Link Love Vol. 19

I only have about 20 days of school left, and I couldn't be happier. This week has been insane, and if it's any indication of how the rest of the school year will go, I'm ready for summer. I know I say that every week has been long and busy, but I promise I'm not exaggerating here. There were three days this week that I didn't get home until 7:00, and I had multiple tests this week as well as preparation for the biology end-of-course exam that I'm taking next week (not going to lie, I'm a little terrified). However, it's finally Friday and I have a feeling next week's workload should be a little bit lighter! Now, let's get into the links I have to share with y'all!

via my latest blog post... this is my "it's-finally-the-weekend face!"

1 // I had to start off with the most important one - finals week, as told by Michael Scott (this is 110% accurate)

2 // If you've ever had questions about the nitty-gritty of sponsored posts, here's everything you need to know.

3 // Definitely making these cookie butter bars soon... they look amazing!

4 // This week, I definitely had to keep reminding myself of these 5 ways to stay positive... but hey, they worked!

5 // Helene made a really cool quiz - take it to find out what kind of blogger you are!

6 // I visited San Francisco briefly a couple years ago, and I've wanted to go back ever since, so of course I bookmarked this  San Francisco travel guide!

7 // Katie helps you decide whether to buy Jack Rogers or Tory Burch Millers

8 // Speaking of Jack Rogers, if you buy a new pair for summer this post on how to break them in is extremely detailed!

9 // Kelly's daughter Emma is the cutest baby ever, and these pictures of her first time visiting the ocean are absolutely adorable!

10 // This off-the-shoulder top is the perfect basic summer top, and it's only $25!

Thanks for reading! I hope y'all have a great week!

Sunny Days In Simply Southern

During the spring and summer, comfy t-shirts are my go-to outfit. Simply Southern has some of the cutest t-shirts, and for such a great price! However, they don't really have a website, so you have to go to other retailers to purchase their shirts. Lakeside Cotton has a great selection of popular preppy brands, such as Lauren James, Jadelynn Brooke, and of course, Simply Southern! They recently sent me their most popular Simply Southern shirt, and it's perfect for warm weather! I surprisingly don't own any other pink t-shirts, so I definitely see myself wearing this a lot.

T-shirt c/o // Shorts // Necklace // Bracelets // Shoes

I paired this t-shirt with these navy denim shorts from Target - they seriously have the best shorts. I also added my Steve Madden sandals and some simple jewelry!

Lakeside Cotton is also having a promotion on their website where you can get these seersucker sunglasses straps with your purchase of $30 or more! Y'all know how much I love seersucker (see this post and this post if you don't believe me) so I can't wait to wear these by the pool this summer.

Thank you, Lakeside Cotton, for sponsoring this post! As always, all opinions are my own!

Life Lately Vol. 19

It's so crazy to believe that an entire year has passed since I published my very first installment of Life Lately. A lot can happen in a year, and this series of blog posts is proof of that! I've really enjoyed documenting my life through these posts, and I'm excited to write more Life Lately posts in the weeks and months to come.

I also just want to briefly apologize for the crazy posting schedule recently with my blog, Instagram, and YouTube. I try to keep a pretty consistent schedule (blog posts every Tuesday and Friday, YouTube videos every Saturday, and Instagram posts every other day) but lately it's been a little difficult. I'll dive more into this topic in depth later on in the post - bear with me!

A lot has happened in the past two weeks, and I'm excited to share it with y'all!

Easter // Easter was so much fun this year! I vlogged the entire weekend, and that video should be up soon on my YouTube channel. On Good Friday, we went to Starbucks and did a little shopping, then saw Beauty & The Beast! On Saturday, we mostly prepared for Easter. On Sunday, we did Easter festivities in the morning, went to church, ate a ton of really good food (can we talk about how perfect this cake is??), and took some really cute pictures! It was definitely a busy weekend, but it was such a fun one.

My Mom's Birthday // My mom's birthday was last week, and to celebrate, we got dinner from Zoe's Kitchen and cake from Whole Foods. We got a white chocolate almond cake, which I'd never tried before, and it was so good. I love Whole Foods' cakes (I got my birthday cake from there) and this one was definitely one of my favorites!

Soccer Season // My school's soccer season has started back up again, which means my weeks are filled with excruciating practices, exciting games, and hours spent refereeing games. I love soccer, and I definitely don't mind devoting time to it, but it definitely makes for a busy week! This was the main reason why the posting schedule has been insane in the past week - I've had either a practice or a game every day and I barely had any time to breathe this weekend between my games and my sister's. My posting schedule will be crazy again this week, but hopefully in May I'll get everything figured out.

FC Dallas Game // FC Dallas is Dallas's professional soccer team, and I always enjoy going to their games! I went this past weekend with my friend Vicki, and we had so much fun! It was definitely a suspenseful game, but Dallas pulled through at the last second and scored a goal, so we won.

Thanks for reading! I hope you had a great weekend!

Anywhere I Go

I'm honestly so happy that it's finally Spring. I love the blooming flowers, sunny days, and all the fun holidays that come in Spring! I feel like the Spring trends this year are so cute - from gingham patterned everything, to off the shoulder dresses, to bell sleeved tops, and everything in between. I'm always looking for cute, trendy boutiques to shop from, and when I found the Mint Julep Boutique I was instantly captivated by all of their cute, trendy clothes. I'm so excited today to be partnering with them to bring you this outfit that is perfect for warm weather! Enjoy!

Top c/o // White Jeans // Sandals // Necklace // Sunglasses // Lipstick (similar)

This top is called the "Anywhere I Go" top, and I'm head over heels for it! Everything about it screamed my name, from the chambray color, to the adorable bow details, to the fun bell sleeves. I immediately pictured pairing it with some white jeans and simple jewelry, and I love how this look turned out. Since it was kind of a bright day, I also added my Kate Spade sunglasses.

When I was scrolling through all of the clothes on their website, I found so many things I loved! The top featured in this blog post was definitely my favorite, but I came across so many more trendy dresses and tops that I have my eye on. This top is also incredibly affordable, so you should definitely go buy it so we can be twinning!

Make sure you check out The Mint Julep Boutique's Instagram account too, so you can stay up to date on all of their sales and new arrivals. If you sign up for their emails, you can also get $10 off of your first order. Happy shopping!

What's your favorite spring trend? Let me know by leaving a comment!

Link Love Vol. 18

Happy Good Friday! This week has actually been a really good one - so many fun things have happened, and now I get to enjoy a three day weekend, which I'm naturally ecstatic about. Easter is one of my favorite holidays, and I'm so glad to be celebrating it this weekend!

Also - I'm sorry this post got up so late. This week's short schedule completely threw me off, and I forgot about this post until I realized it was Friday. But, you know what they say, better late than never!

1 // First and foremost, please read this article on the importance of Good Friday.

2 // I made this hummus pasta for dinner recently, and it was fairly easy and really yummy!

3 // I'm in love with all of the gorgeous pictures from Ashlyn's California road trip.

4 // I've got my eye on this contour pallet from Too Faced!

5 // Chambray is such a pretty fabric, and here are 8 chambray dresses that are all under $50!

6 // I'm definitely not the best at creating an Instagram theme, so these tips were very helpful!

7 // Pure Barre has always sounded intriguing to me, so I loved Katie's thorough review on it!

8 // I'm in love with this spring look that Lucy shared a couple days ago!

9 // This Lauren James top... I'm OBSESSED

10 // I worked really hard on my latest YouTube video and I'm so proud of how it turned out! Go check it out!

11 // If I could be anywhere in the world right now, I'd be at this Lilly Pulitzer hotel room...

12 // This article about Gilmore Girls really made me miss the show!

13 // Faith's trip to the Bahamas looks like so much fun!

14 // Dorothy shares how to write a genuine thank you note

Have a Happy Easter!!

5 Makeup Products I Swear By

By no means am I a huge makeup guru. I don't own a ton of makeup products, and I rarely ever shop for makeup. That being said, I have a consistent supply of a few makeup products that I use on a daily basis. While my makeup routine is pretty natural, I swear by these five products. I use them every day, and when I run out, I buy the exact same thing that I had before. I know I like these products, so I don't even bother trying anything else!

I recently did a makeup routine on my YouTube channel, which you can watch by clicking here! I used all of the below products in the video, so make sure you go check that out!

Tarte Mascara // Mascara is my favorite beauty product, and I've used this type of mascara for three years now. It makes my lashes long and voluminous, without clumping up or anything. Tarte has two mascaras that I really like - Lights, Camera, Lashes & Lights, Camera, Flashes.

EOS Lip Balm // I can't tell you how many of these things I've owned at some point in time. I seem to buy a new one every time I'm at Target, and I have at least five stashed in my room right now. These work really well at keeping my lips moisturized, and they come in so many great flavors!

Clinique x Crayola Lip Stick // This is the perfect lipstick because it's not overly pigmented, but it still provides a nice tint to your lips while keeping them moisturized. I have this in the color Pink Sherbet, and I wear it every day!

All About Eyes Concealer // This concealer is amazing beyond words. It provides great coverage, without feeling too heavy or cakey on my face. I use it to conceal my under eye circles and any blemishes I might have, and I love it. I use the shade light neutral, for those of you wondering! :)

Maybelline Superstay Skin Powder // I love this foundation because it's incredibly light. I am fortunate enough to have clear skin, so I don't need a ton of foundation to cover up anything, hence why I don't use a liquid foundation or anything. This foundation still provides coverage, but not to the point where it clogs my pores or anything. If you don't need a heavy foundation, I definitely recommend this one.

For eye shadow and blush, I rely solely on Tarte. They have so many amazing eye shadow pallets, and I've purchased quite a few of them over the years. The one I use right now is sold out, but you really can't go wrong with any of their pallets!

I also thought I'd include the brushes I use - I love any brushes by the brand Real Techniques. They're such high quality, but fairly inexpensive. I have this one, which I use to apply blush, and this one, which I use to blend in my concealer.

Shop all the products mentioned in this post (plus a couple more!) by scrolling through the widget below!

What are your favorite makeup products? Let me know by leaving a comment - I'd love to try some new brands and products!

Life Lately Vol. 18

As I write this, I'm sitting in history class, completely and utterly exhausted. This week has gone on forever, and I'm so thankful for the next two days. They will be filled with soccer, Chick-Fil-A, and Netflix, all of which are just what I need after a long week!

One Year With Cocoa // My family and I recently celebrated the one year anniversary of receiving our bunny, Cocoa! We got her for Easter last year, which was March 27th, and I can't believe an entire year has passed by. She's grown so much in the time we've had her!

My Dad's Birthday // My dad's birthday was last week, so we went to this Thai food place for dinner per his request. I'm not normally one for Asian food, but this restaurant made me completely reevaluate my opinions! I got a salad with shrimp, avocado, and a coconut dressing, and it was delicious! My sister got a bowl of noodles and veggies, which was also really yummy. I'm definitely coming back to this place in the near future!

We also got a strawberry Nothing Bundt Cake for him, since he doesn't like chocolate (?????) which was delicious, as usual. I have a slight addiction to all of their cakes!

On another, less fun note, I got rubber bands on my braces yesterday. Let me just say, not fun. Soup and rice are the only two foods I can eat right now, and I'm hoping I'm able to chew normally by the end of the weekend. If you don't have braces, please take a second to realize how lucky you are!

I know this post was super short, but I didn't really have that much going on. However, I have some exciting things coming up - my mom's birthday is next week, and I've got some fun plans for Easter weekend (which I'll be vlogging on my YouTube channel)! Make sure to stay tuned for that! I also might be going to see Beauty & The Beast this weekend - it's about time!

What have you been up to lately? Let me know by leaving a comment!

Blogger Bloopers Vol. 1

It's easy to get caught up in the seemingly perfect life of bloggers. Often, I will scroll through my Instagram feed, looking at the detailed, high-quality, perfect snapshots of other people's perfect lives. However, it's important to take a step back and realize that for every good picture, there are ten bad ones. I take about 100 pictures for every outfit post, and I only end up sharing maybe 10 of those pictures - and that's after I edit each one! 

Today, I thought I'd give y'all a little glimpse into the behind-the-scenes of my blog posts. Hopefully I can make you laugh, and remind you that nothing is ever "perfect." Without further adieu, here are the never-before-seen, unedited bloopers of my many outfit posts!

From this Instagram post

I guarantee that for every photoshoot, there are about a million photos of me laughing at myself.

From this blog post

*Casually tries to get a cute candid photo, but gets this instead*

From this Instagram post

Yes, I was barefoot in this picture - I needed an Instagram picture but I was in too much of a hurry to grab shoes.

From this blog post

Don't you just hate it when a cute picture is ruined by crappy lighting? Because me too.

From this Instagram post

My little sister was running through the background of my photos so I had to tell her to stop - and apparently, when I yell, I make vivacious hand motions.

From this blog post and this Instagram post

My dad was taking pictures of me in the snow and it was so deep that I had trouble walking in it.

From this blog post

Yet another picture ruined by bad lighting...

From this blog post

"Okay, I'm just gonna casually flip my hair now... not that it will look weird or anything."

In case you want to see the pictures that made the cut, I've linked the blog posts and Instagram pictures underneath each picture. I hope this assortment of bloopers made you laugh and realize what really happens behind the scenes of a blog post.

Here's to bad lighting, unflattering angles, and blurry shots!