Tuesday Tunes

Today I'm headed off to the beach with my family! Road trips and lazy days in the sun are the perfect time to crank up some great music!

Here's some tunes that I will definitely be jamming to on my vacay! 

"Save Me, San Francisco"- Train

"Remind Me"- Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood

"Mayberry"- Rascal Flatts

"Honey Bee"- Blake Shelton

"All Over Me"- Josh Turner

Have a fabulous week!

My Fall Fashion Must-Haves!

Wow. This is my first post in over a week- so sorry ladies! It's been a hectic week, and tomorrow I'm headed off to the beach for a few days so I won't be posting much this week either (although I'm thinking of leaving a scheduled post...), but here's a little something I've been wanting to do for a while:

August is officially upon us. While some of us have over a month left and some just a few weeks, it is an undeniable fact that Summer 2011 will soon come to a close. But don't fret, because that just means my absolute favorite season is just around the corner: Autumn! There are so many things I love about Autumn- the crisp air and chilly weather, Halloween, going to a local orchard with friends, getting back into a school schedule, and, of course, getting back into all my fall clothes!

Here are a few of my fall must-haves that every lady should have in her closet:

A black turtleneck

A long sleeve, black turtleneck is the perfect combination of function and fashion. Not only will it keep you toasty warm, but it super easy to accessorize. I love to wear it with a statement necklace or bright scarf, and the black will match practically any color you choose! I have some from Target that I love, and they're a steal at only about $10 each!

Leggings

Leggings are definitely a staple in my wardrobe- I probably wear them more than I wear jeans or jeggings. They keep your legs warmer and are more comfortable with jeans. They look great with tons of different types of shoes, from flats to boots to pumps. I buy mine at Modell's because I've found that athletic leggings look and fit very similiar to the ones you'd find in a clothing store, but are so much more durable.

Jeggings

So many people hate on leggings, but I have to say I am a believer. I actually find jeans really uncomfortable, so jeggings give me the look of wearing jeans, but I end up being much more comfortable. Don't get me wrong, some are hideous- too much legging, not enough jean, but I've found that the secret to the perfect jegging is for them to be just a little more jean than legging. I love the pair that I got from Target, and at only $20, you can't go wrong!

Little Black Flats

Black flats are like the infamous "little black dress", but for your feet. They're a super versatile, classic way to complete almost any outfit, and definitely a go-to in my wardrobe. I actually wore out my last pair after only 2 seasons because I wore them so much, but I just scooped up the ones pictured above ( Sperry Top-Sider Women's Ashby Flat) at DSW and I cannot wait to wear them!

Cardigans

Cardigans are a super easy way to mix up your wardrobe. Layering one over a shirt automatically adds more depth and interest to your outfit, without bulking you up. They're also a great way to extend your clothes over multiple seasons- take your favorite summer tank, throw a cardigan over it, and you're set for a crisp fall day! A black one is pretty much a staple since it will go with practically anything, but don't be afraid to mix it up with other colors- I have  pink ones, blue ones, purple ones, etc. and I've found they add an awesome pop of color over a dark top!

What are your must-haves items for Fall?

Newsworthy Nails!

Hello girlies! (and guys too if you're out there!)

Today I thought I'd share with you guys a little trick that I learned this weekend for doing my nails. If you played with Silly Puddy as a kid, you might remember that you could stick it on newspaper and the ink would transfer over. My uncle taught me how to do it, and I thought it was the coolest thing. Well now I get to be a kid again because yesterday my brother's girlfriend Vicky taught me how to transfer newspaper onto my nails!

I'm not exactly great at freehand nail art, and I wasn't very impressed wth the Sally Hansen Salon Effects stickies for everyday wear (they'd be great for an event or if you're in a pinch though), so I'm absolutely loving this because it's super easy and quick!

Here's what you'll need:

First, paint your nails with the color of your choice and let it dry completely.

Once your nails are completely dry, cut strips from the newspaper that are big enough to fit over your fingers (about 4-5 lines of text).

Dip your finger in the rubbing alcohol. Make sure then entire nail is covered.

Bring your finger out of the rubbing alcohol and immediately press one of the newspaper strips onto your nail.

Hold the newspaper in place for about 10 seconds, then peel it off. You can repeat this a few times for each nail depending on how much text you want.

When all of your nails have been inked, go over them with a clear top coat.

Here's what mine looked like when they were done!

Have a fabulous week!

 

Happy Birthday!

Today, July 30th, is my mommy's birthday!

I have to babysit tomorrow night and my brother Matt has to work, so birthday dinner will become birthday lunch, though I'm not exactly sure what we're having yet. Then, tomorrow afternoon my brother Phil's gifrlfriend and I will bake her her cake!

Here's one of my personal favorite pictures of me and my momma!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Friday's Fancies!

Today, for the first time, I'm linking up with {AV} at Long Distance Loving for

Friday's Fancies!

Here is my entry:

It's called 

"WholeHeartedlyHannah- Cowboy Couture"

The set that gets the most "likes" will be featured on next week's Friday's Fancies post, so go on over and vote or if you haven't made an entry, do it!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Ring the Bell

As you may already know from this week's 'What I'm Loving Wednesday' post, today was my mom's last day of radiation therapy for breast cancer. She began earlier this summer and has gone to the hospital everyday. You can read my post about her cancer HERE.

A common tradition among oncology centers is for a patient to ring a bell on his/ her last day of radiation, and my mom's hospital is no different. When it's someone's last day, the whole staff and everyone in the waiting area stand by as the patient rings the bell to symbolize the end of their treatment.


One thing that has really struck me about her treatment is the sense of comraderie among everyone involved. All of the nurses knew the patients by name and vice versa. Everyday, my mom would come home and tell me about the people she talked to in the waiting room, and as time went on, the names got more and more familiar. I could really tell how much they supported and encouraged each other, and it was really a beautiful thing to see that in the flesh today and all of the times I've gone with her.

Today, as my mom came back into the waiting room, tears welled up in her eyes. It really made me happy to see her so happy, as shehas been such a strong fighter and an absolute inspiration to me throughout these last 9 months.

When it was time for her to ring the bell, everyone gathered and I, of course, whipped out my camera to capture on video this momentous day! Since it was a very personal moment I am not going to post the video, but here's a photo to give you an idea of what the bell looks like (although this one is not from our hospital).

Ever since I learned about the tradition of ringing the bell, I have been reminded on a quote from the classic movie "It's a Wonderful Life":

"Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings!"

This quote seems absolutely fitting for today. It is an absolute blessing that her cancer was caught as early as it was, and that her body tolerated treatment so well, and I know that someone has been watching over her these past 9 months.
Her guardian angel definitely deserves its wings.


Have a wonderful weekend!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Hey Everyone!

Today is Wednesday, so of course I'm linking up with Jamie for What I'm Loving Wednesday!

Here's what I'm loving this week:

I'm loving that tomorrow is my mom's last day of radiation! After that she'll get some meds every few weeks and be on some pills, but the big stuff will be over!

I'm loving summer movies! Last weekend I went to see Friends with Benefits with a few girlfriends and we loved it! This weekend I'm hoping to go see Crazy Stupid Love when it comes out, and then in  August The Help and The Change-Up both look pretty good!

(Seriously, how cute is JT!?)

I'm loving watching Boy Meets World . It's one of my absolute favorite shows from yesteryear and I just picked up season 2 this weekend- I've been watching it nonstop!

I'm loving browsing Pinterest. I haven't requested an account (or however you even do it...) but looking at gorgeous pictures like these is definitely making me think about joining up!

I'm loving that it's almost time to start back to school shopping! Summer is great, but I love the feeling of starting out the year with brand new clothes and supplies, and getting back into a solid routine!

I'm loving "For Audrey" nail polish by China Glaze.

It's really thin, but I this week I finally figured out a way to make it work, and I've been loving it on my nails. 

It's a perfect summer color!

What are you loving this week!?