Friday Favorites

Happy Friday everyone! Today we are linking up with Shay @ Mix and Match Family  for an edition of Friday favorites! 

#1. Snickerdoodle Latte (at home!)

I LOVE the Target brand "Archer Farms" coffee! I have been buying whatever flavor is on sale, and this holiday edition "Snickerdoodle" is my favorite yet! Paired with the amazing Snickerdoodle creamer, this is one delicious drink you can make at home! 

                                              




#2. My precious nieces and this picture!

 Clay and I got the chance to travel to Kentucky for a SUPER quick weekend for their FIRST birthday party. It was so awesome to spend time with them… they are at the best age! And this picture (sorry it's blurry!) pretty much sums up how crazy it is to have triplets. They are actually very happy, but this was at nap time. :) And I think it's hilarious.

Side note: my husband does not always have a creepy mustache. This is a temporary thing… I think.

#3. THIS scarf from Target!

 It is the perfect accessory to spice up an outfit. I also LOVE the fringe detail.  For some reason I am having a hard time finding it on their website, however, right now their accessories are buy one get one 50% off! Woo! If that's not a way to kick start your weekend, I don't know what is! Plus, during Christmas time, buy one get one means a present for someone, and a present for YOU! 

 #4.  Clinique - All About Eyes 

 I LOVE this stuff. I used it for years in college and somehow never replaced it at some point. I do this from time to time. Anyways, my memory was refreshed when Katie Elizabeth mentioned it in a recent post. I ran out and bought a jar and ladies.. (and guys).. this stuff is fantastic. It absorbs into your skin so nicely and I SWEAR you can see an immediate reduction in dark circles, puffiness…etc. This is one of those things that I hate to spend money on, but I am so happy when I do. Plus, this jar will last for MONTHS. Totally worth it.


Have a fantastic Friday and weekend!

XOXO,

Nebraska Bloggers Connect

A quick post to say that in an unrelated search, I stumbled upon Nebraska Bloggers connect on the blog Keeping up with Kelsey.

and this is super exciting to  me because:

-I love finding new blogs to follow
-Most of the blogs I currently follow (and love) are not local, so it is fun to see a few that are!

 

Click the link to check out other Nebraska Bloggers!

November 6th

The Wedding.

 For slightly over 4 months, our lives were quickly consumed with all the good stuff that comes with wedding planning. Seeking out venues, tracking down guests, picking out décor, ordering dresses... on and on. I constantly reminded myself to enjoy this time, because mostly I just wanted the wedding to be here! But... now it is here... and gone.

Like everyone says, it goes by so quickly. It is such a blur. There is no way we could have comprehended how true this is until it happened to us! I am still reliving this day with fond memories. I (of course) hoped the day would be meaningful, but I never imagined how loved I would feel and how incredibly special it was to share vows and the whole day with my handsome new husband! So it is of course... the best day of my life (thus far).

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the day. Side note: The Leekers (our photographers) were amazing. So fantastic to work with.

 

 

 

Sorry for the picture overload. Just seeing these images makes me smile! I feel incredibly blessed to have experienced this day- and so thankful to our families for making it all happen.




Details:

Venue: Round the Bend Steakhouse (5 stars-  so wonderful to work with!)
Dress: Mori Lee
Make up: Make up by Renee (Renee is fabulous)
Hair: Bah Shah Salon (Stephanie Standley) (These ladies are wonderful)
Photographers: The Leekers (5 stars)
DJ: Jake's DJ & Karaoke Service (5 stars)
Videography: Rocking J Images (Jennie is amazing!)

The Dry Shampoo Chronicles + a new (living proof) review

I love dry shampoo. I think it was one of the best inventions in the world. I feel driven to keep trying new products, though I have to say, I have tried a lot.

Instead of linking you back to the few reviews I have done, I will do a quick run down/mini review if you will.

Batiste Dry Shampoo: #1 in my heart and wallet. Reasonably priced, smells fresh and clean... and most importantly, works like a dream. Bonus: they have different kinds for different hair colors.

TreSemme "Fresh Start" Dry Shampoo (minus keratin): Great for drugstore options. I can't get any further than day 2 without it weighing my hair down. But... smells great and serves it's purpose for the price.

Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo: Decent product, very pricey. Smells delicious. However... I thought my hair looked more  "shiny" (read: greasy) at the end of the day.

Kenra Platinum Dry Shampoo: Eh. I always think Kenra smells yummy and I adore some of their other products ( blow out spray!) but this did not meet the mark. Too expensive and too sticky.

Sexy Hair Volumizing Shampoo: Sort of expensive. Felt more like I was spraying a lot of hairspray in my hair. I hated that I didn't have the movement that I get with others. 

It's a 10 Dry Shampoo: I desperately wanted to like this one. Like I always do. But it made my hair greasy. Literally EXTRA greasy. So essentially it did the exact opposite of what it was supposed to do. It does smell good though.

Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo: This stuff is a little more pricey than some... and claims a few new things such as the only dry shampoo on the market with no talc or aluminum. And yes.. it is a good shampoo. And it has a unique and lovely scent. But it's not amazing. And it's not that cheap.

So here we are. I tell myself to be satisfied with what I am using. There is no need to try a better, new product. Right..? But.. what if...?

Living Proof seems to be everywhere lately, and I have not used any of their products. I spent a strange amount of time reading the reviews for their dry shampoo "Perfect Hair Day," and could not get over the rave reviews.

Does anyone else love reading reviews? I keep hitting page after page..after page. A few comments that seemed to repeat and stand out involved "hair feeling extra clean" and the "amazing scent!" After the 10th page of reviews, I knew I would be trying it.

So I held out until 20% off Tuesday (Beauty First gold card member reference for all of you non Nebraska and/or Kansas and New Mexico folk ) and went ahead with the purchase.

And I have to say... I have never felt so let down by a purchase. I can typically find the good in a product. Either it smells great, or it makes my hair soft.. or.. something. But not with this stuff. For starters, my hair did not look any less greasy or more refreshed after I used it. And, ladies... I know how to use dry shampoo. I did the whole spray on problem areas, leave sitting, massage in with fingers, brush through... the whole shebang. When I realized five minutes later that my hair looked exactly the same... I thought I had to be missing something. I sprayed in more and repeated. It looked only slightly better.

And can we quickly discuss the smell? I am NOT a fan! It almost made me nauseous- it reminded me of actual cleaning supplies.

I don't like to give up though, so I worked out that night, brushed through my hair, slept on it- and repeated again this morning (day 3). At this point, my hair looks chalky (even after a brush through), feels stiff and dry, and is super static-y. And I think it goes without saying that I don't think my hair is smelling very good.

I am honestly upset that I bought a whole bottle of this and will probably keep using it until it's gone. I hate wasting!
I wish I could say that I am just going to go buy a bottle of my tried and true Batiste, but I have a few things on my radar.

1. Dry Bar Detox dry shampoo: I want to try this one badly... mostly because I am obsessed with the scent of their products.

2. Bumble & Bumble Pret a Powder shampoo: Also a fan of this line.

Does anyone have any insight into these? Any new favorites I must try? Because.. I will.

Until next time!

XOXO

We're Back!

Hello! It feels nice to be back on the blog after a little hiatus. Things have been crazy around here and so while I gather my thoughts, I wanted to bring in a guest blogger.

Hi, I’m Brick! This is my first blog, ever.  Bear with me, it’s hard for me to type with my huge paws. So are my ears, but oh well.

I found a picture that my mom took of me the other day. She always snaps pictures when I am busy trying to eat my rope, so it's not very good. Oh well, at least you know what I look  like.

The last few months have been crazy. For starters, my mom moved in with my dad. I don’t know what is going on exactly, but she is here all the time now. Also, there are so many new things to smell. Every day, new boxes arrive in the mail. Mom gets super excited, but then she won’t let me have any of it. It’s pretty annoying. I tried to help her unpack by eating all of the paper, but apparently that wasn’t right either. She freaked out, like usual.

Also, Dad gave Mom his closet and she put all of her clothes in there. And get this… I’m not allowed in there anymore! She is absolutely ridiculous. I think the rule is stupid, so I try to go in there every day anyways.

Anyways, I stayed with my grandparents out on the farm for a week. Not sure where mom and dad were. I kept hearing them talk about a wedding but I still haven't found time to look up what that is. I missed them when they drove away, but then I forgot immediately and chased squirrels for several days. I also rolled in mud whenever the opportunity presented itself. What a week! When I finally saw them again, the first thing I noticed is that Dad is now wearing a ring. I tried to tell him I didn’t think he seemed like a jewelry guy, but he is adamant that he wears it every day. He must be going through a midlife crisis. Wait, how old is my dad? Eh, I’ll figure it out later.

On to more important things. Mom moved my bed to the other side of the room. For like 30 whole seconds I had no idea where I was supposed to sleep.  I heard her tell Dad it made the new curtains look better in the bedroom when my kennel (I hate when they call it that! As if I’m some sort of animal) isn’t blocking the window. She is so selfish sometimes. I guess she does feed me every night though. She’s okay.

Oh, I can’t believe I forgot to bring this up.  Last week, mom and dad came home and were excited and kept talking about something called a “furminator.” I ignored them like usual because most of what they say is super boring. Then dad gave me a bath (hate those) and they started using this “furminator” device on my awesome hair. I’m kind of upset because I was just getting it to where it was super long again, and I felt like it was a good Fall to Winter transitional look.  But.. like usual, they ruined it for me. Now, my shedding is reduced by 90%. (I know because I dug the brush packaging out of the bottom of the trash. There were coffee grounds everywhere, it was wild.) I guess it’s all for the best because now Mom isn’t complaining to Dad as much about my hair being on the floor right after she vacuums (more on that next time, what a frightening machine!)

Anyways, I am hoping my mom reads this post when I am done because my 1^st birthday is coming up. Coincidently, it is the same day as Christmas. If they try to combine my gift I am going to absolutely freak.

Alright, well this took me almost 8 hours to type since I just learned computers exist today. My dad is going to be home from work soon and that is my favorite part of the day. I need to get to the door first because Mom always tries to beat me to Dad for the first hug. Like I said before, she is kind of annoying. 

Gotta go!

What's up Wednesday

I did say I would check in periodically during this hectic time in our lives..unfortunately it has been not so periodic. But, nature has a way of slowing you down and I am home sick, day 2. So I figured it would be a good time to link up with Mix and Match Family and do a What's Up Wednesday!

1. What We're Eating this week…

It's looking like a lot of cereal and toast. And if I'm really being honest,  A LOT of cold medicine. Yuck.

2. What I'm Reminiscing about…

I've been going through a lot of pictures for the wedding slideshow and so I've been very reminiscent lately.

That's me in the middle. I've been prepping for my wedding day for quite some time!

3. What I'm loving…

I have been a pretty loyal wearer of Express jeans for the past several years. They seem to be the only jeans that accommodate my thighs, hips and buns.. while still fitting my waist. I have always worn the "Stella" low rise. The other day, I was browsing the Express outlet (a new addition to our outlet mall) and decided to try on the "mid rise". Well, unfortunately there will be no turning back. I don't even feel like a mom since high rise is all the rave right now. But seriously, not worrying about your underwear showing is the greatest thing ever. And I LOVE this color. 

And no, clearly this isn't me. I am sick… I'm not taking off my sweatpants. 

4. What I've been up to…

Wedding planning. Need I say more? We are 37 (ish?) days out and there seems to be quite a large list of things to do. Bridal showers, bachelorette parties, thank you cards, premarital sessions … the list goes on. But I'm not complaining. It's all fun and getting me to a VERY exciting day to start a marriage with my very handsome fiancé. See below. 

Photos by: The Leekers' Photography

I couldn't resist sharing a few from our engagement session. 

5. What I'm dreading…

It's really hard to be dreading things when it is the most exciting time of your life! Does it count to dread a sickness you already have? I'm dreading the next few days until I am feeling back to 100%! 

6. What I'm working on…

What shoes I am going to wear for the wedding. The perfect bridesmaid gifts. And flower girl baskets! 

Send any and all suggestions my way :)

7. What I'm excited about…

Not to be repetitive but.. 36 DAYS! And I get to be Mrs. Salberg. And our mini honeymoon to Estes. Oh, and decorating our house together. And putting away my new place settings. Obsessed. And our honeymoon in January. 

8. What I'm reading/watching…

Well, Scandal is back on. And I am sucked right back in! I am not reading anything at the moment, but have a few books I am waiting to check out at the library. 

9. What I'm listening to…

"Brother" by Need to Breathe/Gavin Degraw and "Smoke" by A Thousand Horses. Also "Burning House" by Cam. Woo! 

10. What I'm wearing…

Well, like I said, I've been pretty good with sporting the sweatpants lately. Plus, it is getting a little cooler out there and nothing is better than sweatpants in the Fall. 

11. What I'm doing this weekend…

Ladies night at the local winery. And hopefully further settling our new goods into the house. And wedding planning. And hopefully NOT being sick. 

12. What I'm looking forward to next month…

A bridal shower with my family! And a bachelorette party with my favorite ladies. 

Thanks for reading! I'll be back soon and hopefully with more regularity as soon as the madness is over!

xoxo, 

The Reason Why...

….I haven't been posting is….

Well a few reasons.
#1. Clay and I are ENGAGED! Yes… that guy below.  Happy would be an understatement… I still can't fully believe I get to spend my life with him.

 #2. We went on an AMAZING trip on the motorcycle to Colorado. Below is one of one million snap shots of my handsome fiancé in one of many towns we frequented. More to come on this.. such as a beginners guide to a motorcycle road trip. I would definitely be in the novice category. And still am.. but at the very least, I can offer a few bits of advice.

#3. We are planning a wedding in 3 months. Lucky for me, Clay is super helpful and we are keeping it simple. This has been  a recipe for a pretty smooth planning period. However, I still have things to do (obviously) and my energy is being poured into many different directions! 

So… I will be back.. periodically- and for sure after my planning slows down. I can't wait to share!

Xoxo,