Shopaholic in Alabama

Happy Tuesday!  There isn't much I love more than a good road trip. Of course I wish the DH or a girlfriend was able to travel with me, but that wasn't a possibility this time. Hey at least I could listen to ABBA, Aerosmith, Toby Keith, Lady Gaga - whatever I wanted. Sing at the top of my lungs if I wanted, and play the music as loud as possible.  Monday morning I left bright and early and traveled exactly 602 miles to my friend's home in Charlotte. The drive was very easy - no traffic hassles, no wrecks on 85 through Atlanta, and no major construction anywhere. Gas prices were pretty decent too - I saw it as low as $3.34 gallon for regular in Auburn. (Side note: if you'd told me five years ago that I'd be happy to pay $3.34 a gallon, I'd have called you crazy).  I made a slight detour in Atlanta to visit my friend Lisa, who I haven't seen in at least five years. We used to work together when we both lived in Charlotte, but have managed to keep in t...

Happy Monday! Today I'm off on a road trip to parts north. I am very excited and am planning to meet a friend for lunch in Atlanta on the way. In my opinion, one of the best things about having lived in several different cities is having friends all over the place.  On Friday, it finally hit me - it's almost time for football season. WOW. Where has the summer gone? Preseason NFL football games were on television this weekend. Our first Alabama game is on September 3 in Tuscaloosa. Labor Day weekend is looking pretty crazy around here, with the travel to T-town on Saturday and the Kid Rock concert on Monday.  I love football season and enjoy both the college and professional level games. Heck, I even like attending a high school football game. As a teenager, there wasn't much more exciting than the anticipation of a game against a rival school on Friday night. (Well, maybe the parties afterwards, haha).  Are you also looking forward to football season? What are ...

Happy Sunday! After a 4 mile trek to start the day, we had a great time at the beach yesterday. The Gulf of Mexico was as calm as a lake and the water was a beautiful shade of blue and clear as a bell. It was h-o-t outside, but we sat as close to the water as possible and enjoyed a slight breeze.  Even though the DH was (is!) out of town for my birthday, he gave me a wonderful gift. He has always been generous, and after being together for 18 years (married for almost 16), the gift giving is a little more challenging. We're at that point in our lives where everything we would like to "give" each other is big (think: new car, huge 3D television, new boat, etc). I mean seriously, I don't need anything. And believe it or not, we are practical gift givers. :-)  Since DH knew he'd be gone for quite some time, he gave me a trip to visit friends in one of the best cities in the Southeast. Can you guess where I will be heading on Monday? Hint: I actually used to liv...

Happy Saturday, Shopaholics! Today we will continue my birthday celebration with a day of relaxation at the beach. Wishing for nothing but sun and good times! :-)  Thought I would share a few images from our dinner and fun last night. My parents, sister and BFF Priscilla all made it down to the beach. We started with a bottle of wine at home and then a fantastic dinner at a local restaurant, Louisiana Lagniappe in Orange Beach, Alabama.  Take a look at mine and Priscilla's plates.......hers was Grouper Pecan and mine was Bayou Grouper. (Bayou was topped with lump crabmeat, shrimp and meuniere sauce). Amazing dinner!  Grouper Pecan Bayou Grouper We had a great time fooling around with the camera at the table...needless to say, our server was a very patient fellow. Me and Priscilla at dinner...I am wearing the Lilly Pulitzer Worth Shift in Not So Crabby. With my sister Amy...don't y'all love her starfish necklace? All three of us.... So happy my parents were...

Today I will celebrate my birthday. I'm a little bit sad to report, the DH is out of town and won't be able to come home for the festivities. Not that it's a big deal or anything (not a milestone birthday or anything), but I am a LEO and y'all know it's true - Leos love their birthday. I'm no exception! Tonight I will celebrate with my sister and BFF by going out to dinner, and tomorrow with birthday cake and gifts with my parents, nephews and friends. I'm so thankful for it all, but I'm going to miss my sweetie. :-(  My friends at The Pink Pelican in Huntsville have generously offered a giveaway to commemorate the day!  Most of you know, they are one of my favorite Lilly Pulitzer Via shops and I buy lots of my Lilly from Angie and The Pelican Crew! I love knowing that I am supporting a small, female owned business. In today's economy, I think that is very important. If you are considering any purchases from the new Lilly Pulitzer Fall 2011 line...

Happy Thursday! I can't believe the week is almost over....birthday "countdown" officially on!  As a general rule, I'm very tough on my shoes. It's an ongoing joke in my family, with my Mother being the ringleader. I've worn these espadrilles just a few times (maybe three or four) and here's how they look on the back.  When viewing the shoes from the side, they still look great... I couldn't figure out what in the world happened to these shoes, knowing I had only worn them a few times. Then it occurred to me - I wore them while driving. Duh! I used to always keep a pair of Havaianas flip flops in my car, so I wouldn't ruin shoes like this, and they are comfortable driving in 90-100 degree temperatures. When I leave for the spa today, I'll be putting another pair of Havaianas in the car. I won't let this happen again! :-)  Thank goodness these shoes were reasonably priced (maybe $39 from the Calypso St. Barth line for Target). ...

Happy Hump Day, friends! Sorry for my lack of posts recently - just haven't been in the mood to blog and wasn't sure you'd even miss me. Blog readership, comments, etc are way down and I'm not really sure why. I'm beginning to wonder if the Preppy Police blackballed me when I wasn't looking. :-(   Oh well! For those who are still here and still want to read my little blog, get your wallets and your fingers ready for Friday! Lilly Pulitzer is returning to Rue La La (if you're not already a member, you can join free with my link HERE ). The preview photo shows the Shauna Tunic Dress from Fall 2010, so I'm inclined to believe the sale will include items from that collection - and perhaps others! Please see preview pic below - and forgive me for not cropping it and deleting all the "extra stuff" around the photo.  Even more exciting for me? Friday is also my 41st Birthday! So isn't that a perfect excuse to treat myself to a few pieces of ...