Thanksgiving Recap & an Update

Hello Lovelies! I don't know how many of you still even read my blog considering how sporadic my posts have been, but I figured an update was in store. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving spent with family and friends, not to mention plenty of good food. :)

I had a fabulous thanksgiving myself and successfully cooked my very first turkey!! I was so incredibly proud of how beautifully it turned out, and how delicious and juicy it was!  

I spent the day over at my deployment buddy Brittany's house and we both helped in making the entire dinner. She made some fabulous home made pumpkin pie, and I ended up eating dinner and dessert twice that day! Shhhhh don't tell! 

This is a glimpse of our feast. Homemade mashed potatoes and gravy made from the drippings, green bean casserole, stuffing, cranberry sauce and some regular and King's Hawaiian sweet rolls. Oh and of course my beautiful turkey seasoned to perfection with delicious rosemary, garlic, onion, butter and salt & pepper. Yum!

I still can't believe how fast the month of November has flown by, and I am so anxious for December to finally arrive! I haven't mentioned it on my blog but I am going home for Christmas to see my friends and family. I couldn't be more excited! The one thing that could make it even more special is if my husband were gonna be home to go too. 

It has been over 8 months since I've seen his face or kissed his lips, and I'll admit lately it has been getting to me that we wont be able to spend Christmas together again this year, (last year he had duty xmas day). This lifestyle has challenged me more in the last two years than any of my previous life experiences and continues to push my ideas of pain and suffering. 

Homecoming is still a while away but I am trying to keep my head up and a smile on my face. After all, what else can I do? Although it has been the biggest challenge to be without the other half of my heart for the greater part of the last two years, I keep telling myself that God has a plan. I know that although there are trials there is still plenty to be thankful for. And I am so grateful that although we're apart I still have the man I love and my family & friends.

Well lovelies it's time for bed and I have an early day at work tomorrow, but I promise to try and make more time for my blog. It's something I really miss.

Until next time-

Hello November!

I have been waiting for you all year. I kept telling myself that if I could make it to November it would all be "smooth sailing" from here. No pun intended...okay, maybe a little pun!

Now that you've arrived the days are flying off the calendar so quickly that I haven't even had a chance to blog but once so far this month and it's already the tenth! For some reason at the beginning of this deployment time just seemed to drag on and on. Maybe because it's a much longer deployment than last time, but for whatever reason it just seemed to take FOREVER!!!!

Now that we are on the tail end of things time isn't slowing down but speeding up. I guess it helps that I have been keeping myself insanely busy with work, trying to communicate with my husband, household chores, bills, and trying to have a social life. 

And because that wasn't enough for me I've also decided to become an independent beauty consultant with Mary Kay. I just signed up about a week ago and am ready to get going! I've been so lucky to have met a ton of amazing and wonderful women and am just excited to have the opportunity to make new friends here in va and to earn some extra money doing something I love. ♥

It's such a joy to have something to look forward to doing instead of the feeling I get when I go to work at the bank. (The "get me outta here!" feeling). Beauty and makeup is something I am definitely passionate about and I'm just excited to learn more and see my business grow. :) 

I've just gotten my WEBSITE up and running and would love to help my followers with any of their beauty or skincare needs. Go take a peek and sign up for emails, see limited edition products and try out the Mary Kay virtual makeover tool to see what looks great on you right from your computer! I can speak from personal use that these products are amazing and good for your skin!

You can also contact me via email: BrittneyT@marykay.com for any questions or concerns. I'd love to show you what amazing products Mary Kay has to offer! 

Well, I'm off to go meet with my director and get started on planning my debut party for this weekend. I'm so excited and can't wait to see how everything goes. :) Wish me luck!!!

Our Halloween Night

{Goodbye October!}

I can't believe October has already come and gone. It seems like the month literally flew by! It's been a bittersweet month for me, because for some reason Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. As a child I couldn't wait to get dressed up in the fabulous costumes my mother would make my sisters and I. Some of my fondest memories are of those Halloween nights. 

Not much has changed since then, except now that I'm an adult I pass out the candy instead of trick or treating but I still love to get dressed up. Usually I go all out and spend between $50-$80 on a costume and accessories since there was always a party to go to back home or something spooky to do. This year I intended on being a little more frugal and opted to not buy a costume. That was until Halloween came and I all of a sudden had the urge to dress up. {Great idea waiting til the last minute, don't ya think?}

So after work I rushed over to Wal-Mart and found some adorable kitty ears, glow bracelets and some candy for the trick or treaters. I was so proud of myself for only spending $12! For the rest of my costume I wore a black skirt, tights and a long sleeve black tee. I did my makeup to match my ears and voila. This kitty was ready to play! ;)

After I was dressed and ready I headed over to my deployment buddy Brittany's house. {Yes we are both Britt's so don't mess with us! haha} We made dinner, handed out candy and watched spooky shows like "Ghost Adventurers," all night. It was low key and relaxing and I loved seeing all the kids in their costumes! Even though I'm no where near ready for kids it made me look forward to having them in the future. 

Here is a photo of Britt and I dressed up...I was a naughty kitty and she was a sophisticated kitty! 

Brittany even got her dogs dressed up, {much to their dismay} and it was the cutest thing. Lady Puggle was a naughty pumpkin and Roland was a naughty hot dog. :0) Aren't they cute? 

We also had a Halloween gift exchange at work and I got my coworker these awesome goodies. I was so happy that she loved everything! ♥

All in all this has been such a wonderful past few days! My hubby was sweet enough to send me flowers on Sunday since he wasn't able to be home to spend Halloween with me. It really touched my heart that he bothered to do something sweet like that, he knows how much I love Halloween and I couldn't stop smiling all weekend!

I hope everyone else had a Happy & Safe Halloween! Now we're headed straight for November and I am so glad the Holidays will be here soon because that means we are getting closer and closer to the end of this deployment!!! I can't wait until next year to finally have my hubby home safe and sound. ♥ Here's hoping these next few months fly by!

I came to fly

"I came to win, to fight, to conquer to thrive...I came to win, to survive, to prosper, to rise...to fly"

Since the very first time I heard this song it's been stuck in my head, and the more I hear it the more I love it. For me a song is so much more than a beat or background music or even the singer's voice. It's about the lyrics...the words that touch your heart and make you reach for something more.

This song makes me feel inspired, like I can do anything I set my mind to...INCLUDING overcoming all the odds the navy and this neverending deployment throw my way.

I want to succeed, I want to survive and sometimes I feel like I am drowning and just trying to stay above water, when I know I was meant to fly.

There are things I do subconsciously that affect my life (and the people in it) without me realizing it. I want to move forward in the right direction and make a change for the better. 

I want to fly...Here's to that.

Homecoming Outfit...HELP!

So with homecoming only a few months away, I am already thinking of what I want to wear the day my sailor is back in my arms. It's going to be winter and most likely freezing, but of course I still wanna look smokin' hot for my man! ;)

I already have an outfit in my head that I want to wear but I can't seem to find it anywhere I look! I've been scouring online sites to see if I can find anything, but so far there is nothing that really catches my eye.

I also have a hard time online shopping because of my size. I am tee tiny and most the time wear a zero in pants and an xs or small in shirts. It's extremely annoying! I wish I had a more womanly body...

Anyway, the vision I'm seeing in my head is a sweater dress with some leggings and a gorgeous pair of boots! I think that would do the trick...I'm gonna have to wear a jacket but I at least want to look good underneath. I need ideas! So far I've found ZIP, ZILCH, NADA that I like.

HELP!!! I would greatly appreciate any good links or photos of something that fits this description...I still have time but it will be here before we know it.

I finally did it!!!!

Hello there bloggy loves! So after months and months of talking about changing my blog name, I finally took the plunge and did it!

I am officially now "The Vintage B." I was inspired to transition to "Vintage B" since it has been a nickname I've used for years and I feel like it just fits...in short, it's me. :0)

Don't worry, I'm still going to blog about the trials and triumphs of navy life, but I'd also like to include other topics and open my blog up to a wider audience.

I'm not sure how to change my url or if that will affect whether or not my followers will be able to see my posts in their readers, but once I figure it out I will be changing it.

I would also like to thank my real life bloggy friend Brittany over at Tales of a Sailor's Soulmate for all her help brainstorming and basically redesigning my entire blog!! I am loving it! :)

There are new and exciting things coming up on the blog and I believe that a giveaway is in the near future! I hope you all have a great Thursday!

A Real Life Love Story

"Do you think that our love can create miracles?" 

"Yes I do. That's what brings you back to me each time..."

"Do you think our love can take us away together?"

"I think our love can do anything we want it to..."

Last night I was perusing news stories online and came across a video that literally brought tears to my eyes and made me miss my husband so very much.

It's the real life love story of a couple married for 72 years, and they were together right until the very end. 

 It was truly a special story. 

Watch the video HERE and be sure to grab a tissue! ♥

I love you like a love song baby

So remember a few days ago when I mentioned my hubby was up for Blue Jacket of the Year for his ship?? Well, HE WON!!!! 

I am so incredibly proud of my husband for all his hard work and dedication this past year and for the simple fact that he has made a positive outcome from this deployment. Congrats Baby!

To celebrate I thought I'd dedicate my song this week to my hubby. Today is Thursday and that means it's time to link up with Goodnight Moon and share the song that moves you this week. :) This is mine, cause I can't get it out of my head...Enjoy! ♥

.

Feeling Accomplished

Happy Tuesday Everyone! Today I'm feeling really good and have already done so much and it's barely 1:00 pm! I had physical therapy again this morning and got a hot wax treatment on my hand. It felt AMAZING! With the help of my exercises and therapy I have gained 20 degrees more flexibilty when letting my hand hang down and 10 degrees more flexibility when holding it with my palm facing up. 

My pain threshold still varies from day to day but always feels better when I give it some rest on my days off from work. I have a doctors appt this weekend with my primary to check in and see how things are going so far. I am feeling good and hopeful that my hand will be able to completely heal with therapy and exercise rather than needing surgery. Say a prayer for me that it all works out! :-) 

I am happy that I was able to meet two of the three goals my physical therapist set for me within the first two weeks and hopefully it will only get better from here! As for everything else I have been having a hard time with this deployment lately. I thought it would get easier once October got here, but with the holidays fast approaching it is becoming clear to me that the last few months are going to be the hardest. 

My hubby took his Blue Jacket of the Year test today and we are keeping our fingers crossed today that he wins so he can get capped at the end of this year! That would really help us out financially and would reward him for all of his hard work. However it pans out, I can say that I am extremely proud of my husband for all he has sacrificed these last two years and especially this year. The navy is no joke and they are getting their money's worth out of my husband..that's for sure!

I love you baby and I'm so proud of you! 

On another note, since we are close to being in the double digits soon, homecoming has been on my mind a lot lately. I need to start planning and getting ready for it, because although it's still a few months away I know it will be here faster than I think. 

This time around we want to go on a "stay-cation" and just stay in Virginia. We definitely want to get a nice hotel somewhere for a few days and just relax, have some date nights and pamper ourselves...Lord knows after an 11 month deployment we are both going to need it!

What are some fun "stay-cation" activities you've done?

Overwhelmed

I don't know what it is lately but I have been feeling completely overwhelmed. Between work and starting physical therapy for my hand I have been one busy bee. I'm going two to three times a week and I am really hoping I'll start to see some progress soon and get some flexibility and strength back in my hand.

On another note, My husband has been deployed for nearly seven months now and I can tell you that this deployment seems NEVER ENDING!!! It has been 204 days since we kissed goodbye and said, "Be seeing you." At first I could barely function and can openly admit I was more depressed than any other time in my life. 

I would have good days where I felt ok and bad days where I felt like I didn't even want to be living anymore. Days where it all seemed pointless and my husband and I were both so lonely, hurt and missing each other that we would fight over stupid little things. 

Now we are both doing better but most days I feel like I am just skating by. Going through the motions until he comes home and wishing I could wake up from this bad dream and have my husband back in my arms. 

I have been missing him so much lately and as much as I love to pretend I'm strong and everything is ok for his sake on the inside I am hurting. I never knew what it meant to love someone this much until I met my husband and have gone through 20 of the 26 months we've been married all alone. 

I keep telling myself the rest of this deployment is gonna fly by, but right now it can't go by fast enough. I want to have my best friend and the love of my life by my side to help me with the occurences of everyday life and to be there to lean on when times are hard.

I know this is all a learning and growing experience and I am trying to be faithful in the Lord and believe that there is some method to this madness...that there is some reason that we are going through all this now.

I know the bible says we will all face trials and tribulations but to be of good cheer because Jesus overcame the world, and I am trying very hard to trust in him and rely on his love and mercy to get me through the next few months. Please say a prayer for us, and ask the Lord to give us both strength. You can never underestimate the power of prayer! :)

As for everything else going on in my life, I am trying to find a balance and make time for myself. I have been spreading myself too thin the last few months and have gotten sick twice over a month and a half. I need more sleep, more relaxation and more "me time." I am always going, going, going and I feel like I'm gonna keel over and have a heart attack somedays!

So I apologize in advance if I haven't gotten the chance to comment on your blogs or keep in touch via facebook or twitter. Since my hand is still healing I have been trying not to use it too much and blogging tends to aggravate it. But I hope everyone has a great Friday!!

Dear Zales, You Suck

First off I am warning my readers now that this post is going to be a little angry. I am BEYOND pissed right now! Remember when I said my hubby got me this gorgeous ring for our anniversary this year?

Well one of the little diamonds fell out on one side of my wedding band so I brought it into the store to be fixed and paid $35 to have it back within a few days, because as I'm sure you could imagine I did NOT want to be without my ring.

After a few days the sales associate called me and told me my ring was ready to be picked up and I was more than happy to go get it. I had the ring back for literally TWO days before the same exact diamond fell out again. So I called and was assured I wouldn't be charged a fee and was told I could bring my ring back in and they would fix it for free.

But upon examining my ring a little closer I'd noticed that the band was now bent on one side and the three bands were no longer flush. The center band was sticking up on one side of the ring, and on the other side there was a noticeable gap between the engagement ring and the bottom band.

So I let the associate know the jeweler had bent my ring while replacing the diamond the last time I brought it in to be fixed. They assured me my ring would be fixed and I would have it back on my finger within a few days.

So Saturday rolls around and I head to Zales to see if my ring is ACTUALLY fixed this time. They replaced the diamond but had done nothing to fix the bent wedding band. I was beyond angry at this point and it literally took every ounce of strength in my tiny body to keep myself from going CRAY CRAY on these PEOPLE!

At first they tried to argue with me and say they didn't see what I was talking about. The lady held up a magnifying glass and was looking at it. I said, "It doesn't take a magnifying glass to see that ring is bent. There is a big gap right there and it doesn't even slide into place easily like it did before." After they realized I wasn't playing around they tell me to leave it for the Jeweler to fix now for the THIRD TIME.

So I leave ONCE AGAIN without my ring and pissed off. Then they call me today to come pick it up and it is still not fixed, in fact nothing has been done at all. I wouldn't be surprised if no one even bothered to look at it at all and I immediately expressed how dissatisfied I was that this issue still hadn't been fixed.

I don't understand how Zales can really expect you to pay thousands of dollars for a ring that the diamonds fall out of and then THEY damage it even more and refuse to fix it. At this point I have to order an entirely new ring made in my size and that will take six to eight weeks for it to get here.

I have to say I am so soooo disappointed with the customer service I've received and the fact that the employees were trying to make it seem like nothing was wrong with my ring. It wasn't bent that way before I brought it in to be fixed and the fact that I have now gone almost three weeks without my ring is ridiculous.

Needless to say I won't be buying anything from there anytime soon and I would discourage anyone I know to buy a ring from there. A wedding ring is an investment, and every woman deserves to have a beautiful one. You shouldn't have to settle for one that is damaged simply because people are too lazy to actually do their jobs.

Manhattan

It's Thursday lovelies and that means it's time to link up your favorite song this week with Goodnight Moon.
 
I was listening to pandora recently and came across this song. My love affair with Ella started way back probably when I was about thirteen, and I will NEVER get tired of her voice. Something about it just brings a smile to my face.

One of my dreams while living on the east coast is to visit New York, so this song inspired me this week. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! ♥

Moving forward

Today I started my first day of physical therapy and I absolutely loved it! I have to go two to three times per week but I am hoping with time and the exercises I'm doing my hand will hopefully get back to full strength.

In other news, I'm excited for fall to be arriving in Virginia, especially since the weather has finally started to change. It rained almost the entire month of September and was so humid it was unbearable! I'm so thankful for some cooler weather!

This past weekend I was lucky enough to go see "What's your number?" with Anna Faris and Chris Evans and I absolutely adored it! You all know how much I love Mr. Evans and he was looking extra handsome in this film. ;)

 If you haven't yet, you NEED to go see it! It's a perfect date movie or great for a girl's night out.
Anyway I'm off to run a few errands and enjoy the rest of my day off. I hope you all have a lovely Tuesday! ♥

I actually Won!

Have I ever mentioned that I have terrible luck when it comes to winning giveaways? I know "winning isn't everything, " but no one can say they don't love winning something every now and then. :)

Recently I entered Chambanachik's giveaway for a copy of "Faith Deployed...Again" and I'm so excited to have been one of the two lucky winners!

Erica is a doll and I am so thankful for the chance to read this book and use it to help me get through the second half of this deployment.

So far time has been moving right along and I although I have been feeling better over all I still have my rough days. Right now I'm trying to stay focused on the positive and see the good things that have come from this deployment.

Sometimes that's easier said than done, but it's still worth trying. Here is what I have come up with so far:

1) It has given us the chance to pay off nearly all our credit card debts and to finally get new tires on my car and my brakes fixed! Hallelujah!

2) It has made me dig deep inside myself and keep going, even when I didn't feel like living anymore.

3)We have fought A LOT but we are finally at the point where we are both used to being alone and the whole "deployment" concept is easier to comprehend.

4) This deployment has brought out trust issues and secrets that would have otherwise stayed hidden for who knows how long. It could have broken us if we let it, but we have chosen to forgive and move forward.

5) I have finally known what it feels like to be completely on my own, living alone...without a husband, mom, sisters or room mates to lean on. I think it's something everyone should experience at least once in there life!

6) It has made me put myself out there and make more friends. When you don't have a husband to go on dates with or family to hang out with you tend to become more outgoing and just learn to make friends!

7) It has taught me to count my blessings and to be thankful for the good things about my husband...no matter how much he annoys me or makes me angry at times, I know I'm lucky to have a man who loves me as much as he does.

8) It has made me realize there are a lot of things I need to work on in myself, like being less selfish and more giving to others. I've also learned to let go of trying to control everything, which is easier said than done for this control freak.

Anyway, I'm off to work and it's sure to be another dreadfully boring day at the bank so I'm hoping today goes by fast! Is it 5:30 yet? ;)

Growing up

Looking back on my life, I remember being a little girl and thinking about all the dreams I wanted to accomplish when I was "grown up." I wanted to go to college, get married when I was 26 and have babies and a career by the time I turned 30. In short, I wanted to "do it all."

Now I'm 24, married and living 2,700 miles away from my friends and family. My life has in no way turned out how I had thought or even hoped and although I am 100% in love with my husband it is hard to come to grips with the reality that dreams don't always come true.

I don't regret marrying my soul mate, but the navy has certainly put both our dreams on hold. I always strove to be the best at what I did, whether it was getting honor roll in school, running varsity for cross country or getting solos in choir, I just wanted my chance to shine. I wanted so much for my mom to notice me and love me that I tried any and every activity to get her attention. And my biggest goal was to go to college and get my degree so I could make my mom and grandparents proud.

The only problem was that I come from a single parent family and had no money to go to a university. My mom had remarried at the time, but he had 3 kids of his own, and two of them were already going to universities on his dime so we didn't exactly have money for me to go. I couldn't qualify for any grants or scholarships so I had no way of paying the ridiculous amounts of money for tuition.

I had great grades in high school but never even took the sat's because I knew I couldn't afford to go. Instead I got a job at 16 and have been working ever since. I enrolled in community college after I graduated and started working full time to try and support myself (which isn't easy to do in ca where everything is insanely expensive!). I always had to put work before school because I needed the money, and here I am six years later and still no degree.

Now it has been nearly two years since I've been able to go to school (mostly because of the navy and their impeccable timing) and I feel like my life is just passing me by. It's like I'm standing still while the whole world keeps moving forward. I've seen so many of my friends from high school graduate college and go on to have successful careers and meanwhile I'm stuck in a job I hate and can't muster the money or energy to go to school and actually finish my degree.

On the other hand, the friends who aren't going to school are having babies by the boat load. (And no I'm NOT exaggerating either). Last year my sister, cousin, and one of my best friends all had a baby. This year my bf from high school had her 2nd baby! And I know about 7 other girls right now who are expecting in the next few months.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not exactly wanting a baby right now because let's face it, my husband and I have spent less than six months together because of him joining the navy and getting deployed back to back. We haven't exactly had any time to be newlyweds or just spend enjoying life before kids. I know everything changes TREMENDOUSLY once you start a family, and we both want time to focus on each other and living life to the fullest, (aka being selfish for a bit longer) before we go down that road.

But if I'm not doing one or the other, then where does that leave me? I feel like I'm stuck in limbo right now...just drifting along through life. Not really taking any chances or making any decisions to make my dreams come true.

I've been thinking about all this a lot lately and just wish I could make the right decision. After toying with the idea of becoming a history teacher I've finally decided it's just not for me. I love history and would like to share the passion I have for it with others, but I simply don't think I could handle being a teacher.

I really want a career I'll love and something I've ALWAYS been interested in is fashion. My dream job would be a visual merchandiser for a retail store or a buyer, but there is that nagging fear of failure in the back of my mind that is keeping me from even trying. It's that little voice whispering, "you'll never make it," that has kept me from even trying all this time.

Not to mention the thousands of dollars of debt that I would accumulate in student loans if I went back to school to get my degree in fashion merchandising. Going to FIDM or The Art Institute just isn't in our budget right now, but my biggest fear is having regrets. I don't want to look back on my life one day and think, "I wish I had pursued that dream!" And I know that if I stay at the job I'm at now I'll end up blowing my brains out sooner or later simply from sheer boredom and lack of creativity!

I just wish there were a simple solution to all this, and that I could snap my fingers and have it "all figured out," but I'm a grown up now, and I know better. Life isn't that easy, it's not that simple. It just isn't...

10 years

I can't believe it's already been ten years...

I was 14 years old when the terrorist attacks were committed against America and in my first week of high school. I remember waking up that morning and my mom listening to the radio as she got ready for work.

It was all over the news and when she told me, I could hardly believe it. As the day went on and the events unfolded people's lives all over America were changed. Our eyes were opened to the fact that we CAN be hurt, we CAN lose loved ones, and we CAN feel defeated.

As I sat in class that day none of the teachers could muster the courage to go on like nothing had happened. So all we could do was sit there and wait. Wait to find out what was going on, as we watched the news all day...seeing pictures and live feed of smoke billowing from the twin towers after they had been hit.

My heart ached for our country that day, and for weeks and months following the events that took place. Every year since, it has been a very somber feeling on the anniversary of 9/11. Now, ten years later it still gets to me. It's something that I'll remember for the rest of my life, something I don't think I could forget even if I tried.

Now as a military wife, I understand the sacrifice and the meaning even more than I did back then. So today I want to honor the fallen heroes of 9/11 by saying thank you. Thank you for your bravery and your sacrifices. You won't be forgotten.

Fashionista Friday

With Fall right around the corner, I have been day dreaming about all the gorgeous outfits I want to wear this season. Since I am a girly girl down to the bone, I thought I'd create a glamorous and feminine outfit, (with a modern take) that embodies everything I'm adoring right now. 

I call it "Pretty in Paris" because that's where I wish I was this fall!

Pretty In Paris by brittneyliann featuring feather hair accessories

Wet Seal knit tunic
$20 - wetseal.com

Wet Seal skinny jeans
$40 - wetseal.com

Pearl bracelet
£11 - debenhams.com

Wet Seal teardrop earrings
$7.50 - wetseal.com

Wet Seal heart ring
$5.50 - wetseal.com

Wet Seal feather hair accessory
$6.50 - wetseal.com

Paris Eiffel Tower Vinyl Wall Art Mural - WallQuotes.com
$35 - wallquotes.com

Faux Suede Bow Bootie - Teen Clothing by Wet Seal
$20 - wetseal.com

 First off, I can't get enough of ankle boots this season. They look great with sweater dresses and skinny jeans, or even with a vintage inspired dress and some textured tights. The possibilities are endless! ♥ And I can't believe Wet Seal has this pair for $20!

Right now I'm also loving the destroyed denim and this perfectly pink tunic sweater. 

 I love the addition of the belt to accentuate the waist and for us tiny girls it makes us look a little more full on top, (if you catch my drift).

  I've also been trying to branch out more when it comes to earrings, (most of the time I just wear my pearls) but lately I've been going for some teardrop earrings. I love the way accessories can transform any outfit and just give it that little something extra. 

One of my favorite new accessories this season would have to be statement headbands, like the one pictured above. With the right hair style this adorable headband has the power to pull the entire outfit together and give it a little extra flair. 

It reminds me of one of my fashion icons, none other than the fabulous Blair from GG. Blair is always rocking sensational headbands, and so can you!

What fashions are inspiring you this week?

Home

"Another summer day has come and gone away, in Paris and Rome...but I wanna go home. May be surrounded by a million people, I still feel all alone. Just wanna go home, oh I miss you, you know."

It's Thursday lovelies, and you know what that means. Head on over to Goodnight Moon and link up with whatever song moves you this week.

Lately I've been listening to my Michael Buble station on pandora before I go to sleep each night. I can never get tired of his silky smooth voice and sexy smile... ;) This song makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside and makes me miss my husband even more than I already do, if that's even possible.

The words seem kind or eerily perfect for our situation right now. He has had the opportunity to visit amazing places and see beautiful things, but all he wants to do is come home to me. And that's all I can dream about. Until we meet again my love, know I'll be seeing you in my dreams each night.

"Another winter day has come and gone away in either Paris and Rome...and I wanna go home, let me go home. And I'm surrounded by a million people, I still feel alone. let me go home, oh I miss you, you know."

"Let me go home...I've had my run, baby I'm done...I gotta go home. Let me go home, it'll all be alright, I'll be home tonight, I'm coming back home."

Lucky Girl

Remember this post where I said I was dreaming of a certain Coach bag? Well, lets just say that I have THE BEST HUSBAND in the world and he let me get it as a late anniversary present. Eeeeeekk!!

I'm in LOVE!!! Thank you baby!!! ♥

Lazy (Labor) Day

Yesterday started off really, really bad. I'm not gonna get into details but I was pretty depressed and actually managed to stay in bed until 4:30 in the afternoon. I finally got up, only cause I needed to shower and was starving and then proceeded to eat wendy's for dinner and watch netflix all night. I started to feel a little better, but today I am kicking myself in the butt for not running all my errands and doing my chores yesterday so I could enjoy my day off today.

However, I can say that I really needed a day where I could just lay around and sleep all day. I am always going, going, going, and am usually exhausted. I needed to recharge my batteries and just THINK about a lot of things going on in my life. It was nice to have a day where I could just stay in bed and be comfy. That's usually what I feel like doing every week day, but instead I have to get up early and go to work at a job I hate.

Le sighhhhh...anyway, I am excited for fall and have decided to do a countdown until I go to home to California in December. As of now its a little more than three months away, and I'm praying it goes by fast! I can't wait to see everyone and just enjoy some time with the family and my besties back home. ♥ I hope you all have a Happy Tuesday! Hooray for short weeks! ;)

It's a celebration!

This past weekend my bloggy buddy and real life friend Brittany and I got together to celebrate passing the half way point! It has really helped to have a friend to listen and be there who is going through the same thing and knows exactly how you feel. Thanks so much Britt for listening to me vent and complain and just hanging out and keeping me company on dozens of lonely nights! :) I can't wait for our hubby's to get home so we can all go out for a double date, FINALLY! haha!

Britt has two adorable doggies named Lady Puggle and Roland. Lady just so happens to love me and I think you could say it's a love to last a lifetime. ;) Here's proof!

Isn't she adorable!? :) This weekend we went to Cheesecake Factory in Virginia Beach to celebrate the halfway point and I was so excited we chose to go there. They have one of my favorite drinks called a Georgia Peach and I'm telling you, they are sooooo delicious! ;) If you haven't tried one, get your butt down there and get one...they are seriously that amazing. ♥

We got so much food it was almost absurd, and seeing that it was cheesecake factory we HAD to order dessert. We ordered some yummy nachos and we both got pasta for the main course. I can't remember what mine was called, but it was delicious!

 I ordered the Tiramisu cheesecake for dessert, because if you didn't already know, I'm obsessed with coffee and Tiramisu is my absolute favorite dessert. ♥

Nothing makes me happy like food does, (well except my hubby and family, but you know what I mean) and this feast was perfect for celebrating all the struggles and trials we have overcome in the last six months. I know we still have a long way to go, but with the lord on my side and good friends and family to help me through it, I know I'll survive. :)