I bought this dress in two colors from Nordstrom and now I realize I need all three solid colors. It is so incredibly comfortable, so flattering, under $100 and perfect for summer!
I dressed up this midi dress with heels which would absolutely work for a date night or summer wedding, but it also looks great with flats after a day at the pool or beach. It’s so versatile, which is why I knew I had to have it in more than one color.
The plan is to live in comfortable dresses like this and this for the rest of my second trimester (crossing my fingers it might still fit in the third), and now that we are living in warmer weather, it’s all dresses all the time. THE BEST.
While this dress isn’t included in the Anniversary Sale, it’s still under $100 and one of my favorite things I’ve bought from Nordstrom this year (in addition to these marked down pajamas because I am so obsessed with this pair from last year). You can see all of my Nordstrom Sale picks under the #NSale link at the top of this page!
Thanks so much for reading, and my Alys Beach roundup post is coming this week! XO –
The Public Access portion of Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale started today and will continue until 8/4! I covered my Early Access picks here, but now that it’s free game for all I wanted to post another roundup of some pieces I have my eye on.
You can see all of my Nordstrom Sale posts under the #NSale link at the top of this page.
These boots come in several colors and are a slouchy style that are so so cute for fall.
I bought these pajamas in the sale last year and have already bought these. They are the softest.
I have this curling iron and several attachments and it’s so great that even my mom got one.
Love this sweater coat in both colors – so fab for a mild fall and winter.
Cashmere on sale is something that is always a win.
I’ll be keeping posts and picks updated through the end of the sale 8/4, so be sure to check back and check that #NSale category at the top of this site for the latest and greatest! Thank you so much for reading and if you’ve scored some great pieces, I’d love to hear! XO –
PRIME DAY is here and the markdowns are real!! I will say – double check these prices before you purchase because it’s always possible that “original prices” have been increased a few weeks before the sale to make the markdown look more significant. SO, all of that to say – double check the price to make sure you actually are getting a good deal before you check out.
With all that being said – these are some of the deals and steals that I think are worth snagging –
We love our roomba so much we have not one, but two. Having a large shedding dog who thinks she’s a maltese in her mind, I couldn’t live without it!
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it twice – my Bose headphones are life. I used to exclusively use them when I travel, but after living in a noisy city apartment for a year I wore them almost daily. They’ve brought an immense amount of peace and quiet to my life. Worth every penny!
We have an Echo and two dots and love them! Christian recently discovered you can use them as an intercom system which is very cool.
We’ve been saying we want to buy a Ring for our new house, and with Prime Day there’s no better time to invest in one.
We just bought these for our house and clearly… should have waited for Prime Day!
I’ve almost bought this makeup container so many times and now it’s marked down! Let’s see if I can make a decision…
I’ve been pro-Clarisonic for at least 10 years. It really cleans your skin on another level, and now there are tons of attachments that allow you to use the device as a facial massager and makeup blending brush. Christian even uses our Clarisonic and it comes highly recommended from many facial plastic surgeons he has worked with. It’s 40% off for prime day which is the most the Mia Smart has ever been marked down!
My sister-in-law has this toaster oven and raves about it! She has three kids and uses it to make their meals all of the time. If you have the counter space, it sounds like a great investment.
Amazon’s cast iron skillet looks exactly like Le Creuset and is a fraction of the price, and is included in Prime Day. Jackpot!
Those are my top picks for Prime Day which goes through end of day tomorrow! While I’m typing this, Christian is literally shopping for security cameras and house things… so I’ll keep y’all posted! Let me know what you’re on the hunt for – I want the tea!
This year’s Nordstrom Anniversary Sale has begun and will be open to shop for cardholders from today to 7/18! Then from 7/19 – 8/4, everyone has free range of all the best of their biggest markdowns of the year.
Here’s the deal with the sale – you don’t need everything. You just need the best things. And that’s where CBL comes in. If you click the “#NSale” page at the top of this site, you’ll find all this sale info from this year and years past. I want to help highlight what I think are the must-haves of this year’s sale. The cashmere discounts, the chunky fall sweater you’ll wear for months, the softest pajamas you’ll never want to take off, and the best deodorant you’ll ever try.
Know that items do sell out fast and there’s no restock guarantee. So if you see something you love, jump on it! You’re better off returning it later if you end up not loving it than letting it slip away to potentially never return.
If you haven’t tried Oribe yet, what are you doing girl!?
I loved Charlotte Tilbury’s magic cream. Already used all of mine and need to buy more!
The personal microderm device I always rave out! It’s marked down and has totally changed the milia on my face and small bumps on my arms.
Lusting after this cashmere wrap, this scarf and this cape. I literally buy cashmere every year – the markdowns are too good.
If I had room for more jeans, this would be the pair I’d be snagging.
And those are my Early Access picks for Nordstrom cardholders! I’ll be keeping you guys up to date on my favorite picks through the next several weeks on CBL + Instagram, and you can always check the “#NSale” page at the top of this site for the must recent posts!
Thanks so much for reading and keep me posted on what you guys snag or are looking for this year!
So when we shared our big moving announcement a few weeks ago, there may have been one more little secret we’ve been keeping…
We’re expecting our first baby in November! I’m 20 weeks along with this little one, and it’s the best San Francisco souvenir we could have been blessed with.
Because I’ve been keeping this secret from you guys since March (!!), I wanted to share a little video recapping the first trimester. From finding out we were expecting to our first ultrasound, how we told our families over Mother’s Day weekend, the first item we bought for baby and how I’ve been feeling along the way – everything is covered in a quick 5.5 minute recap below!
So all of this to say, moving across the country, starting over in a new city, Christian starting a new job, buying our first home, and having our first baby… we are clearly just taking it all on at the same time. Just trying to see what else we can tack on while we’re at it! But they are all such exciting and happy moments that I feel really lucky to be experiencing so many of them at once.
And of course, I am so excited to finally share this news with all of my CBL girls! In the first few months I was trying to think of creative ways to share the news and so I thought the video would be a great way to catch you up to speed. Christian and I figured we would keep it a little inside secret until I was showing, and around 18 weeks there was no more hiding this bump. I’m still wearing most of the same clothes (the forgiving ones, at least), but I can tell that once we hit the third trimester I’ll be needing to dip into maternity. With so many things on our plate right now, “we’ll get there when we get there” has been my mantra. One day at a time!
I would love to hear if you guys have any more questions or if there is anything else you’d want me to fill you in on. We can do a baby version of the monthly blog FAQ if you prefer? Please leave any questions below in the comments!
As for how baby will affect CBL… I don’t really know just yet. Probably as frequently as Christian pops in or out, but I think it will depend on how much you guys want to know, what is relevant/helpful to those of you who take the time to read this blog, etc. I know there are so many amazing motherhood blogs out there and CBL will always remain focused on fashion, with emphasis on other lifestyle categories including marriage and now family. I would love to hear if pregnancy/postpartum/baby content is helpful to you or if you prefer the existing lifestyle categories as is.
Thank you so much for being a part of this joyous time with us. This baby was not a surprise, it was what we had been hoping for this year and we feel so overwhelmed with gratitude that we have been chosen to take care of and raise this little boy or girl. Christian keeps saying how excited he is to meet this baby! He’s been so protective and wonderful, making sure I don’t lift heavy boxes and that I’m eating healthy and drinking enough water. I think he called me every hour on the hour when I drove across the country with Lula. It’s been really sweet.
You can check out more video content by subscribing to my YouTube channel here or checking out the “video” category of this site! Thank you so much for being a part of our journey. Your support and encouragement always means so so so much to us. Love y’all! XO –
When I was home for a week before our move-in, my mom made a tomato pie that was truly mouth-watering. I knew when she was cooking it because the entire house was fragrant, even the upstairs!
Thankfully she was willing to share the recipe with CBL girls, and if you guys like tomatoes or Southern dishes – you’re going to love this one. It’s as classic as cheese straws or pimento cheese.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pre-made pie crust
1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
5 roma tomatoes or 4 medium sized tomatoes
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 /2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Cut tomatoes into wedges and then into flat triangles. If using cherry or grape tomatoes, just slice them into circles. Drain them on paper towels for at least an hour.
Let one crust come to room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes. Unroll, remove parchment paper and place in deep dish pie pan. Any excess crust you may fold under at the edge of the pan. Prick holes in the bottom and sides of crust thoroughly with a fork. Bake the crust alone at 400° for 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese on hot crust and let crust cool. Arrange tomatoes on top of cooled pie crust.
Toss basil and garlic in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Sprinkle the basil garlic mixture over the tomatoes.
Mix the rest of the mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, mayonnaise and pepper – put on the top.
Bake the pie at 375° for 35 to 45 minutes.
If you try this recipe, please let me know what you think! You can find all my favorite recipe in the food & drink category of CBL. Thanks so much for reading and bon appétit! XO –
– product testing the full mascara line from Lancome (for big, thick lashes I’ve always loved this one) –
– treats from all of our sweet neighbors –
– finally getting to use my ginger jars that have been in storage for years –
Happy Friday! I’m getting this post up a little later than usual because I’ve lost all track of time this week. A doozy, but in the best way! We drove to Georgia Monday, I showed Christian our empty house for the first time, and movers arrived Tuesday morning.
Since then, we’ve been in a sea of boxes and packing paper trying to see where all of our things are that were packed up two weeks ago. I am so thankful our packers did such a great job, but I will say that the massive amounts of packing paper has made unpacking slower than ever. It’s totally fine because we definitely don’t plan to move for quite some time, but it just means we’ve made less progress than I anticipated at this point. But that’s ok! I know once we are unpacked and settling in, it will be fabulous. We will get there bit by bit!
We have been slow to rise and working until midnight each night until collapsing in bed, but I’m so grateful to have Christian by my side this time. Usually I am handing this part solo while still trying to keep up with work. It’s a MAJOR difference to have two people after it rather than one, so that is a huge upgrade.
We did take a little break yesterday to run some errands and were given a parking pass by some new friends to watch the fireworks show at the country club for the holiday. How nice is that!? And it was amazing! Everyone we have met has been so incredibly welcoming, helpful and friendly. It makes us feel really confident that this city and home that it was the right choice for us.
Some of my favorite sales happening this weekend are:
Macy’s | 25% off + free shipping at $75 with code FOURTH (ends 7/7)
Madewell | 25% off summer must-haves with code FIREWORK (ends 7/8)
Mark & Graham | 20% off everything + free shipping with code FIREWORKS
Pottery Barn | 15% off $100 or more, 20% off $500 or more, 25% off $1000 or more with code SAVEMORE
Serena & Lily | 20% off everything with code GOCOASTAL
Yumi Kim | extra 30% off sale styles with code FIREWORKS
I definitely plan to try to take advantage of the home decor sales and grab some counter stools for our kitchen.
Thank you so much for reading and checking in, and I hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday weekend! Mom’s tomato pie recipe is coming next week and trust me, you want in. It’s so good. Big hugs xo –
Several months ago I shared some of my tips on Instagram Stories for keeping hydrangeas alive for a couple of weeks. Christian laughs at me that I have nicknamed myself “the hydrangea whisperer,” and he knows I will try all of these strategies before giving up on my flowers!
TIPS FOR KEEPING HYDRANGEAS ALIVE
Cut stems at an angle. After a few days or a week or so I’ll check the stems when giving them fresh water and I’ll give them a fresh stem cut.
Use a clear vase. I try to use glass vases for my hydrangeas because they drink so much water, and if I can’t see the water level it’s likely they’ll be low before I even realize.
Dunk the head of the hydrangea in water when the bloom is look wilty or sad. Leave the flower dripping by the sink and in a few hours, you’ll be amazed at the difference. The bloom needs water too, not just the stem! If your blooms are looking extra sad, try leaving them in a large bowl of very hot water for up to 45 minutes.
Boil water and put the stem in the hot water until the water has cooled. I don’t even quite know why this works, but it usually does!
You can also add some ice cubes to the water or use a spray bottle of water to mist the blooms if you don’t want to dunk them under the faucet. This article has some great tips too!
Thanks so much for reading, and if you have any tips of your own specific to hydrangeas I’d love to hear! For tulips, pennies from 1981 or older can be dropped in the vase. The copper in the water helps them stand up straighter. It sounds crazy, but it’s always worked for me! XO –
I shared a sneak peek of this look last week on Instagram here, but I felt like it was such a simple look to recreate that I also wanted to share it on the blog!
When it comes to adding designer bags to my collection, I usually aim for neutral colors. However, sometimes it is really fun to use your splurge as an opportunity for a fun statement piece. Years ago I snagged a pink velvet Prada Cahier bag on Black Friday. I’ve been so surprised at how much I gravitate toward that bold, colorful statement bag, that it made me more comfortable splurging on a colorful piece here and there.
Then I added this bright red YSL nano to my closet, and I wear it all the time. Maybe this occasional pop of color thing is way more cost-per-wear friendly that I thought!
I found this bright clementine Goyard PM tote on StockX.com, and I think it’s going to be such a fun piece for spring and summer. It photographs more yellow but in person it reminds me of the clementine shade of Veuve Clicquot if you get my drift.
If you have a Goyard tote in a bright color or a bold statement bag you find yourself reaching for more often than you thought you would, I’d love to hear about!
I think I need to snag one of these organizers for it too! Thanks so much for reading and sharing – XO –
After last week’s drive from San Francisco to Georgia, I was so surprised at how many of you either have done the same thing for a move or have one coming up! I know it can feel daunting when you have it ahead of you, especially if you’re planning on traveling alone. But after seeing so many questions I thought I would compile my most helpful tips that might prove to be a resource to any of you doing the same!
TIPS FOR DRIVING CROSS-COUNTRY SOLO (or with someone!)
Have your car checked out. We paid to have the tires, fluids, engine, etc. checked out before the drive. It wasn’t inexpensive, but I felt so much more confident knowing that the car was in good shape. If your car breaks down on the side of the road in New Mexico… it’s going to be a lot more annoying that just investing in it upfront.
Find Friends App. Have a family member or close friend that can track you on their phone on the Find Friends App (or Life360, whatever tracking situation you want to use). Christian and my mom were both tracking me and knew when I was a gas station or stuck in traffic and so on. It does make you feel like if you were stranded on the side of the road someone might also be calling for help in addition to yourself!
Pack a Gallon of Water. You never know what could happen and if you’re in the desert in the summer… at least you know you’ll have water.
Snacks. This is a no brainer, but having some fruit and granola bars in your car is always a good idea. Along with a roll of paper towels and some wet wipes and/or hand sanitizer.
You can ALWAYS call 911, even if your phone says it has no service. As long as you have battery power and can reach a signal, the phone can connect to 911. They legally have to answer ,so that’s some security.
Phone Charger. That being said, make sure you have a reliable phone charger (duh), and I would highly recommend this cell phone dock for following directions.
AAA! I’ve always had AAA since we’ve lived in California because Christian is completely unavailable when operating. It’s saved me multiple times. I had it for this cross-country drive, but should you not be able to reach them for some reason or you don’t have AAA, the local police department of whatever town you’re in will come help you if you are stranded for some reason.
Download FREE podcasts or pay for Audible books. I loaded up on both and you can check out all of my podcast recommendations in three blog posts I’ve put together here, here and here. Also your public library may be able to provide free audiobooks you can check out!
Cracker Barrel also offers books but I believe they charge so you might just want to buy on Audible, whichever works for you.
Tips for pet-friendly hotels! Christian selected my hotels for me based on what kind of time I was making on the road. Since I was traveling solo with Lula (our elderly tripawd rescue cat), it was most important to us that the hotels were pet-friendly and in safe areas.
There is BringFido.com, but Christian uses TripAdvisor and sets a filter for pet-friendly. The key is to find the hotel chains that are pet-friendly. A LOT of Marriott hotels allow pets (most will charge a $25-$35 fee), including most Springhill Suites. Most Holiday Inn Express locations also allow pets. Then you can try to stay within those same hotels within the chain.
My last tip on this would be to then check GoogleMaps and see what is around the hotel. Is it motels and gas stations? Or other hotels like Doubletree, Sheratons and a Home Depot? It will give you a feel for perhaps the area you choose so you can know what to expect and where you’ll be most comfortable.
Select hotels with continental breakfasts. This may sound trivial, but for the nights I was staying in hotels off the interstate, they both happened to have free continental breakfasts. I didn’t think much about it, but after the fact I realized it saved me a ton of time. It allowed me to fill up my water bottles with cold water, get a coffee for the road and hot breakfast and take a couple pieces of fruit. Major time saver!
Buy Bug & Tar Spray. For after your drive, you’re going to murder about 1200 bugs. A car wash isn’t strong enough to scrub those bad boys off! My parents have this spray they used on my car, and it’s great. You just spray it on your bumper and rearview windows, let it sit and then wash it off with a hose. WAY easier than what I tried to do over time getting them off on my cross-country drive from MS to CA six years ago.
If you have elected on this same kind of cross-country journey and have any tips to add, I would love to hear them so I can keep this list updated and a resource for other girls! Thank you so much for reading and sharing – XO –
I am trying to get back in the swing of things now that the cross-country move and house closing is behind me, so I wanted to kick it off with a classic wish list! The weather is warmer in the South, so dress season is finally in full-force and I am HERE. FOR. IT.
I wanted to round up some of my favorite midi and maxi dresses for the season including everything from pieces you can dress up with heels to pieces that would look best with flats. And the best part about a dress like this or this? Throw a leather jacket or blazer over it, and it can easily take you into fall.
I’ve been wearing these sunglasses on my drive, and have gotten so many questions from those of you who love them too! I think it’s always fun to mix in a fun color in a pair of glasses, and I was a sucker for these with the thick frame. So cute.
I’ve been keeping my eye on the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale which is coming up in mid-July, so I’m crossing my fingers there will be more great deals this year! Let me know if there are any wish list themes you guys would like to see in the weeks ahead. Thank you so much for reading! XO –
I had to skip Friday’s Five today because 98% of our possessions are in cardboard boxes, but I still wanted to check in because I feel like I’ve been so slow on Carrie Bradshaw Lied the past few weeks. I love writing in this space and genuinely miss it when I have to momentarily step away for whatever reason.
It’s finally happening. What has been the most challenging year of my life has come to a close, and it feels kind of like a wedding day. All of Christian’s medical training is behind us, the constant moving and starting over and over… we made it. This is the end of the tunnel!
While driving across the country solo wasn’t in my original plan, it just seems makes the most sense at this point rather than flying. I have many things I knew wouldn’t last in a moving van for the two weeks it will take to get to us. We have two pets in double digits who are not registered service animals (which makes flying less complicated). One of us needs to be in Georgia for the closing of our next home next week, so driving it is!
I have a 39-hour journey in a 13 year old car with a geriatric cat. Thankfully we did get the car spruced up before the trek but I’ll still be crossing my fingers everything goes smoothly. Thank God for AAA, such a comforting security blanket! I started my journey Wednesday, and I have made way from Northern California to Texas – you know I love some Texas! Honestly with so many free podcasts and a few audible books, we’ve been doing just fine. I really enjoyed the drive through Arizona. It’s such a beautiful and unique state!
This isn’t our first cross-country drive but hoping it will be our last. This year has most definitely been a really tough one, for many reasons. I’ve learned a lot about myself, my boundaries and what’s ultimately most important to us. And it’s not what we would have necessarily thought three years ago.
While this year has felt like a low point, overall our time in California has been really special. I’m immensely grateful for the opportunity to move here six years ago. Our entire marriage has been spent in this stunning state. We’ve considered it home for so long, and it’s definitely bittersweet to leave the beauty that is the West Coast. Truth be told, Christian did receive job offers in Orange County that we heavily considered. We absolutely loved our time there, and I know we will be back to visit some our favorite spots in California (hopefully) often!
But it’s time to say goodbye and the future is bright. So excited to share this new chapter with you guys, and I can’t thank you enough for all of your encouragement and support along the way. Let’s do this! Thanks so much for reading, and if you want to follow our road trip, it’s being documented in real time on Instagram Stories – XO –
