Weekend Inspiration: 1 John 4:19

"We love because he first loved us."

1 John 4:19

Photo Credit: 1

Fashion Friday: This or That?

Pink or Gold?

Tory Burch Dee Dee Slippers

They're both marked down from $128, to $84.90, and nearly all sizes are still available.

We're getting some work done to our house, so it's been a little crazy around here lately.  Basically, we've had to be out of the house all day, everyday, since Wednesday.  Thankfully, we're still able to sleep here, but the workers made it clear that they don't want little kiddos running around their work space.  Well, they were supposed to be finished today, but you know how that goes...now they're hoping for next Wednesday!  Ugh.  At least they'll be gone tomorrow and Sunday.

Hope y'all have a wonderful weekend!

Thirsty Thursday: Kiwi Melon Sangria

Talk about a yummy drink!  We bought a ton of kiwi last week, and I've been searching for recipes that contain kiwi, and thought, why not look for a fun cocktail involving kiwi, as well.  I found this recipe at Cocktail Times.  It does involve some "wait time," but it sure sounds like it's worth the wait!

Kiwi Melon Sangria

Ingredients:
- 1 bottle (750 ml) dry white wine such as dry Riesling
- 4 peeled and sliced Zespri green kiwifruit
- 1 cup (237 ml) fresh watermelon, peeled, seeded and cubed
- 1 lime, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 oz Midori melon liqueur
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar


Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher, stirring to crush some of the fruit. Cover and refrigerate overnight for at least 12 hours to let the flavors marry before serving. Serve over ice, including some fruit. Use within 4 days.

Happy Sipping!

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P.S. Yesterday's Wednesday Whereabouts was the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC.  Congrats to all who guessed it correctly!  The best time to go is at Christmas.  They have the best gingerbread house displays, and the Christmas decorations there are beautiful!
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If interested, Vineyard Vines is offering an extra 50% off all sale items.  Just use the code: FIFTY.  I found some great items, but think I'm going to check out the store today, so I can save on shipping.
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Couldn't resist showing you E's latest "CHEESE!" face.

 Such concentration.

Hope y'all have a lovely Thursday!

The Heels play tonight - beat that Wolfpack!

Wednesday Whereabouts: Tory Burch Cause

Can you guess the location?  My family and I visited here a couple of years ago...

Four of the six of us.

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Looking for a cute Valentine's gift, that goes to a great cause...

Tory Burch Thailand Relief Shirt

We ♥ Thailand. 100% of the net proceeds of every Thailand Flood Relief T-shirt will go to the Chaipattana Foundation to support the flood relief efforts. The elephant-print heart graphic was created exclusively to help benefit this urgent cause.

Receive free Standard Shipping on any purchase of the Thailand Relief T-shirt.

No promotion code necessary.

This item is available for pre-order. Orders will be shipped out by 2/23.

Tuesday Trends: C. Wonder

Have you tried C. Wonder yet?

From their site:  "Created to deliver brightness to every corner of life, C. Wonder offers an entirely new retail experience: clothing, accessories and home decor products of outstanding quality and astonishing value in a setting that excites and inspires.

C. Wonder offers a diverse assortment of beautiful, versatile and spirited products that pair timeless design elements with fresh twists, such as unexpected colors and patterned linings. We edit our collection to offer solely must-haves — key items to enhance a room, refresh a wardrobe or inspire a memorable experience.

Our retail stores immerse visitors into the world of C. Wonder, a jubilant celebration of design and discovery and an inviting destination for shoppers. With breathtaking, always-changing window and floor displays, gorgeous decorative schemes inspired by fine homes, and intriguing surprises to uncover (visit our fitting room!), C. Wonder is an absolute delight to visit."

P.S. Their prices are very affordable, for the quality of product you receive.  It's also Tory Burch's ex-husband's company.

I was very impressed with the quality of these C. Wonder porcelain balls I purchased.

And the sale price was pretty great, too - only $12.99 for FIVE!

If you've tried C. Wonder, what did you get, that you loved?

Monday Manners: Table Manners Basics, Downtown Abbey

I hope all of you had a great weekend!  We finally got rain, which was good for little L's cough, but other than that, it kept us all inside, trying to find any activity to do, rather than watch TV all weekend long.  Lots of markers and art, Play-doh, pretend play and reading!  I also caught up on all of my laundry, thanks to my special little helper.  Can't believe he's already four months old!  And yes, he's in a PINK Bumbo...

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If you're in need of some basic table manners, I found these tips pretty comprehensive on eHow.  Not only are they good to refresh our memories on the rules, but they're great to share with your children, too.  I did Teen Cotillion in junior high and high school, and was also a debutante, but I still need a refresher every once in awhile.  Like #5, I completely forgot about that one!  Are there any you can add?  For the full details on each rule, click here for the complete article.

Tip #1: For all questions involving etiquette, just use your brains.
Tip #2: Never do anything until the host does it first.
Tip #3: Use your utensils from the outside in.
Tip #4: If you're not sure what to do, wait and see what your neighbor does.  If that offers no clue, just fake it.
Tip #5: Never let any utensils, once used, ever touch the table again. (That includes leaning a fork onto the plate.)
Tip #6: Do not put the entire soup spoon in your mouth.
Tip #7: If you spill something, don't make a big deal of it.
Tip #8: If you're not sure whether or not you can eat something with your fingers, just use a utensil.

Mom-isms: Just think of this as the potpourri of things you've heard all your life about table manners. Most of them were 100 percent correct:

* Don't grab food.

* Don't talk with your mouth full.

* Chew with your mouth closed and no noise.

* Excuse yourself if you get up to go somewhere (the bathroom or to make a call).

* Don't pick something out of your teeth (just excuse yourself to the bathroom).

* Don't leave lipstick smears on anything.

* Don't put items on the table (meaning a purse, papers, keys).

* Don't smoke.

* Don't tilt or squirm in your chair.

How do you end with a good impression?  Place your knife and fork on the plate so that they are parallel to each other, at the 11 o'clock position (a diagonal from bottom right to top left) with the points facing away from you.  And never put your napkin on the table, signaling to others you are finished, until all others have finished their meal, as well.

Pinkies up!

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If you've been watching Downton Abbey, I thought you'd think this was fun!  Click here to take the quiz, and find out which Downton Abbey you are.  Come back and comment, and let me know who you are!

I'm Mr Bates, Lord Grantham’s valet (Brendan Coyle). You are a patient, kind, salt-of-the-earth type.  But sometimes your self-righteousness can threaten to engulf you.

Photo Credit: 1, 2

Weekend Inspiration: Job 37:14

"Listen to this, Job; stop and consider God's wonders."

Job 37:14

Photo Credit: 1

I've Picked a Winner!

With only twenty entries, the odds were definitely in everyone's favor who entered!  But unfortunately, there could only be one winner of the Pom Posh Children Boutique.  And it is...

Congratulations, Joanna!

You have won a $25 gift certificate to Pom Posh!

Email me at sweetsouthernprep@gmail.com, and I'll get you your code.

P.S. Shipping is only around $1.50.  Can't beat that!

Here's W, in a dress from Pom Posh...

Zutano Florilee Pleat Dress

Thanks to everyone who entered.  And thanks again for reading!

I'll be announcing another giveaway soon, so stay tuned!

Hope y'all have a wonderful weekend!

Fashion Friday: Little Lilly and Old Navy

Did any of you take advantage of Lilly's Online Cheer sale at the beginning of the month?  Since I can hand down all of W's Lilly shifts to E, I stocked up on more shifts for W.  I ended up with six, but at only $19 each, I just couldn't pass them up.  They're such an easy thing to throw on in the summer, and definitely a summer staple in W's wardrobe.  Here are a few that I picked up...

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Looks like Old Navy is channeling Anthropologie, which I love!  Here's a must-have.  And with free shipping and 15% off, use code: SURPRISE15.

Bird Print Charmeuse Blouse

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Hope y'all have a wonderful weekend!

The Tarheels got their act together last night, after Saturday's catastrophe.

Makes our household, a happy household. ;)

Thirsty Thursday: Bloody Maria

While I do love a good, spicy Bloody Mary, with a dash of horseradish, and Old Bay on the rim, garnished with lots of olives, I found this Bloody Maria recipe in Town & Country this month, and it sounds so simple and smooth.  I think I need to give it a try.  My favorite time of day for a Bloody Mary?  Brunch or a Tailgate!

Bloody Maria

From Dan Tana's in West Hollywood

2 shots DeLeon anejo tequila

Tomato Juice

Dash of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce

Garnish with a lime slice

*I'd probably still salt the rim.

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This arrived in my inbox this morning from Nordstrom...

With your $125 beauty or fragrance purchase, receive:

• Bare Escentuals® Pretty Amazing Lip Color (0.07 oz.)
• Brazilian Peel (1 application)
• Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser (0.69 oz.)
• Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Repair Crème (0.42 oz.)
• Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Hand Cream (0.5 oz.)
• DDF Amplifying Elixir (0.5 oz.)
• StriVectin-SD® Instant Retexturizing Scrub (0.75 oz.)
• Bliss Blood Orange + White Pepper Body Butter (1.7 oz.)
• philosophy miracle worker eye cream (0.1 oz.)
• MARC JACOBS Daisy Eau de Toilette (0.13 oz.)
• Versace Vanitas Eau de Parfum (0.17 oz.)
• BCBGMAXAZRIA Eau de Parfum (0.25 oz.)
• Cosmetics Bag

Hurry and Get More Gift—Over $180 Combined Value

For a limited time, spend an additional $25 and you'll also receive:

• Trish McEvoy Classic Eye Pencil in Grey (0.15 oz.)
• Trish McEvoy Eye Base Essentials (0.025 oz.)
• Trish McEvoy Lash Enhancer Nighttime Conditioning Treatment (0.034 oz.)
• Orange Cosmetics Pouch

I always love trying new products.  Have you tried any of these before?  May have to indulge, just for the cute cosmetics bag and StriVectin.  I've never used it before, but I've heard it works wonders.

Hope y'all have a lovely Thursday!

Photo Credit: 1

Wednesday Whereabouts

Last Thursday, my girlfriends and I had such a fun night, we went out for dinner and drinks, and had the best time catching up, away from the hustle and bustle of everything going on at home.  I hope we get a chance to do it more often!

Getting educated about the iPhone.

And here are a few from my friends' phone...

Happy Wednesday, Y'all!

Don't forget, today's the last day to enter my giveaway!

Monday Manners: Facebook Etiquette

Happy Holiday Monday, y'all!  A friend sent me this article, and I couldn't help but use it for a Monday Manners post.  Enjoy!

Real Simple asked readers to share their biggest Facebook pet peeves.  Here, get the results of this exclusive survey.

by: Kristin Appenbrink

What’s the Most Annoying Kind of Facebook Update?

24 percent: Intentionally vague posts meant to generate concern and attention, a.k.a. vaguebooking. “Jennifer wonders whether it’s all been worth it.”

20 percent: Chronic complaining. “Ugh, who ordered this RAIN? It’s making my carpal tunnel act up again.”

19 percent: Meaningless calls to action. “If you want to fight world hunger, put the color of your socks as your status update for the next half hour. I want to see who is brave enough to take a stand.”

14 percent: Oversharing. “Note to self: Next time, wear a thong with that wrap dress.”

13 percent: Miscellaneous posts—including polarizing religious or political statements, indecipherable txt spk, and game updates.

10 percent: Posting too frequently. “12:03: Chicken salad or tuna? 12:12: Chicken! Thanks for the responses.”

What’s the Most Irritating Status Update You’ve Seen in the Past 24 Hours?

• “Love you, sheriff!”* (That’s her nickname for her husband. Sometimes she includes a picture of herself in lingerie.)
• “I’d like to thank my wonderrrful boyfriend for bringing me cinnamon rolls in bed this morning and making this Monday a great start to my week.”
• “With 10 grams of fiber per serving, Uncle Sam cereal should come with a warning label: Do not eat if your commute is longer than 10 minutes.”
• “I wish someone cared.”
• “Who just ran 11 miles around town and feels great? This guy!”
• “So tired. Going to bed now.”
• “Tanning at the country club.”
• “[NAME OMITTED] just checked in at Omaha Nasal & Sinus Center.”*
• “I’m already in a bad mood, then this girl in class has a stinky lunch! How did she know I wanted 2 smell that crap 4 the next hour!?”

Other Dishonorable Mentions

• Quotations and song lyrics
• Bad grammar and spelling
• Anything involving Mondays

What’s the Most Irksome Facebook Request?

35 percent: Quizzes. “Which literary heroine/classic movie/pizza topping are you?”
32 percent: A friend request from a stranger.
23 percent: Invitations to join random groups. “Share memories of Camp Slippery Elm!”
10 percent: A friend request from a near stranger—that is, someone from the distant past—with no message.

Facebook Photos: To Tag or Not to Tag?

74 percent of readers don’t ask permission before tagging someone else in a photo.
62 percent post photos of people who aren’t on Facebook.
Despite these statistics, a common reader complaint was being tagged in photos that don’t flatter them—or even feature them. (One poor woman reported that her “friends” tagged her in a photo of a balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.) “What if we’re doing something inappropriate?” wrote one reader. “I’m in law school and cannot risk offending a future employer.”
As with language, follow “the grandmother rule,” advises Smith. “Post only pictures that person would be pleased to share with her grandmother,” she says. “Otherwise get permission first.” Never post a photo of someone else’s children without permission. And if you do come across an image of yourself on Facebook that’s less than stellar, click the Report/Remove Tag option below the photo on the right, which will let you unlink it from your profile; report it as spam; or send a message to the person and ask that it be removed.

Other Photos We Would Rather Not See

• Multiple PDA photos. (Says one reader: “I don’t care about your love. Your love is gross.”)
• Every single one of the 3,668 blurry shots that you took of the Grand Canyon.
• What you are eating/are about to eat/have eaten.
• Self-portraits in the bathroom mirror. (“You’re all dolled up to go out, but I can see your toilet. Not sexy!”)
• Inebriated people.
• Shirtless people (men or women).
• Endless baby pictures.
• Profile pictures of pets, cartoon characters, or anything that isn’t the person in the profile. (One reader commented that when she receives a friend request and all she sees is a sonogram, she gets confused.)
• Duck face—that pouty, “sexy” expression characterized by pooched-out lips.

So, I'm definitely guilty of some of these offenses (i.e. "endless baby pictures" for one.)  Do you feel like you follow proper Facebook etiquette?

Photo Credit: 1

Weekend Inspiration: Matthew 28:19-20

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. 

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:19-20

Photo Credit: 1

Thirsty Thursday: Adult Hot Chocolate

With this cold weather lingering for awhile, I thought this week's cocktail would have to have some requirements: warm AND toasty.  I headed over to Drink Nation, and typed in "warm and toasty," and here's the first cocktail on the list.  Super simple, and super yummy!  Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz. Peppermint Schnapps
1 Cup Hot Chocolate
Top with Whipped cream

Warm your mug first, it makes the drink stay warmer longer. Put the schnapps into your mug, and fill it with hot chocolate. Top with whipped cream, and chocolate shavings are good too!
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I'd love to be wearing this, while cozying up to the fire and sipping my hot chocolate...

McDuff Belted Cape Cardigan

And toss these in, for good measure...

NEW! Kate Spade Sailor's Knot Studs

...the models ears seemed a bit bare, in the photo above.

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Don't forget to enter my Pom Posh Children Boutique giveaway.  Click here for all the details.

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Really random fact (heard it on the radio this morning):

Did you know that you aren't allowed to pump your own gas in New Jersey or Oregon?

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Stay warm, y'all!

Photo Credit: 1

Wednesday Whereabouts: Pom Posh Giveaway

Hey, Y'all!  As if you haven't guessed by my absence of posts these last couple of days, life has been rather busy around here.  We're attempting to put our house on the market, and looking elsewhere in the city for a place.  We're busting at the seams in this little home.  We've been putting away toys, rearranging and organizing everything in sight.  And the weather here has been pretty miserable, to boot.  Cold rain slows my motivation like no other.  So, needless to say, after cleaning out earlier this week, I've been reading under the covers while the kiddos nap, and getting lots of rest!

On another more important note, while I've been online shopping for some spring clothes for the kids, Pom Posh Children Boutique contacted me about hosting a giveaway!  They're online boutique is right up my alley.  I seriously could buy everything on the site...from the bows to dresses, rompers to party favors.  Plus, Pom Posh has a great sale right now, as they're trying to get rid of all their Christmas stock.  Check them out, when you get a chance.  My guess is that you'll love it as much as I do.  Here are just a few of my favorite things...

Owl Baby Dress with Diaper Cover

Cupcake Outfit

Seersucker Booties

Ruffle Cardigan

Aspen Ayana Dress

Chick Outfit

Green Corker Bow

Golf Longall

Truck Shorall

Pom Posh Children Boutique carries a variety of designers: Mud Pie, Le Top, Zutano, Jelly the Pug, and Stephen Joseph and Episencial.  They also offer free shipping on orders over $100.

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Now, onto the best part...the giveaway!  Pom Posh Children Boutique has generously offered to give away a $25 gift certificate to the lucky winner.

Here are the many ways you can enter the giveaway:

1 Entry:  Become a follower of Sweet Southern Prep (or let me know you already are)

Extra Entry:  Grab my button (or let me know you already have it)

Extra Entry:  Blog about the giveaway on your blog

Extra Entry:  Tell me your favorite item from Pom Posh Children Boutique

Extra Entry: "Like" Pom Posh Children Boutique on Facebook

Extra Entry:  Tweet about the giveaway (make sure to tell me your name on Twitter). Mine is @SweetSouthPrep.

An extra entry each for every time someone refers you in their comments, about how they found out about the giveaway (I'll keep track of this.).  Endless entries!

Please let me know in ONE comment, how many entries you get.  The easiest way would be to list it on your comment, 1., 2., 3., etc in one comment box.  That would help organize it for me a great deal.  There are lots of ways to get extra entries.  This is a quick giveaway!!  It will end on Wednesday, January 18th, at 11:59pm.  I'll choose the winner the next day, and announce the lucky winner on Friday's post, the 20th.

Good luck, y'all!  And thanks again for reading!