an extra fee.

Outfield Wall Rockstar Spotlight: Dream Big & Buy The Shoes!

GUYS. Do I have a surprise for you today or what? Emelia from Dream Big + Buy The Shoes is here!  She oh-so-kindly sat through my very first ever blogger-to-blogger interview + she has some great stuff to share! So let's get started!!

First of all, you're getting married!! Like, really soon! What are some of your favorite parts of planning a wedding and being engaged? 

SO soon, the time is flying by and I can't wait to for our big celebration! The best parts have been making all the details come to life for our big day; we have been busy creating, designing & planning extra special parts of our reception and putting our own little twist on things. You can also find out my personal perks of being engaged in this post. 

You come up with the BEST gift guides (you're responsible for me owning that "fries before guys" top I get all the compliments on!) where do you get your inspiration? What are your favorites so far? 

Awe thanks Kasey, that's awesome! The gift guides are a lot of fun to create and duh, FRIES always before anything. My inspiration comes from current trends with a unique spin. I love the zany, useful gifts and bold, bright pieces too. 

My favorite Gift Guide so far has been "The Gift Guide You Haven't Seen Yet" for obvious reasons. You need to check it out...one word, BACON. 

If it's my first time going to your blog, which post would you want me to start with? 

That's a hard one, I guess something that I'm passionate about above all the other things I write is self love, so start with "I'm Not Skinny" which is probably obvious from my abundance of recipe & cocktail posts, HA!

I love your "You Are Beautiful" linkup, it's so bright + encouraging! Where does the motivation for those prompts come from? Which one has been your favorite so far? (make sure to link up for the next round on May 28th!) 

Thank you, Lauren and I want to create a community of self-love and empowerment for other women. Us girls are so hard on ourselves, and it's important to remember that each and every one of us is BEAUTIFUL! My motivation comes from so many different things that have happened to me on a daily basis, and situation that I have experienced in my life thus far. I want everyone to realize that at the end of the day each one of us has something unique and special to offer the world, and that within itself is beautiful.

My favorite post so far may be the one I dedicated to being strong, and my mom who passed away after a long battle with cancer. Beauty isn't defined by looks, it's so much more than that.

I am still green with envy that you got to visit Britney in Vegas AND meet a blogger friend in real life! (how cool is that? making real life friends through blogging, it's one of my favorite parts.) What were the other highlights of that Vegas trip?

I wish I could go back right now, I LOVE Vegas! Some of my favorite parts of the trip were seeing some new things in Vegas that I never have before such as the flowers at The Wynn, eating at Secret Pizza in the Cosmopolitan, visiting the Cupcake ATM and seeing the city from the top of the Stratosphere. The ULTIMATE highlight was meeting Britney's assistant, Felicia...she was the bomb.

We all know it's really the booze that brings bloggers together, I know you have some great cocktail recipes (and super trendy Moscow mule mugs!) what is your go to, end of the day drink?

My go to would be an Absolut and Sprite with a lime or Skyy Citrus and Water with a lemon. I like to keep it simple after a hard day's work! My favorite drink recipe I have shared on the blog is my Spring Sangria, which is an easy go-to on these warm spring days.

What are your go-to's for battling writer's block? Any tips for new bloggers on the block?

When I come across writer's block I have to take a break from the computer and get outside! The world around me brings me inspiration from different posts and the most random things give me ideas. If you were to see the notepad on my phone you would laugh; sometimes I crack up while I'm in the weirdest places thinking of blog post ideas. That's where this post came from, during a trip to the grocery store. 

My biggest tip for new bloggers is to stay true to yourself, and don't write posts that you don't have your whole heart in. Some of my favorite posts are the ones I really started to find out what I'm good at with this whole blogging thing.



/////hopefully disquis will oblige when I turn comments off, so you can go over + say hellooooo to Emelia instead!! 

Outfield Wall Rockstar : Bourbon, Lipstick, and Stilettos!

Y'all. Do I have a treat for you today, or what? After being such a good sport because I didn't have my act together last week, I am so excited to turn it over to Lindsay from Bourbon, Lipstick, and Stilettos! As my first ever home run sponsor, obviously I can't say enough nice things about her. Some of my favorites from her include insights on what #LillyForTarget says about our generation, a handy guide for your Derby party this weekend, and how it's okay to say no. Without further ado, I bring you Lindsay!

I don't subscribe to the belief that you must have it "all" figured out by a certain age. Who needs that pressure?

I only have about three weeks left in my twenties; apparently you start making lots of lists when you're entering a new decade. A huge chunk of my year has been spent working on the below tasks. 

In no particular order: 

How to own your style. Don't wear trends because a magazine says you should. Wear what looks good on your body and makes you feel comfortable and sexy. And sometimes that's sweatpants.  

How to order a drink. Whether at Starbucks or at the bar, don't be that lady who doesn't know what she wants. Or how to order it. 

How to stand on your own two feet. Having a support system is crucial to development- but you can't let it be a crutch. 

How to say you're sorry. Saying "I'm sorry you feel that way" is a bullshit non-apology. Own what you did and offer sincere remorse. No excuses.

How to ask for what you want. You want a raise? Your relationship to move forward? The meal you ordered? Ask for it. You may not love the answer, but it's important to ask it. 

How to stand up for yourself. Some people will take advantage of you if you allow it. Don't. And keep in mind- standing up for yourself doesn't give you the right to be an asshole. 

How to coexist. Did you know that everyone has the right to be in the coffee aisle at the grocery store at the same time as you? I'm still working on that one... 

How to support other women. If you're still a "mean girl" as an adult, you might want to consider seeking help from a professional. It's unhealthy behavior. 

How to take care of your home. Living in filth might be funny during college or your early twenties (shudder) but continuing that lifestyle into adulthood is lazy. If you don't have time and have the means, hire someone to do it for you. 

How to cook... something. One can unfortunately not survive on pizza and wine alone. 

How to listen to your body. Know when you need a break or when something isn't right. Learn to trust it. 

How to be financially responsible. This is tough, but, you need a system of saving or investing in place. Bills must be paid. Kids must be fed. The fun stuff may be put on the back burner. 

What would you add to the list?  

Comments have been turned off! Go check out Lindsay! also don't forget to find her on instagram + twitter! 

What I Carry On

I received Neutrogena® Naturals Purifying Makeup Remover Cleansing Wipes from influenster in return for my review, but all opinions are completely my own. 

So, I'm making this weekend a long one. I'm actually at the beach while you're reading this. I live less than 6 hours from a beach, have access to my parents beach house, but I haven't been to the beach since TWO THOUSAND AND EIGHT. So I earned it. Anyways, we're headed down to Naples, FL, so we're flying. This title might be misleading, because most times I refuse to check a bag at all, but I want to tell you what I gotta have in my purse/backpack/carry on that's not stored above my head. They're two very different bags, obviously. 

Here's a quick rundown: a bag with all of my necessities (deodorant, toothbrush, face wipes, sunscreen, dry shampoo, sunscreen, headphones, you name it, it's probably in that cute little bag from when TOMS worked with Target + no one had a meltdown.) Minus the bear, books (at least 3, because I have a problem. Even though they're heavier than an e-reader, the batteries don't die...) snacks, sunglasses, Spark (PS Jen gave me those cute Spark samples, keep an eye out for a full post about them next week!!), and a reusable water bottle (because I will die of dehydration before I pay airport prices for a bottle of water)! *not pictured: iPhone because guess what was used to take these pictures?*

The jury is still out on whether or not I'll get that apple sauce through airport security though. I mean, I guess you'll already know since I'm sure I'll be tweeting about it. Anyways, when I got the influenster vox box e-mail about those Neutrogena® Naturals Purifying Makeup Remover Cleansing Wipes, I was pretty pumped. First of all, I am super lazy when it comes to face washing, so anything I can do to take a step out of the process, I'm totally on board with. Second of all, they're raising awareness about how much water you can save by using the face wipes instead of running your sink (spoiler alert, it's in the GALLONS.) I did the whole #WipeForWater challenge, starting with three days of only using the wipes -- they're so much better than washing my face in the sink, since I always make a mess I'm saving water washing my face + cleaning up after washing my face. 

Minus the bear is my partner in crime, in case you didn't already know that about me. He goes everywhere with me + combined with a grown up beverage helps me deal with my flight related anxiety. Plus, check out how cool he is. So, that's it! That's what I gots ta have within reach when I'm on a plane, what's in your carry on? Have you tried the Neutrogena® Naturals Purifying Makeup Remover Cleansing Wipes? 

Living The Sweaty Life

Okay. I cannot believe that my month of ClassPass is already over. I was so torn on what to do now that it has ended. On the one hand, I want to join the gym (Exhale) that I tried out with my sister thanks to ClassPass, but also I loved ClassPass. First world workout addict problems, am I right? I want to do a quick recap of all the studios I tried out right here though! Ready?

Exhale :: OKAY. So the first class I did at Exhale was "Thighs + Glutes" with Brianna. I almost died. I really did. It was really touch + go for a while. It was at 8 am on a SATURDAY. I don't know how Eva talked me into it, but she did. After that class was over? Everyone was so surprised I made it through the whole thing. I also had leaps and bounds worth of energy for the rest of the day. The next class I did was a Core Fusion, which also kicked my booty. It was the first class of our 30 straight days of Barre! I love love love the staff at Exhale + the location is pretty decent + easy for me to get to, plus they validate parking. Hollaaaa!

Pure Barre :: I mean, this one lives up to the hype. This was the first place I ever heard of when the whole Barre thing started. I'm not sure they're the first ever. Anyways. I took one class in Dunwoody (after I finally found the studio + cried big fat alligator tears) and I loved it. Lots of super sweet ladies in the class + I even met a few other girls who were using ClassPass there!

Pink Barre :: Okay, so I had already been to Pink Barre once (ATL Blogger Meetup plug here.) So I kind of knew what I was getting myself into. I tried out the Sandy Springs location for a regular class + then one day I got a wild hair + did that whole 6 AM Flow class. TOTALLY worth it. I was in a super mood for the rest of the day + my stepmom even told me I needed to take a walk because I had entirely too much energy for 8 am on a Friday. ( I had time to drink four cups of coffee at Panera before the sun came up.)

Red Hot Yoga Buckhead :: I want to get into yoga SO bad because I'd love to be all flexible + zen but I just can't. I the people at this studio were great, the teacher was fantastic, but I just couldn't get into it. wah wahhh

The Bar Method :: EVERYONE WAS SO GREAT. I feel like I'm really bad at reviews because I don't have anything negative to say about any of these places. The staff here was fantastic + so helpful + I didn't feel like an idiot when I fell down.

SO. I'm only torn because I want to do the whole "30 straight days of barre" + my seeester wants me to take all thirty with her, so I'm teetering. If you wanna try out ClassPass -- YOU TOTALLY SHOULD -- but you can skip the waiting list if you use this link right here. Are you ready to live the sweaty life?

**ClassPass let me try their services for free (for a whole month!) but all of these opinions are totally mine. Ask me anything you need/wanna!!**

Four Eyes

Okay. So I touched on how I hate buying glasses [and contacts ps, for what that's worth.] and so I was over the moon when Firmoo reached out to me to try out a pair of their glasses. So, they sent me glasses in exchange for an honest review of their product. Can I just tell y'all, I love them. 

First of all, I've never ordered anything eyewear related online, once I tried to do the whole 1-800-contacts thing and I couldn't even copy the prescription from my contact box right. [I'm so cute, right?] The Firmoo website made it so easy though. I didn't even have to try to guess what meant what on my prescription and they're perfect! I did have that whole pupillary distance adventure though........ 

Second of all, I love them. My dad keeps saying "but they're so big.." which is almost nice. I have always favored larger frames, because I hate when there is a frame around my eyeballs. You know? Like I really hate that when you wear glasses there's just a frame around your field of vision. Since I opted for the pair I picked, there's no frame. I love it. 

Honestly, I plan on picking out a pair of sunglasses to do my presciption with, I may never wear contacts again. Okay, that's an exaggeration, but I will definitely wear them substantially less because I dig these frames so much. Honestly, after I got them I wore them every day. I couldn't tell you why I still don't have a good picture in them, let's be honest, that face up there is probably the best one you're gonna get anyways!

I definitely suggest you head on over to Firmoo's website! Right now they're doing a buy one pair, get one free  -- you could get a regular pair and sunglasses for less than you would pay the eye doctor for one pair of glasses! Have you used Firmoo or any of the other online glasses places? Or are you one of those special people who can see all on their own?

Mini Chicken Pot Pies!

Oh man y'all. I'm hanging out over at Bri's place today, sharing my recipe that I halfway made up because I can't follow instructions. [anyone noticing a theme?] So go check that out! I'm keeping it short + sweet. Last night I made a super easy dinner thanks to my good pal Meredith gave me this recipe for baby chicken pot pies. Like the outstanding blogger I am, I didn't take like, step by step pictures for you. 

Here's what you need:

• Pilsbury canned biscuits (really any biscuits will work, but I would suggest two cans because it makes a lot of filling.)
• one bag of frozen vegetables (we went with just peas + carrots.)
• two small chicken breasts cooked + cubed (I cubed them, then cooked them, I think it's faster that way)
• one can of cream of chicken soup -- the condensed kind! 
• greased up muffin pan
• about half a cup of sharp cheddar cheese.

First of all, make sure you defrost the veggies all the way. Next, preheat the oven to 350 (or whatever the can of biscuits tells you to do!) Then go ahead and mix the vegetables and chicken soup, once the chicken is done mix that in too! Take the biscuits and spread them into the greased up muffin pan so that they kind of look like cupcake holders. Fill them up about 2/3 of the way with the veggies + chicken mixture (just like if you were making cupcakes!) and then sprinkle cheddar cheese on the top! Bake for about 15 minutes and enjoy! We only made 6 last night and then froze the rest of the inside stuff for another day. Super easy, super tasty! Do you have any tasty easy dinners I should try out?