Shopaholic in Alabama

Happy Thursday! One day closer to the long 4th of July holiday weekend!  Last night I was all over the internet, looking for recipes for new and interesting 4th of July fare. Lucky me, I found this "Fourth of July Cocktail" recipe on the Food Network website (link HERE ). Now I'm dying to try it, perhaps a trip to the ABC store is a requisite stop today! :-)  Ingredients 1 ounce watermelon schnapps 1 big splash  cranberry  juice 1 very thin slice jalapeno or serrano pepper 1 slice lemon 1 slice lime 1 1/2 ounces  tequila 1/4 ounce blue curacao 1/2 ounce simple syrup Watermelon  wedge, for garnish (optional) Directions Mix the  schnapps  and cranberry juice in a shaker; pour into an ice-filled glass. Muddle  the jalapeno pepper, lemon and lime slices, tequila, blue curacao and simple syrup (to make a batch, dissolve sugar in equal parts hot water and chill) in the shaker. Slowly  strain  into the glass over the re...

Hello, Shopaholics! Welcome to Wish List Wednesday, the 4th of July edition! Many of us have gatherings, parties, BBQ's - or maybe just a day at the beach planned for 4th of July. Our annual celebration includes: sit on the beach all day, come inside for dinner, then walk right back across the street for the fireworks display. In all likelihood, I will have on a swimsuit and coverup from 10am - 10pm. Wish I could tell you it's more exciting than that, but honestly - that's just how we roll around here. :-) Now - if I were to actually go somewhere else, my ensemble would include the following... Lilly Pulitzer Roslyn Skirt, Cherry Bomb (available on www.lillypulitzer.com) Lilly Pulitzer Wynne Top, White, imagine without the green shorts! (available on www.lillypulitzer.com) Kenneth Jay Lane Caribbean Coral Cuff, in Red (available on www.qvc.com) Jack Rogers Sandals, Navy with Red Trim (available on www.sandalworld.com) How will you spend the 4th o...

Welcome to Temptation Tuesday!  If you're like me, your inbox is flooded every day with sale notices from all the flash sale websites. Most of the time, I just take a quick look at the boutiques or designers featured and am able to walk away without ordering a single thing. However, there is the occasional day that I literally want.everything.I.see. It was that way yesterday on One Kings Lane. (If you're not already a member of OKL, you can sign up free HERE ).  Although the items and boutiques I'm featuring today were technically part of Monday's sales, they are still active until Thursday. So we still have time to order as long as they are available!  First Tempting Boutique - Artist Editions: Beach Towels & Totes (you already know I love the beach so this boutique hit close to home!) A few of my favorite items included:  S. Moss, Sunglasses, Berry, Reversible, $29 Tom Slaughter, Anchor, Red, $25 Tom Slaughter, Anchor, Aqua, Reversible, $29 ...

      Good Morning, Shopaholics! Welcome to Monday! Never thought I'd be so happy to see the beginning of a new week!  You guys remember that the DH is traveling a lot now, right? Well he has been gone for almost two weeks now. The first week was actually ok - I had lots of projects, etc keeping me busy and the time flew by. Last week though...that was a different story. If it were possible for something to break, screw up, or for me to just need someone to talk to - it all happened last week. I was beginning to feel like the universe had it out for me.  Last Tuesday, the car would.not.start. Naturally, the DH is in our second car (my backup), so I was stuck. Thank goodness my sister and her boys came down to help me. Of course it happened on a day when I had a ton of errands to run and lots of business to handle so I was really in a bind.  A few days before the car episode, my laptop died. My entire life is on that machine. So many photos, d...

Happy Sunday! How are you spending the day? I haven't been feeling well the past two days, so I'm hanging inside today, even though it's gorgeous outside. i keep thinking about all the sun I am missing...but have no energy to walk across the street. Ugh. Most of you have probably heard by now that Lilly Pulitzer "Home" is on Rue La La today. (If you're not already a member of RLL, your free invite is HERE ). The sale started this morning, and of course lots of items are sold out. However, there are still great deals available.  A few of my favorites included today: Lilly Pulitzer Set of 2 Market Bags, $15.90 Lilly Pulitzer "Latte Da!" Set of 4 Mugs, $29.90 Lilly Pulitzer Set of 2 Thermal Mugs, $19.90 Lilly Pulitzer 6pc Stationery Set, $39.90 Lilly Pulitzer Set of 2 Market Bags, $15.90 Did you shop the Lilly Pulitzer sale today? I bought the yellow set of market totes, and the Thermal mug set pictured above. What about you? Don...

Happy Saturday, Shopaholics! Hope your week has been better than mine! Sorry about being absent for the past week - my laptop died and I have been working from a dinosaur desktop computer. It's been a form of torture.  I wanted to blog and show you guys these pictures last week for my Salt Water Saturday post - but I wasn't sure I'd be able to recover the photos. Thankfully --- this series of photos were intact.  There is absolutely nothing like leaving the dock before daylight, and already being on a fishing spot when the sun rises over the Gulf of Mexico... We had a very successful day of red snapper fishing. The new limits in our area are two fish per person, per day. I was fishing with the DH and my Father - and we had our six fish by 9am.  Dad caught a nice King Mackerel - however, it was catch and release on that baby because we don't eat them. Our rule: if you don't eat the fish, or we're not fishing in a tournament, we let them live. Then...

TGIF, Shopaholics! Welcome to another edition of Fearless Fitness Friday! One thing I have learned about working out and trying to get into shape: it is very important to "Mix It Up". If I don't mix up my routines and take new classes, etc - I get bored very quickly. When possible, it's best to keep the exercise fun. It makes the time go by faster, and the overall effort seem less painful. Friends have commented that I sure am working out a lot. I'm trying to get in 4 classes or workouts every week, and some weeks I have managed to make that 5. Ideally I would love to work out 5-6 days a week, and feel this is reasonable considering I don't have a "real job". Some of the classes I am taking at the local YMCA include: Hi/Lo Combo Aerobics, Tone To Stone (mainly a toning class with a little cardio), Kickboxing, Cardio Blast (different cardio stations and toning) and Pilates. On the days I don't attend a class at the Y, I am walking/running ...

Happy Thursday, Shopaholics! It seems this week has flown by, I can't believe it's almost time for the weekend! Yeah! :-) Are you on Facebook? Silly question - of course you are! These days it's easier than ever to connect with family, old friends, new friends, current and potential customers, etc via Facebook. Where else can you keep up with friends you haven't seen in 20 years, have your Auntie hit you on the chat, and sell a piece of Lilly - all at the same time? Yep - that's Facebook. Everyone manages their Facebook account differently, and in a manner which is comfortable to them. For me personally, I accept almost every friend request that comes my way. Unless I've been told by a trustworthy friend that someone is a total psycho or potential child molester (don't laugh - I've heard both of those stories) - I generally accept the friend request. As a result, I've reconnected with friends I haven't seen or talked with since as far back a...

Happy Hump Day, Shopaholics!  Welcome to Wish List Wednesday! I suppose it's possible I've watched tooooo many episodes of the "Real Housewives" (New Jersey and Orange County are the current favs) - as today's wish list is filled with beautiful tops and dresses by Sky. Sky was on Rue La La yesterday, and I was quick enough to order one of these tops. (If you're not already a member of RLL, your free invite is HERE ). I'm currently "sleeping on" a few others and might cave tomorrow but had to draw the line somewhere.  If you've ever admired the beautiful beaded and jeweled tops and dresses that lots of the Housewives wear on the episodes - you are going to be in heaven! Without further ado, meet "Sky".  Sky Dodson Midnight Halter Top, $49.90 on Rue La La, $120 retail. (This is the one top I ordered yesterday).  Sky Blue Wave Print Silk Halter Top, $79.90 on Rue La La, $195 retail. Beautiful jeweled neckline, looks marv...

Happy Tuesday! Shopaholic Confession: I finally broke down and bought some Moroccanoil. I have been hearing folks rave about this stuff for a few years - and decided now is the time to take the plunge! With summer upon us, my hair is experiencing a lot of abuse. Isn't it bad enough that we color, blow dry, flat iron, use a curling iron, etc every few days? Then summer arrives and we sunbathe, swim in a pool and the Gulf of Mexico, exercise outside in 90-100 degree heat, wear a ton of ponytails and headbands. Not to mention washing the hair more than normal because it's so darn hot! Enter what I am hoping will be a miracle product - the Moroccanoil Light Oil Treatment. Instructions say to use a small amount on damp hair, then style as usual. For me this means use a significant amount on damp hair, as my hair is extremely thick. Watch what happens - I'll end up loving this product and wanting to purchase everything else in the hair care line. Of cours...

Happy Monday, Shopaholics! Even though I'm technically not supposed to be shopping right now (trying to lose weight and all), I officially broke my resolve.  Meet the new Lilly Pulitzer Worth Shift Dress in Dark N Stormy ($178 retail). If you only buy one new Lilly dress from the Summer collection, this needs to be it. Seriously. I tried really hard to resist the pull of this one, and was successful for about a week. The fit is amazing! The material is vintage slub cotton - part of the "Originals" line - and has a slight bit of give. There are pockets on the sides and the lace details make it really special. Rumor has it they are producing a men's tie in the same print. If that comes to pass, I'll purchase it too as I think that would make a wonderful ensemble for a beach picture. The DH and I like to take one and have it later in the season as an option for our annual holiday card! Dark 'N Stormy is already a huge hit - several of the stores have s...

Happy Saturday! Welcome to my first "Salt Water Saturday" post. All summer I will be bringing you lots of fun posts about how we are entertaining ourselves here on the Alabama Gulf Coast. Today we are going deep sea fishing, approximately 20-30 miles offshore. As you know, our fishing was cut extremely short last summer due to the BP oil spill. We feel like we have a lot of making up to do and plan to get started on it today! :-) Last night we bait fished off the pier (live bait is always better than dead bait - although we have dead bait too), put gas in the boat (120 gallons - that hurt!), made lunches and iced down the drinks. We had a satisfying dinner of royal reds, boiled corn, new potatoes and cold beer. Can't go fishing on an empty stomach, after all... DH fishing for bait, Dauphin Island bridge in the background. He didn't even know I took this one! Even I fished for bait - rest assured though, I was the only person around here wearing full jew...