Shopaholic in Alabama

...yep, I am on the countdown. Countdown to what, you ask? The first Alabama college football game of the 2012 season!  We are currently making plans to visit Dallas and attend the season-opener: Alabama vs. Michigan on September 1 at 7pm. This game will be played at Cowboys Stadium. Of course, I'm extra excited about that because the Cowboys are my favorite NFL team (too bad, they don't have a home game in Dallas that weekend - that would have been too good to be true).  If any of you are reading from the DFW-metro area, do you have any recommendations for me? I haven't been to Dallas in several years. Are you looking forward to college football season? Who is your favorite team? Now I'm working on my wardrobe - look for a fun post coming up soon on "Game Day Dressing".  Have a Wonderful Wednesday! 

Hello, Shopaholics! Wow - what a Monday around here. I hope your day went well - and was relatively calm for a Monday!   Over the next week, I will be doing a bit of blog "housecleaning". Lately I have noticed that my blog roll needs some updating. If you are a blogger and reader of Shopaholic In Alabama, and want your blog included in my blog roll, please comment (with your blog web address) and let me know you'd like to be included. In return, I would like to respectfully request that my blog is also included in your blog roll! :-) I will also be removing any links to blogs that don't have Shopaholic In Alabama included in their blog roll.  This has been a tough step for me to take. However, I've noticed recently that many of my fellow bloggers don't have my blog listed in their roll. I've always thought the blogging community was pretty tight knit and everyone looked out for each other - even though we all have different styles, different likes and ...

In my lifetime, there have been many tragedies in American history - on American soil. Some were acts of random violence, some were pure accidents, and others were acts of terrorism. With all of these events, I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard the news.  From the shootings in Columbine, to the bombing in Oklahoma City, the Space Shuttle Columbia blowing up over Texas on a Saturday morning, to the 9-11 disaster in NY, DC and a field in PA...none of these directly happened to me, but all hurt my heart as if they did.  Today we are all hurting for the people of the Aurora and Denver metro area. Today we all hurt as Americans. We wonder - what drives someone to be so evil? How could a person - a fellow American citizen, at that - want to harm others in such a horrible manner? The answers are never clear. Sure - it's easy to say the person who allegedly committed this horrible act of violence was crazy. But - was he crazy? Or was he motivated by...

Sometimes, it pays to be home sick!  Yesterday morning I was jolted into reality by the noise of some very strong storms. Lightning, thunder, and rain blowing sideways. I was a little disoriented because after all, I had taken a heavy duty pain pill to get some sleep the night before. (Lortab #10, anyone?). At any rate, I woke in a fog and decided to grab my laptop and stay in bed for several more hours - and hopefully go back to sleep.  When I logged on to the computer, I noticed that Rue La La was in the middle of another "Final Sale" and Toywatch was one of the brands included. Long time readers will remember that last March, I purchased my first Toywatch (blog post HERE ). My original watch is pink and it's plastic. I have worn that watch so much, and I get compliments on it all the time. I have long wanted another Toywatch in a different color, and have been patiently waiting on just the right deal!  The bright green "jelly" Toywatch was on sale for...

You might have noticed - I've been absent around these parts for several days. It's been a rough patch, starting last week.  My 86-year old Nanny had a mastectomy last Thursday. They removed one breast and a dozen lymph nodes under her arm. The cancer was in the breast, and additionally had spread to several of the lymph nodes. She was already in a precarious health state after falling several months ago, and constantly fighting almost debilitating rheumatoid arthritis. Her arthritis has been awful for so many years that her hands, fingers, toes, feet - they are deformed. (there is no polite or nice way to put it). I'm not sure how she has dealt with that constant pain, and then to have to face breast cancer - surgery and possible treatment - at her age and with everything else working against her. It all seems a little unfair.  Nanny is now resting at home and trying to recover from the surgery. I spent last weekend with my family in Mobile, trying to help out. After w...

It's well documented that I love my Skinnygirl Margaritas and White Cranberry Cosmos (originally blogged HERE and HERE ).  Last weekend, I was thrilled to find the new Skinnygirl Pina Colada at the Publix store near my office. For some unknown reason, these products tend to arrive in Florida faster than Alabama. It must have something to do with distribution? At any rate, Publix had two bottles left on the shelf --- and I bought them both!  We enjoyed them over the weekend while at my parent's island home, and I must say I love the new Pina Colada flavor. My DH and Father both said they were "watered down" - but then again, they weren't frozen and heavy pina coladas that taste like ice cream. HA! They are light and refreshing, definitely best served super cold and with a slice of pineapple.  I also noticed that Skinnygirl has added flavored vodkas to their offerings. Tangerine, Island Coconut, Cucumber and Bare Naked are the available flavors. Now I want ...

Sometimes, it's the "little things" that make all the difference... You might be surprised to know that I'm a little "thrifty" when it comes to certain expenses. For instance, I won't bat an eyelash over the cost of a new dress or pair of shoes - but almost refuse to purchase an item at the grocery store that isn't either a) on sale or b) I have a coupon towards. Go figure!  This topic comes up often at work. Earlier this week, we were discussing the cost of buying lunch out vs. bringing lunch from home. I'm in the "bring lunch from home" club. In my experience, it only takes a few minutes (5-10, tops) to throw together a sandwich, fruit and something crunchy (Sun Chips, anyone?). If I'm really pressed for time, it's a Lean Cuisine or Healthy Choice meal plus a snack. I've found that bringing my lunch saves time because I'm not running out looking for food, calories because I'm not eating as much junk/fast food...

Who else was excited to see the Jumbo size agendas from Lilly Pulitzer by Lifeguard Press, new for 2012-2013? I was thrilled to see my favorite agenda offered in an 8.75" x 11.25" size. Call me silly, but I like my agendas, notebooks and books to "stack" properly and the smaller agendas just don't quite fit the bill.  Now - my only decision is which print to order! This Jumbo agenda only comes in two prints - pictured above is "Tiger Would". I love the pink and green color combination with the tigers, and personally believe you can never go wrong with pink and green!  The Jumbo size agenda is also available in the "Getaway Garden" print pictured above. Set on a navy background, this beautiful floral print would look fantastic year round. Both are priced at $33 retail, and include stickers for your calendar. (I always use any leftover stickers on packages that I ship out to friends, family, items sold online, etc. They make a plain pack...

Please join me in congratulating the winner of the Southern Tide Giveaway ! "JulesTX" - you are the lucky winner with the following comment: JulesTX June 29, 2012 4:44 PM Just "liked" you on FB. JulesTX - please email me (lori.driver@hotmail.com) with your name, address and choice of beach towel color so I can provide the information directly to Southern Tide. Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway, and for reading Shopaholic In Alabama. I hope you've all had a fantastic holiday weekend! 

It was the day after the 4th of July. I was the only one at my parent's island home who had to go to work. Everyone else played on the boat all day - here are the results!  My husband, father and brother in law went deep sea fishing, about 30 miles south of Dauphin Island, AL. These are trips I normally do not miss, so I was sad about that. However, we are planning to have a fish fry tonight so at least I'll be able to enjoy the fruits of their labor!                        Hubby with two nice Red Snapper he caught             My Father with a Cobia and Red Snapper he caught                Brother in Law with my nephews and their dog Last but not least, here is my favorite picture of the day. The husband insisted they wait to clean the fish until I came in from work, so I could "see them". HA! So we were on the dock taking pictures, an...

Anyone else happy it's Friday? :-) 

Today, we celebrate our independence on the 4th of July.  It might sound silly, but the speech given by fictional President Whitmore (Bill Pullman) in the movie "Independence Day" always stirs my heartstrings. The address was given to United States Fighter Pilots before going into battle with the enemy, and is widely regarded as one of the best inspiration speeches in "disaster movie" history.  The speech transcript and video clip is below. Although we are not fighting a war against aliens right now (thank goodness!), there are many men and women protecting our freedoms and our way of life. July 4th is the celebration of our national independence. Please enjoy the day and celebrate safely!  Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in this history of mankind. Mankind -- that word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by...

Can you remember the last time you saw a designer's pieces for the first time and thought "oh my goodness - that is amazing"! That recently happened to me when I discovered Jules Reid . Her designs are, in a word, stunning.  The Jules Reid line is a perfect compliment to a beachy-chic lifestyle and her pieces are so versatile. Whether you are sunning poolside, enjoying a glass of wine on the sailboat at sunset, or having dinner with friends inland - rest assured, you will find a piece of Jules Reid that is comfortable, appropriate and beautiful. And the good news: you will not be dressed like everyone else. The brand was created in 2010 when Jules broke tradition by leaving her career as a young Wall Street power broker. Jules had a dream of owning her own interior design firm. Her eye for design, mix of color and bohemian chic style quickly made her a favorite brand with the well traveled - and the rest, as they say: is history!  Jules Reid has been featured in...

What a way to start off a holiday week in style - by brightening your Monday with a few good sales! :-)  First off, Lilly Pulitzer Gifts & Home Accessories will be a featured boutique on Rue La La today. The madness begins at 10AM Central time - be quick, Lilly Pulitzer always sells out with lightning speed. If you need a free invite to Rue La La, use my link HERE .  "Prep for the Fourth" - Kiel James Patrick 4th of July celebration  This Fourth of July we are challenging our fellow Americans to dress to the nines in American-made products. To help spread the word to support locally made products we are offering Kiel James Patrick fans (heroes) a 20% discount for spreading the word to friends and family. Use the Trendyr to share your purchase on your Facebook and Twitter pages, and save 20%. Find Trendyr on the 'View Cart' page. Last but not least, Tracy Negoshian is featured on zulily. There are some fun styles, many of which I don't rem...

Baby, it's hot outside! How are you staying cool this weekend?