July Budget

I'm linking up with Fran and some wonderful ladies today for Budgeting Bloggers. Be sure to check out how everyone did! As for me, I really haven't been purchasing too many clothes as of late, but I picked up a few things this month. And they are pretty much all my new favorite things. The bow pumps have been on my radar for a while and the perfect summer blouse has been on my wish-list...so it was great to add these pieces to my wardrobe. As for the scalloped shorts and the sunhat, well I just couldn't resist. 

Summer Blouse: 3 Ways

Lately, I've been obsessed with wearing this blouse because it fits all the criteria on my summer wish list. I have been hunting for the perfect summer blouse for months and I finally found it. Thank you Anthropologie! I wanted something that was going to be breathable for this crazy Southern heat. And as much as I adore colors and patterns, I have way too many of them in my closet, so I also wanted a neutral piece. BUT neutral doesn't mean boring meaning it still needed to have a bit of visual interest. Then I stumbled upon this blouse, which is currently on sale making it so worth it. I love that I've been able to make this work so well for both work and play. When you can wear a blouse in a swamp one day and dress it up for work the next day, that's the epitome of a versatile piece. 

So I thought that it would be fun to highlight just 3 of the many ways that I've been incorporating this new piece into my wardrobe...

S.N.O.B.

Whenever Husband and I travel, we normally limit ourselves to one nice dinner out to help keep travel costs down. And during our last trip, Magnolia's was our choice. However, exceptions to any rule can always be made. So while in Charleston, we decided to indulge a bit more and Slightly North of Broad aka S.N.O.B. was definitely worth breaking the rules for. And every classy Southern girl knows that the best way to dress for dinner is with a little Lilly Pulitzer. 

Swamped!

"There is a way that nature speaks, that land speaks. Most of the time we are simply not patient enough,

 quiet enough, to pay attention to the story"

                          -Linda Hogan 

Queen Street

Because Husband and I are in a long distance relationship, most of our date nights occur during vacations. In fact, this is part of why we travel so much. Most couples can go out every weekend if they want, but that's not an option for us. When we can manage to steal a couple of days away for ourselves, traveling to new places helps us make the most of our time together. So every date night seems to involve a new restaurant and every day date is a new adventure. And that's one aspect about this whole long distance thing, that makes it a little bit easier to endure. 

Charmed by Charleston

Having lived in the South as long as I have, I can't believe that I've never been to Charleston. Regularly ranked as one of the most charming cities in America, Charleston is a place where horse-drawn carriages and Southern hospitality reign supreme. Our weekend in Charleston was planned for months and the anticipation was rising, but then tragedy struck. People questioned our decision to still visit Charleston, but canceling our plans was never a question. Staying away would only mean giving a negative situation more power, which would be the worse thing that we could do. Once in Charleston, we quickly learned that it's a city filled with some of the most kind-hearted generous people that you will ever meet and the horrible circumstances that happened there have brought people together. 

So thank you Charleston for continuing to be as charming as ever.

What we loved about Charleston

>>Brightly colored homes standing against an even brighter sky 

>>Palm Trees and Spanish Moss enveloping the City 

>>the feeling of community that even a true Southerner couldn't describe, it's just something that you have to experience for yourself 

Charleston 

you are one of the most darling cities that we've ever seen

this perfectly pink house and those kelly green shutters//SWOON

I could happily live in any of these, but Husband and I have picked this yellow bricked beauty as our favorite. Those moss covered steps and those perfectly trimmed hedges, this one needs to be our future home!

If only.... 

Even though these homes are the brightest colors ever, they almost looked pale against the brilliantly blazing sun and that dazzling bluer than blue sky 

Seriously, I adored the architecture here. Everywhere you turn, there is something beautiful to see. It's almost embarrassing how many pictures of Charleston homes are sitting on my memory card right now. I can't believe that Husband didn't get annoyed with me for snapping photos non-stop.

Speaking of my amazing Husband, I sent him into a cafe to grab water for the pup and he came out with something for me too. 

Macaroons! 

He sure knows the way to this girl's heart 

Also, the best way to make new friends in a new city... travel with an adorable pup. Complete strangers can't resist those big cute bunny ears and that snow white fur anymore than we can. We met so many people thanks to him. Seeing Charleston with our puppy in tow definitely made this trip extra special.

More Spanish Moss and another favorite home...I couldn't get enough of either

And this may be a bit macabre, but it's beautiful and breath-taking too

Also you can't visit Charleston without walking along the Waterfront. 

These two curious boys definitely agree on that! 

The famous Pineapple Fountain! 

Helping PJ cool down on a hot day may have involved wading through the fountain! 

Oh you know just sunning ourselves to dry off wet hair and toes or should I say paws 

And when the fountain didn't quite do the trick, it was time for lots of Gelato! 

We took as many long walks along the Waterfront as the weekend would allow. I loved getting to travel with my pup!  

On our way out of town, we stopped at Folly Beach! 

White Sandy Dunes and a Salty Breeze. 

I loved Beachin it with these Bums!

Charleston looks like every color of the rainbow with the brightest homes

Charleston Smells like Salty Marshes and Sounds like heavy rain with rolling thunderstroms

Charleston Tastes like shrimp & girts, biscuits smothered in gravy, and collard greens. Gotta love that Southern Cuisine 

Charleston Feels like a city trying to preserve the best parts of its history while trying to grow and learn from the worst parts of its past 

Charleston you are the most unique and charming city. 

Thank you for an amazing weekend with my Husband and our pup! 

GUILTY

With my national boards exam just around the corner and patient responsibilities mounting, I've been feeling pretty guilty about doing anything for myself. When your career path is in medicine, the more you study and the more that you know, the better off your patients will be. That makes it hard to think about doing anything else.

4th of July

Happy Fourth of July Y'all! 

We're celebrating today in Charleston South Carolina. We've been out and about since around 7AM this morning, but finally had to head back to cool off. The heat is tolerable, but the humidity is pushing us over the edge. Thankfully, the place that we're renting has the cutest yard to relax in, complete with a rope swing. 

SeaFood Boil!

Every Summer needs to involve a SeaFood Boil!

When I was a little girl, my family would gather at my Great Aunt Connie’s house. All of us cousins would run around the yard catching fireflies in the twilight. And when it was time for dinner, the adults would dress us in their old t-shirts and lay newspapers down on the front porch. Then we would eat our way through pounds and pounds of crab and shrimp…laughing and playing and making a big mess the whole time. Meanwhile, we could hear the laughter of the adults coming from inside as they ate dinner and played cards. Those were the days where things were simple, the food was good, and the company was even better. These are some of my fondest memories as a child.

Clinic [Optional]

Today was the best day of clinic that I have ever had or will ever have because today my husband was my patient. He certainly wasn’t the most interesting case I’ve ever seen. Nor, was he the easiest to work with (sorry Tom), but he was definitely my favorite!

>>Travel Video: Oh Canada!

I may have over-shared a little with this trip, but I just couldn't help myself. We knew that Canada was going to be a good time and our expectations were high, but we were completely blown away. Oh Canada, you have the kindest people and the best adventures. You are filled with natural wonders and majestic beauties.

 Oh Canada, we have fallen in love with you! 

June in Review

Ah June! 
You were super stressful, but pretty amazing too. Trying to balance school work and having a life is a never ending struggle, but I'm happy to take on the challenge. More than anything, I can't believe that you are gone already. I had many more plans for you June, but July has come too soon.