It's Time To Give Winter The Boot

Have I ever mentioned I happen to be the jealous type? I wanted to surprise my daughter with a new pair of boots because, hello, living in Minnesota a girl always needs a good pair of boots in the winter! That's where Lugz come in. You already know how much we love them in our house so I was excited to partner with them again to share a gorgeous pair with my daughter.

Last month I made a last minute trip out to frigid Minnesota. My aunt wasn't doing well again, and I want to make the most of the time with her that I can. I made sure to schedule some time with Sarah and the boys. With the little time that I had, we only got to see each other during dinner.

I was able to give her the Lugz Women's Convoy Fold Fur 8 Inch Boot. They. Are. Gorgeous! Here's why my "jealous type" comes in. It was a good thing she is a 9 1/2 because if she'd have been a 7 1/2 I'd have been tempted to keep them for myself! I actually went back and forth on which color to get her. I would've asked her which she liked best, but these boots were going to be a surprise.

These Convoy Fold Fur boots are the kind you want in more than one color. I went with black because she could wear them with anything. Ok, she could wear the golden wheat tan ones also, but I had to pick one and it was basically throwing a dart and it landed on the black. Seriously, you can't go wrong with either and should actually have both! Go for the gold ladies.

Meeting Sarah for dinner didn't give us the opportunity to take pictures because in Minnesota it's dark until 7am and get dark by 4pm in the winter. lol Ok, that might be an exaggeration, but sometimes it feels like it. It was SO cold the week I was there we couldn't meet during daylight hours to take pictures. You want to know how cold it was? They even shut down the Ice Castle and the Saint Paul Winter Carnival. lol While the weather was terrible, the boots definitely came at the right time for my daughter.

Let's talk a bit about the boot, shall we? They come with a soft, faux fur lining. What I like is that they can be worn folded down or left up for a bit more warmth. And who doesn't love a padded insole? I think every pair of boots should come with them. The Convoy Fold Fur has a synthetic nubuck upper, and I have to tell you, they're so soft you'll want to pet them every time you put them on. I dare you to try to put these boots on and not give them a stroke or two. :)

I may live in Maryland, but if I had a pair of these boots I'd probably wear them nearly every day throughout the cold months. I would have to say they're an essential for colder states! Fashion and function. What more could be better? Trust me that you won't meet a pair of Lugz boots that you won't like!

Soft Surroundings - Grand Opening The Mall In Columbia

Last week I had the opportunity to visit Soft Surroundings at The Mall in Columbia. They were opening their new store, and it's one of the first stores to have a second entrance to their Beauty & Well-Being. I'm one of the lucky people who also has a store in Annapolis as well! This wasn't a sponsored event, but we did receive a fun gift bag as part of the event.

My mom introduced me to Soft Surroundings several years ago. For my birthday she gave me a beautiful cardigan (see below) that is my go-to! Thankfully they have a Tall selection, and with my long legs, the cardigan fits perfectly.

When you first walk into the store, you get a very feminine, classy feel. You just want to walk around and find every possible way to pamper yourself. From head to toe, you can find ways to luxuriate!
When I walked into the Soft Surroundings store, my first thought was of relaxation, ease, and functionality. In my mind's eye I saw those women who make casual beauty look effortless. You know who I'm talking about, right? They look great head to toe, and you want to figure out how to get the look they have. That's what I imagine when I'm in this store. Effortless beauty is within our grasp. The President and Founder, Robin Sheldon created Soft Surroundings because she knew as women we are always going, going, going and doing so much for others that we needed a way to be good to ourselves. Can I just say, "Thank you, Ms. Sheldon, because I need a place where I can feel feminine and like I'm doing something to take care of me!"

What I didn't realize was they had full skin care & beauty lines, bedding, and even furniture. They had a little of everything inside the store. Their furniture is so elegant and dreamy. The bed was so beautiful I wanted to cuddle into all of the pillows and comforter. I loved seeing that they have silk pillow cases. Guess who's going to fight sleep wrinkles with a new pillow case? This lady!

 

The ladies who work at the store were fantastic! They were incredibly helpful and knew me by name because they kept putting items to try on in the dressing room. It felt fun to step out of my "shade" comfort zone and try on colors and prints that I would normally steer clear of.  Seriously, Soft Surroundings is a great place to play dress up - the adult version.

                 

After trying on dresses, blouses, shorts, and sleeveless toppers, I visited the Beauty & Well-Being products. One of the girls was very excited to try out the new products with me. The ladies had some great ideas that I was open to. They wanted to try a couple of different products on the skin discoloration I have on my neck. She put some different eye makeup on, but what I liked the most was the eyebrow coloring she did. It was exactly what I'd been looking for. She put my information onto a sheet and thankfully they keep it in their records so I don't have to remember the exact name of everything she tried.

I had a wonderful night, and can't wait to do more shopping! I now have two stores to choose from in the area. I've already convinced my hubby we need to go back asap. Thank goodness my birthday is just around the corner.

Dressed To The Nines

I love mornings where my daughter texts me and shows me what she's wearing for her OOTD. And by the way, can I just say it took me forever to figure out those letters meant "outfit of the day." Anyhow, my daughter probably didn't get her fashion sense from me because she somehow knows how to match fabrics, accessories, and so on!

When I was asked to check out pieces from Cleo Madison I was on board because when my girls were little until they left my home, the expectation was for them to dress modestly. When I say "modestly" I don't mean they walked around in turtlenecks in the heat of summer. They never wore anything too short short or cut low and revealing. Now I get it, everyone parents differently, and that's fine. This was just the way I did it.

My girls both carried that modesty through to adulthood, and I'm thankful they did. Both of my girls are beautiful and I love seeing them in their own styles. My oldest though works in a setting and in a field that allows her to dress casually, but professionally. One thing I think we can all agree on is that a pencil skirt is always in fashion.

I had her pick out the skirt that would work best and that she liked so she could try it out. It looked great on her and we both liked the fabric. She's a small gal so it's not always easy to get the right fit. She chose to do a review of the Karli Pencil Skirt. The skirt was a good length, but it was a bit tight around the hips and loose in the waist. I guess the difficult part of ordering skirts online is not always being sure of the exact fit.

We got her outside with a few poses, and one of the aspects we like about the skirt is that she can wear it to work and immediately go out to dinner with her fiancé, meet a friend at the coffee house, or head to a church function. It's versatile and comfortable to go from day to evening.

Now, I may be a bit biased, but I think my daughter looks great in everything. I hope she gets to try out more pieces to add to her wardrobe! Cleo Madison also has affordable prices. That's helpful for any budget. I'm looking forward to seeing what they'll have to offer for the winter months. I actually need to find a few articles of clothing that would be versatile and fun during the colder months.

Minnesota Here We Come - The Home T

Three weeks and counting! We're heading back to Minnesota and we're excited to be home. To usher in July, I asked The Home T if I could do a review of one of their t-shirts showing my love of Minnesota. Thankfully, I must've conveyed my love of home, and they agreed! Now, I thought I was going to be getting a t-shirt showing Minnesota with the word Home across it. I was giddy, giddy I tell ya, when they surprised me with the "My Happy Place" design. Clearly they get me!

Have you switched out all of your clothing for the season? Here in Maryland all of my summer clothing is out and ready to be worn! The weather has made the full change to hot, t-shirt weather. I was looking on Facebook today and you won't believe the weather there. June is such a turbulent month at home. One second you're wearing a t-shirt because it's crazy hot out. The next, clouds are rolling in, the hail starts, and straight line winds hit!

Truly, you have to believe Minnesota is your happy place to call it home. How could you handle the weather there any time of the year if it wasn't? lol

The boys and I are excited to head home in just a few weeks, and I've already prepared the first picture I'm going to take once we get there. I'll be wearing my "My Happy Place" in front of the Welcome to Minnesota line right after we leave Wisconsin! To say I'm looking forward to getting there is quite the understatement!

Now, about The Home T specifically. It's an incredibly comfy t-shirt. I went with a Medium, but easily could've fit a Small. It's made in the USA which is so terrific! I'll probably live in it all summer. Yes, I'm one of those people. The fabric is incredibly soft. They also give back a portion of their profits to multiple sclerosis research. Pretty amazing, isn't it?

So get this. I was wearing my t-shirt right after I received it a couple of weeks ago. I wore it a week & a half ago to my son's baseball game. Well, I wore it again to my son's last baseball game on Saturday forgetting that the last time everyone there saw me I was wearing the same shirt. HA! I won't see them again until next spring for baseball season again so I should be good. =) (and yes I'm terrible at selfies)

I've already worked it out for my daughter to get my son the Home T for his 18th birthday in a couple weeks. She of course loved it. I suppose I should get my hubby the Maryland one for Father's Day. lol Poor guy is kind of outnumbered being surrounded by so many Minnesotans!

These would be perfect for birthday gifts, holiday gifts, and if you love to travel to a specific state, it could be fun for a trip...maybe even to Disney!

Lugz Boots Review & Giveaway

Oh the weather outside is frightful...but NOT when you're wearing Lugz boots. For real, have you SEEN their boots? I've drooled over them the past couple of years, and this winter I'm finally getting to try out a pair to review and giveaway! I was over the moon when they offered to work with me again. I want to become their poster child btw. ;)

When I got the email from my gal at Lugz, she gave me quite a few options for boots. I made her choose. I just couldn't do it. Saying I wanted them all wouldn't go over well. heh heh heh Thankfully she has a sense of humor. She surprised me with a pair. I decided to do an unboxing on Facebook Live, but sadly the sound was pitiful on my phone. Who knew?!

She sent me the Tambora! They. Are. Heavenly!! First, Lugz has a variety of styles of their boots, but not only that, they have lots of colors! They truly have a boot or shoe for almost any occasion. These boots, I'd like to wear pretty much every day. Is it terrible to wish for snow just so I can wear these boots every single day?

Ok, I know, I'm gushing and you're wondering about them. Here are the deets! It has a cushioned insole, plush faux fur lining, padded tongue, and suede shaft. That's just for starters. I love the feel of them. The Tambora is extremely comfortable with the cushioned insole. They're not clunky, but are surprisingly light. This may sound strange, but they're so soft. Your foot literally slips into them with the faux fur.

Since we go for walks with the dog all the time, something I appreciate with these are the reinforced toe and heel for traction and durability. We're supposed to have some flurries and I'm not worried about walking with Peru. I'll be warm and cozy in my new boots!

I'd have to say, their boots definitely make a statement. How could you not turn an eye with these Rose Gold/White Shifter boots? Aren't they dreamy? I know, I want a pair, too!

Now, let's not leave out the rest of the family. Lugz has boots for everyone! The kids boots are absolutely to die for! My next goal is to get Fred into some boots that he just doesn't wear. Can you imagine what this task will be like? He's one of those guys who thinks he only needs one pair of shoes. He's so silly!

Can you believe that Christmas is just a few short weeks away? Now Thanksgiving Feasts and Black Friday Shopping sprees are over, it is time to look forward to the New Year! But we don't want to forget the month we're in. Anderson's Angels, This Mamas Life, The More The Merrier and Woven by Words, are very excited to help create a December to Remember! We've teamed up with over 20 other wonderful bloggers, to bring you another great giveaway event! Each blog has gathered a prize package for December 2 Remember Giveaway Event!

Here's the best part of this post! What you've been waiting for! I'm giving away a pair of Lugz Tambora Women's Boots! YES! IMPORTANT: These will NOT get to you in time for Christmas. The giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on December 19th.

Hosts & participating hop bloggers of the December 2 Remember Event are not responsible for sponsors or self-sponsoring bloggers that do not fulfill prize obligations. a Rafflecopter giveaway Be sure to hop through everyone else's giveaways! You'll find exciting stuff from each blogger.