Happy Monday and almost Halloween friends! Thank you again for all the love and support last week! To give a little update, my sweet pup started chemo on Thursday and while it's (hopefully) going to be a long journey, I'm very thankful we have this option to extend and maintain his quality of life. He seems to be taking pretty well to it so far. Only time will tell how it continues but I just wanted to say thank you again before jumping into my weekend recap. From the title of my post and if you follow me on Instagram, I'm sure you figured out I went to yet another Third Eye Blind concert. I'm sure some of you are thinking "Again? How many 3eb concerts can one person attend in a year?!" Well, the answer is 3. At least for me.

This time the concert was in my hometown and at one of my favorite concert venues so it was nice to be able to stay local and spend the day with my bestie, Kerri. We headed down fairly early in the day to do some shopping, walking and drinking before the concert. We got a bit of a cold front this weekend so it was decent weather until the evening. We started out with a martini from Morimoto because let's face it, shopping is always better and easier when you have a few drinks! 

After that we headed over to Zara and Free People to do some damage. One of the best parts about Disney Springs is the fact there are so many things to do and see and it's ever expanding. After some shopping we walked for a bit before settling into Planet Hollywood for a quick drink before deciding it was definitely time to move on when the entire restaurant broke out into a Let It Go sing-a-long. 

After a bit more walking and people watching the weather started to go downhill so we headed over to House of Blues for dinner before the concert. Fun fact, if you're ever attending a concert at HOB you can eat at the restaurant before and spend a certain amount on dinner and skip the line for the concert. We opted for that option but ended up being sorely disappointed when we realized that the website said doors open at 7 pm, show starts at 8 pm when it was actually doors open at 8 pm show starts at 9 pm. 

And now instead of boring you with details of the concert and the set list, I'm just going to share some pictures and video we took. While we weren't nearly as close as we were the first time we saw them two years ago or earlier this year, we still had a blast and I'm definitely glad we went. Kerri and I always have a blast and it's so much fun singing along at the top of your lungs to your favorite band with your best friend.



tank // bralette // jeans {currently on sale!} // sneakers // necklace 

*Linking up with Biana*

Wow. I just want to start this post by saying thank you. The texts and messages I received after my post on Monday was overwhelming. I appreciate you guys understanding and sending me so much love. It was nerve wracking to hit publish on that post. I was sure that someone would be offended by my words or would think I was being overly dramatic and I'm sure someone out there did but at least those thoughts were kept out of my inbox! Ok, enough of that. I managed to drag my butt out this weekend to get a fashion post in so let's talk about happier things, like this gorgeous fall weather, shall we? 

Florida finally got it's first taste of fall weather this weekend and I have to say, it was glorious. It was sunny, low 80's and even better, low-ish humidity with a slight breeze. These are the days that make me happy and really appreciate fall. One of the difficult things (at least for Floridians) about fall is making sure you're dressed appropriately. It can be warm during the day but turn pretty chilly the second the sun goes down so I always like to have layers with me. This romper was perfect for the sunshine and warmer weather during the afternoon but since I knew I was going to be out until dusk, I brought along my trusty jean jacket to warm me up if needed. I picked up this romper on major sale and wasn't sure how it would fit but I am actually obsessed with it. The silky material is so light and comfortable and the color is so pretty for any season, oh and did I mention it has pockets? You guys know I'm a sucker for anything with pockets.
Again, just wanted to say thank you for all the kind words on Monday! We have an appointment with the oncologist tomorrow so I'm hoping I'll know more about Novie's diagnosis then but don't be surprised if I go radio silent for the rest of the week.

romper {under $20! // long sleeve version here} // jean jacket // booties // necklace // sunglasses // bracelet // 

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*Linking up with Kelly*

 Thank you for all your sweet words and messages last week. I'm still not 100% ready to hit publish on this post but I know there are so many devastating things happening in the world, this is so minor compared to them but it completely flipped my world upside down.
October 13th, 2017 should have been just like any other day. It was my work from home day so I had planned on taking my dog in for a follow up appointment to check on his heart murmur and then getting some work done and maybe going out to enjoy a Friday happy hour to kick of the weekend. Unfortunately, things don't always go the way you plan and that's exactly how my day went. As I sit here writing this with the events of that day still fresh in my memory, it's hard to keep the tears from flowing. October 13th was the day my sweet baby boy, my furbaby, my only child got diagnosed with cancer. 

There was no part of me that was prepared for the news I was going to get that day. I knew he was getting older and had recently had several bouts of pancreatitis, both of which were easily treated with medication, and had been diagnosed with a minor heart murmur but cancer wasn't something I was expecting to hear that day. I won't lie, it's been a major fear of mine pretty much since the day I got him. Cancer tends to run in my family. Or at least that's the way it feels. My grandmother was a breast cancer survivor before I even knew what a mastectomy was, my grandfather and my other grandmother both passed from cancer within the past 5 years and I've had several "abnormal cell" scares myself. So there was always a part of me that just knew my dog would one day get cancer because that's the way my life seems to go but I certainly wasn't expecting it that day. He has shown no signs of being sick other than some leftover side effects from his most recent case of pancreatitis but his primary doctor wanted him to see a specialist to check up on his heart murmur so I went into the appointment with high hopes that his heart murmur hadn't gotten any worse or if it had it would be easily treatable. Little did I know, his heart murmur was going to be the least of my worries. The phone call came maybe an hour after I dropped him off and 3 hours before I was scheduled to pick him up so I immediately knew something was wrong. The only thing I can really remember the vet saying was "Novie has a swollen prostate and unfortunately in neutered dogs, that can only mean one thing: he has cancer..." I know there was some other medical terminology thrown about and then she asked if I was ok with them doing further testing but it would add to my bill and before she could even finish I had yelled yes into the phone. My heart shattered into a million pieces that day and somehow it still continues to break. 

As I was writing this, a story popped up on my Twitter feed that made me so angry and upset that I feel I have to address it. I've read the articles of women complaining about women who treat their animals as babies and call it an insult. If I insult you by calling my dog my furbaby, you have bigger problems. I'm not saying I'm delusional and think I gave birth to my dog or that he's biologically mine, but you know what? I've cared for him night and day for the past 11 years, I've fed him, I've played with him, I've held him when he was scared, I've administered medicine to him (sometimes in the most difficult manner), I've gotten him hair cuts, taken him to the doctor, I've made him treats, I've stayed up all night with him while he was sick, I've trained him, hell I've even wiped my dog's butt and cleaned up his puke on my bed at 2 am. If those aren't your typical "parenting" moves then apparently I don't know what parenting is. And that's not even the half of everything I have done for my dog but apparently because I didn't give birth to my dog, I'm not a "mom"? What about mom's that abuse their children, that allow their children to be sexually abused, or not fed. You mean to tell me that woman is a mom more than I am because she biologically had a child? I call bullshit. My dog has brought an endless amount of joy to my life and I have given him the best goddamn life I could. Does it absolutely destroy me that I can't fix this for him, that I can't find some way to make him better? Hell yes it does. The anger and hurt I felt when told his diagnosis parallels that of the Hulk. But I challenge anyone to tell me right now, or ever, that my dog is not my son. My dog is my son in the sense that he is and will always be family to me. And right now my heart hurts in a way that I hope no mother ever has to feel about their child (of the two or four legged variety). My heart hurts in a way that I can't even fathom will get worse but I know this is just the beginning. My heart hurts so bad right now for my baby and if it bothers or offends you that I call him my baby, I envy you for not having bigger things to worry about.
Please try not to judge. This post was written while I was chalk full of emotion; mainly sadness, anger, and denial so I know it might feel all over the place and the end goes on a bit of a rant but seeing that on Twitter could not have come at a worse time for me. This Thursday I meet with a cancer specialist to discuss treatment options for prolonging my furbaby's life as long as I can while giving him the best quality of life I can so excuse my ups and downs over the next few months. I'll do my best to remain positive in this little space of mine but some days will be harder than others. And for those of you who have made it down here, thank you. I know this was probably the longest post I've ever written and I appreciate you sticking it through! Hope you have a wonderful week!


*Linking up with Biana*

Happy Friday friends! I apologize for my absence this week. I had a pretty awful weekend last weekend and just couldn't bring myself to post this week. I actually wrote a post about it while it was still fresh but I'm just not quite ready to hit publish on that yet but a lot of you have already reached out and know what's going on and I appreciate the support and love! Because I didn't want to be completely dark this week I decided to start my weekend off by sharing some of my favorite skincare products. With the seasons changing and the weather getting drier, I definitely have to switch up my skincare routine and I've found some amazing products that help combat the changing seasons.




1 // I stumbled upon Sunday Riley and have since become obsessed. Good Genes is the perfect exfoliator, especially if your skin gets a little flaky in the drier months like mine, and Ceramic Slip does a great job minimizing my pores. Combine them both together and you get an awesome mask as well!
2 // I know this primer is a bit expensive but it's definitely my ride or die. I've tried almost every primer under the sun (thanks Sephora for giving out free samples) and I always come back to this one. It keeps my foundation looking flawless the entire day and gives me a nice healthy glow. I don't use it every day so it lasts me a REALLY long time but every time I do use it, I always get a compliment on how great I look that day.
3 // This has been (and will continue to be) my tried and true but when I found out it wasn't really recommended for people in their 30's (whomp whomp) I got some samples of some other oils and this one has quickly become my favorite. I use it mainly at night before I go to bed and it's amazing how refreshed my skin looks in the morning.
4 // Oh Kiehl's, you always make me so happy. I got this mask as a sample when they opened at Disney Springs and when I noticed my skin getting a little dry the other day I gave it a go again and I am so happy I did. My skin immediately felt hydrated and soft which is great but one of the things I love is how clean my face feels after using it. It really sucks out all the built up oil, dirt and toxins in your skin which also helps if you're prone to breakouts!
5 // I had a bad habit of picking and biting my lips my entire life. Needless to say, when the weather gets drier, they tend to dry out a bit too which then promotes my bad habit. I am a chapstick junkie so during the day it isn't ever a problem but overnight when I first wake up was becoming a bit of a problem. I picked up this mask mainly because of the price and reviews and I can promise you, I will continue to buy it even if the price goes up. My lips have never been smoother or softer and now I want to check out other Laneige products.

Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend and hopefully I'll be feeling up to going back to my normal blogging schedule next week.

*Linking up with Amanda*

Happy Humpday! I was a bit lazy ok, scratch that, busy this weekend to do any fashion blogger pictures and to be completely honest, I over indulged a bit on the not so healthy food and beverages so even if I had time to do pictures; I felt like a whale so I probably wouldn't have liked them anyway. But in the spirit of trying to keep up with posting at least twice a week, I wanted to share some of the things I've been loving lately. Fall fashion is (hopefully) right around the corner for us so I've been scooping up or scoping out all the cute things in preparation.

1 // After seeing this bralette all over my Instagram, I finally bit the bullet and bought it myself. It's the perfect bralette to add a little sexy to a one shoulder sweater or top. It comes in 8 colors and I'm going to have to restrain myself from not buying it in every color!

2 // Despite the fact it's still in the 80's here, I've been rocking booties almost every day and I'm not sorry. I had these on my wish list for awhile so when I saw they were on sale for 20% off, I had to scoop them up. They're super comfy and the low sides make them perfect for warmer fall days.

3 // I'm not even going to try to pretend I don't love Selena Gomez, so when I saw she was doing a collab with Coach I knew I had to check it out. Coach had kinda fallen off my radar recently but their fall line is really cute and I love this clutch that's part of the Selena line. So adorable and how fun is the gold chain?

4 // I had been on the hunt for the perfect lariat necklace but kept coming up short. I wanted something that was dainty but not impossible to see while wearing and that wasn't crazy expensive. My girl, Kerri, happened to have bought a cute necklace recently and when I asked her where she got it, it gave me an idea of a new place to search and what do you know, I found exactly what I was looking for! Not only did I find my perfect dainty lariat but it also can be worn as a choker. 

5 // I recently bought this dress in the sleeveless version in the olive color so when I saw they made it in a long sleeve version, I knew it'd be perfect for fall/winter. It's so versatile and seriously goes with everything. I'm convinced this is the one dress that looks good on everyone. 

6 // Don't judge me for buying a scarf when it's still 80 degrees out but I couldn't pass this one up. It's the perfect pop of leopard for any outfit and it's under $20! Hurry up 70 degree weather... just kidding. Kinda.

Oh October. You are by far my favorite month of out the year. When I lived up north, this would be the time of year that you could really notice a difference in the weather. The morning air would be crisp and the leaves would start to change. We don't really get much of a fall here in Florida but that doesn't mean I don't still embrace October with all I can. It might still be in the 80's here but this is the time of year I start breaking out the dark nail polishes and lipsticks and of course start rocking the booties. 

With the exception of classic sneakers, booties are by far my favorite footwear. I love rocking booties with shorts, jeans and even dresses just to bring those fall vibes into my outfits. Just a heads up, these booties will be on constant repeat this fall and winter. This dress will also be on constant repeat! I love the olive color and it looks so great layered or dressed up or down. I actually rocked this dress with sneakers a few weeks ago and got multiple compliments on how cute it is. But I  definitely can't wait to rock it with a leather jacket or an oversized cardigan when it gets cooler. I'm also ready for cooler and less humid weather so my hair actually cooperates. It's so annoying to do my hair at the beginning of the day and have it be completely flat by lunch time. Any fine haired girls have some suggestions on miracle products for me? I HATE hairspray but I'd be willing to try if someone can suggest one that isn't overly sticky or smelly. 

dress // denim shirt // booties {on sale!} // sunglasses // necklace // bracelet // purse // lips in lolita

*Linking up with Kelly*

Happy Monday and October friends! One of the things I love about living in Orlando is there is no shortage of things to do. Of course most of these things can be extremely touristy or expensive but we do have a lot of "local" festivals that we love to check out as well and this weekend happened to be one of them, the Deland Bacon & Brew Fest. A few months ago you might remember that my friend who own's a brewery in Melbourne put on his own bacon and beer fest so if say bacon and beer there's a 90% chance I'll be there even on a rainy, gross day like it was on Saturday. 

Not being biased or anything but my friends bacon and beer bash was executed MUCH better than this festival. In fact, with the exception of the band and the bacon (and especially the deep fried bacon), this festival was actually incredibly disappointing. We purchased the sampling pass which allowed us to get 10 samples from the 125 different craft beer and winery vendors at the event. Sounds like a lot, right? Wrong. The festival started at 1 pm, we got there around 2-2:30 pm and by the time we got there more than half the vendors we're already out of beer. We were only actually able to get samples from 4 different vendors and the lines for those vendors were incredibly long. Luckily Goose Island came prepared and they had plenty of beer to sample so just to use up our tickets since they were not offering refunds (and actually threatened to arrest people for complaining or asking for a refund) we went back to the Goose Island tent 3 times. All in all, it was fun getting to hang out with friends and walk around but I won't be going back. But hey, not everything can be executed great, right? You live and learn! Hope everyone has a fantastic week! 

*Linking up with Biana*