• travel,  zoos and aquariums

    New Orleans: Audubon Zoo

    Happy Wednesday! I am starting my recap of our vacation in New Orleans, LA with our trip to the zoo. This was our first outing, the day after our 8 hour or so drive from Atlanta. We did stop for lunch and gas at Buccees on the way down and of course we had to have a couple extra bathroom breaks. We had visited the Audubon zoo once before on our last trip 4 to 5 years ago. I wasn’t in the greatest of mood this particular morning so I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first time. I love this fountain area at the entrance of the zoo.…

  • fashion,  summer,  Sunday Showcase

    Polka Dots for Summer with the Sunday Showcase Link Up

    After taking about a week break from the blog to spend time with family on our vacation, I am back! I have so much to write about our week in New Orleans from sharing some outfits to some of the fun adventures we had. So be prepared: June is going to be all about New Orleans! But today, Ada and I are sharing some polka dots for summer! I actually do not have many items with polka dots in my closet, I think I only have 2 possibly 3. I bought this dress 3 years ago when I was influenced by Lisa from Coast to Coast who shared the dress…

  • budget,  fashion,  summer

    Monochromatic Fuschia Look

    This past month, I entered a few giveaways and I was very happy to win a $100 giveway from I’ll have what she’s wearing! It actually took me a minute to decide what I wanted to get as there were a number of things that caught my eye. One of the first pieces I chose was this fuschia top with a v-neck. I wore it with a denim skirt for a reel and have another idea for a July post but today, I thought it would be fun to share a bright monochromatic look. My son and I went to the “duck pond” to take some pictures and I have…

  • friday favorites,  mom

    May Favorites: Things that Make me Smile

    We are heading on a vacation to New Orleans tomorrow and I only have a post scheduled for Monday. I will be back to my regular schedule starting with the Sunday Showcase on June 5. Today I wanted to end this month by sharing a few things that have brought me joy this past month. Lavender I have always loved the scent of lavender and kept some lavender my friend and I picked 25 years ago till just recently. I have been trying to grow lavender and my first plant is the only one that has done well and survived. This is a picture of some of the blooms. I…

  • budget,  fashion,  Ways to wear

    Wearing your Shoes with Multiple Outfits

    In my March/April clothing budget, I shared I had bought 5 pairs of shoes during that time period. While one was not a good buy as they are really a little small therefore not really comfortable, I wanted to share different ways I am wearing each pair of shoes and highlight them to show how they are versatile and are worthy of a space in my closet. Time and Tru Walmart Sneakers This pair replaced two pairs of white sneakers I had that were showing some wear but mostly I did not find very comfortable anymore. These new sneakers are comfortable, trendy and very versatile. I wear my regular size…

  • ageless style link up,  fashion,  spring

    May Flowers with the Ageless Style Link Up

    This was one of those instances when I take pictures for a blog post way ahead of time. I bought this pretty dress in a little boutique while on spring break in Tennessee and when I discovered this pretty patch of flowers off of the road our cabin was on, I told my boys we had to take some blog pictures. Thankfully, we chose the sunniest and warmest day so it was pleasant to take the pictures despite some thorns and our worry about poison oak and poison ivy. If there was any, we were spared! This is my favorite picture of the bunch! This Umgee dress is a true…

  • travel

    Hilton Conference Center in Marietta, GA

    We spent a night in Marietta for Pascha weekend since we knew liturgy would last well into the morning and there was a meal after. We took advantage of our hotel points (my husband still travels for work and stays at Hilton hotels) to book a couple rooms at the Hilton Conference Center which is just 2 minutes from church, the square in Marietta and my favorite French bakery, Douceur de France. We don’t typically stay at the really nice hotels choosing budget friendly ones typically (but we did stay at the Waldorf Astoria in New Orleans once and the hotel in Spain was comparable to this one) so we…

  • budget,  fashion,  inspired by,  spring

    Inspired by Looks for Spring

    On Saturday, I decided to proofread Monday’s post (this one) to realize I actually had not written it! I have been cranking out blog posts and scheduling them as inspiration strikes and had the pictures for this post but lo and behold, I had not written it. This inspired by post was inspired by Dawn from Just doing my Best and Debi from A Beautiful Second Act. What I usually do is snap a screenshot when I come across an outfit I like and feel I can reproduce in some manner and it just turned out that each had two within a time period that inspired me. Wide Leg Denim…

  • outdoors,  travel

    Atlanta Botanical Gardens: Flora

    This post concludes my short series focusing on the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. We really enjoyed our visit and this beautiful space reminded me how much I like flowers and plants even if I do not have a green thumb. Not too much was in full bloom when we visited (the orchids area was closed, the tulips were gone and the roses were not there yet) but it was still beautiful. This beautiful plant is a flame azalea: I would have guessed it was a type of honeysuckle. Gorgeous! I used to have a camelia bush… it died! I am not one to water plants so when I try to grow…

  • outdoors,  travel

    Atlanta Botanical Gardens: Favorite Spots

    When I uploaded the pictures for my Atlanta Botanical Gardens posts, I realized that I wanted to separate them in a couple more posts as I wanted you to soak the beauty in and not be overwhelmed my too many pictures. This post is focusing on different areas of the gardens that inspired me with their beauty or that the boys and I particularly enjoyed. This might be one of the most known features of the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. It was part of a large exhibition some years ago and the “Earth Goddess” is usually covered by many annuals. It is in located in the Cascade Gardens which you reach…