Too many tabs

Do you ever feel like this?

I am feeling just like that right now.

There are a lot of tabs open in my head right now.

So manybexciting things going on.

A lot of work.

But tonight, I am closing all of these tabs and focusing on what matters the most.

Cuddling with my husband.

Nothing in the world is better than that.

I just adore this man.

XOXO
Pearl

All smiles

Things that make me smile

My Son
My husband
Sitting with my Nanny
Family
UGA Football
Kate Spade
Monograms
Lilly Pulitzer
The way on old book smells
Coffee
Antique Shops
Board Games
Sweet Messages on my Phone
Makers Mark
Pearl Earrings
Bows
Gilmore Girls
Pink
Shooting at the range
My heating pad
Sweet tea
Fuzzy socks
Shoes
Finding a good deal
Tory Burch
Elephants
Tetris
Cuddles on the couch
My hubbys beard
Tennessee
Freshly painted nails
Back roads
Sushi
Country music
Any music really
Bonfires on cold nights
Smelling good
Fishing
Working hard

I have so much to smile about.

Hope you're smiling today!

XoXo
Pearl

Friday Favorites

I don't know about y'all but this week has FLOWN by!

I am currently decorating my office.

It is lllloooonnnngggg overdue and  I spend a lot of time in there, so when it is unorganized and unpretty, 

I am just not as productive. 

I know.  I said unpretty. 

I like pretty things. 

 I like to be surrounded by pretty things.  

It makes me happier, and if I am happier, I am more productive.

So this week's Friday Favorites are going to be about my office!

First, I am super in love with these signs I made for my office

I am hoping this one will be able to help me keep up with deadlines and meetings. 

 I had to add breathe to the end of this one.  

Quite frankly because I get so worked up 

(See Extreme Type A Personality Disorder) 

sometime I have to remind myself to breathe. 

Kate Spade did several items with this quote on it last season, and I fell in love.

And I do just know that I would make a DARLING millionaire.

I also added these couple of touches this week

I am kind of obsessed with this little guy.  

I had to work super hard to get where I am in life.

Someone once told me that I would be successful when pigs could fly.

I guess maybe that is why I love this so much.  Pigs are flying.

Well Duh.  Kate.

 My office colors are going to be red, black and white (Naturally.  Go Dawgs!) 

so I love this little pop of color with one of our engagement photos in it. 

These are a couple other things I am wanting for my office.

via

This collection is too cute.  I love the white because it will stand out on my black desk! 

Need.

via

I really want my monogram behind my desk.

I am just having a hard time deciding which font.

I think I am almost set on this one.

This lady is also local, and I am sucker for shopping locally.

via

The great thing about being a graphic designer/painter is I can usually do these prints myself. 

If you are not artsy fartsy like this gal, you can click the via link and get it from etsy.

I will be posting a blog on my office when I am done.  Still lots of work to do.

And for all of you wondering, this doesn't count as shopping against my shopping freeze.

It was very plainly spelled out that I would not buy clothes, shoes, accessories or beauty products 

(unless I run out).

No one said anything about office decor. Wink Wink. 

Happy Friday Y'all!

XOXO

Pearl

Steppy Daddy

Disclaimer: This is a long one.

I believe that one of the hardest parts of dating, when you are a single parent, is knowing that eventually you will meet someone that will be around your child.  It was very hard for me to imagine a time that my son would be around anyone but his father.

I was scared that he would get attached to that person and if we broke up, he would be just as hurt as I was.

When I started dating K, I honestly knew the day that I met him that I never wanted to be without him.  

It was that easy, but him being around The Dood was just plain scary.  He straight up told me that he didn't want any children of his own, but he was fine with mine.  While that sent up red flags, I was still comfortable.  

I remember being so nervous the first time they met.  We were at a pool party and K decided to stop by.  

It wasn't how I planned for them to meet at all.  

See, I am a planner and I had this all planned out! 

He wasn't even around The Dood but when he went to swim, the Dood was all about him.  He swam over to him and instantly they just clicked.  Before I knew it K was playing with him and throwing him into the deep end.

Then were teaming up to try to put ice on me!  I was floored.

That night when we left The Dood asked me, "Mom, is K going to be my new step-dad?" 

WOAH.  Pump the brakes kid.  

We are just dating and then it dawned on me.  If I already knew that he would be in my life forever, maybe The Dood did as well.  

I text K and told him what The Dood said and his response, "I want to be with you and him.  I will do whatever it takes, I may not be the best at this but I will try my hardest."  Wow.  

After that night our lives changed.  We went hiking, we went to the park, we got the Xbox kid out in the sunlight.  It was great.  I watched their bond grow stronger and stronger.  The Dood started picking to sit on K's side at the restaurant or hold K's hand in the parking lot.  I knew that if K would be in our lives forever then The Dood and I would be just fine.

When K and I got married, we made vows to The Dood, I vowed to always make time for just him and myself and to put him first, as he was the first man in my life.  

Oh but when K gave his vows to The Dood, there was not a dry eye in the house.  

He promised to watch him grown and to help him grow.  

He promised to provide for him and his mom.  

He promised to be his friend. 

See, The Dood is an extremely lucky little boy.  

He has a daddy that loves him with all of his heart.  

He is a good daddy, there is no question about that. 

The Dood is just lucky enough to have a really incredible Steppy Daddy (his name for K) too!

And when this mama finds things like this in The Dood's lunch box at the end of the day...

Her heart swells as large as it can go because it is so full of love it may burst right out of her chest. 

I am a very lucky girl.

XOXO

Pearl

Kidney Stones and Kate

I am so sorry y'all. 

I have been battling a booger of a kidney stone, but I am pretty sure it is on it's way outta town, 

and I am feeling much much better!

You know what else makes me feel better? 

Kate "she just gets me" Spade. 

Too say I have an obsession with her would be an understatement indeed.

I got a little email from her 

(and by her, I mean her marketing staff because much to my dismay, Kate Spade doesn't know I exist) introducing her new arrivals! 

I have picked out my top favorites and want to share them with you!

Bags

1 / 2 / 3

So much I love about these bags!  The bright colors and the BOWS!

Accessories

1 / 2

Ok.  Two things here...

One. If there is a certain husband wondering what the perfect Valentine's Day gift for a certain wife would be... the Valentine Bracelet is it.  period. (and please!)

Two.  Raise your hand if you are NOT an apple person and have been waiting what seems like an entire lifetime for Kate or Lilly to make a Non-iPhone case.  You can't see it, but I have both of my hands raised. and I am jumping up and down. maybe yelling me me meeeeee. 

Clothes

1 / 2

It is a well known fact that I have an addiction.  An addictions to cardigans.  There is no rehab for it.

And this dress.  Love. 

Shoes

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

I mean, y'all. 

I just love love love those bright colors and those sandals.. They have to be mine!

So what do y'all think of Kate Spade's new arrivals?

I am still on my shopping freeze so it helps me to look at stuff and fill up my imaginary "

I have ALL the money in the world shopping cart" :)

Happy Shopping!

XOXO

Pearl

Ugh

Dumb kidney.

Friday Favorites

Today has been off-the-chain-pull-my-hair-out-drink-a-bottle-of-whiskey crazy.

4 work meetings and 3 little boys for a slumber party.

Thank the good Lawd for my patient and loving husband, 

because of him, I have my hair and I was able to skip the whiskey.

I decided that although today was CRAZY, 

I had a really really great week so I will share my favorite things from this week.

These are the beautiful blooms my hubby gave me just because.  Butterflies y'all.

I decided to take a break from writing the article for Geez Louise this month 

and my business partner/bestie took a turn.  The article is great and isn't she hot y'all?

Speaking of my bestie, her- doughnut shop is opening tomorrow!  I am so excited!

This is the chalkboard art that I did for her! YUM!  More details on Woah Nuts coming soon! 

Last but the farthest from the least,

See that little nugget right there? 

That is my newest chubby, chubby, gives me those cheeks to kiss nephew! 

 He lives in Chicago but I get to visit him in June.

If I don't take him with me... kidding...kind of.

I am reminded everyday how blessed I truly am!

XOXO

Pearl

I cherish him

One of the hardest things that I have had to come to accept this year is visitation.  

As many of you know, the Dood's dad and I were divorced earlier in 2013. 

See I have been blessed though, we are still very good friends and his new girlfriend is an absolute doll.  Honestly. Like we could be legit friends.

Anyway, I think I really took for granted the fact that I never had to be without the Dood.  

He would be in his bed every night and I would get to cuddle him every morning.

I guess, I really didn't cherish each moment with him because I knew that I had him each moment. 

Since the divorce it has become more and more obvious to me just how much I cherish him being around.  My life is so quiet when he is at his dad's.  I long more in the couple of hours or days that he is gone just to go hug him or kiss him or smell his stinky little boy hair.  

I miss him.  Bad. 

When the Dood was little, I worked A LOT.  I volunteered.  I wasn't there as much as I could have been. 

Now, K and I make it a mission to spend quality time with him when he is with us.  We play video games with him, we eat as a family, we play board games, we go on adventures.  It is so important to make all our time together count.  As easy as it is to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday.  We put forth the effort to make sure that he still knows he is number one.

And on the nights and weekends he is getting to spend time with his dad, I know he is having fun.  He has a great daddy and his dad's girlfriend has a little boy the same age that he just adores, so I don't have to worry about anything.  Just missing him.  A  LOT. 

XOXO

Pearl

Hot Lips

So today I was feeling a little blah with the cold weather and such so I put on one of my favorite outfits.

It is a simple LBD with a leopard print cardigan, red belt and red shoes.

I was feeling a little better and then I remembered this little nugget!

I got this lil lip color in my December Birch Box.  I have always wanted to try a red lip but other than the occasional tacky Christmas party, I have always been a little shy to do so but I needed the extra pick me up today so I grabbed this and put it on.

I swear it was like an extra little confidence booster and the hubs even liked it!

I am diggin' the red lip!

What do y'all think?

You can get your own LAQA & Co- Lil Lip here.  They have several colors, not just red, so you can pick one more to your liking.  I do know this.  I have had it on for a while and it has not worn off, hasn't gotten on my teeth and didn't get on the hubby when I kissed him goodbye this morning.  

What is your go to extra confidence booster?

Happy Hump Day y'all!

XOXO 

Pearl

PS. Birchbox and LAQA & Co didn't ask me to write about this product.  These are my thoughts :)

Stromboli Night

I am so stinking lucky to have married into a sweet family! 

Truth be told this is the second time I have lucked out in that category but anyway...

Every Tuesday, K's family has stromboli night. 

We get together with his parents, his sister and her family. It is such a special time each week.

I always look forward to Tuesday nights.

This Tuesday something struck me a little, I am part of his family now.

I'm not their daughter in law, I am their daughter.  

His mother hugs me tight and his dad picks on me just as he does the others.

K's nephews call me Aunt L and it is makes my heart happy.

His sister has honestly became so much more than a sister in law, she is my sister and my friend.

So many families do not get together, let alone even sit together, 

for dinner weekly. We are so blessed to have this time.

I am very fortunate to have married the man of my dreams 

and into a family that is far better than I deserve.

Oh! The stromboli is pretty yummy too!

XOXO

Pearl

Bundle Up Butter Cup!

Ok.  It is no secret, I do NOT do cold.  

I was born and raise right here in good ole' Georgia.  Southern belle to the core. 

Anything below 60 degrees is cold to me.

It probably doesn't help that I am ALWAYS cold too.  One of K's vows at our wedding was to always have a jacket or blanket available for me. He seriously gives me a tooth ache.

(Extra points if you just got that clueless reference)

ANYWHO it is like frigid in Georgia this week and while K, being the maniac he is, loves the cold, this tried and true southern girl, does not!  

The local news channel actually said it will be MUCH colder than 12 degrees tonight.  

NOT COOL MOTHER NATURE!

Either way, I am going to take this opportunity to bundle up in my cute winter hats, scarves and gloves that I don't normally get to wear because it isn't cold enough here. 

I love a good bow so here are some great cold winter wear ideas that rock that bow!

This bow beret is so cute and at this price you can not beat it!

You can find this super cute hat here

OF COURSE, Kate Spade makes the perfect scarf... i die.

You can get yourself (and me if you want) this little gem here

I saw this hat at Target before Christmas.  I tried it on but it just didn't work on me but isn't it adorable??

This is the link on target.com but it says it is only available in store.

Last but never least is Kate Spade again with these gloves.  They are actually on sale right now at Nordstrom! You can pick them up here. 

Be still my heart.  I swear Kate Spade just gets my life.  

Do you have a designer that just GETS you? 

I hope y'all stay warm out there.  It will be a perfect night to put on your sweat pants and cuddle up under the electric blanket and watch that BCS National Championship game.  As much as I hate to admit it as a UGA fan, I will be cheering on the Auburn Tigers.  SEC STRONG! 

Don't forget to bring those furbabies in tonight!  They get cold too!

XOXO

Pearl

Bad Attitude

Sometimes it is so easy to get into a bad mood. 

That was me today.  Sure my kidney hurts, sure I had a little bit of a headache and didn't want to put Christmas stuff away but REALLY!  What did I have to be in a bad mood about? 

My attitude was not attractive in the least bit but my too sweet husband wasn't going to point that out to me.

It took me realizing that my bad attitude was messing up a day that really wasn't that bad. 

We woke up at 11:30, yes you read that right, eleven dang thirty today.  

I got a new blender for my protein shakes.  I was able to spend the whole day with the man that

 loves me whether I am a BIG OL' Cranky pants or not. 

Really?  What did I have to be in a bad mood about?  Nothing. 

I decided to pump the brakes on the 'tude and the rest of the day was awesome!  

We had a delicious dinner, got some crafts I had been putting off done and now I get to cuddle with my man.

Sometimes it just takes the realization that it is YOU that can make the outcome of your day.

Hope y'all have had a GREAT Saturday!

XOXO

Pearl

Friday Favorites

Fridays are always a little hectic in my world so I like doing Friday Favorites.  

Friday Favorites are just a list of things that I love.  New additions to the wardrobe.  Shows I am watching.  Life events.  The list could go on & on but I think you get the picture! 

Here we go:

These are a few of my favorite things...

After Christmas Monograms 

I finally got my jacket monogrammed.  I had been waiting until after the wedding.

I seriously can NOT wait to wear this little nugget this weekend.

You can find this jacket here.

The hubbikins bought me a large Longchamp for Christmas.  Swoon. 

I have been waiting for this baby to come back.  I am going to use it for my new briefcase for work.

You can get your own beauty here.

This scarf.

I won't be buying it bc of the New Years no spending until my birthday thing but isn't is so cute?

These notecards.

I got these in the dollar bin at Michaels at the end of November.

I love getting a hand written note from someone.  It is so much more personal than a text or an email.

Plus, these are so stinkin' cute!

This Quote.

It is so true.  Being in love with K honestly brings out a me that I thought was long forgotten.
A caring, sweet, loving person.  I want to be the very best version of myself for him but in the end,
 that is exactly what he loves... who I am.

and last but certainly not least

These guys

K and The Dood.

They make my heart so full.

TGIF Y'all!

XOXO

Pearl

New Year, New Last Name, New Outlook

Happy New Year Y'all!

It is so nice to start a new year.  I know that it doesn't necessarily mean that you get to start over but I still kind of feel that way.

2013 was probably one of the most challenging yet rewarding times in my life.  It was a rollercoaster for sure!

I got a promotion at work.

I got divorced.

I moved. Three. Times.

I learned just how strong I really was and who truly belonged in my life.

I met the love of my life.

I got engaged.

I got married.

See.  Rollercoaster.

While 2013 had it's ups and downs, I certainly can say that it was a year to remember BUT I think 2014 is going to blow last year away.

Everyday I wake up more in love and more determined than the day before.  Yes.  2014 is going to be a great year indeed!

Ok, so here are my resolutions... lets be honest, that is what you were waiting for.

1. Get Healthy.  No I didn't say skinny or lose weight or any of those things, I just want to be healthy. period.

2. Wash my face every night. Don't judge.

3. No shopping until after my birthday and pay off my credit card and car by the end of the year. My birthday, if you are wondering, is in July.  I. MAY. DIE.)

4. Take an adventure each month.  Whether it be a two hour drive or a flight cross country, each month will hold an adventure!

5.  Love more fiercely than I ever have. My husband.  My Son.  My family.  My Friends.

6.  Last but not least, start blogging again!  It makes me happy and I am not sure why but y'all like to read about my life. :)

I think more than anything... this is my resolution this year.

Follow your heart.  Live your dreams.

Hope y'all had an unforgettable New Years with your family and friends!

XOXO
Pearl