Wednesday...Hump Day Shenanigans

This week is FLYING by...and I thought I would have a hard time occupying myself as a SAHM-haha, yeah right. Someone is quite good at keeping me on my toes it seems.

Today, I am off to my former office to gather up all my personal necessities and have a little farwell lunch with my work girlfriends...a little bittersweet to say goodbye to my work colleagues and the company that I have grown with so much these past 6 years, but I think my new adventure is a lot more rewarding ;).

Before I forget, the winner of the PrintRuner Giveaway is none other than Megan from Living the Simple Life! Congratulations my dear...I have sent your information on to PrintRunner and they will be contacting you very soon for your business cards! Thanks to everyone else for playing ;) {P.S. stay tuned for more fun giveaways coming up, too}

I am working for what seems like night and day on Jeff's anniversary present and it is taking me forever! I am all about trying to think of something original and outside the box, but still stick with the traditional paper gift in celebration of year #1, though I digress I am ready to be done with my project... I know he is going to LOVE IT!

We have spent so much time decorating our back deck with new furniture, accessories, and plants and I am excited that it's almost finished...still need to add some additional greenery and restain the deck so all our wood is one color since we had some of it redone, but I am loving our outdoor space-complete with potted herbs!

I need to finish my Seaside beach trip recap, yet low and behold some of my pictures are on my Mom's camera so I need to get those from her ASAP so I can show yall what a great time we had at Julie's wedding!

I'm thinking of hosting another blog sale to rid my closet of some of the garmets I either no longer wear or those I bought and simply haven't worn yet...any of you ladies out there interested?? Most everything I've decided to say goodbye to are dresses {surprise, surprise} and shoes with a few other pieces mixed in.

Hope yall are having a great week...at least it's half way over and the weekend is inching its way back again!

A Fun Giveaway...PrintRunner

Everyone loves a giveaway, am I right? This time, I am partnering with PrintRunner.com, a full service company offering high quality online printing services at an affordable price, specifically for online business card printing.

Remember a few weeks ago when I mentioned my need for fun new business/calling cards? This is the perfect time for me to get my custom PDF design printed, and I'm giving away a set of 250 business cards to one of my followers, too!
A bit more about the giveaway details:

• Business Card Size and Style Business Cards: 2x3.5 (Standard)
• Quantity: 250
• Colors: 4/4 Color Both Sides
• Paper: 14 pt. UV Coating on Front, 14 pt. UV Coating on both sides,
• Proof: NONE
• Rounded Corners: NO
• Ready To Ship In: 3 Business Days
• Giveaway is open to US Residents only, ages 18 years old and above.

Thank you to PrintRunner for providing this giveaway to my blogging friends. I will receive a set of business cards for hosting this contest, as well.

You can follow PrintRunner on Twitter and like them on Facebook, too!

Here are the giveaway instructions to enter:
Leave a comment on this post letting me know that you're a follower of Hello! Happiness as well as a little comment about why you need business cards and what you plan to use them for.
The contest is open from May 21st through the 28th! Thanks for participating and good luck.

The Flavor of the Day

Happy Hump day my dears! It's Wednesday, and I've got quite a fun little morning planned...off to lunch with two of my best friends at The Puffy Muffin...yippee. Nothing like some chicken salad and poppyseed bread to put a little pep in your step on an otherwise "normal" day.

Before I forget, I did want to announce the winner of the Gigi Collection Leather Clutch Giveaway:
a big congratulations goes out to Allyson at Cupcakes and Candy Canes! I'll be sending your information along shortly so you can claim your gorgeous new handbag. And a big thank you to everyone who participated...yall make it so much fun to host giveaways and I love having the opportunity to surprise someone with a little gift every now and then.

In other random news, I FINALLY got my Zulily order the other day. I had bought this dress and bloomer set way back in February and it arrived at my door...talk about cute and affordable-I love a good steal of a deal and this was only $10.

I miss my weekly manicures and pedicures. And no, I don't mean fancy sessions spent at the nail salon, yet me alone in my bathroom doing them all by myself...last night I bought some fabulous new polish {OPI Big Apple Red to be exact} so maybe I can try to juggle things a bit better so I can have pretty nails again. There is something so classic and stylish about the perfect red polish, don't you think?

And because no post is complete without a little tidbit of helpful information, have any of you tried the Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches? Holy bananas they are amazing. I may be trying to shed some pounds, but I cannot for the life of me give up sweets completely. And at a mere 140 calories with 1.5 grams of fat, I don't have to feel too guilty for having one little temptation every now and then! Any other special {tasty, yet not too bad for you} treats I need to know about??

Easter Celebrations

Happy belated Easter friends! Hope you had a great time celebrating...this weekend was wonderful, spent with our families celebrating God and all his many blessings.
Friday night, we had Mimi and Pappy over for dinner...the weather was too nice not to grill out, and we spent the evening catering to CC as she was quite fussy-Mimi to the rescue! Unfortunately, we think we may be venturing into the world no one dares mention...otherwise known as colic. However, we are hoping this is just a little spell of gas/irritability and will go away soon.

Saturday, I was up early to run some errands, and then treated myself to a little shopping adventure at the mall. Being able to wear my normal size in most everything I tried on made this momma feel good, and I stocked up on some fun new summertime essentials for our beach trip!

That afternoon, Jeff's family got into town and we spent the rest of the day enjoying the sunshine, and letting them spend time with Caroline. We had a yummy dinner and then I called it an early night... I was SO thankful for Aunt Jennifer to watch the baby so I could have a few hours of uninterrupted sleep!

Sunday morning we were up and at it...a little sad we couldn't go to Easter service, but we had tons of visitors that afternoon, who were just dying to see Caroline all dressed up in her Easter outfit {courtesy of Great Aunt Denise!}. Look at this camera ham ;)

our first Easter as a family of three ;)

And before I forget, thanks to everyone who participated in the Easter Honeybaked Ham giveaway...Ms. Positively Preppy in Pink is the winner!! Email me your mailing information lady and I'll get you your gift certificate ASAP!

GiGi New York...Leather Envelope Clutch Giveaway!!

It's been quite some time since I've hosted a big giveaway, so I thought this would be the perfect time to do so. With so many exciting {and dressy} events coming up, who doesn't need a clutch to sport with a fun little outfit? Not to mention, I am known as the "bag lady" with my love affair of any type of purse, tote, and handbag.

I was recently sent the gorgeous Leather Envelope Clutch as part of the new GiGi New York line by Graphic Image, and I am loving it...even better, it's my favorite beloved orange! I cannot wait to use it for our first night on the town post-Caroline this coming weekend! And as any southerner would appreciate, you can personalize it with your monogram, too.
So, Gigi New York graciously offered to give one of their clutches {with free personalization} away to one of my blog friends... woo hoo!
How to enter you ask? Leave a comment following this post telling me all about your favorite purse, and why it's your "go to"choice. To be eligible, you must be a follower of my blog, and leave a comment before next Monday, April 16th. I'll announce the winner the next day!

In addition to the giveaway, they have been so kind to offer an exclusive 20% off discount as well...simply input the code: "HAPPINESS" at checkout from either GiGi New York OR Graphic Image.

Interesting in learning more about this wonderful brand? You can sign up to receive emails here, check out their Facebook page here, or follow them via Twitter.
Good luck everyone and thanks for playing!

Happy Easter!

To celebrate Caroline's first holiday, I wanted to have a very special Easter basket...one that she can keep to use each and every year and of course, it just had to be personalized. ;)
I started stocking up on basket goodies about a month or so ago, as I knew my shopping time would be cut drastically once she was here {boy was I right about that!}. Of course I just have to show some of the fun contents she'll be "opening" from the Easter Bunny come Sunday...

I sought out the fabulous Etsy shop, Two Sisters Designs, for a fun basket-ordered it in pink with polka dots and her name added to the design! It turned out perfectly.

Now for the actual goodies: Carters Bubble and Dress, Baby Gap Ruffle Bathing Suit, Pastel Hairbows, The Velveteen Rabbit Book, Waterproof Argyle Bib, Green Reusable Eating Utensils, and Peter Cottontail Book.

Instead of the normal hustle and bustle of Easter, this year we'll be celebrating at our house...the thought of having Caroline make her church debut this Sunday makes me a little apprehensive, so we'll be waiting just a bit longer to venture to the church nursery.
However, in proper Easter day ritual, we'll be all dressed up in our Sunday best and will be spending the afternoon with our families...even better, we'll be having one of my favorite holiday traditions--a Honeybaked Ham!
I'll be giving away a $25 gift certificate, too...just leave me a comment telling me your favorite Easter food tradition and why it's your favorite--contest runs through Monday so make sure to participate!!
Happy Easter friends...

Giveaway Winner and Thursday Confessional

First of all, I wanted to send a sweet congrats to Lauren over at This Young Life, This Young Love, who is the winner of the giveaway, brought to you by my newest sponsor: Rachel Claire Collection. Lauren, please send me your email address so I can get you connected with Rachel to claim your winnings! Thanks to everyone for participating, too.

And for other weekly updates/confessions:

I confess that I may or may not be able to focus at work today since we leave for the Big Apple,  bright and early tomorrow morning. Take 7 of my most favorite people and put all of us in the bustling city of Manhattan and there is no telling what we're going to get in to! Loads of snapshots to come upon our return, I promise you that.

I confess I might have a slight shopping problem--sure, people have their "hobbies". So what if mine involves collecting things for my closet? I'm not a big "stuff" person and I can't say I'll ever be a collector because I can't stand clutter, but at least I am a savvy shopper. I'll just continue to live by Ms. Bradshaw's motto:

I confess I am a "traditionalist" as Mom calls it. I am all for keeping with family traditions and things that matter to us, especailly during the holidays. One of my most treasured Christmas traditions is candlelight service on Christmas Eve...such a special time dedicated to worshipping Him, which is what this season is all about.

I confess I sometimes struggle with selfishness--though I blame it on only child syndrome--haha. I ask God to help me with this often as it's hard for me to put myself in other people's shoes and freely give when I feel like we work so hard for the things we do have, though it does feel good to help others in need, especially during this time of the year. Thank heavens I have Jeff to help me with some of my struggles.

I confess with the release of the Screen Actor's Guild and the Golden Globe nominations, I can't help but get excited to think about how award season is fast approaching...bring on all the Hollywood glamour with gorgeous gowns, accessories, hair, and bling.

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend...I'll be back Monday with all sorts of fun to share from our big trip--and it will officially mark the week of Christmas so get excited!! OXOX

A Jewelry Giveaway & A New Sponsor!

So, it seems a lot of you enjoyed the giveaway last week...as we can all use a little extra sparkle during this time of year, am I right? And because it is the season of giving, I am doing another fun giveaway brought to you by a new sponsor, Rachel Claire Collection!

A little background: The idea Rachel's line dates back to 2009, several months after the economy took a turn for the worse. People were scared and uncertain, and were seeking answers to their financial woes, but not getting the results they were looking for. Rachel set out to remind women that fear does nothing but stop us, yet she wanted to make her declaration in an understated way. She began researching gemstones and metals and taught herself how to create incredible masterpieces. With that, her business officially launched in October 2010. How does she describe her line? "Most of my jewelry has a small profile, a perfect little whisper of courage and faith in yourself, and perfect for everyday wear. I want my jewelry to remind women to take life into their own hands, with confidence and without looking back."
A little bit about the jewelry: All of the jewelry is designed and handcrafted by Rachel in her California studio. The jewelry comes wrapped around a printed shimmering champagne colored card and in a light yellow organza bag, so it's perfect for gifts too! All of her sterling silver pieces are under $30, and all of the gemstones she uses are natural, never artificial.
For this fun giveaway, she has kindly offered to let the winner select any necklace from the "Strength" collection in either sterling silver or gold filled.

To enter, visit her website and leave me a comment telling me what your favorite piece is and finish the sentence "I Am...". The contest is open to everyone and will last through next Wednesday, December 14th--the winner to be announced the following day.
Good luck everyone!

Winner Time...Miss B Jewelry

Not much time to visit today friends, for work has me all in a tizzy, but I did want to announce the winner of a fabulous new pair of earrings from Miss B Jewelry...

Congrats to Trish the Dish!

(Since I cannot access your profile or email address, please send me an email so I can get you all the information you'll need to claim your prize lady!)

Thanks to everyone who participated, AND just because it's the season to give to others, stay tuned for another fun giveaway starting tomorrow--yay!!

A Little Bling for the Holidays…Giveaway!!

Christine, the fabulous southern lady behind Miss B Jewelry Design, created her shop in response to the growing demand of a small hobby of hers. What began in a small bead store in Greenville, South Carolina, has quickly grown into a campus-wide fashion statement at her college. Each of her pieces capture the style and ambiance of her two favorite places: NYC and the South {sounds familiar, right?}. With a delightfully simplistic style, Christine designs pieces of jewelry that pronounce the elegance and charm of the South, yet maintain a chic and modern appeal. Miss B Jewelry Design is now being carried in several boutiques from Birmingham, AL to Greenville, SC, but she has been gracious enough to do a little giveaway for me, since all of us like to have a little sparkle during the holidays.

She is giving away a free pair of earrings from either her Fall or Silver Collections, and here is just a sampling of some of her gorgeous baubles:

To enter, leave me a comment with the following information:

For 1 Entry: "Like" her Facebook page

For 2 Entries: Like her page and become a follower of my blog/let me know if you already are

Entries will be accepted through next Tuesday, and the winner will be announced the following day.

Good luck friends and thanks for playing along!

A New Sponsor and A Giveaway!!

I know you all love giveaway prizes just as much as I do, right? When Heidi of Wishberries contacted me, I headed straight over to her shop to see her custom creations, and loved every one of them.
Heidi told me she was an avid reader of my blog and thought us partnering together would be a fun new venture...to which I quickly agreed. A little background: 

Heidi comes to us from the other side of the country, Bridal Veil, Oregon (which is a short drive from scenic Portland). From an early age, she was always busy crafting and creating, which is how she got the idea to embark on her current venture. At the age of 17, she was involved in a sports-related accident, which has consequently caused her to have multiple surgeries on her lower back. She is a wife, mother, and upbeat young woman who has suffered through a number of setbacks, but hasn't lost her faith in God. As her family works to pay off major medical bills for her as well as her husband after a work accident, she decided to follow her dream and start a business...that's how Wishberries was born. What an incredible story we can all learn from. 

Sweet Heidi has graciously offered to give away one of her too cute London blankets. So, how do you enter the giveaway?

First, you must be a follower of Hello! Happiness. Then hop on over to the Wishberries' store and leave me a comment telling me who you'd be giving this blanket to, and why. What a perfect gift for a little one this upcoming holiday season!

Giveaway ends next Wednesday, November 2nd...thanks everyone for participating and good luck!

Glad Tidings for Friday...and Scarf Giveaway Winner!

Do you ever have those mornings where you totally wake up on the righ side of the bed, slow drivers don't take up the left lane, and you can coast through the morning without a care in the world? Today is one of those days my friends and I am taking advantage...they don't happen all that often!
Please tell me you've heard Adele's cover of "Someone Like You"--if not, you must listen to this...gosh that woman has some pipes and her voice is just incredible. I think I'll be running out today to buy her latest album.

In other news, last night I FINALLY made a family favorite dish...I've had the recipe for awhile, but just never had made my Gran's famous Frozen Champagne Salad--amazing I tell you, and the perfect frozen treat to round out summer...and even better, this was another new dish so I am 4 for 4 weeks on this goal--way to go me!

Ingredients
8 oz Softened Cream Cheese (I used light)
1 Large (16 oz) Can of Crushed Pineapple (Drain Well)
16 oz Frozen Strawberries (Partially Thawed)
1 Cup of Chopped Pecans
2 Sliced Bananas (Quarter the Slices)
8 oz Cool Whip (I used light)
 ¾ Cup of Sugar
Directions
– First, mix cream cheese, pineapple, strawberries, pecans and sugar.
– Add in bananas.
– Fold in the cool whip.
– Pour into glass casserole or rubbermade type container with an air tight lid (I used square 9x9). Smaller containers will yield thicker portions and individual serving size are based on personal preference.
– Place in freezer for at least 4 hours. It is okay to freeze overnight.
–To serve, remove the lid and let stand at room temperature for ~15 – 30 minutes (just until it starts to thaw around the edges). The salad is intended to be served slightly frozen. Use a plastic knife to cut into individual servings. Cover remaining salad and place back into freezer for up to 1 week.

This weekend marks the 1 year wedding anniversary of the BFF and her hubby...congrats Meg and Aaron--I know you're going to have a fantasticly fun and rememberable time {partly because I know what each of you has planned for the other--haha} and can't wait to hear all about it. Love you both very much!

And finally, the winner for the gameday scarf giveaway...Ms. Sarah Beath from Peace, Love, and Sweet Tea {how cute is that!}--congratulations lady! I'll send your email over to heather at Dress for the Game and she'll be contacting you to claim your prize!

Hope you all have a great weekend...back on Monday with our rehearsal dinner recap!

1 Month to Go...Game Day Gear and a Giveaway!

That's right ladies and gentlemen...start your engines, no it's not Nascar time, but it's 30 days to go until it's football time in Tennessee! If you've read my blog for any period of time, you are well aware of my love for all things SEC football, with my heart belonging loyally to the Tennessee Vols. Born and bred from a little wee one to always sport my orange, I'm forever on the lookout for game day fashionables. Here are some of my favorite new finds for us Rocky Top gals ;)

Retro Orange Dress via Lulu's

Dolce Arancia Dolman Top via shop ruche

Oversized Lacoste Sunglasses via Piperlime

Olden Daze Oval Gold Ring via Lulus's

Short Vintage Wool Jacket via Piperlime

Dewdrop Earrings via Anthropologie

Orange Perfect Fit Snap Tee via JCrew

Peach Emmelina Crochet Applique Dress via Shop Ruche

Madison Clutch via Banana Republic

In the Wind Scarf via Anthropologie

Like I mentioned last week, now is your chance to win another fun giveaway brought to you by the fabulous Dress for the Game. My friend Heather founded this business in order to help ladies dress fashionable for game day Saturdays--she was gracious enough to offer us a fun scarf perfect for anyone to sport this coming football season...

How do you enter? It's easy--just drop me a comment telling what you're favorite attire is for cheering on your favorite team each and every week and/or what you do to celebrate the start of college football. The giveaway will end next Friday!

Hope you all have a lovely weekend...this lady is venturing to Knoxville with the hubby to take in wedding fun, spend some quality time with best friend Bev, and catch-up with Jeff's mom. See you on Monday ;)